“Support for schools is out there, and we want to help you find the enrichment offer that is right for you” Delight CEO, Kathryn Mills.
One of the many fantastic things about my work at Delight is getting to visit our partner schools and hear directly from headteachers and teachers about the day-to-day running of their schools and how they support the children they care for. Delight provides a listening ear for staff and school leaders, and we turn that listening into action through our programmes.
If schools are telling us that attendance is down, we look at how we can make our programmes even more joyful and exciting so that children want to come to school on a ‘Delight day’. We’ve seen repeatedly how this can inspire a child to engage with their day-to-day learning beyond a Delight programme. If we hear that some children are struggling with changes to routines and expectations within the school day, we produce ‘social stories’ to accompany a Delight programme that will help them know what to expect, enabling them to access the experience on an equal footing to their peers.
What’s hard to hear is when a school is struggling, whether due to staff retention or absences, budget constraints, or other issues, and they want to embed a creative culture in their school. We often hear from headteachers who simply do not know where to turn to find support. This is where Delight comes in. We can point schools in the right direction to find an organisation that provides what they need.
We know that all schools have different priorities. Some will be looking for the kinds of enriching creative opportunities that Delight offers through its programmes, but others need enriching opportunities that we can’t provide, whether that’s championing reading for pleasure or enhancing music provision. Through our newsletters, Delight signposts charities that are offering brilliant opportunities for schools to enrich their curriculum. Often these organisations provide support at substantially subsidised rates or for free to schools; meaning schools can access services worth thousands for a fraction of the real cost.
There is so much out there and Delight is proud to be able to guide schools in finding the creative provision they need. So, whether you’re looking for funding for new music equipment or financial assistance to take your Year 6 children on a theatre trip this year, we can help you navigate the charity sector landscape.
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