Following International Women’s Day, we are proud to highlight the incredible work of Miss Crook and the 'Her Own Way' extra-curricular club. This week, our pupils are leading assemblies to share their mission: ending period poverty and ensuring menstrual dignity for every pupil.

Since meeting every Monday after school, the group has been working on a campaign to support our school community:

1. Education & Emotional Wellbeing

The club has developed specific Personal Development (PD) sessions. To explore the emotional wellbeing tied to the menstrual cycle and educate pupils on the social impact of period poverty and how we can collectively combat it.

2. Dignity Through Direct Access

To remove the "barrier of the ask," period products are now being made readily available in girls' toilets. This ensures that no student has to feel embarrassed or lose lesson time by having to request supplies from a member of staff.

3. Clear Information & Myth Busting

Knowledge is the best way to tackle stigma. The club is installing informative posters in toilets that cover:

• Identifying the different stages of the menstrual cycle.

• Clear guides on how to use various sanitary products.

• Vital period hygiene tips and "myth-busting" to clear up common misconceptions.

4. The 'Holiday Gap' Support

Period poverty doesn't take a break for the school holidays. The club is launching School Holiday Packs, which include a supply of products and educational guides to ensure pupils stay supported and comfortable while at home.

Our Mission: To ensure that menstruation is never a barrier to education, confidence, or attendance.

So, the day has finally arrived for our 2025, Year 11 students to collect their GCSE results. 

Whatever the results inside the envelope, we hope our students are incredibly proud of themselves for the hard work and determination they have shown during their GCSE Exams.

We wish each and every one of you the best of luck for the future, we cannot wait to see you all later this year for your GCSE Certificate Presentation evening. 

Below you will find just a few of our outstanding students from this morning.

Please see our end of term edition of the Being Walkden Newsletter below.

This month we have been celebrating women, as a part of Women's History Month. 

This World Book Day we celebrated by hosting our famous Book Choice Café in the Academy Library. Ms Shannon hosted the event as Jane Austin and our Student Librarians made the perfect waiters and waitresses, encouraging students to peruse the book menu whilst listening to soft jazz music and enjoying a croissant in our Parisian-style Bistro set up. 

The café was a huge success and many books were borrowed. 

Elsewhere in the academy, staff got into the spirit of things and dressed as their favourite book characters or series of books. We had Where's Wally, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Famous Five, The Wizard of Oz and William Shakespeare.