CRA Newsletter 07.03.25 Half Term 4 - March 2025

SLT Update

This week, a group of our students took part in the DRET cross country competition. They performed excellently and showed real CRA Resilience out on the track. It was wonderful to celebrate a gold medal for Poppy in Year 7 who won her race confidently. We are so proud of the whole team.

We have had National Careers Week this week and it has been interesting to hear the conversations in the classroom around subject specific career paths and aspirations. Next week, we have our CRA Character Day on Thursday and students will be engaged in lots of sessions to support them developing their CRA Values and working on being safe with LCC Stay Safe Partnership. Have a great weekend.

Miss King, Head of School

High School Musical Production

Our school production is being held at the Academy on the evenings of the 25th and 26th March 2025 starting at 6.45pm with doors open from 6.15pm. Tickets are now available through the My Child At School App so please place your orders. The cost is £3 for adults and £1 for children. Please be aware that cash payments for tickets will not be accepted. Tickets are restricted to 5 per family so as to give all families an opportunity to attend. If you would like additional tickets, please contact Ms Fulcher and if any are left after sales close then they will be offered to you.

CRA Character

This week student leadership have been working with Mr Aram to carry out focus groups with the wider student body to gather more details about student opinions after the last student voice exercise. All students involved have demonstrated an impressive level of confidence communicating with each other and treating each other's views with respect and sensitivity.

Table Talk

This week is National Careers Week. Pupils have been discussing careers with their tutor and other staff members, but effective career guidance includes discussing with families at home.

This can be a challenge as not only is the world of work changing quickly making it harder for families to keep update with knowledge and routes, but also we all have our own pre-conceived ideas about careers. It is important to have discussions with your teens about their next steps, creating opportunities for them to be thinking about their future, what they would like to achieve and what they need to do now to get themselves on the right track. You don't have to have all the answers, just listening to them is important.

To help make these conversations more productive here are some tips from the organisers of National Careers Week:

• ✓ Accept their idea of success may be different to yours. Their dreams and ambitions might not align with your ambitions for them. This can be disappointing, but let them walk their own path.
• ✓ It’s OK if they’re not sure on a career route yet They don’t need to make that decision right now. They do need to develop skills that will help them progress, and that should be their focus.
• ✓ Encourage them to turn passions into money-makers They’re more likely to be successful (and happier) pursuing a career in something they enjoy
• ✓ Help them navigate their limitations. Not being academic should not be a barrier to success and there is usually more than one way to reach a destination
• ✓ Help them if they are struggling to look far ahead. Setting short-term, achievable goals will help them strive towards a long-term ambition.
• ✓ It’s OK if they change their mind! Reassure them that if they tell you they have their heart set on one direction, then later change their minds, you won’t berate them for it.
• ✓ Encourage them to explore all their options. Help them plan out a route that focuses on their strengths. Different educational routes can often provide entry points into the same industry.
• ✓ Empower them: They have control over their future, the decisions they take and what they do matters. What are the different levels of qualifications?

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland there are 8 qualification levels (1 - 8) plus an entry level qualification for those just starting. Generally, the higher the level, the more difficult the qualification is. Levels 1-3 are typically taught in schools and colleges. With so many different qualifications, it can be hard to know what they mean and where they might lead to next. Some routes favour a more academic approach whilst others are more vocational. It means whatever your skills or interests there is a path for you.

Level 1 - GCSE grades 1-3 (D, E, F, G) Level 2 - GCSE grades 4-9 (A*-C) or BTEC first diplomas Level 3 - A Levels, T levels, BTEC extended diplomas or Advanced Apprenticeship Level 4 - Higher National Certificates or Higher Apprenticeships Level 5 - Foundation degree, Higher National Diplomas or Degree Apprenticeship Level 6 - Bachelors degrees or Degree Apprenticeship Level 7 - Master degrees or Degree Apprenticeship Level 8 - Doctorate (PhD)

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 - 10 March 25 - Times table is 11

Accelerated Reading

Week beginning - 10 March 2025 - Period 3

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

Table Tennis

The U16 boys team successfully navigated the semi-final round of the English Schools team championships on Friday 28th February at the Grantham Meres Leisure Centre.

With wins over The Kings Cathedral School, Peterborough and St Georges RC School, London as well as a draw with the Reading School it was enough to win the round.

We look forward to defending our title in April in Wolverhampton.

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