Torquay Academy

Year 11 Prom

Our Year 11 Prom was a truly unforgettable evening, filled with sunshine, celebration, and a spectacular array of arrivals that made this year’s event one of the most memorable yet.

From horseback to a tractor, a fire engine to the back of a police van, our students arrived in every imaginable way, showcasing their creativity and sense of fun. The weather was on our side, with glorious sunshine setting the perfect backdrop for photographs, smiles, and some incredible entrances.

The girls and boys looked absolutely amazing; smart, stylish, and full of personality. It was wonderful to see them dressed up and enjoying the occasion together.

Our students were an absolute credit to the school, just as they have been throughout their five years with us. Their conduct on the evening was exemplary, and it was wonderful to see them enjoy their well-earned celebration after working so hard in preparation for their GCSEs. It was clear that they truly deserved this special night.

They are a kind, positive, and thoughtful year group, and we are very proud of the young people they have become. We look forward to welcoming them back on results day in August and again in September, when so many of them will be returning to join our 6th Form.

Well done, Year 11 and thank you for such a brilliant evening.

The full set of photos can be found on our Facebook page.

Year 13 final day

Our wonderful Year 13 students marked their final day in true Sixth Form fashion – with a party full of laughter, memories and sunshine.

The celebrations began in the Sixth Form Centre, where students gathered to enjoy some well-earned food and take part in a quiz courtesy of Mrs Hosking. As always, her quiz didn’t disappoint – a brilliant mix of school trivia and shared memories that had everyone smiling (and occasionally scratching their heads). There were plenty of laughs as teams battled it out to prove who remembered the most from their time together.

The afternoon continued with a heartfelt farewell from former Head Boy, Kole Gjikolaj, who delivered a speech full of warmth, gratitude and humour. He even treated us to some light-hearted awards and rounded off with an unforgettable performance of My Way – a fitting choice that left everyone applauding.

We wrapped up the day outside in the sunshine, enjoying a visit from an ice cream van – the perfect way to end this celebration with such a lovely year group.

We’re incredibly proud of our Year 13s and wish them all the very best as they move on to exciting futures. Thank you for everything – and don’t be strangers!

6th Form celebration evening

Haytor Highs: An Unforgettable Climbing Adventure

Our school climbing club recently embarked on an exhilarating trip to Haytor, a stunning location on Dartmoor, and it was an experience none of us will soon forget

• Bulging Wall (VDiff or Hard Severe 4a): A great route offering a tricky mantle or a direct variation for the super strong climbers.
• Step Across (Diff): An easy enough route but an airy 'step across' to test the nerve of the most hardened climber.
• Grey Mare's Groove (Diff): A challenging climb, requiring good layback technique.
• Cobleigh's Chimney (VDiff): A unique and memorable route, squeezing through a narrow chimney for esoteric British Trutching! 

Beyond the climbing, we also had the chance to try abseiling, which was a thrilling experience! The views from the top were incredible, and the descent was a rush of adrenaline.

Of course, no trip to Dartmoor is complete without a close encounter with the local wildlife. We were lucky enough to see several wild Dartmoor ponies, grazing peacefully amidst the rugged landscape. It was magical to see them in their natural habitat and we were successful in stopping them from stealing our lunch!

With the weather playing its part in the day's experience...sudden heavy showers in the morning and blisteringly hot in the afternoon... we felt the need to cool ourselves with some ice cream....well we deserved it

Haytor is a truly special place, offering a unique blend of climbing challenges, stunning scenery, and close encounters with nature. It's a trip that will stay with us for a long time, and we can't wait to go back!

National Scientific Thinking Challenge

A few weeks ago, Mrs Thompson’s 10T9 class completed the National Scientific Thinking Challenge (NSTC). This challenge involved the students answering 50 multiple choice questions which assessed their ability to apply their science knowledge to various different scenarios.

This week we received the results and out of over 15,000 entries some of our students were awarded the prestigious bronze and silver awards. A special mention goes to Oliver Welsh, George O’Hanlon, Adam Sadik, Ben Jeffs, Ellie Farthing, Grace Green and Grace Gibbings who all scored within the top 25%!

Celebrating Creativity: A-Level Art & Photography End-of-Year Show Private View

Torquay Academy Cadets – Year 8 First Camp Out: A Night of Firsts, Fun and Field Skills

Last weekend marked a major milestone for our Year 8 cadets as they took part in their very first overnight camp out – right here on the green areas of Torquay Academy! With sleeping bags, rations, and a fair amount of curiosity (and confusion about what "sleep" actually meant!), our young cadets embraced the challenge with enthusiasm.

