The Hagley Year 10 Peace Child Ambassadors travelled to Our Lady of Fatima Primary School in Birmingham on the afternoon of Thursday 10th July to run a workshop for Year 5 pupils. The session ran for an hour and a half and gave the Year 5 pupils an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the issues surrounding Fair Trade, as well as strategies for caring for the environment and reducing carbon emissions. The Peace Child Ambassadors are an essential part of the Eco Schools Action group and have now made a total of five presentations to Hagley’s feeder schools. The Peace Child Ambassadors were very impressed by the high degree of knowledge and understanding of environmental issues shown by the Fatima children and would like to thank the Year 5 Class teacher Mrs Greatrex and the Headteacher Mrs Martin for accommodating the visit within a busy schedule of end of term activities.

On Wednesday 9th July Worcestershire Sustainable Schools Co-ordinator Rupert Brakspear was the guest of honour at the official opening of the school’s first ever Eco-Garden vegetable plot. The Vegetable Plot is the result of a collaboration between a group of six Sixth Formers and a group of eight Year 8 pupils. These students and pupils have worked right through the academic year 2008 – 2009 to create a full working allotment, complete with six large raised beds, two water butts, two large compost bins and a seating area with decking. The meeting area is greatly enhanced by two large graffiti boards, created during the school’s Arts Week by the Year 8 gardening group. A very special feature of the opening event was the official blessing of the garden by Hagley School Chaplain Fr.Cecil Rogerson. The garden has been dedicated to St.Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the Ecology and this dedication is symbolised by a beautiful statue and cross in honour of the medieval saint who was so well known for his love of animals and of the whole of creation. The opening was attended by representatives of the Floss Award, who provided a grant of £2,200 which made the whole project possible. The guests at the opening included parents of the gardeners as well as teachers and governors and representatives of the local community. Guests were able to sample a potato salad, green salad and fruit salad, all made from garden produce and created by the Year 8 gardeners. Produce has already been sold to the staff of the school and there are plans to sell produce to the school kitchens during the next academic year.

 

For the fourteenth year consecutive year the Birmingham Botanical Gardens hosted the Hagley Catholic Sixth Form Year 13 Leavers’ Ball on Saturday 11th July. 90 sixth formers and 23 staff gathered at the beautiful Edgbaston venue to celebrate the conclusion of their education and their Hagley school career. The event was managed by the Sixth Form committee, who took the opportunity to thank Mr.Wright, Miss Evans, Mrs Stanley and Mrs Ram for their many years of dedication and service to the sixth form as well as to the school as a whole. The outgoing committee, consisting of Head Girl Samantha Clarke, Head Boy Anthony Duffy, and committee members Matthew Coakley, Siobhan Foley and Jessica Deery also staged an official handover of responsibility to the newly elected sixth form committee. The wet weather meant that guests were not able to enjoy the stunning grounds and parkland of the venue. However, spirits were not dampened and all the leavers enjoyed a very dignified and happy occasion which they will no doubt remember for years to come. Every guest received a personalised card, thanking them for their contribution to the life of the sixth form and wishing them all the very best for the next stage of their career. Photographs of the event can be ordered from CJB Photography.