The first term of the year seems to be really flying by. 

I continue to be impressed with the start that the students have made and, in particular, by how well our new Year 7s are settling into life at Secondary School. Next week sees two important milestones for them. One is the Year 7 Tutor Parent Evening, which takes place on Thursday 1 October. The other is the start of homework. All the students should now be set up on Satchel One, with homework being set from Monday 28 September.  

Homework is a key part of all students’ learning as it helps to develop and reinforce what students have learnt in class. All parents can see what is being set via Satchel One. Encouraging your child with their homework is a key part of the support we ask of all parents.  Thanks in advance for your help with this. 

On Tuesday, the school held the first of its two Open Mornings for prospective students and their parents. It was a really busy event which was a delight to see. Open Mornings give visitors a chance to see what the school is really like as they tour classrooms and the wider school. What they saw, and commented upon, was the calm and purposeful learning environment which gives every student the opportunity to thrive.  Our second Open Morning takes place next Thursday, 1 October.  

Our school has been working closely with The Venture Community Hub (TVCH). They have a mission to expand provision for young people in our area. Following a consultation at the end of the last academic year, a key area for development identified was a bike project. A group of our students have been appointed to The Bike Project Steering Group. This is a brilliant opportunity for the students to develop leadership skills and to make a contribution to their own community. Some of the students are using the experience to complete the Volunteering section of their DofE award. The first event – a pop-up – will take on 19 October at the bike track. I know the Steering Group will be sharing more information soon.

Our Outdoor Ed students enjoyed a trip to the River Wye to tackle a canoeing challenge this week. Team work and communication skills were essential for a successful day. It was pleasing to hear how most pairs were able to demonstrate these skills and navigate the Wye without getting too wet. 

Fixtures this week have included:

Year 7 Rugby – the Year 7 boys travelled to Holmleigh Park for their first rugby match of the season. The boys started well and went 2 tries up early on. Holmleigh Park then came back into the game and went into the final quarter 4 tries to 3 up. The level of physicality that the boys played with was something I've never seen from a Year 7 team before. The tackling was outstanding, as was some of the hard running on display. We came away deserving 7 tries to 3 winners in the end. There were some huge games from some of the boys, including Ceejay, Archer, Quazeem and man of the match, Arthur. An amazing first game!

Year 8 Rugby – the Year 8 rugby team played their first game of the season against a strong Holmleigh Park side. Those involved showed real grit and perseverance to keep going despite a difficult scoreline. Holmleigh had some really strong physical players who did well in carrying the ball, but some of our boys showed great bravery in their tackling. Player of the match went to Broady for his relentless tackling and excellent solo try. 

Also on the sporting front, I was delighted to hear that, following a successful season, Year 11 student Jack Wilkinson was named players’ player of the season for his men’s team, Hardwicke & Quedgeley Cricket Club, for the season 2025/26. Jack has worked incredibly hard on his cricket over a number of years, and his dedication, commitment, and effort have deservedly been recognised with this fantastic award. Well done Jack. 

Over 100 of our Year 8 – 11 students are off to Skern Lodge this weekend for our annual residential activity weekend. I’m sure they will have a fabulous time. Let’s hope that the weather remains good for them. 

As always, I end with my weekly reminder about Free School Meals eligibility. From the 2026 - 2027 academic year, eligibility is being expanded to all children from households in receipt of Universal Credit regardless of household earnings. This widens the scope of eligibility and means many more families should now qualify. Please do check the updated information, which can also be found here, to see if that includes you.  

I do hope you have a great weekend.  

Regards  

Richard Johnson 

Headteacher