The Civitas ARK ACADEMY’S OFFICIAL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2017
FAREWELL Y13
Dear All, This really is it, the final year for our first batch of secondary students, who as I write this are busy ‘beautifying’ themselves for their Year 13 Prom. As it’s such an important year for this cohort and our first to ‘fly the nest’ we found it really difficult to come up with a front cover that reflects the growth of the boy to the man, the girl to the woman who are about to launch themselves into higher education or the world of work. What does a leaver remember next September, a year later or when they are forty? Our uniform is simply an emblem of our community finished off with the Civitas badge. I hope that no student leaving will ever forget the meaning behind Civitas and how they can always grow to be better people. I hope Year 13 will keep this edition as a memento. I particularly like the primary ‘Captain Civitas,’ we could always do with a helping hand from her and nicely mixing my super hero mottos to all our leavers Year 13, Year 11 and staff… … to infinity and beyond! All my best,
Delia Smith OBE Principal of Ark Academy
It was with a tear in our eye that we said our final goodbye to the Year 13 founder cohort of Ark Academy Sixth Form in their last ever Assembly. It was a light hearted tongue in cheek affair, as we bid them farewell in true Ark style. Civitas badges abounded, tutor speeches were spectacular and novelty awards went down a delight in what was a sentimental yet humorous affair. We couldn’t let such an important year group go without staff contributing their own version of the lip sync challenge rocking out “Time to say goodbye” by Andreas Bothcelli. We said our final, final farewell to the founder cohort of Year 13 in the most anticipated night of the year - Prom night on Monday 3rd of July. It was a glitzy and glamorous extravaganza that was enjoyed by both staff and students alike. Tiffany Vasquez was lucky enough to attend as part of the media team on the night and reported back the following: “The prom for Ark Academy’s founding cohort was spectacular. The venue, The VIP Lounge, was decorated glamorously for the occasion and the dinner service was also very nice. The dance floor was made lively by our schools very own Mr Tandoh who took on the role of DJ for the night. It was good to see the former students, just as much as the teachers, showing of their moves and I’m sure Clement, Maaryah and Mrs Smith’s speeches warmed everyone’s heart. To summarise it was most definitely a night to remember.” The gents were impeccably turned out with dickie bows, suits and scarves in abundance. In fact Mr Alexander himself is quoted as feeling slightly underdressed for the occasion stating “If I had known it was a true black tie affair I would have gotten my kilt on!” The ladies also looked spectacular with flowing frocks, sparkling tiaras and heels that had Ms Ryan green with envy. It was a truly special night that will be remembered for a long, long time as we bid goodbye to the class of 2010-17. Ms Keane
Photography: Tiffany Vazquez (Year 12)
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Dear Sixth Form students and parents, It doesn’t feel like 9 months ago that I sat down to pen my first letter a for the Autumn Civitas magazine. But then again, it certainly does not feel like 7 years ago that we had our first end of year assembly for, our now, Year 13 and displayed a slide proudly announcing them as the Class of 2010-17. We thought it was so far away! Looking back on the years; 7 for most, 2 for some and 1 for one, of this fabulous group of students there is an immense feeling of pride and definitely a lot of nostalgia. It is fair to say that they have occupied more of our time in those past years than many of our own family and friends. We have given our all, as have they, and while it sad to see them leave it is exciting to think of what lies ahead for them. University for some, jobs for others, apprentices, gap years, love, life and laughter. The world is at their feet and it is with nervous excitement we wait for the 17th August to see the pay-out for all of their hard work.
BIG MONEY BACKING Seven of our brilliant Year 13s have been given big money backing for their university plans by Ark Bursaries, a scheme designed to financially support Ark Trust students (from 14 secondary schools) at university. Bursaries are worth as much as £22,500 across three years - money that will help our students make the most of their time at university and help pay towards tuition. Students had to go through a rigorous selection process, including writing a
Mr Sawbridge
Our new Year 13 have certainly stepped up to the mark in the past half term since the AS exams finished. They are now proudly the eldest students and keen to take on the responsibilities that come with that. Having read some of the initial first draft personal statements made by the students on UniFrog I am excited for next year and what the UCAS and apprenticeship process will bring. Those who have worked hard on their Ark Diploma have, as predicted, found this an easier process than others but I have to say in the final few week I have been more than impressed with the level of participation and leadership shown by the new Year 13. In everything from Prom Committee, to International day, Staff v’s Student football (staff won 3-1 by the way), Alternative Sports Day and Primary Sports day they have excelled and taken a real lead. A massive well done and congratulations to them. There is a long, & hopefully hot, summer ahead for you all. Take the chance to get some sun on your bones. Relax and refresh yourself for your final year at Ark Academy. Reconnect with your friends, pick up a book and read for the simple pleasure and joy of reading. I look forward to seeing you all in person on the 17th August to celebrate your results with you. I wish you all a long, lazy &peaceful summer holiday.
