academy news 6th may 2016 e x p l o r...
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ACADEMY NEWS
Cover Picture: Beach VolleyballPhoto by: Miss Fisher
6th May 2016
BE YOURBEST
Best wishes
Principal’s Report
Sara Davey - Academy Principal
At Mounts Bay Academy we pride ourselves in providing the richest and most challenging curriculum possible to develop the talents of all our students. We do this in a number of ways. The Academy has undertaken research to find out examples of the best education practice worldwide and as a result we have been working on a model of project based learning called REAL Projects that has been pioneered by one of the most famous schools in the world called High Tech High in San Diego. I am delighted to report that next week we will be welcoming two graduate interns from High Tech High to develop curriculum projects that stretch abilities and talents through social entrepreneurship and creativity (click here to see a research article on this from the SSAT). Our more able Year 7 students report that REAL is their favourite subject as it provides challenging high level thinking skills. The recently published books are a great example of this excellent work.
A new Year 7 focus group has just been set up to help design and consult on the new Science laboratories that we will be developing during the summer holiday as a result of gaining a substantial amount of money from the Department for Education. Their first ideas are to develop each lab with a unique style using the different Science disciplines. They thought that the separate Science subjects could be used such as Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Neuroscience, Engineering and Robotics and Geology to act as a guide for display. They wanted “something unique and a move away from the prison-style uniformity of traditional classrooms – ouch!
The Academy always aims to involve students in key changes and the Crew meetings next Tuesday are an opportunity for students to have their say about breaktimes and planners for next year. Watch this space.
Have a great weekend.
Science Classrooms - Year 7 Client Team
Sol GonzalezLucy EganMilo TaylorJacca Smart KnightHenry PiperLogan AspdenMatthews ThomasTommi-Leigh LobbMollie HancockTilly StephensMillie Jewell
Contact Mrs Davey if you would like to join at [email protected].
MBA Geography students have all enjoyed a great trip out of school this week investigating the growth of tourism in the town of St Ives. On both Wednesday and Friday students collected data, interviewed members of the public, sketched landscapes and earned an ice cream or two. They were also treated to a chat with the Mayor which gave them an excellent knowledge base from which to investigate the town.
There was some excellent effort put in by the students who are now going to analyse this data and produce their controlled assessment field reports over the coming weeks in class.
It was fantastic as a trip leader to be approached by members of the public and commended on the politeness and well- mannered ways students approached and chatted with them when conducting their investigation. Another highlight, as always, included seeing the St Ives vultures steal a few ice creams from the students' hands.
BECURIOUS
St Ives Geography Trip
Report by Mr Hopper
BEINSPIRED
Spirit of Discovery
Congratulations to Ananda Lee who has just been awarded the joint winner of the prestigious Humphry Davy Prize for Science. The prize is awarded to a GCSE student who, in their final year, has shown outstanding ability in the Sciences. The presentation will take place at the Town Council’s Mayor Choosing Ceremony next Tuesday 10 May 2016 in the Main Hall of St. John’s Hall, Penzance at 6.45 pm for 7.00 pm, followed by a buffet reception in the Alverne Room in St. John’s Hall. Ananda was put forward because of her incredible determination in improving her grades in Chemistry and Physics this year. As part of her nomination, she agreed to be filmed. In her short video, Ananda reflects on her journey from C to A* in Science and shares her ‘spirit of discovery’. Click here to see Ananda’s nomination video on the website.
Radio Star
Why not spend an hour in the company of Maisy-Sky as she presents her “Songs from the Shows” programme on Penwith Radio this Sunday 8th May at 2pm. The show was recorded here in our own broadcast studio and features her favourite songs from both current West End productions and a few old classics.
Listen to Maisy-Sky on Penwith Radio online by clicking here.
BEINSPIRED
We have joined up with the Brilliant Club to give a small number of students in Years 9 and 10 the opportunity to develop their skills and understanding to prepare them to successfully apply for a place at one of the top universities in the country.
Students who are successful in joining this programme will visit Wadham College, Oxford University early next half term before engaging in a series of tutorials led by a PhD student here at the Academy. The students will then complete an extended University style assignment which will be assessed at A level.
The students will receive feedback on their assignment early next term and then attend a graduation event at Southampton University at the end of September. Students who wish to be part of this programme need to return completed application forms to Mr Jack by Monday 16th May. Please contact Mr Jack if you have any queries on: [email protected]. The Academy will cover all the costs of programme including the two university visits. Click here to find out more about The Brilliant Club on their website.
The Level Two Hygiene Certificate is an industry recognised qualification, so if you’re interested in becoming involved in hospitality or food manufacture related industries (part time or as a career), this one is essential.
Your local job seeking competitors from other local schools do this qualification as standard, and we can’t be letting them have a competitive edge over us, so I’m keen to get as many of you through it as possible.
It would also demonstrate you’re a pro-active kind of student in your C.V., which again would read well.
