School academy rises to the challenge of the young, white working class

Marine Academy offers hope for young major who believe that "success is not for people like us"

atop a hill overlooking the bay of Plymouth, in the district of St Budeaux has its fair share of social problems.

Lower employment means that near the shipyard are hard to find and aspirations of young irregular. Residents complain about the lack of training opportunities and facilities for teenagers and that there is a lack of racial and cultural diversity.

In summary, it may be just the kind of place Liz Sidwell speaks when it is suggested that "the white communities of the working class" in coastal areas are one of the greatest challenges of reform educational government.

Helen Mathieson, director of the Naval Academy in high school in the region, agrees that he has a great job on his hands and has a "great sympathy" with the position of Sidwell.

"There is a real danger to our communities remain without aspiration, a sense of hopelessness, the feeling of being left," said Mathieson.

When they begin to Marine Academy, some students have never even visited Plymouth Hoe two miles away, where Sir Francis Drake, who had served as bowls of the Spanish Armada was approaching. The attitude is that these places are for other people, not for them.

Mathieson, who was head of Treviglas in Newquay, North Cornwall, see the same kind of consideration for jobs in St. Budeaux (which rhymes with Ludo) and other coastal areas. "Young people can not imagine being in decent work and conclude long-term" success is not for people like us. "

Recognition

Sidwell

problem is well received by Mathieson, who believes that coastal areas may be overlooked by the "urban power."

"It's hard not to feel that the needs of urban areas are the most important center in the remote areas like the Southwest," she said.

Saint Budeaux relative isolation of large companies is a challenge, believe Mathieson. "The dragon's lair is not and never will be, around the corner, and British Aerospace, neither Dell nor any power other multinationals to jog along the way to inspire students to think that you can aspire to work in these environments. "

• So what is the Naval Academy to try to inspire their children? A lot, actually. His predecessor, Tamarside Community College, closed last year and the Naval Academy was opened up, round the world sailor Sir Robin Knox-Johnston cut the ribbon.
central ethos of the academy is the use of natural resources over the sea, to teach and inspire. This makes the children outside the classroom and in the boats, where they learn everything from reading and writing, English, biology, physics and history -. And develop leadership skills, teamwork, confidence and trust

Another key partner is the National Marine Aquarium. There is a flow of children from school to attract experts.

Paul Cox, director of learning at the aquarium, said that children do not do well in traditional classrooms often flourished among the fish.

"Sometimes you have children who are not as attentive in class, but to go fishing with their parents. So you have lots of knowledge and to move from the classroom who does not speak much to take a lot of information to share. Often, something that happens all exciting.

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