Hello and welcome to the first Springboard Project blog of the new academic year.

Firstly, we would like to thank for your ongoing support in helping us open the college and helping us keep it Covid secure.

We have worked hard as a Multi Academy Trust and college throughout lockdown to ensure that college is Covid secure and that it is as safe as possible when the staff and students begin the next phase of their education. I would like to commend all of the students and staff for playing their part in this by sanitising their hands on entry, using their facemasks whilst moving around the building and continuing with good hygiene practices.

For all students, we understand that lockdown will have had its ups and down. For our new Year 10 student cohort who would have normally transitioned during the summer term, anxieties about their new school could be heightened. These students have settled in very well. We would like to pay thanks to all the hard work Spring Brook Upper has done with these students. They are enjoying being in different groups with students of different ages, working on a Recovery Curriculum in the mornings then choosing a vocational option in the afternoon. As I write this (Friday morning), many of them have gone out on a Duke of Edinburgh’s activity morning with a group of staff including our Head of Site, Mrs Tootill, to explore the countryside whilst building those positive relationships with staff.

In Mr Ward’s class, SPT1, students have been designing and building towers using various materials. Some students have been asking for extra Maths and English work which has delighted the teachers.

It has been nice to see the students give Miss Johnson a warm welcome as their TA too.

In Mrs Roberts’ class, SPT2, they have enjoyed catapult building following set instructions and testing them out on each other, building structures using marshmallows and spaghetti and bridge building using recycled waste.

In Miss Brown’s class, SPT3, they have been doing a variety of communication and team building activities from blindfold drawing to spaghetti and marshmallow towers.

In Mr Garbutt’s class, SPT4, students have really engaged in the Recovery Curriculum and are forming some strong relationships. This is great to see after so much time away from education.

In Miss Caines’s class, SPT5, things have been getting messy creating their own slime using a set of instructions, learning how to finger knit and developing their communication skills to pass through a maze blindfolded! Already there have been some very positive relationships built with Miss Caines and Miss Cooney who were both new to these students at the beginning of this term.

On Thursday, Amaan did a class presentation on the Ottoman Empire. His understanding and confidence to do this is an amazing attribute.

Safe to say he was very proud of himself afterwards.

On Duke of Edinburgh’s Friday, Mrs Tootill and Mr Molloy took out a large group of students to Dovestones Reservoir to carry on building relationships in the great outdoors.

As you can see, we have had a fun filled but tiring first week back, I think we can all agree on that. Recovery will take time but there are green shoots there. Let’s hope we continue this long term.

Have a great weekend,

Mike Pidlyskyj
Deputy Head of Springboard Project

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