Headteacher's Blog #28

There is a lot to celebrate this week. Our sporting excellence continues to make us all proud. On Tuesday, our Under 12s girls' football team won the Lancashire cup showing resilience, grit and flair to withstand an early defeat but still go on to win the tournament. Since starting in September, I have been consistently impressed with girls' sport. Having worked in secondary schools for many years, I can tell you that getting girls to participate in sport is a universal challenge; in our school it is not. The year 8 girls are in the finals next week, I will be cheering them on from the sidelines. Our year 9 boys represented the school in the Lancashire Cup final on Wednesday night, they lost 1-0 in a very tight game. They were magnificent and defended stoically against a very strong team. What impressed me most from the sidelines however was their excellent manners, sportsmanship and teamwork, also the fantastic support that they got from LSA parents and staff members. They accepted defeat with great dignity and magnanimity; they also made me deeply proud to be LSA.

Our year 11s have made an excellent start to the exam season. We have been impressed by how well prepared they have been and the calmness that they have brought to their exams. They are a year group that have had to cope with change but have proved resilient and, like any good athlete, have accelerated towards the finish line. I'd like to thank all the teachers, support staff and crucially the parents who have supported them. This is a partnership and I know how much effort goes into supporting young people during this difficult period. Thank you, we couldn't do it without you. Please keep them attending until the last exam, we will keep them learning.