A new academic year is underway at Gordano, with our new Year 7 students settling into school, our forthcoming Open Evening on the horizon, and an especially exciting year ahead as we celebrate Gordano’s 70th anniversary. 

This year also marks a milestone for Headteacher Ms Louise Blundell, as the new Year 11 will be the first cohort she has seen all the way through Gordano, having joined the school as Headteacher in 2022 following her leadership of Redland Green School in Bristol. 

Louise brought with her a wealth of leadership experience in secondary education and, over the past four years, has led with ambition, energy and a clear commitment to ensuring Gordano continues to thrive.

Under her leadership, the school has continued to strengthen its educational offer, with developments in teaching and curriculum sitting alongside a growing range of opportunities, a strong focus on inclusion and wellbeing, and community and partnership.  

To mark the start of this milestone year, we sat down with Ms Blundell to find out what she believes makes Gordano special, what she is most proud of, and what she hopes the future holds for our students and our community. 

What makes Gordano such a special school? 

I think it is the combination of ambition, opportunity and community that makes Gordano special. We are ambitious for every young person, but we also recognise that every student is different and will find their own route to success. 

Our values of Dream Big, Do Your Best and Give Back are at the heart of school life. We want our students to have high aspirations, to take pride in what they do and to understand the positive contribution they can make to the people and communities around them. 

There is also a very strong sense of belonging at Gordano. Our House system, our pastoral teams and the relationships between staff and students all contribute to creating a school where young people feel known, supported and encouraged to be themselves. 

How important is teaching and the curriculum in that experience? 

Fundamentally, we are a school and our core purpose is to provide an excellent education. We are fortunate to have incredibly dedicated and knowledgeable teachers who are passionate about their subjects and committed to helping every student make progress. 

We are ambitious for all our students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes they need to progress with curiosity and confidence, both through school and beyond. Our curriculum is broad and exciting, giving students the opportunity to explore a wide range of subjects and develop different strengths and interests. 

Education at Gordano is about more than simply achieving qualifications. We want our students to become lifelong learners who are curious, confident and able to make a positive contribution to their communities. That is why the curriculum, alongside our extensive enrichment and extra-curricular opportunities, is so important. 

        

What are you most proud of during your time at Gordano? 

There is so much to be proud of, but one thing that feels particularly special this year is that our new Year 11 will be the first cohort I have had the privilege of seeing all the way through Gordano. 

Having joined the school as Headteacher in 2022, I have had the opportunity to work with students across every year group, but this is the first time I will see a cohort complete their full secondary journey under my leadership.  

It is a privilege to watch our young people grow in confidence, develop their talents and interests, overcome challenges and become increasingly independent.

It also reflects what I value most about secondary education: getting to know young people well and supporting them not just to achieve academically, but to develop the character, confidence and sense of responsibility they need for life beyond school. 

Another highlight from the past year has been seeing the impact of our fully phone-free approach. We introduced Yondr pouches because we wanted to create an environment where students could be more focused in lessons, more present with one another and better able to engage with school life. The impact has been really encouraging, not just in terms of focus and behaviour, but also wellbeing and the quality of relationships around school. 

It was particularly rewarding to welcome school leaders from across the South-West to Gordano, chosen by Yondr to showcase our approach, and to hear directly from our staff and students about the difference it is making. For me, that was a real endorsement of the work of our staff and the culture we are continuing to build at Gordano, that other schools are interested in learning from what we are doing here. 

I am also incredibly proud of the breadth of what our students achieve. From strong academic outcomes and our extensive enrichment programme to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, performing arts, sport, community work and the many opportunities available through Gordano Extra, there are so many different ways for young people to find something they love and discover what they are capable of. 

You recently launched the Kindness Collective. Why is that important to you? 

The Kindness Collective is a new whole-school initiative with a simple message: Celebrating our people. Connecting our community. 

We want to create meaningful moments of connection between students, staff and families and to celebrate the people who make Gordano such a special place to be. Our student Kindness Crew ambassadors are helping to plan and deliver activities throughout the year, which gives our young people an important role in shaping our culture. 

We started with our Big Thank-you postcards for staff and our Strike a Pose activity, and there are more kindness-filled surprises to come. For me, it is about creating a culture where kindness, gratitude and connection are part of everyday school life. 

Inclusion is clearly an important part of Gordano's identity. How do you make sure every student feels they belong? 

Inclusion is fundamental to everything we do. We want every young person to feel that they belong here, that they are understood and that they can succeed. 

Our work in this area has been recognised through Challenge Partners, with Gordano named as an Area of Excellence for Inclusion. But recognition is only meaningful if it translates into the day-to-day experience of our students. 

We continue to develop the support we offer through our Learning and Pastoral and SEND teams, our work with students and families, and initiatives such as our Nurture Garden, which provides a calm, creative and inclusive outdoor space. We are also looking at how we can make better use of the skills and resources within our own community, including the languages spoken by our staff, to support our EAL students and families. 

