STRATHAVEN ACADEMY NEWSLETTER

June 2015 www.strathaven.s-lanark.sch.uk Page 1

Head Teacher’s Message

As the session draws to a close, I simply wish to take the opportunity to commend the whole Strathaven Academy Community for another positive and purposeful year in the life of our fantastic school.

Pupils, parents and school staff have worked together, supported by our partners in business, industry, health, the community and the local authority, so that our pupils can achieve, attain, develop and grow. As a result, we continue to flourish as a school community.

The successes and achievements reported in this newsletter give a further flavour of the skills, talents and abilities of our young people and of the opportunities they have to display them – a real joint endeavour on the part of all concerned.

As we look forward to welcoming our new S1 cohort and our new colleagues who will be joining us in the coming session, we also thank those who are moving on from the school and wish them every success.

I remind you that pupils return to school on the 17th of August to start session 2015/16, which I have no doubt will be every bit as successful as this one.

In the meantime, have a fantastic summer!

Stewart Nicolson Head Teacher

Retirals

We would like to thank Mrs Linda Anderson (Support for Learning), Mrs Moira Stoddart (Modern Languages) and Mrs Anne Ramage (Home Economics) for their dedication and commitment to the pupils of Strathaven Academy. We wish them all the best in their retirement.

Reach for the Stars

Congratulations to Cara (S5), who has won a place at a week-long residential summer school to be held during June at the Scottish Space School, University of Strathclyde. A total of 100 pupils were selected to participate in the programme out of hundreds of applications from all over Scotland. Pupil applications were assessed on the basis of their exam results and a personal statement, which considered their enthusiasm for science and engineering and their ability to cope with the demands of a challenging course. The programme comprises a mixture of space-themed lectures, labs and workshops, and is delivered by leading academics and researchers and supported by NASA astronauts and engineers. Competition for places increases every year, so Cara did particularly well to succeed. The best-performing pupils at the summer school will be given the opportunity to visit the Johnston Space Centre in Houston, Texas, later in the year.

Newsletters by Email

If you would prefer to receive future newsletters via email, please let us know. Send an email to newsletter@strathaven.s-lanark.sch.uk providing the name and register class of your son(s)/daughter(s) and you will be added to a mailing list to receive future newsletters electronically.

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P7 Transition

As part of the transition process, over 255 parents, carers and pupils attended the P7 Open Night on Wednesday, the 27th of June. Over the course of the evening, they were given a guided tour of the school by our current S1 pupils. Teachers and pupils showcased pupils’ work and teaching resources and also answered questions about what new pupils could expect. Strathaven Academy’s Pupil Support team has visited all of the primary schools to share information directly with pupils and worked with teachers to support the next stages of the transition process.

The P7 pupils then attended Strathaven Academy for a two-day visit on the 10th and 11th of June, participating in classes in a variety of subjects including Maths, English, PSE, Music and Technical.

Wheelchair Basketball

Lots of pupils recently had a brilliant experience, trying out wheelchair basketball, led by S4 pupil David. David plays for Scotland and has recently been training with the GB youth team, but needed a new, made-to-measure wheelchair to play at such a high level. Unfortunately, these cost thousands of pounds, but the school stepped in to help by organising sponsored taster sessions. Not only did the sponsorship raise over £500 towards David’s chair, but it really helped to raise awareness of how challenging – and enjoyable – this disability sport is: just ask the staff members who participated as well!

Glee Club/Drama Club

The Drama Club and Glee Club joined forces for the P7 visits to perform songs from musicals and dramas. The theme was France.

The Glee Club rehearsed two songs from Les Misérables, one from Moulin Rouge, and a couple of others just for fun.

‘At the End of the Day’ is a powerful song from Les Misérables about the struggles of the poor in pre-revolutionary France – the Glee Club sang with anger and passion. ‘Master of the House’ is the comic relief in an otherwise serious and heart-wrenching story and Adam performed this with great wit and gusto.

‘One Short Day’ is a frivolously happy song from the West End show Wicked. The Glee Club gave a more gentle performance with this number, which is all about the land of make-believe.

