Student and Parent

Information

The Students’ Guide

Welcome to Torquay Academy

where everyone has the chance to

aspire and achieve and to be the

best they can be.

I like the design of

the school and the

classroom.

I like the different

sports facilities and

PE lessons.

I get to express

my creative

talents.

I enjoy that I get

rewarded when

I work hard.

I like how I can

use the

knowledge I learn

outside of school. I like the

canteen food.

It is important that you come to school so you can learn. If you can’t go to

school and you don’t tell the school that you aren’t coming in you will get a

call home.

It is also important not to be late into school because there will be sanctions

(consequences) such as you will get a detention and a letter home. Also the

minutes will be added onto your report and sent home.

At the end of breaks and lunches there will be two bells: the first bell is a 5

minute warning bell telling you to get back to your class; the second bell is the

start of the lesson.

8.20 - 8.30 Staff briefing 8.30 - 9.20 Lesson 1

9.20 -10.15 Lesson 2 10.15 -10.35 Break

10.35 -11.25 Lesson 3 11.25 -12.20 Lesson 4

12.20 -13.00 Lunch

13.00 -13.15 Tutor time 13.15 -14.05 Lesson 5

14.05 -15.00 Lesson 6

I have never been late

and I have received a

certificate.

Jonty, Year 7

Fixed term

exclusion

Extra

Work

Parking

Verbal Reprimand

Cooling Off

Completion of

Tasks

Withdrawal of Teachers approval

On Report

Call to Parents Letter to

parents

Meeting with

parent

Detention during break/ lunchtime

Detention

after school

Mentoring

Permanent

Exclusion

Internal

exclusion

On a

contract

Praise

points

Calls

Home

Attendance

Certificates

Letters

Home

Commendation

Certificates

Special Certificates of

achievement

Low Level

Sanctions

Rewards

Medium Level

Sanctions

High Level

Sanctions

Rewards

Students will be rewarded in several different ways depending on what they have

achieved. The Academy rewards fairly and on many occasions offers a reasonable gift

due to their outstanding achievement.

Detentions

The Academy has a statutory power to put students in detention after school

hours and parents must support this.

Low level disruption detentions - if a student receives a third warning in class they

will have to complete a 10 minute detention at either break or lunch.

Academy Detentions - these are one of the most serious Academy sanctions and

are 1 hour long supervised by a member of the Senior Leadership Team. They may

be given for persistent breaches of Level 2 behaviour and for persistent failure to

complete a department detention.

2TEN

Torquay Academy’s learning behaviour centre is called 2TEN. This system is used

in conjunction and alongside all the other behaviour systems currently in the

school.

The reason we have this centre is so that we are able to work with the students

who are not following the Academy Code of Conduct or could be at risk of fixed

term exclusion. Whilst the students are in the centre, teachers and TAs will work

with each student to evaluate and modify their behaviour in order for them to go

back to their usual timetable.

The students will work in isolation from their peers and have a different schedule

to the rest of the Academy. They will be expected to work within the classroom

rules of 2TEN and the Academy Code of Conduct.

Communication with the Academy

If parents are concerned about anything they can contact the Academy by:

calling 01803 329351

e-mailing parents@tqlearn.com

writing a letter to their child’s form tutor

Mentoring Day

Mentoring Day is when you and your child come into school during the day to talk

to your child’s tutor about his or her targets and progress. You can also talk to

your tutor about problems and concerns, if any. Your appointment should last

between 15 and 20 minutes.

Reports

Throughout the year you will receive information about your child’s progress in

the form of Progress Cards or a Full Report.

During your time at Torquay Academy, there will be the opportunity to go on a

variety of trips. A few of these trips include: Living Coasts, Dartmoor and Buckfast

Abbey, France and many more, organised by different departments, such as PE,

Science and Opening Minds.

What can you do there?

The library is the place

to go to access books

and DVDs. You can take

out 1 or 2 books and 1

or 2 DVDs. There are

fiction and non-fiction

books available to all

students at the Academy. The DVDs are available to

the appropriate age group so always check the age rating first.When can you use it?

The library can be used before school, at break time, at lunchtime, after school and if

you do globetrotting then you will go down with your class during lessons. There are

also some clubs during and after school. It is also available to use for revision.

How can you borrow books and DVDS?

You borrow books and DVDs by selecting the one(s) that you want. Then you take

them to the desk where Mrs Barratt will scan them. When you have read or watched

your items, return them to the desk. However you don’t have forever to keep them as

you will have to return them on a certain date.

