Double English Champion, National Semi-Final & DofE Conservation

willow Crowned DOUBLE English Champion

Congratulations to Willow, in Year 8, who competed at the 2026 English Gymnastics Championships this weekend and delivered an outstanding performance against some of the very best gymnasts from across the country.

Competing at this level is an incredible achievement in itself, and Willow rose to the occasion with a superb competition. She recorded personal bests on bars, beam and vault, demonstrating the hard work, dedication and commitment that have gone into her preparation.

Her performances across all four apparatus added up to an exceptional All-Around personal best score of 46.950, securing her two remarkable titles:

2026 English Bars Champion
2026 English All-Around Champion

To win one national title is an extraordinary accomplishment, but to take home both the Bars title and the All-Around title is truly special.

Everyone at Torquay Academy is incredibly proud of Willow and everything she has achieved. Her success reflects not only her talent but also the determination and resilience required to perform at such a high level.

A huge congratulations to Willow on an amazing competition.

DofE volunteering activity

Last Saturday, our Duke of Edinburgh students took part in their first conservation volunteering activity and what a fantastic start it was!

As part of their Duke of Edinburgh journey, students partnered with Taleblazers and Life on the Edge to support an important local environmental project. The focus of the day was habitat management, with students working together to cut back gorse to help restore balance to the area.

Gorse, while bright and beautiful when in bloom, is a fast-growing shrub that can quickly dominate open spaces. If left unmanaged, it prevents sunlight from reaching the ground, stopping rarer and more delicate plant species from thriving. Under the expert guidance of our partners, students learned why careful conservation work like this is so important in protecting biodiversity.

Armed with gloves, loppers and plenty of enthusiasm, students set to work cutting back the dense gorse. It was physically demanding, but everyone showed resilience, teamwork and determination throughout the session.

After such a great start to the day, the group enjoyed a well-earned walk along Berry Head and out towards the iconic Berry Head Lighthouse. With the weather beautifully sunny, spirits were high as students took in the stunning coastal views. We were even lucky enough to spot a few porpoises in the sea below — a real highlight for many of the group!

The students all represented the school brilliantly throughout the day. We are extremely proud of the maturity, teamwork and commitment shown by all involved, and we look forward to many more opportunities to make a positive impact in our community.

A special thank you goes to Rich, Amy and Eva for facilitating such an engaging and educational experience. Their guidance and encouragement ensured that the day was both productive and enjoyable for everyone involved.

Well done to everyone who took part – a brilliant start to your volunteering journey!

Science with Mrs Pidwell

This week Year 8 have been learning about light and how the eye works. To demonstrate this they carried out an eye dissection using pigs eyes. The students identified the optic nerve, iris, pupil, and cornea. They then cut open the eye to find the lens and some students were even able to locate the retina at the back of the eye.

year 9 art

Our Year 9 Art students have been exploring architecture through clay, inspired by the expressive styles of John Piper and John Brickels. Using local churches as their starting point, students carefully observed architectural features such as spires, arched windows, stone textures and brickwork before developing their own creative responses.

Influenced by John Piper’s dramatic shapes and bold contrasts, many students focused on strong silhouettes and carved deep lines into the clay to create shadow and texture. Others took inspiration from John Brickels’ expressive and structural approach to buildings, emphasising pattern, surface detail and strong linear qualities within their sculptures.

Throughout the project, students developed their observational drawing skills, refined their clay construction techniques, and experimented confidently with texture to capture the character of local architecture. The finished pieces demonstrate creativity, resilience and a thoughtful understanding of how artists can interpret the built environment in different ways. Many of these outcomes have been entered for this year's Royal Academy Young Artist's Summer Show so watch this space.

Learning legend

Louise ws drawn from the Year 10 tombola for this quarter's learning legend. She walked away with a brand new pair of Apple AirPods. She was very happy!

history with miss piggott

In History year 7 have begun to build up their knowledge of what the Renaissance period was like and how there was dramatic changes in society such as in religion, culture and technology. They have been able to use their knowledge from last cycle to see how things began to change drastically compared to the Medieval period. They have also continued to build on their ability to use their knowledge to work out what sources can tell us in history and have shared some exceptional answers.

Year 8 have been consolidating the causes of World War Two and considering the idea of which country could be argued to have held the most blame. Students have shared some really impressive judgements which have demonstrated their critical thinking skills.

