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News and Letters

August 2022

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  • Return to the Academy – September 2022

    Published 30/08/22

    Dear Parents and Carers,

    Return to the Academy – September

    We are staggering the start of term in September.  New Year 7 students will be in the academy on the 7th September.  All other year groups will start the term on Thursday 8th September.  Each year group will start at a different time.  These times are shown in the table below.

    Additionally, all Students are required to attend a pastoral meeting with their Tutor and to collect their timetable on Wednesday 7th September, please check Google Classroom from Monday 5th September for the timings. Students also must attend in their full academy uniform.

    Year Group Date Time
    7 Wednesday 7th September 08:50
    8 Thursday 8th September 09:15
    9 Thursday 8th September 09:35
    10 Thursday 8th September 10:55
    11 Thursday 8th September 10:25

    School Starts at 8:50

    From Friday 9th September, all students will start school at the normal time of 8:50.  We expect all students to be in their Meet and Greet lines by 8:50.  Any student who is not in their line at 8:50 is late.  This will result in a same day 30 minute detention.  

    We understand that occasionally students, for a variety of plausible and unavoidable reasons, are late, although this should be very rare.  If this is the case, we would ask that the students’ parents contact the academy to let us know.  

    Uniform

    All students are expected to attend the academy in full uniform when they return.  Our school uniform has not changed. Parents and carers need to ensure that their child has the correct uniform for September.  

    Our uniform is as follows:

    • Black trousers – not denim, leggings or tightly fitted
    • Black knee length skirt
    • White shirt – with a top button, not a blouse
    • Black blazer with the Academy badge to be worn at all times
    • Flat black shoes – not trainers or anything that has the appearance of a trainer
    • Muslim students may wear a plain black shalwar kameez, plain black scarf with an Academy blazer or a plain balc jilbab.
    • Students may also wear a plain black v-neck cardigan or jumper, which must show the colour on the tie.  There must be no visible logos.

    Our PE Kit is as follows:

    • Academy black polo shirt
    • Plain black tracksuit bottoms or plain black gym leggings.
    • Trainers.

    Students bring their kit with them on the days when they have PE and get changed at the start of the lesson.

    Jewellery

    Students are not allowed to wear jewellery of any description at any time except a watch.  The Academy will ask students who wear jewellery to remove it.  Repeated breaches of this rule will result in jewellery being confiscated.

    Hair Styles

    Students must have hair that is natural in colour and not extreme in style.

    Make Up

    We recognise that this can be a sensitive issue and have therefore agreed the following reasonable approach to make-up:

    • Make up can be worn but must be neutral: false eye-lashes and make-up that is any colour other than a neutral one is not allowed.
    • Any type of artificial nail, and nail polish of any colour, are not allowed.
    • Students will be asked to remove make-up and nails if they are in breach of this rule.  

    Equipment

    All students require basic equipment to be used in their lessons, they need:

    • 2 black pens 
    • A pencil
    • A ruler
    • A pencil case
    • A proper school bag to carry their equipment

    In September, all students will be issued with a knowledge organiser and a Coop Dictionary, all students must bring both of these every day.  We expect students to look after these and ensure that they are kept in good condition.  

    Mobile Phones

    Mobile phones are banned at our academy.  Students are not allowed to use their mobile phone at any point during the academy day.  Students who bring a mobile phone will be asked to switch it off and keep it in their bag at Meet and Green first thing in the morning.  

    If it is seen at any point after that, students will receive a same-day 30 minute detention.  

    If parents need to contact students, they are asked to contact the main reception to do so and we will ensure messages are delivered appropriately.  

    Mobile phones are a distraction and stop children learning.  Equally, they have a detrimental effect on students’ wellbeing and mental health.  Evidence from a range of sources has demonstrated this is the case.  In turn, we ask parents to fully support our stance on this matter.

    Free Breakfast Club – 8am

    We have opened a breakfast club that is free to all students every day.  I want to strongly encourage students to come into school in time to grab something to eat and have a drink.  Our breakfast club has proved incredibly popular so far.  It is absolutely free to all students.  Students wishing to attend should come to the canteen between 8am and 8:30.  Food stops being served at 8:40.

    Feedback from students has been incredibly positive and I want to encourage as many students as possible to take advantage of this great opportunity.

    Teaching Groups

    At the start of September, students will be placed into their teaching groups for the year ahead.  Last year, our focus was very much on helping students to recover their learning gaps from COVID.  It may be that there are some slight changes to groups as we move back to full normality.  

