Excluded

This programme contains strong been following the students and

staff of the Choices school in Bristol. It offers alternative

been excluded. We follow the highs. And the lows. No Nico! No one's

Shaylea and Chad have all been excluded and sent to Choices. But,

It's the start of a new year at Shanika and Shaylea are doing an art

could be a person, or it could be a symbol. Most lessons take place

could be a person, or it could be a Easton's Mill Youth Centre, in

Bristol. Liam and the others in Easton's Mill Youth Centre, in

class should have been studying Easton's Mill Youth Centre, in

their GCSEs. Instead they'll focus Effectiveness. Along with Mark,

there's another support worker, called Holly. We've got people

who've been excluded because of attendance. One of our young people

had a 13% attendance, whereas the attendance now is in the 90%. Could

school, they could have been caught with cannabis and excluded for that

reason. Just generally challenging behaviour. For Liam, things started

going wrong when teachers noticed he wasn't keeping up. He was taken

going wrong when teachers noticed he Kids his age would take the mick,

turn round and take the frustration, have extra help," and then he'd

turn round and take the frustration, and just hit them. And we had so

well, I shout, so I tried that. and just hit them. And we had so

everything. I was a bit hyperactive tried grounding him, we tried taking

everything. I was a bit hyperactive and stuff at school. I wouldn't

everything. I was a bit hyperactive or anything. I got thrown out, and

they sent me to Choices. Hopefully I'll learn more now. It's a lot

completely different to Liam's old school. Choices management decided

against a traditional learning environment. Some of the youngsters

we have, haven't been to secondary school for a long time, and we need

to make them feel that they want to attend. And part of that is the

benefit from a more relaxed style of teaching. Do you have any New Year's

resolutions? ??FORCEDYELOW Quit smoking. FORCEDGREEN That's an

awesome idea. When are you going to start? I've known him all my life.

He will not stop. As well as English and Maths, the group learns other

life skills. Today, Chad and his friend Shaylea are supposed to

working together to a build a picnic table. But they're not particularly

interested. Do you remember Guys, you are creating something for

inspiring. . After some persuasion, youth workers do finally manage

inspiring. . After some persuasion, inspire the students to start their

together as a team. And Shaylea seems to have found the session

useful. I might even get that as a job. But then some of the young

when a fight breaks out. For any parent who has a child excluded

when a fight breaks out. For any school, what happens next can be a

real worry. My first concerns were, you know, if you've got a child

who's being naughty, what's the outcome going to be if they're put

into a situation with more children who have problems, and more naughty

children. Choices is run by Learning Partnership West. When a school

company nearly £10,000 a year to wasn't exactly what Liam's parents

were expecting. I was thinking, wasn't exactly what Liam's parents

This was my worry when he first started going there. And, what is

their structure? We thought, as started going there. And, what is

parent, we just thought, how is started going there. And, what is

going to work? I suppose at Choices, if you want to work you can work.

