Lionheart News - Issue 04 - July 2023

LI

Welcome to our Summer newsletter

As we approach the summer break, I would like to thank you all for your support throughout this very busy and successful academic year. Your support, encouragement and, at times, firm words have helped our pupils thrive.

The summer term is one I always look forward to. It provides us with an opportunity to reflect on all of the successes of the year and is often the time when we see all the hard work of our pupils and staff culminate in very special ways. I have the privilege of working with and visiting our schools to see first-hand the progress of our youngest learners in EYFS, right the way through to ensuring our Year 13 pupils are prepared in the best way possible for life after school. Not only is this progress perceptible through examination results, but also through holistic development, as we provide our students with the tools needed to become exemplary citizens within society.

In this newsletter, you'll be able to read about the amazing public speaking event we held at The Y Theatre in Leicester. The bravery, confidence and passion of our pupils at this event was truly fantastic, and it was wonderful to watch them all support one another. Also, our secondary-aged pupils competed with one another at the first ever Lionheart Games, and we saw sixth form pupils awarded their Gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award at Buckingham Palace. There have been many more causes for celebration all of which give me, and I'm sure you, a real sense of pride. The details of all those achievements are shared in the coming pages.

More recently, in an uplifting end-ofterm event, our staff came together to celebrate the work of their peers through the ‘Heart Awards’. They nominated one another for embodying positivity, professionalism and pupil-centredness; the values they designed and model on a day-to-day basis. You can find out more about the ‘Heart Award’ winners inside.

I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the monumental efforts made by our muchvalued staff body. Collectively (this academic year alone) they have supported over 500 pupils through their SATs, prepared pupils for over 15,000 GCSE entries and over 3000 A level entries. They have led and managed the development and opening of three brand new buildings, led many a school trip and served over 500,000 school lunches. All of this is undertaken with a determination to give the very best opportunities to our pupils.

I hope you enjoy reading our final newsletter of the academic year.

On behalf of our staff, I wish you all a restful and enjoyable summer and we look forward to welcoming your children back in the new academic year in August.

Kath Kelly CEO of Lionheart Educational Trust & Executive Principal of Beauchamp College

Key dates

AUTUMN TERM

Training day Friday 25th Aug 2023

Bank holiday Monday 28th Aug 2023

Training day Tuesday 29th Aug 2023

Term begins Wednesday 30th Aug 2023

Half term Monday 16th Oct –Friday 20th Oct 2023

Inset day Friday 1st Dec 2023

Term ends Friday 22nd Dec 2023

SPRING TERM

Training day Monday 8th Jan 2024

Term begins Tuesday 9th Jan 2024

Half term Monday 19th Feb 2024 –Friday 23rd Feb 2024

Term ends Friday 22nd Mar 2024

SUMMER TERM

Term begins Monday 8th Apr 2024

Bank holiday Monday 6th May 2024

Half term Monday 27th May 2024 –Friday 31st May 2024

Term ends Friday 12th July 2024

If you’d like to contact us, offer any feedback about this newsletter, or tell us what you’d like to see in future issues, please email

info@lionhearttrust.org.uk

Coronation celebrations

At the start of May, Trust schools celebrated an incredibly historical event; the coronation of our new monarch, HRH King Charles III.

Each school celebrated differently, with much excitement seen in the primary schools!

Brocks Hill Primary School invited pupils to dress as royal kings and

queens for the day, with children given the opportunity to create their own royal crown before embarking on a treasure hunt.

The children at Highcliffe Primary School also designed their own crowns. These were then worn on a royal parade around the playground whilst the generous PTA provided tea and cakes – how very British!

Lionheart triumph with national inclusivity award

The inaugural MAT Excellence Awards took place in early July, recognising the work of multi-academy trusts up and down the country. Having been nominated for the award, Lionheart were thrilled to be shortlisted in the Inclusivity category, with members of the executive team making their way

to London for the award ceremony.

As one of six multi-academy trusts shortlisted in the category, the competition was tough, but we’re excited to announce that Lionheart came away as winners of the national award!

