News, Press and PR

The Bourne Academy is delighted and immensely proud to announce that it has been graded as ‘GOOD’ in the latest Ofsted Inspection at the end of November.

During a recent two-day inspection, by four Ofsted Inspectors, The Bourne Academy welcomed the chance to showcase the hard work and dedication of its staff, students, parents and local community.  The Bourne Academy was the first secondary school in Bournemouth to be inspected under the new rigorous Ofsted framework.

 

The Academy is extremely pleased with the outcome of the inspection and all the excellent feedback both on the day and in the final report.  Snippets from the report follow:

• The Bourne Academy is a welcoming and inclusive school.  Pupils and staff are proud to be members of the school community.  The views of many pupils are reflected in the comment, ‘The school helps me to be the best version of myself.’

 

• The school is a calm, yet vibrant, place to learn.  Pupils are respectful, friendly and polite.

 

• Staff model respectful behaviours, and pupils respond positively.

 

• Leaders’ ambition for pupils to ‘aspire’ runs deeply throughout the school.  It is reflected in the design of the curriculum and pupils’ subject choices.

 

• Leaders and staff have high expectations of pupils’ behaviour.  Pupils can therefore learn without disruption.  Pupils say that staff are fair when applying the school’s behaviour policy.  When pupils’ conduct falls below expectations, staff take effective action.  Pupils behave well during social times and are considerate of each other.  They respond well to staff instructions.

 

• Sixth-form lessons have many strengths.  Teachers have good subject expertise.  Students are scholarly and ask and answer complex questions in class.  Sixth-form leaders and staff know students well.  Staff carefully track students’ attendance, wellbeing and progress.  The careers lead provides effective guidance for students’ futures.  Staff value all pathways equally and celebrate their students’ successes.

 

• Governors are proud of the strong link with the sponsor school.  The impact is evident in the ambitious pupil exchange programme.

 

• School leaders have created a strong culture of safeguarding.  The safeguarding team is well trained, skilled and organised.  Staff use the school’s safeguarding procedures well.

The full report can be viewed on the Academy’s website and on the Ofsted website later this week.

 

Mark Avoth, Principal, commented: ‘We are all so proud of this result - we felt it was a rigorous inspection, carried out with great insight and professionalism.   I would like to offer my enormous congratulations to all staff, students and governors on this tremendous external validation of the inspirational work that goes on every day at The Bourne Academy.’

 

The Bourne Academy is delighted to announce that it’s Greenpower team, entered the Greenpower International Finals at Silverstone on 17 October. The Bourne Academy is ranked the 27^th best performing School internationally in the scratch built F24 competition.

The Academy took two cars to the finals, the F24 scratch built car called ‘Bourne Bobcat’ and ‘Bourne Boxer.’ This international final is the furthest the team has ever got in these national championships and a proud testament to the efforts of the team where Engineering is one of the Academy’s official specialisms.

The team had a fantastic day and came home with the special 20^th anniversary international ‘Best Mascot in the World’ Award, for ‘Derek’ the Bobcat. TED Technician Mark Binstead, who runs the Greenpower Club at the Academy, says ‘2019 has been an amazing year for The Bourne Academy's Greenpower Team with both the scratch-built "Bourne Bobcat" and kit-car "Bourne Boxer" making it to the 20th anniversary International Finals at Silverstone Motor Circuit. The students demonstrated an incredible team spirit and both cars put in record-breaking performances. Everyone had fantastic day which was topped off by "Derek the Bobcat" being crowned International Greenpower mascot of the year!’

This year marks the 20^th anniversary of the Greenpower Education Trust, a UK based charity inspiring young people to excel in STEM subjects and careers in engineering. The Bourne Academy entered its first Greenpower event in 2012 with the support of the Canford team, the Academy’s sponsor school. Canford School bought the first kit car, ‘Bourne Bullet’, for The Bourne Academy, kick-starting a fantastic opportunity for students.

Back in May, the team also came home with an award for the ‘Best Presented Team’!  Local company, Kingren Groundworks Limited, has proudly sponsored The Bourne Academy’s Greenpower team, enabling them to purchase branded safety helmets, gloves and racing/pit suits in Academy colours.

Taking part in Greenpower has been an excellent experience for the aspiring engineering students, who attend a Greenpower Club weekly to work on the Academy’s Greenpower car and help fund the works.

Not only has the recent success attracted further private donations from parents, but another local school has donated two additional chassis for the Academy to develop and use to expand the team.

The Bourne Academy, an all ability state-funded secondary Academy established by its sponsor Canford School in 2010, is delighted to announce another outstanding set of examination results, both in terms of grades and levels of progress achieved.

Mark Avoth, Principal, said “I am delighted to say that The Bourne Academy has, once again, achieved a positive Progress 8 score. Our English 9 to 4 grade results have exceeded 70% for the fifth year running.  Further congratulations should go to our Religious Studies students who achieved over 50% 9 to 7 grades. Well done everyone!’  

