Creating calm, building belief: What one school’s approach reminds us about young people’s needs

They were skipping lessons. Arguing in corridors. Getting into fights before lunchtime.
It looked like they didn’t care about school — but they did. Until it didn’t feel safe to show it.

At Cardiff West Community High School in Ely, this was daily life. Social media-driven fallouts, rising violence, emotionally overwhelmed students, and staff reaching breaking point.
The kind of scenes many schools face — even if few talk openly about it.

So, the school tried something different.

They banned mobile phones. They stopped teachers shouting.
They rethought the rules — and built a culture of respect, not control.

And behaviour transformed.

According to the BBC, Cardiff West saw a 72% drop in exclusions for violence. Truancy fell. Focus returned.
Students began to feel calm. Teachers felt heard. Learning could start again.

But this wasn’t just about banning phones or raising expectations. It was about listening more deeply:
What’s really going on for our young people — and how can we meet them there?

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A system playing catch-up

Mainstream education was built for a different time.
Today’s young people are growing up under constant pressure — from social media, home life, identity, inequality, and more.
When they act out, shut down, or walk away from school, it’s not because they’ve given up. It’s because they’re overwhelmed.

But the system still leans on punishment over purpose. Rules over relationships.

So when schools like Cardiff West or projects like Boost (Bath Rugby Foundation's alternative learning programme) succeed, it’s often seen as exceptional.
It shouldn’t be. It should be standard.

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Boost is already doing it

At Bath Rugby Foundation’s Alternative Learning Hub, we’ve taken this approach from the start.
Boost supports 14–16-year-olds who’ve been excluded or who no longer attend school — sometimes for more than a year.

Our focus isn’t behaviour management. It’s belief restoration.
We don’t ask, “What’s wrong with you?” — we ask, “What do you need?”

• Phones are locked away — not as a punishment, but to create space for calm, focus, and real connection.

• There’s no shouting — just respect, routine, and reassurance.

• The curriculum is hands-on and purposeful — combining English and maths with construction, mentoring, and personal growth.

• Every student has a plan — not just to pass exams, but to rebuild confidence and imagine a different future.

And they show up. Week after week. After months — sometimes years — of disengagement.

Not because they’re made to. Because they’re welcomed back as people, not problems.

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This shouldn’t feel radical

What Cardiff West did wasn’t extreme.
What we do at BOOST isn’t a miracle.

It’s just what happens when young people are treated with the consistency, compassion, and belief they deserve.
When the environment works for them — not against them.

This isn’t about going soft. It’s about getting smart.

Less noise. More trust.
Fewer punishments. More possibilities.

Because when you make space for young people to be themselves —
they remind you just how much they care.

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Refer a young person:

If you connect with this article and know a young person struggling with mainstream education, please reach out to our Alternative Learning Manager, Jonno Wood: [email protected]