Summer Fest, Spurs, Lisbon, Lake District, Activities Week
Year 11 Prom video
We are delighted to be able to share the video from our Year 11 Prom that took place a few weeks ago.
TA Summer Fest 2024: A day to remember!
From the moment the lunch bell rang, the school was transformed into a vibrant festival ground, buzzing with anticipation. Our entire school community came together for an unforgettable afternoon of music, food, and fun.
Two stages provided a platform for our talented students to shine. The Main Stage hosted a dazzling array of performances from our Music Academies and older year groups, while the Emerging Talent stage showcased the stars of tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Rave Cave pulsed with energy, inviting everyone to let loose with dance music, laser lights, and smoke machines.
To complement the musical extravaganza, we had a delicious BBQ, sizzling pizza ovens, and a variety of stalls offering everything from sweet treats and refreshing drinks to glitter face painting and the hugely popular ‘sponge a teacher’ competition.
The atmosphere was electric. To see the whole school community united in such a joyful celebration was truly inspiring. The event had an undeniable festival vibe, with everyone relaxing and enjoying themselves to the fullest. It’s no wonder so many students have declared it the highlight of their year! And to top it all off, the sun even made a guest appearance, providing the perfect backdrop for our spectacular day.
A huge well done must go to our Y12 music students who deserve the highest praise for their incredible work in bringing TA Summer Fest to life. As part of their course, they conceived, designed, and flawlessly executed this amazing event. Their talent, dedication, and organisational skills shone through, creating a truly unforgettable experience for everyone involved.
TA Summer Fest was an overwhelming success. We’re already looking forward to next year!
Lisbon Calling: Sixth Form Music Trip
Our fantastic sixth form music students returned on Friday from an incredible trip to Lisbon, Portugal where they had the chance to experience the city’s vibrant culture, including sampling the famous Pastel de Nata pastries.
Of course, no music trip would be complete without some live music! The highlight of the trip, without a doubt, was attending the renowned Super Bock Super Rock festival. The students were treated to a phenomenal line-up, but the night truly belonged to Royal Blood. Their electrifying performance had everyone in the crowd, including our students, absolutely buzzing!
This trip was a well-deserved reward for our sixth formers. They recently played a pivotal role in organising our hugely successful TA Summer Fest. Their hard work definitely called for a celebration, and what better way than a trip to a great music festival?
The entire trip was a resounding success. The students were an absolute credit to TA, bringing their enthusiasm and positive spirit throughout the trip. In fact, they were having such a good time they didn’t want to come home!
This Lisbon adventure is sure to be a trip they’ll never forget. It was a perfect blend of cultural exploration, musical discovery, and creating lasting memories. We can’t wait to see what incredible things they achieve next!
Spurs Training Camp
London Geography Trip
The A Level Geography group enjoyed a fantastic 2 days in London this week as part of their Human Fieldwork days. They had the opportunity to compare the regeneration of the London Docklands and The Olympic Park area of Stratford
Day 1- 25,000 steps walked, fieldwork and regeneration work completed, followed by an evening at China Town for food and a visit to Shaftesbury Avenue theatre to watch Mrs Doubtfire.
Day 2- Shoreditch to find evidence of gentrification around the high street, a visit to Brick Lane to witness cultural diffusion followed by a little trip to Spitalfields Market for a touch of shopping.
Overall a brilliant two days were had by students and staff.
DofE Gold Teams Final Qualifying Expedition in the Lake District
Between the 8and 12July, 18 yr12 students undertook theirDofEGoldQualifying Expedition in the Lake District supported by Adventure Academy Staff. The expedition was the culmination of 6 months of training, planning and trekking across the hills & mountains of Dartmoor, the Brecon Beacons, Snowdon and ultimately, the Lake District. For this, their qualifying expedition, the Gold students had to plan and carry out a 4 day expedition, carrying all their own kit, tents, cooking gear, and food. Each day the teams spent a minimum of 8hrs hiking their routes from campsite to campsite across the Western Lake District regardless of the weather. And yes, it rained! Day 2, the hardest day, when the teams had to navigate a hilly 16km from Wasdale Head to Greater Langdale, it started raining 5 minutes after leaving the campsite and didn’t stop until late into the evening. Good training and kit management however, meant that most of the teams had dry, warm, clothes and sleeping bags for the evening.
