21/3/24: End of Term Letter
Dear Parent/Carer,
End of Term Letter
Firstly, I would like to thank you for your support this term. We have had a fantastic term of events, trips, extra-curricular and community events that we have been overwhelmed with such a positive response from the community – so I thank you for supporting us in this.
We are very proud of how hard our students have worked for their assessments and mocks and we are really proud of their continuing commitment to our core values of Amazing Grace, Intentional Excellence, Mutual Respect, Genuine Integrity and Limitless Potential.
Ofsted
Our Ofsted Inspection was carried out at the end of January and we were recently allowed to share the results. Overall, we were awarded a “Good” grade and Personal Development was awarded an “Outstanding” grade. We are absolutely delighted with this result and incredibly proud of what the staff, students and the community has achieved together. I am truly grateful to all of you for your support over the last few years. We now look forward to a brighter future and are committed to continuing to provide an excellent quality of education for our students - both academically and pastorally.
Full reports have now been sent out for Years 7 and 9 and will be sent out for Years 8, 10 and 12 at the end of the summer term.
The reports for students in Years 7, 8 and 9 show your child’s current reading age which is measured using Accelerated Reader and will be assessed again later in the year.
Please use the information in these reports to support your child and please do not hesitate to contact the Academy if you have any questions.
Attendance
Once again, we have celebrated maximum attendance this term. So many of our students have demonstrated Intentional Excellence and have shown that success does not happen by accident but instead through hard work, engagement and determination. Well done to all of those students who received these awards! We regularly speak to our students about the importance of attendance and how our minimum expectation for attendance is 97%. Do not forget that you can log onto Go4Schools at any point to monitor your child’s attendance, behaviour and to see their school timetable. You can also now engage with your child’s attendance more easily through our new StudyBugs app. Do not forget to download the Studybugs app and register using the link below if you have not already done so:
https://studybugs.com/about/parents
Key Stage 3 Update
On 1st March we were delighted to receive our list of Year 6 students, who will be joining our Grace family in September. 89% of these students had chosen Grace as their first-choice school and we are looking forward to beginning transition activities with them in the summer term.
This term we have been really impressed with how well Key Stage 3 students have embraced their AP2 (“Assessment Point 2”) exams and are pleased to see the progress they have made. Their school reports will be published via Go4Schools at the beginning of the summer term. AP3 exams will begin on Monday 10th June and we will be working with students on revision skills next half term in preparation for this.
Year 8 and Year 9 students had their parents’ evenings this term, and it has been fantastic to see the productive conversations between students, teachers and parents. Year 7 parents’ evening is on Thursday 11th April between 4pm and 7pm and appointments can now be booked on SchoolCloud. Year 9 students have also begun their options process and we will be meeting with students to discuss their options next half term.
Key Stage 4 Update
Year 10
This term, Year 10 have been given the opportunity to participate in bespoke trips to encourage them to understand what Higher Education looks like. Mrs Williams and Mrs Gill have worked with the Year 10 Tutor team to identify students who have expressed an interest in (or are known to be passionate about) specific fields of study such as: Law with English, Biology and Health, Performing Arts and Design, Maths, Social Sciences and Sport. We are also aware and mindful that we have highly gifted individuals that need specialised trips and are currently looking to offer a trip to the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.
We are also looking forward to next term and how we prepare Year 10 for the start of Year 11 and are planning to complete an academic drop-down day, exploring the expectations of Year 11, the Year 11 offer and fundamentally what to expect from a GCSE examination period.
Year 11 Period 6 Intervention
There have been two windows of Period 6 (after school) sessions which Year 11 were expected to attend prior to both Mock 1 and Mock 2 examinations. The students have asked that we amend the timings of the last round of Period 6, so that they start at 3:10pm and finish at 4:10pm. The final round of Period 6 will start on 8th April, which is the first day of the new term, and we would welcome your support in encouraging students to stay after school for these sessions. Their attendance to these sessions is invaluable, both from accessing expert knowledge from their teachers (many of whom mark exam scripts for the actual exam boards in the summer) but also as their attendance to these sessions will determine whether they are eligible to buy a Prom ticket.
Year 11 Revision Support
We have offered Year 11 an array of academic support in the build up to their exams. We have run two study skill sessions (with an external company), co-ordinated a drop-down Academic revision day, held additional targeted assemblies offering expert knowledge, Period 6 sessions, coursework catch-up sessions and we are collapsing the Tutor time programme to increase revision time for core subjects.
Additionally, we have given students a countdown tracker, which outlines how much revision they should be doing and when they should be doing it. Again, we would welcome your support by asking them about the tracker and getting them to articulate what they are doing independently away from school.
Year 11 Mentoring
Similarly, we are committing more time to support the wellbeing of our students by increasing the amount of mentoring that takes place. All members of staff, including the Academy Leadership team, are now working alongside Year 11, trying to help them overcome barriers and identify how they can make progress with their exams and future goals.
Ethos and Wellbeing Update
Rewards
It has been brilliant to reward over 500 of our students again as part of our celebration assemblies this term. We have rewarded our students for 97% and above attendance, effort and attainment in lessons, tutor engagement, staff recognition and for embodying the Grace Way. Students were given a choice of rewards from sports to art, a movie and baking.
We continue to reward our students weekly for their participation around the Academy and for those who have obtained a number of gold stars.
Careers
As part of the PAL (Provider Access Legislation - which governs careers provision in educational establishments), King Edward’s College led talks with Year 9 students to raise their aspirations as they look to further education and the options open to them.
