Inside this issue Spring 2013 “This is a good school” Newsletter Choir performs for VIPs Parent Voice Welcoming the Saints Northampton Academy Bingo Reading Challenge Mock Interview Day Anglian Water Newsletter - Spring 2013 Art & Photography trip Pupil Privilege Passes Northampton Academy is a good school Passport to Success Twitter! As I am sure you know from your son/daughter, the Academy was inspected by Ofsted Djembe Drummers on 30 and 31 January and I am delighted to advise you of the outcome of the inspection. Sporting Successes

Temp of the month ‘This is a good school.’ Exams We are incredibly proud of this and know that the report accurately reflects life at the Six Book Challenge Academy and the progress made in improving outcomes for our students. We are so Careers pleased that your children are served by a good school. I would like to thank you for your help and support and also pay tribute to our hardworking staff and students. Mission to Mars Together we have achieved this. Design Competition Key Dates There are many positive aspects to the report and it can be viewed in fullby downloading it from our website or from Ofsted’s own site.

If you would like a paper copy, one can be collected from main reception or alternatively please email our enquiries line at [email protected] with the title ‘Ofsted Report’ and your name and address and a copy will be posted to you.

I know you will join me in congratulating our students and staff on this achievement and I look forward to your continuing support as we commence our work towards becoming an outstanding school.

Anne Hill Principal

Students meet Michael Ellis MP and the Israeli Ambassador! Students meet and perform for the Israeli Ambassador Parent Voice A group of Northampton Academy students gave a very special performance in the We are always looking for State Rooms of Mr Speaker’s House in the House of Commons in February. feedback from parents and The 18 students sang the Hebrew folksong, ‘Hashivenu’ for the Israeli Ambassador, His are inviting as many parents Excellency Daniel Taub, who then spoke to students about the relationship between as possible to join our Israel and Britain. The students then had a chance to quiz His Excellency about Israel Parent Voice group. and about life as an ambassador.

The group has been Following the session with Ambassador Taub, the students went on a tour of the launched to help us gain a Houses of Parliament where they visited: the debating chambers; Westminster Hall; better understanding of and St Stephen’s Hall. what you think about what Mrs Hill said: “Students thoroughly enjoyed the visit and were excited to tell their we do. classmates about the experience. They performed exceptionally well and were a We would love you to join credit to themselves and the academy. We were delighted Ambassador Taub was able to meet with us and talk to the students, who really enjoyed talking to him and our group, if you would like learning about what it means to be an ambassador. He gave them a fantastic insight to , please give us a call. into the life of an ambassador and how different governments work together. We are very grateful to our MP, Michael Ellis, who took the time to organise this special trip Next meeting: Wednesday for us and were delighted he was able to join us today.” 22nd May at 6pm His Excellency Daniel Taub said “One of the most powerful ways of building bridges between peoples is to appreciate and celebrate each other’s culture. I was delighted to be able to meet with the children of Northampton Academy Choir and hear their 2 rendition of Jewish and Hebrew songs.” Welcoming the Saints!

We were delighted to welcome the Northampton Saints first team and members of the local media when they trained on our excellent all weather pitch over half term.

The training session must have worked because the Saints travelled to Academy student, Kemi Olowoyo, said “Today was fantastic. To sing in Parliament is a Worcester a few days later once in a lifetime opportunity and one we will never forget. It was a unique and won a fine match 18-27 performing experience for us. I usually perform with large audiences in choirs but this in front of more than 9,000 was more intimate and left an impression on me. We really enjoyed meetingthe spectators. Ambassador and hearing about his work. I had never really thought about how different countries work together so it was great to learn about this at first-hand.”

Another student, Holly Lowe, said “I really enjoyed the tour of the Houses of Parliament. It was great to see where the MPs work and we all became very excited when famous politicians walked by! This was very different from anything I’ve ever done before. I have only joined the choir recently and was proud to represent the academy. Meeting the Ambassador was a privilege.”

Michael Ellis, MP for Northampton North, who organised the visit for the academy, said “This was a wonderful event and I am delighted to have been able to arrange such a special opportunity for the boys and girls of Northampton Academy’s choir. They sang so well in such imposing surroundings. I know that the Ambassador greatly enjoyed the performance.”

“I will continue to support Northampton Academy and all the schools in Northampton in any way I can and I hope that the children will really benefit from the experience.”

We have first class sporting facilities, ideal spaces for conferences and perfect places for lectures.

Please give us a call on 01604 402811 or pop in one evening and we’ll show you around.

3 Bingo Reading Challenge

To celebrate World Book Day 2013 the library has launched the Bingo Reading Challenge, offering students the chance to win a full set of stationery, including a pencil case!

