St Robert’s Catholic Primary School in Harrogate has raised £504.98 for a Ukraine humanitarian appeal by selling crafts and old school uniforms.
St Robert’s has a large number of Eastern European children so the school wanted to do something to help at such a difficult time.
Mum Catherine Maguire made Ukraine-inspired crafts, including painted stones, cards, bookmarks, ribbons, pom-poms and cupcakes.
The school also donated all proceeds from a school uniform sale held at the same time to the Ukrainian disaster appeal run by the Catholic aid agency Cafod on behalf of the Disasters Emergency Committee.
Some of the crafts that were on sale
Ms Maguire said:
“It’s about showing our support for them and their families. It’s not just about raising money”.
The school also created a prayer tree where children could write prayers on a sunflower and hang them.
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Headteacher Jill Collins added:
“St Robert’s Catholic Primary has lots of children from different countries and especially eastern European countries. We want to extend our love and support to our families who have relatives in Ukraine and nearby countries.
“The fundraising event is small way of letting people know we are truing to help and support in any way we can.”
Thankful for support
Ukrainian couple Taras and Viktoriia Jakubiak, whose daughter Isabella attends St Robert’s, said they were thankful to everyone at the school for holding the fundraiser, which took place on Friday afternoon.
The Jakubiak family at the fundraiser.
Mr Jakubiak also spoke about his fears for close family members who are encircled by Russian forces in Ukraine and unable to flee.
Read the full article here.
Harrogate headteacher ‘concerned’ by Cold Bath Road pollution dataWestern Primary School installed a pollution sensor in June last year, amid concerns about heavy traffic on Harrogate’s Cold Bath Road.
Headteacher Tim Broad was worried about the sheer volume of traffic plus the fact he could tase diesel in his mouth when larger vehicles passed.
Six months on, The Stray Ferret has reviewed the data, which suggests levels of pollutants meet national objectives but exceed guidelines set by the World Health Organisation.
The sensor, which was installed within the school grounds, revealed concentrations of PM2.5, PM10 and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) all fell within the national objectives’ limits for short and long-term exposure.
However, a local pollution campaigner expressed concern that PM2.5 and NO2 levels exceeded WHO guidelines both short- and long-term.
PM2.5 particles are man-made particles suspended in the air, produced by woodburning stoves and transport, as well as industrial processes. When breathed in, these particles can get into the blood and lodge themselves in organs.
NO2 is a gas produced by combustion of fossil fuels. Eighty percent of roadside NO2 pollution is caused by road vehicles. Exposure to the gas can cause inflammation to the airways and exacerbate pre-existing heart and lung conditions.
‘No safe threshold for air pollution’
We showed our findings to Western headteacher Tim Broad, who said he was “concerned” by the exceedance of WHO guidelines, Mr Broad added:
“I intend to follow up with an investigation in school, with a view to passing on the findings to the appropriate people at Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council.”
Read more:
- Western Primary School in Harrogate gets second speed sign
- St Aidan’s school in Harrogate rated ‘inadequate’ by Ofsted
Local campaigner Brian McHugh claimed the national objectives were too weak, and children were at risk. He added:
“The concern with using numbers and limits sometimes can be that there is a belief formed that anything up to that level is ‘safe’. There is no safe threshold for air pollution.
“The harm of air pollution on humans is well documented. The increased harm to children, with developing lungs, cannot be overstated.”
Better monitoring needed
Western Primary School is believed to be the only school in the district with an air pollution sensor, and live measurements from the sensor are available to the public online here.
Mr McHugh called for better monitoring of pollution in and around schools. He said:
“It is incredibly useful that we are even able to have this data and analyse it. Huge thanks must go to Western Primary for having the foresight to install an air quality sensor and it is hoped that other schools in the Harrogate district follow their example, so we have accurate information on which to base policies and initiatives.”
In its 2021 Air Quality Annual Status Report, Harrogate Borough Council used 63 monitors throughout the district to measure NO2 levels but had no monitors for PM2.5 particles.
