Year 8 Information

Mr A Downes
Head of Year 8
a.downes@plume.essex.sch.uk

Miss E Booth
Assistant Head of Year 8
e.booth@plume.essex.sch.uk

For any queries please contact: year8support@plume.essex.sch.uk

ADO: Even before joining Plume in 2022 I had always wanted to take on a Head of Year role – indeed, during my early years as a teacher I was asked what I wanted to pursue and my immediate answer was Head of Year. I am grateful now to be given that opportunity and relish the chance to support students here at Plume. Coming from a diverse PE and Modern Foreign Languages background I have developed many different approaches to pastoral care as well as teaching students and I always look at every student as a unique individual that requires an individual approach. I look forward to continuing that perspective and hope to support all students across their years at Plume Academy.

EBO: I joined Plume Academy in November 2021, working the SEND Faculty for two years. I was fortunate to start my journey in pastoral support as this intake joined in September 2023, feeling all the excited and nervous emotions alongside them. I look forward to continuing the journey with them, watching them develop their personalities, interests, and friendship groups, whilst guiding them through all the ups and downs that the challenge of being a teenager brings.

We are an ambitious year group, with many of us excelling in sports and other activities outside of school. We have Flute players, Pianists, Singers, regional Golfers, and a member of the Team GB Sailing Team. We look out for each other with many of our students volunteering their time to be Library Helpers, Well-Being Mentors, and tour guides for new students; giving back to the Plume Community. We also have students volunteering their time to the wider community, with two Carnival Princesses and a Jack Petchey Winner for charitable effort.

We are particularly proud of the following the students, who were recognised at the 2024 Awards Evening:

Oli Gilbert: A student that embodies the Plume Academy Community value with his willingness to get involved and support others at every opportunity.
Olivia Legg: A resilient student who has worked really hard to make amazing progress.
Maya Butcher: A student who has had outstanding academic success over the last year.
Kaitlyn Wade: A student who has demonstrated exactly what it takes to be a model student: leadership; kindness and reliability.