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Weekly Parents' Newsletter

12 Dec 25

Dear Families

We had a wet and windy start to the week, but it hasn’t dampened the atmosphere for Christmas Dinner Day; it is one of my favourite days of the year when students get to sit formally together and enjoy a meal. This year we served 540 covers in 1 hour 15 minutes! The event takes a lot of organisation from the catering and support staff teams, and we really appreciate their hard work in running this event each year.

It was lovely to see so many Year 11 families on Thursday at Parents Evening; it was their last one! Hopefully they gained lots of important feedback about their progress and how they did in the PPEs. For any parents who were unable to come please contact school and we can arrange a meeting to discuss your child’s progress. Year 7 parents: your child’s first Parents’ Evening is on Thursday 8th January - the first week back. You have been sent the information on how to book using our online system, and we look forward to seeing you all there.

As I shared a couple of weeks ago, we have been approached by King’s College London to be involved in a national study commissioned by the British and Irish Governments into the impact of smartphone bans in schools. They are researching if bans or use of pouches have an impact on student behaviour, anxiety and mental health. The project will include students completing surveys a couple of times this year.

You will have received an email about this; the link is also included here: Smartphone-Evaluation-Cohort-Parent-PIS-v2-250921.pdf

If a child is under 16: their parents must agree for you to be involved. If you are happy for your child to be involved you do not have to do anything. However if you want them to opt out, please email smartphoneresearch@braunton.academy to let us know by the end of next week.

Students over the age of 16 have to consent themselves. This information has been discussed with them in tutor time, and the information sheet has been sent to them on Class Charts to look at. Again, if they wish to opt out, they need to email the same address to let us know.

Finally, a reminder that the term finishes at 1.05 pm on Friday 19th December for the winter holiday. We look forward to seeing you all again on Tuesday 6th January.

Best wishes,

Mrs F Bowler, Principal

Whole School Messages

Reminder of Smartphone Policy

Please refer to the attached Smartphone free launch letter and policy as a reminder of our smartphone free status.

Braunton Academy: Embracing AI for Excellence in Teaching

At Braunton Academy, we are committed to delivering the highest quality teaching and learning experiences for our students. To achieve this, we are embracing the incredible potential of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.

AI offers exciting opportunities to enhance classroom practice and provide tailored support for every learner. For students who need additional help, AI can act as a powerful tool—offering personalized resources, adaptive feedback, and innovative ways to engage with learning.

To ensure we make the most of this technology, we’ve launched an AI Working Party made up of staff from across the school. This team will explore and trial practical ways AI can support teaching, streamline workload, and enrich student learning.

We’re also proud to announce that we’ve started using TeachMateAI, a platform designed specifically for schools.

TeachMateAI empowers educators with tools to plan lessons, create resources, and develop strategies that save time while improving quality.

This is just the beginning of our AI journey, and we’re excited about the possibilities ahead. By embracing innovation, we aim to ensure every student at Braunton Academy thrives.

Reminder Key Uniform Expectations (Summary)

School Bag: Strong and sturdy.
Jumpers: Maroon or grey with the Braunton Academy logo.
Blazers: Years 10 & 11 must wear a black blazer with logo. Jumpers may also be worn underneath but not instead of blazers.
Shirts & Ties: Formal white shirt with house-colour striped tie.
Bottoms: Plain black trousers, shorts, or skirt (no jeans, chinos, cargo styles). Skirts must be mid-thigh length or longer.
Footwear: Plain black trainers or shoes (boots not permitted). PE trainers must be separate from school shoes.
Accessories: Hijabs (if worn) must be plain black or cream. Jewellery limited to one watch (not smart) and one small stud per ear.
Outerwear: Zip-up jackets may be worn to school in bad weather but not instead of jumpers/blazers. Hoodies are not permitted.
Appearance: Extreme hairstyles, unnatural colours, acrylic nails, false eyelashes, and heavy make-up are not allowed.

PE Kit Reminder

Braunton Academy is proud of its sporting excellence. Students must wear the correct PE kit:

Burgundy polo/T-shirt with logo.
Plain black shorts/leggings/tracksuit bottoms.
White socks
Burgundy Football socks
Suitable sports trainers (different from school shoes).
Football boots for AGP sessions.
Sport specific equipment when needed (Shin pads and gum shields)
Optional: Academy ¼ zip training top.

Borrowed Uniform

If your child has borrowed uniform from Pastoral, especially a tie, please check and return them promptly. We no longer have uniform for students to borrow, as a result of students not returning or collecting deposits.

Attendance: Late/Absent

Please ensure all absences, lates, appointments, etc. are recorded on ParentMail. Phone calls and messages will delay your child’s attendance being recorded accurately. Many thanks.

Messages for Students During the School Day

Please remember messages to students during the school day should only be required to be delivered in rare/emergency circumstances and must be received as early as possible, but no later than 3pm.

