A second chance to succeed!

Leader of Rochdale Council - Cllr. Paul Rowen recently met with pupils and staff from Saxon Hall Pupil Referral Unit on Samson Street, Belfield, Rochdale. Saxon Hall has been open to pupils from May 2003 and has been a resounding success. Leader of Rochdale Council - Cllr. Paul Rowen said, "I was really impressed with the school - the staff were an inspiration! The children were really well behaved working hard.

Saxon Hall currently has over 50 pupils on its books and its main aim is to get the children back into the mainstream education system. There are many stories of success - former pupils are now doing college courses or are entering the world of employment with their aspirations risen dramatically, a direct result of the help they received at the school.

Head-teacher - Mrs Kate Connolly said, "At present the classes that children are attending include GCSE's in Maths, English and Science. We have children here whose attendance has risen dramatically since they started attending Saxon Hall - I am very proud of what my staff and pupils are achieving. Children make mistakes as we all do and this is a second chance in a more individualised environment. Believe me, the children who attend here work hard and are starting to pay dividends."

Cllr. Paul Rowen said, "As Leader of Rochdale Council I am delighted to see that these children are grasping this second chance with both hands. You often read about children being rewarded for misbehaviour but at this school they are forced to face up to reality and are starting to really thrive in a hard working atmosphere. This is a success story and I hope this continues and we hear more about the wonderful work at Saxon Hall."