Featured in This Issue 16 Winter 2017
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The Dean The Magazine of The Dean Academy Issue 16 Winter 2017 Featured in this Christmas Card Competition Christmas Showcase Anti-Bullying Week Page 3 Page 8 - 9 Page 12 Update from the Head of School The start of this academic must go to the new Sea Cadets Unit – a group of year has once again flown students have attended sessions weekly since by, it’s hard to believe we September, and I look forward to a long partnership are over a third of the way with the cadets. through the school year. On 22-23 November we were inspected by Ofsted – It has yet again been a this was a key stepping stone for the school and the term full of student report will be published on 3rd January to all parents. I achievement and success – encourage all members of the school community to it has been lovely to see read the report. students excel in all parts I would like to extend my warmest wishes to you for of school life. Our bread the festive season. I sincerely hope you all have a and butter is of course the wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year. On behalf learning in the classroom, of all of us at The Dean Academy I would like to thank and we have had a you for your continuing support. Tom Beveridge renewed focus since September on ensuring Christmas Jumper Day that students are challenged in every lesson they attend. I try to walk around the school and get into lessons every day, and it has been fantastic to see students pushing themselves in all subject areas. It has been great to see so many students voluntarily sign up to our Challenge Club, with events being held at regular intervals. It was such a shame that, due to the school closure following the snow, we had to postpone our Challenge Week; we are reorganising this for the new year. We will continue to welcome speakers and facilitators into the school to work with our students on a variety of topics to help inspire them to find a new interest, opportunity or potential career. Students have been making the most of opportunities to get involved in all parts of school life. Our student leadership body and school council have been an active voice for the students, and our students have taken part Children have raised money for Save the Children by in a number of community events. A special mention coming to school dressed in their festive jumpers. Shoe Box Appeal Helps Students to Spread Christmas Joy Year 7 children are hoping to brighten someone’s Christmas this year with festively wrapped shoe boxes that they have been busy filling with goodies to give to those in need as part of the Teams4u Christmas appeal. The boxes are heading to Romania for disadvantaged children of all ages to enjoy. The parcels include sweets, teddies and toys as well as useful items such as gloves, hats, stationery and toiletries. Mr Ben Grant, Head of Year 7 commented "Our students managed fill 30 shoe boxes with treats and essentials. It was an amazing effort and I feel really proud of our students and grateful to their families for the generosity which they have shown. Christmas always feels more joyful when we are able to share with others and on Christmas morning I think that many year Changing Lives: Tutor Miss Hannah Deans and Head of School 7's will pause for a moment to reflect on Mr Tom Beveridge with students Tristan Wilhelm, Poppy the happiness that their kindness has Truman, Isobelle Jones, Matthew Lade, Ella Williams, Libby helped to create." Brooks, Ruby Truman, Ruby Watson and Libby Peacey Page 2 Follow us on Twitter @TheDeanAcademy WINTER 2017 Christmas at The Dean Academy Year 7 Christmas Card Competition Ryan Griffiths Year 7’s got into the Christmas spirit by designing some amazing Christmas cards as part of a school competition. The Head of School, Mr Tom Beveridge had the Emma Kear difficult task of judging the cards and the overall winners from across the year 7 tutor groups were: Emma Kear, Ffion Wood, Sophie Ball, Ryan Griffiths The winners each received a specially printed pack that they could take home to send out to friends and family. Ffion Wood Sophie Ball Emma Kear Lydney Food Bank Festive Fundraising Students and staff have been busy Staff and students brought the raising money and donations for spirit of Christmas to the Christmas Lydney Food Bank in the run up to Markets at Hanley Farm shop in Christmas. Tidenham last weekend as they The School Council ran a tombola gathered together with friends and stall at the recent Christmas Fayre, family for some festive carol singing raising almost £100 which will be to raise money for the school prom used to buy food donations. This was and local charities. added to the staff’s Reverse Advent Mrs Kathryn Rodway, Director of Calendar collection, which has been Performance commented “Some of running throughout December and has seen a giant box of tinned and the proceeds raised on the day will dried foods and toiletries amassing in go to Lydney’s Foodbank who are the Staff Room! more in need than ever as we Members of the Student Council will approach Christmas and the be adding a personalised touch as remainder will go towards the year they create dozens of festive jam jars 11 prom. Thank you to everyone of sweets to add some Christmas who took time out of their weekend cheer and all donations will be taken to come along and support the to the local food bank before the end students.” of term. ‘Tis the Season to Raise Money: Thanks to everyone for their support. Fundraisers Grace George and Alice Mrs E Smith Cresswell Page 3 WINTER 2017 Art, Design and Production Faculty BARK Arts Exhibition at Beechenhurst Art work created by students in a special BARK Arts Summer workshop formed part of an open air exhibition at Beechenhurst last month. The purpose of the exhibition was for young people across the Forest of Dean to join together to make a really big noise about things that matter most to them. Students used street style art to create their work. The project was funded by the Arts Council and Summerfield Trust. Seb Churcher with his Star Wars inspired artwork Forest Pulse Fundraising The Art, Design & Production Faculty was contacted by the local charity Forest Pulse with a request to help them raise funds. Forest Pulse have many local shops in the area supporting them by keeping small charity donation boxes. The problem is, however, the boxes are like many others. The idea of making a novelty collection box that not only stands out but gives donators some involvement was born! Our students developed a variety of design ideas. These ideas were then modelled in card, using coins to see how effective they were. Five designs were selected as the most effective. The selection process included: Entertainment and engagement value Novelty Ease of manufacture Durability Standing out Student CAD (Computer Aided Design) was used to develop comments the novelty part of the design with testing in card, “Trying to work before MDF components were cut on our CNC laser “ out how the coin machine. would roll was Batch production then took place and paint brushes to tricky at first, and the ready to paint up the novelty designs. I had to do 3 card models before it Forest Pulse were really excited to receive the donation was smooth.” of 20 collection boxes from our students. The novelty “It’s nice to design and make a product that collection boxes have now been located around the is going to be used in our community to help others.” Forest of Dean to raise funds for the charity. “I can’t wait to see one of my boxes in a local shop being Mr A Winstanley used.” Page 4 WINTER 2017 Art, Design and Production Faculty The Bella Italia Challenge! Ravioli? Spaghetti? Tagliatelle? No problem for our year 9’s. Their dishes were individually created, prepared and presented to a very high standard. We definitely have some very talented chefs! Mrs S Gittins-Jones Challenge Week We are very excited to be hosting our first Challenge Week here at The Dean Academy next term with over a hundred students making the decision to challenge and push Mini Pizza Challenge themselves in various workshops and A group of 30 pupils from Yorkley activities throughout the week. Primary School visited the Food We have a range of visitors coming department to take up a mini Pizza in to challenge our students' thinking Challenge. The children worked hard. and encourage them to consider For some of them it was their first their future here at The Dean time making pizza. They all Academy and beyond. succeeded and enjoyed the whole experience. The only problem encountered was trying to reach the Challenge Club soap dispensers!!!! Mrs S Sayers Earlier in the term students impressed us with their general knowledge during a series of quizzes which were held at lunchtime. Coming soon….. Thank you to the students and teachers for your support organising RFDC Chef workshops, where the challenge. will your future take you?? Miss E Knibbs-Rebane Page 5 WINTER 2017 Performance Musical Students Launch County Council Initiative A group of talented students helped Academy performing really added to to support the Proud to Care kick start the launch of a the atmosphere of the day.