Weekly Bulletin Autumn Term 2025
Weekly Bulletin 10th November 2025
The pupils have returned from the break with a lot of enthusiasm and energy, which is great to see! Here are a few updates.
Pupil Premium Dartmoor Intervention: On Friday, the first group of pupils from this year's Pupil Premium group travelled to Dartmoor to climb Bellever Tor. For most of the pupils it was their first time visiting Dartmoor. They were all brilliant: polite and friendly and incredibly happy to be exploring the forests and moorland. The group saw lots of horses and enjoyed good weather too. All the pupils benefited from being outdoors and building their self-confidence in this new environment.
Assemblies: This half term, our assemblies will focus on the famous people that our classes are named after. Last week saw Turing and Scott classes inform the rest of Key Stage 3 what they had learned about Alan Turing and Captain Scott. They put together a wonderful PowerPoint containing excellent artwork and research by the pupils. This week it is the turn of Parks and Newton Classes, and we look forward to seeing what they have prepared.
Catering: Year 10 and 11 pupils didn’t want to waste the last of the apples from our orchard so last week they made a delicious toffee apple crumble. They worked with great independence and were very happy with the results. Well done to the catering groups.
Design Technology: It was a pleasure to visit the DT lessons last week just as Year 10 finished their project making clocks. Each pupil had decided on a theme based on their personal interests and had come up with imaginative ways of incorporating the numbers, clock hands and images. It was fascinating to see how they had combined a range of techniques and materials for maximum effect, and they were rightly proud of their creations.
Art: It has been a very busy time in the creative arts department. Year 9 pupils have been inspired by Picasso’s bold use of colour, lines and patterns to support the development of their painting skills. The pupils have experimented with a range of art elements and media to create abstract portraiture. They have enjoyed developing their technical skills such as brushwork, layering and composition.
At the end of last term pupils from Brunel used photomontage to finish off their project on abstract portraiture inspired by both Pablo Picasso and Hannah Hoch. Pupils combined different photographic elements – such as parts of faces, patterns, and colours – cut and pasted from various images. It was great to see how much they enjoyed the process of layering and using images to distort or fragment a traditional portrait, creating a sense of abstraction.
Year 7 pupils have now finished their exploration of natural forms. The pupils have enjoyed developing their observation skills to help them draw shapes and detailed patterns. They also used a variety of media and mark-making techniques such as lines, dots and shading to show the texture of a leaf, pebble or shell.
Expressive Arts: Our Year 7 pupils have thoroughly enjoyed an introduction to a range of drama games last week. They have demonstrated their control, and awareness of, the body, imagination, vocal sound and facial expressions. As part of their work, the pupils have learnt how to construct a group still picture using their facial expressions and appropriate physical control to sustain a fixed position.
Therapy Trips: During their visit to Lucerne House, our pupils helped the residents make pizza. As we would expect, they were polite and engaged really well with supporting the residents.
Three pupils went for their first visit to the Community Café last week. They were amazing and helped serve and clear tables, developing some excellent listening and communication skills while also showing great maturity.
Conversational Chess/Japan group: As you may know, our pupils are working with the Interaction Team from Devon County Council to hold a Japanese-themed cultural day at Southbrook. On Friday, they started making their plans. The group have decided on the six activities they would like the pupils to do during the day and have started speaking to staff to help run the sessions.
These will include Japanese sports, Japanese crafts, Japanese food, Calligraphy writing / Anime and Taiko drumming. They are also exploring the possibility of building a Japanese garden in part of the allotment where tutor groups can add to it over the day. The Interaction Team have given us a grant of £1000 to support with some of the materials and activities. It was especially nice to hear how confident and enthusiastic the pupils were.
Outdoor Education: Newton and Parks classes both had a great time ‘Weasling’ with the staff from Haven Banks on Dartmoor. Despite the wet and windy weather, they had a lot of fun. As part of the experience, they climbed up a tor, under a tor and through the tor – some of the gaps were very tight but they worked together to squeeze through.
Poppie Appeal: Mrs Bruen has secured a box full of poppies, bracelets and keyrings which her tutor group have been selling to raise money for the Poppie Appeal. Thank you to Anna and to each of you who have sent in donations last week. We will let you know how much was raised very soon.
I hope you all have a lovely week.
