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Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Academy News

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  • Rising Pilot Stars: Sebastian and Zach

    Published 14/07/26

    Congratulations to Year 7 students Sebastian and Zach, who have successfully achieved their Wings Certificate through the British Young Pilots training programme at British Aerospace in Filton.

    As part of the programme, Sebastian and Zach learned about the different parts and functions of aircraft, the principles of flight, air law, meteorology, navigation and flying theory. They also had the opportunity to put their knowledge into practice using flight simulators.

    Having completed this important milestone, they are now looking forward to progressing to the next stages of the programme, with the exciting prospect of experiencing a real flight and taking the controls. Well done!

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  • Rising Athletics Star: George

    Published 14/07/26

    Congratulations to George, who was selected to represent Churchill Academy & Sixth Form at the National English Schools Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

    Competing in the shotputt, George achieved an outstanding milestone by being selected to represent Avon as an Under-14 athlete in the Under-15 boys' event, throwing the heavier 4kg shot. This is a remarkable achievement, and George rose to the challenge by recording a new personal best (PB).

    To top off an impressive championship, George was also selected to compete in the 100m relay, showcasing his versatility and athletic talent.

    Everyone at the Academy is incredibly proud of George's achievements and wishes him continued success in his athletics career.

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  • Ben and Joe Raise Over £6,400 for Macmillan Cancer Support

    Published 14/07/26

    Congratulations to Ben and Joe, who successfully completed their incredible fundraising challenge in support of Macmillan Cancer Support.

    The pair set themselves the ambitious goal of each running the equivalent of three marathons during June, with an initial fundraising target of £250. They far exceeded all expectations, raising an outstanding £6,435.

    On Friday, Ben and Joe presented a cheque to Macmillan Cancer Support in Weston-super-Mare, marking the culmination of their remarkable achievement.

    A huge thank you goes to everyone who supported them, including the staff and students who donated so generously, shared messages of encouragement and cheered them on throughout the challenge.

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  • Introducing the House Captains for 2026/27

    Published 10/07/26

    We are proud to announce the new House Captains for 2026/27! 

    Introducing… 

    Hanover: Sonny and Eliza

    Lancaster: Erin and Emilia

    Stuart: Freddie and Chloe

    Tudor: Xavier and Isabelle

    Windsor: Cecilia and Millie

    House Captains play a vital role in student leadership at the Academy, focusing on leading and directing to make a positive impact across the entire school community.

    Their responsibilities include managing House Councils, supporting younger students and leading whole-school events throughout the year.

    Our newly appointed House Captains have already made a fantastic start, playing a key role in helping our new Year 7 students settle in during their induction day last month.

    We look forward to seeing their leadership grow as they continue to inspire, guide, and support their peers in the year ahead.

    Well done to all our new House Captains!

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  • Academy Sports Rundown: 10th July 2026

    Published 10/07/26

    This week we celebrated both our U13 Girls Cricket Team and all of our Sports Day Record Breakers. Check it out below:

    U13 Girls Cricket Team’s Chance to Shine Tournament

    On Wednesday, our U13 Girls Cricket Team travelled to Taunton School for the Regional Finals of the Chance to Shine Cricket Tournament.  The Regional Finals were made up of teams from across the Southwest, including Devon, Dorset and Cardiff, pulling together an incredible roster of students. 

    Unfortunately, it was not our day, as our girls didn’t bring home the win. However, it was a fantastic way to close out the Cricket season. 

    Sports Day Record Breakers

    Last Friday we had another smashing success for Sports Day. Lancaster may have taken the trophy, but we had a plethora of record breakers across the entire Academy. 

    Congratulations to our following students: 

    Student Name

    Event 

    Time/Score

    Record Type

    Year 9 Stuart Boys Relay

    Relay

    51.84 seconds

    House Record

    Year 7 Lancaster Girls Relay

    Relay

    60.3 seconds

    House Record

    Laura

    200m

    300m

    26.93 seconds

    43.89 seconds

    House Record

    School Record

    Solene

    200m

    Long Jump

    38.71 seconds

    3.97 metres

    House Record

    House Record 

    Anna

    200m

    Long Jump

    1500m

    38.71 seconds

    3.72 metres

    5.49 minutes

    School Record

    House Record

    House Record

    Penny

    300m

    49.2 seconds

    School Record

    Amara

    300m

    51.97 seconds

    House Record

    Reuben 

    300m

    48.41 seconds

    House Record

    Annabelle

    300m

    1500m

    45.65 seconds

    5.26 minutes

    School Record

    School Record

    Arlo

    300m

    100m

    41.51 seconds

    11.49 seconds

    House Record

    School Record

    Abdul

    Javelin

    33.75 metres

    House Record

    Amy

    100m

    Javelin

    13.33 seconds

    25.14 metres

    House Record

    School Record

    Barnaby D.

