08 Apr 10

From poetry to badminton the Access to Learning programme is giving children a unique chance to accelerate their learning.

The NHLC Access to Learning initiative is playing its part in making Christ the King Centre for Learning the most pioneering school in Knowsley. Although focussing on literacy support, the programme also offers opportunities in subjects across the curriculum. Most recently, pupils from two NHLC primaries took part in a Sport Science lesson - learning about anatomy and physiology through badminton. These unique extra lessons are designed to stretch the abilities of some of the most talented children in North Huyton.

The Primary Learning Enviroment is yet another first for the NHLC! The pioneering project gives Year 6 primary pupils an opportunity to stretch their thinking skills by taking part in a specially tailored lessons at Christ the King. The highly interactive lessons are designed, developed and delivered by four Advanced Skills Teachers (ASTs): Misa McFadden, Adele Quarless, Mark Sterling and Mark Wainwright. They manage to create lessons which challenge pupils to discover what they are capable of achieving.

The ground breaking work of Access to Learning doesn't stop there - the Young Researchers project has been recognised by the Open University as a valuable resource which enables students to develop research skills which have been know to influence change in schools nationwide. The Open University Children's Research Centre visited the NHLC to offer advice on how to proceed with this new project.

As part of this ongoing project, students led by Christ the King Learning Resource Centre Manager Maria McGowan are currently designing and analysing homework tracking sheets. These will feed back to the Senior Leadership Team and Student countil - making a positive change to the often thorny subject of homework assignments.

A similar project at St Dominic's School is encouraging pupils to research the City of Liverpool. 'The students felt they wanted to challenge opinions of the city and help present Liverpool in a more favourable light' explained Ben. 'They've been exploring the skills and benefits of research to discover more about this great city. By the end of the year we'll have a research document which will change attitudes towards Liverpool - and it's all their own work!'