London now has a wide range of charities and initiatives that deliver 1-on-1 and small group learning to those who would otherwise be unable to afford it. Keystone is proud to support a number of charitable initiatives.
Current Pro-Bono Work
Chelsea Academy Literacy and Numeracy Course
Keystone is currently delivering a Pro Bono course to pupils at Chelsea Academy in Years 7 and 8, focussed on their core literacy and numeracy skills. Our tutors work with students of various abilities using Keystone's bespoke materials to provide targeted support. The students are in groups of between four and six students, ensuring they receive a large amount of dedicated teacher attention.
Spring Board Foundation
We have been supporting the excellent Spring Board Foundation with some free tutoring for one of their pupils who was preparing for A Level examinations. The student had conditional offers at various universities and our tutoring was looking to support the student in achieving the required grades.
Pro-Bono Placements
Keystone is often asked to find tutors for good causes. In these instances we are more than happy to help find tutors either on a volunteer basis or commission free basis. Having built up a fantastic database of tutors over a number of years we have been able to help a number of recent initiatives (see some examples below). Do get in touch if you would like Keystone to support a charitable initiative in this way. If you are a tutor who would like to be kept up to date about future opportunities please sign up to our newsletter.
Baraka Community Association
Background: Baraka Community Association, a local organisation in North Kensington, provides academic support and a range of services including sports and leisure to young people from ethnic minority and economically disadvantaged backgrounds. For over the last decade, Baraka has been boosting educational attainment of these young people specifically in Maths, Science and English through its supplementary school. We have been helping a GCSE group prepare for their English Language and Literature exams this summer with weekly lessons.
Tutor Brief: We are now looking for a tutor to help a group of students prepare for their upcoming Maths and Science GCSE exams this summer. The tuition would take place at the charity’s offices in Ladbroke Grove. They would ideally like weekly 2-hour sessions on a Saturday.
Carney's Community
Background: Carney’s Community, a charity that provides long term support for disadvantaged young people between the ages of 11-30, and engages them primarily through boxing, is looking for tutors to aid their current year 10 students with their studies as they approach their GCSEs.
Tutor Brief: They are particularly seeking tutors to help with English and Maths but other subjects may be required. The tutors’ commitment would ideally be on a twice per month basis up until Easter 2019 and then on a weekly basis for the 2019 summer GCSE exam period (May/June 2019). Carney’s Community can provide a space to host the sessions. The centre is based just next to Battersea Park.
Calais Refugee Camp
Background: An ‘unofficial’ refugee camp in Calais seeking volunteer tutors to teach at its school for long and short periods over the summer. ‘Jungle Books’ is a purpose built school with one large classroom divided into separate teaching spaces.
Tutor Brief: ‘Jungle Books’ school provides English, French and Arabic lessons from 11am-7pm every day. Several whiteboards are available and the school is equipped with some stationary donated by volunteers. Class numbers differ in size and this position would suit tutors with some classroom experience, or at least those happy to teach in groups.
Grande-Synthe refugee camp, Dunkirk
Background: A visionary British Headmaster, Dr Rory Fox, has set-up an emergency school in the Grande-Synthe refugee camp in Dunkirk - in order to keep its 300 children educated. He is urgently seeking volunteer tutors to teach motivated children in the camp under his management. Dr Fox’s camp was recently profiled in the guardian here.
Tutor Brief: Dr Fox is looking for volunteers to teach English, Maths, Science and French on a part-time basis. This would entail teaching for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. Teaching is mainly on a one-to-one basis as all the children have different needs.
Universify Education, Oxford
Background: Universify Education works with students from disadvantaged backgrounds and offers a free year-long programme of support with a summer school at Oxford University, monthly online academic coaching and culminating in a refresher course back in Oxford over the Easter break.
Tutor Brief: Universify is currently seeking tutors to teach motivated Year 11 students at their GCSE revision course across the weekend of 1-2 April 2017 in Oxford. Tutors would need to commit to a morning of small-class teaching of either: English, Maths, Biology or Chemistry. Universify can offer to cover travel, accommodation on-site at Somerville College and pay at the Oxford University outreach rate of £28/hr.
Previous Pro-Bono Work
Brackenbury Primary School
Using our full-time employed tutors Keystone delivered small group sessions in Maths to year 5 pupils on free school meals at Brackenbury Primary School. Our tutors reviewed material covered in class to ensure that those who are struggling with their maths feel more confident in their knowledge and ability in the subject. The material covered was based on a bespoke Keystone programme making use of our proprietary Maths resources. These materials set Mathematical problems in a narrative context to bring the subject to life for the students.
“Our students have thoroughly enjoyed the sessions and definitely benefited from them.” Jackie Roberts, ex-Headteacher, Brackenbury School
Kung Fu Maths Clinics - ‘Give back – Give Maths’ (2014-2016)
Kung Fu Maths was a Mathematics outreach tutoring programme run in collaboration by Keystone Tutors and Westminster Cathedral Choir School.
How did it work?
Keystone's tutors delivered one-to-one Maths tutoring free of charge, one evening a week, at WCCS, to pupils from local state schools.
Who attended these sessions?
Y3-Y6 pupils from state primary schools in the borough of Westminster. Pupils were of a wide range of abilities. Pupils were invited to attend by the Kung Fu Maths Team following discussions with their Mathematics teachers.