Starlight
SUMMER 2020 | ISSUE 04
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE
STAR NEWS
Star tops performance tables
STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL Supporting the Star family
STAR SPOTLIGHT
Celebrating our Stars
STAR PEOPLE
Primary head leads by example
NURTURING TODAY’S YOUNG PEOPLE, INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS
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WELCOME TO STARLIGHT Welcome to the summer term edition of Starlight, our magazine that celebrates the uplifting and inspirational activities taking place across the Star family. This year has been one of unprecedented challenge. As COVID-19 tightened its grip and the country was placed in lockdown, we entered uncharted territory. A halt was called on the familiar routines of life, including daily attendance at school, and a period of national emergency and seismic readjustment followed. The impact of the pandemic has been devastating. Lives have been tragically lost and many thousands of people continue to battle debilitating illness and hardship. A cloud of economic uncertainty hangs over many businesses. Terrible suffering has been wrought on our communities and I extend my deepest sympathies to anyone in the Star family who has been adversely affected by the virus. Like many families plunged into crisis, our Star family has found strength and comfort from our unique bonds. In the depths of these dark times we have united to provide unparalleled support to people in need in the localities we serve. The Star Family Hubs established at our schools have rapidly become beacons of hope offering friendship and compassion as well as basic necessities. The kind donations made by our staff, pupils and their families, as well as many businesses, have enabled the Star Coronavirus Appeal to help thousands of people in need. As well as providing thousands of meals, food packs and hygiene packs to families, we have assisted over one hundred care homes and given direct support to our hospitals by producing 13,250 pieces of personal protective equipment to help reduce disease transmission. We have also distributed more than 2,600 items of stationery and IT equipment to pupils in need of these resources.
challenge for parents, Star has led the formation and operations of StarLine, a new national home learning helpline designed to assist parents with the complexities of education in the time of covid. Our teachers and school leaders are also part of the expert team behind the ground-breaking Oak National Academy, an online learning platform that has delivered more than 10 million lessons during the summer term. We will continue to develop new ways of teaching that maximise on the potential offered by technology whilst retaining the principles and expectations that underpin our success. Earlier this year, Star Academies was named as the country’s top-performing multi-academy trust for the second consecutive year. This success is due to the tremendous hard work and commitment of the entire Star family. During our inaugural Star Awards ceremony, we recognised the pupils, staff and governors who helped us to achieve this accolade by striving continuously for excellence. It was a privilege to meet the worthy finalists and winners and hear about the many wonderful ways in which they embody our STAR values. I have never been prouder of our Star family. In times of adversity, our collaborative endeavours have improved lives. Despite the many obstacles we have faced, our Trust continues to go from strength to strength due to the quality of our people.
This heartening civic response to the crisis will become a positive legacy of coronavirus: Star Family Hubs will continue to operate from all our schools, providing muchneeded aid and reminding us of our duty of care to each other.
I wish to thank all our parents and staff who have supported pupils’ home learning and, in doing so, have helped our young people strive for a brighter future. My sincere gratitude also goes to everyone who has supported the Star Coronavirus Appeal. Your efforts and generosity have meant that during one of the cruellest times in our nation’s history, we have eased suffering in our communities. I ask that you continue to support our charitable appeal if you are able and help us to reach even more vulnerable families during these challenging times.
The continuity of our pupils’ education has remained at the forefront of our work throughout the lockdown. When school closure to most pupils was announced in March, our teachers and staff showed remarkable creativity, flexibility and energy in devising plans to support pupils as they embarked on their demanding home learning journeys. Recognising that remote learning was also a
(Mufti) Hamid Patel CBE Chief Executive, Star Academies
Please note that many of the articles in this issue feature activities that took place before the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in the UK. You can find previous editions of Starlight located in the ‘News’ section of your school website.
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STAR NEWS
Table toppers
An explosion of discovery
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World Book Day wonders
Star family shines bright
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CONTENTS 04 STAR NEWS
Trust-wide news and updates
11 STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL Supporting the Star family
26 STAR SPOTLIGHT
Celebrating our Stars
30 STAR COMMUNITY
Stories from across Star schools
Olympian swings in for Star Awards
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Read past issues of Starlight online at staracademies.org/ publications Leading a quiet revolution SUMMER 2020 ISSUE 04
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Star tops national league tables for 2nd consecutive year Star Academies has been named the top performing multi-academy trust (MAT) in the country for the second year running. In January, the Department for Education published league tables for all the MATs in England based on their pupils’ performance in their GCSEs and their progress since primary school. With a ‘Progress 8’ score of 0.74, pupils at Star schools made more progress during their secondary education than any other MAT for the second consecutive year. ‘Progress 8’ (P8) is the Government’s headline performance measure and reflects the value that schools add to the progress of students, from the age of 11 to when they complete their GCSEs, compared to their peers of similar prior ability across the country. The performance tables rate all multi-academy trusts in England with pupils who participated in GCSE exams in 2019. Only schools that have been operated by a MAT for three or more years are included in the results. Across the trust, 57% of students at schools operated by Star Academies achieved a ‘strong pass’ in English and Maths, compared to 43% nationally. Star schools also performed strongly in terms of English Baccalaureate (EBacc)
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entries with 89.3% of pupils entering, compared to 40% nationally. Pupils at our schools achieved an average point score of 4.88, compared to 4.07 across the country. In total, 43.5% of our GCSE students achieved an EBacc at grade 4/C compared to 25% nationally. Former Schools Minister Lord Agnew praised Star Academies’ excellent performance. He said:
PUPILS AT STAR SCHOOLS MADE MORE PROGRESS DURING THEIR SECONDARY EDUCATION THAN ANY OTHER MAT.
“These results are truly impressive and demonstrate what can be achieved through the hard work of pupils, teachers and leaders. Across the country free schools and academies are demonstrating their worth by driving up entry to the EBacc – which is key to opening opportunities for young people and raising standards in our schools – and recording impressive results year after year.” Following the cancellation of this summer’s GCSE exams, the Department for Education has announced that it will not publish MAT performance tables next year.
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Star schools dazzle in Key Stage 4 performance tables On the same day that Star Academies topped the MAT performance tables, the Department for Education also published the secondary league tables based on the Key Stage 4 results of individual schools. Three Star schools achieved first, second and third places in the national tables with the highest Progress 8 score of all schools in England. The top-placed schools were Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS), which attained the highest Progress 8 score in the country for the fourth consecutive year, with a score of 2.16. Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham was ranked second in the table with a Progress 8 score of 1.69 and Eden Girls’ School, Coventry achieved third place with a score of 1.61. TIGHS’ Progress 8 score of 2.16 was a record breaker as it was the first school in the country to achieve a score higher than 2. A score of 2.16 means pupils attending the school achieved on average over two GCSE grades better per subject than pupils who were at a similar level at the age of 11. Two further free schools established by Star Academies also ranked in the top 14 schools nationally. Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest and Eden Girls’ School, Slough both achieved the same outstanding score of 1.19.
The Sunday Times names “astonishing” TIGHS as a school of the year Each year The Sunday Times publishes an annual Schools Guide which ranks the 2,000 highest-achieving independent and state schools in the UK based on their most recent examination results
“THE SCHOOL HAS HIT HEIGHTS NEVER REACHED BEFORE BY A SCHOOL WITH A NON-SELECTIVE INTAKE.” Following another exceptional year, Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) has been named The Sunday Times’ ‘Northwest State Secondary School of the Year 2020’. The school’s “astonishing” performance at A Level and “superb” GCSE results earmarked it for a special recommendation in the newspaper’s annual Schools Guide, Parent Power. TIGHS was rated the top-performing non-selective state school in the country, after placing 37th overall in the national league table, which includes all selective schools. TIGHS was lauded for its outstanding exam results in what the paper referred to as a “brilliant debut”. The article lavished further praise on our exceptional outcomes: “Founded in 1984, it is part of the Star Academies group of primary and secondary schools, and wins our Northwest State Secondary School of the Year award on its debut in our Parent Power rankings. Its results are little short of astonishing. Ranking fifth in the northwest and 37th in the UK, the school has hit heights never reached before by a school with a non-selective intake.”
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World Book Day celebrated across Star schools Reading plays an important role in every stage of a young person’s development and is a passion for many pupils and teachers across the Star family. Following the successful launch of our Star Readers initiative, pupils are pursuing their reading with renewed vigour and curiosity. This is one of the reasons why World Book Day 2020 was celebrated with so much enthusiasm by our pupils. World Book Day is an annual celebration of reading where many pupils choose to come to school dressed as a character from their favourite book. This year’s costumes were some of our best yet and we are grateful to all our parents and staff who helped pupils embrace the day with so much joy and creativity.
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STAR NEWS
British Science Week goes with a BANG British Science Week was an explosion of discovery for pupils across the Trust who spent a fun-packed week exploring lessons from science. At Star Academies, we know that high quality science teaching encourages pupils to think creatively and to make connections with their learning in other subjects. Throughout British Science Week - a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) - our teachers and staff went to the moon and back to demonstrate scientific learning in a range of exciting and fun ways. Pupils created 3D models of cars, researched inspiring scientists and received insights from industry leaders. The pupils at Eden Girls’ School, Slough explored this year’s theme of ‘Our Diverse Planet’ by researching the fascinating subject of biomes. Biomes are areas of our planet which are characterised by similar climates, landscapes, animals and plants such as rainforests and deserts. Girls at the school were introduced to the concept and then asked to look at how to create a model of a biome. Pupils also attended exciting open lab sessions to boost their learning. At Bay Leadership Academy, teachers devised an action-packed week designed to help pupils engage with the world of science and learn more about STEM careers. Pupils researched the diversity of our planet through three strands of learning: diverse people, diverse jobs and preserving natural diversity. Year 8 pupils explored the devastating impact materials such as plastic are having on the environment. They also learnt about the composition of man-made materials, before taking part in a hands-on activity to make their own man-made material – slime! Inspired by some of the experiments astronaut Tim Peake completed onboard the International Space Station, Year 7 pupils embarked on their own intergalactic mission. They conducted astronaut hovercraft experiments to explore the relationship between the mass and velocity of objects when they collide, before illustrating their scientific findings by creating bold information posters. Pupils at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham took part in an inspiring workshop on computer science careers by the Birmingham City University. The workshop gave pupils an insight into the many different career options computer science has to offer. Pupils were excited to learn about careers in artificial intelligence, human computer interaction, mobile and web application development, and project management. Renowned scientists were celebrated at The Valley Leadership Academy as all pupils participated in special science-themed assemblies. Pupils explored how science has changed the world and learned about some of the most significant scientific advances, including Marie Curie’s pioneering work that led to the discovery of radium and polonium, and Rosalind Franklin’s contribution to the discovery of DNA. British Science Week was a wonderful opportunity to help our pupils learn important lessons from the world of science and to gain personal insight into how science is relevant to them in their everyday lives. Teachers and staff were delighted to see our schools filled with a myriad of sound and colour as pupils built meaningful connections with the world of science. We are already looking forward to next year’s British Science Week and seeing the creative ways our teachers and staff help bring science to life.
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Star Academies’ Vice Chair appointed co-chair of prestigious board A leading light at Star Academies has been appointed to a prestigious position at the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership (GMLEP). Mo Isap, Vice Chair and trustee at Star Academies, has been named as co-chair of the board of GMLEP. GMLEP brings together the private and public sectors to support business growth, develop local skills and innovation, direct investment and reform public services. The body aims to deliver growth, jobs and prosperity for Greater Manchester.
OVER HIS 20-YEAR CAREER AS AN ENTREPRENEUR, MO HAS SUCCESSFULLY SCALED SEVERAL BUSINESSES.
