Mascalls Academy Update

Dear Parents and Carers,

It has been an incredibly busy and productive couple of weeks at Mascalls Academy, with a balance of academic focus with plenty of activities taking place across different subject areas in and outside of the academy.

Firstly, we have concluded the first set of mock examinations for Year 10 students, providing them with valuable experience and feedback. Our Year 11 and 13 students have also completed their final sets of mock exams, marking a crucial stage in their preparation for the upcoming formal examinations. We are immensely proud of their hard work and dedication. The upcoming Year 13 and Year 11 parents evenings will provide parents with the final projections and specific areas of focus for students leading up to the exams. Mr Hatherill will be sharing with Year 11 parents a revision pack and plan for all subject areas prior to the Easter break to ensure that you have support in providing the best direction to your child in the final build up to their examinations. Please do encourage your child to access the additional support and revision sessions that teaching staff are putting on in the academy during the 1st week of the Easter break.

Beyond the academic focus, we have been thrilled to witness the outstanding talent of our students in a series of fantastic events. Our "Rising Star" concert and the KS4 and 5 concerts earlier this week were a resounding success, with a record number of students participating. It was wonderful to see so many family members and staff supporting and cheering them on. Thank you to Mr Gosling and Miss Jupp for giving students the opportunities to perform, many for the first time. These events truly showcased the vibrant and creative spirit of Mascalls Academy.

On Wednesday, 12th March, Miss Alldridge marked the annual Young Carers Action Day alongside our Young carers group. This year's theme, "Give Me A Break," chosen by Young Carers themselves in association with the Carers Trust, highlighted the vital role these young people play and the importance of respite. The group celebrated by engaging in activities, including completing worksheets about themselves and enjoying hot chocolate and breakfast, to raise awareness about our incredible Young Carers and their needs. These worksheets will be displayed around the school to further promote understanding and support. If you would like to learn more about what it means to be a Young Carer, please click here.

We were incredibly proud of the whole academy community for their support of "Wear Red for KSS" in support of Tom Merritt and his family's fundraising campaign. The sea of red throughout the school was wonderful and the level of support shown for Tom and his family was fantastic and KSS have extended their thanks for the money you donated.

Finally, I would like to reiterate the importance of regular attendance. This week, the Department for Education released a report emphasising the strong correlation between school attendance and future earnings. The report clearly demonstrates that consistent attendance significantly enhances students' life chances and future opportunities. Therefore, we urge you to ensure your child attends school every day, ready to learn. Our Ready to Learn gate is open every day from 8:00am and we are there to support any students who would appreciate a check in to start the day, and to provide any forgotten items to ensure they are prepared for each of their lessons..

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Jo Brooks

World Book Day

This year's World Book Day was another huge success! Students enjoyed a variety of activities, including a bookish quiz, exciting competitions, free books for all year 7 and 8 students, and a spooky short story that was read in small extracts at the beginning of each period. The ending was read exclusively for Mascalls students by none other than the queen of kids' horror, Jennifer Killick, the author herself!

We’ve been blown away by the fantastic number of entries for our Design a Bookmark competition – picking the winners will be no easy task! We’re also looking forward to reading all the entries for the Trust-wide short story competition and celebrating the creative writing talents of our students.

The Year 11/13 Geography field trip to Stratford, London

On Thursday 6th March 2025 the Geography department took the Year 11 and Year 13 students to Stratford, London. The reason for the visit was to support both year groups with their compulsory experience at both GCSE and A level.

After being whisked off in an executive coach early in the morning we arrived on the edge of the former 2012 Olympic site and began our study looking at the impact of rebranding, regeneration and gentrification as part of the legacy of the games. At both level 2 and level 3 students are expected to be able to recall live examples of case studies or fieldwork in their exam so to be able to visit jointly was a real benefit to the students. The students were exceptional throughout the visit, receiving many positive comments from members of the public as they completed various activities. One highlight in particular was watching the students grow in confidence as they asked their questionnaires to members of the public. It is always humbling as a teacher to watch some of the quietest students blossom as they practice geography outside of the classroom.

A rare moment of rest in front of one skyscraper in the former Athletes village where the 3 bedroom penthouse suite at the top was currently valued at £17.5 million!

All girls can play tournament

Friday 7th March saw the 'All can play' girls football event led by the PE department in support the FA's initiative. We saw the 100 girls across year 7-10 registered and played in a 10 team tournament. Well done to all the girls involved and well done to team 5 who won the tournament overall. This event helped pull together our many footballers who play for the school teams and those who have not done so as of yet. We do hope the event has helped us build a competitive platform for Mascalls girls football.

Mr Bowles

Year 10 Contact rugby Final Results

Congratulations to our Year 10 team who came second in the Leigh Academy Rugby tournament, the best we have ever done! Special mention to Shay who was top try scorer!