Swimming success for Chetwynde

A team of five talented swimmers from Chetwynde School are now in the country’s top 10 after succeeding in the nationals.

Porter Tinning, Joshua Caine, Elecktra Muncaster, Rashi Kale and Lois Shields competed in the 26th National ESSA Primary Team Championships at Ponds Forge International Sports Centre in Sheffield.

They qualified for a final in each event and finished second in the 4 x 25metre medley relay, continuing a 26-year tradition of the schools success in this event.

Katy Costa, Head of Key Stage 2 at Chetwynde who took the team to the competition, said they had progressed after qualifying in the North West division.

“It was amazing to see them swim so well. For each event they managed to qualify for the ‘B’ final and finished second in the medley which means they are 10th overall in the whole country, which is a brilliant achievement.

“We have a strong tradition at this event because we are the only school to have qualified for all 26 competitions over the years.”

Chetwynde was the founding member of SCMAT in September 2021 and has gone on to lead the SCMAT MegaMAT Games for all primary schools in the area.

VIPs visit Ormsgill Nursery

Pupils from Ormsgill Nursery have enjoyed a VIP visit from some important people in the community.

As part of their topic on ‘People Who Help Us’, they enjoyed visits from a team of paramedics, firefighters, guide dogs and a police officer.

Teacher Fiona Harris, from Ormsgill Nursery which is part of the primary school, said: “The visits were brilliant, they really helped the children to understand the different work that people do and the equipment their jobs require. There was some great play that went on back in nursery, with children trying out all kinds of occupations.”

Ormsgill Nursery will join the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust with the primary school in September 2022.

SCMAT CEO and Executive Headteacher Andrew Wren said: “It is great to see the nursery pupils thinking about potential future careers in the public services at this age. There are lots of routes into careers in public services, both at our sixth form and Channelside campuses, and we are sure this visit will have inspired them.”

Congratulations also to the pupils from Ormsgill Nursery and Primary who have been awarded the Mini Police School of the Year Award by Cumbria Constabulary. The mini police have held litter picks and led a campaign to discourage people in the community from littering. They also visited Barrow Fire Station, passed on their knowledge to their peers in assembly, learned first aid and CPR and learned about internet safety.

Popular Ormsgill Book Festival returns

A popular community event will return next week with the chance for children across Furness to meet top authors.

The Ormsgill Book Festival will see around 600 children attending from primary schools across Barrow and meeting their favourite authors and illustrators.

Vashti Hardy, who is a Blue Peter Book Award winner, Chris Mould, Tom Palmer, Peter Bently and Dan Worsley will be visiting to deliver workshops and answer questions about their books and their careers as authors.

The event, held at Ormsgill School, is organised by Year 3 teacher Laura Reid who is the school’s lead for maths and ICT, and shares her passion for literature to inspire all her students to read.

Seven other schools Cambridge, Chetwynde, Sacred Heart, St George’s, South Walney Infants, South Walney Juniors and Victoria Academy will be attending.

Mick Cull, who is head of Ormsgill School which joins South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust in September 2022, said the event is so important for the community, which is situated in an area of deprivation with low levels of literacy.

“Laura was inspired to set the event up after visiting the book festival at Wray Castle and realising it was not open to Barrow schools.

“She did not let this stand in her way and single-handedly organised her own overcoming the challenges of getting nationally-renowned authors to visit South Cumbria and co-ordinating all the travel and accommodation for them during their stay.”

Not only has the avid reader organised a huge number of online sessions with well-known authors such as Michael Rosen and Floella Benjamin during Covid, with other school staff she helped set up a special reading area for the children to enjoy. The area is a cosy room filled with cushions and blankets, perfect for any child who wants to sit comfortably and get stuck in to a good book.

“Laura has helped develop a real love for reading both in her own class and across school. The children leave the sessions inspired and are desperate to read more,” he said.

Her pupils are full of praise for their teacher and the event.

“Mrs Reid helped me write a letter to Clara Vulliamy – she’s my favourite author – and she wrote back and even sent me one of her new books, it was so exciting!” Amillia (aged 7)

“Mrs Reid has introduced us to lots of new books. My favourite author is Steven Lenton. I love reading. When I read, I feel happy and calm” Quaid (aged 7)

The event runs on Thursday 30th June all day. There are limited spaces still available. Schools can contact laurareid@ormsgill.cumbria.sch.uk 

Pupils win prizes

Talented pupils at Ormsgill Primary School scooped a suite of prizes at a recent taster day at Furness College’s Channelside campus.

The Busy Bees team won the book challenge in the Learning Resources Centre, matching up the book cover with its author, in a very impressive time of 41.67 seconds.

Meanwhile one Year 6 pupil also showed a very steady hand winning the engineering virtual welder challenge with a top score of 87/100 while another won the poster competition in the travel and tourism room, which was decorated as France.

Their prizes were presented in class by Kathryn Kittley, of Furness College, who is also a director of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, which the school is set to join in September

Chetwynde pupils mark Jubilee in style

Chetwynde pupils transformed their sports fields into a sea of colour and vibrant voices as the school held its Jubilee Celebration.

Pupils right through from the kindergarten and primary years to senior school dressed up for the decades at the event.

They performed a concert of songs from each era – 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s and modern day – in front of a crowd of family, friends and school staff.

Visitors enjoyed picnics, a barbecue, ice creams and a delicious afternoon tea, which was created by the Year 9 food technology students using the catering facilities at Furness College.

The event was attended by Barrow Mayor Hayley Preston, representatives from South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust and supported by the PTA.

Tech company joins Trust as employer partner

An innovative Ulverston-based technology company has been announced as a new employer partner of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust (SCMAT).

Electronics company Forge Europa will work with the Trust, led by Furness College, on initiatives to link the curriculum to skills pupils will need in their future careers.

The partnership means pupils from SCMAT’s member schools will benefit from opportunities including shared technical expertise in design and technology lessons in schools and specialist talks and Q&A sessions about working in the industry.

The Trust will also work with Forge to help shape the curriculum in the growth area of design, development and manufacturing for its member schools.

Julie Barton, Human Resources Director at Forge Europa, said: “Forge’s LED lighting business is built on innovation and our success is down to a talented team with qualifications, experience, skills, and tenacity. Forge is excited to be working with SCMAT. Together, we can help share the skills, knowledge and resilience to support the next generation to thrive in an ever-changing world and workplace.”

SCMAT Chief Executive Officer and Executive Headteacher Professor Andrew Wren said the Trust was delighted to be approached by Forge Europa.

“Forge has been running for nearly 30 years at the cutting-edge of development and manufacturing of LED lighting and has so much expertise to share with the next generation.

“As a Trust, we have a clear vision to prepare pupils for high quality careers in major growth areas of the economy and we know that design, development and manufacturing is a priority area for skills.

“As a forward-thinking company, Forge shares our values of innovating to ensure pupils have the right qualifications for the world of work and we will be working with them to identify what skills and expertise are needed.

“We are keen to develop a bank of committed employer partners to support our vision to give young people the best chance for their future.

“Breadth and depth of employer engagement is fundamental to the success of the SCMAT as we work with industry to ensure our education offer includes the professional, personal and technical skills that employers are seeking.”

South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust was launched in September 2021 with founding partner Chetwynde School. Vickerstown and Ormsgill schools will join the SCMAT in September 2022.

The Trust is interested in other employer partners joining. For more information please email info@furness.ac.uk

South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust
c/o Chetwynde School Croslands
Rating Lane, Barrow-in-Furness
Cumbria LA13 0NY

Company number 13414087 registered in England.
Tel: 01229 824 210
Email: info@scmat.org.uk
South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust