Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope that you and your families have enjoyed a restful and enjoyable summer break. As we begin
a new academic year, I would like to extend a very warm welcome to all our students and families,
particularly those joining Burton Borough School for the first time. We are delighted to welcome
everyone back and look forward to another exciting and successful year together.
At Burton Borough, our values of being Ambitious, Proud and Caring continue to guide everything we
do. As we start this new school year, we remain committed to providing an environment where every
student feels safe, supported and inspired to achieve their very best.
We begin the year with a great sense of optimism, following what has been a truly successful year for
our school community. This summer’s GCSE examination results provided much to celebrate,
highlighting the commitment and perseverance of our students and staff. We have seen significant
improvements across all measures, with especially strong progress in mathematics. These
achievements reflect the high expectations we hold for our students and our ongoing focus on
helping every young person succeed.
We were also proud to celebrate a number of significant milestones beyond the classroom. The
opening of our new 3G pitch has created exciting opportunities for our students and the wider
community, enhancing participation in sport, supporting health and wellbeing, and providing a first
class facility that we will continue to develop throughout the year.
One of the highlights of the summer was an inspiring international volunteering expedition to Costa
Rica. Twenty-two of our students participated in a two-week programme with Global Action,
supporting local communities and helping to protect the region’s unique biodiversity. Their activities
included conservation work at the CIRENAS Turtle Reserve, beach cleaning, helping to protect turtle
hatcheries, repainting a local school and observing turtles laying eggs during night-time patrols. This
remarkable experience exemplified our values in action and demonstrated the compassion,
resilience and global awareness of our young people.
As we look ahead, we are pleased to welcome a number of new staff to Burton Borough School. Their
expertise, enthusiasm and commitment will further strengthen our talented team and help us continue
our journey of improvement. Together, we remain focused on delivering ambitious, engaging and
challenging learning experiences that will equip students with the knowledge, skills and confidence
they need for future success.
Alongside academic achievement, we remain committed to offering a rich programme of
enrichment opportunities. Whether through sport, the performing arts, leadership roles, clubs,
educational visits or the Duke of Edinburgh Award programme, we encourage every student to
become fully involved in school life. These experiences help to develop confidence, character and
essential life skills, ensuring that students flourish both in and beyond the classroom.
To support students in making informed choices about their enrichment journey, on Thursday 24th
September we will be hosting our Platinum Pathways Roadshow. This event will provide students with
the opportunity to explore the wide range of pathways available before deciding which Platinum
Pathway they would like to follow this year. Representatives from our various Platinum Pathways, both
within and beyond school, will be available to discuss the many clubs, activities and opportunities on
offer. We hope this will inspire students to become fully engaged in school life, developing their sense
of belonging, community service, leadership and personal growth, while further enriching their
experience beyond the classroom.
Strong partnerships between school and home are fundamental to student success. We are grateful
for the continued support of our parents and carers and look forward to working closely with you
throughout the year. In particular, I would like to thank you for your commitment to supporting your
child’s attendance last year. Through our shared efforts, we achieved significant improvements in
attendance and were recognised for the rapid and sustained progress we have made in this area.
This success demonstrates the positive impact that can be achieved when school and home work
together. By continuing to work in partnership, we can ensure that every young person receives the
encouragement, challenge and support they need to succeed, both academically and personally.
As part of our continued commitment to creating a calm, focused and distraction-free learning
environment, we will also be reinforcing our expectation that Burton Borough School remains a phone
free school throughout the school day. This approach is fully aligned with current Department for
Education guidance, which states that schools should be mobile phone-free environments by default.
We know that parental support is vital in ensuring the success of this policy, and we are grateful for
your continued partnership in helping students understand and follow these expectations. By working
together, we can minimise distractions, promote positive social interaction and ensure that students
remain fully engaged in their learning and school life.
As we begin this exciting new chapter, I am incredibly proud of what Burton Borough School has
achieved and even more optimistic about what lies ahead. Together, we will continue to build a
school community where students are ambitious in their aspirations, proud of their achievements and
caring in their actions towards others.
Thank you for your continued support. I wish all our students a positive, successful and enjoyable start
to the new academic year, and I look forward to celebrating many more achievements together in
the months ahead.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs Bedford
Principal
