SPORT SUCCESS
COLCHESTER ACADEMY
STUDENTS HAVE BEEN STRIVING FOR EXCELLENCE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE SCHOOL
On Wednesday 23rd October our Year 10 Netball team played Trinity. They arrived at the fixture and by the 2nd quarter the team were 7-2 down. However, they were determined to not be beaten down by that and our Captain, Lexi-Rose, pushed the team and said it is not too late. With some change around in the team and students in different positions, we returned to the court for the 3rd quarter. 8 Minutes later, the whistle went 1-1 in the 3rd quarter.
The belief was there for a comeback in the final quarter. Last quarter, last push. Mirabirth O in Goal Shooter position, Lexi Rose as Goal Attack combining together with from Iris F in Centre, scoring a huge 5 nets in the last quarter, some changes in their attack and placing their tallest player as shooter lead them to scoring an extra 4 goals against our defence. Final score 12-8. So proud of the team and the determination and belief to win the game, they were unlucky on the day. They nominated Lexi-Rose as players’ player, my player of the match was Iris Farmer.
BASKETBALL
Basketball is growing at CA and now getting teams for all year groups. Club on Thursdays are getting busier as the weeks are going on, ranging from all year groups. Year 11 and year 10 played at Gilberd on Thursday 17th October. There was some excellent basketball played from both year 10 and 11. Our year 11s losing 45-22 to a well drilled Gilberd team despite this being our best team performance we came out second best.
Our year 10s had a lower scoring game but with only having 5 players due to the numbers available they put up a fantastic fight and lost in the dying embers of the game with the final score being 1110 to Gilberd.
They should be really proud of the efforts they produced. We have more fixtures coming up for CA: Year 8 Tuesday 22nd October away to Gilberd, Year 9 basketball away to Gilberd on Thursday 24th October and home Tuesday 19th November, Year 11 home Tuesday 5th November and Thursday 7th November away to Tendring, Year 10 home Tuesday 12th November.
THE JOURNEY SO FAR
KEY STAGE 3
KS3 is a critical stage when students learn the foundations of knowledge and understanding to allow them to access the GCSE curriculum. As a result, students will find we are setting clear expectations and goals to encourage them to move forward and develop into rounded happy learners. This might involve improving in specific subjects or developing good learning habits, study skills or to embrace the extracurricular activities on offer every day in school.
Students in form time will be learning how to organise themselves, monitor their progress and participate in discussions and activities. We are promoting healthy routines at home and in school, as well as supporting them to maintain a healthy balance where learning can happen, but their health and wellbeing is maintained.
We have also focussed on uniform and timekeeping this half-term, encouraging students to be on time to school and lessons. This is a key skill needed in life, which gives a wonderful first impression but also contributes to their developing and securing bright futures. We have been very pleased with our KS3 students, especially how they have embraced the new school year.
We will continue to support their development and help them along the journey through secondary school, to leave us with excellent results and life skills that will be the foundation for their futures.
KEY STAGE 4
Years 10 and 11 are just starting their 2024/25 journeys and are already demonstrating their resilience, dedication, and aspirations during this initial period. Our
new prefect team has hit the ground running. They gave up a day of their summer holidays to help the Year 7’s during their first day at the Academy. Additionally, they have committed to helping with Academy’s Year 6 Open Evening and Year 7 Tutor Evening. The team also help with the school’s breakfast club and school duties during break and lunch times! Alex Manning is proving that he’s taking the senior prefect role seriously by assisting Miss Mayne with the school’s new equality and diversity club, SPIRIT. The club will launch on the 20th September and I know he’s very excited to see how it develops. Finally, the Year 11 students are all looking forward to their Geography field trip to London on the 20th September
GCSE SUCCESS EVENING
The recent GCSE Success Evening drew a large turnout of students eager to prepare for their upcoming exams. The event offered a wealth of resources and opportunities for students to excel.
Students had the chance to gather essential revision materials, including past exam papers and subject-specific revision guides.
To provide personalised guidance, subject leaders were on hand to discuss strategies for success and answer questions. Local colleges and careers providers were also present to offer information on post-GCSE options. To ensure students were well-equipped, revision stationery was available for collection.
