Last updated 15:58, Wednesday, 25 June 2008

A WORKINGTON school is pioneering a new course for some of its older pupils to equip them with the skills to guide and support younger pupils.

As part of its option programme for Year 10 pupils, which begins in September, Stainburn School and Science College are offering a peer mentoring option for pupils who feel that they have the skills to help other pupils who need a helping hand with a wide range of issues from homework organisation to feeling safe in school.

The government is promoting an initiative in all schools called Every Child Matters and this new course is part of the school’s response to the thinking behind the initiative.

Senior learning mentor Sue Carruthers said that the three hours per week that the selected pupils will spend during school time supporting others will be linked to other after-school activities.

She said: “We already have a very successful peer mentoring programme based at the Workington Sixth Form Centre. This group of students are called the TAG, Transition Action Group, and they are all ex-Stainburn pupils who return to school to support younger pupils on a one to one basis.

“We are hoping that this new initiative will strengthen the TAG and provide good role models for younger pupils.

“Stainburn’s TAG programme was nationally accredited by the National Open College Network and the students from the Workington Sixth Form Centre have been able to use the work they have done to help them with university and employment applications and opportunities.”

Assistant headteacher Peter Harlow said: “Our school is a lead practice school within Cumbria for the promotion of the social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) and the mentoring option offers pupils the opportunity, under adult supervision, to build up their skills in this important area of learning.

“Our work in the area of care, guidance and support was judged to be good in our recent Ofsted inspection; with support for vulnerable pupils being judged outstanding. The mentoring option builds on this strength and helps both the school and the individual pupils as the skills they acquire during their mentoring sessions are just the skills that employers, training providers and universities say are crucial to modern-day working.”