High Praise from Chief Ofsted Inspector Children in Need Pictures New Cadets Put Through Their Paces Launch of New Young Leaders Programme
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under the mTerm 1-2 Newsletter 2015croscope Issue Twenty Two High praise from Chief Ofsted Inspector Children in Need pictures New Cadets put Through their Paces Launch of New Young Leaders Programme KETTERING SCIENCE ACADEMY Letter from the Principal Dear Families As 2015 draws to a close, A Level results. I am pleased to report that 80% of applications for next year’s Year 7 and our Sixth Form it is a natural time for our lessons are now good or better. We are fully continues to grow, showing that we are increasingly reflection on the year that staffed and the use of supply teachers is now rare. the school of choice for Kettering parents. We have has passed and anticipation Our students behave very well and everyone has every reason to be positive about 2016 and to look over what the New Year supported our ban on mobile phones, which has been forward to achieving our goal of becoming a very will hold. There is no doubt that 2015 has been a a great success and has removed a big distraction from ‘good’ school indeed, providing our students with a successful year at KSA, and the key word for us has day-to-day learning. Our students work very hard and high quality educational experience. been ‘transformation’. Our 2015 Ofsted Inspection are very aspirational for their futures. I could not finish without thanking all of the parents and graded leadership as ‘Good’ and found our Sixth So, speaking of futures, what does 2016 hold for KSA? families who work tirelessly to support our students and Form to be ‘Good’ also. I have no doubt that due to our improvements in the staff at KSA. On a personal note, I have been here The inspectors praised us for ‘transforming the school’. teaching and the great efforts of our students, GCSE almost three years now and I am thoroughly enjoying You may remember that the Head of Ofsted, Sir and A Level results will continue to improve. We being Principal of KSA and it is a privilege to share the Michael Wilshaw, wrote a letter of praise to all at KSA are investing more in our extra-curricular activities, responsibility of educating your children. wishing us well as the Academy continues to improve, such as the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, after school I look forward to sharing many more years with you. doing much to enhance our reputation. clubs and fundraising activities, so students can also 2016 is a year to really look forward to, but let’s not 2015 has seen student attendance improve to national develop themselves outside the classroom. forget to enjoy Christmas first! levels and improvements in GCSE and We have had a greatly increased number of Paul Davies – Principal Letter from the Secondary Chair of Governors Dear Families I am sure you will be aware With Secondary: behaviour and attendance are has been the number of long term supply teachers we that the governing body vital signs and I am encouraged by recent progress, have had. The good news is that this is vastly reduced, at KSA has now split into we are now at slightly above national average with with our own teachers in post from the start of the two groups, Primary and attendance. Also, I am seeing positive signs regarding year. Secondly, the number of lessons graded as Secondary. The new format improved behaviour and a feeling of being safe in good or above has now moved to 80%, meaning our gives us more time and a more focused approach, school. This is based on surveys and my own much students have a learning opportunity here at KSA which we need as we continue improving. I am reduced activity around poor behaviour exclusions; which is classed as overall ‘good’. very pleased to be able to continue the role with and of course less exclusions means higher attendance All of this plus the recent self-assessment suggests that our students will make good progress this year and the Secondary Phase and would like to thank the and time in lessons. exam outcomes improved again from last year’s results. governors and leaders of the Primary Phase for their One of the cornerstones of a successful school is the hard work and commitment over the past few years. quality of teaching. Firstly, one of your frustrations Steve Barton – Secondary Phase Chair of Governors Letter from the Head of Primary Dear Families A key focus for the Primary handwriting scheme and how you can support your in September 2008. She began as Year 3/4 team Phase this term has been to child with their spellings and also mental strategies leader and even had a spell at being Head Teacher offer greater opportunities for maths. It is also an opportunity