Matthew's Story
Now 17, Matthew has two GCSEs and has applied to train as a car mechanic. Planning ahead, he says he wants to do Maths A level and eventually study engineering at university. This is all a far cry from the situation just three years earlier, when he was homeless, sleeping rough or staying with friends. Although he was then at school, he was completely unmotivated and had a reputation for causing trouble. His habit of threatening to hit other students who talked while he was trying to concentrate also meant he was at risk of exclusion.
After he got into trouble with the police, Matthew was taken into residential care. It was here that an Education Adviser from Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa began working with him and Matthew’s recovery began. Over time, his attendance, homework and class work began to improve; he particularly valued the “brilliant” one-to-one support. Although he had been due to go to an educational project (compulsory for young people not in mainstream education), this support and the progress that resulted from it prompted his school to change its mind and allow him to stay and take GCSEs in Maths and English. Now that he has some qualifications, Matthew is back on track and can begin to put his past experiences behind him.
Click here to find out more about the Education Service at Shaftesbury Homes and Arethusa.
