Pupils at Hermitage Park Primary in Leith are continuing their lessons from home, thanks to the Hibernian Community Foundation’s donations of multi-purpose lap desks.
Hibs have a long and proud tradition of working to support local communities and the creation of the Hibernian Community Foundation as an independent charity in 2008 signalled a clear commitment to step up the efforts to have wider scope and greater impact.
After being approached by the school, the Foundation were quick to respond
Depute Head Teacher Lisa Black says, “Hermitage Park Primary is a Hibernian community foundation partner school. The foundation is keen to help us remove any barriers to learning our pupils may face. When I approached them to share my concern that many of our pupils did not have a desk space for home learning, they were keen to help”.
Lisa Black was troubled by survey findings from ‘The second wave of the Understanding Society COVID-19 survey’. “I read that over 30% of children lived in homes that did not have enough desk space for them to undertake home learning. This percentage increases to almost 40% for children living in low income households”.
“Many of our pupils were working from their bed. Whilst this is not ideal, the lap desks give them a hard surface on which to work. This has benefits for their learning as well as their physical health promoting better posture” continued Lisa Black. “It also tackles the issue of overcrowded homes as pupils can carry their desk to any convenient spot and work at a place which suits them”.
They are already proving a hit with pupils who say their home learning has improved since getting a lap desk. “My handwriting is better because I have something to lean on” says P6 pupil Brandyn.
“I like the pockets as I can organise myself and that makes me feel less stressed” says Jenna P7. While P7 Abdul’s mum is a fan because he says, “I don’t leave all my work scattered on the floor”.
“We appreciate the challenges families face when undertaking home learning. This helps us to improve the physical environment for our pupils and we are grateful to Hibernian community foundation for their continued support” concluded Lisa Black.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
