15th June 2018 32 Dear all It has been a busy week of exam feedback here at school with students thinking carefully about their results and planning their next steps. Our central message revolves around ‘what is in your control?’ and asking our students to ensure they celebrate their successes and focus on the feedback their teachers are giving them, to empower them with their next steps. It has been my absolute pleasure to join Yr9 and Yr10 students for their assemblies this week where we explored how we develop our own growth mindset and the power of perspective. Last week I referenced the recent ban of smart phones in schools by the French government and this week has seen the issue discussed by UK secondary headteachers at the Girls’ Day Trust Conference. Of course, we have had a ban on smart phones since September 2015 and I have always been clear that I believe this to be one of the best moves we have made as a school. We are the first generation of parents and teachers to tackle the issue of screens and new technologies with our young people and it is important that we continue our open dialogue; celebrating the huge benefits that screens afford us whilst securing firm boundaries and healthy habits for our children. We are delighted that as a result of our pioneering approach in the area of smart phones the Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield, has asked to visit the school and meet with students next week. This is an exciting opportunity to discuss our approaches as a school and possible next steps. The Children’s Commissioner launched their Digital 5- a Day campaign last year and, as a school, we are keen to get involved with this project ahead of our inaugural Health & Wellbeing Conference in autumn term. The campaign is designed to help young people manage their online lives and I would encourage all parents to have a look. A very useful guide can be found at the following link: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/2017/08/06/digital-5-a-day/ Parents may also want to encourage some Youtube watching by exploring the following short film at home, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsUGmyjqw2w led by blogger Simply Luke. There will undoubtedly be much more to follow here but I hope these resources enable continued open dialogue at home on screens. A reminder about our upcoming Archer Adventure on the 18th July, if you would like to get involved please do email my PA Justine Csaky: [email protected] With my best wishes, Lucy Harrison Headteacher KEY DATES FOR THE DIARY: June W/C 18th Collection week for Asylum Seekers – new packet of pants (see below for more information) Thurs 21st Friends Association – Parents’ Quiz Night – additional tickets available on Parentpay Tues 26th Woodhouse Open Evening for Year 9 and 10 families https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/woodhouse-open- evening-for-archer-families-tickets-46972320475 Weds 27th Year 9 Upper School Parent Evening,6.30pm https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/year-9-upper-school-parent- evening-tickets-46181155078 Thurs 28th Students dismissed 1pm for staff INSET Thurs 28th Year 10 taster day at Woodhouse College Fri 29th School closed INSET day July Thurs 5th Years 7, 8 and 10 trips Thurs 5th Year 9 Lifelong Learning Day Fri 6th Year 10 SRE day Fri 6th Year 9 Residential trip to Kingswood Saturday 7th Football Tournament (more information below) Weds 11th Summer Showcase – tickets available on Parentpay Thurs 12th Summer Showcase - tickets available on Parentpay Fri 13th Learning Review Day Sat 14th Archer Summer Party Mon 16th Sports Day Tues 17th Year 8 SRE Day Tues 17th Year 9 GradFest Weds 18th Archer Adventurer Walk Thurs 19th Last day of term, students dismissed 12 midday Key information: Uniform: All students are required to wear sensible, black leather/leather look shoes for school. Our copy of our shoe guide can be found here: http://thearcheracademy.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Shoe-guide-for-Parents- 2018.pdf Clubs and Societies: Take a look at all the activities on offer at school: http://thearcheracademy.org.uk/wp- content/uploads/2018/06/clubs-schedule-summer-2018.pdf Reminders: Parentpay: Please make sure that your account is topped up for the remainder of the academic year. Race the Neighbours: Sign up here www.racetheneighbours.com and email Sarah Glennon to let her know you are taking part [email protected] Facebook and Twitter: Remember you can follow all our latest news/photos on Facebook – The Archer Academy, Twitter @ArcherAcademy and Instagram @archeracademy WOW WORD OF THE WEEK WOW Lower - jaundice WOW Upper – salient Spag Crime - incite and insight FRIENDS ASSOCIATION – Mrs