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Latest Updates 2023 - 24

Trips and Visits

  1. Eswatini and Kruger World Challenge 2025

  2. 2024 World Challenge Croatia

  3. Life Skills - Heart Space visit to Penistone Paramount

  4. York Maze

  5. Toilet Talk

  6. Yorkshire Wildlife Park

  7. 2024 Alton Towers

  8. Great Yorkshire Show

  9. Litter Picking

  10. Y12 NHS Blood Transfusion session

  11. NEXT - Supply chain visit - Sixth Form

  12. NEXT Distribution Visit - 02/07/24

  13. Stoney Middleton day trip

  14. Bouldering day trip

  15. Stoney Middleton climbing/bouldering day trip

  16. Go Ape

  17. Sponsored walk to Yummy Yorkshire

  18. Y9 The Cube, Barnsley College taster session

  19. Cadbury World

  20. Croatia Training Weekend

  21. Caving and climbing trip

  22. Water sports trip

  23. Y8 Sheffield Uni Trip

  24. Y12 Biology - Yorkshire Wildlife Park

  25. Y10 Specialist Residential to Guys Farm Activity Centre

  26. Greencore

  27. Van Gogh Experience

  28. Crystal Maze

  29. Sheffield Hallam University Labs

  30. Y8 Huddersfield Uni Trip

  31. Y13 Maths Study Weekend

  32. Greencore Food Factory Visit

  33. Barnsley Archive History Club trip

  34. Preparation for Work at Lower Coates Farm

  35. Connections Festival

  36. Swimming at Penistone Swimming Pool

  37. Andalucia 2024

  38. HeartSpace Reward Trip Penistone Paramount

  39. Cafe Creme - Life Skills

  40. 4DX Cinema experience

  41. Pizza Express - Creating a pizza

  42. PP - Go Ape

  43. PP - York Maze

  44. Foundry climbing trip

  45. Theatre trip

  46. Women's International Day

  47. A-Level Business - Grade Booster Workshop - Tutor2U

  48. Fairbank Investment History Club visit

  49. BUILDING A BETTER FUTURE TOGETHER AWARD

  50. Foundry rock climbing trip

  51. 2024 Ski Trip

  52. Madrid 2024

  53. Life Skills trip to Cafe Creme Penistone

  54. Young Voices - Arts Award

  55. 'Feel Me' at Lawrence Batley Theatre KS4/5

  56. Feel Me by The Paper Birds, Lawrence Batley Theatre

  57. Year 8/9 Computing visit to Bletchley Park

  58. Holocaust Memorial Museum

  59. Trip to Greggs

  60. Animation Nation

  61. Carol Service Practice

  62. Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse for KS3

  63. Foundry Christmas trip

  64. Penistone Paramount

  65. Mindfulness Walk

  66. Life Skills Visit to Cafe Creme

  67. Penistone Town Centre

  68. Amiens 2023

  69. Metamorphosis Theatre Trip by Frantic Assembly (Kafka/Lemm Sissay)

  70. Maths Inspiration

  71. University of Huddersfield Fashion and Textiles Trip 25/10/23 and 17/01/24

  72. Navigation lesson (Hiking)

  73. Penistone Town Centre

  74. Theatre trip We Could All be Perfect Sheffield Y9 and 10

  75. Cadbury World

  76. A day's hike

  77. Cliffe House day

  78. Gecko Theatre's Kin for Y11 and 13

  79. PE - Cambridge National Sport Studies - Outdoor Adventure

  80. Longley Farm

  81. GCSE Citizenship - Sheffield Town Hall

  82. Cliffe House NICAS course

 

Analysis of School Activities and Trips

Types of Activities

The provided list includes a wide variety of activities categorised into trips, educational visits, extra-curricular activities, and life skills development.

Frequency of Activities

  • Trips and Visits: These constitute the majority of the activities, showing our strong emphasis on experiential learning. There are multiple trips to various locations, both local and international.

  • Local Trips: Penistone Paramount, York Maze, Alton Towers, Sheffield Town Hall, etc.

  • International Trips: Croatia, Madrid, Andalucia, Amiens.

  • Specialised Educational Visits: Visits to universities (Sheffield Uni, Huddersfield Uni), science parks (Bletchley Park), cultural centres (Van Gogh Experience).

