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Dear parents and carers,
I hope this update finds you well.
Our Year 11 students have made a fantastic start to their first set of mock examinations. They have been punctual, well-prepared, and focused, there has been a real buzz as they have come out of their exams this week and it has been a very busy week for them. Discussions among the boys in particular of how much they have written, and reciting quotes at one another prior to their English Literature exam has been very encouraging! Similarly, our Year 13 students have been exiting the exam hall feeling confident and reflective about their performance. It's clear that the hard work and dedication of both year groups are paying off. Thank you to you as parents and carers for supporting them in ensuring they have the necessary equipment and that they are preparing appropriately for each exam.
All of our Year 10 students have had an assembly with Mr Hatherill this morning where he has carried out a live demonstration of how to access and use their GCSE Progress Portfolio, the portfolio is located in Google Classroom and is a one stop shop for them to access revision resources, their current and target grades as well as reflections of how they have performed in assessments throughout the academic year. Please do ask your child to show you their portfolio this weekend so you can understand and see what they have available to them. Any questions around this, please contact your College offices.
We’re also pleased to report that our overall attendance rate remains above the national average. Your support in ensuring your child's regular attendance is invaluable and greatly appreciated. Attendance is a significant factor in our ability to effectively support a student and provide essential routines for them to be successful, and to build positive habits that will prepare them for their futures.
We recently hosted a learning walk focused on our Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision. The walk was conducted by an Assistant Principal from Snowfields Academy (a specialist provision) and a Curriculum Advisor from Leigh Academies Trust. The aim was for the learning walk feedback to offer areas of celebration but also points for development as we are always looking for ways to improve, and it provided exactly that. The feedback from the learning walk was really positive. 'The atmosphere across the academy and in classrooms is tangibly warm and inclusive.' as well as the observation that 'Teaching Assistants are proactive in the classroom and provide effective one to one support to students when required.'
While the feedback was very positive, an area of development was 'to fully embed the use of Chromebooks to support all learners, especially the use of Read&Write programme.' We would really appreciate your support in driving this through students using their chromebooks to complete all pieces of independent learning throughout every year group, and to prompt them to use the Read&Write software which they have been shown how to use in advisory sessions to support them where necessary.
Please click here for details of a Youth Club that is being run for Year 7 and 8 students.
Thank you once again for your continued support. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.
Yours Sincerely
Mrs Brooks
Kenward Trust Parental Drug Awareness Evening
Kenward Trust Parental Drug Awareness Evening
The Kenward Trust is a local Charity based in Yalding who we have worked with for many years now. They do incredible work in supporting people who suffer from addiction to rehabilitate and recover, as well as their extensive outreach work to support and educate young people about the dangers of drugs and alcohol. Andy and Kim who have visited previously and worked with our students, presented a parental workshop which supported in educating parents regarding the risks in society regarding vapes, drugs and alcohol currently.
The talk also provided an open forum for parents to ask questions and discuss concerns, Mrs Brooks and Miss Honey were present to follow up with parents and offer information on what we as an academy offer in terms of our PSHE curriculum around drug and alcohol education also.
The Kenward Trust is a charity that we will be supporting once again via fundraising later on in the year when they will be delivering sessions to students across the academy.
K9 Deployment Dog Visit
K9 Deployment Dog Visit
On Wednesday we had a visit from K9 Deployment who provide schools and local authorities in the UK to create a safer environment for all and firmly establish the message that drugs will not be tolerated. During the day Jackie and Jai, her drug detection dog visited lessons across the Academy and carried out walks among all year groups as we as an Academy educate our students about drug use and prevent the presence of drugs in and around school.
During the walks students were educated on how drug detection dogs are trained and the roles they carry out and had the opportunity to help support the training of Jai as well as ask Jackie any questions about Jai. Students enjoyed seeing the dog across the day and were excited at break and lunchtime when they were able to come and stroke the dogs and to ask any additional questions they may have had.
These resources are proven as an excellent resource to educate our students around drug use and allows us to ensure that Mascalls Academy is a safe area for all students.
BIMA Digital Day
BIMA Digital Day
Mrs Elliot organised our first BIMA Digital Day at Mascalls Academy which is a unique initiative that aims to inspire young people (ages 11-16) about the exciting world of digital careers. It involves:
Digital Challenge: Students participate in a nationwide digital challenge, sponsored by BIMA, where they solve real-world problems using digital solutions.
Industry Insights: Students get to interact with digital experts from various fields, learning about different career paths and gaining valuable industry insights.
The aim of BIMA Digital Day is to address the digital skills gap and encourage young people to consider careers in technology and digital fields. It's a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their creativity, problem-solving skills, and potential future career paths.
Students from Year 10 Media Studies, Computer Science and Business Studies all took part collaboratively and presented on the challenge that they had prepared throughout the day and recieved feedback from the variety of industry experts in a Dragon's Den style following their pitches. Well done to all the students who took part, 3 winners were selected to go forward into the National competition!
Dates to remember:
Module 2 - Tuesday 3rd December: Ski Trip Information Evening - 6-7pm
Wednesday 4th and Thursday 5th December: Flu Vaccinations Years 7-11
Thursday 5th December: Year 11 Parents' Evening - 4-7pm
Wednesday 11th , Thursday 12th , Friday 13th and Saturday 14th: 'Where We Come Alive' Dance Show
Thursday 12th December: Year 12 and 13 Parents' Evening - 4-7pm
Friday 20th December: Break up for the Christmas Holidays, students will finish at 12.30pm on this day
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