    

Moving from primary to secondary school can be a big step. How does Gordano support that transition? 

We know that moving from Year 6 to Year 7 is a significant milestone, and we want students and their families to feel confident, informed and excited about joining us. 

Our Transition Programme goes far beyond a single transition day. We begin with our Open Evening and Open Mornings, followed by a Parent and Carers Welcome Evening and a further Information Evening. Our transition team then visits every primary school to meet the children joining us, and every student has the opportunity to spend a full Transition Day at Gordano in July, where they meet their new tutor group and classmates. 

We also provide enhanced transition for students who may benefit from additional support, alongside opportunities through Portishead Youth & Community Centre and Shine during the summer. 

But transition is about more than knowing where your classroom is or meeting your tutor. It is about creating a sense of belonging from the moment students arrive. One of the things I love about Gordano is the way our students and wider community contribute to that. 

The Elliot Hall is a dedicated space for our Year 7 students, and last year it was completely re-imagined as Hogwarts as a legacy project created by our Year 7 students themselves. What made it particularly special was the way the project brought our community together, with support from our Parents in Partnership fundraising helping to make the transformation possible. It is a wonderful example of students having a voice in their environment, families supporting the school, and the wider Gordano community coming together to create something memorable for our youngest students. 

We have also introduced a new Year 7 canteen, exclusively for our youngest students, providing another dedicated space to help them feel comfortable, confident and settled as they make the transition to Gordano. 

The aim is simple: when students walk through our doors for the first time in September, we want them to feel that Gordano is already a familiar place, that they know where they belong and that they are ready for the next chapter. 

How important are opportunities beyond the classroom? 

They are a hugely important part of a Gordano education. We believe that education extends well beyond the classroom, which is why we offer an exceptional range of opportunities for students to discover new interests, develop skills, build confidence and form friendships. 

Through Gordano Extra, we offer around 45 clubs and activities every term, all completely free for students to access. The range is deliberately broad, giving students the chance to try something new, develop an existing passion or simply spend time with people they might not otherwise meet. 

Activities Week is another highlight, with more than 1,000 students taking part in over 40 off-site experiences, many of them residential. Experiences like these build confidence, independence, resilience and friendships in ways that cannot always happen within a classroom. 

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is another fantastic example. Hundreds of our students take part, developing practical skills, resilience and a strong sense of service through volunteering, alongside the physical and expedition elements of the award. Many celebrating their Gold Award achievement at Buckingham Palace.

For us, these opportunities are not an optional extra; they are an important part of helping young people Dream Big, Do Their Best and Give Back. 

  

  

  

Gordano has also developed strong links with the wider community. Why does that matter? 

Gordano is very much part of the Portishead community. We want our students to understand the community around them, contribute to it and see the opportunities that exist beyond the school gates. 

We were incredibly proud to be recognised through the Together Portishead Community Awards, receiving the Community Contribution – Giving Back Award and sharing the overall Spirit of Portishead honour. 

We have also recently launched Gordano Community Partners, which is an exciting new way of strengthening our relationships with local businesses, organisations and supporters. The aim is not simply sponsorship; it is about creating meaningful partnerships that benefit our students and our wider community. 

Through GCP, local partners can help us deliver impactful projects and raise funds that directly enhance students' educational experiences, wellbeing and opportunities. Whether that means supporting enrichment, student enterprise, careers, mentoring, events or projects such as our Nurture Garden, every partnership can make a tangible difference. 

  

And this is also the year of Gordano70. What does that milestone mean to you? 

Gordano70 is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate where we have come from while looking ahead to where we are going. 

Gordano has been part of Portishead for 70 years, and generations of young people have passed through the school. There are so many stories, memories and connections that make up our history. 

But I also want Gordano70 to be about the future. We want our students to help shape what comes next, which is why I am particularly excited about our plans to bring together students, staff, alumni, families, primary schools and the wider community. 

Our theme, Honouring our Past, Inspiring our Future, captures that perfectly. 

What would you say to a family considering Gordano for their child? 

I would say come and see us. 

Choosing a secondary school is a hugely important decision, and I think you need to experience a school rather than simply read about it. Come through our doors, talk to our students, meet our staff and see the opportunities available. Then decide if you think Gordano is the right fit for your child.  

You will see a school that is ambitious for its young people, but also a school that cares deeply about them. We want our students to achieve, and we also want them to be happy, confident, curious and ready to make a positive contribution to the world around them. 

Most importantly, we want every young person who joins Gordano to feel that they belong here and that they can Dream Big, Do Your Best and Give Back. 

Come and discover Gordano 

Prospective families are warmly invited to join us for our Open Evening on Thursday 24 September, and during open mornings.

As we begin our 70th anniversary year, it is an exciting time to be part of Gordano. We look forward to welcoming new families into our community and continuing to build on everything that has made the school special over the past 70 years. 

Honouring our Past. Inspiring our Future. And continuing to give every young person the opportunity to Dream Big, Do Your Best and Give Back.