Valentines School

Details about The Aspire Programme and Girls Networking Mentoring Programme

We are delighted to support this project at Valentines High School in Redbridge.  25% of children are eligible for Free School Meals and this project will address one of the school’s core values ‘Aspiration’.  The girls selected to participate will become Aspiration Ambassadors, and will then mentor other girls and share their experiences and reflections, widening the reach of the programme across the whole school and giving the cohort of girls an empowering sense of leadership and responsibility.  The Girls Network aim to inspire and empower girls from the lease advantaged communities by connecting them with a mentor and a network of professional role models who are women.  The Aspire Programme delivers 10 1:1 sessions over the course of two terms.  At the end of the project, the girls will be given the opportunity of visiting the University of Cambridge, both to open their worlds a little and to inspire their imaginations from themselves and secondly to provide them with an opportunity to network.  

Delivery of the Project

For the first part of the Aspire Programme, 10 girls enjoyed a fantastic visit from Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge where they learned all about university life.  Their questions about courses, application process, fees, accommodation, lectures and societies sparked great conversations  and excitement for when they get the opportunity to visit the university in the summer!  As part of their email writing skills workshops, the participants were also asked to complete their own testimonials about the project which were sent directly to the Charity Manager and Trustees of the Park Charitable Trust for Girls.

Trip to the Victoria & Albert Museum: The girls enjoyed a trip to the V&A East Storehouse in January. They attended an identity workshop where they had to string together curated object they felt best represented them. They also got the opportunity to see the objects and artefacts on display which they thoroughly enjoyed. They engaged in discussion about what could or could not be considered art, this came up when the girls saw the Robin Hood Gardens housing estate installation. They also practiced their photography skills and really made the most of picking the brains of the curators and artists there.

Impact: Following on from the trip the girls who attended have shown a significantly better attitude whilst in school and have been more enthusiastic about interacting with teachers. Going on the trip in particular has become a point of connection between the girls and other members of staff who have been keen to ask the girls all about their experience. The girls have also been extremely keen to go on other trips to other museums they have recently found out about or looked up.

Book Club: As part of an initiative to boost the reading ages of the girls, a book club was set up where the book for the year is Oxford Blood. It is a murder mystery about a young lady who gets an interview at Oxford and is framed. Each girl was provided with a copy to take home and discuss with us and amongst themselves. One of our girls has already finished the book! The girls have responded really enthusiastically, and it has boosted their curiosity about Oxbridge in time for a trip this summer. 

Other workshops: Another workshop is scheduled towards the end of term, with a visit from a woman from the Law industry.