Two secondary schools mark 40 years of excellence and service

Two local secondary schools celebrated a landmark anniversary – 40 years of dedication, growth and service to thousands of students and the wider community.

Oasis Academy Oldham and Oasis Academy Leesbrook were among the 52 schools within the Oasis Trust, which marked four decades of success with a Together Week to promote the NOLO (No One Left Out) campaign. 

The celebratory event inspired pupils to work together, step out of their comfort zone, and discover the power within them to shape change. 

Oasis Academy Oldham on Hollins Road, staged a thrilling PE day filled with exciting challenges for students to take part in including basketball, football, dodge ball, dance-a-thon, archery and were treated to a form party at the end of the day. 

Leesbrook on Roxbury Avenue, held fundraising activities, and the pupils were given an opportunity to buy raffle tickets for the chance to win, one of four gift cards, worth £50 each. 

The students were encouraged to wear the NOLO wristbands - a campaign highlighting the Trust’s unwavering commitment to dismantling exclusion and building opportunities for all. 

Students were able to purchase the very first student-led school magazine and wrote a pledge to the #NOLO movement with one act of kindness towards a student, staff member, or someone in the community. 

The Oasis Charitable Trust, commonly known as Oasis is a United Kingdom based charity, founded by Reverand Steve Chalke in September 1985. 

Chalk started up a hostel for homeless young people, which later grew to become the Multi Academy Trust and one of the Oasis Trusts' subsidiary charities. 

It acts as an umbrella group to govern the Oasis Academies. The first three opened in Enfield Lock, Grimsby and Immingham in September 2007. 

Pictured above (From left): Student Principal, Aleesa Ali, Oasis Academy Oldham Principal, Tariq Mahmood and Student Principal, Best Njoku.

Oasis Academy Oldham Principal, Tariq Mahmood proudly explained: “The week was all about inclusion and it really sits under the vision that no one is left out and making a difference in the community. 

“This started back in 1985 with small accommodation, in London, and from there it has grown from housing to an educational institution.  

 “To be able to celebrate where Oasis started from a house, down south, to all the way up to now where they've got 54 secondary schools is a great success story. 

“Some people think Oasis is about schooling, but it is much more than that and it's an opportunity for us to come together and promote what it stands for and ultimately it stands for making a difference in the community because education on its own, housing on its own, will not make the difference – it's when everything comes together that's when we can make the difference.  

“Together Week, was a chance for children to also get involved in fundraising and the money raised will be utilised to support the school and the community.” 

Assistant Principal with responsibility for Personal Development, Chris Mason (pictured above) said: “Students at Oasis Academy Oldham enjoyed a meaningful and engaging day filled with a range of enriching activities.  

“These included sporting events, equality and diversity workshops, kindness sessions, and anti-racism seminars, all thoughtfully organised and delivered by the Student Leadership Team and student ambassadors. 

“The day showcased the Academy’s strong sense of community and its wholehearted commitment to the theme “No One Left Out.” Both pupils and staff took part in a celebratory gathering within their year groups, enjoying the sunshine in a warm, family-like atmosphere.” 

Oasis Academy Leesbrook Principal, Andrea Mitchell explained with pride: “We have the NOLO campaign, which promotes kindness and during the whole week, we tried to promote what we stand for and that is that we are an inclusive school which serves the diverse community.  

“As a school, we want to be on the map for being a flagship school within the Trust and one that proudly celebrates 40 years as being a part of the Trust.” 

Emma Skeldon, RE teacher, helped students create the school magazine entitled “What you sayin? about the topics they wanted to talk about, which went on sale with donations going towards the Together Week collection. It will now be distributed to classrooms as a tool in supporting literacy. 

She added: “The magazine was both written and photographed by the students and features stories they wanted to talk about and what other students would want to read about. The idea was to give them a voice and to let them have a say on issues that affect them.”