www.swaveseyvc.co.uk Success @ @swaveseyvc Swavesey Village College ✔ @swaveseyvillagecollege Swavesey Issue No.1 March 2020

Wel come

I am delighted to share with you some of the recent successes at Swavesey Village College. We are so 2019 Exam Results impressed with the results of our most recent GCSE exam cohort, but as you will see, there is so much Reporting exam results has changed over the years and become a more to life here at the college. more complicated measure. No longer is it a case of how many students get 5 or more A* - C grades. The main national measure is how much Progress a child makes at school from Year 6 to Year 11. This publication celebrates what our students and Another important measure is the % who pass both English & Maths staff have achieved in recent months and publicises at grade 4 or above. For SVC this was 77% (national average is 63%). what we know will be future success. The progress 8 score of +0.57 shows each of our students perform over half a grade higher in each of their subjects than the national The highest academic progress and attainment average of zero and Cambridgeshire average of +0.17. Together are vital parts of our ambitions, but we are also these results mean SVC is in the top 14% of schools nationally, in a @swaveseyvc committed to a whole education which included a category called Well Above Average (the highest category). SVC are rich and varied co-curricular offer. I hope you will ranked 4th in the County. We are particularly proud that we deliver enjoy reading this edition of Success@Swavesey. these amazing outcomes for all our students and are a fully inclusive school, where SEND and disadvantaged students also have positive progress outcomes. Jim Stavrou For further details please go to the DfE performance table for SVC Headteacher here: https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/ school/136580/swavesey-village-college/secondary A Big Thank You Top performing subjects: We are delighted to announce that due Art 45% grade 7+, 93% 5+. 98% 4+ to all the fantastic fundraising Photography 42% grade 7+, 94% 5+, 100% 4+ efforts of students, parents Sciences: greater than 50% grade 7+ in single Sciences. and staff throughout Sports Studies 40% grade 7+ the year we have raised enough to buy a new minibus. We are currently ordering it and hope to have it available to use after Easter. Have you Herd? Department for Education Swavesey Village College is delighted to announce that it has It may have been a wet and windy start to the been awarded the School Games Platinum Mark Award spring half term, but that hasn’t stopped our Character Education Framework county and national levels of competition. We are extremely proud of our KS3 students from dreaming up moo-velous In November we were really honoured to be recognised by the Department for Education The college’s leadership programme for pupils and colleagues for ways to decorate the mini moo the school to feature as a case study as part of their Character Education Framework for Schools. pupils, Leadership Academy, was also their dedication to all has adopted as part of the spectacular art We were referenced in relation to how at SVC we promote the value of volunteering celebrated for leading the way in the region aspects of school event coming to Cambridge. and service to others. As you know, as a school and a trust we are very proud of and has been recognised for excellence sport, including those There were some udderly fantastic designs, our PLEDGES award system which offers each student a range of regionally and nationally. young volunteers, but the pictured six students were the cream character building opportunities that have been designed to both leaders and The variety of sports on offer at the college, of the crop and spent a day in half term enhance their learning and development. officials who made both during curricular and extra-curricular transforming their stunning designs into our competitions Do make sure you look at the college website to look at our updated time, has continued to grow offering a possible. We look reality. To achieve the platinum award, Swavesey PLEDGES criteria which has responded to feedback from parents range of both traditional and 'new age' forward to applying had to prove its sporting success with The cow, Moonet Picowso, is one of 60 mini and students to ensure that it is fully inclusive at every level in each sporting activities, such as Archery Tag, once again in 2020! numerous team sports reaching district, moos and 40 full size cow sculptures that will strand. We thank all of our staff, students, parents/carers and local Rock Climbing and relaxation sessions. be part of the Cows About Cambridge Art community for their buy-in to this as it would not be as successful Trail between 30th March and 6th June 2020. as it is without your support. After the art trail is over, our cow will find Swavesey in the News We are incredibly proud of Archie in Year 10 its forever pasture back in school and the who is the first student in SVC to achieve Gold full-sized cows will be auctioned off to raise Year 11 GCSE in the Artsmark Award, and featured in the money for the charity Break. Cambridge News article. This Gold level Award Champions is normally only achieved by students aged 18+, and he is 1 of only 11 people to be awarded On 10th February, with the real exams very Gold in the East of England since January 2018. much in sight, Y11 settled down to an as- We are confident he sembly with a difference. The motivational can look forward to a session and selected tailored workshops, run bright future in the Arts by Junior Ogunyemi from the Fixup Team, en- world in years to come. couraged students to consider what it means to be suc- Values and cessful at KS4 and Year 7 Maths beyond. Junior’s Experience Days engaging, inspiring CMAT Challenge and humorous ap- Our Values and Experience Days remain proach left every- On Thursday 9th January, two teams of a key part of our delivery of Personal, one wanting to be our students competed in the CMAT Year Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) GCSE Champions 7 Team Maths Challenge. The students Zoe and Fauzi spent most of Charities education. These days help us to develop and ready to take from 7 CMAT schools came together at PLEDGES Morning planting the 2000 daffodil bulbs with students the knowledge, skills and Artists: Ilke, Mimi, Lucy, Olivia, Emily, Sarah the next steps! Sawtry Village Academy for four rounds Carol singing to entertain shoppers at Bar donated by the A14 team for their Silver attributes that they need to manage their of challenging Maths over 3 hours. Hill Tesco and to fundraise for charity. Environment PLEDGE. lives now and in the future. We have a Congratulations to Jennie, George, Lucy statutory responsibility to cover much of French and 7EA1 who wowed the audience and Georgia for representing the school this content. Francovision with their French rendition of a Million and to Papa, Karolina, Chen and Madison, dreams! Always a highlight of the Autumn term is who impressively came second overall! These days are constantly evolving and Year 7 performing in Francovision – a mix You all competed with determination, this year alone has seen the introduction up of Eurovision meets X Factor! Students enthusiasm and precision. Teams from of first aid skills with Year 7’s, and Year 9’s rehearsed a song in French and then having a presentation from an external performed to parents, all within their first North Cambridge Academy, Ely College st rd group looking at the realities of prison month at SVC. Massive round of applause and Northstowe came away with 1 , 3 as part of their exploration of crime and for 7WB1 who brought High Hopes to life in and the CMAT Spirit Award, respectively. punishment. Our trips out have also Participation Leadership ExcellenceParticipation LeadershipDiversity ExcellenceGiving DiversityEnvironmental GivingService Environmental Service been changed to include a year 8 visit to Bhaktivedanta Manor (a Hindu place of worship) and our year 9’s are going to Spotlight on National Maths Homes for Whipsnade Zoo with a focus on variation Success Challenge Dormice within species. Every week there are 2 winners of In the National Senior Maths Challenge we had Josh from The Wildlife Trust the Spotlight on Success (where 22 year 11 participants who volunteered to take visited last week to pick up this SLT visit lessons and are told who on the extremely challenging paper of questions. year’s dormice homes. He was has been working especially hard Well done to all who took part with special mention really pleased with the quality and by the teacher.) The cards go into going to Rhianna, Aris, Joshua, David, Rebecca, quantity of this year’s batch. The a draw, and then 2 students who Mary, James, Rory, Ayotunde and Anna who year 9 BTEC Construction students are picked at random win a £10 achieved a bronze certificate and Edward, Nicola, handed over the homes that will Amazon voucher. Andrey and Rhiannon who achieved silver. be put up in Brampton Wood.

