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Families will be aware that, as a country, we are approaching a period of uncertainty in education.

I mentioned a few weeks ago about the potential for strike action and impact on this Academy.

Members of the largest teaching union, the NEU, voted to strike and it has detailed seven dates for industrial action.

Four impact on this area:

• Next Wednesday, 1^st February, (members on strike across England and Wales)
• Tuesday, 28^th February (members on strike in the North, North West and Humber regions)
• Wednesday, 15^th and Thursday, 16^th March (members on strike across England and Wales)

At this point in time, teachers across this area are considering, individually, whether to join the action.

There are a number of teaching unions nationwide and, because of this, the industrial action only affects a percentage of teachers employed across the country.

What I’m unable to do today, out of respect to my staff, is absolutely guarantee anything because I do not know what decisions individual teachers have made.

But I am conscious I need to give families as much notice as possible to make their own arrangements at home in terms of child care and work.

I commit to informing our academy community by Monday morning – at the very latest – what we will be able to offer and put in place next Wednesday for all children and their families.

The decision to strike or not is not something for the Academy to be involved in. It is very much down to the individual teacher.

Uniform is another issue we have mentioned before.

Our policy  has not changed in a long time and we are grateful to the majority who stick to it.

However, we sent communication to parents / carers this week referring to jewellery, particularly the wearing of nose studs, which are not allowed.

There has been a level of discussion and challenge. Parents choose schools for their children based on the framework of rules and policies in place. Ours on uniform has not changed in a long time.

If a child comes into the Academy wearing a nose stud, they will be challenged.

It is important we stick to our uniform policy and, once again, thank you to those who do so consistently.

More than 145 Year 9 children and their families have committed to attending the Parents’ Consultation Evening tonight, which is terrific.

It is the start of an important few weeks for those young people, culminating in them choosing their GCSE options. Tonight (Wednesday) starts the discussion around the progress being made and the career paths that may be open.

If you are one of the Year 9 parents who have not yet committed to attend from 4pm onwards, there is still time to confirm. We look forward to seeing everybody there.

Finally, talking of careers, the BBC will be joining us tomorrow to highlight opportunities in the media, whether in front of the camera or behind it.

Workshops will be held for Years 7 to 10, with chances to ask questions.

The visit offers a touch of certainty in an uncertain world.

Dear Parent/Carer

On Thursday 9th March 2023 all Year 10 students will be visiting Elland Road, Leeds to take part in the UK University Search 2023. This exciting and informative event will provide our students with the opportunity to speak to a multitude of colleges, FE institutions, universities and apprenticeship providers. This event is designed to raise the aspirations, motivation and inspire students using hands-on demonstrations and activities.

As the visit will be taking place during the academy day, students will be expected to wear full academy uniform and will be accompanied by staff at all times. We will be leaving from the academy at 9:00am and returning at approximately 2:45pm.

Students will be required to bring a packed lunch and drink, however if your child is on free school meals, lunch will be provided.
There is no charge for the visit, but we do require your consent, please therefore complete the permission form to allow your child to attend by Friday 10th February 2023.
CONSENT FORM LINK

As with any academy visit or event, the academy reserves the right to remove students from the visit if they fail to, or are at risk of failing to adhere to academy expectations.
If you wish to discuss the visit, then please do not hesitate to contact me at the academy: [email protected].

Yours sincerely,

Sally Walker
Year 10 Achievement Team Leader

20th January 2023

Dear Parent / Carer

I would like to draw your attention to the following point from our uniform policy which is shared with parents regularly.

• No jewellery allowed except for a watch and a maximum of one small stud earring in each ear lobe, nor should there be any other piercings visible elsewhere. Exceptions will not be made for new piercings.

We are currently experiencing a high volume of students who arrive at the academy wearing a nose stud. The wearing of a nose stud is not permitted at the academy, which includes any new piercings and it being too soon to remove them. Clear or flesh coloured nose studs are not allowed as an alternative.

If a student is wearing a nose stud they will be asked to remove it and it will be confiscated until the end of the day. A refusal to follow this reasonable instruction will result in sanctions being issued.

Our policy makes it clear that:

The academy reserves the right to send a student home if they are not in the correct uniform.

With effect from Monday 23rd January, if a student is unable to remove their nose stud they will be sent home temporarily to have the nose stud removed by a parent/carer or in order to make arrangements for it to be removed by a professional body piercer. This short absence will be authorised but we would expect the student to return to the academy later that day where possible. Extended absences may be unauthorised.

By sending your child to the academy you are agreeing to adhere to our published policies and we hope you will support us to address this issue by not allowing your child to wear a nose piercing to school. and ensure your child adheres to the uniform policy. 

Yours sincerely

P Dalowsky

Phill Dalowsky

Headteacher

Dear parent/carer,

Re: pupil premium and free school meals

If your child is eligible for ‘free school meals’ and you register them for this, we’ll receive extra funding called ‘pupil premium’. We use this extra money to improve the educational provision and resources at the school.

