Primary School Twinning Programme
St Edmund Hall is partnered with Orchard Meadow Primary School as part of the Primary School Twinning Programme run across the University with the Oxford Hub. We work with the school to raise aspirations and help disadvantaged pupils receive more enrichment opportunities.
Why do we do this?
The Primary School Twinning Programme was set up to address stark inequalities in educational attainment in wider Oxford. Many primary school pupils living in Cowley or beyond have never visited Oxford city centre, and struggle to access the academic and extra-curricular resources that the University has to offer. Of the 40 primary schools in the city of Oxford, 12 have higher rates of children qualifying for Free School Meals than the current national average of 23.2%. 11 of the 40 primary schools in Oxford fall below the national average (59%) for the proportion of children reaching the expected standard in reading, writing and maths.
As a college, we work with our partner primary school to share academic resources, host extra-curricular activities for the pupils, and offer tutoring between Oxford students and primary school pupils.
About the School
St Edmund Hall is partnered with Orchard Meadow Primary School in Blackbird Leys. Accessible via a 30-minute bus ride from Queen’s Lane on the 1, 5 or 11X bus, Orchard Meadow has 52.6% of pupils who are eligible for Free School Meals. This is well above the national average of 23%. 49% of children are classed as ‘disadvantaged’, with only a quarter of these students achieving expected standards in reading, writing and maths by the end of their time at primary school. Nonetheless, the school is a warm, friendly and colourful place filled with fantastic teachers and many smart pupils who are keen to learn. – especially from our students!
Where do you come in?
- Tutors are key in providing positive role models to the pupils.
- We ask tutors to lead one-on-one tutoring with Year 5 pupils (aged 9-10).
- This involves approx. 90 minutes in the school per week of volunteering.
- This consists of 3 20-minute stints of tutoring with a pupil.
- You will work on basic maths and reading skills, with worksheets and guidance provided by the school.
Benefits of tutoring
By becoming a tutor, you will:
- Have an excellent development opportunity to include on CVs
- Gain experience of teaching and tutoring, which can be helpful for graduate study
- Free DBS check and training
- All travel costs reimbursed
- Join a community of tutors across the University
How do I get involved?
There are several steps involved in becoming a primary school tutor to ensure the pupils you work with are fully protected under the law. This involves some short training, an online safeguarding course and completing a DBS check. The Oxford Hub manages tutor training.
Want to find out more? Please contact Rebecca at schools.liaison@seh.ox.ac.uk with any questions, or feel free to pop into the Admissions Office (Staircase 9, Front Quad) for an informal chat with Luke or Rebecca.