Tracey Keane Director of Ark Academy Sixth Form
statement about their future plans and being interviewed at Ark Head Office. We are very proud of all of our students who put their names forward and delighted for the seven students: Alice Ella Clarke, Aliyah LashaniEwing, Andrei Bogdan, Clement Owusu, Dawid Soltysik, Kassia Tavares, Ilaha Ahmad. We are also proud that we secured the highest number of bursaries of all Ark schools - a testimony to the hard work of students and staff over seven years.
DAVID DEIN TALKS TURTLES Mr Sawbridge
David Dein, former Vice Chair of Arsenal FC and the FA, came to speak to our Year 12 this term about their futures and what he has learnt from being at the top of football for more than 20 years. David Dein was the architect of the Premier League and has been hugely influential in supporting women’s football and, as such, he has always been an innovator and a risk taker in his thinker. We didn’t know that he is also a very warm and approachable person with a great sense of humour. Our Year 12s were delighted and inspired by his talk (even if some Year 12s are just not that interested in football!) and all took on David’s powerful motto (the “motto of the turtle”) - if you want to get anywhere in life, “stick your neck out.”
TASTE OF UNI LIFE Our new Y13s visited the University of Reading Open Day. The students were all fabulous ambassadors for the school, jumping at the opportunity to attend taster lectures, tour university accommodation and speak to current staff and students. Below are some of the students feedback.
“One thing I learnt was I had an opportunity to talk to psychology students and get an insight into the spread of modules, stress level and intensity of work that university has compared to a level. And looking at the psychology department and the end result of university degrees has just reminded me of the mind-set of working hard that I need to put in, in order to get the entry requirement for the degree of my choice. It has also filtered my vision a lot and pushed me in the direction that I will hopefully enjoy” Munirah “One thing that I learn t is that in th e trip today is that in th e exams, th e questions a re related to real life situ ations (for my degrees specifically ) and that th ere are various join t degrees which I mig ht consider doing myse lf.” Kamil
The single most useful thin g I learnt from this trip would be choosin g the best university for myself , by compa ring all m y university ch and consid oices ering all factors in depth e.g accommo dation, modules , facilities etc. Therefore I would be able to co nfidently decide wh ich univers ity I prefer m ost alongs ide good bac k-up choic es. Mariyah
The sin gle mo st useful th learnt ing I today was t course o pick a I passio would be nate a bout so I w o the m uld have otiv achiev ation to e possib the best le resu lts. Sathu rsana
hat learnt t Today I y is ity stud univers nt in epende are very ind you se that the sen extra d to do expecte utside of o reading gain a full o t lectures ing of what n a d underst u to do ed of yo ir u q e r is tima E well. Fa
t The Reading trip taugh me that I need to do a lot more research about the wide array of courses within media. nt This is because differe in rta ce e uir courses req nt equipment which differe t no t gh mi s tie universi provide, and one of the students told me its always better to know e. these things in advanc Amal
The one thing that I gathered from today was in geography, I realised that the modules are very different and advanced to what I study at A level Geography, which I really enjoyed. Also, the lecture style was engaging. Overall it was a useful day for me. Minali
UCAS DAY Ark Academy Sixth Form hosted the new year thirteens from KSA and Ark Elvin for our annual ‘UCAS Day’. The day started with an address from Caroline Tracey, a Widening Participation Officer from Southampton University and finished with a ‘Big University Quiz’ in the main hall. In between, the students chose a subject stream based on what they are most likely to study at university and heard tailored advice about how to write a strong personal statement. This is what some of our sixth formers had to say about the day: “From today’s session I now know the importance of having a good personal statement and how it plays a crucial role in the selection process for courses.” – Naima. “What I learnt was that a personal statement is a way of presenting yourself to a university and it has to sum up your passion for the chosen subject and your personality within 4000 characters so you have to make it stand out from the rest but without wasting the limited characters you have.” – Jenna. ”The most useful thing I took away from today was how you have to make yourself stand out because you are applying for places where everybody else is also at the top of their game and the analogy of being a big fish taken from a small pond and put into the ocean is probably a good one to sum it up.” –Daniel. Wish the students luck as they try to stand out from the crowd!