The monitors have a range of responsibilities in the classroom and on school trips,

such as checking uniform and equipment. You could be selected as a monitor by

your class tutor, if you are responsible and sensible.

To become a Year 7 Prefect you have to apply and be selected, you also have to be

committed towards your jobs and be helpful to fellow students. You will have

responsibilities such as helping out on Mentoring Day and Induction Day.

Learning Partners work with the teachers and try to improve lessons by looking at

the students’ points of view. It is a great way to tell your teacher whether their

teaching is easy or hard to understand. Then once you have given feedback she

or he will take it on board and improve further how they do things.

You may be selected by your peers to be a tutor representative. You would have

the chance to attend meetings and discuss how to improve the school from a

student’s eyes. You will also get an opportunity to give forward your class’ ideas

and suggestions.

Attendance is an extremely important factor to a pupil’s education. Torquay Academy has a great system for lateness and sickness. There are many awards for outstanding attendance in Year 7, these include certificates and trips out.

SICKNESS: If your child is feeling ill you have to inform the school. You have to phone the school up, first you must tell the friendly voice down the phone your child’s name, Year and form tutor. Afterwards you have to explain why your child isn’t going to attend school.

100% ATTENDANCE:

One thing that Torquay Academy does believe in is rewarding students with 100%

attendance! Many students get certificates for 99% or more attendance, but the students

who have never taken a day off school go on great trips. This year a set of students went to

visit the Lighthouse in Paignton, where they took part in fun activities.

APPOINTMENTS:

If your child needs to go for an appointment they will require an orange form. This will

allow them to leave lessons and go down to the reception, where you will pick them up

from. Their form tutor has to sign the form to confirm that they have permission to leave

the lesson.

LATENESS:

If your child is late for school it will be on the record, once in a blue moon is understandable

but if it becomes a regular thing Torquay Academy will have to take appropriate action. After

8.30am members of staff will be waiting by the front and back gates. They will write down the

names, Years and the tutor group of the students that are late. They will also record the

number of minutes they are late by, this then will be recorded onto the system.

From:Torquay Academy

To: Mr and Mrs..........

RE: School

If your child has not

turned up to school a

message will be sent to

your phone stating that

your child is not in

school. So do not worry!

Your tutor is someone you turn to if you have an issue or any questions. They will

contact home and give you messages. They are the person in school to make sure

you are happy and help you overall. The tutor will also teach you.

Tutorial is a time of the day when a class talks to the tutor or has a discussion.

During tutor time activities include:

Our news – where you share what you have done over the week

World news – where you discuss the news around the world

Quizzes – Quizzes include general knowledge and things we learnt in class

Progress – where our progress in subjects is reviewed

In Year 7 students stay in one room so that they do not have to move around the

school. Year 7s only move for Science, PE, Food Technology and Art.

A student’s opinion: I think that this is good for year 7 students because they may

get lost while travelling around the school.

In Torquay Academy subjects (that are not in Opening Minds) are:

Maths, English, Science, PE and French.

Maths English

Science P.E

French

Maths Algebra Mass Bidmass Fractions

Calculations Length Metric Systems

Average Percentages Area

PE Dance Tennis Athletics Badminton

Trampolining Basketball Gym Gymnastics

Rocket ball Dance mats Hand ball

English Spellings Plan your writing

Starting Endings Punctuation Reading

VCOP Gothic horror Connectives Speech

French Numbers Basic vocabulary Songs

Bonjour>hello Au Revoiur>goodbye Subjects j’adore

World Places Colours Months Days Numbers Time

Science Cook Space Human Body Fire

Experiments Emergencies Static Electricity

Habitats Currents Circuits Melting Power

In Year 7 at Torquay Academy we study the Opening Minds curriculum. The

Opening Minds curriculum includes 6 mini projects. Opening Minds is about

developing fluencies so that we are able to become better learners in the rest of

the school. It helps us to become good citizens, confident individuals and ready

for the future.

FLUENCIES:

Solution Fluency – Problem Solving Information Fluency – Thinking and Analysis Skills

Creative Fluency – Creativity and Imagination (creative arts, design & storytelling)

PROBLEM?

What is the

problem?

You need to

know what

you are doing

before you

start!

PUZZLE

What could

be the

possible

answers/

solutions

to the

problem?

PLAN OF ACTION?

What’s the

problem?

How is it going to be

solved?

Who’s going to do

it?

How long will it

take?

