Learning to serve is an integral part of our curriculum. Our school has a great
responsibility to our community, and therefore learning should be active within this wider
context. We want our pupils to develop key leadership and communication qualities
alongside acquiring rich and relevant knowledge. Crucially, as part of “Learning to
Serve”, pupils also see their work in real, living context, assisting their community,
mostly near, but sometimes far. Starting in Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 , children
engage with local nursing homes and businesses on an informal level, related to their
curricular themes. For example in Year 1 they visit Rowan Garth and sing songs, take
food and small gifts at special times of the year. In Year 2, they are developing links with
LFC womans which links to their topic of changing role in society and equal rights. This
introduces them to developing good, positive relationships on a multi-generational level.
By Year 3 these partnerships become more formally organized.
Year 3
In previous years, All pupils gain the benefit of four weeks working alongside the
residents of the l’Arche Community in Kensington (@l’archeliverpool). They take a role
in serving this particular community but they also learn alongside them, creating a range
of arts and crafts. These are then offered/sold to parishioners and neighbours through
community groups and parish links.
This year the children are developing new projects in the local community and are also
setting up a pen pal link with friends in Italy.
Year 4
Year 4 worked alongside pupils at St Vincent’s School for the Blind as part of a
“Reverse Inclusion” initiative (@stvincent’sl12). This sees children with disabilities
working in their environment with friends from mainstream education on curricular areas
which both can access. In this initiative, both work with professional artists to create 3D
art and ceramics related to chosen themes.
Children in Year 4 are continuing to develop their link with FANO International School as
our global link with Sierra Leone.
Year 5
Over the years Year 5 have completed a “Junior Curator” program at Stoneyhurst
College as part of the development of their remarkable museum exhibits
(@stoneyhurst). They worked alongside staff, students and experts to learn about how
historical artefacts, how to look after them, and how to present them to the public.
We continue to support the homeless in Liverpool by supporting Mr Old Hall St Kitchen
and children have made scouse and delivered crosses to keep them safe and warm.
Year 6
All pupils in Year 6 complete a program of volunteering at a local GP surgery in Anfield.
They prepare guidance materials in line with GP requests, these are then shared with
patient groups during a drop-in each week. These materials – booklets, posters, reports
– tie in with science content from the curriculum, especially that related to anatomy, diet
and health.
This year children are developing links with children from Ukraine through video calls,
and shared projects. They are developing friendships and taking part in shared projects.
In the local community, Year 6 are setting up a walking group with the elderly.
The aim of Learning to Serve is for each pupil to develop leadership and communication
skills, show a keen awareness of their responsibilities to their community, and see their
learning and acquire knowledge in a wider, meaningful context