The end of a great linking year

We’ve loved hearing about all the great experiences children and young people have had this year as part of their Schools Linking programmes. Here is a brief glimpse into what some of our areas have been getting up to!

Oldham Schools Linking Celebrates another Successful Year!

Gallery Oldham was host to some Very Important People this week. Not only was the Mayor, Councillor Eddie Moores in attendance, but also representatives from just some of the 42 classes which have been involved in this year’s Schools Linking programme.

The children started their linking year by exchanging their identity work with their partners so that they could get to know each other a little bit before meeting. They were surprised by how many things they had in common and were excited to meet. They then met up at Gallery Oldham where they collaboratively created banners, inspired by those displayed in the exhibition. They met at each other’s schools, where they took part in lots of fun cooperative tasks. Then at Castleshaw Outdoor Centre, they were all pushed out of their comfort zones as they were challenged to work towards a common goal in the great Oldham countryside! These four face-to-face meetings have really helped to develop some fantastic connections between local communities. 

Newcastle creates a whole new Huey world!

The Linking Network just loves the book, “The Hueys in the New Jumper” by Oliver Jeffers. It explores so many of the themes which are at the heart of Schools Linking – allowing and valuing diversity, celebrating individuality and of course the power of friendship. In Newcastle, the team at the Laing and Shipley Art Galleries have been using the book as a great vehicle to explore these ideas in the linking schools. First they shared the story at each school in an assembly. Then they worked with each class to create messages of friendship to share with their partner class. When the linking pairs of classes came together to meet at the art galleries, they collaboratively created their own unique Huey. There are now hundreds on display! 

Art and culture have such power to bring us together and help us all flourish as individuals and as communities and across The Linking Network we are so delighted to be working with museums, theatres and art galleries across the country where they skilfully host first meetings of 100’s of classes across the country. Partners supporting Schools Linking include from M6 Theatre in Rochdale, HOME Manchester, Oldham Gallery, Pendle’s MUNI Theatre, Stockwood Discovery Centre in Luton, the Arnolfini in Bristol, and the Bankfield Museum in Calderdale. We love the 10 year strategy Let’s Create from the Arts Council ‘A country transformed by culture. Bringing us together, happier, healthier. To excite, inspire, delight. To enrich our lives. https://www.artscouncil.org.uk/lets-create and believe that as a network we are playing a part in this. 

Bradford Schools Linking programme for Secondary Schools continues to grow and develop. We’ve enjoyed seeing the link between the BDAT multi-academy trust link as expands across primary and secondary schools. We held a successful Student Voice and Leadership event involving Secondary School Council members – they had the opportunity to meet with local elected members of Bradford Council as well as share ideas with each other and pick up some new skills. It’s been wonderful to welcome new schools to our primary and secondary school linking programmes as well as continue to support some of our longstanding links who continue to link year on year. 

We’re excited to see what the next academic year brings – but first a bit of a rest for everyone!