Alec Reed Academy

On Thursday 22nd October was a truly exciting and memorable day for our primary pupils as we celebrated British Values Dazzle Day alongside our Big School Council Election Day. Throughout the day, children explored the importance of democracy, individual liberty, mutual respect, tolerance and the rule of law through a range of engaging and creative activities. These included making flags, writing their own manifestos, sharing their ideas and confidently presenting their idea to their peers. We were incredibly grateful to welcome the Mayor and her Secretary, who gave their time to join our celebrations. A special thank you to the Mayor for officially opening our school polling station and helping to make the election process a truly authentic democratic experience for our pupils. Another highlight of the day was our Year 5 and 6 Question Time session with Councillor Dee. Pupils had the opportunity to ask thoughtful and challenging questions and hear about her experiences and perspectives as both a councillor and a school governor. The children thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to engage in such an inspiring and meaningful discussion. We look forward to building on these experiences through the work of our newly elected School Council. It was truly a spectacular day, bringing British Values to life, celebrating pupil voice and democracy, and inspiring our young citizens to use their voices, share their ideas and make a positive difference to the world around them! #BritishValues #DazzleDay #SchoolCouncil #DemocracyInAction #PupilVoice #ClimateAction #AlecReedPrimaryAcademy

🇨🇳 China 2026 | Days 7 & 8 Xi'an – Mountains, Terracotta Warriors and Cultural Discovery! Another incredible few days for our Alec Reed Academy and Harlington School Sixth Form students as we conclude our time in Xi'an! Saturday saw students take on a spectacular hike through Cuihua Mountain, enjoying breathtaking scenery and the challenge of exploring China's natural landscape. The afternoon included a traditional weaving workshop, followed by a BBQ and bonfire. 🏺 Sunday's highlight was undoubtedly the world-famous Terracotta Army! Students explored this extraordinary archaeological site, discovering the history and craftsmanship behind one of China's greatest historical treasures. The afternoon's hands-on terracotta warrior workshop was a particular highlight for students from both schools, who had the opportunity to create their own warriors using traditional techniques. A fantastic experience that brought history to life! 🥢 We rounded off the day making traditional Xi'an biangbiang noodles and exploring the spectacular Grand Tang Everbright City. 🕌 Monday morning included a visit to Xi'an's historic Great Mosque, offering another fascinating insight into China's diverse cultural heritage. 🚄 We're now on the high-speed train heading to Chengdu, the final stop on our China adventure! More unforgettable experiences, new friendships and memories that will last a lifetime! Thank you WildChina Education, Vanessa Gong and Eleanor de Renzy Channer. 🌏 #AlecReedAcademy #China2026 #SixthForm #TerracottaWarriors #CulturalExchange #RaisingAspirations #ProudToLearn

🇨🇳 China 2026 | Xi'an – Where Ancient History Meets Modern Innovation! Another fantastic two days for our Alec Reed Academy Sixth Form students! 🚄 Arriving in Xi'an by high-speed rail, we explored the ancient City Wall by bicycle and experienced the vibrant Muslim Quarter. 🎭 Today began with a traditional Chinese shadow puppetry workshop, discovering this fascinating art form before creating our own puppets. 🚗 The highlight was undoubtedly our visit to the Geely car manufacturing plant! An incredible opportunity to see modern vehicle production first-hand, with a guided factory tour and practical workshop showcasing the engineering, technology and innovation behind the automotive industry. For our Economics, Business and STEM students, it was a brilliant chance to see concepts such as productivity, specialisation, economies of scale and technological advancement in action. From ancient city walls to advanced manufacturing, Xi'an has provided a fascinating insight into China's rich heritage and its rapidly evolving economy. Broadening horizons, raising aspirations and creating unforgettable experiences! 🌏 #AlecReedAcademy #China2026 #SixthForm #Geely #STEM #CulturalExchange #RaisingAspirations

🇨🇳 China 2026 | Exploring Beijing! 🌏 What an incredible few days our Alec Reed Academy Sixth Form students have enjoyed in Beijing! 🤝 Cultural Exchange: Learning alongside their Chinese buddies at Beanstalk International Bilingual School, sharing experiences and building new friendships. 🏯 History & Heritage: Visiting the magnificent Great Wall of China, Jingshan Park and the historic Forbidden City, bringing centuries of Chinese history to life! 🎨 Art & Culture: Exploring the Redbrick Gallery, 798 Art District and Beijing's vibrant shopping streets. 🔬 Science & Innovation: Discovering new technologies and tackling creative challenges at the China Science and Technology Museum. From ancient wonders to modern innovation, our students are embracing new experiences, broadening their horizons and learning far beyond the classroom. 📸 Some fantastic memories from Beijing, with much more still to come! 💙💛 Proud to Learn. #AlecReedAcademy #ARASixthForm #China2026 #CulturalExchange #LearningBeyondTheClassroom

