Looking Ahead to GCSEs

September marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter. Students will embark on their GCSE courses, taking greater responsibility for their learning whilst continuing to develop the skills, independence and resilience needed for success.

Year 10 brings new opportunities, new challenges and increased expectations, but I have every confidence that this year group is capable of rising to them. My aim is to ensure that every student feels safe, supported and challenged to achieve their full potential.

As Head of Year, I have high expectations, but I firmly believe that high expectations, combined with strong relationships and consistent support, enable young people to thrive. Over the next two years, I want every student to leave North Leamington School believing they can achieve more than they ever thought possible.

Celebrating Success

Over the past few weeks, I have been delighted to witness so many examples of students demonstrating our school values. Whether this has been through excellent attendance, outstanding effort in lessons, acts of kindness towards others or representing the school with pride, Year 9 have given me many reasons to celebrate. 
Highlights include seeing students embrace opportunities beyond the classroom, these include:

Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Expedition

A huge congratulations to the Year 9 students who successfully completed their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Expedition. The feedback from staff was exceptional. Students demonstrated outstanding resilience, teamwork, perseverance and maturity throughout the expedition. They supported one another, overcame challenges and represented North Leamington School brilliantly. Completing the expedition is no easy task, particularly in the summer heat, and every student involved should feel incredibly proud of what they achieved. Well done to everyone involved.

Sports Day

What a fantastic Sports Day! It was incredible to see every student representing their College with such enthusiasm, determination and team spirit. The atmosphere was electric, with students cheering so passionately that many of them had no voice left by the end of the day!

The competition was fierce, with Manor and Binswood battling it out right to the very end. In the closest finish we've seen for some time, Binswood just edged the victory, finishing 20 points ahead to claim the Sports Day title. Congratulations to Binswood, and well done to Manor for making it such an exciting contest.

A personal highlight was taking part in the staff relay. It was great fun to join in the action alongside colleagues and students, and I'm pleased to report that there were no injuries....always a bonus! 😄

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, cheered on their teammates and helped make the day such a memorable celebration of our college community. The sportsmanship, encouragement and sense of belonging on display were outstanding. Here's to doing it all again next year!

Congratulations to Binswood – Sports Day Champions 2026.

Celebration Evening

One of the highlights of the year was our Celebration Evening, where students were recognised for their academic achievements, commitment, leadership and contributions to school life.  It was a privilege to celebrate the success of so many students and acknowledge the positive impact they have made within our school community.

Congratulations to every winner.  More photos from the evening can be viewed on our website Celebration Evening 2026 on Website.

Summer Music Concert & Drama Production

It was fantastic to see Year 9 students showcasing their talents beyond the classroom this term. Students involved in the Summer Music Concert delivered outstanding performances, demonstrating confidence, commitment and the results of many hours of rehearsal. Their musical ability and enthusiasm were a credit to both themselves and North Leamington School.

Equally, I would like to congratulate those students who took part in this year's Drama Production, North Leamington School’s take on Matilda with The Girl Who Loved Books. Performing in front of an audience requires courage, dedication and teamwork, and every student involved should be incredibly proud of what they achieved. The performances were thoroughly enjoyed by staff, families and fellow students, and reflected the wealth of talent within our year group.

Attendance World Cup

As part of the NLS Attendance World Cup initiative, students took part in an exciting whole-year group competition designed to celebrate and promote excellent attendance.

Following an initial group stage, tutor groups competed for vital points based on their weekly attendance, with the highest-performing groups progressing to the knockout rounds. The competition grew increasingly competitive as successful tutor groups advanced through the quarterfinals and semi-finals, leading to a closely contested final between Tutor 9MR01 and Tutor 9BD02.

The winners of the Year 9 NLS Attendance World Cup 2026 are 9MR01. Congratulations to the champions on their outstanding attendance performance and well done to all students who contributed to their tutor group’s efforts throughout the competition.

To celebrate their achievement, the winning tutor group were rewarded with a well-deserved tutor time Pizza Party, recognising their consistency, commitment, and excellent attendance across the term.

I would also like to recognise the commitment of every tutor group involved. This initiative has highlighted the importance of strong attendance and the positive impact it has on student progress and achievement.

