End of Term Newsletter

19th December 2024

Dear parent/carer,

The autumn term has been full of enrichment opportunities for our students. Students have visited Bletchley Park, the Houses of Parliament and been to the theatre to see A Christmas Carol and Othello. We even had a visit to Paris organised by the MFL team. Other events included the Careers event for Year 11 and of course the Big Sleep out at St Basils, Birmingham, where students spent the night outside to gain an insight and understanding of homelessness. They helped to raise awareness and funds to support young people at risk of becoming homeless.

Our ‘One World in One School’ event this term was the Remembrance ceremony. The whole academy paid their respects and listened to performances from our students. Our guest speaker this term was Jamie McAnsh who holds three world records for mountain climbing. He is also a recipient of a Brave Briton award. Students found him to an inspirational speaker and he really showed how to be resilient when faced with challenging circumstances.

GSA was delighted to host the Department for Education’s national Curriculum and Assessment Review roadshow in November. The event enabled them to capture important views from our students and staff to inform the interim report and recommendations.

Our Year 11 and 13 students have completed mock examinations in preparation for the summer exam series. Students were supported through the process with Wobble Week during which included numerous activities that helped to curb exam anxiety. The Parents’ evening that followed focussed upon how students could prepare for the future. May I take this opportunity to remind your child that mobile phones, watches and any other electronic devices must not be taken into the examination hall.

Year 7 Parent information evening was well attended. Parents were offered workshops to support use of Class Charts. In our continued drive to develop a love of books each child in year 7 was gifted a book of their choice. We would love you to find the time to discuss reading with your child, I am sure that it will encourage them to read at home too. The student leadership team also helped to organise a Christmas disco for the Year 7 students.

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring that your child attends school regularly. Our attendance figure is currently above the national average. We will continue to place importance on the value of punctuality. Every minute of learning is vital for our students to be successful in reaching their potential.

We would like to take this opportunity to remind parents and students of our expectations around uniform and the wearing of blazers. This is a compulsory item and all students must be wearing their blazer throughout the school day. Similarly all students must wear a tie, these are available to purchase via ParentPay to be collected at the academy from Mrs Brain. Thank you for your support in ensuring that your child is in possession of these items on a daily basis and wearing them appropriately.

We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday 7th January 2025 by 8:40am. Wishing you all a very happy Christmas!

Yours sincerely,

Rupi Bellingham