Our partnerships | Habs Girls

The Partnerships Programme at Habs is one of the things we are most proud of at Habs, and it forms a crucial part of the unique offering of a Habs education.

Our mission is to enable our students to have a profound impact in the world. Our partnerships work takes this instruction literally: every single week, as part of a programme which trains, guides and supports them, we put our students into the wider world and enable them to have a profound impact.

Partnerships sessions are led by our brilliant team of 371 Habs students in Years 10 to 13, as well as dozens of members of staff. 1400 partner school students come to Habs to learn – or have Habs come to them – every week, building their skills in Maths, English, Science, swimming, modern languages, art, outdoor education, robotics, and a host of other subjects.

For Habs students, partnerships work is part of their life at school, not volunteering or community service. Through working on the programme, they build the resilience, leadership and communication skills they need to thrive in the modern world; in doing so, they also provide crucial learning opportunities for the partner school students they work with.

Our students also love and value the work for its own sake: for the genuine, lasting, trusting relationships they build with partner school students; for the difference they so clearly make in their week; for the extraordinary learning opportunities they provide.

[It offered] experiences and lessons which made it one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my entire time at Haberdashers’. Never before have I had the opportunity to motivate, inspire and act as a role model for younger children whilst teaching a subject I am passionate about. It has allowed me to grow as a leader, forced me to be a quick, adaptive thinker and have a genuine appreciation and reflection on how to make children interested in ideas.

Nathan, Habs L6 student

It feels like I’ve gained so much more than I’ve given! It’s taught me so much: ways to encourage and engage with children, the importance of being prepared and communicating well as a team, how to be flexible when things inevitably go “off-script” – these are all valuable lessons gained with hands-on experience which no amount of training could’ve taught.

Jana, Habs U6 student

When I first understood the purpose of the Partnership Program, I was under the impression that I would be the one teaching and helping the children with their reading. However, after spending 3 months with the children I realise they have also taught me important values that I will remember forever.

Naadiya, Habs L6 student

How do we work?

We work closely with five local partner schools. Each of these partner schools are primary schools in the local area, many with high levels of disadvantage.
In partnership with these schools, we run fifty-two educational sessions every week, covering a broad range of curricular and co-curricular subjects (see map of provision for 2024-25)
Sessions are co-designed with partner schools to:
- Support and enhance the partner schools’ curricular and co-curricular offer;
- Support and enhance the development of Habs students’ leadership and communication skills, and social and cultural education.
Each session is led by or supported by a group of specially trained Habs students.
In 2024-25, 371 Habs students in Year 10 to Year 13 take part in partnerships activities every week.
A community partnerships programme is in development, to be rolled out in 2025-26. This will involve around 200 more of our students every week, as well as parents and alumni.

Civic Award Winner 2022 / 2023

Students of all backgrounds learn about the world around them and how everyone is different, to value such differences and appreciate them. [Habs and Cowley Hill students] get new experiences and resilience to changing situations and opportunities. Specialist teaching eg French, swimming, outdoor education - this expertise enriches our curriculum offer.

Louise Thomas, Headteacher of Cowley Hill

We see really positive engagement from our children, sessions are enjoyable and they look forward to them. HABS children get to experience a wider social community and socio-economic backgrounds. How Wood pupils experience specialist instruction which is invaluable in terms of applying key skills.

Cynthia Rowe, Headteacher of How Wood

We got involved to widen the children’s experiences and ignite new passions. We believe in bringing learning to life, and we work with Habs to make that happen. The afterschool clubs they run are particularly popular and have a huge waiting list.

Davinia Leggett, Headteacher of Fair Field