Community Links

At Smawthorne Henry Moore Academy, our community is very important to us and we are continually working to maintain and build our links within it. We value the contribution that all stakeholders in the community make to our school.

We are very fortunate to be able to draw upon the expertise of many local professionals to work with the children. Our local Police Community Support Officers offer advice and support and often visit the school to lead assemblies to raise awareness of safety issues, such as ‘stranger danger’ and drug awareness. Our PCSOs work hard to build positive relationships with our pupils so that they recognise them within the community.

We have a strong link with our local church, visiting it to support our curriculum and perform our Lower Key Stage 2 traditional nativity. Father Keith, delivers interactive assemblies at school where the children’s knowledge of Christianity is deepened. 

Local visits and walks are planned to enhance the children’s learning and awareness of their local heritage, including visiting Henry Moore Square and studying his works. Children take part in many events throughout the year and we embrace opportunities to enhance our vision of becoming Castleford's future citizens. 

We have links with Asda and Morrison's, who are very supportive of our school and its fundraising activities. We also have active links with Xscape and Junction 32. The School Council visits Wakefield Town Hall annually to meet the Mayor and attend a council meeting. The School Council have an action plan to develop community links further.

Our Choir embraces the strong link it has with the Manor Park retirement home, where it has visited to perform various hymns and Carols and which are enjoyed by all. This kind of occasion offers our pupils a memorable experience and an opportunity to bridge the generations.

We have also been supported in our fundraising efforts by many local businesses. Our annual Summer Festival is just one of the fundraising events that we enjoy over the year, with particular emphasis on bringing families and the community together.

As a school, we liaise with other local schools in a number of ways. We have close links with Castleford Academy. Our children attend various activities there, where they have met with their peers from other schools who share their passion and engage in quality activities to stretch and challenge them in their field. These range from Spelling Bees, Science sessions, inter-pyramid sporting competitions, etc. We engage in assessment moderation with local schools to ensure consistency in teacher assessment and also subject network meetings to strengthen the curriculum across Castleford. 

Our sports teams are becoming increasingly successful in cross-school competitions, which include football, netball, tag rugby and cross country. We attend the end of year Sports Award evening, where individual and team success is celebrated.  

Our Eco Warriors and Gardening club work hard to develop the school grounds. Our Deputy Chair of Governors is part of the local Smawthorne Welfare Action Team (SWAT) and supports school to give back to the local community by tree and bulb planting, litter picking and our choir singing in the local community. We have previously worked with the Royal Horticultural Society and have enjoyed planting bulbs in the school quad area as well as the local park and ensure these are well looked after. Click here to view our 'Gardening Club' page.