Heartlines issue 21 summer 2016 by Heartlands Academy

Newsletter Newsletter of Heartlands Academy

Issue 21 Summer Term 2016

No Velocipedes on this Velodrome!

n Wednesday 22nd June, the academy hosted the UK Street Velodrome as a part of the Birmingham Cycle Revolution – launching BikeFest 2016. For one day, Heartlands Academy turned into a heart pounding hub of cycling action with the World’s most accessible form of cycle sport on offer. The Birmingham Cycle Revolution and BikeFest 2016 aim to bring the excitement and drama of close action track cycling to people using

an innovative pop up track complete with banked corners. As a part of BikeFest 2016, the city will host a weekend of cycling action from the 18th September 2016 aimed at encouraging all to pick up a bike and cycle to work. The Academy has taken on a lead role within the city for the Bikeability scheme which has enabled over a hundred students to learn how to ride a bike; then lead a team of cyclists across the City.

The series showcases the positive impact sport can have on individuals and local communities by providing opportunities in town and city centres for local amateur cyclists to participate for free and on equal terms alongside professional riders. Spectators will be able to enjoy the action for free too whilst watching top riders compete at close quarters in high energy, head to head pursuit races. Needless to say Heartlands Academy students had a fantastic day! Mr Lea, Head of PE

From Mr Tattersfield, Principal I have thoroughly enjoyed my first two terms at Heartlands Academy. The students and staff have so much potential to be able to build on the already “outstanding” foundations the academy staff have laid down over the past decade. We are expecting our best ever Year 11 results this summer and our year 13 results should be in line with last year. A massive well done to all students and staff for all their hard work, determination and resilience for preparing every student in a way that I have not seen in any of my previous schools. We are already planning for further improvements next year. The academy day will start ten minutes earlier (all students must be in the building by 8:25am) and each lesson will be five minutes shorter, allowing for one extra lesson each day. This enables more curriculum time for teachers to deliver the ever-increasing content rich syllabus. Additionally, our new pastoral curriculum will enable us to enhance stronger year teams and improve student relationships, resilience and independence. We are looking to further develop the leadership in the academy. All leaders and many future leaders, will be offered extensive training to ensure that teaching, assessment, student welfare and outcomes continue to improve in every department of the academy. Finally, we are saying goodbye to an outstanding leader and teacher who has dedicated her professional life to Heartlands and its journey to outstanding. Mrs Smith, Senior Assistant Principal and RE Teacher, is retiring at the end of this term and I am sure you would want to join me in thanking her for all her hard work, dedication and extensive support to both staff and students. Mrs Smith will be missed by everyone in the academy; we wish her every happiness in her well-earned retirement. I wish everyone a restful and happy summer holiday and look forward to seeing all of you back in the academy on Wednesday 7th September 2016, (Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th September 2016 are Teacher Training days). Warm wishes, Mr R Tattersfield

ear 9 Student Voice, have once again coordinated a collection of food and toiletries supplies through their Those In Need (T.I.N) project. All donations were destined for a local charity, Aston & Nechells Food Bank whose role is to tackle rough sleeping, reduce homelessness and to help local families who are facing financial hardship. Both students and staff were determined to make a real difference to the lives of others and so they responded generously in support of the charity. As a result of their efforts, the students collected an overwhelming amount of food and toiletries which they then presented to representatives

of the charity. All the donations were gratefully received by David, who is in charge of the warehouse located in Erdington. David conducted a tour of the facilities for the students and explained the charity’s day to day operation. The students were also given an opportunity to get involved in helping to sort the supplies prior to delivery. It was an awesome experience for the students and they left the warehouse feeling immensely proud of their efforts in helping those who are most in need. Mr Levy Assistant Vice Principal

T.I.N. Does it Again!

DISCOVERY CENTRE Mathematics, Science, Health & Social Care, PE.

Basketball Brilliance

his year the PE department entered a Year 8 and a Year 10 girls’ basketball team in the Birmingham Schools League. Both teams experienced a mixture of success and defeats: the Year 10 team won exactly half of their matches while Year 8 managed to win all but one of theirs. Year 10 had a fantastic result against Archbishop Ilsely with a final score of 26:14.

