Read all about the latest news and activities happening, and reasons to celebrate our school in the below Headteacher's blog.

• Headteacher's Blog - Edition 37

  Mon 28 Sep 2026

  Last week we received some inspirational news regarding a selfless act from one of our Year 7 learners. They received high praise from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service after coming to the aid of an injured cyclist. Showing maturity and compassion beyond her years, our learner stayed by his side to ensure he was comfortable, safe, and not left alone during the distressing ordeal until emergency services arrived.

   

  After learning that the injured gentleman had not eaten all day, they went to a nearby takeaway and purchased food for him using their own pocket money.

   

  A paramedic responding to the emergency call from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service was so moved by their actions that they reached out directly to the school to ensure her selflessness was recognised. The paramedic noted that the patient was immensely grateful for the care, describing the gesture as a wonderful example of how a small act of kindness can have a significant and lasting impact on someone else’s life. We are very proud of their actions and will be recognising this in school.

   

  Gary Kibble 

   

  The points below summarise the information shared with learners this week. 

   

  1. Safe Navigation & Building Work Adjustments

  General Guidance: Due to ongoing site works, all learners must follow directional signs and strictly keep to the left in corridors.

   

  2. Enrichment, Rewards & Opportunities

  • The Brilliance Bucket: Returns Term 1 (starting Monday 5 October). Learners can earn rewards and build portfolios by maintaining high attendance and developing skills.
  • Reading Vending Machine: Learners demonstrating exceptional reading/vocabulary can earn ClassCharts 'Reading Rewards'. Five winners across Years 7–11 are drawn weekly to win a book.
  • PE Extra-Curricular Clubs (3:00–4:00 PM in Sports Hall):
    • Monday: Netball & Taekwondo (All Years)
    • Tuesday: Mixed Sports & Football (All Years)
  • Leadership Roles:
    • Learner Careers Champions (Y7–10): Apply via email to careers@batleygirls.co.uk by Friday 25 September.
    • Mental Health Champions: Expressions of interest to the SEND Office by Friday 25 September.

   

  3. Attendance & Safeguarding

  • Attendance Target (98%+): High attendance directly correlates with academic success and future opportunities. Missing just 15 minutes per day equates to 8 full days of lost learning per year.
  • Attendance Bands: 100% (Perfection), 98% (Impressive), 96% (Good), 95% (Nearly There), 94% (Needs Improvement), 90% (Concern), 85% (Serious Concern - support plans provided).
  • Safeguarding Contacts: Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Jenny Fox (Y10/11 link), Deputy Headteacher Aejaz Laher, and Safeguarding Officers Kylie Hadaway (Y7–9), Salma Ilyas (Y11/BG6), and Saira Farooq (Attendance).

   

  4. Year Group Highlights & Upcoming Assessments 

  Year 7: Congratulations to 7SJO/AAL for top attendance (100%) and 7ZBO for leading positive points. Weekly 100% attendance winners receive lunch queue skip passes.

  Year 8 & 9: Year 8 achievement focus is on Motivation & Employability. Year 9 learners are focusing on Managing Stress, with a low-effort/high-progress mentoring program launching soon.

  Year 10: Congratulations to the newly elected Form Champions.

  Year 11 Key Dates & Assessments:

  • Maths Coaching & Assessments: Starts Monday 28 September. Calculator assessments take place on Monday 28 September & Tuesday 29 September (calculators required).
  • English: In-lesson Macbeth extract analysis assessments taking place.
  • Science: Chemistry Paper 1 assessment on Thursday 1 October.
  • Performing Arts Society: Meets every Tuesday during reflection time.

• Headteacher's Blog - Edition 36

  Mon 21 Sep 2026

  We are looking forward to inviting members of our school community and prospective learners into school on Thursday 24 September for our annual open evening. This is an exciting time to showcase our site with some significant building projects on the go. As ever such work means some short term challenges for some significant long term gains. In particular our amphitheatre work is progressing well and will provide a much needed covered, spacious social area that our learners deserve, as can be seen at the end of this blog.

