Educate Magazine September 2019

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September - December 2019

The Alsop Way A successful pathway to personal and academic achievement

Eva Carroll: A passion for politics

Top treats for teenagers

An inspirational young woman standing up for others

10 birthday gift ideas

Results R esults Day in D ay 2019 2019 in pictures p ictures

Fortune Fortun ffavours avou v rs tthe he bo bold l

Giant pull-out pull-out photo photo gallery Giant gallery o tudents’ ccelebrations elebrations off sstudents’

F Florence lorence M Melly’s elly’s h headteacher, eadteacher, K Ken en Heaton

2019 SHORTLIST COMING SOON

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Educate Contents 47-62

95-96

Welcome...

Welcome to the September edition of Educate and the start of a new academic school year.

Here at Educate HQ we hope everyone enjoyed a fantastic summer and is excited to be back ready to teach and learn. As the sun has shone outside we’ve been busy little bees inside preparing our September issue, but we’ve also been out and about visiting over 50 schools and colleges to capture the celebrations of exam results days. We are thrilled to have the best of the pics in this issue inside our special 16 page pull-out. Did we capture you on camera? Find out on page 47.

As reception children take their first steps on their educational journey, we talk to a headteacher who after returning back to the place where it all began for him, Florence Mellly Community School, raised the bar, set high expectations and introduced collective accountability, and has now successfully transformed the school from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘outstanding’ in its newest Ofsted report.

16 Features

70-73

8-11

Appointments News Round up of latest appointments stories

Writing on the wall?

Tracking behaviour in schools

20-21 Raising the bar Ken Heaton - headteacher at Florence Melly Community Primary School

26-27 Happy Days Interview with Irene Slack and Eleanor Jones, Liverpool Hope University

44-45 Happy 16th birthday Find the perfect gift idea guaranteed to please

95 Educate 16+ Education, training and employment

96-97 A voice to be heard Eva Carroll, student at Carmel College

105-106 Where can we go?

Our pick of what’s happening out & about

90 My school days Andy Cooke QPM - Chief Constable of Merseyside Police

47-62 A-level, B-TEC and GCSE results days 2019 All the best pictures

Did you submit an award entry for the Educate Awards 2019? Tension is building already at Educate HQ as the judges’ results start to roll in, and if the comments are anything to go by, this year is looking like it may just be the hardest one yet to whittle down to a final shortlist. We will be announcing the shortlist very soon.

Keep updated by following @EducateAwards on Twitter.

If there was ever a time to be interested in politics some may say, with the unprecedented times we are living in, that now is time.

Some may also say that attracting young voices to politics is desperately needed and that the youth of today very much need to be heard. This issue we meet inspirational Carmel College student Eva Carroll who is making sure her voice is heard. We talk to her about her passion for politics, dedication to women’s rights and her delight at becoming a member of the UK Youth Parliament.

Published by CPMM Media Group, Suite 4 Pacific Chambers, 11-13 Victoria Street, Liverpool L2 5QQ. Tel: 0151 709 7567 Email: enquiries@cpmmmedia.com Executive Editor: Kim O’Brien kim.obrien@cpmmmedia.com Editorial: Alan Birkett alan.birkett@cpmmmedia.com Elle Foster and Lawrence Saunders Advertising Sales and Sponsorship: Sam Lawrence sam.lawrence@cpmmmedia.com Louise White louise.white@cpmmmedia.com Social media support: Lawrie O’Brien, Will Lawrence and Charley Moran Photography: Liam Deveney, Graham Peel, Steve Dock, John Roberts, Robin Clewley, Steve Samosa, Alan Humphries, Alan Edwards, Nick Fairhurst, Diana Culey, Jim Donnelly Design and Production: CPMM Media Group Distribution: Barbara Troughton Tel: 0151 733 5492 Printed by Acorn Web Offset Limited The contents of this magazine are fully protected by copyright and nothing may be reprinted or reproduced without permission.

Disclaimer The information contained within Educate we believe to be correct at the time of printing, no responsibility can be accepted for errors or omissions. © Copyright CPMM Ltd 2009.

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ADVERTORIAL

DCE:

The obvious choice for schools

DCE is one of the Northwest’s leading independent companies in providing commercial kitchen and DT maintenance services to schools and colleges.

The company maintains and supplies commercial gas, electrical and refrigerated appliances, along with educational machine tools, LEV systems, kilns, fume cupboards and TR19 internal ductwork cleans to comply with insurance.

Their aim is to offer as much of a service to schools as possible, removing the need for business/facility managers having to contact several different suppliers for servicing, supplying or reactive call outs whereas one call to DCE can take care of everything.

Director Brendan Doyle, said: “DCE opened a 4000sq ft catering equipment showroom in 2017. We found ourselves ordering new units for our customers only to be told that delivery would typically be within 7-10 days.

“This had a massive effect on service, so we made a decision to open up our own showroom to minimise disruption, it’s likely that we carry more stock than any other dealer in the North West.

“We supply both catering and DT equipment and, as engineers first and foremost, we looked for brands that we knew we could rely on. That’s why, over the years, we have developed a close relationship with Falcon, Hobart and Williams. They are, quite simply, the best products out there.

“As a leading supplier of commercial catering equipment into schools, Falcon Foodservice Equipment are always keen to work alongside professional companies as a route to market in this sector.”

For the last two years, Falcon has worked together with

• Commercial catering kitchen equipment • Kitchen deep cleans • Mechanical machine tools • LEV/Fume cupboards/kilns • TR19 Kitchen ductwork systems deep cleaned

DCE in such sites across the North of England, ranging from primary schools to high schools and colleges.

The reputation of DCE within the public sector, as a one stop shop for maintenance, repairs and replacement equipment is rising fast.

As a leading manufacturer of catering equipment, Falcon pride themselves on choosing the right dealer to take our products to market.

Sean Finnerty, business development manager at Falcon Foodservice Equipment, said: “The last two years have been a success story for both companies, and I genuinely believe DCE are well equipped to take care of all schools catering requirements and ensure they receive market leading, reliable, and fit for purpose equipment, and our children enjoy a healthy school meal.”

Gary Nicholl, Hobart UK regional manager said: “Hobart UK have been very proud to partner DCE over the last few years as they have proven to give great customer service and support to local education catering as well as the private sector” Williams Refrigeration area sales manager, Dave Wynn said: “Williams Refrigeration has developed an outstanding relationship with DCE, they are backed by a comprehensive showroom of Williams products and stock means that the integral part of a kitchen, refrigeration, means fast replacement of cabinets to ensure the a seamless catering operation for their clients.”

• Same day/next day response to breakdowns • All our engineers have photographic ID cards with CRB enhanced clearance • School kitchen equipment in stock and available for immediate delivery

For a free quote on anything from equipment to servicing or a TR19 Internal Ductwork Clean please call 0151 220 6090 or email office@dcecommercial.co.uk 4

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ADVERTORIAL

As the new school year gets underway and teachers up and down the country welcome pupils back into their classrooms, many of us find ourselves reflecting on our own learning and career journeys…

After completing an undergrad, and maybe a PGCE/PGDE, our progress as teachers tends to focus on CPD to maintain our practice in line with the Teachers’ Standards. As rewarding as this is, it doesn’t necessarily focus on something that lights the fire of learning within us – maybe the topic that first sparked our interest in becoming a teacher, or the dissertation subject you wish you’d had more chance to explore.

So what are the options? Whilst taking on a Masters degree or a Doctorate in Education might at first seem like a complete no-go - worries about time (just exactly how I could fit in any more commitments is slightly mind boggling…) and funding – it’s actually far more accessible than you might first think.

Unlike your teacher training days, you can study for your Masters or Doctorate part-time, meaning you can fit in learning around your schedule. With lots of online learning resources (not to mention a whole wealth of experience under your belt to call on) and oncampus support, you’ll be guided each step of the way to make sure you stay on track. Our MA Education and Doctor of Education programmes have twilight and some Saturday sessions to help with this too.

Another great thing about Masters or doctoral study is the chance to pursue your passion. Your questions, your answers, your way. The freedom to delve into a topic of your choice can be really refreshing. Many teachers find it revitalises their practice and reminds them of the thrill pupils experience when they learn something new.

But then there’s the funding issue, right? Well, things are a lot better now, with the government’s Postgraduate Loans Scheme.

Postgraduate students from England can borrow up to £10,906 (2019).

There may even be employer sponsorship options in some cases.

What’s more, LJMU graduates may be eligible for a 20% fee reduction on our Masters programmes. EdD students from England may be eligible to apply for a government Postgraduate Doctoral Loan of up to £25,700 to help cover fees and living expenses.

A MASTERS OR DOCTORATE IN EDUCATION CAN BE REALLY REWARDING AND IS ALSO A GREAT WAY TO BOOST YOUR CAREER PROSPECTS.

LJMU’s MA Education and EdD are new programmes from a wellestablished team teaching in the field of Education and Early Childhood Studies. The programmes cater for education professionals at all levels, giving students the opportunity to learn from each other, as well as academic staff and visiting guest speakers.

Students get the chance to explore their own values regarding education and investigate the extent to which education can facilitate life opportunities.

For NQTs and RQTs, our MA Education Practice degree is ideal as it focuses on early professional development needs. For those well established in their careers, MA Education, a PhD or EdD research qualification is the natural next step.

Whatever stage you’re at in your teaching journey, our Masters and research degrees can help you get the most from your career. With places available for courses starting in September/October, there’s no time to lose!

Visit ljmu.ac.uk/education E: education@ljmu.ac.uk T: 0151 231 3000 @LJMUEHC Having a Masters, EdD or PhD is also excellent news for your CV and career prospects. In April this year, the BBC reported that up to the age of 30, postgraduates typically earn £9,000, or about 40%, more than those without degrees. This is double the £4,500 per year gap (about 21%) between those with an undergraduate degree and nongraduates. Study at this level also helps you hone your research, pedagogy, report writing and presentation skills – all necessary for career progression. The EdD and PhD focus on impact and influence.

Dr Fran Tracy Subject Head, Education and Early Childhood Studies Liverpool John Moores University

Contact us today for 2019 entry or register for our postgraduate Open Day on 27 November for 2020 entry.

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FROM TEACHER TO STUDENT Rachel Jackson tells how it feels to return to education.

A PhD was never in the ‘Master Plan’ for me, yet here I am in a funded doctoral position at LJMU. Originally, my career plan was quite simple: degree + diploma = English teacher. I love learning so a teaching career was perfect for me and that’s as far as I wanted to go.

After four years of my dream job, it occurred to me that I had leftover masters credits from my PGDE. To save them from extinction and satisfy my need for closure, I embarked on a masters at my alma mater, Glasgow University.

When my MEd supervisor told me that LJMU was looking for a doctoral student to investigate the use of research in the teaching profession, it seemed too good to be true.

I feel very fortunate to have been given this opportunity. Being a university-based PhD student is very different to life in the classroom. I expected it to be quite a lonely experience but I thought I would be okay with that. Living the busy life of a teacher, I rarely visited the staff room and didn’t really care for staff nights out. I have to admit though when I first made the transition back to university life, I longed for that ‘teacher talk’ and being called ‘Miss’! Eventually, though, I realised there is so much going on at LJMU for postgraduate students. I have now met like-minded people whom I can bounce ideas off and offer, as well as receive, emotional and academic support.

Hopefully I’ll live to teach another day – with future teachers as my students!

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T Tracking racking B Behaviour ehaviour

B

ehaviour char ts charts may have become as commonplace in our classrooms as the chalkboard once was but in recent years a growing number of commentors have begun to question their effectiveness.

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T Tracking racking B Behaviour ehaviour We spoke to two education professionals to find out what’s being used in their schools and to see if they think time is up for the traffic lights...

A well-established method for of monitoring and regulating children’s conduct, you will find behaviour charts being used in classrooms up and down the country.

Grimshaw, head of autism research and development at the South Liverpool school.

“There was a student in my class who seemed to revolve their whole day around the behaviour chart - they were so anxious about it. I had a gut feeling maybe this wasn’t right - if a child is anxious are they most available to learn?

Employed most widely in the form of a traffic light system, they involve visually tracking the actions of a pupil over a set period of time, with rewards for good behaviour and penalties for bad.

‘Tear Down Your Behaviour Chart!’, ‘The Dark Side of Classroom Behaviour Management Charts’, and ‘Hey Teachers, Please Stop Using Behaviour Charts’, are three of the more strikingly titled opinion pieces posted online.

The main gist of the argument against behaviour charts is that they bolster students who are already well behaved, whilst negatively affecting students who aren’t – meaning they are effectively nothing more than a glorified method of public shaming.

One school here in the North West where you won’t find behaviour charts being used is Abbot’s Lea. “This year we got rid of all behaviour charts across our classrooms,” says Micah

Like the standard traffic lights system, Zones uses colours, but instead of children being moved onto a particular colour as a result of their behaviour, the method is centred around student participation.

For example, if a pupil is feeling angry or upset, they can point to an arrow on a chart at their workstation towards the Red Zone, which is used to represent extremely heightened states of alertness and intense emotions.

The basic theory being that students will behave better in order to access the incentives and avoid the consequences of acting poorly.

However, put ‘behaviour charts’ into Google today and your search results will be populated with a host of articles questioning whether the practice is truly effective.

As an alternative to behaviour charts, Abbot’s Lea has introduced ‘The Zones of Regulation’, an American concept aimed at “fostering self-regulation and emotional control”.

“Some staff members were really worried about the move and some students struggled initially, initially, but what we’ve replaced it with has been one of the biggest successes of last term.”

Underneath each zone the students write down their own personal tools which they can use to help themselves get out of a particular zone and into the Green Zone – the optimal zone for learning a pupil arrives at when they feel happy, focused or content.

“Rather than saying ‘you’re not on task so we’re moving you to yellow’, and that being very publicly shaming and anxiety inducing, what we’re saying is that it’s perfectly normal for students to come off task for different reasons,” says Micah.

“If a child is under or over that [Green Zone] they could be tired, sad, anxious or frustrated. All of these things are normal human emotions and it’s about helping the children identify where they are, what emotion are they feeling, and what can they do to get back to that Green Zone.

“A behaviour chart might meet a short term goal but compliance isn’t the long term goal for kids, and it doesn’t teach self-regulation.

“I understand teachers thinking ‘how do I manage behaviour?’, but it’s actually more important how we help children

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T Tracking racking B Behaviour ehaviour

understand the emotions which are driving that behaviour.

“I’m really excited to see how the Zones model progresses at our school and I’m pleased that all the classes have taken their behaviour charts down.”

Whilst Abbot’s Lea may have decided to do away with behaviour charts, many schools continue to use them.

Progress Schools, a company with independent secondary schools based across England – including Liverpool, Wirral and Wigan, utilises a reward programme throughout its estate based around the standard traffic light system.

At the end of every lesson, each pupil is graded out of 100 in three separate areas - the amount of work they have completed, their behaviour, and their level of participation.

Scores are recorded, added together and averaged out to give a percentage - known as student’ss a student’ effort’. ‘overall effor t’.

Rewards are given out throughout the week for small things that students might have done during lessons, but the points oints also go towards an end of term trip which pupils decide upon themselves.

Unless a student achieves

at least 80% ‘overall effort’, they don’t go on the trip.

This summer, pupils have visited Drayton Manor Theme Park and Alton Towers Resor Re t, with one school choosing to enjoy a night of bowling and pizza.

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T Tracking racking B Behaviour ehaviour

“Reward charts only work if they are handled in a very specific way y,,” says Charlotte Barton, executive headteacher of Progress Schools.

“Our key focus is not to reward standard expected behaviours but to promote more intrinsic motivation.

“T Tu doin your work, urning up, doing answering some questions and generally behaving – that’s expected behaviour. Students can only get higher than 80 if they go above and beyond.”

Charlotte describes going “above and beyond” as students questioning their own work deeper or supporting a peer without being asked.

Meanwhile, the consequences for those who don’t hit 80 are taken on a case by case basis with students given a clean slate every hour.

“We expect the staff to say ‘look, you didn’t do so well in that, have

your break and turn it around in the next lesson’,” says Charlotte.

“Although we’ve got this system, each case is individual and that’s that’ s why it works for us because the staff treat it as such.”

Has the system been a success ogress Schools? “Y Ye es – but for Progress only because of the way our

staff do it,” says Charlotte.

“We have to unpick the individual students to find out what motivates them. We can’t just reward expected norms. They have to go above and beyond.”

It’s clear that both Charlotte and Micah believe their classroom management strategies are effective, so to draw any definitive conclusion as to which method is right or wrong would be foolish.

The ‘one size fits all’ approach shouldn’t be applied here.

But what we can say is i that to be r system is t i

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Primary News

Bake off stars Huyton pupils don their baking aprons

Pupils from St Anne’s RC Primary School, Huyton, put down their pencils and put on their aprons to take part in their first ever ‘Bake Off’ event.

All children from ages four to 11 took part and produced some fantastic bakes learning lots of new skills while teachers managed to spot several budding bakers.

There was a real buzz about the school and the staff and children were very excited to meet their special guest and head judge, Flo Atkins (Great British Bake Off 2017).

The judges tasted all the bakes and commented on how delicious they were.

When it came down to making their final decision, the judges found it very hard to choose, however they decided that Year 4’s ‘Rainbow Surprise’ cake was their overall winner.

Mrs Atkins commented that she was thrilled to be a part of such a special event and we hopefully she will return next year for St Anne’s Bake Off 2020.

School celebrates new reading oasis Staff and pupils at St Ambrose Primary School have been celebrating the opening of their new library which was officially opened by the poet and author, Paul Delaney.

Tracy Moorcroft, acting deputy headteacher said: “It was a magnificent morning celebrating the opening of a fantastic space for our children to ‘get lost in a book’.

“At the beginning of last academic year this space was a classroom and our then library was a cramped space that was not very welcoming. At Easter, we decided to move our library into a bigger room and turn it into a place where our children wanted to read!

“We received a Reading Oasis grant from Liverpool Learning Partnership which was the start of the journey to our finished room!

“We have managed to use some of our existing furniture alongside the furniture received from the grant to create this wonderful space. It has been a real team effort, not just in school but with help from members of our community.

