Senior Leadership Team Update
It was lovely to welcome all our students back from their Easter break on Monday. Thank you to our families for ensuring that our students had clean and presentable uniform, adhering to our uniform policy. As our Year 11s move into the exam season and begin their final approach to their GCSE exams, we are so proud of their attitude; showing resilience and confidence and lots of aspiration and ambition for their futures!
Year 11 Focus
I hope all Year 11 students have had a restful Easter break and have begun to put their revision programme into action. We are now only 21 days away from the first whole cohort GCSE exam which is only 14 school days! Students have this week been given their formal GCSE exam timetable and need to ensure they refer to this regularly so that they are aware of exactly when their exams are, and basing their revision schedule around this.
The effort that is put in now over the next two months will have a major impact upon the outcomes in the Summer. During school hours, focus during lessons is vital and a sustained effort towards revision outside of school is critical in making sure that the knowledge they have learnt over the last two years is retained and is ready to pull from your long-term memory as you enter the exam hall.
To support with students revision from home, a weekly revision schedule has been created for each subject which includes a directed task to help ensure revision for each subject is comprehensive and purposeful. Students have received a printed copy of this, however it is also available on the school website under 'Academy Information' -> 'Examinations'.
Why We Do What We Do
& Table Talk
As a school we always try and raise money every year. We feel it is important for character development to reflect on how we can help others who are in need. Each House chooses a local charity to support and we support national charities as a school. Staff and students work together to raise funds.
Below are some reasons for donating to charity. They are useful prompts for a 'Tabletalk' discussion about giving to charity.
Please discuss with your children about charitable donations whether that be money or time or efforts, and the importance this plays in todays society. Why do people give to charity? There’s plenty of reasons why to give to charity, and for many people it’s a very personal choice - but here are just a few reasons why people consider making a donation.
1. It’s a reason close to your hearts. There are so many charities out there doing incredible work to help those who need it. We all have different causes that strike a chord with us. Maybe what a charity does means more to you due to your own personal experiences, or perhaps you just feel very strongly about those they are helping. For us? We know children are the future and every child deserves a childhood free from abuse. This is why we continue to work to keep children safe and prevent abuse.
2. Your help makes a difference. When you choose to give to a charity - no matter how big or small that charity is - you’re helping to make a real difference. Charities can carry out their crucial work thanks to the generosity of people like you. And when you donate to a cause you care about, you’ll know that your decision to donate is making a tangible impact on the lives of those the charity helps.
3. Every donation makes an impact No matter how much you can afford to give, as a one-off donation, through regular giving, or by fundraising for charity, your donation matters. Every donation received adds up and helps charities get to work and make a positive difference. So if you don’t have a lot to spare? You could just skip one morning coffee a month and donate that regularly instead. Whatever you give, charities are always grateful for any amount you can part with.
4. Giving benefits society’s neediest and most vulnerable Often the people in society who are in need are the most overlooked. Society and governments aren’t set up to protect everyone who needs it. That’s why charities are here to fill the gaps and provide dedicated resources to help the most vulnerable. For children, they rely on their parents or carers to give them safety, guidance, and access to life’s necessities. Sadly for many children, this isn’t the case.
5. Brings us closer to the society we want to live in. In an ideal world charities wouldn’t need to exist. Imagine a society where no child went hungry or experienced abuse, no animals were harmed, all diseases could be treated or cured, and everyone was treated kindly and fairly with the same opportunities in life. That is what we’re all collectively working towards. And real change takes work, but we can’t do it alone. Your donations help charities work towards creating a society that benefits everyone, leaving no one behind.
6. Gives us a sense of belonging. Life can be difficult sometimes, but remembering we’re all in this together can help us feel more connected to those around us. And by all playing our part to lend a helping hand to those in need, we can feel more like an active part of our society. Our community means so much to us, and seeing them all come together, whether it’s through volunteering, fundraising, or giving - we’re all united in our common goal.
7. Set an example for others. We know we all have it in us to make a difference, and there’s power in numbers. Why stop at just knowing you’re making an impact? Your actions can also inspire others to pay attention to important issues and offer their support too. You can chat to your friends, family, colleagues, neighbours to let them know you’re donating to charity and why the cause matters to you. This can show them why there’s an urgent need for them to do the same and motivate them to get involved too.
