Team - Aspire Preparatory Centre

When I founded Aspire in 2021, it was born out of both urgency and hope. The Covid-19 pandemic had left many young people, especially those from marginalised backgrounds, disconnected from education and vulnerable to harmful influences. Seeing these struggles moved me deeply, and I wanted to create a space where young people could feel supported, develop essential skills and build confidence.

The name Aspire captures this dream: to inspire young people to set goals, believe in themselves, and reach for their ambitions. My own life was shaped by the encouragement I received at a preparatory centre when I was younger—an experience that gave me the foundation for my career and showed me how powerful the right support can be.

With the support of my church and founding members, Aspire was launched and has become a safe and inspiring place for young people in our community.

Our long-term vision is to prepare young people for meaningful employment by equipping them with the skills, independence, and resilience required to succeed in adulthood.

I have been volunteering at Aspire since it has started almost 4 years ago. I initially started as learning support and was working as a teaching assistant to gain better insight to inform my teaching and support the learning of pupils.

I trained as a teacher and gained my QTS which has helped me to structure curriculum , lessons, and content. The Aspire curriculum has been constructed from critical analysis of the national curriculum and applicable skills young people require and to provide a new perspective and approach to the depths and dimensions of knowledge and learning.

Aspire has been a true motivation for me to pursue my dream to become a teacher which I have achieved and in turn has helped me develop both professionally and personally within the classroom and at Saturday school. Experience gained from school and Aspire has given me more confidence in my teaching abilities and knowing that I am contributing positively to the local community and the lives of the young people we teach. I look forward to the potential and prospect of what Aspire has to offer as it continues to evolve, improve and advance.

I volunteer at Aspire because l believe that children learn and experience more from being surrounded and supported by different people in their lives. I wanted to plant a seed in the children to enjoy cooking and baking, which can be fun and not a chore. I enjoy seeing the children come with excitement at each session, developing their cooking skills, and sharing what they have cooked or baked with their family. My hope is that the children will continue to enjoy cooking and avoid eating processed foods when they become adults.

Solid background in mechanical engineering, having graduated with a bachelor’s degree in the field. I have strong mathematical skills which allow me to tackle complex concepts effectively. I have a passion for working with children and enjoy sharing my knowledge and supporting them to understand challenging subjects in an engaging way. I have practical insights that translate into relatable lessons for young learners, fostering both their academic growth and enthusiasm for STEM subjects.

Superficially, but validly, I seek to encourage and inform in areas where I believe I have some competence.

At a deeper level, I aim to foster those qualities of self-knowledge, self-belief and self-worth, which the regular school-curriculum, finds it hard to address, being highly prescriptive and objective.

I enjoy working with young people and supporting them in their education. I work in technology and am especially interested in how the ways young people learn are shaped by technology and how it can be used to improve their learning experiences.

I volunteer at Aspire because I love seeing young people engage with education in a way that feels fun and rewarding. It’s great to be part of an environment where learning feels different from traditional school – more relaxed, engaging, and confidence-boosting.

I volunteer for Aspire, taking the art and crafts session. What I love is the opportunity to bring out the best in children in a small group setting, helping them value not only what they create but also themselves.

Garnett Clough

Garnett Clough

Rebecca Hamilton

Rebecca Hamilton

Debbie Newsum

Debbie Newsum

Brandon

Brandon

John

John

Sapphire

Sapphire

Michelle Fearon

Michelle Fearon

Ruth Carter

Ruth Carter