Simon Winward
Weekly Bulletin 3rd November 2025
Hello all, and welcome back!
I hope you all had a relaxing break, and your children are ready for the next part of the Autumn Term. It is due to be a busy one, as it always is, with Christmas events and a lot of learning!
Here are a few updates from the week before the half term break:
Spooky cinema: Congratulations to the Year 11 team and the staff who supported them to hold a spooky cinema experience for Year 7. They prepared the decorations, snacks and the room, and the Year 7 pupils loved it. The Year 11 pupils worked very well as a team and their hard work paid off. Well done to everyone involved.
Transition event: Thank you to all of you who came along to the transition event. It was great to see so many of you taking advantage of the information on offer - we hope you found it useful. As always, if we can help with the transition process or applications, please do get in touch and we will share dates for college open days as we hear about them.
Museum trip: Brunel Class really enjoyed their trip to the museum. While the focus was to look at the Roman artefacts linked to their learning in Humanities, they also enjoyed exploring the rest of the museum. The pupils represented the school wonderfully, showing enthusiasm for learning and communicating well with each other during the visit.
Dawlish Garden Trust: Year 10 attended their final session of this round at Dawlish Garden Trust, and the focus was independence. They were tasked with choosing an animal and independently cleaning the shelter, checking for any signs of illness and explaining what they had done to the staff there. They were able to remember where to collect and return equipment and showed excellent problem-solving skills.
Dartmoor Preservation Association Grant: Last week we were informed that Southbrook had been successful in its application for £1120 from the Dartmoor Preservation Association. This grant is to ensure that our pupils have access to walking boots, day bags and walking poles, and will further improve our Outdoor Education provision.
New Governor: At the FGB meeting last week, Kate Robbins was officially recruited to the Governing Board. Kate currently works at Exeter College and will be taking on the monitoring of subjects associated with the Quality of Education. We will shortly be recruiting for a parent governor so please keep your eyes peeled for further information if you are interested in joining the board to help us further improve Southbrook School.
KS4 Parents’ Evening: The next Parents’ Evening will be held on 13th November and will be for Key Stage 4. If you have not had an email already, you will be receiving this shortly so you can let us know if you can attend. We hope to see many of you there.
Advanced warning- Christmas Week
17th December- two performances of Wizard of Oz
18th December- Christmas Fair
19th December- Christmas Assemblies and Christmas Dinner for pupils
Weekly Bulletin 20th October 2025
As we head into the final week of the half term, here are a few of the highlights from last week:
Parents’ Evening: It was wonderful to see so many parents and carers come to the first parents’ evening of the academic year for KS3. Thank you to everyone who came along and for completing the feedback forms. Your feedback is always valuable, and it is rewarding to read so many positive comments. We can’t wait to see those of you who have children in KS4 on 13th November. More information will follow shortly.
Catering: Our Year 10s have been continuing to develop their catering skills, making a delicious and nutritious sausage casserole last week. The most impressive thing to see was the accuracy with which they chopped and prepared the vegetables despite a few tears from the onions. It looked and smelled delicious. Well done Year 10.
Apple Pressing: It was great to see more teamwork in the forest school lessons last week, as the pupils learned how to press our own apples to make apple juice. Everyone enjoyed the experience, taking on different roles within the process, and the end product was served at KS3 parents’ evening.
Japanese Cultural Day: Our Therapy team are collaborating with colleagues from the participation team at DCC to organise a special Japan-themed day. A group of Year 11 pupils engaged really well with the initial planning for the day, generating wonderful ideas. They are now looking forward to telling the rest of the school about it. The ideas will be fed back to the participation team and organisation can begin. We will let you know when we have more details.
Haven Banks: Last week, Parks Class took part in archery and caving. This was the first time they had tried both new activities. Everybody got stuck in and had a lot of fun! Some pushed themselves into the small spaces of the caves while others popped balloons with their arrows (with incredible aim).
Newton Class had a great first experience of climbing last week. All pupils overcame their initial nerves to achieve something they didn’t know they could do.
Roman Sheilds: In KS3 Humanities, Brunel Class have been learning about the Romans. They made their own Roman shields and got ready to protect the school from danger! They are now looking forward to their trip to the Museum next week, where they will continue to deepen their learning about the Romans.
