SLT Update
It was wonderful to see the students enjoying 'I'm a Teacher Get Me Out of Here' on Wednesday. Lots of students and staff certainly displayed their CRA courage by holding a wide variety of animals including a tarantula! We have also celebrated this week 7A/MA1 who are consistently in the top 10 classes across the whole of the David Ross Education Trust for their SPARX Maths completion rate. I have set them the challenge of being number one by Christmas! As the weather turns colder, we’d like to remind parents that a surprising number of students are coming to school without coats. Please encourage your child to dress appropriately for the season so they can stay warm and comfortable throughout the day. Thank you for your continued support, and enjoy the rest of this newsletter. Have a lovely weekend.
Miss Milligan, Principal
Exclusive Invite to see The Nutcracker
A Special Performance for your schools' families this Christmas. When: 20th December 2025 | 10:00 start, Performance begins at 12:30 Where: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, WC2E 9DD We’re delighted to invite your families to a special Paul Hamlyn Christmas Treat performance of The Nutcracker on Saturday 20 December. This exclusive event is for the families of your pupils who’ve taken part in the Royal Ballet & Opera Schools Programme this year — a wonderful way to celebrate the festive season together! From 10am, they can join us for fun family activities and mini performances around the beautiful front-of-house spaces of the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, before the main performance begins at 12.30pm. The atmosphere promises to be magical, festive and full of Christmas cheer. Tickets are subsidised and range from £5–£30. Please note, this performance isn’t open to the general public. Book your place here If you already have an online account with the Royal Ballet & Opera, please sign out before clicking the link. You’ll be asked to sign in or register when checking out. If you have any accessibility requirements, need a wheelchair space and companion seat, or experience any issues booking online, please email the Box Office at: boxoffice@roh.org.uk.
Communication with School
I would like to remind all parents of the expectations when communicating with staff either face to face, over the phone or via email. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the overwhelming number of parents who do communicate with our staff in a friendly and respectful manner. However, unfortunately we have had a small number of individuals who have failed to communicate respectfully. We understand that this can often be due to frustration and wanting the best for your child, however our staff have a right to feel safe and respected.
We do have an expectation that any communication sent into the school will be responded to within 48 hours. It is not always possible for a member of staff to respond sooner than that due working patterns or other commitments they have during the day. If you do not hear back within the 48 hour framework please do contact us again.
Thank you for your understanding in this matter.
SEN Department
Below is details of two upcoming Dyslexia Outreach workshops for parents and carers. The workshops are on-line and free to attend. A diagnosis of dyslexia is not needed to attend these. The Working with Schools to Support Your Child’s Learning in the spring term is open to parents and carers of children in primary, secondary or further education. The Transition Workshop in the summer term is aimed at parents and carers of pupils in Year 6, or Year 5.
Above and Beyond
Every week a certificate is issued for a deserving student who demonstrates CRA values. Please see below this weeks students and the reason they have been awarded.
Caeli - Joey C for Ambition Joey has really stepped up in Year 11 and is taking his work much more seriously. Many of his teachers have mentioned how he has become much more settled this year and has a refreshed attitude to working. He has ambitious plans for Year 12 and is doing everything he can to achieve them. Impressive stuff, Joey! Terra - Libbi C for Respect Consistently doing the right thing, volunteering around the academy and participating in house competitions. Aqua - Thomas C for Aspiration We are proud of Thomas’s attitude to learning, aspiring to work towards his success in GCSEs, approaching all aspects with a can do mindset.
