We are delighted that you have been offered a place at Tewkesbury Academy and will be making the big step to join Year 7 in September 2026.
We believe that every child has the right to have a high-quality transition, and we want to make sure that we know as much about each and every student as possible before they arrive. Over the Summer term, our transition team will contact the Year 6 teachers to gather information and meet with primary school staff. This will ensure that you and your child receive a supportive and welcoming start to your secondary schooling. Transition talks with key staff visiting children in their primary schools will also take place.
We want to find out more about your child from you too. Please complete the form HERE if you would like to share more information about your child’s interests and anything else that we may need to know from you, such as your child having a significant medical issue. This will help key staff, such as our Inclusion team and your child’s tutor, to get to know them and be able to support them both academically and emotionally, and you as a family. Please fill this in before 12 June 2026.
The information gathering process is particularly important for those children with SEN. If your child requires additional support, you will get to know our Inclusion Team, which is led by Assistant Principal and SENCO Mrs Rachel Hyde. We also have a Deputy SENCO, a SEN transition coordinator, and a team of teaching and pastoral assistants to help and support our young people. Our Inclusion team will be in contact with all primary SENCOs to find out more, and additional visits to Tewkesbury Academy for relevant children will take place later in the summer term.
In due course, we will share a school uniform policy for September 2026. Our official uniform shop for items of branded uniform is Monkhouse in Cheltenham (and online). We recognise the financial burden of uniform purchases which is why we have a well-stocked nearly new uniform facility which is an alternative low-cost option to families.
Nearly New Uniform – an inventory of nearly new items (which can be purchased now) is available on our website, and payments for nearly new items can be made via card payment. There will be a display and sale of nearly new uniform, PE kit and equipment such as stationery and calculators held at the school later in the summer term, in July. We will share details nearer the time.
Families who receive Free School Meals can apply for a uniform support voucher provided by Tewkesbury Academy to the value of £50. Further information about this will be sent directly to those families in the summer term.
We have the following events taking place over the Summer term so that you and your child can get to know your new school, teachers and our expectations.
Parents and carers are invited to a short meeting led by Principal, Ms McGillycuddy and Vice Principal Ms de Glanville, to share details about the curriculum, tutor system, expectations, opportunities and school uniform. Due to seating capacity, Year 6 pupils do not need to attend – they will receive this information later in the term.
Please confirm your attendance HERE. Please use the large car park nearest to the motorway and walk over to the Gym. There will be overflow parking in the Central Tennis courts, accessed by the sports centre entrance to the school.
If you/your child has not already visited the school at Open Evening and would like to take a short tour, please contact lyndsey.woodward@clf.uk who can make arrangements for you to visit. Tours take around an hour and usually take place from Tuesdays to Thursdays starting at 10:15am on a date to suit you.
There will be two compulsory settling in days at Tewkesbury Academy for Year 6 children to help prepare them for their new school adventure. Children will experience two full days at Tewkesbury Academy, attending a mixture of lessons and activities with different teachers for each lesson and moving with the rest of the school on the bell. Primary uniform is to be worn. We recommend that you use these days as an opportunity to get your child used to making their way to and from school independently.
Further details and reminders, including the precise start and finish times for the Big Step Days 1 and 2, will be sent nearer to the time.
There will be the chance to view and buy items of nearly new uniform and PE kit. We will also be selling new ties, filled pencil cases, scientific calculators and art books. A reminder about this event and costs of items will be sent nearer the time.
Big Step day 3 will be the first day attending as a Year 7 in Tewkesbury Academy uniform! This is a further compulsory day of induction activities for Year 7. In order to help them settle in, Year 7 will be the only children in school and will be supported by staff and Sixth Form prefects. Further reminders and details about the Big Step Day 3 will be sent in the summer holidays before term starts. The rest of the school will be in school on Tuesday 8 September.
Term dates for our Academy can be found on the website, please scroll down to 2026/2027.
We will contact you if your child is invited to attend these activity days.
In liaison with primary Year 6 teachers, selected children will be invited to attend two free Big Summer of Fun activity days held at Tewkesbury Academy during the summer holidays on the above dates. The focus is on building confidence and to offer further support with the transition to Tewkesbury Academy.
If your child is invited to attend the Summer School, we will be hosting a parent and child welcome session at Tewkesbury Academy in the Gym and Library on Thursday 18 June 2026 from 3.30-4.15pm. Information will be sent nearer the time.
We currently only have the email address of the family member who made your child’s secondary school application to Gloucestershire County Council. If you would like to supply an additional email address to receive communications, please click HERE. If your email address has changed, please also update us using the link.
Please also follow us on Facebook and Instagram for news stories and lots of useful updates and reminders.
We will be issuing details of how to access and install our school app called MyChildAtSchool (known as MCAS). You will need to install this app in the summer term in order to complete your child’s admission form and update your contact details in readiness for September. It is important that this is set up as soon as possible. Once your child has joined in September, the app is used to view your child’s timetable, check homework and behaviour points.
We will do everything we can to ensure that you and your child are given a supportive and welcoming start to your secondary schooling. As part of the Cabot Learning Federation for nearly three years, we are at an exciting stage in our journey. We care deeply about the all-round development of every student, supported by warm, positive relationships and a range of enriching opportunities. Our staff are highly ambitious for your child and will work closely with you to help realise their full potential and aspirations in the years ahead.
We look forward to meeting parents at the welcome meeting in June. If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Transition Team via info@ta.clf.uk
We can accommodate tours later in the year on days to suit you. Tours start at 10:15am, please allow around 1 and a half hours to look around. Tours are given by student ambassadors. Please contact lyndsey.woodward@clf.uk who can make arrangements for you to visit
31 October 2026 – it is extremely important that you submit your application, selecting Tewkesbury Academy as a preference, to Gloucestershire County Council by Midnight.
2 March 2027 – Allocation Day. You will hear from us in the weeks after allocation day to officially welcome you and with a list of dates for other transition activities.
mid- June 2027 – Big Step Transition taster days
You can read more in our welcome magazine below.