The Year 8s were victorious throughout and succeeded in reaching the final with their heads held high. The department also put forward a team of combined Year 8 and Year 9 students to take part in the Birmingham Summer Games one day competition. The team won all but

one of their games in the first round and got through to the semi-final as the underdogs. They smashed all expectations and won the semi-final with a convincing score, placing them into the final, only to re-face Bishop Challonor, the one team who had defeated them! Although they showed great determination and much improvement in the final, it wasn’t to be and they finished in second place final score. The team were still chuffed with the final result of 8-4, especially as the standard of play in the competition had been exceptional. Special mention must go to Amina Mohamud in Year 12 as she has been developing her leadership skills by assisting the girls’ basketball this year. It has been lovely to watch her inspire and share her wisdom amongst our teams. Throughout every single game in which the Heartlands students competed, they never gave up, not even for a moment; they gave it their all, all the way to the finish. Even when losing they did so with dignity and grace. The students conducted themselves fantastically and I could not be more proud of them. Miss Massey PE Dept.

A Maths Special A group of year 7 students were accompanied by Mrs McQuillan to Wilson Stuart School where they took part in a collaborative mathematical problem solving session. Many of the students at Wilson Stuart have addtional difficulties eg. sensory impairment, learning difficulties, communication difficulties or complex conditions. The students thoroughly enjoyed the visit and we were very proud of their behaviour, kindness and empathy towards the students. Hopefully this is first of many visits to the Wilson Stuart school. Mrs McQuillan, Head of Maths.

exploration CENTRE History, Geography, Religious Education, Sociology and Psychology

Project Based Learning

his half term, in history lessons, Years 7 and 9 students have been involved in a Summer ‘Project Based Learning’ trial. Our aim was to develop confident and independent learners through the teaching of transferable employability life skills such as critical thinking, creativity, initiative, decision making, problem solving, communication and constructive management of feelings. The students led their own learning in readiness for week 6 of the trial - where they completed a final assessment. During the trial we found that students’ confidence grew weekly as their dependence on the teacher regressed - they had the opportunity

to contract with their peers who they would work with; make decisions about the skills they were going to practise and what they wanted the outcomes of their work to look like. They developed self-management skills as they could progress at their own pace, yet challenge each other to complete work within deadlines they set themselves. They became more motivated and monitored their own and each other’s progress. Ultimately, they developed academic

perseverance and positive academic mind-sets. It has been an exciting, yet challenging half term which has seen real progress in helping our students to become independent in their learning. Mrs Steward, Head of History

expression ...and Y11 Prom CENTRE 2016 English and Modern Foreign Languages,

French Art

ver the last term students from Year 9 have been working on a joint French and Art project with the aim of creating a final piece in the style of a French artist and evaluating their work in French. Over previous weeks they have been able to research French artists from all over the world to help them decide which artist to choose and the final results have been amazing! At each step they have tracked their progress in French and English. Not only have students learnt more about French artists and styles from around the world but they have also improved their art and language skills. Miss Hawkins, MFL “The project in three words: inspiring, motivating and challenging.” Siham Abdirahman “I have really enjoyed this project as it gave us the opportunity to try something new and improve our Art evaluation and French language skills.” Jameel Mann

n Friday 15th July Year 11 celebrated the end of their exams by letting their hair down at the Heartlands Academy annual Prom. Over 120 staff and students descended on the Hyatt Hotel in Birmingham for what was to be an enjoyable night had by all. The students certainly came dressed to impress! From the moment the Prom King and Queen were announced, the dance ﬂoor was never quiet. A sure sign that those in attendance were having a great time. Once again Year 11 students have done themselves and Heartlands Academy proud. Enjoy the well deserved summer holidays! Mr Hanson, Year 11 Learning Manager

Y11 Prom 2016 5

ORCHESTRAL MANOEUV

owards the end of this term, the academy hosted a visit from the NYO Inspire Orchestra who spent a whole day working with (and performing to) the students. The academy was lucky enough to be one of only three schools in the region selected by the orchestra as part of their four-day concert tour. The day began at 7am with the arrival of the grand piano – the first ever to make an appearance at the academy. The orchestra arrived soon afterwards and they quickly embarked on a final rehearsal before meeting with Heartlands’ budding musicians. The students were thrilled to meet the orchestra and to take part in a whole day of powerful music-making starting with a series of instrumental break out sessions ahead of the main performance. The unexpected event of the day was a surprise re-union for Duncan Ward, the conductor, when he discovered that his former biology teacher Mr King, from Dartford Grammar School is now the Assistant Principal of Heartlands Academy. There was much for the pair to catch-up on and Mr King reflected on how Duncan was a star pupil who would be likely to succeed in any chosen path.

