
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
2| THE BOXING ACADEMY
These pupils are vulnerable to
exploitation, and being excluded is
a lengthy process that leaves them
sitting at home waiting for a referral,
which makes them a perfect candidate
for gangs to groom as carriers.
Most of them have attachment or
trauma-related issues from early
childhood and can present as
aggressive, violent and antisocial in
order to mask their vulnerability. In the
early years of the Boxing Academy,
I was advised to offer shorter – that
is, more lucrative – placements for
schools who wanted respite, but we
do not believe this is in our pupils’ best
interests. There is no quick fix; they
require a longer-term commitment than
most alternative programmes allow.
Helping those who most need
our help
A typical Boxing Academy journey is
two years long, throughout Key Stage
4, at which point they reintegrate
back into mainstream education by
progression to an apprenticeship or
college. Some pupils have even been
accepted back into the sixth form at
the school that referred them to us.
The Boxing Academy has a capacity of
40 pupils, of which currently five are
girls, and all of them are registered as
SEN Support. There are eight pupils
on an EHC Plan and three are LAC.
Of our current cohort, 20 per cent
attended more than two secondary
schools during KS3, and 58 per cent
have been rejected from two or more
alternative provision placements before
coming to the Boxing Academy. Most
of them have an episode of violence
or aggression on their school record
that makes it easy for placements to be
refused in other APs.
Nevertheless, our outcomes are
exceptional in the sector: pupils make
significantly more than mainstream
expectations of progress from their
baseline starting point, and all of
our leavers gain a place in further
education or an apprenticeship. During
most weeks at the Boxing Academy,
a former pupil will drop in to do
some boxing, seek advice or give us
an update. They’re all still part of
thefamily.
Why boxing?
Our ethos reflects our origins as a
boxing gym: a small, comfortable
and familial environment with clear
boundaries, a system of rewards and
an emphasis on discipline, achievement
and hard work. The school’s success is
built on relationships, and the boxers
we employ as pastoral staff are key,
because young people instinctively look
up to and respect them as strong role
models. Within the boxing gym, they
present a positive image of respect
for others, discipline, responsibility,
a work ethic and good manners.
Having a consistent adult role model
in a child’s life allows for genuine
breakthroughs in behaviour, conflict
resolution and anger management,
as well as academic improvement and
raisedaspirations.
We’re registered as a boxing club
with England Boxing, so the training
is of the highest quality. Interestingly,
though, most pupils referred to us
don’t usually have any interest in
Raising aspirations and
improving mindsets
through boxing
All of our
leavers gain a
place in
further
education or
an
apprenticeship
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