FAR Skate Foundation is a charitable organisation passionate about empowering young people. Within the foundation there are two elements: FAR Academy which provides alternative education and required qualifications, and the FAR Skate Shop that supports the educational services that the FAR Academy provides.

Using skateboarding as the channel to engage young people onto the positive pathway of learning, through personal achievement and alternative education; the FAR Academy provides a unique learning opportunity which has been tailored to suit vulnerable young people who struggle to learn in a mainstream school. Not all of our students are skaters but the mix of experiences and lifestyles of our diverse student base makes for a well-balanced and engaging atmosphere.

We’ve just been approved under the Department of Education under Section 41 as a Specialist Post-16 Institution - What this means

Mission

We are committed to providing an engaging, respectful and rewarding learning environment. We will continue our unique approach to education to expand and in turn be able to support many more vulnerable young people.

At the FAR Academy we nurture self-esteem and build confidence. We make subjects more relatable and relevant, helping young people to move forward with education and future employment.

History

The FAR Academy is the brainchild of Brent Lewis, an educational psychologist and teacher. With a passion for teaching, Brent’s vision of an inclusive alternative education environment became a reality.

Brent started skating when he was a young boy, he struggled to fit in in main stream education. His passion and commitment to better himself, grew out of his determination to become a better skater. Leaving school without qualifications, Brent found work labouring on a building site. As his own skills developed he found that he had a natural ability for teaching the new recruits and this was something that he really enjoyed.

Finishing his education in order to become a teacher, Brent excelled in raising attainment. He found that the constraints of mainstream education let too many students fall through the net. He had the vision for a school where students who did not fit into mainstream education would be inspired and engaged to make a positive future for themselves and not be written off, as so many are.

Brent created The FAR Academy with a passion for learning and a driving ambition for every learner, sharing his philosophy that disadvantage should never be a barrier to achievement.

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