The PRU that changed my life

'Right from the start of year 8 at mainstream school I started misbehaving and losing my temper very easily. I still don’t really know why I did.'

Darren's story

Angry adolescence

From the start of year 9, my school told me that if I did not go on an anger-management course I would probably not last at the school, as I would be expelled if it carried on.

Deep down I wanted to sort my problems out so I agreed to attend an anger-management course. Twelve weeks later and it was over. I thought that this was the end of me misbehaving. It was, for about a year, then I started again. This time, my school had enough of me and they wanted me out.

Out but not expelled

My headteacher did not want to expel me so instead he applied for me to go to Millbrook Pupil Referral Unit (PRU). I went for an interview, then, as I had been accepted, I met the headteacher and also the teacher who would be teaching me during the next year. They were great and treated me like an adult, unlike my last school. I told myself that it would be different here (in a good way) and I would probably change for the best.

When September came I couldn’t wait to start afresh. In my first week we were told what was planned: two and a half days in class; one day work experience, and one day at college. I thought: wow, I am going to really like this.

The PRU

There were six pupils in a class and our teacher plus a teacher’s help.

They were the best teachers anybody could have.

I think they understood how we felt as they both had teenage sons. We all got on like a family. It was so different to my mainstream school because the teachers there didn’t care if you did bad in your exams or anything like that. Because our new teachers treated us like adults, I think we started to behave like them. We had no reason to misbehave now. They rewarded good behaviour all week with a Friday afternoon at the local snooker hall or bowling alley. Not once did anybody miss this, it showed we could behave all week, every week.

A problem shared

If we had any problems even if it was problems at home then you could talk to one of the teachers – they listened, understood and helped in any way.

At mainstream I would never ever have talked to one of the teachers if I had a problem as I would have felt embarrassed, but at Millbrook it was like they were family and you could open up to them.

They were there any time for you – whenever you needed them they were there. I started working to my ability again. I was pleased. My favourite subject was maths. I was good, wanted to improve even more. My teacher, who also loved maths, showed me how to improve and taught me new stuff, stuff I didn’t already know. I started to enjoy school more and loved going there every day. I don’t think that I ever had a day off because I enjoyed it so much.

Enjoying the experience

So from going from...