Vocational Hospitality Group: You may recall from a previous bulletin that the Hospitality group recently visited the Picture House in Exeter. They wrote a number of cards and letters to say thank you and they got a response from the staff at the Picture House:
‘I must say we are all touched by the cards and letters from the students, however we are not the inspirational ones, they are. It was a pleasure to meet them all.’
Their letters and cards are on display at the Picture House now. To demonstrate what they learned during their visit, they have been working hard to prepare for the ‘Cinema experience’ they are hosting for Year 7 next week. The final preparations included making invitations, posters, decorations and preparing the food. It should be a lovely experience for our Year 7 pupils.
Next week:
Wednesday 22nd October-
Brunel Class will visit Exeter Museum- contact Lucy Gezink for more details.
Yr 9, 10 and 11 Transition Evening 4pm-6.30pm- contact Charlotte Ewart for more details
Thank you again for all your ongoing support. I am sure the pupils are ready for a break, so I hope you have a relaxing half term when we get there.
Simon Winward
Weekly Bulletin 13th October 2025
Hello Yellow Day: Hello Yellow was a great success and I wanted to say a big thank you to all of you who made a contribution or helped your young person find something yellow to wear. Each class looked vibrant and learned a lot over the course of the day about mental health, the importance of positivity and where to access support. Of course, there was a lot of preparation as well so thank you to Mr Rose, as our mental health champion, and Zoe, for her creativity and hard work. One of the highlights was the cookie-decorating. Every pupil was able to take part in this fun activity within the pastoral block, learning that the staff who work there can be a source of support should they need it in the future.
It was lovely to go around the school, seeing classes full of yellow and pupils taking part in creative lessons, playing Kahoot, doing the treasure hunt, playing yellow bingo or adding positive comments to the positivi-tree. Thank you for your support with this special day.
Catering: Once again, some delicious creations have emerged from the catering room. Year 10 focused on weighing and measuring with accuracy, which resulted in a spectacular Rocky Road, while Year 11 pupils continued their exploration of balanced meals by making a carbonara. Well done to the catering team and all of the pupils involved for their hard work.
Devon LA Football Tournament: On Friday a group of Year 10 and 11 pupils attended the bi-annual MLD tournament at Devon FA. The tournament was attended by all the major Devon SEND schools. The talent on show was extremely high, and the competition was incredibly tough. Southbrook entered a Year 10 and a Year 11 team.
The Year 10 team remained unbeaten throughout the competition, conceding only two goals. They finished in silver medal position out of all the attending schools.
The Year 11 team faced Mount Tamar School in the semifinal, which resulted in a penalty shoot-out. We ended the day by winning the final 1-0.
It was a proud moment for everyone involved, and the pupils were thrilled with their accomplishments. It is a great example of what can be achieved by our pupils with the support of enthusiastic staff and a little teamwork.
PSHE: During PSHE, Year 7 pupils have been learning about what it means to be a good friend. The children labelled the qualities needed to be a good friend, such as showing kindness, being fair, listening well and offering support. Some even went a step further and explained what these qualities might look like in practice. One pupil wrote, “A good friend should show respect for who you are.” I couldn’t agree more.
Outdoor Education: In addition to the activities on the water, some members of Da Vinci class went for a walk on Woodbury Common last week. It is always beneficial to get out of the city and into the open, and these pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Porsche: Mr Green has been using his contacts to provide a special additional experience for our pupils, fuelling their imaginations and aspirations for the future. It was a surprise to many when a spectacular Porsche appeared on the playground, and the pupils loved exploring it and sitting in the driver’s seat. For some it linked to their work with motor vehicles at Coombe Pafford while for others it was simply an enriching experience. Thank you, Mr Green, for making this happen for our pupils.
Y7 Lifeskills: This week the pupils in Y7 have been putting their understanding of community interactions into practice by completing some class role play in a ‘Southbrook Café’. They each took turns to be the customer and the café assistant. All the staff were extremely impressed by the polite interactions between the pupils and how seriously they took the role of service to others. A great example of how learning can be assessed through practical experiences.
Parents’ Evenings: It is KS3 Parents’ Evening on Thursday, starting at 3.30pm. Please do not arrive early, or you may get caught up with the taxis and buses. It will be wonderful to see you next week. As always, the pupils will go home on their normal transport but if you are attending at 3.30pm, and require your child to stay at school until you arrive, please contact Matt Day to arrange this. Here are his direct contact details: mday@southbrook.devon.sch.uk
Thank you once again for all your support.
