ROOTED IN THE CAMBRIDGE COMMUNITY FOR OVER FOUR CENTURIES

Community Engagement and Partnerships

At The Perse, we believe education should extend beyond the boundaries of our own school. Through our outreach and community engagement programme, pupils and staff work alongside schools, charities and community organisations in Cambridge and beyond, sharing knowledge, skills and opportunities and learning from the people and communities with whom we work.

Our partnerships are built around long-term relationships rather than one-off activities. They provide valuable opportunities for young people across our community, while encouraging Perse pupils to develop responsibility, empathy and an understanding of the contribution they can make to the world around them.

“Leaders provide a variety of opportunities for pupils to contribute to the lives of others, both within the school and in the wider community.

ISI inspection Report 2026

Working with local schools

We have established partnerships with more than 20 local primary schools, with around 200 Perse pupils involved as mentors and volunteers.

These partnerships enable younger pupils to experience activities across science, computing, languages, music, sport and art. Projects have included funded music lessons at Fen Ditton Primary School, after-school clubs with the Queens’ Federation and weekly hockey coaching across local schools, alongside mentoring and subject-based activities led by Perse pupils.

Our partnerships extend into secondary and further education too. We work with other educational institutions to share expertise and opportunities, including supporting students at Long Road Sixth Form College with university applications and Oxbridge guidance, and developing curriculum partnerships with Pilgrim Pathways School.

At the heart of these relationships is a belief that partnership should be mutually enriching, bringing young people together to share ideas, experiences and enthusiasm for learning.

Our partnerships in action

Projects have included:

  • Maths mentoring, supporting 100 children at local primary schools
  • Music, including funding group music lessons at Fen Ditton Primary School
  • Academic enrichment, with after-school clubs at Queens’ Federation schools
  • Computing, with computer science teaching in local primary schools
  • STEM, including projects with The Galfrid School and Bewick Bridge Primary School
  • Sport, with weekly hockey coaching for children from 10 local schools

Community involvement at Sixth Form

Community engagement is an important part of Sixth Form life at The Perse. Pupils have dedicated time within their enrichment programme to contribute to the wider community, putting their interests, knowledge and skills to use in ways that can benefit others.

A significant part of this activity takes place within our local school partnerships. Sixth Form pupils mentor younger children, including supporting primary pupils with maths and helping them to build confidence in their learning.

Through experiences like these, Perse pupils put their own learning into practice while developing leadership, communication, empathy and social responsibility.

Giving and volunteering

Our community engagement extends beyond educational partnerships. Pupils and staff support a wide range of charitable organisations and causes, locally, nationally and internationally, through fundraising, volunteering and other activities.

Our community has supported organisations including Emmaus, Link to Hope and Power2Inspire, alongside national campaigns such as Children in Need and Red Nose Day.

Charitable activity is not simply about raising money. It provides opportunities for pupils to understand issues affecting others, take practical action and recognise their own responsibility towards the communities of which they are part.

Sharing knowledge beyond Cambridge

Our outlook is also international. Through our relationship with Christel House, we have supported communities overseas through fundraising and the sharing of educational expertise.

These relationships encourage pupils to look beyond their immediate surroundings, understand different experiences and recognise the value of collaboration across communities and cultures.

Christel House

Our community relationships also extend beyond Cambridge.

The Perse has a relationship with Christel House, supporting its work with communities overseas through fundraising and the sharing of educational expertise. It is an important example of how our approach to partnership can combine practical support with the sharing of knowledge and experience.

International relationships such as this encourage pupils to look beyond their immediate surroundings, engage with different experiences and recognise the importance of collaboration across communities and cultures.

Part of our education

Community engagement is not an addition to education at The Perse. It is part of how we encourage pupils to become thoughtful, engaged and responsible young people.

Whether mentoring a younger pupil, volunteering, raising funds or sharing a particular skill, pupils can see first-hand the difference that individuals and organisations can make when they work together.

Our aim is to build meaningful, sustainable relationships that benefit our partners and our pupils, while contributing positively to the wider community.