Leavers pull-out
Science Festival
Special leavers/prom feature for Year 13 & Year 11. Pages 9 - 12
Sixth Form students experience work as Journalists for the day Pages 13 - 16
ASA TODAY
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
The All Saints’ Academy Newspaper
www.asachelt.org
House Celebrations By Miss Skelding PR & Marketing Manager
House Celebrations Evenings took place between the 7th - 10th July.
Comments about Westminster Celebration Evening
The evenings’ celebrate the student’s achievements. Students were presented with awards for: • • • • • • • • • •
Alix Farmer: My husband and I have been discussing this evenings ceremony and would like to say how organised it was. The staff are clearly devoted in getting the best out of the students and recognising their capabilities. So proud of our daughter and her achievement.
Outstanding attendance Outstanding attitude to learning House Captains Sports colours Sports Captains Vice Sports Captains Bishops’ Awards Tutor Awards HAL Awards Principal Award
Claire Harris: Fantastic evening, congratulations to all the students who collected an award tonight, and thank you to the staff for organising the celebration.
Comments about Durham Celebration Evening
Each house invited nominated students and their parents/carers to the evening. Awards were presented by the students House Achievement Leader. We are always very pleased to celebrate the success of our students at All Saints’ Academy. It was lovely to see so many students and parents/ carers in attendance on the evenings. We would like to take this opportunity to thank parents/carers for all their support in raising aspirations and helping students achieve their best.
Sarah Turner: A brilliant evening. Well done to everyone. Especially proud of my son Tom. Emma Driscoll: Thanks for a great night @ asachelt great evening celebrating Durham’s success and super proud of my two boys.
Durham take the win Sports day was a roaring success despite the poor weather. Spirits were high throughout the day as students from all houses competed for the Sports Day House Trophy. Students took part in many sporting events including: hurdles, long distance running, sprinting, discus, high jump, long jump, triple jump, shot put and javelin. Durham were happy as they repeated their victory from 2012, beating Canterbury to the top spot. To top this, the Durham staff won the staff relay. A big thank you to all the students and staff that took part in the day.
Perseverence and determination was shown throughout the day and we are proud of all your sporting achievements. House Achievement Leader, Mr Bradley, said, “Winning Sports Day for the second time in three years is a fantastic achievement for the students in Durham House. It was really pleasing to see so many Durham students getting involved, enjoying the day and doing their best for their House. Well done students and tutors for pulling together and showing what a great team spirit we have as a Champion House.”
More pictures from sports day on page 3
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
EDITORIAL
Editor’s comments
Keep up to date with ASA
follow us on twitter
Miss Skelding
twitter bites
PR & Communications Manager
All Saints’ Academy @asachelt Thank you to @BristolStMotors for donating to our Africa Mission, providing us with T-Shirts and exercise books.
Chief Editor for ASA Today Wow, it has certainly been another very busy term here at All Saints’ Academy. So much has gone on in fact that we needed a 20 page edition of ASA TODAY to fit it all in! Our dedicated Sixth Form journalists took part in writing articles and news pages for the Cheltenham Science Festival at the beginning of the term which was very exciting. The students have just achieved an extra qualification, a Bronze Arts Award to go alongside this prestigious work experience. The Year 11 and Year 13 Prom both ran seamlessly and the students certainly appeared to enjoy themselves. You can find a special prom pull out included in this edition. If you are interested in being a student journalist please send me an email: kskelding@asachelt.org
ASA TODAY Editorial Team Chief Editor: Miss Skelding Editor: Miss Smith
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Philip Thickett @media_bcu @bcumedia @ccraveit33 @demiwheeler7 Thank you very much. This was a great group from @asachelt hope to see some of you again one day. Above: Mr Powell, Interim Principal of All Saints’ Academy
Mr McClaran
Chair of Governors
So the end of term draws near and the summer holidays stretch ahead. For all the staff and students of All Saints’ there is much to be thankful for, more to look forward to - but first a much needed break! Governors have watched in admiration as higher standards have been set and new achievements have been claimed. There is so much that could be pointed to but I’d like to single out in particular the enthusiastic participation of All Saints’ students in the Cheltenham
Science Festival (particularly as student journalists) and the outstanding effort by the Africa Team, supported by the whole school community to raise funds for the trip to build a new school and community centre in Kigoma, Tanzania. All Saints’ is reaching out to communities, both locally and internationally, and living out its mission in practical and exciting ways. We all owe a debt of thanks to Mr Powell who, as Interim Principal, has led All Saints’ with purpose and flair since taking the helm last autumn. Staff and students are rightly appreciative of the leadership he has provided (and continues to provide) at a crucial time in the Academy’s development and, as Chair of the Governing Body, I want to
place our gratitude on the record. Now we look forward: first, to what we anticipate will be further improvements in our exam results this summer, with the Academy’s reputation continuing to rise; and, secondly, to the arrival of our new Principal, Mr Dermot McNiffe, at the beginning of next term. Mr McNiffe comes with a wealth of experience in Academy and faith school leadership, and I know that he will be made very welcome by the remarkable community that is All Saints’. I wish you all a really enjoyable and refreshing summer break with your friends and family.
All Saints’ Academy @asachelt Fab trip to @bcumedia today with Year 12, @ccraveit33 & @demiwheeler7. Big thank you to @media_bcu for the tour! Hatherley Manor @hatherleymanor WOW! We have just received this thank you card from @asachelt @asaafrica a fantastic achievement, well done #amazing Martin Horwood @MartinChelt Liam & Dan from @asachelt getting ready to broadcast at @skyscademy. V impressive production team! Chelsea @ccraveit33 BIG shout out to Miss Skelding for making #y13gatsbyball14 Prom a night to remember. Perfect way to celebrate a fun/tough year. @asachelt
Independant Learning Tasks 2014/15 ILTs are changing from September… well only slightly but please read on!
Address: Blaisdon Way Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL51 0WH Phone: 01242 711200 Absences: 01242 711203 Email: admin@asachelt.org www.asachelt.org www.facebook.com/asachelt www.twitter.com/asachelt www.youtube.com/asachelt
ILTs are ASAs answer to homework. These are the changes: 1. 2. 3.
Weekly ILTs for YEAR 9/10/11 and sixth form Weekly ILTs for YEAR 7/8 in English, Maths, Science & RE Alternate, termly ILTs for other Y7/Y8 subjects
Every student will continue to receive an ILT booklet each term so that they, and you, can plan ahead. The booklet will continue to include key information like deadline dates, what is expected and where to go for help. Having listened to the Parent Forum as well as consultation with staff and students we think these changes will provide a better structure to independent learning outside school. If you have any questions to ask related to ILTs please do not hesitate to contact me. Mr L Bradley ILT Co-ordinator
ASA SPORTS DAY
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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Bristol Street Motors lend a hand By Mr Kelly
Assistant Director of Post-16 A huge thank you to everyone at Bristol Street Motors, particularly Andy Kite, for kindly donating a cheque which provided trip tops to be produced for both the All Saints’ Academy Africa mission team and the students and staff in Tanzania. Andy Kite (Sales Manager) at Cheltenham Bristol Street Motors kindly dropped in to present a cheque and 70 exercise books in support of the Africa mission. With the support from the Diocese of Gloucester, All Saints’ Academy are sending 21 students and staff to Kasulu, near Kigoma in Western Tanzania to embark on a two week mission. The aim of the trip is to help finish the build of Bishop Makaya High School, plus provide medical and farming resources, gifts and teach English and Sport. We will also be visiting numerous schools, school for disabled children and an orphanage. We have now successfully complet-
ed our fundraising target of £32,090, which we couldn’t have done without local business support, such as Cheltenham Bristol Street Motors. We are now packed and ready to go with a whole range of different items, our best being: 2 full Football kits, a bag of footballs, volleyballs, volleyball nets / posts, medical supplies, football tops, shoes, boots, school books, games and football flags donated by Chelsea FC!
Above: Five of the Africa team with their Tshirts partly funded by Bristol Street Motors
Above: Andy Kite presents Eloise with the cheque from Bristol Street Motors
SPIRITUALITY
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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Clifton Diocese Pilgrimage Day us about how on a recent car journey he had to rely on his sat nav when he lost his way. Sometimes we are challenged and like St Thomas who didn’t believe at first we have to put our faith and trust in God. Students assisted with the music and On Thursday 3rd July, 14 students from readings and Jose Lumactod, Year 7, Years 7,8 and 9 joined students from read the reflection after Holy Comthe other secondary schools in the Dio- munion. Several people commented cese for this year’s Pilgrimage Day on how clearly and confidently he read. led by Bishop Declan Lang. Following the Mass, Dave The day began with us Wheat, the Diocese Youth travelling by minibus Development Officer, exo to Tetbury, where h plained to us about the w us s we assembled at St e CAFOD World Cup J t in ide and s Michael’s Church u Song, which hopes to r ‘T Hall. After introducr gu where highlight the other side u o to ’ to Brazil, the poverty is tions and refreshe s b u s ments we took our which so many of its lead should seats in the Church. people live with every e w Before Mass began day. The song has actions we were reminded of which go along with it and the plight of the Nigethe whole group were shown rian school girls who were these and later in the day it was kidnapped and were asked to planned that we would perform this! pray for them and their families. We then travelled to Weston Bishop Declan, together with birt Arboretum which was only two Fr Isidore the Parish Priest of St Michael’s miles away. Once everyone had arcelebrated the Mass. During his homily rived we walked to an assembly point Bishop Declan spoke about having faith where we performed the song using and trust in Jesus who is our guide and the actions and passing paper cups leads us to where we should be. He told along the line. We were told it will be
By Mrs C Spence Roman Catholic Lay Chaplain
available to see on the Diocesan site! After we had eaten our picnic lunch under the welcome shade of a large tree each school was paired off with another school and the students were encouraged to get to know each other as they walked along. We were blessed with the weather which was warm and sunny. The day ended when we returned from the walk. I would like to say how proud I was of our students who were a credit to the Academy in their behaviour and engagement throughout and it was a most enjoyable experience. I would like to thank our driver Mr N. Day, Premises Manager.
