History made at Les Voies
TWO students at Les Voies have made history by becoming the first from the school to secure places at the Sixth Form Centre.
Alex Ceillam and Roberto Fernandes have both chosen the same A-level courses, going for psychology, sociology, photography and core maths.
‘I’m definitely happy,’ said Alex, after getting 12 grades between 9 and 4, which he hopes will help him emulate his mother by going into accountancy.
After struggling with large class groups, he began attending Les Voies – which accepts students with social, emotional and mental health difficulties – in Year 5 and he now considers the problem overcome.
As for making a bit of school history, he was quite pragmatic.
‘I guess it’s cool that we’re the first ones,’ he said, ‘but I never really saw my attendance here as a limit to what I could achieve.’
Year 10 student Jess Power was ‘pretty shocked’ to pick up a D in English and further grades in maths, art and cooking after missing a year of schooling.
She credited the calming atmosphere at Les Voies – the best she had experienced since being at St Sampson’s Infants School – with altering her behaviour.
‘Education said I wouldn’t be able to handle GCSEs at my old school but I’m in Year 10 and I’ve already got a piece of paper in my hand – that is now with me for the rest of my life – to say that I have got qualifications,’ she said.
Head teacher Jon Furley said every Year 11 student had left with a qualification and it had been ‘a massive step in the right direction’ to see three A grades in English.
The site was formerly known as the Link Centre.
It became Les Voies School in September 2013, with Mr Furley arguing that a key advantage of school status would be the offering of formal qualifications like GCSEs.
