News
29th June 2022
Year 11 Pom
Our Year 11 Prom took place on Wednesday 29th June at The Barnstaple Hotel. The evening was a great success and fantastic fun for all who attended.
Below are a selection of photographs from the event.
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21st June 2022
Sports Day
Well done to all of the staff and students who participated in our Annual Sports Day today. It was an amazing success with Woolacombe House winning overall.
Thanks to all of the parents and other family members who came to join us in the lovely weather. It was great to see so many supporters in the stands.
17th June 2022
North Devon Schools' Surf Championships
Braunton Academy won the North Devon Schools' Surf Championships today against Park, Pilton, Ilfracombe, Bideford and Kingsley Schools.
We were especially proud of the win in the new environmental category where the students had to decide on a list of environmental pledges they would sign up to, as well as find as many microplastics as possible on the beach. Emily and Reuben delivered the team's ideas brilliantly. This category was judged by Save Our Winters and Plastic Free North Devon.
The tag event was brilliant fun with amazing team spirit from our students plus an awesome headstand on the board by Emily to seal the win!!
Well done to all!!
14th June 2022
North Devon Swimming Gala
Some of our students took part in the North Devon Swimming Gala today. We were the only team to take ‘B’ teams, with 7 teams/schools competed.
The results were:-
Junior Girls ‘A’ - 1st
Junior Boys ‘A’ - 3rd
Inter Girls ‘A’ - 1st
Inter Boys ‘A’ - 1st
Junior Girls ‘B’ - 4th
Inter Girls ‘B’ - 2nd!!!!!
Overall, team Braunton are North Devon Champions!!!
They were all amazing and great ambassadors for Braunton Academy. Well done.
7th June 2022
English Schools' Track & Field Cup Regional Finals
Congratulates to all our athletes that represented the Academy so very well, once again, at the Regional B Finals today. .
The results were:-
Junior Girls (Years 7&8) = 3rd
Junior Boys (Years 7&8) = 1st
Intermediate Girls (Years 9&10) = 3rd
Intermediate Boys (Years 9&10) = 2nd
To put this into perspective, the regional finals cover the following counties:-
Cornwall
Devon
Avon
Somerset
Dorset
Wiltshire
Hampshire
Berkshire
Channel Islands
The top 8 schools from round 1 in all the above counties go into the regional A finals. Brauinton Academy won the Devon round last time and qualified for the B final, which consists of the top 8-16 teams in this region. This is a huge achievement for our students considering the size of the region we compete in.
What is also amazing is that all 4 of our teams qualified for the finals, most schools only had 1.
May 2022
Jubilee Celebrations
Our year 9s have been busy creating delicious looking cakes out of clay for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebrations' display. Well done for this fantastic display!
18th May 2022
Generation R Sessions
This morning the Generation R Group have been in school working with groups of our students talking about their personal stories and resilience against adversity. Many thanks to them for their inspirational talks. #resiliencemakinggenerationr
12th May 2022
UKMT Maths Challenge
We have received our results for the UKMT Junior Maths Challenge Event which some of our year 7 and 8 students took part in.
The results were fantastic with our students achieving 5 Gold, 15 Silver and 19 Bronze Awards.
Charlie in year 8 received the 'Best in School' certificate and has also qualified for the Kangaroo round in June.
Harry in year 7 also received a special certificate for his achievement.
9th May 2022
English Schools' Track & Field Cup
Our athletes competed in the Devon Round 1 of the English Schools' Track and Field Cup in Exeter on the 9th May. They were amazing beating a lot of very big schools, including two private schools, Mount Kelly and Blundells, who no doubt have a lot of sporting scholarships on their roll. A really big achievement and they are now, technically, Devon champions in all four categories.
The top twelve schools from the South West will go through to the Regional Finals, so we have to wait a few weeks before we find out if we have scored enough points to go through to the A or B Finals.
The results for the Devon area are:-
Junior Girls (years 7 and 8) - 1st
Junior Boys (years 7 and 8) - 1st
Intermediate Girls (years 8 and 10) - 1st
Intermediate Boys (years 8 and 10) - 1st
29th April 2022
Devon County Champions!
Our Under 13 girls' football team and Miss Sayer went to Devon County Football Association Headquarters today to compete in the Devon Schools' County Cup Final. They smashed it, winning 6 - 0 against Newton Abbot. An unbelievable achievement and the first football team from Braunton Academy to ever win the Devon Cup.
They are now North Devon and Devon champions. A great experience for them all and a very special occasion.
12th April 2022
Non-uniform Day
Our non-uniform day on Friday 8th April raised £676.30 for the Disasters' Emergency Committee - Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
Thank you to everybody who took part and donated.
