The Whitehaven Academy

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Dear All,

As we are near the end of yet another academic year, it is for me a good time to reflect on the past year and look

forward to the next - remembering of course, to give some thought to the holidays too.

I have been employed as a teacher at Whitehaven for fifteen years and there has never been a year of such

change before. With that change comes opportunity and I look forward to The Whitehaven Academy meeting

every challenge head on, making the most of every opportunity and harnessing that change to ensure that we

provide the best possible educational experience for our students.

As I write this I am hours away from our annual Oscars night where we celebrate the achievements of our

outstanding students. Tomorrow sees the Year 11 prom where we marvel at how wonderful our young people

are. This year we also won the regional final of Rock Challenge and I am looking forward to the upcoming talent

show in the academy.

The Whitehaven Academy students are fantastic! They are smart [in their new uniform], well mannered and

eager to learn. The staff at the academy are engaged in planning for 2014/15 in order that we can harness

students skills and talents so that we ensure that they all Learn, Grow and Prosper.

I would like to offer a heartfelt thanks to you all for your continued support in ensuring that your child engages

fully with all that the academy offers. It is only when we truly work together that the best outcomes occur.

Finally I wish you all a wonderful summer and look forward to seeing some of you during A level results day on

14 August and others during the GCSE results day on 21 August.

I look forward to seeing all The Whitehaven Academy students refreshed and energised on Wednesday 3

September as we start the new academic year.

Yours truly

Issue 8 : 10 July 2014

Message from Ms Smith

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The Fourth Annual Oscars Evening

The Whitehaven Academy’s fourth annual ‘Academy Oscars’ ceremony took place on Thursday night (3 July 2014) at The Whitehaven Golf Club. Students, parents and staff attended the glamorous event to celebrate student achievements from throughout the year. A number of awards were given out to each year group, as well as 11 overall awards for outstanding achievements across the whole school. Awards were presented by heads of years, members of the academy’s senior leadership team and representatives from local and national sponsors of the awards evening. The evening’s entertainment was provided by Year 10 students Megan Smith and Jessica McKee, Year 13 student Michelle Banks and the winning video from Rock Challenge (www.rockchallenge.co.uk) a competition that the academy took part in earlier this year. Jacki Smith, Principal of the academy, commented: “The awards ceremony was, as always, a fantastic night with students across all year groups rewarded for their exceptional performance. This was a night filled with pride and positive energy and it was a privilege to be present and to share in the excitement of the night, to listen to fantastic musical performances and hear of the continued endeavour of The Whitehaven Academy students.”

Principal Jacki Smith with Student of the Year Shona Macleod

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Year 13 student Shona Macleod was named Student of the Year and was awarded a prize from Principal Jacki Smith and other overall winners included: Team of the Year: Rock Challenge Community Contribution: Amy McGregor, Chloe Addison, Claire Congdon and Kelsey Callendar Entrepreneur of the Year: Luke Johnson Innovation: Keavy Horricks 100% Attendance: Owen Todd Musician of the Year: Ben Massey Artist of the Tear: Laura Biggins Sportsperson of the Year: Anna Newlands Governors’ Award: Kieran Halligan Bright Tribe Award for Resilience: Courtney Parr Lisa Macleod, mother of Shona, who won Student of the Year, commented: “We are so proud of what Shona has achieved in her time at The Whitehaven Academy. Ms Smith said on the night that Shona won the award through her determination, hard work and support from her parents but the school needs to take some credit for this too. They have supported everything she has ever done and she is coming out a very confident and focused young lady, who we are all very proud of - thank you to all of her teachers.” The event was a great success and students, staff and parents all agreed that it was a really spe-cial evening. Courtney Parr, a Year 10 student who won the Bright Tribe Award for Resilience added: “The Os-cars was an amazing opportunity to reward students for all their hard work and effort. The night was absolutely fabulous and we celebrated our achievements from the last year. “I am so proud that I received an award for resilience - I have changed my life around and be-come a better person. It just shows that everyone is capable of achieving something in life, you just have to make the effort.” Special thanks go to the awards’ sponsors Bright Tribe Trust, Doosan Babcock, Atkins Global, Step By Step Education, Mellors Catering, Sports Wear International (SWI) and Whitehaven Harbour Youth Project.

