Mrs Tootill's Blog - 15.3.24

We are hurtling towards Easter at an alarming rate. Mrs Bingley and the team are busy planning a fun packed Easter break and I'm sure it’s going to be amazing. We finish for Easter on Thursday 28th March at the usual school  finishing time.  

This week we have done lots of work around the curriculum. Mrs Birch Hall and the subject leads have been working intensely on teaching and learning offers. This is a massive task for a school of our size, plus the variety of needs of our children – who all learn in their own unique ways. Well done to all involved and for the intense work of all our staff. 

In addition, Miss Cotton and the pastoral teams have been working away at our systems and processes. Since the dreaded Covid struck 4 years ago lots of schools have struggled to get children back to school.

Not New Bridge.

At present, our attendance stands at just above the national average and our children are brilliant at coming into school. Our designated safeguarding team (DSL's) make sure our children are safe and we have good lines of communication with home and carers. Our behaviour teams work with children and staff to understand why our learners react in a certain way. 

It’s just busy, busy, busy.  

We've had groups out this week in sporting events, cinema trips and other community opportunities – which I’m sure you’ve all seen through our social media.

To finish the week, we celebrated Red Nose Day – where the children could wear their own clothes and raise money for the charity. 

On Friday I went up to our Pathways building and the learners were all taking part in some fun Red Nose events. It was so good to see our Key Stage 4 young people who look so grown up and happy. 

I’m also going to mention POINT who were funding raising at the Oldham V Chesterfield game. Andrea Greenwood is our Chair of Governors and sits on the Executive Board of the Oldham Parent Carer Forum. This team do such a brilliant job and I always think they are an extended part of our New Bridge family for all the work they do with young people, families and carers. We hope the day went well for POINT and they raised the much-needed funds. 

That’s it for me this week. Inspired by our cycling groups I'm off out this weekend on my bike with my friends. 

Hope everyone has a brilliant week. 

Stay safe  

Mrs Tootill