Broom Leys Primary School staged their own coronation party in the wonderfully decorated dining hall. The children danced and sang along to ‘Land of Hope and Glory’ before feasting on hotdogs, chips and ice-cream.

It was a phenomenal effort from our collection of schools and great to see children and staff celebrating the coronation in style!

In the words of the judging panel: “Staff and student voice are central to the trust’s approach. The judges appreciated the impact of action being taken in a range of areas, such as recruitment, career development and the curriculum, and the focus across faith, ethnicity, class and LGBTQ+.”

Lionheart Games 2023

We were thrilled to host the first ever Lionheart Games, a Trustwide sporting competition held at Saffron Lane Athletics Stadium.

On a very warm June day, around 300 students from Lionheart’s eight secondary schools came together and competed in a range of athletic events.

The students were split into four categories - Junior Boys and Girls (year 7 and 8) and Inter Boys and Girls (year 9 and 10) - before tackling a series of track and field events.

The track events consisted of races ranging from 100m to 1500m. An array of field activities were also on show; including shot putt, javelin, discus, triple jump and long jump.

“The students were great ambassadors for their schools and showed a fantastic attitude and approach to their events,” said Mrs Ardley, Trust-wide PE lead.

The standard was high and the competition fierce, with the winners as follows:

Junior Boys Beauchamp College

Junior Girls Sir Jonathan

North Girls’ College

Inter Boys The Cedars Academy

Inter Girls Sir Jonathan

North Girls’ College

Sportsmanship Cup - The Newbridge School

It was a fantastic opportunity for Lionheart’s young people to meet with students from across the Trust while engaging in competitive sport.

Congratulations to every young person who took part in the event and, of course, those who were victorious!

Lionheart students receive gold Duke of Edinburgh's Award

In May, 13 students – past and present – from Beauchamp College and Beauchamp City Sixth Form travelled to Buckingham Palace to receive their gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

The students received their prestigious memento – a reward for almost two years of hard work and perseverance – from HRH Prince Edward Duke of Edinburgh.

Accompanied by school Principals, the students enjoyed a collection of exciting activities and events in the Palace Gardens and listened to a host of guest speakers –including TV presenter and former footballer, Jermaine Jenas.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is a scheme Lionheart students can complete from Year 9 onwards. It promotes holistic development and positively challenges students to step out of their comfort zone.

The contingent who received their gold awards this year completed a host of activities including expeditions to the Peak District, volunteering for local organisations and supporting children’s residential trips.

Their achievements are a testament to their resilience and dedication and we are very proud of their achievements.

National School Sports Week

At the end of June, our schools also participated in National School Sports Week; a campaign run by the Youth Sport Trust which encourages young people to complete the recommended 60 minutes of exercise per day.

Throughout the week, lessons across the curriculum were given a ‘sporting twist’ and the importance of being active was promoted. Staff also got involved, helping to produce a short video that was shown to pupils explaining what physical activity they do and what benefits they gain.

Students at Beauchamp College were fascinated about the physics behind taking a free-kick; they also enjoyed calculating their running speed and learning about how the heart responds to exercise.

At Beauchamp City Sixth Form, particular emphasis was given to the psychology of sport and, in particular, the positive effect it can have on your mental health. Students also took part in boxing sessions, a new initiative introduced thanks to collaboration with Atlas Boxing, a local club.

Enthusiasm was plentiful at our primary schools. Pupils at Hallam

Fields had an amazing time at sports day, competing in a range of classic events and races. Brocks Hill, meanwhile, took part in the ‘Play for 60’ initiative and allowed the children to enjoy an extra 30 minutes of physical activity each day.

It was an action-packed and electric week, where the importance of being active was stressed.

“Regular physical activity is absolutely one of the best things you can do to support your current and future

physical and mental health and emotional wellbeing,” said Mrs Ardley, the PE lead for the Lionheart Trust.

She continued: “School PE and sport is a fantastic way to develop skills and fitness, while having fun and improving confidence, resilience and leadership skills.”

Find out what sporting facts were shared with pupils across the Trust: vimeo.com/lionhearttrustmedia/ schoolsport

Heart Awards - recognising our employees

Throughout the academic year

we have celebrated staff who frequently go above and beyond to ensure your children receive the best education, support and care possible.

