The Mazzini Garibaldi Charitable Foundation
Heartlands High School, part of HCT, is situated in North London in an area of high social and economic deprivation from which the students are drawn.
One of the teachers, Kieran Gates, started a Classical Civilisation GCSE, which proved very popular. After this, he gave a talk to the Supreme Court about his experience of setting up the subject for students who would normally not even know what it covers. He wanted to take 32 students on a trip to Rome to see the classical sites there, plus taking a trip to Pompeii and Herculaneum. The trip was intended to inspire students and provide some awe and wonder in their learning. Trips like these are vital for students to see these fascinating and globally important sites and to broaden their experience and lift their aspirations.
The Heartlands High School students often suffer from financial hardship and experience emotional and spiritual deprivation which their more fortunate peers
generally do not. Heartlands High School wanted students to continue their classical studies, as studying classics has been found to help across the curriculum. Trips such as these also improve behaviour, as the students realise there are ways to broaden their life opportunities.
Through requesting funding for this trip, Heartlands High School wished to:
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Inspire students to continue their classical studies hopefully into tertiary education.
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Raise their aspirations for their life opportunities.
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Build interest amongst them to start learning Latin.
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Allow them to see for themselves the places they are studying to aid their learning and improve their GCSE grades.
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Improve behaviour.
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Increase the students interest in associated subjects.
Funding from MGF totalled £5,000.00, and was used to cover expenditures incurred in organising the trip for 32 students.