Thirteen Tewkesbury Academy scientists have excelled in the Biology Challenge, a quiz-style competition aimed at 13- to 15-year-olds.
This rigorous contest required students to complete two multiple-choice papers online, with questions spanning the school curriculum and delving into topics like the vulnerability of tall trees to climate change.
The Biology Challenge encourages young scientists to engage in additional reading and explore natural history programs. With nearly 700 schools participating and around 45,000 entrants, the competition is fierce.
Tewkesbury students’ exceptional performance is a testament to their hard work and dedication:
Commended: Three students
Highly Commended: Eight students
Bronze Award: Rhys (pictured)
Silver Award: Charlie (pictured)
The Bronze and Silver awards place Rhys and Charlie in the top 15% and 10% of participants respectively, highlighting their outstanding achievements.
Dr Alice Kennedy, Director of Science, praised ‘the phenomenal achievement of the group and all those who took part’.
Congratulations to all our talented students for their remarkable accomplishments.
Students from Years 7-10 at Tewkesbury Academy were treated to an inspiring and enlightening talk by the accomplished author, Simon James Green.
With a portfolio of 12 award-winning books for children and young adults, Simon James Green shared his journey to becoming a successful writer, captivating the young audience with his experiences and insights.
During his visit, Simon engaged the students with stories from his own life, detailing the challenges and triumphs he encountered on his path to becoming an author. He emphasised the importance of perseverance, creativity, and believing in oneself, offering valuable advice to the aspiring writers and avid readers in attendance.
One of the key themes of Simon’s talk was the significance of representation in fiction. He highlighted how diverse characters and inclusive stories can resonate with readers from all backgrounds, helping to foster empathy and understanding.
Students had the opportunity to ask Simon questions, leading to an engaging and interactive session. They were eager to learn more about his writing process, his inspiration, and his thoughts on current trends in literature.
A spokesperson for Tewkesbury Academy said: “We are proud to have hosted such a prominent figure in children’s and young adult literature. Simon’s visit has undoubtedly left a lasting impact on our students, encouraging them to explore their own creative potential and to appreciate the power of literature.”
Tewkesbury Academy welcomed representatives of respected construction firms Bouygues and Skanska to deliver an inspiriting talk on careers in construction.
Students from Year 10 mathematics were provided with an invaluable insight into how various school subjects such as maths, English, science, history, geography, and more are applied in the construction industry.
The students were given an opportunity to learn about the diverse roles available within the construction sector and the technical pathways they could pursue in the future.
This initiative aims to broaden their understanding of career options and inspire them to consider a future in construction.
Sarah Baird, Tewkesbury Careers Lead/Adviser, said: “Thank you to Bouygues and Skanska for giving our students this opportunity and for their ongoing support with our careers programme.”
Tewkesbury Academy student Emilia Davis has achieved remarkable sporting success in her activities with the Sea Cadets.
An avid cadet in her free time, Emilia has welcomed the opportunity to explore a variety of water sports through the program. Her dedication and hard work have paid off significantly in recent district events.
Emilia participated in the Sea Cadet District Kayaking and Sailing events, where she excelled in multiple categories. Competing in the girls’ under-14 division, Emilia proudly took home several awards:
gold medal in the kayaking 2,000m time trials
gold medal in the kayaking 500m sprint
gold medal in sailboat handling
overall junior girls paddle sports winner
These impressive achievements have qualified Emilia to represent Tewkesbury Sea Cadet Juniors in the upcoming area trials in Birmingham this summer.
A spokesperson said: “The entire Tewkesbury Academy community wishes her every success as she continues to demonstrate her skill and passion for water sports.”
Tewkesbury Academy’s Year 10 hospitality and catering students had the opportunity to learn from an expert chef during a visit Gloucestershire College.
Accompanied by Design and Technology technicians Jerry Brown and Jen Adcock, the Tewkesbury group was warmly welcomed into the college’s student kitchens.
During their visit, the students had the opportunity to learn the art of pasta making. They were guided through the process of making fresh pasta dough, and then shown how to cut, fill, and shape the pasta into tortellini.
The session concluded with the students cooking, dressing, and finally enjoying their culinary creations.
A highlight of the visit was the presence of Renark Cousins, a chef and teacher at Gloucestershire College, who is also a former student of Tewkesbury Academy. His welcome for the current students added a special touch to the event.
Feedback from the staff at Gloucestershire College about the visit was very positive and they were impressed by the impeccable behaviour, maturity and respect shown by students throughout the activity.
Miss Adcock said: “It was a fantastic afternoon, and the students were a credit to the academy. We look forward to visiting again in the future.”
Tewkesbury Academy Pottery Club students – accompanied by Art Technician Laura Ply and Art Teacher Laura Dutton – enjoyed a sunny, extra-curricular visit to an art exhibition at Showborough House Gardens, near Twyning.
Students from the academy have their own beautiful handcrafted ceramic masterpieces ‘the magical murmuration’ currently exhibited in the wonderful outdoor display.
Laura Ply said: “Their talent and hands-on creativity shone brightly. This was a trip filled with artistic inspiration and proud achievements.”
