February 2010 Issue - Westminster Academy

Principal Smita Bora
MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL
As we come to the end of Term 3, I
am proud to be able to enclose our
letter from HMI Michael Lyons with
this edition of the newsletter, following
our HMI monitoring visit on Tuesday
2nd February.
As expected, the tremendous improvements
we have made were recognised.
The inspector was particularly impressed
with the English department and also the
increasing numbers of students participating
in two or more hours of physical
activity. The biggest achievement was
the fantastic impression our students
made with the inspector and I am extremely
grateful for this.
VOLUME 37 FEBRUARY 2010
Year 10 Citizenship students are inspired by
Anne Frank Exhibition
Anne Frank
By Mohamed El– Katrani
In Year 10 Citizenship, we have
been looking at how the media can
persuade people to change their
beliefs and encourage them to act
on their beliefs. This was demonstrated
during World War Two
when Adolf Hitler changed
people’s beliefs and encouraged
them to discriminate
against many people.
My class, accompanied by
Miss Zubaida, went to the
Anne Frank Exhibition to learn
about a young girl who kept
her beliefs even when others
tried to make her change
them. When we arrived we
watched a 20 minute DVD of
the short life of Anne Frank
and learned that she predicted
her diary would be published.
For three years that her family
and another family lived in the
attic of her father Otto Frank’s
office, they lived in darkness
and could not move during
day light. Even though the
Nazis were carrying out atrocious
acts of violence and
crimes against humanity, and
however scared she was,
Anne didn’t stop believing
that every person has good
within them.
Anne Frank died in 1945,
aged 15 from typhus with her
sister in the Bergen-Belson
concentration camp. Her
mother died of hunger and
the only living survivor of the
Frank family was Otto Frank,
Anne’s father. When he was
handed Anne’s diary he
wanted to carry out his daughter’s
wishes and publish her
diary. (continued on page 2)
Our next Ofsted inspection will be within
the next 6-8 months. During this time, we
will need to continue our focus on English
and maths but we will also need to
concentrate more on improving standards
in science.
Once again, I would urge parents to
ensure that all students attend a mix of
literacy, numeracy and science interventions
combined with other enrichment
activities such as cultural visits
and sports clubs. There is a compulsory
holiday school for any Year 7 with
a STAR reading score below Level 4b.
Have a lovely holiday and I look forward
to welcoming you back on Monday
22nd February..

Westminster Academy Newsletter Page 2
Year 10 Citizenship students are inspired by
Anne Frank Exhibition
(Continued from Page 1)
When the DVD finished, a guide showed
us around the exhibition and took us to a
replica room of where Anne Frank and her
uncle slept and stayed for three
years. We found the room small and two
beds were supposed to be where we were
standing.
The guide then told us about how Hitler
tried to kill a whole race which is called
genocide. However, genocide has not
stopped since World War Two and from
that time to the present day, genocide
continues to take place, however not to
the scale of World War Two.
The guide also told us about a group of
students from two different schools who
wanted the fighting and bullying at their
schools to stop. They started a charity to
help the students get to know each other
with the result that all the students felt
much happier.
She also told us about a girl who witnessed
her parents’ death by a police officer
in her home country. She then moved
Mohamed El-Katrani, Rajab El-Ali, Yasemen Gokce, Dana Murad, and
Genita Gjinovci at the exhibition
from her home country but still fought for justice for her
parents and went to court to give evidence. This demonstrates
that she never gave up her campaign for her parents.
We listened to all the stories of how people are encouraged
to follow what they believe and this showed how
Anne Frank’s ideals haven't changed since she
died. There are still many teenagers who feel they can
change things for the better. This exhibition has encouraged
our group to do an assembly on how the views of
the people who fought for their beliefs can influence the
students at WA.
Ms Sara’s Literacy Competition
Welcome to another literacy competition. Answers to Ms Sara in Orange
House by Wednesday 24 February, 3:30 pm .Winners will be announced in
Assembly after February half term. Special prizes for the two best answers.
Task 1: How many words can you make out of: Westminster Academy
Task 2: Write a poem about our values: Honesty, Effort, Aspiration,
Respect, Trust

Westminster Academy Newsletter Page 3
Westminster Academy chosen to
represent Westminster borough at the
Central London Table Tennis competition
By Ms Pond
Westminster Academy was chosen to represent
all of Westminster at the Central London Table
Tennis competition this month. The competition
was held at Dunraven School in Wandsworth,
where the students competed against seven
other schools.
The students plays a fiercely contested final
against the top seeded school, with each team
winning four games apiece. The winner had to
be decided by points and sadly this was Evelyn
Grace Academy.
The WA students represented the school with
dignity and were graceful runners up, appreciating
their talented opposition. Students ap-
Participating WA students show off their medals and trophy
plauded for their outstanding contribution to the
competition include: Khalil Kennou, Doulfikar Termos,
Noorudin Buraleh, Shuuriye Mohamud.
WA After School
Bike Maintenance
Club
Arblend Gjinovci and Granit Berjani at the Bike Maintenance Club
The Bike Maintenance Club is held after school
on Thursdays 3:45-5:30 pm. Students learn
how to mend their bicycles or if they do not
own a bicycle, they can repair a donated bike
and then keep it for their own. All tools are provided
as well as support and guidance. New
students are welcome to attend. The club is led by Sandra Taylor, Head of Orange House, who is
happy to answer queries about the club from students or parents.
The bicycles are donated by the local police and the club is supported by the area Sustrans Bike-It
Officer, Georgie Fyfe-Jamieson, who says “I am very impressed with the weekly bike maintenance
workshop at Westminster Academy, where students can learn to look after their bikes.”

