Education

Thornton College hosted the first evet MK Schools Lit Fest on 8th October 2024. Hundreds of students from various infant, primary and secondary schools visited Thornton to meet amazing authors, Adam Connors, Bex Hogan, Imogen Robertson and Lizzie Waterworth. Visiting schools included Thornborough Infant, Swallowfield Primary, St Gregory’s Catholic School, St Monica’s Catholic School, St Pauls Secondary School and Oakgrove Secondary. Students enjoyed a day of literary joy! Reflecting on the day author Bex Hogan said, “What an engaged and enthusiastic group of kids that were a delight to talk with.  I think it is wonderful to bring in and include so many children from the area of MK who wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to hear an author.  An incredible experience!”. Visiting author Lizzie Waterworth said, “I had a fantastic day at Thornton College presenting to students from different schools in Milton Keynes, and signing copies of my book..

Pulse’s Sammy Jones had a pitch-perfect chat with Pip Akers who is ‘scaling’ new heights in her quest to teach Milton Keynes to sing... “My mum noticed first,” Pip says of her passion and talent for performing and for song, “She realised I had an interest in music and did everything she could to encourage it, including putting me in keyboard lessons from the age of four. I sang with her in the church choir from a very young age, and got involved in every school production and talent show I possibly could.” Listening to Stevie Wonder as a wee youngster was another landmark moment for Pip, which she remembers as being ‘pure joy.’ Other voices who would join Stevie in her favourites list include Whitney Houston, Inez Andrews, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, George Michael, Celine Dion, “...to be honest I’d better end it there or I’d go on forever,”..

As the new school year has begun, The Parks Trust’s award-winning Outdoor Learning Team are delighted that more than 15,000 children across Milton Keynes took part in over 500 outdoor learning activities in the last academic year. The Parks Trust, the charity caring for your parks, provide a wide range of nature-themed education. From subsidised curriculum-based sessions for Primary and Secondary School children to assemblies, workshops, Open Days at Howe Park Wood and youth programmes like Junior Park Rangers. Junior Park Rangers is a great way for schools to encourage children (Years 4-6) to love nature, look after their local green spaces and spread the word about getting outside and enjoying the outdoors! Best of all, Junior Park Rangers is FREE for Milton Keynes schools and children. St Mary’s Wavendon C E Primary School won Outstanding Rangers Award for 2023-24 with Portfields Primary School in Newport Pagnell closely claiming runner-up. Their green-themed..

Schools are excited for the inaugural MK Schools Lit Fest 2024 taking place at Thornton College on Tuesday 8th October 2024.  Hundreds of students from eight schools and across all key stage age groups will have the opportunity to meet authors, take part in literary workshops and have books signed! This is an incredible partnership project working with the MK Lit Fest team, authors, Waterstones and Thornton College.  Jo Scott, Careers Leader at Thornton College said “We are hugely grateful to all the people who have worked with us to make this idea a reality.  I am looking forward to seeing it all come together and watching students experience the different workshops throughout the day”. Confirmed authors include Bex Hogan, Lizzie Waterworth, Adam Connors and Imogen Robertson and hundreds of students from Swallowfield Primary, Thornborough Infant School, St Monica’s Catholic School, St Gregory’s Catholic School, Fulbrook School and Oakgrove School..

To celebrate the return of Willen on Ice, the popular festive leisure destination at Willen Lake has launched an exciting new schools’ competition this week. The concept is simple – children are invited to design a new ‘cool’ t-shirt for Willen Lake’s mascot, Wilbur. The cuddly character is getting ready for the return of the real ice-skating rink and wants to look the part this winter. This exciting opportunity gives children the chance to unleash their creativity and imagination and design a new look for Willen’s mascot. The prize is a FREE ice-skating experience for the winning design and their school class PLUS the design will be magically transformed into a t-shirt for the winner to present to Wilbur in person. “We're delighted to introduce our 2024 schools’ competition, offering young people the chance to play a role in this Willen on Ice season and win an incredible prize for..

Ousedale School in Milton Keynes is set to embark on a new chapter as it officially joins the E-ACT academy trust. E-ACT oversees 28 academies across the UK, supporting more than 18,000 pupils and 2,500 staff members. Its portfolio includes two schools in nearby Daventry—E-ACT Parker Academy and E-ACT DSLV Academy—as well as three in South Buckinghamshire: E-ACT Bourne End Academy, E-ACT Chalfont Valley Academy, and E-ACT Denham Green Academy. Every E-ACT academy is rated by Ofsted as either ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ for leadership and personal development, with 97% achieving a similar rating for behaviour and 93% for the quality of education. By joining the trust, Ousedale School’s staff will benefit from enhanced professional development opportunities, including access to best practice across E-ACT’s national network. This will provide valuable learning opportunities at every level, further enriching the educational experience for Ousedale’s pupils. Headteacher Andy Burton said: “Joining E-ACT marks a..

Since January 2022, the number of boys and girls aged 4 to 17 involved in Scouts in Buckinghamshire has increased by over 6% With increases in most of the five sections, Scout Groups and Explorer Units are looking for more volunteers to keep up with the demand for places. There are opportunities for adults to volunteer to help with boys and girls in Squirrels (ages 4 and 5), Beavers (ages 6 to 8) Cubs (ages 8 to 10), Scouts (ages 10 to 14) and Explorers (ages 14 to 17). There are also opportunities to volunteer in the background. This could be as a trustee, as an administrator, fundraising or IT. Children and young people can get involved in over 250 activities. These range from abseiling to firelighting, geocaching to navigation and pioneering to zorbing. Skills they can learn and develop include teamwork, self-confidence, problem solving and social skills. Cub Scout..

centre:mk’s Student Send Off event is back again on Thursday 29th August. Whether you’re off to University for the first time, getting ready to go back to college or buying for someone who is, we will ensure they have everything they need to help get ready for student life this autumn. With over 140 retailers offering fashion and student essentials such as Primark, H&M and Mango, together with exclusive offers, prizes and student discounts at 55 of these, along with goody bags and entertainment, the Student Send Off event is bigger than ever before. For those essential fashion finds look out for special, one day discounts from stores including Jigsaw, Mango, Dune and River Island. For Home, check out John Lewis and Partners and M&S. While for essential stationery and handy items for student survival, visit Typo and Flying Tiger. There are also a host of beauty and fragrance offers,..

