The Oldham LORIC
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#4 The Oldham LORIC In this bumper edition, you can read all to be proud of. Welcome to the fourth about the many highlights of the 2018/19 edition of the Oldham academic year at Oasis Academy We are also pleased that we have ended Oldham. the year with a visit from Ofsted, who LORIC, our monthly As we prepare for the long-awaited have praised the work we have been newsletter that summer break, it is time for us to reflect doing and the improvements we have on our successes this year. From our made across our school community. celebrates all that our national Place2Be Award and our very own garden display at RHS Flower Here’s to a restful break and a successful students and staff have Show Tatton Park, to our Oasis 9 Habits 2019/20 academic year. Postcard Competition and our many achieved. sporting accolades there is so much for us Leadership, Organisation, Resilience, Initiative and Communication Oasis Academy Oldham on a “very positive trajectory” Welcoming our new arrivals Ofsted has visited Oasis • “Improving the focus on pupils’ “The lines that I take most satisfaction behaviour”. The move to a year from within the report are the ones Over the last few weeks Academy Oldham group structure will also “allow noting that our staff and students told we have been delighted (OAO) and praised staff pastoral leaders to gain an overview inspectors that they feel we are on a to welcome our new and students for the of pupils’ progress through their very positive trajectory. This collective learning.” In addition, teachers say focus is at the heart of our progress. Year 7 students who improvement journey that pupils’ behaviour is “already will be joining the OAO “I am pleased that the Inspectors also the school is on. improving through the use of the community in September. new achievement assemblies.” noted the role of the new Family Forum. The inspection is the first time Ofsted I would urge you to come along to our • Benefitting from the “ongoing support next meeting in the Autumn and find Our new students joined has returned to the Academy since it us for a range of transition was found to have serious weaknesses from the improvement section out more about why we want to work late last year. This time, however, the of the trust (Oasis Community closely with our family community.” events so that they could Inspection Team has left the school Learning). The impact of the get to know us all, and we The report also notes that Oasis Community Learning, the Trust could get to know them. “ We made the commitment that we would leave Oasis Academy Oldham is part of, are providing support and holding During the sessions, no stone unturned in ensuring that our students leaders to account. As a result, we explored our Oasis had access to a high standard of education.” Ofsted conclude that “leadership has Nine Habits through placed the school in a strong position some fun activities and to bring about improvement.” talked about the important support is stringently monitored reporting that “there is no doubt that John Murphy, CEO of Oasis role these values play in the half-termly meetings of leaders, together with the trust, have Community Learning, said: “I for every student and the trust improvement group. already taken a range of actions would like to congratulate Oasis member of staff here. It to bring about improvement.” Dominque Gobbi, Principal, said: Academy Oldham’s community on was wonderful to see the way they have approached the Amongst the very positive comments “This is a very important milestone. challenges that have been set. everyone getting involved in the report, the Inspectors When the Inspectors presented their report to us after their last visit, and having fun. noted that the Academy is: “Staff, under Miss Gobbi’s leadership, we made the commitment that we are having a real impact, and the What a fantastic group of • “…putting high-quality teaching and would leave no stone unturned in students are clearly benefitting from learning across key stage 3 and ensuring that our students had access young people, we look the progress that has been made so far. 4 at the centre of all the actions in to a high standard of education. forward to seeing them all This is, however, just the start. We will the school improvement plan.” again soon! “While there is still work to do, and continue to ensure that the school goes • Adopting a new curriculum that we do not shy away from that, we are from strength-to-strength in the future.” “aims to bring a higher profile to the delighted that the inspection team The science of cake making trust character-building curriculum recognised that we have a relentless and the development of leadership, focus on school improvement and our This term, our science club have organisation, resilience, initiative actions are starting to have an impact. celebrated the 150th anniversary and communication skills”. of the periodic table by making a periodic table using cupcakes. Each cake was decorated with the symbol for the element and its outer-shell electrons (chocolate chips). Metallic elements were represented by chocolate cupcakes and the non-metals were vanilla. Maria Stewart, Teacher, said: “Our science club offers a fun and practical way for our students to learn about key scientific subjects. Periodic Table cakes helped to bring what can be a complicated list of symbols to life.” Showcasing our artistic talents The Oasis Nine Habits At Oasis Academy Oldham, In June our habit to focus on was: we do this, we become a person we believe in the importance of integrity - there is an alignment of continually developing CONSIDERATE between what we say we are and our character to become the Knowing your own intrinsic value how we behave. best version of ourselves. We, and worth and, by seeing others Making a Habit out of the therefore, actively promote and in the same way to be inclusive of practice the Oasis Nine Habits. them. Nine Habits By practicing these habits, In July our habit to focus on was: When you come into the it enables us to develop an Academy, you will see Oasis’ nine understanding and tolerance of HONEST habits displayed proudly around each other through knowledge, the corridors. Honesty is about being mutual respect, believing the best truthful. Being honest includes These habits are essentially and forgiveness. Individual rights acknowledging when we have the values that help make us are respected and choice will be got things wrong and taking great individuals and a strong Our Art Department has been and acrylic paints. While students using their imaginations exercised within a culture of self- responsibility for our actions. As community. busily preparing for OAO’s across Year 8 have also been combined with the technical discipline. end of year art exhibition, cutting up their sketchbooks to skills they have learnt this year featuring beautiful pieces from create their fantastic ‘Under the to bring their artwork to life. across every year group. Sea’ final pieces using charcoal, graphite, paint and stick and ink. “There are so many wonderful For example, Year 7 students pieces for us to showcase have worked hard to complete Alice Taylor, Teacher, said: during the exhibition.” Postcard Challenge Prize their final pieces which feature “Our students have created Winners meet New Rules the use of oil, pastel, watercolour some bright and vibrant pieces, Boy Band To mark the incredible amount of members of the band, asking were to meet New Rules.” Solving problems with the use of technology effort that some of our tutor groups them questions about their lives have put in to the Nine Habits as musicians before watching an Our Nine Habits Postcard For her GCSE in Design and Postcard Challenge, we arranged exclusive performance of their Challenge has been a fantastic Technology, Year 11 pupil, Jordan, a surprise treat for this year’s latest songs. way for our students and families looked at educational problems and overall award winners. to discuss what each habit means how she could solve them using Andrea Mitchell, Assistant to them. We would like to say new technological approaches. Kept top-secret until the very Principal, said: “We wanted to a huge thank you to all of the last minute, we were thrilled to arrange something extra-special families that have taken the time Jordan chose to look at problems welcome New Rules Boy Band for our prize winners. to complete a postcard this year, faced by learners in Karate, and to a VIP Meet and Greet with it is a great way to celebrate and decided to design a product students from 7JNB, 8JFS, 9NA, “It was incredible to see the recognise your child’s efforts in that would help learners to 7PH, 8EOR and 7CJF. Each of the surprised look on the students’ demonstrating the Oasis Habits. improve their kicking skills, as students had a chance to meet faces and how happy they all well as helping them to learn and improve their Japanese. The resulting prototype is a remote-controlled kickstand, which is designed to adapt to learners’ requirements. Using the remote control, learners can change the difficulty settings of the product and allow it to move so that it can challenge learners as they make progress. Perfect Performances Oasis Oldham’s Family Forum What a year it has been for the Drama Department also visited throughout the year to conduct drama We believe that it is incredibly important and opportunities to collaborate are being at OAO.