Torquay Academy

Sports day

Sports Day 2026 will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the highlights of the school year, with two fantastic days of competition, determination and House spirit bringing the entire Torquay Academy community together.

From the very first event to the final presentations, the atmosphere was exceptional. Students threw themselves into every challenge, competing with determination while demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship and encouragement towards one another. Whether chasing House points on the track, competing in the field events or supporting friends from the sidelines, our students represented Torquay Academy brilliantly throughout.

One of the greatest strengths of Sports Day is that it is about far more than winning medals. It is about participation, resilience, teamwork and having the confidence to step forward and give something a go. Across both days, we saw countless examples of students pushing themselves outside their comfort zones, celebrating one another's successes and embracing every opportunity to contribute to their House.

None of this would have been possible without the incredible efforts of our staff. Every member of Team TA played their part in making the event such a success. Whether officiating events, supervising students, organising logistics, recording results, cheering competitors on or simply encouraging students to take part, the enthusiasm and commitment shown by staff created an atmosphere that was positive, inclusive and full of energy from start to finish.

A particular highlight once again came with the staff races, which proved to be hugely popular with students. The laughter, cheering and friendly rivalry made them the perfect way to conclude the track programme, and judging by the reaction from students, they have certainly become one of Sports Day's signature moments. We already have plenty of ideas for making them even bigger and better next year.

The medal presentation brought the event to a fitting conclusion, providing an opportunity to celebrate some truly outstanding individual performances while recognising the incredible sporting talent that exists across Torquay Academy. Watching students receive their medals and certificates in front of their peers was a proud moment for everyone involved.

Congratulations must also go to every House for the enthusiasm, participation and commitment shown throughout the competition. Every point mattered, and the final standings reflected just how closely contested this year's Sports Day proved to be.

Of course, there have already been a few light-hearted suggestions that the final results may have been influenced by the fact that the Principal happens to lead Christie House! I can assure everyone that the calculations were completed with complete integrity, with witnesses present throughout the process. Christie House were simply worthy winners in an exceptionally close competition, and deserve huge congratulations on their victory.

Most importantly, Sports Day 2026 showcased exactly what makes Torquay Academy such a special place. It was a celebration of teamwork, encouragement, resilience and community, with students and staff coming together to create two unforgettable days.

Thank you to everyone who played a part in making Sports Day 2026 such a memorable success. It was Team TA at its very best, and we are already looking forward to doing it all again next year.

Sports Day always finishes with two of our students' favourite events... and this year certainly didn't disappoint! 

First up was the ever entertaining House Mascot Race, with the Nearne Nighthawks soaring to victory!

Then came the event everyone had been waiting for, the legendary Staff Race, where Mr Hanley sprinted to the finish line to claim this year's title!

As you'll see from the video, the atmosphere was absolutely electric, with hundreds of students cheering on their Houses, mascots and favourite members of staff. It's moments like these that make Sports Day such a special part of life at Torquay Academy.

The presentations ended with a Norway-inspired TA row!

For a full list of results, please see the bottom of the blog.

 

Theme Park Trips

As part of Activities Week, students enjoyed fantastic days out at three of the South West's most popular attractions: Woodlands, Splashdown and Crealy. Across the week, groups of students travelled to the parks, where they made the most of everything on offer, from exhilarating rollercoasters and exciting rides to giant water slides and a host of other fun activities.

The trips provided a wonderful opportunity for students to relax, spend time with friends and create lasting memories as the school year draws to a close. It was fantastic to see so many smiling faces throughout the week, with students embracing every opportunity to have fun while representing Torquay Academy so well. Days like these are an important part of Activities Week, giving students the chance to enjoy new experiences, strengthen friendships and celebrate another successful year together.

Music trip to Athens

Following the outstanding success of organising Summer Fest, our Sixth Form Music students rounded off an incredible year with an unforgettable trip to Athens, where they experienced world-class live music at the Ejekt Festival. Watching internationally renowned artists including Florence and the Machine, Suede, Nothing But Thieves and The Curegave students the opportunity to experience a major music festival first-hand, building on the skills and knowledge they have developed throughout their studies.