A book is selected from one of the categories on a library Bingo card. Once the first book is read and a review is completed students receive a bookmark and their first Bingo stamp. A pencil case is won on completion of the first full line and kept with the Bingo card in the library, to be filled with stationery as reading progresses and lines are filled. A ‘full house’ means a full pencil case!

Students will be inspired to read a wide range of books, including Graphic Novels and poetry, to increase their enjoyment of reading. The challenge will run until Friday 5th July.

Daniel (year 9): “I think the Bingo Reading Year 10 Mock Interview Day Challenge is great! I’m reading books that I Year 10 Mock Interview Day was voted a huge success by both students and would not have read business community volunteers alike. before.” The event was supported by eighty members of the business community and is the practical element of the employability programme that includes CV writing and interview preparation prior to students going out to their work experience placements.

Employers also met with Art & Photography trip sixth formers, who were able to: enjoy a networking On a very cold winter’s day session to find out more years 12 & 13 Art and about career choices; Photography students took discuss work experience; their pencils and cameras to and find out more about Castle Ashby Gardens for shadowing opportunities. the A level examination field trip. We thank all our volunteers for giving their valuable The morning and early time to provide advice and afternoon were spent guidance to students. getting lost in the timeless setting of the formal gardens, lakes and architecture, keeping warm Working with Anglian Water and working hard. Sixth formers applying for Primary Education at University were recently asked to Hundreds of excellent work alongside education staff from Anglian Water to help redesign and evaluate photographs were taken resources that will be used in schools across Britain from September. and are providing inspiration for the students We are looking forward to seeing them in print and thank Anglian Water for as they complete their offering the students this opportunity. Examination project. When you next look at the Anglian Water website please check out the educational 4 resources section. Pupil Privilege Passes Follow us on Twitter! The Academy is always looking for ways to reward students and January saw the launch of Pupil Privilege Passes. Many of you have noticed In January, we rewarded the top 50 well-behaved students (based on their that Northampton Academy academic reports behaviour average) in every year group with a pass. The pass includes is now tweeting! privileges such as: being invited to performances; a fast-track lunch queue; permission to borrow extra sports equipment at break; and using extra facilities around the school at We use it to pass on lunchtime. immediate pieces of useful information and we are Based on the success of the first term, we have extended the passes to the top 75 picking up new followers well-behaved students in each year group. The passes are rewarded after every report daily. cycle so any pupil can work their way towards achieving with consistent good behaviour.

To join the conversation The idea behind the pass is to help encourage other students please search for to improve their behaviour northacad, that’s us! and also help to recognise, reward and motivate the many pupils who are consistently trying hard on a daily basis at the academy. If you have any questions or comments about these passes, please speak to Mrs Francis Djembe drummers

Passport to Success The Djembe drummers have been invited to Pupils have achieved their ‘Passport to Success’ by having exemplary attendance, perform pitch side before conduct, attitude to learning, leadership skills and made a significant contribution the last Cobblers game of to the community. Well done to all from The Rewards Team. the season on Saturday 27th

Bronze Award Silver Award April.

Year 7 Year 8 Year 7 We have been offered Katy Ashby Leah Brooks Tobi Sorunke reduced price tickets at a Rajan Aspel Zarrosha Fatima price of £4 students, and Emily-Jo Bryant Hina Hothi Year 8 £10 adults. James Cassin Morgan Lambert Abisola Okubanjo Yemisi Fatoki Matthew McNicholas If you would like to come Clare Izegbo Abisola Okubanjo along to support us and Muhammad Khushal David Pallett watch the match, payment Kieran Mason Danielle Rees for tickets should be made Oliver Pott Kyle Wisbey Muhammad Ramish to student reception by th Sophie Rosetti Year 9 Monday 15 April. Yvonne Sam Esther Alake Samuel Savory-Payne Thomas Cole Billy Sodipe Julia Frasineanu Tobi Sorunke Sydney Worley Year 10 Tyra Jakachira 5 Toyosi Sorunke Sporting successes Temp of the month!

Cage Boons competed at the U17 Eng- Natalie Riley, our evening lish indoor athletics Championships at receptionist was awarded the NIA at Birmingham. He managed Office Angels’ prestigious to win a bronze medal! This means he “Temp of the month” award is officially ranked 3rd in for for January! his age group

The award is designed to recognise consistent hard work and outstanding customer service, which Natalie displays every day A number of pupils from the Academy have received sport specific leadership she is with us. training to support the Winter School Games 2013. They assisted in Badminton, Table Cricket & Football. Thomas Cole, Owen Wise, Adam Sparks, Shannon Ahern and Amber Sacre also attended ‘Project ability’ which is a Youth Sport Trust project based on Leadership in Sport.

