Weekly Bulletin
Module 6: Week 3 - 23rd June 2023
Be Inquisitive - Be Resilient - Be Respectful - Be Kind
Principal's Message
Mr Jon Richardson - Principal
Dear parents/carers,
As we approach the midway stage of our final module of the year, our examinations for Year 11 and Year 13 have concluded. The work that has gone into supporting our pupils both academically and from a pastoral perspective has been immense, our pupils have been given the opportunity to thrive within their examinations and we look forward to celebrating with them all come August. A huge thank you to our committed team of staff who have supported our pupils every step of the way and of course a thank you to you as parents and carers for working in partnership with us to enable your child to reach this momentous milestone within their education. We wish all pupils the very best in their next steps.
This week has included another trip to Thorpe Park, District Athletics and our termly Parent Forum and many other events taking place including Year 10 mock examinations commencing. Our Year 10 pupils have settled into the routine and met the required expectations of a formal examinations series to ensure they are fully prepared in preparation for their examination series in summer 2024.
From Tuesday we have launched our morning line up arrangements, this has been implemented with great care and attention to enable all of our pupils a successful start to the day but also has supported us in ensuring all pupils are uniform compliant and prepared correctly.
We have issued a letter stating our arrangements for the final day of the academic year on Thursday 20th July. Within the next few weeks we will be publishing exact details for collection of examination results of our Year 11 and Year 13 pupils but also the arrangements of our return to the academy for the new academic year in September.
Thank you all for your continued support and enjoy a restful weekend.
Mr J Richardson
Principal
Your Opinion Matters
As an academy we value the feedback of our parents to help us understand what is working well and where we can make improvement. With this in mind as we start to consider our preparations for September, we need to reflect on the positives and areas for development across the academy. Parental engagement has a significant impact on the progress of pupils and the development of the academy as a whole and this survey will directly impact the Strood 2028 vision for excellence.
We would now like to invite you to take part in this module's parents’ survey. The Survey will be open until Friday 7th July.
We are using the sort of questions that Ofsted poses when it conducts inspections as well as a few specific questions that help us to understand your wider views about the school. From this feedback we can then review and reshape how we as an academy support the community that we serve.
We really value your feedback but we understand your time is precious so thank you in advance for participating.
Click Here
Staff Shoutout!
Art, Design Technology and Photography have had a busy week, with exam moderation and mocks. A huge shout out to the team for the 5 hour exams.
All staff that have come in early for interventions. Great to see the engagement before the mock exams.
Thorpe park - Year 7
On Monday 12th June, Year 7 Hercules went to Thorpe Park on one of the hottest days of the year. Students had a great opportunity in spending time together as a college and having fun on the rides. As can be seen from the photo, we even came back with a few extras...! All students were an absolute credit to themselves and the academy.
District Athletics
On Thursday 22nd June a number of Strood Academy students took part in the annual District athletics competition at Medway Park. The students took part in a variety of track and field events as well as the relays at the end of the day. There were some excellent individual performances throughout the day with Dylan getting 2nd in the year 10 boys high jump competition with a jump of 1.6m as well as 3rd in the year 10 Boys 100m. Jack secured 3rd in the year 9 boys shot put competition and also made it through to the year 9 100m final. A couple of other mentions should go to Aidan and Kaluba who secured 4th in the 800m and 400m respectively. Harrison also performed well in reaching the 200m final for the year 9 boys. In the girls competition there were also some really good performances with Esme making it through to the year 8 girls 100m final, Imogen just missed out on a medal in the year 10 high jump competition with a jump of 1.2 metres. The students enjoyed a really enjoyable day and were extremely resilient especially in the heat, a massive well done to all involved.
Line Ups - Routine 1 @ Strood Academy
As mentioned in last week's bulletin, we have introduced a morning college line up to support students in being prepared for their learning, making their time in school feel safe, calm and predictable. We thank parents for their continued support and pupils for their positive engagement. Our pupils have once again shown when we raise our expectations of them and what they can achieve they rise to the challenge each and every time.
It has been brilliant to see students beam with pride as they're celebrated and congratulated by their entire college as they collect their college badges for rewards achieved, fantastic attendance or general recognition/shout outs.
Below are some clear and concise reminders for parents and pupils to ensure you are prepared for school each and every day.
Uniform expectations
All pupils are required to wear a suitable school bag which can accommodate their chromebook and other A4 class books containing all essential items.
Coats are not allowed to be worn in the school building.
Hoodies are banned from the site and will also be confiscated from pupils if worn.
Pupils should only wear one pair of small gold or silver studded earrings to school, no facial piercings such as nose studs (including clear nose studs), bracelets or necklaces. Please see an example here of acceptable earrings.
