Dear Parents and Carers,

As we approach half-term I want to wish all of our families a peaceful and restful break.  However, before we arrive at the break there are a couple of very important updates for me to share.

Face Masks

The vast majority of students have returned looking smart and ready to learn.  I would just remind everyone about two specific parts of our uniform policy.  Firstly, acrylic or ‘false’ nails of any kind are not permitted.  Ultimately, this is for health and safety reasons: e

We have removed the requirement for students to wear face masks in either communal spaces or classrooms.  Therefore, from Monday 28th February it is no longer an expectation that students attend with a face mask and they are not expected to wear one.

We do reserve the right to reintroduce face masks as a precaution under the instruction of the local Public Health team.  I’d like to take this opportunity to once again thank everyone for supporting us by sending students with a face mask throughout the pandemic.

Uniform

From Monday 28th February students will no longer be permitted to attend the academy in their PE kits.  All students must return in full uniform every day and then get changed into their PE kit at the start of timetabled lessons.  We will be undertaking our usual uniform inspections as part of the meet and greet programme each morning.  We expect all students to return in the correct uniform every day after the half-term break.

Furthermore, I would repeat again, for the avoidance of doubt, that false nails of any kind are not permitted at the academy.  Equally, students are not allowed to wear piercings of any form at the academy.  Please can I ask parents not to take children for piercings prior to returning to the academy.  It only serves to cause discord and acrimony when we insist such piercings are removed which inevitably we will in order to uphold the uniform policy approved by the Governing Body.

The uniform list is available on our website.

#Proud Event & Manners Award

We have had two wonderful celebrations this week to recognise our students.  Firstly, on Thursday and Friday we held our inaugural #Proud Event which you may have seen on our social media page.  At the time of writing over 250 students have brought work to share that makes them proud.  This has been a wonderful opportunity for me to speak and celebrate students’ hard work and sense of achievement.  Yesterday, we gave out our Manners Award for this term.  We have been having an initiative on manners throughout the last half-term to really drive home the importance of this really vital attribute.  Yesterday we awarded those students, selected by the academy staff, who have been the best examples of great manners this half term.  Well done to everyone who has received an award.

I wish you, and your family, a wonderful break.

Yours faithfully,

Mr S Richardson
Headteacher