News

4th March 2021

Testing for Covid is underway

Braunton Academy Test and Trace centre embarked on whole school testing on Monday March 1st. Each day this week an entire year group is being tested in readiness for next week's return to a normal school day for all, and everything is going very well. Thanks to Mr Fry, co-ordinator in chief, the test centre has been operational since the new year, staffed by our canteen and admin. workers who have gallantly stepped up and taken on completely new roles. Until this week only staff and the small number of pupils in attendance at school have been tested on a regular basis. We extend grateful thanks to those parents and members of Braunton Caen Rotary Club who have volunteered to help out in the testing centre, ensuring a swift and efficient process. All pupils will be tested again twice in the next fortnight, as required by government, and will then carry out self-testing at home. In this way we hope to prevent any covid outbreaks at school, continuing to provide a safe environment for pupils and staff.

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20th March 2020

Suddenly ...........Farewell

It is with heavy hearts that we said goodbye to Year 11 following directives from the Government concerning the Covid-19 pandemic. All the staff share the pupils' devastation that their GCSE results will be awarded using an as yet unknown formula, but teachers will all do their utmost to ensure that everyone gets the result they deserve after 18 months of study.

Mr Cammack, Mrs Frost, Mr Horton and Mrs Boulton each spoke to the whole group, then served them with doughnuts and drinks to mark the end of their 5 years at Braunton Academy. A grand Gala event is planned for October, combining the Prom with Awards Presentation. Details will be shared nearer the time.

20th March 2020

Speaking in Tongues

Three of our KS3 pupils recently took part in a Foreign Language Speaking contest which was held at Pilton School. From left, Bea Lindenbaum, Lachlan Hamley and Daniel Emiliano Espinoza Corston were amongst 48 students from all over Devon who prepared and delivered a speech in a foreign language to an audience of around 100 people. That took a lot of courage and is no mean feat, so well done to all three. Bea and Daniel were the only year 7 students in the entire competition!

25th February 2020

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Check Mate

Four teams represented Braunton Academy at the North Devon Schools Chess Tournament which was held at Ilfracombe Academy. Our 'A' Team finished in joint 1st place along with Ilfracombe 'B' - an impressive result when you consider that the Ilfracombe team was made up of 6th Formers! Very well done to our fantastic four, James Sigatolu, Nathan Rodney-Jones, Lachlan Hamley and Joseph Thomas. In addition to this result, Braunton Academy 'B' team finished in 4th place. Although the 'C' and 'D' teams were not placed, they had some great matches and gained some valuable experience which will stand them in good stead for the future.

In other chess news, in the latest inter-house tournament at school, James Sigatolu overcame Lachlan Hamley in the final to be named Grandmaster of the current season. Well done to all competitors.

Thanks to Ilfracombe Academy for the picture.

10th February 2020

It WAS Electrifyin'!

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The Expressive Arts Department have put on their latest blockbuster production on three sold-out nights. "Grease!" was the chosen show for this year, and it certainly proved popular with students and audience alike. The main roles were hotly contested at audition, and the chosen cast was made up of pupils in all school years. Expertly directed and rehearsed by Ms Ratcliffe, all the players gave their best and audiences were hugely impressed. Musical director, Mr Street, led a small but highly proficient band of musicians from years 7 to 11."Greased Lightnin'" (the car) was provided by West Cross Garage. Props and set decorations were made by Art Club in many after-school sessions. Congratulations to all the students involved; it was a fantastic show, and I'm sure we are all looking forward to hearing what next year's production will be.

27th November 2019

Football Finalists

Braunton Academy football teams from years 7 and 8 have both made the finals of the North Devon Schools Championships. Year 8s played against Park School in their final, and the score was 2-2 at full-time. Unfortunately our boys came second in the penalty shoot-out. On the way to the final, the Braunton team had beaten Ilfracombe, Pilton and South Molton in the rounds, and Great Torrington in the semi-final.

However, the year 7 team overcame Chulmleigh in their final, to be named North Devon Champions. The score was 3-2. They had already beaten South Molton, Pilton and Ilfracombe in the group stages, and Park School in the semi-final.

Well done to both teams; you are formidable athletes and we are very proud of your commitment and endeavour.

Pictured is the victorious Year 7 team.

26th November 2019

Charity Cheque Presentation

Amy Bingham and her rescue dog, Foxy, visited school and spoke to members of the School Council about the work of The Dogs' Trust. The students were proud to present Amy with a cheque for £279.80 raised from our recent non-uniform day, for the charity to use in their work for abandoned and homeless dogs.

Other charites that benefitted from the most recent non-uniform day are NDADA (North Devon Against Domestic Abuse), Children's Hospice SW and FIG (Families in Grief).

15th November 2019

Rewarding school leavers

The annual Awards Evening recently took place, and former pupils who left us after their GCSEs in July returned to celebrate their achievements. As well as prizes being given for every subject, pupils were recognised for their service to the school and community, their high attendance, progress over the five years, endeavour in the face of adversity, and more.

