The Gordano School Community Trust (GSCT) will formally cease operations on 31st August 2025, marking the end of an era and the beginning of an exciting new chapter in the delivery of high-quality community sports services.

From 1st September 2025, Lighthouse Schools Partnership (LSP)—the multi-academy trust that includes Gordano School—will enter into a joint agreement with Shine, a trusted and experienced provider of community sports services across Bristol and North Somerset. Under this agreement, Shine will manage Gordano School’s sports facilities and lettings under a new dedicated brand: GoShine.

A strong working relationship has already been established between Shine and Gordano School. While day-to-day operations will remain largely unchanged, the community can look forward to an expanded offer: new fitness classes, a broader range of activities, and enhanced membership benefits.

New holiday clubs—running during every school holiday and open to children from Reception to Year 7 from any school—have already launched on-site. These clubs offer a wide mix of sports, creative arts, cookery, and more. Additionally, a new partnership with Portishead Town Football Club is boosting local football provision, offering specialist training and exciting new opportunities for players of all levels.

Gary Lewis, CEO of Lighthouse Schools Partnership, said:
“Shine’s passion for delivering inclusive, high-quality community engagement through sport and enrichment activities makes them an exciting partner for this new era.”

Shine remains committed to working closely with Gordano School, facility users, and the wider Portishead community to ensure a vibrant, inclusive, and accessible experience for all.

The winners of the North Somerset Debating Competition, held at Gordano School earlier this year, were rewarded with a prestigious visit to the Houses of Parliament — a memorable day that included a shout-out in the House of Commons, a personal meeting with the Speaker of the House, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, and a celebratory lunch in Westminster.

The trip marked the culmination of months of preparation and performance in one of the region’s most anticipated academic events. The final debate, held at Gordano School, brought together eight teams from across North Somerset, who went head-to-head on the thought-provoking motion: “Should the UK government introduce a wealth tax?” Both finalist teams presented compelling arguments against the motion, impressing a distinguished panel of judges drawn from local business sponsors, including Utilita and Bristol Airport.

Following their well-earned victory, the winning team was invited to London for a day of recognition and inspiration.

The students also received warm praise from Sadik Al-Hassan MP, Member of Parliament for North Somerset, whose Chief of Staff commented:

“We hope you all enjoyed it as much as Sadik and I did, and that it provided the students with inspiration for the future.”

Mr Eastwood, Head of Humanities Faculty and Politics at Gordano School, added:

“This competition gives students a voice and the confidence to tackle complex issues. Seeing them stand and deliver arguments with such poise and passion is what this opportunity is all about.”

The North Somerset Debating Competition continues to grow in both scale and ambition, helping to empower the next generation of speakers, leaders, and critical thinkers. Congratulations to all who took part — and especially to the champions who brought home the win and had a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Parliament.

Eighty-four students from Gordano School have successfully completed their Silver Duke of Edinburgh’s Award qualifying expedition, tackling the rugged terrain of the Black Mountains in the Brecon Beacons National Park under exceptionally tough conditions — a summer heatwave that tested their resilience, teamwork, and determination.

Despite the soaring temperatures, students rose to the challenge with impressive commitment and enthusiasm. Thanks to the careful planning and adaptability of staff and instructors, safety was kept at the forefront while ensuring students could complete the expedition successfully.

Modifications included earlier start times with 5am wake-up calls to beat the heat, lighter rucksacks and extra water stations along the route and route adjustments to manage risk while preserving challenge.

Throughout the expedition, students demonstrated strong navigation skills, even as they battled through overgrown ferns obscuring footpaths. They climbed to the summit of Pen Cerrig Calch at 701m, all while maintaining a determined and positive spirit.

As part of their Team Goals, students studied local flora and fauna and explored team morale over the course of the expedition. Their reflections were presented confidently during the debriefs, impressing their assessors with thoughtful insights and excellent communication.

Camp life provided opportunities for rest and bonding, with students relaxing in the shade, playing cards, board games, and Spike Ball, creating a strong sense of camaraderie and fun.

Members of the public at the campsite were so impressed with the students’ attitude and behaviour that they approached staff to offer praise — a testament to the maturity and character of this remarkable cohort.

“This Silver cohort have really impressed us with their positivity, team spirit, and stamina,” said Rachel Allen, Deputy Lead for Outdoor Education at Gordano School. “They are a fabulous group of young people who took everything in their stride and deserve to be really proud of themselves.”

Gordano School remains a regional leader in the DofE programme, with the highest number of new starters in the South-West for the second consecutive year. A total of 336 students are participating in the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards this year. Each DofE journey is individually tailored, with students selecting their own activities and causes to support. With four key sections — and five at Gold level — the award pushes young people beyond their comfort zones and gives them the tools to thrive.

One parent commented: “Just want to put out a big thank you to the staff from Gordano School. Our youngest managed to injure himself this weekend whilst on the Duke of Edinburgh expedition. The staff kept us updated and looked after him so well. As a parent we couldn’t have asked for more. The teachers went above and beyond and deserve a huge pat on the back.” More parent comments are shared below.

As HRH Prince Philip, founder of the DofE, once said: “There is more in you than you might think.”

With universities and employers around the world recognising the value of the DofE Award, Gordano School is proud to support students in achieving this prestigious accolade.

