By Ms Heimfeld (English Teacher)

Our Outreach programme this academic year is continuing with over 80% of our Lower Sixth students volunteering each fortnight to support students in local primary schools. Each week we visit either Marston Vale Middle School or Shackleton Primary School. 

At Marston Vale we are supporting Year 6 students with their reading and comprehension in preparation for their SATS exams. 

At Shackleton Primary School our BGS Lower Sixth students are involved in an Outreach Film project which is helping Year 5 students to capture life as a student. Inspired by the Mass Observation movement of the 1940s, which sought to document everyday experiences through interviews, diary observations, drawings, and filmed evidence, the outreach group are using film to explore with the Shackleton students topics such as how maths is learned, who visits the Buddy Corner, who plays the most sport, and joining the Eco-Magazine. They have also practised using a variety of filming techniques, including camera angles and levels.

Collaboration and communication are key skills that we aim to develop, both for our students and for the pupils they mentor. Filmmaking provides a platform to build a sense of community, with creative input from every individual contributing to the goal of producing a dynamic and meaningful documentary.

The Lower Sixth students have had a great start to their volunteering and have already built positive relationships with the primary school students. We look forward to seeing how their volunteering progresses throughout the year.