Easter Break 'recharge' ready for Summer Term

I think whatever we do in school and at work, we must always remember what a beautiful part of the world we live in. Yesterday I had the pleasure of showing parents around the Academy as they consider the place for their Year 9 child. As a principal, one of the real joys of the job is having the chance to walk around the Academy while the children are learning and the teachers are teaching and to see the wealth of activity and the richness of experience the children who attend the Academy have every day they are here. Showing these parents around yesterday but also other visitors and those new to the school helps me to see with fresh eyes what I see every day. It is said that if something is in place for more than 10 days it becomes part of the wallpaper and that you stop seeing it for what it is. This is something we need to avoid, making sure we value what we have. One of our duties is to make sure that the young people who pass through the Academy know the opportunities that exist in the world beyond Dartmouth but that does not mean that they in anyway disregard the options on their doorstep. It is for this reason that we have relationships with organisations like Dartmouth Yacht Club, in order to give our students the opportunity to kayak and to sail. In the same way our GCSE learners get the chance in PE to go to Dart Rock and try the climbing wall and to experience something new. For those who know me, they know sport matters and that sport here has improved consistently over the last few years. However, we are never going to be the best football or rugby school in the area due to our size but we get better year on year. It was great last week when the Academy's Year 11 football team came back from Kingsbridge following a 2-2 draw. Throughout their time with us they have played KCC and lost - for them to do so well in the fixture this year was a real credit to them and their persistence. Persistence and resilience helps us all improve, in whatever we do. The Easter break follows very soon and we can all do with a break and a chance to recharge our batteries and become fresh, ready for the summer term, which is always challenging, as the year groups ensure they are prepared for the next move up and tough examinations at the end of each key stage. Have a very good Easter break and I look forward to seeing you all in the “summer term”, one of my favourite phrases in English language. Thank you for your support over the year to date! Nick Hindmarsh, Principal