The Leigh Academy Spring 2016 Newsletter ()

1111
The Leigh Academy
NEWSLETTER
Spring 2016
A letter from the Principals
Dear Parents and Carers, Welcome to the spring edition of The Leigh Academy Newsletter. With Easter so early this year Module Four has been short however, so much has happened at The Leigh. The four overarching goals of ‘ECPC -­‐ Excellence, Challenge, Partnerships and Consistency’ as Ski Trip 2016
detailed in The Leigh Academy Vision statement have remained a focus for all of the work that we do on a daily basis and are helping to drive standards and expectations for Page 3
There were 36 students who went all aspects of Academy life. on the Academy Ski Trip this year. Read about their adventures on It was good to see so many parents and carers at the launch of the Year 11 Final Page 3 Countdown Programme on the 9th March. This evening marked the start of the programme we run each year to begin the countdown to the summer 2016 examinations. The key focus for all members of The Leigh community at this time of year is to support our Year 11 and Post 16 students who are about to embark on what will b e the most challenging phase of their education. We are running a number of Twilight Revision Sessions at the end of the Academy day and the programme we have scheduled The Leigh in Zambia
for the Easter break will also support our students to achieve. Details of these Page 8
programmes can be found on the website. Leigh Academy shirts donated to The disappointment we had in August when we realised the impact of the grade Zambian rugby team boundary changes in a number of subjects h ad on our 2015 results has ensured we have left nothing to chance this academic year. The relentless drive we h ave to ensure that this was indeed a one-­‐year dip has been extremely rigorous. Recent analysis of data indicates that our Year 11 and Post 16 students are on track to achieve results we have come to expect at The Leigh and will ensure that we continue to achieve the very b est outcomes for our students. (Continued on Page 2…) 1 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
(Continued from Page 1…) In November 255 of our Year 11 students sat an examination in English Language and we are pleased to report that 143 students have now achieved a C grade. This is the first year that students have to sit both English Language and Literature so our Year 11 students are all focused on their personalised pathways to ensure they achieve the highest grade possible in both subjects. Key Dates
Parents/carers will be aware of an incident that took place at the end of Module Two, where, at the end of the academy day two intruders entered The Leigh th
Monday 11 April 2016 Academy accessing the site over the perimeter fence in the lower field. Staff acted Module 5 begins promptly to ensure that students were safely evacuated. Following the incident a nd
Risk Assessment and review of site security took place. In discussion with the Monday 2 May 2016 police we are confident that there was no breach in our security measures, Bank Holiday however we did feel the need to improve our security. Immediate steps were th
taken to change the times that the main Reception doors are open and ensure that Monday 9 May 2016 students only exit the building via Main Reception. The Governors have also Parents Forum, 7pm approved our plans to subtly increase security, by adding Hedgehog spikes on top th
Friday 27 May 2016 of all perimeter gates and signage to all perimeter fences. Also scheduled is the installation of an opening/closing mechanism to the Service Road Gate, this will End of Module 5 also enable us to move the bike racks, which are currently situated near the main th
Monday 6 June 2016 entrance and will ensure that they are securely stored during the day. Visitors to Module 6 begins The Leigh will soon be required to enter the building through the entrance doors th
nearest to Reception, this will create better visibility. Staff and students will Tuesday 14 June 2016 continue to enter through the doors on the right hand side of the entrance. We New Year 7 starters iPad Info Evening are always monitoring the flow of cars into the Car Park and ask that th
Wednesday 15 June 2016 parents/carers be mindful and support The Leigh to ease congestion, the installation of flow plates in the next few months will ensure that vehicles access Year 9 Parent/Teacher afternoon only via the main entrance. th
Monday 27 June 2016 Parent Forum th
Wednesday 29 June 2016 Year 11 Prom th
Thursday 30 June 2016 BR/DV Sports Day st
Friday 1 July 2016 CH/DA Sports Day st
Friday 1 July 2016 Lashings th
Thursday 7 July 2016 Trust Sports Day th
Wednesday 13 July 2016 Monitoring the use of Rewards and Consequences is important to ensure that the high standards and expectations we have are met on a daily basis. To date, 20,682 Reward events and 2,050 Consequences events have been logged since September. At the end of this Module we will be saying goodbye and wishing Mrs Cheverton who has been a member of staff at The Leigh for 19 years, a happy retirement. Mrs Cheverton has kindly taken the time to reflect on her time at The Leigh on page 10. Mrs Fleming will also be leaving to take up a post in a local primary school and Mr Taylor is relocating to Peterborough with his family, we wish them both well in their future. We wish you a restful and enjoyable Easter Break and we are very much looking forward to Module 5. The Leigh Academy Principals Parent Tutor Day Years 7-­‐9 nd