Year 9 have nearly finished their first GCSE unit on the Normans and have been learning over a series of lessons how the Normans changed England and to what extent England changed. This week students looked at how the church changed under the Normans and why. They have also considered how society changed and have begun to weigh up which area saw the most change such as government or landownership, producing graphs to show their thinking process.

fun friday

Another fantastic Fun Friday saw the whole academy come together for a series of house competitions, bringing energy, laughter and a healthy dose of competitive spirit to the end of the week. These weekly events are always a highlight of the calendar, giving students the opportunity to represent their houses, work together and enjoy a moment of fun with friends across the year group.

Our Year 7 students kicked things off with a lively game of Higher or Lower, testing their instincts and probability skills as they predicted whether the next card would be higher or lower. The tension built with every turn of the card, with students cheering on their house representatives as the game unfolded.

Year 8 took on the classic challenge of estimating the number of sweets in the jar. With guesses ranging from the cautious to the wildly ambitious, students tried to combine logic, observation and a little bit of luck to get closest to the correct number.

The Year 9 competition brought a fast-paced Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament. The atmosphere quickly ramped up as students battled through the rounds, with cheers erupting as each winner progressed towards the final.

Year 10 and Year 11 both put their knowledge to the test in quiz competitions, covering a wide range of topics and requiring quick thinking and teamwork. It was fantastic to see students working together under pressure to score valuable points for their houses.

As always, Fun Friday was full of great energy, teamwork and house pride. These moments remind us that school is not only about hard work and achievement in the classroom, but also about community, friendship and enjoying time together.

Well done to everyone who took part and represented their houses so brilliantly. We look forward to another exciting Fun Friday next week.

year 9 golden celebration

We have marked the achievements of all of our amazing students who were in the Gold on the effort boards at the end of Cycle 2. We are so proud of all of them for their hard work and dedication around school. They were all rewarded with an Easter Egg.

Well done to: Rosco Biagoot, Matilda Thorner, Lily Langler, Dylan Drinkwater, Jorgie-Jayne Barnett, Emily Redmond, Dion Maharjan, Jenson Tandy, Poppy Evely, Xanther Tyson, Zachary Kittow, Rosie Bean, Layla Lock, Olivier Szyszka, Sofia Adamson, Catehrine Ramesh Mani, Harry Austin, Phoebe Acton, Oceana Furse, Madison Wood, Wiktoria Aleksander, Frances Roberts, James Costello, Ben Walters, Olivier Kawula, Lucy French and George Pitts.

y12 biology

This week the year 12 Biologists have been learning about the specific immune response and about how drugs such as antibiotics can treat bacterial infections. They carried out a practical using microbiological aseptic techniques to grow bacteria on agar plates and investigate which antibiotics are the most effective at killing these bacteria. The students needed to use a lit Bunsen burner in order to create convection currents to prevent any airborne microorganisms from settling on their workbench.

Students of the Week

Year 7 - Isla Copping and Charlie Cosslett

Year 9 - Mason Maxwell and Elizabeth Francis

Year 10 - James Beer and Lily-Rose Garbett

Year 11 - Connie Kinghorn and Naphtali phinehas

Historic Run Ends in National Semi-Final After Outstanding Effort

Our Year 8 boys’ football team hosted Kingsdale School from London in the national semi-final, and what an occasion it proved to be. The atmosphere on the day was incredible, with fantastic support from students, staff and parents who created a brilliant backdrop for such a prestigious fixture.

The match itself was hugely entertaining and a joy for the neutral, with action at both ends throughout. From the very beginning, the boys showed they belonged at this level and were more than capable of competing with one of the country’s strongest school football sides.

Kingsdale took the lead with a long-range strike, but rather than discouraging the team, it sparked a strong response. The boys quickly found their rhythm and equalised in style when Freddie “Thatch” Thatcher produced a superb lob that sent the crowd wild.

Buoyed by the support and momentum, we continued to press and soon took the lead after sustained pressure. A well-delivered free kick caused problems inside the box, and Teddy Shobbrook reacted calmly to slot the ball into the corner and put us 2–1 ahead. The atmosphere was electric and confidence was high as the boys continued to battle in what had become a thrilling contest.

