School designs and 3D prints gadgets

A team of pupils from Birches Head Academy in Stoke-on-Trent will be designing and 3D printing their own gadget for KMF’s 2015 Young Engineer of the Year (YEOTY) competition. KMF and Birches Head’s appointed sponsor, the engineering group Goodwin, donated a Makerbot Z18 3D printer to the school to help its pupils get to grips with the innovative technology and experiment for themselves.

The KMF competition is designed to tie in with the school’s STEM curriculum. After giving students the chance to revamp a fully-functioning race car last year, KMF has now challenged the 25 participating teams to design and 3D print a concept gadget. To encourage creativity and lateral thinking, no additional stipulations were imposed on the students, the only limitation being the capabilities of the printer.

“Birches Head Academy is starting to consolidate its portfolio of innovative engineering projects,” explained Roisin Maguire, head teacher of Birches Head Academy. “Last year, our pupils set up a radio station, a hyperlocal news website and a hack lab, not to mention they designed and modified a race car for KMF’s YEOTY competition.”

“We try to take the STEM curriculum out of the text books and transfer it to real world applications that develop our pupils’ practical skills. We know from experience that projects like KMF’s YEOTY competition capture our students’ imagination, while also growing their engineering, business and interpersonal skills.”

Currently, the Birches Head Academy students are working on outlining the concept for their gadget. The team has already submitted the idea, alongside some market research, a feasibility study and details of the manufacturing process.

The Birches Head Academy team is composed of seven students: Zakhir Hussain, Lewis Atherton, Yousaf Ahmed, Mohammed Abubakr, Charlotte Holdcroft, Mohammed Riaz and Katie Moayedi-Arazaour.

The next will be a Gadget Show meets Dragon’s Den event that will take place at the Britannia stadium on March 12, 2015. Selected teams will get a chance to exhibit their project in a stand and pitch it to a panel of judges, made up of local business people and industry bodies, such as the Royal Academy of Engineering. Final judging will take place on June 18, 2015. The project’s advocate, Jason Bradbury, of Channel 5’s The Gadget Show will make the final decision.

Exploring the great outdoors

During the summer break Stoke-on-Trent high school Birches Head Academy teamed up with The Bushcraft Company to hold a three day residential course. As part of the school’s summer learning programme, students from primary and secondary education, aged between nine and twelve, took part in a range of outdoor activities between July 21 and July 23, at Cholmondeley Castle, Cheshire. 

Alternating between lectures and fun activities, the course consisted of content linked to the National Curriculum, but being taught in a context outside the conventional classroom environment. Taken out of their comfort zones, students worked in groups of ten to fifteen, developing new skill sets in an outdoor environment. Over 100 students camped in shelters and bell tents on the castle grounds.

"Students don’t just visit different environments; they are immersed in them. Whether they are cooking river trout over an open fire, climbing to a mountain summit or sea kayaking, our outdoor adventures are as real as you can get," explained Alice Hicks - co-founder and sales and marketing director of The Bushcraft Company.

In an effort to build leadership and teamwork skills, attendees of the course were required to be resourceful whilst in the wilderness. Activities ranged from camp craft, shelter building and first aid to swimming, camouflage and fire-side night time games.

Birches Head Academy believes that activity like this supports the overall building of a child’s character and the promotion of general well being. This is something that Tristram Hunt, the shadow minister for education has recently commented on.

“These are very hard-edged skills young people need to gain,” explained Hunt. “The teaching of resilience and self-control and character is more and more important to develop, not only in terms of academic attainment but also in terms of the outcomes you need to improve your life chances, employability and all the rest of it.”


“These activities enabled students to really get to grips with life in the outdoors,” commented Karen Healey, headteacher of Birches Head Academy. “The great thing about working with The Bushcraft Company was that together, we found a way to encourage children to learn and interact in a unique environment.

“All of the food for the residential course was fresh and homemade by Bushcraft - the students were very well looked after! Throughout the week the sun was shining and it was the perfect opportunity for the students to learn about the wilderness.

