Summer Newsletter

Welcome from the Principal

Welcome to our final newsletter of the school year!

This academic year has seen an enormous amount of change, growth and development at Redmoor Academy.

• In August 2024, we welcomed our first expanded cohort of students (all 224 of them!) and they have settled into secondary school brilliantly. They are now ready to become our role models in Year 8.
• We also celebrated our best ever set of GCSE outcomes in August, where students achieved far better than in similar schools locally and nationally and as a result, were able to be in control of destinations for the next stage of their education.
• Our new school kitchen was opened in September and continues to serve our students with the food they need to be successful in school.
• Our Science Block of 4 state of the art laboratories is now complete (although we await a new electrical supply for it to be fully operational).
• Our new Sports Hall, consisting of a full size competition quality basketball court, 4 badminton courts, a fitness suite, changing rooms and 4 classrooms, is on track to be completed by Sept. 2025
• Redmoor became part of The Futures Trust formally in April 2025 and both staff and students have already benefited from opportunities that this collaboration brings.

We are incredibly proud of our school, our students and of what we achieve and we do not underestimate the impact that our wider community plays in our development. The support we get from parents, local industry and employers and from our feeder primary schools, all make a vital contribution to our success and continued development. Thank you.

We look forward to celebrating with our Year 11 students on Thursday 21st August when they receive their GCSE results and we wish you all a very enjoyable summer break. This includes our new year 7 students who have made an excellent first impression on us during their two transition days. We will see you once again in late August.

Kindest regards,

Matt Nicolle - Principal

Key Dates

Dropping off & Collecting Students by Car

For the benefit of new parents to Redmoor and as a reminder to our current families, please abide by the following if you plan to use your car to drop off or collect students;

Only parents/ carers of students with mobility issues have permission to enter the school site to drop off and collect in designated areas. This permission must be sought in advance.

It is not permitted to drop off or collect at the top of our drive (in front of the gates) as this creates a serious risk to pedestrians and other road users. We have had some very near misses.

Please be courteous to local residents and do not block drives or use private roads

Please remind your children about road safety, including the importance of not riding bikes and scooters along paths and across drives, putting themselves and other users at risk and also that helmets should be worn when using bikes and scooters.

Uniform / Expectations

We continue to have the highest expectations of our students at all times, whether in lessons, at social time or on their way to and from school. These expectations cover their attitudes and efforts, their interactions with staff and each other and of course, their uniform and appearance. Please remember;

Footwear: must be plain black with no coloured or white soles or logos.

Piercings: If students are planning new piercings, especially if in addition to our policy of allowing 1 small stud earring in each ear, they need to be done in the first days of the holiday as they must be removed for PE for the child’s safety

Mobile Phones: we continue to monitor the impact of mobile phones in school and currently we believe the benefits outweigh any disadvantages we experience at Redmoor. However, we will continue to evaluate this. Phones should only be visible at break or lunch. Students must not use their phones at all when moving between lessons. Only on rare occasions will permission be given for phones to be used in a lesson as part of a learning activity. Finally, we reserve the right to issue a phone ban for students who persistently misuse this privilege.

Staffing Changes

Unlike most secondary schools, our staffing remains relatively stable but we do have a small number of people joining and leaving Redmoor. Leaving us are;

• Mr Jenkins (Teaching Assistant)
• Mr Mwamuka (Art & Design)
• Mrs Wright (Maths)

Joining us we have;

• Mrs Moore (Teacher of English & Music)
• Miss Bakewell (Teacher of Geography)
• Miss Dyson (Teacher of Science)
• Miss Kendall (Teacher of History)
• Mrs Wilson (Teacher of Art & Design)

Redmoor Site Development

As mentioned earlier, our Sports Hall is on track to be completed in August and our Science Labs are all but ready to use. Unfortunately, there have been significant legal delays with starting work on our additional electrical substation to ensure we have enough power to run these additional buildings. As I write this, we are awaiting a start date on this work which we hope will be over the summer break. The likelihood is that this will cause a delay to the operational use of these exciting new buildings.

Young Carers Group Launch

At Redmoor we are working closely with the Hinckley Bosworth Medical Alliance and Leisure Centre to try and support our young carers. Part of this work has been the setting up of a Young Carers group at school and a website that signposts different support services that are available to help young carers balance their caring role with their own development and needs.

None of our young carers had spoken to other young people about being a young carer and only a small number had informed their GP’s. This is important as being a young career can get them faster access to GP services.

All the students were given vouchers from companies that had sponsored the meeting as a reward for all that they did. We hope to be able to develop further offers like this in partnership with the local leisure centre. I would like to thank Cameron Peach, Clara Pankhurst and Sian Sykes from the Hinckley Bosworth Medical Alliance and Yolanda Patterson from the leisure centre for all of their hard work in putting this together.

A young carer is a child or young person (usually under 18, but sometimes up to 25) who takes on significant responsibilities for the care of a family member who is ill, disabled, has a mental health condition, or suffers from substance misuse.

