Today, nationally the progress and attainment for A level qualifications has been released by the DfE and we are delighted to share that North Leamington School tops the table and is the number one school for 16-18 performance in progress. Nationally this puts NLS 171st out of over 4000 providers of 16-18 provision across the country, top 3%!
Today, at lunch time, students had an extra dish to chose from when making their lunch selection – the winning dish from our student Winner Winner Chicken Dinner Competition.
We launched a whole school competition earlier this term inviting students to create a healthy, tasty chicken dish that would go down a treat in our canteen. The winning dish would then be prepared, cooked and served to students during lunch time.
We welcome Year 9 students to apply to compete in the Cyber Explorers Cup, which is a one-hour-long cyber security competition, offering the chance to win incredible prizes for the classroom.
The competition follows a 'capture the flag' format with each victory unlocking new puzzles and security tasks, pushing students’ skills to the limit.
We are delighted to share the success of NLS students at a recent Faraday Challenge Day, an annual STEM competition, which enables young people, aged 12 to 13 years, to really experience what it's like to work as a team of engineers tackling a real-world challenge.
Faraday Challenge Days are held at schools and venues around the UK and run by the IET, one of the world’s leading professional societies for the engineering and technology community.
Each Challenge Day gives six teams of six students, the opportunity to research, design and make prototype solutions to real-world engineering problems.
We would like to thank all the 30 external education and employer providers who supported our annual Careers Fair for Year 10 and Year 11 students on January 16.
Students were able, in small groups, to ask a range of questions to our guests to learn about the opportunities that are available and gain further insight into what their next steps post Year 11 could be. Students received a booklet beforehand to record the information that they were able to find out about at the event and will be using this to update their careers journey on Grofar, our careers platform.
This was a fantastic opportunity for students to engage with representatives from a wide selection of companies and a range of local colleges, sixth form, and universities.
We are very grateful to all those who supported our event and the feedback from our students showed they really enjoyed the event which will help them in making informed decisions going forward in relation to their post-16 career journey.
During December our tutor groups have been filling hampers with Christmas items and then, as a group, have decided who they would like to receive the hamper.
As we collate the hampers this week deliveries will start taking place to local care homes, the homeless shelter, food banks and elderly neighbours.
Thank you for all your generosity and kind donations - we are sure they will be very much appreciated.
On Friday 13 December, students were invited to replace their blazer with a Christmas jumper. To support the Save the Children charity, we kindly asked for a £1 donation which could be made in cash on the day or via ParentPay (www.parentpay.com). We are delighted that over £593.59 was raised for this important charity.
Thank you to everyone who took part and for your kind donations.
We would like to thank all the visitors from a range of local businesses, providers and parents who supported us in running Mock Interviews yesterday for our Year 11 students and acted as interviewers.
We are delighted to announce that we have been successful in achieving the Quality in Careers Standard. This is the single national quality award for careers education, information, advice and guidance in an education setting.
Holding a nationally validated Careers award demonstrates to those outside the education setting that a high standard has been reached.
The standard is fully aligned Gatsby Benchmarks for Good Career Guidance and fully complies with the Department for Education's Statutory Guidance.
Last week we supported Anti Bullying week, this year the theme was Choose Respect.
During tutor time students discussed what respect means and sessions also reminded students who they can speak to at school if they have any concerns. Our Anti Bullying week activities culminated with students able to wear odd socks to school on Friday to promote individuality, acceptance and tolerance to show that we are all unique and different.
Our Winter Music Concert held on 4 December was a wonderful success. The event showcased the incredible talent of over 70 students who performed a wide range of pieces, from solos to impressive large ensembles, such as the Pop Choir, Wind Band, Steel Pans, and String Group.
The audience was treated to a delightful variety of winter-themed performances, along with genres that our students have explored in their lessons. These ranged from rock and roll to classical music pieces. The concert also featured several band performances, where students captivated everyone with classic pop pieces including Yellow by Coldplay, High and Dry by Radiohead, and Wonderwall by Oasis.
It was fantastic to see every year group within our school well represented during the concert, creating a sense of unity and celebration of our students' hard work and dedication to music.
The music department are extremely proud of all our talented young musicians who are involved with extra-curricular opportunities at NLS.
Thank you to all those parent/carers who attended and supported the event.
Our Winter music concert is taking place on Wednesday 4 December and will feature a wide variety of acts, ranging from solo performers through to our large ensembles (Pop Choir, Wind Band, String Group and Steel Pans). The students will be performing a variety of winter-themed pieces, creating a magical atmosphere for all in attendance.
The concert will begin at 5.30pm and finish at 7.30pm.
Tickets are at no cost and available via ParentPay (www.parentpay.com)
We look forward to seeing you there.
This morning, the whole of North Leamington School came together outside in the school courtyard for a Remembrance Service.
The service saw approximately 1,500 students and staff congregate as a whole school to reflect, contemplate and remember the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community from Britain and the Commonwealth along with young people from our school.
Head Teacher Mr Lowdell, opened the ceremony with an address to the school followed by a Remembrance poem read by Senior Student Leaders, Millie and Will. Year 11 student, Martin, played The Last Post on the euphonium before the whole school observed two-minute. Our cadet students then laid a wreath.
Mr Lowdell said I am so proud of our staff and students coming together to show their respect at this remembrance event every year. Today is a day of reflection and remembrance for those who fought in the great wars, as well as those who have given their lives in recent conflicts around the world. They each leave us with a legacy of courage, selflessness, and unwavering dedication to the cause of peace and freedom.
As we remember those who served in the two great wars, we also turn our hearts to those who have served—and continue to serve—in more recent conflicts. From the challenging landscapes of Afghanistan to the deserts of Iraq, the forests of Africa, and the towns and cities across Eastern Europe, our servicemen and women have answered the call to protect vulnerable populations, uphold democracy, and restore peace to war-torn regions.
These modern conflicts may feel different from those of the past, but they demand the same level of bravery and resilience from those who serve. Every deployment, every mission, brings new risks and sacrifices for our soldiers, sailors, and air personnel, who serve not only for the safety of our own nation but also for the safety of people around the world.
Let us also remember those who have returned from service bearing visible and invisible scars. They carry with them memories of conflict and loss, but they also carry stories of compassion, brotherhood, and resilience. For their bravery in the face of unimaginable hardship and their continued commitment to protect and serve, they deserve our deepest respect and gratitude.
As we reflect, let us hold in our hearts the families who have borne the weight of these sacrifices. The mothers, fathers, children, and loved ones left behind carry on with resilience and strength, supported by our communities, bound by shared loss and pride in the service of their loved ones. Please do take time to look at our own school plaque that lists the fallen of our community. It is a constant reminder that, in part, you have what you have today because of the efforts of previous generations.
On this day of remembrance, we pledge never to forget. We remember the fallen, who made the ultimate sacrifice; we honour the veterans who continue to serve in different ways; and we commit to supporting those currently on duty as they work to create a safer, more just world.