STAR COMMUNITY

Blackburn maths teacher puts his best foot forward to help pupils

A teacher at Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School (TIBHS) is helping to improve pupils’ mathematical ability thanks to the power of the popular football computer game, FIFA.

Sheikh Iqbal, who has worked as a maths teacher at the school since 2015, took up gaming to help him relax after a busy day at work. Iqbal’s talent for FIFA meant that he was soon offered a contract as a pro gamer for his beloved Burnley Football Club. The contract led to him competing in the FIFA ePremier League tournaments and manning the matchday GAME zone, a special area where young fans are able to play FIFA, at Burnley’s Turf Moor stadium. But for Sheikh, it’s not all just fun and games. The popular teacher from Blackburn revealed that FIFA has helped him bring maths to life in the classroom. Sheikh explained how he uses familiar concepts that pupils access through the game to teach taxes, interest rates, percentages, trends and ratios. For example, in FIFA, when you buy a player, you pay in coins, you’re taxed and you follow fluctuating trends to buy at the best price. Sheikh uses this information to ask questions such as: “If I bought this player for 50,000 coins and sold him for 60,000, reduced by 5% because of tax, how much did I make from the sale?” Or he might ask: “The digital pitch is 1,000 times smaller than a stadium one, so what size is a real pitch?’” Using something familiar means that pupils are much more likely to be engaged in their learning and readily ask and answer questions. Sheikh also described how playing the game helps make him relatable to pupils and helps to encourage pupils to pursue their own goals. Gaming, he says, can often be treated as a negative pastime by parents but, when used in a balanced way, it can be beneficial to pupils who need to wind down after an intense period of study. Pupil and staff wellbeing is of paramount importance for Star schools. Sheikh has found that encouraging pupils to find something they enjoy, like gaming, can be a great method for reducing stress and passing exams.

Highfield pupils use first aid skills to help elderly man in medical emergency

Pupils from Highfield Leadership Academy leapt to the rescue of an elderly man during a medical emergency. Levi Burke, Josh Baggaley and Mackenzie Thomas were making their way home from school when they saw the man fall from his mobility scooter near to their school.

The concerned Year 8 pupils immediately ran to see how they could help the man and quickly established that although the man was breathing, he was having difficulty speaking. Pupils stayed with the man and offered him reassurance until ambulance crews arrived.

Pupils then gave paramedics a helpful account of the events leading up to the man’s fall and helped to move the scooter to free the man.

Ambulance crews praised the pupils, who they said had been incredibly polite and respectful in a highly stressful situation. They said pupils had been a credit to the school, their parents and most of all themselves. The pupils are all members of the school’s Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and had received first aid training through activities provided by the CCF. The Heartstart first aid training course taught the pupils emergency life-saving skills. Pupils said that the course had given them the confidence to know what to do in an emergency situation. Mackenzie said: “To be faced with a real life first aid situation was a bit scary, because it was a big responsibility to get it right. We didn’t want to hurt the man or make his injuries any worse.” Andrew Galbraith, Principal at the school, said that pupils had clearly demonstrated the value of their first aid training and had acted with a great deal of maturity. In December, Highfield Leadership Academy pupil Alex Whitehead, who is also a member of the school’s Combined Cadet Force, used his first aid training to help an elderly man who had collapsed at a bus stop.

Olive School Hackney pupils walk with the dinosaurs

Young pupils at The Olive School, Hackney were treated to a ‘roarsome’ day of dinosaur-packed fun thanks to a special learning day planned by their science leads.

Pupils used their literacy skills to create ‘wanted’ posters containing descriptions and drawings of dinosaurs that were displayed around classrooms. Pupils also followed a giant dinosaur footprint trail around the school to try to track-down the missing dinosaurs. The dinosaurs were eventually tracked down in the playground where pupils were able to get up close to the fearsome beasts. Pupils were excited to meet the life-like models which caused a huge buzz in the playground. Pupils also enjoyed a fossil exploration workshop where they learned about the role of archaeologists and the importance of fossils in helping us to understand the world of dinosaurs.

Teachers focused on developing pupils’ vocabulary and their scientific understanding of fossils and dinosaurs. Pupils were also encouraged to think imaginatively about dinosaurs by reading fictional stories, playing with small world dinosaur figures and creating their very own paper dinosaurs. Pupils and staff had a ‘dino-mite’ day of fun, memories and excitement and are looking forward to scheduling another dinosaur day next year.

TIGHS finishing school hosts lessons in resilience with Baroness Morgan

In a year where pupils faced unprecedented disruption, not just to their education but to their day-to-day lives, the sixth form students at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) celebrated the power of resilience as part of their finishing school programme.

Finishing school sessions are held each year to enable pupils who are completing their journey with TIGHS to prepare for life beyond school. Many of the students are the first in their families to attend university, and the finishing school aims to equip them with the confidence and leadership skills to embrace the many opportunities of university life.

