2019-2020
BADMINTON
TEAM
WINS TMAT
TOURNAMENT
ACADEMY
CELEBRATES
FANTASTIC
PROGRESS
HIGH PROFILE
CELEBRITY
PRAISES
AWARDS
Standard
Somercotes
YET MORE
SUCCESS
WITH
IMPROVED
GCSE
RESULTS
TMAT Influence Paying Off
With Major Success For Academy
Welcome to Somercotes Standard, the
yearbook that gives you an insight into life
at the Academy throughout the school year
2019/20.
This has been another strong year for the Academy. We
were delighted, in October, to discover that the 2019
Progress 8 Scores placed the Academy in the top 4 non-
selective schools in Lincolnshire. Students at Somercotes
have continued to work hard and make good progress
across the curriculum supported by high quality staff.
Thanks to ongoing investment from Tollbar Multi
Academy Trust, improvements can be seen across the
site, and throughout the pages of this yearbook, where
students can be seen taking part in a wide variety of
activities across every subject area from Music to Sport.
At Somercotes Academy, all students, whatever their
ability, are supported both academically and pastorally.
All staff are determined to provide the best possible
education for the young people in their care and we are
committed to developing rounded individuals who are
prepared with skills for their futures.
This academic year has been an unprecedented one
for the Academy. In a time of global uncertainty, the
majority of learning in the summer term took place
online. Working on our virtual learning environment
FROG, staff created, set and marked high quality tasks
and assignments for students. Staff and students
responded admirably to the challenge – with some
outstanding work being completed across the subjects.
In June, we were delighted to be able to open the
Academy doors once again to our Year 10 students who
returned to school for face to face contact with teachers
with extensive measures put in place to ensure their
safety.
The year culminated in our GCSE results for
2020 and I could not be prouder of our Year
11 students. Though they did not have the
opportunity to sit their exams or to finish
the year in the way that they expected,
their results reflect their hard work over
their time at the Academy and deserve to
be celebrated. It is significant that this was
the first year group to complete all five
years at the Academy and we are justifiably
pleased with their successes.
We look forward to building on this success in 2020/21,
and I hope you read and enjoy this yearbook as we begin
another academic year at Somercotes Academy.
Frances Green,
Principal.
| Somercotes Standard
September
4 • Strong Leadership And Discipline Praised By Parents
October
8 • Rebirth Of Rural School Celebrated At Awards Led By High-Profile TV
Celebrity
16 • Celebrations As Academy Ranked 4th Best Non-Selective School In
Lincolnshire For Progress
17 • Great Start For New Age Kurling Team
17 • Edie Wins Lincs Food And Gift Fair Design Competition
18 • Academies Win Two Games Each In Local Derby Fixtures
November
19 • Futsal Team Retains Title As Wolds Champions
19 • First Ever Hockey Team Proves Future Is Bright
20 • Music Scholarships For Gifted Students
20 • Talented Poets Are Highly Commended
December
21 • Boccia Team Qualifies For County Finals
21 • Choir Brings Festivity To Cranwell Court
22 • Students Discuss Their Future Options At Careers Fair
23 • Theatre Group Delivers ‘A Christmas Carol’
January
24 • Individual Victories In Indoor Rowing Championships
25 • Somercotes Students Take Part In Hugely Beneficial Panathlon
February
26 • Grandparents Day Brings Exchange Of Skills and Knowledge
27 • Annual Pancake Races Bring Schools Together
30 • Team Lifts Trophy In MAT Badminton Competition
August
28 • Somercotes Academy GCSE Results Continue To Improve Five Years After
Joining TMAT
Contents
Somercotes Standard | 2019 - 2020
Text by Tracey Law at Lawpr.co.uk. Photographs by
Sean Spencer and Ray Corke, Hull News and Pictures.
04
19
26
08
22
30
Somercotes Standard | 3
Academy Principal Frances Green welcomes Finley Bishell (10), of Grimoldby Primary School, and mum Jo Bishell (right) to the Open Evening.
Strong Leadership And Discipline
Praised By Parents
Parents praised strong leadership and discipline when the
Academy threw open its doors for its annual Year 6 Open Evening.
Ann Townsend visited with Morgan Shaw
(10), whose brother Ben (13) already attends
Somercotes Academy. She said:
“It is a strict school compared to others,
but strict in a good way. They set firm
boundaries and Ben is doing well here.”
