Each year, students in Years 7, 8 and 9 take part in ACE (Active Community Engagement) Day, an event designed to raise awareness and encourage our young people to become more involved in their local community. This year, a host of activities took part both inside and outside of our school grounds.

Mrs Lobb and a team of eight Year 7 students began the day early with a walk to Binchester Roman Fort. There they spent time weeding, clearing hedgerows (pictured here) and varnishing outdoor furniture to contribute to the overall maintenance of the local tourist attraction. The group enjoyed a tour of the excavation site as a reward for their hard work, before setting off to walk back to school.

ACE activities also included a variety of gardening projects around the Academy and a pruning and clearing session at Auckland Castle. There were also a number of workshops designed to raise awareness of topics that are particularly relevant to young people, such as health and wellbeing, drugs and alcohol and personal safety. Workshops were delivered by guest speakers including the Police and the Fire and Rescue Service.

Local democracy and global citizenship were also topics featured during the day, with students learning about both local and national politics and discussing their understanding of a growing global society. Students shared their views on how they would like to see Bishop Auckland develop in the future and considered how that could be achieved.

Overall, the event was highly enjoyable for all involved and feedback from students was excellent. Many commented on the sense of achievement they had felt as a result of working together to benefit both their school and wider community.