Bulletin - Oasis Academy Mayfield

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: Januar
Is s u e 4 6
2013
Principal’s Update
Curriculum
It has been a busy start to the New Year. The weather
has kept us on our toes, but I am proud to say that
our students have continued to focus on their learning.
In particular, Year 11 are keeping up the momentum
with exams and assessments, which all add to their
qualifications.
Mayfield Entitlement For All Students
This academic year 2012-2013, we introduced to
students a new concept of working within the current
curriculum called ‘Mayfield Entitlement Days’. There
will be three a year; one per term.
The aim of these days is to make the curriculum and
learning more memorable. During each one, a whole
year group will come together and experience an
activity as a whole. There are different ways they will
do this, ie, one year group will work creatively on site,
learning through art and media of different types. Other
year groups will go offsite and learn through being in
another environment with all that has to offer.
Thank you to all the parents and students who
attended the KS4 Curriculum Evening and additional
meetings last week. We are working hard to match
the preferences selected by students and will
continue to make this a priority as Year 9 prepare
for KS4.
Our House System has been running for a full term
now and has created a very positive impact. We ran
several competitions at the end of last year and have
just announced the next round (see page 3). Well
done to Merlin last term, but who will come out on
top next time?
Ultimately we hope that each experience will
strengthen students commitment to the Academy
and teach valuable lessons, so they can look back
and say, not only was it enjoyable to learn, but it made
a difference to their education as a whole.
Thank you once again for your support with the
uniform, particularly after the adjustments needed
for the snow. Sustained systems and structures
continue to strengthen learning at the Academy.
The first Mayfield Entitlement Day took place on Friday
7th December and was thoroughly enjoyed by students.
For more pictures and information about what each
year group did, please visit the website and click on:
Academy Life/Galleries and Academy Life/Teaching
& Learning.
We have received a high number of quality
applications for the post of Principal. On Monday 4th
February we will interview the shortlisted candidates
and the final day of selection is Thursday 7th. I will
of course inform you of the outcome.
PRINCIPAL
Oasis Academy Mayfield
Ashley Crescent Southampton
SO19 9NA
Principal: Mr J Toland
Tel: 023 8032 8128
Fax: 023 8032 8228
Email: [email protected]
www.oasisacademymayfield.org
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
Page 1
Curriculum
Library News: Visit to Southampton Book Festival
Last term (23.10.12) Mrs Russo and Mr Stenou escorted a group of Year 7 students to the
Southampton Book Festival. The authors we elected to see were Steve Barlow and Steve
Skidmore, known affectionately as ‘The Two Steves’. They were brilliant and we all thoroughly
enjoyed playing the yes/no game, superhero match game and hearing about their work. Most
of the students bought books and had them signed by the authors and all said they felt inspired
to read more. Check out their website: www.the2steves.net Keep reading!
Overdue Returns - Please can students ensure all overdue Library books are returned. We are now in the
throes of delivering Accelerated Reader in school and all KS3 students need to borrow a book in order to take part
in the scheme and will need space on their accounts. Here is a link for parents:
http://doc.renlearn.com/KMNet/R003985016GG79F2.pdf
A Taste Of Christmas In Germany
by Lydia Booth 9FH
On Thursday 29th November, a number of students
set off to enjoy a fantastic 4 day trip to Cologne,
Germany.
During our visit, we went to a number of wonderful
Christmas markets, giving us the opportunity to buy
some amazing Christmas presents, sample the local
food and speak the language (for those learning
German and brave enough!). The next day, we had
a thrilling time around Phantasialand, a very large
theme park in Cologne. Then later that day, we
returned to one of the main Christmas markets by the
Cathedral at night, to witness the spectacular lights.
After a tiring, but fantastic weekend, we had one last
stop at a Belgium Chocolate factory and enjoyed
tasting a variety of fabulous chocolate, as well as
purchasing some incredible pieces of chocolate art.
Unfortunately, after all the excitement, it was time to
return home Sunday night,
still buzzing from the
experience.
Left: A view of the Cathedral
at night
Bottom: Academy students
outside Phantasialand
Helping Students Stay Safe Online
Last term we were visited by two local
PCSOs (Police Community Support
Officers), who have received specialised
training to deliver the PICS E-Safety
programme to students in Years 7, 8 and 9.
The safety training provided by officers Alex Thurston
and Sam Davies, gave students an insight into how
the internet can be manipulated not only by those
‘who might not be who they seem’ but also by people
they know. This can happen via chat rooms and social
networking sites such as Facebook, video and picture
sharing sites like You Tube and even gaming
equipment such as X-box.
The session concluded with a discussion about cyber
bullying, using a phone safely and some do’s and
don’ts of sharing pictures and videos. Students were
also urged never to post personal details online.
