During the Autumn and Spring terms our Lower Sixth students have been organising themselves a placement in the community. This has been overseen by Miss Rees, the Sixth Form Learning Mentor. A huge variety of placements have been successfully undertaken including UHCW, Barnardo’s, British Heart Foundation, Age UK, Coventry Resource Centre for the Blind, Ryton Pools and many others. Pupils have worked with the elderly, served in shops, worked with children and met with the local community in places of worship. The feedback from the employers has been highly complimentary as well. They have been impressed with the student’s commitment, good manners, attendance and punctuality. They have been reliable and trustworthy and carried out tasks to a high standard.

The students enjoy being independent and treated as responsible young adults and most have taken on specific duties in their placements. Some have even gone outside of their timetabled sessions to provide additional support to their placements, running bingo sessions, Christmas music and craft events! Over 20 students have continued to Volunteer (after a short break for exam week in school) beyond the compulsory time expected as they enjoy the experience so much.

It has been particularly pleasing to see the students not only enjoy the experience but also be able to write about it in their UCAS statements and the teamwork and collaboration skills they developed. Indeed we have had a couple of references come through that have been quoted in the UCAS reference.

The program is now it its second year with the vast majority of Lower Sixth students undertaking placements on a Friday afternoon. Students are now completing logbooks, chronicling their process and we hope that this program will continue to grow and give back to the community whilst enhancing the skill set of the pupils.

A big thank you to Miss Rees and a very big well done to the students who have once again shown the best of Henry’s to the wider world.