Almost 300 employees - with nominees from every Lionheart school - were recognised through the Heart Awards, with the winners crowned in July.

They were:

Jaspal

Singh, Premises Officer, Highcliffe Primary School

For enthusing pupils by creating a team of ‘Mini Premises Officers’ for children with behavioural difficulties or SEN needs and introducing the ‘Highcliffe Premises Award’ which is presented weekly for the tidiest classroom and cloakroom.

Chanel Dhameja, English Teacher, The Newbridge School

For building a culture of trust and a love of learning with students - to the extent that some gave up their much-loved football at lunchtimes to help her launch the Lionheart canon of books across the school - all within her first year of teaching.

Gareth Butcher, Head of Science, Beauchamp College

For always putting the students, his team and colleagues before himself. This year, he stepped in to support a

year 7 residential trip at the eleventh hour and identified a student’s ability which ultimately saw them gain a prestigious engineering scholarship.

Natasha Ladha, English Teacher, Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College

For being an inspirational English teacher and empowering diversity ambassador. She leads 30 student diversity ambassadors who help the school to celebrate, respect and raise awareness of all types of diversity and protected characteristic.

Wellbeing Team, Humphrey Perkins School

For their strong commitment to ensuring that wellbeing is threaded through the culture of Humphrey

Perkins among staff. They epitomise kindness and care.

Kelly Cragg, Media Teacher & Head of Sixth Form, The Cedars Academy

For challenging the world of misogyny and sexism, with creativity and positivity. Kelly has focused on educating young people when their attitudes are discriminatory.

Alison Spathaky, Student Support, Beauchamp College

For caring deeply for the families and students she works with. She completes training above and beyond what is expected, bringing knowledge and insight to the team in all its work with students.

Catering Team, Martin High School

For creating an exciting and vibrant atmosphere for everyone in the school community, when it comes to food. From Pi Day to Halloween, the canteen is always the talk of the school!

A huge thank-you to our award sponsors, Surveyors to Education, GTE Electrical, Aspire People and Benenden Health, and also to the independent judging panel.

New Alternative Provision Centres to open in September

At Lionheart, we believe that every young person has an equal right to an equal education so they have the opportunity to fulfil their potential. At times, that means providing alternative pathways for some young people, which is why - following our approach to the Local Authority - we are thrilled to be taking a new approach to inclusion at keystage 3 and 4. This new approach will have three key aspects:

The Bridge, on site at Humphrey Perkins School, will support students who have received a temporary suspension of up to five days. Rather than undertake their suspension at home, they will take part in one-to-one restorative work aimed at managing misbehaviour and learning from mistakes. Students will also be supported in their studies during this time.

The Green Room, based at The Castle Rock School in Coalville, will offer support to identified students for up to two days a week. They will attend The Green Room on day release from their school and take part in a therapeutic-based curriculum which will include activities such as gardening, hairdressing, woodcraft, nail art and animal welfare. Tailored mentoring will support students’ transition back into full-time mainstream education.

The Pioneers’ Centre will also be on site at The Castle Rock School, offering support to students who are either on the brink of permanent exclusion or have been excluded from a Lionheart School. Students in keystage 3 will attend for a six-week programme, with re-integration to a mainstream school thereafter. Those in keystage 4

INTHEMEDIA

will attend the centre on a permanent basis, until the end of year 11.

Students at the centre will study traditional core subjects – English, Maths and Science – alongside vocational activities, with access to counselling and support services.

Transport will be provided to enable Lionheart students from across the county to attend these schools away from their usual place of study.

Following detailed research by Lionheart and having seen this model successfully implemented across the UK, it is believed that the introduction of these units will not only result in fewer suspensions and exclusions, it will also support mainstream students to realise their full potential.

Five students from Judgemeadow Community College enjoyed hosting their own show on Ramadan FM this term.

Hibah, Abdul, Lamisah, Zainab and Dhruv were given two slots every weekend during the month of Ramadan.

They discussed a range of interesting topics including female sport, volunteering in the community and how to look after the planet.

