Latest News
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Our alternative Christmas tree
Tue 30 Nov 2021We have created an alternative Christmas tree to feature in the Christmas Tree Festival 2021 at Worcester Cathedral.
Our tree is inspired by our investment in digital technology and our commitment to the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals.
Achieving a sustainable future
Children from across our schools have created decorations from toilet rolls to promote the need to reduce, reuse or recycle. This is one of many steps we can all take to support sustainability.
Our inspiring curriculum which has Sustainable Development Goals embedded throughout, is one that considers equality, climate change, legacy, clean energy, education and health as key elements of focus that will give our children the start they need to make a marked impact on our world.
Our curriculum is rooted in our vision to teach children to love, learn, live, ensuring our pupils value education and become lifelong learners.
Investing in our pupils
Investing in digital technology is not only great for the environment, as less paper and printing is required, it also saves the school money. Our family of schools benefit from collective purchasing to lease digital devices, meaning schools are able to maximise their budgets and utilise more of the budget to support and improve pupil outcomes.
As educators we have a responsibility to ensure pupils develop important skills to facilitate learning appropriate for the future. In an ever-changing world, digital skills are as important as reading, writing and numeracy.
We have invested in digital devices to support and enhance learning opportunities, streamline staff planning and assessment, enhance curriculum delivery and support pupil progress and attainment.
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Children in Need 2021
Mon 22 Nov 2021BBC Children in Need raised £40.3million after fundraising efforts over the weekend.
Along with many of our schools, children at Wychbold First & Nursery School took part in a non-uniform day to raise money for the good causes that Children in Need supports.
Pudsey covered in coins for Children in Need at St Peter’s Droitwich CofE Academy
The children at St Peter’s Droitwich C of E Academy supported Children in Need Day on Friday 19th November by wearing Pudsey items to school, these included t-shirts, pyjamas, Pudsey ears and face paint Pudsey spots. The School Council had created a life-size painting of Pudsey which was lay on the floor in the school hall for children to place their pounds and pennies. The total received was £232.70.
Lucy Mills, the Deputy Headteacher said “It was the idea of the School Council to create a painted Pudsey to collect and display the donations brought into school. The generosity of the children very nearly completely covered Pudsey, next time I think we might need a bigger Pudsey!”
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Children given access to NHS mental health support at school
Thu 18 Nov 2021Heronswood Primary School and Pre-School have been selected to benefit from an NHS Mental Health in Schools Project, funded by the government.
In March 2021, the government announced £79 million to boost mental health support for children and young people in England. Funding will be used to expand the support available to children and young people which includes increasing the number of Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs) in schools and colleges and improving access and reducing waiting times for community mental health support.
The MHST will deliver interventions to children with mild-to-moderate mental health issues, build and support the whole school approach to mental wellbeing, advise school staff and liaise with external specialist service to help children and young people to get the right support and stay in education.
Heronswood Primary School will have access to an Education Mental Health Practitioner in school, 1 day per week for a full year, to work with children, families and staff.
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Armistice Day 2021
Thu 11 Nov 2021Schools across the trust have created fantastic displays to commemorate the contribution of British and Commonwealth military and civilian servicemen and women in the two World Wars and later conflicts.
At St Peter’s Droitwich C of E Academy the main school gates have been transformed in to a bold and bright display of poppies. The children have created many different styles of poppies using a variety of materials, including welded metal, moulding clay, plastic bottles, beads, wood, sticks, stones and leaves to name a few.
Pupils at Cherry Orchard Primary School, Worcester were invited to create a wonderful poppy display on the windows at the local Tesco supermarket.
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Pupils learn about the Battle of Worcester for Christmas Project
Tue 09 Nov 2021Year 6 pupils at Cherry Orchard Primary School enjoyed a visit from The Battle of Worcester Society and Worcester Re-enactors on Monday 8th November 2021.
BoWS Chairman Richard Shaw, gave an interesting presentation to pupils about Worcestershire’s key role during the English Civil War, being the location of the first and last battle, over 370 years ago.
Roger Fairman and Brian Bullock, from the historical re-enactment group, dressed as a musketeer and pikeman to demonstrate weapons used during the battle. They invited pupils to try on armoury and handle replica weapons.
The visit was a useful introduction for pupils to get an understanding of this important part of English history, and links well with the school’s community history.
The pupils have been asked by the society to make themed decorations to adorn the Battle of Worcester Society Christmas tree in Worcester Cathedral, as part of the annual Christmas Tree Festival in December.
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Minister of State for School Standards visits North Worcester Primary Academy
Tue 09 Nov 2021Robin Walker MP, Minister of State for School Standards, visited North Worcester Primary Academy on Friday 5th November for his very first ministerial visit since being appointed at the Department for Education on 16th September 2021.
Robin officially opened North Worcester Primary Academy back in September 2019, so was looking forward to seeing how the school has developed.
As Minister of State for School Standards, Robin was interested to find out about the Rivers’ curriculum and the trust’s investment in digital technology.
Following a tour of the school, which included a visit to the newly built pre-school extension and ‘high-tech’ immersive room, Robin met a group of year 6 children from St Clement’s CofE Primary School and Cranham Primary School, who talked to him about the curriculum.
North Worcester Primary Academy, St Clement’s CofE Primary School and Cranham Primary School are 3 schools in The Rivers C. of E. Academy Trust, a group of fifteen good and outstanding primary, first, pre-school and nursery settings, with a thriving teaching alliance.
The trust has recently launched an enhanced curriculum, which has the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) embedded throughout.
The enhanced curriculum is one that considers equality, climate change, clean energy, recycling, quality education and wellbeing as key elements of focus. This ensures that sustainability and equality become an integral part of children’s learning.
The trust’s vision statement is ‘to teach children to love, learn, live as a global citizen in an ever-changing world’ as encapsulated in its vision ‘love, learn, live’.
Robin voiced how the Rivers curriculum was “Really exciting”. He told staff and pupils that he has had previous discussions with colleagues about the need for there to be more about sustainability in curriculum subjects such as science and geography and he was particularly excited by the way Rivers had “pulled the whole thing into a coherent curriculum”.
Within the trust, SDGs are not just taught in science, they are taught across every subject including languages, P.E, art and design.
Robin was asked by Year 6 St Clement’s pupil, Sam, what he did to make a difference and be more sustainable. Robin replied that he has done lots of litter picking, as it’s a good thing to do to make a difference in the local environment. He also suggested that people should buy local produce and, although he still drives a petrol car, he is hoping his next car will be an electric one.
Kerry Rochester, Director of Education for the Rivers C.of E. Academy Trust, invited Robin to visit again at the end of the academic year to see how the curriculum has been further embedded and to see how it has empowered children to think about how they can make a difference to the world.
Find out more about our enhanced curriculum.