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the Evelyn Grace News Parent/Carer Newsletter February 2013 www.evelyngraceacademy.org February 2013 In this issue: The sights, tastes and sounds ____________________ World History Month of World History Month! Message from the Principal Staff and students celebrated World History Welcome to our new staff Month in a variety of special VEGA—new virtual learning assemblies and activities for students last term, culminating in our first International Evening Attendance & notices held on Wednesday 14th Prize Giving 2013 winners November. ’Roll of Honour’ The evening, organised by Year 11 Science Residential Mr Kissoon and Ms Dixon, was a celebration by ARK Maths Challenge students of the rich Isra Sayed and Rea-Kwon Warren work the catwalk diversity of world cultures. Literacy focus Events included a colourful University visits fashion show, international cuisine as well as music Spirit of London Awards from around the world, headed by Choice FM. Debating success Drama trips Students, who packed into the hall, loved the Inspirational speakers experience. ‘You have made our Year 11 memorable – Sports news, victories and we will never forget this successes day’ said Toni Amiaghonyi, Toni Amiagbonyi presents the finest African fashion a Year 11 student. Mr Bailey celebrating Jamaican Culture Mr Hanson, Principal, spoke Haidee of the great success of the Perry- evening where ‘students are Ryder enriched by the rich peforms diversity of the world an community.’ amazing solo Thanks to all students, staff dance and parents who worked on piece on such a great evening. stage Message From The Principal Dear Parents and Carers, Welcome to this first edition of The Evelyn Grace News. I trust that you will find it informative and useful as a way of keeping up to date with our fantastic array of activities and enrichment opportunities. We are very proud of the successes and achievements of all our students and I hope you enjoy reading about them. I am very pleased to report that we are beginning to see outstanding academic progress with significant numbers of students. I am especially pleased that Year 11 students are taking full advantage of the range of intervention sessions, including a very full programme of residential study weekends, run by a number of academic departments. You will also notice in our newsletter the groundbreaking innovation of our VEGA initiative where Key Stage 4 students are able to access lessons from their own teachers through their home computer or mobile device. Please encourage your son or daughter to take advantage of this unique opportunity. Academic achievements are important but they are only part of what we care about at EGA. Many of you will have attended our International Evening last term where we celebrated the rich diversity of world cultures, many represented at the academy. It was fantastic to see so many of our students performing so well at this event. Similarly, I was very proud of EGA footballers who participated in the Junior Nkwelle memorial match at Walworth Academy. All students conducted themselves with dignity in what, I feel, is a fitting memorial to Junior. This will now become an annual event for both EGA and Walworth. I am grateful, as I am sure you are, to the hard working staff at EGA who are tireless in their provision of enrichment opportunities for students. This Newsletter is able to capture only some select highlights, but you will see that students have attended educational theatre and cinema trips as well as participating in dramatic and musical performances of their own at the academy. In addition, EGA staff are creating opportunities for students to raise their aspirations by visiting world-class university colleges such as the King’s College trip last term. Debating and Public Speaking, always a strength at EGA, continue to thrive with students winning debates in National competitions, some now hosted at EGA. Finally, I would like to thank all parents and carers for your support since September, without which we would not be able to provide the rich and broad variety of curriculum and extra curricular experiences for all of our students. Please continue to support your child’s progress by talking to them regularly about their progress at school and by checking your son or daughter’s planner each evening. Mr Hanson Welcome To New Staff We would like to extend a warm welcome to staff who started with us this term: Laura Robinson Head of Performing Arts (Music and Drama) Graham Gayle Head of Art Novellette Bennett Maths Teacher June Bragahi EAL and MFL teacher They are more than happy to talk to parents and carers about any concerns or questions they might have regarding their child. Should you wish to do so please contact Main Reception. VEGA Comes to EGA In July 2011, Steve Jobs (founder of Apple Computers) was dying of cancer. Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) came to see him and their conversation turned to education. The conversation between the two greatest technology visionaries of our time turned to education and how the children of the future would learn and Gates outlined a vision of what schools of the future would be like, “with students watching video lessons on their own then using class time for discussion and problem solving.” In December 2012, EGA was very proud to launch VEGA (Virtual Evelyn Grace Academy), a new and revolutionary approach to online learning which will allow students to learn in a time and place which suits them best, even on their mobile phones. The first wave of VEGA involves the creation and sharing of video lessons over the academy’s Youtube channel: www.youtube.com/arkvega. Teachers are creating short, high quality videos focusing on exactly the topics students need to know to support them in their exam success and, over time, the students themselves will also be creating these videos. They can then access these videos quickly and easily on an computer, on their mobile phone, on their Playstation, Xbox or Nintendo games console or through any other device which allows access to Youtube (such as iPod touch). Year 11 students revising for their GCSE English exam in January have already been able to take advantage of the videos created by both teachers and students and, the night before the GCSE English exam, our students watched over 50 hours of online lessons. By the time exams come around in the spring, we hope that every Year 11 student will be able to revise every aspect of their GCSEs in this way. By subscribing to the channel, students will also receive an email when any new videos are uploaded which means they will be the first to know when new learning resources become available. Video learning is just the beginning for VEGA however. A number of other projects which are currently under development are designed to ensure that students (and parents) are able to quickly and easily find out what their homework tasks are online without any need to remember login details or passwords. Not only this, but they will be able to communicate directly with their teachers outside of school hours if they have questions or queries about their learning and they will be able to interact with one another and share their work with each other in a secure, moderated and user friendly environment. Most importantly, they will be able to do all of this in a time and place which suits them best. Why not check it out for yourselves by visiting www.youtube.com/arkvega and having a look at some of the learning materials already available to our students? Attendance ATTENDANCE IS IMPORTANT! Acceptable reasons When leave may be given: for 97%+ Excellent absence : ◊ To attend college/ 92.7 - 97% Good job interviews 90 - 92.7% Needs Improving ◊ Illness ◊ To take part in approved Below 90% Serious Concern ◊ Religious Observance public performances Below 85% Referral to School ◊ Leave of absence ◊ To take part in special tuition, Statistics have proved that students with with school permission public examinations, sporting BELOW 95% attendance gain 75% fewer from the principal events etc GCSE passes. Good attendance aids students ◊ Study leave etc achieving good exam grades EGA Prize Winners 2013 Roll Of Honour Excellence Endeavour Self Discipline Year Bianca Walker Jayden Williams Vicky San 7 Destiny Adeyemi Nisbah Arif Amari Shand 8 Jessica San Amandine Guihard Reece Murphy 9 Stephanie Homawoo Supanat Tangtrakoon Ishmael Lartey 10 Toni Amiagbonyi Rushaun Francis Rebecca O'Connor 11 MATHS HISTORY Independent Work of Independent Most Improved Work of Excellence Year Most Improved Year Learning Excellence Learning D'Andre Imtiyaz Rahman Kyrie Ennis 7 Jaheim Rose Yasmine Martey Mariam Mhamdi 7 Pitter-Lisbie Jessica Melanie Owain Tyreke Thompson Tetteh Tettey 8 Akram Salim 8 Pereira-Rodrigues Ordonez-Proano Hutchins-Jones Baseera Jonathan Binyam Amarachi Orie Sasha-Kaye Francis 9 Diana Lampa Mohammed- Nicholas Moniz 9 Ashwinder Tyreek Hudson Loshell Coke 10 Maude Singh-Khurana Millicent Osei Michelle Brown Omar Dinee 10 Loretta-Rose Abdul Kunle Samantha Abbey 11 Damian Greenwood Tahmid Khan Erik Salguero 11 Boguslawski RE Work of Independent ENGLISH Most Improved Year Excellence Learning Independent Most Improved Work of Excellence Year Learning Kate Owoeye Bianca Walker Alex Sesay 7 Dajarne Andre Fiona Assazo 8 Laarif Ali Joshua Adeyemi Luke Duffy 7 Mariott-Jones Antwi-Afriyie Raquan Dylan Appah Sashin Rowe Lina Caicedo 8 Lynden Adegunle Seantoi Lee 9 Mitchell-Perry Tamara Segun Oluleye Scott Greenfield 9 Collins-Pascal Hassan Ali Saeeda Hamidi Karollyne Silva