Aixeministra, Autumn Term 2026
Here we celebrate a wonderful first term of the academic year Axe Valley Academy and a particularly fabulous Autumn Term for our brand new Year 7s.
YEAR 7 Cover illustration
Welcome to our Autumn Term Aixeministra
Welcome to our Autumn Term Aixeministra
IT’S BEEN A REAL PLEASURE to return to Axe Valley and see the new academic year begin with such positivity and purpose.
Our Year 7 students have made a fantastic start, embracing new challenges, working hard and making the most of the opportunities that secondary school life brings. It has also been wonderful to see so many students getting involved in our clubs and enrichment programme, developing new interests, building confidence and trying something new.
We were delighted to welcome prospective students and families to our Open Day and Evening. So many of our students volunteered to represent our school, proudly showcasing what makes Axe Valley such a special place. Our daytime tours were fully booked, and it was a privilege to speak to two packed halls during the evening. Special mention must go to two of our new Year 7 ambassadors, who spoke with remarkable confidence, enthusiasm and maturity about their experiences so far. We are incredibly #AxeValleyProud of them all.
This term also saw our annual Futures Fair, giving every student in Years 9 to 11 the opportunity to explore a wide range of post-16 pathways. We are extremely grateful to the employers, colleges, training providers and organisations who supported the event and helped inspire our students about the exciting opportunities that lie ahead. The new term has started with real energy, ambition and optimism, and I am excited to see what our students achieve in the months ahead.
We are also delighted to share some fantastic news!
Over the past few years all of our Trust schools have taken part in staff, student and parent surveys led by Edurio. Edurio run surveys for over 2000 schools in England. The Edurio Awards recognise the top 10 schools nationally in each category, based on national survey data from the 2025/26 academic year and feedback from pupils, staff, and parents.
We are incredibly proud to announce that Axe Valley Academy has been recognised with three prestigious awards:
Parent Choice Award (Secondary)
Parent Feedback in Action
Parent Partnership
These awards reflect the strength of our school community and the valuable partnership we have with our parents and carers. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their views and support our school.
This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our staff and the wonderful young people and families who make Axe Valley Academy such a special place.
To apply for a place at Axe Valley Academy. It is important you make your application by visiting:
www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline
or by contacting them on 0345 155 1019 to request a hard copy application form.
It is important that if you wish to apply for a place at our school, you complete the application form by midnight on the 31st October 2026.
Rob Crocker, Headteacher
Congratulations
WE ARE INCREDIBLY PROUD of Iona, whose artwork was recently featured in Emerging Lights as part of Somerset Art Weeks.
This marks Iona's first time exhibiting at Somerset Art Weeks, and she was delighted to be given the opportunity to showcase her creative talents to a wider audience. The exhibition proved to be a great success, with Iona selling two pieces during the private view.
What a fantastic achievement and a wonderful recognition of her talent, hard work and dedication. Congratulations, Iona. We are all very #axevalleyproud of you!
CONGRATULATIONS to our fabulous Lottie B has just completed the TAGB Scottish Championships in Edinburgh and achieved a Silver medal for sparring. Well done Lottie, we are very #axevalleyproud of you!
WE LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT OUR STUDENTS and their achievements outside of school!
Sam volunteers with the local charity 'For The Love of a Railway', a historic model railway group dedicated to preserving and sharing railway heritage.
The charity were granted special permission by the Heritage Railway Association to open the historic Cannington Viaduct in Uplyme to the public. The event has attracted considerable attention, with railway enthusiast and social media personality Francis Bourgeois, as well as broadcaster and railway expert Pete Waterman, filming segments for local news coverage and their own social media channels.
In recognition of his commitment and enthusiasm, Sam was invited to take part in the event in his role as the charity's young engineer and volunteer. It is wonderful to see him contributing so positively to such an important local project and helping to inspire interest in railway heritage among younger generations.
We are incredibly proud of Sam's dedication, community spirit and passion for engineering. Well done, Sam! #axevalleyproud
WE ARE DELIGHTED to celebrate Isabelle and the incredible growth in confidence she has shown through her sheep handling and showing.
When Isabelle first began competing, she was very nervous, struggled to make eye contact with judges and felt shy when speaking to members of the judging panel. This year, however, her confidence has grown enormously. It has been wonderful to see her holding conversations with adults, proudly demonstrating her knowledge and showing great determination to improve her handling skills.
This year, Isabelle competed in a large Young Handlers class at both the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Shows. She presented both herself and her sheep exceptionally well, impressing the judges with her knowledge, confidence and skill. As a result, she was awarded Reserve Show Champion.
