Marley suffers from dyslexia, a condition which often caused his behaviour to appear disruptive or aggressive in the classroom. He was finding himself easily distracted in class, and was on a part-time timetable at school. His was sometimes rude to the teachers, and underachieving in his studies.

Marley felt he needed more support and understanding from the teachers, as it would sometimes take him longer to understand something than the rest of his classmates. He felt this was being misconstrued as misbehaving or not paying attention.

Joining Nacro’s project helped Marley become more self-confident. He participated well in most of the challenges, and displayed excellent shows of effort. He also learnt to ask for help when he needed it, and gained more confidence in the teachers at school.

The teacher who referred Marley to Nacro gave some really positive feedback about how Marley’s attitude toward his teachers had dramatically improved. Marley is now a lot more positive about his future, and more confident in his own abilities. He has learnt there are many more options open to him than he first thought, and that his dyslexia is not the barrier against achievement that he once thought it was.

Since the programme ended, Marley has stayed in school. His attendance and behaviour have improved, as has his attitude toward work. He plans to continue into further education at college after he finishes at school.