Around 80 Year 13 pupils, along with the head of Sixth Form and careers team, were joined by the former Secretary of State for Education, Baroness Nicky Morgan, for the special event. Students from the Sixth Form shared their observations of life under lockdown and the lessons they had learnt from their experiences. Aliyah Patel and Lubna Shah, who presented on the day, told how lockdown had helped them to realise the love they felt for their school and to appreciate their privileged education. Students Aliyah Patel and Lubna Shah

The pandemic has obviously caused us all to grow up faster. We have all been forced to come to terms with our own mortality, our limitations and our weaknesses, however this hasn’t caused us to give up. Instead of hindering us, the pandemic has provided us all with a coming of age, allowing us to work past any difficulty life may present in our respective paths.“

Baroness Morgan, who served as the Minister for Women and Equalities and is now a life peer in the House of Lords, presented on her own career journey and described the challenges she met along the way. Students were then offered the opportunity to quiz Nicky Morgan on democracy, resilience and her experience of being an MP. Pupils seized the opportunity to gain insights into her career and to understand the secret to her success. Baroness Morgan was very encouraging of political participation by young people and explained that she had demonstrated resilience and brute ambition at every point of her political career. When asked what advice she would give to her 18-year-old self, she replied quite simply: “Be ambitious and work hard.” The finishing school series is a key part of TIGHS’ work to build aspiration and develop leadership skills amongst its pupils.

Small Heath pupil receives special lockdown visitor

A Year 7 pupil from Small Heath Leadership Academy, received an exciting surprise visitor during lockdown.

Nazeefa Zaman, who has been praised by teachers for her efforts to raise the spirits of her family and friends throughout the pandemic, received the surprise of her life when she answered her front door following a busy day of home-learning. The young pupil was astounded to see Blue Peter’s Mwaka Mudenda at the end of her garden accompanied by a Blue Peter Robot. The pupil had been busy through lockdown baking brownie treats for her loved-ones to help cheer them up through the dark days of the pandemic. On hearing of the young pupil’s caring nature, the producers at Blue Peter were keen to reward Nazeefa’s efforts with a specially delivered Blue Peter badge. Nazeefa opened the door to be greeted by presenter Mwaka and the robot which began to fire Pot Noodles around her garden. Inside one of the pots was her very own Silver Blue Peter badge, which are awarded to Blue badge holders who go on to make an extra effort. Nazeefa says that she is a huge fan of Blue Peter and the day was one of the best days of her life.

Millions of Blue Peter fans have been awarded badges since their launch in 1963. There are now eight different badges that can be earned by fans in a variety of categories.

Preston pupils launch book to raise funds for hospice

Pupils and staff at Eden Boys’ School, Preston have created a book filled with hope to raise funds for East Lancashire Hospice.

The book, which is entitled ‘Inspire’, contains a collection of thoughtful poems and artwork which has been created exclusively by pupils, staff, parents and governors and made especially for the project. The Inspire project aimed to help pupils, parents and staff by encouraging them to think about the positive changes they could bring about during times of difficulty. Nafisa Patel, Principal at Eden Boys’ School, Preston, thanked pupils, parents and staff for their hard work and for supporting the project. She said: “The Inspire project has helped to provide a positive focus during what has been a challenging time for many of our families. “By focusing on the things we can improve, we are teaching pupils how a positive outlook can help them to remain resilient during these difficult times. “We are immensely proud of our book and I am personally very grateful to all of our pupils, parents and staff who have supported and contributed to the project. “We hope the book will raise some much-needed funds for East Lancashire Hospice which carries out incredible work across the area.” The book has successfully raised £700 so far to help provide valuable support for the hospice.

Preston primary pupils capture historic moment

Young pupils at The Olive School, Preston captured a monumental development in the history of the school by writing a series of news reports to document the school’s move to its new permanent site.

Shortly after the move, pupils, armed with notebooks and microphones, bravely set about interviewing staff members and pupils to gather testimonies. The pupils had carefully planned their questions to gain the best insights with which to tell their news stories. Teachers were delighted with the pupils’ accounts, which they said were a wonderful reflection of the optimism and excitement that surrounded the move.

The stories depicted pupils’ delight on seeing freshly decorated walls, the light and airy classrooms and how much they enjoyed the sense of tranquillity. Other stories described how pupils noted the care with which new displays had been created by staff and how they appreciated the hard work of their teachers and teaching assistants who had worked hard throughout the Easter break to ensure the school was perfect for pupils. Throughout the articles, pupils conveyed a deep sense of gratitude for their new surroundings. Miss Bala, a Year 5 teacher, described how she was looking forward to summer, when the grass would grow, so that pupils would finally have access to a playing field where they could run and play games. Mrs Burgess, the school’s Business Manager, was quoted as saying there was a new found confidence associated with the building and that teachers would find the bigger, spacious classrooms easier to teach in and that the facilities would help pupils and staff to achieve fantastic results together.

Bay pupils scoop exclusive interviews after launch of news channel

An innovative school-based news channel has been launched by the creative pupils at Bay Leadership Academy. The channel, which is called BLA News, captures the latest news from in and around school in a slick production that is uploaded to the school’s website.

