newsletter - The Langley Academy

NEWSLETTER
October 2012
Linked to this, another key priority is to ensure a huge
drive on literacy so that students can at least read at
their chronological age, can all write, speak and listen to
a level that allows them to gain confidence and
independence and of course achieve a good qualification
in English. We have now moved our Library into the
heart of the Academy with book loans increasing every
day and as part of this we are designing a reading policy,
which will involve testing students and depending on
their result, providing an appropriate programme to
support quick improvements. The programmes will be
non-negotiable as we know they will have a critical role
in supporting children and their future success. It is our
view that children, whatever their age, should be reading
every day – please try to support us with this.
Dear Parents/Carers
It has been a fantastic start to the year. We came back
delighted with our results although it would have been
even better if the exam boards had not re-graded many
of the subjects, particularly in English.
We have agreed our overarching aim as: ‘Providing
unique and enriching experiences for all’ and that we
intend to achieve this through our new strapline,
‘Curiosity, Exploration and Discovery’ which we believe
has already had an impact on our teaching methods as
supported by the response of many students this term.
It is also our aim to be the best school in the country so
we recognise that there is work to be done and our
Academy Improvement Plan details these areas and
importantly what we are going to do and how we will
measure success.
As part of our aim, we want to help students travel more
and so we want to create opportunities through trips
abroad, The World Challenge Programme and through
the Comenius Project working with other schools in
Europe. We will be marketing these programmes, along
with the Duke of Edinburgh programme over the coming
weeks.
One of our key performance indicators is attendance and
we have set a target of 95.5%. We are currently at 96.1%.
Interestingly, our weakest cohort is Year 13 with an
attendance just below our target. We ask that parents
support us by ensuring the older students get to the
Academy and model good attendance for everyone else.
It is also important to us that you do not take any
holidays in term time as this has a significant impact on
the learning of those students, particularly in exam years.
We have several important events coming up in the diary
and all parents should have received an important dates
sheet for their child’s year. We hope this has helped
levels of communication but we have also signed up to
an e-mail service which we want to use rather than
through post or student post but that means we really
need your e-mail addresses so please ensure we have
these as soon as possible.
Another key performance indicator is behaviour and in
our view the new policy has had a significant impact. Our
data tells us that behaviour incidents have reduced by
60% in almost every area. This positive view is supported
by the students.
There have also been some recent staffing changes and I
am delighted to announce the following:
Mr C Patel is now a Director and is our KS4 Raising
Achievement Leader and is also responsible for
homework across the Academy. Mr Katsholo is now
acting HOF Maths with Ms Butzen as 2nd in Maths and Mr
rd
Gitonga as 3 in Maths.
Ms Humber is also now a Director and is responsible for
6th Form achievement.
Mr O’Neill is also a Director and is responsible for our
House and VTG system along with Student Voice. As a
result Ms Whelan is now Head of Arbib House.
One of our priorities which I wrote to you about in the
last newsletter is based on personalisation and how we
can ensure that students get the right curriculum for
them. I have asked Mr Brown, Director for Curriculum,
Assessment and Data to complete a full curriculum and
timetable review and as part of that he will be talking to
parents over the next few months.
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NEWSLETTER
Ms Whitehead is Assistant Head of House (AHOH) for
Globe, Ms Robinson is AHOH for Gaia, Mr Jeyaratnam is
AHOH for Darwin and Mr Sullivan is AHOH for Arbib and
so Ms Ritchie has moved across to the AHOH role for
Henley House.
Dates for your diary=...
October
Wed 24
We are delighted with our recent appointments and I
have every confidence that they will support us in our
drive to be the best we can be.
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your continuing
support.
Year 11 Academic Afternoon
14:00 – 16:00
(Maths & 6th Form Focus)
Fri 26
End of Autumn Half Term 1 at 13:20
November
Mon 5
Autumn Half Term 2 at 08:20
Fri 9
Year 11 Taster Day
Year 7 Disco & Fireworks
19:00 – 21:00
Tickets £5 from PE Office
Thurs 15
Year 8 Parent/Carer Evening
17:00 – 19:00
A message from the Governors:
Wed 21
The term has started very well with excellent behaviour
from students. The Principal and staff have been working
hard and we are very pleased with progress.
PTA Meeting – Charity Events
18:00 – 19:00
Thurs 22
Year 13 Parent/Carer Evening
17:00 – 19:00
Wed 28
Parent Forum Meeting - Examinations
18:00 – 19:00
Thurs 29
Year 9 Information Evening
17:00 – 19:00
Rhodri Bryant, Principal
We would welcome the opportunity of meeting more
parents and hearing your views about the Academy. A
Parent Forum is held regularly and some governors
attend. We have, however, been disappointed that
attendance by parents has been very low. At the last
Forum there were only 2 parents and one was the Parent
Governor. We would love to meet more parents and
hope you will feel that these meetings are worth
attending. If there are any topics that you would like us
to discuss that would encourage you to attend please let
us know. Previous meetings have discussed a range of
topics including attendance, uniform, homework and
exam results to mention a few. The comments we do get
are always useful and we do act on them.
December
Thurs 6
Wed 19
Year 11 Parent/Carer Evening
17:00 – 19:00
Year 9 Academic Afternoon
14:00 – 16:00
GCSE & A Level Certificate Evening
17:00 – 19:00
Fri 21
What would you like to discuss or find out about at the
Academy? Please email
[email protected].
Valerie Bragg, Chair of Governors and Annabel Nicoll,
Sponsor & Vice Chair of Governors
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End of Autumn Half Term 2 at 12:00
HOUSE NEWS
Arbib House As the proud Head of Arbib House for the
previous two years, it gives me great pleasure and
enormous pride to be part of, and lead this wonderful
House into the beginning of another academic year.
Blackman, Hafsa Bedwi, Leon Nash, Yasmin Edwards,
Stacey Nicholls and Matthew Cargin.
I am sure that all groups will represent their House
extremely well.
