Dear Parents and Carers
We have had a wonderful start to this academic year. We returned in September celebrating excellent results this summer at both GCSE and Post 16. Once again, congratulations to all of our students, our staff who supported and led them, as well as parents working in partnership with the academy to ensure success. We are also extremely proud to report that 75% of our Year 13 students started at university this September, many students accepting places at Russell Group universities. The remaining Year 13 students have started apprenticeships, employment or a gap year. We have challenged our current Year 11 and Year 13 students to match these outcomes and know that with the excellent education we offer, as well as the support provided from College teams, our students are on track to be successful again this year.
We have had a fast paced term with a raft of events and visits, a personal highlight is our Remembrance Service, when all of our community, joined by pupils from Leigh Academy Dartford, all of our students from Leigh Academy Milestone satellite as well as guests from the Dartford Branch of the Royal British Legion, join together to commemorate all who have given service to us and our country to protect our lives and freedoms, past and present. We have also had many visitors, including from the Sikh temple to celebrate Diwali, fire officers delivering safety assemblies
I am also delighted with the variety of sporting events and competitions that SGLA students have participated in this year, from girls and boys football competitions, District gymnastics, and cross-country races to name a few; further details are in the PE pages. We have also had a trips to the pantomime in Dartford for Year 7 as well as other exciting visits both at home and abroad planned for the year ahead.
I hope that you enjoy reading all about the adventures and experiences in this edition of our newsletter, that are just some of the opportunities that we offer to our Leigh community.
I wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and look forward to a prosperous 2025
Kind regards
Mrs Julia Collins
Principal
Dear Parents and Carers
As we come towards the end of Module two, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the core values and events that continue to shape our academy: Respect, Responsibility, and Resilience, with Internationalism at the heart of all that we do here at the Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy. These values are not just words but guiding principles that help us navigate our learning and interactions everyday, creating a positive and inclusive environment for all.
Our taught curriculum is designed to embrace the diversity of cultures, languages, and perspectives, developing a global mindset that prepares our students to live and work positively with others regardless of their background. In our academy, we aim to instil the importance of connecting with others, learning from each other’s experiences, and respecting our differences.
Culture is at the heart of everything we do and our calendar includes a different theme each week. Over the last two modules, our community has celebrated European Day of Languages where Internationalism encourages us to understand and celebrate the world both within and beyond our academy. Black History Month remains an important permanent theme in October, nevertheless, we celebrate diversity and inclusion throughout the year. Anti-Bullying fortnight enabled the academy to focus on the power of words, actions and embrace the Learner Profile attribute; Caring. We were delighted to welcome our friends from Dartford’s Sikh Gurdwara to perform for us in our Winter Gardens, and attend assembly to Year 7 and Post 16 explaining the significance of Diwali in their culture. This was quickly followed by our annual Remembrance service, which was a particular highlight of mine. The respect and responsibility demonstrated by our students throughout was simply impeccable, where we were able to pay our collective respects for those who have lost their lives in all conflicts around the world. The service concluded with The Last Post, which reverberated around the academy and provided the perfect opportunity for reflection.
I reflect on a successful term for students and staff at the Sir Geoffrey Leigh Academy, and I wish you all a restful Christmas break.
Mr Barry Stephenson
Deputy Principal