PUPILS at Badger Hill Primary School, in York, have been getting help with their lessons from university students.

For the past four or so years, the school, which is close to the University of York, has cultivated links with the university and its student population.

One of the most successful schemes is York Students In Schools (YSIS), which co-ordinates all school-based volunteering at the university and incorporates a successful student tutoring programme, along with student mentoring and other learning support schemes.

The programme helps teachers and teaching assistants in the classroom. Students work with individual children or with groups to stimulate their interest, to motivate them to learn, to raise their aspirations and achievement, and to provide appropriate role models.

Students speak directly to young people and make university an attractive option. They also benefit themselves in terms of personal development, and can discover what they want to do with their lives and gain a sense of purpose beyond their degree work.

Badger Hill head teacher Andrea Hellam said: “It’s a fantastic project. The students come in one afternoon a week from Christmas until about the end of the summer term, which is a really big commitment for them.

“The level of help they give is excellent, we have had them in all of our classes and you get the same student so the pupils and teacher can build up a relationship with them.

“They not only take part in reading activities, but if the student is studying in a particular field, say IT or music, then we can try and utilise that skill and tailor the lessons accordingly.

“We find that the students who have come to us aren’t always just the ones who are wanting to become teachers later on. But if they are and they are thinking of teaching a particular age group, then I try and match them up with a particular year.”

YSIS is based in the university and works closely with City of York Council, Community Service Volunteers and North Yorkshire Business and Education Partnership.

Miss Hellam said the school, as part of the Heslington and Badger Hill extended schools partnership, is also furthering community links.

The partnership yesterday used some of its funding to stage a cream tea at Badger Hill school, inviting prospective parents to come in for the afternoon to look at all the early-years facilities on offer in the Badger Hill and Lord Deramore’s schools.