But if you choose not to work, and mess around, no one can really stop

approach at Choices means the school you from doing that. The relaxed

approach at Choices means the school day normally starts at 10am and

approach at Choices means the school finished by 2. And even though

they're not supposed to, the young finished by 2. And even though

they're not supposed to, the young people often listen to music and use

their mobile phones. They can also take cigarette breaks. For the

students' behaviour is a tough nut to crack. I'm going to be honest

here that actually we do have to help these young people understand

what's acceptable and what's not acceptable. That doesn't mean that

on day one they come in and we take their mobiles away. What we are

trying to teach them is there are their mobiles away. What we are

trying to teach them is there are times when they can have their

actually what we want them to do is times when they can have their

actually what we want them to do is understanding that and choosing

actually what we want them to do is for themselves. Last term, Choices

had an OFSTED inspection. I was expecting to be sworn at, talking

backgrounds some of these children difference, to change somebody's

fitness teacher. At Choices though, classes. What's a simile then? Who's

seen Forrest Gump here? Me. What's know. Life is like what? A box of

chocolates. That's right. Excuse me! (BLEEP). I've literally had to learn

a new dialect since being here and I've grown a thick skin pretty

quickly. Liam arrives at the youth centre, nearly two hours late for

school. He's missed most of Nico's English lesson. Liam. Shut the

(BLEEP) up. Nico's unsure how to react to Liam's language. Choices

isn't as strict about swearing, react to Liam's language. Choices

mainstream schools. They know the rules, they know not to swear at us

but if they do swear, I'm not going to send them home for the day. We'll

reason with them and show them say it's a warning and try and

reason with them and show them swearing's not the way to go. As

interested in his mobile phone than well as arriving late, and swearing

interested in his mobile phone than Nico's English lesson. Liam, put

your phone away please. Shut the (BLEEP) up. Language. His disruptive

behaviour starts to rub off on the other students. Nico is trying to

help Shaylea, and encourage her other students. Nico is trying to

do some work. But there's even more of a distraction when support worker

Holly arrives and asks the group to want to get it in paper, alright, so

we have proof that you've done it. Stop saying my name a minute! Nico

finally loses Shaylea's attention completely and the group heads out

the hardest position I've been in since I started teaching. I've got

different kids who've attended complete hash of lessons. With

students coming and going, bad behaviour and his lessons being

students coming and going, bad struggling to make sense of his

students coming and going, bad What have I been up to? I've just

been teaching. On occasion! Another Shanika. She's not really sure why

she ended up at Choices. They didn't want me at the school where I was,

so they just put me there. So I don't know. The Choices students get

the chance to do work experience on a Friday. Shanika wants to pursue a

career in hair and beauty and with the help of Choices has arranged to

Bristol. It's something I like doing. I like doing other people's

hair, ny hair. You're not squashing hairdressing at college. Donna,

hair, ny hair. You're not squashing runs the salon, has told her there

might be a trainee position for runs the salon, has told her there

good at communicating with the clients, and anything I asked he to

do she'd do it. If she did get stuck, she'd actually ask me and I

just shows them all about what the day is like in a work place. But

before Shanika can even think about further education, she needs to

finish school. At Choices, Nico further education, she needs to

having a hard time trying to teach her. Shut your mouth! You're trying

to persuade your friend to go to the her. Shut your mouth! You're trying

to persuade your friend to go to the shop by bribing them with icecream.

Shanika's disinterest, Liam is playing up for Nico again. He's

taunting him about not enjoying playing up for Nico again. He's

job. Liam doesn't see his behaviour find everything a joke, so I try to

cheer everyone up. I'm the class clown in my opinion, like. Make

everyone laugh. I don't really get offended by anything. I don't see

why everyone has arguments and that. it. (BLEEP)! He's certainly playing

the class clown today. But Nico doesn't see the funny side. (BLEEP)!

(BLEEP)! (BLEEP)! That was a good lesson. But the only person who

seems to have learnt a lesson is Nico. He's realised that Choices and

its students have all got too much for him. I did hand my notice in

last week. I didn't feel I was getting anywhere. So I decided it

wasn't really fair on anybody, including myself and the kids and my

colleagues. But while we're talking to Nico, he has to rush to stop

colleagues. But while we're talking student from throwing a chair at

Shanika. That's good advice. Come on, please don't do this. You had a

good start to the day you know, Shanika, you had a good start. Yeah,

I know. I'm all hot and bothered now! I'm not the kind of guy who

signs a contract for an amount of time and then walks away a couple of

months in. I've never done that before. So I'm really annoyed about

that. But at the same time, I was finding it pretty stressful. Nico's

boss can see the company set him a hard task. Yes, this is a difficult

challenging. It's harder to find dedicated and very committed. The

challenging. It's harder to find those people and keep them than

perhaps those who are working at the top end with youngsters that don't

It's Nico's last day at the youth centre and most of the students

At home time, Holly normally gives a bus pass to each student who's

completed a full day's work. That means they'll be able to get into

school for free the following day. But because of her lack of work

school for free the following day. Yes, I can have one for tomorrow.