“A past pupil, Bernie Hollywood OBE put us in touch with Shaun Doran (FRC Group and Bulky Bob) who provided us with some pre-loved couches and tables. Two of our wonderful LSAs (Miss Gleave and Miss Owen) gave lots of their own time to add some fantastic art and design work to turn the space from a house to a ‘reading home’ adding simple touches like window art representing the names of our four houses (Roald Dahl, JK Rowling, Oliver Jeffers and Julia Donaldson).

“Thanks must go to our English lead, Mr Stinchcomb and Year 6 teacher, Miss Cusack who had the passion and drive to 12

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

get the job done!

“As always in our school, the children are at the centre of all we do. Year 6 learned how to decoupage and turned some dull looking coffee tables into fabulous 'book covers' and on asking a Year 5 child how the nearly finished library could be improved, she suggested blue skies and clouds and in her words, we made ‘her wish come true!’”

Author Paul Delaney opened the new school library

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Primary News

Celebrating attendance Netherton schools celebrate outstanding attendance Three Netherton primary schools have been working together to celebrate outstanding attendance – St Benedicts Catholic Primary School, The Grange and Our Lady of Walsingham Catholic Primary School.

The three schools have been working together with teachers meeting together to discuss education and they ended the last academic year with a 100% attendees celebration event.

Clare Johanson, event organiser and parent support advisor from this year’s

hosts, Our Lady of Walsingham, said: “This event, we hope, will be an annual event, hosted in turn in each of our schools.

“We had an incredible 49 pupils with 100% attendance from across the three schools.”

Clare had organised for a whole range of events – football skills from local girls’ football coaches, The Fillies; an inflatable obstacle course and a dance class from Jenetic. The most important part was the making of dream catchers where pupils

had the opportunity to discuss why they think it is important to be in school.

Gloria, the Our Lady’s cook, provided a lovely, huge picnic for everyone including ice cream!

Parents were invited to celebrate and teachers thanked them too for raising the profile of education in their homes.

Clare said: “Congratulations to all of our pupils, and thank you for a fantastic day! It was so lovely to see pupils from across the three schools having fun and encouraging each other!”.

Pupils and family enjoyed the 100% attendees celebration event.

School ends term on a high Staff and pupils from Florence Melly Community Primary School in Liverpool are celebrating after confirmation that the school has been judged as outstanding after their latest Ofsted inspection report.

Through the guideship of headteacher, Ken Heaton the school has moved from requires improvement to outstanding over a period of four years since he was appointed.

Ken said: “For us this is a really good news story and a nice end to the academic year. We would like to thank all of our children who are an absolute credit to the school and of course the parents/carers.

“I went to the school as a child in the 1960’s and returned to be headteacher four years ago so it means a lot to me.

“I would like also to thank Liverpool Football Club and Everton Football Club and lots of businesses in the city who we 14

Celebrating success Florence Melly Community Primary School

have had so much support from.”

The report highlighted how: “School leaders are committed to making Florence Melly the best school it can possibly be and relationships between staff and pupils are exemplary.”

The report also noted that: “Leaders make excellent provision for pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

development. The school’s core values are well known by pupils and regularly promoted by staff. From a very young age, pupils learn the importance of tolerance and respect. They regularly learn about different cultures and belief systems. Consequently, they are extremely well prepared for life in modern Britain”.

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Primary News

Making a difference Class of 2019 celebrate another rise in SATs results Primary schools in Knowsley continue to see increases in performance across all subjects at Key Stage 2.

Results of this year’s SAT tests show that pupils in Knowsley Primary Schools are keeping pace with the rate of improvement nationally, and that many local schools are recording record results which far exceed the national average.

The borough’s top performing school in all areas at Key Stage 2 was Halewood Church of England Primary – where a staggering 92.9% of this year’s Year 6 achieved the expected standard in all the areas covered by the SATs – reading, writing and maths.

In addition, the school outperformed the national average for pupils achieving the highest possible grade of ‘Greater Depth’ in all three areas too. Nationally only 11% of pupils achieve this very demanding standard but at Halewood Cof E Primary an incredible 32% did.

Headteacher Dave Smith said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive these results and want to pay tribute to the whole school staff team who work so hard to ensure that all our children get the best possible start to their education.

“This can only happen when the whole school community works together for the common good. Governors, parents and children all pulling in the same direction. We are immensely proud of our children, their progress and the well-rounded young people they have become, ready to start the next exciting chapter of their lives.”

Other top performers in Knowsley included:

Halewood CofE headteacher Dave Smith celebrates with pupils

Cronton Church of England Primary Academy – 83.9% achieved expected standard in all three areas.

Holy Family Catholic Primary School, Cronton – 83.9% achieved expected standard in all three areas.

St Leo’s and Southmead Catholic Primary – 82.6% achieved expected standard in all three areas.

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School – 82.1% achieved expected standard in all three areas.

Several local schools also recorded significantly improved performance at Key Stage 2.

Most improved overall was Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Primary in Kirkby, who achieved an incredible 24.6% point improvement in the number of pupils gaining at the expected standard in all three areas.

St Joseph the Worker Catholic Primary in Kirkby was one of the other schools celebrating big improvements – jumping 14% points, bringing the percentage of

pupils achieving the expected standard in reading, writing and maths to 73.3%.

Overall, schools across Knowsley saw the percentage of pupils reaching expected standard in all areas increase by 1% point - from 62% to 63%, which is marginally below the national average of 65% - this too increased by 1% point this year. There was also a 1% point increase in the number of Knowsley pupils achieving the very best results of ‘Greater Depth’ in reading, writing and maths.

Cllr Margaret Harvey, cabinet member for children’s services in Knowsley, said: “Congratulations to all the pupils, teachers, school staff and parents who have played their part in helping the children to achieve this year.

“It is extremely positive that results at Key Stage 2 continue to rise in Knowsley and some of the results achieved by individual schools would rival those of the top schools anywhere in the country”.

Nostalgic trip to 1930s Britain Time travelling care home residents and primary school pupils took a trip back to the 1930s to celebrate Dementia Action Week.

Youngsters from Blacklow Brow School dressed in pre-WW2 clothing for the activity at Aaron Grange Care Home, in Huyton.

Museum-led dementia awareness programme, House of Memories made a special visit to the home to bring memorabilia for a reminiscence session.

The pupils, aged four and five, explored the items with elderly residents and their family members, who told them about their memories of using them when they were children.

Among the memorabilia was a chamber pot, which the children were surprised to learn was kept under the bed and 16

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

used as a toilet.

Resident Les Storey, 80, demonstrated a toy he used to play with as a young boy, which the pupils then enjoyed using themselves.

Amy Muscatelli, activities coordinator at Aaron Grange Care Home, said: “Reminisce sessions like this can have a profound impact on those with dementia, bringing back memories from their childhoods, hobbies and jobs which can improve their general mood and wellbeing.

“We were delighted the children from Blacklow Brow School were able to join us for the activity and their costumes were amazing. They thoroughly enjoyed discussing the items with the residents and learning about how they were used.

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Primary News

Inspiring children LJMU inspiring children with the Maritime Project Pupils from All Saints Roman Catholic School in Bootle were treated to a full day of activities in the ‘Sea to Store Challenge’, run by trainee teachers from Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU).

The Daniel Adamson Trust approached LJMU’s Maritime SuperSkills Project back in 2018 wanting to offer a combined nautical adventure for primary school children; a trip on the ‘The Danny’ (the Daniel Adamson steam tugboat) followed by a visit to the maritime simulators at the University.

A new relationship was born, and the involvement of the LJMU primary education team resulted in opportunities for trainee teachers to put their theory into practice.

The children in each class made working models to represent the journey taken by cargo from sea to store; floating, loading, driving and hoisting. Developing practical skills whilst understanding the logistics involved in these global journeys made for a fun-packed day!

Building on the success of the venture, LJMU student interns from the Primary Education Department extended the event to year five pupils, guiding the children through various simulator activities and producing resources for the day, which will be a legacy of the project.

Vicky Carlin, deputy head at All Saints, Bootle, said: “We have been studying trade as a geography theme, looking particularly at the Liverpool Docks and the part they have played in worldwide trade. Students from LJMU visited school and the children were supported to design and make structures to load and unload container ships and transport the goods to the shops.

Pupils try out the maritime simulators

“Visiting the ship simulators at the university gave the children an insight into driving a ship. They also learned how drones are being used in the maritime industry and what opportunities there are for studying this technology.

“It has certainly planted seeds in their minds for future careers”.

Burgers and bugs at Bedford Primary School Pupils, parents and teachers from Bedford Primary School in Bootle, came together with the Lancashire Wildlife Trust to celebrate the end of term in forest school style.

Since January, the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s forest school project has been working with Bedford Primary, delivering free weekly forest school sessions and training school staff as forest school leaders, thanks to support from players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Children and adults alike played games, searched for insects and enjoyed a campfire cookout within the school’s beautiful outdoor learning space.

Many of the parents commented that their children often talk excitedly about forest school at home, so it was great to experience it for themselves. One father was stunned to see his son playing 18

Pupils try out new skills

games and chatting with the other children, saying: “He (my son) suffers from Asperger's and he wasn't doing well in class and was not talking or making friends.

Once he attended forest school things started to change, you can see him now running around with other

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

children and wanting to join in with activities.”

Laura Doherty, a teacher at Bedford Primary said: “The children who have taken part in sessions range from six to 11-years-old and they have all grown in confidence and developed their teamwork and leadership skills.

“It has been wonderful to spend time outdoors together and learn more about nature and the plants and animals that live right outside our classroom. The sessions are always the highlight of our week.

“As a teacher, it has been lovely to spend time with children in an environment outside the classroom and nurture such a range of different talents and qualities with our young people.

Forest School officer Molly Toal said, “When the children started forest school in January, there were situations that a lot of the children found quite difficult to be in, such as waiting to take turns using tools, sharing toys in the mud kitchen, or playing games together. They would struggle with team-work, understanding others, solving problems and being patient – all skills that are useful in wider life.

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‘North West State Secondary School of the Year’ Sunday Times 2017

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Interview with: Ken Heaton, headteacher at Florence Melly Community Primary School

Educate catches up with Ken Heaton, headteacher at Florence Melly Community Primary School, to discuss working with the city’s two biggest football clubs, a diverse career in teaching and going back to his roots.

Raising the bar

By Lawrence Saunders Florence Melly Community Primary School on Walton’s Bushey Road was founded in 1927 by Florence Elizabeth Melly – a woman who devoted her life to serving education in Liverpool.

Thirty-three or so years later, a local lad who’s life would share a similar dedication, started in the school’s reception class.

It’s doubtful that Ken Heaton could have foreseen his life would lead back to the place where it all began, but that’s exactly what happened in the autumn of 2015.

Like many Florence Melly pupils, Ken attended Alsop High School en route to university in Kent where he would complete his PGCE. A series of teaching posts in schools across the south followed, before Ken upped sticks again to undertake his first headteacher position in Cumbria.

After seven years back up north, Ken returned to Liverpool as an inspector of primary schools for the Liverpool Education Authority (LEA), alongside a similar role at Ofsted.

During this time in his career, Ken sat on a government committee for education centres and helped set up a hugely successful facility at Liverpool Football Club.

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‘Reducate’ was located in Anfield’s Kop stand for 11 years and helped thousands of local children learn with enjoyable educational programmes.

No partisan, Ken was instrumental in establishing Everton Football Club’s study support centre, ‘Extra Time’, where local pupils could go after school for an alternative learning experience.

At the LEA, Ken was a learning network director for Toxteth and Everton, and then for a number of years he was a qualified school improvement partner.

“I’ve worked with a heck of a lot of primary schools in Liverpool!,” says Ken. “If a school went into trouble, they’d send me in to get it back on its feet.”

Throughout his various tenures however, in his heart Ken still remained a headteacher, and so when the chance came up to return to his childhood primary school in 2015, he jumped at the chance.

“The job here at Florence Melly came up when the school had dropped into ‘requires improvement’,” he explains.

“I thought ‘God, I went to that school as a child and here’s a chance to put something back’. So I applied, got interviewed and got the job. It was a dream come true!”

“Like many of Ken’s previous positions, being headteacher of Florence Melly has been a challenging journey, but it has

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

“

It’s hard for schools to jump from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’, but to jump from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘outstanding’ - you don’t get many in the country doing that

”

paid off with the school leaping from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘outstanding’ in its newest Ofsted report.

“It’s hard for schools to jump from ‘good’ to ‘outstanding’, but to jump from ‘requires improvement’ to ‘outstanding’ you don't get many in the country doing that,” says Ken. Following an inspection in February 2017, Ken himself judged the school as ‘requires improvement’, but by the summer test results were above national averages and he was confident an ‘outstanding’ rating was merited.

Fast forward to July 2019 and with that ‘outstanding’ rating in the bag, Ken explains how the astonishing transformation was achieved.

“Everything is about raising the bar, high expectations and collective accountability,” he says.

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Ken initiated ‘Spotlight on Learning’, where, alongside himself, teachers observe each other’s classes and look to build on strengths, rather than criticise weaknesses.

Supporting staff has been a big factor in Florence Melly’s resurgence, with teachers given a day off to write their reports at home - away from the distractions of school.

Meanwhile, Ken recently used his contacts to organise an afternoon of BBQ and drinks for staff on The Shankly Hotel’s roof terrace to mark the end of term and celebrate the wonderful Ofsted report.

Making the the most of his business connections and ensuring a tight funding budget goes as far as it can go is a key part of Ken’s strategy for school improvement.

“Any company [we work with] I exploit and say ‘right, we want something back from you’ - that is then spent on the children and the staff,” he says.

“Our finance woman is superb. If you’ve got someone like that who is ruthlessly protective of the children’s money then you get value for money.

Ofsted reported that 49 of the 50 school staff said that they “love working at Florence Melly” - Ken jokes that he was the one unhappy employee.

It’s not just the staff who have received increased support since Ken came in. One of his key challenges on his appointment was to significantly raise attainment in Year 6, something he has achieved in part by the hiring of a third Year 6 teacher.

“I think [having a member of staff] like that is going to be more and more needed with cuts to school funding.”

It’s clear that the move, amongst others, has paid dividends, with the latest Ofsted report noting that “from generally low starting points on entry to early years, pupils make outstanding progress by the end of Year 6”.

The effectiveness of Ken’s commitment to creating a supportive environment was illustrated when

Inspectors also highlighted how much pupils love learning, describing the classrooms as “exciting places to be at

Florence Melly”.

But there’s no chance Ken is going take his foot off the gas after all the positive feedback – he’s determined to see the school retain its exemplary ‘outstanding’ rating.

In 2007 there were 37 Liverpool primary schools classed as ‘outstanding’ but many of them failed to retain their grade when retested - something Ken is adamant won’t happen at Florence Melly.

“We will not let that happen,” he says.

“We are working our socks off and we will up it a gear now.

“If we’ve been in fifth gear then we’ll go into sixth gear because we don’t want that to happen to our children and our school.”

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Le Leadership adership q qualifications ualifications

L Leading eading tthe he w way ay National Professional Qualifications (NPQs) are aimed at staff in the education sector who wish to develop their skills, know-how and confidence to lead successfully.

School Improvement Liverpool (SIL) is one of just a handful of Department for Education (DfE) accredited providers of NPQs here in the North West.

Educate sat down with SIL’s NPQ leadership manager, Rebecca Lawton, to find out more about the programme, and how it helps teachers progress in their leadership roles.

What are NPQ Leadership Courses?

The NPQs are national, professional qualifications in leadership.

The courses train teachers and school leaders in a wide range of leadership skills at Master’s level, and are based on real life projects happening in schools.

Who are the qualifications aimed at?

The qualifications are aimed at new, aspiring and experienced school leaders at all levels.

We run a middle leadership, senior leadership,headship and executive leadership version of the course. People can take whichever qualification best suits their current role and next steps - there is no requirement to take them sequentially.

What are the benefits of taking a NPQ? The benefits are both for the individual and for the setting itself.

Most leaders specialise in one area, and may not get to handle a budget, or read the latest research on all aspects of leadership in schools.

Th

courses cover all aspects ip, filling in any gaps ge, and helping demonstrate where tise may lie.

This is great at for future interviews and an promotion, but also helps individuals individual make their mark in schools - creating creatin at have an impact on n and staff directly.

How do the he courses work?

How many y hours a week do teachers/leaders leaders need to put in? on of the NPQ has been ed around the needs

Rebecca Lawton SIL’s NPQ Leadership Manager

of staff who are already working full-time in schools. We have put the curriculum online, and for each module there is a two-week long online platform with a tutor available 24/7 to support candidates with reading, asking questions, watching videos and responding to the latest innovations. The number of modules increases from three at middle leadership to five at headship level.

For the fortnight of the module, we expect candidates to be online for at least 20 minutes a day, although some do spend longer. Alongside the online modules, there is an in-school project that candidates complete.

The project has to be in the school development plan and is normally something the candidates would be completing as part of their role anyway. For the course, the candidate records the progress, completes a risk assessment and action plan, and writes up the impact and links to the online research for a final submitted essay.

We also hold face to face events for each course, in parallel with the online modules. Here, candidates can meet up with others on the same course and share different approaches, learn from one another’s best practice and get support on writing up their projects. These events can be at the Toox oxteth Annexe training centre, or based in schools.

“A A1 100% 00% pass rate” pass ra ate”

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“the resurgence and reshaping of the qualifications means it is a really good starting point for those either looking for, or starting, a headship” What skills will a candidate gain from each course?

The skills are wide ranging and get progressively more detailed as the course level increases.

However, the main areas of ‘strategy and improvement’, ‘teaching and curriculum excellence’ ‘leading with impact’, ‘managing resources and risks’ and ‘increasing capability’ are similar across the suite of qualifications.

The courses cover the basic tools of leadership, from evidence collection and evaluation skills to communication skills, planning and research.

The NPQEL for executive leaders is also a new qualification for experienced heads, looking at business strategies and the skills required to lead more than one school. This advanced training and support for those working in the new era of school leadership across multiple settings has been welcomed by the sector.

For those taking the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), how much of a boost is it to their chances of getting a headteacher position?

There is an increasing acceptance of the NPQH once again as a recognised standard for leadership skills. For a while, it became less important as it was dropped from mandatory requests, but the resurgence and reshaping of the

qualification means it is a really good starting point for those either looking for, or starting, a headship.