You will notice from the Principal’s article at the front of
the newsletter that I have been promoted to Director
and will be overseeing behaviour in the whole of the
Academy. It is with sadness, therefore, that I leave my
role as Head of Arbib House.
Chris Bott – Head of House
Gaia House The new academic year has begun extremely
well for everyone involved with Gaia House. September
welcomed returning students with the challenge of a
new year, while the new Year 7s were faced with the
prospect of a new school.
I wish to congratulate my successor, the talented and
enthusiastic Ms Whelan, who has my full support and
with whom I will continue to work very closely. Ms
Whelan will, I am sure, lead the House into new pastures
with the support of the Arbib House Tutors Ms Brock, Ms
Hegarty, Ms Malama, Mr Elliot, Ms Dorasamy, Ms
Rutherford and Assistant Head of House, Mr Sullivan.
September saw the elections for Gaia House Council
Members take place and the following students were
voted in by their peers: Connie-Mae Jones, Kareem
Bristol, Jamal Chaudry, Diljyot Natt, Anisah Chaudry,
Adarsh Aggarwal, Cavan Gruber, Neko Omale, Bethany
Witheridge, Ettie Long, Lea Foster and Sahil Ahmad.
Congratulations also to the following Arbib students who
have been elected as Council Reps: Khadija Tariq, Sarah
Niazi, Adam Toubal, Stephanie Vogan, Sukhray Sidhu,
Arpna Arora Ibrahim Rizwan Bobby Kumar, Callum Hall,
Nicola Simon, Manny Harlow and Divanshu Magon.
Term 3 will see the Academy’s focus shift to Gaia House
and onto the topic of Sustainability. The Eco Council has
already taken off this term and the Council have met
regularly to discuss ways in which they/we can raise the
profile of Sustainability around the Academy, at home
and within our local community. Many ideas have
already been generated with some being taken to Mr
Bryant, our Principal for his approval. The Eco Council
have already been busy drawing up ideas that could run
and that could be developed within Sustainability Week
in January 2013. Watch this space! The Council members
are Madiya Irfan, Anila Zahoor, Roy Carlton, Muneesa
Natt, Lea Foster, Simra Ali, Alara Chaudhery, Anisah
Chaudry, Courtney Clark and Bright Hwekwete.
It has been a pleasure working with you all and I wish
you great success for this academic year.
Trevor O’Neill – Head of House
Darwin House Darwin House students have elected
their House Council representatives for the year. Two
students from each House Tutor Group (12 students in
all) meet every three weeks to discuss house and whole
Academy issues. This time the following Darwinners have
been elected. They are Christina Butler, Chloe King El
Bokhari, Felicia Tang, Rupinder Grewal, Saif Khan, Saqib
Akhtar, Umer Hussain, Harrison Farren, Malaika
Tahseen, Yasser Adris, Zuzanna Gorska and Tammy
Shord.
The House Council is being overseen by two excellent 6
Form students, who were in Darwin House last year:
Archie Nhlangano and Iveta Pilipaviciute. House
Charities councillors have also come forward: Rutendo
Mapanda, Josh Brooks, Fazile Zogjani, Georgia
Overall, the first half of Term 1 has already been busy but
successful for Gaia House students. Each and every
student has an important role to play at the Academy
and they have a wonderful opportunity to achieve
whatever they want to become. I wish everyone involved
with Gaia House an enjoyable and successful year and I
look forward to the academic year ahead.
th
Stuart Spilsbury – Head of House
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HOUSE NEWS
Hummad Malik, Priya Tumber, Sabira Chowdhury,
Aarandeep Sandhu and Jasmine Sidhu.
Globe House This week The Langley Academy celebrated
Internationalism. Students were exposed to an array of
activities that sought to heighten their appreciation of
diverse cultures nationally and internationally. Activities
included a samba drumming workshop, an
internationalism fair; a food/taste festival; an exploration
of museums and other exciting events. The students and
teachers made the whole experience enjoyable and a
huge success.
At the first Grace House Council meeting this year, two
students were elected to represent Grace House on the
Academy Council. The two students chosen were Kirsty
Dean and Harrison Clack. My thanks and congratulations
go to all students who were nominated and voted into
the House/Academy Council.
We look forward to the challenge of the next few weeks
of study and opportunity.
This term our Vertical Tutor Programme has focused on
Communication Systems and their evolution over the
centuries. The theme served to raise the profile of
Internationalism across the Academy and thus promote
the key focus of Globe House.
Tania Decosemo - Head of House
Henley House Welcome back to all returning Henley
students and to our new Year 7s.
Globe House Year 7 students have settled into the
Academy with great ease and efficiency. They have
integrated brilliantly into the working life of the Academy
and have become impeccable ambassadors for our
House.
Congratulations to the following Henley students who
have been elected to the Henley House Council: Akash
Kumar, Byader Hamed, Christen Montgomery, Ina
Hajrullahi, Hana El Amri, Haris Syed, Chloe Jacobs, Kane
Edmonds, Liliana Carri, Lina Rawn, Manpreet Kainth,
Milo Quinton and Ryan Wingrove. I look forward to
meeting with them to discuss House matters.
Our Student Council has elected new members and
wishes to congratulate Andrew Maguskin, Sanaa
Pinjara, Praneta Pulha, Ramsha Syeda, Ali Chaudhry,
Tamana Begum, Billie Grahame Simpson, Jay Dhami,
Kainar Bindhari, Alyssa Meacock, Sola Olusola and Harry
Chahal.
I make special mention of Akash Kumar of Year 7, who
just a few weeks into starting at The Academy gave a
speech in front of a theatre full of parents at our Open
Evening. It was a daunting task but he rose to the
challenge and made his new House proud.
Sarah Pereira – Head of House
Grace House The first few weeks of this academic year
seem to have flown by. It has been a very busy, yet
successful term so far. Our new Year 7 students have
settled in extremely well and have made an excellent
start to their secondary school career. Older students
have made a superb start to their studies.
