Students and staff from Co-op Academy Leeds have been supporting to lead the campaign to pressure exam boards to introduce GCSE Romanian. There are currently over 20 heritage language GCSEs, yet there are no accreditation opportunities for multilingual students who speak Romanian - the UK’s third most spoken language.

On the 27th April the campaign held a meeting in the Houses of Parliament to make their case to MPs. Eduard Avadanei and Larissa Grec, Year 10 students, made speeches in front of 120 politicians, ambassadors, and journalists about why this injustice needs to be corrected and the impact this would have on their future opportunities. One MP present remarked that the students were ‘future politicians’. 

The students were a credit to the school, city, and wider Romanian community. Please find below images of Eduard making his speech, and alongside local MP Mark Sewards.

Dear Parent/Carer,

Your child’s Td/IPV (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Polio) and Meningitis (Men ACWY) is now due

Year 9 Td/IPV and Men ACWY vaccinations are part of the National Immunisation Programme and are offered in school to protect against the diseases above. Your child may also be offered the MMR vaccine to protect against Measles, Mumps and Rubella if they did not receive both doses when they were younger. For more information, including possible side effects please visit: NHS vaccinations and when to have them - NHS

How to consent: We are coming to your child’s school Co-op Academy Leeds on 12/05/2026, please ensure that you have submitted a form even if you do not consent, by 3pm, 11/05/2026.

Please click on the link below to complete the online consent form. You will need to use the unique school code EE137065 to complete the consent form as soon as possible.

Online Vaccination form   https://www.leedsimmunisations.co.uk/Forms/DTP

Important: If you do not wish your child to receive the vaccinations, you still need to complete the “refusal section” on the form so that we understand your wishes. If we do not receive a consent or refusal form, your child may be given an opportunity to consent for themselves on the day after being assessed by a nurse as Gillick Competent to do so.

Providing you enter a correct email address, you will receive email confirmation when your child has received their vaccination, including information and advice about common side effects your child may experience.

If you change your mind regarding consent or there are any changes to your child’s health following submission of the form, you must contact us on the above telephone number.

Support in accessing or completing a form: If you experience any problems accessing or completing the online form, please contact us on the above telephone number and our team will be happy to help.

Yours faithfully

School Aged Immunisation Service

 

You can find an audio version of this letter here www.leeds.coopacademies.co.uk/latest-updates/audio

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Dear Parents and Carers, 

We’re pleased to share an important update about uniforms. New national legislation, introduced through the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill, requires schools to reduce branded items and lower costs. We fully support this, and wanted to let you know as soon as possible that changes are coming to our uniforms which will be in place by September 2026. 

In this new policy we are reducing branded items across our Trust, and your new uniform will be as follows:

Our New Uniform

Academy Uniform

Black Academy Logo V-Neck Jumper

Academy Tie

Traditional white shirt with a collar 

Plain black tailored trousers

Plain black shoes

If you wear a headscarf or headband, it must also be plain black

PE Uniform

Black Academy logo PE Multi-top

Black Academy logo PE T-Shirt

Plain black tracksuit bottoms or plain black shorts

Trainers

 

What does this mean for you? 

Any items no longer in the new uniform policy do not need to be replaced before September 2026 if your child wears them out or outgrows them in this time. We expect all children to adhere to the new policy from September 2026. 

As part of Co-op Academies Trust, we are working together to have a single supplier across all schools, this supplier will hopefully be in place by September 2027. The goal of this project is to further reduce costs for our families. We will be in touch with details when we have them. 

Trousers

We are introducing a single school uniform for all students in our Secondary Schools. This means that all students will wear trousers at school. This has been informed by research showing that traditional, uniform options, particularly skirts and dresses, can limit pupils’ comfort, confidence, and participation in school life (Dr Mairead Ryan, 2024; Dr Alice Porter, 2025). More practical options, such as trousers, support active learning and are better suited to the full range of school activities, including practical subjects like science, construction, and engineering, as well as everyday movement around the school.

We are also mindful that items such as pinafores and tights can increase costs for families due to frequent replacement (The Children’s Society, 2023). As a trust committed to equality and inclusion, we believe a more flexible uniform could help ensure all students feel comfortable and able to fully engage in school life. We value your feedback and invite you to share your views in the upcoming Edurio survey. 

Please ensure your child is wearing plain black tailored trousers from September 2026, sports or stretch fabric will not be acceptable for any child under the new uniform policy. Find further details on your academy website. 

Specific guidance will be on your academy’s website by the Easter Holidays. Please reference this. 

Many Thanks 

Co-op Academies Trust

www.leeds.coopacademies.co.uk/uniform

Students from The Bridge created these brilliant puppets