It’s such a privilege, as we close the first half of the Autumn term, to share with you all the fantastic work our children and young people have been doing. Please do take time to look at their efforts, and your child’s relevant year group message. Our continued vision of Commitment, Opportunity, Respect, and Excellence guides everything we do, and it has been wonderful to see our students embodying these values every day.
Once again I am thrilled to share, after the publication of KS4 national school performance measures, that NLS was the highest performing non selective school in Warwickshire. This is testament to the hard work of students, staff and you at home who I know work tirelessly to support your children. To yet again be top of all providers in Warwickshire who support a fully inclusive intake of young people is brilliant – for full details please https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/
Congratulations to all those students who have been awarded leadership positions within the school. Both Jimmy and Amelia, our two Senior Students, have been representing the views of our student council fantastically well. Student voice and its clear representation always helps drive our community forward keeping it relevant and ever evolving. In addition a thank you to Mrs Harding, who has again secured our International School status through her tireless work with our International Student Leaders and curriculum development work.
Our website is regularly updated, I hope this is a source of helpful information. I know many parents and carers make use of the online safety newsletter – October’s edition can be found hereonline-safety newsletter and has some excellent updates on platforms such as YouTube, WhatsApp and the new Apple iOS 26 operating system.
Lastly, I ask as always, take time to praise your children for their areas of success this term. Whatever phase they may be, from our Year 7’s and Year 12 students who have settled incredibly well to the students managing mocks or NEA work, those with high numbers of reward points, excellent attendance or those who have taken the opportunities of leadership roles or participation in extracurricular work – it’s these small daily efforts that pave the way for success when the big challenges come their way.
Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Wishing you and your family a restful and enjoyable half-term break.
The Department for Education has released Key Stage 4 performance statistics of student outcomes 2024/25. Progress measures aren’t being published for this cohort as KS4 pupils in this year did not have KS2 assessments due to the Covid Pandemic, however attainment scores have now been released...
We are delighted to share the news that we have received confirmation of achieving the highest level of International School Status again from the British Council! This is a testament to the hard work of staff across the school and the fantastic range of 'International school' projects...
As an International School we provide opportunities for all of our students to experience the world in different ways.
Students attended over three days last week with their Tutors in their Colleges, which also gave them an opportunity to build relationships within their Tutor Group...
We welcome prospective Year 12 students to our Sixth Form Open Evening on Thursday 6 November from 6.00 to 8.00pm.
Join us and find out what our Sixth Form has to offer and how we support all our students to reach their potential.
This is a great opportunity to meet teachers, discov...
What a fantastic start to secondary school life our Year 7 students have made! Transitioning from primary to secondary school can be a challenging time, but our new cohort has adapted brilliantly and are now fully integrated into our school community. They have embraced new routines, formed new frie...
It has been a fabulous first half term for Year 8 at North Leamington School. It has been wonderful to see the year group grow into their new position as role models to those new starters in Year 7. As always, it has been an extremely busy half term; there has been a lot going on, as well as m...
As we come to the end up the first half-term of Year 9, we want to take a moment to celebrate the excellent progress so many students have made and to share some important information about the term ahead.
We are incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication Year 9 students have shown througho...
As we reach the half-term break, I’m delighted to share an update on the fantastic progress, achievements, and spirit of our Year 10 students. They have begun this academic year with real enthusiasm, maturity, and commitment — and I couldn’t be prouder of the way they’ve embr...
As we reach the end of our first half term, I wanted to take the opportunity to reflect on what has been a truly outstanding start for Year 11. The students have approached this important year with maturity, enthusiasm, and a genuine commitment to success. From the very first day, they have hit the...
It has been an excellent term once more here at NLS. We are delighted that provisional data available to us suggests that, where we were the highest performing Sixth Form of any and every post-16 provider in Warwickshire last year (and in the top 3% nationally), we are likely to be performing in sim...
This term students enjoyed their first College Assembly of the year. It's a lovely opportunity for students to meet in their Colleges and also to welcome our Year 7s.
Competiton amongst the Colleges will be fierce again this year for events and we start the year for Rewards, with Blackdown just in front with the highest number for this term.
Following the appointment of our Senior Student Leaders and Assistant Senior Student Leader last term, student leadership opportunities are also available across all year groups and we are delighted to share the student leader appointments that have taken place this term.
Our Year 12 Student College Leaders and Year 11 Deputy College Leaders have an important role in supporting their College and Year Leads with a range of activities throughout the academic year which include presenting in assemblies and helping with specific activities. A key aim of the role is to promote College identify, engagement and spirit.
Congratulations to those appointed:
Year 12 College Leaders and Year 11 Deputy College Leaders
Year 10 Careers Leaders
Year 10 Sports Leaders
Year 9 Charity and Community Leaders
Year 8 International Leaders
Year 7 students will have opportunities for Eco Leaders and Transition later in the year.
We wish all our Student Leaders a successful year. We look forward to their achievements and hope they all enjoy their role.
Senior Student Leadership Training During Enrichment
Senior and Assistant Senior Student Leaders have taken part in training sessions on leadership during enrichment this half term.
Sessions have covered What is Leadership? Students have discussed who they thought were good leaders and why, essential qualities and students reflected on their experiences. This was followed by looking at what is leadership, the difference in leading and managing and Functional Leadership Theory.
Year 10 students have made a fantastic start to the term and have enjoyed learning about Enterprise, entrepreneurship and how to put business ideas into practice. They have been very creative through adding value to shortbread biscuits. Students are developing their literacy skills through learning lots of new terminology and key terms.
It is imperative that all students complete revision resources and practice questions from the workbook to check understanding. All resources are can be found on the Digital Learning Hub. There are support sessions after school on Tuesday for students to help with revision strategies or course content if needed.
In addition to the resources on the Digital Learning Hub we recommend purchasing a Business revision guide - Pearson REVISE Edexcel GCSE Business Revision Guide incl. online revision and quizzes – for 2026, 2027 exams
which can be purchased from Amazon.
Year 11 students have made a great start to Topic 2.3 Making Operational Decisions this half-term. They have enjoyed studying the methods of production, quality techniques and supplier relationships with particular focus on the automotive industry. It is important that all students continue to update their revision resources for all topics covered in lessons. Students have completed an assessment to identify gaps in learning and this will enable us to put appropriate support in place. Intervention for Year 11 students will resume after half term on Tuesday after school. All students have been given a Revision timetable for Business which they can adapt to fit in with their other subjects. Students need to ensure revision is in place for their December mock.
Year 12 students have made a great start to their studies at the sixth form this term and have enjoyed learning about the market, elasticity, demand and supply. They have investigated the fundamental of setting up a new business through researching forms of ownership and sources of finance available.
Students should be consolidating all revision notes for both themes and developing their balanced chains of arguments. All topic PowerPoints, exam questions and gap tasks are on the Digital Learning Hub. If students need any support with either exam technique, revision methods or they have questions over content there are sessions available after school on Tuesday and Wednesday.
In addition to the resources on the Digital Learning Hub we recommend purchasing a Business revision guide -
Pearson REVISE Edexcel AS/A level Business Revision Guide & Workbook: for home learning, 2022 and 2023 assessments and exams, which is available on Amazon.
Year 13 students are enjoying the challenge of the Globalisation module, in particular the topics of International Trade and Trading Blocs.
As part of their learning, students were challenged to create interactive teaching resources to deliver a lesson on Trading Blocs. They responded with imagination and enthusiasm, producing a wide range of creative and engaging materials. Among the highlights were Trade Blocs Trumps, Battleships and a variety of other games designed to make learning both fun and informative.
After half term, students will begin focusing on their pre-release topic in preparation for Paper 3. In addition to this, they are continuing to review revision materials from Year 12 and are actively identifying any gaps in their knowledge. To support this process, students will complete a mock Paper 3 exam in November. The results will help us pinpoint areas where individual students may need extra support, which will be addressed during our targeted support sessions.
Digital Learning Hub (DLH)
All of our resources including teacher presentations, knowledge organisers, extension tasks, revision material, flash cards, curriculum overviews, exam papers, mark schemes, etc. can be found on the Digital Learning Hub (DLH) under ‘Computer Science’. This is a fantastic place to find materials to close any gaps in learning through absence or general revision for upcoming assessments, tests or exams.
Year 7 – Using a Computer
This half term students have been familiarising themselves with the school network and learning how to use computers and the computer rooms safely and effectively including how to use OneNote for lessons. Students have all been shown how to access Go 4 Schools (G4S) to check their timetable, check for homework and check on their progress; please ask them to show you at home. You might need to remind them to use the “Sign in with Microsoft” button but apart from that, signing into the G4S website at home is just the same as they have done in school. Students will now have a wider understanding of how to be safe and responsible on the internet by investigating various threats including fake websites, safe searching, copyright, cyber bullying and predators amongst others and how to report these dangers.
Year 8 – Computational Thinking
This half term students have been learning about the four main theoretical cornerstones of computational thinking; Abstraction, Decomposition, Pattern Recognition and Algorithms whilst making connections between these with everyday activities and other subject areas.
Year 9 – Cyber Missions This half term students have developed their understanding of Cyber Security further by following the Cyber Explorers Missions platform created by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). This unit of work is closely linked to our careers program and development of Skills for Life. This platform has now been accredited by the Scottish Qualification Authority (SQA) and, on successful completion, students will receive a certificate of achievement equivalent to SCQF Level 5.
Cyber Explorers
Last year our students completed units of work developed around the government Cyber Explorers platform (Year 8 – Cyber Challenges and Year 9 – Cyber Missions). The Cyber Challenges element allowed students to discover the vital role of technology in daily life and careers while learning to use it safely and securely. Each Challenge presents a mix of engaging games, quizzes and puzzles. Students learnt how to broaden their thinking, make smarter choices and develop essential cyber security skills. Students used the skills they gained to stop a cyber-attack and demonstrated how they could contribute to keeping our world a safer place to live in. These real-world skills will be invaluable in their lives and future careers. Upon completing the Challenges, successful students earned a certificate indicating their achievement of Cyber Explorers Squad Member (SCQF Level 4). The Cyber Missions element posed a series of critical challenges from safeguarding networks to rescuing a city's traffic system. Students navigated through an interactive landscape of fun educational activities, taking their problem-solving skills and cyber security abilities to a more advanced level. These Missions not only prepared students to outsmart hackers but they also got to grips with the Computer Misuse Act and were introduced to the National Cyber Agency's Cyber Choices programme, which aims to teach young people how to make the right decisions and how to use technology legally and ethically. Upon completing the Missions, successful students earned a certificate indicating their achievement of Cyber Explorers Champion (SCQF Level 5).
GCSE Computer Science
All of our GCSE students have continued to develop their programming skills using a high-level language (Python). In addition to this …
Year 10 – GCSE Computer Science
Along with their programming development students have been gaining an understanding of the structure and purpose of the Central Processing Unit (CPU) which includes the fetch-execute cycle, common CPU components and their function (Arithmetic Logic Unit, Control Unit, Cache and Registers) and the Von Neumann architecture registers (Memory Address Register, Memory Data Register, Program Counter and Accumulator).