The news programme launched in March, following the reopening of schools to all pupils, and features a range of in-depth interviews and news pieces to keep pupils informed about current events. Pupils have already scooped several exclusives and interviews that are helping to engage audiences about the many issues that affect the school community. Exclusives have included interviews with the grandchild of a concentration camp survivor for Holocaust Memorial Day and a wellbeing coach for the International Day of Happiness. Pupil Eve Roberts interviewed two of Bay’s sporting stars - former pupils, Team GB competitor Beckie Kershaw and pentathlon athlete and Olympic 2021 hopeful, Georgia Hannam - for International Women’s Day and found out about their views on women in sport. Beckie described how watching Kelly Holmes compete in the 2004 Olympic games in Athens had helped to inspire her to work hard towards her goals. Georgia shared how the life of an elite sportswoman meant that she had made many sacrifices, including living apart from her family and friends for four years to attend the National Training Centre for Swimming in Bath. Both athletes said that International Women’s Day and the celebration of women’s achievements was a helpful reminder of the progress made towards equality but also served as a reminder that there was still much work to be done.

Eden Girls’ School, Coventry in virtual bid for Tokyo Olympics

Pupils, parents and staff at Eden Girls’ School, Coventry have launched their own ‘bid’ to reach this year’s Olympic games in Tokyo.

But instead of travelling by air, these contenders will be taking on a virtual challenge to collectively run, walk, hop, skip or jump the 9,522 km distance from Coventry to Tokyo. The challenge was launched in a bid to help the school’s community focus on achieving a more active lifestyle after months of lockdown had led to fewer opportunities for pupils to take part in sports and activities. The school’s Tokyo challenge has even won the support of local former Olympian and middle and long-distance runner, David Moorcroft OBE. Moorcroft is no stranger to the Olympics and represented Great Britain at the Montreal games in 1976, Moscow in 1980 and Los Angeles in 1984. He also set a new world record for the 5,000m in 1982, and won two gold medals in the 5,000m at 1982’s Commonwealth Games and in the 1,500m at the 1978 Commonwealth Games. Moorcroft has been spurring pupils on with their challenge by sharing words of support and encouragement through special videos that have been shown to pupils. The school’s community was delighted to complete the mammoth challenge by mid-June, following months of effort and hard work. Caroline Amos-Wilkins, a PE Teacher at Eden Girls’ School, Coventry, said that the challenge had been met with a great deal of enthusiasm by pupils, parents and staff. She said that the programme had harnessed the spirit of Olympic Games and the values that they instil in others. The aim was to motivate pupils to do something different, have an end goal and be enthusiastic about getting active. It was also hoped that the challenge would inspire families to get away from screens during lockdown and beyond. Pupils impressed teachers with their dedication to the project and said that they had enjoyed working towards a collective end goal. David Moorcroft OBE said that the activity was a great way for pupils to work towards a common objective and to enjoy the benefits of a more active lifestyle. He said:

It is wonderful that Eden Girls’ School, Coventry is actively seeking out new ways to inspire its pupils to engage in physical activity. This is an imaginative and fun way for the school to encourage pupils back into sport after what has been a turbulent time for many. I’ve really enjoyed hearing about pupils’ progress and their enthusiasm for this project has been truly inspiring.”

Tong celebrates special relationship with Bradford Bulls

Pupils and staff at Tong Leadership Academy are celebrating their commitment to sport and their close relationship with local rugby legends, the Bradford Bulls. Three pupils and one teacher from the school currently train with the Bulls with the pupils signed to coveted youth scholarship places.

Jacob Bateman began playing for Birkenshaw Bluedogs when he was just seven years old. The pupil, who is now 15, was spotted by a scout and signed by the Bradford Bulls in March last year, just as the country entered the first lockdown. This meant that his twice weekly training sessions were forced to take place remotely via video. Jacob plays in the loose forward position so has had to work hard to keep his level of fitness high during lockdown as his position requires plenty of running. The young sportsman was overjoyed to be able to return to physical training and enjoys all aspects of rugby. Jacob aims to make rugby his full-time profession when he’s older. He says that with hard work and lots of training he is confident he will achieve his long-term goal. Fellow Tong pupil George Flanagan began his training at Dudley Hill Rugby League Club when he was six-yearsold and began to play matches when he was seven. George played his first match for the Bradford Bulls Scholarship team last May against Wakefield Trinity. George says that training with the Bulls through Covid-19 has been challenging, but the 16-year-old, hopes to stay with the Bulls and make his way to their first team. 16-year-old Osman Conteh, plays at West Bowling and was awarded a scholarship with the Bradford Bulls in January 2020. The talented sportsman has only been playing rugby league for three years, but his natural ability helped to ensure that coaches were able to select Osman for the scholarship. Osman enjoys all aspects of rugby, but says that he particularly enjoys making tackles and scoring tries. Danielle Bose, a PE teacher at Tong Leadership Academy, has been part of the Bradford Bulls Women’s rugby team for the past 17 years. Danielle began playing rugby at Wibsey Warriors and, six years ago, the team became Bradford Bulls Women and now competes in the Women’s Super League. During her time at Bradford Bulls Women, she has been both vice-captain and captain and has had the honour of representing England on five occasions. Danielle stepped down as captain for Bulls Women two seasons ago to spend more time with her daughter. The team has had lots of success since forming the Bulls Women’s team reaching numerous finals and winning both the Challenge Cup and the Grand Final. Danielle hopes to encourage more girls to participate in rugby in the future as the game has an exciting future ahead, particularly with the Rugby League World Cup being held in England this autumn.

