Armley Primary School has moved a step closer to becoming an academy this week after education chiefs approved an official transfer date.
A council report said a Commercial Transfer Agreement between Leeds City Council, the Governing Body of Armley Primary School and the Owlcotes Multi Academy Trust should be completed to enable the school to open as an academy on 1st December 2019
Owlcotes Multi Academy Trust currently runs three schools in West Leeds, including Pudsey Waterloo, Pudsey Primrose Hill and Calverley Parkside.
“Under the circumstances, negotiations have progressed well and have been concluded – furthermore the relationship with Owlcotes Multi Academy Trust and their advisors continues to be positive.”
In May, the school received an ‘inadequate’ Ofsted report, with inspectors saying the quality of education pupils receive had ‘deteriorated significantly’ since the last Ofsted inspection in 2014.
They added:
“Although urgent remedial work has started recently, the school’s overall effectiveness is inadequate.”
School children in Farnley are appealing for volunteers to help them improve their reading skills, writes Matt Gibson.
Pupils at Lawns Park Primary School are spearheading a recruitment drive to expand its “reading buddy” programme.
The scheme sees adults from the community come into school to read with children during one-to-one sessions lasting around 10-15 minutes per pupil.
The school’s council has made the recruitment of more reading buddies its top priority for the coming year.
A wide selection of reading books at Lawns Park. Photo: Matt Gibson
Its chairman Jake, aged 10, explained that he and his fellow pupils love to read and would like to do it every day, but with just a handful of reading buddies currently helping at the school, there aren’t enough to satisfy the demand from all the children.
Janine Smith, 66, from Farnley, has been a reading buddy at Lawns Park since she retired and said the school is “very flexible” and works around what times are best suited to her to come in and help.
Miss Smith, whose children went to the school and whose grandchildren are currently pupils there, said it is “really rewarding” to see the children progress. She said:
“Over the last two years there have been certain children who were a little bit reluctant to come and read.
“But they soon came around and now they can’t wait to get stuck into their books. Now, when some of the children see me in school, they stop me and, with huge smiles on their faces, ask if their names are on the reading list.”
Miss Smith added that it’s not all about spelling and being able to recognise words and said that each child is unique and benefits from the sessions in different ways. She said:
“There are different techniques you can use depending on the pupil.
“Some are brilliant readers but aren’t very good, at first, at understanding what they’ve read. So, for them, comprehension exercises are very useful. Others can be reading quite slowly so, in these cases, it’s good to work on speed and pronunciation.
“Some children might be reading in monotone so it’s helpful to read things back to them in a way that makes it sound more interesting and entertaining. Teaching them how to use things like intonation and tone helps bring reading to life for them.”
Scarlett, aged eight, who likes David Walliams novels because they’re funny and non-fiction books about animals, said:
“Miss Smith is very kind and, if you get stuck on a word she can explain it.
“When you read you get to know more words. This helps with my school work and makes me feel more confident.”
Jane Whiteley, 45, from Wortley, was a pupil at Lawns Park when she was a child and has been volunteering at the school for 10 years. She said:
“You can encourage a good amount of self-reflection when reading with the children and help them to better understand what they’ve read.
“You can get so much out of just one paragraph by reading it back and trying to absorb something different each time.”
Aidan, aged eight, who enjoys reading scary stories like those in the Goosebumps series of books, said he likes to share ideas from his reading with classmates during English lessons. He said:
“Others might take your ideas but that’s OK because knowing other children want to use them builds your confidence.”
Rebecca Ford, headteacher at Lawns Park, said:
“There are lots of studies about how beneficial reading alongside adults is for children.
“Research shows that the more reading you do, the greater the range of vocabulary you will meet. Children who love reading often have better attendance and are happier students because they are more able to succeed with their learning. Children who develop a love a reading are likely to continue this into adulthood and studies show that reading can boost your mental health.
“Children being able to sit and read with an adult is a lovely time. It’s a chance for them to engage and work alongside someone who’s not a teacher or relative and it’s lovely one-to-one time that, in a busy school life, you don’t often get.”
Anyone interested in becoming a reading buddy at Lawns Park Primary School should call 0113 263 7364 or email info@lawnspark.org.uk.