The students who host their own community podcast – ‘In the Meadows’ – were even visited by BBC Radio Leicester journalist, Summaya Mughal,

to speak about their podcast.

Listen to their interview here: www.bbc.co.uk/ programmes/p0fdrlv8

LIONHEART VALUES EQUITY: 'Fair doesn't mean giving every child the same thing, it means giving every child what they need' Rick Lavoie

Lionheart Speaks!

This summer term pupils from across the 14 Lionheart schools have been involved in an ambitious, exciting Trust-wide challenge. They have learned how to communicate effectively, what makes an impactful speech and have delivered it to a live audience in a public theatre in Leicester.

Our ‘Lionheart Speaks!’ initiative has been an overwhelming success and we wanted to share a little more about why we have invested in this approach.

“You’re on mute!” probably sounds familiar?

When the world closed down three years ago people across the globe had to navigate new ways of working, new ways of communicating and new ways of listening.

For many adults this was a test as most people moved interactions online as far as possible. There was an assumption that this was less of a culture shock for young people as new technology was embedded into their lives and they had lots of opportunity to express themselves.

New research from The Centre of Education published in 2021 showed us clearly that this assumption was flawed and that whilst the technological world had been a lifeline for communication, it was not a replacement for oracy

education; a vital ingredient in promoting and supporting learning.

The bottom line from all contributors- academics, employers, teachers, parents and learners themselves was clear: the pandemic left a gap and developing young people’s oral skills improves competence, agility, and confidence as communicators, and enables success in life beyond education.

This year Lionheart’s global issues curriculum has continued to provide an opportunity for our learners to understand life beyond the school gates. We have explored the issues that young people care about: issues such as climate change, equality of opportunity and the forced movement of people and we have encouraged our students to find their voice, engage with their communities and express their ideas.

Building on these two objectives together, we developed the opportunity for Lionheart learners from across all age ranges to participate in a day-long workshop provided by Talk the Talk, a specialist oracy charity, that helped them hone their thoughts and feelings around these complex issues into effective speeches. This challenging

workshop experience culminated in school level competitions which saw our learners rehearse, refine and perform their speeches to a panel of leadership staff and governors.

The passion, commitment and dedication from all students was incredible and the school panels had a VERY difficult time selecting finalists.

The selected finalists- two representatives from each Lionheart school- performed

on Monday 26th June at The Y Theatre in Leicester city centre to a live and attentive audience.

They absolutely wowed the crowd with a range of incredible speeches focused on incredibly mature issues such as: Men’s mental health, homelessness, fast fashion, body image and black history and representation.

A phenomenal display of talent from Lionheart students who have relished the opportunity to speak out and be heard.

We are incredibly proud of all of our students and hope to see Lionheart Speaks return next year to enable more of our young people to get involved, take the platform and find their voice on an issue that matters to them and to us all.

You can watch a short video about Lionheart Speaks! here: vimeo.com/lionhearttrustmedia/ lionheartspeaksevent

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its impact is dominating headlines, though at the same time we hear daily about inflation figures, interest rates and fuel prices. Whether it is the complex algorithms of AI or understanding how our cost of living is changing, mathematics underpins much of our modern world.

The vital importance of Maths to all of us is why the overarching vision for Maths across Lionheart is that:

“All pupils are confident in Maths; equipped with strong procedural and conceptual understanding for future education and for life.”

Maths is an interconnected subject. Our learners need to be

Subject Spotlight Maths

able to move fluently between mathematical ideas as well as connecting them to other subjects. The nature of how an understanding of maths is constructed, a bit like a building - with each new piece of knowledge resting like a brick on and connected to other

knowledge, means that the order in which it is learned is important.

Lionheart’s expert Directors of Primary and Secondary Maths have carefully sequenced the curriculum to ensure that each pupil’s journey through learning Maths is supported

“Scientists use AI to discover new antibiotic against deadly hospital superbug”

“Dominos uses artificial intelligence to create national dish-inspired pizza toppings for Eurovision final”.

on solid foundations and builds logically from Foundation Stage to Key Stage 4 and beyond.

