CEO Blog

• Helping each other because community makes us.

  Mon 31 Jan 2022

  This week our family of schools have continued to support the Great Winter Get Together campaign to tackle loneliness. The Jo Cox Foundation launched their winter campaign on Monday 17th January (the notorious Blue Monday!) and it has featured on local and national news, with people everywhere reaching out to help others, so no one needs to feel lonely, isolated or alone.

  Our schools have raised awareness of this key issue through assemblies and tutor time activities, and one of our schools released a recording of a “Tip of the Day” every weekday for the whole two weeks of the campaign. Staff and students alike shared their top tips for tackling loneliness and ways to help support other people. Well done to the staff and students at Upper Batley High School. The school prides itself on being one big family where everyone helps each other to share the good times and celebrate success, and also to support each other through any tough times. See their whole team recording here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vB2ufVRJZ0&t=2s

  

• There’s no shame in sharing.

  Mon 24 Jan 2022

  This week our family of schools continues to support the Great Winter Get Together’s two week campaign, led by the Jo Cox Foundation to tackle loneliness one conversation at a time. When Jo Cox was the MP for Batley & Spen she campaigned to tackle loneliness, and she was brave enough to admit to others that she had felt lonely at different points in her life. Jo had felt lonely when she first started to attend Cambridge University, and again as a new mum when her children were born. Both of these periods of time were key transitions in her life. Jo’s campaign to raise awareness about loneliness, and reach out to those who feel lonely was influential in the Government appointing the first ever Minister for Loneliness. This great step forward demonstrates how the actions of just one person really can make a positive difference for change.

  Across our family of schools we work hard to develop our young people’s skills such as resilience, confidence, problem solving and leadership skills. The children we are raising in our schools today, are tomorrow’s future leaders. We encourage every individual in our learning communities to be the very best version of themselves, and to be the change they want to see in the world. No act of kindness can ever be underestimated, however small. Each one really does make a difference.

  Few people realise that it is young people aged between 16 and 24 who experience feelings of loneliness the most. So let’s raise awareness around loneliness, reach out to help others, and remind everyone that there is no shame in sharing. Our family of schools have supported the campaign through assemblies, sharing top tips to tackle loneliness, and raising awareness of the importance of this because young and old loneliness doesn’t discriminate. Please also see the Great Get Together website for further details. https://www.greatgettogether.org/. Together we can beat loneliness, one conversation at a time.

  

• Let’s tackle loneliness together: One conversation at a time.

  Mon 17 Jan 2022

  Monday 17th January is the start of the Great Winter Get Together. The theme is all about bringing people together, and about helping each other so people don’t feel isolated or lonely. Young or old loneliness doesn’t discriminate. Anyone can feel lonely, and at some point in our lives all of us do. It is ok to admit that, and it is ok to reach out for help. Our family of schools supports the Jo Cox Foundation, and this national campaign to help tackle loneliness one conversation at a time. Not enough people realise that the age group most likely to experience loneliness is actually those between the age of 16 to 24 years old.

  So for the next 2 weeks of the Great Winter Get Together campaign we are asking everyone to reach out to other people in any way you can. You can do this in a variety of ways such as calling a friend or a relative for a chat; meet up with someone you think may need a friend either in person or virtually, or send a handwritten letter or card to someone. You could also visit the community library located on our Upper Batley High School site, and take a free game, puzzle or book. Afterall, you are never alone when you have a good book.

  Let’s help each other and tackle loneliness together, one conversation at a time. No act of kindness can ever be underestimated. See the Great Get Together website for further details of how you can be involved. https://www.greatgettogether.org/

  

• Be the best version of yourself.

  Mon 10 Jan 2022

  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents/carers for their support in ensuring our family of schools had such a great start back to the new term, despite the challenges we face with the pandemic. We had a very strong uptake of onsite lateral flow testing in our secondary schools which helped to keep every individual safe, and our community safe overall. Our staff teams and older students return to twice weekly home testing now. Great attendance is key to a great education.

  Our young people are also now reviewing the progress they made in the autumn term, and working hard every lesson of every day to achieve their very best this term. Our schools have a wide range of extra curricular activities underway, as we all know children excel when they take part in sports clubs and activities which help to develop their leadership & collaboration skills; curriculum clubs such as science club, and rocket club to engage and inspire; music lessons for inspiration & relaxation; arts & creativity projects, and Forest School/ outdoor activities to help develop their love of learning. Our family of schools has a great curriculum offer with something to suit everyone’s skills & interests, and we aim to encourage our young people to try new things and develop a real love of learning. Afterall, every expert was once a beginner.

  

• New Year, New Beginning. – 4 January 2022

  Tue 04 Jan 2022

  Happy New Year! We wish you, your friends, family and loved ones a very happy, healthy, peaceful and prosperous New Year. I hope you have all enjoyed the festive period, and we welcome you back to the new school term and all of the exciting events that will be taking place across our family of schools this term. I would also like to thank everyone in our community who supported our December charity appeals. Our family of schools managed to collect food items, winter clothing and other important goods to assist the local food and clothing banks, as well as collect Christmas presents for local children. Community Makes Us and we are very privileged to be part of such a strong and supportive community here in Batley.

   

  This term is crucial for all our young people to get the year off to a flying start and continue to have great attendance as they did last term, and to continue to work hard every lesson of every day, and always be the very best version of themselves. With hard work, ambition, dedication and determination all our young people can have a bright and exciting future ahead of them. As a very successful local business leader once said “The harder you work, the luckier you will be”.