m croscopeunder the - kettering science academy the... · 2014-05-15 · ksa got off to a flying...

KSA students have been helping other pupils through peer support programmes aimed at creating an inclusive environment.Just some of the activities going on include the development of the Heroes scheme, which has seen a group of Year 10 students set up and run a dedicated email address for anyone with concerns about bullying.Some of the Year 11 Heroes have also been leading anti-bullying sessions with Primary Phase children each week (pictured right) and have proved to be excellent ambassadors for the Academy.This ethos will continue with the creation of a peer mentoring scheme which will see Sixth Formers supporting Year 11 students through their GCSE exams, as well as helping younger pupils with their reading (pictured below).High achieving Year 11s will also be teamed up with their peers to offer support.

Principal Martin Campbell said the aim was to establish a ‘family’ environment at KSA, saying: “These types of events help to create a feel of a caring House system where students look out for and help each other succeed.” In addition, students taking part in a Sports Leaders Award will be running activities for younger Primary pupils, while dancers who joined an after-school programme started a series of workshops with primary schools in Kettering last month.Read more on page 15.

Term 3 Newsletter 2011 Issue Seven

03-07 Primary Phase • 08 Parents’ Page • 10-16 Secondary Phase

Students Leading By Example

1

KSA got off to a flying start to 2011 with another varied and interesting term. From excellent science results to a dedicated Maths Day for gifted and talented students, efforts continue to ensure KSA students are achieving more and aiming high. There’s been lots of student participation too, from House fundraisers to numerous sporting events. We’re already looking forward to another exciting term and having more news to share about what goes on here at KSA.

m croscopeunder the

KSA Achieves Healthy Schools AwardA drive to help pupils achieve more, lead healthier lives and be included in school life has led to KSA being awarded Healthy Schools status.The Primary and Secondary Phases both met the criteria to achieve the award, which recognises schools that take steps to ensure children and young people are healthy and achieve both in and outside the classroom.The Academy had to demonstrate good practice in four areas – a good provision of physical education within lesson time and after school; a good offering of Personal, Social and Health Education; achievement of Government standards for healthy eating; and sound policies on bullying and inclusion, alongside links with outside agencies such as the school nurse.As part of the award, 20% of students across both phases had to be surveyed about their experience of KSA and their results fed into the evidence.Primary Phase teacher Melissa Warman and James Leigh, the PSHE and Citizenship Co-ordinator in the Secondary Phase, put the application together and Mr Leigh said: “The achievement of this award represents our strong commitment to our pupils’ all round development.”In Primary, efforts are being stepped up to encourage pupils and families to include healthy options in lunchboxes. Read more on page 3.

LETTERS FROM

THE PRINCIPALS

It has now been three terms since the launch of the House system and I am delighted to inform you that we are making excellent progress towards the House system being an extended family. In this edition of Microscope you will read about Sixth Formers from one House academically mentoring students in the same House for better GCSEs, of the Heroes programme helping mentor students in the Primary Phase, of sports leaders taking responsibility for coaching and co-ordinating events and of anti bullying programmes including a dedicated e-mail address for reporting acts of bullying. As I write the primary and secondary Houses are planning a joint assembly where students from Years 7 to 11 ‘show and tell’ students in Years 1 to 6 what life is like in the Secondary Phase. Leadership positions such as sports captains, PR captains, charity captains and house captains have also been created and training is scheduled for students running all House councils in how to manage meetings, take minutes and organise agendas. Sports captains are also actively involved in organising House sporting events and this will grow to include dedicated House teams competing

for the House cup.The House points system is up and running and students can gain House points for regular attendance, punctuality, attending enrichment clubs and completing work which meets or exceeds their target grade. These new systems and the House points are creating a culture of competition both within forms and between Houses. The very impressive attendance of parents and families at the target-setting meetings in term 2 was followed up in January with a start of year meeting for all Year 10 and 11 students to discuss academic progress. An incredible amount has been achieved in just three terms and this is testament to the hard work of all staff at the academy but especially the Heads of House. I am delighted with the progress being made and the support we have received from parents and I look forward, in the next edition, to informing you of the continued progress of the Academy.

Martin Campbell – Principal – Secondary Phase

Students Lead The Way 1

Healthy Schools 1

Letters from Anne O’Neill 2and Martin Campbell

Primary Phase Information 3

Nursery and 4 Reception News

Lower School News 5

Upper School News 6

Other Primary News 7

Parents’ Page 8

Secondary Phase 9 Information

House Page 10

News from School of 11Core Studies

News from Schools of 12Humanities & Business Communications

News from School of 13 Creative, Expressive and Physical Studies

Sixth Form 14

Academy News 15-16

Issue Seven • Under the Microscope2

CONTENTS

The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) continues to enthuse the children and provide them with opportunities for visits and new experiences, e.g. Year 1 pupils learned acrobatic and juggling skills from a visiting circus

troupe and Year 3 pupils will soon visit Kew Gardens in connection with their Rainforest topic. Year 4 is studying fashion in art and designing hats.We would like you to experience this curriculum too, so you will soon receive an invitation to spend an afternoon in your child’s class. We hope the venture will give you greater insight into what and how your children learn. I’m sure you will enjoy it and appreciate just how much the process of learning has changed in recent years. We plan to organise this during the week of 7th March, so please would you make a note in your diary. Thank you.We also seek your views on other, more general aspects of school life – during the same week we will send you a questionnaire and invite comments about some of our more recent initiatives such as the website and this magazine. We will collect them from you at the Parents’ Consultation Evening on 17th March. As you know, we have reviewed how we ask pupils to complete homework: the Learning Logs, introduced before Christmas across the primary phase, have been

well received by the children. Pupils tell us they enjoy the freedom of being able to record work of their choice under a general title; it has certainly helped their research and writing skills.I wrote to you recently about the importance of hearing your children read at home. I do hope you have been able to commit some time to this very important issue. Staff continue to do phonics work, organise guided reading sessions and plan unaided writing tasks so they may assess your children’s progress and attainment. Please continue to contact the class teacher if you have any questions or concerns about your children’s literacy or numeracy work.Some of you asked for more notice about specific events or visits in school; I am pleased to advise you that all of the term’s dates and events are on the website and will continue to be updated. We have also ensured that letters are sent home as soon as full information is available.Several new pupils have joined the school in recent weeks; I hope you are settling in, working hard and making friends. We also welcome Mrs Jan Donnerstag who joined us in February as a Teaching Assistant. Mrs Donnerstag is based primarily in Year 4. Best Wishes

