Repton School and Repton Primary School have signed a new partnership agreement which will promote stronger links between the two schools and enhance educational opportunities right across the community of the South Derbyshire village.
The partnership takes in both academic programmes and extracurricular activities. Repton Primary children already benefit from access to facilities such as the Repton School swimming pool, sports centre and theatre, and now they will also be able to participate in more enrichment activities at the senior school. Repton staff are helping the youngsters to explore science in special events hosted in the Science Priory, while enthusiastic young mathematicians have joined a Royal Institution Masterclass, delivered by Repton School students.
Another new initiative will see Repton supporting progress and attainment in literacy, with plans to involve senior students in reading activities and for a writing workshop at Repton – where children’s writer Roald Dahl, author of ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, was himself a pupil. Repton’s Community Action volunteers really value opportunities like these to work with the primary school, where they also support after-school clubs in drama, languages and crafts, and sports coaching.
Headmaster of Repton, Mark Semmence, welcomes the closer ties.
“The School is delighted to be strengthening its involvement with our local primary school - we are part of one village and one community, and all our young people benefit from the opportunities to work together."
Headteacher of Repton Primary School, Steve Tague, shares this enthusiasm:
“We really value our fantastic relationship with Repton School and our pupils benefit greatly from access to some amazing facilities which definitely enhances their learning. In return we hope we can offer Repton students an open door of opportunity through engagement with our children. We are looking forward to some exciting times ahead as our relationship develops further.”
The Department for Education and the Independent Schools Council launched the ‘Schools Together’ initiative in April 2016 and it now has well over 1,000 independent schools in partnerships with the maintained sector.