Mr Ding
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21
The Maths Department ran an exciting house competition where students were using their probability skills to play the card game 21. Teachers dressed as croupiers and the stage in the lunch hall was redecorated to look like a casino. Students were nominated to try and win the most money (monopoly money of course) for each of their houses. There was a fantastic turn out and students were all itching to play just one more round. Newton house were particularly good with their probabilities, as they made a whooping £9.50! We look forward to playing again next year! Ms Burney
EDINBURGH MARATHON Miss Sach and I have been training for months for the Edinburgh Marathon which was on Sunday 28th May. A marathon is 26.2 miles which is the furthest either of us have run. Despite Miss Sachs knee injury, which prevented her from training for a few weeks on the run up to the event, both of us completed the Marathon and are very happy. We ran for a charity called MIND which is a charity that focuses on helping people and their families with mental health issues. We raised over £500 using our Just giving page. Which is still open at this address: https://www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/Laura-SachHeatherRafferty1 Miss Rafferty
This year we have been running maths challenge club for Year 7’s where they work together to complete challenging puzzles and problems such as Einstein’s riddle and Gabriel’s Problem. As a reward for coming and persisting with the puzzles,
MEGA MATHS TRIP
students were taken on a reward trip to Thorpe Park where they attended a Maths Workshop. The workshop introduced students to how maths is applied in the running and maintenance of the park. I think the most astounding fact was that the new
ride ‘The Swarm’ was built over 7 months, at a cost of £18 million, using 1 million kilograms of steel. After the workshop students were given plenty of time to enjoy all that the applied maths had built – the whole theme park! Ms Burney
GOING FOR BRONZE The Duke of Edinburgh Award recognises the dedication of our students beyond the classroom. To complete the award, each person must spend time on their chosen skill, physical activity and volunteering activity each week, and finished off with an overnight expedition in the countryside. We can now see the evidence of their efforts, and are sure that they have exceeded even their own expectations (…not least a certain student who wrote they were “ready for any physical demands” before being overheard on the expedition to say: “It got to a point where I wasn’t even tired anymore. I was just trying to stay alive!”) Ark students tackled a wide range of competitive and non-competitive sports, from independent distance running to badminton and a variety of team sports. From December to July, our Duke of Edinburgh students could be found sweating (or shivering) it out. Students must spend time helping other people every week for at least three months. For example, Ibrahim and Stephen decided to help coach football for younger children – some of their wonderful work can be seen in action above! This year we had Ark students showcasing everything from chess to cookery – with some amazing results. Maria’s Chelsea buns look delicious, and we agree with the assessor that Subayda’s calligraphy sketchbook is truly a work of art.
To complete the final part of the award, participants must complete two independent overnight expeditions in an unfamiliar place. This includes planning their own route, camping outdoors and walking while carrying all their own food and equipment. But no sooner had we waved the Ark students out of the station when the heavens opened: eighteen hours of non-stop rain followed! For the teachers, this was a chance to catch up on the football play-offs while eating grilled Wagyu beef burgers under a snug gazebo. For the students, this was the ultimate test of perseverance as they battled to heat their food and put their tents up in the pouring rain. As their assessor commented, “despite spending two days cold and wet” in conditions that were “far from ideal”, our Ark students did themselves proud. The communication between team members was “excellent”, and groups showed a “clear sense of teamwork” and even “high spirits” despite the constant rain. Happily, the sun came out right at the end – you can see some tired but proud faces in our final group photo. Huge congratulations to all our Ark students who have earned their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh this year! Ms Holmes
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FAREWELL YEAR 11 This month marks the end of a long but memorable journey for our Year 11 pupils at Ark Academy. It has certainly been an actionpacked five years during which we have literally seen it all; the laughter, tears, joy, a few surprises, and of course the many fabulous individual achievements from so many in the year group. Despite some obstacles and challenges along the way it is fair to say that the students have matured into a very unique, well-rounded and diverse year group of young men and women. As we reflect on our time here together there have been countless positive moments during the five year journey. From the fantastic trip to Kingswood all the way back in year 7 to the year 10 Careers day and work experience when we had such brilliant feedback and the pupils got a real insight into what they might like to do later on in their lives. Of course now Year 11 students are undertaking the most important exams of their life to date. Having put in hour after hour of study and revision in preparation for their GCSE’s we are all now hoping that they will go on to achieve the results that reflect their hard work and persistence. Away from the academics it is also important to mention one of our outstanding sporting achievements. The current Year 11 basketball team are unbeaten in Brent since they started playing in year 7 and have got the furthest nationally out of any Ark Academy side to date. To top this off they were crowned senior champions of Brent once again this year. The sheer determination, athletic ability and near perfect consistency of this team of young men has been an inspiration for us all! So in summary we’ve certainly had some big characters and personalities which always made for an interesting, if not rather intense experience at times. However the level of passion and charisma that so many pupils have shown a on a daily basis over the last five years has been phenomenal. As they continue to refine these traits over time they can look forward to a successful future whatever it is they choose to do. Next stop Year 11 Prom! Mr Foster
