Induction – For August 2024

A Partnership to Last and Support

We are delighted that you have chosen Countesthorpe Academy.  We are looking forward to working with you and your child on the next stage of their educational journey towards success.

We will be working together for the next five and in many cases seven years.  We are committed to making sure that we offer opportunities for your child to develop and grow into a confident, capable, resilient and independent young adult ready for the challenges of modern life.

We are aware that you may have many questions.  Starting a new school is a time of great potential - and if we are honest, quite a few anxieties never more so than this year.  Between now and the start of next academic year, you will receive information from our specialist Transition Team.  Some of this will be purely practical such as information about uniform, buses, times of the day, but there will also be opportunities to ask questions and get information about other things which you may be thinking (or worrying) about.

During the course of this half-term, we will keep you up to date through traditional methods such as letters, but please check in with our website and social media for additional video clips and updates. We will also have a section of Frequently Asked Questions and key dates.

Now you have had your place at the Academy confirmed, we will work closely with your child’s primary school teachers to understand the achievements and progress they have already made.  Also we will find out where they might need support.  This will include students who have an Education Healthcare Plan.  The Academy's SEND Co-ordinator will have oversight of this and you will be contacted directly if additional support through the transition process is required.

“To be the best you can be” is our ambition for all our students and the detailed information we get regarding your child from their primary school will be our starting point in order help achieve academic progress.

The question of tutor groups is undoubtedly a focus for some children.  The allocation of tutor groups is a lengthy and painstaking process where we take all of the information we have about your child into consideration.  Finalising tutor groups will not therefore happen for some time, so please be patient with us.

Our Transition Team would normally visit primary schools to talk about the differences between secondary school and primary school, one of which is that you are not with your class group all day every day.  If this is a concern for your child, it might be worth emphasising this point.  We also build in exciting opportunities to make new friends which will happen from the moment that they arrive at the Academy in the new academic year.

 

 

Key Dates

  • Transition Days - Tuesday 2nd July and Wednesday 3rd July  2024
  • First Day of Term - Tuesday 27th August 2024
  • School Photos - Wednesday 28th August 2024

 

Letters sent during the transition period

If you've misplaced one of the letters we've sent home, you can find a copy listed here

 

Contacting Us

During the time between now and your child starting school with us, you may want to contact us with a specific question or information relating to your child.  The address you can use is  transition@clcc.college .  Your email will come directly through to the Transition Team.  Using the general email address or telephone number may result in a delay in responding.

 

Making it Happen

You have made a positive choice to send your child to our school.  You will have seen some of what we have achieved in our school community to get the best for your child.  We set high standards and are committed to success and achievement.

Education is a partnership and our partnership with parents is vital.  We will work to make sure you know what is happening with your child and we look forward to your support in facing the possibilities, challenges and opportunities ahead.

 

 

Transition Work

One of the reasons that students make a smooth transition to the Academy is down to the quality transition work that they are given to do after their SATS. This work has been created by Senior Leaders at the Academy and local primary schools. Students who completed this work have made significantly better progress than those who only partially completed the work. Obviously SATS have not taken place this year and whilst we know that our feeder primary schools have been providing you with excellent work, it is even more important that this transition work is taken seriously. We are grateful for your support on this matter. All transition work should be completed in readiness for a return to school.

Check back soon to download the Transition Work Booklet.

 

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Bullying is not common at Countesthorpe Academy. The important thing is to report it to the tutor or classroom teacher. We will deal with it and we have an Anti-Bullying Policy. It is hard to say exactly how we deal with each case, because no two cases are the same. Our aim is always to make it stop and we will take whatever actions are needed to make this happen. We will and do use sanctions – but there are other things we might do too. We are prepared to exclude people from Academy if bullying carries on.

Probably – it is a big school! There are lots of signs and people to help you and you will have a map. Usually, after a couple of weeks (or once through the timetable) people know where they are going.
Any questions you have about buses, need to go to the bus company you are using. If you need to ask anything, your parents can get in touch with them directly.
Your primary schools will have told us who works well together and we use this information to help us put tutor groups together.

Remember you are not taught in your tutor groups and lessons are about learning. Social times are break and lunch, when you are free to be with your friends.

Step Up Buddies will be there to help you during the Step Up to Secondary Days and during the Autumn Term. These students have been chosen because they are good at helping people.
Students who are in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing do not get detentions.

If you do not behave well, do not work hard enough, do not hand in homework, disrupt lessons, are not in full and correct uniform, or are disrespectful to adults, then you can expect to find yourself in detention.

Students like the school food. Options are healthy and there is always a vegetarian choice.
Simple answer – no.
To get to and from school yes. Use a bike lock and a helmet and stay safe. The roads around our school get really busy at the start and end of the day. There are cycle paths – use them where possible.
Yes – ask your Tutor, your Teacher, your Head of House, Learning Support Assistant. Any adult in the Academy will help you. Sometimes this means helping you to help yourself as you start to grow up. Other students, like the Step Up Buddies, or members of your House, will also help you.
In your tutor group you will do “getting to know you” activities. You will also do things in your House to help you. Getting involved in clubs and activities is another way of making new friends.
You will get this information in the Parent Handbook and on your timetable. You need to be in your classroom, ready to register, correctly uniformed and with the right equipment ready for registration at 8:45am.
We will go over the Behaviour Policy when you get here. If you try hard you will be rewarded with certificates, merits and reward events. If you do not there are sanctions.
Teachers have high expectations. They want you to learn. If you work hard and use your manners that won’t be a problem.
Different colours according to which year you are in.
At the moment lunch is served at different times according to where you have lesson 4 and what year group you are in.
You need to be punctual. If you are late you can expect a detention.
All of this information is in the Parent Handbook and is on the website.
Houses are made up of tutor groups of students from Years 7 – 13. Everyone is in a tutor group with people in the same year group. Houses feel like smaller schools within our bigger Academy.
By their title and surname – so Mr, Mrs , Ms, Dr etc
Break and lunchtimes are supervised by adults. There are plenty of people around.
Year 7 up to 20 minutes per subject per week or fortnight. You will get homework daily.

Show My Homeowrk is the school's on line Homework Diary. You can get it as an app and lots of students find it really helpful. We will go through it in more detail when you are here.

This information will be in your organiser, on your timetable and is in the Parent Handbook. Lessons are each 1 hour long.