PRIMARy NEWS - Kettering Science Academy

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2 KETTERINg SCIENCE ACAdEMy These first two terms across both Primary and Secondary phases have been extremely busy. We are currently in phase two of the building project with the old building being demolished and refurbishment of the Primary phase continuing. The last phase – landscaping, car parking and outside court construction – should be complete by early March. After a busy summer of works in the Primary phase, the children returned to a much improved space, if maybe just a little unfinished in places. We would like to thank you for your continued support as we await the final works such as car parking and playgrounds. The children have returned with a real sense of commitment and composure. The whole Primary phase feels incredibly calm and purposeful. The children are working hard and very much enjoying our new maths scheme, Maths Makes Sense, which develops their maths skills in a practical way. This term we have begun our special Friday enrichment curriculum. The children have had a variety of experiences from drama to cookery with the Academy’s Catering Manager and from Zumba to French with some of the Secondary French teachers. Each term the children will rotate groups allowing them to experience a real breadth of activities. In the Secondary phase the move into the new build was successful and teaching began on time in September. Since then there have been a number of events to show off the new building to parents and the community. We have held a parents’ welcome evening for all year groups together with a celebration evening for the past Year 11 pupils, many of whom are still with us in the Sixth Form. We held a successful community evening where members of the public were invited to have a look around and we were pleased to see the Mayor, Councillor Jim Hakewill, in attendance. We have held opening events for the art work projects and have shown LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL dear All around many guests and those who played a part in designing and building the new Academy. Perhaps the largest attended event was the open evening for Year 6 parents and pupils, with well over 900 people attending. Throughout the week of tours we estimate that there were more than 1,200 people looking at the Academy as a possible school for their children. What was particularly pleasing were the many positive comments made by parents and the community about the young pupils, mainly from Year 11, who escorted and showed them around the building. I would like to say a massive thank you to all the student ambassadors who gave up their time on numerous evenings to represent the Academy – you did a magnificent job! In addition to evening events, there have also been a number of charity events which have generated a huge sum of money for different causes. The main event was the sponsored walk (below) where together we estimate that 1,500 pupils and staff walked an average of 4 miles, so 6,000 in total, to raise a magnificent £13,146 for Cransley Hospice. We also held the fun run, cake sales and Children in Need day which, taken all together, puts KSA as raising almost £16,000 for different charities. Thank you and well done! I have conducted, across both phases, a number of assemblies this term but would like to mention just one. I recently talked to the pupils about what the word loyalty meant and about what it means to be loyal. I spoke about leaders being loyal to those they lead in the face of difficulty and that THANK yOU KSA Thank You Letter from Reverend Dr John Smith – Patron, Cransley Hospice. Dear Mr Campbell, I still have a sense of amazement that a school, the school of which you are the Head, could walk and raise money for Cransley Hospice. And it was not just a few pupils who walked but the entire school, thus my amazement. I understand that the money raised so far amounts to a massive £13,146,including Gift Aid and for that we and our patients and their families are extremely grateful. But it is not just the money because I know that the school has informed itself of the work that the Hospice does and why it does it. My hope is that the pupils will carry what they have done and what they have leant into their lives in the future. Thank you Yours sincerely Reverend Dr John Smith loyalty is something which, if given, is repaid, twice over. I spoke about the need to remain loyal and that true loyalty is only seen when things are difficult and people face challenges. I reminded them that great leaders have a loyal following because they pride themselves on treating people with respect and dignity. I asked that when they become leaders they remember that they will only be able to lead if they have loyal people willing to follow and that fear never ever breeds loyalty. The Remembrance Day service was also something I would like to highlight as a particularly important part of this term and one which follows on the theme of loyalty. After a small speech the house captains and vice captains each laid a petal of a poppy around the central black circle. A piper then played ‘Flowers of the Forest’, the piper’s lament, which resonated around the central area. It was a poignant moment and one which I hope all pupils will remember. As this busy term draws to a close I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year. Martin Campbell – Principal Issue Thirteen • Under the Microscope
