Year 5 girls and boys and teaching staff from Greenfield School joined us for an enriching day of learning, laughter, and professional exchange. The visit not only provided a dynamic ‘senior school taster’ experience for the Greenfield students but also offered a valuable opportunity for staff from both schools to reflect on and enhance their teaching practices. Setting the scene for their taster morning, children enjoyed an assembly led by Ms Picton, The Head, who welcomed our visitors with advice on approaching school life with curiosity, ambition, and generosity. Greenfield students were eager to explore new subjects and meet the SWPS staff and Sixth Form students organising the lessons.
Throughout the morning, Greenfield boys and a girls took part in a carousel of engaging lessons in Maths, Science, Art, Design Technology and Drama. Each session was thoughtfully designed to spark creativity, encourage critical thinking, and provide a hands-on experience of the dynamic teaching and learning that defines SWPS. Students built structures in Maths, experimented in Science, and brought stories to life in Drama, showcasing the joy of learning in action.
The visit also provided SWPS staff with a fresh perspective on differentiated instruction and metacognitive strategies – approaches often refined in co-educational settings to meet a wide range of learning needs. These insights enriched our understanding of how to further support all learners in developing independence, resilience, and a love of learning.
Staff from both schools engaged in a working lunch, exchanging ideas, discussing best practice, and exploring gender-inclusive pedagogy. These conversations reflected our commitment to providing and education that enables success for everyone; personalised, ambitious with excellence the norm.
Miss Blackman, Head of Teaching and Learning, expertly organised the day and led a Teaching and Learning walk with Greenfield staff which took in various lessons with SWPS students: “This reflective exercise offered valuable insights into classroom practice, student engagement, and the innovative teaching methods that are central to the SWPS ethos. I’m delighted that Greenfield staff were particularly impressed by the confidence and oracy skills demonstrated by our students during lessons.”
Looking ahead, a collaboration such as this with other local schools opens doors to exciting possibilities and promises to deepen student learning, enrich the curriculum, and create a culture of continuous professional growth. Staff from both schools felt energised by the shared learning and connection and we look forward to growing our partnerships network and welcoming more young learners and educators to SWPS in the future.