People who have a disability are invited to swim for free in West Leeds this Thursday as Armley is one of a host of council-run leisure centres to drop charges for their restricted disabled swim session, writes Keely Bannister.
At Active Leeds we try our best to be as accessible for all. This week the following disability swim sessions will be free of charge:
Monday 11.30am – 12.15pm Wetherby
Monday 1.30pm – 2.30pm John Smeaton
Monday 7.15pm – 8.15pm Holt Park
Wednesday 6.15pm – 7.15pm Fearnville
Wednesday 7.15pm – 8.15pm Morley
Thursday 9.30am – 10.25am Armley
Thursday 2.30pm – 3.30pm Scott Hall
Sunday 5pm – 6pm Morley
Why not join us for a free swim this week?
Armley Leisure Centre, located on Carr Crofts, has a number of features which makes it accessibility friendly including, a lift, dryside and wetside accessible changing facilities and pool hoists.
Any questions? The centre can be contacted by emailing armley.lc@leeds.gov.uk or calling 0113 3367 880.
Clare Clifford, owner of Rodley-based Sunshine Digital Media, has been nominated in the Business Mum of the Year run by the Women’s Business Club.
The award recognises business women who have “really stood out for [their] incredible worklife balance”. JIM CORAH chatted with Clare about her business, her nomination, and west Leeds.
“Digital marketing goddess” (according to The Branding Photographer) Clare has helped businesses improve their online presence with engaging and creative content. Sunshine Digital Media has worked on campaigns and strategies for Boots, Travelodge, and the Church of England.
Sunshine Digital Media was set up following the death of Clare’s daughter Charlotte, as something for her to be “proud of her mummy”.
Aside from helping organise strategies, Clare offers seminars on the best ways to approach social media (the most recent being on 6th November 2019 at the Loft, Farsley). Sunshine Digital Media aims to offer bespoke marketing solutions whatever the size of the business.
Question: Without using the word resilience describe your approach to work life balance when running a business and having an active family life.
Clare: Plan, plan, plan! It’s a huge juggling act and you can always count on someone getting chicken pox when you’ve got a huge work week. Embrace it, I’m grateful to have beautiful children and a thriving business that I can work round them. Good childcare and plenty of down time are essential.
How did your interaction with social media develop into helping others with their online presence?
I’m from a marketing background and social media always fell to me in a time when it was seen as something a bit nice to do but not important, which put me ahead of the pack when it became clear that social media is an integral part of any marketing strategy.
I went freelance about six years ago and have never stopped working since.
I set up my own business a few weeks after the death of my daughter as I refused to be defined by it and wanted to do something positive in her memory.
That was over two years ago and the business has gone from strength to strength, I even took 10 days off to have my son last year.
Is there a ‘magic bullet’ approach to social media success?
Simple answer – no. It takes consistent, quality content and knowing your audience. That’s where I come in, I can either save a business time and completely manage their social/digital marketing or I can teach them how to do it themselves.
If you post quality content, consistently for three months and monitor your engagement and adapt/amend your content accordingly you’ll start to gather traction and see results.
With regards to west Leeds, there are many organisations run by volunteers who may not have a great of time to run their social media. What would your advice for them to peg the basics?
Don’t post and pray! So many organisations and businesses stick any old thing up at any old time and hope for the best. Post good content when and where your audience is most likely to be looking at least twice each week.
Use scheduling tools so you’re not relying on being free at those times and then get distracted and post rushed content or not bother at all.
Which businesses and organisations in west Leeds have a good approach to social media?
Apparel Leeds is based in Stanningley and is the most wonderful clothing boutique run by Dawn Farr, go and see her and she’ll have your style sussed out in a instant and give you that personal stylist experience without the price tag.
I worked with Dawn a couple of years ago and created a social media template which she still uses to this day and she gets the mix of content spot on.
Grumpy’s in Farsley not only has some of the best pizza around they also do social media very well. Their posts are funny, engaging and their pictures are always spot on – bravo!
The award-winning Rodley Nature Reserve do a great job, they are worth a follow just for the fantastic wildlife pictures alone, but also they support the local community and give lots of tips on how we can support nature.
Voting for the Business Mum of the Year is open until 4th December 2019.
Women’s Business Club was founded in 2013 by Angela De Souza to set up a business network that she would like to attend where she felt comfortable being herself and accepted as a woman in business.