Friday 22 July 2016 2 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Ski Trip to Italy On Saturday 13th February, 36 students from The Leigh Academy, ranging from Years 9 to 13, boarded the coach to Pila, Italy for the 2016 ski trip. During the visit students h ad 6 days skiing and lots of evening entertainment, such as a disco, pizza night and ten pin bowling. Students also, experienced the Italian culture with walks and a guided tour around the Aosta Valley, stopping off at the local ice cream shop. From the 36 students involved, 24 were first time skiers. Due to their attitude and desire to learn, all students were skiing down some very difficult red (intermediate) runs by the end of the week and our advanced group were taking on some of the most difficult black (Difficult) runs in Europe. All four of the Interski instructors commented on the huge progress made by all of our students. The following students received an award, nominated by their ski instructors: Advanced group Best skier: Charlie Baily/Zac Johnson-­‐Hodges Most improved skier: Chloe Bowler Intermediate group Best skier: Zack Best Most improved skier: Louie Summers Beginner group 1 Best skier: Josh Russell Most improved skier: Lewis Doyle Beginner group 2 Best skier: George Foster Most improved skier: Adam Nasskau Mr A. Pickett PE Learning Area 3 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Readathon in the Library For the 2nd year running, Leigh students have got together to help raise money for the charity Readathon who support children in hospital with regular storyteller visits, plus a mobile bookcase jam-­‐packed full of brand new books which are replenished every six weeks. Twenty-­‐eight students attended the event and raised just over £200. All students received a certificate for their efforts and the pleasure of knowing that they are helping poorly children. To find out more information please look on the website www.readathon.org Mrs S. Dunne Academy Librarian Post 16 visit the British Library On Wednesday 24th February the Post 16 Graphics students quickly jumped on a train to the British Library to see the Alice Through the Looking Glass exhibition. This fantastic exhibition showed Lewis Carroll’s original hand written and drawn books as well as re-­‐published editions by many Artists and Graphics designers over the years. Students drew examples and gathered lots of information and ideas they could use in their current project. Miss K. Firmin Art Learning Area Work Experience Update There has been a good response to the Year 10 Work Experience week to be held from the 18th to 22nd July. To date 160 students have secured places. They are expected to complete a journal of their experience whilst representing The Leigh Academy in working local businesses. Some unusual destinations have been organised this year. One student will be travelling to the Scottish highlands to work on a steam train, travelling between Fort William and Mallaig. Another will b e joining a Master Thatcher in the heart of Kent. Sally Phelps Work Experience Co-­‐ordinator 4 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Investors in Careers The Careers Education programme continues to flourish at The Leigh Academy. In January 2016, The Leigh Academy was successful in achieving Stage 2 of Investor in Careers. To successfully achieve the award an Academy has to offer a comprehensive Careers Education programme that includes work related learning. This could include visits to employers, Work Experience or inviting employers in to talk to the students. The Assessor remarked positively on how much the students receive in relation to careers and work related learning activities. This is something that has been on offer to the students at The Leigh Academy over the last few years. A student entitlement and career education timescales are now on the Careers section of the new website. During the Autumn term the Year 13 students had a Higher Education evening followed by a Higher Apprenticeship evening. Both evenings were well attended and appreciated by both students and parents. In January the Year 8 students enjoyed a Mini Careers Fair. The event took place in the morning and they returned to The Leigh to look at their GCSE options in the evening. The feedback from students and parents during the evening was very positive. Students can access the Trust Careers Advisor service at anytime throughout their education for additional guidance. All Academies are measured on student destinations and The Leigh Academy are p roud to announce that their 2015 Year 11 cohort, were successful in achieving something positive to progress into. The Investor in Careers process also measures the destinations process of all Schools/Academies. The Leigh Academy will be assessed for Stage 3 Investor in Careers in June 2016. Mrs. L Tannock Leigh Academies Trust Careers Advisor The Leigh Academy has continued its use of technology to support Learning and Progress throughout the academic year, with particular emphasis on Google Classroom. We are now at the stage where all students have a Google Classroom for every single subject they are studying. Remember, as parents and carers these codes are all listed on the Academy website so please feel free to login and view what is being posted. Google Classroom serves many purposes, but its p rimary function at the moment is to create assignments, including homework, and to create class 'announcements' to ensure students are prepared for forthcoming lessons. The advent of Google Classroom has allowed us to bring a lot more 'flipped learning' to the learning journey of our students, with assignments and videos being posted before the lesson rather than the traditional method of setting h omework based on work already covered in the class. Year 11 have their own Google Classroom designed to prepare them for their forthcoming exams -­‐ the code is ‘emfsget’. Good luck to them all and let Google help you get there. Mr K Brewer Vice Principal -­‐ Da Vinci College 5 Google Classroom