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Darlington 11- 19

Practitioner Newsletter Issue 3 2 , February 2020 © 11 - 19 Partnership Contents Welcome ▪ Former QE author success Welcome to the Spring Term edition of the 11 – 19 Practitioner Newsletter. As we return from the February ▪ Hurworth football success half term break it always seems as though spring and ▪ Sailing taster session – Wyvern summer are finally just around the corner. For those of us

working in schools and colleges it is always a time of ▪ Universal acclaim for QE Interact Club

looking forward to examinations and for many of our young people, particularly those in Years 11 and 13, it ▪ CASE programme attracts Dutch experts - Carmel College

feels as though the countdown has really begun. ▪ Living laboratory - QE Nevertheless the stories in this newsletter prove that our schools are about much more than just examination ▪ Hurworth choir finalists

results, and highlight just some of the many ways in ▪ General election at which our schools educate the whole person. It is

genuinely inspirational to see how our school staff – both ▪ Carmel College VI Form raise awareness of mental health teachers and support staff, go far beyond the teaching of an academic curriculum and there are some wonderful ▪ apprentices secure posts

examples in this term’s newsletter. Like you, I am hugely ▪ STEM club – grateful for the efforts of all teachers and education support staff across our town. ▪ Hurworth taekwondo pupil’s outstanding achievements

We are very lucky to have such positive partnerships ▪ Longfield community enrichment between our schools and colleges and to know that we

work together for the benefit of all the young people of ▪ – kindness at Christmas

Darlington. As someone who has worked in all-through ▪ Learning & Skills news schools for over fifteen years, I know the importance of

effective transition from primary to secondary and, of ▪ BL Training – ASK course, from secondary to post-16 provision. The new ▪ Longfield at Westminster Ofsted framework turns a spotlight on curriculum and the ways in which schools ensure effective progression ▪ Haughton work experience and so it is even more important that we work together.

It has been so encouraging to see a focus on transition ▪ football

across the town and to see primary and secondary ▪ Darlington College student schools squad success colleagues at subject network meetings, as it is exactly this kind of collaboration that can lead to greater ▪ Haughton Year 12 awards

understanding of the curriculum, challenges and ▪ Darlington College taster successes in each phase, which can only be of benefit to our pupils. ▪ Extraordinary month of mission - Carmel College

Kate Reid ▪ Wyvern pupils’ insight into higher education

Headteacher ▪ Research school status for Carmel College

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The one with the former QE student and the children’s book

Sam Davies-McGill, a former student from QE, has written and published her first children’s book. Mag-Spy: The One with

the Croc! follows the story of Mag-Spy, a kind-hearted magpie who travels the world and befriends an unwell crocodile while in Australia. Written whilst on maternity leave, Sam, originally from Darlington,

who now lives in South Shields, wanted her daughter, Pippa, to develop a love for reading, and the book encourages children to learn about rhyming. The story has become so popular, selling on both its own website and Amazon, that

Sam now visits schools, nurseries and playgroups to share Mag-Spy’s story with pupils and provide colouring sheets and signed copies of the book. Sam explains: “My original aim was to write something

that my daughter would enjoy reading and I am delighted that other families are enjoying Mag-Spy’s adventures as much as we do.”

The next book in the series is entitled Mag-Spy: The one with the shark! and will focus on teaching children about lullabies.

Laurence Job, Deputy Principal at QE, adds, “ It is wonderful to hear about Sam’s success and how

she is using her talent for writing to inspire children to take an interest in reading. We are looking forward to the release of her second book and wish her every success for the future.” To purchase Mag-Spy: The one with the Croc! Please visit www.magspybook.co.uk or www.amazon.co.uk

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I Hurworth football success I

On 9th January,

students from Year 8 and Year 11 represented Darlington in the Durham County Football finals at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland. Despite playing against the best schools in the North East, both of the teams beat their respective

competition, which is a fantastic achievement!

They will now represent Durham in the Northern Area National Finals in Manchester next month. The students were superb and were complimented by numerous teachers, County representatives

and Sunderland coaches on the standard of their football.

A win would see them become Northern representatives to play against their Southern counterparts in the National Final.

