Being - The Belvedere Academy Ezine - Spring 2023

EDITOR: Mrs Koltuniak

DESIGN: Mr Dykeaylen www.dykeaylen.co.uk

Many thanks to teaching staff who have contributed articles and photographs. For more

news please visit www.belvedereacademy.net

If you have any comments or suggestions for the magazine then please contact Mrs Erin Koltuniak: e.koltuniak@belvedereacademy.net

The Belvedere Academy, 17 Belvedere Road, Princes Park, Liverpool, L8 3TF. 0151 727 1284 E: info@belvedereacademy.net www.belvedereacademy.net

Winter Concert

Full houses and stellar performances

The Music Department has enjoyed another busy term at Belvedere! Following last year’s successful virtual Winter Concert, we were delighted to showcase the hard work of our pupils to a live audience in December. Approximately 180 students performed to two full houses and gave stellar performances both nights. For many of our younger students, this was the first time being part of a live production; a tremendous achievement!

Last year the Chamber Choir was awarded 1st place at the Wirral Music Festival, which was a marvellous achievement

The gym was a feast for the eyes as icicles and snowflakes danced on the wall while our musicians performed. The programme featured some Belvedere favourites such as “Somewhere in My Memory” and audience members tapped their feet along to the much-loved Celtic Woman arrangement of “Spaceman”.

We were also very proud to show off a handful of fantastic soloists in our department who sang beautifully.

Last year the Chamber Choir was awarded 1st place at the Wirral Music Festival, which was a marvellous achievement. If any student would like to join the Chamber Choir, please see Mr Deakin or Miss McGowan to arrange an audition.

The Music Department would like to thank the Arts Team and whole staff for their support during rehearsals and planning the event. We look forward to another musical term ahead!

The Music Department are currently seeking ways to increase our number of instruments at the academy in order to give our pupils the very best opportunity to learn a range of different skills in their academic lessons and enrichments.

If you have any preloved instruments at home which do not get played as much anymore and you would be happy to donate to a good home, we would love to hear from you. In particular, we are looking for orchestral instruments such as the violin, flute, trumpet or clarinet, as well as instruments such as guitars and drums.

If you have any instruments or equipment which you think could be put to good use at the academy, please do get in touch with myself or Miss McGowan via email at j.deakin@belvedereacademy.net or m.mcgowan@belvedereacademy. net. May we also take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued support of the Music Department at Belvedere.

Salut! From the 9th to the 11th December, Year 11 and Sixth Form French students visited Paris for the weekend! C’était génial!

We flew from Liverpool Airport (after having lunch and a quick trip to the duty free!), and landed in Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport at about 5pm. After disembarking the plane, we then ‘pris le train’ to our accommodation. The hostel was nice, the staff were very friendly and there was even a resident cat! We put our bags in our rooms and had a meal in the hostel restaurant,and it was then time to head out into Paris. On Friday night, we visited the Tour Montparnasse, which gave us a gorgeous view of the whole city at night. We even got to see the Tour Eiffel light up and sparkle. The Tour Montparnasse had a great many photo opportunities, and we all had a great time.

P RISTRIP 12/22

On Saturday morning, we woke up and had breakfast in the hostel, before heading out for a full day in Paris. Firstly, we took the Métro to the Galeries Lafayettes, a department store, for some shopping and to see the Christmas decorations around the shops. The shops were incredible and we could even go onto the rooftop to take in a wider view of the city in the morninga very different experience to the Tour Montparnasse view at night.

We then walked to the Tuileries Jardin Christmas market, via the Place Vendômea beautiful place full of stunning buildings and a plethora of shops, including a Dior shop! Upon arriving at the Christmas market, we were able to visit the many stalls and buy food there. It was very fitting to visit the Christmas markets, as it was only fifteen days until Christmas!

After leaving the market, we went to the Louvre. The outside of the art gallery was

beautiful, with the iconic pyramid, but it was even better on the inside. The paintings were beautiful and it was nice to see a more historical side to Paris. We were given free time to see the paintings, and we even saw the Mona Lisa! We liked visiting the Louvre, and it was an excellent experience.

However, my favourite activity on Saturday was the Bateaux Mouches on the River Seine. The views of Paris from the boat were stunning, especially the Tour Eiffel when it was lit up as the sun was setting.

There were also many bridges that the boat passed underneath, and it was fun to wave up from the boat to those on the bridges!

After arriving back at the hostel, we had our dinner together in the dining room. To finish off Saturday night, some of us gathered in the sitting area to watch England vs France in the World Cup. It was very tense! However, it was fun

Spring 2023

to see France win, especially when we were in France ourselves!

