Newsletter Newsletter of Heartlands Academy
Issue 16 Autumn 2014
Shaping the Future with Business
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hrough our business partnerhsip with PwC, Rachel Buckingham, Community Director, was delighted to receive an invitation from Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education, to attend the recent
Conservative Party Conference at the International Convention Centre in Birmingham. Year 12 students Farheem Ali and Jurana Ahmed accompanied Mrs Buckingham to this prestigious televised event where they spoke about the importance of business engagement and how it has not only raised their aspirations but also helped to open doors that had previously seemed closed. Mrs Buckingham spoke about the importance of embedding business partnerships across the curriculum
Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan with Heartlands students Farheem and Jurana, Mrs Buckingham and Paul Carter from PwC​
and the opportunities this could bring about for its students. Nicky Morgan praised the students for their professionalism and their ability to speak so authoritatively in front of an audience of over 1,500 people. The academy was recognised for its high levels of business engagement which is supported by the Principal, Mrs Jones, a firm believer that all our students can and will achieve. Mrs Buckingham Community Director
Jiaqi Shi was a former student at Heartlands between 2002-07. She is currently undergoing training to become a doctor at Imperial College London, and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Surgery and Anaesthesia in October. She is due to complete her undergraduate medical training in 2016.
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Mrs Jones’ Diary 2014
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. your achievements and the academy that The end of a very long term but one you wish to ity May I take this opportun more has provided our young people with es for all seasons’ greetings and best wish , success and many new opportunities 2015. this both of which you can read about in Mrs G Jones, Principal edition of our newsletter. who This term we say goodbye to staff S Mr e: tim e som for us have been with gh orou ensb Wod to ing Blackham is mov at rs yea e nin r afte y Ormiston Academ the Academy. Mrs Hatcher is taking her a break from teaching to look after best very the both them family. We wish for the future. r To you as parents thank you for you you k than f staf as ; port continued sup able for continuing to be the ‘most valu ents stud as ’, has y dem resource the Aca e in prid e hav to ing tinu con thank you for
eading Matters is a charity which specialises in one-to-one support to motivate young people to reach their potential by becoming confident and enthusiastic readers. At the start of the academic year, all Year 12 students completed a one day course to become Reading Leaders. We had training to help us become more knowledgeable on how to approach certain reading difficulties, and help the younger ones to overcome them. The Reading Leaders scheme is an opportunity to help Year 7 students with their reading. It was an enjoyable, yet educational, experience
not only for us as Reading Leaders but also for our reading partners. In order to become Level 2 Accredited Reading Leaders, we had to complete ten hours of reading sessions with a Year 7 student. Over this time, we were involved in: ice breakers, activity sheets (such as word searches), and looking for new words in the dictionary. We also rewarded students with praise stickers to boost their self-esteem and confidence. At the end of the ten hours, we presented our reading buddy with a certificate for their hard work. Overall, the experience was enlightening and showed the Reading
Fundraising for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Over the last month, several students from the Sixth Form Centre have been raising money for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Through daily cake sales and raffles, to date,
the students have raised £1,000. The money raised has been used to buy a number of short stories and graphic novels. We have been able to buy roughly 155 books to give to the hopsital. These were presented to the hospital on 17th December along with our reading patron, Bali Rai, who kindly attended. Miss Hamman (see also Hospital Reading, page 10)
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Leaders that, although the younger children don’t ask for help, they may still need it. It was also nice to interact with the younger years, and the Year 7s really seemed to enjoy our company and value it. It’s a great way to help improve their literacy skills and help them come out of their shell. During the Christmas holidays, 35 Reading Leaders’ folders will go back to head office to be assessed for accreditation. Then, when we come back in January, a new wave of Reading Leaders and Year 7 students will start their ten hour programme. Zara Akhtar, 12 HEJ
DISCOVERY CENTRE
Science Club
Open to Year 7 and 8 who have a keen interest in Science. It involves fun practicals including making lava lamps, fried green eggs and cola.
Mathematics, Science, Health & Social Care. Rocket Launch for Science Club
Exam Success for Maths 83% of all students made more than 3 levels of progress in Maths.
