That’s almost it for another year, and what a year it has been!
At this time in the school year, I tend to do a lot of reflection. I think back to last September and what we have achieved. I also begin to look forward and I am excited about the direction of our school and the amazing things our students will be a part of in 2023-2024.
On Thursday night I had the privilege of attending our final school production of the year, the Summer Serenade. It has been a feature of the Beckfoot calendar for many years and goes from strength to strength. It is an event that follows quickly on the heels of the Senior Concert in May and is an opportunity for students, especially our younger ones, to show what they can do as musicians. It is always a very poignant and special evening but none more so than last night. As I watched each performance to a sell-out audience, I couldn’t help but think how fortunate we are to have such a dedicated and committed Creative Arts faculty teams. They, alongside a host of other staff, work hard to create opportunities for our students to showcase their talents and build confidence along the way. Their hard work is always matched by the students who take you on a musical journey each time you see them perform. What really struck me last night is the huge array of talent that we have here. There seems to be a conveyor belt of talent year after year and it is exciting for our future. The ‘We Will Rock You’ flash mob during the interval only served to whet the appetite for October when the production takes to our stage. I can’t wait!
This week our Summer Buzz e-magazine was launched. It is a joint publication from our students supported by Miss Mitchell and Mrs Wilson. This edition is particularly special because of the number of different features that are included. I love the variety and the contribution of our students. If you have not already had a chance to read it, the link is here.
In other news, one of our new Year 11 students, Joanna, recently spent a week in Slovenia representing England at an International Beekeeping Competition. Over 30 countries took part, competing with mixed international teams. Tasks included identifying honey sources by taste, queen marking and demonstrating colony reproduction. While in Slovenia she was treated extremely well, staying in a beautiful monastery and with all sorts of important people speaking at the opening and closing ceremonies. Joanna found time to visit an adventure park, churches and the headquarters of beekeeping in Slovenia. 
Speaking with her last week she felt it was an incredible opportunity and one of the best things she has ever done. Getting to spend time with young people from other countries and cultures and making amazing friends is an experience that will last a lifetime. England came third overall in the world at the end of the week which is an incredible achievement. She is very proud, as are we. To represent your country is very special and the memories will be with her long after the medals. Well done Joanna.
As many of you know, our local school committee (LSC) is a representative group of parents, staff and Trust directors who challenge me to ensure Beckfoot is moving forward and constantly reviewing practices to be better tomorrow than we are today. They form part of the Beckfoot governance structure and are dedicated to our school and its community. As part of their work as an elected body, they are tasked with visiting our school throughout the year to walk the corridors, visit lessons, talk to staff and students and find out about such things as staff and student welfare, academic progress and standards as well as see first-hand the impact of strategies used to drive the standards agenda for all. During Tuesday’s visit, they were blown away by the calmness of the building (something everyone comments on), the focus of students in lessons, the dedication of teaching and support staff and the overall culture and buzz that is our school. They spoke to students and met our Place 2 Be lead councillor. They asked challenging questions about our year and future plans. They feel we are doing great things here but also that our ambition is reassuring in terms of the focus on students, staff and ensuring that there is a greater sense of belonging throughout the school and our work on academic standards and personal development never wanes. I am grateful to work with such a dedicated and interested group. I want to thank them for their time and challenge over the past twelve months and I look forward to what is ahead of us.
Finally, I want to wish our staff and students a wonderful work experience and Enrichment Week. Over 1100 students are out and about next week doing all sorts of amazing things. Our Year 11 students will experience the world of work and will hopefully use that experience to drive them forward towards their GCSE exams next year. Years 8, 9 and 10 are involved in over forty different activities ranging from in-house arts and crafts and sports, to fashion and theatres in London, water sports and high adventure, camping and bushcraft, European visits and so much more. We will come together again on Friday for those on enrichment activities and reflect on the week as well as look forward to a bright year ahead. I very much hope every member of our community will have a great week full of memories, friendship and excitement.
I wish you all a happy, enjoyable and safe summer holiday and look forward to seeing our students once again in September.
Take care.
Simon Wade, Headteacher