Westminster Academy Newsletter Page 4
WA Year 9 students’ “Proud to be
Me” artworks are chosen by the
Gallery on the Green in Settle,
Yorkshire
Students’ artworks displayed in the unique gallery
Bringing WA students’ work to a completely different
environment
Students from WA were invited by the Gallery on the Green, Yorkshire to put together an exhibition entitled,
“I am proud to be”. They created postcards depicting their background and heritage with a short
essay about their daily life on the back.
The exhibition was the idea of curator Roger Taylor who wanted to introduce understanding of London’s
diversity to residents of the rural village of Settle, Yorkshire. The post cards depict each student’s
background and reflect their unique experience of life in diverse Westbourne Green. Mr Taylor
approached the Academy after hearing about our school from Ms Catherine Fox who teaches year 9
Integrated Curriculum class; her parents live in Settle, Yorkshire.
The Gallery on the Green, housed in a classic BT phone box, is thought to be the smallest public art
gallery in the world. The gallery recently won £1000 in BT’s competition for innovative use of a former
payphone.
Participating student Mallak Fandi said, “It was really strange creating these postcards. They are so
personal, and yet we all knew that an entire village would be reading them. Settle may be far away but
it is nice that the people who live there are interested in our school. It was exciting to have our work in
a real gallery”
Teacher Catherine Fox says, “In Year 9, students participate in a literacy-based integrated curriculum.
This allows the flexibility to improve the students’ literacy skills through contexts such as the “I am
proud to be” project.

Westminster Academy Newsletter Page 5
Home
Access
Programme
The Home Access Programme is a government scheme which targets low-income families to get access
to a computer and the internet and get online at home. Westminster Academy plans to help to
deliver this scheme so that we can make this opportunity available to our students and their families.
Depending on what you need, the grant allows eligible applicants to buy one of the following:
1. Full package (a computer, one year's internet access, service and support)
2. A computer with service and support only
3. One year's internet access only
Quick eligibility check
You may be able to qualify for a Home Access grant if you can answer YES to:
• Three questions in Section one, and
• At least one question in Section two
Section One:
Are you a parent or guardian responsible for and living with a child:
• who is in school Years 3 to 9?
• who attends a state-maintained school in England full time?
• who has not already had a computer from a Home Access Grant or similar programme, such as
Computers for Pupils?
Section Two:
Do you receive at least one of the following?
• Free school meals for your child***
• Income based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income support
• Child Tax Credit but not Working Tax Credit and an income of less than £16,040
• Guaranteed Pension Credit (not Savings Credit)
• Income-based Employment Support Allowance
• Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
Westminster Academy will contact parents as soon as the full details become available.

Westminster Academy Newsletter Page 6
Westminster Academy rowers triumph at
the City of Westminster Rowing
Championships
Westminster Academy put in a
spectacular performance at the City
of Westminster Rowing Championships
on Thursday 21 January.
Four students were awarded an individual
first place: Carlos El Hajj,
Abdullah Murad, Zach Griffiths Williamson
and Dina El-Ahmad. Two
achieved an individual second
place: Leroy Johnson and Kamil
Mahmoud and three an individual
third place Shanice Mc Kreith, Albehar
Zogaj and Amanuel Asfeha.
The Westminster Academy boys’
team took the overall team First
Prize beating Pimlico Academy and
St. Augustine’s High School.
The Westminster Academy girls’
team took second prize.
Year 11 student Carlos El Hajj who
scored the best time for a six minute
row in the event said,
The Westminster Academy team with their trophy at the City of Westminster Rowing
Championship
“All WA students encouraged each other during this event and
worked as one team. Without this support, I would not have
achieved such a good result. Many thanks to Mr Gorton for preparing
the team for the championship.”
The After School Rowing Club meets every Thursday in the London
break out space 3:30 –5pm. More students are welcome to
join the club unless they are required to attend literacy lessons.
Year 8 Boys Inter–House Football Tournament
The Year 8 boys inter-house Football
Tournament brought some
fierce competition to the pitches
last week.
a Friday later on in the term. See Ms Pond for more details .
After three lively matches, the
Year 8 boys team from Purple
House emerged as the champions.
Red House boys finished second
and Orange House third.
The Year 8 girls inter-house football
tournament will take place on
Year 8 Boys Football Team