Many new or aspiring heads will have gaps in their knowledge of human resources, finance, premises management and so on. The new NPQH covers such a broad range that it has boosted confidence and given our candidates a good starting point for research and further development that I would recommend it to all new and aspiring heads.

Are there any standout success stories you could highlight?

We have had some wonderful success stories at every level. Some new middle leaders have won national awards for their projects and become national leaders in new innovations. Meanwhile senior leaders have rapidly improved outcomes for whole cohorts of students, and we have a massive success rate for headteachers.

We are particularly pleased with our new structure, where a large number of candidates in the same setting complete the NPQ at the same time, with the school using the course as a tool for whole school improvement.

We are able to deliver sessions on site, reducing time out of school, and can link the modules directly to the school’s particular context.

Through this method, we have seen settings rapidly improve, not only leadership skills, but outcomes for pupils across the curriculum, as

staff deploy similar strategies and consistent tools, reducing workload and increasing confidence and aspirations across the whole setting.

When will the next cohort of teachers/leaders begin their training?

We close applications for the October cohort late in September as we recognise some people don’t consider courses and training until the school term starts.

We have also run NPQ courses starting in January, as sometimes applications arrive late in the autumn term following performance management meetings. Also, because of our in-school and online models, we can accommodate new starters in the spring too.

The deadline for the next wave of applications is always available on our website and we accept applications at any time.

We have a 100% pass rate so far, and a huge number of those looking for leadership roles being successful, so we are really pleased that the DfE have agreed to continue to fund bursaries for category 5 and 6 areas, so that anyone wanting to do the qualification is able to get funding.

For further information visit: www.schoolimprovementliverpool. co.uk/NPQ

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Big bang at the Big Bang

THE BIGGEST AND BEST YET! Big Bang North West just got bigger The Big Bang North West welcomed over 8000 school children to the Exhibition Centre Liverpool to enjoy a fun filled day of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) activities, from virtual reality experiences to colourful scientific shows. Big Bang North West is an event for young people aged 5-18 that showcases the exciting opportunities and career paths that STEM has to offer.

Over 40 different companies and educational facilities set up interactive and hands-on exhibits, so visitors were not short of activities to take part in.

Educate Award sponsors, All About STEM, the organisers of Big Bang North West are well known for doing incredible things to promote science, technology, engineering and maths in schools, business, the community and beyond. Michelle Dow, All About STEM Managing Director said: “Real companies, with real opportunities, faceto-face with thousands of young people from right across the North West!”

“This is about plugging the skills gap and ensuring that children are ready, appropriately qualified and skilled, to take up their place in the rapidly developing jobs landscape in the area”.

Mesmerizing activities

Honest it wasn’t me!

Pupils having lots of STEM fun

Future reporters

Take a ride on a typhoon

STEM magic

A testing time for students

Grand National 2020 here I come

The wonders of science

It’s a mystery

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Blessed Sacrament Catholic Primary School Cedar Road, Aintree, Liverpool L9 9AF T: 0151 525 9600 F: 0151 525 2998 W: www.bsprimary.com

Places available please contact us for more information We offer: • 2 year old provision • 30 hour offer • Extended Services including Holiday Club • Fantastic EYFS provision If you have any further enquiries please contact the school office on 0151 525 9600 or check out our website www.bsprimary.com

From our RE Inspection: “The extent to which the Religious Education Curriculum meets pupils’ needs is outstanding.”

‘Aim High - Live Life to the full’ (John 10:10) Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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Interview with: Irene Slack and Eleanor Jones, Liverpool Hope University

As Liverpool Hope University celebrates 175 years since the establishment of its founding colleges, Educate sat down with two of its graduates to reflect on their teacher training experiences more than half a century apart.

Happy Days

By Lawrence Saunders “Nowadays people find it hard to believe what life was like in training colleges 50 years ago,” says Irene Slack, who began her teacher training at Our Lady’s College on Mount Pleasant in 1961.

Ran by the Notre Dame order, Our Lady’s was amongst the first places to provide opportunities for women to undertake higher education and teacher training.

In 1980, the college relocated to Childwall – amalgamating with St Katherine’s College and Christ College to form an ecumenical federation.

“I was (at Our Lady’s) for three happy years, in the days before students were given the opportunity to study for a Bachelor of Education degree - it was just a teaching certificate,” explains Irene.

On a sunny day this July, Irene was presented with an honorary degree by Liverpool Hope University during a special ceremony where newly qualified teacher, and Hope student, Eleanor Jones also accepted a certificate on behalf of all recent graduates.

The two women reflected on their contrasting experiences as trainee teachers, with Irene regaling the some 600 alumni in attendance of her time at Our Lady’s.

So what was teacher training like back in the early 1960s? “It was very intensive,” says Irene.

A glance at her first year timetable 26

from Our Lady’s reveals as much, with a packed schedule featuring a number of subjects which today’s students might find rather curious.

An hour of divinity on a Monday morning; speech training at 4.30pm, and a weekly talk with the college principal.

In her address at Hope, Irene recalled her biggest shock during those first months at Our Lady’s were the twiceweekly practical PE lectures, where students pretended to be school pupils learning the rudiments of ‘Keep Fit’ whilst wearing shorts which had to be a strict one inch from the ground.

“We started at nine o’clock. You worked through the day with constant lectures – it was very much ‘chalk and talk’,” remembers Irene.

“On some days, tea was at four o’clock, and then we’d have to stay on for more lectures.

“It was like school and probably more intensive than being in sixth form because you did get study periods – but not a lot!

“The ideas that Sister Edwina introduced me to [at Our Lady’s] were something quite new to me but now when I go into Hope and I see the art exhibitions, I look at them and think ‘that’s just what we were doing!’”

After leaving Our Lady’s, Irene went on to teach at various secondary schools before she was appointed headteacher at Walton C.E. Junior School, where she would remain for the remainder of her career.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

“

The two women reflected on their contrasting experiences as trainee teachers, with Irene regaling the some 600 alumni in attendance of her time at Our Lady’s

”

Following her retirement in 2005, Irene began voluntary work in Liverpool Hope University’s alumni office – a role she still relishes.

“(Keeping in touch with your university) is something that when you’re a young graduate, is not number one on your list,” she says.

“But we’re trying to come up with ideas to bring those young graduates back in to meet the people they trained with because the university has played such a big part in their lives.”

Eleanor, who listened intently to Irene’s speech back in July, and spoke herself, may have had a slightly different teaching training experience at Hope, but she plans to have as every bit a long and rewarding career in education.

“I was inspired to teach by a mixture of my primary and secondary teachers who were amazing and showed me how rewarding it can be to help others,” says Eleanor.

“I also had lots of experience of working with children through

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volunteering opportunities prior to studying at university, so knew it was the career path I wanted to go down.”

Eleanor, who hails from Ellesmere Port, decided Hope was the right place for her after attending an open day, and subsequently enrolled on a four-year Primary Education with Qualified Teaching Status (QTS) course.

“I loved my time at Hope - I wouldn't have changed anything about it,” she says.

“The support I had from my tutors was incredible.”

For each of her four years at Hope, Eleanor undertook placements at a variety of Liverpool City Region schools some in more privileged areas than others - offering her a rich experience.

One of Eleanor’s most cherished memories was a two-week international deployment to Norway which she embarked upon in her third year.

Visiting a mixture of nurseries and primary schools, Eleanor and her fellow students observed classes and worked with children between the ages of seven and 13. “(It was) definitely different to Irene’s experience!,” she says.

“It was interesting to see differences (to the UK) in terms of technology which was used considerably more in Norway.

“The Norwegian government pays for every child to have an iPad so a lot of their work is created on the devices and shared with the teacher electronically.

“In addition, the emphasis and importance placed on outdoor education was amazing to see, and the youngest children were incredibly independent and confident.”

Fresh from graduating, Eleanor has secured a Year One teaching position and says she is “made up” with the school she’ll be at this September.

She hopes to keep in touch with Hope and has already agreed to support an upcoming open day which aims to give applicants an insight into what her course is like.

Looking into the future, Eleanor isn’t concerned with what age group she teaches, but rather is simply delighted to be working with children.

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THE POWER OF ART Bringing art to the local community The Academy of St Nicholas and All Saints Sixth Form College held a three day event showcasing the work of up to 60 artworks from GCSE and A-level art students, which were put on display for the local community. Locals were also able to observe a live art competition, which involved 15 students from different year groups to compete and to produce a show-stopping painting inspired by South Liverpool. Visitors were asked to vote for their favourite piece and the winning design will be displayed at New Mersey shopping centre. Caroline Swarbrick, careers and employability manager at the Academy of St Nicholas, said: “There really is some great young talent in our city, and what a fantastic opportunity to celebrate it. I’d like to say a huge thank you to the team at New Mersey on behalf of all our students and the teachers involved for allowing us to use their facilities to stage the exhibition.”

Lorraine Hughes, head of art at the Academy of St Nicholas and All Saints Sixth Form College said: “The students work extremely hard to create a diverse variety of outstanding artwork, and this amazing opportunity allowed for the work to be seen by a greater audience which was highly praised by visitors and the local community”.

Natalia Szumiec

Kristina Kanonerker

Rosie Adrends and Kamile

Hannah Freeman, Ellie Thomas and Leyla Aslan

Charcoal drawing by Lauren Powney

Kristina Kanonerker encourages people to vote for their favourite piece

Natalia Szumiec

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Bring your curriculum to life with Artsmark... ...and join over 700 schools in the North West embedding creative education to equip pupils with the cultural capital they need to succeed in life.

Attend a Development Day to begin your Artsmark journey 2 October Lancaster, Lancashire 17 October Birkenhead, Merseyside 13 November Wigan, Greater Manchester 4 December Blackpool, Lancashire 5 February Liverpool, Merseyside Register now at artsmark.org.uk

Follow us @EducateMag

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Competition News

Can your school shine like a diamond?

Educate is delighted to have teamed up with David M Robinson (DMR) to launch an incredible competition to schools across the North West.

Open to both primary and secondary schools, the prestigious jeweller is calling on pupils and students to get creative for its inaugural jewellery design competition in celebration of DMR’s 50th anniversary.

Schools are being tasked with designing a unique necklace which must reflect this year’s theme of ‘family’.

Family is a unique word which resonates differently between each person. The term can be used to

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describe many things and has a deep, personal meaning for everyone.

Those entering are encouraged to let their imaginations and creative juices run wild and demonstrate what the word means to you as a class or school.

The winning primary and secondary school will be awarded a cash prize of £1000 to be spent on creative education as well as the opportunity to have the winning piece made in rough materials, which will be then exhibited in DMR’s Liverpool showroom for all to see.

The winners will also be featured

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

in an article within Educate magazine as well as on both DMR’s and Educate magazine’s social media channels.

The competition is open for entries now until 4 November 2019.

More information about the competition can be found by emailing: press@davidmrobinson.co.uk for more details.

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Secondary News

Support for charity

The Alsop Way

School support for Neurodiversity Rainford High was awash with colourful umbrellas as it celebrated neurodiversity and supported ADHD Foundation’s 2019 Umbrella Project.

The ADHD Foundation is an awardwinning, unique and pioneering UK charity, based in Liverpool. The largest ‘user led’ ADHD agency in Europe, the foundation is credited with influencing policy and provision in the UK for those living with ADHD and other neurodiverse conditions.

The charity celebrated its third annual Umbrella Project with four public art installations that saw hundreds of brightly coloured umbrellas suspended above the streets and public spaces.

The project makes visible what people often do not see because it doesn’t fit with the narrow stereotypes and disabling perceptions of those with cognitive differences.

This year, the innovative campaign encouraged schools around the region to take part and Rainford High proudly showed its support by suspending over 20 umbrellas in the school entrance.

The display looked to encourage conversations about the condition and celebrated the gifts, abilities and employability of those who are neurodiverse.

Ian Young, principal of Rainford High, said: “We’re thrilled to be part of this exciting project with the ADHD

Foundation. It’s really important that we start talking more about neurodiversity and highlight the intelligence, success and employability of those school children who have special educational needs.

“As a school, we are committed to ensuring vulnerable students have a voice and this project ensures they are heard by all students and staff.”

In the past, the charity has described Rainford High as having “a unique culture that champions neurodiversity and inclusion.”

Ian Young said: “Our school delivers a different and effective approach to support children who are neurodiverse. Inclusivity and diversity is at heart of the school and we’re proud to demonstrate this.”

The project is supported by the Department for Education, CEOs of national charities and leaders in industry and will continue to work alongside local authorities to bring as many schools on board as possible.

Music success for St Michael’s

A record 59 pupils from St Michael’s CE High School achieved passes at Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) external theory exams in summer term.

Pupils sat exams from grades one to five with an amazing 24 pupils scoring 32

over 90% to achieve distinction level!

The department and school were absolutely delighted with the results that came after some intensive studies in music and the school’s drive to encourage a deeper understanding of learning through a knowledge-rich curriculum.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Mr Wilson, headteacher

The new school year at Alsop High School, Walton sees the launch of the ‘Alsop Way’ for students, colleagues and community members.

Mr Wilson, headteacher said: “The Alsop Way is how and why we do the things we do to lead our students along the successful pathway to personal and academic achievement.

In consultation with various stakeholders, we decided that Alsop’s vision and ambition is to be a school where students achieve excellence, value everyone and enrich their lives.”

The Alsop Way is based upon the three pillars of knowledge, respect and opportunity. These core values have come out of the school’s shared belief, that, “Alsop students are best served within an environment where students are equipped with the academic success and the appropriate behaviours needed to succeed in modern Britain.”

The Alsop Way builds upon the legacy of its 100 year history of serving the young people of North Liverpool.

The school expects students to be prepared, to be kind and positive and to be engaged, and committed to their studies. These attributes will ensure our students continue to make such a positive impression wherever they go in life.

The Alsop Way is a clear statement about both the potential of our young people and the ongoing development of the school; it is a guiding light for the school community and helps all members to make the right choices and behave in the right way each day.

Mr Wilson is clear that “Alsop High School is a very special place to study and work and the Alsop Way embodies the very reasons why this is the case.

Mr Wilson said: “We look forward to our parents, visitors, colleagues and students seeing this in action as we move forward through the new academic year”.

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2020 ADMISSIONS

OPEN EVENING 26 SEPTEMBER 6-8PM Principal’s presentation at 6.05, 6.35 and 7.05

“It has been another good year for GSCE results at Rainford High. Our students have worked very hard in preparation for their exams, and thanks to the right support from our outstanding teaching staff, it is great to see their efforts have paid off.

“Fortunately, we will still see many of our students around as they continue their studies at Rainford Sixth Form, and with places still available, today’s results will help make up the minds of those still unsure.

“No matter what route they take into further education or the world of work, I would like to wish Rainford High’s class of 2019 the very best of luck for the future.”

of students achieving 9-5 grades in English and Maths

27 students achieved incredible grade 9’s in Maths with a number of students making excellent progress across all subjects

24% of all GCSE grades achieved at grades 7-9

Principal | Ian Young

EVERYONE Matters EVERYONE Helps EVERYONE Succeeds

50%

Rainford High Higher lane, Rainford, St Helens, Merseyside WA11 8NY Call 01744 885914 | Visit www.rainford.org.uk

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Secondary News

Musical tribute NOW that’s what I call a music teacher An amazing evening was had by all at Gateacre School’s summer concert. As always their students’ talent and hard work shone through, showcasing a year’s worth of work.

The event, bookended by performances from the Gateacre Orchestra, saw the usual eclectic musical mix, taking in everything from Chopin to Panic at the Disco, performed by students across all year groups.

Introduced by comperes Brian Comer and Freya Barnes, there were emotional farewell performances from the school’s Year 13 leavers.

There were debut performances from Carl Penquet who treated everyone to a lovely solo rendition of The Beatles’ ‘Blackbird’, Lukas Adomaitis with a soulful ‘You Are The Reason’ and Year 8 student, Summer Best with a sensitive reading of Bon Iver’s ‘Skinny Love’.

The Year 7 trumpets treated everyone to a swinging version of ‘When the Saints’ and two Year 10 singers, Amy Morton and Caoimhe Quinn delivered superb versions of ‘Titanium’ and ‘Killing Me Softly’ respectively.

However, it was the end of the concert which was truly the highlight of the evening.

Thirty or so former Gateacre music students appeared from the wings to join the orchestra for an emotionally charged finale of a re-written ‘Merry Xmas Everybody’ and ‘Hey Jude’ in tribute to departing head of music Mr Jones who is retiring after 32 years at Gateacre.

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Mr Jones took up the baton and the audience sang

along, waving their ‘Na na na’ placards; a fitting end to a wonderful concert.

The former students had arranged the surprise over a number of months via Facebook, and even held secret rehearsals in school without Mr Jones realising!

Students travelled from near and far (the furthest being China, where the former students band are currently touring) to be a part of this very special night. Video messages came

flooding into school, with students citing how Mr Jones and the Gateacre music department had influenced them in their future careers. Many whom are now professional musicians, performers, sound engineers and music teachers to name a few.

One student has even took it upon themselves to erect a Blue Plaque in his honour close to the site of the former Gateacre School building on Grange Lane, Gateacre.

Ben’s career is taking off A 17-year-old student from Winstanley College has won a scholarship with the National Flight Academy in Pensacola, Florida.

Flying enthusiast, Ben Molyneux, scooped up this incredible opportunity as reward for winning a Virgin Atlantic/Delta

Airlines competition, which required participants to submit a 500-word essay or video about a problem, which will face the planet in 20 years’ time.

Ben chose carbon recapture as the topic, since this is an initiative which Virgin Group Founder, Sir Richard

Ben following his first solo flight from Blackpool Airport

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Branson has invested a lot into in recent years. His tack was successful and Ben was contacted with details of his exciting prize.

As well as taking part in the scholarship over the summer, Ben has also been invited to Virgin Atlantic headquarters at Gatwick Airport to view the aircraft hangar and find out more about careers within the aerospace industry.

Ben is currently studying for A-levels in maths, computer science and economics, is no stranger to aviation having recently taken his first solo flight from Blackpool Airport aged just 17. He is also aiming to have his private licence by the end of 2019.