  • Extra-Curricular Activities: The school provides numerous opportunities for students to engage in activities beyond the standard curriculum.

  • Performing Arts and Music: Young Voices, Carol Service, Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse, theatre trips.

  • Sports and Physical Activities: Go Ape, bouldering trips, climbing trips, swimming.

  • Creative and Practical Skills: Pizza Express (creating a pizza), Animation Nation, creating art at Cafe Crème, board game club.

  • Life Skills Development: A significant portion of the activities are designed to enhance students' practical life skills.

  • Life Skills Trips: Visits to Penistone Paramount, Cafe Creme, swimming pool.

  • Community and Social Responsibility: Litter picking, sponsored walks, blood transfusion sessions.

  • Transferable skills: student librarians – customer service skills, increased confidence, organisational skill.


Educational Focus

  • STEM Education: Trips to places like Bletchley Park, Sheffield Hallam University Labs, and STEM visits reflect a strong focus on STEM education.

  • Humanities and Social Sciences: Activities like visits to the Holocaust Memorial Museum, History Club trips, and Theatre trips support learning in these areas.

  • Business and Economics: Supply chain visits to NEXT, visits to Greencore Food Factory, and A-Level Business workshops indicate an emphasis on practical business education.


Cultural and Social Enrichment

  • Cultural Exposure: Trips to international locations such as Croatia, and Madrid provide students with global exposure.

  • Social Awareness: Events like Women's International Day and visits to the Van Gogh Experience and the Holocaust Memorial Museum foster social and cultural awareness.


Intervention and Support

  • Educational Support: Activities like the Y13 Maths Study Weekend, GCSE Citizenship visits, and the Grade Booster Workshop for A-Level Business show a structured approach to academic support and intervention.

Observations

  • Diversity of Activities: The range of activities shows a balanced focus on academic enrichment, personal development, and cultural exposure.

  • Student Engagement: The inclusion of various interest-based activities such as sports, arts, and practical life skills helps in engaging students with different interests and strengths.

  • Community Involvement: Activities like litter picking and blood transfusion sessions indicate a strong emphasis on community service and social responsibility.


Speakers into School

  • Spanish and French native speaker language assistants from October to May (Irune and Julien) (MFL)

  • BFC Player Visit to Y10 Exam classes (Physical Education)

  • Magistrate and judge visitors (RCS)

  • Spectrum health sessions (RCS)

  • Gam Care visitors (RCS)

  • The Money Charity (RCS)

  • Nematode guy talk (Science)

  • Y12 Jordan Solicitors Debate (Politics)

  • MP Miriam Cates (Politics)

  • Librarians from The Lightbox, BMBC (Literacy)


Extra-Curricular Clubs

  • Climbing (HeartSpace)

  • Canoeing (HeartSpace)

  • Caving (HeartSpace)

  • Swimming (HeartSpace)

  • Young Voices (HeartSpace)

  • Workshops (e.g., animation nation linked to qualifications) (HeartSpace)

  • Farm work linked to ASDAN (HeartSpace)

  • Keyboard (HeartSpace)

  • Singing lessons (HeartSpace)

  • Kickboxing (HeartSpace)

  • Music Ambassadors (Performing Arts)

  • Xtra Drama (Performing Arts)

  • Musical (Performing Arts)

  • Songwriting club (Performing Arts)

  • Connections (Performing Arts)

  • Battle of the Bands (Performing Arts)

  • PGS Live (Performing Arts)

  • Barnsley Live (Performing Arts)

  • Carol Service (Performing Arts)

  • Debate club (English)

  • KS4 & KS5 Art Clubs (ART)

  • Science club (Science)

  • Enterprise Club (RCS)

  • History Club (History)

  • Jewellery Making Club (DT)

  • Book Club (Library)


Intervention

  • After school intervention (Health & Social Care)

  • Y11 weekly after school revision sessions (English/Maths)

  • UCAS Discovery convention (all Y12s) (Post 16)


Guest Speakers

  • Jono Lancaster (All years)

  • Musharaf Asghar (Year 9)

  • Richard McCann (Year 10)

  • Luke Ambler (Year 11)

