Lancaster schoolkids climb to summit of Snowdon as part of anti-exclusion initiative

The Central Lancaster High School pupils take part in a boxing session at the summit of Snowdon.

Students from Central Lancaster High School completed a sponsored climb to the summit of Snowdon as part of an engagement programme which helps stop children being excluded from school.

Once at the top, the youngsters took part in a boxing session aptly named “#PadsAtThePeak” in aid of young carers in Lancaster.

The students have been working with Queensberry Alternative Provision in Cheshire since January when they were referred to the provision to support with their engagement with school and prevent them from becoming excluded.

Over the course of the programme students have taken part in a variety of workshops to support with their behaviour and engagement and attended weekly boxing sessions, even visiting Ingles Gym in Sheffield, home of Prince Naseem Hamed and Team GB/England Boxing HQ, where they trained in the Lions Den.

The Central Lancaster High School pupils on their climb up Snowdon with Queensberry AP.

The students have been working towards their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award and had to choose a charity to support in order to achieve this award, opting for Barnardo’s, the commissioned service for young carers in Lancaster.

The students have beaten their initial target of £1,000 and have successfully raised more than £1,600, which will be used to fund much needed respite activities for young people who have look after someone with a physical disability, mental health issues or drug and alcohol related problems.

The school is now looking to further develop the alternative provision on offer and have commisioned Queensberry AP to continue the delivery or workshops and boxing from September to support more students with their engagement within school.

Queensberry AP, founded by Paul Cooper and Nic Martin, employ the services of serving offenders from HMP Thorn Cross in Warrington and use boxing to complement their educational programme; through the intervention all the Central Lancaster High School students have successfully achieved their England Boxing Junior Boxing Organiser Awards and continue to use boxing to promote their own self-esteem, discipline and resilience.