It was good to see so many parents at the Year 7 Parents
Tea. It was a great opportunity for parents and Tutors to
meet and talk about our new students and their
progress.
Grahame Goodchild – Head of House
6th Form The 6th Form has started in a very positive
manner with a real sense of purpose. Year 12 have
settled well into the 6th Form and are embracing the
challenges of studying AS Levels and BTECs.
th
Attendance - Our 6 Form attendance is above the
95.5% target however we are not reaching the same
percentages as last year. All students must attend every
day including all lessons and 6th Form Tutor Time. Please
can I remind you that if a student is absent a note must
be supplied by a parent/carer otherwise this will be
Grace House students have elected their House Council
for 2012 – 2013. The new House Council members are
Harrison Clack, Kirsty Dean, Nathan Clack, Jessica Ferris,
Abby McDonnell, Daniel Onokha, Melissa Daw,
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FACULTY NEWS
deemed as unauthorised absence. These notes can be
given to Ms Rajasansi or Ms Richardson-Blake.
Alumni - Mr Rider has set up an Alumni Program with
those students who left us at the end of Year 13. We are
very keen to keep in touch with the students, to invite
them back to share their experiences with the younger
students and to organise a reunion. It is for this reason
they will also be receiving a copy of this newsletter!
Community Service - Year 12 have made an excellent
start to the Community Service Programme having
completed 1134.5 hours in 4 weeks! This is a massive
achievement – well done Year 12. Students have been
Teaching Assistants in classes, mentoring Year 11
students with their Maths GCSE and a whole lot more. I
am very thankful for the hours students have contributed
towards TLA after-school events such as the Year 6 Open
Evening, PTA Quiz and the 6th Form Open Evening.
Young Enterprise - Mr Foy has set up a Young Enterprise
Program which has been running for 3 weeks with a
Young Enterprise representative visiting TLA presenting
the structure of the year to the group. There are 15 Year
12 students dedicated to the scheme. The team meet
during Enrichment every week and have started the
process of becoming registered. The main roles of CEO
and Secretary have been decided upon. We are really
looking forward to hearing about the product/service
that they will be trying to sell to us over the next few
weeks!
Prefects - All Year 12 students received training from the
Directorate during Induction Day in order to become
Prefects of the Academy. Students have been embracing
their new role within the Academy by being role models
to the younger students but also by supporting the dayto-day running of the Academy by doing break and lunch
duties. The Year 13 Senior Prefects have taken on a
Leadership role in monitoring the duties.
The 6th Form has a lot to look forward to over the next
year.
Lindsey Humber - Director of 6th Form
UCAS - The UCAS season has now opened and we have
already sent some applications off. Year 13 students are
working hard on their personal statements and the
tutors and teachers have worked hard to ensure the
references are ready to go. Keep up the good work Year
13!
English Faculty Much of this term has been spent
assessing the impact on students of the GCSE results this
summer and adjusting classes and intervention
accordingly. All Year 11 parents were invited to attend a
meeting with the faculty for feedback on the results and
guidance on how they could support students with their
studies to ensure a successful outcome in the retakes,
which will take place in either January or June. Individual
students have been targeted for additional support,
during House Tutor Time, Enrichment on Wednesdays or
Saturday mornings. It is vital that students attend these
extra sessions and your support is appreciated.
Some students have decided to pursue a different
pathway at post-18 i.e. apprenticeships/employment.
These students are now being supported by Mr TraffordSmith in order to ensure they are taking every
opportunity open to them and receiving the best
possible careers advice and guidance.
Year 11 - Year 11 students have already started to
consider their post-16 options. We held a 6th Form Open
Evening last week and we were really pleased with the
amount of students/parents/carers who attended and
the questions that were asked about the different
subjects we have to offer. The next step in the process is
the Taster Day on Friday 9 November where Year 11 will
attend Taster Sessions of real A Level/BTEC classes.
Students will be able to wear Business Dress for this day
and will have access to the 6th Form Centre. The deadline
for receiving application forms is Friday 30 November.
The move of the Library to the ground floor has resulted
in an immediate and significant increase in the numbers
of students borrowing books and every break and
lunchtime students are using the library for research,
discussion and browsing the shelves. This shows that,
with encouragement, every student could become a
lover of books. We are asking every student to bring a
personal reading book with them every day to their
lessons. Reading lists are available from teachers and
the English department.
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FACULTY NEWS
Maths Faculty Congratulations to all the students for
the fantastic summer results in Maths, particularly the
current Year 11 students who sat their exams at the end
of Year 10. Their attitude, ethos and commitment to
learning have been extremely positive in the New Year.
Some classes have started on the AS course, some are
working on getting an extra Maths GCSE in the Paired
Maths. There are other students who are retaking the
exam in a few weeks time on 6 and 8 November to
improve their grades. They must all be commended for
their fantastic determination. I would also like to thank
the 6th Form Maths students who have been involved in
mentoring the Year 11 students.
Science Faculty This year as part of Science Enrichment,
TLA is entering two teams for the Formula 1 in Schools
Challenge. The international competition involves 11-19
years olds designing a balsa wood formula 1 race car
using professional CAD software. Their balsa wood racers
will be fitted with a CO2 canister to be raced at regional
and national level. The regional finals take place at City
University, London, in February. The UK national finals
will take place in March at The Big Bang Fair in London.
Regardless of the outcome of the race, all the
participating students will receive a Bronze CREST award
from the British Science Association, which can be
included in their personal statements for their UCAS
university applications later in their academic career.
I am looking forward to meeting parents of targeted
students for the Academic Afternoon on Wednesday 24
October to discuss the coming November examination
and how we can all support those who are sitting the
exam. There will be revision packs available on this day
for students. Lastly there are revision lessons on 1-2
November in the half term.
With Internationalism Week the KS3 Maths students
have been working on Islamic Art and broadcasting their
data analysis of the Olympic Games. Ask your Year 7s
about the meanings of the geometric shapes in Islamic
Art and how to construct the patterns. Test your Year 8s
on why the London 2012 results were represented in
tables and in what other ways the data could have been
represented.
