Isaac Newton Academy Newsletter – Secondary Newsletter from Rachel Macfarlane
Dear Parents and Carers, Yesterday we welcomed all our new Year 6 students for a taster day. They had a busy day of tests and familiarisation activities and were presented with a book each to read over the summer and a book mark with a personal message from a year 7 INA student. We look forward to seeing them again on 21st July for uniform collection. Congratulations to all our students who represented INA this week in the borough athletics and performed so well. Congratulations too to our Teen Tech Finalists. Read all about these events later in the newsletter. On Tuesday 5th July the National Union of Teachers (NUT) have called members out on strike. School will be closed to all secondary students (please note that the primary pupils have school as usual). Many families will be celebrating Eid at the start of next week. If Eid falls on Tuesday 5th July it will therefore not be necessary for families to request a leave of absence. If Eid falls on Wednesday 6th July, parents are entitled to request leave of absence for one school day only by completing the INA Leave of Absence form (available from the school office) and returning it IN ADVANCE. We do not anticipate that Eid will fall as late as Thursday so we expect all students to be in school on Thursday 7th July. On Friday 8th July the school is closed for staff training. With all best wishes, Rachel Macfarlane
A Warm Invite to INA’s Awards Assemblies Wednesday 20th July 2016 On Wednesday 20th July we will be holding our end of year awards assemblies. This is an important opportunity for the staff, students, governors and parents/carers to formally celebrate our students’ achievements at the end of the academic year. There will be a separate assembly for each year group. Please note the times as follows:
11.15- 12.00
Y7 assembly
Dining Hall
12.10-12.55
Y8 assembly
KS3 Hall
12.10-12.55
Y10 assembly
Dining Hall
At the assemblies we will be presenting awards in recognition of students’ academic progress and attainment, personal progress and the development of their BRIDGES dispositions. Excellent attendance and punctuality will also be celebrated. It is also a great opportunity for you to see some examples of the activities and events your child has been participated in this term. We believe that it is important that every student is represented by a parent at the Awards assembly for their year group and would like to invite one parent to attend on behalf of the family. If you would like to attend, please ask your son/daughter to collect a ticket for the awards assembly from his/her form tutor. Please request your ticket by Monday 11th July. Due to limited capacity, we are unable to accommodate very many additional family members. However, if you would like a second place, please notify the school office and we will do our best to allocate an additional ticket. I look forward to seeing you on 20th July.
Jo Spencer Vice Principal
We’re delighted to announce that all students have been allocated to at least three of their top four GCSE course choices! Students received their option allocations today and should be bringing home two letters. Please ask your child for these letters and read them carefully. On the basis of student choices, subjects have been put into the following timetabling blocks. Subjects in the same block are taught at the same time. Students must study one subject from each block. Block 1
Block 2
Block 3
Block 4
French
Art
Art
Drama
Geography (2 classes)
Computer Science
Computer Science
Geography
History
French
Drama
History
Spanish
History
Geography
Music
Triple Science (2 classes)
PE (3 classes)
History
Religious Studies
Pre-learning
Spanish
Music
Triple Science (2 classes)
Religious Studies
Given the careful and considered options process and our success rate in allocating students to so many of their top choices, we are not anticipating many students will be requesting a change options. The process for making requests is outlined in the letter. An electronic copy of the “Request to change Options form June 2016” is available on the website under Community > Resources for Parents. The deadline for requests to be handed in is Thursday 7th July 2016. Please note: requests for changes to options are not guaranteed to be agreed. Many thanks for your on-going support and we look forward to this cohort beginning their GCSE courses in September. Ms E McEvoy, Assistant Principal
Praise and Recognition At INA, we aim to provide a stimulating, challenging and rewarding learning environment which supports learning, celebrates achievement and encourages everyone. Awarding merits, informal praise in class and the end of term awards assemblies are all part of this. Please speak to your child/children on a regular basis to see how many merits they have and how they are working towards the different awards on offer.
