Ten Tors Triumphs, French Trip & Greenpower Success

ten tors 2026 success!

Last weekend, our students took on the legendary Ten Tors Challenge, an event known for testing the very limits of endurance, navigation, and teamwork. Across the rugged terrain of Dartmoor, our teams proved that preparation and grit truly pay off.

This wasn't just a one-weekend event. Since October, these students have trained at least one weekend every month. They’ve completed four wild camps on the moor, trekked through the Brecon Beacons, and fallen into more bogs than we can count!

The event journey began long before the sun rose. At the ridiculous hour of 3:00 am on Thursday, our dedicated staff headed up to Dartmoor to secure our usual spot and set up basecamp. We were joined by six fantastic CCF cadet helpers, whose hard work on Thursday was instrumental in getting our camp ready for the teams. By the time the students arrived on Friday, a home-away-from-home was waiting for them.

Friday was a whirlwind of activity. After arriving at the Okehampton camp, students dove into the Engagement Village, soaking up the atmosphere and getting involved with the activities. We had two teams randomly selected for kit scrutineering, where Army officials meticulously checked their gear to ensure they were safe for the moor.

Saturday morning began with a 5:00 am wake-up call. By 6:00 am, our teams were at the start line, and at the sound of the cannon at 7:00 am, they were off!

The weather this year provided a classic Dartmoor challenge: it was bitingly cold and windy, yet the sun remained surprisingly strong. Our students did exceptionally well to manage these conflicting conditions, staying hydrated and ensuring they stayed protected against sunburn while battling the wind chill.

All four of our teams flew across the moor, surpassing every expected timing we had set. While the teams were out on the tors, back at basecamp we celebrated a truly momentous occasion: Mr Brett’s 30th Ten Tors anniversary. Thirty years of dedication to this event is an incredible achievement, and it was wonderful to mark the milestone together.

By Sunday, the fatigue had set in, but the determination never wavered. We are incredibly proud to announce that every single one of our teams finished the challenge. The official results were:

Team Code	Team Members	Route	Finish Time
UM	Lewis Watt, Sara Santos Martins, Elvin Fellows Finn Moncrieff, Zack Shaw, Oliver Drinkwater	45 Mile	13:38
YM	Dean Conway, Austin Howell, Joshua Kittow, Joshua Sandeman, Joe Taylor	55 Mile	14:29
AL	Gustaw Adamczak, Toby Hamilton, Toby Howell, Bali Mudge, Benjamin Nicholson, Ed Rackley	35 Mile	15:04
EH	Mollie Longthorpe, Sean Canham, Anya Cosslett, Emily Cowan, Ollie Payne-Stanbury, Millie Russell	35 Mile	16:16

While every team performed exceptionally, this year marked a special milestone in our school’s history. For the very first time, we had a 55-mile team successfully complete the challenge. Taking on the 55-mile route is an immense undertaking, and seeing our students cross that finish line was a proud moment for everyone involved.

Although the boots have only just been cleaned, planning for next year is already underway! Ten Tors is a life-changing experience, and we hope to welcome as many students as possible into the outdoors next season. Whether you are a seasoned hiker or looking for a new challenge, we want to see you there.

A massive thank you to our staff volunteers and the CCF cadets who supported the teams. Well done, everyone - you’ve made the school and the CCF proud!

french trip

French GCSE students from Years 9, 10 & 11 enjoyed a visit to Normandy just before the Easter holidays. We left in the early hours of Friday morning and travelled by ferry from to Cherbourg. We stayed for 3 nights in the beautiful Chateau du Molay set in the heart of the French countryside.

Our first visit was to a goat's cheese farm where students we able to pet the kids and taste the freshly made cheese. Many students were pleasantly surprised by the flavours! We then travelled to nearby Bayeux, where students practised their language skills at the local market and taking part in a 'Battle of the Bistros' challenge. We also visited the cathedral and the British War Cemetery.

The next day began with a guided tour in French of local fishing port Port-en Bessin, famous for it's scallops. The afternoon was spent in learning about the impact of the Second World War on French citizens and D-Day by visiting Arromanches, the landing beaches and the American War Cemetery.

