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Brigantia Learning Trust

Autumn Term 2021

 

Brigantia Voice 21

We are delighted to be working in partnership with the nationally accredited Voice 21. All of the academies within the Trust have engaged in the programme and we have commenced a three year collaboration. 

Through working with Voice 21, we believe this strategic focus on oracy will improve students’ attainment, but also, more broadly, their independence, ambition and resilience. In doing so, we know students will become more confident; giving them a voice, the freedom to express their ideas and supporting their wellbeing through articulation of their thoughts and feelings. Oracy is included within all lessons and across the wider curriculum with the ultimate aim to provide a seamless and progressive Oracy journey through each key stage of development. This will be celebrated alongside our core values of Creativity, Confidence, Care, Ambition, Integrity and Respect.

Our plan is to work collaboratively with our academies in the following key areas:

  • Increasing confidence: empowering students with the belief that their voice has value, developing the ability to articulate thoughts so others will listen.
  • Improving academic outcomes: developing learners who can think critically, reason together and have the vocabulary to express their knowledge and understanding.
  • Fostering wellbeing: supporting students to build successful relationships, talk through issues, express feelings and resolve conflicts.
  • Equipping students to thrive in life beyond school: helping them to progress, access employment and engage in civic life.
  • Narrowing gaps: enabling disadvantaged students to fulfil their potential.
  • Promoting social equity: leading to a fairer society where everyone, regardless of background, finds their voice for success in school and in life.

If you would like to find out more about how Brigantia Voice 21 is having an impact in our academies, then please email Simon Winslow, Director of Education, to find out more.

“In school, oracy is a powerful tool for learning; by teaching students to become effective speakers and listeners we empower them to better understand themselves, each other and the world around them. It is also a route to social mobility, empowering all students, not just some, to find their voice and to succeed in school and life.” Voice 21

The Brigantia Transition Journey

The educational journey of our young people begins at the age of two in our Ducklings Early Years Provision, right through to post-16 at Longley Park Sixth Form. It is incredibly important to us and one of our strengths that our young people benefit from a smooth transition between stages, to ensure they are comfortable and confident about the next phase of their Brigantia journey. Here are some examples of how this works between key stages and academies:

Transition into Ducklings at Wincobank: individual visits between staff and families build a full profile of the child before they join us at age 2, followed by short stay and play sessions as agreed with parents. 

Transition into Nursery: short regular visits and parental transition information meetings to discuss the EYFS curriculum are complemented by full settling-in sessions before all children attend full sessions together. 

Transition into Reception: regular visits, meet the teacher events, classmates and playing in their new classrooms. Family induction events to support transition in the summer term. In September, children attend for two and a half hours for the first two days, then on the third day pupils stay for lunch, and from day four children start full time.

Transition from KS1 to KS2: extra visits with KS2 teachers to familiarise pupils with the new environment and new people, picnic/sports days at Concord Junior, attendance at school performances and two transition days in July with new teachers.

Transition from KS2 to KS3: Pupils at our primary phase at Hinde House were able to visit the secondary phase in the Spring term to enjoy taster sessions, meet their new teachers and get used to life at secondary school. Summer schools across secondary academies allow new pupils to enjoy a wide range of activities and meet with their new peers and are well received by pupils and parents alike.

Transition from KS4 to KS5: Events are hosted every academic year at both secondary academies and at Longley Park where Y10/11 students network and research A-Level courses and apprenticeships, experiencing ‘A day in the life of a sixth former’ and ‘Life after college’ with over 20 universities. A-Level masterclasses also take place in a range of subjects, including History, English, Psychology and Sociology.

Rainbow Day – NHS Thank You

We were delighted to be involved in a joint project in July 2021 when Concord and Wincobank academies celebrated the work of the NHS and key workers by decorating mugs and wearing bright colours to create a human rainbow. The mugs, which bear both school logos, were delivered to local key workers and community businesses, along with some tasty treats, to say a massive thank you for all they have done during the pandemic to help keep us all safe. 

Children and families nominated local front-line workers and businesses to receive the gifts and we were overwhelmed with reciprocal thank yous from the community including the Yorkshire Ambulance Service, Northern General Hospital, DPD and Morrisons Ecclesfield Community Champions.

Miss Sherwood, Associate Principal, commented: “So many people in our local community have done so much to support others and keep us all safe, not just during the pandemic, but all year round. It is our way of recognising the hard work and sacrifices they have made and a fantastic way for all children in both schools to show their respect and appreciation by saying ‘Thank you’. 

