Online peer mentoring and tutoring

6th form pupils from Brighton College spend time each week giving 1-1 support to GCSE pupils from local schools.

Aims

The move to remote learning has been smooth for many pupils in the UK, but by no means all. Far too many pupils have received no online lessons during school closures, and even more have had no face to face time with teachers to explain parts of their curriculum. 

Brighton College sixth formers have offered weekly online sessions in small groups to give some guidance and academic help to GCSE pupils in Brighton who ask for it. 

Background

This project arose through conversations between ourselves and Ahmad Yabroudi (representative of the Sussex Syrian Community), who was worried about the isolation of many teenagers within the refugee community. We proposed a weekly meeting between our pupils and their teenagers, where as well as academic help they could also have social contact with other teenagers. 

The project was expanded when we were overwhelmed with the number of Brighton College volunteers, and so this was offered to support targeted intervention groups in Year 11 at Varndean school.

Resources

Weekly sessions take place on Microsoft Teams, overseen by a member of teaching staff. 

Impact

The success of the project will be measured through informal questionnaires at the start and end, as well as outcomes in GCSE grades as communicated by link teachers at Varndean School.

Pupil Involvement

30 Brighton College pupils (6th form).

10 GCSE pupils from the Sussex Syrian Community.

15 GCSE pupils from Varndean School.