Various workshops at Ely College this week, allowed students to explore their personal wellbeing, encouraging discussion about making health choices so that each and every young person aims to reach their fullest potential. Working with outside partners, PLEDGES and Futures Day coincided perfectly with the #TimeToTalk national mental health campaign.

PLEDGES and Futures Day is a regular feature at Ely College. A day of extended learning focusing on Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE), each age group had a different focus covering some essential elements of the curriculum. By getting involved and engaging with outside partners such as the police and first aiders trainers, students can also earn their PLEDGES awards.

While Year 11 students looked to the ‘future’, with a dedicated day of revision to immerse themselves in their English Literature GCSE, younger students took part in a carousel of workshops centred around ‘making healthy choices’.  Gaining a deeper understanding of everything from cyber-bullying, positive body image and forming healthy relationships to healthy eating, mental wellbeing and future career choices, these activities simulated the challenges our young people face.

Working with Sgt Phil Priestley and sniffer dog Bessie, students gained knowledge and awareness of the risks associated with drugs and alcohol. Mr Spencer, Principal at Ely College commented: “We wants students to leave college as well rounded individuals, equipped with the tools to reach their fullest potential in life. These insights, will allow students to play a full and inclusive part in a healthy society and ensure they look out for each other with compassion and empathy.”

A workshop and activities facilitated by local group Talking FreEly was very popular as staff and students appreciated the time given to ‘just sit and talk’ about the barriers that stop us all from opening up about mental health concerns. Organisers commented on how positively students engaged with the day, explaining ‘that while teen mental health is at the fore front of today’s activities, we hope Ely College students can take these conversations home and continue to break down the stigma around mental wellbeing.’

On Thursday, Ely College welcomed John Willis, founder of Power2Inspire. His charity promotes inclusive and adaptive sports, so no one with disabilities or impairments is ‘left on the bench’. Ely College invited John, who was born without fully-formed arms or legs, to speak with their design and technology students and start on a collaborative journey of designing for purpose.

Speaking with mixed years in assembly, John introduced students to what Power2inspire does for people of ALL abilities. Bringing disabled and non-disabled children together for the Power House Games and regular Festivals of Inclusive Sport, everyone is able to keep fit and active together. John, on his own is an inspiration, having completed a personal challenge he set himself back in 2016.

His ‘Road to Rio’ challenge saw him take on all 34 Paralympic and Olympic sports, having a go at everything from archery to judo, ending with a charity game of golf. John reflected on the challenge: “You can imagine playing Handball with no hands was tricky, but it was a great privilege to make friends with professionals and show how fantastically welcoming the world of sports can be.”

Inspired by his talk, Year 10 Design and Technology students moved on to a workshop exploring how this remarkable man has to overcome barriers in his everyday life.  Working in groups, students looked to invent or adapt everyday items that could help John with real world problems. To help them, John explained: ‘the challenge is not in coming up with solutions, but phrasing or forming the question in a way they shows that these young people really understand the problems less able bodied people face. Empathy is a big part of the project today as students reframe their world, experiencing problems from a new perspective. I have been very impressed with their efforts.”

This is the first time Power2Inspire has worked with a secondary school young designers: “Ely College has really embraced this concept of collaborative designing, working together around a contextual problem. We are challenging young people to think of solutions for issues they haven’t encountered, which is good practice for the future where they will need solutions to issues we have yet to face.”

Trying to make lives easier by designing for disability, it is hoped they can stumble upon innovative solutions that are often better than those when we design for the norm. Dave Bausor, Lead Practitioner for Design and Technology at Ely College added: “We are keen to develop a supportive partnership going forward. Today is the students’ first steps on journey of design. We are looking forward to taking their ideas, and developing models and practical proto-types for John early next year, as well as supporting the charity through our PLEDGES and Sport Leaders programmes.”

An Ely primary school will be getting an an extreme makeover to its outdoor space to enable children to remain more physically active - whatever the weather.

Planning permission has just been approved to tarmac a section of the top field at the Lantern Community Primary School to turn it into an all-weather surface to be used throughout the school day, as well as for out of school activities.