Here at Braunton Academy we love to recognise the hard work and effort put in by our pupils, and it's always a pleasure to welcome back pupils and find out what they have gone on to do.

Former pupil, Phoebe Ward (class of 2015) gave an inspirational speech about her chosen path of a Degree Apprenticeship. Pictured are Holly Milton-Jefferies (outgoing Head Girl) with the English Prize, and Filippo Rossi who won the Olaf Rinvolucri Prize for Innovation in Technology.

20th October 2019

Being the best they can be

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Star badges were recently awarded to those pupils in KS3 and KS4 who had proved themselves to be most focussed on their learning across the whole curriculum. Parents were invited along to share in the celebrations as well as the Principal, Year Heads and Chair of Governors.

Students invited to attend this event are identified by the outstanding grades they have recorded in the ‘Engagement in Learning’ column of their termly ‘Progress Review Reports’ (Mid Term Assessments), meaning every student has an equal opportunity to be recognised for their commitment to their learning, irrespective of their academic ability.

Pictured are the "Creme-de-la-creme" of current Year 9s with their Head of Year, Mrs Armstrong.

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7th July 2019

Taster Day for our Soon-to-be Year 7s

​Braunton Academy welcomed 150 year 6 pupils who will be on the school roll from September 2019. The children, from more than six local primaries, came to be sorted into their houses and learning groups, meet their tutors and teachers, and have a taste of life in their new school. They took part in Science, PE, English and Language lessons, had their lunch in the school canteen and used the playground to let off steam. Each pupil wrote a hope or aspiration on a leaf which was attached to the "Tree of Aspirations" in Isaac Hall.

The Academy Transition programme has proved to be very effective at easing KS2 pupils gradually into the step up to KS3, and by the time pupils are ready to join us as Year 7s, they will have had several visits to Braunton Academy's sporting, academic and expressive arts events.

6th July 2019

Engineers Accept Scrapheap Challenge

For the 4th year running, our students have taken up the Scrapheap Challenge set by South Molton Rotary Club. Pupils were given the brief: Build a load bearing bridge based on London`s Tower Bridge with opening road sections, capable of carrying a weight of 1kg and allowing a model ship to pass beneath.

Three teams of pupils from year 9 entered the competition and worked on designing and construction during their break times, period 6 and after school. All the teams produced working models that fitted the brief, using mechanical and motorised lifting gear to raise their roads. The Rotary Club judges were impressed by the skill and commitment of our designers. All the pupils received prizes for their endeavours.  

2nd July 2019

Print Workshop with Feeder Primary Pupils

Year 5 pupils from our neighbouring primary school, Southmead, recently visited for a whole day of printmaking with Head of Art, Mrs Bateman. The KS2 pupils have been studying the Michael Morpurgo book, "Where My Wellies Take Me", which is about a girl who goes on a countryside walk and observes the landscape around her. A variety of grasses, leaves, fabric, flowers and feathers were used to make a series of prints, and each pupil will choose one of their prints to be framed and sold at the School Summer Fair to raise funds for Southmead. The year 5s really enjoyed using the fantastic facilities at Braunton Academy and learning the skill of mono-printing. Mrs Bateman said, "All the children and their teachers have shown incredible creativity to produce these beautiful prints. We are looking forward to having them here full-time."

29th June 2019

Music Students out "On the Town"

Talented musicians from years 7, 8, 9 and 10 gave a showcase in the intimate setting of The Cove in Barnstaple, a vintage clothing store. Owner, Chay, is an active supporter of the arts, and we thank him for being so accommodating. A variety of musical genres was evident, with a cameo performance on trumpet by Head of Music, Mr Street. Some students are seasoned performers, having played at several school concerts and local Open Mics, but for others this was a fairly new experience. Everyone overcame their nerves and did the school proud, and a sizeable donation was made to Parkinsons UK from the sale of refreshments.

28th June 2019

School Records broken on Sports Day

Another very successful and enjoyable Sports Day has taken place, and the sun shone down on us once more. All pupils took part in activities organised by the PE department, and amassed points for their houses. In the morning, pupils were either taking part in heats on the athletics field, playing rounders or badminton, or cycling. In the afternoon the whole school was at the track for finals. During the course of the day, several school records were broken in a variety of events on track and field. Grace Parkin in year 7 broke existing records in both 800m and Discus! The final result was a close run thing, with Croyde House finally emerging as champions, successfully defending their title.

13th May 2019

Braunton Academy Records logo designed

A competition to design a logo for our brand new record label was recently launched, and attracted a number of applicants. The entries were of a high standard across the board, but the winning designer was Matilda Sharpe who submitted an array of iterations of her logo. Matilda wins four tickets to "On The Road" music festival. Four runners-up win various band merchandise and music lessons donated by local teachers.

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5th April 2019

Ben represents Devon

Our Current Head Boy, Ben Woodland, recently took part in the English Schools' Cross Country Championship at Temple Newsam Park, Leeds. Ben represented Devon in the intermediate boys division. He ran exceptionally well, and was placed 45th out of a field of 331 runners. With a very strong overall performance, the Devon Boys' Inter Team came second overall - a brilliant result. Braunton Academy is very proud of Ben's commitment and achievement.