Sailing taster sessions for Wyvern pupils I I A group of Wyvern Academy Year 8 pupils had the opportunity to take part in a sailing taster session at the Tees and Hartlepool Yacht Club. This activity enabled them to experience something new and provided them with the chance to develop independence, confidence, team working and other employability skills. This was a project funded by INEOS with a vision to raise aspirations of young people and was facilitated by Wyvern Academy Careers Team.

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Universal acclaim for QE Interact Club I The Interact Club from QE has spent an incredible 21,990 minutes of the year 2019 volunteering and selflessly

helping others less fortunate.

Their magnificent work has received universal acclaim with Virgin Radio presenter, Chris Evans, even giving them a shout out during his breakfast

show.

The group, comprised of 47 students, made a promise at the beginning of the year to make a lasting difference to the lives of others, having had a hugely positive impact on both the local community and further afield. Within Darlington, members have created: family hygiene packs for a food bank, presented gift bags to children and women, and spent Tuesday afternoons playing board games with residents of Abbeyfield to reduce social isolation.

Students also spent a night sleeping outdoors and raised £450 for a local homeless shelter. On an

international scale, the group has funded 10 foetal stethoscopes and training in emergency aid for midwives in Uganda, in addition to financing 200 polio vaccines, which will be distributed throughout Africa. In the run up to Christmas members sent: 1,200 Christmas cards to children with life limiting illnesses, baked and delivered 192 cupcakes to the local emergency services and hosted a

community Christmas party for 63 local elderly residents.

Jess Elmore, Interact Club President, explains, “It has been a very busy year, but it has all been worth it. Thinking about the difference that we have made to so many people’s lives is incredible.” Nancy Wall, Interact Club Co-ordinator, adds, “The students’ commitment and enthusiasm has been unwavering, even when they were freezing cold at 3am during the sleep out. I cannot

express how proud I am of them all.”

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CASE programme attracts Dutch experts I I Specialist teachers at Carmel College, have been working with students for the past 18 months using CASE - Cognitive Acceleration through Science Education – a programme which concentrates on the thought process rather than simply delivering the curriculum. The novel methodology aims to develop children’s learning by opening a neural pathway that can be applied to all subjects.

The approach has attracted interest from educational researchers from the Netherlands who have been in school seeing the programme in action.

At Carmel College they observed Year 7-9 CASE lessons, talked to students and staff and were briefed by Carmel Education Trust’s Director of Research and Development, David Bailey and maths and science lead, Alan Edmiston on ‘Let’s Think’, a Strategic School Improvement Fund (SSIF) project, supported by the DfE, being delivered across the country. “We are trying to develop students’ thinking so when they are 16 and sitting their GCSEs they will have a better understanding of more difficult concepts,” Mr Bailey said. “It isn’t about the content, it

is about the approach, the thinking, the ability to problem-solve.”

“Eleven -year-olds are keen to learn about the world and this approach gets them to question, understand and explain their thinking so we can understand how best to help them improve, rather than reach the exam stage only to find they haven’t grasped the subject.”

Science tutor, Rachael Hardcastle, said she had taught a class on the theory of osmosis and had not

even used the term right until the end of the lesson. Instead, she had let the students figure out the

concept themselves. “This gave them ownership of their learning,” she said. Academics from Fontys University of Applied Science, Tilburg, visited Carmel, including teacher educator chemistry Susan Dirks-Trommelen.

She said: “This makes thought explicit, which allows them to be more confident in their own thinking. Systematic thinking helps them realise which actions are needed and they will be able to use these skills everywhere.”

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Living laborat ory I I Future medicine students from QE have enjoyed a thrilling Discover Medicine Event at Sunderland University. QE’s Medicine Society supports students with their research into careers within the health sector whilst preparing them for the competitive application process for Medicine. The event explored the problem-based learning at Sunderland University and provided students with the opportunity to sample working in living laboratories, including practising clinical skills on the mock ward.

First year student, Joe Halliwell, who is studying Biology, Chemistry and Maths at QE, comments, “The technology at the university is amazing; using digital imaging to explore anatomy was a great way of seeing how different systems interact. I have learnt a lot about the teaching styles used in Medicine and the visit has definitely helped me to consider what I want from a degree in Medicine.”

Alice Atkinson, Medicine Society Co-ordinator, adds, “Staff at Sunderland University were fantastic in demonstrating how the practical elements of a degree in Medicine can be taught. It was interesting to see the positive impact of technology on both undergraduates and patients’ experiences with an emphasis on effective communication.”

