Edition 12 04/01/17
CLF NEWS “Embedding Excellence”
A NEW BUILD AND A NEW PRINCIPAL FOR DIGITECH STUDIO SCHOOL Digitech Studio School students got off to brand new start this term. Not only did they move into their brand new building but they were under the guidance of a new Principal. Lis Jolley has just taken up the post and is very excited about the new challenge ahead.
ALSO INSIDE THIS ISSUE......
Flying Start Take Off
Built by construction company ISG the Studio School will boast the latest state of the art technology and will cater for 360 students between the ages of 14-19. There will be a range of modern work areas and design spaces, along with a sports/ dining hall, cafe and kitchen. There will also be an external student social area, and photovoltaic panels at roof level will provide emission free electricity.
Spooky Bikes At Minerva
As well as offering mainstream qualifications that include GCSEs and A-levels, Digitech Studio School students also take part in regular work experience and employer-led workshops and projects as part of their studies. This will hopefully enable them to progress into creative, digital and high-tech industries of the future.
Lis Jolley Principal said, “This is an amazing opportunity for me and I am really looking forward to working with students, business partners, colleagues and parents at this very exciting stage of Digitech’s journey. We have a fantastic building to allow staff to deliver our innovative and exciting curriculum that will enhance our students learning journey now, at Post 16 and then either university or the workplace.”
JCA Students Perform At The Royal Albert Hall
Lis Jolley with DSSB students Lewis Wild Year 11 said, “Being a student at Digitech has given me the opportunity to work at Airbus and also to visit Concorde as part of our regular work experience programme.
Rohan Dewan Year 11 said, “We have an amazing modern building, with all the facilities and latest technology we could ever need.”
“Embedding Excellence”
Students, employees and special guests celebrate the launch of the Airbus Foundation Challenge in the UK
A Flying Start To challenge Bristol, 14 September 2016 – At the launch of the UK’s first Flying Challenge programme, 30 young students from Bristol Metropolitan Academy in Fishponds met Olympian Kriss Akabusi and French Astronaut Claudie Haigneré. The programme sees the 13 and 14 year old students embark on a unique and potentially life-changing opportunity to work with Airbus employees. During the year-long programme they will learn about flight, careers in aviation, develop new skills, and gain practical experience. The Flying Challenge programme, which is the Airbus Foundation’s largest youth mentoring programme, will include 20 weekly sessions at Airbus where they will get “behind the scenes” access to aviation design and test experts and facilities on the Filton site. They will also visit other aviation organisations in the Bristol area including Rolls Royce and Bristol airport and have a flying lesson. By the time they graduate from the Flying Challenge, participants will have undertaken a wide range of aerospace experiences, worked with committed employee mentors, completed a skills portfolio and worked towards a nationally recognised qualification. This Airbus Foundation programme is being supported by two local charities ABLAZE, who aim to raise young people's aspiration, attainment and skill levels, and fly2help, who use the power of flight to help people change their lives. Trevor Higgs, UK Head of Engineering at Airbus said: “This cohort of students will be the UK’s first to embark on the journey. We at Airbus in Filton are proud to be a part of these students’ lives, and look forward to seeing their talents develop over the coming year.” Phillipa Evans Design and Technology teacher at Bristol Metropolitan Academy said: “Today has been a really great opportunity to engage and meet with the team from Airbus at the start of this amazing project, our students are really excited and looking forward to this huge challenge. Our students were also inspired to hear from three times Olympic medallist, athlete Kriss Akabusi and Astronaut Claudie Haigneré about their hard work and effort that took them to the top of their professions! A truly inspiring morning for staff and students alike.” Since the start of the Airbus Flying Challenge in 2012 around 1,460 young students across France, Spain and the USA have completed the programme. They have been mentored by 585 Airbus Group employee volunteers. Pictured right Olympian Kriss Akabusi
“Embedding Excellence”
Students Perform At The Royal Albert Hall
300 musicians & Singers of the mass choir
John Cabot Academy students
Twelve vocalists and three musicians from John Cabot Academy took part in the Music for Youth schools proms 2016 at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The evening was a large scale concert consisting of performances from across the length and breadth of the UK, and John Cabot students took part in a massed performance of a world premiere of a choral piece. This opportunity has taken over a year of application and planning from South Gloucestershire, Gloucester and BANES music hubs and it eventually made the shortlist from approximately 16 mass performances put forward nationally. The three authorities commissioned a local composer, Philip Harper, to compose a piece based on Shakespeare to celebrate his 400th anniversary. The performance itself featured over 300 musicians from the three authorities including our talented John Cabot students! The students have given up a huge amount of their time both in school, during half term and the whole day the previous Sunday to rehearse with the other children. Charlotte Grierson Music teacher said, "On arrival at the Royal Albert hall, students were taken aback by the sheer size of this iconic venue. After several rehearsals with lighting and sound, we were ready for the real thing. The performance was incredibly special, as the only massed ensemble in the concert. The students were thoroughly supported by parents from Bristol and overall the whole day was an experience that will stay with them for a long time."