EXTENDING THE BOUNDARIES OF LEARNING A HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT VALUE OUR PEOPLE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL Beauty and the Beast In line with the SVC push to be as green as possible, we have accepted generous donations from the local community of After casting back in Summer 2019, materials, so props and scenery are beginning to emerge from rehearsals for this exciting musical have the depths of our cupboards; wells, antlers, magical books gone from strength to strength. With a and mirrors. full company of Cast, Crew and Band numbering around 150 students, plus Over the next four weeks, we will putting together the final numerous staff and parents giving their parts of the show, so join us in the magic of Disney and be time, this promises to bring a little bit transported to a world of talking teapots and candlesticks, of Disney magic to Swavesey. Already books and castles, love and human kindness. So join us, for a many hours have gone into big hits such tale as old as time... 2nd-4th April. as 'Belle' 'Be Our Guest' and 'Tale as old as time'... not to mention our unruly mob led by the dark D'Arques. Tickets still available www.ticketsource.co.uk/swaveseyvc

for Bronze award, with some expeditions Eco Improvements Duke of Edinburgh starting in March Bronze Award Year 9 at SVC Silver Award Year 11 Last year we had a total of 94 year 9 Bronze 2020 has seen the establishment of DofE participants. Every student completed Last year 30 year 10s signed up for their SVC’s Eco-Committee for students and their Qualifying and Assessed expeditions Silver DofE. Their walking trips took place in staff. The committee’s purpose is to in the Grafham Water areas between September 2019 just as they became year draw together all of the pockets of March and June. The students also had to 11. The Practice expedition had amazing excellent environmental practice across complete 3 months Volunteering, Physical weather but their resilience was tested in the college, whilst also increasing the and Skill work and with an extra 3 months their assessed expedition. The weather was horrendous and the students were sustainability of practice and raising in one of the sections. SVC students’ activities included dog walking for elderly soaking wet from start to finish. It took awareness of key issues. residents, working in local charity shops and real determination and hard work as they ‘squelched’ their way to the end. Let’s hope Students have identified a number learning to cook full meals for themselves. for better weather this year! of projects which they would like to This year we have 102 year 9s signed up develop and are currently creating a plan of actions to implement these. Areas of focus include recycling, energy use and the use of single-use plastics. As part of this initiative, we have been working alongside Bloor Homes, who have kindly sponsored brand new Swavesey Village College water bottles. Students and parents have helped design these bottles in house colours, alongside planning the awareness campaign on this important issue. Students will receive their free water bottle next term Developments @ SVC Following the refurbishment of the Music dept, this term the site team have almost once water fountains are installed. completed the refurbishment of the Maths Department. In the last 12 months the Newton We will cease the sale of plastic water corridor has been redecorated and has a new carpet and nearly all of the 11 classrooms have also had new carpet and been repainted. The remaining few will be complete by the bottles from the canteen in the coming end of the Spring Term. Humanities is the next department to benefit from refurbishment! months. The team are in the process of installing additional water fountains to support the Eco Group’s water bottle initiative. This will be ready by early April.

There are plans in place to completely refit our Food Technology room, B3 over the summer holidays. We are a considerable way through the feasibility study for the installation of a full sized AGP (Artificial Grass Pitch) for SVC & the surrounding community. Football development & partnership working with Swavesey Spartans FC & equally tremendous support from Swavesey Parish Council is key to this project. With guidance from Cambridgeshire FA & funding from The Football Foundation, we hope to realise this much needed addition to facilities.

Success @ Swav✔esey