ICENI ACADEMY SPRING TERM NEWSLETTER 2014 HEADLINES

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1 ICENI ACADEMY SPRING TERM NEWSLETTER 2014 HEADLINES Dear Parent/Carer Welcome to the latest edition of the Iceni Newsletter. I write to you as we approach the final week of my second term at Iceni - and what an incredible year it has been. 54% of our pupils are on target to secure 5 A* to C grades including English and mathematics. 100% of our primary pupils are expected to achieve L4 Reading, 87% L4 Writing and 100% L4 Maths, which follows on from the success of last year. We are extremely excited about our results day this August and we are especially looking forward to our pupils hard work and achievement being recognised by OFSTED in the coming term. I want to thank all the parents that have filled in our questionnaires during visits and parents evenings and am delighted to report the following: 88% of parents/carers agreed or strongly agreed that their child was happy at Iceni Academy 93% of parents/carers agreed or strongly agreed that their child was safe at Iceni Academy 93% of parents/carers thought that their child made good progress at Iceni Academy 89% of parents/carers thought that their child was well looked after at Iceni Academy 85% of parents/carers thought that their child was taught well at Iceni Academy 74% of parents/carers thought that their child received appropriate homework at Iceni Academy 79% of parents/carers thought that Iceni Academy ensures children are well behaved 62% of parents/carers thought that Iceni Academy dealt effectively with bullying 73% of parents/carers thought that Iceni Academy was well led and managed 78% of parents/carers believe that Iceni Academy responds well to concerns raised 81% of parents/carers state they receive valuation information from Iceni Academy about their child s progress 97% of parents/carers would recommend Iceni Academy to another parent. These results are testament to the hard work and commitment of everyone, pupils and teaching staff, within the Academy. I would like to congratulate everyone in the Academy for their magnificent efforts in raising over 1000 on Sports Relief day and can assure you that all the monies raised have been allocated to this wonderful charity. 1

2 Year 11 are currently fund-raising for their Prom in June, and we look forward to seeing them, dressed in their finery, and enjoying themselves after their hard work. Our pupils have represented us proudly, and been real ambassadors for Iceni Academy both in our local community and further afield on various educational visits. It s always sad, at the end of term to say goodbye to departing staff, but we wish the following good luck in their new ventures: Mark Bradley, Leigh Foster and Paul Bloom are all moving to IES Breckland. Alan Rudd is relocating to Scotland. At the beginning of the summer term, we are looking forward to welcoming the following members of staff: Marc Harris Teacher of Technology Richard Woolf Teacher of Geography Alan Hiom Instructor of Drama Nazia Bannister Leader of Excellence (Science) joining us in June Kieran Weatherley Learning Support Assistant Jackie Palmer Learning Support Assistant Philippa Davies Library/Learning Resource Assistant Tom Clark Assistant IT Technician Good luck to everyone who is facing external exams on their return to the Academy. Don t forget to revise and do pop into the Academy for your revision sessions and booster clubs. Happy Easter to everyone. Keep safe and enjoy the fabulous spring weather. Yours sincerely Gee Cook Principal 2

3 Raising Pupils Aspirations to attend University During the current academic year, we have been involved in programmes organised by the University of East Anglia to encourage our pupils to aspire to attend university. Year 9 Mentoring Programme The Year 9 mentoring programme has been running since January and concludes in April (after 12 weeks). The programme has been aimed at pupils who we feel have the potential to progress to university, but who may not yet be reaching their full academic potential. The mentors are university students who have helped our pupils raise their performance at school, reflect on their progress and identify goals, develop their motivation and confidence and develop their study skills. The programme will finish with a visit to the University of East Anglia campus in Norwich on Thursday 8 th May. Year 10 Move On Up Programme The Year 10 move on up programme provides pupils with an opportunity to explore all the different subjects which can be studied at university and gives them an insight into the life of a university student. The pupils will be visiting the University of East Anglia on 24 th April. Department for Education Future Scholar Award Scheme We have also been invited by the Department for Education to take part in the Future Scholar Award scheme. Five of our most academically able Year 9 pupils will visit a Russell Group University (e.g. Durham University, University of Edinburgh, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of Sheffield or the University of York). The aim of the scheme is to encourage pupils to aspire to attend one of the top universities in the country. I hope to extend these opportunities to more pupils in the future. Mr J Winn Vice Principal 3