Year 8 Bishops’ Award By Mrs T Scarfe Assistant Principal Spirituality This year at All Saints’ Academy we have started a new award called the Bishops’ Award for Year 8. We felt that this year group in particular needed a focus as Year 7 are excited about their new beginning at the academy and Year 9 begin their GCSE’s. It is sponsored by both Bishop Michael and Bishop Declan of both the Gloucester Anglican diocese and Clifton Catholic diocese- hence the Bishops’ Award. Students have already been awarded with ATL and attendance badges but we wondered what else can we ask our students to
do in order to become a “whole” person. What gifts and talents do they have that can be shared and appreciated? Consequently, we have tried to build on everything we stand for at All Saints Academy. The criteria are based on ‘OCIC’ = OUTSTANDING, CHRISTIAN, INCLUSIVE, COMMUNITY . To achieve the BRONZE award requires a minimum of two criteria from the four categories . As this the first year of the Bishops’Award, all students who have passed are, in effect, making history at All Saints’ Academy.
@asacheltRE
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DEPARTMENT NEWS
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
Health and Social Care By Miss Bonnici Head of Health and Social Care Year 12 Health and Social Care students have been organising and carrying out work experience in various health and social care settings this term. Here’s what some of the students have to say about their experiences so far…
By Lottie Keeling Student Reporter
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Learning for Living Day By Freya Grey Student Reporter On the 9th June, year 7, 8 and 9 took part in ‘learning for living day’. Students were separated into groups and sent off to learn about different cultures and learn life skills such as first aid. ‘Make a positive contribution’ was one of the workshops. Year 7 and 8 took part in learning about cultures and religions. One group of students learnt about the Hindu culture and then went onto doing some ‘exciting and creative’ work with colourful powders that
are commonly used within the ‘festival of colours’ which the class learnt was a Hindu spring festival. Another class were learning about Sikhism, and had the whole room captivated by having them cover their heads with scarves to get the pupils to understand the Sikh religion. Year 9 spent some of the day learning about safety and first aid by doing quick fire drills on how to help people in emergency situations. Filled with optimism they lined up into groups to set off with four people playing the ‘actors’ (meaning they pretended to have an emergency) and the rest of the class working in teams to get the problem solved.
The Army was also present at the learning for living day helping to teach the students perseverance by giving them a physically challenging task and a set of rules and making them repeat the task every time they didn’t follow the rules. The pupils were determined and engaged listening carefully to all instructions given to them. These are just some of the workshops that had been going on, but the day helped them to develop their religious understanding and helped them to develop skills such as team work and patience as well as how to deal with emergency situations.
For my work experience I spent a week working at Swindon Village Play Group. I enjoyed getting to know the children. By the end of the week I had created strong relationships with them. I developed my communication skills, and learnt about daily routines. I found dealing with the children if they were upset or if they were not getting their own way difficult at times. Overall it was an interesting experience and I really enjoyed it.
By Tiffany Thompson Student Reporter I have spent a week working with the Dolphins Group at Garners Lane Children’s Centre; this is a group for 2 year olds. When I first went into the group I felt nervous and found it difficult to start interacting with the children, but after watching the other staff I got stuck in and found it really fun! I found it difficult remembering the names of the children too. Whilst there I enjoyed watching the children take part in activities and learning. Overall, I really enjoyed the experience!
By Rebekah Boyer Student Reporter Work experience has given me the opportunity to work with a mixture of children of different ages, and has helped me understand child development. I would recommend work experience as it will help with your work and with your future.
By Fern Dean Student Reporter Having the opportunity to carry out work experience at Salters Hill has changed my outlook on life and has changed my career path, I no longer want to be a midwife but a mental health nurse instead. Being able to shadow support workers and watch how they dedicate their lives to helping others to have a better one is inspiring and so touching, I want to be able to help disabled adults and children the way they do.
Cadets
“I couldn’t have done this without the help of the more experienced cadets from other schools. I tried my hardest to learn from them and am overjoyed with the award” The first year has been a learning curve for us all and I am exceptional proud of all my cadets and the way they have grown. I am looking forward to moving forward into next year with my new cadets joining the flight.
By Miss E Wellington Assistant Principal It has been an exciting first year within the All Saints’ Academy CCF flight. The Academy was asked to be part of the Schools Cadet Expansion Programme, which meant that we could take a small amount of cadets to Dean Close School to join their RAF Contingent. It was a daunting prospect at first but the All Saints’ cadets were soon mixing in with the Dean Close students. Over the year there have been many exciting activities such as 3AEF flying (including aerobatics), gliding, field days visiting RAF bases and a day on the range at Rogiet Moor. The pinnacle of this year’s experiences has been taking 8 students on a summer camp at RAF Wittering. Alongside the ASA/Dean Close contingent were cadets from St Laurence College (Kent) and Queen Ethelburga’s Collegiate (Yorkshire) who have just won the British Drill Competition. The week was long and tiring with the cadets spending their free time polishing their boots and ironing the kit
Psychology By Miss L Brannan Pyschology Teacher
for the next day. Many activities were planned. Visits to Air Traffic Control to watch a dual Typhoon take off, exploring the robots used by the bomb disposal team, seeing the original base of the Dambusters (617 Squadron) and being able to climb over some decommissioned Harrier jets. We had lots of fun too – paintballing, go-karting, and a very wet visit to the station’s fire department. The week cumulated with a drill competition judged by a Sargent from the Queen's Colour Squad-
ron. The improvement in all the cadets was noticeable, but especially so for the combined CFF of ASA/Dean Close. At the end of the week there is traditionally an awards ceremony – the prizes judged by the officers on camp and the senior cadets. Due to the dedication and desire to do well shown by our cadets several of the main awards went to pupils from Cheltenham. With the main award; Best Female Cadet, going to Poppy Slack from All Saints’ Academy who was surprised but thrilled by the decision saying
This month, during careers week, Psychology, Sociology and Law students were treated to a visitor who came in to speak about working in the prison service. Ian Levy has worked in the prison service as a Forensic Psychologist for many years and has much experience of working with criminals, which he shared with the students. Students learnt about different types of risk assessments with violent criminals, as well as the different types of behaviours displayed by them. Hopefully he has inspired our students and opened their eyes to the different possibilities that the social sciences can lead to!
DEPARTMENT NEWS
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
History By Mr S Giblin History Teacher On Tuesday 24th June Year 8 students were privileged to have a First War Reenactor visit All Saints’ Academy to speak to the students about the experiences of the average British soldier on the Western Front. Students were able to get hands-on with a range of different pieces of equipment and have an expert explain each piece’s significance to them. Students were particularly amazed by a baked bean tin hand grenade that, according to the words of our expert, was a common improvised exploding device that was used extensively by all belligerent nations during the First World War. Packed with anything dangerous to hand - such as nails or pieces of shrapnel - when the fuse
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Geography
was lit it could easily have the same effect as its more technologically advanced cousin the ‘Mills Bomb’ (No 5 grenade). However, the most popular item for the students to handle was the .303 Lee Enfield rifle. This remarkable weapon was, without doubt, the best weapon of the war. It was more accurate than any other equivalent, easy to maintain and reliable. Many students commented on its weight and the strong smell of gun oil that oozed from the weapon. The History Department is grateful to the Principal Mr Powell for his support in financing the visit, Trevor Phillips of the Great War Society and all those teachers that helped me to supervise the students. I would like to thank the students who behaved very well and asked some excellent questions. I was very impressed with the Gifted and Talented students, as well as the PACE group, particularly Matt Pearce and Tom Swift.
By Miss K Hannam Head of Geography
Warwick Castle By Mrs P Webb Intervention Teacher On Friday 20th June 2014 we visited Warwick Castle, which is a medieval castle in Warwickshire. When we arrived we walked to the gatehouse. Secondly, we then went under the portcullis which is a gate and we saw the murder holes. We then climbed the mound and it was very tiring because it was steep. We could see a pretty landscape with trees and we could see all the way to Worcester, 28 miles away!! Next we met the Trebuchet master and she told us how it worked. We were told that it was made out of wood and they could take it to bits to move it to the castle for an attack. We then sat on the grass and watched them load the trebuchet with a fireball. It looked like hard work! There were two people in hamster wheels, who were running so that the arm of the trebuchet could come down.
