As the summer holidays approach and we will be out and about more enjoying the nice weather, it is important for us to keep ourselves and our friends safe. When the A2 group discussed this in class, we felt that it would be good if we practiced using the Green Cross Code to cross the road safely.

We watched some videos about road safety and Mrs Morris told us that she joined The Tufty Club when she was at school. We found a Tufty video on you tube and enjoyed watching the squirrel and his friends learning how to cross the road. Mrs Morris said that she had a special club badge and certificate, which she was very proud of!

In the classroom we practiced ‘Stop, Look and Listen’ using a small set of traffic lights. We learnt how the lights for the pedestrians (that is us!) changed, from the red standing man to the green walking man, only when the lights for the cars were on red for ‘STOP’. We had fun operating the lights and watching the sequences repeating to make sure that the pedestrians got their turn to cross the road.

Outside, in our school carpark, we have some zebra crossings to allow people to cross over. They don’t have lights, but we know that sometimes we have to cross roads that have no lights or crossing places, so thinking about where it is safe to cross is also important. We took turns to cross the road but it was sometimes hard to remember to keep looking as we crossed, especially when our friends were already on the other side. This made us think about how careful we have to be, remembering to cross use the Green Cross Code so that we get to the other side to meet our friends.

We are going to keep practicing every time we go out and need to cross the road. All the class want to enjoy being out during the summer and to keep ourselves and our friends as safe as possible.

Do you use the Green Cross Code every time you cross a road?

We’ve had an incredibly jam-packed timetable for Melland High School’s Annual Careers Week this year! We’ve had employer encounters from a wide range of different employers and work sectors such as Engie Construction, Winners Strength and Wellbeing studio, Aerozone, Barnardos, Kloodle, Education and Semi Professional Football Academy, HMP Styal, AFG Law, Human Resources, Network Rail, NHS, Greater Manchester Police & NCS.

We have also had a variety of other activities that our students have taken part in over the course of the week such as a magic show, Manchester Airport Jobs Fair, The Manchester College Taster Sessions in Construction and Hair & Beauty, 6th Form Café, Step Into Sport Youth Leadership Training, STEM workshops, Job Sector Carousel, Q&A panel with ex-students about life after Melland, Q&A with 6th form students about part time jobs and students have been supported by our Careers Advisers.

We had a very busy and buzzing Speed Networking Event where students across the school from KS3, 4 & 5 had the chance to meet with employers from NHS, Aldermore Banking, Carefoot Construction, Spike Retail Technology, Career Connect, The Manchester College, Zen Internet, Ernst and Young, Buzz Rocks Caribbean, HideOut, Rider Levett Bucknall, Unity Radio, Mozzington, Department for Work and Pensions and The Wig Up Podcast.

Pupils have gained valuable insight into different careers pathways and used a variety of employability skills in the many activities they have taken part in during the week. The pupils have been developing their Skills for Life and have demonstrated excellent communication skills this week by asking thoughtful and challenging questions during employer encounters. They have been pushed out of their comfort zones this week and have shown admirable self-belief by having the courage to ask questions to adults that they have just met. Pupils have proved they have self-management skills by having to follow a different timetable this week and being flexible in their routines. Pupils have taken part in multiple STEM workshop activities which have promoted teamwork and problem solving. All of the students have been a credit to the school and excellent role models and ambassadors, well done!

A huge thanks to all who have been involved in supporting the Careers Week, in particular Debbie Mellows who has been working tirelessly behind the scene, arranging employer encounters and ensuring things run smoothly on the day. We have also had a phenomenal amount of support from Sarah Driver, Enterprise Adviser and Diane Norburn, Enterprise Coordinator who provided many of the contacts for our fantastic Speed Networking Event.

Mrs Jan-Ahmed and Muslim students at Melland like many others observed fasting in the month of Ramadan. The students demonstrated determination and resilience by not eating or drinking during the day and this was a big challenge, but they achieved it successfully. In order to celebrate this achievement, the students spent lunchtimes planning a whole school Eid celebration. 

We had a mendhi/henna workshop replicating the traditional Chaand Raat where henna is applied the day before Eid. Positive shout outs go to Sue Cunnigham, Mandy Schofield, and 6^th form student Chloe for decorating staff and student’s hands with lovely henna patterns.

The Eid competition was to design a crescent moon using a range of media. There were many creative entries using collage, paint and colouring.  Lucky individual winners were Billy, Kais and Mohammed and the group winner was LG4 in 6^th Form.

The whole school took part in the Eid celebration in the theatre where Nimra and Sahir spoke about what Ramadan means and how they celebrate Eid-Ul-Fitr. Many students and staff wore traditional outfits representing Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Somalia and the Middle East. We had a fashion parade and students and staff had great fun listening and dancing to Eid songs.

To end it all we had class parties and enjoyed eating traditional South Asian snacks.

Many thanks to Mrs Jan-Ahmed and to all the staff and students involved in the organising such a joyous event.