4 Exams office The exams season will be upon us after the Easter holidays. Here are a few reminders of the do s and don ts of exams; Make sure when you arrive at the exam room you have eaten. Having rumbling tummies can echo through the Gym. Turn up to the exam 15 minutes before your published time. Make sure you have all the equipment you need for the exams (pencils, rubber, ruler, mathematical instruments, etc.) Get plenty of BLACK pens. If you are using a pencil case, this must be clear. All water bottles must be unlabelled. If you have any known problems with regards to equipment, please come and see me before the exam. No electronic equipment (ipod, mp3/4, mobile phones etc) are allowed in the examination rooms. If you are caught with any device, you will be excluded from not just the exam you are sitting, but possibly the whole series of exams. There will be a box in the exam room for any valuables, but they will be the pupils responsibility. Use the Easter time wisely. Ask your teachers for revision advice, but above all else relax about the exam process. If you have any worries, please come and see me. Results days The academy will be open to pupils and parents between the hours of and on the following days for the collection of examination results: AS & A level (Years 12 & 13) ~ Thursday 14 th August 2014 GCSE (Years 9, 10 & 11) ~ Thursday 21 st August 2014 If any pupil is unable to collect their results and would like them posted, please see me with a self-addressed envelope. Adults can collect results, but I will need written consent from the pupil giving permission for me to hand them to anyone other than themselves. ALSO The academy has a vast amount of exam certificates belonging to both current and expupils. The exam boards have directed all schools to keep them for one year and then to destroy them. I am very conscious that certificates are expensive to replace, (about 30 per certificate), so I would like to give you all the opportunity to collect old certificates. Pupils should legally collect their own certificates, but if you have any problems in doing so, please contact me on exams@iceniacademy.org.uk or by phoning Regards Amanda Donelan (Exams Officer) 4

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6 ATTENDANCE & ATTAINMENT FACT SHEET Regular school attendance is important in order that you reach your full potential! The information below is based on Government research and demonstrates the possible impact of your attendance, on your attainment. You will see from the graph how drastically attendance affects attainment Attendance levels can sometimes be regarded in the same way as examination results. For instance, in an exam if you achieved 80% you would be very happy. In attendance terms, that means that you would have had 40 days off in 1 academic year, or 1 day off each week! Attendance Rates 93.5%+ = Very good chance of 5 A* - C Grades 92.5% = Good chance of 5 A* - C Grades 91.5% = Fair chance of 5 A* - C Grades 90% = Less than 50% chance of 5 A* - C Grades 88% = Less than 35% chance of 5 A* - C Grades Less than 88% = Less than 30% of 5 A* - C Grades In order for you to achieve the highest possible grades you MUST be in School. Remember every school day counts! 6

7 Attendance Following recent amendments to The Education Regulations 2006 schools and academies will no longer authorise family holidays during term time, as such there will be no holiday forms available for authorised absence during term time. Headteachers should not grant leave of absence unless in exceptional circumstances. Any application must be made in advance and the Headteacher must be satisfied that there are exceptional circumstances which warrant leave. A leave of absence is granted entirely at the Headteacher s discretion. School attendance. Statutory guidance and departmental advice. August 2013 Your child s attendance is closely monitored and you will be aware that it is your responsibility to notify the academy on each and every day of a pupil s absence before 9.30am to explain the reasons why they are unable to attend school and an expected date when they will return. Any absence that hasn t been explained will be categorised as Unauthorised. Attendance at school is vitally important as there is a direct and proven link between attendance and achievement. If you have any queries regarding attendance please attendance@iceniacademy.org.uk. Year 11 Achievement Bulletin (11 th March 2014) Key Information for Parents/Carers and Pupils Study leave Following consultation with parents and Directors of Faculty, we have decided there will be no study leave for Year 11 pupils. This decision is also based on new Government requirements relating to attendance. Pupils will be expected to continue attending all lessons until the day of their final exam. Their timetable will be amended to ensure they are well prepared for all exams. On occasions where they have completed their final exam in a particular subject, alternative lesson content will be provided in accordance with their remaining exams, including access to computer facilities. 7

8 Easter Revision/Booster Days There will be a comprehensive programme of revision / booster days during the Easter holiday; for many this will provide an excellent opportunity to prepare for the forthcoming exams. A letter has been sent to parents/carers with the timetable recently. Year 11 Challenge Days : The remaining Challenge Days are as follows: Wednesday 23rd April - ICT Monday 28th April - English After-school classes: After-school classes continue to take place for many subjects. Pupils must remember to collect their raffle tickets in order to potentially win a 10 voucher!! 10 voucher winners: George Gatward (x 2), Luke Lucas, Jenny Doye, Brooke Webber, James Ingram and Luke Heys. Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Maths / Science / Media Studies / Food Technology (practical) Humanities (History / Geography / Philosophy & Ethics / Preparation for Working Life) / GCSE PE / Creative Arts / Business Studies / Food Technology (computer access) Science / ICT (Core) / GCSE PE English Additional mentoring during personalised learning lessons: Additional mentoring is being provided during personalised learning lessons for pupils who we believe will benefit from the opportunity to have a regular dialogue with a member of staff about their current progress, identifying any issues and barriers to their achievement. Directors of Faculty are also using this time to support pupils in the core subjects. Mr J Winn Vice Principal 8

