Welcome to our second WPT newsletter of the 22/23 academic year.
It’s been a busy half term, with lots of new and exciting things happening across our schools. This newsletter will showcase just a some of the things that we’ve been getting up to over the last few weeks.
On behalf of Wickersley Partnership Trust, we hope you all have a fantastic holiday.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
For many years now, we’ve been hosting swimming lessons for students across the Trust and the borough at our swimming pool at Aston Lodge Primary School.
This year, we decided it was time to give the pool area some TLC with a full refurbishment.
As part of the Trust’s plans to decarbonise all of our premises, we got Novus Mechanical in to complete the following works:
We also had Pioneer Construction Services in to install:
As well as this, all internal walls have been over cladded with hygienic PVC and the toilets have been refurbished.
Freya Smith, Swimming Coach at WPT, said: “It’s been great to have the swimming pool back open with a fresh new look. Over the last few weeks we’ve already had many children from the Trust through its doors and we can’t wait to continue providing swimming and water safety lessons for our students.”
A big thank you to Novus Mechanical and Pioneer Construction Services for their work on this project.
Welcome to the first WPT newsletter of the 22/23 academic year.
Here you’ll find a showcase of just some of the things that we’ve been getting up to over the last few weeks.
We wish all of our students and staff a happy half term!
This morning, we welcomed Wickersley Sixth Form students back through the Wickersley School doors for one last time to collect their much-anticipated A Level results.
Despite this cohort experiencing unprecedented disruption to their studies, today we celebrate their fantastic results.
Almost all students who applied to university secured their first choice place, including some of the most competitive universities. Many students have also fought off fierce competition to secure apprenticeships and employment at very prestigious providers.
Mr Hardcastle, Headteacher at Wickersley School & Sports College, said: “We’re incredibly proud of all of our Y13 students. Despite the challenges of the past couple of years, they have achieved amazing results and have secured strong onward destinations.
“We wish them all the best in whatever they go on to do next.”
The Wickersley Sixth Form team have been in school today to celebrate with, and congratulate, our students. We encourage any student who needs further advice or support to get in touch via sixthform@wickersley.net.
Congratulations, Y13! We wish you the best of luck with your next steps.
Welcome to the 10th edition of our cross-Trust newsletter.
Here you’ll find a showcase of just some of the things that we’ve been getting up to over the last few weeks.
On behalf of all at Wickersley Partnership Trust, we wish you a happy summer!
On Tuesday, the WPT Cross-Trust Sports Day took place at Wickersley School & Sports College.
Students from Wickersley School, Thrybergh Academy, Rawmarsh Community School, The Gainsborough Academy and Clifton Community School came together to compete in a number of rounders games and track and field events.
It was a fantastic day – a huge well done to all involved.
Wickersley Partnership Trust, in partnership with Rotherham School Games, was honoured to host the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay today as part of the Baton’s journey to the Opening Ceremony of the Commonwealth Games on 28th July in Birmingham.
The Rotherham School Games team organised a Commonwealth Games Festival to coincide with the baton arriving at the Wickersley Partnership Trust Cranworth Road site.
Y4/Y5 children from across the borough who had previously participated in School Games events were invited to attend, where they had the opportunity to have photos with the Commonwealth Baton, take part in a question and answer session with the Baton Bearer and participate in sports such as archery, boccia, hockey, rugby, netball, athletics and our personal favourite, tchoukball.
The 16th official Queen’s Baton Relay is nearing the end of its epic journey around the globe, having begun way back in October when Her Majesty the Queen placed her message to the Commonwealth inside the Baton. Since then the Baton Relay has visited all 72 of the Commonwealth’s countries and territories.
For the Rotherham leg of the Relay, local GBR swimming athlete, Amber Keegan, was chosen to be the Baton Bearer. Amber is an international medallist, having achieved a European Junior Silver medal. This year she became double English Champion, overcoming five years of setbacks which included injury and car accidents. She is a pillar of Sheffield’s STEM and sporting communities.
Amber said: “Sport is about so much more than a race, a time or a medal. It’s about the skills and experience, and the sense of community that you find along the way. It’s great to be able to give back to the next generation of aspiring athletes, and it was a huge honour to be Baton Bearer today.”
David Walker, School Games Coordinator and Wickersley Partnership Trust Sports Coordinator said: “It was an honour to be a part of the Queen’s Baton Relay journey and a privilege to meet Amber, who is a great role model to our students. This is a great end to the 2021-22 School Games season and the event has hopefully inspired the children of Rotherham to take part in the program next year.”
