As the famous saying goes, it takes an entire village to raise a child. That’s why it’s not only important for children to gain access to a fantastic education, but for the community they live in to thrive too.
One school in Manchester that supports youngsters in their academic and personal development, as well as their families, is E-Act Blackley Academy. Based on Victoria Avenue, it offers excellent curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for pupils aged 3-11 years.
The school was recognised as ‘Good’ during its most recent Ofsted inspection and was also recently nominated for a TES Award due to its hard work in the community, where it was highly commended.
Just one of E-Act Blackley Academy’s local support initiatives includes working with Uniformed – a company that helps households with school children access very cheap uniforms.
The school also has a community hub, where parents and carers can access a wealth of services, from mental health support to employment and financial support.
But that’s not all. The school is part of the dynamic multi-academy E-Act trust, which comprises 28 academies and over 18,000 pupils in the UK, offering the perfect setting for staff and children to share their learnings and enriching experiences with one another.
To celebrate Easter, E-Act Blackley Academy will be holding a free Easter egg hunt for children under three years old on Thursday, March 21, 2024, at 9.30am. Families can contact the school for more details on how to attend.
A thriving place to learn
E-Act Blackley Academy’s school motto is ‘if you work really hard and you are always kind, amazing things will happen’, and children across all year groups are constantly inspired to achieve their full potential.
Pupils are taught from the national curriculum and even have the chance to achieve outside of the classroom during after-school clubs such as yoga, dance, football, gymnastics and dodgeball.
An international careers company also partners with the school, helping it make links with prominent companies around the globe to boost prospects for its children.
Additionally, the academy offers specialist support provisions for its special education needs and disability (SEND) pupils. Each child is given their own care plan, and learns from a differentiated curriculum if needed, with additional support and coaching.
Other key focuses of the academy include its early reading programme and its fantastic pastoral care provisions, with weekly sessions for young people to recognise their emotions and develop strategies on how to support themselves.
The school focuses on the development of the whole child through a mental health curriculum too, which encourages youngsters to build positive relationships, reflect on their emotions in a safe space, and support their community in wellbeing matters.
Excellent community support
E-Act Blackley Academy proudly partners with the Blackley Community Hub, which delivers much-needed support to local people through a range of organisations. Based at St Paul C of E Church on Victoria Avenue, the hub is somewhere locals can go to if they need advice on a range of topics.
It offers everything from wellbeing drop-ins and cost-of-living advice, to activities for the elderly and guidance on finding a job.
The hub also hosts general drop-ins every Thursday, to educate the community on various matters such as scam awareness and how to access DWP benefits. The events regularly include visits from members of the police force so residents can share any concerns they have which are affecting their area, and from a housing officer to offer support on any housing-related issues.
The school also supports the Bread and Butter Thing – a Manchester-based charity that offers families weekly groceries at a fraction of the regular price.
What staff have to say
James Hughes, headteacher of E-Act Blackley Academy, says: “Our aim is to deliver educational excellence and to boost the aspirations and achievement of young people. The personal development and pastoral care of our children are at the heart of everything we do.
“We are proud that our school sits right at the heart of our community.”
A staff member at the school added: “I have never worked at a place that cares so deeply about the children and the community it serves.”
