Read all about the latest news and activities happening, and reasons to celebrate our school in the below Headteacher's blog.

• Developing Leadership Through Everyday Opportunities

  Mon 19 Oct 2026

  At Upper Batley High School, we believe that leadership is not simply about having a title or being in charge. It is about taking responsibility, showing initiative, supporting others and making a positive contribution to the community around us.

   

  Through our Skills Builder programme, we explicitly develop eight essential skills: listening, speaking, problem-solving, creativity, staying positive, aiming high, leadership and teamwork. We are incredibly proud that UBHS has achieved Skills Builder Flagship School status, which is above the Gold status and recognises our commitment to embedding these skills throughout school life and preparing our learners for future education, employment and life.

   

  As John Quincy Adams once said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” This reflects our belief that leadership can be demonstrated in many ways, from supporting a classmate and working collaboratively to taking responsibility and showing resilience when faced with a challenge.

   

  We see these qualities developing across UBHS every day. Our Year 10 learners have been developing their employability, communication and teamwork skills during work experience, while our Year 7 learners have participated in ‘Restart the Year’ workshops, helping them reflect, reset expectations and establish positive habits. Meanwhile, our Year 11 learners are visiting sixth forms and colleges to explore their next steps and make informed decisions about their futures.

   

  Alongside these experiences, our wider enrichment programme gives learners opportunities to take on responsibilities, work with others, represent their school and contribute to our community. These experiences help develop maturity, self-belief and an understanding that leadership is as much about listening, kindness and collaboration as it is about taking the initiative.

   

  At UBHS, we want every learner to recognise that they have something valuable to offer. By creating opportunities to practise these essential skills, we are helping our young people grow into confident, responsible and ambitious individuals who can make a difference, wherever their future takes them.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

  

• At the Heart of Our Community

  Mon 12 Oct 2026

  At Upper Batley High School, we are incredibly proud of our strong relationship with our local community. Our mission is to be one big family where everyone thrives, and we believe that sense of family extends beyond our school gates.

   

  Recently, we welcomed local residents, councillors, community police and school representatives to our Jo Cox Conference Centre for a positive community meeting. It was a valuable opportunity to listen, share ideas and work together on issues that matter to our local community.

   

  We discussed parking and traffic congestion around school, particularly at the busiest times of the day, as well as how we can work together to look after our local environment. These conversations are important, and we are committed to continuing to work positively with local residents and our partners to find practical solutions.

   

  This work also supports our Eco-Schools agenda and our commitment to sustainable and active travel. We were particularly proud to recently receive the Modeshift STARS Excellence Award, recognising the work taking place at UBHS to encourage walking, cycling and other sustainable forms of travel.

   

  Our community meeting was a great example of what can be achieved when people come together, listen to one another and focus on what we have in common. The late Jo Cox famously said:

   

  “We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us.” Jo Cox

   

  I believe this is a powerful message for our school and our wider community. We will continue to build strong relationships with local residents and community partners and look for further opportunities to work together for the benefit of everyone.

   

  Thank you to everyone who continues to support UBHS. Together, we can ensure our school remains at the heart of its community: a place where kindness is the standard, ambition is the expectation and every young person succeeds.
  
  Aman Singh Kang

  

• The Importance of Languages

  Mon 05 Oct 2026

  It has been another fantastic week of learning at Upper Batley High School, with our learners continuing to demonstrate curiosity, ambition and enthusiasm.

   

  Last week, we celebrated International Languages Day, exploring how languages connect with different subjects across our curriculum. In History, learners discovered links to King Richard I and King William III; in Maths, they solved codes; in Design and Technology, they explored the language of tools; and in Art, they researched artists and their work. These were just some of the fantastic activities taking place across the school, with many other subjects making meaningful connections to languages.

   

  Our MFL team offer French, Spanish and Urdu as part of our languages curriculum, providing learners with opportunities to develop their language skills, broaden their cultural understanding and appreciate the importance of communication in an increasingly connected world.