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cience club has had a great start to the term with a good attendance from students in Year 7 and Year 8. All the students that attend have shown great enthusiasm and dedication in all activities. So far we have made lava lamps, fried green eggs, designed and launched rockets and participated in an egg drop challenge. We have room for new members if you would like to join us. We meet on a Wednesday after school in Room 124. Miss Phillips
Every Wednesday after school in Room 124
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his year the Maths department is celebrating another success story. In the last academic year (20132014), 74% of our Year 11 students achieved an A*-C in Maths; this is the highest standard achieved in the last 10 years. In addition, this result is 13 points above the national average of 62%.
Furthermore, the students also made outstanding progress, with 83% of them making 3 or more levels of progress. We would like to take this opportunity to applaud our students and staff for their hard work, and we hope you all feel that these incredible results make it all worthwhile. The Maths Department
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exploration CENTRE History, Geography, Religious Education, Sociology and Psychology
Year 10 go to Aquae Sulis
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his half term, Year 10 enjoyed a fabulous trip to the famous Roman Baths - a popular attraction, with over a million visitors every year. After a term of studying the ancient medicine of Roman times, students explored a key area of Roman public life: the Roman Baths. They were treated to a fascinating day of history giving them an invaluable insight into the Roman world. After viewing the Roman courtyard, statues of Roman gods, altars, hot springs and ancient shrines, some Heartlands’ students were lucky enough to meet an (almost) genuine Roman soldier. The bravest amongst us then dipped our hands into the baths and even sampled the taste of the bath’s spring water while our guided audio tour gave us a clear vision of what the originally named Aquae Sulis was like almost 2,000 years ago. Rarely is such ancient history brought to life so vividly! There was even time to stroll around the beautiful city of Bath before heading back. On the coach, students were able to reflect on the authentically Roman experience that will supplement their studies and enliven their understanding. Mr Collin
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expression CENTRE
English, Modern Foreign Languages, Creative Languages
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n Creative Curriculum Week, year 10 students visited Warwick Castle as part of their French and Spanish studies. Unbeknownst to them, the MFL department had snuck into the
the models in a Dragons Den-type activity, using French and Spanish. Other students worked around the idea of an international fashion show. They designed outfits using cultural and modern designer influences, and then created them using beautiful fabrics. Finally, they presented the outfits in a catwalk show, using not only Spanish and French but also their own home languages. This showed that as well as enjoying learning new languages, at Heartlands we celebrate and value the immense diversity of languages which our students speak. Ms Valenzuela
A Year 7 Guide to Oracy
O castle the previous weekend and laid a treasure trail in Spanish and French around the Castle, with photo clues and questions. This provided an innovative way to access the ancient and more recent history of this amazing monument, demonstrating to students how languages can link with other curriculum areas. Later in the week, MFL was making the cross-curricular links again, this time with Design Technology and year 8. Some students were engaged in building models of the Eiffel Tower using wood. They then had to sell
racy is a way of communicating but giving more detail to your work. Oracy cards are split into six parts: Connection, Extension, Agreement, Knowledge, Clarification, and Disagreement. There are four sentence starters in each section. When I came to Heartlands Academy and heard about oracy cards, I thought ‘I wouldn’t know what oracy was if it sat on my head!’ The oracy stem I use the most is ‘I noticed some of the same points as [name], but you can also say that…’ because I feel more comfortable using it. This is because I don’t have to say my point first which would make me feel nervous. Adam Dhalai 7ROB
