11 September 2015

INASecondaryNewsletter

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Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome back after the summer break! I hope that you had a great holiday.

Last week we had four intensive days of staff training. Our staff across the primary and secondary schools now number 125 as we were joined by 36 new colleagues to INA at the start of the term.It was fantastic to welcome the existing students back on Monday and to meet the new reception and Year 7 pupils. We have been most impressed with the way that the new students have settled in this week and quickly grasped our routines, expectations and procedures

This week our Year 9s have all visited Royal Holloway University to get a feel of what life is like in a higher education institution. Many thanks to Ms Alibhai-Watson for organising this wonderful opportunity. In October it will be the turn of the Year 8s who are visiting Bedfordshire University.

All of the secondary students received the enrichment programme for the autumn term on Monday and submitted their choices on Tuesday: there are more clubs and activities on offer than ever before! I should like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Clarke for the amazing job she does at this time of year, sorting all the students’ forms and attempting to meet everyone’s requests. Thank you too to the staff, everyone one of whom voluntarily runs an enrichment activity each week. I don’t know of any other school where this is the case!

I spoke to the parents of reception children last Friday about the concerns we have regarding cars coming down Cricklefield Place and blocking the car park at the start and end of the school day now that we have 900 students accessing and exiting the school daily and most of the parking spaces occupied by staff. Whilst we cannot prevent members of the public from driving down to the school and looking to park in the pay and display car park, we ask that parents and carers do not do this as it significantly increases the chances of a student being knocked down and injured. In the last three days alone we have seen a car parked on the double yellow lines preventing two way traffic in Cricklefield Place at the end of the school day, numerous cars illegally parked under the sports hall wing blocking the vehicles of members of staff, and a car with infants but no adult in it rolling forward because the hand break was not on. This is not a safe environment for our children and I would urge you to support the school in ensuring that such incidences are not repeated.

With thanks for your support and very best wishes for the start of the school year.

Rachel Macfarlane,

Principal

>>> NewsNotice for all Peripatetic StudentsPeripatetic lessons are starting again next week, beginning Monday 14th of September.Please ensure that you check the timetables in the Practice Room corridor and see Mr. Fowler if you have any concerns.We look forward to another great term of lessons with our peripatetic student cohort and hope to see many of them feature in the upcoming recital!

Announcements

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>>> NewsDear Parents/Carers of Year 7

The Year 7s have made a fantastic start at Isaac Newton Academy. They have had a busy and somewhat challenging first week, learning their way around, getting to grips with school routines and trying to remember their Pastoral Leader’s name, let alone all of their other subject teachers’! They have met this challenge with enthusiasm and confidence and are quickly finding their feet, establishing themselves as a polite and conscientious year group. I would like to thank you for helping to make sure your son/ daughter settles into school quickly and ensuring that our high

expectations are met.

Please can I emphasise the importance of having regular conversations with your son/ daughter at the end of each day over the next few weeks especially, to ensure you are aware of their plans to attend enrichment activities after school or if they intend to stay late and complete IL on site. This will help to make sure you are aware of what time they are due home or need to be collected after school. Please also regularly check their organiser to see what IL has been set and encourage them to have a plan of when this IL will be done throughout the week. It is hugely important for them to

get into an effective routine.

Lastly, I would like to confirm that any issues that have been raised with you regarding your child’s uniform will need to be rectified by Monday morning, 14th September. Thank you in advance for

your efforts with this.

Ms LapishPastoral Leader – Year 7

SAVE THE DATE

BRIDGES Parent Workshop for Primary and Secondary Parents/Carers

on Thursday 15th October 6.00-7.00pm in the KS3 Hall

You are invited to a workshop to find out more about our BRIDGES programme and how you can support your child in developing these key characteristics. Please inform the primary or secondary school office if you would like to attend.

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Withdraw from PSHEDear Parents/Carers,

This academic year, all year 9 and 10 students will have a 1 hour PSHE lesson as part of the curriculum.

These sessions will include some sex and relationships education (SRE).

The topics covered are:

At Isaac Newton Academy SRE is designed to support and compliment the role of parents/carers who have the prime responsibility for their child’s sex and relationship education. Although we expect that all students will participate, parents/carers have the right to withdraw their children from part or all of sex and relationship education provided outside of the science curriculum. Parents wishing to withdraw their child should make an appointment to see the Principal. If, following the meeting, you still wish to withdraw your child, your request should be put in writing, stating which part(s) of the programme that you wish to withdraw you child from.

Roxana StylianouYear 8 Pastoral Leader i/c of PSHE

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THIS WEEK IN P.E……………….............AT ISAAC NEWTON ACADEMY Team Trials

Please note all of the teams trials must be attended promptly at 4pm at the upstairs changing rooms. Full P.E kit must be worn.

P.E. DEPARTMENT EXTRA-CURRICULAR AND ENRICHMENT CLUBS

Lunch Time ClubsPlease note all of the teams trials must be attended promptly at 4pm at the upstairs changing rooms. Full P.E kit must be worn. You only need your trainers for these clubs, not your full P.E. kit. There will be a limit on numbers for these clubs. Monday’s Basketball Club is for Year 7 & 8 team members only (apart from the first half term).