Photography: Bash Davidson (Year12) Tiffany Vazquez (Year 12)
FAREWELL YEAR 11 PAGE 9
NOTHING BUT BLUE SKIES I had the opportunity to go to Isle of Wight with some of the people in my year group. We all set off on a nice sunny Sunday afternoon to Portsmouth. The ferry to the beautiful island of Isle of Wight! The ferry journey took about an hour as well. When we got to Isle of Wight we got on the coach again to Kingswood residential camp! We had a great tour of the camp and we even had a gorgeous view of the ocean. The first activity I did was the leap of faith, where you have to climb to the top of a very tall pole and try to hit a large orange balloon. We all wore our safety gear which was harnesses and helmets. I went first and I sadly only got halfway but I had a second go and conquered my fear of heights and made it to the top and I got a gold medal and gold merit for my persistence. That was truly the best part of Kingswood for me! Zahra Al-Temimi Y8
The Isle of Wight was such an amazing experience. I had such a great time! The best things were: kayaking, paddle boarding, and the 3G swing. There are some amazing pictures from all of these! I’d love to go again! Kyla Mannion Y8
SUPERB SCIENTISTS My Year 10 science class have worked incredibly hard this year, so hard in fact that they deserved a reward to recognize this. Myself and Mr Dabroski went with the class to the Cineworld in Wembley designer outlet for the afternoon on Thursday 18th May. We went to see the action packed Fast and Furious 7, which was voted by the class as the film they wanted to see. Everyone enjoyed the film, and it was a fantastic way for the pupils to enjoy a break from their hard work in class and celebrate their achievements this year. I am so proud of everyone in my class, they have tried their very best all year and are a joy to teach. They really did deserve a treat.
WAR & PEACE Ms Pitkin and I took a group of 20 enthusiastic Year 9 historians on a visit to some of the exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum. The trip focused particularly on the Peace and Security and Secret War exhibitions, which supported students’ learning about the Cold War in Summer 1. The students began by examining one of the casings for the Little Boy atomic bomb, which the Americans dropped on two Japanese cities in August 1945. Students were then able to see a section of the Berlin Wall, and drones used in modern conflicts, as they investigated the impact of new types of warfare on the world right up to today. The second exhibition revealed to students some of the real life stories behind James Bond, bringing the Cold
War alive by showing how spies were used on both sides. Students were particularly fascinated by some of the stories of operations carried out by soldiers behind enemy lines during World War Two, and examples of the equipment they had with them, such as daggers disguised as pencils. Throughout the trip, students showed great curiosity, posing some really interesting questions inspired by the objects they saw. Antonia Der, a student in 9 Plath, was prompted by an anti-war poster to ask why Britain and the USA had invaded Iraq in 2003, and why so many people in Britain were opposed to the war. It was a great opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of this significant, and very relevant, period of history. Mr Grande
Miss Rafferty
MED HISTORY A group of 20 Year 7 students visited the Journeys Through Medicine exhibit at the Science Museum with the History Department. The trip includes a visit around the museum and benefited their Summer 1 topic about the Black Death. This trip was an excellent way for students to build on their learning in History classes to develop their understanding of medicine in the Middle Ages. Amer Zribi, a student in 7 Ejiofor, said “I really enjoyed learning about Medieval medicine. In the Middle Ages people believed that disease was caused by evil spirits in the head and they used trepanning (drilling a hole in the head) as a treatment. At the museum we saw a real skull and the drill that had been used in this treatment. This trip made History come alive.”
READ ALL ABOUT IT This term Year 7 Lexia graduates went on a reward trip to see The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time at the Gielgud Theatre. All of these students have worked hard on Lexia at home to complete the reading programme. They all thoroughly enjoyed the play, with some saying it was their first visit to a theatre and they hope to return to a theatre soon. All of the
Mr Coward, Mr Vick and Ms Tauro
students said that they are now more excited about their Wednesday Book Club where they are reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. They were excellent ambassadors for the school, being a mature audience and extremely polite to all adults, and coping very calmly with the tube at rush hour.
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Dear All,
GOODBYE MR DOSWELL
Primary has certainly come a long way in the last couple of years, following the introduction of the new National Curriculum and the many new initiatives that have been introduced, such as the Talk for Writing programme, our Pencil Project and the National Trust’s “50 Things To Do Before You Are 11 ¾”, amongst others - all of this driven by a fantastic staff team.
