SML College Hardship Fund

Self Managed Learning College Brighton and Hove offers a welcoming, safe environment for children from all backgrounds to learn in an environment that provides a unique alternative to mainstream schooling. SML College encourages curiosity and inquisitiveness and helps students learn how to manage their time, stay focused, and explore in greater detail the areas that they are passionate about.

Parents often say how pleased they are to see such a transformation in their child after only a short time in the College. Mainly they say that they are happier, calmer, less anxious, and more switched on to learning. They are also amazed that the College can support just about any learning that their child wants to do and is entirely responsive to their needs.

We urgently need to increase the College's Hardship Fund so that we can continue to provide places for children and young people from our local community, regardless of their circumstance.

As the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic progresses through 2022, we are continuing to support families who, as much as before, need our help. These families are often experiencing temporary financial difficulties that would ordinarily result in having to withdraw their children from the College. We are fully committed to supporting them through our existing resources, but these resources are not infinite.

Basically, we can take on extra students if the Hardship Fund can assist. At the moment the Fund is in deficit and that cannot meet demand. Every single child is equally valued at the College and they need our care and attention. No child should ever get left out due to circumstances outside their control.

Here is one email sent in by a parent regarding the value of this fund:

“He was in his bedroom for almost a year, angry and low moods and refusing to go back in to education until we found SML and from the first phone call with Carl he was inspired and excited to get there. He is now enthusiastic about school and has a fire in his belly to achieve his goals and we are so truly grateful to the college and of course to the fund as without it he would be struggling back in his bedroom and it would be a tragedy on very many levels. Thank you so much for all the opportunities you're providing and facilitating for him.”

Raising the sum of £10,000 (or part of) could be spread over support for up to 20 families via our Hardship Fund, making a huge impact.