LPA Newsletter Friday 13th September 2024

Welcome

Dear Families,

We have had a very busy week and are pleased that the majority of our students have made a positive and purposeful start to the academic year. Year 7 have settled in well and are beginning to feel comfortable in their new surroundings. In class staff have commented how committed most of our students seem and that they seem open to doing their very best.

This week's House assembly focused on the importance of 'community' and how every individual is responsible for contributing positively to our whole school community. We talked about supporting one another to be the very best versions of ourselves. Part of the assembly discussed the community House competition we have launched for the 'Harvest festival', which encourages students and their families, where they can, to contribute towards our community based 'food bank'. Students bring in food in house coloured packaging and then the student leadership team deliver the goods to the Corby Foodbank.

This term in the Year assemblies we are looking at how we learn. We want to encourage our students to be more independent learners. This week we focused on the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve and how important it is to develop strategies to improve our memory. We talked about spaced learning and using mnemonics and images to help us secure information.

We are excited to welcome prospective Year 6 and Year 11 students and their parents into school next week for our Year 6 into 7 and 11 into 12 Open Evening. The staff are looking forward to sharing the great things Lodge Park Academy can offer.

This week we launched a new sporting programme called the 'Raven Sports Programme' aimed at all students in Year 7-10 who have a real enthusiasm for the sports of Football, Basketball and Netball. We will send more information home regarding this for those students who have shown an interest in joining.

Thank you to you all for supporting the school in supporting our students.

Warm Regards

Senior Leadership Team

Year 6 and Year 12 Opening Evening - Tuesday 17th September 2024 - 4.30 p.m. - 6.30 p.m.

Executive Principal Address Year 6 Presentation - 4.30 pm. and 5.45 pm.

Year 12 Presentation- 5.00 pm. (for students going into Year 12, 2025)

Lodge Park Academy understands the importance of a strong academic foundation. Our academy offers a diverse curriculum and enrichment offering to create well-rounded and confident students.

Develop a sense of belonging and a love of learning at LPA where we educate the whole child

Pupils have opportunities to be successful at this school.
We have high expectations of pupils' behaviour and commit to 'disruption-free learning'.
Pupils can meet these expectations and learn in classrooms where behaviour is calm and focused.
The curriculum is ambitious and well sequenced, and teachers use consistent and effective approaches to teach the curriculum.

'Students are really proud of their school. They are ambitious to succeed'. - Ofsted 2023

'Pupils enjoy experiences such as sport and musical activities and the Combined Cadet Force'. - Ofsted 2023

Year 11 Parent Information Evening – Thursday 19th September

SAVE THE DATE – Next Thursday!

Please be aware that on Thursday 19th September we will be inviting our Year 11 families to attend a meeting in the main hall between 6pm and 7pm to discuss the preparations that are being put into place to support students through the most important year of their academic career. If you are a parent or carer of a child in Year 11 please do all you can to come into school to support your child’s progress.

Mr McGeown – Vice Principal and Mr Cronin Assistant Principal.

Y7 Open Mornings – Tuesday 24th September 2024 and Friday 27th September 2024 - 9.15am to 10.15 am

Why not come and see us in action?

If you are a parent of a child in Year 6 and are keen to get a feel for what we can offer then please book yourself into one of our two open morning events.

Please contact the school on 01536 203817 and book your place at the earliest opportunity.

Mr McGeown – Vice Principal

Students' Leave of Absence

A Principal can only authorise a leave of absence in exceptional circumstances. We will take into account the Government guidance when considering what the exceptional circumstances are- all applications are considered on a case-by-case basis. You may be able to take your child out of school in exceptional circumstances, providing an application is made in advance by the parent/carer, this request complies with Government guidance and the leave is deemed to be ‘exceptional’ by the Principal.

If you take a leave of absence without our permission, or if your child fails to return by the agreed date if permission was granted, then this will be recorded as an unauthorised absence and noted in your child’s record. You might also be issued with a fixed penalty notice for this absence. If your child has not returned within 10 days of the expected date of return then, after consultation with the Local Authority, we may take your child off our school roll.

As examples, the following reasons are not considered to be exceptional circumstances:

• availability of cheap holidays

• periods overlapping with beginning or end of term

• visits to family

• renewing passports

Requests for leave of absence will only be considered if made in writing. Please ensure you use the leave of absence request form to do this. Please follow this link.

https://forms.office.com.mcas.ms/Pages/DesignPageV2.aspx?subpage=design&FormId=rNtiV9Z_jkCJ_3zpA_qaUtzPpjtgvOhJnwEUMazbjl1UMVJSNDBWMEZKUVNQUkpZOVE1MkJPSEk1Sy4u&Token=7dd8f1fb1a3a452b9cee9aa0a086c2d6&McasTsid=20893&McasCtx=4

Verdi's Requiem: Summer Residential July 2024

In July Gabrieli Roar welcomed 194 young singers from a range of backgrounds across the UK to a 5-day immersive residential course at Gresham’s School, focussing on Verdi’s masterpiece, Requiem. Three students from LPA attended, from Years 9 and 11, joining students from Malcolm Arnold Academy, Humberstone Academy, King Edward VI and Skegness Grammar to complete our DRET musical community.

Gabrieli chorus directors and vocal coaches worked alongside partner choirs and singers to bring together this epic masterpiece. Throughout the week our young singers attended in-depth rehearsals led by Artistic Directors Paul McCreesh, Charles MacDougall, and Emily Dickens, supported by a team of eight vocal coaches.

As well as learning Verdi’s Requiem, our choirs were supported to explore musicianship, personal vocal development, and engagement with the score through workshops and masterclasses. The course also involved learning a few a cappella pieces in various musical styles, to introduce our young singers to a wider range of choral music.

Students also enjoyed the following musicianship masterclasses, led by our vocal coaches:

De-mystifying the score — with Ben Vonberg-Clark

Singing with your ears: musicianship — with Hannah King

Steps, jumps and leaps: getting started with sight-reading — with Rebekah Jones

Aural perspective: what do intervals sound like?

Composition workshop — with Oli Tarney

Circle Songs — with Hannah King and Will Dawes

The residential culminated in a sell-out performance of Verdi’s Requiem at Ely Cathedral, which received a standing ovation! We are so proud that students from Lodge Park Academy had this opportunity, through DRET Music, to be coached and trained by musicians of this calibre. It was an incredible experience which we know will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Helen Della Torre - Director of Music

Dates to Remember

Year 6 Open Evening - 17th September 2024 - Executive Principal address - 4.30 pm and 5.45 pm

Year 12 Open Evening - 17th September 2024 (for students going into Year 12 Sept 2025) - Executive Principal / Assistant Principal address - 5.00 pm

Year 11 Parent Information Evening – Thursday 19th September 6.00 pm - 7.00 pm

Y7 Open Mornings – Tuesday 24th September 2024 and Friday 27th September 2024 - 9.15am to 10.15 am

This terms Community House competition is the Harvest Festival collection in support of Corby Foodbank.

This was really successful last year where the LPA community were able to provide support for those who need it most in our community.

We are kindly appealing for your donations of food items and household products. Please do not donate fresh food products. Items need to have a long shelf life. House points will be awarded to the house who donate the most ‘house coloured’ packaged products.

If you feel this is something you can support with please send in your child with your donations. House collection boxes are located on the stage in the main hall.

The deadline for donations is Friday 18th October 2024.

Thank you in advance for your support.