AN INDEPENDENT charity-run school based in Southbourne has a received a donation from J.P. Morgan to help provide educational support during the ongoing pandemic.

The Connie Rothman Learning Trust provides a number of educational services, including alternative education provision and inclusive STEM programmes, as well as providing full-time education for secondary and sixth form students.

The Trust, named after chief executive Edward Rothman’s late wife, Connie, was set up to share her love and enthusiasm for teaching and began transitioning to becoming a non-profit organisation in 2017.

Ben Jenkins, Fundraising and Community Outreach Coordinator, said: “On behalf of everyone at CRLT we want to thank J.P. Morgan for their very kind donation.

“This will be vitally important in funding our newly developed ‘closing the education gap’ programme. This aims to support the most vulnerable and disadvantaged young people in our community, who have been disproportionately impacted academically by Covid-19.”

The programme consists of a series of engaging workshops that first identifies the educational gap, and then the team of highly experienced teachers provide the educational support to fill those gaps.

Since the lockdown in January, the programme has been adapted to run virtually online to ensure the young people still had access to educational support at home.

“Our programme will make a massive difference to the lives of the young people enrolled,” added Ben.

“It will give them access to the same equal opportunities as their peers and help improve the young person’s self-confidence and mental wellbeing.”

Caroline Donnell, a member of the J.P. Morgan Community Relations Committee said: “Education is so important for every child and it is acknowledged that during these extremely difficult times the education gap between pupils is widening.

“We are delighted to be able to make this donation to assist with the work of CRLT.”

J.P. Morgan employs 4,000 people at its technology and operations centre in Bournemouth and has a strong history of community engagement.

For more information about the work of CRLT visit www.crlt.org.uk.