Newsletter 7 June 2024

Dear Parent/ Carer

I hope everyone had good rest and relaxation last week during the half term holiday. There’s quite a lot of information this week, some of which only affects certain year groups, but which others may be interested to read: 

• Year 11 leavers’ information update 
• Year 11 prom 
• Staffing for September 2024  
• KS3 curriculum and Year 9 into 10 
• Critical Incident Lockdown drill 
• Pastoral teams update 
• Biometrics and changes to the canteen 
• Uniform update 

Year 11 leavers’ information update 

As we’re nearing the end of the exam period, there are some important updates below. Firstly, we would like to congratulate the year group on a fantastic effort so far, over the exam period. We’re nearing the finishing line, and they would have earned their extended summer break! 

Monday 10 June 2024: 

Students will be in for their morning exam at normal time, followed by a science ‘just in time’ session Period 3. During Period 4 we will be taking the year group to the school field, to give them a chance to sign shirts, take photos, etc. We would ask that students bring a spare shirt (not the one they’re wearing), if they would like anyone to sign shirts – in particular, staff cannot sign shirts students are currently wearing. We will then have our final assembly, finishing by approximately 2.45pm. At this point, students will be free to leave school site. If they need to catch buses they can go and wait in the resource centre, if required. 

Tuesday 11 June 2024 onwards: 

From Tuesday onwards, the plan is outlined below (we will go through this with the students on Monday, so they are aware): 

• If students want to leave site during the day, they must do so via reception and the top gate. Students must sign out of school, using the sign-out sheets on the desks near the House Badges. 
• Students can only re-enter school site, during the day, via top gate and reception. Bikes can be stored in the bike shed on the staff car park, if needed. 
• The Resource Centre will be open to any year 11 student who wants to stay on school site to revise. If students are on school site (in the resource centre), outside of exam times, they must sign-in using the sheets located in the Resource Centre. This includes when they come in for ‘just in time’ sessions. 
• If students are arriving for an exam, they can go straight to their exam, to be registered. Students don’t need to sign out after an afternoon exam. 

Year 11 Prom 

We are all very much looking forward to the St Ivo Academy Year 11 Prom on Thursday 4 July 2024. As you will be aware, the general election has been called for this date and the leisure centre adjacent to the Burgess Hall will be utilised for counting the votes on this evening.  

Although the Burgess Hall will not be used for vote count, the Burgess Hall shares the same site and access to the site will be impacted. Therefore, we have discussed potential mitigations with Burgess Hall management to allow the Prom to remain on this date and to also allow the smooth running of the election count in the One Leisure sports hall. We need to make you aware of the below: 

• Time change – The Prom will run from 6.30pm to 9.30pm, instead of 7pm to 10pm. This will ensure that the venue is clear in advance of ballot boxes arriving to One Leisure. 
• Student pick up – all students leaving the Prom will be directed to exit using the side doors to the Burgess Hall on to the school grounds and then across the school grounds for collection by parents/carers in the St Ivo staff car park on High Leys. Access to the One Leisure car park will be prohibited with only election vehicles authorised to gain access. Students will only be able to leave the venue through this exit and all student collections will take place via the staff car park on the High Leys exit whether by vehicle or by foot. 
• Student drop off – we will operate a one-way system to ensure that vehicles dropping off students for the 6.30pm start can exit swiftly. Vehicles should use the Westwood Road entrance to One Leisure to drop off outside the Burgess Hall. Vehicles will then be directed to exit via the school ground using the service road and out through the High Leys exit. 

We appreciate that amending the start time of the prom at this stage is not ideal, however this was essential to ensure the prom could take place in view of the new requirements for the venue for the general election. 

We are all looking forward to an amazing evening celebrating our wonderful year 11’s time at St Ivo. 

If your child has not purchased a prom ticket and would now like to come to prom, please contact Ms Tabb. If you do have any queries, please email Ms Tabb – nicola.tabb@astereastivo.org  

Staffing for September 2024 

The end of May was the last resignation date for teachers wishing to leave at the end of the academic year. I am pleased to let you know that we have been able to recruit the following posts: 

• Teacher of food 
• Joint head of performing arts (Drama specialist) and head of year 
• Teacher of music 
• Teacher of geography 
• Teacher of history 
• Teacher of English and personal development 
• Teacher of mathematics 

Except for one appointment, which we hope to make soon, we are fully staffed for September 2024 with subject specialists and no supply. Talking to peers in other schools and other trusts, I believe this puts us ahead of many schools in the country who are facing the worst of the national recruitment difficulties. 

The exact names of those staff leaving will be shared with parents, carers and students closer to the end of the academic year. 

Some of the staffing changes, and our commitment to ensure all examination courses between year 10 and 11, and between year 12 and 13 are covered have resulted in us having to make some hard decisions on the curriculum for key stage three (years 7 to 9). Details of these changes can be found below. 

KS3 curriculum and Year 9 into 10  

I have previously mentioned that mathematics will reduce by one lesson a fortnight to enable music to be taught twice a fortnight; I have also previously communicated that food will not be offered in years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 next year. However, I can confirm that we have been successful in appointing an experienced and permanent food teacher to deliver the year 10 into 11 and year 12 into 13 courses.  

To support examination courses in other areas, our computer science teachers have volunteered to be redeployed to other areas; this means that we will have to temporarily remove computer science from the key stage 3 curriculum. Examination classes in years 10 to 13 will not be affected. 