Extreme haircuts (Principal’s discretion) and body piercings are prohibited.
Fake tan is prohibited.
False nails and painted nails are prohibited.
Female pupils have the option of wearing either:
a black pleated skirt and black tights,
or a black pleated skirt and black ankle socks,
or black trousers.
No skirts should be rolled up, and should be at a suitable length around the knee.
Knee length socks are not permitted as part of the uniform policy.
We also do not allow any form of eyelash extensions or fake eyelashes as part of our uniform policy.
Failure to adhere to the academy uniform expectations, pupil’s will be placed within the Internal Engagement Room for the duration of the academy day and dismissed at 4:20pm. Pupils will continue to receive their class work on their chromebook.
To support the warmer weather this module we have allowed pupils to leave blazers at home. The blazer isn’t a compulsory item of uniform for the duration of module 6. On the return to school in September as we commence module 1, all pupils will be required to wear a blazer at all times.
Have a great weekend.
Mr M Piggott
Vice Principal
Key Stage 5
6th Form Induction Days
for year 11
The 6th form team are looking forward to welcoming the current year 11 students to the induction days which are on Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th June. The induction days will involve presentations form Greenwich university, Lloyds Banking group, and a chance to experience some of the courses on offer. If your child has accepted a conditional offer from the 6th form then you will have received further correspondence last week, via email, with the specific timings of the day and the schedule. If you have yet to confirm your child's attendance to the induction days then please email info@stroodacademy.org and they will be added to the attendance list.
The lovely summer weather has continued into this week and we appreciate how warm the days have been. However, a polite reminder for the 6th form students to continue to adhere to the dress code. If students attend school in clothing which does not follow the dress code then they may be asked to go home to change and return to school. The dress code has been attached at the end of the key stage 5 messages.
Year 13s have completed all their exams and the 6th form team are extremely proud of them all. They have shown maturity and resilience throughout the entire process. Once students have completed their final exam and coursework they need to hand in their Chromebooks, with the charger, to Mr Moore or reception and inform Ms Hancock.
KS5 results day is Thursday 17th August; we look forward to seeing everyone on that day.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is really important for the well being and progress of all. It is imperative that all students attend school every day to give them the best opportunity to be successful. If students are feeling slightly unwell, please make the effort to attend school. When students attend school they normally find that they feel better, if students do not improve we will assess the student and if we feel there is a need we will call home.
If there is an absence please contact attendance@Stroodacademy.org and attach your medical evidence.
National data
The data shows that the attendance rate across the academic year to date was 92.6%. The absence rate was, therefore, 7.4% across all schools.
We are sitting slightly below this and require a big push in the final weeks of term to achieve the national attendance rate. https://explore-education-statistics.service.gov.uk/find-statistics/pupil-attendance-in-schools
Holidays in term time
You have to get permission from the head teacher if you want to take your child out of school during term time. You can only do this if:
you make an application to the head teacher in advance (as a parent the child normally lives with)
there are exceptional circumstances
It’s up to the head teacher how many days your child can be away from school if leave is granted.
Special Mentions
Highest attendance so far this year;
College-
1st Trafalgar, 2nd Hercules, 3rd Victory
Trafalgar has now overtaken Hercules by 0.2% still very close.
Highest Year group attendance per college-
Hercules Year 10, Trafalgar Year 9, Trafalgar Year 8, Victory Year 7
Trafalgar Year 8 have the highest attendance in the school, keep it up
Highest Tutor groups-
8H2, 8H3, 7T3
Congratulations to the below tutor groups who have not had any lateness to school or lessons this year
10H3, 9V2, 8T3, 9H3, 8H2, 8T1, 7V2
Finally we have 36 students who are set to complete the year with 100% attendance
Victory 20 students
Hercules 16 students
Trafalgar 10 students
Thank you for all your support and continue to attend
Important information
Reminder you can be fined for taking your child on holiday during term time without the school’s permission.
Important Fact
90% attendance means that your child is absent from lessons for the equivalent of one half day every week. Over five years this is the equivalent of about one half of a school year.
Year 10 Mock Examinations
After a first week of exams the year 10 pupils have demonstrated hard work and resilience. over 90 pupils in attendance to the morning master classes. As we progress in to the final week please continue to support your child with structured revision time at home and enoundrage full attendance to school. Any pupils that miss an exam will be collected after the exams and given time to completed missed exam.
The staff have put on 4.5 hours of intervention in addition to the curriculum time, just this week, and there is even more planned for next week!