You've done no work today. Oh, No—one's done work. This afternoon,

you refused. Look, none of these have done work, so why are they

getting one for tomorrow? Guys, have done work, so why are they

go. No. I'm waiting here. All we I asked you to do this afternoon,

was to go into the gym and do some work. Then you said, "(BLEEP) off,

(BLEEP) off, (BLEEP) off." It's work. Then you said, "(BLEEP) off,

fair. Holly sticks up for you, OK. She works really hard for you. She's

not (BLEEP) talking to you. It's always there for you, and you were

not (BLEEP) talking to you. It's just dumb. This school is full of

It's been quite a send—off for Nico. experience at a scooter shop in

about how he treated his teacher. Bristol. He's feeling a bit guilty

about how he treated his teacher. I was messing around a few days

saying, "I know you'll be leaving before he left, winding him up,

saying, "I know you'll be leaving the job. Loads of teachers leave".

Then he actually left. I felt a the job. Loads of teachers leave".

guilty. If we don't like teachers, we ain't going to get along with

them as well as we do with Holly and Mark, because they're not actual

because they're our friends. Like, I because they're our friends. Like, I

could say anything to Mark or Holly and they wouldn't do anything. But

Liam's mum Zowie thinks her son and they wouldn't do anything. But

sometimes misunderstood and he doesn't mean to cause offence.

Always the class clown, centre of doesn't mean to cause offence.

Always the class clown, centre of attention, but he's got such a good

think straightaway, "Oh, he's got a heart. He'll help anyone. A lot

think straightaway, "Oh, he's got a bad home. He's got a bad upbringing,

but, actually, it's not. He's just? Once you get into trouble once,

but, actually, it's not. He's just? A lot of people don't know it, but

games and (BLEEP). Sorry. I'll have A lot of people don't know it, but

games and (BLEEP). Sorry. I'll have programming, blah, blah, blah. ICT,

stuff like that. Yeah, I dunno. Back at Choices, working at the

She's exhausted and has also taken school has taken its toll on Holly.

She's exhausted and has also taken It's hard because I'm leaving before

they leave, and I didn't want it to It's just how long someone can cut

After Easter, life at Choices seems very different. Support worker Holly

has left. So has teacher Nico. Neither has been replaced. Instead,

some lessons will now be taught Neither has been replaced. Instead,

head office. At the youth centre, stepping in to help Mark. The class

contradicts Choices' key philosophy. At the centre of what we do is the

trusted adult model. What young people need, and particularly the

more vulnerable the young person, what they really need is a trusted

adult that they can talk to and what they really need is a trusted

At least the students still have Mark, who is the only full—time

member of Choices staff based at the youth centre. He isn't a qualified

teacher and is sometimes left by himself with the class of young

It's challenging, I guess, because, even though I don't mind being on my

own and it makes me up my game, even though I don't mind being on my

at the same time, if you've got even though I don't mind being on my

group of five children, and three are flowing fast and two are slow

difficult. The children can get and they're asking for the answer or

difficult. The children can get frustrated and it can get you a

It's a continual battle to try to frustrated and it can get you a

It's a continual battle to try to motivate the students. Chad and

Shaylea have decided to take a All right, guys? Let's plan out

Shaylea have decided to take a work. Wake up, please, Chad. You OK,

Shaylea? You all right? Get some Mark is also trying to chase up

students who haven't shown up for school, at the same time as teaching

That's all right. No problem at school, at the same time as teaching

I'm in class now so I'll give you a call after school to see how he

I'm in class now so I'll give you a all right? Take care. Bye. You're

not even sleeping. Get up, you. Mark finally manages to get Chad off

the sofa by persuading him to have a When somebody's in a bad place,

the sofa by persuading him to have a you get them to move, it takes their

mind off the situation, and then you get them to move, it takes their

mind off the situation, and then themselves. So, I thought, if I

mind off the situation, and then him in the hall playing football,

Mark's right and, after football, Chad does settle down to work. But

who's playing on the youth centre's What do you reckon, Shaylea, if

who's playing on the youth centre's share cars to work, is that better

Mark tries to get Shaylea to do share cars to work, is that better

work. She hasn't done any all day. Even so, when she stops playing

work. She hasn't done any all day. the computer game, she's annoyed she

Why say, "If you get to do your work, you can go home at half one?"

