A renowned British fashion designer helped inspire the next generation to pursue creativity in their lives and careers when he met them this week.

Year 10 and 11 pupils from Chetwynde School enjoyed an audience with Wayne Hemingway MBE at the University of Cumbria’s new Barrow campus.

Speaking on a wide range of topics the co-founder of trailblazing fashion retailer Red or Dead spoke about his love of going out dancing, attending gigs and travel and the importance of doing things for fun.

Pupils listened first hand as Wayne shared his journey from creating iconic brands to leading national and international projects focused on regeneration, placemaking and social impact.

Quizzing the pupils about their career ambitions Year 11 student Gray Sutherland told him about his love for performing arts and his ambition to be on the stage.

“You are going to have knock backs at some stage even if you feel getting nowhere you should keep going,” Wayne told him. “It’s is doing it that’s important, have a go and do not be afraid to fail as you learn so much.”

He told them that while studying for qualifications is important – and he’d done well at school – it was even more important to put yourself out your comfort zone sometimes and experience new things.

“Never let anyone tell you where you’re from can affect your future,” said the Morecambe-born designer.

He then challenged them to tell him their views on what the town needs to attract talent and for them to feel good about the town.

“What does this town need to be an exciting town that will attract people to come to it from all around the world and be happy here?” he said.

The pupils spoke about their love of music, skating, sports and the need in Barrow for a space to gather socially.

Wayne, who is an Honorary Fellow of the University of Cumbria, outlined how as part of the Team Barrow project, under the banner of Barrow Rising, the town has the most investment of any other town in the country.

“The ambition of the town has to go up and if you rose up together and have ideas they have to listen.”

Chetwynde Teacher Charlotte Strafford said the message linking creativity, community and responsibility had really resonated with students and they were thrilled to be invited to attend by the University’s Pro Vice Chancellor for Growth and Development Claire Aindow, who is also a school governor.

“One of the highlights of the day was seeing our pupils confidently voice their own opinions about Barrow, its identity and its future. It was fantastic to watch them engage thoughtfully with big ideas about place, people and how design can improve lives,” she said.

“This experience was particularly valuable for our GCSE Art and Design pupils, giving them a real insight into how creative industries connect with business, communities and even government policy.

“It was a truly motivating and memorable visit that has left our pupils inspired and full of ideas for the future.”

The school will hold its Creative Careers Day on June 18th bringing industry professionals together to inspire careers in the creative sector.

Community-minded pupils from Ormsgill School who are part of this year’s Mini Police team have taken to the streets to help tackle speeding drivers and promote road safety.

The primary school pupils worked with Police Community Support Officer Michelle Jones on the A590 at Park Road, where they carried out speed checks on passing vehicles using a laser speed gun. Drivers travelling within the speed limit were rewarded with a green thumbs-up while those exceeding the limit were shown a red thumbs-down.

The initiative aims to raise awareness of road safety and deliver a strong visual message to motorists, particularly in areas close to schools.

Headteacher Mick Cull said the project plays an important role in educating drivers as well as developing pupils’ wider skills.

“This initiative is about keeping our community safe, especially around school zones, while also giving our pupils the opportunity to develop confidence, leadership skills and strong community links,” he said. “The Mini Police act as positive role models and take great pride in making a difference.”

As part of their wider Mini Police duties, the pupils have also led school assemblies on fire safety around Bonfire Night, organised community litter picks and supported local events. They have learnt about some of the work the police do and how they help to keep us safe and visited the fire station where they learned about other emergency services. 

The school, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, has been involved in the Mini Police project for the past eight years helping to encourage responsible behaviour and strengthening relationships between pupils and the wider community.

An inspiring group of Year 8 pupils from Chetwynde School are leading a week-long programme of events to mark International Women’s Day.

Alongside a writing competition, whole school assembly, presentations to primary children, non-uniform day, raffle and bake sale they will also interview pupils from selected year groups to capture views on gender equality.

The initiative, starting Monday 9 March, is the brainchild of Lilia Sparkes, Erin Caine, Sienna Corrie and Gabrielle Burns.

