1. No category

November
2014
Dear Parents and Guardians
W
e are straight back into the swing of things after half term
with Parents' Evenings and various other events taking
place. Year 11 have made a good start to their mock
exams and are getting a sense of the journey they need to
undertake between now and the summer. We wish them well and
urge them not to let up after the mocks are over.
First Thursday
KING ALFRED’S ACADEMY
W
ith regard to our Development Plan, Senior staff have
analysed all the findings from our Learning Walks and
each Faculty area has been tasked with identifying their
key area for improvement, whilst sharing the good practice we have
seen. Later on this term we will be revisiting classrooms to see the
improvements in practice. I have been discussing marking with a
large number of students, and I am really encouraged that students
have clearly noticed that the regularity and quality of marking has
improved considerably. Students tell me that they are really
engaging with the marking in their books, and are being given time
in lessons to make the necessary improvements. What we are now
aiming for is the same consistency of quality across all departments.
Please do let the teacher or your child's tutor know if you have any
concerns, as we know that marking is an
Inside this issue:
activity which can have a notably positive
impact on student progress.
Anti Bullying Week
3-4
At the end of last term I was privileged to
attend the St Frideswide Civic Service at
Christ Church in Oxford, at which the King
Alfred's Concert Band performed. A few
pages on, you will find some letters of thanks
which really are evidence of quite how
professional the band were, and their
performance was a reflection of how hard
they had rehearsed with Mrs Shale and Ms
Baxter. For their efforts they were given an
audience with the Lord Mayor and a tea with
many dignitaries. A wonderful occasion for all
concerned.
X-Factor
5-6
Biology
7
Highly Able News
Catering
8-9
9
Creative arts and Design 1013
Sports News
1417
What’s On
1622
Counsellor’s Corner
23
Dates for your Diary
24
(Continued on page 2)
A
ttendance
I'm pleased to report that attendance for Term 1 has remained above 96% across the
school. I asked Year 7 at an assembly this week how many of them still had 100%
attendance - a sea of hands was raised! There is clear evidence relating to
achievement and attendance; if your child doesn't feel 100%, but is still well enough to come
to school, we will always give a sympathetic ear and maybe even a hot water bottle if
needed!
S
afety
Finally - the evenings are now noticeably darker and the weather truly autumnal.
Please can I make a point of asking you to keep revisiting road safety with your child,
however old, if they cycle to school. We often catch sight of students, (particularly
older students), cycling dangerously fast on main roads and around bends, and they need to
understand that motorists will not necessarily see them, or react in time if needed. A quick
bicycle check of lights and brakes, and more nagging about the use of a cycle helmet would
be most appreciated!
Jo Halliday
Headteacher
S
quid
All parents of Year 7 should now have received their registration letters to enable
them to create an on-line account (SQUID) by the time the next payment is due on
residential trips in 2015. All the offers for your child should appear on their portal. If
you have any queries please email Mrs Sheron Willis on [email protected]
Sheron Willis
National Anti-Bullying Campaign
A
national anti-bullying campaign will run throughout November. The students at King
Alfred's will experience assemblies and undertake work in tutorial sessions and some
curriculum lessons that will support this theme. Moreover, throughout this academic
year, King Alfred's intends to implement an independent Anti Bullying Strategy that we hope
will engage all students, staff and parents. Future additions of 'First Thursday' will provide
examples of work and activities in support of this project. Please also expect to find details of
opportunities to engage with the strategy as parents.
The letter below from PC Mike Dix contains some useful advice. Please find time to read it.
Jonathan Smith
Page 2
Anti-Bullying Week 2014
E
very year the Anti-Bullying Alliance coordinate national Anti-Bullying Week; a week where
children and young people, schools, parents and carers come together with one aim: to
stop bullying for all.
Anti-Bullying Week this year will take place during the week 17th – 21st November and the theme
is ‘Lets Stop Bullying For All’. The focus is to stop bullying of ALL children and young people – including
disabled children – who research shows are significantly more likely to experience bullying in schools and the
wider community.
The aims for the week are:



equip schools, colleges and youth service leaders with resources to develop youth led anti-bullying
initiatives and encourage inclusive attitudes amongst children and young people;
educate those who support and work with children to recognise children and young people who may be
particularly vulnerable to bullying - encouraging an inclusive approach within all anti-bullying education;
and
ensure the school community understand that the use of any discriminatory language is wrong and will
not be tolerated and that using disablist language is taken as seriously as racist, sexist and homophobic
language in schools.
