Sixth year students from Grangemouth High School are giving up free lessons to help with activities at neighbouring Inchyra nursery, which some of them used to attend. The 17- and 18-year-olds volunteer for a maximum of two school periods a week.
The local authority-run nursery and the high school are both involved in a cluster of settings connected through the New Community Schools initiative, which seeks to increase co-operative working between schools and other services.
Nursery manager Sandra Brown, who approached the school with the idea, said, 'As there are no male nursery staff and fewer male role models for children, we thought it would be really nice to have boys coming into the nursery. We've had an amazing response. It's made a real difference, especially with the nursery boys. It's encouraged them to go into the story corner and the girls to do woodwork.'
Ms Brown said it was important that the older boys should benefit from the experience. 'I think they take something from this when they go into the working world,' she said. Many of the boys had expressed surprise at what three- and four-year-old children were capable of, and one of them is even considering a career in early years.
Jonathan Graham, 17, has been going to the nursery for an hour every Wednesday since autumn term last year. He reads stories to the children and helps them to use the computer.
He said, 'I know it can be difficult for boys who don't always have a dad around. When I first went, I'd go to the reading section and a lot of boys would come over because they were so excited to see a bigger guy. Wherever we go they seem to flood round and want to be part of the crew.' He added, 'One of the wee boys was quite shy at first and didn't really know how to approach me, but now he's really gained confidence and is the first person to come up when I go.'
Volunteers also join in with musical activities. Jonathan said, 'One of the first times we went I played the piano and my friend Scott sang.'
Jonathan has found interacting with the children 'a great experience' and thinks his visits have helped his confidence. After he leaves school he hopes to study music at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.
