Meeting the Challenge

We all know the difficulties and that the current situation is not working:-
  • Only 11% of children in care achieve five good grades at GCSE
  • They are 10 times more likely to be excluded from school
  • 4 times more likely to suffer mental illness
  • 3 times more likely to be convicted of a crime
  • 60% suffer abuse or neglect by their family

Three main reasons for lack of educational attainment amongst ‘looked after children’ are instability in placement, emotional damage because of rejection and indifferent or negative attitude of birth parents towards education. The challenges of delivering education to ‘looked after children’ are enormous.

Resolving the issue would not only remedy the personal tragedies but it would empty a third of our prisons, remove half of our under 25’s from the courts, halve the number of prostitutes and find a new purpose for 80% of sellers of the Big Issue.

So, in an ideal world, what would we want?
  • Disadvantaged children to have the same opportunities as everyone else and to benefit from one-to-one tuition.
  • For them to feel completely safe, without any stigma.
  • For them to progress at their own pace and achieve their maximum potential.
  • And ultimately be productive and contribute to society.

Purple Club’s aim is to see pupils flourish as individuals not just academically but by helping to develop their self-esteem, confidence, communication skills and ambition.