Simon Winward
Weekly Bulletin 6th October 2025
Cake sale: The cake sale was a big success, raising around £160, which will be used for resources to support the Christmas production of The Wizard of Oz. Thank you to each of you who sent in money for cakes. The cakes were made or donated by staff, and Year 10 also made some Wizard of Oz fairy cakes, which were very popular.
Hospitality visit to Exeter Picturehouse: Year 11 pupils had the pleasure of visiting Exeter Picturehouse last week, where they learned about how it is run and managed, and got a behind-the-scenes look at this aspect of the hospitality industry. While there, they met some of the staff and expanded their understanding of careers and roles within this field. The staff were very accommodating, and the pupils represented the school very well. Well done Year 11.
Humanities: Our Year 9 pupils have been learning about the Blitz during World War Two. In a lesson full of hands-on experiences, they explored the clothing of the time, gas masks and began a creative art project that both expanded their vocabulary and thinking skills. Great work, Year 9!
English: Our Year 11 pupils have begun to discuss their pathways in line with what they have discovered about their college courses when they have met with Ed Rice (independent careers advisor). One pupil wrote the following opening to a piece he is developing:
‘The wind wisped the leaves from the trees in a hypnotic dance – moving as free as water but as confined as a bird with its wings clipped. Rain fell like tiny drops of stars falling from the heavens down to earth as the sky transformed from a hopeful blue to a black as dark as midnight itself.’
Our Year 10 pupils have been exploring the World of Buster Keaton and comparing his moves and stunts to the those of Morris Lessmore, the main character in their focus text.
Year 9 pupils have been learning about empathy and have been thinking about what some of the main characters in a text might be saying and thinking (and how this might be different) in specific situations. They then thought about how to use speech marks and a variety of different speech verbs- such as whispered, shouted, whined - to record these ideas formally. I happened to walk in as they were thinking about the importance of choosing a speech verb that reflected the feelings of the character and tone of voice. I walked in once and was whispered at, and when I returned, I was shouted at! Mrs Leganski definitely made the point very clear, and it was a lot of fun.
PSHE: Our Year 9 pupils have been exploring healthy eating, with a focus on portion control and creating balanced plates that include all the major food groups. There were some surprised faces when they discovered that a recommended portion of cheese is just 30g — about the size of a small matchbox!
Meanwhile, our Year 7 pupils have been learning all about building positive friendships. This week’s lessons gave them a chance to practise key friendship skills such as asking thoughtful questions, playing kindly, working together as a team, and giving compliments. By the end of the session, it was lovely to see pupils engaging more deeply with one another by asking questions, showing curiosity, and really getting to know their classmates better.
Year 7 Tutorials: In their tutorial lessons last week, Year 7 made two types of pots. Through this hands-on activity, they were able to develop their fine motor skills, working memory and sequencing skills, which led to a tangible outcome, rewarding their success. Everyone showed resilience and a very good work ethic and did themselves proud. Well done Year 7.
Haven Banks: The pupils have been waiting to get out onto the water for some time and last week, they did just that. Da Vinci and Newton classes took part in Kayaking. For Newton, who are new to our Outdoor Education adventurous activities, this was their first kayaking session. One pupil said, ‘When I grow up, I am going to buy a house by a lake so I can kayak every day - I love this!’
Parks class took part in Bell Boating or drove the Wheely boat. For most of the class this was the first time they tried something on the water. They all worked very well together and supported each other to keep rowing.
Exeter College Open Day: 4pm until 8pm on Tuesday 7th October. Please get in touch with them directly if you wish to attend.
Reminder: On Friday, we are taking part in Hello Yellow Day for Mental Health. Pupils may wear something yellow (as long as it is appropriate for school) alongside their normal uniform. Any donations received will be donated to Young Minds.
We look forward to seeing our Years 7, 8 and 9 families at KS3 parents’ evening on 16th October from 3.45 pm.
Have a lovely week.