Merits As we are fast approaching the end of the year the merit tracker will now show which form has the highest overall since the start of the year! There’s a lot of difference between forms, so make sure that you play your part in representing your form and helping to make sure your form gets the most merits possible. Also if you are owed a merit go and collect it and make sure it gets recorded on your form’s spreadsheet!
Year 8
Year 7
T
1623
C
1419
N
1248
S
1212
W
1084
E
960
I A
W
1453
N
1344
C
1266
A
Year 9 T 1308
Year 10 W 507
E
E
383
880
W
691
N
315
1184
N
654
S
297
S E
1153
S C
I T
283 279
826
I
1074
A
492
C
231
793
T
902
I
343 A
207
1088
585 575
Ahmed Al-Khafaji Award (Peer Commendation Award)
Ahmed was well known for being kind, for helping others and for being extremely polite. He was also someone known for his hard work and absorption; the idea, therefore, is that the winner should be someone that encapsulated one of these qualities in that week. Year 7: Jasmine Joseph in 7E Year 8: Subhaan Dar 8T Year 9: Jiya Shahzad 9W Year 10: Misbah Hashmi, 10S.
Good Deed Feed Miss Hinds: Adam Ahmed 7E – Extremely helpful in Art, helping sort out and tidy the room with enthusiasm! Miss Field: Daveena Williams-Morrison 7C- has been really helpful in rehearsals for the school show in teaching and showing other students routines. Mr Dukes: Jeshurun Jeyason 9A donated to a homeless person on the way home from school
Gabriel Ayerh Year 9 Pastoral Leader, i/c Praise and Recognition
The TeenTech Awards 2016 On Monday 20th June, three of our Year 9 students visited The Royal Society in London, the UK's national academy for Science, to attend the final of the TeenTech Awards 2016, an event sponsored by HRH The Duke of York, and supported by the likes of Professor Brian Cox, BBC Technology Correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones, and Jo Johnson MP. Ayesha Maniyar, Avni Dhanjal, and Jiya Shahzad in Year 9 formed one of only 50 teams to have been selected out of a total of 1400 teams that entered the competition back in April this year, after we challenged them, and nine other students, to use technology to solve one or more real-world problems. The 12 students came up with scientific and technological solutions to real problems across a range of categories including energy, healthcare, manufacturing, and wearable technology. The girls' product – a smart glove that would allow you to send and receive information to and from your phone without the risk or inconvenience of having to take your phone out of your pocket – caught the eyes of the judges, who were full of praise for their imagination and their artwork. After finding out that they were through to the final, however, the girls were forced to confront the fact that they still had a lot of scientific and technological research to do. With support, they simplified their design, and learnt about vibrating motors, Bluetooth chips, microprocessors, solar power, magnetic batteries, flexible OLED screens, GPS sensors and much, much more! I couldn't have been prouder of them as I watched them presenting to the judges in their category in the face of fierce competition from the other students there. Sadly, they didn't take the trophy in the end, but they did themselves and INA proud, not least because they've already bounced back from their defeat, declaring that they fully intend to re-apply next year! Miss Rudd
Who else participated in the project this year? The students who completed the TeenTech project and gained Silver awards for the quality of their STEM knowledge were as follows: Amber Khandwalla and Noshin Samiya: Their project, a toothpaste dispenser which they called EazyPaste, was praised by the judges for the quality of research it contained, including their use of industry experts. Tahsin Naher and Cherice Chana: Their product, a self-heating hat, was praised as being something that there is a market for already, but they were advised to consider how they might make their product different from those currently available online. Hamza Shaukat, Taner Mustafa, and Aasif Rahman: Their product, a toothbrush with built-in mouthwash, was praised by the judges as a good concept that they had presented well in terms of design and communication skills.
Why are the TeenTech Awards so important? According to a recent survey, almost 50% of young people make career decisions based on the advice they get from their parents. Another 30% are influenced by their teachers or their friends. But how informed are any of these people about the careers of tomorrow? Consider the facts below: Statistics suggest that 47% of jobs will disappear over the next two decades because of technology. But for every job lost, two will be created.