Further details of the national campaign run by the Anti-Bullying Alliance can be found on their website http://
www.anti-bullyingalliance.org/
The official 2014 Anti-Bullying week film can be viewed on the following link;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRxXbUEbX5Eandfeature=player_embedded
Cyberbullying can be an issue for young people and can affect their school and home life. It can
possibly be committed with out the offender/s fully realising the consequences of their actions. So please be
aware of the following, and discus with your children to support the aims of Anti-bullying Week.
In brief, Cyberbullying is where a person uses the internet or mobile phone to upset another person. By its
very nature, Cyberbullying can happen anywhere, in school, outside or at home, and on a 24/7 basis.
Comments and images can also go out to a wide audience and so increase the anxiety of the victim, who can
become to feel upset and threatened, even in their own home.
While Facebook and other social networking sites can be fantastic socialising tools they can also be poorly
used and become a vehicle for nasty, hurtful comments and images.
Is your child contributing? Or even committing an offence?
Do you have access to your child’s Facebook profile/account? If not, why not?!
Is there communication or images on there they don’t want you to see?
Some people seem to think it is OK to post comments on Facebook, chat rooms, or mobiles that are perhaps
inappropriate, upsetting or offensive. People may say things on Facebook or similar sites that they would not
say to another’s face, that’s adults as well as children. Yet this can be as, or more hurtful, and can be just as
much of a criminal offence.
Although bullying is not a specific Criminal Offence in UK law, criminal and civil laws can apply in terms of
‘harassment or threatening behaviour’and ‘threatening or menacing communications’. This is covered under
the following legislation.
Protection from harassment Act 1997, which has both Criminal and Civil Provision,
Malicious Communications Act 1988,
Section 43 of the telecommunications Act 1984,
Communications Act 2003,
Public Order Act 2003.
You can view a very short film about internet bullying by following the below link. You may feel it appropriate to
show this film to you child and discuss it with them
(Continued on page 4)
Page 3
(Continued from page 3)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embeddedandv=LU8K6osTSBE
If you or your child sends any messages that can be offensive or upsetting to the receiver, or others that view
it, you or your child could be committing one or more of the above offences. Please discus this with your child,
monitor their Facebook profile and internet use. They may not fully understand this unless you tell them. If you
find they have comments or images that fall into this category, please remove them and ensure they
understand it can be offensive and upsetting, can even be against the law and could get them in trouble.
If Police investigate internet or phone related offences it is possible for the phones and computing equipment to
be seized and interrogated. This is a lengthy process and can take several months. It is possible for police to
retrieve all saved and deleted images and messages that have been sent or received via the that device and
used as evidence.
By monitoring your child’s internet and phone use you may be able to prevent this and also be able to see if
they are receiving any negative messages themselves, which they may not be telling you about, and so enable
you to help and support them. If you find any content like this, don’t reply, it may make things worse. Block the
sender from your list and save the messages. If its school related, talk to the school. If you feel this it is serious
you can also report it to the police. If you or they are being bothered via Text, you can contact your service
provider on the below numbers, who will have an area who deal with this.
O2 - [email protected] or 08705214000
Vodafone – 191 from Vodaphone phone or 08700700191 (pay monthly) and 08700776655 (pay as you go).
3 – Call 333 from a 3 phone or 0870733033
Orange – Call 450 on an Orange Phone or 07973100450
T-Mobile: call 150 on a T-Mobile Phone or 08454125000
Most children and adults I have spoken too have many hundreds of friends on Facebook, but are they really
friends? By sending your personal images and conversations to people you hardly know, or are not true friends
with, can bring many unwanted complications. I strongly feel if someone is not a trusted friend, then you could
be causing yourself future issues by sending your personal images or comments to them! Discus this with your
child and consider reducing their number of friends to a sensible, manageable number of trusted people.
Another good website to visit for internet related safety information is the CEOPS (Child Exploitation and
Online Protection Service) which is www.thinkuknow.co.uk . CEOPS is a Police Organisation and specialises in
online safety for children and young people. The site is extremely user friendly and designed for children of all
ages to use and learn about internet safety in a fun and modern way and includes several short films. There is
also a parent and carer section which gives great advice and guidance. This really is a fantastic tool and one
that I really hope you will visit and encourage your children to do the same. Maybe you could consider visiting
the site together with your child.
Please check the Thames Valley Police Website www.thamesvalley.police.uk,
For more information on Thames Valley Police, your local Neighbourhood Police Team and Crime in your local
area.
