Testimonials

Academic Review Evening 28th February 2023 – Some comments from parents and carers

” I was apprehensive to send my son to a PRU but it is beyond mine and my husbands expectations. Meeting the class teachers and looking at their work, we had no idea how much effort he has put into his education”. Thank you.

“Thank you for making a difference in my child’s life. He has come a long way from being in mainstream school and I can’t thank FB enough”.

“My mum doesn’t really care about what I do and she wont bother coming”. His mother was one of the first parents onsite speaking to all the teachers and collecting all the revision work.

In 2018 a pupil wrote:

Dear all members of Francis Barber,

I wanted to thank you all for giving me a chance to carry on in my education despite my catastrophic situation in Year10. The fact that the all team didn’t give up on me and helped me get back on the right track gave me the chance to follow the curriculum which was meant for me. I am now pursuing my education in Graveney sixth form and I am studying Maths, geography, economics and french for my A-level with the ambition of applying to successful universities such as Oxford and LSE. With your help I was allowed back into a school where I sat 10 GCSEs. I made my time there count as much as possible as I came out with A*´s in Maths, Spanish, Geography, French and Religious Education; as well as A’s in English literature, ICT, and English language (currently getting remarked); B in business and C in science. As I know how important help can be to someone in a desperate situation, I am giving lessons to a Year11 (in Maths) and a Year4 (in French) in order to help them get through KS3/4 with the support they deserve.

A little message to current pupils:

I was kicked out of school, arrested twice and taken to court in the space of 6 months. No matter how hard it gets, staffs from Francis Barber, friends and family are here to make you succeed. Even if I doubted myself in those extremely dark moments I managed to not give up on school, outsides activities but also on my ambitions. Being in trouble with the law, kicked out of school or your house isn’t so bad after all as you can only move forward and try to become a better person as you have no other choices. It’s never to late to start building your path to success. I am clearly not smarter than you or better than you so If i managed to make it out of those endless difficult times you can also do it!

Keep it up

Parents have said:

My child has a very good settlement and found friends easily but would still separate herself. She enjoys the PRU and the staff are very helpful and supportive of her and her needs (March 2017)

My child has experienced …. huge improvement, enjoys the relaxed atmosphere, this has helped her complete her GCSEs (March 2017)

My child felt supported and respected by teaching staff at the PRU and although pleased to return to a mainstream school was disappointed he would no longer be taught by staff he had built good relationships with (March 2017)

Pupils have said:

My time at the PRU has helped me reflect on my past (March 2015)

In a recent survey, 100% of pupils felt they were safe at Francis Barber (Dec 2015)

In a survey about bullying (Spring 2016) found that 75% of pupils said they felt very safe or fairly safe, this compares well with other schools in the local area.

Ofsted July 2013 said:

“The behaviour and safety of students are outstanding.”

Staff place a “high focus on improving and developing reading skills across the unit, making sure that students read regularly and develop effective reading for meaning skills. ”

“Effective teaching and excellent support for their emotional, social and physical well-being ensure that for all students progress is good and in terms of their personal and social development, it is excellent”

“In outstanding lessons students benefit from very thought-provoking activities which constantly challenge their thinking and understanding”

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