There is something special happening in the Art, Design and Technology department after the final bell rings. While many students head home, our classrooms and workshops come alive with creativity, focus and purpose as KS4 students gather for our after-school coursework clubs.

Running twice a week in Art (Tuesdays and Thursdays) and Engineering and Product Design (Tuesdays), these sessions have quickly become a hub of activity within the department. It’s not unusual to see students staying for over an hour, fully immersed in developing their ideas, refining practical work and pushing their projects further. In fact, many students regularly ask if additional sessions could be offered — a clear sign of the enthusiasm and commitment they have for their subjects.

These clubs only happen because of the dedication of our staff. Teachers willingly go above and beyond the school day to provide extra opportunities for students who want to improve their work, develop their skills and make the most of their coursework projects. Their support ensures that students can access specialist equipment safely, expert guidance and valuable one-to-one feedback outside of normal lesson time.

Just as impressive is the attitude shown by the students who attend. Choosing to stay after school week after week demonstrates real independence and determination. These sessions help students develop key habits that will benefit them well beyond their GCSEs — organisation, self-motivation, time management and resilience when tackling complex projects. They also give students the chance to build strong, positive working relationships with their teachers as they seek advice, refine ideas and problem-solve together.

In Art, the sessions showcase a fantastic mix of technical and creative skill. Students experiment with materials, develop personal ideas and express themselves through their artwork as they work towards their coursework and final pieces. The studio atmosphere is one of concentration and creativity, with students carefully refining techniques and building ambitious portfolios.

Meanwhile, in Product Design and Engineering, the workshops are equally busy. Students are developing the technical and design elements of their projects while also bringing their ideas to life through practical work. From using hand tools and machinery to programming CNC equipment, students are gaining real hands-on experience as they manufacture and refine their designs.

As coursework deadlines begin to approach later in the year, these sessions are expected to become even more popular. They provide a valuable space for students to manage their time effectively, stay on top of project milestones and continue developing high-quality work.

All of this hard work will ultimately be showcased at the ADT End of Year Exhibition, where students’ creativity, technical skill and dedication will be on full display. More details about this exciting event will be shared later in the year.

For now, if you pass the ADT corridor on a Tuesday or Thursday evening, you’ll see exactly what makes these sessions so special — a department full of motivated students, passionate teachers and a shared commitment to producing outstanding work.

Mr Gregory

Head of Department - ADT

Character education is about ensuring all out students understand the values and vision behind our ARCH values and how in their PE, Music and Drama lessons we structure lessons to ensure we model these values.

We have been strengthening and developing our students digital skills by embedding Microsoft Teams and associated technologies to give them increased confidence, skills and processes in using computers.  At year 8, we have also introduced a basic skills curriculum to address the weaknesses that some students have through a heavy increase in exposure to tablets and smartphones, rather than desktop computing.  These skills will have an increased impact on their ability to use computer software across the curriculum and, later on, when they enter the workplace.  The assignment below shows an excellent piece of Year 9 work, where the students have been learning how to program the microbit to learn coding skills; the assignment was submitted in Microsoft Teams, assessed and then returned to the student for revision, enabling high levels of progress in their learning.

Stay tuned for more updates as the project progresses! 

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Thursday 10^th October 6pm-8pm

There were a number of notable successes today from National students, including Bethany who achieved eight grade 9s and a grade 6, Rhoda who achieved three grade 9s, five grade 8s and a grade 7. The most improved student was Maisie who achieved three grade 8s, two grade 7s, two grade 6s and two grade 5s making a huge amount of progress across key stage three and four.