Unfortunately, a brief lapse in concentration allowed Kingsdale to equalise just before half-time, which was a setback after such a strong spell.

The second half became a tense and nervy affair, with both teams creating chances while also showing signs of fatigue after the relentless pace of the game. With around ten minutes remaining and the game plan working well, a split-second decision unfortunately left us exposed at the back. Kingsdale capitalised on the counter-attack and finished neatly into the corner to regain the lead.

Our boys pushed hard in the closing minutes in search of an equaliser, committing players forward in an attempt to force the game back level. However, a late long free kick into our penalty area led to a spot kick being awarded, which Kingsdale converted to make the final score 4–2.

The result was naturally disappointing for the players and staff, but it should not take away from what has been a truly outstanding achievement. Reaching the national semi-final of such an elite and competitive competition is something everyone connected with the team should be immensely proud of.

The boys have shown that they belong among the top school football programmes in the country, competing with some of the true powerhouses of school football. This experience will only strengthen their belief and determination moving forward.

We now dust ourselves down and turn our attention to the County Cup and the Torbay Cup competitions, where the team will look to finish the season strongly.

A huge thank you once again to all the students, staff and parents who came to support the team, your backing made the occasion incredibly special.

Well done to every member of the squad for representing the school with such pride and determination.

year 9 netball

The Year 9 squads travelled to Paignton Academy on Tuesday for a set of competitive and valuable fixtures.

The A team delivered a strong and composed performance, using the match to refine combinations and build confidence in their match play. Their focus on careful possession, well-timed drives and selecting the appropriate pass paid off as the game progressed. The squad rotated through a variety of combinations, working tirelessly to offer strong ball-side options and communicate effectively across court, which enabled them to execute some superbly timed attacking phases.

After trailing at the end of the first quarter, the team showed great maturity to adapt their game plan. A fantastic second quarter saw them regain control and shift the momentum. The contest remained tight throughout, but the girls held their nerve, demonstrating determination and composure under pressure to secure an impressive 24–21 victory. Facing such a strong side provided crucial preparation as they look ahead to their national finals next week.

Squad: Matilda Thorner, Eva Thompson, Zenna Venter, Seren Chadwick, Isla Bryant, Elena Bolton, Madison Wood ©, Emilee Fennere, Lily Langler

Opposition's Player of the Match: Matilda Thorner

Players’ Player of the Match: Eva Thompson

Coach's Player of the Match: Isla Bryant

The B team also produced a commendable performance. They concentrated on court balance and consistently offering ball-side support, and their confidence grew as the match unfolded. Movement through the court improved steadily, leading to some excellent passages of play and well-taken goals. Despite their efforts, the opposition proved slightly too strong on the day, with the team narrowly missing out on the win by just five goals.

Squad: Mimi Skelly, Heidi Milner, Layla Lock, Tia Woodward, Ellie-Mae Burton ©, Grace Gatting, Lilly Shaw

Opposition's/Players’/Coach's Player of the Match: Ellie-Mae Burton

A fantastic effort from both squads - well done to everyone involved!

prestigious diamond award

Year 7 - Dominik Mohacsi and Erin Cooper

Governor’s Platinum certificates

Year 7 - Ruby Hand, Dolly Peart, Aisha Dunkley-Kennedy, Ayva Howell, Evie Voisey, Annabelle Mountstevens and Oakley Johnson

Year 8 - Lilly-Ella Smith

Governor’s Gold certificates

Year 7 - Mila O'Connell, Charlie Pearson, Alya al Ali, Madison Trott, Issac Churchill, Lincoln Weston, Scarlet Seton, Rupert Jones, Lewis Tandy, Frankie Tait, Lucy-May Stevens, Maisy Sellick, Damon Reen, Bogdan Piasta, Freddie Osborne, Baran Sular, Sienna Thomas, Heni Ujj, Scarlett Paton, Mylo Jury and Ellie Peters

