Doncaster school ‘leading example’ of embedding enrichment activities for students

Astrea Academy Woodfields in Doncaster has been highlighted by a leading education charity as an example of best practice when it comes to enriching young people’s lives.

Teach First, a charity which aims to address educational disadvantage in England and Wales, has described the Doncaster school as a “leading example” of what can be achieved by embedding enrichment activities within a school’s culture.

In a report - Breaking the Odds: How schools are defying the odds in the face of child poverty - Teach First says that Woodfields has improved young people’s engagement in education by providing them with a host of opportunities.

Under the leadership of David Scales, who became Principal in 2023, the academy has put a high emphasis on offering students a rich programme of extracurricular activities, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

The charity praises Woodfields, which is a Teach First partner school, for providing every child at the school with a musical instrument that they can take home, free of charge.

A rigorous curriculum means that all students are expected to have achieved Grade 3 in classical music theory by the end of Year 9. Recently, a group of Woodfields musicians had the opportunity to perform at the Barbican centre in London.

In addition to the music programme, the report highlights how the school offers daily after-school enrichment clubs, where each department provides an extracurricular activity, for example, Greek mythology, poetry, gardening, science, Spanish film, basketball, badminton, and sports leadership.

Students learn to recite poetry and, every year, Woodfields enters the Poetry By Heart competition, where finalists have the opportunity to perform at Shakespeare’s Globe in London.

The Teach First report says that extracurricular activities have been a pivotal part of an overall shift in culture at Woodfields, with attendance rates increasing from 81% to 91%, and suspensions decreasing by 30% each year.

David Scales, Principal of Astrea Academy Woodfields, said:“We are delighted to see our academy featured in the Teach First report and recognised as a ‘leading example’ of best practice for improving youngsters’ life chances.

“At Woodfields, we strive to create a culture of inclusion which is fostered by a genuine warmth between teachers and students. This positive atmosphere encourages young people to want to participate and be a part of something.

“We are very proud of our achievements here at Woodfields and look forward to this trajectory of improvement continuing.”