NCDAT Summer 2023 Newsletter

A Local MAT for Local Schools

COMPETITON TIME

Do you want to be in with a chance of winning a £20 Smyths Toys Superstores voucher, plus an NCDAT goody bag!

All you have to do is scan the QR code and answer the following question on the form!

Which is the newest school to join New College Durham Academies Trust?

A) Wellfield School

B) Wellhill School

C) Wellriver School

A message from Linda Rodham, CEO

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am particularly delighted to inform you about two events this term, Wellfield School joined our trust on the first of June and Consett Academy gained a good Ofsted judgement having been inspected on 11th and 12th June. Their Ofsted report is now available on the academy website. Well done Consett!

All three secondary schools in the trust have an Ofsted grading of good. This is a testament to the hard work of all staff and students.

This term we also said goodbye to Year 11 and Year 13 after they completed their GCSE and A level examinations. We wish them well for the future and hope some Year 11 will be returning to us for their sixth form experience. I know they enjoyed their respective proms and will have some lovely memories, which will last them a lifetime.

At this time of year, national examinations are over but the work goes on with end of year exams for most students as well as lots of excited Year 6 students in the building trying to find their way around ready for September.

I hope you and your family have a restful and enjoyable summer holiday and wish our Year 11 and 13 leavers the best of luck for results in August.

Best wishes

Linda Rodham, Dame Alison Peacock and Emily Kime

NEWS

OWELLFIELD

New College Durham Academies Trust is excited to announce the addition of Wellfield School to their family of academies Wellfield School joined NCDAT, effective 1st June 2023, expanding NCDAT’s reach and commitment to providing quality education across County Durham Wellfield School is a respected school within the community with an excellent history of academic success and a strong commitment to community involvement The school’s philosophy aligns with NCDAT’s vision and values, making it the perfect addition to the trust With this new addition, NCDAT will provide an even greater level of support and expertise such as finance, HR, governance and curriculum development. NCDAT’s team of education professionals and leaders will work closely with Wellfield School’s leadership team to build upon the success that has already been achieved and ensure a bright future for all of the students.

We are thrilled to welcome Wellfield School to our family of academies,” said Linda Rodham, CEO of New College Durham Academies Trust. “Our team is committed to delivering exceptional education to all of our students and this addition will allow us to further expand our reach and provide more students with the tools they need to succeed

LINDARODHAM,CEO

We are delighted to be joining New College Durham Academies Trust and look forward to the exciting opportunities this partnership will bring Their vision aligns with our own, and we are confident that working together will provide our students with an even greater level of support and education

SARAHHAMMOND, HEADTEACHER

CONSETT ACADEMY IS OFSTED RATED GOOD

Consett Academy is celebrating a positive Ofsted report, the academy gained this achievement following a visit from Ofsted inspectors in May

Inspectors praised the standard of teaching and the positive behaviour of students within the academy.

Inspectors also saw and appreciated how much pupils value the support and care shown by our members of staff, this includes students efforts both inside and outside of the classroom

IamdelightedtobeabletosharewithyouourOfstedreportwithconfirmationthatConsett Academyisonceagaina“Good”schoolfollowingourrecentinspection

Iwanttotakethisopportunitytothankalltheparents/carersfortheirsupportwiththechangesI havemadeandwithoutthis,wouldnothavebeenpossible.Ialsowantedtogiveaspecialmention tothestaffatConsettAcademywhogivesomuchtoourstudentseachandeveryday.

Finally,IwanttosayhowproudIamofourstudentswhohavemadesuchanimpressiononmebut whoalsoimpressedOfstedwiththeirattitudes,honestyandtalent ItisanhonourtobeHead TeacheratConsettAcademyandIlookforwardtodrivingstandardsandimprovementsfurther

TOMURWIN, HEADTEACHER

Thewell-beingofpupilsisa highprioritytoeveryoneatthe school

Leaderspromotea strongsenseof communitythroughthe ‘ConsettWay’

Leadershavedesigneda curriculumthatprepares pupilswellfortheirnext stageineducation, employmentortraining

GOODBYE YEAR 11 & 13

We have said our final goodbyes to our Year 11 and Year 13 students. Our Leavers Assemblies were emotional, looking back on our time together. We hunted through the archives to find some amazing photos of our students back in Year 7 with their oversized blazers right through to their GCSE exam revision sessions this year. Many of our staff members have been with you on that journey and shared their fondest memories with you all. We wish you the best of luck!

