WELCOME TO THE OAKS ACADEMY I would like to begin by wishing everyone a Happy New Year What’s been going on at and say that I am excited to welcome in 2017 and look The Oaks Academy? forward to what the New Year may bring. This time last year, we had just opened our doors as The Oaks Academy and were embarking on our improvement journey. As we celebrate our first birthday and welcome in 2017, it is a good time to reflect on the achievements of the last year. In our most recent review, undertaken by The Dean Trust, our improvement partners, the following things were noted: INSIDE THIS ISSUE “There is no doubt that since JANUARY 2017 the inception of the new SLT, standards have risen considerably.” “…the quality of teaching, learning and assessment has improved” “ …the school has eradicated the majority of practice ‘requiring improvement’ and significantly increased the amount of practices that are at least ‘good’ across the whole school.” ACHIEVEMENTS | ADVENTURES | TRIPS “ In all lessons pupils were able to articulate SPORT | VISITS | AWARDS | FUN | LEARNING what they were learning.” HARD WORK | CAREERS | CELEBRATIONS It makes me very proud that all of the hard work, undertaken by staff and students, has been recognised and that, with the strong systems we now have in place, we can concentrate on ensuring that every student receives the best education possible, tailored to their individual needs. As always we are committed to ensuring that our motto of ‘Inspire, Believe, Achieve’ underpins all areas of our work. This publication is the first of our new termly newsletters and it reflects just some of the opportunities that are presented to students at the school and gives us the perfect platform to celebrate collective and individual successes. Mrs Emma Hooley Headteacher NEW YEAR’S VISIT TO OXFORD RESOLUTIONS We asked some of our Year 11 students to think about their New Year’s A group of students from resolutions as they enter the final push Years 9 10 and 11 went towards the summer exams. for a two day visit to My New My resolution is Oxford in October. Year`s to do well in most resolution of my GCSEs, The purpose of the visit was to We also visited the Museum of Natural is to study especially English, find out about university life - History before returning to Crewe. All hard for my and what better place to do it? our students had time and opportunity GCSEs. Maths and Science. Students toured the city and to consider their future whilst we were Jamie Li Jade Stanley discovered why this beautiful there, and reflect on the experiences place is known as the city of they’d had. dreaming spires. We visited Hannah reflected: “The visit made me the Bodleian Library and the further consider going to university and TO ACHIEVE To revise more Weston Library Museum, saw made me want to study Psychology. I many of the Colleges which THE GCSES and to prioritise will research the qualifications needed, make up Oxford University work hard to get those qualifications THAT I my time more and had a tour around and hopefully result in changing a few NEED TO BE so that it will Christchurch, one of the lives for the better.” Patryk said: “The visit SUCCESSFUL IN improve my largest of these. showed me how hard work will pay off in the LIFE learning. On the second day we went future. I was inspired by Oxford; I now believe KIMBERLEY JONES Casey Topham to Somerville College, where that I will achieve anything If I work hard for it.” And students had a talk about Jamie added: “I am going to concentrate on my GCSEs Oxford University, and were so I can achieve my goal of getting to a good university. given personal tours of the Furthermore, I will do more outside school activities to campus by current students. make universities want me, such as volunteering and work I`m going to I WILL SPEND experience.” make sure MORE TIME REVISING that I produce AND MAKING a revision A REVISION Employers TIMETABLE SO PLANNING FOR THEIR FUTURE! timetable for THAT I CAN GET OWESTRY HILL FORT VISIT my exams. MY GRADES FOR COLLEGE. In November our Year 10 and 11 students visited a Careers Fair at South Cheshire College. Leon Taylor Casie Owen YEAR 11 HISTORY TRIP Made up of employers, colleges Cheshire East and universities, the fair gave Bentley Motors them an excellent opportunity Cheshire Fire and Rescue Year 11 History students visited In past years, we haven’t to investigate possible future Everybody Leisure had the best attitude Institution of Civil Engineers Oswestry Hill Fort recently as towards school or pathways Apprenticeships, part of their GCSE Controlled To work hard behaviour. But now it traineeships and college or Crewe Hall Hotel Assessment. The fort was is our final, and