Back at the Chateau in the evenings, students enjoyed a range of traditional French foods including crepes, snails and mussels. We were very proud of the students' willingness to try new things!

Greenpower

It was a weekend of high stakes and steep learning curves as our in-house motorsport team kicked off the Greenpower season at Chivenor, North Devon.

From seasoned Year 10s testing radical engineering to Year 9s making a stunning debut, here is how the action unfolded.

Year 10: The "Shake-Down" Test

For the Year 10 team, this race was the culmination of a winter spent redesigning their car. Following the Greenpower tradition—learning the ropes in Year 1 and modifying in Year 2—the team introduced three major upgrades:

Aerodynamic Slimming: Significantly reducing the front width to cut weight and drag.
Axle & Motor Realignment: Moving the rear axle forward and motor backward to accommodate a longer chain.
The Chain Swap: Switching from a pit bike chain to a bicycle chain to prepare for a future derailleur system.

Without a local track to test at race speeds (30mph), Chivenor served as their first real trial. While the mods successfully increased pace without draining the battery, a "ghost-shifting" issue with the gears hampered their efficiency. Despite the technical gremlins, the team gathered vital data for the next round.

Year 9: A Podium Debut

The Year 9 team defied "first-race nerves" with a masterclass in consistency and teamwork. While rival teams fell victim to mechanical failures or over-driving, our newcomers remained calm through two 90-minute races.

Race Highlights:

Race 1: A flawless performance saw the team navigate pit stops perfectly to secure a comfortable 2nd place.
Race 2: The drama escalated into a 30-minute "Tom & Jerry" chase for the lead against West Buckland.
The Finish: In a nail-biting final, Ollie H surged into 1st place with minutes to go. However, a tangle with a back-marker on the final lap allowed Buckland to reclaim the win, leaving us with a hard-fought second silver trophy.

What’s Next?

The Year 9s are already buzzing with strategies to close the gap on West Buckland, while the Year 10s are back in the workshop refining their gear ratios. We go again at Castle Combe!
Top Result: Year 9 Team – 2nd Place (Races 1 & 2)

Badminton update

We are delighted to celebrate the fantastic achievements of Tay, who continues to excel in junior badminton competitions across the South West.

Recently, Tay was named runner-up in the Under 19 Devon Junior Bronze Tournament, adding another impressive result to an already outstanding season. He also claimed victory as the Under 19 Champion at both the Cornwall Christmas Tournament and the Cornwall Easter Tournament.

These accomplishments are a testament to Tay’s hard work, dedication and commitment to his sport. We are incredibly proud to see him representing himself and the school so successfully in regional competition.

A huge congratulations to Tay on these brilliant achievements — we look forward to seeing what he accomplishes next!

Sixth Formers run Exeter Marathon

Alfie Walker-Fenner and Sam Hext (both 6NAR) ran the Exeter marathon last week. A marathon is 26.2 miles, which is 42,195 metres- that's just under 211 laps around our school track! Sam ran it in a time of 3 hours and 23 minutes and Alfie crossed the line in 3 hours 54 minutes. Congratulations to them, they continue to inspire the next generation of long distance athletes, well done!

Former Student Recognised at Buckingham Palace Garden Party

We were delighted to hear from former student Kole, who recently attended a prestigious Buckingham Palace Garden Party alongside his mum after being invited in recognition of his “outstanding contributions to civil society”.

Kole received the honour from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) for his work supporting the UK’s National Youth Strategy — an incredible achievement and a testament to his dedication to creating positive change for young people across the country.

Reflecting on his journey, Kole shared his appreciation for the support he received during his time at Torquay Academy, thanking staff for helping to nurture both his personal and professional development. It is always inspiring to hear from former students who continue to make such a meaningful impact beyond school.

We are immensely proud of everything Kole has achieved and grateful that he took the time to share his success with us. His story is a wonderful reminder of the lasting impact young people can have when given the confidence, encouragement and opportunities to thrive.