The course will last six weeks, with a multiple choice test at the end. Commitment to the course is necessary to get the certificate.
Please get in touch with Mr Bromfield if you’d like to take part in this qualification:
Chef Club - Food Hygiene
BECREATIVE
Photographer of the Week
Report by Mr Cross
They have done 72 images so far but have ambitions for around 1200 to make a two minute animation!
This is a very exciting project already made possible by Ben and Sid's hard work, imagination and outstanding planning.
This week’s Photographers of the Week are Sid Rainbow and Ben Ridge who have begun an animation made from collaging photographs with drawings made in Pixelmator.
BECREATIVE
MBA students took part in the first rehearsal for the WW1 Levant Drama Project at Cape Cornwall School this week. The project is being run by Jason Squibb from Collective Arts Ltd in collaboration with Miracle Theatre. He will be producing the event and working with MBA and Cape Cornwall School students, the University of Exeter, members of the community and professional actors.
During the rehearsal the Director and Assistant Director informed the cast about the project and what was expected of them. The students were very enthusiastic, asking lots of questions.There were seven professional actors and several community actors present at the rehearsal. Students initially got involved with some games to get to know each other. One of the games was called Nah, nah, nah. This is where everyone had a chair and had to carry it around the room, the person in charge would decide when to put it down. This would then trigger everyone to move with their knees together to sit on another chair. The students from Mounts Bay were very competitive at this game. Then they played pass the beat around the room. This is where everyone said a syllable of each word from the phrase, making it more rhythmic as it was passed around the circle, then they replaced the word beat with a clap. Later Rick Williams joined the rehearsal to teach the group a couple of songs. A Cornish song called Lo the Eastern and the German version of Silent Night.
Report by Miss Osborne
WW1 Lavant Drama Project Rehearsal
The Director has already been out in St Just enlisting people to come and be part of the audience, where they will have to follow orders for 50 minutes of the performance. Jason explained that some of the performers start the show in the audience before getting up and interacting with other actors. This is known as ‘invisible theatre’, where you interact with your surroundings. At the end of the rehearsal, each student was given the profile of a soldier from the local area to look at and learn about for the production. The students also had their measurements taken for their costume fitting. I was proud of their participation at the first of many rehearsals.
U16 Sabre Champion
Congratulations to MBA student, Maia Fashokun, who has just become the new British U16 Girls Sabre Champion.
Maia won the title while competing at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield over the Bank Holiday weekend. She won a hard fought final 15-13 to become the new British U16 Champion.
Well done!
BECOMPETITIVE
Under 14 Rugby Sevens Champion
Congratulations to Harry Hocking who led his team to win the Under 14 Rugby Sevens Champions Cup at the Penzance ground this week.
As well as that great day, Harry also had positive feedback from the Exeter Chiefs Under 16 coaches for his performance, skills and attitude throughout the season.
English National Surf Competition
Last weekend Bonnie Whitelock, Huck New, Thomas Reeves and myself Woody New, competed in the English Nationals surf competition.
The surf wasn’t great but there were still waves. Bonnie, as always, surfed brilliantly and took the final by storm to get 1st place in the u14 girls. Thomas entered u12 boys and achieved 3rd place in the final with a lot of nice linking manoeuvers. He also did well in the U14s. This was Huck’s first national competition. Afterwards he said, “great fun, definitely doing more comps!”
From last year I was seeded and got passed straight through to the quarter finals. I battled my way through sloppy surf in all my heats and was super stoked to get 3rd in U14’s English Nationals final.
We’re looking forward to Penwith Schools competition.
Report by Woody New
BECOMPETITIVE
Report by: Mr Worsdell
Last week a team from Mounts Bay Academy Chess Club travelled to Redruth to play a challenge chess match against Redruth School. Eight matches were played in total - Redruth started well and were leading 2-1 but Mounts Bay managed to turn the match around and go into a 4-3 lead.
The last match (played by Harvey Richings) was the decider - Harvey needed to draw or win. After a tense middle-game where pieces were quickly exchanged, Harvey entered the end-game with a pawn advantage and his King safely on the opposite colour to Redruth's last bishop. A few moves later Redruth conceded, resulting in a 5-3 overall win for Mounts Bay!
Many thanks to Harvey Richings (7GREEN), Charlotte Bell (8GREEN) and Sid Rainbow (8GREEN) for taking part in this event.
Chess Club is every Thursday lunchtime in room 32 - check out the Firefly Chess Club page by clicking here for more information, including the latest Chess Club League standings.
We’re still looking for teams of two players to take part in a new TV quiz, ‘Academy Challenge’. The initial rounds will take place on Tuesdays after school in the Media Studio between 3.15 - 4.15.
‘Academy Challenge’ pits two teams of two players each against one another in five rounds, each of five questions. Rounds include general knowledge, music, geography, sport and a picture round. It is a fastest finger first quiz, and teams must buzz in to answer the questions.