The E-Safety training is part of the Academies safeguarding programme led by Mrs Dawkins, our Student
and Family Learning Director who is also our Lead
Child Protection Officer.
If students have any concerns or need to report any
suspicious activity, they can speak to either
Mrs Dawkins, Mr Butler or any adult at the Academy.
They can also visit the Child Exploitation and Online
Protection Centre website (CEOP) for help.
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
46: January 2013
Page 2
Keeping in touch
with Parents and Students
Curriculum
Eco News
Oasis Academy Mayfield has joined up with the ShP Ltd mobile phone recycling
scheme. ShP has been in the mobile phone recycling business for over ten years
and helped to raise over 5 million pounds for charity through the work they do.
For more information on ShP, please visit their website: www.shpsolutions.com Students who
bring in a mobile phone for recycling will receive 20 Vivos per phone brought in to Student Services.
The Eco Group would like to thank all donors of clothing to our Rag Bag clothes bank. We have
had our first collection and have received a cheque for £37.50! This money will go into our
Eco Group pot to fund future Eco projects. Please keep the donations coming - bags can be
delivered to reception. More information about Rag Bag can be found at: www.rag-bag.co.uk
House Competition - Spring Term!
Congratulations to all the students who entered last term’s
House competitions. Every student who entered won their
House 10 points. The competitions were designed and run
by the Curriculum areas for: Media, Drama,
Creative Writing and the Library (Design a Bookmark).
The entrants were judged by the subject teachers
Griffon
and prizes and certificates were awarded for the top three
entrants within each subject area, at the Final Year End
Assembly. This helped secure the following House positions and points:
1st place: Merlin – 425 points
Well done Merlin House!
2nd place: Griffon – 395 points
3rd place: Kestrel – 235 points
Kestrel
Merlin
Each subject will be running a competition throughout the academic year, so
keep your eyes peeled for your favourite subject. This term’s competitions are
hot off the press from the following subjects:
Science - Design a moon base for people to live in.
Maths - Enter two fun quizzes; one on lateral thinking and one on measurements.
Technology - Sketch a model of a scooter. This one is a national competition so entries may be put forward
afterwards. For more information, speak to the subject teachers. The closing date for entries is Friday 1st March 2013.
Remember prizes and points are up for grabs and you’ve got to be in it to win it!!
Joint Conference At Lord’s Hill
On Thursday 29th November selected students from
both Oasis Academy Mayfield and Lord’s Hill were
invited to attend an RE Conference held at the new
Oasis Academy Lord’s Hill site.
This event is the first of its kind and is a joint venture
between both Academies. The theme of the conference
was ‘good and evil’ and aimed to cover various topics
that would be helpful for students taking their GCSE
exam in June.
Those who took part enjoyed the experience and found
it challenging but fun, particularly having the opportunity
to share it with other Academy students across the city.
College Open Events
For a full list of current dates, please visit our website and click on Academy Life, then scroll down and click on
College Open Events Calendar. Don’t forget the Academy’s Career Advisor Mrs Rance, is available on Wednesdays
and Thursdays and is now located on the first floor opposite Room 105 (Dr Altay’s Science classroom).
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
46: January 2013
Page 3
Community
Making More Of A Difference
On Friday 2nd November during the half term
holiday, students, staff and volunteers came together
to once again support the nationwide campaign Make A Difference Day.
Peace Concert Launches Community Project
Last Term (19.10.12), the Academy held a special
Peace Concert as part the Olympic 100 Days of Peace
campaign and the launch of the Oasis Community
Support project, which will be entirely run by students.
This years theme was ‘sharing skills within the
community’. During the day the Academy welcomed
elderly residents from Weston Court sheltered
housing and spent time with them doing various
activities, including cake making, crafting, singing
and computer access, not to mention a few card
tricks!
Guests were treated to some fantastic performances
by students and staff at Mayfield Academy, who sang
and played a variety of instruments. It was an amazing
night and thank you to all those who contributed.
The 100 Days of Peace campaign is an Oasis project
which runs for 50 days before and after the Olympic
Games. The initiative was designed to encourage
young people to make a positive contribution in their
community and get involved to make a difference. The
main inspiration behind the Oasis 100 Days of Peace
was the riots last Summer in cities around the country.
Although here in Southampton the impact was
minimal, students in other Oasis Academies were
affected. The 100 days started on the 8th June – 28th
July and continued 12th September – 28th October
2012.
Both the students and the visitors really enjoyed the
experience which ended in a very lively sing song
by all!
Christmas Carol Concert - 20th December
At the end of last term the Academy held its annual
Christmas Carol Concert - in the new building for
the first time.
