The City Academy

[EduCativ]

At The City Academy, Hackney students are expected to work hard and to show dedication and commitment to their studies. In return, the academy provides fantastic academic, creative, sporting, linguistic, and personal educational experiences. This ‘City Experience’ is delivered through our outstanding teaching, the formal and informal curriculum, and the support of our sponsors: The City of London Corporation and KPMG. Of key importance to our success has been the development of students’ originality and independent thinking, which has been fostered through the many creative and engaging learning experiences we offer inside and outside the classroom.

At The City Academy, Hackney there is a real emphasis on personal skills and the development of values that all young people need to be successful. The academic progress of our students speaks for itself and our standing as a center of excellence for secondary education is now the subject of great interest locally, nationally, and internationally. We believe that you will be impressed by the outstanding educational experiences we can offer your child, and I would urge you to visit the academy to find out more.

We aim to provide a high-quality education for students in Hackney and pioneer educational innovation. Our success is judged by excellence in examination results, standards of behavior, sporting and creative achievement as well as the politeness, self-discipline, and compassion of our students. It is important to us that students enjoy learning and feel safe and happy at school and we enable them to develop the confidence, independence, and self-awareness required for their future success and well-being.

All children applying to the academy, including children with statements of Special Educational Needs and looked after children, will be required to take the Cognitive Ability Tests (CAT4 Level C) designed by GL Assessments. Children who do not sit the test will be considered after those who sit the test.

Applicants will be placed in one of four bands, based on their performance in the test. An equal number of children will be assigned to each band (where possible) based on the range of ability of the applicants. Each band represents approximately 25% of the applicants. Children with EHCP identifying SEND and looked after children are included in the appropriate band. If they are unable to take the test, their band allocation will be based on their primary school teacher assessments. The academy will consider all applicants for places. Where fewer than 180 applications are received, the academy will offer places to all those who have applied.

The academy has three fully-staffed libraries: the Lee library for Key Stage 3, Turing library and ICT suite for Key Stage 4, and a Sixth Form library on the third floor. All three libraries offer a wide range of resources including fiction books non-fiction books magazines, newspapers, and journals PC/Mac computers for use during the break, lunch, and after school to complete homework. Students are expected to have a reading book with them at all times, as part of their essential equipment. They may borrow most library books for a month at a time, and we encourage students to read at home as well as during school hours.

All students in years 7, 8, and 9 are enrolled in a program called Accelerated Reader (AR) to improve their literacy and encourage them to read for pleasure. At the start of the term, each student is given a target (e.g. 20 points) and earns points towards this target by reading throughout the term. Upon finishing a book, students must complete a short quiz and on passing the quiz they receive points for that book. Most books in the library have a points value based on their length and difficulty. Throughout the term, students take quizzes and check how many points they have using the library computers the deadline for reaching their target is usually the last day of each term.

Students must also keep a reading log of what they are reading and how often. These are the yellow pages in the middle of their planner which are checked regularly during English lessons. We expect and encourage students to read for at least 20 minutes a day, five days a week.

Reading books for Accelerated Reader is as important as any other kind of homework. Students may be issued detentions for not reading. However, they are also rewarded with merits for excellent reading and for exceeding their target. There is an Accelerated Reader of the Week award, as well as a House Cup and a range of individual competitions and prizes to win throughout the year.

We have two excellent sponsors: financial services firm KPMG and the City of London Corporation, who both have first-class track records in supporting education. Our shared vision is to provide a professional ethos that gives students the confidence, skills, and ambition to move on to the wider worlds of higher education and work.

When we were established in 2009 we set out to build an exceptional academy for our students based on the highest expectations of academic achievement and personal development. Our students have achieved outstanding GCSE results and our second set of A-level results are excellent. All of our sixth-form students have progressed to university or high-level apprenticeships.

We aim to:

• Provide a high-quality education for students in Hackney and pioneer educational innovation
• Offer a curriculum that is enjoyable, challenging, and relevant
• Enable students to fulfill their potential and participate fully in society
• Raise standards and aspirations for young people
• Build partnerships between local cultural organizations, business, and educational communities.

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