The Bourne Academy, an all ability state-funded secondary Academy established by its sponsor Canford School in 2010, is delighted to announce another very positive set of examination results, both in terms of grades and levels of progress achieved. What is particularly pleasing is that many more students will have the opportunity to continue their studies if they wish too.

This year has been the most unusual and challenging year for students in Year 11, where due to COVID-19, learning time was lost and grades have been assessed differently. Mark Avoth, Principal, said ‘This has been a very tough year for our Year 11s – we are all extremely proud of their resilience and the maturity they have shown during this global pandemic. This was not the GCSE year at school that they expected or deserved, but they should be incredibly proud of everything they have achieved. My thanks goes also to our great body of committed staff and parents too.’

Rachel Bennett, Assistant Principal of Teaching and Learning said ‘I have worked here for nearly 25 years, in all that time never have a year group had to face such difficult challenges as those thrown up by COVID-19. As a cohort they have remained cheerfully stoic despite the many anxieties caused by the social isolation of lockdown. I am delighted that the hard graft they put in into their GCSE and BTEC courses has been recognised by government and that these resourceful and resilient young people can go on to the destinations they have been working towards’.

For more information about The Bourne Academy, anyone is welcome to attend the Academy’s annual Virtual Open Evening on Wednesday 30 September 2020, 6.00pm-8.00pm. Alternatively, anyone may attend the specific 6^th Form Virtual Open Evening on Wednesday 14 October 2020, 6.00-8.00pm.  Morning Tours may be available in October – more information to follow.  Please enquire at the Academy for further details.

The Bourne Academy, an all ability state-funded secondary Academy sponsored by Canford School, is delighted with another set of highly positive Sixth Form results and onward destinations data:  21% of overall students have gained a place Russell Group Universities and 18% of students are going on to study medical careers, the highest ever number going into medicine.

This year has been an unusual and challenging year for students in Year 13, where due to Covid-19, learning time was lost and grades have been assessed differently.  Whilst some of our students have had grades moderated, we are delighted that this has not affected their onward journeys, whatever that may be. 

Mark Avoth, Principal, said ‘This has been an unbelievably tough year for our Year 13s – they have had so much to endure during the global pandemic and we just want to say how extremely proud we are of their grit and resilience.  They have proved themselves to be mature, self-motivated individuals who have worked tirelessly before and throughout lockdown, to ensure the best possible future outcomes for themselves.  This was not the final year of school that they were promised, but they should be incredibly proud of everything they have achieved.  My enormous thanks goes also to our great body of committed staff and parents too.’

Mr Dean Taafe, Head of Sixth Form, said ‘I am thrilled that all of our Year 13 students, who applied to university, have secured an offer at their first choice university or chosen course of study. Their success is testament to all their hard work and that of staff who have supported them over the past two years. I feel very proud of this young yet successful 6^th Form. We are going from ‘strength to strength’.

For more information about The Bourne Academy, anyone is welcome to attend the Academy’s annual Virtual Open Evening on Wednesday 30 September 2020, 6.00pm-8.00pm.  Alternatively, anyone may attend the specific 6^th Form Virtual Open Evening on Wednesday 14 October 2020, 6.00-8.00pm.  Morning Tours may be available in October – more information to follow.  Please enquire at the Academy for further details.

The Bourne Academy is delighted to announce that they have received a generous £10,000 funding from Talbot Village Trust’s COVID-19 Support Fund. This money has enabled The Bourne Academy to continue its efforts in supporting the community during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding has been used to help care for the vulnerable and keyworkers’ children and families in the community. The donation also allowed the Academy to purchase additional equipment required to enable students to continue their learning remotely.

During lockdown, the Academy has been helping our community by schooling children onsite, telephoning vulnerable students and their families and visiting most vulnerable children for an ‘eyes on’ assessment. The students were always front of mind for the Academy as they arranged safeguarding assessments by telephone as well as bi- weekly deliveries of hundreds of work packs around the community for students with no internet access. The Bourne Academy has also prepared and delivered 205 Free School Meals before the voucher scheme, arranged and distributed vouchers and Magic Breakfast food parcels.

Russell Lucas-Rowe, Trustee of Talbot Village Trust and founder of the campaign, said: “We understand the importance and impact The Bourne Academy has on young peoples’ lives in our community. We are thrilled to have been able to help with our COVID-19 Support Fund so that the Academy can keep empowering students to achieve and aspire to the highest standards.”

The Community Governor at The Bourne Academy has been driving miles to deliver home working packs to those students in our community with no access to the internet.

Together with his amazing family, Mr Darren Cheeseman of Kingren Groundworks Ltd, has taken valuable days off work ensuring all the children in our community are supported and have the same advantage.

Before the Easter holiday voucher scheme was released, Mr Cheeseman and family delivered lunches, to all our self-isolating Free School Meals families.  Subsequently, he has collected from school, and delivered around Bournemouth, over 107 envelopes and work packs for students with no internet access.  This takes him a long day, every two weeks.  Whilst out in the van, he also collects all the completed homework to bring back into the Academy’s quarantine room, to be marked.

The Academy is indebted to Darren Cheeseman, and his family, for their selfless support during these lockdown weeks.

The Bourne Academy is proud to announce that its staff have been using their time and resources to help NHS and front-line care workers.

The Bourne Academy responded to an online call to make clips for the NHS workers to take the stress off the back of the ear from face masks which are having to be worn at all times in medical and care environments – the clips hold the elastic off the back of the ear to stop rubbing.

These clips were laser cut from sheet polymer in the Academy’s Engineering classrooms, and have been welcomed by key workers from our local NHS Trust.

Mike Dunn, Director of Engineering at The Bourne Academy says “The team at the Bourne Academy have been delighted to help those on the front line who are struggling with PPE. The tension release band was requested by a local NHS trust and we’ve posted out 300 in the past week. It’s been a team effort and a small token of thanks to front line key workers working incredibly difficult shifts.”

So far, staff from The Bourne Academy have delivered these clips to local care homes and a team of community midwives.