Eden Boys’ Manchester continues charity efforts in hard hit areas

Caring pupils and staff at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester have been working hard to provide valuable support to people who are struggling in their local area.

Throughout the pandemic, people across the northwest suffered particular hardship due to the area’s high prevalence of Covid-19 and subsequent lockdown restrictions. But in spite of these challenges, the Star family at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester looked to find practical ways to offer comfort to people experiencing difficulties. During Ramadhaan, fasting pupils chose to donate their dinner money or school meals to local homeless shelters. At the end of each day, Mr Matadar, Mr Brown and Miss Hon took meals for distribution to those in need. Each day, around 100 meals were delivered to vulnerable local people. Pupils were also encouraged to help by donating items to the school’s food bank. The generosity of donations saw ten large crates and multiple bags filled with essentials. The items were donated to the Mustard Tree food bank for the homeless and vulnerable. Staff at the food bank were highly appreciative of the donations, which they said had come at just the right time. The school community also rallied to raise funds to help support local charities. Pupils held a staff charity car wash. Staff and pupils worked together to ensure that 32 cars were left sparkling, raising £320 for charity. Staff and pupils’ efforts didn’t end there. They also raised funds by buying treat boxes, filled with cakes, sweets and other savouries, to eat at Iftar time during the holy month of Ramadhaan. A total of 210 treat boxes were sold for £5 each, raising an enormous £1,100. The school also worked to raise the spirits of key workers by making gift hampers filled with sweets, chocolates, biscuits and other treats for key worker staff to enjoy. A total of 35 gift hampers were made and distributed by school staff to Manchester hospitals, Mustard Tree food bank and local homeless shelters. The school also teamed up with the charity hospital Iftars to provide food packs for fasting staff and patients at local hospitals.

Eden Boys’ pupil creates food packs for vulnerable

During the pandemic, Year 10 student Umar Shiekh showed his charitable side by making food packs for the needy during the lockdown. The kind pupil said he had been inspired by the many charitable activities taking place in his school and, as a consequence, had decided to undertake his own charitable work.

Umar, who thought of and planned the whole idea with his cousins, worked with the charitable organisation Inspire to prepare food packs for the homeless and those who were struggling during the lockdown. The food packs, which included sandwiches, water, snacks and fresh fruit, were distributed to people in the local area.

Olive Birmingham pupils are super learning pirates

Teachers at The Olive School, Birmingham are taking an imaginative approach to developing pupils’ literacy skills through the magical world of pirates.

Staff at the school staged a Pirate Super Learning Day where they shared stories of adventure and took part in themed activities to inspire an enthusiasm for reading and writing among their young pupils. As part of their celebrations, the author of The Pirate Picnic, Juliet Clare Bell, visited the school and encouraged pupils to compose invitations to the book’s central character, Pirate Frank, to invite him to their special pirate picnic. At their picnic, pupils were treated to golden jam sandwiches, treasure snacks and lashings of delicious milk. Pupils and staff dressed in fun and creative pirate outfits and even sailed on the school’s own pirate ship. The picnic was topped off with a tale of pirate adventure and a cheerful song. The school’s Pirate Super Learning Day has become an annual, iconic day for children, parents and staff as they look forward to spending a day filled with fun and creativity, and making memorable links to aid pupils’ learning.

Waltham Forest pupils shine in Oxford University competition

Pupils at Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest have excelled in a national computing competition run by a prestigious university.

Assia Yahiaoui, Maimunah Kola and Aila Ahmed were awarded Gold certificates by the University of Oxford in its UK Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge. The Year 7 pupils were placed in the top 10% in the country of more than 240,000 entrants, thanks to their advanced computer skills and problem-solving abilities. Participants in the challenge are required to take part in a range of tasks that are based on problems that computer scientists often face. Examples of these techniques include the ability to break down complex tasks into simpler components, algorithm design, pattern recognition, pattern generalisation and abstraction. The tasks can be solved without prior knowledge but require logical thinking. In total, 80 out of 290 participants at Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest achieved a Distinction in the Challenge and 72 were awarded a Merit.

Eden Boys’ Bolton pupil wins prestigious competition

A pupil at Eden Boys’ School, Bolton scooped the prize for best speaker in the prestigious English Speaking Union (ESU) Churchill Public Speaking competition.

