Principal’s message to families – 19 June 2026
Intrepid explorers on the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze camping expedition this week.
What a sunny Friday! It was very warm for our intrepid explorers on the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze camping expedition this week. They did amazingly well, really pushing themselves and achieving so much more than they thought they could. A change of plan meant that the DHS field became the campsite for the night- what a sight for us all to see as we arrived for work on Thursday morning!
There will be more about this as it concludes next week.
Thinking about next week I send the obvious reminder about children keeping cool and safe in the sun next week and as we move into July. Hats, suncream and water bottles please! A good idea to put suncream on in the morning before school.
Unfortunately there will no cooling off in the pool next week as it remains closed for use during the day while the changing rooms are refurbished.
A reminder too that energy drinks are NOT allowed in school. They will be confiscated and returned at the end of the day. Water is far better at hydrating.
A few spotlights this week…
Ski trip presentation
We invited parents, Alan from Skiventure and our sponsors Lisa Barnes and Matthew Gelsthorpe from the Breedon Group and Harriet Hawkins from AIPS who provided the hoodies and the photobooks, along with children and staff who attended the trip, to say thank you and present the photobooks as a memento from the trip. It was lovely to revisit such a special trip!
What a varied menu across the Key Stages this week
Butternut squash risotto, beetroot and chocolate brownies and rocky road.
Baking, cooking, mixing, chopping, washing and wiping -it has been another action-packed week in the Food & Nutrition room!
Hopefully some of the food made its way home!
Tram & Bus Day Trip
Children had a really successful trip to the Tram and Bus Day held by NET/NCT.
A group of our KS5 students took part in an ‘Independent Travel Training’ session yesterday at Clifton South Park & Ride, supported by NET and NCT. The session gave students the chance to build confidence using public transport, practise real‑world travel skills, and develop greater independence in their daily lives. As part of our ongoing Occupational Therapy provision, this experience plays an important role in helping students prepare for life beyond school.
Pupils enjoyed an exciting, hands-on “Try a Tram and Bus Day” yesterday to build their travel confidence. The adventure began on the tram platform, where everyone practiced buying tickets and learned how to use the emergency help points safely. The absolute highlight of the session was sitting directly in the tram driver’s seat and getting to honk the loud horn! Afterwards, the discovery continued as the group explored both single-decker and double-decker buses to learn how they operate. It was a fantastic, practical day out that gave our students the vital skills and confidence they need for future independent travel
Jungle book performance
The school watched this performance earlier this week, this is what Primary 2 thoughts about it…
“fun”
“awesome!”
“good”
“amazing!”
“best show ever!”
“I loved it”
“I liked the creative ideas of the changes”
What more is there to say!
Theatre Royal trip to watch Horrible Histories: Awful Egyptians.
The entertaining show brought Ancient Egypt to life with humour, music, and fascinating facts. Everyone had a wonderful time and learned lots about Egyptian history.
In geography, KS3 have been learning about Iceland and its unique volcanic landscape. We studied how rift valleys are formed when tectonic plates move apart, as well as geysers, which shoot hot water and steam into the air. We also explored Iceland’s many volcanoes and how volcanic activity has shaped the country. This learning has helped us prepare for writing an informative travel leaflet about Iceland.
Our assemblies sparked some lively debate about the plans for banning under 16s from social media- I’m sure you can imagine the discussion! That said, children’s points of view were shared very thoughtfully and well- I’m sure there will be further opportunity to discuss this. We learnt about the importance of keeping safe on line too- always an important message.
Change of date Options Event – Tuesday 30th June 2026
(Apologies for the changes here which have been largely due to staff absence- thank you for your patience)
Year Groups from September 2026 – Parents and carers of students in Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 are warmly invited to attend our Options Information Event on Tuesday 30th June, from 2:30pm to 3:15pm.
We appreciate that this may have caused some confusion re: the Year groups that this event is relevant for. These year groups are what your child will be in from September 2026 (i.e. Child currently in Year 9 will be Year 10 in September this event is relevant for you and your child) – parents and carers invited.
The session will include a presentation outlining the options and qualifications available for the next academic year, providing pupils and parents with the information needed to make informed choices.
Following the presentation, pupils will be sent home with an Options Choice Form to discuss and complete with parents or carers.
If you are unable to attend the event, a video recording of the presentation will be made available. We are also happy to discuss the options with you and answer any questions you may have at other times.
We encourage all parents and carers to attend and look forward to welcoming you to this important event.
Today the wellbeing team have run our ‘A Special Persons Market ’ stall- the meeting room has been busy all morning so I hope you enjoy the lovely, independently purchased gifts that make their way home.
Summer Term key dates for your diary
Thursday 25th June: School leavers party
Friday 26th June: Last day of school for leavers
Weds 1st – Friday 3rd July: KS4 YHA Residential Trip
Thursday 9th July INSET DAY
Friday 10 the July INSET DAY
Friday 17th July: House Events – Pride Theme (information to follow)
Friday 17th July: Summer Fair
Thursday 23rd July: Showtime Event (2 shows)
Friday 24th July: Summer Sports Day
Phew! Busy times!
Have a good weekend,
Jenny
If your child leaves home in the morning a little unsettled and you want to quickly tell us, so we know to expect a tricky start to the day, a quick email (that we can follow up later) to the tutor and/or core team with ‘Handle with Care’ in the email title will ensure that we are aware.