Simon Winward
Weekly Bulletin 29th September 2025
Where has September gone? Here are just a few updates as we approach the end of the first month…
Medical Protocols: Your child may have told you that we had two ambulances on site last week. As you can imagine, it is unusual to have two in close succession. Having been trained at the start of the year for such incidents, the efficiency and professionalism of the staff shone through, and all the students were well supported. We appreciate that this can be a distressing experience for some of our pupils. If this raised any worries for your child, please contact the pastoral team to discuss the support they can provide.
Science: Key Stage 3 have been using Bunsen Burners in science this week. Year 9 created solutions of tea and salt which will be used to conduct a filtration and separation investigation next week where they will try reversing the process. The pupils have been taking these sessions very seriously, putting into practice what they have learned about safety in the lab. Well done KS3.
Maths: In maths, Year 11 have been learning about symmetry. Instead of relying on worksheets, the class have been using every-day objects to apply their knowledge and develop their understanding. Well done Year 11.
Catering: There were some delicious smells coming from the catering room last week. Upon investigation, Year 10 could be found making sausage and mash with red onion gravy. They are becoming extremely competent in the kitchen, following instructions well and trying new recipes, techniques and ingredients. No doubt that the skills they are learning will help them to develop their independence skills further.
Cake sale: Our catering groups will be making cakes next week so that on Friday 3rd October they can hold a cake sale during breaktime. They will be raising money that will go towards props for the forthcoming production of The Wizard of Oz. The tuckshop will run as normal but if you would like your child to have cake instead, please send them in with a little money on Friday.
I will finish this week with a little reminder that your child’s tutor is always happy to help should you have any questions or concerns. Have a fabulous week.
Simon Winward
Weekly Bulletin 22nd September 2025
Well, it has been another very busy week at Southbrook, so here are a few updates from last week.
Dawlish Garden Trust: The first group of Year 10 pupils attended Dawlish Garden Trust for the first time as part of their vocational rotation. They learned about the animals and how to care for them, prepared food and cleaned them out. The pupils were curious and polite and represented the school well. I am sure they will learn a lot over the next three weeks, and it should be a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Bobbie: We had the first visit of the year from Bobbie, our therapy dog. The pupils had missed him over the summer, and he received a very warm welcome. He was able to visit some of our newest pupils as well and will be back next week.
English: English lessons started this term with pupils rediscovering their presentation skills after the summer break. All classes from Years 7 through to Year 11 shared something about their holidays or themselves with their peer groups. They then launched into the focus texts for this half term.
Year 8 considered what all the beautiful illustrations of winged flying contraptions in the first few pages of ‘Farther’ could be. Miss Bruen was blown away by some of the children’s ideas.
Brunel Class have been reading ‘Leo and the Octopus’ and suggested reasons for many of Leo’s sensitivities to stimuli, relating to their own experiences. They have been thinking about trying to make their writing more descriptive, writing descriptive sentences with greater independence.
Year 11 have also been looking at transforming basic sentences and using ambitious vocabulary.
Lucerne House: As I mentioned last week, the residents from Lucerne House have kindly donated a train set to the school. It is currently set up in the raspberry room and can be added to with further buildings, bridges, models… the possibilities are endless. Thank you to the residents of Lucerne House. Last week a new group of pupils visited Lucerne House, and they have already made a good impression.
Immunisations: Well done to the immunisation team and the therapy team for another successful round of immunisations. Over 80 pupils took up the opportunity on Wednesday.
Therapy provision: It has been a very busy and successful week within the therapy team. During their first trip to the community café last week, the pupils cleared tables, helped in the kitchen and spoke to the volunteers, developing their independence and communication skills.
Physiotherapy sessions have started in earnest, with many pupils accessing multiple sessions each week. These are well supported by our staff, under the guidance of our visiting physiotherapist, Susanna.
There are also plans to restart the popular ‘conversational chess’ sessions after half term, and planning is underway to build on the success of this intervention.
Maths: Year 8 have been working hard this week on their understanding of place value. They have been able to compare numbers and talk about the value of different digits within a number. They have also been developing their understanding of time and money skills through a series of social skills games and activities.
Year 11 students continue to show incredible levels of resilience and perseverance when tackling past accreditation papers. All pupils have worked incredibly hard and shown high levels of motivation to do well.
Parks class have been learning about shape in maths. They completed a cube challenge to test a selection of nets to see which ones would fold to make cubes and which ones wouldn’t. To do this they used the large polydron shapes and made the investigation practical by building the cubes. Well done Parks class.
