Education experts at Manchester Metropolitan University approached the college to recruit mentors to help at a local primary school. The AS and Health and Social Care students were then given specialist training to work with the pupils on a one-to-one basis.

 

Caroline Davies, Research Associate at the Centre for Urban Education at MMU, said a special group of pupils at Webster Primary School needed help for many reasons: “English may be an additional language for them or they may have special educational needs – but the main aim was to get them engaged with literacy,” she said. “Most of the Loreto students intend to become teachers themselves and the number of hours they spent volunteering will give them an edge when applying for what is an increasingly competitive chase for university places.”

 

Ms Davies explained that the student mentors have acquired valuable skills working with the children and a Higher Education institution. The Loreto students can now attend workshops to guide them through the university application process.

 

“The pupils at Webster not only gained confidence in literacy, but their relationship with their mentors, and with MMU, helps to create a culture of aspiration,” Ms Davies added.

 

To find out more information please visit MMU's website, link below:

 

http://www.mmu.ac.uk/about/publications/mmyou/126.pdf