Voting for the Business Mum of the Year is open until 4th December 2019. Women’s Business Club was founded in 2013 by Angela De Souza to set up a business network that she would like to attend where she felt comfortable being herself and accepted as a woman in business.
Photos: Courtesy Clare Clifford and the Women’s Business Club
3rd December – Xmas card making using recycled materials
10th December – Make a Xmas gift and paper using something that can be recycled
17th December – Eco buddies Xmas bash featuring games, food and music
Aimed at children aged from five to nine years, the free activities are open to all with an LS12 postcode. They run from 3.30-4.45pm.
Nothing specific is required unless stated, but it is advisable to take note of whether some or all of an activity will be outside and send your child with appropriate warm clothing where possible.
Children are asked to attend the whole of a session, although are not required to attend every week.
For more information, contact the centre via e-mail info@newwortleycc.org or phone 0113 279 3466.
Youngsters from across West Leeds descended on an under-threat former sports ground for a kickabout this morning – and paid their respects to the people who gave their life for their country.
The former TV Harrison Sports ground in Wortley is named after Thomas Vernon Harrison, a World War One veteran and headteacher who was the main instigator of buying the land as a children’s sports pitch in the 1930s.
Today youngsters stood silent in tribute on the grass of ‘Wortley’s Wembley’ – where many famous Leeds United footballers started their careers – before enjoying an informal match on the site.
Campaigners are fighting against plans to transform the Oldfield Lane site into around 50 local authority houses.
Aaron Lambert, who wants to keep the land as sports pitches, said it was special to bring the youngsters together on Remembrance Sunday given TV Harrison’s past.
“It’s good to see youngsters having fun on this pitch again, particularly today.”
The campaigners had cut the grass to make sure the disused ground was fit to play on.
Campaigners have cleared the site of years’ worth of undergrowth
Council reacts to campaign
But campaigners were dealt a blow earlier this week when Leeds City Council officially responded to their deputation to full council in September, where they called on the council to re-open the site as a much-needed playing field.
The council said that the site had been closed for 14 years but said they were looking to re-invest in other sports facilities in the area. A council report said:
“The challenge in developing a single pitch site such as Oldfield Lane, is that the potential to attract the significant funding needed to provide a quality grass pitch and changing facility is limited.
“Larger scale projects on multi-pitch sites inevitably lead to improved outcomes in terms of participation. Notwithstanding that, should development take place at Oldfield Lane, this will present opportunities to invest in local sports facilities and leverage additional funds to develop schemes.
“Potential options include improving facilities at New Wortley Recreation Ground, including both grass pitches and changing rooms and also potentially support the ongoing development of facilities at Butt Lane [in Farnley].”
The council says the proposed redevelopment of the site would generate a commuted sum of around £80,000 to support this work, along with other sums generated by other new homes being built in the ward.
Field of Dreams? TV Harrison ground off Oldfield Lane back in January 2019
Mr Lambert said campaigners from the TV Harrison Community Action Group were due to meet the council later this month and pledged to comment in more detail after the outcome of that meeting.
In the meantime, the group has vowed to fight on. Mr Lambert added:
“It’s shameful what the council are proposing to do to this site and the children of this area, we will fight on and we won’t give up.”
Another campaigner claimed the council’s arguments were riddled with inaccuracies.
The group is also organising a public meeting on Wednesday 27 November at 7.30pm in St Johns Church, Lower Wortley Road to discuss the next moves in their campaign.
Leeds City Council, which owns a quarter of the Oldfield Lane site, wants to build around 50 local authority houses there and buy the remaining 75% of the site from the Leeds Schools Sports Association (LSSA), a charitable organisation which supports sports in schools.
I’ve been taking a photo of all the World War One graves in West Leeds over the past week, writes Mark Stevenson.
I have done a separate article for these two men, who are buried in Upper & Lower Wortley Cemetery, mainly because they stand out because of the medals they won.
The first is Richard Buttery. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (the only one higher is the Victoria Cross), which was the oldest award for gallantry started in 1854 until its discontinuation in 1993.
Richard Buttery was also awarded the Military Medal for acts of bravery. He was born in Farnley in 1891 and died in what is now St James Hospital.
