The Woodlander

Issue 23 September 2015
Tomorrow’s teachers get ready for the classroom
We are delighted to announce that fifteen West Coventry Sixth Form students
have just successfully graduated from and completed the ‘Tomorrow’s
Teachers’ programme for 2014-15.
This group of students have worked with Mr Griffin from Woodlands and Mrs
Neofitou from Tile Hill Wood to undertake a programme of events during
the year aimed at giving them an insight to a career in teaching and helping
them to start to build the skills and experiences necessary for this demanding
vocation.
Year 12 student Yahiya Todd said “We have carried out a whole range of
activities, presentations, meetings, lesson observations and university visits aimed at increasing our knowledge of what is
involved. It has definitely cemented my aim to be a teacher.”
After observing staff teach at Woodlands and listening to a talk from Mrs O’Connor, the Head of Tile Hill Wood, on what
she expects to see in a good teacher, the students were set the task of planning and delivering a lesson to a class of Year 7
students. TK Madziya said, “Although this was really initially quite a scary thought, it was really fun to do and it was amazing
how we were treated as teachers and it proved that teaching is tough but good planning helps.”
Emma Bedford was particularly impressed by the opportunity to visit Edge Hill University, one of the leading teaching
universities in the U.K. Emma said “It was a great day out and the opportunity to go through a real teacher training interview
boosted my self-confidence, although the maths and literacy test requirements were quite scary”.
All of the students that completed the programme have received a certificate and have some great experiences to add to
their C.V. and university application, they all also now are guaranteed an interview at Edge Hill University should they wish to
apply for a teaching-related degree in a year’s time.
Mr Griffin said “This is a great result for a fantastic group of students who have made the most of this excellent opportunity
offered by West Coventry Sixth Form.”
52-acres of fantastic learning space
At Woodlands Academy we consider ourselves very fortunate to have such a
lot of wonderful space in which learning can take place. Not only do we have
the five House blocks in which the students gain so much in terms of pastoral
support and socialising with their peers, we also have individual buildings
housing specialist equipment for each subject. Our facilities include dedicated
drama studios, music suites, science laboratories, technology workshops,
kitchens, computing suites and art studios, not to mention the purpose-built
sports hall and Power League pitches.
One thing that sets us apart from other schools, especially newly built and redeveloped
schools, is our green-field environment. With acres upon acres of
fields full of trees and even a few ponds, the site provides outdoor
classroom space not only for sports but for other activities such as geography
and science.
Dr Harris’s Year 10 triple science group recently used the fields on their final
lesson of the year to launch methane rockets and the water rockets which they
made during the lesson.
Year 7 and Year 8 students have had great fun during the summer term
making use of the fields whilst playing cricket and rounders and
taking part in lots of athletics lessons getting
ready for sports day.
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