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Letters

Below you will find the latest school letters, alongside an archive of past communications.

Paper copies and letters issued before Autumn 2020 are available on request.

Our most recent letter is pasted below to allow for easy translation for non-English speaking families.

27th March 2026

Medical Tracker

Dear parents/carers


We are writing to inform you of an important update to our school procedures. From 17th April 2026, we will be introducing a new system to record all student medication and first aid incidents called medical tracker.


This system will allow us to maintain accurate records and ensure clear communication with families. Following any first aid treatment or administration of medication, details will be shared with you via email.


To ensure you receive these communications promptly, please make sure your email address is up to date with our reception team. If you are unsure or need to update your details, we encourage you to contact the school office as soon as possible.


Thank you for your continued support.


Yours sincerely
Ms R Graham
Operations Manager

Dear Parent/Carer


Year 11 Parents’/Carers’ Evening – Thursday 26th March 2026

Rockwood Academy is pleased to invite you to attend the Year 11 Parents’/Carers’ Evening, which will take place on Thursday 26th March 2026 from 4:00pm to 6:30pm. This is a crucial stage in your child’s education as they approach the completion of their secondary schooling.


Your attendance at this event is therefore of great importance. The evening will provide an opportunity for you to meet with your child’s subject teachers to discuss their academic progress, mock examination results, preparation for upcoming GCSE examinations, and overall attitude to learning.

Teachers will also be available to offer guidance and advice on how you can best support your child in achieving their target grades. Refreshments will be provided.


We expect all parents/carers to attend this event alongside their child.

In addition, we would like to emphasise the importance of regular school attendance. To ensure that your child is in the strongest possible position to succeed, they should aim for attendance as close to 100% as possible. Evidence shows that poor attendance can have a significant negative impact on academic outcomes. Students with attendance below 90%—classified as ‘Persistent Absentees’—are at a considerable risk of not reaching their full potential.
We look forward to welcoming you on Thursday 26th March 2026.


Yours faithfully


A Ghafoor
Ms Ghafoor
Head of Year 11

17th March 2026

Dear Parents and Carers,

You may be aware that there was an incident in the local area this evening involving one of our students. 

As this now involves a live police investigation, I hope you will understand that I am very limited on what I can say at this point.

As you know the safety and wellbeing of our students is always our top priority and staff will speak to students tomorrow to remind them who to talk to if they have been affected by this and how to access any help or support they might need.

We are working closely with the police to support their investigation, and tomorrow we will remind students who they can speak to if they have any concerns. 

I understand how upsetting this news will be, but please know we will be doing everything we can to provide the support that anyone needs. As ever, please do get in touch if you have any questions. 

Thank you for your continued support.

Yours sincerely

Mr. Richard Reeve

Headteacher

16th March 2026


Dear Parents and Carers


At Rockwood Academy, the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is always our highest priority. As part of our ongoing safeguarding procedures, we will be conducting a lockdown drill on Tuesday 24th March 2026 at 9:30am.


Lockdown drills are an important part of our school’s emergency planning. They allow us to practise how we would respond in the unlikely event that we needed to secure the school site quickly in order to keep everyone safe. By practising these procedures in a calm and controlled way, students and staff learn what to do and how to respond safely if a real situation were ever to occur.


During the drill, staff will guide students through the lockdown procedures in their classrooms. Students will be asked to follow staff instructions carefully so that we can practise the process properly and ensure that everyone understands what to do.
We would appreciate your support in reminding your child about the importance of behaving sensibly and listening carefully to staff instructions during the drill. Taking the exercise seriously helps ensure that all students understand the procedures that are in place to keep them safe.


Please reassure your child that this is simply a practice drill and part of the school’s normal safeguarding procedures.


Thank you for your continued support.


Warm regards.


Mr S Hetherington
Assistant Headteacher

4th March 2026


Dear Parent/Carer


We are writing to inform you of the importance of punctuality and regular attendance, in line with Department for Education (DfE) guidance. Ensuring your child arrives at school on time is essential for safeguarding, academic progress, and establishing strong lifelong habits. According to the DfE’s ‘Working Together to Improve School Attendance’ Guidance (2024), good attendance and punctuality are key responsibilities shared between families and schools and as the trusted parent/carer it is vital you take an active role to ensure your child comes to school on time.


Why Punctuality Matters
Late arrivals disrupt lessons, affect learning routines, and means your child may miss key early-morning instruction. Research highlighted by Local Authority Attendance Guidance shows that even small amounts of missed learning accumulate quickly.


Legal Responsibility and Possible Outcomes
Under the Education Act 1996 and reinforced in DfE guidance, parents/carers have a legal responsibility to ensure their child attends school regularly and on time. Persistent lateness can be recorded as unauthorised absence, and ongoing issues may result in local authority involvement, including support plans or legal action where necessary.
How We Will Support You We want to work in partnership with families. If punctuality is becoming a challenge, please contact us so we can offer appropriate support. Early communication prevents escalation.


Our School’s Graduated Punctuality Approach
If your child is late to school, sanctions for your child will include but are not limited to:

  1. Parent notification, 40-minute detention issued
  2. Phone calls home, loss of social time
  3. 60-minute detention with senior leadership
  4. Academy-based contribution including: canteen clean up duty, litter picking duty, classroom tidy up.

    Thank you for your cooperation and for supporting your child’s success.

    Yours sincerely

    Mr G Singh
    Assistant Headteacher – Behaviour and Attendance




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