   

  These experiences help our learners recognise the importance of languages beyond the classroom and make valuable cross-curricular connections.

   

  Languages are an important part of our curriculum, helping learners develop communication, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills, alongside an appreciation of different cultures. These skills will support them throughout their education and prepare them for future opportunities.

   

  A huge thank you to our MFL team for leading this great work, our dedicated staff for creating such engaging learning experiences, and our learners for their enthusiasm and participation.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

  

• Modeshift STARS Excellence Award

  Mon 28 Sep 2026

  I am delighted to share that Upper Batley High School has recently been awarded the Modeshift STARS Excellence Award for our work in promoting cycling, walking and other forms of sustainable and active travel.

   

  This is a fantastic achievement for our school and represents a step up from the Gold Award we received last year. It reflects the ongoing work of our learners, staff and wider school community in encouraging healthier and more sustainable ways of travelling to and from school.

   

  We want all of our learners to stay fit, healthy and happy, and walking or cycling to school, where possible, is a great way to support both physical and mental wellbeing. It also has a positive impact on our local community by helping to reduce the amount of traffic around the school at our busiest times.

   

  As we all know, the roads around school are particularly busy between 8.00am and 8.30am in the morning and 3.00pm and 3.30pm in the afternoon. Where possible, we would therefore encourage families to consider walking or cycling to school, or parking a little further away and allowing your child to walk the remainder of the journey.

   

  Every small change can make a difference – helping to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion and, most importantly, make the journey to and from school safer for everyone.

   

  I would like to thank all of our parents/carers and learners for supporting our Modeshift STARS journey. Your continued support is greatly appreciated and helps us to make a positive difference not only within school, but across our wider community.

   

  Thank you for helping us to make Upper Batley High School a healthier, safer and more sustainable place for everyone.
  
  Mr Aman Singh Kang

  

• Batley Brilliance

  Mon 21 Sep 2026

  Last week, we opened the doors of Upper Batley High School for our annual Open Evening, welcoming many prospective parents, carers and Year 5 and Year 6 learners.

   

  It was a fantastic evening and one that left me feeling incredibly proud of our school.

   

  Our visitors had the opportunity to meet our brilliant staff, see the amazing learning that takes place across UBHS and, most importantly, hear directly from our learners about what they love about being part of our school.

   

  Our learners were fantastic. They spoke with confidence and genuine pride about their experiences, the relationships they have with staff and the many opportunities available to them. Visitors also commented on how welcoming and caring our staff were and the positive atmosphere they felt as they walked around the school.

  We are extremely proud of our excellent GCSE results, our bespoke and creative curriculum, our enrichment opportunities and our first-class pastoral care. Above all, we want every young person to feel safe, valued, respected and that they genuinely belong.

   

  Upper Batley is a very popular school within our community. We are currently oversubscribed, with long waiting lists in each year group, and we never take the trust that families place in us for granted.

   

  We know how brilliant our school is, but it is always special to hear this from others. The lovely feedback we received from prospective families was a real testament to our learners, our staff and the culture we have created together.

   

  One big family where everyone thrives. That is Upper Batley High School.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

   

  

• A Culture of Kindness

  Mon 14 Sep 2026

  I want to take a moment to talk about something that sits at the very heart of Upper Batley High School; our culture of kindness.

   

  For me, kindness is about creating a school where every learner feels safe, valued, respected and that they belong. Every day, we are getting to know our learners, greeting them by name, listening to them and making sure they know that there is always someone here who cares about them and believes in them.

   

  Kindness is not about lowering our expectations. Kindness and high expectations go hand in hand. We are making sure our learners feel confident enough to be themselves, to make mistakes, try new things and take on challenges, whilst knowing that we are there to support and encourage them every step of the way.

   

  When young people feel safe, valued and that they belong, they are far more likely to engage, achieve and flourish. This is how we help our learners to believe in themselves, achieve their potential and succeed, not just in their education, but in their personal development and in life beyond school.