Unfortunately, Sunday was our last day in Paris, however we spent it at one of the most iconic buildings in Francethe Sacré-Cœur. We took the metro there, and we arrived in the beautiful Montmartre. We were there early in the morning, so it was relatively empty, meaning that we could take in the breathtaking views from the top of the hill where the Sacré-Cœur stood.Due to us being there at Christmas time, there was even a nativity on display! We all liked visiting the Sacré-Cœur, and felt as though it was a perfect end to a great trip. Finally, we arrived at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport, to get on our flight back home (to surprisingly snowy) Liverpool.

We all thoroughly enjoyed our ‘week-end à Paris’, and felt as though it was very helpful to be able to speak French eg. in shops, when ordering lunch. It was an amazing experience that I’m sure none of us will forget, and we’re all very glad to have been able to visit! Nous adorons Paris!

Isabella D, Year 11.

Congratulations to our Year 7 Valentine’s Bake Off winners! Thank you to the Year 7 Student Leaders and our Senior Student Leadership Team for hosting a great bake sale to raise money for the Epilepsy Society. Follow us @belvedereacademy

BELVEDERE WELCOMES Dr Gee Walker

It was both an honour and a privilege to welcome Dr Gee Walker to Belvedere last term, to conduct Sixth Form Assembly and a special lecture entitled ‘Let’s talk about race’. It is a rarity that you can hear a pin drop on campus, however, on this occasion it was absolutely the case. Gee’s talk was utterly captivating, and her message of hope and forgiveness resonated deeply with our Sixth Formers, staff and wider school community.

Following the racially motivated murder of her son Anthony in Huyton in 2005, Gee and Anthony’s friends and family did not want his murder to be another statistic and wanted his name to live on with a positive, lasting legacy. The following year they established the Anthony Walker Foundation, with the aim of combating racism and hate crime in order to build stronger safe communities.

Anthony too was studying for his A-Levels back in 2005, with aspirations to become a Human Rights Lawyer, with an undoubtedly bright future ahead. It was incredibly moving to hear Gee speak about Anthony, and how she has found the strength to change our world in the name of her son.

The Anthony Walker Foundation continues to make a significant contribution to the fight against racism, both on Merseyside and nationally.

Through Gee’s personal example, and via the work the foundation does, educating young people not only to fight against racism and prejudice, but also on the importance of kindness, compassion and community.

Forgiveness was a central theme which ran through Gee’s Assembly. Every parent reading this would understand if Gee felt nothing but hatred and repulsion for her son’s killers. However instead, Gee spoke to our school community about how she has

learnt to forgive. Her words, and the lecture from the foundation which followed, struck a chord with our students in so many ways.

At Belvedere, we celebrate diversity and uniqueness, giving everybody in our community a voice and accepting them for who they are. Similarly, we embrace the importance of caring for and respecting each other. Gee and her family’s commitment to refusing to let hate or anger overwhelm them, is an important message to us all. Instead, she has ensured

Anthony’s life and legacy are celebrated in a positive way.

We are immensely grateful to Gee and the team at the Anthony Walker Foundation for taking the time to visit Belvedere, and we will continue to educate our young people to make the right choices for themselves, to promote active citizenship, and to reduce instances of bullying and hate crime wherever we find it.

https://anthonywalkerfoundation.com

Exciting times ahead as House 11 nears completion

INSIDE NO. 11

2023 will mark a new chapter in the site life of The Belvedere Academy as the enabling works that we have been having done in House 11 are completed in preparation for the building of six brand new classrooms and a new courtyard area.

House 11 was purchased by GDST in the 1990s for use by Belvedere. It is one of the classic Victorian villas that occupy Belvidere Road and gave the school additional accommodation over four floors. The house has had a varied history from private home to more recently, a convent. It still boasts several original features such as beautifully tiled floors, fantastic windows, stair balustrades, cornices and fireplaces. Its staircase is particularly interesting as it is right in the middle of the house and goes from the ground floor all the way up to the second floor making it quite the feature - and quite the headache when you are trying to modernise it for use in a C21st school! All these features have been protected by our construction team and architects and so the end result should be a fabulous combination of old and new.

During its time as a convent, a lift was put through the centre of the staircase. We have never been able to use this lift and yet it dominated the whole building. The convent also divided up many of the existing rooms into tiny bedrooms and inserted mini staircases in the most unusual places.

Until last summer, we were using House 11 for a range of different purposes. Food Technology and Graphics were situated in the basement and Media Studies on the first floor. We also had a Sixth Form study space on the

first floor alongside one of our Sixth Form common rooms, and a series of teaching rooms for our sixth form classes.

