The Batley Buzz June 2023

June 2023

Edition 10

Our children deserve the best. No child left behind - ever. Every school a great school. Creating remarkable people.

Our Trust Vision

Every young person, regardless of their starting point, or background receives a high quality education, including first class care, guidance and support.

Our Infant and Primary News

Growing and changing

We have been enjoying our beautiful school grounds this term; Manorfield really comes to life in the Summer term. We have all being planting around school and developing our scientific knowledge of plants. We love our hands-on experiences and believe the best way to learn is, to do; so we ensure that these experiences are embedded in our planning and practise.

Our School field and pond area is now home to lots of tadpoles and frogs and we have been learning about the life cycle of a frog. Our next outdoor development plan is a sensory garden in an unused and unloved area of school and the complete refurbishment of the Nursery outdoor provision, with help from our fabulous friend, gardener Liam Clark.

Craft-ernoon

We have a regular craft-ernoon every Tuesday afternoon in the Community Room led by Mrs Nelson-White, who has a passion for textiles and is great with a sewing machine.

Our craft-ernoon is growing weekly, with some parents/carers learning how to sew on buttons, through to those who are learning how to use a machine and others who already have their own craft expertise, such as crochet that they are teaching others.

There is absolutely no previous craft experience needed, it is just a friendly, informal place for our parents/carers to get together weekly, have a cuppa and develop skills alongside developing friendships.

The circus has come to town!

In May the Yorkshire Circus visited the school for a day to teach the children Circus skills. Whilst all the children were learning tricks to become the most amazing circus performers ever, they were also developing their fine and gross motor skills, that we know are so important to develop writing. Our children accessed a variety of equipment, and loved the experience so much that we have bought equipment for the children to play with during playtimes. Thank you to Mrs Towse for arranging such amazing visitors for school.

Cake and Talk event

Our Stronger Together Stigma Strategy Group organised a 'Cake and Talk' event to spread the word about looking after our mental health. The parents/carers invited representatives from Brake, Kirklees MHST and Kirklees Wellness Service. Each professional briefly explained the services they could offer after which parents/carers were free to chat to them over coffee and cake!

The hall was set up with five tables, one for each of the areas connected with the NHS 5 Ways to Wellbeing:

● Keep Learning

● Be active

● Give

● Take notice

● Connect

On each table were conversation starter style questions, post it notes, and leaflets explaining the 5 ways to wellbeing with tips and ideas about small changes which can be made to improve your mental health. The feedback was very positive. This event will become a regular feature in our Stronger Together offer for parents/carers!

Father's Day Fire Pit!

Year 1 children invited their dads to join them for a sing song and smores in celebration of Father’s Day. This followed an amazing performancethe children’s confidence in speaking to an audience was inspiring! Thank you, Year 1 dads!

Year 6 Residential to Caythorpe Court, Lincolnshire

Canoeing, archery, campfires, zip wires and late nights were enjoyed by our Y6 children last weekend! What a great way to celebrate eight years at Field Lane!

Democracy on top!

Voting for prefects, Head Boy and Head Girl

Each year, the Primary Phase votes for their Head Girl and Head Boy as well as School Prefects. The application letters this year were amazing and it will be really difficult for the children to choose!

Fortunately, all the candidates were able to take on prefect roles and responsibilities so they are able to contribute to all that happens in school. The current Head Girl and Head Boy fed back to all the applicants for next year’s posts and they loved reading each application.

Every single application received was precise, detailed and each letter had a high-level of explanation as well as ideas that would be introduced to the school. We loved reading each letter and are proud to announce that everyone who initially applied has progressed to the next stage of the process.

World Environment Day Sporting Superstars Community Spirit

On Monday 5June, Mrs P and Mr Ayres took a group of children to Holme Valley Campsite for an Eco Conference, courtesy of Fair and Funky. It was a fantastically fun-filled eco day.

Being at the heart of the community is our passion, in order to develop, support and embed great working relationships with our families and the wider community. Through BBEST, we are proud to have planted a ‘Cut and Come Again’ herb garden outside Batley library. We appealed to B&Q for the plants and a range of different herbs were generously donated for this cause. We look forward to working with other local businesses, during the Summer term, to support our school and the local community. We are proud to have once again received the Gold Award from the School Games Partnership, from not having any awards five years ago to receiving both the silver and gold awards, for two consecutive years, we look forward to aiming high for platinum next year! The Summer term has been busy with cricket coaching in Key Stage 2 and cycling in Key Stage 1.

