Friday 20 May 2022
Additional funding generated through changes to family allowance is being used on education initiatives that deliver meaningful cultural enrichment activities to all primary aged students.
Following the States' approval of the 'Building a Better Future: Children's Health & Education' Policy Letter in August 2020, changes to Family Allowance provide an annual sum of £150,000 to be used by primary schools for cultural enrichment activities. This policy came into effect at the beginning of 2022.
The funding has been introduced as it was recognised that routine curriculum-based activities during the normal school day form only part of the overall education experience. The provision of enrichment activities is of significant benefit to primary-aged students, particularly if it exposes them to new experiences that they might not otherwise be able to access. This funding will ensure that meaningful cultural enrichment activities will be provided to all learners, including some of the most disadvantaged students, during the school day as part of their educational development.
There are a wide range of activities and experiences on offer that all our primary-aged students will experience over the next few years. These include:
- Nature Education
- Science Dome 360 Film
- Lego robots
- Water confidence programme for accessing Guernsey beaches
- Six-week study of Renoir delivered by Arts for Impact
- Transitioning to High School play
- Publishing a book
This programme of work directly links to priority one of the Education Strategy: We will achieve Equity, Safety and Inclusivity by...Embedding whole-setting cultures and practices which promote inclusivity, challenge inequity, support health and well-being for all and remove barriers to personal ambition.
Kim Hutchison, Head of Primary Leadership and Development, said:
'Cultural enrichment focuses on "cultural capital" and helps to prepare children for future success, as it helps children to do better in school through the acquisition of knowledge and skills, while also impacting their aspirations throughout their educational involvement.
'These initiatives will allow learners to deepen their understanding of the world around them and provide fresh insight into their studies, particularly where it exposes them to experiences that are different to those normally found in smaller communities such as Guernsey and Alderney.'
