Girls rugby also continues to go from strength to strength at NSB. Talia Tonga'uiha and Lottie Gomersall have both been selected for the East Midlands Regional Player Development Group, an important pathway through which future England U18 players are identified and developed. Congratulations to both students on this richly deserved recognition.

Our thriving Oracy programme, led by Miss Bason, enjoyed further success this week at the Box Debate Competition at Kenilworth School. 

Miss Bason captures the energy of the day and the students' achievements:

Debaters Shine at Kenilworth School Box Debate Competition

On Wednesday this week, I took an excited group of Key Stage 3 and Sixth Form debaters to take part in the Box Debate competition at Kenilworth School. It is fair to say that this was a fantastic, well-run event.

The format was simple: five rounds of debates, with each of our debaters going up against a debater from another school. They had just five minutes to prepare, with the help of our amazing Sixth Formers. It was a tough battle, with our debaters returning with wins, draws and losses, sometimes by just a single point.

The topics covered a wide range, including whether violent computer games make children more aggressive, whether schools should remain open regardless of weather conditions, and whether governments should prioritise space exploration over deep ocean exploration.

Our students were exceptional and really stepped up for their school. They conducted themselves professionally and showed off their debating skills brilliantly. Well done to everyone who took part.

Thank you also to Ms Hasan, who kindly drove us there in the minibus, ensuring we were able to attend the competition.

We are very much looking forward to more debate competitions to come.

It has been all action on the Careers front since the start of term, and Mrs Greenaway reflects on our first major event of the year for Year 11.

The Post-16 Information Evening was extremely well attended and provided an informative overview of the different pathways available at NSB and across the local area. Mrs Bradley-Brophy explained the entry requirements for NSB Sixth Form and the application process, while Mrs Howard and Mrs Arber outlined provision at other educational establishments and provided valuable information about post-16 qualifications and pathways, including apprenticeships, BTECs, T-levels and the new V-levels. The key message was clear: do your research, attend open days, find the pathway that best suits you and your goals, work hard and have a Plan B and C. Following the presentation, parents, carers and students were able to speak with the Careers Team and representatives from Northampton, Moulton and Bedford Colleges. Thank you to everyone involved — plenty of food for thought for our Year 11 students at such a pivotal point in their education.

The remarkable rise of NSB golf in recent years owes much to the dedication and success of the Bradbury twins. Their contribution has now been recognised nationally in a featured tribute by the English Schools Golf Association — a fitting acknowledgement of all they have achieved for the sport within the school.

English Schools Golf Association tribute

The national school sports competitions are now in full flow, with an excellent set of results across NSB year groups this week. The First XV began their national title defence with a dominant win at Trent College; the 2nd XI beat Princethorpe College 8–3; and the Sixth Form basketball team overcame the long journey to County Durham to defeat St Bede Sixth Form College by 113 points to 72.

There was further National Cup success for the U14B football team, while the U16 Water Polo Team recorded four wins from four in their opening London League tournament, with a superb goal difference of +17.

Next week brings another busy sporting programme, including a landmark occasion for NSB: our first-ever girls' basketball match, against Moulton College on Tuesday. The U15 rugby team will then begin their National Cup campaign at home to Aylesbury Grammar on Wednesday.

 

Looking ahead, tickets remain available for our forthcoming Music at the Movies concert on 15 October, alongside tickets for this year's staff Christmas pantomime, Peter Pan. I suspect it may still be a little early to be talking about Christmas, but both promise to be wonderful events and I would encourage you to book early to avoid disappointment!

 

Richard Bernard MBE

Headteacher