Astrea St Ivo
Astrea St Ivo
Dear Parent/ Carer
Well, this week has ended with me being thoroughly drenched! Today’s charity-focused extended lunch gave students the opportunity to get involved in several events whilst raising money for their house charities – and some took the opportunity to through wet sponges at me and other staff in the stocks. We raised £333.61 in 70 minutes for the following charities which is brilliant:
- Young Minds
- Little Miracles
Further information and photos from the day can be found below.
The other topics covered in this week’s newsletter are the brilliant St Ivo Election event that took place yesterday, a reminder about the upcoming PAC meeting, new government rules regarding attendance and penalty notices, a trial we conducted today utilising the new school ties, further information about proposed changes to the school day.
The St Ivo Election
As part of our personal development programme St Ivo Academy took the opportunity of the general election to run our own mock election. Sixth Form candidates for five parties filmed presentations which were shown to students in tutor time. Following this, students (and Romeo the cat) voted. Years 7, 8, 9 and 12 were able to vote in person on Thursday 4 July 2024, with Year 10 submitting ‘postal votes’ last week due to work experience.
We can now announce the winner – Nathan for the Labour Party with 43% of the vote. Well done, Nathan! The mock election has generated some fantastic conversations around school with students well informed about the political landscape in the UK.
A huge thank you to Mr Lake and Mr Izycky and the following Sixth Formers for making this possible:
- Senior Returning Officers – Darcey and Max
- Returning Officers – Kieran, Michael, Torren, Alfie, Isaac
- Candidates – Oliver (Conservative), Gaige (Green), Nathan (Labour), Ted (Liberal Democrats), Aaron (Reform)
In related news, Mr Izycky, assistant principal and politics teacher, was also lucky enough to support in the Central Devon constituency election count throughout Thursday night with a candidate he knows, thus gaining first-hand experience of the process which he can now draw upon for the benefit of our sixth form students. Unfortunately, his candidate lost by a very narrow 60 votes, and it had to go to a recount!
Parent Advisory Council (PAC) meeting and email address reminder
Just a quick reminder that the next meeting of the PAC will be on Wednesday 10 July 2024, and the main topic of discussion at that meeting will be the school’s behaviour policy and any changes we would like to make in readiness for September 2024. If you would like to feed into this discussion, please feel free to use the email address pac@astreastivo.org to give your views.
New government attendance rules
New rules, in the Education (Penalty Notices) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2024, come into force on 19 August 2024 and change the attendance rules around penalty notices for term-time holidays and irregular absence.
The introduction of the new rules creates a National Framework for penalty notices and stops the previous variation between local authorities.
Please click here to view summarised information about the changes that take effect from 19 August 2024. Any parents/ carers who are interested in the full guidance can find it here: Working together to improve school attendance (applies from 19 August 2024) (publishing.service.gov.uk)
New school ties
So, the transition to the new school ties has been completed. Some students are getting used to change, and some of the knots will no doubt improve with practice!
The different ties allowed us to trial a staggered approach to the lunch queue as well today. Year 7 were allowed in first, followed by Year 8 and 9 at ten-minute intervals. This way we were able to reduce the volume in the queues at any one time, enabling students to spend more time with their friends rather than standing waiting in a line. This is also of particular relevance considering the new school day proposal below.
Adjusted school day proposal
Thank you to those of you who sent in comments about the proposed, slightly earlier, finish to the school day from September 2024. As there were no major objections to this, we will be moving ahead with the proposal.
I am currently consulting with staff on how the time in school will be structured, and this is the model we are discussing:
| Start | End | Length (mins) | Description |
| 08.30 | 08.55 | 25 | AM Tutorial |
| 08.55 | 09.50 | 55 | Period 1 |
| 09.50 | 10.45 | 55 | Period 2 |
| 10.45 | 11.05 | 20 | Break |
| 11.05 | 12.00 | 55 | Period 5 |
| 12.00 | 12.25 | 25 | PM Tutorial/ Reading Yrs 7-10 |
| 12.25 | 13.10 | 45 | Lunch for everyone |
| 13.10 | 14.05 | 55 | Period 4 |
| 14.05 | 15.00 | 55 | Period 5 |
As you will notice, there are three main internal changes: a reduction in each morning and afternoon tutorial by five minutes, and an extension to lunch by five minutes. Also, up for discussion with staff is a potential move to a single lunchtime for everyone. This would have the staff wellbeing benefit of enabling colleagues to spend lunch together, at the same time. It could also enable lunchtime clubs to return. However, this needs to be balanced against the added student numbers over lunch, capacity in the canteen, and the need for additional supervision as teachers other than SLT cannot be directed to complete a lunch duty.
We will be conducting a few trials of a single lunch over the remaining couple of weeks to help evaluate its impact and fully consider the consultation responses of staff. I should be able to confirm the future direction in the final week of this term.
Charity day photos
Our charity events at lunchtime today included beat the goalie (Mr Hall/Mr Blackman), a just dance-a-thon, karaoke (staring Miss Sherwood who definitely doesn’t need a mic), meeting Winter the dog, quizzes and games and staff in the St Ivo stocks (Mr Hammond, Mrs Warriner, Mr Pearson, Mr Meneaugh and for the biggest cheer Mr Booysen).