Resting place: Wilfred Edwards. Photo: Mark Stevenson
The other is Wilfred Edwards, who was born in Norwich in 1893. He was awarded the VC for his actions at Langemarck, Belgium in 1917. As reported by The London Gazette at the time:
“When all the company officers were lost, Private Edwards, without hesitation and under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from a strong concrete fort, dashed forward at great personal risk, bombed through the loopholes, surmounted the fort and waved to his company to advance.
“Three officers and 30 other ranks were taken prisoner by him in the fort. Later he did most valuable work as a runner and eventually guided most of the battalion out through very difficult ground.
“Throughout he set a splendid example and was utterly regardless of danger.”
He was also given the rank of Second Lieutenant. In WW2 he rose to the rank of major. He died in 1972.
As TV presenter Helen Skelton found out, there’s more to the Seagulls social enterprise than recycling paint, mosaic workshops, the gallery and their zero waste shop.
Former Blue Peter presenter Helen cut the ribbon for a new and innovative venture aimed at supporting care leavers and ex-offenders – the spectacular Seagulls’ Life House.
Nestled in a disused factory off Kirkstall Road, the Seagulls team have turned an empty space into a fully functioning workshop space for printing, silversmith and jewellry making, wood and metal work.
The most ingenious part of this new venture however, are the custom built ‘pop up pods’ that look exactlty like the rooms you’d find in a house or flat.
Here, care leavers and ex-offenders can learn how to decorate a room from top to bottom.
On leaving the Life House, these young people are then equipped with the confidence and skills to create their own personalised and colourful spaces at home.
For many, decorating is but a chore when we move house or feel the need for a change. We know the difference between satin and matt; where gloss should and shouldn’t go and that turpentine is the king of cleaners for clogged up paint brushes (other products are available!).
Seagulls stalwarts Rob and Ruksar
This isn’t the case for everyone though as Ruksar Ajmal, from the Seagull team shared. Ruksar said:
From someone who has been in prison, you go inside with nothing and come out with nothing.
“When you do get out and get your own place, you struggle to navigate your way through even the simplist of everyday tasks.
“You don’t have the confidence or the DIY skills needed to make a house a home; there’s an automatic fear that you’ll fail, so often you don’t even bother trying. That’s where the Life House project fills a huge gap; somewhere to learn what to do and how in a really positive and fun environment. It’s amazing.”
In Leeds there are over 500 care leavers at any one time, about 200 of whom live in their own properties.
These young people and ex-offenders are often allocated council or social housing that can lack a homely and personalised feel.
Without the support of parents or family friends, there’s often no-one to ask for advice or help for everyday tasks such as painting and decorating.
Rob Lyons, also from the Seagull team, is a care leaver. He said of the new project:
“When I left care, I didn’t even know that there was more than one type of paint, never mind what to use, how much to use or where to put it!
“The Life House scheme teaches you all this, with people who’ve been in the same place as you so you don’t feel like the odd one out. I think it’s great. ”
Following development work with Leeds City Council Care Leavers Team (CLT), the need for a ‘Life House’ was identified to provide painting, decorating, basic life skills and most importantly, nurture independence for these young people.
Forward thinking: Joel Hanna
At the grand opening, Joel Hanna, the Head of Service for Children, Looked After and Care Leavers, said:
“We’re so lucky in Leeds to have such forward-thinking and progressive social enterprises to support our care leavers. It’s innovative, it’s inspirational and it will make a huge difference to so many young people.”
Workshop instructor Leon Varga is one of many who have tirelessly transformed the once-empty workspace into a funky and functional learning space.
Open to care leavers, offenders and the public on Tuesday 19 November, there’s plenty to learn at this unique community based initiative:
“We have timetabled courses for people from all social backgrounds. From beginner level, we will support people every step of the way to get to the advanced stage; to feel confident in their own abilities and be inspired to turn their houses into a real home they can call their own.”
Cat Hyde and Kate Moree, both Co-Founders of Seagulls, have come a long, long way over the past 20 years.
Seagulls founders Kat Hyde and Kate Moree
From the seed that was sown at Kate’s kitchen table, their enterprise is built from passion and revolves around the 3 P’s – Planet, People, Profit (‘because there is no Planet B’).
The idea for the Life House has been 10 years in the thinking, dreaming and making, after an appearance on Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire series.