The aim of the camp was simple: learn to establish and live in a two-person shelter, cook an evening meal using issued military rations, and sleep under the stars – or at least under their freshly built shelters. While not everyone grasped the finer details of “sleeping” (many were still chatting well into the night!), all cadets got stuck in and made the most of the experience.

Beyond shelter-building and late-night whispering, cadets got hands-on with air rifle target practice, honing their accuracy and focus, and took part in Field Tactical exercises to learn essential movement and teamwork skills. These activities added an extra buzz to an already exciting evening.

Dinner was served cadet-style, with rations heated and meals cooked on portable stoves – a first for many. It was a chance to learn basic field cooking, test taste buds, and realise just how many things can be done with a packet of boil-in-the-bag pasta. The following morning saw a well-earned breakfast cooked and eaten before camp was cleared and packed away.

Overall, the evening was full of learning, laughter, and leadership – a great first step on the cadet journey. Well done to all our Year 8s for embracing the experience and supporting one another through an eventful and unforgettable night.

Year 7 - Calvin Downer and Zofia Bocianowska

Year 8 - Morley Villiers and Jess Ferguson

Year 9 - Mia Hawkes and Mason Findlay-Peers

National golf finals

We are incredibly proud to celebrate a fantastic achievement by one of our Year 9 students, Harry Lee, who has qualified for the England Schools National Golf Finals.

What makes Harry’s success even more remarkable is that he has two more years in this age group – and yet he has already made it to the top level of school golf. The finals took place at the prestigious home of England Golf, Woodhall Spa, where Harry delivered an impressive performance on a course known for its difficulty and demanding layout.

Competing among the best young golfers in the country, Harry showed composure, talent, and determination well beyond his years. His strong showing on such a challenging course marks him out as a real talent for the future – definitely one to watch.

We’re immensely proud of Harry’s achievement and look forward to seeing where his golfing journey takes him next. Well done, Harry!

The little sister's success

Annalise represented Team TA and Devon and ran in the 1500m against Year 9s and came 4th with a PB of 4.54.90! She will hopefully be going to the English Schools' Competition next year. 

Keeley has been selected to represent the school at the English Schools Championships. Two amazing achievements which we, as a school, are very proud of.

Table Tennis

Two of Our Students Selected for European Table Tennis Championships !!!

We are thrilled to share that Kacper (Year 10) and his older brother, Jakub (former student, currently Year 12), have been selected to represent England at the European Youth Championships in the Czech Republic this July!

Kacper will compete in the Under 15 category, while Jakub will represent England in the Under 19 event. Their selection follows an incredibly successful season, a result of years of hard work and dedication - both have trained intensively since the age of seven.

Currently, the brothers commit 20 - 25 hours of training per week, regularly competing across Europe. This summer, they will also spend three weeks training in China, learning from the best in the sport.

Kacper is also chasing world ranking points with the goal of qualifying for the World Championships in November - his biggest target of the season.

We are incredibly proud of both boys and wish them the very best of luck. 

From TeamTA to Team England 

House stars of the week

Year 7

Brunel - Leo Watson-Cox

Christie - Willow-Mae Calland

Darwin -   Lucy Matthews

Fawcett -  Gabe Talbot

Harrison -  Libby Pell

Kitson -  Kallie Somerset

Nearne -  Ajay Squires

Pengelly - Eve Truscott

Year 8

Brunel -  Zachary Kittow

Christie -  Aaliyah Akpo

Darwin -  Charlotte Townsend

Fawcett -  Helena Losiewicz

Kitson -  Leo Shaw

Nearne -  Lottie Knight

Pengelly - Esme Poole

Year 9

Brunel -  Johnny Sandbrook

Christie - Brook Giles

Darwin -  Kaelum Bowness

Fawcett -  Sean Canhma

Kitson -  Keane O'Neill

Nearne -  Alfie Spicer

Pengelly - Kordian Wisnik

Homework Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel - Evie Jewell

Christie - Grace Donnelly

Darwin -  Erin Gayton

Fawcett -  Lexi Nicholson

Harrison -  Milly Skelly

Kitson -  Madison Stewart

Nearne -  Millie Beamish

Pengelly -  Myah Bishop

Year 8

Brunel -  Freddie Novis

Christie -  Oliver Withers

Darwin -  Jesse Isemede

Fawcett -  Ayden Quarshie

Kitson -  Nanma John

Nearne -  Jacob Wakefield

Year 9

Brunel -  Louise Porter

Christie -  Lola Reece

Darwin -  Lily-Rose Garbett

Kitson -  Maxwell Murphy

Nearne -  Harry Pudney

Pengelly - Poppy Sanderson

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