PARENT COMMENTS:

We just wanted to pass on our huge thanks to you, and all staff involved with this weekend. Our son has come home so positive and has said it was a great weekend. We really appreciate all the efforts that must have gone into the weekend, giving them a great experience despite the extreme weather. I’m sure they will all remember this experience for many years to come. Thanks again, and hope you have a restful summer!

We just wanted to say a big thank you to all the teachers who gave up their weekend to support the Silver DofE expedition. We really appreciate how hard you all worked to support the kids in the heat and keep them safe.

I know I said it yesterday but I just wanted to thank you again for looking after all the students so well over the weekend. I cannot imagine how uncomfortable it was for all of the staff as well as the students and all the alterations you must have needed to make over the weekend was a massive undertaking. I knew you would have contacted parents had there been an issue with their child and so I was very much of the mindset ‘no news is good news’ but I really appreciated your daily ClassCharts announcements just letting parents know everyone was back safely. I hope you enjoyed a large glass of something and a restful evening yesterday – you truly deserved it!

Please could you pass on my thanks to all the staff who helped this weekend on the silver DofE expedition.  My daughter has really enjoyed the experience and I know there was a lot of extra challenges you faced with the weather, never mind all the usual planning and prep.   It is an experience that she will forever remember and it’s these opportunities that make the difference in education. 

I just wanted to say thank you to you and your team for looking after our son, his team and the other year 10’s at the weekend in Wales! The daily updates on ClassCharts was much appreciated too confirming they were alive and well!  I’m sure it was a hot one for you guys to be managing all the various elements of it! As someone who helps as an employer at the year 10 mock interviews I can always see the difference in those that do at least their bronze so I appreciate your time and effort in running this at the school. Thank you. He came back buzzing and has found the Bronze and Silver really positive experiences! He is very keen to do his gold now.

Thank you for keeping an eye on our daughter this weekend, she said she struggled on Saturday night. I am very proud of her for getting through it.

I just wanted to pass on a huge thank you to Mrs Allen and her team of helpers who made D of E so successful.

Our daughter completed Gold and has said that staff really helped her along as it’s a tough challenge. Shout out to Mr Thomas who was brilliant at checking in and motivating her. Our son recently completed silver in gruelling conditions and again we were so grateful for the adaptations that were made and the wonderful communication that put our minds at rest. Thanks to staff for giving up their time to help our children to succeed and feel proud and strong. We really are very grateful.

Gordano School is proud to announce the opening of its new specialist SEND provision, The Compass, designed to support Year 7 pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Starting in September 2025, The Compass will provide a tailored learning environment focused on meeting the individual needs of SEND pupils within a nurturing and inclusive setting.

Gordano School has been recognised by Challenge Partners with an ‘Area of Excellence’ accreditation for Inclusion, highlighting the school’s outstanding commitment to supporting students with SEND. This new provision further strengthens Gordano’s dedication to providing high-quality, inclusive education for all pupils.

What is The Compass?
The Compass is a specialist base featuring small class sizes of no more than twelve pupils. The provision includes a sensory room, an intervention room, and a main classroom, all staffed by specialist teaching assistants and subject experts. Pupils will receive high-quality, highly adapted, and scaffolded teaching for all non-practical subjects within the base, while practical lessons will take place within the wider school community.

Supporting Individual Needs
To ensure focused support, pupils within The Compass will not attend foreign language classes. Instead, this time will be dedicated to specialist interventions tailored to their unique learning needs, enhancing their development and confidence.

A Typical Day at The Compass
Students will begin their day with their allocated tutor group in the main school before attending The Compass for settling and nurturing activities. Throughout the day, they will move between lessons in the specialist base and the wider school, supported throughout by SEND staff. During breaks, pupils can choose to access the Student Support area to build friendships, participate in games, and seek additional help as needed.

Ongoing Review and Support
Pupil progress will be regularly reviewed through the assess, plan, do, review cycle. Annual reviews, involving pupils, parents, and staff, will help determine whether students continue to require this specialist provision in Year 8 and beyond.

Further Information
Families with questions or seeking more information about The Compass are encouraged to contact the SEND Team at SEND@gordanoschool.org.uk

You can visit the SEND webpage

Gordano School remains committed to providing outstanding inclusive education and looks forward to welcoming the first cohort to The Compass in September 2025.

The final Legacy Festival of the academic year has taken place at Gordano School, marking the culmination of a vibrant series of events aimed at supporting the transition of primary school students to secondary education. This last festival, held for Years 5 and 6, focused on Disc Sports and featured a mix of engaging throwing and catching activities, progressing into exciting ‘ultimate games’.

Over the course of the year, primary pupils have enjoyed a wide range of sports and activities hosted at Gordano, including archery, laser run, girls’ football, physical literacy ‘multi skills’, and athletics. The Legacy Festivals form a key part of Gordano School’s Outreach Programme, which helps younger students build confidence and familiarity with the secondary school environment through sport.

Emma Harradine, Head of PE at Gordano School, praised the effort and spirit shown by participants: “Each participant displayed incredible enthusiasm and determination, and we would like to congratulate all the young students for their efforts. Each participant will be awarded a certificate to acknowledge their hard work and dedication.”

Shane German, North Somerset School Games Organiser and Primary PE Association Lead, also reflected on the event’s impact: “Thank you once again to all who made this event a success. We look forward to seeing more primary students at future events and continuing to support the growth of these young athletes.”

The Legacy Festivals have proven a valuable and inspiring experience for all involved, and Gordano School looks forward to continuing its work with its local primary schools in the next academic year.