Background
H joined our tuition support programme as a young person with Special Educational Needs, disengaged from learning and significantly behind with reading. He had a long-standing history of low academic confidence, had been referred to CAMHS for depression, and was navigating attachment-related challenges. Traditional approaches hadn’t worked—his potential was hidden behind years of frustration and unmet need.

Our Approach
From day one, we focused on uncovering what was holding H back. We quickly identified reading ability as a major barrier, so we adapted how we delivered learning.

• Reading ages were assessed and used to modify the language in maths and science tasks.

• Daily reading became part of the routine.

• We built a structured support plan that H co-created, helping him take ownership.

• Rewards, scaffolded tasks, and regular reassessment helped us pace his progress and build his confidence.

• The challenge increased gradually across all subjects, especially maths, where his strengths were soon evident.
  
  

We worked closely with H’s parent and counsellor to support emotional resilience and provide consistency across his care network.

Outcomes
H’s progress was outstanding:

• He moved from 'working towards' to being on track to pass English, Maths, and Science.

• His maths scores improved dramatically, once the reading was accessible, he placed in the top 25% of his year group.

• He progressed from Set 5 to Set 2 in Maths, and from Set 5 to Set 3 in English and Science.

• He now talks openly about going to university and becoming a police officer.
  
  

Parent Feedback

“You showed H that he should believe in himself and gave him confidence that he can achieve at school. His attitude to school and learning is completely different following your support.” - Mum of H.

Summary

H’s story is a clear reflection of our ethos: every young person can lead a remarkable life when we understand them, believe in them, and teach in ways that work for them.

Background
Before working with me in a previous role, J had been out of education for over six months. Labelled a “school refuser” and excluded multiple times, he was caught in a cycle of mistrust, anger, and underachievement. His attendance was below 10%, and emotionally, J had given up on school—seeing it as a place where he’d always fail.

The Work
Over two terms, I worked directly with J to rebuild his connection to learning. The approach was calm, consistent, and relational:

• We started with home visits and gradually reintroduced him to school in safe, low-pressure ways.

• I used restorative conversations to repair fractured relationships and help staff see the child behind the behaviour.

• J had clear routines, the option to step out when overwhelmed, and ongoing emotional coaching.

• I built a personalised catch-up plan, starting with diagnostic assessments and steadily increasing challenge.

• Praise and visual progress tracking helped J reconnect with success.
  
  

Outcomes
The transformation was clear:

• Attendance rose from 10% to over 80%.

• J returned to mainstream lessons for parts of the timetable.

• His behaviour stabilised significantly, he used calming strategies independently and was able to express emotions without escalation.

• His academic progress caught up to near age-related expectations, and for the first time in over a year, he was producing structured work in both English and Maths.

• He began expressing long-term ambitions, including starting his own business.
  
  

Pupil & Parent Feedback

“I used to think there was no point coming to school because no one really cared. You actually listened, and that really helped me and made me want to try.” :- J, student.

“We didn’t know where to turn. You gave us a bit of hope when we’d almost given up. J finally felt like someone was on his side.” :- Mum of J

Summary
J’s story is a reminder of what’s possible when we stop punishing behaviour and start understanding it. With the right relationships, the right support, and the right mindset, no young person is ever too far gone.