Newsletter

October 2014

September 2014 saw the launch of Holbrook Academy’s new enrichment programme. This fantastic new programme has seen students taking part in a wide range of activities including horse riding, sailing, Duke of Edinburgh, collage, dance, Mandarin, Spanish, badminton, basketball and many, many more. The courses range in duration from half-termly to two years and so the programme is updated and refreshed every half-term with a new range of exciting options. The feedback from students so far has been extremely positive; Emilia Moxen, Year 9, said, ‘Mandarin Chinese is an exciting opportunity to learn an extra language that is not on the normal curriculum and will help me in the future because it is the main language used in the business world.’ If any parents or carers would like to offer an enrichment activity, please do get in touch as we would love to have you involved. Mr Lay Photography Option Students have been working with professional photographer Antony Cullen to develop their digital photography skills. Over the first few weeks, basic camera functions were explored with a focus on depth of field, lighting and portraiture using the Aperture Priority function on the SLR cameras. This has moved onto landscape photography using leading lines and the rule of thirds. Students have found the photography option to be engaging and enjoyable, and have benefited greatly from the knowledge and guidance of Anthony Cullen. Mrs Caston-Cook Horse Riding Option Once a week, the school mini bus bursts into life along with fourteen students! The enthusiasm and excitement makes the air tense; we are all eager to arrive at Newton Hall Equestrian Centre (NHEC). After a long journey of holding our breaths with anticipation, we can hear the sound of hooves treading delicately upon concrete and you know you are close. There’s a huge place opening up in front of you, and the first glances of the magnificent horses makes you buzz with exhilaration. We all bundle off the bus, eager to meet the horses and start riding. In the first week, we had a 30 minute introduction to NHEC and we talked about health and safety. Although this may sound boring, Rossie, one of the Instructors, made it fun by telling stories of success. We then met our horses and only then did we realise how majestic the horses really were. The group of fourteen was then split into two groups, beginners and less confident riders, and advanced, confident riders. The hour lessons are always enjoyable, lively and entertaining and everyone is really enjoying the enrichment course. Samantha Betts - Year 10

Sailing Option Sailing is a great experience and opportunity for students. Although it comes with a

small charge, this option is a great opportunity to get out and

about on the water. The students are enjoying sailing and

power-boating and are inspired by these activities. Students

are learning to sail in different types of dinghies and will also

be learning the theory behind sailing, not just the sailing itself.

Our thanks go to Neptune Sailing at Woolverstone who have

been a great help in allowing us to use their dinghies with the

support of their staff.

The Academy embraces its new enrichment programme

HOLBROOK ACADEMY

Page 2 October 2014 newsletter

Academy Fire Safety Ambassadors

Holbrook Academy Fire Safety Ambassadors (Sam Campbell, Austin Lord and Will Sadler) were recently visited by Jon Southgate, Prevention Delivery Manager of Suffolk Fire & Rescue Service, to discuss the ways they can further educate their peers about fire safety. During Mr Southgate's visit to the Academy, the fire alarm was triggered so that the ambassadors and Jon could review our evacuation procedures. The student ambassadors were pleased with the process but have some suggestions for improvement that they have shared with the Academy's leadership team. In addition, Sam Campbell is planning to identify one responsible student in each form to lead in further training and education. Austin Lord had previously taken part in the Commissioner's Takeover Day 2013 at Ipswich East Station and can be seen on the left of the picture. Miss Shelley

Clubs Fair This year's Clubs Fair was a real success with students and staff offering a number of clubs and activities including running club, Japan club, drama club and many more. The 'IT crowd' are offering all year groups with the chance to develop their computing skills. A small group of students are organising a Lego Mindstorms club and have captured the interest of many wanting to get involved in their exciting work.

Year 10 Art Trip Students taking GCSE Art went on a trip to Ipswich Museum and Christchurch Park to produce first hand observational drawings, to aid the development of their ideas, skills and research for the course. Students and staff had a fantastic day, producing some brilliant sketches, photographs and collecting organic forms from Christchurch Park. It was a pleasure to see on my first trip with the school, the students so involved in their drawings; many did not want to stop when it was time to come back to school! Mrs Caston-Cook

Bar Mock Trial Students in Year 10 and 11 are busy preparing to take part in the Bar Mock Trial. This is a national competition in which students take on the roles of barristers, witnesses, court staff and jurors competing against other schools in a live format, with one team prosecuting and the other defending in a court. Their performance will be judged by Circuit Judges, Recorders and senior barristers or advocates and take place in Norwich Crown Court in November. Miss Shelley and Mr Wright

Year 11 Product Design visit to Suffolk One

Year 11 students had a great time visiting the Product Design department at Suffolk One and prizes were awarded to students with the best egg holders, designed and made by the students. During the visit, the students took part in a cardboard making challenge to create a cardboard seat/chair. Thanks to Craig Barker at Suffolk One for organizing and showing us what they offer at A-level. Miss Quinton

Miss Shelley's recent Year 11 assembly covered the topic of procrastination. How easy it is to put things off! During the assembly she confessed to putting off starting her training for next year's London Marathon. Luckily, students have rallied to encourage her training and she now at-tends Monday lunchtime running club. Miss Shelley is raising money for The British Lung Foundation. She thanked students for their support and encouragement and hopes to finish the marathon in five hours.

