March 2024
Dear Parents/Carers
Re: Ramadan 2024
As I am sure you are aware, the Islamic holy month of Ramadan is fast approaching and we have a number of staff and students here at the Academy observing the holy month.
Ramadan is a period of fasting and reflection for Muslims. With over 35% of our students and staff observing Ramdan this year, I felt it was important to reshare our academy’s message of Generosity, Respect, Justice, Forgiveness and Truth that I feel aligns with the spiritual focus of Ramadan.
As the passage from the Quran suggests this is a month for muslims to feel closer to God and at the Academy we appreciate that we have many students and staff that belong to and practise a faith ( over 65 % have said they belong to a faith group). This year, Ramadan again coincides with Easter so we have a real opportunity to celebrate our diversity as an Academy.
Ramadan 2024 is likely to start on Monday 11th March 2024.
At the Academy we celebrate and value our difference in faith and no faith! We have accommodated for our students by providing the following:
- Monday 11th March- students presented Ramadan information in staff briefing
- In our Central Atrium we have ‘ Ramadan’ display information for those who would like to learn more about Ramadan.
- Lunch times WF04, WF05, WF06 can be used as safe spaces for prayer- the reflection room will not be suitable due to the number of students wanting to pray.
- Toilets will be open during both lunch times for students to make wudu (ablutions)
- Reflections for the week beginning Ramadan are around Ramadan allowing students and teachers to reflect and have conversations around why muslims fast.
- Students that are FSM are still able to use their allowance to purchase food ( e.g cakes, cookies) and then put in their bags to eat for their iftar meal in the evening.
On behalf of all our staff and students in our TSLA ‘family’ Academy to yours, Ramadan Kareem (Blessed Ramadan)!
Warm regards
Mr Hire
Headteacher
Dear Parents/Carers,
As we continue our work around the expectations of our students and the behaviours we expect within the TSLA community, we are keen to share the progress so far and the next steps that we will be taking to work alongside you and your children based upon your feedback.
Our RESET provision is now fully operational, and we have seen a 63% reduction in lessons missed, in addition to an increase in engagement in lessons.
This shows the impact of high expectations and a commitment to make every minute of learning count. As we continue our drive on punctuality, attendance and learning behaviours, we will keep you updated on the next area of focus as we move through the spring term and into summer.
Some key things that we would like to remind you of in relation to our expectations:
- Trainers are not permitted
- Nose studs are not permitted
- False nails are not permitted
- Students wearing skirts must wear the Academy skirt and not black tube
- Electric scooters are prohibited on-site and students should not be using them to come to the academy
- Mobile phones not to be used within the academy
We value the importance of the parent partnership and welcome ongoing liaison with you around your child’s needs and your concerns. Please ensure that you continue to communicate with us so that we can ensure your child’s academic and development needs are supported.
We would also like to notify you that the student services desk will no longer be open during lesson times. If a child needs urgent medical assistance first aid will be called by the teacher or they can speak to a Student Progress Leader. A member of staff will call you if your child is assessed as needing to go home ill.
We thank you for your ongoing support with our behavioural initiatives, and look forward to updating you further with their future successes.
Kind regards
Mrs G Pattinson
Deputy Headteacher
Year 10 Raising Aspirations Day
Tuesday 5th March
Grimsby Institute & University Centre
On Tuesday 5th March The St Lawrence Academy will be providing all students with their second RAD (Raising Aspirations Day) of the year. These days provide our young people with the opportunity to engage with post-16 providers and employers whilst also developing essential employability skills for life. Year 10 will be attending Grimsby Institute and University Centre on Tuesday 5th March, this is a fantastic opportunity for students to broaden their horizons and consider a range of potential careers.
Some of the sessions that our students can choose from are:
- Automotive (Motor Vehicle)
- Apprenticeships
- Construction
- Animal Care
- Games Design
- Hair & Beauty
- Travel & Tourism
- Childcare
- Fabrication & Welding
- Plumbing
Alongside many more.
Students will need to arrive at the academy by 8:25am in full academy uniform as usual. Students will depart from the academy at 8:30am – 8:40am by coach, and they will return at approximately 2:45pm to be dismissed from the academy. Students will not be required to bring their own packed lunch for the event as lunch will be provided on the day, but they may bring their own if they prefer:
Please complete the attached Consent Form for your child to attend.
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Mr Stainton via email on [email protected].
Kind regards
Mr James Stainton
Associate Assistant Headteacher – Personal Development
Year 10 Achievement Team Leader &
Teacher of Physical Education
RAD – John Leggott College 2024
Dear Parent or Carer,
On Tuesday 5th March 2024, the academy will be holding its second RAD day of the academic year. On this day Year 8 students and their tutors will be visiting John Leggott College on West Common Lane to gain a taste of college life for the future.
Students are to come to school at the normal time in their full academy uniform.
There will be an activity period 1 and the year group will walk under supervision to the college setting off at 10:00 am. We will arrive at college by 10:40 am. Students will experience 3 one hour taster sessions of their own choosing from a selection the college offers.
Students will need to make their own arrangements for lunch which will be eaten onsite. Students can either bring a packed lunch or purchase lunch from the college cafeteria. Students who are entitled to a free school meal will receive a packed lunch if they choose to take one.
The day will end at 2:40 pm and students will be dismissed directly from the college. If you would like your child to be accompanied back to the academy then please email me directly on [email protected] by Friday 1st March to indicate this.
