Personal development day, open evening and lots of Art

TA Open Evening

We were delighted to welcome hundreds of families into school on Thursday evening. I began the evening by speaking to parents and carers in The Platform, before they were taken on a tour of the school led by our teachers.

During the tour, families had the opportunity to see our incredible facilities in action and to meet our wonderful students and staff, who were rightly proud to showcase what life at our school is really like.

We are proud that we continue to be the school of choice for our local community, and it was heartening to receive so many positive comments throughout the evening about the atmosphere, opportunities, and ethos that define our school.

Personal Development Day

Monday marked the first of our Personal Development Days for the year. These days are a key part of life at TA, giving our students the knowledge, skills and awareness they need to thrive both in school and in the wider world.

We have increased our First Aid provision this year. Year 7 students began with sessions on either the recovery position or bleeding. Over the course of the year, every group will complete both of these sessions as well as one on CPR. Year 10 students focused on CPR this week, practising their skills on our training dummies.

Students in Years 7–11 also had the opportunity to hear from Paul Hannaford (www.paulhannaford.com), who spoke powerfully about the dangers of addiction, drugs and alcohol, as well as involvement in gangs, knife crime and county lines. Drawing on his own experiences as a former addict of more than 20 years, Paul delivered an incredibly impactful and hard-hitting message.

Alongside this, each year group followed a programme tailored to their age and stage.

Year 7 took part in a wide range of sessions with their tutors, looking at attitudes to mental health, cyberbullying, and how to maintain a healthy and balanced lifestyle. A particular highlight was a session with Mrs Aplin on Unifrog, our online careers and skills platform. Every student in Year 7 now has their own account and has started completing quizzes on their interests and skills. This builds a personalised “careers library” of potential future paths, tailored for each child. Many were delighted to see their dream career — the one at the top of their “career mountain” — appearing in their library! Students were engaged, focused and excited, and it was a pleasure to see them exploring conversations about their futures.

Year 8 welcomed staff from Torbay Hospital, who led a session on being ‘Breast Aware’ and identifying potential issues. They also explored differing attitudes to drugs, the dangers of illegal drugs, and strategies for maintaining good mental health by recognising and avoiding unhealthy coping mechanisms. Other sessions covered online safety, gambling, and how to manage devices and money securely.

Year 9 focused heavily on relationships and sex education, with sessions on how relationships change, preventing STIs, the challenges of parenthood, and the dangers of pornography. Students also examined healthy online behaviours, the importance of sleep, and issues connected to cannabis use.

Year 10 looked at key issues related to growing independence. Sessions included the risks of sending nude images, the impact of alcohol and drugs, and the importance of a positive online presence and personal branding. They also reflected on knowing what they want in relationships, what it means to be a parent, employment rights, career preferences, and experienced a moving session on grief and funerals.

Year 11 continued the theme of increasing independence, with sessions on body modifications and how to manage them safely, financial education on take-home pay and budgeting, and preparing for the world of work. This included apprenticeships, interview preparation and CV writing.

It was a full and impactful day of learning for every year group. Our students engaged brilliantly and gained valuable knowledge, skills and insights to help them make informed choices about their wellbeing, safety, and futures.

Spanish with Mrs Berry

Mrs Berry's year 7 Spanish classes have covered many of the basics to get them started conversing and getting to know each other in Spanish. They have learnt how to greet other, say how they are feeling, count to 31 and say their age and birthdays. They have played lots of games to practice using the language.

Torquay Academy Cadets

This week our cadets once again rose to the challenge with an action-packed evening of training, building on their skills and teamwork.

Cadets continued to develop their drill practice, working hard to perfect timing, sharpness, and discipline. The progress shown over the last few weeks is clear, confidence is growing, and standards are rising each session.

Out on the training ground, cadets took part in Pairs Fire and Manoeuvre using our paintball rifles. This provided an exciting and practical way to rehearse controlled movement under simulated fire, testing communication and trust between partners. For many, this was a highlight of the evening, demanding both quick thinking and teamwork.

In addition, cadets tackled a series of command tasks designed to test leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork under pressure. Watching cadets step up, take charge, and motivate their sections was inspiring and showed real promise for the future.

Finally, cadets continued their Cadet Force Instructional Techniques (CFIT) training. These sessions prepare them not only to learn but also to teach others, a vital part of their journey as they progress through the ranks and take on more responsibility.

Overall, it was another highly successful week of training. Our cadets are gaining confidence, building skills, and showing exactly what being part of the Torquay Academy CCF is all about, discipline, teamwork, and leadership.

Well done to everyone involved – keep up the effort and enthusiasm!

Year 8 Artists Take Inspiration from WWI

Our Year 8 students have embarked on a fascinating new project, diving into the history and imagery of the First World War. Using reference materials – including carrier pigeons, gas masks and landscapes – they are producing detailed observational studies that capture the atmosphere of the period.

Working exclusively with black pen, the students are learning how to build up tone and texture through careful mark-making, layering and shading. The results so far have been superb: richly detailed drawings that show both technical skill and sensitivity to the subject matter.

What stands out most, however, is the focus and effort students have shown in their work. Each study reveals not just their growing confidence as artists, but also their curiosity about the stories behind these powerful historical artefacts.

Year 7 Observational Drawing – Animal Skulls

Mrs Lithgow's Year 7 art students have been working on pencil observational drawings of animal skulls, and the progress has been fantastic to see. After starting with some initial sketches, they focused on improving their pencil control, experimenting with texture and tone to create depth and form. The final drawings show a real leap in confidence and skill – from tentative outlines to detailed, thorough studies that capture the structure and character of the skulls.

learning legend

Year 7

Year 8

fun friday

The end of the week is always something to look forward to, but this week our Fun Friday activities brought even more energy, laughter and smiles across the school. From carnival games to cracking codes, there was something for everyone!

