Message from the Executive Principal, Alastair O'Connor
It has been an amazing start to this new academic year, and as we reach the end of our first half term I wanted to share some messages with you.
On behalf of the Senior Leadership Team I would also like to welcome our new Year 7 students and parents to Barnes Wallis . We are delighted with how well they are settling in and it was wonderful to see so many of you attended the recent year 7 parent event.
Our Year 11's have started the year with a very positive attitude. Attendance at our GCSE booster sessions has been very good and we are delighted in how hard they are working.
Students at Barnes Wallis continue to embrace the opportunities offered to them through our Broadening Horizons agenda and we have seen great participation in sport, music and enrichment this half term, which is a strong feature in this term's edition.
JET
We have started this year as we mean to go on in our partnership with the Jon Egging Trust. We now have Years 7, 8 and 9 taking part in resilience and team building sessions and opportunities.
Yr7 - Yr7 have had two transition and resilience days, 1 in school and the other held at the Leicester Space Centre. Both days have allowed our new form groups to get to know one another and start to develop strong bonds with each other and their form tutors. The day spent at the Space Centre was an incredible opportunity for our students, learning about space and also completing resilience based tasks whilst working with the fantastic JET Staff and their partners 'Gordon Brothers' and Leicester Space Centre.
JET Blue Skies
The Blue Skies Program at BWA kicked off with a parents meet and greet on Tuesday 1st October in which parents and carers were given the opportunity to learn more about our partnership with JET. They met our school link 'Jess Nugent' and found out more about the exciting activities of our new Blue Skies 1 and 2 groups that will be happening this year.
Yr8 - The new Blue Skies 1 cohort enjoyed their first session in school on Tuesday 8th November, meeting Jess our JET Lead in school and undertaking a team building tasks with some self assessment of core skills such as resilience, motivation, teamwork, leadership and communication. Blue Skies 1 will have their first trip to RAF Coningsby on Thursday 7th November and subsequent sessions to follow.
Yr9 - Blues Skies 2 have also enjoyed their first in school session with Jess in readiness for their first session off site at RAF Cranwell. This group will start Yr9 with a trip to work with JET Partner Ascent and work within logistics and planning. Subsequent sessions both in and out of school to follow.
JET Ambassadors.
Following on from the successful completion of Blue Skies 3 in year 10, students from this cohort were given the opportunity to independently apply to become a JET Ambassador. We are delighted to announce that 3 of our students were successful in the application process and will now have the opportunity to remain involved with the Trust and engage with both local and national JET events. This could involve speaking and working with younger students, volunteering at charity events or attending fundraising galas etc. It is something they can continue to do whilst at BWA, College, University etc. It will look incredible on CV’s and applications for them moving forwards!
A further success to recognise for Brianna, Grace and George is that only 5 students nationally were selected to this role so to have 3 from Barnes Wallis Academy is an incredible achievement!
Building our Musical Community
We are absolutely delighted to be working this year with Lincolnshire Music Services. We have already developed a significant interest in guitar lessons with 4 small groups running across Wednesday and have growing numbers in our school choir.
If you would like to pick up an instrument and learn how to play then please contact Mr Lane our music teacher at Barnes Wallis Academy.
Barnes Wallis Open Evening/Open Mornings
Our recent Open Evening for Year 6 students went extremely well with standing room only. We were delighted with the strong turn out from our local community, but most proud of the 100 plus Barnes Wallis Students who volunteered to show off our beautiful school.
Mr O'Connor and Miss Dunsford gave a presentation to parents and the visitors were taken on a tour of all the faculty areas of the Academy.
The deadline for applications to secondary school is 31st October 2024 and with such a demand this year, parents are encouraged to apply on time.
Thank you to all the staff and students who supported on the evening.
Homework
Homework at BWA continues to go from strength to strength. We ended the term as top on the Seneca leader board regionally and in the top 2 within the Trust. We are incredibly proud of our students who not only engage with Seneca homework but also Sparx Maths and now Sparx Reader, with more than 305 books being read over the last 2 weeks.
Handbooks
We are proud to announce that all students now have their own student handbook, white board and pen to support their learning both inside and outside of the classroom, alongside a BWA Way, including ways for students to monitor their attendance and house points. These will be of incredible use to all of our students over the coming term as we carry out KPI assessments with all year groups, as well as developing revision skills.
Shrine of Progress
This Term we have introduced the 'Shrine of Progress'. So far, over 155 past exam papers have been completed independently by students, marked by staff, and detailed feedback has been provided to help them improve. Exam papers are still available for collection at BWA reception area.
Year 11 success
This Term has proven to be a busy but highly successful term for Year 11, with both morning and after school interventions taking place, which many of our Year 11's have taken full advantage of. We have held online events for Year 11s and parents/carers so that key messages could be delivered, one of which was our top tips for revision evening. As we approach half term, mock exams for English, Maths and Science have already taken place with the remainder of mock exams in the weeks when we return from half term. There has been lots of hard work and we wish you all the best as you continue to prepare for your mock exams.
