About Us
Lyward Colley Workshops is the new iteration of Monkey Workshops, first founded by Keith Colley in 2020. Inspired by the work of George Lyward and his approach to educating so-called troubled boys in the 1930s and his own experience of alternative provision, Keith passionately believes that mentoring, environment and skills are key when trying to assist troubled young people.


Our Story
Lyward Colley Workshops is the new iteration of Monkey Workshops, first founded by Keith Colley in 2020. Inspired by the work of George Lyward and his approach to educating so-called troubled boys in the 1930s and his own experience of alternative provision, Keith passionately believes that mentoring, environment and skills are key when trying to assist troubled young people.
At the core of Lyward Colley is a lived experience by our founder, having been excluded from a number of mainstream Schools himself and spent the majority of his education in the Alternative provision Sector. Keith's vision and methods are well rooted in these personal experiences which enables Lyward Colley to firmly put each individual child's needs at the very centre of our focus and gives us a clear determination to improve the outcomes and prospects of our young people.
What We Do

Lyward Colley Workshops (LCW) is a child-focused alternative provider that works with young people outside of mainstream education and/or with special educational needs (SEND).
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We have developed our own brand of provision based around a collection of five key areas, designed to work together as a whole and to improve the lives of young people.
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MENTORING This is an opportunity for guidance and to instil a sense of self-worth and autonomy in our students.
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ENVIRONMENT A non-institutional look and feel creates a calm place that students can feel is their own, a contrast from their previous, often negative experiences in more formal settings.
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SKILLS Our range of workshops means that students can find something that piques their personal interest, leading to a sense of achievement. Skills can be developed, leading to training or employment opportunities but most importantly, the student feels a very real sense of purpose and self-worth.
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CHILD-FOCUSED By building our relationships using our mentoring approach, we are able to better understand the goals and aspirations of each individual student. Focusing on the child’s needs vastly increases their potential for a positive outcome. In all of our work we are driven by the prospect of lasting positive outcomes.
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OUTCOMES This focus means there is real value for each student that stretches outside of the workshop itself and remains with that child as they set forth into their future.
Each of the above is a cornerstone of our work and is present in each and every session. It is the combination of them all that makes LCW unique and provides a positive and lasting impact on the young people we seek to help.