Transforming and Enriching Lives
The success of the Scholarship Programme at the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools
How an innovative scholarship programme funded by The Leathersellers’ Foundation is using one-to-one mentoring and extracurricular activities to raise pupils’ aspirations.
Words by Fiona Thompson
Photography by Jayne Lloyd
It’s lunchtime at Prendergast Ladywell School in south London. Outside, children are making the most of the sunshine, catching up with friends and playing table tennis or football. Inside, several pupils are peering through the glass of Keira Codlin’s office door to check whether she’s free. As the lead Learning Mentor of the Scholarship Programme, she’s in demand.
“There’s a real buzz around the whole school about the programme,” says Keira. “Students see what it’s doing for people and they want to be part of it. Everyone wants to be involved.” Together with another Learning Mentor, Molly Hingston, Keira currently supports 24 pupils. “Sometimes it feels as though I have 27 children,” laughs Keira, who has three children of her own.
The pioneering Scholarship Programme works with Year 8 and Year 9 pupils in three schools within the Leathersellers’ Federation: Prendergast Ladywell School, Prendergast Vale School and Prendergast School. Now in its third year, it provides one-to-one mentoring and support to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who struggle with motivation. Support includes laptops, residential trips, career opportunities, additional maths tuition and extracurricular activities to inspire and engage students and build their confidence.
“Having seen the difference made, we wanted to offer this opportunity to a further three cohorts of young people because we know that it can open their eyes to new possibilities and routes they could choose.”
The programme has been made possible thanks to funding from The Leathersellers’ Foundation, which has a long-standing commitment to supporting education and social mobility. The Foundation awarded the programme an initial grant of £426,696 to start in 2022–2023, run for five years and provide for three cohorts of students. Following promising results from the first stage, the Foundation has committed to giving a further grant of £408,650. This will allow the programme to run until the 2028-2029 academic year, involving 48 more students.
For each cohort the programme runs for two years. In the next phase of the programme the cohort size will grow from 12 to 18 students, enabling more young people to benefit from the experience.
“Our Trustees were keen to commit to a further four years of the Scholarship Programme,” says Natalia Rymaszewska, Head of Grants at The Leathersellers’ Foundation. “Having seen the difference made, we wanted to offer this opportunity to a further three cohorts of young people because we know that it can open their eyes to new possibilities and routes they could choose.”
Keira Codlin, Lead Learning Mentor
Paula Ledger, Executive Headteacher of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools, adds: “This programme is proving an invaluable way to improve life chances by boosting young people’s confidence and skills at a critical point in their development. Year 8 is the perfect time to intervene and help pupils to broaden their horizons and raise their aspirations.”
Keira explains why the timing is important. “In Year 8, children’s enthusiasm can drop away as they no longer have a relationship with one main primary school teacher but are dealing with the reality of senior school study with many different teachers. The Scholarship Programme is a safety net. We help steer children in the right direction and show them what’s possible. Often, children who grow up in Lewisham don’t go further than Lewisham. They don’t even go into central London. But you can’t be what you can’t see. As mentors, we give children a different point of view about what they might be able to achieve.
She adds: “My background means I’m relatable to students. I understand what it’s like to grow up in an area that’s not affluent and, like many of them, I have Black Caribbean heritage.”
Keira has personal experience of the power of a mentor’s guidance and encouragement. When she was 14, she saw a mentor every week at a free charity service in Lewisham.
Students on the Scholarship Programme
“I was misunderstood as a child,” she says. “I was upset about circumstances at home, which led to me becoming very opinionated at school. I felt very unheard and unseen, at home and at school. My mentor took the time to find out why I was so upset and gave me a reality check. She showed me that I didn’t have to just do what my circumstances had set me up for. She told me that anything’s possible.”
Keira’s mentor inspired her to take charge of her future. She decided she wanted to help other young people and for ten years worked as a Teaching Assistant in primary schools, supporting children who found it hard to be in mainstream provision.
“I’m so proud now to be part of this programme,” she continues. “It goes far beyond the traditional idea of looking after the whole child. It offers young people time and space outside their everyday pressures to reflect on their strengths and develop new skills. We get to know children as individuals. We discover their interests and their triggers, and invest in them as people. And because we believe in them, they believe in themselves.”
Hannah*, a Year 9 student, agrees. “Before, I would definitely say I was a bit reckless,” she says. “I used to react and get taken out of lessons. Miss Codlin has pushed me a lot. Because she’s spent time on me, I want to show my gratitude by working hard.”
The Scholarship Programme has encouraged Hannah to try new things. She’s looking forward to taking part in a cheerleading competition in Blackpool and to an outdoor adventure holiday in June, both paid for by the programme.
As students go through the Scholarship Programme, Keira notices significant changes in their behaviour and ability to learn. “Instead of lacking purpose and direction, misbehaving and missing classes, they begin to engage with their schooling,” she says. “They learn how to regulate their emotions and how to express themselves. They’re more resilient.”
Shantae, who was in the first cohort of 12 students, explains how the programme has transformed her outlook. “Before the Scholarship Programme, my future was a big blur,” she says. “I had the mindset that it was me against the teachers. In class, I thought it was more important to make my friends laugh than to learn. My mentors helped me change my mindset. I’ve gone from being on the point of being kicked out to being a representative for the school. My grades have gone up and I’ve got the confidence to do things I’ve never done before. Since starting on the programme, I’ve given a speech at The Leathersellers, talked to the whole school about the Scholarship Programme, attended an Open Day for The Brit School and applied to become Lewisham Young Mayor. My future seems brighter now.”