It was a magical festive evening with traditional carols
and readings, plus contributions from our Academy
Students, staff and guests. It was lovely to share the
evening with so many friends and family from the
community.
The Carol Concert also helped to raise funds to aid
our newly launched Oasis Community Support (as
highlighted in the Peace Concert article above).
More details to follow in future Bulletins of the
projects they will be involved in.
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
46: January 2013
Page 4
Keeping in touch
with Parents and Students
Extra Curricular Activities
On The Slopes
Training Our Peer Mentors
During last term the Academy commissioned the
Emotional First Aid team (an independent group
based in Southampton), to deliver a Peer Mentorship
course to a group of Year 9 students as part of the
Academy’s ongoing Peer Mentor Programme. The
aim of the course was to help them develop their
skills and confidence to become Peer Mentors to
younger students at the Academy.
Miss Dunn took twelve girls to the Southampton
Sports Centre Ski Slope every Monday after school
for 6 weeks. The students had never skied before
but by the end of the course they were using the ski
lift and some were skiing from the top. Snowploughs,
snowplough turns, and the start of parallel turns
were achieved with some speed – though sometimes
students ended up going faster than intended!
Paul Jetten, EFA Coordinator, was tasked with
designing the eight week course to run from October
to December to meet the brief. The course ran in two
sections. The first four weeks focused on the
students themselves, exploring their own emotional
well-being, self esteem, and support networks. The
second part of the course focused on the role of a
Peer Mentor, developing students’ empathy, listening
skills and understanding their role in identifying risks
and knowing what to do.
The students have gained a grade B or above,
which will go towards their GCSE PE. A huge
congratulations to these students who have put many
hours in after school to improve their GCSE PE
grade. Well done: Georgia Osborn, Jodie Freeborn,
Brogan Anderson, Emily Walters, Hannah Nguyen,
Chloe Whyte, Amy Hughes, Pauline Garvey, Lara
Taylor, Tia Robinson, Levi Simpson, and Baylee
Sinclair.
Congratulations to all 14 students who successfully
completed the course.
Extra Curricular Clubs At The Academy
This term we have a great selection of clubs and
Activities for students to enjoy. There are some
favourites and some new ones to choose from,
including Steel Pans on Thursdays, Year 7 Netball
on Thursdays and Fridays, Cooking on Mondays
and Thursdays (week 1 only), Football Skills for
Boys on Mondays, Girls Football Team Practice on
Wednesdays, Science Club on Fridays (week 2 only)
and a Robotics Club on Tuesdays (lunchtime only)
- see picture below with Thommas Gailor,
Neil Maybee and Harry Bright.
Football For All
Well done to Tia Flett for being recognised as a star
football player who is now competing in mixed football
at Under 14 Level, as a member of the Pirelli Pirates
Crusaders in the Southampton & District Tyro League.
As reported in last weekend’s Daily Echo, this is the
first season the Football Association have allowed girls
to play alongside boys within that age group and Tia is
just one of two girls registered to do so.
For more information on these and all our clubs,
please visit the Academy website or collect a flier
from Student Services.
Tia’s amazing football skills may even help more girls
to play in the future, as she is part of a university study
for the FA to decide whether to let mixed football
teams compete at Under 15 Level.
What a fantastic achievement so far!
Left:
Tia front and
centre with
her team
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
46: January 2013
Page 5
Information
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2012:
Access Via The Grove
The gate allowing pedestrian access via
The Grove will be locked during the school
day between 9.00am and 2.30pm. This is to
increase site security. We have unfortunately
had occurrences where the general public
use the property as a thoroughfare. Any
parent coming to the Academy between the
above hours, should now use the Ashley
Crescent entrance (off Portsmouth Road).
8 February
12 February
14 February
18 - 22 February
21 February
Parent Voice Mtg 4-5pm
Year 9 Parents Eve 5-7pm
Lower School Disco
Spring Half Term
Family Event 6-9pm
25 February
First day back following the
Holiday - students start back
at the usual time of 8.25am
8 March
15 March
Parent Voice 4-5pm
Mayfield Entitlement Day 2
Next communication
March 2013
The Rhinos
are coming!
For more
information,
see Mr Spratt...
18
Free Fun Family Event
Thursday 21st February 2013
at Oasis Academy Mayfield
6pm - 9pm
The evening will include a showing of
Madagascar 3, games and family activities!
Refreshments will be
available.
Please Claim Your Lost Property!
Just turn up and
join us for fun!
All ages welcome.
Lost property items will be
displayed in the Agora near the
reception area of the Academy
between 2.45pm - 3.30pm on
Wednesday 13th February.
More details from
the Community Team.
Any unclaimed items will
be given to charity.
Dream it, Believe it, Achieve it.
46: January 2013
Page 6