I Choir finalists - Hurworth I Hurworth School choir has been practising hard all year and given some superb performances, including working with both the Pearl of Africa choir and performing with the Darlington String Orchestra. Despite being up against some very strong competition, the choir qualified for the finals of the North East Secondary School Choir of the Year competition on 6th December and performed at Durham Cathedral on 31st January.

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General election at Hummersknott I On Thursday 12th December, Hummersknott Academy students held their own General Election as

part of the Life Skills Day.

CHAPMAN.Jenny Local candidates provided election material, which the Labour Party ~ l..abo,.a- ~ students looked at and then watched short video clips. CURRY,Anne-Marie Libera l D!!.moc:rau ~-=- ~ Following discussions, students had the opportunity to Gl8SON, Peter Conservatives ~ cast their vote for their chosen candidate. .,_.,.,.._,....,,~ ~ MaW5on, Dave The Hummersknott outcome did not reflect the local The Bre~lt Party 9 0 SN~OK~R, Matthew ~~ reality. The Green Party ~ ·i Grcot: n.r-o11n,, ~

I #Helloyellow I #HELLOYELLOW 1 in 4 people in the UK are diagnosed with or know someone who has a mental health condition. This means that in Carmel VI Form alone it is likely that 75 people are suffering with or know someone who is suffering with a mental health condition.

Carmel VI Form students took part in a #HelloYellow day to raise awareness for mental health in young people.

All the money raised (£192.38) went towards the charity Young Minds. The day was a great success and appeared to brighten everyone’s mood. Most importantly it encouraged the students to start thinking and talking about mental health. 7 1;; Darlington 11 • 19 Partnership :DARLINGTON 'BOROUGH COUNCIL

Apprentices secure posts I Students have won high praise from a leading employer after successfully completing an education programme that takes them from apprentice to employment.

Twenty four business administration apprentices have completed their Level 2 studies in a joint programme with The Student Loans Company and Darlington College.

The business administration framework

The complete cohort, aged 16-54, has been kept on by sees them secure an OCR diploma, while The Student Loans Company, a public body which many of the recruits also achieved Level provides students loans across the UK, whose offices 2 Functional Skills and Level 1 are in Darlington. Functional Skills ICT.

Darlingto n College senior lecturer and assessor Debra McCabe said: “All the students have done incredibly well and thoroughly deserve their success and the positions they have been offered. The age range shows the opportunities on offer at Darlington College whether you are a school leaver or a mature student looking for new and rewarding challenges.”

SLC team leader Claire Sams said the apprenticeship scheme worked extremely well for her organisation , “It is great to help young people through the transition from school into work and also as a means of offering older people the opportunity to use their skills and experience in a new setting. ” “It has been fantastic seeing the apprentices develop and, with the amazing support of the college, grow in confidence and ability, offering us a pool of skilled and enthusiastic staff. SLC is a great place for people who want to develop their careers.”

For apprentice Alicia Santi the scheme has given her a new lease of life after being made redundant from a retail job she had enjoyed for the past 14 years. “It was a shock to be made redundant and daunting to go back into education after so many years,” she said. “But the college and everyone else on the course have been so welcoming, friendly and supportive.” For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk.

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Wyvern Academy STEM club I

The Wyvern Academy STEM Club has been given the opportunity to attend a series of Saturday morning science talks taking place at . Mr Kwok and his team have attended the sessions, which will hopefully inspire Wyvern pupils to pursue venues of Higher Education within the North-East, as well as developing their enthusiasm for all things STEM!

Hurworth sporting success I I Morgan Curtis in Year 10 at

Hurworth School has been

competing in Taekwondo for several

years and achieved the accolade of

being the 2019 National Champion in the 59kg weight in November 2019. Morgan has also fought internationally as a member of the British team on multiple occasions.

The school nominated Morgan for the Secondary School and Further Education Sports Achiever Award for her success in Taekwondo the Grand Final of which was held on 29th January. Morgan went on to become the overall winner and was presented with the Darlington Town Twinning and

International Association Award and the Town Twinning Trophy.

She was up against some extremely strong competitors all competing locally, nationally and in some cases internationally in their chosen fields.

