Blog

National Breast Cancer Awareness Day

Today, we unite in raising awareness for National Breast Cancer Awareness Day! Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, affecting thousands of lives. Knowledge is power, and together, we can make a difference.

Did you know?

– In the UK, one woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 10 minutes.

– Around 55,000 women and 400 men are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the UK.

– In England alone, approximately 47,000 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every year.

To show our solidarity and support, our incredible staff members within our school operations team have donned their finest shades of pink today!

Mrs. B. Bradford, our dedicated Exams Officer, shared her personal connection with this cause: “Breast cancer awareness is a cause very close to my heart. After undergoing treatment last year and recently celebrating the all-clear 12 months on, I couldn’t think of a better cause to support.”

Remember, early detection is key! Regular check-ups and screenings can save lives.

Let’s continue spreading awareness and supporting those affected by breast cancer. Together, we can make a difference!

#BreastCancerAwareness

Empowering Pupils for Change

We are excited to share the latest update from our Teaching and Learning Committee on Pupil Leadership, as they kick off their “Teach the Teacher” campaign.

Our dedicated pupil members have taken their first steps towards a more sustainable and informed future. They participated in an engaging training session focused on climate change and the significance of integrating this crucial topic into our curriculum.

This is just the beginning of a two-part journey. Next, our brilliant pupils will be planning and delivering staff training sessions to ensure everyone in our school community is well-versed in the importance of addressing climate change.

Miss H Pickerill, our Pupil Leadership Coordinator, expressed her pride and admiration for these pupils, saying, “I am so proud of the tenacity and dedication that this group have demonstrated by giving up their time to help support curriculum development. They presented themselves so professionally and really represented the school well.”

We look forward to the positive impact our pupil leaders will have on shaping a more sustainable future for all of us. Thank you for your hard work and commitment!

#RespecttheCTAWay #PupilLeadership

Menopause wellbeing support isn’t just for women.

Yesterday our Trust HR Manager led a session just for the men at CTA and other schools across the John Taylor MAT. The session was delivered to help our male colleagues understand menopause better and how they can support the women in their lives, both at home and at work. Menopause awareness is just one way we support colleagues’ wellbeing.

#MenopauseAwareness#StaffWellbeing

CTA pupils make the community smile!

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering kindness and community engagement, today marked a special occasion during our ‘Kindness Focus Week’. Our pupils ventured into the local community to spread kindness in line with our cherished values.

Community is at the heart of what we stand for, and it’s truly important to us. Our wonderful pupils distributed ‘making the community smile, the CTA Way’ stickers and a flyer promoting positive mental health and top tips for maintaining a healthy body. We also included a reminder that slow-cookers and food parcels can be collected from our CATCH Hub in school ahead of the winter season.

We were overjoyed to interact with many members of our community during this outing. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who took the time to speak with our pupils, posed for photos, and a very special thank you to those who generously donated sweets and delicious treats for our pupils to enjoy when they returned to school to warm up!

What truly stood out today was the remarkable growth in confidence among our pupils. They transformed from initial nervousness about handing out stickers to confidently distributing flyers and celebrating kindness by the time we returned to school.

A standout moment from the day was George’s selfless act of volunteering to help a customer carry her shopping to her car. This embodies the spirit of kindness and respect that defines us as a school.

Ms. N. Mason, our Headteacher, expressed her pride and gratitude, saying, “I am exceptionally proud of our pupils for embodying CTA values. The feedback from the community about all of our pupils has been overwhelmingly positive. I am so proud of all of them and the way they have represented our school today.”

Let’s continue to nurture kindness and embrace our community as we move forward. Together, we can make a lasting impact on the world around us.

#Kindnessisthenorm#RespecttheCTAWay#Community

Thank you to Highfields Primary School!

A massive thank you to Highfields Primary School for their incredible generosity! They’ve kindly donated the food raised from their Harvest Festival to our Community CATCH Hub. This is the second year in a row that Highfields has contributed, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

A special shout-out to our amazing school runners for the day, Ellie S and Jacob N, who enthusiastically dedicated their time to help sort the donated food!

Miss S Cantwell, CATCH Hub leader, shared her appreciation for this generous gesture: “This wonderful act of kindness from Highfields Primary School truly embodies the spirit of community and togetherness that we cherish here at Chase Terrace Academy. We’re immensely grateful for their continued support, and it fills our hearts with warmth to witness such a strong sense of unity.”

If any parents and carers would like to visit the CATCH Hub, please get in touch via email: office@chaseterraceacademy.co.uk.

#RespecttheCTAWay#Community#Tenacity#Aspiration

Exciting News from the Performing Arts Department at CTA!