Industry-leader Mo Isap has been a GMLEP board member since 2017 and is the lead for Education and Skills. His appointment was thanks, in part, to his experience as the founder and CEO of IN4.0 Group which provides industrial digital technology training and nurtures talent into local high-skilled employment. Over his 20-year career as an entrepreneur, Mo has successfully scaled several businesses from his base in the Northern Quarter. He has been appointed to the position alongside his co-chair Lou Cordwell OBE, who has been a GMLEP board member since 2013.
Apprenticeship opportunities highlighted across Trust Star Academies marked National Apprenticeship Week 2020 with a series of events to celebrate the many benefits of apprenticeships and the breadth of opportunities available to its employees and aspiring teachers. Embracing the national ‘Look Beyond’ theme, the Trust’s campaign saw a different apprentice’s story showcased each day to shine the spotlight on the diverse range of apprenticeships available across the Trust and the diversity of the people undertaking them. Apprenticeships, which combine practical training in a job with study, are offered as part of Star’s professional development programme to upskill our employees and train the next generation of staff. By working alongside experienced staff to gain job-specific skills whilst studying to gain the knowledge needed for the role, apprenticeships appeal to a broad audience by attracting those looking for a route into employment, a new career path or progression in their current role. From teaching
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to business administration, we provide opportunities for all of our colleagues and trainees to take the next steps towards achieving their career goals. An apprenticeship is one of three routes into teaching offered by the Star Institute. From former architect Sue who retrained as a teacher to Rebecca who dreamt of becoming a teacher for over 10 years, Star Institute celebrated its apprentices’ unique stories throughout National Apprenticeship Week. Its trainees’ experiences highlighted first-hand the benefits and versatility that apprenticeships offer to aspiring teachers. If you would like to learn more about the many opportunities offered by Star, please visit www.staracademies.org or www.starinstitute.org.uk
WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ALL OF OUR COLLEAGUES AND TRAINEES TO TAKE THE NEXT STEPS TOWARDS ACHIEVING THEIR CAREER GOALS.
STAR NEWS
Leaders gain special insight into educational excellence at conference Teachers from across the Trust gathered at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School’s (TIBHS) new state-of-the-art campus for our Secondary Middle Leaders’ Conference earlier this year.
The conference was an opportunity for middle leaders in our secondary schools to receive information about the guiding principles that enable pupils to experience an outstanding education across all 28 Star schools. Teachers were given an insight into the curriculum intent and our overarching principles, ambition and rationale for the curriculum model. They were also given subject-specific input on Star schemes of work as well as exam board training for vocational subjects.
TEACHERS WERE GIVEN AN INSIGHT INTO THE CURRICULUM INTENT AND OUR OVERARCHING PRINCIPLES, AMBITION AND RATIONALE FOR THE CURRICULUM MODEL.
Internationally-renowned educationalist Jesse Coburn (pictured top) led a pedagogical training workshop on instructional leadership, which focussed on how teaching practices can be improved through incremental coaching. The Secondary Middle Leaders’ Conference is part of the Trust’s annual staff development and training programme, which aims to drive up standards and achieve excellence in every aspect of school life.
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Communities connect during a unique Ramadhaan The holy month of Ramadhaan is observed by Muslims worldwide as a sacred time of fasting, prayer and reflection. Each year our faith designated schools hold a series of spiritual activities and events to mark the occasion. During the month of Ramadhaan, Muslims abstain from food during the hours of daylight, put others before themselves and engage in charitable activities. Central to the Ramadhaan spirit is ‘community’, with many activities focused on bringing people together, often to pray and break fast together at sunset. With the country in lockdown and social distancing in place, although people had to remain physically distanced, our faith schools ensured that they delivered a series of activities that still created the social connection that is integral to the month of Ramadhaan. Whilst the lockdown prevented our faith schools from holding their normal programme of activities, their celebrations were no less ambitious this year. Schools found new ways to recognise and celebrate the importance of community cohesion, community service and diversity during the holy month. Star’s daily Ramadhaan messages, which were viewed more than 75,000 times, each focussed on a different verse of the Qur’an to generate discussions at home. Throughout our school communities, thousands of young people and families were connected by virtue of taking part in these rich and deep conversations about the importance of good character and community. Typically our faith schools host Big Iftar inter-faith events to bring their local communities together. Iftar is the evening meal that Muslims enjoy after a long day without food and water. People from all backgrounds, beliefs and cultures are invited to our schools to break fast. Our guests enjoy a delicious meal accompanied by thought-provoking conversation and an opportunity to forge friendships with people of all faiths and none. This year, our school staff worked together to raise funds, cook thousands of nutritious hot meals and deliver them to homes in our communities at iftar time. In a single day, our schools prepared more than 3,000 hot meals as part of our Food For All initiative. Whilst people weren’t able to enjoy their
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SCHOOLS FOUND NEW WAYS TO RECOGNISE AND CELEBRATE THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY COHESION, COMMUNITY SERVICE AND DIVERSITY. meals together, the gesture was given even greater meaning under the shadow cast by coronavirus. The kindness and compassion shown by staff was greeted by welcoming smiles on the doorsteps of thousands of homes as the recipients gave thanks for their food. In addition, our schools raise thousands of pounds for worthwhile causes during our annual Ramadhaan charity appeals and this year was no different. Thanks to the generosity of the Star family, this year’s Ramadhaan appeal raised an incredible £100,000 to support the most vulnerable through the devastation caused by coronavirus. Ramadhaan has once again shone a light on our STAR values, demonstrating how our schools strive to serve their local communities, how pupils and staff work together to build a better and more cohesive society, how ambitious our pupils are in their civic and charitable endeavours, and the importance of showing respect towards people of all faiths and none. This year has been no different in terms of the selflessness, care and compassion shown by the Star family; however, this year’s unprecedented conditions mean that it is likely to be remembered by our faith schools and pupils in a way like no other.
STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL
Star family shines bright in dark days of coronavirus pandemic In March, the world changed forever after a global pandemic took hold in the UK and forced the country into lockdown. Coronavirus has threatened the very fabric of our society. As the global crisis intensified, precious lives were lost prematurely and visits to loved ones ceased. Self-isolation and fear affected mental wellbeing. Coronavirus has caused real hardship to many of society’s most vulnerable people. Those who were already disadvantaged by poverty, ill-health or loneliness began to suffer to an even greater degree. In response to the escalating crisis, Star Academies established its own emergency response based around five key pledges. PLEDGE 1
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All members of the Star family will be fed
All members of the Star family will be able to maintain good personal hygiene
All Star families will be able to stay safe and warm in their homes
All Star pupils who are learning at home will receive a good quality of education
All children of Star keyworkers, and vulnerable pupils, will continue to receive excellent care
We quickly mobilised our schools to set up Star Family Hubs to deliver the five pledges and support those in need in our local communities. Staff, pupils and parents have worked around the clock to alleviate suffering. Working with Shine Charity, our sister charity, our hubs have helped to provide comfort and protection to thousands of families during one of the most challenging times in our country’s history. Thanks to the efforts of our Star family, the Star Academies Coronavirus Appeal has made a tangible difference to vulnerable people across the country. Over £40,000 has been raised, including a donation of £10,000 from the Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund.
Schools have secured food and hygiene donations worth more than £350,000 from a range of local and national retailers, including: Morrisons, Asda, Tesco, FareShare, Britvic and The Hygiene Bank. The legacy of COVID-19 will be our continued commitment to serving our communities. Star Family Hubs will become a permanent feature of every Star school. They will provide food, hygiene packs and friendship to our families and neighbours who are in most need for as long as this support is required. We know that the shadow cast by coronavirus is far-reaching and that our work to provide basic necessities will make a real difference.
Thank you to all who have supported the Star Academies Coronavirus Appeal and for helping Star to shine bright during dark times. Our Star Family Hubs will continue to support the Star family and our local communities during the weeks and months ahead. If you are able to support our appeal or if you would like support, visit starcoronavirusappeal.org
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STAR FAMILY HUBS RALLY TO HELP THE VULNERABLE Our Star Family Hubs have been working around the clock to help those in need as part of the Star Academies Coronavirus Appeal.
Tens of thousands of families, care home residents, NHS staff and key workers, to name but a few, have benefitted from the support of our Star family. From feeding vulnerable people in our communities to distributing much-needed safety equipment to health workers and sending messages of hope to those who are isolating, our Star Family Hubs have been there to provide compassion, comfort and friendship to people when they need it most. “We are truly humbled by your support. Without it, we simply would not have been able to reach so many people in need in our communities. We can all be very proud of the scale and impact of our efforts over recent weeks; however, we cannot afford to scale back our support. Our communities need us more than ever, which is why we have committed to keeping our Star Family Hubs open indefinitely. We will strive to be there for our families and communities for as long as they need our support.� (MUFTI) HAMID PATEL CBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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13,250
8,000
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hot meals cooked for local residents and key workers
hygiene packs delivered to homes and care homes
care homes have received our support
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pieces of protective equipment (PPE) made and distributed to hospitals, health centres, care homes and key workers
family food parcels delivered to homes
pieces of IT equipment and stationery distributed to pupils to support learning
Shining bright during our darkest days With 28 Star Family Hubs spanning the country, from Blackpool to Bradford and Lancashire to London, our monumental efforts have not only helped to ease the pressures on thousands of people in need within our Star family, but they have also spread a little cheer at a time of great darkness. All of our Star Family Hubs have provided exceptional support to people in need across Star Academies’ five key pledges. Thanks to your generous donations and the incredible support of charities and food manufacturers and retailers, we have been able to distribute more than £400,000 worth of food, hygiene products and PPE to the Star family and our key workers. Over the next few pages you can read about some of ways our Star Family Hubs have been supporting our communities throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
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16 STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL 14 Food for the hungry and those in need When the lockdown was announced, our Star Family Hubs committed to ensuring that nobody would go hungry as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. Our schools worked together in their hubs to provide a mixture of food parcels, foodbanks and hot meals to offer urgent support to those in need. Our aim was simple, to feed the hungry and provide a point of contact for people in danger of falling into food poverty.
FOOD PARCELS School staff have dedicated hours of their time, delivering thousands of food parcels to families and vulnerable people. To date, our Hubs have already distributed over 7,350 family food parcels – each containing enough food to feed a family of five for a week. The parcels were welcomed by many people suffering hardship during the pandemic but were particularly welcomed by people who had been forced to shield due to health problems. Our Manchester Hub collected donations for food parcels and worked in partnership with local charities, including Sue Ryder in Lancashire and Mustard Tree foodbank in Manchester, to provide much-needed supplies to individuals and vulnerable families. Staff at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester also delivered hundreds of food and hygiene parcels across Manchester. As part of their response to the crisis, staff took food and comfort packages to key workers and residents at seven care homes, including regular visits to Beechill Nursing Home. Our team at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester also visited Beechill Nursing Home with care packages for carers and residents and delighted staff at North Manchester General Hospital by hand delivering food and care packages.
1. Staff at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester took the time to remember carers at Beechill Nursing Home.
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2. Another busy day for Ms Qureshi who spent hours delivering food alongside her Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester colleague Ms Pinches. 3. A special delivery for the staff and residents at the Sue Ryder Neurological unit in Lancashire courtesy of Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester. 4. NHS Staff at North Manchester General Hospital were delighted to receive food from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester to help boost energy levels on a busy shift. 5. Food and hygiene items ready to be packed into parcels at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester.
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In Lancashire, caring staff at The Valley Leadership Academy delivered parcels to help 30 families in need in the local community. The team also helped to support residents in two care homes and ten further families in partnership with the local charity, The Raft Foundation. Staff made regular deliveries of toiletries and food staples such as pasta, cereal, tea and rice as well as toiletries and hygiene items. Care home staff welcomed deliveries from the Hub saying residents appreciated the care and the little extras.
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6. Parcels out for delivery to a local care home thanks to dedicated staff at The Valley Leadership Academy. 7. The team at The Valley Leadership Academy worked hard to organise the food packages. 8. Residents at the Olive House Care Home were overjoyed to be remembered by staff at The Valley Leadership Academy.
