Starlight Issue 8 (Summer 2022)

Starlight

SUMMER 2022 | ISSUE 08

FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE

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STAR NEWS

Celebrating the Platinum Jubilee

STAR SPOTLIGHT

Revealing the Stars of 2022

STAR COMMUNITY

 STAR PEOPLE 

Bringing sunshine to isolated people

Mastering learning in primary

NURTURING TODAY’S YOUNG PEOPLE, INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS

02 WELCOME

WELCOME TO STARLIGHT Welcome to the summer 2022 edition of Starlight magazine, which celebrates the collective achievements of our young people and staff.

The last academic year has been characterised by the resilience and dedication of the Star family as we have adjusted to the changing national landscape, including the return to key stage 2 tests, GCSE and A level examinations, following two years of pandemic disruption. Our curriculum developments have continued at pace and schools have made huge efforts to reinstate the clubs and experiences that make learning memorable and fun.

Our Star Awards ceremony was a marvellous opportunity to recognise the wealth of talent within our schools: a fitting tribute to the outstanding successes of the entire Star family. It is heartening to know that, despite all the challenges of the last two years, Star schools have continued to cultivate a culture of excellence in which they nurture creative, compassionate and caring young people who will undoubtedly become the great leaders of tomorrow.

My congratulations go to all the winners and finalists of this year’s awards, along with the many individuals who have not been publicly recognised but whose contribution and dedication make a huge difference, day in day out.

I am incredibly proud of how you all embody our STAR values.

The STAR values pervaded as our entire family paid tribute to Her Majesty The Queen on her Platinum Jubilee.

Our pupils’ passion in celebrating our monarch’s historic reign was evident, from the joyous parties in our schools and neighbourhoods to the creativity of young authors entering the Star Jubilee Stories competition. Our young people epitomised fantastic Service by exceeding the ambitious target of 70,000 hours of volunteering in their communities in honour of Her Majesty’s 70 years of selfless devotion to the country. Their positive attitudes and unfailing commitment are a source of considerable pride.

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There were further celebrations this term, as Star’s position at the forefront of teacher and school leadership development and training was reinforced. Along with three other high-performing multi-academy trusts, Star was appointed to lead the prestigious National Institute of Teaching. England’s new flagship teacher development and research institute will open in September. It is testimony to our strong record of success that Star will be helping to spearhead positive change on a national scale throughout the education sector.

I am confident that there will be many more achievements to celebrate during the next twelve months as we reaffirm our commitment to giving every pupil attending a Star school the best possible education and care.

I hope you enjoy reading this edition of Starlight, and that your summer break is restful. I look forward to updating you on the further opportunities we will create in the new academic year.

Together we are strong. We are Star.

SIR MUFTI HAMID PATEL CBE Chief Executive, Star Academies

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Star honours Her Majesty The Queen

The best World Book Day looks

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Pupils explore their love of science

The Star Awards return

CONTENTS

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CONTENTS 04 STAR NEWS

Trust-wide news and updates

18 STAR SPOTLIGHT Celebrating our Stars

22 STAR COMMUNITY

Stories from across Star schools

47 STAR PEOPLE

Meet Star’s Teacher of the Year

Walking the red carpet

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Read past issues of Starlight online at staracademies.org/ publications Rugby rookies in debut win SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 08

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04 STAR NEWS

QUEEN’S HONOURS FOR THREE OF STAR’S LEADING LIGHTS

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he Queen’s New Year Honours and Birthday Honours brought a triple celebration for Star as three of its trailblazing leaders were awarded OBEs in recognition of their outstanding services to education.

The Chair of the Board of Star Academies, Kam Kothia DL, the Principal of Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest, Shahina Ahmad, and the Executive Principal of Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester and Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester, Shabir Fazal, were all bestowed with the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).

Mr Kothia has held strategic leadership roles in education for over 20 years. Initially as Chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) and, since 2010, as co-founder and Chair of Star Academies, he has been at the forefront of extending access to high-quality education for young people from disadvantaged communities, raising aspirations and improving school standards across the country.

During his 15-year term as Chair of Governors at TIGHS, Mr Kothia led the school’s

transformation from a small independent school to the bestperforming state school in the country, which secured three consecutive ‘outstanding’ Ofsted inspection ratings throughout his tenure.

As Chair of the Board of Trustees of Star Academies, Kam’s primary focus has been on the strategic direction, performance standards and the service ethos of the trust. Since 2010, he has overseen the successful growth of the trust from operating a single school in Blackburn to a national network of 31 primary and secondary schools.

Kam Kothia OBE DL, Chair of Trustees of Star Academies, said: “This honour is further recognition of the achievements of Star Academies and the positive impact the trust and its schools have on the lives of young people nationwide.

“It is a tribute to everyone involved in the success of Star Academies – from our inspirational school leaders to our amazing teachers and support staff, our hard-working young people and supportive parents. I wish to give special thanks to my fellow trustees, members and school governors who collectively volunteer thousands of hours of their valuable time each year to selflessly serve our schools.”

This honour is further recognition of the achievements of Star Academies and the positive impact the trust and its schools have on the lives of young people nationwide.”

KAM KOTHIA OBE DL

STARLIGHT

STAR NEWS Mrs Ahmad, Principal of Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest, was appointed an OBE for her longstanding service to education during which she has helped to lead change and improve outcomes for thousands of pupils. She has dedicated her 30year career to improving the quality of secondary education in East London.

Mrs Ahmad joined Star Academies as Principal of Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest and successfully established and led the opening of the new school in September 2014. Under Mrs Ahmad’s leadership, the school was rated ‘outstanding’

by Ofsted in its first inspection, and the school is consistently ranked amongst the highest performing state schools in England.

Mrs Ahmad said: “I feel incredibly blessed to be receiving this award from Her Majesty The Queen. It is a great honour, which has been made possible thanks to the unwavering support from my family, particularly my husband and children, and my friends and colleagues. I wish to dedicate this award to my father who always encouraged me to take risks, aim high and be the very best version of myself.”

Mr Fazal, who has worked in education for over 35 years, began his career as a secondary science teacher. Over his 35-year career, he has worked in a multitude of teaching, leadership, and children services roles, as well as championing BME representation in teaching.

In June 2010, Mr Fazal joined Star Academies as the Vice Principal at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School (TIGHS), where he played a pivotal role in shaping the school’s SEND provision.

He has since worked as founding Principal of Eden Boys’ School, Bolton where he established the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ school and, in his current role as Executive Principal, Mr Fazal oversees both of Star’s secondary schools in Manchester.

Mr Fazal said: “Throughout my career I have been extremely fortunate to work with some very talented educational professionals. This award has been made possible thanks to the immense efforts and support from a wide network of colleagues, pupils, friends and family. I hope that this OBE will help to inspire other education professionals who follow, so that we can all continue to help young people strive to become the very best they can.”

A big Star welcome to Oulder Hill Leadership Academy In March, Oulder Hill Leadership Academy in Rochdale became the latest addition to the Star family.

The 1,500-place secondary school, based in the Spotland and Falinge ward of Rochdale, converted to academy status following an extensive consultation process with governors, parents and senior leaders at the school.

Oulder Hill expands Star’s presence in Greater Manchester, which includes a further three secondary schools and a primary school. The addition of Oulder Hill will provide reciprocal benefits to all schools in the region as they collaborate and share their collective resources and extensive expertise.

Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said: “We are delighted to welcome Oulder Hill Leadership Academy to the Star Academies family and to have the opportunity to work with the team at Oulder Hill to deliver our shared vision of transforming outcomes for its pupils.

“Our schools are not only committed to creating an environment where pupils are able to achieve their very best in terms of exam results, but they also aim to develop the very best opportunities for pupils.”

Louise Rees, Acting Headteacher at Oulder Hill Leadership Academy, said: “It is an exciting chapter in the school’s history as we become part of the country’s highest performing multiacademy trust.

“Like us, Star is a values-driven organisation with high aspirations for every pupil and is committed to driving social mobility in the local communities it serves.”

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JUBILEE JOY AS STAR HONOURS HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN Star schools celebrated the Platinum Jubilee with a rich programme of regal activities displaying their admiration for Her Majesty The Queen and celebrating her 70-year reign.

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s is the tradition with Jubilee celebrations, street parties and grand lunches were held across the Star family, with outdoor spaces and school halls transformed with bunting, balloons and all things red, white and blue. Parents and special guests from their communities, including members of the emergency services, care home residents, and community and faith leaders, were also invited to share in the patriotic spirit, with many pupils sporting crowns and gowns to reflect royal attire.

For many schools, these celebrations were the culmination of months of exciting activities to commemorate Her Majesty’s historic service as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Not only did hundreds of pupils take part in the Star Jubilee Stories competition, they also collectively completed over 70,000 hours of volunteering work in their communities.

Pupils and staff at Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy in Bradford marked STARLIGHT

the occasion in style by enjoying a weeklong calendar of Jubilee activities. The festivities began with an impressive Jubilee art gallery displaying portraits of The Queen, designed by every pupil in the school. Following a Commonwealth Games-inspired sports day and a competition to design the most creative Jubilee-themed entrances to their classrooms, pupils ended the week with a huge Jubilee party in the school hall accompanied by a steel band, bouncy castle and face painting.

Inspired by the strength of community advocated throughout Her Majesty’s reign, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest held an Interfaith Jubilee event to celebrate diversity and inclusion in its community.

The event welcomed local dignitaries and faith leaders, including senior Rabbis, Pastors and Imams, as well as the Mayor of Waltham Forest and Deputy Lieutenant of the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

Guests enjoyed keynote speakers, a jubilee quiz and a celebratory meal together in recognition of Her Majesty’s special milestone.

It wouldn’t be a British celebration without fantastic food, so pupils at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East brought a regal feel to the school’s Jubilee

events by baking and decorating a royal cake in their food technology lessons. The cake, which was adorned with a golden crown, was displayed in the school before being enjoyed by pupils and staff during a commemorative event. Pupils at Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy also embraced a baking theme, with every child in the school making a Platinum Jubilee bun. The tasty treats were decorated in red, white and blue, and embellished with crowns, jewels and flags. The Bradford primary school also recorded its own Jubilee song, which they performed to residents from their local care home, Shakespeare Court, at a royal tea party.

Where the British weather was kind, many schools held traditional Jubilee street parties on their playgrounds and sports fields. At The Olive School, Small Heath, pupils were joined by Deputy Lieutenant Doug Wright, who attended a celebratory event to thank the school on The Queen’s behalf for their work to mark the Jubilee and to also officially open the school’s new Peace Garden.

These celebrations were the perfect reward for pupils who, in the months leading up to the Platinum Jubilee, gave their time to completing a number of trust-wide initiatives to mark Her Majesty’s extraordinary milestone and pay tribute to her distinguished legacy.

“Across the Star family, our schools have embraced the Platinum Jubilee with energy and passion to commemorate the exceptional service demonstrated by Her Majesty The Queen throughout her reign.

“These celebrations are fitting tributes to our dedicated sovereign, who has continued to serve us with unfailing duty, sincerity and optimism over the past seven decades. It is wonderful to see the high regard with which our young people hold Her Majesty, rightly recognising her as a positive force, someone who leads by example in her compassion and her humility.”

SIR MUFTI HAMID PATEL CBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 08

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STAR HOURS of IMPACT The Star family pledged to collectively undertake 70,000 Star Hours of Impact, in honour of The Queen’s seven decades of selfless service.

