Coombeshead Academy Newsletter - Issue 54

CHRISTOW
Coombeshead Newsletter
website: www.coombeshead.com Issue 54: 10 th March 2017
GETTING IT RIGHT
As the evenings visibly lighten and the days lengthen we are reminded of the forthcoming examination
season, starting with PPE examinations for Year 11 students from Tuesday 21 st March.
The weeks and months leading up to examinations can be challenging for students (and parents and
teachers alike). Now more than ever, our young people seem to be feeling the pressure. Revision periods can
be challenging as they often require students to monitor their own behaviour when working independently at
home.
So how can students revise better? Which techniques really work, and which don’t? What can students do to
improve their memory, mood and concentration?
Start the day right!
Eat breakfast; skipping this meal significantly reduces concentration and the ability to recall information; a
simple bowl of cereal boosts concentration and memory.
Study in a quiet environment
Students who study in a quiet environment recall more than those who revise while listening to music.
Put your phone away
Mobile phones are distracting; out of sight out of mind. Overcome ‘fomo’, the fear of missing out!
Start early and plan your revision sessions
Any performance requires preparation. To commit information and understanding to memory takes time.
Spreading out revision sessions e.g. one-hour sessions over 10 days is more effective than spending the same
amount of time in one go i.e. 10 hours in one day. This effect, known as “spacing”, allows time in between
revision sessions to forget and re-learn the material.
Test yourself
Leading researchers in the field of memory cite this as a very effective way to improve your ability to
remember information. Practice papers provide a good starting point, as well as quizzing at the end of each
revision session.
Teach someone
After students have tested themselves, teaching the same material to someone else means that their
knowledge must be learnt and organised in a clear and structured manner; in research terms this is known as
the Protégé Effect.
PTO
Inspiring Excellence Inspiring Excellence Inspiring Excellence
FOLLOW US:
DATES FOR YOUR DIARY
Mon 20 th March - Careers & HE Fair 6-8pm
Weds 22 nd March - Spring Concert
3r d - 18 th April - Easter Holidays
Coombeshead Academy, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT Tel: 01626 201800 Email: welcome@coombeshead.com

CHRISTOW
Beware! Highlighters isolate single pieces of information whereas research shows that students learn better if
Don’t automatically reach for the highlighters
they connect key points to other pieces of information. Highlighting sometimes just looks good!
Get some fresh air and exercise
Students preparing for examinations cannot work all day, every day. By going outside and getting some fresh
air they will feel refreshed, refocus better, cope with stress, reduce their anxiety and boost self-esteem.
Get enough sleep
This is vital. Students should try and keep to a regular bedtime,
forget their mobile phones, turn the backlight down and
reduce any interaction with technology an hour or so before
going to sleep.
As we learn more about how best to help students learn,
teaching them about what helps to improve their memory,
mood and concentration, will hopefully better equip them to
meet the challenges head on.
Andrew Hulbert,
Headteacher
HIGH FLYERS IN HISTORY
A group of talented historians in Year
9 completed a session based around
gaining top level answers in their
essays. The students developed their
o w n m a r k s c h e m e s , m a d e
connectives bookmarks, marked and
improved student answers and ate
cake!
HISTORY
They shared and responded positively
to the feedback. We look forward to
offering this workshop to Year 10 very
soon.
Well done – fantastic work and effort!
Coombeshead Academy, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT Tel: 01626 201800 Email: welcome@coombeshead.com

