RAISING ACHIEVEMENT ys Case study: Andy McGowan


When he was at school, Andy McGowan never thought of going to university. From an early age, he had to balance his school work with the pressures of caring for his disabled parents who were often ill and in hospital. None of the other young men on


free school meals in his year stayed in education when they left school, let alone considered higher education. But Andy, encouraged by 6th form teachers, won a place to study at Cambridge. Today, as a 23-year-old law graduate, Andy is waiting to start a PGCE course in September so he can realise his ambition of becoming a teacher. He is one of the people who have


bucked the trend and succeeded where many young men eligible for free school meals do not. He argues that schools need to understand the individual circumstances faced by young people, and help find the support they need to succeed. In Andy’s case, he said he had to fight


for his circumstances to be understood. It was only when teachers in his 6th form college pointed out his grades and where they could lead, that he began to appreciate the possibilities that might open up for him. On one occasion, he had to help his


father to hospital in the small hours of the morning and make his way to a friend’s house to stay, as his mum was already in a different hospital. He was due to take a German test the next day and explained the situation to his school, who claimed to understand, but


Teacher/student relationships


The boys valued relationships that were warm but professional and determined, mirroring those of close work colleagues. There were no preferred teaching styles but a feeling that teachers should be experienced and have a determined optimism about the individual student’s capacity for success.


Out-of-hours work space


This needed to be attractive and publicised to all, not just disadvantaged students, and set up for all who needed, or preferred, to complete homework at school.


Detailed and targeted IAG


Schools needed to provide detailed careers information advice and guidance from an early age, taking no previous knowledge for granted. This should be provided by a known and trusted adult, where possible, and followed up with clear practical support.


Pastoral and home life


Students in this group had varying needs. Some needed only professional support for their learning, while others also needed the kind of nurturing that a functional family provides. Successful schools had a close knowledge of each student’s home circumstances in order to use their limited time and resource to maximum effect.


Separating home and school


Interviewees did not want close relationships between home and school for a variety of reasons, but did want people at home to trust the school to do their best by them. This implied clear communication and mutual respect.


Journey to personal autonomy


The boys needed their education to prepare them for the new world outside home and school as well as helping them to pass exams, and, in stages, to independence.


‘ What next?


Already, we have a focus group of interviewees who continue to inform the research and the practical activities that have come from its first phase. Regional workshops have provided practitioner volunteers for an adult focus group, an email group to share good practice and useful suggestions for future work. Projected strands for future investigation include a


longitudinal study, a close examination of young carers in the group, geographical differences in aspirations, the importance of a joy in, and confidence with, oral language, the role played by sport and the arts in transferable skills such as confidence-building, the context of the school, and a further look at role models, styles of learning and reading. Planned practical activities include bespoke


school workshops for staff, governors, parents and the students themselves, using the young student ambassadors who we have already interviewed and are keen to play their part. Case-studies of successful boys in this group are in


development, to be produced in hard copy and online, as well as plans for individual student mentoring and alumni support. What is clear is that the support of the boys who


have bucked the trend is vital if more of their group are to be successful at school and beyond. What is also clear is that they are passionately committed to further involvement, in order to improve what they rightly see as totally unacceptable statistics concerning the lack of educational achievement of boys like them.


SecEd


• Tom Welch is the lead researcher on the free school meals project commissioned by The Schools Network.


Further information


If you would like more details on the free school meals project or to become involved, email Tom Welch at mail@tomwelch.co.uk


The boys valued relationships that were warm but professional and determined, mirroring those of close work colleagues. There were no preferred


teaching styles but a feeling that teachers should be experienced and have a determined optimism about the individual student’s capacity for success


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Andy was still given a detention when he did not pass. His experiences led him to lose motivation and start missing school, but he gained good GCSEs after teachers helped him get support from a group for young carers near his home. But even so, when he moved house


and went to 6th form, his teachers were taken aback that Andy was not considering university. “There was a completely different ethos,” he explained. “They said ‘are you planning to go to university?’ and they were very surprised when I said no. “They started to encourage me to


go to university. I thought I can’t leave my drama group, that’s it for me. They pointed out that I’d be back for half of the year and that the drama group would still be there. I’d never even really thought that I could still do drama at university.” Andy says it was pure chance that


one of his first choice A levels was not available – leaving him studying a selection which would allow him to apply to Cambridge. He argues today that young people on free school meals are not all the same – but what they all need is attention, thoughtful teachers and the space and encouragement to thrive. He continued: “Kids on free


school meals are in a whole range of circumstances. They might be from single-parent households, their parents might have lost their jobs, or they might be carers themselves. The big thing is to say ‘you can go on and succeed – you can do it’.”


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