Plea for old football boots and trainers

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THIS WEEK IN P.E……………….............AT ISAAC NEWTON ACADEMY After School

As part of the Enrichment Programme – 4.15 – 5.15pm – you will need your P.E. kit for these clubs – shin pads are advised for Football and Football/Rugby boots are advised for Rugby Club. Gum shields are compulsory for Rugby Club.

IMPROVE YOUR

SKILLS! TRY SOMETHING NEW! KEEP FIT! MAKE

NEW FRIENDS! UNLEASH

YOUR ENERGY!

INCREASE YOUR

CHANCES OF GETTING

INTO A TEAM!

Equipment for lessonsEquipment needed for students

taking part in football in P.E lessons; football boots with

metal or rubber studs and shin pads. Please see below.

Plea for old football boots and trainersPlease could any students that have out grown their football boots or

trainers please donate them to the P.E department. As the school is growing we are trying to provide spare kit in all changing rooms to ensure everyone

can participate in physical activity

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The Mathematics department would like to encourage all students to enter next week’s Mathematician of the Moment

competition. Have a look at the problem below.

Answers to be written on a Maths postcard to be placed in the Maths post box no later than 4.10pm on Wednesday 23rd

September. Good luck and may the best form win!!!

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Pra

ise a

nd R

ecog

niti

on

Ahmed Al-Khafaji Award (Peer Commendation Award)

After consultation with students, I am pleased to announce a new award at Isaac Newton Academy: the Ahmed Al-Khafaji Award (Peer Commendation Award). This award will be decided by students rather than teachers. Each year group will have their own trophy which will have Ahmed’s name engraved at the bottom. The idea is that the previous week’s recipient decides the next week’s winner. The previous winner will award it to the next winner, stating their reason at their year group assembly. Ahmed was well known for being kind, for helping others and for being extremely polite.

He was also someone known for his hard work and absorption; the idea, therefore, is that the winner should be someone who encapsulates these qualities in that week. It might be that the previous week’s winner saw how well the next winner helped out people in his/her group during group work, or perhaps he/she saw a potential winner helping someone out who fell or perhaps he/she saw how hard the winner worked on an IL project.

Jennifer ByrneYear 9 Pastoral Leader, i/c Praise and Recognition

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How we build learning power and develop character at Isaac Newton Academy

“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” Isaac Newton

The secondary BRIDGES programme commences on Monday 14th September. BRIDGES are habits of mind or learning characteristics that develop a student's character and learning power and enable them to grow into well rounded individuals and resilient learners.

On a two weekly cycle throughout the year, Year 7 and 8 students are introduced to one or two new habits of mind or learning characteristics that will permeate throughout the curriculum. This will take place through a range of interactive activities. In addition, the students will experience BRIDGES learning objectives in each and every lesson throughout Isaac Newton Academy. Year 9 BRIDGES lessons will focus on strengthening certain BRIDGES learning characteristics through exploration of PHSE topics and themes.

Each fortnight you will find top tips in the newsletter of ways of supporting your child to develop the BRIDGES habits of mind and learning characteristics within the home.

B R I D G E S

Music Recital

The 1st Music Recital of the year will be on Thursday 12th November at 6pm. It is an opportunity for students to perform in a small space in front of a small audience. Students are welcome to sing, rap or perform on any instrument they play in or out of school. We would like to invite students from all year groups to sign up on the sheet in F26 if you would like to take part.

Ms HopeMusic teacher

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I N A B R I D G E S

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I N A B R I D G E S C O U R A G E

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Key Dates for the Autumn Term 2015: Secondary

Wednesday 16th September Talks to Years 7 & 10 from Wadham College, Oxford Thursday 17th September Parent Workshop re High AttainersFriday 25th September European Languages DaySaturday 26th September Saturday Stretch: LawTuesday 29th September Olympic Legacy TripThursday 1st October Start of Black History MonthTuesday 6th October Open Evening 6-8pm. Wednesday 7th October School starts at 9.25am8th, 9th & 12th October Open Mornings 9amThursday 15th October Parent Workshop re BRIDGESThursday 15th October Year 8 to Bedfordshire UniversityFriday 16th October Year 8 to Bedfordshire UniversitySaturday 17th October Saturday Stretch: MedicineTuesday 20th October GCSE Music performanceWednesday 21st October̀ Year 7 Settling In Parents Evening, incl Library Induction26 – 30 October HALF TERMMonday 2nd November Staff Training: school closed to studentsThursday 5th November Parent Workshop re safetyWednesday 11th November Year 7 Maths ChallengeWednesday 11th November Shakespeare Schools FestivalThursday 12th November Music recitalThursday 19th November Parent Workshop re LiteracyWednesday 25th November Staff Training: school closed to studentsSaturday 28th November Saturday Stretch: PsychologyTuesday 1st December Year 9 Options EveningTuesday 8th December Community PartyFriday 11th December Christmas LunchSaturday 12th December Saturday Stretch: GeographyThursday 17th December Winter ConcertFriday 18th December Awards Assemblies. Term ends at lunch time.

Spring Term

Monday 4th January - Thursday 24th MarchHalf Term 15th - 19th FebruaryINSET days: Monday 4th January and Friday 12th February

Summer Term

Monday 11th April - Wednesday 20th JulyHalf Term 30th May - 3rd JuneINSET days: Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th June, Friday 8th July

Autumn Term

Monday 7th September - Friday 18th December