Jul 20, 2021 | Ackworth School, Quaker
During March and April, several Fourth Form students volunteered to take part in the Sir James Reckitt Trust-funded Peace Education project.
The project involved three sessions meeting via Zoom with teachers and students from other Quaker schools. We explored themes around peace, violence and non-violence. We also explored what peace meant to us individually and what it means on a wider scale. Here is an overview of what each of the sessions involved, as told by our pupils.
In the first session along with other Quaker schools, we used our own knowledge from before the sessions as well as using quotes and inspiration from famous peace figures to have a developed conversation. From this, we broke out into groups mixing school pupils up and answering questions set by the host. To end the session everybody put three words into answer form to create a picture of words of what everyone thought was peace.
By James & Mathew
In the second session of the peace project, we listened to other people’s views on peace and what it means to them. We also learned about different types of violence and people who took a peaceful stance to resist different types of violence and conflict around the world. We then discussed what peace means to us and how we can show peace in our everyday lives. In this session, I think that it was very interesting to see other peoples views on peace and learn about people standing up to conflict and violence in a peaceful way around the world. It was also good to learn how to lead a peaceful lifestyle in our own lives.
By Steven and Mikulas
On the third session, Ellis Brooks of the BYM Peace Education Team led a session on activism and non-violence. He spoke about different conflicts that have happened in the world and we learned about different types of peace. We also talked about how war affects everyone and how people combat it. We spoke about asymmetric conflict, where one side is much more powerful than the other and what we should do in these situations. We were asked to come up with subjects that should be on a peace curriculum in schools. This project helped us understand more about how peace can be achieved and what problems we would face and why peace is important for everyone.
By Isabel, Ink and Billy
Visit the Quaker website to learn more about peace education.
Jul 8, 2021 | Ackworth School
This year a number of Ackworth School students have taken the opportunity to study the .b Mindfulness course (Sixth Formers during their Games lesson and 1st to 3rd Years during their after-school club).
‘.b’ stands for ‘stop’ and ‘be’. This may sound simple but it is actually an important life skill and not as easy as it may first appear. Being able to step back and ‘unhook’ from the busyness of habitual activity and the chatter of the mind takes practice.
Living in the present
Learning Mindfulness can help us to create greater space for living in the present moment. This, in turn, can result in increased levels of happiness and can offer clarity to help us respond effectively and make choices that support our performance and well-being in both our school and personal lives.
What do pupils think?
“Since starting the Mindfulness course I have been able to incorporate it into many different aspects of my everyday life. I think that mindfulness is something that should be a key part of everyone’s daily life as it helps you to focus, be present and gain perspective on anything that life throws at you! I think that this particular mindfulness course is a fantastic and positive addition to the school.”Abrielle, Sixth Form
“Since I am easily under pressure, I think the Mindfulness class is very helpful. Many techniques help me to calm down (I like the ‘beditation’ technique best!). I highly recommend Mindfulness to everyone.” Linda, Sixth Form
“Admittedly, I have found mindfulness more relaxing than it’s probably meant to be! However, it has certainly proven to be a useful technique that I encourage anyone to practise especially where you need to untether from your thoughts and distractions and focus solely on the present.”Harry, Sixth Form
“Mindfulness is like good triumphing over evil, how you can stay calm under pressure when things are starting to get out of hand.”Jacob and Luke, 2nd Form
“Mindfulness is giving me the opportunity to take some time to think about myself and the surroundings. A Mindfulness technique that has helped me the most is ‘beditation’, and there are lots of ways you can do it! Lots of these help me get to sleep. Overall, Mindfulness has helped me a lot!” Aden, 1st Form
Mindfulness has had a really positive impact on how I act day to day. I’ve used many different techniques which I have been taught over the last few weeks I especially like 7:11 breathing technique and I have used this often over the last few weeks Daniel, 2nd Form
As a Quaker school, Ackworth shares some similar values with mindfulness principles. Hear from Ackworth’s Visiting Friend, Zephyrine Barbarachild about her adventures through life as a Quaker.
