Welcome to the latest edition of the WPT Newsletter.
It’s been a busy half term with lots of exciting things happening across the Trust.
This newsletter showcases just some of the things we’ve been getting up to over the last few weeks.
On behalf of Wickersley Partnership Trust, Happy Easter!
Primary students across the Trust have all taken part in the TEKK challenge as part of their in-classroom learning. This was in collaboration with BETogether TEKK Challenge and HSBC.
The TEKK Challenge is an exciting programme designed to give students who are currently in Years 5 and 6, a hands-on, practical experience of forming a company to meet a technological challenge, and to help them identify and develop Enterprise and STEM skills and attitudes that will be invaluable to them both now and in their future working lives.
It is designed to bring business and education together in a partnership to invest in the future of the next generation. Ambassadors from local businesses work side by side with students and teachers in the schools raising awareness of opportunities, sharing knowledge and building partnerships.
This year’s challenge was to build playground equipment using a set list of resources and clear expectations.
The students had to complete experiments and market research in order to promote their team, company and product.
Each competing class had to present and send their winning team through to the finals held on Wednesday 22nd March at the HSBC Head Office in Sheffield at Grosvenor House.
Using the skills acquired over the project they presented to an audience of 100 and 3 independent judges who worked their way around the event.
Seeing the student’s final designs on display and confidence grow presenting their work to the judges was a fantastic result in itself, however it did come down to a tough final decision for the judges who could only choose one group to win each category.
The final awards presented were:
Company Image: Aston Hall
Planning: Aston Lodge
Construction: Thrybergh Primary
Teamwork: Rawmarsh Ashwood
South Yorkshire Team of the Year: Monkwood Primary
Once the trophies were handed out, all students received class certificate, medal and HSBC goody bag for participating in the final event.
Quotes from the students
‘We had the best day ever!’
‘Now I know more about STEM I want to be an Engineer when I’m older’
‘I loved working as a team. I’m really proud of our work’
HSBC, BETogether and Wickersley Partnership Trust want to thank all students who participated across all the primary schools for their hard work and commitment to the 2023 TEKK Challenge!
On the 14th March 2023, Mrs Lindley, a Teaching Assistant at Aston Hall celebrated 20 years’ service with the school.
To celebrate, Mrs Lindley received a message in a card from every student at Aston Hall, was given some lovely gifts and also had a surprise afternoon tea after school with all the staff.
Mrs Lindley has worked across all year groups over the years, working with thousands of children, and the children love working with her.
Mrs Lindley said: “I feel so proud to say I’ve worked at Aston Hall for 20 years. I’ve worked with over five thousand children. My role within school is supporting our most vulnerable children running a Nurture provision. I absolutely love my job building relationships with each and every one of who attends at AH, watching them grow and achieve their goals everyday really is a privilege. A child from Y6 only last week said to me, “Mrs Lindley I know it’s going to be a good day when I walk into Nurture and I see your smile, I just know everything is going to be ok”.
That right there is why I love my job so much.”
Thank you for your service, Mrs Lindley – 20 years is an amazing achievement!
We’re inviting all students from across all of Wickersley Partnership Trust’s primary and secondary schools to participate in an ‘eggciting’ Easter competition!
Here are the steps on how to enter:
The top 5 winners will receive a certificate and a prize!
We look forward to seeing all of your ‘eggcellent’ entries, good luck!
The 8th March marked International Women’s Day and schools across the Trust fully embraced the day with a range of activities and celebrations.
Rawmarsh Community School held an assembly with Becky Murray, CEO of One by One, a charity that aims to prevent exploitation of vulnerable people all over the world. The assembly was also live-streamed into each of our secondary schools, with a version for our primary students pre-recorded and shown throughout the day. Becky joined students at Rawmarsh to talk about starting the charity, how their work helps girls from all over the world and talk about The Dignity Project, which aims to educate girls on trafficking, and give biological training to help with their daily life.
After the assembly, Becky ran a workshop to discuss more about the projects she has undertaken with the charity and talked to the students about how they can take steps to change the world for everyone, not just women. Across our other schools, activities designed to get students talking about the women in their lives and women who have changed the world took place.
The day finished with a Trust-wide Danceathon held at Clifton Community School (and online), which was designed to empower all those who took part!
Ellie Bannister, Director of PSHE, said: “To have the opportunity to help educate nearly 6,000 young people about an inspiring charity and International Women’s Day was a privilege. A huge thank you to all the amazing staff involved. Wickersley Partnership Trust students did us proud!”
Helen Tyrrell, Director of Safeguarding, said: “I am really proud that we have embraced International Women’s Day as a Trust. Staff and students came together to celebrate and support this day. We are really excited to have had Becky Murray, the CEO of “One by One” charity, supporting girls and women across three continents, come and talk to our students about her work and inspire them to achieve their goals.”
Becky Murray, CEO of One by One Charity, said: “What an incredible honour to share with almost 6000 students in my home town of Rotherham today, for International Women’s Day.
“I had the opportunity to speak to staff and students in five secondary schools and eight primary schools within the Wickersley Partnership Trust. Speaking about the correlation between period poverty and Human Trafficking, and the work One By One is doing around the world to end exploitation.”
On Monday 27th of February, The Gainsborough Academy hosted Singsation, which featured Hayley Sanderson, the vocalist from Strictly Come Dancing, and her band. Six local primary schools participated in the event, as well as The Gainsborough Academy’s school choir, to create a choir of over 200! Schools have been working hard over the last few weeks taking part in workshops to learn a Latin and a pop medley, which were sang in 3 different parts, including popular songs such as ‘We Don’t Talk about Bruno’ and ‘Havana’. Gainsborough Academy’s choir also performed two pieces for our guests and sang a beautiful rendition of ‘How Far I’ll Go’ from Moana and ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars. Students also got the chance to ask Hayley and her band questions about what it was like to work on Strictly Come Dancing and get an insight into working in the music industry.
An excellent afternoon was had by all and The Gainsborough Academy are looking forward to inviting the primary schools back for future events.
Happy World Book Day from Wickersley Partnership Trust.
Our schools have been getting literary today, and celebrating all things reading for World Book Day. We had loads of staff in fancy dress, and students have loved trying to work which character is teaching them. Some lucky students have also found Golden Tickets and have won wonderful books as prizes! Students have also had the opportunity to quiz their teachers on their favourite books, and learn about the reading opportunities that there are across the curriculum. Let us know what you have been reading this World Book Day 📚
