#SchoolsOut and with that so is our final edition of Lighthouse for this school year!
Read it here
#SchoolsOut and with that so is our final edition of Lighthouse for this school year!
Read it here
Our BUMPER Spring Edition â read about it all here!
In this edition:
We have made a Coronation Activity Pack for children to download and / or print.
There are a range of fantastic activities for all to enjoy including a wordsearch, colouring in and a quiz!
Enjoy the Coronation weekend celebrations but keep an eye out…you’ll need to watch it carefully to take part in BINGO!
Have fun!
Our Easter Edition – read about it all here!
In this edition:
Castle School has achieved âGoodâ in its Ofsted report published on 10th January 2023. Â
This is the first time the special provision school based in Ashington, Northumberland has been inspected.
In the report, the inspector opened by saying âNCEA Castle School is a warm and welcoming placeâ.
âAll pupils are encouraged to achieve their best and âshine their lightâ. Pupils enjoy coming to school and are proud of how well they do.â
âPupils feel safe at NCEA Castle School. They say that bullying rarely happens. They know that they can let adults know if this were to happen and it would be sorted out..â
The inspector praised the school for being highly inclusive, âthe core values of love, inclusivity, goodness, hope and truth are shared by pupils and staff alikeâ
Other highlights included that âLearning is both appropriate and meaningful.âand thatâStaff work alongside other professionals to understand how best to meet each pupilsâ specific needsâ
Areas that could be improved included the processes for quality assurance of the curriculum and the personal development programme and its wider opportunities for pupils.Â
Patrick Ford-Hutchinson, Acting Head of School at Castle School, said:
âI am delighted with the outcome of our recent OFSTED inspection. The report is very positive and I am glad that it captures the school so well. I would like to take the opportunity to thank and congratulate the staff on their hard work and continued support for the children and families in this communityâ
Alan Hardie, Chief Executive Officer at NCEAT, commented:
“I am thrilled that OFSTED recognised the hard work of staff in making Castle School a place where all of our pupils can “shine their light” and achieve their best. This was Castle’s first OFSTED inspection as a separate school and our whole community can be very proud of the report”.
A big Congratulations to Castle School. As a community we deserve to celebrate this report and be proud of our school.
Weâre currently on the lookout for senior executives from a wide range of industry sectors to join our Trust Board and Local Governing Bodies to help support us as our Trust continues to grow.
Formed in 2009 as a single academy designed to raise the aspirations and life chances of our countyâs young people, Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust (NCEAT) is now a thriving multi-academy trust, providing high quality education to 8 schools and 2,800 pupils living in Ashington, Newbiggin, Lynemouth and Warkworth.
With two more schools set to join us before the end of this year, weâre at a critical stage in our business development and we need to ensure that we have the right people in place to support us on our journey.
The Trust is at the heart of the local communities it serves. We are determined to secure the best education for the children in our schools and to this end, we need to have the best governance. This means having trustees and governors with a diverse range of backgrounds and viewpoints to help support and challenge our staff in delivering a high quality education. It also means having individuals on our boards with relevant skills along with the time and commitment to make a difference. We want our governing bodies to be inclusive and rooted in our communities so that they are representative and make best use of the talented people we have locally.
If this sounds like something that you, a friend or relative, or perhaps even a colleague might be interested in exploring further, we would love to hear from you.
Skills/experience weâre particularly looking for in our Trustees/Governors:
We will shortly be hosting a series of open events where you can find out more about governance at NCEAT.
To register your interest, please email Lesley Dalby, Governance Manager at lesley.dalby@ncea.org.uk or call 01670 816111 extension 368.
A charity which supports individuals living with lifelong mental health conditions and learning disabilities has partnered up with a local primary school to help transform part of its playing field into a forest school.
Blyth Star Enterprises, which provides living support and day services that replicate real working environments to over 350 people living across Northumberland, has been working with NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School in Ashington to help bring their vision for a state-of-the-art forest school to life.
Popular across the country as a means of encouraging pupils to learn personal, social and technical skills by engaging with the natural world, in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, forest schools have also become important tools in the promotion of positive mental health and wellbeing through time spent in the great outdoors.
Working alongside staff and pupils to ensure that as many of their ideas were captured in the final design as possible, service users and support staff from Blyth Star Enterprisesâ woodwork department set to work building a series of outdoor workstations, wooden benches, mud kitchens complete with secret fairy doors and a fire pit area for the forest school.