Ethos and Pastoral Curriculum
Assemblies and Ethos tutor this term has included areas such as LGBTQIA+ History Month, Holocaust Memorial Day, Sexual Harassment, World Religion Day and International Day for Women and Girls in Science. PSHE lessons this term included topics such as healthy relationships, consent, harmful sexual behaviours, family units, domestic violence and coercive control, FGM and bullying.
A creative workshop took place for referred students in Key Stages 3 and 4. This creative workshop explored character and was a time for students to be taken through a series of dramatic anti-model scene scenarios where they got the chance to explore the different components of character and who they want to become.
Year 7 took part in a drop-down day looking at the Academy’s five values. External facilitators led the interactive sessions. Guests included a football freestyler looking at Limitless Potential, a music artist looking at Intentional Excellence, a drama production company focusing on Genuine Integrity, CLM church leading a session on Amazing Grace and members of our Sixth Form looking at Mutual Respect.
Year 7 students also took part in a Severn Trent workshop, which complemented our Science curriculum by looking at the ‘Science of Sewage’.
Our Year 10 and Year 13 students were privileged to take part in a motivational workshop led by a visiting speaker, David Hyner. They explored character, who they want to be and who they would like to become. We look forward to welcoming David once again to share with our Year 11 and 12 students during our careers drop-down day.
As part of our partnership with Coventry Building Society, part of their finance team volunteered a day of their time to help redecorate the Grace staffroom. This has now been relaunched for staff as part of a wider staff wellbeing event.
We are so very proud of all students who took part in our Matilda musical. The hard work and commitment that was shown, as well as the talent, was outstanding. Thank you to those who were able to join us in supporting the students. We are looking forward to next year's show and hope to see you there.
Trips
Our students have been offered a number of amazing experiences and opportunities to further develop their skills and knowledge. The trips this term have included:
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- Mixed Year groups - Theatre Production Trip
- Mixed Year groups - Matilda The Musical Theatre trip
- Year 10 - Warwick University - Esports
- Year 10 - Tata Consultancy Services workplace visit
- Year 10 - All England Badminton Trip
- Year 11 - Tutor2u GCSE Business - Revision Booster
- Year 12 - Coventry Building Society workplace Visit
- Year 12 - BT offices, Birmingham workplace visit
- Year 12 - BTEC Sports - Coventry University
- Year 13 - A level Sociology Grade Booster at Star City, Birmingham
Sixth Form Update
The Spring Term has been a busy one for Post-16 students. Our Year 12 students that were successful in gaining a place on the Careers Ready Programme have started their one-to-one sessions with their industry mentor. This is a fantastic opportunity for them to be provided with additional external support outside of the classroom to help prepare them for life post-Sixth Form, whether that be in the form of higher education or in the world of work.
The whole Year 12 cohort have started their Coventry Building Society (“CBS”) Employability Skills Programme, so far having covered sessions on the A-Z of Super Confidence, Employability and Workplace Behaviours, Job Applications, C’s and Covering Letters. They have also taken part in a CV clinic, offering a one-to-one session with a CBS employee giving feedback on how to improve their CV and covering letter.
In addition to these sessions, all of Year 12 have also been on two workplace visit trips, giving them a first-hand experience of what to expect in their future careers once they have completed their studies.
The Year 12 students are in the process of sourcing their work experience placements which they will take part in during the Summer Term. This will be an invaluable experience for them to gain a detailed insight into the profession they are potentially interested in pursuing as a future career.
The Year 13 students have completed their final mocks and are working towards completing their final pieces of coursework for their courses, along with revising hard for their forthcoming A-level exams. We have had three external guest speakers here to deliver sessions on self-motivation and future pathways.
All Sixth Form students will be attending our Careers Fayre this Friday where they will be given the opportunity to speak with professionals from many different industry sectors.
Safeguarding and Family Support
As a school, the safety and wellbeing of our pupils and members of the school community is most important to us.
As we break for the Easter holiday, if you have any immediate concerns for the safety or welfare of a child please contact MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) on 024 7678 8555
If you need support for yourself over the Easter holiday, please contact your local family hub: coventry family hub easter activities.
Family Hub aim to reach children, young people and families when the need first emerges and to help and support at the time to have the greatest impact.
- Early Help: telephone 0800 8870545 or email: earlyhelp@coventry.gov.uk
- Emergency Duty Team: telephone 024 7683 2222 between 5pm and 8.30am and during weekends
- Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH): telephone 024 7678 8555
Coventry Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme are running a range of activities over Easter. If you are wanting to find out more about free school holiday clubs, experiences and food this Easter break for children eligible for free school meals, please take a look at the spring brochure here: HAF Programme. Our Family Support Worker, Miss Scott, has emailed a link and details of the activities that still have availability.
Kooth are also providing Easter break support over the next two weeks. Kooth provides free, safe and anonymous support for young people's mental wellbeing: https://www.kooth.com/
End of Term Arrangements
On Friday 22nd March, there will be a staggered end to the day as follows:
- Year 9: Finish at 12.55pm
- Year 7: Finish at 1.00pm
- Year 10: Finish at 1.05pm
- Year 8: Finish at 1.10pm
- Year 11 and Post 16: Finish at 1.30pm
Arrangements for Return
Please note the following dates for next term:
Start of term for all students: Monday 8th April 2024
May Bank Holiday: Monday 6th May 2024
End of Term: Friday 24th May 2024
We hope you enjoy the Easter break and look forward to welcoming our students again at the normal time on Monday 8th April 2024.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs N Whiles
Principal