April 2013 Edition No: 9 The Phoenix Collegiate Newsletter Our Our aim is to be an outstanding school; a place for learning; a place Aimsof inspiration; a place for broadening horizons and opening minds; achieved within an environment that promotes the spiritual, moral, educational and intellectual development of our students, whatever their background, capabilities, attributes and interests. Our Values PRIMARY We are a school that values; • honesty, integrity, equity and trust. LINKSgo from • a respect for each other, in our different beliefs, the friendships we hold and the courtesy we extend strength to strength to others within our community. We do not tolerate racism, bullying or a lack of self-discipline. There have been several exciting • the work of staff, parents and governors who in collaboration actively enable all children to realise projects going on recently between their full potential. Phoenix and local partner primary • TALKing schools. Teacher TALK Student TALK Parent TALK - see page 2 for full story. Teaching inspires and engages Taking part To be involved Achievement & progress is good Asking questions Always supportive Literacy, literature, literary Listening Learning environment Keen to improve Keen to discuss Knowing how to improve Our EthosThe character and spirit of The Phoenix Collegiate is reflected in the importance we place upon learning within in a rich and diverse cultural community. We are a school committed to teaching that is rigorous, engaging, exciting and purposeful; that develops young people to become knowledgeable, active, independent learners; leaving school IN THIS intellectually and emotionally prepared for further/higher education and the world of work. At Phoenix we instinctively learn the values of courtesy and good manners; provide every student with EDITION the opportunity to achieve of their best in a supportive and challenging environment, that insists on Duke of Edinburgh Award …………….........page 2 high moral standards. We encourage students to develop healthy, transferable interests and pursuits; Enrichment Day................................................page 3 learn and practise the skills of friendship through participation in a wide range of activities and learn to Student guidance & Welfare.............................page 4 value and make a positive contribution to the community. Literacy & Numeracy........................................pages 6-7 Performing Arts & Music..................................pages 8-9 At The Phoenix we believe that anything is possible. Business & Creative Technologies academy.....page 10 Sports update...................................................pages 11-12 Teaching inspires and engages Achievement is good Literacy ; literate ; literary Knowing how to improve www.phoenixcollegiate.org 1 of them achieving a level 6 in their upcoming SATS. We PRIMARY LINKS wish them all the best of luck in May. Phoenix Year 11 Enrichment day Students learnt memory go from strength to strength Since opening as Phoenix we have been developing Smartphone App techniques (they can In October we launched a story writing a 3D cinema in our Learning Centre. Several primary probably still recite the Remember: You can stay in touch with the school via I DECIDE! competition with 10 primary schools. All schools schools have been to use the facility and we have got story involving a man in our Phoenix smart phone app which is available free On Friday 25th January we were very fortunate to be able to welcome a blue shirt, a crab and a entered at least 1 story from year groups ranging a wide range of films to show, both educational and of charge. The app contains term dates & calendar, two exciting visitors to the school to work with Year 11. The first, haystack.....!?!), were shown from 3 to 6. The lucky winner was Angeli Dass entertaining! news from the school, George Bullard, joined us from British Exploring who talked to us about how to create a pyramid to turn from St Mary Magdalene Primary school. Pictures Over the past year, and going through to the end of a link to the school some amazing expeditions he has been on, as well as some incredible plans and dreams into reality and and a write up can be found in the Performing Arts term we regularly have Phoenix staff going out to local website and other opportunities for our Year 11s to experience similar. Since then, a heard how they really can find the section. primary schools and also have schools coming to our information. number of students have been in contact with British Exploring and determination to decide their own Over the past few weeks we have been hosting site to take part in a wide variety of lessons. Since our are investigating fundraising possibilities to be able to take part in an destiny. booster sessions for Gifted and Talented pupils last newsletter there have been Science lessons taking expedition, such as the 2013 trip to the Arctic. from 4 local primary schools. Our wonderful place at Harvills Hawthorn with Mr Bryan and St John Students really enjoyed the day and Unbelievably, our next visitor, David Hyner from Stretch Education actually Maths and English departments have been holding Bosco pupils have been to Phoenix for Science lessons were eager to find out more – David had then went on to say that he would give the first two students to raise £500 afterschool sessions for those pupils currently delivered through the use of our 3D cinema. quite a job leaving Phoenix as he had such a long queue of Year 11s towards their expedition the other £500 needed – astounding!!! David has working at level 5 in those subjects with the hope Watch this space – there’s more to come! wanting to talk to him at lunchtime and some have been in touch with worked with one of our previous Year 11 groups so I knew we were in for a him since his visit to get more information on how they can achieve The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award fantastic and thoroughly inspiring day. their goals. From September 2013 we are planning to enrol pupils for the Bronze Award There are three levels of programme, once pupils have completed their bronze they Year 7 Enrichment Day 4 Cathy Cassidy’s visit will be able to move on to the silver and gold Award. The main differences between Phoenix Collegiate hosted an event with bestselling author Cathy Cassidy them are the minimum length of time it takes to complete them, how challenging it is On Wednesday 20th March 2013 (World Book Day author, 2013) on Wednesday 13th March. Along with and the minimum age they can start. Phoenix Collegiate had student our own Year 7 pupils, several local primaries were also invited. Each award is divided into four sections, all of which have to be completed: enrichment day or as pupils call Cathy wrote her first picture book for her little brother when she was eight it, Phoenix day. Year 7 pupils had or nine and has been writing fabulous stories ever since. The Chocolate a day of learning how to work in a Box Girls is a sumptuous series starring sassy sisters, super-cool boys Skills categories (ten sections) Expedition • • team and how to tackle bullying. and one of Cathy’s biggest loves - chocolate. Creative arts, Performance arts, Care of animals, This will involve two or three overnight camps where pupils will show leadership skills, The team building exercise that After the event, Cathy’s books were available for pupils to buy and have Music, Life skills, Learning and collecting, Media and teamwork, cook for themselves – everything that they need they will carry in their rucksack pupils took part in was building signed and dedicated. communication, Natural world, Science and technology, (planning the expedition will take place at school one night a week) a tower out of spaghetti and Games and sports. They need to show regular activity and commitment during this time of marshmallows; the tactic was to work in a team to attempt to build the highest tower. There were 5 groups of 4 • Physical categories (eight sections) averaging at least an hour a week. They can’t achieve an Award in a short burst of in every tutor group and each group would get half a packet of spaghetti and 2 Team sports, Individual sports, Water sports, Racquet enthusiasm over one weekend! handfuls of marshmallows. They would have to show that they could work as a Pupils must do a minimum of 3 months activity for each of the Volunteering, Physical sports, Dance, Fitness, Extreme sports, Martial arts • team to build the tallest tower. The challenge was to work as a team and that they • Volunteering categories (five sections) and Skills sections. could use the Learning to Learn 5 “R”s of Resilience, Responsibility, Reasoning, Helping people , Community action and raising • They also have to spend an extra three months on one of the Volunteering, Physical or Resourcefulness and Reflection; at the end of the time they were given to build awareness , Coaching, teaching Skills sections. It’s their choice which one and, though they can change your mind later, their towers they had to face the daunting challenge of using teamwork to move and leadership. Working with they should decide which section they want to do for longer at the beginning. Knowing the tower to the side. This is where many teams showed how well they could the environment or animals , how long they’re going to do it for will help them to choose their activity and set their work in a group. Helping a charity or community goals for each section. After this team building exercise was finished there was a presentation at the end organisation • It will usually take them at least 6 months to complete your Bronze programme. of the day; here a group nominated from each tutor group would present a poster Chealsea is a star about what they have been learning (i.e.