Students have also looked at the factors affecting the performance of a CPU such as Clock Speed, Number of Core and Cache Size along with being able to distinguish between a multi-purpose computer and an embedded system whilst giving examples to demonstrate their understanding.
Year 11 – GCSE Computer Science Students have developed their understanding of the principles of computational thinking (abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition and algorithms), learnt how to write or refine algorithms, perfected how to identify syntax/logic errors and created and used trace tables to follow an algorithm. Students have also deepened their understanding of the standard searching algorithms (Binary and Linear) and the standard sorting algorithms (Bubble, Merge and Insertion). Students are continually encouraged to revise topics already covered in Year 10 via homework tasks and the use of the Smart Revise platform.
Additional Support
I would also just like to touch base regarding support and additional work that can be completed at home for your child in their final year of GCSE Computer Science. Firstly, we will have a study support session running after school one day a week in the lead up to their mock exam where students can work on their weaker areas and get additional support, we will provide resources for students to access to help close gaps in learning. This is currently invitation only following outcomes from the Year 10 progression exam. If the opportunity for your child to attend after school is not possible may I draw your attention to the curriculum overview which can be found here (scroll down to the bottom of the page). This not only gives an overview of what topics are going to be taught but are especially useful is the optional homework and literacy sections on the right. Here you can find many resources to guide your child to so they can work more independently at home. I would highly recommend the Oak National Academy links which are created by teachers and are pretty much online tutors, there are lessons, videos and worksheets/activities to get engaged with plus the website links for NGfL and Mission Encodeable they are specifically designed to help with programming techniques and develop skills in an interactive way.
Please also encourage your child to regularly access their Smart Revise platform. This has been purchased for them to aid recall, develop their literacy of key terminology and exam question technique. Please aim to get them onto the Advance section for approximately 15-20mins each evening to expose them to exam style questioning and build confidence.
Year 12 – A Level Computer Science
Students have started the year learning about computational thinking methods including abstraction, decomposition, pattern recognition, thinking procedurally, thinking ahead, thinking logically and thinking concurrently and being able to apply these concepts to programming problems. Students have also learnt more about the CPU from GCSE including additional concepts such as pipelining, different architectures, types of processors, multicore and parallel systems, GPU’s and how all of these factors impact on the performance of a computer system.
Year 13 – A Level Computer Science
Students are now well into their programming projects which will be completed towards the end of December. This element allows students to demonstrate their application of software development methods whilst giving students the freedom to express their creativity in solving a problem using computational thinking methods. Students are continually encouraged to revise topics already covered in Year 12 via homework tasks and the use of the Smart Revise platform. We have had study support sessions running after school one day a week in the lead up to their mock exam where students have been working on their weaker areas and getting additional support. This has been invitation only following outcomes from the Year 12 progression exam. If the opportunity for your child to attend after school is not possible may I draw your attention to the curriculum overview which can be found here (scroll down to the bottom of the page). This not only gives an overview of what topics are going to be taught but are especially useful is the optional homework and literacy sections on the right. Here you can find many resources to guide your child to so they can work more independently at home.
Extra Support – GCSE and A Level
For all our GCSE & A Level students there is a continued promotion of using the Smart Revise platform (Years 11, 12 and 13) and Revise:CSUK (Year 10) to develop and enhance student’s ability to recall information and facts plus improve their use of literacy and keywords around the subject. Your support by encouraging your child to engage with this at home on a regular basis is much appreciated. Each student has their own personal login and can access the platform on any device through a web browser.
iDEA Award
We encourage all students to at least complete the Bronze award for iDEA. This is something students can access at home as well as in class, students have their own individual logins for these. These certificates are an invaluable addition to CV’s, references, College, University applications plus apprenticeships and are nationally recognised as evidence of IT literacy competency in the workplace.
Supporting Students At All Levels
We are currently promoting independence in computer science and have a variety of support mechanisms students can access during their lesson or even at home through our Digital Learning Hub (DLH). Some of these strategies are outlined in the image below:
Computing Literacy
The computer science department now has a selection of fiction, non-fiction and coding books plus a range of revision guides available to loan from either the department itself or the school library to supplement homework and NLS literacy focus as a whole. We also have a large selection of computing magazines. We will be adding to this over the next year so, if you have any recommendations that you would like to see included, please email Mr Sycamore to add to the reading list. Some ideas to get started …
Year 7
Year 7 Drama students follow a programme of learning that introduces them to Drama. This term they have established relationships within the group to create an effective ensemble and completed activities that helped them to build confidence. They also explored a range of Drama strategies, including Still Images, Narration, Thought-Tracking, Transitions and Choral Skills.
Year 8
Year 8 Drama students have explored approaches to devising through improvisation. They focused on collaboration skills and how to work effectively in a group, while continuing to develop their use of Drama strategies such as Still Images, Narration, Thought-Tracking and Transitions. Students also created small performances in pairs and groups, exploring a variety of roles and scenarios to build their confidence and storytelling skills.
Year 9
Year 9 Drama students chose their own stimuli and explored the themes and stories linked to their chosen topics to create group performances.
Year 10 (GCSE Drama)
Year 10 GCSE Drama students worked towards a devised performance that makes up 40% of their final GCSE grade. Working collaboratively as designers or performers, students created performances based on stimuli of their own choosing. Initial ideas ranged from exploring the impact of social media on well-being to historical figures such as Joan of Arc, as well as the Butterfly Effect.
Students will perform their final pieces in the Spring Term and have been completing weekly rehearsal homework to support their progress.
Year 11 (GCSE Drama)
Year 11 GCSE Drama students revised Component 3: Theatre Makers in Practice (Written Exam). This component has two areas of focus:
The study of one complete performance text (An Inspector Calls by J. B. Priestley)
A live theatre evaluation.
This half term, students revised Section A of the written exam. In this section, students are given an extract from the play and must answer questions from the perspective of:
Performer (4-mark and 6-mark questions)
Director (9-mark design focus, 12-mark performer focus)
Designer (14-mark question)
Students used revision checklists to identify areas for improvement. This included exploring the plot, characters and themes, as well as focusing on the Drama terminology needed for written responses. They also revised the historical context of when the play is set (1912) and when it was first performed (1945) and practised exam-style questions.
For homework this half term, Year 11 also rehearsed for their Component 2 Performance exam, which will take place in the Spring Term.
Enrichment in Drama Drama Leader Training
This half term, Year 9 students undertook a Drama Leader Training programme over two weeks after school, in preparation for launching the KS3 Vibe Drama Club.
Vibe Drama Club
Vibe Drama Club launched on Wednesday 1 October, with a fantastic turnout. The club runs every Wednesday after school from 3.15–4.15pm. Students take part in a range of activities, including games and performance work, with opportunities to showcase their work to small audiences.
Rehearsal Club
Rehearsal Club launched on Thursday 2 October and supports students in developing their performance, design, directing and technical skills. Drama students are encouraged to attend to rehearse coursework and assessment pieces, but the space is also open to those working on independent projects or audition preparation.
Rehearsals take place every Thursday after school from 3.15–4.15pm.
It has truly been a pleasure to meet and teach our lovely new cohort of Year 7’s this half term, they have started their English journey at NLS so wonderfully. Already Year 7 have untaken a plethora of activities including baseline testing, star reader quizzes on Accelerated Reader, spelling tests and started on our introductory scheme: Literary Villains.
Students have explored antagonists ranging from Disney’s Prince Hans and the Evil Queen, morally grey characters like Gollum and Snape to the malicious and menacing Captain Hook and Count Olaf. They have been introduced to analytical writing, a new skill that is introduced in the secondary curriculum, where they will give an opinion on a text, use quotations to support and explore the language of writers and the way they present their villains – this is a difficult and often daunting task but our young writers have absolutely taken this in their stride and shown real potential in face of Literature.
International Schools Project This term, we were delighted to launch our International Schools Spy Project with Year 7. Each year, our students collaborate with our partner school, Anjuman-I-Islam School in Mumbai, India, to co-create an original spy and villain narrative. To begin the project, Year 7s designed their own secret agents, producing vivid character descriptions and inventing an array of ingenious spy gadgets. One exceptional spy creation was selected from each class and will now be sent to our partner school, ready for the exciting next stage of the project, where our spies and villains will finally meet for the first time…
Year 8 We have welcomed back our wonderful Year 8 cohort with our study of Prejudice and Discrimination: a scheme that encompasses two tragic yet touching stories: The Bone Sparrow or Refugee Boy. Both texts explore the lives of children, exploring important themes of identity, struggle, injustice, friendship and hope. Students have been looking into the realities of detention centres around the world and using our central texts to analyse the experiences of those less fortunate than ourselves. In this unit, students have been continuing to develop their analytical writing skills, using the framework of what, how, why to explore the authors literary choices in presenting those young lives and what they intend to teach/encourage readers from the western world to do in response to the ongoing refugee crisis around the world.
Students have been completing independent reading and spelling practice for homework this half term, highlighting the importance of reading for pleasure and developing literacy skills. We whole-heartedly believe that continuing to engage and develop a love of reading will help nurture students' development within English, so it has been lovely to see their independent reading choices during homework and our dedicated reading time in lessons and the library.
After half-term, students will use their newfound understanding of theme and apply it to developing transactional writing: speeches, letters, essays and articles surrounding the refugee crisis, allowing them to offer their own ideas and perspectives around these heart-breaking anecdotes.
A reminder: Creative Writing Club with Miss Fitzgerald is running every Wednesday in H007, open to Year 7 and 8 - we will be developing our poetry and prose with workshops, games and drafting entries in national writing competitions where students can be in with the chance of winning books for themselves and the school, tech and even monetary prizes. New faces are always welcome.
Year 9 Our Year 9s have gone gothic this half-term, exploring Mary Shelley’s classic novel Frankenstein. This is a difficult yet dynamic and daring text that explores the consequences of ignoring morality and delving into deep realms of ambition for personal gain. As a 19th century tale, students have truly risen to the challenge of the increasingly difficult language and structure of more mature texts, allowing them to gain exposure to similar texts that they can expect to study as they enter KS4. Students have broadened their knowledge of literature analysis, using the GCSE assesment objectives to really develop their analytical writing skills, driving more thoughtful and perceptive responses throughout the year group.
We have seen some huge efforts in our peri-o-metre homework tasks this half-term, with students completing tasks such as writing letters acting as Frankenstein’s lawyer, writing a speech to the monster about the creation of its accomplice and creating their own life-saving invention. This engagement with home learning really underpins students' personal engagement with our central texts and we believe this really benefits their understanding, especially from an AO3 perspective: exploring the themes, authorial intentions and contextual understanding of Frankenstein.
Using the themes of science and morality explored this half-term, we cannot wait to continue developing students' knowledge with fan-favourite unit, Science and Experiments, next half term. Students will explore a range of psychological experiments, discussing their morality and ethics and producing speeches around subjects such as animal and human testing: is it for the greater good or purely immoral?