Luckily on Day 3’s hike the weather gods smiled and, although partly overcast, there was some sun and it only rained intermittently until late into the afternoon. With the teams complete and in good spirits, Day 4 saw a shorter route from the final campsite at Coniston Water to the outskirts of Ambleside, where the teams were picked up and whisked down the M6/M5 back to Torquay Academy. With the expedition aims completed by the 3 groups, all that remains is a final presentation to the DofE staff and the expedition phase will be complete. Well done to all!
Inflatables in the Sports Hall
As part of the final week, we filled the Sports Hall with inflatables. The students had so much fun!
A Week of Challenge and Triumph at the Annual Army Cadet Camp
Torquay Academy Army Cadets gathered at midday on Sunday for their much-anticipated Annual Army Cadet Camp. With bags packed and spirits high the cadets loaded up the coach and set off for Yoxter Training Camp. Upon arrival, they quickly got through safety briefings and set up their cadet shelters for the first night, ready for the adventures ahead.
Phase 1: Field Craft and Tactics
The first few days of training was divided into two main phases, with the first focusing on field craft and tactics. For many cadets, this phase began with the thrilling experience of being issued a cadet rifle, a first for some. The looks of astonishment and pride were evident as they realized they would be responsible for their rifles for the next three days, keeping them by their side at all times, even while sleeping.
The remaining daylight allowed for essential kit checks, meal preparations, and gearing up for the following day’s activities. Monday morning came early, perhaps too early for some, with breakfast on the go and packing away their kits and shelters.
Training in Field Tactics
The day kicked off with practicing field tactical skills crucial for completing a final assault on an enemy force. As the day progressed, the weather took a turn, embodying the adage, “if it ain’t raining, it ain’t training,” a familiar chant among the staff.
By Monday afternoon, the cadets had their final briefing before moving out of the camp to a new location, believed to be near enemy forces. Their mission: observe an enemy force, devise a plan, and overwhelm the enemy. With tactical precision, they patrolled to the new location and set up camp once again, undeterred by the persistent rain.
Ambush and Night Operations
After evening meals, the cadets set off to establish an ambush, armed with freshly gathered intelligence on enemy patrols. Their mission was simple but challenging: destroy the enemy. The mission was a success, and they returned to their new camp location, settling in for what turned out to be a stormy night.
Final Assault
Tuesday morning brought a brief respite from the weather, allowing the cadets to pack up camp, have breakfast, and make final preparations for their patrol back to the main camp. However, unbeknow to them, the enemy force had relocated, leading to an intense firefight on their route back.
The cadets demonstrated remarkable battle tactics and fire control orders during the ensuing firefight, with each section successfully overwhelming the enemy force. It was a display of skill, teamwork, and the practical application of their training, marking a triumphant end to their field exercises.
Phase 2: Advanced Training at Tilshead
Following the conclusion of Phase 1, the cadets moved from Yoxter to Tilshead Training Camp, where they were greeted with the welcome luxury of real showers and toilets. Transitioning from rations to cooked food provided by the military also lifted spirits.
Range Activities and Live Firing
The next few days were dedicated to range activities, including live firing the L98 A2 rifle. The cadets excelled in their marksmanship, achieving impressive scores that earned them new cadet badges for their uniforms. The weather was kind during these sessions, contributing to a successful live firing experience.
Evening Entertainment
With live firing completed, the cadets returned to camp for an evening of entertainment, a well-deserved break from the rigorous training schedule.
Visit to the Rifle Regiment
The following morning, the cadets visited a nearby camp to fire weapon systems provided by The Rifle Regiment. The professionalism and expertise on display were inspiring, and the cadets even had the opportunity to practice grenade throwing with training grenades.
Special Visit from a Former Cadet
A highlight of the day was the visit from Gareth, a former cadet now serving as a regular soldier in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME). Gareth showcased a massive recovery vehicle, demonstrating the equipment with confidence and pride. His visit underscored the benefits of the cadet organization in fostering confidence and skill development.
Reflections on the Camp Experience
Throughout the week, the cadets faced various challenges, from managing their rifles to enduring the elements, and executing complex tactical operations. The experience not only honed their military skills but also built resilience, camaraderie, and a sense of achievement.