Not only that, she then went on to win the Ron Lewis Memorial Trophy, which is essentially a

trophy given to the best of the best from all of the winners and finalists from all of the different categories. This is an outstanding achievement and the school is very proud of her.

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Longfield community e nrichment I I

Pupils from Longfield Academy spent a morning renovating and redesigning the grounds of sheltered accommodation for elderly people.

Pupils visited Ted Fletcher Court, in Haughton- on-Skerne, to restore residents’ outdoor furniture, and design some new pieces for the gardens, as part of the school’s community enrichment

programme.

Neil Canavan from Equal Arts, worked with the pupils on their designs. He said, “It’s important that young people get the chance to experience a different setting, especially doing something whereThe Year they 7 andget a8 handspupils-on created experience, three-dimensional and get to see designs their ideas for benches, become pergolas,reality.” wildflower areas gazebos, and chicken coops from modelling card, duct tape, and foam board. TheySome also of their sanded ideas and and repainted designs will benches now becomeand outdoor a reality furniture, thanks whichto Equal residents Arts, a creativewill be ablecharity to enjoywhich next supports summer. older people.

Sam Mason, Head of PE, who led the visit, said: “We’re doing several of these visits, which are all about raising the pupils’ aspirations, and getting them working together out in the local

community. The pupils decided they wanted to visit and help a residential home, and they’ve surprised us with how eager they’ve been to engage with everything. They’ve been doing some really good work.”

Pupils also spent time speaking with residents, and meeting the neighbourhood chickens. Karen Gilbey, Scheme Manager at Ted Fletcher Court, said: “It’s wonderful to have the children here meeting our residents, and working to produce bespoke designs for our garden. We’re very grateful to them and to the school, and we look forward to seeing their creations come to life.” Following their hard work at Ted Fletcher Court, staff felt the pupils had earned a trip to see Jack & the Beanstalk at Darlington Hippodrome.

Pupils will also be organising a coffee morning and operating a junior kitchen at sheltered accommodations across Darlington as part of their community enrichment programme. Ceiron Pearson, in Year 8, said: “It’s been really good to come here because we’re out helping our community, and we’re giving something back to people.”

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Haughton kindness at Christmas I With the help of their families, pupils at Haughton Academy, collected scores of hampers for a local foodbank, while, in a separate act of kindness, they also collected toiletries for some of the borough’s most vulnerable. Representatives from the King’s Church, which runs a foodbank on Whessoe Road, were invited into school to collect 74 hampers bulging with a host of provisions.

Foodbank assistant Andrew Coltman told pupils: “There are now more foodbanks in the country than McDonald’s and around four million children living in poverty, an issue we must as a society address. This week alone we have provided 77 hampers and prepared another 300 party bags so people can attend parties over the festive period and feel they are contributing to the celebrations.” King’s Church operations manager Mark McKnight added: “It isn’t just the unemployed who can’t afford food. We have people coming to us who are paid well but are having to cope with mounting debts. It is fantastic that pupils have been so supportive and we also need them to spread the word to anyone out there that if they need help we are there for them.” Head girl Amelia Calvert said: “It is hard to understand that in the 21st century, in a country as rich as this one, foodbanks are still needed. But at least pupils have responded well by collecting so much food.” Principal Jonathan Lumb said he was immensely proud of how much pupils had collected. “This is typical of the caring nature of pupils at Haughton Academy and I am thrilled that once again they have risen to the challenge and responded so generously,” he added. The Culture for Learning lead Liam Taylor, who helped the children organise the collection, said: “It is incredible to think that what we have handed over today could be gone by tomorrow. That really puts the scale of this issue in perspective.”

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Learning & Skills

I Darlington Borough Council Learning & Skills Study Programmes are a range of courses for 16-18 year olds that enable learners to develop their personal, social and employability skills

in an environment that suits their way of

learning.

The courses allow young people to gain some

real-life work experience with an employer

which will increase their chances of gaining employment, further training or an Apprenticeship in their chosen vocational Study Programme learners at the Hippodrome area.

The programmes provide the learners with support and guidance to develop their skills in a friendly environment, whilst gaining qualifications in their area of interest, as well as in maths and English.

Learners also enjoy enrichments activities. For example, all learners are given the chance to participate in events and workshops (plus performances) at the Hippodrome. The vast majority of our learners were not aware of the Hippodrome nor of its purpose, so this experience opens doors to new social and enrichment opportunities.