Anne O’Neill – Principal – Primary Phase

Dear Parents and Families,

More Opportunities Through the Brooke Weston PartnershipTwo more inter-academy events are due to take place this week, offering students the chance to work with others from the Brooke Weston Partnership.Year 7s from KSA, Corby Business Academy and Brooke Weston Academy will be taking part in a Sports Festival on Thursday, February 17th.

Around 135 pupils will compete in archery, dodgeball, rowing competitions and more. The event has been organised in conjunction with Thrapston School Sports Development and the Kettering School Sports Partnership.On the same day, students from the three academies will

unite to stage an evening of dance.The show, which is being held at The Cube in Corby, will feature a range of dance styles including jazz, contemporary, street, break-dancing, pedestrian and lindy hop.These activities are the first of many which are being planned to encourage closer working between the academies.

Under the Microscope • Issue Seven 3

Term DatesFri, Feb 18th Last day of Term

Mon, Feb 28th Term 4 starts

Thur, Mar 17th Parents’ Consultation Evening

Fri, Mar 18th Staff Training Day

Tue, Apr 5th Wendy Scales Easter Experience

Wed, Apr 6th Wendy Scales Easter Experience

Thur, Apr 7th 9.30am Awards Assembly Lower School

Thur, Apr 7th 10.30am Awards Assembly Upper School

Fri, Apr 8th Last day of Term

Tue, Apr 26th Teacher Training Day

Good Fuel For Little Learners

SATsKey Stage 2 SATs week is from May 9th to 13th – Year 6 parents are reminded that no holidays should be booked that week.

Children have been taking an active interest in what goes into their lunchboxes as part of a drive to encourage healthy eating.Year 4 Teacher Caroline Leeming did a check of her class’ lunchboxes one day this term and out of 25 children, only four had any fruit or vegetables.Mrs Leeming said: “We had a bit of a discussion and the children felt that they had no control over what goes in their lunchboxes as their parents packed them.

So I set them a challenge of trying to pack their own lunchboxes (or at least help!) for a week, and making sure they include at least one of their five a day.”Now other teachers are working with their classes on similar ideas and after another check, only one of Mrs Leeming’s pupils did not have any fruit or vegetables packed in their lunchbox.She said: “This is a huge improvement but obviously it needs to continue permanently, not just for one week.”

PE Kit, Equipment and TiesParents are asked to ensure that children have the correct PE kit, swimming kit, musical instrument and all other items at school with them when required.KSA wants to make sure children don’t miss out on lessons because they do not have the correct kit and equipment. Also, an increasing number of children are borrowing school ties and not returning them to the office at the end of the day. The office has a limited number of ties to lend to children so if your child borrows a tie and does not return it we will need to charge for it. School ties are available to buy from the school office for £3.65.

Late GateLast month staff spent a week monitoring lateness at the school gate.The exercise will be repeated in the near future and there will also be one-off late gate mornings on Monday, February 28th and Wednesday, March 30th.Families are reminded of the importance of getting children to school on time to aid learning.

Academy Letters and NewslettersLetters to parents are given out to pupils at the end of the school day. If your child is absent, a letter will be placed in his/her tray; please remind your child to check their tray on a regular basis. Alternatively you can check the Kettering Science Academy website. All letters and newsletters are available on the Primary Phase of the Kettering Science Academy website, www.ketteringscienceacademy.org and can be accessed by following the link below:Parent InformationLetters to ParentsSelect your child’s year groupSelect the required letterPlease ensure that all authorisation slips are returned by the deadline date; some trips have had to be cancelled as the numbers were too low, only for more replies to be received after the deadline.

PRIMARY INFORMATION

The Nursery children have enjoyed exploring the topic ‘Food’ this term. They have been busy in our Café role-play area creating their own menus and have enjoyed messy play with porridge oats, flour, jelly and noodles and vegetables. The children have created some fantastic observational paintings of fruit using watercolour paints. To finish the topic they brought their favourite snacks into nursery which they enjoyed alongside their friends during an extra snack time. We have also been enjoying the topic ‘Up, Up and Away’ and are learning about space, dressing up as spacemen in the space centre, making aliens, rockets and learning some new songs!

Tracy Sheridan – Nursery Teacher

NURSERY: Food For Thought


NURSERY & RECEPTION

RECEPTION:To Buy or Not To Buy Reception’s topic this term was ‘shopping’ and we started by going on a trip to the supermarket. The children had written a shopping list before we went and they all had £1 so they had to work out what things cost. It gave them a real-life experience and the topic was developed in the classroom where they priced and labelled things and made their own products, which were sold at the indoor market this week.

It’s been a really good topic because the children have learnt the value of money.

Liz Blakeley – Learning Leader and Reception Teacher

YEAR 1Circus TricksYear 1 has been looking at the circus this term. We had circus company Splats in to teach us some circus skills and we have been looking at how the circus was created in history as well as designing our own aerial circus map in geography.In literacy we have been thinking about traditional tales and we have even had a visit from the Big Bad Wolf himself – it was all very scary!

