Newsletter – Friday 30th January

It’s been a wonderfully busy few weeks here at Beckfoot Oakbank, and I want to start by saying a huge thank you for your ongoing support. Despite the challenging weather we’ve all had to battle recently, our school attendance has been absolutely fantastic. In fact, we’ve seen some of the highest attendance rates of the entire year – and in some cases, the highest across the whole Trust. Attendance really does make a difference, so thank you for everything you do to help your children arrive every day ready to enjoy, learn, and succeed. This is an outstanding achievement, although our work on attendance is never done.

Our Year 11 students have now completed their two week mock exam period, and their conduct throughout has been impeccable (as you can read below) They approached the exams with maturity and determination, and we are incredibly proud of them. We look forward to seeing how much progress they have made when they receive their mock results in March, after half term, and we know they will continue to push themselves as we move towards the summer.

At the end of the week after their mocks a bus full of enthusiastic Year 11 students are going to Craven College to explore the fantastic vocational routes available locally. We are committed to supporting every student with their next steps, and we recognise that not all students will choose to stay with us for Sixth Form. That said, it has been wonderful to see that applications for our Sixth Form are higher than ever this year. Many students recognise the exceptional experience and support they receive when they continue their journey with us, and it’s still not too late for anyone who would like to apply.

Finally, we also enjoyed a brilliant evening at our Beckfoot Oakbank Concert Extravaganza – a true celebration of the talent we have in our community. Our students performed a wide range of acts with confidence and joy in front of friends and family. A heartfelt thank you to all the students involved, the families who supported them, and of course the staff whose hard work made the event such a success. The atmosphere was fantastic and showcased everything that makes our school special.

Year 8 have had a settled return to school after the winter break and have focused on their attendance, making sure they attend every day, every session to increase their learning.  They have coped well with some changes to their routines as they support year 11 by welcoming them to their break-time and being considerate of them during the mock exams. This highlights to the year group how important exams are and how critical being in lesson and making every day count is. 

In morning meetings, we have repeatedly asked that the learners show kindness to others and themselves and continue to reinforce the message that we are a hands-off school which helps create the environment for them to focus on their learning.

As a year group we have welcomed our new Head of Year, Mrs Bennett to the year group and she is slowly introducing herself to each learner, getting to know them and what makes them tick.  With Mrs Bennett’s arrival we now have 3 staff members supporting your child and you may be contacted by Mrs Bennett, Mr Novin or Miss Ward to discuss any pastoral issues or concerns your child may face.

One area your child may be struggling with is homework.  Every learner is expected to complete homework weekly on Educake, our on-line learning platform.  If for any reason they cannot access this at home please remind them that they can access the LRC at school during break and lunch to complete work. The KS3 homework schedule is:

Could I ask that you encourage your child to access the homework as it will support them in their upcoming assessments for Cycle 2 and make them more confident learners.  The homework is self-marking and they will receive feedback on their strengths and weaknesses immediately allowing them to focus on areas they need to develop.  Details on how your child can access Educake can be found at the bottom of this newsletter.

We will continue to focus on attendance for the next few weeks and we will once again be running attendance rewards as we move closer to the February half term, please encourage your child to participate in this competition by attending every day and being on time for line-up to be in with a chance to win some great rewards.

Year 10 has been having assembly sessions around pregnancy and personal hygiene with external providers ‘Step2’. External visitors have commented that pupils have engaged well with the content anWe are continuing our focus on attendance in the coming weeks and from next week we will be starting the ‘Attendance Streaks’ again having regular reward prize draws for pupils who have blocks of 100% attendance each week. 

As a year team we want to share that we are pro approach to their GCSE years. Thank you all.

Year 11 have started 2026 positively and there has been a lot going on in and around school. As I write this, the year group are currently halfway through their mock exams. They have managed the pressure and change in routine excellently. The most recent feedback from the invigilators is the year group are on track to be the best cohort yet. Student attendance through the mock exam period has also increased, demonstrating students desire to achieve and do the best they can. As we move into the second part of the year it is vital students continue to attend every day to close the gaps in knowledge which have been identified in the current mock exams.

While the exams have been going on, students have also been taking part in their interviews for a sixth form place next year, gaining valuable interview skills which they will be able to put to good use in the coming years, while also receiving support ensuring the subjects the students are choosing are best suited to their future careers. There is also the Craven College Taster Day which took place on Friday 30^th January, with over 100 Year 11 students taking part, all gaining further insight into possible courses they could choose locally.

Finally, two enrichment updates. Jess has been fundraising to raise money for an expedition to Peru in South America this coming summer. Jess is £200 away from achieving her fundraising target of £17000. A huge well-done Jess, we are sure the communities you will be working with will feel the benefit of your support.

Similarly, a huge well done and good luck to Yvie L-H who has been selected to represent GB at the upcoming Taekwondo Championships in Belgium.

Have a brilliant rest in 2 weeks’ time, keep doing your best and remember to make every day count.

Reminder: Year 11 6^th Form taster day is taking place on the 6^th of February. Students who have indicated they would like to accept a place in the 6^th form next year will be taking part in several “micro” 6^th form lessons to get a flavour of the different subjects they are interested in.

We are pleased to share the link for our Year 11 leavers hoodies. Please click on the link below to place your order.

OB502 Beckfoot Oakbank leavers overhead hoodie – GDB Manufacturing

The deadline for the hoodie order is Monday 18^th May and they will be delivered in school on Tuesday 9^th June.

Year 12 students have been equally busy this term, seeking work experience placements and planning a variety of charitable activities. These include initiatives such as “Name Grace’s Dog” and facilitating bingo sessions with elderly residents in the local community.

A special mention must go to Year 12 students S and L Brownless, who, alongside their family, have raised an incredible £200,000 for Prostate Cancer UK. Earlier this month, their outstanding efforts were recognised at an awards ceremony held in London.

CTMC students have been involved in a wide range of positive and engaging activities across the school. After exams, students took part in a 3k run to promote healthy living and provide a great outlet for releasing built up energy. In Year 9, pupils have been developing their creativity through a graffiti inspired art project, designing and creating their own images using spray paint techniques. Alongside this, they have begun their study of Jekyll and Hyde, building key analytical skills and exploring complex themes within the text.

Elsewhere in the school, Step2 and The James Project have been working closely with both girls’ and boys’ groups, delivering valuable sessions focused on respect and how we treat others. Year 11 students have been busy completing their mock examinations, with some also trialling the school’s new examination software in preparation for the summer exams. Meanwhile, Year 10 students have been learning about renewable energy in science and showing real commitment to their GCSE Photography coursework, producing thoughtful and well developed work.

We have had feedback at our Parent Forum meeting that Parent/Carers are not receiving notifications that they have an announcement on their ClassCharts App.  Please can you ensure your notification settings are set to Allow Notifications with Banner Style as Persistent.

As ClassCharts is now the main form of communication it is important that you check the App for any messages and letters.