Human Rights Week inspires Year 9, mock exams begin, Cadets in action

Human Rights Week for year 9

This week Year 9 students have taken part in Human Rights week which has helped students to explore issues that are relevant not only to themselves but are also relevant in their religious studies lessons. Students have attended assemblies every day during period 1 to explore the different issues regarding Human Rights.

On Monday, a representative from Amnesty International gave a talk to the students, explaining what human rights are, where they come from and some of the ways in which human rights are violated both in the UK and internationally.

Tuesday’s assembly was held by Miss Brzozowski who explored and explained the issues of prejudice and discrimination including sexism and racism and the issues that some religious people face when their right to religious expression is taken away.

On Wednesday, students learnt about exploitation: Unfair pay, human trafficking and excessive interest on loans from Miss Brzozowski and students considered different attitudes towards these issues.

Our students were incredibly fortunate to hear from Miss Ryan on Thursday sharing her personal experiences of working in international communities affected by natural disasters and helping those in need, as well as exploring attitudes towards wealth.

Faith speakers Gabe and Jordan spoke to Year 9 on Friday to share their religious beliefs and the work of a local religious organisation for those in need and those whose human rights are violated.

Year 9 has been amazing this week. I am so proud of their behaviour and attitude in all of the sessions.

Year 10 mock exams

Year 10s sat their first English language examinations this week, with a full trial of their access arrangements.

They did their year group proud by working exceptionally hard and following all instructions to the letter. This bodes extremely well for their performance in their upcoming examinations this year. Well done year 10!

A Lively and Productive Cadet Evening at Torquay Academy CCF

Our latest cadet session was full of energy and enthusiasm, marking a significant milestone for our newest recruits. Year 8 cadets proudly received their cadet uniform for the very first time, a moment that always brings a real sense of belonging and pride as they officially begin their CCF journey.

Elsewhere, our senior cadets were fully engaged in fieldcraft training, continuing to build vital skills in preparation for an upcoming exercise. Their focus, teamwork, and determination were clear to see as they refined techniques and developed confidence in the field.

The RAF section was equally busy, fine-tuning their preparations ahead of the forthcoming RAST competition. Attention to detail and commitment were evident throughout the session as cadets worked hard to ensure they are competition-ready.

Join Our Team – Become a Cadet Force Volunteer

Torquay Academy Combined Cadet Force is always keen to hear from enthusiastic adults who would like to support and inspire young people. We are currently seeking Cadet Force Adult Volunteers (CFAVs) to join our team. Serving or Ex Military Personnel would be an advantage but no previous military or cadet experience is required — full training and ongoing support are provided.

The role typically involves:

Supporting weekly cadet training sessions, usually on Wednesday afternoons
Assisting with activities such as leadership training, fieldcraft, first aid, and adventurous training
Supporting camps and occasional weekend activities, where available
Mentoring and encouraging young people as they develop confidence, resilience, and life skills

If you’re looking for a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you.

If you are interested in making a difference and would like to find out more, please contact:

ccf@torquayacademy.co.uk

We would be delighted to hear from you.

new equipment

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes over the past few months, improving our external provisions for the SEN students.

We have had some amazing exercise equipment installed on the field and work is underway in Charlotte's Garden to create some new flower beds and planting areas. There is also some lovely new seating, engraved with some of the school's inspirational quotes.

Up next is a new poly tunnel for the students to get stuck in with the growing and planting of some year-round colour and interest for the garden. Now we just need some dry, sunny weather to be making the most of it!

University of Bath Trip

On Thursday 29th January, myself, Mr Gale and five of our budding chemists visited the University of Bath for an exciting and inspiring day. The visit began with a tour of the campus, including the impressive Management Building, Students’ Union, and outstanding sports facilities.

The group then headed to the Chemistry Department, where students took part in a university-level practical: the synthesis of aspirin. Working in undergraduate laboratories, students refluxed a mixture of acetic anhydride, phosphoric acid and 2-hydroxybenzoic acid using air condensers — a new and challenging piece of equipment for them.

In the second stage of the experiment, the mixture was cooled in an ice bath to crystallise the aspirin, which was then collected using vacuum filtration. Students calculated both their theoretical and percentage yields to evaluate the success of their practical work.

To assess the purity of their product, students used a range of analytical techniques including thin-layer chromatography, melting point determination and infrared spectroscopy. Using these methods, they were able to determine whether their synthesis of aspirin had been successful.

Throughout the day, the students demonstrated exemplary behaviour and excellent practical skills. Well done to Amalia, Mia, Sophie, Nina and Emma for representing the school so brilliantly.