Hate Crime Bus Visits Academy
Hans Price Academy students had the chance to board North Somerset’s Hate Crime Awareness bus which stopped at the academy on a tour of the local area. The aim of the visit was to raise awareness of what hate crime is, how to report it and how the local and wider community can work together to fight it. The bus was opened to both students and parents and is part of the North Somerset Hate Crime awareness Roadshow. Nicky Munro assistant Principal said, “This was a great opportunity for our students to learn how serious hate crime actually is, particularly in terms of the local and post referendum national picture. We want our students to take part and be proud of the multi-cultural society we live in.”
“Embedding Excellence”
Halloween Bikers Spooktacular!! It was Halloween with a difference at one Bristol primary. Pupils at Minerva Primary Academy, who are part of the Cabot Learning Federation, decorated their bikes and scooters Halloween style and rode them into school for the annual Bike-o-Ween competition. Thirty pupils from Years 3, 4, 5 and 6 took their bikes and scooters into a special assembly to have them judged. Judges looked particularly for decorations the children have made themselves. Pupils did a brilliant job, spending a lot of time and effort decorating a range of scooters and bikes that looked very scary indeed! Cath Archer Learning Mentor, who organised this event said, “Although this is a great fun activity for the children to take part in we are hoping this will encourage children to get to school by bike or scooter as part of our healthy living programme. This event is part of a range of activities that take place throughout the year to encourage healthy eating and exercise.”
Cabot Learning Federation primaries have achieved the Federation Primaries Two Bristol Every Child a Reader (ECaR) standard. Begbrook Primary Academy and Wallscourt Farm Academy have just Win Top Award been presented with this prestigious award.
Representatives from each school were presented with an ECaR plaque by Councillor Jeff Lovell, Lord Mayor of Bristol, at the Mansion House. The ECaR programme identifies children struggling to get to grips with reading and offers intensive one-to-one support with a specialist reading recovery teacher to help them get back on track. Books are carefully ‘banded’ to ensure children are reading at exactly the right level to help them improve. Some schools also have reading partners who are trained to understand the skills children need to be good readers, so they can analyse where problems may be and ensure children are supported to overcome them and improve their reading skills. Reading Recovery has a significant impact on standards because, in addition to providing one-to-one intervention, it also supports teachers in raising standards in literacy for all pupils. Rachael Symons Reading Recovery teacher and ECaR Lead at Begbrook Academy said, “Achieving the Every Child a Reader (ECaR) standard has been the culmination of several years’ hard and exciting work. The ECaR standard aims to ensure that all children who attend our school receive the highest possible standard of teaching reading throughout their time with us. Achieving the ECaR standard is proof that as a school we ensure that all pupils are given the best opportunities to read for pleasure as well as to achieve the highest standards of reading. We are very proud to have been awarded the ECaR standard and will continue to develop a deep love of reading among our pupils.” Amy Woolnough teacher at Wallscourt Farm Academy said, “We are delighted to have been awarded the ECAR award this year. Reading is a key part of life and learning at Wallscourt Farm Academy, and we are determined to ensure all children benefit from the opportunities and joy that reading brings. Our team, children, families and communities have all worked together, with excellent support from the team in Bristol, to ensure reading for pleasure is at the heart of the curriculum and we are so pleased that this has been recognised through the ECAR award.”
