As Term Five draws to a close, we reflect on another busy, and smile-filled few weeks that (despite the chaotic weather) have captured everything we love about North Bristol Post 16: the talent, the creativity, the resilience, and above all, the community spirit that makes this place special.

This term marked a heartfelt goodbye to our Year 13 and Foundation students. Year 13 celebrated the end of their Post 16 journey with a lively and moving Leavers' Assembly: an afternoon of live music, student-made films full of in-jokes and memories, and a host of awards and speeches that reflected just how far each of them has come. It was, as ever, a moment filled with equal measures of laughter and pride. Year 13s have since been doing the rounds, saying their goodbyes to staff who've supported them throughout their time with us. A special mention this year must go to the students who marked the occasion by taking a study break to produce a dub remix of the school bell; we are, frankly, obsessed with it, and it may be the most fitting send-off we've ever received.

Our Foundation students gathered for their own leaving celebration and it was a really lovely occasion to recognise the progress and growth they've demonstrated this year. Watching them leave with confidence and a sense of what comes next is always one of the highlights of the term. We are looking forward to welcoming the vast majority of them back to join level 3 courses with us from September. 

Exam season is well and truly underway, and what has struck us most is the purposeful, focused atmosphere that has settled across the building. Students are showing up, putting the work in, and supporting one another… and we couldn't be prouder. Attendance, focus, and positive attitudes have been genuinely impressive, and it is a pleasure to move through the building during this period and feel that sense of collective endeavour.

Our wellbeing garden has been blooming, thanks to the students who've continued to tend it as part of our ongoing wellbeing provision. There is something quietly uplifting about watching plants grow alongside the people who planted them. This term we've also been blown away by the after-school Create Club, where students have been producing some truly incredible work: intricate paper sculptures, hand-built clay pieces, and beautifully crafted crochet creations. It has been a joy to see what emerges when students are given the time and space to make something with their hands, whilst chatting through their experiences of the day.

This term also saw the return of our Post 16 Sports Day, and what a brilliant afternoon it was. Students threw themselves into a brilliant lineup of events including egg and spoon, sack races, frisbee golf, and a fiercely contested tug of war. All fought with an enthusiasm and competitive spirit that was genuinely infectious. The students were absolutely incredible throughout. Staff also took part, and we are delighted to report that we came a thoroughly proud last place. Some battles are better lost with grace.

Year 12 students had a brilliant core session this term delivered by Into University, exploring the full landscape of higher education, from UK universities to international options, helping students think carefully about what the right next step looks like for them. It was an informative, horizon-broadening session that generated a lot of great conversation, and we're grateful to Into University for delivering it so engagingly.

Our Gold Duke of Edinburgh students headed out on expedition this term, navigating challenging conditions with the kind of determination and good humour that makes us enormously proud. Meanwhile, Geography students made their annual trip to Slapton, getting out into the field to explore coastal landscapes and apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting. As ever, a highlight of the Geography year.

It wouldn’t be our end of term update without bragging about the individual achievements of our young people. We are thrilled to share some brilliant news about one of our students, Meriel, who has had a remarkable term in the world of Cornish Gig Rowing. After a gruelling winter training schedule (including one memorable morning breaking ice in Bristol's Floating Harbour) Meriel was selected for the Bristol Gig Club's Women's Senior C crew and travelled to the Isles of Scilly for the World Championships. Racing in the heritage boat Dolphin, the team delivered a standout performance, winning their Round 3 heat against 11 other crews in a 2.2km sprint from Nut Rock, Tresco. You can watch that race here. This follows Meriel's already legendary performance in the Great River Race last September, where her junior crew placed 4th out of over 100 boats in a 26-mile marathon through London. We are so proud of her.

A group of our students recently returned from the Bordeaux Exchange, and what a trip it was. Between them, they visited the Dune de Pilat (Europe's largest sand dune), took a day trip to San Sebastián, explored the Bassin d'Arcachon, sampled cannelés, wine, Saint-Émilion macarons and rather a lot of excellent sausages, went treetop climbing, swam in the sea, and even attended a meeting with both the Mayor of Bordeaux and the Mayor of Bristol. Each student spent a day at the lycée, highlights including a presentation on the English school system and, less thrillingly, two hours of maths. But, the thing that stands out most in all their accounts is the warmth of their exchange partners and the friendships made. Whether staying in the heart of Bordeaux or in a small village in the south-west, they came home with improved French, brilliant memories, and the distinct sense of having genuinely lived in France for a while, not just visited. 

We also want to take a moment to celebrate the students who took part in the Lessons from Auschwitz programme this term. Freya, Gwen, and their fellow participants attended orientation seminars, visited the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum in Poland, and produced a thoughtful and moving written reflection on their experience. It is clear the programme had a profound impact, not just in deepening their historical understanding, but in prompting genuine reflection on kindness, prejudice, and the responsibility we all carry to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves. One student remarked: “For me, the most surprising part about this project was how much it affected me. I went into this thinking people were exaggerating when they told me it would be a very strange and upsetting experience, but I think they were underestimating it.” We are incredibly proud of them.

All that remains is to wish our students a thoroughly well-deserved half term break. A reminder that the weekly Post 16 Futures Bulletin is emailed directly to students and is always worth a read. We also encourage everyone to take proper time to rest and to look out for the end-of-term Wellbeing Bulletin, which will land in inboxes before the break. Take care of yourselves, and we look forward to the final push of the year together.