Lockdown Edition, 11th May 2020

Wixams Academy

Greetings from the Principal

Welcome to our Newsletter,

I write this segment just after the Prime Minister’s speech

on Sunday night. While there are glimmers of light at the

end of the tunnel, I think we all understand that the

country and therefore Wixams Academy, will be affected

for some time to come yet. We pride ourselves in being a

‘listening school’ and with that in mind, I invite you to offer

any suggestions of how we can improve the support for our

students, by sending them to info@wixamsacademy.co.uk,

with the subject heading: ‘Lockdown Ideas’.

We continue to be impressed by the brilliance and

resilience of our students. Many of your feats are

mentioned in this newsletter and many more or you quietly

do amazing things each day! The whole staff is very proud

of you and congratulate you on your hard work and

positivity.

Enjoy the newsletter and as always, stay safe.

Paul Spyropoulos

Special Storytime

The next ‘Short Stories for Students’ video is now

available to watch online. Follow the link below to

watch Mrs Maddox read ‘The Fountain of Fair

Fortune’.’

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8HLDu0yb9I

Mrs Hill

Creative Writing Competition

Update: Many of our students submitted entries to the

Martson Moretaine Creative Writing Competition. We

are proud to announce two winners – Phoebe Brooks

and Brooke Harris and one highly commended entry –

Aaron Hawthorn. Full stories on back pages…

Ms Turney

mailto:info@wixamsacademy.co.ukhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8HLDu0yb9Ihttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8HLDu0yb9I

Year 8 Options Update

Year 8 Options

Prior to the lockdown we had just begun our options

process with year 8, and I know you may have some

concerns around the delay in making the GCSE choices. I

wanted to reassure you that the options process will go

ahead as soon as we are able to have the students

onsite, and that all the support mechanisms previously

discussed will still be in place – we will just be making

the decision a few months later than originally planned.

We are in the fortunate position of starting our GCSE

courses earlier than other schools, so even with this

delay there is still plenty of time for us to deliver high

quality teaching that will result in some excellent GCSE

results.

In the mean-time, please do take a look at the career

weblinks below as a family, in order for you to begin to

narrow down some of the choices.

https://www.startprofile.com/

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careers

Kind regards

Lindsey Pearson

Assistant Principal

Even though the Academy is not open as normal, our

commitment to support all of our students and families

remains every day.

We are proud to remain open for our Keyworker families

and if you have any queries about this service, please

email us at keyworkers@wixamsacademy.co.uk

For general questions about your child’s education,

please email their tutor in the first instance.

For any concerns at all about your child’s wellbeing,

happiness, health, safety – please email their Head of

Year: amaddox@wixamsacademy.co.uk – Yr 9

cmountain@wixamsacademy.co.uk – Yr 8

hstack@wixamsacademy.co.uk – Yr 7

Finally – for any general enquiries, please email

info@wixamsacademy.co.uk or call the office between 9-

3pm on 01234 608950

Student Support

The staff at the Academy are experimenting with becoming YouTubers! We have just released our ‘Happy’ staff dance off video and we might have a few more videos coming your way…. https://youtu.be/p-WmSwwuci0

Youtube Heros!

‘The learning support department miss all your cheeky,

happy faces and hope you are all staying safe, working

hard and being kind.’

Please remember we are there for you and we are just

an email or a phone call away. Please do use us... it

keeps us busy and stops us eating biscuits!

Keep up the good work.

Love the Learning Support Team.

To contact Learning Support, please email our SENDCO

Assistant, Lshorey@wixamsacademy.co.uk

Learning Support

https://www.startprofile.com/https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/explore-careersmailto:keyworkers@wixamsacademy.co.ukmailto:amaddox@wixamsacademy.co.ukmailto:cmountain@wixamsacademy.co.ukmailto:hstack@wixamsacademy.co.ukmailto:info@wixamsacademy.co.ukhttps://youtu.be/p-WmSwwuci0mailto:Lshorey@wixamsacademy.co.uk

Hello Year 7!

I hope you are all ok, we are all missing you!

This week Year 7 achieved 90 Golden Tickets. Well Done, I am very proud of you all!

