Open Learning Partnership Impact Report 2024 - 2025

I M PA C T R E P O R T 2024 - 2025

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INTRODUCTION AND FOREWORD W H AT I S T H E O P E N L E A R N I N G PA R T N E R S H I P ?

The OPEN LP is a committed Hub of schools from across the local area working collaboratively to organise a wide range of online and in-person events across the academic year to enhance the knowledge, opportunities and aspirations of both pupils and staff in the region.

W H O I S I N T H E O P E N L E A R N I N G PA R T N E R S H I P ?

We currently have 8 Hub schools comprising of Kettering Buccleuch Academy (Primary and Secondary), Laxton Junior School, Oundle Primary School, Oundle School, Prince William School, Thomas Deacon Academy (Junior and Secondary) and they are supported by Imperial College London. These Hub members work together to organise a wide range of activities and experiences which reach far beyond the Hub schools.

Number of pupils reached by the Partnership by Sector Independent

Maintained

2,000

Over 55 schools have benefitted from activities provided by the OPEN LP this year ranging from parents and primary school children attending Family Science, Year 10-13 pupils joining our university access programme to STEM Roadshows visiting schools as far apart as Scotland, Wales and Eastern England.

10,000

The OPEN Learning Partnership is thriving in its 6th year due to the united desire of local schools from a variety of contexts to bring children from different walks of life together and give them experiences that none of us could offer alone. It very much epitomizes the idea that ‘the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.’

Partnership involves respect and reciprocity; a recognition that all parties have something to give as well as something to gain and this has proven to be our strength whilst still maintaining our individual identities. The opportunities that we provide to a wide range of pupils through our shared values and trusted collaboration are vast, rich and constantly expanding.

Our success is palpable and we are excited to continue to growth together.’

M I S S C L A I R E M O R R I S O N , A S S I S TA N T HEADTEACHER, OUNDLE CE PRIMARY SCHOOL

HOW MIGHT A CHILD IN THE LOCAL AREA EXPERIENCE THE OPEN LP’S WORK? Most activities will happen directly through a pupil’s own school with some events being offered more generally to the wider community. Some examples of activities offered over this last year include:

Saturday Science events for families and talks

The OPEN STEM Festival

STEM Potential - for capable pupils aged 15-18

ExpertEdLive

(OMEC) Mathematical Enrichment Conferences

Debating development opportunities

Girls in Engineering Day

Science Residential Programme

‘For pupils and staff alike, stepping outside of our usual routines and meeting people in different contexts broadens our life experience and teaches us in ways that we cannot replicate in our own classroom.

Whether it is singing together as part of Oundle Sings, seeing the expertise of partner school teachers in the STEM Festival or Sixth Formers working together with their peers to judge the Creative Writing event, the Partnership opens doors and delivers connection in a new and powerful way.’

G O R D O N M O N T G O M E R Y, D E P U T Y H E A D PA R T N E R S H I P S , O U N D L E S C H O O L

Our local MP actively supports our OPEN LP and noted the collaborative work being done in his maiden speech in the House of Commons.

I’m delighted to work with the OPEN partnership, which brings our public and independent schools together. It gives the children involved the opportunity to reach their full potential and share so much with each other to bring out the best in themselves and those around them.

LEE BARRON, LABOUR MP FOR CORBY AND EAST NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

STEM FESTIVAL

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BAC KG RO U N D The OPEN STEM Festival in July aims to inspire and raise aspirations for 2,500 local pupils, with expertise offered from our partner universities (Imperial College London and Swansea University), schools and visiting guests from industry. The range of activities included building rocket cars, an immersive Planetarium experience, animal experiences, vacuum chambers, robotics and a series of top quality Science Shows.

Delivered by Teachers from: Prince William School, Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Laxton Junior School, Thomas Deacon Academy, Imperial College London, The Natural History Museum and Oundle School

85 404

YEAR 8 PUPILS FROM 4 SCHOOLS T O O K PA R T I N T H E 3 - D AY R E S I D E N T I A L PROGRAMME.

I will definitely be bringing our children to more shows next year. That was great! “

I cannot believe how lucky we are to have these shows on in our local theatre and at such low cost.