Claire Yarland – Year 1 Teacher

YEAR 3Money, Money, MoneyThis term our topic has been ‘Money Makes The World Go Round.’ This has involved looking at buying and trading, money from all over the world and old British currency.We began our topic by creating bags made out of recycled clothing. The children sewed, decorated and sold the bags and made a profit of £61.00! The children hope to double their money in the final week of term which will be Dragon’s Den Week! They will work collaboratively to design a new invention and then pitch it to the four Dragons (Miss O’Neill, Mrs Fallowell, Mrs Greaves and Mr Talbot!) Fingers crossed!

Melissa Warman – Year 3 Teacher


LOWER SCHOOL NEWS

Year 2 has been very busy learning all about Myths and Legends. We have found out about lots of different mythical creatures and have even created our own fantasy islands. We learnt that the Greeks like to paint their myths and legends onto pots and so we had a go at painting the story of George and the dragon on our own terracotta pots. We have had loads of fun! Andrea Maloney – Year 2 Teacher

YEAR 2Mythical Creatures

YEAR 4Science Week Year 4 has been chilling out and working up a sweat as we have been working on our science topic of Keeping Warm.This has involved several investigations and activities which the children have enjoyed immensely. Do you know how whales keep themselves warm? Well 4CL found out by making and testing blubber gloves. Does a coat really keep you warm? 4AW investigated this by dressing up in their coats indoors and testing whether their temperature actually changed.

Caroline Leeming – Year 4 Teacher

YEAR 6Keeping ActiveThis term the children in Year 6 participated in a dance workshop with a company called New Ground Dance. Each class took part in a workshop that involved them working in small groups and learning a whole class dance routine. The theme of the workshop was Space and in groups the children developed their own movements and stances to show stars, rockets and planets. The session was lots of fun and allowed the children to demonstrate how creative they are. Also this term, Year 6 has received basketball coaching in the lead up to a tournament later in the year. Paul, the coach, has worked with the children on dribbling, passing and shooting skills and introduced them to some of the basic rules of the game.

Richard Hollwey – Year 6 Teacher


UPPER SCHOOL NEWS

YEAR 5 Space OutWe have completed our exciting topic ‘Our Place in Space’. The children have enjoyed being immersed in the topic through a variety of experiences; we started with a fantastic visit to the ‘Think Tank Museum’ in Birmingham. During our visit the children experienced the Planetarium, received a workshop related to the Solar System and explored the interactive displays within the museum. The children also took part in an evening of star gazing in cooperation with the staff from the Secondary Phase. We investigated facts relating to how day and night are formed, the seasons and the relationship of these to the position of the Earth whilst orbiting the Sun.

Helen Green – Year 5 Teacher


PRIMARY NEWS

Sports Hall AthleticsA group of KSA pupils did themselves proud at a recent Sports Hall Athletics competition at KLV.Children were enthusiastic as they attempted a series of challenges, including long jump.Teacher Helen Green, who took them, said: “The children were great ambassadors for KSA, worked hard and tried their best. We are very proud of their achievements having won a few races and events.”

Reading SkillsParents are being encouraged to spend time reading with their children to help pupils develop vital skills.KSA wants to strengthen the reading partnership between home and school and recommends that parents encourage their child to read to them for a few minutes each evening. They can also help by asking their child some questions about the text they read or encourage them to summarise it in their own words.Children who read at home frequently are more able to access other subjects than

those who do not. Deputy Principal Mike Talbot said: “Reading is the key to all their other learning and anything extra that can be done at home, the better.”KSA has launched a Six Book Reading Challenge for parents who may be less confident readers, or want help getting into reading.The aim is that participants read six books by the end of June and after recording their reading, they are entered in a national and Academy prize draw.

Parents can access the library in the Secondary Phase, including during holidays.If you are interested in joining the scheme call Juliet Walsh on 01536 532700 or just drop in.

Parents Invited in to See Learning in ActionThe Early Years classes have invited parents in this term so they can see how their children learn.Nursery and Reception are teaming up for the workshop on February 17th, which will focus on one of six areas of learning.This term it’s creative development and parents will be able to see the types of activities the children take part in before watching a performance in the school hall.They will also be able to see children’s work on display and talk to teachers.Liz Blakeley, the Learning Leader for the Early Years Foundation Stage, said there is lots of emphasis on the parent voice and it is something that is being developed across other year groups.

School Clubs GaloreChildren have been staying active and having fun thanks to the variety of schools clubs on offer.This term saw the launch of Futsal, which is an exciting version of indoor football that allows players to learn tricks and improve their skills and technique.Year 3 and 4 children have taken up the opportunity to attend the free sessions,

which are held before school starts on a Tuesday morning.Children in Year 5 have been having swimming lessons at Rothwell Swimming Pool, with the aim that every child will be able to swim before they leave school.In addition, the after-school Netball Club has also started and is proving to be popular.


Coffee Mornings

School Uniform

A coffee morning for parents will be held on Tuesday, March 8th, from 2.30pm to 4pm.Tracy Kennedy, the Benefits Take-Up and Social Inclusion Officer for Kettering Borough Council, will be on hand to answer questions.It will be held in the Primary Phase but is open to parents with children in either Primary or Secondary.

The second hand uniform sale in Primary on the last day of term in December was very successful and raised more than £120 for general school funds. Another second hand uniform sale will be held around Easter time – look out for information about this event nearer the time.

PARENTS’ PAGE - PRIMARY AND SECONDARY

123 Magic Behaviour Course for Parents

Opportunities for All

The most recent run of this course for parents is now complete. For all those who attended, they shared a common theme of wanting to improve their method of discipline towards their children and were also made aware of how their own behaviour influenced what was received. The next run of the 123 Magic Behaviour Course for parents starts on Wednesday, March 2nd at a different time of 4pm to 5.30pm and runs for the following four Wednesdays thereafter.

