Hope you have been enjoying the weather over the past couple of weeks, it really does feel like summer is here – hope that doesn’t jinx it!
One big highlight of the last couple of weeks was our attendance reward: a free ice cream for all students who hit their attendance targets: students who had 96% attendance or above and no behaviour points on class-charts received a sweet treat from the ice-cream van, one of our local businesses. It was a perfect way to enjoy a sunny afternoon and celebrate the commitment so many students have shown by coming to school every day, ready to learn. It was lovely to be able to celebrate students’ attendance with them. We hope they enjoyed the ice cream!
The red-carpet events are set over a two-to-4-week period and students are always given a fresh start, where we also consider personal circumstance. Every student has the chance of success. The Oak bank way!! We are looking forward to the next red-carpet event…coming soon.
Last week of the half term next week, this short half term has flown by…next week will see our reward assemblies across the school where we recognise all the fantastic things students have done in school. It is always a great way to end the half term.
I know Mr. Hazelgreen has shared more detail in the Year 11 news but a big shout to the Year 11s and Year 13s, we’ve had some big exams this week and the year groups have handled themselves exceptionally well. Also, well done to Year 6s, who have also had a big exam week with their SATs, I imagine there are lots of relieved parents in our community now those exams are over – next stop High school!
Year 7
We’ve seen fantastic learning across all subjects – from exploring space in Science to playing Ukeleles in Music. Year 7 students have shown great curiosity and enthusiasm, always ready to learn something new. This week I’ve had lots of students eager to tell me what they’ve been learning in lessons.
We’ve also been so proud to see many of you stepping up in new ways – helping others, joining clubs, and challenging yourselves in lessons. Well done, Year 7!
Year 8
Year 8 have had series of interesting and thought-provoking assemblies over the last few weeks. We had an assembly from PC Knappy, our Safer Schools Officer, about knife crime (see year 10 news for more detail). I also did an assembly for them about the importance of good habits. We looked at a medieval Swedish story called the Magpie with Salt on his Tail in which the main character develops good habits.
In class, students have been reading Animal Farm. They are growing in confidence in their writing and their reading abilities. If they have enjoyed reading Animal Farm I would recommend George Orwell’s other books. 1984 is a great read.
Year 9
In year 9 we have been focusing upon Learning Habit 1 which is Positive Response. It has been a real pleasure to hear students in year 9 actively engage with staff and their peers in a positive manner. During Morning meeting students are reminded to say, ‘Good morning’ ‘Please’ and ‘Thankyou’. I always ask students to try to enter assembly with a good morning to be rewarded with a community award postcard.
We are moving closer to the end of this academic year and then the beginning of year 10. This is a crucial time for all subjects when final assessments will be taking place and GCSE content may even be started ready for September. Year 9 attendance is one of the poorest in the school and we need to be extra vigilant in developing good attendance practices in September.
From everyone in the year 9 team we hope you have an amazing half-term break, and we look forward to hearing about your holiday stories on your return.
Year 10
On Monday, year 10 took part in a powerful and thought-provoking assembly delivered by PC Knappy, focusing on knife crime and personal safety. The session encouraged our students to think carefully about the choices they make and the impact these can have on their futures and the wider community. PC Knappy spoke with honesty and compassion, and I was proud of how maturely our students engaged with the topic. It’s vital that we continue to have these open conversations, and I hope it sparked further discussions at home.
Last week, we had the pleasure of rewarding some of our students who have shown fantastic commitment to their attendance. As part of our attendance reward challenge, students who met the criteria were treated to an ice cream – a small but very well-deserved treat, especially with the sunshine making a welcome return! It was a lovely moment to celebrate those who are showing up every day and giving their best.
As we move further into the summer term, I want to remind all Year 10 students how crucial this time is. Every lesson counts, every effort matters, and your future success is being built day by day. Let’s keep the momentum going!
Year 11
This week saw the first exam involving the full year 11 cohort and we are incredibly proud of how the students are conducting themselves throughout this busy period. We are delivering pre-exam boosters before each exam and from next week we will be providing fruit for students each day. Lessons are continuing when students don’t have a scheduled exam and they are more important now than ever, with teachers delivering revision lessons on key topics and vital exam techniques. As a reminder, it may be appropriate to allow year 11 to leave school slightly earlier than normal on some days if an afternoon exam finishes after the start of period 5, and there may be one or two occasions where an exam runs over the end of the school day slightly. It is vitally important that students arrive prepared and in good time for their exams. A good night’s sleep and a decent breakfast are vital for success. We will continue to do absolutely everything we can to support the students, and year 11 masterclass sessions will continue to run after school each day until the half term. Good luck in the remainder of your exams year 11!
CTMC
At the CTMC, our students have kicked off an exciting food topic this term, exploring flavours and techniques in Technology. They’ve been busy designing and creating their own refreshing drinks, experimenting with ingredients and presentation to perfect their recipes. This hands on approach has sparked creativity and encouraged them to think like young chefs. Alongside this, they’ve been testing their engineering skills by designing and building bridges, each challenged to hold the most weight. After a series of careful tests using water as weights, Ryley’s design proved to be the strongest, a fantastic achievement that brought a big smile to his face.
Year 10 students have also been making great strides in their English lessons, focusing on descriptive writing. They’ve been learning how to use vivid language to bring their ideas to life, creating imaginative and atmospheric pieces. Their hard work is paying off as they continue to develop their writing skills, preparing them for the challenges of their GCSEs and beyond. We are proud of their dedication and creativity across all their subjects.
Positives at Oakbank
Learning Habit 3 Results and Golden Tickets
Attendance Update
We are on WK30, and this is for overall cumulative attendance since September:
SOL Attendance
We have started a new form time initiative linked directly to student attendance. Students across all year groups are shown their attendance percentage and asked on a weekly basis to track their progress. The attendance percentage is written into the planner and linked to whether their attendance is moving up, staying the same or going down. These positive discussions about attendance are happening across the school and will continue to support our drive to raise attendance at Beckfoot Oakbank.
The poster below is one of two that is displayed in all classrooms to help support our attendance drive.
Red Carpet Event
Our next red-carpet event will, take place just after the Half term holiday. The students will be given a choice as to the film they want to watch and the successful year groups will have the hall all to themselves to watch a movie and have an ice-cream. This is a targeted event linked to students having followed the criteria below:
- 96% attendance or above
- No behaviour points on class-charts
The monitoring period has already started (13th May until Thursday 5th June) and we will announce the winners the following week.
Information for Parents
Parent Forum
We are excited to invite you to be part of our School Parent Forum! This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other parents/carers, share ideas, and collaborate with school staff to enhance our students’ experience and success.
The meetings are held at 6pm -7pm either face to face with light refreshments, or virtually, on the following dates :
Wednesday 4th June
Wednesday 9th July
If you are able to help then please email [email protected] for further information.
Useful links
Safeguarding https://parentzone.org.uk/article/whatsapp
Bradford Parenting Cygnet Service
This programme is designed for parents and carers of children and young people aged 5-18 with an autistic spectrum condition. This is a core Cygnet programme which is delivered over six, two and a half – three-hour sessions which sequentially work towards behaviour management and covers several topics.
Bradford Parenting Cygnet Service | Barnardo’s (barnardos.org.uk)
01274 513300
Child Autism UK
Child Autism UK helps children with autism achieve their potential. We provide services to enable children to overcome difficulties with communication, learning and life skills and give families the techniques and strategies to cope with autism through the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA).
Support, advice and services for children with autism – Child Autism UK – releasing potential
Help line:01344 882248
ADHD UK
Providing emotional and informational support for people with ADHD and their carers via telephone, email, social media and support groups.
Creative Support – Bradford
Providing person-centred services for people with a learning disability, autism and mental health needs.
Information for parents of children with Autism
AWARE (Airedale and Wharfedale Autism Resource) Parent Information Event
Tuesday 8th July 2025 at 9.30 until 11.30 am via Zoom
As parents of autistic children and young people, the AWARE team really want to help and support you and your family on your journey.
Has your child/young person:
- Just received a diagnosis?
- Recently been added to the pathway for an autism assessment?
- Been unable to get a diagnosis?
- Received a diagnosis of autistic traits or another condition?
Then you may be asking, where do I start?
We will be hosting our next PIE (Parent Information Event) via the Zoom platform, on Tuesday 8th July 2025 between 9.30 and 11.30 am.
This event is for ALL families who have children or young people who fall into the categories above.
Our aim is for PIE to be a “one stop shop”, presenting services available within the Bradford and Airedale area and helping families establish what support is available to them.
We will introduce AWARE and the services we provide, as well as having professionals from a variety of services, including Social, Communication, Interaction and Learning Team 0-25 Specialist Teaching and Support Services (SCIL – Bradford Education), Social Care and other support groups, to provide information about the services they provide for families.
After the presentation, there will be a chance to chat to the service providers in breakout rooms and families will have the opportunity to sign up to training courses (subject to availability).
Places MUST be booked in advance for this event and will be limited. If you would like to attend, please email the AWARE on [email protected].
Information on how to join the session will be emailed to you soon.
The deadline for applications for this session is Tuesday 24th June 2025.
Looking forward to hearing from you!
The Team
AWARE
AWARE-UK.org