Away from the festival, students immersed themselves in the rich culture and history of Athens, exploring iconic landmarks including the Acropolis and the historic streets surrounding the Parthenon. These experiences offered a fascinating insight into one of the world’s most influential ancient cities while creating lasting memories with friends and staff.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly Florence and the Machine’s breathtaking headline performance. Complete with spectacular choreography, an electric atmosphere and a stunning fireworks finale, it was a performance that will live long in the memory of everyone who was there. We hope this incredible trip has inspired our students and provided memories that will last a lifetime—an unforgettable end to an exceptional year for Sixth Form Music.

House Events Bring Fun and Friendly Competition to Activities Week

On Monday and Tuesday, students took part in a fantastic carousel of House events as part of Activities Week, with every tutor group moving between a series of fun, fast paced challenges. Throughout the two days, students competed in a wide variety of activities, including penalty shootouts, basketball challenges, mini golf, carnival games, skittles, Tin Can Alley, decoding puzzles, dingbats and a sound effects quiz. The carousel format ensured that everyone had the opportunity to get involved, with each activity bringing a different challenge and plenty of House competition.

The events created a brilliant atmosphere across the academy, with students working together, encouraging one another and earning valuable points for their Houses along the way. Whether showcasing sporting skill, problem solving ability or simply enjoying the friendly rivalry, it was wonderful to see so many students participating with enthusiasm and representing their Houses with pride. The House events were another excellent reminder that Activities Week is about much more than trips, providing opportunities for every student to get involved, have fun and create lasting memories with their friends.

 

Creativity, Competition and Fun Across Our In School Activities

 

Not every adventure during Activities Week involved leaving the academy. Throughout the week, students enjoyed an exciting programme of in school activities, taking part in a carousel of sessions that offered something for everyone. Whether they were putting their baking skills to the test in Bake Off, carrying out exciting science activities, expressing their creativity through art and crafts, enjoying a movie, building impressive Lego creations, competing in sports, tackling quizzes or challenging friends to board games, every session provided students with the opportunity to try something different and have fun.

The variety of activities meant that students could explore new interests, work collaboratively with their peers and enjoy a relaxed but engaging end to the school year. It was fantastic to see so many students participating enthusiastically, supporting one another and making the most of the opportunities on offer. Activities like these are a wonderful reminder that learning, creativity and enjoyment go hand in hand, and they provided another memorable chapter in a fantastic Activities Week.

 

Cadet Camp

What an incredible week!

Our Torquay Academy Combined Cadet Force has returned from Ex Wyvern Dragon 2026, having spent five action-packed days developing military skills, resilience, teamwork and confidence. Every cadet embraced the challenges presented to them and represented the Academy with pride throughout the exercise.

Monday – Military Skills Challenge

The week began with a full programme of military activities on camp. Cadets rotated through a series of exciting training stands including:

• Paintball target shooting
• Weapons recognition
• Command tasks
• Clay pigeon shooting
• Air rifle shooting

These activities tested communication, leadership, decision-making and marksmanship while encouraging cadets to work together under pressure. It was a fantastic way to begin the week and set the tone for everything that followed.

Tuesday – Surf's Up at Harlyn Bay

Tuesday saw the contingent travel to the beautiful Harlyn Bay for a day on the water.

Cadets experienced surfing under the guidance of qualified instructors, with many standing on a surfboard for the very first time. The day also included giant paddleboarding, where teamwork, balance and plenty of laughter were essential!

For many, this was the highlight of the week and an experience they will never forget.

Wednesday – Adventure Training at Roadford Lake

The adventure continued at Roadford Lake, where cadets took part in another fantastic day of water-based activities.

Throughout the day they challenged themselves with:

• Kayaking
• Paddleboarding
• Giant paddleboarding

Despite spending much of the day getting soaked, spirits remained high as cadets encouraged one another and demonstrated excellent determination and resilience.