1st April 2022
MFL Speaking Competition
Sam, Lachlan and Dan represented the school brilliantly in the Routes into Languages speaking competition at Pilton today. A large number of students from 8 different schools competed across KS3, KS4 and KS5. All students had to give a 2-3 minute presentation in a language of their choice. Languages this year included French, German, Spanish, Italian, Polish and Mandarin. Topics included holidays, hobbies, family and favourite film and students were judged by a panel of professional linguists and were watched by a busy hall of spectators. It was nerve-wracking for the boys, but they made Braunton proud.
Lochie and Dan spoke excellently and narrowly missed out on a runners-up prize, since theirs was the most competitive field. However, Sam won his category of KS4 near-native speaker against some very tough opposition from the Italian and Polish entries.
The boys got a nice goody bag each and as well as Sam's trophy, developed some valuable public speaking skills.
We also received additional acclaim for being the only school to enter German speakers in 3 different categories.
April 2022
Athletic Triumph
Our athletes across both key stages recently competed at the English Schools Track and Field Cup (Devon). Braunton Academy did a fantastic job competing against some very big schools, including Blundells and Mount Kelly which have students on sports scholarships. Mr Frickleton was very pleased to announce that Braunton Academy finished in 1st place in Junior Girls, Junior Boys, Inter Girls and Inter Boys....A CLEAN SWEEP! What a fantastic achievement. We have now become Devon champions in all four categories, and wait to hear whether we will compete in the A or B group of the South West Regional finals.
March 2022
Under 14s Rugby Final
Our under 14s rugby team won the final 26 - 14!
An amazing effort. Please congratulate all involved.
A huge thank you to Mr Liversedge too, who has worked with this team since September.
These boys are the absolute epitome of teamwork, discipline and commitment as well as having an abundance of talent and ability. They thoroughly deserve their success.
March 2022
Contract with Plymouth Argyle
Oscar has been offered, and accepted, a 4 year contract with Plymouth Argyle. His current contract comes to an end this year and they now want to tie him down to a new long term contract which will give him a scholarship when he leaves school after year 11 until he is 18.
This is a massive achievement for him as it is very rare for professional clubs to offer such a long term contract to a player at such a young age and is a fantastic reward for his hard work and commitment. The added benefit to this is that it will enable him to concentrate on his GCSEs over the next couple of years without the stress and worry of not knowing whether he will be offered a new contract.
This all means that as soon as his GCSEs are done in June 2024 he will move down to Plymouth and become a full time scholar.
22nd March 2022
Devon Under 13 Girls' Indoor Cricket Championships
We had a great day out at University of Exeter today competing at the Devon Under 13 Girls' Indoor Cricket Championships hosted by Devon Cricket.
A very well deserved 3rd place overall.
These girls have gone from having never played cricket less 12 months ago to Chance to Shine Secondary School of the Year winners and 3rd best school in Devon for Girls' indoor cricket.
March 2022
English Schools' Cross Country Championships
Issy, Cassius and Marissa have accomplished some amazing cross country achievements. They have been extremely busy travelling the country to represent Braunton Academy, North Devon and Devon at various cross country events in Exeter, Chippenham , Loughborough and finally Kent at the English Schools' Championships and Amateur Athletics Inter Counties.
Well done!!
16th March 2022
Barn Live Lounge
Aisha, Caitlin and Renie stars of the future!
These GCSE music students performed outstanding 15 minute sets as part of the #bamlivelounge hosted by the Broomhill Estate and curated by local singer songwriter Smalltown Jones. Our students were selected for this event after submitting a short reel on instagram as part of a competition.
Look out for these stars at future events. All three will certainly be performing in our upcoming Summer Concert.
4th March 2022
North Devon Indoor Athletics Competition
Our under 13 indoor athletics team were incredible in the North Devon Indoor Athletics Competition. They finished 1st for the 5th year in a row. AMAZING!!!
4th March 2022
Braunton Academy 2022 Chess Championship
The Braunton Academy 2022 Chess Championships took place and was a fiercely fought competition. The winners were:-
1st Stanley
2nd Lachlan
3rd Robyn
4th Pip
Well done to all who took part.
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14th January 2022
Future Chef Competition
Massive congratulations to Perran who has won the South West Final of the Future Chef competition. It was a unanimous decision by the judges which means he now goes on to compete at the National final in London. We are so pleased and proud.
Update. March 2022
Massive congratulations to Perran in Yr11 who finished second at the Future Chef National final in London. Perran competed against 12 Regional winners from all over the UK at The Westminster Catering College. Perran was given an ingredients list to chose from and a task that included jointing a chicken and making a wobbly panacotta. He rose to the challenge and made poached chicken breast, roasted cauliflower velouté and a sauce vierge. For his dessert he made vanilla panna cotta with a rhubarb and ginger sauce.
