Principal's Update
I hope you all had a great Easter break and managed to have some quality family time. Students settled back into our routines very quickly. We started with a whole school assembly talking about how important community is but also how each student is recognised as an individual.
We talked about how their voice, their learning successes, their learning challenges. After their learning challenges are all recognised by us, and how as a staff we want to work with them, to help them move forward positively. We talked about the team around the students, their tutor, their Head of House, the Heads of Departments, their subject leads and the pastoral team. All these staff are here to support the students in a range of capacities. Please encourage your son or daughter to discuss any issues they have and keep communicating with the relevant members of staff.
This week we had almost all of year 7 on a trip to Lincoln which you can read about further down in the newsletter. We also had a fantastic assembly to raise money for aid in Ukraine with various members of staff losing hair in one capacity or another. Look out for the details and photos on Twitter and Instagram and in next week's newsletter.
I hope you have a great weekend.
Mrs Jones - Principal
CRA Values
This week in whole school assembly we talked about having a sense of belonging and what the characteristics of a good community were. We had some great responses from our students about a successful community needing good communication skills, cooperation, listening skills. But the most important thing that came across was mutual respect, one of our British Values and our CRA values.
Respect was number 1 for a successful community; respect for ideas, respect for diversity and respect for one's self as an individual in that community to have our voice.
Homework
On Tuesday students in Yr8-11 received their Summer Term prep homework packs which included knowledge organisers and timetables. On Wednesday Yr7 received theirs. Students in Yr10 and Yr11 may also be required to use their revision guides for Prep and/ or KS4 additional homework.
These packs remain with students so that they are easily accessible at home for students to use and should families wish to support their child. Additionally, the timetables and knowledge organisers are all available on the website.
Homework Club runs every lunchtime in G7 where students have access to laptops and a teacher for additional support. This is voluntary and students can bring their friends and eat their lunch. Homework Club is also used for those students who fall behind with homework and as such those who receive 3 or more Prep detentions in one week will attend Homework Club for 5 lunchtimes to get back on track.
We thank you for your continued support.
Mrs Cooper - Whole School Teaching & Learning Lead
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 Religious Studies'
Mr Rees - Careers' Support
Review of Year 10 Work Experience Day
Over the past few weeks/months pupils in year 10 and their families have been successfully sourcing some interesting and worthwhile opportunities to spend a day working/shadowing in a business or organisation as part of the CRA Careers programme. We have had some great reports on how well individuals got on with their work experience day showing confidence, resilience and initiative in their placements.
Students overwhelmingly expressed positive outcomes from their day’s work experience. 80% said their work experience day had helped them with confidence in approaching new situations, and had helped with career decision-making. 85 % of students thought they now had a better understanding of the personal qualities and skills that employers are looking for. 93% of students would recommend their work experience placement to others.
Students worked with a wide variety of employers from tennis club to foot clinic and everything in between! One of the best ways to find out how year 10 got on is to listen to the student voice with some quotes below taken from their evaluation of the day.
Top things enjoyed: “Meeting new people and opportunities”, “painting and colouring with all the kids”, “brick laying”, “washing dogs”, “using a digger”, getting a free brownie”.
Things learned: “never to work in a school”, “good to make mistakes as you can learn from them and just relax and be confident”, “working at a preschool can be fun and not to wear white trainers or wear nice clothes as you will get very messy”, “packing pallets for drivers and to scan products”, “How to drive a cherry picker”.
Transition Event
Year 6 Friendship Afternoon
On Thursday the 24th March, we invited our new students who will be joining us in September for a friendship afternoon. We arranged a variety of exciting opportunities for them including meeting their new peers, making new friends and experiencing some of the fantastic activities and lessons that we offer at the Academy, including maths and drama activities. They also had their first experience of taking part in a house competition led by our Games Master, Mr Webb, that the Academy had also participated in during that school day - Bullseye! The students all joined in and enjoyed it!
The transition from Primary to Secondary school is a huge step, and we hope that by beginning this process in the Spring term we will make it easier and more enjoyable, as all students will have already made some new friends and be familiar with their new school setting before they start in September 2022.
Mrs Harvey - Transition Lead
Attendance
This week we have been celebrating some excellent attendance at the Academy after the Easter break.
Terra are leading the attendance percentage overall this week, narrowly beating Aqua, well done Terra. Year 10 have had an exceptional week, the highest year group attendance with 93.3%, closely followed by Year 11 with 92.9%.
Well done to Terra 9 who have had 100% tutor group attendance this week, fantastic!
Look out for some attendance competitions and incentives, Mrs Coleman is keen to set targets and work with students who may struggle on certain days, currently Fridays are our highest % absence, let’s work together to recognise any patterns or avoidance to attend school.
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 Top Totaliser
Following another action packed term of house competitions Terra were able to hold of valiant efforts from both Caeli and Aqua to maintain their 300 point gap at the top of the house championship leaderboard.
Despite a healthy advantage there are still over 3,000 house points to play for therefore the race is far from over. A strong term from either Caeli or Aqua would turn the tables.
Term 5 Competitions
Once again we have an exciting term of house competitions lined up with lots of opportunities to get involved. Competitions this term include a mixture of new and old favourites; Gardening, Portrait Artist, Rounders, Bottle Rockets and Deal or No Deal worth a total of 1,500 house points.
Additional house points will be awarded for Attitude to Learning, Attendance, Enrichment Projects with further bonus points awarded through the Houseopoly Boards.
Competition details will be released in the lead up to the respective competitions. Ask your Heads of House, Tutor or Games Master for how to get involved.
