Our 2014 Black Country Games

WOOD GREEN

WORDSUMMER 2014

OUR 2014 BLACK COUNTRY GAMES

2014 Black School Country Games - This competition is the concluding competition of HOUSE the level 3 sports competitions which are held throughout the year in the Black Country. his year’s school production was ‘Our House’ which is a Tmusical based around the songs of the band Madness. We are delighted to tell you that Wood Green Academy It is a high energy, fast paced show which our students was back on the podium winning all the competitions performed brilliantly. The effort the cast put in to rehearsals on the day that we had qualified for. was phenomenal and even when they were very tired they still gave their best effort. On the day we won the Boys Athletics Outdoor Championships Year Ten pupils even came back into school when they were on work experience to rehearse. We had a couple of ex-students who We also won the Girls Athletics Outdoor came back to help with the show too. Kieron Johnson who has just Championships graduated from the University of Hull with a first in Drama did the lighting and Luke Regan who studied A-Level Drama back in 2008 We won the MLD Football Competition. and is now studying for a sports science degree played Reecey and Mr Pressman. I was so proud of all the students involved in We were the school with the greatest number of Young the show, as actors, band, dancers or technicians; they all did a Leaders who helped make the games ‘happen’ by wonderful job and were very sad on the last night as they didn’t running the Kwick Cricket competition for Year 5/6 , want it to end. The talk now is about what we will do next year! So and providing the Games with a Media Team who did watch this space… interviews/ photography/filming/report writing on the day.

We are still waiting for the Overall Medal Table to see if we are the number one school in the Black Country but we are feeling quietly confident.

Pupils who went were first class on the day – and as a school we are very proud of their achievements. All three of the judges were impressed with the quality of the arguments put forward, and END OF KEY the professionalism of the Wood Green Academy team STAGE 3 “ CELEBRATION EVENT This was a fantastic event to celebrate the hard work and achievements of the students over the Key Stage.

It was an afternoon enjoyed by students, parents and teachers. Subjects awards, form tutor awards, KS3 challenge award, 100% attendance for Year 8 awards, 100% attendance for HOLOCAUST KS3 awards, and KS3 Sports awards were all given out. Mollie Smith and Joshua Wooldridge received the Year Leader’s VISIT awards. In February 2014 Waseelah Smedley and Jacob Glover (year 12 students) participated in the Lessons From Auschwitz project with the Holocaust Educational Trust.

