BMAT Edition 6

The Trust at the heart of the Batley community

February 2024

Edition 6

Our children deserve the best.

No child left behind - ever.

Every school a great school.

Creating remarkable people.

Our Trust Vision

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

Our Infant and Primary News

Sensory Garden

We had a space in the centre of our school which was overgrown and unloved. Over the last half term, thanks to grant funding from Groundwork UK- Bupa foundation Green Community Grants and the hard work and amazing skills of Liam Clark, we have been able to transform the space into a completely safe and secure sensory garden.

The garden has a solar powered water feature, a variety of different flowers and herbs, and a walkway with different sensory textures that our children can access safely without shoes.

We have plans to develop this area further with mirrors and wind chimes, as well as cultivating our raised beds with some of the seeds which were kindly donated by Crillys in Birstall.

This has also been a sustainable project, as the majority of the materials that have been used have been reclaimed and reused. We can't wait to get outside and enjoy our fantastic new garden as the weather warms up!

Antarctic adventures

Our Reception children have been on an Antarctic adventure this half term. Our focus text has been Blue Penguin by Petr Horacek. The classroom environment has been transformed into an Antarctic area, with lots of snowflakes, ice to investigate, and lots of opportunities within the provision to reinforce our learning. We loved investigating ice and have made some beautiful drawings and models of penguins.

Theatre company visit

The wonderful Hobgoblin Theatre Company visited school for performances and workshops focussed on the traditional tale, Hansel and Gretel, for Early Years. All of our Nursery and Reception children were able to enjoy a fun and interactive performance, which was then followed by a drama workshop. Traditional tales are a focus in our Nursery this year and, as part of this, we are taking part in the trial for TWiTCH, which is an EEF funded research project into the development of communication and storytelling in the Early Years.

Stronger Together fundraising

We raised almost £400 for Save the Children and Doctors Without Frontiers at our Great Winter Get Together coffee morning, organised by our Stronger Together group. We were joined by researchers from Sheffield University who were collecting stories about school meals of the past with whom we shared interesting insights from Field Lanes’s history.

Welcome to Your Vote Week

Field Lane SOUP!

The purpose of SOUP (a fundraising idea that began in the USA in 2010) is to help children understand what we mean by democracy and to understand how we vote. The idea is that people pay for some soup and then pitch an idea for what they would like to spend the money on. This means that children also get the chance to speak in front of an audience, which is a vital life skill. We raised £205 and each class made a pitch about what the money should be spent on. Some suggestions included a buddy bench, stationery sets and programmable robots. Year 6 won with over 60 votes. Their proposal was about buying some multi-sports tables. As we debated, we ate soup - it was delicious!

Today, five children from Field Lane School visited Fairfield School to learn about democracy as part of Welcome to Your Vote Week 2024. We met the Mayor of Kirklees and the newly appointed Council Leader, Cathy Scott. We also met children from different schools: Fairfield, Westmoor, BGHS and Diamond Wood Academy. We gave a speech in front of everyone! One young person from Fairfield gave a very powerful speech in which they said, ‘Just because I am bound to a wheelchair doesn’t mean I haven’t got a voice.’ We were all given badges to mark the occasion - Mr Lorgat really wanted a badge but he didn’t get one!

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Reception Safari

Reception class has been learning all about wild animals. We made some magical binoculars and went on a ‘roar-some’ safari where we saw elephants, giraffes, tigers and red pandas!

We also used our handprints to make animals, tested if we were faster than a cheetah and learnt how to draw different animals.

Exploring Tropical World

Children in Years 3 and 4 have had a lovely time visiting Tropical World, exploring and learning about all the different animals in the various layers of the rainforest. Our young explorers enjoyed participating in a variety of workshops throughout the day and dressing up as animals, having their classmates guess which animals they were based on their features. Bob the bear tagged along for the trip and had a wild time… despite the snow we had on one of the days!

Healey Superheroes!

Reception classes have thoroughly enjoyed being superheroes for the day! They all took part in special assault courses, building their superhero skills, such as; agility, stamina and strength.

They can’t wait to learn about real-life heroes, including the police, fire service, paramedics, doctors and nurses.

‘Order, Order!’

Building Bridges - Roman Style!

Year 4 have been enjoying Design and Technology, investigating how to make a model Truss Bridge. It’s great to see the children communicating well with each other and sharing ideas. They will soon be making their ‘real’ bridges out of wood.

Year 6 visited Dewsbury Old Court House as part of the whole school ‘Golden Thread’ on Law and Order and linking to their topic of Crime and Punishment.

The children had a tour of the different areas and were shown where the prosecution and defence sit. Both classes had the opportunity to re-enact a juvenile court case: one linked to knife crime and the other linked to cyberbullying. They role-played the parts perfectly, using clear, loud voices. At the end of each case, they acted as a jury and decided if the defendant was innocent or guilty of the accused crime.