KSA TERM dATES Term 2 Friday 21st December 2012 Last day of term Term 3 Monday 7th January 2013 Re-open to students Friday 8th February 2013 Last day of Term Term 4 Monday 18th February 2013 Re-open to students Wednesday 27th March 2013 Last day of term Thursday 28th March 2013 Teacher Training Day Term 5 Monday 15th April 2013 Re-open to students Monday 6th May 2013 Academy closed May Day Thursday 23rd May 2013 Last day of term Friday 24th May 2013 Teacher Training Day Term 6 Monday 3rd June 2013 Re-open to students Friday 19th July 2013 Last day of term Important Information about Child Benefit Parents should be aware that their child benefit will stop if their child is not in education or learning. Under the present law, the school leaving age is 16. After 2013, the education leaving age will rise to 17 and from 2015 it will rise again to 18. This means that this year’s Year 11 pupils (2012-13) must stay in education or training until the end of the academic year they are 17. Research has shown that young people who carry on learning or training until the age of 18 earn more money, are less likely to be in trouble with the police and are likely to healthier. does this mean that students need to stay on at school? No. There are different interpretations of what counts as ‘staying in learning’ • Full time education. This can be in school or college or educated at home • Work based learning. This can be with an employer or training provider. For example, apprenticeships English teacher Andrea Bodnar is saying farewell to KSA and moving to Melbourne, Australia. Miss Bodnar moved to England from Canada and started at KSA when it became an academy in 2009. She said: “It was a good time to start because I was learning as everyone else was – it was quite a challenge to come from another country but the English department has been so supportive. “I have had the same form group since then and I have really grown to love them and enjoy spending time with them. ACAdEMy INFORMATION • Part – time education or training. They will need to be employed, self employed or volunteering for more than 20 hours a week • Starting their own business. Implications for parents • Young people cannot leave school without an identified learning pathway • Child benefit will continue whilst the young person is in learning • Benefits will stop the first Monday in September if a child is not in some form of education or training • Some vocational training may start later at age 17 and continue longer • The Academy will continue to monitor the young person’s destination after they have left the Academy. TimelyAdvice Ltd, a team of independent careers consultants, is working with the Brooke Weston Trust to offer guidance to all leavers. See page 24 for more details. Miss Bodnar Says goodbye “I want to thank KSA for giving me an opportunity to grow as a teacher. I have learned so much from working here and I will miss being part of it.” Miss Bodnar, who is also a drama teacher, has also been involved in many of the Academy’s shows. Contents House Pages 4-5 Academy Events 6-7 Primary News 8-9 Nursery & Reception 10 Years 1-3 11 Years 4-6 12 Art, Music & Industrial Design 13 Communications 14 Maths & I.T. 15 Science 16 Ethics, Humanities & Business 17 P.E. 18 Sixth Form 19 Library 20-21 Academy News 22-23 KSA Open Day 24 Follow KSA on Twitter KSA is now on Twitter so follow @KSAcademy1 for the latest news and events. The Academy will use Twitter to inform parents and the wider community of events and to share the achievements of our pupils through our news stories. It is a broadcast account only so if you need to contact the Academy, please continue to use the normal channels (phone or email). Under the Microscope • Issue Thirteen 3
Page 1: m under the croscope Term 2 Newslet
Page 5 and 6: HOUSE NEWS House Captains Ready to
Page 7 and 8: CHARITy COMMITTEE’S EFFORTS RAISE
Page 9 and 10: Introduction to French Years 1 to 6
Page 11 and 12: yEAR 1 Celebrations Year 1 started
Page 13 and 14: Art Here are some fantastic example
Page 15 and 16: MATHS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOgy The
Page 17 and 18: The debate on the pros and cons of
Page 19 and 20: Revision Sessions KSA recently orga
Page 21 and 22: Recommended Christmas Reads Here ar
Page 23 and 24: Horse-Riding Star Eleanor Broadley

PRIMARy NEWS - Kettering Science Academy

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