It meant we went to three shows this year and we loved them all. My daughter is not a great fan of maths at school but came out buzzing from Kjartan Poskitt’s talk and saying she hadn’t realised how fun maths could be! His Murderous Maths books are now on the birthday list!”

PUPILS IN YEAR 5 AND YEAR 8 FROM 18 S C H O O L S H A D A F U L L D AY O F S T E M WORKSHOPS

1800+ P U P I L S SAW A S T E M S TA G E S H O W P E R F O R M A N C E AT THEIR SCHOOL OR AT T H E T H E AT R E

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P U P I L S I N Y EA RS 10 & 12 F RO M 7 SCHOOLS HAD A FULL PROGRAMME INCLUDING INDUSTRY VISITS, A UNIVERSITY TRIP AND SPECIALIST SEMINARS.

FA M I LY S C I E N C E EVENTS

03

BAC KG RO U N D An afternoon of hands-on science in the laboratories at Oundle School and at Kettering Buccleuch Academy. Parents and children work together on different scientific activities. The aim is to promote an interest in science with pupils and their parents engaging in hands-on science workshops together, prompting opportunities to discuss science at home.

Delivered by Teachers from: Oundle School, Kettering Buccleuch Academy.

296 PA R E N T S & CHILDREN ACROSS 6 EVENTS

FEEDBACK

Our two children and even Daddy loved it! They were even happier to see that their friend was there. Thanks so much for letting these two have the opportunity to do it.

We had a fab afternoon at Family Science on Saturday. It is always good, but I thought this week was the best yet! Our cousins were astonished that we have something of that quality on our doorstep. The children loved using their knowledge about the fire triangle, and being trusted to light a match, and were delighted to have the spectroscopes and agar slime to take home. Thanks for giving up your time to make it happen. It must take a lot of planning!

I just wanted to say thank you for inviting us to the science afternoon. My daughter had a fantastic time and so did I!

ROCKET CAR ENGINEERING

BLOODHOUND

04

Bloodhound LSR is an iconic programme which not only aims to break the World Land Speed Record, reaching speeds beyond 800mph, but also to showcase world class science and engineering. By sharing every facet of this unique form of motorsport, we are able to inspire children and adults alike, demonstrating what is possible if you push physics and human endeavour to the absolute limits.

Delivered by Teachers from: Oundle School, Kettering Buccleuch Academy.

252

THIS YEAR, OUR BLOODHOUND ROCKET CAR ACTIVITIES WERE FOCUSED ON PROVIDING A FULL PROGRAMME IN THE STEM F E S T I VA L W E E K.

It was my favourite thing I’ve done all week.

I personally think it was one of the sessions the pupils enjoyed most this week.

That was way better than I expected. I loved that we could do it on our own and make our own design.

It was really cool to be able to actually use the things that I’ve been learning in school with a real life example.

OPEN LP’S 6TH ANNIVERSARY C E L E B R AT I O N

05

Our partnership schools and invited guests including HMC Chair Jaideep Barot and the incoming CEO of the School Partnerships Alliance, Dr. Joe Spence, attended the 6th anniversary celebrations for the OPEN Learning Partnership. This video piece of reflections from school leaders, and the views of 10 pupils from the schools involved on the evening, demonstrated the ways in which perceptions of Oundle and our connection with the community is being changed through the collaborative work going on in our thriving partnership.

As this year’s chair of the OPEN LP, Claire Morrison, explains, ‘Together we have built a vibrant community of learners, educators and advocates, all dedicated to breaking down barriers and fostering collaboration, ensuring that education is not just a privilege but a fundamental right for all. It was a pleasure to be able to showcase this at our anniversary celebration.’

Reflecting on our journey over the last six years, and taking time to recognise how far we have come as well as acknowledging the support, commitment and passion of those in the OPEN LP community was a proud moment for us all.

C R E AT I V E ROOTS

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Organised by the Imperial Outreach Team, this two-hour interactive workshop saw 180 pupils from local primary schools exploring their local habitat through the unique lens of both science and art. Facilitated by a scientist from the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and a professional artist, pupils worked together to investigate the environment around them, learning how both disciplines approach the study of nature.