    I hope you enjoy the last few days of the summer holiday and we look forward to welcoming everybody in September.

    Yours faithfully

    Mr S. Richardson

    Headteacher

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  • GCSE Results 2022 – A Record Breaking Year

    Published 26/08/22

    This year was the first time that students had set externally marked exams since the pandemic.  That in itself is significant.  But when we stop for a moment and consider the uncertainty and, at times, chaos of the last few years, the achievements of all students taking exams this year is put firmly into perspective.

    The Class of 2022 started their GCSEs in September 2020 just as schools were reopening following the COVID lockdown of Spring 2020.  As we now know, there was still a further lockdown to come; countless days of isolation; and uncertainty and unpredictability at every turn.  

    And yet, our students overcame the challenges of the pandemic to achieve the Academy’s best ever results.  

    There are so many ways to analyse a set of exam results and there is no question at all that these results mark an historic moment for the academy.  More importantly than that though, these results are a crucial moment in the lives of the young people who have demonstrated incredible resilience to achieve them.

    The cohort of 2022 have achieved more passes in English and maths than ever before; they have achieved more Grade 9s than any other group of students in the Academy’s history; and from the day that they started to the end of Year 11, they have made more progress than any other Year 11 cohort.  

    We are exceptionally proud of their academic achievements; we are even more in awe of the character and integrity that they have shown through difficult circumstances to arrive at this point.  

    It is customary on Results Days to highlight individual successes.  And there are many.  However, I think that on this occasion we should celebrate everyone’s success.  Every single student had their own experience of the pandemic; each had their own challenges to overcome; and they did so with incredible grit and strength of character.

    The Cohort of 2022 has infused me with a sense of incredible optimism about the future.  If these young people can confront, tackle and overcome the adversity of the last few years, and achieve these exceptional results, then I look forward to hearing of their accomplishments as adults.  There is little doubt that they can become great leaders and innovators of the future.

    For us, at the Academy, they have set the standard for what success looks like.  Their legacy will be a continued and relentless determination to build on their success and reach new heights.  

    On behalf of all our teachers and staff: congratulations, we are incredibly proud of you.

    We wish them all every success in their next steps and all the happiness as they begin to make their way as adults.  

    Mr S. Richardson

    Headteacher

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  • Stoke Student Scores Top Grades After Only 2 Years in the UK

    Published 25/08/22

    Arriving in Stoke from Romania in 2020, Maria spoke little English but today has celebrated a fantastic set of results. With seven equivalent grades 5 and above,  including an 8 and 9 in English Language and Literature. 

    Maria moved to the UK with her parents and siblings in 2020,and joined Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent  in the midst of the first lockdown, a challenging time for students across the UK. 

    “It was a bit difficult at first. I didn’t know English very well, or any of the teachers or students. In Romania, we didn’t really work with Google Meet and Google Classroom, so it was new, everything was very new. I only really knew English from watching films and TV. It is a second language for me.”

    When the academy opened up to students after months of online learning, Maria met her peers and teachers for the first time. She even chose her GCSE subjects over the phone from home. 

    With no previous academic records, and understanding her challenges with the English language, Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent supported her by placing her in lower ability classes to begin with, giving her the best chance of accessing the curriculum. But within two weeks her performance in class placed her amongst the most gifted students in the academy. 

    “I was in the 5th set for Maths. And in my second week I had an assessment. That was on Friday. By Monday I was in the top set. I guess my Maths skills from Romania helped. After mocks in Science and English, I moved to the top sets for those too.”

    With the help of a student buddy, friends, and the staff at Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent, Maria soon became known for her unbelievable work ethic and determination as well as being voted as ‘The Most Amusing’ by her peers in Year 11. 

    “When you move to a brand new country, brand new school, brand new home, and you don’t know anyone…at first you do try. But then you can kind of think, is it worth it? I think that’s how I felt at one point, being in third set for English, low set in Science, low set in Maths. That I might not try. But then I thought no, this is my future. And I just really wanted to achieve the best that I could.” 

    Mr Ahmed, Head of Year 11 at Co-op Academy Stoke-on-Trent said of her progress “Maria has shown true grit and determination to achieve outstanding grades in her GCSEs, this will open a lot of doors for her as she continues her studies in college next year, and I’m sure her strength of character will take her far in life.”

    Maria became a popular member of the academy community and is quick to praise the staff (especially her Head of Year Mr. Ahmed) and peers for helping her to settle. She described the atmosphere at the academy as warm, sociable and happy. Maria’s goal is to study Psychology at University.

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August 2022

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