Dear Parents and Carers,

I am delighted to share another successful week at Strood Academy.

A Strong Start

Our pupils have returned from the break in excellent fashion. It has been a pleasure to see such high uniform standards maintained throughout the week, and punctuality to school at 8:30am remains exceptional. Thank you for your continued support in ensuring a smooth start to the term.

Positive Developments

This week, we welcomed Celia Buxton, Assistant Director for Education and SEND in Medway, on a tour of the academy.  She observed some excellent lessons with highly focused and engaged pupils, and provided some fantastic feedback.

We were also pleased to host Ms. Charlotte Aldham-Breary, Headteacher of Cuxton Primary Academy, as we continue to build strong relationships with our local feeder schools. This also supports the recent partnership with Bligh Primary School, further solidifying our commitment to local partnerships.

Year Group Updates

• Year 10: We are thrilled to announce that all Year 10 work experience placements have been secured for later this term. A big thank you to Mr Pleasant for his hard work in organising this valuable opportunity.

• Year 11: Sixth Form interviews continue for Year 11 pupils, with many choosing to remain at Strood Academy for their further studies which we are very proud of. 

Celebrating Diversity

Our college assemblies this week focused on Vaisakhi, a significant day in the Sikh calendar.  We had the pleasure of welcoming a special guest from the Sikh community to deliver an informative and engaging assembly for our pupils.

Upcoming Events

• Year 8 Parents' Evening: A reminder that Year 8 parents' evening is taking place on Thursday, April 25th. All information and booking details can be found on School Cloud.

• Year 6 Transition Events: Due to the academy's growing popularity, we received a second allocation of Year 6 pupils for September 2024. Our comprehensive transition plan includes a welcome event for Year 6 pupils and their parents on Thursday, May 2nd, from 5:00pm to 6:00pm. We look forward to meeting you all.

Communication Improvements

Your recent feedback highlighted communication as an area for improvement.  I am pleased to inform you that I am in the final stages of planning a relaunch of our telephone systems. We will provide further details once the implementation is finalised.

International Partnership

Our third successful foreign exchange program concluded this week.  Students from Spain immersed themselves in Strood Academy life, fostering a positive experience for both parties.

Stay Connected

Don't forget to follow our social media feeds for regular updates.

We wish you a restful weekend and look forward to welcoming the pupils back 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 and the assembly protocol

• Focusing on combating 'Culture Killers' such as poor uniform standards and use of foul and inappropriate language

• Implementing a standardised homework policy across the academy

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

• Further improving communication with parents and carers through events such as face-to-face Parents Evenings and Parent Voice Forums

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.