With the new term fast approaching, we discover the latest news at our three local schools.
Alumni Talk Careers at The Grammar School at Leeds
Alumni from a wide range of professions and sectors have shared their expertise at a virtual careers event for students at The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) and two of its partner schools, Leeds East Academy and Mount St Mary High School.
The GSAL Futures Conference, entitled Choose to Discover, took place on 5th July when more than 30 alumni of Leeds Grammar School, Leeds Girls’ High School, and GSAL, all at different stages of their careers, were present to share their experiences and answer students’ questions.
There were talks, panel discussions and workshops for students aged 16 to 18 to choose from plus two keynote speakers to open and close the event. Speakers included prominent figures such as Alistair Cox, CEO of recruitment multinational Hays. An Open Doors event is planned for early September where you can find out more about opportunities.
The school welcomes pupils into Year 7 from many different schools. Aware that starting secondary school is a big step, The Grammar School at Leeds helps new pupils to quickly settle in and make friends, thanks to its small tutor groups, excellent pastoral care and range of co-curricular opportunities.
It offers students the best of both worlds – academic achievement is enhanced by single-sex teaching between Years 7- 11, complemented by the pastoral and social benefits of shared form time and co-curricular activities. Find out more about GSAL at its open doors on 17th September from 9am to 12pm (pre-bookings via Gsal.org.uk only)
Gateways High School Pupils Fundraise for Simon on the Streets
On the last day of the summer term, Gateways High School pupils and staff took part in a walking challenge around the Harewood estate to raise money for local charity, Simon on the Streets. The school’s Lower Six pupils did an amazing job as marshals on the day, encouraging the walkers and helping open and close gates along the route.
A number of Lower Five pupils took the challenge one level further and ran rather than walked! The participants enjoyed fresh air and plenty of sun as they worked their way around the estate. Rebekah Harris from the charity came to the finish line to cheer all the walkers as they arrived back. The participants raised an impressive £780 for the Leeds homeless charity!
You can visit and discuss whether your child could benefit from a Gateways education at the school’s annual open day on 1st October. Please register early to secure a time slot for your visit as places are limited. Gateways is a small non-selective independent school for pupils aged two to 18 years, situated in the village of Harewood and has many children travelling up the road from north Leeds.
Call Admissions on 0113 288 6345 or visit Gatewaysschool.co.uk
Increased Capacity Proposed at Allerton High School
Leeds City Council is consulting on a proposal to permanently expand Allerton High School’s capacity from 1,100 to 1,400 students. Currently, 220 students are admitted to Year 7 each year. Should the proposal be successful this number will be increased to 280. This permanent increase would apply to Year 7 classes from September 2022 and it will take several years for the school to reach its new full capacity. There has been an increase in the population of children in local primary schools over recent years and a number of primary schools have expanded. This increase is now feeding through into secondary schools.
Several local schools have already expanded over recent years and further places are needed to help manage the number of secondary places available for families in the area. The proposal is currently in a four week statutory notice period which allows members of the community to come forward and give their opinion on the project. This period will end on 9th August.
“Parents, staff and pupils are overwhelmingly happy with the quality of education at school and rightly so. Inspectors judge that this is an outstanding place to learn,” said Ofsted of Allerton High in an inspection in December 2018. The school looks forward to opening its doors to prospective students again, encouraging parents and students to check the website for updated information.
At its open evening on 30th September, or its post-16 open evening on 10th November, there will be opportunities to see the range of subjects the school offers and to meet staff and students.
