“Every young person wants to learn! They may say they don’t, but deep beneath that loud and angry ‘NO,’ lies a faint but willing ‘YES,’ just crying out to be released.”
Phil gained extensive experience, working with difficult to engage young people in the charity he founded in 1999, called The Complete Works. This work gave him the opportunity to investigate what truly takes place in the mind of a young person, who rejects education and says ‘NO’ to any form of interaction. In such situations, locking horns with them would surely make things worse, and trying to ignore them could easily result in a chair being thrown across the room.
In searching for a ‘magic wand’ which would eliminate anger, transform behaviour, and restore communication, Phil drew inspiration from the two subjects in his life that he is passionate about: These being creativity and mindfulness. He found that, by utilising methods taken from drama, he could devise creative strategies, to de-escalate volatile situations, while simultaneously employing mindfulness techniques, to communicate calmness.
Phil believes that it is this blend of creativity and mindfulness which is the key to his success in reigniting young people’s interest in education and motivating them to learn. Working calmly and creatively, he seeks to gain their trust, focus their minds, and turn the uninspired ‘NO’ into an excited ‘YES,’ to becoming re-engaged with learning. This concept forms the basis of Phil’s philosophy of education, and which has been put into practice by The Complete Works over their operation.
In their recent Ofsted inspection (July 2025), The Complete Works was considered as ‘Outstanding’ in all areas. The report praised TCW's distinctive approach, noting that “the school’s unique education model meets pupils’ needs very effectively.”
In describing what it’s like to attend the school, Ofsted also wrote: “The Complete Works transforms pupils’ lives for the better and prepares them for the future exceptionally well. Many pupils have been out of school for a long time and have gaps in their learning. Most have experienced emotional, mental health or complex medical needs. Whatever their starting points, the school builds pupils’ confidence, self-esteem and achievement extremely successfully.”
“Pupils recognise the school’s positive impact on their learning. They said that staff ‘talk with you and not at you’. Evidence of this positivity is all around, from the very strong relationships and the creative approach to the curriculum to the calm and highly respectful culture.”“Once pupils start at the school, their behaviour and attendance improve immeasurably. Pupils’ personal and academic skills are developed as a whole and woven together seamlessly. Each supports the other, helping pupils to access learning and engage in activities very effectively. Pupils are attentive in lessons and behave responsibly around the school.”
Perhaps there is such a thing as magic after all!