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Our Star Family Hub at Eden Boys’ School, Preston and The Olive School, Preston helped care for people in their local community by distributing 500 food parcels to vulnerable people, families, care homes and key workers. Staff at the Hub aim to deliver food to people in need within two hours of receiving a call for help. Each call is treated with a high degree of urgency, as it soon became apparent that by the time a call is placed, the caller had already been without food for some time. When the lockdown was eventually eased, our Hub in Preston found that demand for support actually increased. Charities that had been providing support began to step back their efforts and many hard-pressed families and individuals found themselves left behind. The Hub, however, is continuing to offer support and recently delivered fresh fruit to NHS staff at Royal Preston Hospital and care home residents at Aadamson House. Residents were overjoyed to receive baskets of fruit and uplifting messages from the schools. Eden Boys’ School, Preston also created a heartening rainbow canvas for staff at Royal Preston Hospital.
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9. The team from our Preston Star Family Hub brought a smile to the faces of residents and staff at Aadamson House Care Home. 10. Parcels packed and ready to go thanks to our dedicated staff at Eden Boys’ School, Preston and The Olive School, Preston. 11. A basket of fruit and a piece of artwork were gifted to the Sharoe Green Unit at Royal Preston Hospital by Eden Boys’ School, Preston.
The team at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS) delivered an incredible 1,350 food parcels to help feed Blackburn’s vulnerable population. In just two months, staff collected, sorted, packed and distributed thousands of items in a bid to make a difference to people experiencing extreme hardship in their local area. Vulnerable families, refugees and the elderly were all supported by the drive. At Starbank School in Birmingham, which will be joining the Star family later this year, its dedicated staff have worked tirelessly to support the local community. More than 550 food parcels were sent out to help those in need. The school has benefitted from excellent support from a number of local charities, including Salma Foodbank, ISRAUK, iCare Food Hub, Paigham-E-Islam Trust, Daar ul Jannah Food Hub, UKIM Sparkbrook Central Masjid, National School Breakfast Programme c/o Family Action, Morrisons and The Active Wellbeing Society. Together they worked to alleviate local suffering and to ensure that no one was forced to struggle alone during these difficult times.
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12. The organisation of food parcels at our Star Family Hubs was a mammoth task. Staff at TIBHS collected, stored and packaged thousands of items into boxes and bags ready to be delivered to those in need. 13. The Active Wellbeing Society donated food to support Starbank School’s appeal.
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16 STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL As well as delivering food to the vulnerable in their community, Our Star Family Hubs across the West Midlands had a special focus on caring for our key workers. Staff and pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham helped to offer comfort during the recent spell of hot weather to our vital fire, police and hospital workers. School staff and pupils visited Aston fire and police stations as well as workers at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital with deliveries of food parcels and water to offer support during these challenging times. Our team at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East also took the time to deliver welcome supplies to Walsall Manor Hospital to help busy nurses and carers stay hydrated. At Eden Girls’ School, Coventry, staff helped to support local charities alongside individual people in need and vulnerable families. The team has delivered more than 900 parcels in total and distributes around 80 packages a week to help alleviate hunger. Teaching and support staff at the school established regular deliveries to three local homeless shelters and three care homes as part of their weekly delivery programme.
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5.The food parcel delivery programme at Eden Girls’ School, Coventry was supported by FareShare a national charity which helps support charitable food projects. 6. The Hub at Eden Girls’ School, Coventry supported local Salvation Army Hostels with deliveries of hundreds of food parcels. 7. The team at Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham visited dedicated staff at Birmingham’s Children’s Hospital where key workers had spent many difficult hours during the coronavirus pandemic.
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STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL FOODBANKS Many Star Family Hubs responded to the crisis by establishing foodbanks. The foodbanks have given local families and vulnerable people more options in terms of selecting items they needed and gaining face-to-face support. Many people have relied on our foodbanks to feed their families and demand has increased as the pandemic has continued. The foodbanks each required a high-level of organisation to meet the needs of a growing population of people who had suddenly been plunged into food poverty. In Bolton, the foodbank run by Eden Boys’ School, Bolton and The Olive School, Bolton helped almost 350 families from the local community in just under two months. The foodbank, which was in place before the coronavirus pandemic took hold, helped a record 69 families in one day. Staff at the foodbank talked of their desire to help families who were struggling due to the wider economic and social effects of the coronavirus. Thanks to the generosity of its kind supporters the foodbank was able to help struggling families with everything they needed from basic meals to nappies, soap and washing powder.
The foodbank run by Eden Boys’ Scho ol, Bolton and The Olive School, Bolton has helped hundreds of people in need.
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8. Shohab Ali, Assistant Principal at Laisterdyke Leadership Academy, helps to support people in need as part of his work at the foodbank. 9. Staff at the foodbank at Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy ready to receive visitors. 10. Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy Principal, Ann Winter, receives a donation to the foodbank. 11. Staff at Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy regularly shipped items to the foodbanks to help care for vulnerable people. 12. The Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy foodbank was stocked with high quality products and stationery for school children. 13. Staff running the foodbank at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy were grateful to receive a large weekly donation from FareShare UK and Morrisons.
Our Star Family Hubs in Bradford rallied to the Star Academies Appeal by creating several well stocked foodbanks. At Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy staff have helped 135 families in need since it opened. Staff have been working hard to collect donations for the foodbank, which is operating out of the Star Family Hub at the school and provides food, toiletries, cleaning supplies and stationery to those in need. The foodbank is run by school staff who open the bank every Wednesday and Thursday. Staff at the foodbank run by Laisterdyke Leadership Academy and Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy were overwhelmed by the generosity of their colleagues, pupils, parents and local and national businesses who have all helped to support the good cause. Staff were grateful to receive donations from Mibelle, The Hygiene Bank, Hovis, Princes Food, Britvic, The Foodbank Bradford, FareShare and Morrisons. The well organised system for donations meant that the foodbank was able to maintain a wide range of goods to help families and vulnerable individuals who were struggling in the area. At High Crags Primary Leadership Academy staff prided themselves on delivering a personal and friendly service to visitors to their foodbank. The local area had seen many people struggling financially during lockdown and staff at the school were keen to help. Each week, members of the team reached out to people visiting the Hub to ensure that they had everything they needed. Thanks to support from FareShare, a UK based food charity, the foodbank is now receiving a delivery of a tonne of food a week to help keep their foodbank stocked.
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18 STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL HOT FOOD In addition to distributing food parcels and opening foodbanks, a key feature of many of our Star Family Hubs has been the preparation and distribution of freshly-cooked hot meals. School kitchens across the country were repurposed from providing school dinners to preparing meals for some of the most vulnerable members of our communities. Hot meals were also lovingly made for busy key workers and volunteers who were in need of respite from their relentless work during the pandemic. We held a special Food For All day when our schools were tasked with providing as many hot meals as they could to people in need over a 24 hour period. As a result, Star Family Hubs across the country prepared more than 3,000 hot meals in a single day. In total, we have prepared and distributed 17,000 hot meals and are still continuing to deliver meals to vulnerable people. Staff from Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) and The Olive School, Blackburn have been at the forefront of our efforts to provide nourishing hot meals to those in need. The schools joined forces with Westholme School, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, Blackburn Youth Zone and Newground Together to help feed thousands of vulnerable people in Blackburn. The partnership resulted in more than 5,000 hot meals being distributed in one month. On average the Star Family Hub in Blackburn helps to feed around 200 people a day through their hot meal programme. To date 6,500 meals have been prepared and given to vulnerable individuals, charities and key workers in a continuing effort to help people who are struggling during the pandemic.
1. Staff at TIGHS and The Olive School, Blackburn prepared 5,000 meals for people in Blackburn in just one month. 2. The team at the Star Family Hub in Blackburn worked to support local homelessness charity NightSafe.
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ON AVERAGE THE STAR FAMILY HUB IN BLACKBURN HELPS TO FEED AROUND 200 PEOPLE A DAY. STARLIGHT
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STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL Our West Midlands Star Family Hubs have also been working to provide hot meals for those in need. The Olive School, Small Heath partnered with the local charity, The Active Wellbeing Society, to supply meals to a cross section of Birmingham’s vulnerable population. Families in need, the elderly and refugees were all provided with meals prepared by staff at the school. At the peak of the virus, staff made approximately 400 meals a week. The majority of the ingredients were generously donated by school staff, who regularly gifted bags of potatoes and vegetables to help fund the project. Staff have been so keen to support the hot meals project that they regularly gave up their free time to peel potatoes, chop vegetables and prepare meals. The school has made almost 3,000 meals since April and plans to continue to provide food for as long as there is demand. On Food For All day, Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham cooked up a storm to help feed people in need. Staff from Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham used The Olive School, Small Heath’s kitchen to prepare 100 vegetable biryani boxes for families and delivered the meals to the community at Ghamkol Shariff Masjid in Small Heath. Staff at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham supplied the ingredients for the meals. For five members of Small Heath Leadership Academy’s Senior Leadership Team, Food For All day was a chance to come together to make a difference to people in need. The team spent the day chopping, peeling, washing and stirring vast pots of ingredients to create vegetable curry boxes. Dan Hennessy, Director of Projects at Small Heath Leadership Academy, led the team through a busy day which resulted in around 100 curry boxes being distributed to people in need. At Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest staff helped to provide hundreds of meals for vulnerable families and a local care home. The school established partnerships with local charitable organisations and businesses, including The Saffron Kitchen, Eman Channel, Gafoor Pure Halal and Lint Group, who helped the school by supplying food. In total 340 hot meals were delivered by volunteer members of staff to people in need, including 250 meals on Food For All day. On Food for All day, 25 members of staff, many of whom were fasting for Ramadhaan, worked for hours at a time to ensure that vulnerable people in their local community were able to enjoy a hot meal.
IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE TO SUPPORT SO MANY FAMILIES WITHOUT THE GENEROUS SUPPORT OF OUR PARTNERS. STAR WISHES TO GIVE THANKS TO ITS KEY PARTNERS: FARESHARE, THE HYGIENE BANK, MORRISONS, TESCO, ASDA, BRITVIC, EXPRESS CUISINE, KHANJRA FOODS AND THE DUCHY OF LANCASTER BENEVOLENT FUND.
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3. The SLT Team at Small Heath Leadership Academy get to work to help provide hot meals for people in need. 4. Staff at The Olive School, Small Heath and Small Heath Leadership Academy prepared food for those in need. 5. 25 members of staff helped with Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest’s Food For All day. 6. Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham made 100 hot meals for the vulnerable in one day.
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7. Staff at The Olive School, Small Heath made thousands of meals to support vulnerable people across Birmingham.
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Hygiene items to help support dignity During difficult times, basic hygiene can become a backseat luxury for many families. In response to the growing need in our communities, our Star Family Hubs provided toiletry and home hygiene supplies or vouchers to those in need. All our Hubs worked to supply these essential items either through their foodbanks or through specially created hygiene packages. So far, our Hubs have given 8,000 hygiene packs to people in need. The team at The Olive School, Birmingham, focused on supporting vulnerable people in care homes and hospitals. Many people in care situations are unable to supply their own toiletries. Lockdown brought additional challenges as visitors were often no longer able to provide these items for their loved-ones. Staff visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital and Women’s Hospital and donated hampers and cartons containing bars of soap, 36 toothpastes, 48 toothbrushes, 96 bottles of shampoo and shower gel, 42 deodorants and 3 bulk packs of sanitary products. The team also helped to support a local foodbank which had appealed for hygiene items.
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At Tong Leadership Academy, the team who coordinated the food and hygiene packs were overwhelmed by the generosity of parents, staff and local businesses to their collection appeal. Teaching assistants Vicky Chorley and Tess Peart spent several days a week sorting and packing the collection boxes and support staff Tracy Smith and Arshad Ashraf delivered boxes containing hygiene and food items to families in need in the community every day. In total 350 packs were distributed.