Our Secondary News

Year 9 History Project

Year 9 students were given the task of deciding, ‘What was the most significant historical event of all time?’ The task involved independent library research (no computers allowed!) and once they’d selected their event, they had to decide the best way to present this information in a compelling and convincing way. There were some excellent projects created; including a fantastic one on the importance of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius and Pompeii, as well as the fall of Constantinople and the effects of the nuclear weapons used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Most importantly, the students were building skills in effective research, resilience, analysis of information, teamwork and creativity. The winning teams will be rewarded with a historical trip later in the year.

Business Breakfast with Metro Bank

Our termly Business Breakfasts are an opportunity for our young people to meet potential employers and discuss career path options in a semi-informal setting.

Metro Bank attended our February session for students in years 9 and 11, as well as BG6. It was really useful to give them an insight into the skills and knowledge required for a career in Banking.

Welcome to Your Vote Week

Year 10 students, in our trained Kirklees Youth Council Team took part in Welcome to Your Vote Week. We were one of the five local Democracy Friendly Schools who attended the event. Students participated in a range of activities on the day and then presented to the other schools on issues they will be addressing and how they will use their voice to make a difference. It was a superb forum to hear and share ideas. The students also had the opportunity to meet Councillor, Cathy Scott and Mayor of Kirklees, Councillor Cahal Burke and asked questions about their work and career journeys. Your Vote Week is to help young people learn more about voting, democracy and to raise awareness on how important voting is to their local area.

Cummins’ Apprenticeship

Open Event

Some of our Year 11 students were invited by Cummins Turbo Technologies for an Apprenticeship Open Day. The purpose of the event was to learn more about the engineering industry and how there are many routes into an apprenticeship at Cummins.

Year 8 rewards trip to Yorkshire

Wildlife Park

Year 8 students were rewarded for completing their Gold Batley Bucket List with a trip to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. We were able to see a wide variety of animals such as polar bears, baboons, lions and sea lions. By chance, as we arrived at the sea lions enclosure, they were having a training session with park staff so we were able to watch them do a few tricks in and around the water. Students also had a ‘hands on’ experience in one of the forest classrooms. The session involved a lot of information about how the animals interact with their habitats. They were also able to feel camel fur, a polar bear skull, lion claws and a giraffe vertebrate, as well as hold live hissing cockroaches, a giant African land snail and stroke a snake. The highlight of the day for many young people was the ‘Wallaby Walkthrough’ where they were inside the enclosure and were able to get close to the animals, with one walking right in front of them along the path! They also enjoyed the huge adventure playgrounds with a spiral slide, monkey bars and a zipline. It was a fun-filled experience for all with many wanting to return in the future.

Kirklees Athletics Final

This term, a group of 14 Year 8s took part in the Kirklees Sports Hall Athletics Championships. They had previously taken part in the qualifiers a few weeks prior and had done fantastically well to qualify through to finals.

They were up against some very talented young people from other schools and this was clear to see as soon as each event began. Our young people did tremendously well in holding their own, and completing each event to the best of their ability. Overall, out of a possible 10 schools, the boys finished 8th whilst the girls finished 7th. The PE department are extremely proud of every single student that took part. They represented themselves, Miss White and the school amazingly, and should be proud of the way they conducted themselves. A special mention to one of our students who absolutely smashed the one lap race and ended up winning fairly comfortably!

Funding for food tech

As a school dedicated to continually improving the school environment, we are thrilled to have been awarded a Wolfson Foundation grant, which will support the cost of the refurbishment for one of our food classrooms and office to create a new food technology studio.

We have seen an increased enthusiasm for food technology from our learners during the past few years and this funding is integral to how we can develop a specific area of school to support their passions and future career aspirations.

Paul Ramsbottom, Chief Executive of the Wolfson Foundation, said: "We are very pleased to support Upper Batley High School in the creation of a new food technology studio. The new studio will encourage and inspire more learners to learn more about food and nutrition, will provide vital life skills and will also support future career aspirations."

The Wolfson Foundation is an independent charity with a focus on research and education. Its aim is to support civil society by investing in excellent projects in science, health, heritage, humanities and the arts. You can find out more about the Wolfson Foundation here.

Creative Corner

Last half term the Creative Workshops offered a wide range of creative experiences for our learners. Run by different staff in the Creatives Department, they ranged from making tote bags in DT, to manipulating sounds in Music.

Our young people thoroughly enjoyed their sessions and some learners have continued to create their own work outside of the workshops, having been inspired by what they have made and learnt. You can see more about this half term’s offerings above. In DT there will be some screen printing of the tote bags created last half term, and some food technology making (and eating!) some pancakes for Pancake Day.