“As we watched the children return to their parents, we could see a real sense of achievement and a new level of confidence in the great outdoors. Working with The Bushcraft Company is certainly something we will consider doing again next year,” she concluded.

Grow it, hack it, make it happen

~ Joan Walley MP impressed by Birches Head Academy visit ~

Stoke-on-Trent MP, Joan Walley, has officially opened Birches Head Academy’s new polytunnel. The unique structure was built by the school to teach students about healthy eating and encourage them to grow their own fruit, vegetables and herbs. After the official ribbon cutting ceremony, Joan Walley went on a tour of the school, during which she met the engineering team and the students. 

The MP had a chance to share her passion for horticulture with some of the school’s gardening group members, including pupils, staff and parents. The school’s gardening project has grown exponentially over the last two years and now includes a polytunnel that houses fruit and vegetables. There are also several cultivated plots of land that pupils individually care for, a bug hotel and even a small allotment with flowers from the Rod Wood Coronation Meadow.

During the ribbon cutting ceremony that officially opened the polytunnel, Walley offered to help the school arrange visits from relevant high profile speakers, in the hope of encouraging more students, parents and grandparents to get involved.

The polytunnel project started two years ago and is currently growing its second batch of fruit, vegetables and herbs. Last year, some of the harvest was used in the school cafeteria and the surplus was taken home and enjoyed by the members of the Grow It gardening group. Birches Head Academy is currently working with the local fire brigade to implement a water irrigation system in the polytunnel.

The next stop on the MP’s itinerary was the school’s engineering team, currently working hard on the final modifications to a race car, donated by local firm KMF, which they want to make faster and more eco-friendly. The Birches Head team is set to race its car in July at Darley Moor race track, in the Greenpower national competition. The young engineers discussed why their car should win, emphasising they had done all the work as a team and spent countless hours improving its design and testing it.

The visit ended in the Birches Head Academy’s hacklab, where Joan Walley met some of the school’s most talented IT students. The pupils were keen to explain why coding and creativity go well together and showed the MP how they use technology in innovative ways. Several students also mentioned they were hoping to pursue an IT career and thought the hacklab was an excellent place to get useful skills.

“There are many positive initiatives at Birches Head Academy,” commented Walley.  “Pupils and staff are obviously passionate about what they do and the range of activities available caters to a variety of students. I hope to see these initiatives grow in the years ahead. Every project I’ve seen today empowers and equips students with useful skills for the future.”

Summer excitement for primary school leavers

This summer, Stoke-on-Trent high school Birches Head Academy, will host a range of summer schools to ease the transition between primary and secondary education. The summer schools, named Groundwork and Time4Sport, were specifically designed to help break down barriers for children who are nervous about moving on to a new school. 

The first summer school, which is run by Groundwork West Midlands, opens with friendship and teambuilding activities, as well as a tour of Birches Head Academy. Throughout the week, students will take part in activities such as creative arts, baking and orienteering. The final day of Groundwork will draw to a close with a circus skills workshop and circus show, enabling each student to walk away with a personalised certificate.

The Time4Sport programme will be held at Birches Head Academy everyday between 9am-2pm from Monday, August 11 until Wednesday, August 13.  Time4Sport will be packed full of activities to help children develop fundamental movement skills.

As part of the programme, each child will also receive information on other sports services within the local area, as well as the chance to win various prizes presented by the Time4Sport team.

“Time4Sport offers a range of fun, exciting games to help build confidence, and improve levels of fitness,” commented Karen Healey, headteacher of Birches Head Academy. “The programme will allow students to make new friends, have fun and learn what exciting facilities that Birches Head Academy has to offer.

“During the camp week, all children will take part in a healthy lifestyle quiz, which will give an insight on how physical activity and healthy eating can have a positive effect on everyday life.

“Not only does Time4Sport ease the transition period, but it also develops skills, boosts attainment and gets children where they need to be this summer – in the outdoors,” joked Healey.