In total, the build took four weeks to complete off-site, with the groundwork and installation taking place over four days within the school holidays.
This is the second forest school that Blyth Star Enterprises has created for schools within NCEA Trust, having supported NCEA Warkworth C of E Primary School with the construction of its new forest school site last summer after vandals destroyed the original site during lockdown.
Kevin Alexander, Supervisor at Blyth Star Enterprisesâ woodwork department, said:
âWe were delighted to be invited by NCEA Trust to create another forest school for one of its primary schools. Itâs really beneficial for our service users to work on projects which take them out into the community where they can see the positive impact of their hard work â itâs good for their morale and their own mental health.
âThe staff and pupils at Thomas Bewick Primary were an absolute joy to work with and it was brilliant to see the childrenâs faces when they saw the finished forest school for the first time. We hope that they will enjoy the site for years to come.â
When asked what they thought of the new forest school, pupils at NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School, commented:
âI think it’s really cool because there is so much new stuff on the field which we can use now. It’s not just an empty area anymore; we will be able to have really interesting lessons using the outdoors,â said Meredith, Year 4.
âIt seems like it could be a nice place to relax now! The team have worked really well and we should appreciate it that they’ve given us such a special place to use!â said Logan, Year 4.
âIt’s really good because it will be good to use for fun activities. It’s really nice to have a space to learn outside. I am excited to see the onions, beetroot and the carrots grow too!â said Perry, Year 6.
âI think I am most excited about the fire pit where we could safely do some really interesting learning. I think when all of the new trees and wildflowers have grown it’ll look really beautiful. It will be good for the younger children to learn more consistently outside as we’ll be using it every week,â said Amber, Year 6.
Jess Williamson, Headteacher at NCEA Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School, added:
âFrom the day that pupils start school in our nursery provision, we promote outdoor education as a crucial part of our primary curriculum so that they grow up aware of the natural world around them and the benefits associated with spending time outdoors.
âWe are fortunate at Thomas Bewick to have such a big school field, but that was all it was – empty space! The creation of a dedicated forest school area is a real win for the school and we really canât thank Kevin and the team at Blyth Star Enterprises enough for their hard work in making it all possible.â
For more information about Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School, visit www.thomasbewick.ncea.org.uk or to find out more about Blyth Star Enterprises or commissioning a woodwork or gardening project, visit www.blythstar.org.uk.
A primary school in Ashington has partnered with conservation experts from a local diving centre to help clean up one of South East Northumberlandâs most popular beaches in the aftermath of the school holidays.
Pupils from Bishopâs Primary School, which operates as part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust (NCEAT), teamed up with Blyth-based, The Fifth Point Diving Centre, to carry out the two half-day beach cleans.
As part of the experience, pupils also enjoyed a series of workshops where they learned more about how litter that finds its way into our oceans from our beaches can harm marine animals and people can do to help stop it.
The project forms part of a Trust-wide initiative to help NCEAT to reduce its carbon footprint.
Inspired by last yearâs United Nations Climate Change Conference, the Trustâs CEO, Alan Hardie, set pupils a challenge in the form of a competition to come up with an idea for an âeco projectâ which their school could complete independently to supplement the work already being done by the Trust to operate more sustainably and contribute towards its overarching corporate social responsibility goals.
The beach cleaning project for Bishopâs Primary School was the winning idea suggested by Year 5 pupil, Khloe Hunstone, who received a special award from the CEO for her conscientious approach to a topical issue impacting our local area.
Clare Marriott, Headteacher at Bishopâs Primary School, commented:
âWe are very proud of the work our children and staff do in school to address environmental issues and the part they can play in reducing our carbon footprint.
âThe children responded with great enthusiasm to the challenge set by Mr. Hardie and we had a wide range of ideas. The beach is close by and used by our community, so this was a fitting winner. It is also something we can continue to do regularly to sustain our efforts. Well done Khloe and the Year 5 beach cleaners!â
Over the course of the two days, 45 buckets of litter, which equated to 12 large bags, as well as two broken lobster pots, some fencing and some concrete blocks were collected and removed from the beach by pupils with support from teaching staff and the team from The Fifth Point.
Nic Emery, Co-Founder at The Fifth Point, commented:
âYoung people are increasingly concerned with issues like climate change and the state of the oceans. The Year 5 pupils at Bishopâs Primary already knew so much about the impact of litter on animals. They had lots of stories to share about the things they do at home to try and reduce the amount of single use plastic they use and many were already regular beach cleaners.
