“If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you” is a quote that I read on a wall this week. How true is this? Sometimes when we work with our young people about making positive choices, they often find it really difficult to make the right choice. Often when they make the wrong choice, they get upset and frustrated because they know they have done wrong and regret this.

I am so happy this week to have awarded Seamus ‘Senior Leadership Pupil of the Week’ for making a right choice – this was to tell the truth about a situation that happened one lunchtime this week. I am very proud of Seamus and couldn’t wait to phone his Dad to give him the positive news..

This week I have had the pleasure of observing teaching and learning here at Spring Brook Upper. I really feel privileged to be able to go into our classrooms and see some amazing learning going on. Mr Mullins taught an English lesson linked to topic work about the Civil War. The boys were engrossed in their sentence writing. Mrs Young’s class were reciprocal reading a Charles Dickens text linked to their topic on the Industrial Revolution and the Victorians. The boys really did remember lots of previous learning which helped them to answer questions about the text read. Mrs Walters’ class were learning about addition in Maths using some equipment to help them; later I observed them in PE and was amazed with the progress they all made during the lesson.

Thank you to all staff for allowing myself and our directors into your classrooms this week. It is safe to say that the high expectations in Key Stage 3 for teaching and learning are evident. All lessons were good to outstanding.

This week we have welcomed Mr Roscoe to our Spring Brook family..

Mr Roscoe has joined our team as a new teacher. Welcome Sir – I am sure that you will enjoy your time with us here as your new journey begins.

Let’s have a look at the learning in our Nurture Group..

Where has this week gone?  The group have been really busy with lots of work and activities completed.

In our Maths lessons we have completed work around number bonds, addition and finding the missing digits..

In art and craft the boys have built the frame for their plant pot holders. Every member of staff who has seen them has commented on how much patience the boys have had to make them – well done boys..

In English we are looking at how important it is to follow instructions. During their free time and class bonding activity the boys wanted to have a game of Monopoly. Mr Newton kept his eye out to make sure the rules were followed..

Joshua wanted to build a large tower out of Lego and he made sure Mrs Walters stayed on task building it with him!

While shopping for the ingredients for food technology, Kieran showed a lot of respect to an elderly lady, asking if she needed help putting her shopping on the conveyer belt at the checkout. She commented on his kindness. It was lovely to see this, well done Kieran. 

In their lesson the group made a lovely dish of savoury rice..

All the boys worked safely, following the recipe and staff instructions..

Thanks for another good week, boys.

Mr Mullins’ class did some great work in the Design Technology studio. Mr Pidlyskyj was really impressed with all of the boys and their great wood cutting skills – we will show you the pictures of their work next week!

So, that ends this week’s blog. Remember that quote, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.” Sometimes we don’t enjoy a challenge, do we? If we want to see a change, we need to stick with the challenge.

Miss Rodgers
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