The NYO Inspire Orchestra is a group of highly talented young musicians aged between 13 and 19, chosen for their ﬂair and talent during a series of auditions held up and down the country. Once the orchestra is formed, they come together three times a year during the main school holidays to rehearse in preparation for a summer concert. The life of the orchestra is on a twelve month cycle so each year sees a different set of musicians. The main aim of the NYO is to inspire young people, in particular from the state school sector where opportunities to participate in an orchestra are not so prevalent. Judging by the rapturous applause of the Key Stage 3 students after they were treated to a full orchestral performance in the afternoon, they easily achieved that aim. There is an opportunity to see the NYO Inspire Orchestra as they are performing at Birmingham Symphony Hall on 5th August. Mrs Ward Head of Music

VRES IN THE ACADEMY

imagination CENTRE Art, Drama, Music Art Exhibition

chosen for display in the impressive main entrance hall. The proud students were Tekesha Philips, Hassan El Kundi and Arbaaz Imran and this was a real achievement as they faced

Arts Award

The sessions culminated when the students taught a class of eight members of the local community, Friends in Nechells (FIN). The adults were taught clay techniques such as thumb pots and painting techniques using unusual materials ranging from shaving foam to cling film with paint. Teaching skills were developed such as preparing for the session, demonstrating and assisting the adults. The students were thrilled with the outcome and found the buzz of teaching adults quite exhilarating. Miss Bailey, Art dept.

tudents from Heartlands Academy were once again invited to take part in the annual exhibition at The School of Art in Birmingham. The exhibition was even larger this year with some very impressive pieces on show from a number of schools around the City. Ten students from Heartlands Academy had their work selected, with three of them being

his year there has been an Arts Award which is a wonderful new qualification for Year 8. It is a national qualification equivalent to achieving a GCSE grade. Its aim is to inspire young people to grow their arts and leadership talents and can be achieved at five levels. Four of our Year 8 students focused on the Bronze Award and since May, have taken part in weekly after school sessions. They have gained valuable knowledge and experience such as new art skills, interviewing an artist, going on a school visit, and passing on their knowledge to others.

some tough competition from other schools. All the year 13 students attended the private viewing evening with friends and family and it was a really good opportunity for them to see their work in such a professional setting. I was very proud of the mature and eloquent way in which they spoke about their pieces to the members of the public visiting the exhibition as well as to those who had organised it. Miss Bibby, Head of Art.

“The Year 8 pupils were a credit to the academy and were very supportive of our community members.” Noran Flynn, Director Nechells POD

innovation CENTRE ICT, Business Studies, Design Technology, ASDAN Year 11 Performing Arts Present Diva Fever

n May, a group of seven Year 11 students presented their end of course practical exam to an audience and outside moderator. The performance was ‘Diva Fever’, a 70’s inspired musical that charted the rise to fame of a worker in a platform show factory to super stardom as a singer. The show was filled with many of the 70’s hits that people love which meant the audience were able to join in. The students all performed really well and some good performance marks were achieved. The cast involved: Naa Adei Kotey, Teny Koti, Demare Morrison, Jordan Willams, Sagal Ahmed, Ishmaeel Mohammed, Herve Mutambuka, A special thanks must go to Morgan Swapp who joined the performers to take a part and Ishmaeel Olanrewarju for doing lighting and Mr Mee for sound. Mr Henshaw, Head of Drama

Business Bazaar

group of Year 11 Business Studies students organised a bazaar to raise money for their end of year prom. The students laid out stalls for their customers, with cakes, samosas, doughnuts, a chocolate fountain and many more yummy snacks. The students also held a penalty shootout tournament outside in the playground. This organisation and delivery of the Bazaar provided an excellent opportunity for the Business Studies students to apply their knowledge, skills and theory of the subject in practice. The students learnt all the skills needed to cater for their customers in a competitive environment as well as engaging in conversation with people from different age groups. The group made a profit of £160.04! Overall it was a fantastic experience and a very successful bazaar. Miss Ahmed, Business Studies

NEWS FROM THE SIXTH FORM The visit was arranged through the Visit From Lord Hunt Lord Speaker’s “Peers in Schools”

15th July 2016 his month, the academy hosted a talk given by a member of the House of Lords. Lord Hunt met with the sixth form students for an hour to talk about the work and role of the House of Lords in an effort to encourage students to become more engaged with politics and, ultimately, to exercise their right to vote. There followed a question and answer session to enable students to delve more deeply into the aspects of the parliamentary process and life at Westminster in general. A big thank you to Amina and Abdullahi for their involvement in organising this event at Heartlands.

ongratulations to Amina Mahamud and Hollie McMahon who were selected to participate in the Psychology and Philosophy strand of the Sutton Trust Programme. The students participated in a residential running from Sunday 3rd July to Friday 8th July at the Universtiy of Nottingham. The students gained a valuable insight into living and learning like a student at a top university.

programme, which has been running across the UK since 2007. For further information, see the Lord Speaker’s web page at www.parliament.uk/ lordspeaker. Miss Taylor, Sixth Form Pastoral “It was nice to see a representative from Birmingham.” Aisha Johnson “This was a fantastic opportunity for our students to interact with someone who knows the parliamentary system inside out.” Miss Brock, Law.