Lilia said they plan to involve pupils from primary, secondary and staff to raise awareness of gender equality.

“We did a project last year and wanted to follow up with something even bigger. We like being busy and it is important to educate people on real-world issues.”

The project grew from the pupils’ shared passion for equality and their desire to challenge views and educate others.

Funds raised through the raffle and bake sales will be donated to the Malala Fund, which campaigns globally for every girl’s right to education.

Gabrielle said the event will put their planning, presenting and fundraising skills to the test.

“As a group we are really passionate about women’s rights and want women to be truly equal to men. We feel it is important to keep making progress through education and awareness.

“We hope our project, working with Year 3 pupils and above, will help younger children understand and value equality from an early age.”

A central part of the initiative is outreach to the primary phase of the school.

“We are looking at using interactive activities such as true-or-false questions and word-based tasks to help younger children explore ideas of fairness, respect and equality. We want to highlight positive female role models from both history and the present day.” said Erin, 

“We want to give something back to the school after it has done so much for us,” added Sienna.

Sian Huck, Head of Humanities at Chetwynde which is part of South Cumbria Mult-Academy Trust, said the initiative highlighted the pupils’ leadership, commitment and social awareness.

“They are self-starters and have worked really hard to plan a project which will show how our young people can drive meaningful conversations and positive change within their school community,” she said.

Chetwynde School has been commended for its strong culture of belonging, positive relationships and inclusive ethos following a recent independent behaviour and culture review.

Positive Regard, which provides specialist education support services with a focus on placing children and young people at the heart of school improvement, worked closely with Chetwynde School to evaluate behaviour systems, classroom practice and wider school culture.

The report highlights that Chetwynde School is underpinned by a clearly articulated philosophy of belonging, which is not only embedded in policy but felt across the whole school community. Pupils from a wide range of backgrounds and starting points coexist positively, demonstrating respect for one another, while staff describe the school as a supportive and rewarding place to work with a strong sense of shared responsibility for pupils’ wellbeing and success.

The review found Chetwynde’s core values of respect, responsibility and resilience are visible in everyday interactions and are consistently modelled by staff. These values provide a strong cultural anchor and contribute to the school’s calm, relational approach to behaviour.

Steve Jefferson, Headteacher of Chetwynde School, who leads the annual philosophy lecture that was praised in the report said the school was proud of the findings and would continue developing its practice.

“This report recognises what our pupils and staff experience every day that Chetwynde is a school built on belonging, care and high expectations.

“Our values of respect, responsibility and resilience sit at the heart of everything we do, and it is reassuring to see the positive impact this has on behaviour and relationships across the school.”

He added the report outlines a clear and constructive roadmap for the school’s next phase of development, particularly in strengthening consistency in classroom practice, further aligning behaviour systems with the school’s values, and continuing to refine provision for pupils with SEND.

Behaviour at Chetwynde sits below national averages, reflecting effective systems that prioritise positive conduct and proportionate responses.

The report noted that the school’s graduated behaviour framework, use of Positive Achievement Points, and thoughtful application of sanctions – particularly for pupils with additional needs – were all noted as strengths. Importantly, reasonable adjustments are planned in advance, ensuring behaviour responses are purposeful, inclusive and fair.

Positive Regard representatives said the school was well positioned to go from strength to strength.

“Chetwynde School is a community built on care, strong relationships and deliberate inclusion. Pupils feel known, staff feel valued, and behaviour is underpinned by genuine belonging,” they said.

After a careful and thorough selection process, SCMAT is pleased to announce that Caterlink has been appointed as the new catering provider for five of our six schools, starting this March. This change follows a successful presentation and tasting session, where heads and pupils alike unanimously agreed that Caterlink offered the best fit for our schools. Vickerstown Primary will not be affected by this change and will continue to enjoy the excellent in-house catering provided by Jayne and her team.

