St John’s Sixth Form Students Support Younger Learners Through New LSA Scheme

Students at St John’s Sixth Form in Bishop Auckland are taking on a valuable new role within the school community through a Learning Support Assistant (LSA) scheme developed in partnership with SENDCO Kathleen Noon.

While St John’s Sixth Form is proud of its distinct identity and dedicated sixth form experience, it also recognises the importance of contributing to the wider school community. The new LSA scheme provides Year 12 students with a unique opportunity to support younger pupils while gaining meaningful workplace experience.

Thirteen Year 12 students have volunteered to use their Non-Curriculum Friday time to help develop literacy and numeracy confidence among younger students. The sixth formers will work across a range of subjects, including PE, Maths, English, History, Science, RE and Art, providing additional encouragement and support to pupils who need it most.

The initiative allows students to develop important communication, teamwork and professional skills while experiencing what it is like to work alongside teaching and support staff in a school environment. It also gives them the opportunity to make a positive difference to the learning experiences of younger members of the St John’s community.

The LSA scheme complements the successful Aspiring Teachers Programme, led by Jo Somers, which has been running at St John’s for a number of years. However, the new programme is open to a wider range of students and is not limited to those considering a future career in teaching.

By working with both adults and younger pupils, participating students can gain practical experience that will benefit them in a variety of future career paths. The scheme reflects St John’s Sixth Form’s commitment to providing enriching opportunities beyond the classroom while strengthening connections across the wider school community.

As the programme begins, the Year 12 students involved are looking forward to supporting younger learners, building confidence in key skills and gaining valuable real-world experience that will help prepare them for the future.