Children who haven’t already signed up for Time4Sport can contact Rob Smith on 01782 233595.

Climb aboard the Beesty Bus

Birches Head Academy is holding a fundraiser in memory of former pupil and trainee teacher, Matthew
Beeson. The event will take place on Friday July 25 at Baddeley Green Working Men's club and will help raise money for a new school minibus, already christened  the 'Beesty Bus'. 

The evening has been organised by the Beeson family and boasts an array of entertainment including a disco, raffle and Bodyshop stand selling popular products. There will also be a charity auction with items donated by local businesses. Amongst the items up for grabs is a microlight experience, tickets to Alton Towers and Emma Bridgewater pottery.  

Matt Beeson was a teaching assistant at Birches Head Academy until he was diagnosed with a rare form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, sadly passing away in 2011, at only 28 years of age.

A great supporter of Birches Head Academy, Matt was particularly passionate about taking part in extracurricular projects, such as field trips and sporting events. However, he was less enamored with the school's minibus, which he affectionately nicknamed 'the bone shaker'.

With the Birches Head bone shaker's retirement long overdue, the school has been collecting donations to the Matthew Beeson minibus fund. The new minibus will be called the 'Beesty Bus' in dedication to bone shaker’s biggest fan.

"A reliable minibus is essential for a school, it allows the children to learn and take part in extra-curricular activities in stimulating environments away from the classroom," explained Karen Healey, head teacher at Birches Head Academy. "Matthew's family and I want to create a lasting legacy for the school and the wider community. We can think of no better way than dedicating the new minibus to a much-loved former pupil and member of staff."    

The doors open at 7:30pm and tickets can be purchased at the door on the night. The entrance price is £5 and under 14s are free of charge but must be accompanied by an adult.

Pupils build and race eco-friendly car

Stoke-on-Trent school Birches Head Academy has started its preparations for KMF’s Young Engineer of the Year (YEOTY) Race Day. The race will take place on July 9, 2014, at Darley Moor race track near Ashbourne. The Birches Head Academy team has been working hard over the last few months to build the fastest eco-friendly car this year. 

The team has a chance to win a number of prizes on the day, including Best Designed Car, Fastest Lap or KMF’s Young Engineer of the Year award. In addition, the Birches Head Academy students will meet Channel 5’s Jason Bradbury, the official host and one of the judges on the day.

The race car was donated by precision sheet metal manufacturer KMF as part of the company’s YEOTY campaign. KMF is working with 18 local high schools to engage and inspire the next generation of young engineers. The purpose of the project is to address the skills gap in engineering and equip young people with the competences they will need once they leave school.

Birches Head Academy was also allocated a local sponsor. IFB Logistics has provided the racing team with much-needed tools, equipment and overalls.

The Birches Head Academy team has already tested its car in the trial runs at a Greenpower event held at the Rockingham Motor Speedway in Northamptonshire last month.

The Greenpower Educational Trust encourages participants to build green, battery-powered cars. Its mission is to inspire, develop and promote students’ understanding of design and engineering. Greenpower holds events up and down the country for secondary schools to attend and was the obvious partner for KMF to work with on this year’s project.

Birches Head performed particularly well at Rockingham. Out of a class of 46 cars, they were nominated for the best engineered car. Following their success, the students have continued working on the car ahead of the big event in July. “I have really enjoyed the task of making changes to our car,” explained the team captain, Morgan Degg. “I’ve always been really passionate about cars and racing, but I never thought I’d have the opportunity to open up an actual race car, understand how it works and even make my own improvements to it. These last months have definitely taken my interest to another level. I’m seriously considering automotive engineering as a career option.”

“The initiative has been very successful among our students and the support we’ve had from our partners has been indispensable,” commented Karen Healey, head teacher of Birches Head Academy. “Being able to take engineering out of the classroom and into the practical and exciting environment of a race course has definitely inspired and motivated our students to do their best.  Birches Head Academy is always open to innovative learning initiatives and takes pride in offering students extracurricular activities that reflect their hobbies, while also equipping them with future-proof skills.”