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Year Award Winner

- Team of the Year Rock Challenge

Y9 Musician of the Year Ben Massey

Y9 Outstanding Student Cameron Bowskill

Y9 Achievement Charlie Minshaw

Y9 Music Emily Grey

Y9 Art Esme Clarke

Y9 Sport & PE Jamie Ellen Dobie

Y9 Progress Jasper Lithgow

Y9 Effort Scott Dryden

Y8 Art Alice Stephen

Y8 Outstanding Student Ben Walkingshaw

Y8 Effort Jodie Kennedy

Y8 Music Leah Robson

Y8 Sport & PE Ross Wright

Y8 Progress Shona Dixon

Y8 Achievement Willow Jarvis

Y7 Effort Callan Lynch

Y7 Art Celina Palmer

Y7 Progress Ian Fowler

Y7 Achievement Joshua McGrane

Y7 Outstanding Student Kathryn Nann

Y7 Sport & PE Lauren Kennett

Y7 Music Nathan Payne

Y13 Progress Ben Knox

Y13 Effort Hannah Blundell

Y13 Art Kate Pearson

Y13 Artist of the Year Laura Biggins

Y13 Performing Arts Michelle Banks

Y13 Sport & PE Natalie Halcrow

Y13 Outstanding Student Shona Macleod

Y13 Student of the Year Shona Macleod

Y13 Achievement Tristan Doyle

Y12 Achievement Brad Finley

Y12 Community Contribution Chloe Addison

Y12 Art Claire Congdon

Y12 Community Contribution Claire Congdon

Y12 Progress Jake Bawden

Y12 Community Contribution Kelsey Callendar

Y12 Effort Laoise Manger

Y12 Outstanding Student Lauren Coan

Y12 Sport & PE Not awarded

Y12 Performing Arts Sarah Lynch

Other Oscar awards went to:-

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Over a hundred students, staff parents and dogs completed the latest ten mile sponsored walk at half term to raise funds for the Special Care Baby Unit at West Cumberland Hospital and Age UK West Cumbria. The group walked from the rugby club in Whitehaven along the cycle track to Cleator Moor and back again.

So far, over £3000 has been collected. Mr Huck who organised the walk said he was very grateful to all the staff and students who took part, our students are amazingly generous with both their time and their money.

Sponsored Walk Raises £3000

Y11 Achievement Alice King

Y11 Sport & PE Anna Newlands

Y11 Sportsperson of the Year Anna Newlands

Y11 100% Attendance Bailey Morton

Y11 Outstanding Student Emma Middleton

Y11 Art Hannah Stones

Y11 Effort Jodie Leigh Mather

Y11 Music Kyle White

Y11 Entrepreneur of the Year Luke Johnston

Y11 Progress Michael Johnson

Y11 100% Attendance Owen Todd

Y10 Bright Tribe Award for Resilience Courtney Parr

Y10 Achievement Hazel Naylor

Y10 Art Jason Brockbanks

Y10 Progress Josh Doran

Y10 Innovation Keavy Horricks

Y10 Outstanding Student Kieran Halligan

Y10 Governors' Award Kieran Halligan

Y10 Music Leah Mason

Y10 Effort Lois Carhart

Y10 Sport & PE Ryan Doran

Ex Y13 Community Contribution Amy McGregor

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All The Glamour of the Prom

The Whitehaven Academy Year 11 Prom was held last Friday. John Dixon Head of Year 11 said the Prom was an opportunity for the students to celebrate the end of their exams and end the term in style.

He said that all the students looked amazing and their conduct was exemplary which made staff very proud.

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The last day of term will run as follows:-

08.45 Form

08.55 P1

09.55 P2

10.55 Extended break

11.30 P3 (only 30 minutes duration)

12.00 Form and registration

12.15 Dismissal by Head of Year

There will be no buses to Kells, Woodhouse, Mirehouse and Bransty and students will have to

make their own way home.

The Parton, Lowca, Cleator Moor, Frizington, and Arlecdon buses will leave at 12.15pm and the

St Bees, Sandwith bus will leave at 1pm.

All students return to school on Wednesday 3 September 2014 .

Arrangements for the Last Day of Term

Friday 18 July 2014