   

  All are invited to attend.

   

  Gary Kibble 

   

  The points below summarise the information shared with learners this week. 

   

  1. Safe Navigation & Building Work Adjustments

  General Guidance: Due to ongoing site works, all learners must follow directional signs and strictly keep to the left in corridors.

  • PE Lessons: Learners waiting for PE must gather in the dining hall until escorted by PE staff to the Sports Centre.
  • One-Way System & Out of Bounds: The Glass Corridor is closed, making the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) part of the one-way route. The amphitheatre, area behind the glass corridor, and Science Learning Garden are strictly out of bounds.

   

  2. Attendance & Safeguarding

  • Attendance Target (98%+): High attendance directly correlates with academic success and future opportunities. Missing just 15 minutes per day equates to 8 full days of lost learning per year.
  • Attendance Bands: 100% (Perfection), 98% (Impressive), 96% (Good), 95% (Nearly There), 94% (Needs Improvement), 90% (Concern), 85% (Serious Concern - support plans provided).
  • Safeguarding Contacts: Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Jenny Fox (Y10/11 link), Deputy Headteacher Aejaz Laher, and Safeguarding Officers Kylie Hadaway (Y7–9), Salma Ilyas (Y11/BG6), and Saira Farooq (Attendance).

   

  Year 11 Assessment Schedule

  • English (Macbeth): Taking place in lessons before Friday 25 September. Learners will analyze an extract and link their ideas to the rest of the play studied so far.
  • Mathematics (Calculator Paper): Scheduled for Monday 28 September and Tuesday 29 September. Learners must bring their own calculator. Personalised Learning Checklists are available on Google Classroom.
  • Science (Chemistry Paper 1): Scheduled for Thursday 1 October. Covers Paper 1 content (AQA Trilogy GCSE Combined Science/GCSE Chemistry).

   

  Chemistry Assessment Revision Topics

  The Chemistry Assessment will cover the following 5 key topics:

  1. Atomic structure and the periodic table
  2. Bonding, structure, and properties of matter
  3. Quantitative chemistry
  4. Chemical changes
  5. Energy changes
      

  Coaching for Success Weekly Schedule

  Note: There is no coaching on Thursday 24 September due to the school Open Evening.

  Day of Week	Subject(s)	Autumn Term Start Date
  Monday	Art, Craft and Design	14 September
  	Photography	14 September
  	Mathematics	28 September
  Tuesday	Computing	15 September
  	Geography	29 September
  	History	6 October
  Wednesday	Science	16 September
  Thursday	Fine Art	10 September
  	Sport Studies	17 September
  	English	1 October
  Friday	MFL (French, Spanish, Urdu)	18 September

   

  

• Headteacher's Blog - Edition 35

  Mon 14 Sep 2026

  The building work has started in earnest, which will significantly enhance the facilities in school for our learners. It has presented some logistical challenges, but learners have been fantastic in following the new systems in school. 

   

  Logistical challenges was certainly the watch word last week, with Windmill Lane and adjacent roads blocked at the end of school due to the number of cars parked inconsiderately and at times illegally. This of course causes significant disruption to local residents, but also puts our learners at risk as it becomes increasingly difficult to cross the road at a safe point. 

   

  Please ensure that if you are collecting your daughter at the end of school you are parked appropriately, not on double yellow lines, away from junctions and ensuring driveways and roads are still accessible for residents to move freely between their property and their destinations.  We have liaised with Kirkless Parking Enforcement who supported us last week and they will continue to visit the area to ensure our learners can leave the site safely. We thank you for your support.

   

  Gary Kibble 

   

  The points below summarise the information shared with learners this week

   

   

  Behavior for Learning & School Expectations The school utilizes a transparent four-stage Graduated Warning System to support classroom focus:

  • C1: Quiet, individual verbal reminder (unrecorded).
  • C2: Clear verbal warning with specific guidance; may involve a seat move (recorded on ClassCharts).
  • C3: 30-minute after-school detention for persistent issues (parents notified via ClassCharts).
  • C4: Removal to Reflection for sustained disruption (parents notified via ClassCharts and On-Call chat).