As part of their follow up work they asked if they could deliver some Holocaust education. In June 2014 Waseelah and Jacob taught a lesson to a year 8 WOOD GREEN ACADEMY History class. This involved a presentation on key events of DEBATERS COMPETED AT THE the Holocaust, Waseelah and Jacob’s personal recollections of their time visiting Auschwitz I and II as well as listening to survivor testimony from the HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BAFTA award winning ‘Recollections’ DVD. Jacob also performed a song he had written about the Holocaust to the year 8 class. Ulfa Hussain and Haneef Mohideen’s names were drawn out of the hat and both became proud owners of a mini Ipad. n Thursday 5th June, a team of year 8, 9 & 10 pupils All four of the speakers spoke confidently, passionately and The other students pictured were all given medals and £10 travelled to the House of Commons to compete in the eloquently at length, picking numerous holes in the proposition book vouchers for consistently scoring 100% in quizzes about O team’s arguments – a key strength that was commented on by National finals of the Deutsche Bank Debate Mate Cup. the books they’d read. The Accelerated Reader scheme is the judges. The judging panel took 30 minutes to decide which MILLIONAIRE supervised brilliantly by Mrs. Guest and Miss Cannell, Head of the teams had won, finally awarding it to Central Foundation. The team’s success at the Regional finals in April, where the team of English, and has proved to be a very successful way of All three of the judges were impressed with the quality of the beat stiff competition from 50 other teams from the West Midlands CLUB encouraging pupils to read more. and Manchester, took them to London to participate in the arguments put forward, and the professionalism of the Wood National finals as one of the top eight debate teams in England. Green Academy team, none of whom have been debating for A very special presentation took place at the end as long as the pupils on the other teams in the finals. of the summer term, for Wood Green’s very best readers. Students from Years 7 to 10 who read the After a very early start, the team, consisting of Alisha Sasaru most words were entered into the Millionaire Club (y10), Britanie Boyd, Abigael Glover, Sukhmanpreet Girn (Y9), Central Foundation Boys’ School went on to beat their for a prize draw to win a mini Ipad. Sam Grainger and Ryan Goldsmith (y8), arrived in London and opposition in the semi-finals and qualified for the Grand Final, to were ushered through the Houses of Parliament to the grandly be held at the National Portrait Gallery. Masum Mohammed, Haneef Mohideen, Hamza Khan, furnished select committee rooms. Mohammed Dhali, Katie Trinder, Stacy Stanfield, Alicia The Wood Green team were superb and held their own against Waring, Sabrina Yassir and Ulfa Hussain all read over In the quarter finals, Wood Green Academy were drawn against far more experienced debaters. They were a real credit to one million words, with Masum Mohammed reading Central Foundation Boys’ School (the previous year’s winners) to themselves and the school. over 5 million! argue against the motion “This house would legalise all drugs”. Well done team! EXHIBITION The debate took place in the Walpole room, the same room in which the interviews for the Iraq war inquiry were held. The team If you would like to be a part of the Wood Green Debating Club, please speak to Mrs Haden (English), Miss Inderjeet (RE) ART had 20 minutes to prepare their arguments in opposition of the or any of the current team members. The club will restart on CREATIVE motion, before taking their places at the committee tables for the debate to begin. Monday 23rd June, running every Monday lunchtime 12.35 – 1.25pm, and is open to pupils in any year group, including the sixth form. school, representing the school as both an internal and external ambassador.” Aran Patel All three of the judges were impressed with the quality of the arguments put forward, and END OF KEY the professionalism of the Wood Green Academy team STAGE 3 “ CELEBRATION EVENT This was a fantastic event to celebrate the hard work and achievements of the students over the Key Stage.