9 YEAR 11 PROM NIGHT Dear Parents/Carers As you will know some Y11 pupils are fundraising to raise money for our school prom, which is on Friday 27 th June at Lynford Hall. In order to make Prom night a night to remember for your children and keep prices low for Prom tickets, we are doing several different fundraising activities in the weeks to come. Such as the following: EASTER PRIZE BINGO - on Friday 4 th April. The event will be held at Iceni Academy (in the main hall). Refreshments/snacks will be available. We are in desperate need of prizes, so any donations would be hugely appreciated. These can be brought in by your child and given to Mrs Smith in Room 13. Please come and show your support and at the same time have a fun evening. Why not bring a friend or two to join in the fun? We look forward to seeing you. Prom Committee Fund Raiser Friday 4 th April Cakes are being sold at lunchtime in the foyer (from 1.45). Easter Disco Years 5, 6, and 7 Date to be announced. Letters with details will follow shortly. 9

10 Model United Nations Sixth Form Update During the Autumn term, Tristan Watson, Charles Lamport-Beale (Award Winner), Morgan Tuvey, Jasmine Newson, Brianna Symonds, Chloe Giles and Adam Kostecki in Year 12 took part in the Model United Nations. This involved them working with pupils from other Sixth Forms across the county debating world news at a number of events. Congratulations to them all on their hard work and commitment to this. The skills developed will be invaluable in the future. Model United Nations Team from Iceni Academy Sixth Form Below is some information written by two of the students who took part in this worthwhile exercise. Between October and December of 2013, seven year 12 students, took part in a mock UN debate. These students were Morgan Tuvey, Charles Lamport-Beale, Jasmine Newson, Brianna Symonds, Chloe Giles, Adam Kosteki and Tristan Watson The first part of the mock UN consisted of meeting up, for the first time, with the other schools. Very quickly you are put into groups of three or four. Then your groups are given the name of a country, which is chosen at random, and from then on you represent that country. Depending on the subject, ours was the Syrian Crisis, you then work with your team members to complete certain tasks. At first you must research the relations other countries have with yours; this would be part of the country profile that you must complete. Over the next few weeks you work with your team to complete the tasks over , and then you meet up for a second time and further discuss how you will complete the final task, which is to come up with a resolution for your given crisis. The third meet is the last meet where you present your case. The reason behind Charles and his partner s award was because they were the 'best negotiators' which was due to how they spread their idea of the resolution. Although Charles never spoke out loud, he and his partner sent messages to every representative in the room. It was their work 'behind the scenes' that won them the award. It goes to show that even if you're not a confident speaker you can still win something. Even if you don't win any of the three awards up for grabs, you still receive a certificate verifying that you took part in the event, which is always a good thing to have on a personal statement or a university application. All of the participants thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the debate and would encourage the upcoming year 12s to sign up for this experience. Morgan Tuvey & Charles Lamport-Beale 10

11 King s College - Choose to Venture Good Luck!!! The Sixth Form have been working hard in preparation for their mock exams and are now getting ready for the final push before they undertake their AS and A2 exams in the summer term. The Sixth Form team would like to wish each and every student the best of luck. Good luck to Year 13 who leave us this summer after 7 years at Iceni Academy. Well done to all of you. It has been a pleasure working with you, initially as your teacher and then as the Director of Sixth Form. I am sure you will all do very well and will go on to achieve great things! Congratulations to those who have secured offers from their first choice of University you will have a fantastic time! The current Year 12 are now starting the application process and should be making the most of University Open Days to ensure they make an informed decision about where they choose to study beyond Iceni Academy. We are currently working hard in the Sixth Form to recruit students from Year 11 both at Iceni and further afield in a bid to further develop the Sixth Form at Iceni Academy. This is going well and we hope to have doubled the size of the Sixth Form by September. For more information about the Sixth Form please visit the VLE or contact me direct using the address: stu@iceniacademy.org.uk Miss S. Turner Director of Sixth Form Intermediate Maths Challenge The UKMT Intermediate Maths Challenge took place on Thursday 6 th February and found ninety of the niftiest mathematicians in Years 9, 10 and 11 frantically grappling with Fibonacci numbers and areas of sectors. Questions included, Which integer has exactly eight factors including 6 and 15? and How many numbers can be written as the sum of 2 different positive integers each at most 100? Clearly such questions did not faze Samuel Wright or Joe Manning who both picked up the top prize of Gold certificates. Five fellow Year 11s achieved Silver awards: Ryan Kavaney, Liam Greaney, Billie Sutterby, Thomas Kavaney and Georgia O Malley and five achieved Bronze: Liam Bunten, Chloe Chalk, Emily Olson, Luke Heys and Jemma Bradshaw. Not to be undone, Ben Sheffield, Ben Wells, Bertie Taylor and James Slatter in Year 10 also got Silver awards. While six Year 10s achieved the Bronze award: Max Dale, Louis Helms, Chloe Cooper, Charlene Reeves, Levi Harris and Dean Hubbard. In Year 9, Silver awards went to Cara Solomon and Nicholas Morgan with Bronze awards going to David Vincent and Joseph Rolph so hats off to all of them! 11

