Comedian Adrian Edmondson goes back to school at Thackley Primary

Young bookworms at Thackley Primary School will now be able to curl up with a book in their new state-of-the-art library.

Bradford-born comedian Adrian Edmondson went back to school last week to officially open their new state-of-the-art library which is set of encourage a love of reading. 

Adrian lived on Highfield Road as a child before achieving fame as a comedy actor, winner of BBC’s MasterChef and is currently playing the role of Malvolio in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Twelfth Night.  He has recently written a very well received children’s book called ‘Tilly and the Time Machine’ which children in KS2 have been reading.

The library, which has the capacity for 3000 books, is three times bigger than the previous library and is now fully accessible to all as it is situated on the ground floor.

Head of School, Annette Patterson said:  “We hope our new school library will become the heart of Thackley Primary School.  It will absolutely improve the children’s learning experiences and we really can’t wait for it to be finally open!

“A well-stocked, well-designed and well-used library will have a lasting affect on generations of children at the school. It will help us to foster a love of reading in all of our children which we know is so vital.”

The new school library will be open during and after school and will be appointing new junior librarians to look after the library and their all-new, broad selection of books.

During his visit to Thackley Primary School he read the children excerpts from his book, Tilly and the Time Machine – released earlier this year, posed for photos, answered questions from pupils and signed books for children, staff and parents.  

He had also brought a number of his favourite children’s books to present to the library.  

Thanks to questions from the school’s inquisitive reading club, the group found out that Mr Edmondson would travel back to the days of Lord Nelson if had a time machine, that he is a fan of TV comedy The Windsors and that he has a pet Whippet.  

His next book will be released in January and it is about a boy who becomes friends with a talking Shetland Pony.

Bradford Council’s Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Education, Employment and Skills, Coun Imran Khan said:

“Congratulations to the staff, pupils, parents and carers at Thackley Primary School who have worked together to make the new library possible and encourage a love for reading.  I am sure all the children will embrace the new area and it will become the heart of the school and full of bookworms.”

Follow Thackley Primary School: @ThackleyPrimary and Ade Edmondson: @AdrianEdmondson

Free First Aid Awareness Training

Could you benefit from attending an informative event where you can receive free First Aid Awareness Training? Why not come to the Community Family Fun Day at the Carlisle Business Centre, Carlisle Road, BD8 8BD, on Saturday 2 December from 11am to 2.30pm.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service and NEESIE are running this partnership event, and the Ambulance Service, with their Recruitment and Apprenticeship Team, will be delivering the free First Aid Awareness Training to all.

Free lunch and a first come first served creche facility will allow mums and dads to sit back, relax and learn vital life skills!

 

Introduction to Directing – Taster Sessions for 18-25 year olds

Are you aged 18 -25 and living in Bradford? Are you creatively curious and have something to say to the world? Ever thought about directing for theatre?

Sign up for a taster session to our second Introduction to Directing Course!

This November, West Yorkshire Playhouse and Common Wealth will lead a course exploring what directing is and can be. Sessions will be led by West Yorkshire Playhouse’s Associate Artist, Mark Rosenblatt, and Common Wealth’s Co-Artistic Director, Evie Manning. Over five days, we want you to come and be curious with us; 11,12, 23, 25 & 26 Nov. The course is free and there will be some small stipends to cover travel expenses.

There will be a FREE taster session on Tue 17 Oct from 6pm – 8pm at Speakers Corner, Ivegate, Bradford BD1 1SA.

Email jenny.sullivan@wyp.org.uk for more information or to book for the taster session.

If you can’t make the taster, don’t worry – you can introduce yourself however you’d like. Send us a blog, a video or an email to jenny.sullivan@wyp.org.uk by Wed, 25 Oct.

@WYPlayhouse

Council seeking sponsor for new social, emotional and mental health free school

Bradford Council is looking for a sponsor to run a new special free school for pupils with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs.

The new school is being created in Bradford after the council successfully bid with partners in the district and neighbouring councils for Education and Skills Funding Agency funding.

The free school will offer whole life services based around excellent education, family care and work-life support with space for 72 pupils and a 12 bed residential facility.
Bradford Council is now inviting applications to run the new school.  The council is hosting an event this week to share its vision with prospective sponsors.

Representatives from Social Care,  Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services and neighbouring local education authorities will also be attending.

The event takes place at the Ernest Saville Room in City Hall from 10am to 1pm on Friday September 22.

Applications to run the new school can be submitted at any time before noon on November 24 this year.  The Council cannot grant a deadline extension. Any organisation wanting to submit a bid should register their interest first.

The new school is set to be built on the former Rhodesway playing fields site on Lower Grange, Bradford.