Congratulations, Kole, we look forward to seeing what you accomplish next!

Religious Studies GCSE

Year 10 have now taken their first formal GCSE examination this week in Religious Studies, and they conducted themselves superbly.

All students in year 10 were privileged enough to receive a 100 minute revision session led by Miss Brzozowski the day before, where they consolidated learning and revision on key teachings and the exam structure.

Many students appreciated this opportunity and worked exceptionally well, taking in any last elements of help and support.

On Tuesday morning, year 10 gathered in the platform for a pre-examination briefing with Miss Brzozowski, which was also live-streamed to all year 11 students who were also taking this exam. Year 10 displayed incredible maturity, which was noted by all members of staff.

The next (and final) religious studies examination for year 10 and year 11 is on 20th May 2026, which will be the theme's paper. Students need to continue revising the topics of; Crime and Punishment, Human Rights, Relationships and Families and Religion and Life. All revision resources can be found on the Google classroom.

Well done to all of year 10 and year 11 on their hard work so far, and good luck for the next exam!

Another brilliant Fun Friday at Torquay Academy!

It was fantastic to see students across the school enjoying another lunchtime full of fun, laughter, and friendly competition.

Year 7 and Year 8 both took to the stage for Karaoke, with students showing plenty of confidence and entertaining their friends with some excellent performances. There were some real crowd favourites and lots of applause throughout.

Year 9 tested their guessing skills with Sweets in the Jar, with students carefully trying to work out the exact number of sweets hidden inside.

Year 10 and Year 11 went head-to-head in Rock, Paper, Scissors competitions. What sounds simple quickly became highly competitive, with plenty of dramatic moments and lots of students getting involved.

A huge thank you to all of the staff and students who helped organise and take part in another successful Fun Friday. It is always great to see the school community coming together and students enjoying these opportunities during the week.

Students of the Week

Year 9 - Jelani Ondo-Chamielac and Elissia Greenwood

Year 10 - Millie Jones and Zak Haridi

prestigious diamond award

Year 7 - Immy Weeks, Frankie Tait and Amelia Syms

Year 8 - Charlie Skinner, Liv Andrews and Karim Taha

Year 9- Logan Payne, Alexa McCarthy, Seth McCann, George Garbett, Luke Moran, Summer Reed and Jesse Isemede

governors' platinum certificates

Year 7 - Ruby Ward, Macey Horsted, Max Dickerson, George Bailey, Angelina Bassett, Remy Beaumont Gray, Hugo Harding-Beattie, Annie Reece, Sid Walters, Lennon Head, Cody Aguilana, Logan Mansell, Callan Woodward and Kayleigh Norgaard-Welsh

Year 8 -Sara Szewczuk, Braxton Biggs, Emilie Cutmore, Tyler Fudge, Kobe Laker and Ela Uven

Year 9 -Ben Walters, Ava McArdle, Leo Shaw, Grace Gatting, Florence Botten, Lily-Jo Prior, Jax Biagott and Seren Chadwick

governors' gold certificates

Year 7 - Malakye Harvey, Riley Holmes, Tommy Stevens, Isabella Hughes, Freddie Gaggini, Luna Furse, Lilly Conley, Chloe Leese, Evie Allington, Katie Hornbrook and Siva Renjith

Year 8 - Emilia Hedgecock, Maya Campineanu, Freddy Bonner, Oscar Josey, George Tonks, Megan Bushell-Sneap, Dee Davies, Dylan McDonald, Autumn Dakin, Gabriele Stadalninkaite, Nevaeh Piri-Sadigh, Ava Broughton, Cole Washington, Joe Matthews, Jude Nwachukwu and Zack Jeneway

Year 9 - Nanma John, Phoebe Grindling, Rosie Bevan, Jenson Tandy, Seren Panther-Glinn, Oktawian Siennicki, Hydie Munday, Oscar Deegan and Tyler Davis

governors' silver certificates

Year 7 - Svetlin Yordanov, Lenon Villiers, Samuel Vesely, Chloe Sanderson, Aaleeah Craig, Ethan Graham, Freddie Farrell, Gregori Masliakovas, Donatella Manyimo, Jaxon Bedford Laity, Summer Young, Orla Cutajar, Jordan Allington, Ella-Rose Woodgates, Josh Pitman, Alfie Clark, Naomi Hering and Jax O’Connor