The ICT workforce is likely to increase by 39% by 2030.
By 2020 the EU could face a shortage of up to 900,000 ICT professionals.
In the next five years, there will be as many as 132,000 job opportunities in big data.
The UK's GDP could increase by 10% by 2030 if STEM companies hired as many women as they do men, making this a golden opportunity for girls to consider now.
During this year's competition, our students made links with leading academics and scientists at five major universities and companies which could prove invaluable to them in the future.
THIS WEEK IN P.E……………… AT
MONDAY 4TH JULY 6-7PM The following awards will be presented: o o o o o o o o o
Elite performer award Team of the year Most improved team Most improved performer Male player of the year Female player of the year Leader of the year Sports personality of the year Star of the term (curriculum and extra-curricular)
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW…………. Please note: No ticket, no entry (children of all ages must have a ticket). Photography not allowed, students are expected to sit with parents (if parents attend), dress code is smart (no jeans or trainers), no entry after 6pm.
Hannah Beharry Sky Sports Ambassador Visit The top 20 students who had logged the most hours participating in physical activity got the reward of a practical session with Hannah and a further chat about character and what it takes to excel in any walk of life. The 20 students selected represented INA in an outstanding manner and Hannah had nothing but positive comments to make about both the students and
the school.
Year 7 and 8 District Athletics INA competed at the Redbridge District Athletics. For many in Year 7 it was their first time at the tournament. Many of the students excelled in their event, Glory Mondua, Jahiem Chambers, Shakurra Wellington and Lucas Overton all reaching the finals of the 100 metre sprint meaning they are in the top 6 of Redbridge. Abdi Omar won for the second time the Male 800
metres in an outstanding time of 2 minutes 27 seconds. Ramel Shakespeare finished 3rd in Redbridge for the Triple Jump. The day was topped off by both Ramel Shakespeare and Glory Mondua being selected to represent Essex at the regionals next week. Every student showed a great desire and determination in all the races; well done to the team! Year 9 Rounders On Monday 27th June the Year 9 Rounders team took on Trinity away. The girls all showed tremendous spirit and took a lot of risks in order to get points on the board. Fantastic runs from Aniqa Ahmed secured INA well deserved pints and fantastic strikes from all the girls set the foundation well to challenge the home team. Our 2 Year 8 girls, Manisha and Mya, did an amazing job both batting and fielding and proved that they can play above their year group no question. Unfortunately a strong Trinity fielding team made it difficult for us to score and the game ended with INA missing out by just 1 rounder. A massive thank you to all the girls who committed to the team and stepped up their performance for a great match!
Year 7 Cricket V Cannon Palmer The Year 7 team got their first win of the season in their second match. Playing at home, the team bowled well again, with consistent bowling from Zain Islam, Sudais Khan and Jay Amin. They managed to reduce Cannon Palmer to a very low run rate and took control of the game when they came in to bat. All the team batted well, gaining the team a number of boundaries. It resulted in Hammad Khan’s team gaining their first victory by 96 runs.
