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Churchill Academy & Sixth Form

Academy News

Page 8

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  • The Academy Chess Teams Achieve Top Ten Finish at National Chess Tournament 2025!

    Published 30/01/25

    On Monday, the Academy took three chess teams to Bristol Grammar School to compete in the highly competitive National Chess Tournament featuring 38 teams from across the Southwest. This event provided a fantastic opportunity for several players to make their tournament debut for the Academy, gaining valuable experience in a high-level setting.

    Despite facing tough competition, our A and B teams secured impressive top-ten finishes, showcasing their strategic skills. The squad, consisting of Gigi, Tom, Bryn, Adam, Isaac, Edward, Riley, Henry, Leo, Jaden, Dennis, and Freddie, displayed maturity and an excellent understanding of the game.

    Throughout the tournament, all players listened carefully to the advice of more experienced teammates and demonstrated remarkable improvement in their gameplay. Their dedication and teamwork contributed to the Academy's strong overall performance.

    A huge well done to all the players for their efforts and achievements!

    For those interested in honing their chess skills, our Chess Club continues every Tuesday at lunchtime in W6 under the guidance of Mr. Skeen. Players of all abilities are welcome to join.

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  • Year 13 Spanish Students Triumph in Debate at Clifton College

    Published 30/01/25

    Our Year 13 Spanish students had an enriching and rewarding experience this week at Clifton College, where they participated in the Spanish Modern Foreign Language debate. Competing against other students, they tackled the thought-provoking topic of the role of women in Hispanic society.

    The debate saw many schools, both public and private, from across the region come together in a bid to take the number one spot. 

    Through teamwork, research and knowledge, the students successfully persuaded the judges, ultimately winning the debate. This achievement not only showcased their linguistic skills but also highlighted their ability to engage critically with cultural and social issues.

    Beyond the competition, the event provided a valuable opportunity for students to practice their Spanish in an immersive setting, engaging with both peers and native speakers. It was a memorable experience that strengthened their confidence and fluency, reinforcing the importance of language learning beyond the classroom.

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  • Young Musician of the Year 2025 Final

    Published 29/01/25

    The Young Musician of the Year final was yet another spectacular evening, showcasing the incredible talent of soloists from the Academy. Held at St John's Church, the competition was fierce as students vied for the prestigious Churchill Music Prize.

    This year’s top prize was awarded to Freddie, Year 12, for his stunning performance on the euphonium. He impressed the judges with Alexander Goedicke’s Concert Etude and Hoagy Carmichael’s Stardust, demonstrating both technical mastery and expressive musicianship.

    The audience prize went to Toby, Year 13, whose rendition of a movement from a Haydn violin concerto captivated listeners. Meanwhile, the Junior Prize was claimed by Molly, Year 9, on violin, a young musician showing immense promise, fresh from her role in We Will Rock You!

    All our students exhibited remarkable skill, courage, and determination, making it a truly memorable competition. A big thank you to Churchill Music for their continued support in fostering young talent.

    We look forward to seeing what next year’s competition will bring!

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  • Dance Star of the Week: Hadley!

    Published 24/01/25

    Hadley has been a dedicated member of her class, consistently working to produce creative choreographies. 

    Along with her fantastic work ethic, Hadley always shows great support for her peers to ensure everybody reaches their full potential. 

    Well done Hadley on a fantastic start to Dance in Year 8!

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  • Academy Sports Rundown: 24th January 2025

    Published 23/01/25

    The start of term has been quieter for sports, but Team PE and our sports stars have entered week three with a bang! Here’s how they got on: 

    Year 7 and 8 compete at the Indoor Athletic Semi-Finals 

    The Academy Indoor Athletics team had a great time at the semi-finals last week. Sadly, the team just missed out on getting through to the finals, but we couldn't be more proud of their performance. Well done to all of the students. 

    Year 7 and 8 face Sidcot in a hockey match 

    The Year 7 hockey team had their first-ever Academy game this week, securing their first-ever win. The team played an excellent game against Sidcot to ensure a 9-0 victory. Ewan was named Player of the Match for his skills! 

    Our Year 8 team also took the victory from Sidcot with an 8-1 final score in their first game of the season. It was a fantastic game of hockey to watch! 

    Year 11 march on to the Rugby County Cup Final

    Congratulations to our Year 11 rugby team, who overcame Gordano after a fantastic second-half performance at Winscombe RFC on Tuesday. The scores were locked at 19-19, and three tries apiece going into halftime, with Gordano having the better possession and territory.

    The boys came out fired up after the break, raising the tempo from the kickoff. Their increased intensity and commitment to the breakdown gave them the necessary possession and momentum to take the game to Gordano. 

