West Lakes Academy is a lively, thriving and inclusive academy. We have high expectations of all of our students and do our best to support them achieving well both academically and with their wider personal development. We aim to engender a love of learning in all students that will shape their lives for years to come.
Our curriculum is designed to challenge all learners and to ensure that everyone has access to the powerful knowledge that will help them to take their place in society when they leave our academy. Our expert teachers ensure high quality academic learning and our pastoral and learning support teams help to ensure that every child is supported in realising their full potential.
In addition to academic courses and a strong tutorial programme, there are many exciting enrichment opportunities for students to engage in at the academy, from a wide range of extra-curricular clubs, to enrichment trips and visits and student leadership roles. It is our ambition to ensure that there is something to build on the interests and talents of every child.
The academy’s five values underpin everything that we do here: achievement, appreciation, freedom, resilience and respect. We believe these are the fundamental building blocks of creating successful citizens of our global community and ensuring that every child goes on to have a bright future.
West Lakes Academy is a truly special place because it changes lives through learning. I sincerely hope that you choose our academy for your child. It will make a difference to their life.
DAVID DENNIS, Interim Headteacher
STUDENT VOICE
“I was naturally nervous about going from such a small school to a big school like WLA, but I was equally as excited. Over the first few weeks I have settled in brilliantly. Every day I have made a new friend and the teachers are lovely too!”
EVA Year 7 Student
"In Year 8 there is a calm and controlled atmosphere. I enjoy my lessons, in particular maths, drama and art. I also love music lessons and I am looking forward to having the opportunity to play the piano at future school events."
Bart
Year 8 Student
“School has been a really positive experience for myself so far. It has helped my confidence grow, both personally and in extracurricular activities. I particularity love taking part in Dance Live, this is an amazing experience, the teachers are lovely and having the opportunity to perform is exciting. I also began Netball during Year 7 and have now continued this outside of school and I am attending trials.
I really enjoy the practical side of lessons, especially science and its experiments. I really want a radio career in the future and my music lessons have helped me move towards this pathway."
CHLOE
Year 9 Student
"In Year 10 we are presented with lots of new and exciting opportunities, such as our upcoming work experience, where we can explore future employment. We now also have a longer lunch time to interact with my friends and talk to peers.
I was lucky to have the opportunity to represent the county in cross country, which the school supported me in. The teachers are wonderful, they are fully supportive to help you achieve your goals and support you with any issues you may have, big or small. Additionally the staff encourage us to be the best we can be, with this help I’m working at a high level and excelling in my lessons so I can get the best results in my GCSEs."
FREDDIE
Year 10 Student
"In Year 11 there is a varied curriculum. The four subjects I chose for my GCSE options were photography, business, French and history, I have enjoyed studying these subjects and I’m looking forward to visiting Berlin and Krakow in October as part of my history studies. Last year I was given the opportunity to attend work experience I completed a placement at Shepley's Engineers and was lucky to be offered a second placement at Sellafield Ltd. Both these placements have given me an insight into work life and the different pathways I can go down in the future."
NYLA
Year 11 Student
"I came to Sixth Form to develop my education as well as enjoy my years at the academy. Having the opportunity to learn and work surrounded by my friends makes the experience even better."
ROBBIE
Year 12 Student
"The academy has given me many opportunities both curricular and extracurricular, especially within sports, where with the support of the school I made it to the English Schools' Championship.
I absolutely love the supportive environment here and all the staff are so helpful in whatever you need."
ELLEN
Year 13 Student
VALUES
The academy values were chosen by West Lakes Academy students:
• RESPECT – we will treat everyone with respect and tolerate everyone for what they choose to do and believe in.
• RESILIENCE – we will push ourselves, be determined and keep going in the face of challenges.
• APPRECIATION – we will appreciate the opportunities and experiences that come our way, be outgoing and cherish life.
• FREEDOM – we will be aware of our rights as a human being but respect and act on the responsibility that comes with those rights.
• ACHIEVEMENT – we will strive and have purpose and we will achieve. We will, all of us, succeed.