âWe were so happy to be able to help them learn more but most importantly take action and do something that is directly helping their local ocean and all the marine life that live there.â
Other projects currently underway by schools within the multi-academy trust as part of NCEATâs green initiative include the expansion and redevelopment of the vegetable garden at NCEA Warkworth C of E Primary School to supplement the school kitchen, the creation of a wild flower garden and wildlife habitat on the grounds of Dukeâs Secondary School, also in Ashington, and exploration into renewable energy sources as a means of powering part of the campus at William Leech C of E Primary School in Lynemouth.
Alan Hardie, CEO at Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, added:
âWe were blown away by some of the competition entries we received. The level of thought that the children had put into their ideas and their consideration of both the long and short term benefits of their proposed projects was really impressive.
âWeâre delighted with the diversity of the winning projects as a collective and canât thank the businesses who have come on board to support our schools with their implementation enough for their time and expertise. We hope that the children will learn a great deal about the importance of protecting our natural world through their experiences.â
For more information about Bishopâs Primary School, visit www.bishops.ncea.org.uk or to learn more about The Fifth Point Diving Centre, visit https://fifthpointdiving.com/.
Pupils at a secondary school in Northumberland have been gaining valuable insight into what goes on behind the scenes at some of our regionâs biggest employers as part of an âIndustry Insightâ event.
The Year 11 and 12 students from Dukeâs Secondary School in Ashington visited employers such as AkzoNobel, Bernicia, ORE Catapult, Northumberland Fire and Rescue and the Centre for Life to help them broaden their understanding of the wide range of career paths available to them in the local area.
The event comes just months after the school, which operates as part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, announced its pilot programme with North East house builder, Bellway, which also has its roots in helping pupils to raise their aspirations and explore career opportunities in sectors they might not otherwise have considered.
Danielle Towers, Head of Sixth Form and Careers at Dukeâs Secondary School, explained:
âThe pupils of today are the workforce of tomorrow, so itâs absolutely vital that while children and young people are still at school that they have the opportunity to explore as many different employment opportunities as possible, to help them make informed decisions about their futures.
âAs part of the Industry Insight event, all of our Year 11 pupils had the opportunity to visit an employer which specialises in a subject area which was relevant to their current studies ahead of their exams in the summer.
âWe were incredibly fortunate to gain support from so many fantastic local businesses so a big thank you goes out to everyone who got involved. The pupils all thoroughly enjoyed their experiences and took a lot away from them.â
Amongst the list of employers who took part in hosting visits for the event was not-for-profit organisation, Smart Works Newcastle.
An exclusive service for women, Smart Works Newcastle is a local branch of a national organisation which supports unemployed women aged 16 plus and from all backgrounds to build their confidence and skills to help them secure work.
Offering a range of services for those attending job interviews, including a high quality interview outfit (free and theirs to keep) and interview coaching, the charity also supports with CV writing and general careers advice. Smart Works Newcastle has supported hundreds and hundreds of women across the North East into successful employment.
A cohort of Year 11 and 12 students who had expressed an interest in careers that involved helping others took part in a full dayâs work experience at Smart Worksâ headquarters in Newcastle, supporting staff and volunteers with tasks such as stock taking, styling and dressing mannequins.
As part of the day, the students also got to participate in some career coaching and enjoyed a âworking lunchâ with employees from the charity who shared their own experiences and varying routes into working in the sector.
Helen Boyd, Centre Manager at Smart Works Newcastle, commented:
âIt was a pleasure to welcome the group from Dukeâs Secondary School into Smart Works Newcastle for a Volunteer Experience day.
âThe students helped us with stock sorting, visual merchandising, displays and mock client dressing. Throughout the day the students had a 1:1 next steps planning session with our experienced coaches to offer guidance for their career choices. It was great to hear their plans for the future and we hope they got as much out of the day as we did.â
For more information about Dukeâs Secondary School and Sixth Form, visit www.dukes.ncea.org.uk or to find out more about Smart Works Newcastle, visit https://newcastle.smartworks.org.uk/.
Staff at NCEA Duke’s Secondary School recently spoke to Culture Bridge North East to tell them all about the Duke’s ‘DNA’ (Differentiated for support and challenge; New and exciting learning opportunities; Active Learning) Creativity Symbols project.
