Primary school partnership days

Blundell’s has developed great partnerships with seven of our local primary schools. Throughout the year we host ten primary school activity days. These days have an academic focus in the morning, pastoral at lunch and then sport in the afternoon. Academic workshops have been run by our biology, chemistry, physics, maths, English, design and technology, classics, MFL, geography, art, music, health and wellbeing, and drama departments. This work focuses on areas of the curriculum being studied by the visitors and also gives the opportunity to extend and inspire.

After lunch with the rest of the school the children visit a boarding house where we talk about life at Blundell’s and the importance of working together, sharing ideas and learning from each other.

The sport session in the afternoon includes tag rugby, hockey, athletics, hand ball, netball and tennis, sports which have all been enjoyed by the visitors.

The whole programme is supported and at time led by members of our community action team and our sports leaders.

Aims

To share a day of fun learning together, during which we get to know each other, share our schools and life at them. This breaks down barriers, improves understanding, shares good practices and brings positivity to all involved, staff and pupils. Primary School children take positive stories from their visit back home to their friends, parents and therefore the wider local community.

Background

The post of Director of Community Partnerships was created in 2020 with the aim of developing sustainable partnerships with our local community. Working with local schools was the perfect place to start. It has brought us together, led to a better understanding of our schools, shared facilities and resources and has huge potential for future development and improved opportunities for children at all the schools involved.

Resources

We aim to plan a primary school's visit around their request for certain subjects and so the resources and facilities vary based on those requests. Departments supply the various lesson-based resources and equipment and staff oversee the delivery, which is usually led or supported by our own pupils. These are often A-level pupils or scholars in the particular subject of focus. Funding for the partnership days comes from a community partnerships' budget which is supported by an annual fundraising Ball.

Impact

The programme started with one school being contacted, we now work with seven schools and often receive requests from schools to get involved in the programme. Feedback from each day is always incredibly positive and we are always over subscribed for the number of days we are currently able to offer.

Pupil Involvement

We invite all pupils in a year group to our primary school partnership days. The focus is for everyone to get involved regardless of ability or any other factor. Schools normally bring Year 5 or 6 but pupils from Year 4 have also taken part. Numbers range from 25 from the smaller primary schools to 65 from the largest. Last year saw a total of 351 primary school children taking part in these days.

Frequency

We offer ten primary school partnership days annually, normally four in the autumn and spring term and two in the summer. The programme for each day starts at 09.30 and ends in time for the end of their school day so visitors leave at 14.45.