You can also find us on facebook! http://www.facebook.com/ThamesVP
Register for Thames Valley Alert!
https://www.thamesvalleyalert.co.uk/
Follow us on Twitter!
http://twitter.com/ThamesVP
And view our latest Youtube films.
http://www.youtube.com/thamesvalleypoliceuk
PC 5504 DIX
School Liaison Officer,
Safer Schools Partnership,
Abingdon Police Station.
Regards
Colwell Drive Abingdon,
Mike
OX14 1AU
Page 4
X-Factor House Event brings in the
crowds!
F
ollowing
a
record number
of tickets sold
in the run up to the
event and with lots of extra sales on the door
The Beacon was filled with an audience eagerly
waiting to watch this year’s line up. The judges
made their entrance to the X Factor fanfare and
they had clearly done their homework on their
characters with accents and one-liners to match!
We had Dan Charrington as Louis Walsh,
Jennie Baxter as Mel B, Rachel Wellfair as
Cheryl Fernadez-Versini and Owain John as
Simon Cowell.
There were nine acts in the final, three from
each site which included an act for each of the
three houses: Ridgeway, White Horse and Vale.
Guest acts also added to the talent on show
during the evening: Nina Reiber-Hodgson who
was last year’s X-Factor winner and Ebony
Cantwell who won the X-Factor competition four
years’ ago. Ebony has also gone on to develop
her singing talent, taking part last year in the TV
programme “Britain's Got Talent” when she got
through to the semi-finals! Ebony told me: 'I love
performing and it is always great to be
involved in the King Alfred's X-Factor show.'
The judges agonising over the decisions to be made!
to decide on the winning acts and after careful
consideration they announced the results:
1st:
Daisy French-Davies (Vale – Centre)
2nd:
Dominic Baker ( Ridgeway— East)
3rd
(joint) Mia Moores (White Horse – East)
Maddy Pound (Vale – West)
The Heads of House organised the event and
were supported by the Senior House Captains
who were the comperes on the night: James
Coneboy, Aaron Hadley, Luke Garland and
Josie Harrison. They played the part of Dermot
O’Leary by introducing the acts and standing
alongside them as the judges gave them
feedback after their performances.
The winner, and her proud
Head of House
This House event is becoming more popular
each year. This year we had record numbers in
the audience and the standard of acts was very
impressive. It is exciting to see the level of
musical talent we have in the school and it is
clear that the students really enjoy taking part in
this competition. The standard of the acts was
impressive and the audiences response was
extremely enthusiastic including banners being
waved by the families of several acts!
The other performers must not go without a
mention as they all performed really well; Lily
Bunting, Alicia Robinson, Elise Spicer, Holly
Hayward, Ellie Harpwood, Amber Lovelock,
Robyn Taylor, Jasmine Dhesi and Connor
Clark. The winner, Daisy, who is Year 11, sang
“Fever” by Peggy Lee and she spoke to me
after the event: 'I am thrilled! It is the first time I
have reached the final of X-Factor so it is
fantastic to have won the overall competition!'
The judges, whilst being a key part of the
evening’s entertainment, also took their role
very seriously. It was a tough challenge for them
Congratulations to all the performers and thank
you to everyone who was involved in the
organisation of the event and who came (cont)
Page 5
along to this evening of entertainment – we hope you enjoyed it. If you were unable to make it this
year, make a mental note to book it in your diaries next year!
Viv Harrison
Head of House, East Site
Page 6
Biology
I
n October, Catherine Kirk was presented
with a certificate as King Alfred’s best
Year 13 Biology student at the Young
Scientist of the Year Awards Ceremony held
at the Oxford University Museum of Natural
History. In Year 12 Catherine gained full
marks in both of the written AS Biology
exams.
Professor Helen McShane, a leading
infectious disease expert at the University of
Oxford, spoke at the ceremony and there
were talks from young researchers and
apprentices to inspire students to think about
careers in science, maths and engineering.
Organiser Brian Mackenwells said: “We had
some inspiring and moving nominations from
science teachers. The number of student
nominations has gone up by 20 per cent in
the past three years, showing more schools
are keen to be involved in the celebration
and more teachers can see the benefit of
acknowledging talent in biology, chemistry
and physics.”
The awards are supported by Oxford
University Nuffield Department Of Medicine,
Rutherford
Appleton
Laboratories
and
international science business forum SCI.
Science Oxford is a part of the independent
charity “The Oxford Trust”, established in 1985
by Sir Martin and Audrey, Lady Wood, cofounders of Oxford Instruments. Their aim was
to encourage the pursuit of science and
enterprise across Oxfordshire.
