‘Coffee mornings’ take on a slightly greater significance when you are entertaining a baroness, as students from our boarding house discovered!  Baroness Sue Campbell chatted over coffee with a few of our boarders about how being a boarder has made an impact on their education and life in general. They all agreed that they felt more secure and confident since becoming a boarder and that it has definitely had a positive impact on their academic performance.
 

 

Baroness Campbell was then welcomed by students from the Year 9 and 10 horticulture groups to the Garden of Reflection, where she officially opened the garden and planted a cherry tree.  The students explained in detail how they had created the garden and linked it to the forthcoming 2012 Olympics and the Olympic values of friendship and respect.  They were truly leaving a legacy from the Olympic games.
 

 

Always keen to look at the P.E. and sport side of any school, Baroness Campbell witnessed students cycling and off-ice skating on the MUGA, a zumba and fitness session in the multi-use hall, football training on the grass training grids, cricket on the astro and basketball training in the sports hall.  Baroness Campbell took a particular interest in the ‘sports wall of fame’ photographs displayed outside the fitness gym before chatting to Connor Feek and Karley Mann, who were two of the many students training and stretching inside the gym.

 

 

Before rounding off her visit, Algy McCormack (Yr 10) was not going to miss a perfect opportunity to interview the Baroness about her visit to The Academy, in preparation for the BBC’s School Report News Day on 15 March.  This would be quite a scoop!

 

 

By all accounts, Baroness Campbell really enjoyed her two hour visit to The Academy and wrote in the visitors’ book, ‘Inspirational!  Thank you - how I wish I could spread your magic to all schools!’

 

It is definitely our pleasure!