STUDENTS SING AT THE O2 SKI TRIP 2015 STAFF TRANSFORM FOR WORLD BOOK DAY It’s all about our students and their achievements www.thomasclarksonacademy.org ISSUE 08 SPRING TERM 2015 PRINCIPAL’S LETTER Dear Parents/Carers and Students, It has been a busy but very productive Spring Term. The Year 11/12 and Year 13 students have undertaken another set of mock exams to help them practice for the heavy exam schedule during May and June. There are many revision classes taking place over the Easter holiday period and we wish students well with their revision leading up to the summer exam series. Meantime Year 8s have been busy deciding on their options for next year. Feedback from parents has been that you have welcomed the combination of an information evening about options followed by 1:1 interviews with each student. Life at TCA has not all been about hard work. This week the music department ran an evening music concert, featuring the newly formed string and brass band groups. There was also an evening of dance and an ambitious multi-workshop day for Year 8 day called ‘Big World-Big Ideas’. The idea of the day was to promote the value of languages in the work place. Certainly the students were impressed by the staff from Easy Jet resplendent in their orange uniforms. Lots of students have been talking to me about their holiday plans so can I take this opportunity on behalf of my staff to wish you all a happy Easter break. Clare Claxton, Principal PIONEERING EDUCATION INITIATIVE TO GET WISBECH CHILDREN READING Thomas Clarkson Academy is backing a pioneering education initiative to improve literacy in Wisbech. Wisbech Reads aims to have a major impact on the learning of students in the Fenland town and is being led by the Brooke Weston Trust along with other local agencies. Literacy levels among Wisbech school children are well below the national average and the initiative’s aim is to put them on par with their national peers. Direct of Primary Provision for BWT Tricia Davies is leading the working group, which is made up of a consortium of schools, the town’s library, businesses and local authorities. She said: “The project came about after Tim Coulson, the Regional School Comissioner, visited the area and commented on his concerns about literacy levels in Wisbech. “Following this I met with Carrie Norman (Peckover Primary Principal), Caroline Hodgson (BWT Lead Teacher of English) and Cris Taboada- BWT’s Tricia Davies with MP for North East Naya (Vice Principal at Brooke Weston Academy) and we decided Cambridgeshire Steven Barclay. that the project needed to be bigger than the schools. “As a result we have had several meetings with members of the local pre-schools, primary and secondary schools we can excite and community and businesses to establish a five-year project. Our involve everyone in embracing the opportunities to enhance literacy aim is to develop a five-year strategic plan to improve literacy skills skills for the community of Wisbech. across the community. The event will launch on July 10th and 11th with a literature festival We believe that through collaboration with the local community, held in the Town Park. IN THE NEWS after discovering he had a cancerous BOUNCE 4 BILLY tumor. An appeal to raise £70,000 is now 02/03 taking place with events all over the area to A group of community minded students get the money together. bounced on trampolines for a whole school day to raise funds for a local man who The students who led the event were from recently lost his leg. TCA’s Session 6 group #bethechange. The group’s aim is to make a positive The Bounce 4 Billy event took place on contribution to society. At the time TCA March 25th and students lent their support News was published the final fundraiser to the huge fundraising effort that has been figure had yet to be finalized. So far taking place in the area in aid of 20-year- people have raised almost £40,000 for old Billy Lee. Mr Lee had his leg amputated Mr Lee. STUDENTS FIND MEDIEVAL ARTEFACTS IN EXCITING DIG A group of Year 9 students took part in Cambridge University’s Higher Education Field Academy and participated in an exciting archaeological dig. The students, along with peers from Springwood High in King’s Lynn, spent two days digging one of 12 test pits at the Norfolk Hospice site, where a 900 year old well has been unearthed. The ancient well was discovered during the building of the hospice in Hillingdon, along with several flint arrowheads and tools. During the dig, the students found what was suspected HUMANUTOPIA to be several pieces of medieval pottery. Teacher Jacob Keet said: “Students found Year 11 students from Thomas Clarkson “Helping to run the workshop took me out numerous