PRODUCE

Put your plan

into action.

Show your

results in a

variety of

ways.

EVALUATE

How successful

were you?

Did you make

changes?

What risks did you

take?

What

improvements

would you make?

ASK!

Ask good

questions in

order to get

good answers.

ACQUIRE

Collect

Information.

Access a

variety of

information

from

different

sources.

ARRANGE

Sort the

information.

Good and bad.

Fact or fiction.

Understand bias

Your views.

Present work.

ASSOCIATE

Link the

information to

the problem.

CONCLUSION

What are your

feelings/

opinions on the

subject.

Are you

questions

answered?

ISSUE

What is the

topic?

What skills?

What do we

need to

create?

INSPIRATION

Research and

collect

inspiration from

sensory sources,

e.g. images,

paintings, film,

music, smell and

touch.

IDEAS

Plan – Build

on your

ideas.

Take risks.

Experiment.

Enjoy.

INSPIRED

Be creative

Do it! Try it!

Make it!

Adapt it!

Make it your

own

REFLECTING

Have we been

creative?

Have we learnt

a new artistic

skill?

Have we been

inspired?

Did we enjoy it?

Collaboration Fluency – Team Work and Communication

Media Fluency – Input of the multimedia world

Media Fluency – Output of the multimedia world.

COME

TOGETHER

Who is in

your team?

Assign jobs

& respons-

ibilities.

Strengths &

weaknesses

of the team

CONTRACT

How will

your team

work

together?

How will

you solve

problems?

CREATE

How do you

see the end

project?

What are

the

challenges?

What is

your goal?

COME UP

WITH

Design a

workable

plan to

achieve

the goal.

COMPLETE

Let’s Do It!

Complete

the task.

Stick to your

contract.

Keep to your

respons-

bilities.

EVALUATE

How well did

your team

work.

Are you

pleased with

the end

result?

What

improvement

would you

make?

SEARCH

Find a variety

of digital and

non-digital

resources.

SEPARATE

Separate the

media from the

message

Be clear about

the message

SELECT

Select the best sources

Verify its authenticity

Is it valid?

Is it up-to-date?

Is it useful?

Analyse

Is the message and the

media used right for

the intended purpose

and audience.

SELECT

The media

which suits

your content

and message

What is the

desired

outcome?

SORT

What is useful?

Who is your Target

audience?

Medium used, e.g.

poster,

presentation, film,

images etc?

SOLVE

Consider the

audience, your

abilities and any

criteria given to you

Choose the best

sources to support

your point of view.

Decide on the media

you are going to use.

PRODUCE

Use a variety of

resources to produce

a fabulous multimedia

message.

New Uniform Boy The following items must be bought from Riviera

Schooldays: Grey blazer embroidered with Academy logo School maroon tie worn traditionally and full

length

The following items can be bought from other outlets but must conform to Academy requirements: Plain collared white shirt (top button fastened,

shirt tucked in) Plain black trousers of traditional design Plain black school shoes of traditional design -

no canvas/training style shoes or boots

The uniform at Torquay Academy is on a very strict regime and no other clothes

will be accepted. We accept some jewellery including watches, one ring and one

pair of stud earrings. No other facial or body piercings.

If you do not follow these rules you will be put in the non -uniform

room and your parents will be sent a letter home

New Uniform Girl The following items must be bought from Riviera

Schooldays: Grey blazer embroidered with Academy logo School maroon tie worn traditionally and full

length Pleated black skirt

The following items can be bought from other outlets

but must conform to Academy requirements: Plain collared white shirt (top button fastened,

shirt tucked in) Plain black trousers of classic design – no jeans or

leggings Plain black tights or plain black ankle or knee

length socks Low heeled plain black shoes of traditional design

No canvas/training style shoes or boots

Every day you are expected to bring in equipment. You equipment should contain

what is shown in the pencil case above. You may also want to bring in colouring

pens and pencils. If you don’t bring your equipment then you will get a 10 minute

detention. If you are continuously not bringing in your equipment then there will

be a phone call home.

Lockers

The school will provide you with a locker and you can store your phone and PE kit

and other accessories in it. These lockers are only to be accessed before school,

break times, lunch times and after school.

Rubber

Pencil

Pen

Ruler

Sharpener

Mr Godfrey is the Head of

Opening Minds and plans all

our lessons

Mrs Gibbs teaches Opening

Minds and helps the

students to do their best

Miss Nash teaches

Geography and

globetrotting. She also

makes sure no one is eating

on the corridors

Mrs Faulkner is in charge of

special education

Miss Battye is the Principal.