🇨🇳 China 2026 – Day 1: Beijing! 🇨🇳 What a fantastic start to our China adventure! 🌏 Our Alec Reed Academy Sixth Form students spent their first day in Beijing visiting Beanstalk International Bilingual School, where they received a warm welcome from their student buddies. It was a brilliant day of learning, cultural exchange and making new friendships, as our students shared experiences and gained valuable insights into school life in China. 🇨🇳🤝🇬🇧 An incredible opportunity to broaden horizons, build connections and create lasting memories! 📸 Here are some highlights from Day 1! #AlecReedAcademy #ARASixthForm #China2026 #GlobalOpportunities #CulturalExchange #ProudToLearn

🪴Look What We've Grown in Nursery! 🌱 From tiny seeds to a bumper harvest! Our Nursery children have been busy planting, watering and caring for their plants, then harvesting what they've grown. 🫑 On Cooking Friday, we used our home-grown peppers to make delicious cheese and salad pitta pockets - a lovely way to explore where our food comes from! 🎃 And just look at our pumpkin - it's HUGE and very heavy! We're so proud of our little gardeners! 🌿🪴

🍂 Alec Reed Academy Primary – Autumn 2 Clubs are open for booking! 🌟 All clubs begin on Tuesday 3rd November for 7 weeks (Note: Years 2–6 Boxing Club begins later on Monday 9th November for 6 weeks). Time: 3:15pm – 4:15pm Booking Deadline: All bookings must be made by Thursday 22nd October. Book now on ParentPay. #AlecReedAcademy #ARAPrimary #AfterSchoolClubs #PrimaryEducation #ParentPay #Northolt

Weekly Update - Week 6

Year 2 had a wonderful and enriching visit to the Vishwa Hindu Kendra Mandir as part of our learning about Hinduism this term. The visit gave the children a fantastic opportunity to consolidate and bring to life the knowledge they have been developing in the classroom. The children were able to see first-hand some of the beliefs, traditions and practices that we have been learning about. During our visit, the children explored the Mandir and learned about its importance as a place of worship and community. They were fascinated to see the beautiful surroundings and were able to make connections between what they had learned in lessons and what they could see and experience during our visit. The children listened carefully and showed great respect throughout the visit. They asked thoughtful questions and were particularly excited to learn more about Hindu worship, celebrations and traditions. It was lovely to see the children making links with their classroom learning and confidently sharing what they already knew. The visit provided a memorable experience that helped deepen their understanding of Hinduism in a meaningful and engaging way. A huge thank you to the parents who helped by supporting this trip and especially Vishwa Hindu Kendra Mandir for welcoming us and helping to make our visit such a special learning experience. 🌟 We are very proud of our Year 2 children for their excellent behaviour, curiosity and respectful attitude throughout the day!

Weekly Update - Week 5

Year 6 Celebrate Black History Month Year 6 experienced a fantastic in-role live performance at the local Northolt Library. To build upon their existing knowledge during Black History Month, pupils explored the life of Ellen Craft, a woman who showed remarkable courage during the 19th century. Thank you to the library for facilitating this wonderful experience for our pupils.

🎩 Year 2's Great Hat Mystery! Year 2 have thoroughly enjoyed reading "I Want My Hat Back" by Jon Klassen, where a bear searches the woods for his missing hat. Inspired by the story, the children designed and made their very own special hats – but, mysteriously, they disappeared on Friday afternoon! The children became detectives and discovered a series of intriguing clues, including a Big Boss lanyard, some music notation and a cycling helmet receipt. They carefully pieced the clues together before interviewing the Academy's "Big Bosses" – Mr Cosby, Mr Hire and Ms Mackenzie. After some very important detective work, the children discovered that none of the Big Bosses had stolen the hats! The mystery took an unexpected turn when it was revealed that the culprit was actually Ms Mackenzie's office teddy bear! The teddy bear was promptly asked to apologise to the pupils, and the mystery was finally solved. Year 2 showed fantastic teamwork, questioning skills and determination throughout their investigation! Thank you to all the pupils and staff members involved.

Weekly Update - Week 4

Kooth have changed their name to Soluna by Kooth. They continue to provide a great free service supporting young people's mental health but with a new mobile app and updated web page. Everything else stays the same: free, safe, human-led support (no chatbots), strict safeguarding standards, and its BACP-accredited one-to-one chat service.

Last week, our children went on an exciting Gruffalo Scavenger Hunt around the academy field! The aim was to help the children imagine what the setting of The Gruffalo might look, feel and sound like. The children explored the outdoors and collected natural materials such as twigs, grass and leaves. As they explored, they talked about what they could see, hear and feel and discussed how they might feel if they were walking through the Gruffalo's woodland themselves. Back in the classroom, the children used their collected materials to create their own woodland settings, thinking carefully about where the different items could be placed. This was a fantastic hands-on experience that helped bring our story learning to life while developing the children's imagination, vocabulary and understanding of setting. What wonderful explorers and storytellers we have in Year 1! 🌹🦋