Please communicate after school arrangements prior to your child leaving home in the morning. If you feel regular communication of this nature is needed e.g. about changing arrangements, please consider providing a non-smart phone for your child to aid such communication after school.

Health and Safety Notice – Hot Water Bottles

Students are not allowed to bring hot water bottles on site due to the potential risk of scalding. Any found will be confiscated and left at Reception for collection at the end of the day.

Lost Property

Any lost property that has not been claimed by the end of each half term will be either disposed of or donated to charity. Please label all children’s belongings and encourage them to check lost property for anything they may have misplaced.

Catering

This is a polite reminder that we are a nut free school. Please ensure your child does not bring nuts or food containing nuts as part of their lunch. Many thanks.

Contact with School

Please use the email contact list on our website (link below) to help you direct your enquiries to the correct members of staff.

Specific Contact Options - Braunton Academy - Aspire and Achieve

Airborne Viruses

As the colder months approach, we can expect to see increases in common airborne viruses. Illness is the biggest single reason for school absence; while some absences due to illness are unavoidable, many can be reduced through simple, proactive measures that minimise the spread of infections. Scientific evidence demonstrates that vaccination, disinfection (cleaning), handwashing, and ventilation can significantly reduce the transmission of infectious diseases.

Please take time to read the two links below to help us reduce the number of student absences this winter:

Is my child too ill for school? - NHS

Top tips on how to keep your child healthy at school – The Education Hub

Clubs and Activities

Year 11 DT GCSE Club every Tuesday in the DT ICT room until 4.30 pm

Homework Club All years, every day after school in the library 3.15-4.15pm

German Music Club Every Thursday lunchtime in room 43, bring your packed lunch and let’s listen to and study German songs together! Open to all year groups (and staff!)

KS4 Sophrology Club – Supporting Exams Wellbeing

As exam pressures continue to rise, many parents are understandably concerned about how their children cope; not just academically, but emotionally. At our school, we are proud to introduce a new initiative aimed at supporting students’ mental wellbeing and enhancing their exam preparation: the KS4 Sophrology Club. Tuesdays after school in Room 40 with Mrs Duthuit.

Full details on the website.

French Pen Friend Club Every Friday lunchtime in room 43, bring your packed lunch and let’s write letters in French to send to two French schools and get a pen-pal friendship going! Open to all year groups.

Creative Writing Club After school (15:30-16:30) in the Library. A great opportunity to explore all forms of creative writing with like-minded people from across the school. Limited spaces. All years welcome. Please see Miss Reed (Room 66) to sign up!

Music Clubs - Please see Mr Thomas at break or lunch to sign up

Tuesdays - Lunch Time - Choir Rehearsals

Thursday - Lunch Time - Music Club

Wednesday –Lunch Time and Thursday - 3:15 - 4:15 - School Ensemble

Friday - Lunch Time - Jazz Band

PE and Sports Clubs

Students playing Football on the AGP at lunchtimes must wear their shin pads with trainers or football boots. They do not need to wear PE kit.

Rugby

Year 7 & 8 – Wednesday after school until 4.15 pm

Year 9 & 10 – Tuesday after school until 4.15 pm

Please find a link below to the PE page of the website where you will find the updated fixtures list for this year (near the bottom of the page).

Physical Education - Braunton Academy - Aspire and Achieve

Braunton Academy Climbing Club

Select Braunton Academy Climbing Club and your relevant time slot. Any questions please ask. Also, with this new system you can edit the booking yourself should you book the wrong the time slot (depending on spaces).

https://radventuresoutdoors.setmore.com

Basketball Club

I am delighted to confirm that we have once again managed to secure the services of Basketball coach, David Roper, a Level 3 advanced Basketball coach, former England Player and qualified Physical Education teacher, to support the coaching of our students for the duration of the Autumn term.

We are therefore offering your son/daughter the opportunity to book a place in our upcoming Basketball Academy during the Spring term, See below all details.

Mondays - Year 7,8 and 9 from 3.30 till 4.45

Start date - Monday 12th Jan

End date - Monday 9th Feb

(No session on 19th Jan)
4 sessions at £4 per session - £16

Fridays - Year 10 and 11 from 3.30 till 4.45

Start date - Friday 9th Jan
End Date - Friday 13th Feb

(No session on 16th Jan)
5 sessions at £4 per session - £20

This year, all parents/carers MUST book their child's place directly with David Roper and NOT through Parent Mail. David would like to manage all booking and payments direct through him. Therefore, apart from this email, all queries, questions etc must go directly through David Roper from now on. See details below.

Booking

Email David direct at davidropersports@gmail.com to book your child's place.

Please copy and paste these details into your email and fill in the details for your child.

School: Braunton Academy

Name:

Year Group

Parents Name:

Parents Contact Details:

Payment Details

Name - Mr D G Roper
HSBC 40-10-16
Account no. 21191160

Payment reference: BA Childs name and year group

Contact details

David Roper

Email: davidropersports@gmail.com Facebook: North Devon Bucks

Competitions

Gymnastics Competition

Gymnastics competition information has been set via ParentMail; if you’d like your child to take part please sign up and pay by 9.00 am on Thursday 18th December.

