Local primary students learning computer coding at Whitgift School have shared their skills with the CEO of the John Whitgift Foundation.
Roisha Hughes’ visit marked six months since the Foundation assumed full funding responsibility for a programme between Whitgift School and local primary schools, which aims to increase access to Whitgift’s facilities and raise attainment and aspirations.
Launched in 2000, more than 25,000 children from 35 schools have taken part in the Primary Project, an enrichment programme in which pupils join lessons in computing, science, music and languages at Whitgift School.
The Foundation assumed funding at the start of the current school year. Since September 2025, 761 year five pupils from 20 primary schools in Croydon and the surrounding area have attended partnership events at Whitgift. Some have joined classes on subjects such as computing and maths, while others have taken part in swimming and hockey. Whitgift Sixth Form students have continued to support the programme by assisting visiting pupils in lessons and volunteering at local primary schools with reading, times-tables practice, and games.
Foundation CEO, Roisha Hughes, speaks with Andy Marlow, Whitgift School’s Director of Partnerships and Community
Whitgift School had previously funded staffing and equipment costs of around £140,000 per year for partnership events. The Foundation’s CEO, Roisha Hughes, said:
“Over the last 25 years, many thousands of children from local primary schools have spent a week immersed in lessons and other activities at Whitgift School. The Primary Project aims to inspire a passion for learning, as well as being enormous fun for the pupils who take part.
“Many of the pupils who attend enjoy learning opportunities they might not otherwise have access to. The children I met were incredibly enthusiastic about learning to code and looking forward to a week packed with new experiences.
“This is an important part of John Whitgift Foundation’s commitment to supporting education across Croydon, which is why funding for Whitgift’s partnership programme is now being provided in full by the Foundation. I would like to thank Whitgift School and teacher Laura Jones in particular, as she is integral to the success of this project.”
Selsdon Primary participates in the programme. Alexander Cousins, a Year 5 teacher from the school, said:
“The project has been brilliant for my class. All pupils got a lot out of the experience – especially the specialist teachers. They were exposed to new cultures alongside ways of thinking that elevated their understanding of core computing concepts.”
For more information on the Primary School Project, please email community@whitgift.co.uk
