St Martin's Garden Primary & Monkton Combe School's weekly partnership

A weekly partnership started in September 2024 with groups of Monkton Year 12 pupils volunteering at St Martin's Garden Primary. This involved reading, taking sporting activities, playing games, and helping improve learning spaces. 

Aims

To provide mutual benefit for Monkton and St Martin's pupils through interaction with each other, and to have meaningful impact on both groups.

The aim is to raise aspirations for St Martin's pupils and help Monkton students understand the social responsibility they have as they grow up.

 

Background

The need for strengthening partnership that was beneficial to both schools was mutually identified, by Monkton's Head of Partnerships and St Martin's Head of SEND.

This is a new partnership for 2024/5 and we hope will be ongoing.

Resources

Two Monkton teachers accompany our pupils each week. 

For any practical work, e.g. gardening, we take tools and equipment. 

Impact

This partnership has been hugely beneficial for both groups of pupils.

Monkton pupils have learned from the teachers at St Martins, discovered new skills through serving, and gained from the interaction with younger pupils.

St Martin's pupils have enjoyed learning and building rapport with older pupils. Feedback from one class teacher said: "Even our most reluctant readers are keen to read with them and it has been lovely to see such positive role models in our class."

Monkton pupils have also helped improve outdoor spaces around the school, building raised bed and helping tidy classrooms, improving the learning environment for St Martin's pupils and staff.

Pupil Involvement

Groups of 10-15 Monkton Year 12 pupils go to St Martin's in their weekly enrichment slot. All Monkton Year 12 pupils will take part over the academic year. 

We are working with every year group (primary) at St Martin's.

Frequency

Weekly, for a year.

We are hoping that this will be an ongoing partnership each year.