London-based rapper Giggs, 45, is embarking on a new venture that mirrors his advocacy for neurodivergent youth. The musician has collaborated with the education charity OMG Foundation to establish St James House, a facility in Gravesend, Kent, designed as a secondary school for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (Send), as well as those in alternative provision.
The initiative stems from Giggs’s own difficult experiences navigating the educational system. He explains that he faced a significant struggle securing necessary diagnoses and support for his seven-year-old son, Israel. He describes the process as a failure of the system, noting that without formal assessments and Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), children often miss out on vital assistance. His public advocacy on this issue, including a prominent appearance on Newsnight, eventually helped secure his son’s EHCP.
Giggs, who is a father of four, revealed that his three eldest children are autistic. His eldest, the rapper ML, was diagnosed in his early teens, an event that led Giggs to realize he also shared a neurodivergent profile. Despite a confusing initial assessment experience a decade ago, he later confirmed his own diagnosis through medical records. Last year, the pair released a song titled Own Motion, reflecting on their journey with autism.
The St James House project, which operates out of former office space in Kent, includes a dedicated assessment centre. CEO Jamal Miah of the OMG Foundation noted that the school’s location is a result of both founders relocating to the area. Miah emphasized that the integrated assessment centre is vital because many families remain unaware of how to navigate the complex EHCP process, which is a prerequisite for broader support.
Executive head Frances Akinde, a specialist in neurodivergent education who previously provided parental advocacy for Giggs, will oversee operations. The centre, which employs occupational therapists, educational psychologists, and speech specialists, officially opened this month, with the school scheduled to welcome students in January. Organizers aim to accommodate 75 pupils.
Funding for the venture is well underway, with the OMG Foundation nearing their £930,000 target. Giggs has utilized his industry connections to boost fundraising efforts, hosting a charity auction featuring donations from prominent figures such as Damien Hirst, Stephen Fry, Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams, and Dynamo.
Reflecting on his ambitions for the school, Giggs compared the project to a real-world version of the X-Men’s Professor Xavier. He expressed a desire to help students understand their unique strengths, stating that the goal is to show these children they possess untapped potential and how to utilize it effectively. This project represents a shift in pace for the rapper, whose busy recent weeks included welcoming his daughter, Noa, in New Jersey and performing alongside Jay-Z at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The report also notes that the next day, he flew home and went straight to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to guest on stage with Jay-Z. “Yeah, it’s been crazy,” he smiles. The report also notes that remarkably, as soon as Noa was delivered, he also found time to livestream from the US hospital to the launch event for his latest project: not an album, but a specialist school and assessment centre for neurodivergent children. The report also notes that it’s a project with extremely personal origins. The report also notes that we couldn’t get him diagnosed and he wasn’t getting the support and assessments he needed. The report also notes that i thought, well, I’ve got to do something.”. The report also notes that you can’t tell from the way he bounds around the former business offices now being converted into a 75-pupil school, if Giggs is tired. The report also notes that last year, the father-and-son duo made a joint track about living with autism, Own Motion. “When I was young, I was ashamed, now I just own it,” ML raps.
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