Being - The Belvedere Academy Ezine - Spring 2021 by Belvedere Academy

Spring/Summer 2021

FRONT COVER

Lockdown and Guided Home Learning Belvedere’s First Sea Lord Cadet

New Head Girl Team

watch 25th on YouTube Thursday March, 7pm

Spring/Summer 2021

CONTENT HIGHLIGHTS

A Year in the Life of a Principal

Lower School how we coped during lockdown

Yes Chef Meet Belvedere’s New Kitchen King

Testing Times organsing the mass lateral flow testing

Meet the Estates Team - with Free Top Trumps!

Belvedere’s First Sea Lord Cadet

Winter Concert Solitude

Staying Positive in a Pandemic

E AT T ES

The Drama Festival roll of honours

A TE

GDST Get Active Challenge

P M U P22 EP E R K T S & T D P R OU O T CA UT

Spring/Summer 2021

He might not be a celebrity chef per se but he has been a chef to many celebrities in his time including Liverpool FC’s first team and our new chef, John Rigby has certainly made a splash since joining Belvedere. So before you joined Belvedere, you worked as the travel chef for Liverpool FC’s first team. That sounds really exciting. I am red, but not a Liverpool red so it was just a job to me and whilst many thought that travelling to matches all over the country was glamorous and I was staying in luxury hotels I was still cooking and working. And how does working in a school compare to working for the premier league winners? Well for me, it’s all about the customers and finding out what they want and trying to meet those needs. Obviously the budget in a school is slightly lower than for a football club but nevertheless it’s about creating wholesome food that appeals

to the customers and within budget. The pupils are not backwards in coming forward to tell me what they like and what they don’t like! I am enjoying getting to know them and building up a rapport with them. Where did your love of cooking come from? My grandad. From an early age I used to watch him cooking and I used to stand beside him on a chair and he would let me help him a little bit. I started chopping a few vegetables and then progressed from there. I was always interested in seeing what he would create and my love of cooking and food stemmed from him. Do you have any exciting plans for catering at Belvedere? I have a vision for Forget Me Not to have a Pret a Manager/Costa vibe to it so watch this space!

What is your favourite food? Thai and I also cook a lot of fish at home. We don’t eat enough fish in this country as people are often scared about finding bones but they’re missing out. We know that you can cook but can you bake? It’s not my forté but I do bake. I am challenging myself at the moment to perfect focaccia and after a few attempts, I think I am getting there.

Spring/Summer 2021

Why not try John’s Belvedere Bake... and make some fabulous Forget-me-not Focaccia? 500g strong flour 1 packet as dried yeast(7g) Good pinch salt Good pinch sugar 4 dessert spoons good olive oil/good English rapeseed oil 400ml warm water (250ml boiling/150ml cold) 2 dessert spoons chopped rosemary 2 dessert spoons chopped thyme

In a large bowl add flour, salt, sugar and yeast but keep apart. Then, add the herbs and mix together. Gradually add the water (just in case you don’t need it all) and mix by hand but don’t over mix. The dough needs to be slightly sticky. Kneed for 5 minutes till dough comes together and is elastic. Place back in bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and put in a warm place for 45 minutes. Tip the dough out and stretch out to a rectangle shape an inch thick. Place in a snug oiled tray and poke finger holes in the dough. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with sea salt and bake in an oven 180c for 25-30 minutes. When ready, drizzle with a little more oil, rest for 15 minutes then enjoy!

Spring/Summer 2021

DoE with a Difference We are delighted that the Duke of Edinburgh Award is still going ahead despite the current pandemic. All participants are required to complete a physical activity, learn or perfect a new skill and volunteer weekly for 3 or 6 months. Our current cohorts of Bronze and Silver participants have adapted well to the changes and have been really imaginative in coming up with ways around Lockdown and social distancing measures to make sure they’re still able to keep fit, learn a new skill and volunteer for those in need.

Physical Annie is training to run 5k in under 25 minutes. Polly is taking part in martial arts zoom classes. Leena is aiming to cycle 400km over 6 months.

Skills Carmen is learning Japanese with her sister. Natasha is learning sign language online. Katie is perfecting her photography skills.

Volunteering Rachel is tutoring her sibling. Josie is selling vegan bath melts to raise funds for a children’s hospital in Yemen (follow her on Instagram, @sheablissliverpool). Jenny is volunteering for a Penguin Watch, a project on Zooniverse by reporting on penguins and their chicks via interactive cameras. Anna is litter picking in her local community.

Spring/Summer 2021

Year 12 Psychology Research Year 12 students had an amazing opportunity in Guided Home Learning, as they participated in psychological research on teaching styles conducted by a former student, Ebony Judge. After leaving Belvedere, Ebony went on to study Psychology at the University of Liverpool and she is now in her third year. It was exciting for the students to be able to see research in action and also for them to learn a bit more about what university life is like. Students have shared their experience of the day:

‘‘

We had the wonderful opportunity to take part in real psychological research in one of our lessons during GHL. It was conducted by a former student, Ebony, who told us about her degree, university life and was really friendly. To have been involved with an actual study will definitely help to broaden our understanding when it comes to psychological research and it was a very useful experience for all of us. Plus, it’s very impressive that we could even take part, thanks to Ebony and the amazing Belvedere Psychology Department, especially considering being in GHL! Maisie D

‘‘

Taking part in a research study was an amazing experience for me and the other Year 12 students. Ebony made her study so interesting she quizzed us

before and after her research to see if we had learnt any new information of which we weren’t aware. The research was based around The Cognitive Interview and Eyewitness Testimony. It wasn’t just the study that was useful, it was the chance we got to ask Ebony about her university life and her degree. This was amazing because some of our Psychology students want to go on to study Psychology at university so having this opportunity didn’t go unappreciated. Charlotte B-S

‘‘

The research study that I took part in was simple and straightforward, the researcher (Ebony) explained everything clearly and didn’t hesitate to help us if need be, also after the study, she took some time to answer questions about university life. I was

surprised and happy to know that in the last year of her degree she already owns her own dog training business and uses psychological studies and effects, such as, Pavlo’s classical conditioning, to train her dogs. It was good to see how she is putting her study of psychology into practice. Angelica K

‘‘

Being a part of the Psychology research was fun and interesting despite it being virtual and not in the classroom. I really liked how the tasks were structured, the topic choice for the research and the questions were great and thought-provoking. Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity to take part in this research! Dalea AM

Silver in National Gallery Art competition Recently the Qube gallery invited artists across the world to submit work for a forthcoming exhibition called “Reflections”. Mr Dykeaylen submitted visuals of his work and was shocked to hear that his work had been selected to be displayed in the gallery. The work, a mixed-media digital painting and digital collage was based around lockdown. “The piece is my reflection upon a conversation that occurred in a walk in lock down, during our permitted exercise time! My young daughter and I were talking as we walked across a field; she was becoming increasingly frustrated that some people were not social distancing. We talked

about how lock down, owing to Covid, was like a puppeteer, controlling everything we do and pulling all the strings (including our heart strings). The original piece is displayed on mirror, so that the viewer captures aspects of themselves within the piece - allowing them an opportunity for their own reflection on the events that have affected us all.” A few months after he handed the work over to the gallery, Mr Dykeaylen was stunned nd pleased to find out that the work had come second in the People’s Vote - where thousands of votes wer cast to pick the public’s favourite piece!

Spring/Summer 2021

Staying Positive in a Pandemic As a GDST Academy we are fortunate to have access to the Positive Schools Programme, whose aim is to develop teacher and pupil wellbeing using psychology and scientific research into mental health. Large numbers of staff have been trained over the last 5 years and if ever there was a time to get wellbeing

in the spotlight, now is it. The stats are in and 1 in 3 adolescents are reporting huge rises in stress and anxiety levels. As a team, we have been busy sharing the Positive Message in order to keep mental health and wellbeing at the top of the agenda. Here are some of the activities we’ve enjoyed:

WELLBEING BINGO: As part Children’s mental health awareness week and in response to the student wellbeing survey, we had a breakout day where pupils were encouraged to move away from the screen and to take part in a Positive Bingo Challenge. Hundreds of girls completed a line or two, and several even managed to complete all 25 challenges, sending pictorial evidence of their success! Well done to Scarlett Rose Slater, Tina Liu, Lily Hayes, Alex Bracken, Isabella Ferro, Sofia Rocks, Alena Giju, Holly Cropper, Emily Thurgood, Maddison Capps Jenner, Orla Cuthbert, Susie and Haleema Muthana and Muna Namorra!

WELLBEING WEDNESDAY: On Wednesday 3rd February we hosted a day of Positive Strategies, sharing 5 different techniques for managing your mind. Mr Wooley, Miss Blundell, Miss Ritchens, Mrs Koultuniak, Mrs Greene and Mrs Cox all shared a video explaining how and why they use one of the following techniques; Mindfulness, Gratitude, The Worry Filter, The Emotional Barometer and Self Talk. These were then shared with the entire school community in their online lesson each hour of the day. To view the videos, click on this link to visit our instagram page where the videos are stored on the grid: https://www.instagram.com/belvederepositivepod/

INSTAGRAM: We are building an online space for positive thoughts, links and advice from professional agencies like Kooth, Headspace and the NSPCC on Instagram, why not follow us @belvederepositivepod www.instagram.com/belvederepositivepod/

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Spring/Summer 2021

Staying Positive in a Pandemic PODCAST: The Positive Pod was launched during lockdown and each week Mrs Cox interviews a guest from our school community, both staff and pupils, who share their mental health journey, de-stigmatising conversations around mental health and highlighting strategies which have helped them cope during the pandemic. With over 1300 downloads this is a resource that we are loving! To listen or get involved, search Belvedere Positive Pod on Spotify or Soundcloud or click below:

ASSEMBLIES: Each year group has had an assembly from the Positive Team, sharing the message that every day is a mental health day, some good and some bad, and how we can normalize these conversations. Pupils in Year 10 have started getting involved in running sessions for their peers and we are keen to develop this across the academy. In the words of Brene Brown: ‘We don’t have to do all of it alone, we were never meant to.’

