Bridge Outreach Programme

The Bridge programme - launched January 2020 - is an enrichment programme for Year 5 state primary school children who are nominated by their Head teachers to attend monthly sessions delivered by Godolphin and Latymer teachers at the school on a Saturday morning. The children are taught Maths and English every session and other subjects such as debating, science, computer coding, German, geography, history, music, yoga, rock climbing and Mandarin on rotation. Two weeks of specialist 11+ admissions preparation is also included as part of the programme which aims to encourage bright primary school children to apply to independent senior schools. Parents are also provided with information about bursaries available from independent schools across London. For the 2021 programme we doubled the number of children able to attend and for the 2023 programme we had 79 children from 34 schools.

Aims

The aim is to provide educational enrichment activities for Year 5 boys and girls and to provide them with the skills and confidence to consider sitting the 11+ entrance examinations. Parents are also provided with information about means-tested bursaries available at London Secondary Schools.

 

Background

The programme was launched in January 2020.

Resources

The Saturday morning programme is run by Godolphin and Latymer teachers and they are assisted by a team of our Sixth Form volunteer ambassadors. 16 hours each week of teaching plus support from our facilities staff.

The two week long 11+ preparation workshops are run for free by Keystone Tutors. Students are provided with Bridge T-shirts and backpacks and during lockdown iPads were provided when required. 30 hours of supervision by G&L staff

The programme is free to students and their families.

 

Impact

44 students joined us in first year: half boys and half girls. 12 were offered places at independent schools.

In the second year we doubled the number of students joining the programme which continued remotely during Covid with iPads provided by the school.

3 Bridge students from the 2020 programme joined Godolphin and Latymer in September 2021; 3 in September 2022; and five students have joined Godolphin in September 2023 from the 2022 programme. 

79 children signed up in 2023.

Pupil Involvement

A team of lower sixth pupils from Godolphin and Latymer volunteer to help on a Saturday morning.

Frequency

The programme is on-going and takes place on one Saturday morning each month.