The following golden tickets were put into the draw:

PE- Emma Chamberlain, Jake Henson

History- Freddie Higginson

Geography-Woody Ashby, Lexie Willis, Joseph Newton, Siella Newton, Kaydn Robinson, Akram El-Gabour, Rose

Pudlik, Emily Smith, Migle, Phoebe Brooks, Emma Chamberlain, Lily Eaton, Jack Welham

Dance- Abigail Warner

French- Anisha Thakrar, Emmy Corbin, Ethan Hewitt, Abigail Warner, Callum Chan

Spanish- Brooke Harris, Luca Devlin, Madeeha Mahmood, Kayleigh Gadsby, Ishari Varma, Amy Hook, Zaki Lahmari,

Isabella Barrington, Matheus Ceglewski, Siella Newton, Sophie Wilding, Abigail Warner, Freya Hendricks, Amy

Norman, Emmy Cobrin, Luciano Soave, Emily Smith, Freya Hendricks, Freya Kells, Freya Raisborough, Chloe

Chamberlain, Shaun Nash, Natassya Simms, Kadyn Robinson, Anisha Thakar

Maths- Lewis Baker, Elizabeth Bown, Phoebe Brooks, Emma Chamberlain, Max Fowles, Daniel Greaves, Lottie Johnson-Paulin, Paige Jupp, Naima Khanom, Zaki Lahmari, Orla O’Halloran, Ryan O’Keeffe, Ewan Rae, Jack Welham,

Violet Wilson, Giordan Ziccardi, Summayah Begum, Alyssa Carthy, Emmy Cobrin, Luca Devlin, Talulla Dwyer, Lillie

Hailes, Josh Henry, Freya Kells, Bastian Lulek, Maddison Mcaneny, Amy Norman, Freya Raisborough, Adam Ramzan,

Ubaid Shah, Emily Smith, Lui Soave, Isla Baker, Callum Chan, Ashwin Chand, Caera Daly, Akram ElGabour, Aaron

Fleming, Amber O’Driscoll, Saffire Petrisor, Rose Pulik, Thomas Price and Charlotte Tait, Kobe Bjelic, Mateusz C, Jake

Henson, Sam Jukes, Leah Lewis, Shaun Nash, Kaydn Robinson, Jack Ryzman, Natassya Simms, Mason Whelan

These names have been put into a virtual draw and the winner this week is:

Emmy Corbin 7J (You will be owed a £5 amazon voucher on your return to school)

I am very much looking forward to seeing you all once the Academy reopens but until then please do not hesitate to

contact me if you need anything! Stay safe and well! Miss Stack x

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Hi Year 8

I hope you are all keeping well and have managed to enjoy some of the nicer weather this week. Well done for all of

your hard work last week, I am really proud of you all. If you are struggling with anything do not hesitate to contact

us. This week we had 78 Golden Ticket entries and I have listed them below.

Geography- Kyla Andrews, Elinga Eidejute, Yaniya Gharu, Jollie Acuyong, Klara Qabaha, Oliver Davy, Aaron

Hawthrone, Caitlin Hindness, Ryan Pay-An.

PE-Arabella Quoreenton, Joshua Pestell, Ryan Hammer, Nylah Bardell, Daisy Fountain, Caitlin Hindness.

English-Adria Wilson & Ella Parisi.

Spanish-Jessica Relf, Maddy Baker, Jade Colucello, Harry Teacher, Elinga Eidejute, Susie Crisp, Nylah Bardell, Olivia

Sutters, Nicolas Jelensky, Max Duffy, Jasmin Alexe, Kyla Andrews, Kurran Kalyan, Harry Teacher, Shannen Martin,

Heads of Year Corner

Finlay Auger, Yaniya Gharu, Ryan Pay-An, Farina Awan, Daisy Newton, Charlotte McCarthy, Annie Houldey, James

Pitchford.

French-Klara Qabaha, Josh Pestell, Caitlin Hindess, Ella Parisi, Jack Quinn, Ryan Pay-An.

Maths-Farina Awan, Lewis Francis, Alexander Lulek x 2, Kyran Malcom-Price, Holly Moore, Jessica Relf, Danny

Timoney-Ryan, Madeline Baker, Oliver Bedford, Anisha Begum, Jack Courtney, Daisy Fountain, Assia Lahmari, Hollie

Price, Arabella Quoreenton, Ellie Simpson, Ashden Turnbull, Joseph Watson, Freddy Weaver, Harry Alexander, Kyla

Andrews, Nylah Bardell, Henry Bell, Ashton Coluccino, Elinga Eidejute, Fao O'Brien, James Pitchford, Klara Qabaha,

Jacob Taylor-Smith, Henry Teacher, Adria Wilson.

I have picked one winner at random and the winner this week is Caitlin Hindess-Amazing score in the French verb

quiz. Well done Caitlin you will receive your £5 Amazon voucher on our return to school.