Specific Successes:

Congratulations to the following students:

• Haydn Meaden who achieved 4 grade 9’s and 5 grade 8’s
• Hayley Mann who achieved 2 grade 9’s, 2 grade 8’s, 1 Distinction* and 3 grade 7’s
• Sebastian Deka who achieved 1 grade 9’s, 6 grade 8’s, 1 A grade and 1 grade 7 and 2 grade 6’s
• James Simms Rodrigues who achieved 1 grade 9, 2 grade 8’s and 5 grade 7’s
• Darja Gromova who achieved 1 grade 9, 1 Distinction and 6 grade 7’s
• Toby Jordan who achieved 4 grade 8’s, 1 Distinction, 2 grade 7’s and 1 grade 6
• Sarah Lockhart who achieved 2 grade 8’s, 1 Distinction*, 5 grade 7’s and 1 grade 6
• Heidi Collingwood who achieved 1 grade 8’s, 1 Distinction*, 1 Distinction, 3 grade 7’s and 2 grade 6’s
• Samuel Bennett who achieved 1 Distinction, 4 grade 7’s and 2 grade 6’s

Apprenticeships

Congratulations to Jordan Granger-Smith who has been offered an apprenticeship with Cobham plc and Harry Hellenthal who has been offered a place at Westwind Engineering

For more information about The Bourne Academy, anyone is welcome to attend the Academy’s annual Open Evening on Wednesday 25 September 2019, 5.45pm-8.00pm, with the Principal’s address at 6.15pm and repeated at 7.15pm.   Alternatively, anyone may attend the specific 6th Form annual Open Evening on Wednesday 16 October 2019, 6.00-8.00pm.  Morning Tours are available in October.  Please enquire at the Academy for further details.

The Kingsleigh School class of 1999 met in July for a 20-year reunion. The Reunion took place at The Bourne Academy, formerly known as Kingsleigh School. The event was well attended by students and the group’s Head of Year, Mr Williams.

The group was taken on a tour of the site and while many areas of the old Kingsleigh School still stands, so much has changed over the last 20 years since they were students. The school, now an Academy has grown to make way for more than double the amount of students as in 1999.

The event was organised by current Academy teacher/Head of House, Affolake Lewis, who herself was a former student having left the school in 1999. She says, ‘Thank you to everyone who attended, it was so fantastic to see you all - great to catch up and share memories’.

The Academy Alumni Association was launched in 2015, and welcomes former students who attended the school, whether it was East Howe, Kingsleigh, Kings High School or The Bourne Academy when they attended.

‘I am so pleased with the event and would love to hold more reunions. If there are any students out there from the class of 2000 please get in touch so that we can organise another event for next year!’ asks Gemma Holden, Alumni Coordinator.  ‘We would love to hear from any/all former students and hope to organise reunions and alumni events to ‘keep in touch’ with those who will always be part of our history!’

Anyone who would like to join or find out more can contact Gemma Holden by emailing alumni@thebourneacademy.com or visiting The Bourne Academy Alumni Facebook page.

Students from The Bourne Academy joined students from sponsor, Canford school, to participate in a Sail Training Voyage (STV), with The Rona Sailing Project (RSP). The RSP is a volunteer based Sail Training organisation, using the sea as the medium for promoting youth development.

Three Bourne Academy students joined eight from Canford School for the weeklong trip to sail to various locations on the south coast including: Weymouth, Torquay and Gunwharf Quays in Portsmouth. They sailed a total of 285 nautical miles with a maximum wind force of 7.

All three students from The Bourne Academy were delighted to have received a Scott Award: completing a six night STV, and giving their personal best and proving themselves to be keen and reliable members of the crew. They all displayed hard work, dedication and teamwork, and also gained a RYA Competent Crew qualification.

Throughout the STV all students were active members of the crew, participating in all aspects of running the ship - from sail handing and rope work to navigation, helming and domestic duties on board. As part of their Competent Crew course, they also learned eight different knots, learned sailing terminology and practical sail setting. The students also prepared all food on the trip and they were responsible for keeping the ship clean and tidy.

Bourne Academy teacher, Sharon McCarthy, accompanied students on the trip and said ‘It was a real pleasure. All students enthusiastically participated in all activities from sail setting and helming to cooking and cleaning. Some great friendships formed as The Bourne Academy and Canford students worked together in two watches sailing the ship an impressive 285 NM along the South Coast. It was great to see students show resilience and not shy away from things they found difficult and personally challenging’.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the project and have said that they cannot wait to go sailing again.

The Bourne Academy is delighted to have sent two talented students to the Regional School Games in Exeter last week; the pair competed eagerly against schools from across the South West.

 

Both students did extremely well; Isabella competed in the hammer throw, coming fourth place with a result of 41.36m, a new personal best. Isabella is in her final year of Sixth Form and hopes to carry on competing in Athletics events when she starts university next year.

 

Jenson competed in the High Jump and gained 2^nd place after clearing 1.72 meters, making him eligible for English Schools entry standard. Both students were thrilled to have been a part of this event.

 

Principal of The Bourne Academy, Mark Avoth. says ‘I am incredibly proud of them both; their amazing results are the product of hours of training and hard work - they are a true credit to the Academy’.