The Principal rounds off a busy term, full of many wonderful experiences & celebrations
Dear Parent/Carers
What a term we’ve had in Term 3, with so many wonderful experiences and celebrations.
Our Eco Team has led an important focus on climate change, delivering assemblies and raising awareness across the school. Additionally, the Student Council delivered impactful assemblies using videos created by Project Fearless and Integrate UK, highlighting the serious consequences of knife crime and sparking important discussions within our school community.
Dr Siza Dube gave an inspiring talk on Black Feminisms, and students have also been given the opportunity to sign up for a workshop with them to further explore these important themes.
Year 10 students have been busy preparing for the world of work with mock interviews. Meanwhile, Year 11 students have been undertaking their mock speaking exams in French, Spanish, and German. We were also delighted to welcome families to school for the GCSE Drama performance, as well as the GCSE Art and Engineering Coursework evening, celebrating the creativity and hard work of our students.
Year 8 and 9 students enjoyed a fantastic trip as part of the Future Brunels programme run by SS Great Britain, inspiring their interest in engineering and innovation. Meanwhile, Year 11 students visited UWE as part of the Raise the Bar project, which aims to encourage and support students in achieving their academic and career aspirations. Year 10 students have also been enjoying hands-on cookery practical’s as part of their Child Development course, developing essential life skills and knowledge.
Our students had the unique opportunity to participate in a Q&A session with the Black British Ballet, gaining insight into the world of professional dance and the importance of representation in the arts. At the end of term, Year 11 students will be visiting Bristol Beacon for the Poetry Live event. Additionally, students will be attending the Bristol Teen Book Awards, celebrating young adult literature and engaging with inspiring authors.
Students will be heading to the Millennium Centre in Cardiff for a joint English and Drama trip to see a performance of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Others also had an unforgettable experience attending a performance of Cirque du Soleil at the Royal Albert Hall.
Some of our students took part in an insightful Culture and Aspiration workshop at UWE, broadening their perspectives on future opportunities. Others were involved in crafting a campaign with Dove in collaboration with King’s College London, focusing on self-esteem and positive representation, while some participated in the next phase of the UWE RESPECT project.
We were also pleased to welcome our Academy Committee for a school visit, as well as introducing our new school Governors, who will be supporting the leadership and development of our school.
We have received positive feedback from parents and carers regarding our new ‘Year Team Weekly Briefings’. These have been highly beneficial in providing key updates and news specific to each year group, reducing the need for multiple Parentmail notifications. Additionally, it has been great to welcome parents and carers to our Principal’s Teas, where discussions have focused on the proposed changes to the timing of the school day from September 2025. We appreciate the valuable input from families as we plan for the future.
We were thrilled to see many of the student ‘wish list’ items have been successfully funded since our last newsletter. However, some projects are still looking for donations. The following have received £80 of their £200 target:
- Eco Team Balcony Garden (£120 needed): Our Eco Team needs additional funding to continue developing their beautiful and sustainable garden space.
- Stitch It Club and Fix It Station (£120 needed): Providing FHS students and staff with materials and support to repair and upcycle their clothing and belongings.
- Crochet Club (£120 needed): Funds are required to purchase sewing materials for the club’s creative projects.
- Basketball Hoops for the Key Stage 4 Area (£1800-£3600): A generous parent has set up a GoFundMe to support this initiative. If you would like to contribute, please visit GoFundMe.
We look forward to sharing more updates next term!
Edel Cronin
Principal