New School Council: Having completed the class elections, the new school council had their first meeting last week. When pupils were asked what they wanted to give to the school this year, there were some amazing answers. One pupil’s answer stood out when she stated, ‘I want to be the voice to share the opinions of the people who normally do not get a voice.’ While another said she wanted to ‘make the school a better place for everyone who goes here and prove to everyone that just because we are in a specialist school it doesn’t mean we can’t do things!’
Catering: Year 10 made a delicious spaghetti bolognaise and found a solution to the age-old problem of crying while peeling onions. The pupils reported that wearing goggles from the science department worked a treat!
Hospitality: Year 11 continue to work well as a team to plan the upcoming themed cinema party for Year 7 pupils. As well as planning the logistics of the event, they experimented with making different flavours of popcorn to serve at the event.
Thank you once again for keeping in touch and for your ongoing support.
Simon Winward
*Some of you have not been able to access the attachment regarding Hello Yellow Day on 10th October. I have copied the text below in case you couldn’t see it last week:
Dear parents and carers,
We are writing to let you know that Southbrook School is taking part in Hello Yellow Day on Friday 10th October 2025 for World Mental Health Day.
No young person should feel alone with their mental health and that’s why Hello Yellow matters.
We’re taking this opportunity as a school community to come together and show our students that we’re with them and they’re never alone with their mental health.
We’ll be joining thousands of schools by wearing yellow to stand out and show up for young people’s mental health and raise vital funds for Young Minds.
To take part, students can wear something yellow to school on Friday 10th October, and we ask parents and carers to consider making a donation which will go to Young Minds. Alternatively, they can wear their normal school uniform.
Together, we can create a brighter future for children and young people.
Weekly Bulletin 15th September 2025
It has been a very busy first full week, and we have seen our pupils settling into new routines and finding their new places within the school. Here are just a few of the highlights from last week:
Vocational Learning: Year 11 have embarked on their new vocational learning curriculum. It allows them to have more choice about the vocational subjects that they wish to spend the majority of their time studying. They will spend longer learning in more depth about their chosen area, and as these have direct links with topics they may continue with at college, this should better prepare them for the next phase of their education. To build on their work at Dawlish Garden Trust last year, they also spend a 10-week block at Combe Pafford, taking advantage of their wonderful resources to learn about either vehicle maintenance or animal care. The first group of ten pupils visited Combe Pafford last week and represented the school very well. While one group learned about some of the more exotic animals they have, the other was soon exploring the vehicle workshop and crawling under cars. It will be fascinating to see how much they learn and how their confidence grows over the next ten weeks.
In school, our Year 10 pupils had their first taste of their vocational rotations that will allow them to experience the full breadth of experiences over the year and help them to make informed choices when they reach Year 11. The Year 10 Catering group made a delicious vegetable stir fry, preparing the vegetables with accuracy and learning how to safely use a range of catering equipment. Our Year 11 Hospitality group spent some time working as a group to generate ideas for projects they wanted to complete. The range of ideas was fantastic, with a cinema experience being an early frontrunner. They went on to try making healthy snacks for younger pupils, trialling air fried apple crisps.
Art: This week Year 11 pupils have been working towards developing their own ideas for a personalised piece of artwork inspired by their chosen song lyrics. The pupils experimented with concepts inspired by the artist Kandinsky to create unique artworks that reflect a meaningful connection to the text and music. Year 7 spent some time observing natural forms, using drawing and painting to record what they saw. They looked closely, honing their concentration and observational skills, while developing their vocabulary to describe what they saw.
Science: The pupils have had a great start in their science lessons last week. Year 7 have been looking at hazards and risks in the Science lab as well as the world in general, while Year 8 looked at the classification of organisms and what they do to get food. In their last lesson, they even learned about the role and function of different teeth! Year 9 pupils have explored materials and their properties and particularly enjoyed learning about conductors and insulators. Accredited work on WJEC modules has also begun, with Year 10 learning about hazard labels and lab safety while Year 11 expanded their understanding of electrical systems by examining circuits where there is a flow of current.
Maths: KS3 Maths lessons have started the new school year by working on their investigation skills. Pupils have worked hard to develop their understanding of a variety of numerical and geometrical patterns and have shown wonderful teamwork, resilience and perseverance. In KS4, pupils have begun to work on their AQA accreditations, and all pupils have shown excellent levels of application and maturity, approaching the more challenging content with enthusiasm.