Judith Skinner
Page 7
Highly Able Programme News
T
he High Sheriff of Oxfordshire’s
Annual Law Lecture 14/10/14
“Our law’s respects for human dignity, for
liberty and for equality may indeed be traced to
that [Christian] religious tradition. To this extent,
at the very least, we are a Christian country”
These are closing lines voiced by Lady Hale at
the lecture ‘Are We a Christian Country?
Religious Freedom and the law’, which the year
12 and 13 Highly Able group had the privilege
to attend. An unarguably inspirational woman,
Lady Hale was the first woman Lord of Appeal
in Ordinary in the United Kingdom and this
country’s most senior female judge ever. Her
innovative lecture highlighted issues such as
accommodating working hours due to religious
beliefs and shocking case studies, including
that of a Christian couple refusing homosexuals
into their B and B.
Questions arose and we were left wondering:
can you prove the validity of religious beliefs
and is it ever right in law to question an idea on
theology?
Kathryn Botchway, Year 12
*****
he Invention of Modern Science
17/10/14
The talk was presented by Melvyn Bragg,
with guest speakers Marcus du Sautoy, Joanna
Dunkley and Sir Paul Nurse, head of the Royal
Society, all experts in their own fields.
T
Sir Paul Nurse provided an interesting account
of how John Wilkins, one of the founders of the
Royal Society and warden of Oxford’s Wadham
College, helped to invent what we now see as
‘modern science’. What Nurse talked about was
the very fundamentals of science: empirical
research, hypothesis construction and creative
observation/innovation. What distinguishes
modern science from traditional ‘natural
philosophy’ is these very ideas. Before Wilkins’
influence and ideas, science was still largely
philosophical and theoretical, and so the
fundamentals of the experimental research that
we rely on today are thanks in part to him. Sir
Paul Nurse would not be able to carry out his
research into genetics without the rigours
enforced by Wilkins, whilst the astrophysics
that Joanna Dunkley describes would not even
exist. Marcus du Sautoy reminded us of how all
the sciences are linked, in part by the
characteristics outlined by Wilkins in the 1660s.
The evening was really interesting and provided an
insight into the science we learn today, which we
often take for granted. When thinking about how
science could affect our own futures (as was
highlighted by the discussion on artificial
imagination) it is really useful just to look back on
where we have come from.
Sam Hutchinson, Year 13
*****
A question was raised by the audience as to
whether an intelligent computer could have an
‘artificial imagination’ and secondly whether this
could happen in the foreseeable future. The
answer given was one of unsurprising uncertainty.
The fact of the matter is that nobody really knows
what will happen with technology in the future,
most predictions from the past of what today would
look like have been either so vague that they could
be made to fit any invention that we had created, or
were just wrong.
I don’t think it’s wise to think too far ahead because
of this reason. Whether technology will take us to
where we want to go or somewhere else nobody
can tell but ultimately, putting the technological
issues aside for a moment, surely the real question
is an ethical one: Suppose we could make a
machine with a conscious mind, would we want to?
Ben Griffiths, Year 13
K
A Talks: How to Prepare for Success
We welcomed Jonathan Vaughan, Director
of Music at the Guildhall School of Music
and Drama, one of the world’s leading
conservatoires, for a KA Talk on 4 November. He
gave a fascinating insight into how we can motivate
ourselves, overcome performance anxiety and
handle others’ expectations of us and the
disappointments we encounter along the way. He
explored how our ‘inner chimp’ is our own worst
enemy in achieving our goals, using the ideas of
British Cycling psychologist Steve Peters (The
Chimp Paradox).
He found time for a fun quiz on film soundtracks
and a brainteaser. See if you can beat Year 8
student Jackson Cook who answered in about 1.5
(Continued on page 9)
Page 8
Catering
S
uccess!
The “Great British Bake Off” may be over but students on East site are still baking
up a storm. These two stunning Swiss rolls were made during the Baking Elective
but still reflect the ethos of food technology at King Alfred's of showing students how
to cook foods they love but with a real drive
for healthy eating. They were made using a
fat free sponge rather than the high fat, high
calorie treats the students usually go for.
Year 8’s have been expanding their
repertoire of deliciously healthy dishes
including low fat cauliflower cheese, super
healthy chicken curry and nutrient packed
homemade fish fingers. Jamie Oliver would
be proud.
Greg Dunn
(Continued from page 8)
seconds flat! *(answer at the bottom of the page)
A man buys a baseball bat and a ball for £1.10
The bat costs £1 more than the ball. How much did
the ball cost?
Jonathan concluded by urging us to find out what
we’re passionate about, have high expectations of
ourselves and to stay interested. An inspirational
talk which sums up our message to all of our
students!
