On the 3rd March I was invited to visit the Progress Centre at Cannock Chase High School, a facility specifically created to help those students who have been permanently excluded. Coleen Warrel, Director of Student Services, provided me with a tour of the centre and explained the reasoning behind the pilot scheme.
The aim of the Progress Centre is to help those who have been excluded from school to re-engage with the learning process, as well as assist students with any anger or behavioural issues. I found it an extremely innovative environment to be in and was impressed by the dedication of the teachers to make a real difference to children’s lives.
Thank you to Cannock Chase High School for the very kind invitation, and a huge thank you to Ella Venables, who is a Police Cadet Leader, and an inspirational young lady, who introduced me to the programme. May this be rolled out across the wider teaching community for further adoption.