All we can do now is countdown to Results Day where we will see all of your hard work pay off.

Consett Academy

Wellfield School

North Durham Academy

CONSETT ACADEMY SIXTH FORM

Consett Sixth Form has a reputation for academic success at Advanced level We are also offering an expanding suite of level-3 BTEC qualifications including the chance to join our Sport Academy where you could study, train and compete while part of the Sixth Form.

We believe that education post-16 should be at the forefront of teaching and learning practice but also the most important academic years in a young person’s life as they take their first steps towards a career It is a privilege to work with students at this stage in their education and it is not something we take for granted

Y12 INDUSTRIAL CADETS

Year 12 students graduated as Industrial Cadets at Gold level, after 6 months completing their project "A Sustainable Solution To Cleansing Pond Water" in collaboration with Suez Recycling & Recovery UK Ltd. This was also an opportunity to show case their project, alongside the other schools in the North Region. It's our absolute pleasure to announce that Consett Academy won the 'Best Team- Work' award nominated out of a possible 15 schools, returning with a lovely glass trophy for the school cabinet. Huge congratulations go to Luke, Mollie and Caitlin!

90% of our 2022 students are going to their first choice university AVERAGE

GRADE B IN 2022

SIXTH FORM AREA REVAMP

Work is soon to begin on the redesign of Sixth Form common area at Consett Academy. The exciting design will be completed during the summer break and it will enable more students to access this area. Giving the common area a much needed refresh will allow students to relax and study in a nicer environment Plus with the installation of new walls to segregate the study area from the social area, students can study in a much more peaceful and quiet environment.

CONSETT ACADEMY

A message from Tom Urwin, Head Teacher

Consett Academy students have fit so many fantastic achievements into this summer term and I am extremely proud of them. As always, the Y11/13 exams take up a lot of focus and the way in which these students engaged with all the interventions offered to them really was amazing to see. With Year 11/13 moving on, it was lovely to welcome our Year 6 pupils for their transition day on Thursday 6th July and it is always one of my favourite events in the calendar. Y6 students always come to us with such enthusiasm and I have no doubt that this year’s cohort will be exactly the same.

As is always the way at Consett, we have had some brilliant events going on for students and the local community. Our first ever music festival took place recently and was a roaring success. The weather (for a change) really helped and I must say a huge thank you to Miss Dodd and all the music team for their hard work in organising such a big event. Our girls Football team also did us proud by reaching the semi-final of the national competition where they were narrowly beaten by Norwich in an epic encounter. Mr Dodd has been fantastic with the girls and I know they all appreciate his hard work and commitment to the team and girls football.

The end of the academic year is nearly upon us and I wanted to thank parents/carers for all their support this year in my first full academic year as Headteacher of Consett Academy. This year has brought challenges but I feel like we are now in an excellent place and I am really looking forward to driving things even further forward in September so that our students get the best possible education.

I hope you all have a brilliant summer and the sun keeps shining!

To keep up to date with us throughout the year, follow us on social media. Each academy has their own social media platforms to show our staff, students and community what we're up to!

We want our communities, parents/carers, staff and students to feel included with our academies. We also want students to take pride in their work and their efforts within in school, so we do our best to showcase their efforts, books and activities in school.

NORTH DURHAM ACADEMY

A message from Mark Gray, Head Teacher

It always fills me with pride when reflecting on the year that has passed, the journey our wonderful students have been on over the last 12 months, and how hard our amazing staff have worked to enable that journey to be an enjoyable and success one.

