Progress Schools’ former student shines

Recently we received a call from Carol Edwards, grandparent of a former student who will be referred to as Leah for confidentiality, who wanted to show her support for Alternative Provision and offer an update on her granddaughter’s progress since leaving Progress Schools, Tees Valley.

Leah joined Progress Schools following a time of personal strife as Carol said,

“She was living with her mum, she wasn’t attending school, and there were issues with other students due to family circumstances.”

Carol discussed how Leah wasn’t handling it well which led to her acting out. She discussed her granddaughter’s behaviour with her. Carol didn’t justify how Leah was acting but she understood her reason for doing so.

“She was quite upset for quite some time, and it showed in her behaviour.”

Leah found herself moving from one mainstream school to another, but the issues followed her. Carol feels this is because mainstream schools are not properly equipped to support students like Leah who require additional support. During her time in these schools, Leah was often put in isolation to avoid causing distractions for the other students. Carol said,

“She spent long periods of time in isolation which was detrimental to her mental health. Not just for her education, it isolated her at a very vulnerable time. The way they dealt with it actually aggravated the situation. There was no form of listening or understanding.”

Being able to tailor an education to the specific needs of each student is difficult in a mainstream setting due to the larger class sizes. In Alternative Provision, we are more equipped to cater to these needs, allowing a student to not only develop academically but personally. A student’s personal life can have a profound effect on their education, and not always positively. If a student is going through familial or personal struggles, education often takes a backseat. At Progress Schools, we aim to support each student to work through these struggles and provide an escape within their education.

Leah was suspended from mainstream schools and attended another Alternative Provision provider, however after experiencing funding issues, they requested Leah be transferred to Progress Schools in 2022 to continue her education and personal development. Whilst with us, Leah further built on the foundations her previous school had laid, growing her confidence within herself and her ability to learn.

One of Leah’s biggest dislikes was maths and science. Working alongside our teachers, Leah was able to develop an understanding of these subjects. Carol mentioned how Leah knew she needed maths but had “written off science” until one day, one of our teachers helped her to understand it.

“Every day she would come back enthused about science. She got her head around it due to this teacher. ‘I get it, I understand it…’ she would just go on and on and on. She was actually buzzing that she could get her head around it. I was so pleased to see it.”

Carol discussed the “big impact” Progress Schools had on Leah’s growth. Even though Leah has developed academically, Carol most appreciates the boost in confidence Leah has received.

“When you have the confidence knocked out of you, you can’t even walk into a room and sit there with the other kids. It makes a big difference! How can you learn if you haven’t got the confidence to even relax or put your opinion forward in class, to say you don’t really understand something.”

When discussing mainstream, Carol said,

“The way they do it suppresses their self-esteem and quite easily she could’ve stayed off the rails.”

Since leaving Progress Schools, Leah has completed her first year of college studying health and social care. After finishing college, she plans on attending university with the dream of running a care home in the future and becoming a foster carer. This is driven by her understanding of how easily young people can be set off track due to their personal circumstances.

After attending Alternative Provision, Leah “felt understood and her self-esteem was restored.” Carol is a big supporter of AP and feels strongly about an enhanced need for it:

“They should be better funded and given more credit for what they actually do, because the schools now, can’t be bothered with you if you don’t fit the criteria – leaving it up to AP. In my opinion, this has been going on for many years, and these AP schools need better funding in my eyes because they’re doing what mainstream schools aren’t even prepared to do or the education committee. They certainly make them fight for the funding.”

Leah is a shining example of what can be achieved with the appropriate support. She’s overcome incredible challenges and we’re immensely proud of her journey. We wish her all the best as she embarks on her second year of college. Her determination and resilience make us confident that she’ll not only succeed but also make a positive impact in the future running her own care home.

(For confidentiality, the student’s name has been changed)