Headteacher David Lawrence said: “I’m delighted we’ve finally got permission to go ahead with this. It will improve the play facilities for the children enormously.”

Building is due to start in February, depending on weather, and will cover an L-shaped section of the field, which gets muddy throughout much of the year.

“Mr Lawrence said: “From October to May we have problems with the field as it is. This is the solution.

“For the children it’s going to be brilliant - they need space to run around. This means they can have it all year.”

The new playground, costing just over £70,000, is partly funded by £10,000 raised by Friends of the Lantern School, the school’s PTA, last year. 

The rest of the money comes from school funds and the Cambridge Meridian Academies Trust (CMAT).

FOTLS chair Andrea Roose, whose son Milo, six, attends the school, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to contribute £10k to this project. 

“It reflects a fantastic year of fundraising by the committee and our volunteers and wouldn’t have been possible without the continued support of all our children, parents and the school.”

In addition the current trim trail equipment will be reconditioned or replaced within the next few weeks.

The school has just been gifted a section of grass by Ely College, which is also part of CMAT.

The Ely primary caters for about 450 children as well as running Goslings Pre-School.

Future plans include turning a strip of land at the side of the school into a vegetable garden.

Royal Visit to Ely

Last Tuesday, braving sub-zero temperatures and Arctic conditions, the musicians of Ely College met HRH Prince Charles and his wife Lady Camilla, Duchess of Cronwall during their visit to Ely.

Musicians from Ely College, joined by pupils from Ely St Johns and Rackham Primary schools entertained the crowds as they waited to catch sight of the city’s Royal guests.

Our school woodwind and brass ensembles really did a fantastic job, especially considering the harsh conditions. Musical instruments become significantly more difficult to play in extremes of temperature and Tuesday was no exception. Together with chilled fingers and the biting wind even the most stalwart of professionals would have called it a day… but not the musicians of Ely College! They not only stayed but also played and did so very well indeed. They were a credit to themselves and to the school; their families should be very proud.

HRH Prince Charles spoke to two of our musicians, Eloise Barter and Zoe Ayres, marvelling in their hardiness and ability to play so well in such cold conditions. He thanked our musicians for their excellent music, which was a compliment well deserved. HRH the Duchess of Cornwall shook the hand of Isabel Simper to both thank and congratulate her and the rest of the ensemble.

It was certainly a day to remember.

This week, as students at Ely College were welcomed back after the half term break, a special assembly hosted by Ms Shaw and the English department saw every Year 7 student get a FREE book.

Thanks to the Bookbuzz reading programme run by the UK’s largest reading charity, Book Trust, each student was given the opportunity to choose their own book from a list of selected fiction titles with the aims to encourage and inspire a love of reading for pleasure.

Ms Shaw, Manager of the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) explained: ‘At Ely College we feel reading for pleasure is important and by reading regularly, both independently and during dedicated time, students are able to fulfil their potential. Bookbuzz has really boosted the reading culture in school and we hope parents will encourage this at home’.

These books are now theirs to keep free of charge, and come with a series of linked activities and challenges to complete as part of student PLEDGES. Swapping title with friends, exploring new genres and reflecting on their reading is all encouraged. By entering fun inter-house competitions, including a design challenge and being photographed reading on location students are able to earn PLEDGE points.

Amanda Kelleher from National Youth Arts Trust came to Ely College today to offer a taster workshop to our Year 9 Drama students.

We are hoping that Amanda has found new members from today’s taster workshop to join her as she sets up a new Youth Theatre on a Saturday mornings.

Taking place at Kings Junior School, the Youth Theatre company workshops will teach a range of skills and activities including script writing and devising work, acting techniques, physical theatre, improvisation skills and skills in movement and voice. They also run theatre trips, visit drama schools, put on performances for the local community and hold masterclasses with industry professionals.

The classes are open to all young people aged from 12-19. For more details please contact Ms Seymour and / or email: admin@nationalyouthartstrust.org.uk