On Tuesday 30 May, 8 young people from 8 of our member schools took part in a 4 day music project delivered by Pedestrian.  The project was called 'Concept' and enabled young people to create, produce and record their own songs, and to make a album based on a concept or theme.  The children chose 'memories' as their theme, and were led by a group of professional musicians to create their own songs based on this theme.  They also were supported to complete an arts award qualification.  The album is being finalised at present and will be launched later in the year.  We are very grateful to Pedestrian for providing this opportunity for our supplementary schools children.

On Saturday, schools from Northampton and Corby took part in our annual supplementary schools concert.  Performances included songs sung in mother tongue languages, traditional dances, traditional music and a specially written poem.  The children were amazing, delivering confident performances demonstrating the language and culture they have been learning throughout the year.  We were pleased to welcome Mayor Wellingborough Cllr Malcolm Waters and the Leader of Northampton Borough Council Cllr Jonathan Nunn to the concert, as well as the parents and friends of the children performing.  As part of the concert, schools also had stands displaying information about their schools and also provided traditional food for all to try.  We were also pleased to have stands from Northamptonshire Police, Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue, Autism Concern, NHS Changing Minds and The Voice. We also presented Phoenix Performing Arts School and Northampton Gujarati School with their NRCSE Silver Awards.  

From January to March 2017, ANSS delivered the NRCSE Effective Teaching Course for 15 participants from our member supplementary schools.  This course provides tools for teachers to effectively managed and run lessons.  The course covers lesson planning, class management, the English education system, assessment and learning styles.  All participants had to prepare a micro lesson and deliver it to the other participants and also complete course work.  Course work is currently being assessed and we will announce the results when they have been published.

On 27 January 2017, volunteers from 4 supplementary schools, along with Ute Nannini the ANSS Development Officer, visited Magdalen College in Brackley, to take part in their International Day.  This day was an opportunity for the school's Year 7 to find out about different countries and cultures, and ask our volunteers about their home countries and cultures.  It was a fun day for all involved.

Supplementary Schools in Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough undertook a 2 day training course on Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND).  The course gave teachers a better understanding of the issues children face with SEND and how to implement strategies to better integrate them.  The course was kindly delivered by the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education (NRCSE) and hosted by Woodnewton a learning community.  

On 26 November 2016, ANSS celebrated the achievements of the students attending our member supplementary schools.  Students from each school who were awarded certificates in the categories of achieving a GCSE, AS or A Level,  best attendance, most creative and most improved student.  We were also pleased to present the Polish Schools in Corby and Kettering, the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education (NRCSE) Silver Award, and the Lithuanian School in Corby their revalidated Bronze Award.  The audience were also entertained by students from the Punjabi School playing the dhol drums and students from the ANSS Youth Forum, performing the music they created at the Leadership Training earlier in November (see post below).  We would like to thank the following for presenting awards at the ceremony: Cllr Danielle Stone, Cllr Joan Kirkbride, Cllr Malpas Mayor of Northampton, Cllr Christopher Groome, Cllr Adam Collyer, Morcea Walker, Pascale Vassi

We would also like to thank the following Councillors for their support of our event: Cllr Tony Ansell, Cllr Mary Markham, Cllr Janice Duffy, Cllr Christopher Groome, Cllr Joan Krikbride, Cllr Danielle Stone and Cllr Winston Strachan.

And finally, we would not be able to run this event without the help and support of the wonderful ANSS Youth forum.  not only do they help to organise the event, they also present the event. And of course, thank you to our member schools, communities and invited guests for attending the event and making it a special occassion for all those young people who have achieved so much.

ANSS were invited to attend the Chief Constable's Community Supper on 10 November 2016.  We were pleased to have the opportunity to have a stand at the event and talk to people about the work we and our member schools do.  It was also a great chance to meet with other community focussed organisations in the County.  The Polish Saturday School in Northampton were also invited to attend, and entertained the audience with a poem and song.  

On 5 & 6 November 2016, the ANSS Youth Forum, made up of students from the Arabic, Amalgamation, Tamil, Russian and Polish Schools took part in Leadership Training delivered by Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts Trust.  The two day workshop taught the group leadership and team working skills, through learning how to write, play and perform music.  The group, with direction from the workshop leaders, Paul Griffiths and Kate Rounding, created two wonderful pieces of music. One, a song which they wrote called 'We can make a Change' and the second, a drumming piece, which was arranged and conducted by themselves.  Both tracks were recorded and can be listen to via sound cloud ​https://soundcloud.com/music-forge/sets/anss-nov-2016

We would like to thank Northamptonshire Music & Performing Arts Trust, Northamptonshire Association of Youth Clubs and Northampton Borough Council for helping to fund this workshop.  The students found this opportunity really inspiring and they learnt a number of valuable skills.