SLT Update
A happy new academic year to all of you and an especially warm welcome to our new Year 7 families. We are delighted that your children have joined us and we are very much looking forward to helping them develop over the next five years. As a staff body we have been very impressed with how the students have returned to school demonstrating our values of confidence to try new activities and courage to have a go in their lessons.
We were very proud last month of our Year 11 students who achieved a strong set of results, with a particular well done going to Meinardas who achieved two grade 7s and four grade 6s and Pheobe who achieved one grade 8, three grades 6s and three grade 5s. We wish the class of 2025 all the success for their future.
The weekly newsletter contains a lot of information from across the life of the school and we hope that you enjoy reading the various updates. We would also like it to become a place within which we can celebrate success, both inside and outside of school. Therefore please do let us know of any achievement you and your child would be happy for us to share with the wider school community.
It is a real privilege to have been appointed principal of Charles Read Academy and I am very much looking forward to getting to know your children over the coming weeks.
Kerry Milligan - Principal
Uniform
As an academy, we take pride in how well dressed all of our students are in their school uniform and the level of respect they demonstrate in their professional appearance. We also believe in a consistent approach to enable everyone to have certainty over uniform purchases.
Our policy on uniform has remained consistent over six years, with all students expected to wear a Charles Read Academy blazer, white shirt, black trousers, the correct house tie, black socks and black shoes that can take polish every day. We do not, and have never, allowed any facial piercings, and only allow one stud earring in each ear, including any retainers or clear studs. We do not allow excessive makeup or jewelry, with no bracelets and only two rings. We encourage students to have a watch, but this cannot be a smart watch as this is a distraction for students whilst they are in their lessons and can prevent them from focusing on their learning. Students also should have a CRA bag with them, and not any other type of bag or handbag. We do this to avoid any brands which can cause bullying in schools as students compete to have the most up-to-date fashion accessories. We do not tolerate bullying in any form, and our policies are aimed at preventing this from happening.
We apply our uniform policy consistently across all students, and if students do not meet these expectations, they will be sent to our boot room to change their uniform, and you will be contacted by a member of our academy. We do this to ensure that all students are dressed as the young professionals we know they are. Our expectation is that all students meet these standards daily.
If you have any concerns with aquiring uniform, please contact your child’s tutor in the first instance to discuss this matter with them. We are determined to work with all families, but our expectations on uniform remain high for the benefit of all students.
Thank you for your ongoing support with this matter,
Mr Thornton - Academy Behaviour Lead
Thank you for your support with this,
Mr Thornton
Vapes
As an academy, we are committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of all students. Unfortunately, across the country there has been a sharp rise in the number of students vaping. Investigations by Lincolnshire Trading Standards have seen students as young as 15 being able to purchase vapes, with shops illegally selling them to under 18-year-olds. This month, investigations have found children as young as 13 have been able to purchase vapes using Snapchat and Tiktok, with the vapes laced with the dangerous synthetic drug ‘spice’. The British Government, local authorities and NHS are all concerned about the long-term effects that vaping can have on people, something that at present is not fully understood, but some side-effects can include headaches, coughing, insomnia, worsening of asthma symptoms and throat irritation. As a result, vapes are not permitted on academy grounds or on CRA buses, and students caught with a vape will be sanctioned in accordance with the CRA behaviour policy. We would greatly appreciate all parents having this discussion with your children to support them.
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 15th September 2025 - 7
Accelerated Reading
Week beginning 15th September 2025 - Period 2
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 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.
House News.
2025/26 CRA House Championship
Welcome back, we hope students have a great first week back at CRA! Congratulations once again to Terra who were crowned house champions last year. We hope you are looking forward to another exciting house championship race this year as we enter the 7th year of action packed house competitions.
This year will see feature a number of brand new competitions including a house Olympic Games, Road to World Cup plus a host of new quiz competitions. Over 30 house competitions are once again planned across the academic year providing lots of opportunities to get involved and represent your house.
Term 1 competitions get underway next week as we kick off proceedings with the annual limbo competition, held on the stage in the main hall. Term 1 also features football, netball and the brand new ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire’ quiz.
House Limbo
The race for the 2025/26 LPA House Championship truly gets underway on Wednesday (17th September) next week as house teams go head to head in the Limbo competition.
Students across each year group will represent their house on the stage in front of a full hall. This is a great competition to get proceedings underway with students and staff generating a great atmosphere.
The last participant standing will be crowned champion.
CRA Harvest Festival Collection
CRA are really excited to be taking part in this year’s Harvest Festival, in support of the local Food Banks.
We are extremely proud of the support the CRA community provide each year through the Harvest Festival, and we are looking to play our part once again in supporting those who need it most.
Each year, through our Harvest Festival collections, our amazing CRA community have provided over 200 meals for those in need of support in the local community.
It would be greatly appreciated If you were able to contribute to this year’s Harvest Festival.
We are appealing for your donations of food items and household products (Please do not donate fresh food products). Items must have a long shelf life.
If you feel this is something you can support with please send in your child with your donations. Each house will have a collection box in the main hall from Monday 15th September through to the end of term.
The deadline for donations is Tuesday 14th October.
Following the collection deadline, all year 7s will attend a Harvest Festival service at the local church, where items will be donated before being distributed to the local foodbank.
Thank you in advance for your support.
CRA House Fantasy Premier League
Fantasy Premier League is underway at CRA with students, staff and family members battling it out for house points. The virtual game involves participants creating a fantasy team of premier league players, who they will manage on a weekly basis in line with the weekly Premier League fixtures.
It has been an exciting start to the competition and after 3 game weeks it is former year 11 student Zachary (Aqua) who is top of the league, followed by Mr Fountain (Caeli) and Owen in 2nd and 3rd place respectively - if you play Fantasy Premier League but have not yet joined, there is still time!
Enter the code in the image and join in the fun.
The Sporting Post.
PE kit reminder - 2025/2026
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 2025-2026
A list of diary events can also be found on the CRA Website by clicking here
Credits:
Created with images by sosiukin - "upcoming evente word written on wood block. upcoming evente text on table, concept" • olga pink - "Black new leather shoes perspective isolated white" • YarikL - "Set of colorful disposable electronic cigarettes on a dark wood background with smoke." • 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"