Next we watched the trebuchet launch, which was exciting. We saw the fireball, which was very bright and fast. We thought it was going to hit the thatched boathouse but fortunately it didn’t. After that we met Gemma in the Castle courtyard and she told us about the mound, who built the castle, and how to attack and defend the castle. The warriors in the castle threw down boiling hot sand through the murder holes. Also they would throw ladies’ wee and chopped up dead bodies at their enemies. Yuck!! Next we had our lunch and watched the birds of prey. There were two eagles (a boy and a girl) and an African vulture (called Dyson). We were told that Dyson had had two girlfriends but one of them stayed with him for a year and the other beat him up as she didn’t like him!! After that we went to a Victorian classroom and had a lesson with Mr Hatman. He was very strict. We all felt very nervous and didn`t want to get into trouble. Rhys was slouching on his chair so he had to put a plank of wood on his back to make him stand up straight. Mrs Clarke had the dunce hat twice because see got her times table wrong and she got some
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words wrong. Aston was told off so he got warned that he would be put in a basket and hoisted up above the class all day. No food, no toilet and no talking all day! That is where we get the name basket case! Finally we split up into two groups and one group climbed up 530 steps to get along the battlements and up the tower. The climb was worth it as the views were fantastic. The other group walked around the grounds and looked at the ‘Horrible Histories’ stalls. Sadly then it was time to head back to the minibus.
Summer School By Miss H Metcalfe Assistant Head of Science Whilst most of you will be at home relaxing or off on an exciting holiday in the summer holiday, up to 80 of the new Year 7 students will be taking part in the All Saints’ Academy Summer School 2014. All Saints’ Academy Summer School began in 2012 and we have had two very exciting years, with great feedback from students. This year leaders, Mr Pierce, Mr Giblin and I, want it to even better than before. Summer School is school with a difference; it’s not about sitting in classrooms when everyone else is out having fun. Imagine a school involving lots of new and exciting activities over two weeks including an overnight camping trip to the Forest of Dean, a day at a Police Station (!), making History come alive, making pizzas, a day out at Cotswold Wildlife Park and lots more.
On June 6th 63 Y7 students visited South Wales to see the ‘Big Pit’ mine. The mine is surrounded by mountains of coal near their mine. A video explained that some of the coal wasn’t able to be sold for a good price and instead thrown into piles where they are then covered by dirt. Inside the entrance there was large screen explaining what the mine exported. Through a corridor was a way into an underground display where we were able to observe the different tools and machines they used to mine the coal. We learnt there that explosives were the main way of tunnelling before gigantic drill machines were manufactured. We also saw the locker rooms that miners put their possessions in. Some examples of the possessions were on display, some students were able to feel how the possessions felt and get a sense of weight. We were also able to see their bathroom which contained some “different” kind of pictures. Afterwards we were granted permission to head down into the mine. Before we were allowed down we were instructed to leave our phones and our bags on the surface and wear hard hats, warm clothing, head torch, and mouth piece in case of emergency. Afterwards we were transported via and old rickety elevator. Down in the mines, the ex-miners explained all the ores that were found and the methane released when coal was mined. We were able to see the transport carts which were large enough to fill an entire tunnel. This meant that the young boys working opening doors in the tunnels needed to hide in little man holes to stop them from getting squished. We also got to experience total darkness when we turned off our lights, stale air and underground silence. There was also surprisingly a horse stable there with a diagram showing how these horses pulled these carts. Afterwards we were able to leave the claustrophobic grasp of the underground and enjoy our lunches.
Whilst having all this fun, students will be being prepared for their start at ASA by improving their literacy and numeracy skills, making new friends, building their confidence and meeting some of their new teachers. Watch this space for all the news from an amazing two weeks!
DEPARTMENT NEWS
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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Arts Award
English By Abigail Easterbrook Student Reporter
By Chelsea Craven Student Reporter
My time at ASA so far! Since starting at the Academy in September I have had many experiences and have made lots of new friends. In the Academy I’m finding it really easy to find my way around, which is a good thing because any new year 7 should be able to find their way around easily. Another thing is that the academy rules are quite good to help the school achieve the best and to be OUTSTANDING! (The best we possibly can). My favourite subject has to be D.T (design technology) because I enjoy making things and personalising them with my own touch. Another good subject is P.E (physical education) because I enjoy doing sports and it keeps you fit and healthy and I also like sporty things. There have also been a few trips since September. The first was at the beginning of the year where we went to the Pioneer Centre; this is where we did lots of sporty/fun things like rock climbing, bouncy castle fun and more! Another trip that we have been on was to go to The Rock to reflect on the Christian life of Jesus and God. Being a faith school, I expect you feel strongly happy that these days were a good success. There was also a gymnastics competition where a few students from ASA went to perform their amazing routines and vaults in front of some parents and judges. There were also 2 more trips that have happened during the year; an ice skating trip and a bowling trip where everyone had a great time. I’m sure the rest of the school year will be great fun with some very fun trips coming up!
Talent Show By Hope Jones Student Reporter
In November lots of students, such as Jose Lumactod, Hope-Louise Jones (Me), Rosie Hayes, Biddy Holmes and Mary-Jane Dancey, competed in the children in need talent show. There was a great amount of effort was put in to all the acts. Rosey sang Blown Away by Carrie Underwood, Jose sang When I was your man by Bruno Mars. I sang on my own from Les Miserable and Mary-Jane sang Roar by Katy Perry. Biddy did a gymnastic dance that was brilliant. All in all it was a good evening.
All Saints' Academy students involved with the Cheltenham Science Festival had taken the opportunity to participate in the Bronze Arts Award ran by the Arts Council. In order to accomplish this student talked
My time at ASA By Rheiss Mitchell Student Reporter
It has been a great year this year for the year 7’s. It was fun with all the trips such as: the ice skating trip, the trip to London, the trip to The Rock and the Pioneer trip. I think next year for the new Year 7’s will be very fun (it’s a big step in your life settling in to your new secondary school). Also good luck for the Year 11s and Sixth Formers who are leaving for university, I hope you get jobs that a you wanted to get, and hopefully all of the year 11’s got good grades on their exams. Maybe go to sixth form? Jose Lumactod thinks that the trip to London was awesome we saw the many types of dinosaurs and many types of minerals. I was able to buy two magnetic rocks and a piece of blue howlight. We saw many extinct types of reptiles and we were able to eat popcorn. After we got to see a big baby model and afterwards we visited the science museum. Olly Ray thinks that the rock trip was an amazing experience and was a chance to learn more about God and Jesus and what they did in the Bible. We all had to make a station in groups about a specific topic and they were very successful. I really liked it and I hope to go on that trip again.
THE GYMNASTICS AND DANCE PRODUCTION! By Oliver Ray Student Reporter
On Tuesday 20th May, students from year 7 all the way to 6th form gave the audience a wow when they performed various dances and gymnastics routines that they made themselves. As I was in it, I know all about it. There were 16 acts altogether and all we could hear were music and cheers. Dancers included Paige Sylvester, Chantae Sellers, Lilly St Francis and Leah Tizzard. Gymnasts included me (Oliver Ray), Elle Eardley, Cameron Morrisey, Faye Cresswell and Amy Oakley. There were lots of AMAZING moves and flips as the audience’s mouths dropped. All of the gymnasts and dancers were EXTREMELY pleased with themselves after their routines. They were happy and jolly. Songs to routines included Pink Panther, Recovery by James Arthur, Candyman and Burlesque by Christina Aguilera, James Bond theme song and Counting Stars by One Republic. I was absolutely petrified when I had to go on stage. The rest of the performers were even more confident than me. Every single act was ASTOUNDING! Over 80 people attended our production and I saw people coming up to dancers and gymnasts complimenting them about how great their routine was. It was an amazing
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about their experience at the Cheltenham Science Festival and how the experience and sharing the skills they had learned helped them become better journalists. Mentor for the project Miss Skelding said “I am very proud of the seven students that gained their Arts Award qualification. They have worked very hard to achieve this and their work at the Cheltenham Science Festival certainly helped support their project.” After the students had completed their award they were assessed and have now successfully all passed and will be receiving their certificate shortly. Well done guys!
FUTURES & CAREERS
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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What career should I consider? What could my love of Maths lead to? What job might I be good at? These are questions that we love to hear in the Academy because it becomes clear to us that students are starting to consider the bigger picture – even beyond academic achievement. Although our students have access to quality Careers Education Information Advice and Guidance (CEIAG) throughout the year (both in the academy and independent) – we realised our students would benefit further from meeting people from the world of work at our first “Futures Week” Futures week included a range of careers focused activities during the academy day – which included assemblies, careers talks in lessons… as well as a SPOTLIGHT ON STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths). Year 9 Construction stu-
Business Breakfast All Saints’ Academy Business Breakfast Held on Wednesday 11th June; An opportunity for selected students to meet business professionals from the world of work for an informal chat about routes to their profession over breakfast. Visitors were welcomed by our Africa students who gave a presentation about their two week mission to a local village called Kasulu near Kigoma in Western Tanzania. 16 students will be helping to complete the final touches to the renovation of a high school as well as helping to improve education and sport in the area. Our 6th form Hospitality & Catering students prepared a hot and cold buffet breakfast which was served by level 2 Btec students.
