Mr Atkinson's Friday Update 25.03.22

Good afternoon,

Firstly thank you for everyone's generosity last week, £1802.00 was raised for Comic Relief and the Disaster Emergency Committee. This reflects our excellent school community who have as usual gone above and beyond for others. This is also reflected through our other fundraisers this year:  

- Children in Need - £1493.73
- Leeds General Hospital - £478.05
- Candlelighters - £603.05

Therefore I cannot wait to see how Year 7 fare in their sponsored walk in July to support the BRI, an organisation we have supported for many years here at BGS with the current total standing at  £17,972.66 for the three sponsored walks our students have undertaken so far. 

Secondly I wish to mention James in Year 7, who met with myself and Mrs Spencer (Business Manager) to discuss Bingley Grammar School moving towards becoming a Plastic Free School. James's passionate and informed presentation led us to sign up to www.plasticfreeschools.org.uk and we are looking forward to working with them and James to tackle this important issue.

Also this week Miss Shah and a group of students attended the Anne Frank Youth Conference in Manchester. As part of this we also heard that Safiyah, Sara, Mabel, Isabelle and Emma (all in Yr 9) were successful in applying to become ambassadors for the Youth Empowerment Programme where they will work as ambassadors to challenge prejudice.

With regards to prejudice, lack of understanding and in turn educating, next week our assembly will be focusing on autism as it is 'World Autism Acceptance Week'. Mrs Mather-Reilly and Miss Mulcock will be leading this whole school assembly which will address what autism is and how it may affect people. We hope this will help our students to understand how others may view the world and links into our focus on hidden difficulties and that we must adapt to those around us and not jump to make judgement or pass comment. Looking ahead next term we will be reviewing our peer on peer abuse procedures with students, but also within this hearing from ambassadors in the school community about the effects of people's words and reviewing what school will do in situations like this to support, educate and where appropriate, sanction.

Best wishes,

Mr Atkinson