All the way through their time learning Maths with us, we balance procedural understanding, the how, with conceptual understanding, the why. Combining these helps build the deep understanding that pupils need.

There are key ideas that run throughout Maths, which pupils explore in increasingly advanced ways. For example, place value is a crucial concept that pupils meet right at the start of their schooling, beginning with understanding the relative size of small numbers and progressing into the workings of our decimal (base ten) number system. Place value underpins many mathematical areas, including addition, subtraction, multiplication

and division, percentages, and fractions. It is also crucial in progressing to algebra and links to science, specifically through scientific notation which allows us to work smoothly with the very large and very small numbers that arise from the expanse of the universe and the tiny particles that comprise everything around us.

The Maths we all recognise has been developed over thousands of years with ideas and developments from all over the world. It is thought that only three cultures invented a place value system which shows, while it is relatively simple idea, what a magnificent invention it is. The Mayans used twenty as their base and the Babylonians used base sixty, which underpins how we tell time. The base ten place value number system that we use in the West is derived from the

Hindu system and enables much of our modern civilisation.

Once Lionheart learners reach year seven they have developed a good grasp of base ten place value, which we ensure is secure before exploring in more depth. For those pupils who are ready to deepen their understanding of place value we extend into other base systems, such as hexadecimal (base 16), base five and base two, which is also known as binary. The binary system is another cross-curricula link as it is the basis of all computer systems.

This is just one example of why and how our curriculum enables pupils to develop a deep understanding of Maths. As the American Mathematician Stan Gudder said, “The essence of math[s] is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple.”

SCHOOL ROUNDUP

Beauchamp City Sixth Form

Students create inspiring short film

Students at Beauchamp City Sixth Form have been enjoying a plethora of extracurricular activities this term, thanks to newly formed partnerships. Opportunities have included boxing club with Atlas, designing a computer application programme with IBM, a hospice care project with LOROS and a county-wide sixth form debating competition.

In partnership with Soft Touch Arts, a local creative arts organisation who deliver various projects around Leicester, and local law

firm Glynis Wright, a collection of students recently enjoyed researching, scripting, directing, filming and editing four short films.

Entitled ‘Pulled Both Ways,’ the project focused on the theme of divorce and how children at the centre of these scenarios often feel ostracised and ignored.

Working with professional actors, a range of interviews were conducted resulting in a gritty and inspiring piece which raised awareness about violence, domestic abuse

Beauchamp College

and coercive control and, it is hoped, these resources will prove useful in supporting children.

Brilliant beyond the classroom

Many students at Beauchamp College have been taking advantage of multiple extra-curricular opportunities to heighten their holistic development this term.

A popular initiative is Brilliant Club and, during the summer term, as part of their involvement, several year seven and eight students completed contrasting projects on the Windrush Generation and diseases respectively. These students have already visited the University of Birmingham to

celebrate their achievements and they are scheduled to travel to Warwick University later this month as well.

The Mentors in Violence Prevention scheme was also introduced with

a number of year 10 students receiving training on how to be upstanders and inspirational role models for the new year sevens.

With the aim of further promoting diversity at Beauchamp, a collection of students learnt how the Police Force protect human characteristics; with particular emphasis attached to the LGBTQ+ community. They then presented their findings to the leadership team with suggestions on initiatives to implement at the college.

Brocks Hill Primary School

New library lights creative spark!

The eagerly-anticipated new library opened its doors after the Easter break, leaving many children speechless. This was followed by an official opening with local author, Steve Skidmore, in July.

The bright and colourful facility contains plenty of space to explore and to curl up with a good book. There are designated sections for Key Stage One and Two, whilst books have also been sorted into genre-specific sections.

And if that wasn’t enough, there is also a seasonal themed tree for inspiration, ICT facilities and space where pupils can set their

Broom Leys Primary School

imaginations free and get creative. Getting creative is certainly what one Brocks Hill pupil did this term, producing a stunning piece of winning artwork for the ‘Step into the NHS Competition’ - an initiative which aims to make children aware of career opportunities within the NHS.

This is the school’s third winner in the last four years, with the pupil going through to the next stage, competing against other schools around the country!