The Drama Club worked on a drama sketch based on a black and white photograph of a French family from the 1940s. They performed a series of monologues that they had written to tell the story of this family. As the monologues were being spoken, the other Drama Club members acted out the story in mime.

Morgan then used her strong French language skills to deliver a song in French called ‘Complainte De La Butte’ from Moulin Rouge. This is a sad and gentle song which suits Morgan’s voice perfectly.

The performance ended with our Glee Club singing the song ‘Revolting Children’ from the musical Matilda. This is a great song with lots of pushing and shoving and general bad behaviour. Hopefully, we will not see our new first years emulating this behaviour!

Mrs Blades accompanied the performers on the piano and the whole piece was linked together by Andrew, who introduced the different numbers.

These two clubs have worked tirelessly to deliver a terrific performance to our P7 visitors. Mrs Blades and Mr Sinclair would like to congratulate and thank them for all their hard work.

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Apprenticeships Magazine

Apprenticeships in Scotland have launched a Scottish Apprenticeships Online Magazine to help school leavers. The magazine features some of the largest employers in the UK, case studies of their apprentices, exam help, CV and cover letter templates, and interview help. This magazine is a great career resource for both pupils and parents.

This is a critical time for helping pupils make the right choices for life after school, and we aim to make sure all pupils considering an apprenticeship are supported.

You can view the magazine on our website by clicking here and if you have any questions or would like further information about our online magazine or apprenticeships in Scotland please, get in touch with us.

Tel: 01334 844860 Email:shannen@apprenticeshipsinscotland.com Web: www.apprenticeshipsinscotland.com

Apprentice Programme

Congratulations to Andrew, Scott, Michael and Alan who have been selected for South Lanarkshire’s summer holiday Young Apprentice Programme.

Health Day

On Friday, the 29th of May, S1 pupils participated in the annual Health Day. All pupils were at the local park for the full day and participated in a range of physical activities, including basketball, tennis, lawn bowls, army obstacle course, rugby, American football, angling, football, team-building, fencing and golf. The aim of the day was to give pupils the opportunity to develop their understanding of a healthy lifestyle and to sample some of the various activities available for them in the local community. All activities were delivered by local clubs, with 15 senior Strathaven Academy pupils and several former pupils assisting

with the delivery of sessions. We would like to extend our thanks to all the clubs for their involvement on the day, and also to Sainsbury’s, who provided fruit and

sandwiches for the pupils and volunteers. A great day was had by all.

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Reading Week – Staff Recommendations

Books have been a huge source of enjoyment for many of the staff at Strathaven Academy. During Reading Week, we have been highlighting the ones we have enjoyed the most and those that were inspirational in our study of the subject we now teach.

There are books on exercise (recommended by PE teachers), cookery books (recommended by Home Economics), and also some surprises, such as the Maths teacher who loves American history! Many teachers, including Mr Milligan and Ms McGinley, couldn’t decide on just one, and Mr Doig has put together a Top Ten!

You can see these recommendations on posters all around the school and many of them are available to borrow from the school library. Do you have a favourite book yet?

ASDAN is a curriculum development organisation and awarding body, offering programmes and qualifications that explicitly nurture skills for learning, skills for employment and skills for life. The purpose is ‘to provide opportunities for all learners to develop their personal and social attributes and levels of achievement through ASDAN awards and resources.’

Congratulations to the following S4 Asdan pupils who recently passed the course at the level shown below:

Silver Award – Megan

Bronze Award – Harry, Humza, Paul

S5/6 Induction Morning

On Wednesday, the 3rd of June, we were very pleased to welcome a number of instructors from the army to the school. Their aim was to impress upon our new S6 the importance of developing good working relationships with others in their year group via a series of team-building activities. At the same time, our new S5 pupils were engaged in an enterprise challenge led by members of staff from our Business Studies, Computing, Art and Home Economics departments. Their challenge was to prepare a detailed tender for a formal business dinner with groups being set tasks including producing a business card and letter, drawing up a menu and producing a detailed costing sheet.