We expect all our students to conduct themselves in a respectful, safe manner. The academy reserves the right to remove any student from the visit prior to or during the visit if we feel academy expectations are not being met.
Yours sincerely
Mr A Murray
Year 8 Achievement Team Leader
Dear Parent/Carer
Year 11 Final Push Consultation Evening – Thursday 7th March 2024 at 4pm
Academy Exam Results will be given out at 4pm
On Thursday 7th March 2024 you are invited, along with your child, to our Year 11 Final Push Consultation Evening. All subject teachers will be available to meet with you between 4pm and 6.30pm. You will be able to find out exactly how your child is progressing with regards to their current levels of attainment and what they will need to do in order to maximise their potential for achieving success in their forthcoming GCSE examinations. We have much work to do together in the final few months which will impact directly on your child’s future success. This launch evening is designed to give students and parents all the information and guidance needed at this crucial time as we prepare for ‘the final push’. In order for this programme to be successful, we would appreciate your support and attendance for the evening, which gives you the opportunity to ask as many questions as you may have in order to piece the jigsaw together.
The examinations that the students have recently just completed will have been marked and their results will be contained in envelopes ready to collect on the night. These will be issued in the Westaby Hall, at 4pm.
On arrival you will need to sign in at reception and you should then proceed directly to the Westaby Hall. There is no individual subject appointment system, however prefects will be outside classrooms to organise a reservation list and help to ensure focussed timings of appointments, so that the evening will finish at approximately 6.30pm. Please confirm attendance by completing the attached form.
If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Yours sincerely
Dan Ellerby
Deputy Headteacher Quality of Education
Sally Walker
Achievement Team Leader Year 11
Dear Parents/Carers,
We are seeing an increasing number of students attempting to truant lessons. This is unacceptable and we are concerned that children are not only missing out on their learning, but also causing disruption to the learning of others and taking up valuable time of staff having to deal with internal truancy throughout the day, rather than supporting students with their learning and other pastoral support.
The vast majority of students at The St Lawrence Academy attend all of their lessons and we appreciate these students and their hard work. For a small minority however, we require a firm and consistent process to ensure that in the future they make better decisions about attendance to their lessons.
If a student either leaves their lesson for an unauthorised reason or makes the decision to not attend their timetabled lesson, staff will follow the below process:
- The student will be taken directly to our new RESET room, where they will spend the next two timetabled lessons and a break. During this time students will receive support in accessing the learning they are missing and also support in unpicking the issues around the refusal to attend lessons.
- If the student refuses you will be contacted and asked to speak to your child on the telephone to instruct them to enter RESET, supporting them to make the right choice.
- If the student continues to refuse then, unfortunately, they will be suspended for the remainder of that school day and the following school day as persistent truancy and defiance are breaches of our behaviour policy.
This is a serious consequence and results in students missing learning time and the suspension being recorded on their permanent record. As you will agree, being in lessons is vital for your child to succeed but we also need to ensure that students that are getting it right are not having their learning disrupted.
A big thank you to all of our students that get it right on a daily basis and are making excellent progress across their studies.
Have a restful half term and we look forward to welcoming students back on Monday 19th February ready to line up at 8.25am.
Yours sincerely
Mrs Pattinson
Mrs G Pattinson
Deputy Headteacher – Behaviour & Safeguarding
Dear Parents/Carers,
RE: Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist School
We would like to share with you the results of an inspection that took place on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th January 2024 – a Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS). In a similar way to Ofsted, all Church of England schools are visited regularly to explore ways in which each school’s theologically rooted Christian vision drives its work and enables the school to live up to its foundation as a Church school.
As part of the Inspection process, the Inspector met with key stakeholders including students, staff, parents and governors; observed lessons, assemblies and collective worship and spent time with staff and students during breaks and lunch.
I’m delighted to attach a copy of the report we received this week. The report clearly demonstrates the wonderful culture and ethos that we have established at the Academy and we are incredibly proud of our staff and students for achieving such glowing feedback. The highlight for me in the report is the acknowledgement of our diversity within the Academy. The report states that “Diversity is truly embraced and celebrated. This makes the school an extremely harmonious place where students and adults live well together.”
The report is also available to view/download on our website.
May I take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support of The St Lawrence Academy.
Yours sincerely
Mr M Hire
Headteacher
RAD – John Leggott College Visit
Dear Parent or Carer.
On Tuesday 5th March 2024, the Academy will be holding its second RAD day of the academic year. On this day Year 8 students and their tutors will be visiting John Leggott College on West Common Lane to gain a taste of college life for the future.
Students are to come to school at the normal time in their full academy uniform unless otherwise directed to do so.
There will be an activity period 1 and the year group will walk under supervision to the college setting off at 10:00 am. We will arrive at college by 10:40 am. Students will experience 3 one hour taster sessions of their own choosing from a selection the college offers.
Students will need to make their own arrangements for lunch which will be eaten onsite. Students can either bring a packed lunch or purchase lunch from the college cafeteria. Students who are entitled to a free school meal will receive a packed lunch if they choose to take one.
The day will end at 2:40 pm and students will be dismissed directly from the college. If you would like your child to be accompanied back to the academy then please email me directly by Friday 1st March to indicate this.
We expect all our students to conduct themselves in a respectful, safe manner. The academy reserves the right to remove any student from the visit prior to or during the visit if we feel academy expectations are not being met.
Yours sincerely
Mr A Murray
Year 8 Achievement Team Leader