To fill this gap in the key stage three curriculum, we will be returning dance in Years 7-9 to be a discretely taught subject (out of physical education) once per fortnight. 

This will be the confirmed key stage three curriculum allocation for the 2024/ 2025 academic year: 

Subject	Lessons per fortnight
Art	2
Computer Science	0
Dance	1
Design and Technology	2
Drama	1
English	8
Food	0
French	4
Geography	4
History	4
Mathematics	7
Music	2
Personal Development	2
Physical Education	4
Religious Education	2
Science	7

We have been able to finalise all year 9 into 10 option choices this week, and communication will have gone out today to students to confirm these. 

Critical Incident Lockdown drill 

There will be a practice of our ‘critical incident lockdown’ procedures during Thursday’s morning tutorial session next week. A critical incident is an emergency situation on the school site. Fire alarm drills are relatively common, and hence it is sensible to also prepare students and staff for other possible types of emergency. The likelihood of a critical incident is very small, but we want all members of our school community to be safe. The critical incident exercise will be conducted in a brief, calm and controlled manner, and carefully observed by senior leadership staff and the site team in order to learn lessons for any necessary future improvement. Local police have been informed. Staff and students have been prepared for the practice. If you need to contact the school about the practice, please email Dr Craig, Vice Principal, on michael.craig@astreastivo.org.  

Pastoral teams update 

We are pleased to welcome Miss Millie Sanderson to the pastoral team this week. As mentioned last week, Miss Sanderson will be joining the Year 8 into 9 team with Mrs Nisbet now, and continuing with that role in September. I am sure you will join me in welcoming her to our community. 

We are sorry to say goodbye to Mrs Edwards this week, who has previously been linked to the year 8 team. Mrs Edwards has been excellent in her support for our students, and we wish her all the best for her future roles. 

Biometrics and changes to the canteen 

Thank you to everyone who has signed up for using biometrics for canteen payments; we’ve really noticed the change in speed for the first sitting for students getting served. Initial scanning of remaining year groups will start again next week. 

We would strongly encourage anyone who hasn’t yet signed up, including Year 12 families, to give consent for ‘fingerprint’ biometrics for purchasing items in the canteen using the following link: https://astreaathena.net/forms/public/67/RDOWLQURAJ   

We’ve also tweaked the layout and flow of payment queues today following on from student feedback to make it easier for them to access the drinks and sandwiches and then queue to pay.  

Uniform update 

Our two ‘try before you buy’ events will take place in the school hall between 4.00pm and 6.00pm on Tuesday 18 June and Wednesday 26 June 2024. These are for any items being purchased from Chroma. For current students, the only compulsory purchase of new uniform for September 2024 will be the sports leggings or track pants. These will need to be worn on PE days. You can also order these online, using the following link: Schoolwear & School Uniforms in Cambridgeshire & Lincolnshire | Workwear & Teamwear also Provided (chromasport.co.uk)   

For current Year 7-10 students, when they grow out of their current uniform, what are the expectations?

There will be two options: 

• Our current suppliers are still available to buy from up until 31 August. Link here: St Ivo Academy (pbuniform-online.co.uk) 
• After this date we will be purchasing all remaining stock from them. This will be made available to parents by October. 

If parents/ carers/ students wish to purchase the new uniform, they are welcome to transition to this at any stage throughout their time at St Ivo. For example, if students want to replace the current grey trousers, with the new black trousers, they can do this at any time. 

Yours faithfully

Tony Meneaugh

Interim Principal

Upcoming diary dates

Monday 10 June: Year 8 and 9 assessments begin

Monday 17 June: Year 7 assessments begin

Tuesday 18 June: Year 12 UCAS Expo trip

House Points

House totals year to date:

• Bridge 49,160
• Crosier 47,526
• Leger 46,724
• River 49,293
• Wheatsheaf 45,343

Congratulations to the following student who has achieved 200 House points (white award):

• Joshua 7Co, Harry 7Nt, Katelyn 7Nt, Arthur 7Oe, Ezri 7Oe, Ian 7Sl/Kf, Jason 7Sl/Kf, Tia 7Sl/Kf, Evie 7St, Laura 7Wa
• Harry 8Mw

Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 150 House points (gold award):

• Emmanuel 7Mc, Emilio 7Nt, Bella 7Sl/Kf, Justin 7Sl/Kf, Husna 7St, Kacey 7Wa, Laraib 7Wa
• Oscar 8Mw

Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 100 House points (silver award):

• Kiera 7Tw

Congratulations to the following students who have achieved 50 House points (house badge):

• Luca 7Ti, Ayden 7Wa

UCAS Application Evening – Monday 24 June

As we continue to prepare for the start of the UCAS university application process for year 12, we are inviting all parents and students in for a UCAS application information evening on Monday 24 June at 6pm, in the school dining hall.

On the evening Anglia Ruskin University will be giving a presentation on the application process and then following this Gonville & Caius College (Cambridge University) will be outlining additional information for those students who may be making applications to Oxbridge and other Russell Group and competitive universities. Parents are welcome to stay for both presentations, but will be free to leave after the initial talk if they feel they have all the information they need.

In the past we have had parents express their wish to have more guidance about the application process, personal statement writing and super-curricular activities, so we feel that this would be an incredibly beneficial evening to attend to gather this information.

We very much look forward to seeing you on the evening.

Pat Braybrook & Clare Webster

WhatsApp Advice

Cambridgeshire Holiday Activity Programme