Lemn Sissay officially opens new college in Harpurhey for youngsters who struggle with school

The college hopes to offer support and technical qualifications for young people with poor attendance and behavioural issues in traditional education.

Wigan poet Lemn Sissay has officially opened a special college in Manchester, which engages with young people who struggle with school.

The broadcaster officially opened Navigators College in Harpurhey - telling the college's first students how alternative education and one-to-one guidance could have helped him as a child.

He said: "If there was something like this when I was in school... It would've really helped me achieve my dreams."

The 56-year-old lived with foster parents until he was 12, before spending the rest of his childhood in various care homes across Lancashire.

Lemn Sissay grew up in care homes, and said a college like this would have helped him growing up.

He said: "There was a whole set of us in the children’s homes... who actually needed this kind of bespoke one-to-one attention regarding our education.

"I was lucky to pursue my dreams, but I know too many people who didn’t. People who’ve passed away, ended up in prison, who just feel unsatisfied with their lives."

The college hopes to offer support and technical qualifications for young people with poor attendance and behavioural issues.

Each student is given a personal mentor, who creates a plan that can involve up to 15 hours of learning a week.

For 14-year-old Libby Hamilton, learning with Navigators has been the first consistent form of education she has had since she began primary school.

Her father, Robert, said: "When Libby started in nursery we always knew education wasn’t going to be right for Libby, she used to always to push away and get very emotional.

"When Libby was in year 3 or 4 her mental health took a massive dip. It got to the stage where Libby refused to go to school, it was just too much for her. She ended up going down a bad route.

"She tried jumping out of windows, I’d have to grab her by the ankles.

"For me as a parent, it emotionally broke me. I was thinking I can’t do this to my child."

Robert's daughter Libby was struggling in school, until she started attending Navigators.

As Libby started high school, her difficulties with education only got worse. Eventually, she was referred to Navigators by her school in 2023.

Six months on, Libby is now revising for her GCSE mock exams.

Robert said: "It’s changed her life. Libby’s become so much more confident, so much more independent. She goes out... and goes to the library or learns some social skills like going to the shops.

"She was so stuck in her own shell, she wasn’t Libby. Now we’re actually seeing the real Libby."

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