“Coming to this school has made my English better because I use the oracy cards when I speak.” Rayhanah Yusuf 7LOK “Oracy is something that helps you with your speaking.” Owais Hussain 7ROB “I feel confident when I use the stems ‘I agree…’ and ‘I respectfully disagree…’ because it helps with my communication.” Nikkita Coleman 9HNA “I have also used the oracy stems outside of the classrooms so that other people can understand me.” Awais Khan 7RHS “In History, we used the cards when we had a discussion about the slave trade and tank race.” Natalia Gordon 7RHS “I am not the only person who use them outside of school, many other people use them.” Savaira Kabir 7FRZ “Imagine a life without talking: no cooperation, no emotion, not a thing!” Doa Saab 7RHS “Here is a sample of how to use them: I think that oracy cards are excellent because it will help with your communication skills.” Carmel Haile 7FRZ “So, what are you waiting for? Go and borrow an oracy stem!” Najma 7AHM
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Radio 5 Live Following the success of a recent Bite the Ballot session, three Heartlands Academy Sixth Form Law students were chosen to take part in a BBC Radio 5 Live discussion with star of the recent Labour Party Conference, Harry Smith. Afsarah Hassan, Ayesha Kauser-Hussain and Abdihafid Abdirahman, each aspiring to make Oxbridge/ Ivy League Higher Education applications, were praised for their articulate debate regarding voter apathy and inspiration to action. Mr Dixon
DJ Sloth
On Wednesday 12th November, the Heartlands Academy 6th Form were fortunate enough to have a visit from BBC Radio 1Xtra, and their flagship DJ, Charlie Sloth. The event allowed our students to pose career based questions to the DJ and his production team as part of BBC Radio 1Xtra’s outreach work in Birmingham. Such issues as making it in the media industry, to the type of students our guests were at school made for an enjoyable and informative afternoon. Despite some of our sixth formers being a little star struck, Charlie was able to pose for numerous pictures with them before he made his way to the BBC studios in The Mailbox for his afternoon radio show. We are hoping to collaborate with BBC Radio on many more events in the future, so watch this space! Mr Ewart
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Year 7 Residential
The Year 7 Residential was extremely energetic and was a fantastic opportunity for the students to experience life outside of the Academy. The cohort was split into two groups – the latter team encountered significantly better weather than the first! During their time away, they had the chance to gain new skills in a range of different activities such as: fencing, archery, rock climbing, and abseiling. The most memorable (and wettest) activity was definitely the raft building. Many students found themselves in the lake as they tried to re-assemble their boat in the middle of the water! With the addition of a gale force wind, this made life very cold for the students but they retained their high spirits in face of such an adversity! Mr Ruwaid
Presentation Evening Our 2014 Presentation Evening for past Year 11 students took place in November. It was an evening for celebration and the reunion of old classmates. As well as being able to collect GCSE certificates during the night, Presentation Evening was a chance for ex-students to catch up with friends and teachers and celebrate in each other’s successes. The year group, as always, were impeccably behaved and it was a delight to see them all together again. Subject Leaders awarded prizes to their selected students for achievement and effort. Our Chair of Governors, Noran Flynn, gave the students a truly inspirational speech giving them the motivation to continue and exceed their achievements. The top awards of the night were awarded to the following students: Highest achievers
Ahmed Mustafa Nur and Ayesha Kauser-Hussain
Most progress
Abukar Farah and Ayesha Kauser- Hussain
Strength of Character
Mohammad Yousef Haleemi
An informal reception with refreshments was held afterwards, during which time students could collect their yearbooks and year group hoodies that I hope they will cherish in years to come. Ms Johnson
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imagination CENTRE Art, Drama, Music
Sand Art at Weston-Super-Mare
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n a windy autumnal day in the last days of October, Miss Bailey’s and Mr. Fletcher’s Year 10 class travelled down to Weston-Super-Mare for a day on the beach. This was no ordinary day on the white sands of Weston. Armed with sticks, string and several drawing, the Year 10 students had their eyes set on using the smooth sandy beach as an enormous canvas for their organic drawings. By working in teams the students began to translate their intricate drawings from the classroom into sweeping line and trenches in
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the sand. Some students even began creating their own imaginative drawings off the top of their heads. ‘When we got there, it was straight to the beach. In our groups we began to sketch our designs in to sand. Soon we completed our designs. Seven