An ecstatic Ben said: “Winning the scholarship and visit to Gatwick is the perfect prize for me, I’m hoping to join the RAF after college and eventually become an airline pilot - this experience will certainly support my future applications”.

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Secondary News

First for school Blue Coat choir at the Metropolitan Cathedral Liverpool Blue Coat School Choir sang evening prayer for the first time in Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, at the invitation of director of music, Dr Chris McElroy, a former student of the school.

The 38-member was accompanied by the school’s top organist, 17-year-old Daniel Greenway, playing the Cathedral’s Walker organ. This was the first time that Daniel, who has Grade 8 Organ with Distinction, has played this instrument. The music included ‘Locus Iste’, Stanford’s ‘Magnificat’ and Britten’s ‘A Hymn to the Virgin’.

The invitation was part of the ‘Blue Coat for all’ project, supported by the National Lottery Heritage

Fund, to not only restore the school’s historic Father Willis organ, but also to engage in community outreach projects to promote interest in organ and choral music, especially for young people. This includes the new Blue Coat Organ Scholarship with tuition on the Cathedral’s Walker organ.

Dr McElroy said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome the Blue Coat Choir under Simon Emery’s direction to the Metropolitan Cathedral.

As expected they performed superbly and I do hope we can repeat the event”.

Simon Emery, Blue Coat School director of music, said: “It was a wonderful occasion to take part in and sing the service. This was our first time singing at the Metropolitan Cathedral and we’d love to do it again.”

Liverpool school announced as regional winner Students from The Belvedere Academy in Liverpool have been crowned the regional winners of Health Education England’s (HEE) 2018/2019 Step into the NHS secondary school competition.

Anna Stevenson, Cara Thompson and Carmen Rong designed a video within an app that focused on the role of an estates manager, impressing the judges and earning themselves the North West regional award, beating 198 other entries from the region.

Step into the NHS (which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary) aims to showcase the breadth of career options in the NHS and combat gender stereotypes, while giving students valuable job-seeking skills for the future.

All entrants were asked to research their dream NHS career and design a creative advert and job description.

Sarah Carroll, careers leader at The Belvedere Academy, said: “Step into the NHS is a great competition that gives pupils a chance to explore a huge range of jobs in a fun and creative way. We have taken part in the competition for several years, and the standard of entries is always so high - we are thrilled to have a group become regional winners.”

The winning students, Anna Stevenson, Cara Thompson and Carmen Rong, all 13, said: “Taking part in the competition was great as we got the chance to explore all the different jobs you can do as part of the NHS which we didn’t know about before.

“We worked really hard on our entry, exploring the role of an estates manager, and had to put a lot of thought into what they do. It was a really fun way to learn more about careers in the NHS.” Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive, Health Education 36

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

England, said: “I have been delighted by the wide variety of roles that have featured in this year’s entries, ranging from drama therapists, to paramedics and nurses, it is a true celebration of the NHS and the numerous careers on offer.

“It is more important than ever that we act now to inspire the next generation of NHS staff. Step into the NHS supports this by showcasing its fantastic careers.

“I would like to congratulate all the pupils who entered this year, and particularly to our regional and national winners.”

Award winners: Carmen Rong, Anna Stevenson and Cara Thompson

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Secondary News

Raising awareness ASFA hosts Refugee Week The Academy of St Francis of Assisi held a number of in-school events and activities to mark Refugee Week.

Refugee Week is a nationwide programme of arts, cultural and educational events that celebrate the contribution of refugees to the UK, and encourages a better understanding between communities.

In particular, there were some challenging and emotional moments at the Kensington Academy on Refugee Day that evoked respect and dignity from students.

Every class in the academy spent period 1 in a specially designed lesson that highlighted the plight of refugees around the world and in the local community with several of the academy’s own students sharing their stories.

After lunch, a moving

assembly took place which was led by Jean Blanchard Azip. Jean is a Congolese refugee whose parents were killed by militia when he was 15years-old. He was briefly captured and trained as a child soldier but escaped with the help of the UN and was brought to Britain alone.

He now works in Manchester as an accountant and musician but shared his story with pupils in order to show how mental strength, resilience and positive thinking helped him to overcome extreme hurdles in life.

Jean introduced refugee students, who, with incredible bravery, stood up in front of their peers and told their stories of coming to Liverpool.

Whilst they told stories of war, family loss and separation, unimaginable journeys through deserts,

across borders and life in refugee camps, students in the audience listened with admiration. For some, it was the first time they had spoken about this in public.

From the feeling of great emotion and sadness, the school’s drumming group began to play alongside, singing which turned the feeling in the assembly hall to one of rapture and joy.

The event culminated in students and staff leaving the hall

dancing and singing.

One student, as he left the school, said: “That was the best day ever”.

The day was organised by Miss Allen, head of history, who said: “Teaching at The Academy of St Francis of Assisi is an absolute privilege. Listening to our students and seeing the respect shown to others telling their stories has moved and inspired me. What an emotional and encouraging day.”

Merchant Taylors’ embarks on £1.2m refurbishment Merchant Taylors’ School is investing almost £1.2m in upgrading its property and estates.

The historic independent school in Crosby, which celebrates its 400th birthday next year, is undertaking a full redevelopment of the dining halls and kitchen facilities at both its Boys’ and Girls’ School sites. The £500,000 design-led scheme is being delivered by CDS Wilman alongside the school’s catering partner, Chartwells.

The Williams Hall, which sits at the heart of the Grade II-

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Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

listed main building of Merchant Taylors’ Boys’ School, is also undergoing a major overhaul. The £260,000 works will see a full refurbishment of the space, including new stage and audience furnishings, revamped flooring, enhanced lighting and internal redecoration.

They are also installing a suite of new high-specification audio-visual production technology, funded in part by the school’s Old Boys Association.

Meanwhile, the school is spending almost £350,000 enhancing its fire alarm and detection provision across the estate. The safety works include the installation of a category L2 ‘Life Protection’ fire alarm system.

The school is also upgrading its IT infrastructure and revamping many of its student facilities.

Lynn Hill, finance and operations director at Merchant Taylors’ School, said: “The level of our investment reflects our determination to ensure that Merchant Taylors’ remains the finest school in the Liverpool city region.

“The majority of this work consists of one-off special projects that we feel are crucial if we are to fulfil our ambitions and continue to provide the very best environment and education for our students.

“We are also proud custodians of this magnificent estate and its historic buildings, so we are working diligently to make sure that this legacy is not only protected, but enhanced, for generations to come.”

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CELEBRATING SUCCESS! Liverpool Writing Quality Mark celebrate awards School Improvement Liverpool (SIL) welcomed schools from around Liverpool to Liverpool Central Library, as they attended a celebration event and were presented with their Liverpool Writing Quality Mark (LWQM) awards by Councillor Barbara Murray. Launched in October last year to enthuse, inspire and celebrate writing across the city, the aims of the LWQM are to raise the profile of writing for pleasure, purpose and embed the philosophy of writing as an art. As part of this pilot project, SIL has been privileged to work with 20 schools, 15 primary, two secondary and three special schools across the city. Sue Killen, primary learning strategy manager at SIL, said: “In order to achieve the prestigious award, schools had to assess their practice in writing against a robust set of criteria. Schools were then assessed by officers from SIL and awarded the Quality Mark at Bronze, Silver or Gold level. “We are looking forward to working with a second group of schools this academic year as this twoyear pilot continues”. Elise Cosgrove, head of English at West Derby School, said: “We have seen a huge difference in our pupils engagement with writing. The Quality Mark Pilot helped us to focus our attention on the wonder of writing for pleasure and really engage our young writers to be passionate about writing for both pleasure and purpose”.

SIL’s Gill Lawson gave a reading

Abbot’s Lea School

Blackmoor Park Infant School

West Derby School

Northcote Primary School

Much Woolton Primary School

Sacred Heart Catholic Primary School

The Academy of St Francis of Assisi

St Oswald’s Catholic Primary School

Windsor Community Primary School

St Cecilia’s Catholic Infant School

Broadgreen Primary School

Dovecot Primary School

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Book Review

In association with

5-8 Years The Curse of the School Rabbit - Judith Kerr £9.99 The brand new, laugh-out-loud story of a boy, a rabbit, and a lot of bad luck, from the one and only Judith Kerr. It all started with the school rabbit... Snowflake is the school rabbit, and Snowflake is trouble. At least that's what Tommy thinks, and when Snowflake is unexpectedly left for him to look after and everything starts to go wrong, it looks like Tommy might be right.

Mac Undercover - Mac Barnett £6.99 The precious crown jewels have been stolen, and there's only one person who can help the Queen of England: her newest secret agent, Mac B. Mac travels around the globe in search of the stolen treasure...but will he find it in time? From secret identities to karate hijinks, this fast-paced, witty and historically inspired chapter book.

The Missing Bookshop - Katie Clapham £7.99 Milly loves going to story time at her local bookshop. Mrs Minty is an encyclopedia of books and knows the perfect story for every occasion ... tales of mischievous children and faraway lands, magical beasts and daring adventures. But the bookshop is old and creaky, just like Mrs Minty herself. And then one day Milly arrives to find the shop gone.

9-12 Years Fiction I, Cosmo - Carlie Sorosiak £4.99 The story of one dog's attempt to save his family, become a star, and eat a lot of bacon.

Cosmo's family is falling apart. And it's up to Cosmo to keep them together. He knows exactly what to do. There's only one problem. Cosmo is a Golden Retriever.

The Monster Who Wasn't - T C Shelley £6.99 A brilliantly rich and strange fantasy adventure that will make us all believe in monsters - be they good, bad or somewhere in between. It is a well-known fact that fairies are born from a baby's first laugh. What is not as well documented is how monsters come into being ... This is the story of a creature who is both strange and unique.

The Girl with Space in Her Heart - Lara Williamson £4.99 Mabel Mynt knows a lot about space... like how we feel connected to the stars because we are all made of stardust. And that Mum’s new boyfriend, Galactic Gavin, has eyes that twinkle like Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. And that sometimes the perfect place for her sister, Terrible Topaz, would be a black hole.

Teenage Fiction The Toll - Neal Shusterman £7.99 It's been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver. In this pulse-pounding finale to Neal Shusterman’s internationally bestselling trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing - Hank Green £7.99 The Carls just appeared. Coming home from work at three am, twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship - like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armour - April and her friend Andy make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube.

Rose, Interrupted - Patrice Lawrence £5.99 Eighteen months ago, 17-year-old Rose and 13-year-old Rudder escaped a strict religious sect with their mum. They are still trying to make sense of the world outside no more rules about clothes and books, films and music, no more technology bans. But also no more friendship with the people they've known all their lives, no community and no certainty.

Are you a librarian, teacher or purchasing manager? Do you buy books for your school?

Waterstones Liverpool offers a comprehensive account sales service. Contact Sarah Hughes, Children's Department, Liverpool ONE, 12 College Lane, Liverpool, Merseyside L1 3DL. Tel: 0151 709 9820

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16th Birthday Gift Ideas

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HAPPY 16TH 2

Find the perfect birthday gift idea that is guaranteed to please

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1 16th 6t h B Birthday irthday G Gift ift IIdeas deas

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1. 16th birthday ‘Legend Since 2003’ sweatshirt £21.99 by Shirtbox.

The perfect birthday present for those people in your life who were born a legend! www.shirtbox.com 2. Instax mini 9 instant camera in ice blue £64.99 Clas Ohlson www.clasohlson.co.uk 3. Hugo Boss Boss eau de toilette aftershave from £40 at John Lewis www.johnlewis.com 4. Silver diamond, initial necklace £95 available exclusively from David M Robinson Jewellers. Set with a single round brilliant cut diamond it is the perfect keepsake gift. www.davidmrobinson.co.uk 5. A VIP Pool Party includes an overnight stay at one of Signature Living hotel’s famous pool party rooms, plus a mocktail masterclass, pizzas at Mulholland or a onecourse meal in The Bastion Bar and Restaurant, and breakfast before checkout. From £59 pp available Sunday to Thursday

way II by Big and Small 6. Fly Aw Mosaics. Unique handcrafted mosaic art, personalised commissions available in various sizes. For prices or more details call Big and Small Mosaics 07764566005 @big @bigandsmallmosaics 7. Young oun o Adult Book Subscription

by The Willoughby Book Club £34.99. An award-winning book subscription gift personalized to your recipient’s own reading tastes, with a new gift-wrapped book arriving each and every month www.notonthehighstreet.com 8. Feed and meet the lemurs experience at Paradise Wildlife Park from £99 and available for between one to two participants www.pwpark.com 9. The Milestone Edition is a personalised book to celebrate milestone moments that should be remembered forever. Personalised with your photos, messages, and memories to make someone

a keepsake they’ll treasure for years, from £25.99. Prints in 1-2 days and ships in 2-3 days. www.thebookofeveryone.com 10. Beautiful birthday cakes made with love. From simple creations to celebration style showstoppers and everything in between by Dinky Bakes. For prices and availability @dinkybakescakes @dinkybakes

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2 2019 019 G Gallery allery

The The

Results Re Resu sulaare trse in! in!

On hand across the region to capture the moment students found out their A-level, BTEC and GCSE results this year year,, Educate visited over 50 schools and colleges! Our special pull-out supplement celebrates the achievements and hard work of students and staff with lots of happy faces and tears ears of joy joy. y. For more photos please visit www www.educatemagazine.com .educatemagazine.com

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Day

Kieren Thompson, Cale Read from Alsop High School

All Saints Sixth Form’s Jessica Povey with her Distinction*, A, C

Headteacher, Chris Wilson, celebrating Alsop’s A-level success with his students

Archbishop Blanch’s Orla Carson ready to spread her wings after her excellent results

Joyful scenes at Archbishop Blanch

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Da ay

Fiorella Gallardo is off to Cambridge after her exceptional A*,A*,B

Blue Coat students celebrating their success

Smiles all round

Faye Horton-Davies celebrates her A,B,B with her mum at The Belvedere Academy

It was a memorable day for these girls at Blue Coat

Students collect their results at Carmel College

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Day

Gatacre’s Sophie Dillion is very pleased with her outstanding Distinction*, A*, B, B

Great results at Holy Family

A fantastic display of results at King David

Jumping for joy at Gateacre

All these girls at Holy Family are proud of their results

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Da ay

Life Science’s Alex is extremely happy to receive his A* Graphics Double Distinction

Deputy Head Girl, Grace Slicker, and Head Girl, Megan Allen from St Damian’s RC Science College

Amazing results for Cecilia Power and Zoe Spencer from Merchant Taylors’ School

Students sharing their success with each other at St Damian’s College

Ben Monaghan A*, A*, A who is off to York to study Chemistry after achieving great results at Liverpool Life Sciences

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Day

Jason Boardman celebrates with his family at Rainford

Smiles all round as St John Bosco students collected their results

Sacred Heart’s David Spencer with his unbelievable three A*s and Carla Nevin who is off to Cambridge to study Law

Emily Chapman with her amazing Distinction*, Distinction, A and C at Rainford

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Da ay

St Hilda’s students strike a pose for their school website

Teachers and students at St John Bosco celebrate together

A very happy Chloe Platts proudly shows off her A-level certificate at St Hilda’s High School

Harry, Cole and Ewan from St Margaret’s Academy

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A A-Level -Level R Results esults Day Day

Tyler is off to Abertay to do a degree in games production after great results at The Studio

Fantastic results all round at LIPA Sixth Form College

Winstanley College’s Class of 2019

Three very proud students from West Derby Sixth Form

West Derby School’s Sam Duthie celebrates getting into LJMU to study Business and Marketing

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Families celebrate at The Academy of St Nicholas

The Academy of St Nicholas

Alsop’s Lilly and Faye celebrate their fantastic results

Archbishop Blanch’s Annabelle, Ellie and Holly

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Chelsea, Ellie and Lyn from Archbishop Blanch

Jumping for joy at The Academy of St Francis of Assisi

Students at Gatacre sharing their results with each other

Gateacre’s Laurel Atkinson with her results

A fabulous display of results at King David High School

All smiles as The Academy of St Francis of Assisi open their results

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Phoebe Brack, Holly Hogan and Amy Walker celebrate their results at The Belvedere Academy

These boys from Blue Coat are pleased with their results

Jin Zheng holds up his results which include six 9s and an A* at Calderstones School

A very happy student from Blue Coat

Calderstones School’s Rohan Singh, Lewis Fisher, Daniel Moore

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Merchant Taylors’ Oliver Spencer

Happy families at Life Sciences UTC

Nour Al-Tarsha achieving UTC’s best ever science grades with three 9s

Sofia Axon, Matthew Calderbank and Sam Syed from Rainford High

Luke Suarez celebrates at Merchant Taylors’ School

Rainford’s Alana Hesketh, one of only 836 students nationally who achieved more than 7 grade 9s

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Students at Sacred Heart collect their results

Alyssa Earnshaw with her results at St Hilda’s High School

A group of St Cuthbert’s students display their results

St Cuthbert’s headteacher, Mrs C Twist, stands proudly with her students

Celebrations at St Cuthbert’s High School

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Ryan Kelly and Luke Roberts from St Margaret’s

Sibling success at St Mary’s College

A nice surprise for these two at St Hilda’s High School

High fives at St Mary’s

A group of happy girls at St Hilda’s High School

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

Headteacher, Darren Gidman, with a happy student at St John Bosco Arts College

Three happy students at St Margaret’s Academy

These St Michael’s girls are happy with their results

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G GCSE CSE Results Results Day Da ay

West Derby students open their GCSE results

Happy faces at St Julie’s High School

Hands high for results day at West Derby School

Success at West Derby

Hillside High School with their brilliant results

Don’t forget, more photos online!

www www.educatemagazine.com .educatemagazine.com

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Exam Results News

Rainford’s smiling faces There was a lot of happy faces at Rainford High as students collected their GCSE results.

The school has seen increases in a number of areas, with 50% of students achieving 9-5 grades in English and maths.

27 students achieved incredible grade 9’s in maths a number of students making excellent progress across all subjects.

One particular student, Alana Hesketh achieved nine 9’s and an A* in further maths. She will go on to study A-levels in sciences and maths, in preparation to possibly study medicine at university.

Alana has been a fantastic all-round student who has successfully represented the school at sport. Her results make her one of 836 students nationally who has achieved more than 7 grade 9’s.

