Letter to parents November from the Principal
November 2007
Dear Parents
I am writing to you with news from the Academy, with information and with dates for your diaries.
Three Unusual News Items - Congratulations
London Slavery Youth Debate - On Friday 19 October 2007 young people made history when they debated the abolition of the Slave Trade Act and its modern-day legacies with parliamentarians in the British House of Commons during Black History Month in October. At the invitation of East Hull MP John Prescott, more than fifty young people between the ages of 15-18 from the UK, 9 countries across sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States of America explored the shared legacies of the slave trade and its contemporary manifestations. We had representatives from the Academy at this meeting.
Jess Kelly won the top award at a national woodworking competition recently and will receive this at the DT show in Birmingham.
In Citizenship classes, Year 11 Students have organised a Year 7 disco and we have held charity fundraising events, including a car wash, cake sales and basketball coaching.
Sporting Successes
Amanda Harris – 18th in the World Age Group Trampolining Championships in Canada.
Paige Walker – Representing GB in European Kick Boxing Championships
U 16 Basketball – Won first game of their National Campaign 56 – 54 against King Edward School, Birmingham.
Mr Miller (PE staff member) represented England in an international Tae Kwon Do tournament in Hong Kong, returning with a Gold & Silver medal
Information
Kenyan Visitors – Our friends from Aquinas School and Haruma Girls School, Nairobi will be visiting 19th November – 23rd November. Students from the Academy have been selected to travel to Kenya in 2008.
Parenting Skills Group – Talking Teens. This will run over five weeks from 20th Nov to 18th Dec from 6.30pm – 8.00pm at Academy. Please ring Mrs Anne Head on 774446 if you would like to attend. All are welcome.
The Sixth Form are collecting throughout the Academy for Operation Christmas Child. Sixth Form students are involved in house assemblies and have spoken about this important fundraising initiative.
Attendance – We expect high levels of attendance from pupils; we do not authorise any holidays during term time and parents will receive a letter shortly explaining about the traffic light group their son/daughter has been placed into and an attendance target to meet over a 4 week period. Contact numbers for reporting an absence: 774452 or 774455.
Reporting System – We have a new reporting system in operation and we would welcome your comments on the reports and on the strategies for improvement which we are putting in place for your son/daughter.
Gold Star and Red Zone Assemblies – On Thursday 15th November there will be special assemblies for students who have reached Gold Level for their effort. Well done. There will also be an assembly for those whose behaviour has been highlighted being in the Red Zone and in need of improvement.
Uniform
Please make sure that school shoes are worn and that your child has a blazer and tie every day.
We expect that there are no excuses – trainers and boots (outside trousers) cannot be worn.
Mobile Phones
These must be left in reception, not carried in the Academy. There can be no excuses and the initial punishment is to inconvenience students and the parents in making collection of the confiscated phone difficult.
Dates for your diary
Year 7 Personal Tutor Review Evening – Wednesday 14th November 2007, 4.30pm to 7.30pm.
Enterprise Day - Friday 16th November
Anti-Bullying Week – 19th November to 23rd November 2007
Awards Evening – Thursday 29th November 2007.
Year 12/13 Parents Evening – Tuesday 4th December 2007, 5.30pm to 8pm.
Christmas Production – Thursday 13th December and Friday 14th December 2007, 7pm to 8pm.
Carol Service – We are holding our first joint Northampton Academy/Emmanuel Church Family Carol Service on Sunday 16th December at 6pm. There will be carols and mince pies.
Christmas arrangements – On the last day of term, Friday 21st December 2007 students will register at 1pm and will then be sent home early. There will be lunch available for those students who have a free school meal otherwise the Canteen will be closed on that day.
Term ends on Friday 21st December 2007 at 1.15pm
The Spring Term begins on Tuesday 8th January 2007 at 8.30am
Yours sincerely
Peter Hullah
Principal