Year 10 In their introductory half-term as GCSE students, Year 10 have been busy getting to grips with all things Language and Literature, giving an insight of the two courses they will study over the next 24 months. Students have started engaging with creative writing, promoting the skills of Language Paper 1, Question 5. Whether description or narrative, students explored the importance of language through figurative techniques, ambitious vocabulary and matching tone and mood, structure via paragraphing, discourse markers and varied sentences and the vitality of technical accuracy throughout their writing. In their assessments, teachers commented on their glorious imagery, shocking cliff-hangers and clever structural choices, making their creative writing a true joy to read.
Towards the end of the half-term, students have switched to the Literature choice, beginning to explore the GCSE AQA Power and Conflict anthology, exploring poets from Blake to Browning and Heaney to Hughes, encompassing a plethora of themes including reality and effects of war and the power of man vs nature. Using their analytical skills that they develop from KS3, students have comprehended the plot of the poetry and explore the language, structural and form choices poets use to create meaning for readers, highlighting what we must learn/realise/be warned about regarding the overarching theme of Power and Conflict.
The efforts of Year 10s are commendable as they enter this important transition period and they have shown some real promise thus far, well done to all! We can’t wait to continue to explore the Literature course, diving into 19th century texts Jekyll and Hyde/A Christmas Carol next half term.
Year 11 Entering their final KS4 year, Year 11 have been working hard towards completing their course content and revising for the Literature mock exam that took place earlier this week. At the start of the year, students began revision of unseen poetry and Power and Conflict which they completed in the previous academic year, looking at language, structure and form to explore a variety of different themes, including the power of institutions, significance of memory, importance of identity and many more. Our Year 11s have completed revision lessons, creating flashcard for quotation retrieval and knowledge organisers, as well as reading and writing practice paragraphs and essays to build up their writing stamina and deepen their understanding of the assessment objectives.
We have also continued to revise the fan favourite, Priestely’s An Inspector Calls, exploring the tragic fate of young Eva Smith at the hands of the wealthy Birling family. Whilst discussing and analysing key themes of social responsibility, age, gender and class, alongside key characters within the play, students have successfully reinforced an already strong knowledge of the text, through classwork, homework and our first two revision sessions, which had a strong turn out and led to some very detailed and meaningful discussions around our mock exam texts. We hope to see the same levels of outstanding commitment on the commencement of our more regular revision sessions which will begin in the Spring Term.
Next half-term we will be continuing to revise our final English Literature texts: Macbeth/Romeo and Juliet and A Christmas Carol and look forward to students making similar strides of progress that they have demonstrated this half term.
Year 12 Literature We are delighted by the uptake and enthusiasm for the subject with budding new English scholars joining the Literature fold. Year 12 have begun their ALevel journeys by exploring pre-1900 love poetry and engaging with Tennessee Williams’ ‘A Streetcar Named Desire’ in lessons.
Although, it may be early in the journey, we have launched the Non-Examined Assessment (NEA) component of the course where students can choose two texts to compare. Further details can be found on the Digital Learning Hub to support students through this project.
Below are extracts of excellent student essays exploring metaphysical
Year 13 Literature Our Year 13 students have returned from the summer break determined to succeed as they head towards the mock examination period in November. Students have been exploring the romantic delights of the famous American novel ‘The Great Gatsby’ by F. Scott Fitzgerald whilst exploring pre-1900 poetry with Mr Barrett.
Each student has now had an individual meeting to discuss the progress on their NEA and are on track to meet their Christmas deadline.
We wish students luck in their upcoming mocks for which they will be sitting a Paper 1: Love Through the Ages.
Please see below an example of a student’s diligence responding to feedback on ‘The Great Gatsby’ essay.
Year 12 Language and Literature
We have welcomed our latest cohort of Lang & Lit students by diving straight into the ‘Remembered Places’. Students are exploring and analysing a range of multi-modal texts to do with the city of love: Paris!
In these early stages of the course, students are introduced to fundamental linguistic and grammatical components that will underpin the rest of their study.
We have also launched the NEA with students, details for this study can be found on the Digital Learning Hub. Students really have a chance to explore non-literary and literary texts alongside each other, undergoing a forensic analysis of an aspect of language.
Please see below for an example of the kinds of academic writing students are already producing.
Year 13 Language and Literature Year 13 have completed most of their NEA work and have undergone sessions to support their referencing before their final submission at Christmas.
Students have been very keen to explore some recast work: this is an examined task where students are asked to rewrite a section of a novel from a different character’s perspective. Please see below for a superbly inventive piece by one of our students, with the base text Khaled Hosseini’s ‘The Kite Runner’.
We are so pleased with student progress so far and have been busily preparing students for their November mock which will be a Paper 2: Exploring Conflict. We wish good luck to our students!
Year 10 GCSE Media students have started their mock NEA work which is used to ground them in the use of the Adobe ICT software and the ways in which media texts communicate through iconography, typography and the ‘codes’ used as media language.
Students are exploring the action film genre by analysing the trailers for some well-known action films to help them develop a thorough understanding of the genre. This will be used so that they can fulfil the mock brief of creating a DVD cover for an action film. This is an opportunity for students to really let those creative juices flow as they will be in charge of creating their own action film narrative.
They have also been analysing the movie poster for the 1974 James Bond film ‘The Man with the Golden Gun’, again, looking at ways in which meanings are conveyed by media producers.
Year 11 GCSE Media students are completing their C3 NEAs and will be receiving feedback on these over the coming weeks – some examples of the work they have done are below.
From this point, where required, some students will undertake some intervention to make final adjustments and contact will be made by the Media team to ensure that students know what they need to do and how and when to make those improvements.
Year 11 have also been looking at Media Language and Representation in the BBC crime drama Luther and reflecting how media theorists would discuss the adaptations to the genre over time, especially in relation to the 1970s crime drama The Sweeney.
Year 13 students, have been busy completing the NEA section of their qualification – some examples can be seen below – as well as reviewing some of the topics that they have covered this year and preparing for their mock exam after half term. This mock will provide a real benchmark for where the students are and allow staff to look for areas of improvement that are required as they move towards their final A Level examinations in the summer of 2026. We wish them all the best in their forthcoming mock exams.
We are so delighted with the engagement of Year 7 in Geography lessons and it has been lovely exploring the British Isles with them in their first topic called “Is Britain Still Beautiful?” Within this topic we have been investigating current issues such as coastal erosion and how and if we should defend the coastline.
Year 8 have been exploring more global issues and completing a topic called “Why are we not all equally rich”? As part of this topic they look at a how trade can affect the development of countries and they play a very fast paced, engaging game called The trading game. In this the objective of the game is to make as much money as possible through the manufacturing of shapes and is always very interesting to see what trade deals they set up with other groups!
Year 9 have explored different ecosystems of the world including tropical rainforests and deserts.
Year 10 have made a superb start to GCSE Geography and have been completing a topic on natural hazards, both tectonic and weather hazards; we are very impressed with the positive attitude to learning in year 10 Geography lessons.
Year 11 have been studying the spectacular landscapes carved out by glaciers in a topic on glacial landscapes of the UK. They are looking forward to a fieldtip to Birmingham on 17 November, the aim of which it to how successful regeneration of the city has been.
At Key Stage 5, Year 13 have been busy completing their NEA based on a summer field visit to the coastal town of Southwold. Students have also been spending lesson time studying two very topical topics; Human Rights and Migration. In a recent migration lesson the class held a debate surrounding migration in both developed and less developed countries.
We had a fantastic day with the Year 12 Geographers exploring Grantchester and Cambridge as part of their Making Places, Changing Spaces topic. The students enjoyed a talk by local residents and then they conducted fieldwork in Grantchester. They then explored the Sedgewick Museum and went into Cambridge. We finished the day off punting on the River Cam, which everyone enjoyed. It was a great day, which really helped bring their case study to life. The students conducted themselves very well and were a credit to the school.
Year 11 Travel and Tourism students have been now working on their second Pearson set assignment for component 2: Customer needs in Travel and Tourism. This involves a combination of research and report writing for five individual tasks. They have been working very productively, so well done all. This coursework contributes to 30% of their overall assessment grade.
They are also looking forward to joining the Geography students on 17 November in Birmingham city centre where the travel and tourism students will be surveying and assessing the tourist attractions and facilities.
This term Year 13 Health and Social Care students have been busy studying for their Unit 2 exam in ‘Working in Health and Social Care.’ As well as specific settings and roles that offer health care, students examine the specific responsibilities these professions have including policies they follow to keep themselves and vulnerable service users safe, through infection control, safeguarding, completing risk assessments and ensuring cultural preferences are met and anti-discriminatory practises are followed. This examination unit is worth 33% of their overall grade. Students will have in class assessments until Christmas and will sit a mock examination in February. They have been busy preparing revision resources and practising exam skills through past paper questions and in class practices. Students are also producing coursework on ‘Meeting Individual Care and needs’ where they apply a range of strategies and approaches to three case studies. This coursework is worth 25% of the course. These two units can be synoptic in places and both require students to apply working practises to specific individuals. This coursework is detailed and requires the students to plan their time well and ensure they write up the coursework as they go.
Year 12 This term, Year 12 students studied Human Lifespan Development, focusing on how people change and grow across different life stages. They explored infancy, early childhood, adolescence, and early adulthood, considering both physical, intellectual, emotional and social development.
Students also began to investigate some of the common illnesses associated with each stage, such as conjunctivitis and chickenpox in infancy, and examined the role of vaccinations in preventing illness. They learned about what each vaccine protects against and how herd immunity helps to protect wider communities.
A particular highlight this term was the Baby Project. Each student was given responsibility for a baby doll for one week, keeping a diary to record their activities and the baby’s development. This gave them the chance to apply their knowledge of the infancy stage in a practical way. Alongside this, students researched the financial responsibilities of parenting, including the cost of day care and an average weekly shop for a family with a new baby.
Year 11 are currently completing their second component in Health and Social Care: Health and Social Care Services and Values. This unit comprises five tasks which gets the students to look at the different primary and secondary services in Health and Social Care. It also looks at the barriers to accessing these services and the skills, values and attributes required to work effectively with service users. Students will be completing their second written assessment which is contributes to 30% of their overall grade (30% was completed in the March of this year). Correspondence regarding the details have been sent so you are aware exactly when the students are completing their written assessment which will consist of five tasks across six hours. Intervention sessions will run w/c 3 November for four weeks for any students who like extra time and support for these tasks.
Year 10 Year 10 have been busy this term learning about Human Lifespan Development. They explored how people grow and change physically, intellectually, emotionally, and socially across the life stages, and even had a go at their very first piece of practice coursework.
Students worked hard on developing their writing skills, learning how to use specialist terms, explain them clearly, give detailed examples, and always use “because” to make sure their answers were fully explained.
One of the highlights for Class 10D was the arrival of Neil — the baby doll who quickly became a firm favourite! As well as offering some emotional support in lessons, Neil helped students make real-life links to the infancy stage of development.
Year 7 having started the year looking at the Norman invasion of 1066. Once we have completed assessment 1, looking at why William was successful at the Battle of Hastings, we will look at William’s consolidation of power with castles, the feudal system and the Domesday Book.
