Preparing their young people for life outside of school is high on the agenda and this includes honing those skills that will enable them to succeed in their futures, which is why it is no surprise they recently received the Democracy Friendly Award from the Kirklees Democracy Commission.

This partnership work has helped the school to introduce their learners to the basics of local democracy. They have learned about the different wards in Kirklees, identified their own ward, discovered who their councillors are, and understood the roles these councillors play in their community.

Field Lane learners have also been actively exploring their local area by drawing maps and identifying places that are important to them. They expressed their feelings about these places through comments and emojis. They also learned about Batley’s rich history and participated in the school’s litter picking project, which helped them to feel more connected with their community.

The school’s gardening club, for both learners and parents/carers, is well-attended with up to 30 participants at times. In addition to maintaining the school gardens, they also oversee a community garden on the school grounds, where they grow a variety of fruits and vegetables. Further to this they have also developed some wasteland into another community garden for their neighbours.

Field Lane actively embraces projects which demonstrate democracy and other essential skills to provide the foundations for their learners’ futures, holding a half termly ideas day where projects are pitched and then voted on so everyone can experience democracy in action.

In addition to the already great work Field Lane does with its young people, this project has enhanced learner experiences, allowing them to grow their connections and their confidence. It is also a way for young people to learn how to work with others to look after their local environment, and it prepares them to become active and informed young citizens.

Hilary Towers-Islam, Headteacher said: “Engaging with local councillors, debating community issues, presenting campaigns, and participating in voting have all become integral elements of our curriculum. I highly recommend this initiative to all schools aiming to develop solution-focused community leaders of the future.”

Antony Cotterill is a Team GB Wheelchair Tennis Player. He has been in a wheelchair since 2003, after he broke his neck, which meant he was unable to walk. He watched wheelchair tennis during his recovery, which really inspired him and he has since represented Great Britain at the Paralympic Games.

Upon Antony’s arrival at Healey School, each class entered the hall with anticipation and a little trepidation about what was about to unfold and were taken through a fitness circuit, with a series of activities for them to take part in including; star jumps, squats and planks (the least favourite)! It was well received by everyone, including the staff, and a brilliant way to get learners excited and engaged with sport in a fun way! 

Antony also led a motivational school-wide assembly, where he talked about his career journey and his unique story of resilience and determination to overcome life’s challenges and lead him to where he is today. He also talked about what inspires him and who his role models are, as well as his motto; ‘Don’t give up!’  This was followed by a Q&A session where learners asked questions about Antony’s career and life story.

The aim of this initiative from Great Athletes is to inspire every child to be more physically active and improve wellbeing, but equally to encourage them to discover and pursue their passion in life and follow their dreams.

Luisa Lang, Headteacher at Healey Junior, Infant and Nursery School said; “We highly value sport and activity in all its forms here and we encourage all our learners to take part in any way they can, so it's enjoyable for them. We know that if we foster a love for exercise and wellbeing at a young age this will serve our children well in their future teenage years through to adulthood. Coupled with this, is the clear message relating to diversity and that despite any adversity in life, people can achieve great things through perseverance and determination. Our school values are; Believe, Achieve, Succeed!

“We are big believers in raising aspirations so our learners know they can be anything they want to be, which is why we welcome fantastic role models like Antony into school so our children can hear from people like him for themselves. Thank you to the team at Great Athletes for running such a brilliant event.”
 

Fundraising, through sponsorship, also took place to help purchase new sports equipment and improve levels of physical activity at break times and they raised almost £3,000, which is fantastic.

Intensive Training and Practice (ITAP) has been introduced, to build trainees’ knowledge, understanding and best practice in the classroom. This means there is now more structure and criteria to the way our trainees are supported, which aids us in delivering our training to the best possible standard. This training is facilitated by the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership, working in collaboration with the Trinity Institute of Education (TIOE) as part of the ITT (Initial Teacher Training) team, for trainees based in schools across Kirklees, Wakefield, Leeds and Halifax. 