As students go through the Scholarship Programme, Keira notices significant changes in their behaviour and ability to learn
Recent research proves that the programme has been equally valuable for the other young people in the first two cohorts. It shows that the programme’s holistic blend of mentoring, extracurricular activities and academic support has improved students’ attendance, behaviour, academic achievement and well-being.
Within a year, the majority of students in the first two cohorts moved from being disengaged from school to showing positive engagement. Attendance across both cohorts rose to exceed the school target; maths grades for the first cohort increased by 9%; and 100% of scholars were enrolled and attending weekly extracurricular activities.
John, who’s in Year 9, admits that he used to be disruptive in class. “I thought school was a waste of time,” he says. But the programme has changed his mind. “Miss Codlin helped me understand I need to make good decisions if I want to get a good job.”
John has now moved up to the top maths set and is expanding his career horizons, partly inspired by the free lessons in drumming and horse riding provided by the programme. “It’s made me realise that there are millions of opportunities in the world. I’m taking those opportunities and there’s more to come,” he says.
As an additional benefit of the Scholarship Programme, the school has developed more positive relationships with students’ parents, some of whom were hard to reach.
Mia, who’s in Year 8, says: “At the start of the year I was swearing at teachers, walking out of lessons and not doing my work. My mum was getting phone calls from the school every day. Now, if I’m struggling, I can get support from my mentors. The maths tuition has also really helped. I’m focusing on my lessons and doing my homework.”
Summer, who’s in Year 9, is one of the students who used to be excluded from school frequently. “I was really annoying,” she says. “I didn’t really care about school. But Miss Codlin has helped me out by listening to me and making my day better. I’ve also improved a lot in maths because of the tuition.”
Keira comments: “I’m very proud of how Summer has transformed. She’s a very intelligent young lady but used to struggle when she had challenging emotional moments. She now has better coping strategies and is focused on what she wants to achieve.”
The young people on this programme were disengaged from school for a variety of reasons. Some lacked friends; some had friends who led them astray. Some were easily distracted; some were overwhelmed by schoolwork. Some were anxious because of problems at home or the stresses of living in the city.
A group session with Keira and three students enrolled in the Scholarship Programme
“There are so many things that students may experience growing up around here,” says Keira, “whether it’s poverty, multi-occupancy housing, gangs, street crime or a shortage of positive role models. Children rarely learn how to deal with how they feel about these issues. What many people see as bad behaviour is often a cry for help. Having a relationship with a trusted significant other means they can start to unpack their emotions and change the dynamics of their life.”
It’s moving to hear how important the mentor relationship is to the young people on the programme. Victoria in Year 8 says: “Miss Codlin and Miss Hingston have helped me so much with my behaviour change. You can ask them anything and they won’t judge. They’ll answer from the bottom of their heart. I give them credit because now I see academic work as uplifting, not boring.”
Students admit that, sometimes, tough love is the answer. Mackenzie says: “The one-to-one lessons have changed me a lot. They don’t sugar coat it; they tell it straight. Before, if I thought a teacher was in the wrong, I’d walk out. I’d like to thank Miss Codlin for having patience and believing in me. Before the Scholarship Programme I had big problems in school. She could easily have given up on me and I’d have gone straight downhill, but she stayed with me, had patience and helped me grow as a person. Now I feel more mature. I’m more prepared for Sixth Form, work and adulthood.”
“Having a relationship with a trusted significant other means they can start to unpack their emotions and change the dynamics of their life.”
As the Scholarship Programme moves into a new phase, The Leathersellers’ Foundation is looking to build on the achievements made so far.
“It’s been powerful to see students progressing speedily from disengagement to thriving with new-found confidence and abilities,” says Natalia. “As a strategic and long-term funder, we know that it’s important to evaluate the programme and make the most of the learning opportunities along the way. In the next phase, we’re looking forward to finessing the approach and supporting graduating scholars so they can become ambassadors for younger students.”
In the meantime, what can other schools learn from the Scholarship Programme?
“This programme is scalable. There are elements that other schools can adopt,” says Keira. “But it takes time, training and flexibility to unpick the multiple and complex issues presented by these children. You have to be creative with your resources, perhaps looking at your pastoral offer to see whether there’s a way to provide mentor-style relationships.”
“With a bespoke programme, a dedicated team and the backing of school leaders, you can achieve amazing results. Every day we’re gathering new evidence of what works, and it’s so exciting. We’re fundamentally changing children’s life chances and offering them a vision of a different future.”
With that, Keira heads off to open her office door, ready to discover what she can do for the students waiting on the other side.
*Students’ names have been changed.
—
The Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools develops the vision of Joseph Prendergast who founded Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school, which opened in 1890 on a site provided by the Leathersellers’ Company. The Leathersellers’ continues to provide support to the schools with the Company acting as joint corporate member, individuals nominated to each level of the Multi Academy Trust governance, and regular financial support given to maintain the quality of education, well-being and opportunity provided by the schools. Grants in 2024–2025 supported a breadth of activities offering both enrichment opportunities and meeting essential needs totalling £327,335 or 30% of the overall Education giving.
READ MORE
Dream Maker
In her sleep, Frances Pinnock finds inspiration for her figurative leather sculptures.
Leathersellers’ Scholarships at Colfe's School
Celebrating the long-term success of the Leathersellers’ Scholarships at Colfe’s School.
Fashioning History
For an inspired project at Leicester’s De Montfort University, students of “Artifacts Live” are drawing on the lessons of historic leathercraft to create the designs of the future.