Year 8 began the year with the Reformation and we are now working our through the religious wars of the Tudors and the Stuarts until Easter, when we begin looking at the political and social reforms of the industrial period from 1750 to 1900.
Year 9 began the year with the complicated and contested causes of World War I. We are now looking at life in trenches for British soldiers. There is also a focus on the medical problems experienced in the trenches and the response of the Royal Army Medical Corps to these issues.
Year 10 have begun their GCSE with Paper 1, looking at Medicine Through Time and medical provision in World War I. Around Christmas, we will begin Paper 2 which looks at Early Elizabethan England and the Cold War. There is a revision book available on Parent Pay which covers all four units, over three papers at a cost of £9.78. Please look out for any revision homework set for half-termly assessments.
Year 11 complete Paper 3 in Year 11. We have been working our way through the politically and economically turbulent post-WWI period in Germany and will then begin looking at the rise to power of Hitler and the Nazi Party. Year 11 have a full Paper 2 – Early Elizabethan England and the Cold War - mock exam in December. They were given a schedule to support their revision back in September, so please be aware of this and offer any support at home that you can. If you are yet to do so, I recommend you purchase a revision book to support with this. Please contact your child’s History teacher if you have any concerns or need any support with revision.
Year 12 Historians are working through Paper 1 – Britain, 1918-97 and the USA, 1955-92 – which is their focus for the year.
Year 13 historians have started Paper 3 – the British Experience of warfare – and should be working on their coursework at home with a view to handing in their first draft before we break up for Christmas in December.
Year 12 Politics students are working through Paper 1 and 2 – British Politics and British Government – which is their focus for the year. It is important that students keep abreast of contemporary political events by reading broadsheet newspapers, following politics programmes on TV and radio and listening to the podcasts that have been suggested to them in class. It is also important students read the newspaper articles, sent via email, by Mr Bowker.
The same applies to year 13 which enables them to comment on contemporary events in their June exams. They will also need to follow global political events which is the focus for their Paper 3 looking at Global Politics.
Our Year 7 students began their maths journey at NLS by exploring shapes and geometry. The module ended with an exciting project — building their very own towns using the shapes they had learned about! The creativity and enthusiasm on display were fantastic, and some of the final towns were truly outstanding.
Since then, students have settled brilliantly into their new maths groups and have continued to make great progress this term, especially as we’ve moved on to exploring numbers and number systems.
A reminder that Maths Homework Space is open every Tuesday from 15:15 to 16:00 in S206 — a great opportunity for students to get support and stay on top of their learning.
Our Year 8 students have had a brilliant term, diving into topics such as the number system, factors, multiples, primes, and sequences. We’re really proud of how well they performed in their first test and it’s been great to see their growing confidence and curiosity in Maths.
We’ve recently introduced SPARX Maths for homework, and we’re over the moon with how enthusiastically students have taken to it — the engagement so far has been fantastic!
A reminder that Maths Homework Space is open every Tuesday from 15:15 to 16:00 in S206 — a perfect opportunity for students to get support, complete their SPARX homework, or simply strengthen their Maths skills.
The Maths modules our students complete in Year 9 are now longer and they are tested more frequently. Modules are GCSE modules of work and students will sit a Module test at the end of each module of work. We know that by taking this approach it enables our students to practise this skill of assessment which plays an important part of the GCSE journey. Students have been working on their Number skills since September, building on those skills they have already learnt in Years 7 and 8 into GCSE style questions. We then move onto their second module of work called Geometry, Shape and Angles where students explore a range of skills around Shape. Their resilience has been amazing, and progress is looking very promising! We’re super impressed with their engagement and participation!
All Year 10 students have settled in well into the start of the year and have now completed their first module on Mensuration, which includes topics such as perimeter, area and volume of shapes, Pythagoras and Trigonometry. This is the second part to the Mensuration work they completed in Year 9, which builds upon those skills and students are introduced to a wide range of new content. This Module is a tricky one as it includes lots of formulae that students are expected to learn. Students are given formulae sheets in their assessments and in their final GCSE so must begin to distinguish between the ones they are given and the ones they need to learn. Students are working hard in lessons and are making good progress. We’re super impressed with their engagement and participation!
Year 11 have made an excellent start to the year in maths. They have now finished over 90% of the course and sat their first set of mock exams for Year 11. With the use of the excellent websites Maths Genie, Corbett Maths and 1st Class Maths we are sure our Y11’s will achieve excellent results. We urge parents to monitor their homework and revision – they should be aiming for at least an hour a week!
Year 12 have settled into the course well, even if the demands of A level compared to GCSE may have been a shock to some! They have completed their first units of AS level pure and statistics content, and they have begun to adapt to using the many functions available on their new graphical calculators. They are in a great place to build on what they have learnt at GCSE.
Year 13 have put a lot of effort over the summer into improving in key areas highlighted from their year 12 progression exams. They have adapted well to the demands of A level work over those of AS level work, which they began at the end of Year 12, and we hope that their forthcoming mocks reflect these efforts.
French
Year 7
Year 7 have made a fabulous start with their language learning and are already able to produce extended pieces of accurate writing. They have learnt how to talk about themselves and family members, the key verbs avoir and être, describing their classroom, giving opinions and justifications and finished the term looking at hobbies and sports. Students completed their first speaking assessment which required them to read sentences aloud to demonstrate their knowledge of phonics, and answer questions about themselves.
Year 8
Year 8 have continued to make fantastic progress with their language learning and are quickly building on their language acquisition from last year. Students have finished the family topic and have learnt how to talk about their pets, their family members, where they live, what they eat for breakfast and how families celebrate Bastille Day in France. Alongside learning key grammar and vocab, students also have an understanding of the key cultural differences between England and Francophone including traditional ways of living in the Ivory Coast and a traditional French breakfast.
Year 9
Year 9 have really worked hard to step up their language skills this term. Our lessons have focussed on festivals and celebrations in the French-speaking world and students have enjoyed learning how French traditions differ from their own experiences. Lessons have covered key celebrations and students have also learnt transactional skills and traditional French cuisine. Finally, students have recapped the near future tense to discuss their New Year’s plans.
Year 10
Year 10 students have thrown themselves into the new GCSE curriculum and are progressing at an astounding rate. The first module has covered free time, which includes social media and internet, tv and film preferences and sports. Alongside learning a lot of new vocab, students have also covered the near future tense and the perfect tense. They are able to use all three tenses together to discuss their free-time activities. Students have completed their first speaking assessment and a reading assessment. I am incredibly proud of how hard students are working and how well they have adapted to the GCSE topics.
Year 11
Year 11 students have been studying the topic of holidays this term. It is a lengthy topic with a lot of consolidation of past and future tenses. Towards the beginning of this term, students completed their first Year 11 Speaking mocks. This was a daunting experience for many, but the work and commitment that students put into this was incredible and they tackled the mock exam with ease. I am very proud of all students and feel confident that the speaking exams in May will be fantastic!
German
Well done to Year 7 German students. They have taken to the language, made fantastic progress on pronunciation and have an excellent understanding of the phonic sound patterns. We were extremely pleased with their contributions to speaking tasks. They performed role-plays greeting each other and they asked and answered questions about themselves. They have taken part in the German games with real enthusiasm. During the Botanical Gardens visit, we completed our International Schools project, and they researched former German colonial Namibia. Keep up the great work Year 7!
Year 8 German students have made great progress this term. We have studied the school topic, and they have been able to talk about the school day and express and justify opinions about school subjects. They described their teachers, and we were pleased that some described us as being young. Year 8 has shown commitment to their learning, and they have made great progress. They have listened well and have made good notes in class, self-assessed their work and have corrected their answers. Well done Year 8! Keep up this great work.
Year 9 German students have made pleasing progress this term. We have been studying the media topic. They have been able to express and justify opinions about films, TV programmes and reading genres. We have been extremely pleased with their listening and speaking skills and can see them gaining confidence. They have shown real enthusiasm, in particular in the many German speaking games. Year 9 have also been introduced to the past tense and they have discussed what films they have seen and what they thought about them. We would like to take the opportunity to thank again the Year 9 open evening helpers. The parents were extremely impressed on how helpful you were answering their questions and how enthusiastic you were about German. Well done Year 9! Continue with the great progress and we hope you are considering GCSE German next year.
Year 10 German students have worked extremely hard this term on the topic of school, and we have been so impressed with the progress they have made. They have started the GCSE course and have shown really commitment. They have made outstanding notes to refer back to, listened to and followed advice and have pushed themselves in tasks beyond their target grades. They have also asked insightful questions and have continued supported each other. Year 10 have been working towards a speaking and reading assessment. Their pronunciation and reading aloud skills have been particularly strong. Well done Year 10 and continue with the excellent work and attitude to learning.
Year 11 German students have completed the topic of home and shopping. We have been extremely pleased with their progress and hard work. They have pushed themselves and have worked at or above their target grades. We have recently completed the first speaking mock examination and have seen how hard they have revised for this. Their commitment is to be praised, and we were blown away by their read aloud, role-play and picture card answers. You should be so proud of yourselves as we are of you. Well done Year 11. Keep up the fantastic work and attitude to learning.
Year 7: Baseline Performing, Composing and Sequencing
This unit of work has introduced year 7 students to the three of the main areas of study in music lessons. Students have collaborated in small groups to perform percussion rhythms focusing on timing and listening. Students have used their creative and collaborative skills to compose ideas for a short vocal piece. The final project for this term has been for students to develop their digital literacy skills and creativity to compose and sequence a piece of science fiction music. The aim of this unit has been to provide students with a foundation in the skills needed to progress throughout KS3 in music lessons and develop into confident musicians.
Year 8: World Music
This unit of work has provided year 8 students the opportunity to engage with music from other parts of the world. The focus has been on recreating the sounds of Calypso and Bhangra using music software and musical instruments. Students have developed knowledge of musical origins and traditions and applying their understanding to compose, sequence and perform two pieces of music. Students have also been offered the opportunity to engage with resources linked to other world music genres including Gamelan, Hindustani music, African drumming and Reggae.
Year 9: Game and Film Music - Performing/Composing/Sequencing Composing & Sequencing
This unit of work has focused on students collaborating in pairs or small groups to compose and produce a soundtrack for film. Students used sequencing software to edit film and reproduce a soundtrack, including special effects and music. Students have been encouraged to analyse film music, through listening tasks to gain an understanding of key terms and musical devices used to create a film soundtrack. Students were also encouraged to focus on detail and compose original ideas to refine their sequencing and music-making skills.
Performing
This unit of work has focused on students collaborating in pairs or small groups to perform a chosen film or game soundtrack and a choice of famous leitmotifs. Students are encouraged to develop their practical, technical and collaborative performance skills, practising and performing challenging notated music. They are also encouraged to consider the film/game genre and apply genre-specific stylistic or musical features to their performance. Students have been able to demonstrate a disciplined approach, review their work, monitor progress and identify areas for development.