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1. The team at Tong Leadership Academy were happy to receive support from The Hygiene Bank who helped to support their charitable appeal. 2. Donations to the hygiene bank at The Olive School, Birmingham came in fast thanks to the generosity of parents, staff and other charities. 3. Donations of hygiene items from The Olive School, Birmingham were well received by staff at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s Hospital. 4. Hygiene packs from The Olive School, Birmingham were also donated to a local care home.
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5. Mrs Tait, Exams Officer at Tong Leadership Academy, out picking up another collection of items ready to be packed to help people in need.
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PPE to protect our key workers Throughout the pandemic, our schools supported vital NHS staff and carers by donating lifesaving personal protection equipment (PPE) to local hospitals, GP surgeries, health workers and care homes. The Trust’s schools have donated 13,250 items of PPE, including goggles, gloves, masks and disposable aprons, to help protect nurses, doctors and carers as they battle the pandemic. Inventive pupils at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS) went one step further and used modern technology to help with the shortage. Ten pupils teamed up with local engineering students to use the school’s 3D printers to produce their own PPE visors for healthcare workers. Using an open source design provided by 3D printer company PRUSA, they created hundreds of visors inscribed with messages of hope to help local health care workers. In total, the team created 300 visors which were distributed to East Lancashire Hospitals Trust, HBS Pharmacy, ASDA Accrington Pharmacy, Blackburn Muslim Burial Society, North West Boroughs Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Lancaster Hospital, North West Ambulance Service and Bank View Dentist. At Bay Leadership Academy staff and pupils decided to support their local community by sewing more than 500 masks. Led by Principal, Colette Roberts, the team worked tirelessly to design and create face shields and face masks for the whole community. Pupils and staff at the school have provided face masks, face shields, aprons, gloves and safety glasses for health workers, carers and public transport workers and recently delivered 150 hand-made face masks to homes in the local area. In total, the school has supplied more than 500 items of PPE to The Bay Medical Group in Heysham, Kirby Lonsdale coaches, The Hillcroft nursing and residential homes in Caton and Morecambe, John Kay Court in Lancaster and local residents who live near to the school.
6. Pupils and staff at TIBHS went into production and made 300 visors to help support vital health workers.
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7. Residents in Morecambe were pleased to receive their masks and appreciated the care shown by the Star Family Hub at Bay Leadership Academy. 8. Colette Roberts, Principal at Bay Leadership Academy, worked with her team to create hundreds of masks to protect their community.
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Lockdown presented many challenges for families and individuals across the country with one of the most notable being the impact on the nation’s mental health. The combined issues of lockdown, social distancing, and the shielding of vulnerable members of society has meant that, for many, the coronavirus pandemic has been a lonely and isolating experience. Our Star Family Hubs responded to the challenge of loneliness by sharing messages of hope to vulnerable and isolated people.
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Staff and pupils from Highfield Leadership Academy took part in a special ‘Sending You Sunshine Project.’ Pupils sent postcards and videos filled with uplifting messages and teachers even knitted mini sunshines for people living in care homes in the Blackpool area. Blackpool Coastal Housing has praised the school and its pupils for their work in the community and plans to give the school special recognition at their annual community awards. Pupils at the school are continuing to battle loneliness by sending letters of friendship to even more local vulnerable people. At The Olive School, Hackney, pupils have been supporting members of their local community by writing letters of friendship to bring comfort to the elderly in local care homes and St Joseph’s Hospice. Young pupils at the school wanted to connect in a safe way with older people who they feared may have felt isolated during lockdown. Residents at local care home, Mill Lodge, were given special attention by pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford. Pupils wrote postcards describing their activities during lockdown in a bid to connect with older and more vulnerable people in the area. The letters were hand delivered along with a hamper for staff which contained sweet treats and hand cream. Eden Girls’ School, Slough’s pupils put pen to paper to write 50 messages of hope in letters and cards sent to the residents of the Windmill Care Centre. Residents were said to have been overjoyed by the thought which helped them to feel ‘remembered’ during lockdown.
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1. Highfield Leadership Academy pupils have been putting pen to paper to help improve mental health in their local area. 2. It is hoped that the letters from Highfield Leadership Academy will help to alleviate loneliness in the local community. 3. Pupils from The Olive School, Hackney wrote kind messages to residents at a local care home and St Joseph’s Hospice. 4. Before lockdown began, pupils at Highfield Leadership Academy scrambled to send messages of hope to people in need.
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5. Residents at the Mill Lodge Care Home were delighted to receive messages from pupils at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford. 6. Pupils at Eden Girls’ School, Slough spread cheer and helped tackle loneliness by writing 50 letters to residents of The Windmill Care Centre.
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STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL Supporting pupils to continue their learning Over the past few months, we have experienced first-hand the havoc wrought by COVID-19 on our school community. The pandemic has disrupted everyone’s lives and caused considerable suffering. Despite these challenges, our focus on educational excellence and character development has remained steadfast. All Star schools acted swiftly to implement home learning plans and resources to support pupils to continue their learning, and offer support to parents, in an appropriate and meaningful way during the lockdown. Star has also established and supported a number of new national initiatives to ensure that pupils are not disadvantaged academically or mentally by the crisis and its impact on their education. We have been humbled by the sacrifices made by parents to support their children, and by our colleagues.
EDUCATION SECRETARY GAVIN WILLIAMSON SAID:
“StarLine represents another inspiring example of teachers and education experts working together.”
StarLine The lockdown forced the closure of schools to the majority of pupils. Parents and carers across the country were suddenly tasked with educating their children at home, many whilst juggling care or work commitments. In response to this new challenge, Star Academies joined forces with a group of leading educators to launch StarLine - a national home learning helpline offering free, expert information and advice to parents and carers. StarLine came as a welcome relief to parents across the country by offering them the ability to speak directly to a team of education and parenting experts about behaviour, routine and structure as well specific questions about the curriculum and school subjects. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “StarLine represents another inspiring example of teachers and education experts working together to share their knowledge, resources and expertise with schools and families across the country. This is a welcome addition to the support available to help children learn from home.” (Mufti) Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said: “The combination of working from home, caring for our loved ones and trying to educate our children is a difficult juggling act. Together with our partners, we want to use our educational expertise to support parents and carers who are grappling with the challenge of trying to maintain their children’s learning.” Mumsnet founder and CEO Justine Roberts said: “Lockdown learning has been a huge adjustment for all families, and for
some it’s extremely challenging. There’s no doubt that anxiety and stress are high in the mix, and some reassuring input from expert educators will be really valuable to frazzled and frantic parents.” Matt Hood, Principal at Oak National Academy, said: “This is another fantastic example of the education sector working together to ensure that every pupil gets the best possible education at home. I know StarLine will make a huge difference to families across the country.” Thousands of parents across the country have sought support from StarLine, which has quickly established itself as one of the go-to authoritative resources for home learning support. For more information about how StarLine can help you, including a range of useful blogs, please visit www.starline.org.uk.
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24 STAR CORONAVIRUS APPEAL StarLive StarLive is a weekly YouTube programme where educational and parenting experts from the StarLine team share their know-how to help struggling parents. Each week, a new topic is introduced by a StarLive expert who shares practical advice and tips. Subjects have included how to structure home learning, childhood bereavement, staying connected, positive parenting and helping teenagers during lockdown. Every episode of StarLive is available at www.starline.org.uk/starlive.
Oak National Academy Star Academies is a proud partner of the Oak National Academy. The Oak National Academy was established by 80 state school teachers and organisations across the sector to provide online lessons to support home learning during lockdown. The lessons cover a range of subjects including maths, English, art and languages, which are delivered through videos, quizzes and interactive lessons. Matt Hood, who is the Chair of Governors at Bay Leadership Academy, has led the development of the academy through his role as Principal at Oak National Academy. A number of Star Academies teachers, including Mr Jamil from The Olive School, Blackburn (pictured right), have created resources and delivered online lessons for the academy, which have been watched by tens of thousands of pupils and teachers across the country. For more information about Oak National Academy please visit www.thenational.academy.
STAR SUPPORTS SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE TO REOPEN SAFELY Star Academies consulted some of the country’s leading education experts to create a collection of high-quality resources to support school leaders to plan the reopening of schools. The Reopening Schools Toolkit, which was published online for all schools and councils to use, is made up of reports, advice and resources to support headteachers to prepare for the phased, safe opening of schools. Around 20,000 school leaders and education professionals have visited the Schools Reopening Toolkit website (www.reopeningschools.org) to download the free resources. The Reopening Toolkit, which is the result of hours of discussion with education experts from across the country, includes template documents, from a comprehensive reopening plan to risk assessments and space planning guidance. The toolkit has been widely adopted by many large multi-academy trusts and local authorities which have issued the resources to schools under their control, in addition to thousands of individual schools.
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Stars of Pupils offer ‘Stars of Hope’ to lift the nation A special competition designed to inspire hope during lockdown attracted over 1,000 entries from Star pupils. The Stars of Hope art and poetry competition was launched to help pupils focus on positive messages during one of the darkest periods in recent history. Pupils from across the country were tasked with creating art and poetry to give thanks to those supporting us and to share inspirational messages to provide comfort at this time of uncertainty. Primary pupils submitted artwork in the EYFS, KS1 and KS2 categories. Judges were in awe of the quality and creativity of pupils’ artwork, which they described as “thought-provoking, inspiring and filled with messages of thanks.” The winning primary school pupils each received a beautiful set of art materials to enable them to continue to develop their artistic skills. Secondary school pupils were asked to write a piece of poetry to inspire hope during these challenging times. Pupils drew on their knowledge of history and speeches from times past to inspire others and to help them find inspiration in their words. Judges chose six winners from the hundreds of entries with each receiving a tablet computer complete with home-learning software. A further 16 entrants were shortlisted as finalists. Both the winners’ and the finalists’ poems have been collated into a new and inspiring collection of poetry.
(Mufti) Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, praised the pupils for their exceptional work: “Our pupils have made us very proud during these times of adversity. These works of art and poems are a wonderful testimony to our pupils’ ability to inspire hope, even during the darkest of times. As we all look towards establishing our new normality, these messages will help to inspire us through difficult or challenging times ahead.” The Stars of Hope Virtual Art Gallery and Poetry Collection are available to view at: www.starcoronavirusappeal.org/stars-of-hope
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STARS CELEBRATED IN GLITTERING AWARDS CEREMONY Star Academies is celebrating the success of its inaugural Star Awards Ceremony which was held in March at the Grand Venue in Blackburn. The glittering event was held to honour the outstanding dedication and achievements of our schools, pupils, staff and governors. More than 300 guests from across Star Academies’ 28 schools and central teams were given a taste of the highlife as they were treated to a day of glamour, inspiration and fun. As guests arrived at the stunning venue, they were greeted by a canape reception and the melodic sound of live classical music played on the keyboard by talented Tong Leadership Academy pupil, William Truong. Pupils, staff, governors and the guests of honour were awestruck as they were shown into the ornate grand hall, which sparkled with atmospheric pink and purple lighting and glistening chandeliers. As the background music faded out and lights across the room dimmed, an expectant hush descended upon the audience. Ibraheem Bala, Head Boy at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School, and Elizabeth Mawson, Head Girl at The Valley Leadership Academy, took to the stage to begin the ceremony. The pair’s eloquent introduction set the scene and built excitement for the day ahead. Kam Kothia, Chair of Trustees at Star Academies, was the next speaker to address the expectant audience. Mr Kothia began by saying how honoured he felt to be sharing the room with people who had helped to shape Star Academies into a leading multi-academy trust with 2,000 staff members, 28 schools and more than 15,000 pupils. He thanked everyone for helping to contribute to Star Academies’ success and for their relentless commitment to excellence.
the ultimate reward of Olympic success. As well as presenting every winner with their Star Award, Beth posed for photographs, recoded video messages and chatted to star-struck pupils and staff throughout the day. The first category of awards was the Group Awards. Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS), had a spectacular performance claiming five out of the eight awards on offer in this category. Awards won by TIGHS included the Service Award, Teamwork Award (Teaching), Ambition Award, Business Transformation and Operational Excellence Award, and the Futures Award. The ‘Bill’s Be Your Best’ Team at Highfield Leadership Academy won the Teamwork Award (nonteaching) for their initiatives designed to embed a culture of kindness and respect into academy life. The second part of the ceremony was heralded by our second pupil performance of the day. Children from The Olive School, Bolton delivered a captivating Djembe drumming performance, which soon had the audience tapping their feet in time to their upbeat rhythms. The next awards to be presented were the Staff Awards, which celebrated the transformative work carried out by staff at Star Academies. From new teachers to experienced school leaders, staff were honoured for helping to improve outcomes for our pupils and supporting their peers.
