This term has been as full and vibrant as ever, and there's no better symbol of that than the fresh growth now appearing in our outdoor wellbeing space. Seedlings are in, planters are coming along beautifully, and students have been getting their hands in the soil; a timely reminder that, even in the thick of exam season, there is always something worth nurturing. We look forward to enjoying some home-grown fruit and vegetables before the summer break!

A standout highlight of this term has been the truly wonderful Neurodiversity Celebration Week, organised with real heart and creativity by our student leadership team. The week was packed with something for everyone: a competition to design a neuroinclusive classroom sparked some genuinely brilliant thinking; fidget toy and stress ball making in the canteen at lunchtime proved enormously popular (and therapeutic!); a short film viewing on neurodiversity in the library offered some quiet, reflective space; and the movie night, complete with free popcorn,  was a firm favourite. Arts and crafts sessions in the café, featuring clay, colouring and beadwork, brought students together across the week, while a dedicated Sensory Corner in the library provided a calm and welcoming anchor throughout. It was a celebration of identity and inclusivity that captured the very best of who we are as a community.

This spirit of looking outward and giving back was also on full display through The Date Project, which once again ran during Ramadan. This meaningful annual initiative reminds us that, however busy life gets, our young people consistently find time and energy to stand in solidarity with those beyond their own walls.

We are equally proud of the remarkable work done by our Respect Ambassadors this term. In honour of International Women's Day, they coordinated a truly moving initiative: the chance to buy a flower for a woman who inspires you. The response from students and staff was overwhelming, and the team raised over £200 in profit for Action Aid. Beyond this, the Respect Ambassadors wove a thoughtful series of events and activities into the tutor programme across the week, including some epically curated Charnwood FM anthems. 

Thank you also goes to members of the student leadership team who helped to run the Bristol Youth Election polling station, and to everyone that voted. Huge congratulations to our fabulous NBP16 student Pearl, who was elected to a seat on the Youth Council! Student achievements don’t stop there, congratulations also to Evelyn who studies French at Cotham and had her artistic efforts published in the University of Bristol's La Dépêche publication. A congratulations also extended to our fantastic basketball team for a number of nailbiting fixtures this term. 

Our Core Programme has again offered Year 12 students some rich and thought-provoking experiences this term. Highlights included a visit from Anthony Nolan, whose work on stem cell donation prompted real engagement and reflection, as well as a brilliant session from Laura Lalemi, who spoke about BAME women in STEM for International Women's Day. Laura's talk was inspiring, timely and generated some excellent discussion. The programme continues to broaden horizons and place our students' futures in an ever wider context.

On the academic front, our Year 12 students have completed their first Post 16 mock season with real maturity and focus; they have absolutely earned their Spring Break. A reminder that support with organisation, revision and a wide range of study skills is always available through our brilliant Academic Mentors in Upgrade. We encourage all students to explore the assessment support materials on the Upgrade page of our NBP16 Hub, which contains a wealth of resources and bespoke guidance (including support for managing exam anxieties) produced by NBP16 staff and students. A further reminder that any student eligible to use a reading pen in exams can borrow one from Ms Beaver for in-class assessments to build their confidence with the tool ahead of the summer.

We also want to extend huge congratulations to all of our Extended Project Qualification students who have met their submission deadline this term. The range and ambition of projects has been genuinely impressive from original artwork and music, to essays of real intellectual rigour and depth. Many could sit comfortably alongside undergraduate work, and all of them reflect the extraordinary passion and curiosity our students bring to their studies.

As always, it is brilliant to see our students playing an active role in shaping their experience here. STRIDE this term was a fantastic occasion; a real conversation between students and staff about what is working well and where we can do even better. Thank you to everyone who came along and contributed so openly and constructively. Your voices genuinely matter and directly inform the way we work. 

World Book Day this term brought the whole centre to life, with the Charnwood Global Fairytales theme inspiring some spectacular transformations. A special mention must go to Ms Din, who fully committed to finding her inner villain and carried it off with magnificent style. Alongside the dress-up, the week offered a scavenger hunt, a mask-making workshop and a library that had been festively and beautifully decorated for the occasion. A wonderful celebration of stories, creativity and imagination.

It is always difficult to capture everything in a single update, but what shines through here is our community of young people who work hard, care deeply, support one another and consistently exceed expectations. We are hugely proud of all of them.

All that remains is to wish our students, and their families and carers, a thoroughly well-deserved Spring Break. We hope there is time for rest, fresh air and a little fun. Look out for our end-of-term Wellbeing Bulletin, emailed to students on the last day of term, for ideas and resources to support a healthy break. See you in Term Five!