Click here to learn more about the Mindfulness in Schools Project
Jul 5, 2021 | Ackworth School, Sport
Ackworth School is delighted to have been shortlisted in the Independent Schools of the Year 2021 awards. The nomination is in the Community award category for the school’s Tennis Outreach Programme.
The project, jointly funded by the Tim Henman Foundation and Ackworth School has helped local coach Alice Robson bring tennis to nearly 2,000 pupils at 28 local primary schools. In partnership with the Lawn Tennis Association, the programme has also generated nearly 200 new members to Ackworth Tennis Club.
Tom Shennan-Barker, Director of Marketing and Admissions at Ackworth School said, “We are proud to have been shortlisted for the Independent Schools of the Year 2021 awards. Our tennis outreach programme has been so successful in giving thousands of primary school children the opportunity to learn new skills, and this shortlisting is in recognition of that.”
Celebrating community engagement
Recently, Tim Henman visited Ackworth School to celebrate the unique partnership. Nearly 100 primary children from the area participated in the event, including pupils from Ackworth’s Coram House junior school.
During the visit, Alice, LTA’s Development Coach of the Year delivered coaching together with Henman himself. Henman was on hand to share his experiences from a 15-year playing career. In that time he reached six Grand Slam semi-finals and won 15 ATP career titles.
At the event, Tim Henman said: “I am delighted to be at Ackworth today and see more young tennis stars coming through the pipeline. Talent is spread evenly across the country but sadly opportunity is not. This is why this Foundation initiative in association with the LTA, Ackworth School and Ackworth Tennis Club is so important.”
Independent Schools of the Year finalists will be revealed on 7 September. Judges will then meet again to reach a decision on the winner of each category. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in October.
Read more about Tim Henman’s visit to Ackworth School.
May 19, 2021 | Ackworth School, Sport
Tennis royalty was in town on Wednesday as former British number one Tim Henman visited Ackworth School to celebrate a successful local project aimed at getting more young people involved in tennis and launch his Foundation’s new fundraising campaign.
The participation project, jointly funded by the Tim Henman Foundation and Ackworth School, in partnership with the LTA, the national governing body for tennis in Great Britain, has helped local coach Alice Robson bring tennis to nearly 2,000 pupils at 28 local primary schools, as well as to generate nearly 200 new members to Ackworth Tennis Club.
Tim meets Coram House pupils and coach Alice Robson
During the visit, Alice, who was named Development Coach of the Year at last year’s LTA Tennis Awards, delivered coaching alongside the visiting primary school teachers to nearly 100 children at the school together with Henman himself, who was on hand to share his experiences from a 15-year playing career which saw him reach six Grand Slam semi-finals and win 15 ATP career titles.
Finding Your Spark
The event also marked the launch of a new campaign by the Tim Henman Foundation – the #FindingYourSpark campaign – which is designed to help some of the country’s most vulnerable young people pursue their passions in disciplines like tennis. Events like today’s are all about spreading special experiences like accessing one-to-one coaching and giving more children the chance to find their spark.
Tim Henman said: “I am delighted to be at Ackworth today and see more young tennis stars coming through the pipeline. Talent is spread evenly across the country but sadly opportunity is not, which is why this Foundation initiative in association with the LTA, Ackworth School and Ackworth Tennis Club is so important.”
As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, children need these chances more desperately than ever.
“Some of us are lucky enough to remember the moment we found our spark and the people who inspired us, in my case through the tennis scholarship I was granted aged nine. By donating to the #FindingYourSpark you can give more special, life-defining moments to more of our most vulnerable children.”
Celebrating tennis across Yorkshire
Paul Bennett, LTA Head of Region for North of England said: “The results of this partnership speak for themselves and it’s great to see so many of the schoolchildren that Alice has inspired to pick up a racket enjoying today’s session with Tim. We are continuing to work closely with the Foundation as we both work towards encouraging more and more young people from all backgrounds to get involved in our sport. There are plans in place to follow a similar model to this project in other areas of the country, and hopefully, we will see similar levels of success.”