HUB Groups & Staff Socials: We know that teacher morale directly correlates with student achievement; the higher the teacher morale, the greater the student achievement. (Raines, 2011), so we have set up HUB groups for staff to stay connected and have been hosting several online social events, lifting our spirits and encouraging each other to keep going!

https://open.spotify.com/ show/0Zy1uEGBb4Sgl8m6q7BiwK?si=DoURr8bTTIarBE4fDS3g3w https://soundcloud.com/user-863474349

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Spring/Summer 2021

s t i s i V r o h t Online Au Liverpool Learning Partnership teamed up with some amazing authors to host a series of online author events during lockdown. On Thursday 28th January, Year 7 tuned into Catherine Johnson’s live stream and heard all about the fascinating history that informs her books. On Wednesday 3rd February, Year 8 joined Kathryn Evans; an amazing writer who visited Belvedere a couple of years ago and wowed us all then and on Tuesday 9th, Year 9 joined Patrice Lawrence. We can’t thank the Liverpool Learning Partnership enough for these opportunities, not to mention for the generous donation of books to our library.

‘I found the event extremely fun and educational. Learning about different trends throughout the years was interesting. Also, the author herself was absolutely beaming with acceptance and body positivity!’ Mia G. ‘The author meet was very educational, and it touched lightly on the serious issue of toxic beauty standards. It taught me about the standards in media today, to the Elizabethan era, and 10th century China when foot binding became a cultural practice. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the author’s ideas and it was fascinating learning about how much research authors have to do before releasing their final ideas to the world. Overall, I thought the author’s visit very enjoyable, and about a topic that is extremely relevant today.’ Sofia R, 8BM.

Spring/Summer 2021

As part of the wider Undivided programme at Belvedere, a long term programme to embed inclusivity across the academy, we have been looking at widening our students’ access to a range of texts linked with diversity. With that in mind, Miss Murphy, our librarian has been researching and sourcing texts for the Library that all students will have access to on our return to school.

Year 7 Book Fair The annual Book Fair was based exclusively in the Year 7 bubble in Forget Me Not. Pupils came by at break and lunch time, to browse and buy books, posters, and stationery. Every sale earned commission which then turned into a great many free books for our library

belvedereacademy.oliverasp.co.uk With a range of fiction and non-fiction, covering a thrilling and thought-provoking range of topics and tales, there is something to suit everybody. Miss Murphy has shared a Google Jamboard with all students which highlights these texts. Students should use the search tag ‘BAME’ or ‘Diversity’ in the library Reading Cloud to discover these and more.

Library Postal Lending Service To get books into the hands of students who want to read, the library offered a Postal Lending Service during lockdown. Students emailed the librarian, Miss Murphy, with their requests. Books were then posted home or dropped off to the student’s door by a member of staff on their way home. The service proved very popular.

Readathon Last year, Lower School pupils took part in our annual sponsored read, the Readathon. We raised £194.80 for Read For Good; a charity which brings books and stories to children in hospital. Belvedere have raised nearly £2,500 for this charity over the years. This year, our annual sponsored read went online. Joining in couldn’t be simpler. Pupils choose a book - or books; ask their family and friends to sponsor them. Then - read! Parents and carers can sponsor their child online, as well as find great resources, such as free audiobooks, e-books, and book recommendations to help the Readathon go swimmingly. www.Readforgood.org

Appeal for unwanted books We need books! All kinds - fiction, non-fiction, all genres welcome. If parents or students have any unwanted books at home, please consider donating them. They can be dropped off at the main reception or students can give them to their form tutors, to be passed to the librarian. These books will be used to stock our Little Free Library, and classroom bookshelves. Any titles unsuitable for either will be donated to a charity bookshop.

Spring/Summer 2021

MARCH

2020

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18 MARCH

2020

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Spring/Summer 2021

SUMMER 2020 Guided Home ogressed, so did apted As the term pr and pupils and ad ff sta to ed en o als Learning. We list went. We providing as we ists and what we were s with all its tw es oc pr G CA families were actioned the d an , pupils red that staff su en d an ademy ns tur e, life in the ac At the same tim ening, Ev en well informed. Op r fo al - we planned s and es oc pr went on as norm on aluati our Academy Ev n - we even and completed Pla nt me ve ro ademy Imp wrote a new Ac website. redesigned the keep their year worked hard to Pastoral Leads we were in the d and positive ing group motivate king bread, grow ba t, ou working sun the halcyon days of y da y er doing jigsaws. Ev the vegetables and lunchtimes with t outside most sa we d an d d with the shine ye pla y the as in school l staff pupils who were d the occasiona the frisbees an ta and ro the hula hoops and on d went Staff came an came and member’s dog. , ne alo g livin , unger staff ff some of our yo on with online sta ol. We carried ho sc in ed rk wo kdown went loc the as d, an iefings meetings and br people’s mental d to check in on ive. We on and on, starte t keeping posit fer advice abou s and looked wellbeing and of ow inb ra ed int pa rers and clapped our ca holiday! “normal” Summer forward to a of term was one of the summer return the r The second half fo ing nn pla ents: we were two distinct ev eit on a tight exam classes, alb of ps ou gr all of sm otional shock em the h re dealing wit allegations of rota, and we we to se on academy’s resp of managing the

SEPTEMBER 2020 The new year started with a much heralded return to school for all. Learning zones, pop up catering and close contacts all became common parlance as we went about our days - and, of course “social distancing” became the phrase of the moment. In the academy, we reflected on the past six months, using Barry Carpenter’s Recovery Curriculum to guide the support we offered to pupils and staff and coming together through our conversations around what it was to “Be Belvedere”. We also spent time communicating what we hoped to achieve as we started a new year. With six additional mobile classrooms to accommodate one year group until the new Forget Me Not building was to be handed over, the academy felt very different; but as the pupils arrived it became, once again, the living, breathing space that we had looked forward to since the previous March. Within a matter of weeks, however, we had our first positive case of Covid and had to go through the disappointment of sending pupils home to self-isolate. Parents and pupils were unbelievably supportive and staff showed their agility by simultaneously teaching half a class of pupils in front of them and half a class at home. By Christmas we had had over 100 cases of Covid amongst staff and pupils with countless periods of self isolation affecting all year groups and departments. Amid the chaos of all of this

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and the concerns it raised particularly regarding the experiences and futures of our Year 11 and 13 cohorts; there were moments of lightness. There was the week when we had no caretakers and had to manage two activations of the fire alarm, the day when we couldn’t find the key to the main gate at 3.15pm and the arrival of a team of military personnel to manage the Liverpool testing pilot in school to cheers from Year 7 pupils who had, of course, spotted them out of a window! We also took possession of the Forget Me Not building in November and waved a fond farewell to our mobiles; enjoyed a wonderful online Drama Festival and the truly amazing online concert, “Solitude”. I ended the Autumn term, like so many colleagues, thinking that at least the Christmas holiday would bring a proper break. But, of course, the DFE had other ideas announcing just before we finished that the return to schools in January would begin with asymptomatic testing of all members of the school community. And so, after a few days off, we started attending webinars, accessing training modules, finding volunteers, wondering how many free-standing mirrors we had in school and where we would find six foot screens and writing letters to parents and carers. We briefed staff and made every attempt not to be distracted too much from discussing teaching and learning. And then it all came to a grinding halt on January 4th 2021 when Boris Johnson announced yet again that schools would be closed.

TERM SPRING

2021

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MARCH 8TH 2021

The reopening of the academy this time was staggered over a few days to enable our pupils an d staff to access testing. We are now adept at LFDs, wearing masks and backing off from each other to maint ain social distancing. Some of our staff have received their vaccines - suddenly being older has its benefits - and this tim e it really does feel like we are back fo r good. And so… what have I learnt from all this - well certainly a lot of stuff that they don’t teach as part of the National Professiona l Qualification for Headteachers! Last summer taught me the power of listening and the imp ortance of open and honest dialogue - that to engender change, one needs to commit in terms of time and, more impor tant, humility. That resilience is fu elled by collaboration - in my case with fe llow headteachers

in Liverpool and in the GDST; but also and more so with the teams within our academy, and that wo rking together ensures that what ma y appear to be an overwhelming set of tasks becomes doable. That taking time to reflect and “count your trophies”, in ot her words, list what has gone well, powe rs us on into a brigh ter future. That there will be inc redibly difficult days , but that the human spirit to find the wa y forward will always win out. And that the beating heart of Belvedere is brave and bold - the re is a strength in our organisation crea ted by all those who are part of it which refuses to accept second best whether that be in academic learning or in the wa y in which we coexist with one another. It fills me with pride and encourages me to lead the academy through the work we have started this year and into the fu ture.

We did not Forget Me Not The forget me not flower symbolises remembrance of those we love and it was chosen in 2007 as the academy’s logo. We did not want to forget those who had gone before and we did not want to lose the traditions and ethos of the Belvedere School. Certainly, the ethos has been retained and many of the Belvedere traditions are still going strong today. March 27th, 2020 was an important date in the Belvedere calendar and one which we had been working towards for a number of months. It was going to mark the official opening of our brand new building and would feature a special guest, musical performances as well as canapes and drinks made and served by our very own Hospitality GCSE students. That was until the first lockdown was announced and we had to

put all plans on hold and even had to recall some of the early invitations we had already sent out. We thought it was important to name it because otherwise it would be the new build for the rest of its days! Including the whole academy community, we asked forms to suggest names and lots of good suggestions were put forward and in the end, we decided that it would be called ‘Forget Me Not’. Forget Me Not is the base for Year 7 and all of their form rooms are in there. As well as Maths and Computing rooms, there is a large breakout space and a kitchen and dining area. Our Year 7 are thrilled with this space and so too will the other pupils be when we no longer have to operate in bubbles.

Spring/Summer 2021

History at Home Ms Halton recommends… The Dig (Netflix) This is a fantastic film about the people who discovered Sutton Hoo, an Anglo-Saxon burial site in England. Set against the backdrop of the outbreak of WWII, we get to see not only the unearthing of one of the most significant archaeological finds in British history, but also the mood at the start of WWII, and public perceptions of it at the time. A fantastic piece of double history! (recommended for Y7 and up)

In the autumn term, our students participated in a national photography competition run by University College London. We secured three 1st prize winners out of five categories and one student’s work has been highly commended. This is an incredible achievement! The categories that the students could choose from included:

• Art Re-Imagined • Interconnectivity • Made in China • Ready Steady Cook • Masked – China opera masks And this year’s winners are: Karen Chen: Interconnectivity - First Prize Sara Abdulhadi: Masked - First Prize Habiba Hassan Bello: Made in China - First Prize Kate Adams: Interconnectivity - Highly Commended Thank you very much to all the students that have entered their photos.

