New Bridge Pathways Blog Post - 09.10.2026
This week, I have enjoyed reconnecting with staff and pupils, whilst being introduced to our Year 10s. I have been really impressed with the maturity being shown by our Year 11s, as they model to the Year 10s the 3B's and what it means to be a Pathways pupil.
Once again, pupils have had a range of academic, community and social experiences this week – what has happened is best left to our class teams to expand on – they say it so much more eloquently than I, and their posts follow below.
As the nights start to draw in, please can I remind parents & carers to ensure that their child comes to school dressed appropriately for the changing weather, in line with our school uniform Policy.
As the term progresses, can I also remind everyone that we promote a Healthy Living lifestyle at Pathways, so please not send your child to school with sugary sweets, chewing gum or fizzy drinks.
Home/School communication is a key part of our support for our learners, with your child's class team being the first port of call. Please be mindful that the teacher might not be immediately available to respond to your email/call due to teaching commitments. If you have a question for your child's teacher, please contact the school to arrange a mutually suitable time for all involved.
Enjoy your weekend -Stay Safe
Mr Southerington
🎃 Our Talking Pumpkins! 🎃
This week, our class CL2 had lots of fun using an app on our iPads called ChatterPix.
First, we chose or created pictures of pumpkins. We then added a mouth to our pumpkin and recorded our voices. ChatterPix made it look like our pumpkins were really talking!
We enjoyed thinking of funny things for our pumpkins to say. Some pumpkins told jokes, some shared facts about autumn, and some wished everyone a happy Halloween.
Using ChatterPix helped us practise our speaking and listening skills while being creative with technology. We loved watching our pumpkins come to life and listening to each other's talking creations.
We are very proud of our work and can't wait to use ChatterPix again for another exciting project!
🎃📱✨ Well done, everyone! ✨📱🎃
Mrs Palmer
History Option Class Update
Our History Option class has made a fantastic start to the year and has been working hard over the last few weeks as we explore the events of 1066 and the impact of the Norman Conquest.
We began by investigating why there was a battle for the English throne in 1066, learning about the different claimants and the reasons why each believed they should become King of England. Students explored the claims of Harold Godwinson, Harald Hardrada, William of Normandy, and Edgar Aetheling, developing their understanding of why the succession was disputed.
We then focused on why William won the Battle of Hastings, examining the key events of the battle and considering the different factors that contributed to his victory. Students discussed William's leadership, the strengths of the Norman army, and the challenges faced by Harold and his troops.
More recently, we have been learning about how Norman society was organised. Students have explored the feudal system and discovered how society was structured, from the King and powerful barons down to knights and peasants. This has helped us understand how William maintained control of England after becoming king.
It has been great to see students engaging in discussions, asking thoughtful questions, and developing their historical knowledge. We look forward to continuing our journey through Norman England and discovering more about life after the Norman Conquest.
Mr Fish
History 09.10.2026
Photography Update
This week in Photography, the students learned about the Camera Obscura and how it helped lead to the invention of photography. They discovered that a Camera Obscura is a dark box or room that projects an upside-down image through a small hole. The students also looked at some of the first photographs and noticed that they were black and white, less detailed, and often blurry compared to modern photos.
To finish the lesson, the students made their own simple Camera Obscuras and saw how light creates an image. This helped them to understand how early inventors developed the first cameras and changed the way we capture memories forever.
Miss Anwer & Miss Peters
Photography
Science Update
In Science we've been carrying out lots of experiments! Last week we looked at what happened when soap touches milk. Pretty patterns are created because the two liquids don't like each other!
The children were amazed as the colours swirled and danced across the milk, creating beautiful moving patterns. We learned that the soap breaks up the fat in the milk, causing the colours to move around. It was a fantastic way to explore how different substances react with each other while developing our observation and prediction skills. Everyone enjoyed being scientists and discussing what they thought would happen before testing their ideas!
Mrs I