As the Torquay Academy Army Cadets returned home, they carried with them memories of an unforgettable week filled with learning, growth, and the pride of overcoming adversities. The Annual Army Cadet Camp at Yoxter and Tilshead Training Camps was a resounding success, preparing these young cadets for future challenges both in and out of uniform.
RAF Air Cadets Summer Camp at RAF Little Rissington
Last week eleven of our RAF cadets attended a Summer Camp at RAF Little Rissington, in Gloucestershire. This camp was mainly an Adventurous Training (AT) camp interspersed with visits to the Defence Academy at Shrivenham, and to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford.
After arriving at RAF Little Rissington the evening before, Monday arrived with the first challenge for our cadets – high ropes course and climbing at 270 Climbing centre! This high ropes course is one of the most exciting and highest ropes courses in the UK and Europe. The cadets needed to be ready for this challenging, inspiring, and adrenaline-inducing aerial adventure!
They acquitted themselves admirably, with all cadets completing rope courses and climbing walls at higher and more complex levels than they had ever previously done. And in drizzly rain and gusts of wind the challenge was even more difficult!
As well as the high ropes and climbing walls, there was also a 18 metre freefall challenge that the cadets bravely tackled!
Tuesday was equally adrenaline-inducing. The cadets were driven over to perhaps the most famous RAF base in the country, RAF Brize Norton. Here they engaged in live firing on the 25 metre range. For most of the cadets it was the first time they had done live firing. With 6 cadets firing at a time, the others were engaged in various command tasks. These included a problem solving task called Lorenzo’s Bridge, traversing an imaginary minefield blindfolded whilst being guided by another cadet, and a team problem solving task where they had to lift blocks of wood with a spider web style carrying aid and build a tower with the blocks. All very difficult and engaging whilst they waited for their turn to fire. All our cadets excelled in the live firing, in particular Cadet Anna Pearn with a grouping of 30mm, and Cadet Toby Forrester-Finney, with a grouping of 35mm.
Adding to the excitement of being at RAF Brize Norton, live firing and seeing many aircraft the cadets also views the Prime Ministers Airbus Voyager plane landing.
Wednesday arrived with some sunnier weather. Very welcome, as the cadets were doing raft building, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding at the Cotswold Water Park. Working in their flights the cadets had to build a raft from wooden poles and barrels on an island in the middle of the lake, then raft across from the island back to shore. The cadets really got stuck in to the task, displaying excellent teamwork and communication skills. And a fair few of them got a bit wet too!
After lunch it was in to the water again. This time stand-up paddle boards and kayaks were their vessels to power. It was again amazing fun with the instructors providing some entertaining games and challenges. Unfortunately for Mr Adams the favourite challenge for the cadets seemed to be tipping him off his paddle board!
The next two days were visits to key MoD institutions. Firstly on Thursday a visit to the Defence Academy at Shrivenham. The focus of the visit was the Defence College for Military Capability Integration. Here the cadets has presentations from three Sergeant Majors from the Army. The first was on the artillery capability of UK forces, and covered the history of early cannons to the latest high tech artillery used today such as the AS90 and the new Archer artillery systems currently used in Ukraine. The second presentation was on tanks and their armour and weapons. The cadets got the opportunity to climb in and on Challenger 2 and Warrior tanks. The final presentation was on short range weapons including various machine guns and pistols. The cadets were able to hold these weapons, including the L96.338 sniper rifle currently used by the Royal Marines.
On the Friday the cadets were able to visit the Royal International Air Tatoo (RIAT) at RAF Fairford. Here the cadets observed many air displays, including the Red Arrows, a harrier jump jet, F16s and F18s, a NATO fly past including the AWACS aircraft flanked by Tornados, Phantoms, and a parachute display from the Red Devils. There were also planes to see and go on board on the ground including the A400 Atlas transporter aircraft, that superseded the Hercules. Only two days previously the cadets had seen a number of these massive aircraft take off from RAF Brize Norton. There was an amazing array of aircraft all over the site and various activities, and free stuff to pick up! All were agreed it was a fantastic day despite the 30 degree + temperatures!
