Principal's Update
We have had an exciting week with students preparing for the performance of Oliver on the 9th and 10th February. The cast are gathering together their props and costumes and making sure they know all their lines. It is the first time, since becoming a DRET academy, that CRA are staging a musical. We are very excited about the opportunities it has afforded our students and we are looking forward to sharing it with you.
It is really pleasing that sporting fixtures have resumed, and we played Barnes Wallis Academy at football this week. Well done to all involved. We have cross country and drama trips happening next week and of course we continue with our house competitions.
Year 11 will be getting their results from the Touchstone assessments this coming week and staff will have identified areas for development. It is crucial that students plan to cover the areas they didn't do well on in their revision schedules, giving more time to the subjects and topics that they find challenging. Please contact the academy if you have any concerns about your son/daughter's progress.
Have a good weekend,
Mrs Jones - Principal
Canteen Update
Canteen Charges
In recent weeks we have seen an increase in students attempting to obtain food without having the required amount of money on their Parent Pay account or cash to cover the cost.
This has lead to some students running up deficits.
With effect from Monday 17th January, if a student doesn't have the required amount of money on their account they will need to reduce their purchase.
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
A copy of our current menus can be found on the CRA Website or by clicking the link below.
Our updated spring menu will be available after February half term. Details will be shared in the coming weeks
The Caterlink Team
Parking Consideration
We have had a report from a parent about poor parking and congestion outside the rear entrance to the academy at the end of the school day.
Not only is it dangerous, but can impact on school buses and taxis being able to exit the car park.
We appreciate there isnt a great deal of room on the site for parking, but would ask everyone to be sensible.
Please can we ask you to be respectful and ensure that you are parked neatly on the curb to ensure that you do not cause any further congestion and disruption to traffic or cause a danger to others.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation.
Home Lateral Flow Testing
Vaccinations
Please click the link below to review the latest information we have received from the NHS regarding student vaccinations.
Routine weekly testing
When you complete lateral flow tests at home on a Sunday and Wednesday evening, please report the results via these links to both the NHS and also CRA.
If you require further kits, students can collect these from reception.
Did you know that parents and support bubbles of school children, as well as anyone who has to leave home to go to work, can now get rapid Covid-19 tests twice a week. Order yours now here.
Further guidance from the Government and Department of Education in respect of home testing can be found below:
A copy of the risk assessment and privacy policy relating to Lateral Flow Testing can be found on the CRA website.
Mr Linforth - Academy Operations Manager
Immunisations
Your Year 9 child/ren’s Men ACWY and Teenage Booster vaccinations are now due.
MenACWY vaccination helps to protect your child against four types of meningococcal bac-teria (groups A, C, W and Y) that can cause meningitis (inflammation of the lining of the brain) and septicaemia (blood poisoning). These diseases are very serious and can kill, especially if not diagnosed early.
The teenage booster, also known as the 3-in-1 or the Td/IPV vaccine, is given as a single injection into the upper arm to boost your child's protection against three separate diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and polio.
Please follow this link to complete the online consent form for your child.
Homework
Please find the instructional video below which demonstrates how to complete the Prep Homework and the expected standards in order to support your child at home.
Please click to review the Homework Policy as a reminder of the responsibilities from all parties.
Frequency of homework
Yr7-10 students should hand in their first Prep homework on Tuesday 11th January during Roll Call. Yr11 students are now revising for their Touchstone assessments and their first prep homework is expected on Monday 17th January during Roll Call.
The online homework table will be is now available and can be found below.
Responding to some feedback from parents/carers and students we will also be issuing all students with a printed version of the homework table alongside their packs.
Thank you for your continued support with the homework policy.
Mrs Cooper - Whole School Teaching & Learning Lead
CRA Values
CONFIDENCE and COURAGE have been seen in abundance this week in the academy as our cast of Oliver has shown commitment to their rehearsals and performances. Oliver will be performed 9th and 10th February at 7pm at CRA.
Please contact reception for tickets. This is the first time our students have taken part in a musical at CRA, and we are so proud already of the RESILIENCE they have shown in improving their performances, by responding to feedback and learning their lines.
This will be a great opportunity to bring our CRA community together to celebrate our students and staff and their efforts.
Parent Governor Vacancies
Charles Read Academy are now looking for two parent governors.
