Brighton Hill Leads the Way: Headteacher Chris Edwards Launches Movement to Support Young Men
At Brighton Hill Community School, Headteacher Chris Edwards is leading a mission that’s capturing national attention — one that aims to rebuild confidence, provide purpose, and inspire positive change for young men.
Recognising a growing concern across the country, where 2.5 million children in the UK are growing up without a father figure, Chris and his team wanted to act. Statistics from the Centre for Social Justice show that boys are falling behind girls in education across every stage, and the number of young men not in education, employment or training has risen dramatically since the pandemic.
Determined to make a difference, Chris launched The GOAT (Greatest of All The) Boys project — a pioneering initiative that unites men from all walks of life to mentor, guide and inspire students. “We’ve seen the real impact that positive male role models can have,” says Chris. “When boys have someone to talk to and look up to, they start to see a path forward.”
The idea grew from a collaboration between the school’s staff, youth workers and local police, following a heartfelt discussion about how to better support boys’ wellbeing. Inspired by former England manager Sir Gareth Southgate’s call for more male mentors, Chris and his team set out to create lasting change — and it’s already showing results.
What began as a local idea has quickly gained momentum. Over 50 schools across the country have now committed to developing their own versions of the GOAT Boys project — a testament to Brighton Hill’s leadership, compassion, and forward-thinking approach.
To see the full sky News report please use the following links:
https://news.sky.com/story/the-lost-boys-how-do-you-help-fatherless-teens-who-ask-am-i-the-problem-13508115
https://youtu.be/M0AwyKWyll0?si=pbVITc2yNAJrdGsq