Skip to content ↓
Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Academy News

Page 28

  • Leo Shines at Welsh National Swim Championships

    Published 10/12/24

    One of our Year 9 students, Leo, took part in the Welsh National Swim Championships this week delivering an outstanding performance over the competition weekend. Despite the event being cut short by Storm Darragh, Leo made the most of his opportunity, showcasing incredible determination and skill in the pool.

    The competition saw Leo take on a remarkable 11 races, including finals, where he achieved an impressive 10 Personal Bests and secured two Bronze Medals. 

    A small silver lining to the storm disruption came from the team’s hotel, where staff went above and beyond to support the swimmers. Leo was especially treated like a star by the chef, who ensured he was well-fueled for the races!

    However, the intense schedule took its toll, with Leo picking up a shoulder injury during his final two races. While it prevented him from achieving all his goals, his resilience and focus remain an inspiration.

    With his incredible performance and valuable lessons learnt, Leo’s future in competitive swimming looks brighter than ever.

    Read More
  • Students Shine at Somerset Music Christmas Celebration Concert

    Published 10/12/24

    On Monday 9th December, three of our talented students took the stage at the stunning Wells Cathedral as part of the Somerset Youth Concert Band, which took place during the Somerset Music Christmas Celebration Concert.

    Adam, a seasoned member of the band, was joined by Joey and Ollie, who performed for the first time after successfully passing their auditions in October. The event brought together students from 15 schools across Somerset to deliver an evening of festive music, with the Concert Band performing a wide variety of Christmas carols and songs.

    Despite having only one rehearsal the day before, the Concert Band wowed the audience with two show-stopping pieces: "Veni Immanuel" - Meditation on O Come, O Come Immanuel and the lively "Sleigh Ride."

    The Somerset Youth Concert Band’s next performance will take place at St Andrew's Church, Taunton, on Monday 23rd December, at 7pm, following their three-day Christmas course. Tickets are available at somersetmusic.co.uk/events/sycb-christmas24.

    Congratulations to Adam, Joey, and Ollie for their incredible performances and for representing our school so brilliantly!

     

    Read More
  • Sixth Form Events & Ents impact group are hosting the Academy Live Lounge!

    Published 06/12/24

    The Sixth Form "Events and Ents" impact group is set to host an exciting evening of live music at their much-anticipated Live Lounge event. Taking place in the Academy Hall on Thursday 12th December, at 6:30pm, the event promises an unforgettable night of entertainment.

    Tickets will be available at the door for just £5, with all proceeds going towards preparations for the Year 13 Ball.

    The evening will feature a range of performances by talented students, who have independently rehearsed and organised their sets. To top it all off, the renowned Soul Band will close the night with an extended and funkier-than-ever set.

    This is a fantastic opportunity to enjoy live music while supporting the Sixth Form's efforts – be sure to mark your calendars!

    Read More
  • Star Students Enjoy Festive Theatre Trip to See Hansel and Gretel

    Published 06/12/24

    The English Department recently celebrated some of their most dedicated and talented students with a special trip to see Hansel and Gretel at the Tobacco Factory Theatre in Bristol.

    These students earned their places on the trip through their outstanding effort, engagement in lessons, and impressive English skills. The magical performance featured singing, snow, witches, and even enchanted food pots to create a truly festive and unforgettable experience.

    It was a wonderful way to kick off the holiday season and reward these students for their hard work!

    Read More
  • Vocabulary Competition Grand Final: A Battle of Words!

    Published 06/12/24

    On Thursday afternoon, the Vocabulary Competition Grand Final saw our top wordsmiths go head-to-head in an intense battle of words. Contestants were challenged to define increasingly complex words, from ‘tantamount’ to ‘spiel’, in a series of exciting rounds.

    Highlights included the tricky "Spot the Antonym" challenge and the high-speed "Quick Draw" round, where students raced to identify the correct definitions.

    A huge congratulations to Kate for claiming the top spot as this year's champion, with Ailidh as runner-up and Zak securing 3rd place.

    Well done to all participants for showcasing their linguistic brilliance!

    Read More
  • Dance Star of the week: Saffron!

    Published 06/12/24

    Saffron has made a fantastic start to the BTEC Dance course and has really grown in confidence with both her technical and performance skills. 

    The Dance team have been really impressed with her attitude to learning and was proud of her performance in the recent Dance Showcase.

    Well done Saffron!

    Read More
  • Academy Sports Rundown: 6th December 2024 ​​​​​​​

    Published 06/12/24

    It has been a thrilling busy week for our sports teams, here is how they all got on: 

    Year 7 & 8 find success at the South Schools Athletics Competition

    As the first round began this week, our Year 8 team took the competition by storm, securing the well-deserved top spot. Year 7 was not to be overlooked either, coming in to take second place behind our Year 8 team. Well done everyone, onto the next round! 

    Year 7 visit Priory School for the Rugby Festival 

    On Wednesday, the Academy took 16 of our Year 7 boys to the Rugby Festival hosted by Priory School. All the schools involved played some great rugby; however, our boys put on a dominant display, winning all five games, scoring 19 tries, and only conceding 2! 

    The boys all showed great enthusiasm and desire, it was incredible to see how much their confidence has grown since their first tournament in Term 1. Well done boys, keep it up! 

