Front Page News

June 2023

 

Dear Parent/Carer.

 

Year 10 students will be visiting North Lindsey College on Tuesday 27th June to experience a variety of subjects, which they have already individually selected. 

 

Students need to be in the academy promptly at 8.30am to be registered. They are to meet in their normal tutor rooms where they will be registered and briefed for the day. Transport to the college will be provided for both days.

 

Taster Days will finish at approximately 2.30pm upon which students will be dismissed directly from the College to make their own way home. 

 

Students are to be dressed in appropriate casual clothing and do not need to wear the academy uniform unless their chosen subject demands it. All students are to remain on campus throughout the day and must bring their subject allocation letter with them. Students need to bring equipment to certain sessions and should they not bring the correct equipment they may have to be reallocated to another subject when they arrive at the College.

 

North Lindsey College Day students are asked to bring their own packed lunch or they can bring some money to purchase from the canteen, the lunch period is 45 minutes and this will help to eliminate queues in the College diner. Students who are eligible for a Free School Meal will be provided with a packed lunch from the academy diner to take with them if requested. Please complete the form for Free School Meals here. 

 

If there are any concerns or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

 

Yours sincerely

 

Miss S Walker

Year 10 Achievement Team Leader 

 

Sport has always played a big part in the life of our Academy – and it has dominated the calendar over the last few days.

It is National School Sports Week, organised by the Youth Sport Trust, and something we have been proud to participate in since 2004, when we were part of the Specialist Sports College Network.

While the network is no more, we formed some big partnerships with national organisations which remain today and we have stayed true to sport.

Quibell Park hosted our annual sports day on Monday. We had a great day, aided by the weather which was not too hot or cold.

Excellent attendance and levels of participation showed how comfortable the students were performing in front of such large numbers of people.

I understand that, sometimes, young people are a little reticent on such a big stage but ours went that extra mile.

They demonstrated terrific camaraderie, encouraged their peers to do their best and generated a positive atmosphere.

It was a well-structured and competitive event and I would like to congratulate winners Ruby House who triumphed in three of the four year group competitions in Years 7, 8 and 9. Emerald pipped them in Year 10 but that left Ruby overall winners.

The day kick-started a great week of sport, with a variety of activities on offer.

They have included boxing taster sessions, a Year 9 silent disco, Scunthorpe Alphas American football team players coaching Year 9 boys, trips to a gymnastics club and the Pods and a primary schools leadership festival on Friday, in which our students will help coach younger pupils.

Finally, also on Friday, former Scunthorpe United manager and player Neil Cox, also an ex student, is coming in for a question and answer session.

It has all added up to a great week and I’d like to say a big thank you to Lindsay Shutes and her PE team for organising it.

To see more pictures and details, please go to @tsla_pe_sport)

We are looking forward to the Year 11 leavers event on Friday as they look ahead to the next step in their young lives.

Unfortunately, the unexpected prospect of further strike action by the NEU has returned. Members will take action on Wednesday, 5^th July, and Friday, 7^th.

We are looking at how that will impact on the academy and we have not made any formal decisions yet. We will be notifying parents in the coming days what it may mean to their child.

Today, there is a great event at the Baths Hall promoting careers for women in engineering. All our Year 8 girls will be attending.

They will have a chance to consider potential career choices ahead of selecting their GCSE options next year.

Finally, I end on a sombre note. Our thoughts are with the family of a former student who lost their life over the weekend. While they attended in the early 2000s, several people have mentioned the tragedy. It is always a reflective moment when we lose someone connected with our community and we send our condolences.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some of us are basking in fantastic temperatures – but I am conscious not everybody likes the sun and looks forward to the summer.

A few people have told me in recent weeks they prefer winter and will not have enjoyed the rising temperatures.

We responded quickly to ensure children were as comfortable as possible, with communication going out to parents / carers on Monday.

We will communicate on a week-by-week basis about what uniform should look like for the following week. It will fluctuate, depending on the temperatures.

This week, parents / carers should be aware children do not have to bring blazers to the academy, let alone wear them.

If some want to, that is fine – but they do not have to.

