Torquay Academy

fun friday - The Masked Teacher

Fun Friday came a day early this week, and what a way to end the term.

Students were treated to a fantastic Masked Singer event on The Platform, featuring two solo performances and a brilliant duet. The Brunel Bear, the Easter Bunny, the Harrison Hornet and the Nearne Nighthawk took to the stage, entertaining the crowd and getting everyone singing along.

After each performance, students tried to guess which members of staff were behind the masks, adding to the excitement and atmosphere throughout.

The big reveal did not disappoint:
• The Brunel Bear was Mr Dickinson
• The Easter Bunny was Mr Willis
• The Harrison Hornet was Mrs Aplin
• The Nearne Nighthawk was Mrs Lancaster

It was a brilliant way to end the term, full of energy and laughter. It was a fantastic send-off for students heading into the Easter holiday.

year group photos

This week, we had the pleasure of bringing together our Year 7, Year 11 and Sixth Form students for their year group photographs.

There is always something special about these moments. They offer a chance to pause and reflect, and a reminder of just how quickly time passes. Seeing each cohort together really brings to life the journey they are on.

For Year 7, it was striking to see how much they have already grown in such a short space of time. In just one year, they have developed in confidence, maturity and character, and are very much part of the Torquay Academy community.

For our Year 11 and Sixth Form students, the photographs serve as a powerful reminder of how far they have come. It does not feel long ago that they joined us, yet they now stand as confident, capable young people preparing for the next stage of their lives.

These photographs capture more than just a moment, they capture a journey. They are something that we, and our students, will look back on with great pride in the years to come.

The Easter Bunny Visits Torquay Academy

There was a special visitor at Torquay Academy this week, as the Easter Bunny made a surprise appearance to help us celebrate the end of a fantastic term.

In a lovely moment for the whole school community, Easter eggs were handed out to every student and member of staff. It was a small gesture, but one that brought plenty of smiles, laughter and a real sense of togetherness as we head into the Easter holidays.

Moments like this are important. They give us the opportunity to pause, reflect on the term gone by, and celebrate the hard work, commitment and achievements of our students and staff. The atmosphere around the school was full of positivity, and it was great to see everyone enjoying the occasion.

As we head into the Easter break, we hope all of our students and families have a well-earned rest and enjoy the holidays.

A big thank you to everyone involved in organising the visit, and of course, to the Easter Bunny for making the day such a memorable one!

Strong Debut Performances at HYROX London

We are delighted to celebrate the fantastic efforts of several Torquay Academy students who recently took part in their first HYROX competition at London Olympia on Sunday 29th March.

HYROX is a demanding fitness event that combines endurance running with functional strength exercises, and competing for the first time is a significant challenge in itself.

In the 12–13 year old category, Year 8 student Cole Washington delivered an excellent performance. Having trained consistently since before Christmas, Cole went into the event slightly unsure of how he would perform after not feeling his best in the week leading up to the competition. Despite this, he showed real determination and resilience to complete the race in an impressive time of 26 minutes and 15 seconds, placing him just outside the top 50% of a highly competitive field of 330 participants.

Cole was not alone in representing the school. Year 10 students Noah Margetts, Maxwell Murphy and Stan Austin also took part in their first HYROX competition, competing in a strong field of 250 athletes.

All three students performed exceptionally well, with each finishing within the top 50% of the field:

Noah Margetts finished in 25 minutes and 4 seconds, placing 43rd
Maxwell Murphy finished in 26 minutes and 53 seconds, placing 75th
Stan Austin finished in 28 minutes and 31 seconds, placing 108th

To achieve these results in their first experience of such a physically demanding event is a fantastic accomplishment and reflects the commitment, preparation and mindset shown by all four students.

It was also great to see the wider family involvement in the event, with Cole’s dad, a former governor of the school, also taking part in the competition. This added an extra layer of inspiration and support on the day.

All of the students should be incredibly proud of their performances. Competing in HYROX requires not only physical strength and endurance, but also mental resilience and determination, qualities that were clearly demonstrated throughout.

All four students are already looking ahead to future HYROX competitions, with the aim of continuing to improve their times and build on this excellent first experience.

Well done to Cole, Noah, Maxwell and Stan on a brilliant debut.

Year 11 Dance Performances

The  Year 11 Dancers  have recently completed their BTEC Tech Performing Arts Component 3, based on the theme “Common Ground.” This final component challenged students to bring together the skills they have developed throughout the course, culminating in to a full 7 minute performance.

Throughout the process, students showed real commitment and determination. From early ideas and rehearsals through to the final performance, they worked collaboratively to explore the theme, developing meaningful and engaging pieces that reflected their creativity and understanding.

Rehearsal periods were used effectively, with students demonstrating focus, resilience, and a willingness to refine their work. They experimented with movement, characterisation, and staging, responding thoughtfully to feedback from Mrs Aplin and continuously improving their performances.

The final pieces were a testament to their hard work. Each group presented a unique interpretation of “Common Ground,” highlighting not only their performance skills but also their ability to communicate ideas clearly to an audience.

