Our U15 rugby team won the U15 National Cup for the second time in 3 consecutive finals appearances on Tuesday after a dominant performance in the Final against Lord Wandsworth College which ended up 22 - 5 in NSB's favour, which is a phenomenal and historic achievement. The Cup has been displayed in the 1911 Hall throughout the week and there has already been some exceptional national press around it - please see the link below.

Schools Rugby: Continental Tyres U15 Schools Cup Finals | NSB cement legendary status – NextGenXV

Many congratulations to the whole squad and to Mr Bradbury and the wider coaching team who can now all deservedly and proudly call themselves National Champions! Congratulations also to the U13 Sevens team who are, of course, seeking to follow in Year 10's footsteps and are taking great strides in the right direction with two out of two tournament wins in the Winchester House and Saints Sevens competitions. And of course, we still have the U16 National Cup Final to look forward to next Wednesday!!!!

 

The NSB Spring Concert was a delight on Wednesday evening, with great credit to the staff and students for performing so well despite the pressures of a two day inspection! There was a rich range of music on display and it is heartening to see such tremendous talent coming through the younger age groups to replace our outstanding Sixth Form leavers.

 

NSB has just partnered with The McCarthy-Dixon Foundation. TMDF was one of the charities we supported through our Tins, Toys and Toiletries campaign during Charity Week and some of our Student Leadership group delivered the items before Christmas and have also been back as volunteers to help get parcels out to families in need. TMDF do amazing work providing support in numerous ways to families in need, both long term, and in crisis moments. By becoming a partner we will continue to support TMDF and the work they do in the wider community but we can now also offer further direct help families from the NSB community as well.

 

 

Mrs Barlow has transformed the Trust's approach to reading in recent years. She has sent this latest report:

Award-winning children’s author Dan Freedman will be visiting The Mitch Johnson Library at Northampton School for Boys on April 30th. His visit will include a talk for all year 7 and 8 students about his hugely successful career as an author and his exciting encounters with Premier League footballers. Dan will be signing books on the day, which are available to pre-order on ParentPay until Friday 28th March. Please note that there will not be an option to purchase books on the day. We are very much looking forward to welcoming another fantastic and popular author to the school to inspire a love of reading and writing in our students. Further information about Dan Freedman and his books is available on AIM and the school website: Northampton School for Boys - Reading

As part of our ongoing promotion of high-quality texts to support and supplement our curriculum, we have created termly wider reading lists, which are designed to take students ‘beyond the curriculum’. The first is targeted at Key Stage Three students and has been published on the school website here: recommended Reading Lists

The purpose of this reading list is to motivate and inspire, encouraging students to explore a concept or idea more widely, particularly where students have developed a particular interest in a topic or programme of study. Encouraging students to select books about topics that interest them is also a key principle in strengthening a love of reading.

All texts chosen are high-quality and inclusive, ensuring accessibility and enjoyment for all students. As reading is proven to be one of the core facets of educational success, we hope these reading lists will continue to build on our strong curriculum and foster our culture of reading at the heart of everything we do as a school.

 

 

Mr Goswell took some of our leading Scientists to NGH on Thursday where they were holding an invitation session for students linked to World Kidney Day.  Mr Goswell fed back that it was a fantastic opportunity for our students, they really got involved and asked plenty of insightful questions. They represented the school impeccably and the event organiser even came over and said how fantastic NSB students always are, at both this event and when they are there completing work experience. Bryne from Year 12 attended the event and gave this report:

In recognition of World Kidney Day, we had the opportunity to attend an open day at Northampton General Hospital, focusing on Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). We rotated around multiple stalls, each highlighting key aspects of kidney health—from understanding how CKD first develops and its progression through different stages, to the treatments available for those diagnosed. We not only explored ways to sustain our kidney health but also gained firsthand experience with treatment processes, such as different dialysis machines, which help manage kidney function when the organs can no longer do so effectively. Various Doctors and Nurses provided valuable information into how lifestyle choices, early detection, and medical interventions can aid in preventing CKD. This experience reinforced the importance of maintaining kidney health through hydration, a balanced diet, and regular check-ups, ensuring we take proactive steps to safeguard our well-being. A key takeaway for us was realising the prevalence of Kidney Disease in the community and the profound impact it has on so many lives as one of the largest age-limiting diseases. This was truly an insightful experience for all of us.

 

Some of our top runners will be representing Northamptonshire at the English School's Athletics Association Cross Country Championships in Sussex tomorrow which is one of the biggest events in the school sport calendar. It is a competition for the best of the best athletes and for these students to have qualified and to have gone through three rounds of intense competition to do so is truly impressive and they thoroughly deserve their place on such a prestigious start line.

 

A reminder for parents / carers of students in Y11 - 13 that on Tuesday March 18^th we have our annual Employment and Opportunities Evening for students. Miss Rickaby reports: 

'The evening is bigger and better than ever and runs from 5-7pm with 70+ exhibitors. Last year we had students secure work experience, job opportunities, mock interviews and more so the opportunities are endless!

Students can register via the QR code on the posters, or via the link in the invitation email sent to parents/carers - you can also show up without registering. Everyone is welcome - students, parents/carers and siblings. 

The Careers Team looks forward to seeing you there!'

 

Finally, we will send to all parents / carers the report of this week's Ofsted inspection of NSB as soon as it is released, which will be after the provisional version has gone through all the relevant Ofsted quality assurance procedures (normally around five weeks). Many thanks to all parents / carers for your continued support of the school!

 

Richard Bernard
Headteacher