We are incredibly proud of Isabelle's achievement and the perseverance she has shown to reach this milestone. Congratulations, Isabelle!
WE LOVE celebrating our students’ achievements outside of school. Congratulations to Hannah, who has recently been awarded her Royal Academy of Dance Grade 2 Ballet Award.
What a fantastic achievement. Hannah, we are incredibly #axevalleyproud of you!
Welcome to our new Class of 2026
WE COULDN'T BE PROUDER of how well our Year 7 students are settling in at Axe Valley. They have embraced school life with enthusiasm and positivity, and already feel like part of our family. What a wonderful group they are! It seems incredible that just 24 hours ago we were clapping them through the doors of their new school home for the next five years.
We love our clubs!!!
WE ARE SO EXCITED to launch our burgeoning Club list! Over 57 clubs started in the second week of term. We encourage our students to come along, try something new and just get involved! We have loved watching our students embrace this culture this term.
With many more to come after half term!
World Mental Health Day 2026
On Friday 9 October, students and staff came together to support YoungMinds, a charity dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.
Students wore yellow, green, or a combination of both colours and donated £1 to take part in the day. There were plenty of fun activities, including a cake raffle with the chance to win a delicious lemon cake. The highlight for many was the opportunity to soak some very brave members of staff!
The day was a fantastic way to raise awareness of mental health while having fun and supporting an important cause. We are delighted to report that, thanks to the generosity of our school community, we raised over £900 for YoungMinds.
A huge thank you to everyone who took part and helped make the day such a success.
OUR ANNUAL FUTURES FAIR took place on Thursday 15th October. This was a fantastic opportunity for students and families to meet a wide range of employers, colleges, sixth forms, training providers, public services and industry professionals.
Whether students already have a career path in mind or are still exploring their options, the Futures Fair is all about inspiring ambitions, opening doors and helping young people make informed choices about their future.
A great chance to ask questions, gather information and explore opportunities together.
Year 7 Football League
THE YEAR 7 FOOTBALL LEAGUE kicked off with Mr Horn and what a start it was! With such a fantastic turnout at the after-school club, our players will be competing in a weekly tournament-style league, giving everyone plenty of opportunities to play, improve and represent their team. This is a mixed league. Anyone still interested in registering should see Mr Horn. Keep an eye on our social media channels for match reports, league tables, Golden Boot updates and all the latest action as the season unfolds.
Week 1 Tournament
⚽ YEAR 7 FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT OFF TO A FLYER! ⚽
The Year 7 Football Tournament got off to a fantastic start, with some exciting matches and plenty of competitive action on display.
On Pitch 1, the Blues edged a closely fought contest against the Reds, winning 2-1. Over on Pitch 2, the Yellows put in a strong performance to defeat the Greens 3-0.
A huge well done to all the players who made the effort to come along and played with such enthusiasm, determination and excellent sportsmanship throughout.
A big thank you also goes to parents and carers for helping with transport and pickups. Your support is greatly appreciated. Spectators are very welcome, so please feel free to come along and watch the action next week.
Next week, and we're already looking forward to more great football. Any new players who would like to get involved should speak to Mr Horn, who can add them to a team.
One final request... if anyone has any spare green bibs, we could definitely use them! ⚽💚
Neon Fun Run
OUR YEAR 9 GIRLS had a brilliant day out in Okehampton today for the Neon Fun Run. The girls completed 5km at their own pace, while wearing brightly coloured tops that they decorated themselves. They also had fun playing badminton and tug of war, and Rosie even found herself a book in the phone box!
Our Year 9 netball team and Year 10/11 netball team went to play Sidmouth in the East Devon league - great effort girls!
MORE PE highlights will be added to our Christmas Edition of Aixeministra…
Year 7
We are just really getting to know our Year 7s. These self-portraits give a real sense of their characters.
Open Evening
WOW! What an incredible Open Day and Evening we had here at Axe Valley Academy. We were so delighted to share our school with so many of you! Thank you for all your lovely comments about our students and all that we have on offer.
HERE IS THE INFORMATION YOU NEED to apply for a place at Axe Valley Academy. It is important you make your application by visiting:
www.devon.gov.uk/admissionsonline
or by contacting them on 0345 155 1019 to request a hard copy application form.
It is important that if you wish to apply for a place at our school, you complete the application form by midnight on the 31st October 2026.
Christmas in the Quad
Now a firm favourite in our diaries - Please do come along and share in this special community event. It is being organised by our Year 11s to raise money for their Prom. Everyone is welcome!
