WOW! What a year at Phoenix Bay.
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?
