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Case Study: Skerton Community High School, Lancaster

Nurturing young people to a healthier future

Five years ago Skerton Community High School in Lancaster was put under Special Measures but today, it’s seeing its academic reputation restored, along with a turnaround in behaviour and overall attendance. As Head of School, Chris Trueman, explains, it’s all down to the creation of a new ‘nurturing’ environment:

Skerton serves a poor socio-economic area with a high percentage of low-income families, and back in 2003 it was clear that the school’s 250 students were simply not fulfilling their potential. However, the National Healthy Schools Programme has provided the framework to boost morale and restore pride, not just among the children, but also the staff, parents and wider community.

A prime example of this is our ‘Nurture Group’, which brings together around ten young people in a small group setting. The children spend 9 lessons together every week studying mainstream subjects, but in a more relaxed environment than traditional classes.

The Nurture Group was created to target a small but entrenched group, who, for a variety of reasons, were having difficulty integrating with their classmates. We’re tailoring the school experience to their individual educational needs, to boost their confidence and self-esteem before introducing them back into traditional lessons. Typically, a young person will spend between one and three terms in the Nurture Group, but this isn’t set in stone. In fact, one of the programme’s strengths is its flexibility.

The group also incorporates a breakfast club, enabling the students to sit down and eat together in a comfortable and welcoming setting. Not only does this help them with social skills, it fuels them for the day ahead - as well as encouraging healthier eating habits.

What’s most important is that young people feel cared for and their feelings are recognised. Much of the challenging behaviour we encounter stems from difficulties in their home life. If children aren’t being nurtured elsewhere, the Nurture Group will be new – and very positive – experience for them.

Skerton’s young people also have a clear voice in the running of the school, another fundamental aspect of Healthy Schools. A ‘Lead Learner’ scheme is up and running, with Year 11 students taking on a peer mentoring role in the classroom, to support younger students and advise them on their studies. These students are empowered to take on roles of responsibility throughout the school and most recently, the programme has resulted in a new anti-bullying charter. The idea of a ‘safe zone’ for youngsters who feel bullied or vulnerable has come directly from our Lead Learners Group and is just one example of students “looking out” for their peers and promoting a more inclusive atmosphere.

Here at Skerton, developing emotional wellbeing has proved vital in combating challenging behaviour and we’re well supported by a combination of staff inside the school and external agencies. The school has a specialised team, trained in child protection, to identify young people with personal and emotional issues and work with them before they reach crisis point. There is also an on-site community police officer and access to a mental health team, while close working relationships with agencies such as the County Council, Connexions and local employers further underline the importance of a multi-agency approach in dealing with the root causes of their problems and raising confidence levels.

In Lancaster, there are two grammar schools and a number of selective church schools, but at Skerton, we’re catering for a different part of the community. Some of our young people won’t have access to Higher Education, but they will at least have the tools to achieve emotional and economic wellbeing, rather than getting lost in the system.

Improving access and raising aspirations are underlying themes for our Roma Achievement Programme. Lancaster has a significant traveller community, but young people drawn from this group rarely attend regular lessons and tend to be removed from the traditional secondary education system. The programme offers the opportunity for young people to develop individual achievement plans, mix with their own age group, and build practical skills through activities such as a weekly ‘cook and eat club’.

Just recently, Skerton Community High School was rated among the top twenty nationally for ‘value added’ and I’m pleased to say we’ve also been newly designated as a Federation School with nearby Hornby High. Skerton is fully embracing the Healthy Schools ethos, and as a result, both staff and students are looking to a happier, healthier future.

By Chris Trueman

Head of School, Skerton Community High School

To find out more about Skerton Community High School and their involvement in Healthy Schools, please follow the below link to a short film about them which was recently featured on Teachers TV as part of their Healthy Schools Week:
http://www.teachers.tv/video/26363