On Friday 06 March, we invited over 40 employers into school who conducted mock interviews with our year 10 students, helping to prepare them for their work experience in July.

Over the course of the last 6 weeks, our students have been working hard for this event from finalising their CVs and working on developing their interview skills. 

Throughout the morning of the 6th, each year 10 student had a 20 minute interview, discussion on their CV and then received personalised feedback from the employers. It was a fantastic morning and our students were a real credit to both themselves and the school.

We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the employers who gave up their time to support us with this event.

 With reading for pleasure in decline, this practical guide offers ten thoughtful ways to reignite children’s enthusiasm for books. From valuing all forms of reading to broadening access to diverse materials, it explores how adults can nurture positive reading habits both at home and in school. Digital tools, audiobooks and augmented reality are also considered as engaging ways to support today’s readers.

It also highlights the power of social connection – recommending books, reading together and meeting authors – alongside the importance of modelling reading ourselves. With expert insight from literacy specialist Carl Pattison, this edition provides supportive, achievable ideas to help young people reconnect with reading and see it as a meaningful part of everyday life.

We were delighted to welcome Purbeck Sounds Radio to The Purbeck School, where they met with our Year 8 & 10 Student Leadership Team to talk about the exciting opportunities available through the station.

Students heard how presenting a weekly radio show is a fantastic way to grow in confidence and develop valuable life skills. From planning and preparation to mastering technical equipment and building media expertise, being part of the radio team helps students grow both personally and professionally.

A highlight of the discussion was Purbeck Young Stars, a platform designed to celebrate and empower young talent. Whether your passion lies in science, the arts, literature or media, the station offers opportunities to share your interests with the community, interview rising stars and even attend and report from local events.

15 pupils from one of our book groups travelled to The Thomas Hardye School this week for the final of the Wessex Amazing Book Award. Since October, we have been reading a shortlist of 6 titles, published within the last two years, each nominated by one of the participating schools. Each week we have met to discuss these books and others, sharing our reading through fun activities. On the day itself, we joined with pupils from schools across Dorset to make shared presentations on each title, as well as watching a short recorded video from each nominated author. After a break for cake, we enjoyed a live streamed talk from the author Kathryn Foxfield, who wrote last year’s winner, ‘Getting Away With Murder’. This year’s winner was announced as ‘Keep Your Friends Close’ by Cynthia Murphy. There is a clear preference for murder and mystery amongst Dorset school pupils! Our pupils had a great morning out,  while practising their literacy and oracy skills, mixing with new people and working towards a shared goal. A very enjoyable start for us to the National Year of Reading.

UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge

 We are incredibly proud of the selected Year 9 and Year 10 pupils who took part in this year’s UKMT Intermediate Mathematical Challenge (IMC) in January. The IMC is a nationally recognised, 60‑minute paper featuring 25 increasingly challenging problem‑solving questions designed to test mathematical reasoning and precision. Earning a certificate is a significant achievement, as only the top 50% of participants nationally are awarded Bronze, Silver or Gold certificates, recognising outstanding performance in problem‑solving.

 This year, our pupils achieved 14 Silver awards and 19 Bronze awards — a testament to their commitment, effort and excellent mathematical thinking. With 44 pupils representing Year 9 and 37 representing Year 10, we are delighted to celebrate their hard work, enthusiasm and impressive performance in such a demanding national competition.

Still deciding which path to take after GCSEs, we’re here to help! 

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