Principal's Update
This week students in KS3 have been sitting assessments along with year 11 who have been sitting their mock exams. I have been so impressed with the commitment the students have shown in lesson to these assessments. They are very important as they show the teachers what students are still struggling with and inform our planning for what we need to do to close gaps in knowledge.
This week there has been a big focus on options with all Heads of Department giving presentations in assembly so that the year 9 students can start to think about the subjects they are going to take for GCSE. Year 9 students all received a copy of the Option booklet which contains a wealth of really important information. I encourage parents of year 9 students to read the guide before Tuesday evening’s Options event so that you can come prepared with questions for our subject staff. Please bring the guide with you on Tuesday 8th March.
Next week we will be starting our Saturday school for year 11. Mr Lovatt has been sharing the details with students and parents and reminders will be sent out this coming week via MCAS.
I hope you have a relaxing weekend,
Mrs Jones - Principal
Canteen Update
Canteen Charges
MCAS messages have been sent out this week updating parents on the status of their child's canteen balance. I'm sure these were a surprise to some. To avoid large debt being amassed canteen staff have been advised to not let students go into a negative balance without permission from the academy reception team, who will make calls to parents if required.
If you need to set up a Parent pay account please contact the school, or click this link to find out how to retrieve your details if they have been forgotten (your username will be the email address your MCAS account is set up with).
Those students in receipt of Free School Meals should use their allowance for their main meal at lunch. If they use the allowance for snacks at break then they will have to pay for any food taken at lunch.
Menus
Please click on the link below to see the new menu that is now in place in the school canteen; themed menus are in rotated every third Friday.
Please see the latest bulletin update from Caterlink in the link below.
The Caterlink Team
Virtual Next Steps Fair with Joe Wicks
As part of National Careers' Week 2022, Unifrog are hosting a virtual Next Steps Fair for students on 8 March, 5-8pm.
The Fair will give students a unique opportunity to compare all the different post-school pathways side-by-side.
Joe Wicks MBE will be kicking things off with a unique insight into how he got to where he is today and the importance of following your passion when it comes to students finding their dream career!
Who will students hear from?
The fair will give students the chance to hear from employers, universities, and apprenticeship providers in expert live sessions and drop by their virtual booths to chat with them directly!
We have 50+ UK universities joining, including:
- University of Cambridge
- University of Glasgow
- University of Manchester
- University of Bath
- Liverpool John Moores University
And top employers and apprenticeship providers, including:
- Morrisons
- British Airways
- Unilever
- Dyson
- PWC
To register your interest for the event please login into your Unifrog account and then click on the link below:
Mr Rees - LSA & Careers' Support
CRA Values
This week in whole school assembly we looked at World Book Day with staff talking about their reading journey. We talked about how we don't always enjoy what we read but from trying different genres and authors we learn what we don't like and what we do.
We have to show Resilience to persevere through a book and even if we do not like it, we will still likely learn something from it.
We also have had our option assemblies this week for Year 9s to start to think about what options they will take for GCSE. This has involved our Year 9 students showing Ambition and Aspiration for their futures and thinking about how each curriculum area could benefit them and support them to achieve their goals and support their career aspirations moving forward.
Trust Commendations
We are pleased to tell you that the following students have been awarded a Trustee Commendation for their outstanding attitude to studies.
Millie Mae – She has developed into a natural leader, and a kind and supportive friend to so many people at CRA.
Ellie - She is an outstanding new member of the CRA community and has made an excellent transition to secondary .
Ilulian – He arrived at CRA in June 2021 speaking only a few words of English. He has showed resilience and determination and is a committed student that is charming, helpful and friend to his peers.
Cameron – He has made amazing progress since starting at CRA and takes full advantage of everything on offer despite overcoming challenges and barriers to his learning with an infectiously positive attitude.
Kiesha – She has made an excellent start to year 11 and has improved her ATL and her academic studies and is now an excellent role model to other students and was successful in being elected as Head Girl.
Well done to all the students.
Thinking Ahead – My Future, My Choice
Attention Year 8 & Year 9!
- What are your future plans & career possibilities?
- What plans to do you have after you have completed your GCSEs?
- Do you plan to go on to further/higher education? If so what courses might you study?
- What career ideas do you have for the future at the moment?
In year 7, 8 and 9 you will be learning new skills and knowledge that will give you the confidence to help you plan your next steps. This process starts with your careers education in school which will encourage you to think about your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes. You will also start to make some important decisions that could influence your future career path as you will be choosing your subjects to study for GCSE. This process will begin for all Year 9 students early next year.
Each week we will show you examples of the various careers linked to the subject you are studying. This week’s career idea is ‘Jobs related to Motor Vehicles'
Mr Rees - Career's Support
Attendance
This week we have been celebrating some excellent attendance at the Academy, whole school overall achieving 93.8%, fantastic, hoping for an even bigger % next week!!
Terra are leading the attendance percentage overall this week with a fantastic 97.5%, well done Terra.
Year 11 have had an exceptional week topping the year group attendance with 96.2%.
Please do not hesitate to contact me on 01476 550333 ext 502 or kcoleman@charlesreadacademy.co.uk to discuss ways to support your child's attendance.
CRA - Lets work together to make every day count!
Mrs Coleman - Attendance Manager
House News
‘Signs of Spring’ Photography Competition
This year’s photography house competition is underway with a new theme; ‘Signs of Spring’. Step outside and capture the beauty of spring, the season of fragrance, fresh leaves, buzzing bees and colourful flowers.
