I’d like to start this week with several ‘Wow’ moments both from my drop ins and my lesson observations. It’s always a pleasure when we get to see our students fully engaged and enjoying their learning.

This week in Ebase 2 the students enjoyed taking part in making shortbread biscuits and gluten free chocolate brownies, both mixing up the ingredients..

..and, of course, eating them at the end..

Yummy! (where’s mine though?) Our functional skills lessons have also seen students working hard. In Mrs Peacock’s class, students were using technology to tax their brains around multiplication, led firstly by Jacob and then the rest of the class..

A well done again to Mrs Gillett and her food industry group. This week the recipe has been Tortilla Pizza. Students have used tortilla instead of dough as a healthy alternative when making a pizza. The objective this term is to make recipes using the Eatwell Guide..

The students again showed their culinary skills, preparing their ingredients independently. This recipe (click here) is proving very popular!

I’d like to thank Cherrie for my delicious lunch on Monday (I’ll post the recipe next week)..

Our Options programme is wide and varied. Mr Newport invited me to join in the second Music options group this week (I don’t need asking twice!) where the students were making their own ‘Soundscape’ based on a scary Halloween poem. Every student picked an instrument that fitted the noise needed for a single line (e.g. drums for doors banging), then practised and rehearsed their soundscape before performing it as a group..

Another popular option is ‘Hair and Beauty’ and there has certainly been plenty of pampering going on this week..

Miss Kindon would like to say a special ‘well done’ to both Sabiha and Ryan from the Nurture Group who have displayed an increasingly mature attitude, engaging with all activities both within the Learning Centre and whilst out and about. Our students continue to show their best side when out being ambassadors for New Bridge – well done!

Our Year 13 students have been learning about keeping safe in their Living Skills lessons with Mrs Sarwar. They have been learning about people who keep us safe..

..and identifying familiar safety signs and matching them to pairs..

They then went on a hunt around the Learning Centre, locating the safety signs displayed in the building..

Congratulations to Jade B. who completed and passed her Entry Level 1 Functional Skills in English last week! She did reading, writing and speaking and listening tests. Mrs Keane was really pleased with her mature and composed attitude to the tests and the self-confidence she showed.

Tamzin has also been impressing us on her work experience placement at the RSPCA centre where she is doing really well..

Something tells us she might just be enjoying the placement..

This weekend sees the start of the fourth Invictus Games which are being held in Sydney Australia from 18th – 29th October. During assembly we learned about the bravery and determination shown by athletes in order to compete. We shared the poem ‘Invictus’ by William Ernest Henley which is about strength during times of adversity..

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

..which inspired not only people like Nelson Mandela but also the start of the Invictus Games..

[fvplayer src=”http://newbridgeschool.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Invictus-A-Poem-by-William-Ernest-Henley.mp4″ width=”640″ height=”360″]

We are looking forward to our first Student Council meeting next week where our governors, student reps, Mr Barker and myself will all be meeting to discuss a wide range of issues.

Have a great weekend,

Dawn

You can find Gavin’s blog for the school site here

For news on our Key Stage 5 pathway groups at Medtia Square please click here

Click here to read this week’s news from Graham

You can find previous blog posts here