With our growth in numbers, we knew that we would need larger Creative Arts spaces as well as additional room for Student Support and the extra new classrooms, so during 2021, Finance Director Marie Doherty, Estates and Maintenance Coordinator, Mick McDonagh and I started thinking about how we could make our site more fit for purpose. If you know our school site well, you will appreciate what a challenge it is - beautiful but challenging! The old parts of the school, much loved and admired by all of us, don’t easily translate into modern facilities fit for our young people and staff today. Poor Mick had to put up with my crazy, “Let’s just knock through those two rooms” suggestionsthe type that would result in the building falling down! We also asked Ellis Williams Architects, who had worked with us on the Forget Me Not building, to do a feasibility study and it seemed that House 11 and the space behind it would be the ideal answer.

Although the major build is funded by Liverpool City Council as it will enable us to

fulfil their request to take additional pupils, there are some projects which Mick and his team completed themselves. One of these was our new Food Technology room now situated in what was an art room overlooking the back of the building. This is the most perfect room for Food Tech with its French windows onto the back of the school and plenty of light. Mick, Gary and Terry have created a large and airy space which is central to the school.

House 11 meanwhile has been totally revamped. The removal of the old lift shaft and its replacement with a glass lift will enable light to flood the building all year round. We have also opened up what was the basement and the ground floor. The ground floor will create a new, large and light art space with an additional self-study Creative Arts space adjacent to it plus a larger and lighter Media Studies room, and new toilets. The original basement has also been opened up completely and will be a bespoke Sixth Form social space with areas for collaborative working as well as relaxing and large glass doors onto a courtyard outside which will be created by the ground level being lowered outside as part of the

Sixth Form Social Space

Spring 2023

new classrooms build. This will complement additional Sixth Form study space on the first floor of House 11 and the large existing workspace in what was the Year 12 Common room. On this floor, there will also be a kiosk which will open out to the courtyard selling food and drinks at break and lunchtime.

One of the most exciting aspects of the project is the creation of a new Student Support area on the top floor. This will be the base for our SEND and Learning Mentor teams. It is one of the nicest spaces in the school with views over Liverpool to the Welsh hills and beyond. The rooms which have been created have provided flexible work spaces, teaching areas, a new “Safe Haven” style base, counselling rooms and toilets. The area is easily accessible by the new lift, very close to the canteen and has its own entrance.

The project has not been without its challenges! It is a very old and quirky building and there have been plenty of surprises along the way which have delayed the project. The war In Ukraine, Brexit, the recession have all taken their toll in terms

of cost and timescale and have led us to make several changes to the scope of what we wanted to do and we are grateful to constructors Eric Wright for what will be an excellent job. Eric Wright have also provided career education opportunities whilst they have been on site which Year 9 pupils have been able to take advantage of.

The finished House 11 will be handed back to us soon and we hope to be fully moved in by after Easter. The next part of the build - the lowering of ground level behind House 11 and the construction of a new block of 6 classrooms will then begin.

As any of you who have embarked on your own building project will know, it’s not easy! Marie and Mick, alongside our Project Manager Barry Smith from MAC Construction, have been brilliant and the impact on day to day life at Belvedere has been minimal. I can’t wait to see these new facilities up and running and I know that they will be a fantastic addition to the academy as we move forwards.

Julie Taylor

Self Study Area

Sixth Form Space

Stunning Normandy

Year 8 and 9 enjoy an amazing adventure

Where do I begin? I was so excited to take part in the Y8/9 Normandy trip, however the nerves soon kicked in whilst waiting for the bus to leave the school.

After a long journey and lack of sleep I was not disappointed. The chateau was surrounded by lots of woodland and animals roaming freely.

From the moment we arrived we felt welcomed and went straight into a crammed packed schedule of activities. Archery, bread making, a trip to Bayeux, Arromanches and my favourite was the

visit to Mon Saint Michel. Even if we did walk through quicksand! I would recommend a visit there… it’s stunning!

The trip was rounded off by a Frenchwith a Halloween twist themed fancy dress party, where those brave enough got to try eating snails!

Despite the tiredness, I had a fabulous time and would definitely like to take part in another foreign school trip.

Thank you very much for organising such a brilliant trip!

Jessica C - Year 8

Be: Inspired Futures Week

We are delighted to report that Y12 Be: Inspired Futures Week will take place Monday 26th June-Friday 30th June 2023. This is a fantastic opportunity for our Y12 students to be thinking about their future pathways and ensure they are well prepared for whichever field they should choose to pursue beyond Belvedere.

After several years of unavoidable Covid disruption forcing work experience weeks virtual/in school careers activities, this is a wonderful opportunity for your child to gain a fully rounded workplace experience for 5 days. Work experience is a vital part of our Sixth Form experience. It not only complements the academic skills they develop in school, but also equips them with skills that cannot be taught in the classroom, ensuring they are well prepared for life beyond Belvedere. Increasing numbers of universities and employers desire relevant voluntary or work experience from their applicants. Whether our Y12 students are considering higher education, an apprenticeship or post 18- employment, Be: Inspired Futures is a highly important part of their Sixth Form journey.