Mr Doswell is leaving us!
As another cohort of Year 6 move onto to secondary school and we prepare to welcome 60 4 and 5 years olds, many of whom have never been in a school setting before, there is a great deal to be proud of, as well as many areas that still need plenty of hard work, innovation and a little tweaking.
Mr Doswell has taken the school on an incredible journey and he has done this with great strategic vision and sheer hard work. There are so many children in the primary, secondary and other schools that owe so much of their success in the work that he has done.
Our children are amazing on so many levels; bright, excited, such enthusiasm and thirst for learning, extremely funny on just the right level and above all caring and friendly. They are a model of Civitas and this is so often commented on by visitors who meet them when they are in school.
We all know and celebrate Mr Doswell for his calmness, his kindness and his vision for the school. Everyone that has worked with him has been enriched by the experience and I can say with certainty that he will be very
It is a time of sadness and great change here in the primary school because we must say a very fond farewell to our wonderful headteacher, Mr Doswell. He will be returning to the west of England to lead a school there and we hope they realise how lucky they are.
It is with much sadness that I prepare to leave them all behind and begin my new role in the West Country but I will take so many happy memories with me, and so much acquired knowledge from the last four years. Ark Academy is truly inspiring in so many ways, not least because of its all through status and the growing links that are being forged between both the primary and the secondary schools. The talent and dedication amongst the staff of the whole school is second to none and you cannot fail to leave our amazing school a much better and more dynamic teacher than when you first joined. The Civitas is a shining reflection of all that is great about our school and each edition brings something new and fresh to celebrate and consider. Enjoy reading it and reflecting on all that has happened in the last year – I know I will. Best wishes,
Ian Doswell Primary Headteacher
much missed by the parents, the children, the staff and particularly by myself. He has been a fantastic mentor to me and I hope that I can go some way towards continuing his work. Mr Doswell, from all of us here: we cannot thank-you enough for the time and work you have put into making this school a success and we hope that other families can benefit from your abilities in your next school. I know we all have our own messages to give to such a leader of the school so here are just a few of the countless well-wishes that we all want to give. Farewell and good luck. Mr Watkins
My proudest Year 6 achievement is my improvement in Mat hs. This year, we did SA Ts exams. They were difficult, however, I feel like I did well. Hela Basheer, Copernicus Class
Somethin looking fo g I’m r in Year 7 ward to is learnin g about th e differe nt areas of Science. I can’t wa it! Misha M Copernic alik, us Class
MOVING ON ...New Beginnings Our Year 6 leavers are once again preparing to move on to their next phase of education and are looking forward to starting their secondary schools in September. Fifty (85%) of our current Year 6 cohort will begin Year 7 at Ark Secondary Academy at the start of the academic year 2017/2018, with the remaining children taking up places in schools ranging from St Gregory’s Catholic Science College, Queen Elizabeth’s School in Barnet and The John Lyon School in Harrow. The current Year 6 have certainly had an eventful year, under the expert guidance of their teachers, teaching assistants and members of the SLT who have taught them. They have come a long way in their learning since September. The rigours of the 2014 National Curriculum have certainly meant that they have had to work hard to prepare for the much harder Year 6 SATs tests and they have taken these in their stride. We have never known such a calm and relaxed group of children, who clearly felt confident in what they were asked to do and undertook each test with enthusiasm and
diligence. We await their results with interest but whatever the outcomes, they could not have tried harder and should be justifiably proud of their efforts. Year 6 has not just been about SATs tests by any means. This year has seen a great deal of work undertaken around pathways and the future, with Year 6 visiting Oxford University back in June and each child taking part in a range of exciting visits and activities to support their learning. This has seen the children going to such diverse locations as The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, The Clink Museum, along with some really fun team building activities at Oxygen, Oasis Adventure Park and Kidzania. As a school, we miss every year group that moves on and this year group is no exception. They have developed into a mature, very committed and hard working group of young people that any school would be proud of and we wish them every success in the future, and hope that they keep working
It has b ee teach t n a pleasure his Yea t r 6 coh o The de ort. termin ation a dedica n tio their SA n they show d ed in Ts was im well as this, th pressive. As ey show Civitas great to positive one another . I’m they wil lt values with th ake these em as t enter Y hey ea Well Do r 7 and beyo nd. ne Cop ern Galileo Classes icus and of 2017 . Mrs Pr escott
Something I will miss about Ark Primary is the teachers because they always helped me when I was stuck on a question or if I was hurt.