Headline Results:

• 43% of students achieved grades 9-5 (in English and maths)
• 62% of students achieved grades 9-4 (in English and maths)
• 66% of grades at grade 4 or better across all subjects
• 18 students achieved one or more grades 9 (top grade)

Quote from Headteacher:

"We are incredibly proud of our students' accomplishments this year. These results reflect their perseverance, resilience, and determination to succeed. Our teachers have worked tirelessly to provide high-quality education and support, and it's wonderful to see such impressive outcomes. Congratulations to all our students, and a heartfelt thank you to our dedicated staff and supportive parents for their invaluable contributions," said Martin Brailsford

Quote from Chair of Governors:

"As Chair of Governors, I am delighted to see our students achieve such excellent results. This success is a testament to the strong leadership of our headteacher, the hard work of our teachers, and the commitment of our students. We are proud to be a part of a school community that continually strives for excellence and supports each student in reaching their full potential. Well done to everyone involved," said Kirsty Cowley

National Church of England Academy is committed to providing high-quality education and fostering a nurturing environment for students to thrive academically, socially, and personally. Our dedicated staff, comprehensive curriculum, and extensive extracurricular programs ensure that each student receives a well-rounded education. We are very much looking forward to welcoming a high proportion of students from year 11 to enjoy further success at our sixth form.

The academy invites any students yet to secure a place with a post 16 provider for this September or is considering their post-GCSE options to visit www.hsfc-ac.org.uk or email info@hsfc-ac.org.uk for more information.

Headteacher Martin Brailsford was present to share in the celebrations and said “We are incredibly proud of our students' achievements, and it is immensely rewarding to see so many progressing to their chosen destinations and next steps. We extend our best wishes to all of our students as they move forward on their journey”.

There have been a number of notable successes from students – top performing student at the academy were Jacob, who achieved an impressive two A* grades and two A grades (in History, EQP, biology and maths) and will be going to study Law at the University of Oxford and Harry who achieved an impressive four A grades (in chemistry, physics, mathematics and further mathematics) and will be studying Physics at the University of York.

The most improved student was Billy, his superb progress means that he will be now going to study Physiotherapy at the University of Sheffield Hallam.

Other great individual successes include Jasmine and Archie-Roselle who both achieved an A*, two As and a B and will be going to study at the University of Durham (biological science) and the university of Warwick (psychology) respectively. Odetta achieved three grade As and a grade B and will be studying History at the University of Oxford.

Kelly Wall, Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for sixth form, said, “I am immensely proud of all our students and their accomplishments. They are valued members of our school community who have shown remarkable resilience in recent years. I wish them every success in their future careers”.

Ms Cliffman, head of Hucknall Sixth Form Centre, added, " It has been a privilege to witness the growth and dedication of this year’s Year 13 students over the past two years. They have not only invested in their own learning but also supported each other as a close-knit community. Their excellent results are a testament to their talent and hard work, and they are now ready to embark on the next exciting chapter of their lives”.

Mrs Wall added “We are drawing students from across Nottinghamshire due to our high standards of teaching, excellent student outcomes, and diverse range of courses. There is still limited availability for individuals to join us in September, and we hope these results demonstrate how the centre can help all students achieve their aspirations”.

Chair of Governors, Kirsty Cowley commented " I am incredibly proud of our outstanding young people for their remarkable dedication, hard work, and resilience throughout their A-level journey. These results reflect their determination and the steadfast support of our committed teaching staff. As Chair of Governors, I applaud our students for their achievements and eagerly anticipate the positive impact they will make as they embark on the next chapter of their academic and personal lives".

Here are 6 important leadership skills students learn from participating in Physical education and performing arts (Drama and Music) that can be applied to many roles and careers – even outside of performing arts and sport.

The Holgate Academy and Queen Elizabeth’s Academy, both part of the Diverse Academies Trust, and The National Church of England Academy, part of the Minster Trust for Education, jointly run Hucknall Sixth Form Centre.

It is proposed that, with effect from September 2025, The Holgate Academy and the National Church of England Academy will each offer an 11-18 curriculum – including a comprehensive range of post 16 courses – on site, within their own academies. For the purposes of post 16 study, Queen Elizabeth’s Academy will be included within The Holgate Academy offering.

The transition will be carefully managed by a project board to ensure that the quality of education provided throughout is consistently of the highest standard, and any disruption to students will be kept to an absolute minimum.

We are confident that this move is in the best interests of the partner academies, students and staff, allowing academies more autonomy over timetabling and the structure of their academy day, and enabling students to remain in a familiar environment to pursue post 16 studies with teachers they know, whilst also taking advantage of the enrichment and leadership opportunities available.

