Not school?

A new model for excluded children

Notschool.net takes children who have been excluded by behaviour or circumstances from school and 'rekindles a delight in learning', according to its founder Professor Stephen Heppell.

It uses modern forms of communication technology to help previously disaffected youngsters re-engage with education. According to Heppell, 'Students have a computer at home, a heap of wise souls to guide their love of learning, brilliant people at the centre, and it works.'

Notschool is, in fact, a new model for teaching and learning for the children that school simply didn't 'fit'.

It began five years ago and now project graduates number over 1,000. Evaluation of the project has led to support from the Department for Education and Skills and enrolment of 500 young people this year.

How it works

Stephen Heppell explains, 'The initial idea was simple: young people get a connection linking them to a network of experts who support their learning and to a community of learners in similar circumstances who support each other too.'

Details are crucial:

• girls need to be at least 40% of the community to ensure 'social balance'
• terminology matters – young learners are 'researchers' and there are no 'teachers', 'lessons' or 'timetables', although the adults working in Notschool are mostly teachers
• the computers are desktops (iMacs and eMacs) not portables because a desktop looks more solid and permanent
• there must be no contact with the previous school.

'Startling progress'

Notschool succeeds, says Heppell. Evaluation shows that:

• 98% of researchers achieve some formal external accreditation within three months of starting on the project
• 50% and more attain five GCSE A*-C equivalents
• many go on to further and higher education; others become employed.

In addition, most Notschool graduates become very adept at information and communication technology. Their computers have powerful, professional-level software to enable video and sound production, and editing.

Notschool has no breaks for weekends or holidays. The result is a very high level of engagement and progress.

'Notschool is affordable and is competitively cheaper than most alternative provision,' says Stephen Heppell. 'Measured against the lifetime social costs of failure, of course, it is astonishing value. But for the Notschool team the real pleasure, every day, lies in seeing startling progress in the most unlikely of circumstances.'

• Find out more

Top