Booster day for students

STUDENTS at The Hyndburn Academy enjoyed a range of enrichment activities through a school-wide Personal Development Day.

The ‘off-timetable’ event saw pupils in Years 7 to 10 learn about a wide range of subjects, from mental health awareness and support to entrepreneurship and financial literacy.

They were delivered through dedicated lessons from teachers and ‘inspiring and thoughtprovoking sessions’ from external visitors.

In Year 7, students and staff teamed up to support their local community by making gifts and delivering them to local residents.

The focus for Year 8 was on enterprise, with students learning about what goes into successful businesses and how to budget effectively.

Year 9s welcomed representatives from Hyndburn-based charity Ynot Aspire, which aims to raise aspirations among young people and promote positive mental health.

Students discussed important issues affecting communities around the world such as homelessness, peer pressure and extremism.

Among the older students in Year 10, the theme for the day was ‘acceptance’.

Prevent duty officer Imtiaz Kala from Blackburn with Darwen Council spoke to students and explored ideas around identity and the importance of respect, understanding and celebration of different cultures and faiths.

Headteacher Nicola Palmer said the Personal Development Day was a ‘great success’.

She said: “I was incredibly proud to hear some of the thoughtful, articulate and compassionate discussions students were having across the day and to see them getting so much out of the different sessions.”