The workshop helped pupils develop the skills and methods used by scientists and artists, including planning, debating, visualising, and summarising key observations. It offered a fun and interactive way to introduce pupils to the importance of environmental exploration and the connection between science and art and was a great hit!

It was lovely to see the pupils enjoying themselves and starting to use new vocabulary showing how much they had engaged in the workshop. “

05

Oundle School and Thomas Deacon Academy had the honour of co-hosting the annual School Partnerships Alliance national conference this year which saw over 100 delegates from across the country attending and for which our local Labour MP, Lee Barron, was a keynote speaker at the conference as a keen supporter of the OPEN LP. He also noted the work of the OPEN LP in his maiden speech in the House of Commons.

At the Conference, pupils from the OPEN LP spoke passionately about their experiences, emphasising how their involvement in OPEN LP activities took them outside their comfort zones and gave them experiences of things they would not otherwise have encountered and in some cases impacted on life changing decisions.

Feedback from delegates was very positive and as the SPA commented, ‘Today’s School Partnerships Alliance (S.P.A.) conference...proved how significant this movement is, and how ambitious and impactful it has become.’

SCHOOL PA R T N E R S H I P S ALLIANCE CONFERENCE 2025

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OMEC

( O P E N MAT H E MAT I C S ENRICHMENT CONFERENCES)

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BAC KG RO U N D

27 SCHOOLS

216 PUPILS

Such a great day where our students not only developed their maths skills but also got to work together with pupils from other schools. They loved it!“

The OPEN Mathematics Enrichment Conference (OMEC) event is hosted at Oundle School as a central venue but delivered by teachers from across the Partnership. This event takes place three times across the academic year and is aimed at the most capable mathematicians in Years 5&6, 7&8 and 9&10. It is open to schools in the Oundle, Peterborough & East Northants area and it seeks to extend the mathematical experience of all participants.

Alongside the pupil seminars, the visiting teachers meet for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training sessions presented by contributors from the OPEN schools.

Pupils participate in three seminars in mixed teams made of pupils from different schools. They cover topics built on the knowledge that pupils have gained from their school experience but also extend their use into more challenging contexts. The afternoon session is a Mathematical Treasure Hunt contested between the teams and enjoyed by many teachers too.

Delivered by Teachers from: Prince William School, Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Oundle School, Thomas Deacon Academy, Laxton Junior School.

PUPILS AND TEACHERS SHARED THEIR THOUGHTS ON W H AT T H E Y G O T F R O M T H E D AY: •

Working collaboratively

•

Creativity and problem solving

•

Developing curiosity

•

Meeting new people and making new friends

EXPERTED

17K 95%

+ PUPIL

BAC KG RO U N D

SCAN TO READ THE FULL I M PA C T R E P O R T

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ENGAGEMENT

OF PUPILS FROM M A I N TA I N E D SECTOR

ExpertEd is an established outreach programme delivering webinars that offer schools and pupils the chance to learn through live interaction with experts in a variety of curriculum areas, providing enrichment and curriculum coverage. The programme’s main audience is 9- to 13-year-olds, and year 11 for Aim High Maths and Physics Online. The programme has four strands: Family, Highlight Speaker, Curriculum Enrichment and Aim High Maths and Physics Online. We are a cross-sector partnership including state and independent schools and 2 universities. While we are a national programme many of our local partner schools attend our events and many of our hosts and guests are from our partner schools and local area. In the current academic year ExpertEd has reached over 17,000 pupils.

R I C H A R D E VA N S

HELEN SHARMAN

HANNAH BOWEN

MARK BOYD

PROFESSOR BEN E VA N S

LORD KNIGHT OF WEYMOUTH

HIGHLIGHT SPEAKERS

CURRICULUM ENRICHMENT

ExpertEd brings notable guests, who might otherwise not be available for school visits, live into the classroom. The sessions inspire and increase pupils’ cultural capital as well as creating interactions, through a live Q&A. This year we have had 6 Highlight Speakers.

This strand uses expert guests to enrich and enhance areas of the curriculum. This year we ran a Careers in the Classroom series, offering children the chance to hear from these experts in their own words and to question those who do these jobs day in, day out. Guests included a director at Google, The Commercial and Marketing director for Surrey Cricket Club, a literary agent, an Interpol consultant and actor/ theatre director.