Invited students had the opportunity to meet business professionals from the world of for an informal chat about routes to their profession over breakfast.
“Infinite”, our entrepreneurial Young Enterprise team concluded with a brief talk from the Academy’s Young Enterprise
dents completed the CREST Award, a project based award scheme run by the British Science Association. Sixth Form students were able to apply to Cheltenham Festival of Science which this year broke previous attendance records and brought worldclass scientific speakers to Cheltenham. Students had the opportunity to interview people working in science related industries and be interviewed by BBC Radio Gloucestershire, create podcasts, two students were also interviewed by Radio Winchcombe. Articles, interviews, podcasts and Science Festival. The Newspaper can be found at: http://allsaintsacademychelt.org/News/ Cheltenham-Science-Festival/
Army Personal Development
The Army Outreach Team travelled to ASA from their base at Exeter and delivered a range of fun activities to all Year 9 students as part of Learning for Living day designed to develop and enhance personal development skills. Activities include: Team Building Tasks, an inflatable Obstacle Course and Problem Solving Activities. Army Careers will return to the academy to hold a follow up talk for students interested in an Army career.
By Mrs J Parr - Pastoral Manager Post-16
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Work Shadowing
CREST Award
Work shadowing is an informal type of work experience where you observe someone in their role to understand how they do their job. Whether you’re going straight into work, or on to study at college or university, work experience is an important part of any application process. It provides a chance to gain an insight into a professional future and an opportunity to develop work related skills. Our students went to a variety of employers ranging from NHS, Zurich Financial Services to supporting at Cheltenham
On the morning of the 12th June, the students visited a working construction site at Crabtree Place in Cheltenham, thanks to housing developer Kier Partnership Homes. They learnt about sustainable techniques and materials that are used on site, gaining insight into the industry’s skills that are needed along the way. Following the visit the students worked on developing their own housing development for ten houses using some of the sustainable techniques and materials they had been shown. They had the support and help of three STEM Ambassadors before finally presenting their proposal to the judges. Val Walsh, Strategic Partnership Advisor at CITB said: “We are pleased to support a scheme that is dedicated to encouraging uptake and interest in STEM subjects. Many students don’t know how Maths and Science subjects are used in construction so it’s really a great opportunity to demonstrate this first hand. It’s an innovative and exciting way to get young people interested in construction careers and make clear those connections. CITB is committed to securing the future prospects for the industry and schemes such as CREST are vital not only in raising interest in careers such as construction, but
team, Infinite, about their journey and experience of running a jewellery business. Students described their business Highlight Included: from initial design ideas, The fact that the events in the week reached all Academy students retailing at trade fairs and at local retailThe participation of 26 professionals in their varying industries ers and marketing ASA Business Breakfast via their website, Army Personal Development Twitter and Face6th form - Work shadowing, careers workshops book page. Infinite reached Young En6th form students reporting from Cheltenham Science Festival terprise Regional finals. We would like to thank representatives from Endsleigh Insurance, HSBC, UFS Learning Project, Barclays, Prospect Training Services, Youth Support Services, Cheltenham General Hospital, Gloucestershire Constabulary, Willans Solicitors, Delphi Deisel Systems, Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloscol. Science Festival where 6th form students were been given the challenge of being journalists for the day! They attended workshops and senimars “Could I just congratulate you on the and written articles for a newspaorganisation of the event and the way per that will be given out on Saturday in which the pupils conveyed themat the Cheltenham Science Festival. selves. I was extremely impressed. Students had the opportunity to inAs a vegan, I have got very use to not terview people working in science reeating at such functions due to a lack lated industries and be interviewed of options. The effort that the staff “It was a good event and I enjoyed both by BBC Radio Gloucestershire, creand catering students went to prothe presentations and chatting to the stu- ate podcasts, two students were also vide me with vegan friendly refreshdents. They were a credit to the School. interviewed by Radio Winchcombe. ments was massively appreciated. interviews, podExcellent breakfast also, so cred- Articles, The flapjacks were out of this world!! and Science Festival. it to the catering students!” - HSBC casts Thank you so much again and please pass on my thanks to all involved. I “I enjoyed meeting people from the world would be more than happy to assist in of work and was particularly interested in The aim of inviting guests to speak during any way I can at any future events you talking to the Cardiac Sister from Chel- lesson time was to emphasise how interhold.” - Gloucestershire Constabulary tenham General Hospital as I would ulti- est in, aptitude and passion for a subject mately like to be a Mental Health Nurse. can lead to certain careers – ultimately I found out Work experience in the NHS starting to answer the age old question… is a fantastic way to gain insight into a where can this subject take me in my particular career. It can also be a valuable career? Guests visited lessons including way of getting some confidence and expe- Health & Social Care, Psychology, Sorience of caring for people. I intend to ap- ciology, Law, R.S., Drama, Music, Busiply for work experience during Year 13. ness, Design & Technology, Art & Design It was also useful to know I could and more – all highlighting how those acacomplete training with NHS di- demic subjects (and their related transferrectly.” - Emily Domm 6th form able skills) closely relate to their careers.
Te s t i m o n i a l s
Guest Subject Speak-
also in encouraging diversity in the sector.
Testimonials “I am impressed how hard my students have worked on their projects. They have worked well as part of a team recognising personal skills of individuals when allocating tasks. The teams were supported by Mrs Jones (Teaching Assistant) who kept the groups engaged during brainstorming sessions and working through problems with suitable alternatives they encountered throughout the project. - Ms Harris We would also like to thak STEM Ambassadors: Russell from WSP (Civil Engineers), John Spirax Sarco & Edward CITB “I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit a building site and see how a housing estate is planned. I saw bricklayers and plumbers doing foundations and pipework for the properties. The sustainable products being used at Crabtree Place included plasterboard, insulation made from shredded paper in wall cavities”. - Carl Crowther “We saw a digger removing soil for the foundations of the houses. Other large machinery included tractors & cement mixers. The plans showed how the houses could easily be adapted for disabled people by having walls removed. The site also included one storey buildings if required. - Lewis Driscoll
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
Y11 LEAVERS www.asachelt.org
Year 11 Exams are over!
By Mr Ferguson
Assistant Principal It has been a long exam period for the year group. They have, on the whole, responded well to remaining in school to revise with the support of their class teachers. This investment of time and energy will have added to their chances of securing higher GCSE grades, something that other schools have failed to do by releasing year 11s as early as two weeks before half term! I would like to say thank you and commend the Year 11s who have taken full advantage of this time and support and the teachers who have actively encouraged the students in the lead up to the final exams We say goodbye and wish Year 11 well in their future studies as they await the results of the GCSE exams.
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Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
YEAR 11 PROM www.asachelt.org
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YEAR 13 GATSBY BALL
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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YEAR 13 LEAVERS
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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Goodbye to Year 13
A great evening had by all Prom was amazing! It was great to see everyone and cherish our last moments together. We’re a team!” Anisha Selvin
By Chelsea Craven Student Reporter
Prom, a day where we can all be like celebrities, get dressed up in gorgeous attire and papped by the photographer. Thanks to Miss Skelding and the 6th form team, All Saints’ Academy’s Gatsby Ball was a major success. The night began with everyone arriving in fancy cars in their best Gatsby attire. After a lot of selfies and hugs we all sat down for a delicious dinner. The dinner consisted of a lovely tomato soup with bread followed by a beautiful chicken wrapped in bacon with roasted potatoes, carrots, and string beans. To finish this yummy meal we were given strawberries and meringue. Next was Prom videos, the first included year 13s and their selfies. Everyone was surprised to see their selfies on the screen and there were some friendly laughs and shout outs. The second video was from the teachers where they were asked what they will and won’t miss about the year 13s. There were touching and comedic comments made. The atmosphere of this event was bitter sweet. We have all worked so hard and it hasn’t been an easy task, especially this year. After the videos were announced the awards, which included Best Smile, Biggest Moaner, Best Homework Excuses etc. There was a lot of friendly laughter and support for the winners. After the awards the staff band was revealed. The band featured Mr Faut-
ley on the drums, Mrs Austin on the piano, Mr Neely on the trumpet/bass, Miss Smith on the guitar/vocals, Mr Carroll on guitar and Miss Skelding on vocals/bass. Mr Clarkson also made a guest appearance on the song ‘Hit the Road Jack’ and student Jake Sheppard was invited up to join them for ‘Mr Brightside’. We were impressed with the staff band and appreciate the effort they put into putting the act together. After a set of 6 the DJ began and we all continued to celebrate and enjoy our well-deserved night. This also involved having a go in the photobooth, adding our photo to a scrapbook and playing on the casino tables. It was an amazing night and we owe a big thank you to All Saints’ Academy for the last couple of years. Now we are moving on and looking forward to the future.