KA Talks are open to the whole school community
and in 2015 will be held in the evening.
Dates for your diary:
January
date and speaker tbc;
4 March
Georgina Ferry: The Life and Work
of Dorothy Hodgkin;
12 May
Ben Sparks: Mathematics and Music
14 July
Dr Harry Munt: Islamic History
Helen Forey
Highly Able Programme Coordinator
*bat = £1.05, ball = 5p. Thanks to Daniel Kahneman: Thinking Fast
and Slow
Page 9
Creative Arts and Design
Music
Concerts
We have had a busy month in Music with
not just one but two concerts! The first was our
annual
production
fundraiser,
which is organised by the students and put
together with very little help from us.
This
always proves to be a
really
interesting
experience for the
students and special
photos, we were off again to the town hall.
Here we had the opportunity to meet the Lord Mayor
of Oxford, Mohammed Abbasi. We had a spot of
tea, and then went on to another room in the town
hall. Here we had the opportunity to socialise with
members of the Oxfordshire council amongst
others. I was lucky enough to have a conversation
with the Lord Mayor; it was a very different
experience to talk to very important people in the
local community.
Finally we were ready to do the service, which was
recognition has to go
to Chris Schweppe
(Year 13) this year
for his organisation
skills.
Between
them, they managed to raise £300, which will really
help with the running costs of the show.
St. Frideswide Service
The afternoon started as we eagerly waited for the
bus at Centre, after making our way over from all
three sites. After the coach arrived and we placed
the instruments safely on, we set off.
in commemoration of St Frideswide’s Feast Day,
which is the 19th October ( Frideswide is the patron
saint of Oxford). At the beginning we played one
piece, “Pie Jesu” from ‘Requiem’, and sat down for
the service. The theme was ‘Strong Peace’, so we
chose pieces based on this theme.
Later, after the service was finished, we played 5
more pieces; “Jupiter” by Holst, “Imagine” by John
Lennon, “Pomp and Circumstance” by Elgar (my
personal favourite), “A Prayer for Peace” from the
film ‘Munich’, and finally “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven.
Luckily these all went extremely well, with all of our
extra practices being so valuable to our success.
When we reached Christ Church we were amazed
by the sheer beauty of this 800 year old Cathedral
which we were to perform in. We set up the
instruments and had a short practice session, which
was simultaneously terrifying as there were many
people walking around, and very exciting because
we got to hear ourselves play in the brilliant
acoustics that the cathedral provides.
I would like to thank Miss Baxter, Miss Hefford and
Mr John for coming along and being so helpful, and
in particular Mrs Shale for putting all of this together
and being our fabulous conductor. I really hope that
we get this opportunity again next year, and I am
extremely thankful that we have been able to take
part in such a prestigious event.
Lucy Evans 9W1
The second concert we had in October was with
the Concert Band who were invited to perform at the
St. Frideswide Service in Christ Church Cathedral,
Oxford. Lucy Evans 9W1 has written her account of
the day.
Next we got to go to the dining hall, which was used
in the filming of the Harry Potter series. I was
extremely excited by this as it was somewhere that I
had always wanted to see. We were very lucky to be
given this chance as it is closed to the general
public, but as we were special guest performers we
got to have a look. When we walked in we were
awestruck by the reality of a place that we
recognised from the ever popular films. After a few
Page 10
Thank you letters received
after the concert at Christ
Church Cathedral
Page 11
MakeIt Competition
At the end of last academic year Evie Butler (Year 10) won first prize in a national furniture design
competition, MakeIt, sponsored by ProSkills (http://www.proskills.co.uk/makeit/ ) which is part of the
National Skills Academy.
Recently she attended the awards exhibition at The Furniture Makers'
Company in London which brought together students from all ages and
nationalities to showcase their ideas. Visitors included senior people
from all walks of the industry and Evie has secured an appointment to
visit the Chairman of Ercol Furniture in Princess Risborough, which we
are hopeful will lead to her being able to complete part, if not all, of her
forthcoming
work
experience
there.
Evie is the youngest ever winner of the prize and this was noted by
Stephen McPartland, the MP for Stevenage who presented the awards.
See:http://www.furnituremkrs.co.uk/Standard.aspx?
qsType=NewsandqsID=1910
Evie won the competition largely on the strength of her workbook and
the originality of the ideas that it propagated was commented on by
several of the judges.
We look forward to seeing more innovative design work from Evie and
we were very proud to hear such glowing reports from ProSkills. Thank
you to everyone that has supported Evie in this and a huge well done to
Evie!