12 Special congratulations go to Samuel Wright who managed to progress to the next round and sit The Pink Kangaroo Paper! This is an accomplishment bestowed upon only the top 6000 pupils in the UK. With twenty-six Iceni Academy pupils picking up certificates, this has been our most successful Maths Challenge ever, so a big well done to all those who knuckled down to get to grips with their parabolas, prisms and primes! Mr Hudson Teacher of Mathematics Technology Update Green Power Club - Cold Frame Project When the Gardener at nearby Oxburgh Hall asked us if some of our pupils could build them some cold frames and Mr Rudd our Resistant Materials teacher asked for ideas to extend the activities of the Green Power Club, a unique opportunity was created for us to work together on a project with the National Trust. The Cold Frame Project involves replacing the existing metal construction with a new wooden and brick Victorian style structure that will be more in keeping with a historic walled garden. This planned improvement to the facilities at Oxburgh, which would normally be carried out by outside contractors, is now being undertaken by pupils at Iceni Academy. During the summer term the carpentry and joinery will be completed and painted in our workshops and our pupils should also have the chance to learn bricklaying and help to lay the 600 bricks required for the cold frame base on site. Green Power Cars Pupils in the club have now completed building the skeletons of two racing cars which are ready to be clad with aerodynamic skins, groomed in and then raced. We hope to have some internal competitions before an area competition or even a national. Mr Moy Technology Design/Graphics Technician 12

13 Food Technology The Year 9 catering group have been busy practising their culinary skills and studying hard to gain a GCSE this year. They have just completed their first project of planning, preparing and making 4 different dishes that contain dairy products. Mrs Spaul Teacher of Food Technology My name is Kya Raven and I am part of the Year 9 Catering group. Since being part of this group I have learnt about the many different catering establishments and the different job roles within the industry. I have also learnt many practical skills and techniques and I hope this will help me if I choose to go down the career path of Hospitality and Catering. We have been preparing for our first practical exam which will go towards our overall GCSE grade. British Sugar have recently been very generous in donating some money to the Academy some of which went towards the catering group being able to have chef whites and hats (Pictured above). When these came we all felt much more professional and our attitude to cooking changed for the better. We recently wrote a thank you letter to British Sugar to say how grateful we were for the donation and to say how we would like to see them and visit the factory. We have sent the letters and are hoping for a reply soon. Kya Raven 13

14 I would like to take this opportunity to welcome Mr. Scarce, our new Music Teacher, to Iceni Academy. After a little while spent familiarising himself with our Academy he has begun a programme of extra-curricular activities that will be seen to develop over the coming months. Whilst awaiting new instrument resources, he has started a Singing Club (choir) on Thursday lunchtimes for all pupils who fancy themselves as the next Beyoncé or Bruno Mars! We have temporarily said farewell to Mrs. Van Holland, who left us to have her baby. We are pleased to announce the arrival of her baby boy. Everyone wishes her all the best and a speedy return. Mr. Hiom will be joining us shortly in the drama department for the period of maternity cover. The Art department is at its busiest time, with Year 11 pupils working on their externally set assignment (exam project), which culminates in a 10 hour exam on 6 th and 7 th May. We wish them well in this as it counts towards 40% of their GCSE mark. Year 7 pupils are exploring Pop Art; creating Andy Warhol inspired pieces using block colour and tissue collage. Year 8 pupils are creating 3D sculptural pieces inspired by their research into African tribal masks Works in progress Mrs J. Crook Director of Creative Arts 14

15 Humanities Update Year 7 Enrichment- Personal Learning and Thinking Skills Towers As part of the Year 7 enrichment programme the pupils have been analysing how they use their own PLTSs (Personalised Learning and Thinking Skills). As part of this study they were set the challenge of building the tallest free standing straw tower. After they completed the task the pupils were asked to look at their own contribution to the activity and to think about and explain whether or not they had contributed successfully and efficiently towards its completion. These photographs show two of our most successful towers and their creative architects. Mr Carmichael Director of Personalised Learning THORPE PARK - (Fundraiser for Humanities Department) There are still a few tickets left for the trip to Thorpe Park on 17 th May Please go to Pupil Reception for letters. This is always a fantastic fun day out. Tickets (including coach travel are 40). GCSE Geography Lake District Trip This five day trip goes ahead on 4-8 th April. Look out for a news report and pictures in the next newsletter. Year 9 Trip to Norwich Careers Fair BEST Update On Wednesday 12 th March Iceni Academy took 52 pupils to the Skills East of England Event held at the Norfolk Showground. Skills East of England is the region s biggest hands-on jobs, careers and skills event for year olds. 15

