Easter 2026 Newsletter
Posted 2nd April 2026
As we reach the end of another incredibly busy term at TLA, it is a pleasure to share some of the highlights once again.
Nell Bank
Early in the half term, Year 3 travelled to Nell Bank to experience the 'Early People' workshop. This trip built on their history topic of Stone Age to Iron Age, where pupils learnt about life in prehistoric times. During the trip, the children were able to take part in activities such as building shelters, lighting fires and painting using Stone Age techniques. They had a great time and, as usual, the children were an absolute credit to our school.
World Book Day
On 5th March, TLA celebrated World Book Day with a whole host of exciting activities to celebrate reading. We were also lucky enough to be part of the Children's Book Project this year, who gifted us hundreds of free books to share with our Primary pupils - we gifted 670 books to our Primary pupils on World Book Day.
Rewards Trip
Back in the first week of this half term, we took over 120 secondary students to Hollywood Bowl in Kirkstall to celebrate their all-round brilliance. It was a fantastic afternoon filled with bowling, lunch and time in the arcades. Everyone had a great time, and it was wonderful to recognise and reward such a large group of students for their hard work and positive contributions.
Our Reception class have had a very busy half term! In preparation for World Book Day, they had a lovely trip to Halton Library where they had the chance to explore the library and look at lots of different kinds of books, before they sat down for a story! They have also enjoyed a visit from ‘The Teddy Bear Hospital’ where they spent the afternoon looking at lots of doctor’s equipment, learnt how to put a bandage on and looked at healthy and unhealthy food. They were joined in school by their parents and carers earlier in the half term for our junk modelling event where they spent the afternoon crafting - thank you to all the parents and carers who came to support.
On 17th March we had a day of high excitement when our ducklings arrived in school! The children have been fascinated watching them hatch from their eggs in the incubator!
Hospitality and Catering
Our Year 10 Hospitality & Catering students have once again been embracing the opportunity offered to us from the Royal Armouries in Leeds – they have visited the facilities there, and also welcomed visitors from the Armouries to TLA, to learn key skills ahead of hosting their own event on 1st June!
Mock Trial
Our Year 9 students recently took part in a thrilling Mock Trial Competition, where they stepped into the roles of barristers, witnesses, magistrates, defendants, ushers and legal advisors: bringing the courtroom to life. They presented persuasive arguments, challenged evidence and kept their cool in that courtroom! They demonstrated exceptional confidence, teamwork and analytical skills by arguing their cases in front of actual judges with professionalism and precision, they showcased a strong understanding of legal principles and courtroom procedure. Above all, we are incredibly proud of the dedication and maturity that they displayed throughout the event at Bradford Magistrates Court.
Netball Success
Our Year 10 Netball Squad have had an amazing season - they have won every game, playing Allerton High, Brigshaw, Corpus Christi, Bishop Young, Temple Moor and Farnley Academy to name just a few! They finished top of the league at the end of the season after showing immense commitment and progress and we are already so excited for the Year 11 season! Year 9 also finished on a high, beating Bishop Young 11-2. Our Year 7 and 8 teams have played their first few games and have the potential to also be league winners if they continue with their determination. Our Year 10 team gave their Year 7 counterparts a half time pep talk during their match against Temple Moor. The coaching worked well, and Year 7 won 5-3!
Rotary Technology Competition
Three groups of students from Years 8, 9 and 10 proudly represented our school in the Rotary Technology Competition on Tuesday 10th March. Competing against a number of schools from across the region, the students were challenged to design and build a bridge that could open and close while remaining strong enough to carry weight, using only a set range of materials. They demonstrated fantastic teamwork and showcased an impressive range of technology skills developed through our curriculum, including producing detailed design plans before construction. Although we didn’t win on this occasion, we are extremely proud of their creativity, determination and outstanding effort throughout the day.
Geography Investigations
Our Year 10 and 11 geographers headed to Hornsea on 26th and 27th March to carry out their fieldwork investigation for Geography Paper 3. During the trip, our students measured beach profiles and assessed whether the groynes effectively managed coastal erosion, while also considering whether tourism has a positive or negative impact on the town. It was a great opportunity for students to apply their classroom learning in a real-world setting and it is always such good fun to engage in two days of fieldwork by the coast!
TLA Talent Show
This term, bronze, silver and gold rewards members had the opportunity to be audience members for the TLA Talent Show which showcased talent from Year 7-11. We had a mixture of singers, instrumentalists, actors and dancers and we look forward to seeing more performances in the future!
Year 4 Geography Trip
Year 4 had a fantastic opportunity this half term to visit the Recycling Centre as part of their Geography topic on Recycling and Sustainability. During the trip, they explored the impressive living wall, which stands at an incredible 42 metres high and features over 111,000 plants! Year 4 also took part in a virtual reality tour of the centre, where they learned all about how recycling works and what happens to our waste once it is collected.
STEM Workshop
Year 2 had an exciting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Workshop where they learned about water quality, eco-systems and how to use scientific methods to test and record data. The visitors to school were extremely impressed with their questions, skills and the children's understanding!
Youth Board
On Monday 23rd March, two students from primary and two from secondary attended our termly Red Kite Learning Trust Youth Board meeting, where they met with students from across the Trust. The focus of this session was AI and its role in learning, leading to some very insightful discussions. It was a great opportunity for our students to share ideas, learn from others and contribute their perspectives on this important and evolving topic.
Exam Preparation
Our Year 9 students have been considering which GCSE and BTEC options they are going to choose to study into Year 10 and 11, whilst our current Year 11s continue to work hard towards their summer exams, with an abundance of support from TLA staff, revision sessions, interventions and forthcoming Easter school sessions.
Year 6 are also committed to their SATs preparation, participating in masterclasses, boosters and additional support to ensure that they all reach their potential ready for the next stage of their learning. As a treat for all their hard work towards their SATs preparation, Year 6 had a go at making pizzas as a reward. They loved being in the kitchen and putting all the delicious toppings on their pizzas!
Attendance
As you are aware, attendance is our number one priority - this is because every day impacts on your child's outcomes. If your child is absent, it's never 'just one day' off - each day provides opportunities for your child to feel confident, experience joy, learn something new and be the best they can be. With this in mind, we urge you to encourage them to receive these opportunities. Just as a reminder, please schedule appointments for outside of school hours, or when this is not possible, ensure your child attends school before or after the appointment wherever possible. As the summer approaches, please be reminded that holidays during term time are not authorised and may result in a fine.
There are so many exciting things to look forward to here at TLA in the Summer term - we know your child won't want to miss out! In Primary, to support this, we will be continuing to offer family rewards to thank you for supporting your child's future outcomes. In Secondary, your child will need high attendance to qualify for rewards trips. For Year 2, 4, 6 and 11, external assessments will take place in the summer term, so every single day is vital to support your child in feeling confident and successful in these. As always, please get in touch should you have any barriers to your child attending every day.
As usual, after the Easter break, Secondary students have the option to wear the summer-term polo shirts (with the TLA logo), in place of the shirt and tie. All other uniform expectations remain the same.
Finally, we would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful Easter break and we look forward to welcoming all our students back on Monday 20th April 2026.
