Future Foundations’ busiest ever Summer season of school programmes continued this week with a Summer School for incoming Year 7 students at UCL Academy in Camden. This was a three day programme aiming to boost students confidence, creativity and give students self belief and give them a platform for success in secondary school. Between Monday 22nd and Wednesday 24th August, as temperatures in London soared we delivered a fun-filled, action-packed timetable of workshops, challenges and experiential games to give participants the best possible start to their career at UCL Academy.
The programme was course directed by Martin Ransley with operations support from Olivia Hildebrand. Our Future Foundations coaches were Jay Surti, Owen Bailey and Maximillian Fyfe
- Improve pupil progress in general skills, confidence and aspirations
- Encourage students to work as a team
- Engage both pupils and parents/carers and ensure they understand the importance of full attendance and participation in school
- Enhance the challenging transition into secondary school for new Y7 pupils
Educational research shows that all children lose some of the learning and confidence they achieved during the school year during the summer holidays. The aim of our Summer School programme was to transform the future of students entering UCL Academy this September by offering them the opportunity to take part in a wide range of enrichment activities designed and delivered by Future Foundations. The programme was designed to develop participants skills and confidence to enable them to succeed at school, ensuring that they develop confidence and get to know as many people as possible. Young people experienced mixture of engaging, interactive small group workshops led by leading inspiring mentors, team challenges and motivational coaching from experienced professionals.
Young people due to enter Year 7 in September were invited to register their interest in the Summer School in late July, with the original allocation of 50 places being extended due to the level of student interest. We had fantastic attendance from UCL Academy Students, keen to explore the school and settle in before the official start to term. Parents also took part in the first and last days of the Summer School, attending a celebratory final plenary to mark the end of the programme.
We were delighted to be approached by UCL Academy to deliver their Summer School, building on Future Foundations’ transitions programme experience and record of success. We have run summer schools in partnership with schools since 2008 across the country and in 2012 we were selected by the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) to deliver a 4-week summer school for 150 students in Year 5 and 6 drawing on best practice from the United States . In 2013 the EEF asked us to significantly expand the programme and to deliver it with three secondary school partners. 9-11 year olds (Y5 and Y6) who were at risk of not achieving expectations at Key Stage 2, were specifically targeted.
Future Foundations portfolio of Summer Schools extends to other year groups too, for example, in North London we co-deliver the Chrysalis Year 10 and 12 Summer School with Highgate School for students from 20 local schools.
“Three magnificent coaches, a caring and efficient ops and course director, three days and sixty children. Children anxious, excited and fearful of the present and future. Could we fill them with confidence, remove their fears and anxieties and develop skills and qualities which would make them team players with abilities to take on whatever challenges life threw at them? Yes we could and we did. All of the children are now looking forward to September 2nd, when they begin their secondary school journey at UCL Academy. They feel more confident because they have made new friends and all of their anxieties have been resolved through the fantastic work done by the FF coaches. One child said: “Because I have made friends, I feel that I will be able to cope with all the new subjects at UCL Academy” Parents were equally confident that their sons and daughters would be able to meet the challenges ahead because as one parent commented: “of the excellent team working and leadership skills FF coaches had developed in my child”- Martin Ramsley, Course Director
If you are interested in bringing Future Foundations training to your school please contact alice@future-foundations.co.uk to explore how we can help your students to reach their full potential.
Click Here to enquire about our school programmes