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#HolocaustMemorialDay 24th January 2020

Dear Parents and Carers

Excellent learning in 2020 looks very different to learning a decade ago. The introduction of smart phones and tablets over the last 12 years has enabled information to be accessed anywhere and at any time by people of all ages via the internet. This has transformed everyday life from the home to the high street. Daily experiences of shopping, using transport, accessing health options and even our leisure habits have all changed forever and it is taking us all time to catch up with what this means. Education is undergoing a similar transformation and schools as well as parents are having to understand that the availability of social media for young people and education requires us all to ensure that safety and well-being are paramount. Unrestricted access to online materials is unwise and parents and educators need to have robust systems to lock down materials so that young people use appropriate content not harmful sources.

The system we have invested in at Fowey River Academy has the capability to make all student screens visible in lessons and every young person’s digital footprint can be monitored so that the iPads are used appropriately at home and school. This is not true in schools that allow phones in lessons where students are using their own data networks.

It is my firm belief that schools in 2020 cannot be without an all-encompassing digital strategy. The schools that stand still are in danger of becoming like museums of what learning used to look like in the past. Students are still too often restricted to the speed of the teachers’ instruction in the majority of schools in the UK.

At Fowey River Academy we have made a commitment to embrace the new future of learning and we aim to use technology and the potential of Artificial Intelligence software to ensure that students are prepared for life after school in further education and the world of work. My experience of handing iPads to students and staff in other schools is that the first few months there is a novelty factor where everyone is getting used to the possibilities of having a dynamic resource in the learning toolkit. I would call this the “play” stage. We are now ready to enter the next stage which I would call the “practice” stage. Staff and students are now able to see the deeper potential of the digital tablets and I want to share with parents the best apps and software that are currently on the market for developing your child’s potential.

Firstly, I would like to recommend Seneca Learning. It covers the whole curriculum from Year 5 to Year 13 so there are plenty of course resources to explore, including GCSEs courses using the exact specification so the all the content is useful to prepare for the final exams. The YouTube link on parent learning explores the research and impact of using Seneca and I know students’ rate this set of materials very highly as it allows learning to take place at the right speed and level for independent study.

Secondly, I would like to recommend Hegarty Maths which uses similar adaptive technology to allow Maths to be accessed at exactly the right level for everyone. It is a dream resource that would have changed by life as a student if I had the chance to build my Maths skills up with confidence by allowing me to repeat explanations that I failed to process the first time!

CEO Report by Sara Davey

GCSEPod and Tassomai are also available to the Key Stage Four students and are also highly rated resources. Please take a look at the new learning tools and please encourage your child to bring their iPad to school fully charged so learning time is not lost when staff want to use digital devices. The SAMR model below will allow staff and students to begin to realise the potential of their mobile devices moving from enhancement to transformation as confidence grows. We begin are about to begin the “practice” stage and in a few months, we will move to the “perform” stage where students will become leaders of their own learning.

Sara Davey

CEO Report by Sara Davey

We believe that we need to nurture the behaviour's and attitudes in our students for them to develop a strong set of personal virtues that prepares them for a successful future

The fleas in a jar analogy - how our own expectations for our students can act like a jar, limiting their natural potential. https://jrwteacher.com/growth-mindset-it-cant-just-be-an-assembly-at-the-start-of-the-year

The Values Based Education challenge is for every single one of us – parents and guardians, teachers and staff, community and business members – to raise our expectations for our young people.

At Fowey River Academy our vision is to create conditions and a culture to support world- class learners.

This will require a community wide effort and partnership.

And it starts with raising our expectations, which frees students to become the best versions of themselves.

The focus for this week and beyond is on having high expectation of every student, using positive encouraging language and helping them rise up to our expectations of them.

