Vauxhall City Farm

Child holding a chicken

Vauxhall City Farm, in the heart of Lambeth, uses the setting of an urban farm to provide educational, recreational and therapeutic activities for children and families.

We are supporting its new after-school club for pupils from local schools.

Share

Vauxhall City Farm was established in 1977 and is one of the oldest and most central city farms in London. It uses the setting of an urban farm to provide educational, recreational and therapeutic activities for children, families and members of the local community.

It runs a schools programme as well as delivering fun holiday activities, personal development programmes and other recreational community learning opportunities, all focussed around nature, animals and life on the farm.

Our support

We supported VCF to establish a brand new after school club to provide engaging, out-of-school learning opportunities for children from low income backgrounds who were at risk of low educational achievement. Working closely with local schools, the after school club supported 45 children with regular curriculum-based tutoring sessions and bespoke wellbeing support.

45

children received year-round after school provision

80%

participants were in receipt of pupil premium support

1.5

average grade progression over one academic year

After School at VCF

As well as addressing educational attainment, the afterschool programme sought to support local children and families in Lambeth living through the pandemic in overcrowded housing and lacking access to green space. Covid-19 exacerbated many of these pre-existing inequalities, and despite the challenges of lockdowns, VCF was able to successfully deliver the programme throughout the academic year by a mixture of on-site and digital provision.

Success of the programme’s format, demand for the provision and the impact it promises means VCF are now working to scale the provision for the next academic year – when “catch up” support for those in need will be never more needed.

At a time when the risk of lost learning was so high, most children on the programme are on track to obtain an average grade progression of 1.5 over the academic year, 150% the national average expected progression.

We couldn't recommend the programme enough, it's been an utter life saver for us during the lockdown and made us realise how much it gives our daughter in terms of how positive she feels about learning and being confident to write.

Parent

Related