Year 11 News

Year 11 Raffle

Please look out for an email regarding the Year 11 Prom Raffle which is launching in the next few days. Tickets will be £1 each available via ParentMail

Immunisations

The immunisation team are due to visit Braunton Academy on Monday 12th January 2026 to deliver Tetanus/Diphtheria/Polio and Meningitis ACWY vaccinations. Please submit your consent form by 9am on the 9th of January 2026.

In order to access the online consent form, please enter or click on the following link:

TDIPV MenACWY Vaccination Consent Form

Please see the letter from the immunisation team attached to the email.

Careers Round Up

NHS Diagnostic Careers Event

For this academic year, the Peninsula Imaging and Pathology Networks, with Healthcare Sciences, are pleased to announce their diagnostic careers event for students aged 14+ and their parents, (and anyone else who’s interested), at the South Cloisters, University of Exeter on Saturday 24th January 2026, 9am- 12pm and 1pm - 4pm.

These events showcase the incredible professions that make up radiography, pathology, and healthcare sciences, as well as the career progression opportunities available within the south west. At the start of each session, there will be a welcome seminar to open the event, followed by stall exhibits, and a chance to chat with professionals from across the specialisms. Next steps teams will also be on hand to provide information about entry pathways into these careers.

It's free to attend but places must be booked for each attendee by scanning the relevant QR code on the poster on our Careers Page (link below), or following one of the links:

Morning ticket: https://app.tickettailor.com/events/nhs36/1654610

Afternoon tickets: https://app.tickettailor.com/events/nhs36/1654710

Careers - Braunton Academy - Aspire and Achieve

Additionally, all upcoming events can be found on their website: Discover Diagnostics careers events | Peninsula Diagnostic Network

Year 10 News

Immunisations

In order to access the online consent form, please enter or click on the following link:

TDIPV MenACWY Vaccination Consent Form

Please see the letter from the immunisation team attached to the email.

Netball Club

Now finished until January.

Gymnastics Competition

Gymnastics competition information has been set via ParentMail; if you’d like your child to take part please sign up and pay by 9.00 am on Thursday 18th December.

Work Experience

Please can we remind students/parents to start thinking about where students would like to go for their work experience placement starting on Monday 18th May 2026. The deadline to get the placement details entered onto Unifrog is Thursday 2nd April 2026. For all the information you need, please visit the Work Experience page of the website – link below. If your child needs help with finding a placement, please ask them to speak to Mr Parsons or Mrs Martin.

Work Experience - Braunton Academy - Aspire and Achieve

NHS Diagnostic Careers Event

It's free to attend but places must be booked for each attendee by scanning the relevant QR code on the poster on our Careers Page (link below), or following one of the links:

Morning ticket: https://app.tickettailor.com/events/nhs36/1654610

Afternoon tickets: https://app.tickettailor.com/events/nhs36/1654710

Careers - Braunton Academy - Aspire and Achieve

Additionally, all upcoming events can be found on their website: Discover Diagnostics careers events | Peninsula Diagnostic Network

No Netball Club Thursday 11th December due to Year 11 Parents’ Evening.

Year 9 News

Immunisations

In order to access the online consent form, please enter or click on the following link:

TDIPV MenACWY Vaccination Consent Form

Please see the letter from the immunisation team attached to the email.

Netball Club

Now finished until January.

Gymnastics Competition

Gymnastics competition information has been set via ParentMail; if you’d like your child to take part please sign up and pay by 9.00 am on Thursday 18th December.

Year 9 Assessment Exams – Thursday 15th to Monday 19th January 2026

We would like to inform you that Year 9 assessment exams will take place during the second week back after the Christmas break, from Thursday 15th to Monday 19th January. These assessments are an important opportunity for students to demonstrate their progress and prepare for the demands of GCSEs.

For English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, and Languages, exams will be held in the Sports Hall under formal conditions to give students valuable experience of the environment they will encounter during their real GCSE exams. This practice helps build confidence and familiarity with the process.

Subject teachers will provide revision lists to support preparation, and we strongly encourage families to help students plan and complete their revision at home. Your support in creating a calm, focused environment and checking in on their progress can make a significant difference. We will be providing students with their exam timetables soon, so please encourage your children to plan their revision and study timetable. Thank you for your continued support in helping our students achieve their best.

Year 8 News

Netball Club

Now finished until January.

Gymnastics Competition

Gymnastics competition information has been set via ParentMail; if you’d like your child to take part please sign up and pay by 9.00 am on Thursday 18th December.

Year 7 News

Netball Club

Now finished until January.

Gymnastics Competition

Gymnastics competition information has been set via ParentMail; if you’d like your child to take part please sign up and pay by 9.00 am on Thursday 18th December.