If you and a friend think you’ve got what it takes to become Mounts Bay Academy Quiz champions, email: [email protected] and tell us your names, year group and a team name. We will get back to you to arrange your recording slot.
Watch our pilot episode by clicking here.
Are You Up To The Challenge?
Beach Volleyball Medals
The weather had obviously read the script for Thursday’s beach volleyball tournament at Carbis Bay, and delivered a beautiful, still, cloud free, hot summer’s day. Eight boys teams and a girls team in the Years 7, 8 and 9 age group took on teams from other local schools in the Cornwall School Games qualifying tournament.
The day started with a quick coaching session from Cornwall Volleyball Academy’s Michael Jenkin, who explained the rules and demonstrated how a typical rally should look, then it was straight onto the group games. The MBA students had clearly listened to the coaching and very quickly started to display some great playing patterns and the beginnings of some great dig, volley, block and smash techniques. This, coupled with a fine competitive spirit, resulted in four of the boys teams making it through to the quarter-finals, and after four very close matches we had two teams through to the semi-finals. Both teams played stunning volleyball and finished in gold and silver medal positions in Penwith, and will both be going to the Cornwall School Games finals later in the summer at Perranporth.
The girls’ team also produced some stunning volleyball and coached by their captain, Sol Gonzalez, managed to play their way into the silver medal position, so they too will be heading to Perranporth.
BECOMPETITIVE
All MBA teams playing in the tournament improved hugely during the course of the day. We are now arranging some coaching for all interested students, particularly the students who have made it through to the finals, with Michael Jenkin. Look out here for more details.
Report by Miss Fisher
BEA WINNER
BEADVENTUROUS
Duke of Edinburgh Award
Congratulations to Tom Berry, Lauren Jenkin, Aaron Dunkley, Megan Baumbach, Emma Eddy and Emily Pullen who have all been awarded their DofE certificates and badges this week.
Expeditions: This weekend is the Year 10 Practice expedition. We start from the Academy at 9am on Saturday 7th May. If you are involved please remember sunscreen and water.
The Year 10 Assessed Expedition is on 21st / 22nd May.
Report by Mr Fish
TheProblem ofEvil– Environmental Ethics – Buddhism – Crime andPunishment – Medical Ethics – Religion inCornwall - PeaceandConflict–MarriageandtheFam
ily–Arctic-N
aturalHazardsHo
stileEnviro
nments–
Climate–Sustainability–Urbanisa
tion–
Refugee Crisis– Development – Tudors– Industrial Revolution – Slavery – WW1– Hitler’s Foreign Policy– VietnamWar -
MattThatcherYear 9
The Humanities Team would like you to design a poster using only an image and a brief caption.
It should:• Be simple, striking and effective.• Summarise a topic, issue or theme
within humanities.
Tutor Captains should collect all entries and arrange them in a keynote presentation, then email to Mrs Coode
[email protected] by Monday 9th May
Dance Club Years9&10
MONDAY3:30-4:30
Gymnasium
Thedanceclubwillbeworkingonarequestbasis.SendrequeststoMissWalterswhetheritbehiphoporcontemporarylyricalorBeyoncéoramusical–Thechoiceisyours!Pleaseseehttp://mountsbay.fireflycloud.net/dance-clubforsomeinspiration
BEA WINNER
Maths Quiz
This Week’s Puzzle:
A fisherman has five fish named A, B, C, D and E. Each fish has a different weight.
A weighs twice as much as B. B weighs four and a half times as much as C. C weighs half as much as D. D weighs half as much as E. E weighs less than A but more than C. Which fish is the lightest?
A, B, C, D or E?
Last week’s solution: B - 3
Could you write next week’s puzzle?If you would like to set the numeracy puzzle for a future week click here. You will win house points.
Win an iTunes voucher
Whoever submits the most correct answers over a semester will win an iTunes voucher – prizes are also awarded to the top scoring parent/carer/staff.
House Competition
Blue: 8 PointsYellow: 6 PointsGreen: 5 PointsPurple: 4 PointsRed: 4 Points
Orange: 2 Points
Click here to submit your answer
Closing date for Entries: Thursday 12:00
Last Semester’s House Totals
BEA WINNER
To enter, simply write an original sentence correctly using the word discover.
Send in your sentence using the link below.
Competition
Congratulations to Kelci Prowse who wins a Edge of the World Bookshop Voucher.
Click Here to enter the competition
Kelci and her £5 Edge of the World Bookshop Voucher
This week’s word is: Discover
Meaning: find unexpectedly or during a search.
Word origin: Middle English (in the sense ‘make known’): from Old French descovrir, from late Latin discooperire, from Latin dis- (expressing reversal) + cooperire ‘cover completely’
Image of recipient here
Mounts Bay Academy, Boscathnoe Lane, Heamoor, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 3JTE: [email protected]���|���T: 01736 363240���|���F: 01736 352326