Tutor Curriculum

Throughout Year 9, students have explored a wide range of PSHE topics designed to prepare them for life beyond the classroom.

These have included:

• Self-esteem
• Healthy lifestyles
• Relationships
• Grief and loss
• Mental wellbeing
• Personal safety

The tutor curriculum continues to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to thrive both academically and personally.

Summer Rewards Event

To celebrate the outstanding effort, commitment and positive attitude shown throughout the year, our Top 30 Year 9 students were invited to attend the Summer Rewards Event on Monday. Students earned their place through consistently demonstrating our school values, making positive contributions in lessons and around the school community, and accumulating an impressive number of reward points throughout the year.

The celebration was a fantastic afternoon, with students enjoying a range of inflatable activities as a reward for their hard work and dedication. It was wonderful to recognise and celebrate those students who had consistently gone above and beyond throughout the academic year.

Rewards

Positive recognition remains incredibly important at North Leamington School. I have been delighted to see Year 9 continue to accumulate an impressive number of reward points through:

• Excellent attitudes to learning
• Resilience
• Leadership
• Outstanding effort
• Acts of kindness
• Homework
• Perseverance
• Independence
• Progress

These rewards reflect the positive culture that exists within the year group, and I look forward to celebrating even more successes throughout Years 10 and 11.

Top 10 for Reward Points 

Top 10 Reward Points for each College. 

Achievement

This award recognises those students who are working above their target grades in the highest number of subjects.

As we reached the end of Year 9, it was wonderful to see so many students making excellent progress across their subjects. Throughout the year, students have continued to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence, demonstrating resilience and determination in the face of increasing challenge.

Academic success is about much more than achieving the highest grades. It is about consistently striving to improve, embracing feedback and taking pride in learning. I have been particularly impressed by the positive attitudes I have witnessed during lesson visits, where the vast majority of students have engaged well with their learning and shown a genuine desire to succeed.

I would like to offer my congratulations to the students who achieved the highest academic outcomes within each college. Their dedication, commitment and work ethic have been exemplary, and they should be incredibly proud of their achievements.

Leadership Opportunities

One of the things that has impressed me most is the willingness of so many students to become involved in wider school life.

Students have continued to demonstrate leadership through a variety of roles across the school, supporting younger students and representing their colleges with pride.

As students move into Year 10, many more opportunities will become available, including:

• Sports Leadership
• Careers Leadership
• Student Ambassador roles
• Charity and Community projects
• Duke of Edinburgh
• Peer Mentoring

I look forward to watching our students continue to develop as confident young leaders.

Model United Nations

On Wednesday (July 15), Year 9 took part in our annual Speaking and Listening Model UN Day. The event provided students with an excellent opportunity to develop their public speaking, debating, negotiation and leadership skills while discussing a range of global issues as they represented one of ten countries as they discuss, debate and negotiate solutions to global issues including Education, Climate Change and Border Control. Throughout the day, they worked collaboratively to prepare speeches, respond to challenges before presenting their ideas, developing valuable communication, teamwork and critical thinking skills in an engaging and immersive setting.

Looking Forward to Year 10

There is so much to look forward to next year, including:

• Beginning GCSE courses
• Religious Studies GCSE
• Duke of Edinburgh Award
• Work Experience preparation
• Revision and Study Skills Evening
• Educational Visits
• Leadership Opportunities
• Rewards Events
• Sports Day
• Celebration Evening

As we move into the GCSE phase of your child's education, your continued support will become more important than ever.

Encouraging excellent attendance, establishing positive routines at home and maintaining open communication with school will make a significant difference over the next two years.

I am incredibly excited to lead this wonderful year group through Years 10 and 11. Although I have only recently taken over as Head of Year, I have already seen enough to know that this cohort has enormous potential. I am looking forward to getting to know every student and family over the coming months and celebrating their successes together.

Thank you once again for your continued support throughout this period of transition. I hope you all have a wonderful, well-deserved summer break, and I look forward to welcoming everyone back in September as we begin the exciting journey towards GCSE success.

Kind regards,

Mr Carl Royle
Head of Year 10 (from September)