What's On - BILTT

What’s On

Rivertree Free School Opening – February 2025

Rivertree Free School opened its doors on Monday, marking the beginning of an exciting new journey for its first 60 pupils. The air was filled with anticipation and excitement as pupils, accompanied by their parents, arrived for the first day of what promises to be a transformative educational experience.

Rivertree, a school for SEND pupils, has been eagerly preparing for this moment for months. The school’s motto – Dream, Discover, Develop – is a guiding principle that will shape the experience of every pupil as they embark on their learning journey.

“We are thrilled to welcome our first cohort of pupils today,” said Catherine Assink, CEO of BILTT, which oversees the school. “This is a monumental moment not only for Rivertree, but for the entire community. We believe that education is about more than just academic growth. It’s about nurturing each child’s potential, instilling confidence, and helping them to discover their passions. Seeing the faces of parents and their children as they entered the school was something truly special.”

Rivertree has taken a unique approach to its learning environment, with each of its classrooms named after a river. From the serene ‘Thames’ to the dynamic ‘Amazon,’ the classroom names reflect the diverse and ever-flowing journey of learning.

“We wanted to convey the idea that learning, like rivers, is always moving, always evolving,” explained Catherine. “Rivers shape the land and nurture the ecosystems around them, and we see education in the same way. Our classrooms are spaces where children can be shaped, nurtured, and empowered to grow. We want them to be curious like a river, explore new ideas, and flow confidently toward their future.”

Each classroom at Rivertree emphasises individual growth, the school’s curriculum encourages pupils to be both explorers and creators of their own learning paths. Teachers and staff are dedicated to providing a supportive environment where every child can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Parents shared their pride and hope for their children’s educational journey, with many expressing their confidence in Rivertree’s commitment to nurturing not just academic success, but also a love for learning. On parent said, “I feel like my child now has a place where they can truly belong, the staff just get him.”

“We want to create a space where every child feels valued and supported,” said Clare Breare, Headteacher. “Our goal is to inspire pupils to dream big, discover new possibilities, and develop the skills they need to succeed in the world. We are excited to see how this vision comes to life as we move forward.”

Rivertree will welcome its next 60 pupils in September and will reach maximum capacity in 2026 with 200 pupils.

BILTT Pupil Day – July 2023

The BILTT Pupil Day was truly a remarkable event that left a lasting impression on all the pupils and staff who attended.

The day was nothing short of spectacular. The atmosphere was buzzing with excitement. The sight of a farm with various animals added a delightful touch to the day. Pupils had the opportunity to interact with animals they may have never encountered before, which was both educational and immensely enjoyable. This experience fostered a sense of wonder and connection with the natural world.

The inflatables were an absolute hit! BILTT pupils of all ages had a blast bouncing and playing on them. It was heart-warming to see the smiles on pupils’ faces as they engaged in active play and shared joyous moments with their peers. The inflatable activities not only provided physical exercise but also encouraged teamwork and social interaction.

The highlight of the day, without a doubt, was the surprise visit from Spiderman. The pupils were in awe as the friendly superhero swung into action, interacting with them, posing for photos, and even sharing inspiring messages of courage and kindness. Spiderman’s visit added an extra layer of magic to the event, and it’s safe to say that it was a dream come true for many of the children.

The day was a testament to the dedication and creativity of BILTT staff and organisers. It showcased the commitment of BILTT to providing not only exceptional education but also memorable experiences that nurture the well-being and happiness of our pupils. The event was a wonderful reminder of the sense of community and support that BILTT fosters among its pupils.

BILTT Staff Support Sue Ryder in Dragon Boat Race

Congratulations to everyone who participated in the Dragon Boat Race in Bedford and those who came along and supported “BILTT for Speed” on Sunday 25th June 2023. It was a fantastic experience for all and a beautiful day!

“BILTT for Speed” took part in three races and won two – an amazing BILTT Team effort!

Below is the link for our JustGiving page – please, if you can, sponsor the team; they did an amazing job.

All money raised goes towards helping Sue Ryder to be there when it matters and ensures they can continue providing expert, compassionate end-of-life care.

To date, we have raised £672 – please help us to raise even more for this incredible charity.

Just Giving – BILTT Dragon Boat Race

Special Needs Trust Supports Nigerian Schools

Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust (BILTT) have celebrated World Book Day by collecting over 3000 books, as well as teaching materials to promote reading and literacy in Africa.

During the COVID-19 pandemic Catherine Assink, BILTT CEO, alongside Enoch Mintah, started the Ubuntu Book and Reading Project, aimed at sharing teaching and learning materials with disadvantaged schools in Ghana.

For a whole term, pupils at Grange Academy learnt about Ghanaian culture. Pupils from both schools learnt about each other’s experiences and even created videos that showed one another what life was like in their respective schools. BILTT collected over 5000 learning materials ranging from library books, DVDs, stationery, and lunch bags, for beneficiary schools in some of the most underprivileged communities in Ghana.

This project has led to the distribution of hundreds of learning materials, and the Ubuntu Book and Reading Project is expanding in other African countries. This time round BILTT has collected in excess of 3000 books and 1000 DVDs, which will be distributed to underprivileged schools in Nigeria.

