All remaining GCSE certificates can be collected from the academy Mon – Thurs 9am – 4pm and Fri 9am – 2.30pm. It is very important that you collect your certificates. They can only be stored for a period of 12 months, after which time they are destroyed. You would then need to obtain your certificates from the relevant exam boards at a cost of £45 per certificate.
We had hoped to have seen the last of changes at late notice to the Academy environment because of COVID.
But, on Sunday, the new variant brought with it new Government guidelines, with face masks compulsory again in communal areas.
I would like to thank parents / carers for responding to the late notice, ensuring their children acted on the update.
They have just got on with it, and I am grateful to them too.
We all hope more stringent changes will not be necessary because face masks in the classroom earlier this year did make for a poor teaching and learning experience.
At the moment, we are able to teach as normal and have no plans, at this time, to curtail our busy calendar of events.
We are focused on getting through to the last day of term, which is Thursday, 16th December. Please note we will be finishing at 1.15pm.
Lunch will be available for students at break time on that day.
We are restoring the tradition of taking year groups to St Lawrence Church for a Christmas service.
The dates are:
Year 8 Thursday, 9th December 1.45 to 2.45pm
Year 10 Monday, 13th 1.45 to 2.45pm
Year 9 Tuesday, 14th 1.45 to 2.45pm
Year 7 Wednesday 15th 1.45 to 2.45pm.
Year 11 Thursday, 16th 12.15 to 1.15pm.
I will be sending out an end of term letter confirming these dates, making some points about uniform, and highlighting events next term. This should arrive with you next week.
Friday, 10th December, will be busy. It is our Christmas jumper day when we will be raising money for the Health Tree Foundation and their latest project at Scunthorpe General Hospital. For those who wish to wear one, contributions can be made via Parent Pay (to be confirmed and shared).
On the same day, it is our rewards trip to the cinema for Years 9, 10, and 11. All students meeting the standards expected of them will be invited and I expect it to be as successful as the recent one for Years 7 and 8.
Today (Wednesday), our Community Café will be up and running between 3.15 and 4.15pm. It is open to anybody. They will be served refreshments and entertained by the students.
And on Monday, the evening of ingredients will take place for Year 11. All have said they are coming with their parents / carer, which is fantastic. More than 300 will be present that night which is brilliant.
We had similar levels of engagement at the Year 8 Parents’ Evening a week ago.
At that event, I enjoyed the challenge that came from parents.
They have unwavering levels of aspiration for their children. They wanted to know how much progress their child was making and how they could support them to do even better.
The partnership between home and school is so important and those comments are music to the ears of the staff team and myself.
Please, do not hesitate to contact the school or your child’s teacher direct by email – they are listed here – and we will always respond to questions about progress.
It is what we are all about.
30th November 2021
Dear Parent/Carer
I am writing to inform you that your child has been selected to attend our ‘Maximising Potential‘ programme, which is a new initiative that we have introduced this year to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the disruption that all students have faced to their learning.
These sessions are one hour tutoring sessions in small groups, which will run once a week for 8 weeks initially. Tutoring is one of the most effective tools for helping students, and there will be a maximum of three students in each group to ensure that there is a positive impact on students’ academic progress.
Refreshments will be provided, and students will be entered for a prize draw to win Amazon Vouchers based on their attendance each week.
The first session will take place on Wednesday 8th December from 3:00pm – 4:00pm. Your child’s tutor will contact you shortly with further information about this fantastic opportunity.
We thank you in advance for all of your support in ensuring that your child will attend these sessions which we hope will have a very positive impact.
Yours sincerely,
Dan Ellerby
Deputy Hedteacher
29.11.21
Face masks
The DfE have confirmed that all students, staff and visitors should wear face coverings in communal areas unless they are exempt. Please ensure your child brings a face covering from Tuesday 30th November.
Let’s all work together as a community!
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE SCHOOLS CROSS-COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS
Dear Parent/Carer
Your child has been selected to represent The St Lawrence Academy at the North Lincolnshire Schools Cross-Country Championships. The event will take place on the morning of Wednesday 1th December 2021 at Central Park.
In light of the weather, could you please ensure that your child has the following items:
- Correct PE kit (black and teal top, black shorts, black socks, rugby shirt or St Lawrence hoodie)
- Trainers or spikes
- Dark coloured tracksuit bottoms and a waterproof jacket
- A drink
**Please note that it is usually very cold weather conditions at this event so students are encouraged to bring additional layers of clothing to keep warm.
Race times and meeting times are as follows: –
| Intermediate Boys | 10:00am (plus any Senior Boys) | Meet at Sports Hall at 8.30 am Return to academy 12.15 pm for Period 4 and lunch |
| Intermediate Girls | 10:30am (plus any Senior Girls) | |
| Minor Boys | 10:50am | |
| Minor Girls | 11:05am | Meet at Sports Hall at 8.30 am Return to academy for your lunch at 1.15pm OR for 1.45 pm Period 5 |
| Junior Girls | 11.25am | |
| Junior Boys | 11.45am |
Due to the large numbers, we are going to walk students to and from Central Park. Students do have the option of going home to shower and change after their event, but full consent is needed for this by parents/carers and students will be expected back in the academy wearing the correct uniform, with the necessary books by the time stated above. Anyone without consent will walk back to the academy with staff or be transported back on the academy minibus at the end of the event.
If you allow your child to participate, please complete the attached form. Please also state whether you give permission for your child to return home after their event. Consent Form Link
Please also state whether you give permission for your child to return home after their event.
Yours faithfully
Mrs Lindsay Shutes
Curriculum and Progress Leader of Physical Education
LSS/DAX
A tough week ended on a positive note on Friday when the Academy community fund-raised for Children in Need.
I mentioned in my special message on Thursday that we are stronger together, and so it proved again.
Within our diverse school community, we have our difficulties and hardships, and our students know how much some families are struggling.
It was heart-warming to hear we had raised £424.92, a great amount made up of voluntary contributions. I would like to thank everybody who donated.
It was also lovely to see a snippet from our Academy used in the BBC’s coverage. Well done to all involved.
An incredible 161 families out of 163 have said they will be attending tonight’s Year 8 Parents’ Evening.
If they all attend, it will be the biggest Parents’ Evening the Academy has ever held.
And 126 Year 11 families out of 143 have so far expressed an interest in attending the “evening of ingredients” on Monday, 6th December.
I am delighted to see this level of engagement by parents / carers in the Academy. Staff have worked really hard on communications, and this appears to be paying off.
Some parents have a chance to engage with their children in a different setting next Wednesday, 1st December.
Those runners who have done well in trials this week will represent the academy at the Scunthorpe cross country championships at Central Park.
Parents and grandparents are invited to attend another of those events that did not take place last year because of COVID.
The senior boys start at 10am, senior girls 10.30am, minor boys 10.50am, minor girls 11.05am, junior girls 11.25am and junior boys 11.45am. I wish our team well.
On the same day we host our Community Café, between 3.15pm and 4.15pm, at which our students will entertain members of the community and serve refreshments. It is an event looked forward to by our young people and those who come into the Academy.
Mental health and wellbeing of students and staff is really important and a top priority.
It is why Human Utopia, an organisation which empowers children to make positive change, will work with Year 9 next Tuesday and Year 10 on Wednesday.
The highly motivational programme fits in with our core values, helping them empathise with others and how they are feeling.
We are committed to providing a high quality education but also want to deliver those added elements that make our young people stronger, more resilient and helps them realise their dreams, hopes and aspirations.
We hope our students get a lot out of the course.