Mrs Pidwell

Sixth Form Health and Social Care Visit to South Devon University Centre

Year 12 and 13 Health and Social Care students recently took part in an engaging taster session at the University Centre at South Devon College, where they explored a range of progression routes into Nursing and other health-related careers.

Students were highly impressed by the outstanding facilities, including the £10 million simulated hospital ward featuring interactive patients. They had the opportunity to practise clinical skills such as taking pulse rates and temperatures, using a stethoscope, and comparing their findings with normal clinical values.

The visit also included time in the immersive suite, where students considered a variety of realistic scenarios through role-play activities. The Centre offers an excellent alternative pathway into a health degree, enabling students to study locally while benefiting from nearby placements and the opportunity to remain at home.

Thank you to the team at South Devon University Centre for providing such an informative and inspiring experience.

Fun Friday

Fun Friday once again brought a fantastic end to the week at Torquay Academy, with every year group enjoying activities that rewarded effort, built community, and created plenty of smiles across the site.

Year 7 showed impressive competitive spirit in their Basketball Shootout, with pupils cheering each other on and celebrating every successful shot.

Year 8 tested their guessing skills in the ever popular Sweets in the Jar challenge, with plenty of debate over how many treats could possibly fit inside.

Year 9 enjoyed a lively game of Higher or Lower, with suspense building as each new card was revealed and competitors tried to keep their winning streak alive.

Meanwhile, both Year 10 and Year 11 brought confidence and entertainment to the platform with Karaoke, as students took to the microphone and delivered performances that had friends and staff singing along.

Fun Friday continues to be a brilliant way to celebrate hard work, strengthen friendships, and end the week on a positive note across the whole school community.

Languages within the mfl department

Another Cycle finished, and so much learning has happened! The past few weeks have been busy in MFL with a lot of assessments to be done in order to cover all the different skills that students need to master in their French or Spanish lessons. This has meant taking knowledge and grammar quizzes, listening tests, reading tests, and writing whole paragraphs in another language. All classes have done brilliantly and the team couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and resilience.

For year 10 students, there was the added challenge of a speaking test taken in exam conditions, which meant sitting in a room with their teacher to have about 10 minutes of conversation entirely in French or Spanish! Again, all students showed heaps of resilience and wowed the MFL team with their hard-work, and now that students have been in the room where it happens , they know that they can do it, and that their exam will go great next year.

Finally, Year 11 and year 13 students have been looking forward to their own mock examinations after a short half-term break (that will be full of revision and work, of course). For both cohorts, this has meant practising a lot of paragraph and essay writing. Like a famous French singer once said, “Long is the Road”, but they are glimpsing the end of it!

art & Photography round up

Year 7

Year 7 Art students are currently working on a ‘Bugs & Beasties’ project and have spent the last term studying the tiny creatures as inspiration for their artwork. Throughout the project, students have explored a variety of drawing and making techniques, including pen, pencil, oil pastels, and paint.

Students are now studying the work of the Victorian artist and designer William Morris. As part of this, they are creating artist link pages in their sketchbooks. Alongside written research about Morris, students have produced interesting painted backgrounds and detailed drawings of insects, flora, and fauna, created on the pages of old, discarded books.

Mrs Lynch is delighted with the students hard work and enthusiasm for the project. Students will go onto explore creating their own repeating patterns and ultimately produce a panel by Easter break.

Year 8

Year 8 Art students have just completed their Cycle 2 Art Assessment, continuing with the theme of ‘War & Conflict’.

The DO NOW activity involved a warm-up drawing inspired by a painting by the renowned war artist Otto Dix.

Students were then given a choice of images depicting soldiers in wartime environments to draw from. They paid particular attention to composition, mark-making, and exploring a range of tonal values.

Mrs Lynch was really impressed with their expressive outcomes. Well done, Year 8!

Year 9

Year 9 Art students have been busy in the art room designing and creating shoes and trainers in clay, inspired by their favourite artists. Some of the artists studied have included: Georgia O'Keeffe, Kandinsky, Vincent Van Gogh and Banksy.

Students have worked their clay shoes using the slab technique, experimenting with rolling, using templates, cutting and shaping, as well as exploring a range of joining techniques in ceramics. The students have carefully constructed their forms before decorating each piece with unique and individual designs and motifs.

All the clay work has been biscuit fired, with some pieces then glazed and given a final firing. The works on display here have been hand-painted with acrylic paints to allow for a greater choice of colour and vibrancy.

Well done to Mrs Lynch’s Art students, who have produced outstanding work for this ambitious 3D unit.

Year 12

The Year 12 A Level Photography students have had a busy week working on their individual digital portfolios. Each student is encouraged to explore a different theme and topic. Current areas of exploration include Nature, Mental Health, Our World, and Emotions — a rich and inspiring collection of ideas that will inform exciting research and planned photoshoots.

