Village to get first Saturday school of kind outside London

From the archive, first published Thursday 14th Dec 2006.

A new Saturday school committed to teaching children basics in maths and English is set to start up in the district.

Run by Civitas - a social policy think tank based in London - the new school will start next month and will provide low cost private education for children in Long Lee.

The new school - based at Long Lee Village Hall - will be for children of all abilities, aged between six and 11, and will consist of three-hour sessions each Saturday in school term time.

The Saturday school is the first supplementary school outside London run by Civitas and if successful there are plans to expand the Saturday schools throughout the area.

Supplementary schools co-ordinator for Civitas Eleanor Rogerson said: "We focus on quality teaching, smaller class sizes and using traditional methods.

"It really does help the children and make massive improvements in their education. They can then look forward to going to school as they are more confident in their learning."

She added: "The problem we find is that children don't often learn the basic skills at school. We get involved and make sure children can get on in life.

"We enforce skills that will help them throughout their lives. We don't want them to go to secondary school and be left behind. It is really satisfying to see how you can help the children."

The school is being set up as part of the Supplementary Schools Project which started in London in 2005, after Civitas heard of the failed attempts, due to lack of funds, of a group of Bengalis parents in Whitechapel to set up a Saturday school.

Civitas took over the school teaching English and maths to children there. It was then asked to set up a school for Bangladeshi children near Kings Cross Station, in London.

Due to the popularity of the school Civitas then set up evening classes. There are now four supplementary schools in London and another three are set to open in January.

The supplementary schools have had good results and at the 2006 summer school in Kings Cross the average reading age of each child at the school went up by 11 months in two weeks.

Bingley businessman Lee Craven, who is a member of Civitas, said: "I suggested Long Lee as I grew up here. I think it's an interesting mix of people here.

"I thought it would be a good place to start a new school and if it is successful it can expand not only in Keighley but in Bingley and so on. You have to make a start first of all."

Civitas is also looking for more teachers to expand the schools in the area. Funding for the project is derived from non-public resources and donations.

Places are on a first-come, first-served basis. Each session is £3 and for siblings it is £1.50. For more information contact Eleanor on 020 7799 6677 or e-mail eleanor.rogerson@civitas.org.uk.