A Maths Special Year 13 BBQ

Both Amina and Hollie stated that they found the Psychology component of the residential really interesting and they plan to look for possible courses and careers in Psychology. The Sutton Trust enables students to enhance their personal and social development through activities set by the trust, as well as enhancing their knowledge on how to complete personal statements and understanding the UCAS process. Well done to them both for completing the residential. Miss Bhuttay, Psychology.

On Friday 15th July, Heartlands Academy finally said their goodbyes to the Year 13s. For the majority of students, this marked the end of 7 years at Heartlands. The event was a chance for our students to relax with their teachers in a more informal setting and reflect on their achievements to date. They also organised a ‘humorous’ awards ceremony for both their peers and teachers prior to devouring an ample feast concocted by Mr. King and Mr. Ewart. Many thanks to all of the staff members who were in attendance. It was most definitely appreciated. Mr Ewart Head of Sixth Form

COMMUNITY EVENTS Heartlands Academy is interested in community or business projects. If you are a parent, member of the local community or a business who would like to be involved, please contact Mrs Blackham, Community Manager. Telephone: 0121 464 3931 or email: B.Blackham@heartlands-academy.org.uk

Community Fete

eartlands Academy Summer Fete was a great success, and a true community event. A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the fete this year. This was my ﬁrst attempt at running a summer fete and I think we have done amazingly well.

We raised a total of £1,366!

Students will be asked how they would like the money to be spent and their suggestions will go to Student Voice who will make the ﬁnal request. The fete featured great music, a bouncy castle, a coconut shy, outdoor games, arts and crafts, fabulous food and lots more. The weather was fantastic, lots of people turned up and everyone had fun. Students themselves had a hand in running the stalls and raising money. This was a rewarding experience for them. I have already had several students come and tell me how we are going to do it next year, how we can improve it and how we can make more money. We are really grateful to the local businesses who donated rafﬂe prizes. I would also like to say a big thank you to the people who donated goods, to those who came on the day and spent their money and for those who helped out on the day. Everyone worked hard to make the fete a success. We couldn’t have done it without you. Mrs Blackham, Community Manager

Calendar 2016 A level results Thursday 18 August GCSE results Thursday 25 August

Autumn Term Teacher Day Monday 5 September (closed to students) Teacher Day Tuesday 6 September (closed to students) Term Starts Wednesday 7 September Year 7 Settling In Evening Thursday 13 October Half Term Monday 24 October to Friday 28 October Year 10 Parents’ Evening (targeted students only) Thursday 24 November Teacher Day Friday 25 November (closed to students) Year 11 Parents’ Evening Thursday 1 December Term Ends Friday 16 December For up to date announcements, follow us on TWITTER @Heartlands_Acad

The School Health Advisory Service Ages 4-19

Lifesavers

Community Clinic, At The Pod, 28 Oliver Street, Nechells, B7 4NX

A group of thirty Year 8 students took part in the School Lifesavers Study to learn CPR skills. The study aimed to compare teaching CPR through an interactive app as a standalone educational tool together with traditional face to face instructor led teaching using manikins or both. All the students really enjoyed the sessions and are eager to share their skills. Miss Blackwell, Welfare Ofﬁcer

• • • • • •

Health and Wellbeing Emotional Health Immunisations Weight Management One to One Sessions Health Workshops

Every Wednesday 3pm-6pm For enquiries, please contact: Central School Health Advisory Service Tel: 0121 245 5750 Email: BCHNT.centralsnteam@nhs.net

Why you must read daily for 20 minutes... Reading every day for 20 minutes will help you access all areas of the curriculum. Did you know that all GCSE subjects will be assessed for spelling, punctuation and grammar? Therefore, it is vital that you take responsibility for your own learning and continuously develop your literacy skills. In order to help you, you will find a Literacy folder on

the Academy’s VLE Moodle website which you can access using your academy log in, and the password ‘Apple123!’. In the SPAG section, you can review different grammatical and spelling rules, and complete extension tasks at home in order to consolidate any areas of misunderstanding.