Apart from blazers, children should be wearing the rest of their uniform, including ties and with shirts tucked in. This is a standard that is expected and required.

If members of staff dress for the summer, there is an expectation students should too.

The building is hot because of the glass roofs, and it is about creating the best environment to learn.

We will try to stay ahead of the game.

What children must ensure they do is drink more water. They should be drinking regularly throughout the day – there are opportunities to fill up water bottles between lessons or at lunchtime – to keep themselves hydrated and feeling better.

We have had some positive discussion with Humberside Police on a range of matters, with it offering community support.

A strong message from them and us is that people need to be careful at weekends and evenings where they are going.

Lakes and rivers should not be swam in. We have already had this summer awful headlines – not far away in East Yorkshire – resulting from people getting into difficulties on open water.

I do not want to read about such events full stop but I certainly don’t want any headlines involving any of our children in an accident.

We need to be educating children in school and at home about the dangers posed by rivers and lakes.

Sports day, one of the big events in the school calendar, takes place on Monday at Quibell Park. All the information has been shared with our young people and they have made their selections.

On Monday morning, it is the turn of Years 8 and 10. Students are being registered at Quibell Park at 8.30am.

They will finish at 12.15pm, returning to the Academy with staff and have lunch. Tutor time will be between 1.15pm and 1.45pm and normal lessons in periods 5 and 6.

Years 7 and 9 participate in the afternoon. Lunch will be between 11.45am and 12.10pm, when they will leave the Academy with staff and walk to Quibell Park.

They will be registered there at 12.40pm and finish at 3.45pm, when they will be free to leave the stadium.

Hopefully, those temperatures are kind to staff and students.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 2023

 

Dear Parent/Carer

 

We are delighted that your child has been offered a place at the academy and they are invited to our transition days. which are now on Thursday 6th July and Friday 7th July at 1:30pm – 3pm for the PE activity.  Your child will need to arrive at the front reception of the academy at 8.20am for a prompt start at 8.30am and will be dismissed from there at 2.45pm. They should attend in their full primary school uniform, but bring a pair of trainers on each day in case of practical sessions. 

 

We invite you and your child (1 adult and 1 child) to return to the academy for the Induction Evening on Thursday 6th July at 5pm. This will enable us to share with you our expectations and aspirations for the future within the academy, and for you to meet with key academy staff, including your child’s tutors. Your Tutors are:                                   

 

7W   Mrs Hill

7I      Mrs Yanes

7S     Mrs Shutes

7D     Mr Massey

7O     Miss Lovell

7M    Mrs Chelotti

 

As you know all students are expected to wear uniform at the academy when they start in September, the Uniform Policy is attached, and the main items can be purchased at Shah’s on Frodingham Road or online https://www.shahsuniform.co.uk/.  There are a limited number of  items to purchase from the academy which can be purchased via ParentPay. We would also like to take your child’s photograph for academy use and throughout their time at the academy.  Please complete your consent on the data collection information form. 

 

The academy operates a cashless catering system in the diner for which the biometric system uses a registered fingerprint to purchase food in the diner.  Access will be issued in September and a consent form will need to be completed before we can do this. Lunch will be available from the diner for the first day. You can add money to your ParentPay account online; details of your new log on will be emailed to parents this Friday 19th May .  All payments for trips, visits and resources are also cashless and paid online with your ParentPay account. 

 

Regular Progress Reports are issued for all students at the academy and once a year a Profile Report. As an academy we are a Green Flag School and with this in mind, we will be sending student reports, as well as other letters of correspondence via Arbor APP, email or text. I would be grateful if you would ensure you complete your email address on the data collection information form, together with mobile contact numbers for text messages. Please keep us informed immediately of any changes to your personal information or update them via the Arbor APP.  Log on details for Parentpay will be issued during transition days and the Arbor App log on will be emailed to you in due course. 

 

Further information and subsequent updates regarding all of the information in this letter can be found on our website www.tsla.co.uk, on our Facebook page ‘The St Lawrence Academy’ or our Twitter Page @TSLA_PE_DEPT. 

 

We look forward to seeing you soon and helping to give you and your child all the help and guidance that you need in ensuring a smooth transition to the academy. 