Finley Bishell (10), of Grimoldby Primary School, looked
around the Academy with his mum Jo Bishell, who said:
“There is very good leadership at
Somercotes. It’s a smaller Academy
and I think it would suit Finley better.“
Principal Frances Green welcomed more than 300 visitors to the rural Academy on one of the wettest nights of the year.
“I was amazed to see so many people here on such a dismal evening and they really enjoyed
themselves looking around the fabulous facilities that we have at the Academy, thanks to
Tollbar Multi Academy Trust. We pride ourselves on providing a secure and caring environment
in which we strive for high standards of behaviour, dress and academic standards. It is a
proven formula and it works.”
“It is gratifying to hear that parents agree with our ethos and we look forward to welcoming
many new students here next year.”
| Somercotes Standard | September
Freya Manders (10) a Year 6 pupil at Grainthorpe Junior School, looks at
objects made by a 3D printer with Joshua Cook (Year 11 student). Also
pictured are mum and dad, Sammy and Mark Manders, and brother Finn (2).
Somercotes Academy Open Evening. Morgan Shaw (10) with mum Ann Townsend, dad Jason
Shaw and brother Ben (age 13), a Year 9 student at Somercotes Academy. Also pictured are Year
10 students, (l-r) Amy Baxter-Rowson and Harriet Gilliatt, in the Technology Department.
September | Somercotes Standard | 5
Archie Anderson (10), who attends Greenwich House School, in
Louth, is pictured in Science with mum and dad, Katie and Richard
Gawler, and (l-r) Year 10 students, Teanna Willey and Idena Short.
Taylor Gower (11) from Tetney Primary School, with
mum Nicola Gower and nan Mandy Gower in the Art
Department. With them is Year 9 student, Lacey Wright.
| Somercotes Standard | September
Amy Bradshaw (10), from Fulstow
Primary School, chats with Curriculum
Leader For Science, Aidan Wilkins.
Connor Mumby (10), of North Somercotes C of E Primary School, and sister
Lexi (6) with Year 10 student Faye Gregory, introducing them to foam marbling.
September | Somercotes Standard | 7
The Somercotes Academy Award winners with Celebrity guest Helen Skelton, TMAT Chief Executive,
David Hampson, and TMAT Chairman and Somercotes Academy Chair of Governors, Philip Bond.
Lucie Wells sings ‘This Time’ from ‘Glee.’
Rebirth Of Rural School
Celebrated At Awards Led By
High-Profile TV Celebrity
Singing Paloma Faith’s “Make Your Own Kind
Of Music” to an audience which included a TV
celebrity, in a Town Hall packed to the rafters with
proud family members, students at Somercotes
Academy proved just how far this rural secondary
school has come since its rebirth in 2015.
The renaissance of this Lincolnshire village school began, following a
disastrous Ofsted that had left it in special measures and at risk of closure.
At a time when rural schools were closing one after the other, and most
were wary of attempting a rescue, Tollbar Multi Academy Trust saw
something it believed in and, using a tried and tested methodology (its
flagship Tollbar Academy has been Outstanding for 11 years), it changed the
school’s name, totally refurbished the site from the ground upwards, and
installed outstanding teachers, whose passion for success was infectious.
Four years later, Somercotes Academy has doubled its numbers; it was
over-subscribed for its September 2019 Year 7 intake and now has a waiting
list. The Academy even had to relocate its annual student prize-giving
ceremony to the much larger Louth Town Hall in 2019 to facilitate the
demand for seats. Ofsted has now rated it ‘Good.’
| Somercotes Standard | October
BBC TV celebrity and former Blue Peter dare-
devil, Helen Skelton, was guest of honour at the
Academy’s now Annual Presentation Evening, which
recognises students’ success in the previous year.
Earlier in the day, she had visited the Academy and
chatted with students from all year groups.
The down-to-earth Cumbrian-born TV star, made a name for herself as
a Blue Peter presenter, taking on incredible challenges. She completed
the Namibia Ultra Marathon (becoming the second woman ever to
do so), kayaked over 2018 miles down the Amazon River (breaking
two Guinness World Records), completed a 66-metre high wire walk
between the towers of Battersea Power Station and, in 2012, travelled
500 miles across Antarctica to the South Pole, becoming the fastest
person to travel 100km by ski, and breaking more World Records.