The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Leigh Academy Governance The Leigh Academy has a board of twelve governors who meet three times each academic year and oversee Dartford Primary Academy as well as The Leigh. The twelve include Mrs Sharon Waterman, Trust Principal, Mrs Karen Major, the Principal of the Dartford Primary Academy, Ms Simone de Souza as the staff governor, Mrs Alex O'Donnell, the Principal of Longfield Academy, three parent governors, Mrs Anne Barritte, the Vice Chair of the governors, myself as the Chair of governors and three others. Our meetings are also attended by the Chair and CEO of Leigh Academies Trust, Mr Bob Findlay and Mr Simon Beamish, plus other officials from the Trust. The structure of The Leigh Academies Board with governors overseeing key areas of the Ofsted Framework is as follows: The role of the governors is to operate as a critical friend of the two Academies, seeking to enhance the standards of achievement, progress and welfare provision for all students. We monitor progress and outcomes across the academies, the budgets and resource allocations and seek to ensure that safeguarding and other statutory requirements are met. Mr. D Childs The Leigh Academy Chair of Governors 6 World Book Day World Book Day took place on Thursday 3rd March and once again, it was a great success, with students receiving a World Book Day token in exchange for 1 book of their choice. The most popular book was Stars Wars. The main aim of World Book Day is to encourage children to explore the pleasures of books and reading by providing them with the opportunity to have a book of their own. 121 books were given out during the day, which I hope will encourage more students to read and start reading for enjoyment! Mrs. S Dunne Academy Librarian The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Post 16 Galleries Trip Science Technicians The Leigh Academy has a dedicated team of technicians supporting science teachers in all disciplines of the subject. The team consists of Senior Technician Mr T Herrington, together with Mrs S Jack, M rs L Rose and M iss S Rodriguez. “The role of science technician is both challenging and rewarding” said Mr Herrington. “Everything needs to b e in place at the right time to give the best learning experience for pupils. Our technicians all have strong science backgrounds from previous careers which is a great advantage when preparing some of the advanced practical work which can often be requested for lessons”. Between us all we have nearly 100 years of combined experience in industries such as pharmaceutical manufacture, microbiology, virology, analytical biochemistry, as well as business planning and accounting. The newest addition to the team is Miss Rodriguez, who says “I am thoroughly enjoying work at The Leigh; the range of scientific facilities offered by this department to aid learning is very impressive. I also like the fact that technicians are encouraged to have involvement in lessons, and are able to share our working knowledge and experience directly with pupils”. Science Learning Area It was a beautiful crisp winters day in February, the perfect day for a brisk walk from Charing Cross station to the National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and onto the Courtauld Institute of Art. Students took notes and drew sketches as they were directed through the Galleries. It is essential that students experience these works first hand. Art Learning Area Year 10 visit Bletchley Park On 5th February, a group of Year 10 Computer Science students took part in a visit to Bletchley Park in conjunction with The Leigh UTC. Students were given a guided tour of this historic location as well as taking part in code-­‐breaking sessions. It was a fascinating visit and very thought provoking. 7 Mr G Bacak IT Learning Area The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Leigh Academy Shirts in Zambia In a recent joint venture with the Tag Rugby Trust, The Leigh Academy has kindly donated old sports team kits to a village in Zambia. Tag rugby is the most appropriate vehicle for achieving the Tag Rugby Trust’s aim of developing grass roots rugby in lower tier rugby nations. Their community-­‐focussed approach is designed to facilitate mass participation rugby and become self-­‐sustaining over time. Tag Rugby is inclusive, fun, safe and ideal for involving the community. It is good to see the kits are being put to such good use and that we have made a difference to the lives of the children over there. Mr M Stamato Director of Learning for PE Photography Trips to London and Dartford Post 16 Photography students, wrapped in many layers, armed themselves with their cameras and took to the streets of London to build their portfolios ready for the exams next month. Blessed with beautiful sunny weather the journey began in Trafalgar Square, continuing on to Covent Garden, to the British Library, through China Town, Soho and back to finish where we started at Trafalgar Square. Students had the opportunity to practice and experiment with their photography techniques in the style of Artists such as Ronya Galka, Lee Friedlander, and Stephanie Jung to name a few. To aid with their candid shooting, students were provided a worksheet of 40 things they had to try and capture during the day. Needless to say by the end of the day we were all exhausted, shooting over 400 photographs per student, which is a great boost to their portfolios. In addition to the trip to London, students also had an opportunity to participate in a visit to Dartford. Now it might seem strange to take students on a trip to their own hometown, but our open-­‐minded students were willing to hear us out. Blessed with yet another beautiful but cold day we