The need: The number of children missing school has risen dramatically post-pandemic. Young people with experience of poverty are disproportionately losing learning: they are 4.4 times more likely to be suspended than their better-off peers.
Our portfolio partner: The Two Counties Trust is a multi-academy trust with 10 secondary schools across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. They have ambitions to roll-out high quality, inclusive internal alternative provision (IAP) within the mainstream school system. Offering targeted support for students with higher needs, the trust strives to improve outcomes for young people at risk of losing learning.
Our impact: Together with The Henry Smith Foundation, we’ve invested £100,000 per annum for 2 years to help TTCT expand its IAP centres to all schools by the 2026-27 academic year. With our support, TTCT will provide targeted and appropriate interventions for higher-need pupils in their IAP. We expect this to improve outcomes for these students and, in time, demonstrate best practices for the sector.
We have greatly benefited from working with Impetus and The Henry Smith Foundation on the implementation of TTCT Intervention Centres. In our first year, three schools have established bespoke provision for some of our most vulnerable students. Through impact workshops, we have codified essential components and identified key performance indicators to hold ourselves accountable going forward. The support and challenge from our Investment Director and Investment Manager have been invaluable. We are excited about the future of our partnership and the opportunities to further enhance life choices.
Wesley Davis, CEO, The Two Counties Trust
