CRA Newsletter 31.01.25 Half Term 3 - January 2025

SLT Update

We are very lucky, for such a small school, for the number of enrichment activities we have for our students to take part in. Thank you for all the students who have signed up for the Rotary Swimarathon on 9th February. I look forward to us taking part in this worth while event. Our Year 9 students next week will be presenting their house assemblies on their experience at ARU University visit. We are asking for expressions of interest in the French/History trip in October 2025 for current year 9/10 students taking/or going to take French or History as a GCSE option. This is always a fantastic cultural experience for our students.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Miss King, Head of School

Important dates to remember

  • 5th February 2025 - Year 8 Parents evening
  • 7th February - GCSE music composition challenge
  • 14th February 2025 - End of Term 3

CRA Character

This week Mr Thornton gave an informative and reflective assembly on Holocaust Memorial Day - the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

It was inspiring to hear the conversations that this has prompted in humanities lessons across the academy this week, with students reflecting more deeply on the significance of this historical event.

Table Talk

This week was the celebration of the liberation of Auschwitz the Nazi concentration camp, where 1.1 million people were murdered. The students had assembly this week to raise their awareness of this. This Holocaust Memorial Day (HMD) marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, the largest Nazi concentration camp complex.

80 years on from the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, antisemitism (anti-Jewish hatred) has increased significantly in the Uk and globally following the 7 October attacks in Israel by Hamas and the subsequent war in Gaza. Extremists are exploiting the situation to stir up anti-muslim hatred in the UK. Many UK communities are feeling vulnerable, with hostility and suspicion of others rising. There are many things we can all do to create a better future. We can speak up against Holocaust and genocide denial and distortion; we can challenge prejudice; we can encourage others to learn about the Holocaust and more recent genocides.

Whilst racism and hatred do not always lead to genocide, all genocides begin with insidious stages including propaganda, ‘othering ‘and dehumanisation.

Please take the time to discuss with your children the prejudice shown to Jewish people at the time of the holocaust and the dehumanisation of an entire race and link the discussions to todays society and how prejudice against a culture, race, religion or country is so wrong and how it can impact on the victims.

Why We Do What We Do

At Charles Read Academy, we firmly believe that consistent school attendance is crucial to the academic success and personal development of our students. Regular attendance not only helps students to stay on track with their studies, but it also plays a vital role in building discipline, responsibility, and social skills. We talk to students about the importance of good attendance on a weekly basis through assemblies, in tutor sessions and in lessons.

Times Tables

At the end of all lessons students stand behind their chairs in silence to prepare for themselves for the next lesson. From September, on a weekly rota, Years 7 and 8 will be reciting their timetables to help embed them in their long term memory.

Week beginning - 3 February 2025 - Times table is 6

Accelerated Reading

Week beginning - 3 February 2025 - Period 4

Thinking Ahead – My Future, My Choice

Each week we will show you examples of the various careers linked to the subject you are studying. This week’s career idea is ‘Jobs related to Motor vehicles'

Mr Rees - Careers' Support

Attendance.

Please may we remind you that absences for increment weather will not be authorised, unless the school is closed.

If your child is absent from school, please ensure you contact school daily either by email/MCAS or by telephoning the attendance line 01476 550333 ext 502. It is vital we are notified everyday of any absence for safeguarding reasons, unless previously authorised. A reason for illness will always be requested, this is to observe attendance patterns and outbreaks of illness amongst students.

Please do not hesitate to contact myself kcoleman@charlesreadacademy.co.uk on 01476 550333 ext 515 or tsandison@charlesreadacademy.co.uk ext 502 to discuss ways to support your child's attendance.

CRA - Lets work together to make every day count!

Leave of absence request

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.

To request a leave of absence, please use this form.

Mrs Coleman - Attendance Manager

Holiday Warning Letter

House News.

Flags of the World – House Quiz

Open to all students and staff, Wednesday (5th February) there will be a Flags of the World house quiz held in the main hall.

Students and staff will have the opportunity to put their knowledge to the test during either break or lunchtime by trying to correctly identify as many flags from the picture board.

125 house points are on offer for this competition.

House New Year Cup – Update

We are pleased to share an update of the current house new year cup scores (attached) – We are halfway to our target with two weeks to go.

Terra are currently out in the lead in the latest update, with over 1,000km covered as a house. Caeli are 2nd but the biggest movers are Aqua who are only just behind Caeli now with almost 600km submitted since last week’s update.

As a CRA community we have covered 2,358km of our 4,949km, having already passed through Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide and are currently on the final straight towards Perth.

It has been great to see lots more students and families getting involved and representing house teams this week. Over 300 entries have been submitted so far but if we are to complete the challenge (4,949km) by Friday 14th February we need a big effort this weekend!

Keep those scores coming in and spreading the word in the family to get more involved – submit your entries to housechampionship@charlesreadacademy.co.uk

The Sporting Post.

Term 1 Sports Newsletter 2024

PE kit reminder - 2024/2025

The standard PE kit is as follows:

  • CRA House PE top (compulsory)
  • CRA PE shorts or skorts (compulsory)
  • CRA PE Hoodie (compulsory)
  • Black socks. These can be purchased from any provider.
  • PE track pants / leggings / skins - optional - must be plain navy or black. These can be worn under the CRA PE top, shorts or skorts. These items should have no logos/writing/labels. These can be purchased from any provider.

Sports trainers- These can be purchased from any provider. No fashion trainers.

Girls will take part in hockey and boys will take part in rugby during PE lessons. Gumshields and shinpads are recommended for their safety.

Shinpads will also be needed for girls' and boys' football.

Moulded football boots are also recommended as students can wear these on the 3G artificial surface and grass field.

Please can all students be collected from the BACK of the school when being picked up from after school clubs and fixtures.

Term Dates

Please see the latest term dates for 2024-25

Academic Term Dates 2024-25

A list of diary events can also be found on the CRA Website by clicking here

Created By
Gemma Fulcher

Credits:

Created with images by LenaTolmach - "Candles in the dark. Memorial, hope, remembrance day" • wladimir1804 - "Concept of Attendance Business Management. Businessman or teacher using virtual touchscreen presses attendance word." • Naypong Studio - "Sports Equipment on white background" • tatomm - "close up of calendar on the yellow table background, planning for business meeting or travel planning concept"