We are keen moving forward to involve our families in the Careers offering at Belvedere. If any of our Parents/Carers have any capacity to accept some of our Sixth Formers on a week’s work experience on the aforementioned dates, please complete the attached Google Form by scanning the QR code below.

We look forward to working with you.

Mr N Blair

E: N.Blair@belvedereacademy.net

At Belvedere Sixth Form we are proud to nurture the students’ physical and mental wellbeing, alongside their academic subjects, through our Be:Life Ready programme. This personal development programme offers the students the opportunity to be prepared for adult life and to think creatively about the world.

After exploring various themes including wellbeing, relationships and pathway choices with their From Tutors each week, they ended the term with a self-defence workshop led by Sensei Ian Griffiths and Year 12 student Della-Rose. While some students were nervous about what the workshop might look like, they all agreed that it was a fantastic learning experience and a highlight of their time in sixth form!

One of our Year 12 students, Dylan, shares his thoughts: “In my opinion, the Be-Life ready programme is extremely beneficial to our lives as students. It allows us to develop knowledge about a variety of different topics, including stress management

Self-Defence Workshop

and finance. We also have the opportunity to gain important skills that will help us in the future, including self defence. I feel extremely privileged to be given these sessions, and I certainly feel more confident about these key subjects.

Self defence is a vital life skill that should be taught in all schools, yet it is regularly overlooked. I think it is particularly important in our all girls school, especially as we become more independent. Self defence training can provide us with the necessary skills to feel confident and safe while we move into adulthood. Having these self defence skills can prevent unwanted situations and protect us at our most vulnerable. While we would never want to use these capabilities, it is critical that we have them.

The Be:Life Ready session was my first experience in self defence apart from when I was in primary school. When I was around 8, I took part in a brief session covering some basic self defence skills. I did not find these demonstrations as informative as the recent session, and there were more limitations due to our age. Since this was my first time

However, the coaches made sure the activities were accessible to everyone.

The time consisted of a group of us students being guided by multiple professionals and one of our students, Della. During the sessions, we learnt multiple skills, including how to react when attacked, and how to break free if anyone ever grabs your arm. We were also taught how to properly form a fist and how to wind someone. We were frequently offered one-on-one guidance on how to perfect our skills, and we watched multiple demonstrations outlining important techniques. These capabilities will definitely stay with us and can be readily applied in any circumstance.

The session taught me that anybody, despite having no experience, can always acquire new abilities and that it is never too late to educate yourself and improve your skill set.”

We look forward to hosting future Be:Life Ready events with the students. We are always looking to increase our network of guest speakers; please get in touch with info@belvedereacademy.net if you would be interested in sharing your knowledge and expertise in your field of work.

Geography students out and about

Fantastic field trips and investigations

We’ve been lucky to get out on some Geography field trips with Upper School this term; and for most of them we managed to avoid the rain!

Year 9 studied the impact of urbanisation at several sites across the local area. They chose their foci as the environment, traffic and pedestrians,

with an aim to link these factors together and made comparisons between the sites.

Back at school, their accurate data collection meant they could present their findings using a GIS computer programme, and then analyse the data and evaluate the investigation.

Meanwhile Year 11 were lucky enough to enjoy two days of fieldwork for their GCSE course. Unfortunately, however, the sun only shone on one of those days but they concluded that you can’t be a ‘proper’ Geography student unless you’re happy to get a bit wet in the name of fieldwork.

The group visited Liverpool to complete their investigation ‘How have different cultures contributed to Liverpool city centre?’, and then New Brighton beach, to study the influence of its location on coastal processes.

Lower School and A Level students are looking forward to completing their fieldwork investigations later this year.

The Belvedere Academy has been one of Read For Good’s best participants over the years. Most schools have run at least one sponsored read - the Readathon - since they began in 1984 but only a handful have embraced it like we have. Through eleven Readathons since 2008, we have raised £2722 for charity. We have been awarded a special certificate to mark this achievement and showcase our commitment to reading for pleasure. Follow us @belvedereacademy

Author Sophie Anderson paid a virtual visit to our Year 7s. They have all read Sophie’s debut fantasy novel, The House With Chicken Legs, in their English lessons.

Sophie answered questions about life as an author, her inspirations and writing process.

