‘PUPILS ARE SLEEPING ON THE STREETS’

Published: 3 December, 2010
by JOSH LOEB

Homeless pupils - ‘It’s difficult to work in a hostel – there’s noise and cockroaches

A HEADTEACHER has warned of a dramatic surge in homelessness among young people and revealed her distress at discovering one of her pupils had been sleeping rough in parks while studying for his A-levels.

Jo Shuter, the award-winning headteacher at Quintin Kynaston School (QK) in St John’s Wood, was speaking yesterday (Thursday) at the launch of a groundbreaking project to provide accommodation to homeless pupils, of which she said the school currently has “six or seven and another 20 literally on the precipice”.

Arsenal and England footballer Kieran Gibbs and Madness star Suggs, a former pupil at the school, have pledged support for its £3million appeal to set up QK House, which Ms Shuter said could provide up to 12 pupils from troubled backgrounds with shelter, mentoring and a “family atmosphere”.

“What we don’t want is an institution to replace the institutions that already exist,” she said. “We want a family house. We are looking to raise £3million to either buy a property or build on our own land.”

Ms Shuter said the problem of pupil homelessness was getting worse and would be exacerbated by government cutbacks.

She said: “It used to be that 16 to 18-year-olds could go into foster care, now they are going into hostels and are considered adults. 

“We have always had pupils who are homeless but it is getting worse.”

She added that she was investigating whether the school could apply for a type of funding available to boarding schools to help realise the project.

Yesterday’s briefing included the screening of a film in which five homeless sixth-formers – Andrea Morales, Robyn Kelly, Luke Pottinger, Satta Briama and Vincent Griffiths-Williamson – spoke about their experiences of life on the streets and in hostels.

Robyn, 17, who is taking A-levels in English, drama and history, moved from her home in Lisson Grove to the St Louise homeless hostel in Medway Street, Victoria, earlier this year after a family row. Her rent is paid through benefits.

She said: “It is not right that 16 and 17-year-olds are forced to live by themselves when there is no ­parenting. 

“It’s not a choice and it’s not fun. It’s difficult to work in the hostel. There is noise and there are cockroaches. There is no one to turn to if you are having problems.”

The hostel is due to close in March because of ­funding cuts and Robyn said she did not know where she will go.

Vincent Griffiths-Williamson, 18, said he had spent nights in Regent’s Park and Hyde Park after leaving home. 

Ms Shuter, who has a reputation as a maverick, no nonsense “superhead”, was awarded a CBE for services to education in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List earlier this year.

Since she was appointed head of QK in 2002 she has transformed it from an underachieving comprehensive to one of the ­country’s most improved schools.  

She said: “It’s a weird dynamic in this school. It is an affluent area. Every day pupils are walking through what they may never have. The dynamic between us and our residents is very much between the haves and the have-nots and the kids do incredibly well to manage the emotions that that does sometimes create for them.”

If enough money is raised to create QK House, Ms Shuter said, it could “transform the lives of the most needy, but most worthy teenagers in London”. 

Insurance company ­Aviva has already pledged £15,000 to the scheme.