Ormiston Rivers Academy

16/10/2026

WHAT A START TO THE SEASON!

A fantastic opening game for our Ormiston Rivers footballers, kicking off the season in style with an impressive 4–1 VICTORY!

Goalscorers: Callum & Ollie

Teachers’ Man of the Match: Henry

A brilliant team performance, full of determination, teamwork and skill!

Well done, boys! What a way to get the season underway!

16/10/2026

SCIENCE IN ACTION AT ORMISTON RIVERS!

It’s been a busy few weeks in our Science classrooms, with students getting hands-on, thinking scientifically and putting their knowledge to the test!

Year 11 – Photosynthesis in Action!
Our Year 11 scientists have been working hard on their required practicals, investigating how light intensity affects the rate of photosynthesis in pondweed. Developing those all-important scientific enquiry skills!

Year 8 – Explosive Discoveries!
Year 8 have been exploring the reactivity of metals, experimenting with metals and acids to discover how different elements react.

Year 11 – Building Molecules!
Our chemists have been using Molymod models to bring covalent bonding to life, helping them visualise and understand the structures of organic molecules.

Year 9 – Magnetic Challenge!
Year 9 have been investigating electromagnets and the factors that affect their strength. And what better way to test their discoveries than with a little friendly classroom competition?

Fantastic curiosity, teamwork and scientific thinking on display across all year groups!

Science isn’t just about learning the theory, it’s about discovering how the world works!

RiversExcellence

16/10/2026

ORA COMMUNITY MOMENT – HARVEST FESTIVAL!

WOW… WHAT AN AMAZING COMMUNITY WE HAVE!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who supported our October ORA Community Moment – Harvest Festival!

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our students, staff and families, we have collected a WHOPPING…

935 ITEMS DONATED!

All donations will be going to Dengie Food Pantry, helping to make a real difference to families in our local community.

We couldn’t be prouder of our ORA community for coming together and showing what kindness, generosity and community spirit really look like!

BUT WAIT… WHO WON THE TUTOR GROUP CHALLENGE?!

The winning tutor group will be revealed NEXT WEEK!

935 items. One incredible community. Thank you, ORA!

TeamORA MakingADifference

15/10/2026

BLAST OFF INTO SPACE!

Today, 150 students in year 7 & 8 embarked on an out-of-this-world adventure as they travelled into space through the incredible world of Virtual Reality!

From exploring planets to discovering fascinating facts about our solar system, students were fully immersed in this exciting learning experience.

It was fantastic to hear them enthusiastically recalling new information and making connections with their prior learning!

Everyone left with a smile on their face, a head full of knowledge and perhaps a new ambition…

Who knows? We may have just inspired a future NASA astronaut!

InspiringYoungMinds

15/10/2026

YEAR 11 MOCK EXAMINATIONS – NOVEMBER 2026

Our Year 11 students will be sitting their first set of GCSE mock examinations from Monday 9 November to Thursday 19 November 2026.

These exams are an important milestone in their GCSE journey, helping students celebrate their progress and identify areas to focus on ahead of the summer examinations.

Key Information:
Morning exams begin at 9:00am
Afternoon exams begin at 11:40am
Students must arrive at school by 8:45am as normal.
There is no study leave during this period.

Get Revision Ready!
We encourage students to use the October half-term to establish a manageable revision routine, using our school Revision Hub for helpful resources, past papers and subject-specific guidance.

Remember to balance revision with rest and wellbeing!

Good luck to all our Year 11 students. We are here to support you every step of the way!

RiversAcademy

15/10/2026

WE HAVE A WINNER!

A huge congratulations to Alisha in Year 13, who has been crowned the winner of The Great Rivers Bake Off!

Her delicious White Chocolate & Raspberry Fudge stole the show, receiving the most votes from staff and students!

A massive well done to everyone who took part, baked, donated and voted, all in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

14/10/2026

HARVEST FESTIVAL REMINDER!
Our ORA Community Moment is well underway this week, and we are collecting donations for the wonderful Dengie Food Pantry!

📅 12th–16th October

We are asking students and families to donate whatever they can, including tinned food, dried goods, toiletries and even Christmas treats!

Which tutor group will collect the most donations?
Every contribution, big or small, will help support local families in need.

Let’s come together as the ORA community and make a difference!

13/10/2026

09/10/2026

OUR NEXT ORA COMMUNITY MOMENT – HARVEST FESTIVAL!

📅 12th–16th October 2026

This October, we’re coming together as a school community to support Dengie Food Pantry, a vital local charity helping families and individuals in need.

Throughout the week, we’re asking students to bring in donations of:

Tinned goods
Dry foods – pasta, rice, cereals etc.
Toiletries and hygiene products
Christmas treats and goodies

THE TUTOR GROUP CHALLENGE!

Which tutor group can collect the MOST donations? Let the friendly competition begin!

Every single item makes a difference, and together we can make a real impact on our local community.

Let’s show what the Rivers community can achieve when we come together!

GivingBack RiversCommunity