Respect Collaboration of Schools

We’re incredibly proud to share that Kingsmead PE teacher Mr Paul Allen recently took on the role of head coach for the Pan Disability Lions in a three-match T20 series against India 🇬🇧🇮🇳

The squad travelled to Budleigh Salterton, Devon, where they took part in a training day before playing three back-to-back matches over two days. While the Lions didn’t take the win, their progress, passion and teamwork shone through – especially in a nail-biting final match! 💪🏽🔥

Mr Allen described the experience as a “fantastic opportunity” and highlighted how much he learned about inclusive coaching. He’s now bringing those lessons back to Kingsmead to support adaptive PE and inclusive practice across the school.

We’re celebrating not just a brilliant personal achievement, but the important values of resilience, teamwork, and inclusion that this series represented. Well done, Mr Allen! 👏

A huge thank you to the team from Ascot Drive Fire Station who visited Kingsmead School and put our year 7 and 8 students through their paces🔥

We kicked off with warm-up exercises before taking on some real fire service drill training – including a hose run and learning how to throw a rescue line! Students also got a close-up look at the fire truck, explored the equipment, and even climbed into the back of the engine.

Our pupils asked some brilliant questions and loved every second of the experience. 🙌

Thank you to the crew for such an inspiring and action-packed visit 👏

We are so thrilled to share the incredible news that Norrie – a future Trustee and valued friend of Respect Collaboration of Schools – has been awarded an OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the King’s Birthday Honours List for his outstanding services to education. 👏👑

This prestigious honour recognises Wayne’s unwavering dedication, visionary leadership, and lifelong commitment to transforming the lives of young people. His passion for education has made a lasting impact, and we’re proud to have him as part of our community.

On behalf of everyone at Respect Collaboration of Schools, we extend our warmest congratulations to Wayne on this richly deserved honour. We look forward to the inspiration and insight he will continue to bring in his future role as Trustee.

🏠 We’ve found our new home

After 12 months of searching high and low across the city, we’re thrilled to announce that J16 Construction has officially found its perfect new home.

Our estates manager, Mark Shipman, has proudly collected the keys from the landlord and we couldn’t be more excited for what’s to come.

A huge thank you to everyone who’s helped make this possible. We’re aiming to be settled in by September, so watch this space for updates.

Earlier this year, some of our pupils took part in a three-night residential trip to the Lake District – and what an incredible experience it was.

For many, it was their first time away from home and in such a remote, beautiful location. From hiking up Latrigg and visiting the Honister Slate Mine, to walking across the jaw-dropping Infinity Bridge and reaching the stunning Scale Force waterfall – the highest in the Lakes – every day was packed with challenge, adventure, and teamwork.

Pupils supported one another through every activity, whether they were skimming stones at Crummock Water, helping to cook meals back at camp, or reflecting on what they’d learned around the dinner table. Evenings were filled with games, stargazing, and marshmallows around the fire – a perfect end to the day.

We’re so proud of how they all stepped out of their comfort zones, encouraged one another, and embraced the week with maturity and enthusiasm.

A huge thank you to Gav, Sydney, Rebecca and James for making the trip such a success!

👇 Read the full story here
https://kingsmeadschoolderby.co.uk/residential-camp-in-the-lake-district/

Pupils and staff at Kingsmead School had a fantastic time marking VE Day with a school-wide celebration filled with history, reflection, and fun.

From toasting marshmallows at a picnic to taking part in a picture trail and playing traditional 1945 games, our students got a real taste of how children celebrated Victory in Europe Day all those years ago. Despite the chilly weather, it was heart-warming to see the whole school community come together.

We’re also proud to be part of the VE Mail initiative, which connects young people with WWII veterans through letter writing. We were honoured to receive a moving letter from a veteran sharing their personal story of the war and VE Day. Our students are now writing back, thanking them for their bravery and sacrifice.

It’s been a meaningful reminder of the importance of remembrance—and a chance for our young people to connect with the past in a truly special way.

We were delighted to receive a thoughtful thank you card from the parents of a young person who recently completed their placement with J16 Construction.

Their kind words highlighted the positive impact the experience had on their child, and it’s lovely to hear how our work is making a difference.

It’s moments like these that remind us why we do what we do—supporting young people to develop skills, grow in confidence, and take meaningful steps towards their future.

Thank you to the family for taking the time to share such lovely feedback with us.

"To all at Junction 16 Construction

Thank you so much for all you have done for Ben* during his short time with you. He started with you low in confidence and self esteem and with no confidence or faith in education or educators. He now leaves you today a different person, more like our ‘old’ Ben; a Ben who can see he has real potential in the future. We know the impact you have had on him will last him through life. Thank you again."

🐾 A Special Goodbye to Wilf 🐾

We have some important news to share — our much-loved assistance dog, Wilf, will be leaving us on Wednesday 18 June.

Wilf has been a cherished member of our school family, offering comfort, companionship, and calm to so many of our students. From boosting confidence to simply being a friendly face in the corridor, his impact on our school community has been truly incredible.

As Wilf moves on to his next adventure, we’ll be celebrating the joy and support he’s brought to us all. He will be deeply missed by both staff and students 💛🐶

As part of the CEIAG activities at Castle School, students visited the local Lidl to explore the various roles within the store. They spoke with employees at different levels to understand their career journeys, salaries, and the qualifications required and obtained.

During the visit, students took part in a range of hands-on activities to better understand the day-to-day running of the store. They had the chance to work at the checkout area, learning how to operate the cash register with guidance from the duty manager.

They also received a briefing on the store’s health and safety regulations, gaining a valuable understanding of the importance of these rules in a working environment.

In addition, students learned about Lidl’s stock-taking and ordering systems, including how technology helps track inventory and automatically schedules deliveries. This gave them a broader view of the logistics and operations behind the scenes.

The visit was a valuable experience that gave students a real insight into the world of retail and the skills required for a successful career in the industry.

We were thrilled to welcome Rolls-Royce plc and Balfour Beatty to Castle School recently. The two companies are working together on the development of the Submarine Programme, and we’re proud to be partnering with them to help our students explore future opportunities through Rolls-Royce’s highly respected apprenticeship scheme.

Rolls-Royce have chosen to work closely with Castle School to identify the next generation of talent. Their training programme is inclusive and supportive, and they actively celebrate the unique strengths of neurodivergent individuals – recognising the value of different ways of thinking in the workplace.

Students took part in a range of hands-on engineering activities throughout the day. Some explored tabletop games and discussion-based tasks to enhance their understanding of engineering, while others stripped down and rebuilt replica jet engines to learn about the principles behind take-off, flight, and landing.

There was even a bit of friendly competition as they raced to assemble and disassemble the engines! Students also used endoscopes to simulate how engineers inspect engines pre- and post-flight – searching through obstacles to find hidden items and better understand the real-world tools and techniques used in the industry.

For more information about Rolls-Royce apprenticeships, visit:
https://careers.rolls-royce.com/united-kingdom/students-and-graduates/apprenticeships-and-school-leavers/

To wrap up the Spring term, the Kingsmead wellbeing team hosted a lovely Easter breakfast event for our staff and students.

It was a great way to end the term, and everyone enjoyed the fantastic breakfast cobs.

Wishing all our staff, students, and parents/carers a wonderful Easter break.

Parents/carers, we know how expensive school holidays can be!

But here's some good news - you can now find FREE kids' meals or meals for just £1 at restaurants, pubs, and cafes across the UK during the holidays. 🎉

For more information, please head to https://moneysavingcentral.co.uk/kids-eat-free