Dear Parent/Carer,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as Head of School at Jesmond Park Academy since Steve Campbell has moved to his new role as Executive Headteacher across two of the MAT schools.

It feels rather odd introducing myself as this is my twentieth year at Jesmond Park Academy so I know the school, staff and students really well. Many of you will already know me. Just to share a little of my background with you, I joined JPA (then Heaton Manor) in 2004 after working in two County Durham schools, initially as Director of Sport, followed by roles in the senior team as Assistant Headteacher and Deputy Principal. My reason for taking this role is not for me but for the school. The school is an integral part of my life, not just as a job, I live in the local community, my friends children attend here, my own children attend here and I have a genuine love of the school. I am absolutely committed to ensuring that the school continues to serve our children and community well.

Year 11 and 13

This half term has seen the start of the summer examinations for our Year 11 and Year 13 students. The vast majority of students are presenting as confident and as relaxed as they can be which is testament to the support that they have received from you. Thank you.

The examination and lesson warm up timetable is being used to support our Year 11 through this period. A reminder that a copy of this was shared via the school website and your child will have their own copy.  This is central to ensuring students receive the best possible support over the coming weeks.  It is our belief that all students, regardless of their work ethic or ability, benefit from regular contact with teachers who are experts in their subjects and the examination process.  As a result, all students will remain in lessons, examinations, and support sessions until 16^th June.  At that point, they will start study leave and only attend for lessons they have yet to sit an exam in, exam warms ups and the examinations. The movement towards study leave is a phased one and one that works very well.

Where the schedule indicates, “normal lessons” these are the lessons that still have examinations up and coming, where teachers are working to prepare them for the examinations. This is essential in making sure that all students are fully prepared. We believe that for later exams, students should continue to receive tuition and preparation for these exams through contact with their class teachers and that unlike some schools, we will not allow a disconnection between students and teachers to happen.

To give students a balance of independent study time in school, as soon as a subject’s examinations have been completed (greyed out), these lessons in school become independent guided study lessons allowing the students to study any material of their choosing.

There is light at the end of the tunnel for our Year 11 students with their final Leavers’ Assembly on Thursday 19^th June and their Leavers’ Prom on Friday 20^th June. Full uniform is required for the Leaving Assembly, so please do not discard or donate this until after this event.  Further information in relation to both of these events will be disseminated in due course.

There is no study leave for Year 13 students and students are still expected to attend their lessons during their exam season. We constantly remind them that teachers are their most valuable resource and we expect students to do everything they can to prepare for their exams.  Thank you to all parents for your support in this.

Year 13 students are looking forward to their Leavers’ Assembly on Thursday 26^th June, where they will have a final get together in school with their friends and school staff. It is always a lovely event. Then their final hurrah to Jesmond Park Academy will be their Leavers’ Ball which will be a wonderful celebration of friendship and their time in Sixth Form.

Pre-owned uniform

As per last year, we intend holding a pre-owned uniform event during the final week of term. As we move towards that date, we will be asking for any donations of uniform that you may not need for the following year. It may also be worth holding off the purchase of new uniform until after this event as we might just have exactly what you need, thus helping both the environment and your finances.

Extracurricular

During the Easter holiday, a group of 71 students embarked on an unforgettable school ski trip to Alpe d’Huez, a renowned ski resort nestled in the French Alps. Throughout the trip, students enjoyed a dynamic mix of skiing lessons, and après-ski activities. The resort presents a comprehensive ski area, boasting 249km of slopes, four snow-parks, a half-pipe, boardercross, and 50km of cross-country trails. It caters to all skill levels, from gentle green runs perfect for beginners and super-long blues designed for intermediates, to challenging black runs on the glacier, including the 16km Sarenne, the world's longest black run.  Evenings were filled with lively social events that helped strengthen friendships and create lasting memories. The trip was not only a fantastic opportunity for physical activity and adventure but also a valuable experience in teamwork, independence, and cultural exchange.

Planning is underway for next year’s trip so please keep an eye out if your child is currently in Year 9 and would be interested in this opportunity.

Outside of the classroom, our extracurricular programme continues to give great opportunities to our students. In sport this half term, the Year 8 football team have won the County Cup, our U13 and U15 girls have taken part in cricket competitions, our Junior NBA team has got to the regional final. A particularly pleasing project that Mrs Hayles has been overseeing is our, “Active girls” programme where students have set up and run additional sporting opportunities for their peers. So far they have established a just dance club, basketball club and a volleyball club, this is a fantastic example of some student leadership in the school which is always great to see. This will culminate in a Girls Active sport inspiration day hosted at JPA this year.

The JPA debating team has been in fine form recently beating Dame Allan and Newcastle School for Boys to claim a place in the final on the 16^th of June. This will be an all Gosforth Group debate as Callerton Academy join us in the final.  

Some of our year 12 students have had a fantastic opportunity to have a taste of the world of work, with a visit to the Nissan manufacturing plant and taking part in the Dyson Engineering Box, both of which have given the Y12 A level design students two amazing experiences.

Young Carers

The school’s work supporting young carers has been recognised by being awarded a Carer Friendly Community Award from Newcastle Carers.