DNA is embedded throughout school life at Duke’s – it’s in the curriculum, teaching & learning, and CPD structures and creativity plays a central role in this. Check out the fabulous case study the Culture Bridge North East team put together about the project below.
A primary school in South East Northumberland has taken its first steps towards becoming a certified âEco Schoolâ after receiving the FairAware Award from the Fairtrade Foundation.
James Knott C of E Primary School in Ashington, which operates as part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, achieved the award in recognition of the efforts its pupils and staff have made to become more environmentally aware and conscious of the positive impact of using Fairtrade products.
Driven by the schoolâs âEco Warriorsâ group, pupils took part in a special assembly during the national âFairtrade Fortnightâ event held earlier this month to introduce the topic of Fairtrade â what it is and why schools should support it. Staff and pupils then participated in a series of audits to assess what Fairtrade products were already in use within the school, how Fairtrade was included in the teaching curriculum and what level of understanding the children had about Fairtrade.
The data was then submitted to the Fairtrade Foundation for analysis which resulted in the school receiving its FairAware Award.
âWeâre absolutely delighted to have achieved the FairAware Award. The Award is the culmination of a huge amount of work to help us take the first positive step towards becoming a fully-fledged Eco School,â said Claire Donnelly, Class Teacher at James Knott C of E Primary School.
âThe enthusiasm shown by our staff and pupils throughout the project has been incredible. Our Eco Warriors â a group of pupils from Years 5 and 6 have been fundamental to the success of the project having given up their break times and even stayed late after school to help compile the audit results and complete the online application forms.
âLooking to the future, we hope to achieve our second Fairtrade Foundation accredited award â the FairActive Award, by Christmas 2022 and to grow our eco community in school even further by electing a Fairtrade ambassador for each form class. The ambassadors will be responsible for suggesting ideas how we can improve our Fairtrade status, such as switching to Fairtrade tea and coffee in the staff room and stocking Fairtrade produce as part of our annual Market Stall day.â
Alan Hardie, CEO at Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, added:
âAt NCEAT, we are passionate about encouraging our pupils to become conscientious global citizens, tuned in to the wider impact that they can have on the world around them through small actions taken in their own lives.
âIâd like to congratulate all of the pupils and staff at James Knott C of E Primary School on their FairAware Award and wish them every success with the continuation of the project.â
For more information about the Fairtrade Foundation awards for schools, visit https://schools.fairtrade.org.uk/fairtrade-schools-awards.
On behalf of all of the staff and pupils across NCEAT, we would like to say a huge THANK YOU to everyone who has donated to our Ukraine appeal – the response from our communities has been incredible!
Due to the sheer volume of donations we’ve received, we’ve decided to pause the campaign for now to allow deliveries to Ukraine to catch up, therefore the closing date for donations at all NCEA school collection hubs is now tomorrow (11/03/22).
Please don’t bring any items into school after this date as we cannot guarantee collection. You’re all amazing! #WeStandWithUkraine
What else can we do to support the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine?
Charities and other forces on the ground in Ukraine are now advising that the best way to support those affected by the conflict in Ukraine is through monetary donations. The main national campaign is being organised through the Disasters Emergency Committee – it is quick and easy to donate to the cause via their website, visit https://donation.dec.org.uk/ukraine-humanitarian-appeal.
With fantastically talented women accounting for over 80% of our staff at Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust (NCEAT), we celebrate womenâs achievements every day, but as it’s International Womenâs Day, it gives us an excuse to shout about it!
The campaign theme this year for International Womenâs Day is #BreakTheBias. Across the business world, there are many industries where women are continually overlooked for promotions and are paid significantly less for doing the same job as their male colleagues.
Through the #BreakTheBias campaign, the International Womenâs Day movement hopes to celebrate womenâs achievements, raise awareness against bias and encourage everyone, everywhere to take action for equality.
Imagine a gender equal world.
A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination.
A world that is diverse, equitable, and inclusive.
A world where difference is valued and celebrated.
Together we can forge women’s equality.
Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.
While the teaching profession is heavily favoured by women, beyond a certain seniority level, even in the education sector there is evidence of inequality.