In order for this course to go ahead we shall need names and confirmation of attendance. Please contact Barbara Deviny on 07595 458684 to book a place on this course.

Barbara Deviny – Parent Support Advisor

KSA is keen to encourage students in both phases to try new activities, attempt new sports or embark on new adventures. There is a wide range of enrichment activities offered in both phases which can help improve students’ self esteem or aspirations.In order to encourage maximum participation there may be some financial assistance for families to enable students to take part in ICU days or enrichment opportunities.For further details contact Mrs D Thomas by calling 01535 532700.

World Book Day

Parents Get Involved with Reading Scheme

To celebrate World Book Day in March, the library is holding a Bring and Buy sale to raise money for Book Aid International, which supports literacy, education and development in Africa. The sale will take place in the STAR Centre from 3.20pm to 4pm on Tuesday, March 1st and from 3.20pm to 4.30pm on Wednesday, March 2nd. Any suitable bric-a-brac which could be sold to students can be dropped off at the library.

The launch of the Six Book Reading Challenge was attended by several parents who wanted to find out more about the programme.The idea is that participants take up the challenge to read six books before the summer, with access to KSA’s library and help from the librarians.The scheme is open to both parents and the wider community and the launch evening on February 7th was attended by a number of people keen to sign up.Sixth Formers helped Librarian Juliet Walsh to run the event.KSA is one of the first schools in the country to aim the programme at parents, with the hope it will encourage more families to help with their children’s reading.To find out more call Mrs Walsh on 01536 532700.

Help for Parents Online SafetyParents who want to know more about Autistic Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) can attend a presentation by the Child and Adolescence Mental Health Service, which will be held soon at KSA.More information will be available to parents nearer the time in April. Anyone who is interested should call Barbara Deviny, KSA’s Parent Support Advisor, on 01536 513088.

Another E-Safety and Cyber Bullying for Parents course will be held before the summer following the success of the last event in November.The one-hour course is run by the E-Safety Officer at Northamptonshire County Council.More details will follow in future editions of Under the Microscope.


Ready for LessonsA selection of stationery is on sale at Student Reception to help ensure pupils are fully equipped and prepared for lessons.

Every Day Counts: Attendance MattersStudents have been notching up House points as part of a drive to improve attendance.Competitions have been running between forms and also between Houses.Students are awarded points for a week’s attendance, plus their punctuality to lessons.Stewart Richardson, Assistant Principal for Behaviour and Attendance, said if a student has 80% attendance, it is still the equivalent of one day off per week.Research shows that students with less than 90% attendance have much less chance of achieving their predicted academic target.

Mr Richardson said: “The idea is to create a bit of competition between Houses, forms and individuals, with the results displayed each week so they can see the running total.“We have been sending letters out to parents whose children are falling below a certain level of attendance and there’s lots going on to make this high profile.“We encourage parents to make every effort to get their child into school.”Gold, silver and bronze certificates are handed out to those with the best attendance records.

KSA’s New BuildTaking ShapeThe development of the Academy’s new building is at an exciting stage with the start of the steelwork structure showing the building taking shape.The main structure will be up in the next few weeks, with steelwork for the dance studio, changing rooms, kitchen, theatre and plant room already coming together.Once the main structure is in, pre-cast concrete plates will go down and the brick work will get under way.KSA’s Project Manager Matt Isherwood said: “From the Academy’s perspective, we’re delighted at the rapid progress that Willmott Dixon is making on site, from what was a green field in September to the shape of the building starting to appear.“It’s a fantastic time for the Academy and we’re all looking forward to September 2012.“There’s been a lot of interest from students as they watch it go up and there’s been genuine enthusiasm from Primary Phase children who have been taking part in the enrichment programme with Willmott Dixon.”

Term 3 Dates 2011Thur, Feb 17th

Normandy trip 17/02/11 – 21/02/11ICU Day

Fri, Feb 18th ICU Day Last day of Term

Mon, Feb 28thTerm 4 startsPrincipal Question Time – Year 9 options information evening

Tue, Mar 1st Learning Mentors meet with Year 9 familiesGCSE Maths Modules

Wed, Mar 2ndLearning Mentors meet with Year 9 familiesGCSE Science Modules (Year 11)

Thur, Mar 3rd Learning Mentors meet with Year 9 families GCSE Science Modules (Year 11)

Fri, Mar 4thLearning Mentors meet with Year 9 familiesGCSE Science Modules (Years 10/11)

Tue, Mar 15th Year 12/13 parents’ consultation: 3.30pm – 6pm

Thur, Mar 24thYear 9 parents’ consultation: 3.30pm – 6pmA/AS biology field work

Fri, Mar 25th A/AS biology field work

Wed, Mar 30th

Year 7 Gifted and Talented event – learning styles at Corby Business AcademyYear 7 Gifted and Talented parents’ event at Corby Business AcademyYear 8 options – parents’ consultation

Mon, Apr 4th Year 8 parent consultations with Learning MentorsFri, Apr 8th Last day of TermTue, Apr 26th Teacher Training Day

WELCOME TO THE SECONDARY PHASE

Principal’s Question TimePrincipal’s Question Time is a regular event held three times a year, with the next one held on Monday, February 28th – which is also Year 9 Options Information Evening.Principal Martin Campbell has conducted two since starting at KSA, with both events well attended.It is a chance for parents to question him about any issues they may have.

Remembering JoanneIt is a year since the tragic death of pupil Joanne Watson and her friends were keen to do something to remember her. A minute’s silence was held during Tutor Time and a basket of bulbs and plants was placed by the tree at the front of the school. Joanne is very much missed by pupils and staff at KSA.