How to achieve great success…

At Fowey River Academy we are committed to Values Based Education

Last term we submitted a business plan to Cornwall Council to work with partners in Fowey to create a unique Watersports Hub. The Old Library building down at Caffa Mill which has been closed for some time presents a great opportunity to connect young people and the water. We have had great discussions with a range of partners who are all in favour and keen to be a part of this, including: Gallants Sailing Club, River Fowey Gig Club, River Fowey Hire and the Harbour Commission to name a few. Although it’s taking longer than expected to get the go ahead, we are still focused on providing our young people with great water based experiences and will be continuing to work with local partners to provide new and exciting opportunities. In particular a big thanks to Fowey River Hire and Gallants Sailing Club for generous offers to support our next project week!

Community Update…

Watersports Academy

Sports Hub Changes

You said…we did! We know the community has been desperate for more change at the Sports Hub and we’re delighted that things are really starting to move forwards. Including: • new membership rates starting @

£20 per month • longer and more regular opening

hours • new classes • better booking and sign in system • lots of new kit and improved spaces

Year Group Updates

Eco Warriors we salute you!

If you see our Sustainability Council students out and about next week be sure to say thank you. They have decided to show empathy and achieve their ecological credits by undertaking litter picks around the academy site. They have said we are doing this because it helps the school environment and the local community.’ Well done to all involved.

Weds 22nd Jan we were lucky enough to have Sarah from Falmouth Art Gallery visit us with four original pieces of artwork. The pieces she brought with us were worth thousands and by world famous artists such as Rachel Whiteread and Peter Blake.

Students talked about what their first impressions were of the artwork. Then they researched why the artists made them and the stories behind the work.

Students completed their enquiry by presenting back to the rest of the class expressing what they learnt throughout the sessions.

Next week 8 Fire and Water will complete the workshops and all of year8 have been invited to visit Falmouth Art Gallery to see artwork

Falmouth Art Gallery Visit

Year Group Updates…

Holocaust Memorial Sculpture Y9

Year Group Updates

Year 8 Rockfit

On Friday 24th Hannah Hawkey CEO of Rockfit came in to meet Year 8.

Students rocked out in an active session, then listened to Hannah talk about her journey from failure to success!

Hannah quit her teaching job, and set up her own company starting with one class a week. Five years later she has 36 instructors with franchise’s all across the UK. Hannah is now working on world domination, aiming to start classes in New York and California this year.

It was lovely to catch up with last years year 11 students to give them back their beautiful artwork, They worked really hard to secure their grades and have gone on to have lots of success.

Year Group Updates…

Last Years Year 11 Art - we will miss it!

We’re always keen to try new things and find ways to get students active…and why should weights just be the domain of the rugby boys!! Girls can lift too and done safely and with proper guidance, it can be a really effective way to build fitness and power and stay healthy. Starting on Monday at lunch, our new resident pro Mr Grace, ex-Irish rugby International, will be leading an exciting weights class for girls, ably assisted by Ms Lefley. Meet at the Sports Hub at 13:30pm

Sports update…

Girls Who Lift

A beautiful afternoon greeted us for our first year 7 football fixture of the season. Although a bit boggy underfoot the boys were able to play a good passing game and held a strong defence through Lewis Powell. We created a few scoring chances through Tommy Rundle and Cody should in midfield and Alfie Fitzpatrick and Finn Bulley in attack.

The full backs of Finley Tardivel, Jem Ward and then swapped to Logan Macey-Irish tracked their players well and worked superbly as a team. The score was tied 0-0 at half time and Fowey started strong in the second half- a great through ball split the defence and Mitchell Tucker ran through to slot the ball into the corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead.

Will Stone battled hard in midfield, and Leo Willims ran his socks off on the wing along with Ronnie Perren. Fowey continued to create chances and the defence held strong through Zach Bendry with some good saves from Zach Burnell in goal. The Looe goalkeeper was forced to make a string of excellent saves in order to keep his team in the game and it eventually paid off as Looe equalised with only minutes to play. At full time the score was level and the game reverted to penalties to decide the outcome. Often a bit of a lottery several brave players stepped up to take a penalty.

Looe took the win 4-2 on penalties but the Fowey Team can hold their heads high having showed great effort and attitude through out the game - most notably from man of the match Lewis Powell.