In a study carried out in 2021 by Dods D&I â a UK-based provider of educational events centred around the evolving landscape of diversity and inclusion, it stated: âIn schools, the teaching profession is overwhelmingly female, and yet male teachers are almost twice as likely to hold leadership positions as their female colleagues.â
The report goes on to explore the reasons behind this disparity in schools in both rate of progression between male and female educators, and the gender pay gap, citing maternity care and related bias as one of the key contributing factors.
At NCEAT, we are fortunate to have so many incredibly talented women on our payroll. Across the Trust, 7/8 of our school leaders are women. Within our Central Services team too, the majority of our heads of key operational departments, including Finance, HR and Marketing are female.
As an employer, we champion equality at every opportunity and see it as our privilege to lead by example to educate the children and young people in our care about diversity and inclusion. Through our connection with the Dioceses of Newcastle and County Durham, as well as our resident Chaplain, our staff and pupils are encouraged to reach their full potential in regard to their academic, physical, moral and spiritual development.
To celebrate International Womenâs Day, we asked some of the inspiring principals, teachers and heads of department from across the Trust to share their thoughts on what it means to them to be a woman in education/business. Hereâs what they had to sayâŠ
Dawn Watson, Assessment and Accreditation Lead at Castle School:
“I have often heard it said that if you are able to play the piano, or happen to be a man, then you will easily get a job in a school and go far in the education sector. I have neither the musical dexterity nor the human anatomy to fit in either of those categories however my career choice has long since ceased and I am living my calling. I never know what joys and challenges each day will bring and as a teacher and leader itâs a balancing act living between comfort and risk, but as John Ortberg said: âif you want to walk on water, youâve got to get out of the boatâ.”
Alison Alden, Director of Finance and Central Services at NCEA Trust:
âI found this quote by Joanne Clancy a while ago and it really resonated with me: ‘Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor each morning, the devil says “Oh no, she’s up”.’
âThat’s the kind of woman I want to be and the kind of person – male or female – that I want all of our pupils to be. Sadly, the reality is that we still live in a world where gender can limit your ambition and your progress. Changing that is on us all.â
Melanie Hinson, Primary Executive Headteacher at NCEA Trust:
âMy favourite book when I was growing up was Little Women, I just loved the passion and determination of the sisters. Each had their own ambitions, but I was particularly inspired by Jo who strived against the odds to follow her dream of becoming a writer. My dream was to become a teacher and ultimately a Headteacher and I was fortunate to be surrounded by family and friends who were supportive of my passion.
âPart of my role is leading a team of strong female Headteachers all of whom juggle many roles within their lives, they are daughters, mothers, partners, friends as well as capable and compassionate school leaders.
âDuring challenging times, our team is strengthened by the support we give each other. We all share the responsibility to nurture the next generation of women to encourage them to believe in themselves and make the most of any opportunities which may arise. We want them to see that every possibility is open to them, aim for the top and ultimately lead happy and fulfilled lives.â
Gillian Robinson, Teacher at Castle School:
âI am proud to say that at NCEA trust we focus on great teachers, inspirational leaders and the potential of each individual regardless of demographic. This has helped me to see no limits in what is possible in my career development as a woman.
âI want to support others to see their possibilities, and demonstrate strong leadership in order to inspire others regardless of my gender.â
Amy Thompson, Headteacher at William Leech C of E Primary School:
âI’m very proud to lead one of our Campuses at Bishop’s Primary School and see the transformation that education can provide for children and their community. In my role I get to work alongside other leaders, both male and female, within the Trust and from other agencies who inspire and support me. Leading a team which makes a difference to children’s lives and their understanding of the world around them is a huge privilege and it’s wonderful when pupils come back to visit to share what they’re doing now thanks to something that we put in place at our Campus.â
Louise Gatti, Subject Lead Art and Design at Dukeâs Secondary School:
âTo me, to be a woman in education is to have drive, enthusiasm and high levels of commitment. To be able to raise levels of attainment and achievement with all learners and have a dynamic approach to teaching and learning where my lessons are both challenging and fun. To use contemporary practices and artists to inspire learners in the world they live in now; where both men and women can be successful by sharing light and being positive and kind.â
Clare Marriott, Headteacher at Bishopâs Primary School:
âI have always been proud to be a teacher and enjoy my role as Headteacher, but it is not my qualifications, strength or tenacity that get me through a day, a week, a term, it is the people around me.
âEach and every one of us has qualities and characteristics that we can share. In turn those qualities make up the team and by leading that team I am able to benefit from them all.
