We went in with a Roald Dahl theme… and then, as always, a few staff went rogue with their costumes. Which honestly just added to the fun. Staff and students fully committed, and the whole site felt lighter because of it.

The day wasn’t just dressing up either.

We built it around activities that make reading feel active, social and achievable:

Bookmark making – students designed and created their own bookmarks (small bit of creativity, big sense of ownership).

Extreme Reading – students took photos of themselves reading in imaginative (and safe!) places and positions. We’re voting on the best ones during Golden Time.

A story-themed treasure hunt – clues hidden around the site to encourage teamwork, problem-solving and that “just one more clue” momentum.

Days like this matter.

Not because of the costumes (although they help), but because they create shared moments, strengthen relationships, and remind students that reading isn’t just a task – it’s something you can enjoy, belong to, and feel proud of.

What’s the best World Book Day costume you’ve seen this year?

Chris grew up in Port St Johns in the Eastern Cape and became a public speaker because he refused to stay silent under apartheid. He later worked alongside leaders such as Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. His story is one of resistance, imprisonment and survival, but the bit that stayed with me wasn’t just the history.

It was his humanity.

He spoke about the themes that run through his life, resilience, determination, courage and the transformative power of forgiveness. And he flipped forgiveness from a passive act into something active: “the best F‑word I know.” In his telling, forgiveness isn’t forgetting or minimising harm. It’s a conscious, powerful choice that frees you to move forward.

For those of us working in education, where people can become hardened by systems and pressure, that message cut through. Forgiveness as leadership. Forgiveness as liberation. Forgiveness as a conscious, powerful choice.

We both left humbled and reminded that the values we model matter just as much as the systems we build.

What role does forgiveness play in your practice?

We’re genuinely excited to introduce our latest bespoke puppet, designed to support learning in a creative, engaging and deeply relational way.

You’ll mostly spot them in reading sessions. Think a little bit of Sesame Street magic, but with a Phoenix Bay purpose: creating a safe, imaginative space where students can read, talk, laugh, and explore emotions without it feeling heavy.

Even better… this puppet will be part of our new reading framework, Reading Ripple.

More on that soon

Still no name yet, and that’s where our students come in. They’ll be choosing what to call them, but we’d love ideas from our wider community too.

Handmade by the brilliant Phil Fletcher (the puppeteer behind CBBC’s Hacker the Dog), this little character is already winning hearts.

Why puppets?

Because they’re not “just fun”. They’re powerful tools in trauma-informed education. Puppets can help students:

– name and express emotions

– practise communication and social confidence

– build confidence reading aloud

– open up during ELSA-style work

– role-play tricky situations in a safe, playful way

We can’t wait to see the conversations, connections, and confidence this one helps spark, especially as Reading Ripple gets going.

Got a name idea? Drop it below

When people ask what makes a trauma-informed, relational school different, it is rarely one big initiative. It is hundreds of moments that add up to safety, belonging, and young people starting to believe in themselves again.

Here are a few of the moments we will carry with us from the last 12 months.

Community, joy, and the kind of memories that stick

> Celebration Evening at the Livermead Hotel: families, awards, speeches, video montages, and a proper send off for Year 11.

> Christmas as a whole school: dinner, karaoke, wreath making, winter games, and Animal Encounters (the armadillo had the biggest fan club).

> Halloween Ghostbuster Training Day, Odd Socks Day, Children in Need, Red Nose Day, and a Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning that reminded us how powerful “small” community acts can be.

Learning that goes beyond the classroom

> Gran Canaria with Eat That Frog C.I.C., including a visit to Salesianos Las Palmas School and the kind of confidence-building experiences that travel makes possible.

> Mental Health Awareness Week at Stover Country Park, blending mindfulness, nature, and creative work.

> A PSHE drop down day with circus skills, Buckfast Abbey, and an orienteering egg hunt that turned the campus into an adventure.

Sport, aspiration, and being part of something bigger

> Proudly sponsoring Watts Blake Bearne, celebrating league winners and Fair Play and Respect awards.

> A family day out watching Torquay United Football Club with WBB, because aspiration and belonging do not start and end at the school gate.

Creativity with purpose

> Our bespoke puppet (by Phil Fletcher) joining reading and ELSA-style work, helping students explore emotion and communication through play.

> World Book Day with costumes, orienteering, and the reminder that reading can be active, social, and fun.

> Sponsoring and supporting local creativity too, including a brilliant night with the Plymouth Magic Circle.

Staff development that directly improves student experience

> Inset training on the neuroscience of trauma, relational practice, and the power of play.

> Sensory awareness training with Hannah Avent, strengthening our understanding of sensory needs and regulation.

> Welcoming Torbay Council social care colleagues in to see trauma informed practice in action, not just in theory.

Spaces designed for safety and regulation

> Big Red taking shape for primary age students, along with new kitchen facilities, sensory provision, and improvements across our sites, all built around one idea: the environment matters.

Also the moments that say the most were often the quiet ones: keyworker check-ins, a student sharing what a “typical day” feels like, and a parent’s words that made it even more worth while.

Thank you to our staff, families, partners, and most of all our students, for making Phoenix Bay what it is.

What is one school moment from this year that reminded you why you do the job?

We came together as a whole school for a proper Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, then ended the day with Christmas karaoke. The kind where you see confidence build in real time, with lots of laughter along the way.

Across the week, students have also been making Christmas wreaths, each one completely different, each one a small reminder that creativity looks different for everyone, and all of it counts.

We also had Animal Encounters in for the day, which was a huge hit. The armadillo was the clear favourite and it brought exactly what we hoped for: curiosity, calm, and lots of smiles.

Winter games added another layer of fun too, including the unforgettable challenge of becoming a “human snowman”. These shared experiences matter because they build teamwork, trust, and those positive relationships that carry students through the harder moments.

And as always, it is not just “nice festive stuff”. It is all grounded in our trauma-informed, relational approach. We know this time of year can be joyful and complicated for young people, so the focus stays the same: safe, inclusive experiences that support connection, regulation, and belonging.

A festive season built on care, understanding, and community. Phoenix Bay, as it should be.

There are snowmen on tables, Santas in windows, and students knee-deep in tinsel and glue sticks. The energy is joyful, creative, a little chaotic, just how it should be.

But we also know that for some young people, this time of year brings something else.

> Not every child is excited about school finishing.

> Not every home feels safe, calm or festive.

> And for some, the lack of structure or change in routine brings real anxiety.

At Phoenix Bay, we try to hold both realities.

We celebrate.

We make.

We wear silly hats.

And we keep the conversations open for those who are feeling wobbly.

It’s not always about fixing everything, sometimes it’s just about being a steady, safe place while the world outside gets louder.

Ben (Designated Safeguarding Lead), Henry (Teacher), and Nathan (Interventions Manager) have been taking part in Movember, the annual movement to grow awareness (and a moustache) in support of men’s mental health, suicide prevention, prostate cancer, and testicular cancer.

But this is more than just a bit of fun with facial hair.

Movember is the leading charity changing the face of men’s health, with a focus on prevention, early intervention, and helping men live longer, healthier, and happier lives. From funding mental health programmes to supporting research into testicular and prostate cancer, Movember is tackling the crisis in men’s health head-on.

As a school that places connection before correction and prioritises the wellbeing of every individual in our community, young or adult, we’re proud to support a cause rooted in compassion, understanding, and action.

Huge shoutout to Ben, Henry and Nathan for embracing the challenge and sparking important conversations along the way.

And remember:

It’s not just a moustache.

It’s a movement!