She makes sure teachers do a

great job and students have a

good time at school

The Senior Leadership Team

make sure everything is

under control and learning is

taking place

Mrs Gisburn is the Learning

Mentor for Year 7. Her job is to

make sure everyone is

learning, behaving and safe

In PE you will have indoor and outdoor lessons. The school policy for PE kit is that every student, regardless of any reason to be excused from the practical element of a lesson, should bring their PE kit. A note should be produced if you need to be excused from the practical part of the lesson. You will be encouraged to take another role such as coach, referee, choreographer, if this is the case. All your kit should be marked with your name clearly visible in permanent ink.

The PE kit is:

Indoor Lessons: Outdoor Lessons:

Grey polo shirt with logo Grey polo shirt with logo Black shorts Black shorts Black socks Black socks

Non-marking trainers Football boots Non-marking trainers Black tracksuit bottoms (optional)

A towel should be brought for use after PE and games

N.B. Grey polo shirts are NOT to be worn as day to day uniform

SPORTS ACADEMY

Aims of Sports Academy:

To provide students with high quality training and coaching

To increase students personal fitness and skill level

The Sports Academy is designed to provide an opportunity for gifted and talented students in a variety of sports, to focus not only on their chosen sport but also their academic studies.

Sports Academy students will follow a full academic study programme but in

addition will receive sport coaching that is above and beyond the normal college

position. The additional coaching is received in many forms such as; specific

coaching for their chosen sport, nutritional advice, sports psychology, injury

prevention and rehabilitation.

All Sports Academy students will sign a “code of conduct” at the start of the

academic year that will act as an agreement between the student and the college.

This is to reinforce their commitment to the colleges’ values, health and safety

standards and their reputation at Torquay Academy.

Torquay Academy wants every sports person to attain academic and sporting

success. Students will be expected to represent the Academy sports teams, carry

out leadership duties and act as a role model for other students.

Students will be identified by members of staff or through our primary school

links as potential academy students. Parents will have the opportunity to request

their son/daughter is assessed by the PE Department to ascertain their suability.

Students will need to demonstrate that they are self-motivated and committed to

their sport and studies, be strong club or school performers, or have achieved

representative honours.

Students will attend a minimum of 3 hours academy activities per week, this will

include;

One Hour: Specialist coaching per week during the school day

One Hour: Sport specific academic study that will support both their academic

and sporting progress

One Hour: Extracurricular specialist coaching per week.

Presently there are students in the Academy that excel at:

Football

BMX Racing

Athletics

Cricket

Karate

Day Lunch Time

Sports Hall Astro Dance Studio

Monday Yr 7 & 8 Badminton/ Table

Tennis

Football

Dance

Tuesday Basketball

All Years Shooting

Wednesday

Dance/ Gymnastics – All Years

Football

Thursday Yr 9, 10 & 11

Badminton/ Table Tennis

Football

Friday

Football

Day After School

Sports Hall Astro Dance Studio Muga

Monday Trampolining Boys’ 7 & 8 Football

Year 9, 10 & 11 Rugby

All years Girls’ Netball

Tuesday

Wednesday 9, 10 ,11 Basketball

All years Girls’ Football

Year 7 & 8 Boys’ Rugby

Thursday Year 7 & 8 Basketball All years Hockey

Yr 9 & 10 Football Training

Dance All Years

Friday

Music lessons at TCC

Your child could take music lessons. They are £1 for 20 minutes. Your child will pay

at the finance office then they will get a yellow slip, they must bring this with them

so the music teacher will know that they have paid.

They can also rent out an instrument for an additional £1 for one week. They can

pay for this with the money for the lesson at the finance office. They will also get a

blue slip for the rented out instrument.

Y7 & 8 have their own outside playground with games tables and table tennis tables.

.......

Library – The Library is open before and after school as well as breaks and lunch times. It’s a

really good place as you can do school work, play games, read books and use computers.

You can also use the Sports Hall and 3G Astroturf to do activities and play with friends.

You can bring a packed lunch to school if you do not want a meal from the Dining Hall.

You need to eat this in the Informal Dining area of the school or outside on the picnic tables

(If the weather is nice)

Your Notes

Your Notes

Miss G M Battye BA Hons

Principal

Torquay Academy Cricketfield Road

Torquay Devon

TQ2 7NU

admin@tqlearn.com

(01803) 329351