Meet Liam, Bath Rugby Foundation's Alternative Learning Coach

Liam, who transitioned from being a student at ALH to an Alternative Learning Coach, highlights the importance of ALH in providing support to students who are often written off by traditional schools. ALH focuses on teaching life skills and fostering respect, recognising that academic success is not the only measure of a student's potential.

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What is Liam's connection to Bath Rugby Foundation?

I was a student here (Bath Rugby Foundation) in 2017; two years as a student, 6 months as a staff member and then went on to work at Bath College as a classroom assistant, working to support the students on a 1-1 basis before I got a phone call to come back to ALH (Alternative Learning Hub).

What is my role?

It changes daily but I deal with the behavior of the students and I am responsible for booking in their trips and making sure their lessons run when they should. We focus on PSHE and life skills. At the moment we are working on how the students show respect to others as sometimes this is what they are lacking. 

Why do you think ALH important?

Ultimately, the young people coming to our Hub get written off in other aspects of their lives. If you’re naughty at school, for a year, it is normally for a reason. You get no support from schools as soon as you’re labeled as a ‘trouble maker’. It feels like a box ticking exercise to get everyone happy, rather than helping the students. When they get kicked out, it isn’t teaching them anything and they are just isolated from their peers and their education. This is where ALH comes in and changes how education looks for these students. 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. This place (ALH) is great.”