The Valley Leadership Academy has partnered with a leading independent school in Surrey to support its pupils to apply for the country’s highest performing educational institutions.
Pupils will have their horizons broadened through The Aspire Programme, which has been established in partnership with City of London Freemen’s School.
The programme will seek to raise pupils’ aspirations and provide them with bespoke mentoring and coaching, together with a comprehensive programme of academic guidance and post-16 progression advice. This personalised support will enable pupils to identify and apply for opportunities to further their education and careers, including fully-funded bursaries at City of London Freemen’s School.
The Valley Leadership Academy is one of two Star Academies schools to benefit from The Aspire Programme, underpinning the multi-academy trust’s ethos of raising the aspirations and attainment of young people in areas of social and economic disadvantage.
Bursary opportunities, including at City of London Freemen’s School, will provide a pathway into high performing further and higher education institutions for the school’s brightest pupils, along with internships and apprenticeships with blue chip companies.
City of London Freemen’s School is an independent co-educational day and boarding school for 7 to 18 year olds in Ashtead, Surrey. The school has around 950 students, including roughly 60 boarders from the UK and around the world.
Colette Roberts, Principal at The Valley Leadership Academy, said:
“Freemen’s is an institution with a track record of outstanding results and giving their students the best possible chance to have successful careers.
“The school’s mission, to ‘learn, lead and make a difference’ perfectly complements our school’s leadership specialism and Star’s mission to advance social mobility for young people.
“We are committed to nurturing our young people by raising aspirations and opening doors to fantastic opportunities that will help our pupils to realise their full potential.”
As part of the programme, pupils will be invited to attend academic lessons at City of London Freemen’s School, participate in the school’s extra-curricular programme, contribute to societies and clubs as well as attend the many ceremonies, dinners and student celebration events that take place. Pupils will also be given the opportunity to participate in a week-long Summer School at Freemen’s, where they will immerse themselves in all aspects of the school community and experience life as a boarder.
The Aspire Programme was launched on 24 January at The Valley Leadership Academy, where Catherine Bennett, Development, Community & Partnerships Manager at City of London Freemen’s School, introduced the exciting opportunities available to pupils.
Roland J. Martin, Headmaster at City of London Freemen’s School, said:
“We are delighted to be partnering with Star Academies to support the Aspire Programme.
“For Freemen’s, it is our mission for children to learn, lead and make a difference and we hope that pupils from The Valley Leadership Academy will be able to embrace the opportunity to do just that. We look forward to working with Star Academies on this programme.”