We are immensely proud of our students’ dedication to their studies and their enthusiastic participation in the GCSE Success evening. The event’s success is a testament to their hard work and commitment to academic excellence.
We would also like to extend our sincere gratitude to parents for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout their children’s educational journey. Your partnership is invaluable in helping our students reach their full potential.
Finally, a special thank you goes out to our dedicated staff members who generously gave up their evening to attend the event and provide guidance to our students. Their commitment to our students’ success is truly inspiring.
F Edwards
Assistant Principal
READING
Our focus on developing positive reading habits continues. We know all the research tells us that reading:
• Helps build vocabulary.
• Develops confidence.
• Helps you make sense of the world.
• Enables us to connect with relatable stories.
• Supports our academic journey.
• Improves writing.
• Add to our knowledge.
Reading also helps develop good mental health, and is a necessary skill for future career success. The National Literacy Trust carried out some research and found that, ‘Children with poor literacy do worse at school. Young adults with poor literacy will struggle to get the best jobs. Nearly half of the people who end up in prison have literacy skills no better than an average 11-year-old. And parents with poor literacy are less well equipped to help their own children, creating an unfortunate cycle in which disadvantage and lack of opportunity in one generation are replicated in the next.’
They went on to say, ‘16-yearolds who choose to read books for pleasure outside of school are more likely to secure managerial or professional jobs in later life.’ and added,
‘Children who read books often at age 10 and more than once a week at age 16 gain higher results in maths, vocabulary and spelling tests at age 16 than those who read less regularly.’
This academic year we have invested in Bookbuzz. Bookbuzz is a programme developed by the Book Trust to encourage young people to read more regularly as well as putting a free book in the
This half term our Year 7s have been given the chance to choose from Bookbuzz selection. They will then read the book and write a review. We will create an exchange system where our students can exchange the book they have read for a different book.
There has been a great deal of excitement and discussion over the choices so far.
REWARDS AND RECOGNITION
The new academic year enables us to review and develop our rewards systems and the opportunities offered to learners at Colchester Academy.
The points system remains this year, giving a weekly opportunity to celebrate with students who have engaged fully in their learning, gone above and beyond for the Academy community and been recognised for their endeavours.
Badges will be awarded during assembly each week, accompanied by a letter home. Students will wear
badges on their blazer lapel for recognition of their achievements.
Further awards that will be presented at the end of each term recognise a number of qualities and commitments to developing the community at Colchester Academy. These will be celebrated in the end of term assemblies.
We aim to continue to review and develop the systems of recognition within our Academy throughout the year. Increasing the number of opportunities to demonstrate achievement and contributions in the wider aspects of schooling and developing the community of Colchester Academy.
FILM REVIEW
‘A Silent Voice’ subverts stereotypes because of the use of disability, bullying, and even heavier themes like domestic violence that not even the West likes to show. This shows that these problems are shown all over the world, and that bullies,well, bully due to insecurity and problems in their own life. But overall, I think this movie also shows shared experiences, and the fact that the characters are teenagers should unite them together instead of divide them apart.
Watching some of this film, and seeing the characters, it all resonates so well with me, being disabled myself. I love this film, because not only is it Japanese, it is honest about the problems in society in general. I love Shoko, and the fact that the voice actor of her is actually deaf. There is very little deaf representation in the media, so Shoko, in this way, is a catalyst for more representation of disability, whether it’s physical or mental.
Shoya and Ueno’s character also portrays bullies amazingly, the way that they don’t stop to think about the consequences of their actions, and once it’s too late, the damage is done. I loved how they portrayed Shoya’s mother, and the issues of domestic violence too. Overall, I think it’s a great read and watch, and would wholeheartedly recommend it.
By Isabella - year 10 Creative Media student
YEAR 11 MUSIC ASSESSMENT DAY
On Thursday 10th October, our Y11 musicians embarked on a unique learning experience as they assumed the roles of sound engineers and producers for their annual assessment. This practical exercise aligned perfectly with their Skills Development unit, providing them with valuable hands-on experience in music production.
