Teenagers are celebrating the first anniversary of an in-school centre in York which has helped them get back to work in the classroom.

Janet Hewison reports.

A YEAR ago, Jamie Kirby was a regular misbehaver in class, Susan Dickinson had hardly been to school for two years and Scott Bone would get into fights whenever he was called names.

Today the three pupils at Lowfield School in Acomb say they enjoy coming to school and that it is down to the extra help they have had at the school's progress unit.

The unit was set up a year ago after Lowfield became one of 18 schools nationally to win Government cash for the scheme, which is co-ordinated by teacher Ian Donaghy (known outside school as Big Ian from York band Huge).

Mr Donaghy's unit deals with 35 pupils from the first three years of the school, who initially spend an intensive two weeks there, away from ordinary classes. During this time, they can talk about any problems they have and Mr Donaghy can get across the importance of coming in every day and getting their work done.

Liam Gothard, 13, explained that they then went back into most of their normal lessons and every day they had to check in with Mr Donaghy before and after their classes to show him forms ticked off for behaviour, work and effort by subject teachers.

Full marks for all three from all lessons count as a "perfect day". Scott is heading for a CD prize after clocking up perfect days for all of this half-term.

Scott, 13, said: "I used to get into a lot of fights. Everyone used to pick on me because I'm big. I came in here for two weeks and I had to work really hard. I used to jig (play truant) a lot, but now I stay at school because I like it.

"If someone picks on me I just ignore them and think 'I'm better than you are'. People start off fights to show how hard they are, but you can show off with your work displayed on the wall."

Susan, 15, started at Lowfield after spending two years at another school where she hardly went in at all because of worrying about bullying.

"I started here halfway through Year Nine straight into lessons and I couldn't cope - I was scared because I didn't know really know anyone and I felt behind with the work.

"This has helped me get back into school. And coming in more has helped me to get to know more friends."

Jamie, 13, said his problem had been misbehaving in class, which had started back in primary school when he fell behind with work because he is dyslexic. "I messed about and didn't do anything and I wouldn't ask questions. Now I enjoy coming to school."

Jamie's mum, Simone, was more forthright. She said: "He was a nightmare a year ago. He really didn't like going to school because he couldn't cope and didn't know how to handle situations. The whole family was disrupted.

"But since they got him in the unit he's been a different kid. When he gets up in the morning he can't wait to get into school."

Mr Donaghy said he made a point of keeping in touch with parents, and telephoning them with news about particularly good days as well as bad days.

And while the comments of the pupils speak for themselves, the school has also seen a drop in the number of permanent exclusions in the age group catered for by the centre. In 1998-99 there were seven, in 1999-00 there were four - so far this year there haven't been any.

Updated: 10:35 Saturday, May 26, 2001