Year 8 - Myla Thomas and Isla Parsons

Year 9 - George Garbett, Oceana Furse, Charlotte Townsend and Immy Shaw

Governor’s Silver certificates

Year 7 - Immy Weeks, Sid Walters, Mylo Jury, Ellie Peters, Meelie Harvey, Ruby Ward, Nathan Cameron, Izzy Beer, Alfie King, Corey Watt, Holly Garbett, Archie West, Nathan Hooper, Lucas Worrall, Amelia Syms, Grace Sampson, Henri Jefferies, Lorenz Hodgson, Macey Horsted, Sienna Tucker, Zara Isemede, James Rackley, Hugo Harding-Beattie, Isaac Armitage, Isla Copping, Lennon Head, Max Dickerson, Shia Davidson, Freddie Bullions and Kayleigh Norgaard-Welsh

Year 8 - Karim Taha, Karen Shaju, Erin Gayton, Liv Andrews, Charlie Williams-Powell, Lilah Dallow, Ajay Squires, Sara Szewczuk, Frederick Sintim, Amaris Quennell, Fi Bellamy-Hall and Ela Uven

Year 9 - Logan Payne, Catherine Ramesh Mani, Charlotte Townsend, Alexa McCarthy, Summer Reed, Jesse Isemede, Seth McCann, Kobi Burness-Moakes, Ben Walters, Alba McKechan, Lily-Jo Prior, Harry Rowlands, Luke Moran and Daisy Dorman

Governor’s Bronze certificates

Year 7 - Echo Williams, Crystal Anning-Bragg, Malakye Harvey, Joshua Randall, Alfie King, Remy Beaumont Gray, Roni Bates, Jamie Smyth, Logan Mansell, Beau Luker-Hulme, Freddie Gaggini, Luna Furse, Lilly Conley, Cody Aguilana, Daisy Prior, Chloe Leese, Soraya Underhill, Luca Vaio, Ollie Webster, Marlie Coussell, Harry Barrett, Katie Hornbrook, Oliver Simpson, Riley Holmes, Tommy Stevens, Rosie Taylor, Sienna Stanbury and Frankie Wilson

Year 8 - Laura Mercer, Kobe Laker, Jacob Hicks, Ryu Cutts, Rocco D'Alessandro, Owen Brown, Zofia Bocianowska, Braxton Biggs, Ethan Nichols, Oscar Anderson, Emilie Cutmore, Simeon Manners, Emilia Hedgecock, Sienna Frost, Chloe Bastow, Ethan Halliday, Oscar Josey, Olivia Fisher, Maya Campineanu, Gabriele Stadalninkaite, Zack Jeneway and Ava Broughton

Year 9 - Leo Shaw, Ava McArdle, Toryn Bond, Oktawian Siennicki, Jax Biagott, Morley Villiers, Lucy French, Jessica Ferguson, Harry Austin, Frederick Blagden, Grace Gatting, Seren Chadwick, Aaron Pinto, Sofia Adamson, Riley Johnson, Rosie Bevan, Mya Pring, Nanma John, Phoebe Grindling and Morgan Fisher

Principal’s Gold certificates

Year 7 - Amelia Drew, Phoebe Prior, Summer Young, Orla Cutajar, Ruby Sambrook, Marcus Feasey, Jax O'Connor, Gregori Masliakovas, Jaxon Bedford Laity, April Corbett, Hope Briant, Ethan Graham, Sivaganga Renjith, Toby Giles, Chloe Sanderson, Archer Burton, Lenon Villiers, Ayda Snell, Leo Green West, Leo Allington, Coby Ingham Owens, Charlie Cosslett, Ella-Rose Woodgates, Freddie Farrell, Kaitlyn Blades, Toby Wright and Samuel Vesely

Year 8 - Joe Matthews, George Tonks, Fynlay Dever, Poppy Cosh, Gergo Rammer, Nora Gordon, Achilles Richards, Jude Nwachukwu, Riley House, Dee Davies, Dylan McDonald, Oliver Luscombe, Oscar Hall, Myles Bonnici, Freyja Mobbs, Archie Kershaw, Brooke Harding, Laila Stuttaford, Kayleb Yeo, Anna Viediernikova, George Davies, Jack Lennox-Statham, Madison Stewart, Hayley Steenkamp, Milly Skelly, Colby Craig, Isla-Mae Gale, Alex Oleksy, Chloe Hornsby, Caiden Edmonds, Paisley Taylor, Harry Monro, Chloe Eales, Evie Jewell, Teddy Shobbrook, Macy Hickman, Bella Cassidy, Zafirah Faryal, George Ballance, Jude Storey, Evan Jones, Luca Guppy, Kiera Chivers, Joel Cotton and Toby Young

