Enrichment Programme

Our Group-wide events programme exposes our pupils to experiences they would never otherwise receive, giving them the opportunity to do new and exciting activities outside their local area, and meet other children from across the Group.

The programme has been specifically designed to help pupils develop the skills can characteristics to become well-rounded, successful individuals when they leave school, with a focus on building leadership, communications and presentation skills, and a sense of resilience and determination, as well as provide opportunities to celebrate their success and achievements.

United App

We launched UnitedApp in 2015 in partnership with 7BillionIdeas
to promote entrepreneurial spirit across United Learning schools.

Our Year 9 pupils are invited to form a think tank to submit a proposal for an educational app design, with the winning team working with our in-house developers to build and release their idea! UnitedApp not only encourages entrepreneurialism, but also innovation, and team work. With the shortlisted teams invited to pitch their ideas to panel of judges, confidence and presentation skills are key, and the development of an app provides insight into the world of coding, marketing and business management for our pupils.

Read more about UnitedApp on our dedicated blog.

United Ideas

Following the success of #UnitedApp, we launched #UnitedIdeas with 7BillionIdeas in Autumn 2016, encouraging primary pupils to develop ideas which could change the world.

Pupils are challenged to develop ideas that will make an impact, build a prototype and present to an audience about their work. The competition is intended to promote an entrepreneurial spirit across United Learning, unlocking the innovative DNA that exists in every single student, and will drive an entrepreneurial spirit across the Group, provide an excellent education opportunity to all Key Stage 2 students and build confidence in speaking, listening and teamwork skills.

Story Slam!

Our StorySlam competition is an annual celebration of our Year 6 pupils’ literary skills.

The event initially started two years ago as our United Learning Poetry Festival, and has developed in partnership with StorySlam and Surbiton High School, with students writing short stories and performing them to their classmates. Each participating school runs its own competition, with the winners coming together at our Group final. The winner receives the opportunity to represent United Learning at the Imagine Festival, held at London’s Southbank Centre. The event gives our pupils a chance to explore their creativity, as well as the opportunity to develop their presentation and performing skills.

Student Leadership

We launched our Student Leadership Programme in September 2015, in partnership with Free the Children and Diana Award.

Pupils from our Year 6 classes across the Group are invited to a one-day Student Leadership Conference, followed by a project at their own schools, where they will work with their classmates to encourage engagement with social action and empower them to be leaders of change in their own lives. Through the programme, our primary pupils will receive mentoring from both Diana Award and secondary pupils (who will receive mentor training themselves), and leadership training from Andy Buck.

Partnerships

As part of our pupil experience offering, we have forged partnerships with a range of organisations and ambassadors. Each of our ambassadors and organisations are experts in their field, are dedicated to educating and motivating young people, and bring their expertise and enthusiasm into our schools, allowing us to expose pupils to topics not covered by the curriculum, and to widen schools’ provision of extra-curricular activities.

Best in Everyone Awards

Across United Learning, we are honoured to have remarkable children and young people and some remarkable adults who educate them. Our annual ‘Best in Everyone’ Awards recognise some of the finest achievements of those people, recognising their academic success, their sporting, musical and dramatic achievements and in their service to others, and acknowledge that our winners represent some of the very best human qualities and values.

In 2018 we will hold our sixth, secondary Best in Everyone Awards. Alongside subject specific categories we also include awards for social action, independent learning and resilience and for Team of the Year.

In 2015 we launched our Primary Best in Everyone awards, which was held at the House of Lords. As with our Secondary awards, the Primary Best in Everyone Awards aims to celebrate the outstanding efforts and achievements throughout our primary schools across the Group. Categories include Outstanding Academic Achievement, Inspirational Journey and School Ambassador.