We’re thrilled to announce the launch of CTA’s Poetry by Heart Competition Group today! Poetry by Heart is a prestigious national poetry speaking competition for schools and colleges in England, and we invite pupils from all year groups to register and participate.

It’s all about fostering a lifelong love for poetry, boosting confidence in an enjoyable and engaging way. Under the guidance of our talented teachers, Ms. D Maymand and Miss G Clarke, pupils will select a poem in their respective age category and embark on the journey of learning and rehearsing it for our in-house competition.

Pupils will have the fantastic opportunity to rehearse their poem on a Wednesday Lunchtime each week in Lees Hall!

In February, we’ll host CTA’s in-house poetry speaking competition to determine the entries that will represent us in the national poetry competition.

Ms D Maymand, Head of Performing Arts, said: “We are incredibly excited to launch the Poetry by Heart Group. Through performance poetry, pupils will enhance their speaking and memory skills, gain insights into how poems work, and explore classic literary masterpieces. This collaborative effort among pupils from all year groups embodies the strong community spirit at CTA, a core part of the CTA Way. Aspiring to participate in a national competition that integrates their English and Drama skills showcases real determination.”

#CTAPoetryByHeart #RespecttheCTAWay #Tenacity #Aspiration

Day Three of Our Focus on Antibullying and Kindness

Day Three of Our Focus on Antibullying and Kindness

As we continue our efforts to create a safe and inclusive school environment, today’s activity is all about promoting open discussion and support. We’re gearing up for World Antibullying Week in November!

We’ve set up safe spaces where pupils can openly discuss their experiences and feelings related to bullying. This is a critical step towards fostering empathy, understanding, and unity within our school community. The discussion circles are led by our dedicated Student Support Officers, who provide valuable guidance and support.

Mrs. S Pickin said: “In creating a safe space for open discussions about bullying, we empower our pupils to share their experiences, learn from one another, and stand up against bullying. Let’s remember that kindness, empathy, and support go a long way in preventing and addressing bullying in our school. Together, we can make a difference.”

Thank you to all the pupils, staff, and support officers who are working together to make our school a kinder and more inclusive place.

#KindnessistheNorm#RespecttheCTAWay#Community

Inspiring the Next Generation of Tech Leaders

We were thrilled to welcome the illustrious Tracy Pound to our school for an enlightening session on careers in technology. Tracy is a true trailblazer in the world of IT and an advocate for gender diversity in the tech industry. She has earned numerous accolades, including being appointed to CompTIA’s Board of Directors and receiving the prestigious ‘Woman of the Year’ award from PCR in 2016. Moreover, she was recognised as one of the top 50 women in technology by PCR in 2014 and 2015.

Tracy is not only an accomplished professional but also a published author of IT industry standards and a well-known face on TV. In 2000, she founded Maximity Ltd and has since become an international speaker, collaborating with some of the world’s leading IT companies. Her mission is clear – to inspire and encourage girls and women to consider careers in technology and address the gender diversity gap in this field.

During her visit, Tracy captivated our pupils with her personal journey in the tech industry, which began as a programmer at the age of 18 and has culminated in her role as a company founder and member of a Board of Directors. She also took the time to challenge misconceptions surrounding the technology sector.

Mrs. D Lees, Head of the Computer Science and IT Department, expressed her thoughts on Tracy’s visit, saying, “Tracy’s presentation was nothing short of inspirational. She is not only a trailblazer in the technology world but also a passionate advocate for women in this field. Her tenacity and insights will undoubtedly impact our pupils positively.”

#RespecttheCTAWay #Community #Tenacity #Aspiration

Kindness Challenge: Spread Good Deeds & Earn Rewards!

As part of our ongoing commitment to fostering a culture of kindness and promoting an anti-bullying environment, we are excited to introduce the Acts of Kindness Challenges!

Throughout this week, we invite our pupils to embrace kindness and spread positivity in a fun and rewarding way. Here’s how it works:

1. Kindness Challenge Cards: Pupils can pick up an ‘Act of Kindness’ Card from the Pizza Hub starting today. These cards will contain various acts of kindness that can be performed throughout this week. The acts could be something as simple as helping a fellow pupil, showing appreciation to a teacher, or making a new friend.

2. Collect Staff Signatures: After completing the act of kindness, pupils should approach a staff member to receive their signature on the card. This helps to acknowledge and celebrate their positive actions.

3. Earn Rewards: Each completed ‘Act of Kindness’ Card will be rewarded with a ‘Kindness Matters’ badge, and to make it even sweeter, a chocolate treat as a token of our appreciation.

Mr D Inman, our Assistant Headteacher, is thrilled about this initiative. He said, “Kindness is a powerful force that can make a significant impact on our school community. This challenge is not just about winning badges and treats; it’s about building connections and spreading positivity.”

#AtCTAKindnessistheNorm #RespecttheCTAWay