Kai Garbutt, a Y4 student at Monkwood Primary School, said of the event: “I really liked it when the Baton Bearer walked past. I got to have my photo taken and it felt really special.”
Charlie Jepson, a Y 5 student at Aston Lodge Primary School, said: “It’s been a really good opportunity to do sport outside of school. It was a once in a lifetime experience and I feel proud that I was a part of it.”
On behalf of Wickersley Partnership Trust and the Rotherham School Games team, we would like to thank the organisers of the Commonwealth Games Queen’s Baton Relay for the opportunity to host the Baton, and we wish all competitors the best of luck when the Games begin on the 28th July.
Last Wednesday and Thursday evening, Y6s from all eight of our primary schools came together to celebrate the end of their primary school journey at the WPT Y6 Prom.
Before they officially start their new schools, we wanted to wrap their time with us up with some games, dancing, food and friends!
It was a fantastic evening, which included:
Disco
Awards Ceremony
Photobooth
Arts & Crafts
A massive thank you goes out to all of the school staff and the Wickersley Partnership Trust Central Team for helping the Y6s celebrate in style.
Take a look at some of the photos below.
Over the last three weeks, Y5s and Y6s from all eight of our primary schools joined us for this year’s WPT Residential.
Across three days and two nights, the students took part in a range of activities and sports, enjoyed external trips out and camped outside on the WPT fields.
This year – before the students took to the waters at Ulley – we were lucky to have the team at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue deliver water safety talks. This was to ensure that the students are equipped with the knowledge of what to do if they find themselves or others in danger around water.
During Aston Hall Junior & Infant School’s trip, the BBC Look North film crew joined the students during their water safety briefing to highlight the dangers of open water.
All of the students had a wonderful time and they were a credit to their schools and the Trust.
Take a look at some of the photos below.
Rawmarsh Ashwood Primary School
Aston Hall Junior & Infant School
Aston Lodge Primary School
Brinsworth Whitehill Primary School
Monkwood Primary School
Rawmarsh Sandhill Primary School
Foljambe Primary School & Thrybergh Primary School
We’d also like to say a massive thank you to all of the staff who were involved in making the WPT Residential 2022 a huge success this year:
From the planning, camping out, transportation and everything in between, your hard work and time certainly has helped the WPT Residential 2022 become one to remember.
We’re now well underway with the 2022 WPT Residentials. Across three weeks, each Y5 and Y6 student from WPT’s primary schools will take part in a three day and two night residential, which includes water activities at Ulley Country Park.
This year we’re lucky to have the team at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue deliver water safety talks and workshops prior to the students starting the fun watersports on the reservoir. This is to ensure that the students are equipped with the knowledge of what to do if they find themselves or others in danger around water.
This morning, the BBC Look North film crew joined the students from Aston Hall Junior & Infant School during their water safety briefing to highlight the dangers of open water.
David Walker, Sports Development Manager, said: “This year it’s been great to link the Y5/Y6 residentials with the workshops from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue.
“The main aim of the sessions is to get the message out there that there’s a difference between safe and controlled water sessions compared to real life scenarios without safety equipment and qualified teachers.
“Thank you to the team at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue for taking the time to educate our students and ultimately enhance the safety of our outdoor provision at Ulley.”
Fleur Holland, Community Safety Manager at South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, commented: “We’ve always gone into schools to deliver talks on road, fire and water safety but due to the pandemic, a lot of students missed out.
“We knew that Wickersley Partnership Trust had an outdoor provision in place at Ulley so we jumped at the opportunity to get involved and educate over 600 of its students over the three weeks of residentials.
“When it comes to water safety, not many people know what to do. There’s a procedure in place so it’s important for us to get the message out there, especially to students who are moving on to secondary school, where they may start to find themselves under peer pressure. Hopefully they’ll remember the key messages and procedures from these sessions if they ever got into a situation where they have to help themselves or others around water.”
One of the volunteers from South Yorkshire Fire & Rescue, Simon Haycock, has been a key part of the water safety sessions. Simon’s son, Sam, unfortunately lost his life at Ulley last year due to the dangers of open water.
He added: “It’s important for me to do this work because I don’t want what happened to Sam to happen to anyone else’s child.
“I’m proud to be just a small part of the WPT Residentials and share the key messages to its young people about how they can keep themselves and others safe around water.
“I hope the things they have learned through these sessions stick with them if they ever need it.”
Watch the short lunchtime interview – featuring our Sports Development Manager, David Walker, here – https://www.bbc.co.uk/
Keep an eye out on BBC Look North at 6.30pm this evening for the main programme.
Well done to all of the students from Aston Hall – they were a credit to their school and the Trust during the day and while the cameras were rolling!