Mrs Lynch looks forward to seeing how each student develops both technically and creatively over the coming weeks.

Students of the Week

Year 7 - Godwin Ramesh & Erin Cooper

Year 8 - Ella Uven and Alex Nicholson

Year 9 - Elena Bolton and Oakley Mudge

Year 11 - Joe Boyce and Ellie Farthing

year 7 netball tournament

A Team: Lucy Stevens, Maddison Pearse, Ayda Snell ©, Isabella Hughes, Ava Medway, Zara Isemede, Dolly Peart, Izzy Beer

B Team: Katie Hornbrook, Amelia Drew, Mia Carter, Ameli Garvey, Ella Austin ©, Grace Sampson, Evie Voisey, Amelia Cony

On Monday 2 February, two Year 7 netball teams travelled to Paignton to compete in a highly competitive tournament, representing TA with pride throughout the day.

Both teams played with real determination and excellent teamwork in every match. The B team showed great resilience during the group stages and, after some challenging fixtures, progressed into the Plate competition. They continued to work hard as a unit, demonstrating improved confidence and persistence against strong opposition.

The A team produced a fantastic series of performances in the group stages, earning their place in the Cup competition. They played some excellent netball throughout the day, combining strong defensive efforts with effective attacking play against tough opposition. Their consistent performances saw them finish an impressive 5th overall out of 16 teams.

Across both squads, there was clear improvement from previous tournaments, with players growing in confidence, decision-making, and on-court communication as the day progressed. Every player represented TA superbly, demonstrating outstanding manners, teamwork, and sportsmanship both on and off the court.

A brilliant collective effort from everyone involved — well done, Year 7!

Oppositions Player of the Tournament: Ayda Snell & Ameia Drew

Players Player of the Tournament: Ayda Snell & Grace Sampson

Coaches Player of the Tournament:Ayda Snell, Evie Voisey & Mia Carter

sixth form stay firmly at the top of the league

Once again, the girls were fantastic in what was a hugely impressive league performance. Coming up against the team sitting just below them in the league table — and one that had previously edged past them by just two goals — the girls were fired up and determined from the very first whistle.

That determination was evident throughout the match as they set the tempo early and never looked back. Dominating across the court, they produced some truly inspiring teamwork, combining strong defensive pressure with fluent attacking play. As the match progressed, the girls showed great maturity by setting themselves clear targets, maintaining focus and intensity in every quarter.

Their composure, work rate, and unity ensured they remained in control throughout, ultimately earning a very well-deserved 60–37 victory. A standout performance that clearly demonstrated their growth, resilience, and quality as a team — and a confident statement of who the best team really is.

Squad: Millie Sneap, Elspeth Herring, Tammy Westacott(C), Summer Connolly, Ellie Stone, Ellie Farthing, Ema Kestell, Eve Cameron

Opposition's Player of the Match: Tammy Westacott

Players' Player of the Match: Ellie Stone

Coach's Players of the Match: Ema Kestell / Tammy Westacott

strong performance from team ta u14 squad

The Year 9 netball squad travelled to Wellington for a valuable preparation match ahead of their Semi-Final next week.

Wellington are a strong and well-drilled side, but Team TA were determined to show that they could match both the intensity and quality of their opposition. From the first whistle, the girls started strongly, displaying clear teamwork and effective communication across the court. Consistent defensive pressure forced a number of turnovers, which were quickly transitioned through court and confidently converted by the shooters to give TA an early advantage.

The girls maintained their momentum throughout the match, continuing to apply pressure defensively while demonstrating composure and control in attack. Their ability to work together, adapt, and remain focused saw them extend their lead as the game progressed, finishing with an impressive 31–13 victory.

This fixture provided an excellent opportunity for the squad to compete in a high-level match environment and trial a variety of combinations, all in preparation for next week’s important Semi-Final. A strong and encouraging performance as the team builds confidence at the perfect time.

Squad: Eva Thompson, Seren Chadwick, Isla Bryant, Madison Wood(C), Emilee Fenner, Elena Bolton, Lily Langler, Zenna Venter, Matilda Thorner

Opposition's Player of the Match: Seren Chadwick / Isla Bryant

Players' Player of the Match: Matilda Thorner/Isla Bryant/Seren Chadwick

Coach's Players of the Match: Seren Chadwick

Year 7 boys football vs CFGS

A high-intensity and ruthless performance from the team saw us run out 7-1 winners. Goals from Shia (3) Ronni (2) Leo and Alfie.

Player of the match voted by the squad was Ronni. Well done to all involved