Praise for scheme that helps struggling students
An initiative that aims to reintegrate disaffected and underachieving children into mainstream education has been praised by a former schools minister.
The Gateway caters for students who have complex social and mental health difficulties at Future Schools Trust’s two academies, New Line Learning and Cornwallis in Maidstone.
The site incorporates a classroom and IT suite for small groups and a round table used for discussions.
The Gateway is part of the trust’s Boughton Lane, Loose, site and its pupils are expected to wear school uniform. They are taught strategies to avoid situations escalating, alongside maths, English and subjects in which they are passionate.
Outside agencies and professionals such as social workers, counsellors and therapists work in conjunction with teachers.
James Graham, who has been appointed head of Gateway, said that the initiative was not a “soft option”, just a “different option”.
He said: “Our aim is to teach practical skills whilst reinforcing the need for academic rigour.
“This won’t be an escape from the classroom. All pupils need to learn how to control their emotions while appreciating that they need basic maths and English to give them the best chance of securing a job and progressing in the world.”
Former education secretary and schools minister Estelle Morris, who was a key player in Tony Blair’s Labour government between 1997 and 2005, visited the site recently.
She said: “I admire and wel- come this new approach by Future Schools Trust.
“The Gateway is not about making life easier for the children or for the staff, it is a very determined way to meet the needs of a group of young people and ensuring they get the best from their education.”
Ms Morris, now Baroness Morris of Yardley, added: “For a school to deal with the children on site, as an integrated part of the school so that they still belong but have a curriculum tailored to their needs, is the right thing to do.”
The trust’s chief executive, Joshua Coleman, hopes the scheme can be a model for other schools: “Some children could be disadvantaged because of dyslexia, family circumstances or emotional upheaval.
“Each child is different, but the new gateway will have a range of opportunities which can be tailored to individual need.”