Carols & Christmas Cards
As part of St Gabriel’s (Personal, Social, Health and Economic education) PSHE programme, pupils visited Willows Edge Care Home to engage with residents and spread festive cheer. During the visit, pupils made Christmas cards and shared carols, creating a warm and joyful atmosphere for both residents and students.
The activity promoted empathy, social responsibility, and intergenerational connection, allowing pupils to practice kindness, communication, and teamwork. Residents benefited from the interaction and festive engagement, while pupils gained a deeper understanding of community care and the importance of giving back.
The visit reinforced St Gabriel’s commitment to community engagement and provided a meaningful, hands-on experience that tied into the school’s PSHE curriculum.
Aims
Aims of the Case Study / Partnership:-
To foster empathy, compassion, and social responsibility among pupils.
To build intergenerational connections between pupils and care home residents.
To encourage creativity and teamwork through making Christmas cards and sharing carols.
To enhance pupils’ personal, social, and emotional learning (PSHE) in a real-world context.
To bring festive cheer to residents and promote a sense of community during the Christmas season.
Background
The partnership with Willows Edge was established with the director of partnerships. The visit to Willows Edge Care Home was developed as part of St Gabriel’s PSHE programme with year10 students, which aims to give pupils meaningful opportunities to engage with the local community and apply their learning about empathy, kindness, and social responsibility in real-life contexts.
The opportunity was identified for the theme of this visit was by the PSHE teaching team and pastoral staff, who wanted to strengthen pupils’ understanding of community care and intergenerational relationships. In collaboration with Willows Edge care home staff, they arranged a festive visit where pupils could share Christmas carols, make cards, and spend time with residents, bringing joy and companionship.
Resources
The success of the Willows Edge Care Home visit relies on careful planning, staff support, and creative preparation to ensure a positive and meaningful experience for both pupils and residents.
Prior to the visit, pupils used school classrooms and art resources to design and make Christmas cards for residents. Music facilities were also used to practice carols and prepare song sheets and backing tracks.
Both teaching and non-teaching staff were involved in planning and delivery. Three staff members accompanied pupils on the visit to supervise, support interactions, and lead carol singing.
Numbers and Duration: Year 10 students participated in the activity.
The visit lasted approximately half a day, including travel, setup, the carol performance, and time spent engaging with residents.
Logistics and Travel: Pupils and staff travelled to the care home using the school minibuses, coordinated by the school’s transport team.
Financial Contribution: Costs were minimal and covered by the school, including materials for card-making and travel expenses. The main investment was staff time and pupil participation, with no cost to the care home.
Impact
Qualitative Assessment: Feedback was gathered informally from pupils, staff, and care home residents following the visit. Pupils demonstrated empathy, maturity, and enthusiasm, while residents expressed joy and appreciation for the interaction and performances. Staff reflected that the visit provided pupils with valuable real-world experience of compassion and community engagement, key elements of the PSHE curriculum.
Quantitative Assessment: There is currently no formal numerical data collection, though participation is recorded (number of pupils and staff involved, duration, and activities completed). Future visits could include short reflection surveys for pupils and feedback forms for care home staff to measure impact more formally.
Assessment currently takes place after each visit through staff debriefs and informal discussions with pupils.
Families of residents also benefit as they see loved ones engaged and uplifted.
Pupil Involvement
Pupils from St Gabriel’s independent school were actively involved in planning and delivering the visit. They prepared handmade Christmas cards, selected and rehearsed carols, and participated fully in the performances and conversations with residents.
There were no external school participants for this activity, as it formed part of St Gabriel’s internal PSHE community engagement programme.
The pupils involved were from Year 10, typically aged 14–15 years old. Participation was mixed-gender, with all students encouraged to take part equally in both the creative and performance aspects of the visit.
Pupils were fully engaged throughout the process — from preparing materials and rehearsing songs to interacting directly with residents on the day.
Their involvement extended beyond performance, as they represented the school’s values of kindness, service, and community spirit in a real-world setting.
Frequency
The partnership with Willows Edge Care Home is a recent initiative, first established in 2023, with plans to continue and develop as an annual community outreach activity within the PSHE curriculum. As the partnership develops, the school plans to make it an annual activity, allowing for ongoing evaluation and improvement.