SSAT Award
I am proud to share that we have been recognised recently with an SSAT Award for Outstanding Attainment. This is a significant honour and reflects the hard work, commitment, and ambition that runs through every part of our school. It belongs to all of us – students, staff, and families alike.
Beckfoot Young Musician of the Year
On Thursday evening, we were delighted to host our Young Musician Final, an event that truly showcased the talent, dedication, and passion of our students.
It was a brilliant evening, filled with outstanding performances across all categories. Every student who took to the stage should feel incredibly proud; the standard was exceptionally high, and our judges had a difficult task in selecting the winners.
I am pleased to share the results from the evening:
- Most Improved (voted by Music Teachers): Henry C
- Players’ Player (voted by students): Milton S
- Key Stage 3 Audience Vote Winner: Isla M
- Key Stage 4/5 Audience Vote Winner: Jimmy L
- Key Stage 3 Ensemble Winners: Winnie V and Maisie B
- Key Stage 4/5 Ensemble Winners: Isla C, James U and Luke T
- Key Stage 3 Solo Runner-Up: Louie E
- Key Stage 3 Solo Winner: Isla M
- Key Stage 4/5 Solo Runner-Up: Isla C
- Key Stage 4/5 Solo Winner: Johnny R
- Young Musician of the Year 2025: Isla M
More pictures can be found here.
With well over 100 students entering this year’s competition, the scale of participation alone is something to celebrate. I am incredibly proud of each and every student who took part—whether performing in the final or earlier rounds. Events like this highlight not only exceptional musical talent, but also courage, commitment, and a willingness to step forward and perform.
Finally, my sincere thanks go to all the staff, judges, and supporters who helped make the evening such a success. We are grateful for the time, expertise, and encouragement you continue to give our students.
It was a memorable evening and a powerful reminder of the richness of the arts within our school community.
Red Carpet Events
There are times in the school year when celebration feels not only deserved, but essential and our recent Red Carpet Reward Events have been exactly that. With over 90% of our students consistently “getting it right” this term, we gave them the choice to watch a film, take part in extra PE or computer time, play board games, or have a go at Just Dance.
These events were more than just a reward, they represent our culture. A culture where expectations are understood and embraced, and where students take ownership of their actions and their success.
The Red Carpet Reward Events remind us that doing the right thing, day in and day out, deserves to be seen, celebrated, and remembered. They send a powerful message: effort matters, character counts, and success is something we build together.
We begin with a clean slate for all after Easter as we look towards the end of year award events.
Beckfoot Priestthorpe and our Sixth Form students
Four sixth form students, Talha, Mohammad Z, Mohammed I and Siraj visited Beckfoot Priesthorpe this week to deliver an assembly, answer questions about themselves and their school and spend time in the classroom with younger students. They were a huge hit and loved both the opportunity and the experience. Our relationship with Beckfoot Priestthorpe is going from strength to strength and we are looking forward to welcoming the majority of their Year 6 to our school in September.
More information can be found here.
Sporting Success
It has also been a hugely successful few weeks for sport, with a number of fantastic achievements worth celebrating.
Earlier this month, we were proud to host the Year 7 Bradford Sports Hall Athletics event. Our students competed across a wide range of disciplines, including shot put, vertical jump, standing long jump, standing triple jump, speed bounce, as well as individual and relay races. The atmosphere throughout the event was incredible with our sports hall buzzing from start to finish. I am delighted to share that both our girls’ and boys’ teams secured hard-fought victories, making it a truly memorable occasion for all involved. We now look forward to the official athletics season beginning after Easter. As part of our refreshed summer sport SPA and after-school programme, students will have the opportunity to get involved in a wide range of activities, including rounders, tennis, and cricket.
We are also incredibly proud of Finley M in Year 7, who represented West Yorkshire at the National Schools’ Cross Country Championships in Kenilworth last weekend. Finley delivered an outstanding performance, finishing 54th overall and placing 8th for West Yorkshire, helping the team secure a national silver medal. This is a remarkable achievement at such a high level of competition.
On Monday, our golf team travelled to Howley Hall Golf Club to compete in the West Yorkshire Schools’ Golf Championships. After many hours of practice and preparation, Ben, Will, Ollie, Alfie, Leo, Scott, and Henry performed superbly, becoming our third team in four years to qualify to represent West Yorkshire in the next stage of the competition. They will now compete for a place in the national final; an achievement of which we are extremely proud.
International Sporting Honours
We are incredibly proud to share some truly exceptional individual sporting news.
Seth I (Year 11) and Sophie B (Year 13) have been selected to represent England at the European Taekwondo Championships in Italy this September—an outstanding achievement and a testament to over 10 years of hard work, resilience, and determination. To be selected for the England squad, which represents the very highest level of ITF competition in the country, is a remarkable honour.
As further recognition of his success, Seth has also been chosen as the poster athlete for this year’s British Championships in June, another fantastic accomplishment.
To have two athletes selected from the same club is impressive; to have two students from the same school reach this level is truly phenomenal.
Both Seth and Sophie are exceptional ambassadors for their sport and for our school. We wish them every success throughout the summer and in Italy in September.
Silence is Golden!
A huge well done to Nell B in Year 9 who took part in a 24 hour sponsored silence on Tuesday. Her friend, who has Hodgkins’s Lymphoma, was delighted and proud of her efforts as we all were. Her original target was £500 and now she is up to an incredible £1800 and counting for the charity she wants to support. Well done, Nell. An incredible achievement topped off with an interview on Wednesday with Radio Leeds!
Mock Results and Post 16 Aspirations
Some moments in the school year capture both the culmination of hard work and the promise of what lies ahead and our Year 11 Mock Results Assembly was one of them.
It was an incredible occasion. As students opened their results, the room was filled with a mixture of excitement, pride, relief, and reflection. There were smiles, celebrations, and, in some cases, thoughtful determination. What stood out most was the maturity and resilience shown in those reactions. Our Year 11 cohort approached the moment with honesty, perspective, and a clear commitment to succeed.
Mock results are an important milestone. They provide a snapshot, a moment to pause and take stock, but they do not define the final destination. What truly matters is what happens next. I have been inspired by the response: conversations about improvement, renewed focus in lessons, and a collective determination to strive even higher in the weeks ahead and invest in themselves and their futures…. Now!
Alongside this, it has been a pleasure to see our Year 11 students stepping confidently into their Sixth Form interviews. These conversations have highlighted not only their academic ambitions, but also their character, interests, and aspirations for the future. Speaking with staff, it is clear how impressed we have all been by the thoughtfulness, confidence, and potential on display.
These two experiences—the Mock Results Assembly and the Sixth Form interviews—represent a pivotal point in the journey of our Year 11 students. They are reflecting on how far they have come, while also looking ahead with ambition and purpose.
Finally…
To our Year 11 and Year 13 students in particular: as you approach a crucial period in your education, I want to commend your focus and perseverance. Stick to your revision plans and make sure to make the best possible use of the Easter holidays. They are important and time spent revising and doing practice papers will make a huge difference. The weeks ahead are important, but so too is your wellbeing. Please remember to look after yourselves and get the balance right.
As we break for the holidays, I hope you get the opportunity to rest and recharge. Taking time away from the demands of school life is important in my view.
Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable break.
Take care.
Simon Wade – Headteacher