   

  Positive & Negative Points on ClassCharts

  Learners earn or receive points based on three core values:

  • Respect Self: Positive points for connected, creative learning and resilience. Negative points for disengagement or persistent lack of effort.
  • Respect Environment: Positive points for maintaining classroom and school tidiness. Negative points for mess, damage, or compromise to safety.
  • Respect Community: Positive points for respectful collaboration. Negative points for disruptive or disrespectful behavior.

   

  Attendance & Movement

  • Target: Minimum school attendance expectation is 98% (high attendance directly links to stronger exam results and future opportunities).
  • Punctuality: Missing 15 minutes of lessons daily equals 8 lost learning days a year.
  • Safe Movement: Learners must follow the standard one-way system between lessons. The one-way system is suspended after social times so learners can take the direct door to their classroom. Learners must keep left on corridors near Art, the LRC, and main toilets.
  • SEND Passes: Adaptations (e.g., corridor or time-out passes) have been issued via BFL and must be used responsibly.

   

  Clubs & Enrichment Opportunities

  • PE Clubs (3:00–4:00 PM, Sports Hall): Mondays (Netball, Taekwondo) and Tuesdays (Football, Mixed Sports). Learners must bring a PE kit and water.
  • Mental Health Champions: Interested learners should submit a short application paragraph with their name and form to the SEND office by Friday.
  • Reading Culture Committee: Learners interested in shaping the library environment can register interest with their Form Tutor to pass to Mrs. Boults.
  • Year 9 Career Trip: Visit to West Yorkshire Manufacturing Services in Brighouse on Thursday 24 September. Interested learners must email cdunkley@batleygirls.co.uk by Tuesday.

   

  Curriculum & Reading Initiatives

  • Big Question: "If everyone in the world were equal, should everyone be paid the exact same amount?" (Exploring equality vs. equity).
  • Word of the Week: Intricate (adjective: very complicated or detailed).
  • Reading Rewards: Teachers award ClassCharts 'reading rewards' for strong reading effort across all subjects. Weekly draws select 5 winners (Years 7–11) to receive a book from the school vending machine.

   

  Year Group Focuses & Support

  • Year 7: Focus on navigating to lessons independently. 100% attendance vouchers are available to skip the lunch queue.
  • Year 11 Coaching: Targeted after-school coaching sessions begin throughout September (Maths, Arts, Sciences, Humanities, Languages, etc.). Invited learners will receive a home letter; attendance is mandatory to protect academic progress and reward eligibility.
  • Year 11 Prom Committee: Applications opening shortly for the end-of-year celebration committee.

   

  Safeguarding Team Contacts 

  • Jenny Fox (Designated Safeguarding Lead / Y10–11 Link) – | jfox@batleygirls.co.uk
  • Aejaz Laher (Deputy Headteacher / DSL) – | alaher@batleygirls.co.uk
  • Kylie Hadaway (Safeguarding Officer / Y7–9 Link) – | khadaway@batleygirls.co.uk
  • Salma Ilyas (Safeguarding Officer / Y11 & BG6 Link) – | silyas@batleygirls.co.uk
  • Saira Farooq (Safeguarding & Attendance Officer) –sfarooq@batleygirls.co.uk

• Headteacher's Blog - Edition 34

  Mon 07 Sep 2026

  School has come alive this week as we welcome back our learners from the summer holiday break. Once again we have had record numbers applying and attending bg6. Being able to take many of our learners from 11 to 18 is a real privilege and we are delighted so many want to remain with our school community. Change is the watch word this half term and year as building work starts at last to remove the RAAC and develop our school facilities. This does mean some changes to movements around the school, but these short term challenges will be worth it. More updates and images to follow on this over the half term.