As the event’s compere, Lisa Crausby, Executive Director of Education at Star Academies, expertly conducted proceedings. She introduced the ceremony’s first performance, which was delivered by pupils Mariam Abu Al-Haj and Nayab Mirza from Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest. Silence fell across the room as the girls performed their self-penned poems inspired by life in London.
The penultimate set of awards celebrated the achievements and dedication of our pupils. The Pupil Awards were a moving testimony to the spirit that motivates many of our pupils to continue to succeed despite facing challenging personal circumstances. Outstanding Primary School Pupil of the Year was awarded to Yahya Hussain from Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy. Amy Harrison from Highfield Leadership Academy scooped the award for Outstanding Secondary School Pupil of the Year.
Anticipation rose as the identity of the guest of honour was revealed and Britain’s most successful gymnast took to the stage. Olympic bronze medallist, Beth Tweddle, inspired the audience with a personal speech about ambition, hard work and
The Inspirational Learner of the Year award recognised the efforts made by pupils with special educational needs, disabilities or life-limiting illnesses, and those who have overcome personal circumstances and shown inspirational
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commitment to their education. Every nominee was truly inspiring, each with their own set of challenges yet committed to their own schoolwork and helping others to succeed. With so many worthy nominees, the exceptional achievements of all 17 finalists were recognised with an award. The room was filled with rapturous applause as each of the inspirational learners proudly made their way onto the stage to collect their awards from Beth Tweddle. The final award was for Outstanding Governor of the Year, which was awarded to Mark Hageman for his outstanding service to The Olive School, Hackney. Mark’s legal career keeps him extremely busy, but he always has time for the pupils and school. Amongst his achievements are setting up a Debate Mate club to help develop pupils’ vocabulary and ability to talk confidently on a given subject and setting up a book club where pupils can select and keep a book to read. The Highfield Voices, from Highfield Leadership Academy, were next to take to the stage and gave a stunning choral performance. Pupils delivered beautiful renditions of the songs
Glorious and A Million Dreams, from The Greatest Showman soundtrack. Their enthusiasm and passionate performance helped to provide a fitting end to the awards ceremony. Our inaugural Star Awards successfully highlighted the tremendous efforts of our outstanding pupils, staff members and governors. Congratulations to all of our winners and finalists, and thank you to all our pupils, staff and guests who helped to make the event such a wonderful celebration. The awards will play a central part of our recognition programme in the future. We look forward to hearing about the many great achievements of our Star family at Star Awards ceremonies in the years to come. Star Academies would like to thank our kind sponsors of this event. Our first Star Awards was made possible thanks to generous sponsorship from Kier Property, Hill Dickinson, The British Army, Eric Wright FM, Jobtrain, PLMR and Systematic.
Star Academies is dedicated to achieving the very best outcomes for all our pupils whatever their circumstances. Many of our pupils face significant challenges and adversity in their lives, yet they are still committed to their education, and to helping others thrive in our schools. They battle through pain, exhaustion and uncertainty so they can complete their studies and achieve the very best future for themselves. “As educators, we understand the transformative power a good education can have. This is why it has been heartening to hear some wonderful examples of our teachers’, support staff and governors’ exceptional commitment to education. “The stories behind these celebrations have made all of us at Star Academies extremely proud. They are a humbling reminder of why we all continue to strive to be the very best we can be.” (MUFTI) HAMID PATEL CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies SUMMER 2020 ISSUE 04
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ur All of o d s an winner listed s are finalist e winners’ Th n below. re show a s e m na . in pink
GROUP AWARDS SERVICE AWARD - Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) - Eden Girls’ School, Coventry, - Highfield Leadership Academy
BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD (SPONSORED BY JOBTRAIN)
SUPPORT STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Salman Ali, TIBHS
- Business Support Team, TIGHS
- Neyka Kosturska, Eden Girls’ School, Slough
- Site Move Team, Eden Manchester schools
- Simon Thomson, Star Central TEACHER OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY HILL DICKINSON)
TEAMWORK AWARD (NON-TEACHING)
- Estates Team, Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS)
- Bill’s ‘Be Your Best’ Team, Highfield Leadership Academy
PUPIL LEADERSHIP INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR AWARD
- Star Central Data Team
- Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest
TEAMWORK AWARD (TEACHING)
FUTURES AWARD
- English Department, TIGHS
- TIGHS
- Nafees Aslam, Eden Girls’ School, Slough
- EYFS Team, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy
- Eden Boys’ School, Preston
MIDDLE LEADER OF THE YEAR
STAFF AWARDS
- Emma Chapman, Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy
RISING STAR OF THE YEAR
- Lauren Bowmer, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy
- Year 6 Teaching Team, Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy AMBITION AWARD - TIGHS - Year 2 Team, The Olive School, Blackburn - Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy RESPECT AWARD - Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham and Small Heath Leadership Academy
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- Sugra Riasat, Eden Girls’ School, Slough - Nafisa Mohammed, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Latifun Uddin, The Olive School, Blackburn NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR - Marina Dogaru, Small Heath Leadership Academy - Haleema Ali, The Olive School, Birmingham - Elaine Hayes, Eden Girls’ School, Slough
- Victoria Plummer, The Olive School, Blackburn - Maryam Aslam, Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy
- Zulfkhar Ahmed, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest SENIOR LEADER OF THE YEAR - Ann Winter, Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy - Enass Al-Ani, Small Heath Leadership Academy - Alison Williams, Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy
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UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR - Joe Halliday, Laisterdyke Leadership Academy - Georgina Brown, Bay Leadership Academy - Hardeep Phull, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest
PUPIL AWARDS ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD - Sophie Austerfield, Tong Leadership Academy - William Truong, Tong Leadership Academy - Courtney-Anne Wroot, Bay Leadership Academy FUNDRAISING INNOVATION LEADERSHIP AWARD - The Olive School, Bolton - Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham - Eden Boys’ School, Bolton SPORTS LEADERSHIP AWARD (SPONSORED BY THE BRITISH ARMY) - Larissa Hannam, Bay Leadership Academy - Habib Khan, Tong Leadership Academy - Zayn Wadiwala, Eden Boys’ School, Preston
SOCIAL ACTION LEADERSHIP AWARD (SPONSORED BY ERIC WRIGHT FM) - TIGHS’ Mini MBA Team - Joss Irving, Bay Leadership Academy - Elizabeth Mawson, The Valley Leadership Academy INSPIRATIONAL LEARNER OF THE YEAR - Barisht Ahmad, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy - Zakaria Ahmed, The Olive School, Blackburn - Samy Aitmekideche, TIBHS - Keean Arnold, Bay Leadership Academy - Grace Bairstow, Tong Leadership Academy - Emma East, The Valley Leadership Academy - Ridwan Hirse, The Olive School, Hackney - Sharull Hossain, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Sahra Ishtiaq, The Olive School, Birmingham - Latifah Khan, The Olive School, Birmingham - Adam Patel, Eden Boys’ School, Preston - Hussein Patel and Hasan Patel, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Hanzala Mansoor, Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy
- Hamza Mohamed, The Olive School, Small Heath - Idris Sowunmi, The Olive School, Bolton - Muhammad Vally, The Olive School, Preston PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY KIER PROPERTY) - Yahya Hussain, Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy - Hanaa Hussain, The Olive School, Small Heath - David Zaborowski, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPIL OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY KIER PROPERTY) - Amy Harrison, Highfield Leadership Academy - Gemma Gibson, Bay Leadership Academy - Mohammed Ibrahim, Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham
OUTSTANDING GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR - Mark Hageman, The Olive School, Hackney - Jawad Amin, Eden Leadership Academies, Manchester - Elizabeth Gosling, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest
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30 STAR COMMUNITY Waltham Forest pupils welcome next Archbishop of York for interfaith visit of peace and hope
Pupils and staff at Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest welcomed the next Archbishop of York during a special interfaith visit. The Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the current Bishop of Chelmsford, visited the school to deliver an assembly filled with messages of peace and hope and to take part in a round table discussion about faith with pupils. Bishop Cottrell also led an assembly for all 600 pupils and staff at the school, where three talented pupils treated their guest to a performance of a Nasheed – a hymn that is usually sung acapella throughout the Islamic world.
Seven pupils were invited to join Bishop Cottrell for a roundtable discussion where they shared and celebrated their faiths. He praised the pupils on their intellectual curiosity which he said had spurred a lively debate on current themes around the Christian and Islamic faiths. The discussion complemented the school’s rich and diverse faith curriculum and gave pupils an opportunity to build-on their understanding of different faiths and beliefs. Senior Leaders at the school expressed their gratitude to the Bishop and his team for the visit, which will help pupils to continue to grow into well-rounded individuals with and awareness and empathy for all faiths.
Barkerend celebrates place in top 3% of primary schools Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy is celebrating a year of spectacular results. The highperforming school in Bradford was placed in the top three percent of primary schools nationally for progress. Pupils who sat the Key Stage 2 assessment last year, achieved such high levels of progress from Key Stage 1, that the school even received a special commendation by the Minister of State for Schools. In a letter to the Principal, Ann Winter, the Rt. Hon Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards, praised the school for its achievements. He said: “I would like to congratulate you, your staff and your pupils on the very high level of progress that pupils in your school demonstrated in the reading, writing and maths Key Stage 2 assessments last year. Thank you for your work in continuing to drive towards higher academic standards, and congratulations again to you and your staff for your commitment and success.” These results have had a huge impact across the school and the whole school community and follow the school’s ‘outstanding’ Ofsted judgement last summer. Parents are very proud and pupils know that they can achieve some of the best results in the country at Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy.
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Full STEAM ahead for Highfield pupils Pupils at Highfield Leadership Academy are going full ‘STEAM’ ahead as they explore science and technology careers of the future. The school recently joined The STEAM School – an initiative which explores futuristic ideas from the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Maths – to help pupils prepare for careers of the future. Pupils are given the opportunity to learn from leading specialists in their fields and take part in exciting hands-on activities to bring science and technology to life. The most recent workshop involved pupils donning headsets to take part in an Augmented Reality (AR) Techno Sport experience, which was delivered by Hado UK. Hado, which means ‘energy wave’ in Japanese, was first developed in Tokyo six years ago and uses AR headsets and sensors, to provide players with the ultimate mix of physical activity in an Augmented Reality setting. In the game, which has been likened to virtual dodgeball, pupils worked together in teams as they fired and dodged virtual balls around an arena to score points. Hado is quickly growing in popularity and players can even compete in the European Championships and World Cup. Not only were pupils able to experience science and technology in a fun and exciting way, but they had the opportunity to speak to industry experts and leaders in the field of Augmented Reality.
