House Championships - Lifts Lockdown Spirits

At the beginning of the 2019/20 academic year, Charles Read  Academy launched a brand new house system centered around developing the CRA core values of courage, resilience, aspiration, confidence, respect and ambition through a wide range of academic and cultural opportunities. The launch brought with it the introduction of three new house teams;

Terra, Aqua and Caeli - latin for Land, Sea and Air respectively, creating a unique community of togetherness and sense of belonging for many students. To date, there has been over 20 house competitions delivered with over 80%of students across the whole academy participating in at least one competition, challenge or activity. From bottle rockets to  deal or no deal, football to masterchef and limbo to pumpkin carving, the house championship offers something for everyone.

Unfortunately on Friday 20th March, schools acorss the nation closed there doors except to those children of key workers or vulnerable  students. This unprecedented time has changed the world as we know it and has created many challenges to every days life of students and staff. Throughout the period of lockdown, Charles Read Academy has been delivery weekly 'stay at home' competitions and challenges tolift the spirits of staff, students and families of CRA. 

So far during lockdown competitions have challenged each house to cook a new dish, showcase their photography skills in the garden, attempt the viral 'toilet roll' challenge, write a diary entry of a day in life during COVID-19 Pandemic, showcase their tricks and skills, recreate famous paintings as well as design the CRA new football and netball kits and test their knowledge through a variety of quizzes.

The first competition, Garden Photography, saw CRA receive an amazing 180 photo entries of flowers, nature and wildlife from the gardens of those associated with the academy. Students, staff and family members were getting involved and following a tough round of judging, Year 7 student Sally from Caeli house was crowned the overall winner.

The next competition saw students and staff display confidence and courage as they attempted to cook or bake a brand new dish. Students across all year groups and many teachers got involved in this competition, showing off their culinary skills. Once again, there were some high quality entries and judging was extremely difficult. From spaghetti carbonara to fish cakes, cheesecake to homemade chocolates and hot cross buns to fresh cream eclairs - this competition had it all. If only we could have taste tested them all too! In first place it was another talented year 7, Rhys from Aqua who made four sepereate desserts; Victoria Sponge, Strawberry Pudding, flapjacks and Banoffee Pie. Aqua claimed the top prize in this one as the staff winner was Mrs Coleman with her tasty looking Lemon Meringue pie.

A CRA Wordsmash challenge followed next where houses were tasked with trying to make as many words as possible from 'COVID Lockdown'. Caeli dominated this competition with both student and staff winners. Ashton in year 8 managed 110 words and Mrs Miller Brown, year 7 form tutor made an incredible 148 from a possible 164 from the English Oxford Dictionary. There is certainly an art to keeping yourself occupied during lockdown, as the lastest competition was a challenge that required creativity and imagination as houses recreated famous paintings. House teams had a week to research famous paintings and attempt to recreate them using anyone or anything from their households. 

House teams absolutely loved this one with a wide range of excellent entries from staff, students and family members.

Judging quickly became the most difficult role within the House Championship and after careful deliberation Caeli came out on top. Lily in year 8 and her brother produced an amazing recreation of Vincent Van Goghs 'Self-Portrait with a Straw Hat' and Mrs Spilberg and family recreated the almost identical painting of 'Judith and her Maidservant with the Head of Holofernes' by Orazio Gentileschi.

Charles Read Academy will continue to deliver weekly competitions through this challenging period, as we continue to lift the spirits of all within our CRA community. With lots more exciting competitions and challenges to come over the next few weeks, there will be plenty of opportunities for students, staff and families to get involved.

You can keep up to date with all the wonderful things going on at CRA by following @CRA_HouseChamp on twitter.