walked from the Academy, through the lakes, park, residential areas and finally to the town centre. Students soon realised that actually their perfect photograph could be closer than they thought! Right on their doorstep in fact, much like our local famous Photographer, Sadana Gagan. Students again had the opportunity to practice what they have learnt and continue building that portfolio for their exam. Art Learning Area 8 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Royal Albert Hall Concert On Thursday the 18th of March, 22 students of years 7 and 8 saw an orchestra perform for the very first time. They were treated to over an hour and a half of many popular classical pieces, which were performed by The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and The Band of the Grenadier Guards. The laser show, fireworks and canon fire, as well as being conducted into the performance ourselves, made it a very special experience for the students. South Kensington, the location of The Royal Albert Hall, offered a very enriching experience, as we visited The Victoria and Albert Museum and The Science Museum. For some of our students, this visit was their first time travelling by train and learnt about navigating The Tube. One boy also learnt how to use a yo-­‐yo, so it was a day of many firsts for some. They all got along very well and met some new people from other Colleges and years, developing new friendships. Miss K Miles Co-­‐ordinator of Learning for Music French Students visit The Leigh On Tuesday 15th March 54 year 7 students from College Marie Curie in Arras spent the afternoon at The Leigh Academy, working with Y7 pupils from different Colleges. Activities included interviewing 3 people from the French school and then working together to build the tallest tower using of paper, sellotape, straws, paper plates and scissors. Mr Dearsley, who organised the visit said: "It was a great afternoon. The students worked well together in all the activities. It was a shame that the French school group could not stay longer." The MFL Learning Area is planning a day trip to Arras for Y7 in June, where they will get to visit College Marie Curie and the Beautiful city of Arras. Mr S Dearsley Director of Learning for Modern Foreign Languages 9 Graded Exams We are very pleased to announce that Brooke Webb-­‐Smith (Chaucer) has just passed her Grade 1 Singing exam, Alex Scott passed Grade 2 with Distinction and Hannah Vanstone passed Grade 4 with Merit. Congratulations to these students and Julie Wright, our singing teacher. More students are due to take exams, at the time of writing, and we wish them all well in their exams. Open Department On Thursday mornings, from 8am, students have been able to come along to the music rooms to try any instrument they wish and have a free breakfast. Students have found they can actually play a few notes and have enjoyed making some noise on violins, trumpets, guitars, flutes, drums and more. This will continue into M odule 5. The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Hasta La Vista Miss Cheverton After 19 years at The Leigh, Caroline Cheverton will be retiring from teaching. The Leigh Reporter has interviewed her in her final week in her role… After 19 years in the school, you must have seen a lot. How has it changed? The buildings, the first year I taught h ere The Leigh CTC was on a split site. The buildings were old but still had a kind of charm. The journey from where I live has also changed it now takes me longer to get in and get home due to traffic on the roads. What was it like moving into the new building? It was very exciting to see the buildings going up we were able to visit the new building, wearing hard hats, but at the same time sad to see the old buildings pulled down. I remember teaching out of boxes because we had to pack up ready for the move. The school was shut for a few days while we moved in. What would you say were the highlights of your career here? Building up an Internationally recognised and specialised ICT department where I and other members of my team trained KS4 and Post 16 students to become Network managers and Computer Software Engineers. But probably the professional and personal success of my former 'Cisco' students. I am so proud of them all. I also had the good fortune to visit other schools in many different countries in Europe. What piece of advice would you give to a new teacher who is just starting out in their career? Get a good sleep and have a breakfast every morning because it's a long and tiring day. Make sure you keep a balance between the work and your home life. Enjoy your time with the students teaching isn't just a job. Listen to them and always try to make them achieve the best they can, even when they say they can't. And most important ‘SMILE’. What will you miss most when you retire? The students and other members of staff at The Leigh. I love this place and it means a lot to me. I have been very happy teaching here and I am very proud of the achievements of some of my old students. It's taking a lot to leave but I know the time is right now for me to move on. I will take with me many happy memories. What do you plan to do in your retirement? First of all I want to rest, really rest. Teachers do not have a chance to do that. You always feel guilty because you know you have marking or planning to do. Then I want to do some more travelling. My late husband and I spent nearly 20 years working abroad. I love meeting new people, immersing myself in other cultures. So twice a year for the next few years I want to do some teaching of disadvantaged children or some conservation work in countries in South America and Asia. Education is important to them it's what will give them a better life, prospects. It will make a positive difference and that's important to me. It is also time for me to spend more time with my grandchildren they are growing up fast and I am missing too much. Thank you for everything you have given to The Leigh and your students past and present. We all wish you the very best for the future and enjoy your retirement. 10 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Ski Trip 2017 Advert
