Welcome
Dear Families
We enjoyed welcoming our students back this week after a well earned two week break. It was great to see that the students returned refreshed and ready to embark on what promises to be a very busy and productive term.
We are thrilled that Mr Jonathon Kirby has now joined the Senior Leadership team in his role as Principal and he has already been busy speaking with all staff and students in the school setting out his vision for the future. Mr Kirby has also met a number of staff and a significant number of students to begin to get a sense of the school and its current position.
This week the student assessment window begins where our learners will engage in KPI assessments across all subjects to evaluate their current progress and to help teachers further identify gaps in knowledge and skill set. We would welcome your support in reminding students about the importance of revision and in supporting them through any worries or concerns they may have. Should any student need additional support, their tutor will be able to guide them to someone who can help. Hopefully, due to the preparation that has taken place in lessons, our students will feel positive and well prepared for the exams. Year 11 and 13 are engaging in mock examinations that will provide clear evidence of their current progress towards GCSE, A-Level and Vocational Qualifications. These are absolutely essential for our staff to provide further targeted support to address key areas of need.
As we enter this second half of the Autumn Term we will maintain our focus on improving the attendance of all of our students. It is essential that students remain resilient and determined in their willingness to attend school every day. Please do all you can to ensure that your child is in school with their specialist teachers getting the educational support that they need.
Please continue to support the school in having the highest expectations of your child with regard to uniform, equipment, homework and attitudes to learning. Please could you continue to stress the importance of character development and the benefits of demonstrating our values, particularly that of respect to all members of the Lodge Park Community.
Thank you for your ongoing support and here is to another successful term.
Kind regards
Mr Kirby and Mrs Jones
New Principal LPA - Mr J Kirby
Dear Families
I am really proud and excited to become Principal of Lodge Park Academy. Building on the foundations instilled by the Executive Principal, Mrs Jones, I'll continue to oversee the development of Lodge Park into an aspirational and dynamic Academy, defined by an inspiring curriculum within and beyond the classroom, and a world-class learning experience.
I have worked as a leader in a number of schools in Birmingham and Walsall, all of which have been schools on a trajectory of improvement and have succeeded in securing significantly improved outcomes and a far better student experience for learners.
Of intrinsic significance to me is learners leaving school with a lifetime of open doors of opportunity, with the academic and personal attributes to chase their dreams and change their, and our, world. Our aim is to ensure learners develop these attributes in an environment that is safe, aspirational and inspirational, and whose systems and personnel are defined by excellence.
Central to my ethos is Lodge Park as a 'family' - meaning all colleagues and learners are mutually responsible for each other, all want the best for each other and are wedded to the pursuit of doing the 'right' thing, even if it's not easy or comfortable.
To help me build as thorough an understanding of the Lodge Park experience for our parents and guardians I would be grateful if you could complete a very short survey for me by following this link: https://forms.office.com/e/zEqBCMBEjU
I really hope I can receive as many responses from as many parents as possible; this information will be critical in shaping the future direction of Lodge Park.
I look forward to working with yourselves and the learners of Corby for many a year, as we look to build an academy we can all be incredibly proud of.
Kind regards - Mr J Kirby
Save The Date - Year 10/12 Parents Engagement Evening (Thursday 21st November)
Please be aware that we are fast approaching our Year 10 and 12 Parent Engagement Evening. Please can we strongly ask that you do all you can to attend and support the school in enabling your child to make the best possible start to their KS4/5 studies.
This event will run from 3.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in the School Hall and Zone. Appointments can now been made via MCAS.
Mr McGeown – Vice Principal
Year 11 Mock Examinations
Year 11 students have begun their mock examinations this week. They have made an excellent start. It is absolutely essential that your child attends school every day as they should during an actual exam season.
Should your child miss a mock examination there will be an opportunity for them to sit this exam at a later date. However, during the Summer exam period, those who miss their exam will not have this opportunity to retake; therefore, we are attempting to ensure that students treat this mock exam period seriously.
Please, can we ask for your support during this time.
Mr McGeown and Mr Cronin
Harvest Festival Service
On the last Thursday of Term 1 our Year 7 students visited St Columba Church for a Harvest Festival Service with Revd. Pullinger where our LPA Choir performed so beautifully.
Leading up to this our whole school community our four Houses worked together with their Heads of House and House Champions to provide donations for the Corby Foodbank which are much needed in the community of Corby.
Martin Langford, Corby Food Bank Manager sends his thanks for our support.
Next week is Anti-bullying Week with the theme this year of 'Choose Respect.
As part of the week's events that will end on Friday 15th November with Children in Need Fundraising, we will deliver assemblies on theme and on Tuesday 12th November we will be celebrating Odd Socks Day.
House Assemblies this week will relate to Anti-bullying week with our House Student Leadership teams taking part.
Odd Socks Day - Tuesday 12th November 2024
On Tuesday we will be holding 'Odd Socks Day' where the wearing of odd socks signifies that we are joining together to say that it's okay to be different and to celebrate our individuality and what makes us all unique!
House Competitions – Term 2
We hope you had a great first term back and are raring to go again during Term 2. There are lots of exciting House competitions to look forward during this term.
It promises to be action packed with competitions coming up next term include "I’m a Teacher Get Me Out of Here", "Dodgeball", "Indoor Rowing" and the "House Christmas Party".
With over 2,000 more House points on offer next term there is so much to play for. Each and every student can play their part and make a difference for their house.