16 This event enabled pupils to talk to people from businesses and training providers across Norfolk about career prospects and apprenticeship opportunities across a wide range of industries. The event allowed the pupils to get hands on and try different activities including fitting a wheel to a race car, hairdressing, getting up close and personal to stage make-up, riding a dummy race horse and many more. This event gave the pupils a great opportunity to meet with real companies and discuss their future careers. Stock Market Challenge Currently the Year 10 Business Studies pupils are involved in the Stock Market Challenge competition. This is where they are given a virtual 50,000 to invest in a maximum of 10 companies one of which has to be a local interest company. There are 56 teams entered in the competition from a range of High Schools and Academies across Norfolk. After the first month of results I am pleased to announce the following placings for the teams from Iceni Academy. 3 rd GHALS - investment standing at 55, th TEAM AB FAB investment standing at 54, th Inter Darkness investment standing at 53, th Iceni Investment investment standing at 52, rd Fluffy s Angels investment standing at 52, It s great to have two teams currently in the Top 10 and to see that all of the teams have actually made money on their investments. The best performing team from Iceni will be attending the final of the Stock Market Challenge in Norwich in June, competing against the best performing teams from other schools in Norfolk. The Schools Challenge Competition It s eggscellent!!!!!!!!! The Schools Challenge competition is an annual event which is run by the NEICG The Norfolk Education Industry & Commerce Group and is based solely around the Food and Farming Industry, which is central to our local economy. This year the Year 10 Business Studies group have been given their challenge by Mr Jason Cooper of Norfolk Eggs Ltd, based in Northwold. The pupils have been asked to establish a branding idea which could be used to market and sell the eggs which are produced at the Norfolk farm. The group has been split into teams and have been asked to produce the brand image, including logo, packaging and tag line, and to also produce a power point and verbal 16

17 presentation of their ideas which will be presented to Mr Cooper for judging. The winners from this stage of the competition will then go on to the area finals of the competition held at Easton and Otley College in June, the pupils will also be exhibiting their work in the education marquee at the Royal Norfolk Show on Wednesday 25 th and Thursday 26 th of June Pardon the pun but let s hope the pupils get cracking and create some eggscellent ideas! Mrs Skeels Director of Business Innovation Norfolk Cross Country Trialists PE Department News Well done to the following pupils who qualified for the Norfolk Schools Cross Country Championships. Chloe Conway Ella Pook Joseph Smythe Luke Corbyn Millie Bales Samuel Rolph All pupils performed very well. Well done to Joseph Smythe who went on to represent the County. Rugby 7s Tournament Iceni Academy took two teams, U14 and U16 to Langley school to play in the Norfolk 7s tournament. Faced with tough opposition throughout the boys played very well and represented themselves and the Academy with pride. Men of the Tournament go to David Hogg U14 and Paddy Simonds U16. Football The football season comes to a close this term and sees the U15 team qualify again for the South Norfolk final. I wish the boys good luck in their attempt to retain the trophy they won last year. Norfolk School Games The following pupils represented Breckland at the recent Norfolk School Games Finals. Cross Country Swimming Indoor Athletics Rowing Callum Huckfield (Yr 3) Sam Rolph Lewis O'Malley Lewis O'Malley Isabel Smythe (Year 3) Sam Overland- Watts Luke Corbyn Louise Kennedy Abigail Clouston (Year 4) Isobel Whiting Joe Smythe Georgia Oliver Zak Grimwood (Year 5) Charlotte Cronk Daniel Bean Luke DeMeyer Jamie Perry (Year 5) Alice Ireland Kyle Pentney Ciona Giles Lola Rayner (Year 5) Abigail Whiting Teddy Weber 17