Despite full on tiring days, on their return to camp each afternoon the cadets engaged in various activities that the TEST Sergeants put on for them. These included archery and air rifle range shooting, mountain biking, and going on the Gliding Simulator that is on this gliding base.
Overall an incredible experience gained by our RAF air cadets. Unforgettable experiences, new friendships made and new and existing skills developed, all were asking if they could go again next year. Well done to the following cadets: Cadet Toby Forrester-Finney, Cadet Finn Moncrieff, Cadet Anna Pearn, Cadet Julia Tatarynowicz, Cadet Dylan Parker-Cooper, Cadet Sam Johns, Cadet Karl Burton, Cadet Lance Corporal Grace Halsey, Cadet Lance Corporal Bella Blatchford, Cadet Lance Corporal James Evers, and Cadet Corporal Noah Butler
New House Mascots
This week we introduced our new House Mascots. Please meet:
The Heads of House met with their Houses on Monday to introduce them to their new mascots. The level of outfits and signage has reached new heights!
House News
The culmination of this year’s house competitions took place on the 15th and 16th July, with students from Years 7-9 competing in a series of events. Students initially were invited to complete a general knowledge quiz in house groups. There were many entries and the results were added to those of the main event which took place the following day. The competition was comprised of eight activities run on a carousel basis. Students had 10 minutes to participate in each of the challenges in an attempt to gain as many points as possible for their house. Events included:
a penalty shootout with Mr Foulds and Mr Hanley in goal
a ring toss
beat the buzzer challenge
a music quiz
a basket-ball shoot
Dingbats
decoding activities
a hula hoop challenge
a sack race
As with every house event, students participated with enjoyment, energy and enthusiasm. One of the highlights for students was seeing their heads of house and tutors join in with all activities. At the end of the competition, all scores were calculated and the results were as follows:
8th place – Christie
7th place – Darwin
6th place – Brunel
5th place – Fawcett
4th place – Nearne
3rd place – Kitson
2nd place – Pengelly
1st place – Harrison
All students in Harrison House were rewarded with sweets and are euphoric at such a resounding victory.
Sports Day
On Tuesday, we held our annual sports day. This included traditional track and field events such as 100m, 200m, 400m, hurdles, shot putt, javelin, long jump, triple jump and high jump alongside an obstacle course, dodgeball and tug of war. Every student took part in some capacity to earn points for their house across all of the events and it was a very fun and competitive day!
Huge congratulations to all of the students for their participation and making it a wonderful atmosphere. The winners are below:
Y7 boys 400m – Gold – Giovanni Vaio, SIlver – Dylan Drinkwater, Bronze – Fraser Whitehead
Y8 boys 400m – Gold – Trent Blackmore, Silver – Will Wrathall, Bronze – Zak Haridi
Y9 boys 400m – Gold – Harrison Richards, Silver – Liam Anthony, Bronze – Riley Calland
Y7 boys high jump – Gold – Noah Amor, SIlver – Allen Burns-Muir, Bronze – Luke Sandeman
Y8 boys high jump – Gold – Francis Downer, Silver – Zak Haridi, Bronze – Freddie Fenner
Y9 boys high jump – Gold – Ben Jolly, Silver – Ben Houghton, Bronze – Josh Parkinson
Y7 boys javelin – Gold – Freddy Novis, SIlver – Oliver Forsdyke, Bronze – Morley Villiers
Y8 boys javelin – Gold – Lee Stevens, Silver – Thomas Cox, Bronze – Archie Harman
Y9 boys javelin – Gold – Oliver Welsh, SIlver – Callum Pile, Bronze – Kiel Mortimer
