I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate those Year 11 students that put the upmost effort into their recent mock exams. You have shown how self-motivation can pay off! I would like to give a particular shout out to Keiron F and Sheik C for their unwavering dedication in History. I would also like to praise Kayden H for his vast improvement and acquisition of fundamental historical disciplines, that were skilfully demonstrated in his assessment papers!

Well done boys, Mr Mansfield.  

This week, Year 10 students had the opportunity to take part in the “My Money: Jobs & Apprenticeships” talks, which were delivered during their regular maths lessons. The sessions provided an excellent link to their ongoing classroom work on money management, fractions, decimals, and percentages, and offered students practical insights into careers and personal finance.

The talks began with an activity on true or false statements about work and apprenticeships, helping students learn key facts about workers’ rights, including pay entitlements and the differences between full-time, part-time, and zero-hour contracts. This activity encouraged students to think critically about employment conditions and understand what to expect as they transition into the working world.

In the second activity, students were challenged with a hypothetical budgeting exercise. Given £320 as a weekly wage, they had to plan their spending on essentials such as food, bills, and accommodation. This hands-on task demonstrated the importance of financial literacy and the need to make thoughtful spending choices to manage limited resources effectively.

Students were also introduced to apprenticeships as a valuable career pathway, learning how they provide a unique opportunity to earn while learning and gain practical skills in a chosen field. The talks also covered the skills employers are looking for, helping students understand how to prepare for future opportunities.

These sessions not only supported the maths curriculum but also provided essential life skills that students can carry with them into adulthood. We’re proud of how engaged and thoughtful our Year 10s were throughout the talks, and we thank the presenters for delivering such a valuable learning experience.

Year 10 BTEC Drama Students Explore Characterization with Professional Actor

On Thursday, Year 10 BTEC Drama pupils had the exciting opportunity to attend a workshop led by a professional actor, where they explored key drama devices and how to bring characters to life through physical performance. The session focused on Blood Brothers, a well-known play by Willy Russell, and provided pupils with valuable tools for enhancing their portrayal of characters using body language and facial expressions.

The workshop began with an overview of essential drama devices that actors use to engage audiences and develop characters. These devices include monologue, soliloquy, freeze frame, gesture, and dramatic irony. Through practical exercises, students learned how these tools help tell a story beyond just spoken words.

One of the core focuses of the workshop was on how to convey characterization through non-verbal performance. The professional actor emphasized that body language and facial expressions are powerful tools for conveying the emotional depth of a character without relying solely on dialogue.

To demonstrate this, the actor led the class through a series of exercises where pupils embodied different characters from Blood Brothers. Each pupil was asked to perform a short scene while paying particular attention to their posture, movement, and expressions. The professional actor offered personalized feedback, showing how slight changes in stance or facial expression could dramatically shift the way a character was perceived. For instance, shifting from an open posture to a closed, defensive position can instantly reveal a character's internal conflict or insecurity.

The actor used scenes from Blood Brothers to bring these techniques into context. In particular, they looked at how the characters of Mickey and Eddie, as well as their mother, Mrs. Johnstone, are portrayed through both physicality and dialogue. For instance, Mickey’s physical transformation—from a cheerful, energetic young boy to a more frustrated and defeated adult—was explored in depth. By adjusting his posture, movements, and facial expressions, pupils were able to understand how to reflect these changes in their own performances.

By the end of the workshop, Year 10 BTEC Drama pupils had gained a deeper understanding of how to use body language and facial expressions to bring characters to life on stage. The professional actor’s expert guidance helped pupils to see beyond the script and focus on how their physical choices could enhance their storytelling.

The session was an invaluable opportunity for pupils to refine their performance skills and gain insight into the professional world of acting. As they continue to study Blood Brothers, the techniques they learned will no doubt prove useful in helping them create more dynamic, engaging portrayals of the play’s complex characters.