Dear Parents and Carers,

As another busy week at Strood Academy draws to a close, I'm delighted to share some fantastic achievements.

Year 11 & 13 Mock Exams:

A huge well done to our Year 11 and Year 13 pupils who have recently completed their mock examinations.  They have worked incredibly hard during this period, and we are confident this dedication will be reflected in their final results.

Enrichment Activities:

Our pupils continue to excel within our enrichment curriculum. This week saw successful sporting fixtures alongside the launch of our very first ESports tournament!  Congratulations to all those who participated and made these events such a success.

Year 11 Privilege Card:

Following the mocks, we have launched an exciting 8-day Privilege Card initiative for our Year 11 cohort. This program aims to support their continued focus and well-being.  Year 11 pupils will benefit from perks such as dedicated entry/exit points, lunch queue jumps, and a designated Year 11 break time space.  Maintaining perfect attendance throughout the program earns them a special treat on Friday, March 15th.  Thank you for your support in making this initiative a success.

Year 9 Options Evening:

Our Year 9 Options Evening on Thursday, February 29th, was a resounding success.  As a reminder, the deadline for Year 9 pupils to finalise their option choices is Friday, March 15th. You can find all the relevant information on our website.

Student Leadership Team:

This week, I had the pleasure of meeting with our fantastic Student Leadership Team.  Their talent and commitment are truly inspiring.  Their valuable feedback and suggestions will play a key role in our ongoing efforts to improve the Academy for everyone.

Thank you, as always, for your continued support. Here's to a restful weekend, and we look forward to welcoming all pupils back to school on Monday.

Regards,

Mr Jon Richardson 

Principal, Strood Academy

STRUCTURE OF THE DAY 

ATTENDANCE

Since the new year, we have come together as a community to reflect on all we have achieved so far. This includes:

• Introducing and embedding routines for students such as morning line ups, the assembly protocol and focusing on transitions around the academy building; encouraging students are moving between lessons with pace and purpose and ensuring all students feel safe when moving around the academy

• Focusing on combating 'Culture Killers' such as poor uniform standards, litter around the academy, use of foul and inappropriate language and body language within lessons; ensuring all students are presenting as focused and ready to learn

• Implementing a standardised homework policy across the academy, where students are aware of the expectations around homework as well as the importance of this 

• Promoting students' extra curricular interests and hobbies through a range of lunchtime and after school clubs and activities

• Improving relations with parents, carers and the local community through information shared social media platforms and in Weekly Parent Bulletins

• Further improving communication with parents and carers through events such as face-to-face Parents Evenings, Year 7 Meet the Form Tutor, Parent Voice Forums and Parental Drop-Ins as well as tools such as 'Request Call Back' button and college-specific email addresses

We are immensely proud of the progress we have made so far, and while acknowledging that we are still at the very beginning of our Vision 2028 journey, we are looking forward to the successes we will continue to achieve along the way.