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hroughout the spring and summer terms, pupils ventured out into their communities in their thousands to complete acts of kindness and undertake voluntary work to support local community groups and charities. On the first day of the extended Platinum Jubilee bank holiday weekend, it was revealed that Star pupils exceeded the 70,000 hour target by completing over 100,000 Star Hours of Impact to commemorate Her Majesty’s historic milestone.

Across the country, in all 31 Star schools, pupils and staff embraced the challenge with gusto. At Highfield Leadership Academy, pupils went above and beyond for their community, introducing a Platinum Jubilee Kindness Kitchen. 240 portions of food were made for local charity Amazing Grace for those in poverty, while Year 8 and 10 pupils rustled up a selection of scrumptious cakes and desserts for the school’s community Jubilee party for residents from Blackpool Coastal Housing (BCH).

The party, hosted by pupils to extend the hand of friendship to BCH residents who may be suffering social isolation or loneliness, provided guests with an afternoon of entertainment, conversation, quizzes and food at Lostock Community Hall.

Tidying up their communities was also a feature of schools’ service, and the streets and green spaces around Blackburn were certainly looking fit for a Queen after pupils at The Olive School, Blackburn donned their rubber gloves. Along with litter

STARLIGHT

picking on the pavements surrounding the school, Year 6 pupils volunteered their time to deep clean nearby mosques, as well as cleaning a pond and painting neglected gates at a local park.

Also carrying out community projects were pupils at The Olive School, Bolton, who supported a painting project at Tonge Cricket Club. The primary school pupils also spread joy at Astley Grange care home by performing songs to residents.

SIR MUFTI HAMID PATEL CBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, SAID:

I was in no doubt that our pupils would achieve their ambitious pledge to complete over 70,000 hours of voluntary service in recognition of Her Majesty’s 70-year reign.

Once again they epitomised the STAR values by committing their time and talents to support their communities.

“Thank you to everyone who volunteered to make a positive difference in their localities.”

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STAR JUBILEE STORIES

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upils at Star schools sent Her Majesty The Queen an anthology of celebratory short stories to commemorate the Jubilee and celebrate her 70 years on the throne.

The Star Jubilee Stories Anthology features creative writing from the winners of the trust’s prestigious short story competition, which was open to all pupils in Star primary and secondary schools. Pupils were tasked with creating a work of fiction of less than 500 words about or inspired by The Queen. The contest, which was generously sponsored by EG Foundation, aimed to encourage children and young people to engage in creative writing and develop their literacy skills, whilst commemorating Her Majesty’s 70-year reign.

In all, 40 stories were selected for inclusion in the Star Jubilee Stories Anthology with ten winning entries each from lower key stage 2, upper key stage 2, key stage 3 and key stage 4 pupils. Alongside the stories, the book also features pupils’ stunning illustrations and artwork of Her Majesty The Queen. Click here to read the anthology in full.

Sponsored by

THE QUEEN’S GREEN CANOPY

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he Queen’s Green Canopy (QGC) was a unique tree planting initiative created to mark Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee which invited people from across the UK to ‘Plant a Tree for the Jubilee’.

The Olive School, Preston was honoured to be selected as one of 69 schools across the country to be gifted a QGC Celebration Tree to mark the launch of the scheme. Many other Star primary and secondary schools joined the Preston primary by marking the landmark occasion by planting celebration trees in their grounds to create a lasting legacy for future generations, inspiring them to protect the environment.

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STAR APPOINTED TO LEAD NEW FLAGSHIP NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TEACHING The new National Institute of Teaching (NIoT) will be led by the School-Led Development Trust (SLDT), a charity founded by four of England’s leading school trusts including Star Academies, as well as the Harris Federation, Outwood Grange Academies Trust and Oasis Community Learning.

The NIoT will open in September and will be the first of its kind in England. It will evolve teacher and leader development up and down the country by using its own cutting-edge research on best practice to inform the design and delivery of its high-quality professional development programmes.

Taken together, the NIoT’s work in research and delivery will further drive up standards across the English education system for the benefit of teachers and leaders up and down the country – and therefore for children and young people.

A child’s teacher is the single most important factor in the quality of their education, and my mission is to ensure that every single child in this country – wherever they live – is taught by an excellent teacher.

“Excellent teachers need excellent training, which is why our first of its kind National Institute of Teaching is going to be so important. The Institute is going to revolutionise the way teachers and school leaders receive training in this country, with cutting edge research alongside training delivered by national experts, and I’m thrilled that School-Led Development Trust will oversee this exciting new project.”

NADHIM ZAHAWI MP, Former Secretary of State for Education

Training will be delivered through four regional campuses, with the North West Campus supported by Star Academies.

Critical to the design and delivery of the programmes will be the regional ‘Associate Colleges’, school groups with strong track records and the capacity and expertise required to deepen and extend the impact of the NIoT. Alongside its rich and diverse network of schools, the NIoT is drawing in expertise from a range of organisations.

Together these partners will extend the reach of the NIoT so that teachers in areas that serve some of the most disadvantaged communities can access its offer.

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The National Institute of Teaching is uniquely positioned to create a bridge between evidence and education practice.

As a school-led consortium, we are perfectly equipped to translate evidence on best practice into action that can be implemented in schools up and down the country. We will investigate what has been working, codify what we learn and share it across the school system.”

MELANIE RENOWDEN, Founding Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute of Teaching

STAR NEWS

Creativity in abundance on World Book Day Pupils and staff from across the Star family took inspiration from their favourite authors, novels and literary characters to mark World Book Day 2022 with a huge splash of colour, creativity and craft.

The annual celebration of reading provides pupils, parents and staff an opportunity to express their passion for books and display their ingenuity by creating costumes and dressing up as their beloved fictional characters.

This year’s international event also marked the announcement of Star’s partnership with EG Foundation. The charity’s generous funding will support the development of our Star Readers initiative through the development of schools’ reading curricula, the introduction of new reading-led activities and increased investment in books and reading resources.

2022 marked the 25th anniversary of World Book Day. Joining children around the world in the celebrations, schools were brimming with wizardry from Harry Potter, mischief from Matilda and imagination from the Gruffalo, alongside magical muchloved characters from the pages of classic children’s books such as Elma, The Cat in the Hat, and Peter Rabbit.

Pupils at The Olive School, Hackney, took ‘dressing up’ to a new level, decorating their classroom doors with designs inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and many more. Other activities included guessing the Principal’s favourite childhood book from clues posed each day during the week of World Book Day, quizzes and online video sessions with new authors.

Year 8 pupils at Bay Leadership Academy travelled to Lancaster library to find their next read, spending their World Book Day vouchers in the process. After choosing their books, they wasted no time exploring their new literary worlds, settling down for a read in the library with cups of hot chocolate.

At Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy, staff extended their love of books to their pupils with a ‘story swap’, in which teachers travelled to different classes to introduce the pupils to their favourite children’s stories.

At Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham, Year 9 and 10 pupils started their World Book Day with a special poetry performance from acclaimed guest Dreadlock Alien. The 10th Poet Laureate of Birmingham provided inspiration for the pupils to dive into their own recitals as part of a World Book Day edition of the ‘Eden’s Got Talent’ competition.

The secondary school’s Creative Star Writers’ Club also combined their love of books and the dramatic arts by re-enacting scenes from Harry Potter during the day.

Elsewhere at Eden Girls’ School, Coventry, and at Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest, pupils’ baking skills were put to the test with literary cake competitions. Pupils were tasked with baking and decorating a cake based on their favourite book, before their creations were displayed and enjoyed at a bake sale with all proceeds donated to the Book Aid charity.

Schools’ World Book Day celebrations go hand in hand with Star’s focus on the importance of reading and literacy.

Our Star Readers scheme aims to promote the joys of reading and instil a love of reading in every child. With a recommended reading list for every year group – from Reception to Year 13 – we have handpicked the best of contemporary and classic literature to spark pupils’ passion for books.

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United against prejudice on Holocaust Memorial Day Star pupils from across the country commemorated the millions of people in the world who have lost their lives to genocide.

Holocaust Memorial Day is marked every year on 27 January to encourage people to learn from the lessons of the past, not just genocide during the Second World War but throughout history, and to stand up to hatred, prejudice and persecution in all forms.

Centred around this year’s theme of ‘Light the Darkness’, pupils in Star schools participated in a series of commemorative ceremonies, talks and poetry recitals.

Pupils and staff from Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest featured in an online film, produced by the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust, to demonstrate how the anniversary is recognised in different communities across the UK. The film involves Bosnian genocide survivor, Smajo Beso, explaining his harrowing personal story on a visit to the school. The video also featured pupils sharing their thoughts on how Smajo’s experiences helped them gain a greater understanding of genocide and its impact worldwide.

Also hearing a first-hand account on the lessons of persecution were pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham and Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East, who heard from Holocaust survivor Eva Clarke on her personal reflections on one of the darkest times in human history.

Elsewhere, pupils from Small Heath Leadership Academy held a dedicated ‘memorial’ week in the run up to Holocaust Memorial Day to reflect on the important lessons to be learnt from the Holocaust.

They communicated their moving messages of hope by hanging notes on the school’s wish trees expressing their dreams for future unity and equality.

Star’s younger pupils also experienced ageappropriate lessons from history. At High Crags Primary Leadership Academy, teachers gave pupils an insight into the Holocaust based on the book Erika’s Story by Ruth Vander Zee. The book uses poignant and moving illustrations to tell the true story of a Jewish baby who was thrown from the train by her mother en route to a concentration camp.

STAR NEWS

STAR’S INNOVATORS REVEALED ON BRITISH SCIENCE WEEK Pupils’ love of science shone through during British Science Week as they embarked on a series of Star Innovators Challenges to spark their curiosity for the natural world.

Donning their lab coats and goggles, Star pupils met the week of scientific exploration and celebration with enthusiasm, enjoying experiments from special guests who captured their interests in the world.

To coincide with British Science Week, a trust-wide competition was launched with challenges centred around British Science Week’s theme of ‘growth’. Pupils across different age ranges were set three challenges to discover our most talented junior scientists.

With hundreds of entries from across the country, the judges were deeply impressed by the imagination, skill and ingenuity on display, highlighting once again the breadth of talented pupils in Star schools.

In reception and key stage 1, pupils were tasked with growing a plant from a seed or seedling as part of the Get set…grow challenge, while key stage 2’s Cycle of life task required pupils to investigate the habitats and lifecycles of a plant or animal.

For secondary school pupils, their challenge was to produce a piece of descriptive writing for the Future Me project, as they

KS1 1st – MAYA AKRAM Starbank School 2nd – MUSHIN ADIL The Olive School, Birmingham 3rd – FATIMAH RATHORE The Olive School, Bolton

imagined a world in 2100 and the challenges future generations may face.

Stuart McBain, a leading figure in developing solutions to the climate crisis, lent his expertise to select the prize winners.

Stuart said: “I was incredibly imp ressed by the sheer effort involved by the pupils who took part ; entrants not only displayed a scientific mindset, but they also presented their findings in a clear and imaginative way that were a pleasure to receive.

“It was heartening to see so many young people have a genuine passion for science and that many had given up their time to enter the challenge, along with staff and parents who I’m sure provided much encourag ement and support.

“I hope this competition has only intensified their love of the subject and it is the start of many scientific careers in the future.”