Habiba Hassan Bello

Sara Abdulhadi

Karen Chen

Kate Adams

The Interest by Michael Taylor – ‘For two hundred years, the abolition of slavery in Britain has been a cause for self-congratulation - but no longer.’ That is the opening to the blurb of this fascinating new book. Eye-opening and at times shocking, Taylor uses new research to explain how British leaders in the 19th century fought incredibly hard to keep slavery as an institution, and dispel the myth that British elites were all advocates for abolition. (recommended for Y9 and up)

Mr Blair recommends… Stasiland by Anna Funder – If you are fascinated by espionage and counterespionage, this is the book for you! Funder shares personal stories of spies from East Germany, or the German Democratic Republic (GDR), which existed from the 1950s to the 1980s. In reading this book, Funder shows what life was like in that oppressive regime, and shines a light on some heroes of the resistance movement and how they fought for freedom. (recommended for Y12 and Y13) Elizabeth I, The Virgin Queen (Amazon Prime) – ‘Good queen Bess’ is widely considered to be one of, if not the, most successful monarch in British history. This 4-part retelling of Elizabeth’s life, from her imprisonment at the hands of her sister, then Queen Mary, to her death in 1603, paints a vivid picture of the major moments from her reign and her personal life too. This is also one of the most historically accurate fictionalised accounts of her life ever produced. Well-acted and beautifully shot, this series is perfect viewing not just for Y11 historians currently studying Elizabeth I, but anyone who wishes to know more about her life and reign! (recommended for Y8 and up)

Spring/Summer 2021

Spring in to Spring After a long winter it is always helpful to focus on the gifts of Spring that lead us from the long days of darkness and into the warmth and colour of a new year. Celebrating spring has been happening almost as long as humanity itself. Pagan rituals at Ostara celebrate renewal and abundance with the planting of seeds, observing and celebrating the new life that arises from the change in the seasons. Whether religious or not, there is no doubt that with the events of the last twelve months there is a real need to inject some colour and hope into our lives. Festivities that take place annually at this time of year provide a focus for this. All of the spring festivals carry with them symbolism that we could benefit from whilst emerging and recovering from the Covid Pandemic.

Hindus celebrate the vibrant festival of Holi at this time of year which remembers the story of Prahlad overcoming the evil Holika. We all have had to overcome struggles in the past year and so this battle of good over evil is a helpful concept to focus on. Hindus all over the world may embrace the symbolism of colour at this festival by smearing each other with paint, and throwing coloured powder and dye around in an atmosphere of great good humour which is a great way to start the new year with fun positivity.

In Japan, Hanami celebrates the cherry blossom trees reminding us of the impermanence of life, a good reminder today that hard times that we are facing will pass.

Different cultures enjoy festivals such as Sonjkran in Thailand in which there is a mass water fight where people splash chilling water on the passers-by.

Whether you have a faith or not, Spring is a great time to spread optimism of new growth and renewal in all of our lives.

Who can resist an Easter egg? With origins in Paganism celebrating the emergence of new life and later symbolism linked to Jesus’ resurrection and emergence from his tomb. The focus on new life after hard times is one that may just help people to carry on and give them hope.

New club, new business?

Take advantage of our amazing facilities hire SPORTS HALL

DRAMA STUDIO

27m x 15m. This is a multi-use court and has floor markings for netball, badminton, football, basketball and volleyball. Netball and football goal posts are out in the hall and are available for use. Currently used for 5-a-side football, netball training, fencing, badminton, and futsal.

10m x 10m. Currently used as a space for church groups, conferences/talks, theatre/dance sessions. Capacity with tiered seating – 140 seats.

CLASSROOMS

MULTI-USE HALL WITH STAGE*

6 brand new classrooms. Modern furniture and large screen digital displays.

18m x 11m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions and exercise classes. It has also been used as a yoga space in the past and for theatre and musical productions.

BREAKOUT SPACE

DANCE STUDIO 7m x 9m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions.

Airy and light space with a capacity of 200. Ideal for conferences, meetings, celebrations or coaching.

FLOODLIT NETBALL COURT

*The PA system is not included in the price of this room and is not available for use.

We have a range of excellent facilities available to hire. If you are interested in hiring any of our facilities, please e-mail Hannah Miller at Facilities@belvedereacademy.net

Spring/Summer 2021

How was it for you? A series of collaborations between future artists/designers and budding journalists highlightling their experiences of Guided Home Learning...

Words: Issy Moore (Y11). Image: Atlas Jones (Y12) As a person who thrives off schedule and structure, the last lockdown created a struggle of online/offline balance for me, as I felt overwhelmed and desperate to regain some normality. I learned that by adapting my routine to be more flexible, I had more time to relax, or partake in activities that made me happy. By creating a tidy, organised atmosphere to work in, I found that listening to music while completing my work was helpful to feeling less anxious; and having confidence in myself that I could manage my time and not fall behind was essential to prevent hypothetical worries from distracting me. Meeting online with my friends, as we could not in public, was paramount to my wellbeing. The

highlights of my week were playing games and studying across the screen together, additionally messaging every day. We constantly uplifted and supported each other through harder times, and I could not have gotten through this without their kindness and wonderful humour! I am especially thankful for the support of my teachers, as despite all the uncertainty during lockdown, they have consistently been reassuring, encouraging and understanding. Their guidance has been essential to making my Guided Home Learning experience less stressful, as I could stay behind in lessons or contact them with questions about any lesson work, and for that I am extremely grateful.

Spring/Summer 2021

IT & Computing Week Despite lockdown students had lots of fun with IT & Computing events. Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) is an annual call to action to inspire students to learn computer science, advocate for equity in computer science education, and celebrate the contributions of students, teachers, and partners to the field. This week is held in recognition of the birthday of Admiral Grace Murray H o p p e r (December 9, 1906), who invented the first compiler and coined the term “bug” (an error in a program) after removing an actual moth from a computer in 1947. Students took part in a Computer Science challenge set in advance by a Lecturer

from The University of Liverpool’s Computer Science Department. This was brought to life by a live Google Meet allowing all students to join in! Sebastian Wild from Liverpool University shared some feedback with Miss Foster and the students after his session, “As part of the National Computing & IT week, I had the pleasure of running a virtual question-and-answer event with the girls from Belvedere Academy’s Y7-9 groups. We discussed how computational thinking permeates many aspects of modern life, and what skills and mindset are useful for a career in

tech, or any of the numerous roles that use computational methods outside of the core IT industry. To frame the discussion, I shared a little puzzle about clever binary encoding up front in the form of a video; it is available at //tiny.cc/exam-puzzle if you are up for a challenge. I was deeply impressed by the level of engagement and interest with which the girls met the puzzle, and it was a joy to discuss the thoughtful questions they had come up with. I am very grateful to my hosts at Belvedere for organizing the session and I am looking

Photo of Grace Murray Hopper: http://www.computinghistory.org.uk/ det/1791/Grace-Murray-Hopper/ 18

Spring/Summer 2021

a real virtual ‘hit’! forward to seeing many of these young curious minds again in ongoing outreach activities with Belvedere Academy.” The IT & Computer Science team were busy hosting the events across the year group bubbles and are most grateful to our outside stakeholders for their time and enthusiasm in answering student questions on Careers in IT and Computer Science. Students from Y7-13 met with a Senior Project Manager from Volvo Cars and also a Software Engineer from Very.co.uk whom we actually met live in Berlin. Lauren, a graduate engineer from BAE Systems, a former pupil of King David School took the time to speak about her job and career path as well. All Google Meets were very well received, and

students hopefully, have been inspired to become the next women to break down barriers and move into the male dominated highly paid Tech industry. At Volvo, students heard about how the top jobs in Communication, Customer Experience & Finance are all held by women and overall 30% of the people employed by Volvo at Senior level are female. Sue advised the students to do their research into companies they choose to work for and said that, “At Volvo there is a real culture of wanting to have women in top Senior Management roles in the UK.” In IT & Computer Science lessons, students develop skills in problem solving and communication. They often

take on the role of an expert in meeting a client’s needs; ultimately they are encouraged to work both independently and as part of a team laying down the foundations they need to move into careers in the STEM industry. Liverpool radio stations are full of job adverts for students with Digital skills and we are very fortunate to have such a thriving Tech Sector on our doorstep. Miss Foster and Mrs Brown urge students to choose wisely when making their choices for GCSE and A Level; it’s so important to choose courses that match the job market. Please keep an eye out in the coming months for more opportunities to experience IT and Computing at first hand as we plan more links with The University of Liverpool and Very.co.uk.

Spring/Summer 2021

Testing Times January said goodbye to the gym mats and the indoor space for Year 8 and instead welcomed in a brand new testing site run and managed by our very own Administration Manager Julie Collin who spent her Christmas holidays swotting up on all things Covid testing related in order to be able to offer testing facilities at Belvedere. During lockdown, the test site is open every Monday and Thursday for pupils and staff to get their weekly COVID test done. By now, all the pupils are adept at registering themselves for the test and then carrying out the swab test. Mrs Collin said, ‘We learnt a great deal from the army and the precision and speed with which they carried out the testing and tried to replicate that with a few tweeks. We did not have the plastic booths which the army had but our Estates Department has managed to carve out individual areas for the testing and have even made wooden stands for the mirrors to be placed on.”

With volunteers from parents and staff at Belvedere, the test site has functioned well. Each volunteer has been trained to t h e highest standard in Health and Safety and is allocated a specific role in the site. These roles do change and one day they may go from being a testing operative to a meet and greeter or a results processor. Chris Bauress, one of the volunteers has given of his time because he sees the cause as worthwhile and a good opportunity to help out whilst he is on furlough and it gets him out of the house! He has enjoyed the variety of roles that the volunteering offers him and has found the testing process interesting. At the time of writing this, the Prime Minister has just announced that schools will return on 8th March and there will be mass testing of every student. Our Testing Site is already up and running and hopefully we will be able to test all of the students efficiently to reassure the whole school community.