18 Cricket Next term Cricket returns and there is training for all ages on Thursday nights, 3.30 till Participation at these clubs will help to secure your place in the school team. Iceni Academy will be entering two teams, U13 and U15 into the South Norfolk Cricket League. Fixtures will be on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. VLE For all the latest match reports see the PE section on the academy s VLE, follow this link Mr Spurgeon Director of PE U16s fly the flag for Iceni The u16 netball team recently played their final match in the semi-final of the South Norfolk Netball League. Iceni faced a well organised Old Buckenham side on the brand new indoor court at Thetford Academy. After a very nervous start, Iceni settled well into their own game and played some excellent netball. The defensive trio of Sophie Evans, Katie Amacker and Mia Osborne battled well and turned over a number of balls through good interceptions and tight marking. Old Buckenham led 7-4 at half time. During the third and fourth quarters, the ball was moved around well in attack with Georgia O Malley and Holly Vowles combining well down the court to provide Hope Scarff and Leah Zawaisa with some good opportunities. The girls took their opportunities well against a tough defence. A brilliant team performance in the last quarter resulted in Old Buckenham scoring only one goal but unfortunately it was too late and the game ended in their favour. Although the girls were disappointed, they should be immensely proud of themselves. They progressed further in the competition than any team from Methwold has ever done before, showing excellent attitudes and superb levels of skill and teamwork. Hope, Georgia, Holly, Mia and Sophie, I wish you every success next year. Make sure that you take advantage of any opportunities you have to play at college or sixth form and beyond; you will all be a great asset to any team! Katie and Leah, I am looking forward to working with you and the other Year 10s next season, it is up to you girls to try and go one better next year! Girls, thanks for the hours of training you have put in and for the superb performances. You have been a pleasure to coach. Thanks too for the memories of the last five years! (A very proud) Miss Goddard Iceni PE are on twitter! Iceni PE Department are on twitter. Follow for all of the latest news, fixtures, reports and events in the PE Department! Miss Goddard Teacher of PE 18

19 Livigno Snowsports Trip 2014 In February, twenty-six Iceni Academy pupils from Years 8 to12 travelled for 24 hours to the Northern Italian resort of Livigno. The snow was fantastic, snowing for all except one of the days, and the food plentiful. All of the pupils got on really well together and many friendships were formed with the pupils from our partner school, Dereham Neatherd. Livigno snow sports party 2014 gathered on the slopes Letters for next year s trip, February 2015, are available now from Mr Carmichael or pupil reception. Mr Carmichael Trip Organiser 19

20 Iceni Academy Methwold PE Department Extra-curricular Clubs Summer Term Day Monday Tuesday Wednesday Staff member / Sports Prefect JSp RGo RGo LTa LTa STu Lunchtime ( pm) Fitness Room All Years Tennis Yr 11 Fitness Room All Years Tennis Yr 9 Fitness Room All Years Tennis Yr 10 Afterschool ( pm) Athletics PE Dept Tennis JSpRounders RGo / STu Thursday Friday STu JSp JSp Rgo Fitness Room All Years Tennis Yr 7 Fitness Room All Years Tennis Yr 8 Cricket (Mundford Cricket Club)/LTa PE Yr 11 Revision JSp / RGo DRAMA DEPARTMENT WICKED Trip On Thursday 13 th March, a party of pupils and staff went to see a production of Wicked at London s Apollo Theatre. The coach journey took us through the centre of London, a new experience for some. We were lucky enough to have a driver who knew a lot about the architecture, old and new, and some of London s captivating history which made the journey itself extremely interesting. We arrived at the theatre in good time, took our seats and eagerly awaited the performance. We were not disappointed. A captivating performance was given by the talented cast, including the fabulous orchestra and we were left Spellbound! Wicked tells the previously untold story of the two witches of Oz before Dorothy s journey to Oz in The Wizard of Oz. I m sure everyone left the theatre that night with a very different opinion of the Wicked Witch of the West! I know I did! For some the experience may even have sown a small seed for dreams of a future career in the arts! 20

21 Amazing! Great costumes and the characters were hilarious. If I had a choice I would go again and again. Trinity Keeble I really enjoyed it. The music was amazing, you could feel it running through you. The costumes suited the characters to a T, and the emotion they felt, you could relate to. If they felt pain, you could feel pain, if they cried you felt sad. When it ended you could feel everything linking into place. By far one of the best musicals I ve seen. Jade Clayton Y8 The musical was Wicked! The costumes were breath taking along with the choreography which made me want to move my feet! Evie Thomas Y10 A fantastic evening was had by all and we are all very grateful to Mrs Hovell for all her hard work in organising the trip. The pupils were a real credit to Iceni Academy and it was a pleasure to accompany them. Mrs Gronland, Receptionist The Woman in Black Theatre Trip In February, the year 9, 10 and 11 GCSE Drama pupils set off on a trip to London for an educational visit to explore life behind the stage at the Leicester Square Theatre where they had the opportunity to hear from and ask questions to people who had different roles in the theatre exploring marketing, technical, box office and the role of a Theatre Manager. The pupils also took a back stage tour to see behind the scenes. Later in the afternoon they had the opportunity to take part in a theatre trail discovering the huge range of theatres and shows that are presently running in the West End. After time in Covent Garden for shopping and dinner we then headed to the Fortune Theatre to watch The Woman in Black. Pupils were in awe of the production and how the two actors created atmosphere and tension when telling the story of a lawyer who was dealing with the assets of an older lady who lived in a manor house separated from the mainland by the tide. On return the pupils then wrote up a review of the show linking to their coursework for their GCSE. Overall this was a very successful and enjoyable visit. Mrs Van Holland Teacher of Drama Saff Gomes: "It was a great day and the play was very dramatic. Emily Marshall: "It was so good - you should go and see it but only if you're prepared to be scared!" Alisha Pooley: "It was really good, people should definitely go and watch it." 21