Visits like this can inspire young people to believe that they too, can be published writers some day. Dream big, Year 7! Follow us @belvedereacademy

Mandarin Club

Every month Year 7 have the opportunity to join the Mandarin club and learn more about Chinese culture to supplement their language learning. Here is what one student had to say:

‘For the past few months I have been attending Mandarin Chinese club which I have enjoyed very much. There have been a variety of different activities every time including learning about the Chinese mid autumn festival, making origami rabbits, testing Chinese snacks and more! Going to this club has helped me learn more about Chinese culture and events that they take part in. I look forward to going to this club again.’

Top Driving Tips

I’ve asked some of my friends who have passed for their top driving tips:

Anticipate the other drivers the most because not everybody sticks to the rules

It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Be confident, because even if you go wrong your driving instructor has pedals too!

Definitely invest in some P plates after you pass because it lets other drivers give you more room and you can get used to driving by yourself.

If you have the opportunity to get insurance on someone else’s car, do it! The more practice in between your lessons the better.

Anticipate well ahead and use your initiative.

Learning how to drive!

By Senior Student Leader, Yasmin D.

How did you feel before your very first lesson? On one hand I was so excited to finally be able to drive but on the other hand I was also feeling very nervous. This is totally normal, and every driver has been in this position before but we have to start somewhere. It’s also important to remember that your instructor isn’t going to expect that you can immediately drive and he assured me that he wasn’t going to throw me in the deep end- not straight away anyway!

Do the nerves of driving disappear?

In my personal experience, yes. After my first lesson I came out feeling so proud of myself and I couldn’t wait for my next lesson to develop my driving skills.

What have you found the hardest about learning how to drive a car?

It’s so important that you are confident in yourself and that you do not doubt your decisions. This is what I struggle with, and although I know I’m a capable driver I do sometimes second guess myself.

Why do you want to be able to drive so much? One of my top 3 goals for 2023 is to pass my driving test! I am slightly envious of my friends who have already passed their test, and I am definitely sick of being stuck in the passenger seat. I can’t wait for the independence that will come with getting my driver’s license, especially as we approach the summer. And although I am almost 18 and will soon officially be an adult, once I pass my test that’s when I’m truly going to feel grown up!

What’s my biggest tip for when it comes to learning how to drive? As some of you may know, in order to even book your practical test you have to pass a theory test, made up of two parts taken at the same timemultiple choice and hazard perception. In my opinion as soon as you turn 17, and once you have applied for a provisional license, try to book your theory test and start revising. Once that is done and you have passed it, that is one less thing to worry about and in fact is very useful when you are practically learning to drive.

What were the New Year’s of our Senior Student Leadership

Yasmin: Focus on self care. I know that this year is certainly going to be a busy one for me and I’m sure that at times I’m going to feel under a lot of pressure and have high levels of stress. By dedicating some time to self care, whether that be a 10 minute outdoor walk or giving myself a little pamper, this will help me manage stress, reduce anxiety and even make me feel more energised.

Meda: Becoming the best version of myself. This year I do not want to make the same mistakes as I did last year and this can apply to anything, school and outside life. I would definitely say I’m sticking to it as I’m taking my religion more seriously, helping me to be more optimistic, relaxed and have a routine with school again.

Lauren: Stop making excuses. If you need the time, you make it - this is something my brother told me growing up. To start the year, I stopped working a part-time job as it disrupted my studies and destroyed my physical and mental health while balancing my education. Instead, I am focusing again on what matters most to me: the relationships with those around me, education, this team and building myself up again through jiu-jitsu.

Anoosh: To start taking care of myself and get back into my fitness regime. I’ve started to make daily to-do lists to help me manage my time with school work and looking after myself.

Rachel: To be more positive in life no matter what, better time management and take my religion much more seriously. I’ve chosen this because I feel that these things are essential life skills to help achieve my ambitions in life. I now make time tables, or things to complete by the end of the week to get things done.

Hope: To be more ambitious, I think I’ve lost a bit of my ambition last year with the stress of A-levels and overall life and I think that if I start dreaming big again I will feel more direction and purpose to my work that will help me power through these next few months. Imagining my future and figuring out what I want to achieve in life has helped so far. Anything is possible!

Harriet: My New Year’s Resolution is to read more. I think it’s such an important thing and even just to read for half an hour always improves the

Leadership Team?

way I’m feeling and makes me feel really motivated. Currently I’ve got a list of books that sound interesting that make me want to read them and have been really enjoying getting through them!

Amakai: To stay organised with emails. Last year I barely checked my personal emails but now with uni updates and interviews I’ve decided to organise my emails and go through them everyday.

Lillie: To spread more love. I think for us in Year 13 we’re getting to a really daunting time in our academic careers. Bringing more love and joy to school everyday is a way to keep ourselves grounded in the upcoming months and remind everyone that we’re all in this together.

Lyra: To be more organised. I am keeping a planner and making ‘to do’ lists.