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Year 10 pupil, Abbi Oscroft, was selected for the Inter Girls' team which is an achievement in itself. However, no further information has been passed to the news team so far.

26th March 2019

 Croyde Beach Clean 

On Sunday 24th March, the Braunton Academy Eco Moniotors held a beach clean at Croyde Beach in conjunction with Ruda Holiday Park and the Keep Britain Tidy initiative. There was a good turn out of students, parents and school staff to this event and lots of rubbish was removed from the beach. Three of the eco monitors, Natasha Parsons, Ellie Ivall and Libby Evans made cakes to sell at this event, enabling them to raise money for Surfers Against Sewage. We hope to hold another event like this again.

19th March 2019

Windfall for Music Department

Wow what an exciting start to the year for the music department!  Last week the department purchased some new recording equipment.  This will significantly improve the quality of GCSE students recordings, whilst providing them with production and recording experience similar to that in Petroc and in professional studios. Most of the money used to buy this gear came from the Braunton Music Dept. Fundraising Group, a group of students, staff and parents who have worked hard for just over a year and have raised over £1500 for the department through a variety of events. Students busked in the village throughout the summer and collected money from village residents and holidaymakers. Other events included "Open Mic" evenings at The Thatch and SQ Bar, Music Quizzes and Vinyl Nights at Saunton Road Studios, and a stall at the Village Fair.

18th March 2019

Outstanding Gymnastic Results

Gymnasts from years 7 and 8 recently took part in the North Devon Secondary Schools Gymnastics Competition held in Barnstaple. This was the largest team we had entered for many years, and for most of the pupils this was their first competition. Our students performed brilliantly on the floor and the vault both individually and as a team. They thoroughly enjoyed the event although it was a very long day, and were a credit to the school. They brought a large haul of medals and trophies home and made top 3 places across all disciplines

Well done for this fantastic achievement!

12th March 2019

Clean Sweep at Youth Speaks Contest

Teams were entered in two age groups of the North Devon Final Youth Speaks Competition. We have a history of doing very well in this national contest organised annually by the Rotary Club, and this year was no different. Our Senior team (top) comprised Nathaniel Rodney-Jones, Leah Sims and Nyah Hobley, all students in year 10.

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Our Intermediate team (below) comprised Skye-Lilly Powell, Evelyn Stringer, both in year 8, and Lucy Beesley from year 9.

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Both teams were triumphant in their respective age groups.

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Teams will now go on to compete against schools from across Devon in the next leg of the competition. Well done!

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UPDATE

Both teams competed in the next stage of the competition, Regional Finals held in Saltash on Saturday 23rd March. It was, understandably, a very tense day for both students, their parents and staff, but it was an excellent competition with a number of very proficient teams.

Our Intermediate Team finished in 1st place, and Lucy Beesly was also named best speaker over all. The Senior Team came 2nd, a great achievement considering they were up against mainly 16-18 year olds.

The Regional Finals are next Saturday at Queens College, Taunton and we are delighted that both our teams will be competing against the very best speakers in the South West for a place in the National competition in May.

13th February 2019

Plastic Free Schools Status ​

After months of commitment and hard work, the Eco Monitors team under the guidance of Mrs Young has achieved Plastic Free Schools Status. This is an initiative from Surfers Against Sewage to reduce the use of single use plastics in schools and the wider community by raising awareness of the problem and getting pupils actively campaigning for a more environmentally friendly way of living.

Five main objectives were set:- signing up to be an active member of the campaign; organising a "boycott bottle" day and clearing plastic rubbish from the school site; writing to our MP to ask him to stand up for a cleaner, plastic-free country; challenging industry to re-think their use of single-use plastics; committing to boycott at least three single-use plastic items in the school grounds.

Other actions include showing the film "A Plastic Ocean" to all pupils in assemblies, introducing designated wheelie bins around the school site and plastic recycling boxes in classrooms for plastic waste, collecting used pens so that the plastic elements can be recycled, raising £150 for Surfers Against Sewage on a sponsored cycle ride and installing a Teracycle collecting station for plastic wrappers which will be sent off for recycling.

All year 7 pupils have been issued with a refillable drinking water bottle for use in school, and a new water cooler has been placed in Student Reception, bringing to three the number of refilling stations.

Some pupils even made the local TV news when they took part in Plastic Free North Devon's "Unwrap" event, when Tesco customers were encouraged to leave behind the unnecessary plastic wrappings on their shopping.

Enthusiasm remains high amongst our Eco Monitors and we wish them well in their future work.

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12th November 2018

Congratulations on Athletic achievement

Our Key Stage 3 students triumphed at the recent North Devon Indoor Athletics Championships. For the third year in a row, Braunton Academy won the contest. Many congratulations to all the athletes involved for this fantastic achievement.

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Update

The team has returned from the county indoor championships as Devon Champions! Fantastic news. Well done to all the team members; we are all very proud of you and your achievements.

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