Impact of partnership work done in 2023 (ISC annual Census 2024)
- 30 state schools involved
- 501-1000 state school pupils involved
- 200 staff hours given
Impact Statement
Through partnership activities we work with over 1000 students from local maintained schools each year.
Science: Girls do Physics
Girls do Physics is a new partnership between St Helen’s and our closest neighbour, Larkmead School. Against the backdrop that only one in five pupils studying physics A-level in British Schools is female, Girls do Physics aims to build confidence and inspire girls to continue studying physics beyond GCSE.
A group of 30 Year 9 girls from Larkmead come to St Helen’s for five ‘Girls do Physics’ sessions over the course of the academic year, making use of the fantastic facilities in our new Science Centre. The students have had a chance to delve deeper, in an active and hands-on way, into a fascinating range of physics topics, facilitated by teachers in the Physics department.
The inaugural session focused on raising aspirations by presenting career opportunities available to those with a physics A-level. We welcomed back to School six Old Girls who gave short talks on the skills that A-level physics had provided and how it had informed their course and career choice. Next, an astrophysics session included the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence as the girls followed in the footsteps of significant women in astronomy and space exploration. The biophysics session explored the links between biology and physics focusing on extremophile organisms: as they can live in extreme conditions on Earth, could they exist in similarly hostile environments on Mars? Later on, the hands-on ‘Float your Boat’ nautical engineering challenge encouraged girls to use mathematical modelling to investigate how the force of up thrust is affected by the shape and size of a vessel’s hull. Students then built their own boats out of tin foil, accurately predicting the load that their boats could hold. The final, practical session gave the girls the chance to make the most our new Science Laboratories as they investigated the practical applications of their current GCSE topic, energy resources and transfers.
Signs so far are very positive that these focused sessions are inspiring Year 9 girls from Larkmead to choose triple award science and to participate with greater confidence in their physics lessons at school. We are very much looking forward to continuing the partnership into the next academic year.
Science: ATOM Science Festival
St Helen’s had a stall at the ATOM Science Festival market in Abingdon, manned by our students and members of the science department. The aim was to engage members of the public, in particular families with children, through science demonstrations. Specifically the event allowed children to see girls ‘doing science’ and showed how popular science can be for girls.
The impact was increased public awareness of science locally and engagement with practical biology, physics and chemistry. The event generated visible enthusiasm for science, and an awareness of the type of practical science that can be done with children at school or home. Our students learned to explain their understanding and interest in science to a lay audience.
Mathematics: Mathlete afternoon
Mathlete brought together about 24 more able primary school girls in Years 5 / 6 for a fun afternoon of mathematics. The event encouraged the girls to participate in problem solving and interesting real life applications to mathematics, as well as the chance to develop team work skills.
Sport: Invitational Cross Country competition.
This allows children from local primary schools to compete where few such opportunities exist locally, and has encouraged space in their timetable to train for this particular sport.
Sport: Oxfordshire Schools Games
Oxfordshire Schools Games uses our sports facilities during the holidays for the County School Games, enabling children from across Oxfordshire to benefit from the use of our excellent sports facilities, at a central and easily accessible location.
MFL: Love Languages
The Love Languages Competition is a chance for Year 5 and 6 children from local primary schools to perform a play in a foreign language. The impact on about 30 children per year is extra time learning a language as part of the preparation and sharing a love of language learning with children from other schools. MFL co-ordinators in primary schools have been able to network and share best practice at and through Love Languages. The event is popular with most schools re-applying to compete the following year.
MFL: Language Leaders
In this programme, Year 10 students prepare and teach language lessons to more than 100 children in local primary schools. This gives primary school children the opportunity to be introduced to a new language and promotes language learning within the primary schools. To promote languages within the primary schools.
MFL: Teacher secondment
A member of the department is seconded to teach French teaching in local primary school St Nicolas throughout the year. 60 year 6 pupils are taught French where this would not otherwise be taking place.
MFL: National Modern Languages SCITT
St Helen’s has enrolled in the National Modern Languages SCITT to help address the national shortage of MFL teachers. This academic year we are working with local secondaries Larkmead and Didcot Girls School. We are successfully running in-service teacher training three additional teachers. Students at all three schools are benefiting from a different learning experience and staff in MFL departments in all three schools are developing new knowledge of teacher training in MFL.
Art: Schools Art Exhibition
This new venture was an exciting opportunity for children in four local primary schools and our own students to enter a professionally judged art competition and have it beautifully displayed.
Open to years 5-8 on the theme of 'Adventures', the competition encouraged the children explore the idea in any creative way using their imagination or from observation. As well as the learning benefits, the children gained confidence from having their art displayed and admired at a ‘private view’ event.
Music – Performances in care home
Student musicians perform at Stowford House care home twice a year. The residents enjoy the contact with young people and the music provides entertainment and therapy for them.
Music – Lending instruments to John Mason School
We lent local secondary school John Mason timpani, a cor anglais and a bass clarinet for their school production of Beauty and the Beast and for a recording of the show in 2018. This enhanced the overall output of the show and therefore benefited not only the students using the instruments, but also all those involved in the production. It gave some students an opportunity to try a new instrument or to play an instrument that is not normally available to them at school.
Geography – Joint WorldWise quiz
Year 7 Larkmead students attended a joint geography quiz, forming teams with our Year 7 students. Team work is encouraged and students develop an enthusiasm for the subject beyond curriculum content. Through the quiz students gain wider subject knowledge and a better understanding of relevance of the subject.