    Two quickfire tries left Gordano on the back foot, and whilst they continued to put up a fight, the Academy had the breathing space they needed. The boys then settled into their groove, and started to play expansive, 'heads up' rugby, scoring some excellent team tries. They had pulled away to an impressive 59-24 victory by the final whistle.

    The game was played in an excellent, competitive spirit throughout, with great support from parents on the sidelines. 

    We now wait to find out our opponents and venue for the final. Well done to the whole squad on a real team effort!

    Year 10 go up against Sidcot in Netball 

    Year 10 played a closely contended match against Sidcot on Wednesday. The first quarter ended with a 1-1 score, with both teams having equal chances throughout the match. The following two quarters were end to end with no teams scoring, Sidcot managed to pull away in the final quarter to win 3-1.  

    It was an incredible game to watch and the team worked hard in the cold conditions. Well done to Nino who was voted ‘Girl of the Game’ by Sidcot! 

    Under 13’s Cricket boys qualify for the playoffs in the Somerset County Cup 

    Students in Year 7 and 8 visited Priory School this week to compete in the qualifying round of the indoor cricket Somerset County Cup. Taking on Priory and Hans Price Academy the boys won both games, securing us a spot in the playoffs. 

    The team played excellent games of cricket, getting the most wickets and runs out of all the schools in the competition. Well done boys!  

    Year 9 Football brought home a massive 5-3 victory over Haygrove School

    Last week, the Year 9 boys football team travelled to Haygrove School for a cup game, the boys made a strong start scoring three goals in the first half. Haygrove began a comeback in the second half, with the support of a loud home crowd, however the Academy boys were able to stay ahead and bring home a 5-3 victory! 

    Archie was voted player of the match for his incredible Captains performance, scoring 4 of the 5 goals in the game.  The team now moves on to the Quarter Finals!


     

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  • The Final Curtain: We Will Rock You was a standout show…

    Published 23/01/25

    ‘What an amazing experience.  I have loved every minute’

    ‘I am going to miss this so much! What am I going to do on Wednesday and Thursday now?’

    These words from the WWRY cast say it all. They were never shy of hard work and had the best time doing it. Every student was a real pleasure to work with and so dedicated to making this a fantastic show and they most certainly pulled it off.  

    We have seen so much talent over the past four performances. It is easy to forget that these students are only 11-14 years old given the skill and effort they put into this production. It would be so easy to mention individuals on their stunning performances but there are just too many, we’d be here all day. However, this was never about the individual, this was always about the team. Every member of the cast, the technical teams and the production teams were a vital part of a very well-oiled machine.  

    This is one of our favourite projects in Performing Arts,  providing the opportunity for our Senior students to lead from the front. The musical has given the younger students mentors and peers that they can look up to here at the Academy.

    Our team, Ash, Betty and James led as the Directors and did so with patience, dedication and kindness. Supported by Ceci and Ben, who I am sure will feature in the return of the KS3 Musical in two years. 

    Bela organised the choreography and was supported by guest choreographers from Year 9 upwards - the choreography team brought all those students together, allowing them the freedom to express themselves.  

    Adam produced the show with Gemma, and they were a joy to work with. Their organisation and spreadsheets enabled us to move forward efficiently and effectively. 

    Then we had Lily, our Musical Director, who just showed how talented she was and was supported brilliantly by our pit band.  

    I would also like to thank the staff at the Academy for being so supportive, and the parents who have provided a wonderful taxi service for all the rehearsals attended!

    Although WWRY may have finished, we have so much to look forward to in the world of Churchill Performing Arts.  All students were sent an email last week inviting them to be part of our annual musical theatre competition, M Stars with alumni judges, trophies and prizes. Auditions begin the week commencing 3rd February 2025, with the competition on the 27th March 2025. 

    We also have the Festival of Dance at the Weston Playhouse on Wednesday 5th March, Dance Live in High Wycombe on Friday 14th March and the Spring Concert at Churchill Academy on Thursday 3rd April. A very exciting few months! 

    We also have ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ at the Playhouse in 2026. We really appreciate the support already shown for this project, as money raised from WWRY has gone towards this whole school production. 

    We have so much to look forward to and in the words of Freddie Mercury, ‘I like to be surrounded by splendid things’ and we most certainly will be over the next year.

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  • ‘& Juliet’: Students Experience High-Energy Musical in Bristol

    Published 23/01/25

    On Tuesday, fifty-three enthusiastic students from Years 9 to 13 embarked on an exciting extracurricular trip to the Bristol Hippodrome to witness a captivating performance of "& Juliet."

    The show is a highly energetic, vibrant and hilarious musical that boldly reimagines Shakespeare's classic tragedy, exploring what might have transpired if Juliet had chosen a different path than the tragic one we all know.

