London Evening Standard/London
Boris Johnson is to put thousands of problem schoolchildren into “boot camps” in a bid to crack down on the causes of rioting.
Boris Johnson
The mayor is to launch 25 new “tough love” supplementary schools next summer that he says will focus on discipline to “instil a firm sense of purpose, focus and motivation”.
The £2mn scheme will be based on the model of the Eastside Young Leaders’ Academy, set up by Ray Lewis, the former deputy mayor for young people. The school uses military-style discipline to help problem boys in east London “perform a handbrake turn in their lives”.
Eastside offers after-school and weekend academic coaching, mentoring from successful businessmen and a citizenship programme stressing “civic responsibility and moral leadership”.
The mayor will use his speech today at the Conservative party conference to talk about the lessons of the riots and will vow to “get tough on the causes of crime”, sources said.
Johnson said his new education project will give youngsters from poor backgrounds the opportunity to do activities that are “traditionally offered at private schools”.
The scheme will use existing schools and it is believed around 750 children will benefit in the first year.
The mayor then hopes to receive backing from big business, allowing him to roll it out across London. Pupils who are struggling or causing problems in the classroom will be referred to the after-school clubs by teachers or their parents.
The mayor wants these supplementary schools to be “tough and focused on discipline”.
He said: “Instead of washing their hands of young people having a hard time in school, these clubs will instil a firm sense of purpose, focus and motivation. Instilling discipline and giving young people positive role models and structure can have an amazing effect. Many parents welcome the idea of motivational activities that stretch and challenge them.”
Johnson added: “In the long term I’d like to offer the clubs to every interested school in our city.”
Munira Mirza, Johnson’s adviser on culture and youth, said: “In some ways it’s a boot camp experience. Our broad objectives are to reduce truancy, improve behaviour, minimise the use of exclusions, help with literacy and encourage these kids to go on to further education.”
It comes after huge spending cuts on youth services were announced earlier this year.
Haringey, one of the boroughs worst-hit during the riots, slashed 75% of its youth services, closing youth centres, after-school clubs and a teenage counselling service.
Boris Johnson: new ‘tough love’ schools