Another day, another dissection in Biology! This time Y12 got over their fears and successfully examined the gas exchange systems of a locust. #womeninscience #womeninstem #girlsinstem #stemeducation #stemwomen #futuremedics #gdstfamily. Follow us @belvedereacademy

Belvedere played host to a Winter Wonderland that transformed the gym into a sparkly snow scene with silvery snowflake walls and festive fun-filled stalls.

This was the creation of the Mental Health Ambassadors, who decided they wanted to put on an event to add a little magic to the winter term. In the lead up to the event we asked the whole school to make a snowflake during an Enrichment so they could be displayed falling down the Belvedere blue walls of the gym. It was great to have everyone represented by their unique creations.

On the day of the event, pupils were invited to attend during their lunch time, and could participate in an array of activities. On offer was biscuit decorating with icing and sprinkles, card making with

stamps and pom poms, snowball throwing for a chance to win a chocolate coin, tombola with prizes including beauty sets and toys, sparkly snowflake face painting, paper snowflake making, a winter wish tree for pupils to send some positivity, and name the polar bear. The room was full of laughter and smiles, with what was a particularly large queue for the face painting- likely due to the addition of glitter! The winner of the giant polar bear was Suki H in Year 7, and her chosen name was Milk.

After the Winter Wonderland event some lucky Year 7s were invited to watch a Winter Showcase, a variety act put on by drama and dance. Pupils from all year groups performed pieces such as stand up comedy, contemporary dance, group,

Iced biscuits, snowball throwing, snowflake making and winter wishes…

It doesn’t get more festive than that!

solo and duet dances, musical theatre and street dance. Parents and carers were invited to cheer on their children later that evening too - all the performances were absolutely spellbinding.

We continued the Winter Wonderland magic after school, and opened the event to our community of Belvedere families. We welcomed over 100 people through our doors and were able to entertain the littleones of staff and parents with the numerous activities, and by inviting a special guest… Yes, Father Christmas made an appearance in his present-adorned grotto, offering smiles and gifts to all who visited. He even had a little dance on stage with some of his elves! To support everyone during the current financial pressures, we collected and offered food and other necessities as food parcels in the evening.

We decided to raise money for local charity, Food Cycle, which offers an invaluable service all year round, but especially around Christmas time as they provide food and community for those in need. I’m pleased to say that we raised over £300 through the raffle, tombola and name the polar bear games.

A massive thank you to all the Mental Health Ambassadors that helped with ideas, decorations and facilitation on the day. More thanks go out to the Arts team who supported setting up, our Estates Team for their endless hard work, the Catering staff for guidance, and for Mrs Marshall and Mrs Taylor for their continued championing of positive mental health.

A fantastic end to a fantastic term!

Spring 2023

Being able to speak to Vassilia from Jellyfish was incredibly inspiring and useful as it gave us valuable insight into how the Industry runs and the vast variety of branches and jobs available simply within the technology industry.

Frankie, Y13 IT CTec Student

It was a really fun day, I chose the Primark challenge and even made some new friends.

Shahd, Y8 Computing

>> In November almost fifty Computing students from Y8 and Y9 had the opportunity to take part in a BIMA challenge to create sustainable technology concepts for both Royal Mail and Primark.

The winning teams at Belvedere drove a hard bargain for the judges Miss Foster, Mr Cartwright and our visitor Vassilia from Jellyfish.com. Vassilia spoke at length to the students about her job and many others at the company who create marketing over multi platforms for the Tech Industry.

The younger students were supported and mentored on the day by our fabulous Sixth Form IT students, who as part of their A Level Vocational course gain experience from meeting people who work in the IT Computing Industry. Students homed in on their creative and entrepreneurial skills whilst keeping sustainability at the heart of their solutions.

“Each role she described seemed full of possibility and only reinforced my desire to pursue IT as a career, once I finish school next year.” Frankie, Y13 IT CTec Student

“It was really fun, I can’t wait to see who won! Presenting was amazing and it gave me a confidence boost. Creating a presentation with my group was great and I found out many new facts about Royal Mail and technology :)” Fatima, Y9 Computing

“As a Sixth Former being able to meet and speak to someone who is a part of the Computing Industry and learn more about the vast amount of opportunities within the sector, I could make easy connections from my IT TecL3 lessons to the industry. It was also incredibly inspiring to see all the students working together and the large quantity of new and brilliant ideas they came up was refreshing.” Nicola, Y12 IT CTec Student

>> The winning teams for both challenges

>> Royal Mail Challenge

Main Winning Group: Sophia D, Fatimah S, Eva C, Sandra K, Ella K Y9

Commendations: Group 1 - Meadow Y, Vicky Y8. Group 2 - Olivia SM, Sasmitha T, Claudia P Y8

>> Primark Challenge

Main Winning Group: Ciara J, Jasmine Q, Zuzanna K, Teo U Y9

Commendations: Group 1 - Keeley W, Mai S, Maryam Q Y9. Group 2 - Emma S, Charlotte M, Imogen K , Millie M Y8

>> Very well done to all students who took part and watch out for more opportunities to get involved with IT Computing Events as the school year unfolds. There really is no better time to gain Computing & IT qualifications with over 13,000 jobs in Cyber Security forecast for Liverpool in the next ten years.

