Bedales and The Key

Our Head of The Key Education Centre (a pupil referral unit) Director of Learning and Innovation at Bedales School were introduced by the Features Editor of the TES.

The Outdoor Work department at Bedales has been the site of regular visits from groups of Key students, who have engaged in a suite of traditional rural and craft activities, blacksmithing, animal husbandry, pizza baking, and woodwork, for example.

Aims

To foster a mutually beneficial relationship between our two very different schools, from which students from each institution can learn about their counterparts’ differing contexts and perspectives.

For the Bedales students involved, the aim is to broaden their understanding of significantly different social and economic circumstances to their own, and associated educational challenges.

For students at The Key, the aim is to give them the sorts of broadening experiences that they would not ordinarily have access to, and thereby raise their aspirations, as well as their awareness of alternative contexts and life options. We hope to raise the social flexibility of both groups through their shared interactions.

Resources

Both schools have committed considerable staff time to developing this relationship. The Key send two staff each week with their students. There is no real financial outlay beyond staff time, except for the small cost of materials. The schools are currently engaging in joint fundraising activities to build a traditional pizza oven at The Key Education Centre, since this has been the focus of much of their collaborative activity.  

Impact

The impact has been very positive for those Key students who have visited regularly. They look forward to it, and it has improved attendance in a number of cases. We are aiming to improve the impact on Bedales students as time goes on, since their participation has been less frequent and systematic. 

The teacher responsible for outreach at The Key explains:

“Pupils involved have exhibited improvement in confidence in social situations, built closer relationships with staff, and developed not only their skills but also their world view. We have also seen improvements beyond the visit days such as improved attendance, and some parents have said that has been brilliant in terms of getting them out of the house and doing something practical.”

Pupil Involvement

The Key brings groups of up to four students each week. A group of Bedales students has been involved in visiting The Key Centre and strategising about future collaboration. Small numbers of Bedalians participate in Outdoor Work activities with students from The Key on an ad hoc basis.

 

Frequency

This is a weekly occurrence during term-time.