E X P E R T E D F A M I LY Midweek Maths and Family Science, of which we have had 4 series since September, occur in the evening and are designed for pupils to attend with their parents. The aims of this strand include promoting joint learning opportunities and conversations between parents and children in the subject in an enjoyable, interactive format and providing an inspiring, challenging, curriculum extension activity for all. Guests include include experts from our local partner and Northamptonshire schools such as Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Oundle School and Little Stanion Primary School.

A I M H I G H M AT H S O N L I N E Aim High Online offers expert-led, interactive GCSE preparation in Maths and Physics for pupils aiming for grades 8–9. The Maths series included 10 sessions by specialists from Thomas Deacon Education Trust and City of Peterborough Academy, with takeaway questions for consolidation. The Physics series, new for 2024–25, featured 3 sessions led by experts from Wrenn and Kimbolton Schools, focusing on challenging exam questions and strategies to maximise marks.

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Y EA R 10 P U P I L S FROM 5 SCHOOLS

25 25 36

Y EA R 11 P U P I L S FROM 8 SCHOOLS

Y EA R 12 P U P I L S FROM 8 SCHOOLS

Y EA R 13 P U P I L S F RO M 11 S C H O O L S

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PUPIL PERSPECTIVE ‘I personally have found STEM Potential very enjoyable and useful, both for expanding my knowledge, and also for the socialisation opportunities it granted. The STEM Potential programme was able to provide us with opportunities to do practicals that we wouldn’t be able to do at our own schools in normal curriculum time. This helped develop our experience outside of our A-Level specification.

The programme also put Imperial College on my radar as a prestigious university which inspired me to apply with the hope of attending in September. We also got the opportunity to speak with experts and graduates throughout our sessions, which gave me a better sense of what to expect in higher education and the world of research.

Since students from several schools attended, we go the chance to speak to people outside of our usual group, which was fun. Overall, I loved doing STEM Potential and I would absolutely recommend it to anyone planning to go into a career in STEM.’

10

S T E M POTENTIAL PROGRAMME BAC KG RO U N D

STEM Potential is a 4-year programme aimed at supporting pupils in Years 10 – Years 13 through to applications for STEM degrees at leading UK universities. Pupils attend workshops on Saturdays 5 times per year and have a 1-week summer school in Years 10 & 12 which includes industry experience and a range of workshops. The programme also includes a university taster day at Imperial College London. The programme helps pupils discover the wide range of subjects within STEM studies and works to aid progression to university.

In the last couple of years, 4 participants received offers from Imperial College London, 2 from Cambridge University and many others for courses in Medicine, Dentistry, Engineering and other competitive degree courses.

Delivered by Teachers from: Oundle School, Thomas Deacon Academy & Imperial College London.

4 PA R T I C I PA N T S RECEIVED OFFERS FROM IMPERIAL COLLEGE LONDON

2 PA R T I C I PA N T S RECEIVED OFFERS FROM CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY

A LY O N A , PWS PUPIL

Following on from Alyona’s reflection on her STEM Potential experience, it was wonderful to hear that she has been offered a place at Imperial College, London for September.

Really useful especially if we go over something we did at school because it helped solidify things we knew and had been taught.

It was amazing to get to know some bits of A-Level content - which helped me to think about and influence my A-level choices.

MUSIC PA R T N E R S H I P S

11

BAC KG RO U N D Over the course of the academic year, there were a number of fantastic music events supported by our Hub schools and our formal partnership with the Royal College of Music. These included Oundle Strings Out, a Grassroots RCM Fellow event at Oundle Primary School, a Brass Day, a Strings Masterclass and our big finale, Oundle Sings, which involved a large number of our local schools.

“I loved having the chance to sing with so many people, it was really fun.”

OUNDLE SINGS Another wonderful example of community partnership was Oundle Sings—a joyous singing event that brought together 170 Year 5 pupils from eight different schools. The children spent the day learning and rehearsing a selection of uplifting songs, culminating in a delightful concert for parents.

Delivered by Teachers from: Oundle School, Laxton Junior School, Oundle CE Primary, Royal College of Music.

