We have developed an inspiring new programme, Represent, designed for girls aged 11 to 14 in alternative provision. The programme is suitable for mainstream secondary schools and alternative provision settings to support girls and young women who have been excluded from, or who are at risk of being excluded from, mainstream education.
Thanks to generous funding support from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), we are able to offer Represent to such settings for free. With 126 educational settings signed up for the summer 2022 delivery we will be able to reach over 1,200 pupils this intake.
Building on our existing work in alternative provision settings, Game Changers, this bespoke new programme focuses specifically on supporting girls and young women, though it can also be delivered to mixed groups. The content in this 10-session programme will raise issues that particularly affect girls who have been or who are at risk of being excluded.
Represent uses selected texts and interesting activities (including scaffolded comprehension and oracy) to engage students in discussion about the stories shared, deepen their understanding of the key messages in the text and support literacy skills development. We have received an overwhelmingly positive response from teachers who have attended the programme training so far.
We have developed this programme to enable teachers, teaching assistants and sports coaches from football club foundations to deliver the sessions effectively, through providing training that covers programme delivery and CPD to support meaningful student discussion. Represent is being rolled out for the summer 2022 term, with new resources to be provided for autumn term 2022 and spring term 2023.
You can find out more and register your interest to deliver this programme from autumn term 2022 on our Represent programme page.
Discover more CPD opportunities for teachers.
"We are delighted to be able to offer the Represent programme to schools and alternative provision settings. This programme will help to improve girls’ communication and literacy skills, resilience, sense of wellbeing and increase their understanding of how to form positive relationships.
We understand that young people who have been or might be excluded often feel the effect of exclusion deeply. Through meaningful discussion and positive activities, Represent can help girls and young women discover the benefits of learning, make them feel valued and included and provide them with life skills essential for reaching their full potential."
Jim Sells, Programme Manager for Sport and Literacy