As part of their follow up work they asked if they could deliver some Holocaust education. In June 2014 Waseelah and Jacob taught a lesson to a year 8 WOOD GREEN ACADEMY History class. This involved a presentation on key events of DEBATERS COMPETED AT THE the Holocaust, Waseelah and Jacob’s personal recollections of their time visiting Auschwitz I and II as well as listening to survivor testimony from the HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT BAFTA award winning ‘Recollections’ DVD. Jacob also performed a song he had written about the Holocaust to the year 8 class. Ulfa Hussain and Haneef Mohideen’s names were drawn out of the hat and both became proud owners of a mini Ipad. n Thursday 5th June, a team of year 8, 9 & 10 pupils All four of the speakers spoke confidently, passionately and The other students pictured were all given medals and £10 travelled to the House of Commons to compete in the eloquently at length, picking numerous holes in the proposition book vouchers for consistently scoring 100% in quizzes about O team’s arguments – a key strength that was commented on by National finals of the Deutsche Bank Debate Mate Cup. the books they’d read. The Accelerated Reader scheme is the judges. The judging panel took 30 minutes to decide which MILLIONAIRE supervised brilliantly by Mrs. Guest and Miss Cannell, Head of the teams had won, finally awarding it to Central Foundation. The team’s success at the Regional finals in April, where the team of English, and has proved to be a very successful way of All three of the judges were impressed with the quality of the beat stiff competition from 50 other teams from the West Midlands CLUB encouraging pupils to read more. and Manchester, took them to London to participate in the arguments put forward, and the professionalism of the Wood National finals as one of the top eight debate teams in England. Green Academy team, none of whom have been debating for A very special presentation took place at the end as long as the pupils on the other teams in the finals. of the summer term, for Wood Green’s very best readers. Students from Years 7 to 10 who read the After a very early start, the team, consisting of Alisha Sasaru most words were entered into the Millionaire Club (y10), Britanie Boyd, Abigael Glover, Sukhmanpreet Girn (Y9), Central Foundation Boys’ School went on to beat their for a prize draw to win a mini Ipad. Sam Grainger and Ryan Goldsmith (y8), arrived in London and opposition in the semi-finals and qualified for the Grand Final, to were ushered through the Houses of Parliament to the grandly be held at the National Portrait Gallery. Masum Mohammed, Haneef Mohideen, Hamza Khan, furnished select committee rooms. Mohammed Dhali, Katie Trinder, Stacy Stanfield, Alicia The Wood Green team were superb and held their own against Waring, Sabrina Yassir and Ulfa Hussain all read over In the quarter finals, Wood Green Academy were drawn against far more experienced debaters. They were a real credit to one million words, with Masum Mohammed reading Central Foundation Boys’ School (the previous year’s winners) to themselves and the school. over 5 million! argue against the motion “This house would legalise all drugs”. Well done team! EXHIBITION The debate took place in the Walpole room, the same room in which the interviews for the Iraq war inquiry were held. The team If you would like to be a part of the Wood Green Debating Club, please speak to Mrs Haden (English), Miss Inderjeet (RE) ART had 20 minutes to prepare their arguments in opposition of the or any of the current team members. The club will restart on CREATIVE motion, before taking their places at the committee tables for the debate to begin. Monday 23rd June, running every Monday lunchtime 12.35 – 1.25pm, and is open to pupils in any year group, including the sixth form. school, representing the school as both an internal and external ambassador.” Aran Patel FUND YEAR 9 RAISING: FOOTBALL NAOMI STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