Year 7 Football Cup Report

With the Fowey River Academy Focus on Empathy this week the year 9 girls team came up against last years champions in the cup and, although going a goal down early in the game, continued to support each other throughout.

Despite losing they showed tremendous resilience continuously encouraging each other through to the final whistle.

A great effort girls.

The year 10 boys also showed empathy in abundance with their sportsmanship and fair play. The year 10 boys team ran out convincing 5-0 winners against a

strong Penrice side in the County Cup.

From the first whistle the team rallied around supporting, congratulating and cheering each other whilst also showing tremendous respect to the opposition. With 5 different goal scorers it also demonstrated the full squad effort.

Well done boys.

Sports update…

Year 9/10 Football

Arts Hub Update…

Year 10 GCSE - The Ordinalia

Year 10 GCSE Drama students recently performed an extract of The Ordinalia at the Secondary Drama Showcase at AMATA, Falmouth University. The Ordinalia is a significant medieval text, originally written in the Cornish language over 500 years ago. Our students performed an upbeat, modernised version of the story of Moses but followed the style and format of the medieval drama, which would have actors performing in ‘plen an gwarries’, or playing places. The staging was particularly challenging with the audience free standing and the action taking place on platforms around the edges of the performance area or through the middle of the audience. It meant that the actors had to really draw the audience’s attention when the action switched to a different location.

Our students performed with energy and commitment, despite the fact that many are new to Drama and for most this was their first public performance. The script included sections for groups or narrators, or ordinaries, which demanded both teamwork and clarity of expression – both of which the group delivered with ease. There were some highly comic moments, such as the group pf incompetent builders attempting to build a temple for Solomon, and moment s where it demanded that actors switched readily from action to narration, such as when they listed a series of reported miracles.

The showcase gave the GCSE Drama students the experience of performing in a professional context, with technical students being able to work alongside sound and lighting professionals and the actors discovering how demanding it is to perform to a full public audience. The day was long, including a technical rehearsal and a performance workshop, but the students excelled from start to finish in their attitude and behaviour but also in their final performance. A key challenge was

having to adapt the performance we had rehearsed in the Drama Studio in Fowey to the much bigger performance area at AMATA. The performance platforms were much bigger and of irregular sizes so this took some reblocking.

Arts Hub Update…

Cont…

In addition, our student sound designer, Alec, had the opportunity to work the extensive sound equipment available at such a professional performance space. He worked closely with the AMATA technician and managed to independently run the sound within our performance without a single hitch. The acting team had to adapt to last minute illness which meant learning other people’s lines at very short notice and reworking staging to accommodate for the change in casting.

The showcase provided real life experience of working in a professional venue and for many, provided their first opportunity of performing to such a large public audience. Their final performance was highly engaging to watch – they really pulled together as an ensemble, got some big laughs from the audience in all the right places, earned themselves lots of positive feedback from the audience and gained invaluable experience.

A huge WELL DONE to all involved.

Class of 2019…

The Year 11 team organised an amazing evening for our returning year 11’s from last year to celebrate their achievements and time with us. A packed out hall enjoyed an evening of celebration to mark the Class of 2019! Here is a selection of photos from the night…

MIXX Programme…

MIXX Programme…

St Austell Womens Refuge …

We are trying to reduce our impact on the environment…we know we can do much better…but every little helps...so we provide water coolers in the canteen for students to use…please remember to bring a reusable water bottle to refill during the day…because we don't provide plastic cups…thank you.

Small things make a big difference…

Don’t forget your bottle!

St Austell Womens Refuge …

CAN YOU HELP?St Austell Women’s Refuge is in urgent need of toiletries for its clients…did you get lots of toiletries at Christmas and you’re not sure what do do with them! Or perhaps you’ve over ordered on the Asda shop? Every little helps so if you do have some spare ladies toiletries, please drop them in to reception and we will collect them and deliver on your behalf. Thank you.

Small things make a big difference…

Coming up…

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The Leading Edge Academy Partnership