Hannah Newton
Page 12
Creative Arts and Design Continued
U
pcoming concerts
Yes ….we’re thinking about Christmas concerts already! ( Don't get the tinsel out quite
yet though)! Any students who are interested in performing in the King Alfred’s Christmas
concerts will get notices about it closer to the time and an opportunity to sign up as has happened successfully in previous years. For now, we thought it would be useful to get the dates in your
diary – especially for students in Music electives who will inevitably be involved. !
The Beacon Fundraiser Concert Wantage Mayor’s Carol Service Key Stage 3 Christmas Concert -Key Stage 4/5 Christmas Concert --
V
The Beacon -Wantage Church -The Beacon -The Beacon --
November 15th
date tbc
Monday December 8th
Tuesday December 9th
ictoria Cross Gallery
We are working with the local
community at 'The Mix’ and with
local artists on setting up an ‘Artist
Hub’ in Wantage. We have started by placing
A Level and GCSE work by Murran Harvey,
Joe Bradstock, Luke Moss and Glenelle
Francis in one of the display cabinets in the
Victoria Cross Gallery, Wantage. We will also
be hopefully putting work into an empty shop
in Wallingford Street. Coming Soon!
Page 13
Sports News
N
ational Panathlon Finals
On Wednesday 5th November, nine exceptional sports leaders from King Alfred’s
were asked to attend and help run the National Panathlon finals at Stoke Mandeville
stadium for the primary and secondary events.
Panathlon is a new multi-sport event aimed at young people with Special Educational Needs
or Disabilities (SEND). The athletes select three events out of wide range of sports including
table cricket, new age curling, polybat, boccia and other activities. They win medals and
points for their team to create an overall winner.
Our student leaders have supported and run the
Oxfordshire School Games finals and due to them
being so efficient and well-organised, they were
asked to support the Regional Finals. Once again,
King Alfred’s Sports Leaders made such a good
impression that we have been asked to help run the National
Finals!
This is a quick quote from an email we received from one of the organisers – “Many thanks
for getting involved in yesterday's competition. Was great to have you with us. Chris
mentioned how good your leaders were and how the event just ran itself with the leaders in
charge. Thanks for organising them to be there!”
Panathlon is a very fast growing sport and is a favourite with both schools and the children
that participate. It is pleasing to know that King Alfred’s leaders are leading the way with it!
The leaders that attended were Katy Spiers, Gavin Borja, India Griffiths, Hannah Black, Ben
Weal, Cameron Avenell, Mel Farrow, Laura Blackshaw and Luke Brighouse.
Page 14
Sports News
N
ews from Grove RFC
Charlotte McFarland [6th Form] was selected to represent Oxfordshire U18s in the
South West Divisional Tournament at Frome RFC on October 5th. She is hoping to
be picked for the squad to play in the upcoming matches against Buckinghamshire
and Berkshire as well.
On Thursday 16th October we hosted a group of students aged 16 from The Staring College,
Lochem, The Netherlands who were visiting the area on a field trip. Charlotte McFarland,
Olivia McCarthy [6th Form], Kira Eltham [Year 10], Ellie Sylvester and Kate Rollings [Year 7]
all helped with greeting the students, playing rugby with them and socialising in the clubhouse
afterwards and were a credit to the club and to your school.
Helen Price
Grove RFC Girls Rugby Coach
S
ports Relief 2014
King Alfred's Academy are extremely proud of two Year 11 students who completed
112.8mile bike ride for Sports Relief 2014. Emily Hutchinson and Molly Hill both in
11W3 showed amazing determination to complete this extraordinary feat.
In the process the pair managed to raise a whopping £300 for Sports Relief. Not only did they
complete this distance together but they also cycled for the full duration of both Key Stage 3
and Key Stage 4 Sports Awards evenings. The PE team and everyone at King Alfred's
Academy want to say well done and yet again this demonstrates the lengths our students will
go in the name of charity. Well done Emily and Molly!
Nick Mason
Page 15
Results
Team
Opposition
Date
U12 Boys
Commonweal
School
07/10/2014 ESFA
4-3
Lost
U13 Boys
Gosford Hill
16/10/2014 OSFA
2-2
Lost (penalties 4-5)
U14 Boys
Dr Challoner School
07/10/2014 ESFA
4-0
Lost
U15 Girls
Lord William's
School
07/10/2014 ESFA
4-3
Lost
U16 Boys
Blessed Lord Napier 02/10/2014 ESFA
0-1
Lost
U18 Boys
Bradfield College
09/10/14
ESFA Schools' 0-7
Trophy
Lost
U19 Boys
Oxford Spires
22/10/14
OSFA
Won
RUGBY
U15 Boys
Various
14/10/14
Vale Tourna- 3rd out of 6 3rd out of 6 teams
ment at Lark- teams
mead
NETBALL
U15
John Mason School
01/10/14
Friendly
5-9
Won
U16
John Mason School
01/10/14
Friendly
2-23
Won
John Mason School
15/10/14
Vale Tourna- 4th out of 7 4th out of 7 teams
ment at John teams
FOOTBALL
K
Competition Result
0-2
Won/Lost
ATS update!
