Ryders in the Community

Ryders Hayes prides itself on being actively involved in the local community and making a real contribution to life in Pelsall and the surrounding area. This supports children with our value of citizenship, helping them to understand how they can help and understand people and places in the world, starting with their local community. We aim to give our children an understanding of their local community, what it means to be British and also to understand their role as global citizens. Over the course of the year, Ryders Hayes pupils and staff are involved in a variety of annual projects and events:

 

Year 6 visit the Houses of Parliament for a tour of the building and usually meet with our local MP Wendy Morton, who makes regular visits to school. The children begin to understand how democracy works and enjoy talking to Wendy about her role.

As part of our Harvest celebrations, after our service at Pelsall Methodist Church, Year 6 children deliver food items to the elderly in the local area and take food parcels out to their homes. The children also collect items throughout the year for the local Foodbank.

In November, the whole school and any visitors stand for two minutes’ silence at a special outdoor service, supported by our musicians, to mark Remembrance for the year. We invite our neighbours to join us in their gardens.  All children are able to visit our Memorial Garden in school, where a plaque reminds us of our visit from Mindu Hornick, one of the remianing Holocaust survivers in the UK. We also remember family and friends lost over the years. Our PLT and senior staff attend the cenotaph in Pelsall, to commemorate with the rest of the village on Remembrance Sunday.

Also in November, the children in Y6 organise a MacMillan Cake Sale to raise money for the MacMillan Cancer Charity. Many parents and friends of Ryders Hayes attended and pupils raise a significant sum. The Village prides itself on amassing knitted poppies which decorate the centre of the village. Our Pupil Leadership Team always help to decorate the area.

In December, Year 4 children and staff attend the Christingle Service at St Michael’s Church. They are joined by other local schools in the area. Our school's responsibility is to lead the Christingle prayers. We also host a Christmas Fayre for the local community.

At Christmas, our choir take part in the Christmas massed choir event with Walsall Music Hub, and we also hold a traditional Carol Service in the Village.

In Spring our A Stars' Sheriffs participate in a litter pick on Pelsall Common. 

 

Our PLT organise the collection of Easter Eggs which are then donated to Walsall Young Carers. 

 

Summer sees our sports teams competing in inter-school events and competitions with local clubs.

 

We open our doors, or more precisely our field for The Summer Fayre, which attracts many of our neighbours. 

 

Our children always look forward to the Pelsall Carnival, when staff and pupils decorate a themed float and take part in the procession through the village. 

 

In 2021/22 our global citizenship responsibilities focused on the Ukrainian Refugee Crisis. PLT, pupils and families worked together to collect car-loads of supplies to our local distribution centre.