CEO Blog

• Love to Learn

  Mon 18 Mar 2024

  We have held some fabulous, immersive learning experiences recently across our Trust family of schools. The Trust-wide careers event - Trust Us, held at Batley Town Hall, was a big hit with our young people, our staff and our community, and made front page news in the local press.
  
  Careers education is a core part of our work to raise aspirations, and ensuring everyone can be the very best version of themselves. It is also hugely important to us that we set young people up well with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their next steps of education, employment or training, so they can pursue the career of their choice. As Confucius once said; "choose a job you love and you will never have to work a day in your life".  

   

  A crucial part of being ready for further education, or ready for the world of work, is being highly skilled in literacy - reading, writing and oracy - and our Trust family of schools celebrated World Book Day in style. Developing a love of learning often starts with a love of reading. Reading not only teaches us about other experiences, it is also how we can all deepen and enrich our vocabulary. Anyone who says they don't like reading, just hasn't found the right book yet! 

   

  Batley Girls' High School linked literacy to a creative challenge and young people decorated their classroom doors in the theme of their chosen book. The door displays look amazing! What better way to get our learners engaged with reading, and to have a lasting display of the relevance, importance and significance of a book. Absolutely brilliant!

   

  And, do remember, at Upper Batley High School there is a community library for anyone to come along and take a book, relax and enjoy! You are never alone when you have a good book. 

  

• An inspirational way to start the day

  Mon 11 Mar 2024

  It was Field Lane's turn to host the Batley Breakfast last week and they did it superbly well! The Fields community space was packed full, and the Batley Buzz was definitely in the air. Members, Trustees, Governors, Trust Central Team colleagues, school leaders and other colleagues from across our Trust family of schools were all treated to a presentation by the Headteacher and then a tour of the school in action. From start to finish the event was simply marvellous.

   

  The Headteacher outlined the school's vision and values and how these align with our Trust vision and values. She also described how Field Lane achieves such tremendous success with all of their young people, regardless of their background or starting point. Field Lane is an exceptional school - each lesson of every day embodies their values, and they have high aspirations for everyone, both staff and young people alike. 

   

  Field Lane not only achieves exceptional outcomes (way above national averages) but they have such wonderful creativity, a really strong focus on wellbeing, caring for and nurturing the whole person; and they are research driven, using evidence-informed practice well in every area of their work.

   

  Visitors saw the school's impressive, handcrafted bespoke library which is a magical space to help promote the love of reading, and we saw the librarians in action delivering books to every class as part of World Book Day activities. The excitement was palpable as each class eagerly received their specially gift wrapped book and carefully unwrapped it to reveal the captivating contents inside. Field Lane is a truly unique and special school. At the end of the tour no one wanted to leave.

   

  Well done to the Field Lane team; a superb school and a wonderful place for children to learn, grow, develop and thrive.

  

• Trust Us - with your future

  Mon 04 Mar 2024

  Last Thursday saw our first ever Trust-wide careers event held at Batley Town Hall.

   

  Our Trust family of schools all came together for the Trust Us event. The aim of which was to be community centric and provide a careers event appropriate for both our primary and secondary age young people, our staff and our community.
  
  We are the Trust at the heart of the Batley community and we know firsthand that if you choose a job you love, you never have to work a day in your life. That's the hope and aspiration we have for our whole community; that our young people will work hard at school, aim high and be successful. They can then secure a job they love and have an extremely satisfying and rewarding career.

   

  The day commenced with an immersive, bespoke drama experience for our younger learners, then a range of providers set up their careers stands and stalls. We were joined by universities, colleges, public services and local businesses - the Town Hall was absolutely packed full of people all excited about what the future can hold for individuals and for our town overall.

   

  The Batley Buzz was evident everywhere. The event was really well attended by members of the local community, parents/carers, our Members, Trustees and Governors. Our incredibly skilled and talented young people are excited about what their future holds.