Alleyn's Connects | Primary Partnerships
The Primary School outreach programme, which sits within year 12 Enrichment, has continued to be a remarkably popular fixture of the year 12 timetable.
Each Monday afternoon students teach a range of subjects in local primary schools with almost 100 doing so this year. Once again, in September, our Year 12 students were given safeguarding training and then, alongside Alleyn’s staff were supported in the planning, preparing and delivering of various enriching schemes including, Art, Dance, Music, Science and this year, for the first time, Modern Foreign Languages.
Aims
Our aim with the Primary Partnerships programme is to provide local primary schools with tailor-made lessons in subjects that would otherwise be hard to deliver and led by trained Alleyn's sixthformers.
This approach developed with Heads of our local schools benefits their pupils and staff with an equal benefit for our own pupils.
Background
The Primary Partnership programme has existed for number of years based on our belief that the best partnershops are seen through collaboration between schools - long term, mutually beneficial and aligned to both schools’ strategic objectives.
Resources
Groups of around six Alleyn's students are accomanied by a member of Alleyn's teaching staff.
We have a mixture of classes, some on Alleyn's School site and some at the Primary Schools themsleves.
Impact
This year we have had the privilege of visiting almost all of the partner Primary Heads, who were universally positive about the impact our partnership programme has had on their pupils. It is clear that the Year 12 Outreach program is effectively addressing the needs of their pupils and enhancing their educational experiences at a critical stage in their education.
When asking them where we could provide even more support it was common to hear requests for more Science, computing, specialist music teaching and DT.
When suggesting the idea of an weekly afternoon programme based at Alleyn’s, while concerned about logistics, again, there was an overwhelmingly positive response.
“We have valued the Alleyn’s outreach programme so much. It has been completely transformational for one of our school refusers.” Deputy Head, The Belham Primary School
Partner Pupils
"I love it so much and am very very grateful to have access to all of the activities and opportunities. Thank you!"
"There is a wide range of opportunities which is great, it's just the timings that makes some of them harder to do."
"The outreach helped my courage as it was difficult at first to stand up and teach an entire class." [Alleyn’s student]
"It was the highlight of my week."
Pupil Involvement
Alleyn’s Pupils: F:56 M:41, Total: 97
Partner Pupils: Year 4: 120, Year 5: 120, Year 6: 120. Total: 360
Staffing: 8 staff, 484 hours
Frequency
This programme runs each Monday afternoon from September until the Easter holiday.
