Four specially selected students and the Evening Gazette were invited to take a first look inside the new and refurbished areas.

There’s a buzz of excitement in the air at Thornaby Academy as the completion of £5.5m of building work and renovations draws near.

Four specially selected students and the Evening Gazette were invited to take a first look inside the new and refurbished areas of the Baysdale Road academy as it prepares to swing open its new doors next month.

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We are proud to announce the launch of Project Home Learning. This can be accessed from the Academy website. This is to support our students to build upon skills and understanding and support the learning in lessons. These Home Learning activities are linked to “Projects” in line with feedback we gathered from students. Each Home Learning activity is differentiated support and develop student knowledge and understanding of the areas studied. The students also have ownership and choice of these activities and this helps them to become more responsible and independent. These are all skills they will need in the future at the Academy and beyond!

This is a key role which will involve the effective monitoring of students attendance, including Pupil Premium students, target and vulnerable groups in the Academy.  You will identify students who have reached a trigger level and use the information gathered to develop appropriate attendance improvement strategies.

You will have experience of working with children and families in a multi-agency setting and have a full working knowledge of relevant policies and codes of practice. You must be a car owner with a full driving licence and have an enthusiastic commitment to the importance of education in the development of children.

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On Saturday 4^th May, The Academy’s Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award group travelled to the North York Moors for the first practical training session for their Expedition Section. Over the course of the day the students consolidated all their previous classroom based training on navigation, first aid and emergency procedures.

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The Business GCSE students descended on Alton Tower’s during the last week of the Spring term. 

The Business GCSE Class 2013

Infamously known for its roller coaster thrill rides, our adrenalin was pumping as we were catapulted from 0 to 100 kmph in 2.5 seconds on Rita the Queen of Speed, faced our fears whilst hanging above a vertical drop into the Oblivion, flew above the ground with G-forces greater than a space shuttle launch on Nemesis and escaped the terrifying scare maze known as The Sanctuary.

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On Friday 15th March, the Academy turned red in support for Comic Relief.

Students took part in a ‘red’ non uniform day and a fun run. In addition to  whole school activities, staff and students  ran a cake stall, tuck shop and tombola to help raise funds for this worthwhile cause. Students enjoyed the activities and are looking forward to the next fundraising event.

The final total raised for Comic Relief was £680

On Monday 25th February 2013, students from years 9 and 10 went on an Army Insight Course. The course was a week long and it’s aim was not only to give us an insight to Army life, but also to help us build important skills such as teamwork, leadership, and communication.

On Monday, we started by doing a Drill exercise which helped us to understand military discipline. In the afternoon we went and did DCCT, Dismounted Close Combat Trainer. This was basically a huge video game that allowed you to use real guns in a way that was 100% safe by using compressed gasses to give the kick rather than firing real ammunition. The 10 shooting bays were controlled by a central computer that allowed range activities (targets at different distances and moving targets) and scenarios to be projected onto a screen in front of the shooting bays.

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On Monday 04^th March, Sergeant Dave Elstob from the Army visited the academy to deliver a STEM project day to my year 10 class. The day began by him introducing what STEM was and thinking of as many different careers within STEM as we could; discussing what skills we thought would be needed within this variety of careers. We understood that the skills we would be using and developing within the STEM project that day, would be applicable and transferable to all of the STEM careers discussed.

Dave introduced the scenario to us. There had been a hurricane on a Caribbean island which had caused severe damage, cutting off all existing modes of transport. Survivors were stranded on the island with insufficient resources and the need for urgent aid.

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Yr 7 Enterprise students have commenced a social enterprise project in collaboration with MyBnk, Five Lamps entitled “Enterprise in a Box”. The Enterprise in a Box challenge is an all-inclusive social enterprise start-up toolkit. The challenge provides students with the tools to take their first steps as social entrepreneurs, and the opportunity to make a profit as well as make a difference to the world around them.

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