Year 10: BTEC Music Level 2: Component 1
Students are currently preparing for Component 1 of their level 2 BTEC course. During this component, students are learning about a range of musical styles and have been tasked with performing, reproducing and composing pieces to demonstrate their practical/instrumental/music-making skills. Alongside their practical work students have researched musical styles including Rock n Roll, Reggae and Latin music providing written analysis and reviews to demonstrate their historical, contextual and theoretical knowledge.
Year 11: BTEC Music Level 2: Component 2
Students are completing their PSA for Component 2. This unit is focussed on students developing and demonstrating their music composing skills using a combination of music software tools, live techniques and instrumental skills to explore, compose and realise their creative ideas. They are composing music to reflect the theme of Celebration, providing written analysis/reviews to record their progress and demonstrate their knowledge.
Year 12: BTEC Music Level 3: Unit 1
Students in Year 12 have developed and demonstrated their knowledge of music theory by completing performing and composing tasks. They continue to build on their current understanding of western musical traditions and notation with a view to consolidating their knowledge in the form of a presentation and musical examples for assessment in January 2025.
Year 13: BTEC Music Level 3: Unit 6
Year 13 are currently in the process of compiling a programme of solo music. They will perform their music during a recital in December 2025. Students have also been researching the skills and attributes required to deliver a successful musical performance, with an emphasis on preparation, technical exercises, rehearsal, repertoire and performing skills.
Extra-Curricular
NLS Orchestra: Tuesdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm
Rock Club: Wednesdays 3:20pm – 4:20pm
NLS Steel Band: Wednesdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm
NLS Pop Choir: Thursdays 3:30pm – 4:30pm
There are a variety of extra-curricular music opportunities on offer at NLS. Many of the groups and soloists will perform at our annual Winter Concert. Students from each year group will be represented and we are proud to showcase the skill and talent of our NLS musicians. Many of our KS3 Orchestra students and musicians are currently preparing for the upcoming ‘Come and Play’ event at Oakley School in which music students from local secondary schools come together to enjoy a morning of music-making!
The first half term has seen Year 7 begin PE at NLS with an insight into the variety of activities and opportunities available in Games. Students have enjoyed baseline activity lessons including Football, Dance, Gymnastics, Basketball, Badminton, and Netball and we formalise groups that best suit their ability.
Year 10 and 11 students are guided down one of two personalised pathways – performance or participation. Within the performance pathway there is a GCSE PE moderation focus where students are assessed in each of the sports that they complete. The participation pathway is a more holistic approach to physical activity where students are encouraged to participate in different activities for recreation and understand the importance of keeping themselves fit and healthy.
With a variety of examination courses running: GCSE PE, Btec Sport and Btec Dance Level 2 in Year 10 and 11 and A Level PE in Year 12 & 13 students have settled well into their studies this half term. Please come speak to us at the upcoming Sixth Form Open Evening on Thursday 6 November if you are interested in study PE A-level or Btec Dance Level 3.
Extra curricular clubs and fixtures have begun with Basketball, Football, Rugby, Netball and Hockey taking place after school as well as extra support sessions for students studying GCSE PE or BTEC Sport in KS4.
The Year 7 Football team got their campaign started with a trip to Myton. We took an early lead after Finley B was brought down by the goalkeeper, earning a penalty and Blake stepped up confidently and slotted home from the spot.
Myton responded strongly, piling on the pressure, but goalkeeper Ollie kept NLS ahead. The hosts eventually found an equaliser before half-time and added a second shortly after the restart. Chasing the game, NLS pushed forward but were caught out for a third.
Refusing to give up, NLS kept battling, with Bobby going close from an audacious halfway-line effort and Fin A forcing a brave block from the Myton defence. Captain Finley pulled one back with a thunderous volley from the edge of the box, but Myton held on for a 3–2 win. Well done boys on your first match.
The Year 8 Football team are hoping to win the Division 1 League to go with the District Cup they won last year. The Boys have moved from 9 to 11-a-side, allowing Rafe, Nate and Jack the chance to join the squad. They started with a 3-1 away win against Myton, with Max getting two goals to add to an own goal.
The Year 9 Football team started their league campaign with a fantastic 5-1 win against Kenilworth, with Tom, Milo and Finley getting on the scoresheet. They followed up with a 3–0 win against Campion, with goals from Milo, Fin and George adding to the clean sheet.
In a close game against Myton, the boys fell to a 3- 1 defeat, where despite the majority of chances they couldn’t finish to get their third win in a row. But bounced back with a convincing 7-0 win against Studley to advance to the next round of the Cup.
The Year 10 Football team played their first game of the season with a hard fought 2-1 victory against Kenilworth, coming from a goal behind to win with goals Danel and Luca. They followed up with a double header, League and Cup game vs Myton. In another close game that involved NLS going ahead, before being pulled back by Myton, but eventually NLS managed to get ahead and stay ahead, with a valuable 4-3 win behind goals from Blake, Luke and Jonah x2.
The Year 11 Football team started the season with a close fought game against Kenilworth, with the lead changing three times. NLS brought the score back to 4-4 when Noah scored with only two minutes to go, but sadly, Kenilworth responded with an even later goal to secure the win with virtually the last kick of the game. NLS travelled to Southam hoping to bounce back from their last minute defeat to Kenilworth. They went behind early before two goals from Jacob and one from Dagim put them up 3-1. Southam had the chance to pull one back from the penalty spot but a superb save from Dan in goal, ensured we kept the two goal lead and secured the win.
Facing Campion in a double header League and Cup fixture we secured a 3 – 2 win with goals from Jacob, Joel and Thomas, NLS advance to the semi finals and will face Kenilworth again, hoping to get revenge for their previous last minute defeat.
The Year 11 Rugby team put on a great performance and although they fell short of some much-needed trys, they did a fantastic job, stuck together getting a try and captain Will made some fantastic runs as did Sam.
A huge well done to the Year 10 Rugby team (plus Rhys and Joe G-M from Yr 9) who played against Myton and Aylesford last week. The team of 12 showed such a sense of pride and grit throughout the two games. With Myton as the first games the team they looked good. Skipper Jack led the charge with dominant carries and some hard-hitting tackles and we had some great runs by Alan, Finley T, Luca and Sam as well as some fantastic bouts of defense. Unfortunately, we fell short by just a couple of tries however, the team were outstanding. The second game against a well-drilled Aylesford team with some very strong and experienced runners, they managed to get over the line more than we did. The NLS boys kept putting bodies on the line, running through brick walls and supporting one another for the whole game. The had such a great attitude and it has left them hungry for more.
The U14 Girls Football
The U14 Girls Football team played their first game of the new season against Myton, hoping to keep up their 100% win rate. With a mixture of experienced players and some new Year 7 players such as Darcy in Goal, Belle and Hattie, they proved too strong for Myton running out 7-1 winners, with doubles from Elsa, Issy and Hattie adding to a Myton own goal. Another impressive performance and a great start to the new season.
The girls followed up with a 13- 0 demolition of Kenilworth School, with goals from Hattie, Amelia, two from Mollie, six from Isobel and three from Elsa.
North Leamington blue, now Birmingham blue -
The brilliant shining lights of the NLS girls' football team since September 2023, Club Captain Elsa Clegg and VC Isobel Reading, have been seen from as far as Birmingham. Both are signed to Birmingham City Academy; a huge achievement and thoroughly deserved.
It was clear Elsa and Isobel were special talents and are part of a special history of NLS attracting and helping to develop a sporting legacy. The girls have never let wider dreams get in the way of their commitment to NLS; they have never missed a match. Are they really good though? In games played at their age group or one year above since September 2023 until September 2025:
Win % for NLS Girls' Team with Elsa and Isobel:100%
Humble, kind, real leaders, funny, cheeky, fabulous students always near the top of the reward charts. Birmingham City are blessed to have you, as are we.
We all look forward to seeing their progress. Good luck girls! NLS is very proud of you.
Cross Country Success
NLS had a number of runners competing at the recent inter-area Warwickshire Schools cross country Championship in Stratford. Results included:
Dylan Yr 10 finishing 6th in the Inter Boys
Zach in Yr 9 finishing 6th in the Junior Boys
Esme 15th in the Junior Girls
Amelia (7th) and Poppy (15th) in the Minor Girls race.
Freddie coming an amazing second in the Minor Boys.
Dylan, Zach, Jacob (Yr 11), Amelia, Freddie and Lola (Yr 9) have all been selected to represent Warwickshire at the inter-county event in Dudley in November.
Well done to all our runners
Huge congratulations also to Jacob (yr 11) and Archie (yr 12) who recently won the Midlands Road Relays
They were part of a three- man relay team, each running 3.8km legs.
Jacob ran the first leg in 12minutes and 8 seconds. Placing him as the fastest year 11 of the day.
Archie ran the second leg, in a time of 1 1minutes and 41 seconds, which was the fastest time overall.
Well done to both boys
The Year 11 NLS Netball team got their underway at Southam. It was a close game from start to finish, with lead changing several times. But in the end the girls left with a well fought 1 goal loss, 11-10. Lucy M was player of the match; well done to all the girls who played.
The Year 7 team took to the court for their very first match, and the squad of eleven players showed fantastic enthusiasm and teamwork from the start against Arnold Lodge.
In the first quarter, NLS quickly settled into the game, taking an early lead ( 6-0) with Erin & Stefi B showing great accurate scoring.
During the second quarter, Arnold Lodge gained momentum and put our defence under pressure. However, Stefi F & Lyra marked their attackers out of the game superbly, making several crucial interceptions. Arnold Lodge's strong defence limited NLS to just one goal that quarter bringing the score to 7-1.
The third quarter saw NLS regain control, with excellent play through the mid-court with Isobel, Niamh & Belle, working tirelessly to turn over possession and feed the ball smoothly into the shooting circle.
In the final quarter, NLS continued to dominate, with Lilly and Sophie limiting Arnold Lodge's chances. The NLS lead extended to a 12–1 victory.
It was an excellent first performance from the Year 7s, full of energy, teamwork, and determination. Player of the Match: Erin S
The Year 10 team made a brilliant start to their season with an impressive 29–11 victory against Arnold Lodge. From the first whistle, NLS took control, with Bella and Molly combining well in the attacking third to secure a 9–4 lead after the first quarter.
n the second quarter, the defence of Anais, Evie and Sadie worked tirelessly, making key interceptions and gaining rebounds to limit the opposition’s scoring opportunities, extending the lead to 14–6.
The third quarter saw strong mid-court play from Ellie, Rosie and Hope, moving the ball swiftly up the court to maintain momentum and reach 24–8.
In the final quarter, Lola and Bella continued their excellent link-up play to increase the lead further, finishing with a confident 29–11 win.
A fantastic first performance from the Year 10s, showing teamwork, energy, and determination throughout. Player of the Match: Lola H
Dance
Year 10 have had a fantastic start to their BTEC Dance course, taking every challenge in their stride. They have been exploring a variety of dance styles, including contemporary, jazz, and street, demonstrating creativity, enthusiasm, and a growing confidence in their performance skills. It’s been wonderful to see their energy and passion shine through in every lesson, and they will soon be preparing to learn All That Jazz as part of their Component 2 assessments.’