“The Ball was a lovely evening, the students all made an effort to dress to impress. I want to thank the ball committee who helped plan the evening with me and all the staff that supported the event. A special thanks to Mr Hamilton who returned to take photos. It was fantastic to see so many happy faces throughout the evening. A real night to remember!” Miss Skelding
Chelt Science Festival
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
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Students get the opportunity to become journalists
Nine Sixth Form students from All Saints’ Academy got the opportunity to experience the day as a journalist. On Tuesday 3rd June five students; Chelsea Craven, Jake Sollars, Nick Davis, Freya
Gray and Erin Mason worked as press for the day at the The Times Cheltenham Science Festival. They attended workshops and senimars and also interviewed speakers and fellow journal-
ists. Some were even interviewed themselves on BBC Radio Gloucestershire. Students were given information on the workshops they would be attending and the people they would be
interviewing in advance so they could do some background research. As part of the project the students will also be working towards a Bronze Arts Award with the help of the Cheltenham Festivals team. The budding journalists reported on many different areas including 3D printing, the discover zone and ‘The Ultimate Forces Show’. Chelsea Craven, 19, said “Today has been such an amazing experience. We have had the chance to become real press and it has been invigorating to work to tight deadlines and talk to the public about their experiences. My dream is become a broadcast journalist so this experience really helps build my confidence with researching and reporting.” On Thursday 5th June another four students: Demi Wheeler, Lilly McRoberts, Curtis Mansfield and Robbie Bond had the chance to also be journalists for the day. They attended workshops on ‘How to Save the Planet’, ‘The Sound of the Cosmos’, Big Problems, Nano Solutions’ and “The Serial Killer Formula’. During the day they also got to interview The Times Science Editor Hannah Devlin, Cheltenham Science Festival Director Rex Mackrill. Whilst there Demi and Lilly also plucked up the courage to ask TV and Radio Presenter Richard Bacon for an interview, to which he said “yes”. The students not only produced articles to go on the Acad-
emy website but also two newspapers that were handed out at the Science Festival Box Office over the week. Kerri Skelding, PR & Marketing Manager, has been working with the Cheltenham Festivals education team to develop the project, “the first day at the festival was really busy, the students were fantastic, really engaged and focussed on producing outstanding articles. They made sure to get public opinion and really captured the atmosphere of the first day of the festival. The students were thrilled to see them being given out at the Festival in the Box Office. Members of the public were sitting down reading their articles, which was great to see. On the Thursday the students were great at writing their articles and also had time for a look around the festival. Demi and Lilly did particularly well as they managed to secure an interview and picture with Guest Director Richard Bacon. I am very proud of all the young journalists and we hope to continue working with the Cheltenham Festivals this year and next.” Cheltenham Festivals Director of Education Ali Mawle “It was brilliant having the All Saints’ Academy students on site; they captured the Science Festival in articles written to challenging deadlines. We hope the opportunity has inspired and empowered them to pursue their talents in the field of media and journalism.”
How to be successful in journalism By Curtis Mansfield Student Reporter
Write. Write, write, and write. Being able to write is one thing, but being able to write confidently in an engaging manner is another. The only way you can do this is by writing. Keep a diary, write for your school newspaper, go to local football matches and write up on them to send to your local newspaper. Just write. Sending off your work to publishers has an added bonus of getting your name out there, which is just as important as being able to write.
Inquire e! Have , you can writ Congratulations rite well w to le being ab a sticker. But urnalist. you’re a jo doesn’t mean otballfo ’t ballers aren Freestyle foot at one od go ly ey’re on ers because th the same game, and it’s aspect of the inquiran ts. You need with journalis to ask e nc de the confi ing mind and whether that matter, the questions nce at rie for work expe you’re asking ine or az ag m ess club’s life. your local ch al on rs pe r ei out th a celebrity ab
Get a good education Journalists require a qualification in the subject to be able to take it up as a professional job. Many journalists go straight for an Undergraduate degree in Journalism, but this needs to be NCT J accredited to be of any use in print jour nalism. Making sure that your cour se has the correct accreditations is esse ntial, or your degree may be as helpful as Tom Cleverly. For journalists aiming to specialise in a particular subject, stud y that subject at Undergraduate level, and then do a Postgraduate in Journalis m. This means that your knowledge in that particular subject will be substanti al, thus proving to future employers that you know what you’re talking abou t.
Be persistent it comes to persistent when You have to be ing to get try hether you’re W . m lis na ur jo out some or trying to find yourself noticed yo y, u can’t ation for a stor crucial inform being anu’ feel like yo re u yo If . up ve gi e reading wasting your tim cares? noying, you’re who noy people, but this. You will an . If you’re ay urnalists anyw No one likes jo ywhere. an t ge ’t you won not persistent,
Get work ex
perience
Try to get w ork experience in any sort of media orga nisation poss ible. Some companies won ’t allow you to work with them until yo u’re eighteen , but there are still plenty of opportunities available; I did a week of work experien ce in a free advertising m agazine, and some more doing a pres s release in a Children’s Centre. Don’t stop at anythi ng to get your foot in th e door. The m ore experience you have , the more co ntacts you’ll make, and th e more you’ll prove your burning desire to be a journa list to future employer s and univer sities alike.
Student Sci Fest The All Saints’ Academy Newspaper
Thursday 5th June 2014
Science is FUN!
www.asachelt.org
Keep up to date with ASA follow us on twitter #CheltSciFest
twitter bites
By Chelsea Craven Student Reporter
WHAT an exciting opportunity! All Saints’ Academy students are official journalists for The Times Cheltenham Science Festival. We will be interviewing speakers, journalists and special guests for this edition and the next on Saturday. In preparation for this event we’ve attended a board meeting at the Cheltenham Festivals headquarters. We discussed the purpose of our involvment and what we wanted to achieve throughout this project.
We
came
up
with
these
aims:
• To show science is exciting • To get people involved with science • To inspire young journalists • To gain a larger audience • To surprise and inform Many of us students including myself are pursuing careers in Journalism, Media, and Science because we find them interesting. This experience will truly benefit us in countless ways. Practising interviewing people other than students and peers has been particularly beneficial. We really believe and support the idea of showing younger people that science is, in fact, fun and hope to demonstrate this
in our work during the week. Challenges that we face have been things like asking the right questions, researching thoroughly, and meeting deadlines. But as the saying goes ‘practice makes perfect’ and that is extremely valuable in this career field. Erin Mason, another student involved said, “I am incredibly honoured to be part of this exciting opportunity. I hope that this will open many windows for me in terms of future ventures into the world of journalism and I can’t wait to begin!’’ We’ve enjoyed working with the Cheltenham Festival team and are looking forward to working with them further because it’s been so much fun!
The Discover Zone By Erin Mason
Student Reporter
Cheltenham Science Festival is renowned for its engaging atmosphere and hands-on approach to developing young minds, and The Discover Zone certainly showcases all of these qualities. The Discover Zone itself, although not located physically in the centre of the Festival, is definitely at the heart of it. It offers young people the chance to experience first-hand the way science works,
through experiments and getting involved with the interactive technology available. Upon entering The Discover Zone you are immediately thrown into a room bursting with energy, and you are able to observe the various workshops, which really help bring science to life. Stalls such as GCHQ’s electricity grid which offers an ‘’element of competition’’ and EDF Energy’s steam turbine, described by students from Swindon Village Primary School as ‘’really cool’’, clearly offer an engaging and entertaining way for young people to learn about science. Cancer Research UK’s station enables children to discover the importance
of researching cancer whilst maintaining a lively spirit, described by stall-runners as ‘’hands-on and visually exciting.’’ The freebies offered as part of the workshops are particular favourites of the children, as it gives them something to take away with them by way of remembering their day and hopefully keep the importance of science fresh in their minds. The Discover Zone is open until Sunday 8th June from 10am-5pm here at the festival, and is truly an extraordinary way to inspire and appeal to the scientific minds of young people, so come down and get involved- it’s only here once a year!
