Scientific Somali Superstar!
Now aged 11, Asad arrived in the UK from Somalia just two years ago. When he started at Archbishop Sumner School in Lambeth, he had only very functional English.
By the end of his first year, hard work and specialist teachers had successfully improved Asad's language skills to a point where he could cope in class. However, the school felt he needed still more help, so enrolled him in SHINE on Saturday. Once there, he was keen to improve his vocabulary and grammar, so asked for more reading and spelling lessons so that he could take a larger part in class discussions.
Asad was also very keen on science: he said that he wanted to become a doctor when he grew up. In fact, his determination to learn the meaning and spelling of science words meant that his passion for this subject was doing a great deal to improve his language skills overall.
By requiring students to research a new topic every term, SHINE on Saturday allowed Asad to learn at his own pace. This accelerated his learning and he was soon taking the lead in maths classes, as well as demonstrating an impressive grasp of science concepts. In his end of year tests and just two years after he arrived from Somalia Asad exceeded the national standard in literacy, maths and science an amazingly impressive result.
Naturally pleased with Asad's achievements, Archbishop Sumner School is nonetheless happy to pass on some of the credit; his teacher said that SHINE on Saturday "addresses individual student's needs, provides targeted teaching and gives opportunities for students to experience new concepts".
Every weekend, SHINE on Saturday programmes across London help hundreds of children who need a little extra time, attention and support. Click here to find out more.
