Our new academic year has, once again, been a huge success
Just three short weeks ago our new June to June academic year began with all our students moving up a year, making fresh starts and beginning new courses. It is always a special time for our students because they are a year older in school than their peers elsewhere and they feel like they are already moving ahead in their educational journey. Lessons and learning have been strong and the reason we make these changes now has been evident from the start; we get on with our core business of teaching to the highest level right through the year.
It has been lovely to talk to students about their experiences but none more so that those moving from Key Stage 3 into Key Stage 4 (Year 9 into Year 10). They are wearing the new black uniform and there has been a real sense of pride in beginning GCSE courses well in advance of work experience. They have made a brilliant start, as have all our students. They have really embraced their new option subjects but, more importantly, they have demonstrated a strong desire to ensure their GCSE years are going to deliver success for them.
This time of year, also bring all manner of transition events. I have just mentioned the school year and all students transitioning into new year groups. We have also invited those students who have completed their GCSE exams to spend a week with us as new Year 12 Sixth Form students. Although it has only been a few weeks since we have seen them, they already look and seem older and more mature. They have had a great week experiencing life as Sixth Form students and their exposure to their chosen courses has given them a real flavour of what is like at A Level. It has been brilliant to have them back in the building and I am really excited about what they will bring to Post 16 provision at Beckfoot and the way they will inspire the next generation of sixth formers from right across our school.
This week we have also welcomed our new Year 7 cohort. We had the full cohort of Year 6 students from our feeder primary schools into school on Monday evening with families and again yesterday. They spent a day with us experiencing life as a Beckfooter. They were magnificent and have very quickly understood the standards we work to here and the importance of meeting those standards. They met lots of our Year 13 students who looked after them throughout and were the most amazing role models throughout. I love Transition Day because you see the future and there is an excitement about new beginnings. I guess, when I look at the new students, I am hopeful more than anything else that they will be happy and successful at Beckfoot over the next five to seven years.
In other news there has been so much going on that I want to share. On Monday, following weeks of planning and training, we held our very first Model United Nations (UN) day with students from Year 10 to Year 13. The event began with welcome speeches followed by 2 short videos from the British Ambassador to Afghanistan and the Political Advisor to the UK peace keeping envoy to Africa. Ms. Ashraf has family that are linked to the UN and who helped by providing clear principles for the day that would help our students understand the intricate working of the organisation and their goals for the world stage.
As the morning progressed, the students assumed roles of various world countries and quickly learned of the issues those countries face and how the UN would work with them alongside all other member states. At the end of the afternoon, they were in full swing participating and chairing a UN meeting with the most incredible arguments being motioned and debated by all those representing their countries and those who were assuming the roles of UN presidents and vice presidents. The dynamics between countries was evident as were the skills needed to present issues at a national level to understand how they could be resolved, or not, at UN level. The language used was utterly professional and advanced and the skills of oracy and listening were never better displayed in my time at Beckfoot then they were on Monday. I am so grateful to Ms. Ashraf and the fifty or more students who made the day such a success. It is an event that is here to stay and will only get stronger (if indeed that is possible!).
At Post 16 last week we held Futures Day where our students were involved in learning and interviews from organisations such as HAYS, TransUnion, NHS Pharmacy, NHS Blood and Transport, Charles Kennedy, ITV, Bradford College, Morrisons, Medical Training, Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Altogether Financial, Bevan Britten Law, AI Gas Tech, The Firm and Expect Distribution amongst others. They were also given the opportunity to listen to university ambassadors, who delivered talks and supported students with their UCAS applications. Every Year 13 student ended the day with a first draft of their Personal Statement and the ‘All About Me’ letter that needed to be sent to their tutors. 
They also completed a huge section of the UCAS application which is the earliest we have ever sough to prepare our students for life beyond Beckfoot. We were thrilled with their effort and focus throughout the day. Some even secured work experience and a number asked to consider working for the various organisations that they were involved with over the course of the day such was the impression they made. What a very special day.
Continuing the Theme of Careers, I am thrilled to tell you about how well our provision is viewed on a national level. Last week, Miss Mclean and Mrs Wilson travelled to Derbyshire to attend the UK Career Development Awards. The Career Development Institute, the professional body for careers education, shortlisted Beckfoot for the best careers programme in pre-16 education in the UK. Unfortunately, we didn't win but we did come runners up meaning that our careers provision is in the top two of all providers nationally. Add to that is the fact that we were beaten by an organisation that is not a school, means that we are the best school provider nationally! Now that is something to be hugely proud of and we are delighted to be recognised at this level!
Moving to another area of our work I want to let you know that throughout the year, eighteen year 11 Art Textiles students have been working with the Design Lab Nation project. This has seen them take part in numerous museum visits including the V&A London, Cartwright Hall and the Industrial Museum working on a brief linked to rituals and traditions. The project also linked with an industry partner which allowed students to see how products are designed for the mass market at Melrose Interiors. Students have investigated their own rituals and traditions as well as looking at the cultures within Bradford both past and present. They created numerous practical pieces of work and completed with their own practical piece that has been celebrated through an exhibition launched at Cartwright Hall this week. Our students were recognised for their creativity, passion, maturity, and commitment. The leadership of Mrs Young has enabled our students to be a part of something unique and special that will hopefully inspire them onto greater things and give them the confidence to know that they can achieve whatever they want if they are willing to work hard enough.
I also want to mention Rosa in our new Year 10. She is passionate about women’s sport and football in particular. She wrote a poem that was published in the Guardian women's football weekly newsletter 'Moving the Goalposts' just a few weeks ago. It is incredibly moving and very important for me to share with you. As you can imagine we are all very thrilled for her but also very proud.
Finally, we had our third Beckfoot Trust Challenge Day last week. The challenge days involved our CEO and members of the Trust Central Improvement Team (CIT) come into school for the day to really examine our provision and standards. The focus was on academic provision and standards for all students including those with additional needs and vulnerabilities. It was a challenging day with lots of probing and exploration. At the end of it we were delighted with what they concluded. We are doing so much right here, and our direction of travel is very strong. Of course, there’s always more to learn too and things we need to be better at. That will always be the case!
Take care.
Simon Wade, Headteacher