Spring/Summer 2021

Excellence at the Academy: Inspire Me We aim to ensure that all students have the opportunity to flourish and continue to develop so that they leave the academy with the academic skills as well as the outstanding qualifications that are required to become the leaders of the future. The Belvedere Academy Inspire Me Programme is one of those methods to ensure excellence. Despite being on lockdown and experiencing severe disruption to our day to day academy lives, the Year 10 ‘Inspire Me’ lecture series did manage to continue in our new virtual world! The Programme is designed to stretch, challenge and encourage students to think in new and creative ways about all subjects, problems and issues. The overall objective of our bespoke programme is to encourage the ‘GDST mindset’; a mindset that embraces the new, is resilient when faced with difficulties, and in which you understand that you are in control of your own learning. GDST girls also learn to be confident, resilient and fearless. The Inspire Me Programme goes that extra mile to ensure that our students are equipped for the opportunities and challenges of the future. We are committed to making sure every student stretches themselves both academically and personally. With that in mind, our Inspire Me Programme is designed to ensure that our most able learners are given the assistance, time and encouragement they require to achieve success in this modern and ever-changing competitive world.

‘There is only one 21st century skill – the ability to act intelligently when you are faced with a situation for which you have not been specifically prepared’ Seymour Papert

Students meet on a mostly weekly basis on a Friday lunchtime and take part in a variety of lectures and activities that cut across subject areas, stimulating their thinking. So far this year, we have had brilliant sessions from our dedicated staff including Mr Woolley and the concept of ‘Intelligence Explosion’ and the morality of Artificial Intelligence, Mr Lamb with semiotics and postmodernism, Mrs Cox with why making mistakes matters.

An Explosive Competition in Geography After a term of learning about tectonic theory: from convection currents to Pangaea, subduction and plate boundaries, Year 9 geographers got a bit more creative with a competition celebrating all things tectonically active. Entries were incredibly varied! They included poems, paintings, models, papier-mâché, creative prose, drawings, collages, mood boards, cakes and real life eruptions (don’t worry...just a combination of baking powder, vinegar and red food colouring!) Here are some, but not all, of the winning entries from Emmy, Nadi, Emma, Edie, Grace, Mary Jessica, Olivia, Sarah and Rebecca.

Spring/Summer 2021

Too cold? Call Estates. No loo paper? Call Estates. Want to know where that delivery has got to? Call Estates. Need advice on hair product? Err next... These guys have to ensure that the buildings are functioning well and that can be a tough job if your academy is made up of various buildings, nooks and crannies with some areas that are hundreds of years old.

They take pride in making sure that the academy always looks it best and can

often be seen up ladders sprucing up the paint work. Either that or they’re frequent visitors to the school canteen where the ladies always make sure that they get fed! We caught up with Mick, Terry and Gary aka Estates in the cellar hideout and asked them a few questions.

Spring/Summer 2021

MICK AKA CURLY

Strength

Mr Positive

Super power

Telling people what to do!

Specialist move Keeping my steps up Worst task/job

TERRY AKA DOUBLE BIG MAC

Turning lights off after teachers who’ve stayed late

Strength

Laid back

Super power

Not frightened to have a go

Reliability

Always there

Top dollar

Speed to answer *clicks fingers* Straight away the helpdesk

Biggest gripe with staff

Not signing in or out!

Speed to answer As fast as they come (as long as my phone is working) the helpdesk

Who’d win in a cage fight?

ME!

Customer service

Reliability

Customer service

The staff are always pleased *winks*

GARY AKA COOPERMAN

TERRY AKA DOUBLE BIG MAC

Specialist move Stepping back when it’s my round

45 88

Always with a smile

GARY AKA COOPERMAN

Strength

Organised

Super power

If I tell you, I’ll have to kill you!

Specialist move

Right arm on a Friday night having a pint

Worst task/job

Putting my hand down a blocked toilet

Worst task/job

Drains when they’re blocked

Biggest gripe with staff

When I set up an assembly and then it’s cancelled

Speed to answer Depends on where I am the helpdesk

Biggest gripe with staff

Not turning lights off or closing windows on the second floor where there is no lift

Who’d win in a cage fight?

Got to be me. They’re only little fellas.

Customer service

Who’d win in a cage fight?

Terry because he’d squash us with his pure brute strength when he’s got a cob on.

Reliability

Don’t like letting people down

Very good

Cut out and keep limited edition Top Trumps

Spring/Summer 2021

LOWER SCHOOL REVIEW WITH MISS JONES AND MRS BEDDARD

how we coped during lockdown! Miss Jones (Head of Year 8) reflects: I have been so impressed with the resilience and perseverance shown by Year 8 this year during what has been a challenging and unpredictable period for us all. Back in September it would have been difficult to believe that we would only now be coming out of third national lockdown and that we would still be operating in zones and bubbles in school! It has been a very busy and successful academic year so far and as always Year 8 students have taken full advantage of all of the opportunities offered at the academy and have engaged with a variety of events, competitions and initiatives. This has included: antibullying week activities, LGBT+ History Month, Chinese New Year, National Careers Week and World Book Day. In addition, Year 8 have been involved in a variety of lunchtime sessions and Enrichments. A highlight of the year so far has been the Drama Festival, an annual Belvedere tradition which went virtual for the first time with great success. The amount of talent amongst our Year 8 students never ceases to amaze me! One of our key focuses this term has been on well-being and maintaining a sense of community especially

during the Guided Home Learning and lockdown period. This has included a well-being breakout day and listening to the Positive Podcast during form time. Mental health and well-being will continue to be important aspects of the Year 8 form time structure going forward and as they return to school. Thanks to the outstanding support of their Form Tutors Year 8 have been able to thrive in these unprecedented times and I know they will continue to do so when they return to the Academy for the latter part of the Spring Term. The Year 8 Team are very much looking forward to welcoming the year group back. Year 8 students have received further support from the pastoral team, Inclusion and of course, our fantastic peer mentors. We will continue to work on online safety, friendship and kindness and as the summer term approaches we will be focusing on study skills and preparing the year group for their transition into Upper School. Thank you for your continued support as parents/ guardians and we look forward to working with you during the rest of this academic year.

Review of the term from Sofia R, 8BM: During this lockdown and the bigger burden and stress that came with this, I and many of my peers have

struggled with maintaining positive mental health and staying motivated. Despite these challenges, it has also been a great time to try new skills, partake in activities and find ways to manage and improve our mental health whether this has been through self care and putting on a face mask or by going on a run and experiencing nature. For everyone this is different! Over this Guided Home Learning period, I have experimented with trying new cooking recipes, improving my baking skills and getting active, which I had a great opportunity to do with the Get Active campaign. I have also tried new mindfulness activities like yoga, although I’m still improving my skills in that department! If you want to get into yoga or mindfulness, I recommend starting with Yoga with Adriane, who also has an adorable dog named Benji who makes appearances! Over this lockdown period, I’ve also started journaling- it’s great to leave ten minutes of the day to reflect, and think of everything you are thankful for, even on the bad days. Although this Guided Home Learning has been a fun time to experiment, I’m excited to get back to school to see my friends and teachers and to return to some sense of normality.

Spring/Summer 2021 At the start of the new academic year, I was delighted to meet the new Year 7 students and watch as they made friends and settled into life at Belvedere. Year 7 were fortunate enough to take over the fantastic new Forget Me Not building as their Year 7 base and bubble, with all lessons being taught in form rooms. I have been so impressed with the way they have adapted to the current situation and the support and kindness they have shown to each other. We are very fortunate to have a team of experienced Form tutors in Lower School who have previously worked with Year 7 pupils and are aware of the difficulties often faced with the transition from primary to secondary school. At the start of Year 7, our focus for the students is settling into the academy while they develop friendships. The formation of the present Year 7 bubble has meant that pupils have not seen much of the academy such as our beautiful library, music department and main dining room. Hopefully, at some point, pupils will have the opportunity to have lessons in curriculum bases. Well-being has also formed a major priority for all pupils in Lower School this year, especially during our guided home

learning this term. We have been extremely impressed with the resilience and application shown by Year 7 pupils during this time. Mental health will continue to be a major consideration as we return to school. Activities will continue in form time, through assemblies and well-being drop-in sessions will continue to run each week. Pupils are fortunate enough to have further support, if required from the pastoral team, form tutors, Inclusion and our amazing peer mentors. It has been a pleasure to work with our Year 7 student leaders this year. They have attended meetings, supported with activities, charity events and assisted and participated in our end of term assembly in December. There will be many more opportunities to plan charity events and represent the views of their form during the year. I was extremely proud to watch the end of term Christmas concert where Year 7 Belveling choir performed; we have some very talented students! The ‘Get Active’ GDST campaign to complete the most kilometres in February demonstrated the Year 7 enthusiasm for health and exercise. Many students participated in walking, running, cycling, horse riding and even skateboarding, linking in with Physical Education lessons. We will be continuing with our active play at

Mrs Beddard ponders…

break and lunchtimes as well as gradually returning to an enrichment programme in the future. I continue to be impressed with the way that our pupils have continued with guided home learning as well as other on-line enrichment, library and form activities. During form time and in assemblies this term, we have explored anti-bullying, equality and diversity, mental health, positive podcast, progress reviews, Chinese New Year, Safer Internet Day, World Book Day, Careers, LGBT+ History and Comic Relief. I would like to thank all the staff for continuing to engage and develop the pupils with all these activities and encourage normality during these strange times.

Spring/Summer 2021 LOWER SCHOOL REVIEW WITH MISS JONES AND MRS BEDDARD

how we coped during lockdown! Here is a review of the term from one of our Year 7 students, Isabelle Ferro Coming to Belvedere, I felt excited as well as a little bit nervous because I didn’t know anyone else going and my friend from primary was going to a different school. I was quite scared! On the first day I was the second one in my class to be there, there was another girl sitting so I decided to talk to her and say “Hi”. As soon as we started talking, I thought everything was going to be fine at Belvedere and I didn’t need to be worried. It has been a strange year so far, working in our year 7 ‘bubble’. Having made

friends in the autumn term, I then had to have lessons at home after christmas. I coped with guided home learning very well, my parents were always there to help. It was a bit hard since it was mostly done online and we didn’t really see our friends as much, but luckily teachers were there to help in lessons. It was very important to be positive and look after my mental health.To speak with friends, we did facetime calls sometimes and I called my friend during lessons after google meets so we could work together. I started playing my piano a lot more too, right now I’m learning ‘A Thousand Years’ by Christina Perri.

I went on morning walks sometimes before school as well as getting involved with the PE Department and GDST ‘Get Active Challenge’. I always made sure I was eating healthily and not just snacks. I learnt that it’s hard to be yourself without surrounding yourself with close friends and family, during lockdown I didn’t get to go to LIPA where I would do the 3 things I love : Singing, Dancing and Acting. I read a lot during lockdown and listened to my favourite tunes too. I’m really excited to go back and be back at school.