Okan Onay is a member of KATS and here is an update on his progress and
recent competitions!.
He recently won the East Midlands regional biathlon champs, which will give him automatic
qualification to both the National Championships, and the Schools National Championships,
which will be held at the Olympic Park.
Okan also competed at Solihull in the National Triathlon Championships. Although Okan
managed only three wins from 25 in the fencing, he bounced back to produce a good swim
(although he got penalty points for getting out the pool at the wrong point) and then he
carried on in the combined event (run + shoot) in which he put in an amazing performance.
Okan’s run event was superb and he shot down all 15 drop down targets inside the time
frame, overtaking all the other competitors in front of him. Despite this, he could only finish
11th overall, but I think we can all agree that it was a terrific performance.
Keep up the great work Okan!
Alex Philpott
KATS Coordinator
Page 16
Oxford Brookes Hosts Young Ambassadors Sport
Conference in Collaboration with King Alfred’s
O
xford Brookes recently hosted a conference in collaboration with King Alfred’s
Academy and the Youth Sport Trust aimed at inspiring the young generation to lead
the way in Physical Education and school sport.
The conference was opened by England Rugby Union player Danielle Waterman who
inspired the Sixth Form students by reliving the tale of the England Women’s Rugby World
Cup success this summer. King Alfred’s ‘Platinum Young Ambassadors’, (students identified
as having exceptional leadership skills), also led the opening and closing ceremonies
demonstrating excellent leadership.
Brookes Primary Education students led workshops for Sixth Form Sports Leaders on how
to include young people with physical and sensory learning needs. They drew upon their
knowledge, skills and understanding learnt from their week-long placement on fully inclusive
physical education, competition and active lifestyles.
Other workshops helped the Sixth Form students understand more about themselves as
leaders and were led by Danielle and staff from the Youth Sport Trust.
Carolyn Murphy, Oxford Brookes Senior Lecturer in Primary Education, commented:
“Oxford Brookes Primary Education Students were delighted to be able to deliver an
‘Inclusion in PE’ workshop during this day. Not only did it help them reinforce their own
learning from PE seminars but it gave them a chance to practice teaching as if they were
delivering a workshop to a group of colleagues. This is fantastic for their employability skills
as OFSTED has a focus on how the PE and Sport Premium Funding in schools can make
an impact on young people with special educational needs and disabilities and improve the
quality of teaching of PE in general in Primary Schools.”
Katie Spiers, one of the KA Young Ambassadors involved, added: ”This was the first time
Young Ambassadors have worked in collaboration with older leaders from Oxford Brookes
and was something quite different and exciting, giving us a flavour of being on a university
campus and experiencing the facilities”.
Page 17
What’s On?
Advance notice: The Return of Morgan and West
Wednesday 21st January 2015
Many staff, students and parents will remember Rhys Jones and Robert Hemmens who taught
Mathematics and Science before embarking on their career as professional magicians. Indeed, it was
with delight that we saw them ‘Fool Penn and Teller’; it is still available on uTube!.
On Wednesday 21st January they will be visiting King Alfred’s in the guise of their alter egos Morgan
and West to entertain and confound all those who are lucky enough to obtain tickets. Their
performance will be in The Beacon @ 7.30pm. Tickets will shortly be on sale form Centre Site Office.
No more can be said than to quote two recent reviews from the Edinburgh Festival:
“Morgan and West get a solid 4 stars for a genuinely rich, wholehearted, fun family entertainment
with mind-boggling trickery and many comical hum-dingers”
“Time travelling magic duo Morgan and West present a brand new show chock full of jaw-dropping,
brain-bursting, gasp-eliciting feats of magic. The dashing chaps offer up a plateful of illusion and
impossibility, all served with wit, charm and no small amount of panache. Be sure to wear a hat Morgan and West might just blow your mind.”