Thursday – TIBUA Training

Thursday introduced cadets to Training in Built-Up Areas (TIBUA).

Working as fire teams, cadets learned the fundamentals of moving safely through buildings, communicating effectively and clearing rooms using military drills. It was a demanding but highly rewarding day that developed confidence, discipline and teamwork.

Friday – Live Fire Range

The week concluded with one of the most anticipated activities—live firing on the military range.

After completing the necessary safety training, cadets fired live ammunition at targets positioned 100 metres away under the supervision of qualified range staff. For many cadets this was their first experience of live firing and they conducted themselves professionally, safely and with great maturity.

It was the perfect way to finish an outstanding week of training.

Thank You

A huge thank you goes to all the staff, instructors and volunteers who gave up their time to make Ex Wyvern Dragon 2026 such a success. Your commitment allowed our cadets to experience opportunities that many young people never have.

Most importantly, congratulations to every cadet who attended. Your enthusiasm, resilience, teamwork and positive attitude made us all incredibly proud. You represented Torquay Academy with distinction and should be proud of everything you achieved.

Join Our Team

The success of our CCF relies on dedicated volunteers who are passionate about helping young people develop confidence, leadership and life skills.

If you have ever considered becoming involved with the Cadet Forces—whether you have a military background or not—we would love to hear from you. Full training is provided, and volunteering is an incredibly rewarding experience.

To find out more about joining the Torquay Academy CCF training team, please contact:

ccf@tqacademy.co.uk

 

Year 12 Photography Student Achieves National Success!

Congratulations go to Year 12 Photography student Zac Evans, who has been awarded Second Place in the Country in the prestigious Rotary Young Photographer of the Year competition.

This year's competition challenged young photographers to respond to the theme 'Happiness in Nature'. Zac embraced the brief by producing a stunning series of wildlife photographs, demonstrating both creativity and technical excellence. His final submission, 'Frank Jumping', perfectly captured the joy, energy and spontaneity of the natural world, impressing the judges and securing his outstanding national achievement.

Zac has made tremendous progress during his A Level Photography course here at Torquay Academy, continually developing his photographic skills and creative vision. His dedication, enthusiasm and willingness to experiment have been a pleasure to see.

With a passion for both music and photography, Zac has an exciting future ahead of him. Everyone at Torquay Academy is incredibly proud of his achievement and wishes him every success in the future. Congratulations, Zac!

Rave cave video

A huge thank you to Ben Cowie for putting together this video using the photographs taken during last week's Summer Fest. Capturing the energy, excitement and atmosphere of the ever-popular Rave Cave, it is a brilliant reminder of a memorable afternoon enjoyed by so many of our students.

Summer Fest 2026

Summer Fest 2026 came and went with a bang, organised entirely by our Sixth Form Music students, the Year 8/9 playground was transformed into a vibrant festival site packed with live entertainment, stalls and games. Students from every year group took to the Main Stage, Karaoke Stage and our hugely popular Rave Cave complete with professional lighting, sound and lasers. To enjoy musical performances from students across all years performed groups.

New additions this year included a popcorn cart, and an inflatable assault course in addition to BBQ, pizzas, merchandise stalls and the ever popular ´sponge the teacher’, creating an incredible festival atmosphere enjoyed by all.

Summer Fest is much more than a celebration of music and the end of the school year, it forms part of our Sixth Form Music students’ Collaborative Business Unit qualification. From planning and promotion to event management and delivery, our students demonstrated exceptional teamwork, organisation and professionalism, raising an incredible £1,513.57 for Torquay Academy’s House Charities in the process.

We could not be prouder of our Sixth Form Music students. They have pulled off one of the highlights of the school calendar while developing invaluable real-world skills and making a meaningful difference to our school community. We are immensely proud of everything they have achieved.

Celebrating an Incredible First Year of Sparx Science at Torquay Academy

What a fantastic first year it has been for Sparx Science at Torquay Academy! Since launching in September, our students have embraced the platform with outstanding commitment, achieving some truly impressive milestones.