22 Mentoring Programme The Student Support mentoring programme is proving to be a huge success through the academy. We are very proud of our Year 11 Mentors, they have evolved into well rounded, trustworthy individuals. Back in September we started the search for six members of the current Year 11 to train as full Behaviour Mentors. After a few weeks we felt we had made our choice and asked the six young people in for interviews. We knew we had made the right choices as all six were enthusiastic and ready to learn. They gave up their lunchtimes and came for training and then went solo! They have proved themselves to be invaluable members of an elite team. They help other pupils to feel safe in and around the academy. If they spot anxious pupils they put their minds at ease by simply talking to them. With our help they put together an anti-bullying assembly back in November to promote what they do. Pupils around the academy can easily spot them by their different coloured ties. With them being our eyes and ears out in the field, we can on many occasions resolve issues that arise before pupils get upset. This type of early intervention has helped our Year 7 cohort to settle in to academy life quicker and for our older pupils to feel safe and more at ease around the academy. We also believe this good practice viewed around the academy from our Mentors breeds likewise behaviour and there is a feeling of wanting to look out for the younger academy pupils from other KS4 pupils. This is a positive step, as they are the next potential Mentors we will be looking to recruit in September. With this academic year being a success for our Behaviour Mentors we will carry this through to the next academic year. Student Support KENYA PROJECT As some of you are aware we at Iceni Academy are part of the Kenya Project. The project involves us, along with 3 other high schools in the Norwich area, taking pupils to Kenya. While there they become involved with helping people from the local community, mainly in the slum areas of Kibera. We have connections with 3 primary schools where the pupils plan and carry out teaching lessons to children ranging from 4 to 14 years old. We also visit the Starehe Boys Centre where we catch up with Mustafa, the orphan, whom we at Iceni sponsor. We are always trying to raise money for Mustafa and the primary schools so they can be fed porridge on a daily basis. For some this is the only meal of the day! The trip is not running this year but we already have pupils signed up for We are very excited about this as it is an amazing experience for those who go, and, as many previous pupils have said, it s a life changing experience. An Easter Raffle to raise funds will be held soon and tickets will be on sale nearer the time. If you have any questions or fund raising ideas please contact me at the academy. Mrs Griggs. 22

23 The Icenian A hard working committee of pupils, led by Deputy Head Boy Paddy Simonds, have created Iceni Academy s first e-magazine. The magazine is published exclusively online, and is packed full of news from the academy s pupils. The committee have also written a wide range of features, including revision tips, puzzles and cartoons. The first issue also included interviews with teachers at the Academy. Do you know what Mr. Evans does in his spare time? You can find out in The Icenian s exclusive interview with him! The second issue is due out at Easter and can be viewed on the VLE. Any pupils who are interested in getting involved can drop in to SF1 any Tuesday lunchtime the more the merrier. Miss Staniforth 23

24 Sports Relief On Friday 21 st March, pupils and staff from Iceni Academy helped raise money for the BBC s Sports Relief by completing a sponsored mile around the Academy s sports field. Pupils also donated 1 in return for the privilege of wearing College colours for the day. Some pupils and teachers went the extra mile! Mr Venables and Year 10 pupil, Harry Mills were sponsored to shave their heads, and this was done in front of a packed audience in the Dining Hall! Harry stated that he felt that it was important that we recognised that there were people around the world a lot less fortunate than us and that he wanted to help in any way he could. Head of the Charities Committee, Annie Bruce summed up the mood of the day: Today was a great day, not just for pupils who involved themselves in a range of fund-raising activities for charity, but also for our teachers. We have raised in excess of 1000 and this exceeds our previous record, achieved at the end of last year. News From Finance! Money raised so far Methwold , Hockwold Total WELL DONE EVERYONE! ********************************* COMIC RELIEF You will all be pleased to hear that Iceni Academy raised for the BBC Children In Need Appeal Many thanks to all those who took part and contributed to this very worthwhile cause. 24

25 Volunteering in Peru Our Site Manager, Nigel Pegler, will be travelling to Peru in the summer to work on a wildlife conservation project with the crees foundation at the Manu Learning Centre in the Madre de Dios region of the Amazon rain forest. As well as the conservation work I will be working with the local community on their bio gardens, helping out with the weekly English classes in the local community and sharing my maintenance experience with one of the local MLC members. I will be taking hundreds, if not thousands of photographs and blogging whenever the sporadic internet connection allows me! If any of the pupils or staff are interested in the project just ask me and I will bore you silly! I could be persuaded to do a PowerPoint presentation on my return if enough people are interested. This is a purely self-funded volunteer placement with people and places with whom I have volunteered twice in the past. In 2007 it was setting up a cycle project in South Africa and in 2011 I was involved in the GIG project in The Gambia Nigel Pegler Site Manager I m sure you will all join us here at the academy in wishing Mr Pegler good luck and best wishes for his work in Peru this summer. FREE SCHOOL MEALS When children eat better, they do better. That s because nutritious, balanced meals are not only key to a child s healthy development, they also provide vital nutrients to boost their energy and concentration during the school day. Our academy meets high nutritional standards for lunches through carefully balanced menus to meet children s nutritional needs. These meals can also be free for many families. Your child will be entitled to free school meals if you receive one of the following benefits: Income Support Employment Support Allowance (Income Related) Income Based Job Seekers Allowance 25

