Astrea St Ivo
Astrea St Ivo
Dear Parent/ Carer
This week has been packed with events and rewards. Our Year 12 students have been completing their work shadowing activities and our Year 10 students have returned from work experience last week; it has been great to hear from the many employers who wanted to pass on how impressed they were with our students over this period.
The end of the term has also included many interform sports events, a brilliant enterprise day organised by Mrs Bartlett, and many of the end of term principal’s commendations rewards (to be finalised and added to next week’s newsletter).
The English Department would like to say a big well done to the year 10 students, who have been performing their speaking and listening speeches this week. They have listened to some wonderfully creative speeches and the research and knowledge on show is to be applauded.
This week’s newsletter covers a variety of topics that we hope parents/ carers, students and staff will find useful for the end of this academic year, and the start of the next one. We are providing this before we break up for the summer so that everyone has the chance to contact us in the final few days next week.
Early closure
The school will close to students for the summer holidays slightly earlier on Friday 19 July 2024 at 2pm. Our bus companies have been informed of the change and will arrive early. There will not be any detentions or clubs on this day.
PAC update
Our second meeting of the Parent Advisory Council met on Wednesday 10 July 2024 and approved the minutes from the previous meeting on 12 June 2024. A copy of these minutes can be found here for parent/ carer reference: https://www.astreastivo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240612-PAC-meeting-minutes.pdf https://www.astreastivo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/20240612-PAC-meeting-minutes.pdf
A level and GCSE results days
We look forward to welcoming students back into school to open their results and receive guidance on their post-16 and post-18 pathways. Staff and senior leaders will be in the main school hall on both days to celebrate with students and to support any final decision-making about next steps.
School will be open from 9am-midday on:
- A level results: Thursday 15 August
- GCSE results: Thursday 22 August
Students who are unable to collect their results may request their results are sent to them in the post if you bring a self-addressed envelope to school before the end of term. Alternatively, students may have their results collected by another nominated person, if they bring a signed letter with them. Results will also be published on Bromcom later on results day.
Uniform collection
If you order uniform for collection in school, this will be available on Thursday 22 August, between 10am and 1pm.
Please be mindful that the summer holiday is the busiest time for Chroma as a school uniform supplier. We would encourage you to place orders as soon as possible to ensure these are ready for September.
Just a reminder that current Year 7 to 10 students need to have purchased the new PE legwear to be worn on PE/dance days from September (PE track pants/PE leggings). If students still want to wear their current PE shorts or skort, on warmer weather days, then they are welcome to do so.
Full details of uniform can be found at Uniform – Astrea St Ivo
Ivo Insider
The fourth edition of our student newspaper has now been published. You can read it at https://www.astreastivo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ivo-Insider-4_compressed.pdf
Summer reading list
Our suggested summer reading list highlights age appropriate books for students. We encourage all students to take a look at the list and try to read at least one of the books.
Staff leaving
As we draw closer to the end of this academic year, it is time to announce the staff who will be leaving us, and those joining. I hope that by providing this list before we break up, it will give parents/ carers and students the opportunity to pass on any thanks to these staff before the end of the academic year.
As happens in many schools across the country, the summer term is when the greatest number of changes to our staff body occurs. I would like to publicly thank these members of staff for their amazing, combined service to the school and the St Ives community over the last 27 years. We wish them all the best for the future:
Linda Bartlett (maths and head of careers – 27 Years), Athy Bell (music and head of year – 9 Years), Alec Booysen (religious education – 17 Years), Lewis Brearley (design and technology – 4 Years), Amanda Crellin (head of drama and lead practitioner – 23 Years), Claire Ellinor (head of history – 22 Years), Andrew Goold (head of art – 22 Years), Vickie Graham (food – 5 Years), Jordan Hammond (physical education – 2 Years), Grace Jackson (history – 1 Year), Susan Jarah (languages – 2 Years), Fran Malster (head of film/media – 26 Years), Amy Noon (English – 3 Years), Karen Pask (business studies – 24 Years), Pauline Reay (film/media – 6 Years), Demi Teager (drama – 2 Years), Hannah Wright (art – 16 Years), Donna Carpenter (teaching assistant and work experience coordinator – 21 Years), Wendy Collins (art technician – 10 Years), Jane Hurley (food technician – 21 Years), Karen Ivory (careers administrator – 22 Years) Andy Phelps (design and technology technician – 6 Years) and Jayne Stevens (resource centre manager – 19 Years).