The Y11s demonstrated exceptional attention to detail throughout the assessment. They effectively utilized recording hardware and software to capture the intricacies of various musical performances. Their ability to produce high-quality recordings showcased their deep understanding of music production techniques.
A special mention must go to Elizabeth Horwood, Daiana Bararu, and Millie Phillips, who demonstrated exceptional musicianship by recording five onehour sessions in a single day. Their dedication and talent were truly inspiring.
It was encouraging to witness the dedication and professionalism displayed by our Y11s. They approached their tasks with a critical eye and a passion for music. The studio was filled with the sounds of focused concentration, collaborative efforts, and the occasional breakthrough.
As the day concluded, the students reflected on their experiences. Many expressed a newfound appreciation for the technical aspects of music production and shared
their enthusiasm for pursuing further studies or careers in the music industry.
The Y11 Music Assessment Day was a resounding success. It provided our students with invaluable hands-on experience and helped them develop essential skills for their future endeavors. We are proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing what they will accomplish next.
OUR OWN KARATE CHAMPION
Jokubas Ivanauskas
15th September 2024, there was a Great Britain Karate Championship held at Birmingham University and one of our very own students, Jokubas Ivanauskas, who is currently in Year 7, won two bronze medals for the individual category 11-12 and Team Rotation 11-12.
We are all incredibly proud of Jokubas!
SUCCESS OUTSIDE SCHOOL
Evie-Mai Harding
Football is a game of mentality and skill, you need perseverance and the want to win. I like football because it builds up opportunities, the chance to experience new things and make lots of new friends. It is a game that brings all different types of people together from different backgrounds and abilities.
I have watched football growing up and it was always on in the house but I never had any intention of playing it until I got the opportunity to play for Stanway Rovers in a Sunday league for fun. I played for them until the end of the season. Then our whole team moved over to Stanway Pegasus and played with that club for a year and in that season we came second in our league, got into the cup final and came out with the top goalscorer.
I then trialled for Colchester United girls and ended up getting in and training for them on a Friday and playing for them in the half term holidays. To grow and develop as a player I started to train for Colchester Villa boys over the summer while also being given the chance to play in the Hertfordshire A league for Wormley FC. Then after my training had concluded for the boys the manager turned around and told me he wanted me to sign for the season. I took a lot into consideration and ended up signing for them for the following season’
Sunday league while also playing for Wormley FC on a Saturday. At the end of the season for Colchester Villa we had won the league and were runners up in the cup. Whereas, for Wormley we only ended up coming second in the league.
During the 23/24 season I stayed at Wormley, however, on a Sunday I got offered the chance to play for Billericay Town U15. I took on this opportunity but didn’t enjoy playing for them and ended up leaving in November of 2023. Another team called Averly approached my dad to ask if I would come and trial for them because I was available, so I visted them and ended up getting in and playing a couple of games, but with some confusion I ended up leaving and having no Sunday league team. For Wormley I was scoring many goals and winning every game and smashing teams in the league cup competition. In February 2024 I was still playing for Colchester United and had friends who played for a team called Hutton FC and then ended up signing for them and played my first game scoring 3 goals and winning the game 3-1. At the end of the season Wormley did the double and won the league and league cup, As for Hutton we placed mid-table in the league. Trials came up for Sudbury JPL and my mum ended up signing me up for this and I ended up being one of two people who got in. Playing my first game for them against the Academy first years
and scoring a header for my debut goal. Then we had 4 cup competition games and I scored 6 goals in 4 games.
My football hero would be Manchester City left winger Lauren Hemp. I look up to her because of her determination and perseverance in a game situation. I train every Monday and Wednesday while going to the gym and going on runs the other days in the week. Playing matches on a Saturday for Sudbury and for Ipswich Valley Rangers on a Sunday. I have attended cup competitions and different leagues to try and win trophies and titles. I don’t think I’ve had my proudest moment yet I still have a lot to accomplish.
My future aspiration would be going to college. I’ve just been accepted into the Sudbury Academy for college and the ability to take this on while learning and playing football at the same time. With other opportunities to play for the reserves and women’s team.