Each academy will ensure that the parents and carers of their students are kept fully informed throughout the transition process. In the meantime, you may find the information below useful.

Timeline

• 2023/24 – years 12 and 13 students will complete both years of their post 16 studies at HSFC.

• 2024/25 – year 13 students will finish their studies at HSFC. Year 12 students will complete their first year at HSFC and their final year of studies will be concluded at their home academy in 2025/26.

• 2025/26 – year 13 will return to their base academies to complete their studies and will be joined by a new cohort of year 12 students, who will study all of their post 16 courses at their base academy.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is this happening?

We feel that, having closely examined the logistics of running an off-site post 16 centre, it would be more beneficial for our students, academies and staff to gradually return post 16 studies to take place on-site within those academies.

2. What impact will this have on my child who will be starting their post 16 studies in September 2023?

In 2023/24, years 12 and 13 students will complete both years of their post 16 studies at HSFC.

3. What impact will this have on my child who will be starting their post 16 studies in September 2024?

In 2024/25, year 13 students will finish their studies at HSFC. Year 12 students will complete their first year at HSFC and their final year of studies will be concluded at their home academy in 2025/26.

4. What impact will this have on my child who will be starting their post 16 studies in September 2025?

In 2025/26, year 13 will return to their base academies to complete their studies and will be joined by a new cohort of year 12 students, who will study all of their post 16 courses at their base academy.

5. What subjects will my child be able to study post 16?

Each academy reviews its post 16 programme annually. All our academies aim to offer a broad curriculum, including both academic and vocational options, in line with our areas of subject specialism and student interests. You can view the current subjects available at HSFC on the website: www.hsfc-ac.org.uk.

If you have any further questions or queries about this proposed change, please contact us via email at: KBooth@nationalacademy.org.uk

As you will be aware, we currently have a joint Sixth form provision in the centre of Hucknall called ‘HSFC’ (Hucknall Sixth Form Centre). The Trust who own the building, Diverse Academies Trust (DAT), together with our own Trust, The Minster Trust for Education (MiTRE), are jointly proposing to close HSFC at the end of the Academic Year 2025. A joint Trust statement will be released to the public later.
The decision to close HSFC in 2025 will not affect anyone currently in Year 12 or 13.

National Sixth Form Centre

We are delighted to announce that for September 2025, National intend to open a brand new Sixth Form Centre on our main site. This multi-million-pound investment secures the long term post-16 education of children at National. Our Year 11 have been informed today and this stand-alone building will provide many positives including new classrooms, a new learning resource centre, canteen, extended car parking and a continuation of our Christian vision and values aligned with our main school.

This is an exciting project and one we feel our children will benefit from for many years.

Additional information can be found on the Academy website.

Further details will be released in due course.

Yours sincerely,

Mr M Brailsford
Headteacher

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/academic-transition-evening-tickets-755717991857?aff=oddtdtcreator&_gl=1*99udvi*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTg1ODMwNzQyMy4xNjk5Nzk0NDE5*_ga_TQVES5V6SH*MTY5OTc5NDQxOC4xLjAuMTY5OTc5NDQxOC4wLjAuMA..

Minster Trust for Education (MITRE) instructed specialists to inspect all of our schools. National CofE Academy was inspected in Summer 2022.

We received a report for our school, and this did not highlight any presence of RAAC planks.

We understand that parents may want to understand more about the support to educational settings to manage RAAC safely. You can read more through the article published by the DfE on the Education Hub.

The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)

I hope that this offers reassurance.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Brailsford

Headteacher

The National Academy were absolutely delighted with the 88 grade 9s achieved across 14 subjects and just over 20% of all student grades were 7+. Nearly 70% of all grades were at grade 4 or higher.

There was a hugely positive atmosphere at the academy as students found out their grades following this summer’s exams, with scenes of celebration amongst friends, family and academy staff. There were great individual success stories and students’ hard work really paid off, with many students achieving 8 and 9 grades (or equivalent). Academy predictions for 7+ grades were exceeded – mirroring the record number of top grades achieved at A Level last week.

There were a number of notable successes today from National students, including Esme Bardell who is the highest achieving female with seven grades 9s and one grade 8. The highest performing male student was Terry Mao who achieved seven grade 9s and a distinction*.