Birmingham school leads the way with ‘enterprising’ skills Pupils at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham were given the opportunity to hone their business skills by brainstorming their way through an Enterprise Workshop. The activity was arranged by Generation England, an organisation which specialises in mentoring young people and helping to build their confidence. Year 7 and 8 pupils were tasked with developing a new product that could be sold in supermarkets. By working out their costs and profit margins, they were given a glimpse of just how successful their product might be in the real world. The pupils’ ideas included a glow in the dark mug for late night cups of tea and a bag tracker to help locate misplaced or stolen bags. Another group strategised the business concept and financial model of a pupil-run school shop. Pupils completed their day by pitching their business idea and the motivation behind it to a panel. The panel was highly impressed by the girls’ insights and the confidence with which they presented their proposals.
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32 STAR COMMUNITY Celebrated authors kick start Star Readers Challenge at Bay The Star Readers Challenge got off to a flying start at Bay Leadership Academy thanks to visits from highly-acclaimed authors Sally Green (author of The Half Bad trilogy) and Peadar O’Guilin (author of The Bone World trilogy). Pupils in Years 7, 8 and 9 were given the unique experience of taking part in a three-day author and illustrator workshop where they received a special insight into the world of books. At the start of each day, pupils received a specially commissioned bookmark printed with the opening extract of a book from the Star Reader initiative. Pupils then read the opening chapters of a book together and discussed what the books meant to them. Pupils discovered modern day classics such as Northern Lights, Mortal Engines and Divergent as they explored themes around dystopian fiction. Guest authors and illustrators led workshops to inspire and support the budding writers to draft 100-word sagas with accompanying images to bring their stories to life. Authors Sally Green and Peadar O’Guilin awarded copies of the books to the pupils whose stories captivated them the most. The workshops have inspired pupils at Bay Leadership Academy to discover new authors and genres as they strive to complete the Star Readers Challenge.
TIBHS pupils set high standard in Oxford University visit and House of Lords debate Pupils at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS) visited some of the most prestigious institutions in the country in a once in a lifetime day out. The Blackburn pupils were given the opportunity to experience life at not one but two internationally renowned universities, before travelling to the heart of UK politics – the House of Lords and the Houses of Parliament. The group of 12 pupils first went to Oxford University, where they received a talk about the iconic institution, which debunked some of the myths that surround it. The pupils were also given a special insiders’ tour of Oxford where they visited the beautiful and historic library at Queen’s College and the famous Bodleian Library, which is home to over 12 million books. The group then travelled to London where they tested their debating prowess during a special session organised by the English Speaking Union at the House of Lords. Pupils were asked to debate the subject of ‘How can we reach a sustainable
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future?’. TIBHS pupils demonstrated their polished leadership skills during the debate with pupils from schools across the country. A trip to The London School of Economics (LSE) followed, where pupils met a group of current LSE students and found out more about what it takes to succeed at the globally ranked university. Pupils later told how they had enjoyed having the opportunity to connect with world class institutions and were inspired to work hard so they could develop into the very best versions of themselves.
STAR COMMUNITY Pupils take time out to feed Bradford’s homeless Before the pandemic forced the country into lockdown, pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford, took to the streets to provide comfort to the city’s homeless. Pupils gave up their evenings to support In Touch Foundation, a local charity which runs a mobile kitchen to feed Bradford’s vulnerable population. Pupils worked together, taking on different roles, so they could provide food and support to those in dire need. On the menu was chicken biriyani and plenty of hot drinks to keep the cold at bay. Pupils experienced first-hand how the charity operates and the support it provides, come rain or shine, to those who rely on its hot meals and compassion. Work to help those in need continued back in the classroom where pupils gathered collections of warm clothes and financial donations to help the charity continue its good work. Pupils have embraced the role of civic leadership by demonstrating friendship, humility and kindness to offer hope and comfort to those who are less fortunate than themselves.
Lord Lieutenant inspires pupils in Manchester Pupils at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy and Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester were treated to a royal visit by The Lord Lieutenant of Greater Manchester, Sir Warren Smith. Sir Warren visited the schools to share his own experience of success despite what he described as his own “very ordinary” beginnings. Following a successful business career, Sir Warren was appointed Justice of the Peace in 1983 and was High-Sheriff in 1997-98. As Lord Lieutenant, Sir Warren now represents the monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, across Greater Manchester. Sir Warren told pupils about the history of the role of the Lord Lieutenant and gave a potted history of Manchester. Pupils also heard about the many contributions that were made by minority
groups to Manchester’s development that have shaped the city today. Social inclusion has always been a key interest of Sir Warren’s and he has played an influential role across a breadth of organisations that provide support with drug, alcohol and mental health problems, community relations, poverty and justice. The Lord Lieutenant praised the pupils who he found to be “thoroughly engaging” and applauded the schools’ new stateof-the-art campus, which opened last autumn.
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Eden Birmingham pupils explore Andalucia’s rich heritage The rich heritage of three Andalucian cities was explored by pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham. A group of Year 9 pupils spent February half-term discovering Seville, Cordoba and Grenada and learning about the region’s history. Pupils visited the iconic Tower of Gold and Royal Al Cazar Palace in Seville, The Madinah Al Zahra and The Grand Mesquita of Cordoba. Their final visit was to Grenada where they saw the Al Hambra Palace, Al Pujara Mountains and the Mosque of Granada. By experiencing a wealth of beautiful Islamic art and architecture, our pupils had the opportunity to understand first-hand the contribution made by Muslims to the region’s culture. This was the school’s third visit to the area and our pupils had a wonderful time making memories while learning about the history of this incredible region.
The sky’s the limit for Small Heath cadets The RAF Cadet programme at Small Heath Leadership Academy has been going from strength to strength since its launch in September and now boasts 56 members. The Combined Cadet Force (CCF) (RAF) offers pupils at the school the chance to take part in training and skills that are designed to build confidence, responsibility, self-reliance, resourcefulness, endurance, and a sense of service to the community. As part of the programme, cadets at the school had the chance to visit the RAF Cosford Museum in Shropshire. The museum is home to a mighty Belfast Transporter, the National Cold War Exhibition and also houses an impressive display of aircraft and exhibits. Cadets enjoyed examining the history of flight and airmanship and reflecting on their learning as part of their cadet programme. Everyone who took part had an enjoyable day discovering the incredible stories of those who have served in the RAF.
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Olive pupils meet their Rovers heroes Young pupils at The Olive School, Blackburn took part in the #OneRovers day of inclusion and diversity. Pupils braved a cold Spring day as they turned out with parents and staff to support their local team Blackburn Rovers in their match against Fulham. The #OneRovers day was organised by Blackburn Rovers to attract more fans from its wider local community. Children from The Olive School, Blackburn were selected to form the guard of honour for the players as they took to the pitch. The event was just one of several schemes that are in place as part of the ‘Linking Schools’ project to help pupils at The Olive School, Blackburn form meaningful relationships with children from other schools. ‘Linking Schools’ is run by The Linking Network, and is backed by the Department for Education, the Pears Foundation and the Ministry Housing, Communities and Local Government. Through the project, pupils meet several times a year to explore questions around identity, diversity, community and equality. They are invited into a fun neutral space where they play games and exchange views. In the past three years, more than 1,000 pupils from both faith and non-faith schools in Blackburn with Darwen have made connections through the programme. Our pupils had a wonderful time at Ewood Park, despite a 0-1 victory to Fulham, where they had the opportunity to visit the strikers’ lounge and learn more about their local team.
Bolton pupils ‘talk the talk’ in public speaking competition A team of pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Bolton tested their powers of public speaking in a prestigious national competition. The Year 10 boys pitted their wits against hundreds of pupils from competing schools during the 60th ESU-Churchill Public Speaking Competition. 400 teams competed in the heats of the competition, which is the largest of its kind in England and Wales. Each team comprised a speaker, questioner and a chairperson. The different roles allowed pupils to practise and refine different skill sets. The competition has a unique format, which pairs the speaker from one school with the chair and questioner of another, which encourages quick thinking and relationship building. Despite an exceptional performance from our pupils, who exuded confidence and maturity, the team was not successful in securing a place in the grand final. However, they did celebrate a significant individual achievement. Eden Boys’ pupil Mohamed Zamry won the award for the best speech, following his impassioned delivery about whether or not the private lives of public figures should be open to public scrutiny. Buoyed by their success, the boys are already preparing for next year’s competition where they hope to reach the grand final.
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36 STAR COMMUNITY Thornbury pupil beats thousands of writers to win national competition Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy pupil, Ayaan Khan, beat nearly 8,000 competitors to scoop a top prize in a national writing competition. The seven-year-old was one of just five children in England who won the My Amazing Diary young writers competition. In addition to being rewarded with a special writers’ goodybag, Ayaan’s winning poem has been published in My Amazing Diary. Ayaan impressed judges with his wonderful story, written in the form of a diary entry, about a trip to Chevin Forest. His writing was filled with colourful and detailed descriptions and engaging narrative which won over judges of the competition.
An excerpt from Ayan’s Diary My body was filled with excitement. I was amazed at all the tall trees and miniature insects that were crawling beneath our feet. After a short while, we went to Surprise View, a place that had an amazing, breathtaking view. It felt like we were amongst the clouds. Wow! Here, the cool breeze hit my face and tickled my nose whilst brightly coloured butterflies fluttered their wings as they were dancing above my mum’s head. I climbed huge boulders and saw aeroplanes that looked like tiny birds hovering up in the sky. After a short while, we decided to go home. I was tired and exhausted after our journey. Here I am, lying down in my bed, writing about my special day. Oh, what a day I’ve had!
Pupils pay tribute to Holocaust victims in Berlin Pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Preston visited Berlin to pay tribute to the millions of people who have been murdered in genocides. The Year 8 boys took part in an emotional visit to the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe as part of Holocaust Memorial Day. The international day takes place on 27th January each year to mark the anniversary of the liberation of AuschwitzBirkenau, the largest Nazi death camp. This is the second visit to the memorial by pupils from the school who were deeply touched by the experience. Pupils also visited the Holocaust Information Centre beneath the memorial where the stories of individual victims are told. The centre was designed to give faces back to anonymised victims and share their stories help to keep the memory of the victims alive. Each year at Star Academies, we work to preserve and honour the memory of those who were killed in genocides. We believe it is vital that we continue to teach our pupils about the Holocaust. By remembering those terrible events and the individuals who were persecuted so cruelly, we can ensure that we never have to revisit such dark times again.
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STAR COMMUNITY French fun for High Crags Primary Leadership Academy pupils Lessons at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy had a cosmopolitan feel as staff and pupils adopted French as their language du jour for their Foreign Modern Languages Day. Pupils started the day with a virtual tour around Paris, delivered by Year 6 pupils. The tour included famous attractions such as The Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and The Eiffel Tower as pupils learnt about the history of the French capital and life in modern day Paris. After a short stop at a café, where pupils ordered their petit dejeuner, it was on to discover the arts. In a series of workshops, pupils discovered Matisse and pointillism and made models of the Eiffel Tower. Pupils embraced their roles as tourists and created French phrase books and tour guides. This is the second year that High Crags Primary Leadership Academy has run a Modern Foreign Languages Day to fully immerse the children in different languages. The day was split into four different activities and the children rotated around the classes throughout the day. Each class had French vocabulary and phrases linked to the activity, giving the children a diverse range of new language to learn across the day. Pupils and staff had a very enjoyable day and their joyous approach to learning helped add colour and a little joie de vivre to their pupils’ French lessons.
