Well, here we are, nearly half way through the first half term already! This week has proved no exception to the others, wonderfully busy with our young people taking part in a wide range of lessons and activities. Our staff have again been industrious this week, building and refreshing their professional skills through the organisation’s comprehensive training package. Our young people are settling into their new timetables and rooms – there is a lot to take in at first, finding the way around a new building and getting used to new routines, teachers and friends.

Miss Patchett’s Life Skills Pathway group have had their first trip out to Tesco and it was a great success! They went to purchase items that they use for their breakfast club and then stopped off for their break in the café..

On Wednesday our new boys football teams headed off to Manchester City to take part in the ‘One City’ disability league. We’re delighted to hear that the boys played well and displayed real sportsmanship and team spirit – click here for a full report on the day..

This week is the turn of some of our Interactive Bases (IB) to share a bit of what they get up to with you. IBLC2’s theme for the term is the circus (we think the top hat may be a bit of a give-away)..

..and they’ve been having a lot of fun baking, making music..

..with lots of sensory exploration and sensory stories relating to the circus and the fair..

The group have also enjoyed their first trip out on Outdoor Ed. making the most of the sunshine..

..as have IBLC1..

The new members of the class have settled in well as you can see and are loving being at the Learning Centre..

They’ve even found time for a spot of work..

Our year planner is now being populated with a host of dates, events and fixtures. One important date for your diaries is Parents’ Evening which will be on Wednesday 29th November for students at the Learning Centre and on Thursday 30th November at the school site for children in Years 7 to Year 11. Although letters have already gone home regarding the half term holiday club and we asked for replies by Friday 22nd September, there is still time to book a place if you would like your child to attend. Please contact the office as soon as possible if you need another copy of the forms, or download them from our website here.

We’re delighted to say that that a large number of our Learning Centre students took up the challenge to put themselves forward for the Student Council elections. Some of the candidates were presented in the Learning Centre assembly and they will be preparing short speeches to give to their respective year groups next week. We look forward to listening to their thoughts and ideas.

Students at the Learning Centre are already successfully completing work experience placement and letters went out this week for the Year 13 Calvert Trust Residential trip next term, with some replies already returned! Our Hortus students are busy keeping the grounds at the school, Hollinwood Academy and the Learning Centre looking fabulous – a difficult task at the Learning Centre whilst we still have the builders in! As you saw earlier, trips have started for different groups including Duke of Edinburgh’s, Living Skills and sports and our young people are working hard in lessons towards a range of national accreditations.

Cooking is well underway and we are delighted to report that thanks to Mrs Gillett’s lessons, Miss Allison is (at last) being well fed! Throughout this week she has been treated to savoury pancakes with a variety of fillings and on Friday a delightful apple crumble courtesy of Liam and the Hortus Group – ‘Cooking with Hortus’ is back! As well as forcing her to engage in an increased exercise programme, it has also reinforced just how important our Living Skills and Food Industry programmes are in providing our young people with a sound knowledge base in cooking which will help prepare them for the future.

We’re really looking forward to our Macmillan Coffee Morning on Friday 29th from 10.00am until 11.30am. This is the perfect opportunity for us to catch up with parents both new and old in an informal setting, it gives you a chance to meet other parents and your child’s teacher and teaching assistant. Our young people will be preparing bakes and we’re looking forward to welcoming families to sample our range of goodies (donations would be very much appreciated please – it’s a great cause!)

We hope to see you there,

Judith and Dawn

For news on our Key Stage 5 pathway groups at Medtia Square please click here

You can find our full blog here

Click here to read this week’s news from Graham