Flags of the World – House Quiz
Open to all students and staff, next Friday (15th November) there will be a Flags of the World House quiz held in the Zone.
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.
250 house points are on offer for this competition.
Fantasy Premier League Update
Fantasy Premier League continued over the half term break with lots of positional changes taking place in the overall league standings. Well done to the those players who have worked their way up the standings, into the top 10.
The image shows the current ‘Top 10’ players in the league. With just over a quarter of the season gone there is such a long way to go.
Who will be top at Christmas?
Additional bonus House points will be awarded at various points in the season for things like Manager of the Week, Manager of Term and those who finish above the GamesMaker (currently in 4th place) will also receive bonus points for their house teams.
Keep and eye out for information on the next bonus round!
Uniform – Winter Coats and Hooded Tops
As the winter weather draws in, please can we ask that you do all you can to support the school in ensuring that we maintain the highest of standards with regard to uniform.
We are currently seeing an increase in the amount of students that are arriving to school in hooded tops or sporting jumpers which students then expect to be permitted to wear inside the school building. Hoodies are not permitted in school and coats are not to be worn in the building.
Please be aware that we expect all students to be in our designated LPA Uniform at all times; outdoor jackets are not permitted inside the school building. This is no different to the expectations in many schools up and down the country.
Where students are finding the weather to be cold, please be advised that we have an LPA jumper that can be worn above the shirt and tie and beneath the blazer. However, no other jumper will be permitted. Students may wear a plain white t-shirt under their school shirt as an extra layer if they feel the cold.
Thank you for your support with this.
The Senior Leadership Team.
Attendance
As many of you will be aware from publicity in the press, and letters we have sent out previously, the government have significantly toughened the law in relation to school attendance and have now published revised guidance which has become mandatory from September 2024.
From September 2024, schools have to consider a penalty notice if a pupil misses 10 sessions of unauthorised absence in a rolling period of 10 school weeks. Half of a day (am or pm) is considered as a ‘session’. The threshold of 10 sessions can be met with any combination of unauthorised absence, for example, eight sessions of unauthorised holidays in term time and two sessions for other unauthorised reasons would trigger a penalty notice.
The ten school week period may span different terms or school years, for example: 2 sessions of unauthorised absence in the summer term and a further 8 in the autumn term.
National Framework for Attendance Penalty Notices (fines)
The new penalty notice regulations are:
- Each parent will be issued a separate penalty notice, for each child who is absent. For example, 2 parents and 3 children, each parent will receive 3 penalty notices for £160 each, with a family total of £960 in fines.
- The fine amount will be £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days, reduced to £80 per parent, per child if paid within 21 days.
- The first penalty notice will be considered your first offence.
- The next time an offence occurs, within 3 years of the date the first penalty notice is issued, the fine amount will be £160 per parent, per child paid within 28 days, with no reduction.
- The third time an offence occurs this will be presented to Magistrate’s court for prosecution.
Where a child is absent, and it is believed they are absent without valid reason, we will carry out a home visit and see the child on or before the third school day of absence. If the absence meets the thresholds explained above, you will be issued fixed penalty notices as detailed above.
Please review any holiday plans you have for term time this year to ensure you are not issued with a penalty fine or prosecuted in the Magistrates’ court.
The above rules also apply to punctuality as registers must close at the end of our tutor period. Arriving to school after this time will result in an unauthorised absence. To enable our morning registration (AM) to begin promptly, we require all students to be on site for 8.30 a.m. This is the time your child must be in school, ready to be marked into registers. Therefore, we ask that you ensure your child arrives at 8.30 a.m. and they are with their tutor by 8.40 a.m. at the latest.
Your child must register with their tutor and attend P1 to ensure their ‘present’ marks are captured within the AM registration period. Your child must attend afternoon registration and P5 to ensure their ‘present’ marks are captured within the PM registration period. Even if your child is on site they will not be registered unless they are in their tutor room and classrooms and an unauthorised mark will be given. Ten unauthorised sessions in a ten school week period will result in a fixed penalty notice.
Pupils who attend school regularly will achieve higher grades than those pupils who don’t. In the summer of 2024 pupils at Lodge Park who had above 90% attendance achieved half a grade higher than those who below this.
If you require any support or advice please get in touch via email us on attendance@lodgeparkacademy.co.uk
SWI UNIFORM SUPPLIER
Year 10/12 Parents Engagement Evening to the Thursday 21st November from 3.30 p.m. -6.30 p.m.
Academy opens to staff and students on Monday 4th November 2024
Academy closes to students on Friday 20th December 2024
Contact Us
Telephone: 01536 203817
Email: lpa-enquiries@lodgeparkacademy.co.uk
Please be aware this mailbox is monitored by a number of individuals, please do not disclose any confidential information.
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Visit our website at www.lodgeparkacademy.co.uk
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Credits:
Created with images by • Zerbor - Save the Date written on a calendar - November 21 • arrowsmith2 - Closeup to hand of student holding pencil and taking exam in classroom with stress for education test. • undefined - Colorful clothes on hangers, Selective blur on high visibility safety coats and jackets, personal protective equipments, for sale outside, Ai generated image • undefined - Little school girl holding white plastic foam blocks with word: ATTENDANCE. Educational concept of back to school. Attendance management and analysis. Сontrol of attendance of schoolchildren. • undefined - Things you should know!