  Our ambition is for every learner to leave UBHS knowing they are capable, valued and ready for their next step. Whether that is university, an apprenticeship, further education, employment or another pathway, we are giving them the confidence, character and skills to make the most of the opportunities ahead of them.

   

  Our culture of kindness belongs to all of us; learners, staff, parents/carers and our wider community. We all have a part to play in modelling it, protecting it and challenging unkindness whenever we see it.

   

  Most importantly, I want every learner at UBHS to be able to say:

   

  “I can be myself at UBHS.”

   

  “I feel safe at UBHS.”

   

  “I belong at UBHS.”

   

  “People believe in me at UBHS.”

   

  That is what being one big family where everyone thrives means to me.

   

  I would also like to extend a very warm invitation to any Year 5 and Year 6 learners and their families who are considering their secondary school options. Our Open Evening is on Thursday 17 September from 5pm to 7pm, and we would love to welcome you into our school. It is a great opportunity to meet our staff, see our school and, most importantly, experience our culture and see what makes UBHS such a special place to learn and grow.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

  

• What a Way to Start the Year!

  Mon 07 Sep 2026

  What a way to start the new academic year! We have already had some fantastic news to celebrate, with our learners achieving success in two exciting areas that showcase their creativity, ambition and the essential skills they develop at UBHS.

   

  I am incredibly proud to share that Upper Batley High School has achieved the Skills Builder Flagship Award, placing us in the top 4% of schools nationally for our work in developing essential skills. The Skills Builder programme is embedded into our daily Inspire time (tutor time) and is superbly led by our Assistant Headteacher, Mr Sherrard. Our learners regularly develop skills such as communication, teamwork, problem solving and creativity. These are skills that will support them both in school and in their future lives.

   

  We have also had success in the Asda Futures Project, with our Year 9 learners being crowned winners after designing, creating and presenting their own World Cup-themed products. They took their ideas from the initial concept through to finished products and then presented their work to the judges. Their creativity, teamwork, confidence and ambition really shone through.

   

  Both of these achievements demonstrate exactly what we want for our learners at UBHS. Providing them with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to Believe, Achieve and Succeed.

  A huge well done to all of our learners involved and a special thank you to our brilliant staff team who have supported and inspired them.

   

  What a way to start the year off on such a high!

   

  And if this is how we are starting the year, I cannot wait to see what comes next. It is going to be even bigger, even better, and there is so much more to come from our learners at UBHS!

  Here’s to another fantastic year.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

  

• A Warm Welcome Back to school

  Wed 02 Sep 2026

  As we begin the new academic year, it is always an exciting time for our school community. It is a chance to reflect on what we have achieved together, look ahead to the year to come and, most importantly, think about the opportunities we can create for every learner.

   

  Last year was a year of real success at Upper Batley High School. Our learners made excellent progress, both academically and personally, and we saw so many examples of determination, resilience and ambition. We should be incredibly proud of what they achieved.

   

  Our mission: One big family where everyone thrives.

  Our school vision is: A school where kindness is the standard, ambition is the expectation and every young person succeeds.

  Our highly skilled and dedicated staff team works hard every day to make this a reality. They genuinely care about our learners and are committed to supporting, challenging and encouraging them to be the very best they can be.

   

  We will continue to do this through our Culture of Kindness - creating a school where everyone looks out for one another, treats others with respect and understands that kindness is a strength. We want this to be reflected in the way we speak, behave and support each other every day.

   

  At the heart of everything we do are our core values: Believe, Achieve, Succeed.

   

  Together, our Culture of Kindness and these values will help our learners believe in themselves, achieve their very best and succeed in whatever path they choose.

   

  We are excited to continue working closely with parents/carers. Our partnership with you is incredibly important, and together we can give our young people the support, encouragement and opportunities they need to achieve great things.