Stay safe and I really hope to see you all soon. Mrs Mountain 🙂

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Hi Year 9, I hope that you are all keeping well and safe. I have heard lots of great reports about how hard you have

all been working and the fantastic quality of your work, especially in English. A big well done to you all for your

continued hard work and effort. You are all doing so well!

This week there have been 50 entries in to the Year 9 Golden Ticket draw and some of you have received multiple

entries. The following golden tickets were awarded this week and put in to the draw:

Maths - Max Sharpe, Heather Pantony, Priya Chand, Jayden Denton, Raul Jaspal, Chloe Beard, Dylan Cooke, William

Bown, Esther Kari, Daniel Rayner, Josh Daly, Oliver Gibson, Danyelle Cutler, Ellen Barber, Chloe Canavan, Tiah

Goodship, Holly Lleshaj, Ben Smith, Hannah Baker, Corey Ansah-dallas

English - Sam Horvat-Kelly, Dylan Cooke, Tatenda Kashiri, Theo Spyropoulos, Olivia Saralli, Morganna Komolafe,

Chloe Beard, Max Sharpe, Austin English, William Bown

Spanish - Oliver Garrad, Faheem Mahmood, Renata Barkteviciute, Holly Lleshaj, Morganna Komolafe, Tia Goodship,

Jake Clark, Khateeb Shah, Haya Butt

Geography - Jasmine Basra, Hadeel El Gabour, Lucy Little, Keane Chappell-Mason, Reneta Barkteviciute, Evie Burton,

Dylan Cooke, Holly Lleshaj, Annalise Simpson

The winner of this week’s Golden Ticket is Morganna Komolafe who will receive a £5 Amazon voucher as a reward

on her return to school.

I am very much looking forward to seeing you all once the Academy reopens but until then please do not hesitate to

contact me if you need anything! Stay safe and keep smiling! Mrs Maddox

Student Shout-Outs Coming Soon…

Students. If you want to place a message here in the next Newsletter edition, all you

need to do is email your short message to pspyropoulos@wixamsacademy.co.uk . Please add your name at the end

of your message.

Mr Spyropoulos

mailto:pspyropoulos@wixamsacademy.co.uk

Focus on Languages

Art Wellbeing Activity

This week, Mrs Valverde has given Virtual Merit Certificates to students that has

been sending outstanding work. Well done! Keep on the good work. I will keep rewarding

the next coming weeks. I am keeping a list to reward those pupils when we are back to

school as well.

Spanish Masterchef. Year 7 and 8 have been busy cooking Spanish dishes following

Spanish recipes. Yummy! Golden tickets for those students!

Brooke Harris - Writing Competition Winner I roam along the path, twigs crunching beneath my feet, reverberating around the forest trees surrounding me, containing exotic wildlife and intriguing creatures of all kinds. Stopping to absorb the scent of fresh air, flourishing lilies and leaves covered in morning dew was the right decision. Birds perch on branches and chirp their morning greeting, demonstrating their multicoloured beauty as they pirouette magnificently around. As midday approaches, the clouds above part and sunlight floods through, lighting up the path ahead like a helping hand. The oak tree’s leaves drape down to the bright green grass, brandishing its charm and splendour. Gingerly, I run my hand over the velvety softness of the leaves and savour the feeling of peace that warms my heart; a feeling like no other. I listen intently and stifle a gasp as I hear the unique sound of deer bounding along the grass up ahead. My attention suddenly retreats, concentrating now upon several butterflies, fluttering their wings with elaborate patterns, eye-catching and precise, daring me to join them.

As I continue up the sunlit pathway, a glistening lake comes into view, water rippling delicately as a gentle breeze settles over it. In the distance, I can see cliffs and even more trees- not one car in sight. My eyes stumble upon a school of pint-sized blue fish, weaving in and out of water plants without a rush. A sudden burst of joy leaks out of me, and I skip along the rest of the way. When I reach the end of the path, I turn round, and marvel once more at the mystifying heavenliness of the nature that surrounds me. Leaving the forest does not make me sad… because I know that it will always be there tomorrow in all its glory, and that I can now leave the creatures within to prosper in peace.

