It’s been a much more ‘normal’ week without the disruption of either snowy weather or storm force winds!

As I mentioned last week, I have returned to New Bridge School where I will base myself for the remainder of the school year.

I absolutely loved working at Dean Street with the youngsters and staff at Spring Brook. I know they are doing a brilliant job. It was the right time to leave and allow Mel, Alison and the team to carry on. I attended a number of Spring Brook Upper and Lower School trustee boards this week and I was delighted with the progress the young people are making in all aspects of their development.

So, on to New Bridge. It feels like an age since I’ve been here. It is also strange walking into a building where I have had very limited contact with the staff and children for the last 18 months! I’ve spent the week reacquainting myself with the building and settling into my new office (Room N46 on the main corridor).

My presence has certainly confused some of the children who have constantly asked me if Mr Lyons is the Head. I’ve made it really clear that I am here to support both Gavin and Debbie with their roles. I’m happy to be an extra pair of hands if they are short at lunch time or to do a year duty but Mr Lyons is the Head and Ms Hall the Deputy.

I’ve been delighted to nip into classrooms and see the work the children are producing. The ethos of tolerance and co-operation is alive and kicking in New Bridge. Every group of children that join the school are immersed in this wonderful philosophy – ‘the New Bridge Way’. They support each other in lessons, they help each other in corridors, they share each other’s successes and they are genuinely concerned if another child is in distress.

The staff team is also very different to the one I left behind – Judith and Debbie have done a wonderful job in moulding a team that has both experience and youth. Unfortunately I, like many of my more senior colleagues, fall very much in the former category!!

I spent Thursday morning at Hawthorns School. They had rescheduled their World Book Day and we had an awful lot of ‘Wallys’ (from ‘Where’s Wally?’) and ‘Harry Potters’! I have to admit I think my favourite was a Troll – complete with pink hair. I know our schools will benefit from working alongside this wonderful team and school.

We had some great news for our Future Finders. We have passed the initial financial due diligence process to set up as an Independent College and Daniel is looking forward to further scrutiny later in the month when Ofsted visit us to ensure we are in a position to offer high quality provision.

New Bridge and our amazing Hortus group were featured in this month’s edition of the National ROSPA Leisure and Education Journal – I’m hoping to get the article sent over electronically so that I can share it with you.

Anyhow it’s the derby this week, the Mighty Shakers v The Latics. On Wednesday I did ask one of our parents at Hollinwood Academy if he fancied turning out for Bury – unfortunately he declined. I don’t really see anything other than an Oldham win, although you never know…

Have a great weekend everyone and let’s see what Monday brings,

Graham

You can find all Graham’s previous blog entries here