The feedback from the staff, the instructors and the 240 pupils involved has been very encouraging and provides a positive start to our new academic year.

Duke of Edinburgh

Duke of Edinburgh gives all young people aged 14-24 the chance to develop skills for life and work, fulfil their potential and have a brighter future.

Duke of Edinburgh has grown every year that it has been offered in Strathaven Academy and this coming year (2015/16) there will be 84 Bronze, 22 Silver and 14 Gold participants. Further staff training will ensure continued development of the scheme in the school.

This year, 64 pupils are actively working on the Bronze Award, and will have completed the expedition section by the end of June. Seventeen pupils have signed up to complete their Silver Award and five have signed up for the Gold Award.

Currently, these pupils are working their way through their awards and are aiming to have them completed soon. So far this year, 30 pupils have completed Bronze, 19 have completed Silver and three former pupils have completed Gold. Another two are due to complete it within the next two months.

Thanks to Mr Dunn for organising and coordinating all Duke of Edinburgh activities.

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Design and Innovation Awards 2015

On Tuesday, the 21st of April, Strathaven Rotary Club chose six winners for the annual Design and Innovation Awards. The awards celebrate innovative design practice across S4-S6 and the six winners were selected from a very strong pool of candidates. Pupils had to display a portfolio or body of work and answer questions regarding the function and fitness for purpose of their designs.

Art and Design pupils Cameron (S5) and Sarah (S6) won first and second place respectively in the senior category. Cameron won for his sleek interior light design, narrowly beating Sarah’s contemporary textile

designs. There was further success for Art and Design pupils Ruth (S4), Morgan (S4) and Cara (S4) in the junior category. Ruth won first place for her pop art-inspired poster

design. Morgan and Cara shared second place for their book cover designs. Each winner will receive a plaque and certificate for their efforts. Congratulations to all involved.

Art – S1 Homework Projects

S2 pupils Alfie, Taylor and Verity recently received awards for their outstanding S1 Homework projects. All pupils produce a homework project at the end of S1. Pupils may produce work about any theme, as long as it is linked to an area of Art and Design. To kick-start this year’s projects, the work of last year’s winners was shown. This enabled pupils to understand the breadth and scope of creative possibilities and set the bar at a very high level.

Alfie’s highly imaginative project was based on the theme ‘water’. He produced several high-quality photographs and presented the work in a copper frame that he built himself. Taylor shot and edited a video that featured some of his incredible magic tricks. He had a set of cards made especially so he could ‘perform, deceive and amaze.’ Verity built a horse-head sculpture out of black tape and card. The finished work of art was of a very high standard.

Alfie, Taylor and Verity’s work stood out from a very strong set of entrants this year. Hopefully, they will inspire some of next year’s entrants!

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Abbeyfield Art Competition

On Thursday, the 21st of May, pupils in S2 and S3 participated in the Abbeyfield Art Competition. The range and the quality of the work were excellent, with Jenni (S2) winning with her collage. Alex (S2) was highly commended for her clay sculpture, as was Ruth (S3) for her collage print portrait. Jenni received a £50 Amazon voucher and the Abbeyfield Shield will be engraved with her name. Congratulations to all pupils who participated.

Pictured is Jenni receiving the Abbeyfield Shield.

Photography Glasgow Excursion

In support of the photography curriculum, an excursion to Glasgow took place on Monday, the 8th of June. The excursion started at Kelvingrove Museum, where pupils photographed the interior and exterior of the building. They then had a choice of locations to photograph, including Kelvingrove Park, Glasgow University and Byres Road. After lunch, all pupils photographed the riverside area of Glasgow: SECC, Science Centre, Armadillo, Finnieston Crane, the Hydro etc. The images captured on the day will be used as a starting point for the Higher Photography and NPGA SQA courses. Luckily, the weather was fantastic and all pupils really enjoyed themselves. Katie (S5) described the day as ‘fun and a great experience.’

‘Friends of Strathaven Park’ Logo Design

‘In Art and Design, we have been working on designs for the ‘Friends of Strathaven Park’ logo. I drew a bouncy castle and a hot air balloon. We learned how to scan our drawings onto the computer.