Inclusion Teaching Room: Make-Over During lockdown, I think we all noticed how important our domestic surroundings are to our wellbeing. We have all spent so much time at home, using our dining rooms as classrooms, gyms, meeting rooms, oh and sometimes even for eating (if there is space on the table in between all the other stuff). Whilst learning and working from home, we have also become much more aware of the flaws in our home: the annoying wet patch underneath a window, the part where the paint is peeling off the door and that the rug in the living room is not as fluffy as it was 5 years ago. The focus on our interior has made many of us spring into action: buying pot-plants, fixing door handles and some have even redecorated their living room. Apparently, our physical environment is just as important for our wellbeing as is nutrition and exercise. With this in mind, we have given the teaching room in the Inclusion

department a make-over during the school-closure. The Estates Department have done a great job in painting the room and setting up the Ikea shelf in a flash. Whilst it all looked very nice and tidy, it had been very lonely without our lovely students. We are so happy that they are back and keen to get stuck into the faceto-face learning again.

What would our school be without the students? A miserable place indeed. Thanks to everyone who has helped to make this room a better learning environment. And let’s hope that this school-closure was the last one.

Spring/Summer 2021

Toasting our First Sea Lord Cadet As a teacher, there are so many times when you feel an overwhelming sense of pride at what your students achieve. Since beginning the Belvedere RN Cadet Section in 2018, these feelings have become noticeably more frequent and none more poignant than those that I felt back in January 2020. Sitting at my desk marking some work one afternoon, an email came through from Navy HQ. It was an invitation for Cadets around the country to apply for a very prestigious appointment; that of First Sea Lord Cadet. This position is the highest that you can achieve as a Cadet in the Combined Cadet Force (CCF), and carries with it very strict conditions for nomination. Reading through these, it became clear that we had one eligible Cadet who would be perfect in that role: Petty Officer Rachel Hugill. One of our founder members of the Contingent, Rachel has achieved an outstanding amount since RN Belvedere began. I read over her application, which detailed all of the courses she had been on, the qualifications she had achieved,

and the huge impact that Cadets has had on her life. Her enthusiasm and dedication was effervescent and bubbled through every line of her letter of application. We both acknowledged that there would be many Cadets applying for this position, as previous First Sea Lord Cadets had had the privilege of visiting places such as 10 Downing Street, and attending events such as the HMS Queen Elizabeth Commissioning Ceremony, and so we knew to be successful would be against the odds. The email that I received on 28th November 2019 showed me that I was wrong to be hesitant in thinking that Rachel may not be successful. SLt Cooper made the announcement that Rachel had been appointed whilst we were on a Cadet trip to The Imperial War Museum, and the Cadets cheered and hugged her, ever supportive as our Cadet family are. On 31st January 2020, PO Rachel Hugill, Mr and Mrs Hugill and I attended her

Vesting Day on board HMS Victory in Portsmouth. The very official ceremony was led by the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Tony Radakin CB ADC, who is the professional head of the Royal Navy. Rachel and two others were sworn into their roles as parents and officers looked on with pride. We were then treated to a tour of HMS Victory, the place where Admiral Lord Nelson fell during the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, a boat tour of the waters surrounding the Historic Dockyard, and enjoyed a delicious lunch whilst able to network with Navy Personnel who were present. PO Hugill held this post until 31st December 2020. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 situation meant that she was unable to attend any events this year, but nevertheless her achievement is definitely something to be celebrated. During this time she has shown so much commitment that she has been promoted to Chief Petty Officer (CPO). As they say in the Royal Navy, Bravo Zulu (congratulations!) CPO Hugill, we are so very proud of your achievements!

Spring/Summer 2021

Winter Concert, “Solitude” Eight months into live music’s pandemicmandated shutdown, can school virtual concerts offer anything we haven’t already seen? Well, with The Belvedere Academy’s Winter Concert, “SOLITUDE” we think we did just that! — serving up a meticulous visual affair, filled to the brim with smooth transitions, over the top special effects (completely my fault as I get far too excited in the editing phase!), and, of course, spectacular

music from our brilliant students. We were determined to recapture weary viewers’ attention at the end of a somewhat dreary 2020! Over the past, we have held concerts in the academy gym, the town hall, Liverpool Cathedral – even St Mark’s Basilica in Venice – all with what you could say a bit of decorum from the audience and perhaps even a dress

code! You might even hear the odd whispered ‘silenzio’ wafting through the ancient speakers as you stroll around some of the Italian cathedrals we have performed in. Well not this concert. This concert was broadcast live to your kitchens, your bedrooms, your living rooms – basically anywhere you have a ‘device’ as the outstanding musicians of The Belvedere Academy hijacked your laptops and mobiles for one hour

#belvedereacademymusic

Spring/Summer 2021

to strut their stuff! In the normal way before a blistering Belvedere concert, anticipation grew as hundreds of pyjama clad families took to their sofas and clutching their refreshments, were about to experience a journey filled with fond memories, thrills, action, adventure, love and laughter. Students, friends and families all across Liverpool were eagerly awaiting The Belvedere Academy’s Winter Concert 2020, “Solitude”. The choristers and musicians took their ‘virtual’ place.

With her usual professionalism and finesse, the Head Chorister Emily Spitzer approached the camera and began with the well-known Once in Royal David’s City. Our special effects team were busy on hand with a broomstick glued to a kitchen sieve, as Emily was dusted with fake snow! No budget spared here at Belve! Wonderful performances ensued, all displaying a wonderful variety of talent and every single year of the academy was represented. Even some older exstudents got involved in the fun, too!

https://belvedereacademy.net/News/SOLITUDE-The-Belvedere-Academy-Virtual-Winter-Conc/

Spring/Summer 2021

The Drama Festival 2020 is definitely one to be remembered! Throughout the months of October to December, all of Years 8, 9 and 12 were working effortlessly to create a 5-10 minute video performance based upon a musical of their choice. This was a little different to other however, the Drama Department and students did not let this stop them! Everyone got stuck in and the academy came alive every dinner time with musical characters scattered throughout the school. Walking through the academy you may have found Sandy and Danny swooning in the yard, Alice in Wonderland hiding in the corridors, Willy Wonker dancing in the gym or Maria and The Von Trapps singing on the staircase.

Year 8 Drama Festival Certificates 8B - School of Rock Best Collaborative Performance 8BM - Alice in Wonderland Best Edit and SFX 8H - Grease Best Love Story 8R- Rocky Horror Show Staff Favourite Award 8S - Charlie Best Ensemble Dance and Acting 8TB - Six Most Sassiest Performance

Through a collaborative effort we were able to make this Lockdown Drama Festival as amazing as any other year! Directors and Media specialists in Year 12 developed creative and innovative visions for their performance ensuring that all scenes had the correct locations around the academy. We couldn’t have done it without our media specialists! Even the staff got involved with their own rendition of One Day More! Year 8 Performances: 8B - School of Rock // 8BM - Alice in Wonderland 8H - Grease // 8R - Rocky Horror Show // 8S Charlie and Chocolate Factory // 8TB - Six Year 9 Performances: 9B - Sound of Music // 9C - Wizard of Oz // 9P - Mamma Mia! // 9R - High School Musical // 9W - Mean Girls

Thoughts of our Year 12 Directors The Drama Festival at Belvedere is often the most anticipated event of the year, so when we were told we were able to still take part and help make it happen, despite COVID, (with a few slight changes from last year), it was really, really good news for everyone. As sixth formers we had the idea to do School of Rock as our production, which luckily when we told the idea to our form, 8B, they loved it too. The biggest challenge for us were auditions as our Year 8 form had to isolate on the scheduled date for auditions, but soon the biggest challenge became casting roles as our form was so talented and varied - it was hard to choose. Rehearsals were both the most fun part and the most hard work us as Sixth Formers and a form did, but luckily our form was enthusiastic and eager to convey their drama capabilities. Filming and editing was a strenuous task at first but soon became really fun as you could tell from our blooper reel! Overall, The Drama Festival was the most rewarding experience - the skills we have learnt will be extremely valuable for all of us and we’re all eternally grateful for being involved! Fatima Hyder-Burney

Spring/Summer 2021

I speak for many when I say there’s a massive hole left by not fully having the performing arts right now because of the pandemic. Drama Fest was needed more than ever in 2020 and it did not disappoint. The Drama Festival provided a morale boost and sparked creativity in times of theatrical shut downs. The filming of performances allowed for a COVIDsafe experience but still with all the fun expected of drama fest! We, as Sixth Formers, were so unbelievably proud of our form, 8R. They took on board everything from the beginning, were enthusiastic, hilarious, talented and genuinely lovely to work with. We could not have had a better group with whom to do the time warp. The future for Belvedere Drama is bright because of the brilliant department, but also because of hardworking, ridiculously talented pupils like those in 8R! Maisie Donohue

Year 9 Drama Festival Certificates 9B - Sound of Music Best Set Location As Sixth Formers, we were so disappointed when we learned that the Drama Festival would not be performed on the stage, as it normally is. However, the global pandemic that drew the whole world to a halt didn’t stop our form; they were hungry to win. We practised multiple times a week, in drama lessons and at lunch times. I won’t lie and say that singing (more like shouting) ‘Get Your Head In The Game’ through a face mask wasn’t stressful - Zac Efron definitely never had to do that but it was worth it in the end.

