Dear Families,

As we reach the halfway point of the academic year, I want to take a moment to thank you sincerely for your continued support. We have achieved so much together since September, and none of it would be possible without the sustained partnership we have with you at home. Your backing, your trust and your alignment with our standards make a tangible difference every single day.

The support we receive from our families is genuinely exceptional. It is not something we take for granted. When we set high expectations around attendance, uniform, behaviour and academic effort, we know we can rely on you to reinforce those standards. That shared commitment creates the calm, purposeful culture that our students deserve.

This half-term alone, we have seen remarkable moments across the academy. Our students have continued to demonstrate ambition in their learning, resilience in the face of challenge and pride in representing Belle Vue. From classroom excellence and assessment success to enrichment opportunities, leadership development and wider experiences beyond the classroom, the growth has been clear. We are relentless in our mission to unlock the potential of every child, and we are committed to providing the very best teaching, support and opportunities possible.

Please be assured that we will continue to do all we can to ensure our students achieve strong outcomes and gain exposure to experiences that broaden horizons and raise aspirations. Our ambition for them is limitless, and we know that together we can ensure they thrive.

Below, I have shared some of the highlights from this half-term, which reflect the strength of our community and the standards we are building together.

For now, I hope you and your family enjoy a well-deserved half-term break. Take the opportunity to rest and recharge. We look forward to welcoming our students back to Belle Vue on 23rd February, ready for the next phase of the year.

Thank you once again for your unwavering support.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Fletcher
Principal

We are incredibly proud to have received the National School Attendance Award for Autumn Term 2025/26, recognising Co-op Academy Belle Vue as being in the top 10% of secondary schools in England. This achievement reflects the collective effort of our students, families and staff, and it is only possible because of the shared commitment we have to strong attendance and high standards. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring students are in school, on time and ready to learn each day. Together, we will maintain this momentum and continue striving to remain amongst the very best schools in the country as the year progresses.

This term, we had the privilege of taking our Year 9 students to the University of Cambridge to explore what an Oxbridge pathway can look like. Walking through the historic colleges and hearing first-hand about academic expectations, subject choices and university life made aspiration tangible. For many, it was a powerful moment of perspective, a reminder that institutions of global excellence are not reserved for a select few, but are accessible through hard work, intellectual curiosity and sustained commitment. Experiences like this are central to our mission to unlock potential: broadening horizons, raising ambition and ensuring our students see themselves not just as applicants to university, but as future scholars capable of thriving at the very highest level.

A huge congratulations to our superstars, Josephine in Year 11 and Dereck in Year 9, for reaching the semi-final of the Co-op Young Musician of the Year competition from over 270 entries. This is a remarkable achievement and a true testament to their talent, dedication and ambition. We are incredibly proud of the standard they continue to represent and the commitment they show to developing their craft.

Our recent Careers Fair was a powerful reminder of what is possible when ambition meets opportunity. With over 50 employers and further education providers joining us, our students were able to engage directly with professionals from a wide range of industries and educational pathways. These conversations matter. They bring future aspirations into sharp focus, helping students understand the qualifications, skills and character needed to succeed.

Events like this do more than inform; they ignite motivation. They allow our students to see themselves in future roles, to ask meaningful questions and to begin shaping clear, purposeful pathways. We are committed to ensuring every student leaves Belle Vue not only with strong outcomes, but with belief, direction and the confidence to step into their future with ambition.

We had a fantastic evening with some of our Key Stage 4 GCSE Geographers at Manchester Metropolitan University, attending a lecture on urban sustainability delivered by the Geographical Association. It was a valuable opportunity for our students to engage with subject content at a higher academic level and to experience learning within a university setting.

It is always a privilege to see our students aspiring towards their next steps and thriving in environments like this. Experiences such as these build confidence, broaden horizons and reinforce what is possible. I have no doubt that many of these students will find themselves back in lecture theatres before long, continuing their academic journeys.

We had a fantastic morning at 1 Angel Square with our Year 9 REACH students, who met with Co-op Central’s Fitness Team and Chefs to support the development of healthy meal deal marketing strategies as part of their ongoing work with MITIE. The level of professionalism, engagement and creativity our students demonstrated was excellent throughout.

I would like to give a particular mention to Miesha and Abdallah, who were exceptionally articulate in their conversations with staff and showed genuine endeavour across the day. A big well done also to Abdulahi, Shirley, Hamza, Amir, Nicole, Arya, Tiana, Amir and Shelden for the outstanding standard of work they produced.

Mentoring programmes such as this provide invaluable insight into the inner workings of successful organisations. They broaden horizons, raise aspirations and help our students see themselves as the future professionals and leaders of tomorrow.

Belle Vue truly going worldwide.

Huge congratulations to Sania in 7E and Alyaan in 7J, whose winning flag designs have officially reached Antarctica. Seeing their work photographed with scientists at Rothera Research Station and on board a Twin Otter aircraft is an extraordinary achievement and a moment of real pride for our school community.

This is a fantastic example of creativity, ambition and the power of young people’s ideas travelling far beyond the classroom. A massive well done to both of them on such a remarkable accomplishment.

Two teams proudly represented Belle Vue at the Panathlon, demonstrating outstanding teamwork, determination and sportsmanship throughout the competition. We are delighted to share that our students achieved both Gold and Silver medals, an exceptional accomplishment that reflects their commitment and resilience.

Winning Gold means that one of our teams will now progress to the Greater Manchester Finals, a fantastic opportunity to compete at an even higher level and continue building confidence through sport. We are incredibly proud of every student who took part; they represented the academy with pride and embodied the very best of Belle Vue.

A lovely trip out to The Monastery Manchester with our beginner string and woodwind players to watch a lunchtime concert by the Manchester Camerata. Providing opportunities like this is an essential part of our commitment to broadening horizons and nurturing talent beyond the classroom.

For many of our students, this was more than a concert; it was a chance to see professional musicians performing at the highest level and to imagine themselves on similar stages in the future. Experiences like this reinforce the value of discipline, practice and creative expression, while strengthening students’ cultural capital and confidence.

Supporting our local community and engaging with organisations such as these is vital. It allows our students to showcase their character, curiosity and conduct in public settings, and we were incredibly proud when members of the audience stopped us afterwards to say how impressed they were. Moments like that matter. They affirm the standards we set, the pride our students carry and the importance of sharing their talents with the wider world.