These responsibilities may include:

• Helping with personal care (e.g., bathing, dressing)
• Managing household tasks (e.g., cooking, cleaning, shopping)
• Providing emotional support
• Assisting with medication or mobility
• Taking care of siblings

Being a young carer can impact a child’s education, social life, and emotional well-being, as they often take on adult responsibilities at a young age.

If you think your child is a young carer get in touch and let us know. Please do not assume school or GP’s surgeries know unless you have told us.

Paul Kimber - Young Carer Champion

Rewards Trip to McDonalds

To reward our top house point earners across all year groups we treated them to breakfast at McDonalds. Huge thank you to everyone who works there, super efficient and excellent service.

Fantastic effort from our students and we appreciate their hard work and dedication to their studies. Congratulations to everyone on the trip!

House Afternoon

The winning house this year was ELM - joined by 7 Willow! Everyone in Elm (and 7 Willow) was treated to an afternoon off timetable, an inflatable assault course and an ice cream from the ice cream van!!

School Production Announcement… Bah Humbug!

We are pleased to announce that our next school production will be A Christmas Carol. Please come and join us and watch our very talented cast take on this festive feat between 3rd and 5th December 2025. Show times and ticket information will be released in the Autumn term. Students were asked to design a poster to announce the production so thank you to everyone who contributed their ideas. The winning design displayed here is by Molly S in Year 8.

Music

Last term, a former student named Andrew visited our Year 10 class to give an inspiring talk about his journey through music university. He spoke with passion about the challenges he faced, balancing demanding practice schedules, performance anxiety, and the pressure to stand out in a competitive field. Andrew shared how he stayed motivated by reminding himself why he loved music in the first place and surrounding himself with supportive friends and mentors. He told us that even when things got tough, he never gave up on his dream of becoming a performer. His story reminded everyone that dedication and self-belief can turn passion into a career, no matter how difficult the path may seem.

Hinckley Schools Music Event

This year marked a historic moment for our community as Hinckley Schools proudly hosted its first-ever music event, showcasing the incredible talents of students from Redmoor Academy, Hinckley Academy, Richmond Primary, and Battling Brook School. The event, held last Tuesday evening, drew an enthusiastic crowd, selling out completely, and celebrated the timeless music of The Beatles and others—an experience that resonated with students, parents, and staff alike.

The concert commenced with an uplifting performance by the steel pan ensemble, whose vibrant rhythms set the tone for the evening. The shimmering melodies created an infectious energy that instantly captivated the audience, transporting them to a tropical paradise reminiscent of sun-soaked Caribbean shores, setting everyone up for the summer holidays.

As the night progressed, the highlight of the evening emerged—a massive choir composed of over 80 spirited students from the participating schools. Their harmonious voices filled the auditorium, echoing the legacy of The Beatles, and brought the audience toes tapping with joy. Each performance was expertly supported by the talented Hinckley Schools Orchestra, whose seamless coordination added depth and richness to the choir’s renditions. From classics like “Love Me Do” to “Let It Be,” the students’ enthusiasm and passion shone brightly, showcasing the culmination of their hard work and dedication.

To cap off this memorable evening, the orchestra took center stage for a breathtaking finale. The musicians delivered an extraordinary performance, weaving together iconic Beatles tunes that had everyone singing along. The atmosphere was electric, with the joy of music uniting everyone present in a shared celebration of creativity and collaboration.

Overall, this year's Hinckley Schools Music Event was an outstanding success, not only highlighting the incredible talent within our schools but also fostering a sense of community pride. The combination of steel pans, a large choir, and orchestral music created a magical evening that will be remembered fondly by all who attended. We look forward to more musical celebrations in the future, further showcasing the brilliance of our young musicians and the supportive spirit of our schools.

Well done to all the students, teachers, local council, mayor and staff who contributed to making this inaugural event a triumph!

Support for Parents/Carers of Students with Learning Disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Are you the parent / carer of a child with Learning Disabilities and/or Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) or are you awaiting a diagnosis for your child?

We're excited to share a fantastic opportunity for connection and support! Join the Parent/Carer Connect drop-in sessions, part of the Shaping SEND Futures initiative. These sessions are led by the Learning Disability & SEND Children and Families Social Prescriber, who supports children, young people, and their families across the 12 GP Practices in Hinckley and Bosworth, providing supportive links to other services. They work within both GP practices and schools, offering a safe place to discuss both community and individual needs for your child (up to 17 years and 11 months) with a diagnosed or suspected Learning Disability/SEND.

The drop in sessions take place every Tuesday starting Tuesday 3rd of June 2025 10:00 am - 11:30 am at Hinckley Children and Family Centre, Granville Rd, Hinckley LE10 OPP

Go along and connect with other families in a friendly and understanding environment.

Well Done to Our Budding Photographers!

A huge congratulations to all the students who showcased their creativity by entering the PicTours Phone Photography Competition!

This year’s theme, “Your Region Through Your Lens,” inspired some truly original and thoughtful submissions. We're proud of everyone who took part and shared their unique perspective.