A big thank you to Laura Ply, Laura Dutton and the Art Department for giving their time to this activity each week and the trip.
The exhibition is on until 16 June, from Thursday to Sunday 10.30-4pm, if you’d like to visit.
Year 10 and Year 12 students from Tewkesbury Academy were delighted to welcome visitors involved in the planning of the North Ashchurch Garden Community development.
The Tewkesbury Garden Communities programme promotes the creation of sustainable, community-focused developments in the Garden Communities area.
During the visit, geography students gained valuable insights into the planning and implementation of such significant projects. They learned about the numerous careers related to urban planning, ranging from ecologists dedicated to preserving wildlife to civil engineers and lawyers who play vital roles in town development.
The session provided students with a comprehensive understanding of the master planning process for new residential areas. They engaged enthusiastically with various activities, including using a range of maps to identify limitations and opportunities at the North Ashchurch Garden Community site and analysing the impact on wildlife and how it is managed.
Students then had the chance to design their own masterplan. This offered our students the chance to share their ideas on what they would like to see in the new development.
Lucie Davis, Associate Assistant Principal, said: “I was very proud of the way our students represented the school and the contributions they made to the workshop. Thank you very much to Sarah, Matt and Colin who led the session and created such an interesting and interactive experience for our students giving them an insight into applying classroom learning to the world of work. It truly was geography in action.”
Tewkesbury Academy recently had the pleasure of hosting a cultural exchange visit from Gifu Shotoku Gaken Junior High School in Japan.
The visit saw 75 students aged 14-15, accompanied by their teachers, visit Tewkesbury for a week filled with cultural learning opportunities.
One of the highlights of the visit was a special session for Tewkesbury’s Year 7 students, who were introduced to various aspects of Japanese culture. The Japanese students performed a captivating musical rendition, followed by a series of engaging activities including origami, calligraphy, trying on traditional kimonos, and participating in games and challenges.
It was heartwarming to see the young people from both schools interacting and learning from each other.
During their stay, our Japanese guests were hosted by local families, providing them with a unique opportunity to experience life in Tewkesbury.
In addition to their time at the academy, the visitors enjoyed sightseeing trips to some of England’s most iconic locations, including Bourton on the Water, Gloucester Cathedral, Oxford, and London.
Julia Whybrow, Tewkesbury Academy Operations Manager, said: “We hope the exchange students enjoyed their time here at Tewkesbury, experiencing English school life as well as the beautiful surroundings of Tewkesbury. It has been a wonderful opportunity for our students to learn about Japanese culture and for both groups to build lasting friendships.”
The cultural exchange visit has undoubtedly enriched the lives of both the visiting and host students, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of each other’s cultures.
Richard Marriot, an English teacher at Tewkesbury Academy and an avid runner, has literally run miles over the past few weeks.
Richard signed up for the Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) Big Run, a fundraiser run by the school’s parent trust to fund support for the most vulnerable children and families in CLF schools.
In addition to the CLF Big Run, Richard also participated in the Bristol Half Marathon, an annual road running event held on the streets of Bristol. This was followed by the 5km Tewkesbury Parkrun, and finally, the Taunton Half Marathon.
Richard said: “I found it to be an incredibly challenging yet fulfilling experience and was a great opportunity to engage with students and families from Tewkesbury Academy and other members of the CLF community.”
GCSE science students at Tewkesbury Academy were treated to a session on ‘life in space’ from the National Space Academy (NSA).
The session, led by the NSA’s Space Advocate David Allden, provided students with an overview of different space agencies and a glimpse into various careers within space and astronomy.
The interactive session began with Year 9 students breaking into groups to discuss where space begins. They discovered that space begins at the Kármán line, 100 km above Earth. Following this, students explored the true scale of the distance from the Moon to Earth and received an introduction to professional alien hunters and the Goldilocks Zone — the habitable area of our solar system where Earth is positioned. Theoretical targets for potential aliens, such as Mars, Venus, Enceladus, and Europa, were also discussed.
The session also included a wide array of hands-on experiments. Students used glow sticks and water of different temperatures to understand why glow sticks appear brighter in the summer. They then explored Newton’s First Law, using a hovercraft CD on desks, and relating it to space travel.
Things took a wet turn when students made hydrogen-oxygen rockets and launched them across their classroom. After a short break, the session continued with a lesson on tardigrades, also known as water bears or moss piglets. These resilient micro-animals that can survive in space and ‘deep sleep’ for up to 30 years, enduring extreme environments.
To round off the workshop, students had the chance to design their own aliens and assess whether their creations could survive on the fictional planet Borgonia. Throughout the session, Mr Allden connected activities to various aspects of the science GCSE curriculum, including evolution and natural selection in biology, forces in physics, and fuels and acidity in chemistry.
Dr Kennedy, Director of Science at Tewkesbury Academy, said: “Students were extremely motivated to get involved. Engaging with all practical’s and eager to be volunteers, our Tewkesbury scientists impressed Mr Allden with their knowledge of space facts.”
