Dear parents and carers,

I felt an update may be appreciated by yourselves as to how your children have got on their first day with us at Mascalls.  Our new cohort walked into the academy and greeted us warmly with many asking how our summer holidays were, which was such a wonderful way to start the new academic year.  They congregated on C playground where they were then placed in their advisory groups and then accompanied their advisors to their advisory classroom.  

The next stage of the morning was based from their advisory classroom where they completed introductory activities, had a tour of the school site and had their finger scanned for the ScoPay system.  Students then had break time where some sat in the canteen and had a snack, some sat on the benches outside and many were on the playground.  It was great to see so many new friendships being formed alongside students reuniting with friends from Primary School.  There were also many staff members out with the Year 7 students at break and lunchtime and seeing such positive interactions between teachers and students was wonderful to see.   After break, they swiftly got themselves off to their first lesson with some support in directions being needed, but all students making it to where they needed to be within 5 minutes!

Having been in lots of lessons today the students have made us all very proud.  They have engaged with their teachers and the content of the lessons very well indeed and have demonstrated many of the IB Middle Years Programme traits of being inquisitive, risk takers and principled which is fantastic to see on their first full day in the Academy. 

Lunchtime was fantastic with those using the canteen making their choices quickly and either sitting in the canteen or outside to eat their lunch.  C playground was busy and many students chose to play football and the way they had already built connections and created teams was just brilliant to see.  One student said that they had joined not knowing anybody, but has made two friends already in her advisory and before we had even finished our conversation she was being asked to go to the playground with another group!  Please be assured that we are aware that the social aspect can be the most concerning element for parents and students alike, so any students who have appeared to not know other students, we have ensured they are being engaged with lots and paired up with others when moving to lessons etc.  This process can take time and it is important that they develop naturally but where we can offer a helping hand, we do.  

There was a real sense of an increase in confidence in the students movement to lesson 5 with fewer asking where they needed to go and once again they impressed us hugely in their lessons.  

At the end of the day there were plenty of smiles as they left with many asking to exchange phone numbers with their new found friends.  All in all a resounding success.  Well done Year 7, a cracking start to the next phase of your education.   Please do be aware that from tomorrow no parents/carers are able to park onsite to collect their children, there simply isn't the space.  Please make arrangements to meet students outside of the academy at a convenient and safe location and they can walk to meet you, or wait until the buses have left and collect after 3:20.  

We really are so proud of all of our new students today, it is a huge achievement and we hope they have a restful evening and are ready for the rest of the week.

Thank you as always for your support

Mrs Brooks