Pathways Blog - 5.6.26

We enter the home straight of the Academic year and, as Team GBs Olympic Gold Medallist Sir Mo Farrah does in his races, we are pushing on, not slowing down and finishing the term with a sprint – Duke of Edinburgh's expeditions, a Collaborative visit to Berlin, Whole School ‘Survival & Resilience’ events, Transitions, Summer Markets, End of Key Stage Prom, End of Key Stage Celebration Assembly. All this and more, and we only have 6 weeks to do it all in!

I feel this is what makes Pathways the place it is, we don’t slow down, we are always looking at how we can make every minute count to enhance our offer for pupils and staff – This goes towards our MAT ethos of “creating meaningful futures”.

The World Cup starts next week, and I really do hope “it’s coming home”. I’m sure that many of the Pathways staff and pupils feel the same.

Enjoy your weekend, stay safe

Mr Southerington

CL 2

During the final week of last half term, some pupils enjoyed a trip to Heaton Park enjoying the sunshine. Pupils worked well as part of a team, supporting and encouraging each other to go the extra mile.

Mrs Palmer & Miss Lungu

CL 2

Digi 1

Welcome Back!

We can’t quite believe that we are in our final half term. We just wanted to say a huge well done to the Digi pupils that went to Haven, we have heard from staff how amazing you were during the week showing real maturity and willingness to have a go at a range of activities.

Digi 1 have also said goodbye to Mr Banks, as Miss Wood has now returned from maternity leave. Luckily, he is only upstairs so Digi 1 can still say “hi” and spend time with him during their living skills lessons.

SUMMER MARKETS DESIGNS

This week, Digi1 have been putting their creative skills to the test by working on their ideas for the summer markets. Some of the students have been using their digital creative skills on Canva to create posters requested by other students across Pathways. Some of our other students have also been putting their fine motor and accuracy skills to use by creating Hama bead designs of various characters they have researched and have been suggested by other students.

OLDHAM LIBRARY – GALLERY EXHIBITION SOPHIE TYRELL

As part of Digi1 English lessons, they have started going to the library. This week we were able to see and listen to an artist called Sophie Tyrell on her exhibition about Oldham Wakes and where she took her inspiration from.

FOOD Tech

In Food Tech, Digi1 have made Falafels this week. This week’s technique was Mashing, which definitely was no easy task with the students having to use their strength to crush the chickpeas and garden peas together, so they had a smooth texture perfect for shaping and cooking.

Miss Wood and Miss Peters 😊

Digi 1

DofE bronze blog

On Wednesday and Thursday this week, students from New Bridge Pathways successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze qualifying expedition in the beautiful Manifold Valley, travelling from Weags Bridge to Dovedale. The group began their journey in bright sunshine, setting off in high spirits and demonstrating excellent preparation and teamwork from the outset. However, the weather quickly turned, and they were soon faced with torrential rain, testing both their resilience and determination.

Despite these challenging conditions, every student rose to the occasion. They navigated the route with confidence, supporting one another throughout the journey and showing great perseverance as they made their way across varied terrain. Their ability to remain positive and focused, even when the weather was at its most difficult, was particularly impressive.

Once at camp, students continued to excel, showcasing strong camp craft skills. Tents were pitched efficiently, equipment was well organised, and meals were prepared safely and independently. They demonstrated a clear understanding of the skills they had been practising in preparation for the expedition, applying them with maturity and confidence.

Throughout the two days, their behaviour was exemplary. They showed respect for each other, for staff, and for the environment, working collaboratively and encouraging one another every step of the way. They represented New Bridge Pathways with pride and should feel incredibly proud of their achievements.

Overall, it was a highly successful expedition, with all students demonstrating the determination, teamwork, and independence that are at the heart of the Duke of Edinburgh Award. They were a genuine credit to themselves.

Well done, Mr Hollinworth

D of E Bronze

KS4 Lumenus

KS4 Lumenus students recently took part in an exciting survival challenge as part of the English topic on survival. Working in teams, students were challenged to think creatively and use their problem-solving skills to complete a range of practical survival task.

Using only cardboard boxes, blankets and string, they designed and built their own emergency shelters. Students carefully considered how to make their shelters strong, stable and suitable for protecting them from the elements. As part of the challenge, students also explore the importance of safe drinking water in survival situations. They investigated different ways of filtering dirty water and discussed why access to clean water is essential for staying healthy and safe.

Throughout the activity, students demonstrated excellent teamwork, communication, and resilience. They shared ideas, supported one another and adapted their plans when faced with challenges. The survival challenge provided a fantastic opportunity for students to bring their learning to life, developing both of their English knowledge and valuable life skills in a fun and engaging way.

The activity was thoroughly enjoyed by the students, who embraced the hands-on nature of the challenge with plenty of enthusiasm and laughter. Well done to everyone who took part!

Ms Pilgrim

KS4 Lumenus

Activ8 2

A Fantastic First Week Back After Half Term

We’ve had a brilliant first week back after half term, and it’s been great to see everyone returning with such positive energy and focus.

Activ82 – Final Push on BTEC Work

Activ82 are now on their final push to complete all of their BTEC work, and they have been working incredibly hard to get everything finished. Their commitment and determination have really stood out this week, and it’s been fantastic to see them so focused on achieving their goals.

Hard Work at Mahdlo

Meanwhile, the rest of Activ8 spent time at Mahdlo, where they took part in a challenging fitness session in the morning. Despite it being tough, everyone showed a fantastic attitude, real determination, and a refusal to give up. I was incredibly proud of the effort and resilience they demonstrated throughout.

Cricket in the Afternoon

In the afternoon, we enjoyed some cricket, focusing on practising batting skills. It was great to see everyone getting involved, supporting each other, and continuing to develop their skills in a fun and engaging way.

Overall, it’s been a very positive start to the term, and I’m looking forward to seeing this momentum continue in the weeks ahead.

Mr Wilson