Shea is an ex-pupil, he left in July 2020 to go to College. He wanted to share his story with us. 

Written by Shea

Early experience

Without the support I received at WKS I would not be able to write this story.

It began in primary school when I was bullied. Being a quiet kid who had just lost his dad, I did not say anything and felt I was very misunderstood. No one would listen to me and during my last year things started to become too much and I was constantly in trouble. I then moved to the first of what became many secondary schools. In Y7 I was frequently excluded or isolated within the school and I was barred from many areas of the school.  This only increased my phobia of school and learning. I was subsequently moved from school to school as my depression and anger became more uncontrollable, and in total I missed over 3 years of learning in High School. My weight also ballooned to 17 stone.

When I was moved to WKS I hated the idea as I did not like change. I had already been through so much and so many different schools. I felt that this would be just another failure for me. It was not going to work!

The first year I attended WKS my behaviour was challenging. I was very hostile and uncooperative as my anxiety grew that this would be just another school that didn’t understand me. I was proved wrong, and once I began to realise that I was being listened to and that the staff understood my worries, I began to settle. They helped me to become a calmer person and showed me that I did not need to be angry all the time. They showed a lot of patience and I know that I would not have been able to write this if I had not met people like Mr Walker who listened and helped me understand that I did not have to fight my way out of every situation that made me anxious. Home life became easier as well, as my mum also became calmer, not dreading the inevitable phone calls that she had been getting daily from the others schools, telling her how terrible my behaviour had been.

The future  

I left WKS this summer 2020 with GCSE’s in English, Maths and Art and am now attending college doing a decorating course. I have done so well that I have started studying a Level 2 and hope to be able to start an apprenticeship next year.

My long term goal is to achieve qualifications in Health and Social Care or something similar so that I can work at WKS, possibly as a TA or Mentor and give a little back of what I gained from my time there. The best school I have ever been to!

 

Thanks Shea - we're really proud of you