   

  As I often say, "Every new beginning holds the promise of greatness." I look forward to another successful year and to seeing our learners grow, achieve and succeed as part of our one big family.

   

  Thank you, as always, for your continued support.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

   

  

• Celebrations of Excellence

  Thu 16 Jul 2026

  As we reach the end of another successful academic year, I would like to thank you for your continued support. The strong partnership between home and school plays a vital role in helping our learners thrive, and we are incredibly grateful for everything you do to support Upper Batley High School.

   

  This week has been a wonderful way to end the year. Through our Celebration of Excellence days, organised by Mr Farooq, we have recognised the hard work, resilience, commitment and positive attitudes of our learners. It has been fantastic to come together as one big family to celebrate the achievements and successes of our young people. Events such as these remind us that everything we do throughout the year comes together to support our shared values of helping every learner to Believe, Achieve and Succeed.

   

  We also enjoyed our annual Sports Days, held across Wednesday and Thursday to ensure everyone could participate safely during the warm weather. Thank you to Mr Bamfield and the PE team for organising two excellent mornings of sporting activities. It was wonderful to see so many learners demonstrating teamwork, resilience and excellent sportsmanship.

   

  A sincere thank you also goes to the parents/carers who supported the Sports Day bake sale. Thanks to your generosity, £352.70 was raised towards the forthcoming Netherlands football residential.

  Thank you to Mr Akram for organising this successful fundraiser.

   

  Looking back over the year, there is so much to be proud of. Our learners have achieved success both inside and outside the classroom, and our school has received a number of awards and accreditations that reflect the dedication of our staff, the support of our families and the commitment of our learners. Together, we have continued to strengthen our school community and create opportunities that enable our young people to flourish.

   

  As the summer holidays begin, I wish all our families a safe, happy and restful break. Please encourage your child to stay safe, enjoy time with family and friends, and return in September refreshed and ready for another successful year.

   

  September Return to School

  We look forward to welcoming learners back on Thursday 3 September.

  • Year 7: Arrive by 8.25am
  • Years 8 to 11: Arrive by 10.00am

   

  Thank you once again for your continued support throughout the year. Have a wonderful summer, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in September.

   

  Aman Singh Kang

   

  

• Next Milestones

  Mon 13 Jul 2026

  The past week has been one of celebration, reflection and new beginnings at Upper Batley High School.

   

  We were delighted to celebrate our Year 11 learners at their Leavers' Celebration held at Lakeside, Ponderosa in Heckmondwike. It was a wonderful occasion that gave us the opportunity to recognise the achievements, resilience and character of a truly special year group as they prepare to embark on the next chapter of their lives.

   

  The event featured heartfelt speeches from Mr Parkin, Assistant Headteacher, and Mrs Dent, Year 11 Leader, who reflected on the many memorable moments and successes our learners have experienced during their time at Upper Batley High School. A range of awards were also presented to learners in recognition of their commitment, achievements and contributions to school life. It was a fitting way to celebrate all that they have accomplished, and we wish every one of them the very best as they move on to further education, apprenticeships or employment. We look forward to welcoming them back on GCSE Results Day and celebrating their successes together.

   

  As one chapter comes to an end, another begins. We were equally pleased to welcome our new Year 7 learners into school for their Transition Day. It was fantastic to see them embracing their first experience of secondary school with such enthusiasm, confidence and curiosity. Throughout the day they met their new teachers, experienced lessons, made new friendships and began to familiarise themselves with their new school environment.

   

  Earlier in the week, we were delighted to welcome parents, carers and families to our Transition Evening. This provided an excellent opportunity to share our expectations, values and vision for the years ahead, whilst ensuring families felt informed and supported as their children prepare to join our school community in September.

   

  Starting secondary school is a significant milestone for both learners and their families. We are excited to work in partnership with our new Year 7 families and look forward to supporting every learner as they grow academically, socially and personally during their time at Upper Batley High School.

   

  Aman Singh Kang