Thank you for an amazing half term.
Eight weeks ago, we returned to school to begin another academic year. The June to June approach helped hugely in terms of the start because I remember on those first days back after the summer our students were immediately into learning within minutes of the start of those first days and that has continued brilliantly ever since. So much has happened since September and I hope I have covered most of it in previous blogs. However, the end to this half term has been incredibly special and the following, I hope, will capture for you what I mean by that.
Politics in Action for Sixth Form students
In September we introduced a brand new Politics A Level course in response to the ending (nationally) of the immensely popular Criminology course. As part of our drive to broaden the horizons and experiences of students, they travelled to London a couple of weeks ago to visit the Houses of Parliament. They had an amazing time visiting Parliament and the Supreme Court gaining access to places and venues that are normally off limits. They experienced first-hand the workings of the rule of law in this country and better understood why we are governed as we are and why law is such a fundamental part of British values. As always, our students were brilliant, and I am told that Ethan really enjoyed being the President of the Supreme Court even if just for a little while! Thank you to Ms Campbell and the team for making the trip happen.
A Level and GCSE mock exams
This week our Year 11 and 13 students have been involved in the Autumn mock exam series. It has been a very intense week for them and one that is designed to build their experiences, knowledge, and confidence as we progress towards the real exams in May and June next year. I want you to know how utterly magnificent they have been each day and their desire to do well has driven them forward each session and is exactly the reaction we wanted from them as part of our exam preparation strategy. They know that there won’t be GCSE certificates at the end of this week but they also know the importance of doing their best because that approach will allow staff and themselves to know what they are good at, where the gaps in their knowledge still exist and help with the planning for the coming months to support them to achieve what they are capable of and so much more. I am so grateful to the students for their efforts and to our exams team who have cared for them so wonderfully throughout.
Girl’s cricket making the headlines
Just a couple of weeks ago our girls brought home our first honours of the year by winning the Bradford Schools Cricket Championship. Under the guidance of Mrs. Walshaw the team travelled to Bradford Park Avenue and played a series of games against other Bradford schools. Incredibly, this was the first indoor cricket tournament for most of the girls, and, despite that, they won all their games taking a total of 15 wickets in the process.
Girl’s cricket continues to go from strength to strength at Beckfoot with over 50 girls involved across the year groups with many shining beyond school for their clubs and county. In the new year, they will take part in an ECB indoor tournament giving yet another opportunity to show what they can do in a sport they love.
Yet more Cricket Success for Charlie and Eddie in Year 12
In my last blog, I wrote about Charlie in Year 12 and his experience representing England’s Under 22 men’s team and the Indoor Cricket World Cup in Sri Lanka. Well, the successes keep on coming. Over the half term break Charlie will travel to India to captain the England Under 17 team as part of an invitational tour to Bangalore where he will lead the team out against the likes of India, UAE, and South Africa. He will be joined by Eddie F, also in Year 12. They are both such humble lads despite their successes, and we are so proud of them and how they are managing to combine all their commitments so brilliantly. We wish them well and look forward to the pictures and stories when they return.
Careers events
On Wednesday 16 October, we held our annual Careers Fair in the Main Hall for Years 9, 10, 11 and Sixth Form. We had over 45 companies and education providers coming in to school to meet our students and provide information about Post 16 and 18 options, jobs, sectors, and routes into different careers. We prepared our students in advance of the event and encouraged them to ask lots of questions of the employers and education establishments on the day. The feedback from all 45 providers was stunning and they were specifically impressed with our organising staff and most especially our students. A huge thank you goes to Mrs Wilson, Mrs Kidd, Mrs Palmer, and Ms Mclean who made this happen.
Music success
Last week we found out from the Bradford Music & Arts Service that we have been awarded with the Music Mark in recognition of the Ambition & Quality in our provision at Beckfoot. Music Mark is the UK Association for Music Education, championing and supporting access to music for all children and young people. They work to support and enable the music education sector to deliver high-quality musical and social outcomes for all children and young people. Both Music Mark and the Bradford Music & Arts Service thanked us for all the hard work that the team do to support this collective vision.
Whilst I am not surprised that the music team led by Mr Lee and Mr Stimpson won this award, it is also very much a recognition of the team including Mr Ratahi and the incredible team of peripatetic teachers that have been with us for years in most cases and contribute so much to the school and the Creative Faculty. I am so proud of them and constantly in awe of what they provide for our students.
More Awards for Beckfoot
Last week we found out we were the winners of two Edurio awards in recognition of responses to national survey data from the 2024/25 academic year. The Edurio national awards celebrate the top performing schools in a region based on a key question for the award category.
This year, for the first time we were one of a small handful of schools to win two regional awards:
- Listening & Acting Award
- Staff Choice Award
Our certificate was presented to our Trust leaders at the CST conference last week and I am immensely proud of the continuing success that makes such a difference to our staff, students, and families. I know we are not perfect and many of you will, no doubt, be tired of me reminding you of that view, but we are doing a lot of things right and determined to make things better for all our young people as we continue to move forward.
A standards visit
Like most of you I too have weeks where I question almost everything I am doing at this school, and this week have been one of those. We had our Beckfoot Trust Central School Improvement Team in school this week looking at behaviour and culture and I worry about these things; I need not have. Our staff and students were amazing and the feedback was stunning. Of course, we continue to have things to work on the team were brilliant in their feedback on our strengths and the things we need to work on (thankfully, the areas they identified are already in our School Improvement Plan for 2025 – 2027). Although I am a natural worrier, I do appreciate having fresh eyes on our school and the insight that brings in support of our determination to be a truly remarkable school.
And finally!
Last night I attended the final performance of Shrek the Musical and what an evening it was. Indeed, it was just what was needed to complete a memorable and successful half term. It was a joyful feast of talent and energy from start to finish and I loved every minute. I have been watching school productions at Beckfoot since 2002 and last night was among the best, if not the absolute best, I have ever seen. The acting, music, singing, and sheer joy was palpable throughout. It was funny, engaging and fizzed with an energy that made me really sit up as I watched. I was so proud of them all.
It was a production that saw an incredibly talented and committed cast join forces with our equally talented and committed orchestra to deliver a spectacle that will live long in the memory. To think that, as a school, we were able to provide an orchestra to deliver the music for the entire show and for that to compliment and add to the entire production is truly special.
Having said all that the thing I took away with me as I drove home was not the music, not the talent, not the weeks and months of work but the joy on the faces of each of our students and staff from start to finish. They were happy and that means more to me that anything else.
A huge thank you to Mrs Kyle, Mrs Bannon, Mrs Hargreaves, Mr Stimpson, Mr Jackson, Mr Lee and everyone who came together to make this show such a spectacular success.
Have a great half term.
Simon Wade – Headteacher