“Embedding Excellence”
Children In Need Across The Federation
BMA Librarian Helen Harmen pictured with student for Pudsey cake sale
Bristol Brunel Academy Receptionists
Students at Bristol Metropolitan Academy participated in the Big Read to raise money for Children in Need. Students were sponsored by friends and family to read as many books as possible for Children in Need. This is the fifth year the Big Read has taken place; this is to not only raise money for Children in Need but also to help improve the students’ literacy skills. In recent years students participating in the Big Read have raised over £6,000. Last year Academies that participated raised £600 and Bristol Met is hoping to raise more this year. Students also organised a cake sale to raise even more money! Since Bristol Met started the Big Read, a number of Cabot Learning Federation primary and secondary Academies have been involved to do their bit to raise money for this amazing cause. Primary Academies involved with the Big Read included Minerva Academy and Frome Vale Academy. Bristol Brunel Academy invited students to come into school dressed in as many spots as possible, students got into the spirit by painting their faces with spots and purchasing Children in Need clothing. Bristol Brunel also ran a Question of Sport screening during their lunch break in the library where students answered questions about sport. Helen Harman librarian at Bristol Met said, “I enjoy the big read on Children in Need day so much, I love to see all the students getting involved and helping each other to improve their literacy and reading. It’s such a fun activity which also contributes to such a great cause.” Written by Gemma Slocombe (Cabot Learning Federation Post 16 student)
Pictured right the Big Read at Bristol Met
Pictured above BBA Librarian Sarah Middleton with her student Librarians
Pupils at Frome Vale Academy
Pupils at Minerva Academy
“Embedding Excellence”
Colin Pillinger Lecture Out Of This World
On Friday 25th of November Professor Monica Grady from the European Space Agency gave a lecture in the Hexagon to Post 16 students from the CLF and Year 9, 10 and 11 students from King’s Oak Academy. This is the annual Colin Pillinger memorial Lecture. Professor Grady is a leading authority on meteorites and was curator of meteorites at the Natural History Museum before becoming involved with the Rosetta expedition and more recently the Exomars project.
Professor Grady’s lecture focused on the early exploration of Mars and brought students right up to date with Beagle and Exomars projects. Professor Pillinger was an ex pupil of King’s Oak Academy and visited in 2003 to lecture on the Beagle at the time that it was due to land on Mars. Mars has been of great interest because in many ways it is similar to Earth. It has a rocky surface on which we can see the remains of huge volcanoes and great rivers. Could life have existed on Mars? In her talk, Monica Grady talked through some of the latest results and findings from missions to Mars and what they have found out about the Red Planet. Tim Bush Science teacher who organised this visit said, “We established a link with the Pillinger family almost fourteen years ago and we are very proud of this. These lectures inform our students first hand of the amazing work that is being carried out by scientists and physicists not only on this planet but on other planets. Myself, colleagues and students are very privileged indeed to attend lectures of this type.”
Professor Monica Grady pictured with students
Julia Donaldson Day At Begbrook Primary Academy All Begbrook Primary Academy Reception pupils dressed up as their favourite Julia Donaldson characters for a celebration day. Students have been learning about the different stories written by Julia Donaldson. Pupils took part in various activities throughout the day in relation to the books including making Gruffalo crumble and writing and creating their own books. Miss Sarah Godding Reception class teacher said, “Today has been a wonderful opportunity for the children to learn more about a fantastic author. It is also a chance for colleagues to promote literacy and the importance of reading in a fun way.”