The Langley Academy Science faculty is running
workshops for our gifted and talented Science students,
as well as those from St. Joseph’s Catholic High School
and Hershel Grammar. On 3 October students were able
to create glow-in-the-dark transgenic bacteria by
transferring a gene from jellyfish into E.coli. Upcoming
workshops will include microscopy skills and using
standing waves to understand the physics of a Ruben’s
tube.
6
FACULTY NEWS
Geography Department The Year 9 geographers have
had an introduction to their option choice by studying
tectonic activity during Term 1. The students have put
their knowledge and understanding to the test by
designing and creating their own earthquake proof
structures using marshmallows, toothpicks and jelly!
Science kindly provided a vibration plate to recreate
seismic waves.
To support students’ Independent study the Science
department have a range of books that are available to
purchase from the cloakroom. Year 7 and 8 - KS3 Science
booster £4, Year 9 – Science skills booster £4, Year 10revision guide £2.
Year 11 can return their core revision guide and swap it
for an additional revision guide or additional applied
Science revision guide or purchase a new one for £2.
Anyone getting free school meals can get the books for
free - they just need to get a token from their Science
teacher.
Ibrahim Noor, Stanley Butler, and Tanushree Bose with their structure.
History Department Year 7 have begun by looking at
‘What is History’, a skills based curriculum that aims to
teach students new skills that they need for secondary
History. One lesson was memorable as we used items to
develop our students’ sense of what interpretation is.
Year 8 has also been looking at the English Civil War and
why it happened, as well as why it is still relevant today.
Year 12 have begun their AS course by looking at
rebranding places. They have already been out on two
mini field trips to Black Park and Odds Farm. Here they
collected data to look at why areas are rebranded and
understand the processes involved. The Year 13’s have
also been to Black Park investigating the impacts of
leisure and tourism on a country park.
Year 9 students have really hit the ground running in
starting their GCSEs. Mr Kidd and Mr Chinchen have
been especially impressed when they do work at home
without being asked! We encourage them to keep doing
this! Year 10 students have been learning about Hitler
and his rise to power and looking at how he was able to
turn Germany from a democracy into a dictatorship in
such a short period. Year 11s have started arguably the
most exciting part of their course by looking at the Civil
Rights Movement in America, and looking at the
fascinating story of how racism in America was slowly
dismantled. Initial responses have suggested that the
students are really embracing the subject and enjoying it
hugely!
Rumeesa Bhatti, Somaya Dolman and Kiran Bopari at Odds Farm
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FACULTY NEWS
Religious and Personal Studies Department I have
recently been appointed Head of Religious and Personal
Studies, (RPS), at The Langley Academy. My aim is for
your child to really enjoy RPS lessons and to explore
what it means to be religious in a modern setting.
Lessons will be combining some aspects of the old
Personal, Social, Health and Cultural Education and
Citizenship with Religious Education and the new Social,
Moral, Spiritual, Cultural, (or SMSC) requirement. I
intend to really encourage your child to think about the
world around them in a more reflective perhaps even
spiritual way.
and Young Enterprise. Young Enterprise has also begun
and has so far had lots of interest from 6th Form
students.
There have been some changes in staffing: Mr David Foy
and Mr Ayoub Semsilt have joined the Faculty on a
permanent basis as Teachers of Business Studies across
both Key Stage 4 and Key Stage 5. Mrs Catherine Nwana
has also rejoined the team after a short period away on
maternity leave
MFL Faculty During Internationalism Week, Year 9
students found out a bit more about French sports
people. Having won the Judo gold medal at the Olympic
Games this year in the heavy weight category, Teddy
Riner was one of them!
In Year 7 this term we have been exploring the nature of
religious communities. In Year 8 the students have been
examining the film ‘Pay if Forward’ and have been
attempting to draw links between the film and key
Christian beliefs. Year 9 have started a GCSE taster year
and are currently examining the connections between
Sport and Religion. The Year 10 students have started
their GCSE studies and are currently evaluating
arguments supporting the existence of God. The Year 11s
have been reorganised to facilitate those students who
failed their R.E GCSE to retake in the summertime. Those
who have already passed are following a careers
programme.
It is a great privilege to be working at the Langley
Academy and I am looking forward to helping your child
make the progress that they deserve. If you would like to
get in touch to discuss any aspect of the RPS curriculum
at the Academy please let me know.
In how many countries is French spoken? Year 7
students found out more about French speaking
countries as part of Internationalism week. They were
amazed that a high proportion of people in countries like
Morocco, Togo, Ivory Coast or Tunisia speak French.
Mr Dan Rowland
Business Faculty The Business Faculty has had a good
start to the year after a summer where some
outstanding results in GCSE, A Levels and BTECs.
Particular recognition to Omar Sheik - A* in both A Level
Business Studies and Economics. Nagina Khan - D*D*D*
in BTEC National Business and Assam Ghulam – A* in
GCSE Business & Communication Systems.
This year, we will be running various activities such as the
Mock Trial competition, Financial Awareness workshops,
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FACULTY NEWS
CAPA Faculty ‘
Year 8 Girls Netball - The Year 8s played their first fixture
of the season against Herschel Grammar on Wednesday
3 October. They made a promising start but sadly lost in
the last quarter. Rochelle Scadding put in a tremendous
effort to be awarded player of the match.
A Level Media - The Year 12 and 13 Media groups will be
participating in the National Films for Schools week by
attending a free screening of The Hunger Games at
Slough Cinema on 24 October. The event was a great
success last year and our students benefited hugely from
the experience.
Year 9 Girls Netball - The Year 9s opened their season
against Langley Grammar on Monday 1 October where
they narrowly lost the first quarter but went on to win
the next two before suffering a defeat in the fourth and
final quarter. Player of the match went to Stevie Swann.
