FBL Funded Stockwood Park Academy, The Shared Learning Trust

108 Year 7 Pupil Premium Students to be given the opportunity to take part in a Residential Course.

FBL funded the school project with a grant of £8,000. This amount was match funded by the school with the pupil premium funding. The school is working towards taking the young people on an Educational Course to Kingswood in 2020.

Stockwood Park Academy were proposing to take a group of young people aged 11-12 on a weekend residential, to offer an opportunity to experiencing outdoor learning with adventure to produce a truly unique residential experience.

FBL asked: What is the problem your idea seeks to address?

The Stockwood Park Academy is an 11-18 comprehensive academy that sits on the Farley hill estate and is the main school for young people in this area. Students come to the school from a range of local primary schools and are a very diverse population.

There are no dominant cultural groups in the school with 24% being Asian (Pakistani), 11% Asian (Bangladeshi) 21% British,11% Eastern European and 5% Black / Afro Caribbean. Also 53% of students have English as a second language and 45% of students are disadvantaged.

This diversity causes integration problems for students when they join the academy and as such, we are looking at strategies to support effective integration of students into the year group when they join the academy. Next year we have 240 year 7’s starting at the academy.

Through the Youth Zone which plays a pivotal role in the development of young people’s learning. We will focus on capacity building, community cohesion and building stronger communities. This will also enable young people to share their rich cultures and diversity whilst participating in the residential.

FBL asked: What is your idea / solution to fix the problem?

It is apparent that groups of young people within the Farley ward do not have access to nor the financial support to experience outside opportunities such as going to a beach, seeing the seaside, being in a forest or seeing wildlife. This is particularly the case for the 45% students who are Pupil Premium / Free School Meals.

Our aim is to enable those young people that would never be given the opportunity to see or experience any of the above the chance to spend 2 nights, 3 days staying in a Youth hostel, participating in team building exercises and raising their self confidence

By enabling young people to explore and fulfil their own personal potential as well as learn about themselves and experiencing new things in new environments. It is for this reason the residential experiences and the option of going away from their own area will build their confidence and self-esteem. The outdoor activities will develop a huge sense of achievement and stretch their imagination

The aim is to build bridges to build stronger community thus enable young people to make a positive impact through engagement and be confidence to shape their lives to represent their community and be a voice for others. It will also highlight culture and diversity by tackling social issues such as racism, healthy living, drug and alcohol abuse, marginalised communities, teenage pregnancy, bullying and safe communities.

FBL asked: How will this solution make a difference?

It will also highlight culture and diversity by tackling social issues such as racism, healthy living, drug and alcohol abuse, marginalised communities, teenage pregnancy, bullying and safe communities.

Photographs of the residential course will be uploaded when the course has taken place later this year.