 

If you have any questions, or would like to speak to us personally about the transition arrangements then please do not hesitate to contact the transition team.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Phill Dalowsky Matt Cretney

Headteacher Achievement Team Leader for Year 7

 

Key Dates / Links

 

Induction / Transition Days for all students

Thursday 6th July 2023

Friday 7th July 2023 1:30pm – 3pm for the PE activity

 

Parents and Students Induction Evening

Thursday 6th July 2023 – 5.00pm

 

Year 7 Uniform

 

There are some limited items of uniform available from the academy purchased via Parentpay

 or from 

 

Shah’s Uniform 

https://www.shahsuniform.co.uk/

 

Address: 109-111 West St, Scunthorpe DN15 6EQ

Hours: 

Monday  9:30am – 5pm

Tuesday 9:30am – 5pm 

Wednesday 9:30am – 5pm 

Thursday 9:30am – 5pm 

Friday 9:30am – 5pm 

Saturday 9:30am – 5pm 

Sunday Closed

 

ParentPay:https://www.parentpay.com/

 

                                           Uniform Policy: Uniform Policy   

               

June 2023

SPORTS DAY 2023

Dear Parent /Carer,
As part of our commitment to provide access to sporting opportunities, The St Lawrence Academy will be holding Sports Day on Monday 19th June. This year, it will take place at Quibell Park Stadium, weather permitting.

The day will run as follows:
Years 8 and 10 …
Students will need to arrive at Quibell Park to register at 8:30am. After the events, at 12:15pm students will walk back to the academy, accompanied by academy staff to have their lunch. Students will then attend their afternoon lessons wearing their academy PE kit and finish the academy day at the normal time of 3.45pm. Students are expected to return to the academy, however, if for any reason your child returns home, you must contact the academy immediately to inform staff.

Years 7 and 9…
Students will need to arrive at the academy wearing their academy PE Kit and go to their tutor classroom to register at 8:30am.. They will then follow a timetable of morning lessons. Lunch will take place at 11:45am – 12.10 pm.. After lunch students will walk to Quibell Park, accompanied by academy staff members. Upon arrival they will have their afternoon registration. Sports day is due to finish at the usual academy time of 3.45pm, upon completion of all events students will be dismissed from Quibell Park and will need to make their own plans to return home.

All students will be expected to take an active part in what we anticipate to be an enjoyable day to celebrate the sporting abilities of all our students. The students have already been choosing their athletics events, and will be competing as part of the academy’s established House system.

Your child is required to wear the correct St Lawrence Academy PE kit all day, and they are advised to bring their St Lawrence outdoor jackets (or plain black top & tracksuit bottoms) to keep them warm in between events. In addition suitable footwear should be worn for competing in athletics events. Students will also need to bring a bottle of water (and sunscreen/hat in hot weather). When students are not involved, they will be expected to support their fellow peers from the designated areas.

In the unfortunate event that there is unsuitable weather, parents will be informed via email or text before 8am on the day and students will be expected to attend the academy in normal uniform for their usual timetabled lessons. We will then plan for this event to commence on Monday 26th June.

Parents and Carers are welcome to attend Sports Day. Upon arrival all visitors must sign in at the gate entrance and they will be directed to a designated viewing area. Visitors will not be allowed into the students area.

If your child does not follow the academy expectation for Sports Day, they will be sent straight home immediately.

If you have any queries about the arrangements for the day please contact the academy on 01724 842447 or email [email protected] in advance of Monday 19th June 2023.

Yours faithfully
Mrs Deb McBride
Second in charge of Physical Education

Sports Day Behaviour Policy 2023

Students must be wearing The St Lawrence Academy PE kit & House ribbons throughout the day. Nothing other than academy PE kit is allowed.

When not competing, students will remain in their designated group areas, students should remain in their own allocated sections.

Students should refrain from dropping litter. No food will be permitted on the field.

Students should behave in a manner that is expected of them whilst on a normal academy day. This means respecting other staff and students, and creating a positive atmosphere throughout the day.

Any students seen to be seriously disrupting the enjoyment of other staff or students will result in isolation for the day and subsequent removal from events and a loss of points for their House.