KS4 KS2

KS3

1st – ZOHA ZATARAT Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy

1st – EMILY LORD Bay Leadership Academy

2nd – AAMINAH PATEL The Olive School, Bolton

2nd – IBRAHIM KHAN Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester

3rd – AMMARA MEHBRAN The Olive School, Blackburn

3rd – JENNA GHAZY Highfield Leadership Academy

1st – HAADIYAH AHMED Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham 2nd – ZOHA BUKHARI Eden Girls’ School, Coventry 3rd – HAROON SAIFUDIN Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester

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NATIONAL SCHOOLS COMMISSIONER ENTERTAINED BY PUPILS ON BRADFORD VISIT Dominic Herrington the National Schools Commissioner visited Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy and Tong Leadership Academy in Bradford, and witnessed some of the tremendous talents on show in Star schools.

The role of the National Schools Commissioner is to provide strategic direction and support for the Academies and Free Schools Programme. By visiting schools, he is able to witness the work being done in schools and how national policy is implemented on the ground.

Mr Herrington – who was joined by Jenny Oldroyd, General Qualification and Curriculum Director at Ofqual, and Collette Summerson, from the Office of the Regional Schools Commissioner – started the day by visiting Tong Leadership Academy. A tour of the school, which included visits to Music, Mathematics, PE and English lessons, was punctuated with colourful cameos from performing arts pupils who showcased their talents. Year 9 pupil William Truong captivated the visitors with a virtuoso performance on the piano. It was then the turn of Year 11 pupils Edie Pilkington and David Howker who demonstrated the art of make-up and the ancient Japanese art of origami. The final performance was given by the school’s Combined Cadet Force who provided a showcase in the school theatre.

The visiting party then ventured across Bradford to visit the Ofsted ‘outstanding’ Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy

where they received a rapturous welcome from pupils. Despite being newly-formed, the school’s steel drum band took the roof off with a terrific performance.

Mr Herrington, who toured the school and observed lessons, praised the quality of teaching and the young pupils’ confidence when explaining their learning to him.

During the visit, a group of pupils joined the National Schools Commissioner for a roundtable meeting where they discussed pupil leadership and spoke about how leadership roles benefit their own development.

Ann Winter, Principal at Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy, said: “It was an honour to welcome the National Schools Commissioner to our school and we were delighted to have the opportunity to showcase the endeavours and successes of our entire school team.”

Communities reunite during holy month of Ramadhaan The holy month of Ramadhaan is observed by Muslims across the world as an incredibly important period, a sacred time of self-discipline demonstrated by acts of fasting, prayer and reflection and also of compassion demonstrated by charitable giving. This year was even more special as it was the first time in three years that it could be observed without covid restrictions.

An equally important aspect of Ramadhaan, along with abstaining from food and drink during daylight hours, is to serve your community. Star’s faith schools certainly made up for lost time by engaging in a series of activities to volunteer for those less fortunate.

Gifting food to those in need was a feature of all faith schools’ charitable work. Pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester, sacrificed their Bank Holiday Monday in April to cut and pack 100 bags of fruit for local hospitals, while Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford similarly prepared and delivered nutritious fruit hampers to care homes and places of worship.

For the first time since the pandemic, our faith schools also held Grand inter-faith Iftar events in school to bring their local communities together. The Iftar is the evening meal that Muslims enjoy to break their fast and, across our schools, members of the community were invited to enjoy homemade delicious and nutritious food, along with an opportunity to engage in thoughtful conversation, forging strong relationships based on shared values.

Local dignitaries including the Deputy Mayor, the Director of

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Education and the Speaker of Hackney were all in attendance for The Olive School, Hackney’s community Iftar, while members of the police, Royal Navy and nearby mosque came together with families, pupils and staff to foster a strong community spirit at the Grand Iftar hosted by Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham.

Y11 pupils at the secondary school had earlier begun the holy month in inspiring fashion, raising £3000 for the school’s appeal by climbing the summit of Mount Snowdon in a single day. Also demonstrating their commitment to charity were pupils at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College, who throughout Ramadhaan raised over £20,000 to support community projects, including the Darwen Asylum and Refugee Enterprise.

Across the Star family of faith schools, Ramadhaan has provided another example of how pupils and staff are continually demonstrating the STAR value of service. Taking advantage of the easing of restrictions, schools have also shown how practising teamwork can create happier and more cohesive communities, putting those who are less fortunate at the forefront of their endeavours.

STAR NEWS

Treble success in secondary schools’ first Ofsted inspections Three Star secondary schools are celebrating a hattrick of ‘good’ results following their first Ofsted inspections.

Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester, Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester and Small Heath Leadership Academy all received overall ratings of ‘good’.

and commenting that leaders have ‘high aspirations for their pupils, and pupils work hard in lessons to meet these expectations.’

The two Manchester secondary schools, which share a campus, were both judged ‘outstanding’ in two of the four inspection categories. It is the first time both schools have been inspected by Ofsted since opening in 2017.

Acknowledgement for the work of staff was also a feature of the Manchester schools’ inspection reports.

Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester’s report stated that ‘teachers engender a deep sense of determination in every pupil, coupled with a can-do approach to learning.’ The inspectors who visited Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester also commended school staff for their ‘high academic aspirations for pupils. They expect all pupils to succeed.’

Eden Girls’ pupils were complimented on their ‘simply stunning’ behaviour, while the report noted that pupils at Eden Boys’ are ‘diligent, respectful and incredibly proud of their school. As such, pupils’ behaviour at all times is praiseworthy. Their attitudes to learning are excellent.’

In its first inspection since converting to an academy and joining the Star family in 2018, pupils and staff at Small Heath Leadership Academy were praised for fostering a community ‘in which diversity is celebrated’ with pupils telling inspectors that the school’s welcoming, inclusive culture is shaped by the STAR values of service, teamwork ambition and respect.

Small Heath’s lofty ambitions for its pupils gained particularly praise with the report describing leaders who ‘make sure that pupils can achieve ambitious outcomes’

With a trust-wide focus on reading and literacy, the inspectors independently acclaimed the schools’ reading culture and noted a proliferation of reading on show in school. At Small Heath Leadership Academy, inspectors reported that ‘pupils are encouraged to read widely and often’, while the Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester report surmised that ‘it is not uncommon to see pupils pick up a book to read for pleasure. The library is the beating heart of the school.’

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Locations of Eton Star colleges revealed Star Academies and Eton College have announced plans to bid to open three academic sixth form free schools in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham.

The new post-16 colleges are being designed to help give young people who have secured good grades in their GCSEs, but who might not otherwise have aspired to an academic pathway, the opportunity to achieve the A levels they need to go to Oxbridge and other elite universities.

These locations were selected following a major research exercise that identified where there was most need for a college that could stretch high achieving young people in their sixth form years.

The partners will submit a bid in the next wave of the Department for Education’s Free School Programme, with a view to the colleges welcoming their first students as soon as 2025. Political leaders in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Oldham are fully supportive – and are assisting the development of the proposals.

If these bids are successful, the new colleges will be part of Star Academies, and would include access to some of Eton’s best teachers, its clubs and its speaker events.

Eton is committed to making an ongoing financial commitment to all three colleges in perpetuity, to ensure the development and provision of a deep and extensive curriculum offer guaranteed to be provided in the long term.

“OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH STAR ACADEMIES IS INTENDED TO ENSURE THAT THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT IS GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS PARTS.” SIMON HENDERSON, ETON COLLEGE

Eton will also help students prepare for university applications and interviews and every year students will be invited to take part in a summer residential at Eton itself. The colleges’ small size will allow them to target a very specific academic education and will ensure that they do not disrupt the existing pattern of local post-16 education.

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The admissions policies – designed in conjunction with University College London’s Centre for Education Policy and Equalising Opportunities – will be developed to specifically target young people who would most benefit on an ongoing basis. Each college is expected to admit 240 students per year.

Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said: “This marks an exciting milestone in our partnership. By harnessing our combined wealth of educational and operational expertise, we are confident that our colleges will produce extraordinary, transformative outcomes, not only for their students but for the wider communities too.”

Simon Henderson, Head Master of Eton College, said: “Our partnership with Star Academies is intended to ensure that the success of the project is greater than the sum of its parts. While our contexts may be different, our values are aligned and together we are committed, for the long-term, to sharing our educational vision and delivering outstanding educational opportunities to young people in these areas.”

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Schools raise £7,000 to support Ukraine’s children Parents, pupils and staff in the Star family came together to raise money for the 7.5 million children at risk due to the war in Ukraine.

A total of more than £7,000 was raised in a joint appeal for UNICEF’S Ukraine appeal, which is providing on-the-ground humanitarian support to children who are in danger of the conflict.

The continuing violence has not only led to unimaginable human suffering but, alongside this, basic supplies such as food, water and medicines are becoming scarce, which further threatens the risk to life that has already reached unprecedented levels in the country.

More than two-thirds of Ukrainian children have been displaced by the war, with many either fleeing their homes to safer areas of the country, or crossing borders as refugees.

The money raised will contribute to the work already been done by UNICEF in relieving some of these humanitarian issues, including distributing health and medical supplies, helping people access safe water in damaged areas, and assisting in helping hundreds of thousands of children through the provision of learning supplies.

Across a number of schools, pupils, parents and staff donated generously to support the campaign. Some schools have also gone the extra mile by setting up donation centres to collect essentials, such as nappies, toothpaste, clothes and shoes, or are working with charities to provide humanitarian aid to refugees who have fled Ukraine.

Exam chief visits Coventry school The head of the government body that regulates exams and assessments was impressed by the ambitions of pupils on a recent visit to Eden Girls’ School, Coventry.

Dr Jo Saxton, the Chief Regulator of The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), visited the secondary school as part of her ‘listening tour’ of schools and colleges across the country.

The Chief Regulator’s role answers to Parliament and makes sure that Ofqual has the resources and structure it needs to maintain standards and confidence in qualifications, including GCSEs and A levels, and to ensure that the qualifications are a robust and dependable indicator of pupils’ knowledge.

Dr Saxton was given a tour of the school’s state-of-the-art facilities, during which she learnt about the school’s culture of educational excellence and how it is underpinned by the STAR values. Dr Saxton visited Maths and Science lessons to observe teaching in action, with the tour concluding in the Sports Hall where Year 11 pupils were undertaking an English mock examination.

During her visit to the school, Dr Saxton met with a group of Year 11 pupils to discuss their experiences of exams and to understand how the school administers them. Their discussion centred around the support the pupils received throughout the past two years and the provisions the school put in place to ensure that, despite the disruption caused by the pandemic, pupils were not disadvantaged by gaps in their learning. The Year 11 girls gave special mention to the pastoral support

delivered by the school during school closures, which included weekly calls to pupils by members of staff, and spoke of its positive impact on their wellbeing and learning.

Following her visit to the school, Dr Saxton said: “It was brilliant to visit Eden Girls’ School, Coventry to talk with leaders, teachers and pupils. Their enthusiasm for learning was palpable and their determination to sit formal exams this summer to show what they know and can do was inspiring.”

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HEROES CELEBRATED AS STAR AWARDS RETURN Following a two-year absence, pupils, staff, governors, trustees and members all gathered together virtually for the return of the Star Awards.

There was huge excitement amongst everyone in the Star family to celebrate the achievements over the past year, which was heightened following the disruption of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Star Awards are an important part of our recognition programme to celebrate the many talents, successes and contribution of members of the Star family.