“I am not a kayaker, or a high-wire walker, but I
proved the doubters wrong when they said to me
‘you can’t, you couldn’t, you shouldn’t’. I said ‘why
can’t we just try?’ I used that as petrol to fire me up
because it was the best motivation you can get.
“Having visited your school today, and now seeing all of the
awards here tonight, you should already be very proud of
yourselves for what you have achieved. Keep going because I
know from personal experience that it is worth it,” she said.
Helen presented 80 awards to students for
Progress and Achievement at the Academy
in 2018. The most prestigious award went to
Lewis Kidd, who was the highest-performing
GCSE student in Maths and Triple Science
in this summer’s exams. The TMAT Chief
Executive’s Special Award, presented by David
Hampson OBE, goes to the student who has
performed above and beyond expectations.
Lewis has high-functioning autism and needed
support to get through his GCSEs. He is now
studying for his A Levels.
His mum Deborah Ross was overcome with
pride for her son and praised the immense
support the Academy has given to Lewis
throughout his time at Somercotes Academy.
Helen Skelton gets to grips with the fantastic
gym equipment at Somercotes Academy.
Alice Bradshaw (Year 8) shows off her rowing prowess cheered
on by Helen Skelton and her classmates and PE Teachers.
Lewis Kidd receives the Chief Executive’s Special Award
from TMAT CEO David Hampson, and Helen Skelton.
Somercotes Choir performs ‘Make Your Own Kind Of Music’ by Paloma Faith.
Year 10 Biology students, Reece Cook-Dickinson and
Taylor Hewson, give celebrity visitor Helen Skelton a
closer look at their heart-rate investigation.
October | Somercotes Standard | 9
Champion Aerial Performer Grace McDowall opens
the Presentation Evening at Louth Town Hall.
The Rob Palmer Award For Student Voice went to Phoebe
Worrall, a student with a great commitment to the local
community, as a member of the Scouts and local Youth
Club, who was described as “a role model” for others.
The Philip Bond Award For Best GCSE Results went to
Jessica Lee, the Academy’s highest-performing GCSE
student overall in 2019.
The Principal’s Cup was presented to Miles Thompson,
who achieved the best GCSE results this summer compared
to his performance at the end of Year 6, having achieved
almost two grades higher per subject than he was predicted
at the end of Primary School.
The House Cup went to Cetus House, who out-performed
others in inter-house competitions throughout the
academic year. It was collected on behalf of the students by
Freya Donner and Louie Hawkins-Ney.
The Awards Night entertainment had begun with a stunning
performance from Champion UK Aerial Performer and
Somercotes Academy student, Grace McDowall (13). It
was followed by musical performances from Somercotes
Choir and soloist Lucie Wells, who closed the show. Special
mention must go to student Charlie Beevers, who sang and
played the piano for a stunning performance of “She Used
To be Mine” from “Waitress” The Musical, which earned
her further praise from Helen Skelton.
Charlie Beevers performs a stunning rendition of ‘She Used To Be
Mine’ from “Waitress” the Musical, playing the piano and singing.
| Somercotes Standard | October
10
Phoebe Worrall receives the Rob Palmer Award For
Student Voice from celebrity guest Helen Skelton and
TMAT Deputy CEO, Martin Brown.
Jessica Lee wins the award for Best GCSE Results 2019.
She is pictured with Somercotes Academy Chair of
Governors, Philip Bond and Helen Skelton.
Frances Green, Principal of Somercotes Academy, quoted Shakespeare when she told the audience:
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
With its best-ever progress in this year’s GCSE exams, and congratulations from
Ofsted, this rural school is surely proof of that.
October | Somercotes Standard | 11
Jake Newton is presented with
the award for Year 8 Progress.
Helen Skelton discusses Art with GCSE students: (l-r) Charlotte
Merry, Libby Weller, Scarlett Walker and Elise Critchley.
| Somercotes Standard | October
12
Freya Donner and Louie Hawkins-Ney accept
the House Cup on behalf of Cetus House.
Libby Jordan accepts the award for Year 10 Progress.
October | Somercotes Standard | 13
The Year 7 Progress Award
went to Alice Bradshaw.