The ESU Churchill Public Speaking Competition is the largest spoken language competition in England. Teams comprise three individuals, each with a unique and challenging role. At Eden Boys’ School, Bolton, Zamry Mohamed was nominated to be the speaker, Saifullah Hussain was the chairperson and Bazil Anwar was the questioner. All three pupils performed exceptionally in the competition. Zamry spoke eloquently about America and whether it is the land of opportunity. The Year 11 pupil blew the judges away with his incredible speech, which led to him being awarded a prize. Chairperson Saifullah introduced another speaker and summarised the key points of their speech. Bazil acted as questioner and used his inquisitive nature to interrogate a speaker about her topic, freedom of speech. The three pupils demonstrated their hard work, diligence and perseverance in preparing for this competition. They worked extremely well together and were a credit to the whole school.

Saifullah described how the competition had helped him to improve his public speaking skills and helped to boost his confidence. For Zamry, the competition helped him to improve his critical thinking skills and oratory skills. Teachers said it had been a pleasure to help the pupils prepare for the competition and that it had been a very enjoyable experience all round. The ESU competition has been a significant factor in the development of my oratory skills. Having to give intuitive responses to my opposition teams’ questions granted me the opportunity to harness and further improve my critical thinking skills. In a time of confusion and disarray, the art of oratory allows not only information, but hope and unity to be spread. In these demanding times, it is our obligation to utilise the power of our voices to make a positive impact.”

ZAMRY MOHAMED, PUPIL

Starbank pupils in radio extravaganza

Pupils in Years 3 and 5 at Starbank School have been enjoying the experience of presenting their very own radio show. Working with Shan Bansil, Starbank’s specialist practitioner for children’s TV and radio broadcasting, pupils collaborated to create a thirty-minute Rocket Radio broadcast to share all the exciting things they have been learning in their curriculum topics.

In their show, The 353 Show, the first feature got off to a dramatic start as pupils from Year 5 at Starbank Road shared their rewriting of the poem The Highwayman, complete with sound effects to really bring the story to life. Luckily, this version had a happy ending, with Bess uniting with the Highwayman. Year 3 pupils from the school’s Bierton Road site, then shared their learnings about the vicious Vikings, debunking some common Viking myths before performing a powerful song that captured the gritty spirit of the Vikings in their longboats. To round off the show, Year 3 pupils from the Hob Moor Road site reported on all the different benefits of insects and how these crawly critters actually do a huge amount to help the environment. The pupils recorded the radio features in classroom-based recording sessions. They also had the opportunity to get behind microphones and studio equipment to broadcast live in the school’s radio studios. Each half term, pupils from different year groups at Starbank School produce a radio show as part of Rocket Radio, getting a taster of what life as a radio presenter, technical specialist and production team member is like. Rocket Radio has been part of Starbank pupils’ lives since it was launched in 2010, and began as a creative initiative to improve literacy standards and promote pupil voice. Rocket Radio and the school’s iStarTV channel are available on the school website.

Eden Boys’ Birmingham support domestic abuse shelter

The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in domestic abuse cases worldwide. For the victims of domestic abuse, lockdown made it difficult to seek help or to identify an escape route.

Domestic abuse charities reported a surge in demand for their services. For Birmingham Crisis Centre, phones were ringing off the hook and their rooms remained constantly full, with families seeking refuge. Despite the Covid-19 restrictions, its doors were always open and staff continued to work around the clock, attending to a 24-hour helpline, whilst ensuring staff, women and children remained safe. Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham has supported many local and national charitable organisations over the years, however, after learning of the increase in demand for domestic abuse support services, the school committed to providing an extra level of support for Birmingham Crisis Centre.

From the start of the first lockdown, pupils and staff at the school began to strengthen their support for the centre. They provided regular hot meals and breakfast food parcels, and also facilitated other organisations to support the worthwhile charity by gathering donations that would enrich the lives of those who were living in the charity’s refuge accommodation. Working alongside Lendlease UK, the school gave all the families gifts over Christmas, as part of the trust’s Festive Winter Gift Programme. Over the Easter period, families were given Easter eggs and Eid gifts were given to celebrate the end of Ramadhaan.

Birmingham Crisis Centre is a registered charity and is reliant on government funding and donations from third parties. The centre was founded more than 30 years ago to fill a desperate need in the Birmingham area, providing temporary, emergency accommodation and support for women and children fleeing domestic abuse. It is one of the largest independent centres for domestic abuse in Europe, with 24 self-contained units. When Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham reached out to us it was perfect timing. The support of your young people and local connections have been greatly appreciated. You have provided hot meals for families in need. You have even gone beyond blessing us with foods and basic necessities and gifted all of our women and children with Christmas and Eid gifts. The smiles on our families’ faces are immeasurable. You have helped those in uncomfortable situations feel a little more comfortable. I have no idea how we could ever repay you as a thank you doesn’t seem enough. All your hard work has not gone unnoticed.”

BIRMINGHAM CRISIS CENTRE

OLIVE SMALL HEATH TAKES STEPS TO SAVE THE PLANET

Environmentally conscious pupils from The Olive School, Small Heath heeded David Attenborough’s pleas to save the planet by taking on their very own eco project.

Pupils at the school have been working to create an oasis of calm whilst learning about the importance of sustainability and how even small changes can help to make a difference.

