Gabriele Lagrotteria
Gabriele is from rural Southern Italy, where his parents are farmers. Due to undiagnosed dyslexia, he didn’t do well at school and left at 15 without any qualifications. Seven years later, Gabriele went to Australia to work on his cousin’s flower farm and then as a builder’s assistant. He moved to the UK nine years ago.
A student at City and Islington College for four years, in that time Gabriele has improved his English almost from scratch, gaining ESOL qualifications from Entry Level 2 to Level 2, and moved into mainstream studies – gaining high marks in GCSE English and completing NVQs at Levels 1 and 2 in Childcare.
Additionally, he has had to work in low-paid and strenuous jobs such as kitchen portering to support his learning. Currently studying on the Access to Education Studies course and working 15 hours a week as a nursery assistant, Gabriele hopes to fulfil his dream of going to university and becoming a primary school teacher.
“When I was 15, I left school without any qualifications thinking I was very stupid, with a big fear of the education system and the tutors. This long journey has made a big impact on me, making my path through life easier and smoother. I am more optimistic and resilient.”
“Gabriele is a remarkable student”, says his nominator, Adrian Whittaker. “He thrives in a learning environment and his desire to gain knowledge is infectious.”