Summer 2 Blog

Welcome to my last blog of the academic year.

It has been a whirlwind and I would like to thank parents and carers who have supported their children.

I would also like to pay tribute to my dedicated staff team who work incredibly hard to provide the best learning environments and opportunities for our students. 

I appreciate it has not always been easy but, when we do break up for a much-deserved summer break, we can reflect on some incredible successes by individual students and our academies.

I would like to take the opportunity to look back on some of the highlights from this term.

Sevenhills Academy supported The Youth Sport Trust National School Sports Week.

This year, the aim was to ensure all children in the UK are active for the recommended minimum of 60 minutes a day. 

Less than half achieve this milestone currently and, shockingly, more than 2-million are active for less than 30 minutes daily (source: Sport England Active Lives Children and Young People Survey, academic year 2021-22).

We used the week to challenge our students about being inactive and what this can mean for our general health and wellbeing.

They had great fun participating in a range of activities, challenges and competitions.

Reading is so important to us all. 

The team has worked tirelessly to ensure everybody reads more often and improves. 

Thank you to those who joined our reading community event. 

Our reading plus scheme really works. Look at some of the amazing success stories across the sites since September: 

Please get in touch with your site if you would like to access this programme at home to make even more progress.

Adam Corbally, star of BBC’s ‘The Apprentice’, joined the team at Park House for a day of entrepreneurial skills. 

The students enjoyed learning about attitude, resilience, being positive and the importance of good communication skills. 

They were challenged to create and present a sustainable business idea and the winning concept was an innovative ocean liner that collects pollution and filters water.

Impressive artwork showcased students’ talent in a competition focused on the sea.

Phoenix Academy organised the Trust-wide event and entries flooded in from across its 28 academies.

Winners in primary and secondary categories received art packs and Amazon vouchers.

I was really proud to host the event. Creativity and arts have a big place on our curriculum and we encourage all of our children to be individual. 

Wellspring Academy Trust’s community consists of 29 Academies across our region and there are some extremely talented students.

Difficult decisions about the four first place winners and four runners-up were made by a judging panel comprising of Trust Chief Executive Officer Mark Wilson, estates manager Keith Beedle and Harriet Farmery, from renewable energy giant Ørsted.

Congratulations to all the winners, including Charlie Marsh Lowe and Dani Lawton from Park House.

The Academies close at 12pm on Monday (24th July) and we return on Monday, 4th September, 2023, at 9.00am. 

Park House will be open 10am – 12pm on Thursday 24th August 2023 for year 11 students to collect their exam results. 

Have a lovely summer break and thank you again for supporting our work this year.

Phil Hutchinson

Executive Principal