Pupils and staff from across Star came together to participate in this year’s virtual ceremony, which took place via a live broadcast direct to their school halls, classrooms and offices. At each school, pupils and staff gathered together to watch the ceremony and celebrate their peers. A virtual buzz of excitement could be felt throughout the Star community as anticipation grew to find out who this year’s finalists and winners were.

by sharing their experiences in real-time on social media, and presented awards and certificates in person to each worthy recipient following the ceremony.

Several surprise presentations were also made in person to the winners of the Primary School Pupil of the Year, Secondary School Pupil of the Year and Arts Leadership Award winners, which were broadcast as part of the ceremony. The winners were overwhelmed when camera crews arrived at their schools to film them being revealed as Star Awards winners and presented with their awards.

The event opened with a speech by Lisa Crausby, Executive Director: Education. In her opening welcome, she thanked and praised everyone for their hard work, dedication and commitment over the past year.

The Star Awards is the perfect opportunity for some of our pupils to showcase their artistic talents. This year, the audience enjoyed two exceptional musical performances.

The Star Voices choir from The Olive School, Hackney, performed a powerful rendition of the song ‘Believe’.

Tia Jospeh-Pinney, a Year 9 pupil from Tong Leadership Academy and winner of the Arts Leadership Award, also provided an outstanding solo performance of ‘Girl on Fire’

by Alicia Keys.

Looking back on the past two years since the last awards, Mrs Crausby said: “Not only as individuals but as a united community, we defied all odds, showed incredible bravery and resilience, came together, and demonstrated what a deeply committed and high achieving organisation we are.”

In his closing address of the event, Sir Mufti Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, proudly congratulated each winner and finalist for their contribution to their school and the wider Star family. He praised their commitment to representing the very best of STAR values: Service Teamwork, Ambition and Respect.

The awards presentation was seamlessly presented

by Executive Directors Melanie Renowden and David Holland. As finalists and winners were announced for all 20 award categories, each school was primed to present the awards and certificates in school to their winners and finalists. Schools went the extra mile to mark the occasion and make it a special moment for the winners and finalists. Some celebrated the winners in full school assemblies while others invited the Chair of Governors to make the presentations. Schools also joined in on the fun

The Star Awards successfully highlight 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 and staff who helped to make this year’s virtual awards a wonderful celebration of the Star family.

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STAR SPOTLIGHT

Star Academies would like to thank our kind sponsors for their sponsorship of this year’s event: Hill Dickinson, Arena, Wates, AHR, British Army, Griffiths & Armour, Systematic and EG Foundation.

I wish to say a heartfelt thanks to each and every one of our members, trustees, governors, staff and parents for supporting us to nurture and inspire our young people. But my biggest thanks and congratulations must be reserved for our talented pupils.

Each year you amaze and inspire me with your phenomenal achievements, with your bold ambitions and with your kindness and empathy See the for those less fortunate than yourselves. It is a joy to watch you complet grow and to see your character develop into future leaders.” e li SIR MUFTI HAMID PATEL CBE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF STAR ACADEMIES

of winne st rs the next on page 

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20 STAR SPOTLIGHT

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

AMBITION AWARD

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

- Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School

- Gabriella Barnes, Starbank School

- The Olive School, Blackburn

- Rawha Patel, The Olive School, Blackburn

- Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest

SERVICE AWARD

RESPECT AWARD

- High Crags Primary Leadership Academy

- The Olive School, Blackburn

- The Olive School, Small Heath - Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School TEAMWORK AWARD (TEACHING) - Maths Faculty, Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College - Primary English Team, Starbank School - Humanities Faculty, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest TEAMWORK AWARD (NON-TEACHING) (SPONSORED BY ARENA) - Senior Leadership Team, Small Heath Leadership Academy - Access and Inclusion Team, Eden Girls’ School, Coventry - Administration Team, Bay Leadership Academy

- Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford - Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION AND OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD - Covid-19 Gold Team, Star Central MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING AWARD - Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy

- Mahfuzur Chowdhury, The Olive School, Hackney SUPPORT STAFF MEMBER OF THE YEAR - Bev Allison, Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford - Rabia Ahmed, The Olive School, Birmingham - Amy Novsarka, Eden Girls’ School, Coventry MIDDLE LEADER OF THE YEAR - Shanaz Battiwala, Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College

- The Olive School, Hackney

- Zainab Aswat, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest

STAFF AWARDS

- Ashruf Amod, Eden Girls’ School, Slough

TEACHER OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY HILL DICKINSON)

SENIOR LEADER OF THE YEAR

- Highfield Leadership Academy

- Deniz Yesilyurt, The Olive School, Hackney - Zulfkhar Ahmed, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest - Scott Woodfin-Smith, Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy

- Julie Delahaye-Slater, Small Heath Leadership Academy - Dr Catherine Barker, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Saleh Islam, Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham

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UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR - Simon Grime, The Olive School, Bolton - Shafiq Patel, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Joanne Thompson, Highfield Leadership Academy

INSPIRATIONAL LEARNER OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY EG FOUNDATION)

SOCIAL ACTION LEADERSHIP AWARD (SPONSORED BY WATES CONSTRUCTION)

- Celina Hashemi , Eden Girls’ School, Coventry

- Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham

- Faathima Shaheen, Eden Girls’ School, Coventry

PUPIL AWARDS

- Muhammad Yusuf, The Olive School, Blackburn

PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPIL OF THE YEAR

- Iman Nassar, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest

- Zohaib Nazir, Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy

- Muskaan Khan, Laisterdyke Leadership Academy

- Aaminah Desai, The Olive School, Preston

- Ibraheem Hussain, Tong Leadership Academy

- Safiyyah Hussain, The Olive School, Hackney

- Nadia Sabki, The Olive School, Small Heath

SECONDARY SCHOOL PUPIL OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY AHR)

- Hafsa Patel, The Olive School, Preston

- Amelia Hopwood, Highfield Leadership Academy - Muhammed Karbhari, Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School - Aadil Dalal, Eden Boys’ School, Preston

- Isaac Roderick-Zabrocky, Tong Leadership Academy - Sulayman Rasheed, Eden Boys’ School, Bolton - Faith Brannan, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy - Declan Alexander, Bay Leadership Academy

- Anne Frank Trust Ambassadors, Highfield Leadership Academy - Combined Cadet Force, Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School SPORTS LEADERSHIP AWARD (SPONSORED BY BRITISH ARMY) - Habib Khan, Tong Leadership Academy - Zainab Adam, The Olive School, Bolton - Easa Adam, The Olive School, Bolton ARTS LEADERSHIP AWARD - Tia Joseph-Pinney, Tong Leadership Academy - Ghayda Abubakar, Eden Girls’ School, Slough - Oliver Tattersall, The Valley Leadership Academy OUTSTANDING GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR (SPONSORED BY GRIFFITHS & ARMOUR) - Alan Fisher, Highfield Leadership Academy - Peter Sayers, High Crags Primary Leadership Academy - Sohail Hakim, The Olive School, Bolton

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Eden Boys’ artwork journeys 10,000 miles to Antarctica Artwork designed by pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester has travelled all the way to the South Pole after being selected in a national competition.

Artwork designed by pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester has travelled all the way to the South Pole after being selected in a national competition.

UK Polar Network runs an annual art contest to design a flag for Antarctica – a continent that does not currently have a flag of its own – with the winning designs flown proudly on the world’s southernmost continent.

The project takes place as a celebration of Antarctica Day, which marks the signing of the Antarctic Treaty on 1 December 1959, a document declaring that Antarctica would be off limits to military activity and setting it aside as a place for peace and scientific discoveries.

After studying glaciation in their Geography studies, pupils at the school rallied behind the idea, creating flag ideas from scratch inspired by the Antarctic scenery, science and wildlife.

Following a five-month wait, the winning entrants, Year 7 pupils Fraz Nadeem and Mohammad Baidoun were delighted to receive photos of their flags held aloft by glaciologists Dr Richard Jones and Georgia Watson at the Vanderford glacier in East Antarctica.

Both pupils’ designs celebrated a different aspect of the continent, from its scale, its fascinating and diverse wildlife, as well as the contribution and cooperation of the 54 countries that operate there in accordance with the Atlantic Treaty.

Sarfraz Shah, Principal at Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Manchester, said the boys were proud to see their designs flying in one of the most remote places on Earth: “The pupils’ faces when they saw their work with penguins in Antarctica was definitely worth the wait.

“The competition provided a once in a lifetime opportunity for the boys’ to have their artwork displayed on the Earth’s southernmost continent, which I’m sure they’ll proudly remember for a long time.

All of our entrants have shown their brilliant talents, which has combined their artistic creativity and their scientific knowledge and application.”

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STAR COMMUNITY

Olive Hackney choir entertains thousands at Eid celebrations Talented singers from The Olive School, Hackney performed to thousands of people on the main stage at one of the country’s most prominent Eid events.

The primary school’s Star Voices choir performed at the Eid in the Square festival, hosted by the Mayor of London in Leicester Square, to mark the religious holiday of Eid al-Fitr and the end of Ramadhaan.

It was an action-packed weekend for the young chorists, as the next day they also appeared on the entertainment stage at London Eid Festival 2022, performing at the Westfield Shopping Centre.

Singing to a huge audience in the shadow of Nelson’s Column, the group of 18 pupils performed on the imposing main stage, which also featured performances from other musical acts, poets and comedians.

Principal, Babar Mirza, said: “It was a privilege to see our Star Voices choir in action at both events. They did us all proud with stunning performances in front of so many people, with the audience even singing along with the children as they performed.

The choir sang popular nasheeds and were ably assisted by their conductor, Abdessalam BassouIt, and was the first time the school’s Star Voices choir had performed in public, after only being formed a few months ago.

“It was no doubt a daunting experience for them but being able to perform so fantastically in those environments will give them so much self-belief in their collective abilities.”

High Crags JUMP-ing into fitness High Crags Primary Leadership Academy has been encouraging families to get more physically active by hosting a series of alternative fitness workshops.

The Shipley school has joined the JU:MP initiative, which stands for ‘Join Us Move Play’. The programme encourages children and parents to take activities to improve their health aside from regular sports and clubs. It has been funded by the National Lottery through Sport England who are aiming to better understand what helps people to be active in their communities.

Pupils have also been empowered to take up leadership roles, with 20 Year 6 pupils working as JU:MP champions at a family fun day at the school. The pupil leaders helped to run the event where parents and children took part in a carousel of activities.

In total, the parents of 162 children attended the family events, in a bid to encourage them to think differently about how they stay fit at home.

Through JU:MP, staff at the school have also received training on activities like skipping, with the activity now widely being used throughout the school by pupils at playtimes and breaktimes, while scooter clubs have been introduced as another alternative way for pupils to stay active.

Principal at High Crags Primary Leadership Academy, Helen Ray, said: “We have a big focus on sport in our school, but the difference with JU:MP is about engaging in physical activity as a collective and taking that home to families. The project aims to promote regular activity, so we hope that even when the JU:MP project finishes families will remain motivated to exercise together.”

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RED CARPET EXPERIENCE FOR EDEN GIRLS’ NATIONAL AWARD WINNERS Film lovers at Eden Girls’ Leadership Academy, Manchester followed in the footsteps of some of their favourite big screen stars as they won a national award at a ceremony in London’s Leicester Square.

