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      Friday Feature: How schools are coming together to support their wider communities

      Posted on: 19 Jun 2020
      Posted by: Good News Friday

      Schools across the country are continuing their work with local communities to fightback against coronavirus.

      From raising money for charities to helping pupils with remote learning, schools are coming together to provide much needed support during lockdown.

      Our Friday round-up aims to provide a little light relief, as we highlight some of the great work schools are engaged in...

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      St Albans School is continuing to support its local community by donating food supplies from the school's kitchen and sports facilities to Open Door, a local homeless centre. The school is also supporting Shelter, another homeless charity, through its 'Lock-Down, Suit Up' initiative, where pupils and staff on consecutive Wednesdays have been wearing suits or their school uniform to raise money for the cause.


      Students at Godolphin and Latymer School have set up Mentor Jr., a scheme where sixth formers across the country can provide primary school children with free educational support and mentoring. Though originally designed as a face-to-face initiative, the service has moved online following the coronavirus outbreak, making it accessible to many more children and families who could benefit from the added support.

      "Mentor Jr. has truly been a Godsend! The fact that I am able to access this quality of tutoring and homework support for free is amazing. Both my kids love their lessons, the site is so easy to use and the lovely founder Jessie is always accessible and there to help. I cannot recommend highly enough."

      --- Natasha, mother of two


      "I have really enjoyed working with these children and forming close bonds with them. Not only was I focused on helping them academically, but I was also there to give them advice and provide them with emotional support. I am really appreciative of my time mentoring."

      --- Carolina, Year 12 mentor

      To learn more about the scheme, visit mentorjr.com.

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      This weekend, Malvern St James Girls' School is hosting its Virtual Festival of Wellbeing, a weekend full of talks and workshops led by industry leaders and experts. The event, which is in aid of mental health charity Mind, is free and open to everyone. To find out more, click here.

      Bridging courses developed by teachers at City of London Freemen's School have helped to engage hundreds of Year 11 and 13 pupils from several London schools during lockdown. The six-week courses, designed to help students prepare for A-levels and university entrance, cover a range of subjects from maths and English to music and psychology.

      "Thanks to the courses that have been constructed and the engagement from our students and staff with those courses we have been able to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear and are delighted that our students, and the students at other City of London Schools, can start their A-levels or university courses with the confidence that great preparation gives."

      --- Paul Bridges, academic deputy head at City of London Freemen's School

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      About Good News Friday

      The Good News Friday blogs aim to provide a little light relief, as we highlight some of the great works schools and their communities are engaged in.