Student Sci Fest Thursday 5th June 2014
The All Saints’ Academy Newspaper
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The Ultimate Forces Show
Your Body, The Chemical Analyser
3D Printing it’s not a new thing By Nick Davis
Student Reporter
By Chelsea Craven Student Reporter
Peter Wright shows us how powerful force through pressure can impact our lives. Throughout the Ultimate Forces Show Wright performed some impressive demonstrations with ideas and science similar to how the recent Bloodhound Car works. The Bloodhound SSC is a supersonic car currently in development. The team’s goal is to attain a speed of 1,000 miles per hour (1,609 km/h). Wright’s similar experiment uses
the same ideas. In his demonstration he pulled out a wooden cart, described as his Rocket Car, which uses oxygen mixed with other gases to produce pressure from both ends of the cylinder to move the wooden cart. Because of Wright’s charismatic personality and presentation style the students were able to engage but also learn from him and were inspired to create their own inventions. Whether you’re building wooden carts or a supersonic car, the goal is the same. You can learn a little more about the Rocket Car on YouTube.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_ AQGr2AsqM
Save the ugly animals By Erin Mason
Student Reporter
Observing Simon Watt engross such a young audience into the topic of preserving the lives of animals was both enchanting and hilarious. His way of letting young people know about the importance of saving the lives of these ‘’ugly animals’’ whilst putting it across in a humorous way helped bring out the confidence and creative minds in the room in such an enchanting way. Watt began by introducing the children to the various monstrous beasts that reside in the darkest corners of the Earth, such as the Blobfish, officially voted the ugliest animal in the world and described as looking like “the last day of the closing down sale of a candle shop.’’- Somewhat cruel, but it certainly entertained the crowd! Aside from humour, it was extremely informative, and Watt threw in in-
teresting facts from every angle regarding the lives of these less than aesthetically pleasing animals. Did you know that 99% of all species have almost died out? Facts like these truly highlights the importance of preserving all species’ on Earth, making talks like these all the more crucial. The school children were able to act as volunteers and take an active and thrilling role in the presentation, as well as being taught about pressing issues such as conservation and cloning, with Watt stressing that “people looking after these creatures are attempting some of the most ambitious endeavours in the world today.’’ The presentation ended with a question and answers session, and judging by the extremely articulate questions put forward by the children, this was a talk which proved to be successful in teaching people about the importance of preserving ALL life, even the ugliest lives out there, and who better to teach this to than the future generation? Watt successfully converted the crowd into passionate ugly animal lovers, all in just under an hour.
As I sit down with Ali Mawle, Director of Education for Cheltenham Festivals, minutes before an auspicious group of KS3 students come wondering in, I get a glimpse into the future, and the past, of 3D printing technology. I chat to David and his team from Black Country Atelier, who bring to life the realities of what technology is capable of and how it affects us. He tells me companies have been investing for a long time in these printers, and that Dell has bought 5000 of them ready to sell! “Printers print fully functioning gadgets all in one” he says as he spins a plastic cog set in front of us. I overhear a conversation between one of the team and a student volunteer about the qualifications needed
By Freya Gray
and jobs which all use the printing technology. “So are you trained in anything specific?” the student from Cardiff asks “No, nothing like that. Not even computer science.” He points to a member of his team “He works in architecture.” I learn that all manner of jobs use 3D printing to make life easier; animation studios, hospitals, confectionary factories, sports companies and many others which incorporate ‘design fazes’ into their jobs. American, Charles Chuck Hull, was the man who started it all – in 1984. For 30 years the technology to print 3D objects has been around but has been in constant development and only now has it started to print its way into public use. The largest built ‘thing’ was a full concrete house! 3D printers can print; Plastic, paper, sugar, gold, al, concrete, carbon
metfibre.
What an experience! By Jake Sollars Student Reporter
When exploring Cheltenham Science Festival you can feel the excitement in the atmosphere. The first thing you see is the large white tents and strange molecular structures, which appear around the site. You can feel the magic when walking into workshops such as 3D Printing and the Worm Waggon. When
walking around the Science Trail you can see how different compounds are formed and the formula that makes them. It makes me love science more than when I was in school. On the Science Trail we found lots of pupils looking at the life size chemical compounds , answering question sheets and learning about the different chemicals that build a compound such as Penicillin and Hydrogen. These structures really captured the eye and the younger pupils were certainly having fun spotting them. Nick Davis fellow ASA reporter said “From pulling up in the mini bus to hot-footing it around behind ‘Private Access’ doors, the day of reporting and interviewing experts in the field of journalism and science has been a fun privilege! The mind-blowing revelations and the relaxed atmosphere have given us five journalists plenty to talk and write about.”
Student Reporter
I was optimistic, intrigued and curious about what I would discover. After taking my seat at “The Chemical Analyser” I waited in awe to watch various scientific models being made out of molecular kits; an interesting way to engage the younger audience. Dr. Mark Lorch began to engage the key stage 2 pupils by asking them what they knew about chemistry and chemicals. This workshop would be a great opportunity for science lovers to start off by learning about the structures of everyday household fruits, drinks and sweets. The workshop quickly progressed to learning about how to form chemical compounds and what the molecules can be found in. The practical side of the workshop helped to include the whole audience. The pupils seemed ready to learn and were amazed by how well the body is able to identify these molecular structures. There was a sense of enthusiasm from the group taking part in the workshop and they were eager to be taught new things. This goes to show that the Science Festival helps younger children, both girls and boys, to understand and take more of an interest in the sciences. The workshop will be running throughout the week, so make sure you catch it.
To read an interview with Quentin Cooper please use the link: www.asachelt.org/Quentin
ASA Sixth Form Journalists
Freya Gray Erin Mason Chelsea Craven Nick Davis Jake Sollars
Student Sci Fest The All Saints’ Academy Newspaper
Saturday 7th June 2014
Keep up to date with ASA follow us on twitter #CheltSciFest
www.asachelt.org
Bacon & Science:
An interview with Richard Bacon
twitter bites
By Demi Wheeler & Lilly McRoberts Student Reporters
Richard Bacon is a British television and radio presenter who is best known for previously hosting Blue Peter. He has also starred on Celebrity Juice, often presented Top of the Pops and The Big Breakfast. He also fronted on radio stations including Capital FM and XFM London. He currently works for BBC Radio 5 live and is here at the Cheltenham
Inspirational engineering By Curtis Mansfield & Robbie Bond Student Reporters
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers designed and supported a workshop that inspired Year 7 students from Ribston Hall Girls’ School. Lauren Ettrick, a student at Ribston Hall, said that after the workshop that she “would consider a career in engineering now”, proving the effectiveness of the workshop and its potential impact on the future
of females in mechanical engineering. Each mini-workshop enabled the girls to use and learn about the latest technologies such as learning about the electromagnetic spectrum, using UV light to read messages written in invisible ink and distinguishing between real and fake bank notes. They were also educated about the effects that UV light could potentially have on their skin. Another representative who works in engineering and military equipment informed us about future developments for the military, including lighter, one battery armour
and silencers for rifles. He also gave us information about developments on other aspects such as using 3D printing to assist in complicated surgery. Mind control proved to be a very popular workshop, with students being fitted with head equipment to allow them to control a ball through the power of thought. Electrical impulses from the brain were used to regulate the height of the ball; the more they thought, the higher the ball would rise. Another popular workshop was the Dragon Runner, a bomb disposal rover controlled by a remote control, which students got the opportunity to operate.
Science Festival and we as student journalist were fortunate enough to meet him! How come you are here today? I am here today because I am the Guest Director of the Cheltenham Science Festival which is an unlikely thing because i’m not a scientist and not even the greatest brains here! Do you have an interest in science? Yes, very much so. I chair quite a lot of discussions on science, I hosted a launch in Manchester with Brian Cox and I talk about science on the radio and
yeah. I love science, well into it! I interviewed Richard Dawkins on Tuesday which was in The Times on Thursday.
Fellow interviewer Lilly McRoberts said “You know that the science festival is a big thing when you spot Richard Bacon. It shows you do not have to be a scientist in order to enjoy science.”
Student Sci Fest The All Saints’ Academy Newspaper
Saturday 7th June 2014
How to save the planet in 50 minutes
www.asachelt.org
Big Problems, Nano Solutions By Curtis Mansfield Student Reporter
The Serial Killer formula By Robbie Bond Student Reporter
By Demi Wheeler Student Reporter
“Reduce your carbon footprint okay I’ll just wear smaller shoes”. This is just one of the many ways Dr. Ken used humour to communicate science. Looking around I could see the excited faces of students from a large selection of schools. I could hear the teachers hushing over the whispers of the students’ chatter. The lights dimmed and Dr.Ken Farquhar entered on to the spot-lit stage. Ken trained as a scientist after previously working as a street performer, actor and TV presenter. He used these skills to devise exciting performances that
thrilled a KS2 audience. To the Cheltenham Science Festival Dr.Ken brought an informative show full of humour in a bid to save our planet and stop climate change. The show was interactive. The children were involved throughout and were part of the science itself. In 50 minutes he communicated to young children how, and why they should save the planet. By using humour and experiments he made it a memorable experience they will not be able to forget. After the seminar I asked the Dr himself why he did this job and what he enjoyed about it. “I do this as a job because basically there is no other job in the world I could do. I was born for this. This sort of job didn’t use to exist, so I am really grateful for this festival and all those similar around the world that promotes science communication.”
The serial killer formula lecture duo of Kim Rossmo and Steve Le Comer proved to be a lethal combination. Both Doctors gave an informative and intriguing lecture on how the use of crime mapping can pinpoint not only where a serial killer may reside, but also the location of infected mosquitos at the centre of a malaria outbreak. The lecture started with Dr Kim Rossmo, explaining the theory of geographic profiling. He demonstrated that a serial offender will leave a pattern and that by using this pattern it can help police narrow down their
Sound of the Cosmos By Lilly McRoberts Student Reporter
Meet the Director of the Science Festival By Curtis Mansfield & Robbie Bond Student Reporter
Q: Could you give us a brief description of what you do? A: My name’s Rex, and I’m the Science Festival Director for Cheltenham Festivals. What I do is work with a really great team to programme all the events, including Science for Schools, that we put on at the Festival. We also run Famelab, an international science communication competition, which takes place across 23 countries. Science researchers have three minutes to communicate a concept, and they are marked on content, clarity and charisma. They are also quizzed by a panel of expert judges, and the international final takes place tonight.