hard and aim high to reach their aspirations for the future. We also need to say goodbye to Miss Prescott (Year 6 Copernicus) as she leaves the school to pursue her own new and exciting adventure back home in Scotland. Some of the memories and quotes shared by the children have been printed below but we look forward to sharing many more in the closing weeks of the term and at the Leavers’ Celebration Assembly in the last week. Thank you Year 6 for all that you have brought to Ark and fly high as you move forward. ‘Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.’ - Herman Cain Mr Doswell
My favourite primary memory is when we played Wembley Primary and won 7-0. I’m looking forward to all the challenges in Year 7. Omar Abbasi, Galileo Class
Krish Khatri Galileo Class
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STEM WEEK
During the Summer term, Primary held their first ever STEM week. The week kicked off with an assembly which included some exciting demonstrations from the Secondary Science team. Throughout the week, the children had lots of hands on fun making clouds, lava lamps, bouncing eggs and rockets. Science in school reached a climax on the Tuesday when the children were lucky enough to experience the wonderfully different and absolutely unforgettable ‘Sublime Science’ workshop where the children were given the opportunity to make slime, catch smoke rings and launch rockets. Year 6 also had the chance to visit the secondary labs where they were able to witness rat dissection, huge flame demonstrations and heart dissection, as well as setting off their own rockets. Meanwhile, the children in years 5 and 6 were taking part in half-day coding workshops where they were able to design and create a fitness app. The children’s engagement, participation and cooperation with one another was such that the workshop organisers commented
that we were one of their favourite schools to have worked with to date. Technology and engineering also featured throughout the entire week in all classes. The children were challenged to make bridges from newspaper and wood and towers from marshmallows, spaghetti, toothpicks, pegs and lolly sticks. Not only did the children have to constantly design and evaluate, but utilise their skills of team- work, perseverance and patience. Classes also designed and made marble mazes as well as getting hands- on with class sets of K’nex. The theme of climate change also ran through the week, with children reading stories and articles, creating some fantastic art pieces and huge ‘Art attack’ style pictures from bottle lids during lunchtime. STEM careers lessons also linked seamlessly to our Aspirations Day which rounded the week off rather well. We set out to inspire and engage, enthuse and excite and give the children as many hands on experiences a possible. It was such a success that we plan to have a STEM week every year going forward.
Mrs Harrison
WHAT CAN I BE?
Mini Mr Doswell!
At the end of our STEM week in summer 1, we held an amazing event: the first annual “What Can I Be?” day. It was designed to be part of our work on “Pathways”, going alongside our programme of trips and visits to universities and colleges. On the day, children dressed as their career of choice and we had a wide range of visiting parents coming in to give presentations to the classes. We had lots of careers represented, including lawyers, accountants, robotics, computer programming, youth work, nursing, business and more. It was a great day that was not only a lot of fun but also stimulated a lot of conversations at home and school about careers and what options are out there. Someone in Reception even came as Mr Doswell! We wanted to inspire children and families in a fun way and provide much greater awareness of the range of career options that are out there. Looking at the photographs, I think we achieved this and I can’t wait to see the next generation of nurses, pilots, interior designers, lawyers and even a few paleontologists! Mr Watkins
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SATS SUCCESS! The results are in and Ark Academy have done exceptionally well this year and we are delighted to be able to share our wonderful Key Stage 2 SATs results. The children were tested in Reading, Writing, Maths and SPaG (Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar). 79.3% of our children are working at expected level in all three subjects. This is well above the national and Ark Schools average of 61%. In fact, Ark Academy has outperformed all other schools in our network this year. In individual subjects, the Year 6 children have also performed well above national and Ark averages, as shown in the table below:
I know I speak on behalf of Ms Smith, our Chair of Governors and everyone involved with our school when I say I am delighted with these outcomes and they are so well deserved. We are all extremely proud of the children and the staff for their consistent hard work, positive approach and commitment to ensuring such success this year. The tests have become much more rigorous and expectations are so much higher and to have achieved these results is truly outstanding. Mr Doswell
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ARK GALA
26 of our budding Ark Academy Musicians joined forces with other ARK students on Friday 30th June to perform at one of London’s finest Music venues; the Barbican. The elite musicians from each of the ARK schools are members of either the Massed Choir, Fusion, Spark or Ignite, and had been furiously rehearsing all year in preparation for this celebrated event.
different genres and artists, such as Michael Jackson, to Carly Simon. The final performance featured our very own Angel Egbuche who sang the first lines of Leonard Bernstein’s poignant song “Make Our Garden Grow’. Many other ARK Wembley students played solo’s during the evening, such as Amirah Al Rashid on Oboe, and Ciara Barrett on Piano.
Our students performed a range of songs from many
Well done to all involved, you did us proud!