The race organiser, KMF encourages participants to build green, battery-powered cars. Their mission is to inspire, develop and promote students’ understanding of design and engineering.

A reading revolution

Birches Head Academy in Stoke-on-Trent has started using the Accelerated Reader software to improve reading skills among pupils, preparing them for their GCSEs. The initiative offers a personalised program for each pupil, tailoring the reading recommendations to individual interests and reading abilities.

The trial has been in place for a few of months and is currently only used by year seven students, with the ultimate aim to expand the programme across the rest of the school. The initiative is designed to nurture pupils’ love of books and help them feel successful and motivated when reading.

The Accelerated Reader software, designed by Renaissance Learning, a company that specialises in the development of assisted learning programs, runs on a simple, yet effective format. Each pupil takes an initial test that scores their reading age range. From here, the software recommends a list of age and skill-appropriate books for the pupil to try.

The reading lists encompass fictional and non-fictional titles alike. So far, the most popular authors among the pupils have been David Williams, Darren Shan, Tom Gates, Suzanne Collins, Jacqueline Wilson, Jeff Kinney and J.K. Rowling.

The pupil then selects a book from the lower spectrum of the list to read. After finishing the book, there is a short quiz designed to assess the reader’s understanding of the story and any challenging vocabulary. After passing the test, the pupil is encouraged to move on to the next book. The most successful and enthusiastic Birches Head Academy pupils are also given rewards in the form of book vouchers.

“The programme has had good results so far,” explains Katie Dixon, vice principal at Birches Head Academy. “It has started to change our pupils’ attitudes towards reading. Accelerated Reader helps them have a bigger sense of accomplishment when they finish a book and you can see they’re more excited at the prospect of starting a new volume.

“At the moment, we’re devoting one hour each week to the program and encouraging the pupils to take their books home with them,” continues Dixon. “Parents can easily check the progress their children are making. By getting the parents and staff involved, we’re hoping to develop a culture of reading and to stimulate our pupils to grow up loving books.”

Skills to pay the bills

~ Birches Head Academy equips pupils with life skills ~

The latest personal, social, cooperative, health and economic education (PSCHE) day at Stoke-on-Trent school Birches Head Academy focussed on equipping pupils with the knowledge and skills to live healthy, happy and safe lives. Pupils from each year discussed a specific topic and participated in practical activities to help them manage their lives now and in the future.

The range of activities and topics transformed the school into a buzzing discussion hub for a day. Students had a chance to increase their knowledge of personal finances, career opportunities, health and safety, sexual health, citizenship and human rights. They also participated in practical activities designed to build confidence and self-esteem and help them make better personal and professional decisions.

Intrigued by the prospect of managing their own finances, year eleven students were particularly interested in the financial capability activities organised on the day. They discussed the economics of leaving home and managing their first income, as well as the risks of gambling and debt.

“The issue of financial capability is particularly important for students in their last year,” explained Sarah Wright, director of Continuing Professional Development (CPD). “Some students have never had the chance to manage money, so we want them to be ready for it when they leave school, whether they decide to go into further education or enter the professional world.”

Year ten students were divided in two groups. The first group focussed on preparing for their upcoming work experience. Activities included health and safety training and a test. Successful pupils received a certificate confirming their knowledge of basic health and safety procedures. The second group discussed issues concerning sexual health and staying safe in relationships.

Year nine focussed on gaining a better understanding of the concepts of citizenship, cultural difference and human rights, while year eight worked with Simon Smallman, the careers adviser based in Birches Head Academy.

“Equipping students with future-proof skills is very important to Birches Head Academy,” commented Smallman. “We want to make sure that by the time they leave school our pupils are confident, ambitious and prepared for the current, very tough, job market. Each and every one of our students has something they feel passionate about; our job is to help them discover what that is and how to build a profession from it.”