I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all year 10 students for their outstanding performance during this first week of the Mock Examination series. The process is designed to help students become accustomed to the exam experience, define the routines and give an insight into the final GCSE Examination Series at the end of Key Stage 4. The first week has included whole year groups for English & Science as well as smaller numbers for examinable option subjects. Week one also included a full day examination for students studying ART, DT & Photography.
As we move forward with the Mock Examination Series, week two will include whole year group sessions for English, Maths & Science as well as examinable option subjects that include History, Geography, Computing & Catering.
Attendance at all examinations is key to every student making progress in year 10. The experience of sitting examinations is vital in managing the emotions involved with such an important aspect of education. The results obtained in this Mock Examination Series provides the platform for the Year 11 curriculum. The exam papers are marked by our experienced staff, moderated in subject departments and then used to inform lesson planning for September. Full attendance at these examinations ensures a complete process for all students, parents and staff providing the foundation for future success.
Behaviour & conduct during examinations is all part of the experience in preparation for the GCSE Examination Series at the end of Key Stage 4.
Students should wear the correct uniform and have all equipment ready for each examination.
Students in incorrect uniform will not be permitted entry to the examination area.
Students line up before each exam in silence and prepare themselves for entry into the examination area.
All electrical devices and equipment are prohibited.
All wrist watches are prohibited.
Calculators are permitted, but they cannot have a ‘case’ due to the ‘maths formula’ printed on them.
Pencil cases should be transparent as should all drinking bottles. Labels are not permitted on any water bottles and should be removed before entry to the examination area.
No paper of any kind is allowed into the examination area.
Students remain in silence during line up
Students remain in silence during the examination itself and
Students remain in silence during the dismal from the examination area.
Students are to face forwards, not turn to look at other pupils or around the room.
Exam Routines
Hercules
POINTS
1687
Attendance
90.06%
Trafalgar
POINTS
1381
Attendance
89.94%
Victory
POINTS
1332
Victory let's be Victorious
Attendance
89.84%
Refugee Week
This refugee week- we at Strood Academy Safeguarding are thinking about how to tackle xenophobia (disliking people from other countries) in children. Here are some child friendly ways to explain who refugees are.
Key dates
19th June to 30th June 2023 - Year 10 Mock Examinations
20th June 2023 - Meet the SLT
Week Beginning 03.07.23 - Year 6 Transition
Week Beginning 03.07.23 - Geography Field Trip
10th July 2023 - LAT Sports Day Year 7 and 8
11th July 2023 - LAT Sports Day Year 9 and 10
13th July 2023 - Strood Academy Sports Day
Strood Academy - Key Priorities
The academy have set the following key priorities for module 5 and 6. This is to allow a clear strategic planning and implementation on improvement throughout the academy. These key priorities will be used to measure the progress within the academy and allow all stakeholders to be aware of what is happening within the academy.
The key priorities are as follows;
To provide stability to all stakeholders during a transition in leadership
To enable Year 11 pupils and Year 13 students to achieve excellent examination results
For all stakeholders to be involved in creating a new 5 year vision for Strood Academy
Improve culture for learning throughout the Academy
To provide our pupils transitioning between key stages the support and experiences to succeed
To relaunch our College systems providing pupils pastoral care through revised structures
Module 6 Uniform
Our uniform expectations for module 6 have been adapted. Blazers are optional due to the increased temperatures forecasted for June. However please ensure that all other uniform expectations are adhered to as we continue with our high expectations (please see uniform expectations below)
Uniform expectations
Blazers are optional for term 6 only.
Coats are not allowed to be worn in the school building.
Hoodies are banned from the site and will also be confiscated from students if worn.
Students should only wear one pair of small gold or silver studded earrings to school, no facial piercings such as nose studs, bracelets or necklaces.
Extreme haircuts and body piercings are prohibited.
Fake tan is prohibited
False nails and painted nails are prohibited.
Girls have the option of wearing either a Strood Academy skirt and black tights, a Strood Academy skirt and black ankle socks or Strood Academy trousers.
Knee length socks are not permitted as part of the uniform policy.
We also do not allow any form of eyelash extensions or fake eyelashes as part of our uniform policy.
If you would like a more detailed reminder of the uniform expectations please view them on the academy website.
Failure to follow the schools’ uniform rules and hand over any infringing items will result in a 30 minute same day detention.
Behaviour expectations and relocation of the behaviour for learning room
"The Lodge"
At Strood Academy, we are focused on ensuring that all students have lessons that are free from disruption. We realise that creating a positive climate for learning is a responsibility shared by leaders, teachers, parents and pupils’. We have a consistent approach to managing disruptive students so that we as staff and you as parents can reinforce expectations successfully. It is imperative that all students have access to disruption free learning. Our behaviour protocols for managing behaviour are there for a very small minority of students who may cause disruption. We want to reiterate that the majority of our students do work extremely hard in lessons and want to be successful.
