London Mentorship Scheme for Excluded Pupils Receives Major Funding Boost

Actress Nkechi Simms shared her personal experience with young individuals at a Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) in north London, stating, “I often felt really misunderstood and struggled to handle my emotions – I was very angry.” Ms. Simms is involved in a mentorship initiative designed to assist young people within PRUs throughout London. This program has secured an additional £2.3 million in funding from the London mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU), intended to increase the number of mentors and extend coverage to all 32 boroughs. Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) serve as alternative educational establishments for children who have been expelled from traditional schools or are otherwise unable to participate in a mainstream educational environment. Ms. Simms informed BBC London that she “got kicked out of school when I was 12 and so I spent my entire education bouncing around different PRUs,” but emphasized that despite these challenges, “I made it out alright.” She further explained her motivation, stating, “That’s why I’m so passionate about coming out and supporting young people.” Accompanying her was Christian Foley, a mentor who is also a rapper and teacher, at Orchardside School, which is Enfield’s PRU. It was at this location that London Mayor Sadiq Khan publicly announced the increased funding. According to City Hall, this financial allocation will facilitate both individual and group mentoring for an additional 2,200 young individuals throughout London. The program is described as forming a “critical element” of the mayor’s “approach to tackling violence.” From September 2022 to July 2024, mentors supported by the VRU provided assistance to over 1,500 young people across 22 boroughs. During these two academic years, 82% of pupil referral units and other alternative provision environments observed enhanced attendance among mentored young people, alongside better relationships with their peers and teaching personnel. Ms. Simms also commented that mainstream educational environments sometimes “isn’t built for these kids.” In 2022, she appeared in a BBC Three comedy series depicting young individuals’ experiences within a PRU. Ms. Simms stated, “When they come into these environments they often have so many things they have to work through,” and added, “Having a mentor is a really good way of having a personal engagement with these young people and encouraging them to think more about their futures in a positive way.” Charlie, a Year 10 student at Orchardside who is currently receiving mentorship, shared his experience: “Whenever I am having a bad day or annoyed, my mentor helps me by telling good jokes and doing a fun activity with me such as bike riding, football, and table tennis. “The mentoring sessions have helped me improve my behaviour and created a thinking space for me to reflect and change my ways.” Celeste Fay, the headteacher of Orchardside School, described the mentorship program as the “most valuable experience” for students. She elaborated, “Our approach to mentoring evolves around continuous positive regard and nurturing attachments.” Fay further explained, “Reinforcing the messages that they have a stake in society and in their lives, mentoring at our school is about agency, responsibility, and personal growth.” Mayor Khan further stated, “I am committed to investing in young people and giving them the opportunity to reach their full potential and to thrive in our great city.” He emphasized, “Key to that is education and being in school where we know young people are safe and supported to develop and grow.” Additional reporting was provided by Noah Vickers, a Local Democracy Reporter. For more content, listeners can access BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story ideas can be sent to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content of external sites and provides information on its approach to external linking.