Y7 boys shot put – Gold – Marli-Ray Cutajar, SIlver – Dylan Drinkwater, Bronze Oktawian Siennicki
Y8 boys shot put – Gold – Kaelum Bowness, Silver – Noah Margetts, Broze – Lewis Allington/heston Hart
Y9 boys shot put – Gold – Leo Maasz, Silver – Kiel Mortimer, Bronze – Tom Connelly
Y7 boys 100m – Gold – Alfie Mackin, SIlver – Giovani Vaio, Bronze – Oliver Withers
Y8 boys 100m – Gold – Trent Blackmore, Silver – Francis Downer, Bronze – Ashton Lynch
Y9 boys 100m – Gold – Ben Jolly, Silver – Kiel Mortimer, Bronze – Ben Houghton
Y7 boys 200m – Gold – Giovanni Vaio, Silver – Noah Amor, Bronze – Dylan Drinkwater
Y8 boys 200m – Gold – Jamie Tully, Silver – Elijah Addai, Bronze – Will Wrathall
Y9 boys 200m – Gold – Ben Jolly, Silver – Toby Waring, Bronze – Charlie Wise
Y9 boys 800m – Gold Harrison Richards, Silver – Harrison Harkin, Bronze – Joshua Ward
Y9 boys hurdles – Gold – Ben Jolly, Silver – Callum Pile, Bronze – Charlie Wise
Y7 girls 400m – Gold – Alana Houlihan, Silver – Rosie Bevan, Bronze – Emily Bowden
Y8 girls 400m – Gold – Heidi Bowers, Silver – Anasatsiia Tukilush, Bronze – Alexa Lyons
Y9 girls 400m – Gold – Farah Ambrose, Silver – Kiki Marker, Bronze – Ashleigh Evans
Y7 girls shot put – Gold – Madison Wood, Silver – Emilee Fenner, Bronze – Isla Bryant
Y8 girls shot put – Gold – Bella Hobbin, Silver – Neeve Thomson, Bronze – Poppy Sanderson
Y9 girls shot put – Gold – Larna Waller, Silver – Kelsey Drew, Bronze – Felicity Adams
Y7 girls high jump – Gold – Madison Wood, Silver – Alana Houlihan, Bronze – Emilee Fenner
Y8 girls high jump – Gold – Annie Aldous, Silver – Daisy Board, Bronze – Ellie-May Jackson
Y9 girls high jump – Gold – Frankie Skelly, Silver – Leela Cartwright, Bronze – Ashleigh Evans
Y7 girls javelin – Gold – Seren Chadwick, Silver – Freja-Mae Mcelkenny, Bronze – Lilly-Rose Haughton
Y8 girls javelin – Gold – Hattie Gamble, Silver – Chloe Bayliss, Bronze – Sophia Peryer
Y9 girls javelin – Gold – Maisie Sandercock, SIlver – Leela Cartwright, Bronze – Kiki Marker
Y7 girls 100m – Gold – Annalise Little, Silver – Emilee Fenner, Bronze – Jorgie Barnett
Y8 girls 100m – Gold – Annie Aldous, Silver – Ellie-May Jackson, Bronze – Jessie Mountstevens
Y9 girls 100m – Gold – Frankie Skelly, Silver – Amelia Rose, Bronze – Leela Cartwright
Y7 girls 200m – Gold – Annalise Little, Silver – Madison Wood, Bronze – Emilee Fenner
Y8 girls 200m – Gold – Annie Aldous, Silver – Ellie-May Jackson, Bronze – Dolly Gagg
Y9 girls hurdles – Gold – Frankie Skelly, Silver – Amelia Rose, Bronze – Larna Waller
Y7 boys relay – Gold – Brunel, SIlver – Harrison, Bronze – Nearne
Y7 girls relay – Gold – Harrison, Silver – Nearne, Bronze – Christie
Y8 boys relay – Gold – Christie, Silver – Darwin, Bronze – Harrison
Y8 girls relay – Gold – Darwin, Silver – Kitson, Bronze – Pengelly
Y9 boys relay – Gold – Brunel, Silver – Nearne, Bronze – Christie
Y9 girls relay – Gold – Brunel, Silver – Pengelly, Bronze – Darwin
Overall house results
1st – Brunel
2nd – Harrison
3rd – Christie
4th – Fawcett
5th – Darwin
6th – Nearne
7th – Kitson
8th – Pengelly
Activities week
In school
Collage Club
For the last 6 weeks a group of Year 7 students have been learning about collage from local artist Philip Eley. They have played art based games, recreated fantasy images and designed and made their own animal inspired collages. It has been a pleasure listening to so much laughter after school on a Wednesday; thank you to Philip for giving up your time.
Art Inspo Award
During Summerfest on Friday we collected votes from students and staff to select the very first winner of Torquay Academy’s Art Inspo Award.