As summer draws to a close, it's time to start thinking about the new school year. Transitioning from lazy summer days to structured school routines can be a challenge for both kids and parents. But with a little preparation, you can make the process smooth and even enjoyable. Here are five easy tips to help get your kids ready for back to school: 1. Start Adjusting Bedtime and Wake-Up Routines Over the summer, bedtimes often get later and mornings get lazier. To avoid a rude awakening on the first day back, start gradually adjusting your child's sleep schedule about two weeks before school starts. Try moving bedtime earlier by 15 minutes every few days and set alarms to wake up earlier each morning. This will help reset their body clock and make the transition back to school much easier. 2. Get School Supplies Early Shopping for school supplies can be..

The Webber Independent School, celebrates for the eleventh year running as its students continue to achieve significantly above expectation with high GCSE results. Since 2011 they have achieve significantly above the national average with almost 50% of all exam results being the top grades of 7 -9. This year 97% of their Year 11 students’ achieved Grade 4 - 9, with many of them achieving excellent Value-Added results of at least 1 grade higher than predicted. Students at The Webber are more than just their results however, as they secure their first choice places in some of the best post 16 destinations across the county, enriched with the ‘Webber Edge’ students embrace the challenges the modern world. 16 year old Georgia said ‘The boosters and past papers were the most helpful in preparing for our exams, I am so pleased with my results and securing my sixth form placement.’ Webber..

Winners of the Environmental and Sustainability Award at Milton Keynes Education Awards, The Parks Trust, are delighted to be recognised for their outstanding environmental education work locally. The award is credit to the Trust’s remarkable Outdoor Learning team, who engaged almost 20,000 MK residents in environmental education last year, of which 13,400 were primary and secondary students from 72 schools across the city. The team provide more than 30 different curriculum-linked sessions for local schools, primarily held in local parks, and covering topics such as Environmental Heroes, Life of Plants, Wild Wellbeing, and River Explorers. Additional projects involve local children too, such as the recent initiative to create Middleton Wood Meadow. This project was made possible thanks to the commitment of Parks Trust volunteers, Community Trees MK, and more than 800 local school children, who together planted 2,480 trees! It not only provided hands-on environmental experience but also instilled a..

Thornton College an Independent Day and Boarding School for girls ages 3 – 18 years has been rated as “Outstanding” in all areas by the Catholic Schools Inspectorate (CSI).  This is the highest possible rating, and the school is incredibly proud of this achievement.  This news follows their Independent School Inspectorate (ISI) Inspection Report in October 2022 which rated the school “Excellent” in all areas, again the highest possible rating. Dr Shaw, Head Teacher said “We are thrilled not only with the judgements, but with the content of the report, which you will see captures all that is so special about Thornton. The report recognises the outstanding pastoral care and nurturing environment cultivated at Thornton but also the academic rigour of our teaching and learning and the super initiatives of our student body.” Some statements from the report include: “Relationships throughout the school, based on mutual respect and inclusivity, are..

Parents looking for a first class education provision where their children can thrive can now reserve a space at the newly-opened Pre-reception room at The Webber Independent School. The doors to the new pre-reception room have officially opened, a welcome expansion of the Independent School’s services which have been awarded an ‘excellent’ grade in all areas. The new space, designed for children preparing for their transition to ‘Big School’ is a welcomed addition to the The Webber Nursery for children from six months old to four years. The whole Nursery features government-funded spots and will have spaces for an additional 24 children. The School in North Milton Keynes, is already popular with families living in the area, and this new room will inspire a love for learning in the littlest of learners. The expansion includes new resources crafted from natural materials including wood. This is yet another step to supports..

Milton Keynes Preparatory School - At the end of Year 6 our children are ‘Ready to Lead the Way’ With our 50th year on the horizon, this article provides me with the perfect opportunity to reflect on some of the outcomes and successes for the children of our school. Success is measured in many ways, but for me, the most important elements are how much the children achieve while here and how happy they are doing this. It is safe to say that the children I see each day are happy, fun-loving individuals with a real passion for coming to school. Our children here are respectful, polite, caring, and kind, while still having a sense of purpose throughout their day. From this essential starting point, they go on to achieve great things. A lot of this success can certainly be attributed to our dedicated and inspiring teaching staff. The children..

Students Shine as League Champions in Inaugural Partnership Year Denbigh's Football Academy students have been crowned champions of the EFL’s U19 Regional CEFA Football League, receiving their winners' medals at Wembley before the recent EFL League One Play-Off final between Bolton Wanderers and Oxford United. This prestigious accolade celebrates the remarkable season enjoyed by Denbigh's Football Academy in their first year partnering with MK Dons Sport & Education Trust (MK Dons SET). This collaboration has provided Denbigh's students, the leading Post-16 Football Education provider in the city, with a high-performance training and competition environment. Representing the Dons in the CEFA League, they competed against top EFL clubs such as West Bromwich Albion, Wolves, Derby, Port Vale, Shrewsbury, and Birmingham. Balancing academic commitments with their football schedule, the students' dedication and talent led them to a triumphant season, winning 13 out of 16 matches and scoring an impressive 50 goals. Notably,..