Today, Walton Academy proudly welcomed over 120 year 5 students from three local primary schools for another successful curriculum enrichment day. Harlaxton Church of England Primary School, The Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School, and St Wulfram’s National Church of England Primary School participated in this exciting event. This day is a key component of Walton Academy’s Primary Connections initiative, which aims to foster meaningful engagement and support the academic and personal development of primary school pupils.

The event began with a welcome presentation in the Walton Theatre, where pupils were introduced to their schedules for the day. The pupils were divided into seven groups, each accompanied by staff members and Walton Academy’s student leaders, who served as guides throughout the day. The structured programme included engaging sessions in science, art, health and social care, PE, performing arts, maths, graphics and modern foreign languages.

A highlight for the pupils was meeting Walton Academy students and enjoying engaging interactions and shared activities. The feedback from both pupils and accompanying primary school staff was very positive, highlighting the valuable experiences gained.

Miss Marshall from The Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School shared, “It was a really enjoyable day – the children loved experiencing what secondary school is like and definitely had fun. They particularly enjoyed art and maths, especially the maths games. It was great for them to understand the expectations in a secondary school.”

Mrs Burch from Harlaxton Church of England Primary School commented, “The event was well organised, and it provided an opportunity for children to experience specialist subject-based classrooms and a secondary school environment. The children were really engaged in the activities, and the student leaders were fantastic.”

Mrs Nettleton from St Wulfram’s National Church of England Primary School noted, “The organisation of the event was excellent – the student leaders kept the group on schedule, were polite, and interacted well with the children, answering all their questions. They were excellent role models. The children really enjoyed the engaging and hands-on classroom activities, and it was valuable for them to experience teachers in a secondary school environment, who were firm but fair.”

Mr Olalere from St Wulfram’s National Church of England Primary School added, “The activities ran smoothly, and the student leaders were incredibly helpful. The children loved experiencing how different Walton Academy is from their own primary school.”

We are delighted with the success of this event and look forward to hosting it again next year. We extend our gratitude to everyone involved for their invaluable contributions and support.