Serious Fun on Saturdays @ Eton
The grant recipient
Eton College is in a formal partnership with six secondary comprehensives in Slough, Hounslow and Windsor. The college has run an annual summer school for Brent students for the last twenty years and piloted a Saturday project for local state school students prior to applying to SHINE.
The Stars programme
- a course over 15 Saturday mornings, with three small group master classes each morning and small group follow up work at school during the week
- in response to high numbers of young people in the area who are capable of academic study in sixth form and at university but not aspiring or going on to this
- for 120 gifted students in years 9 and 10 (13-15 year olds) from local state secondaries
- sessions are designed to develop creative, critical and independent thinking skills and include topics such as the theory of knowledge, experimental psychology, law and art history
- taught by excellent practitioner teachers from independent and state schools in the partnership
- aims for students to leave the course thinking differently and inspired to continue academic study post 16
Results
The programme will the track academic attainment, educational ambitions and creative learning of participants as well as their progress into sixth form and higher education.
The funding
SHINE has made a grant to contribute to the development and running costs of the project. The schools in the partnership are also providing in-kind and financial support for the programme.
Funding: £36,425 to Eton College, over three years (2009-12)
Visit the website for Eton College: http://www.etoncollege.com/
"Thank you so much for letting me see your remarkable project. I was especially impressed by the ambitious subjects and the way the pupils responded. I also saw some dazzling teaching. None of it would have been possible either, without the relaxed but purposeful tone which you and your colleagues set."
Visiting Independent-State School Partnership Co-ordinator
Quotes
"Thank you so much for letting me see your remarkable project. I was especially impressed by the ambitious subjects and the way the pupils responded. I also saw some dazzling teaching. None of it would have been possible either, without the relaxed but purposeful tone which you and your colleagues set."
Visiting Independent-State School Partnership Co-ordinator