âI spin many plates in my day to day life; family friends, staff, children, parents, community. I often think I am going to run out of energy to keep it all going, but with a team around me, I get up and carry on, I have the drive to do my best and I am reminded every day why I chose this profession – to inspire others to learn, to enjoy learning and all it provides.
âAs Charlie Mackesy says: âSometimes just getting up and carrying on is brave and magnificentâ. I believe everyone working in education is brave and magnificent.â
The thoughts and prayers of the Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust Community are with the people of Ukraine.
This follows President Putinâs unprovoked invasion, which has led to a war that neither the Ukrainian nor ordinary Russian people wanted.
The war has created a terrible humanitarian crisis and we have been looking at ways in which the Trust and our schools can support the victims.Â
Starting from Monday 7th March, we will have established collection points at some of our Trust schools including Grace Darling C of E Primary School in Newbiggin, NCEA Warkworth Primary in Warkworth and Bishop’s Primary School in Ashington for people to make donations should you wish to support the efforts of charities including the British Red Cross. Items in particularly high demand include:
At present, we will not be collecting clothing other than what is listed as there is sufficient supply.
Donations can be made to the allocated school collection points between school hours of 8.45am – 3.00pm.
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
NCEA Grace Darling Primary School
Central Parkway
Newbiggin-by-the-Sea
Northumberland
NE64 6RT
Warkworth
NCEA Warkworth C of E Primary School
2 Guilden Road
Warkworth
Morpeth
Northumberland
NE65 0TJ
Ashington
Bishopâs Primary School
Josephine Butler Campus
Academy Road
Ashington
Northumberland
NE63 9FZ
As up and down the country employers and educators alike celebrated National Apprenticeship Week, Duke’s Secondary School in South East Northumberland announced an exciting new partnership with UK housebuilding giant, Bellway.
The partnership will see a range of opportunities become available to pupils throughout the school, including employer masterclasses, careers guidance and field visits.
The partnership is multi-faceted. As well as supporting Dukeâs Secondary School to deliver the National Career Ready programme, it also forms part of a regional pilot project for Bellway to help introduce young people to the wide variety of career opportunities available in the construction sector, including apprenticeships. If successful in the North East, Bellway intends to roll out its school outreach programme across all 22 of its housebuilding divisions nationwide.
To celebrate the official launch of the project, a cohort of Year 12 students from Dukeâs Secondary Schoolâs Sixth Form provision took part in a Career Ready Masterclass on âpreparation for work experienceâ. Students were encouraged to think about what skills they already have, what skills employers might look for in job candidates and how they can make themselves a model employee.
The full-day visit also included a tour around Bellwayâs North East headquarters in Woolsington and also one of its prestigious new build sites near Ponteland.
Danielle Towers, Head of Sixth Form and Careers Lead at Dukeâs Secondary School (part of NCEA Trust), commented:
âWe are honoured to be working alongside Bellway at the cutting edge of its new school outreach programme.
âAt Dukeâs and indeed, across all of the schools within the wider NCEA Trust, we are committed to providing pupils with high-quality careers education covering a wide variety of industry sectors to help them make informed decisions about their futures.
âWhat our pupils have been most surprised by since we first established contact with Bellway is the scope of the career opportunities available, beyond traditional trades and construction. For many of them, it has been a real eye-opener into a sector which they might not otherwise have considered.â
Employing over 3,000 people across the UK alongside several thousand additional sub-contractors, Bellway has come a long way from its humble North East beginnings just over 75 years ago. The five-star rated homebuilder now offers its own in-house apprenticeship opportunities and graduate schemes covering everything from bricklaying right through to architecture and sales.
Laura Bell, Group HR & OD Manager at Bellway, commented:
âWe are absolutely delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Dukeâs Secondary School. As we strive to help meet the need for more high-quality homes, it is vital that we continue to attract more people to the industry from a diverse range of backgrounds and that we offer them the support and training they need to succeed.
âBy showcasing the range of roles available at Bellway and offering opportunities where people can earn while they learn, we hope to open up the possibility of a career in construction to those who may not have previously considered working in the industry.â
For more information about Dukeâs Secondary School and Sixth Form, visit www.dukes.ncea.org.uk or for more information about careers at Bellway, visit www.bellwaycareers.co.uk.
An investment into state-of-the-art sensory equipment is reaping rewards for children enrolled in the early years provision at a primary school in South East Northumberland.
