Headteacher's Blog 13th May 2022

I’ll start this week by addressing our front page on the Plymouth Evening Herald! To say I was frustrated, disappointed, baffled even, is an understatement. As you are aware we put in a planning application for a fence around the school as we are probably one of the only schools in the south west that is a completely open site.  Unfortunately, in this day and age, we cannot have the general public walking through school and despite me having little interest in the fence and much preferring to focus my time on improving the school, it was clear there was a need to erect one. The Evening Herald have tried to drag up some events that may or may not have happened from many years ago to try and create a story. I hope I made my view on this clear during a Radio Devon interview this morning.  I now want to focus on my main priority, improving our student’s life chances in a safe environment.

This leads me nicely into how well our exam season has started. We had our first big exam this week with Mr Powers ICT class.  By all accounts this went very smoothly and students were focused and mature. Next week see’s the structure of the school day change in order to accommodate the larger exam’s, with students sitting English, Science and Maths. I wish them all the best and know they have done their upmost to be fully prepared. I’m sure they will reap the benefits of their hard work in the summer when the results are issued.

Yesterday afternoon saw the biennial inspection of the Academy's Combined Cadet Forces unit. Students were a real credit to the school as they paraded for inspection, Mr Twyman, Mr Phillips and Mr Marks were incredibly proud of them all.

On Wednesday we hosted a meeting for all the Secondary Headteacher’s in Plymouth along with representative from Plymouth City Council. This was the first meeting in person since Covid and I was overwhelmed by the fantastic welcome we gave our visitors. With the help of students Cherno, Holly, Peter, Chloe and Maura, visitors were astounded by the beautiful live music on arrival, the hospitality and polite behaviour of our students. Not many schools could have put on such a welcome. 

Wishing you all a lovely weekend from a very proud Headteacher.

Martin Brook, Headteacher