Individual Pupil Support

The principal aim of the Foundation is to identify able, talented or gifted children at New Addington primary schools and support them in pursuing that ability to give them a career or life-enhancing opportunity in the future.  Their talent or ability can be academic, sporting or artistic (in its widest sense) although the Foundation has decided to give a lower priority to football for which there is already a good infrastructure in New Addington.

Our support will normally be by paying for private lessons or for the child to join a local club and provide them with some or all of the required equipment.  It might also be that the Foundation can organise and pay for transport to the lesson or club.  It could easily be a combination of all of these!

Of course, we have to set a number of criteria for the granting of support for the pupil:

 

  • The pupil must be nominated by his/her teacher and not just talented compared to their classmates, but with an ability that is above the norm for children their age.
  • The child must be very enthusiastic about pursuing their talent and willing to invest time and effort into learning more and improving their skills.
  • The child’s parents must also be enthusiastic about the opportunity and aspirations for their child.  They must also be willing to support their child in spending time in further practice and, if possible, provide logistical support to ensure their child can attend the lesson or club.

A short application process will take place to make sure all the criteria are satisfied.

After an initial period of support, the Foundation will undertake a review.  This will be to make sure the pupil receiving support continues to be enthusiastic, attends the lessons or club sessions with minimal absence; and is making progress in improving their skill.  Feedback will be sought from the school, the lesson provider or club, the pupil and their parents.

Support can – and hopefully will – continue well beyond the pupil leaving primary school to attend high school.  This will make sure the skills learned can be continuously improved upon leading the that life-enhancing opportunity.