Transition

Welcome to Yewlands Academy! Congratulations on gaining a place at our academy, a transformational place of learning at the heart of its community. We are really looking forward to you joining the academy.

Yewlands Academy is a great place to learn, make new friends, and take part in an array of extracurricular activities, whatever your interests might be.

If you don’t already, you can also follow us on social media to get a sense of life at Yewlands. Please do fully navigate the academy website to learn more about us and what to expect as a pupil at Yewlands.

Links to important documents/information:

YA Uniform

Vision, Aims and Ethos

Term Dates for the year ahead

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I be in a form with my friends from primary school?

One of the most exciting things about transition to secondary school is the opportunity to make new friends and become part of a new school community. There are numerous students joining Yewlands Academy from local primary schools, so we try to ensure students are in a form with a familiar face, however, we don’t make any promises about chosen friends for form time.

Can I use my phone in school?

Mobile phones are not allowed to be used in the academy. Students who bring their mobile phones to school must ensure that their mobile phone is turned off and in the bottom of a school bag. It will be confiscated if seen or heard- even if it is out of sight in a pocket at the time, as phones can only be in school bags, switched off, during the school day.

Can I have breakfast at school?

We have free hot and cold breakfasts for every student, every day. The canteen is open from 8:00am-8.35am.

How do I buy food at school?

Parents/carers should download the Arbor app which will allow you to top up students' accounts. This means that instead of cash, biometric (fingerprints) identification is used. This helps to keep queues moving faster, allowing students more time to eat. You can learn more here: Yewlands Academy - Arbor Portal

What happens if I am late to school?

You will receive a late mark in Arbor. You must be at your Form Room for 8.35, ready to start the session on the bell at 8.40am. You will receive a detention if you are late.

Who can I go to if I need help?

Your Form Tutor will be your first point of contact who you will see every day if you have any concerns. You will also have a team of Pastoral staff who will be there to support you such as your Head of Year and your Year Manager. We also have our Inclusion Team which includes our SEND staff. We also have a Safeguarding Team who can support and make referrals to external agencies if needed. Staff on pastoral duties will wear a high-vis during the day so you can spot them easily if you need support. The Student Reception is open during specific times of the day.

What is the Knowledge Organiser?

Every student will be issued with a timetable and a knowledge organiser on their first day in September. The knowledge organiser has a section to record homework, to communicate with parents, to review progress and to record rewards and consequences. We ask all parents to regularly check these organisers. Students are expected to have their knowledge organisers with them at all times - they must be out on the desk in every lesson.

As the knowledge organiser is an essential element of the home school partnership the expectation is that it remains graffiti free. If a child is found to have put graffiti on theirs or broken it, they will need to purchase another at the cost of £5 from the Student Reception.

What is the Yewlands Way?

The Yewlands Way defines the values, routines and expectations that shape everyday life at Yewlands Academy. It is built on strong relationships, clear routines and consistently high expectations, creating a calm, respectful and ambitious environment where every student can succeed. You can learn more here: Yewlands Academy - The Yewlands Way

You can find information about the Yewlands Safeguarding Team here.

The Year Leader for Y7 will be Ms Garner – cgarner@brigantiatrust.net

For any general enquiries, please contact the academy of 0114 2329010 or email enquiries@yewlandsacademy.org

Yewlands Academy Prospectus

yewlands academy prospectus may 26.pdf

Transition Parental Letters