Our Year 11 BTEC dance students took part in a professional dance workshop this half term with Motionhouse dance company, who they have been studying for their Component 1 coursework.
The workshop was led by Creative Learning Dance artist, Harrison, who was so impressed with the students for their dedication, commitment and resilience and all students gave everything a go.
The students were put through their paces of a professional style three-hour class with warm ups, handstands, cartwheels, partner work, lifts and even learning professional repertoire from their existing piece, Charge.
The students thoroughly enjoyed the workshop, and this will support the students with their portfolio work before moving onto choreography in Component 3 after half term.
Well done to all the Year 11 dancers, I am very proud of all your hard work so far!
On Friday 10 October, Year 11 dance students enjoyed an exciting trip to see Motionhouse in action at the Birmingham Hippodrome, who performed their most recent work of Hidden.
Motionhouse put on a thrilling performance as the dancers performed acrobatics, lifts and impressive circus work.
After their recent workshop with the dance company, this was a great opportunity for the students to experience live theatre work. Well done to all the dancers for your brilliant manner and focus throughout the performance!
Also, a big thank you to our helpers for Dance at Open Evening including Year 11 Ava T, Mia G, Izzi M, Isabella P, Evie P and Felicity R and Year 10 Laura B for talking to parents about all the opportunities involving Dance.
Well done to all our newly appointed student Dance leaders as well in Year 10 Laura B, Una S, Matilda H-S and Nell M, you have been excellent role models and already taken on responsibility and leadership roles with lots more to come this year.
Year 7:
Our Year 7 students have been busy completing our transition unit. It has been lovely to see students talking openly about some of the challenges they faced starting secondary school and strategies they have used to manage this.
Year 8:
Our Year 8 students have been have been looking at the short and long term issues associated with drugs and alcohol as part of our health and well-being unit. We have seen some excellent pieces of work and mature and engaging discussions on this in lessons.
Year 9:
Year 9 have been looking at knife crime and county lines and why this is a growing issue in parts of the UK. Students have been discussing why some young people carry knives, the potential consequences of this and what can be done to reduce knife crime.
Year 10:
Year 10 have been examining different types of mental health and we have been addressing misconceptions around these issues. Students have been discussing when and how to seek support if they are experiencing difficulties with stress and anxiety.
Year 11:
Year 11 have been exploring issues around mental health -in particular the importance of recognising causes and signs of exam stress and developing strategies to try to manage this. We hope this will support them as they face their Mock exams next week. Good luck Year 11!
Year 12:
As part of our health and well-being unit Year 12 have been looking at how to be resilient students. We have been discussing some of the changes and challenges they have faces when transitioning from GCSE to A-level and how to manage this.
Year 13
Year 13 have been considering their plans beyond Year 13 and how to manage any potential challenges they might face when moving away from home, taking a gap year or starting their first job. It’s been great to hear our students talking so positively about their future plans.
Year 12 have made an excellent start to their Psychology studies with many showing great enthusiasm for the subject. One of our first topics has been Social Influence and questions that we have explored include ‘are Nazis murderous violent perpetrators or victims of Social influence?'.
We have also looked at some interesting, but highly unethical, key studies within Social Influence that have sparked the interest of many students. For example, one study involved asking participants to administer electric shocks to other people to see if they would obey (luckily, but unbeknown to the participants, these electric shocks were actually fake)! However, shockingly 65% of participants obeyed and administered what they believed to be a real 450v electric shock to another person.
Students have also been developing a key skill in Psychology - extended writing. Throughout this half term we have introduced this by using writing frames, supporting their evaluative language in preparation for their first extended writing assessment on conformity.
Additionally, students have begun the important topic of Research Methods which is the building blocks to all research informed subjects. Students can now understand and design key research elements like that of aims, hypothesis, sampling methods and what makes research reliable and credible! Key for the critical mind that we aim to develop with our young people.
Year 13 have developed their debating skills this half term in our topic– Issues and Debates- by exploring some of the topical debates in Psychology. For example, ‘is our behaviour due to our nature or our nurture?’ We have seen great analytical and debating skills demonstrated by weighing up either side of each debate and coming to their own conclusions as to which side of the argument is the best and why..
Year 13 also concluded their topic of ‘Biopsychology’ this term. Students were fascinated by the various areas of the brain and exploring interesting case studies like Jodi Miller, who lives with half of her brain. This underpins many biological explanations of behaviour in Psychology, which will be revisited in our upcoming topics of ‘Forensic Psychology’ and ‘Schizophrenia’.
Psychologists of the month
Congratulations to our psychologists of the month for September. Lois M has been awarded Psychologist of the month for year 12 as she has really impressed us with how much effort she is putting in both inside and outside of lessons. Charlotte P has been awarded Psychologist of the month for year 13; Charlotte has taken year 13 in her stride completing past papers, essays, consolidation tasks etc. a model student! She is a dedicated member of her class and an excellent role model to her peers.
Both students received an R3, positive email home, and a book of their choice.
Charlotte chose: ‘The Idea of the Brain’ - A History by Matthew Cobb (Miss Clifford’s favourite neuroscience- themed book)
Lois chose: ‘Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat’ by Oliver Sacks, a classic within biopsychology.
October student of the month will be revealed when we return in November from half term.
Year 13:
Year 13 have made a great start to their final year. We have been exploring issues of religious language and Christian attitudes to wealth and migration. It has been great to hear their views on this. Students should continue with their preparation for the upcoming Mock exam. All students have been provided with revision packs to support focused revision at home and are available on Go4schools and on the Digital Learning Hub.
Year 12:
It has been lovely to welcome our new, enthusiastic Year 12 students to A-level RE. They have made a very encouraging start and have been enjoying lots of Philosophical and ethical debates! Please encourage your child to review their notes at home and remind them of the importance of reading around the subject.
Year 10:
Our Year 10 students have been working very hard this half term on Paper 2 of their GCSE-Christian practices, as well as revising for their first GCSE RE Mock exam which took place on Wednesday 22 October. The mock exam session was well attended but if students need any extra support with their revision please don’t hesitate to contact the RE team. Well done Year 10!
Year 9:
Year 9 students have made a great start to the GCSE RE course. They have been exploring religious attitudes towards marriage, divorce and relationships. We have also been working on exam skills and structure to support with their preparation for the end of unit assessment. Please encourage your child to check Go4schools so that they can access the revision materials.
Year 8:
Year 8 students have been studying Hinduism this half term. They have particularly enjoyed looking at Hindu Murti’s and examining their meaning and importance. We are looking forward to seeing the Mandirs students are creating for home work.
Year 7:
We have enjoyed getting to know our lovely Year 7 students this half term. We have been exploring world views and looking at the foundations of religion.
Our Year 7 students have made a brilliant start in Science. This term started learning learning about laboratory safety and how to use scientific equipment correctly. Their enthusiasm and focus have really impressed us!
They have completed their first practical investigation and successfully earned their Bunsen burner licences after showing great care, teamwork, and understanding of safety procedures.
We’re very proud of how confidently they approached their first experiment. What a fantastic start to their science journey!
Year 7 Students Explore the Building Blocks of Life
Our Year 7 students have been diving into the fascinating world of biology by studying cells, the basic building blocks of all living things. Through their science lessons, students have been learning about the structure and function of both plant and animal cells, exploring key organelles such as the nucleus, mitochondria, and cell membrane.
To deepen their understanding, students put their knowledge into practice by creating detailed cell models. Using a variety of materials, from clay and jelly to craft supplies, they designed creative 3D representations that brought microscopic structures to life. This activity reinforced their learning but also encouraged teamwork, creativity, and problem-solving.
The final models were impressive and helped students visualise how cells work together to keep living organisms functioning, a wonderful start to their journey as young scientists!
Year 8 – Magnets
This term Year 8 students have begun to learn about electrical circuits and magnets in science.
This has included magnetic fields, their effects on other objects and uses with students investigating magnetic field lines by using a plotting compass to map the field around a bar magnet. Placing a magnet on a sheet of paper a compass was used to mark the direction of the field at various points, connecting the dots to create a smooth curve and arrows to show the direction of the field line (from north to south). Additionally, students had the opportunity to sprinkle iron filings onto paper with a magnet underneath to see them align and form a field pattern.
Here iron filings have been used to reveal the interaction of magnetic field lines around two bar magnets placed underneath a piece of paper.
Key practical observations made by students were magnetic fields have a defined direction from north to south, are strongest at the poles where lines are most concentrated, and that lines never cross over each other.
These experiments helped students understand the properties of magnets and test subject knowledge with application of practical skills with key skills further developed by following a set method and making observations which proves scientific concepts.
Year 9 Study the amazing world of atoms
Year 9 have been studying the amazing world of atoms with the opportunity to learn about the tiny particles that make up everything that we see around us and about the main types of atoms that make life possible.
Students have been taking a close look into what components make up an atom and have learnt all about protons, neutrons and electrons.
They have found out about how the number protons in a nucleus is responsible for making a particular element unique and about how the number of neutrons will determine which isotope of an element is present.
We have looked at how the ions in many of the drinks that we consume, including tap water, are formed when electrons are lost or gained to ensure stability.
Year 10 Explore the Science of Vision
This half term, Year 10 students have been delving into the fascinating world of the nervous system through an exciting and hands-on eye dissection. The practical provided the opportunity to explore the intricate structure of the eye and to apply their classroom knowledge in a real, tangible way.
During the dissection, students were able to identify and examine the key parts of the eye, including the sclera, iris, cornea, pupil, retina, and optic nerve. Observing these structures helped them to understand how each component works together to allow us to see and process images.
To complement their work, the class also used newspaper print to investigate the refraction of light, discovering how light bends and focuses as it passes through the cornea and lens. This simple, yet effective, demonstration reinforced the scientific principles behind how we perceive the world around us.
The practical was conducted in a safe and controlled environment, with all students following proper laboratory procedures and showing great care and respect throughout the activity. Their curiosity, focus, and enthusiasm were evident from start to finish.
We are incredibly proud of Year 10 for the maturity and scientific curiosity they demonstrated. This experience not only deepened their understanding of vision and light but also showcased their ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real life biological systems.
Well done, Year 10 – a truly insightful achievement!
Year 10 Science – Chromatography Investigation
Year 10 students have also studied the technique of chromatography through a practical and engaging forensic-style investigation. They were challenged to help a local garden centre identify who had been poisoning the plants. The only clues were a wet receipt and three pens used by different suspects.
Using chromatography, students separated the ink samples to match the evidence to a suspect. They were enthusiastic and focused throughout the activity, which helped them cement their understanding of chromatography and its real-world applications.
Year 11 have been looking at revision techniques as part of the the preparation for their mocks exams.
Using a set of recall questions they have identified areas to work on within the chemistry units after RAG (Red Amber Green) rating. Students then choose a revision method to practice using the relevant information from a summary sheet. This could be making a mind map, flash cards or ‘scribble repeat’ using a white board.
Once student feel they have learned the information sufficiently well enough they check by answering the relevant recall questions or by practising applying the information using past paper questions.