9C - Wizard of Oz Best Solo Performance 9P - Mamma Mia Most Resilient Form Award 9R - High School Musical Best Duet Performance 9W - Mean Girls Best Understudy Performance

Filming was 100% COVID safe; masks were worn behind the scenes and we were socially distanced at all times. Editing was a gruelling task (shout out to Amy Wong, who received a Terry’s Chocolate Orange for her efforts) but all was redeemed when we found out we won! I can speak for our whole group when I say how proud we were of our form, they worked so hard! I’ll miss them, but when we are once again able to roam freely around the school, I know I’ll have loads of new people to whom to say hi. Tess Cato

Year 8 Oscar Performers: Amelia Jackson, Annie Walker, Molly Ion, Grace Eddy, Libby Clements-Dunn, Aya Sharaf, Gabriella Medina, Annie Shea, Phoebe Kelly-Brookes, Sakura Okamato, Ava Cheeseman-Woolerton Year 9 Oscar Performers: Arabella Smith, Evie Norman, Freya Moore, Mabel Shone, Lily-Rose Williamson, Malika Anderson, Tessa Pennington, Sarah Seed, Hala Al-Shibani, Sofia Lotto And the winners of this year’s Drama Festival were…. 8B School of Rock and 9R High School Musical

Spring/Summer 2021

Belvedere Alumni - Where are they now? Name

ELEANOR BROWN

Time at Belvedere

2007 - 2013

A Levels Studied

TEXTILES, ECONOMICS AND ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Job Title

SHOOT COORDINATOR

I always knew I wanted to work within a Creative / Fashion led industry, but I was never too sure on the particular route or job role I wanted to go after. Design wasn’t for me, but I knew Fashion was my field. I’d always loved Textiles at Belvedere; it was my favourite subject, so, after studying GCSE Textiles, I knew Textiles A-Level was the route I wanted to go down. I wanted to find out more about creative paths and learn how to work in these fast paced, but extremely rewarding industries, and studying this combination of A-Levels really helped me get to where I am today. Textiles opened my eyes immensely to the creative world, it taught me how to work independently, manage my time effectively, it taught me a vast number of creative skills from design and make, to even producing my own photoshoots. It was my foot in the door, to where I am today- and I loved every minute of it! Following on from Belvedere, I decided to study International Business

Management at university, as initially thought I wanted a Business/Marketing role within the Fashion world. I felt like this course provided me with a wider career option path as I wasn’t 100% sure what I wanted to do. In my final year at university, I started freelancing at Missguided in their studios doing admin for the website. It really opened my eyes to how Fashion companies really work and I realised how many more different job roles within this industry there were that I didn’t even know existed. I took a year’s contract at Missguided as pre and post-production coordinator, where I worked very closely with the buying teams and the shoot teams to process every single sample and how and when they got shot; assigning these to the models and the new trends that were coming through. I then became assistant to the studio manager scheduling and planning creative shoots which were used on their homepage and social media platforms. It was so much fun; I had fewer boundaries to play around with and could really

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start putting all that creativity and passion that I had at Belvedere to use! I also spent a lot of time model booking, going to castings, meeting with agencies, trialling new models etc. This was when I started to realise that Studio and Creative Direction was the route, I wanted to pursue So, where am I now? Another year on, I am now a Shoot Coordinator at ASOS. Essentially, I coordinate the shoots: what samples are we shooting? What is the trend? What vibe are we going for? What hair makeup shall we choose to make this look the best it can be? I also choose and edit all the imagery that goes online. I also get the opportunity to work on some of the bigger more elevated shoots which will be used for big launches or homepage assets etc. I love my role and what I do on a day-today basis and this wouldn’t have been possible without the direction and the skills that studying Textiles at Belvedere has provided me!

A glimpse into cooking at home… The past couple of months have been challenging yet rewarding in many ways in food technology. We would like to thank all the families for taking up the challenge to guide and support our students in the family kitchen by giving them permission to cook at home. This has been a great experience for our students because they practised their skills and shared knowledge of various dishes with their families. Year 11 students have been busy cooking their trial dishes making a variety of meals for their families to try!

Year 10 students particularly appreciated the opportunity to cook more! Year 9 students enjoyed their street food project and researched foods from different continents. The results and creativity were nothing short of excellence! Year 8 students enjoyed preparing, cooking and serving seasonal dishes but apple pie was very popular! The highlight for Year 7 students was making pizza with a fresh homemade dough; some students enjoyed designing and making pizza faces following our ‘all about me theme!’ Here’s some of the work our students produced…

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All About… STEM! What is STEM? STEM is an acronym for different subjects with our curriculum. To be precise, it’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These subjects are challenging, crucial and… cool! STEM subjects are invaluable in today’s world, and studying them opens many doors to future study and career options. Studying STEM subjects at GCSE/A Level can lead to outstanding opportunities through apprenticeships and university courses. This can lead to fulfilling careers with benefits that not only include great pay, but also highly rewarding accomplishments! Imagine walking down the street and seeing a

skyscraper you designed… We think you’d feel pretty good about yourself!

STEM Careers: There are thousands of different STEM career options, but here are a few to get you thinking… Could one of them be yours one day? Aerospace Engineer // Architect // Doctor // Astronomer // Programmer Toxicologist // Teacher // Statistical Analyst // Web Developer // Electrical Engineer // Paleontologist // Banking and Actuary

Did you know? STEM jobs are in high demand. With the world currently progressing at astounding rates, people

with STEM qualifications are needed now more than ever. Women only represent around 30% - 35% of the workforce in STEM based careers, with only 15% in Engineering! Employers are actively seeking to make their workforce more equal and therefore women are being sought for STEM jobs now more than ever. Jobs in STEM careers grow twice as fast as other industries! There will be over 100,000 STEM jobs created between now and 2024! If you choose a STEM career, your starting salary will (on average) be 30% higher than people in different career paths!

Maths STEM Week… Goes Virtual! In the new year our Year 7 - 11 students were given the opportunity to take part in various STEM activities within the Mathematics Department. Due to lockdown we unfortunately had to change our plans last minute and bring the Maths week virtual! But in true Belvedere style, we made it happen and it was a massive success! Our students had a great time exploring the world of Mathematics and the careers it can bring.

A talk with Very UK: Our GCSE cohorts were very lucky to receive a talk from Hayley Broadbent, a Credit Analyst from the catalogue group, Very UK. Hayley spoke to the students

about studying Mathematics further than GCSE, exploring both A Level and Degree options. She created discussion amongst the students regarding different careers in Maths, with some very interesting suggestions from our students! Hayley delved into her job role and gave the students an insight into how Maths can be used in the real world and within different careers.

Belvedere

Bridge

Challenge:

Years 7 - 9 were given the opportunity to show off their mathematical skills by building their very own bridge. The brief was simple: build a bridge using only paper, tape and two weighted items. The students had to submit pictures and videos of their structures withstanding

the forces of wind and weight. Extra points given for creativity and design! The entries were outstanding and the Mathematics Department were so impressed with all the entries. We couldn’t choose just one winner, so we decided on a few. Well done everyone! Year 7: 1st Place: Claudia Palethorpe, 2nd Place: Juliet Brand. Runners Up: Matilda Waters, Muna Nammora, Zuzanna Ksiazyk and Laya Devabaktuni Year 8: 1st Place: Charlotte Brooke, 2nd Place: Kimberley Lunt Thanks to all students for getting involved with our Maths STEM Week! Coming soon… Science STEM Week!!

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“Why Languages?” 2021 During the last half term, the MFL staff ran virtual events with Year 9 and Year 11 to give them a better understanding of all the advantages that they could gain by opting for a second language at GCSE or continuing to study French or Spanish at A Level. Students in both year groups learned about the benefits of continuing to study languages, both in terms of the personal skills that you can develop and also the professional opportunities that could open up in the future. They found out about options such as joint honours degrees which combine a language with another subject such as Chemistry, Law or Accountancy, including starting a brand new language as part of their degree course.

reading English and French at Oxford and our very own Mr Woolley, who spoke about his decision to take a sabbatical year in Germany. Here are just a few of the many positive comments from students after the events: “It was really useful as it gave me a better idea of where languages can take you in the future and how I could link it to other subjects I am interested in.” (Zoe, Y11) “I enjoyed learning about the different opportunities that studying multiple languages can give you and the cool experiences you can have from it.” (Grace, Y9)

“It was really informative and has persuaded me to study a language when I’m at uni. I plan to hopefully study a few languages like Korean, Chinese and possibly Japanese if there are courses there available. If not, I will try and learn it in my free time!!” (Rachel, Y11) “I liked learning about how much you can do abroad with the knowledge of two or more languages.” (Freya, Y9) In an increasingly competitive and global job market, it is clear that learning and speaking another language can really set you apart from the rest of the crowd. We also truly believe that learning another language, travelling abroad and finding out about other cultures can only serve to enrich our lives!

They also took part in some fun activities like a Kahoot with some surprising statistics about languages and having a go at some tricky tongue twisters in French, Spanish and Mandarin. Year 11 had a great opportunity to listen to guest speakers from the University of Liverpool who discussed the exciting prospect of a year abroad, and also a Senior Marketing Manager employee of Princes Ltd whose language skills have really furthered her career after her education at Belvedere. We were also joined virtually by another Belvedere past pupil, Nali S, who is currently

Aiming to Try a Tri - Mrs McAnsepy As with so many people, 2020 and 2021 have given us much more reason to get active for the physical and mental benefits of exercise. Obviously as a PE Teacher, I have always been very keen to lead an active healthy lifestyle and so many of you have heard me preach the benefits of training and exercise. So, this year I have set myself a goal of completing a Triathlon.

750m open water swim followed by a 21.6km bike ride and finishing with a 5km run. I have made my first tentative steps to training for it by dusting off my bike during the GDST Get Active Challenge and some short distance runs, but I have yet to venture open water swimming. I will keep you updated on my progress, so watch this space!! Yikes!!

I have entered the Windermere Triathlon in July, where I will be completing a

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Keeping Fit During Lockdown -

What is an AMRAP and a EMOM Workout? A must-know acronym for all fitness fans, AMRAP stands for ‘as many repetitions as possible’ – so, no rest until the clock stops. During lockdown this type of workout has become super popular as it can be beneficial to literally anyone at any fitness level. To design your AMRAP you firstly choose which exercises you want to do, then choose how long you want to work for. You then do “as many rounds as possible” in your set time. This makes it a perfect and challenging at home training technique that can be squeezed into even the busiest of days. Here’s one to try (see AMRAP photo to the right). Another popular training method similar to the AMRAP is the EMOM; an acronym for “every minute on the minute,” EMOM workouts challenge you to complete an exercise for a certain number of reps in less than 60 seconds. The difference being the remaining time within the minute serves as your recovery. The recovery time is crucial and you shouldn’t skip it. Again an EMOM workout can be as long or short as you like. Why not try this one for your next home workout? (see EMOM photo below) Why not give these a try and let the PE Department know how you get on?