At this time in the academic calendar, our Y11 students have completed all of their GCSE’s, had their prom celebration and have left the academy, only to return to collect their results I for one, alongside the rest of the staff, are very much looking forward to results day where our Y11 students will receive that vital piece of paper which will open the door to their future. I have been incredibly proud of Y11 over the last 12 months. They have given their all to be as prepared for their exams as possible by attending Get Exam Ready sessions, breakfast and lunch time revision sessions, school holiday revision and Saturday revision

At the opposite end of the academy, we recently welcomed Y6 students who will, in September, become Y7 students into the academy for transition It was a pleasure to see so many happy, smiley faces for the three days and we are very much looking forward to them becoming part of the NDA family

It has been a very busy and exciting few months with lots of trips and events taking place. We have had students attend a football trip to Spain, a skiing trip to Italy as well as many other educational and recreational trips. Many of our students have engaged with STEM practitioners who have been into the academy to work with students in Science The Brilliant Club has been a huge success with students being recognised by Lecturers at the University for their excellent effort and achievements. I am delighted to share that our GirlsGetSet - STEM team recently won the UK-wide Innovation prize for the best solution in the Project! It is an amazing accolade for the group and I know that Dr Varanasi is particularly proud of the group who brought back a wonderful trophy to mark their national achievement The good news does not stop there, we have also had success with our group of budding future business leaders, who have gone from strength to strength this year, again winning awards for their excellence. There are but a few examples of the profound ability our students posses and I feel very humbled by not only their achievements, but the manner in which they have conducted themselves and represented North Durham Academy

As we look toward to the coming academic year in September, I would like to take a moment to thank all students, their parents/carers and all staff for their continued hard work, support and dedication to making North Durham Academy a happy, safe and positive place to learn, visit and work We could not do what we do, without you

ATTENDANCE

There is a strong link between good school attendance and achieving good results for students. If students frequently miss school they may fall behind in their work which may affect their future prospects. Plus we love to reward students for the attendance and behaviour with our inflatables to use with all your friends!

WELLFIELD SCHOOL

A message from Sarah Hammond, Head Teacher

I am delighted to be sharing the first termly update from Wellfield School since formally joining NCDAT in June

That said, we have had the privilege of working in close partnership with the Trust since the start of the academic year and we look forward to further consolidating our ties with Consett Academy and North Durham Academy as we move ahead together. The summer term seems to have come upon us in the blink of an eye and has been equally as joyful and busy as the previous two terms

It has been a pleasure this term to meet so many families at parents’ evenings and performances We value very much the role that you play in supporting your child’s development and supporting us in keeping our standards high in order to ensure that every child flourishes into the best version of themselves both academically and personally.

A key priority in the summer term is always to support Year 11 students through the final furlong of their GCSE examinations

The togetherness of staff and students united in their dedication throughout this period has been most humbling to see Our motto at Wellfield is ‘Go the extra mile’ and this is no less visible than in the extra hours of revision sessions, during evenings and weekends, that our staff have delivered right up to the final examinations.

The Year 11 Leavers’ Celebrations were filled with emotion and nostalgia - as well as some end of exam relief - as staff and students paid tribute to each other with awards, prizes

We know that the investment from our staff will live on with the students as they move onto the next steps of growth as young adults in further education and training. We are proud that, despite all the setbacks that they encountered with the pandemic during their secondary education, they have left Wellfield’s strong traditions and reputation in the community in an even better place

It is now time for our Year 10 students to step up and carry this forward having just completed their first set of mock examinations. Our new student leadership team has been elected from Year 10. Led by our new head boy and head girl, they have already picked up the baton and are seizing the chance to hear everyone’s views and start driving new initiatives

Students in years 7, 8 and 9 have also been working hard preparing for end of year formal examinations

Staff have also given generously of their free time to arrange several Duke of Edinburgh expeditions, an Art curriculum trip to Paris and numerous careers visits to universities and sixth form colleges. These visits not only complement students’ academic studies but also ensure that they keep their aspirations and ambitions for their future as high as possible. Despite the busyness of the former part of this term, there is no letup as we draw the end of this academic year to close

Being new myself to Wellfield this academic year, I look forward with great anticipation to our final week of celebrations, including sports day, rewards visits, and not forgetting the two key highlights of Wellfield’s calendar, our West End-worthy musical performance “Bugsy Malone“ and serious rival for Glastonbury, “WellFest”

I wish all of our community a safe, enjoyable, and hopefully sunny, summer holiday and look forward to welcoming you back in September to continue our journey together.

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