Year group photos, charity cake sale and Animal Farm...

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Year group photos

Years 7 and 11 and the Sixth Form gathered this week to have their year group photos.  All of the year groups have had such a successful year and it will be lovely to see the photographs when they arrive.

Sports teams photos

We also took the opportunity to take pictures of each of our Team TA teams.

Cake Sale Success

A huge thank you and big well done to all the students that were involved in organising, baking and eating all the delicious cakey treats we sold this week for the charity Save the Children. We raised 240 pounds for a very worthy cause whilst enjoying the tasty delights.

A big thank you in particular to Charlie Fox’s Grandad in providing us with the amazing mini cakes seen here in the photo.

Year 10 visit to see Animal Farm at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth

Year 10 had a fantastic afternoon at the theatre this week, when the English department took them to the Theatre Royal in Plymouth to see a production of Animal Farm. Students study the novel Animal Farm by George Orwell in year 9; it is used to introduce students to the skills and knowledge they need to access their GCSE texts and is a great way for our students to learn to analyse texts and to understand a writer’s intentions. Animal Farm is a challenge for any film or theatre production as only one character is human, however; The Children’s Theatre Partnership did a fantastic job at staging Animal Farm using life size puppets to bring the animals to life on stage. The giant cart horse Boxer was particularly impressive taking three puppeteers to operate so the audience could really feel his power and strength as he fought in the Battle of the Cow Shed and ploughed the fields all day and night. The theatre was packed with students from several schools including TA and there was a great atmosphere in the auditorium as the students laughed at the farmer, Mr Jones, being beaten up by the goat and farmers running for their lives away from nose diving wood pigeons and rooks. There was also a great moment of pathos as Boxer lay dying from overwork and starvation, for a moment the audience forgot it was a puppet and could imagine a real horse dying. The craftmanship involved in making the puppets and the skill of the puppeteers was inspirational. The director and lead puppet designer Toby Olie had previously worked on ground breaking west end production of War Horse so we really were treated to some world class theatre. The students’ comments at the end of show really summed up their experience, one student told me “It was great, I really enjoyed it!” and the strength of the applause really summed up everyone’s appreciation. We hope this will be an experience year 10 will remember for many years.

Climbing

Mr Bez runs climbing club after school on Fridays.  They are always looking for new challenges around the school!

A Level Chemistry

Our A-level chemistry students took delivery of their brand-new labcoats this week. Here you can see the students wearing them for the first time before they get stained and burned!

Year 10 Sports Science

This week Miss Lewis has been working with our Year 10 Sports Scientists looking at different types of fitness tests, linking them to the relevant components of fitness and understanding how these fitness gains can enhance a sports person’s performance.  In particular, the students conducted and analysed the handgrip test and standing stork test, as shown in the photos below, which was amusing to watch to say the least. For the rest of the cycle, the class will be learning about other types of fitness tests and will continue to carry them out practically in the fitness suite.

VI in SEN

We use an interactive board in use to help visually impaired students access their learning.

House Hobbies – Fawcett House

Today we feature four students who have some interesting extracurricular hobbies and pass-times.

Adam Sadlick is very proficient at solving the Rubix Cube, a puzzle game many parents may remember from their youth. He first came across a Rubix two years ago when his sister borrowed one from a cousin. Adam taught himself to complete the game by aligning all the colours up on the appropriate sides over the course of the next six months. He tells us that there is a sure-fire way of completing the puzzle which is to get the white cross completed first and then to line up the rest of the white colours, using right hand algorithms. As somebody who has never managed to complete this challenge, it is humbling to know that Adam can complete the cube in under two minutes!

Tallulah Houlahan has played football since the age of five and loves all aspects of the game: teamwork, speed and goal-scoring. When playing, Tallulah varies her positions from midfield to striker. She has recently joined a all girls’ team at Watcombe Wanderers which is hoping to be incorporated into an official league at some point in the near future. We all agreed that it is wonderful to see so many girls joining up for team sports and the increased interest from spectators. As Tallulah moves up the school, she is hoping to study BTEC Sport and join the Football Academy.

Harrison Harkin took up drumming two years ago at primary school and has developed even more of a passion for the subject since joining us here at Torquay Academy. He told us that he used to listen to music to pick up the drum beats and solos within a tune and that this is what first sparked his interest. Every Wednesday, he has a drum lesson and enjoys looking around the Music Department at the wonderful facilities available for students. A present which arrived very near to his birthday was a drum kit so he could rehearse at home. Harrison tells us that his parents love to see him perform and often show their friends videos of him rehearsing.

