Cambridge university student, George Baldock, attributes his academic achievements to the four transformative years at a pupil referral unit, or PRU, that he experienced as a result of being unable to thrive in conventional education due to extreme anxiety and depression.
After departing the mainstream education system in Milton Keynes at the age of 11, George managed to enrol in an esteemed Cambridge college, Trinity, to pursue a degree in history and politics.
George recounts his unique educational journey, a story marked by both adversity and triumph. A stark vulnerability is seen when George opens up about his constant struggle with extreme anxiety, a condition so severe, it impeded him from laughter as a young child, and success in a standard school environment during adolescence.
Although misdiagnosed initially as general adolescent anxiety, George’s condition became critical enough to necessitate a move from a normal classroom to the school’s internal exclusion unit alongside students flagged for disruptive behaviour. A trying period followed this move, with George completely leaving formal education for nearly a year.
Notwithstanding his challenging circumstances, George’s mother provided unwavering support, offering personal care and setting up a small business from home.
With a significant turn of events, George joined a PRU at the start of year eight, compelled by his mum and her partner’s tough love. Although initially unnerving, he quickly realised this unconventional path was just what he needed.
His four-year journey at the PRU transformed his life. The intimate learning environment and one-on-one attention from his teachers, especially the principal Dr Neil Barrett, helped him understand his anxiety disorder. George quickly started to develop the necessary techniques to manage his condition and excel academically.
This led to his return to his former secondary school during A-levels, where he triumphed with top marks in all his subjects, particularly history.
In an extraordinary twist of fate, George’s journey led him to the University of Cambridge, arguably the world’s best educational institution. Having been originally written off due to his battle with anxiety and depression, George is now flourishing amid Cambridge’s grand campuses.
He remains candid about his past and the unconventional educational journey, while acknowledging his achievements would not have been possible without the experience and support from the PRU. George believes in the potential of many other students like him, who are unfortunately not privy to such favourable conditions.
However detached he may feel from the life of a traditional Cambridge student, George remains committed to using his unprecedented journey and the opportunities afforded to him to positively impact other students traversing similar paths.