Theatre Trips - We have run several successful theatre
trips already this year with students across year groups
seeing One Man, Two Guvnors by Richard Bean at The
Theatre Royal and Mudlarks by Vickie Donoghue at The
Bush Theatre, Shepherds Bush. Next week a group of
students will head to London to see the latest production
by theatre group Frantic Assembly: Beautiful Burnout.
More theatre trips will be organised soon. Please ask
your Drama teacher for details.
Year 10 Girls Netball – For the first time in a long time
we have managed to field a team of over 11 girls. This is
a massive achievement for both the girls and the
Academy. We have now played our first two games,
marginally losing the first game. Well done ladies, keep it
going.
We recently held our initial meeting for the new whole
Academy production of ‘Don’t Feed The Animals’ by
Jemma Kennedy. The Academy is extremely privileged to
be working with The National Theatre on their
‘Connections’ project for this show. This will mean that
students at the Academy will not only perform in our
theatre, but also at The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith.
Year 7 Football: U12 National Cup v Maiden Erlegh
The year has brought a new wave of optimism to Year 7
football at the Academy and seen us thrown into a
difficult National Cup fixture against last year’s winners
Maiden Erlegh. The game started brightly and we quickly
settled into our rhythm, passing the ball well through
midfield. After a few chances were created we managed
to take the lead through Aaron Foster who latched onto
a through ball to finish confidently. At half time a few
changes were made and Julia Thurauf (only girl in the
side) was introduced to make her debut. The second half
saw Maiden Erlegh take a better grip on the game and
before long they equalised with 10 minutes remaining.
Both sides continued to create chances and we were
unfortunate not to win the game in normal time when
Tadi Ndhlovu struck the post in the dying seconds. Extratime was again a close contest but as the game looked
like it would be decided on penalties, the ball went long
up field from Niall McNeish and Cavan Gruber struck
with a half volley from 20 yards which looped over the
Maiden Erlegh keeper to send us through to round 2 with
a well-earned 2-1 win.
Upcoming Events:Thursday 8th November at 3.40pm – Singing auditions
for A Night at the Musicals. To book an audition and get
more details about this Music event, please see Miss
Hendrickx.
PE News A big thank you to all students & parents who
donated Sainsbury’s and Tesco’s vouchers to the PE
faculty who have used them to get extra cricket
equipment.
Year 7 Girls Netball - This was the Year 7s first
competitive fixture and they did the Academy proud. All
9 girls played brilliantly and they left the court at half
time winning. Unfortunately Herschel Grammar came
back fighting in the second half to take the win. Rinora
Haziri led by example throughout.
This was a brilliant performance from the squad and the
perfect way to start the new season. Man of the Match
– Niall McNeish, Centre Back. Goal Scorers – Aaron
Foster and Cavan Gruber.
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FACULTY NEWS
Year 7 League Game v Langley Grammar
9 team. The boys continued the momentum going into
this match. The game started well for the Academy, they
used the ball effectively in attack and defended hard.
Although it was a huge team performance a special
mention must go to Olusola Sola-Ogunniyi and Cameron
Sidique. The final result was 40-10 to the Academy. The
first victory for the team.
Our second game of the season saw us travel to Langley
Grammar. On a big pitch the squad coped brilliantly and
soon began to pass the ball well. Missing the influential
George Hunt through injury, Vinnie Eastmond moved
from centre back into a central midfield role and it
quickly became evident that this would be the area of
the pitch that would decide the result of the game. The
first half belonged to the Academy and it was Aaron
Foster again who put us ahead with a simple tap in from
close range. Changes were made at the break and
players were asked to play a different role in the team –
none more than Ethan Long who managed to play at left
back, left midfield and then end up at centre back. The
second half saw Langley Grammar sneak an equaliser. In
windy conditions both sides could have won it but it
finally ended in a 1-1 draw.
The team were Cameron Sidique, Olusola Sola-Ogunniyi,
Adam Toubal, Jawad Nakadali, Jamal Chowdury, Ben
Harris, Jack Edwards, Nadir Abbas, Hasan Ahmed,
Amaan Khaja, Farees Matlob and Aaron Barolia.
Year 10 QPR Tournament - Congratulations to Callum
Schurer, Greg Edwards, Aston Sharma, Delroy Rose,
Ramandeep Lalli, Daniel Price, Remi Meyers, Yaw Osei
and Brandon Calder who won the Year 10 6 a-side QPR
football tournament. The competition was hosted at the
Academy and the team beat Langley Grammar, Wexham
and Slough & Eton to lift the trophy:
Another very good performance and a second unbeaten
game. Man of the Match – Vinnie Eastmond, Centre
Midfield. Goal Scorer – Aaron Foster.
Year 10 Football v Langley Grammar - The Year 10
football team started off the season with a 3-1 victory
over their local rivals. Yaw Osei scored a hat trick and
was named man of the match for his fine performance.
Year 9 Rugby v Beechwood and Langley Grammar
This was the first fixture of the term for the Academy
after a positive training session the Year 9 team were
confident they could build on last year’s progress. The
first game was against a strong Langley Grammar team.
The game started fairly evenly with both teams making
some solid tackling. The game was narrowly lost with
Olusola Sola-Ogunniyi scoring for the Academy.
Year 10 Football v George Abbott School - The Year 10
team continued their winning start to the season with a
2-1 victory against George Abbott in the National Cup.
Two goals from Yaw Osei completed the victory and an
outstanding performance from Aston Sharma earned
him the man of the match award.
The second game was far more even against Beechwood.
The Academy started to look more threatening in attack
and managed to use the ball more effectively. Cameron
Sidique and Olusola Sola-Ogunniyi scored the two tries
to end the match in a draw.
Congratulations to Frank Francis in Year 9 who has been
selected to represent the U14 Berkshire County football
team.
Year 11 Football
Bilaal Khan, Paras Sharma, Connor Stichbury, Kaarun
Dev, Krishan Sharda, Ravi Sharda, Ben Harris, Adam
Toubal, Olusola Sola-Ogunniyi, Cameron Sidique, Jack
Edwards, Keiran Phillips, Jamal Chowdury, Hasan
Ahmed and Henry Ross made up the team.