Why not just say, "You're too late to go at half one now. Do your work

and you can go at two". Fair enough, yeah. It's common sense, Mark. Yeah,

when you're ready and we can crack fair enough. Just give me a shout

when you're ready and we can crack "Mark", and even though I've been

with you guys, no problems at all. I "Mark", and even though I've been

with you guys, no problems at all. I OK, guys, come around here. Bend

your knees. One, two, three, lift. OK, guys, come around here. Bend

your knees. One, two, three, lift. It's time to get out of the youth

centre and into the fresh air. One coursework is to go on a residential

Howe—Haysom is head of the Choices programme and she's come along to

To turn that way, you need to have it backwards. To turn the other

To turn that way, you need to have Watch out for that boat, guys!

No, that's backwards! You're a The canoeing activity is supposed to

it isn't going to plan for everyone. terrorise the (BLEEP) out of you.

Liam and his canoeing partner Eddie though. They're trying out some

balancing games with the instructor. Hold your weight. You nearly went

in! No more games now. Don't panic, While most of the group are on the

water, two of the Choices students have had to stay on dry land. Chad

and another boy were smoking in their cabin and set off the fire

alarm during the night. Laura has decided to send them both home.

They've been told to pack their bags, but instead, they take two

kayaks and attempt to go out on bags, but instead, they take two

What are you doing? Will you put the kayaks back up there for us? You

haven't got an instructor out with you, so you can't go out. Take the

Still making mischief, they start to Still making mischief, they start to

belongings and wreak havoc on the Oh, for (BLEEP) sake! Shut the

(BLEEP) up. I can't talk to one (BLEEP) person in there. Oh, (BLEEP)

When they finally leave, Liam's They were too much, man. I knew

When they finally leave, Liam's were going to misbehave on the first

day they came. Sneaky little people. Liam can now start enjoying himself

Go on, Liam! That's quite far. I think they've built his confidence

different avenues and different I think they've built his confidence

of learning. Now he'll come home and have a chat, and say, "Oh, Mum,

we've done this today", whereas have a chat, and say, "Oh, Mum,

he was at school, you'd get nothing. Now he's enthusiastic and a lot

Once you've finished, can you please go through and check. If you've

School's nearly out. The young coursework can soon leave Choices.

They also need to pass their English and Maths exams before starting

further education. But what happens next? Learning Partnership West

further education. But what happens authority's youth services, sharing

a £22 million contract. As for Choices, its staff can see the

The young people have achieved. They've got accreditation. You can

see the development in individual young people. We always want more so

what we are doing is developing young people. We always want more so

learning even more and what we want to say in the future is that every

single one of the youngsters that comes to Choices has a really good

And what about this year's class, whose futures have been largely

dependent on Choices? Shanika gave up her work placement at the salon,

apprenticeship in hairdressing at college. Also thinking about life

after Choices are Chad and Shaylea. ain't we? Yeah. Like brother and

Chad is taking a course in car repair. And Shaylea has a college

They rang Mark or something. Must have, because Mark said I've got a

launched a support website called Happy Teachers for fellow colleagues

Very excited to invite you in. He's also set up his own personal

training business, which he works on when he's not teaching. Since Nico

counsellor for staff and students. What about Liam? He's one student

whose aspirations have remained lifeline. I think, if he hadn't

whose aspirations have remained Choices, he'd just be hanging around

the streets, getting up to mischief. At least this has given him a bit of

direction. Mark has seen what he's capable of and has given him the

confidence and said, "Yeah, I think you'll be all right with that".

Together they've phoned up colleges Thanks to Mark's help, Liam's been

offered places at two colleges to study IT. It's one step towards

achieving his dream of programming I've played games in the past and

run them. I'm into it. I can't imagine working every day. Who am I

going to make laugh every day? Choices is now welcoming its next