For those who
the following clip is well worth 4 minutes of your time
http://www.comedy.co.uk/fringe/2014/morgan_and_west/
don’t know them
Page 18
Page 19
What’s On
SATURDAY 29TH NOVEMBER
10AM – 4PM
LOYD LINDSAY ROOMS, ARDINGTON
Admission: £2.50
(includes glass of Mulled Wine)
Children: Free
Start your Christmas Shopping at the Loyd Lindsay Rooms Christmas Fair. Come along and pick up
some unique gifts to delight your family and friends.
There will be an array of products on sale including: Homemade jams,
marmalades, chutneys and Christmas Cakes (including gluten free);
Cards, Christmas Decorations; cushions; scarves; bags; local beer;
Plants; Merino wool garments; screens; notebooks; placemats, teatowels; jewellery; Fur Huffs and Hats; Neal’s Yard products; Vintage
Crockery; Cosmetics and much more. We will also be holding a raffle.
Award-winning photographer, Jackie Cross of Jacqueline Cross
Photography will also be on-site taking individual and family portraits.
Jackie will produce a selection of digital images which are ideal for creating your own Christmas
Cards and Calendars for loved ones. Booking advised. Contact Jackie on [email protected]
All profits from this event are being donated to
Page 20
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
Cornerstone’s Christmas Show at Didcot
15 to 24 December
Did you ever wonder how Santa became Santa? Then come and experience all the magic and
excitement of our charming Christmas theatre show. Follow Santa’s incredible adventures from being
abandoned in the forest to delivering the very first toys. Meet Glossie and Flossy the original reindeer,
chilly rouge Jack Frost and make sure you boo the evil Awgwas along the way.
With original music and lots of audience participation, this wonderful lively show is the perfect festive
treat for 3 to 7 year olds.
Tickets £12, £9 (concs), £35 (family ticket).
To see show times and book visit www.cornerstone-arts.org or call 01235 515144.
Page 21
Sat 22 November 9.30 am—12 Noon
Exeter Hall, Oxford rd, Kidlington OX5 1AB
To book contact: [email protected]
01993 882008
Page 22
Counsellor’s Corner
T
aking Responsibility
The alarm goes off and you sink deeper under the duvet, cursing, wishing you could
keep the world at bay for a little longer. But you get up - reluctantly - and you get on
with the tasks of the day. You do it because you’re reasonably confident that you can
handle the challenges of that particular day and because you’re well-practised at getting up
and getting on with things.
Young people are neither so confident nor so well-practised. Their reluctance to take
responsibility for themselves, their fear of failure, their longing for a lost world of childhood
isn’t actually any different from an adult’s: it’s just more acute. They act out their reluctance all
the time, going backwards and forwards between the irresponsible world of the child and the
responsible world of the adult. A boy’s bedroom might be a complete mess, for example,
while his schoolwork remains immaculate; a girl’s behaviour at home might be terrible while
her behaviour round at her friend’s house is always wonderful.
When it comes to young people taking more responsibility for themselves, there’s no magic
wand. As parents and as young people, we all have to muddle through. But it helps to
understand that taking responsibility usually feels scary: that deciding to do one thing means
not being able to do another; that we can feel really alone when we take responsibility for
ourselves; that making a clear choice between one thing and another often feels impossible;
that young people, like endangered animals, sometimes choose ‘flight’ (running away from a
situation) or ‘fight’ (arguing endlessly about it), but more often choose ‘freeze’ (doing nothing
at all, refusing to make a decision, avoiding the situation altogether).
Sometimes we berate young people for not taking more responsibility for themselves. But
how would you like to go into a two-hour exam, knowing how much depends on doing well
and that it’s entirely down to you? How would you like to manage dozens of unavoidable
relationships with people in school, day after day after day? How would you like to decide
which university or job to apply for, knowing that it’ll affect the rest of your life? In short, how
would you like to grow up, knowing that you’ll never be able to be a child again?
Nick Luxmoore
Academy Counsellor
www.nickluxmoore.com
Page 23
More news ………….
Dates for your Diary
(more dates/details can be found on our website)
November
4th
6th
13th
17th
20th
27th
Start of Term 2
Year 7 Parent Tutor Evening
Year 9 Parents’ Evening
DoE Bronze Information Evening
6th Form Open Evening
Year 12/13 Parents’ Evening
December
4th
8th
9th
15th/16th
19th
Year 8 Parents’ Evening
KS3 Christmas Concert
KS4/5 Christmas Concert
Winter Dance Show
End of Term 2—Buses @ 1215 hrs
Centre Site Portway Wantage Oxfordshire OX12 9BY
Telephone: 01235 225700 Fax: 01235 225779
Email: [email protected]
www.kaacademy.org