One student said: “it has been really tough but I am so pleased with my results, I am looking forward to staying as a National student for my A levels”

Owen Craig is another student who is very worthy of mention having hit or exceeded target in every subject, we are very proud to say he is now joining the RAF.

Headteacher Martin Brailsford, said of the results: “Well done to all of our students in what is being reported as a very challenging year Nationally for GCSE grades in England. To almost double the number of Grade 9’s achieved last year is a remarkable achievement!”

Chair of Governors, Kirsty Cowley said “These results reflect the remarkable resilience, hard work, and unwavering commitment displayed of our students. On behalf of the governing body I extend our heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to all students as they continue their journey, equipped with the qualities that will undoubtedly lead them to success in the future.”

The academy invites any students yet to secure a place with a post 16 provider for this September or is considering their post-GCSE options to visit www.hsfc-ac.org.uk or email info@hsfc-ac.org.uk for more information.

ESME BARDELL (highest achieving female student)

TERRY MAO highest achieving male student

Owen Craig (on target in every subject and now off to the RAF)

Headteacher Martin Brailsford was present to share in the celebrations and said “We are really pleased with what our students have achieved and to see so many moving to their preferred destinations and next stages is immensely rewarding for everyone involved with National. Best wishes go to all of our students as they continue on their journey.”.

There have been a number of notable successes from students – top performing students at the academy were Dylan Bardell, who achieved an impressive two A* grades and an two A grades (in computing, EQP, physics and maths) and will be going to study Computer Science at the University of Sheffield and Emily Beaumont who achieved an impressive A* and three A grades (in EQP, geography, psychology and RE) and will be studying geography at the University of Sheffield too.

The most improved student was Cassandra Ward, her superb progress means that she will be now going to study Law at the University of Lincoln.

Other great individual successes include Jessica Schofield who achieved three A* grades in Child development, Jessica will be studying primary education at the Nottingham Trent University.

Kelly Wall, Assistant Headteacher with responsibility for sixth form, said, “I am incredibly proud of all our students and what they have achieved. They are valued members of our school community who have displayed great resilience over recent years. I wish them all the best in their future careers”

Ms Cliffman, head of Hucknall Sixth Form Centre, added, ""It has been a privilege to see this year’s Year 13 students continued development and dedication to their studies over the last two years. They have invested in themselves and in supporting each other as a learning community throughout this time. It is testament to these talented students that they have been able to achieve such good grades and will now move on to the next exciting phase in their lives.””

Student numbers at Hucknall Sixth Form Centre are growing year-on-year, with the centre having an excellent reputation in the Hucknall community and beyond. Mrs Wall added “We are attracting students from all over Nottinghamshire because of the high standards of teaching, the quality outcomes for all students and our wide range of courses. There is still some limited availability for individuals to join us from September, and hope that these results show how the centre can enable all students to meet their aspirations.”

Chair of Governors, Kirsty Cowley commented "I am immensely proud of our exceptional young people and their remarkable dedication, hard work, and unwavering resilience throughout their A-level journey. These results are a testament to their determination and the unwavering support of our dedicated teaching staff. As Chair of Governors, I commend our students for their achievements and look forward to witnessing the positive impact they will undoubtedly make as they embark on the next chapter of their academic and personal endeavours."

Contact details:

Alex Hawkins - Deputy Headteacher

01159635667 ext 3021 

ahawkins@nationlacademy.org.uk

Dylan.

Emily

Meet the tutor evening

(Year 6 parents/ carers only)

Monday 17^th July 2023, 6 p.m.

Following your child’s transition days here at the academy, we are delighted to invite you to the ‘Meet the tutor’ evening here at the academy. 

There will be a presentation, and then there will be an opportunity to meet with your child’s allocated tutor, the Head of Year 7 and our transition leader.

We look forward to seeing you.

We are very pleased with the outcome and this is an acknowledgement of the positive work being done and reflects the strong collaboration and effort from our entire community in supporting the children here at National.

On behalf of our staff we thank you all for your continued support.

Kind regards

Mr Brailsford

Headteacher