Ceramics ruled the day with both first and second place going to architectural sculptures by Year 9 students Oscar Tallon and Julia T respectively. Third place went to Olivia Hosking of Year 10 for her large scale floral painting inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe.
The winners collected Amazon vouchers and Oscar our brand new ARTi trophy, constructed over the last few weeks around a busy timetabling schedule, by our very own talented Mr Hadley.
Well done to all the nominees across years 9, 10 and 12; we look forward to seeing what work will be created for display in 2025!
Rocky Visits School
£100 Art Prize
The recent ‘Environmental’ poster competition was a resounding success! Among all the talented students in The Bay, TA’s Connie Kingman (Year 9) emerged victorious with her amazing design, earning her a grand prize of £100 and the same amount for the art department!! Another notable achievement was by Alfie Williams (Year 7), who won £25 for his original and imaginative poster design.
Mrs Lynch attended the Awards ceromony at The Livermead House Hotel, where the winners were given their awards. An exhibition of the students’ work was on display and this showcased their artistic talents and their environmental awareness. Students who were shortlisted included from Year 9: Susie Lester, Emelia Hunt, Karthinka Sundharam, Marlee White, Isabelle Kelly and Grace Green. From Year 8: Riley Gilmour, Allana Butler, Ethan Veasey. Mollie Longthorpe and Anya Cosslett. Year 7 were represented by Alfie Williams, Lily Rose Haughton, Catherine Ramesh and Oliver Kawula.
Congratulations to all the art students for their outstanding contributions and for inspiring us to take action towards a more sustainable future.
Gymnastics
Congratulations to Milan Ujj who competed at the weekend at the Devon Boys Six Piece Competition in Exeter and won first place.
Devon Cricket
Last week Devon u18s faced Oxfordshire u18s in the national fifty over cup competition at Thorverton Cricket Club. Josh Thompson and Finley Last were both selected in the team. Having won the toss and elected to bat, Devon were off to a great start and finished the innings on 243/9 after their 50 overs, which looked to be a very competitive total to defend in the second half of the game. Josh contributing with 14 off his 8 balls and Finley with an unbeaten 2 not out. Unfortunately, the Oxfordshire openers came flying out the gates, scoring at a much quicker rate than the required run rate which put the Devon boys under a mass of pressure. Josh managed to grab himself a wicket during his spell of bowling and the Devon team managed to slow down the run chase in the middle overs due to some tight bowling, however it wasn’t meant to be for Devon as they eventually fell short, having been beaten by 4 wickets in the end with 7.4 overs remaining. Whilst the result may not have gone their way it is fantastic to see two Torquay Academy boys representing their county at cricket, an outstanding achievement.
The picture shows both Finley Last and Josh Thompson batting together for Devon, something which has never happened until now. Congratulations to both and we look forward to watching their cricketing journeys in the future.
Team TA girls’ sport soars!
Netball
The participation, drive and enthusiasm across all of the netball academy teams has been impressive this sporting season. A staggering 123 matches have been played by TA Netball Academy and teams have travelled across the country competing in local, national and international competitions and leagues.
Each girls’ dedication and hard work has contributed to a variety of remarkable results including our U16 netball academy competing in the National Sisters in Sports National knockout competition, earning themselves a place in the final four in the country playoffs. They finished in a well earnt 4th place out of 128 schools. Our Sixth Form Netball Academy entered the AOC South West Netball League for the first time this year, fulfilling numerous home and away fixtures, and finished in a very impressive 2nd place. Our Year 10 netball academy finished 2nd place in the Devon Cup Competition at the End of Season Tournament and finally, our Year 7 netball academy finished 1st place in the Devon Shield Competition at the End of Season Tournament. Our individual players have also been successful with our Sixth Form Netball Academy Captain Mia Denby being selected into the U19 England Colleges Team and U17 Team Bath ADC as well as Isabelle Moxham in Year 10 being selected into U15 Team Bath NPL as well as the U17 Team Bath PDP. This year has also seen the highest number of girls being selected into club performance teams as well as girls taking their netball further outside of school which is a credit to the dedication of both staff and students to TA Netball Academy.
