Weekly Update - 21/05/2021

You may recall that I wrote to you in February regarding the proposed plan to expand and change the Published Admissions Number (PAN) from 180 to 210 students to meet the local demand. The consultation has now closed, and I will write to you in due course regarding the outcomes and the next steps in the process. The application has now been sent to the DfE and we are awaiting a response. As part of this we are also consulting on our admissions policy and this has been shared with all stakeholders.

Year 10 students have started their assessments this week and they have been outstanding in the way they have responded to the exams; their approach has been brilliant. This is so encouraging for this time next year when they will be sitting their real exams. Students who are not sitting assessments have also been working hard. We celebrated Numeracy day on Wednesday so it was nice to see a wide range of activities taking place. (photos below).

These final weeks are vital for our current Year 11 and Year 13 students as they complete their final internal assessments, which will help form their teacher assessed grades. Although these aren’t quite the same as the GCSEs of previous years, they are equally important, and I would ask all parents of Year 11 students to ensure their children are preparing for these assessments, whilst also remaining mindful of their mental health. This has been a challenging year for all students, but especially those preparing for exams. I wish them well in their efforts and I am looking forward to celebrating with them next week, as we have some nice surprises planned as a way to reward their hard work and efforts.

I am pleased to tell you that the Government is continuing its Winter Covid Grant Scheme. This means that we will be able to provide vouchers to the parents of all students in receipt of free school meals or EHC plans. These will be distributed in the same way as in previous holidays. Mrs Mahoney will be in touch regarding this.

May I also ask that the correct uniform is worn until the end of the year. Please ensure that haircuts are in line with the school policy. All these details are outlined in our uniform policy, which can be found here https://www.ormistonriversacademy.co.uk/academy-uniform

If you need any help with, or face any uniform issues, please contact the SSA team as we do have brand new and used uniform items that we are able to assist with. We do not want anyone to struggle so please do let us know or contact me directly and I can arrange this discreetly.

If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact the academy.

My best wishes to you and your families.

Emma Baker

Principal