Pupils at the secondary school won the ‘Film Club of the Year’ at the Into Film Awards 2022, held at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square, where many blockbuster movies have their premieres.

Beating off competition from two other finalists based in Northern Ireland and Scotland, the members of the film club were delighted to take their award back to Manchester after the ceremony hosted by TV presenter Sue Perkins.

The club was started by movie enthusiast Miss Chivers, the school’s Director of Learning for English and Performing Arts, in September 2017 and now takes place weekly, providing pupils with a way to connect with those with a shared love of film.

During the hour-long get-together, the club’s members share their opinions on the films they have watched, many of which are linked to the curriculum, which provides an avenue to have open discussions about wider issues within society.

Miss Chivers said: “I’m so proud we have won this award, but I think it’s reflective of the passion for movies that the girls share. It’s been a great way to

bring pupils from a range of year groups together, make friends and share their love of film.

“The pupils enjoy taking part as I think it helps them relax and unwind after what can be tiring days at school. In that sense, the Film Club is an important part of the whole school’s wellbeing strategies and making sure their extra-curricular activities run in parallel with their studies.”

Even lockdown did not stop the club in its tracks, as Miss Chivers ensured pupils could continue to enjoy their regular meetings online. Throughout the pandemic, pupils recommended films to each other and created quizzes for the group to take part in, helping the girls to stay connected during their time apart.

Miss Chivers added: “Nothing was going to stop us running the Film Club. Every member really embraced the technology and I think lockdown actually increased the importance of the club and those shared connections.”

STAR COMMUNITY Olive Preston pupil to feature at Royal Academy of Arts A piece of artwork designed by a pupil at The Olive School, Preston has been selected from 21,000 entries to feature in a high-profile exhibition.

Reception pupil Yusuf Patel’s painting, entitled My World, was chosen by a panel of famous artists and will appear at the famous Royal Academy of Arts in London.

Four-year-old Yusuf will be able to see his artwork on display from 19 July at the Young Artists’ Summer Show, an open submission exhibition showcasing the creations of pupils aged 4 to 19 who are studying in the UK. My World, is a painting of shapes, colours, numbers and letters, with Yusuf describing it as ‘a representation of what he sees in the world’.

It will sit alongside other pieces of artwork such as sculptures, photographs, installations, videos and drawings from young people across the country.

Children’s author opens Thornbury’s new-look library Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy’s new and improved library received a grand opening from a special guest author.

Cutting the ribbon at the Bradford school was children’s writer Donna David, author of acclaimed books ‘Trains, Trains, Trains’ and ‘Farmer Llama.’

As part of the opening event, pupils in attendance were treated to a reading by the author of an extract from one of her books while she sat on the stunning wooden ‘reading throne’, the centerpiece of the school’s refurbished library.

Adorned with autumnal leaves, the throne’s woodland theme continues through the rest of the library, with comfy toad stools and jungle-patterned bean bags for children to enjoy reading in comfortable surroundings that stimulate their creativity.

The library features all of the books from the popular Star Readers programme and the pupils at the school can now enjoy experiencing the joy of books in a bright and welcoming space.

Clare Daddy, Principal at Thornbury Primary Leadership Academy, said: “I think it’s the same for a lot of people, but the environment I read in really determines my enjoyment of a book.

You want to be in a place that is warm, bright and stimulating, and that is exactly what we wanted to achieve with the refurbishment of the library.

“Like all Star schools, reading is one of our primary focus areas, so we hope this new space will provide even more encouragement to our pupils to sustain their love of reading.”

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EDEN BOYS’ CRICKETER HITS UP PROFESSIONAL RANKS A rising cricket star at Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham has made another step to sporting success after securing his first professional county contract.

Hamza Shaikh, a Year 11 pupil who leaves the school this summer, has graduated to the paid ranks at Warwickshire County Cricket Club, after working his way up through the academy pathway he joined when he was just eight years old.

A top order batter, Hamza has earned his professional contract after starring for the county’s Second XI, scoring a century (100 runs) in May after scoring more than 1,000 runs for the Warwickshire pathway teams last season.

First picking up a cricket bat at the age of four, Hamza continued to develop and has played at a higher level than his age group throughout his fledging career, becoming one of the youngest players to score triple figures in a men’s game when he reached the landmark aged just 12.

During February half term, Hamza also gained international experience, touring Sri Lanka alongside his cousin and Warwickshire academy teammate Mohammed, who also plays with Hamza at their local club Knowle and Dorridge CC. Hamza will be hoping to make strides in the Royal London Cup for Warwickshire this season, before pushing for a place in the County Championship First XI as he continues his development in the Second XI. Asiyah Ravat OBE, Executive Principal at Eden Boys’ School, Birmingham, said: “Hamza is a terrific role model for our younger pupils. He has worked extremely hard to get where he is now, alongside completing his GCSEs which is no mean feat.

“We are already extremely proud of his achievements so far, but it would be amazing to see an Eden Boys’ alumnus representing England at the highest level - we know that is certainly his ambition and we wish him luck for a long and successful cricket career.”

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OULDER HILL PUPILS DISCOVER CAREER OPPORTUNITIES AT PARKLIFE FESTIVAL Pupils from Oulder Hill Leadership Academy experienced the career opportunities in events planning during a tour of one of the country’s leading music festivals.

The group of Year 10 pupils from the Rochdale-based secondary school were given an exclusive behind-thescenes insight into Parklife festival in Manchester, in a ‘Workplace Safari’ of the event.

Invited by Sacha Lord, the co-founder of the festival, they discovered what goes into organising the largest metropolitan festival in the UK, hearing from key team members to understand the breadth of future careers options in the event planning, leisure and hospitality industries.

Sound and lighting engineers, catering experts and set design staff were all on hand to explain their roles to the pupils, who were given a tour of the site while it was in its ‘build mode’, before over 80,000 attendees made their way through the gates in the following days.

Parklife was launched in 2010 and employs over 4,500 people, and the pupils from Oulder Hill were also able to find out more about how to break into the increasingly popular industry during a Q&A with Mr Lord, where they also enquired about the potential qualifications that are required.

The Workplace Safari was planned by the Greater Manchester Apprentice & Careers Service, (GMACS), as part of their Meet Your Future project, to showcase the abundance of careers available to young people in Greater Manchester.

Able to experience the vast sound stages up close, the visit also hoped to inspire the budding musicians at Oulder Hill to pursue a career in the musical arts.

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EDEN GIRLS’ COVENTRY CELEBRATE AWARDS HATTRICK Eden Girls’ School, Coventry has celebrated triple awards success in recent months, in recognition of its service to communities and its curriculum expertise.

The secondary school not only struck gold at the Goldsmiths’ Company Award for Community Engagement and celebrated three finalists in the Show Racism the Red Card competition, its subject leaders were also honoured by The Classical Association’s Teaching Awards for making classics more inclusive.

The first of the school’s success, the Goldsmiths’ award, was the culmination of almost two years’ work by pupils who produced a portfolio showcasing the school’s extensive links to local community organisations and the positive impact of their activities on the community.

The team representing the school was invited to the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Hall in London – the headquarters of London’s goldsmith guild – where they were tasked with making a speech setting out how their activities were making their community a better place. The speech was live streamed to schools across the country.

After beating off competition from seven other finalists from across the country, judges awarded the team with the title of national champions after being wowed by the breadth and impact of the school’s community projects.

The judges cited the school’s soup kitchen and distribution of food parcels, meals and gifts to vulnerable members of its community and to key workers throughout the pandemic as particularly commendable.

Along with the gold medal, the school received a cheque for £3,000 to help extend and deepen the impact of its community activities, which the school intends to invest in developing a community garden on the school site.

Another national awards success for the school came with the news that three pupils were finalists of the Show Racism The Red Card schools competition, which is organised by the UK’s leading anti-racism educational charity.

At the ceremony at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London, Year 11 pupils Haleemah Minhas and Afrina Shamsul were revealed as the third place winners in the Year 10+ artwork competition. They created an inspiring shoebox that showcased how, despite looking different on the outside, individuals share many of the same hobbies, beliefs and experiences.

In the creative writing challenge for pupils in Years 7 to 9, Samirah Hoque was awarded second place for her inspiring poem ‘A Bird’s Nest’, which eloquently communicates the importance of standing up for inclusivity and equal opportunities.

The school’s third awards success came when its teachers were honoured for their contribution to the Classics – the study and teaching of the Greek and Roman world. The school won the ‘Making Classics More Inclusive’ Award at the CATB Teaching Awards held at Swansea University, for introducing Classical Civilisations into the curriculum.

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Ambitions high for The Valley pupils on Cambridge visit The Valley Leadership Academy gave some of its pupils an inspiring opportunity to visit one of the most prestigious universities in the country.

Involving a selection of Year 9 and 10 pupils, the trip to Cambridge University hoped to raise aspirations and allow the pupils to see that they had the potential to reach the same heights as others.

As many of the pupils are looking at their own options to study for their GCSEs, it also gave the Year 9s a chance to think about which subjects would help them achieve a particular degree or career prospect.

The guests were given a tour of university’s grounds, including the famous Queens College, by undergraduate students who gave them a key insight into life at higher education, and on the wide breadth of courses that they could study.

An important aspect of the trip was also on giving advice on how to go through the university application process, with a session on how they progress from GCSEs to college as well as general UCAS tips.

They were provided with key details on how to gain experience related to courses they were interested in, how to demonstrate their attributes to showcase themselves as good applicants when applying for university places, along with an insight into student finance.

Andy O’Brien, Executive Principal at The Valley Leadership Academy, said: “This trip epitomises our STAR value of ambition. It’s really important for us to inspire our young people to try and achieve the best and communicate that nothing is off limits to them.

“It was amazing to see our pupils aiming high, and removing some of the uncertainties they may have about university life. We hope they now feel more confidence that, by keeping their aspirations high, they can achieve anything they set their minds to.”

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30 Evacuee experience for Olive Birmingham pupils Year 6 pupils at The Olive School, Birmingham experienced what it was like to be evacuated during World War II (WWII) on a school trip.

With their identity cards and labels at hand, the pupils travelled back in time on a visit to Bewdley Museum, near Kidderminster, as part of their history studies.

The trip began with an experience many evacuees would have made during the war, as they boarded a steam train on the Severn Valley Railway.

Upon arriving at the museum in Bewdley, the children gained an in-depth look at what it was like for a child during WWII, including the roles and responsibilities of wardens and experiences during the blackouts, such as wearing gas masks and hearing the wail of air raid sirens.

The pupils also visited a genuine Anderson air raid shelter, which were erected in the grounds of many homes during WWII, and learned many facts about the shelter, exploring how children entertained themselves during these difficult times.

The school trip also aligns with the pupils’ studies of the war in their English lessons, in particular their reading and analysing of the Michael Morpurgo novel ‘Friend or Foe’, also set during the Blitz. Through their exploration of the themes in the book, as well as their visit to the museum, pupils were inspired to write their own historical fictional accounts of an evacuee.

OLIVE BOLTON SIBLINGS TACKLE

World Jiu Jitsu Championships Three siblings from The Olive School, Bolton have been proving themselves on the world stage, as they competed at an international jiu-jitsu championship.

Easa Adam won double gold at the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Junior World Gi & Non Gi Championships in Wolverhampton, as he competed alongside his siblings Zainab and Yahya.

This came after they all took home medals at the National championships, where Year 3 pupil Easa won the Gold medal in the Gi discipline, along with a Silver in the Non-Gi category.

