Principal News
August Update
03 August 2010We're now into August, and things are progressing fast towards us opening our Academy to all students on Monday 13th September. We recently met with the Department for Education in London and they approved all of our plans on our Academy and felt that we had made significant progress to make this an Academy in which we will all be proud. I hope parents have seen the pictures of our new Academy building, we will also be posting some on this site shortly for everyone to see.
THe contractors have already started work on Waterhead Academy - the Roxbury and Moorside campus sites to develop the signage, the year 7 areas and to improve the ICT facilities. We want all our pupils to see a change when they come in September.
We are also putting into place the final plans for the distribution of our new, free uniform to all parents and we will be writing to everyone over the summer.
I look forward with great anticipation to seeing all pupils on Monday 13th September for the first day of the school term.
June Update
07 June 2010The last few weeks have been very busy on Waterhead Academy. We have made huge progress in developing the curriculum for our Academy and have asked our pupils to select their curriculum options (where appropriate). We have also committed to giving each parent a free uniform which will include a jacket, tie, jumper, sports fleece, sports top and sports bottoms. This is excellent news and ensures that costs are kept to an absolute minimum for all parents.
We are also working hard on developing our new building for Waterhead and I will be talking to parents at our meetings this evening about our plans for the building and our Academy.
We have continued to receive a number of questions through our website which has been excellent. I would encourage everyone to continue to check back to the site to see the progress which is being made.
David.
Waterhead Academy - March Update
31 March 2010Welcome to the first edition of the Waterhead Academy Principal's posting. Firstly, to introduce myself, I'm David Yates and I have recently been appointed to the role. I am already making swift progress in developing the Academy.
I believe wholeheartedly in raising standards to enable all young people to reach their full potential, by encouraging each child to learn and achieve. I believe passionately in working with our communities and our key partners across the primary, secondary and further education sectors to promote progression and achievement. I am very excited to have been chosen as the new Principal and I look forward to developing Waterhead Academy to transform the lives of young people in Oldham for the long term.
The team and I have been working to develop the Academy's curriculum, along with how our new building will look and feel in September 2012 when it opens in Waterhead.
I have also met the vast majority of staff at Breeze Hill and Counthill schools and I have been very impressed with the work that is taking place in both to truly transform the lives of Oldham's young people. I intend to build upon this work even further to develop an outstanding Academy, which Oldham richly deserves.
I attended a performance of 'Fame' recently at Counthill school, along with pupils of our feeder primaries who were invited to watch the performance. It was a fabulous opportunity for us to meet each other. I am planning to visit all of our feeder primary schools, to meet the teams there and agree ways in which we can smooth the transition from primary to secondary school.
I will continue to post regular updates on developments in the project and what the team and I are doing to make Waterhead Academy work for the benefit of all.
If you have a question relating to the Academy, please fill in the form on the right hand side of this page and I will make it my priority to get back to you.
With kind regards
David Yates
Principal
Waterhead Academy