Q: You talked about Science for Schools. Do you think, although science is a core subject, that it should have more emphasis placed upon it to make it as important as subjects like English and Maths? A: I think that it’s about inspiring young people, so that they really enjoy and engage with science. It’s absolutely the core of our everyday lives; the clothes that you wear, the vehicles that you travel in, the television that you watch, and the telephones that we carry around. That’s all science. And it’s very important in education to not only learn it, but enjoy learning it.
search. To do this they must analyse locations in a crime series to determine the area where the criminal reside. Dr Steve Le Comber continued the lecture relating the theory to animals such as sharks when attacking seals and the spread of diseases through mosquitos. This gave the audience a wider view of how this formula can be applied in different contexts. The lecture was wrapped up nicely by getting the audience involved in a light-hearted way. They applied geographic mapping to pinpoint a serial shopper within the audience which got a round of applause. The session finished with a quick Q&A. The tables were turned when the audience brought forward some testing questions that pushed the duo to really think.
Dr. Lewis Dartnell took a large group of Key Stage 3 students and their teachers on a sensory tour of the solar system. What would you expect space to sound like? Some sounds were familiar however some were alien-like and made the students wonder whether aliens do actually exist. The students were intrigued by the radio wave recordings that had captured genuine sounds
from places in the solar system such as the sun, space stations and Jupiter. One student said ‘astronauts must get bad earache with all the noises in space!’ Dr. Dartnell was able to give a real insight into what it is like to be an astronaut having friends who do the job. The students were gripped to every word he said. The students were not shy to show off their knowledge of the solar system as they shouted out scientific names for the northern lights and the black spot on the sun. The young scientists particularly showed an interest in Titan’s atmosphere as it has similarities to Earth. The sounds from there are similar to wind on a microphone. However Dartnell said that Mars and Earth have more similarities and if he had to live on another planet it would be Mars. The seminar was packed full of interesting facts for example: the sun sings as it bounces up and down which creates sound waves which when sped up 40,000 times we are able to hear and is similar to a bass note. These facts had the students’ full attention and when I asked what one student thought of the seminar they replied ‘I found it interesting as I have never really thought about the sounds in space.’ The seminar was really worth experiencing and very educational.
Big Problems, Nano Solutions was an excellent talk given by Dr Annela Seddon. She spoke with great enthusiasm about potential future developments using nanotechnology, inspired by the work of third year university students from Bristol University. Seddon began by trying to get the audience to think about how small a nanometre actually is by comparing it with larger objects, which proved to be difficult; any item that is a billionth of a metre is challenging to visualise. She explained how nanotechnology behaves differently from normal sized technology due to the increased importance of quantum properties. As a result of objects themselves being smaller, the proportion of surface matter increases, meaning that more of the object is reactive; this enables scientists to create different effects and to use materials in different ways, such as creating textures on bank notes and passports instead of using dyes to prevent forgery. There was a focus on environmental sustainability and how nanotechnology can help achieve this; for example, self-cleaning shirts could reduce the amount of detergent needed which, in turn, will limit negative environmental impacts. She also talked about using energy more efficiently through piezoelectrics, an example of which involves clothes that can charge the wearer’s phone as they create energy through bending, twisting or stretching. Other global issues such as water shortages in developing countries, the relatively low efficiency of alternative energy sources, and healthcare can also be addressed by nanotechnology and the solutions it can bring. During the question and answer session at the end of her talk, Seddon had the opportunity to respond to concerns about the possible risks associated with nanotechnology. She is clearly of the opinion that, while there are risks, they are minimal. To hear an interview with Hannah Devlin, Science Editor of The Times: www.asachelt.org/HannahDevlin
ASA Sixth Form Journalists
Demi Wheeler Curtis Mansfield Robbie Bond Lilly McRoberts
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
SIXTH FORM www.asachelt.org
Y13 Bishops’ Award By Mr J Simcox Head of Sixth Form
Congratulations to
Year 13 Lucie Jelfs Platinum Award Phoenix Maitland-Roberts Platinum Award Erin Farrell Platinum Award
In June Baroness Rennie Fritchie presented five students with prestigious Bishops’ Award. The Bishops’ Award is a qualification approved by the Bishops’ that recognises the contributions and dedication that students have made to both the Academy and the local community. These students have been a real inspiration across Academy over the past two years by leading and getting fully involved with a whole host of different activities that support the school and the local community. Deputy Head of Sixth Form Leo Kelly said ‘These students have shown real acts of kindness and desire to want to help others and make a difference in society’.
The Bishops’ Award is an optional initiative that offers students the opportunity to get involved with the wider school life, outside of their usual subjects, that at the same time recognises student successes. Activities range from; Prefects, House Captain, successfully completing the Young Enterprise scheme, lunchtime and Homework Supervisors, Student Council, volunteering at Sue Ryder, helping at a disabled camp, HSBC volunteering in the community, Summer Schools Supervisor, leading Sixth Form fancy dress days, Church support, Scouts, arranged charity gigs in school, helping at School Saturday morning Rugby club, 95%+ attendance, being part of the Social Committee, writing for the school newspaper, competing in a Euroscola competition, leading assemblies, Year 8 Science intervention support, Maths Club supervisors, Year 6 Induction support, peer tutoring, random acts of kindness, sports
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day support, L4L Sixth Form Alternative Sports Day, supporting at the ASA Local Businesses Conference and much more. Year 8 and Year 12 are also undertaking the Bishops’ Award initiative (See page 4, for Y8).
In Year 13 there were: 5 X Platinum award winners 14 X Gold award winners 11 X Silver award winners 32 X Bronze award winners
Year 12 International Student from Belgium Segolene Geron Gold Award International Student from Germany Amelie Kruse Bronze Award
Our Most Important Day By Mr J Simcox Head of Sixth Form
Thursday 14th August will be A Level results day. We are expecting our best ever results from this year’s students. We know the majority of our students are planning to go to University. In order to help them the school will open at 9.00 am to enable Year 13 students collect their results. Mr Carroll and Mrs Parr will be available to offer assistance to any student that needs help choosing a university course or guidance with employment opportunities. Year 12 will be able to arrive at the Cotswold Hall after 10.00 am to collect AS results and discuss the choices available to them for studying at the Academy in Year 13.
Media Trip
Birmingham City Univeristy
By Miss K Skelding PR & Marketing Manager On 30th June Year 12 Media Studies students plus a couple of Year 13s went to see the new Media campus at Birmingham City University. We had a private tour with the Head of Media Phillip Thickett. Phillip has 26 years of media experience working his way through the BBC from Cameraman to Executive Producer on Top Gear. The students were amazed by the high tech facilities on offer and were very impressed with the Green Screen studio which had its own robotic camera called Milo. Throughout the tour Phillip spoke to the students about University and what new challenges they would face if they decided to apply for any University. Students came away from the day with some new facts about the Media industry including the recording of Foley and how they film green screen features in blockbusters like Gravity and The Hobbit. Demi Wheeler who came on the trip has been accepted onto the course in September, which is quite an achievement as they have had approximately 1500 students apply and they only offer around 250 places.
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
SPORT NEWS www.asachelt.org
ASA National Sports Week Results By Miss C Daley PE Technician
Students from All Saints’ took part in a great range of sports and activities during National School Sport Week, which took place from 23-27th June. National School Sport Week is a celebration of PE and sport with 9.6 million young people and 22,000 schools having taken part since 2009. It was brilliant to see so many students getting involved with the range of activities we had on offer, which took place during lessons, break times and after school. The World Cup Football Tournament was a great success, with over 50 students participating in the event, with the final being decided by penalties.
The finale of the week was sports day, where students competed in an attempt for their house to be crowned Sports Day Champions. Students didn’t let the spot of rain dampen their spirits and after all events were completed and points counted, Durham were announced as the winners of Sports Day 2014. During the week, we were fortunate to be able to provide opportunities and inspiration for our students through the Sky Academy initiatives ‘Sky Sports Living for Sport’ and the ‘Skills Studios’. As part of our involvement in the Sky Sports Living for Sport initiative, ex-South African, Gloucester and Worcester rugby player Thinus Delport delivered a gifted and talented rugby session to students, as well as running the tag rugby tournament after school. On Wednesday 25th June our Year 12 Btec Sport students vis-
ited the Sky studios in Brentford where they went behind the scenes to see how TV is made, shaped and shared. Students then produced their own news report on the effects of drugs in sport, with a good mix of humorous and informative reports being created. It was a really beneficial day for students, providing them with a good opportunity to share their views on current issues in sport, explore topics related to their Btec modules, as well as gain an insight into the media industry. Staff also got involved during the week, by wearing sports kit on the Monday, competing in a tag rugby match in which the PE department took on a ‘Rest of the Staff’ team (which saw a strong victory from the PE department) and also by running in the staff relay at sports day. Well done to all who got involved during the week!
