Returning for a Second Year: What the First Summer School Taught Us
How experience, feedback, and children’s interests shaped the 2026 Okachi Charity Foundation Free Summer School Programme.
The 2026 programme marked the second year of Okachi Charity Foundation’s (OCF) annual Free Summer School initiative.
The decision to return was informed by our experience with children during the previous year’s programme and our continuing engagement with public school communities.
One of the most important lessons was that children respond differently when the learning environment changes. A child who struggles during regular classroom lessons may participate more readily when given individual attention, practical exercises, encouragement, and the freedom to ask questions.
The first year also reinforced the importance of looking beyond examination results. Children have different interests, strengths, and ways of understanding information. Those differences become more visible when they are exposed to activities beyond their usual curriculum.
The summer school therefore evolved to include a wider range of practical learning opportunities alongside academic instruction. For the second year, OCF wanted to be more responsive to what children were telling us about their experiences.
We wanted the subjects to address foundational weaknesses.
We wanted the skills programme to reflect their interests.
And we wanted teachers and tutors to have opportunities to notice abilities that might otherwise go unrecognised.
This led to important adjustments in 2026, including an additional handwriting programme and the introduction of painting in response to interests expressed by pupils.
The principle was straightforward: if we want children to take learning seriously, we must also take the time to understand how they learn and what excites them.
What We Have Learned About Impact
Our experience has reinforced the value of academic support, practical learning, and closer attention to individual needs.
However, the foundation recognises that stories of participation and improved confidence are not substitutes for measured educational progress.
We aim to strengthen this work by comparing children’s abilities before and after summer classes, obtaining feedback from teachers and parents, and following up during subsequent school terms.
The most meaningful measure of success will not simply be how many children attended. It will be whether children return to school with stronger foundational skills, greater confidence, improved participation, and continued interest in learning.