Dear Parents and Carers,

I hope this letter finds you in good spirits and enjoying the onset of what promises to be a lively Christmas season. As we draw close to the end of another busy week at Strood Academy, I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on some significant highlights of our recent activities, celebrate the achievements of our students and staff, and share some important information regarding the weeks ahead.

Firstly, it brings me immense joy to commend our Year 12 and Year 13 Drama pupils, who delivered an outstanding performance on Thursday evening as part of their course assessment. The dedication, passion, and artistry that these young performers exhibited left a profound impact on all who attended. An enormous thank you goes out to everyone who contributed to this production, including the plethora of staff, backstage helpers, and of course, the pupils themselves. Furthermore, it was genuinely heartening to see so many parents present to support and applaud our talented students. Your involvement in such events not only enriches our school community but also fosters a deeper connection between our academy and families.

In addition to our drama performance, I am pleased to inform you about the recent visit from our Challenge Partners, who conducted a comprehensive three-day review of our academy's performance. I am thrilled to announce that we received outstanding feedback, achieving the highest judgement of "Leading" in both key areas: Leadership and Quality of Provision. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire staff and illustrates our unwavering commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience. Moreover, we were also credited with an area of excellence in Behaviour and Attitudes, which speaks volumes about the positive environment we continue to cultivate for our pupils. I will be writing to you in the upcoming days to share the comprehensive report, which I am confident will reinforce the high standards we strive to maintain within our academy.

Regarding practical matters, I would like to update you on our locker allocation system. Since the beginning of the academic year, we have successfully allocated 325 lockers to pupils, overcoming significant challenges that arose during this process. I am pleased to report that we have now established a much more efficient distribution procedure. In light of this success, we will be making an additional 25 lockers available on a first-come, first-served basis. Should you wish to purchase one of these lockers for your child, I encourage you to get in touch with Julie Tingley (PA to the Leadership Team), at julie.tingley@stroodacademy.org. We believe this will further assist our students in managing their belongings more effectively, ultimately contributing to a more organised school experience.

Furthermore, I am delighted to take a moment to recognise Ms Giles, a long-standing and exceptional member of our staff. Ms Giles is celebrating an impressive 25 years of dedicated service to Strood Academy. Supporting the pupils of Strood for a quarter of a century is a phenomenal achievement, reflecting her unwavering commitment and passion for education. We are privileged to have such a brilliant member of our team, and we look forward to celebrating this milestone with her as well as encouraging our pupils to appreciate the importance of such dedication in their own lives.

As we approach the much-anticipated Christmas break, I would like to ensure that you are well-informed about our scheduling. The academy will officially close for the holiday on Friday, 20th December, with an early dismissal at 1:30 pm. This earlier finish time differs from our usual end-of-day routine, and I kindly request that you mark this change in your calendars. It is crucial that all parents make the necessary arrangements for the timely collection of their children on that day, as we want to ensure a smooth transition into the festive season.

Additionally, I would like to remind you that our first day back in the new year will be on Tuesday, 7th January. Please note that the day prior, Monday, 6th January, will serve as an INSET day for staff development. On this day, our teachers and staff will engage in professional development and training sessions aimed at enhancing our teaching practices. We strive to continuously develop our capabilities so that we can provide the very best possible learning environment for your children. We genuinely appreciate your understanding and support in this important initiative, as it underscores our commitment to educational excellence.

As always, we are thankful for your ongoing support and collaboration as we strive to provide the best possible education for your children. 

Wishing you all a restful weekend and a joyful festive season as it approaches.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Jon Richardson
Principal
Strood Academy

STRUCTURE OF THE DAY 

ATTENDANCE

As we enter the new academic 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

• 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. We look forward to our second year of Vision 2028 and cannot wait to celebrate all we will achieve.