groups, seven sketches. As well as detailed designs there was an amazing atmosphere. We admired our designs from the pier, as well as taking pictures. To top off a perfect day at the beach, we had fish and chips for lunch.’ Gabriel Stevens, 10 AHG As their teacher, it was lovely to see the fruits of their labour, looking down from Weston pier at their beautiful drawings. Well done Year 10. Thank you to Miss Bailey and Mr Clarke for your help and support on the trip. Mr. Fletcher
innovation CENTRE ICT, Business Studies, Design Technology, ASDAN
Afternoon Tea - for GCSE
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uring creative curriculum week, four GCSE catering classes had the opportunity to visit Netherstowe House in Lichfield; as part of research for their controlled assessment, which is based on afternoon tea. It was a wonderful experience and many students loved it. Netherstowe house is a small, family owned five star hotel. We were fortunate, to have a tour of the immaculate bedrooms, one of which was a penthouse suite - luxury! Students were able to experience fine dining and enjoy a beautiful afternoon tea, prepared by the cooks at Netherstowe House. It was a new experience for all of us and it was certainly wonderful. Mrs Salter, Head of DT
“We sampled a range of delicious sandwiches, including: smoked salmon, cheese and chive, egg and cress and the traditional cucumber sandwich. We also ate homemade scones served with Cornish clotted cream and strawberry jam. The most delicious cakes were served, which included: lemon meringue tarts, strawberry delice and light, airy, delicious macaroons. This visit has really helped us understand more about afternoon tea and fine dining.� The chefs from 10 CCG
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NEWS FROM THE SIXTH FORM
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ED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. Innovative and inspiring are the exact words that put Saturday 11th October, at Tedx Teen London, into perspective. As we joined hundreds of other ‘Remarkable Disruptors’ in the O2 Arena, we were left breathless by the wonders of the adolescent mind. From the ‘Bionic Boy’ to ‘Tea with Strangers’, every second was, well...remarkable. TedxTeen gave us the charge, passion and aspiration to break down walls! Shaheen 13BHB
Bite the Ballot
Hospital Readers
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ite the Ballot are providing an invaluable service by facilitating what can only be described as partyneutral voting ‘awakenings’ amongst students. It was fascinating to watch
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our learners develop from mild interest to chomping at the bit for opportunities to make their voices heard. Truly empowering. Political engagement at its best.’ As a result, Tooba and Tamiah (both Year 12) have taken on the role of Bite The Ballot School Ambassadors, liaising with the organisation regularly to discuss further ways to empower students in this regard. There is also talk of a Schools Question Time being held at Heartlands Academy as a result. Mr Dixon
ast term, the sixth form were visited by a representative from Birmingham Children’s Hospital. The presentation focused on the importance of both volunteering
and reading. Afterwards, a number of sixth form students expressed a desire to volunteer, and completed a lengthy application form. Recently, these students undertook a formal interview, and twelve candidates were accepted. Once all the paper work has been completed, we hope to start volunteering, every Monday, in the new year. Miss Hamman “The talk today, of opportunities of being able to volunteer to read to sick children and to support families, has changed my perspective on many things. By just donating a few hours of our time we can make a massive difference and be of a great help to families who need as much support as possible. This opportunity is extremely rewarding and requires minimal effort from myself.” Neelum 13HAN “This opportunity will help us to develop our skills and also allow us to get to know a family that isn’t as fortunate as most of us. Volunteers are a source of support for children in the hospital and to be the person to bring joy to them, is the reason why many people volunteered today.” Fatimah 12HMS
AND IN OTHER NEWS... If students are struggling with their homework, please feel free to attend Year 7 Homework Club which is held straight after school on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays in the ICT suite. Year 7 Update
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ince September, the Year 7 cohort has settled in remarkably well. I am extremely pleased with how they have taken to daily life at the Academy. In particular, I would like to stress how happy I am with attendance: Year 7 are currently at 97.3%. Hopefully, this will be even higher by the time the
next newsletter is published. Over this term, Year 7 have participated in a number of events such as the Year 7 Residential (page 7), and the Book Box project. In addition, students also had fun recently celebrating World Hello Day (page 12) and putting their new oracy skills (page 5) into practise in the oracy bingo game.