In addition to ITAP, subject specific support and training for Art and History, which was previously delivered in universities, is now delivered in school-based sessions to provide greater context and more informed learning about the realities of schools. School-based lecturers are therefore able to amplify the relevance of this subject specific teaching, as well as generic pedagogy.

Two ITAP days have taken place this academic year, to date, at UBHS and BGHS, with a third scheduled for the end of January. Each session is run with a different group of trainees in order to reach all TIOE trainees across the cohort, who come to Batley and visit the schools to experience best practice for teaching and learning.

The ITAP days include National Institute of Teachers’ (NIoT) training, delivered by Emma Rodrigues (Director of the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership) either side of lesson observations, to reinforce what’s being seen in the classroom. This training covers a range of topics including; questioning, lesson structure, cognitive planning and scaffolding.

The TIOE trainees have experienced a range of lessons at UBHS and BGHS exploring how expert teachers structure learning in lessons and use questioning to embed knowledge and ensure progress is made. They have observed colleagues in Art, English, Geography, Health and Social Care, History, Maths, Modern Foreign Languages, RE and Science. Trainees were also given a tour of the schools so they could experience the wider school environment, which included a Forest School camp fire at UBHS.

One trainee, Kieran Masso Walsh, from Mexico said, “My ITAP day was a really refreshing opportunity to see different perspectives within school communities. UBHS is a great school to see the techniques we are taught from the National Institute of Education and Trinity Institute of Education first-hand.” 

Another trainee, Safiyyyah Munir, commented, “It was so interesting to go into a range of lessons that were not linked to my subject and reflect on the ways that learning was structured.” 

Emma Rodrigues added, “These ITAP visits are a positive change for teacher training. The latest visit to BGHS meant that trainees observed a range of lessons focusing on questioning - they needed to consider a series of criteria and how it affected the progress the learners made. It really made trainees look at the lesson in a totally different way, enriching their own learning.”

“We welcome this addition, which adds more rigour to the approach for teacher training. It works extremely well alongside the best-practice we have delivered for over ten years, to ensure trainees are fully supported and given the tools they need to succeed. We know that the pressure trainees are under brings challenges along with it, which is why this is vital to retention for the profession.”

They are one of only six schools in the UK that will partner with Pocketalk, the global leader in translation technology, after the company launched a nationwide programme designed to identify schools that exemplify leadership, adaptability, care and innovation in today’s diverse educational landscape.

The aim of Pocketalk’s partnerships is to support EAL (English as Another Language) learners, parents/carers and teachers. They invited schools across the UK to apply for the opportunity to trial up to 10 of their AI-based direct translators in over 84 languages to help EAL learners to learn and integrate more quickly and easily.

Upper Batley High School's application was selected by a panel of judges for its motivation to help all learners achieve the best possible outcomes in school, and in life and ultimately be the best versions of themselves each and every day.

The use of Pocketalk's devices will help Upper Batley to address and overcome language barriers with learners and their families and help to strengthen those relationships. Currently there are over 455 learners with EAL and almost 30 languages are spoken throughout the school.

The Pocketalk devices, which provide real-time translation, will allow the flow of conversation and will aid interaction at; parent and carer evenings, celebration evenings and other meetings or events with families, as well as in lessons for the learners.

Aman Singh Kang, Headteacher at Upper Batley High School, said: “We believe Pocketalk will be extremely beneficial to our school community, empowering parents and carers so we are able to communicate with them at the exact moments where it is most valuable. We're excited to see the outcomes of using the Pocketalk devices for our learners and their families and strongly believe this will positively impact their educational experiences and, more broadly, the lives of those in our school and wider community."

His earlier book ‘Our Heritage’ from 2019, documented the journeys of 11 first generation Gujarati men who made the long journey from the Indian Subcontinent and settled in Batley and across Yorkshire. ‘Our Heritage 2’, contains narratives of the journeys and stories of 12 female settlers from the Gujarati Muslim community in Batley. These 12 remarkable ladies migrated as children or teenagers and faced the challenges of settling in a foreign land. Yet, through patience and resilience they made Batley their home. 