Having seen the benefit of a sensory âsafe spaceâ for its older pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to use during school hours, staff at William Leech C of E Primary School in Lynemouth â part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, set about sourcing capital to create something similar for its youngest learners.
Often referred to as âreset roomsâ, sensory rooms are used in two different ways; to provide a safe place for children to calm and regulate their behaviour when they become overwhelmed, or as a reward space for children where they can develop their sensory needs.
Part-funded by the school itself, an additional ÂŁ500 was sourced from Northumberland Church of England Academy Trustâs Endowment Fund to complete the project.
Amy Thompson, Headteacher at William Leech C of E Primary School, commented:
âChildren with SEND requirements can easily become dysregulated in classroom environments. Lights, sounds and too much activity can cause what we call âsensory overloadâ which can result in children exhibiting behaviours which might be harmful to their wellbeing.
âSeveral children within our two-year old and nursery provisions have sensory needs due to SEND, some of which are quite profound, so we knew that we had to do something to ensure that there was a safe space in school for them to go to should they become distressed, angry or upset. This is beneficial for the child displaying these behaviours and also allows the other children in the setting to continue with their learning.
âThe new sensory suite has proved a huge success so far. We have already seen increased engagement with activities within the suite and in the main classroom following time spent in the sensory room. Over time, we hope to see a decrease in the amount of dysregulated behaviours in school altogether.â
The new early years sensory suite at William Leech Primary features blackout blinds and a blackout tent, sensory lighting and projections, weighted lap toys and sensory table top toys, as well as soft play equipment â everything that children need to help them self-regulate and relax.
Wendy Scott, Nursery Teacher at William Leech C of E Primary School, added:
âThe new sensory room is brilliant. The children are engaged and fascinated. It gives the children quality time to regulate and develop skills.â
For more information about William Leech C of E Primary School, visit www.williamleech.ncea.org.uk.
Tuesday 8th February is Safer Internet Day – an annual campaign to help make the internet a safer, more secure place for people of all ages to enjoy.
Ahead of the celebrations, the Peer Mentors group at Bishop’s Primary School have been working hard to create a range of resources to support their fellow pupils to recognise potential scams or threats online and how to keep their devices and data safe (but we thought it might be beneficial to share these with you too!)
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Top 10 tips for staying safe online:
2. Be careful what you download â not everything is always as it seems!
3. Never publicly share personal details like your home address, email address or telephone number online.
4. Be careful what you post â will you live to regret a comment you made on a friendâs photo? Or will a status you post potentially be misread and end up hurting somebody? The internet has a long memory, so be careful what you share.
5. Use strong passwords â try to avoid using things that are âeasy to rememberâ like âpassword123â as hackers can guess these within minutes! Instead, use a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and symbols to keep your accounts secure.
6. Be careful to only shop online from reputable companies, not everything you may see advertised on Google or social media is genuine. If youâre ever in doubt, search for the company or website on Trust Pilot or Feefo to see what fellow online shoppersâ experiences have been like.
7. You would always be wary about talking to a stranger who approached you in the street â apply the same principle when communicating with people online â are they who they say they are?
8. Think about the networks you connect to when youâre out and about â your devices may be more vulnerable when connected to a public WiFi network in a coffee shop or shopping centre.
9. Cover your webcam â some viruses will let hackers access your webcam without you even knowing so make sure to cover your camera whenever youâre not using it.
10. Watch out for phishing scams â these can take multiple different forms but are most commonly emails which may look genuine at first, but are really designed to trick you into sharing personal details like your bank accounts. Weâve shared some further tips about how to spot email scams below.
Some further tips for recognising email scams:
For more information about Safer Internet Day, visit https://saferinternet.org.uk/safer-internet-day/safer-internet-day-2022.
A range of useful resources to help you and your family stay safe online can also be found at:
Pupils at a primary school in Ashington have taken part in a cutting-edge training course to become âMini Medicsâ.
The children, aged 10 and 11 from Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School thoroughly enjoyed the half-day course, delivered by Simonside Outdoor Adventure, where they learned basic first aid skills including how to assess a personâs medical needs and how to raise the alarm in case of an emergency.
Pupils also got to take part in some practical first aid such as how to tend to cuts, grazes and sprains, as well as more advanced emergency care techniques such as compression-only CPR and how to put people into the recovery position.
Jess Williamson, Headteacher at Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School, said:
âWe are incredibly proud of all of the children who took part in the Mini Medics course.