The move to Caterlink marks an exciting step forward for school meals across the Trust. Pupils can look forward to tastier, fresher food cooked on site, a wider range of choices, themed menu days and engaging healthy eating promotions. Caterlink also places a strong emphasis on sustainability and reducing food waste, aligning closely with our values.

For our catering staff, this partnership brings new investment in kitchen facilities alongside improved support and training. Caterlink is known for working closely with schools and becoming a genuine part of the school community, rather than simply an external service. With positive feedback already coming from several local schools using Caterlink, we are confident this new partnership will create a better lunchtime experience for everyone.

Primary School

Secondary School

Main meals are the same as the SCMAT School Menu (above) with Break Menu and Grab and Go items detailed below.

Pupils at Newbarns Primary and Nursery School are being given even more reason to pick up a book thanks to a £1,000 donation to restock the school library.

The donation has been made by local councillor and school governor Les Hall, who has chosen to give his full ward allowance for the year to support reading at the school.

Councillor Hall, who represents the Hawcoat and Newbarns ward on Westmorland and Furness Council, said he was proud to support the school to help make reading a positive and exciting experience.

“I’ve always been a keen reader and I know how important it is for children to enjoy reading, not just see it as schoolwork,” he said. “When I saw that increasing literacy was one of the council’s priorities, I felt donating my ward allowance for books was a great way to help.”

Victoria Fitzgibbons, Headteacher at Newbarns School which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, said the donation would make a real difference.

“Reading for fun is incredibly important for children’s development, confidence and wellbeing. Our pupils really value their reading time and with the support of our school librarian we work hard to ensure they have access to books that inspire and excite them. We’re extremely grateful for this support.”

Primary pupils from across South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust were immersed in the world of logical thinking and mathematical patterns.

Staff from Chetwynde School and Lancaster University teamed up to deliver computing and maths masterclasses to give the Year 5 pupils a taste of higher-level thinking.

The day began with a computing session focused on algorithms, led by Chetwynde’s Teacher of Computing Sheila Coull in the style of practical games designed to help develop their coding skills.

Pupils then moved on to a maths masterclass delivered by Lancaster University, where they were introduced to the concept of fractals through the striking example of Sierpinski’s Triangle.

The session was led by Lancaster University fourth-year Physics master’s student Farzanah Parker. “It is good to be back to deliver the masterclass and to continue to inspire young people to see that maths as something that exists beyond the classroom – it’s everywhere around us,” she said.

“We structured this year’s session so there was more of a step-by-step approach at the beginning and they have done really well grasping the concept and developing patterns.”

The pupils learned how the fractal is created by repeatedly removing a central equilateral triangle, revealing a pattern that looks the same at every scale. They explored the concept through drawing, colouring and building up increasingly complex layers of the triangle.

Pupils from Newbarns, Vickerstown, South Walney Juniors, Ormsgill and Chetwynde took part supported by two Year 8 pupils from Chetwynde – Sienna and Gabrielle.

The sessions were hosted in the theatre at Chetwynde and led by Head of Maths, Stefan Olphert who said the masterclass encouraged pupils to think beyond the curriculum.

“The pupils gained a high-level understanding of a complex mathematical idea, and the outcomes were not only thoughtful but visually stunning,” he said.

“Approaching maths in this way helps develop deeper thinking and the pupils responded extremely well to the challenge.”

Pupils from South Walney Junior School are celebrating after winning a county-wide award for a social enterprise project that raised £505 for a lifesaving charity.

The Year 6 class organised a whole-school arts and crafts fundraising event called The Happy Hearts focused on heart health as part of Cumbria’s Bright Stars programme.

Starting with an initial £50 seed funding, they created handmade items including wooden and felt hearts, bookmarks, friendship beads, tree decorations, bracelets, and decorated cookies – all themed around a red heart.

Pupils received the award for Best and Most Positive Long-Term Impact in the awards, organised through the Centre for Leadership Performance.

The total raised will fund seven heart screenings for local young people through CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young), a charity backed by the family of Wilson Shepherd whose mum is a former staff member at South Walney Juniors.

