Civic Award Celebrations

The Year 6 Civic Award  Graduates at All Saints Marsh C of E Academy, who are part of the Learning Academy Partnership (LAP) enjoyed attending the Torbay and Devon Civic Award Presentation evening at St Cuthbert Mayne on the 6th July. Award certificates were presented by Torbay’s Civic Mayor Councillor Mandy Darling to over 200 children representing 20 schools attended.  

To achieve the award pupils have to prove their participation in several main areas. These are: 

• Active Citizenship in their school community – Pupils donated food to our local community fridge, read in school with the younger children and helped to promote local charities close to their hearts. They have taken on roles of responsibility like team Captains and Play Leaders.  

• Active  and Non active hobbies – Pupils participated in a range of sporting activities including football ,cricket,  swimming and local Scout groups. Non active hobbies included baking and drawing. 

• Residential experience and adventure training  – The pupils enjoyed a residential at PGL, Barton Hall, Torquay where they participated in canoeing, abseiling, climbing and lots more exciting individual and team building activities. 

• Children also need to adopt a cause or charity which they feel strongly about. Together, pupils raised hundreds of pounds via bake sale, beat the goalie events and Christmas shoe box filling for charities such as Bowel Cancer UK, the Samaritans, the Stanley Beau Foundation and the Ukraine Appeal. 

The children must also pass a rigorous assessment when they have to present all this evidence to an external assessor, where they had to present, demonstrate and talk about their activities and the difference it has made to their local communities. We would like to thank Reverend Regan from St Paul’s Church  for volunteering to assess the children who all spoke so passionately about the award. 

The Torbay and Devon Civic Award was first introduced in 2005 by founder Karen Thomson. The aim being to encourage Citizenship amongst ten and eleven year olds. Karen was inspired to create the award by a deep belief that education should be broader and more futures-driven. 

This year the numbers of children taking part in the Torbay and Devon Civic Award is over 300 and well over 2000 children have received their award during its existence! For more information please visit Torbay and Devon Civic Award for year 6 students in Torbay and Devon 

We would also like to thank the staff at All Saints Marsh C of E Academy, Mrs Webber, Mrs Babbage and Mrs Elliott who have facilitated the award and of course the parents for encouraging their children and most of all the pupils who we are all incredibly proud of.  

Mrs Babbage said………… ‘It has been an absolute pleasure to watch the year 6s flourish and grow into the young adults that they are becoming. They have become good citizens in their communities and they have been passionate about understanding their surroundings and the changes they need to make to better them. Well done to every single one of the year 6s who participated in this marvellous opportunity and I hope that you continue to make a change as you move up to secondary school’  

Quotes from the children  

Harry, ‘It was lovely to have an award ceremony because it felt special to be recognised.’ 

Isabella, ‘I feel proud that I was able to do things for my community and to get to know it. 

Belle, ‘The CIVIC award made me realise all the different ways that I can help my community and it was fun to find out how to do so.