most sixth form are all options for our The Army and pass all important, year and we Unipart Rail populated by a part of one of the Iron Age tribes that lived in Britain have decided to make a students when they leave The Carrilion from 800BC. The tribe that lived there were known as the Cornovii. resolution between us my GCSEs! to achieve the best that Oaks Academy. Nursing (Degree Programme) They would have defended themselves against other British tribes and we possibly can. It is important we give them all Swansway Motors latter allied with some of their neighbours against the Romans. They Katie Sheridan Maddy Warburton the chance to discover what Police put up fierce resistance to the Romans in 47 AD but were ultimately and Sandra some of these options entail. Cheshire East Youth Support defeated and Romanised. Still the aerial photograph shows how they Our students can also have Service managed to create formidable defences out of natural features with MMU Football Academy appointments with our careers the most basic tools. Armed Forces advisor who is in school every RAF In 2017, I want to To decide on my Students got to experience climbing up the steep ramparts and were Monday. She can give them Poole Alcock Solicitors pass my GCSEs. aspiration in life, encouraged to imagine the site with its tall palisade and tribal warriors the impartial advice and University of Derby I will do this by work hard to shooting lead shot at them from their slingshots. Quite often these working hard and make progress in guidance to help them make Keele University projectiles would reach speeds of nearly 70 MPH and could be fatal hopefully get onto all my subjects great choices. We also have Catch 22 to attackers. Work has also been done with the students on how the the course I want in ready for my drop in sessions every other Radius Payment Solutions fort would look when it contained its many round houses, stores and college. GCSEs. Wednesday from staff at South Manchester Met University Staffordshire University workshops. So far the students have engaged really well with the topic Cheshire College to answer any Jasmine Sharratt Alishia Ramsden Travel Visa Company and we are looking forward to them achieving high grades in their questions and provide further assessed work. information. The Oaks Academy VISIT TO AN Help Your Child With Maths INSPIRATIONAL Students are an ‘Inspiration’ AUTHOR... MEASURE During last half term, students from Year 9 and 10 have been working alongside St Thomas More to create a show called ‘ Inspire’ . They then collaborated with Wednesday 7th December students from three different primary schools and students from South Cheshire saw thirty Year 7 students Key stage 3 students have been College to perform on the 7th and the 8th of December. travelling to St. Thomas More studying various aspects of ‘Inspire’ was a project that took the audience School to visit Jon Mayhew a measure during last term. through time, showing us clips from books, famous writer who shares his movies, music and inspirational people. The Oaks publisher with J.K. Rowling! Here are some ways that you could 100 YEARS OF THE ARTS AND HOW IT INSPIRES US TO BE UNIQUE AND DIFFERENT Immam Academy students were given the difficult task of support their learning at home. YYoouou wake u Jon gave an inspirational talk AndAAnndd you’re likeikekee thatthaatat WherWheWhW eamI? creating a section which focused on inspirational about how he had overcome key figures, such as Martin Luther-King. Working his own lack of engagement Practise measuring the height or length of objects. (in with Miss Donley, the students created a piece that with books and reading; metres or centimetres). Get your child to convert the they were able to bring alongside the students of St Thomas More that revealing that, for him, Marvel lengths from one unit into another. Encourage them to fitted perfectly. They then worked together with the deputy headteacher, comics had opened up a whole estimate the distance before they measure it. Mr Hardacre, and his students to amalgamate into the piece. new fantasy world which he The students worked extremely hard over a period of three weeks to put felt compelled to explore. Let your child help with cooking at home. Help them to measure ingredients accurately using the show together. Their maturity and commitment to extra-curricular The students enjoyed the talk weighing scales or measuring jugs. Talk about what rehearsals is commended. All staff from other schools commented on and were keen to have their each division on the scale stands for. how well-mannered and polite our students were alongside how very photo taken with Jon after the talented they are.