OUR school is currently working to achieve the Kirklees Health School Standard and be recognised as a "healthy school".

Graham Hoffman, the local education authority inspector associated with the Standard, has been helping us develop our ideas.

In a healthy school, everyone - staff, pupils, parents governors and the community - work together to ensure that our children have every chance to do their best.

We know children achieve most when they feel happy and secure.

Consequently, we aim to provide for our pupils academically an emotionally, by being a caring and supportive school.

We recognise and celebrate pupils' efforts and achievements through a variety of rewards - some of which involve sending letters of praise home to parents so they can share the good news with their child.

Healthy eating is one important element in meeting the Standard. We have paid close attention to the kind of meals on offer in our dining room, so that a healthy choice is always available. A questionnaire was completed by parents to find out their views about whether fizzy pop and crisps should be allowed in school.

A pupil council is being set up, to give children across the school an opportunity to have their voice heard about school matters.

Going for the Healthy Schools Award is another strategy aimed at helping pupils achieve well. By working with parents and pupils we hope it will have an impact on pupils' progress.

Making friends at first

BEFRIENDERS are an essential part of our plans to help new pupils settle into Scissett Middle School.

They are a group of boys and girls from Year 8 who are keen to offer help, advice and friendship to any Year 6 pupil who needs a listening ear.

Children become Befrienders towards the end of Year 7 and are trained in listening skills and to be alert for signs of unhappiness among new pupils.

At breaks and lunchtimes they are to be found with Year 6 pupils, especially during the first weeks of a school year.

This year, they even gave up half a day of their holidays to meet new pupils before everyone returned for the start of term.

Befrienders are easy to spot as they wear a specially designed tie.

They are led by year head Jason Terry.

Pets clubbing together

THE animal club is a very important institution at Scissett Middle School.

By the summer term we can have nearly 100 members, from just two year groups.

Although the club is supervised by a member of staff it is actually run by the pupils, with nominated people to take charge of the daily groups and some of the health and resources issues.

The club has been running for a long time. While we now limit our menagerie to mammals such a rabbits, rats and guinea pigs, in the past there were chickens, goats and other interesting species.

The pupils are very committed. They will trudge in through wet weekends, snowdrifts and baking hot summer afternoons to make sure the animals are fed, watered and content.

They can also be seen braving brambles and nettles to catch "escapees".

Occasionally we have surprises; two sisters turned out to be a brother and sister - with a resulting offspring arriving shortly after.

The naming ceremonies have produced a wonderful range of titles, such as Trouble and Strife, Treacle, Honey, Badge and Moe (we've had several Moes over the years).

We have mad animals, bad and sulky ones. But mostly they are cute and cuddly and we love them all - like our club members really!

Pupils going green

FOR the last two years children in Year 8 have worked towards the Eco-Schools Award with two undergraduates attached to the School Effectiveness scheme.

The school has been successful in achieving bronze and silver. We now have to work even harder to get Green.

With the help of parent and local employer Ian Lodge and the encouragement of teachers Mrs Janet Pearson and Mr Trevor Huntington the children have planted trees and decided on positioning benches for pupils around the playgrounds.

Pupils are also ready to record our use of energy and have taken part in a Green Roadshow in Huddersfield, where they worked with younger children on creating sculptures using materials other people throw away.

The new group is very enthusiastic and, if members are able to work as hard as the children in the previous two years, we look forward to achieving success soon.

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Getting around is hard - By Alice O'Brien

ALTHOUGH I'm in my second year at Scissett Middle School I still feel the excitement of a first year.

In Year 6 I could only attend part-time, as in the summer I developed a muscular condition which meant I had to use a wheelchair.

Access was difficult to some areas, so the school reorganised my timetable and classrooms.

Despite the staff being very helpful, I'd still get upset about missing library lessons or assemblies because it was difficult to get to these places which were up flights of stairs.

Changes to the school are being made so that people with disabilities can use all areas.

The architects talked to me about access problems before they designed the changes.

I am also meeting them again to talk about their proposals.