Dear Parent/Carer, This week has been marked by a range of successes and experiences for our students beyond the classroom with all having the opportunity to experience something new and consider a range of broader ideas and concepts. A desire to be the very best and push yourself to achieve in all areas of learning is very much the spirit of the Archer Academy and we have seen that in so many ways this week. Year 8 and Year 9 students have had a focus on preparing for the future and their upcoming GCSE choices process which has generated lively and mature debate. Our Mathsfest 2016 has provided a host of activities which have certainly stimulated competition and excitement with staff, students and parents who have thrown themselves into all things numerical. We also saw 24 students graduate from their Brilliant Club project on Saturday at Nottingham University which was a triumph. The students involved, across year 7 and year 8, had been working with PHD students on a University style report and have exceeded all expectations. Year 9 students have begun the same project this term and we cannot wait to see what they achieve. The project provides an extension opportunity to our thematic learning and extended project curriculum and certainly prepares students well for the demands of Key Stage Four and beyond. Wednesday saw our dance team represent Barnet at the London Schools’ Dance Competition at Queen Elizabeth Park. It was an exciting and memorable day for all involved and our team placed 8th in the London schools’ league! A huge well done to all involved. For me, this week has provided the opportunity to recognise students’ individual achievements, with my Headteacher lunch on Tuesday celebrating the accomplishment of students who have made the most individual academic progress. Nine students joined me for a special buffet and are rightly very proud of themselves. Our Cultural Society trip to see the “Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” was fantastic on Wednesday evening, a real treat for me to spend the evening which such lovely Archer students. The next opportunity will be a concert, advertised in the Music department update below. It seems hard to believe that so much has been achieved and celebrated in just one week, alongside normal daily school life of teaching and learning. Please do ask your child what they have most enjoyed about this week.

Our question of the week, has as ever inspired some lively debate. Next week we will be considering - HOW WOULD YOU COMMUNICATE IF YOU MET ALIENS? With my best wishes,

Lucy Harrison Headteacher

Key dates for the diary: February 11th - Yr 9 GCSE choices evening 6.30pm 12th - 7DB’s Valentine Archer Cafe 15th – 19th Half term week 25th - Yr 8 Curriculum choices evening 6.30pm 27th – Year 7 Globe Theatre trip

Reminders:

Book Yr 9 GSCE choices online.

Easter holiday dates: school breaks up Fri 1st April and students return, Tues 19th April. School will be closed for Easter Bank Holiday, Fri 25th March and Mon 28th March. All students are in school Tues 29th March – Friday 1st April.

5th February 2016

19

Key information: Footwear: A reminder that all students should wear black leather or leather look shoes to school. Trainers are not permitted. School bags: A reminder that all students should use our uniform school bag. Please ensure that this is in place for your child. ParentPay: Please ensure you have checked and topped up your balance for the upcoming week.

Friends’ Association – Lisha Taylor & Alex Coric

Dates for your diaries: Student Social Evening Thursday 3rd March Parents’ Quiz Night – Thursday 10th March Further details coming soon! Archer Café 7DB will be hosting a Valentine’s themed Archer Café on Friday 12th February. Please do drop by for some tea and cake. Easy Fundraising We have now raised more than £2000! Thank you so much to all our supporters. Please join us in raising money for the school and it won’t cost you a penny! https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/archeracademy.

Mathsfest 2016 – Mr Davies

What a wonderful buzz around school and Maths we have had this week. Tasks have included:

A Mathsquest around school

UKMT Intermediate challenge for Year 9 students

Launch of Maths scholars club battling against the school UKMT team Lucas, Max, Muffid and Ervis (Who were victorious)

Year 6 stretch and challenge session

Happy Puzzle Company day and Beat the Parents evening event

Creating questions on post-it notes around the school

Watching “The genius of Britain” in Maths lessons

Bridge taster session

Cross-curricular links to Maths and numeracy

Bright Ideas talk lead by Professor John Edmunds OBE (London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine) on the Maths behind modelling the Ebola outbreak.

Highlight for most was the Happy Puzzle Company sessions where students competed throughout the day to work together to solve hands on puzzles using their knowledge of Maths and logic. At the time of going to press Seacole were narrowly winning the MathsFest House competition with only the NSPCC number day points to be added – results next week.

Brilliant Club – Miss McCarthy

Last term 24 Year 7 and 8 students participated in The Scholars Programme, as series of tutorials and university visits run by educational charity The Brilliant Club, last term. This intensive academic programme culminated in the production a 1500 word essay, written to university style specifications. Most of the students involved attended a graduation ceremony at the University of Nottingham this weekend, having completed successfully completed the academic course. Students were exemplary throughout the course and at the event itself, all of our students received praise from the Brilliant Club’s PHd. Tutors for their enthusiasm and work ethic throughout this rigorous academic process. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all of the students involved in the programme: Isabelle W, Caitlin W, Devi N, Michael E, Oisin F, Bahaand W, Nickan T, Oliver P, Raul P, Niamh W, Zaynab K, Lydia A, Luca B, Sebastian H, Nikolas C, Rohan V, Jacob M, Olivia C, Dora H, Jun.