Fishkeepers of the Year!

During the summer term, Year

3 children at Broom Leys Primary School were thrilled to be named ‘Fishkeepers of the Year’, as part of the ‘Fishkeeper Fry’ programme; an eight-week primary-specific course that teaches young children about the science and art of looking after fish.

An aquarium containing an array of fish and plants – including Corydoras, Danios, Harlequins and Honey Gourami - was set up in school and the children were tasked with

demonstrating their newly-acquired fishkeeping skills to monitor and look after the fish; reporting their progress back to ‘Fishkeeper Fry.’

More than 80 schools across the country took part in the programme and Broom Leys Primary were voted the winners!

Tappers, the man behind the project, came back to the school in May to present all the children who took part with medals and a collective trophy, which is on display for all to see.

The Castle Rock School

Students work up a sporting sweat

Sport and physical activity is a significant part of The Castle Rock School life and, during the Summer Term, this has been thoroughly emphasised.

75 students visited the school at Saffron Lane Stadium in Leicester, competing against other schools in the Area Athletics Championships. They took part in a variety of track and field events

The Cedars Academy

and represented the school admirably.

Sporting clubs also went from strength-to-strength during the term, with football, basketball and

netball teams recording some terrific victories while showcasing many of the school’s values.

Another individual who embodied those values was year nine student Barclay, who completed a remarkable sporting feat. Throughout May, he performed 100 push-ups every day to raise money for Teenage Cancer Trust. The final total stood at £450!

Endeavour

Anti-bullying ambassadors Students' resilience shines through

This term, The Cedars Academy teamed up with The Diana Award charity to train several students to become AntiBullying Ambassadors.

The Diana Award - a charity set up in honour of the late Princess of Wales - is an initiative designed to help young people make a positive change within their community.

Amongst other programmes, the charity run an anti-bullying initiative which, primarily, encourages school students to challenge the attitudes and culture of bullying. Students at The Cedars Academy completed their Anti-Bullying Ambassador training on 10th May, and have since applied their newly acquired skills to ensure the school is a kind, safe and supportive community for all.

They have launched a series of new strategies to raise money and awareness during the summer term; these include a non-uniform day and a colour run. The students have also delivered anti-bullying assemblies to other year groups in the school.

At the end of June, students from Endeavour – the social, emotional and mental health school at The Cedars Academyenjoyed an eventful camping trip at Leicester Outdoors Pursuit Centre (LOPC).

With Endeavour students having not had many opportunities to attend school trips in the past, this event was hugely significant.

The LOPC is home to multiple exciting activities which are designed to strengthen determination and resilience. Little did the students know, though, that these characteristics would be tested in a completely unforeseen manner.

Following an exciting day kayaking, it started raining; and it never really stopped. The riverbank burst and the students later found their tents and sleeping bags were knee-deep in water.

With no dry clothes and nowhere else to stay, they had to return home. Whilst not the most enjoyable ending to a school trip, the pupils’ experience at LOPC provided them with memories that will last a lifetime!

Hallam Fields Primary School

Pupils host charity jumble sale

In June, Year Three pupils at Hallam Fields Primary School hosted their own fundraising event, raising a fantastic £66!

Co-ordinating the event as part of the Lionheart Character Award, the pupils, with support from Mrs Buxton, wrote letters of appeal to staff, parents and pupils asking them to donate any

unwanted toys, books and teddies. The children then hosted their own jumble sale in the playground, ensuring the donated items found new owners, with unsold toys later donated to a local charity shop.

The money raised was donated to Action Homeless, a Leicesterbased project, who previously

Highcliffe Primary School

Entrepreneurial flair at end of term fundraiser

visited the school to explain some of the work they do in supporting those who are homeless.

A massive well done to the children from Fox Class who admirably demonstrated all of the school’s ‘6R’ values.

The year six children at Highcliffe Primary School have been entrepreneurs this term! To raise money for their end of year leavers treat, they planned, organised and held a fundraising event on the school playground.

Demonstrating all of the 6Rs, the children brought in unwanted toys, books and games and also created

a variety of homemade items which they sold to parents and other children. Some sold drawings and bookmarks, others baked tasty treats, whilst a number of children even created their own jewellery.

