Blog

What’s on next week

As we approach the end of the autumn term, we’re excited to offer a range of activities and opportunities for our pupils taking place next week. 

Take a look below to find out more about what’s happening in school and how pupils can take part.

CTA Theatre Company performance!

A reminder that our talented CTA Theatre Company will be performing ‘Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations’ by Alan Ayckbourn on Wednesday 10th December 2025 at 6:30pm at The Rugeley Rose Theatre.

Preparations are well underway, and the production is shaping up to be a truly fantastic showcase of our pupils’ creativity and hard work.

While refurbishment of Lees Hall continues, we’re delighted to be hosting this year’s performance in the wonderful Rugeley Rose Theatre – a professional venue that will provide an even more memorable experience for both pupils and audience members.

Tickets are £8 plus booking fee and are available now via Ticket Source:

www.ticketsource.co.uk/chaseterraceacademy

We can’t wait to see you there!

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Year 9 football

A huge congratulations to our Year 9 football team on their fantastic 2–1 victory against Cardinal Griffin Catholic College! The team played brilliantly from start to finish and represented the school with excellence both on and off the pitch. Well done team!

It’s Feel Good Friday!

Today, Miss Devereux, Assistant Headteacher, met with two pupils who have demonstrated outstanding community spirit.

Izabella spent the recent INSET day volunteering at Hammerwich Hall Care Home, creating beautiful window displays and helping with the Christmas decorations. Meanwhile, her brother, Mikey, generously gave his time to support the care home by helping decorate for Christmas and distributing leaflets for their upcoming Christmas fair.

Both students spent time chatting with residents and brought festive cheer to the community. We are incredibly proud of their kindness and positive impact.

If you would like to nominate your child for a Feel Good Friday recognition, you can do so here: http://bit.ly/4ozJ2Xy

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Support over the Christmas holidays

We understand that the holidays may not be a happy time for everyone, and we want to remind our school community that support is available. If you need assistance over Christmas, please find a list of helplines below for various forms of support.

Wishing you all a safe and peaceful Christmas.

Exploring future pathways in the games industry

We were delighted to welcome David from the University of Staffordshire to our school this week. He spoke to our pupils about the University’s Games Institute and the many pathways into games-based careers, including roles in design, art, programming, production, audio, animation, community management and more.

David also introduced pupils to a range of university courses such as Games Design, Games Development, Concept Art, Computing and Programming, highlighting the key skills needed to succeed at university level.

A huge thank you to David for an inspiring and informative session!

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Year 12 Drop-down day

Today, as part of our Drop-Down Day, Year 12 pupils took part in a series of workshops aimed at developing essential life skills for the future.

Mr Giles, Head of Sixth Form, demonstrated how to prepare nutritious, budget-friendly meals for under £3 – an ideal skill for university life.

Mr Lloyd, Assistant Head of Sixth Form, taught pupils key car maintenance techniques, including how to safely change a tyre.

Mr Cain, Deputy Headteacher, led an informative session on budgeting, planning, and managing personal finances.

These workshops form an important part of our commitment to preparing pupils for independent living and success beyond Sixth Form. Well done to all pupils for their enthusiasm and engagement!

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Personal Development Drop-Down Day

Today, we held our first Personal Development Drop-Down Day of the academic year – an important opportunity for pupils across all year groups to develop essential life skills through a series of interactive workshops. This initiative supports the government’s expectations for high-quality personal, social and health education, helping our pupils to grow into confident, informed and responsible young people.

Year 7 explored resilience and emotional wellbeing through ‘Circus of Life’ sessions.

Year 8 took part in a workshop led by Everyone Health on the dangers of vaping, alongside further Circus of Life activities and a session on self-esteem.

Year 9 engaged in workshops on county lines, gang mentality and grooming, using laptops and VR headsets from PSHE VR to navigate virtual scenarios that promoted informed and safe decision-making.

Year 10 focused on their futures with virtual work experience, CV writing workshops and revision skills sessions.

Year 11 took part in workshops on addiction, as well as informative men’s and women’s health talks, and explored apprenticeships, university pathways and further education options via Unifrog.

We are incredibly proud of how maturely and thoughtfully our pupils engaged with the day. These experiences play a vital role in supporting their personal development and preparing them for life both in and beyond school.

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Book Fair Update

Our Book Fair, originally scheduled for last week, has unfortunately been rescheduled. It will now arrive on Monday 8th December and will be in school for one week.

The deadline for the bookmark competition has also been extended to 8th December. Please encourage your child to take part – the winner will receive a £5.00 voucher to spend at the Book Fair!

A reminder that the payment options for the Book Fair are as follows:

· Cash on the day

· Pupils can fill in a Wish List for items, which parents/carers can pay for online. Items will be ready for collection from the Library.

· Book Fair gift vouchers can be purchased directly from Scholastic: https://bookfairs.scholastic.co.uk/gift-vouchers

We can’t wait to see our pupils enjoy this exciting event!

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Christmas Tree Festival

We are thrilled to be taking part in the Christmas Tree Festival at Lichfield Cathedral!

This wonderful annual event showcases beautifully decorated Christmas trees created by local businesses, charities, and schools.

Our talented pupils and dedicated Art Department have been hard at work over the past few weeks designing and crafting beautiful decorations for our tree, and we couldn’t be prouder of their creativity and effort.

If you’re visiting Lichfield during December, we’d love your support! Please pop into the cathedral and vote for CTA as your favourite school tree. The festival runs from Thursday 4th December to Sunday 4th January, giving you plenty of time to enjoy the festive displays.

Thank you for your support!

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration