Academy News

Last week, four of our Year 12 students represented the Academy and our Year 12 Executive Council at the LSP Sixth Form Student Leadership Conference.

Student leaders from across the LSP gathered to share ideas for exciting projects they would like to lead in the next academic year.  

It was wonderful to see the community these students have created from across the Trust and we are excited to see their ideas come to life!

We’re excited to share that some of our talented Year 7 students have been involved in a fantastic art project that will leave a lasting mark on our local community.

Visiting artists, Soap Soup Theatre CIC (soon to become Soap Soup Arts) and the wonderful sculptor, Alice Cunningham, joined us to run a fun and engaging session, which allowed our students to contribute their ideas and creativity in developing imagery for a mural that the duo are working on. 

The Strawberry Line Society has commissioned the artists to create a stunning 100-foot mural along The Strawberry Line between Sandford and Winscombe. 

The themes for the mural are broad and inspiring, touching on crucial topics such as sustainability, climate change, the remarkable biodiversity of our region, and the rich local heritage that makes our community so special. 

We saw some truly imaginative creations as students created their own paper collages, bringing their unique perspectives to these important themes.

This engaging project is being made possible thanks to the generous funding from North Somerset Council, Weston and Burnham Energy Board's Sunshine Fund, Crown Paint and Wickes. 

This was a fantastic opportunity for our young people to contribute their ideas and creativity to a piece of public art that celebrates our area, as well as collaborate with professional artists and contribute to such a meaningful community project. 

There'll be a 'Family Paint Day' later this month when children from local schools, along with their families, will help paint and bring the mural to life.Stay tuned for more updates on the mural's progress!

Check out the students' creations from the workshop below. 

Anya has made incredible progress in Dance this year, showing real dedication to her coursework with the time and effort she has poured into her studies. She has used feedback from the Dance team to improve her skills. 

In her practical lessons, Anya’s confidence has impressed us all, as it continues to grow every week. She has demonstrated massive improvement in her technique since the start of the year. 

Well done Anya, keep it up!

On Wednesday, our English department took a large group of Year 10 students to the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham to watch a highly regarded production of one of their GCSE Literature texts, An Inspector Calls.

From wonderful set pieces like the crumbling foundations of the Birlings' home, to the powerful message of social justice that boomed out across the theatre, our young people had a memorable experience that will hopefully help embed key lines in their memories and bring new interpretations of characters to light. 

A big thank you to Mr Abrahams, Mr Hildrew and Mr Grimmett for accompanying our students on this exciting trip. It was a fabulous evening! 

As part of the STEM Club, a group of 10 enthusiastic Year 8 students have been working on building and preparing model rockets. On Thursday lunchtime, they had the opportunity to launch them from the main field, giving us all an excellent display. 

The rockets were powered by solid fuel motors and reached heights of approximately 100 metres. Each rocket was equipped with a parachute recovery system to ensure a safe descent.

Using the help of three Sixth Form students, and Science teacher, Mr Linnitt, the students used an electric launch system to fire their rockets into the air, showcasing their excellent designs. 

Well done to all involved! 

STEM Club runs every Thursday lunchtime in AD7.  All Year 7 and 8 students are welcome to come along! 

It has been a quiet week for sport at the Academy as Team PE prepares for some exciting upcoming fixtures and events. However, our U15 Cricket team did continue their success, see how they got on below: 

Victory for Churchill U15 Cricket in Somerset State Schools Cup

Our U15 Cricket Team continued their strong start to the season with a convincing win over Priory in the Somerset State Schools Cup.

On a beautiful sunny afternoon, Churchill travelled to Priory and, after losing the toss for the second time this season, were sent into the field. Despite this, the team responded brilliantly, restricting Priory to just 70 for nine. It was a true team effort, with nine bowlers used and everyone contributing with wickets and catches—perhaps helped along by a generous layer of sun cream!

The standout performer with the ball was Matt, who impressed once again with three wickets in just two overs.

Churchill chased down the target in just eight overs, losing only two wickets. Batters Palmer and Shepard both remained unbeaten in the 30s, steering the team to a comfortable victory.

A big thank you to Priory for hosting the fixture. The team head’s out again in two weeks' time for what promises to be another exciting afternoon.