Our follow up work from the Eco Conference will be welcoming ‘Energy Heroes’ to Healey, in the autumn term. Year 5 will work with our visitors in Maths lessons. Together with Mr. Hussain, they will also look at energy reduction in school.

Believe Achieve Succeed

Our Secondary News

Self

defence session for Guides

The Guides unit here was given the opportunity to run a self defence session within school, which was organised and delivered by Julie Tweendale from Freedom Personal Safety.

It was a great opportunity for our Guides as they were able to discuss personal safety and learn how to defend themselves as young women in society. Topics such as; body language, how to protect your personal space and scenario training were covered to empower our young people.

The session has helped them believe in themselves and focus on their mental strength to build confidence in their physical strength. The session was incredibly inspiring; together with role play and physical activity, our guides were able to understand the importance of self defence.

Skills acquisition

During half term 24 of our intrepid Year 9 students took part in a DofE training day. They learnt how to pitch a tent, light a camping stove and read a map. All young people also completed a 5 mile walk and returned to school tired and mostly smiling - a fantastic effort!

Welcome to Batley

We’ve recently had some fantastic wall art fitted in the conference room and lecture theatre, which focuses on our local Batley community; the history and focal points. Please take a look if you get the chance!

Mental Health Champions

Young people from Year 7 to 10 (and BG6) took part in a training session with OneGoal to become Mental Health Champions. This was followed by a 10 day challenge to fulfil their qualification.

They were taken through a series of tasks to gain a deeper understanding of mental health and its four stages, discover the skills and qualities needed to be a mental health champion as well as how to help others; whilst remembering that a Mental Health Champion also looks after their own mental health.

New Kirklees Mayoral Ceremony

On the 24th May the district of Kirklees appointed a new Mayor, Cllr Cahal Burke. Cllr Burke approached Batley Grammar School to appoint two Mayor’s Cadets for his one year tenure.

Both an Army Cadet Sgt Isaac Hartley and RAF Cadet Sgt Elliot Hawsford; seen here collecting their Mayor’s badge and certificate.

Both Isaac and Elliot are former students at Batley Grammar School and they both continue to contribute to the Combined Cadet Force every parade night.

Their duties for the Mayor include attending civic functions, offering assistance and promoting the Cadet Force.

Inclusivity has historically been an afterthought in our digital world. A guest speaker from Bnode recently delivered a talk to our learners on developing technology with a focus on accessibility and disability equality. Bnode advocates that we must live in a world where inclusivity and accessibility are seen as not only the right thing to do ethically, but also as making great business sense. Educating our young people in this way broadens their thinking and provides them with sustainable skills for their futures.

Business of Science conference

Learners attended the Business of Science Conference Innovation Awards 2023, held in Leeds city centre. They joined lectures and forums learning about how and why science and the commercialisation of science continue to be fundamental to the economic growth of the UK.

One of our learners was shortlisted for the Innovation Award, for which they'd presented posters to leading industry scientists demonstrating an imaginative solution to a problem which would make a difference to people’s lives.

Wellbeing Champions

Children’s Ward Donation

Two of our learners have used their initiative to fundraise and benefit other young people who may be facing difficulties.

As part of Interact Club, they organised a sponsored silence and raised enough money (£461) to buy toys and DVDs for the Pinderfields Children's Ward. Both in Year 7, are the Chair and Vice Chair of the club and delivered these toys to the children's ward. They've shown fantastic leadership and teamwork qualities, as well as great communication and organisation skills.

Working with the MHST (Mental Health Support Team), learners have had two half day training sessions to raise awareness of mental health and emotional wellbeing, reduce stigma and, as a result, build a friendlier and kinder community.

The training has helped them tune into their feelings; so they can become positive, approachable role models and practice kindness and empathy; have supportive conversations and signpost others appropriately, understanding safeguarding and confidentiality. As well as helping others the training will build their own self-confidence and further develop their communication and interpersonal skills.

Inclusivity in the digital world

Our Sixth Form News

BG6 go coastal

As part of the preparation for their A Level exams, our Year 13 Geography students visited Flamborough Head and Hornsea on the Yorkshire coast. The Holderness coastline is particularly significant as it is the fastest eroding stretch of land in Europe, with some areas seeing several metres of destruction every year.

