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Leathersellers’ Review 2024–2025
t’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. “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.” I
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.” 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
“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. 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
Above and overleaf: Students on the Scholarship Programme
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. “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.”
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