Re-Launch of the Pupil Leadership Team at Chase Terrace…

We are honoured to have an exceptional ‘Pupil Leadership Team’ at Chase Terrace Academy. The core team have become firmly established as our whole school ‘Pupil Voice’ and work with staff to make a difference to every day school life and our community stakeholders.

Miss H Pickerill has been appointed as our Pupil Leadership Coordinator and is passionate about getting more pupils involved. To support this vision and to facilitate more pupils having a greater sense of responsibility, the team has been expanded and restructured to include lead roles such as Head Pupil and Deputy Head Pupil.

We have now successfully recruited over 60 new pupils and generated a number of committees, responsible for different areas of school life such as community and charity; teaching and learning and facilities. Each committee will work with a designated member of the senior team, to deliver projects identified by pupils, that will make a difference to our school and community.

Pictured is Jamie B, Olivia T, Grace D, Ben OW, Trek V, Jay W and Dylan H  who represent a few members of the team. All of the pupils are enthusiastic and have created a real buzz around our school. They are coming up with lots of ideas for consideration and getting involved in projects such as reviewing the school’s catering provision.    

Miss H Pickerill, Pupil Leadership Coordinator said “I have been overwhelmed by the number of pupils expressing an interest in being part of our Pupil Leadership Team. It is amazing to see so many wanting to make a positive impact and I am excited to share more about their progress and achievements in the future!”

Former pupil delivers inspirational Medicine talk to the next…

George Brown, a former Sixth Form pupil who is currently studying medicine at Cambridge University, was invited to attend Chase Terrace Academy to deliver a presentation to some pupils in Years 7-10 this morning.   

George spoke about his journey to date and his passion for Neurology and specifically his interest in researching Parkinson’s disease. In addition to the academic requirements, he asked pupils what they thought were the personal skills which were needed to study medicine and what was the number one complaint which patients had.  The biggest complaint was that patients didn’t feel listened to. George talked to pupils about how they could develop this skill in addition to communication, empathy and resilience.

He spoke about the importance of participating in personal and social development through different hobbies and activities including the Duke of Edinburgh Award and gaining some work experience. George told pupils that medicine will always continue to advance. This is something that he loves as it means that training and education will be a constant throughout his career and that he will always continue to learn new things. 

Feedback from students has been superb and they found George’s presentation interesting, approachable and inspiring.   

Mrs Poppleton, Director of Careers, said: ‘We are so very lucky to have former pupils like George who want to return and share their careers journey. George was really honest about the challenges and demands of studying medicine but his passion for this industry has inspired our pupils to aim high and achieve their dreams.’

Smallpeice Trust and HS2 STEM Workshops at Chase Terrace…

Stations of the future- A team-based design activity where pupils competed to design a futuristic train station considering future trends and the needs of all customers.

Tunnel Building- Pupils designed, constructed and tested a supporting structure for a cut and cover tunnel.

Rail Rush- An educational board game-like activity which encouraged pupils to consider the environmental and community impact of high-speed rail construction.

Mr P Wood, Smallpeice Trust said ‘I have been truly amazed at the high levels of enthusiasm, participation and engagement from the pupils. The teamwork, skills and creative ideas have really impressed me. Coming into Chase Terrace Academy and working with your pupils has genuinely made my week!’   

One parent contacted us to say thank you for giving pupils this fantastic opportunity. Their child in particular, was full of enthusiasm after participating and felt they had developed and built skills to the extent they were interested in pursuing a career in STEM!

Mrs Poppleton, Director of Careers said: ‘Pupils clearly gained a huge amount from this day. It was incredibly valuable for our pupils and it raised their awareness of the huge amount of STEM opportunities available to them.’

Pupils at Chase Terrace Academy achieve CSCS accreditation

As part of the Raising Aspirations Programme, several Year 11 students have completed a 6 week training course delivered in partnership with QTT (Quality Transport Training Ltd) based in Lichfield. This training programme has supported students in achieving a Level 1 award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification along with the CSCS Green Card. This will allow access to building and construction sites as an operative.

The 6 week training course delivered by QTT covered all areas of construction, including health and safety, risk assessments, PPE, manual handling, safety signs and fire prevention.

Students completed workbook modules and practice tests before the final session where they sat their level 1 assessment. This was followed by a touchscreen test at a Pearson centre to qualify for their CSCS green cards.

Carrie Cain, Assistant Headteacher said ‘We are very proud of our students. They have proven to themselves that they can achieve anything if they are determined to succeed. This programme has given students a unique opportunity to develop their employability skills and prepare for future employment and we hope to get more students involved next year.’

‘Open Doors’ Balfour Beatty Vinci/HS2 Employer Visit – March…

A group of Year 9 and Year 11 students were invited to attend a ‘behind the site hoardings’ at one of their sites at Cappers Lane Compound, Lichfield. This visit demonstrated the off-site roles available across this sector and showcased the fantastic range of careers available in STEM and Construction.

During the tour, students were able to see piling works, earthworks and structural concrete works. They were given a mini bus tour, a presentation and met with staff and apprentices working across these wide range of roles.

They met with a Degree Apprentice who is into her 2^nd year of a 6 year course studying Civil Engineering in partnership with Coventry University. She spoke about her journey as an apprentice, gave advice to our students and they were able to ask any questions.

Feedback from students has been superb. They felt this really opened their eyes to the opportunities available to them in this sector!

Mrs Poppleton, Director of Careers, said: This opportunity was incredibly valuable for students. It challenged students’ perceptions that Construction and STEM careers are not just about getting dirty. There are a huge amount of roles in this sector at all levels whether you are interested in Engineering, Law, Digital Design, Technology, HR or a Trade. During the visit, students had the opportunity to find out more about the variety of jobs available and ask as many questions as they wanted to.’