New staff starting September
- Christine Burns (English teacher and personal development curriculum lead)
- Thomas Carter (geography)
- William Deacon (history)
- Ibtissem Khaldi (mathematics)
- David Roebuck (English)
- Jamie Smith (drama teacher, head of performing arts and head of year)
- Lucy Spencer (food)
- Emily Yip (music)
- Caroline Palazzo (admin assistant)
- Christie Jones (admin assistant)
You will notice that we have more staff leaving than joining. This is due to restructuring work within the academy, which is also why we have staff joining in some subjects without a corresponding leaver. Please be assured that we have a full complement of teaching staff for September 2024. We are actively recruiting to some support staff roles.
Form tutors 2024-25
We can now confirm form tutor changes for September:
Year 7 into 8
- 7Sl/Kf will stay with Mrs Slatter on a Monday to Wednesday, and have Mr Roebuck on Thursday and Friday.
- 7St will move to Mrs Robinson (Tuesday to Friday) and Mr Farr (Monday)
Year 8 into 9
- 8Hh will move to Mr Hall in S9
- 8Tr will move to Mrs Seekings in N6
- 8Jh/Dm will move to Mrs Weaver in L2
- 8Dt will continue with Mrs Durrant on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, and will have Mr Farr on Thursdays
Year 9 into 10
- 9Nn will move to Mr Burniston in room 18
- 9Hx will move to Mr Lake in N7
Year 10 into 11
- Current tutor groups will be disbanded, with students moving to tutor groups with a subject specialist based on where data shows they would benefit the most from additional tuition. New form groups will be confirmed when students return in September.
Year 11 into 12
- Tutor groups will be confirmed on students first day in Sixth Form.
Year 12 into 13
- 12Kb will move to Miss Huggins in L18
- 12Rn will be disbanded, with students moving to one of the other Year 13 tutor groups. Mr Braybrook and Mrs Webster have seen students to discuss this.
Please also note that we are switching from a two letter to three letter system for all staff initials (first letter of first name, first and last letter of surname). Therefore 7Me with Mr Meneaugh would be known as 8TMH etc.
September return
Year 7 will start at 8.30am on Tuesday 3 September, and should meet on the basketball courts.
Year 12 will start at 8.30am on Tuesday 3 September, meeting in the canteen for assembly and signing on. Once the signing on process has completed (around 10am), students will not be required in school until Wednesday 4 September.
All other year groups start at 8.30am on Thursday 5 September. Students should go straight to morning welcome: Year 8 (basketball courts in front of craft block), Year 9 (Resource Centre playground), Year 10 (craft playground), Year 11 (basketball courts by N block) and Year 13 (canteen).
Diary dates for 2024-25
These are key evening dates for families to plan. Other dates, including assessments, trip and other events, will be communicated nearer the time.
- Thursday 19 September: Year 7 parents/carers and tutors meetings
- Thursday 26 September: Year 11 information evening
- Thursday 3 October: Year 6 into 7 open evening
- Thursday 10 October: Sixth Form open evening
- Thursday 24 October: Year 12 parents/carers and tutors meetings
- Thursday 21 November: Year 13 parents’/carers’ evening
- Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 December: Ivolution dance show
- Thursday 12 December: Year 11 parents’/carers’ evening
- Thursday 23 January: Year 10 parents’/carers’ evening
- Thursday 13 February: Year 9 parents’/carers’ evening
- Thursday 13 March: Year 9 curriculum evening
- Thursday 3 April: Year 8 parents’/carers’ evening
- Thursday 1 May: Year 7 parents’/carers’ evening
- Thursday 15 May: Year 12 parents’/carers’ evening
Yours faithfully
Tony Meneaugh
Principal
Upcoming diary dates
Monday 15 July: Year 10 drama assessment
Monday 15 July: Year 6 into 7 intake day and parents’/carers’ evening
Tuesday 16 July: Year 6 into 7 sports day
Wednesday 17 and Thursday 18 July: Year 10 Art assessments
Thursday 17 July: Year 12 drama assessment
House Points
House totals year to date:
- Bridge 54,083
- Crosier 51,995
- Leger 50,922
- River 53,855
- Wheatsheaf 49,855
Year 10 NCS
The NCS Team visited St Ivo Academy yesterday and spoken to Year 10s about our local NCS Community Experiences.
