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