As Bedford Inclusive Learning and Training Trust (BILTT) is a Special Education Needs Trust this will kick-start a strategic collaborative SEND knowledge exchange project which will also support the special needs education sector in Africa.

Catherine said, “To celebrate World Book Day what better way than to support reading and literacy in other communities across the globe. At BILTT we advocate the importance of reading, literacy and communication in all forms, in all our schools. Creating the Ubuntu Book and Reading Project has been a real pleasure in supporting pupils from disadvantaged communities and helping to improve the life chances of pupils where resources like books are so limited.”

Photo: Catherine Assink, CEO of BILTT, with Enoch Mintah, representative for Ubuntu Book and Reading Project, taking delivery of the reading books and DVDs.

Creating opportunities for adults with additional
needs

Local multi academy trust BILTT has been able to offer training and employment opportunities within their Facilities Team to a young man with additional needs. Former Ivel Valley community special school pupil James, 28 had not been in employment since leaving school but is now training in an Assistant Site Agent role.

Read the full story in Beds Bulletin

Special Deliveries from BILTT Pupils

This Christmas pupils from across our schools created a very special and unique range of greeting cards to thank our Trustees, Governors and supporters this festive season. As you can see pupils’ creativity included cards in many mediums from traditional felt to digital artwork.

BILTT Pupil Fun Day

Pupils from across BILTT enjoyed a morning of fun hosted by St. John’s School on Friday 9th December 2022. Activities included a fun science session, cookie decorating and festive card making. Grange’s Palm class proved to be excellent mentors for younger Greys and St John’s pupils as they supported the craft and cookie sessions. The morning ended with a meet and greet with Santa for our visitors and a personal visit from the man in red for St. John’s classes.

BILTT Xmas Fayre

BILTT families and members of the local community flocked to our first BILTT Xmas Fayre held at Grange Academy on Saturday 10th December 2022. Santa’s Grotto was as popular as ever as was our kitchen offering hot and cold meal and drink options, home cooked by our catering wizard Bev Tott. Local craft stalls complemented those run by BILTT staff and volunteers and classes across BILTT had been very busy creating amazing gift items to sell on the day including some stunning wooden Xmas trees from our secondary pupils at Greys. We enjoyed a visit from our local MP and must also thank Mark Ford at Eurostar for the amazingly generous donation for our Grand Raffle. Over £1,000 was raised on the day which will be shared across our schools. Thank you to every pupil, staff member, volunteer and visitor who supported us on the day.

BILTT Pupil Fun Day

Pupils from all BILTT schools came together early in autumn term to enjoy a day of fun learning activities hosted by Grange Academy.

Primary and secondary classes from Greys Education Centre, St John’s Special School and Grange Academy experienced new activities and workshops throughout the day including drumming and singing, Forest School, crazy science workshops, face painting and outdoor games. Ark-Farm visited with cute and cuddly rabbits and guinea pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep and their friendly and playful Labrador dogs.

Feedback from pupils was hugely positive and one class teacher reported that her class “found the Crazy Scientist show so funny, really thinking he didn’t know what he was doing”.

Grange Academy’s Elm class reported they were especially fond of the free ice-cream van, the animals and the visit from both a police van and fire engine through the day.

Parents also fed back on how much pupils had enjoyed the activities “I heard all about today on the way home. It sounds like a fantastic day and a fun time had by all”

Grange Academy chef Bev and her team provided delicious snack bags for all attendees and planning has already started for our next BILTT Pupil Xmas Fun Day.

New classrooms opened at Grange Academy

Grange Academy pupils welcomed families and VIP guests to the grand opening of their new building. Local Bedford Blues rugby star Luke Frost and Mohammad Yasin MP officially opened the new classroom accommodation.

Pupils enjoyed face painting, outdoor games and a bouncy castle to celebrate the completion of the state-of-the-art classrooms which feature environmentally sustainable heating systems, interactive boards and large teaching spaces. The new classrooms were designed and developed after a successful £2.4m funding bid was achieved through the government’s CIF grant.

Catherine Assink, BILTT CEO and former Grange headteacher, responsible for securing the bid, said “At what is arguably an unprecedented time of flux in our lives and history, special schools like Grange Academy are holding up a lantern of inclusiveness and hope. They are beacons of unity, of us working together as one for the benefit of everyone, no matter who we are or where we come from. The new classrooms will help achieve this through decent teaching spaces that will help the school go from strength to strength.”

Grange headteacher Rachel Timms added, “Grange is a special place for both staff and pupils and we are thrilled to be enhancing the opportunities we are able to provide for our young people.”

BILTT’s First Summer Fayre

Visitors enjoyed the autumn sunshine at the first BILTT summer fayre hosted by Grange Academy and over £1,000 was raised to be shared across our schools.

Families enjoyed a wide range of activities including a birds of prey display, bouncy castle and a great range of games and craft stalls as well as delicious hot food from Grange’s talented chef Bev.

This first all school family event was only possible thanks to the support of staff, stall holders, families and all our visitors who made the event such a success.