    Year 7 girls face nine schools in a Netball tournament

    We took two Year 7 teams, red and blue, to a netball tournament to face nine other schools this week. The red team played brilliantly, with matches against some worthy opponents and finished the day in 5th place. The blue team gave it their all, securing third place in the tournament. 

    It was great to see how everyone’s netball skills have progressed throughout the term and the effort all of our girls put in at every match. Well done everybody! 

    Year 10 Rugby has another successful game!

    On Thursday, our Year 10 boys visited Kings of Wessex for a rugby match. It was an exciting game, with everybody putting their all in. The final score was 27-12, securing a well-earned victory for the Academy. Well done, boys! 

    Year 7 and 8 Netball team experience their first fixture!

    Our Year 7 and 8 girls netball team visited Priory School this week to play in their first school fixture of the year, and for some students their first fixture ever.  They played excellently, giving them invaluable experience. Well done girls! 

     

     

    Read More
  • Students attend the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme at Gordano School ​​​​​​​

    Published 06/12/24

    On Thursday 5th December, eight of our most talented Mathematicians attended a conference for the Advanced Mathematics Support Programme hosted by Gordano School. 

    The focus was on challenging A-Level Mathematics problems and how Mathematics is often used in the workplace. The students engaged incredibly well, working together to solve the problems and improve their maths skills. 

    Thank you to Gordano School for hosting the event. It was great to see all the students' dedication to mathematics!

    Read More
  • Churchill Music Young Musician of the Year 2025: Semi Finals!

    Published 05/12/24

    The Churchill Music Young Musician of the Year 2025 competition semi-finals took place this week with a series of lunchtime concerts. Students competed for a place in the final, which will take place at St John's Church on Monday 27th January 2025, at 6 pm. 

    Students performed a section of the piece they hoped to present in the final. Overall we were enthralled by the high calibre of musicianship and variety of musical styles on show making it a tough competition to judge! 

    Congratulations to all of the competitors for their incredible performances. The finalists will be notified in due course, but we can guarantee that the final will be a fiercely contested affair that you do not want to miss!

    Read More
  • Students leave the audience in awe at the Dance Showcase 2024! ​​​​​​​

    Published 05/12/24

    On Wednesday 4th December, our Academy Dance students took to the stage in front of a jam-packed audience for the Dance Showcase 2024.  This annual showcase is an opportunity for our students and their families to celebrate all their hard work over the past few months. 

    Our Year 10, 11 and 12 BTEC Dance students showcased their coursework pieces, recreating professional repertoires such as 'Revelations' by Alvin Ailey and 'Dust' by Akram Khan. We also saw their self-choreographed work, showing their originality, creativity and impressive technical skills!

    The fantastic Year 7 and 8 dance clubs brought a sense of joy and fun to the evening with their upbeat performances, showing their dedication and passion for dance. 

    Our Year 9 Dance Company performed a stunning and thought-provoking piece, leaving our audience in awe of our students. 

    It was an evening to remember, every student made the Dance department incredibly proud. A big thank you to all the families who came to support our dancers and a massive congratulations to all of our performers! 

     

    Read More
  • Jens Hullah returns to the Academy to inspire our Year 12 PE students

    Published 05/12/24

    Jens Hullah, a former student of Churchill Academy & Sixth Form, returned to his roots to inspire the next generation of athletes. Jens, who currently represents Great Britain in the Europa Cup for Bobsleigh, recently visited the Academy to share his experiences with Year 12 A-Level PE students.

    During his talk, Hullah provided an in-depth look at his journey from being scouted to competing at an international level. He emphasised the importance of perseverance, adaptability, and seizing opportunities, recounting how these traits were pivotal in his rise to elite sports.

    In addition to sharing personal anecdotes, Jens offered a candid view of the challenges faced by elite athletes, from gruelling training sessions to the mental and physical demands of high-level competition. His message resonated with students, leaving them inspired and equipped with a realistic understanding of what it takes to excel in sports.

    Jens concluded his presentation with his empowering mantra: "Be 1% better every day" and encouraged students to pursue consistent self-improvement in their own lives, whether in sports or other endeavours.

    Thank you Jens for returning to see us and giving us all such an inspiring afternoon!

    Read More
  • Bones Apart visit the Academy for a Music Workshop

    Published 05/12/24

    Bones Apart is a highly acclaimed English all-female trombone quartet, so we were thrilled when the group visited the Academy to run a workshop with our students. 

    The quartet has rapidly gained international recognition as a leading ensemble in brass chamber music. Its members bring together a wealth of performing experience at the highest level, from symphony and chamber orchestra to early and contemporary music to brass band and jazz.

    In the first session of the morning, students from all years performed in the workshop and received constructive comments and advice about their playing from the professional musicians. We were impressed with how the students took the advice onboard, and we were able to use it to enhance their interpretations of the music performed and allow their personality and flair as performers to shine through. Congratulations to Freddie, Jamie, Doug, and Jason for their superb playing.

    The second session immediately engaged Year 7 with a performance of a Renaissance piece of music. The workshop continued with arrangements of well-known pieces and gave us a taste of some of the many instrumental techniques possible on brass instruments, particularly the trombone. 

    Towards the end of the session, Bones Apart fielded many interesting questions from the students. This was a moment of pure aspiration for all of the students. We know that some of the students will have been enthused to consider taking up playing an instrument, and we look forward to discussing the possibilities with them. 

    A huge thank you to Bones Apart for sharing their knowledge with the students, it was an incredibly enlightening workshop. 

    Read More

Page 28