The EMAG team first decided to raise the general awareness of the ethnic minority pupils. This was achieved via displays, celebration of festivals and active contributions to the Alternative Education Week in July of each year. We have also introduced GCSE Panjabi and Urdu lessons, as well as teaching the Dhol to a growing number of students during lunchtimes. Currently we are concentrating on identifying individual pupils who are underachieving and need that extra support to help them to realise their full potential.

Mrs Squince has taken over from Mrs Bavage, who retired at the end of last year, to over see the EMAG team. Our CPSA (Curriculum Parental Support Assistant) for the School is Nisar Hussain, and Manjit Rauni has also joined us. Manjit is the BME (black and minority ethnic) Link Officer for Education Leeds.

Last year, one of our students, Ali Hussain, was taken onto the Windsor Fellowship Programme and we have another three pupils who have applied for places on the programme this year.

Congratulations to Kiratpal Randhawa for achieving the highest number of A-C GSCE passes - 13 in total - at the end of Year 11. Both Kiratpal and Sandeep Narga have been nominated for the Black Achievers Award 2004.

As part of our ongoing efforts to appreciate different cultures, we initiated an exchange programme with the Sahibzada Ajit Singh Academy, Punjab, India. In June 2003, we hosted pupils and staff from the Academy, and last year Mr Saimbhi, Mrs Hardaker and eight pupils travelled to India for the reciprocal visit. The Exchange was extremely successful and we are hoping to do a similar exchange soon. Experiences of the visit were shared with the whole school, and many of our staff are now keen to visit India for a similar cultural experience. Plans are underway for this visit to take place at the end of the current school year.

Parminder Saimbhi
EMAG Co-ordinator