Student comments on the opportunity to develop their revision strategies include: ‘This has made me really think about how I learn information best’ and I am I finding the flash cards are making a really positive difference to what I can remember.’
Year 11 Science King's Trust– Making Salts
This term, our Year 11 King's Trust students have been exploring the fascinating world of acids, alkalis, and neutralisation reactions. As part of their studies, they’ve investigated how salts are formed through these reactions and developed essential practical skills in the lab.
Highlights included making copper sulfate crystals, where students practised techniques such as filtration and crystallisation—key processes in chemical analysis and preparation. These experiences deepen their understanding of chemistry but also build confidence in working safely and accurately in a laboratory setting.
Y12 Chemists’ First Required Practical
This term, Year 12 Chemists successfully completed their first Required Practical, which involved making a Standard Solution of sodium hydrogensulfate and using titration techniques to determine the concentration of an unknown sodium hydroxide solution.
Students began by carefully measuring and dissolving sodium hydrogensulfate to create a solution of known concentration. This step emphasised the importance of precision and accuracy in chemical preparation.
Then using their standard solution, students performed titrations with the unknown sodium hydroxide solution. They meticulously recorded their observations and calculated the concentration of the sodium hydroxide based on their results.
As we continue through the year, students will build on these foundation skills, exploring more complex experiments and concepts in chemistry. We encourage them to review their notes and reflect on the practical experience to deepen their understanding.
Year 13 chemists have completed their required practical on measuring rates of reaction.
The required practical element of the course assesses student competence in carrying out experiments and practical activities. Demonstrating their practical skills is part of their qualification, and supports their understanding of key concepts.
The students had two hours to compete a series of experiments to determine the rate of a reaction. By varying the starting concentration of one of their reactants they were able to gather a set of data to analyse.
Year 13 Biology students have been investigating the environmental conditions woodlice prefer most. From observing behaviour to analysing data, they’ve applied their knowledge to carry out a full required practical, finishing with a Chi-squared statistical test to see whether their results were scientifically significant compared to their hypothesis.
This practical helped reinforce students’ knowledge of the different types of movement and responses in organisms and suing their class knowledge were also able to determine if they were seeing taxis or kinesis in action.
Year 12 have really settled into their studies in this first half term with commitment and enthusiasm. Sociology is a new subject for them all, and they have adjusted well to the demands of the course, completing two practise assessments already and preparing revision materials they can use to prepare for future assessments.
Students have completed the first topic in Education, examining the social class differences in achievement and analysing the factors that could account for this. They have also completed the first topic for the second paper in Families and Households, looking at the division of power and labour in couples to see if there has been a march of progress or the division remains unequal.
They have shown how well they are using their study periods, producing good resources and showcasing very good knowledge in their assessments and within class discussions. Alongside the knowledge and key terminology that students have been introduced to, and tested on, they are learning the key skills required to be a successful Sociology student, including evaluating differing opinions, comparing factors and linking ideas together, distilling key information and using studies to support their views. A contemporary subject such as Sociology lends itself very well to ‘Sociology in wider society’ and we try and point out current links within our class booklets and wherever possible. To further support this, students should ensure they read/watch/listen to some news platforms weekly, which will give them ever more contemporary examples they can use to complement their studies and refer to in exam questions. Discussing these at home always supports the understanding of these patterns as well as provides an opportunity to have a good debate!
To further support their studies and provide further opportunities for independent study skills and extended reading, we recommend they explore the ‘Optional homework and literacy pages’ in our Curriculum Overview.
In addition to this, students may want to watch ‘Educating Yorkshire,’ (season 2) currently being broadcast on Channel 4.
They can observe some of the patterns and trends we discuss within Paper 1 and this will also prepare them well for the Research Methods aspect of the paper which is about conducting Sociological research within educational contexts and some of the challenges and benefits that brings!
Year 13 Sociology students have now come to the end of the content on Theory & Methods. This consisted of 10 topics which explored how we research society to identify patterns and trends and how based on these research findings we can look to improve society. Students also explored how society functions and how we develop shared norms and values and social order. Students are now moving onto their second topic in Paper 2 which is ‘Beliefs in Society’. Students will cover a range of knowledge looking at the patterns and trends in religiosity, how religion has created social stability and change and the changing patterns of religious participation. They will also complete Paper 3 looking at ‘Crime and Deviance’. Again exploring the patterns and trends in criminal behaviour across different social characteristics and how crime and deviance trends have changed as a result of globalisation. We are very excited to be visiting Warwick Crown Court as part of our wider enrichment offer and get an opportunity to talk with the Magistrates. Communications regarding this trip have been circulated to both students and parents and we look forward to taking students to Warwick Crown Court across three days in November & December.
To further support their studies and provide further opportunities for independent study skills and extended reading, we recommend they explore the ‘Optional homework and literacy pages’ in our Curriculum Overview.
In addition to this, students may want to watch ‘Undercover in the Police’ currently being broadcast on BBC Iplayer. Students can examine an example of covert observation and evaluate how official statistics on criminality may be influenced by questionable police practices.
The term has got off to a fantastic start in Photography as we welcome our new Year 9 students to their first lessons.
They have been learning about photographic composition and the formal elements, taking photographs to explore these concepts in practice.
Students are now beginning to experiment with different ways of editing and manipulating their images.
Our Year 10 GCSE Photography students have also made a brilliant start to their course.
They have been exploring the theme of light through a range of creative activities, including painting with light, camera obscura images, producing cyanotypes, and experimenting with alternative portrait techniques.
Year 11 and Year 13 students are working hard to complete their Component 1 coursework projects. There is a fantastic variety of work being produced, and students are now finalising their outcomes. Intervention sessions continue to run on Thursdays, and we encourage all students to attend whenever they need additional support or feedback.
In A Level Photography, the studio has been buzzing with activity as our new Year 12 students build on their GCSE knowledge while developing new skills through a series of short projects and workshops. They have been exploring a range of techniques and media, and their initial investigations are already showing great creativity and promise.
Looking ahead, our Sixth Form students are excited about their upcoming trip to London next term, where they will visit current exhibitions at the V&A, The Photographers’ Gallery, and the National Portrait Gallery for inspiration and contextual research.
Finally, we wanted to celebrate the success of last summer’s Moderation of work for both GCSE and A Level work. The moderation showcased an outstanding standard of work — well done to all of our students for their creativity, hard work and commitment!
Year 7 – students have exploring there Pop art theme looking at Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol. They have also been working on developing their basic hand stitch skills. An optional homework was set to create their names using Lichtenstein’s style.
Year 8 – have been working on a cultural patterns project, starting with aboriginal painting techniques and Japanese repeat pattern print making.
Year 9 – have begun their project learning about the work of Jean-Michel Basquiatand Keith Haring and incorporating the theme of New York City.
Presenting information in a creative way and completing Basquiat inspired samples using applique, stitch and fabric markers in an expressive way.
Year 10 have recently completed a range of different workshop sessions, putting together a folder of work that showcases a range of technical and decorative skills.
Year 11 have been developing their ideas which will soon progress into a final textiles piece. This is for component 1 and worth 60% of their final GCSE grade.
Year 12 – have completed their initial workshops and have now moved onto their mini project to help prepare them for the main coursework project. Students began this by creating moodboards and then moving this onto completing initial recordings using a variety of techniques from printmaking to machine embroidery.
Year 13- are developing their personal coursework projects, by honing in their making skills. From large scale printmaking, spay painting fabrics to working through historical costume making.
Year 11 Food Preparation and Nutrition Practical Assessment
The first of our NEAs has begun with students selecting the investigation topics based on making pizza bases or making muffins. Students will be expected to complete this for half term and they will then begin the second NEA, worth 35% of their GCSE in the winter term; more details of this will follow. In the new term students will also be completing a mock written examination. Students revision should focus around:
Food Science
Nutrition
Food Provenance
Food Safety and Hygiene
Students completed the balloon experiment for their NEA, where they tested the production of C02 using differing raising agents.
Year 10 Food
We are thrilled with the positive start that our GCSE students have adopted. They have been covering the nutrition topic studying the micro and macro nutrients as well as understanding the science behind the practical cooks. So far we have made a complex Genoese sponge, katsu curry making a gelatinised sauce and working on those precise vegetable cuts to make soup and a homemade bread.
Students have enjoyed making a Genoese sponge using a double boiler and practising their first ever piping.
Students have also been learning about using precise vegetable cuts for making their future practical products. We practised our julienne, mirepoix and macedoine cuts which they then used to make soup and a homemade focaccia.
Year 7 and 8 and 9 classes have been working on a rotational system with Art Textiles, Food Prep and Product Design, the next of these rotations will take place after Christmas. Students will hopefully be able to show you some of the lovely items they have made in the workshop or in the food room. Thank you again to parents for supporting us by providing ingredients for the food lessons. If any of you have spare containers such as empty sweet containers or ice cream tubs we would greatly appreciate having these to support students who may at times forget to bring the correct container for their food.
There is a great deal of detail on the Digital Learning Hub and on the website showing your child’s Learning Journey.
Year 7 have been studying nutrition and the impact of what we eat and how we can choose better healthier options in their Food Prep lessons. They have also had an opportunity to complete some fantastic recipes helping them to develop their confidence and knowledge of preparing food.
The recipes they have made so far include: pizza crumpets, shortbread, flapjacks and marble cake. Whilst these products are less than healthy they do help them build those crucial skills to make the more complex savoury dishes for later in the year.
Year 8 are studying food choices and special dietary needs understanding how we change as we grow and how the food that we eat also changes. Students have already had a year of practical in year 7 so the products they are making are of a higher level of complexity – homemade pizza, understanding the science behind shortcrust pastry, and making finger rolls.
Year 9 have started the year with calzone pizzas bringing the skills from their summer cook sessions into their regular lessons. They have also been learning about gluten formation while making shortcrust pastry.
Year 7Design Technology students have been busy designing and creating personalised ID luggage tags for their school bags in Design.
They’ve really enjoyed the practical, hands-on experience and have grown more confident using a range of tools for marking and shaping their designs.
They’ve also had an introduction to CAD/CAM technology, which enabled them to customise their tags with images and text.
Year 8Design Technology students have been busy designing and making their own wooden pencil boxes, combining both digital and practical skills. Using computers, they personalised their boxes with custom designs, including names, images, and patterns. In the workshop, they developed their confidence with a range of tools and techniques, carefully measuring, cutting, and assembling their pieces. A key skill they mastered during the project was the lap joint, which they used to securely join the sides of their boxes with precision and strength.
This term, Year 9 students have combined their design and practical skills to produce a range of projects, such as electric toothbrush holders and mobile phone stands. Building on the joint techniques they mastered in Year 8, they have created sturdy, functional, and attractive products. We are excited that some students may choose Design & Technology for their GCSEs next year and look forward to seeing the innovative and refined work they will create.
Year 10 students have been designing and crafting metal bottle openers, gaining hands-on experience with a variety of metalworking tools. They have had the opportunity to use a gas torch to shape their pieces and applied dip coating to give their openers a durable, professional finish. To add a personal touch, some students have used letter punches to engrave their names or designs, making each bottle opener unique and truly their own.