A further example of enrichment saw our learners working hard volunteering with the Food for Thought project just before Christmas 2019. Food for Thought Darlington collects surplus food from supermarkets and other local businesses

and redistributes it to those who need it

throughout the town.

Learners packing food parcels for Food for Thought

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BL Training Ltd – ASK I A North East Apprenticeship organisation, BL Training Ltd has successfully retendered for the Apprenticeship Support and Knowledge Program for the North of England. BL Training Ltd has led the ASK programme since its launch in 2016 and have a new contract until 2023 funded by the Education and Skills Funding Agency. BL Training Ltd works in partnership with 12 organisations to offer the full range of ASK services to school establishments across the North region. Already this academic year, over 5,000 students in the Tees Valley area have had support from the ASK Programme thanks to the ASK partnership teams including the Tees Valley Learning Provider Network which covers Darlington. ‘We would like to reach out to additional schools, colleges and educational establishments who have not yet taken advantage of this high quality and funded service’ expresses BL Training Director, Gail Dalton- Ayres.

ASK Apprenticeship Advisors can deliver the following free interactive sessions in your establishment:

Apprenticeship presentations and awareness Careers fairs

assemblies Holding a careers fair this year? Let us know

You can book an expert speaker to present to and we can come along and provide groups of students and raise their awareness of information about Apprenticeships and invite Apprenticeships, including higher and degree Apprentices and employers to come and share A pprenticeships. their experiences Registration and application workshops Teacher training and development

These interactive workshops are full of hints and Teacher presentations and new for 2019/20 tips about finding Apprenticeships and how to specific support for Sixth Form Tutors

apply. advising on post-18 options, plus access to a Mock assessment centre workshops huge selection of resources. The delivery team will help students explore new If you would like support from the ASK recruitment methods that students might expect to North Team, please visit: encounter when they attend an assessment centre. amazingapprenticeships.com/request- Parents support support/ The ASK parents’ offer is flexible to meet the needs and complete the Request Support tab for the

of your school or college and is designed to show North region. You can also contact the ASK parents the full range of Apprenticeship Programme Lead, Guy Saxton guy.saxton@bl-

opportunities. training.co.uk who would be delighted to put you in touch with your local advisor.

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Longfield at Westminster I I Longfield Academy pupils have been developing a taste for politics. They recently held their own

political campaign and vote as part of a national initiative run by Westminster.

Pupils organised a school-wide vote to decide how best to commemorate the heroes of the First World War, complete with election campaigns and polling

stations.

Pupils were asked to vote for their

preferred remembrance project: a garden with silhouettes and crosses designed by each form group or a six-foot cross inscribed with personalised messages.

Campaign leaders were selected from the school council and spearheaded the case for each option. Emily Vest and Lucy Clennell argued for the garden, while Megan Green and Simran Kaur advocated for the cross. Megan Green said, “It’s been more pressure than I expected. We all thought it would be no big deal and didn’t matter who won in the end, but it’s become quite competitive.” The two sides made their cases in school assemblies, before turning the school hall into a polling station, complete with registrars, counters, returning officers, exit pollsters, and pupil journalists. Eleven pupils were away on a school trip on the day of the vote, so they sent in postal votes to ensure their voices were heard. Jack Cornwell, a Year 10 pupil, cast his vote for the remembrance cross. He said, “We’ve learnt a lot about how voting happens and how to take part. I think it is important for everyone to turn out to vote because it’s how you get the chance to have your say.” A total of 543 votes were cast, and Chief Returning Officer, Rebecca Wise announced the winner as the remembrance garden, with 55 per cent of the vote.

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Longfield continued I The garden will be built by the school’s

design and technology department, and

pupils hope it will stand as a lasting

reminder of the ultimate sacrifice made by millions of brave soldiers.

The project was organised by Literacy Leader Mr Paul Cadd, who said, “Voting is something the pupils will do in the real world, and they’ve really enjoyed participating in it. Even though a lot of people might be disillusioned with democracy and politics at this moment in

time, we’re trying to show them how vital democracy is to this country, and how important it is that they participate.” Following the voting day, pupils continued to learn about politics and the democratic process as part of UK Parliament Week. A group of pupils also visited the Houses of

Parliament to learn more about British democracy.