Year 8 - George Davies, Jude Storey, Brooke Dennett, Kiera Chivers, Freyja Mobbs, Achilles Richards, Hayley Steenkamp, George Ballance, Zafirah Faryal, Caleb Drein, Charlie Courtier, Caiden Edmonds, Caelan O’Gorman, Skyla-Rose Whitfield, Paisley Taylor, Kaiden Ilhan and Evie Jewell

Year 9 - Flo Evans, Jelani Ondo-Chamielec, Ellie-Mae Burton, Alana Houlihan, Haydon Coatesworth, Ania Rozanska, Ebany Fawkes, Mila Cairney, Charlie Berry, Oakley Mudge and Harlow Bown

governors' bronze certificates

Year 7 -Themba Sibanda, Mia Carter, Olivija Marsalkaite, Iris Blurton, Marek Piasta, Esther Munnangi, Millie Horrocks and Alfie Passmore

Year 8 - Lincoln Trapp, Anna Viediernikova, Eryn Stafford-Summers, Zac Austin, Alfie Carpenter-Sorton, Gabriel Talbot-Powner, Freddie Brabon, Grace Donnelly, Mimi Skelly, Willow-Mae Calland, Abigail Rayment, Mabel Clatworthy, Bailey Clements, Blake Hawkes, Samuel McDonald, Maddie Mack, Pandora Ferguson, Myah Bishop, Darcey Partridge, Luka Hingley, Maja Kokoszka, Aligail Harkin, Kamile Degutyte, Louie Gribbin and Beni Paplogo

Year 9 - Ocean Brant, Madeline Woodger, Lucas Vesely, James Costello, Serenity Ward, Esmie Riggs, Samuel Kuc, Emily Redmond, Dion Maharjan, Harry Evans, Levi Jones, Kara Breach, Tia Woodward, Corey Davies, Khalid Al-Ajrami and Aaliyah Akpo

Year 10 - Ella Lake

Year 11 - Aadhik Retheesh

principal's gold certificates

Year 7 -Finn McCaul, Jack Harris, Lily Fitzgerald, Deanna Clarke, Oliver Pell, William Taylor, Seth Atkins, Ethan Pearse, Pixie Houlahan, Toby Siuchninski, Ella Bindon and Jake Anyon

Year 8 - Willow Waugh, Ellis Palmer, Isaac Hodge, Ava Wiggins, Lottie Hutcheson, Poppy Hewings, Josh Cainey, Harley Bayliss, Nailah Barnett, Poppy Tankielun, Cody Hunter, Archie Payne-Stanbury and Leo Watson

Year 9 - Esme Poole, Benjamin Cowie, Tenisha Clarke, Cole Coussell, Archie Phillips, Poppy Evely, Theo Slater, Alex Iftode, Toby Preston, Jacob Wakefield, Ethan Hindom, Tyler-Joseph Broadley and Oliver Withers

Year 10 - Johnny Sandbrook, Olivia Pope, Daisy Board and George Evans

Year 11 -Susie Lester, Amy Rogers and Nea Joshy

principal's Silver certificates

Year 7 - Mcolley King, Riley Williams, Tyler Fawcett and Sophie Brookes

Year 8 - Abi Allen, Jack Parker, Oliver Barkhuizen, Lexi Walker, Henry Nash, Lottie Forrester, Darcie Mae Finch, Nouh Haridi, Lilly Porter, Lexi Kenneford and Sienna Blampey-Roberts

Year 9 - Thomas Zaple, Tate Reynolds, Lottie Knight, Olivier Kawula, Isla Bryant, Jack Parton, Lilly-Rose Haughton, JJ Howell, Freddie Wallis, Riley Page, Leonard Toribio, Oaklie Chancellor, Sophia Blake, Arlo Brady and Wiktor Koza