Our Y12 Health and Social Care students visited a simulation ward at LJMU, where they learned how to take blood pressure readings and resuscitate patients. This gave them a greater understanding and appreciation of what it is like to be a nurse, and our students found it really fascinating! #gdst #nhs #ljmu #nursing #medicine Follow us @belvedereacademy

What do you do at Belvedere?

JH I am the Senior Science Technician and I prepare stock solutions for Chemistry. I ensure that all the practicals are ready for lessons.

JG I prepare for practical lessons and I also help with Year 7 and 8 football. I also play bass guitar when needed, for example for the Sister Act production.

SK I also help to prepare for practical lessons and I make sure the teachers and students have what they need for experiments.

How long have you worked here for?

JH 35 years.

JG nearly a year.

SK since the last week in December 2022.

What do you like about your role?

JH Every day is different and I like preparing for open days, open evenings, displays, things like that.

JG The job is very varied and I like working in the team I am in. It’s very different from working in a restaurant!

SK I like working with the other technicians and with the science department staff. This job is giving me experience and it is the stepping stone to be able to work where I want. I am kept active all the time.

What do you like about Belvedere?

JH I like the people I work with. I’ve seen so many changes over the years with going from GDPST to GDST, then becoming an Academy- I’ve worked under 5 different headteachers! I have made friends over the years and there’s a nice atmosphere here.

JG There’s so much good character here. My school didn’t have anything like culture day for example. There was no motto, there was no sense of belonging so there’s quite a big difference at Belvedere. Even if people have had a rollercoaster here, they will still leave with a sense of belonging to Belvedere and that they are a Belvedere person. I like the canteen staff and I really enjoy their food.

SK Now I’m a member of staff and not a student, I see things differently. The staff members are very involved in students’ lives… not just academic in general but checking that students are ok, obviously with boundaries. It’s really inclusive and the staff are dedicated to your wellbeing. Everybody is really welcoming and lovely to each other and lovely to work with and joke with.

Have you always been a Science Technician or have you had other jobs too?

JH When I left school, I worked in a quality control lab for Fisons in Widnes. I left there when I had my daughter and then I went to work at Rainhill hospital in the Occupational therapy department for a few years. Then I started at belvedere. I left the hospital because it was only part time and when this job came up, my daughter had started school and it fitted in brilliantly.

JG When I left school I went to uni and then I was a quality control technician at Cain’s brewery. They basically made us all redundant and shut it down after a few years. I’ve had lots of jobs so I worked in

a restaurant, I was a cleaner then I got a temporary placement at Maghull High as a Science Technician. I then worked in a school in St. Helens as a Teaching Assistant, at Blue Coat as a Teaching Assistant then I completed a PGCE primary. I worked in Belle Vale as a Teaching Assistant for a few years then I came to Belvedere.

SK I’ve had a few jobs, mostly waitressing. I used to work in The Brunch and Cocktail Club in town and now I work at Albert Schloss on Bold Street as well as this job.

What do you do when you’re not at school?

JH I also work at a retirement home for the De La Salle Brothers and on a Saturday morning, I cook their lunch. I like gardening, baking and I do a lot of reading. I like easy, light-hearted reading before bed but if the book is really interesting, I can’t put it down.

JG I like playing football a lot. I’m also in an Irish band so we practise a few times a week - I play bass guitar. I’m soon off to play a wedding gig in Halifax. I’m doing my FA coaching badges at the moment as well and I hope to get an employed role throughout the summer doing some coaching.

SK My main thing is playing piano for my church and during services and conferences. I am a waitress and I’m currently doing driving lessons. I am trying to travel lots this year as well. I hope to go to Croatia, Paris and to visit family in the USA for a month. I also like to go to Wales.

JH JOAN HUYTON JG JOHN GALLAGHER SK SIKI FYNEMAN-KALIO

Spring 2023

What music do you like?

JH I like classical to be honest but because I’m old, I’m into Motown.

JG I like rap and Irish music. I grew up in a household which played a lot of music from Irish bands like the Dubliners.

SK I listen to rap, R&B, gospel, afropop. Those are the main genres.

If you have a favourite food, what is it?

JH A really good lasagne.

SK My aunty makes the best lasagne every Sunday.