Athletics
Our girls have dominated the athletics track and field this season. Our Year 10 pupil Keeley Little is currently ranked England No.1 and U.K No.2 for Girls 300m with a personal best time of 38.92 seconds as well as holding the South West 100m Champion title with a time of 12.03 seconds. Francesca Skelly is ranked 2nd in the South West for Long Jump with a distance of 4.83 metres and 17th in the South West for 100m with a time of 13.05 seconds.
A standout moment for our Team TA’s girls athletics team occurred at the South Devon Area Athletics Meet 2024. Our Under 15 girls attempted to break the 1974 4x100m Devon girls record time of 53.4 seconds. A team consisting of Leela Cartwright, Francesca Skelly, Isabelle Moxham and Keeley Little broke that record with a time of 53.2 seconds.
Football
The Girls Football Academy have showcased their talent this season. Farrah Ambrose Paradise in Year 9 was selected in to the U15 England Lioness Pathway as well as the U14 Devon County Team. The Year 7 Girls Football Academy reached the last 16 in the National Cup as well as Emilee Fenner and Poppi Jones being selected into the U12 Devon County Team. Our Year 8 Girls Football Academy reached the U13 Devon Cup final after winning the Torbay Cup. Our Year 9 Girls Football Academy secured a place in the National Girls Cup’s last 16 as well as Neeve Thomson and Leela Cartwright from Years 8 and 9 being selected into the U14 Devon County Team.
Dance
Our dance students have dominated the stage this year. Farah Davidson has recently been re-selected in to Team GB Dance Squad and ranking 5th in the world at the European Tap Champion 2023 in Prague. In the All England semi-finals against the best dancers in the country, Farah was awarded Gold medals for her modern, lyrical and tap and is competing this July at the Finals in Wolverhampton.
Phoebe Denbow has also achieved so much, competing in the U16 UK Open Championships and finishing 1st in the Lyrical and Musical Theatre category. Phoebe also reached the semi-finals of the All England Dance competition and came 1st in the Paignton Dance Festival in the lyrical category.
Olivia Painter was selected as an Advanced Associate at the Royal Ballet School in London, one of the most prestigious dance companies in the U.K. Lily Thomas has also been selected into the Hammond School of Dance, another prestigious academy. Also, several students from Team TA were selected to represent England at the Dance World Cup 2024: Sienna Painter, Annie Aldous, Daisy Board, Bonnie Talbot, Robyn Higgins, Olivia Mae Franke, Lola Benney and Olivia Painter. Overall, they finished 2nd place out of 52 countries which is a phenomenal achievement.
Rugby
We have seen a record number of girls participating in rugby as well this year, with several emerging as naturals on the rugby pitch. Elizabeth Cameron was selected to co-captain the U18 Devon County Rugby Team and has represented them to a very high standard this year.
We have participated in initiatives such as Project Rugby and Maddy’s Mark to continue driving awareness and participation for girls. This concluded in a group being fortunate to attend the Women’s Premiership Rugby Final as well as an exclusive tour of Sandy Park and a rugby training session with the Exeter Chiefs Women’s Team.
Gymnastics
Eve and Elizabeth Cameron were both selected to represent the South West in the National Gymnastics Competition in Birmingham this year. Eve competed at Level 4 and finished 12th in the country whilst Elizabeth competed at Level 4 and finished 16th in the country.
Table Tennis
Our girls succeeded at the Devon Schools Championships 2024 with Aleksandra Treder finishing 1st place in the U16 Girls competition and Team TA’s U16 Girls Table Tennis Academy qualifying for the national finals. Rosie Bevan in Year 7 finished 3rd place in the U13 Girls competition and overall Team TA’s U13 Girls Table Tennis Academy finished 3rd in Devon.
Equestrian
This year, Dolce Zulhayir competed in the The National Schools Equestrian Association Competition and achieved a time of 23 seconds which meant she finished in a top 10 position in the country.