Cultural Society – Miss Harrison

Our Cultural Society outing to see the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was a real highlight of the week. The students who attended the trip have been animatedly discussing the staging and content of the play and would definitely recommend it to others.

Music department update – Ms Humphrey The Music Department is very happy to announce that auditions for the Spring Soloist Concert 2016 will take place the first week back after half-term (w/o Feb 22nd). Sign-up sheets are displayed outside S39 with audition slots available before and after school. This was a highly competitive event last year so please bear in mind the following: This is an event for SOLO and DUET pieces only. You must be prepared for your audition with an accompaniment or backing CD – and be able to perform the full piece. The concert is an ideal opportunity to practise ahead of any external examinations or to show off your signature piece! The concert itself will be on Wednesday 30th March. Please find a reminder of the musical extra-curricular activities which are on-going. We have a number of exciting events to prepare for (St Jude’s Prom, Barnet Schools Music Festival, Archer Choral Concert, Summer Showcase) so attendance is vital – even if show-time seems far far away!

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

ArcherShop Archer Choir String Quartet GCSE Choir Archer Orchestra

Year 9 advanced singers

All Years (no audition)

Advanced strings (All Years)

Years 9 (no audition)

All Years (Grade 2 Minimum)

Year 8 Rock Band

Instrumental and Singing Lessons Individual tuition has will continue after half term – starting the week we come back, so don’t forget your instruments! The DEADLINE for BEAT lessons is Friday 12th February for Summer Term, make sure you have contacted the Barnet Education Arts Office to continue lessons after Easter. Singing Lessons are to be booked through Ms Humphrey.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Piano Woodwind Percussion Guitar Brass

Singing Strings Piano

Singing

Composer of the Term: Due to the popularity of Year 8’s study of Fur Elise and the Ode to Joy. Ludwig Van Beethoven has been nominated for this term’s noteworthy (pun always intended) composer! Listen out for Beethoven’s finest works accompanying lunch-times at the Archer Academy and sign-up for some Beethoven-based One-To-One tuition from our very own Year 8 piano virtuosos. Beethoven related activities and competitions will be on offer after half term! The Cultural Society: The Fourth Choir (Guests at The Archer Christmas Carol 2015) On A Celebration of Winter Nights and Northern Lights Saturday, 27 February 2016, 7.30pm, St Sepulchre-without-Newgate The Cultural Society is delighted to offer an evening trip to support the Fourth Choir in their most recent concert – an

opportunity to return the support they kindly donated at our Archer Christmas Carol concert in December.

The Fourth Choir’s winter concert looks north, to learn from Slavic, Scandinavian, and Celtic composers how to love

the winter sunlight. Some of the most exciting choral composers writing today are from northern climes so come and

hear a Norwegian version of “Agnus Dei”, a Swedish version of a Shakespearean Sonnet - music which is as clear

and crunchy as an Arctic snowscape. English music is not neglected, with glorious examples from both Tudor and

contemporary composers and Ireland is represented by the tale of a passion so strong that the winter cold could not

suppress it! The concert is completed by dazzling settings of two beautiful Emily Dickinson poems (including “Had I

Not Seen the Sun”) which sparkle and flicker like the Northern Lights themselves.

Tickets are £12 and letters are available from Ms Humphrey.

Headteacher’s lunch – Miss Harrison

It was wonderful to celebrate this month’s Headteacher’s lunch with the nine students from across all year groups who have made the most individual academic progress. We enjoyed catching up and eating some delicious treats. Well done to: Umer I, Kaya Z, Ronaldo I-U, Severine B, Maisie S-T, Louis H, Jason M, Erionla H, Callum C-S.

London Dance Competition Games – Miss Randall

Following the gold medal success of our dance team at the Barnet dance competition, the school had the honour of representing the Borough at the London Dance Competition Games. There were teams from all over London there and we were lucky enough to dance in the Copper Box Arena where the London 2012 Olympics were held. We came 8th out of 24 teams, which is a fantasic result making us one of the 10 top performing schools in London. Well done to all the dancers and teachers.

Paired Reading Programme – Mrs Woolfe

A large group of Year 7 and 8 students are currently enjoying their Paired Reading sessions in the Archer Library. Every day, dedicated parent volunteers come in and spend around 30 minutes with each of their students, reading and enjoying texts together which can be anything of their choosing. Students are encouraged to pursue their own interests. The purpose is to encourage extra confidence in reading and greater understanding of the written word. Carefully-chosen questions assess the students’ levels of comprehension. The focus is on praise and extra reading is often set before the next session. We are delighted to have extended our Paired Reading Programme into the wider community this week, with a small group from Year 8 visiting Brooklands Junior School to pair up with some very able Year 4s. The book they have chosen to explore together is Emil & the Detectives.