The night before he competed he was taken with his mentor to The Berkeley Hotel for a formal 5 course dinner. He was able to meet with the judges, competition organisers and other competitors.
After the competition had finished, TV chef and restaurateur Jean Christophe Novelli (who was one of the judges) offered Perran an apprenticeship at his restaurant. He has also been offered an apprentiship by his mentor at The Sandy Cove Restaurant in Berrynarbour. We will have to wait and see what he decides to do. When I spoke to Perran about the whole experience he said that ‘he would thoroughly recommend the Springboard Future Chef competition as it introduces you to many professionals which will help you to advance in your culinary career’.
It has been a massive commitment Perran to be able to take part in this competition alongside revising for his PPE’s and also completing his GCSE practical food exam. Best of luck for the future.
7th December 2021
Future Chef Competition at Petroc
Perran in Year 11 competed in the Devon heat of the Future Chef competition, which was judged by Carla Jones, a Masterchef 2018 competitor and Head Chef at the Seacliff Restaurant at Sandy Cove, Berrynarbor. Perran’s challenge was to make a main course dish for two people under £5. He chose to make a butternut squash and Roquefort-filled tortellini in a sage, butter and walnut sauce. The judges said that the dish was ‘stunning’ and tasted so good they couldn’t stop eating it!
Perran was given some really positive feedback and will now be mentored by Carla Jones leading up to the regional finals in Bridgwater in January. Perran showed confidence of ability and produced a dish that used simple, locally-sourced ingredients. The chefs said that Perran ran into difficulties making the pasta so he had to re-make it which showed maturity and confidence under pressure. Massive congratulations to him from us all at the Academy.
25th November 2021
Chance to Shine Awards
Last Thursday I took two students in year 8, Bella and Rosie, to London to attend a very special awards evening at Lords Cricket ground. We were nominated for Secondary School of the Year at the Chance to Shine Cricket Awards for our engagement and progress towards girls' cricket participation and leadership.
We then found out that we won the category.
Myself and the girls were invited up on stage to collect the award in front of 100s of guests and professional cricketers. Both girls spoke incredibly well and were an absolute credit to our Academy. Please congratulate them both.
It's also important to know that although I only took two students, almost all our female students in KS3 took part in the programme of which they thoroughly enjoyed and were superb throughout, gaining some very positive feedback and praise from the coaches and the Chance to Shine Charity.
Please click on the link below to see the awards video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTSCaSEtpZ8
Mr Frickleton
Head of PE
25th November 2021
Chess Club Stays Competitive
Braunton Academy attended the English Schools Chess Championships in Torquay this week. We unfortunately did not qualify for the next round but nevertheless Braunton A scored 7.5 points and Braunton B 5.5 with a number of our students earning themselves ECF Ranking points.
Our players were a little disappointed not to be able to progress further, but we did well to field a large cohort of thirteen students; pretty good for a small school.
25th November & 2nd December 2021
Football Titles Retained
Braunton Academy football teams representing years 7, 8 and year 9 were all victorious in the North Devon Schools' Championships.
The year 9 team have been unbeaten this season, and their 100% record culminated in a 1-0 win over a very good Park School team. The only goal was scored by Tom. This was a very well-deserved win and means the team retain the title they won in 2020.
A phenomenal year 8 team played their final a day later, beating Pilton Academy 3-0. The player of the match was Issy, the only girl on the pitch. Mr Frickleton, Head of PE, said, "Issi is a pure talent and certainly one to watch for the future. Big things for her I'm sure." High praise indeed and I'm sure we will look out for her name on future England Women's team lists.
The year 7 football team won their final on the 2nd December by beating the Ilfracombe Academy 4-1. They avenged an earlier defeat back in September and have improved massively since then and were deserved winners.
Huge congratulations to all the players involved. The school as a whole is very proud of your achievements.
Pictured left are the two teams of champions, year 8 at the top and year 9 below.
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.
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, Lachlan and Daniel Emiliano 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
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, Nathan, Lachlan and Joseph. 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 overcame Lachlan 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'!
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).
Rewarding school leavers
15th November 2019
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 (class of 2015) gave an inspirational speech about her chosen path of a Degree Apprenticeship. Pictured are Holly (outgoing Head Girl) with the English Prize, and Filippo who won the Olaf Rinvolucri Prize for Innovation in Technology.
20th October 2019
Being the best they can be
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.
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 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 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.
5th April 2019
Ben represents Devon
Our Current Head Boy, Ben, 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.
Year 10 pupil, Abbi, 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.
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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, Ellie and Libby 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, Leah and Nyah, all students in year 10.
Our Intermediate team (below) comprised Skye-Lilly, Evelyn, both in year 8, and Lucy from year 9.
Both teams were triumphant in their respective age groups.
Teams will now go on to compete against schools from across Devon in the next leg of the competition. Well done!
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 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.