Keeping fit

In the summer our children were invited to walk more over a six-week period, joining the ‘Beat the Street’ movement which turned the streets of Sheffield into a giant game. In a bid to get Sheffield children more active and to improve mental health our pupils were really inspired by the activity and had a wonderful time exploring the streets around their homes and school. As proud winners of our heat we received a trophy and a £125 Waterstones voucher for new books for our library. Win-win at Wincobank! 

Stepping back in time

Our Key Stage 1 children are learning all about Victorians and to bring the topic to life we had a visitor to teach us all about school life during this period of time. We learnt that teachers were extremely strict and Victorian children did not misbehave as those that didn’t listen were threatened with the cane! We were also told that some poor children were made to wear the ‘dunce’ hat.

We were shown how Victorian children had to bow or courtesy to their teacher on arrival to school and that each child had their own desk and used a slate and special pencil. Our visitor made a really good strict teacher and we all did as we were told! It was a thoroughly enjoyable way to bring our topic to life and helped us all compare today’s life in the classroom with that of a Victorian child – we know which we prefer!

Our ducklings take to water

Ducklings children have settled with great ease into life at Wincobank and have been reading the story ‘We’re going on a leaf hunt’. They’ve hunted for leaves around the school grounds and have made stunning autumnal pictures. The children have enjoyed sweeping and raking up the leaves in our beautiful grounds and transporting them in wheelbarrows which has also been good for our physical development.

Healthy body – healthy minds

During the summer holidays we installed new equipment which has transformed playtime during break and lunchtime for our children. A MUGA has also been installed on the front yard where the children are able to play football and basketball in a separate area. A staggering 100% of teachers and children surveyed said these have been positive additions to the school – an all-round thumbs up!

Sheffield is alive with the sound of music

We are excited to welcome ‘Music in the City’ into the school who will provide our young people with the opportunity to listen to amazing live music as part of our music curriculum. This wonderful organisation will be performing a different piece of music from the BBC Ten Pieces to each year group and our pupils will be able to listen and appreciate a wide range of instruments, creating their own pieces, before they are then challenged to produce their own creative responses inspired by what they have heard. 

Football triumph

Our Year 5 and 6 boys recently took part in a football tournament organised by the Archers School Sports Partnership, in conjunction with Sheffield United Community Foundation. Our team practiced hard after school with Miss Smith, Mr Matterson and Mr Williamson and were ready to take on the challenge when the competition was hosted at Hinde House Academy. An astounding 2-0 win in the final against Hartley Brook Primary School, with amazing support from our parents, guaranteed an individual gold medal for each of our brilliant sportsmen!

Art in Sheffield Botanical Gardens

We are delighted to announce that we had two winners at Sheffield Young Artist Exhibition Summer 2021: Jahnae ReidLawson, Year 6 and Rhowdah Rehman, Year 5. This is an annual competition organised by Sheffield Rotary Club and this year’s entrants were given the task to create a piece of artwork to be displayed in Sheffield’s Botanical Gardens based on the theme ‘Art in the Gardens’. After fierce competition from other schools our two winners’ stunning artwork went on display this September.

Personal Development & Enrichment Programme

As part of our Personal Development curriculum at Yewlands we have six Enrichment Days booked in the school calendar every year; one full day every half term. Yewlands students understand the importance of personal development and embracing their futures so they can transition into adult life with confidence. We are so very proud of how our learners engaged with our first full programme and firmly believe they have learnt some really important life skills along with bespoke advice on their futures.

October 13th was the first Enrichment Day of the academic year for the whole academy and every year group took part in different themed activities with speakers complementing and facilitating our lessons. Here is a brief overview of our programme:

  • Year 7 students received a fascinating presentation on the fire service including hoax calls and arson from the South Yorkshire Fire Service. Year 7s were also introduced to the world of careers and a first glimpse of the world of work.
  • Year 8 were given training in basic first aid and how to save a life through the seven steps of CPR.
  • Years 9 and 10 had a full programme of workshops on careers and higher education with an additional insight in how to face challenges – this was delivered by the Hepp South Yorkshire Plus programme (HeppSY). Year 9 also had lessons on sexual health.
  • All of Key Stage 3 took part in our Thrive initiative which draws on established neuroscience and child development theories to benefit the social and emotional wellbeing of our young people.
  • Financial matters were tackled by Year 10 students with a whole array of workshops on long term financial planning, financial futures linked to goals and aspiration. Year 10 students were also introduced to the world of Higher Education.
  • A whole programme on Healthy Relationships saw students in Years 7 to 10 involved in seminars and presentations whilst also delving into Black History Month.
  • Year 11 were presented with a raft of talks about online gambling and mental health, along with invaluable advice on safety on the streets.

