Dear Parent/Carer

We hope that you have all had a productive week despite the freezing weather. Team Rushden have had another busy week, with lots of different events and activities taking place. We are extremely proud of our students who took part in the Cross Country event on Wednesday. Well done to Gracie who finished in 6th place, and George who finished in 3rd place. Gracie, George, along with Ethan and Jack, will now be invited to represent the district after Christmas! Well done!

We are becoming increasingly excited about our school ski trip to Andorra in January. As part of the preparation for this event, there will be a meeting for parents and students on Wednesday 27th November at 5:30pm in the Lecture Theatre. If you are not able to attend, please inform the school office and we will ensure that all notes and key information is shared with you.

The assemblies this week were led by an ex-student of Rushden Academy, Haydn Carter. The theme for the assembly was ‘The Power of Positive Thought - Mindset’. Haydn talked about his experiences and opportunities post sixth form, including his work for the NHS in laboratories and his missionary work in Tahiti. We are extremely grateful to Haydn for offering his time to talk to students this week.

Year 10 students took part in a range of workshops on Tuesday as part of our personal development programme. The workshops focused on building healthy relationships and provided students with opportunities to discuss a range of key topics. This programme is part of our vision to develop outstanding character.

We are extremely proud of our Year 11 students who have now completed their mock exams. For those students that may have missed an exam paper, they will have the opportunity to sit this next week. All students conducted themselves impeccably and were a credit to the school. The process of marking all papers and analysing the data has begun, and we look forward to sharing results with students in a few weeks time. We will ensure the data is used effectively to inform our next steps with bespoke interventions and support.

Finally, I would like to share the news that we have a vacancy for a parent governor. Being a governor is an excellent way to make a meaningful impact on the education and experiences of our students. Governors play a crucial role in the leadership and management of schools, and it is a fantastic opportunity to bring your skills and perspective to the table. All you need to become a governor is enthusiasm, a commitment to learning, and a desire to make a difference! Details of how to become a governor can be found on our school website. The deadline for applications is 12 noon on 29th November 2024. 

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Mr J Firth

Principal

Dear Parent/Carer

Election of Parent Governor

I am writing to invite you to consider standing for election as a parent governor on the Local Governing Body for Rushden Academy or to nominate another parent to do so. We currently have a vacancy for 1 parent governor.

The Tove Learning Trust Board of Trustees, together with the Principal of Rushden Academy, has overall responsibility for the running of the Academy.  The Board of Trustees delegates certain powers and functions to the Local Governing Body.  These are set out in the Trust’s Scheme of Delegation and Terms of Reference which are available to view on the Tove Learning Trust website.

As a parent governor, you will work with the board to make sure it effectively carries out the duties required to run the Academy. You will also play a vital role in bringing a parental perspective to the governing board, but you are not there to speak ‘on behalf’ of the parent body.

To be a parent governor you should have:

• A strong commitment to the role and to improving outcomes for children
• Good inter-personal skills, curiosity, and a willingness to learn and develop new skills

The governing body works together as a group, meeting at least once a term. If you are thinking of standing as a governor, remember that you will need to attend a minimum of three meetings a year, plus committee meetings during the term. 

As a governor, you will normally hold office for a period of four years, even if your child leaves the school during this time. You can, however, resign from the governing body at any time.

No special qualifications are needed and the most important thing is to have a keen interest in the Academy and be prepared to play an active part in the local governing body’s work.  Training is available for all local governors and the Board of Trustees has an expectation that those new to being a local governing body member, attend free induction training. A Job Description outlining the role is attached to this letter.

The attached sheet summarises the circumstances under which someone cannot serve as a local governor. Nominations must be from parents, or individuals, exercising parental responsibility of a child at the Academy.

If you would like to stand for election or nominate another parent, please complete the attached nomination form and either:

1. Place in an envelope and give this to the Reception Team at Rushden Academy, for the attention of Mrs D Pilcher.
2. Send your completed application form, via email, to:

Please note: if you are nominating a parent you must obtain their consent prior to their nomination.

You may also include a short personal statement to support your nomination, which should be no longer than 250 words.  The statement should only include biographical information, your reasons for wanting to be a parent governor and the contribution you believe you can make to the local governing body.

If there are more nominations than vacancies the election will be by secret ballot.  If that is necessary, voting papers will be sent to all parents together with details of the ballot procedure.

I do hope you will consider standing as a governor yourself or nominating someone else. If you would like more information about being a governor please let me know.

Yours faithfully

Mr Tim Foster

Chair of Governors