Principal Ian Young said: “It has been another good year for GSCE results at Rainford High. Our students have worked very hard in preparation for their exams, and thanks to the right support from our outstanding teaching staff, it is great to see their efforts have paid off.”

Alana Hesketh achieved nine 9’s and an A* in further maths

Milena is a shining star

Baby boomers Caroline Kennedy, Alice Gray and Georgia Ismay

Baby boomers celebrate at St Mary’s

Milena achieved Grade 8s and 9s across her subjects

Students and staff at The Academy of St Francis of Assisi (ASFA) are celebrating a fantastic set of GCSE results.

In recent years, the academy’s results have improved annually and progress for this Year 11 cohort which is now in line with the national average.

Poland-born Milena, whose second language is English, achieved Grade 8s and 9s across her subjects. Fellow student Candice secured Grade 7s – 9s whilst head girl Holly also passed her subjects 64

with Grade 6s – 8s.

Many students will be going on to study A-level or vocational courses at All Saints Sixth Form College, a collaboration between ASFA and The Academy of St Nicholas, while others will be heading into alternative education, training and work options.

Deputy headteacher Georgina Cousineau said: “A huge well done to our Year 11 students who have collected their GCSE results. The whole community are so very proud of their achievements.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

Students and staff at St Mary’s College in Crosby are celebrating another excellent set of A-level results in the school’s centenary year.

Candidates recorded a 99 per cent pass rate in the key examinations this summer – up from 98 per cent in 2018 – with more than a third of students (34 per cent) achieving three or more A*, A or B grades.

Georgia Shirley from Southport – also a Team GB rower – will be studying medicine at Nottingham University on the back of three A grades in biology, maths and history and a B in chemistry.

This year’s A-level exams have also been particularly notable for three students who have become St Mary’s own ‘baby boomers’.

Caroline Kennedy, Alice Gray and Georgia Ismay were the first youngsters to join the new ‘baby room’ at St Mary’s Bright Sparks Nursery when it opened in 2001, and so are the first students to complete their full 0-18 year educational journey at the school.

St Mary’s College principal, Mike Kennedy, said: “I am delighted that we have such a pleasing set of A-results to announce, as the school also celebrates its very significant 100year milestone.

“The results reflect all the hard work and commitment of our students and staff – and the support they have received from their families – throughout their time at the college”.

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Exam Results News

Hard work pays off

“Another vintage year”

Staff and students at King David High School are celebrating the news that analysis of the A-level results indicate that 53% of grades awarded are at A*-B level with most students going into their first-choice university.

There are also many impressive individual achievements. Sophia Missaghian achieved A*A*A. She is an incredibly talented artist and will be studying art next year.

Gabriel Starkey and Jacob Glennon both achieved A*AA. Gabriel will take his place at the University of Bristol to study music, and Jacob is taking a gap year.

Ellesa Ahmad Nor Hisham and Rachil Dogolazky both achieved AAA and will study medicine at the University of Lancaster and physics at the University of Leeds respectively. Yasmin Safavifard who achieved a Distinction* in business alongside AB in her A-levels will study business management at the

Staff and students are celebrating another fantastic set of A-level and BTEC results at St Margaret’s Church of England Academy.

The A* to E pass rate is up on previous years, with the vast majority of subjects in school recording a 100% pass rate.

Amongst those picking up their results was Ewan Thomas. He secured an incredible three A*s in mathematics, further maths and physics, as well as an A in Ewan Thomas secured three computer science. Ewan will now go on to study engineering A*s at Durham University.

Principal, Stephen Brierley, said: “These results represent a fantastic achievement by all concerned. Such great grades mean that a large number of St Margaret’s students will have met their university offers, and will be enrolling on their firstchoice university course in a few weeks’ time.

“Congratulations to all of our students and staff, everyone has have worked so hard this year to ensure we can enjoy another vintage year of post-16 results.”

Sophia Missaghian achieved A*A*A

University of Leeds.

Headteacher, Michael Sutton, said: “I would like to congratulate all of our students on their results. The vast majority have achieved their first choice university and we wish them all a successful and happy future.

“The hard work of students and staff over the last two years has certainly paid off. It was particularly pleasing to see how some students had managed to exceed their own expectations and achieve some phenomenal results.”

Exam success for second year students

A day of celebrations

There was a day of celebration at West Derby School as students and staff learned of the fabulous results gained at A-level.

There was a further increase in the number of academic top grades with A*-C at 63% and A*-E at 96%.

Students performed exceedingly well in vocational subjects again this year with 100% pass rate including 96% of the grades at Distinction*-Merit level.

Assistant headteacher Ms Forrest, said: “We are thrilled for all of our students who worked so hard to achieve these excellent results.

“Destinations are incredibly important for us as a school community and we are incredibly proud to say that all of our students gained a place at the university of their choice. We also have a number of students moving on successfully to apprenticeships and directly in to employment”.

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LIPA Sixth Form College (LSFC) continues to go from strength to strength with even better exam results this year.

Some 83% of students passed their UAL Extended Diploma with high grades (a merit or distinction). Last year 71.4% achieved high grades, which is the equivalent of three A-level grade Bs or above.

Of the 173 students over 80% have been offered a place in higher education, with almost 40% offered the opportunity to study at a conservatoire or a Federation of Drama Schools/Council for Dance, Drama and Musical

Theatre accredited school.

The overall pass rate was 99% for the second year running.

Charles Bartholomew director of LSFC said: “We’re so proud of the students, they’ve shown real dedication and focus not only to develop their practical skills, but also the more academic side of their work.

“They’ve had to make sacrifices, it’s not a nine-tofive existence here. They love what they do, but to succeed and grow not only as an artist, whether as a performer or in behind the scenes capacity but also as a person as well, takes real commitment”.

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Exam Results News

Studio students achieve high

Alex Siner A* in graphics and Double Distinction in enterprise

Students of the Baltic Triangle-based Studio school – which specialises in creative and digital education for 14-19 year olds – have woken up to a glowing set of A-level results; securing the school’s spot as one of the top destinations for sixth form education in Liverpool.

Studio student, Alex Siner gained an A* in graphics and a Double Distinction in enterprise; whilst Tom Humphries has been accepted onto a degree apprenticeship in software engineering at JP Morgan, after having achieved an A* in maths and D* D* (starred Distinction) in software and programming.

Tyler Rotherham, who has been getting ahead of the game by working at Sony all summer, has attained D*D*D*D, meaning that he’s off to Abertay University to study games production.

The Studio has announced that it is now running an extended diploma in games, VFX, and animation.

Studio principal, Jill Davies said: “Results have improved again on an already good set from last year. The changing landscape of vocational education has really upped the game and our students are thriving as a result”.

A toast to success Students and staff at Merchant Taylors’ School are celebrating excellent A-level results this year.

Two thirds of all students recorded A* to B grades, including 22 girls and boys who achieved straight A or A* grades.

More than 90% of students are leaving to take up university places across the UK and beyond, including five heading to Oxbridge colleges. Other destinations include a professional rugby contract, a world-renowned music academy and a career in the Royal Navy.

Another is Raymond Winn, a passionate conservationist and qualified scuba diver, who scored a remarkable four A* grades at A-level and is leaving to study biological sciences at Imperial College

London, where classmate Abhinav Rajendran is also set to read materials science after achieving three A*s and an A grade.

Meanwhile, James Harper has agreed a professional contract with Premiership rugby side Sale Sharks and Angelina Dorlin-Barlow has secured a scholarship at The Royal College of Music.

David Wickes, headmaster at Merchant Taylors’ School for Boys, said: “The boys have done really well this year and they should be proud of their achievements.

“We take pride in the breadth of academic and extra-curricular opportunities at Merchant Taylors’ and we are thrilled to see such strong performances in the sciences, mathematics and history, among others”.

Celebrating success at Merchant Taylors’ School

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An incredible result for St Hilda’s College

St Hilda’s have the WOW factor Staff at St Hilda’s College are celebrating an incredible set of results for the GCSE class of 2019!

Mr Bellmon, assistant headteacher, said: “Our first reaction is WOW! Our results are even better than last year’s results.

Given the increased challenge and difficulty of the new style GCSEs, we are so proud of our students. Students and staff have clearly worked incredibly hard to secure results like these.

“Over 80% of maths and 90% of English grades were 9-4, 30% above the national average. Almost half of the English GCSEs were at grade 7 or higher.

“Grades 7-9 in maths were 10% above the national average!

100% of our separate scientists were awarded grades 9-4, with 90+% achieving a good or a high pass in biology, chemistry and physics.

“What all of the results show is the dedication of St Hilda’s staff, teaching and support and our belief in the St Hilda’s family and doing the best for one another. Well done to the class of 2019!”

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Expert Advice

Five ways to make your school more print efficient As schools and colleges are teaching pupils and students to be more environmentally aware, it is important that this message is followed by staff and teachers when it comes to their own printing habits.

Andy Hampson, sales manager at Copyrite Systems, offers advice on how schools and colleges can become more efficient with their printing.

1. Only print when necessary We have all seen the green text at the bottom of emails asking you to ‘Please consider the environment before printing this email’, whilst it is a good reminder in your inbox, you should also think about it for other documents that don’t necessarily need printing.

Why not consider moving to a digital filing system? That way, everything you need will

always be in once place and can be easily viewed and shared with colleagues via email.

2. Two sides are better than one You’d be surprised by how many schools and businesses don’t use the two-sided print function. By simply setting the printer to ‘duplex’ you can not only save money on paper and toner but also help the environment.

3. It’s black and white This may seem obvious but only print in colour when absolutely necessary. Opting for grayscale print outs will save money on costly ink and toner cartridges.

4. Be economical Using the ‘economy’ or ‘draft’

mode on your printer will help to use less ink or toner. By setting this as your default mode you will see a significant saving in costs, as well as, time – yes, printing in this way is so much quicker!

5. Pull don’t push ‘Pull-printing’ requires staff to manually enter either a security code or select their name on the user list on the printer itself.

This offers greater security, reduces uncollected paper left in the printer and can encourage everyone think to twice before pushing the ‘Print’ button.

Andy Hampson Sales manager Copyrite Systems

If you’re looking to review your current managed print systems and would like to book a free consultation, please call Copyrite Systems on 0151 486 2424

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Appointments News

Appointments News SPONSORED BY

Ian Parry to lead Meols Cop High School

A school for visionary thinkers, ambitious innovators and pioneers is what’s promised by newly appointed headteacher at Meols Cop High School, Mr Ian Parry.

Ian Parry is joining Meols Cop to lead the team following his time as principal at Liverpool Life Sciences UTC, the best performing UTC in the UK. The UTC has recently been listed as one of the top 10 most innovative schools in the country and he brings a wealth of experience around working with local businesses to create

direct pathways into quality jobs, apprenticeships and universities.

He is an exceptional teaching and learning practitioner, with a reputation for hosting a range of inspiring teachmeets, Tedx Youth talks and Ignite events. Ian is also well known across the UK for his passion for behaviour management that mirrors the real world. He has created an ethos of ‘Every Day is an Interview’ which helps young people to understand and demonstrate the values and attributes employers need and work in a positive way. He is passionate about helping to motivate and inspire young people to succeed.

Ian is returning to work in his hometown of Southport to lead the team at this outstanding school. He says, “I have grown up in Southport and it is where I choose to raise my three children. I am extremely ambitious for the Meols Cop community, its students, parents and staff and passionate about creating new opportunities in and out of school that will benefit us all. I am so proud to have been appointed headteacher at Meols Cop and am looking forward to working with the extremely talented team.”

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Appointments News

“An honour to join Gateacre” says new headteacher Gateacre School are thrilled to announce that they have appointed Mr Gareth Jones to succeed Mr Jason Roberts as headteacher. Mr Jones will take up his position from September 2019.

From Liverpool, Mr Jones spent the majority of his formative years studying at the University of Wales, Bangor where he achieved a Masters in Biochemistry before going on to study a PGCE in the same university.

His teaching career began in Stanney High School in Ellesmere Port before moving on to Wilmslow High School in Cheshire: working in both 11-18 schools with a wide range of students from a variety of backgrounds

and cultures provided a fantastic foundation for his teaching career.

community and the school of choice for all parents in that community”.

Much to Mr Jones’ delight, in recent years he has returned to his ‘home city’, working in Notre Dame, in Everton Valley in Liverpool. He is “both honoured and delighted to join Gateacre School, working with all colleagues to ensure that the school remains at the heart of the

Mr Jones is determined to provide an opportunity for every child to develop and flourish in an environment that is warm, welcoming and caring.

“Both students and colleagues are very proud of Gateacre School and speak highly of the provision it provides for all students who attend.”

New appointments in the Teacher Training Team at LJMU Dr Elizabeth Malone has been appointed as the new Head of Primary Initial Teacher Education Programmes at LJMU. Elizabeth has been responsible for the primary postgraduate course for four years but will now take on responsibility for all the primary teacher training provision at LJMU, which was recently rated as Outstanding by OFSTED. Elizabeth has particular interests in teachers’ mental health and well-being and in primary modern languages, particularly the development of

intercultural understanding, which was the focus of her doctorate.

Sarah Hindhaugh has been appointed as the programme leader for LJMU’s over-subscribed undergraduate degree programme in primary education with qualified teacher status. Sarah is a specialist in primary mathematics and co-author of How Big is a Big Number?

Learning to Teach Mathematics in the Primary School, which was published in 2018? Her background is in music education, which she continues to teach, alongside mathematics.

Gina Gretton joins the LJMU Primary Team following a successful career

in primary schools and as a literacy consultant in Wirral. Gina is an English specialist, passionate about helping student teachers master the skills required to develop early reading skills and reading for pleasure.

Victoria Brennan joins the LJMU Primary Team with a specialism in science teaching, which is the focus for her doctoral studies.

Victoria has taught in both primary and secondary settings as well as working with LJMU’s outreach team on the chemistry for all project.

She is also featured in the Channel 4 documentary the £1 house.

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Appointments News

Headteacher appointed to university’s new specialist maths school The University of Liverpool Mathematics School, due to open in September 2020, has appointed Damian Haigh as its founding headteacher.

Damian is from South Yorkshire and studied at Cambridge University before returning to Sheffield to take a PGCE at Sheffield Hallam University. For the last eleven years he has been a school leader in Wilmslow High School.

In 2008 he became director of learning and assessment, and more recently became director of research and

development whilst also working as an evidence lead in education for the Aspirer Research School.

He has taught further mathematics and Sixth Term Examination Papers (STEP) for over twenty years and is particularly interested in helping teachers make use of research findings about memory, cognition and effective teaching.

The University of Liverpool Mathematics School will take in 80 A-level pupils per year to study maths, further maths, computer science and physics.

In addition to offering a challenging and innovative A-level curriculum, the school will work with schools, colleges and education partners to raise attainment and interest in mathematics for pupils of all ages and abilities across the whole Liverpool City Region. It also seeks to address the gender imbalance that currently exists in the study of further maths.

Damian said: “I am thrilled and honoured to have been appointed as the first headteacher of the University

St Francis Xavier’s College welcomes new headmaster St Francis Xavier’s College, Woolton has appointed Paul Halliwell as headmaster, taking up his position this month.

Paul is a National Leader of Education and was responsible for setting up a Catholic Teaching School, The Agnus Dei Teaching School Alliance, which is made up of schools across the whole of London and Essex.

Paul joins the college from St Bonaventure’s in east London where he was headteacher for nine years.

Before that Paul was deputy head at De La Salle in Croxteth and previous to that he was assistant headteacher at Ruffwood Comprehensive in Kirkby.

Paul was educated at The University of Wales. Paul is 52 and is married to Diane. They have two children - a daughter Abi who is 21 and a son Jamie who is 18 and will be attending Durham University to study politics.

of Liverpool Mathematics School.

To be given the opportunity to play a key role in developing such a special school is beyond anything I’ve ever dreamt of. To do so in a city as vibrant and welcoming as Liverpool makes it even better.

“There are great opportunities ahead of us and I look forward to working with colleagues in schools, colleges and universities across the Liverpool region over the years ahead.

“My ambition is to create an exceptional school which delivers a great education to students with a vocation in mathematics whilst also taking seriously its responsibility to help all students studying mathematics across the region. I can’t wait to get started.”

The new School will be located in the Alastair Pilkington Building on the University campus, where it will benefit from the close proximity and association with the University’s Department of Mathematical Sciences, before moving to a permanent home close to campus.

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Appointments A pp n News

w director director of New of sixth sixth form form Rainfor o dS ixth F om or at Rainford Sixth Form Rainford ainford Sixth Form Fo has appointed a new director of sixth form for the start of the 2019/20 academic c yearr.

Grant Fletcher, who was formerly assistant head of sixth form, will now lead Rainford High’s dedicated post 16 provision. Grant has since become a key member of the senior leadership team at Rainford Sixth Form having joined in September 2013. assistant head of Toogether with the as Sixth Form, pastoral manager and dedicated tutors, the Sixth Form offers personalised and individual support programmes to students studying both A-level and BTEC courses.

Grant will ensure every student

receives exceptional, bespoke academic and pastoral support, and that they are provided with one-to-one advice and guidance on their individual progression options and career decisions.

fa facilitate a broad range off subjects and experiences, yet still ensure all ud in students are known as individuals suppor and are personally supported.

For more e information in visit: www.rainfordsixthfor rdsixthf rm.org.uk. rg.uk.

Grant said: “I am absolutely delighted to be appointed director of sixth form, here at Rainford. Following fantastic A-level and BTEC results over the summer, I am looking forward to continuing to build upon this success and ensure our students are prepared for the next steps in their life.”

Rainford Sixth Form is part of Rainford High. The modern and purpose built sixth form provides for approximately 300 students and is large enough to

T Two wo new new appointments appointments at at All All S Saints aints M Multi ulti Academy Academy T Trust rust

All Saints Multi Academy demy Trust r has appointed a new CEO and the Academy of St Francis of Assisi has welcomed a new head of school.

Patrick Ferguson (above left), formerly of Hope Academy y, will w take the position of CEO at the trust whilst Kevin Maddocks (above right), also from Hope Academyy, will join the th senior leadership team at ASF FA as hea head of school.

Patrick Ferguson has had a long, successful career in education, achieving his first post as a headteacher in 2002 at De La Salle School in Liverpool.

