July 18, 2023
Pupils in both upper and lower school have had a fantastic year of learning.
Lower School
We are so impressed with the enthusiasm, curiosity, and high work ethic of all our pupils. Walking around the school, there is such a buzz for learning, and it is wonderful to see how well our pupils are able to remember, explain and apply the knowledge they have learned during the year as we look forward to exploring some new material.
Everyone has been very busy engaging in extra curricular activities this year. This has had a positive impact towards self-esteem and employability skills. Pupils have had valuable opportunities to apply their learning from class, to real life experiences. They have benefited from confidence-building workshops and visits to organisations such as theatres and discovery centres, developing their life skills and preparing for a successful future.
We are thrilled to find that pupils’ reading and spelling skills have seen a great improvement throughout lower school this year, thanks to our new interactive programmes such as IDL which complement our dynamic reading interventions and strategies. Let’s not forget all of the well deserved end of term trips our pupils have thoroughly enjoyed. It’s great to see all of the effort pay off.
In lower school, pupils have explored their musical side this year. We have introduced our new music teacher who is helping us to develop a fun and energetic curriculum. Pupils have been able to grow in confidence and perform their own compositions using percussion instruments.
Every day, our pupils share how happy they are in our school. They thrive within our established learning environment which provides them with safety, security and a real community feel. It is a pleasure to watch them grow into creative, confident, informed, and ambitious learners through our nurturing approach and positive relationships.
Pupils have enjoyed being investigators, explorers, poets, creators, and storytellers within our great variety of topics including, The Animal Kingdom, Space and Alien Life, and Myths and Legends. We are so excited about the year ahead, and to have our pupils back learning. We’d love to hear from you if you have any questions about the new upcoming curriculum.
Upper School
Pupils in upper school have put in a vast amount of effort in to their whole school experience. We have seen progress made in many areas including attendance, wellbeing and behaviour, alongside the fabulous academic progress.
The curriculum has offered many dimensions this year, with visits and trips off-site to support the learning in school. Visits to local Mosques, Churches and Synagogues have enhanced the understanding and learning of religions in RE. Pupils have conducted a survey of biodiversity in the grounds of Chirk Castle to develop their Maths and Science skills. All this has been complimented by visitors into school. We have welcomed the ‘Meet the Professional’ visits from hairdressers to engineers, to enthuse our young learners and explore career prospects.
There has been a drive for healthy body and healthy minds across the school with the PE curriculum working alongside ILS to promote healthy lifestyles. A Boxing instructor has helped engage those pupils who are sometimes reluctant to engage in physical activity and I am excited to see the results of Sports Day at the end of this term.
Qualifications are a key part to success at Bryn Tirion and this year is no different. Our year 11 pupils have successfully finished the exam seasons and are now taking a well-earned break before moving onto further studies. Some will continue with us for 6th form, while some will move to one of the local colleges in the surrounding area. I need to make a mention to a number of the year 10 pupils who have taken part in their first GCSE exams. It can be a daunting task to sit in a room and take a test, so hats off to them for putting in a great effort. I am excited to meet with those in years 10 and 11 on 24th August to see their results.
Pupils across the year groups have engaged in reward activities that build on team work, resilience and promote a little bit of a healthy competitive nature. Go-karting has been a popular choice this year, and we have a number of budding young Lewis Hamiltons. Skiing has also been a wonderful experience for many pupils and I know plans are steaming ahead to take even more next year.