Prior to visiting Westminster, campaign leader Lucy Clennell said, “It’s been quite an experience. When you see politicians on TV, it can just look like a big argument, but now

I think there’s much more to it.” “It can just seem like a lot of shouting, but through this we’ve learned that politicians are real people who are very passionate about their views, and it makes me respect them a lot more. “We’re really looking forward to visiting Westminster; it will be a privilege to see democratic debate in action.”

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Haughton work experience I With the help of local employers, 92 percent of year 10 pupils at Haughton Academy, made the most of a week’s work experience, the highest figure for five years and ten percent higher than in 2017. For many of the pupils, the placements proved to be a life-changing experience giving them new-found confidence, aspirations and life goals for the first time. For 15 year old Merlin Towers, his stint with global automotive engineering company Cummins, cemented his hopes to work in aviation, either as a pilot or on the technical side. “The only slight problem was that I’m 6ft 7in tall with size 15 feet, so it wasn’t easy finding safety equipment that would fit. The work experience was so hands-on. Each day I was in a different department. First, it was in the test centre, where they programme computers to test the engines. Then we designed a piston using CAD and I was with a team leader on the production line. I got to dismantle an engine, which was amazing and the whole experience has inspired me.”

Fern, 14, spent the week with Jilly’s Catering. “I made and decorated cakes and learnt how to present them professionally,” said Fern. “With my new confidence I made some fruit scones to raise money for the charity, Macmillan Cancer Support. It was so much fun, that I have volunteered to work there in the future and I hope to go to Darlington College to study Harveycatering Parkinand then spent have the my weekown business with Epcot one Cubicles.day.” Its director, David Taylor, said, “Harvey was an absolute credit to Haughton Academy and he is a young man who should do well in life. He worked very well throughout the week. It must be quite daunting for a young man to come into a strange environment, but it was an absolute pleasure having Harvey working with our team. He would be welcome back any time and we wish him well for the future.” Haughton Academy’s Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance Officer and Learning Me ntor, Suzanne Lyons said, “It has been a really successful year for work experience. It helps build a range of transferable skills for pupils and ensures the school attains national benchmarks of best practice surrounding careers guidance within education settings. We have had some amazing feedback from pupils, parents and employers, ranging from big companies like Cummins and EE, to schools, colleges, charities and hair salons. The pupils had to help arrange their own places too, so it has been an invaluable experience right from applying and handling setbacks to the work itself; it has given them a true insight into the world of work.”

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Hummersknott Academy football I The Year 7 football team at Hummersknott Academy has

really made their mark representing the Academy in local, County and National

competitions. They won the town 5 a-side competition and will go on to represent Darlington in further competitions. On their way to this achievement they won four and drew one game, conceding only one goal along the way.

In the County Cup fourth round, the boys overcame a very good Durham Johnston team who dominated the first 15 minutes and scored the first goal from a corner. The boys responded very well with the man of the match scoring a long range free kick within three minutes of conceding. 1-1 at half

time saw some fresh legs join the game and they began to get on top of the match. A late goal for

Durham Johnston left the result at 5-2.

It was very pleasing to see all players have an impact. They are now in the quarter finals of the County

Cup and will meet Oxclose Community School at home soon.

The team played the 4th round of the National Cup against Gosforth School. The match went to extra time and 4 minutes before the end the winning goal was scored giving Hummersknott a 3-2 win.

The fifth round match against Laurence Jackson was won 5-2 They are in the last 32 schools left in the country and one of only two left from the North East. They are now waiting to see who their next opponents will be.

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College student secures place with England Schools Squad

A promising footballer has been selected for the England squad becoming a college’s first ever student to represent his country. Darlington College/Martin Gray Football Academy No10

Ben Reay has secured a place with the England Schools squad after completing rigorous trials. Ben, of Marwood, near Barnard Castle, joined his current training programme, a unique partnership between football and education run by the Martin Gray Football

Academy (MGFA) at Darlington College, last year. He had been honing his game at the Foundation of Light in Sunderland but decided to join MGFA and Darlington College instead where is prowess has gone from strength to strength.

“Since joining them I have been selected to play for my county and taken part in my first ever football

trials, with Middlesbrough and Sunderland,” said Ben, a keen Boro fan, who is inspired by Aston Villa’s No10 Jack Grealish.

