Wednesday 17th of September will live long in the memory for Woodham Academy year 7 students as they were inducted into the Sport Academy and were presented with their contracts. The night itself was a huge success with students and parents attending with pride as their sons and daughter received the recognition of their sporting talent.
The contract signing means that students and the academy have roles to fulfil both for sporting and academic performances as well as behaviour. Academy Director Mr Clough said “The sporting contract is important as it gives students clear boundaries for achievement in their subjects, maintaining high performance levels as well as following the Academy’s behaviour policy.
We believe that through sport we can target students to improve academically as sport instils certain values and beliefs that are needed to be successful”.  Woodham have already seen the benefit of the Sports Academy as over 250 students have attended extracurricular clubs in the last two years.  Not only have sporting academies flourished but so have students’ results and achievements.
Woodham now has students who compete regularly at regional, national and international levels, and year 11 results have been outstanding with 89% and 84% of the last two cohorts of students achieving 5A*-C including English and Maths.
This is proof that sport is having a positive impact on students’ achievements, aspirations and drive to succeed. As well as results improving, sport academy students attendance, behaviour and effort is significantly better.

Sports Academy Induction Evening 2014