National Cup – TLA v Queensmeade
Result – 1-2 Lost
A fantastic cup game with both sides playing attractive
football. A hard fought contest with either side entitled
to finish the game as winners. Played in the right spirit,
but the wrong result for TLA team. Man of the Match –
Aston Sharma – Strong, quick and elegant on the ball.
Year 8 Rugby v Slough Grammar
Rugby at the Academy has started on a high, particularly
for the Year 8 team who have been representing the Year
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OTHER NEWS
Slough Cup – Windsor Boys v TLA
Strategies for improving attendance:
 Inform the Academy immediately on first day of
absence
 After illness make sure your child makes a
prompt return to the Academy
 Take holidays only during the Academy holiday
periods
 Make medical and dental appointments outside
learning time when possible
 Monitor your child’s attendance closely

In cases of prolonged absence or sporadic
attendance the Attendance Improvement
Officer will be alerted who will then make direct
contact with the family
Result – 5-3 Lost
Another great encounter, with Windsor going in at half
time, three goals to the good, but uncertain as to how
TLA had been punished undeservedly. Second half was a
real battle, but with sensational two touch passages of
play and TLA unlucky to not get any sort of a result after
missing a penalty late on and hitting the post. Man Of
The Match – Ryan Kirby – Dominant, incisive and
instrumental throughout.
Slough & Eton 7-a-side Competition
Our third outing saw us compete in a friendly 7-a-side
competition against Slough & Eton. We took 2 teams
along and each side completed 3 games, 2 against Slough
& Eton’s teams and then one final game against each of
our own. Both teams played exceptionally well and
conducted themselves brilliantly. Both teams managed
to score a lot of goals and gain success against both
Slough & Eton teams, winning 3 and losing only once.
The final game saw both of our teams go up against each
other. The final score ending up 5-4. Glen Elliman top
scored with 6 goals on the day.
Punctuality:
The Academy gates open at 07:45 and all students
should be in the building and ready to go to their first
lesson which begins at 08:20. Museum doors close at
08:18 – students are late after this time.
Lateness = Lost Learning
5 minutes late each day = 3 days lost, 10 minutes late
each day = 6.5 days lost, 15 minutes late each day = 10
days lost.
The Squad were Aaron Foster, Tyreece Glewis, Tadi
Ndhlovu, Vid Mehta, Bradley Swian, Hussam Ali,
Thomas Wilson, Leon Nash, Joshua Tapper, Shane
Barrett, Abdullah Said, Glen Elliman, Lewis Seller and
Harris Syed.
Independent State School Partnership (ISSP)
Our links with the Independent State School Partnership
have provided a plethora of exciting opportunities which
take place within and out of school that cater for our
Gifted &Talented students. These include:
 A debating Society with Slough and Eton School
and Eton College;
 Eton College master classes to develop creative
thinking (on Saturdays)
 Mathematics A*/A classes at Eton College
 Mathematics C/D borderline students from
Slough and Eton, St Josephs and TLA
 6th Form attendance at Eton College Medical
Society
 Anthony Gormley Art Lecture for 6th Form
Students at Eton College
 Science lessons with Heston School & St Josephs
here at TLA
Attendance There is no doubt that there is a strong link
between success at school and a high level of
attendance. Therefore unless your child is really too
unwell to attend, in which case the best place for him or
her is at home, please support the Academy by ensuring
regular attendance. Every day your child is absent
impacts on their education. A 90% attendance rate can
affect your child’s chances of success by a drop of one
grade at GCSE across all subjects.
The Academy attendance target for this year is 95.5%
For more information, please contact your child’s House
Tutor.
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OTHER NEWS
SRB (Sensory Resource Base)
Delwyn Returns from a Journey of a Lifetime
Work Experience
A huge thank you to the Academy community who gave
up time and money to support Delwyn Rose in his quest
to travel on a ‘Journey of a Lifetime’. With your help he
was able to raise enough funds to allow him to take part
in this amazing adventure. Please see his article below
about his adventures. He has a lot more stories to tell!
Slough to Soldier - Seven of our Year 10 and 11 students
attended an Army information event on 2 October where
they heard that there are 220 possible careers within the
Army. The students had a chance to talk to serving
soldiers and officers and a get close up look at some of
the equipment used by the modern Army. They heard
from three young people from Slough who have recently
gone through the recruitment process and whose stories
have been documented on You Tube under the heading
‘Slough to Soldier’. It was an interesting event which
gave students a greater understanding of army life and
the careers available to them. Hopefully this event will
enable them to make a more informed decision on their
chosen career path. Students who attended were Rhys
West Letford, Delroy Rose, Charlie Wood, Charlie
Wootton-Jones, David Corderoy, Owen Rayner and Shai
Bane.
“A big thank you to the staff, students and others who
helped me achieve this journey of a lifetime trip.
O2 Digital Technology Workshops - On Friday 8 October
twelve Year 10 students participated in a Digital
Technology Workshop run by Telifonica/O2 and Learning
to Work as part of O2’s Think Big programme. Working
in teams made up of students from other local schools
each team had to come up with an innovative idea to
solve a small daily problem using modern digital
technology. Working with an O2 mentor each team had
to decide on a product, company name and logo, a
marketing pitch and website. Each team then presented
their ideas in a trade market where they were judged by
senior O2 staff. Our students were all enthusiastic
participants and had a great day, making new friends
along the way. Sana Aslami was on the winning team
with their idea for charging mobile phones using blue
tooth technology!
The journey took me to countries in South America,
namely: Peru, Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil.
We as ‘The Jolters’ helped the communities in these
destinations with different programs like re-painting the
school in the Firer Firer village, planting potatoes and
feeding the animals.
We had a go at water rafting in the rapids of the Amazon,
where I fell out of the boat and had to be saved by the
team. We visited historical places like the statue of Christ
the Redeemer.