When not competing, students should be encouraging others. No footballs or other equipment should be brought by students and tutors will confiscate such items.

At all times, students should behave in a manner that takes account of the health, safety and wellbeing of every member of the academy community and public.

Welcome back to the last seven weeks of the school year.

The news last week and this has included many headlines on vaping and its impact on young people.

While it is not a school issue as such, I know it’s one that concerns many parents / carers.

It is illegal to sell vapes or e-cigarettes to under 18s but that has not stopped a rise in 11-to-17-year-olds nationally experimenting with them.

I note paediatricians are calling for a ban on disposable vapes because of the damage being done to lungs.  Unsafe levels of lead, nickel and chromium have been found in vapes in scientific tests.

I’m aware vapes are being sold to children in some stores; that adults have been buying them for children; and that, in a small number of homes, vaping is supported.

Smoking or vaping is not permitted on the Academy’s premises by children or staff.

We have zero tolerance on our approach to both and will confiscate products from children when an issue comes to light. That is non-negotiable.

If vaping is so harmful to children, as clinicians advise, we should be working together on a plan to eradicate the issue full stop.

It is the third day of work experience for Year 10 students. We are grateful to a variety of workplace providers for their support with this.

The organisation is a massive undertaking. It is always difficult to find placements, with fewer employers wishing to engage with the programme.

I am proud 54 young people self-canvassed their place because of their passion and enthusiasm in pursuing a particular career and believing a certain placement would support them achieving their goal.

Work experience is part of the personal development and character-building programme we teach in the Academy.

It is a platform and driver to shaping them years beyond the Academy.

We receive feedback from our young people on their work experience and it is always interesting to see whether it’s helped cement career paths or change their mind.

Either way, throwing themselves into the world of work is an important part of a child’s development.

We are approaching the last two full weeks of GCSEs before the exam timetable gets lighter.

We are, therefore, planning a leavers’ event on Friday, 23^rd June.

While not formal, it is enjoyable few hours and allows students to come together as a group for one last time, celebrate their achievements, and reflect on five years at the Academy. More details will follow.

Finally, I am looking forward to joining six young people and rewarding their considerable efforts in a trip to London on Friday, including a tour of the Houses of Parliament.

They deserve their special day out – paid for by the Academy – following an invitation from Scunthorpe Member of Parliament Holly Mumby-Croft. Our thanks to her for hosting.

It is one of many trips and events being packed into seven busy weeks.

 

 

 

Two more days and we will be at the end of another half term.

When we return on Monday, 5^th June, it is worth reflecting there will only be seven weeks of education left before we break up.

It is always a fast-paced half term with plenty of events and will disappear all too quickly.

I wanted to highlight a couple of things ahead of the new half term.

Attendance is fundamentally important to a child’s education and their life chances.

It is not just about exams and academic success but being in school helps them develop as people.

I want to thank the majority of parents for their relentless pursuit of ensuring their child attends and is on time.

We are creeping towards 92% attendance for the year, above the national average of 90% and higher than the local and regional averages too.

Persistent absenteeism has reduced from the levels we saw post Covid and is lower than the average locally and nationally.

Families have worked with us to ensure children attend more regularly and more frequently and that has had a positive impact on those individuals.

Students should be in the building before 8.30am and there is a splattering of young people who need to improve their punctuality.

I’d appeal to parents / carers to give them the encouragement and support they need to ensure they are here on time.

After half term, temperatures will continue to rise. If it gets as hot as a year ago, rest assured we will adopt the same pragmatic approach.

We will make decisions and communicate clearly with students and parents as to whether a blazer should be worn in class; if it needs to be brought into school; and whether it is appropriate to wear PE kit rather than full uniform.

The approach worked well last year and the kind feedback was appreciated.

There should be no need to bring in coats, hoodies or jackets after half term but students should be in full uniform until families hear otherwise. They will be the first to know what is happening and when.

Tomorrow (Thursday), a reminder we hold our Community Café and it would be lovely to see relatives who may not have been into the school before. Refreshments will be served and there will be lots of entertainment.

We will finish the week by celebrating the inclusivity and diversity of our Academy. We are proud to have 33 different languages spoken across it.