   

  Attendance remains a key focus for us and has been perfectly illustrated with our GCSE exam results this year as illustrated in the table below: 

   

  Attendance	No of days absent	Average Grade	% Chance of passing English and Maths
  92% - 90%	15 -20 days  (96- 140 lessons missed)	4	68%
  80%-89%	21- 40 days absent (147 -280 lesson missed)	3	38%
  9% - 70%	41 - 60 days absent (287 - 420 lessons missed)	2	33%

   

  Please support your daughter by ensuring all appointments are made outside school time and encourage them to develop the resilience required to attend  school everyday. Everyday does really count when it comes to achievement and gaining the core qualifications to enable our learners to access the next steps in their educational careers.

   

  Gary Kibble 

   

  The points below summarise the information shared with learners this week. 

   

  1. Safe Navigation & Building Work Adjustments

  • General Guidance: Due to ongoing site works, all learners must follow directional signs and strictly keep to the left in corridors.
  • PE Lessons: Learners waiting for PE must gather in the dining hall until escorted by PE staff to the Sports Centre.
  • One-Way System & Out of Bounds: The Glass Corridor is closed, making the Learning Resource Centre (LRC) part of the one-way route. The amphitheatre, area behind the glass corridor, and Science Learning Garden are strictly out of bounds.

   

  2. Attendance & Safeguarding

  • Attendance Target (98%+): High attendance directly correlates with academic success and future opportunities. Missing just 15 minutes per day equates to 8 full days of lost learning per year.
  • Attendance Bands: 100% (Perfection), 98% (Impressive), 96% (Good), 95% (Nearly There), 94% (Needs Improvement), 90% (Concern), 85% (Serious Concern - support plans provided).
  • Safeguarding Contacts: Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Jenny Fox (Y10/11 link), Deputy Headteacher Aejaz Laher, and Safeguarding Officers Kylie Hadaway (Y7–9), Salma Ilyas (Y11/BG6), and Saira Farooq (Attendance).

   

  3. Behavior for Learning System & Rewards

  A transparent 4-stage classroom system ensures clarity and fairness:

   

  Stage	Action / Outcome
  C1: First Misbehaviour	Quiet verbal reminder (unrecorded).
  C2: Second Misbehaviour	Verbal correction; learner may be moved. Recorded on ClassCharts.
  C3: Third Misbehaviour	30-minute after-school detention; parents/carers notified via ClassCharts.
  C4: Fourth Misbehaviour	Removal to Reflection room; parents/carers notified via ClassCharts and call.

   

  Positive Rewards: Points are earned on ClassCharts under three key areas: Respect Self (resilience/creative learning), Respect Environment (tidiness/care), and Respect Community (collaboration/positive citizenship).

   

  4. Literacy, Opportunities & Extracurricular Activities

  • Reading Rewards & Vending Machine: Learners demonstrating excellence in reading/vocabulary can earn 'Reading Awards'. Five winners weekly across Years 7–11 win a book from the vending machine!
  • Word & Idiom of the Week: Word: Intricate (very complicated/detailed). Idiom: "To go down a rabbit hole". Learners are also challenged to use "All good things come to those who wait" for connection points.
  • PE Extracurricular Clubs (Start Mon 14 Sept, 3pm–4pm):

  • Mondays: Netball & Taekwondo (Sports Hall, All Years)
  • Tuesdays: Mixed Sports & Football (Sports Hall, All Years)

  • Learner Leadership Roles: Applications open for Mental Health Champions (letter to SEND office by Friday), Reading Culture Committee, and Year 11 Prom Committee.

   

  5. Year Group Highlights

  • Year 7: Praised for smart uniform and politeness. Mission: Learn class routes independently to avoid lateness logs. Top positive points form: 7MKS. 
  • Year 8: Strong start; Rosalind Franklin house leading community positives.
  • Year 9: Great start on uniform and mobile phone rules. Special trip opportunity: National Manufacturing Day visit to West Yorkshire Manufacturing Services on 24 Sept (email Miss Dunkley by Tuesday).
  • Years 10 & 11: Encouraged to discuss half-termly reward preferences with form tutors. Year 11 Prom Committee applications launching soon.