Please keep an eye on our social media platforms (Twitter and Instagram) - for updates @CRA_HouseChamp
Mr Webb - Games Master
Year 11 Focus
I hope all Year 11 students have had a restful Easter break and have begun to put the revision programme into action. We are now only 25 days away from the first GCSE exam of the year which is only 15 school days!
The effort that is put in now over the next two months will have a major impact upon the outcomes in the Summer. During school hours, focus during lessons is vital and a sustained effort towards revision outside of school is critical in making sure that the knowledge you have learnt over the last two years is retained and is ready to pull from your long-term memory as you enter the exam hall.
Please use your teachers, ask them questions, suggest topics that you would like to cover during revision and ask for extra revision materials if you need them. Homework still plays a vital role in your preparations, prep has been designed to act as revision tool for you, these strategies do work! Remember to space your revision and take regular breaks.
Mr Lovatt - Assistant Principal
Year 11 Work Experience Week
27th June until 30th June 2022
Finding a work experience placement can be challenging. Students were reminded before Easter to ask family and friends for ideas and advice. Making speculative enquiries in a professional manner to a business/organisation in person, or via social media, letter etc
It is important for students to have a clear idea (and confirmed by business/organisation) of where they intend to go for work experience very soon..
Mr Rees - Careers' Support
Year 7 Humanities Trip - Lincoln
On Tuesday 19th April, Year 7 had the fantastic opportunity to broaden their horizons by going on a humanities trip to Lincoln. Students were warmly welcomed by Lincoln Cathedral and had the pleasure of taking part in a unique workshop exploring the importance of the Magna Carta, and its impact on England. Additionally, Lincoln Cathedral provided a guided tour of the magnificent building and its important historical place in England. This provided a remarkable opportunity to see how historical and religious events have changed architecture, worship and society in England.
Venturing out into the wider city, students had their first taste of exploring an urban environment as geographers, conducting several surveys to discover how Lincoln city centre serves its residents, workers, tourists and commuters. Students explored how traffic varies by time and location and investigated the different types of land use seen on a typical British high street.
Students embodied the character of CRA and displayed our values in abundance. Whether it be their respect for the residents of Lincoln and the worshipers at the cathedral; the ambition of students in applying their geographical, historical and religious knowledge; or the resilience in bracing the not entirely clement elements!
Well done to all for being fantastic ambassadors for CRA.
Mr Thornton - History Teacher
Mr Aram - Humanities Teacher
Mrs Cooper - Head of Humanities
Caterlink Update
Welcome to the April edition of your marketing bulletin. we’re Caterlink, your school caterer. We want to let you know about the great offers, promotions, events and deals we have coming up this month - so, in April we have destination Jamaica, in season: carrot, world health day, and St George’s day! we have meal deals, loyalty cards and product promotions throughout the month.
New Menus
Please click on the link below to see the spring / summer menus for the new term from Caterlink.
What are Free School Meals (FSM) and how to apply
Please see the letter below explaining what FSM is and how to apply to see if you are eligible.
Online Safety
A Date with Dan - 18th May 6:30pm-7:30pm FREE Online Safety Question and Answer event
Online safety can be a bit of a minefield and many of us have lots of questions on how we can not only keep our children and young people safe but also let them enjoy the benefits the online world brings.
Join LCC's resident Online Safety Officer, Dan Hawbrook, on the 18th May 2022 for a special Question and Answer session for parents and carers which will cover whatever YOU want to know – whether it's game ratings, parental controls, bullying or strangers – we will let you ask us those burning questions.
Sign up will be required to access this session. A Date with Dan Tickets, Wed 18 May 2022 at 18:30 using the Eventbrite booking system below.
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 25th April - 9 times table
Accelerated Reader
Week commencing 25th April during period 2
The Sporting Post
DRET Small Schools Rugby Tournament
On Thursday we were delighted to welcome students from across the Trust for a rugby tournament. Barnes Wallis Academy, Thomas Middlecott Academy and King Edward VI Academy all brought teams.
The idea of this competition is to give our students the opportunity to get some further practice ahead of the DRET Spring Cup. Our Under 15 team won 2 out of their 3 matches which included a 40-5 win. This impressive score line proved to be crucial.
Once all of the matches had been played, 3 teams had the same amount of points in the league. This meant the winners were decided by points difference. Our team had the greatest points difference so they came away with a gold medal. This is a fantastic achievement and our team can be extremely proud of themselves.
Table Tennis Performance Centre Update
As usual, it has been busy in the Table Tennis Performance Centre. During the Easter break 4 of our students were in action at the National Schools Finals. This event took place over 2 days in Wolverhampton. The first day was the individual event. CRA had 2 students taking part in this. Vel in Year 8 had a fantastic tournament finishing in 3rd place after beating some tough opponents. Adam in Year 11 was also competing, winning his group and successfully making it through to the knockout rounds. On the second day we took part in the Under 16 boys team event, with a team made up of Adam, Joe, Vel and Ben.
Our team beat many teams from across the country. At the end of the event they came away with a bronze medal, narrowly missing out on the win on a count back. Our team can be very proud of this achievement. It was great to see our students reach this stage of the tournament after playing in multiple rounds to get there including county, zones and regional. This is a testament to their hard work.
We are also delighted to announce that Adam in Year 11 has been selected to represent English Schools at the Senior Schools International Championships in June.
This event is being held in Scotland. Plese join us in wishing Adam the best of luck as we look forward to seeing how he gets on.
After school clubs in term 5
Our after school activities have changed for this term...please see below for details.
If students 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
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