FEATURED SCHOOL: HANHAM HIGH SCHOOL, BRISTOL

The driving force behind this very challenging project is Jo Postlethwaite, Assistant Head. Many of Hanham’s students come from deprived backgrounds. If ever there’s a school dedicated to helping students succeed, in spite of their background, it’s Hanham.The training I was asked to provide covered 3 main areas:Write ups are sent to James after each session. These are kept on file, along with feedback from students and staff, as a record of what is being achieved. This information can also form part of reports to Ofsted inspectors.

The project has involved addressing some or all of the following:

• Motivation. “Why should I?” If a student sees nothing worth working for in terms of personal reward,
  he will make no effort.
• “I want to succeed but I don’t know how.”
• “I know what I want but I don’t know what I have to do to get it.”
• Self image: “I don’t deserve to succeed.”
• Self belief: I’m not good enough to succeed so I’m not going to risk the pain of failure.”

• Meeting the boys once a month.
• Having fun, but challenging them.
• Encouraging the boys to see me as a person who will listen to their views, however controversial, without passing judgment on them.

It is also proving a delight to partner with Jonquil Brooks from the South West Apprenticeship Company. Introducing the boys to a really wide range of possibilities has prompted interest in careers they never knew existed. 

OUTCOME

I’d be lying if I claimed I’d managed to turn round every boy I’ve worked with at Hanham. However, it’s immensely rewarding to see a boy achieve the number of A* to C grades he needed to get into 6th form when he started the course as no hope waster. It’s immensely rewarding to see a disaffected lad gain 6 G.C.S.E. subject, C or above when, at the outset, he was predicted permanent exclusion.  It’s immensely rewarding to be asked back for a third year running.