Keep up to date with all the latest news happening in school at the moment.

• Santa Fun Run

  Fri 08 Dec 2023

  We will be joining forces with the other schools in our Rise MAT family by taking part in the famous Rainbows Santa Run as we aim to complete the distance from Rainbows Loughborough Children’s Hospice to Santa’s workshop in the North Pole to raise money for this wonderful charity.

   

  Collectively there will be around 4000 pupils and hundreds of staff, running, skipping or walking the 2575 miles around sports fields, school halls and play areas to cumulatively complete the distance it would take to reach Santa in his workshop! As the famous Helen Keller once said “alone we can do so little, together we can do so much”. Which is why we know, by working together we can achieve this huge distance.

   

  Mark Cole, CEO of Rise MAT, said: “Being a part of Rise MAT means having a commitment to the community and helping our children realise what we can all achieve if you work together. We want to provide our schools with the opportunity to work in collaboration with each other, and what better way to do so than with a fun filled Christmas themed fun run raising awareness and vital funds for an amazing charity!”

   

  We will be completing our Santa Fun Run on Friday 8^th December. We fully understand how there are many pressures on families, especially more so at this time of year, but any support you can give to this amazing charity, would be hugely appreciated. Every step and every donation, no matter how small will genuinely make a difference.

   

  Donations can be made through our Just Giving page, unfortunately we are unable to accept cash donations. https://tinyurl.com/OakthorpeSanta

  

• Rise Multi Academy Trust brings together children from 21 schools for ‘A Night at the Movies’ in collaboration with Leicestershire Schools Music Service (LSMS).

  Fri 28 Jul 2023

  On Tuesday 27th June, Year 4 children from across 21 Leicestershire schools came together at The Venue, De Montfort University to perform a range of hit musical songs to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion. The children had been practicing for the past few weeks individually before coming together on the day for the first time to rehearse and perform. 

   

  Pupils only had one singing workshop with the choral leads from Leicestershire Schools Music Service; Nicki Atkins and Emma Burns, who organised and prepared the esteemed event, before coming together to form a 400+ Rise Choir, performing on stage in front of delighted staff, friends and family. 

   

  The spectacular event, forms part of the Trust’s commitment to providing a Pupil Charter for every child – offering opportunities and experiences that enrich pupils’ learning throughout their time at primary school. A parent commented ‘I felt so proud to be part of the Rise family of schools! Thank you for giving the children that opportunity.’ Another commented ‘The children were phenomenal! I sat there in awe of what I was hearing... Certainly an experience I will never forget’  

   

  The trust's vision is for each pupil to flourish and succeed, and that is what they did as they sang 9 songs from movies including The Lion King, Moana and The Greatest Showman, accompanied by an exceptional live band. The children shared some of their academic achievements during the year through a moving slideshow. 

   

  Showcasing their sign language skills, a highlight of the night was the children's performance of ‘Colours of the Wind’ from Pocahontas in which they sang and signed using British Sign Language the chorus of the song. This was important to both children and staff to promote inclusivity and diversity, one of Rise’s main visions.  

   

  A member of staff from one of the schools also praised ‘They have had firsthand experience of what it means to belong to Rise. Their confidence has blossomed in so many ways’, with another staff member saying ‘the children shared a love of music and feeling of belonging in the Rise family.’  

  Thank you to the superb sponsors; ideal care homes, Hormann and Johnson Astills.  

   

  Mark Cole, CEO of Rise Multi Academy Trust said “In total we welcomed an audience of over 800 and were overwhelmed with the positive responses received. It was a powerful example of how, as a Trust family, we can work together to achieve many amazing things, creating memories that will last a lifetime for our pupils.” 

   

  Julie Hopkins, Executive Headteacher of the Trust's Vale of Belvoir schools and project lead for the occasion, said: “I am so proud of how the children embraced this opportunity to work together as one big Rise family. They sang beautifully and it was clear to see the powerful impact the experience had on them and the audience. Special thanks to the many teachers who worked so hard to prepare the children”. 

   

  

• Pupils from Oakthorpe Primary School make magical musical memories at Nottingham Albert Hall

  Thu 07 Jul 2022

  Year 4 pupils Oakthorpe Primary School  became part of a 350-strong choir when they joined their peers for Rise Multi Academy Trust’s (Rise MAT’s) first Pupil Choral Concert held at Nottingham’s Albert Hall.

   

  The event, which brought together pupils from each of Rise MAT’s 19 schools, forms part of the Trust’s commitment to providing a Pupil Charter for every child – offering opportunities and experiences that enrich pupils’ learning throughout their time at primary school.

   

  In a celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, pupils were accompanied by a live band when they sang a host of songs that marked the decades of the Queen’s reign, as well as songs from the musicals in recognition of her fondness for the genre.

   

  Julie Hopkins, Executive Headteacher of the Trust's Vale of Belvoir schools and project lead for the occasion, said: “All of the children sang so beautifully and confidently; their impeccable behaviour and passion shone through. It brought tears to our eyes when they dedicated ‘The Wind Beneath my Wings’ to their parents and teachers – it was one of those magical moments that everyone in attendance will remember.”

   

  One parent attending the concert, added: “We wanted to say thank you for such an amazing evening. The children were absolutely incredible! My daughter loves singing and it was a phenomenal experience for her to be a part of.”

   

  Pupils at each school practised the songs with their teachers and also benefited from a singing workshop which was run by Leicestershire Music’s choral lead, Nicki Atkins, who organised the arrangements of all the songs in preparation for the prestigious event. The children then came together to sing for the first time only a couple of hours before they performed.

   

  Mark Cole, CEO of Rise Multi Academy Trust, said: “In total we welcomed almost 800 people to our Choral Concert, a gathering of pupils, parents, carers and staff members from across our Rise MAT family.

  
  “It was a powerful example of how, as a Trust family, we can work together to achieve many amazing things, creating memories that will last a lifetime for our pupils.”