Parental Letter -20/3/2026

20 March 2026

Dear Parent/carer

Tradition is at the heart of our Academy. It shapes our identity, connects us to our shared history, and guides the values we uphold each day. Our traditions remind us of the importance of community, pride and continuity, and they inspire our students to contribute positively to the legacy they are part of. This week, we are celebrating the many ways our students honour these traditions through their curiosity, commitment and involvement.

STEM Week – Inspiring Future Innovators

Last week, our students immersed themselves in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) activities designed to spark creativity and deepen their understanding beyond the classroom. They engineered spaghetti bridges, built balloon‑powered cars, and took part in a lively STEM scavenger hunt, identifying scientific equipment to win prizes. Students also entered a poster competition focused on local environmental issues, where they proposed thoughtful and imaginative solutions to challenges within their community.

Pi Day Competition – The Beauty of Mathematics

On 12th March, we celebrated our annual Pi Day competition, an event that brings mathematical wonder to life. After school, students challenged themselves to recite as many digits of Pi as they could, demonstrating remarkable focus and memory. One student impressively recalled Pi to 352 decimal places. We congratulate all our winners and applaud every student who took part in this enjoyable and enriching event.

GCSE Countdown – Attendance and Punctuality Matter

GCSE examinations begin on 7th May, which means we now have only a limited number of school days left before the exams start. Every single day in school counts, and strong attendance and punctuality are essential to ensuring students feel confident and fully prepared. National research shows that missing just 10 days in Year 11 can halve a student’s chances of achieving a Grade 5 in English and Maths. Analysis from FFT Education Datalab also shows that even small improvements in attendance are linked to better GCSE outcomes, while modest dips can lead to noticeable drops in grades. Students with 95%+ attendance are nearly twice as likely to achieve a Grade 5 compared to those attending between 90–95%. We ask all Year 11 students to make the most of the time remaining by attending every day, arriving on time and engaging fully with the support available. Your encouragement at home makes a real difference, and we are here to help if you have any concerns about attendance.

Year 11 Attendance at After‑School Interventions

We are pleased to see many Year 11 students taking advantage of our after‑school intervention sessions, and their commitment is already making a noticeable difference. As we move closer to the examination period, it is more important than ever that students make full use of the support available to them. These sessions provide targeted guidance, personalised feedback and valuable revision time that can significantly boost confidence and outcomes. We strongly encourage even more students to attend regularly in the coming weeks so that every young person has the best possible chance of succeeding. Your continued support in reinforcing this message at home is invaluable.

Please see the timetable below:

We also offer a range of additional in- school and online support and we encourage all students to take advantage of this. Please see attached.

Additional Support Sessions – Monday 30th and Tuesday 31^st March

Some Year 11 students will be invited into school on Monday 30th and Tuesday 31st for additional support sessions. These days will provide focused time for targeted revision, personalised guidance and consolidation of key knowledge ahead of the GCSE examinations. Students who are invited will receive separate communication with full details, and we strongly encourage attendance to ensure they make the most of this valuable opportunity. The subjects that will be on offer are:

We look forward to celebrating many more achievements and continuing to foster an environment where tradition, ambition and personal growth are valued. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping our students reach their full potential.

Mrs Muschette

Assistant Principal