The point of this petition is to prevent the Kings Academy school board and the principal Mr D Dawes from banning study leave at the Kings Academy School, Coulby Newham, Middlesbrough.  The people who sign this petition document strongly disagree about the banning of the study leave, as they do not have the same opportunity as the past Year 11’s to have study leave during their all important GCSE Examinations. Despite the last Year 11 students not achieving their predicted results, which we understand may be deeply disappointing to the school as a whole, we still believe that we as a year group should not be punished for their failure due to lack of revision over the study leave period.

The distress and upset it will bring to the students of the 2011-2016 Year Group is highlighted in the below points:

·         The students will not be able to have the memorable and hugely influential ‘last day’ with the whole year group. There were many enjoyable and pre-planned things the Year 11’s were looking forward to on this last day, such as creating scrap books with old and new photographs, where close students can write pleasant messages to one another. Which one can look back on in the future years and remember their time at the Kings Academy and all the people they met and touched their lives in the many different ways.

·         The students would also have liked to take photographs with all their fellow students and one of the year group as a whole. This photograph of the whole year would have been one of the most safe-guarded and cherished photos in the students’ lives. Reminding them again of the tremendously important time spent at the Kings Academy.

·         As Mr Dawes and all the staff at the Kings Academy have said in past assemblies and tutor reflections, students have their own way and methods for revising. Some like independent revision, others like revising with friends and family. Some take part in visual and active revision and others in literal and analytical study. So detaining the students in school will hinder their revision by forcing set revision techniques. Even though teacher-set revision works for some people, there are revision sessions during and after school for them already, however others like varied ways of studying and we believe that the school and Mr Dawes has absolutely no right to take this away from us. It has been proven that independent study is a vital part of revision for it to be effective, and by removing study leave we lose that privilege.

·         Students, after 4 years of school and 2 years of hard work and focus, deserve and should be rewarded with an earlier leave to school. This way students will have time to include stress-relieving activities during these months of intense and stressful studying. This will enable them to prevent deep worry anxiety and maintain correct levels of emotional and mental health. There aren’t many rewards to the students of Year 11 present in the Kings Academy.

To conclude: the target we hope to reach for this petition is to get most, if not all, of the year groups and teachers agreement signatures, on this document as soon as possible. I hope that you will take our efforts on this very important matter, seriously and consider the benefits study leave will bring to us. Rather than just the schools perspective and views on the matter. After all, the whole point of study is based on the development of our knowledge and what we think is best to help us to revise and get the best grades we possibly can. For us and for the outside image of the school.