CEO Blog

• Batley Business is Booming

  Mon 19 May 2025

  In Batley some businesses are booming, despite the current economic challenges, and this is a great learning opportunity for our young people, allowing them to observe and understand such matters as:
   

  • How do you set up your own business?
  • How do you run a company efficiently and effectively, in the current economic climate?
  • How do you survive and thrive, despite the challenges you face?
  • How do you develop the resilience and grit you need to keep going, regardless of what life may throw at you? Resilience is that 'bouncebackability' that we all need. 

   

  All of these are key questions for young people, as well as key lessons for life. Life can be tough at any age, but developing coping strategies and managing to succeed are essential. Our learners take part in projects involving highly successful local businesses and learn about their story, their business mission and vision, and take part in some really engaging, real-life learning activities. 

   

  Currently, our secondary school learners from Batley Girls', Batley Grammar and Upper Batley are working with a local entrepreneur and his Batley-based business, Pugata Jewellery. Young people are learning about the key areas of the business and are designing their own piece of jewellery that will be manufactured and showcased at London Fashion Week. Wow - what an amazing example of more Batley Brilliance, and such an exciting careers curriculum enrichment project for our learners. We cannot wait to see their innovative jewellery designs. 

  

• Community Makes Us

  Mon 12 May 2025

  This week we celebrate the wonderful things our colleagues and learners do for others. Across our Trust family of schools adults and children alike give generously to support others, especially those less fortunate than themselves. Supporting fantastic local charities like, The Kirkwood and Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, are always close to our hearts. In June, we will also be supporting the Jo Cox Foundation with the Run for Jo, and our very own Batley Bake Off. 

   

  Staff also go the extra mile for others by doing things like regularly donating blood. This is easy to do and the Al-Hikmah Centre in Batley hosts sessions every few months. It's free and helps saves lives. It may even benefit you, giving you some time to sit quietly and read, listen to music or just relax. It can be difficult to find those quiet moments in a generally busy week. 

   

  This weekend some members of our staff teams ran the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon and Half Marathon, with many family and friends cheering them on. What a hot day to run that distance! Well done to everyone showing that tremendous commitment. Rob Burrow raised awareness around the world of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and how it affects people with the disease, but also the impact on their loved ones. 

   

  So, what can you do to give to others? It doesn't have to cost anything, it might be checking in on a neighbour or asking someone if they are ok, if they look a bit sad. Knowing someone is there for you, always makes people feel better.

   

  For our learners in primary schools this week it is their chance to shine with their assessments and we know they will do brilliantly! To all of those young people - you've got this! This is your chance to shine!

  

• VE Day - 80 years

  Tue 06 May 2025

  This week we remember all those who gave their tomorrow's so we can enjoy the freedoms we have today. Celebrations have been taking place to mark the 80th anniversary of VE (Victory in Europe) day; on Thursday 8 May 2025 it will be 80 years since VE day when the end of the second world war was announced in 1945.

   

  Over the weekend there were celebrations across the UK and in London there was a flypast Buckingham Palace, featuring various aircraft from that time, including the spectacular Red Arrows. 

   

  King Charles hosted a tea party for veterans of the war to mark their service and our Trust family of schools pay our respects to all those who lost their lives or were injured in the war, and their families, plus all those from around the world who gave many years of service.

   

  The country commemorates and celebrates this week, and there will be a two minute silence on Thursday. Our Trust family of schools all pay tribute to veterans and mark the celebration of the end of the war this week. Our learners have lots of memorabilia including medals, old ration books and photographs passed down from elder family members from the 1940s, and have even made their own plane!  

   

  As the wonderful poet Amanda Gorman wrote: "For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it, if only we're brave enough to be it."