ATTENDANCE MATTERS
You will read elsewhere in this newsletter about the many educational and extra-curricular opportunities available to our students. To make full benefit of these, students need to be in school regularly, and all students should be aiming for at least 95% attendance across the school year. 95% attendance means having up to ten days off a year; that is a lot of school days, and a lot of learning missed, so, unless there are significant medical reasons, this should be achievable for all students.
We have done a lot of work at Colchester Academy on how students learn. Our curriculum is designed so that students have planned in opportunities to review prior learning, and each lesson carefully builds on the previous one, so good attendance is important to ensure that students make the full progress they are capable of . We analysed the GCSE results of last year’s Year 11 and found that those with at least 98% attendance achieved on average a grade higher than students who had attendance below 90%.
For many students, this meant the difference between getting on to the college course they wanted or having a much more limited choice of future pathways.
We understand that students are unwell from time to time, but a minor cold is not a reason to be off school. Students will often wake up not feeling 100% but will gradually feel better as they get going during the day. This resilience is shown by many of our students each week, and helps them not just with their learning, but also in how they grow as young people.
If you decide that your child is not well enough to attend you must let us know before 8.40am each day, either by phone on 01206 861217 or email attendance@colchesteracademy.org.uk.
If attendance becomes a concern we will notify you and ask if there is anything we can do to help. If attendance continues to be an issue we will arrange a meeting to see how we can support.
Our aim is always to work with students and families to break down any barriers and make it easier for you and them to make the decision to come into school each day. In the meantime, if there are any reasons why your child is struggling to attend, please don’t hesitate to contact either the Attendance Team or your child’s Year Leader.
Thank you for everything you do to help your children get going promptly in the morning, and a particular well done to all those students who are still at 100% attendance this term. Keep it up!
Mr Chaplin
Vice Principal
MATHS COMPETITION
On 16th October 2024 two amazing and brave girls represented the school in TLA for the NEMO competition. We started with 6 students and 4 dropped out leaving Zeba and Milly to face 16 full teams. They both did amazing according to the judges. They worked speedily and accurately getting results similar to those with full teams.
SUPPORTING THE COMMUNITY
Macy, Albert, Effy, Weronika, Jessica, Sandaru, Harriet and James attended a 12 week course run by Essex Youth Services during the summer term 2023/24 .
They attended for two days a week and experienced numerous visits including a street dancer, Border Control and a First Aider.
They also had a trip to the Zoo and St.Helena Hospice.
The students were so impressed with the support St.Helena Hospice gave to terminally ill patients and their families that they decided to have a fundraising day during Autumn 2024.
They made crafts to sell, baked cakes and sausage rolls including traditional Fujian dessert and washed cars.
OUR NEW YEAR
7s
The transition for primary to secondary is a significant moment in a child’s educational journey. It was obvious that students had a mixture of excitement, nervousness and hope in a fresh start; they have certainly taken the opportunity to have a fresh start, start as they mean to go on and have already begun to thrive in their new environment.
Year 7 are coping brilliantly with having different teachers, in different parts of the school and rooms, they are embracing a
For CA team A was 1 person and team B was 1
person. All other schools had 4 candidates for each of their teams.
The girls were praised highly for their focus and results even though they were not winners in the overall competition,we see them as winners!
I was lucky enough to attend the event and was very proud of them all for all the work they had put in. They managed to raise £229.65.
New friendships were formed, they shared new experiences, grew in confidence and they all very much enjoyed the course.
Well done to you all.
Mrs Taylor
broader curriculum with vigour and are keen to learn. We have been really impressed with their independence, their ability to find their way around school, remember their equipment and above all ask for help when needed. Our prefects have been really impressed with their ability to settle so quickly and begin their journey here at Colchester Academy.
Well Done Year 7! What a great year group you are and what a bright future you will have when you continue this wonderful focus, drive and ambition to do well.
Mrs Ross
Assistant Principal
Artwork by Chesney
DATES FOR THE DIARY
Thursday 21 November - Careers Festival
Thursday 28 November - Year 11 Parents Evening
Tuesday 3 December - Year 11 Mock Interview Day
Thursday 19 December - Winter Showcase
Friday 20 December - Last Day of Term (school closes at 1:30pm)
