Last week, students from Melland High School Sixth Form had the opportunity to visit a Materials Recovery Facility thanks to Recycle For Greater Manchester to learn about what happens to our recycling after it has been collected.

Students used their teamwork and problem-solving skills to work out how simple scientific principles can be used to separate the waste in our mixed recycling bins into steel, glass, aluminium, clear plastic and coloured plastic. Students also learnt about what happens to our general waste after it goes into the bin and were surprised to learn it is used to generate electricity.

Students found out about a variety of jobs within the Environmental Sector such as Refuse Collectors, Wagon Drivers, Recycling Officers, Engineers and Weighbridge Operators and discovered how Skills for Life are useful for them all.

Students were taken on a tour to see first-hand how the Materials Recovery Facility uses machines to separate the mixed waste and we had the opportunity to meet employees and find out about their role in the process. Students demonstrated self-management skills as they had to make sure they put the PPE on in the correct order, so they were safe and followed the health and safety procedures during the tour.

Students displayed excellent communication skills throughout the encounter and asked relevant and insightful questions about the recycling process and exhibited self-belief when they challenged why we can’t do more to recycle and look after the planet.

Students finished off by putting their newly learnt skills to the test to sort the right rubbish into the right bins. Well done Sixth Form!

The Science topic for key stage 4 this half term is Earth and Space.

This module includes learning about The Earth’s movements; students will learn that a single rotation of the Earth on its axis takes 24 hours and causes day and night, its revolution around the Sun brings us four seasons and how the southern hemisphere experiences the Sun differently.

The multi-sensory science classroom uses Apollo Ensemble software, this Windows application uses inputs from switches and movement sensors to control multiple outputs, such as sound, lighting and video, providing full interaction and autonomy to students as they learn.

The 4B’s will be emerged into the darkness of Space and explore the effects of the Sun on our planet. The Science classroom is equipped with blackout blinds, beams of light and large planets allowing students to see the Earth’s movements on a large scale.

Using their creativity, knowledge and understanding of this topic the 4B’s will then work collaboratively to produce a documentary style iMovie to teach their peers everything they have learnt about the Earths movements.

Last week, students from Melland High School Sixth Form had the opportunity to visit AeroZone at Manchester Airport to learn about the many different jobs that go into making an airport function smoothly.

Students utilised their Skills for Life and imagination in a variety of different role play scenarios. They developed their communication skills and learnt about the importance of customer service skills when they practised roles such as shop assistant, check in agent and cabin crew. They tested their problem-solving skills when they took on the role of pilot and they had to use a flight simulator to get the plane off the ground safely. They demonstrated self-belief as they raced against the clock to get into firefighter’s kit in 30 seconds like a real firefighter would. Students used their self-management skills to guide planes on to the correct runway as an air traffic controller and aircraft marshal. Finally, students showed excellent teamwork throughout as they worked together to role play the different positions in an airport, ensuring everyone took turns and had a chance to try each job.

Afterwards the students had the opportunity to see a Concorde close up at the Runway Visitor Park and they could see how all the different roles in the airport come together as they watched the planes take off and land.

This year as part of the exploration into the topic ‘My Environment and the World Around Me’ the A3 group have been focusing on the passing of time and the repetition of key events over time through the year. Also they have been exploring the meaning of connections that students have with different times of the year and their own lives in terms of what a particular time of the year might mean for them and their families.

Taking September as a start we have explored Autumn and Winter and observed the changes that happen in nature. Pupils have worked both independently and in small groups to recreate their own edition of a seasonal soundscape using musical instruments, sensory exploration and works of art to represent autumn and winter scenes.

We also recognised the connection between the seasons and specific events and festivals and celebrated a variety of them such as the bonfire night, Remembrance Day and the Christmas season.

With the help of the Multimedia studio the students have made a video to demonstrate all the changes they have noticed throughout the year and the passing of each season.