Our art based offerings will include some 3D pieces in clay pots and vases. Learners can try their hand at some African Drumming in Music, and finally they have the opportunity to create some paper flowers, just in time for Mother’s Day! We hope to see lots of learners attending and making the most of these opportunities.

Our Sixth Form News

Role Models: Women in Uniform

Shy, a photographer who is currently running an exhibition at Cartwright Hall in Bradford, called 'Women in Uniform' delivered a session on her career journey in the creative industries to BG6 students at the end of last month.

The experience was engaging and informative for our students who were shown about the skills needed for the world of work, and specific skills needed for photography.

Shy also spoke about positive attitudes, empowering young people to have self-belief and to help raise aspirations. Shy discussed having a strong work ethic and values. Also, the importance of a good support network and realistic expectations of the world of work.

Newcastle University Visit

It was a brilliant, albeit cold and snowy day visiting Newcastle University exploring medicine, dentistry, psychology, law and humanities routes for our students. As always, our young people were a real credit to our College values of Openness and Wonder.

Superstar Debater

One of our amazing Year 12 students has won the online round, following her success at regional heat, of the Historical Association’s The Great Debate. The competition was fierce and many schools, such as Cheltenham Ladies College, did not get through. She will now go to Windsor Castle for the final at the end of March and will also have her piece on Batley Variety Club published in the Historical Association magazine, which we will share with Batley Historical Association. We wish her every success! She is already a winner in our eyes.

Our Curriculum Enrichment

CCF (Combined Cadet Force) based at Batley Grammar School. Developing leadership skills, resilience, confidence and self-esteem. RAF

Army

On Sunday 4 February, Cadet Sergeant Major Isaac Hartley took part in a service to mark the 50th anniversary of the M62 bombing at Hartshead Moor services. Isaac was chosen to assist the Mayor of Kirklees with his duties back in May 2023 and has attended many services throughout the year. The Mayor and Isaac laid a wreath to commemorate those who lost their lives on that tragic day.

On Tuesday 6 February five cadets from the RAF Section took part in the Air Experience Flight at RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire.

Two female students from Year 9 attended for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed taking control of the aircraft and performing aerobatics. All our cadets relished the experience and are looking forward to taking to the skies again in their next visit.

Our Staff Super Heroes

which deliver invaluable support to the humanities department. On top of this, Zaheerah is also currently studying towards a degree at university.

entrance at the new Trust Development Centre.

Last month we celebrated a special birthday with one of the cleaners at Upper Batley High School. Christine turned 75, and has no desires for retirement anytime soon! She has been part of the UBHS team for 19 years next month and, as the ‘Grandmother of our Trust’ she truly does see us as family. Many happy returns to Christine.

Our Community Work

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

History of school meals

Field Lane are one of four schools taking in part in the School Meals Project, which is an initiative undertaken by the Universities of Sheffield and Wolverhampton, and University College London to explore the evolution of school meals throughout history and impact of the School Meals Service (since 1906) and draw learnings.

As part of The Great Winter Get Together Field Lane held a coffee morning, which was the perfect occasion to get together and celebrate the school’s history in the light of this project as well as being a fundraising opportunity.

Celebrating local women through the arts

Shy Burhan is a Shipley-based photographer who has lived most of her life in Bradford District and whose latest exhibition 'Women in Uniform' is currently on show at Cartwright Hall in Bradford.

The exhibition celebrates achievements of professional women of colour, breaking stereotypes where women are usually underrepresented. Women were interviewed to discuss the role of their ‘uniform’ and how this represents them as individuals, many of these pioneering ladies were from Bradford.

Amneet Mehat, Learning Mentor, from Batley Girls’ High School was proud to take part saying; “It was a privilege to be amongst so many wonderful women from a vast range of career paths and backgrounds.”

Careers work

Join our Community Careers Convention!

Thursday 29 February 2024 at Batley Town Hall

All parents/carers should have received an invite from your child’s school with a link/QR code so you can register your attendance at this event.

Young people from our Trust family of schools will be attending during the school day. Then, from 4pm, we open up the event to the wider community welcoming families and any local people who would like to join us.

It's a fantastic opportunity to meet and network with education providers and employers from a range of industries. Offering free information, advice and support to inform you about a variety of career pathways for young people as well as adults.

Employability Skills

Our wider links

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

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

Our schools play a key role in the Calderdale & Kirklees Teaching School Hub. This Hub offers support to over 400 schools across our region. The purpose of the hub is to provide high-quality professional development for teachers and leaders.

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

https://www.ckteachingschoolhub.org/

Childnet

0800 11 11

www.childline.org.uk

0808 800 500 www.nspcc.org.uk

The

0800 800 2222 www.familylives.org.uk