Second chance for troubled teens (From Watford Observer)

Second chance for troubled teens

12:15pm Sunday 9th March 2008 in

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A £300,000 car and motorcycle workshop will help a unique school in Bushey give dozens of children a second chance at life.

Already turning around the lives of troubled 11 to 14 year-olds from throughout the county, staff at the Herts Motor Project, based at Falconer School, Falconer Road, were overwhelmed with the support they had been given for the new workshop, saying it had the potential to make a huge difference.

The project offers an alternative curriculum for children who have dropped out of school or have been involved with crime, focusing on vehicle repair and maintenance but subtly incorporating maths, English and social skills.

The workshop was funded by Hertfordshire County Council and includes the latest vehicle repair equipment, much of it above the industry standard.

The motor project was started in 1994 by former head teacher of Falconer School, John Page, who helped convert derelict workshops to provide new opportunities for children as a charity.

Coming down from Oxford to attend the opening of the new workshop on Wednesday, Mr Page, said: "This is the perfect thing for hard-to-teach children.

"You can stimulate them and deliver most aspects of the national curriculum in an unorthodox way.

"You're turning kids round, keeping kids out of offending and persuading them not to go over that edge. It is such an enormously valuable facility for local people."

Crime reduction officer for Watford, Kim Boot, who runs a similar facility in Garston, also visited the opening and praised the work that was being done.

He said: "Anything with youth engagement and anything as positive as this is extremely worthwhile."

Many of the school's former pupils have move on to successful careers with companies including Suzuki and Honda, after picking up certificates, and an interest in motoring, from the project.

Mick Rowan, Project Manager, said: "In the first term we had a 95 per cent attendance rate, which for children who haven't been to school for a couple of years is phenomenal, just unheard of. I'm over the moon with that."

Through getting the students to calculate percentages on analysis sheets, write up reports on their work and draw diagrams, Mr Rowan and the other staff members, Stefan Miziura, Hunter Fagan and Kristy Smith, help create a well rounded education, but keep the students interested by keeping everything based around the vehicles.

Students are also given lessons on safe driving, and at the end of the week are occasionally given access to a motocross track on land owned by Bushey Hall School.

Mr Rowan said: "We're absolutely bowled over with how successful it is.

"There's still a lot to do but the results of the work here are really eye opening."