It has been great this week to see the photos and start to get feedback about two of the significant events in the school year: the Year 13 revision week in the Lake District and our Year 10 students on their work experience placements.

The trip to the Lakes is always a pivotal moment of the year in the run-up to the exams and our students gain a great deal indeed from the experience – lots of focused revision, a little downtime and a real sense of togetherness. We are extremely grateful to the Walter Bigg Foundation for their support of this trip and for the difference that it makes.

For Year 10, work experience is one of those formative weeks which feels like something of a rite of passage. The range and diversity of placements are always so impressive as is our students’ approach to them – very well done to all and thank you to the key staff in school without whose hard work it would not happen.

Another, relatively new, highlight of the calendar is the lunchtime House Football Competition which has started this week. It is competitive, fun and, again, fosters a real sense of togetherness – it also plays on whatever the weather. This week it has started with Year 11 and has provided a really good way of letting off steam as the exams are coming into sight. The atmosphere and spirit have been fantastic and we look forward to that continuing with the other year groups in the weeks to come.

The weather is cold, grey and drizzly but the optimism, energy and enthusiasm of our students always shines through.