HOUSE PAGE

Welcome to SocratesWhy Socrates?When the decision was made for the Academy to go to vertical tutoring, lots of decisions needed to be made quickly – students needed to be organised into groups, learning mentors needed to be attached to these groups, and I was asked to help lead these changes for this large group of people. How was an identity going to be created that would suit the wide range of people within it? The task was made easier once I was assigned a faculty or two that would become my new found family. It soon became apparent that finding the name of a famous scientist that I could relate to the subject areas was not going to be easy. We can thank Mr Shepherd for coming up with Socrates! He suggested this and linked it to both PE and maths. A Greek philosopher and mathematician and a Brazilian footballer who was also a doctor – inspired! It even linked to science. We also managed to get a House colour, logo, motto and House charity all chosen in the same day!

Where are we now?Our identity is developing as we move forward – we now have a House Captain and Vice Captain, Curtis and Arlette, both of whom have taken to their role in a professional manner. I have also been able to appoint Sports Captains, an Events Co-ordinator, a Charity Rep and even someone to do the PR for the House. Alongside this we also have a Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4 representative from each form group to sit on the House Council. The aim of this council is to allow the House to continue to develop and give the students an opportunity to have a voice in how this continues alongside discussing other whole academy issues.Our students have taken on board the community ethos that we wanted to achieve by mixing year groups within a form and older students look out for younger ones. Watching them work together during form time, encouraging one another and supporting each other’s learning is great. It works both ways – Year 11 has been known to learn from Year 7.I look forward to leading the House to great things in the future and will always strive to encourage Socrates to ‘Rise above the Rest!’

Fran Allan – Head of Socrates House

Sanger House: All The Right Ingredients For Fundraising SuccessStudents have been compiling recipes for a charity cookbook which will feature mouth-watering dishes.Pupils in Sanger House have been digging out family favourites for the cookbook which will be sold to raise

funds for the House’s nominated charity, Macmillan Cancer Support.Sanger House is also collecting 5p pieces until the end of the school year as a long term project for its charity.

Da Vinci HouseDa Vinci’s Tree of Responsibility is now on display in the main corridor, showing who’s who in the different House roles.The House is also collecting empty colour cartridges that can be donated to raise money

for its nominated charity.Families have been asked to save any empty cartridges so that pupils can bring them into the Academy.

Hawking’s charity fundraisers have been appointed and are ready to throw themselves into the challenge.Lorna Watts (Year 11) has been appointed as Charity Captain and Megan Marshall (Year 8) is Vice Captain for Charity.Lorna designed Valentine’s message tokens which were sold and then distributed on February 14th. Da Vinci House also sold Valentine’s message tokens, cards and roses.Now the two pupils are looking to hold an auction as their next event and they want to involve KSA’s wider community.Lorna said: “Mr Campbell wants KSA to be

a community school so we thought about how we could involve the wider community.“We are thinking

of having an event where the public can sell things like sculptures, drawings and photographs, with some of the money going to our charities.”Megan said: “The Valentine’s Day sale is a taster of what’s to come and it’s a learning experience for the next fundraiser we do.“We’re aiming high and while we’re the main people sorting this out, we want all students to be involved so we’ll ask them to vote on any ideas we have.”Hawking’s charities are Walking Tall, which helps orphans in India, and a charity set up by Megan’s mum, Dawn Green.Dawn was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in January 2008 and told she had just months to live.But following treatment she found out about on the internet, she underwent surgery and has now set up her own website to raise awareness of the type of cancer she was diagnosed with.

Hawking’s Fundraising Plans

Franklin HouseInter Form Story Book CompetitionThis term in CAPS students in Franklin House have been studying rights and responsibilities. As part of this work students worked in mixed age groups within their tutor groups to produce story books based on an individuals’ rights and responsibilities.The overall winners of the competition were Georgia Bishop and Abilasha Kapur from Franklin One.

Charity WorkThe chosen charity of Franklin House this year is BLISS, which is a charity which helps to fund

research into supporting premature babies and support families. Students in the House are currently raising money through an inter form photo competition of the BLISS bear. There have been many excellent entries so far and learning mentors and I are looking forward to judging the competition at the end of the term.

Rosemary Reid – Head of Franklin House

This term has been a busy term for all students in Franklin House.


CORE

GCSE Revision TipsWith the countdown to GCSE exams well under way, these tips will help with revision success:• Buy a revision guide, such as a science

revision guide which is available from the science technicians

• Read over your class work each week and then the relevant section of the revision guide

• With the revision guide closed, make revision notes for the areas that you have revised – this must be in a style that suits you e.g. annotated diagrams, mind map, flow charts. When you have finished compare the notes you have made with those in the revision guide and add anything you’ve missed

• Display revision notes in a prominent place so you see them every day

• Update revision notes each week and use your lesson objective sheets to check you’ve covered all the necessary material

• Get someone to test you on the things you’ve revised

• Practise answering exam-style questions. These are available from Edexcel: www.edexcel.com/I-AM-A/STUDENT/Pages/pastpapers.aspx or GCSE Bitesize or www.mymaths.co.uk

• Attend all the relevant after-school revision sessions offered by each department

• Ask your teachers for help if you find something difficult

• Remember – these are your grades. All the work you do benefits you.

Maths Talent Adds UpGifted and Talented students from the three academies in the Brooke Weston Partnership came together for a day of maths challenges.They started with 15 problem-solving questions in a round called Maths Olympics, with the questions getting gradually harder.Next they tackled logic problems at 15 stations set up around the hall and for each correct answer they were awarded ‘money’ to be spent on the next challenge, which was to build the highest and/or strongest tower using materials such as dry spaghetti and marshmallows.The amount of materials they could buy was determined by how many questions they’d got

right in the previous round.The towers were then tested before the final challenge – an estimation round where they had to guess the sizes or weights of items.Lorraine Taylor, Assistant Director of Mathematics, said: “They did very well at the logical thinking – the first round was very challenging for some of them and wasn’t the sort of thing they normally do in the classroom.“The other aim was to get them working in teams so that different students had the chance to take on leadership roles.”

