HWA Blog - 17.7.26

I cannot quite believe that we have reached the end of another school term. The summer term has flown by and, as I reflect on all that has taken place across Hollinwood Academy, I feel proud of all we have achieved together.

It has been a busy and successful term. Alongside SATs and GCSE examinations, our children and young people have enjoyed a wealth of opportunities beyond the classroom, including residential visits, reward trips, geography fieldwork, virtual reality experiences, competitions, careers events, transition mornings and student council meetings. We have also celebrated important milestones, including the Year 11 Prom, Year 6 Leavers' Assembly and Early Years Foundation Stage Graduation Ceremony.

At the heart of everything we do is high-quality teaching and learning. Every day, our staff work tirelessly to ensure that every child and young person receives the support, education and opportunities they need to succeed. The achievements of our children and young people reflect their dedication, care and expertise.

We have taken time to recognise our fabulous staff through initiatives such as our thank-you breakfast and coffee van visits. While small gestures, they reflect the immense appreciation we have for the commitment and professionalism shown by Team Hollinwood Academy every day.

As I have mentioned previously, this term has also brought great sadness following the loss of our much-loved Key Stage 2 teacher, Holly Mathews. Holly touched the lives of so many children, families and colleagues, and her passion for education and unwavering commitment to making a difference will never be forgotten. Throughout this difficult time, I have been proud of the compassion and support shown across our school community.

As we look ahead to September, we are excited to welcome new children, young people and families and to build on the many successes of this year.

I would like to thank Team Hollinwood Academy. Your passion, professionalism and dedication make a huge difference to the lives of our children and young people every day. I feel privileged to work alongside such a caring and committed team.

I hope everyone enjoys a well-earned summer break, taking time to rest, recharge and spend time with family and friends.

Sharing the highlights of this week…

National recognition for our number hero.

We are delighted to celebrate the success of Winter, who has been named a runner-up in National Numeracy's Number Heroes Competition. This is a fantastic

achievement and a wonderful recognition of Winter's enthusiasm for maths and the many ways numeracy is used in everyday life.

The judges particularly enjoyed Winter's creative entry, including the explanation of how numbers are used when operating a television remote control. Winter's thoughtful response demonstrated a great understanding of how maths helps us navigate daily routines and make sense of the world around us.

As a result of this achievement, Winter has been awarded a certificate and a £20 voucher. We are extremely proud of Winter for representing Hollinwood Academy so positively and would like to congratulate her on this well-deserved success. Well done, Winter you are certainly one of our Number Heroes.

DofE residential

This week marked our final Duke of Edinburgh's Award residential of the year. Our Year 11 students headed to the hills of Derbyshire, embracing a true outdoor adventure with camping under canvas and breakfast on the lawn in the morning.

Throughout the residential, students demonstrated resilience, determination, and teamwork as they faced new challenges and persevered to complete their expedition. Their strength of character and positive attitude shone through every step of the journey, earning them their Silver Duke of Edinburgh's Award.

We are proud of all what they have achieved and the way they represented our school. Congratulations to every student who took part you have earned this success.

A special thank you also goes to the dedicated staff who supported and encouraged the students throughout the residential.

Well done, troops.

Head teacher award

It is always a privilege to present the Head Teacher Awards to children and young people across school who work hard to achieve their personal best throughout the term. All children and young people have shown outstanding dedication, resilience, and a positive attitude towards learning, embracing every challenge with determination and enthusiasm. Their hard work, commitment, and willingness to support others have made them an excellent role model within our school community. I am proud of all they have accomplished and look forward to seeing their continued success in the future. Congratulations on this well-deserved achievement.

Headteacher's Award

Excellence visits from mainstream school and LA quality and assurance Visit.

On Monday, we were delighted to welcome visitors from local mainstream schools in the morning, followed by colleagues from the Local Authority for a quality assurance visit in the afternoon.

During the morning session, we provided our mainstream colleagues with a tour of Hollinwood Academy and hosted a question-and-answer session to support them in the development of inclusion hubs within their own schools. Discussions focused on a range of areas, including how we support children and young people with autism, our curriculum offer, and the strategic planning required to establish and sustain effective specialist provision within a mainstream setting.

Our visitors were particularly interested in the way we tailor learning experiences to meet individual needs, promote independence and ensure that every child and young person is able to thrive both academically and socially. The visit provided an excellent opportunity to share best practice, celebrate inclusive education and strengthen partnerships across our local educational community.