“Embedding Excellence”
CSI At Hans Price Academy On the 11th October, Undergraduate students from the University of Western England visited Hans Price Academy to teach students about how forensic science can be used to solve a range of different crimes. Groups in Years 8, 9 and 10 got to have a go at techniques used in university laboratories and to find out more about careers and courses involving science. Students learned how to lift and analyse fingerprints from a crime scene, then compared crime scene prints with suspects.
They then carried out a chemical analysis of smuggled illegal substances in shampoo bottles to replicate airport security checks. Finally, they looked at a range of different blood splatters that might be found at a crime scene, then they tried to replicate these with fake blood to show how they were caused. Simon White Head of Science said, “The students had a great time and learned a lot about how science is used in the real world. We hope this may even inspire them to further investigate a career in Science.”
Colston Hall Christmas Concert
Schools from South Gloucestershire put on a spectacular Christmas concert at the Colston Hall recently. This annual concert, hosted by King’s Oak Academy, included five of the academy’s partner primary schools, Beacon Rise, Cadbury Heath, The Tynings, Two Mile Hill and Park Wall Primary. With over 400 voices on stage, including King’s Oak Academy students, the children performed a range of songs including, Love Can Build a Bridge, Can’t Stop the Feeling, Love Yourself, The Camel Boogie Woogie and a medley of Christmas songs. Other ensembles included steel bands, a drum group, rock bands, and soloists. The aim of this event was to promote participation in making music and that music can be fun for all ages. The audience were expected to participate in the ‘fun’ of the evening! The annual Colston Hall concert was produced and directed by Tim Warren Team Leader of Performance & Participation from King’s Oak Academy, who said, “This concert is part of the continuing work between our academy and our partner primaries which covers many areas of the curriculum. The students, pupils and staff really enjoyed the day and worked really well together, they put on a fantastic performance thoroughly enjoyed by the audience who also joined in”. This was also a charity fundraiser so a silver collection was made in aid of The Teenage Cancer trust, the chosen charity of the Music department and they raised over £1,400.
“Embedding Excellence”
Nativity Across the Federation
Frome Vale Academy
Begbrook Primary Academy’s Christmas Sing-a-Long cast
Wallscourt Farm Academy
“Embedding Excellence”
Minerva Primary Academy
Digitech Gets Digital Digitech Studio School staged a Digital Day which is a nationwide competition. Students complete one of three sponsored challenges with a chance to be crowned Digital Day champions winning £500 cash for their school plus a host of cool prizes. What’s more, it’s completely free to take part! The only digital initiative of its kind, Digital Day is aimed at 13-18 year olds and sees digital professionals head to schools for a day to inspire students and give them insight into a world of digital careers. Digitech were joined by representatives from Nomensa - a digital user experience design agency based in Bristol, London & Amsterdam. After learning about the different job roles and careers available in the Digital sector, the Year 10 students were given a choice of three creative challenges to complete and presented their ideas in a formal pitching session. The day was a resounding success and the agency were so impressed with our students that they have asked if they can form closer more regular links with them in the future. They even commented on what a unique and special school Digitech is. Aaron Coleby Digitech Studio School teacher said, “Congratulations to all of the Year 10 students that took part, you made a fantastic impression!”
“Embedding Excellence”
BBA’s Got Talent
A jam packed hall at Bristol Brunel Academy watched the fiercely contested BBA’s Got Talent competition.
Acts included singers, break dancers, beat boxers, a band, dancers and a pianist who performed in front of 300 students. There were four preliminary rounds staged throughout the week at lunch time to decide the finalists. Students were not only performing or watching but raising money for the Bristol Brunel Academy prom and various other worthwhile causes. Tickets were sold throughout the week for the heats which raised a grand total of over £700. Lou Roscoe teacher of Psychology and organiser said, “I am very proud of the students, not only those taking part but the support and encouragement the acts have received from the community of students in general. There has been a great buzz and feel good factor around the academy all week and all the acts were superb.” The results…. 1st place: Otis Brown and Brandon Anderson both Year 10 students who Breakdanced their way to top spot. 2nd place: Ria Lawrence Year 11 who played piano and sang David Guetta’s Titanium. 3rd place (joint): Romaya Weaver Year 11 and Max Mitchell Year 9. Romaya sung Sam Cooke ‘a change is gonna come’ and Max showed off his beatboxing skills. The winners won £30 amazon vouchers. 2nd place £10 and 3rd place £5 each.