Felicity Adams enjoys playing the guitar and has expanded her range since she joined us. She originally played just acoustic but had the opportunity to also learn electric guitar upon commencing secondary school. She is currently teaching herself to play ”The Sound of Silence” which is one of her favourite songs; additionally, she also instructs her younger sister and cousin, who have displayed a similar interest. I am sure Miss Pappin will be delighted to accept both Felicity and Harrison onto the Music performance KS4 course.

Strength and Conditioning

All students are able to access our brilliant gym on different afternoons after school.  Please see Mr Jones if you want to come along.

Health and Social Care

In Mrs Lancaster’s Health and Social care lessons the year 9s have been looking at two case studies and using their previously learnt knowledge in lessons to write about the positive and negative impacts that both injuries and illnesses can have on an individual’s development.

In the year 12 double lesson, students have been looking at how long-term physiological conditions can be treated and monitored.

Harley Sneap offered a Plymouth Argyle scholarship

Many congratulations to our Year 11 football captain Harley Sneap who has been offered a scholarship with Plymouth Argyle FC. We are absolutely delighted for him, and it is an inspiring example to many of our younger students that hard work pays off! Harley has been travelling to Plymouth several times per week since Year 8 to train and play. He has dedicated himself to developing as a football player, showing outstanding commitment throughout. This mindset, coupled with an incredible talent is going to stand him in great stead for his next step in football. Well done, Harley, we are exceptionally proud of you!

Year 7 vs Paignton Goals

Years 7 & 8 Girls Rugby Festival

On Tuesday, we took 16 Year 7 and 8 girls to Teign School for a Rugby Festival. The girls practised the core skills of rugby and played some matches against other local schools. It was great to take the girls out for their first taste of Rugby and we are looking forward to building on this experience with them.

S&C Netball Training

Over the past few weeks, the Year 7 & 8 Netball Academies have had the opportunity to receive a mixture of strength and conditioning sessions and coaching workshops from TTNC Netball Club coaches. The girls have been focusing on specific aspects of their game such as developing their physical fitness and technical netball skills. Consequently, the girls have been reaping the rewards after recent wins for both our Year 7 and 8 teams. Keep training hard girls!

Athletics Success

This weekend saw the end of year awards evening at South Devon Athletics club. Ava picked up 3 awards for her participation in the inter club grand prix events, the 2021 track & field events & the Devon indoor sportshall league. She also achieved bronze in the U15 girls shot at the indoor league. This qualified her to compete again for a place in the Devon team which would go on to the National indoor competition. Covid stopped her from being able to compete, but a great achievement none the less.

More Athletics Success

It’s been a very rewarding and successful year for friends, Hannah Carr and Grace Povey, in their athletic disciplines, both picking up several awards each for their hard work, progress, determination and achievements at the annual South Devon Athletics Club’s presentation evening on Saturday. Well done girls!!

Governor’s Silver Certificates

Year 7 – Leah McClements and Briony Pightling

Governor’s Bronze Certificates

Year 7 – Oliver Cocker, Grace Halsey, Malachi Morris, Matilda Stevens, Joe Boyce and Summer Holmes

Principal’s Gold Certificates

Year 7 – Olivia Murr, Ethan Piri-Sadigh, Layla Loizides, Daisy Hellier, Emilia hunt, Grace Green, Chloe Burton, Millie Swift, Faye Cassidy, Fredi Tuci, Ethan Anyon, Ellen Scott, Adam Sadlik, Aleksandra Treder, Rufus Scrase, Cody Cave, Freya Coatesworth and Connor Dean

Principal’s Silver Certificates

Year 7 – Josh Parkinson, Kloe Darbey, Lexi Jessup, Marlee White, Tegan Ross, Phoenix Furse, Taniesha Hippolyte, Darcey Mellish, Sophia Box, Daisy Holden, Barnaby George, Thomas Connelly, Ava Storey, Oliver Welsh, Nicholas Heale, Lena Galazkiewicz, Diogo Pestana, Connie McMahon, Lili Budavolgyi, Connie Kinghorn, Joselyn Full, Gracie-May Tolley, Olivia-Mae Franke, Nancy Brown, Sienna Painter, Kallie Stewart, Amelia Lawton, Sophia Burnham, Joshua Henderson, Ella Palla, Kacper Piwowar, Kiki Marker, Indy Evans and Evie Alford

