Hoyland Common Primary School pupils visit Barnsley town centre

Year 5 pupils from Hoyland Common Primary School visited Barnsley town centre recently to explore Barnsley’s regeneration and study whether Barnsley could become a city in the future.

As part of their geography project, the visit offered pupils a valuable opportunity to speak to market traders and business owners, discuss energy efficiency initiatives with The Glass Works centre managers, and gain insights into Barnsley’s recent transformation.

The pupils used their Barnsley MiCard passes to travel by public transport to the town centre, benefitting from Barnsley Council’s Great Childhoods Ambition initiative, which offers free bus rides to anyone aged 5 to 18 living in Barnsley.

The day also included visiting the iconic Barnsley Town Hall as well as the Library @ The Lightbox where pupils signed up for their own library cards and looked at the books on offer.

The year 5 group conducted market research in Barnsley Market and the Alhambra shopping centre as well as engaging in a ‘now and then’ sketching activity, capturing the evolving face of the town centre through their own eyes. Pupils also met with the centre management team at The Glass Works to discuss the centre’s energy sufficiency initiatives and the ongoing developments shaping its future.

Cllr Robin Franklin, Cabinet Spokesperson for Regeneration and Culture at Barnsley Council, said: “It’s inspiring to see our young people taking such an active interest in the regeneration of our town, encouraged by the fantastic project created by Hoyland Common Primary School.

“We support educational opportunities that connect students with their local community, and we are committed to improving the lives and futures of our children and young people through The Great Childhoods Ambition.”

Cameron Thomas, Year 5 Teacher at Hoyland Common Primary School, said: "What a great experience, everything was so organised, well planned and tailored to what we’re studying in school. The children had a fantastic day and have written some great letters on returning to school about Barnsley and why they think the town should or shouldn’t be given city status. Thank you to the team at The Glass Works for organising the day for us."