Bath Rugby Foundation is delighted to announce that we have been shortlisted as finalists in the Bath Life Awards 2026 within the Education category - a powerful acknowledgement of the impact our Alternative Learning Pathway is having on children and young people across Bath and North East Somerset.

The Education category celebrates organisations that are improving learning, raising aspirations and creating better futures. Being recognised alongside schools and education providers across the region is a testament to the hard work, innovation and dedication of our staff, partners and, most importantly, the young people who engage with our programmes every day.

Changing the way young people experience education

Across the UK, increasing numbers of young people are struggling to attend school regularly and stay engaged in traditional classroom settings. Many of the children we support have been out of education for long periods - sometimes years - due to anxiety, unmet needs or challenges that have left them feeling disconnected from mainstream learning.

Our Alternative Learning Pathway takes a different approach. By offering smaller class sizes, high-quality teaching, pastoral support and a curriculum rooted in practical skills, problem-solving and hands-on projects, we help young people rebuild confidence and rediscover the value of learning.

This approach works. We achieve 80% attendance from young people who had not been in school for over 18 months, demonstrating the power of meeting learners’ needs with compassion, structure and opportunity.

From classroom-based lessons to carpentry, engineering tasks, reading development and creative projects, our aim is always the same: to equip every young person with the life skills, confidence and pathways they need to move forward.

“Young people need education that works for them” - Jonno, Alternative Learning Hub Manager

Our Alternative Learning Hub Manager, Jonno, shared his reflections on the recognition:

*“1 in 5 secondary age children don’t attend school regularly. Many of them say it’s because they don’t see the point. If your bank card didn’t work 20% of the time, you’d change bank.

We’ve invested 15 years changing education to be practical and directly linked to work so young people want to turn up. We see young people who haven’t attended school in years turn up, learn skills, get a part-time job and apply to college.

It’s so exciting to have this work recognised and I can’t wait to be at the awards.”*

Being named a finalist is more than an award nomination. It is recognition of the commitment of our staff, the belief of our supporters and partners, and, above all, the resilience and potential of the young people we work with.

We are incredibly proud of the Alternative Learning team, whose creativity, care and determination continue to change young lives through education.

Find out more

To learn more about our Alternative Learning Pathway and the work we do to support children and young people across our community, visit: https://www.bathrugbyfoundation.com/engage