YBA Blog Issue 1

Issue 1-September 2026

HEADTEACHER’S MESSAGE ....

As we continue the new academic year, I would like to take a moment to reflect on what has been a truly positive and inspiring week at YBA. It has been wonderful to see our students embracing every opportunity available to them, demonstrating resilience, enthusiasm and a commitment to achieving their very best.

A particular highlight has been the outstanding start made by our Year 7 students. They have settled into school life exceptionally well, showing excellent manners, determination and a positive attitude towards learning. Their participation in the WiseUp Team Building Day was a fantastic example of how quickly they are developing confidence, friendships and teamwork skills. I would also like to thank our Year 11 Prefect Team for their support and leadership throughout the day.

Across the school, students have continued to make the most of the opportunities on offer. Our Year 10 GCSE PE students impressed staff with their effort and determination during their first practical lesson, while Wellbeing Wednesday provided a range of activities that encouraged creativity, mindfulness and personal growth. It was wonderful to see so many students trying something new and supporting one another.

We are also incredibly proud of our Poverty Proofing Ambassadors, whose dedication and hard work have helped secure funding for a new Community Cupboard. This project demonstrates the positive impact our young people can have when they are empowered to lead meaningful change within their community.

Finally, it was a pleasure to welcome Year 5 and 6 pupils from our local primary schools for our Extravaganza Day. Their enthusiasm, curiosity and willingness to engage in new experiences made the event a tremendous success and provided a wonderful glimpse of the future students who may soon join our YBA family.

Thank you to our students, staff, parents and wider community for your continued support. Together, we are creating an environment where every young person can dream, reach and achieve.

YEAR 7 STUDENTS

What an incredible week it has been for our Year 7 students!

We have been so impressed by the way they have embraced everything that YBA has to offer. From day one, they have shown resilience, determination and a fantastic attitude towards learning.

Their effort has been outstanding, their work has been beautifully presented, and their manners have been exceptional. They have represented our school with pride and have been wonderful ambassadors for YBA.

Year 7, you should be incredibly proud of yourselves. You have shown that with a positive attitude, a willingness to try new things and the determination to keep going, you can achieve great things.

Well done, Year 7!

Keep believing in yourselves, keep aiming high and keep being the brilliant young people you are.

We cannot wait to see what you achieve next.

WISEUP TEAM BUILDING

On Thursday, our Year 7 students enjoyed an incredible day of team-building activities as part of their first four weeks at YBA. The day was designed to help students get to know one another, build confidence, and develop friendships that we hope will last a lifetime.

Facilitated by WiseUp Team Building, the activities challenged our learners both physically and mentally, encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones, work collaboratively, and discover strengths they may not have realised they had. WiseUp’s programmes focus on developing important life skills such as confidence, resilience, communication, teamwork and problem-solving, helping young people to thrive both in and beyond the classroom.

It was inspiring to see students supporting one another, showing determination, embracing challenges, and growing in confidence throughout the day. Some of the greatest achievements come from having the courage to try something new.

A huge thank you to our fantastic Prefect Team, who led each group with enthusiasm, encouragement and positivity.

They were excellent role models and played a key part in making the day such a success.

As we continue our YBA journey together, Thursday was a wonderful reminder that great things happen when we work as a team, support one another, and achieve success together.

YEAR 10 GCSE PE

Our new Year 10 GCSE PE class at YBA had their first practical lesson this week, and what a fantastic start it was! They threw themselves into fitness testing, focusing on speed and the 30m sprint, demonstrating incredible effort, resilience and determination from the very first whistle.

Their positive attitude and willingness to challenge themselves was truly inspiring. Every great achievement begins with a single step, and this group has already shown they have the mindset, dedication and potential to achieve great things over the next two years.

The PE Faculty are incredibly excited about the journey ahead and cannot wait to see these young athletes grow in confidence, knowledge and performance.

Well done, Year 10! Keep believing in yourselves, keep working hard, and remember that success comes from consistent effort and determination. The future is bright, and this is only the beginning.

Two years of opportunities. Two years of progress. Two years to be your very best. Let’s go!

WELLBEING WEDNESDAY

Wellbeing Wednesday was a fantastic success this week!

We kicked things off with some incredible rock painting, and the creativity and talent of our students were on full display.

There was something for everyone to enjoy, including yoga for relaxation and mindfulness, bike maintenance skills, knitting and crafting, sugar crafting, and much more.

It was wonderful to see students trying new activities, building confidence, learning new skills, and supporting one another throughout the afternoon. Moments like these remind us that wellbeing is about taking the time to connect, create, move, and grow together.

A huge thank you to all of our students and staff who helped make the afternoon such a success. Your enthusiasm, positivity, and creativity were truly inspiring

POVERTY PROOFING

We are delighted to share some exciting news from our Poverty Proofing Ambassadors.

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of Lucas, Rayyan, Lydia and Layla, an amazing grant has been secured from the Wrexham Food Partnership, with support from Hayley Morgan, to create a new Community Cupboard for our school and wider community.

Thursday marked the first meeting of the project, with our ambassadors joined by Hayley, youth workers Mandy Townsend and Tracey Thompson, and Mrs Ebrey, who kindly returned from retirement to offer her support and expertise.

We are very grateful to Mandy and Tracey for offering space in our Wellbeing Garden, which will provide an accessible and welcoming location for the Community Cupboard.

This initiative highlights the positive impact young people can make when given the opportunity to lead change. We are incredibly proud of our ambassadors and look forward to sharing further updates as the project develops.

A huge thank you to everyone involved in helping bring this vision to life.

EXTRAVAGANZA DAY

It was an incredible morning of curiosity, creativity and discovery at YBA as we welcomed enthusiastic Year 5 and 6 pupils from three of our wonderful local primary schools: Brynteg Primary School, Black Lane Primary School and

Gwersyllt Community Primary School.Our visitors had the opportunity to experience learning across each of our Areas of Learning and Experience (AOLEs), discovering new skills, asking questions, exploring their creativity and, most importantly, enjoying learning in a fun and engaging environment.

It was a pleasure to meet so many enthusiastic and inspiring young people. Their energy, curiosity and eagerness to learn made the day truly special.

A huge thank you to all the pupils and staff who joined us and helped create such a fantastic atmosphere throughout the day.

And this is just the beginning!

MESSAGES ....

School Council: if any Y8 pupils are interested in joining school council this year, please pop along to the library Monday or Wednesday form times this week.

UPCOMING NEWS/EVENTS ...

Week Commencing 14th September 2026

• 16/09/2026 - OWAIN GLYNDWR DAY

• 16/09/2026 - SCHOOL COUNCIL TRAINING

• 16/09/2026 - YEAR 7 MAKE SOME NOISE LESSON 5

• 17/09/2026 - YBA EXTRAVAGANZA – 10.00 – 12.00

• 17/09/2026 - U14/U16 ATHLETICS