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s executive member  for education, employment and skills, said: “This new free school will play a key role in our provision for pupils with special educational needs.  We are looking for an organisation which can fulfill our vision for a school which provides  whole life services based around excellent education, family care and work-life support. We believe this school can make a real difference to the lives of young people who will benefit from this support.”

30 hours update – Parents who have applied for a code but not received one

The DfE has informed the LA that a small number of parents who have applied before 31 August may receive their 30 hours code between 1 and 14 September, because HMRC required additional information before determining their eligibility (‘amber’ cases).

In these circumstances, providers should be satisfied that a parent applied for a 30 hour code by 31 August before offering a 30 hours place. For example, a parent might demonstrate that they applied before 31 August through sharing the information contained within their childcare account mailbox and secure message that will state when they were identified as an amber case, and the date they received the message.

Bradford LA will fund a 30 hours place for these parents for the autumn term where they have received a code from HMRC with a validity start date after 31 August and up to 14 September.

As previously advised, a parent can reserve a place for their child the term after their third birthday with their chosen provider prior to their code being checked, but the code must be checked via the Funded Hours Checker before the child can take up their funded place. If providers choose to allow parents to start the place prior to validating the code, it will be at the provider’s own risk should the parent prove to be ineligible.

The DfE has also stated that the childcare service helpline is now able to provide a temporary code to eligible parents experiencing on-going technical issues. Please encourage parents to contact the helpline on 0300 123 4097, who will check eligibility and provide them with a code if they qualify for 30 hours in the event that they cannot resolve their issue with their on-line application.

Partnership is the secret to success for group of inner-city Bradford schools

A partnership of neighbouring Bradford schools say joining forces is helping to drive up standards for the thousands of pupils across their postcode area. The BD3 Achievement 4 All consists of ten primary schools, a special school, a secondary school and two children’s centres.All of the primary schools which have been inspected by Ofsted in the group have now been rated as being good .And the school leaders in the partnership say they are committed to driving further improvements with a major focus on improving pupils’ reading in key stage two as they reach the end of primary school. The BD3 schools work together on a range of areas including reading, science, moderating each other’s marking and work, supporting newly qualified teachers and developing early years teaching. For the past two years the partnership has been chaired by former Bradford headteacher Sara Rawnsley. She said: “There is a deep commitment to work together for the benefit of everyone in the partnership. “There are academies and council maintained schools, we have children’s centres, primaries, a special school and a secondary but everyone is open to working together and sharing what we do to drive improvement.” The schools in BD3 Achievement 4 All are Peel Park Primary, Westminster CE Primary, Barkerend Primary, Byron Primary, Lapage Primary, Dixons Marchbank Primary, Killinghall Primary, Thornbury Primary, St Mary’s and St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary, Feversham Primary, Delius Special School, Carlton Bolling College, Barkerend Children’s Centre and Mortimer House Children’s Centre.Peel Park Primary School, in Undercliffe, is one of the latest schools in the area to celebrate Ofsted success after it moved from Requires Improvement to Good in the inspection report published in May which praises all areas of its work.Byron Primary and Dixons Marchbank Primary also enjoyed success with good Ofsted reports this year while  Lapage Primary, St Mary’s & St Peter’s Roman Catholic Primary, Feversham Primary and Delius Special School are all rated as good as well. Peel Park Headteacher Lloyd Mason Edwards said: “BD3 schools have worked in partnership for a long time but in recent years there has been a real focus on improving teaching and learning and improving attainment. “There is a shared ethos across our schools and everyone is open to sharing what we do. I do think a lot of our success is down to the partnership. It has helped to improve our teaching and learning. We work together in lots of different areas. “We have worked on professional development of our staff, special educational needs teaching and working on support for pupils who are new to English.”Gill Edge, the headteacher at Killinghall Primary School said another benefit of the partnership had been the way in which it allowed schools to to support new teachers starting their careers. “Sara Rawnsley who chairs the partnership has developed school courses for newly qualified teachers and recently qualified teachers to support them in their first years in the job. This makes a real difference for the schools as it has meant we are retaining more of the teachers who start their careers in BD3. Retaining and developing teachers allows schools to develop a stable and established workforce which makes a real difference for us.” Mrs Rawnsley added: “The courses provide mentoring and support to teachers starting their careers and it helps to improve their resilience and their ability to develop their practice. The partnership has meant that each year NQTs are part of a network of teachers who are starting together across BD3 schools. They are not on their own and feel a part of something bigger. “By coming together with a shared focus for raising standards all of the schools and settings in our BD3 partnership are having a real impact on the lives of our young people.” Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: “This shows what can be achieved when schools work in partnership. We know that across the Bradford district our school staff share the same passion and commitment to achieving the best outcomes for our young people. “The BD3 Achievement 4 All partnership shows what can be achieved and as both executive member for education and as a local ward councillor I look forward to their future successes.”

