Supporting new Explorers Curriculum at Bygrove
Louise Woodruff
Giving Back
Name: Jennifer Grelard
Job Role: Service Delivery Manager
Cause: Bygrove Primary School & The Poplar Partnership
Story:
Following an unprecedented 2020, where companies have experienced hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dynavics introduce the Giving Back Campaign. Taking the opportunity to support causes and companies that matter to Dynavics staff and give something back. The team were asked to put forward a cause they felt passionate about as part of the campaign.
Jennifer, Service Delivery Manager, wanted to support a school in their new efforts to help children catch up following the pandemic.
Through the pandemic, they have truly been my heroes. Thankfully, I haven’t been affected by a loss of a loved one or sickness, but having the kids sent home from school & isolated in their bubbles has been very difficult. The school has worked overtime to keep things running for the children & have gone above & beyond what I would expect any school to do, especially out of hours.
About the Explorers Programme
Friday afternoons in LETTA schools look and feel different from the rest of the week. Children are in mixed age groups, collaborating on projects that, where possible, address real-world challenges. These enable pupils to broaden their horizons, develop their character, and explore their personal interests and talents
These projects complement our existing knowledge and skills-rich curriculum which is taught through subject-driven termly themes. We believe that the national curriculum provides insufficient opportunities for our pupils to develop the character behaviours and discover the passions and interests that will enable them to thrive, as children and adults. Our explorer curriculum gives us the chance to develop and embed these character behaviours in a more focused, systematic way.
On Friday afternoons, our children are learning, deeply and with purpose, about themselves, the world around them and their place in that world. At the same time, they are having lots of fun!
During the launch afternoon, the children were put into their new family groups. Years 1-3 are Adventurer Families and Year 4-6 are Pioneer Families.
In their new families, the children chose their family names & learnt more about what Explorers is & what they will be doing on Friday afternoons. Each family found out what their first ‘Destination’ will be and the ‘Behaviours’ they’ll be learning too. Everyone had fun playing some ice breaker games & getting to know the other children in the group. It was a great afternoon!
