After a couple of weeks of quite a bit of ‘behind the scenes’ work involving lots of meetings and planning for next year, it was great to get around school this week on one of my ‘walkabouts’. Simply walking around the school and dropping into classes is always an inspiring process for me to see first-hand the learning taking place that we share with you each week in this blog. It’s also an opportunity for me to check in with them and offer any support with whatever they may need to assist them in their role, whether it’s helping with a pupil who needs some time to talk, liaising with our Health Team to help a Form Tutor set up a showering programme for a pupil or simply taking part in a word bingo game! I’m very lucky that our team are an extremely welcoming bunch who have been happy to have me pop in to say hello.

Following on from the launch of our competition to design the school tie in last Friday’s assembly, entries have been flooding in fast and I now have a box of designs stacked up in my office. We have everything from your more traditional designs to some touchy-feely designs including fur and lace! We even have one that states ‘New Bridge School is the best’ – that’s surely destined to be the winner? It’s going to be a tricky shortlisting process for our Local Leadership Team!

The AB pupils really enjoyed a surprise visit earlier in the week, as Mrs McLaughlin explains..

On Tuesday we were very lucky to have a visit from Hollins Fire Service Green Watch Team. This consolidated the learning that the AB pupils did last term in our ‘People Who Help’ topic. The pupils really enjoyed sitting in the fire engine..

We had a good look at all the equipment and we were especially lucky to be allowed to have a go with the hose..

Everyone worked really hard and at the end we had lots of fun running through the foam bubble puddle we had made on the car park..

The AB staff team and pupils would like to thank the staff that attended from Hollins Fire Station as I think it is clear to see from the photos that we all had a fabulous morning..

On Thursday Mr Hollinworth, Miss Shaw and Mrs Cockcroft accompanied some of the players on the New Bridge Table Cricket team to a training session at Lancashire County Cricket Club. Adam, Josh, Imogen, Kaleem and Daisy met with some of the coaches to practise their technique and learn new skills such as using the spin ball in preparation for the Table Cricket Competition that is coming up next week..

Everyone had lots of fun and they are all very excited and can’t wait to put what they’ve learned into practice next week!

Miss Ward wanted to share some lovely news with us too..

We are so proud of Sophie who has been coming to help the pupils in IB2 – she has been such a good role model and is well-mannered with the staff and pupils in our class. She has a lovely rapport with all the IB2 pupils and makes them smile and laugh when she joins us for our morning routine. Sophie likes to deliver the morning routine on a regular basis and the pupils work hard for her in return..

We have been looking at Dallas and Dynasty clothes and 80’s pop and rock stars as part of our 80’s topic this term, and the pupils have been having a wonderful time dressing up and playing the part..

Our IB group at the Learning Centre have successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s expedition, spending their first ever night camping!!! Mr Taylor has written a fabulous report of their adventures which we will bring you next week – we can promise you will be very impressed!

Last week Oldham Coliseum in partnership with the police delivered a forum theatre piece to our Key Stage 4 and 5 pathway groups tackling relevant issues such as cyberbullying, grooming and mate crime. Everyone contributed really well and even joined in a bit of drama!

We’re looking forward to welcoming families to our Parents’ Evenings this week – Wednesday 16th at the Learning Centre and Medtia Square, and Thursday 17th at the school site. We hope to see you then!

Gavin 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 the latest news from Graham