Csaky Special Guest Appearance for Quiz Night – Thursday 21st June 7 – 10pm, Lower School We are delighted to announce that Archer parent and actor, Steve McFadden, who plays Phil Mitchell in EastEnders will be joining us for Quiz Night and auctioning off a priceless EastEnders memento – an Albert Square board, signed by the entire cast. Steve is supporting our Make Beaumont Brilliant campaign to build our new library/study centre at Upper School. We have released a handful of extra tickets for the night, so please snap them up asap on Parentpay. If you are a diehard fan of the show and you are interested in making a sealed bid for the sign but cannot make it on the night. Please email [email protected] with details of your bid. Summer Party – Saturday 14th July Our annual Archer Summer Party will take place on Saturday 14th July. Please put the date in your diary. More details to follow… If you would like any more information about the Friends Association please email Lisha Taylor [email protected] or Sara Wolfin [email protected] CARNEGIE WINNERS – Mrs Wolfe Big news this week is that a group of Y8s presented to other Barnet schools in the Carnegie Shadowing event, held at East Barnet School, and did rather well. The Carnegie medal is awarded each year to the best book written in English for children and young people. It’s the one to win if you are an author. Across the UK, school groups shadow the shortlist, reading, discussing, writing reviews and eventually presenting. Yesterday, the schools voted our book, The Hate U Give as the best book. It will be interesting to see if the author wins the actual medal on Monday 18th. T.H.U.G. has mature themes and the vocabulary is a little ripe but our Shadowers must be praised for approaching the reading in such a sensible manner. Students were also thrilled to meet author Patrice Lawrence of ‘Orangeboy’ fame. Library reminder: Students have been asked to bring in any overdue library books. A fine of £5.00 per missing book will start to be issued which will appear on ParentPay. Could I ask you to help your child look at home for lost books? They all have an Archer stamp inside. Thank you for your support. AYSLUM SEEKERS PANTS COLLECTION – Mrs Csaky We are collecting pants Monday 18th – Friday 22nd June Next week the school will be once again supporting the local Asylum Seekers Drop In Centre by collecting packets of new adult sized underwear for the clients who attend the drop in centre. We are asking all students to bring in a packet of new, adult sized, multi pack of underwear any day next week. Collection buckets will be available in every form room and we will also have a collection bucket in reception for donations. We are looking for both ladies and men’s underwear, any size from small to extra-large. The project helps destitute asylum seekers who travel from all over London to East Finchley to receive support from volunteers who assist with medical and legal matters. It means a great deal to the asylum seekers to be given new underwear when they attend the drop in. They also have access to a ‘personal shopper’ who will provide them with other clothes they may need. HEADTEACHER’S LUNCH – Miss Harrison I was delighted to host Headteacher’s lunch at Lower School this week for the 30 students in years 7-9 who were nominated by their Heads of Year for exemplifying the Archer Way for the whole school year. Well done everyone. CODEBREAKERS – Mr Oakley Year 9 and 10 Computer Science students enjoyed a fascinating trip to Bletchley Park, the home of the Codebreakers from the Second World War. It is astonishing to think that 10,000 people worked there during the war and that 8,000 were women, you would never guess this from watching films such as The Imitation Game or Enigma. Bletchley is the birthplace of the computer as we know it today, and students saw the oldest working computer, known as ‘The Witch’. Students also learnt how computers have evolved from the 1950s into what we use today and how computer storage has become so much smaller in size and processors so much faster. The technology in our phones is literally billions of times faster than what was used in the 1950s. Students had the chance to write a game of BBC Micros – parents who were at school in the 1980s may remember these and participate in a workshop writing a solution to the Turing Test which is all about fooling a person who is talking to a computer into thinking they are not talking to a machine. ARCHER SHOWCASE – Miss Randall Summer Showcase 11th and 12th July Rehearsals for the Archer Summer Showcase are in full swing and we are delighted to announce that tickets are now available to purchase on Parentpay for families of students who are participating in the show.