FEEDBACK: “It made me want to join the choir afterwards, I didn’t realise it was so fun”

“I loved having the chance to sing with so many people, it was really fun.”

STEM ROADSHOWS

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BAC KG RO U N D The OPEN schools host a series of Science and Maths stage shows to inspire in children an awe and wonder about the world of STEM. These events travel as far as Scotland, Wales and south-east England supporting cross-sector partnerships in several regions and are offered free of charge to participating schools.

Delivered by Teachers from: Prince William School, Imperial College London and Oundle School

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D AY S O F S T E M R O A D S H O W S H AV E BEEN OFFERED THIS YEAR

28

3000+

SCHOOLS HAD PUPILS WHO AT T E N D E D T H E STEM ROADSHOWS

PUPILS WERE REACHED ACROSS 1 9 D AY S , F R O M SUSSEX TO EDINBURGH

FEEDBACK

Just wanted to say a huge thank you for organising last night’s STEM talk. The boys here were so engaged in every moment of the talk; they loved it. If you could also pass on our thanks to Scott for bringing physics to life.”

Very enjoyable and informative and I, for one, learned all about Bernoulli’s principle, which I’m ashamed to say I was unaware of. “ Thank you so much for hosting the STEM talk tonight. I’m not sure if the boys or parents enjoyed it most! Plenty of questions on the way home from our son!”

The speaker was excellent. Incredibly knowledgeable and informative whilst also pitching the talk in such a way as to have all the pupils engaged and listening.

1823

PUPILS EXPERIENCED THE STEM ROADSHOW DURING THE STEM F E S T I VA L W E E K

ADDITIONAL EVENTS

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S P EA K E RS: PROFESSOR PETER CHILDS AND DR. ALPER CELIK Professor Peter Childs, Director of the Dyson Design Engineering faculty at Imperial College London spoke to a packed audience about the role of creativity and open thinking in engineering for the future. He visited Prince William School in addition to speaking to a public audience at Oundle School. Dr. Alper Celik, an aerodynamicist from Swansea University, spent two days giving talks and seminars at Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Thomas Deacon Academy and Oundle School earlier this year. As Dr. Celik explained, a career in Aerospace Engineering can help you to be a part of many exciting jobs. You can master the magic behind how aeroplanes fly, decipher why wind turbines have three blades or enhance rocket designs to propel us into the uncharted territories of space exploration. In his talk, he explored the pivotal role of experimental aerodynamics and wind tunnel testing in reshaping our understanding of daily challenges and how they provide pathways for better designs for zero-carbon aviation.

IN CLASS SUPPORT AND AFTER SCHOOL SCIENCE CLUBS In class support offers further specialist teacher access allowing a more bespoke approach for small groups of pupils. The after school science clubs aim to inspire and build confidence in science for pupils through exploring a range of scientific experiments. The activities are also designed to develop teamwork and communication skills for those involved.

623 PUPILS

4

SCHOOLS

OUNDLE LECTURE Every year, the Heads of School from all Partnership schools come together to enjoy the annual Oundle Lecture. This year, they had the privilege of hearing Alice Kan talking about her role as a mechanical engineer and the impact she has made on the world of vaccine production, more recently with a focus on two of the world’s deadliest diseases, Ebola and Marberg.

YEAR 3 AT H L E T I C S D AY Year 3 children from five local primary schools enjoyed a lively and energetic afternoon of sport. The children enjoyed a range of athletic activities, with plenty of medals won and personal achievements celebrated. It was an afternoon full of smiles and support, with children discovering new talents and cheering each other on.

Beyond the competition, the event helped build friendships, both new and old, and encouraged great teamwork across the schools.

“I enjoyed making some new friends and seeing other people I know from football.”

“I really enjoyed competing against other schools.”

80 PUPILS

5

SCHOOLS

S C H O O L E X C H A N G E D AY - MODEL UN/SCIENCE ACTIVITIES KBA Year 7s hosted Oundle’s 1st Form for a day of small group work focused on two sessions.

The first session, a Model UN based activity with each group representing an individual country, outlining their position statements and debating a climate change resolution. The second, a series of scientific investigations including designing an effective parachute to ensure the safe landing of an egg launched from a first floor balcony!