Sparx Reader
It has been wonderful to see students embracing Sparx Reader across all year groups. Since September, students have read 590 books and completed 922 hours of reading which are incredible numbers! We have had 1 student hit 15,000 SRP and there are several students who are rapidly approaching 10,000 and 5,000 SRP. I'm really looking forward to being able to celebrate those students at the end of this term in our celebration assembly. Reading is such an important skill for all our students. All subjects require students to be able to read confidently and fluently, but also to be able to understand what they read. Sparx Reader helps students to work on these comprehension skills which is not something we often have time to do in lessons. Therefore, the practise that Sparx Reader gives students will help them to improve across all their subjects, not just in English. A reminder that students must achieve 300SRP points each week. This is equal to around 30 minutes of careful reading. Students receive more points for reading slowly and getting questions right first time rather than rushing and needing multiple tries for each section. The reading is split into sections for the students and we would recommend breaking the task into chunks across multiple days of the week rather than trying to get it all done in one go. If your child is struggling with Sparx, please ask them to speak to their English teacher for support. We are here to help!
Sparx Stars
Each week, our students at CRA, complete maths and reading for their homework on Sparx. Some students answer additional questions, further increasing their knowledge. We do this as there are online resources to help and guide students if they are struggling with a question. You might like to ask them to show you what they typically do on a weekly basis.
Our Sparx stars this week are
READER
Table Talk
Myths about self-harm When people don’t understand self-harm, they might do or say hurtful things about it. This is called stigma. In the table below, we will explain the truth about some myths that can lead to stigma.
How do I tell someone I have self-harmed? Try to tell someone you trust as soon as you feel ready. This could be someone like a parent, carer, guardian, friend or partner. Or professionals like a teacher, doctor, social worker or counsellor. Before you talk to someone, you could: -Write down how you feel - Practise what you want to say - Make a list of supportive people who you can talk to - Think about how you want to tell them. You could talk face-face, write a letter, talk by phone or text, or talk while doing something together, Telling someone isn’t easy – we might feel scared, stressed or anxious. Buts it’s something to be proud of. “Eventually, I told my parents, who supported me and helped me seek counselling”
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 1 December 2025 - 11
Accelerated Reading
Week beginning 1 December 2025 - Period 2
Moments Matter, Attendance Counts
Regular school attendance can facilitate positive peer relationships, which is a protective factor for mental health and wellbeing.
As we return to school and move into winter, there is inevitably an increase in illnesses. It can be tricky deciding whether to keep your child off school when they are unwell. There are government guidelines to support you in this decision.
Attendance.
From Monday 3rd November you will be able to see your child's attendance to school on the My Child At School App. We will also be launching a series of new competitions based around attendance to celebrate the resilience, ambition and aspiration many of our students demonstrate by being in every day.
Prizes will include:
- X Box controllers
- Skin care products
- Food items
- Non uniform days
This will be alongside our In it To Win Competition that pupils gain entry to every week that they are in for 100% of the days
You should not go to school with a fever or other high temperature, but you can attend if you have mild symptoms like a runny nose or slight cough, if you feel well enough to go. Although there are no longer specific rules for COVID-19 in schools, you should stay home if you are unwell.
When to stay home
- • High temperature: If you have a fever or a high temperature, you should stay at home.
- • Feeling unwell: If you are generally feeling unwell, it is best to stay home.
When you can go to school
- • Mild symptoms: You can go to school if you only have mild symptoms, such as a runny nose, sore throat, or a slight cough, and you feel well enough to attend.
Why this advice has changed
- • There is a low risk of COVID-19 to children and young people.
- • There are high vaccination rates in the population, which helps to reduce the risk.
At Charles Read Academy we follow the guidance from the NHS and Public Health England on whether your child should be in school.
This covers all the usual childhood illnesses. For more information click on the links below:
https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/is-my-child-too-ill-for-school/
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/people-with-symptoms-of-a-respiratory-infection-including-covid-19
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.