The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive. Visitors commented on the calm and purposeful atmosphere across the academy, the quality of interactions between staff and children, and the high standards evident throughout our provision. They were blown away by what they saw and experienced, and it was wonderful to showcase the exceptional work that takes place at Hollinwood Academy every day.

In the afternoon, we welcomed colleagues from the Local Authority as part of a quality assurance visit. During their time with us, we showcased our pathways and provided an insight into the diverse learning environments we have created to ensure every child and young person receives the most appropriate, personalised and effective provision.

The team had the opportunity to see first-hand how our curriculum, therapeutic approaches and specialist support work together to meet the varying needs of our children and young people. They also explored the many ways in which we promote communication, independence, wellbeing and positive outcomes for all.

This was another highly successful visit, and we were proud of the feedback received. The team spoke very positively about our provision, recognising the significant strengths across the school and the dedication of our staff in ensuring that every child and young person is supported to achieve their full potential. Visits such as these not only celebrate the successes of Hollinwood Academy but also reinforce our commitment to continually developing and sharing outstanding practice in SEND education.

Writing competition.

We are delighted to celebrate a fantastic achievement in our Trust-wide writing competition. Children and young people from schools across the MAT were invited to submit a piece of writing that expressed who they are, and the standard of entries was exceptionally high.

We are incredibly proud of Beaux and Toby in Year 6, who both chose to submit autobiographies showcasing their individuality, experiences, and talents. We are thrilled to share that Beaux was awarded first place, while Toby received a Highly Commended award for his excellent entry.

This is a remarkable accomplishment for both children and a testament to their creativity, effort, and writing ability. Representing our school so successfully in a competition involving schools from across the Trust is something they should be immensely proud of.

Congratulations, Beaux and Toby – this is brilliant news and a wonderful achievement to celebrate as we head into the weekend.

Beux

And not to forget our fabulous EYFS graduation and our year 6 leavers assembly.

This week marked a very special milestone as our EYFS Graduation took place. We are incredibly proud of all our youngest learners and the excellent progress they have made throughout the year. From developing their confidence and independence to taking on new challenges with enthusiasm, they have grown so much and are now ready for the next exciting stage of their learning journey. It was wonderful to celebrate their achievements with families and staff, and we know they will continue to shine as they move into Year 1.

EYFS Graduation

We would also like to say a huge well done to our wonderful Year 6 children, who delivered an amazing assembly this week. They spoke with such confidence, maturity and pride, showcasing the many memories and achievements from their time at Hollinwood Academy. Their bravery, resilience and positive attitudes have been an inspiration to us all. As they prepare to begin the next chapter of their education, we know they have a bright future ahead of them and cannot wait to see them flourish throughout their school careers.

Year 6 leavers assembly

Well done, EYFS and Year 6, you have made us all incredibly proud

Let’s see what has been happening in the classroom.

In Miss Hobson’s class….

Celebrating a Fantastic twelve Months with 10NHN

As we reach the end of another successful school year, it is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the incredible achievements, resilience, and growth shown by our students over the past six months.

Many students have worked exceptionally hard in preparation for and completion of their GCSE English and Maths examinations, demonstrating determination and perseverance throughout. Alongside their academic studies, students have continued to shine across a wide range of subjects and activities. They have created masterpieces in Art, impressed us with their cooking skills, showcased their talents in Computing and Photography, and wowed us with their confidence and ability in spoken Spanish.

Students have also developed valuable independent living skills through Outdoor Education, including shopping and using public transport. Their talents were further on display at the Summer Festival, where they entertained the whole school through music and performance. Throughout the year, they have continued to gain vital knowledge and skills in Leadership, Employability, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE), and through their EHCP targets and personal development programmes.

Individual Highlights

· Alfie successfully completed his GCSE English and Maths exams and enjoyed memorable experiences on the Berlin trip and a visit to Wembley to watch Rochdale.

· Charlie completed his GCSE English and Maths exams and became well known for his impressive Kahoot skills.

· Victoria completed her GCSE English and Maths exams and continued to impress everyone as an outstanding bass player in the school band.

· Daniel completed his GCSE English and Maths exams and demonstrated remarkable commitment by teaching himself the guitar over the summer holidays to prepare for Music GCSE.