  • Paul Hannaford (Years 8, 9 and 10)

  • Frances Hardinge (author)

  • Cynthia Murphy (author)

  • Liz Million (author)


PE and Sport

Extremely successful year which has seen high levels of numbers taking part in PE extra-curricular clubs and fixtures. There have been some highlights including: U12/U13/U14 Netball Barnsley League Winners, U18 College League - North Winners, Barnsley Athletics Championships Winners (3x times in a row), U13 Boys Indoor Cricket Barnsley Champions, U13 Girls Cricket Barnsley Champions Indoor & Outdoor softball, U15 Girls Cricket Barnsley Champions Indoor & Outdoor softball, Outdoor softball South Yorkshire champions and 2nd in Yorkshire; still to play North of England finals, Hardball Yorkshire Cup Finalists.


We'd like to place our huge thanks on record to the Foundation Governors for supporting us with providing professional kits for the students to represent PGS in.


Extra-curricular clubs: 

football, rugby, fitness suite, trampolining, basketball, netball, cricket, rounders, athletics, try something new (inclusive sport).

Extra-curricular numbers:

Over 2,000 times students have taken part in clubs throughout this year.

Number of fixtures: 

Over 200 fixtures.

Competitions competed in:

  • Athletics - Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Sports Hall 7/8

  • Basketball - JrNBA

  • Cricket - Huddersfield league, cup, Yorkshire Cup, Indoor/Outdoor Softball (Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Yorkshire, North of England)

  • Cross Country - Barnsley, South Yorkshire

  • Football - Barnsley league, English Schools Cup, Sisters N Sport, Sheffield & Hallamshire College League - North (U18)

  • Netball - Barnsley league, Sisters N Sport

  • Rounders - Barnsley league

  • Rugby - Barnsley tournament

 

Foreign Language Assistants

  • Two for MFL (Spanish and French)


Charity

  • Over £10,000 raised.

  • Charities have included Sheffield Children's, Martin House, Beat Eating Disorder, Marie Curie Cancer Appeal.


Careers

  • Y12 Jordan Solicitors Debate

  • Y12 Business Breakfast

  • Careers Fair Y10/11

  • Y10 Speed Networking

  • Y10 Workshops run by Civil Service

  • Y11 Nurture group workshop for Mock Interviews

  • Y11 Mock Interviews

  • Y10 Resilience and Motivation workshop with guest speaker

  • Huddersfield University and Sheffield University Y8 visits

  • Royal Navy Cooking Experience - GCSE Food Tech

  • Barnsley College Construction taster Session - Y9 opted for GCSE Construction

  • Barnsley Healthcare Event - Y9 opted for Health & Social Care GCSE

  • History Club - trip to Barnsley Archives and Coal Drop project with Fairbank Investment

  • Next Retail - Y12 Business A level trip

  • NHS Blood Transfusion trip - Y12 science students

 

Post 16

  • UCAS Discovery convention - all Y12s

  • Business breakfast - all Y12s

  • Work experience - all Y12s

  • ASK apprenticeships - assembly Y12 & workshops Y13

  • University guest speakers - assemblies and enrichment (writing Personal Statements; choosing university courses; getting the most out of Open Days)

  • Tom's talk (mental health speaker) - all Post 16

  • Linacre Institute programme

  • Oxbridge speaker

  • Medical students' project for those interested in medical careers

  • Mock interviews by request

  • Law firm speaker

  • Weekly careers sessions (in-house or external speakers)

  • Directed and independent use of Unifrog for career development

  • Medical trip NHS BT Barnsley

  • NCS scheme

  • Various external extensive summer schools, taster days, university open days, subject taster sessions

  • Alumni students talking about university and apprenticeships. Alumni student offering problem solving in preparation for entrance exams.

  • Access Sheffield

  • Pre-teaching certificate

  • Paired reading

  • Subject Ambassadors

  • Astronomy

  • Chess club

  • Wellbeing, charity, social, environment committees

  • Duke of Edinburgh award

  • MOOCs

  • Football & netball teams

  • German for travel

  • Online sign language course

  • EPQ

  • Glee club

  • Photography

  • Charity events - pyjama days & bake sales

  • End of term/year celebrations (quizzes, crafts, fancy dress)



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