We extend a huge thanks to the organisations that helped bring everything to life and for delivering some amazing content to our learners: Epic Risk Management, South Yorkshire Fire Service, The HeppSY programme, The RSHE Service, The Chartered Insurance Institute and The Personal Finance Society.

Yew Futures

As part of our Yew Futures Programme we were overwhelmed with the level of take up of our extra-curricular activities. Yewland staff have surpassed themselves with the range of clubs and activities that have been put on for our students during lunchtime and after school. On offer this term we have something to suit everyone’s interests and passions, including football, netball, art, drama, ICT, robotics, science, programming, debating, fitness, dancing, badminton, creative design and creative media. We also have an abundance of music clubs including Vocal Harmony and a newly-formed Samba band.

Pre and Post Yewlands Academy

Preparing for joining in Year 7

Over 120 Year 6 pupils took part in our Transition Summer School for a week in early August 2021. There were so many fun activities on offer including circus skills, work with the Sheffield ‘Pop-up’ Museums, Scoot-fit, drama workshops, Harmony Music School, interactive Geography, castle building and a raft of other exciting initiatives. The week was a roaring success and it was wonderful to see the pupils immersing themselves in the activities alongside building relationships with their future peers and teachers before they joined us in September. We are delighted to welcome our fantastic new Year 7s and their families as they join us for the next stage in their secondary education.

Preparing for Post-16

For Year 11 students, Enrichment Day marked the start of the Post-16 application process. Students were shown how to apply to colleges and sixth forms and were given the opportunity to write their personal statements and CVs supported by tutors and careers advisors. Transition to Longley Park We are excited that so many of our learners continue their education at Longley Park Sixth Form. We recently visited the sixth form to see how our students were getting along. We met up with many of these students and a particular mention goes out to: Hannah who is studying for A Levels in Criminology, Sociology and Psychology and Jasmine who is studying Criminology, Sociology and Photography. Both are loving their respective courses and said they have felt so welcome by everyone at Longley Park.

Virtual reality!

Pupils and staff at Hinde House Academy are truly excited about the new VR technology that has arrived, with the recent delivery of 15 VR headsets. VR technology in education has been shown to increase memory retention and recall, enhance student engagement, remove language barriers, and aid understanding.

The headsets allow for immersive learning experiences across primary and secondary phases including virtual expeditions to other parts of the world, virtual trips to museums, explorations through the inside of the human body, the inside of atoms, outer space and more!

England Rocks 2021!

In October pupils at Hinde House Primary took part in Maths Week England 2021. To celebrate, teachers planned some fun mathematical memory meetings and active learning for our pupils. As well as this, Hinde House Primary had the opportunity to take part in a fantastic competition hosted by TT Rockstars – England Rocks 2021. Every class blew us away with their effort and fluency skills during the competition. Well done to everyone!

Digital Leaders

The Hinde House Primary Digital Leaders met for the first time this autumn half term. Working alongside Mr Heath, they began work on their project which will involve creating digital artwork for the school, assisting the teachers with using the VR Headsets in learning time and preparing a whole-school assembly about Online Safety.

Will we see the Machu Picchu?

As part of their curriculum learning topic ‘Paddington’s Passport’, Year 2 had an airport experience day to remember forever! As they immersed themselves in the wonderful tales of Michael Bond, they heard favourite Paddington Bear moments like: “Seagulls don’t know everything… I always keep a marmalade sandwich under my hat, just in case!” They enjoyed the first-class lounge, watched the in-flight entertainment, and did some amazing learning about Peru and Paddington Bear. Following this, they created fact files about spectacled bears, discovered more about the Amazon rainforest, and even designed and made their own delicious sandwiches!

Deep thinking!

In September, during our Expanded Learning Time we have seen some great work and wonderful practice from chicken leg dissections to poem recitals, model making to programming. We saw students being challenged to think deeper in English, staff embedding the think aloud metacognition strategy in Science and great examples of oracy being encouraged in Food Technology.

We were particularly impressed by the excellent engagement in DT with pupils helping each other to succeed with practical work and displaying real enjoyment in the subject. Encouraging students to read for 30 minutes a week has been shown to increase their overall health and wellbeing. 

Philanthropy @ Hinde House

We are always impressed with the fundraising initiatives that staff and students are regularly involved in. The academy has recently raised over £1,600 for Cancer Research UK by taking part in the annual Race for Life. Children in Need is also a charity we support annually, and money is being raised in lots of inventive ways. Our work this term has also extended to support the Burngreave community with a Food Bank drive. Thank you to everyone involved in our philanthropic endeavours! 