Brooke Harris (11)

Phoebe Brooks - Writing Competition Winner The last shard of imagination. Shimmering beams of sunlight danced through all the crooks and crevices in every withering oak and strong, supported trunk. Emerald-green leaves rained out from the sky, surfing on the light gusts of breeze coursing through the veins of nature. The high-pitched songs of the blue tits and toucans above was like an orchestra of magnificent chirps and unique sounds of the jungle. Occurring droplets of morning dew fell from above, like a tear from the heavens. In the far distance, a thunderous splashing rang around a dense atmosphere, thousands of millions of liters of pure liquid tumbling over a cliff edge. This sight alone was worth diamonds galore. Iridescent fish dived into the freezing, fresh plunges of twirling bubble baths. Whispers of all the past spirits of the forest swam like a dolphin in the light winds. Ripe, newly grown fruits scaled up my nose, paralyzed; I stood as motionless as the sturdy bark on the toughest trees. Plucking the fresh peaches off their sagging branches was like feeling the skin on a newborn baby. The most desperate of souls would kill to be able to view such a paradise. All of a sudden, a soul-wrenching scent hit me: Smoke. Blood-red flames engulfed and I was brought back to reality.

Of course. That was all my imagination. There is no way that such a heaven would exist anymore… not due to us humans.

Phoebe Brooks (12)

Aaron Hawthorne - Writing Competition - Highly Commended The Forest It is strange to think that I have been here many times before… but I do not feel like I usually do when I am here walking through the forest. It has a different feel about it today and I am not sure I understand why or if I like it!

I am typically happy and content walking in this vast jungle of giant trees with their overhanging branches and lush green leaves. But as I walk down the winding pathways that could lead to anywhere, I am aware of the silence that has engulfed the forest. it makes me feel nervous and I shudder, its not that it is cold, it’s quite a pleasant afternoon, it’s just the eerie silence is making me on edge it doesn’t make sense, it is usually a hive of activity with the chatter and laughter of families spending time together and the sound of the birds singing in the trees.

I continue to walk alone lost in my thoughts. I look ahead and the sky is barely visible amongst the trees, but there is a small opening, where a beam of early afternoon sunlight casts a shadow upon the gravel pathway ahead of me and I breathe in the sweet scent of the greenery. The snapping sound of a twig nearby startles me and I look around to see who is there, but I realise I am still alone, and it was my own foot that had caused the twig to break.

I have reached the lake…what a tranquil sight, the glittering sunlight and calm ripples that stretch across the water in front of me in the afternoon breeze are calming and reassuring. I sit to take in the scenery and have a drink, it is a good job I bought one, as the Café is closed until further notice. It is now that I have time to reflect on what is going on in the world with regards to the Coronavirus pandemic. It is just unreal, as I sit here, everything seems natural and normal, apart from the fact I am alone. But I know in the real word things are not as pleasant as sitting here and taking in the sights. I take a moment to gather my thought.

A rustling sound in the hedge row make me jolt back to reality… I wonder what it is… probably just the wildlife carrying on with their normal routine, but I feel a bit cautious. My heart is thumping in my chest and my senses seem to be on high alert…why am I so scared? It is probably just a squirrel or a hedgehog. I check my watch, it is getting late, I think it is time I made my way back.

I have had lots of time to think about the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on the walk back, what will happen to the wildlife, will they be ok without visitors to the area, how will the forest survive. I shudder again, but this time I am cold, I have just realised its early evening, I have been here hours, that’s what I like about coming here, It’s so relaxing and you can get away from everything and the time just flies by. The forest has suddenly taken on a whole new persona in the dusk light, the trees look more menacing as I pass by them with their twisting branches and swaying leaves in the cool night air and the dark shadows they are casting across the ground make me frightened, it smells damp, like when it rains, it smells like wet wood and damp moss. I am more aware of the noises, they seem louder and nearer, I quicken my pace until I am at the entrance to the forest.

Hopefully, the next time I visit you forest we will be back to normal…whatever the new normal maybe? But I will back!

Aaron Hawthorne (13)

Helplines and websites for children and young people

If your child would like to speak with someone confidentially, there are helplines and websites specifically for them.

ORGANISATION CONTACT INFORMATION

Shout

Free, confidential support via text, available 24/7

Text SHOUT to 85258 in the UK to text with a trained crisis volunteer who’ll provide active listening and collaborative problem-solving

The Mix

Free confidential telephone helpline and online service that aims to find young people the best help, whatever the problem

Call 0808 808 4994 for free (11am to 11pm daily)

Access the online community

Email The Mix

ChildLine

Confidential telephone counselling service for any child with a problem

Call 0800 1111 any time for free

Have an online chat with a counsellor (9am to midnight daily)

Check out the message boards

https://www.crisistextline.uk/https://www.crisistextline.uk/https://community.themix.org.uk/https://www.themix.org.uk/get-support/speak-to-our-team/email-ushttps://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/1-2-1-counsellor-chat/https://www.childline.org.uk/get-support/message-boards/