Bradford SEND Conference is hailed a success

A major education conference held in Bradford focused on serving the needs of pupils with special educational needs and disability (SEND) has been hailed as a big success.

More than 600 representatives from schools across the district attended the event, which was organised by Bradford Council.

The audience at Bradford City’s Northern Commercial Stadium at Valley Parade heard keynote speeches from a panel of experts from the sector.

The “Putting Children at the Centre” – Bradford SEND conference 2017 also allowed the council to set out its vision for the district where Bradford moves towards a sector-led self improving model of SEND provision where best practice is shared between schools.

The event was aimed at headteachers, SENCOs (special educational needs co-ordinators) and SEND governors of all schools in the district, parents, partner agencies as well as staff from the further education sector.

Welcoming delegates to the event Bradford Council’s Strategic Director for  Children’s Services Michael Jameson said he believed that working together schools, the local authority and parents all had the expertise to provide the best possible support and education for pupils with SEND.

Bradford Council has well-developed relationships with schools and believes that continued collaboration will help transform the way in which specialist provision and support for SEND pupils is delivered.

The audience then heard from three top national speakers in SEND education.

Jane Friswell, a former chief executive of the Nasen (National Association of Special Educational Needs) charity and director of SEND Consultancy, focused on why “Good practice for students with SEND is good practice for all.” 

She told the conference that she was very impressed with the “quality of ambition” she had seen from Bradford for SEND provision.

Jean Gross CBE spoke about how to support learners with SEND through quality first teaching and Simon Knight, from the London Leadership, talked about School Based SEND Review, a nationally recognised review tool for evaluating how well a school is meeting the needs of SEND children which is being rolled out across the Bradford District next term.

The event also included a market place which allowed the council to promote the additional services that are available to support pupils with SEND in schools.

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: “We are delighted with how this conference went. We have received so much positive feedback both from our schools and from the expert speakers who were kind enough to share their experience with us.

“Colleagues have told us that they were inspired by the speakers and that the event was a good opportunity to refresh their knowledge and learn new things. It gave people the chance to pick up on strategies to use in the classroom and the chance to network and share ideas with other colleagues.

“Bradford has a growing population and we know that there is a growing need for more specialist places in our schools. But what the conference shows is that there is a shared commitment from the council and schools to ensure that across the district the needs of these pupils can be met.”

Trailblazing girls’ cricket team launches academy for younger players

A video about their training academy can be found

A Bradford school’s girls’ cricket team who were crowned Yorkshire champions in their first year together have now launched their own academy to help younger pupils to follow in their footsteps.

The girls’ cricket team at Carlton Bolling, in Bradford, have been on a rollercoaster ride since coming together just three years ago.

In their first tournament the newly formed team won seven out of seven matches against some of the best school sides in Yorkshire to be crowned county champions and they have not looked back.

They have now won three Yorkshire titles, have just been crowned North of England champions and have also been recognised with a string of awards for their achievements.

Last week the team won four out of four matches in a regional competition, beating Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Cheshire and Northumberland sides, to emerge as North of England Champions. Their next stop will be Lord’s for the National Finals in September.

Now the team of players who achieved this stunning success on the field are looking to pass on what they have learned to new generations of pupils at the school in Undercliffe.

Each week the under 15s team, led by the school’s PE teacher Zaheer Jaffary, host a training session for younger pupils at the school who are trying the sport for the first time.

Around 20 pupils are now learning to play the sport each week.

One of the original team members Zainab Goreja said they had started an academy to ensure that girls’ cricket can continue to grow at the school.

She said: “I definitely hope that the success of the team carries on because this is our legacy. We have started this academy, we have so many girls who are coming through and so many talents who are here. At the end of the day this is what we have started and when we leave next year we want this team to carry on. I hope the new players do well, carry on this legacy and hopefully it can keep on growing because we are going to change so many social barriers.”

The success of the Carlton Bolling girls’ cricket team has seen them receive many accolades in recent months. In November last year they traveled to Lord’s to receive a national Chance to Shine Special Recognition Award for their work supporting grassroots cricket which they were given by England cricketer Jason Roy.

The team have also won the student sport award category at this year’s Bradford Sports Awards and Mr Jaffary was named Secondary School Teacher of the Year award at the Bradford and District Teaching awards.

Vice-Captain of the team, Zainab Goreja, was recently presented with the 2017 International Rising Star award in London for her contribution to sport; in acknowledgement of her dedication and commitment to women’s cricket, and Captain Jasmin Akter was nominated for a 2017 Yorkshire Women of Achievement Award.

However for Mr Jaffary one of the team’s biggest achievements has been overcoming cultural barriers which saw many families express concerns about their daughters taking part in the sport.

