Dear Parents/Carers,

Well here we are again at the end of another busy but hugely rewarding term. For our parents and carers of year 11 young people it will be a time of excitement and perhaps concern as your children nears the end of their time here at Stone Soup Academy. Year 11 students, if they have completed their coursework for their subjects, will get the opportunity to commence their study leave on Friday 24th May and after the half term they will be invited in to complete any outstanding pieces. But don’t worry even when year 11 have completed their time with us they can still return to our pastoral sixth form and Jordan Senior our Head of Careers and Sixth Form will still continue to support them.

This does not mean however that year 11 can go on holiday yet as they will still need to complete their GCSE exams which are on the following dates:-

9 a.m. Monday 3rd June: Maths Paper 2 

9 a.m. Thursday 6th June English Language Paper 2

9 a.m. Monday 10th June Maths Paper 3

Please be aware that Year 11 students do not finish their compulsory education until the 28th of June which is also our amazing Suits Day, which I know that they will want to attend. A ticket for this prestigious event will be given to each student as they exit their Maths GCSE on Monday 10th of June and if they have attended all their exams.

We have well and truly settled into Milbie House, our new fantastic building which is only 1 minute away from our original building at 14 High Pavement. You will all have an opportunity to visit it when you attend our whole school celebration evening on Thursday 13th of June. It will start at 4 p.m. until 6 p.m and the address is 33 Pilcher Gate, next door to the Lace Market Multi Storey car park. All staff from both sites will be at Milbie House so please visit and we can tell you about your wonderful children.

Before we move onto term 6, it is worth highlighting how brilliant this term has been. Our young people competed in the AP football tournament and made us all very proud. We have had young people on work experience, young people rock climbing, visits to Liverpool football stadium and we have also been shortlisted in the National Education Awards in the category of outstanding support for students which will be held on the 4th of July so fingers crossed.

Next term is also looking so exciting for our young people. We will be organising Art and Photography day, Media and Music Day, a Drayton Manor team building trip for all students, Activities day,  Stand up to Knife Crime evening at the Metronome on the 24th of July at 7 p.m. (Free tickets still available, please scan the QR code to register) and all this is alongside reward trips for attendance and behaviour. 

So we finish this term with a reward trip for our top 20 young people to Creams in Nottingham so they can fill up on sweet treats and the week will end at normal time for year 9 and 10 at 12.45 on Friday 24th of May. Year 11 will be invited to stay in school a little longer so we can all eat pizzas and sign t-shirts to celebrate their time with us before they depart on study leave. Parents/carers please do not book any holidays in the term and thank you for continuing to support us to support your children to reach their potential. 

I hope that you have a lovely half term break, if we are lucky we may see some sunshine!

Next term: 

Year 9 and Stepping Stones all back at 9am on Monday 3rd June. Year 

10 should arrive into the academy at 11.30 a.m. on Monday 3rd June.

Kind regards,

Kerrie Henton

Principal