    Javelin

    30.03 metres

    School Record

    Barnaby W.

    Discus

    27.77 metres

    House Record

    Ben

    800m

    2.31 minutes

    School Record

    Bobby

    Shot Putt

    10.67 metres

    House Record

    George

    Shot Putt

    14.52 metres

    School Record

    Harry

    100m

    11.56 seconds

    House Record

    James

    Javelin

    Discus

    35.08 metres

    33.5 metres

    House Record

    School Record

    Katie

    Javelin

    32.45 metres

    School Record

    Lexie

    Javelin

    19.75 metres

    School Record

    Lottie

    Discus

    17.66 metres

    House Record

    Lucas

    Javelin

    27.23 metres

    School Record

    Maëlys

    Hurdles

    13.83 seconds

    House Record

    Matilda

    Hurdles

    15.09 seconds

    House Record

    Montgomery

    Javelin

    24.36 metres

    House Record

    Noah

    Long Jump

    5.28 metres

    House Record

    Olive

    800m

    2.41 metres

    House Record

    Rebeka

    Shot Putt

    6.81 metres

    House Record

    Oliver

    1500m

    4.36 minutes

    House Record

    Zoe

    1500m

    6.15 minutes

    House Record

    Seren

    Javelin

    22.51 metres

    House Record

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  • Year 12 Performing Arts Students Shine at Trust Collaboration Event

    Published 09/07/26

    Our Year 12 Performing Arts students recently enjoyed an exciting and rewarding visit to Chew Valley School, where they joined students from other secondary schools across the Trust for a unique collaborative challenge celebrating the performing arts.

    Working in mixed-school groups, students were given a creative brief and just three hours to devise and rehearse an original performance piece incorporating all three performing arts disciplines: acting, dance and music. The challenge pushed students to think creatively, communicate effectively and work collaboratively under pressure to bring their ideas to life.

    The event provided a fantastic opportunity for students from across the Trust to meet, mix and learn from one another, while also encouraging them to step outside their comfort zones and challenge themselves artistically. The standard of work produced in such a short space of time was truly impressive and showcased the creativity and talent of everyone involved.

    We were made to feel incredibly welcome by our hosts at Chew Valley School, who looked after us brilliantly throughout the day and helped make the event such a success.

    We were also delighted that Gary Lewis, CEO of LSP, was able to attend and watch the final performances, witnessing first-hand the outstanding display of talent, teamwork and creativity on show.

    Our Churchill students were exceptional ambassadors for the school. They demonstrated maturity, enthusiasm and professionalism throughout the day and showed just how incredible they are as leaders within our school community. We are immensely proud of the way they represented Churchill and contributed to such an inspiring celebration of the performing arts.

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  • To Lancaster and Back Raises £1360.65 for Springboard Opportunity Group

    Published 09/07/26

    Over the past 3 months, Lancaster students have been running, jogging and walking the 738km distance from Churchill Academy to Lancaster... and back again! Students have been running or walking during tutor time, at athletics competitions, on the sponsored walk and trek, and also outside of school. And on Thursday morning, around 100 students ran the final kilometre together during tutor time to complete our fundraising challenge. 

    This challenge was set up to raise money for our Lancaster house charity, Springboard Opportunity Group - a daycare centre for children with special educational needs and disabilities in North Somerset - a charity that I know is close to the hearts of several Lancaster families. 

    I am really pleased to announce that Lancaster House has raised a total of £1360.65 for Springboard - an amazing amount of money for a fantastic cause. 

    I am very proud of every Lancaster student who took part in our charity event, To Lancaster and back. It was brilliant to see the enthusiasm and commitment that students showed towards reaching our goal. Well done and thank you to all of you! 

    Thank you also to all parents, carers and family members who have supported the event over the past few months - whether that be by donating, sharing social media posts or encouraging students to take part and contribute towards our 738km target - your support is massively appreciated by Lancaster House and Springboard Opportunity Group. 

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  • Performing Arts Students Enjoy Inspiring Trip to Legally Blonde at the Bristol Hippodrome

    Published 09/07/26

    Our Performing Arts students recently enjoyed a fantastic trip to the Bristol Hippodrome to see the touring production of Legally Blonde. A total of 65 students attended the performance and were treated to an energetic, vibrant and thoroughly entertaining evening of theatre.

    The cast delivered an outstanding performance, with Hannah Lowther shining in the role of Elle Woods, bringing charisma, humour and determination to this iconic character. The production was packed with energy, memorable musical numbers and impressive performances that kept our students engaged from start to finish.

    For many of us, the trip was particularly special as it brought back wonderful memories of our own production of Legally Blonde, which we proudly staged at The Playhouse Theatre in Weston-super-Mare back in February. Watching the professional production provided an opportunity to reflect on the incredible achievement of our own students and served as a reminder of just how talented they are. The comparisons only reinforced the high quality of our own production and the exceptional performances delivered by our cast and crew earlier this year.

