Dear Parent / Carer

Another week has passed in the blink of an eye with lots of great things taking place around the school.

Mr Bocking delivered a hugely emotive assembly on the topic of Earth Day to all year groups. The assembly started with the iconic earthrise image which prompted discussions about why the image was so important to history. Mr Bocking then went on to talk about the rapidly increasing population and the impact on the earth’s finite resources and students were encouraged to reflect on the impact that more economically developed countries are having on poorer countries. Prior to the assembly Mr Bocking had placed various pieces of litter in the assembly hall to see if any student would pick it up without being prompted to do so. It was heartwarming to see Osesenaga do just that despite her fellow students all walking past the litter as she picked it all up by herself - a true display of exemplary character from her!

The Social Action Squad have been busy undertaking a range of projects which includes planting five new fruit trees and a large number of deciduous trees at the end of the field which mark the start of a new wild patch. In addition, members of the squad returned to the Serve Day Centre where they talked with a number of residents and played bingo!

A number of Year 11 students undertook the first of their examinations in drama and art this week as we enter the GCSE exam period. We recognise that this is a stressful time for Year 11s and all subject teachers and form tutors are on hand to support them in any way possible whether that be with sourcing additional resources, helping them prioritise revision topics or just talking to them to offer reassurance. Every little bit of revision makes a difference and so you should be seeing your child revising each evening and at weekends to ensure they are in the best possible position to excel in their examinations.  

We welcomed a large number of you into school on Thursday for Year 8 parents’ evening. It was great to see staff updating you on how your children are progressing in all of their subjects as well as offering feedback on what they need to improve. Parents’ evening is a critical evening to ensure that you are best placed to support your child with their schooling and so we will be following up directly with those of you who were unable to attend.

Finally,  Mrs Brainwood took Ben, Elliott, Olivia and Ellie to present to the Rotarian’s about their experience of Prison? Me? No Way! which was funded by the Rotary Club. They presented brilliantly despite the pressures of being on stage and talking into a microphone. Another great endorsement of how amazing the children of Rushden Academy are.

Have a restful weekend,

Yours sincerely,

Mr B Baines

Principal

Dear Parent/Carer,

It was a pleasure to welcome all students back after the Easter break and I have had lots of conversations with individual students about how they spent their time away from school.  

I led the assemblies for all year groups on the theme of ‘High Expectations’. The assembly was predominantly about getting students to reflect on what expectations that they set for themselves and when they have exceeded expectations in life. I talked a lot about morality and the expectation that all students leave Rushden Academy as good, responsible humans that are ready to make a positive contribution to society. All students were presented with a number of moral dilemmas and had to think deeply about how they would respond in the different situations. The assembly finished with a couple of high profile examples of people who have pushed the boundaries of expectations; firstly Russell Cook with his running the length of Africa and secondly Greta Thunberg and the work she has done as an activist for climate change since a young age.  

Year 11 students have been working hard in lessons as we enter the final weeks before their GCSE examinations. They should all be revising daily and were given reminders on Monday regarding the different resources and platforms available to support them with their revision. With many subjects having fewer than 10 lessons before the actual exam, it is imperative that no Year 11 students miss a day of school and your support with this is greatly appreciated.

On Thursday evening, it was Year 12 parents’ evening which took place over at Huxlow Academy. It was good to see many of you there meeting with your children’s teachers to discuss their progress and what they need to work on going forward.  

Key Stage 3 reports have also been shared live on Go4Schools and we have made some changes to the way we report progress for some subjects to make it easier for you to see how your child is progressing. Mr Bocking has sent out guidance explaining these changes but if you would like any further explanation, please do not hesitate to contact Mr Bocking or your child’s Director of Key Stage, Mr Smart..

In relation to uniform, there has been an increase in the number of students coming into school with false nails. These are not permitted in school so please support us by ensuring that your child does not come to school wearing them.

Finally I wanted to say how delighted we are that the school is now over-subscribed and will have a considerable waiting list for new students wanting to join the school in Year 7. This is fantastic news for the school and wider community and reinforces how valued the education we provide at Rushden Academy is.

Have a good weekend,

Yours sincerely,

Mr B Baines

Principal