This competition is open to all students, staff and wider families with a maximum of 3 submissions per person. To enter all you need to do is email your submissions to housechampionship@charlesreadacademy.co.uk with your name, tutor group and house.
250 house points are available for this competition with the top 3 in each category awarded points. The deadline for entries is 8.00pm on Tuesday 19th April.
Term 4 House Competitions
Another 1,750 house points are up for grabs this term as we have another action packed Term of competitions lined up.
Competitions this term include Netball, Rocket League, Photography, BullsEye and Gardening all worth 250 house.
Additional house points will be awarded for Attitude to Learning, Enrichment Projects and bonus points through the Houseopoly Boards in each tutor group.
Please keep an eye on our social media platforms (Twitter and Instagram) - for updates @CRA_HouseChamp
Mr Webb - Games Master
Table Talk
In whole school assembly we discovered some of our staffs' reading journeys.
We would love you to talk around the dinner table this week about your reading journey from a young child to what you read today including books you love and books you don't enjoy and how you discovered you loved or disliked them.
Year 11 Focus
Mock Exams
I would like to take the opportunity today to congratulate Year 11s on how well they have performed so far during the Mock Examinations. Students' behaviour, attitude and organisation has been excellent so far.
We have now completed one week of the two week examination period, this is the last formal opportunity for teachers to assess under exam conditions prior to the GCSEs beginning, please can I ask that parents support students with their continued revision at home over the weekend and throughout next week.
Mock Exam Results Day
Following the mock examinations we will be running and exam results style event where students will receive all of their grades at once as they would in the summer.
This is an opportunity to prepare students for that event but also to motivate them to achieve further success between now and the summer exam series.
Mr Lovatt - Assistant Principal
Year 10 Work Experience Day
This is a great opportunity to taste the world of work, as well as give you an insight into a job/career you may be interested in following. When thinking about who to approach for work experience not only should you focus on your interests but aim to be practical, for instance what personal/family connections you can utilize to help find a suitable placement.
Work experience is also a time to impress potential employers with your enthusiasm, abilities and your responsible approach to work. Who knows where it may lead? Some students have previously found their work experience has translated into part-time work while at school, and even a future career.
Please do come and talk to the careers team for further information, or for instance you are finding difficulty in finding a placement.
Mr Rees - Careers' Support
Word of the Week
Bene: Good, well (Greek word root)
- Benefit an advantage or profit gained from something, or a payment made by the state or an insurance scheme to someone entitled to receive it.
- Benign gentle and kind, or (of a disease) not harmful in effect.
- Benefactor a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.
Teen Support
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a type of anxiety disorder. It can be serious, but it is treatable.
People with OCD have repeating thoughts, images or feelings that are distressing. These are sometimes known as ‘obsessions’ or ‘obsessive thoughts’. Sometimes when our mind is filled with very upsetting thoughts, we can try to take actions that will bring us relief and make the thoughts go away. We might start to believe that these actions will get rid of our anxiety or make these thoughts go away.
Sometimes having rituals that calm us down can be really helpful. But sometimes these rituals or habits become ‘compulsions’, meaning that we think we have to do them. We might start to believe that if we don’t do them, something bad will happen to us, or to the people around us.
It’s important to realise that with OCD, often our compulsive habits or rituals end up making us feel worse. This is because once the ritual is finished, anxious thoughts come rushing back again, sometimes even more extreme. This is how some people get trapped in a cycle of doing the same action again and again, feeling unable to stop.
OCD rituals can be obvious to other people (like checking if doors are locked) or they can happen inside your head (like counting things, or trying to counteract negative thoughts with positive ones).
Please visit the Young Minds website for further details.
Times Tables
At the end of all lessons students stand behind their chairs in silence to prepare for themselves for the next lesson. From September, on a weekly rota, Years 7 and 8 will be reciting their timetables to help embed them in their long term memory.
Week commencing 7th March - 12 times table
Accelerated Reader
Week commencing 7th March during period 2
Tutor In A Box - Advertisement
Please see below the details of Tutor in a Box who can offer additional support to students with the Maths & English progress.
Furter details can be found on their website.
Charles Read Academy are not responsible for the relationship parents and students may take up with the provider. This is a paid for advertisement.
The Sporting Post
Afterschool Clubs
Our club timetable has changed. On Monday and Tuesday our students will be taking part in rugby, hockey and dance. On Wednesday and Thursday we have made some changes to the sports clubs we are offering.
On Wednesdays it is table tennis and rowing club. On Thursday it is football and netball. If students attend afterschool football or netball it will increase their chances of being selected to attend the DRET Winter Cup. If they wish to stay on a Wednesday or Thursday students must report to the PE department at 3.15pm and get changed into their kit. They must then be collected by parents/carers at 4.15pm.
Students also have the opportunity to take part in sport at lunchtimes.
Mr Addlesee - Sports Enrichment Officer
Credits:
Created with images by mozlase__ - "school work write still life" • Victoria_Borodinova - "café visualization interior design" • Tumisu - "ethics right wrong" • jackmac34 - "hands inch fingers" • geralt - "bulletin board stickies post-it" • geralt - "stopwatch gears keyboard" • geralt - "apple fruit selection" • Pexels - "book college education" • geralt - "businesswoman business puzzle" • jarmoluk - "hands friendship friends" • Wokandapix - "learn word scrabble" • anncapictures - "tartan track athletics track and field" • webandi - "calendar wall calendar days"