Yours faithfully
Tony Meneaugh
Principal
Year 11 volunteers wanted
We would like to ask Year 11 students if they would volunteer at any of the below events, working with our younger students:
- Year 8 interform, Monday 8th July, 10am to 3pm at the Outdoor Centre (meet at St Ivo Academy reception 9.45am)
- Year 7 interform, Tuesday 9th July 10am to 3pm at the Outdoor Centre (meet at St Ivo Academy reception 9.45am)
- Year 6 into 7 Day, Monday 15th July 8.30am to 3pm at St Ivo Academy
- Year 6 into 7 Sports Day, Tuesday 16th July 9.30am to 2.30pm at the Outdoor Centre
If you child would like to attend, please complete the form at https://forms.office.com/e/i4d38LrDUZ
For the interform and sports events students can wear suitable sports clothing, for the Year 6 into 7 day on Monday 15 July smart casual clothes please. Students will need food/drink for the day.
Upcoming diary dates
Saturday 6 – Wednesday 10 July: Year 10 Iceland trip
Monday 8 – Thursday 11 July: Year 12 work shadowing
Monday 8 – Friday 12 July: Year 10 languages speaking mocks begin
Monday 8 July: Year 8 interform sport
Tuesday 9 July: Year 7 interform sport
Wednesday 10 July: Year 8 enterprise day
Friday 12 July: Year 9 interform sport
Friday 12 and 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 53,590
- Crosier 51,494
- Leger 50,451
- River 53,410
- Wheatsheaf 49,377
Congratulations to the following student who has achieved 200 House points (white award):
- Anastazja 8Jh/Dm, Leela 8Jh/Dm
- Ellie 9Go, Jonah 9Hx, Joshua 9Hy
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 150 House points (gold award):
- Emma 8Hr, Isaac 8Hr, Harry 8Jh/Dm, Edward 8Mw, Elliot 8Tr, Olivia 8Tr
- Luke 9Go, Archie 9Hx
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 100 House points (silver award):
- Lucas 8Cl, Aminah 8Dt, Braelyn 8Dt, Sophy 8Hh, Bryan 8Hr, Maddy 8Hr, Stan 8Tr
- Saim 9Ev/Wl, Honor 9Hy
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 75 House points (bronze award):
- Carter 8Bn, Eduard 8Dt, Aamir 8Hh, Robin 8Hh, Hannah 8Jh/Dm
Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 50 House points (House badge):
- Kalayni 9Hx
Year 7, 8 and 9 Interforms – w/b 8 July 2024
The PE department are looking forward to hosting a range of sporting events for students in Years 7 to 9. All students will have the opportunity to compete to win points for individually and for their form teams. Please see further information for each year group below.
Monday 8 July – Year 8 Athletics Interform
- Students to come into school in full PE kit. Please bring water bottles, hat and suncream. Students are to bring packed lunch as there will be no access to the canteen at the Outdoor Centre.
- Attend period 1 as normal. At start of period 2, students and tutors to line up outside the resource centre and walk as a group up to the Outdoor Centre via the safe route.
- Students will rotate and participate in a range of different athletics events to achieve the most points possible for their form. There will be designated rest periods and a lunch break. When on a rest period / lunch, students will be encouraged to sit in the shade and refill water bottles.
- Students will be dismissed from the Outdoor Centre at 14:50 to allow enough time for students to walk back to school if the get a bus home.
Tuesday 9 July – Year 7 Athletics Interform
- Students to come into school in full PE kit. Please bring water bottles, hat and suncream. Students are to bring packed lunch as there will be no access to the canteen at the Outdoor Centre.
- Attend period 1 as normal. At start of period 2, students and tutors to line up outside the resource centre and walk as a group up to the Outdoor Centre via the safe route.
- Students will rotate and participate in a range of different athletics events to achieve the most points possible for their form. There will be designated rest periods and a lunch break. When on a rest period / lunch, students will be encouraged to sit in the shade and refill water bottles.
- Students will be dismissed from the Outdoor Centre at 14:50 to allow enough time for students to walk back to school if the get a bus home.
Friday 12 July – Year 9 Multi Sports Interform
- Students to come into school in full PE kit; in addition, students taking part in 5-aside football will need to bring football boots and shin pads. Please bring water bottles, hat and suncream. Interform will begin at the start of Afternoon Registration and finish at 15:05.
- Students will choose a sport to represent their form from four different sporting activities (5-a side Football, Netball, Rounders and Badminton. The higher placed finish for each form, the more points they will get!
- Students are to go to their designated sporting area at the start of afternoon registration (13:45).
- Netball – Gym changing rooms;
- Badminton – Rec Centre;
- Rounders – School field;
- 5-a side Football – Lodge changing rooms to walk with staff up to the Outdoor (this activity will finish at 14:50 to allow enough time to walk back to school for students who get the bus).
Please note, for students in Years 7 and 8 in receipt of free school meals, a packed lunch will be provided by the canteen and distributed by staff on the day.
If you have any questions, please contact Head of PE, Mr Farr – dominic.farr@astreastivo.org
Many thanks in advance for your support.