Over the last few weeks we have been trying to articulate what our vision and ethos is all about. Alongside this, we have been planning our curriculum offer for the next academic year. The challenge we seem to have more and more is trying to do more with less, a dilemma Graham has spoken about in a number of blogs. As people who know me are aware, I do tend to look for the positives in any situation whilst also, I’d like to think, being mindful of the challenges. However, as we continue to face the challenges of developing and personalising our offer, it is also helpful to remind ourselves of our ethos and aims; to quote Graham:

Our curriculum and philosophies provide the opportunities for academic and social development that will enhance the life opportunities for our young people as they move into the adult world.

Extra-curricular activities are also important in providing our students with new experiences and challenges. As many of you know, our Year 13 students have been away this week at their Calvert Trust residential in the Lake District and, as you can see, they have had an amazing time..

One of our parents summed it up perfectly when he posted this statement on our Facebook album:

It’s great to see every child with a smile on their faces, trying stuff they would normally not experience. Hats off to the special staff at New bridge.

I’d like to thank our staff team for all your hard work and dedication.

• To the team who have been away on the Year 13 Calvert residential: Thanks for enabling our students to have such a memorable trip, for working day and night, ensuring all our students experienced exciting activities and had a great time. The pictures so far look fab and I can’t wait to hear all about it.
• To the team who have kept things rolling at the Learning Centre: Thanks for your support covering many different lessons and activities, ensuring there has been a degree of normality and calm.

Once again the Learning Centre team have triumphed!! The ethos of doing over and above and putting our students at the heart of everything we do has never been more evident. A massive well done guys and have a well-deserved rest this weekend.

Back at the Learning Centre, the hard work has continued. Our E-Base students have been busy enjoying their art as Mrs Sheehy tell us:

This term the students have been looking at African Masks. So far they have decided and chosen a design to work from. They have then added card to add texture and to give the masks a more 3D effect. At the moment the students are adding pulses, kidney beans, lentils, split peas etc. to add colour and further texture. The project has focused on differences within cultures and celebrations, composition/placing and bonding. When they have finished the texture they will be adding colourful spices so the masks will also smell really good! The masks will be displayed at the Learning Centre and will hopefully be very vibrant and colourful.

A mention needs to go to Ryan from the Nurture Group who is doing really well supporting the E-Base students. This internal placement is helping him to develop a range of inter-personal skills in addition to raising his self-esteem.

I feel I have to share these colourful photos of the beautiful Spring displays Mr Blackman and the students on Hortus have created..

Mrs Gillett will be very proud of her Year 12 students this week who, in her absence (supporting the Calvert trip) continued to work hard in their food industry lessons..

Thanks to Terry and Lewis for my tasty Pasta Bakes..

I’m always delighted when I observe students working independently preparing and cooking food.

Next Friday New Bridge are once again taking part in the Teen Tech ‘City of Tomorrow’ day which was a great success last year. We are asking students to bring in any recycled materials in order to create their very own spacesuits or buildings. Students will also be looking at how they can make their new planet smarter, kinder and safer.

You may remember how I explained about our new student Trilby TV group who are deciding the content that will be shown on our new screens around the Learning Centre in last week’s blog. I was delighted to see that Trilby TV have now featured this on their own website as an example of the importance of student voice! You can click here to read their article.

I’d like to close with just a few pictures of our Year 13s returning tired but happy from their residential..

Have a great weekend,

Dawn

You can find Gavin’s blog for the school site here

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

Click here to read this week’s news from Graham

You can find my previous blog posts here