This summer we saw another great set of GCSE results for our students who continue to thrive at Alde Valley Academy. We were able to celebrate success with students, their family and carers and provide them with advice and guidance on their next steps in their education or apprenticeship.

Headlines show notable improvements in all of our core subjects of English, Maths and Science. The number of students gaining a 4+ in English was 69%, in Mathematics was 63% and in Combined Science was 60%. This was backed up by our separate Science results where the majority of students gained a 4+ in Chemistry (86%), Biology (86%) and Physics (82%). A huge ‘thank you’ to all of our staff for their hard work in supporting all of our students.

I am grateful to parents and carers for supporting the school by purchasing suitable school resources and uniform. The new skirts fit in really well and have enabled us to ensure consistency. We have received a number of positive comments from members of the community about how well behaved and smart our students look.

Our new Year 7 have made a particularly impressive start. Our new transport plans have proved to be really effective as we have been able to fulfil our promise of providing transport to any student wishing to come to Alde Valley Academy without a significant financial burden to the family. We are offering, and will continue to offer, student transport to and from school for just 50p per journey irrespective of the distance from Leiston. We have also worked closely with Sir John Leman High School who are offering free Post-16 student transport to their 6^th form.  

I have spent a significant amount of time, as we start the term, in assemblies and visiting lessons and I have been impressed with student ‘buy-in’ to our ethos and values. A particular focus for development this year is peer and self -assessment to enable students to be more effective learners. Pleasingly, I have already seen this being effective in the classroom.