Ms Sharp
HOUSE DRAMA “Breaking the mould” was the theme of this years House Drama Competition. We certainly did have some mould breakers, from Sister Acts Mary Clarence, breaking the mould of a group of students who have just about given up on ever being successful and at the same time saving St Francis’ School. Buzz breaks the “T-O-Y, toy” mould and enchants Woody and a classic ‘role reversal’, In a duologue from Ab Fab is truly “breaking the family mould!” Thank you to all those students and Heads Of House involved, a tremendous amount of effort was put into each performance through acting, singing, dancing, costume and set design. The costumes from Socrates were dazzling. But it is a competition and only one house can win...it was close but Plato were the winners in their version of Sister Act. Ms Gatford
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It is that time of year that we have to say goodbye to some colleagues. This year we are particularly sad to lose some very long serving members of staff. I say sad but also we are proud as their skills and qualities as teachers and leaders have been recognised as they move on to even bigger roles.
I want to say a special fond farewell to Mr Dainty who is a founder member of staff (along with Mrs Geary and Miss Shotton) and has helped build and develop our school over the last 7 years. He has left a real legacy and his big personality will be sorely missed (along with his very loud voice, really handy in the playground). I am thrilled for Mr Dainty as I know he will go on to be a great Headteacher and he stays within the Ark fold as he takes up his post as Principal of Evelyn Grace so we will continue to meet up and swap notes. He will certainly want to know that everyone is keeping up the good standards that he established. So a massive well done, thank you and good luck Mr Dainty. Mrs Smith
MR DAINTY As a senior founder member of staff you have seen the school grow from Year 7 to Year 13 – what advice would you give to the students? Think about your futures all the time. If you don’t plan and work for your future, you may not like it when you get there. Take the roof of your aspirations, dream big and work hard to achieve your goals.
st about Ark Academy? What will you miss mo and senior team - they The people: staff, students of high performers. are an exceptional group ching sociology and Beyond that, I will miss tea ching and learning. tea t ou reading and talking ab
ink the What do you th out you? ab y sa students u know Bit scary, but yo d he an d where you stan mbly. se as od does a go
What three words would be written on your leaving epitaph? Passionate, firm, fair.
What has bee n most memor your able moment at A rk Academy? Too many to na m few: passionate e one, so here’s just a di Smith about ed scussions with Mrs ucation; deliver candid assembl ing fairly ie students to qu s which forced esti course, the exce on themselves and of llent awards ceremonies. M y most frighten ing moment: forget ti pledge when te ng the last line of the ac for the first tim hing it to new year 7s e. in the hall. I he The entire school was ard Mrs Smith w down the corr idor, so I stoppe alking d and pretended her en had to interrup trance meant that I t just couldn’t re the pledge, but really I member “I will fulfil my potential as a student and a citizen”. I don’t think I w ill ever forget it!
tton for an Ark In 2013 I nominated Ms Sho the Mary as award and described her later, I could rs yea 4 . ool Poppins of the sch r to describe this not use any other metapho n an amazing amazing lady! She has bee every single to support and inspiration ough those thr d lke wa student who has will not be the rt po Sup pil Pu . double doors ghed, lau e same without you. We hav ply put, you sim er, shouted and cried togeth o this int l sou and rt have put your hea others ilst Wh . ws sho it and department e built hav you , build with bricks and water t will tha acy leg a left futures, and you have how for you e lov We all. last longer than us rly. dea s you much you care and will mis nce one student Ps: you have made a differe s Shotton Mis a at a time, and have left every one of and h eac on nt shaped heart pri e. them that will last a lifetim Ms Tauro
Miss Shotton, a fabulous founder leader of Pupil Support, and never was a title more appropriate because Louise Shotton has dedicated 7 years to supporting our students and giving so many students a warm and safe environment. We wish her well and all the best in her promoted post. Mrs Smith
MISS SHOTTON
Likewise Mrs Geary 7 years – Head of Drama to Head of Year to Assistant Principal and two babies later. Sarah is working nearer to home and supporting the education of children in care, so a very worthwhile role. Mrs Geary has been a fantastic year head to our founder cohort (now in Year 13), an excellent member of the senior team and all round drama queen. We wish you well with your new role and growing family. Mrs Smith
MRS GEARY Downey was never a Sharing an office with Miss pleasure. She is one of dull moment and always a ays be relied on to tackle those people who can alw with a smile and every moment of every day of Year, Miss Downey positive attitude. As a Head students and never gave took absolute pride in her some difficult situations. up on any of them despite into a confident I saw her very quickly evolve en needed, directing in wh Pastoral Leader, stepping to support students and, y wa t bes the on m her tea between a difficult often, being the difference one. If you know Miss situation and an impossible sionate, kind and Downey, you know she is pas se wonderful the incredibly funny. She brings educator and qualities to her role as an We’ll miss you! m. tea ior member of the sen Mrs Geary
