New sixth form offers a fresh chance to pupils struggling in mainstream education

A new vocational programme aimed at giving young Jewish people who have fallen out of mainstream education the skills to enter the workforce will launch later this year.

Gateways sixth form, which is set to open in September, will offer 16 to 25-year-olds the chance to pursue up to two Level 2 vocational courses that lead directly to employment opportunities.

Fields of study will include sports leadership, hospitality and catering and the beauty sector.

Statistics show that between 2023 and 2024, 1.7 million children nationwide missed school persistently, an increase of 800,000 since pre-Covid levels.

Last year, Gateways received 125 admissions enquiries, according to its latest impact report. There are currently 60 students on its courses up to GCSE, with around 30 more on the waiting list.

CEO Laurence Field, who founded Gateways in 2013, told the JC: “The demand for our services is increasing year after year. There is so much need for it within the community.”

He said the sixth-form programme was conceived after the team realised that some of the young people they worked with, having taken their GCSEs, were still “not quite ready” to go into the workforce. “For these young people, there wasn’t really a place for them to go,” he said.

“Our job at Gateways is to set young people up for the next stage of their lives, to help them function and thrive in today’s world. So, with that in mind, we decided to add another arm to the Gateways package, which we hope to expand, learn from and improve in time.”

Based in Hendon, north-west London, Gateways is the Jewish community’s only alternative education provider, supporting young people aged between 14 and 25 who have struggled to remain in mainstream education, many due to mental health challenges.

The sixth-form pilot programme will run for two years, with many of the courses transitioning into work-experience opportunities in the second year.

Each course, tailor-made to the needs of the students, consists of four hours per week of direct instruction, with an hour a day of independent study time, supported by teaching assistants.

The teaching is delivered by industry professionals and sector leaders, all willing to “take time out of their week to inspire and motivate these young people. After all, that’s how you get young people to learn. It’s very aspiration-based. It’s about inspiring them to be optimistic and excited about their future prospects,” Field said, adding: “These young people have suffered through so many challenges that it’s so important they’re not left alone at this point in their lives.”

The charity’s pass rate for GCSEs and functional skills certificates is greater than 90 per cent and, since its establishment, it has supported more than 700 young people.

Gateways sixth form has 20 available spots, with places predicted to fill up quickly. All students with a minimum of GCSEs in English and maths or functional skills Level 2 and who are facing social, emotional or mental health challenges are welcome to apply.

Field said: “These kids are capable, bright people, unable to function in mainstream education because of the mental health challenges they’re dealing with. Mainstream education isn’t for everyone. There are many young people for whom it just doesn’t work. We at Gateways endeavour to give these same people the skills to be robust and confident enough to thrive.”

Alongside the courses, students will have access to life-skills sessions, career coaching, mentoring and SEN support and have access to a gym and a cafe.

For more information or to apply, go to: gateways.org.uk/sixth-form/​