BBA Students Collect For Charity
Bristol is a city with one of the highest rates of homelessness in the UK with a recorded average of 41 people sleeping rough a night! So all students at Bristol Brunel Academy decided to do their bit to help this Christmas. Students brought in a range of foods that included: Coco Pops, squash, cordial, soft drinks, fruit juices, readymade custard, coffee, sugar sauces jams, peanut butter, biscuits, chocolates and sweets to name but a few! In fact so many groceries were collected they needed two minibuses to transport it. All these groceries were delivered to Caring at Christmas who work with the Julian Trust to provide shelter for people who are homeless or vulnerably housed in Bristol. They provide accommodation, food, medical services and entertainment throughout the festive period. They open from 3pm on 24th December through to 10am on 1st January 2017 and they have over 50 beds per night and serve about 500 hot meals per day. Katherine Hawke teacher of Humanities who organised this said, “Our students and their families have done brilliantly in collecting this amount of food for such a worthy cause. It is important that we raise the awareness of this charity to our students and the brilliant work it carries out each year.”
“Embedding Excellence”
CLF SPORT
CLF Ruby Squad Update The CLF Rugby under 18 team have gone from strength to strength this season, early season wins versus Bristol Cathedral and Monkton Coombe school put them into the 4th Round of the NatWest Cup for the first time, only to lose against a strong Backwell team, thus exiting the competition.
Wins and strong performances against Wellsway and Sexey's School with Captain Sam Tiley at the helm have really prepared the group well for the Rugby sevens season which starts next term. There are further matches arranged with trips to Colston's, Canford and Rosslyn Park arranged respectively. The Key Stage 3 and 4 teams have also performed well this year with the highlight being an exciting and physical end to end game against Marlwood that saw the Under 15’s progress in the cup. Matt Leek CLF Rugby Coach said, “The boys, and girls have been training hard on a Friday night to hone their skills. This has been supported by Bristol Rugby, as the CLF is quickly becoming a leading example of good rugby practice across the Bristol Rugby catchment area.”
Fencing Success For CLF Squad The Cabot Learning Federation Fencing Academy has developed beyond all recognition since its inception just 12 months ago. Six students from Bristol Metropolitan Academy (BMA) and one student each from Bristol Brunel Academy (BBA) and John Cabot Academy (JCA) recently travelled the 101 mile round trip to Sherborne Girls School to take part in a regional competition. All eight students did extremely well and dominated the U14 Girls & U14 Boys Sabre Competitions. Kham Pham Y7 won Gold, an amazing achievement as Khan only started Fencing in Sept this year, and Holly Walton Y8 won Silver. In the boys competition Marton Penzes Y8 (BBA) won Gold and Jamie Honeywill won Silver while Faolin Stephenson earned a well fought Bronze. Both girls and boys finals were very close with both results ending 10-9. All students were a credit to their Academies and it was great to see Riley Florio from JCA being really positive despite being knocked out in the quarter finals. Many thanks to John Rohde, Head Coach of White Eagle Fencing Club, who has led taster sessions at JCA & BBA for the last two years which allows the CLF and BMA to fence under his club’s name at competitions. His support and loan of essential equipment is invaluable, thank you! Nigel Cooley leader of the CLF Fencing Academy said, “This has been an amazing achievement for all that Fence in the squad and I am very proud that they have come so far in such a short space of time. Hopefully this may inspire some of them to continue their Fencing career into later life.”
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Cabot Learning Federation
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www.cabotlearningfederation.net “Embedding Excellence”