Well, I can’t quite believe that I am writing my last blog of the year and just as we are all ready for a break, the rain returns to Oldham!

I would like to take this opportunity to celebrate another fantastic year here at Medtia Square. Our Lumenus students have had an incredible year, putting on their biggest production yet ‘The Greatest Show’ and working alongside our new partners, the ‘Manchester International Festival’, where they have attended workshops and volunteered at the festival itself.

Digit4ll have had a record breaking year with their ‘Sea Clear’ business, selling their products at The Trafford Centre, Manchester Christmas Markets and Spindles to name but a few. They have won more awards and have made a real political stand against plastics in the ocean! Activ8 have participated in sports across Greater Manchester, led sports sessions at primary schools and participated in a number of Duke of Edinburgh’s expeditions! You can now read Mr Taylor’s reports on our final expeditions of the year – please click here for details of our Silver groups and here to find out how our Bronze explorers fared. Well done to all the students and staff involved, what an achievement!!

Our Pre-Interns and Bridging the Gap students have accessed over 100 placements between them and have made a real impression with the 30+ employers that we work with, with a number of our students already gaining paid employment! Just brilliant! Here are this year’s final updates for you, starting with our job coach Amanda..

We have had a busy couple of weeks here at the hospital starting with our Celebration Day where we had family friends and visitors sharing our special day with us.

Alison Reader presented our placement managers and staff with certificates to thank them all for all their continued hard work and support with our students.

The students received a certificate each for the placements they attended. They also prepared a personal speech, which they chose to read out to everyone.

The students enjoyed sharing their experiences and being able to introduce their families to the placement staff who have supported them this year.

Post room staff supported both Ellis and Dominic this year..

Cleaning Services staff supported Ellis this year..

Laundry staff supported Dominic this year..

Pharmacy Porters staff supported both Ellis and Dominic this year..

I would also like to thank the staff at The Shop @ the Royal who supported Dominic this year.

Our Celebration Day was very special for me as Dominic and Ellis’s job coach..

Dominic and Ellis looking very smart for the Prom last week..

This week we had our leavers’ trip to bowling and then went for a meal to Sandbrook Park. We joined Medtia students and Learning Centre students..

So we have come to the end of our year on BtG and I would like to wish Dominic and Ellis all the very best for the future and I hope they will continue to grow as they have done this year. I will miss working with them both and I am grateful they have left me with so many happy memories.

I would also like to wish everyone a lovely summer break.

Our job coach Genna has some special memories from this year’s Bridging the Gap at MMU..

[fvplayer src=”http://newbridgeschool.net/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/BTG.mp4″]

You can now view more lovely photos of this year’s prom taken and edited by our Digit4ll students in our Facebook album here.

Our job coach Tisha also has a final update on our work experience students..

Here are Connor and Brandon during their last day at Hortus, supporting Mr Blackman to maintain the grounds at the Learning Centre, trimming around the trees. They also tried identifying different trees such as plum trees and apple trees. It was a beautiful day.

The boys have enjoyed their placement and they have learnt various gardening skills needed to maintain the grounds at the Learning Centre, such as how to prune trees with shears and loppers and transport equipment safely using the wheelbarrow. They have laid down fresh soil and compost and planted new beds with seeds for the spring term.

Thank you Mr Blackman, we have really enjoyed our placement with you!

I mentioned in my blog last week that I would be introducing our new Deputy Head in this week’s blog, and I am pleased to be able to inform you that Michael Pidlyskyj will be joining our team as Deputy Head of College in September. Mr Pidlyskyj has been working at Spring Brook Upper for a number of years and will be a joint deputy head for both us here at Medtia and the new Springboard Project that opens next door in September. Welcome to the team Mr Pidlyskyj, we all look forward to working alongside you next year.

I would like to thank all of our hard working staff for their continued commitment to ensuring that all of our students have the best possible opportunities during their time here at Medtia. They really are incredible! For the hours of graft that they put in, both inside and outside of their working day, thank you!

For your information, the key staff for next year are listed below:

• Lumenus Form Tutors ~ Mrs Hartley / Mrs Preston
• Activ8 Form Tutor ~ Mr Lawrence
• Digit4ll 1 Form Tutor ~ Mr Handrick (all current students are in this group)
• Digit4ll 2 Form Tutor – Mrs Joubert / Mr Holland
• Pre Internship 1 Form Tutor ~ Mr Morrison
• Pre Internship 2 Form Tutor ~ Miss Kirkland
• Bridging the Gap at the Royal Oldham Hospital Senior Job Coach ~ Mrs Bell
• Bridging the Gap at Manchester Metropolitan University Senior Job Coach ~ Miss Timewell
• Future Finders Senior Job Coach ~ Miss Thompson
• Pastoral Co-ordinator with responsibility for Activ8, Digit4ll 1 and 2 and Lumenus ~ Mrs Nelson
• Pastoral Lead for Pre Internship, Bridging the Gap and Future Finders ~ Mrs Needham

I would like to remind you that from September, our college day ends at 12.30pm on a Friday. If your child would like to stay until 3.15pm to access leisure activities, please let Mrs Nelson know.

It has been a week of mixed emotions as we have said goodbye to many students that have been within the New Bridge family for many years, following on from the fantastic leavers’ assembly on Tuesday and a great week of celebrations and activities. I would like to wish all of our leavers the very best for the future! Make sure that you come back and see us!

Have a fantastic summer and we look forward to welcoming you back to college on Wednesday 4th September.

Daniel
Head of Key Stage 5 Pathways

You can view our previous blog entries here

News from the Learning Centre and New Bridge School can be found here

Click here for this week’s news from Graham