Alice Robson, Ackworth Tennis Club Head Coach and LTA Development Coach of the Year, said: “It has been a privilege to give so many children around Yorkshire the opportunity to play tennis for the first time. Seeing them pick up a racket and learn new skills is wonderful. Ensuring they have a positive first experience with tennis is important when trying to engage them with the sport and inspiring Britain’s tennis players.”
Local primary pupils participate in the event at Ackworth learning new tennis skills
Anton Maree, Head of Ackworth School said: “Introducing activities to children to which they do not normally have access has to take place at their convenience. We work with our partner schools at their schools with the facilities they have at their disposal. This approach allows us to reach a significant number of children and we help them to find their spark!”
Richard Garrett, CEO of the Tim Henman Foundation said: “The Tim Henman Foundation Community Tennis Programme in Ackworth is a leading model for developing tennis participation. The programme involves schools and a club with outstanding levels of participation creating 1000s of “one life one opportunity” moments for young people to pick up a tennis racquet and potentially find their spark. The scheme’s success reflects a one education sector approach with children and teachers from both state and independent schools being inspired through tennis”.
The Tim Henman Foundation is one of a number of charities the LTA is supporting through the effects of the coronavirus pandemic through grant funding from the Tennis Foundation.
Click here to find out more about sport at Ackworth School.
Mar 25, 2021 | Ackworth School
As part of our outstanding careers provision, Ackworth School held its first virtual Careers Exhibition on Tuesday 16th March.
We had an array of speakers, including a handful of Old Scholars who showcased a wide range of professions, selected by our pupils, and presented on their occupations. Topics included how to get started, building experience, developing skills, and establishing your role.
Videos from the event can be watched below.
If you have any questions regarding this event please contact Pip Langfield, Head of Careers at pip.langfield@ackworthschool.com
Mar 25, 2021 | Ackworth School, Senior School
Grace and Evelyn, both Fifth Form pupils, have been giving talks this week across the school years raising awareness around the circumstances of the death of Sarah Everard. We managed to catch up with the girls to see how their presentations were going.
Grace said, “We wanted to acknowledge that certain things are never ok – boys need to understand that even shouting inappropriate comments is not the correct way to win over a girl. We also wanted to make sure that girls understand what actions to take if a boy makes them feel uncomfortable.”
Grace and Evelyn have been telling Sarah’s story, specifying she was very well-liked amongst her friends. They wanted to make sure that she would also be remembered for who she was and not just for the circumstances of how she had died.
Evelyn said, “Did you know that 97% of women have been sexually harassed in their lifetime and 90% of those victims know their perpetrator. When people discuss the term “not all men” not being accurate, for some women it is all men to be cautious of. If you are given a plate of cookies but one was poisonous, would you risk it?”
The messages and topics brought up during their presentation speak to the need to raise awareness among younger audiences. “Whatever gender you are it is never ok to body shame and make sexual comments about someone,” said Grace and Evelyn. “Tackling these problems from a young age can help normalise these conversations later down the line.”
Education is vital for these topics but there are ways to keep yourself safe:
- Sharing your location on apps like FindMyFriends or WhatsApp
- Make a ‘silent’ emergency call by dialling 999 and then pressing 55 if you can’t speak in a situation
- 61016 – Send a text to this number if you feel unsafe
Making a difference
All of this awareness is for a good cause. Grace and Evelyn are raising money today through a non-uniform day for The Survivors Trust, a charity that provides free confidential support and information for victims of any type of sexual violence. The information gathered by the charity is then used for survivors, their supporters, and society at large, making sure these events are not normalised. The Survivors Trust member agencies provide a range of specialist services to survivors including counselling, support, helplines and advocacy services for women, men, non-binary people and children. These agencies are mostly charities and are completely independent of the police.
