Goldsmiths + Team Up = South London Success

Goldsmiths + Team Up = South London Success

Team Up partners with Goldsmiths University to deliver new programmes for Year 11 pupils at local schools Deptford Green and Addey and Stanhope.

 

Posted by David Walker on 25 February 2019

 

This term, Team Up has partnered with Goldsmiths University, located in New Cross, South London, to deliver two programmes for Year 11 pupils at local schools: Deptford Green and Addey and Stanhope.

After connecting via our enrichment programme last year, as part of which Goldsmiths delivered several brilliant activity days for some of our pupils, the opportunity to partner on an academic tutoring project seemed like the perfect way to help develop the university’s Widening Participation offering and make an impact on more pupils at the same time.

The joint programmes are both fully funded by the university, and fully staffed by their student ambassadors. In return, Team Up are providing the framework, resources and programme management needed to make the programme run smoothly. Our shared aim is to make a difference to pupils from the New Cross community, not only raising their aspirations by giving them the chance to work closely with university students and learn more about Goldsmiths, but also the means to realise their goals by reaching the grades they will need to progress to Higher Education.

With eleven brilliant ambassadors tutoring on one or both programmes, we are excited to see the impact on the pupils, all of whom are only a few months away from their GCSE exams and looking to reach a ‘good’ pass in English or Maths. The ambassadors themselves are able to access all the benefits of being a Team Up tutor, such as gaining our accredited leadership award and a career mentor, in addition to making a difference by improving access to university.

Marylee Copeland from Goldsmiths says: ‘This is our first year working in collaboration with Team up and it’s been a really positive experience. Our student ambassadors have received excellent training to deliver academic tutoring in two schools within the local community, supporting us to the meet commitments in our Access and Participation Plan. Staff at Team Up have been flexible and helpful through working with our chosen schools and those pupils who are in most need of extra support. In addition, Team Up providing weekly updates has meant we are able to keep track of how the programme is progressing. We are really happy to be able to offer this opportunity to both our student ambassadors and local schools. We have had excellent feedback from all stakeholders throughout the process, and are looking forward to seeing the results of the tutoring’

Celine Nembhard from Deptford Green says: ‘The programme is clearly developing [the pupils’] skills and confidence and it is fantastic to see them interacting with the student ambassadors as they obviously feel supported and positive about their progress...I am also so impressed with the constant feedback and praise loop between Camilla from Team Up, the student ambassadors and our pupils. It is rewarding to see both ambassadors and pupils developing and growing’

We are looking forward to the second half of the term and more wonderful work in partnership with Goldsmiths.