By Mr Ferguson
Assistant Principal
County Water Polo The year 10 boys entered the finals of the water polo completion in high spirits. Having trained and competed together for three years their tactics and techniques had been highly refined, if only their swimming and fitness levels were too! The ASA boys were at a significant disadvantage with all the other schools having 4 or more Cheltenham swimming club members in their teams, we had none! Despite this and the invention of our own swimming stroke, the boys were in buoyant mood, well not that buoyant in the deep end! With Jayme Clarke and Connor Rollason taking breaks and holding onto the side we were heavily dependent on the goalkeeping skills of Jamie Lewis to keep the opposition at bay; this was not so successful…. Bournside VS ASA: 11-0 Cheltenham College VS ASA: 8-0 Balcarras VS ASA: 8-2 Despite losing all 3 fixtures in the final the boys never lost the smiles from their faces, never gave up and most of all had and displayed the most positive and sporting attitude throughout. The enjoyment the boys had and the effort put in by them was the most rewarding experience I have had this year. Thanks boys.
Y10 Boys Tennis Dene Magna VS ASA: 5-1 (Ergys Berisha) Following the whitewash by St Edwards, ASA faced the travelling Dene Magna. The singles rubbers were interrupted with heavy showers, but in true ASA spirit this did not dampen the enthusiasm being shown by all. Ergys Berisha raised his game to overcome his opponent and chalk up the first victory for the team. Unfortunately this was not followed by any of the others despite some very close results. The doubles went the same way with some very closely contested points and high quality rallies on display. (Matt Mackowiecki) Cleeve VS ASA: 5-1 Once again the team competed well but came up a little short in all bar one rubber. This time it was Matt who overcame the ‘Brits at Wimbledon’ nerves, winning his singles match and setting up an in house showdown wit Ergys to find out who is the best! Most of the other matches proved to be tight affairs with some excellent shot selection, movement around the court and some very unusual but legal serving techniques! The Academy is still looking out for any budding Andy Murrays! You don’t have to be Scottish, but it clearly helps!
Year 10 Cricket Balcarras VS ASA: 38 - 40 Losing by a single run left the boys in
19 high spirits. A man of the match display by Liam Dix in bat, hitting fours for fun! Well until he got bored, which was not that long! And a magnificent catch by Chase Danby deep on the boundary were the highlights of this first game of the season. With Pates, Chosen Hill and Chipping Campden to come in the next couple of weeks it is time to get to cricket training!! Pates VS ASA: 38 - 40 The most exciting start to a cricket game ever! Chase Danby opened and sent the ball into orbit! Unfortunately this opening shot went so high but not far and allowed the Pates player to wipe his hands several times before making the catch, out with the opening ball of the game. This was only the start of a series of errors from our boys, miss-communication from Marks and Basit put an end to their partnership when they were looking quite good. Marks looked effective and returned 11 runs including 2 strong fours before he was bowled. Rollason looked to eat up the balls, staying in to face 32 but only scoring 2 runs. The team were out for 38 runs. Rain looked to be the saviour as the heavens opened but soon cleared for beautiful sunshine. The bowling attack looked good but with such a low total to chase, Pates were never in any trouble and reached the required total with 9 overs and 10 wickets to spare. Chosen Hill VS ASA: 39 - 40 Missing Rollason (too good to play), Danby (no show), Driscoll jnr (Injured) and Rushby (lost blazer!) we travelled with only 9 players. Late and much appreciated stand-ins Didcotte and Grainger did well in the field but struggled to deal with the pace of the Chosen attack. The team has continued to struggle to produce a competitive run rate and subsequently with only Berisha holding onto his wicket and Mackowiecki and Driscoll hitting boundaries a low total was set for Chosen to chase. Both Marks and Berisha were expensive in attack and Chosen reached the requird 40 runs after only 4 overs.
Year 10 Rugby Without any training the Rugby squad came to Mr Ferguson claiming to have “an amazing 7s team”. As always the department looked to provide them the platform on which to show these qualities. A game against Gloucester Academy was arranged by Miss Daley….. The game started in earnest with the hosts opting to receive the kick and Attwood hoisting one high, Brad Marks, yes that speed merchant, the only one chasing and he almost got there! Gloucester Academy returned the kick with a great run, passed the ball twice and due to some poor tackling scored under the posts within 20 seconds of kick off. This was an unfortunate trend which continued throughout the first half. Billy Fee did catch and return with a blistering run down the left wing to give ASA some hope with the score 40 – 5 at half time. With the half time team talk ringing in the ears of ASA they took the fight to Gloucester. Tries from Fee, Attwood and Dix gave hope of a late comeback and displayed some of that ‘amazing 7’s rugby’ that had been promised, but it was not enough with Gloucester running away with it 62 – 20. Tackle of the match – Ryan Attwood chasing down the Gloucester winger and nailing him in the corner on the hard ground and sending him into the blood bin. Miss of the game – Brad Marks running sideways 2 yards out when he could so easily have straightened up and stretched his 12 foot frame over the line!
Issue 27, Term 6, 2014
ASA SPORTS
@ASASportsDept 20
www.asachelt.org
Mountain Biking Success By Miss D Morley PE Teacher
On Saturday 14th June, nine students from All Saints’ Academy competed at Hartpury College as part of the Gloucestershire Schools’ games. The day started early with the group having time to walk the course and get orientated with the changeover area. The course was spread over part of Hartpury’s equine cross country course and included a gruelling hill. The first races of the day were the individual trials, a speed event over just 1 lap of the course, and whilst all performed well it was Niko Sienko who achieved individual success with 2nd place in the year 9 boys category. It was then time for the team events; a constant race over 25 minutes, and the year 9 teams were the first to go. The year 9 boys had a tough group and finished 4th. The year 9 girls
had a smaller group and were coming 3rd at the start of the final changeover. Natea Harper cycled extremely well and was able to secure 2nd place for the girls. The year 10 boys had an interesting race – again ending up 4th. The students from All Saints’ Academy were fantastic all day with great sportsmanship showed throughout! Well done! Teams: Year 9 Girls: Natea Harper, Chloe Betteridge Macy Paterson Year 9 Boys: Niko Sienko, Christ Screen Lewis Driscoll Year 10 Boys: Abdul Bassett, Jordan “danger” Granger, Liam Dix
Year 7 Tennis
“Included a gruelling hill”
“Fantastic day with great sportsmanship”
Boys Doubles Tennis By Mr Fautley PE Teacher
With the week building up to the grandest competition in tennis, with all our hopes on Andy Murray to win Wimbledon once more, it was our students time to test their tennis skills against other schools in a doubles tournament. We took two teams, comprising of Ronan Austin and Tom Chamberlain in one pairing and the other pair including Ollie Whelan and Caleb Etheridge. Both teams were put in tough groups. Ollie and Caleb lost their first game to the eventual winners of the entire tournament but then lost the rest of their games in sudden death by one point and were knocked out in the group stages. Ronan and Tom having the luck of being in a small but strong group were always going to be put through to the next stage of the competition no matter what their results were. They lost their two group games but were both close and hard thought games winning games in both matches. They then drew Bournside in the next round who managed to just beat Oli and Caleb in sudden death in the group stages. Ronan and Tom were raring to go and get the victory that All Saints’ Academy deserved in earlier group games. With games going back and forth, All Saints’ came out on top winning the set and match 6-4. Unfortunately they couldn’t go any further in the competition. The boys however represented the Academy with great pride and were congratulated on their attitude and their commitment in all their games by competing to the end and showing great sportsmanship throughout the entire day.
Above: Mateusz Makowiecki with raquet and trophy
By Mr Rollason PE Teacher
Makowiecki, ASA’s number 2 seed won a thrilling encounter last week against Cleeve School’s number 2 seed. Makowiecki now takes Ergy Berisha’s spot at the top of ASA’s most prestigious ranking after losing 6-2. Ergy never really got into the game till late but again found himself getting frustrated and often blaming his racket after some unforced errors. After the game Ergy screamed “This racket is bent!”. Matt, however grew throughout the game and played some lovely topspin shots to the baseline with his opponent finding it difficult to return. After the victory Matt dropped to his knees. Matt said after the game. “This victory is for Mr.Rollason, he has been my form tutor and sports coach for the last 2 years and couldn’t have done it without him”. Well done boys.
Cricket Year 8 team win ASA’s first ever Cricket match! By Mr Rollason PE Teacher
Spirits were high going into the game against what would be a well organised Winchcombe team. The year 8 cricket team have been fantastic all season and have been unlucky not to win up until now. ASA won the toss and chose to bat. After setting a target of just 61 it wasn’t looking good for the minnows. However Chase Nield who took 2 wickets and the
year 7 double act of Josh Morton – Ellison and Tom Chamberlain had other idea’s. With Josh already taking 4 wickets and Tom already taking 3, it came down to the last 2 overs with Winchcombe needed just 2 runs to win. With the picturesque backdrop of Sudeley Castle, you could hear a pin drop. Tom started his run up and what seemed to be a very slow delivery, caught the batsman off guard with the ball smashing against the middle stump. A great result for the boys and just what they needed going into the final game against Bournside on the 26th June. Well done boys!
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