We are delighted to announce the arrival of a new member of the Olive AP Academy – Thurrock team. Jet is an eight year old retired racing greyhound and joins the academy as our therapy dog. After finishing her racing career due to an injury she has been up and down the country winning rosettes and trophies including being shown at the biggest dog show in the world, Crufts. Jet is now a therapy dog for Canine Concern. Jet will be visiting our academy as part of Canine Concern’s Read to Dogs programme. The programme aims to support students who find it difficult to read, need to develop their reading confidence or want to improve their reading skills.
We were so excited to welcome author Ken Preston to the academy on Wednesday 11th September as part of our celebrations of International Literacy Day. Ken is an author who has written many books, mostly young adult fiction featuring tales of vampires, pirates, dinosaurs, ghosts and more. Ken worked with groups of our students in the academy and set them creative writing challenges. Our students were inspired by Ken and his advice. Ken said after his visit, “It was my absolute pleasure to visit you today. You’re doing amazing work and you have some quite frankly very talented creative writing students among you.” We couldn’t agree more!
The Orsett Show in Thurrock is one of the oldest country fairs in England. Last Sunday 8th September, our academy set up their own stand at the show to let the local community know about the academy and share the good work and homemade crafts created by our students. It was a fantastic opportunity for the academy to be part of a community event and let more people in Thurrock know about Olive AP Academy – Thurrock, our students and staff. We thought we would share a few photos of our stand…
Olive AP Academy – Thurrock is pleased to be supporting the Thurrock Education Awards 2019. These awards celebrate the talented and hardworking individuals and teams in education. We are keen for colleagues, governors, parents, carers, students, volunteers and business partners to submit nominations for teaching and support staff who have gone the extra mile. For more information on this year’s award categories and to submit your nominations, please go to thurrock.gov.uk/education-awards, this year’s nominations close at midnight on Sunday 6 October 2019. We would love to ensure as many individuals and teams across our school are recognised for their hard work and dedication.
Here is a copy of the letter sent to all parents/Carers today, detailing plans for the end of this term and important information about the start of next term: Dear Parent/Carer End of Summer term – Tuesday 23 July 2019 Please be informed that students will be finishing at 12.45pm on Tuesday 23 July. All students will be given the opportunity to order a take-away lunch and taxi arrangements will be amended as necessary. Start of Autumn term 2019 – Wednesday 4 September 2019 The academy re-opens for staff training on Monday 2 September and Tuesday 3 September. All students will return to the academy on Wednesday 4 September and will be expected to arrive at 8.30am. If your child gets taxi to school, arrangements will be made by the school office. I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you that all students attending Olive AP Academy – Thurrock are to abide by our uniform policy: ALL students will be expected to wear a uniform: grey Olive Academies blazer with logo grey Olive Academies jumper Olive Academies maroon and orange tie white shirt black school trousers or skirt black shoes Parent and Student Evening – Thursday 18 July 2019 at 4.30pm I would also like to take this opportunity to remind you of the Parent and Student Evening taking place on Thursday 18 July 2019 at 4.30pm. As per my letter dated 23 May, we are inviting you and your child to attend this event giving you an opportunity to meet with staff and discuss your child’s progress. We very much hope you will be able to join us. During the evening, we will be asking parent/carers to complete a questionnaire being conducted by The Difference and The Children’s Society. The questionnaire is based around Alternative Provision Parent/Carers experience of exclusion. Finally, I would like to thank the students for their hard work over the last term, as well as parents and carers for your continued support. Yours sincerely Collette Hunnisett, Headteacher
We are so proud of our Year 11 leavers. It was great to see our Year 11s set off from the academy in their very own limo for their leavers’ dinner at Planet Hollywood in central London. The students were a credit to the academy and their families. The trip was a huge success – staff at Planet Hollywood and the limousine driver made our students feel so welcome and made their leavers’ trip very special. Students were even treated to a tour of the sites of central London from the comfort of their limousine! It really was a special day to mark the end of school. We are going to miss our Year 11s but look forward to hearing about what they go on to achieve – and hope they’ll come back soon to tell us all about their adventures and achievements.
Here is a copy of the letter and flyer sent home to all parents and carers: Dear Parent/Carer Please find below a flyer with details of events taking place in our academy to acknowledge Mental Health Awareness. I would like to take this opportunity to ask you to join us for a Coffee, Cake and Chat on Friday 17 May from 1.30pm to 2.30pm, with the cakes handmade by our students. I have also enclosed a letter with details regarding a Brighter Futures Survey that the academy has agreed to take part. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Finally, I would also like to make you aware of a roadshow being organised by the Local Authority for parents, carers and professionals entitled Walk Online on 23 May 2019 from 10am to 1pm or 6.30pm to 9.00pm. The event will allow attendees to gain a greater understanding of what and how are children are using social media and the internet. If you are interested in attending this event, please visit the following website: //www.thurrocklscb.org.uk/lscb/training-event-information/walk-online-roadshow-for-parents-carers-and-professionals Yours sincerely Collette Hunnisett Headteacher
This is a copy of the letter sent to all parents and carers on 9th May 2019 regarding the Brighter Futures Survey: 9 May 2019 Dear Parent/Carer Brighter Futures Secondary Survey 2019 Our school, along with several others, has agreed to participate in a very important Health Behaviour Survey amongst young people. We have been asked to support the work of the Local Authority and Public Health and we stand to benefit substantially through our participation in the survey. The survey data in schools may prompt review of the curriculum and have also been used in a variety of ways including: As a starting point for discussion in classroom activities As a guide in the choice of resources As a prompt for appropriate timing of courses As a beginning for further enquiry to strengthen existing programmes, e.g. in PE As a starting point for discussions between parents and schools The survey method that we are using has been developed by the Schools Health Education Unit, Exeter and has been in use now for over 30 years. Over 3000 schools have used the survey, many of them regularly repeating the survey. The questions concern a wide range of health behaviours, for example: Home and family Relationships, emotional health and well-being Tobacco, Alcohol, Drugs Leisure and money Exercise The Local Authority and Public Health will also have a reliable database upon which it can objectively plan health care provision for young people. Links between the school and Public Health can be strengthened. Both the Local Authority and the school find the content of the questionnaire acceptable; it has been customised to suit our local setting. Each questionnaire is anonymous and confidential, and no pupil will be identified when the data is returned to your school. The Local Authority will receive only the summary of all schools in which individual schools are not identified. Data Protection concerns are covered in the Privacy Notice for pupils, which can be found on the reverse of this sheet. I hope you will agree with us that this is an exercise in which we wish to co-operate fully. I will assume you do approve unless I hear otherwise and I look forward to working with you in planning improved health promotion for our pupils. We hold a copy of the questionnaire in the school office, and if you would like to examine it, you are welcome to do so by appointment. The survey will probably be carried out within the next month. Yours sincerely Collette Hunnisett, Headteacher
