Lady Eleanor Holles School case studies (16)

Impact of partnership work done in 2023 (ISC annual Census 2024)

• 8 state schools involved
• 101-200 state school pupils involved
• 200 staff hours given

Impact Statement

Collaboration with Reach Academy

LEH has worked on developing further the relationship with Reach Academy. The following are two statements from the Principal of Reach.

2019: ‘We have thoroughly enjoyed the collaboration which is emerging with LEH. The partnership has been strengthened by a member of SMT at LEH, joining the school's Governing Body where she has brought great insight and experience around all aspects of the running of the school. We were fortunate to benefit from a member of the Science team, spending time regularly at Reach and his insight into excellence in A-level Physics and how to access top grades was very extremely helpful. This focus on excellence at A-level also led to us sending middle leaders to observe 6th Form teaching at LEH and discuss their schemes of work with their counterparts, which again had significant impact. We look forward to the partnership continuing to develop in the coming years.’

2020: 'The great strength of our partnership with Lady Eleanor Holles is that it operates on so many different levels. At the most strategic level we have benefited greatly from the presence of the LEH Deputy Head on the governing body. She brings a wealth of experience as well as a great blend of challenge and support to the Governing Body and she has played a full role, including hosting our own SLT and problem-solving with them around areas of challenge. 

We are working with LEH at a curriculum level as well. The school is supporting developing our capacity to teach Science at A-level, with a focus on Physics and, incredibly generously, have offered teaching capacity to support us when we had a change of circumstances in Psychology. This capacity has been invaluable to us and dove-tails brilliantly with the strategic support that Lindsey provides. 

Finally we have benefited from the school's support at a pupil level. There has been advice around careers and University applications and also for our younger girls who got a huge amount out of an excellent Saturday programme, targeting able, potentially vulnerable pupils. 

The partnership is a two way, open and collaborative one and I look forward to it continuing to grow and flourish. We are so grateful for the school's support.' 

Serious Fun on a Saturday

Forty-two Year Five children from local state Primary Schools attend our Serious Fun on Saturdays programme which runs from November to March. The programme is run by staff and pupil volunteers and is designed to inculcate a love of learning, raise confidence and improve literacy. This year we have extended the number of state schools invited by a further three taking the number of schools participating to thirteen. We have received excellent feedback so far this year and particularly from parents and staff from the new schools involved.

‘Just wanted to say a huge thank you for having our Year 5 girls on the LEH Shine programme that runs on Saturdays.
The four of them absolutely LOVE going and always come to me on a Monday morning and tell me about all of the wonderful activities they have done! Not only has it bonded them more as close friends, one of them in particular is quite new to us at Reach and it has given her a real confidence boost to meet and chat to other girls her age.’

This was also from a parent:

‘She is enjoying Shine thank you for giving her the opportunity as well I am sure she will be a better person at the end of the sessions.’

Feedback from Head of Performing Arts, Twickenham School

The music club has been hugely beneficial at Twickenham School and already contributed to the life of the school and our wider events.

Since beginning the club, every Tuesday lunchtime, a fantastic turn out of students from years 7 to 10 have had the opportunity to play together in an eclectic and aspirational environment. The club has been so popular that for this half term we have split it into 2 halves with electric instruments and traditional instruments to reflect the growing popularity of music within the school.

As well as supporting the students, including contributing to the Winter Showcase and upcoming St George’s Day parade, the support from your music staff has been hugely appreciated by our small Performing Arts team; providing us with more capacity to offer what the students want and need. We would like to thank LEH for reaching out to us and raising the profile of music for both enjoyment and performance. We look forward to the partnership continuing.

Brass Day

During the year, the School organised a brass workshop and recording day which included pupils from partnership schools and 10 top professional brass players. This culminated in a superb recording of a world premiere of “Changing Times”, which was written especially for the occasion. The feedback below came from one pupil who attended.

‘I was lucky enough to be invited by LEH to take part in a workshop and a recording of a brand new piece called Changing Times for Brass Group which had been commissioned in 2018. I came to LEH in the Easter Holidays, where there were professionals from all the top London orchestras who coached us on the work. We then recorded it with a professional recording engineer. It was an inspirational and mind-blowing day which I will never forget. I can’t really believe the standards we achieved through brilliant coaching – and we had a lot of fun too! I was then invited back to the LEH Summer Concert where we gave the world premiere of the piece in the presence of the composer.’

Drama at Bedfont School

During the run of our recent school play ‘Boudica’, members of the cast visited Bedfont Primary School. The feedback below comes from a Year 4 teacher.

"We were delighted that LEH was willing and able to showcase some of the wonderful acting abilities and ornate, authentic costumes from the Royal Shakespeare Company further to their recent production of Boudica, to our pupils on December 4th. A number of the cast were brought to Bedfont Primary School in north Feltham, to be subjected to a 'gruelling' Question and Answer session 'in character', by ninety, eager and excited year 4 pupils, before re-enacting several fight scenes that had been expertly choreographed as part of casts' rehearsals. Particular mention must go to the actor playing the character of the Roman General, who displayed true leadership and ferocity in the fight scenes and the Roman Procurator who was suitably aloof to such barbaric activities of the Iceni Tribe! It is fair to say that it is unlikely that our pupils would get such an opportunity to see, touch and experience the quality of the costumes and acting, without this collaborative exercise between the two schools. This immersion, triggered imagination and enthusiasm in their creative writing and History topic subject on 'The Romans in Britain', resulting in far greater descriptive, empathetic work and assisting the pupils to broaden their horizons and historical perspective. It was a true highlight of our Autumn term and a wonderful way to end 2018 and we hope to investigate further ways we can enhance our pupils learning with the kind assistance of the pupils and staff of LEH in 2019!"

Volunteering

Pupils from Year 10 and above have the opportunity to volunteer in local primary and secondary schools. Feedback below comes from Clarendon School.

‘Our LEH volunteers quickly learnt the lunch time routines and school rules so they could become great play partners for our pupils during the outside lunch play sessions. It is lovely for our pupils to have good teenage role models who are willing to climb on the play equipment, kick a ball or push a trike! We have pupils with a range of speech, language and communication needs so the volunteers have been learning Makaton signs to aid their communication. We are always very pleased to see our volunteers.’