Year 13 students at Gordano School marked the end of their Sixth Form journey in memorable fashion as they came together for a joyful Leavers’ Day celebration filled with laughter, creativity and reflection.

Year 11 students at Gordano School marked the start of their Celebration Day in spectacular style with a fantastic fancy-dress Leavers’ Day event, filling the morning with laughter, colour and unforgettable memories.

As Gary Lewis, CEO of Lighthouse Schools Partnership and former Headteacher at Gordano School, said: “A long-standing tradition, Leavers’ Day offers students a chance to channel the pressures and stresses of exam season into something joyful, supportive and fun. It is one of the many ways Gordano continues to show that it is not simply an organisation, but a true community.”

The bright, colourful and wonderfully creative costumes made the morning, bringing excitement and laughter across the school site and beyond. Many members of the wider Portishead community also enjoyed the spectacle as students made their way to school. By celebrating students in such a joyful and visible way, the whole community was able to share in recognising this important milestone, coming together to cheer them on and celebrate their achievements alongside them.

Adam Dickinson, Teacher of PE, Head of Portland House and organiser of the celebrations, said: “Leavers’ Day is always a very special occasion at Gordano. It gives our Year 11 students a chance to celebrate everything they have achieved together, while also reminding them how much support they have from staff, families and the wider community. Seeing the smiles, laughter and creativity on display this morning was fantastic.”

Residents also shared their delight at seeing the students dressed up:

• “Our Year 1 daughter loved seeing all the dressed up students going to school – it gave her a real buzz! Thanks everyone, wishing you all a great day!”
• “It was great fun watching all the Year 11s dressed up during our school run this morning! The blow-up frog was so funny!”
• “Definitely made us and our grandchildren laugh this morning on the school run! Well done everyone – a great effort by all.”
• “Loved seeing them all this morning walking through Portishead!”

After their fun walk along the High Street, Year 11 students were welcomed into the Main Hall, where they took part in a short year group assembly before heading to the 3G football pitch for tutor group photographs.

Students then spent the rest of the morning enjoying a range of activities including inflatables, bouncy castles, table football, hot food, ice creams and drinks. The day provided a well-earned opportunity for students to relax, celebrate together and create lasting memories.

One Year 11 student said: “It was such a good morning,  I loved the inflatables and the SUMO wrestling, that was great fun. The food was really good as well, and it was nice just hanging out and having a laugh with my mates and some of the teachers too.”

Gordano School would like to thank all Year 11 students for approaching the occasion with such positivity, humour and creativity, all staff members who contributed to such a memorable day, and the wider community for embracing the celebrations.

We wish every student continued success as they move through the exam season and look ahead to the next exciting chapter.

Following her recent involvement with the England Women’s team at the European Team Qualifiers in Sarajevo and the European Team Championships in Croatia, Emma Harradine, Head of PE at Gordano School, has continued her impressive coaching journey after being invited to support the squad at the World Team Table Tennis Championships in London.

The invitation marked another significant milestone in Emma’s growing role within elite sport, providing her with the opportunity to work in a world-class performance environment and gain first-hand experience at the very highest level of international table tennis.

During the championships, Emma had the unique privilege of working in the training hall alongside some of the sport’s leading athletes, including the current world number one male and female players from China. Observing their preparation, intensity and professionalism at close quarters offered an invaluable learning experience that will further enhance her coaching expertise.

Emma’s latest appointment builds on her previous selection to join the England Women’s Table Tennis squad as part of a programme designed to develop the next generation of elite female coaches. Her continued involvement reflects both her dedication to sport and the high regard in which she is held within the national table tennis community.

Emma said: “I’m really looking forward to bringing these experiences back to Gordano School, sharing what I’ve learned with our students and helping to inspire young people to pursue their sporting ambitions. I’m especially passionate about encouraging more girls to get involved in sport, build confidence through physical activity and believe in their ability to achieve their full potential.”

Gordano School is proud to celebrate Emma’s achievements and the positive impact her experiences at the top level of international sport will have on students across the school community.