Abdul A Ravat, who supported Ahmad Lunat, OBE with this project, spoke at the launch: “The life that we all enjoy in the UK did not just happen by accident. It is because of the remarkable hardship, struggles and unity of the early arrivals who came to Batley (and elsewhere across the UK) to help rebuild the post-war economy. Not to be lost is the contribution made by our mothers and sisters who joined their husbands and built a new life for their families as well as the community we now recognise and take for granted.”

Ahmad Lunat, OBE, reflecting on the key message of the book, also said: “I have written many books on a whole range of subjects. I want to apologise to my sisters and daughters that I unwittingly didn’t recognize the contribution they gave to the society we have created in the UK. Therefore, this book is very dear to me because it corrects my mistakes from the past. I hope this book goes some way to plugging the lack of representation of the narrative from our mothers and sisters in archives, museums and in education”. 

Our CEO, Sam Vickers, who was the Guest Speaker, and was also recognised through a special recognition award said: “It was an honour to be invited and to be able to congratulate Ahmad Lunat, OBE and the GWF for its wonderful work for so many years. The book documents, celebrates and shares with the world the real life stories of the wonderful women who moved to Batley and helped make the town the wonderful, and culturally rich and diverse place it is now to live, work and raise a family. We say often in Batley that community makes us, and the unity in the community is key.

Our task now is for these stories to be shared with the younger generations across all our communities, and for the book to be used in schools, with the stories shared in assemblies and used as a tool to empower our next generation of women to also be brave, be pioneers, be ambitious, be resilient, be humble and kind, and to always be the best version of themselves”.

Excerpts from the book were read by granddaughters of the women whose experiences shaped the narrative. The event also included speeches from Aisha Iqbal, BBC Journalist, who spoke about the importance of knowing your history and heritage, and Rashiqha Lager, granddaughter of Ahmad Lunat, OBE, who talked about exploring your grandparent’s roots.

Along with Sam Vickers, four other special recognition awards were presented:

• Sam Vickers - in appreciation of her outstanding contribution to the field of education and supporting GWF
• Fatima Patel – in appreciation of her outstanding continuous excellence in journalism
• Hawabibi Laher, OBE – in appreciation of her pioneering contribution to the education profession and inspiring the next generation
• Saheda Yusuf Patel – in appreciation of her outstanding contribution to the Royal Voluntary Service
• Maryam Adam - in appreciation of being a lifelong host of legendary cricketers and their families

The significant contribution of the twelve women featured in the book, along with the five women who received special recognition awards, should be an inspiration to all the women and girls in Batley, and beyond.

The book launch and the story behind it has already made BBC News and was also published in the Asian Standard.

Yorkshire Rose were assessed on several key areas and were found to be excelling in all areas: leadership and strategy, organisational structure and culture for both staff and trainees, support for trainees and staff, professional development and learning, working with partner ITT provisions, and working with external stakeholders. 

The report states:
YRTP has used the framework and content of the Award to excellent effect to develop their mental health and wellbeing strategies, structures, and practices.  

YRTP prides itself on the personalised support it offers trainees relevant to their needs which may be impacted by age, disability, ethnicity, gender, or family situation. An example includes 10 laptops being provided this year to trainees in difficult financial circumstances. 

At a time when teacher retention is low nationally, it's more important than ever to put good practice in place to ensure those entering the profession are fully supported. It is crucial new teachers know they are valued, and they feel part of a community, and a team, who is invested in their wellbeing so they remain in the profession for years to come. We pride ourselves on doing this very well at Yorkshire Rose and it is great to see this best practice recognised formally. 

Emma Rodrigues, Director of the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership said; “We have always placed a great deal of importance on mental health and wellbeing. Historically we know that teacher training is a tough year. It requires dedication, perseverance and, in particular, support. Over the years, we have developed a personalised support pathway for our trainees, to ensure that they are ready for the next steps in their career as teachers, as well as being able to balance it with their own lives and wellbeing. That is fundamental to our ethos and values.”