The day was designed to encourage teamwork, collaboration and interpersonal skills as pupils worked together on the various challenges during the day.

126 PUPILS

I wanted to thank you for the chance to supervise and take a leadership role within the Model UN conference we had with the KBA Year Seven children and Oundle’s First Form. This was a rewarding opportunity to explore my own public speaking skills further and pass on my own passions to the younger years. Supporting the younger pupils, who relied on me as a mentor throughout the process, showed me the importance of communication, and it was great to see the interpersonal relationships that were beginning to be formed between the pupils from the two schools. Despite several threats of strikes and attempts to remove certain countries from the UN, we ultimately came to successful resolutions; I hope that these young ambitions can flourish into genuine change in the future.

G I R L S I N E N G I N E E R I N G D AY As part of the events around National Women in Engineering Day, 68 girls from 7 schools took part in a full day event hosted at Oundle’s School’s Patrick Engineering Centre. Girls spent the day undertaking a variety of engineering based challenges, working together in small teams.

PRIMARY E N G I N E E R I N G D AY Our inaugural event whereby 6 local primary schools came together to undertake a series of activities in Oundle School’s Patrick Engineering Centre, ranging from bridge building to robotics.

Thank you very much for the invite to the Primary School Engineering Event last week.

We all had a fantastic day and the children were absolutely buzzing at the end of the day. I asked the children on their way back to school what their favourite activity was and the first three responses were all different although the consensus was that we had had a great day!

OPEN LP RESOURCES – VIRTUAL REALITY HEADSETS The OPEN group collectively own a class set of VR Headsets with a wide range of topics available to view. These were loaned out to different schools for two weeks at a time allowing many children and teachers to make use of this wonderful resource.

350 PUPILS

6

SCHOOLS

That was really exciting. I learnt so much about the Solar System that I didn’t know. It was like being up there with the planets.

P L A N E TA R I U M The planetarium, on loan to the Open LP from Imperial College London for the week, provides a guided tour of the Solar System. This immersive experience allows pupils to visit far off planets, stars, and galaxies as they are guided through the wonders of our Solar System.

F A R A D AY C H A L L E N G E Oundle School hosted one of 309 national Faraday Challenge Days whereby teams of six Year 8s competed in a hands-on an engineering based problem solving challenge. The aim was helping to develop the skills that pupils need to enter industry with confidence. 36 pupils from four of our local schools enjoyed a great day competing across the various challenges.

LOCAL COMPETITIONS CYBER GIRLS FIRST This event with Pat Ryan, CBE, was a big hit with pupils from all OPEN secondaries working together on sessions by JP Morgan, The Security Company, Colt and CISCO.

The Cyber Girls First day was really interesting as we got to hear from people from lots of different companies about the importance of computing skills. It was also fun as we got to meet people from other schools, even if it was a bit nerve wracking when we first had to sit down with them.

The OPEN LP ran both a Creative Writing and ‘Design a Super Plant’ competitions across local primary and secondary schools, both of which were hotly contested with many fantastic entries in both competitions.

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NEW FOR 2025-26 C U LT U R E CONNECT

ST E M 10,000 PROJECT

An initiative to provide cultural opportunities for the pupils within the OPEN LP whereby groups of pupils will have access to participate in one Art, one Drama, one Music and one Cooking related activity over the course of the year.

Our continuing plan to commit to providing 10,000 opportunities in STEM subjects to local children this year and every year for the next 10 years as part of a national initiative with selected cross-sector partnerships.

EXPERTED

HG F O U N D AT I O N

Following the success of both Maths and Physics online GCSE revision sessions, the plan is to work with our partners to explore other GCSE subject areas that this model could be transferred to.

OPEN LP schools and two others in our region will enjoy additional support in computer science at GCSE supported by funding from the Hg Foundation. This will include additional teacher guidance, online lessons in support of pupils’ weekly learning and associated tasks and connection with industry experts.

SMALLPEICE TRUST

PRIMARY W E L L B E I N G D AY

OPEN LP is in discussion with the Smallpeice Trust to host a residential engineering programme in 2026.

A day focused on supporting primary school children with understanding how their brains are developing and how this links to managing emotional regulation, alongside linked staff CPD.