‘We then took our individual drawings and put them together on the computer in the shape of a tree.

‘They are going to use our logo on posters and on their colourful new banner. We enjoyed creating something for a local community group with this project.’ Devon (S2)

Rotary Concert

On Monday, the 18th of May, pupils from Strathaven Academy participated in an evening of music alongside Chapelton, Kirklandpark and Glassford Primary choirs. There was a fantastic variety of music on display, including traditional Scottish tunes played on the fiddle by Molly, and classical guitar played by Lewis.

This concert was in aid of Rotary International Projects and the Rotary Club of Strathaven.

Pictured are Alanna, Molly, Lewis, Morgan, Amy, Emily and Jamie.

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Sainsbury’s Challenge

A huge ‘well done!’ to S4 pupils who have been working hard on an Enterprise project, with the support of our local Sainsbury’s branch. Marketing has been supported by the Art and Design department, production and catering by Home Economics and finance by Business Management.

The Li’l Nibbles Company has sold shares to help start up their business, advertised their product, and produced some delicious chocolate truffles. The effort pupils have put into this project is commendable, and the sales so far have been very promising! A big thank you to all staff and parents who have supported this project!

Miss Arshad

Pictured are Olivia, Amy and Ann successfully selling shares at the P7 Open Evening.

S1 Camp

This year’s camp was again successful and the positive attitude and behaviour of the pupils created a wonderful atmosphere over the four days, packed full of outdoor activities. The pupils were very highly praised by the staff at Broomlee for their positive approach and participation, as well as their manners – they did us all proud. Thanks go to all of the staff who helped with the organisation of the camp. Thanks, too, to Ms McGinley and the staff who provided an active and enjoyable week for the few pupils who stayed at home. They had a fabulous time and produced a great display of their week’s activities.

SPORTS SUPPLEMENT

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Swimming

Prior to the spring break, Keir, a pupil in S1, competed for South Lanarkshire in the Scottish National Age Group Championships in Aberdeen. Over the six days, Keir won three gold medals and the Scottish title in the 50m, 100m and 800m 13 year-old freestyle, silver (and the Scottish title) in the 200m freestyle and bronze in both the 200m individual medley and 1500m freestyle events. He picked up a further two silver medals in the team relays. South Lanarkshire swimming therefore also achieved the Scottish titles. This was a fantastic result for Keir, who is a member of the East Kilbride Swim Team and trains six days every week.

Gymnastics

In March, Connor (S5), Victoria (S2) and Amy (S2) competed in the Scottish Schools Gymnastics competition, level 3, in Perth. They performed a floor routine and a vault, winning a team bronze medal. Connor also won individual gold medals for his floor routine and vault.

Ice-Skating

Alix, a pupil in S1, recently participated in the Murrayfield Open Ice-Skating Competition. She performed a solo routine in the ladies’ beginner category and placed first out of 32 competitors. Alix trains three to four times each week with the Olympia Figure-Skating Club, which is based at the ice rink in East Kilbride Shopping Centre.

Football

Congratulations to Scott, who has recently signed a professional contract with Glasgow Rangers Football Club.

Scottish Schools Aquathlon Championships

On Tuesday, the 28th of April, S2 pupil Niamh participated in the individual event at the Scottish Schools Aquathlon Championships. This took place at the Dollan Leisure Centre in East Kilbride and consisted of a 300 metre swim followed by a two-kilometre run.

Niamh competed against 78 other pupils from schools across the country and finished a respectable 20th overall.

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Football

U18s Lanarkshire Cup Final

On Friday, the 15th of May, Strathaven Academy U18s football team played in the Lanarkshire Cup Final against Greenfaulds High School from Cumbernauld. Having comprehensively knocked out Taylor High School, Calderglen High School, Trinity High School and St John Ogilvie High School in the previous rounds, Strathaven approached the game with great confidence. The match was played at St Ambrose High School in Coatbridge.