Lunchtime Clubs: There are a lot of wonderful clubs for our pupils to attend each lunchtime. These are hugely beneficial for the pupils, allowing them to develop their social skills with a range of peers, year groups and adults and teaching them how to effectively manage unstructured time. One particularly popular club is the Southbrook Sapphires Cheerleading club, which now has a whopping 28 members. I can’t wait for the first performance!
Immunisations: On Wednesday, the immunisation team will be in school to give the flu sprays to our pupils. There are currently around 80 pupils registered. If you need support to register, please contact a member of our therapy team, who will be able to support you.
Annual Reviews: Year 11 Annual Reviews will begin this week, and we look forward to welcoming you into school for these. As normal, your child is welcome to attend for all or part of the meeting, and your child’s new tutor will come along as well.
Hello Yellow: Please see the attached poster for Hello Yellow Day. Pupils will be allowed to wear something yellow on 10th October. Alternatively, they can wear their normal uniform. If you are able to make a small donation on 10th October, it will go to Young Minds.
School Dinners: Unfortunately, due to rising costs, the price of school dinners has had to increase to £3. This change will not begin until after the October half term.
Advanced warning- some dates for your diary. More details of each event will be sent to you nearer the time:
Parents Evenings:
16th October for KS3
13th November for KS4
14th May for KS3
11th June for KS4
22nd October- KS4 Transition Evening 4pm-6.30pm
Christmas Week
17th December- two performances of Wizard of Oz
18th December- Christmas Fair
We hope you have a lovely week ahead.
Simon Winward
8th September 2025
Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope you all had a brilliant summer break. We really enjoyed welcoming the pupils back and hearing about everything they have been up to. I also wanted to say welcome to the parents and carers of our new year 7 pupils. Each week I will share a brief update with you in the form of this bulletin.
Contact with School: As a reminder, and for the benefit of our joining families, we use the My Child at School (MCAS) app for communications, payments and to give permissions for trips. Without this, you may miss important information so please do download it and if you have any problems with it, get in touch with the school business lead (Gaynor Brierley gbrierley@southbrook.devon.sch.uk). For day-to-day communications, please get in touch with your tutor using the home school book or email. Tutors will be getting in touch with you over the next week or so to check in and share contact information if they have not done so already.
Training days: We had a very busy two days of training and preparation for the new academic year. We had training on safeguarding, emergency medical procedures, behaviour and personalisation, first aid and how we plan to further improve the school. In between these sessions, staff worked hard to get the school ready for the pupils.
As a result, there was a calm and purposeful start to the new year, with pupils supported to have a positive start to the new year.
New Year 7 classes: The new year 7 in take have settled very well. As you know, they will be learning a lot very quickly as they learn about our routines, make new friends and cope with lots of change. On their first two days, they enjoyed getting to know each other and some of the staff. They particularly enjoyed their first Design Technology lesson, where they made some aromatherapy playdough, adding colour and glitter as well as scents. They were also introduced to our pastoral team, where they enjoyed a hot chocolate as they learned where they could access additional support if they needed it.
Catering: Our Year 10 pupils have been ‘living off the land’ last week, picking blackberries and apples from our own allotment. In their first vocational lesson of the year, they made a delicious apple and blackberry crumble, while learning the difference between home cooking and catering, and ensuring they engaged safely and responsibly.
Wizard of Oz: You may have heard that we plan on doing a short performance of The Wizard of Oz at the end of term. All pupils will have the opportunity to take part, with the Year 11 pupils being prioritised for the principal roles as this will be one of their last opportunities to take part in this sort of event at Southbrook. I will keep you informed as further details become available.
Breakfast Club: Breakfast club can be paid for through the MCAS app. However, on a Friday, there is the additional option to buy a bacon roll for 50p. This is run by a TA, Simon V, and should be paid for in cash. The money goes directly into buying next week’s bacon and rolls. This is done on a first come first served basis. If your child would like a bacon roll on Friday, please send them with in with 50p. Normal breakfast is still available on that day.
As always, we are very grateful for the support we receive from our families so please do get in touch if you want to share information, share achievements or need support sorting out an issue.
Simon Winward