Birches Head Academy organises five PSCHE days every school year and dedicates six days to similar topics of discussion during Out and about week, which takes place every summer. The next PSCHE day is set for the last week of term, on July 16.

Stoke-on-Trent students full of beans

~ Local schools collaborate to promote a more active lifestyle ~

Birches Head Academy sports leaders from year nine have been running a weekly Fitzy Fox fitness club for the Carmountside Primary School reception pupils. With the guidance of support officers, the sports leaders plan and lead the activities, ensuring they are both fun and suitable for the needs of younger students. 

The aim of the club is to improve the collaboration between local schools and to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle for children of all ages.

The Fitzy Fox fitness club takes place every Thursday after school hours at Carmountside Primary School. The four Birches Head Academy student sports leaders currently involved in the scheme are Antonia Dean, Louise Whitby, Megan Still and Damiloa Olorunshola.

In addition to the weekly gatherings, the Fitzy Fox fitness club also organises special events every half term. On May 22, the club will host a World Cup event, which consists of football skill sessions and a mini football tournament. On the day, each team will represent a different country and will compete in a simplified and local mock-up of the World Cup.

In July, the Birches Head Academy sports leaders are planning to organise an athletics event in which they will hold running, long jump and throwing competitions.

“The weekly after-school Fitzy Fox fitness club and its half term events have been incredibly successful,” enthused Tracey Matthias, sports coordinator at Birches Head Academy. “Apart from promoting a healthy and active lifestyle among younger pupils, the initiative has been extremely beneficial for our sports leaders. It has taught them responsibility and offered them valuable professional experience, while also developing their communication skills in a variety of situations.”

Birches Head Academy is hoping to involve more of its pupils in the activity. The school sees the Fitzy Fox fitness club as an opportunity to increase students’ confidence, help them gain useful qualifications and improve life skills like teamwork, flexibility and assertiveness.

Sowing the seeds of potential

~ Birches Head Academy – first school to approach Coronation Meadows initiative ~

Birches Head Academy in Stoke-On-Trent is working with its school gardening club called ‘Grow It Group’ and the Coronation Meadows initiative to help rejuvenate the school grounds. The initiative is part of a project founded by Prince Charles to help increase wild flower population in the UK. The first batches of seeds at the Birches Head Academy were planted on November 14, 2013.   

Habitats classed as meadows have fallen by 97% since the 1930’s, but Birches Head member of staff Jo-Anne Lawton is eager to help out not just her school, but the wider environment as well. Taking advantage of an unused plot of land on the school grounds, Mrs Lawton hopes to use seeds from the first batch of plants and flowers to cultivate the meadow further and inspire other schools to do the same.

This environmentally friendly activity helps primarily urban students gain a fresh insight into wild fauna and flora that living in the city of Stoke-on-Trent might not normally provide.

Birches Head Academy’s first point of contact was Prince Charles’ abode, Highgrove House. It was then referred to the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, and because Birches Head Academy was the first school to enquire, they were invited to the established Rod Wood Coronation Meadow to collect seeds free of charge.

The ‘Grow it’ group, comprised of students, their families and Birches Head Academy staff, travelled to Rod Wood to observe how a meadow is maintained using traditional farming methods, and to learn more about flowers and plants.

They were given two types of seeds; common flowers and a batch of wildflower seeds from Rod Wood.

The school then held a planting ceremony by filling balloons with wildflower seeds and, while holding them to the ground, bursting the balloons to randomly spread the seeds.

Birches Head Academy hopes this initiative will go beyond just an improvement to the aesthetic of the school. They would like to encourage other schools to follow their lead, while also teaching their students about environmental responsibility.

The ‘Grow It Group’ has gone from strength to strength. “Our weekly gardening group continues to flourish with students, staff, community organisations, parents and grandparents all joining in,” explained Mrs Lawton. “We’re very pleased to see some of our students who have rarely been exposed to the countryside environment, taking such care and interest in cultivating their small plots of land around the school.”