These Experiences offer young people a chance to develop skills and take on new challenges to support them on their journey into adulthood. They’ll also do something good for their local community by volunteering or carrying out a social action project to support a cause they care about.
During our local community experiences, your teen will have the chance to:
- Grow their strengths and blossom in confidence.
- Build their independence.
- Boost their work readiness and CV.
- Make a positive impact on their community
- Gain experience for university applications and job/apprenticeship interviews.
- Have fun.
- Gain accreditation for each experience through digital badging: Cambridgeshire County Council – NCS Team — Navigatr
- Meet new people and form friendships.
Who can take part? Anyone heading into year 11 or 12.
When is it? Tuesday 16th July, 7:30 – 9:00pm. Come along for a taster.
Where is it? The Bridge Church, Burrell Road, St Ives
How much does it cost? It’s totally free!
To register your teen’s interest please complete the sign up form.
If you have any questions, the NCS team would love to hear from you:
- Becky Nerou – Senior Programme Assistant on 07551 279218 or via rebecca.nerou@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
- Natalie Taylor – Programme Co-ordinator on 07825 905841 or via natlie.taylor@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
- Kim Jeffries – Programme Manager on 07920 029496 or via kim.jeffries@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
English Transition work with Year 6 Students from Thorndown School
Since January this year, the English department at St Ivo has been working closely with Thorndown Primary School to provide a Year 6 writing group. Projects have ranged from creative writing to creating their own monsters and writing the monsters’ stories to crafting speeches that challenge ‘big issues’ in fictional worlds.
It has been an amazing experience for both schools and the students, who have done incredibly well in their SATs. The Year 6 team at Thorndown truly are incredible as they offer a host of experiences from plays to football matches to workshops for their students, and St Ivo can look forward to a great year with the upcoming Year 7s, including some budding young writers whose works achieved GD (Greater Depth) status in their SATs. Well done, Thorndown, we look forward to meeting you in September!
Maths online summer club
The Eedi platform is offering all families at our school free access to Eedi Summer Club, a maths summer program 100% free of charge that will help to boost your child’s confidence in maths so it’s sky high for the new school year!
Your child will first take a quick dynamic quiz to create an independent learning pathway perfectly suited to their learning level. Then, they will receive recommended maths topics in the form of quizzes that will help them improve the most over four weeks.
Your child will get unlimited access to help videos, fluency practice questions, and mastery activities to keep them engaged with their maths over the holidays! You’ll also get weekly reports on their progress.
By completing weekly assignments, your child will be automatically entered into a weekly prize draw for a £20 voucher of their choice. At the end of the summer, we’ll also reward the most committed students and schools with special prizes.
How to sign up for Eedi Summer Club
If your child does not already have an Eedi account, simply follow the steps below:
https://intercom.help/eedi-home/en/articles/4894347-signing-up-to-eedi
If your child already has an Eedi account, that is all they need to take part! Simply ensure they have already completed the dynamic quiz to create their personalised learning pathway for the holidays.
If you have any questions, please contact hello@eedi.com directly.
Local badminton opportunity
Join The Wire Badminton Club Junior Academy in Cambridgeshire!
The Wire Badminton Club invites all juniors in Cambridgeshire to join our exciting and dynamic Junior Academy! Our program is designed to develop young talents in a fun and supportive environment.
Why Join?
- Professional Coaching: Learn from experienced coaches who will help you master the skills of badminton.
- Fun and Friendly Environment: Make new friends while staying active and healthy.
- Competitive Opportunities: Participate in friendly matches and tournaments to test your skills.
- State-of-the-Art Facilities: Train in top-notch facilities equipped with everything you need to excel.
Who Can Join?
- Ages 11-18: Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, we have the right training group for you.
When and Where?
- Sessions: Saturday mornings from 11am to 1pm
- Location: St Ives One Leisure, Cambridgeshire
Costs
- £12 per person for a two-hour session in groups (works our £6p/h)
How to Register?
- Visit our website or send an email to thewire.club
- Limited spots available, so register now to secure your place!