I had the opportunity of riding dune buggies and sand
boarding on the beach and we went to the floating
islands of Uros, in the highest lake in the world.
Students who took part were Arpna Arora, Sana Aslami,
Nnditsheni Mukhathedzwa, Aaman Malik, Kiran
Ahmad, Shireen Toor, Emily Smith, Ashlie Donnelly,
Reko Ndlovu, Harry Prior, Alyssa Meacock and Emily
Corbett, all fantastic ambassadors for The Langley
Academy.
I gained a lot from my fellow ‘Jolters’ who showed me
how they get on with their lives despite their difficulties.
I also acquired the name Dagger for the dance I created
(Dagger dance).
I have come back from this journey with good skills, good
friends and fondest memories”. Delwyn Rose
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OTHER NEWS
TLA Fair – Summer 2012T Thank you to everyone who
helped organise and run a stall and to those who
attended the third Academy TLA Fair. It was an amazing
event which resulted in us raising a Fantastic £1,538 for
the House Charities. Prizes were awarded to the stalls
that raised the most money in each House, with Grace
House raising the most money for their House Charity.
Well done and thank you to all the staff who ran a stall,
supervised and helped run such a fantastic and enjoyable
event. Thank you again to Kuehne and Nagel, The Global
Logistics Network who kindly sponsored the event and
gave us a cheque for £1,000 to cover the stall materials
costs.
Request to parents: The library will be celebrating 50
years of James Bond in the second half of Term 1 with
various book displays and quizzes. If any parent has any
James Bond books or paraphernalia they would like to
donate to support the celebration, please leave details at
reception.
Library The Academy celebrated the start of the
academic year with the unveiling of the new library,
which is now located on the ground floor north wing. A
substantial investment has been made to support the
Academy’s literacy drive and has already had an
impressive positive impact on the students,
substantiated by the large increase in students using the
libraries resources and study space.
Charities Council Working with the PTA, the Charities
Council hosted a Fish and Chip Quiz night on 21
September. 129 parents, students and staff attended
the evening and took part in the Quiz. For the third year
running the winners of the quiz were ‘Academically
Challenged’ (Anthea Edgar, Ian Edgar Kathy Johnson,
Paul Johnson, Lynne Powell, Simon Powell).
The library has a ‘breakfast club’ open from 07:50-08:20,
a homework club from 15:40-16:40 and is of course open
during break and lunch time. It is also available during
lesson times when small group workshops and
intervention sessions are held.
Raffle tickets were sold and a huge thank you goes to Ms
Lewis and the PTA for donating prizes. Ms Wauchob rose
to the challenge of Quiz master, writing and reading out
the quiz. I would also like to say a huge thank you to the
6th Formers who assisted in the running of the evening.
The library stocks an impressive range of fiction that
caters to all ages and tastes which includes foreign
language books, curriculum supporting resources, study
aids, revision guides, DVDs, encyclopaedias, foreign
language dictionaries, a 6th Form section and a student
suggestion box. The library is also staffed during break
times by five trained student librarians.
This year the PE department are working in partnership
with the Charities Council to raise funds for the
construction of a new multi-purpose Sports Hall. Overall
we were able to raise £310 towards the fund. Thank you
again to everyone who attended the event and I look
forward to seeing you at our next event.
This term the library has celebrated the Roald Dahl
anniversary, National Poetry Day and Internationalism
Week through numerous displays and competitions,
which have been well received and supported by
students and staff.
13
OTHER NEWS
Tree of Light On Saturday 21 August, students
performed in the Tree of Light at Stonor Park, Henley.
Since Christmas they have attended weekly rehearsals
during Enrichment. They have been a pleasure to work
with and represented the Academy with confidence and
enthusiasm. I don’t think any of them will forget
participating in the Cultural Olympiad Event.
You will alight at Exhibition Road in London, home of
some amazing free museums: The Natural History
Museum, the Science Museum and the V&A. You can
spend your time as you wish in London and then meet
the coach at 15:30 for your return journey to the The
Langley Academy.
Please note that the coach is limited to 30 seats and
places must be booked in advance. Students must be
accompanied by a parent/carer and additional conditions
apply for siblings under 5.
For a booking form and more information please email
[email protected]
Please book by Monday 19 November.
Offer for 6th Form students - For 6th Form students only,
we are offering 30 free travel cards to London if you visit
a museum or gallery for travel on Saturday 23 November
only. Students must be accompanied by an adult. We
will only refund the cost of the student’s travel card. The
cost of the travel card must be reclaimed by a parent or
carer.
Osman Zafar, Tia Boland, Navdeep Dhesi, Estelle Exelby,
Gurchetan Hayer, Leah Lewis-Reed, Ria Fenner, Victoria
Gilby, Emily Jacobs, Felicia Tang, Caitlin Commerford,
Qasim Sabit, Mikyesha Barnes, Hayley Mcloughney,
Maryam Hussain, Keira Miller, Jessica Marshall, Miss
Brock.
For a booking form and more information please email
[email protected]
Please book by Monday 19 November.
Museum Learning The focus for next half-term is
Museum Learning where we will be looking at writers
who have been inspired by museums. From big national
museums like the V&A to quirky collections like the
International Clown Museum, there will be lots to
discover.
Organic Garden Update The end of the last academic
year saw the Organic Garden team reaping the rewards
of their labours. On the day of the CAS Week Academy
Fair, staff were to be seen, early in the morning,
harvesting tomatoes, carrots, onions, potatoes,
cucumbers and beetroot. Members of the ECO Council
were then charged with the task of selling the produce to
visiting parents students and staff from the Organic
Garden stall. The huge amount of produce proved very
popular and we sold everything within 20 minutes! The
event raised £45.98 which, with money previously raised
by the ECO Council will enable the Academy to buy a
solar fountain for the wildlife pond and help it remain
healthy and attractive.
Would you like to get out more? Do you fancy a free
trip to London for you and your family?
There are lots of free, family friendly museums in
London. For our Museum Learning focus next half-term
we are offering free transport to London for a limited
number of Academy students and their families on
rd
Saturday 23 November.