We were delighted win various town championships and qualify for the level 3 Northamptonshire School Winter Games competition. All of our teams did well finishing:

 Year 7 & 8 boys indoor athletics team, coming 5th; Exams  Year 10 & 11 boys and girls badminton teams, coming 3rd and 2nd;  Year 7, 8, 9 boys badminton, coming 4th; We will be hosting  Year 7 & 8 boys and girls table tennis teams, both coming 2nd; additional year 11-13 exam  Year 10 & 11 boys rowing, coming 4th and 6th; revision sessions over the  Year 10 & 11 girls rowing, coming 2nd and 5th; Easter holiday. Please see  Year 7 & 8 girls rowing, coming 4th. our website for more details. The Academy U16 boys Basketball competed in another of their National Premier League fixtures (the highest standard of English schools Basketball)– at the The exam timetable will also Academy this month. This fixture saw the boys playing against and defeating King be published on the website Edward VI School from Birmingham – the final score was a massive 145 – 23 in over Easter. favour of the Academy.

Rajan Aspel who represents the school and regularly attends extra-curricular 6 table tennis competed in the Northamptonshire Schools Table Tennis Association, Individual Championships 2013 and came 2nd in the U13 Boys competition. Six Book Challenge

The annual Six Book Challenge invites people to pick six reads (not just books but poems, magazine articles, even digital games) and record their reading in a diary in order to get a certificate. Design Competition

23,500 adults and young people registered for the challenge last year The winner of the Library and the Academy hopes to increase that number by at least 1000 this year. Book Design Competition was Riona Kraithat (Year 8), All students and staff will register for the challenge and we would wel- with her book Blood Born. come any parents or carers that would like to participate. For more details, a registration form and a reading diary please contact Miss Riona won a National book Drew Callis at the Academy on [email protected] token and a handwriting pen. Our runner-up was Into the Dragon’s Den Georgia Snooks (Year 8).

Barclaycard and Young Enterprise worked closely with year 8 students to hone their Students displayed some entrepreneurial skills in a project to design a modern pyramid fit for the Emperor of fantastic creativity by Eygpt. producing amazing book covers, and imaginations Students were encouraged to recognise their skills and qualities in preparation for went wild with the ’blurb’ Option choices. All teams presented their ideas to a Dragons Den with Mrs Hill as the Grand Empress. they wrote for their books; there are some fantastic The winning team, stories there waiting to get “Pyramaids”, have been invited out! to lunch at Barclaycard in June and will put their new skills to We were overwhelmed test when they deliver a with entries across all year presentation to staff. groups. The competition was judged by the English department. Mission to Mars homework project

Year 9 ICT students are currently utilising the skills they have learnt in both ICT and Eng- lish as they work on a homework project called “Mission to Mars”. Through this project, the students will work through a number of scenarios based on a first manned landing on Mars. They will:

 Explain why we should mount a manned mission to Mars;  Select a team of astronauts from a database;  Cost the expedition – from personnel to equipment;  Program an on-screen robot to perform the type of tasks a “rover” would perform;  Write an essay about the mission;  Deliver a presentation on their work.

As a part of the project, the students will have to create a 3D model of their landing site, complete with buildings. The homework project is to be completed over the Easter break but some students have already started with their designs of their mission rockets. 7 Northampton Academy Key dates:

Northampton Academy is a Monday 18th March Work Experience begins high performing secondary Wednesday 27th March Work Experience ends Thursday 28th March Teacher Training Day school rated “Good” by Friday 29th March Beginning of Easter Holidays Ofsted in 2013. Monday 15th April Academy reopens for all students Wednesday 1st May Year 3 Multisport Festival at the Academy

Monday 6th May Bank Holiday - Academy closed In 2012, we celebrated our Tuesday 7th May Academy reopens after the bank holiday Monday 13th May A Level and GCSE exams start* best ever GCSE results, here Wednesday 22nd May Parent Voice meeting are some of the highlights: Monday 27th May First day of half term holiday Monday 3rd June Academy reopens for all students 55% of our students achieved Monday 24th June A Level and GCSE exams finish five or more A* - C grades Wednesday 26th June Key Stage 1 Multisport Festival at the Academy including English & Maths Thursday 4th July Year 10 GCSE English Controlled Assessment Wednesday 17th July Northants School Sports Partnership Awards 96% of our students achieved Thursday 18th July Year 11 Prom at the Kettering Park Hotel five or more A* - C grades Tuesday 23rd July Academy closes at 1pm for summer holidays

7% of our students achieved * A complete timetable of exam dates will be published on our website the English Baccalaureate (www.northampton-academy.org) over Easter. We will be hosting additional year 11-13 exam revision sessions over the Easter holiday. Please see our website for dates and times.

Northampton Academy

Wellingborough Road Northampton NN3 8NH

Phone: 01604 210017 Fax: 01604 773830

E-mail: [email protected] www.northampton-academy.org