As a target for the next coming months, I would like all Year 7s to really focus heavily on their homework (presentation, content and time management). I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing holiday, and I look forward to seeing you in the new year. Mr Ruwaid
Theatre Outings A R
ecently, we had the opportunity to see the two Royal Theatre performances of “Frankenstein” which had Benedict Cumberbatch and Johnny Lee Miller playing the roles of Victor Frankenstein and the Creature. This was an interesting experience as in one show Cumberbatch was Frankenstein and, in the other, he
was playing the role of the Creature. This provided us with two different perspectives of the characters and enabled us to view the characters in a ‘different light’. Personally, although critics raved about Cumberbatch’s performance as the creature, we thought that Johnny proved to be the ‘better’ of the two. This was because even though he included some aspects of Victor into his performance of the Creature (which is to be praised), Cumberbatch seemed too alike Victor while playing the role of the Creature. Amber Shamaoon
n enthusiastic group of Year 10 English students, accompanied by Mrs Smith and Mr Williams attended the Saturday matinee performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird”, based on the novel they are studying for examination by the American novelist, Harper Lee. Having found their seats up in ‘the gods’ they were thoroughly entertained by the dramatisation of bigotry and small-mindedness in the American deep south of the 1930s. As some of the group also study Drama, they were able to focus on elements such as staging, props and costume and supplement their portfolios for this GCSE too. Seeing the book come to life on stage was an exciting experience for all and is sure to aid revision when it comes to the GCSE English Literature examination next year. Mrs Smith
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Calendar 2015 Spring Term Term Starts Monday 5 January Year 8 Review Day Wednesday 28 January Friday, 21st November was World Hello Day intended to highlight the importance of communication as a means of resolving disputes. The objective was to say ‘hello’ to at least ten people, who you may not normally speak to. Students from Years 7 and 8 spent the day speaking to a range of other students using oracy bingo cards. “I have improved my communication skills because I have become more confident about myself by getting to know others and I’m able to speak loudly and proudly in front of people.” Hashim 7LOK “I have improved my communication skills because I have talked to new people and I asked unusual questions to develop relationships.” Ayman 7AHM “I have improved my communication skills because I have said hello to everyone by using my oracy bingo so I have boosted my confidence a lot.” Samia 7VAH “I have improved my communication skills because I have participated in all my lessons and spoke in class discussions.” Mia 7FRZ
LITERACY CLUB
Literacy Club has got off to a great start this term! Cross-curricular conundrums in hangman, mindboggling word snakes in Boggle and a plethora of other word puzzles and literacy games bring out the competitive sides of attendees; yes, students are never short of fun and games.
Every Tuesday 3:10 until 3:40pm in the English SLZ Attendees are enjoying themselves in a variety of games and activities all in the name of improving literacy.
Will we see you there next week? Mr Williams
YOUNG REPORTER The Young Reporter page on our website has been extremely successful this year. It is updated on a weekly basis and covers a range of different types of writing and a variety of topics. All the work published belongs to students in the Academy – and demonstrates the outstanding nature of our students’ creativity. Some of the work has been completed in lessons, and some has been sent in by students who have written articles in their own time. Miss Hamman
www.heartlands-academy.org.uk/news/young-reporter
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Teacher Training Day (closed to students) Friday 13 February Half Term
Monday 16 February to Friday 20 February
Term Ends Friday 27 March
Summer Term Term Starts Monday 13 April Mayday (Academy closed) Monday 4 May Half Term
Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May
Term Ends (for students) Friday 18 July Teacher Training Day (closed to students) Monday 20 July
Follow us on TWITTER @Heartlands_Acad Opening Times Mon - Fri: 8am - 4pm NEW Late Opening for Sixth Form Students Mon - Thu: until 7pm
E Library Service
Heartlands Academy is offering all students and staff a new E Library service. No fees, automatic returns and no lost books. See the LRC for more information or simply log in to the following website and start borrowing:
http://heartlandslrc.lib.overdrive.com/
E-SAFETY
E-Safety is a priority at Heartlands Academy and we have measures in place to protect students from unsuitable on-line content while at the academy. If you would like to find out how to keep your child safe at home, please contact a member of our E-Safety team or visit our website for further information. Mrs Buckingham, Miss Johnson, Miss Brown and Mr Ahsan.
©December 2014 Heartlands Academy, No 10 Great Francis Street, Birmingham B7 4QR