In 2010, Patrick became a National Leader of Education and has supported a number of schools in the North West region which have found themselves in difficulties, bringing about vast improvements. Patrick has also served as executive headteacher of a Liverpool primary school and an executive principal of De La Salle for more than a year after he left.

continue to drive improvements.”

In January 2015, Patrick joined Hope Academy as principal, and employed the same focused drive for improving standards that he had used at previous schools; building.

Kevin said: “My educational philosophy is simple; as educators, we have a duty to place our students at the heart of everything that we do.

This belief fully aligns with the ethos of ASF FA and following its i ‘good’ Ofsted inspection earlier in the year, I am excited to build uild upon the excellent work that has been done to transform the Kensington on academy a

Speaking about his new role, Patrick said: “I am thrilled to have joined All Saints Multi Academy Trust and I am looking forward to working closely with all three schools to

Kevin has worked in education for the last 17 years and most recently was vice principal at Hope Academy in St Helens. As part of this role, Kevin was seconded to St Francis Xavier’s College, Woolton, as head of school where he had a significant impact in a relatively short space of time.

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Sports News

PE without a stretch Pupils making physical activity part of their school day The long-awaited Healthy Schools Rating has landed, but the question is ‘how and why should schools capitalise on it when budgets and capacity are tight?’

MSP has been working to unlock the power of sport and physical activity for over 20 years and its strategic lead for children and young people, Calum Donnelly said: “The Healthy Schools Rating is a voluntary accreditation, available to schools completing the Active Lives Survey. There’s no pressure to share ratings, but actually, once your school has optimised its results, it can be used as a stamp of approval to demonstrate how you’re meeting, or even exceeding standards to Ofsted, parents and the local community.

“Strong evidence of the benefits of physical activity on academic performance and mental wellbeing has come out of numerous reports and studies over the last few years, including

papers from Public Health England; the Centre for Educational Neuroscience, University College London; plus Paluska & Schwenk’s ‘Physical Activity and Mental Health’. So, there’s a growing rationale for schools to play their part in boosting activity levels.

“However, with no additional funding on the table, how do schools see improvements? It’s about working smart.

“There are a number of existing tools

that can be driven through the PE premium and a range of free-to-access initiatives such as School Games and The Daily Mile™ that organisations like ours can signpost you to. As the Active Partnership for Merseyside it’s our job to help you get the most out of these.”

Just one of the schools already wellpositioned to see a great Healthy Schools Rating is Lister Infants in Liverpool.

Ashley Haynes, assistant head/PE lead, said: “We are already leveraging The Daily Mile™ initiative. It’s a great way to get all of our children outdoors and active. We find it really helps the concentration levels back in the classroom…and we find they’re producing much higher quality work.”

Any school that wants support to maximise what’s already available, whilst minimising impact on workload and budgets is welcome to contact MSP by emailing c.donnelly@merseysidesport.com

Award for school Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School was named ‘Primary School of the Year’ at the Sefton Sports Awards.

The award is given to a primary school which has demonstrated extra commitment to sport within the last 12 months through the development of new initiatives or programmes which go above and beyond the usual activity.

The children at Our Lady of Lourdes love PE and school sport.

The staff believe that physical education should give every child, whatever their ability, an equal opportunity to develop their physical competence to enable them to enjoy physical activity. Through dedicated staff, an engaging curriculum and a plethora of extra-curricular activities, children not only make good progress during lessons, they develop a love for PE. Sam Gallagher, PE subject leader, said: “It is an amazing honour to receive this prestigious award. It is fantastic to receive the recognition that the school deserves for going above and beyond for the pupils. It would not have been possible to receive the reward without two things: the dedication and hard work put in by all staff to create a holistic approach to school sport and the children’s enthusiastic approach”.

Headteacher, Maureen Hillsdon, said: “I am so proud of all the staff and pupils for this wonderful achievement”.

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Educate Awards sponsor welcomes England’s netball team Following the recent reopening of DMR Manchester, David M Robinson (DMR) was thrilled to host the England Netball team in ‘The Lounge’ ahead of the start of the recent Netball World Cup. Taking place in DMR’s spiritual home of Liverpool, the tournament saw teams from across the world descend on the city, to compete at the M&S Bank Arena.

During the visit, each of the team’s twelve players were presented with a TAG Heuer ‘Aquaracer’ timepiece, along with a personalised DMR jewellery case. Inspired by the Roses’ team slogan, each case was individually engraved with the phrase ‘If we are in it, then we are in it to win it’.

This latest friendship reaffirms David M Robinson’s commitment to supporting grass roots sports and the involvement of young men and women in these, during its 50th anniversary year.

John Robinson, managing director said: “We understand that in sport, timing really is everything. It was this knowledge that inspired our gifts for you all.

“Having attended so many games recently with my family, I have seen the way that my own children have been inspired by your skill and dedication, which makes today so special.”

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Holy Family Catholic High School & Sixth Form Centre

OPEN EVENING Monday 16th September 2019 6.00pm - 9.00pm

Holy Family Catholic High School & Sixth Form Centre Virgins Lane, Thornton, Liverpool L23 4UL Tel: 0151 925 6451 Fax: 0151 932 1417 Email: head.holyfamilyhigh@schools.sefton.gov.uk Web: www.holyfamilyhighschool.co.uk Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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FIRST FOR SCHOOLS Quidditch final proves to be a classic Primary schools throughout the North West travelled to Liverpool Hope University to take part in the first ever Northern Schools Quidditch Championship. The game is often described as somewhere in between touch rugby, netball and basketball, really energetic with the children having loads of fun. The North West has been selected for this event, due to the popularity of the sport within primary schools across the area and was organised by Enrich Education.

And it turned out to be a fantastic tournament with all the schools trying their hardest to reach the final and be crowned champions. The final saw a Liverpool versus Manchester with St Aloysius Primary School from Liverpool against Woodheys Primary School, from Manchester and what a final it was with Woodheys seeker Victoria Williams catching the Golden Snitch in the dying seconds to win the match, Woodheys Primary were crowned Northwest Quidditch Champions! Joint third place went to Evelyn Primary School, Prescot and Wharton Primary, Salford.

Champions! Woodheys Primary School

The race is on

Jack played the golden snitch

Runners up St Aloysius, graceful in defeat collecting their 2nd place medals On the attack

Woodheys Primary School practice

An attack is on

There was excitement throughout the day

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WIN W IN £250 £250

ffor or yyour our M erseyside primary primary Merseyside school w hen yyou ou sisign school when gn uupp ™ free Thee DDaily Mile free ttoo Th aily M ile £250 is up ffor or g grabs rabs ffor or 6 luc ky pr imary schools schools lucky primary in M erseyside tto o spend Merseyside improving on im proving health health and wellbeing. partt in tthis w ellbeing. To To ttake ake par his free-to-enter fr ee-to-enter prize prize draw draw go to: to:

www.merseysidesport.com/the-daily-mile w ww.merseysidesport.com/the-daily-mile Y o our school schoo must register using Your The Daily Mile sign up link on the web page above by midnight on 25/10/19 to be entered.

The Dail Daily y Mile is a FREE init initiative iative that encourages children to jog or run, at their own pace, for 15 minutes outside with their friends.

It can help schools suppor supportt mental wellbeing, improve concentration, boost attainment and more. Fur Further ther infor information mation is available at:

www.merseysidesport.com/the-daily-mile www.merseysidesport.com/the-daily-mile

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In association with

If you’re already doing an ‘active mile’ y o ou can mile’ you still still sign up to to transform it transform into The Dail y into Daily Mile and be in with a cchance hance with to win! to

Eligible schools already registered for The Daily Mile will automatically be entered into the draw and don’t need to register again. Full terms and conditions of the prize draw are available at www.merseysidesport.com/the-daily-mile The Daily Mile logo and ‘The Daily Mile’ name are trademarks belonging to The Daily Mile Foundation, ion, Hawkslease, Chapel Lane, Lyndhurst. ynd y U.K. and are reproduced with permission.

All rights reser ved.

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A course leader starts the Daily Mile record attempt

ADRENALINEFUELLED YEAR-END Merseyside School Games 2019 features record attempt As the 2018/19 school year drew to a close well over a thousand children descended on Liverpool for one of the highlights of the year - the Merseyside School Games Summer Festival, organised by MSP. Marking the culmination of a year of sport and physical activity, there was exciting competition across 12 different sports and three sites. Plus, this year’s event featured a very special opening ceremony warm-up: a record attempt for the largest number of school children in Merseyside taking part in The Daily Mile™ in one location at the same time, with the record being set at 1028! Teams from across Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral came together at Wavertree Sports Park, Greenbank Sports Academy and Everton Park Sports Centre to take part. The focus was on enjoyable participation and centred around the six character-building values of the school games: passion, self-belief, respect, honesty, determination and teamwork.

Futsal gold winners at Merseyside School Games

Nailbiting girls rugby action

Warm up led by Deaf Active Thrilled Quadkids winners

Excited to start the Daily Mile record attempt Vibrant play at the High 5 netball

Football girls show off their medals and certificates

Tri-golf in full swing

Dodgeball determination

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Expert opinion

The POWER of physical activity PULSE RAISED

OUT OF BREATH

WARM FACE

Keeping the kids busy over the summer holidays is often a major stress for parents, and now summer is over, it is easy to take your eye off the ball!

However, the benefits of keeping the kids physically active cannot be underestimated.

Benefits which can improve almost every aspect of health; it develops coordination; makes you feel happier; improves bone and muscular strength; reduces the risk of chronic disease; helps maintain healthy weight; improves energy levels; and can even improve brain function. Wow! So just how much physical activity should the kids be doing? We caught

ENERGISED

REGULARLY

up with James McGinn, partnership manager, North Liverpool Sports School Partnership to get his expert opinion. The Chief Medical Officer for England recommends that children and young people aim for at least 60 active minutes per day. Don’t panic! Physical activity can come in many guises and now the kids are back in school, the new Sport and Physical Activity Action Plan means schools have to ensure that all pupils get at least 30 for those 60 minutes during the school day.

At Liverpool School Sports Partnership (LSSP), when thinking about physical activity, they encourage people to use POWER, which stands for Pulse raised; Out of breath; Warm face; Energised; Regularly. Be it simply going for a walk after dinner; playing in the park or street; joining a sports team or club; learning martial arts; riding a bike / scooter to and from school,; dancing; helping in the garden;

Sports News

Embracing the power of cricket All those who saw the thrilling Cricket World Cup final could not have helped but be inspired by the excitement of the England’s incredible victory.

Now Chance to Shine, the national children’s cricket charity, are hoping that excitement will continue into this academic year and will help towards achieving their aim of giving all children the opportunity to play, learn and develop through cricket.

Laura Cordingley, chief executive at Chance to Shine, said: “As an organisation, we use cricket to help children and young people across the country to improve their physical literacy, alongside their wider personal, social and physical wellbeing.

“In partnership with the Youth Sports Trust, we have developed a six-week curriculum that will help all children to take part regardless of whether they are an aspiring Eoin Morgan or Heather Knight or have never picked up a bat or a ball in their life “We want all pupils to be able to unlock the wider benefits that we see so many of the half a million children we work with every year receive. We believe that cricket is well placed to help them to develop as individuals, as team players and as members of a society – be that in school or their local community.

“Last year, 84% of the teachers we surveyed noted that their pupils’ team working skills had improved and four-fifths saw an increase in confidence after the cricket lessons.”

Teachers who would like to access the resources can find them at chancetoshine.org/teaching-resources.

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climbing; skipping or bouncing on the trampoline, they are all great forms of physical activity.

For James with three very different children, the important thing he says is to encourage them to have fun and try to reduce the amount of screen time.

As the list of ideas demonstrates, it doesn’t need to cost you and it shouldn’t always be about winning or losing. Although, he uses healthy sibling rivalry and encourages his to be active and adds that they are great at coming up with their own games, although ‘last hit’ can sometimes get out of hand! James’s children spend hours playing on the trampoline playing their own form of ball tag. They both bounce on the trampoline. One of them puts a ball down. They try to bounce so the ball hits the other (point awarded).

If the ball is about to fall off the last one sitting down has to retrieve it.

A game full of fun and exercise!

If you are looking for more information / ideas on what to do with the kids James says the Change 4 Life website is worth a look.

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Education News

Supporting young minds Representatives from NHS England, the Department for Education and national mental health charity, YoungMinds, will deliver keynote speeches at Liverpool’s educationrelated mental health conference in October.

Sara Saunders, implementation lead (Green Paper), children and young people’s mental health team, NHS England will be joined by colleagues from the Department for Education to deliver a presentation outlining their joint work to improve and support children and young people’s mental health.

Wendy Gleave is the training and development manager at YoungMinds, the UK’s leading charity fighting for young people’s mental health. She will speak about supporting the mental health of children and young people through “Ordinary Magic” and learnable skills.

Wendy said: “Psychologists have long recognised that some children develop well despite growing up in high-risk environments. This capacity to cope with adversity, and even be strengthened by it, is at the heart of resilience.

“It is not something that people either have or don’t have – resilience is learnable and teachable, and as we learn we increase the range of strategies available to us when things get difficult.”

Education in Mind is a one-day conference that will explore various key issues surrounding mental health and emotional wellbeing within a local education context.

A marketplace will feature local organisations, including members of the Liverpool Child Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Partnership, where they will showcase and explain the services they offer and support available for local professionals and families.

Conference delegates will also have the first opportunity to be introduced to the re-developed Liverpool CAMHS schools’ Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing pathway. Over the past six months work has taken place to develop a clear levels of need model for children’s mental health in schools and improve access to support.

This model will be presented on the day along with other Whole School Approach initiatives, including the premiere of a short film produced by pupils from Archbishop Blanch School.

The conference is funded by the Liverpool Learning Partnership, Liverpool Clinical Commissioning Group, supported

by Liverpool City Council’s Families Programme and sponsored

by Educate Magazine.

Headteachers, mental health leads and governing body members within all Liverpool-based education establishments from early years to secondary stages, are invited to attend, but delegate places are limited to three per setting, so early booking is advised to avoid disappointment.

The conference takes place on Friday 18 October, 9:15am (8.45am for registration) – 3.30pm at ACC Liverpool.

To reserve a place, visit https://www.liverpoolcamhs.com/events/education-inmind/ Twitter: #EducationInMindLiv

Educate Awards shortlist coming soon!

The wait is almost over for schools and colleges across the North West as the shortlist for the Educate Awards 2019, in partnership with Copyrite Systems and Ricoh is soon to be announced.

The team behind the awards were completely overwhelmed with the number of submissions received on the deadline at the end of June.

Since then, the esteemed panel of judges have been hard at work carefully reviewing each entry and making the difficult decision of compiling the shortlist of schools and colleges who have really shone in each of the 21 categories.

Feedback from judges so far has been nothing but positive. Comments include: “An inspiring example of a school which prioritises the mental health and wellbeing not just of the children but of staff and the whole community.”

“What shines through is an atmosphere of belonging, of celebrating the ability and achievements of every 84

pupil and an exemplary approach to pastoral care and peer education.”

Kim O’Brien, founder of the Educate Awards, said: “We know many schools and colleges are desperate to know the shortlist for this year’s awards and we are working towards revealing it by the end of September at the latest.

“The judges currently have the extremely tough job of reading through each and every entry and deciding who has made the prestigious shortlist.”

Kim added: “We suggest to those who have entered to keep an eye on the Educate Awards website and Twitter account for all the latest news and announcements.”

Associate sponsors include: All About STEM, Angel Solutions, CER, DMR David M Robinson Jewellery & Watches,

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Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust, Liverpool Learning Partnership, LSSP, Progress To Excellence Group, Satis Education, School Improvement Liverpool, Signature Living and Winstanley College.

For more information visit www.educateawards.co.uk or follow @EducateAwards on Twitter.

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Pran Patel and Andy Kent

FESTIVAL WITH A DIFFERENCE A breath of fresh air for education

Lorna Taylor demonstrating the benefits of ‘Jolly Back’

Book ahead

It wasn’t all work

Following the success of the 2018 event, Angel Solutions once again sourced a stellar line-up of speakers for their 2019 education festival. RefreshED is an education festival with a difference holding talks and interactive workshops from leading, world-renowned education experts. With a focus on teacher wellbeing, mental health and curriculum, as well as Ofsted framework debunking, there was a pick and mix of workshop choices, with something to suit everyone.

It featured the top world-renowned speakers such as ex-apprentice candidate Jaz Ampaw Farr, happiness speaker and comedienne Shonette Bason Wood and BBC documentary star Pran Patel – there were also surprise treats for all guests attending! Event goers were offered an ice-cream break and free massages with musical entertainment, magicians, pick and mix sweets, mocktails (turning to cocktails later on) and more. The event was aimed at headteachers, senior leaders, subject co-ordinators and assessment leads with a choice of workshops for all from EIF 2019/Ofsted framework changes to wellbeing and teacher workload.

Adam Vasco, Lisa Salters, Sally Burch, Vickie Clements and Tom Wallace

Taking it all in

Jaz Ampaw-Farr delivering the final speech of the day

A chance to network

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Schools across the country have the freedom of choice when it comes to selecting their school meal catering provider.

Schools in Cheshire West and Wirral have chosen Edsential.

Edsential, produce over 5.3million school meals annually and guarantee that their food adheres to a host of accreditations and National Food Standards outlined by the government. Through this, they can support local businesses and reduce food miles with locally and ethically sourced ingredients.

Edsential are acutely aware that their staff are the most important resource and have signed up to the Local Living Wage Charter.

Edsentials Accreditations: testing a variety of products to ensure the highest quality.

In Summer 2019, Edsential, alongside their main suppliers were audited by the RSPO and granted ‘Certified Sustainable Palm Oil Status’, therefore becoming: 18 months ago, Edsential were asked how they were going to support the use of sustainable Palm Oil through school catering. Rather than promote the use of sustainable Palm Oil, they elected to reassess their whole supply chain model and challenge themselves to become certified by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) as the World’s First Certified Sustainable Palm Oil Catering Company.

Edsential enrolled in the Sustainable Palm Oil City Project in Chester with a view to ensuring that any palm oil present in the food served in their school kitchens, was only sought from certified sustainable sources.

This was the beginning of Edsential’s Sustainable Palm Oil Journey.