    The visit was not only an inspiring theatrical experience but also a chance to celebrate the hard work and success of our students' own Performing Arts journey. We are incredibly proud of the way our students conducted themselves throughout the trip. Their behaviour was exemplary, and they were a real credit to the Academy, representing us with maturity, enthusiasm and respect at all times.

    The evening created lasting memories for everyone involved and provided plenty of inspiration for future performances and productions.

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  • Our Dance Star of the Week is Phillippa

    Published 09/07/26

    We are so proud of what Phillippa has accomplished this year, she shines bright with both her talent and positive attitude in every lesson. 

    Phillippa is a fantastic leader and works hard every lesson to ensure she achieves her best. Well done!

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  • Food Tech Reward Core Values with homemade Burger Workshop

    Published 09/07/26

    To recognise and celebrate students who have consistently demonstrated our Academy’s core values throughout the year, the ADT Faculty hosted a special two-hour practical food workshop.

    The workshop was open to students who had achieved more than 175 reward points while maintaining fewer than nine behaviour points, reflecting their commitment to positive attitudes, excellent behaviour, and sustained effort. A large number of students met these impressive criteria, demonstrating the high standards achieved across the academy.

    As places were limited, a ballot was held among all qualifying students who completed a Google Form to express their interest in taking part. The initiative supports one of the ADT Faculty's key objectives: fostering a positive culture of achievement while increasing student engagement through rewarding and enriching experiences.

    During the workshop, students prepared and cooked their own burgers, developing their practical food skills while enjoying a well-earned reward for their hard work and dedication throughout the year.

    A huge thank you goes to all the fantastic students who took part and to the parents and carers who kindly supplied the protein for the workshop. Their generosity helped make the session a great success, and the delicious burgers certainly reflected everyone's efforts!

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  • Free School Meals Expansion from September

    Published 09/07/26

    From September, Free School Meals are being expanded to all families receiving Universal Credit. The government has announced two new categories of entitlement:

    Targeted FSM

    •  Pupils from families on UC with an income threshold (income under £7,400 per year)

    • Attracts pupil premium and FSM6 funding

    • Eligibility for HAF programmes

    Extended FSM 

    • Pupils from families on UC with no income threshold

    • Does not attract pupil premium or FSM6 funding

    • Not eligible for HAF programmes

    Since 2018, there has been a Free School Meal transitional protection policy to ensure that children didn’t lose their free school meals if their family’s income increased. This meant that free school meals entitlement has been typically locked in until the end of the child’s current phase of education (e.g. end of primary or secondary school).

    This protection is ending at the end of the 2025-26 academic year.

    This means that all existing pupils in receipt of free school meals will need to have their entitlement rechecked before the start of September 2026. If your family’s earnings exceed the FSM threshold, your child(ren) will lose their eligibility and pay for school meals from September 2026.

    To apply for Free School Meals for September, all eligible families should submit an application during the summer holidays here: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals

    Please note: Families who were awarded Free School Meals more than two years ago will have applied through North Somerset Council's previous application system. These families will need to reapply through their North Somerset Citizen's Account (or register for one) as North Somerset Council no longer holds their personal details to contact them or reassess their eligibility.

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  • Year 12 Biology Students Enjoy Inspiring Field Trip to Nettlecombe Court

    Published 08/07/26

    Last week, our Year 12 Biology students embarked on an exciting three-day residential field trip to Nettlecombe Court, a Field Studies Centre located on the Somerset Exmoor border. The visit provided an invaluable opportunity for students to develop their practical skills, deepen their ecological understanding, and complete essential components of their A Level Biology course.

    Throughout the trip, students took part in a range of fieldwork investigations and classroom-based theory sessions, including two of the required practical investigations that contribute to the Practical Endorsement in A Level Biology. They learnt how to measure vertical height along the shore and compared species diversity across the lower, middle, and upper shore zones, gaining first-hand experience of ecological sampling techniques.

    The group also explored grassland ecosystems and carried out freshwater invertebrate studies, developing their understanding of biodiversity and ecosystem health. In addition, students learnt how to analyse their findings using a range of statistical tests, an important skill for biological research.

    One of the highlights of the trip was the opportunity to participate in an overnight small mammal survey. Students helped set humane live traps as part of a population monitoring study and were delighted by the success of the survey, which recorded both wood mice and shrews.

    The residential concluded with each student completing an individual ecological investigation, allowing them to apply the knowledge and practical skills they had developed throughout the visit.

    With fantastic weather throughout the three days, there was also plenty of time to relax and socialise. Evenings were spent enjoying games of rounders and badminton with students from other schools, making the trip both educational and memorable.

    The field trip was a tremendous success, providing students with valuable practical experience while creating lasting memories and strengthening their enthusiasm for studying Biology.

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