Jamie’s Farm – Mr Naylor

A group of Year 9 students have been on a residential week at Jamie’s Farm in Wiltshire. They have been experiencing the world of agriculture, including chopping a lot of wood, going on some spectacular sunset hikes and helping with the new lambs of the season. We look forward to welcoming them back to school next week and hearing all about their adventures.

Head of Year updates – Mr Naylor Year 9 – Mr Savage This week Year 9 have had their GCSE Option Assemblies, it's been a fantastic week fuelled by 80's power ballad intros and detailed information on all of their new courses. I was thoroughly impressed with Year 9's quiet introspection and excellent questions about their choices over the next few weeks. Next week I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday 11th February at 6.30pm for Year 9 Options evening. Thank you to all parents who have already signed up, if you have not yet confirmed your attendance please book here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/year-9-curriculum-evening-tickets-21029687361 It is not easy for students choosing three subjects that they will study for the next two years, and we have done everything we can to ensure your child makes the most informed choice possible. There will be some tough decisions over the next few weeks. Some students will have to choose one cherished subject over another and this is a good lesson for them in the nature of choice. I know there are several students who would study fifteen subjects if it was possible. Please discuss this with your children over the weekend.

Year 9 Stars of the Week

Effective participation in wider school life: Simren P, Erika B, Rio J, Steph K, Raphy K-F.

Year 8 – Mr Hepworth Thank you to the parents who came to the Kings College presentation last night. I hope that the parents and students who attended had an enjoyable evening and will use the added information about the GCSE options process to discuss future goals with students. The process will formally start when Miss Harrison introduces the options process and ‘blocks’ to students next Friday. Students will need to think carefully about balancing their options between different subjects. This will all be explained over the next few weeks. Parents should have received a letter regarding the Curriculum Choices Evening on Thursday 25th February, please ensure you have returned your reply slip to the office. There will be two sessions running as follows: 6pm Thurs 25th February for students and parents in 8X Band (tutor groups: 8GM, 8SH and 8CFO) 7.30pm Thurs 25th February for students and parents in 8Y Band (tutor groups: 8AH, 8GD and 8DP) Well done to 8CFO who presented an excellent assembly this morning on the theme of Environment. There were many thought provoking comments and content which I hope will highlight a few changes in our students’ behaviour with reuse, reduce and recycle.

Year 8 Stars of the Week

Punctuality to lessons and securing the standard: Jaden 8SH and Jonathan 8GD

Year 7 update – Miss Pearson Y7's Conflict Resolution Workshop on Wednesday was superb and students were buzzing with excitement about the different workshops and interactive activities on offer. Each workshop covered a different aspect of conflict resolution but all shared strategies on how to deal with and resolve conflict. For example with Arc Theatre, students directed a scene about conflict resolution in public spaces; students were able to shout 'time out' and direct the actors with their suggestions about how to resolve boisterous behaviour from teenagers on the tube. I was particularly impressed with one young man's advice which was if you tuck your shirt in and do up your top button, your apology may be taken more seriously!! Students explored how to have positive conversations and were shocked that people could be prosecuted for swearing and using offensive language in public.

Another workshop was conducted by a behavioural therapist who used magic to teach the importance of body language and voice control in regards to resolving problems; once again this focused on conduct in public spaces and within peer groups. Students were particularly impressed by the magic tricks! A very powerful workshop looked at conflict within the home as well as using humour to deal with nasty comments from others. As the gentleman explained, when he grew up his mother said, "You don't have to accept every invitation to an argument." Students enjoyed the gentleman's anecdotes and discussed scenarios they had witnessed or experienced. What was particularly shocking was the high number of students who admitted their '"phone was their life" and they would not hand it over if asked by an unsavoury character in the street. The workshop looked at protection within situations of conflict and students were able to ask members of the police about their role in society and experiences of conflict. It was a pleasure to host the event, from which I hope many students benefitted as well as enjoyed. It was particularly pleasing to have four police officers join us, one of whom was an inspector, as this made the workshop more relevant and applicable to living in London. Students were engaged and participated with enthusiasm and respect and I am delighted with their attitude towards the workshops.

Year 7 Stars of the Week

From Ms. Pearson: Nathan, Sebastian, Aisling, Maddie, Sumaya, Safiya and Tamerlan for their excellent participation and enthusiasm in the Conflict Resolution workshop.

Ms. Au: Hector and Mollie McF. Mrs. Wolfe: Adam R, Louisa and Jodeci for always arriving at Paired Reading on time fully prepared.