Founded in 2012, the Grow It group grows its own produce on an assigned plot of school land. Vegetables produced by the group have been used in the school cafeteria.

Birches Head Academy also hopes that with the introduction of new wild plants on the school grounds will lead to more wildlife. In turn this will lead to increased group activity and interest from students, families and staff. The assigned plot is next to the school's poly tunnel, used to house plants and flowers.

Back of the net for Birches Head girls

~ Birches Head Academy wins girls seven-a-side football tournament ~

A team of girls from Stoke-on-Trent high school Birches Head Academy have won an under 16 girls football tournament. The interschool competition, which consisted of three secondary schools, took place at the end of January at Ormiston’s Sir Stanley Matthews Academy. 

The tournament was on the receiving end of pouring rain and freezing winds. Despite this, the Birches Head Academy team got off to a great start beating the host’s line-up two - nil, with goals from Katie Palmer-Bull assisted by Becky Johnson.

The second and final match against Biddulph High School proved a little more difficult for the Birches Head girls, whose team consists of a variety of year groups. But with strong defensive displays from Nicole Harrison, Amber Parry and Emillie Corden, Birches Head Academy came out as one – nil winners and as a result, won the entire tournament.

“Winning the tournament was a brilliant, well deserved achievement for the Birches Head girl’s football team,” commented Tracey Matthias, schools sports coordinator of Birches Head Academy. “Antonia Dean did an excellent job as goalkeeper, giving the girls confidence throughout. Jordan Brocklehurst also did a fantastic job refereeing the competition. He turned up to spectate and then volunteered to help out. The girls worked really hard and were definitely worthy winners.”

“It’s great to see the team’s hard work and practice is paying off,” commented Karen Healey, head teacher of Birches Head Academy. “The tournament had some pretty tough contenders and the weather wasn’t on their side either. The girls accepted the challenge and took the title graciously,” she concluded.

The Under 16 Girls Football Tournament was part of a regular seven-a-side Stoke Schools competition.

Stoke students roll with the punches

Birches Head Academy teams up with local police for Boxing Awards 

Students at Birches Head Academy have begun a six week boxing programme to increase levels of discipline in the classroom. Boxing Awards began at the end of 2013 and is a new initiative introduced to the school in partnership with Staffordshire police.

Boxing Awards started its Staffordshire journey in Cannock. After its success in the area; Staffordshire Police suggested the six week programme to other schools in the county. The project is a fully backed scheme open to schools all over the UK.

The scheme allows students to learn about boxing, self defence and discipline in a safe, non competitive environment, with every participant that completes the course receiving a diploma.

Male and female students at Birches Head participated in the Boxing Awards scheme in the school’s drama hall at the beginning of the 2013 autumn term and the project will continue on an ongoing basis.

Nicola Humphries, Safety Schools Officer and Samantha Lacey, Behavior Support Worker at Birches Head Academy worked with Andy Whitehall from Birches Head’s local policing team to coordinate the project aimed at year seven, eight and nine students.

“The students were very fond of the scheme and the staff really reaped the benefits of the activity,” commented Katie Dixon, Vice Principal of Student Services at Birches Head Academy. “We had some really strong contenders this year and we’re already forward planning for next year’s effort. We want to train another member of staff here so that we have more flexibility and so that we can deliver the programme on an annual basis.

“Birches Head students Tyler Forrest, Amy Austin, Lewis Rawlingson, Adrian Attwood, Leah Dunkley and Tia Dunkley all took part in the scheme. The project has enabled us to tie in fitness, fun and discipline in a really simple and effective way. Boxing Awards is something that students and staff both look forward to seeing in their timetables,” explained Dixon.

“Birches Head Academy appreciates that not all young adults choose to take conventional career routes. It’s important to lead these students in the right direction. The boxing course teaches skills directly linked to behavior in the classroom and it’s been an extremely positive scheme,” commented Karen Healey, Birches Head Academy’s head teacher.