What is pupil premium funding?

Pupil premium funding from the government is given to schools to help pupils reach their full potential, regardless of their background or financial situation. It’s provided for pupils who:

•       Are registered for free school meals
•       Have been registered for free school meals at any point in the past 6 years
•       Are, or have been, in care
•       Have parents in the armed forces

We get an extra £985 for every eligible pupil who is registered for free school meals. This extra money could make a real difference to the quality of education we offer.

For example, we’ve previously used pupil premium funding for:

•       Educational provision/resources
•       Academic interventions
•       Wellbeing and self-esteem building interventions

Is my child eligible for free school meals?

Your child might be eligible if you access:

•       Income Support
•       Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
•       Support under part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
•       The guaranteed element of Pension Credit
•       Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
•       Working Tax Credit run-on
•       Universal Credit, provided you have an annual net earned income not exceeding £7,400 (£616.67 per month)

Your child might also be eligible if you’re in a household with no recourse to public funds (NRPF), subject to a maximum income threshold. This is for children of:

• Zambrano and Chen carers (non-EEA nationals caring for a British citizen residing in the UK)
• British National (Overseas) passport holders
• Spousal visa, work visa, or student visa holders
• Those with no immigration status
• Families with a right to remain in the UK under Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights
• Families receiving support under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989 who are subject to a no recourse to public funds restriction
• Certain failed asylum seekers supported under Section 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

Does my child have to eat the free school meals

No. Pupils who are registered for free school meals don’t have to eat them. If you’re eligible but you want your child to have packed lunches you should still register because the school will receive the funding which can support your child in other ways.

 How do I register?

To register, please visit www.northlincs.gov.uk/schools-libraries-and-learning/school-food-and-free-school-meals

You can apply online or you can get get a paper copy sent to you by contacting [email protected] or by ringing 01724 297000

If you need any assistance with applying please contact us and we are happy to help.

More information

 For more information about pupil premium go to our website, which contains details of how the pupil premium has been spent in the past academic year and how it will be spent this year.

We do the best we can to support our parents / carers – and hope students benefit as a result.

With new parents to the Academy and people’s changing circumstances, we felt it worth revisiting free school meals and pupil premium funding.

We have done so in one, simple-to-understand letter, detailing who’s eligible for free school meals and how to apply.

Every child registered with the Academy for free school meals means we receive the pupil premium funding from the Government (£985 per child annually).

This welcome, additional finance has been used to improve resources and strengthen academic and wellbeing interventions.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, please don’t miss out.  The letter will follow.

 I hope it clears up the understandable confusion around free school meals. We are asked frequently about them.

I have always encouraged parents to contact the school and, through emails and the Arbor Parent Portal, communication between home and the Academy has never been easier.

Contact can be made at all times of the day and, indeed, with parents working during the day or on shifts, that is what happens. Teachers receive a lot of emails in the evening and late into the night, requesting help and support.

I would ask parents / carers to be patient and realistic please. Teachers have home lives too and competing demands for their time. They will respond. Thank you.

While on the contact front, Christmas / New Year is often a time when phones are changed or people move homes. Please ensure the Academy has your up-to-date contact details.

Eighty-plus young people attended the launch of our Combined Cadet Force last Wednesday, hosted by our 11 trained members of staff.

They delivered a brilliant night, including the first drill practice. Uniforms should be arriving within the next two weeks and we’re looking forward to seeing students kitted out.

It is an exciting time, and a host of opportunities will open up. Please keep an eye on our social media channels for further updates and developments.

Our Year 8 Parent Consultation Evening saw 74% attend. We want it to be in the 80s so there is work to do here, from a parent and school perspective.

A week today (25^th), it’s the turn of Year 9s with their Parent Consultation Evening.

They and their parents / carers should be arriving at the evening armed with a host of questions. They should be asking about progress since September and what lies ahead in terms of their GCSE options.

“Your Choices, Your Future” is our tag line and Year 9 have a busy three months ahead considering their next steps.

An options letter will be sent out in the middle of March, following by a booklet later that month. Options Evening will be Tuesday, 18^th April for parents / carers and students.

The deadline for choosing options is 26^th April. Students’ progress will shape their options, hence why attendance is important at next Wednesday’s consultation evening. It presents a wonderful opportunity to start conversations around options.

It is also a key day for Year 9s tomorrow, with humanutopia coming in.

Their “motivational, life changing courses” aim to improve mental health and wellbeing by empowering young people to make positive changes in their lives. The company’s worked with half-a-million young people and more than 550 schools.

We invest in the programme every year and I hope Year 9 enjoy the day and benefit.

It’s another example of our support to students and their families.

