Gallery

Our gallery shows a selection of photographs from across our Academy.

CEO Blog – Destinations Champions

CEO Blog – Destinations Champions

  CEO Blog - Destinations Champions I can't quite believe that we've made it to December already, but here we are, and the countdown to Christmas is well and truly underway! This week, I would like to point you all in the direction of our newest New Bridge...

CEO Blog – 24.11.23

CEO Blog – 24.11.23

CEO Blog - 24.11.23 Happy Friday, everyone. I'm keeping it brief this week, but I wanted to give you an update on what's been going on behind the scenes at New Bridge... I met with the Directors at New Bridge Horizons, talking about the exciting partnerships we build...

CEO Blog – 17.11.23

CEO Blog – 17.11.23

CEO Blog - 17.11.23 This week has been another busy week for all of us at New Bridge, and I'm proud of our staff teams for pulling together and continuing to offer our students and young people the very best, even when it's already dark by the time most of them are...

CEO Blog – 10.11.23

CEO Blog – 10.11.23

CEO Blog - 10.11.23 This week, it has been good to see each of our sites commemorating Remembrance Day in their own way. The creativity and thought that our staff have put into these 'Remembrance' themed activities is brilliant, and testament to their ingenuity. It...

CEO Blog (3.11.23) – Welcome Back

CEO Blog (3.11.23) – Welcome Back

CEO Blog (3.11.23) - Welcome Back To everyone who has just had half term, I want to say, 'welcome back', and that I hope you had the opportunity to spend some quality time with friends and family over the break. This first term is usually the toughest, and the October...

GrahamLast night I sat down after a fish and chip supper (well, I’ve had governors meetings every evening this week!) and my wife read out a post from a friend of hers whose son attends a school over in Bolton. I have asked Ian for permission to share his post with you all in my blog this week. This is how it reads..

Whilst I was driving to see my son in his Nativity, something caught me completely off guard. Jeremy Vine was hosting a phone-in based on the news there was now a 100% accurate test for Downs Syndrome in the womb, in Iceland where it has been trialled. Through selective reduction they have all but eliminated the condition.

Charlotte, a 20 year old university student, rang in. She was clearly upset and she made a very strong argument. ‘Why does society want to get rid of people like me?’ 

Like every listener in the country, I cried.

Her call was followed by testimonials from parents with special children. Their stories were broadly familiar. Their initial shock gave way to being involved in something bigger and better than they could ever have imagined.

If we had been offered a test to show ‘T’ had cerebral palsy to ‘selectively reduce him’, we would have missed out on the 5 greatest years of our lives and a first class ticket to a world of some of the most incredible people you would ever wish to meet.

Yesterday I witnessed the wondrous chaos of a pot pourri of special children perform the ‘Smelly Sprout’ at Green Fold School. It was a tearjerker, made all the more poignant by the fact that had this science been possible 10 years ago, there may have been at least 3 cast members short.

Earlier in the week, I joined a packed theatre to witness an absolutely brilliant Hollinwood Academy Nativity performance. To see our entire Key Stage 1 and 2, together with some of our Key Stage 3 children all on stage performing was wonderful! It was also great for the staff to see so many lovely comments about our school on Facebook afterwards.

Alison, the head of our new free school, told me another story this afternoon. She also had the pleasure of watching a marvellous Nativity, this time at Hawthorns School. Alison was captivated by Joseph, on stage with Mary, who was less concerned about the birth of the Messiah than making sure he waved vigorously (and continually) to his family who were sitting in the second row. Absolutely brilliant! We work with children and young people who make us laugh and delight us every day. That’s not to say we don’t have some small moments of frustration but these are quickly forgotten!

It is at this time of year that maybe we should step back and consider our numerous blessings. I have the absolute privilege of working with 400 of the most incredible people who share a passion for improving the lives of others. There can be no better vocation. I work with children and young people who often have to deal with adversity but show more courage than many others in our ‘perfect society’.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all our families, trustees and directors for their continued support. Give me the amazing uniqueness of our children and young people – that’s real perfection.

Have a wonderful Christmas and a peaceful New Year,

Graham

You can find all Graham’s previous blog entries here

Location

New Bridge Multi Academy Trust
Roman Road
Hollinwood
Oldham
OL8 3PH

School Hours

M-F: 8am – 4pm
Weekends: Closed

Phone & Email

0161 870 9386

info@newbridgegroup.org