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.
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.
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.
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.