The academy values are celebrated throughout academy life to support our young people to develop these virtues to enable them to apply these into daily life.
YOUR CHILD’S PATH TO SUCCESS
We have high expectations of all our students and our highly skilled and enthusiastic staff will encourage your child to have strong ambitions and work hard to achieve these.
The academy has a three year key stage 3 programme. At key stage 4 students will have the opportunity to study for the E-Baccalaureate. After key stage 4 many of our students move into our Sixth Form which is bigger, better and more successful than ever.
Our programme of study is personalised to meet students’ individual needs and we have designed our curriculum to make your child’s move from primary to secondary education an easy one. Whilst making sure we nurture students’ talents, we also make learning interesting and enjoyable through five 60 minute lessons a day.
Our key stage 3 programme aims to raise the ambitions of all our students, develop their knowledge, skills and understanding and help students to have confidence in their abilities. We are committed to providing a challenging programme of study and opportunities, both inside and outside of the classroom. In achieving all this, our aim is to give our young people the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in the 21st century
YOUR CHILD’S PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Personal development is taught discreetly in a lesson a week and is underpinned through the tutor time programme. Students at the academy have a twenty five minute morning tutor time daily which is structured to allow for the development of our young people. This time now includes careers education, wellbeing and a whole year group assembly. These sessions are designed to encourage our students to develop positive personal traits and enable them to become confident and compassionate young adults.
All of this helps your child’s personal development so that they leave the academy with the desire and ability to play a successful part in society
LIFE BEYOND THE CLASSROOM
As well as giving students at West LakesAcademy the best education possible, we also want them to really enjoy academy life and develop confidence, social skills and a wide range of interests. There are lots of opportunities to engage in physical activities such as athletics, dance and football to name just a few. Pupils can also experience residential trips and school exchanges, for example trips to Germany and Poland. There are lots of opportunities for positions of responsibility including Head Boy and Head Girl, Prefects and membership on theAcademy Student Council.
Pupils can also take part in national performing arts and sporting competitions. This year will mark our fourth year competing in an event called Dance Live. In 2024 we won the Northern heat held in Blackpool and competed in the National Final in Portsmouth We have also celebrated multiple sporting successes in sports such as rugby, football, netball and athletics
There are frequent trips, visits and opportunities for students. There is field work in geography, theatre visits in English, study visits linked to languages, pastoral awards trips and many other activities arranged by academic departments. Every week, many departments run their own lunch time/after school club or study session and the library is open at break, lunch times and after school Monday to Thursday to students from all year groups. We have a wide programme of music, performing arts and sports activities at lunchtimes and after school.
The Duke of EdinburghAward scheme is a challenging programme of activities which are completed outside of the academy day There are three awards to try for: Bronze, Silver and Gold. Usually, students start off with the Bronze Award in Year 10. Staff volunteer to support this and students thoroughly enjoy the experience. There are many opportunities for students to be involved in extra-curricular activities and many opportunities for students to perform throughout the year within school and the local community, including our Christmas and summer concerts, whole school production, and our annual awards evening.
OUR OUTSTANDING FACILITIES
Students at West Lakes Academy benefit from some of the best ICT, Apple Mac and Apple iPad facilities, a £300k engineering facility, a dedicated performing arts suite and an eco-pod science lab. Not only do we offer your child access to these fantastic resources but they are all based in our £26m state-of-the-art building. This excellent environment helps to keep motivation and morale high and allows us to deliver modern approaches to learning, using the latest technology.
PARENT QUOTES
“My son found the transition to secondary really challenging, he is shy and it was a huge step. The academy staff quickly supported him, encouraging him to join enrichment activities. He now plays rugby, his social network has grown and his confidence developed. I couldn’t be prouder in the change in him, over the last twelve months.
- Parent of a Year 7 student
“Going from a small village school to West Lakes Academy can be a bit daunting for most children, but the support given by the staff was invaluable to my daughter. The head of year is always there for my daughter and I feel that this level of care is definitely important. I feel that I can contact the head of year about anything, big or small.”