Page 3 October 2014 newsletter

Paris Trip 2014

Earlier this year an excited group of students and staff set off on an early start to one of the most memorable weeks of our lives!

Departing the Academy at 6am, we began our journey, sailing from Dover to Calais and arriving in the beautiful city of Paris around 4pm Monday afternoon. We then took a boat tour along the river Seine before arriving at our hotel for dinner! On Tuesday we visited the Museum d’Orsay, Jardin des Tuileries, Cathédrale Notre-Dame and then visited Tour Montparnasse - the 210m skyscraper with the most amazing views of the city. Wednesday we visited Stade de France first before visiting the Arc de Triomphe where everybody climbed the 284 steps to the top! After working up an appetite we then took a walk along the Champs-Elysées where we stopped and had lunch, most of us ordered a McDonalds. After lunch we went to the air museum followed by a visit to the cathédrale Sacré Coeur and a delicious meal at Café Cadets de Gascony. Thursday was a day many enjoyed most - Parc Astérix! We spent the day enjoying the rides and rollercoasters at the Parc before heading back to

our hotel for our final sleep in Paris.

Our last day was a long one; we departed our hotel around 9am after a fantastic week of visits, memories and experiences which the whole time had been accompanied by fabulous weather. We finished our week with a stop at Cité Europe Hypermarket just before sailing home from Calais.

On behalf of myself and everyone on the trip, a massive ‘thank you’ to Mrs Reynolds for organising the trip and to all the staff for making it such an amazing memory to treasure. Amelia Thorpe - Year 10

Year 10 and 11 GCSE Drama Trip We had a fantastic opportunity to attend a ‘page to stage’ workshop with Eastern Angles Theatre Company and watch their latest production of 'Ragnarok'. GCSE Drama students learnt about the challenges of directing and performing in a traverse performance space (audience on two sides) and had a chance to view and use the specially designed puppets that were created for the giants. The play was written and designed for the unusual venue of the Hush House at Bentwaters. This vast space suited the epic nature of the story of when the Gods meet their doom. “I think the play was really, really good. I liked how they used the traverse staging, the puppets and the costumes.” Austin Lord “The acting and plot were amazing. The use of puppets added a surreal effect.” Sasha Baker “I was engaged all the way through.” Elise Jarvis Mrs Holland

Code Club Success

Another great success for the Academy working in partnership within the community at Chelmondiston Primary School is our Code Club. We have been awarded Star Club status by Laura Kirsop - Managing Director of Code Club, who said ‘I am delighted to tell you that you have been awarded Star Club status and we warmly welcome you into the Code Club close family unit!’

Dr Julia Hunter, the adult ambassador linked with us, along with our student ambassadors, George, Fraser and Judith, together with Mr Clarke, ICT Teacher, and Denise Tinker created this club at Chelmondiston Primary School. We worked hard in setting the club up and our student ambassadors have been amazing in their supporting role helping and advising the primary school students with their coding!

Dr Julie Hunter said, “There are more than 2000 code clubs in the UK, but there will only be 20 star clubs.” We are 1 in 100. Wow!

Page 4 October 2014 newsletter

Key Dates 2014—2015 24th October – PD Day 27th – 31st October : Half Term Holiday

19th December – Last day of term Spring Term 2015 5th January – PD Day 6th January – Students return

Sports at Holbrook

The summer term was a very busy one for students at the Academy who were involved with the following activities:-

Sports Leaders who assisted with the Suffolk School Games Level 1 Festivals at the Academy Quadkids Athletics Cricket Umpires Tennis Leaders Multi Skills Indoor Athletics event as part of the Year 6 transition process Primary School Sports Days The Queens Commonwealth Baton Relay at Northgate High School Discovery Club including Kwick Cricket and Golf, Conservation and Sailing and the Sky Sports

Living for Sport Girls Cricket Project. Shotley Peninsula Cricket Club Alton Water 2013 Rowing Club taster day

Additionally, a new club has been set up this term - Holbrook Harriers Athletics - which is for students aged 12 and over and adults who would like to focus on developing fitness and conditioning as well as offering support for cross country running.

Full details of all the above can be found in the Summer Term 2014 PE Department round up on the website. Mrs Wiles

Humanities Orford Trip Year 8

The new Orford trip was a great success with a variety of activities ranging from sketching coastal landforms at the quay, exploring the castle and the tour of the Merman. The staff worked hard for it all to come together and the students are to be commended on their polite and sensible behaviour, evident when questioning the public in the car park

near the quay. Nathan Waller said he “enjoyed the castle as it was seeing Learning very active”. He also enjoyed the range of activities and described his trip to the quay as “serene”. He also said he liked having the opportunity to be out of school for the day in a different place and thought Orford was a bit like “Chelmondiston but with a castle”.

Mr Reynish

Books to Oxfam

After contacting local Charity shop, Oxfam, we made a successful visit to the shop and donated a substantial selection of used school and GCSE textbooks. Year 9 students, Brendan Bagshaw and Nathaniel Reid, accompanied Mr Reynish to the Ipswich branch and met with local volunteers to hand over the books. We hope this trip benefits deprived students in other countries. Our determination paid off after our first attempt with another charitable organisation did not work out. However, we didn’t take “no” for an answer. Nat proved his worth when he continued to look for other charities relying on public donations. Then we found Oxfam which meant luckily we didn’t have to throw the books away.

Special thanks to Terry Whiting for the transport and all the teachers who contributed books .