Author’s Story Proves Fascinating For Year 7

An author brought books to life with a visit to KSA.Irfan Master, who has recently been short-listed for the Waterstone’s Children’s Book Prize, talked to Year 7 students about his book A Beautiful Lie.

It is set at the time of the Partition of India and tells the story of a young boy who tries to protect his father from the extent of the devastation around them.Irfan, who travelled to India to research his book, spoke to students about the inspiration

for his book – his father is from Gujarat where the novel is set – and how it came into fruition.KSA’s Librarian Juliet Walsh said: “The subject of his novel is not really one that’s been touched on in children’s fiction so our students also found out about the historical backdrop that it’s set against.”

Science Results To Be Proud OfA breakdown of the GCSE Science results from last summer has shown the extent of the progress students made in this subject at KSA.It shows that from Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 4:• 64% of students who came in on level 5 made three levels of progress (2% above the average

figure for the county and 1% below national)• 65% of students who came in on level 4 made three levels of progress (16% above county and

18% above national) • 57% of students who came in on level 3 made three levels of progress (28% above county and

27% above national.

Irfan said: “The group was so attentive and engaged, and the library had a great atmosphere about it. I had a wonderful time.”


HUMANITIES

BUSINESS COMMUNICATIONS

Outstanding Work ByICT StudentsHow to look after your tortoise and the rules of cricket were just two of the topics covered by Sixth Formers who produced some very creative multi media CDs.Year 13 students studying OCR Nationals ICT each put together an educational CD which had to incorporate a video which they had edited, sound, graphics and animation. There were some imaginative creations, including a guitar tutorial and a guide to using the

Adobe Fireworks software programme.Vice Principal Steve Dodman said:

“The level of work was excellent; several students

will get distinctions out of this.”

KETTERING SCIENCE ACADEMY’S BID FOR

International School AwardKSA is aiming for the British Council’s International School Award in recognition for the work that goes on to develop students’ understanding of other cultures.To achieve the award, KSA has to demonstrate that internationalism is embedded within the curriculum in all subject areas and show at least seven activities and events across the school year that contain strands of internationalism.KSA is already part of the Connecting Classrooms project and has linked up with schools in Saudi Arabia. There are also plans to link up with a school in Uganda and a Japanese day is being planned for May.In Art, students have been designing cityscapes as part of the environment theme (pictured), which will then be sent to the Saudi schools.

Stars of BITE HHHHHH

Business and Communication Systems Year 10James Lewis for his great progress through the course so far.

Business and Communication Systems Year 11Shawnee Pearce – 1 mark off an A* in a recent mock exam paper. An excellent mark and well deserved for a student who always works incredibly hard.

Year 11 Business Josh Green for the extra effort he put in upgrading his coursework.Josh Dexter and Kayliegh Maull for their improved focus on coursework.Chloe Murphy and Aiden Perkins for putting in extra effort.Jason Holtby for brilliant written work.

Year 11 Core ICT Lucy Hatton for the effort she put in to exceed her target grade throughout the last term.Lorna Watts – always on task during ICT

revision sessions. She is so eager to learn.Macorley Caton and Luke Pennifold for dramatic improvement in their coursework.

Applied ICTChloe Leigh, Chelsea Love, Sarah-Beth Preston, Elisha Taylor, Alex York, Toby Cope, Sky Gillett, Connor Smith, Harsh Patel and Shaun Spence for attending extra sessions.

Year 10 ICTJake Bates for the high standard of work produced every lesson, often getting to the extension tasks.

Year 10 iMedia Ritchard Mitchell, Ranveer Sahota and Kieran Perry – for using their initiative, creativity, ideas surpassing levels of others and effective analysis of projects.

KS3 ICT Shaun Hammond for outstanding effort in every lesson. He is always enthusiastic and is always smiling!

A Day in the Life of… a Humanities TeacherThursdays start with Year 10 geography. They are a brilliant group, full of personality as well as being very good geographers. They are currently studying Population and Settlement and today we are looking at shanty towns, examining the problems associated with them. The first lesson had a bit of fun with scraps of material to build a shanty house. This gave students an insight into the problems these homes have when building with whatever you can lay your hands on. The second lesson looked at how you can improve a shanty settlement and they had to put themselves in charge of all the decisions.

Next I have one of my Year 7 Humanities groups. We have been studying a unit called the Making of the UK which has included all elements of Humanities, History, Geography and RS. They have looked at Henry VIII up until Mary Queen of Scots and the plot to oust Elizabeth. Today we are looking at the UK in terms of its human and physical features. They carried out research into some popular physical and human features in Wales, England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. This will then be presented as an information booklet during their next lesson. Thursdays always end with my Year 11 GCSE

Geography group. They have just begun the Natural Hazards unit and are currently looking at volcanoes. Today they have studied the case studies of Nevada del Ruiz and Mount Etna. These were compared in terms of impacts and why there was such a difference in the level of response. This went down well with the students as they could transfer the theory to a real life example.

Natasha Franklin – Humanities Teacher


CREATIVE, EXPRESSIVE & PHYSICAL STUDIES

Tommie Helps Out

A Year 7 student lent his talents to the Primary Phase after impressing his Drama teachers.

Tommie Elliott filmed the Primary’s Christmas play and helped with the lighting at the end of last term.

He was asked to help out after showing enthusiasm for the technical side of things in his drama lessons.