Year 7 threw themselves into Carnival Games, testing their skills and having a blast with a mixture of challenges. There was plenty of friendly competition and lots of cheering each other on as they moved from game to game.

Meanwhile, Year 8 put their guessing skills to the test with Sweets in the Jar. The big question was how many sweets were really in there. The suspense was almost as exciting as the prize, and students enjoyed debating their strategies before locking in their guesses.

Year 9 and Year 10 were the stars of the stage with Karaoke in the Platform. From power ballads to sing-along classics, their performances were full of enthusiasm, fun and some surprising hidden talent. The atmosphere was electric, with plenty of encouragement from their friends in the audience.

Finally, Year 11 put their brains to work in Code Breakers. They teamed up to crack tricky puzzles and unlock the challenges, proving that thinking outside the box can be just as entertaining as singing or playing.

It was a fantastic way to round off the week, with each year group showing off their unique energy. Whether it was a sweet tooth, a big voice or a sharp mind, Fun Friday once again lived up to its name!

fundraising achievement

Well done to Harry Hollomby who took part in the Torbay Half Marathon at the weekend. Despite carrying a knee injury, Harry showed real determination and resilience to complete the 13.1 miles in an impressive time of 1 hour and 48 minutes.

Even more inspiring is that Harry used the event to raise money for a very worthy cause, collecting over £500 in sponsorship. His achievement is a wonderful example of commitment, perseverance and community spirit, and we are incredibly proud of him.

Congratulations, Harry — a fantastic accomplishment both on and off the course!

6 in 6 Summer Challenge

This year, we had a record number of new Year 7s take part in the 6 in 6 challenge. These studious students borrowed books from our school library, and then during their 6 week summer holidays, read and wrote about their 6 favourite reads. We're so proud of these students for making such a great start to their journey here at TA as we know how much their love of reading will benefit them in the future. Each student received a 6 in 6 badge and certificate! We hope to see much more of our fantastic year 7s in the library (H115) at any break 1 to borrow even more.

Scaling New Heights: Climbing Club Tries Extreme Ironing!

Here at the TA Climbing Club, we're all about pushing boundaries, reaching new summits, and sometimes, just sometimes, doing things that are wonderfully, gloriously absurd. And what could be more wonderfully absurd than combining our love for vertical challenges with the mundane task of household chores?

That's right, folks. This last week, Climbing Club embarked on a thrilling adventure into the world of Extreme Ironing!

For those not in the know, Extreme Ironing is an outdoor sport that combines the "thrill of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt." We're talking about taking an ironing board, an iron, and some creased clothing to some truly improbable locations and getting those wrinkles out. It's a testament to human ingenuity, a celebration of the unexpected, and frankly, a whole lot of fun.

Our intrepid climbers helped to rig up the board and secure the 'coreless' iron before scaling the wall to press a shirt or two! We know it's silly but there's a chunk of genuine climbing skill and technical knowledge required to achieve this so to this climbing instructor's mind that's a perfect metaphor for life at TA, having a great fun time whilst learning some challenging skills.

Junior Music Academy Update

Our Junior Music Academy is sounding fantastic after just two weeks of term. Year 7 and 8 musicians are already making great progress learning The White Stripes Seven Nation Army, showing brilliant focus and teamwork. Well done to all our amazing young players, keep it up.

Students of the Week

Year 7 - Ella Austin and Max Newman

Year 8 - Oscar Josie and Gracie Ritson

Year 9 - Emily Bowden, Alba McKechan and Mason Dur

Year 11 - Bailey Heaward and Analais Biggs

FOOTBALL

Our U13 girls’ team got their national cup campaign off to the best possible start with a hard-fought 1–0 win against Coombeshead. The squad, made up of new Year 7s alongside our Year 8 players, produced some excellent football and worked tirelessly throughout the match.

Congratulations to Megan, who scored the decisive winning goal. A special thank you also goes to coaches Miss Fannon and Mr Ellis for preparing the girls so well for the game.

It is fantastic to see so many girls playing football at TA this year — exciting times lie ahead for the squad and the wider programme.

1st Team Football

Our PDA Sixth Form team secured three points today with a well-deserved win against Petroc College. It was particularly pleasing to see so many positives from recent training sessions reflected in the performance.

The scoring was opened by Toby Lee with a well-taken direct free kick, before Max Lee made an immediate impact on his debut with an outstanding hat-trick. The victory was sealed when Elliot Mills powered home a header from a corner.

With a busy fortnight ahead, including the start of national cup competitions, this win provides excellent momentum for the team to build on.

Year 9 Netball

The year 9 netball squads started their season off well playing against multiple schools in the Division qualifiers. Both teams represented the school to a high standard! Well done!
Team A Coach's Player: Madison Wood
Player's Player: Emilee Fenner
Team B Coach's Player: Grace Gatting
Player's Player: Tia Woodward

Emilee Fenner, Madison Wood, Seren Chadwick, Isla Bryant, Zenna Venter, Lily Langler, Matilda Thorner (C), Eva Thompson, Lilly Shaw, Grace Gatting (C), Ellie-Mae Burton, Heidi Milner, Layla Lock, Emelia Wood, Tia Woodward

Sixth Form Netball

Our Sixth Form Netball Academy have kicked off the 2025/2026 season with a bang after taking a 73-18 win against South Gloucestershire College today in the AOC England Netball League! Well done, girls.

Opposition's Player: Tammy Westacott
Player's Player: Elspeth Herring
Coach's Player: Milly Sneap

Team: Ema Kestell, Tammy Westacott (C), Milly Sneap, Maisy Green, Elspeth Herring, Eve Cameron, Ellie Stone