In striving towards excellence, we will be making some changes to our behaviour protocols in term 6. Below is an outline of these changes that will begin on Monday 5th June, straight after the half term break:
The behaviour for learning room(BFL), will be renamed the “Lodge” and is relocating to the house at the bottom of the school drive. In any further communication with parents/carers it will be called the Lodge provision. Therefore any student that is placed in the Lodge as a sanction to poor behaviour will attend this provision. If your child is issued with a Lodge sanction, they will attend from 8.15am to 4.00pm.
If your child receives a Lodge sanction, they will not be permitted in the academy building, for the duration of their sanction. They will be met at the front gate at 8.15am and will be escorted to the Lodge.
The Lodge provision will always be for a minimum duration of 1 day and other students will not be transferred in and out of this provision during the day.
If a student fails their time in the lodge then they will be sanctioned with an off site provision at another school or a suspension(dependent on the behaviours displayed) On their return they will be expected to complete a successful day in the Lodge before returning to mainstream lessons.
Removal from lessons (students are placed in the internal engagement room).
As you are aware we have the three R approach to behaviour in lessons: Remind, Reinforce and Remove. Students are given the opportunity to correct their behaviours before they are removed from the lesson. To continue with consistency and to ensure that all students are receiving the same sanction for a removal, we will be making a few changes :
Students will complete a full day within the internal engagement room if they are removed from a lesson e.g if students are transferred to the internal engagement room Period 4, they remain until lunchtime the following day and receive a 1 hour detention on the day of the removal.
If they are removed period 2 they remain until breaktime the following day, completing a 1 hour detention on the day of the removal.
A period 5 removal will mean that students will remain in the internal engagement room until the end of that lesson and complete a full day, the next day, including a 1 hour detention at the end of the day.
The only exit times from this room are at break, lunch, the end of the school day and at 4:20pm.
If your son / daughter is removed from a lesson you will receive an automatic text message informing you of the removal and the detention that day.
If your child is removed from period 5, the detention will be the following day.
Following the removal, the class teacher will contact you within 24 hours to discuss the reason for the removal and work with you to discuss the removal.
Thank you for your continued support.
Technology in school
All mobile phones and headphones must not been seen on school ground , these must remain out of sight and switched off. This decision was taken for a number of well-considered and well-researched reasons:
To improve our children’s health and wellbeing from the impact of social media
To protect them from the negative impact of cyber-bullying whilst they are in school
To protect our school community from phone cameras being used within the school environment
To improve educational standards by removing the constant distractions that mobile phones pose
To ensure that students are not distracted from key examinations that shape their future
We at the academy appreciate that communication with your child is important and therefore please be assured if you need to contact them urgently you can do so via the school main reception on 01634 717121 and the message will be passed through the pastoral team to your child.
Below are the key processes that have been shared with all pupils about the expectation and the consequences in relation to the use of technology in school.
Phones/Headphones MUST NOT be seen in school.
If Phones/Headphones are seen in school, they will be confiscated.
30 minute same day detention for mobile Phones/Headphones.
Collection of Phones/Headphones from reception (once 30 minute detention has been completed)
Phones/Headphones must not be used on school grounds.
If Headphones are being used, we will confiscate Headphones and the mobile phone that they are connected to.
Any student that refuses to hand over their Phones/Headphones will be placed in the behaviour for learning room and parents will be invited in to collect phones.
Phones/Headphones must be switched off and in bags or lockers.
Year 11 Leavers Prom - Class of 2023
Location: The Corn Exchange Rochester
Time: 7:00pm - 10:30pm
Theme: Masquerade Ball - Colour scheme - Black Red and Gold
Dress code: Black tie (Formal Suits/Tuxes and Dresses)
Food and Drink: Party food and Pizzas will be provided. Non-alcoholic drinks can be purchased all night from the bar.
Tickets can still be purchased for £25 on Parent Pay until Friday 30th June. If you are having problems with the parent pay please contact info@stroodacademy.org. Please keep a look out for parentmails next week which will give more details about the evening.
Year 11 Prom Super Voucher Giveaway
For those students who over the exam period:
Had 100% attendance to every exam and revision session
Were on time every day
And recieved no negative points.
Upon entry to Prom they will receive a raffle ticket giving them the chance to win a variety of vouchers.
Prizes are below:
Mega Prize - £100 Voucher - 1 available
Second Prize - £50 Voucher - 2 available
Third Prize - £25 Voucher - 3 available
Fourth Prize - £10 Voucher - 5 available
Plus lots of other prizes to be won!