PROGRAMME It has been another successful season for the Year BRUTON 9 football team. The Lead Ambassadors were involved in the delivery of Afternoon all, a session during the year 12 induction day. Jacob Glover They became back-to-back winners of both the and Yasmeen Akhtar spoke to all of the prospective year Yesterday me and Bailey (my Dalmatian) completed Sandwell Schools’ FA Cup and also the West 12 students about life in 6th form at Wood Green Academy the Great Midlands fun run (8.5 miles) to raise money Midlands Metropolitan County Schools’ FA Cup and the differences between GCSEs and A Levels. All of for Birmingham Dogs home (where we got our other (having achieved the same feat last year). They also the ambassadors then led small groups in discussions dog Buddy from). progressed through five rounds of the English Schools’ about 6th form and gave the students a chance to raise any FA National Cup. They are an extremely talented concerns that they had. We are hoping that they can progress If you have any spare cash that you would like to donate bunch of players who have been free scoring in all to support the amazing work that Birmingham Dogs Home competitions. They have even had two games stopped even further in the National Cup The ambassadors did an excellent job, even coming in when do, you can either give it to me or donate it via my Just at half time (one in the National Cup and the other the school was closed! next year as well as retaining their Giving page. http://www.justgiving.com/baileybuddy in the West Mids Cup), because they were already winning 10 nil and 9 nil respectively. Sandwell and West Midlands crowns. Ambassadors involved: Birmingham Dogs Home’s mission is to rescue, reunite Krupa Patel, Jacob Glover, Yasmeen Akhtar, Khaled Ali, Evelyn and re-home the lost, abused and abandoned dogs from Ramadhani, Olivia Bayley, Megan Smith and Jack Hill. the streets of the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. YEAR“ 11: Ben Sambrook Fund Many thanks to those who have already donated. WORK EXPERIENCE 2014 The ambassadors raised £170.79 for the Ben Sambrook Thanks for reading this! Fund. A special thank you to Bethany Hyde (Year 10 Senior On Monday 30th June to Friday 4th year 11 went on their Naomi Ambassador) and her mom for baking some fantastic cup work experience placements. The majority of them were very cakes! proactive and had found their own placements, ranging from the Banking Sector to the Motor Vehicle industry. SUMMER LEAGUE A huge thank you for all contributions and continued support. TABLE TENNIS Feedback from employers was very positive and they said that ‘Wood Student Leadership Cohort 2013/14 Lunch Green Academy pupils were very polite, helpful, had a willingness Archie Taylor attended the Disability National to learn and a very positive attitude towards the workplace’. Pupils’ Championships that were held at Wood Green Academy All pupils involved in the Student Leadership Programme were feedback was also very positive and some had wanted to stay longer on the 10th July 2014. Archie got to the final of his class invited to lunch in the conference room on Friday 11th July. This within the workplace, Prakruthi Patel, who worked at a local charity and also the final of the open event. Unfortunately he was an excellent way to celebrate and thank the pupils for their shop has now volunteered to do charity work in her summer holidays lost out in both finals (3-2 and 3-0). This was as amazing hard work and commitment over this academic year. and Lauren Johnson and Sophie Handley have been asked to take achievement and the future looks bright for young Archie. part in a summer school event, within the nursery that they worked. Thank you!! Archie Taylor has also been selected to represent the Midlands for one the most prestigious competition events in the 2014 calendar, the UK School Games. This a is great achievement and Archie is honoured to represent the Midlands again at the UK School Games. JORDAN YEAR 11PROM Over the past 7 weeks numerous Wood Green Academy GREAT GATSBY STYLE! pupils and pupils from the surrounding area have been battling FELLOWS Joseph Bull at Brandon Dowen and Luke Rebekah Mehmood it out in the local Summer League that was held at Wood Thursday 3rd July saw Year 11 officially leave school with Tameside Junior, Simpson-Shaw at Carcraft, at Marks & Spencer in Green Academy. Liam Busher had a fantastic summer league a magical evening at The Village Hotel, Walsall. The theme The seaside event. Service Centre in Wednesbury. Walsall. and won the averages with a 100% record, closely followed Jordan won the junior title for Super for the Prom was ‘The Great Gatsby’ and as has been the by Angus Page on 91.6%. Also on a special note it was Combined at the British Championships case for 5 years and Year 11 were not letting anybody Wood Green Academy pupils were fantastic to see support from Old Park Primary School who (1 run of Super G & 1 run of slalom) down! very polite, helpful, had a willingness had 7 players playing the summer league. Things are looking and was 5th Brit overall in a field that to learn and a very positive attitude very promising for the future of table tennis at Wood Green contained all our World Cup, Everybody went to great effort to bring the ‘Roaring Twenties’ Academy. Europa Cup and senior British back to life and the outfits were amazing – stylish and elegant, towards the workplace team athletes. capturing the essence of both F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and Baz Luhrmann’s recent interpretation!! Clearly Year 11 learnt a great deal about style and the importance of dressing well As a first year FIS athlete Jordan RUGBY IS COMING... during their time here! The night was a wonderful celebration of Wood Green has started fielding rugby teams from Year 7 was one of the very youngest a great group of pupils who I had the absolute pleasure of being through to Year 11 in regular tournaments at Wednesbury racers in the competition. Year leader to for five years. The atmosphere was incredible, Rugby Club. particularly the one-by-one arrival in true Oscars style, of pupils in a range of cars that appeared out of an episode of With the support of a £10,000 grant from the Rugby Football MTV’s Cribs!! The fact that so many parents stayed to partake Union’s All Schools Programme we will look for further success in the fun and photos of the arrivals only added to the special next season, with funding for coaches, new equipment and goals. ambiance of an amazing evening. “The goals can already be seen dominating the Wood Green field. FUND YEAR 9 RAISING: FOOTBALL NAOMI STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM

PROGRAMME It has been another successful season for the Year BRUTON 9 football team. The Lead Ambassadors were involved in the delivery of Afternoon all, a session during the year 12 induction day. Jacob Glover They became back-to-back winners of both the and Yasmeen Akhtar spoke to all of the prospective year Yesterday me and Bailey (my Dalmatian) completed Sandwell Schools’ FA Cup and also the West 12 students about life in 6th form at Wood Green Academy the Great Midlands fun run (8.5 miles) to raise money Midlands Metropolitan County Schools’ FA Cup and the differences between GCSEs and A Levels. All of for Birmingham Dogs home (where we got our other (having achieved the same feat last year). They also the ambassadors then led small groups in discussions dog Buddy from). progressed through five rounds of the English Schools’ about 6th form and gave the students a chance to raise any FA National Cup. They are an extremely talented concerns that they had. We are hoping that they can progress If you have any spare cash that you would like to donate bunch of players who have been free scoring in all to support the amazing work that Birmingham Dogs Home competitions. They have even had two games stopped even further in the National Cup The ambassadors did an excellent job, even coming in when do, you can either give it to me or donate it via my Just at half time (one in the National Cup and the other the school was closed! next year as well as retaining their Giving page. http://www.justgiving.com/baileybuddy in the West Mids Cup), because they were already winning 10 nil and 9 nil respectively. Sandwell and West Midlands crowns. Ambassadors involved: Birmingham Dogs Home’s mission is to rescue, reunite Krupa Patel, Jacob Glover, Yasmeen Akhtar, Khaled Ali, Evelyn and re-home the lost, abused and abandoned dogs from Ramadhani, Olivia Bayley, Megan Smith and Jack Hill. the streets of the West Midlands and South Staffordshire. YEAR“ 11: Ben Sambrook Fund Many thanks to those who have already donated. WORK EXPERIENCE 2014 The ambassadors raised £170.79 for the Ben Sambrook Thanks for reading this! Fund. A special thank you to Bethany Hyde (Year 10 Senior On Monday 30th June to Friday 4th year 11 went on their Naomi Ambassador) and her mom for baking some fantastic cup work experience placements. The majority of them were very cakes! proactive and had found their own placements, ranging from the Banking Sector to the Motor Vehicle industry. SUMMER LEAGUE A huge thank you for all contributions and continued support. TABLE TENNIS Feedback from employers was very positive and they said that ‘Wood Student Leadership Cohort 2013/14 Lunch Green Academy pupils were very polite, helpful, had a willingness Archie Taylor attended the Disability National to learn and a very positive attitude towards the workplace’. Pupils’ Championships that were held at Wood Green Academy All pupils involved in the Student Leadership Programme were feedback was also very positive and some had wanted to stay longer on the 10th July 2014. Archie got to the final of his class invited to lunch in the conference room on Friday 11th July. This within the workplace, Prakruthi Patel, who worked at a local charity and also the final of the open event. Unfortunately he was an excellent way to celebrate and thank the pupils for their shop has now volunteered to do charity work in her summer holidays lost out in both finals (3-2 and 3-0). This was as amazing hard work and commitment over this academic year. and Lauren Johnson and Sophie Handley have been asked to take achievement and the future looks bright for young Archie. part in a summer school event, within the nursery that they worked. Thank you!! Archie Taylor has also been selected to represent the Midlands for one the most prestigious competition events in the 2014 calendar, the UK School Games. This a is great achievement and Archie is honoured to represent the Midlands again at the UK School Games. JORDAN YEAR 11PROM Over the past 7 weeks numerous Wood Green Academy GREAT GATSBY STYLE! pupils and pupils from the surrounding area have been battling FELLOWS Joseph Bull at Brandon Dowen and Luke Rebekah Mehmood it out in the local Summer League that was held at Wood Thursday 3rd July saw Year 11 officially leave school with Tameside Junior, Simpson-Shaw at Carcraft, at Marks & Spencer in Green Academy. Liam Busher had a fantastic summer league a magical evening at The Village Hotel, Walsall. The theme The seaside event. Service Centre in Wednesbury. Walsall. and won the averages with a 100% record, closely followed Jordan won the junior