HAVE you ever felt alone or vulnerable? Felt like the world had turned against you?

Education is vital in today's modern society but there are some pupils whose chances of succeeding are put on standby! That is where the Stratton Education Centre comes in and it is also where places like Riverside are discovered.

To some, it's a school, to others, it's a place of safety, but one thing is certain: Riverside gives many a second chance.

The pupils there are unique, but the one thing they have in common is that they could not cope with their mainstream school.

The pupils who are in KS3 have a chance to be reintegrated back into mainstream but the KS4 pupils do not reintegrate. That does not mean that the KS4 pupils miss out on what mainstream pupils have; the school does have prom nights and GCSEs, though not as many GCSEs as a normal mainstream school but the pupils get enough to get through and to get into a college.

For the pupils at Riverside, school starts at 9.10am and ends at 2.10pm, except on Mondays when it ends at 3pm. There are no uniforms but pupils must wear clothing suitable for a working environment.

Riverside gets many high praises from its pupils. One pupil told the school: "I don't know what I'd do without Riverside. It's a very welcoming school. It gives us a safe environment to learn. Before Riverside my attendance and attitude was out of order. Now I'm here I don't know where I could go. The teachers give us the help and support we need to succeed. Without Riverside my future would be bleak."

Riverside is, to many, a safe family. They are very anti-bullying and they have the Every Child Matters motto that the Government requires. The difference is that they are a smaller school so they can see any trouble and have the time to do something about it.

In the Riverside guide, Anima Thomas, the headteacher, states that Riverside "is a safe environment" and that their main goal is to help pupils, "build their confidence and become independent learners in preparation for life after school".

Many pupils' hidden talents have been discovered thanks to the generosity of the Riverside staff. The pupils there are taught to be kind to one another and there is a variety of lessons to help even more pupils discover something about themselves, no matter who they are or what their problems are.

Riverside has won awards as a healthy school. Riverside does have a waiting list as, unfortunately, there are still children who need their help.

By Sian Lawson-Blake, aged 15