At the same tournament, his sister Zainab, in Year 4, also came second in her weight category, while younger brother Yahya, a Year 1 pupil at the school, won both a Bronze and a Silver in the Gi and Non Gi respectively.

This is the latest successful competition for seven-year-old Easa, who has competed across the country. He recently won double gold at the All Stars Northern Pro, and has recently become fanatical about the sport, training six times a week and regularly completes long distance runs to increase his stamina.

All three of the siblings, who only took up the sport two years ago, have been consistently punching above their weight during their fledgling sporting journeys.

Zainab in particular has been placed into heavier weight categories and even in the boys’ divisions due to lack of suitable competitors.

The pupils hope to continue their success, as well as their love of the sport, as they plan to compete overseas next year at an international tournament in Brussels.

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STAR COMMUNITY

OLYMPIC SEAL OF APPROVAL AS TONG OPENS UP FACILITIES TO COMMUNITY

Olympic champion Rebecca Adlington OBE cut the ribbon at a sports community launch event at Tong Leadership Academy.

The freestyle swimmer, who won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, gave her approval to the outstanding facilities at the Bradford secondary school as she launched a brand new learn to swim programme there.

Families from across the Bradford community can take advantage of the school’s state-of-the-art sports facilities and creative art spaces, which are available for use by the local community.

The school’s 25m pool will host Adlington’s new swimming programme, while the other facilities, including a floodlit 3G pitch, gymnasium and sports hall provide an opportunity for children and young people in the city and surrounding areas to remain active and develop their sporting prowess.

Speaking about the positive impact the school’s facilities can provide, Rebecca Adlington said: “It’s now our responsibility to ensure that kids have all the resources available to get moving, stay active and get into sports more than ever before - and what better way to do this than by swimming.

“With the launch of this new programme in Bradford, children will not only learn to swim, but will gain a whole host of transferable skills sure to benefit them as they grow up. I can’t wait to watch how the programme impacts the lives of the children of Tong Leadership Academy and the surrounding areas.”

Along with a ribbon cutting, autographs and selfies with the gold-medallist, the launch event saw a variety of free sports sessions, including dodgeball and football, to give a taster of what Tong Leadership Academy’s facilities can provide.

The school is offering free introductory swimming sessions, and their dance, drama and beauty therapy studios will also help those in the community learn vital life skills which can help in all aspects of a child’s development, such as confidence, determination, and resilience.

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OLIVE SMALL HEATH PUPILS CELEBRATE THEIR ‘AMAZING’ MOTHERS Pupils from The Olive School, Small Heath paid tribute to the service of their mothers in a special event at the school.

Upper key stage 2 children hosted a faith-based ‘My Mom Is Amazing’ celebration to express their appreciation through song, theatre and food.

This was the first ‘My Mom Is Amazing’ event held at the school for two years, due to the pandemic, and pupils made up for lost time by treating their invited guests to a host of appreciative acts.

The pupils performed songs praising their mothers and also performed a role-play drama. After rehearsing the play during their after school clubs, the performance communicated the value of respect in families and demonstrated how relatives should be treated.

Roles were reversed as the children served their parents food and drink, before sitting down to enjoy the sweet and savoury treats together – giving different generations the opportunity to enjoy quality time together.

Principal at The Olive School, Small Heath, Shawkat Chowdhury, said: “Our pupils put in so much effort to show how much they appreciate their parents. We really value our school’s family atmosphere and I hope our parents left the event knowing how much of a difference they make to their children’s lives.”

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Eden Girls’ pupils launch gift-giving business Enterprising pupils from Eden Girls’ School, Birmingham have set up a business to sell unique homemade accessories in school.

The Year 10 pupils have created a business called ‘Resin and I’, as part of their enterprise work at school, creating stunning designs using resin moulds to sell to fellow pupils and members of the public.

Through the business, the pupils have created gifts such as bookmarks, pendants and keyrings, which are fully customisable, meaning customers can request certain designs or messages to gift to others or to mark special occasions.

The pupils have been using their business acumen to maximise sales. From promoting their business on social media to advertising on posters in school, the enterprising pupils exhibited alongside other businesses at the Greater Birmingham Trade Fair to showcase their products.

Creating eco-friendly products has been a keen focus of the young entrepreneurs, using recyclable silver and gold foil for the decorations, as well as biodegradable resin so that their customers are reassured their purchases are not harming the environment.

Rahma Elzokm, one of the pupils running Resin and I, said: “By being a part of this business, we have gained a variety of different qualities, the main one being teamwork.

Throughout our business, we have realised that only by working together can we create an unforgettable experience and service for our customers.

The young entrepreneurs are already thinking about the future of the business and are developing designs which will reflect the upcoming autumn and winter seasons. Their designs can be seen on their Instagram page: @resinandi_official

Barkerend making strides with walk to school initiative Barkerend Primary Leadership Academy’s walk to school drive has been received with great enthusiasm as pupils and staff have taken steps to a healthier way of travel.

The school has been working with charity Living Streets to encourage more pupils to walk to school through the ‘WOW’ challenge.

By self-reporting how they get to school every day using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker, pupils can earn rewards badges by travelling sustainably – by walking, cycling or ‘park and striding’ to school - twice a week.

The Travel Tracker also allows schools to compare their number of journeys with others, with Barkerend consistently ranking as one of the highest performing schools in the country for the number of pupils walking to school per week.

Since the start of September, the school have recorded an astounding 43,000 sustainable journeys, with 80% of pupils actively taking part in the scheme.

The Walk to School initiative not only encourages participants to get more exercise, it also lowers air pollution, cuts down on unnecessary short car journeys and reduces traffic around the school – making the area safer and greener.

Assistant Principal Claire Grace, who has been leading the project, said: “I’m so pleased with how many pupils have got behind the drive. They’re avidly collecting their badges every month and they’re really enjoying having that responsibility of self-reporting.

“There’s no better way to get some fresh air and spend more time with their friends and, along with the obvious carbon footprint reduction, with fewer cars on the school run there is also a safety benefit.

“Of course, due to distances from home, it’s not possible for everyone to get to school on foot by bike or scooter every day.

However, the small steps we can make to reduce the amount of cars on the road will make a big difference in the long run.”

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TIBHS INTERVIEW FOOTBALL STARS DURING MATCHDAY MEDIA EXPERIENCE Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys’ High School got a behind-the-scenes look into a matchday at Blackburn Rovers Football Club, and even grilled former England captain Wayne Rooney as part of their experience.

Eight Year 9 pupils were invited to a Matchday Media Experience at Ewood Park for the EFL Championship game between Rovers and Derby County.

Prior to the game, the pupils received a tour of Ewood Park, which gave them a chance to research players in the starting line-ups, before taking their seats in the press box for the Championship match.

Alongside journalists from around the country, the pupils reported on the game from the media gantry at the stadium, writing match reports as the action developed and soaking up the atmosphere from the best view in the 31,000seat stadium.

After the pupils had enjoyed seeing their heroes return to the tunnel victorious after a 3-1 win, they made their way to the press room. Alongside a host of national and regional journalists, they were given the chance to pose their questions to Derby County manager, Rooney, and Tony Mowbray, the Rovers manager at the time.

Both managers were grilled on their players’ performances and their impact on the match, giving the pupils a unique understanding of the pressures and responsibilities of modern managers.

Reporting on his experience, Year 9 pupil Umar Saleh said: “This was a really informative experience for us, one which we would not normally get. We’re all really passionate about supporting Rovers, but we loved getting to see more of the stadium and how it works behind the scenes.

IT HAS ALSO GIVEN US A LOT OF CONFIDENCE BEING AT THE PRESS CONFERENCES AND ASKING QUESTIONS TO LIVING LEGENDS LIKE WAYNE ROONEY. IT WAS ALSO AN ADDED BONUS SEEING ROVERS WIN!” STARLIGHT

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Highfield’s Kindness Calls ‘bring sunshine’ to socially isolated A new initiative by pupils at Highfield Leadership Academy has been brightening up the days of socially isolated members of their local community.

Fourteen members of the Highfield Helpers, the secondary school’s group of community volunteers and activists, have committed to making weekly ‘Kindness Calls’ to offer friendship and wellbeing support to local people.

Rhiannon’s call buddy, resident Helen Green, agrees: “I love getting the calls from the pupils at Highfield Leadership Academy, I look forward to my call weekly as we love chatting away about Scotland.”

By fostering connections with these residents, the school aims to combat the loneliness that some of these isolated residents experience, as well as enabling pupils to demonstrate compassion, learn more about their neighbourhood and enhance their interpersonal skills.

This scheme is the latest in a long-running award-winning volunteering drive between the school and Blackpool Coastal Housing, which has also involved a pen pal project between pupils and residents during the pandemic, as well as a successful afterschool digital group where the volunteers taught computer skills to elderly residents.

The initiative, which is being delivered in partnership with Blackpool Coastal Housing, has seen pupils’ conversations with residents ranging from diverse subjects including World Book Day, career paths, Henry VIII and the Blackpool Air Show. The volunteers also discussed World War II with the some of the residents to aid their History studies.

One of the Highfield Helpers, pupil Rhiannon Torrie, said: “I was very nervous but once we started chatting it was good fun. I couldn’t believe we had so much in common. My client recognised my accent, so we enjoyed talking about Scotland, bagpipes and dancing. Just 15 minutes chatting can have such a positive impact not just for the clients but for us too.”

John Donnellon, Chief Executive of Blackpool Coastal Housing, said: “I am delighted that this partnership has gone from strength to strength over the past four years. The commitment of these young volunteers to make a difference and put a smile on the face of our residents and wider community is just remarkable. They should be so proud of themselves and the difference they are making.”

I WAS VERY NERVOUS BUT ONCE WE STARTED CHATTING IT WAS GOOD FUN. I COULDN’T BELIEVE WE HAD SO MUCH IN COMMON.” SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 08

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STARBANK PUPILS SHOW LEADERSHIP TO RAISE £600 Leadership and service were on the agenda as Starbank School’s secondary pupils raised money for charity, while learning valuable lessons on tackling hate in the community.

The Birmingham school hosted a Leadership Day at its Hob Moor Road site, which began with all pupils in Years 7 and 10 engaging in a sponsored walk around the school grounds.

For a £1 contribution, pupils were able to wear trainers for the day and completed as many laps of the school’s field as possible with every pupils completing a minimum distance of one mile.

This supported the school’s contribution towards to the 70,000 Star Hours of Impact drive, in honour of The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and also raised over £600 to the Commonwealth Trust, which provides funding and to young leaders who are looking to affect positive social change.

This theme of social action was complemented on the day as all pupils also received an inspiring keynote speech from youth worker Hezron Brown, who went from a life of gang crime to a Pride of Britain winner.

Hezron, a previous winner of The Prince’s Trust Young Achiever Award, was drawn into gang violence as a teenager and, after facing up to 10 years in jail, turned his life around and now works to deter other young people from following his early path through his ‘More Talk, More Action’ project.

At the presentation, pupils heard Hezron’s experiences as he shared both his mental and physical scars he received during his youth. He also discussed a range of topics such as knife crime, educational reflections, resilience and the pitfalls of peer pressure and social media.

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Mayoral honour for Waltham Forest researchers A scientific research project into a disorder that affects around 15,000 people in the UK saw pupils from Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest win prizes.

