A school has been given funding to support a scheme which sees students mentor deprived and disadvantaged children.

Rushcroft Foundation School in Chingford has been given a slice of a £750,000 fund as part of the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan’s Stepping Stones project.

The programme began last year and was trialled by Gladesmore Community School in Tottenham.

It sees Year 10 pupils mentoring Year 7 pupils to help them integrate into secondary school and stop them becoming disengaged and drawn into crime.

The London Assembly member for Waltham Forest, Jennette Arnold welcomed the funding.

Ms Arnold said: “The transition between primary and secondary school can be a difficult and testing time for some children.

“However, with the extra helping hand that the Stepping Stones programme and summer school provides, it can also empower the most vulnerable young Londoners to make the leap to a higher level of academic and personal independence.”

Year 7 children who are mentored will receive tuition in Maths and English as well as benefitting from career workshops and non-academic peer-mentoring to help them integrate into school and make friends.

Ms Arnold praised the scheme for helping to stop young people get caught up in crime but was quick to criticise the Government for cuts to youth services.

She said: “In the wake of sustained government cuts that have decimated our capital’s youth services, the summer school also offers invaluable free, educational activities during the holidays to divert the most at-risk young people from getting caught up in crime.

“On the other hand, we have seen the Government treat this as a less urgent priority, having so far failed to allocate any of their £22 million Early Intervention Fund. This amount is a drop in the ocean when compared the level of damage that has been done by their callous programme of austerity.”

Mr Khan also criticised government cuts to youth services that have “decimated youth programmes.”

But he said: “As Mayor, I am determined to give those that work hard a helping hand and that means providing opportunities to support young people so they make the right choices in life and fulfil their potential.”