Students are looking forward to a really well sequenced programme of activities between 9am and 12 noon on Friday, organised by house leader Tom Massey.

Primary pupils will help us celebrate our cultural differences too.

We are at the midpoint of week two of GCSE exams and officials from exam board AQA paid an unannounced visit to assess our arrangements.

Their report was very complimentary about our exam practice and culture plus access arrangements for children completing their GCSEs.

It is much valued by everyone how our students are best prepared for exams and additional stress reduced.

Thank you to exam leader Caroline Sephton and her team for a fantastic representation of how it should be done.

Finally, with the holiday pending, I wanted to relay a conversation with a young person this week.

I asked if they’d seen the sun last weekend.

“I saw a lot of it, sir – through the window,” came the reply.

Please take the opportunity to get away from screens, enjoy fresh air and, hopefully, the sun over half term.

It will do you a world of good – ahead of a busy period before the summer.

 

I often talk about the important triangulation of students, parents and staff – and we have had three perfect examples over the last couple of weeks.

The Year 11 Valediction, the Prefect ceremony and the CCF Formation Parade were formal events that each had a prestigious feel.

The Prefect ceremony, introducing the new prefects and announcing the three seniors for the forthcoming year, was a brilliant success.

Congratulations to Sajid, Martyna and Muhammad and good luck in their important roles.

During the ceremony, a candle is passed from the outgoing prefects to the new ones, representing a transfer of responsibility. We also celebrated the achievements of all our new prefects.

They came through a rigorous selection procedure, including a presentation and interview, which reflects the process faced in the outside world when looking for jobs.

It is about giving them that level of readiness and, as I reflected on the evening, our young people handle the pressure remarkably well.

The 75 young people at our first CCF Formation Parade on Friday were so proud to receive their cap badges and skills awards from Major Sam Tillotson of the Queen’s Own Yeomanry.

Thanks to our staff team, the Army and RAF for the time and effort that went into making it such a memorable occasion.

We will be recruiting to the CCF during the summer and, this week, our CCF staff team have been talking in assemblies about the process.

There are only a limited number of places and we expect competition.

Our CCF work is benefitting our efforts to partnerships in the wider community.

Outward Academy Foxhills has expressed an interest and we have been talking to them about their students being initially part of our contingent.

Year 11 students going to John Leggott College will benefit from a transitional pathway to enable them to continue as cadets, created following discussions.

That brings me nicely on to promoting our next Community Café, taking place a week tomorrow (Thursday, 25^th).

We would like to see as many members of the community as possible, in particular students’ grandparents who may not have stepped foot in the Academy.

It is a terrific opportunity to have a drink, bite to eat and see our young people perform, while talking to them and members of staff.

My thanks to house leader Eddie Wraith for organising the event and his work in the community. He has not been with us long but is already proving a brilliant addition to the staff team.

Can I also flag another important date to put in diaries. We have hired the Baths Hall on the 12^th July for the first time to hold our celebration evenings for Years 7 to 10 on one night.

More details will follow but it will be a grand celebration of the academic year, their attainment, achievements and personal triumphs. It will be one not to be missed.

Finally, we are on day three of GCSEs. Our Year 11s have arrived at the Academy in top form with a great attitude.

Continued support from parents and staff for those young people is vital. That three-way partnership again – let us hope it bears fruit in August.

 

 

May 2023                                                                              

RE: Invitation to our termly Community Café Event at The St Lawrence Academy.

 

Hello,

 

We would be delighted if you could join us on Thursday 25th May at 3:30PM for our termly Community Café event at The St Lawrence Academy.

 

We are keen to extend our audience and we would like to invite grandparents, elderly relatives, our community members and local residential homes residents, community groups as well as parents, carers, family and friends to come and join us at our Community Cafe and enjoy student-led entertainment.

We have planned refreshments produced by our hospitality students, and also a dance performance by some of our GCSE Dance students along with fun activities arranged by students. But most importantly, it will be an opportunity to have a chat.

 

You don’t have to confirm attendance, just turn up and join in the fun. 

 

All the best,

 

Eddie Wraith

Amethyst House Leader

Teacher of Maths