Northampton’s little gems presented with University Changemaker Awards

Four Primary Schools from across Northamptonshire have received awards from the University of Northampton this week. The University Changemaker Awards were given in recognition of the pupils initiatives to make improvements for their school and wider community.

Greenfields Primary School in Kettering, received the Changemaker Ruby award for their campaign to improve road safety outside the school, following a number of accidents.

Kings Heath Primary School, Northampton were awarded all three Changemaker awards; Ruby, Emerald and Sapphire, for a number of pupil lead projects which were designed to improve the playground facilities, create a school wide recycling project and promote inclusive behaviour through anti-bullying initiatives.

Bridgewater Primary School received the Sapphire award, the highest award possible, in recognition of the health and wellbeing initiatives they introduced, which included a ‘Park and Stride’ scheme, getting parents and pupils out of their cars and walking for ten minutes on their way to school; as well as a healthy eating campaign, which resulted in funding to refurbish the kitchen facilities.

Sixty Year 6 pupils from All Saints C of E School were awarded the Ruby Changemaker award for their £380 fundraising campaign ‘The Fiver Challenge’; which will leave a legacy for other pupils as they join secondary school. The ‘Fiver Challenge’ fund has been created to subsidise school trips for pupils during the next school year, as well as fund an end of term party.

Janice Watkins, Project Lead (UCEE) at the University of Northampton said: “The Changemaker Schools awards recognise the positive impact pupil lead projects can have on the school community, and the local community the school serves. The awards scheme helps to support pupils in identifying problems within their school community and come up with ways to solve them. The problem solving skills these pupils develop at this early stage will be of benefit to them throughout their lives.”

The Changemaker Student Awards form part of the University’s commitment as an Askoka U Changemaker Campus to work with, celebrate and actively engage local schoolchildren in social change. The University of Northampton has a number of Changemaker + Challenges, which commits the Institution to supporting the betterment of local, regional and international communities; something the programme of schools engagement activities supports.

Schools interested in the Student Changemaker Awards can find out more by emailing: Email employability@northampton.ac.uk

Pictured – Kings Heath Primary School, Bridgewater Primary School, Greenfields Primary School, All Saints C of E Primary School.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0S5O-hmr2kU

Written by second year journalism student, Charlie Ashby.