Bishop Young Academy: Meet the school partnering with Leeds United to crackdown on knife crime in city

Bishop Young Academy has partnered with the club’s foundation to support at risk pupils with their attendance at school and their mental health and wellbeing, making them less at risk from knife crime, county lines and other criminal activity.

Led by Blaine Bryant, one of the club’s Attendance & Behaviour Officer’s, a behavioural hub has been set up at the school to work with and support students, Years 7-11, who face “significant barriers” to learning or who come from difficult backgrounds.

Speaking to the Yorkshire Evening Post, Blaine said: “I’m working with 30 students who have significant barriers to learning, struggling to engage in lessons or in school as a whole. We’ve got kids who have come from quite challenging backgrounds, challenging childhoods etc. It’s intensive one-to-one sessions with these students who have been identified by their heads of year.

"It’s paramount that these students get the correct guidance and correct interventions. Obviously some of them are or could be exposed to gang crime, CSE (child sexual exploitation), knife crime and general violence so it’s extremely important that we can influence these students positively to not get involved in that."

As a qualified mental health first aider, Blaine is uniquely qualified to help any students struggling with their wellbeing and supporting them in an environment that feels removed from the regular classroom set up.

He said: “I’m only 22, so I’m fairly young myself and I think giving them that young body who they can relate too helps. Knowing it’s coming from somebody who has lived it and not someone who is looking to teach or lecture them. Just being a shoulder for them and someone they can open up too.

"It’s about trying to get those struggles out in the open so that we can tackle them which is already working for a handful of students, allowing them to engage properly back in the school setting.”

The programme’s launch comes at a time where an apparent spike in knife crime across the city has caused alarm among residents, with four families left grieving lost loved ones in 2023 alone.

Blaine added: “I think it helps, me coming from a sporting background and working for Leeds United in Leeds. The badge does a lot and brings a lot of attention.”

Rachael Cole, Head of School, Bishop Young Academy said: “The incredible support provided by Blaine and the Leeds United Hub at our Academy is making a real difference to many of our students. From encouraging them to meet our school attendance targets, to modelling exemplary behaviour inside and outside school, we’re seeing improvements to mental well-being, positive attitudes and behaviours and increased confidence and self-esteem.

"The Hub is encouraging our students to develop their interpersonal skills to foster stronger, safer and inclusive communities, and raise their aspirations for the future. We are looking forward to continuing our long and productive relationship with the Leeds United Foundation, and seeing the Hub become part of everyday life at Bishop Young Academy.”

A similar wellbeing hub has also been set up at Outwood Academy Hemsworth while the foundation provides PE lessons and additional activities at several primary and secondary schools across West Yorkshire.