26 Guaranteed Pension Credit Child Tax Credit and your income (as calculated by the Inland Revenue) is less than 16, Day Working Tax Credit run on Receiving support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act of Even if you do not wish your child to have a free school meal, you should still apply if you are entitled, as our academy will receive more funding, 900 per pupil, to offer eligible children more support. So, if you think your child may be entitled to a free school meal, please complete an application form. These are available from the academy, at Pupil Reception, or from the Norfolk County Council website or telephone to find out more. **************************************** Pupil Reception STATIONERY SHOP PRICES Fountain Pens 1.00 Assorted Pens/Biros 15p-35p Rubbers 15p-45p Pencil Sharpeners 15p Rulers (bendy) 50p Correction Tape 60p Maths Sets piece Ruler Set 50p Hole Punch 70p Glue Sticks 50p Sticky Tape 40p Ring Binders Plastic Wallets 40p Paint Brushes 40p Notebooks 15p Colouring Pencils 2.00 Hair Bobbles 5p-10p PUPIL RECEPTION OPENING TIMES 8.30am-9.00am 11.05am-11.25am 1.30pm-2.15pm 3.15pm-3.20pm AVAILABLE FROM PUPIL RECEPTION First Aid Pupil Enquiries Timetables Dinner Cards Temporary Bus Passes Trip Information Gum Shields Ties/Planners Stationery Shop Lost Property Confiscated Items 26

27 Iceni Academy ALUMNI Did you attend Methwold High School / Hockwold and Methwold Community School? If you did, we would love to hear all about what you are doing now. It would be great to find out about the achievements of our past pupils and be able to promote your success to our current pupils to encourage and inspire them to be successful too. If you would like to join up and be part of the Iceni Methwold ALUMNI then you can do so by completing your details on the e-form that can be found on the Academy s website or by scanning here: We have just invested in a new pupil tracking system to allow us to capture, analyse and share data in real time. This will eventually take over from our current system eportal. We are in the early stages on integrating this into our systems but wanted to share with you some of the key benefits for parents/carers that this software will provide. Parents/carers have 24/7 access to today's information about their children's education, including target grades and attendance statistics. Online markbooks will allow parents/carers to see real-time, subject-specific assessment information and access course descriptions. With the Progress Report module, parents/carers can access progress reports online, either as web pages or as great-looking PDFs that can be printed at home, and we can track which parents/carers have viewed their children's reports. Parents/carers can check their children's timetable online, which helps reduce the number of forgotten PE kits, etc. To enable us to allow parents/carers full access to this new system we do require addresses. Iceni Academy Website Keep up to date with all the latest happenings by regularly visiting our website at or scanning this link 27

28 Call Parents We have a system currently in place that allows us to contact all parents/carers via and text. We ed out to all those parents/carers who we have addresses for to advise of this new process of contact. If you have not received any correspondence from us, and would like to, please your contact details including your child s name and PL Group to data@iceniacademy.org.uk ******************************************************************************************************* NEWS FLASH!!!!Get Into Archery!! Iceni Academy is running an Archery course for people aged 18 and above starting on Tuesday 6 th May & finishing Tuesday 17 th June (not on 27 May) from pm. Price will be 40 per person with a maximum of 12 people. Grey Goose Archery will be delivering the course. This is a six week course run in conjunction with Active Norfolk s Get Into initiative. For further information and to book your place visit activenorfolk.org/getinto or call Katharine Pike Cluster Extended Schools Coordinator ******************************************************************************************************* Parent View gives you the chance to tell Ofsted what you think about Iceni Academy Parent View asks for your opinion on 12 aspects of the academy, from the quality of teaching, to dealing with bullying and poor behaviour. Ofsted will use the information you provide when making decisions about which schools to inspect, and when. By sharing your views, you ll be helping Iceni Academy to improve. You will also be able to see what other parents have said about the school. Visit: 28

29 Summer Term Dates 2014 Tuesday 22 nd April Wednesday 23 rd April Monday 5 th May Half Term Thursday 26 th June Wednesday 23 rd July Staff Training Day Pupils return to school Bank Holiday (closed to pupils and staff) 26 th 30 th May Staff Training Day Last day of term 29