- Parent of a Year 7 student
OUR
COMMUNITY
We place great importance on working in partnership with parents. We have high expectations of parental engagement in their child’s education particularly with homework, listening to their child read and providing them with a suitable environment in which to do their homework. We also enjoy a successful partnership with parents in making sure that students meet our high standards of appearance and discipline. Our community stretches further to include local people and residents, businesses and voluntary groups. Students play an active role in their community through fundraising and voluntary services. Our Student Council has representatives from within each year group who work both within the academy and outside in the local community.
OUR SKILLED STAFF
Students at West Lakes Academy are taught by a team of skilled and enthusiastic staff in every subject area. Our focus is on developing outstanding teaching and learning and delivering excellent lessons. We are committed to attracting and keeping high quality teaching and support staff dedicated to your child’s success.
TRANSITION
We pride ourselves in offering a complete worry-free transition process for all our Year 7 students. We provide as much reassurance and information about the new school year as possible so that each student receives a smooth,
happy and seamless start to the next chapter of their academic life.
Staff from the academy visit students in their primary schools throughout their time in Year 6, making time to talk to their class teachers. During the summer term students are invited in to the academy for a day. There is also the opportunity to take part in our summer school, which allows our new students to settle into the academy and feel part of the family before they join us in September.
CHALLENGING ALL STUDENTS
The academy is committed to giving a personalised learning experience to all of its learners. As a result of this, we recognise the need to provide extended provision for those learners whose mind-set is already sufficiently resilient. In all subjects across the academy, we aim to ensure that students achieve the highest levels of attainment and make exceptional progress in their time here. We endeavour to provide a stimulating learning environment, set challenging tasks and regularly review learning with our students.
We enrich provision beyond the classroom by providing a wide range of extra-curricular activities, visits and enrichment opportunities. Core provision for students is through quality teaching in the classroom. Staff training is provided regularly to update and further develop classroom practice.
PASTORAL CARE
West LakesAcademy is a caring and welcoming school. We have a pastoral system organised on a year basis, which provides support for students in many ways. Students are placed in tutor groups which have a form tutor who will stay with their group throughout their first five years at the academy. Tutors get to know their students well and are able to provide individual advice and encouragement.
Each year group is led by a head of year. The head of year has responsibility for the behaviour and welfare of their year group. They will work closely with children and their families if any issues arise. They can offer advice and support and will monitor your child with regards to their progress, achievement points, and attendance or behaviour concerns. Each head of year is highly trained in safeguarding procedures and works closely with a large number of local and national agencies to ensure effective and timely support.
Every child has a form tutor who sees them daily. The form tutor is the first port of call for any worries or concerns. They will monitor every child in their tutor group and discuss their progress and achievements. We have a dedicated FirstAid Coordinator who is there to help anyone in the academy with any health concerns. Ms Tuck will work with all families of children who have ongoing health needs to create a Healthcare Plan.
We have a rigorousAnti Bullying Policy which was led by our students. We believe in providing opportunities for all, and have a positive Equal Opportunities Policy At the academy everyone is encouraged to achieve their full potential regardless of background or gender You can see the results of this reflected in the achievements of our students in examinations and awards.
YOUR CONTACT WITH THE ACADEMY
We believe that good links with parents are vital to help children succeed. We inform parents of academy events and report regularly on progress and targets. We like to celebrate our students’ positive achievements through our reward celebrations and also through regular phone calls home or via our website and social media.
Teachers give regular updates to students and parents. This information is based on regular assessment windows and we ensure that students' targets are challenging and that all students are supported in achieving these aspirational targets. We report on whether they are on track to reach these targets using the professional judgement of teachers in key stage 3 and key stage 4.
Our website is updated regularly with news, important notices, upcoming events and academy policies and procedures. Parents are encouraged to regularly visit the website and familiarise themselves with the information available.