Whether it’s from hearing her bellowing down the corridor or in the drama dept it’s safe to say Mrs Geary is going to leave a huge hole in the heart of Ark Academy. There’ll certainly be less drama without the resident drama queen! As well as developing students and pushing them to be the best they can be, she has been instrumental in the development of many staff at the school. Kind, nurturing and always with a coffee at hand, she is never too busy to lend a hand or give advice. I am certainly going to miss her but know the children she is going to work with are very lucky to have her. Good luck Ms Geary! Miss Downey
iss Downey , but 6… M ificant rs a e y 7 t o N gn e made a si of has likewis to the development n o ti r u u o ib fe of contr y and the li Ark Academ was Head of Year to he st students. S ear 12 and for the la Y t n e rr our cu istant ears an ass couple of y range of roles a principal in porting the p su ies in including h their stud be it w ts l studen il w these folk ve KS4. All of d so we ha r se fo sorely mis er epitaphs several oth gnition of their co them in re to Ark Academy. n o ti u ib tr con Mrs Smith
MISS DOWNEY
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IT K Y R E T T O L E POSTCOD Ark Academy Girls football team have been privileged to have Watford FC Trust working with them. The girls have been very committed to training and work hard for one hour after school every Tuesday. As a result of their hard work the team have shown amazing progress and were invited to take part in the Girls Community Trust tournament hosted by Watford Ladies. Watford have also teamed up with The Postcode Lottery to supply the Ark Academy Girls with lots of new equipment. The girls have earned themselves all of these rewards and were very thankful to both Watford FC and The Postcode Lottery for their generosity. It was lovely to receive new equipment including two new football kits –in the famous Ark Academy colours! Noelani Agyeman was selected for the Brent Girls football team this year and she said ‘football training in school is such good fun, me and all the girls are really enjoying it’. Aisha Hussain joined the football team this year and said ‘so far being part of the football team has been good fun and it has made me more confident. As a result of football I have also made new friends’. The FA girl’s football week is due to commence on the 16th July and we hope to get as many girls from Ark Academy involved in football during that time as we can. Miss Gallagher
FIELD OF SPORT The pupils took part in various practical sessions. These included a session on the sports & exercise performance laboratory where students took part in the Wingate maximal test, a session on Sports & Business Management where students had to design a sports product that could bring to market, a PE session that focused on alternative/adapted activities and gave the pupils the opportunity to play seated volleyball and lastly a session on Sports Coaching. Once again our pupils were incredible ambassadors for Ark Academy…they were well behaved, asked pertinent questions and fully embraced the practical activities. AND...not a single one complained about the journey…amazing!! Mr O’carroll
WEMBLEY STADIUM CELEBRATIONS This term Wembley Stadium celebrated its 10 year anniversary and 30 Ark Academy pupils were invited to join the celebrations! This was a fantastic opportunity and our pupils had a great time! On the day Ark Academy got a personalised, behind the scenes tour of the stadium. This included a question and answer session with the Chairman of FA in the press room.
The pupils agreed that the highlights of the day included: • Sitting in the royal box • Visiting the dressing rooms • Walking pitch-side • Completing the cup winners walk to lift the FA cup trophy! • Drawing the lines on the pitch • Getting a sample of grass from the famous Wembley stadium! • Meeting England’s 3 lions
Raine Spencer (Year 7) loved getting her picture taken with David Beckham’s England shirt but she also said ‘she found it very interesting to find out about the history of Wembley stadium and go behind the scenes’. Mr Nugent and I agreed that ‘the best part of the day was lifting the FA cup with the pupils’. Miss Gallagher
Y10 BRENT CHAMPIONSHIP
It is with great pleasure we can announce that the Year 10 Boys athletics team were crowned Brent champions at Willesden Sports Centre on Thursday 11th May 2017. Having competed in a range of different track and field events the boys ultimately finished as the highest scoring Brent side with some superb individual performances recorded over the course of the day. Lemuel Ukwesa (100m and shot), Stephen Howard (400m), Devonte Alecendor (high jump) and Ali Babukarkhel (discus) all excelled to secure first place in their respective events. Tensions were running high at the end of the day when Ali Babukarkhel slipped during the second changeover in the boys relay final which meant we had to settle for second place in this event. However the combined effort of all the boys across all events along with our first place successes ensured we hung to secure our status as Y10 Brent Boys Athletics Champions – a massive well done to all involved! Mr Foster
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