Each year, United Learning delivers a Student Leadership Programme and Social Action Programme for primary and secondary school pupils respectively. Both initiatives are designed to challenge pupils to explore ways they can make a positive impact in their local or wider communities.

Over 50 schools across the Group signed up to take part in this year’s programmes. Following an exciting launch in November, pupils in each participating school worked together in teams to carefully choose, plan and deliver their own in-school social action project. Pupils got the opportunity to focus their project on an issue that matters most to them and that they felt would most benefit their local or wider communities.

The Celebration Days at St Anne’s College were held to provide pupils with a chance to showcase their projects and speak about the real and significant impact they have had with their peers across the country.

Some of the standout projects that were delivered include:

•  Irlam and Cadishead Academy’s ‘Pulse of Hope’ initiative which was designed to raise money for additional automated external defibrillators for the school’s sports facilities and to teach students how to use them. Students also made trips to the local community to share their learnings.
• Marlborough Road Academy’s ‘It’s the small things’ project which involved pupils hosting second-hand book and uniform sales, as well as building bird feeders and litter-picking for the benefit of their school community.
• Banstead Prep School pupils’ project to raise money for ‘Hope4Malawi’ whilst exploring the challenges around nutrition in different communities worldwide.
• High Hazels Academy pupils’ initiative to sell metal bottles to reduce plastic waste across the school.
• The Lowry Academy pupils’ creative initiative to collate a recipe book with the help of the community as part of their ‘A flavour of home’ project. As part of this, students worked with local businesses and community groups to encourage other students to cook together with their families.
• Abbey Hey Primary Academy pupils’ project to create a garden on the school playground.

As well as presenting their projects at the Celebration Days, pupils also received a tour of the college and attended a lecture, giving them a taste of life at Oxford.

Speaking about their experience of the project, one student at Irlam and Cadishead Academy said:

“Through working on our ‘Pulse of Hope’ initiative, we have learnt about the importance of community and working together within a team.”

Chris Clyne, Regional Director at United Learning, said:

“It is fantastic to see the great work and progress that pupils have made over the past few months to bring their projects to fruition and the dedication they have shown to delivering something of real benefit to their school, local or international communities.

“Each year, our pupils showcase their creativity to create and implement some really meaningful and impactful projects and, as ever, the Celebration Days have been a fantastic opportunity to recognise their hard work. Very well done to all our young people who took part in this year’s superb initiatives.”