A Remarkable Start to Exam Season
Our Year 11 and Sixth Form students have been incredible over these past few weeks as the GCSE and A Level exam season approaches its halfway point.
Across the school, we have been so impressed by the resilience, maturity, and determination our students have shown each day. Exam season can be challenging, demanding both focus and perseverance, yet our students have approached it with positivity, commitment, and quiet confidence that makes us immensely proud.
What has stood out most is not only the hard work taking place in exam halls and revision sessions, but also the kindness and support students have shown one another along the way. Whether encouraging friends before an exam, attending extra revision classes, or simply continuing to give their best effort each day, they have demonstrated the very values that make our school community so special.
I want to thank our staff and families for the encouragement and care they continue to provide throughout this busy period. Success during exam season is always a team effort, and the support surrounding our young people makes a tremendous difference.
As we move into the second half of the examination period, we encourage all students to continue to work hard but to also take care of themselves, maintaining balance, and recognising just how much they have already achieved. The half-term is an opportunity to continue to do just that, but I also have some advice that I have learned over the years, and it is to try to stay in a routine as close as possible to the one you are in now. That is, getting to bed at the normal time and getting up at a time that mirrors the exam schedule. It is so important not to get into bad habits now and then try to address those on the first day back into exams on June 1st. That is too much to ask and so I hope you don’t mind me sharing it.
Keep going Year 11 and Year 13, you are doing brilliantly.
Celebrating Alex’s Fantastic Achievement
Alex in Year 10 has earned a place in the finals of the Speakers Trust Speak Out Challenge; an outstanding achievement and a testament to his confidence, dedication, and public speaking talent.
Reaching the final stage of such a prestigious competition is no small accomplishment, and we are incredibly proud of everything Alex has achieved so far.
Public speaking takes courage, creativity, and resilience, and Alex has demonstrated all of these qualities throughout the competition. Opportunities like this help young people develop invaluable skills that will support them far beyond the classroom, and it is wonderful to see our students embracing such challenges with confidence.
We wish Alex the absolute best of luck as he continues preparing for the final and look forward to cheering him on in June. Congratulations Alex, we are all incredibly proud of you!
Sporting Success Across the School
Our Year 10 football team have been crowned Bradford champions following an outstanding season filled with teamwork, determination, and resilience. The game was won on a nail-biting penalty shootout with memories of previous finals disappointments put to one side to win through.
The players have always represented the school brilliantly, showing not only great skill on the pitch but also excellent sportsmanship and commitment. Becoming champions is a tremendous and much deserved achievement, and every member of the squad should feel immensely proud.
We are also delighted to celebrate the success of our Year 7 team, who finished as runners-up in the Bradford Schools’ Cup narrowly losing in the final by a single goal. For many of these students, this has been their first opportunity to represent the school in competitive sport, and they have approached every match with enthusiasm, confidence, and fantastic team spirit. We are so excited to see what they can achieve in the years ahead.
Congratulations to all of our players and staff involved — we are extremely proud of you all.
An Incredible Achievement for Josh
We are absolutely delighted to celebrate the remarkable success of Josh, whose selection for the England Academy this week is a truly outstanding achievement.
Although this was something Josh had hoped to achieve perhaps next year, his talent, dedication and hard work have seen him reach this level far sooner than expected. What makes this accomplishment even more extraordinary is that Josh is the youngest athlete selected by several years, and he is now competing alongside adults at the highest level.
As if that were not impressive enough, Josh also discovered this week that his world ranking is now 9! An incredible milestone for someone so young. This is a testament not only to his exceptional ability, but also to the commitment, resilience, and determination he shows every single day.
What makes us even prouder is the way Josh carries his success with such humility and quiet confidence. He is a wonderful role model for younger students and an excellent ambassador for our school community.
I have already made it clear to Josh that when the Paralympics come around, I fully expect to be included as part of his entourage. For some reason, he seemed to find that particularly amusing!
Congratulations Josh, we are enormously proud of you and cannot wait to see what the future holds.
A Wonderful Musical Moment from Juno
This week, we had the pleasure of recording a piece with our junior vocal group, Juno, which will be used as part of a Bradford Council conference.
A huge thank you goes to Mr Jackson for his help with the recording process, and to Isla C in Year 12 for her beautiful piano accompaniment. It was a real team effort, and the final performance is something everyone involved should be incredibly proud of.
Our students continue to amaze us with their talent, confidence, and creativity. Opportunities like this allow them to showcase their abilities beyond the classroom and into the wider community.
If you would like to hear Juno perform live, along with many more outstanding musical performances from our talented students, please come along to our Summer Serenade on Thursday 9 July. It promises to be a fantastic evening celebrating the creativity and talent across our school.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Take care.
Simon Wade – Headteacher