Year 9 - Keylan Hodgson, Tyler Davis, James Cosh, Wiktoria Aleksander, Morgan Fisher, Gabi Cobain, Elena Bolton, Oakley Mudge, Hydie Munday, Faith Hartley, Jack Robinson, Jack Crabb, Tyler Jackson, Flo Evans, Ania Rozanska, Harlow Bown, Jelani Ondo-Chamielec, Ebany Fawkes, Ellie-Mae Burton, Zachary Kittow, Bradley Wright, Seren Panther-Glinn, Katie Tonks, Mila Cairney, Layla Lock, Alana Houlihan, Haydon Coatesworth, Charlie O'Connor and Dylan Drinkwater

Principal’s Silver certificates

Year 7 - Esme White, Heidi Downey, Caleb Abbott, Amber Dillon, Cassia Harman, Hope Jelley, Finley Walton, Libby Nolan, William Taylor, Oliver Evans, Ronni McElkenny, Brock Last, Pixie Houlahan, Jasmine Oakley, Millie Horrocks, Bobbie Shannon, Aaliyah Phillips and Esther Munnangi

Year 8 - Toby Roadnight, Bailey Clements, Jaycie Kennedy-Taylor, Lincoln Trapp, Liv Reed, Ava Harrison, Alfie Carpenter-Sorton, Gabriel Talbot-Powner, Lexi Johnson, Freddie Thatcher, Louie Gribbin, Calvin Downer, Blake Hawkes, Eryn Stafford-Summers, Theo Mason, Nicholas Robinson, Ethan Chapman, Grace Donnelly, Amelia Woodland, Luna Mearns, Archie Hudson, Abigail Rayment, Mabel Clatworthy, Ellis Palmer, Pandora Ferguson, Josie Cotton, Bella Stevenson, Josiah Addai, Beni Paplogo, Alex Nicholson and Jake Jolly

Year 9 - Ocean Brant, James Costello, Corey Davies, Kara Breach, Chloe Taylor, Serenity Ward, Esmie Riggs, Elias Jeffery, Farah Davidson, George Giles, Myah Sellick, Lucas Vesely, Seraphina Rozier, Madeline Woodger, Levi Jones, Maisy Hart, Isaac Mccabe, Lily Langler, Samuel Kuc, Ayden Quarshie, Aaliyah Akpo, Thalia Dunsmore and Bobby O'Regan

Year 10 - Ella Lake, Katie Peryer, Poppy Bettridge and Johnny Sandbrook

Year 11 - William Kelly

Principal’s Bronze certificates

Year 7 - Bella Froude, Jake Anyon, Jenson Taylor, Amelia Garvey, Jasper Dawson, Kaci Street, Tyler Fawcett, Esmae Le-Feuvre, Luna-Mai Williams, Leon Mclaren, Mason Lobb and Sophie Brookes

Year 8 - Finley Elliott, Isaac Hodge, Lilly-May Lee, Nouh Haridi, Henry Cooper, Kyle Squires, Annabella Hodge, Henry Nash, Amelia Palla, Jack Parker, Holly-Rae Mason, Achara Edmund, Sienna Blampey-Roberts, Archie Payne-Stanbury, Leo Watson, Abi Allen, Imogen Schneider, Lottie Forrester and Lexi Kenneford

Year 9 - Kumar Hopton, Jake Richards, William Schmiedinghofer, Benjamin Cowie, Annalise Little, George Pitts, Hiba Zafar, Cooper Syms, Rosa Murray, Jacob Wakefield, Cayden Castle, Ollie Hallett, Wiktor Koza, Brogan Holmes-Inch, Alfie Mackin, Olivier Kawula, Maya Bench, JJ Howell, Isla Herbert, Arlo Brady, Izzie Mildren, Elliott Hytche, Lyra Sully, Lottie Knight, Ella Jandara, Riley Page, Oliver Forsdyke, Billie-Jo Dolling, Isla Bryant, Bonnie Stacey, Riley Gomes and Freddy Novis

Year 10 - Mollie Longthorpe, Imogen Clifford, Lewis Graham, Daisy Board, Lily-Rose White, Ellie Simpson, Saket Raj, Ella Weeks, Summer Pallant, Harry Pitman, Heston Hart and Lewis Allington