Teachers Natalie McKellar and Philippa McIntyre led the project at South Walney Juniors, which is part of South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust, and said the children had been supported by their business mentors from BAE Systems Ltd.

“We are all extremely proud of the Year 6 pupils for their creativity, dedication and commitment to improving lives in their community,” said Mrs McKellar.

Wilson’s mum Lesley Mease attended The Happy Hearts event at school and said the money raised will help to identify cardiac conditions at an early stage.

“The amount raised was incredible. The children were fantastic and I am so very proud of them all. Myles my nephew is in Year 6 so it was extra poignant that they chose to support this cause.”

Judges praised the project for both its impact and sustainability, saying: “The team didn’t just develop amazing skills they can use in future projects, they also raised a huge amount of money to donate to CRY. This is incredibly special, as it will help the charity screen children early and make a lasting difference long after Bright Stars.”

For more information about the charity and how to donate, visit https://www.c-r-y.org.uk/wilson-shepherd/

A remarkable pupil from Cambridge Primary School has been recognised for her resilience, determination and outstanding attitude to learning after winning two prestigious awards at the South Cumbria Multi-Academy Trust (SCMAT) Superstars Awards.

Aiyla-May Stafford scooped both the award for living the Trust’s value of excellence and the Trustee Golden Award, a special new honour presented to a pupil who has overcome adversity to succeed in their studies.

She was diagnosed in Year 3 with type 1 diabetes and coeliac disease, yet she has continued to thrive academically while managing her health with maturity and responsibility.

Cambridge Primary Headteacher Jenny Lavery praised Aiyla-May for the exceptional example she sets to others.

“She manages her health needs responsibly while remaining fully involved in school life, setting an exceptional example to others,” she said.

“Her work ethic, positive attitude and engagement with school life have never faltered. She continues to approach her learning with the same enthusiasm, commitment and pride, demonstrating an inspiring strength of character each day.

“As a whole staff team, we are incredibly proud of Aiyla-May and the resilience she has shown throughout her journey.”

Aiyla-May was presented with the Trustee Golden Award by SCMAT Trustees Jayden Milby and Keith Johnson during the celebratory ceremony.

She also received the award for excellence, with teachers describing having her in the classroom as a “genuine joy”.

“She approaches learning with enthusiasm and curiosity, regularly asking thoughtful questions and showing a real passion for developing her knowledge and skills,” staff said.

“Her kind and inquisitive nature enables her to engage deeply with her subjects, embrace new challenges and demonstrate resilience when learning becomes more demanding. Her love of learning and consistently excellent attitude make her a valued member of our school community.”

The SCMAT Superstars Awards are presented annually to pupils who consistently live out the Trust’s values of excellence, respect, innovation, celebration, ambition and support in their daily school lives.

This year’s ceremony celebrated pupils from Chetwynde, Vickerstown, Ormsgill, Newbarns, Cambridge and South Walney Junior Schools. 

Guests heard inspiring stories of upstanding, kind and thoughtful pupils who are succeeding in their studies and role models to others across their schools and the Trust.

List of SCMAT SUPERSTARS 2026

Excellence

Emily Irvine

Evie Barbour

Orlaith Ottley

Jacob Stanton

Aiyla-May Stafford

Poppy Casey

Evelyn Simpson

Respect

Delilah Devlin

Liv Jackson

Damon Schofield

Theodore Pearson

Lily Park

Brooklyn B

Cinar Ege Dirgen

Jaxon-Gary Stitt

Ciara Higgins

Celebration

Bonnie-Mae Quigley

Rudi Akinyele

Isla Cassidy

Trixi Ives

Zainab Saidova

Evelyn Caine

Ambition

Maria Vulcan

Zeenat Fasasi

Ryder Williamson

Innovation

Phoebe Mathers

Tilly Lawson

Wyatt Fitzpatrick

Support

Lucia Thornton

Scarlett Graveson

Lucia Thornton

Gray Sutherland

Olivia Herbert

Derryn Wearing

Lily Dawes

Ezra Abernethy

Millie Bell