I want to begin my first blog of 2025-26 with a very warm welcome to all but especially  our new Year 7 and Year 12 students and families. First impressions are particularly important to me, and I have been hugely impressed with what I have seen this week. The thing that has really struck the staff and I has been just how mannerly the students have been throughout this first week. They have been a joy to talk to and help as they navigate their way around a new building. They have been incredibly enthusiastic and grateful to anyone who has interacted with them in any way.

As a result of our June-to-June approach all students came back yesterday and went straight into learning at 8.30am. I spent the first hour walking the site and visiting lessons and it was utterly fantastic to see that there was no wasted time, and all rooms were busy and extremely productive. These are the things that make our culture so strong and our students so successful.

I have been doing my usual first week back assemblies with the students and it is such a privilege to stand in front of them and share news about the summer, our site and, most importantly, our successes. I was able to share with them the levels of investment into the building over the past 6 weeks in order for them to continue to work and learn in a very warm, clean, and welcoming environment. We have installed new flooring in our atrium and hall, new carpets to the entire first floor, new LED lighting across the entire building and two new water coolers in the atrium because of the efforts of student leaders. We have painted our reception and vast areas of school as well as deep cleaning the entire campus. I want to give them the absolute best we can afford, and I am extremely grateful to the site team and key members of my staff for making everything come together over the holidays. The place looks great.

I was thrilled to be able to share news of our A Level and GCSE results which were stunning this year. I explained that I am a worrier. I have always been that way, and I accept that is who I am. Every summer I spend weeks worrying about our Year 11 and Year 13 students who are awaiting exam results. It means a great deal to me that they get what they deserve and that their next steps are what they have hoped and wished for. I worry that they will be happy and that their life chances will be better because of their time at Beckfoot. Of course, the results are important to the school but that is never to the forefront of our thinking on results days. How could it be.

At A Level we had another incredible year. Our progress measure is the highest it has ever been. Almost 90% of students secured their first or second choice university with 40% of them gaining places at prestigious Russell Group establishments. More students than ever have got on to degree apprenticeship courses and a few have gone straight into the world of work where they are determined to build careers in the years ahead. There were lots of noteworthy achievements including Harry getting 4 A* grades and Ramone achieving 5 A* grades making him one of only a handful of students in the entire country to do so.

I am always conflicted towards the end of A Level results day because it is wonderful to know that the vast majority have what they want and are so excited about the next stage of their journey. But it is also incredibly sad to say goodbye. They have been such a familiar and wonderful part of our school for so long, we have watched them grow into very special and unique young people and then we say goodbye. I do not think I will ever get used to that but, at the same time, I am thrilled to have been a part of their lives even if it was just for a little while.

A week later we welcomed our Year 11 students into school to collect their GCSE results. Well, what a morning! They arrived early, and in their masses, because it means a great deal to each one of them. There were huge numbers of staff to welcome them and share in their incredible success. It was such a special morning. Last year I wrote of the record-breaking achievements of our students then. However, this year’s cohort have absolutely smashed those achievements in every measure. This summer we achieved our best ever results both in terms of attainment and progress. 17 students achieved 9 or more grade 9s and Phoebe achieved a clean sweep of 11 grade 9s which is almost unrivalled. More and more achieved the grades that secured their next steps post 16 and I could not be prouder of what they have done as individuals and as a collective.

I know we can do even more with and for our students and this week I have challenged them to do the things that will make the biggest difference throughout this academic year:

1. Get to school every day because that is the thing that will make the biggest difference to their chances of success.
2. Allow themselves to be taught brilliantly and, in doing so, get involved in all lessons to the best of their ability.
3. Get involved in school life beyond the classroom through clubs, volunteering and so much more. That will help with their sense of purpose and belonging.
4. Accept that routines and rules are there to support them in all they do.
5. Look after and respect their school.
6. Look after themselves and each other. Being caring and kind is more important today than ever before in my view.
7. Be clear that their attitude to all they do is the thing that will define their time at Beckfoot. Make sure it is strong.

I am excited about the future. I am excited about our community and what lies ahead for our staff and students this year. Given what we have been able to achieve together in recent year so we all should be.

Simon Wade, Headteacher

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