This award is presented by Newcastle Carers to recognise businesses and organisations across the city that go the extra mile to support unpaid carers looking after someone in Newcastle due to illness, disability, mental health issues, or addiction.

"Jesmond Park Academy, always go above and beyond for young carers. Helen Donnelly is fantastic; she always ensures the drop-in is a priority, organises the young people for the day, and encourages other staff members to speak to me about potential young carers within the school.” 

Safeguarding update - Child on Child Abuse

It is important to recognise that abuse isn’t always perpetrated by adults; children can abuse other children too. This is referred to as child-on-child abuse and can include:

• Bullying (including online/cyberbullying)
• Sexual violence and sexual harassment (including online)
• Physical abuse (such as hitting, kicking, shaking, biting etc.)
• ‘Sexting’ (also known as ‘youth produced/involved sexual imagery’ or sharing ‘nude or semi-nude’ imagery)
• Initiations, hazing type violence and social rituals

You can be assured that Jesmond Park Academy will not tolerate any form of child on child abuse. This behaviour will never be normalised and will always be challenged. Issues such as these are addressed through our pastoral programme and within curriculum areas such as Citizenship (KS3) and Personal Development (KS4).  The pastoral programme and our curriculum equips students with the knowledge and understanding of what is right and wrong, how to keep themselves safe and how to report incidents.  Our staff have been trained to a high standard by providers such as the NSPCC, to identify these types of behaviours and to support students who are the victim of these behaviours.

If you believe your child to be a victim of child on child abuse, please contact the school and ask to speak to Mr Aitken who is the Designated Safeguarding Lead in school or one of the pastoral members of staff.

After a report is made, the safeguarding leads will inform you of the next part of the process so that you can make the decision that is right for you and your child. This may include the school sanctioning students for inappropriate behaviour and working with local safeguarding partners to support students within school.  Child on child abuse incidents are very rare in school due to our robust systems and procedures, however, it is important that we signpost parents to where they can find support if they need it.

Art exhibition

Finally, can I please draw your attention to an upcoming event at Jesmond Park Academy. On Thursday 6^th June, we are holding our annual Art Exhibition. This showcases the GCSE and A Level art students’ work which is amazing to see.

I hope you and your family enjoy the half term break, here’s hoping that the weather holds

Yours faithfully,

DAVE MERRIFIELD

HEAD OF SCHOOL

Tennis fixtures have been in full flow this week. Earlier in the week our Year 7/8 and Year 9/10 boys came up against NSB. There was some very competitive games and talented tennis players on show. Our boys delivered some very good performances. The Year 7/8 girls were also in action and took on Westfield. Well done to the girls, as they won 4-2 in games. The girls have now won 2 out of there 3 fixtures so far. Up next for our teams is RGS.

On Tuesday, the Year 10 debate team competed in the Semi-Final of the Newcastle Schools Debating Competition. They skillfully debated against the proposed motion that Police Officers should be able to stop and search whether grounds exist or not. The students performed exceptionally well against fierce competition from Newcastle School for Boys. They have now secured a place in the Final. We look forward to supporting them and are incredibly proud of their efforts so far!

We have advertised the work of the Voice & Influence Team to students in assembly and Form Time. The link to the PowerPoint below is what we showed our students and has been emailed to their school email account.

If students would simply like more information and receive regular newsletters then they can click on the link below and fill in the Microsoft Form:

Link to newsletter sign up form - https://forms.office.com/e/mLUkb3QFPt 

If students would like to go to the Young Inspectors information day - details are on the NEW Young Inspector information sheet - they simply scan the QR code. This will take students to a Microsoft Form to fill in. Obviously, students need their parent/carer permission.

Good luck to any students wishing to take part!

Design and Technology: Year 12 Students Visit Nissan Plant – A Valuable Insight into Industry and Innovation

Earlier this term, Year 12 students studying A Level Product Design in Design and Technology had the exciting opportunity to visit the Nissan manufacturing plant in Sunderland. The trip offered an invaluable glimpse into one of the most advanced automotive production facilities in the UK, providing students with real-world insight into how design, engineering, and manufacturing come together on a large scale.

During the visit, students were taken on a guided tour of the production line, where they observed the various stages of car manufacturing – from the initial body panel pressing and robotic welding, to final assembly and quality control. It was a fascinating experience to see how automation, precision, and teamwork are all essential to ensuring high standards of production.

The trip not only helped students understand how the concepts they study in the classroom are applied in a real-world setting, but also highlighted the wide range of careers available in the design and manufacturing industries. From industrial design and CAD modelling to materials engineering and quality assurance, the visit opened students’ eyes to potential future career paths and the dynamic nature of the design and technology sector.

Educational visits like this are a vital part of learning. They bridge the gap between theory and practice, inspire future ambitions, and demonstrate the relevance of classroom knowledge in real-world contexts. For our Year 12 students, the Nissan plant visit was a truly memorable and valuable experience.

On Wednesday our Y7/8 Girls and Boys tennis teams took on Ponteland High School. The girls won 4-2 in games, whereas the boys narrowly lost 7-3 in a tie break decider after drawing the match 3-3 in games. Well done to both teams, who played some very competitive games. Next up the Girls play Westfield and the Boys are up against NSB. The tennis season is well underway!