The young people were able to observe the many erosional features that make the area famous; including the stunning 'dinosaur rock', which has existed for millennia. There was even an event on the beach when, to our surprise hundreds of seal pups were visible, enjoying the late Spring sunshine. The group then headed a few miles south to the tourist town of Hornsea, where the importance of and challenges associated with coastal defence became all too apparent. There was also time for an ice cream (or two) on the town's famous beach!

Mental Health Champs

We also had representatives from Year 12 who took part in the training session with OneGoal to become Mental Health Champions for BG6.

Year 12 Fine Art Roadshow

Year 12 Fine Art work has been showcased in an exhibit at Healey Junior, Infant and Nursery School. Year 6 children have enjoyed studying the work and asking questions of the BG6 artists.

Next stop - Field Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery School!

Our Curriculum Enrichment

Our trust family of schools offers a wide range of curriculum enrichment activities.

This greatly enhances our young people's educational experience, and also supports their health & wellbeing.

For her commitment to PE and working with others to ensure that the young people can attend as many sports events as possible, have a great PE experience at Manorfield School. She is also leading a project offering inter-school sports events.

Our Staff Super Heroes

Huge congratulations to colleagues from across our Trust family of schools who have recently completed their NPQs! Your hard work, dedication and commitment is superb, and developing evidence-informed practice is so important in our schools as we provide a great education for all our young people.

The BGHS Safeguarding and Wellbeing team is going from strength-to-strength with the relatively new additions of Jo as School Counsellor and Salma as Safeguarding and Child Protection Officer. They have settled in brilliantly and added breadth and expertise to the robust team who care for all our young people at BGHS.

Dan is Head of PE at UBHS and has been recognised by Kirklees School Sports Coordinator for his help and support allowing young people from the school to support with the dynamos cricket programme.

Carrie Towse Aysha Laher, Charlotte Smith, Emma Rodrigues, Joe Pinder, Michaela Widdop, Rebecca Lockwood, Suzi Spencer Dan Bamfield Jo Gray and Salma Ilyas

Our Community Work

… really means a lot to us, and we see our Trust and our schools at the very heart of our community. Community Makes Us and it is the unity in community that matters.

The Great Get Together 2023

Friday 23 June

The Batley Bake Off

11am - Jo Cox Conference Centre, UBHS Intergenerational Event

2pm - Healey Junior, Infant and Nursery School

Run for Jo and Family Fun Day

Sunday 25 June 9:30am - Oakwell Hall Country Park

The Jo Cox Way

Wednesday 26 July - Friday 30 July

All places now fully booked but you can view the cyclists’ progress

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The new digital newsletter: Batley & Spen Noticeboard has now been launched - bringing you information about local events and groups.

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Careers work

Transferable skills for school, work and life

Through our careers work we aim to equip our young people with the skills that will not only help their educational journey, but are valuable skills that employers will recognise in the future as well as being important for their character and personal development in their lives.

For example;

Creativity through extracurricular and community activities for art, crafts, singing and many more. E.g. The Batley Big Sing, CHANGE project.

Leadership: giving our young people a voice and share their opinions with members of staff as well as their peers. E.g. our eco-committees and mental health/wellbeing champions. Teamwork in lesson time e.g. in PE and other activities such as litter picks.

Employability Skills

Our wider links

Our family of schools Works closely with the BBEST Hub. Check out their website for details of local services, support and activities.

https://bbesthub.uk/About-Us/

We are proud to lead the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership - providing high quality primary and secondary teacher training in West Yorkshire. This consortium includes 15 local schools, Exceed SCITT and local Higher Education Institutions.

Our schools play a key role in the Calderdale & Kirklees Teaching School Hub. This Hub offers support to over 270 schools across our region. The purpose of the hub is to provide high-quality professional development for teachers and leaders.

https://www.ckteachingschoolhub.org/

Support & advice for parents, carers and families.

Childnet International has produced a very informative resource for parents to help you keep your child safe online. https://www.childnet.com/resources/online-safety-activities-you-can-do-from-home For young people; For families; Other specialist services; Childline NSPCC Get it right from a genuine site

Providing help & support for Free support & advice for Find out which sites are legal for downloading Under 18s. parents/carers worried about movies, music and games.

0800 11 11 a young person. https://www.getitrightfromagenuinesite.org/ 0808 800 500 https://www.nspcc.org.uk/ Ask about games

https://www.childline.org.uk/

Advice and online guides about gaming and The Mix Family Lives PEGI ratings. Provides essential support for 13-25 Free, professional, non-judgemental https://www.askaboutgames.com/ year olds. advice.