Year 9 – Kaitlin Wright, Rhys Phillips, Shaun Pinto, Maxwell Lee, Ella McLachlan, Ben Baker, Finn Mallen, Illianna Lidstone and Taylor Holton

Year 10 – Shania Blades, Phoebe Lown and Hailie Windsor

Principal’s Bronze Certificates

Year 7 – Kai Chalmers-Wood, Adam Copping, Millie-Ann Adamson, Amelia Wisniewska, Benjamin Houghton, Cody Jones, Edward Evers, Matthew Bailey, Blake adamson, Scarlett Huxtable, Halle Wotton, Maile Beavis and Eliza Brookes

Year 9 – Elise Pile, Aspen Keenan, Dylan Nock, Jessica Taylorson, Thomas Pattison, Olivia Kirby, Isabelle davis Melvin Page, Mckenzie Hassanein, Mollie Stanion, Luke Le Huray and Ivan Vaplak

Year 10 – Mia Dendy, Lily-Anne Winterton, Joel Copping, Tyler Bayliss, Penny Richards, Oakley Hayes, Lily-Rae Hooper, Kane Adamson and Phoebe Lown

Students of the Week

Year 7 – Ellie Farthing and Blake Adamson

Year 8 – Oliver Jones and Lalia Heavens

Year 9 – Henry McManus and Isabelle Davis

Year 10 – Hayden Gibson-Roche and Coral Rogers

Year 11 – Razr Turner and Keira Davies

House Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel – Ashleigh Evans

Christie – Josh Henderson

Darwin – Ellie Farthing

Fawcett – Alba Fogarty

Harrison – Kelsey Drew

Kitson – Ethan Lynch

Nearne – Kacper Drygiel

Pengelly – Aaron Saunders

Year 8

Christie – Amelie Berriman

Fawcett – Lucian Churchward

Harrison – Olivia Hosking

Kitson – Phoebe Denbow

Nearne – Bartosz Mitula

Pengelly – Gregg Hindom

Year 9

Brunel – Evie Reece

Christie – Elliott Lawton

Darwin – Kylan Whicker

Fawcett – Nisha Coslett

Harrison – Grace Dicken

Kitson – Kaitlin Wright

Homework Stars of the Week

Year 7

Brunel – Grace Halsey

Christie – Lucas Chappell

Darwin – Joe Boyce

Fawcett – Aliviya Lawrence

Harrison – Barnaby George

Kitson – Faye Cassidy

Nearne – Briony Pightling

Pengelly – Maisie Sandercock

Year 8

Christie – Josh Rogers

Fawcett – Sara Mills

Harrison – Alex Hilton

Kitson – Jessica Mitchell

Nearne – James Evers

Pengelly – Isabelle Roberts

Year 9

Brunel – Isabelle Davis

Christie – Elise Pile

Darwin – Mia Weston

Fawcett – Maja Davies

Harrison – Michalina Jarosz

Kitson – Tammy Westacott

Pengelly – Shaun Pinto

University Offers this Week

Surname	Forename	Provider name	Course name	Offer?
Baczynski	Mateusz	Bristol, University of the West of England	Criminology with Psychology	Conditional Firm
Baczynski	Mateusz	University of Plymouth	English	Unconditional Insurance
Banks	Shannon	Lancaster University	Physics, Astrophysics and Cosmology	Conditional Offer
Bradbury	Gracie	Bristol, University of the West of England	Sport Rehabilitation	Conditional Firm
Bradbury	Gracie	Plymouth Marjon University	Sport Coaching and Physical Education	Conditional Insurance
Brett	Myah	University of Bath	Biology	Conditional Offer
Burt	Thomas	Manchester Metropolitan University	Sport and Exercise Science	Conditional Offer
Foulds	Olivia	AECC University College	Radiography (Diagnostic Imaging)	Conditional Offer
Kenyon	Kacey	University of Exeter	Nursing	Conditional Offer
Rawles	Elias	Bath Spa University	Product and Furniture Design (Professional Placement Year)	Unconditional Firm
Sargeant	Leon	Coventry University	Journalism	Conditional Offer

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