Headteacher's Bulletin - Friday, April 19th 2024
On Thursday, Ms Hasan took a group of our most talented KS4 actors to The Royal and Derngate for the second part of the National Youth Connections Programme. The students performed brilliantly and were outstanding ambassadors for the school throughout. Ms Hasan writes:
Yesterday I had the pleasure of accompanying 15 Year 10 students to the Royal and Derngate theatre to participate in the second part of the 2024 NY Connections Programme. The students performed to an assigned director from the National Theatre back in February and were given general feedback to action prior to the performance yesterday. Wind/ rush Generation(s) is a much-loved part of the Connections Programme and has been offered to schools and youth groups before. Its educational messages and performance opportunities for young people are boundless, with a range of quite challenging dialogue, transitions and mixed media to consider. The students performed beautifully and with such passion - I literally sat in the auditorium with my heart in my mouth for the entire hour! The students were congratulated by the other two schools who participated with us, for their professionalism, performance skills and overall conduct. They were helpful, supportive of the other schools and worked hard in the two workshops that followed. We are hoping that they will be selected for the final round- which is to perform at The National Theatre in June, but as far as I am concerned, they are absolute winners and anything else, is just the cherry on the cake!
This week saw the launch of NSB's first Science Journal under the leadership of two Year 12 students (Sheli Patel and Jessica Philipsz) who have been in direction of a far wider production team. Sheli and Jessica initially pitched their ideas to Mrs Bradley-Brophy, designed the concept, interviewed Year 10-13 students (over days) for positions as editors and writers, set deadlines and then pulled it all together. Issue 1 is a phenomenally professional, evidence based and informative Journal which would not be out of place in accredited national circulation. Huge congratulations to all involved and I am delighted that I can include a copy for parents / carers to delve into ! NSB Science Journal Issue 1
EDITORS IN CHIEF - Sheli Patel and Jessica Philipsz
DIGITAL PRODUCER - Sheli Patel
ENGINEERING/TECH EDITOR - Mihir Kandi
WRITERS
Kohei Dunkley - "Bitcoin through Time"
Susanna Law - "Timeline of the Pacemaker"
Bayley Northern - "Neural Networks through Time
LIFE SCIENCE EDITOR - Jasmine Campion
WRITERS
Fletcher Bradford-Parnell - "The Science of Love"
Emaan Mahmood - "Darwin's theory of evolution and the work of Watson and Crick"
MEDICINE EDITOR - Kayan Ranina
WRITERS
Josh Obi - "Otzi the Iceman"
Garshana Ramanathasan - "Nazi Reproduction"
Meshayel Shah - "History of Surgery"
PHYSICAL SCIENCE EDITOR - Caitlyn Beacall
WRITERS
Alexander Busby - "History of the Small"
Jessica Philipsz - "Gravity through Time"
Many congratulations to all of the Year 12 students who put themselves up for the House Leadership Team as hustings were held across the week for all four Houses. There was a fantastic, supportive atmosphere in each of the sessions with well honed presentations and cleverly thought through policies for each candidate. The House Leader and Deputies are extremely important student leadership roles which have tremendous impact on the NSB Student Voice, charity initiatives, community relations, House Competitions and wider school initiatives. Votes are currently being made and counted!
We were delighted to welcome back our budding rock musician superstar, Hanley Webb into Year 8 this week, after being part of the international 'School of Rock ' (Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's award winning smash-hit musical) tour of South Korea where he has predominantly been playing the lead character, Zack in front of packed houses. After a brief sojourn in Northampton, Hanley will then embark on the Hong Kong leg of this world famous show.
The very best of luck to our various NSB Dance groups who are competing in regional events over the coming week. On Saturday, NSB Elite and NSB Prodigy will perform in NDance, which is an annual county celebration of the dance and choreographic talent of children and young people across Northamptonshire. It is also part of a UK-wide selection process, where participating groups and soloists can be chosen for a regional shortlist to perform at the U.Dance National Festival 2024. NSB Juniors and NSB Seniors are also competing in the Great British Dance off on Monday - an event that we excelled in last year, scoring full marks (300/300) in the Regional Qualifiers. Hopefully we can emulate that performance this year!
The cricket pitch has been rolled to near perfection and the arcing athletics lanes once again adorn the lower school fields, however there are still some important winter sport matters to be settled this term, not least four National Football Finals in May! Many congratulations to the Year 8 rugby sevens team who are still two years unbeaten after winning their regional section of the annual Saints Sevens competition this week, to the Year 7 basketball team for winning through to the county Semi-Finals of the Jr. NBA and to the Year 7 A football team who are County Champions at the first time of asking after beating The Parker Academy - E- ACT in a closely contested Final on Thursday. Cricket and Athletics fixtures will begin to take centre stage from next week.
Richard Bernard
Headteacher