In addition, there was a ‘nail bar’ where pupils could get their nails painted, a raffle and a sweets and biscuits stall which, unsurprisingly,

proved to be extremely popular!

At the end of the event, the final total raised was £450. A fantastic achievement!

Head of School, Mrs Harris, is now trying to get Sir Alan Sugar on the phone to persuade him to sign up year 6 for the next series of ‘The Apprentice!’

Humphrey Perkins School Somos los Campeones

Several year 7 students from the Humphrey Perkins School competed in a Trustwide Modern Foreign Language Spelling competition in June.

The eager, but nervous students, had been working towards this event for many weeks; sacrificing their lunchtimes to practice with teachers as well as working tirelessly at home.

The competition required the students to spell a selection of Spanish words; they acquired points for getting the word correct and for being first, therefore speed and accuracy were essential.

The children held their nerve, though, and were duly named school champions in Spanish; bien hecho!

Upon returning to the school, the victorious students proudly showed their impressive haul of medals and a superb trophy.

Associate Principal, Mrs Bartram quickly found the perfect spot to display the school’s newly acquired silverware, so that students, staff and visitors could share in the joy of this outstanding achievement.

Judgemeadow Community College

The Musical

Back in May, students at Judgemeadow Community College blew their audience away with a stunning musical performance.

Based on the classic story of ‘Oliver,’ ‘The Judgemeadow Musical’ was the result of five months planning, dedication and hard work!

The performance – in their stateof-the-art auditorium – brought together students from all year groups; they sang and danced their hearts out much to the joy and adulation of the crowd, who were certainly left wanting more.

In fact, the musical was so well received that it was performed

for a second time to year seven students the following day.

There was extra significance to the event too, with all proceeds from ticket sales going to the Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal; an extremely worthwhile cause and one very close to the hearts of the school community.

Martin High School Football tournament at Leicester City!

On a warm Thursday in June, a group of students from Martin High School were fortunate to visit Leicester City Football Club’s Seagrave training ground to compete in a 7-a-side football tournament.

Upon arrival, the students were given a tour of the impressive complex by the Inspires Coaches from the club’s community organisation, which left students in awe at the size of the building and the facilities available to some of their favourite footballers!

Then, the competition began, battling against six other local secondary school teams with eight-minute matches in a ‘round robin’ tournament format.

The Newbridge School

The nine-strong Martin High team finished the LCFC Inspires competition in a very commendable fourth place and proudly received medals at the end-of-day presentation.

The students gave their all throughout the competition and were exceptional role models for the school.

Newbridge has talent!

The amazing Performing Arts offer has really shone this term at The Newbridge School, with music, dance and drama students taking part in a variety of school competitions.

Back in May, a number of Newbridge students competed in the first ever Trust-Wide dance competition, ‘LET’s Dance’, hosted by The Castle Rock School. Amidst fierce competition from rival schools, year eight student Amelie – who performed a wonderful solo dance to ‘Tightrope’ - managed to finish in second place in the Juniors category.

Further accolades were received a few weeks later at the inaugural Lionheart ‘Battle of the Bands’ at The Cedars Academy. Ella in year 11 – a vocalist and guitarist - was awarded the ‘Individual Outstanding Achievement Award’ as she brought

the house down with a stunning performance of ‘Barracuda’ by Heart.

Then, in June, students starred again at the school’s own Summer Showcase with singing, dancing

and acting all entertaining the audience of parents and carers.

It has been fantastic to see students sharing their incredible talents this term!

Riverside Primary School A celebration of cultures

At the request of pupils who were very keen to celebrate the plethora of different cultures within the school and its community, Riverside celebrated its very first Culture Day in July. A red carpet was laid out for the children on arrival and they wore whatever they felt represented their culture; there were some amazing costumes on display!

A variety of fun activities not only engaged and educated the children

but also promoted the importance of inclusivity and diversity.

The children had fun with multiple

Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College

game stalls, a face-painting stand and a bouncy castle; they even created their very own hand mehndi designs!

