Outreach & Community Support

Outreach & Community Support During these unprecedented times we were proud to support the local community, offering our assistance in many different ways. The College donated 250 goggles (all those held in the Science Department), which were really eagerly received as items of protective eye-wear; screens from our Health Centre were also donated to a local GP practice to enable expansion of their clinical spaces. We offered the use of the Health Centre as accommodation for medical workers or clinical space for outreach clinics, as well as accommodation in Manor House (as a selfcontained area) for NHS staff working away from home or those with isolating families.

The Design & Technology Department answered the call of the health services on several fronts. Pupil Jess Emerson got in touch hoping to find help making PPE for her parents’ surgery. DT teacher Alistair Coakes was able to 3D-print essential components to join diving masks to air filtration systems. DT Assistant Ray Perry 3D-printed straps that help ease the pressure of wearing face masks for extended periods of time. These were distributed to hospitals across the area. Both Alistair and Ray even took the printers home so they could keep the machines running almost ‘around the clock’ and in isolation. We applaud their efforts!

The Catering Team remained on site for the duration of the lockdown, providing packed lunches for key worker children attending the Lancing schools. The Team was also on hand to offer a support service (similar to ‘meals on wheels’) to local charity Age UK West Sussex: they cooked and delivered delicious meals, including cottage pies, roast dinners, sausages and mash, apple crumble and bread and butter pudding.

Lancing pupils have also kept busy during the lockdown to support their local community. Sankey’s House pupils Ava Strafford, Eryn Peskett and Olivia Corney made scrubs and face masks, which were gifted to the local hospital. Many other pupils have been fundraising and taking part in challenges; all money raised went in support to the NHS and local charities. Jess Emerson and Ross Belton gave up some of their time to cover staff absences and by providing admin support in their local GP surgery. Well done to all for your amazing efforts.

Steyning Grammar School pupils join in Enrichment Classes Over 80 Sixth Form pupils from Steyning Grammar School joined the College’s online enrichment programme during the last five weeks of the Summer Term.

Lancing pupils have benefited from a seamless and swift transition to online classes throughout the recent closure of all schools. As part of a unique programme to provide further enrichment to those preparing for university, Sixth Form pupils from SGS enrolled in a wide range of courses designed both to offer extension material relevant to their university courses, and to pique their wider intellectual curiosity. Over 40 topics were on offer to the 200 pupils from both schools, delivered live and recorded for pupils who were unable to access them on the day.

Commenting on the uptake from pupils, James Gardner-Martin, Head of Year 13 at SGS said: ‘I was delighted to see nearly a third of all our students joining in the Lancing programme. The feedback from those students has been universally positive. It’s been great to see our students interacting so fully with your wonderfully knowledgeable staff’. SGS pupils were equally enthusiastic, with one student commenting: ‘The Psychology course I attended couldn’t have been better, it really encouraged me to take Psychology alongside my Sociology course at university.’ Another student said: ‘The teachers from Lancing were super lovely and everyone was very welcoming. It was very enjoyable and did what I wanted it to do – which was something productive in lockdown other than watching TV all day!’ The Quad • Summer 2020 7