Vanessa White, founder of Heartfelt Ways (a wellbeing centre in Huddersfield) added; “I started working with the YRTP team in 2018 and together we have taken a holistic approach to supporting trainee teachers. I have run workshops, small group meditation courses and one to one sessions to enable trainees to explore the barriers to their own wellbeing, as well as offering a range of strategies to build resilience and reflection. I am delighted that the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership has officially been recognised for all the proactive work embedded in this crucial area, ensuring that trainee teachers are equipped with wellbeing tools at the start of their careers.”

This Award also demonstrates why the Yorkshire Rose Teaching Partnership and Batley Multi Academy Trust have a strong record of recruitment and retention of teachers in the early stages of their careers. They have trained over 200 teachers and 100 Higher Level Teaching Assistants; over 80 of which have worked within the Trust’s family of schools, and the importance of this cannot be underestimated. The findings of The Big Listen, an extensive consultation led by Ofsted, about the impact of teachers and initial teacher training attests to this in the ‘teacher professional development and education’ section, stating: “A world-class education system is determined by its workforce. Children told us in the Big Listen that how well teachers teach was in their top 3 priorities for inspectors to look at. We recognise the effect a brilliant teacher has on their students. They are the single most important factor in improving outcomes for children, and we know they are especially important for disadvantaged pupils and those with SEND.”

Sam Vickers, CEO of Batley Multi Academy Trust said; “Our investment in people is intrinsic to our values and our culture. We have been involved in Forum Strategy’s three system leadership papers, the last of which was published recently and focussed specifically on teacher recruitment and retention. Educators need to help one another to inform good practice, especially in a challenging environment. We know that by modelling best practice we can help others in our Trust family of schools as well as the profession as a whole.

She went on to say; “I truly believe that working in education is the most rewarding career anyone can have and it is our duty to ensure we both attract and retain the very best teachers as that is what our young people deserve. Children achieve the best outcomes when they have the very best teachers, and this is particularly pertinent for disadvantaged children. Across our Trust family of schools we ensure we recruit highly skilled, passionate individuals who want to make a difference in young people’s lives. We create working environments that have a positive ethos, and are truly supportive and collaborative. Our schools are great places for children to learn, and great places for adults to teach. A huge well done to Emma and the team for gaining this external recognition of their fantastic work.”

Nothing was going to detract them from focussing on their goal - especially with the help and support of the amazing Amna Qureshi, Cover Supervisor, Higher Level Teaching Assistant and responsible for Parent/Carer Engagement, at Field Lane Junior, Infant and Nursery School.

Amna has led the parent/carer groups at Field Lane since 2019 and they are now so embedded they’ve become a natural expansion of the school. They cover a range of activities that encourage parents/carers to make small changes at home that have an impact at school such as; supporting children with reading at home, establishing routines and boundaries, networking with other parents/carers on healthy lifestyles and, perhaps most importantly, to encourage parent/carer ‘me-time’. The team at Field Lane have even supported those who wanted to learn to drive, and helped to put them in touch with a suitable instructor. One of the women in this group has also passed her driving test during the time she has been studying phonics.

These eight wonderful women dedicated two years to their studies and in recognition of their massive achievement, Amna organised a Graduation Ceremony for them, to formally recognise their success. Donned in caps and gowns, each learner received a scroll and a gift as a memento of their special day.

The room was suitably decorated and there was a real party atmosphere. The women in the group all contributed to the event by bringing in home cooked delights for all the school staff and guests to enjoy - it was quite a feast!

The presiding feedback from the group was not just about what they have learned practically, but how much their confidence had increased through these sessions and the friends they’ve made in the group. The additional benefits they’ve experienced during their studies will remain, although the weekly sessions have now ended.

Amna said, “I am so proud of them all. They have had their challenges, their ups and downs, but they have persisted and helped each other. They began this course as strangers and are now good friends.”

Hilary Towers-Islam, Headteacher at Field Lane added; “Amna has this amazing skill to bring people together, she sees a need and runs with it. She’s a real asset to our staff team and clearly the benefits to our wider community are far reaching. We are so proud of this group of women, who have achieved so much and are fantastic role models for their children and everyone in our school, as well as in our wider community.”