· Oliver completed his GCSE English and Maths exams while pursuing his passion for darts through competitions outside of school.

· Sam completed his Maths GCSE and represented the school in a chess tournament, as well as enjoying the Berlin trip.

· Sofia completed her Maths GCSE and played a major role in the school choir, including participation in Young Voices.

· Zachary completed his GCSE English and Maths exams and continued to contribute to the school football team.

· Trey completed his Maths GCSE and represented the school in a chess tournament.

· Thomas engaged positively with Positive Steps, helping him explore an alternative pathway while continuing his core GCSE studies.

· Summer has consistently impressed staff and peers with her excellent cooking skills.

We are incredibly proud of everything our students have achieved this year. Their hard work, resilience, creativity, and determination have been inspiring to see. We look forward to celebrating even more successes in the year ahead and wish everyone a well-deserved summer break.

10NHN

In Mrs Boylan’s class…..

A Wonderful Year in Explore

As another school year comes to an end, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what has been an incredible year in Y5/6 Explore. It has been a privilege to watch every child grow in confidence, develop new skills and achieve milestones that deserve to be celebrated. Every achievement, no matter how big or small, has been hard earned, and we couldn’t be prouder of our amazing class.

Throughout the year, our learning has taken us on so many exciting adventures. In English, we have developed our communication, reading and writing through engaging stories and Talk for Writing. In maths, we have built confidence with number, problem-solving and practical learning. We have explored the world around us through science, history and geography, enjoyed expressing ourselves through art and music, and developed important life skills through PSHE, PE and outdoor learning. Every lesson has been filled with curiosity, teamwork and plenty of opportunities to learn through hands-on experiences.

This final week has been a wonderful mix of celebrating progress and making lasting memories. Our pupils have completed their end-of-year assessments, giving everyone the chance to reflect on just how much they have learned and achieved since September. It has been fantastic to see the confidence and resilience they have developed over the year.

Of course, the week hasn’t been all about assessments! We’ve made the most of the beautiful summer weather by taking our learning and play outdoors. From water games and outdoor activities to spending time together in the sunshine, there has been no shortage of smiles – because these moments are just as important, helping our children build friendships, confidence and unforgettable memories.

We have also enjoyed the excitement of our Summer Fair, where our school community came together to celebrate another successful year.

One of the most special moments has been celebrating our fantastic Year 6 pupils at their Leavers’ Assembly. We are incredibly proud of everything they have achieved and wish them every success as they move on to secondary school. They leave with so much to be proud of.

As we say goodbye to another successful year, we would like to thank all of our families for their continued support. Working together has helped every child thrive, and it has been a joy to be part of their journey.

We hope you all have a wonderful, restful summer holiday. We look forward to welcoming our pupils back in September, ready for another year of learning, laughter and new adventures.

RBN

Now to our amazing SUPER STARs and HWA We are We trust each other STARs

Miss Parrinello’s STAR of the week is the whole class for being amazing every day.

Mrs Bailey’s HWA We trust each other goes to the whole class, they are all super stars.

Mrs Lerigo’s and Mrs Sutcliffe's STAR of the Week is all children in EYFS you have been fantastic all year round. Well done.

Miss Boothroyd’s STAR of the Week goes to my whole class, for being such amazing individuals throughout the year.

Mrs McDonalds’ and Mrs Bramley’s STAR of the Week is everyone, you are brilliant.

Miss Silcott-Boyd’s STAR of the Week is the whole class for their hard work in the year 6 assembly. Goodbye and good luck for year 7

Miss Pietraszewska’ s STAR of the Week goes to all children for working hard to overcome challenges, showing determination, and making wonderful progress towards your personal targets. Well done

Mr Corrigan’s STAR of the Week is Teddy B for a positive attitude to his work this week.

Mr Corrigan’s congratulates Teddy Ba for coping really well with change this week.

Miss Hulme’s STAR of the Week is the whole class for having such a wonderful year

Miss Donbavand’s STAR of the Week goes to the whole class, goodbye and good luck for year 7.

Miss Oakley’s STAR of the Week is all children; they have been amazing this week -well done

STARS of the Week (17.7.26)

Well done to everyone.

Look out for our Summer Newsletter, packed with highlights, achievements and memorable moments from what has been another fantastic summer term at Hollinwood Academy.

Have a wonderful weekend, stay safe in the warm weather and remember to keep hydrated.

Miss Gordon