ISSP

City of York Independent/ State School Partnership (ISSP)

York’s Independent/State School Partnership continues to thrive and is hugely popular – and a beacon for other schools wishing to set up similar models. The partnership offers opportunities for secondary school-aged pupils of York outside the normal school curriculum. Staff and students from St Peter’s were heavily involved yet again this year in the plethora of events.

ISSP MASTERCLASSES

St Peter’s hosted the annual York ISSP Masterclasses once again this year. 160 pupils from across York came along to study a programme of Masterclasses in Art, Music, Zines, Science and IT.

ISSP GCSE LATIN

Caron Downes (Head of Classics) continues to teach the everpopular ISSP Latin course to pupils from schools across York. This superb venture sees ISSP offer Latin GCSE to pupils whose schools do not deliver the subject themselves. Third Form pupils are selected from the eight state schools in the ISSP to take part in the two-year course, during which they learn five years’ worth of Latin in just two years, achieving a GCSE qualification at the end of the fourth year.

ISSP DEBATE CLUB

Our very own Head of Debating, Laura-Louise Pearson, set up this hugely popular club this year, which saw an abundance of pupils from across York heading to St Peter’s every week to join in with debates and to work with staff and students from York University.

ISSP GCSE ASTRONOMY

GCSE Astronomy has grown in popularity yet again and we have classes running at both Bootham and St Peter’s. Thanks again to all staff (especially the three members of St Peter’s staff) who give up their time to take these classes every week.

THE MATHS EXCELLENCE CLUB

Continues to run at York University. It was lovely to see pupils from the Third Form at St Peter’s involved in these classes yet again.

ISSP ‘BREAKTHROUGH’

This annual event, held here at St Peter’s School, is aimed to attract students who had no previous link to ISSP courses and who might not have put themselves forward without encouragement. Teachers from a range of schools (including a number of St Peter’s Staff) gave mini lectures on breakthrough events such as the discovery of fire through to the invention of numbers. The students then discussed these on their tables and were set various challenges and questions. The sound of the students deep in discussion and the sight of them engaged with each other was a wonderfully satisfying experience for all involved.

ISSP SUMMER SCHOOL

This is now so popular that ISSP have had to add new classes and have opened the door to years 12-13. Again this year saw a number of St Peter’s staff (already one week into their summer holidays) taking on this one-week intensive course, offering an array of classes from Science to Classics and beyond.

Thank you to all staff involved at St Peter’s in making this such a successful year of ISSP involvement at St Peter’s. ISSP York grows from strength to strength each year and is valuable in offering these great opportunities for our students, to not only develop their knowledge outside of the classroom but also in inspiring and enthusing them with the love of learning. We look forward to whatever next year may bring!

Mrs Ella Mallard