Armed with litter pickers, the pupils frequently patrol the playground collecting harmful litter that could damage local wildlife.

Pupils have also learnt important lessons in growing their own food and successfully harvested a delicious crop of apples from trees in the playground. The pupils also helped to care for plants and learnt that in order to be able to grow, plants need water, nutrients from the ground and light. The importance of living sustainably and caring for our environment is embedded throughout the Star curriculum. From a young age, pupils are actively encouraged to take part in environmental projects that benefit the local community and to think about the actions they can take to help protect the environment. Pupils learn that by taking action today we can work together to help avert a climate crisis.

Pupils go ‘quackers’ for new classmates

Young pupils at Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy had an ‘egg-citing’ return to school after lockdown thanks to some very special classroom visitors.

Reception pupils at the Bradford primary school were welcomed back into the classroom in March, following the full reopening of schools to all pupils, with a fun duckling experience. Eggs were brought to the school in an incubator and pupils watched as the eggs hatched into ducklings. Pupils even had the chance to see their fluffy ducklings take their first swim.

Teachers used the activity to help pupils settle back into school life after the disruption of lockdown. The duckling eggs gave pupils the opportunity to witness an everyday miracle and to share in a moment of wonder.

The ducklings have since been rehomed and are now enjoying life on a farm in Halifax.

Laisterdyke pupils celebrate reading with literary festival

During February half term and the Easter holiday, Laisterdyke Leadership Academy held an innovative series of events to encourage more pupils to pick up a book and enjoy a good read.

The events were staged through imaginative reading conferences that were held for Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils. Pupils were able to access inspiring sessions including a guided reading of The Boy at the Back of the Class, poetry classes using video clips of Poet Laureate Simon Armitage followed by pupils writing their own poems, and book clubs. The book clubs involved watching video clips of well-known people talking about their favourite books and students being given the opportunity to read the first chapter of the texts. During the Easter holiday, staff used MS Teams to encourage pupils to discuss and share their own reading highlights. Pupils read blurbs and first chapters as a group and discussed their opinions of the new texts. Inspired pupils flocked to the library to borrow these books so that they could experience the novels in their entirety during their holidays.

Varsity challenges raise the bar for The Valley pupils

Pupils at The Valley Leadership Academy have been broadening their horizons thanks to a series of varsity challenge competitions.

The challenges were rolled out across Key Stage 3 to help pupils embrace a new range of extra-curricular activities. Challenges began with a focus on the arts with pupils asked to complete photography, art and poetry competitions. The second half of the term used the power of competition to develop pupils’ literacy skills with pupils taking part in spelling bees, language and inspirational voices contests. In each challenge, pupils initially competed in their form groups for a chance to go through to the whole school finals, where form groups battled it out to claim the top spot. The competitions encouraged pupils to step out of their comfort zones and to take their skills and creativity to the next level. They were also used as an opportunity to celebrate pupils’ efforts and to reward their achievements by displaying examples of excellent work around the school. Winners were also awarded special certificates.

Pupils embraced the competitions with enthusiasm and filled the school with inspirational words and visually arresting artwork. Teachers say the competitions helped to raise pupils’ esteem whilst ensuring they continued to meet their learning goals.

Manchester food bank support goes from strength to strength

As the first lockdown was announced the staff at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester realised that pupils, their families and the local community would need more support during this difficult time. The lockdown meant that many families were unable to go out for food easily, and those who were isolating due to illness suffered the additional pressure of an uncertain income. The school immediately began to look at how it could actively support families in a constructive way.

Staff began by establishing a food bank for their families in need. Food and supplies came from FareShare along with donations from families and staff. Staff also worked hard to secure donations from other companies such as Morrisons, Mcvities, Soap and Glory, and other local companies. Food boxes continue to be sent out weekly, and contain a wide range of supplies such as soup, flour, pasta, sauces, and cereals. Each family is also given a supply of fresh fruit and vegetables. Since the food bank began at the start of the pandemic, Miss Pinches and Miss Qureshi have delivered over three hundred food boxes.

Initially, just five families took up the offer of the food bank. However as the pandemic continued, this increased to over 30 families who have regularly benefitted from its support. Although the food bank was born from difficult times, the staff at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester feel there have been many positive benefits. Alongside helping to support families, it also enabled the school to develop stronger and deeper relationships with parents and pupils. Staff say that an extra level of trust has been established amongst the families it serves. Pupils in school have also found helping with food bank activities to be very valuable and working with the food bank now forms an important part of the school’s enrichment calendar. For pupils participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, the experience has enabled them to demonstrate that they have completed the required volunteering activities. Taking part in the operations of the food bank has also contributed to the development of the organisation and team building skills of Year 10 students. Ruqaya, a Year 9 pupil, has taken an active role in the food bank since school returned in September. She has found it a great scheme to be involved in and feels she has grown in confidence, improved her organisational skills and has enjoyed working as part of a team. She feels she now has a greater understanding of the difficulties families can face and wants to look at career where she can support people in the future. The food bank is now an established part of the school’s community service and will continue to be a valuable source of support for families. The school aims to continue to work in partnership with FareShare and other companies to make sure that all families are able receive the support they need.