A Very Grave MatterDrama students let their imaginations run wild when they were tasked with writing and filming a short play.Head of Expressive Arts Aaron Panther-Howell challenged her Year 8 class to come up with a story after giving them the starting point of the name ‘Jack Stone’ and one prop – a gravestone.The class eagerly set to work, with one group coming up with the idea that some friends dig up a zombie after stumbling upon the grave.Another group of students came up with a poignant story about a girl whose dad is an alcoholic, focussing on her battle to avoid following in his footsteps.Mrs Panther-Howell said: “We started this project three weeks ago and the pupils have been really engaged. They have been developing their characters and looking at different camera angles.”

3 Runners Selected For Regional ChampionshipsA group of KSA students have been picked for the Northamptonshire cross country team following success in a county-wide competition.Gabe Smith (pictured) and Hannah Winstone from Year 7, Jake McAllister from Year 11 and Sixth Former Jason Underwood competed in the County Cross Country Championships in January after being selected to represent the Kettering and Corby District.In their respective age categories, Gabe came 6th, Hannah came 17th, Jason came 13th and Jake came 29th.Gabe, Hannah and Jason have now been selected for the county team and are looking forward to the regional competition in February.PE Teacher Michael Oldershaw said: “The KSA athletes were a tribute to the Academy as they achieved some excellent results. Well done to all involved.”

Basketball UpdateA recent match saw KSA’s Year 8 basketball team put in a good effort against Latimer Arts College.Man of the Match was Malcolm Zimuto.PE Teacher Michael Oldershaw said: “Although they lost the game, it was a good performance because Latimer are the current district champions.” The Year 9 boys’ basketball team narrowly lost 32-26 to Bishop Stopford last month.After a tough start they pulled it back in the fourth quarter. Man of the match was Harry Camozzi.

Year 9 RugbyBoys from Year 9 have been taking part in a district rugby tournament that has been introduced to raise the profile of rugby in the Kettering area. The tournament is being held at Tresham College and involves five schools – KSA, Kettering Buccleuch Academy, Bishop Stopford School, Latimer Arts College and Prince William School.KSA’s Man of the Match against Prince William was Josh Clubley and although the boys lost, they put up a brave performance and are looking forward to their remaining games this month.

Michael Oldershaw – PE Teacher


SIXTH FORM

Spotlight on Sixth Form Courses

Andrew Garrod, Year 13Course: HistoryWhy did you choose this course: It’s a very interesting course and has always been extremely well taught at this school. It presents a challenge; however it remains a fun and captivating study.Topics covered so far: The late Tsarist Russia up until the revolutions of 1917 and life in Nazi Germany, 1933-45.Most interesting thing you’ve learnt: The factors that led to the collapse of Russia’s autocracy in 1917 and the events that culminated in Communist rule.Best bit about the course: Enjoyment, high standard of teaching and the sense of achievement stemming from your work.To do well in this course you need... To have an open mind, to view things objectively and to have good literacy abilities.Any future careers ideas? Teaching, law, politics – anything’s possible!

Ryan Grove, Year 13Course: PoliticsWhy did you choose this course: It was new and interesting to a post-GCSE student. Understanding the workings of government is an important skill to have, especially when approaching the voting age.Topics covered so far: People, Politics and Participation in Britain, Governing Modern Britain and Politics of the USA.Most interesting thing you’ve learnt: The scope and extent of the government’s influence on the common people and the differences between UK and US governments.Best bit about the course: Being able to participate in political debates and being able to understand power and politics. It also complements other subjects such as History and Sociology.To do well in this course you need... Good analytical techniques, a willingness to learn new things and an interest in the area.

Sixth Form Committees Making Their MarkSixth Formers have embraced the chance to take on leadership roles and get involved with Academy life with the formation of several committees.The Environment Committee – made up of Year 12 students Adelle Northern, Lauren Stevens, Naomi Entiriwaa and Autumn Barnes (pictured) – is looking at ways to improve the Sixth Form area and has already met with Principal Martin Campbell to discuss their ideas.One suggestion is to transform the area outside the common room into a garden setting.Adelle said: “We thought it would be good to get other Sixth Formers involved so that everyone’s working together on it.

“Being on a committee helps to get your voice across about any issues you might have about the Sixth Form.”Another idea the Environment Committee is looking into is helping out in elderly people’s gardens.The Business Committee has undertaken some market research with a view to setting up and running its own after-school tuck shop for younger students who stay behind to attend clubs.They plan to present their business plan to Mr Campbell soon.There are also Charity and Social Committees.

Sixth Form

ProfilesWe spoke to three Sixth Formers about their career aspirations.

Tanya Stirmey, Year 13Studying: A Levels in English, Leisure and Health and Social Care.What are you hoping to do next? I’d like to do either an apprenticeship in health and social care or go to college to do a health and social care course. I want to work with people, whether it’s the elderly or people with disabilities.

Hannah Sutherland, Year 13Studying: A Levels in Business, IT and Health and Social Care.What are you hoping to do next? I’m hoping to go to university to do something in childcare.

Josh Farey, Year 13Studying: A Levels in IT, Business and Performing Arts.What are you hoping to do next? I’m having a gap year to go travelling because I’d like to volunteer in Africa. Then I want to go to university to do primary school teaching.

Two students talk about some of the courses they are studying in the Sixth Form.


ACADEMY NEWS

Dance WorkshopsPrimary children were treated to a performance by a group of secondary students who have been working with a professional dance company for 10 weeks.The keen dancers signed up to the course at the end of last year and after putting together a piece for a showcase at The Cripps Theatre in Northampton, they are now working with primary schools in the area.The students, who are from different year groups, have been taught by the New Ground Dance Company.They performed to the Primary Phase and then helped to run space-themed workshops with the younger children.

