Primary Outreach

At Sir Thomas Rich’s School, we are passionate about supporting our local community. We currently collaborate with many of our local primary schools and aim to improve our local links by offering activities and learning opportunities across a variety of subjects.

If your primary school would like to collaborate with Sir Thomas Rich’s School and you are not currently part of our mailing list, please email our co-ordinator for Primary Outreach, Mrs Ellen Holt (efh@strs.org.uk), to hear more about our outreach offers.

We have a long-established relationship with local primary school science leads, and our most recent work has included inviting students and staff in to take part in scientific experiment workshops at Rich’s. Seven of our local primary schools have benefitted from bringing Year 5 students to the School on a Wednesday afternoon, where students have had the opportunity to enjoy one of the following sessions of their choice, supported by our Science Department and Sixth Form mentors studying A Level Biology, Chemistry and Physics. The workshops have included the following topics:

Separating Salt from Rock Salt

Crushing rock salt, dissolving, filtering, and evaporating using Bunsen burners.

Reversible and Irreversible Changes

Various demos and a burning investigation for students using Bunsen burners.

Levers, Pulleys and Gears

A variety of hands-on activities to investigate smaller forces having a greater effect.

Pond Dipping and Bug Hunting

Using the wildlife area in the School grounds and pond to investigate biodiversity and various life cycles.

A team of 12 of our Year 9 Modern Foreign Language students, who are keen linguists, have been working as Language Ambassadors by visiting local primary schools to support students with their French and German studies. Below is an excerpt from Elmbridge Primary School’s newsletter regarding the work our Language Ambassadors have done with their Year 3 and 4 students:

“In the last few weeks, Year 3 and 4 have been incredibly lucky to continue our links with Sir Thomas Rich’s School (STRS) with visits from their Year 9 Language Ambassadors to inspire our children to enjoy learning other language. The STRS Language Ambassadors taught French and German in both year groups. Special thanks to Mrs Khokher, Mrs Testoni-Ranken and Mrs Ferguson from STRS for encouraging the STRS boys to support language teaching in local schools. We now look forward to our French language play from Onatti Theatre on Tuesday 28th February.”

Last July we welcomed 120 Year 4 students from local primary schools to compete in a Football Tournament day hosted at Rich’s. The students enjoyed a great day, with the Longlevens Junior School A Team emerging victorious. Our PE Department set up an excellent day for the local primaries, helped by students in Year 9 who will be taking GCSE PE next year. All the primary schools took part in several matches, with everyone receiving a certificate at the end, and of course Longlevens also had a trophy to take away with them for their efforts. Well done to all the students and schools who took part, we hope to welcome them back (and any other primaries who wish to take part) next year.

We offer CPD sessions to primary staff in our local schools across a range of subjects; currently, our staff offer workshops in the summer term for Design & Technology and Science. If you are interested in attending, please email:

  • D&T – Head of Department, Mr Chris Bream (cdb@strs.org.uk) - Summer term
  • Science – Primary Science Lead, Mrs Joy Mee (jkm@strs.org.uk) - Summer term
  • English (with a focus on Shakespeare) - Shakespeare Lead, Mr Robin Parker (rcp@strs.org.uk) - Autumn term

Sir Thomas Rich’s are delighted to have launched a new initiative in 2025-26: Body Beats — a termly music programme led by our Head of Music, Pauline Jones (pyj@strs.org.uk).

The programme consists of three one-hour sessions delivered on Tuesday afternoons.

Body Beats Programme Overview

Session 1 – Understanding Sound Exploring pulse, rhythm, sonority and ensemble work through body percussion performance, ‘rhythmonics’ and score reading. As well as musical development Body Beats promotes ‘creative exercise’, developing co-ordination and promoting well -being. These sessions are completely accessible, requiring no expensive musical equipment.

Session 2 – Composition Developing creative ideas, musical structure using ‘rhythmonics’ and score writing. Composing our own body percussion ‘Theme and Variation’ including use of movement and choreography. This session may include use of music technology if delivered at STRS.

Session 3 – Rehearse and Refine Bringing together learning for a final performance. Rehearsal and revision. Performing body percussion ensemble pieces and own compositions.

We greatly enjoy working with GSSN (Gloucester School Sports Network) to host additional primary sporting events; earlier in the year we hosted an event to promote girls' basketball. Over 100 girls took part from local primary schools, supported by our Year 10 PE pupils. The pupils worked on a variety of skills and drills, looking at their defence, shooting, dribbling and passing, and were rewarded with a certificate for their efforts. If your primary school is interested in taking part in our sporting events, please contact our GSSN contact Cheryl Stennett (cs@gssn.co.uk), our primary outreach lead Ellen Holt (efh@strs.org.uk) or our Head of PE & Games Jamie Payne (jnp@strs.org.uk).

Shaping Futures is our primary school Widening Access programme that supports students who are eligible for the Pupil Premium grant. The Shaping Futures Programme works in partnership with Atom Learning to further equal opportunities and nurture the aspirations of local, able Pupil Premium primary students in Year 4 and Year 5 so that they reach their full future potential; be that within or beyond a grammar school.

Our aim is to provide:

-A wide variety of enrichment activities and opportunities using our facilities – this year students have enjoyed many activities, such as baking in Food Technology, creating products in Art, and tent building and bush craft with our Duke of Edinburgh manager.

-Support with the KS2 curriculum and 11+ Content – even if students do not wish to access a grammar school place, this still supports the KS2 English and Maths that they are studying.

-One to one support from a sixth form mentor who stays with them throughout the program.

-Support and guidance for parents if they wish to apply for a grammar place.

Please click here Widening Access • Sir Thomas Rich's School to find out more information about the programme.