Year 7 and 8 pupils from the secondary school took part in the Mayor of Waltham Forest’s Sickle Cell Disorder and Nutrition campaign, which was started to raise awareness of the condition.

Over 100 people in Waltham Forest are thought to have Sickle Cell Disorder, which is the fastest growing genetic disorder in the UK. It can lead to health problems like strokes, serious infections and lung problems, and is particularly common in those with African or Caribbean heritage.

Participants in the activity were tasked with researching Sickle Cell Disorder, its symptoms and ways to manage the condition, before presenting findings in a piece of work which proposed how more awareness can be generated to support those affected.

With multiple finalists in the borough-wide schools competition, Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest pupil Faduma Ahmed was awarded first prize in her age group. Year 8 pupil Faduma produced a poster which featured a 7-day meal plan with nutritious meals to help reduce the chances of developing the disease.

Both Faduma and her fellow pupils were honoured at an award ceremony at Waltham Forest Town Hall, where they received recognition for their hard work with certificates handed to them by Mayor Cllr Elizabeth Baptiste.

Science STEM coordinator at Eden Girls’ School, Waltham Forest, Asha Saleban, said: “As this disease disproportionally affects our community, we thought this was an incredibly important campaign to get behind.

“Our pupils all worked so hard in researching and presenting their findings of how to raise awareness of Sickle Cell Disorder, and hopefully their ideas can be used to spread the word as well as support those in our community who are affected in their day-to-day lives.”

Bay’s gymnasts flex their talents on national stage Some of the shining sporting lights at Bay Leadership Academy have represented the school at a national tournament.

The secondary school’s gymnastics team has come on leaps and bounds in recent years. Earlier this year, pupils Jack Schuyler, Jorja Fisher and Rebecca Lennon were crowned North West champions in the Under 16 mixed discipline.

With the title of North West champions, the team achieved qualification to the British Schools Gymnastics Association Milano National Final. The final, which took place in Stoke-On-Trent, saw Jack and Jorja joined by teammate Ellie Prince. The team performed admirably, finishing 7th overall in the mixed team U16 category.

As well as representing the school with their talents, the gymnastics team has also demonstrated its leadership qualities to local children. The gifted gymnasts delivered an Acro Gymnastics competition for local primary schools, with 110 children competing in a tournament at the school.

The Bay gymnasts, supported by their fellow pupil sports leaders, showed fantastic organisational skills as they registered schools, judged their performances, collated the results and presented the winners with their prizes.

Tracey Winters, Director of Learning at Bay Leadership Academy, said: “Our gymnastics team and pupil sports leaders are a real credit to our school.

“Alongside competing in prestigious regional and national tournaments, they have given up their time to practice and rehearse from the start of the academic year, entering other smaller competitions so they keep improving.

“They were due to compete at the nationals just before we went into lockdown in 2020, so they have missed almost two years of competing, so getting to nationals was an amazing achievement. They really do embody our STAR values and we are very proud they are representatives of our school.”

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Olive Blackburn’s eco-warrior tackles car idling A Year 5 pupil from The Olive School, Blackburn has been on a mission to combat climate change, partnering with his local council to raise awareness of the issue of car idling.

10-year-old Muhammad Abdulrashid has worked with Blackburn and Darwen Council to produce a social media video, warning of the harmful impacts of keeping engines running when cars are stationary, which can occur often on school grounds during pick up and drop off times.

Car idling is harmful to the environment because it increases the amount of CO2 emissions in the air which contributes to climate change. Indeed, research shows idling cars produce twice the emissions than a moving car, and is particularly harmful to people like Muhammad who has asthma.

Feeling shocked upon hearing about the effects, Muhammad decided to take action, and has been politely encouraging those on the school grounds to turn their engines off while they are not moving.

Muhammad said: “When they leave their engines running when they’re stopped, not only are drivers harming the climate, they’re also impacting on air pollution and affecting people’s lives too.

“I ask them to turn off their engines because it’s really easy to do and can help make a really big difference. The drivers are always welcoming when I speak to them and quickly turn their engines off. It’s a really nice feeling to help make a change.”

Eden Boys’ Arabic learners earn national recognition Two pupils from Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Birmingham East have won a national Arabic speaking competition.

Safwan Ahmed and Abdirashid Farah came ahead of over 200 entrants to be two of the winners of Arabic Speaking Competition 2022, a national contest run by the British Council, which helped to further their subject knowledge of the language.

Open to learners between the ages of 10-18, the competition involved the entrants giving a short presentation in Modern Standard Arabic on a topic from a given list, including on family, school and home, before being asked a number of questions by a panel of judges.

The competition was established to give young people around the country a chance to showcase their talents in Arabic and inspire them to discover more about Arabic cultures, as well as to develop their vocabulary and improve their pronunciation skills. It also aims to raise the profile of Arabic to encourage more young people to study the language and culture.

With over 400 million native speakers and a further 100 to 200 million people for whom it is their second language, Arabic ranks as the fourth most widely spoken language in the world and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations (UN).

Although Safwan and Abdirashid were unable to attend, pupils from TIBHS and The Olive School, Hackney, who also had successful entrants to the competition, were invited to an Arabic cultural experience in London as their prize.

Along with a tour of the Islamic World gallery at the British Museum, the competition winners attended the Arabic Teacher conference at the Grade II listed Church House, situated next to Westminster Abbey. Pupils took part in a calligraphy workshop, before they were presented with a certificate at the awards ceremony.

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SMALL HEATH PUPILS’ REGAL ARTWORK DISPLAYED IN GALLERY Artwork created by pupils at Small Heath Leadership Academy will be on display in a Birmingham art gallery this summer, as part of an exhibition marking the city’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games 2022.

The secondary school has worked on a project that forms part of renowned artist Hew Locke’s ‘Foreign Exchange’ programme at the acclaimed Ikon gallery. The exhibition is part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival which coincides with the Games.

The pupils’ artwork has been inspired by Locke himself. The British-Guyanese artist has become renowned for reimagining photographs of the busts of historical figures by embellishing them with contemporary regalia. Locke was commissioned by Ikon to temporarily transform the marble figure of Queen Victoria in Birmingham city centre. Pupils were invited to the unveiling of Locke’s Queen Victoria reimagining in June, where they were able to meet the man who inspired their work.

The centrepiece of the school’s display, which will sit in the Ikon gallery, is a mixed-media bust made using a mod-roc cast of a mannequin, adorned with upcycled jewellery and handmade ceramic skulls to symbolise royal regalia, which is a feature of Locke’s work.

Behind the sculpture sits a wall display that consists of a series of monoprints of selfportraits of the pupils wearing crowns, which were combined with colourful mixed media backgrounds of ink, spray paint and watercolour and produced using a photocopier.

The pupils’ work will be open to the public to view from 20 July in the gallery’s education room. The exhibition will be open for two weeks to coincide with the Commonwealth Games.

Small Heath Leadership Academy’s celebration of the Games through the arts also extends to drama. The school’s partnership with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, which had to be put on hold during the pandemic, has been reignited for the project.

Year 7 pupils have been exploring Shakespeare’s The Tempest in conjunction with the theatre company. They will tread the boards on the theatre’s famous stage as part of its ‘Uncommon Riches Festival’ later this summer, which is also a celebration of the Commonwealth Games coming to Birmingham.

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BUDDING SLOUGH LAWYERS REPRESENT SCHOOL IN MOCK LEGAL TRIAL Aspiring law students from Eden Girls’ School, Slough were able to experience the exhilaration of a legal case as they took part in a mock trial at Reading Crown Court.

19 pupils from the secondary school competed in the Young Citizens Mock Trial contest, which involved researching, preparing and then presenting a legal case in an official courtroom. The pupils competed against other schools by representing both the prosecution and defence in a fictitious case.

The would-be lawyers were tasked with preparing a robust case in a harassment trial called ‘R v Davies’. The participants were given five months to investigate the case and the relevant parts of law to inform their roles as lawyers, magistrates, witnesses, legal advisers and a defendant.

In the lead up to the big day in court, the pupils showed incredible commitment to the exercise, even coming into school on weekends and in the holidays to rehearse and refine the minor details of the case.

During the mock trial at Reading Crown Court, Year 10 pupil Ikrah Qureshi began proceedings by delivering an impassioned and compelling opening statement, before the team’s prosecution lawyers cross-examined the victim and defence witnesses.

The defence team repeated the process following the same format, which included a persuasive closing statement from pupil Alya Cheema, which was enough to convince the magistrates of a ‘not guilty’ verdict.

Pupil Ikrah Qureshi said: “We were grateful for such a unique and brilliant opportunity which will be a memory we will all forever hold onto. We were all so proud of each other for the hard work that we put in, and special thanks to our organiser Miss Kiely for making this all possible in the first place.”

Although the pupils missed out on a place in the final, the whole experience provided them with a vital insight into the legal system and a window into a potential career in the legal profession.

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RAINBOW INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS WITH NEW SCHEME Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy has introduced a new pupil leadership scheme to inspire the leaders of the future.

The Bradford primary, which joined the Star family last summer, has established a group of pupil leaders who are already having a positive impact on the school.

The pupil leaders were carefully selected by the school’s pupil council, following an application and interviewing process, which was carried out wholly and independently by the pupils.

One of new leadership roles that has been introduced are Reading Leaders. The school’s reading ambassadors are already demonstrating their leadership qualities by going into school early to read with children in other year groups. The initiative aims to fast-track the reading progress of their younger peers whilst supporting them to complete the Star Readers challenge – to read 10 or more books from their year group’s reading list within the year.

The school’s Pupil Librarians have also taken charge by tidying the library in breaktimes, while Litter Pickers have been helping to keep the school site clean and tidy.

Playground Leaders have been appointed to support children’s play at breaktimes, making sure there is a safe environment for all, as well as leading games that take place.

HAVING JOINED STAR LAST SUMMER, THE NOTION OF ‘INSPIRING TOMORROW’S LEADERS’ HAS BECOME FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR ETHOS.” Jon Harris, Principal at Rainbow Primary Leadership Academy, said: “Having joined Star last summer, the notion of ‘inspiring tomorrow’s leaders’ has become fundamental to our ethos.

Giving our pupils this greater sense of responsibility is really helping them to thrive by gaining invaluable experience.

“This is all led by the children; the pupil council interviewed the applicants, wrote the questions they asked and then made decisions on who to appoint. It’s a fantastic example of a pupil-led initiative and we’ve already seen a positive impact on progress in reading, attendance and punctuality.”

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TIGHS’ supercharged visit from climate campaigner Pupils at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School and Sixth Form College (TIGHS) were amongst the first in the country to learn about a pioneering sustainability project that will take place on the other side of the world.

The secondary school in Blackburn received a visit from Stuart McBain, founder of the Charge Around Australia challenge, who will drive 9,380 miles around the entire coast of Australia in an electric vehicle powered by printed and ultra-thin recycled solar panels on its surface.

Stuart’s challenge will seek to prove how sustainable power is the future of transport, and that it can provide free energy in even the most remote places on the planet.

As part of the talk, TIGHS pupils participated in a live call with scientists at the University of Newcastle in New South Wales, Australia. During the video call, pupils were given an opportunity to ask questions to the scientists developing the technology used in the project.

There was also a chance for pupils to see the solar-powered car being used in the challenge and to marvel at the paper-thin solar panels that will power the lap of Australia. The solar sheets are made largely from recycled PET plastic – which is widely used to produce soft drinks bottles – meaning that at the end of their useful life they can be recycled into another product, unlike traditional solar panels which end up in landfill.

