This article is written by young people who attend an open-access youth project in the city centre of Hull. Although they describe themselves as "educational failures" (the "black holes"), they argue that they have a significant contribution to make to discussions about how to develop socially just education in schools. In the article, they share their personal stories about how they became disconnected from formal education and they identify critiques of the current system of schooling which, in their view, prioritises the "A-star" students. They also explain how their educational experiences have been turned around through their involvement with The Warren in Hull, an organisation which adopts an informal, person-centred pedagogy.