title for Super for the Prom was ‘The Great Gatsby’ and as has been the by Angus Page on 91.6%. Also on a special note it was Combined at the British Championships case for 5 years and Year 11 were not letting anybody Wood Green Academy pupils were fantastic to see support from Old Park Primary School who (1 run of Super G & 1 run of slalom) down! very polite, helpful, had a willingness had 7 players playing the summer league. Things are looking and was 5th Brit overall in a field that to learn and a very positive attitude very promising for the future of table tennis at Wood Green contained all our World Cup, Everybody went to great effort to bring the ‘Roaring Twenties’ Academy. Europa Cup and senior British back to life and the outfits were amazing – stylish and elegant, towards the workplace team athletes. capturing the essence of both F Scott Fitzgerald’s novel and Baz Luhrmann’s recent interpretation!! Clearly Year 11 learnt a great deal about style and the importance of dressing well As a first year FIS athlete Jordan RUGBY IS COMING... during their time here! The night was a wonderful celebration of Wood Green has started fielding rugby teams from Year 7 was one of the very youngest a great group of pupils who I had the absolute pleasure of being through to Year 11 in regular tournaments at Wednesbury racers in the competition. Year leader to for five years. The atmosphere was incredible, Rugby Club. particularly the one-by-one arrival in true Oscars style, of pupils in a range of cars that appeared out of an episode of With the support of a £10,000 grant from the Rugby Football MTV’s Cribs!! The fact that so many parents stayed to partake Union’s All Schools Programme we will look for further success in the fun and photos of the arrivals only added to the special next season, with funding for coaches, new equipment and goals. ambiance of an amazing evening. “The goals can already be seen dominating the Wood Green field. 3D WORKSHOP WITH PHILIP COX: WORK EXPERIENCE: CREATOR OF PAPER IN THE LIBRARY Mrs. Guest and Mrs. Whitehouse supervised students doing PEOPLE their work experience in the library. They helped to stock-take over 15,000 books, tidy up the book shelves and the library. Several pupils worked with Miss Measures and professional The students behaved impeccably and were a great help. cardboard construction artist Philip Cox to create four cardboard figures. “PLANE-LY” A GOOD Since 1985, Philip Cox has toured the UK with several major solo exhibitions of his unique paper figures. He has produced window DAY FOR ALL AT RAF displays for the prestigious department store, Harvey Nichols, in London. His largest commission to date was constructing 60 figures COSFORD! for the Nottingham-based visitor attraction, The Tales of Robin Hood. Philip has appeared on numerous television programs with Staff and students visited RAF Cosford and its museum. A his work, and a portion of his art belongs to permanent museum great time was had by all, building rockets and competing and art collections in the UK. to see whose flew the furthest, surrounded by dozens of examples of impressive military aircraft, including the world’s oldest Spitfire. In another one of the museum’s hangars, FISHING Wood Greeners also had the opportunity to have a go on a flight simulator. Wood Green Academy students were entered into a fishing competition against 3 local schools on Tuesday, 1st July (activities day 2). The lads won the competition by a considerable margin and WOOD GREENERS HAVE three of ours, Dean Elsmore, Joseph Roberts and Cody Rushton took 1st and joint 2nd places respectively in the individual results. AN ACE TIME PLAYING The competition was held at King’s Fisheries in Shareshill. 6 TENNIS! students from each school were chosen to compete with the total weight of fish from each team measured at the end. The leading individual (Dean) caught a weight of 33 lbs which was triple the weight caught by anyone from the other schools!

Staff showed them how it was done at the end, however, when two teachers hauled in the biggest fish of the day (4.2 lbs)! GYMNASTS HAVE A FLIPPING GOOD TIME

Some students stayed on site and took part in gymnastics with Mr. Wright and Mr. Dale took students to play tennis for the Miss Parker and Miss Paskin, somersaulting, flipping and flexing day at Wednesbury Tennis Club. Here’s Mr. Wright in action! their muscles in this high intensity sport.

Debbie Murphy, Jody Clarke, Steven Norton, Aman Bassi, Callum Lesycsyznski THE SCHOOL NEWSPAPER TEAM Courtney Joyce, Jade Everett, Kerrigan Kipping, Nasrin Nehar, Nuvreet Uppal, Patrick Kakuba