I have dropped out school…

 

In my family school wasn’t valued. 

 

My father was  an unqualified factory worker who was made redundant and remained unemployed for years. My mother got pregnant when she was a teenager and never went back to school after I was born. They didn’t respect teachers and didn’t see the purpose of studying. They didn’t mind if I missed school in order to look after my younger brothers and sisters.

 

I was always in the lower achievement classes also called the bottom group where expectations were low. I felt a failure and I was bored by school. I never took part in school activities because I hated teachers. I would talk back to them or misbehave and as a result I was often suspended and fell behind in my work even more.

 

By the age of 14 I was so disengaged from school that my reading age was the one of a 10 year old. I received counselling for anger management. When I was placed in a special school, I felt depressed because of being left out of my friendship group. Transport problems to school didn’t help and I often played truant.

 

Facing examination demands made it worse and I started smoking cannabis. Drugs disconnected me totally to school life and I displayed antisocial behaviour .I was permanently excluded a few weeks before my exams and didn’t bother taking them. My parents kicked me out and I was placed in foster care.

 

Having left school without any qualification I am now classed as NEET which means not in education, employment or training. At the age of 17 my future is grim and my prospects for future employment have been blighted.

 

 

Marie