Shining behaviour rewarded with trip to Birmingham Jewellery Quarter Year 8 pupils from Eden Girls’ School, Coventry were treated to a special day out to Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter in reward for their outstanding behaviour, attendance and progress. The pupils travelled to the Birmingham Assay Office, where precious metal items are tested and hallmarked. There they met with staff and students from the Birmingham School of Jewellery who talked to them about courses and career opportunities working with jewellery and luxury goods. An exciting ‘Gemstone Detectives’ workshop followed. Using state-of-the-art equipment, pupils were tasked with identifying valuable gemstones whilst also learning how to spot fake gems. Staff at the jewellery school remarked on the pupils’ abilities and also on their courteous and attentive behaviour. After lunch, the group visited the Birmingham Pen Museum, a one-time pen factory which has been preserved to teach future generations about the important legacy of Birmingham’s 19th Century pen trade and its significant contribution to improving literacy throughout the world. Pupils completed a range of activities, which included making their own pen nib with original machinery, trying their hand at calligraphy and having their handwriting analysed by an expert. Pupils were also taught about the social history of the thousands of women who used to work in this industry.
Eden Girls showcase their talent More than 150 parents, pupils and staff were treated to an exciting evening of entertainment at the Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester talent show. In the hotly-contested auditions, around 50 pupils competed against their peers to impress the judges and secure a place in the prestigious ‘Eden’s Got Talent’ show. 11 girls made the shortlist for the grand final and, with it, an opportunity to take to the stage to perform in front of an audience of pupils, parents and staff.
In a glittering event, our talented finalists performed speeches, Nasheeds and recitations. The judges, who were visibly moved by the quality of the performances, had the unenviable task of selecting the top three performances. Congratulations to Lubna Choudhry, Noor Fatima Nawaz and Fatima Bah who were awarded first, second and third place respectively.
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38 STAR COMMUNITY Laisterdyke litter pick for local community Before the country went into lockdown, kind-hearted pupils at Laisterdyke Leadership Academy went out into their community to tidy up the streets. The litter picking pupils, armed with bin bags, scoured the school’s surrounding streets searching for rubbish to clear. After much hard work, the team successfully cleared five large bags worth of polluting rubbish from the local area. The litter-pick was the latest Eco Warrior project at the school, which aims to help pupils learn how to care for their local environment and contribute positively to the community. The Eco Warrior club has previously created a fruit and vegetable garden at the school where pupils grow strawberries, raspberries and gooseberries, as well as onions and potatoes. The scheme has been praised by staff and parents who say that pupils who take part gain important teamwork and communication skills as well as other practical skills which help them to care for their environment.
Secrets of code-breaking revealed to pupils in Slough The mysteries of 1940s code-breaking and the evolution of computing were explored by pupils from Eden Girls’ School, Slough during a visit to The National Museum of Computing. The museum, which is based at Bletchley Park, houses the world’s largest collection of working, historic computers. Pupils traced the development of computing from the ultra-secret pioneering efforts of the 1940s through to the large systems and mainframes of the 1950s, 60s and 70s, and the rise of personal computing in the 1980s and beyond. Pupils discovered the secrets behind working reconstructions of the Turing-Welchman Bombe that broke the Enigma code – used by the Germans in World War II - and Tommy Flowers’ Colossus which defeated the Lorenz cipher, used by Hitler to communicate strategic messages with his High Command. The day was an inspiring experience for pupils who learnt a great deal about the early efforts and heroism of the UK’s computer science pioneers.
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STAR COMMUNITY Interfaith link-up success for The Olive School, Birmingham Messages of peace and respect for people of all faiths and none are being taught to pupils at The Olive School, Birmingham as part of the interfaith charity ‘Faith and Belief Forum’s’ School Linking Programme. School Linking gives pupils of different faiths, beliefs and cultures opportunities to meet and learn about each other. The aim of the programme is to help pupils feel confident in communicating and collaborating with anybody, regardless of their faith, belief, culture or background. The latest linkup took place before the lockdown at The Hawthorns Stadium, home of West Bromwich Albion Football Club. Pupils from Bentley Heath CoE Primary School met with pupils from The Olive School, Birmingham to learn how different people understand and live their faiths and beliefs, and to dispel common myths and stereotypes about different faiths. The link days have proven to be a huge success and pupils and staff at The Olive School, Birmingham are now looking forward to continuing the programme next year.
Future Olive gymnasts crowned competition winners A team of aspiring gymnasts from The Olive School, Bolton impressed judges during a Key Stage 1 gymnastics competition run by The Bolton Sports Partnership. The team of four pupils finished in first place overall and also took home a gold and a silver medal for two individual performances. The school’s young stars enjoyed showcasing their skills and worked hard to achieve the top spot in the competition.
Talented Tong pupils star on the national stage With a long history of supporting pupils to excel at sports and performing, alongside their academic studies, three pupils from Tong Leadership Academy have taken their next steps to success. Osman Conteh, 15 and George Flanagan, 15, have both been awarded scholarships with the professional rugby league club Bradford Bulls. The scholarships mean that the boys will enter intensive training schedules which will see them hone their agility, speed and skill with guidance from top coaches at the Championship club. For Osman, who began playing the sport just two years ago, the scholarship has come as a huge bonus. For George Flanagan, rugby is a family affair. The talented youngster has been playing rugby since he was five, thanks to encouragement from his rugby playing dad who also plays for Bradford Bulls.
Talented singer, Amber Walker was selected to perform in the choir of a major musical production in Bradford. The 15 yearold pupil appeared in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at the Bradford Alhambra, which starred Britain’s Got Talent finalist Mark McMullan as Joseph. As a member of the choir, Amber performed an array of hits from the popular musical. Despite only performing with the Stuart Stage School Choir for four years, she has already appeared in several high-profile shows including Les Misérables, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar. Amber now dreams of becoming a performer in West End Shows or on cruise ships.
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Doorways to a fictional world Teachers at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East brought reading to life with their creative door decorations to mark the launch of the Star Readers Challenge. The English teachers wanted to fill their classrooms with imagination, so that pupils would feel that coming to class was like was like entering another world. The doors certainly sparked a great deal of interest amongst pupils and reminded them of the power of books. The eye-catching creations inspired many pupils to pick up a copy of The Hunger Games or to discover the world of Hogwarts.
Primary pupils in Hackney make a difference Pupils at The Olive School, Hackney were asked to ‘Make a Difference’ in a project run by Young Citizens UK. The Young Citizens UK charity works in primary and secondary schools to help educate, inspire and motivate active citizens of tomorrow.
TIGHS pupils master maths with murder mystery challenge A murderous maths lesson stretched the problem-solving skills of pupils at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) to the limit.
The community project asks pupils to reflect on their local community and consider the social and environmental challenges it faces, including issues around littering, pollution and homelessness. Pupils then choose a cause and think of ways to tackle the problem so they can create a positive change in their community. School Council pupils at The Olive School, Hackney began the project by setting the ground rules and responsibilities for each of their sessions to make sure they make the most of their time. At the heart of their rules and responsibilities is the idea of respect. They want every member of the School Council to be able to express their views and to take an active part in all discussions. At the time that the country went into lockdown, pupils had just voted for their favourite project. All will be revealed when the children return to school and they can start to put their learning into practice as they continue with the project.
Girls from Key Stage 3 took part in the innovative mystery-based approach to maths in a creatively constructed lesson. Pupils were asked to use their powers of deduction to solve the mystery of Lady Bilkington’s murder at the Ritz Hotel. Her diamonds had been stolen and her cup of cocoa contained traces of a deadly poison – the only clue was a list of suspects and some confounding mathematical clues, designed to lead pupils to the culprit. Pupils were given just under an hour to solve the murder mystery and catch the diamond thief.
STAR COMMUNITY Past brought to life in poignant trip for the Valley pupils In February, pupils from The Valley Leadership Academy visited Belgium and France to learn poignant history lessons from World War One. Teachers at the school planned the trip to help pupils form a greater connection with the past and a deeper understanding of the significance of major historical events. Their first visit was to the German cemetery at Langemark where they paid their respects to German soldiers who lost their lives in the war. Pupils were particularly moved to hear that many of the soldiers, who were buried in mass graves, were just 17 years-old, and were killed during a bungled gas attack against the Allies when the wind changed direction and enveloped their own soldiers. Pupils then visited Tyne Cot Memorial, the largest British cemetery in the world. The sheer number of unknown soldiers
buried there and the long list of names on memorial walls was moving for both pupils and staff alike. Pupils were also given a glimpse into the horror of trench warfare by examining artefacts and reconstructed trench displays at the Passchendaele Memorial Museum. They also visited Sanctuary Wood and Hill 62, where trenches have been preserved in their original states. Wandering around harsh and bleak trenches helped pupils to understand the crippling discomfort of cold, wet and muddy trench warfare.
Small Heath pupils put on ‘a brave face’ for charity Children at The Olive School, Small Heath put on a brave face for charity as part of Children’s Mental Health Week. This year, children across the country were challenged to ‘Find Your Brave’ as part of the fundraising week, which is run by the charity Place2Be. This year’s theme focused on the importance of looking after our emotional wellbeing from an early age, which is now more important than ever during the coronavirus pandemic. Pupils were taught that bravery comes in all shapes and sizes and is different for everyone. For example, bravery can be about sharing worries and asking for help, trying something new or pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Pupils created their own visual interpretation of bravery in the form of a mask, which they displayed to their peers during a special school assembly. The national campaign aims to help children build their confidence, self-esteem and make them feel good about themselves. During the week, pupils raised £257 through collections for the YoungMinds charity – a charity which specialises in supporting the mental health of young people.
Pupils’ learning enriched with lessons from the wider-world The intellectual curiosity of pupils at The Olive School, Preston was sparked with a special ‘Super Learning Day’. As educators, we know that our young people have a natural desire to learn more about the world, how it works and its inhabitants. That is one of the reasons why we place importance on pupils’ learning about the world around them and other cultures. Pupils at The Olive School, Preston take part in regular ‘Super Learning Days’ to explore aspects of life and diversity in different countries and cultures. The continent of Africa was in the spotlight for the latest event. Pupils were particularly excited to be able to create some amazing artworks based on Serengeti wildlife scenes, which are now proudly displayed around the school. Our young pupils were also given the opportunity to wear traditional dress from different countries in Africa and enjoyed tasty food from across the continent.
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ANN WINTER
Principal, Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy In our latest Star People interview, we talk to Ann Winter who has led a quiet revolution in teaching and learning at her primary school in Bradford. Thanks to the efforts of teachers and support staff, pupils at the school make exceptional levels of progress, with the school ranked in the top 3% of schools nationally for progress. Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy has been so successful that it was recently earmarked for a special commendation by the Minister of State for School Standards. The school’s successes, including its ‘outstanding’ Ofsted rating, and Ann’s practical leadership style led to Ann being named Senior Leader of the Year at our recent Star Awards.
What is the secret to success for school leadership?
Why did you decide to enter the teaching profession?
I think that if you love your job, your passion and enthusiasm will shine through in all that you do. I want to see pupils succeed as individuals and I want them to be the very best versions of themselves possible. I also want to see my staff gain fulfilment from their role as they are supported to develop in a way that is meaningful to them. It’s important to listen and to be open to new ideas. I’m so lucky to be part of a strong and cohesive senior leadership team, working with skilled practitioners whose opinions and expertise help to shape our school’s success.
From a young age, I loved being with children. After leaving college, I went to work as a dental nurse for a year while I decided what I would like to do as a career. Three of the dentists I supported encouraged me to become a teacher, as they felt I was particularly good at engaging the children and distracting them whilst they had treatments. I then visited a number of teacher training colleges and instantly loved Charlotte Mason College in Ambleside where I went to complete a BA with (QTS) in Education.
What aspect of your job gives you the greatest satisfaction? Seeing pupils across school who are inspired and making real progress as a result of excellent teaching gives me immense satisfaction. A real sense of aspirational learning has developed within each classroom across the school. It is wonderful to see NQTs develop into outstanding teachers and curriculum leaders who are then able inspire our pupils to become life-long learners. Attitudes to learning are often shaped early on and helping pupils in this learning journey means they can aspire to become leaders of the future and be successful in their chosen career.
