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Ysgol Penygelli, Coedpoeth

Enjoying new play equipment at Ysgol Penygelli.

Playtimes for pupils at the Wrexham primary school have become even more fun as the School Council worked very hard to raise funds for new equipment for the children to use. Members of the school council are responsible for looking after the equipment and wheeling it out every break time.

Enjoying new play equipment at Ysgol Penygelli.

Mountain Lane Primary School, Buckley

Pupils from Mountain Lane Primary School, Buckley, exploring the Buckley Heritage Trail.

Flintshire County Council’s Access Officer, Stuart Jones, recently led two group walks with Year 4 pupils from the school, to discover different aspects of the Buckley Heritage Trail using the public footpath network.

The children had a great time walking through Etna Woodlands and Knowle Hill Reserve, while learning about the importance of green exercise, biodiversity and the history of heritage trail.

Stuart added: "From our perspective, the walk was really successful and it was great to highlight the opportunity to exercise in green spaces and on public footpaths that were on the doorstep for people."

Pupils from Mountain Lane Primary School, Buckley, exploring the Buckley Heritage Trail.

Alun School, Mold

Alun School students Phoebe Pemberton, Ben Harris, Macie Griffith and Kayla Forde celebrate receiving EqualiTeach's Gold Equalities Award.

THE Flintshire high school is celebrating after being awarded EqualiTeach's Gold Equalities Award.

Alun School is the first school in Wales to sign up to EqualiTeach’s Equalities Award, where schools complete a comprehensive audit to showcase how they have embedded equality, diversity, and inclusion throughout all aspects of school life.

The Gold Award is an outstanding achievement, demonstrating not only the school's commitment to equality, but that this work has been embedded, and creating a positive impact. Alun School stands proudly as a beacon of good practice for other schools to learn from.

The award looks at four sections - behaviour and welfare; leadership and management; personal development of pupil; teaching and learning. The good practice showcased included pupil voice mapping and design for the RSE curriculum and the whole school curriculum, inclusive of people of different ethnicities, religions, sexual orientations, genders including transgender people, and disabled people. The school's approach to registration was showcased also where tutor groups have a range of wellbeing activities and personal social education inputs along with themed assemblies.

This award has supported the school in building on the Rights Respecting School Gold Award, awarded by UNICEF December 2019, recognising that the school has adopted a child rights approach based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and has embedded it in school policy, practice and culture.

Jennifer Johnson, education manager at Equaliteach said: "During this process Alun School has worked tirelessly to ensure that everyone in the community feels welcome, included, and represented in all aspects of school life.

"It has been a real pleasure to see the work they are doing and to see that equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything the school does. Both staff and students should be very proud of what they have achieved."

EqualiTeach is a nationwide not-for-profit equality and diversity training and consultancy organisation, which inspires and empowers people to create equal, diverse and inclusive environments where everyone feels safe, valued and able to succeed.

The Equalities Award provides support and guidance for schools to effectively promote equality, diversity and inclusion and allows schools to showcase their commitment to equality. There are Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, allowing schools to work at an achievable level and build upon a commitment to equality over time.

Hawarden High School

Celebrating Investors in Families quality mark at Hawarden High School - Head girl Beth Coppack, assistant headteacher Danielle Gilsenan and head boy Jack Short.

Congratulations to all at the Flintshire school, who have achieved their Investors in Families quality mark, deemed 'inspiring', with 'creative engagement and clear development'. The second high school in North Wales to achieve this.

Ysgol Ty Ffynnon, Shotton

Ava and Holly with the teddy bear raffled at Ysgol Ty Ffynnon for Children in Need.

The School Council held a teddy bear raffle and a 'wear yellow day' for the recent Children in Need event. They raised more than £440.

Ysgol Rhiwabon

Ysgol Rhiwabon students Elinor Hughes, Ben Jones, Joe Brown at the Professional Teaching Institute Conference.

At the end of last month, three students from the Wrexham high school impressed school leaders from across the UK.

The students were invited to speak to more than 100 subject leaders attending the Professional Teaching Institute Conference, in Crew Hall, Cheshire.

They answered challenging questions on the curriculum, teaching in mathematics, science and design and technology. The conference was designed for subject leaders who were keen to find out what inspires young people in school.

Elinor Hughes, Joe Brown and Ben Jones joined students from two other schools, and inspired delegates with their thoughtful contribution to the day.

One delegate reported that this was “the standout moment, being able to listen and be enthused by the Student Panel, showing us exactly why we do this job. The insights into the students' experiences were invaluable and, in some cases, incredibly moving".

Some of the Year 10 Ysgol Rhiwabon students at the launch of Dragons' Lair.

• Cat Dowdeswell from Hope House Children's Hospices came into school recently to launch Dragons' Lair to Year 10 students.

All Year 10s have been creating business plans, marketing campaigns and writing pitches to showcase to local business owners in Dragons' Lair style event.

Year 10 Ysgol Rhiwabon students will then set up and host their own Christmas fair for the school on the last day of term. All proceeds will be donated to Hope House.

Year 11 design and technology, and engineering students Oliver Evans, Joe Brown, Archie Davies, Jannie Gregory and Lewis Hand visited the Kellogg’s factory in Wrexham.

• Recently a group of Year 11 design and technology, and engineering pupils visited the Kellogg’s factory on Wrexham industrial estate.

The pupils were given a tour of the factory and a talk about their apprenticeship scheme that is open to Year 11 pupils to apply for.

They were shown the complex production line systems that are maintained and set up by highly skilled mechanical and electrical engineers.

Dafydd Roberts, curriculum leader for technology said: "It gave them all some food for thought!”