Their Menu and Supply Chain Manager worked tirelessly for the last 12 months to ensure that any products containing palm oil used in their menus was sourced sustainably. This involved tasting, trialling and

The World’s First Certified Sustainable Palm Oil Catering Company Tracy Moore, Head of Catering at Edsential said: “After all the work involved, we were delighted to be accredited as a Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) organisation by the RSPO – the governing body promoting the growth and use of sustainable oil palm products through credible global standards - in July 2019.

Managing Director, Ian McGrady, added: “Gaining CSPO status is massive for us as a company and for global sustainability. The combined efforts and standards introduced by the RSPO go a long way to supporting those communities and species affected by Palm Oil, deforestation and globalisation. As a Community Interest Company, we are delighted to do our bit for the environment through this certification to ensure we protect the diverse ecosystem on our planet for the next generation”

For further information, please visit: www.edsential.com/palmoil or contact us via hello@edsential.co.uk Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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MAMMOTH JOB FOR SCHOOL

The Jungle Book cast and Belle Vale Choir

Gateacre head to the Jungle Gateacre School took on the task of staging and performing Disney’s classic The Jungle Book.

The 50 plus students from all year groups worked tirelessly in rehearsals, they choreographed and directed each other, older students supported younger ones, and some assisted the technicians, in the mammoth job of managing all backstage elements. They even had exstudents (now fully trained make-up artists) come back to school to teach current students the skills they needed to create the make-up designs for the cast. The musicians, mainly drawn from Year 10 and 12 classes, rehearsed through their lunch-times and stayed late after school to practice.

The unique aspect to this year’s show was the decision to invite local primary schools to take part, namely Norman Pannell, Belle Vale and Woolton. Each school became the ‘Jungle Choir,’ an integral part of the show. Never leaving the stage and involved in every song that was performed.

Lisa Mitchell, community co-ordinator, said: “Having a regular creative outlet is not just part of a well-rounded education – it is essential for a child’s emotional health and well-being.

Producing a show brings the arts together and provides growth opportunities for all varieties of learners”.

Jack Davison as Bagheera

Rory Vickerstaffe as Shere Khan

Mowgli, Daniel Abrams finding himself in a tricky situation with Kaa, Mackenzie Hayes and the Coils.

The three primary school choirs

King Louie played by Amy Figuiera, with her quora of monkeys

Sophie Stoddart as Shanti the girl from the village.

Colonel Hathi played by Neive Jackson and her parade of elephants.

Gateacre's inhouse band, 'The Baloos Brothers.'

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GATTE G GATE GATEAC EAC A RE

Gateacre Scho ool

Top performing school in Liverpool for A Level value added and progress

DfE Jan 2019

Leaders have created a very strong culture of safeguarding in which pupils feel safe, valued and happy. ...It is therefore not surprising that more parents are choosing Gateacre for their children.

OFSTED 2017

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GateacreSchool

www.gateacre.org

Believe, Achieve, Succeed.

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Education News

New book launch to help combat tooth decay A recent survey has shown that one in four primary school age children already have tooth decay. Last year 8000 children had to have teeth extracted in hospital.

Happy Teeth, a company aiming to reduce oral health problems among children and schools are to launch a new book to highlight the dangers in not looking after your teeth, George and The Happy Tooth.

Katie Dullaghan founder of Happy Teeth has teamed up with Liverpool illustrator Sean Webster to create George and the Happy Tooth.

The book features a short story all about when George’s first tooth comes out. Embedded in educational messages to help look after our teeth.

The story is followed by activities for children and a comprehensive guide for parents and teachers to encourage learning about oral health.

Katie has seen the need for further education while delivering preventative education within schools. Katie said

teachers and parents need support to give accurate preventative advice to support children in having better oral health.

The guide inclusive in the book is a way that this can be achieved on a broad scale.

George and The Happy Tooth includes vital key messages that can be portrayed both in the classroom and at home.

There is a cross curricular page to encourage learning in each of the key subjects and link easily into classroom plans.

The book encourages the conversations needed at home within families and in the classroom. Children enjoy the activities especially the Happy Teeth floss and everybody loves the Spider-Man tooth.

Books can be purchased at; https://amzn.to/2PgJezs or access the

Continued success for Satis Education Satis Education is celebrating a successful 2018/19 academic year with a 100% success rate for recruitment.

The social enterprise which offers consultancy and support services to the education sector, has experienced a rapid period of growth and is now working with clients from across the country.

Based in St Helens, Satis Education was founded by Helen Stevenson and Laura McGunigle in 2017 and brings together a select and well-respected group of education professionals, all committed to supporting schools and academies, multi-academy trusts, dioceses and local authorities in improving the life chances of children and young people.

The recruitment side of the business, in particular, is flourishing with a 100% success rate in securing high calibre candidates for senior roles in the North West, North East, Midlands and South East.

Helen Stevenson said: “It has been a fantastic 12 months for Satis Education and the business 90

is going from strength to strength.

“We are quickly becoming known for sourcing excellent candidates for positions all across country, including primary, secondary, SEND, AP and support functions roles.

“Our extensive experience in education means that we have a firm understanding of the ever changing sector and appreciate the challenges being faced in the current climate. We believe this has been key to Satis Education’s success to date.”

Helen Stevenson

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website to find out further information or for school bulk orders; www.happyteetheducation.com

First for Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust Liverpool Diocesan Schools Trust (LDST) have a really exciting occasion planned for this term – it is their first ever Trust wide Inset Day and will enable teachers and leaders from all of their 16 schools to come together and consider their vision, aims and priorities…..almost 400 professionals The Inset Day to be held in October, is entitled “Growing together in wisdom and stature: enhancing our curriculum and provision to overcome barriers and develop faithful, knowledgeable, resilient learners” The event will include keynotes including Andy Wolfe, Church of England on the CofE vision to overcome disadvantage; Daniel Sobel: Pupil Premium and Mark Quinn: HMI OFSTED. LDST have a number of workshops planned for the afternoon focusing on overcoming academic, social and emotional barriers to learning.

The Workshop will include: Andrew Percival: Developing a Knowledge rich Curriculum Daniel Sobel: Overcoming Disadvantage - strategies for overcoming barriers and practical planning for meeting the most vulnerable and challenging students Fr Richard Peers:Mindfulness Clive Wright: Curriculum Dr Curran: Brain Study Ethos Enhancing Outcomes: Andy Wolfe; Young Minds: Resilient Learners Yvonne Sutton (SIL): SEN

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Year 6 Open Evening Tuesday 24 September 2019 6:30pm - 8pm Welcome address by the Headmaster at 6:30pm in the School Hall All parents of boys in Year 6 are invited to attend our annual Open Evening.

Take this opportunity to meet our staff and talk to our boys and learn about our school.

Since 1842 we have been providing a quality education for the boys of Liverpool and you could be a part of our school history and an important part of our future success.

For further information contact the school on: Telephone 0151 288 1000 Email admin@sfx.liverpool.sch.uk

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STEAM News

Engineering Your Future returns Event set to return to Liverpool and Warrington Engineering Your Future is returning to Liverpool and Warrington and booking is now open for students to attend.

The events will take place on Friday 11 October at Liverpool Football Club and Thursday 21 November at Halliwell Jones Stadium Each event will initially limit places to five students per school/college to ensure as many institutions as possible are able to be a part of the event. They may be able to take larger groups upon request. Warrington and surrounding area schools will get priority for the Halliwell Jones event.

This year events are free to attend and include a free lunch for students!

This informative and hands-on event is, ideally, aimed at 1618 year old students who are studying science, maths or engineering at GNVQ or A-level, to attend together with their STEM subject teachers.

The day is split into four or five workshop sessions providing insights into areas such as mechanical, civil, electrical/electronic, chemical or nuclear engineering; each of which lasts approximately 40 minutes. Attendees will be split into groups and each group allocated a mentor engineer for the day.

There will also be opportunity for teachers to chat and

network with All About STEM staff regarding their work with schools, teachers and business.

Students and teachers will benefit by increasing their awareness of the very broad scope offered by a career in engineering; the various routes into engineering; what they can expect and what it entails. All the presenters will be qualified and experienced engineers and technicians.

Plans for Eureka! Mersey submitted Plans for a second Eureka! children’s museum on the Wirral waterfront have been submitted to Wirral Council which is due to open in 2022.

The proposals are for an £11.75 million world-class visitor attraction for six to 14year-olds, with an additional area dedicated to the 0-5 years age group.

If approved, Eureka! Mersey would take over the buildings which currently house Seacombe ferry terminal and Spaceport, linked by ferry to the Liverpool waterfront.

The proposed plans include exhibits and activities designed to boost STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and maths) skills in local children and young people, supporting key areas of the regional growth strategy such as low carbon, advanced manufacturing, life and health sciences, digital and innovation.

The Eureka! Mersey team are currently working with schools and youth organisations from across the Liverpool City Region (LCR) to ensure that they create a unique attraction that is relevant to the region’s young people.

Last year it was announced that Eureka! Mersey had been awarded £3 million from the government’s Inspiring Science Fund, bringing the plans closer to a 2022 opening.

Working closely with partners, including Wirral Council, Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) and Merseytravel, other funding sources 92

including Wirral Council have already been confirmed, while additional LCRCA funding is being bid for under the Strategic Investment Fund process.

Wirral Council cabinet member for culture and tourism, Cllr Christine Spriggs, said: “It’s incredibly exciting to see this project move on to another milestone.

“At the moment we have a number of developments moving apace at Wirral Waters, the Wirral Growth Company is moving ahead and will be revealing more plans soon, and across the borough we are seeing increasing development and investment in the future.

“If this receives planning permission, I am sure it will become a huge focal point for the region and beyond and add yet another attraction to bring people to find

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

out how much Wirral has to offer.”

Eureka's chief executive, Leigh-Anne Stradeski, said: “We could not be more excited about the prospect of opening a second Eureka! in Wirral. We have engaged extensively with stakeholders across Liverpool City Region in our planning thus far, including children and young people, businesses, academia, education, community and the cultural sector, and the level of engagement, enthusiasm and support has been absolutely incredible. We are hopeful of a positive decision on planning within the next few months.”

The plans will now be formally consulted upon before being considered independently by the council’s planning committee, with a decision expected later this month.

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At Hillside we believe ‘Everyday is Open Day’, so if you have missed Open Evening or would like to visit us during the school day please do not hesitate to contact us and make an appointment.

We look forward to welcoming you to our school and showing you what ‘Excellence in the Heart of the Community’ looks like.

Hillside High School, Breeze Hill, Bootle, L20 9NU Tel: 0151 525 2630 Email: admin@hillsidehigh.co.uk Twitter: @hillside_high Hillside High School is part of the Wade Deacon Trust ‘Excellence in the Heart of the Community’

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EDUCATE16+ Education, training and employment

Outstanding college Carmel College retains its Ofsted Outstanding status!

Carmel College has retained its ‘Outstanding’ status after it was reinspected by Ofsted.

The college was graded outstanding when it was previously inspected in 2007.

This makes Carmel the only Outstanding Sixth Form College nationally, that has retained its outstanding grade over the last ten years.

Carmel has around 2300 students, including 300 higher education students. Fifty per cent of Carmel’s students come from widening participation postcodes, however the college is consistently ranked in the top 10 colleges nationally for the amount of progress students make.

The college attracts applications from over 90 high schools across St Helens and neighbouring boroughs.

Last year, over 75per cent of students who left Carmel went to work, train or continue their studies in employment areas identified as priorities by the

Liverpool City Region LEP. In total, over 98 per cent of students made a positive progression from Carmel to university, further education, apprenticeships or employment.

The college work hard to support local schools to ensure that as many young people as possible, from the area of the North West, are able to progress onto sustainable and positive careers.

They provide local schools with support from staff and students who act as mentors to help motivate and aspire high school students, especially in the areas of maths, creative and digital and life sciences.

With support from the Chambers of Commerce and Liverpool Hope University, they have also this year launched the Carmel Service and Leaders Award. This builds on the community work and volunteering opportunities the college encourages all students to take advantage of,

great emphasis is also placed on providing excellent careers advice and guidance.

The Ofsted report stated: “Students strive to achieve the very high standards their teachers set. They make excellent progress, achieve their qualifications and progress to aspirational destinations.”

Carmel College principal Mike Hill, said: “We are extremely happy with the Ofsted report and proud that we continue to be an Outstanding College.

“This is a fitting reward for the hard work of the whole

staff at Carmel, both academic and support, who strive to uphold the college mission and ensure the best outcome for every individual student.

“The commitment and dedication of our fantastic students, who we are blessed to serve, also rightly received considerable praise from the Inspectors.

“We hope that Carmel’s success can also support and nurture the continued improvement in education across St Helens and help inspire younger students to perform at their very best.”

Developers given the opportunity to start their career St Helens Chamber is launching a brand new study programme this September in IT systems and coding, aimed at creating talented candidates for local businesses and filling the gap in training for young people aspiring to have a career in the digital industry.

Liverpool City Region is one of the UKs fastest growing digital and creative hubs, but many vacancies are left unfilled due to a shortage of experienced candidates. This study programme aims to address this by training talented, local young apprentices to fill these vacancies.

In the Liverpool City Region, 22,000 people are already employed in the digital and creative sector. As an industry worth £1.8bn to the region, investment in the next generation of digital talent is key to building on the region’s strong position.

John Westhead, director of training services at St Helens Chamber, said: “Many young people have come to the Chamber showing an interest in starting a

career in development and coding, but there has been a lack of training available for them locally to do so.

“We’ve created this study programme to fill this training gap so they can pursue their career aspirations, right here in St Helens.

The IT systems and coding study programme will be delivered at Clickworks, St Helens Chamber’s digital skills centre in St Helens town centre, and will train students aged 16-18 in the basics of coding; with modules including principles of ICT systems and data security, creating computer programmes, Java script and SQL.

Alongside building their coding and IT skills, students will complete an extended work experience placement and also will benefit from an all-expenses-paid study trip to Germany, a range of field trips, free driving lessons and more to broaden their industry knowledge.

The study programme will give local businesses access to a pool of talented developers ready to recruit into their businesses – bringing fresh ideas and plenty of energy.

John said: “This new study programme will create brand new candidates with the right training to be able to fill the vacancies of local businesses, boosting employment in our area.

“Plenty of local businesses are in need of candidates and are more than happy to offer apprenticeships after seeing how valuable they can be to a business.

“The study programme will help us to meet this demand and continue our work to support both young people and the local economy.”

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Interview with: Eva Carroll, student at Carmel College

Educate meets inspirational Carmel College student Eva Carroll and discovers her passion for politics, dedication to women’s rights and thrill at becoming a member of the UK Youth Parliament.

A voice to be heard

By Lawrence Saunders Many 17-year-old girls might find the prospect of addressing packed benches in the House of Commons a nerve-racking one, but not Eva Carroll.

“I can’t wait – I’m really excited!” says the Carmel College pupil who is currently studying English Literature, politics and history A-levels.

After being elected a member of the UK Youth Parliament in March, Eva will be making the trip down to London later this year as part of UK Parliament Week.

The UK Youth Parliament gives young people a voice on the issues affecting them – a voice Eva has been expressing loud and proud since her early teens.

Aged 13, she was nominated to attend Liverpool Schools’ Parliament – the city’s youth voice assembly where youngsters come together to debate a range of issues and welcome visits from local decision makers including Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.

Eva’s involvement with politics and social issues was in part stirred by her mother, Nadine, who gave her daughter the confidence to stand up for what she believes in.

One cause which is particularly close to Eva’s heart is women’s rights and at 96

Carmel she has been able to put that passion into action.

“I’ve always been concerned with women’s rights and I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to make life a little bit easier for girls,” says Eva. “I thought that free sanitary products was quite an easy thing to do.”

Eva put the idea to Carmel’s student council and with the help of a teacher, organised for sanitary products to be placed in the main college toilets.

Keen to facilitate debate around women’s rights at her college, Eva also founded the Feminist Discussion Group which enables students to talk about important topics within today’s society and highlight the role that feminism plays.

“When I started college, my friends and I encountered blatant sexism and we found that we needed a support network, so I thought ‘why don’t we just do a feminist discussion group?’,” she says.

“At the start we didn’t know what it was going to look like. I went out on my own and put a few posters up and used my Twitter to publicise it.

“The first week about 10 people attended but it really started to grow after that and now we have 20-30 people coming.

Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

“

Eva has first hand experience of exactly how street harassment can make a young girl feel

”

“Initially it was just going to be me running sessions but I found that once the discussions got opened up, a lot of people wanted to present on issues which were close to them.”

Members of the discussion group, which has a 50/50 gender split, have given PowerPoint presentations on a range of different topics including trans rights, the LGBT community and street harassment.

The presentations are then uploaded to Carmel’s website where they act as a resource for students and teachers alike.

Eva is also a member of the Plan International UK Youth Advisory Panel which runs a national campaign against street harassment called ‘I Say It’s Not OK’.

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Eva brought the initiative into the Feminist Discussion Group and students created a video about how street harassment makes them feel, the consequences of it and how they can call it out.

Sadly, Eva has first hand experience of exactly how street harassment can make a young girl feel.

A few months ago she was walking down a busy street hand in hand with her boyfriend when a group of boys came past and one forcefully slapped her backside.

“I was completely taken aback – especially given all the work I’d been doing around street harassment,” says Eva.

vote on which issues should go onto the parliament’s manifesto.

Eva presented her resolution booklet on the sex industry in Europe.

Eva’s bill past by over 90%, and could end up on the ‘Make Your Mark’ ballot – five issues which will be debated in the House of Commons by UK Youth Parliament members (MYPs).

“We prioritised worker’s human rights above all else and looked at ways to ensure their voices were listened to, regardless of the status of the sex industry in the country,” she explains.

Regardless of whether her motion makes it onto the ballot, Eva will accompany other MYPs to the House of Commons in November as no stranger to the parliamentary arena.

“Improving the socio-economic conditions of women to prevent them feeling a need to enter the job out of necessity was also a key issue we tackled, as well as supporting the autonomy of workers if they wished to continue willingly whilst still pinpointing the victims of human trafficking and offering full support to them.”

In March, she captained eight Lower Sixth Carmel students to first place in the European Youth Parliament Debating Competition held at Liverpool Town Hall.

