TheCityTimes
Reminder - years 7-11 return to school on Wednesday 23 April following Easter Monday and staff training. MAR
20
A message from the Principal Mr. Emmerson This newsletter marks a significant point in the development of the academy. It is the last that our current year 11 will receive as they race towards their final GCSE exams which began with Drama on the 1st April.
You’re hired! HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and Nick Hewer visit the academy in support of the National Literacy Trust’s Words for Work project In recognition of our participation in the National Literacy Trust’s Words for Work project, the academy was honoured to host and welcome Patron, The Duchess of Cornwall to the project awards event last month. Year 9 student - and project participant - Katie Blyth (pictured above) reports: Today I got to interview someone who’s normally on the other side of the table: Nick Hewer from BBC reality TV series ‘The Apprentice’. Surprisingly, he seemed to be just as nervous to meet The Duchess as I was. When we interviewed him, he gave us some good advice. He told us to, “...have a sense of humour in the business world otherwise there won’t be a friendly and enthusiastic environment that encourages success.” Despite how nervous we felt when The Duchess of Cornwall came to shake my hand, she was very approachable and had a welcoming smile. Students at The City Academy, Hackney got to meet these VIPs as part of the Words for Work programme which we have been involved with since September. Words for Work is a project designed to help students improve their communication skills and build their confidence, improving their chances at interview and in the world of work.
During the project, we worked with business volunteers from our joint sponsor KPMG, conducting mock job interviews (like we did with Nick Hewer today) and delivering presentations. One activity I really enjoyed was playing slang taboo where you couldn’t say certain slang words such as ‘yeah’, ‘basically’ or ‘erm’. In fact, I’ve started to realise that I don’t need to use slang to make conversation or to answer a
question. Even better than that, if I don’t use slang I can present myself as a more intelligent, interesting and outgoing person. Before the project, I didn’t like to speak in front of people and I wasn’t always confident sharing my ideas. Now I feel much more able to speak out. Overall, I really enjoyed the day, meeting The Duchess and interviewing Nick Hewer; something I won’t forget any time soon. MAR
19
Creative currency Parent Staff Association discussion evening Thank you to our talented musicians and actors who performed at the Parent Staff Association’s annual discussion evening. The year 8 Project Band ensemble opened and our GCSE drama group performed excerpts from their exam pieces. Our talented art students were also on hand to discuss their work being exhibited. The event entitled ‘Creative Currency: the value of the arts in education’ was very well received and the best-attended yet. Special thanks also go to our guest speakers including Elijah’s father who is a Professor of Fine Arts at Sheffield Hallam University.
TheCityTimes - in print and online every half term |
www.thecityacademy.org/news |
Our current year 11 came to us in 2009, the year Barak Obama had just been elected as the first black President of America, and at that time we were very hopeful that we would develop and grow into a world class school that delivers excellent results and the highest possible standards in all the work we do. There have been many exciting things that have happened since: the trips, the sports days, the performances, the London Olympics and more recently the Royal visit, the ski trip, art exhibitions, Sport Relief and the Maths Challenge which all feature in this newsletter. It remains to be seen whether we achieve the exceptional results we are hoping for this year, but the first intake will be leaving us in a few weeks, and I would like to thank them and their parents for all that they have contributed to making The City Academy, Hackney a truly fantastic place to learn and to work. That will not be the last we see of many of them though, as up to 120 are due to return this September as part of our first Sixth Form intake. As always in schools, endings are quickly followed by beginnings, and as soon as we wipe away the prom party tears our attention needs to quickly switch to our three new priorities for 2014/15: creating an excellent Sixth Form; ensuring the new year 7 settle in well; and working very hard with the current year 10 to ensure that they achieve similar or better results in 2015. It was ever this way, and world class schools never rest, they are always looking to learn and improve for the wider benefit of the community they serve.
@cityacademynews |
flickr.com/tcah