    The musical is a jukebox of pop anthems, which had students and staff fully engaged and singing along to Britney Spears …Baby One More Time, Katy Perry’s Roar and chart toppers Since U Been Gone, It’s My Life, I Want It That Way, and Can’t Stop the Feeling! — all from Max Martin.

    It was a pleasure to put on this extracurricular activity for students and see them leave the theatre full of energy, inspired and with a renewed appreciation for the power of storytelling. 

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  • Year 10 Students Impress with their Scotch Eggs

    Published 23/01/25

    Year 10 students showcased their culinary skills in a scotch egg practical assessment, making their own mincemeat, shaping, breadcrumbing, and presenting their creations.

    The activity focused on key techniques like seasoning, binding, and presentation, with students impressing teachers with their creativity and precision.

    The assessment highlighted the students' progress, leaving teachers excited for their next creation!

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  • Academy hosts first Regional LSP Vocabulary Competition Final ​​​​​​​

    Published 23/01/25

    On Tuesday, the Academy hosted the first regional Lighthouse Schools Partnership Vocabulary Competition final, an exciting event designed to test the word knowledge of our students to the max, with three winning prizes up for grabs.

    With fifteen students from the Academy, Gordano and Chew Valley School, the students gathered ready to be tested on words such as ‘conjecture’, ‘carburettor’, ‘implacable’ and ‘incongruous’, having to identify the definitions and opposing meanings (antonyms) of each word at lightning speeds. 

    Ailidh put in a very respectable performance representing the Academy, securing 7th place in the competition final. Kate and Edward also represented the Academy and performed very well. 

    A huge congratulations to Gordano School who managed to secure two of the three winning spots with their students Alex (1st) and Bethan (3rd) and Jacoby from Chew Valley School taking 2nd place. 

    It was a truly inspiring event and fantastic to see so many students interested in the power of words! 

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  • Apprenticeship Twilight Talk – Tuesday 4th February 2025

    Published 22/01/25

    Families of students in Years 10 to 13 are invited to an Apprenticeship Twilight Talk online via Microsoft Teams from 6–7pm on Tuesday 4th February. 

    This event is designed to help students and families understand apprenticeships as a Post-16 or Post-18 option ahead of National Apprenticeship Week (w/c 10th February).

    The session will provide an introduction to apprenticeships, including:

    • What apprenticeships are and how they work.

    • Guidance on securing an apprenticeship, which is not a course but a job that requires applying for vacancies and navigating a recruitment process.

    The talk will be led by Suzie McGonigal, Careers Adviser, with a guest presentation by Emma Cox, Chair of the West Midlands Apprenticeship Ambassador Network and UK Talent Lead – Early Careers at Müller.

    How to Join: 

    No registration is required. Simply follow the Microsoft Teams link below at 6pm on the day to join the session.

    Join here: Click here to join the MS Teams meeting  

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  • Former student, Beth Linham, speaks with students about her path to Philosophy excellence

    Published 17/01/25

    Beth Linham, a former Academy student, recently shared her Philosophy research journey, captivating students with discussions on near-death experiences, delusions, and the intriguing themes she’s exploring in her studies. The session was highly engaging, sparking plenty of questions and curiosity.

    Beth's academic journey has been nothing short of inspiring. She began her studies at the University of Bristol (2020-2023), where she pursued Philosophy and Theology.  Beth showcased her expertise during her final year by presenting her dissertation at Bristol’s prestigious Humanities Conference.

    Building on her undergraduate success, Beth completed her Master’s degree at the University of Exeter in October 2024, focusing on mental health and psychopathology. Her passion and dedication were further recognised in September 2024 when she was offered an unconditional place for PhD study at Exeter on a fully-funded PhD scholarship.

    We are excited to follow Beth’s next steps as she continues her groundbreaking research into delusions. Thank you for visiting us and speaking with our students. 

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  • Year 11 Through to the County Cup Semi-Final!

    Published 17/01/25

    The Year 11 boys travelled to Ralph Allen School in Bath this week for their County Cup match and came away with a hard-earned victory.

    Holding a narrow 20-17 lead as half-time approached, the Academy produced a moment of magic to shift the momentum in their favour. Breaking from deep inside their own half, the team moved the ball through the hands and scored under the posts. The try was successfully converted, extending their lead to 27-17 and providing a crucial boost just before the break.

    In the second half, the Academy turned up the intensity. They pulled clear of their opponents, adding an impressive five more tries to the scoreboard. At the final whistle, the boys had secured an emphatic 56-17 victory.

    The team now awaits news of their semi-final opponents. With their current form and determination, we know they can be a match for anyone when playing at their best.

    Stay tuned for updates as the team continues their County Cup journey!

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