LEARNING SUPPORT
Staff in the Learning Support Department work with those students who need additional support within school either academically, socially, emotionally or physically This support is largely offered within mainstream classrooms to ensure that all students are able to access inclusive learning at an appropriate level. Tasks may be modified or differentiated for individual students. Students are also supported at social times if appropriate. The students’ needs cover reading, writing, spelling, numeracy, understanding, communication, self-esteem, self-confidence, behaviour, hearing impairments, visual impairments, co-ordination and mobility At key stage 3 most support is provided within mainstream classes by learning support assistants who work closely with the class teachers. The curriculum may be modified or differentiated for these students. Some one to one and small group work is also carried out when this is thought to be appropriate.
PRAISE STRUCTURE
We have a culture where praise, rewards and achievements are accepted and celebrated across our five values of achievement, respect, resilience, appreciation and freedom. We regularly reward students for a wide range of activities, both academic and pastoral, through our reward system at the academy Each week, members of staff nominate their ‘Subject Learners of the Week’, ‘Tutor Star of the Week’ and our Headteacher selects their ‘Headteacher's Learner of the Week’. Students love receiving these rewards and getting praise from their teachers and tutors. Achievements are also celebrated through a wide variety of mediums, including our website, social media accounts, newsletters and local press. We also hold our Annual Awards event at the end of the year to celebrate and reward the achievements of our students. This is a formal evening attended by our staff, governors, students and their families.
STUDENT EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
West Lakes Academy is a welcoming school where everyone is valued highly and where tolerance, honesty, cooperation and mutual respect for others are fostered. We are committed to the development of the whole person within a supportive, secure and creative environment. A broad, balanced and appropriate curriculum provides equal opportunity for students to maximise their potential regardless of age, sex, race, colour, religion or disability. We endeavour to promote positive relationships with parents, governors and members of the wider community.
At West Lakes Academy we aim to promote equality and will tackle any form of discrimination and actively promote harmonious relations in all areas of school life. We seek to remove any barriers to access, participation, progress, attainment and achievement. We take seriously our contribution towards community cohesion.
IPADS FOR LEARNING SCHEME
Over the last few years, technology has moved on leaps and bounds and profound new opportunities for education have emerged. Communication is changing, methods of learning and working are evolving, and if we want our young people to be prepared for the opportunities and challenges they will face, we at the academy must evolve too.
Children spend a lot of time at school, but the learning that takes place at home is also extremely important to their future success. New technology, such as tablet devices, gives us the ability to make learning more engaging and more effective in the classroom, and the opportunity to extend learning beyond it, out into the community.
We offer an iPad scheme which we believe enhances students’ learning experiences. Parents will receive information about the scheme before starting at the academy.
A TYPICAL DAY
Our Year 7 students have produced an example “Day in the Life” of a Year 7.
Dear Diary,
Today I caught the bus at 8.00am and arrived in school at 8.15am. First I had registration and tutor time, where our form tutor checks we have all of our equipment. I sat next to my friends and then went to get my PE Kit out of my locker because I had PE second lesson.
PE was awesome! We did high jumping today. I didn’t get very high but it was only my first go. My friend Isla jumped nearly 1.5 metres!
I really like my English teacher Today we were writing poems, and I wrote mine about an albatross. It was quite a sad poem about all the superstitions people have about albatrosses. Ben wrote a really funny one about a mole who moved to Spain. It was hilarious!
After break, I had drama. We were practising our performance pieces. I used to be a bit shy when I had to perform but I have got used to it now, as everyone has a go and helps each other.
I then had lunch outside with my friends as it was such a nice day. We bought some wraps from the canteen and sat on the benches together In food tech we made fruit salad. I put strawberries, blueberries and grapes in mine. It was a lot of chopping and washing up!
Last of all I went to geography Today our whole class went out of school to do a survey of the local area. We had to listen to traffic noise and look at the different kinds of buildings. It was fun!
At 3.00pm it is time for Dance Live! I got changed and started to rehearse. I’ve met loads of people in Year 7 and older year groups at Dance Live.
After school I checked EduLink and saw that I had some maths homework to do. I had to draw some graphs in my book. It helps me to keep all my homework in one folder so I don’t lose it!
CHANGING LIVES THROUGH LEARNING
West Lakes Academy, Main Street, Egremont, Cumbria, CA22 2DQ