pieces of Anglo-Saxon pottery, Academy played a key role in a ground of my comfort zone but now that I have Victorian plates and medieval roof tiles. breaking project to raise the aspirations of done it, I realise that I have the confidence Aided by Time Team’s own Carenza Lewis, Fenland young people. to do things I thought I couldn’t. I think that students were able to dig a test pit, identify the impact of Humanutopia at TCA has objects that they had found and present The group of 12 students took the reins made the school community closer and their findings to Cambridge University.” at the day long workshop at Fitzwilliam behaviour has improved.” College, Cambridge, which involved Year 9 Mark Shea, commercial director at the Norfolk students from TCA, Neale-Wade Academy, As part of the day, the Year 11 students Hospice said: “It is wonderful to be part of Sir Harry Smith Community College and took the lead in a number of group a project which helps young local people Cromwell Community College. sessions. They shared their own develop skills for the future, whilst discovering experiences with the younger students and the history of both the hospice site and our The older students used what they encouraged them to ask questions about local community. Everyone at the hospice is have learned as part of the academy’s themselves. TCA Year 9 student Morgan looking forward to finding out more about how involvement with social enterprise Vincent took part in the day. our new site was used in the past.” company Humanutopia to inspire the Year 9s to make positive changes to improve She said: “The Humanutopia experience On the third and final day of the academy their school lives and future life chances. has made me look at my own behaviour the students visited Cambridge University and decide to make a change. Immediately where they saw how their findings fit into the TCA has been involved with Humanutopia I have decided to behave better at school wider historical picture, and how will they help for the past two years and the impact that and at home, as I realise that it is in my historians to see in more detail the nature of it has had on behaviour and the aspirations hands to do well at school.” human settlement across Norfolk. They also of many students, has led to it now had lunch at a Sydney Sussex College, where being embraced by the Fenland Schools TCA Teacher Sarah Loosemore, said: Oliver Cromwell studied and found out more Partnership. “This is the academy’s third year of about how to apply to university. involvement with Humanutopia and it has Year 11 student Ciaran Lethbridge who has been a real success. The whole essence become a Humanutopia Hero, helped run of Humanutopia is about tapping into the the event on Tuesday, February 24th. potential that every student has within He said: “Being involved with Humanutopia them. Each student can benefit in their own has really helped me, as I have gained a lot way from the Humanutopia experience, of confidence. It has taught me to assert whether it be to increase their confidence myself more, as this was holding me back. or to turn around negative behaviour.” ACHIEVEMENT YOUNG CITIZEN AWARD as the official blogger for the Wisbech Town FOR POLLYANNA Football Club website. Pollyanna said: “I have now put in place some strategies to deal with my anxiety as I realised A hardworking and caring Year 10 student has that I was putting too much pressure on myself. won Fenland District Council’s Young Citizen Volunteering is a nice outlet for me and makes award. Pollyanna Edwards was presented me feel good.” with a glass trophy and a £100 prize at the prestigious event held earlier this month at the Mike Cornwell, cabinet member for Boathouse in Wisbech. communities, who compered the evening said: “We have had a tremendous quality The student, who has overcome anxiety attacks of nominations and it does show what a to plough on with and excel at her studies, was great place Fenland is and how important given the award for her volunteering efforts with volunteering is. Year 7 students. Pollyanna, who was nominated by her tutor Ben Arrowsmith, also volunteers “A community can’t exist without volunteering.” FIRST DUKE OF EDINBURGH PRACTICE EXPEDITION TCA’s Duke of Edinburgh scheme got off to hiked around the countryside villages of There were a few wrong turns but all students a fantastic start with a practice expedition in Nassington, Yarwell and Wansford. They camped learned from their mistakes and are looking Northamptonshire. On the weekend of March overnight and were self-sufficient carrying all of forward to their assessed expedition in the 14th and 15th ten students and a few staff their food and camping equipment.