Eden Boys’ Bradford grows environmental leaders

The pupils at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford have been working with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust to inspire young people through nature and to develop a commitment to environmental responsibility.

Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust (YDMT) is a charity dedicated to caring for the people, landscape and wildlife of the Dales and to helping everyone to appreciate the unique landscape of the Yorkshire Dales. Pupils worked with the YDMT’s green mentor, Rosie Russell-Cohen, to explore what it means to be an active environmental citizen.

The sessions began last autumn with an online workshop about plastic, and pupils are now engaging in face-to-face lessons. Pupils recently planted over 200 seeds that will be sold to raise money for charity, they also explored food waste and composting, and discovered the importance of bees and their significance in sustaining the planet. Workshops encouraged pupils to work together as a team, to connect constructively with their community and the world around them, and inspired them to discover a love for nature.

It is hoped that pupils will be able to become leaders in ensuring their permanent school site, which is due to open during the autumn term, is as sustainable as possible. Through the development of a peace garden, pupils will be part of the process to grow and develop the site with biodiversity as a priority.

Pupils inspire joy with choir at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East

Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East is alive with the sound of music thanks to the dedicated efforts of its nasheed choir.

A nasheed is a work of vocal music that is either sung a cappella or with instruments, and is a popular form of music throughout the Islamic world. The material and lyrics of a nasheed usually make reference to Islamic beliefs, history and religion, as well as current events.

Despite the challenges of lockdown, pupils continued to practise their talents to ensure that their music would continue to inspire the hearts and souls of their school community. The nasheed choir is led by the head of Year 8, Mr Ayubi, and involves pupils from Year 8 who meet weekly to rehearse and learn the different styles of nasheed. Pupils are also learning to develop their drumming skills to provide a lively accompaniment. The nasheed choir has performed to the whole school during online rewards assemblies in December 2020 and in April 2021. Mr Ayubi is a prominent nasheed artist who has had over 14 million views of his popular nasheed, Ya Illahi. The school has also recently employed another nasheed artist, Mikhaael Mala who is teaching music and nasheeds at the school.

Mikhaael Mala won the Sound of Souls contest in 2011 and has performed in world renowned venues including Wembley Arena and the O2 Arena. Mikhaael’s music seeks to reflect on the human quest for inspiration and purpose. The school is aiming to stage a performance of nasheeds in a concert to celebrate all of its pupils’ efforts once Covid-19 restrictions are fully lifted.

Eden Girls create bespoke benches for peace garden

In the last week of the spring term, Year 9 pupils at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham had a wonderful opportunity to take part in a Volunteer it Yourself (VIY) workshop, where local community professionals volunteer to share and develop a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) related skill with young people.

The aim of the workshop was to challenge the pupils to learn trade and employability skills in areas of carpentry and construction. Pupils participated in a workshop to develop their knowledge of working safely with wood and different carpentry tools, and opted to make special benches for the school’s new peace garden. The pupils demonstrated excellent teamwork as they ambitiously persevered to design and build their benches. Pupils said that they enjoyed the activity tremendously and were very proud of their benches. They hoped the benches would be enjoyed by all whilst they bask in the beauty of the stunning peace garden. Since 2011, more than 10,000 young people have volunteered at over 500 VIY projects UK-wide, which were supported by around 1,000 trade skills mentors. Working with pieces of wood to create beautiful benches was both fun and very rewarding. We are proud of our new school and are enjoying sitting on our self-made benches in the school’s peace garden. I may even tackle making some DIY furniture at home.’

Blackburn primary pupils are ‘eco warriors’

Pupils and staff at a Blackburn primary school have received a special award in recognition of their work to protect the environment.

The Olive School, Blackburn has been awarded ‘green flag’ status and was officially recognised as an ‘ecoschool’.

Eco-Schools is a global programme which engages 19.5 million children across 67 countries, making it the largest educational programme on the planet. For over 25 years, Eco-Schools has been working to help children to drive change and improve their environmental awareness in order to achieve the international Eco-Schools Green Flag. The award for The Olive School, Blackburn comes after more than a year’s worth of work at the school to take action against global warming and to introduce measures to promote environmental sustainability. Alongside the green flag award, the school was also awarded bronze and silver awards by Eco-Schools in recognition of staff and pupils’ eco-credentials.

The school teamed up with sustainable clothing brand, Frugi, which provided pupils with a 10-day eco challenge to complete at home. The task was designed to make them more aware of environmental issues and how to overcome them.

Pupils devised a range of sustainable improvements including designing their own eco playground, a healthy eating menu, researching renewable energy sources and designing their own t-shirts to promote the theme of protecting the planet. The pupils also nominated an eco warrior from each class to bring forward suggestions and update their class on any changes. The eco warriors also formed a litter picking team to ensure school grounds were a place where wildlife could thrive. As part of the challenge, environmentally conscious pupils also planted 315 trees (donated by the Woodland Trust) around school grounds to encourage biodiversity. Staff at the school encouraged pupils to explore their natural environment and take an interest in the wildlife around them by taking part in the RSPB’s The Big Schools’ Birdwatch and by carrying out a bug hunt. Thanks to their efforts, the school achieved a bronze award from the RSPB.

