King James I Academy works closely with The Key as part of our personal development programme. All students at King James I Academy have the opportunity to join in with a Key project if they would like to.

The Key is a charity committed to inspiring young people to believe in themselves, especially those growing up in poverty and those facing challenging circumstances. Their vision is for young people to believe in themselves, unlock their potential and lead connected and fulfilling lives. Through collaboration, their mission is to ensure young people have access to meaningful opportunities to build their skills, confidence and resilience.

All young people should have the opportunity to break free from social barriers and improve their futures. Young people should be:

• Empowered to use their voice and be heard
• Trusted to lead and deliver projects meaningful to them
• Supported to build the skills and confidence they need to thrive
• Inspired to be active in their communities by exploring enterprise or tackling social issues

The Key supports King James students in being able to do this. We have various students from all year groups involved in Key projects throughout the year. The most recent projects include:

• A group of food students visiting a fine dining restaurant in Durham for a five-course tasting menu linked to their A Level course
• Year 9 students planning a day of activities in The Metro Centre
• GCSE food students visiting a local Tapas restaurant as a reward for their work in the community
• A group of Year 8 girls organising and hiring out a local swimming pool for a pool party.
• Two groups of Media Sixth form students are planning a full day out in Durham for their class.
• Year 10 students organising a bake sale to support and raise money for our forest school.