Strathaven had a terrible start to the game. Despite the best efforts of Luke, the ball ended up in the back of net and gave the opposition the lead. The Greenfaulds players were dominating the game. It wasn’t long until Greenfaulds scored a second goal. Only ten minutes into the game, Strathaven’s dreams of victory were already hanging by a thread! At the 30-minute mark, Greenfaulds scored a third goal.

While Greenfaulds celebrated their third goal, the Strathaven side made a substitution, introducing Sam to replace the injured Jack. The half-time whistle soon followed, and in the first ten minutes of the second half, Strathaven played with an intensity that had been previously missing. Soon the score was 3-2. Soon after, Alasdair scored a dramatic equaliser. A short time later, the Strathaven players found themselves leading 4-3. In the 55th minute, Sam completed his hat-trick. Strathaven had turned the game around but now they struggled to maintain their high tempo. The Greenfaulds players were picking up their game again. With 20 minutes to go, Stefan was bundled to the ground and the referee pointed to the spot. The Strathaven captain picked himself up and used the penalty to give Strathaven a 6-3 lead. In the 80th

minute, with the Strathaven players starting to tire, Greenfaulds scored a goal to make the score 6-4. The Strathaven players now had to defend their lead, and they were more than up to the task. The team brought home the school’s first ever major piece of silverware in football!

Netball

S1 South Lanarkshire Schools Netball Tournament/ S1 Scottish Schools Finalists

Congratulations to our S1 netball squad on winning this year’s South Lanarkshire Schools Netball tournament. The girls were unbeaten on the day and played some excellent netball. This is the fourth year in a row that Strathaven Academy has won this event.

The S1 squad also made it to the final of the Scottish Schools Competition, but unfortunately they were beaten on the day by Peebles.

Pictured are Maia, Abby, Emma, Isabel, Megan, Milli, Alix, Aimee and Daisy.

SPORTS SUPPLEMENT

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South Lanarkshire Schools Netball Tournament

On Thursday, the 14th of May, the S2 and S3 teams participated in the South Lanarkshire Schools Netball tournament. Both teams played excellent netball throughout the day, with the S3 girls declared winners and the S2 girls the runners-up.

Hannah was awarded player of the day for the S3 squad and Katie for the S2 squad. S3 Scottish Schools Netball Competition

Congratulations to our S3 Netball squad on winning this year’s Scottish Schools Netball Competition. This is the second year in a row this team has won the Scottish Cup - a fantastic achievement. 165 schools entered: Strathaven Academy was in the final, playing against St Peter the Apostle, and the final score was Strathaven Academy 45, St Peter the Apostle 26. Thank you to all the pupils, parents and staff who supported the girls on the day.

Pictured are Miss Kennedy, Caitlin, Molly, Olivia, Chloe, Niamh, Mrs Cunningham, Dionne, Amy, Ann, Mrs Barran, Hannah and Allison.

Thank you to Miss Kennedy and Mrs Cunningham for their time spent coaching, umpiring and organising events - all this allows our netball teams to achieve greatness!

Brewin Dolphin Glasgow North Bowl

The school’s under 16 rugby team prepared for their upcoming exams by winning both the Morgan Sindall Lanarkshire Cup and the Brewin Dolphin Glasgow North Bowl. The final of the Lanarkshire Cup was played at Cambuslang Rugby Club on Wednesday, the 25th of March, where they faced Duncanrig Secondary School. Early exchanges saw Strathaven leading at half time by 19-12 but an early Duncanrig try narrowed the lead to just two points. Thankfully, this seemed to spur the team into action, and they eventually won the match 38-24.

Try Scorers Angus, Taylor (3), Mathew, Lewis Conversions Euan (4)

Strathaven was drawn as the home team for the Brewin Dolphin Glasgow North Bowl Final on Thursday, the 30th of April. Shawlands Academy travelled to Whiteshawgate, where they faced a very focused and organised Strathaven team. Playing some of their best rugby of the season, they ran out comfortable winners, scoring some fantastic running tries in front of a large home crowd. The match finished with Strathaven winning 56-0.

Try Scorers Kyle, Sam (2), James, Craig (2), Mathew (2), Josh, Kyle Conversions Gregor (3)