Lifesaving skills

We were delighted to welcome NHS volunteers into the academy in October when over 300 Year 9 and Year 10 students were taught life saving skills on how to restart a heart! 

Mental health first aiders

We now have 17 members of staff who are adult mental health first aiders. These members of staff recently completed a training course led by Brendan Roy to help them identify, understand, and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health issue.

It is important to recognise that our mental health is just as important as our physical health can affect anyone at any age, and strike at any time. Over the next term, we will be working on strategies to support staff wellbeing and mental health – more information to follow!

A knock-out visitor

Hinde House student were inspired by the recent visit from Barry Awad, the World Champion boxer from Sheffield. Barry is better known as Kid Galahad, and returned to his old school to motivate students to take their education more seriously than he did. 

Barry’s former teacher, Michael Jones, said that Barry was a ‘cheeky chappy’ but was completely dedicated to his sport at the early age of 13. Barry admitted that he wasn’t the best pupil and said: “I want the new generation of students at Hinde House to be as successful academically as I have been in the boxing ring.” Our students gave Barry a resounding cheer and wished him continued success in his career! 

Congratulations to the class of 2021

Students celebrated another excellent set of outcomes this summer as the Class of 2021 received their results in August. Pass rates across the Sixth Form remained at a four-year high, with 45% of A Level grades at A*-B and a continued rise in the proportion of Distinction* grades awarded on vocational programmes. Particular successes were seen on our Level 3 Childcare Early Years Educator; four students achieved the equivalent to four A*s at A Level and achieving the occupational competency to launch their careers.

A career in architecture

We saw many young people from our Trust community flourishing and realising their aspirations. Adam Charity joined Longley Park from Hinde House Academy and achieved A* A* A* A in A Level Maths, Physics, 3D Design and Further Maths and is progressing to Sheffield Hallam University to study a degree in Architecture. 

Reaching high

An increasing proportion of our students are heading for universities around the UK, with a significant number being placed at prestigious Russell Group universities. Many other students are securing some fantastic further training and employment opportunities. Usman Rashid secured an Apprenticeship at high profile auditing and accountancy firm, Mazars Group, after studying A Levels in Biology, Chemistry and Maths. When asked what made his Sixth Form experience so memorable, Usman said: “I came to Longley Park with nothing and left with everything. The teaching, support and diversity of the Sixth Form is what makes it so special. Give 100%, work had and you can achieve it. Whatever your ambition, you can achieve it with Longley Park.”

Celebrating together

Jamie Davies, the Executive Principal said: “Our students have achieved a phenomenal amount in what has been a complex and challenging two-year period and it is truly an honour to see them celebrate success and realise the aspirations that they have worked so hard to achieve. Our young people have risen to the challenge of online learning, managed periods of isolation away from their peers and completed an extensive and rigorous period of assessment. They have done themselves, their families and the Sixth Form community proud. We wish them every success as they embark on their next steps.” 

A wealth of opportunities await

Moving into the new academic year, we are incredibly excited to welcome our new cohort of young people ready to aim high, dream big and reach further. As Longley Park students, this cohort will be exposed to a wealth of opportunities to help enrich and develop their knowledge, skills and understanding, as well as their readiness for the wider world. 

Our next group of potential students are being supported with an extensive schedule of liaison opportunities to help them make those important decisions about their future direction. Joe Duckney, from Hinde House Academy, and Gavin Breward, from Yewlands Academy, work alongside our Liaison Team here at Longley Park. Our series of activities aim to ensure that all our students from the Trust secondary academies are informed, excited and prepared to make the choices about their next steps.

Joe said: “The transition offer at Longley Park seeks to get to know our students early on, to build the awareness and readiness for transition at this crucial stage of their education. Academic workshops, intensive skills sessions and peer mentoring are all part of the package that Longley Park offer to ensure young people are instilled with the confidence and determination to achieve more than they ever thought capable.” 

Student profiles… and their advice to younger students

Kayla is continuing her studies at Longley Park on the UAL Level 3 Fine Art course and has ambitions to go on to university to study an art related course. Kayla comments about her studies at sixth form: “There is lots of support on offer compared to other sixth forms and colleges. Longley Park Sixth Form is great - teachers will take the time to help you if you don’t understand something or if you want further advice; they treat you like an adult.” Kim is heading to the University of Sheffield to study Biomedical Science and Red is studying Human Biology at Sheffield Hallam. Here’s their advice: “Hard work truly pays off, don’t underestimate your potential.”