Hut 9 Case Study

Hut 9 provides:

• a positive learning environment for vulnerable and more challenging pupils who find it difficult to be in school
• a focus on meeting the needs of each individual pupil in the most appropriate way
• broad and flexible approaches to meeting these needs. 

The project started originally to cater for three non-attendees; such was its success that it has expanded to become an established feature of the school's provision.

How it contributes to education and health policy priorities

Hut 9 is one of a number of linked initiatives in Forres Academythat has taken a whole school approach towards becoming a health promoting school.

Other initiatives include the following:

• Passport to a Healthier You and the Confidence to Cook club – promoting greater awareness of healthy eating and exercise
• transition project – a partnership between primary and secondary school, Hut 9, social work and community learning and development
• increased physical activity – link with new Moray Council leisure facility in Forres, coordinated by Active Schools coordinator
• healthy eating – breakfast club, healthy lunches, healthy snack dispensers
• lunchtime drop-in service – lifestyle and health information through NHS Grampian and community learning and development 
• mental health initiative – includes staff health and well-being (Scotland's Health at Work silver award), domestic abuse awareness and awareness-raising through mental health promotion (primarily to pupils in S5 and S6).  

Timescale, scope and funding

• Project running from April 2005 onwards
• Links with other projects organised by the school and LCN
• Funding received from school and LCN partners

Hut 9 was established in April 2005, in a temporary hut in the school grounds. At first, staff were brought in to work with the pupils. Hut 9 now has its own dedicated team: a project facilitator, three project workers and a staff member from Moray Youth Action. In addition, there is significant and ongoing input from Forres Academy staff, the school nurse and the community policeman.

Information is shared, for the benefit of individuals, with services such as:

• the children's panel
• youth justice
• social work
• educational psychologists
• inter-agency meetings 
• School Liaison Group meetings.  

The School Liaison Group has representatives from the various support services and meets to discuss help and support to meet the additional needs of individuals.

Individual support

The individual pupil is the focus and Hut 9 attempts to show that there are alternative ways of learning. It also attempts to widen the perception of educational provision and, in so doing, to involve the young people in activities that are meaningful to them.

The provision includes:

• a 'chill out' facility where the pupils can simply relax and chat
• a classroom, where support/individual teaching can take place
• a cooking area, where pupils are encouraged to help prepare snacks and meals
• a link to skateboard facilities
• enterprise activities: for example, making a calendar for sale
• space and support for working on bikes 
• mentoring from LCN members
• proactive intervention to prevent young people reaching exclusion. 

Key strengths

The main evaluation takes place through the LCN annual review, which identifies the key strengths of Hut 9 as follows.

• It provides a way of retaining the most vulnerable and challenging pupils in school.
• It is a local provision for local needs, with a particular focus on individual needs.
• It provides multi-agency discipline with a community focus – rather than an agency focus.
• Its approach is holistic.
• It provides a 'safe place' and a flexible, positive environment – where equal value is given to all participants.
• It enables individual needs to be met through social skills and emotional learning – alongside mainstream teaching.
• It provides a place where relevant accredited certificates may be awarded.
• It encourages shared vision – leading to development of staff.  

Parental comments

• Alternative provision was the key to helping some pupils back into mainstream education and to preventing others from being excluded.
• The proactive, individual support has proved invaluable in enabling the young people to develop key social skills and achieve success in school.
• The project has helped to support vulnerable pupils in the transition from primary to secondary school.
• The sense of a common purpose and the belief in what Hut 9 is striving to achieve has built strong working relationships between staff from different agencies.
• Hut 9 staff can now access training opportunities available to Forres Academystaff, and more formal training leads to better qualified staff.  

Areas of concern

The main areas of concern relate to the following.

• The lack of sustainable funding puts pressure on staff who are uncertain of what their future prospects. This can divert their attention from the young people.
• The review of the project indicates that more could be done to provide awareness-raising and training amongst those not directly involved. This would enable the vision of Hut 9 to be more widely appreciated.
• The success of the scheme has attracted interest from outwith the catchment area. There are other schools that would like to benefit from Hut 9's facilities without contributing to its costs. 

Future plans

• In-house training of teachers in alternative ways of dealing with young people with behavioural difficulties. Teachers will also be encouraged to share specific teaching skills with other professionals.
• Hut 9 and Forres Academystaff are currently looking at ideas for widening the provision to cater for a broader range of young people.
• Sustainable funding is essential to maintaining and expanding the provision, and to ensuring the security of staff.
• Better facilities are planned – including a bigger kitchen. 

Iain Macdonald
Local Community Network Officer
Email: Iain Macdonald
iain.macdonald@moray.gov.uk

Forres Academy
Burdsyard Road
Forres
Moray
IV36 1FG
Tel: 01309 672271
Fax: 01309 676745