If that wasn’t enough excitement, there was also a cultural dance off in the hall which was judged by the eagle-eyed school governors, with winning pupils given prizes for their energetic efforts.

All-in-all it was a magnificent day that highlighted the brilliance of the school community!

Supporting scholars’ university aspirations

Students have had a tremendous time participating in The Brilliant Club’s Scholars Programme, which supports students’ university aspirations. Several of the school’s year seven and eight students participated, starting with a launch day visit to the University of Birmingham.

Following a campus tour where they learned all about university life, they

attended workshops with PhD tutor, Brandon, who spoke insightfully about the Windrush Generation and subsequent scandal; the topic which then became the girls’ study focus.

The students were required to complete a challenging assignment, yet throughout, they remained motivated and determined to achieve fantastic grades. And that

is certainly what they did, with 70% of Sir Jonathan North students achieving a first in their assignment, making them one of the strongest cohorts this academic year!

To celebrate this remarkable achievement, the students enjoyed a graduation ceremony at the University of Cambridge in July, giving them a further taste of university life.

UPDATESFORPARENTS/CARERS

Secondary School Open Evenings

If your child is due to start secondary school in 2024, you’ll need to apply for their place by 31st October 2023. To help you make your decision, our secondary schools are welcoming prospective students and their parents/carers to have a look around, and meet staff and students, this September. Keep an eye on the school websites for booking information.

Beauchamp College, Oadby

Wednesday 13th September 2023

The Cedars Academy, Birstall

Thursday 21st September 2023

Judgemeadow Community College, Evington

Thursday 21st September 2023

Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College, Knighton

Thursday 14th September 2023

Consent on Beehive

You may have noticed the consent module that is displayed on the lefthand side of Beehive, our school portal for parents, students and staff. This has been added as part of our continuous improvement plan and it appears that many of you have spotted it and already updated consent for your child/ren, so thank you!

This module allows you to give media consent for photos and videos of your

The Castle Rock School, Coalville

Thursday 21st September 2023

Humphrey Perkins School, Barrow-upon-Soar

Thursday 14th September 2023

Martin High School, Anstey

Monday 18th September 2023

The Newbridge School, Coalville

Thursday 28th September 2023

child to be taken and shared, enabling us to celebrate their achievements via media such as newsletters, the website and social media, as well as promote the school to the wider community. It also allows you to withhold consent, or withdraw at any time, enabling schools to better manage this.

This removes the need for you to sign paper media consent forms as schools can access real-time

information on Beehive.

Please visit Beehive via the app or desktop to give or review your consent preferences.

TRUSTIMPROVEMENTS

We’re busy investing and improving...

We are committed to giving every child the best possible opportunity to fulfil their potential, therefore, we are continuously moving forward with investment in both technology and buildings.

IT projects completed during the summer term

Endeavour, Cedars’ Social, Emotional and Mental Health provision, received 16 brand new iPads to augment the pupils’ learning experience

Martin High School had new servers installed, resulting in a faster, more efficient experience for both staff and students

112 new iPads were delivered to the children at Broom Leys Primary School, to enhance the learning of Computer Science – a fundamental skill in the modern world.

A new digital signage solution was installed at Judgemeadow Community College to improve communication.

A new firewall security system was installed at Brocks Hill Primary School, to heighten performance and continue to ensure online safety for pupils.

IT and Buildings – projects that will get underway during the summer break

A new content filter solution will be implemented across all of our schools over the summer, to further strengthen online security for students.

Hallam Fields Primary School will receive a collection of new computers and laptops, as well as a new server to improve security and performance.

Lighting will be replaced with more efficient LED lights at Beauchamp College, Brocks Hill, Cedars Academy and Riverside.

Social Sciences students can look forward to a refurbished building, with highspeed connectivity and new classroom audio-visual software. A new network infrastructure to enhance internet speed and security will also be installed.

Redevelopment of an existing space will begin for an alternative provision school - The Pioneers’ Centre - on site at Castle Rock.

All windows in the CDC block at The Cedars Academy are to be replaced.

Toilet facility refurbishments will commence at both the Humphrey Perkins School and Sir Jonathan North Girls’ College.