A summer school designed to reassure pupils moving up to secondary school proved to be so popular that more than double the number of children expected turned up.
Pupils enjoyed two weeks of fun, friendship, and engaging activities as part of a summer enrichment scheme at The Bemrose School on Uttoxeter Road, designed to give children moving into Year 7 a taste of life at their new secondary school.
Funded by the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme, the initiative provided a smooth introduction to secondary school while also offering free activities and meals to support families across Derby during the holidays.
Although initially planned for just 20 pupils a day the sessions were so popular that numbers more than doubled, with 44 children attending on the busiest session.
The activities were carefully designed to ease the common worries children face when starting secondary school. With many nervous about the size of the site, a treasure hunt helped pupils familiarise themselves with the grounds. Older students also volunteered their time to welcome the newcomers, breaking down fears about mixing with older year groups and building friendships through games and shared activities.
Mia Njeri, who will be moving up from The Bemrose Primary School, said: “We’ve done so many amazing things in summer school – playing on VR, trampolining, tie-dyeing a top I got to take home, and even having a picnic together.
“I was really nervous about starting secondary, but now I’ve made new friends, explored the grounds and realised it’s not as scary as I thought. I’m really excited to start in September.”
Students took part in practical sessions on nutrition where they learned about healthy eating and how to prepare simple meals at home.
The club was also open to year 5 pupils, giving them the chance to spend time with those who had already experienced the final year of primary school. Hearing about SATs and what to expect in Year 6 helped to ease nerves and build friendships across age groups, meaning everyone who attended benefitted from the mix of pupils.
The programme was brought to life by the dedication of staff, who used their specialist skills to deliver a broad and enriching timetable. Sports teachers led trampolining, badminton and parachute games, a languages teacher introduced pupils to Japanese culture, and a science teacher gave them hands-on experience of working in a lab. Cooking sessions run by the food tech teacher and catering team encouraged discussions around nutrition, while qualified pastoral and SEND staff made sure every pupil had the opportunity to join in, feel supported and succeed.
Beaulieu Watson, who ran the summer initiative and will be head of year for the new Year 7 cohort, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the HAF funding, which not only supports pupils in settling into their new surroundings but also provides a safe space during the holidays where they can come together, make friends, and enjoy activities designed to ease the move into secondary school.
“You can really see the difference in them from the start of the programme to the end – they leave feeling so much more confident.
“It also ensures that those who may be struggling at home receive a good meal every day, while we teach them about nutrition, cooking and baking too.”
Each day began with a sports activity to keep pupils active and build teamwork, followed by practical sessions on nutrition where they learned about healthy eating and how to prepare simple meals at home.
Ricardo and Hannah give up their free time during the holidays to volunteer at the summer school
Year 9 student Ricardo chose to spend part of his summer volunteering at the school for the second time – and his commitment has been recognised with the honour of becoming an attendance ambassador, a role usually competed for and applied to by students.
He said: “I really enjoy volunteering at the holiday club as it’s full of amazing activities – like cooking and baking, which was so much fun.
“I even got to take some cake home. I’m really looking forward to being a brand ambassador, encouraging younger pupils to understand the importance of coming to school and also working with parents. I’m so proud to be given this role, as I know so many people want it.
“I’ve loved helping at summer school because I remember what it felt like to move up to secondary, and it’s nice to be able to give back.”
This press release was distributed by Penguin PR. To find out more contact Sarah-Louise Elton on 01332 416228 or by email at [email protected]