for you to ask during my maternity leave! Ann has been integral in for you as parents to be questions and share your ideas with us. We shall moving our school forward and she will be greatly involved with a wider area send out the new programme early in the New Year. missed. We wish her much happiness and success in of what is happening at school. It has been lovely to Amongst the Christmas festivities, we also bid a fond her new role. see so many of you at our Tuesday morning ‘drop-in’ farewell to Mrs Ann Walker, Senior Vice Principal, The staff and I wish all of our families a very Merry sessions. These sessions are an opportunity to meet who will begin as Head Teacher at Kettering Park Christmas and prosperous New Year. a variety of staff members informally over a cup of Junior School in January. Jo Fallowell – Primary Head Teacher coffee. It allows us to discuss topics such as the new Mrs Walker joined Henry Gotch Primary School back Letter from the Primary Chair of Governors Dear Families The application to split chair. A number of parents, staff and governors from review progress of these plans and to understand KSA into separate Primary the previously combined KSA Governing Body, joined and contribute to the longer term strategy of the and Secondary Academies, the new governing body. Our first meeting was held school. Significant positive progress has been achieved was submitted to the on 22nd September, when new governors and the over the last year, in all areas necessary to generate Department for Education Primary Phase leadership team met to discuss the that excellent start for all our students but there are by Brooke Weston Trust earlier this year, with the progress and outcomes achieved by students from more improvement opportunities available and the end of this academic year being the targeted date Nursery to Year 6, with the Head Teacher, Jo Fallowell, new Governing Body is looking forward to working for formal separation. In anticipation of and to begin outlining the ambitions for the school to provide the alongside the leadership team to deliver these. planning for the Primary Phase to run as a separate May I wish all staff, parents, carers and students a very very best formative years of learning and education for Academy, a new Primary Phase Governing Body was happy and enjoyable Christmas 2015. established in September, which I am delighted to all students. The new Governing Body will be meeting twice more during this academic year, to assess and Phil Harris-Bridge – Primary Phase Chair of Governors 2 Issue Twenty Two • Under the Microscope PARENT INFORMATION TERM DATES 2016 New Name for Term 3 Consultation Group Monday 4th January 2016 Re-open to students The ‘Parent Consultation Group’ has been Friday 12th February 2016 Last day of term re-named the ‘Parents Forum’ in order to avoid confusion. The Parents Forum gives Term 4 families the opportunity to have a say in the Monday 22rd February 2016 Re-open to students development and continued improvement of Wednesday 23rd March 2016 Last day of term the Academy. All Secondary Phase parents and carers are automatically members of Thursday 24th March 2016 Teacher Training Day 4 the Forum, which provides parents with the Term 5 opportunity to make suggestions to Principal Monday 11th April 2016 Teacher Training Day 5 Paul Davies and the Chair of Governors, Steve Barton. The minutes of the last meeting, held Tuesday 12th April 2016 Re-open to students on 20th October, are now available on our Monday 2nd May 2016 Academy closed May Day website. The next meeting will be scheduled Friday 27th May 2016 Last day of term in the New Year. Term 6 Monday 6th June 2016 Re-open to students Wednesday 20th July 2016 Last day of term TimelyAdvice Every student at KSA can benefit from HIGH PRAISE FROM in-school careers advice provided by TimelyAdvice. Chief Ofsted Inspector TimelyAdvice is a team of independent KSA was pleased to receive high praised from the In the letter, Sir Michael Wilshaw stated: careers consultants who can be called upon chief inspector for Ofsted following the school’s “The report makes it clear that your actions to provide students with impartial advice for last inspection in May. are having a significant impact and that the their future plans. The team was set up by In a letter sent to Principal Mr Paul Davies Academy is improving rapidly. I am pleased Avril Bartley-Smith who recognised the need and Head Teacher of the Primary Phase to read that you have set out clear priorities for such a service within secondary schools. Mrs Jo Fallowell in September, the Chief for improving the quality of teaching and the Mrs Bartley-Smith said: “My experience of Inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw said he was behaviour of the pupils.