Aqua ‘I’m a Teacher Get Me Out of Here’ Champions! It was an exciting week at CRA this week as staff and students participated in the eagerly anticipated I’m a Teacher Get Me Out of Here house competition. The competition began with staff indulging in CRA’s Jungle Diner Christmas menu, serving up three bush tucker style courses including Brussel Snouts, Choclick Pudding and Wince Pies, all inspired from classic Christmas foods! Students also had the opportunity to experience the delights of the Jungle Diner with their very own dish, Critter Crackers! All dishes were served with a selection of edible critters – yummy! Next up was the Slime Challenge involving a staff head-to-head race. Staff had to plunge their head into a bucket of slime to remove table tennis balls with their mouth, before transferring 250ml from the bucket into a cylinder. The fastest house were awarded 3 stars. The final competition of the day was the one everyone had been waiting for, Animal Encounters! This event was open to staff and students who, in front of an audience, had to display our CRA Values to handle an array of animals. In many cases for both students and staff this was an opportunity for them to face and overcome one of their fears. Animals included Coral the Sinaloan Milk Snake, Charlotte the Chilean Rose Tarantula, Wiggly Woo the Giant African Train Millipede, Salt the Giant African Land Snail, Rainbow the Panther Chameleon and Sooty and Sweep the Fancy Rats. Each and everyone showcased tremendous courage and confidence to complete the challenge and earn stars for their houses. The winning house was determined by the total amount of stars accumulated across the competition, which were on offer in every challenge. Following some closely contested head to heads it was Aqua house who won the most stars across the competition and were crowned this years I’m a Teacher Get Me Out of Here champions! Caeli finished in second place, followed by Terra in third!
CRA Rowvember – Race Across the Channel RESULTS Double Delight for Aqua who were the first house to cross the English Channel in the Rowvember ‘Race across the Channel’ challenge. This was a fantastic house effort from all three house teams, who each at one in competition took the lead. Despite the close start it was Aqua who sailed into the lead to earn the first set out Rowvember house points on offer. The big results total from across the whole month will be revealed next week. Results are being finalised and will be revealed in assembly on Monday.
CRA House Christmas Party We are extremely excited to share details for the 2025 House Christmas Party, which will be taking place on Tuesday 16th December. This is a ticketed event with a £5 entry (£2 FSM) that includes a full Christmas Lunch and pudding, plus entry into our Christmas Prize Draws, Bingo tickets and an array of our very own Christmas party games Please note that any students who raised £20 or more through the Santa Run will receive a free ticket to the Christmas Party. Please also note that if your child is not attending the party or does not wish to have Christmas lunch there will be a selection of sandwiches available. The canteen will be closed at BREAK TIME therefore we advise students to bring their own snack/drink in on this day. Tickets will be available to purchase from either the school office OR Head Boy/Head Girl during break and lunch times STARTING Tuesday 25th November. Deadline to pay is Friday 5th December
Tutor Group Christmas Trees Its that time of the year again… Over the next two to three weeks each tutor group will receive their very own Christmas Tree. Each year we run this competition giving each tutor group the opportunity to get in the Christmas spirit between now and the house Christmas party on Tuesday 16th December. Tutor Groups are tasked to work together to be as creative as possible and decorate their own trees, which will be presented at the party. House points will be awarded for the top 3 trees, plus bonus points for creativity! We have had some really thoughtful and creative ideas over the years, and I look forward to seeing them again this year. If you have any wonderful theme ideas be sure to share them with your tutor!
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" • Taljat - "Covent Garden is a historic district in central London, known for its rich cultural heritage, markets, landmarks, shopping, dining, and entertainment." • A Stockphoto - "Wood block symbol telephone, address,mail and mobile phone.The concept of communication through technology advancement." • PX Media - "Help, support, advice, guidance signpost." • bbbar - "Acronym of AAB for Above and Beyond" • amnaj - "Image of a happy Asian girl wearing headphones holding a textbook online learning using a laptop in the classroom." • Gerisima - "Christmas star decoration of golden confetti stars against white" • spass - "Happy family enjoying dinner at home.,Mother, father, daughter, son" • Naypong Studio - "Sports Equipment on white background" • Lsantilli - "ping pong" • tatomm - "close up of calendar on the yellow table background, planning for business meeting or travel planning concept"