Booster Sessions
Booster Sessions: After-school booster sessions are available to help strengthen understanding—Science on Mondays and Maths on Tuesdays: 3pm till 4pm.
Quiet Study Space: Room 59 is open during lunch, providing a quiet environment to study, complete homework, and use resources like Sparx Maths, Seneca Learning, and BBC Bitesize.
Remember, consistent practice is the key to perfecting your skills and achieving exam success!
MATHS UPDATE
A huge well done to our students at BWA who have had a great start at Sparx maths, with over 30,000 experience points being awarded and 126 students increasing their Sparx level since September. Names of students with great homework completion are randomly drawn in every class, every week. So far this school year 200 rewards have been awarded. Maths homework is set and due on a Wednesday. If your student has any issues getting on to Sparx please advise them to speak to their maths teacher.
At Barnes Wallis Academy, over the last few years we have ensured we celebrate attendance with rewards and challenges.
Challenges are against tutor groups, year groups and houses. Rewards are given for best attendance, best attendance on spot days and 100% attendance.
The Government has set a target of 95% attendance for all students. Currently at Barnes Wallis Academy, whole school attendance stands below this, so let’s see if we can improve as we go through the year.
The school opens at 8.22 am and starts at 8.30 am promptly when the gate is closed. Please make sure your child arrives to school on time as lateness can have big effect on learning and missed lesson.
As we come into the winter session it is important to still maintain high attendance.
High attendance gains better GCSE results. The more you are in school the more you achieve. We want all our students to achieve high grades at GCSE.
Please feel free to contact Miss Dunsford, for any advice or support to improve your child’s attendance.
Update from the Religious Education Curriculum
This term has been an exciting journey for our students in Religious Studies, with each year group delving into fascinating topics:
Year 7: Our Year 7 students have been exploring the concept of creation as depicted in Genesis 1. They have been engaging with various Christian beliefs about the origins of the world, fostering a deeper understanding of these foundational narratives.
Year 8: Have made a fantastic start by examining the concept of genealogy and its significant links to the covenants found in the Hebrew texts. This study helps students appreciate the historical and religious contexts that shape these ancient writings.
Year 9: Have moved onto study the realm of Eastern faiths, Year 9 students have begun their exploration with Buddhism. They are learning about the life and awakening of the Buddha, gaining insights into the core teachings and philosophies of this profound tradition.
INTERVENTIONS
At Barnes Wallis Academy, we are committed to ensuring every student reaches their full potential. To support this mission, we have implemented a variety of targeted English interventions designed to help students who may need extra assistance
English Interventions: Strengthening Literacy Skills
In English, we recognise the importance of literacy in a student's academic journey. Our reading and writing interventions provide focused support for those who may struggle with comprehension or expression. Through targeted workshops and one-on-one guidance, students enhance their reading skills and boost their writing proficiency. We also incorporate literature circles and peer collaborations to foster a love for reading and encourage critical thinking.
Monitoring Progress and Celebrating Success
We closely monitor student progress through regular assessments and feedback, ensuring that interventions are effective and responsive to each child's growth. We celebrate our students' successes, no matter how small, and provide ongoing support to keep them motivated.
By offering these tailored interventions, we are not only addressing academic challenges but also nurturing a growth mindset among our students. Together, with the support of our families and the community, we can empower our learners to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.
We also have a variety of interventions in place to Support our students with SEMH needs; this can be through ELSA, Lego Therapy, Think Good Feel Good, and Friendship Group.
If you have any questions about our intervention programmes or how to support your child’s learning at home, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
SPORTS NEWS
On Thursday 17th October over 100 students took part in the Winter Shield and we are delighted to announce the following results!
- Year 7-Netball 2nd
- Year 7- Football 4th
- Year 8-Netball 3rd
- Year 8-Football 5th
- Year 9-Netball 2nd
- Year 9-Football 3rd
- Year 10- Netball 2nd
- Year 10-Football 3rd
- Year 11- Football 4th
Well done to all the students who took part in the event and to Miss Otterburn and the Sports Team for organising and preparing the students for the event. More detailed information can be found in the Sports Newsletter which will be available after half term.
Congratulations to the two netball players who have been selected to be part of the U13 and U15 All Stars Netball teams this academic year. The students worked tirelessly throughout the trial's day, demonstrating excellent skills throughout coaching sessions and in match play. Well done girls, we look forward to seeing you progress throughout the year!
Congratulations to our Year 7 Students who won the Bronze medal in the year 7 DRET Rowing competition. We are already looking forward to the DRET rowing cup. The full schedule of DRET sports events can be seen below.
Message from Mr Thomas - Head of PD, RSE and Careers
Our key stage 4 careers assemblies are a vital part of our careers programme at Barnes Wallis Academy and have started well within our first term of this academic year. We have had speakers from a range from different organisations visit the academy and given their time to inform and inspire our pupils as they journey from education to employment. The organisations we have had this term have been Boston College, Access Creative – Lincoln, Riseholme College and Queen Elizabeth Grammar school, Horncastle.