-
5 days skiing at the Sunday River resort in Newry, USA -
1 nights accommodation in N ew York City, USA (includes an evening dinner in Times Square and a day in New York City) -
Learn how to ski or improve your skiing skills, while experiencing the culture of one of the greatest cities and ski resorts in the World. For more information, please see Mr. Pickett in the PE Learning Area [email protected] Sport Relief 2016 Friday 18th March marked the biennial charity event from Sport Relief. In association with BBC Sport, this event brings together the worlds of sport and entertainment to raise money to help vulnerable people in both the UK and the world's poorest countries. This time the main theme was to help not only those in need in the UK but also those less fortunate in Bangladesh. Students made donations throughout the day. Each year group had the opportunity to run the Sport Relief mile around the school fields with some students opting to do it in fancy dress. The PE staff entertained the students in their usual up beat way, typified with costumes such a Bill & Ben the Flower Pot Men, Dick Dastardly, Penelope Pitstop and Tetris cubes. After the run, students had the opportunity to take part in other events put on by the PE Learning Area such as Gladiator and sumo wrestling. It was a fun day had by all and a special thank you to Miss Ferrari for organising the event and Miss Keveth for coordinating the Sports Council students and Mr Pickett for creating the course. Mr M Stamato Director of Learning for PE 11 The Leigh Academy - Spring Newsletter 2016
Understanding The Leigh Academy KS3 Grades. All students in Years 7 and 8 have been set an Expected Grade (EG) which is the grade we expect them to maintain during KS3, this is based on their prior attainment in KS2, in a student’s report this is shown as a Current Grade indicating their current performance in the subject. Therefore if they are maintaining their EG they are considered to be making Good Progress as they are meeting age related expectations. Students are also set a Target Grade (TG) which is one whole grade higher than their EG and is highly aspirational. If a student achieves their TG they are considered to be making accelerated progress. The Current grade should reflect where a student is in a course of study and includes all assessments, marked work and prior learning that have occurred in the previous Modules since starting the course. In the vast majority of cases, it is likely that Current Grades will be maintained over time. In exceptional cases, a Current Grade may fluctuate if a students’ progress accelerates or decelerates for any reason. Current Grades are summarised in the form of a Leigh Academies Trust Assessment Grade (5, 6, 7 etc.). If parents/carers are concerned about the grades awarded in a particular subject please contact the teacher directly or your child’s College. Leigh Academy Modular Reports While students are on roll at The Leigh, they receive a report at the end of each Module. This information can be viewed by parents/carers via ePortal. Further information is available on the Academy website but this is a brief overview for each Key Stage. Key Stage 3 1) Students are given a Current Grade indicating their current performance in the subject. a. Where a student cannot be assessed at the current time, an X grade is used (e.g. when a student is new to The Leigh). 2) An aspirational Target Grade showing the final grade the student should be aiming for in each subject. 3) An Attitude to Learning (A2L) score on a scale of 1 to 9. Descriptors can be found on the Academy website. Key Stage 4 1) Students are given a Current Grade indicating their current performance in the subject. 2) At key points throughout the year a Projected Grade, which is the grade they are expected to receive by the end of the Year or Key Stage for the qualification they are working toward. a. Where a student is not expected to pass a qualification, they will be given a U (unclassified) or F (forming – BTECs only) grade. b. Where a student cannot be assessed at the current time, an X grade is used (such as when a student is new to The Leigh). c. If it is not expected that the student will be entered for a qualification in the subject this will be shown with the code NE (Not Entered). 3) An aspirational Target Grade showing the final grade the student should be aiming for in each qualification. 4) An Attitude to Learning (A2L) score on a scale of 1 to 9. Key Stage 5 1) Students are given a Current Grade indicating their current performance in the subject. 2) At key points throughout the year a Projected Grade, which is the grade they are expected to receive by the end of the Year or Key Stage for the qualification they are working toward. a. Where a student is not expected to pass a qualification, they will be given a U (unclassified) or F (formative – BTECs only) grade. b. Where a student cannot be assessed at the current time, an X grade is used (such as when a student is new to The Leigh). c. If it is not expected that the student will be entered for a qualification in the subject this will be shown with the code NE (Not Entered). 3) An aspirational Target Grade showing the final grade the student should be aiming to meet or exceed in each qualification. 4) An Attitude to Learning (A2L) score on a scale of 1 to 9. 12