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Dear Parents and Carers,
I hope this update finds you well.
I wanted to start with a huge congratulations to all of our Year 11 and 13 students, their focus, behaviour and general positivity has been just wonderful to see as they have now reached the halfway point of their exams. We hope they have a chance to rest and prepare themselves for their final exams after the break. We then we have a chance to celebrate with both year groups at their Prom celebrations and as they leave after their final examinations. There was some reference to poor behaviour on social media apparently, relating to our Year 11 students and apparently setting off fire alarms, but this is a complete fabrication and we have not had any such issues, Year 11 have been exemplary in their behaviour throughout their examinations so far and we are hugely proud of them.
We have had the pleasure of a visit from Dianne Blackburn (a leading independent IB education consultant) this week, who conducted a learning walk to observe our delivery of the IB Middle Years Programme in KS3. Her feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Dianne specifically referenced the warm and welcoming environment she felt as soon as she arrived, and how this positive atmosphere extends into the classroom. She noted the excellent relationships between staff and students, which were modelled throughout all subject areas she observed and in her movement around the academy site between lessons. Dianne also spoke with several students she selected from lessons, who were knowledgeable, articulate, and incredibly positive about their academic experience at Mascalls Academy and the opportunities available to them via the extra curricular programmes we run. It is always great to receive positive feedback from somebody who visits all over the country and world and is able to celebrate what makes us unique.
Looking ahead, I want to remind you about our College reward trips to Thorpe Park, which will be taking place in the first week of Module 6. These trips are a fantastic opportunity for our students to celebrate their hard work and achievements, letters have been shared with those students who have earned their place.
We are also building up to our OnMas festival on Friday July 18th! Students have been invited to volunteer to perform in advisory sessions this week, so please do encourage your child to put themselves forward. It is always so wonderful to see so many members of our community contributing their talents to this special event.
It has been wonderful to see a real shift in culture in our canteen. We've asked students to refrain from using their Chromebooks during lunch so they can enjoy interacting with their friends. This week, we've seen a number of students choosing to play chess, draughts, Uno, and they’ve even introduced me to some new games that I’m looking forward to playing with my own children over the half-term break! I've even purchased some additional sets of Uno as a group of Year 10 students are keen to set up an Uno league! If you happen to have any spare board or card games at home, we would gladly welcome any donations to build up our bank of activities for students to play in the canteen, the hub, or the library. Please feel free to send them in with your child or delivery at reception would be much appreciated.
Finally, I would like to formally welcome Mrs Relf to the academy as our new front receptionist, she has been a fantastic addition to the Mascalls team and many thanks for the positive feedback we have already received from parents, the flowers received from Year 13s who have left recently are testament to how swiftly she has secured herself as an integral part of the team! Mrs Relf has taken on the role of managing our social media, if you would like us to share any achievements that your child has accomplished outside of the academy, please do send them to Mrs Relf on caroline.relf@mascallsacademy.org.uk
Thank you for your continued support.
Kind regards,
Jo Brooks
Year 13 Celebration Event - Class of 2025
Last week we held a very special celebration event to wish our Year 13 cohort well in their exams and to mark the end of their time at Mascalls Academy. Staff nominations for academic excellence were distributed and we were able to share so many stories of our students showing resilience, motivation and kindness. We are very grateful also for the parent support too and have been so moved by the positive feedback we have received since the event.
We welcomed back alumna Katelyn Wallis who spoke so wonderfully about her journey through school and beyond, giving a very powerful message that life is what you make of it and encouraging all of our young people to take a chance and take that next step.
We would like to thank all of our students for their commitment, maturity and focus during their time in the 6th Form, they have been a truly lovely cohort to work with and we look forward to a summer of excellent outcomes!
Miss Shaw-Kew & Mrs Alldridge
Mascalls in the community
Mascalls in the community
On Saturday 10th May, Mr Collis and a group of our Bronze and Silver Duke of Edinburgh Students volunteered our time to help set up the Picnic in the Park, VE Day Celebration. During the morning our students took up key roles in assisting people in setting out their stalls for the day, doing some fetching and carrying for the organisers and directing the military vehicles and classic cars to their correct spaces. As Midday hit and the event opened to the public our work slowed down so students enjoyed a well earned Ice Cream in the sun before a slightly earlier finish than first planned. Speaking to Jennie, who organised this event, she has left us the feedback below,
"Thank you again, from all of us, for organising the students. They really were a great help yesterday. Happy and polite too. You, they and their parents all should be very proud. They certainly showed such an excellent side to Mascalls Academy."
After half term, again, Mascalls students will be visible in the community, we are starting to put together a regular group to help with the Paddock Wood Litter Pickers, on the 14th of June we will be present at the Moonlight Walk for Hospice in the Weald at Knowle Park and then later in the year at the Hospice Run in Tunbridge Wells. This year we have been keen to involve our students in as many local community projects as possible, so far with everything they have been involved in, they have done a fantastic job.
Duke of Edinburgh
Duke of Edinburgh
Thursday and Friday this week, our Bronze Students have ventured out for their Final Assessed Expedition. We are incredibly proud to celebrate the achievements of our Bronze Duke of Edinburgh students. Over the course of two challenging days, our students demonstrated resilience, teamwork, and determination as they navigated unfamiliar terrain, carried their own kit, and camped overnight all with admirable spirit and commitment.
From planning their routes and cooking meals outdoors to supporting one another through sore feet and the change of weather from the Practice, the expedition was a powerful reminder of the personal growth and life skills the DofE Award nurtures. Our students represented the school with maturity, enthusiasm, and respect for both each other and the environment. A huge thank you to the staff, Miss Murphy and Miss Morton and the team at E3 Adventures who supported the expedition and made it possible, and to the families who encouraged our young people every step of the way. Seeing all of our students engaging so positively with each other around the campfire during the evening was a really lovely experience and it is always a pleasure working with students outside of the Academy setting.
Sadly for our Bronze Students, this marks the end of their Expeditions this year, from now on the focus will be on completing our various sections or Volunteering, Skills or Physical work and making sure all of that evidence is uploaded onto the eDofE system ahead of a well deserved Awards evening later in the year. Congratulations to all involved, this is a milestone achievement, and we look forward to seeing where the DofE journey will take them next!
Mr Collis
Dance Championship
Dance Championship
A big shout out to the dance department who took 29 students to The Stag Theatre last Sunday to compete in The Dance Championships! 2 groups performed, MAD3 (our KS3 company) and XY (our boys company). Both groups performed beautifully and Jasper received a special mention for his performance!
Dates for the diary:
Dates for the diary:
Monday 2nd June - Students return on a week 2 timetable
Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd June - Year 8 HPV Immunisations' taking place
Thursday 5th - Saturday 7th June - DofE Silver Practise
Tuesday 17th June - Year 9 & 10 Work Shadowing Day
Thursday 19th - Saturday 21st June - DofE Silver Assessment
Tuesday 24th June - Year 13 Prom
Wednesday 25th June - Year 11 Prom
Friday 27th - Friday 4th July - Italy Dolomites Residential Trip
Thursday 10th & Friday 11th July - Musical Evening Performance
Tuesday 22nd July - Last day of term, students finish at 12.30pm
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