Our activities and their impact

Oval Learning is the support agency for schools in North Lambeth. We build capacity within schools and communities to maximise positive outcomes for young people.

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By trusting in local schools to do what they do best, we invest in a broad education, strong communities and an excellent start for all. Our focus is the additional, non statutory support for children’s wider development, which schools are well placed to host but are unable to deliver without additional resources. We help to create a fairer, healthier, happier society where every child is valued and will thrive.

We identify gaps, build networks and support schools as community hubs.

  • Facilitating enriching activities and experiences where children from different backgrounds learn and play together
  • Commissioning specialist support and therapies to meet individual needs
  • Organising mentoring and work experience and building social capital to help access jobs, training or independent living
  • Reaching beyond organisational barriers to focus efforts, avoid duplication and achieve best impact from limited resources
  • Sharing skills and ideas and building peer support networks for teachers and youth workers

This strengthens our community and improves opportunities for children.

  • Young people access varied creative, sporting and outdoor experiences, broad friendships and diverse networks
  • Children and families gain valuable skills, tools and resources to overcome barriers
  • Young people are better prepared to make the most of their education, build healthy relationships, play a positive role in society and live their best lives.
  • Local services and resources can more easily reach the people they intend to benefit
  • Schools work more effectively together and with other partners to deliver excellent education and opportunities for all

Every contribution you make can help us deliver life-changing opportunities and support to our young people in Lambeth.

  • Since 2013 we have awarded a number of grants to Oval Learning Cluster to boost the educational engagement and attainment of pupils from low income Lambeth households. We have been impressed with the professionalism and efficiency of Oval Learning in managing grants to support some of the most vulnerable families in ways that school staff, with a myriad of teaching and pastoral responsibilities, can struggle to do.

    Teresa Priest, Walcot Foundation

  • It has genuinely been great working in partnership with you. The engagement and enthusiasm of Oval Learning schools enriched and enabled the development of a fantastic libraries programme we're proud to be rolling out via more schools in Lambeth and across the country. Your support, local insight and infrastructure made the process really easy for National Literacy Trust to reach our target communities and make an impact.

    Fiona Evans, Head of School Programmes, National Literacy Trust

  • A massive thanks for your efforts – the schools who took part clearly loved the festival and as mentioned on the day, I have never been to an event that has been so well organised. Another huge thanks to your young leaders – they were all fantastic, showed great enthusiasm throughout the event and were a credit to you.

    Chris Evans, Badminton England

  • Oval Learning Cluster has been invaluable as a route into schools for local stakeholders who often find it difficult to navigate a fragmented education system... Oval Learning is focused and gets things done, works effectively in partnership with other charities, schools and community groups and has a positive impact on individuals and families in this area. Its projects offer clear and tangible benefit and this work has a positive impact on the community in and around densely populated wards in Lambeth where levels of poverty and deprivation and special needs are among the highest in the country.

    Jack Hopkins, Leader, Lambeth Council

  • The extra sessions were a really brilliant experience for mixing with other kids like him from different places and getting his brain going in a different way. Even though he was tired after school he really got a lot out of it and looked forward to going every week. Thanks.

    Parent, Walnut Tree Walk Primary School

  • Action Tutoring was delighted to work with you to pilot our programme in primary schools in 2016. Thank you for all your support and insight in helping us reach the children we aim to benefit, and for finding a replacement setting so speedily when one primary school had to drop out. We were pleased to see such an impact on English and Maths attainment and that Ofsted also commented on our work in Herbert Morrison's outstanding report. We're delighted that our partnerships in these schools continue to this day.

    Susannah Hardyman, Chief Executive, Action Tutoring

  • Our families who have received support via the hardship fund have been so grateful, it has made such a difference during a really difficult time. Having the fund has enabled some of our families to purchase school uniform for their children which has meant that their children have been able to return to school with confidence.

    Barbara Jones Henry, Pastoral Lead, Woodmansterne

  • We have been supporting their new science partnership this year, and are impressed with the existing skills and knowledge, energy, appetite and commitment of local teachers to make a difference for their communities. With the investment of additional time and resources I am confident that they could make an even bigger impact on including hundreds of children and families in the excitement of science in the world around us. The Ogden Trust is committed to working alongside Oval Learning for four years, supporting the teaching and learning of physics.

    Sonia Teruel, Ogden Trust

  • It's been a breath of fresh air working with Oval Learning and has opened my eyes to the varied and vital but often unseen roles that schools play in communities. Lucy expertly steers an effective and efficient operation with the ability to open doors to a highly connected network of schools, get results and help all of us make more difference on the ground. Her truly collaborative approach and positive "can-do" attitude means working with her and Oval Learning is a real pleasure.

    Will Nicholson, Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership

  • The Oval Learning Cluster has made a significant contribution to supporting children in our area for more than ten years. It has become a key element in linking primary, secondary and special schools to grow stronger together.

    Chris Toye, Executive Headteacher, the Wyvern Federation

  • [A] is attending school finally, thank you so much for all your time and personal effort and care helping and connecting to sort this. He is happy because he has friends now. Thank you again for your help, it has been invaluable.

    Gabriel, Playworker, Triangle Adventure Playground

  • Ovalhouse's participation programmes rely on a strong community network to engage new young people and audiences, so we're proud to have Oval Learning ​as a partner and neighbour. Grateful for all your efforts linking artists and theatres with schools and helping young people to access and engage with the creative arts to build skills and confidence for life.

    Titilola Dawudu, Ovalhouse Theatre

  • As a foundation delivering place-based programmes on complex health issues, we seek partners who are able to nudge, organise, collaborate and deliver across the system. Oval Learning help us engage with clusters of schools in Lambeth who can operate as well-connected hubs for children, families and communities and have a vital role to play in promoting health and wellbeing with children and families in their school communities.

    Becka Sunter, Programme Manager, Guy’s and St Thomas' Charity

  • Oval Learning has been crucial to helping us develop the capacity to deliver relevant heritage education work that benefits local schools and families. They have the expertise and experience that we needed and also the connections into schools that it would have taken us years to grow.

    Janet Currier, Van Gogh House

The challenges and opportunities in our community

The challenges in our area:

  • Three quarters of pupils in our area live in poverty; levels of income deprivation affecting children are in the top quintile (England Index of Multiple Deprivation 2019)
  • Most don’t speak standard English as their first language.
  • Many face complex health and social issues including mental and physical illness, special needs and disability, communication difficulties and crowded temporary housing.
  • Cuts to public funding force a struggle for families and professionals to access resources needed to help every child reach their potential.
  • This is a densely populated urban area featuring extremes of wealth and poverty. High levels of crime, air pollution and road traffic injuries contribute to a location in the worst decile for living environment (England Indices of Multiple Deprivation 2019)

The opportunities:

  • Trusted school adults interact with children daily and play a holistic role in developing and supporting them and their families.
  • Schools can influence cultural and environmental norms, provide meals and structure, broker additional support, stimulate independence and broaden horizons.
  • Our vibrant, diverse and open community includes thousands of children bursting with potential as well as hundreds of skilled and dedicated professionals and energetic parents and volunteers.
  • We are centrally located in a world class city with excellent services, opportunities and resources on our doorstep. We can connect these assets where they can make most difference.

Every contribution you make can help us deliver life-changing opportunities and support to our young people in Lambeth.