Dancers Perform At Holocaust Memorial DayA group of dancers were part of a campaign to raise awareness of the Holocaust at a special event.The Year 10 BTEC dance students worked on a piece to perform at the Holocaust Memorial Day at Wicksteed Park on January 26th.As part of the Hope Not Hate project, the students also ran a workshop for younger children from schools across Kettering, teaching them part of their dance during the afternoon.The group of KSA students then took to the stage later on to perform their piece of contemporary dance.Young people who were invited to the take part in the event were asked to use any art form to raise awareness of the Holocaust and promote unity.

Chocolate Factory CountdownPreparations are well under way for KSA’s next drama production, The Golden Ticket.The adaptation of Roald Dahl’s popular classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, will be staged at the Masque Theatre in Barton Seagrave in May.Rehearsals have already been running for several weeks after auditions for the main parts were held by Sixth Form Performing Arts students.Lines are being learnt, musical pieces are being fine-tuned and artwork is being designed – we look forward to seeing the result of all the hard work in May.

Heroes Programme Back With A BangThe second year of the Heroes programme has seen pupils spread an anti-bullying message at KSA.Five girls taking part in the programme, which was introduced to raise aspirations, have even set up an email address for anyone who might have concerns about bullying.The Year 10 pupils – Charley Wood, Bronwyn Ryan, Karis Millen, Kirsten Marshall and Brittany Whitham (pictured) – take turns to monitor the email account [email protected] throughout the day and have been given special training in confidentiality.

Brittany said: “Some pupils might feel more comfortable talking to us and they can speak to us about anything; it doesn’t have to be just about bullying.”Year 11 Heroes have been working with younger pupils in the Primary Phase, talking them about what to do if they think someone is being bullied.Primary Phase Teacher Caroline Leeming added: “The Heroes have set a good example to the children who really look up to them.”The Year 10 Heroes will also start working with Primary Phase children in the summer

to support them through the transition to the Secondary Phase.

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Under the Microscope. To put this magazine together we rely on information from students, staff, parents and carers so if you have anything that you would like to feature or have any feedback then please email the editor Steve Dodman at

[email protected] / 01536 532700

ACADEMY NEWS

Kettering Science Academy Primary PhaseWindmill Avenue, Kettering, NN15 7EA. Tel: 01536 513088

Kettering Science Academy Secondary PhaseDeeble Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire. NN15 7AA. Tel: 01536 532700

Feedback

An ambition has been realised by a Year 10 student who achieved his black belt in karate.Michael Steele started attending karate classes two years ago and goes 3 or 4 times a week to the Rokakai club in Kettering and Corby.To be awarded his black belt, he had to perform a sequence of moves and demonstrate his fighting abilities in front of a panel of judges.Michael said: “It’s something I’d been working towards for a while and I was really happy to get it. Karate has really boosted my confidence and I’ve made lots of friends outside of school.”Michael takes part in local competitions and has also competed in Manchester and Birmingham.Now he is eyeing the next goal – achieving the Dan rank as a senior when he turns 16.

Two Sea Cadets were invited to a poignant ceremony to mark the decommissioning of the Harrier jump jet last week.Myles Tew and David Bilsby, who are members of the TS Pytchley Sea Cadets, went along to the ceremony at RAF Wittering on January 28th to mark the decommissioning of 800 Naval Air Squadron and two other squadrons.David said: “There were quite a few people crying and it was a bit sad.“There were TV crews there – there was quite a strange mood.”The Cadets were also told that because of their group’s affiliation with 800 Naval Air Squadron, it would be taking on the name of the now disbanded squadron – which they said is a real honour.

Myles, who was recently awarded the Commodore’s Pennant from his District Officer and would like to join the Navy when he’s older, said: “We’re the future of the squadron now and we’re proud to take on its name.”

A former pupil was nominated for an award for her apprenticeship success.Jess Sanderson is currently undertaking a food, preparation and cooking apprenticeship at Northampton College and she’s a familiar face in KSA’s restaurant.She was nominated for an award at the college’s Annual Apprenticeship Award Ceremony at the start of February.The 19-year-old has always been interested in

catering and when someone suggested she speak to the staff in the

restaurant while she was in the Sixth Form, it led to her

landing a job.It’s not the only thing

she’s known for at

KSA – Jess is also a champion in the martial arts, Tang Soo Do.She recently won first place for sparring at the German Nationals competition and she counts her biggest achievement as winning silver in her first World Competition in 2009.Now she’s looking forward to the next World Competition and has been working hard to secure a place on the national team.

A Letter from KSA’s Chair of Governors

Welcome to this edition of Under the Microscope.I am reliably informed that we are on track with the building. The extensive works that are taking place are causing

some disruption to the local area but we are attempting to minimise this as much as possible. Anybody travelling down Deeble Road will have noticed the steel framework towering above the fenceline.At a recent governors’ meeting, it was noted that the standards of dress were being maintained in both schools. I would like to report that we have a local authority representative on the governing body, Duncan Mills, who joined us at the last meeting in January. We are still looking for parent governors from both phases. If you are interested, please contact me via the school for details. At the last meeting, discussions were held on various subjects including the need for governors to become involved in curriculum work and to report back to us on progress. Another important part of our work is updating policies and this is now underway. Some members of the governing body have recently undertaken training on safeguarding children – another very important part of our work.Just before Christmas, it was my honour to attend a small awards ceremony in the primary phase, those there gaining certificates for various achievements and I congratulate them.Should you wish to speak to myself or any of the other governors please approach us through the schools and we will be only too pleased to meet with you.I look forward to talking to you again in the future.

Alan Short – Chair of Governors

Black Belt Success

Students Invited To Decommissioning Ceremony at RAF Base

Apprenticeship Award

m croscopeunder the - kettering science academy the... · 2014-05-15 · ksa got off to a flying...

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