The coach will leave The Langley Academy around 09:30
and be back for around 16:30.
14
OTHER NEWS
Eco-Council The Eco Council is up and running again this
year. We will be recruiting new Eco Councillors soon so
watch this space!
But now we need your help, we are looking at lots of
ways to make our academy more environmentally
friendly. There will be lots that we can all do together
over the coming months and we want everyone to be a
part of it.
Eco Council Logo Competition - To start it all off we need
a brand new LOGO and a strap line or a sentence to say
either what we do or what we would like to do. We
would like lots of you to have a go at designing one for
us.
The garden recently received 3000 litres of organic, well
rotted manure which has been spread on the vegetable
wheel and will help to replenish the soil in preparation
for our winter planting programme.
Things to remember and think about when you are
designing ... the Logo needs to show that we are an Eco
group. It could contain pictures of natural things such as
leaves, flowers, acorns, trees, sunshine or animals or
anything you can think of. Colours should remind us
about nature so perhaps blues, greens, yellow, orange or
brown.
The tremendous success of the garden, in its first year
has not gone unnoticed by outside agencies as we have
now received a Level 4 Certificate in the Royal
Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening
scheme and are about to spend our well deserved £250
in vouchers. Love Local Food have also recognised the
work we have done this year by confirming the Academy
is officially a Love Local Food Hub School and we look
forward to working with other schools in the area.
We look forward to seeing what you can come up with.
There will be a small prize for the winning entry. Good
luck and get creating. All the ideas should be given to
House Tutors by the end of this term.
We have also managed to secure further funding from
Accent Catering, the Academy caterers. Students will
know that the caterers used produce from the garden to
make salads to serve during lunchtime last year. They
have now come forward and offered us £500 a year to
spend on the garden as well as a promise to buy what we
produce at market rates!
Parentvoice If you would like to get more involved with
our Parent Teacher Association, please email
[email protected] or call 01753 241440.
The PTA provides a fantastic opportunity to help support
your child’s education and activities at the Academy.
You could also partake in the Parents’ Forum, where the
views of parents and carers on topics important to them
can be shared and discussed with Academy Directors.
And lastly, members of staff and students from both the
Student Council and the Organic Gardening Enrichment
Club will be meeting with garden designer Mike Shadbolt
over a working lunch shortly to discuss the construction
of an outside teaching/performance space, the final
stage in the garden’s construction.
Volunteers Calling all volunteers - have you thought that
you might like to be more involved with the Academy?
We are looking for a team of volunteers to work with
students on a diverse range of topics, from Literacy to
supporting students with the Organic Garden. If you feel
you have something to offer our students, please get in
touch by emailing [email protected]
As ever, we welcome all volunteers from the community
to help our students grow their own!
15
OTHER NEWS
Free School Meals for your Child Your child may be
entitled to receive Free School Meals. The Free School
Meal entitlement allows your child a free school meal
which includes a main meal or sandwich and a desert or
portion of fruit totalling £2.00 at break or lunchtime. The
free school meal allowance will be added onto your
child’s lunch card automatically each day. Any unused
allowance is lost at the end of each day, and cannot be
carried forward. Please therefore encourage your child
not to miss out on their daily entitlement. If you are at all
unsure or would like assistance to check/verify eligibility,
please feel free to come in or call Mrs Jagdev on 01753
214 441, to ensure you do not miss out on any
entitlement to this free meal allowance for your child.
Parent/Carer Contact Details Please ensure you keep us
up to date with your correct contact details in case we
need to contact you in case of an emergency. This
includes home phone and mobile numbers and email
addresses or you can download a “Change of Address”
form from the website (within Document Library or
Parents/Carers – Application Forms). We urge you to
please use this to give us your email addresses as we
move in future to sending all communications and
information via email only.
October Half Term Day Camps Hall Place Outdoor
Education Centre based at BCA (Berkshire College) are
running day camps during the half term for 8 to 14 year
olds. They will run from Monday 29 October to Friday 2
November. The days will cost £30 per young person and
a packed lunch will be provided.
If you would like to discuss a bespoke day at Hall Place,
please contact Phoebe, front of house on
[email protected] or 01628 827552

After a while at Langley Academy we loved it.
We had a great time at Hillingdon. Even though
it’s a huge school it is easy to get around and
even if the bag is heavy you get used to it.

Hi my name is Byron Hylton and I’m in Henley 5.
I think I have settled in well at TLA. I enjoyed
meeting new friends and the general feel of
secondary school. My favourite thing was the
team building because I loved seeing people get
wet! I LOVE THE ACADEMY!

In the first few weeks I have enjoyed every part
of the Academy, because I am happy in every
lesson and I don’t get sad. I go to hockey,
basketball and cricket clubs. The team building
day was really fun and we also played games
which was really fun. So far I’m happy and I’ve
never been late or missed out in any of these
few weeks.

The first few weeks at Langley Academy were
awesome and I really enjoyed them. I really
enjoyed the Hillingdon team building and the
Oxford Science Museum. I also loved playing
cricket/badminton/football with my friends. I
absolutely love Langley Academy and definitely
enjoyed the first few weeks.

My first few weeks at Langley Academy were
awesome because I met new friends and old
friends. When it was about the third week we
went to Hillingdon team building trip and it was
really fun.

Since we started the Langley Academy it’s been
amazing, it’s a huge school with a brilliant DT
room and the Art room is awesome. The first
trip we went to was Hillingdon we made a raft
and got into a lake it was freezing. I love the
academy.

Langley Academy WOW! Love it here, best
school ever. I love the school trip and definitely
the science trip and the lessons are really fun.
Having a great time love it here.
And finally ..... Reflections on the first few weeks at The
Langley Academy from our new Year 7 students:
I was quite scared because the students were
really tall and big. It was hard to carry around a
big Langley Academy bag. The Langley Academy
uniform was much smarter than my primary
school uniform!
16