“I knew what it meant and what it signified, so I was really hurt and felt helpless.”

Alongside her fellow A-level politics students, Eva engaged in six different debates with topics ranging from Gibraltar to the ethics of the fashion industry.

Eager for something positive to come out her experience, Eva submitted a motion to stop street harassment at the annual sitting of the UK Youth Parliament.

After victory at the town hall, Carmel’s team advanced forward to the European Youth Parliament National Finals at Liverpool Hope University earlier this summer.

All 300 delegates from around the UK

Eva’s report further demonstrated her passion for telling stories that need to be told, and when paired with her political know-how, it’s no surprise that she plans to pursue a career in political journalism after hopefully studying English literature at the University of Cambridge.

Whichever profession she chooses, the future certainly looks bright for this inspirational young woman.

It was at this prestigious event where Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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How to become … a visual merchandising manager Have you ever wondered how someone chose their career path? Was it through a passion developed in school or did they accidentally ‘fall into it’? In this issue, we speak with David M Robinson’s visual merchandising manager, Lauri Hammond, to find out how she got into this particular line of work and what she loves most about working for the region’s most prestigious jewellers.

What educational journey did you take following your secondary school education? What qualifications did you need?

My educational journey was not a traditional one, after my GCSE’s I frankly had no idea what I wanted to do. I was working part time for a high-street retailer and on occasion I was asked to style mannequins and install basic window displays which I really enjoyed.

I loved the theatre of window dressing so I threw myself into applying for junior visual merchandising jobs and quickly found myself working for Topshop in The Bullring, Birmingham.

Alongside this role I started to study with the Open University, initially taking on short art related courses building up to longer more specialised modules, eventually graduating with a degree in art history.

I must highlight that throughout my career it is my practical experience that has proved the most valuable in terms of my progression.

Did your current role influence your subject choices at GCSE or A-level? Did you have an idea of what you wanted to do and which subjects would be most relevant?

As I mentioned above, I didn’t comprehend that a role like mine even existed. I therefore surmised that I couldn’t go too far wrong in simply studying subjects I enjoyed and excelled in.

To what extent did you feel your creativity was nurtured and developed at school and how was this done?

Art was unsurprisingly the lesson I looked forward to most. My art teacher introduced me to the work of Salvador Dali and Edvard Munch – it is only now I understand how pivotal this was to my development. At the age of 14 this wasn’t art as I knew it, it wasn’t ornamental, it wasn’t ‘easy’ to look at. It was confrontational and unsettling, I understood then the power and purpose of art, and I think about this in my work regularly.

What previous roles did you have before beginning your current role at DMR? My background has always been in retail, and I’ve had the opportunity to work for several well-known names, including working for Harvey Nichols creating installations for the brand’s flagship showroom in Knightsbridge. During this time, I was part of a team that created striking displays throughout the year for which this store has become famous.

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What attracted you to work at David M Robinson jewellers?

In the North West of England, there is no other name so synonymous with diamond jewellery and luxury environments as David M Robinson. It is great to be joining the business at such an exciting time and celebrating 50 years of DMR. This anniversary gives the opportunity to design some super creative installations which will draw the eye to the windows of the four showrooms.

What does your job entail as a Visual Merchandising Manager? Can you describe a typical day?

To sound cliché, no two days are the same! I could be working on anything from the brainstorming of new ideas for a showroom window, to finding exciting new ways to display our jewellery product in-store.

We’re currently undergoing the company’s largest expansion project to date at the showroom in Manchester city centre, so we are busy working on new options to create the most beautiful environment in which to view our collections. In luxury, it is important for you to experience the most stunning surroundings, and we understand that at DMR. What is the latest window installation at DMR? DMR has just launched a new campaign across the showrooms called ‘Let Love Grow’. The idea behind the theme comes from the personal journeys that many of our clients go on with the brand. From engagement, marriage and other key milestones in their lives. The display is super colourful and it is perfect for this time of year as we transition from summer to autumn.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to develop a career in the visual merchandising field?

It is crucial in a visual role to learn quickly that the work you do is completely subjective. You will be confronted with people’s opinions frequently and you should accept both the good and bad with humility.

We live in an increasingly digital world which means visual merchandisers must work harder to impress customers that choose to visit the high street. My advice is to always be curious: inspiration and innovation can be found everywhere.

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Education News

Conference highlights mental health The School of Education at Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) held a conference of mental health in schools/young children and the effect that this can have on teachers.

This year’s conference had three strands: special care children (e.g. refugee children’s needs, female genital mutilation, looked after children, and trans children to name a few).

Then the second strand was approaches, as they wanted trainee teachers to feel empowered to be able to ‘do something’, even if it is simple awareness/signposting or embedding good mental health practice in their teaching through the use

of storytelling, place2be, implementing the ROAR programme or considering how to minimise exam anxiety.

Finally, with increased numbers of teachers leaving the profession within the first five years, the last strand looked at putting into place training for teachers to look after their own mental health.

The conference had two knowledgeable key note speakers in Alistair Bryce Clegg who was most recently seen presenting on Channel 4’s ‘Old People’s Home for 4 Year Olds’, and Prof Jonathon Glazzard, who currently leads on research in The Carnegie Centre of Excellence for Mental Health in Schools.

Learn to travel, travel to learn with Travelbound Travelbound makes planning an educational trip abroad easier with school travel experts on hand to support teachers every step of the way.

With over 30 years’ experience in organising extended learning opportunities abroad, Travelbound have the expertise and backing of the Council for Learning Outside the Classroom (LOtC), ABTA and ATOL to make booking a school trip a seamless experience for schools and their students.

Working with teachers from schools around the UK, Travelbound school trips provide the stimulus and inspiration for students to develop into lifelong learners. Choose from a wide-array of city destinations within Europe; stay at Travelbound’s Château du Molay to experience the landing beaches and French markets of Normandy; or see your school group travel further afield as students learn about new cultures. From London to Paris and Athens to Tokyo, ignite the passion for future learning through discovery on a Travelbound educational tour.

Travelbound ensures teachers have a successful and stress-free school trip by supporting schools with everything they need, including personalised posters and presentations to promote the trip, help with risk assessments and 24-hour support while away.

Excursions are hand-picked to meet your school’s learning outcomes and budget with full- and half-day guides also available.

“Thank you so much to all at Travelbound for making the trip such a great success. The itinerary was incredible and the organisation was the best I have ever known on a school trip.”

Warwick School, School trip to China Visit travelbound.co.uk or call 01273 767 675 and see how you can create the perfect educational experience for your school.

Summer of love in Liverpool CER Education held a ‘Teacher Summer Social’ at the Love Lane Brewery in Liverpool at the end of last term as a way of saying thank you to all their teachers, teaching assistants and support staff for all their hard work all year.

Elaine Berry, senior divisional operations manager for CER Education said: “We like to have a few drinks, a bite to eat and a good catch up with them all to celebrate the end of term.

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“This, along with the regular CPD courses and workshops that we do throughout the school year is evidence of our candidate focused ethos within CER…we like to offer all our support staff the chance to develop their careers in a supportive environment.

“We have a further CPD workshop planned for October half term focusing on NQT’s – supply teacher survival guide and our annual health and wellbeing event in February 2020 which will be advertised accordingly.”

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Worldwide educational tours tailored to Over 30 years’ experience organising school trips Tailor-made tours to suit budget and requirements Hassle-free, transparent booking process Spark your students’ interest and create lifelong learners through our curriculum-focused tours.

Art & Design Business Studies Christmas Markets Classics Cross-curricular Food o Technology Geogrra aphy History

Media Studies Modern Foreign o Languages Performing Arts Physical Education Religious Education Science STEM

Special offers to our exclusive Château du Molay, Normandy

t: 01273 767 675 e: info@travelbound.co.uk w: travelbound.co.uk Educate The Magazine for Parents and Pupils

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The eco warriors meet the panel

MEET THE EXPERTS School eco warriors quiz council experts School children from five schools in south Sefton took on air quality experts at Southport Eco Centre.

The ‘Air Quality Meet the Experts’ event gave young people the opportunity to quiz a panel of senior managers and officers from Sefton Council.

The expert panel included Matthew Ashton, Sefton’s director of public health, Dr Stephen Birch, transport planning and highway development manager, Stephanie Jukes, section manager for energy and environmental management, Helen Armitage, consultant in public health, Greg Martin, principal environmental health officer and Jean Hunt, principal highway safety officer. They were put to the test by pupils from Bedford Primary School, Lander Road Primary School, Our Lady Star of the Sea RC Primary School, Thomas Gray Primary School and Waterloo Primary School. The students grilled the experts on a range of topics that are important to them including Highways England’s plans to build a road though Rimrose Valley, the health impacts of air pollution and what needs to be done to promote more active travel. The event coincided with the launch of the Eco Centre’s brand new ‘Clean Air Crew’ website which has been created as an interactive resource to educate young people about air quality. Cllr Ian Moncur, Sefton Council’s cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: “It was a fantastic day for young people to learn about air pollution and the effect it has on their lives and their community.”

Pupils try out the latest technology

Pupils listened intently

Pupils quiz the council officials

The Bedford Primary School

Waterloo Primary School

Thomas Gray Primary School

Taking notes on the day The air quality expert panel Sefton Council: Greg Martin, Dr Stephen Birch, Matt Ashton, Helen Armitage and Stephanie Jukes

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Follow us educatemag

Western Approaches HQ The secret World War Two bunker in Liverpool City Centre Step back to the darkest days of World War Two and learn all about the origins of the war, the importance of the Battle of the Atlantic, Liverpool’s key role and the stories of the men involved on shore and at sea.

We provide unique guided tours and themed workshops to deliver the objectives of the national curriculum and to challenge and engage children and young people in their study of history

www.liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk 1­3 Rumford St, Liverpool, L2 8SZ For bookings Telephone: 0151 227 2008 wa@bigheritage.co.uk

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WHERE CAN WE GO? Our pick of what’s happening out & about in the region

Dirty Dancing (12A) - outdoor cinema

12-15 September

The Good Life Experience

Sunday 15 September Speke Hall, Garden and Estate, The Walk, Speke, Liverpool, L24 1XD

The Hawarden Estate, Flintshire, Wales

If you’re looking for a festival that’s a little bit different The Good Life Experience could be for you. Taking place each year at Hawarden Estate in Flintshire, North East Wales, it’s a relaxed, rural, nature-inspired event which celebrates all the outdoors has to offer.

The brainchild of its curators, Welsh music legend Cerys Matthews and Hawarden Estate Farm Shop owners Caroline and Charlie Gladstone, The Good Life Experience is a festival that’s all about stepping back from the pace of modern life to revel in the pleasure of doing things slowly.

This year’s festival features a who’s-who of the most interesting names in the music, food, craft and culture – you can follow the festival on Twitter @TheGoodLifeExp for all the latest line up news.

Summer Nights is a festival of outdoor film screenings in beautiful heritage locations throughout the summer. You are invited to Speke Hall on 15 September for Dirty Dancing. This performance will take place on the North Lawn. You can park in the main car park and make your way over to the gardens. Gates will be open from 6.30pm so bring a picnic and get comfortable!

Please dress appropriately for the weather. It can get chilly in the gardens when the sun goes down.

The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace 19 - 21 November

Book! now

The Capstone Theatre, Liverpool, L6 1HP Shakespeare Schools Foundation (SSF) transforms lives through the unique power of Shakespeare. In this, the 19th year of the festival, SSF celebrates a season of 'Infinite Variety' as young people of all ages and backgrounds discover the possibilities presented by Shakespeare in their school rehearsal room, culminating in thrilling nights of theatre. See Shakespeare's timeless stories brought to life like never before, and support young people from your local community as they take to the stage.

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FUTURE EVENTS

Shakespeare Schools Festival

Saturday 9 November Liverpool Anglican Cathedral, St James Mount, Liverpool L1 7AZ

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In the approach to Armistice Day 2019, Liverpool Cathedral will stage the poignant yet powerful ‘The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace’. Written by Karl Jenkins, it pays homage to those who lost their lives in the Kosovan War. This work describes the build-up to war, the war itself and its consequences, combined with a strong plea for peace. Featuring a massed choir of 200 voices, the performance will include cadets from the Army Reserves, the RAF Air Training Corps and soloist Danielle Thomas plus a 14 piece instrumental ensemble.

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23 September - 16 November

Sunday 13 October

Film and Video REVIEW

Frozen II with Elsa and Anna

ng Comi n o so

Release date: 22 November Verdict: HHHH Made on Merseyside Kirkby Gallery, The Kirkby Centre, Liverpool L32 8XY

Summon the Superheroes Liverpool Philharmonic Hall, Hope Street, Liverpool

The breadth of items manufactured locally is huge everything from washing machines to watches, bags to biscuits, tools to toys, frozen peas to funky tunes - so much has been “made on Merseyside”!

This is a fascinating exhibition with a mix of local, social and design history,

Calling all Supermen and Superwomen! Put on your superhero suits, capes and masks and fly on down to Liverpool Philharmonic Hall for a fantastically super-powerful afternoon of sensational sounds for caped crusaders, masked men and wonder women.

REVIEW: Western Approaches 1-3 Rumford Street, Liverpool L2 8SZ

G vis o it

During WWII, Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered that a new Command Headquarters was to be set up in Liverpool – the country’s main convoy port – as Plymouth was no longer a suitable location.

The site for the new HQ was underneath Exchange Flags, forming a top secret bunker, which was built to protect the tactics of the British Armed Forces during the war.

The department became known as Western Approaches Command as it monitored Western Approaches, the rectangular area of the Atlantic Ocean lying immediately to the west of the British Isles.

Today, the vast bunker is now a museum with many rooms remaining exactly how they were left when the doors were closed on 15 August 1945. Educate Magazine was recently invited to experience what working life was like in this underground headquarters and how this secret operation played a pivotal role in the war.

During the visit, there’s a number of things on offer to keep children engaged, including The Cipher Trail which tests children’s code breaking skills or The Trailblazer activity map which includes questions and challenges to complete in different rooms.

There’s some fun craft activities on offer in this particular room, allowing you to try your hand at creating bunting for a fictional family fun day or make a Reichmarks kite – a kite made from the German currency at the time.

Throughout your time in the museum you’re offered a real insight into working life in the war. You’re introduced to key personnel and the important jobs that were performed during this time in history.

Refreshingly, there is a huge focus on the women from this era and how positions such as WRNS (or Wrens) were vital to the entire operation.

During WWII, Liverpool was one of the most heavily bombed cities outside of London.

This fantastic attraction has plenty to offer and caters to all ages, whether you’re looking for something to do during the school holidays as a family or if you’re a teacher looking to broaden the young minds of your class, you’ll leave feeling proud of Liverpool’s involvement in WWII and of the people who worked in Western Approaches.

The museum offers guided tours and holds events throughout the year for families and schools. Find out more information at www.liverpoolwarmuseum.co.uk.

They took their time with this one - Elsa, Anna, Kristoff and Olaf are going far in the forest to know the truth about an ancient mystery of their kingdom. The highly anticipated sequel to Disney Animation’s global phenomenon Frozen, originally released in 2013. Frozen 2 is once again directed by animation filmmakers Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck, who both co-directed the first Frozen movie as well. Produced by Peter Del Vecho. The screenplay is written by Allison Schroeder, from characters created by Jennifer Lee. Featuring the voices of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Jonathan Groff and Josh Gad, plus Evan Rachel Wood and Sterling K. Brown.

Looking good?

eFootball Pro Evolution Soccer 2020 Video game Out: 10 September Verdict: HHHHH

The new game features a name change with the addition of 'eFootball' within the title.

Headlined by the talented superstar Lionel Messi, eFootball PES 2020 will revolutionise eFootball and bring this sport to a global audience. This new style of game will deliver realism and offer players the feeling of complete freedom and control of their play.

Some of the biggest changes to the game will include a remastered version of Master League, a new mode called Matchday and a new visual identity for the in-game menus.

The significant changes, visual uplift and improved gameplay all offer a more compelling broadcast feel.

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My School Days Andy Cooke QPM – Chief Constable of Merseyside Police

Andy Cooke joined Merseyside Police in 1985 with an Honours Degree in politics from Nottingham University and has served as a detective at every rank.

He spent four years in Lancashire Constabulary as Assistant Chief Constable and in 2016, he was appointed Chief Constable of Merseyside Police. He is also the national lead for crime.

My Schools: Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Primary School (OLA), Belle Vale which was, and is, a great school. I passed my 11+ and then went to St Francis Xavier’s College in Woolton where I had my ups and downs (all self-inflicted!).

My Favourite ExtraCurricular Activity: Playing football and cricket, watching Liverpool FC and hanging about with my mates.

My Favourite Teacher: In OLA, Mrs Ness, who is lovely. At SFX, Mr Devereux, whom I respected and liked the fact that he brought history alive, although he gave me the ferula (a type of cane) a few times!

Do you remember your first school crush?

Yes, in primary school with a girl from Christ the King who I met at Colomendy!

My Favourite Subject at School: Medieval history which is still a passion.

Were you streetwise or a bit of a geek?

Anything but a geek. I like to think I was streetwise but I was too smart-mouthed for my own good!

My Favourite Childhood Singer/Band: Kraftwerk and Buzzcocks. I still listen to them. The most magical concert I went to though was Kate Bush at the Empire.

Absolutely brilliant.

My Favourite Book: One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Solzhenitsyn. I’ve read it eight or nine times.

School Dinners: I loved school dinners and I loved the dinner ladies (as they were called then). Cheese pie was my favourite and we always charmed the ladies into giving us seconds.

My Ambitions at School: Since I can remember I wanted to join the police and be a detective. I was fortunate enough to fulfil that ambition and 34 years on, I am now the National Policing Head of Crime.

Andy has also been commended on ten occasions and in 2014 was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal.

He is married with twin daughters and is an avid Liverpool supporter although he fully recognises the fact that there are two fantastic Premier League teams in the city! He is also a regular attendee at St Helens RLFC, and is also the chair of the British Police Rugby League Association.

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2019 SHORTLIST COMING SOON

VISIT WWW.EDUCATEAWARDS.CO.UK WWW..EDUCA AT TEA AWA ARDS.CO.UK FOR FOR MORE DETAILS DET ET TA AILS A S S O C I AT E S P O N S O R S

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