School of the Year FAQs

Business Working With Wythenshawe (BW3), is the leading business led corporate social responsibility group in the North of England. With over 250 member businesses and thousands of business professionals, BW3 provide a wealth of business led provision that supports the social, economic and educational development of Wythenshawe.

BW3 facilitate a number of successful projects including;

• Aspirational Mentoring
• Numbers at Work
• Exam Fit
• What’s My Job?

Starting in 2017, BW3 launched an initiative at Benchill Primary where its focus would be towards a primary school in the Wythenshawe area.  We have since worked with four more primary schools – Haveley Hey in 2017/18, Newall Green Primary 2018/19 and Button Lane 2019/22 (extended due to COVID restritions).

Unfortunately, funding is not available. However; time and expertise of the BW3 network is.

The aim is to use the network of BW3 businesses to volunteer their time to help engage students in activities identified by the school adding value to the existing school curriculum.

Benchill Primary head teacher, Mrs Eken said,

“The impact and intervention of BW3 has enabled the students to get a broader range of skills that they’ve been able to apply to the core curriculum. I would encourage all primary schools to take advantage of this unique opportunity”.

So far our School of the Years have received the following additional support;

• Careers inspiration events
• World Book Day Reading volunteers.
• 6^th Form mentors – easing the transition from year 6 to year 7.
• Document translation for parents and students with ESOL requirements.
• Cultural inspiration visits.
• Numbers At Work
• Lowry Drama Trip
• Women In Work Construction event
• Mental Health First Aid for staff
• Aspirational Mentoring
• Work Experience
• PLUS! Additional support identified by the school that BW3 members supported.

BW3 puts safeguarding at the top of any support provided to schools.

Working with the school, BW3 identify and put in place strategies to mitigate identified risks be that safeguarding or Health and Safety.

If the school ask, DBS checks are completed.

BW3 have public liability insurance cover of £5,000,000

• Applications go live on the 18^th May and forms can be downloaded from the BW3 website; www.bw3.org.uk
• Closing date for applications is the 17^th June 2022
• School of The Year notified of winning application on 1st July
• School of The Year to virtually meet with Zara for initial assessment and identification of support for new academic year w/c 11^th July

• Applications are assessed by members of the BW3 management committee.BW3 use socio-economic indicators relating to schools along with written submissions provided.BW3 encourage schools to demonstrate how they envisage the additional support provided by BW3 would look like and how this will benefit the school.

Please email all questions to the BW3 coordinator – Zara Rudkin;  zara@bw3.org.uk

Written feedback is provided upon request.

Formal complaints should be sent via the BW3 coordinator.

Complaints will be acknowledged within 7 days and dealt with in 21 days.

BW3 will work with the School Of The Year to provide an impact assessment at the end of the school year.

• Provide suitable accommodation for events
• A named contact who will liaise with BW3
• Respond to enquiries in a timely manner
• Provide feedback on individual events as well as the overall experience