Year 11 students have been working hard to generate a variety of design ideas, which they will carefully model and refine throughout the term. From these explorations, one selected model will be developed further and form an essential part of their final prototype. This process encourages creativity, critical thinking, and iterative improvement as they prepare for their final projects.
This term, our A-Level students have been engaging with a wide range of design challenges, each choosing a unique problem to solve through innovation and creativity.
Their projects include a Japanese-inspired martial arts belt holder, a SEND education toy, and a shoe storage unit.
Throughout the process, students have refined their skills in advanced techniques such as upholstery, laser cutting, and quality control.
Their commitment and inventiveness shine through in the high standard of their work, and we look forward to witnessing their continued development in Product Design.
All students started the term with a refresher during tutor time on our Digital Learning Hub (DLH) and for year 7s this was an opportunity to learn more about the DLH.
Key point covered included:
What the DLH is - our online platform where students can find all the information about different subjects and resources linked to learning including lesson PowerPoints, revision resources or key website links.
Where to find the DLH - if at school it is the landing page when opening an internet browser; at home it can be accessed through the website on a PC, phone or tablet. Bookmark the page and you can get quick access to resources.
The benefits of the DLH - an opportunity to look over something completed in class, or access specific revision materials.
Areas added to the DLH include Duke of Edinburgh, The King's Trust, Careers and International Schools.
All years have also looked at the updates to our Acceptable Use Policy which includes advice on AI use. Students were given the opportunity to read and review this and a reminder for some years re JCQ Exam AI Guidelines.
This term we have delivered Outdoor Learning Intervention to specific students in Year 8 and 9.
During these sessions we focused on the development of skills such as social skills, communication, team building and resilience. Students completed projects on the climate, seasons, a variety of animals, and worked on building their confidence by writing goals, talking about what makes them happy and ways to deal with challenges they might face. Many of them have also found strategies to reduce their anxieties and worries. Friendships have also been a focus where have discussed how to build healthy friendships and how to manage friendship challenges.
World Mental Health Day
We celebrated World Mental Health day on Friday 10 October raising over £860 for Young Minds, a fantastic charity that offers awareness and support for young people who are facing a range of mental health challenges.
As part of the day, students were able to wear a yellow accessory to their uniform, and bake or donate cakes which were sold at breaktime.
During Thursday’s tutor sessions, and through signposting across the school, students were reminded of how, and where, to access mental health support, both from resources in school, and from external organisations.
If you require further Mental Health support or signposting, further information is available on our website Mental Health Website Information.
International Schools
We are delighted to share the fantastic news that we have again been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of the work we do here at NLS to bring the world into the classroom.
The International School Award celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in international education. Fostering an international dimension in the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life work in today’s world. It involves submitting a detailed application that demonstrates the breadth and depth of our International Schools projects across the school.
Some of our international work includes the Year 7 Birmingham Botanical Gardens Trip, the Year 9 and 12 trip to our partner school in India and Year 5 Eco Workshops.
We have also have a variety of in-school projects. A project on ‘The British Empire’, which is a collaborative activity with students in our partner school in India. Another, ‘Language Learning – German International Schools Activity’, which combines students' German language learning with expanding their awareness of German-speaking countries beyond Europe, i.e. Namibia, and its cultural and historical links to Germany. These are just a few examples of the outstanding International schools projects that take place across the school.
Scott McDonald, Chief Executive of the British Council, said: ‘The school has earned this prestigious award through its inspirational international work and links with schools abroad. The International School Award is a chance for schools to be recognised for their important work in bringing the world into their classrooms. This is especially commendable when schools have been deeply affected by the global pandemic. The desire to build on their international work shines through and it is with utmost pride that we celebrate their achievements. By embedding an international dimension in children’s education, these schools are preparing their students for successful lives in the UK or further afield, empowering them to be global citizens, and are creating vital opportunities in an increasingly global economy.’
There have also been lots of super 'international schools' lessons taking place across the school. This helps global learning be truly embedded into our curriculum.
Year 7 Botanical Gardens Trip
Year 7 have had a fantastic time at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens - you can read more about this in the Latest News section at the beginning of this bulletin. Highlights included students facing their fears and holding bearded dragons, corn snakes and giant snails, amongst other animals and insects! They explored the glass houses collecting clues to find out more rainforest plants and environment and had time to explore the gardens. The students have been superb ambassadors for the school and been really engaged in the sessions, asking excellent questions. Well done Year 7.
Fair Active schools
Our Fair Trade leaders have been really proactive this year and are already planning an assembly and bake sale next half term to raise more awareness of Fair Trade.
The Year 8 International Leaders are planning for their first call with our partner school. Year 7 eco leaders will start being recruited soon - watch this space.
At NLS, we utilise the schemes of learning and opportunities that the KT offers to enable some of our most vulnerable pupils to achieve. At the end of last year, this allowed our then Year 11 students to receive their award after the successful completion of six Level 1 units of learning. Our current Year 11 students have been working on their units since the start of Year 10 and are on track to achieve the Level 1 Certificate in February next year.
Our Year 10 students, as a part of their TEAMWORK module, have recently undertaken The Great Egg-Drop Challenge where they are tested on their teamwork skills in overcoming the challenge of preventing an egg from smashing after it is dropped from two storey’s height. The inventiveness of their work was wonderful to see and the students all thoroughly enjoyed seeing whose egg could withstand the drop.
Unfortunately, all eggs were smashed in the completing of this challenge but fun was had by all and many lessons learned about the importance of teamwork and communication.
Later in the academic year, our students will have the opportunity to plant some trees on the school site as part of their SUSTAINABILITY module for their King’s Trust Award, making our wonderful green spaces that little bit greener and doing their but for creating natural habitats for animals and insects alike. This is due to a wonderful offer from the Woodland Trust which will allow for us to have 210 new trees to plant in the school grounds.
Our Year 11 King’s Trust students are focussing on Careers and will, over the course of this term, learn about how to consider the roles they might want for the future based on their skills and interests, learn how to apply for a job, learn how to write a CV and complete an application form and undertake an interview. They will then learn about their own and others’ mental health and how to maintain good mental health – all in preparation for their time when they leave us and move to colleges, apprenticeships and work placements in the near future.
If any students have any outstanding work that has not been entered into their folder, please ask them to submit it, either to me at the address below or to their teacher for KT.
We have a range of Extra-Curricular clubs available and details can be found on the website - extra-curricular-activities , details are also on the digital screens around school.
Highlights include:
Dance - We have had a fantastic start to the year in Dance and seen numbers continue to grow in our Year 7 & 8 Dance club and also in our Year 9 & 10 Dance club and are keen to get started on their dance recital piece in rehearsals. Well done to all our dancers in extracurricular club this half term for your enthusiasm and commitment every week – we will be starting Dance recital performance work very soon!
A Level Physics club is in full swing this term; a selection of Year 13 students work with Year 12 students after school every Tuesday to teach concepts beyond the scope of the curriculum, and work through advanced Physics problems. The process is collaborative, and is designed to help students prepare for the entrance exams to Oxbridge and the Physics Olympiad, whilst also developing understanding of Physics outside of the curriculum. The process is entirely student led, and in it’s fourth year has seen considerable success. Students participating have enjoyed success in the incredibly demanding Physics Olympiad, with some achiveing Gold Awards (top 8%).
We offer our students the opportunity to stretch their own limits and explore the realms outside of their normal comfort zones by taking part in The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme. Participants on the scheme, select and set objectives in each of the following areas (over varying time frames depending on the level of award):
Volunteering: undertaking service to individuals or the community.
Physical: improving in an area of sport, dance or fitness activities.
Skills: developing practical and social skills and personal interests.
Expedition: planning, training for, and completion of an adventurous journey in the UK or abroad.
Residential: (Gold Award only)
Last year 120 students in Year 9 worked towards their Bronze level award and completed their qualifying expedition amongst the wonderful scenery of the Cotswolds. They all enjoyed the expedition and rose to the challenges that were presented to them.
This year the Bronze award is just as popular since the programme was launched earlier this term and whilst the deadline for applications from Year 9 students was 24 October any students in Year 9 still interested in enrolling need to ensure they contact Mr Barrett at the earliest opportunity jbarrett@northleamington.co.uk
Likewise the launch of the Silver DofE programme has been equally popular since being launched earlier this term. Again the deadline was October 24 but any students in Year 10 still interested in enrolling need to ensure they contact Mr Barrett at the earliest opportunity jbarrett@northleamington.co.uk.
Last year, our second cohort of Gold Award students devoted many hours of their time towards the completion of the highest tier of the award.
The award culminates with a presentation for those who complete it at Buckingham Palace and NLS will be taking our cohorts there in 2026.
This year we are running Gold again and have an incredible 43 students who have started working towards this award already.
Further information about the Duke of Edinburgh Awards can be found here DofE Website and our website.
Duke of Edinburgh Awards' Evenings
There will be two awards’ evenings to celebrate the students’ achievements on November 20th 2025 for Bronze participants and November 27th for those who completed their Silver and for those who completed Gold last year so that they too have the opportunity to be recognised in our school setting for their achievements.
The evenings will run from 6.00pm until approximately 7.30pm and will be a chance for photographs to be shown, stories shared and certificates presented. There will be refreshments available and a chance to meet with staff that helped with the running of the course, especially the expedition sections.
There is no cost for attendance of this event but to confirm attendance we ask that you use our ParentPay system (www.parentpay.com) as this will allow us to calculate numbers and confirm dietary requirements.
Can I please ask that you assist your child in ensuring all elements of their award are completed by November 7 2025. This means that they have completed the Volunteering, Physical and Skills sections in the time periods they require, they have uploaded a completed Assessor’s Report and that the dates on the Assessor’s Report match with the dates they originally inputted to the eDofE system.
If you wish to have any more information about The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, please contact jbarrett@northleamignton.co.uk
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This half term, Year 9 students undertook a Drama Leader Training programme over two weeks after school, in preparation for launching the KS3 Vibe Drama Club.
Vibe Drama Club launched on Wednesday 1 October, with a fantastic turnout. The club runs every Wednesday after school from 3.15–4.15pm. Students take part in a range of activities, including games and performance work, with opportunities to showcase their work to small audiences.
Rehearsal Club launched on Thursday 2 October and supports students in developing their performance, design, directing and technical skills. Drama students are encouraged to attend to rehearse coursework and assessment pieces, but the space is also open to those working on independent projects or audition preparation.
One of the highlights for Class 10D was the arrival of 
French
German
This year the Bronze award is just as popular since the programme was launched earlier this term and whilst the deadline for applications from Year 9 students was 24 October any students in Year 9 still interested in enrolling need to ensure they contact Mr Barrett at the earliest opportunity 
Likewise the launch of the Silver DofE programme has been equally popular since being launched earlier this term. Again the deadline was October 24 but any students in Year 10 still interested in enrolling need to ensure they contact Mr Barrett at the earliest opportunity 
Last year, our second cohort of Gold Award students devoted many hours of their time towards the completion of the highest tier of the award.
