The Russell Martin Foundation has launched a new education initiative across secondary schools in Brighton & Hove. The new alternative provision, ‘The Extra Time Project’, has been backed by Brighton & Hove City Council, Eight Brighton & Hove secondary schools, Sussex Police Community Safety Fund and a locals favourite restaurant - Donatello.

The Project is aimed at KS3 pupils, years 7,8 & 9 and is a used as a respite for pupils that are finding themselves falling into negative routines in their daily school lives. Whilst spending their time at the provision, the pupils will continue with their main core subjects, English, Maths, Science and have bonus top up lessons in Life Skills, Art and leadership. As well as this, the pupils will be engaging in an enterprise project and a sports leadership project, leading to organising and delivering a sports tournament to primary school pupils across the city. The curriculum is built to build pupils character profiles and develop self-esteem, confidence and understandings to why they can get frustrated and agitated, and then learn how to deal with the issue at hand. This is also helped through a range of guest and motivational speakers including Russell himself.

The provision is to be headed up by Tom Betts, who joins the Russell Martin Foundation from his last post as an inclusion Manger in secondary education. Tom has worked across Brighton And Hove and East Sussex in pastoral and Inclusion roles in education building up a wealth of knowledge in how to turn around pupils on the ‘wrong pathway’ and see improvement in attendance, behaviour and engagement. Matt Lindner will also join the provision and deliver all core subjects. Matt, a qualified teacher, has devised a scheme of work that is challenging but accessible by any pupil on the provision, whilst not falling behind on the mainstream work from the pupils parent school whilst their on the provision.

Running out of two central venues, Brighton Youth Centre & The Manor Gym, the project is ready to launch and run its first year in Brighton & Hove. If you have any questions regarding the provision, please feel free to contact Tom Betts – 07593132386 – Tom.Betts@RMFoundation.co.uk