Wear 25: Premier League Primary Stars helps Jay build confidence and improve attendance

Before taking part in Foundation of Light's Premier League Primary Stars programme, Jay Dixon-Porter, a Year 6 pupil at Lambton Primary School, was struggling with low confidence, which was having a significant impact on his attendance and engagement at school.

When Foundation of Light coach Phil Hubbard first began working with Jay, he noticed his reluctance to open up during sessions. Through building trust and developing a positive relationship, Jay gradually began sharing some of the challenges he was facing, including insecurity about his weight which affected his confidence.

Recognising the need for practical support, Phil worked closely with Jay to introduce simple routines and achievable goals that would help him manage his anxiety around tackling ‘the day’.

Together, they created a daily checklist featuring small, manageable targets that Jay could tick off throughout the day. This approach helped break down what had previously felt overwhelming and gave Jay a greater sense of control.

Jay began to open up more about his frustrations and concerns, something that was particularly important with the SATs exams looming. With a clearer structure in place and increased support, he started to feel more positive about himself and more confident in tackling everyday challenges.

Teachers and staff noticed a remarkable change in Jay's attitude and behaviour around school. He carried himself with far greater confidence and appeared much happier in his day-to-day interactions.

Jay’s attendance also vastly improved from below 50% across the nine weeks of Phil's intervention, demonstrating the significant difference that targeted support can make to a young person's engagement with education.

Reflecting on Jay's progress, Phil said: "Jay was somebody who has made the most of the Premier League Primary Stars programme and seeing how much progress he has made is something that I am very proud of, he seems like a different child to the one I first met."

Recognising Jay's progress, he has become the latest winner of a Foundation of Light Wear 25 Award, which have been introduced to congratulate those who are making strides throughout our varied programmes in our 25th anniversary year.