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GDST Get Active Challenge The GDST GET ACTIVE Challenge was set by the trust office to see which school out of the 25 GDST schools could complete the most kilometers throughout the month of February. As a way to try and beat the winter lockdown blues and encourage people to get out of the house and get active, this challenge not only increased people’s fitness levels but it also helped raise their mental well being too. Here’s what some of the staff, students and parents had to say about it. Mrs Reynolds from PE said: “Starting a new job in a new school in January, in the middle of a pandemic, when the school was effectively closed, could have been a very lonely and tricky time. However, this challenge gave me a way to get to know so many staff and students and learn about their love (and sometimes loath) of all things active. It’s been a great ice breaker and I’ve really enjoyed getting out and active, running, swimming and cycling my way through lockdown. I had no idea how competitive the Belvedere Staff were and can’t wait to start teaching PE face to face in the near future when the pupils come back to school.” Lily Skidmore from year 13 said: “A few years ago I was really sporty, my entire week was spent swimming, doing gymnastics, ice skating and karate however I developed a condition in my knees where it left me in pain and useless in the sports I did. For a while, I was really unmotivated and lockdown prevented me from doing the small amount of activity I could manage. This new year, I decided I wanted to regain my self esteem that I used to have, so started the Gymshark #activeeveryday66 this really helped with my fitness. Then when the GDST Get Active started I really started to embrace my competitive side again and this boosted my confidence and motivation. I started walking everywhere with my dog and even though my knees are stopping me from running hopefully this challenge will help me to build my strength so that I can try to run again!”

pupils and families have enjoyed taking part and it has encouraged them, like me, to get more active. We have raced up the GDST leader board and really proven that we are not going to be beaten. I knew some of our staff were competitive, but this has taken it to a

new level! Speaking personally, I have really enjoyed discovering so many new places in the local area to walk, run and cycle.” Miss Renalls-Wells said: “It’s made me realise just how ‘inactive’ I am, seeing

“We have really enjoyed the Get Active Challenge. It has given us the opportunity to go on family walks to parks in our local area.” The Gazdecki family

“Loved having the motivation to get my trainers out and go for a run. I’m not a fast runner but the positives gained from fresh air and nature have been brilliant. Wouldn’t have done it without the challenge!” Mrs Cox

Mrs Taylor said: “I am so proud of everyone at Belvedere who has got involved in this challenge - I hope all the

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GDST Get Active Challenge others fly ahead in terms of km covered. It’s been a wake-up call and hopefully the start of introducing some healthy habits!” Mrs McAnepsy said: “The GDST Get active challenge has been a great challenge to start off 2021, a chance to get involved in some friendly, healthy competition between staff and departments. It has given us a focus and escape from the current situation we are in. Lots of fun, but glad it was only a month, ha!” Mrs Everett said: “I enjoy being active and getting out in the fresh air most days; being a part of this challenge has been great because it’s given me an extra push to get outdoors even on really cold days, and I always feel better both physically and mentally afterwards. It’s also got me back into cycling, which I used to love but haven’t done much for a few years.” Mrs Koltuniak said: “It’s made me get out in the freezing cold, wind and rain to get those kms in-all for a great cause-trying to beat the other schools! I’ve enjoyed looking at other staff members’ maps on Strava to give me some inspiration for new walks/runs/bike rides.”

“I did this challenge to compete with my dad (I won) and to be fully fit for when my netball resumes.” Lilly Ella Ford (and Betsy)

Miss McLean said: “I have set myself a running challenge each lockdown and so for the third (and fingers crossed final) lockdown, I thought the GDST Get Active challenge would give me an excuse to wrack up those KMs and complete my first Half Marathon; with a few pep talks, I completed it in 2 hours and 14 minutes. The challenge has really helped me stay focused during these tough times!” The Gazdecki family said: “We have really enjoyed the Get Active Challenge.

It has given us the opportunity to go on family walks to parks in our local area. We have enjoyed being in woodlands and parks as a change from being at home so much and only going on short walks around our local streets. We have walked in different types of weather, from snowy to rainy and sunny, and have challenged ourselves by going on foot to parks rather than taking the car. On two occasions, we have walked from our home through Knowsley Village and the Little Wood to Croxteth Country Park and yesterday we walked/cycled to Court Hey Park via Woolfall Heath Meadow and Alt Park.” Lilly Ella Ford in year 7 said: “My family all completed Fit February. As part of a

“I could cycle indoors when the weather was bad and still keep up my kms” Sakura Okamoto

Spring/Summer 2021 challenge set by my netball club, my dad and I ran 4.2km every day - which totals 117.6km. My first run took me 26.18 minutes and my personal best was 18.56 minutes! On top of this, I walked/biked 356.6km over the month. This included a 20km bike ride with my nan and daily walks with my dog. I also completed at least 10000 steps every day with my Fitbit. To complement my exercise, I made a huge effort to eat healthily with plenty of fruit and vegetables and I abstained from junk food for the whole month.

National Careers’ Week: Y8 Graphics As part of the National Careers’ Week, Mr Dykeaylen introduced Y8 to a design agency called Minalima. They are responsible for making props and images for Harry Potter Movies. Most of the students said they had not realised that Graphic Design for movies was even a career, and it is certainly an exciting area of design to get in to! After seeing the work that Minalima did for various movies, Year 8 Graphics were tasked with designing their own props for movies - in effect becoming Minalima for the day! They had to write a creative brief and explain what their ideas were and how these props would be used within the movie. They then produced some fabulous ideas for props (especially as this was during GHL), some of which are featured below!

I did this challenge to compete with my dad (I won) and to be fully fit for when my netball resumes.” The Sanderson family said: “I don’t know how my knees and ankles managed it but they did. The experience has been a really positive one, we have talked a lot, argued a bit and generally put the world to rights. We have revisited some old haunts and relived memories and discovered new places we didn’t know existed and we are going to keep on walking.” Sakura Okamoto from year 8 said: “I cycled while watching TV. The systems I used were RGT and Zwift. It meant I could cycle indoors when the weather was bad and still keep up my kms”

Phoebe Wood’s brilliant book cover for Fantastic Beasts

“ We have revisited some old haunts and relived memories and discovered new places we didn’t know existed and we are going to keep on walking.”

Annabelle Ward’s Quidditch poster to be used as a prop in Harry Potter, it will hang on the wall in one of the common rooms or a dormitory for decoration Florence Beare’s billboard design to be used in Harry Potter warning Sirius Black is at loose.

The Sanderson family

Holly Cropper’s hand-crafted love letter prop to be used in ‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ Farida Ahmed’s sign design for the City of Forks to be used in Twilight

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A message from the departing and As it is time to hand over the role of Head Girl to the new team I wanted to take the time to reflect on my time as Head Girl over the last 12 months. Working with other members of the team we managed to create charity events, such as selling pink masks for Breast Cancer Awareness week, as well as begin to work closely with younger pupils in the student leadership meetings where we assisted them in the beginning of their projects to help the Belvedere community. Charlotte and Isobel, my two deputy Head Girls have assisted in so many ways with the meetings and organisation of different events and I’m very grateful that I always had their support throughout our time working together. In addition the five senior prefects Lily, Ellie, Emma, Hope and Tanya have been a perfect addition to this year’s Head Girl team and their hard work is evident through the student leadership meetings and projects around topics such as mental health, inclusivity and acceptance. When I applied for this role it was just before the first lockdown. Despite this I was still very excited for the opportunity and in all honesty I never dreamed that I

would actually get Head Girl. The last 12 months have been extremely unexpected for us all and we never imagined half of our time as a Head Girl Team would be spent working from home. Although it doesn’t seem like the ideal situation it actually allowed us to develop skills that we didn’t even know we had that I’m sure we will benefit from in the future. Working virtually, doing google meets and creating and editing videos is what stands out most for me when reflecting on our time as a team. I am so grateful for the team that I have had the opportunity to work with as Head Girl and I will always be thankful for their support and cooperation throughout the pandemic. The time and effort they have put into everything we have managed to do together is so appreciated by me and all other students they have helped this year. A while ago I was asked what I love about Belvedere, reflecting on my answer from a year ago, what I love about Belvedere is the support and encouragement from everyone in our school community. Without this I don’t think my time as Head Girl would have been as enjoyable and worked as smoothly as it has done. I

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new Head Girls, Gemma and Honor hope that the new Head Girl Team has the opportunity to work with all students across the school and make a really positive impact with their work. I also hope that our work as a team leaves a lasting effect on the students in younger years as one thing that inspired me to apply for Head Girl in the first place was the example that was set by past pupils. The one piece of advice that I would leave you with is to make the most of everything, the last 12 months have probably been the most challenging time for a lot of people but being able to adapt to change and still work hard and achieve your goals is something that everyone should be proud of. I wish the best of luck to the new Head Girl Team and I know you’ll be an amazing team! Gemma. -----------I’ll begin by saying how grateful I am to have been appointed head girl of our fantastic school, Belvedere. I’m so glad to have this opportunity to represent you all and am so happy to be able to work with this wonderful Head Girl Team.

School is such an important part of our lives. Just think how long we spend here - nearly 7 hours a day, 5 days a week. I passionately believe it’s vital that everyone feels welcome, included and part of our school community. This is what ‘Being Belvedere’ is all about. I want to play an active role in contributing to a school environment that people truly enjoy being a part of, where students look forward to learning, seeing their classmates and know that there’s always someone to go to for support if they need it. Throughout this year, I and the rest of the head girl team want to reach out to every student to find out what matters to you and how we can make Belvedere even better. We want to hear your ideas and work with you to bring about a strong school community where you feel you belong, you are represented and your voice is heard. I’m really looking forward to this year ahead and doing all that I can to enrich your school experience. Honor.

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The Principal’s thoughts on the HGT

When I chat to both our departing Head Girls and our new team, I am struck by how brilliantly they all encapsulate what it is to “Be Belvedere”. Not only are they committed to their learning and persistent in their desire to do their best, but they are also committed to the Belvedere community and making this the very best educational experience for all pupils, staff and their families. They are generous in sprit and appreciative of the diverse nature of the academy community and incredibly supportive of eachother, their peers and pupils across all the year groups.

Centre - even though they had to manage doing this whilst pupils remained in their year group bubbles.

Gemma Newby and her team have not had an easy tenure as a Head Girls’ team. They have lived through two lockdowns and an autumn term during which many pupils and staff contracted Covid 19 and most pupils, at one time or another, had to live through a period of self isolation. Despite this they have led Student Leader teams very well. They have not been afraid to work with Student Leaders in other year groups and to give them their voice and then to feedback to myself and other staff regarding areas for development. They have led charity events including the hugely successful Harvest food collection for the Whitechapel

I would like to thank Gemma, her deputies Isobel and Charlotte and the team of senior prefects and prefects for their work. I have enjoyed meeting with them weekly and I know they have made their mark despite so much of this year exiting in the virtual world of Guided Home Learning. I would also like to thank our Year 13 Equalities and Diversity team who have worked so closely with the pupils and with staff during this year. Both teams leave a real legacy behind them and have made a real difference to the development of the academy moving forwards.