It was following their success on the show that led them to think big, to think beyond providing affordable, quality recycled paint and employing vulnerable adults, to buidling a dedicated workable space that delivers hands on training to those most in need. Cat said:
“Having somewhere to call home is particularly important for vulnerable people because it provides the grounding they have sadly so often not experienced.
“We have a successful volunteer programme called ‘We Grow People’, working with some of the most marginalised people in Leeds.
“We understand paint and we understand people so Seagulls Life House is a natural progression for us and the work we deliver.”
Young people living in the “Outer West” council wards of Calverley & Farsley, Farnley & Wortley and Pudsey have had their say on the activities they would like to enjoy – with cooking topping their wishlist, writes Keely Bannister.
In total 58 children from nine learning providers gave their input on what their priorities are for youth spending – a pot totalling £43,869, available to be spent this financial year – where they live.
They stated they wanted activities to be “challenging, fun and free” with their top eight priorities being:
Cooking
Scrap art
Minecraft and coding
Fun day
Do you dare
Walk on the wild side
Harry Potter workshop
Multi-sports
Other ideas put forward by the children included: music sessions, a trip to an aquarium or zoo, film days and a sleepover in a community venue, youth club for disabled children and first aid/life saving training.
Three quarters of the children consulted, either at the Outer West Youth Summit held at Leeds Civic Hall on October 2nd or in their school, wanted activities provided inside and outside and 63% wanted activities provided in their local area.
Asked when they would like activities provided, 40% said they would like them after school, 30% during school holidays, 23% at the weekend and 7% responded they would like activities provided in the evening.
This year’s Youth Summit had an increased engagement from last year’s event, which saw 48 children took part with primary school children marking multi-sports as their top priority and secondary school children favouring youth clubs.
Peter Carlill, Calverley & Farsley ward Councillor and Children’s and Families champion for the Outer West Community Committee, spoke to The Dispatch about the importance of the Youth Summit. He said:
“The Outer West Youth Summit is a great opportunity for children across the Calverley and Farsley, Farnley and Wortley and Pudsey Wards to attend a day’s activities in Leeds Civic Hall, learning about local democracy, meeting the Lord Mayor and having the opportunity to ask questions in the council chamber.
“As the Children and Young People’s champion for the Outer West area, the most important output for my work is an exercise where the children get to decide how we spend the money allocated to youth activities in our area, and the activities they choose, where and when they want them, really make a difference to the decisions local councillors make.
“For instance the children’s comments last year prompted the 12 week free youth club currently running in both Farsley and Farnley that gives an opportunity to try out multi-sports, scrap art and samba drumming – and we’re really looking forward to planning a new programme of activities for next year based on what these young people told us.
“We really appreciate the schools who take time out of their busy calendars to take part in the activities and I hope they’ll agree that it is a really engaging and valuable experience for the children who take part.”
A full report on the Youth Summit will be made available in due course.
A Bramley record of 158 boxes were produced by a small army of volunteers who gave up their time to make sure that children receive gifts this Christmas.
Local schools and businesses donated many items for children who would normally go without.
These were put into shoeboxes at St Margaret’s in Bramley and wrapped in Christmas paper. By the end of the day 158 boxes were packed ready to go to the Bethlehem Centre in Romania.
Organisers were Judith Armitage and her daughter, Helen.
Bramley-based photographer Simon Cullingworth was on hand to capture the volunteers at work.
Veterans, politicians and members of the public have commemorated those who lost their lives in conflict as the UK marks Remembrance Sunday.
At 11am, a two-minute silence was held across the country.
Photographer Simon Cullingworth was at Bramley War Memorial to capture proceedings.
Dennis Matthews and his wife. Dennis attends every funeral of servicemen from West Yorkshire. Jim Harrison with the timer that contains sand from the beach in Flanders. The timer is used for the two minutes’ silence that was impeccably observed.
Farsley Celtic drew 1-1 with Gloucester City yesterday.
The teams held a minute’s silence before the game to remember the fallen ahead of Remembrance Sunday.
Dave Syers opened the scoring in the first minute for The Celts, with Gloucester equalising later in the half in a scrappy game which the home side will feel they should have won. The result leaves The Celts in sixth place.
Photographer Simon Cullingworth was on hand to capture the action at The Citadel.