ENRICHMENT
CHRISTOW
RESILIENCE AS A COPING STRATEGY
As part of their Community Programme we were
delighted to invite three representatives from Blesma,
British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association, into
Coombeshead Academy on Wednesday 8 th March.
Gold medal winner and champion rower Jordan
Beecher gave an inspirational talk to a captivated
audience of Year 8 students in the first session and then
to Years 9 & 10 in the second.
He explained how as a young man aged 16 he joined
the British Army in 2004 as a Paratrooper and was
deployed in Afghanistan at the age of 19. On a third
tour as a Lance Corporal in the Parachute Regiment,
at the age of 24, he sustained severe injuries resulting in
the loss of his left leg; the result of standing on an IED
(improvised explosive device) - the date October 21 st
2012.
Whilst recovering back in the UK at the rehabilitation
unit at Headley Court, he was visited by Helen Blamey
GB Para rowing Talent Identification Coach. Just four
months later he was rowing in earnest, going on to win
three gold medals for indoor rowing at the inaugural
Invictus Games in 2014. He has rowed for GB
subsequently winning gold and silver medals in world
championships in Europe and Florida.
He became officially involved with Blesma as an
organisation when he went skiing in Colorado in 2016.
A veteran of the conflict in Afghanistan, Jordan
answered the many questions from the students before
they worked in groups looking at resilience and coping
strategies.
Patrick Hall in Year 8 asked, “What was your luckiest moment in the Army?” to which he replied…” I never
died. I accepted that I was responsible for my injury. I stepped onto a bomb – but none of the soldiers in my
command got hurt.”
Jordan also explained when asked that he has ‘11 legs’ – three for walking and different legs for skiing,
swimming, rowing and a running blade.
He recently ran up Scafell in the Lake District and will be taking part in the Three Peaks Race in April 2017.
Jordan was accompanied by Lotte Johnson from London; a Theatre Director for ten years, she now uses her
experience to facilitate workshops in schools for Blesma.
Jez Scarratt, a member of Blesma and a former Royal Marine from 1975 – 1990 was on active service in Belfast
and was injured in a motorbike accident whilst on duty.
Jez also delivered another interesting and motivational presentation to the Year 10 students.
Eve- Marie Miller said, “It was good – very inspirational”.
Jasmine Small said, “It was very touching.”
Katy Ladd added, “It was really interesting – an eye opener”.
The British Limbless Ex-Service Men’s Association, Blesma
achieved national status in 1932 and since then has been
unique in supporting limbless veterans throughout the rest of
their lives.
Find out more about this inspirational organisation at
www.blesma.org
Coombeshead Academy, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT Tel: 01626 201800 Email: welcome@coombeshead.com

WATER POLO SUCCESS
Coombeshead Academy Year 11 student
Heather Tomlinson and Jade Stickland, a
Sixth Form student from Teign School,
travelled to Blackpool recently to represent
the South West in the girls’ U18 water polo
team. They were taking part in the Inter
Regional Championships, to defend their
gold medal from last year.
SPORT & PE
CHRISTOW
It was a great tournament with the South
West beating Scotland, the North East,
North West Thunder and East to come top
of their group. They then beat the South
East in the semi-finals and met North West
Lightning in the final. At full time the score
was 2-2, so it came down to penalties.
Heather was selected as one of the
penalty takers, and scored the winning
penalty for the South West to hold onto
their top spot and win Gold again!
28/02/17
http://www.swimming.org/waterpolo/south-west-retain-girlsu18-inter-regional-title-penalties/
South West win Girls' U18 Inter Regionals | Water Polo News
www.swimming.org
The ASA South West region defeated North West Lightning on
penalties to retain their Girls' U18 Inter Regional Championship
title in Blackpool.
Pictured left to right:
Jade Stickland
Heather Tomlinson
THINKING GLOBAL
ENRICHMENT
This year, Coombeshead Academy participated in a Refugee themed day
which took place on the 7 th March, as part of their cross-curricular Global
Learning.
The intention was to raise student awareness of refugees.
We also participated in a Refugee Exchange Experience with Teign School
when we swapped four Year 8 students for the day. They were in non-school
uniform and paired up with Years 8 or 9 students in the two schools who
accompanied them to their lessons for the day.
Coombeshead Academy, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT Tel: 01626 201800 Email: welcome@coombeshead.com

CHRISTOW
Coombeshead Academy, Coombeshead Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 1PT Tel: 01626 201800 Email: welcome@coombeshead.com

EPRAISE LRC
TOP 10 TUTOR GROUPS
1. 7RCS (2723)
2. 7LEB (2501)
3. 7CMW (2465)
4. 7DJK (2424)
5. 7BMA (2356)
6. 7HED (2354)
7. 7JWI (2214)
8. 8BRP (2179)
9. 8CHO (2086)
10.8NEM (2049)
TOP 3 STUDENTS IN EACH YEAR
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