Eden Girls’ Slough pupils given expert insight into biological science

The fascinating world of biological sciences was the subject of an expert lecture for the pupils at Eden Girls’ School, Slough.

Dr Shobana Dissanayeke, a lecturer and researcher at Royal Holloway, University of London, took part in a virtual lecture with Year 11 pupils to discuss the science behind tuberculosis (TB). The esteemed senior lecturer is the co-coordinator of the first year bio-scientist course which provides some of the fundamental skills necessary to become a scientist, including processing information, mathematics and communication.

Dr Dissanayeke revealed exciting insights into the many medical advancements surrounding this devastating illness, which kills over one million people a year globally. Pupils were taught about the development of modern diagnostic methods, the symptoms of the illness and how TB is commonly treated throughout the world. Parallels were drawn between the modern-day Covid-19 pandemic and TB, and pupils were invited to take part in a discussion to further their understanding. Pupils also tested their knowledge and assumptions through an interactive quiz. Dr Dissanayeke spoke to pupils about her career path and the reasons behind her choice to study a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths (STEAM) subject. She also talked about her experience working for a top London university.

High Crags pupils scoop raft of writing prizes

A group of talented writers from High Crags Primary Leadership Academy have been selected to appear in an anthology of short stories following a county-wide competition.

The Connecting Stories competition asked pupils to write a piece of creative writing that explored a connection they have to a particular place. Two High Crags pupils, Hollie and Elanura, scooped first and second prize in the competition, which is run by the National Literacy Trust. Connecting Stories is an Arts Council England-funded project, which aims to address the literacy attainment gap across 14 Hub areas. The project increases children and young people’s access to literary experiences and books in communities most in need of support. The Bradford campaign is supported by publishers Bonnier Books UK and Faber & Faber who will be donating books to the Bradford area. Authors Konnie Huq, Harry Heape and Sairish Hussain have been supporting the campaign by championing reading and creative writing in Bradford. The authors gave entrants advice and encouragement in a series of fun videos. Konnie discussed how she drew inspiration from the world around her and delighted in finding humorous situations to share with her readers.

Pupils’ work will be showcased in an online exhibition and in an anthology containing the best stories from across Bradford. The school also received a package of books, which included copies of the anthology.

Almost 400,000 children and young people in the UK don’t have a book of their own and disadvantaged children are more likely than their peers to not own a book.

Reading is championed throughout the Star Academies curriculum and through its

Star Readers initiative, which encourages pupils to strengthen and delight in their reading skills.

Come Dine With Me challenge for Olive Bolton’s pupils

A tasty challenge was set for the pupils at The Olive School, Bolton as part of a competition to help pupils switch off their screens and enjoy themselves.

Pupils from across the school took part in a Come Dine With Me challenge where they were encouraged to bond with their families as they whipped up a host of culinary treats. Galaxy choc chip cookies, pasta salads, cupcakes topped with icing and sprinkles, spicy cheesy nachos and tasty wraps were all on the menu as pupils treated their families to a day of feasting and fun. Pupils devised their menus, gathered ingredients and carefully followed recipes to create their inspiring dishes. Many pupils treated their families to the full dining experience by laying the table and serving food to their parents and siblings. The Come Dine With Me challenge was devised as part of the school’s Wellbeing Thursdays, to help pupils spend quality time with their families during lockdown. Pupils were encouraged to take regular time out of their busy learning schedules to focus on their wellbeing. Alongside cooking and family film nights, pupils were also tasked with basking in the wonder of the natural world by creating artwork linked to nature, devising creative marble runs as part of a Marble Mania task and creating family pamper sessions. As well as being fun for pupils and their families, these sessions carried vital messages about the importance of spending time away from screens, interacting with family and finding pleasure in the simpler things in life.

Star primary pupils shortlisted for educational accolades

Two young pupils from Star primary schools in Bradford were shortlisted for a notable award thanks to their dedication to learning during lockdown.

Star Gavaza of Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy and Hawa Khan of Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy were selected as finalists in the Bradford Telegraph and Argus Annual Education Awards. The talented pupils were shortlisted in the Star Student of the Year (under 16) category. Star was selected for her excellent work during lockdown, including her wonderful writing and work to protect the environment as an ‘eco warrior’. The Year 4 pupil talked of her passion for English and described how she devours words in her quest to increase her vocabulary. Hawa was selected for her extraordinary resilience, grit and determination with her learning, even during her periods of illness. Teachers described how Hawa is an ‘absolute joy’ to teach and is a wonderful member of the school community. Staff, pupils and parents from the school leant their support to the two Star pupils as they tuned in for the award ceremony, which was hosted online due to lockdown restrictions.

Despite, being pipped to the post for the winning place, both pupils said they were honoured to be shortlisted and appreciated the celebration of their efforts.