The role of parent governor is an important one. School governors play an important role in supporting the school. They can influence the strategic vision and direction and hold the senior leadership team to account.
Why become a school governor?
Benefits include:
- Developing your professional skills and experience such as strategic planning, and team working, both of which are valued by employers and can assist your own career development
- Building relationships and networks in your locality
- Supporting children and young people in your community.
There is one meeting every half term. The meetings usually last approximately an hour and a half and can be accessed via Teams if coming into school is too difficult due to transport or child care issues.
We would love to hear from you if you are interested in this role by completing your declaration of interest in the Governor election procedure below:
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 ICT'
Mr Rees - Career's Support
Attendance
This week we have been celebrating some excellent attendance within our tutor groups, on Wednesday 7 tutor groups achieved the magic 100%, all of these received a card for their Houseopoly board .
Terra are once again leading the attendance percentage overall this week with a fantastic 95.3%, well done Terra. Year 9 have topped the year groups with a super 94.2% attendance overall, narrowly pipping Year 11 for the top spot!
Covid and Student Attendance
Please see the link below for up to date NHS guidance for COVID related illness and subsequent isolation procedures.
It has just been announced on the news that the self-isolation period for people with Covid has been reduced to a minimum of 5 full days from Monday.
This means that a negative LFT test would now be required on day 5 and day 6, with a return to school on day 6 instead of days 6 and 7.
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
Terra Table Tennis Champions
Terra claimed victory in the house table tennis this week following a determined fight back on the final day to clinch victory from Caeli. It was another exciting house competition at Charles Read Academy as Aqua, Caeli and Terra went head to head in 48 hotly contested match ups.
Day 1 saw each house field a KS3 team where Caeli took a demanding lead following strong performances from CRA Table Tennis ‘shadow squad’ player Ben. Aqua finished the day in 2nd place with Terra behind in 3rd place.
Despite being in 3rd place heading into the final day Terra managed to turn the competition on its head with a number of determined performances, led by year 10 students Jack and Davy.
Points accumulated on day 1 and day 2 were added together to create an overall total where Terra finished in 1st place, Caeli managed to claim 75 house points in 2nd place and Aqua picked up 50 points in 3rd place.
Final Weekend– New Year Cup
3 more days to go in the New Year Cup and to submit your entries to support CRAs bid to be crowned the first ever DRET New Year Cup champions. The latest update from the trust shows we are currently in 2nd place with a real chance of securing a top 3 finish, which would be an incredible achievement..
We need a final push to capture as many final Km’s as possible - Each entry submitted is added to the school total your individual house totals with 250 house points up for grabs.
We need your support - To enter, all you need to do is record and screenshot the distance of a walk, jog or cycle and email housechampionship@charlesreadacademy.co.uk - Every little helps! Please send in your entries and play your part.
It’s not too late to get involved.
Term 3 Competitions
Please keep an eye on our social media platforms (Twitter and Instagram) - for updates @CRA_HouseChamp
Mr Webb - Games Master
Library News
Another busy week in the Library - top reader this week has been Phoebe in Terra 8 and again, the Heartstopper series has been flying off the shelves! Please remember that if there is a book you would like, it can be reserved for you.
A suggestion box has been placed in the Library with a sheet to complete with ideas for books or activities that could be introduced and I look forward to adding to our wish list of books.
Mrs Thurlby - Librarian & LSA
Art Department Update
Year 10 have recenly been set the following work. Please see the results of their efforts below:
As per classroom discussion a double page spread of drawings developing your work from original source material. Here is a WAGOLL of the standard and quality I need to see.
Please complete double page spread on portraiture and Chuck Close in your own method not exactly as per these WAGOLL examples.
Homework MUST include your completed Chuck Close style grid method portrait as well as full annotation.
As per classroom discussion a double page spread of drawings developing your work from original source material. Here is a WAGOLL of the standard and quality I need to see.
Table Talk
As our CRA production of Oliver is nearly upon us, we have chosen this quote for this week's table talk. We would love you to discuss at the dinner table what you interpret as its meaning.
One of our 7 C's of Resilience is Choice not Chance. We talk to our students regularly about their actions being their choice, their futures being their choice and to have high aspirations. We invite you to think together about where you have made a choice to take a certain path instead of another and what the result of that choice was.
Word of the Week
Poly: many (Greek word root)
- Polygon a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more.