I’m really enjoying my course which mixes football skills, competitive matches, strength and conditioning and education.”

“I’ve loved football for as long as I can remember and my dad John has been coaching me since I was about five. He is thrilled with my selection. Things are going really well at the moment and I hope to play at the highest level I can for as long as possible.”

Martin Gray said: “We have certainly managed to ignite Ben’s passion for the sport and he is now

making a name for himself in the game. It is great for Darlington College too, to have someone now playing for the country. Ben is so committed to learning and developing his game. He constantly wants to be challenged and takes his training and education very seriously to give himself the very best chances of success. I am really excited about his future.” For more information about opportunities at Darlington College and the MGFA sports qualifications visit www.darlington.ac.uk.

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Year 12 Awards - winners celebrate I

Stockton based performer Mike McGrother,

front man with Teesside meets Ireland fiddle

punk band, ‘The Wildcats of Kilkenny,’ was

guest of honour at Haughton Academy’s Year ht onie to 12 awards. on Atacte111 The annual ceremony saw returning GCSE pupils rewarded for their effort and attainment in a host of subject areas.

Special honours were also presented to pupils for their positive behavior and attitude, as well as trophies for resilience, determination, attendance, leadership, conduct, academic achievement and Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Addressing pupils, parents, carers, teachers and governors, Mr McGrother, who went from pursuing a career in the priesthood to performing on stages in Beijing, New York and across Europe, said, “I am an ordinary man; I was ordinary at school and I am an ordinary musician. But when you put ordinary people together, extraordinary things can happen. Find what you love, find what you are good at and that will be the start of your journey. You may think you are too ordinary but together

you have already achieved extraordinary things - you have worked hard to achieve your exam success so continue on that journey.”

Pupil Hana Dodsworth was presented with The Alan Sunter Act of Kindness award for her

work as an anti-bullying ambassador.

Governor, Dr Leslie Fox, awarded the academy’s highest honour, the

Conduct Award, to pupil Alana Milne for using her voice to help other pupils in school.

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Awards continued.. I High achievers of the evening included pupils Adam

Biernet, 17, who received awards for attainment in Computer Science and Annalise Page, 17, who was presented with trophies for attainment in History and Geography.

Adam, who came to the UK from Poland age 11, speaking very little English, achieved 6 grade 9s, 2 distinction stars and 1 distinction at GCSE. He said, “It was difficult in my 1st year as I found the language quite hard but I received so much help from the teachers.”

“I was hoping to receive an award tonight so I am really pleased to be taking 2 home with me.” Annalise, who achieved 6 grade 9s, 2 grade 8s, 1 distinction star and 1 distinction at GCSE and is

currently studying Maths, Spanish and History at A-Level added, “ It is lovely to come back into the Academy and to know that the school really cares about us, even after we leave.”

Ill.VII I""\\.:. U 111y--~--

Summing up, principal, Jonathan Lumb, who hosted the evening alongside assistant head teachers Fiona Campbell and Steve Flynn added, “This is one of the best nights of the

year and it is wonderful to see so many familiar faces. Our Year 12 pupils may have moved on to pastures new but they are still a part of the Haughton family. We hope that their time here at Haughton Academy has set them up to get a top job and have a great life and that they continue to share their successes with us on their journey.”

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Darlington College taster I Schoolchildren were shown the art of college life as they explored

the opportunities offered by further education. Around 100 Year 9 pupils from Wyvern Academy visited Darlington College to gain an insight into student life and the prospects available after securing their GCSEs. Darlington College lecturers took them on a tour of curriculum areas including art and design, catering, construction, IT and computing, public services, health and social care, hairdressing

and beauty therapy. They were able to experience the respective subjects, examine the college’s state of the art equipment and question lecturers and college students.

Wyvern Academy pupil, Alfie Allen, 13, created a Barbara Hepworth-style work of art.

For Alfie Allen, it was the first time he had visited the college. “I’m amazed how big it is,” said the 13-year-old, who visited the art and design department, creating a sculpture in the modernist style of celebrated Wakefield artist Barbara Hepworth. “I enjoy drawing insects and working in the Japanese-style of Anime and I think the college looks like it’s a

great facility.” Head teacher of Wyvern Academy Julian Leader said: “We are blessed in Darlington with some incredible further education provision. It offers our students amazing life chances and gives them direction in their studies at school.”