JG It used to be curry but now I’d say Turkish food like grilled chicken with rice and bread.

SK Anything rice-related and you can’t go wrong. I do like a nice curry and rice.

If you’re watching tv, what are you watching?

JH Silent Witness, I love it.

JG Rick and Morty cartoon. It’s based on “Back to the Future”. Oh, and Match of the Day!

SK I’ve just started “Breaking Bad”.

What are you reading at the moment?

JH I really like autobiographies, especially the Rob Burrow book. I like to read about anyone in Rugby League.

JG Every Christmas people buy me a book. At the moment I’m reading one by Tim Key and it’s about lockdown and him going mad in his own house because of everything closing during the pandemic.

SK I’ve not read in a long time but i really want to get back into it. The last book I read was “Noughts and Crosses” by Malorie Blackman. That was a really good book. Then I focused on revision.

Do you like sport?

JH Rugby League! It’s an addiction. I have a season ticket for Saints and go to the games most weeks.

JG Football is my main sport. I play badminton at a jubilee centre in Kensington. I used to like yoga and friends are trying to get me to go to hot yoga but I’m not sure about it. I support Liverpool and Celtic football teams.

SK I like sport- anything that involves me being active. I’m going to get back into playing sport. I used to play hockey and tennis but I’ve not played for about a year. I watch a lot of tennis. I support Liverpool.

Is there a motto you live by?

JH My Dad always used to say to us “There’s no such word as can’t”

JG If you’re worried about something, ask yourself if it’s going to be important in 5 years’ time. If not, don’t stress

SK I hold onto my faith and my Mum always says “Don’t worry about the things of tomorrow as they’ll worry about themselves”. It’s about being present and doing what you can do to be ready for the next day.

JH JOAN HUYTON JG JOHN GALLAGHER

SK SIKI FYNEMAN-KALIO

Spring in to Spring

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After a long winter it is always helpful to focus on the gifts of Spring that lead us from the long days of darkness and into the warmth and colour of a new year. Celebrating spring has been happening almost as long as humanity itself. Pagan rituals at Ostara celebrate renewal and abundance with the planting of seeds, observing and celebrating the new life that arises from the change in the seasons.

Whether religious or not, there is no doubt that with the events of the last twelve months there is a real need to inject some colour and hope into our lives. Festivities that take place annually at this time of year provide a focus for this. All of the spring festivals carry with them symbolism that we could benefit from whilst emerging and recovering from the Covid Pandemic.

Hindus celebrate the vibrant festival of Holi at this time of year which remembers the story of Prahlad overcoming the evil Holika. We all have had to overcome struggles in the past year and so this battle of good over evil is a helpful concept to focus on. Hindus all over the world may embrace the symbolism of colour at this festival by smearing each other with paint, and throwing coloured powder and dye around in an atmosphere of great good humour which is a great way to start the new year with fun positivity. Different cultures enjoy festivals such as Sonjkran in Thailand in which there is a mass water fight where people splash chilling water on the passers-by.

In Japan, Hanami celebrates the cherry blossom trees reminding us of the impermanence of life, a good reminder today that hard times that we are facing will pass.

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Who can resist an Easter egg? With origins in Paganism celebrating the emergence of new life and later symbolism linked to Jesus’ resurrection and emergence from his tomb. The focus on new life after hard times is one that may just help people to carry on and give them hope.

Whether you have a faith or not, Spring is a great time to spread optimism of new growth and renewal in all of our lives.

New club, new business? Take advantage of our amazing facilities hire

We have a range of excellent facilities available to hire. If you are interested in hiring any of our facilities, please e-mail Hannah Miller at Facilities@belvedereacademy.net

SPORTS HALL

27m x 15m. This is a multi-use court and has floor markings for netball, badminton, football, basketball and volleyball. Netball and football goal posts are out in the hall and are available for use. Currently used for 5-a-side football, netball training, fencing, badminton, and futsal.

MULTI-USE HALL WITH STAGE*

18m x 11m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions and exercise classes. It has also been used as a yoga space in the past and for theatre and musical productions.

DANCE STUDIO

7m x 9m. Currently used as a space for church groups, theatre/dance sessions.

DRAMA STUDIO

10m x 10m. Currently used as a space for church groups, conferences/talks, theatre/dance sessions. Capacity with tiered seating – 140 seats.

CLASSROOMS

6 brand new classrooms. Modern furniture and large screen digital displays.

BREAKOUT SPACE

Airy and light space with a capacity of 200. Ideal for conferences, meetings, celebrations or coaching.

FLOODLIT NETBALL COURT

*The PA system is not included in the price of this room and is not available for use.

*The PA system is not included in the price of this room and is not available for use.

Image credits: page 5 - Vecteezy.com