Dear Parent/Carer 

Year 9 Consultation Evening – Wednesday 25th January 2023 – 4.00pm-6:30pm

On Wednesday 25th January at 4pm you and your child are invited to our Year 9 Consultation Evening. This is an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress in their final year of Key Stage 3, a year where your child will make their GCSE options choices for Key Stage 4. It will also allow you to identify what needs to be done to maximise their potential for achieving success in the future. We would appreciate your support and attendance for the evening.  Please confirm your attendance using the attached link

Please sign in on arrival  and then proceed directly to the classrooms of the subjects studied by your child, to meet with your child’s teachers.  There is no individual subject appointment system so you are able to arrive at a time to suit you between 4.00pm to 6.00pm.  Prefects will be outside classrooms to facilitate your time with the teacher. The evening will finish at 6.30pm.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely 

J Stainton

Mr J Stainton  

Achievement Team Leader

[email protected]

D Ellerby

Mr D Ellerby 

Deputy Headteacher for Learning and Progress

It has been a really positive first week back, including on the attendance front.

Children need to be in school to improve outcomes and life chances and I have made attendance a really important point of note to families.

Encouragingly, we are slightly above the national average at this moment in time but that still leaves us with plenty of work to do.

I do understand there is a lot of illness around and some young people have been quite poorly.

We are working with North Lincolnshire Council on its attendance strategy, which aims to improve the figures across the local authority.

The St Lawrence Academy is not alone in lower figures then before the pandemic hit and we need parental support to increase numbers.

Another issue not far from people’s thoughts is the anxiety caused by the cost of living.

We promoted Feeding Scunthorpe on Facebook and I wish to highlight further. Based at The Hub on Avenue Vivian (DN15 8LG), free food, drink and a warm, safe environment is available every Monday between 3pm and 5.30pm.

If readers know anybody who will benefit, please let them know.

Our Facebook page has also appealed for former Academy students to get in touch.

We are hoping to hear from those who have studied here since our launch in 2008 as we build our Alumni network.

We want to inspire our current cohort by giving them an insight into the various career pathways former students have taken.

We want to demonstrate anything is possible and plan to share case studies.

We are also looking for former students to be part of a question and answer session in a Year 9 assembly during our Raising Aspiration Day on Thursday, 9th March.

There will be opportunities our young people have not thought about.

For those who can help or would like to know more, please contact the Academy’s Personal Development Lead Ryan Oates on [email protected]

Thank you to those families who turned out last night for the Year 8 consultation evening. It was great to see so many in the building and meet staff to discuss how their children are doing and how they can support further.

These events are so important to ensure progress and improve outcomes.

In just over a fortnight, Year 11 will begin their last two-week run of exams as we ramp up support ahead of their GCSEs.

I am grateful to them for their continuing attitude and endeavours. They are an outstanding group of people  and we hope their efforts are reflected in results later in the summer.

Another positive note to end on.

Welcome back and a happy New Year to The St Lawrence Academy community.

For those who celebrated Christmas, I hope the holidays have been much more than the giving of presents or money and families have had the time to enjoy each other’s company.

While the festive period is busy, it does provide an opportunity to slow down and remember and appreciate what and who are important in your life.

I hope everybody has been able to do that.

I fully appreciate it will have been a very difficult time for some families, more so than I can remember.

The increasing cost of living means some are really struggling. We are always trying, as an Academy, to support where we can. If anybody has ideas on how we may be able to help further, please get in touch. We will do what we can.

I don’t think the cold weather and dark nights at this time of the year help. I cling to the fact we have gone past the Winter Solstice (21^st December). Sunrises are getting earlier and daylight is longer.

The New Year has not brought a change in headlines. Strikes continue to impact on the public sector and you may be aware teaching staff are being balloted by their unions on possible action.

We have been asked the question what is the Academy’s perspective and does the teaching team support striking?

I spoke to staff yesterday during a training day. I stressed it is not about what I think. I am committed to supporting each member of staff on the decision they, as individuals, make.

The national ballot closes next week and announcements will be made by the unions in due course.

Nothing yet has been decided or agreed. Even if teachers decide to strike, the Academy might not be hugely affected. We shall see.

As the term gets underway, please bear with us as children get back into good learning habits. Some do so straightaway, others take a little more time.

What has not changed – basically for 14 years – is the uniform and our expectations around it. We have high standards and hope families support us in that.

We have been supplied with data from the local authority regarding attendance. Too many children are attending less than what is acceptable and too many people are requesting authorisation to take time away from the Academy.

Parents / carers need to ensure children have as much access to the education they are entitled to as possible.

Nationally, there is concern about how far children have progressed since Covid struck.

We need to ensure this Academy is on the right side on those statistics and parents’ / carers’ support with this would be much appreciated.

For some, a new year represents a fresh start.

For all of us, it is an opportunity to reinvigorate and be ready for the challenges that undoubtedly lie ahead. We face them together as a community.