Sixth form students take a break from their studies to provide company and interaction to Ascot care home residents. 

The Outreach programme which takes place between Charters Sixth Form School and Signature at Ascot Grange care home gives residents the opportunity to connect with students on a weekly basis.

The aim is to help build new relationships, learn and benefit from their unique experiences.

After several months of virtual meetings due to Covid, the school and care home residents are hopeful that they will soon be able to progress to in-person get togethers.

Discussing the Collaboration with Charters School Diana, a resident at Signature at Ascot Grange, said: “We are hoping to meet Charters’ students in person to chat about their school day, events that are going on, and to share with them what is happening at Ascot Grange.  We have had a lovely chat previously with them on screen - it was great fun whilst we all enjoyed our afternoon cup of tea and cake!”

Laura Davies, Activities Supervisor at Ascot Grange, said:

“It is so lovely for our residents to talk with Charters’ students and embrace this programme. Most of them are parents themselves and having that dialogue triggers happy memories for them in their family unit or indeed as children.

We talked about school uniforms, for example. Each resident discussed what they wore as children and all of the different colours that they wore. Residents and students laughed together and at each other- it was great fun for all involved and we are all now looking forward to being united in person.”

Charters secondary school has a longstanding relationship and ties to the award-winning care home. This Outreach programme is one of many collaborations that they have both benefitted from throughout the years.

Whilst adhering to COVID-19 Government guidelines, Signature at Ascot Grange has previously offered their facilities and cinema rooms to pupils of Charters School and offered to host the premier of Ascot Grange’s annual musical.

Regulations put that particular concert on hold, but they said that this did little to prevent the strengthening of the collaboration between the care home and the secondary school.