Scholars' Lime Tree Primary Stretch and Challenge Club
5 Academic Scholars from Year 9 plan, create and deliver a series of 6, 30-minute sessions for c.10 Y5-6 pupils from a local primary school. These take place at local Primary School across the year. The topics range from twentieth-century artists to blackout poetry to climate change to beginners Spanish.
The scholars plan the lessons in their own time with very minimal monitoring from staff. They also design, print and make their own resources.
Stretch & Challenge Club runs Monday morning before school 8.30 - 9.00am. Scholars from SHS miss half of their first lesson, once a half term.
Aims
· Raise aspiration + motivation of high attainers in Lime Tree Primary school.
· Introduce Lime Tree students to subjects beyond their curriculum.
· Build independence, self-motivation + confidence of Y9 academic scholars.
Background
This initially started due to a felt apathy amongst some of the academic scholars at SHS, and therefore, a desire to encourage them to take ownership of a project and give back to the community.
Lime Tree said they had a focus on stretching a range of Y5-6 students: high-achieving, disengaged, under-achieving as well as those with a passion for more. Since the project started, Ofsted criteria has changed and there is a stronger focus on developing beyond the curriculum. Lime Tree were keen for SHS to help with both these things.
As part of her work with the SHS scholars, Ms Barnardo wanted a project to help motivate them and develop their independence. SHS approached Lime Tree and asked if we could run a before-school club for their Y5-6 students. Lime Tree then outlined the things that would help them as a school.
Resources
A little teacher time to oversee the planning of the sessions. 1 hour per half term to run the trip. Teaching staff to accompany the trip. 2 members of staff for c.1hour/half term.
Uses a room in the primary school.
Impact
Meeting took place half way through the project with SLT at Lime Tree to discuss WWWs and EBIs:
Largely both felt things were positive. The SHS students have really enjoyed taking ownership of a project and are enthusiastic about coming up with new ideas. Lime Tree students have enjoyed having specialised attention.
Agreed that in future, the topics would be set by Ms Barnardo to avoid overlap with the KS2 curriculum. The course will also finish with a celebration session at SHS to give students a flavour of senior school life.
At the end of the year, both sets of students will carry out a questionnaire.
Pupil Involvement
5 Surbiton High School students – age 13-14. Female
10 Lime Tree Primary students – age 8-10. Mixed
Frequency
This project has been ongoing since 2019. It occurs once per half term.