Geography – Link with Badgemore Primary School
Members of the geography department teach able students in years 5 and 6 at Badgemore Primary School, allowing them to access the Royal Geographical Society’s Young Geographer of the Year competition. This has given the children and the primary school access to a geography specialist with the additional learning in geography that this has delivered for them.
Politics – Model United Nations
Our Model United Nations includes students from Larkmead School and Larkmead students are taking a leading role in the delegations.
At the MUN conference in November, five delegates won various commendations including one Larkmead student. The combined St Helen's/ Larkmead delegation for China won a 'commended', coming 3rd out of about 25. At the MUN conference in December, two students from Larkmead were awarded outstanding delegates. Our China delegation, which included two Larkmead students, was awarded Outstanding Delegation for their high quality contributions overall.
Library: World Book Day author visit
World Book Day author visit with our own Year 8 students and 180 Year 8 students from Larkmead. Book sales on the day are evidence of pupils going home with books to read which they didn't previously have.
The timing and profile of the author meant that the cost would have been prohibitive for local maintained schools so we always include students from local schools at these events. The aim is to maximize the promotion of reading for pleasure through expose to high profile, high quality authors and at times when there is a national focus on books and literacy with the hope that there will be a positive impact on literacy. Having the budget to pay the best speakers and access to the right space for the event are critical for success.
The impact is that pupils from both schools are encouraged to try new authors and different books that offer intellectual, emotional and cultural challenges that enrich subject matter taught in school. Support for improving literacy is the primary target but other areas of impact can include improved awareness of current affairs, politics, RPE, relationship and gender issues and other aspects of personal development depending on the speaker and themes covered in the books.
Library: Joint Abingdon Schools’ Carnegie Shadowing Scheme
This involves our students and students from local schools Larkmead, John Mason and Fitzharrys. Year 7 and 8 students meet at three events hosted in turn by the participating schools to discuss the books on the Carnegie Medal shortlist and participate in related activities. Students read new books and are challenged intellectually.
It raises the profile of reading across the schools involved, champions young readers among their peers and promotes empathy and partnership across the wider local community. It is anticipated that reading, writing and critical thinking skills are stretched and challenged. Collaboration, debating and presentation skills along with empathy and awareness of political social and cultural issues are also enhanced through the carious activities and events.
Good working relationships with colleagues in other schools, time to meet with them and time to take pupils off timetable all lead to the success of the project.
Library: PageTurners Year 5 summer reading project
The librarians at St Helen’s and Larkmead identified the struggle that maintained primary schools in maximizing the opportunities for stretch and challenge in literacy and promoting a love of reading for pleasure at KS2 due to lack of funding for resources and dedicated library spaces and staff. Also, once children become "free readers" and the focus moves towards the technicalities of English language and comprehension for SATs preparation pupils can begin to view reading as a chore rather than a pleasure. Growing competition from other activities as they become owners of devices and less time spent sharing books with parents or being read to by teachers are also factors which lead to a decline in time spent reading which can negatively impact literacy.
The project allowed Larkmead and St Helen’s to pool library resources to run a book club programme for Year 5 pupils in the maintained sector (as well as our own students) which the primary schools involved would not have had the resources to support. The project introduces new books and authors to the participants and encourages them to spend time reading the books to enable them to discuss them in a weekly reading group in their school and at two joint school events.
The impact was reading and writing stretch and challenge, as well as promotion of reading as a social activity. As well as providing enrichment to the taught curriculum and SATs preparation for language and comprehension the discussion and collaboration skills involved in the groups events and activities could improve an individual's ability to transition smoothly in Year 7 whichever school they go to. Participants were surveyed and most said the scheme had motivated them to spend more time reading and many said they would be part of a reading group if the opportunity arose again.
Drama: Matinee performances
Matinee performances of School plays to which Years 5 and 6 primary school children are invited. Around 400 children attend. For some of the children who attend, this is the first theatrical performance they have ever seen. There is no ticket price charged, allowing whole year groups to go to a production, whereas for other productions the cost prohibits some pupils from joining the trip. Staff and children alike have expressed their gratitude and enthusiasm for these productions.
Careers and Higher Education: Futures Week
The Careers Department helps Year 13 students from Larkmead school research university courses. Students appreciate accessing an excellent range and depth of information.
Careers and Higher Education: Practice Interviews
These offer Year 13 pupils from Larkmead, Fitzharrys and John Mason Schools the opportunity to experience a university interview, particularly Oxford and Cambridge interviews. Practice interviews have given students constructive feedback, boosted confidence and helped students be better prepared. We provided support for Larkmead for multiple mini interviews for medic/vet/dentist/midwife UCAS applicants. The one to one nature of practice interview support results in a high impact for improving interview technique and confidence.
Careers and Higher Education: Outreach event, ‘Is Oxbridge for me?’
Year 11 and Sixth Form students from local schools are invited to an event with speakers from universities and our careers and higher education department about Oxbridge entrance. This strengthens links between the schools and universities and increases students’ and parents’ understanding of the courses and the universities.
Impact is high by helping students to decide whether to apply for Oxbridge or not, and then what to do if they do decide to apply.
Sixth Form students’ Community Service
Provides practical assistance to staff at one special school and five primary schools. Over the course of 2018, 85 students have volunteered. The students’ interaction with those they are working with on a weekly basis over the course of one academic year results in positive relationships. The students’ awareness and appreciation of the needs in their local community is enhanced.