Harriet Gilliatt wins the award for Year 9 Progress.
| Somercotes Standard | October
14
Year 8 students show Helen Skelton their earthquake-proof structures in Geography, from left to right: Maddison
Smith, Libby Hudson, Helen Skelton, Poppy Green, Oliver Thompson (Curriculum Leader) and Ella Hudson.
Miles Thompson receives the award for Best Value Added
GCSE Results from Somercotes Academy Principal, Frances
Green (right) and celebrity guest Helen Skelton.
October | Somercotes Standard | 15
Somercotes Academy was ranked the 4th
best non-selective school in Lincolnshire,
as Government figures on Progress 8 were
published. Students and staff celebrated
the news, just four years after the
Academy opened as a member of Tollbar
Multi Academy Trust.
Celebrations As Academy Ranked
4th Best Non-Selective School
In Lincolnshire For Progress
The Trust took over the former school in 2015, when it was in
special measures and on the verge of closure, and turned it
into Somercotes Academy. It was refurbished from the ground
upwards and the Trust brought in outstanding teachers who
had trained at its flagship school, Tollbar Academy. Last year it
received its first inspection by Ofsted and was rated ‘Good.’ The
Academy is now extremely popular, so much so that it is over-
subscribed.
Following a fantastic set of GCSE results in August 2019,
the school knew it was celebrating an extremely positive
improvement in students’ progress. The Government tables
proved that, with Somercotes Academy ranked 4th highest out of
38 non-selective schools across the whole county. The Academy
now has a Progress 8 figure of 0.45, with the national average
being zero. Progress 8 measures a student’s progress from the
end of Primary School to the end of Secondary School.
David Hampson, Chief Executive of Tollbar
Multi Academy Trust, said:
“This just shows what can be
achieved at a small school in
a coastal area with the right
teaching and commitment to
raising standards and ensuring
that all children receive a
quality education.”
Frances Green,
Somecotes Academy Principal, said:
“This score is a testament to
the hard work from the staff,
students and parents along
with the continued support of
Tollbar MAT. For a coastal, rural
school this is an outstanding set
of results which we are very
proud of.”
Somercotes Academy students and staff celebrate
the fantastic set of GCSE results, which showed just
how much progress the students had made.
| Somercotes Standard | October
16
Edie Bowden, a Year 7 Art student, with her winning design.
With her is Curriculum Leader for Art, Samantha Lyons.
The Academy entered its first ever
New Age Kurling competition
which was held at Franklin
College, Grimsby.
New Age Kurling is a sport that requires
participants to deliver ‘stones’ from one end of the
court to a target at the other end of the court. The
target has red, white and blue concentric circles
and scoring is determined by the number of stones
closest to the centre of this target.
Sixteen teams entered the competition and
Somercotes pair, Dylan Swallow and Levi
Waumsley, came in overall third place.
Great Start For
New Age
Kurling Team
Edie Wins Lincs
Food And Gift Fair
Design Competition
Year 7 student Edie Bowden won a competition
to design a front cover for the Food and Gift Fair,
which took place at the Lincolnshire Showground.
The Food and Gift Fair attracts more than 8,000
visitors and 150 local exhibitors each year.
Judges said: “Edie’s entry really encapsulated the design brief of
‘Christmas All Wrapped Up’.”
Edie’s prize included four tickets to the Food and Gift Fair; a
canvas of the winning design displayed at the Food and Gift Fair
and presented to her after the event; her design was showcased
on the Food and Gift event guide and she received a family ticket
to Countryside Lincs on Sunday April 5 2020.
Rosie Crust, Education and Development Officer, said:
“Congratulations to Edie once again.”
Edie said:
“I am really surprised and proud to have won.”
Successful New Age Kurlers from Somercotes Academy.
October | Somercotes Standard | 17
Rosie Lee from Somercotes
Academy is marked by Ruby
Fox (Year 8, Louth Academy).
Louth Academy student Jamie Atkinson
(Year 8) and Somercotes Academy
student Abigail Coley in action.
Somercotes Academy student Isobel Russel tries passing to Teanna Willey or Ella Pickard. They are
marked by Louth Academy students Ebony Addison and Madeline Williams (Year 10).
Academies Win Two Games Each
In Local Derby Fixtures
Football and netball players from Louth and
Somercotes Academies battled each other in a
local derby in the Wolds League.