Taslim Patel, Director of Learning for Science at TIGHS, said: “Solar power will be increasingly important for future generations, and this was an exciting opportunity to learn first-hand from the experts about new innovations in technology which could be a game changer here in the UK and around the world.”

Stuart McBain added: “We wanted to visit TIGHS as they have an excellent reputation for science and technology.

We will also be visiting Australian schools almost every day during our trip so there’s plenty of opportunity for UK students and those in Oz to join forces and learn from each other’s experiences.”

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LAISTERDYKE’S RUGBY ROOKIES CELEBRATE DEBUT WIN A group of pupils from Laisterdyke Leadership Academy celebrated winning their debut rugby league match, just months after first playing the sport.

At the start of the academic year the pupils had never touched a rugby ball and less than a year later they played in their first competitive game. The team’s maiden victory against Colne Primet Academy, held at Bradford Bulls’ stadium, was the team’s first full contact match.

The team’s recent success began with the Community Cougars Foundation (CCF) delivering after-school rugby league training sessions at Laisterdyke with support from Bradford Bulls Foundation.

The CCF’s mission is aligned to the Rugby Football League’s ‘Tackle It’ campaign, which challenges racial discrimination and aims to foster community cohesion and inclusion to create a more diverse base of young participants in the sport.

The CCF has continued its outreach programme as the school’s team has developed, recently hosting a speaker session with the team where they were visited by former England professional rugby player Dr Ikram Butt.

Dr Butt became the first Muslim to represent his national side in 1995 and gave inspiring words on how he confronted prejudice in his career. Along with representatives from CCF, Dr Butt also presented the team with a brand-new kit and rugby balls for their upcoming matches.

Principal, Stephen Dixon, said: “Our rugby team brings to life two of our STAR values, teaching pupils about the importance of teamwork and ambition to do their best. The CCF’s support has given our team the tools to thrive and I’m sure there will be plenty more successes in the future for them.”

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PRESTON POETS EMPOWERED AS THEY BECOME PUBLISHED AUTHORS No less than 24 young writers from Eden Boys’ School, Preston have become published authors after their winning poetry was selected to feature in an anthology.

Pupils from the secondary school entered a national poetry competition run by Young Writers, with the leading poems, crafted by pupils in Years 7, 9 and 10, selected for publication in its printed anthology.

Young Writers has showcased the pupils’ creative writing in its Empowered 2022 – Teenage Dreams anthology, which is now available to order.

The competition challenged 11 to 18 year-olds to write poetry on the themes of internal thoughts, musings, conflicts and issues that are affecting young people.

Given the simple brief of ‘your voice shapes you’, entrants were invited to write a poem for ‘Empowered’ centred around taking back control over their lives, discussing what matters to them and expressing their opinions or concerns through creative writing.

The budding poets aimed to inspire their peers to be more active in fighting deforestation, bullying, the importance of self-belief and much more.

The ‘Empowered’ anthology will be added to the prestigious National Archives of the British Library.

Dear Future Generation Dear future generation, this is to you, Get out and find something to do, Help stop deforestation, Create a big commotion, Ask the people why the world is dying, Don’t let them sit there laughing, Don’t let them be in their own world, Bring them back before it’s too late, before they die and turn to mould, Don’t sit there curled up into a ball, Don’t let your eye bounce around your screen like a coil, I implore you to get out and change the world, Imagine the greenery, Imagine the scenery, Feel the warm air Flowing through your hair, No more bad smell Making the world feel like hell.

So again, I implore you because Dear future generation, this is up to you.

Mohammed Zaman (14), Eden Boys’ School, Preston

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Starbank’s young voices join ‘world’s largest choir’ Primary pupils from Starbank School took part in the largest school choir in the world, performing a series of songs alongside 5,000 other children at one of the biggest venues in the country.

20 Key Stage 2 pupils from the school’s Bierton Road site performed as a single choir with pupils from 125 other schools in front of a capacity crowd of 15,000 people made up of family and friends.

Taking place at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, the Young Voices concert is one of many the that have taken place over the past 25 years, with over 2 million children taking part so far.

Led by world-class conductor David Lawrence, the concert featured sing-along favourites including a Beatles medley, a pop compilation, and a specially written song for Young Voices 2022 titled ‘Sing from Your Heart’.

Starbank School year 3 pupil, Saira Abokar, said it was “the best night ever”, adding: “I loved performing the songs and dancing to the music.

My favourite song to perform was ‘Power in Me’ because it teaches us to never give up and to believe in ourselves.”

According to Associate Principal Hajra Rifat, this event was the first time many of the children from the school had attended a music concert.

Ms Rifat said: “This was a truly unforgettable evening which gave pupils the opportunity to perform at one of the largest arenas in the country. They thoroughly enjoyed soaking up the atmosphere and sharing their appreciation for the talents on show.

“The themes of self-empowerment, hope and positivity seeped into each song which made for a truly uplifting evening of musical entertainment.

“The self-confidence and bravery pupils demonstrated in the build-up to the event was rewarded with a spectacular evening where we were all reminded of the power of music. They did the Starbank School community extremely proud.”

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Eden Boys’ Bradford partners with First Give to drive social action Eden Boys’ Leadership Academy, Bradford has partnered with the First Give charity to empower its pupils to engage with their community and make a difference to the causes they care about through social action.

Through the First Give programme, 120 Year 8 pupils participated in a series of assemblies, lessons and workshops to inspire charitable and community service.

The programme enables pupils to take part in engaging social action projects to raise funds for a chosen charity, while also raising awareness of the social issues affecting their community and society.

Each group of pupils began by identifying social issues in the school’s local community and then researching existing charities that are working to reduce or resolve these issues, before identifying a charity to support.

The winning group of five pupils presented their ideas to support Mind Bradford. Their pitch included useful statistics about demand for the charity’s services and its impact, details of its work and case studies about how local people have benefited from its support. The judges commended pupils on the quality of their research and the depth of knowledge they demonstrated when presenting the impact of their social action activities. The winning team won a £1,000 donation to Mind Bradford.

The class groups then planned and delivered social action activities – including distributing information leaflets and delivering assemblies to the whole school. Along with raising awareness of their chosen charity’s cause, the project also saw pupils raise vital funds.

Groups within each class presented their work to their peers who voted for a winning group to represent their class at the final. The finalists delivered their presentation to the whole of Year 8 and a panel of judges including Louisa Searle, Director of First Give, and the school’s Principal, Robina Naznine.

Pupils from Eden Boys’ spruce up their community Over 100 pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Bolton volunteered a day of their time to help tidy up their local community.

Armed with gloves, brooms and rubbish sacks, the team of 100 boys headed to Heaton Cemetery for the day to litter pick, tidy up leaf debris and overgrown weeds to spruce up the area .

The school co-ordinates Active Citizen Projects where pupils are encouraged to put the school’s STAR values of Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect into action by volunteering on projects.

During the community tidy up, pupils worked together with reverence, dedication and community spirit that typifies the school’s community. Together, their hard work resulted in Heaton Cemetery looking much tidier and more welcoming to visitors.

Pupils from Eden Boys’ School, Bolton regularly volunteer for community projects as part of an on-going project with Bolton Council of Mosques (BCoM), which aims to promote working together for a more effective and harmonious community.

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Mastering learning in primary schools DENIZ YESILYURT – YEAR 2 TEACHER, THE OLIVE SCHOOL, HACKNEY In this edition of Star People, we speak to Deniz Yesilyurt, the proud winner of Teacher of the Year at the recent Star Awards.

A Year 2 Teacher and Maths Subject Leader at The Olive School, Hackney, Deniz discusses her passion for enabling pupils to succeed and how the mastery approach to learning is achieving better results for her pupils in the classroom and beyond.

How does it feel to win Teacher of the Year at the Star Awards?

What has changed in schools since you began teaching?

It was an incredible feeling to hear my name read out! Even to be put forward for the awards alongside some inspiring fellow teachers across Star makes me really proud. I’d like to thank my colleagues at The Olive School, Hackney for their unwavering support during my time here and the Senior Leadership team for giving me the confidence to provide the best possible education to our pupils. This award will inspire me to keep giving my all to give our pupils the best possible start in life. A special thank you to Julie Bradley for always helping me to grow as a leader, thank you to Ms Choksy for her amazing support and thank you to Ms Mukadam for training and mentoring me. This award will inspire me to keep giving my all to give our pupils the best possible start in life.

Recent research into the ways children learn mathematics has led to a change in the way it is taught. I have helped to lead on the implementation of these changes in school and we adopted an approach based on whole-class mastery teaching.

This whole class teaching approach is very powerful as it minimises gaps and gets the children working at a similar pace, rather than separating our pupils with different levels of ability. As a result, outcomes have been higher, and the results of our most recent assessments are showing that gaps in children’s attainment are narrowing. For those who work at a faster pace, it also gives them an opportunity to explore a greater depth of knowledge.

Why did you decide to join the teaching profession?

I had been teaching adults and working as a Teaching Assistant for a number of years but I wanted a new challenge so I joined The Olive School, Hackney in 2016. I started out as a learning coach, supporting lower attaining children in Year 1. I was really passionate about enabling them to succeed and would research and find the best resources to support them as well as other children in the class. When I joined Year 2, my passion grew even stronger and I could often be found creating teaching resources late into the night. I was able to witness the progress children made as a result of my extra efforts and I realised the difference I could have on their outcomes. It was a great feeling of accomplishment so I approached the principal about training to become a teacher. The school has been incredibly supportive and I haven’t looked back!

What aspect of your job gives you the greatest satisfaction?

Seeing children grow, not just academically but personally, gives me enormous satisfaction. I find it extremely rewarding to see children moving from one year to the next with a more rounded character and clear goals for the future.

How important is the subject of maths in the overall development of your pupils?

At university, I studied for a degree in English. My passion for maths was sparked when I started working with children. A strong foundation in maths is an extremely important life skill and I don’t think children realise how crucial it is. At The Olive School, Hackney we place a big emphasis on linking learning to real life experiences. For example, maths lessons for our Year 6 pupils will incorporate salaries, house prices and mortgages, and Reception pupils will complete tasks relating to counting and

measuring plants. I’m really passionate about showing that maths goes beyond the school gates!

Who was your favourite teacher in school?

It would have to be Mr Piper, my Year 10 English teacher. He had really high expectations for his pupils and would never accept a simple answer. I love researching and I think that’s stemmed from the standards he set. This is reflected in my own teaching, so if a child provides a simple answer, and I know they are capable of more, I set high expectations and push them for more detail.

What interests do you have outside of work?

I have a 2-year-old daughter so most of our time is spent at the park, whether it’s sunny or rainy, and we love discovering new insects. I’m an avid Arsenal fan and I love playing sports so I encourage her to do the same.

What are you currently reading?

Every day with my class I like to read them a different picture book, so I’m always trying to find the best book that relates back to my class. We love The Tin Forest by Helen Ward, and every week we reflect on that book to remind ourselves that hope springs in the darkest places, and I’m always reminding them to never give up. I’m also in the middle of reading Primary Huh: Curriculum conversations with subject leaders in primary schools

by Mary Myatt and John Tomsett, which I’m using to gather some ideas to see what I can implement into our school.

SUMMER 2022 ISSUE 08

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