Monday marked the start of one of the largest teaching programmes Dragons Teaching has ever undertaken. We have paired with Wickersley Partnership Trust to provide French teaching to KS2 across 7 of their primary schools and have had a very successful start!
Wickersley Partnership Trust (WPT), founded in 2014, is a multi-academy trust comprising eight primary schools and five secondary schools in Rotherham and the neighbouring counties. The schools within the WPT needed greater access to experienced French teachers and a scaffolded approach to a Key Stage 2 French curriculum. Some of their students had already been learning French since Year 3 and so they needed their learning extended to the end of Year 6. This is where Dragons Teaching provided a rapid solution.
WPT came to us in December after meeting some of our senior team at the 2021 Schools and Academies Show in Birmingham. They had struggled to recruit enough experienced French teachers to cover all of their schools. Dragons Teaching were able to work with the Trust to then develop a plan of action to ensure their students would be provided with experienced teachers, ability-appropriate materials and a January start. Our flexible solution came in the form of online teaching, utilising our FrenchConnect platform and online live teaching to continue building students’ French knowledge and confidence in language learning.
We have kicked off our initial programmes this week, starting with Years 3 and 4, with Years 5 and 6 to join shortly. Our first week teaching 15 classes has been a success; the students have enjoyed learning French online for the first time while our teachers have handled the programmes fantastically and engaged with their students.
“A big well done to our students who have adapted and settled into this new approach to learning – they’re doing some fantastic work so far and we can’t wait to see their language skills progress throughout this academic year.”
Wickersley Partnership Trust
Dragons Teaching is also excited to see the students progress and continue to provide excellent support to the WPT.