Christopher Prendergast, Curriculum Leader for PE at Somercotes Academy, said:
“The Year 8 and Year 10 netball and football matches
between the two TMAT Academies were very competitive,
with Louth Academy winning both Year 8 fixtures, and
Somercotes triumphant in both Year 10 fixtures. It was
great to see all games being played in the right spirit with a
good level of ability on show.”
Results:
Year 8 Netball:
Louth Academy 15 – 3 Somercotes.
Year 8 Football:
Louth Academy 10 – 0 Somercotes.
Year 10 Netball:
Louth Academy 15 – 19 Somercotes.
Year 10 Football:
Louth Academy 1 – 3 Somercotes.
Somercotes Academy students Jozef Meik,
and Mckenzie Henderson in the battle,
against James Quinlan from Louth Academy.
Kai Coulling (Somercotes Academy)
against Jamie Atkinson (left) and Ghian
Dean (right) from Louth Academy, Year 8.
Isobel Russel from Somercotes Academy is
marked by Louth Academy students, Ebony
Addison and Madeline Williams (Year 10).
| Somercotes Standard | October
18
Somercotes Academy Year 8 Futsal Team who once again are Wolds Champions. They are: (l-r) Millie
Wilkes, Charley Burton, Katie Smith, Abigail Coley, Libby Hudson, Alice Bradshaw and Poppy Green.
Futsal Team Retains Title As Wolds Champions
The Year 8 Girls Futsal
Team retained their
title as Wolds Futsal
Champions for the
second consecutive year.
Christopher Prendergast, Somercotes Academy Curriculum Leader for PE, said:
“The girls went as current champions and they won
every game except one and retained their title as Wolds
Champions. The girls deserve every bit of success as,
since the beginning of Year 7, they have trained hard both
in Futsal and Football to become a successful team.”
Christopher Prendergast, Curriculum Leader for PE, said:
“The team showed great resilience and teamwork to compete with some very established hockey teams with some
outstanding players, but we were more than a match for them all, and showed that hockey could be a real success
at Somercotes Academy with the help of expert Miss Wright, who is herself a hockey player.”
First Ever Hockey Team
Proves Future Is Bright
Students made history when the
Academy’s first ever Hockey Team came
2nd behind Skegness Grammar School
in The Lincolnshire Coastal Hockey
Championships.
The Academy has never had a hockey team before,
but these students worked exceptionally hard to
draw 0-0 with Skegness Grammar School A and
B teams; they drew 0-0 with QEGS Horncastle;
and they beat Louth Academy 1-0. They came 2nd
overall just behind Skegness Grammar A team.
Somercotes Academy’s first ever Hockey Team who came 2nd in
their first tournament. They are: (l-r) Connor Patterson, Mckenzie
Henderson, Reuben Cross, Abigail Coley, Jacob Cunliffe, Henry
Kirwin, Alfie Smith, and Jack Clark.
November | Somercotes Standard | 19
Two gifted Music students were awarded
scholarships which gave them free Music
tuition for the Academic year.
Music Scholarships For
Gifted Students
Key Stage 3 student Alfie Pilgrim, who plays bass, and Key Stage 4
drummer Max Beardsley were the recipients of the newly-introduced
scholarships at Somercotes Academy, courtesy of Tollbar Multi
Academy Trust.
Principal Frances Green said:
“The scholarships recognise hard work,
commitment and talent and are given
to two - musically promising - students
chosen by the Music teacher and myself.
Alfie and Max will receive free bass and
drum lessons for the Academic year.”
Somercotes Academy students who received Music
Scholarships, courtesy of Tollbar Multi Academy
Trust. They are bass player Alfie Pilgrim (Year 7) and
drummer Max Beardsley (Year 9).
Talented Poets Are
Highly Commended
Six students
who entered the
Spirited Arts
Art and Poetry
Competition 2019
were all highly
commended.
Principal Frances Green said:
“This was a
fantastic effort.
The six students
chosen were
selected by Miss
Patrick following
the Inter-House RE
competition and
they were a credit
to the Academy.”
Year 9 and 10 students who were all highly commended in the Spirited Arts Poetry
Competition. Principal Frances Green hands out certificates to (l-r) Toni-Louise
Stynes, Thea Hussey, Taylor Hewson, Karis Smith, Gabrielle Jeffrey and Erin Broad.
| Somercotes Standard | November
20