Careers assemblies and other exciting careers focussed events will continue as we progress throughout the year. We are particularly looking forward in beginning the process of preparing our year 10 students with the fantastic opportunity of work experience, which will run during the summer term of 2025.
As part of our ongoing PSHE programme at Barnes Wallis Academy, all year 7 pupils were off timetable on the 10th of September. Pupils were involved in a series of workshops revolving around the concept of Safety. The 'Stay Safe Days” are delivered by the Lincolnshire Safety Partnership and aim to improve personal safety by making pupils aware of the consequences of their actions on themselves, their families, and the community.
Areas covered were:
- Anti-Social Behaviour with Gang Recruitment by Lincolnshire Police
- Road Safety by Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership
- Online Safety by Lincolnshire County Council
- Alcohol and Drug Awareness by Horizon
- Healthy Relationships by Lincolnshire Domestic Abuse Partnership
The day had excellent feedback from pupils and staff alike. These workshops encourage our pupils to reflect upon their behaviour, whilst also equipping them with the knowledge of how to respond to a range of safety issues, report any concerns and make positive choices.
Further Personal Development events will run throughout the year, giving our pupils the opportunity to become resilient, confident, healthy young people, where students’ self-respect and respect for others is key in order to achieve their full potential.
YEAR 7 and YEAR 8 Art Curriculum
This academic year has started with a new Curriculum for Year 7 and Year 8 Art.
This first term at Barnes Wallis Academy has seen our students creating wonderful art works exploring a variety of topics and mediums.
Year 7 and 8 sketchbooks illustrate an exciting time within the subject, where we, along with other academies within the Trust, are working upon a shared curriculum. The standards found within sketchbooks across key stage 3 have been most pleasing and demonstrate the pride that our pupils have when exploring and creating art.
Year 8 have been looking at how artists and designers use text and shape in their artwork and learning the key characteristics of time period of Pop Art specifically, the artist Corita Kent. So far they students have made a concertina book showing negative space.
Key stage 4 pupils continue to investigate their personal strengths and areas of interest, creating amazing works of art exploring such subject matters as the natural world to portraiture.
ENGLISH UPDATES
ORACY
At Barnes Wallis we are keen to develop our student’s oracy skills in lessons or during special events when they may be asked to speak in front of an audience. We want our students to develop into confident individuals who can express themselves verbally, justifying their opinions and answers when called upon. In lessons, when questioning our students, we encourage them to extend their replies through the core LEARN principle of ‘Respond like a scholar’. This involves students accurately using key vocabulary and full sentences. We are going to be focusing on strategies to support students with developing further oracy skills after half term both within lessons and during tutor times.
NGRT TESTS
All students in Key stage 3 have now completed their first NGRT (New Group Reading Tests) . This is a standardised assessment to measure students reading skills against the national average.
It is nothing for students to worry about. They will be expected to work through a variety of exercises to assess their knowledge of various parts of English.
The tasks will include sentence completion, passage comprehension and phonic exercises.
Using the computer students will work their way through the questions. They will need to make sure they read the questions carefully so that they understand what they are being asked to do.
Once completed, we will use this information to make sure we are supporting students in all lessons across the academy.
The results will also be sent home to your parents.
DRET READS
All students in Key Stage 3 spend 15 minutes every tutor time, listening to their tutor read from a range of classical and modern texts. In Year 7, students are reading the following texts: Asha and the Spirit Bird, Iliad and Odyssey, A Kestrel for a Knave, Noughts and Crosses and No Ballet Shoes in Syria. In Year 8, students are reading the following texts: I am Malala, The Giver, Becoming and The Book Thief. In Year 9, students are reading: Lord of the Flies, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Touching the Void and The Purple Hibiscus.
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a specialist service offering mental health assessment and intervention to young children who need additional support with their mental health.
If you believe your child needs additional support with their mental health, they can be referred by your GP, Social Worker, Educational Psychologist, Community Pediatrician or other Lincolnshire Partnership and NHS Trust staff. If your child requires urgent mental health support, please contact Central Access Point (CAP) at any time on 0800 800 3302.
Young Minds is a mental health charity for young children, young people and their parents to ensure that all young people get the mental health support they need.
Kooth offers free, safe and anonymous mental wellbeing support. When using Kooth you can chat to the team, read helpful articles, have community support and access self-help activities.
Shout is a 24/7, confidential and free text service from most mobile networks in the UK. To access shout, all you need to do is text 'SHOUT' to 85258.
Here are some posters with further information for parents.
As we come to the end of our first term, the SEND department would like to wish you all a great October break. All parents of children with SEND will be invited in to discuss their child's progress. Dates for your diary...w/c 9th December
- Year 7- 9.12.24
- Year 8 -10.12.24
- Year 9 -11.12.24
- Year 10-12.12.24
- Year 11 -13.12.24
The Bridge
This term we created our very own Internal Alternative Provision centre called The Bridge. This week we are excited to invite parents in to discuss the progress students have made and share some of the amazing work they have been doing. From our work on Powers in Maths to Consent in PSHE to Microscopes and Cells in Science, we have had to extend our 'Wall of Recognition'. We are super proud of all students involved.