LPA Newsletter Friday 28th February 2025

Welcome

Dear families

Welcome

We hope you had a restful break and are ready for an exciting and busy term ahead at Lodge Park Academy. This week marks the beginning of an important period for our Year 11 students as they start their final mock examinations before the summer exams in May. These mocks are crucial in helping them prepare for their final assessments, and we wish them all the best of luck.

In addition, our Year 9 students have been engaging in daily assemblies this week, where they have been listening to subject presentations in preparation for the all-important options process. This marks the start of their GCSE journey, and we are excited to guide them through this important step in their education.

Our morning House assemblies have also focused on the beginning of the Islamic festival of Ramadan, as we recognize and celebrate the significance of this important occasion within our community.

Lastly, we are thrilled to have enabled more than 40 of our Year 8 students to participate in "Take Your Child To Work Day," giving them valuable insight into the world of work and helping them explore future career options.

Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to another successful term ahead!

The Senior Leadership Team

Why We Do What We Do

‘The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.’

Each week, our students at LPA, complete maths questions for their homework on Sparx. Some students answer additional questions, further increasing their mathematical 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.

Table Talk

We have recently devoted a considerable amount of time focusing on the topic of mental health. Below is some interesting information on how to build resilience in our young people. If you are able to we would appreciate it if you can discuss this topic at home.

Resilience is one of the key LPA values, but knowing how to build this in our teenagers can often be tricky. Helping teenagers build resilience is essential for their mental and emotional well-being as they navigate challenges and setbacks in life. Here are some strategies to support them in developing resilience:

1. Initiate Open Conversations

Create an open, non-judgmental space where your teen feels safe discussing their thoughts and feelings. Let them know it’s okay to talk about struggles or frustrations without fear of criticism. Regularly check in with them—not just when things are going wrong. Ask about their day, how they’re feeling, and if there’s anything they need support with. Instead of offering solutions right away, ask guiding questions like, “What do you think might help?” or “How do you want to handle this situation?” This invites them to think critically and empowers them to be part of the solution process.

2. Be a Resilient Role Model

Actively demonstrate resilience in your own life. Share your own experiences of overcoming challenges (in an age-appropriate way) to show them that it’s okay to struggle, as long as you keep trying. Talk about how you deal with setbacks, emphasizing the strategies you use to cope, learn, and grow. This can normalise difficult emotions and show that resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship, but about managing it effectively.

3. Validate Their Feelings

When your teen shares frustrations, acknowledge their emotions without immediately minimizing or offering solutions. You might say, “I can see this is really frustrating for you. It’s tough to feel like you’re not making progress.” This helps them feel heard and understood. Avoid saying things like, “It’s not a big deal” or “You’ll get over it.” Instead, offer empathy and then guide them toward thinking through solutions.

4. Encourage Growth Through Challenges

Help your teen reframe challenges as opportunities for growth. Use real-life examples or stories from your own life, or even from books, shows, or historical figures, to highlight how difficult moments can lead to personal development. If they’re facing a setback, you could say something like, “I know this is disappointing, but sometimes the biggest growth happens when we face hard situations. What do you think you could learn from this?”

5. Foster Problem-Solving Skills

Involve your teen in problem-solving discussions. When a challenge arises, instead of taking control, guide them through the process of coming up with solutions. For instance, ask, “What’s a step you could take to change this situation?” or “What’s a different approach we could try?” When they come up with an idea, offer gentle support rather than just taking over. For example, you could say, “I think that’s a good start. How will you know if it’s working?” This encourages them to take ownership of their decisions and actions.

6. Promote Healthy Emotional Expression

Encourage your teen to express their emotions, but help them find healthy outlets like talking, journaling, physical activity, or creative pursuits. If they feel like bottling up emotions, gently suggest they try different methods for expressing themselves. Set an example by openly discussing your own feelings in healthy ways, which can create a culture of emotional openness at home.

7. Set Realistic Expectations and Offer Support

Help your teen set achievable goals based on their interests and passions. Work together to break down larger goals into smaller, manageable steps. Celebrate progress, no matter how small, to reinforce their sense of achievement. Offer to help with time management, whether through planning together or providing tools, so they don’t feel overwhelmed by expectations.

8. Teach Stress Management and Coping Strategies

Share stress-reduction techniques you use, such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness, or physical activities like yoga or walking. You can make it a family activity, like having a daily mindfulness moment together or exercising together. Help your teen find their own stress-relief methods that feel right for them and encourage consistency in using those tools.

9. Create Space for Reflection and Growth

Encourage your teen to reflect on their challenges and how they coped with them. You might ask, “Looking back, what did you learn from that situation?” or “How did you manage to keep going despite everything?” This reflection helps them internalize resilience and strengthens their ability to handle future challenges. Celebrate resilience as a process, not just as an outcome. Acknowledge that learning and growing through struggles is just as important as achieving success.

10. Be Patient and Persistent

Building resilience is a long-term process, so be patient with your teen’s progress. Don’t expect them to “bounce back” quickly after every setback and recognize that building resilience is about continuous practice. Check in regularly to reinforce the conversation and offer continued support, but also give them space to apply what they've learned in real-life situations. By engaging in these conversations in a thoughtful, supportive way, you help your teen not only understand resilience but also practice it in their own lives. Your active involvement and consistent encouragement can have a lasting, positive impact on their emotional and mental strength.

Reporting your child’s absence

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