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Who was your favourite teacher as a child and why? Mr Carroll because he was very kind and showed a real interest in each pupil as an individual. He made us laugh with funny stories and his lessons were practical, with lots of reasons to talk.
What has been the biggest change since the school joined Star in 2018? Since becoming part of Star Academies, the quality and breadth of professional development for staff at all levels has improved significantly. With Star’s support, we have been able to develop experts in curriculum areas who have
driven changes to pedagogy, planning and practice. The high-quality curriculum model shared across the Trust has been adapted and personalised by our staff to meet the needs of our pupils. Both of these changes have undoubtedly had a positive impact on the quality of teaching and learning in our school, which was recognised during last year’s Ofsted inspection when the school was judged to be ‘outstanding’ in all areas. One of the other most welcome additions has been the introduction of the STAR values of Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect, which are at the heart of everything we do.
What interests do you have outside of work? I enjoy nothing more than a walk in the open countryside or by the sea with my family. My son now lives in Ambleside and is studying at the University of Cumbria, so I love to return there and recreate memories climbing the mountains and walking by the lakes.
What are you currently reading? I’m reading Still Alice by Lisa Genova. I supported my own Mum for many years as she suffered with dementia and fought to maintain her independence, so I can relate to the struggle faced by Alice the main character.
STARS OF HOPE AWARD
STARS OF HOPE AWARD Many people have worked tirelessly and exemplified the STAR values over recent months, selflessly going the extra mile to ensure that our five pledges to the Star family were delivered: everyone is a star of hope.
Stars of
All colleagues listed below will receive a Stars of Hope letter and certificate from the Trust’s Chief Executive in recognition of their exceptional contribution to the Star family during the COVID-19 pandemic. BARKEREND PRIMARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Pat Coultous, Tracy Taylor, Kimberley Wilson, Samina Khan, Tracey Peace, Dilwara Begum, Moazama Ashraf, Anthony Waring, Diane Morton, Vicki Hinchliffe, Kalsoom Khan BAY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Keith Bailey, Shaun Rogerson, Kyle Horner, Gareth Dowthwaite, Nicola Turner, Deborah Horsman, Barbara Soj EDEN BOYS’ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, BIRMINGHAM EAST - Samehra Zahid, Umar Wazir EDEN BOYS’ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, BRADFORD - Rosina Noor, Mohammed Usman, Riffat Aslam, Shaireen Khan EDEN BOYS’ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, MANCHESTER - Abdeladime Adimou, Raees Afzal, Amar Khan, Waleed Ahmed, Mohammed Matadar, Khizer Rahman, Benazeer Hussain, Tanzeela Shahbaz, Caroline Leung, Safina Ahmed, Usman Matadar, Jessica Craven, Netesha Butt, Abdul Hafez Limbada, Alexis Ryder, Amreen Yousaf EDEN BOYS’ SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM - Salim Ravat, Shahabe Abdo, Maryam Mohamoud, Hafsa Namaji, Mohammed Ebrahim Hussain EDEN BOYS’ SCHOOL, BOLTON - Aisha Dakri, Laura Riley, Carla Mitchell, Tasneem Kadu, Abdul Kadeer Hussain, Shafiq Patel, Carmela Ridyard, Shaheda Bhatia, Yunus Mohamed, Sultana Yar, Uthmaan Vali, Richard Foster, Meghan Starkey, Dr Catherine Barker, Uwais Lunat, Shenaz Ibrahim, Hussain Hassan, Anne Garvey EDEN BOYS’ SCHOOL, PRESTON - Safvan Yusuf, Ashraf Isap, Ilyas Valimulla, Irfan Patel, Mudasser Afsar, Roisin Metherell, Alicia Ramsay, Ian Ramsay, Jenny Greenwood, Azmat Ahmed EDEN GIRLS’ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, BIRMINGHAM - Nadifo Shamati, Yankuba Saho, Umar Hussain, Shazia Amer, Ohid Islam, Saima Khan, Iman Atwal, Junaid Sheikh, Aneesah Ijaz, Amran Ellahi EDEN GIRLS’ LEADERSHIP ACADEMY, MANCHESTER - Miriam Adam, Laura Chivers, Saida Bhana, Gemma Beresford, Shazda Miah, Seema Musa, Anika Tariq, Rebecca Sagar, Sarah Pinches, Saariah Qureshi, Farhan Patel, Helena Morrissey, Sabah Hafeez, Simone Hawksworth, Ellie Osborne, Fatima Abdi, Ash Rasool, Chris Inckle, Debbie Knowles EDEN GIRLS’ SCHOOL, COVENTRY - Webster N’Guessan, Siddiqah Mohammed, Jamil Uddin, Hafsa Khalifa, Amy Novsarka, Clare O’Hagan, Zubair Khalifa, Andriana Senyk, Aisha Dambam, Muhammad Imran, Mehnaz Shaikh, Yunus Kathawal EDEN GIRLS’ SCHOOL, SLOUGH - Baldish Dhanda, Faiza Mughal, Shaista Yaqoob, Iain Wright, Alison Ward, Kamran Khan, Raman Sandhu, Nafees Aslam, Sugra Riasat, Muna Mohamed, Amna Mustafa, Nealmfara Akhtar, Yusuf Ahmed, Madeehah Jehangir, Anita Galica, Maram Badar, Iman Warsame, Safiya Usman Monteiro, Shabnam Ali, Saima Dar, Ashruf Amod, Nafisah Asif, Francoise Cusimano, Nicole Dolan, Eirini Ioannidou, Elaine Hayes, Lisa Kiely, Shegufta Farooq-Bowkan, Bea Williams, Maschil DeGuzman EDEN GIRLS’ SCHOOL, WALTHAM FOREST - Ahad Hussain, Ish’aaq Jasat, Laura Woods, Halima Dadabhoy, Hardeep Kaur Phull, Mary Ann Murphy, Shaveena Bashir, Raquel Murray, Maarya Attas, Iliyan Dyulgerov, Aisha Ayub, Muhammad Dalvi HIGH CRAGS PRIMARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Rachel Partovi, Tonie Andrews, Helen Neen, Jonathan Harris HIGHFIELD LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Karen Turner, Janet Holroyd, Carol Haydn-Thomas, Liam Johnson, Nick Rainbow, Karen Benson, David Cowans, Dawn Livesey, Suzanne Gibson, Anneke Houston, Colette Dove, Aaron Hargreaves, Rebecca Wilkie, Claire Cartmell, Oscar Marshall, John Kerr, Penny Rimmer, Nicola Dodgson, Danielle McQueenie, Alison Hinchliffe, Beverley Bailey, Patricia Williams, Beth Goodchild, Dawn Leonard, Robert Brookfield, Ian McCleary
LAISTERDYKE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Sajdah Salani, Jane Shaw , Babita Zaccardelli, Shohab Ali, Lee Francis SMALL HEATH LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Helen Cooper, Daniel Hennessy, Richard Willshaw, Julie Delahaye-Slater, Yasmin Manzoor, Ashley Dye, Leah Fury, Tammy Wearden, Tohseef Khan, Jackie McCann STAR CENTRAL - Joanne Thompson, Jade Hartley, Nicola Crum, Tasnim Adam, Sophie Backen, Sharon Howard, Tim Frier, Faizal Musa, Jean Olsson-Law, Andy Lavin, Rifat Ali, Angela Westington, Ross Brevitt, Jason Wilson STARBANK SCHOOL - Sarah Ellis, Christine Francis, Nargis Osman-Ghani, Peter Dixon, Rohima Begum, Amarjit Bhogal, Sid Kazmi, Jamila Ramzan, Amanda Perry, Amy Gittings TAUHEEDUL ISLAM BOYS’ HIGH SCHOOL (TIBHS) - Naeema Hasan, Muhammed Patel, Zubair Ahmed, Usman Kothia, Sabiha Patel, Safinaz Yusuf, Minhaj Ugradar, Muhammad Haris Falak, Mohammed Awais Akhtar, Farhan Bhola, Shoaib Mohmed, Ismaaeel Hussain, Michael Gibbison TAUHEEDUL ISLAM GIRLS’ HIGH SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM COLLEGE (TIGHS) - Farooq Ahmed, Salim Dalal, Anisha Issa, Hanifa Hasan, Asiyat Kagermanova, Yasmin Patel, Shahida Desai, Medina Master, Hanifa Doctor, Akhtar Mulla, Farzana Patel, Nasreen Patel, Ashiya Laher, Fakra Jabeen, Kauser Isa, Ayesha Ismail, Shireen Mangera-Badat, Shaista Ahmed, Farzana Qureshi, Maherunnisa Jogee, Arefa Darbar, Amina Modan, Shanaz Battiwala THE OLIVE SCHOOL, BIRMINGHAM - Danash Ahmed, Siraz Ahmed, Farina Bolia, Shaida Riaz, Humaira Begum, Sanaa Lariab, Rahilah Khan, Mohammed Masum Rahman, Aneesa Asif, Mohammed Zafran, Humayra Farouk THE OLIVE SCHOOL, BLACKBURN - Fauzia Mulla, Victoria Plummer, Umhera Jadoon, Nabil Jamil THE OLIVE SCHOOL, BOLTON - Salma Patel, Yasmin Umerji, Peter Gethings, Samantha Slater, Nasrin Patel, Qulsum Valli, Saarah Kapadia, Emma Warwick, Sahida Adam, Zainab Kola, Simon Grime, Jennifer Taylor THE OLIVE SCHOOL, HACKNEY - Tasneem Dana, Heena Solkar, Najiya Hoque, Zaiba Mangera, Fatima Mulla, Anna Nou, Sheerin Ramjan, Francesca Phillips, Manzurul Mannan, Humeyra Rahman, Kimberley Barrett, Julie Bradley, Ameerah Bauhadoor, Hifzur Rahman, Mahfuzur Chowdhury, Rahima Wahid Rahman, Fatemah Bismillah, Sumiyya Aboo, Sabrina Adours THE OLIVE SCHOOL, PRESTON - Richard Ainscough, Christine Burgess, Rizwana Patel, Jebuneesha Ismail, Farida Patel, Anisa Dadhiwala, Shahabuddin Solkar, Rasheda Choudhury, Lookman Batan, Shagufta Ditta Fitzsimon, Leeanne Mitchell, Khatija Badat, Farhana Hajat, Fatema Patel, Ammaarah Taju THE OLIVE SCHOOL, SMALL HEATH - Ahmed Hussen, Nureen Qusir, Natalie Duggins, Shahida Boksh, Abduldayem Sultan, Humaira Hamid THE VALLEY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Martyn Gibbons MBE, Kathryn Humphries, Deborah Pearson, Clare Lomax, Narda Sestanovic, Vicky Jackson, Kath Burridge, David Dodds, Lorraine Mitchell, Kieron Grimshaw, Jemma Lord, Barry Sherry, Nathan Bibby, Tracy Boswell, Tracy Ward, Lorna Gowerson, Sharon Gretton, Melissa Tomlinson THORNBURY PRIMARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Elizabeth Miles, Cathryn Smith, Lucy Clarke Irons, Phillippa Everatt, Matthew Cavanagh, Vanessa Saggers, Zoe Saggers, Ruth Corkery, Leanne Davidson, Helen Cossavella, Arnold Raistrick, Hina Mahmood, Zoe Manders, Fay Taylor, Simon Lenton, Paul Stanway, Nicola Bethell, Margaret Avery, Vanessa Render, Karen Dunwell TONG LEADERSHIP ACADEMY - Karen Oldroyd, Atif Khan, Sarah Morren, Francesca Baxter, Joanne Wreford, Catherine Chaplin, Kathryn Tait, Arshad Ashraf, Tracy Smith, Nike Hale, Charlotte Bowers, Rachel McFarlane
Follow @StarAcademies on Twitter to read more about the amazing accomplishments of our pupils staff. SUMMERand 2020 ISSUE 04
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