Darlington College’s marketing and engagement manager

Claire Turner said: “It is always a pleasure to show young people what we have to offer, which often inspires them in their school work and increases their aspirations.”

For more information on opportunities at Darlington College visit www.darlington.ac.uk.

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Extraordinary Month of Mission I Pope Francis declared October 2019 to be an Extraordinary Month of Mission (EMM). This special month of prayer and action called us all to renew our missionary commitment. It was a reminder that we’re called to share the Good News

of Jesus Christ with all peoples. We marked this in Carmel College with a special focus of putting faith into action each week. During the first week of the month all groups contributed to the Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD)

harvest appeal culminating with the St Vincent De

Paul Society (SVP) holding a very successful tea

party for CAFOD raising £497.76. Week 2 saw each form collecting items for the

Darlington Food Bank and members of the SVP

delivering these to the food bank and helping to

stock the shelves. The volunteers at the food bank commented on what hard working and polite our young people were! The final act of Mission was relating to the environment and ensuring our local area is free from harmful plastic pollution.

Plastic Pirates

As part of the UK-German connection project of

Plastic Pirates, a small group of Year 9 students

from Carmel College visited the school Gustav- Heinemann in Mlheim, Germany.

The students took the role of real scientists by collecting and analysing data of microplastics

pollution in our waterways, making biodegradable plastics in the labs and working collectively to

reduce the impact of plastic pollution in our society. The students visited the city of Cologne and the

University of Dortmund as part of this project and thoroughly enjoyed working with their German counterpart students in this international scientific project.

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Insight into higher education I Year 10 pupils at Wyvern Academy

attended a day focused on Higher

Education opportunities at . The exciting learning opportunity, in partnership with FutureMe, aimed to give pupils an insight into Higher Education by taking part in a range of different sessions including a campus tour, a

look into work experience and life at university.

Carmel Education Trust achieves 'research school' status

Tried but not necessarily tested teaching methods and new, innovative approaches to learning are to come under the spotlight in a major education study by a North-East trust.

The Carmel Education Trust, which runs primary and secondary schools and sixth forms across the Tees Valley, has secured full Research School status after bidding to join an exclusive national network. The appointment is the latest in a series of national projects involving Carmel Education Trust, which also include Leadership Lite, addressing teacher workload, and Deeper Thinking, a move to improve the teaching of science.

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The trust also received the backing of The Education Endowment Foundation and Welcome Trust and brings to almost £1.5m the funding received to carry out its ongoing research. As a Research School, the trust will receive £140,000 over three years to become a focal point of evidence-based practice in the region and build networks between large numbers of schools.

More than 80 delegates, including head teachers and senior management from primary and secondary Catholic and non-Catholic schools and local education authorities and the Department for Education, attended a launch event at Carmel College.

Leading experts in education, Tom Martell of the Education Endowment Foundation and the director of research and evaluation at Evidence Based Education, Prof Rob Coe, also attended.

Director of Research and Development at The Carmel Education Trust and the new Director of Research School, David Bailey said, “The application process was very competitive and from 200 applications we are one of ten new schools to join the now 32-strong national network. Traditionally,

education is perpetuated by things being done a certain way because we think it’s a good idea. It used to be the same with medicine until they started testing whether things worked as they should.” “Lots of approaches can be counter-intuitive and what looks on the face of it like a good idea turns

out not to be the best way forward. The Research School will help test what we are currently doing and share what we know.”

Carmel Education Trust chief executive Maura Regan added: “The aim is to produce better quality evidence so we can have the most effective teaching, learning, leadership and governance in our schools.”

Carmel College principal Mike Shorten said: “This is going to be a huge collaborative effort and we are really looking forward to working with all our partners to ensure we are providing the most

relevant form of education for the next generation of learners.”

The Research School will analyse and test every facet of education, from the way children are taught and teachers observed to the way marking is conducted and students’ progress assessed.

The research and work with teachers is expected to improve learning and also teaching conditions and boost staff retention.

The next issue of the 11-19 Practitioner Newsletter will be published in May 2020. If you have an

article to include in the newsletter, please send text and photos to [email protected] th by Thursday, 30 April 2020.

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