Mrs Aplin is so so so incredibly proud of the effort and professionalism shown by all students. Completing Component 3 to such a high standard is a significant achievement, and they should feel confident in the progress they have made throughout the course.

Well done to all involved!

More flying experience for our CCF RAF cadets

Last Thursday 26th March, five of our CCF RAF cadets were able to gain the experience they have all been waiting for since they joined cadets - flying an aircraft! Of course they were accompanied by experienced and qualified pilots, but each of the cadets took control of the airplane for some of their flight. An incredible day!

After a three hour drive, at the crack of dawn, to the MoD Boscombe Down base, the cadets were met by the commanding officer and given a briefing. This involved training in how to get in and out of the cockpit, and they went through emergency procedures, including how to open the cockpit, evacuate the plane, release the parachute and land safely. Very important training and each of the cadets acquitted themselves admirably. All were feeling very excited and I think it is fair to say a little nervous!

Following the training and a short wait for the pilots to be ready, the cadets set off to the kit room where they were kitted up for their adventure. Fitted with flying coveralls, measured for their flying helmets, issued sunglasses and gloves, and safety checks carried out on the mic and headphones, the cadets were ready to fly! Two aircraft (Grob Tutors, aircraft in which trainee pilots commence their initial training) and their pilots were waiting as each pair of cadets were escorted to the ground crew who assisted them getting into the planes. After the last safety checks they were prepared for take-off.

The cadets each had a flight of over 30 minutes. The route took them across Salisbury Plain, close to Salisbury and they even had an aerial view of Stonehenge! Not something that many people can say they have experienced!

The cadets enjoyed  the view and the pilot performing some aerobatics. Each cadet took control of the aircraft for over five minutes and some even executed loops, rolls and dives themselves! Pretty impressive for a school trip!

After the most amazing experience the cadets were buzzing and grinning from ear to ear as they set off home via a well known fast food restaurant. A massive thank you to 2AEF squadron staff for giving our cadets this fantastic opportunity.  Well done to the following cadets: Cadet Sergeant Harrison Davies, Cadet Sergeant Maddison Findlay-Peers , Cadet Corporal Alexa Lyons, Cadet Lance Corporal Katie Peryer and Cadet Bali Mudge.

Great Britain Squad Selection

We are absolutely delighted to share the fantastic news that Willow has been selected for the Great Britain Development Squad for 2026.

This is an outstanding achievement and a testament to the immense hard work, dedication and resilience that Willow has shown over a sustained period of time. Selection for a national squad is not something that happens overnight. It is the result of countless hours of training, a relentless commitment to improvement, and the ability to perform consistently at the highest level in competition.

This recognition follows a remarkable run of success for Willow, including her recent performances at both the British Championships and the English Championships. To now be selected as part of the GB Development Squad places her amongst the very best young gymnasts in the country and marks an exciting next step in her journey.

Beyond the results and accolades, what stands out most is Willow’s attitude. Her determination, focus and willingness to continually push herself to improve are qualities that underpin this success and will continue to serve her well as she progresses.

We are incredibly proud of everything Willow has achieved and look forward to following her journey as part of the GB Development Squad.

Congratulations, Willow.

Biology with Mr Spittle

Year 11 are rapidly approaching the exam season and as a part of their preparation 11Q6 have just finished the content of their Biology revision. The topic involved respiration where students were recalling the two types of respiration. Within this knowledge, we went through the products of anaerobic respiration based on the type of organism involved and applied this to exam questions, explaining why an understanding of each type is important for both exercise and commercial purposes.

learning legends

Immy Shaw and Poppy Anderson

y13 music student organises charity concert

My name is Oliver Boyce, and I am a full time music student in 6th form. As part of my unit 31 in music technology, my task was to organise a specialist project of my choice which leads to a desired outcome. The project I then chose was to host a student concert for charity to give students a chance to perform in front of a live audience outside of school. 

The night started off with a DJ performance from another student James Lovell, whose project was chosen to be a business where he is hired to play at events. After this, there was then a wave of performers, followed by a break and then another wave of performers. During the two intervals, a total of 11 students performed (including me), some playing even twice. Between these two intervals, my Mum spoke to the audience about my chosen charity followed by a video, then a reminder for the raffle which took place at the end of the night. I hired the venue for a total of 5 hours, which was the perfect amount.

The charity I chose is owned by my drum teacher's family. This charity has built a school in Nairobi Kenya, which is used to educate and fund children with special needs. 

This event took a lot of preparation including searching for the venue, advertising, finding performers and many more. I was able to find a really affordable venue called The Base Torquay, which was the perfect space to use. I'm delighted with how successful the event turned out.

Well done, Oliver! We are very proud of you and all the hard work you put into making this such a success. 

(Write up by Oliver)

Students of the Week

Year 9 -  Keeley-Mae Moran and Luke Sandeman

Netball tournament at Spires

The Sitxh form organised a netball tournament for the year 7,8 and 9 between TA & CFGS organised. Lots of fun was had by all!

sixth form netball

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