8. Giving is in our nature. As people, generosity is in our genes. From the earliest times, society could only function by us working together. Selfless acts let us look after those who need it the most, and the urge to help those around us is always inside us. So why not donate today to an important cause you care about and give into your natural drive to help others?
9. It makes us feel good. Sometimes it’s okay to be a little bit selfish. And one of the best parts of giving or fundraising? It can make you feel pretty good about yourself. There’s nothing quite like doing something for someone else to put a smile on your face. Even when we’re not feeling our best, if we put some kindness back into the world it can help us feel a little better in ourselves and about the world around us.
10. Enjoy an extra bit of tax relief. An added bonus of charitable donations is they’re tax free for individuals when you donate through Gift Aid, directly through your payroll or pension, or through Payroll Giving. This means, depending on how you give, you can claim back the tax on any donations you make or you won’t pay income tax on them in the first place - helping you save through giving.
CRA Character
A group of approximately 60 students went to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London to watch Swan Lake. This was an incredible experience for our students, with tickets subsidised by DRET. Students were impeccably behaved and showed CRA Respect throughout the trip. As I looked around the theatre, their faces were immersed in the enriching experience of seeing a live performance of such a high level.
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 commencing 22nd April 2024 - 8
Accelerated Reading
Week commencing 22nd April 2024 - Period 4
Teen Support..
Young people, radicalisation & autism
Young people on the autistic spectrum can be vulnerable to online radicalisation and extreme and harmful beliefs.
You can register for a Young People, Radicalisation & Autism workshop, which explains the radicalisation process and how it affects those with neuro-divergence. There are workshops sessions available for parents and carers, as well as professionals who work with families.
These workshops have been developed by the Lincolnshire County Council Prevent team, working with Parent Zone.
Find out more here
Attendance...
Attendance – Term 5, Week 1
Welcome Back
Year 8 have achieved 1st place with a top attendance score beating all the other year groups, well done Year 8, great effort. Year 10 are in 5th place as the lowest attending year group.
The girls have had another great week beating the boys to 1st place by a tiny 1.2%.
Terra have finished first with the highest overall attendance again this week, beating Caeli by 1.2%, well-done Terra! Special mention for Terra 7 who have achieved 100%, Aqua 8 who have achieved 99.4% and Caeli 9 with 98.8%, excellent effort.
Monday has seen our highest percentage of absence this week. Missing just one day can have an impact on students learning experiences and outcomes.
Well done to the following students who have shown great resilience with their attendance
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!
Mrs Coleman - Attendance Manager
House News
CRA House Summer Games 2024
We are extremely excited to launch the first ever CRA House Summer Games. Throughout Term 5 and Term 6 students and staff will have the opportunity to take part in a series of 12 different sports, building up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris this Summer.
Over 1250 house points and 200 gold medals will be available throughout the competition.
The event kicks off next week with Aqua, Caeli and Terra going head-to-head in Handball.
See below this terms Summer Games competitions, including the dates and year groups participating in each of the sports taking place.
Terra Top House Championship
The Summer term is underway, and Terra are currently in pole position to be crowned 2024 CRA house champions. There is still a long way to go with lots of house points up for grabs across term 5 and 6. The gap at the top was reduced to just 200 points last term thanks to strong performances from both Aqua and Caeli. Can Terra hang on to their lead or will Aqua or Caeli make up the ground to be crowned 2024 House champions.
Term 5 Competitions
In addition to the House Summer games there will also be a host of house competitions running as normal. House teams this terms will take each other on in Bottle Rockets, Now Music Quiz, the rescheduled Wii Sports and a throwback to one of our lockdown competition favourites; Recreating a famous painting! All of which offering a further 2,000+ house points.
The Sporting Post
Table Tennis News
Please see this link to access this press release celebrating the success’ at International/National level of our students Lowri and Ella.
Please can all students be collected from the BACK of the school when being picked up from after school clubs and fixtures.
Sports Kit
Please can any borrowed sports kit be returned as soon as possible. We have trainers, hoodies, netball dresses and football kit (shirts, shorts and socks) that have not been returned. This means that students are unable to also borrow these items for fixtures and limits teams when wanting to wear a full, matching kit.
Term Dates
Please see the latest term dates for 2022-23.
A list of diary events can also be found on the CRA Website by clicking here