He said: “It is something we have come up against, there has been some reluctance from families for their daughters to stay behind after school to play cricket. However we hope that our community can see what these girls have achieved together. What they have been able to bring to the team and what being a part of this team has done for them. It is brilliant that our girls’ cricket team are now carrying out coaching themselves at our academy.

“We want their success to inspire the younger pupils to follow their example. The future of the team relies upon the academy the girls have set up for future cricketers. The girls are extremely dedicated in sharing their story with others to help them see all that can be achieved through perseverance and dedication.”

Carlton Bolling College’s Headteacher Adrian Kneeshaw said: “The success of the girls’ cricket team has been inspirational for everyone at the school. At Carlton Bolling we recognise the important role sport can have in giving our pupils self-confidence and in showing them the rewards of hard work and of dedicating yourself to being the best you can be. This helps students on the sports field and in the classroom and I hope our cricket academy will inspire many more of our students to take up cricket and give it their all.”

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills said: “The success of the girls’ cricket team at Carlton Bolling College is a story which we can all take inspiration from. They have achieved so much in such a short space of time.

“It is a great credit to the players involved that they are now committed to helping younger pupils at the school to follow in their footsteps.

“We know that participating in sport can be very rewarding for young people and have a positive effect on the rest of their education.”
Notes to editors

Follow Carlton Bolling on Twitter: @CarltonBolling

Peace Walk will celebrate diverse community around Miriam Lord Primary

Parents, local mosques and churches have been invited to join hundreds of pupils and staff on a Peace Walk to celebrate diversity in Bradford and around Miriam Lord Primary School.

The walk has been planned for Friday 21 July, 2017 and is being held following recent terrorist events in Manchester and London.

The Peace Walk was suggested by Year 6 teacher Stefanie Deciacco as an additional way of commemorating sad and tragic events. The school already discusses events, such as the Manchester terrorist attack, in class and has held Silences to honour the dead, bereaved and injured.

All 440 pupils and 45 staff will be involved in the walk which will end with the walkers singing Bob Marley favourite “One Love” in the school playground. A recording will be made and the song and played again on Miriam Lord Radio.

Leading up to the event, pupils will be involved in discussion about why the Peace Walk is taking place. They will also be making placards with peace slogans and a wide banner saying “Miriam Lord Primary Peace March” which will be at the front of the walk, so people passing by know what’s happening.

Bryan Harrison, Executive Headteacher at Miriam Lord, said: “With social media, children very quickly know what happens around the world. They are curious about events like the terrorist attack in Manchester and want to know more, but unfortunately, the messages they hear are not always unbiased.

“In school, we are always open to children’s questions and ready to talk about their worries. The purpose of the walk is to show that we are proud to be part of our community and to celebrate the diversity of the people who live in Bradford.”

Phoebe’s hitting the right notes

A Bradford pupil is celebrating her success in gaining a place at the largest specialist music school in the UK and the only one in the North of England.

Phoebe Mallinson, 11, a pupil at Cullingworth and a member of Bradford Council’s Delius School, will be joining the prestigious Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester in September.  Phoebe follows her sister, Freya, who has been a pupil at the school in Manchester since 2014.

Phoebe has been playing the cornet for two years and recently moved onto flugel horn in the last year. She is part of the Bradford Music Education Hub’s Bradford Youth Brass Band, BD1 Brass Band, Yorkshire Youth Band and the National Children’s brass band of Great Britain. She also plays trumpet in the Bradford Youth Orchestra who toured in Italy last year.

Her favourite performance was coming second at the national brass band championships in Cheltenham in 2016.

Phoebe’s mum, Colette, said:  “We will really miss Phoebe when she starts at Chetham’s in September but this is a chance of a lifetime, and we are delighted that she will have the same opportunity as Freya, her older sister.

“Bradford Council’s Music & Arts Service has made a huge difference in Phoebe’s playing especially Delius school which is a monthly school where Phoebe gained the skills for composition and other performance skills.”

Felicity French, Assistant Head of Bradford Council’s Music & Arts Service, said:  “We are delighted that Phoebe, another pupil of the Delius School and one of the district’s schools, has gained a place at this prestigious establishment.

“The Delius School was set up by the Music & Arts Service.  It meets once a month on a Sunday morning and offers the most talented young musicians in primary schools, across the district, the chance to develop their skills in all areas of music, while discovering exciting new activities.  At the monthly classes, students take part in workshops which enrich their musical experience.”

Coun Imran Khan, Bradford Council’s Executive Member for Education, Employment and Skills, said:  “This is yet another example of the talented pupils we have in our district.  It is a real achievement for Phoebe and I would like to congratulate her on her success and wish her the very best on her learning journey.”