Prestigious Diamond Award
Year 7 – Chloe Taylor,Izzie Mildren, Treesa Telson, Jacob Wakefield, Jax Biagott, Jesse Isemede, Jackson Lane, Lilly-Rose Haughton, Annalise Little, Mason Maxwell, Poppi Jones, Isla Bryant, Ebany Fawkes, Charlie Berry, Emilee Fenner, Keeley-Mae Moran, Marli-Ray Cutajar, Layla Lock, Charlie o’Connor, Rosco Biagott, Calum Carpenter,Luke Sandeman,jack Robinson, Elena Bolton,Seren Chadwick, Jamie Hancox, Lily Langler and Myah Sellick
Year 8 – Archie somerset, Annie Aldous and Max Warner
Year 9 – Ashleigh Evans, Brodie Reddish and Ben Jeffs
Governor’s Platinum Certificates
Year 7 – Esme Poole, Esmie Riggs, Eric Montague, Freddie Wallis, Bobby Joint, Lily-Jo Prior, Max Kaspusta, Tyler Jackson, Haydon Coatesworth, Andy Iftode, Maddie Smith, Khalid Al-Ajrami, Sophia Blake, Gracie Fancourt, Alfie Mackin, Mia Wilkins, Myah Sellick, Seraphina Rozier, Olivia Martin, Dion Maharjan, Oliver Forsdyke,Freddy Novis, Harry Evans, levi Jones, Jessica Ferguson, Serenity Ward, Zack hazeldine and Tilly Longthorpe
Year 8 – Logan Watt, Scarlett Hill, Summer Pallant, Anastasiia Tukilush and Lilly-Rose Garbett
Year 9 – Naphtali Phinehas, Olly Whittred, Alex Nagy, Aaron Saunders, Amy Rogers, Sera Elsa Joman, Summer Lawford, Toby Waring, Kiki Marker, Scarlett Finley-Squires, Abigail Yau, Oscar Mills, Kaiden Mclaren, Nyla Wakefield, William Candy, Connie Kinghorn, Cody Jones and Ben Tucker
Governor’s Gold Certificates
Year 7 – Cayden Castle, Olivier Kawula, Ruby Abdulla, Ted Dudley, Emily Redmond, Edward Huxtable, Theo Slater, RubyTurner and Cee-Jay Carrington
Year 8 – Aiden Hooper, Teddy Watson, Edi Ferencz Csibi, Sophie Dean and Lee Stevens
Year 9 – Layla Broadway, Lena Galazkiewicz, Marlee White, James Bond, Luke Horrocks, Emma Giles, Alba Fogarty, William Kelly and Lucas Quaintance
Governor’s Silver Certificates
Year 7 – Brogan Holmes-Inch, Ollie Humphreys, Billy Marshall, Phoebe Grindling, Daisy Dorman, James Cosh, Sophia Adamson, Emily Bowden, Bonnie Talbot, Dylan Drinkwater, Freja-Mae Mcelkenny, Aaron Pinto and Marcus Findlay-Peers
Year 8 – Reef Whayman, Keane O’Neill, Robyn Higgins, Will Wrathall, Lewis Graham, Emilia Warner, Saskia Cooper, Trent Blackmore and Janzen Flores
Year 9 – Nea Joshy, Sophia Burnham, Sienna Painter, Rayhan Shamim and Brody Cooper
Governor’s Bronze Certificates
Year 7 – May McDonough and Lucas Vesely
Year 8 – Charlie Sanderson, Dylan Matthews,Crea Crofts, Jenson Gorin, Mia Hawkes, Toby Howell and Harry Lee
Year 9 – Logan Hammacott, Joselyn Full and Karthika Sundharem
Principal’s Gold Certificates
Year 7 – Belle Silvester, Hollie Bassett and Ellie Palmer
Year 8 – Imogen Harnett, Caleb Harford-Brown and Lilly Drake
Year 9 – Caine Dickson, Ethan Lynch, Louis Tillen, Tegan Ross, Riley Calland,Jade Cook, Matilda Stevens, Phoenix Furse, Joe Boyce, Emilia Hunt and Ellie Farthing
Year 10 – Simon Drost, Brodie Reddish and Ben Jeffs
Principal’s Silver Certificates
Year 8 – Chloe Bayliss, Benjamin Davies-Miles, Jaylen Hunter, Finley O’Leary-Black, Cassandra Foster and Imogen Clifford
Year 9 – Sky Phillips
Year 10 – Oscar Hughes
Principal’s Bronze Certificates
Year 8 – Jack Forte and Ella Lake
Year 9 – Rylan Chambers