Honor Murphy and her new team are well placed to learn from Gemma and to make a real difference to academy life in the coming year. They have already shown themselves to have an excellent team spirit, supporting one another through the selection process and showing resourcefulness in the projects they have suggested might run next year. I know they will have a real impact on academy life.

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WORLD BOOK DAY World Book Day is always a highlight on the Belvedere calendar, a day when the whole school comes together to celebrate the joy of reading and to highlight the books, authors and ideas that shape our lives.

Through the challenges of this year, many of our students were drawn into the world of fiction as a source of comfort, inspiration and indeed companionship at a time when real social interaction has been so limited. For this reason, we felt it especially important to use this year’s event as an opportunity to not just celebrate books in and of themselves, but books as a catalyst for learning, compassion and empathy - all qualities that underpin the ‘Being Belvedere’ ethos.

English teacher Miss Brooks was the guest speaker on the Positive Pod, talking about why reading is such an important aspect of growing up and maturing.

This year we launched a ‘Virtual Library’, an educational tool showcasing non-fiction books that have impacted teachers’ lives across each strand of the curriculum: from Philosophy and Ethics through to Citizenship, STEM Subjects and History.

We hope that next year our celebrations can continue in a world that has returned to a more recognisable form of normality, but it is uplifting to know that books will remain a source of inspiration no matter what events take place in the wider world.

Elsewhere, we had some fantastic entries in our book cover competition where students and staff recreated their favourite books cover, and forms took part in a specially themed World Book Day Quiz.

Governor Vacancies The Belvedere Academy are looking to appoint committed volunteers to join the Local Governing Body to bring your skills to the boardroom and give back to the community. School governors play an important role in leading the school and ensuring the students receive the best educational experience. We are interested in hearing from volunteers with a range of skills, specialist knowledge and experience. We are particularly keen to hear from volunteers with experience in Human Resources, Facilities Management and especially those with strong links in the

local community. Whilst this is not a parent governor role; we would welcome applications from parents, supporters and members of the wider school community. As a local governor you will be expected to attend the quarterly meetings of the Local Governing Body. As well as attending the meetings, you would be expected to use your skills and experiences to contribute in making a positive difference to the effective running of the school and improve outcomes for the students.

More information about the governance of The Belvedere Academy can be found on our website https://www. belvedereacademy.net/Governors/ To apply for this voluntary position please send a statement detailing why you wish to be a governor and what you feel you could bring to the role by Friday 9th April to Clerk to the Governors, Nicola Smith n.smith@belvedereacademy.net, or if you would like to know more about the role please contact Chair of Governors, Kieran O’Sullivan kieran.o’sullivan@ belvedereacademy.net

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Have you had a taste for the classroom whilst you’ve been juggling with home schooling? If so, why not take a look at our School Direct Programme in conjunction with Liverpool John Moores University and Archbishop Blanch School? You could train to teach at Belvedere and become part of the supportive and outstanding community. Coupled with first hand experience in the classroom, you will receive training from Belvedere staff, LJMU and our lead school Archbishop Blanch. It is the first year that we have been involved with School Direct and it has been a huge success because our trainees become part of the staff as they are with us from the first day in September and spend the majority of their time in school rather than out at university. We have had five superb trainees who have integrated themselves fully into academy life and who have honed their teaching skills. We have also recently appointed one of the trainees for a teaching position in September.

Miss Thompson: English - If you’d have told me this time last year I would be teaching at my old school I wouldn’t have believed you. When I applied for my teacher training course last April I never thought it would be an option, so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw my old English teacher at my interview! I will admit, I did get a slight buzz at the thought of seeing Belvedere from ‘behind the scenes’. When I was a pupil I often wondered what the teachers talked about in the staff room, now I’m one of those teachers it feels like I’ve come full circle. Since the first day of my training, I have felt supported by all the staff at Belve. Something that’s really helped during the endless lesson planning! As a School Direct trainee, I have been able to fully integrate myself into the school community and feel like a member of staff.

This has really helped me to establish myself as a teacher in the classroom and build great relationships with pupils in my classes. I have also had access to some amazing CPD opportunities whilst at Belvedere which has helped not only benefit my confidence as a teacher but also my knowledge on classroom practice. Belvedere has provided me with the best quality training I could have asked for during what has been a rather strange and unpredictable time for trainee teachers! One of my highlights has been getting to know my fellow trainees. Over the course of this intense year it has been reassuring to be part of a tight knit group who are always willing to listen and support each other. I have made friends for life. It doesn’t feel like it was a year ago when I started this journey and I can’t believe I only have twelve weeks left at Belve. All I can say is, my next school has a lot to live up to!

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Miss Staunton: MFL - I began the School Direct programme in September 2020 and I was immediately welcomed by staff and students alike. I chose the School Direct programme because I knew that I wanted a schools-based focus which was complemented by university study, with as much classroom experience as possible. Equally, I liked the idea of remaining within one school for the entire academic year, which would allow me to build strong relationships with staff and students. I have been treated as a member of staff since my arrival at Belvedere, along with the position and responsibilities that this entails. The first term primarily consisted of observations, supporting and team teaching, which transitioned to solo teaching even before the October halfterm break. By Christmas, I felt I had the support and training needed to confidently lead around 9-10 hours of solo classes per week. Unfortunately, after Christmas, everything changed and we had to get used to a new classroom environment: teaching online. Without the pandemic, I would have spent the six weeks between Christmas and February half term undertaking an alternative placement at another school, however this was postponed. Instead, we were faced with eight weeks of Guided Home Learning, with live lessons and work set accordingly.

Academy, where I have been a School Direct trainee teacher since September. It has been a challenging year to say the least, but I believe it was the best place to not only survive the daunting year of teacher training - especially during a global pandemic - but thrive because of its outstanding ITT Programme, multifaceted educational opportunities including enrichment and extracurricular activities, and overall supportive community of both staff and pupils.”

The training year so far has been extremely unusual and challenging in many ways, trying to juggle the usual stresses of a training year whilst trying to navigate life in lockdown. However, I am so lucky to be part of a great group of trainees. We have supported each other throughout the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, always ready to listen and to learn. I am also grateful for all of the advice, support and feedback from colleagues. What a team! Miss Renals Wells: And hot off the press, Miss Renals Wells has been appointed as an Art and Graphics Teacher at Belvedere. She says, “I am over the moon to have secured my dream job as an Art and Graphics teacher at the Belvedere

If you would like more details about this route into teaching in September 2021, please email schooldirect@belvedereacademy.net

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What kind of leader are you? Student Leadership Perhaps the days of the alpha female, storming her way to the top, are over. In her place, a breed of more thoughtful, emotionally intelligent female leaders is emerging. And her power is more subtle. She isn’t always the loudest person in the room, she isn’t the toughest or most emotionally secure either. She is the one who is happy to admit her failures are as valuable for learning as her successes. The one who confidently confesses to the moments when she didn’t make the right call.

After a number of discussions with both our current pupils and Head Girl Team and also our alumni, we have reframed the concept of the ‘Head Girl’ and instead we have taken away the hierarchy of Head Girl and Deputy Head Girl to instead have two Student Leaders representing each form. It was felt that this move would allow more pupils to develop their leadership and would place the emphasis firmly on leadership. We also changed our

election process so that pupils all voted for who they thought would make a good Student Leader and then the five who got the most votes per class were invited to apply and fill in an application form and to do a presentation to their class before a final anonymous vote. Karen Kimura, Leadership and Development Manager at GDST delivered inspiring sessions on leadership to the new student leader teams for each year group where they focused on their own

leadership style and how to develop it. The response from the Student Leaders was fantastic and they were enthused and excited after the session about the part they can play in shaping Belvedere’s future. To find out your leasdership style, take a look at the answers on the next page. You might look at these animals and reflect that some are more positive than others. But each has a distinctive leadership style.

Spring/Summer 2021

“I love being a student leader because people trust you to voice their opinions and concerns. Being a student leader means we focus on both positive and negative actions within the school and work to improve it. This is one of my favourite parts of being a Student

Leader because I am making a change to improve the wellbeing of students both in and outside of the classroom. I am a voice for my peers and someone they can rely on to help them. I am here to help the students of Belvedere and that’s why I love this role!” Lotanna Eltringham-Onoura

Eagle: excellent vision, can see the big picture, able to spot opportunities, high flying

Tiger: the risk taker, all or nothing, fearless

Tortoise: resilient, patient, longevity – not going to burn out

Snake: confident, able to change (shed skin, start again)

Sisterhood with one Queen BUT, the leader can change according to circumstances.

Lion: dominant, decisive, not open to challenge

New club, new business?

Take advantage of our amazing facilities hire SPORTS HALL

DRAMA STUDIO

10m x 10m. Currently used as a space for church groups, conferences/talks, theatre/dance sessions. Capacity with tiered seating – 140 seats.

CLASSROOMS

MULTI-USE HALL WITH STAGE*

6 brand new classrooms. Modern furniture and large screen digital displays.

18m x 11m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions and exercise classes. It has also been used as a yoga space in the past and for theatre and musical productions.

BREAKOUT SPACE

DANCE STUDIO 7m x 9m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions.

*The PA system is not included in the price of this room and is not available for use.

We have a range of excellent facilities available to hire. If you are interested in hiring any of our facilities, please e-mail Hannah Miller at Facilities@belvedereacademy.net

Airy and light space with a capacity of 200. Ideal for conferences, meetings, celebrations or coaching.

FLOODLIT NETBALL COURT 47

EDITOR: Mrs Jones DESIGN: Mr Dykeaylen Many thanks to teaching staff who have contributed articles and photographs. For more

news please visit www.belvedereacademy.net If you have any comments or suggestions for the magazine then please contact Mr Peter Dykeaylen: p.dykeaylen@belvedereacademy.net

The Belvedere Academy, 17 Belvedere Road, Princes Park, Liverpool, L8 3TF. 0151 727 1284 E: info@belvedereacademy.net www.belvedereacademy.net

Being - The Belvedere Academy Ezine - Spring 2021

Articles inside

The Drama Festival roll of honours

Staying Positive in a Pandemic

Testing Times - organsing the mass lateral flow testing

Winter Concert - Solitude

Lower School - how we coped during lockdown