Dear Parent / Carer

It is an absolute privilege to be writing this newsletter at the end of my first week as Principal of Rushden Academy. It has been a very busy week this week with so many excellent activities and events taking place.

Moving forwards I would like to be able to share more information with you via our social media platforms so you can see pictures of your children thriving in our school. You will see our social media details at the bottom of this page. Please keep an eye open for more posts being shared with you.

On Monday we had our inaugural culture day where we celebrated different cultural heritages of the students of Rushden. Students thoroughly enjoyed the day and engaged with all the activities available ranging from food tasting to African drumming. We also welcomed our new teachers joining the team on Monday. We provided new staff with key information and they worked closely with their new faculty leaders so they are able to hit the ground running in September. We would like to welcome Amber Fitzgerald (PE) and Natalie Hoyle (Maths), who have joined the team this week.

On Tuesday and Wednesday students in year 9 took part in a county lines workshop organised and delivered by our Ethos Team. The workshops were all based on a true story and helped students to better understand the signs of county lines, the risks, and how to get help if they feel they are being drawn into this.

On Wednesday, a number of year 10 students visited Warwick Castle to support their History studies. Despite the poor weather, all the students and staff had a great time!

Year 11 students had their prom at the Kettering Park Hotel on Wednesday evening. It was amazing to see all the students gathering together and celebrating the end of their KS4 studies. We look forward to seeing many of our students return next week for their transition into the Sixth Form.

On Thursday we welcomed our new cohort of year 7 students to Rushden Academy. They started the day with an assembly before breaking off to have different taster sessions of the subjects they will be studying as part of their curriculum from September. Students returned today for their second transition day and we look forward to welcoming them in September.

Year 10 Performing Arts students put on an absolutely brilliant showcase. Students performed their work from Dance, Drama, Music and Production. I was truly blown away by the quality and professionalism of the students during the evening, and I am looking forward to the performances of We Will Rock You in a few weeks!

I look forward to sharing more details of the amazing week we have planned for all students in my next newsletter.

I hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Yours sincerely,

Mr J FIrth

Principal

Dear Parent / Carer

It's been a very warm week at Rushden Academy with lots of exciting activities taking place.

Our Year 12 Geographers set off early on Monday morning for their field trip to the South Coast. They have a comprehensive itinerary and could not have asked for better weather to undertake the field work activities.  

On Wednesday, we hosted several primary schools for a sports event on the field. The activities were supported by a number of our Year 9 students who did a fantastic job and their help was greatly appreciated. Our sports leaders will also be going into some of our feeder schools in the next couple of weeks to support with running their sports days.

The Social Action Squad was out in force on Wednesday afternoon and spent the afternoon undertaking litter picking duties in the local community. They collected large amounts of rubbish and did a great job of showing how the students of Rushden care for our community.  In keeping with this theme, I also received a lovely email from a member of the community letting me know that two of our students had stopped of their own volition and helped an elderly male who had fallen over in his garden. Oliver and Callum did a great job of looking after the male and helped back up off the floor. His wife was extremely grateful and it was another example of our students demonstrating exemplary character.

Thankfully the weather cooled down for Sports Day on Friday which, as usual, was one of the best days of the year. It was a day full of stunning athletic performances, new records, flash mobs and celebrations. The children all had a great day and displayed huge amounts of camaraderie.

Year 13 have their leavers ball on Friday evening which will be a lovely way to celebrate with friends and the staff that have supported them with their studies these past two years.  

Looking ahead to next week, on Monday we have a special day planned in order to celebrate the different cultural heritages of the students of Rushden. Mrs Ogungbadero has planned some incredible activities for students which will take students on a cultural rollercoaster including food sampling, dances and traditional music from around the world. We have given students the option to come in clothing that represents their cultural heritage. The only caveat is that we have said no to football shirts primarily because the European championships are on and we do not want football culture to overshadow the sentiments of the day. However, students are welcome to wear other national sports shirts such as rugby, cricket or basketball.

Have a pleasant weekend,

Yours sincerely,

Mr B Baines

Principal