The council itself stated PM2.5 can have a significant impact on health, including “premature mortality, allergic reactions, and cardiovascular diseases”, but it relied on council data from Leeds and York to estimate levels of the pollutant in the district.
This article is sponsored by Ashville College.
It’s that time of year. Primary school offer day, which falls on 16 April 2021, brings excitement and anxiety for children and parents in equal measure, particularly for ‘school run’ first timers! From ordering uniform to factoring school drop-off/pick-up and holidays into your usual routine, there is a lot to think about.
Your choice of school and reasons behind it, from its location to extracurricular opportunities, are unique to you and your child. Offer day can be a good time to revisit priorities, particularly if your circumstances have changed since you applied. You still have options, from appealing a disappointing result to considering an independent education over state.
Located in Harrogate, Ashville College is a co-educational independent day and boarding school for pupils aged three to 18. The Prep School covers Acorns Nursery Class through to Year 6, and is an integral part of the College, which also has a Senior School (Years 7 to 11), Sixth Form (Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth).
Here are our top five reasons why the Prep School at Ashville might be a good choice for your child.
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Smaller class sizes
Keeping class and year group sizes low ensures that your child is known and nurtured as an individual. Ashville pupils enjoy plenty of one-to-one time and develop strong relationships with their teachers. Current parents have told us that the smaller class sizes influenced their decision and that their children have had more opportunities to take part in a wider variety of activities and represent the school as a result of the smaller year groups.
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Fun, age-appropriate learning
In the Prep School, we don’t simply dispel the myth that private schools can be stuffy or strict; we crush it! We follow the Cornerstones curriculum, which covers Science, Art, History, Geography and the foundation subjects. Cornerstones allows us to be really creative and flexible in how we teach a Topic, by delivering it across lots of different taught subjects, to ensure pupil engagement from the start. Teachers deliver a ‘Wow’ experience at the beginning of each new Topic, such as a trip, a presentation from a guest speaker, or the Class Teacher doing something a bit different to inspire the pupils. For example, teachers dressed as Harry Potter character to introduce the Year 4 ‘Potions’ topic, and Year 2 went on a pirate adventure for the start of their ‘Land Ahoy’ topic!
Year 2 pupils enjoying the ‘wow experience’ activity to introduce their new topic ‘Land Ahoy’
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A place for your child’s talents to shine
Even at Reception level, parents will look at how the school will support their child’s skills and interests, whether they’ve shown an early flair for the Performing Arts, an aptitude for Maths, or they’re destined to be sporty. In the Prep School and beyond, we team a vibrant and varied academic curriculum with an exciting Enrichment programme of co-curricular activities, so that each individual is able to thrive and pursue their existing interests and passions, as well as being encouraged to try new things.
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Specialist teaching
Ashville Prep School pupils receive exceptional, age-appropriate teaching from our Prep School Class Teachers and often benefit from the experience and expertise from Senior School teachers too, for example, to help introduce or expand on a particular topic. For example, Year 2 pupils enjoyed a rocket-making workshop last Autumn term run by Ashville Senior School’s Head of Physics, Conor Davies, who is also a Lead Educator with The National Space Academy.
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Big enough to challenge, small enough to care
Because our Prep School is part of an all-through school, pupils who progress onto Senior School and beyond will already know some of the teachers and surroundings, making the transition from Year 6 to 7 that bit smoother. Parents tell us that, compared to larger state or independent schools, the overall size of Ashville also enables their children to get involved in activities where they might not otherwise have had the opportunity, whether that be in an after-school club, a drama production or sports team.
Mr Simon Asker, Head of Ashville Prep School, said:
“My commitment to our pupils is to give them the very best start in life; to develop within them a love for learning and a curiosity about the world and their place within it. We like to see the children running and skipping into school knowing that they will be experiencing a curriculum that challenges them academically and also excites, delights and amazes them.
“If you are interested in the Prep School for your child, there are limited places remaining across each year group for the new academic year in September 2021-22, so do get in touch. We are a selective school, but don’t be daunted by that; our process for Prep School pupils is age-appropriate, where they come for an informal assessment so we can get to know them better and they can have a look around the School.”