Partnerships

Last year, every week of the school term, over 350 children took part in an outreach event organised by Dauntsey’s, be that out on the sports pitches, in the science lab or elsewhere around the site. Our partnerships are an important part of Dauntsey's life and we are continually looking to grow and expand on what we are doing.

Thinking about others is part of the culture at Dauntsey’s, where kindness and compassion really matter. It is encouraged in many ways, in assemblies and services and through the work of our Chaplain and, at a practical level, through our House system and in our support for the year’s nominated charity. Pupils raise money through their own initiative and volunteer in our local community; staff offer skills sessions in sport, dance and language teaching in local primary schools, while we share our facilities with our local community throughout the school year. An awareness of the world around and a desire to serve others are hallmarks of a Dauntsey’s education
Mark Lascelles, Head Master

Our goal is to make a positive contribution to our local community and to really involve our own pupils in this endeavour. We want to offer opportunities for the wider community to use, and benefit from, our facilities, while also fostering relationships with many partner organisations.

Many of our programmes have run for decades, but we are always looking for ways to extend and develop outreach so that we can offer something for everyone.

Gay Butterworth, Head of Partnerships

Outreach Programmes

Sport Outreach

A key aspect of our outreach programme is our regular sports coaching which has been running for some fifteen years. To boost primary schools’ PE provision, we visit eight local schools for weekly training sessions, practice drills and games for pupils of all abilities. Each term, we focus on a different sport – hockey, netball and kwik cricket – and then hold a festival where all schools compete against each other. It’s always a big event and a number of our Sixth Form help with umpiring and organisation.

We also are involved in a number of different partnerships with local schools and sports organisations, whereby we work to organise coaching, training events and competitions. For example, we hold an annual Mid Wilts Primary School KS2 Dance Festival, where schools choreograph a routine and then spend the afternoon at Dauntsey’s preparing for an evening performance in the Memorial Hall - in the past we have had 250 pupils from 12 schools participating.

On an ongoing basis, local schools and clubs can take advantage of our all-weather Astroturf pitches and swimming pool. Four schools and nine local organisations are currently using these facilities.

Adventure Outreach

Dauntsey’s is lucky to have a 150-acre campus with woodland and open spaces - perfect for adventure. We regularly host groups at The Manor for den building and campfires as well as orienteering. We have also previously hosted the Mid Wilts Orienteering Event.

We also run a programme for disabled children and other groups to take to the high seas on board Jolie Brise which makes for a truly memorable adventure.

An afternoon of fantastic fun activities in the woods! The favourite was the sausages cooked on the open fire! Would love to come again next year!

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths and More)

For the last 15 years we have run a Design Technology outreach programme for local primary schools. Year Six pupils are able to come in and use our computer aided design (CAD) and computer aided manufacturing (CAM) kit to build a clock which they are able to take home with them. Not only is this a memorable day, but it also helps schools to fulfil some of their national curriculum requirements.

In addition, we share our facilities and expertise in a Science Week which enables local children to run experiments and become ‘mini scientists’ for the day.

Our annual Dodecahedron Mathematics Competition has been running for more than thirty years. The competition has recently been re-vamped to focus on local primary schools. The competition involves ten to twelve teams of four Year 6 pupils from each primary school and gives them the opportunity to stretch themselves beyond the normal maths curriculum, working as a team to solve various challenges. In addition, each summer the Mathematics Department runs a number of roadshow events at local primary schools, with the aim of generating enthusiasm and excitement through solving interesting problems.

Being able to tap into resources and staff expertise at Dauntsey’s has made for a very memorable few days and has really helped us to ignite a passion for science in our pupils.
Phillippa Winbolt, Head Teacher, Daps Primary School, Wiltshire

Events at Dauntsey's

Throughout the year we open our doors to the community, in particular to our wonderful drama and music performances. Our Memorial Hall is one of the largest venues in Wiltshire, with a capacity of some 900 people, and a highlight of the year is our Christmas musical, which brings in more than 2,500 visitors over its five-night run. Depending on the production, we sometimes invite children from local primary schools for behind-the-scenes tours and smaller, taster performances as well.

There is also our weekly Choral Society, open to parents, teachers and locals, who perform pieces at our Autumn and Spring concerts.

Our Mercers’ Lectures are hugely popular free events that give local people the chance to listen to a varied and interesting range of world-class speakers. We receive such positive feedback from local people who love coming to these events. Recent speakers include Ant Middleton, Steve Backshall, Lucy Worsley and Dr Bettany Hughes.

Community Service

Pupils are encouraged to get involved in community service. Some join in as part of their Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award or our sports leadership programme, but many volunteer simply because they want to make a difference.

One of the options they find most rewarding is visiting local primary schools to listen to the children reading and help the teacher through our Voluntary Service Unit (VSU). VSU placements, which change each term, also include helping out in charity shops and local retirement homes.

I have loved getting to know all the children in the class that I help with. It is so rewarding to see their progress even in the short time I am there. Every week, I look forward to it more.
Amelia, Sixth Former

Charity Programmes

Dauntsey’s was founded with a charitable gift 450 years ago and in just the past decade we have raised more than £350,000 for good causes both in the UK and overseas.

This charitable activity feeds into the Complementary Curriculum whose mission is to “foster the development of integrity, honesty, fairness, sensitivity, generosity, commitment, compassion and respect for self and others in the local community and further afield.” The result is a wider perspective on life and a realisation that even small actions and decisions can affect others for the better.

Our annual charity fundraising programme involves all the pupils who start by choosing a charity to support. This alternates each year between UK and international causes, with each of the twelve houses running events to raise money.

Pupils also raise money through sponsorship for events such as the Devizes to Westminster canoe race, a 24-hour runathon on a course through the school grounds.

An important aspect of our charity work is our long-standing commitment to a Romanian Orphanage. For pupils in the Lower Sixth, there is an opportunity to travel to Romania to help at the Nightingales Children’s Project. A group of about 20 students spends a week with street children in the town of Cernavoda, playing games, dancing, organising art and craft sessions and helping with infrastructure projects, which have included building a playground. The trip is so popular that we receive nearly two applications for every place.

The pupils really get behind our chosen charity each year and are very creative with their fundraising activities. They have come up with everything from the sale of bacon butties to a lip-sync contest and an annual boules competition.

Jane Hubbard, Head Of Charities

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