âFirst aid is such an important life skill for people to have, at any age. The children were all extremely sensible and listened well; joining in when instructed and correctly following the procedures. The sense of pride they had in themselves following the session was fantastic to see.â
In September 2020, basic first aid was added into the relationships, sex and health education national curriculum (RSHE) to ensure that children at all key stages have at least some basic awareness and understanding of first aid and the role it plays in supporting our emergency services.
The Mini Medics course, which is accredited by Nuco Training, has been purposely designed to support the national curriculum and build on childrenâs knowledge in a way which avoids any confusing terminology and respects their level of comfort and ability.
Year 6 pupil from Thomas Bewick Primary, Aston Jo, commented:
“I enjoyed learning how to put people into the recovery position. It was really fun. We had to try and clear the airway of the dummy we were using by hitting it on the back. We were then shown the Heimlich Manoeuvre and the object came out of his mouth.”
Tony Mordue, First Aid Trainer at Simonside Outdoor Adventure, commented:
âIt was a pleasure to work with the staff and pupils at Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School on the Mini Medics course.
âThe children were really engaged with the session and asked some really great questions. It was wonderful to see them working together and supporting each other to master skills which hopefully, if theyâre ever called upon to do so, will really help members of their family at home or members of the community in a time of need.â
Operating as part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust, Thomas Bewick C of E Primary School provides primary education for children aged 2-11.
To find out more about the school, visit www.thomasbewick.ncea.org.uk or for more information about Mini Medics, visit www.minimedics.co.uk.
A project to improve the outdoor play areas at a primary school in South East Northumberland has had an unprecedented impact on the mental health and wellbeing of its pupils.
In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, as many schools across the country continue to struggle to find a balance between getting back to ânormalâ and keeping infection rates down, children at Bishopâs Primary School in Ashington are supporting their own relationship recovery through the power of play.
After so many months spent in and out of lockdown and kept apart from their peers through the necessary enforcement of class bubbles and social distancing, pupils are exploring what it is to socialise and are self-teaching themselves the all-important skills of teamwork, collaboration and communication through a series of new interactive playground markings which have been installed in the schoolâs outdoor spaces.
Clare Marriott, Headteacher at Bishopâs Primary School, commented:
âPlay has become a particularly important aspect of childrenâs learning, especially since lockdown. Our outdoor spaces were looking a little tired and in need of improvement so we decided that, instead of just repainting our original sports court markings, we would include some fun, interactive playground markings to encourage children to play together and learn at the same time.
âWe found a wonderful company online, Fun & Active Playgrounds, who we engaged to supply us with a range of interactive number caterpillars, hopscotches, mazes and trails and alphabet jumps. We also purchased a range of hula hoops, bats and balls and skipping ropes to further develop playtimes and lunchtimes for our children.
âWhile we anticipated that the pupilsâ response to the changes would be a positive one, weâve been absolutely overwhelmed at what weâve seen in just the few short weeks since the work was carried out. Weâve got children from different year groups playing together, weâve got children supporting each other with the different games, weâve even seen children encouraging their parents at home time to have a go on the hopscotch! The dance mat in particular has become a firm favourite with both pupils and staff, so much so, that weâve now added a portable music system and disco lights!
âThe impact to date has seen a dramatic transformation in the quality of childrenâs play. The children are happier, more active and more engaged in the classroom after every break time. By making free play a key priority of our School Action Plan, we will ensure the impact is sustainable and long lasting for relationship recovery, learning and play. Going forward, we want to install more markings and some wall mounted games too. We have also booked some skipping tutors to work with every class to teach the children some classic skipping games.â
Jess Sparks, Marketing Manager at Fun & Active Playgrounds, commented:
âIt was a pleasure to work with Bishopâs Primary School and to be able to provide their pupils with extra opportunities for fun outdoor play and learning. We know how important it is for children to get their daily exercise, not just for their physical fitness but for their mental health too, and particularly during present times, so itâs been great to be a part of this project to make their playtimes more active and engaging.
“All our markings and games are made from durable, environmentally-friendly thermoplastic which can last up to ten times longer than paint. This means their markings will be around for years to come, and will benefit pupils both present and future.â
Bishopâs Primary School offers provision for children aged 2-11 and operates as part of Northumberland Church of England Academy Trust. For more information, visit www.bishops.ncea.org.uk.
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