Together, our students have answered an incredible 1,661,721 science questions, completing 15,286 hours of personalised practice. Along the way, the Let's Learn It support has helped tackle 327,598 misconceptions, ensuring students receive targeted guidance whenever they need it and helping to build confidence and understanding.

One of the most remarkable achievements has been the consistency shown by our students. An outstanding 856 students completed their Sparx Science homework on time every single week since September. This is an exceptional accomplishment and reflects the hard work, resilience and dedication of our students throughout the year.

We are incredibly proud of everything our students have achieved. Their commitment to regular practice is making a real difference to their learning, and these results are a testament to the positive habits they have developed.

Congratulations to everyone involved in making the first year of Sparx Science such a resounding success. Here's to even greater achievements next year!

 

 

Turmeric Printing Workshop – Year 12 A Level Art

In response to our abundant sun in recent weeks our Year 12 A Level Art students took part in a turmeric printing workshop, exploring the effects of sunlight on light-sensitive turmeric paper. Using acetate photographs and a range of found objects to mask the light, students created striking prints through exposure to the sun. These experimental outcomes will now form part of their Personal Investigation projects, encouraging further exploration of process, materials, and image-making.

 

Year 10 Gelli Printing Workshop

Year 10 GCSE Art students enjoyed a fantastic gelli printing workshop on Wednesday led by Kayleigh Swan from Colourful Horizons. Throughout the session, students experimented with layering colour and texture to create vibrant, imaginative backgrounds before mastering the technically challenging image transfer process to produce striking portraits for their Human Form projects.

 

The students were incredibly attentive, enthusiastic and creative throughout the day, embracing new techniques with confidence and producing some fantastic results. A huge thank you to Kayleigh for delivering such an engaging workshop and for being so supportive and encouraging with our students—it was a thoroughly enjoyable and inspiring day for everyone involved. In September, students will build on these exciting print outcomes to develop a colourful and creative addition to their coursework.

 

Codex Art Project

This year, our school is proud to be taking part in the Codex text-based art project alongside schools from across the South West. The project celebrates student voice, encouraging young people to explore issues that matter to them through creativity and self-expression.

We have submitted entries from students in Years 7, 8 and 12, each reflecting a range of personal ideas and perspectives. On Thursday, Mrs Lithgow worked with a group of Year 7 students using Photoshop to combine and layer images, creating a powerful piece that communicates how, for some students, art is the most important subject—it helps them through the school week and reminds us that life is about so much more than exams.

We are incredibly proud of the thoughtfulness and creativity shown by all of the students involved and look forward to seeing the project alongside the work of other schools across the region in October.

 

Art Inspo Award 2026

The nominations for this year's ARTi Award were proudly exhibited and viewed at Friday's Summerfest, showcasing an outstanding selection of artwork created by our talented exam group students in Year 9, 10 & 12. Staff and students had the opportunity to vote for their favourite piece, celebrating the creativity, skill and dedication of our young artists.

Alexa McCarthy Maddie Smith Darcy Dainton Wiktor Koza Matilda Thorner Alana Houlihan Esme Poole Immy Shaw Isla Herbert Jackson Lane

Harry McCarthy Imogen Hartnett Saphi Byers Scarlett Hill Talia Street Hattie Gamble Reef Whayman Immy Pace Naomi Szyszka Emily Lock

Nelly Suichninska Nebil Zorel JP Palmer Alex Hilton Callum Jackson Lily Phillips Tomas Kowalski Zac Evans Jemima Jones

A huge congratulations to all of this year's nominees. Being selected is a fantastic achievement, and we look forward to announcing the winner soon!

 

Ms Wiltshire’s 9Q5 English 

Sports day results

 

🏆 Final House Standings

🏃 Javelin

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 Shot Put

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 100m

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 200m

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 400m

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

🏃 High Jump

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 800m

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 Hurdles

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

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🏃 Pentathlon

Year 7

Year 8

Year 9

 

🏃 Relay Champions