Worthing education centre opens new therapy space and exam centre

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Tom Rutland visited Red Balloon Worthing to learn more about the centre’s work to re-engage young people in education and learning.

He officially opened The Bothy, a new building which will multi-functional, serving as a versatile, calm space, a therapy space and an exam centre.

Mr Rutland said: "‘I had a wonderful time visiting Red Balloon to see the incredible support they provide for local young people, and to open The Bothy, their brand new building.

"During my visit, I had the opportunity to see their creative and talented learners in several classes, and I was really impressed with the quality of education Red Balloon provides."

Staff and learners were able to give Mr Rutland a deeper understanding of the unique educational provision that Red Balloon Worthing offers.

He heard first-hand how the centre supports learners who have struggled to cope with mainstream education. He heard how many of the learners had been out of education for long periods of time before starting at Red Balloon and had to overcome great challenges in order to regain their confidence.

Kim Anderson, head of centre, said: “We were delighted to welcome Tom Rutland MP to our centre and showcase the fantastic work that our dedicated team of staff are doing to support our young people.

"The learners really liked Tom’s friendly approach and he made them feel at ease. We are very proud of our current year 11 learners who are the first to use The Bothy to sit their GCSEs. I would also like to express my gratitude to Roffey Homes who funded the building project.”

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Mr Rutland praised Roffey Homes for its generous donation of both funds and labour to bring the project to fruition.

Red Balloon Worthing is part of a national charity Red Balloon Educational Trust, which was established in 1996.