At BG6 we live our values every day so that we make progress to achieve every opportunity for excellence. We are made up of a multi-cultural, multi-faith community with a rich tapestry of motivations and personalities and one of the golden threads that unites our BG6 community is that we give our time, empathy and compassion without the guarantee of receiving something in return. As Ramadan approaches, I’m reminded of this first core value, and it’s great time to look at how BG6 students have been exhibiting generosity in our community. 

 

Generosity exists here in many forms outside of the classroom; through our form time programme, our student leadership, and our enrichment programme.

 

As part of our form time programme, it’s been a pleasure to see our BG6 Paired Reader programme flourish where both Year 12 and Year 13 students are sharing their love of reading with Year 7 and Year 8 - raising the profile of this life changing core skill. BG6 students are equally volunteering their time to support World Book Day this year in the much anticipated Nero Novels' store. 

 

Our student leadership teams in Year 12 and Year 13 drive the Student Voice across the whole school, as well as within BG6. They coordinate our charitable work, supporting local, national and international causes and also support school events representing the student body. Our elections for Year 12 executive leadership will be starting in the near future to give our wonderful Year 13 ambassadors a handover period before their examinations; we can’t wait to see the candidates and I’m sure the process will be highly competitive. 

 

Our enrichment programme has three different facets where students are living and breathing the act of generosity. The first is our Sanctuary project, where a group of students are working with refugee groups in our local area. The second is our volunteering group who have created an impressive project working to create ‘MOM’ents for young and single mums, transforming our study centre, filling it with 'Batley buzz' from; candle painting, origami, colouring and games to - developing the social and emotional skills of the children, while also working with our mums on digital literacy skills and a space to develop connection and community. While work experience has natural benefits in enriching our students’ experience of the workplace, I’ve been really impressed in placement reviews by how our students are going above and beyond, giving up much more than the 90 minutes a week of their core enrichment lesson. Without a doubt these work experience placements are developing the moral and holistic basis of our highly successful women of the future.

Students and staff know that I love a quotation, and particularly one from an inspirational woman, so to wrap up the blog this week, I’d like to leave you with Eleanor Roosevelt’s words:

 

“To me who dreamed so much as a child, who made a dreamworld in which I was the heroine of an unending story, the lives of people around me continued to have a certain storybook quality. I learned something which has stood me in good stead many times - The most important thing in any relationship is not what you get but what you give.”