Fixtures coming up….. Monday 20th June- Year 9 Indoor cricket Vs. Woodbridge (Away) Monday 4th July-
Sports Awards
Wednesday 6th July- Year 9 & 10 Redbridge District Athletics Thursday 7th July- Ark Athletics Championships P.E. DEPARTMENT EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND ENRICHMENT CLUBS AFTER SCHOOL DAY
CLUB
TEACHER
VENUE
MON
Handball
DB
Sports Hall
Girls Can
EH
Astro
TUES
Judo Club
External
Sports Hall
WED
Yr 8 S+C
BH
Sports Hall
Yr 10 Football
AT
Astro
Table Tennis
GA
Activity Studio
Resistance Sliding
External provider
Ks3 Hall
Table Tennis
CD
Activity Studio
Softball
LAJ
Astro
Zumba
External provider
KS3 Hall
Badminton club
External provider
Sports Hall
Bike Club
EC, DH, BB
MUGA
Girls running club
RM
South Park
THUR
FRI
LUNCH TIME CLUBS IMPROVE YOUR SKILLS! TRY SOMETHING NEW! KEEP FIT! MAKE NEW FRIENDS! UNLEASH YOUR ENERGY! INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF GETTING INTO A TEAM
Monday
1st Lunch (Year 10)
2nd Lunch (Year 7,8 &9)
Badminton Boys and Girls
Badminton (Year 7, 8 & 9) Boys and Girls
Tuesday
Wednesday
Girls Can! (Year 7, 8 & 9 Girls) Basketball club Boys and Girls
Basketball (Year 8 & 9) Boys & Girls
Thursday
Handball (Year 7.8 & 9) Boys and Girls
Friday
Basketball (Year 7) Girls and Boys
Year 7 students represent INA in Ark Super Science Challenge On Thursday 16th June, two of the highest attaining Year 7 Science students represented INA at the Ark Super Science Challenge at the Institute of Education, London. Izzah Abid (7E) and Abdulhamid Miah (7W) took part in Biology-, Chemistry- and Physics-themed challenges that tested their Science knowledge against other young scientists from across the Ark network. They were then treated to a spectacular science show run by the Royal Society. Izzah and Abdulhamid represented the Academy admirably and Ms Leavis, who accompanied them on the day, praised their efforts in the challenges. “I really enjoyed the ARK Super Science Day because I could use my scientific knowledge of chemistry, physics and biology and apply it to all the different challenges that they gave us. Personally, I think the best part of the day was the Super Science Show at the end. I enjoyed it because we got to see a professional do some wacky experiments and we even got to take part in some.” Izzah Abid 7E “I really liked this experience as it was testing my skills in a fun way. It helped everyone work with different people like real scientists would do.” Abdulhamid Miah 7W Well done to both Izzah and Abdulhamid. Dr Mounsey Science Teacher
Year 7 students face their fears as The Bug Man returns to INA On Wednesday 22nd June, Year 7 students were treated to a visit from Martin the Bug Man. He brought in his assorted collection of insects and reptiles to give students (and teachers!) the opportunity to face their creepy-crawly fears. Students were given fascinating facts about these exotic creatures and got the chance to hold and stroke a snake, scorpion, lizard, stick insects, a tree frog and a chameleon.
There was no shortage of students willing to show off their Bravery dispositions, with Zahra (7I) building up the courage to overcome her phobia of snakes. There was no holding back so many of the students though, as can be seen in these photos from the day. Other highlights included seeing the lightning-quick spring attack of a chameleon’s tongue and the walking-up-wall (and leg!) abilities of a tree frog.
Thanks to all of Year 7 for their enthusiasm and making it such a fantastic day and of course to Martin, for his fourth annual visit to INA. We look forward to seeing him again next year. Dr Mounsey Science Teacher
Regular attendance is a crucial factor in students’ educational development and ability to achieve their full potential. At Isaac Newton Academy every student is set the target of 100% attendance. We know that attendance has a direct link to progress, and would urge you to really consider if a day off school is necessary. Well done to 7C, 8W and 10C for 100% attendance last week! With 3 weeks left until the end of term awards assemblies, it really is important that you are here every day to be in with a chance of picking up the shield for your tutor group. 7C
100
8W
100
9E
99.2
10C
100
7W
100
8A
98.6
9A
98.5
10E
97.1
7A
98.6
8I
98.5
9I
98.4
10N
97.1
7S
98.6
8T
98.5
9T
98.3
10A
95.7
7N
98.4
8E
97.7
9W
97.8
10S
95.7
7I
96.7
8C
97
9S
97.1
10W
95.7
7T
95.7
8N
96.4
9N
92
10I
95.2
7E
95.5
8S
94.2
9C
89.2
10T
93.9
Ms Abbott-Jones Lead Pastoral Leader