- Polypeptide a linear organic polymer consisting of a large number of amino-acid residues bonded together in a chain, forming part of (or the whole of) a protein molecule.
- Polytheism the belief in or worship of more than one god.
Miss Brealey - Head of English Faculty
Year 11 Focus
This week we will continue to explore revision myths with another two things that students think help their revision but in actual fact can hinder their ability to retain information.
3. Listening to music
Many students do their homework and study while listening to music, with most saying that it helps them focus on the task at hand. Research suggests that many factors have an effect on whether music helps or hinders learning, including:
- The type of music
- The type of task
- The type of student
One study assigned students to one of four groups. They either had students:
- Study in silence
- Study while listening to music with lyrics they liked
- Study while listening to music with lyrics they didn’t like
- Study while listening to music with no lyrics
When participants were tested on the content, students who studied in silence performed 60% better than those who studied while listening to music with lyrics - regardless of whether they liked the lyrics or not. Students who revised while listening to music with no lyrics performed better than students who listened to music with lyrics. Results also suggested that it did not make any difference whether students liked the music they were listening to while revising.
Although students seem to have a preference for listening to music with lyrics that they like, research suggests this may diminish learning and exam performance. This is because music and lyrics may require more cognitive processing, and studying at the same time may be overwhelming our cognitive load. Students should therefore try to avoid studying with music.
4. Using their phone in bed
For many of us, the first thing that we see when we wake up in the morning and the last thing that we see before going to bed is our phone. But does this have an effect on our brains, and more specifically, our sleep?
At night, our brains release melatonin, often referred to as “the sleep hormone”. The darkness acts as a trigger for this release and the melatonin makes us feel sleepy. Research has investigated whether the light from our electronic devices tricks our brains into thinking it’s daytime and slows down or prevents the release of melatonin.
In one study, researchers asked students to use their tablets at 11 PM, doing whichever task they wanted. At midnight and at 1 AM, participants had saliva samples taken, and researchers measured their melatonin levels. The study found that being on a tablet late at night for 1 hour did not have a significant effect on the amount of melatonin released at night. However, when tablet use reached 2 hours, participants released 20% less melatonin.
Sleep has many benefits, including improvements in health, mood and academic performance. Using your phone at night can significantly impact your sleep and , as a result, your performance, yet students still do it. Even though they may view using their phone as time to wind down, phone use at night rarely seems to have any benefits. Students should limit night time phone use to a maximum of 1 hour, not just before bed time, or even better: avoid it all together.
Mr Lovatt - Assistant Principal
Year 10 Work Experience Day
Time for all year 10 students to be finding and confirming a placement for their Work Experience Day coming up soon on the 25th March! A reminder that all reply slips need to be returned before half term (11th February) – less than a month away!
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 Otchere - Career's Lead
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 31st January - 7 times table
Accelerated Reader
Week commencing 31st January during period 3
The Sporting Post
Year 10 football versus Barnes Wallis Academy
Yesterday, our Year 10 football team played against Barnes Wallis Academy. It was an incredibly entertaining fixture, mainly due to the teams being equally matched. During the game our boys performed brilliantly. We took an early lead.
Davy scored a header after Jack played a perfectly weighted ball into the box. We was unfortunate to concede two goals in the second half.
Despite the defeat, our boys can be very proud of their performance. It has definitely boosted their confidence going into the DRET Winter Cup. Player of the match was awarded to Ilulian.
We are now looking forward to our next fixtures on 2nd February against Chanrwood College.
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 congerdesign - "board slate blackboard" • Hans - "spaghetti meal canteen" • al-grishin - "traffic jam car urban" • KlausHausmann - "hand disinfection disinfection mouth guard" • qimono - "puzzle dna research" • ejlindstrom - "coffee school homework" • Peggy_Marco - "refugees economic refugees financial equalization" • ringsfoto - "stationery clip cooperation" • geralt - "bulletin board stickies post-it" • anncapictures - "pocket watch time sand" • wal_172619 - "library setup books" • Pexels - "art watercolors arts and crafts" • sakulich - "light lamp warm" • Wild0ne - "typewriter vintage write" • josephredfield - "people friends together" • geralt - "skills can startup" • geralt - "integration volunteer hands" • geralt - "to learn a notice information sign" • guisdesouza - "rugby ball water" • tigerlily713 - "calendar date time"