What do I do if I get lost?
The building has a design that is very easy to find your way around - click here to view a floor layout, but should you find yourself getting lost you can always ask a fellow student, a member of staff, or if you are really stuck go to Student Services on the ground floor (Level A).
Where are the toilets?
There are male and female toilets situated on each floor, again these are very easy to find - click here to view a floor layout.
Is it easy to make friends?
You'll be amazed at how quickly you get to know your fellow classmates, and there are many opportunities to make new friends at our out of hours clubs and activities.
What are the Teachers like?
All of them are absolutely lovely!!!!!
What subjects will I do?
Visit our Curriculum page to see the full list of subjects you can learn.
How many periods are there in a day, and when are the breaks?
You can see the full school day by clicking here.
Where do I get on and off the bus?
Buses drop off and pick up at the main lay-by in front of the academy on Blackpool Old Road.
There will always be members of staff present to direct you to the correct queue and to tell you when you are able to board your bus.
Are there any school clubs?
There are plenty of school clubs including, sports, arts, computing, music, and drama. Information about these will be announced or displayed in your tutor group or in the various departments, and on the Students area of this website. Remember, if in doubt, just ask your tutor or teacher.
How do we know what meals are for lunch?
A daily menu is displayed outside the hall and can be viewed here on our website.
What if I get stuck doing work?
Your teacher and tutor are always available and will always try to help. If you are stuck with something in your homework, go and find the Teacher at lunchtime/breaktime and ask them to explain it again. Your fellow students are also on hand, so don't forget to ask them too.
What type of rewards do we get?
You might receive an achievement award which is for good work, behaviour, or for a positive contribution around school. Achievement points are added up throughout the year – those students who get things right at Aspire Academy will be rewarded around the year, with exciting things such as pizza parties, cinema vouchers, book tokens, residential trips, and visits to local attractions. There are also Awards Assemblies when individual students are nominated for a special certificate for excellence, effort, or improvement in each subject, such as the Deputy Principal’s Award, and the Principal’s Award.
Do we have pegs and lockers to keep our belongings in?
Unfortunately, no. You will need to be prepared to carry with you what you need for that specific day. A good strong, comfortable bag is essential. When you have P.E. lessons all of your belongings are locked safely away in the changing rooms.
What is an academy?
An Academy is a publicly funded independent school. There are a number of organisations who can sponsor an academy. These include charities, trusts, universities, individuals, and local authorities. Further information about Academies can be found on the Department for Education website http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies
Are academy schools better schools?
All kinds of schools – local authority maintained schools, academies, and free schools - can be successful: the key factors for good and outstanding schools are not the type of school but the quality of leadership and the quality of teaching. Our driving concern is for our academy to be an outstanding school for Blackpool children.
Is there proof that academies raise standards?
Government analysis of Ofsted inspections concluded that schools in England which opted to become academies have improved more quickly than those staying as local authority schools. The Department for Education published a report on how 'converter' academies have performed after their change of status. These account for more than two-thirds of the 3,613 academy schools. These schools were more likely to improve from 'good' to 'outstanding'.