A group of Year 11 students experienced the other side of the classroom when they ran a summer school for new Year 7 pupils.

Forty Thomas Clarkson Academy students ran the two-week Harmony summer camp together with Human Utopia, a social enterprise that has been working with students at the academy since last September.

As part of the camp students delivered sessions to help the new pupils bond with each other and prepare themselves for the next phase of academic life after primary school.

Year 11 student Suki Sagoo said: “The harmony camp was a great experience as we all worked well as a team. The younger students were brilliant and I am so proud of what we achieved.”

Principal Clare Claxton said: “The work of Human Utopia is difficult to describe but as soon as you see it in action you realise its power.

“The initial training run jointly with TCA and Human Utopia staff helps students reshape their thinking about themselves and their futures.

“The next stage is to train them to work with younger students – that’s how 40 Year 11 students came to be running the TCA summer school with the adults sitting in the background, watching and offering advice to the student leaders - what an amazing transformation.

“In turn, more confident young people become more successful learners.”