It has been wonderful to see our pupils fully embracing SPIRIT Week and taking part in such a wide range of exciting activities, both in school and beyond. Despite the very hot weather, pupils have coped admirably and shown great resilience, good humour and enthusiasm throughout the week.
Across the week, pupils have enjoyed visits to Chester Zoo and the Black Country Museum, as well as residential experiences in London for the theatre trip and in Paris, where pupils have also been experiencing particularly high temperatures. Our planned Peak District walk had to be replaced with a trip to the Trafford Centre due to the weather conditions. This proved popular with most pupils, and I am sure parents will appreciate the need to make that change in order to keep pupils safe and comfortable. I managed to sneak onto that trip today and marveled at some of the items bought, such as Bubble Tea (I have no idea what that is) and a pair of jelly shoes in the shape of fish. Staff on the Black Country Museum have had to put up with the sound of multiple harmonicas bought from the gift shop. I imagine they will end up in the bin this evening.
In school, pupils have thrown themselves into a host of activities, including science and technology challenges, escape room tasks, focaccia bread baking and many other engaging opportunities. We have also seen pupils taking part in creative and performing arts experiences, including School of Rock, all of which have helped them to develop confidence, teamwork and curiosity.
A particular highlight for Year 10 was Wednesday’s “Go to Work” preparation day. Pupils heard from a range of speakers and organisations, including childcare professionals, university representatives, employers and other education and career pathways. It was a valuable opportunity for pupils to think about their futures and the skills, qualities, and experiences that will help them take their next steps with confidence.
It was also lovely to welcome Year 11 back on Tuesday for a taste of sixth form life. We hope they enjoyed the opportunity to experience lessons, meet staff and begin to picture what the next stage of their education could look like.
I would like to say a very big thank you to all of our staff, who have once again gone above and beyond to ensure that pupils have been able to enjoy rich cultural experiences, try something new and fully embrace our SPIRIT values. Weeks like this take a huge amount of planning, flexibility and care, and I am very grateful for everything staff have done to make the week such a success.
With three weeks still to go before we break for the summer, there is much to look forward to. Sports Week is on the horizon, culminating in Sports Day. As always, we will keep a careful eye on the weather and will keep everything crossed that conditions allow the events to go ahead safely and successfully.
As the academic year draws to a close, there are also still plenty of opportunities for pupils to gain points for the College Cup. Things are looking very close between all four colleges, so every contribution really does count.
Although it has certainly been very hot this week, I do hope this is not the last we see of the summer sunshine.
Thank you, as always, for your continued support and whatever your plans, have a lovely weekend.
“When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine.” (unknown)