As Gordano School prepares to welcome its new Year 7 cohort in September, the school is placing a strong emphasis on its extensive and carefully designed Transition Programme, one that goes far beyond a single event and instead offers sustained support for children and families over many months. 

Recognising that the move from primary to secondary school is a significant milestone, Gordano School has developed a programme that prioritises confidence, familiarity, and a sense of belonging from the very start. Through a wide range of opportunities, prospective students are able to engage with the school community well in advance of their first day. 

The transition journey begins in the Autumn with an impressive open evening, giving families an initial insight into school life, followed by a series of open mornings during the school day. A dedicated Parent Welcome Meeting in March provides further reassurance and information, while additional meetings between March and July ensure that every family feels informed and supported throughout the process. 

For children, a Transition Day in the summer term plays a key role in building confidence, offering time within the school environment to meet peers, experience lessons, and become familiar with routines. Alongside this, Gordano School staff, including the Pastoral Team, Library and Reading Mentors Team and Head of Year 7, visit primary schools to establish early connections and provide continuity of care. 

Gordano School has also enhanced its Year 7 provision through the transformation of the Elliot Hall into a Hogwarts-inspired haven, created thanks to generous parent donations and a strong student-led vision.

The redesigned space has been carefully developed to feel welcoming, imaginative, and calming, offering Year 7 students a distinctive environment where they can relax, socialise, and feel at home as they begin secondary school life.

Beyond the school environment, the programme continues to engage children over the summer period with a reading challenge which encourages curiosity and independent learning, while the House Event held at Portishead Youth Centre offers relaxed, social opportunities for children to begin forming friendships and feel part of the wider school community. 

Through the Primary Legacies Festival Programme, participating primary schools bring children from Years 4 to 6 to take part in a wide range of sporting and enrichment activities, helping to build confidence in a new and unfamiliar environment. 

Children develop a strong sense of familiarity with the school, form connections with staff and peers, and begin to feel part of the community. This repeated exposure helps to ease anxieties and replace uncertainty with excitement, ensuring that when students join Gordano, they feel confident, prepared, and ready for the next stage of their education. 

This comprehensive approach reflects Gordano School’s commitment to ensuring that every child arrives in September feeling prepared, supported, and ready to thrive.

By focusing on the whole transition experience, academic, social, and emotional, the school continues to set a strong example of how to make this important step a positive and successful one. 

Gordano School’s Welcome Video can be viewed here: Gordano School - A Video Introduction to our School 

More Transition information can be found here: Gordano School - Transition from Year 6 

More about the Year 7 Elliot Hall Transformation can be found here: Gordano School - Gordano School Year 7 Elliot Hall Transformed into Hogwarts-Inspired Haven Thanks to Parent Donations and Student-Led Vision 

Gordano School is delighted to announce that it has been awarded a Local School Nature Grant, recognising its ongoing commitment to outdoor learning, inclusion, and student wellbeing.

The grant will support the development of the school’s Nurture Garden, with new hammocks and tarpaulin creating calm, sensory-friendly ‘nest’ spaces for SEND students. The project will also include seeds to encourage planting and growth, alongside a climate curriculum kit designed to strengthen environmental education across the school.

Mandi Davies, Inclusive Learning and Pupil Premium Co-ordinator at Gordano School, said:
“We are absolutely thrilled to receive this grant. The Nurture Garden is such an important space for our students, and these new resources will help us develop it further into a calm, creative and inclusive environment where young people can connect with nature and thrive.”

The school will also benefit from training and support through Learning through Landscapes, helping staff to maximise the use of outdoor spaces for learning and wellbeing.

Gordano School looks forward to sharing images of the garden updates with the wider community as the project develops.

A team of four Year 8 and Year 9 students represented Gordano School at the Regional Final of the UKMT Team Maths Challenge competition. Held at Sidcot School, this competition brought together the region's most talented and dedicated young mathematicians for a day of competitive problem-solving. We were hoping to build on our fantastic 4th place finish from last year and knew that winning would earn us a place at the National Final in London.