Louise Da-Cocodia Supplementary School

Louise Da-Cocodia was a major driving force behind the establishment of our organisation and we continue to hold many events in her honour.  In this newsletter, we want to tell you more about the Louise Da-Cocodia Supplementary School which is a Saturday school providing a unique and creative curriculum for black and ethnic minority (BME) pupils. 

The Saturday school accommodates up to 60 pupils and takes place at St Mary’s Primary School in Moss Side.  Whilst the morning sessions provide children with engaging learning opportunities in the core subjects including English, maths and science, the afternoon sessions provide a range of creative and physical activities, including art, sport, drama and dance. Every day ends with a 30-minute session aimed at encouraging children to develop their self-reflection and personal development skills.

An integral part of the curriculum is personal and cultural history to allow pupils to develop a deeper understanding of their culture and how they fit in the world. The school also provides homework support and 11+ tuition for parents wishing to pursue grammar school options. 

Cariocca funded research

The Saturday School was established in response to the Cariocca Education Trust funded PhD 2005 research on “Understanding the educational needs of African–Caribbean young men and developing pathways for action”.  The research focused on the persistent academic under-attainment, school failure and the disproportionate number of school exclusions among African-Caribbean heritage pupils and in particular, boys.  Based on the findings of this study, in 2007/8 the Trust was awarded £80,000 from BBC Children in Need to establish and develop the existing Louise Da-Cocodia Saturday Supplementary School.

The school aims to extend day-time and after-school provisions for young people, particularly those of African-Caribbean heritage who have been excluded or are at risk of
exclusion from school.   Ultimately the ‘dream’ is to create a learning institution based on the principles of (REAP) Resilience, Excellence, Achievements and Performance.

Support for BME Families

The vision for BME families is to see them feeling supported and knowledgeable about the systems and processes of mainstream school and to be confident to support their children at home and maximise their child’s learning and personal development. 

The Vision for the Future

The vision for the school is to become a hub of educational excellence, serving the needs of the local community. The school aims to help pupils achieve their full potential both academically and pastorally, ensuring they are fully equipped with the life skills required to succeed in the world of work and enterprise.  This includes providing a range of opportunities to help them raise their aspirations through talks and workshops and visits to universities, the arts, museums and theatres.

The vision for the school is to become a hub of educational excellence, serving the needs of the local community. The school aims to help pupils achieve their full potential both academically and pastorally, ensuring they are fully equipped with the life skills required to succeed in the world of work and enterprise.  This includes providing a range of opportunities to help them raise their aspirations through talks and workshops and visits to universities, the arts, museums and theatres.

Over the next three years, staff and volunteers will continue to be supported and nurtured to help them achieve their potential. Not only will they develop professionally, but also personally, to ensure they develop the interpersonal skills needed in the workplace.

The ultimate dream is to establish an educational provision that will equip BME pupils with the skills required to succeed when mainstream education fails them.  The school wants to provide pupils with a curriculum that meets their needs and gives them the opportunities to grow into fully functional adults, who contribute positively to society.

The school is confident they can achieve their vision by focusing on securing funding, finding support to fund suitable premises, increasing support from local community groups, schools and local authorities and establishing business support to help promote the school in the community.