The City Times Spring 1 2012

TheCityTimes Spring Term 1 | 2012/13

Returning to the classroom adds up for Academy parents

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Cover story: Maths Subject Evening

Mr. Page shows his working and helps explain the answer to a higher level, linear equation.

Parents return to the classroom On Wednesday 30 January, the maths department welcomed parents and their children into the classroom for an evening of outstanding learning.

Organised each year by the Parent Staff Association, our Subject Evenings offer parents/carers the opportunity to experience learning first hand at The City Academy, Hackney. Our newly appointed Subject Leader Maths, Mr. Page, bravely began the lesson by asking parents to tackle a series of linear

Contents Cover story

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Cover story (continued)

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The Crucible

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In pictures: classroom highlights

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Sports and Additional Studies

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Merit winners / Accelerated Reader

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Key dates for the half term ahead

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equations of varying difficulty, allowing parents to gauge their own starting level or ability. Having done so, parents were invited to record their starting levels on the whiteboard. The challenge: for the teacher and ‘students’ to show clear progress by the end of the lesson.

Working on mini whiteboards, our parents could show their working as they set to work on a series of matching exercises and equations designed to check and consolidate prior knowledge whilst making it clear what our learners needed to do to move forward.

Jo, a new Year 7 parent said: “...the maths taster session was brilliant. It was fantastic to experience a lesson and I learnt how to support my child by using My Maths. Please run more sessions in other subjects.”

Not only was the taster session a great opportunity to experience life in the classroom but it also allowed parents to ask important questions and find ways

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Cover story (continued) to further support their child’s progress.

One such way, in maths, is MyMaths.

Each week students are set a book-based homework and an online homework on MyMaths.com. One of the benefits of this online service is that parents can recap the topic being taught, refresh their own understanding of it as well as support their child by completing sample questions and following a stepby-step lesson that accompanies the test the students are set.

“

I learnt how to support my child by using MyMaths.

”

Parents were also reminded that in maths, an overview of the lessons and homework for the term can be found in the front of students’ exercise books. In addition, every exercise book in every subject has a target sheet on the inside front cover outlining a student’s starting level, target grade and assessments throughout the academic year. Just like our ePortal service, use this to keep track of your child’s progress or perhaps to source additional materials pitched at the right level to support their learning.

Target level and course outline sheets in the front of a student’s maths exercise book.

Matching equations against the clock.

We value our partnerships with parents and carers as we understand that a key factor in the academic success of our students is their parents’ engagement in their education. Feedback from our various parental contact events including Consultation Week, Parent Day and Parent Staff Association evenings is always very positive.

See page 8 or the Events page on our website for details of upcoming events.

Elected Parent Governor Thank you to all our parents/carers who put themselves forward for our Parent Governor vacancy at the end of last term, and thank you to everyone who voted.

We are pleased to announce that Year 7 parent, Toyin Agbetu, has been elected a Parent Governor.

The academy has applied to increase its parent governor quota from one to three. Once agreed, we will be asking parents to nominate themselves again. If you’d like to apply, please send an expression of interest email to: adam.smith@thecityacademy.org.

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The Crucible Monday 17 & Tuesday 18 December We rounded off last term with the first of many GCSE drama productions.

Performing Arthur Miller’s The Crucible our Year 10 students produced an incredibly professional and captivating piece of stage theatre.

Reflecting on their performances our students said: “Performing this play enabled me to explore the mind of an entirely different persona. I know this will benefit me because it enabled me to think how and why a character might think and act in a range of situations.”

- Tarik Clavier “I played Abigail Williams and I enjoyed it very much. The aspect of the character I enjoyed most was the constant, dramatic change of emotions; it wasn’t easy to do,

but it helped me grow as an actor.”

- Louise Barco-Morgan “We produced an amazing play. I learnt a few things... I am able to change the tempo of my spoken language... stressing the right words can lead to more power.”

- Alpay Hassan “I really enjoyed coming out of my comfort zone and trying something new.”

- Ramaar Morgan-Johnson The drama department would like to thank everyone for coming and for all the support with the production. Thanks to the Parent Staff Association and City Challenge students for baking some delicious, homemade cakes on sale during the interval.

To read more of our students’ views on their performances log on to the News page of our website.

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In pictures: classroom highlights

Homemade homework Marion, Lisa, Tilly and Heera with their homemade internal organs in Ms Begum’s Year 7 science class.

Textiles in the making Working with visiting educational charity Fashion Awareness Direct, Ms Kuh’s textiles class collage, stitch, sew and decorate their fabric canvases.

Stencils, not pencils

We have lift off!

Christopher painstakingly cuts out his transparent acetate stencil ready to spraypaint the first layer of his London Underground scene.

Students giving their rockets a test flight before refining the design. The aim: to design, build and test a paper rocket.

Whichever rocket travels the furthest, wins. Part of STEM Day - exploring science and engineering skills - at the academy.

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Try your best and you will succeed many of which are much larger and far more established rugby-playing schools and yet The City Academy, Hackney still came out on top.

Negotiating the group phase with back-to-back wins against Enfield Grammar, Compton A, Compton B and Westminster Academy, our Under 13 team progressed to the knock-out rounds having scored more than 20 tries and conceding just one.

U13 rugby squad wins Emerging Schools Cup Our rugby teams, led by Mr. Hopkins and Mr. Kirby, have already notched up some impressive wins this season and our Under 13 squad did not disappoint at the Emerging Schools Cup, winning the tournament in emphatic style.

Held at Hampstead Rugby Football Club, the day-long competition was attended by a number of London academies, comprehensives and grammar schools,

We drew local rivals, Skinner’s Academy in the semi finals, who had beaten us twice before.

This time we were victorious, winning 20-0 and through to the final against Enfield.

Having already beaten Enfield in the group stage, a repeat score line of 10-0 meant The City Academy, Hackney were crowned champions.

Congratulations to: Tobi Emmanuel Taiwo, Finn Bennett, Harley Lawrence-Summers, Sebastian Carvajal, Japhet Kale-Bokwa, Trae James, Charlie Parker (C), Kevin Asllani, Jonjo Matthews-Murray, Abraham Owusu, Ali Boyraz, Kowiyu Tijani and Dill Cadoret.

One of the many extra-curricular activities we offer during Additional Studies is an Eco Group run by our Subject Leader Geography, Ms Britton. The group’s aim: to monitor and improve the ‘green’ credentials of our school.

Having spent last term recording and reporting our paper consumption, electricity usage and food waste, the group have come up with some ideas that will make a measurable difference.

1) As good as it is to recycle paper, an improvement would be to reuse paper that is only printed on one side. With this in mind, the group have made paper bins to put in classrooms to encourage staff to reuse paper before recycling it.

2) The school’s food waste from break and lunch is now collected separately and composted for use in our garden.

Did you know, this magazine is printed on 100% recycled paper?

Printed on 100% recycled paper.

Green news

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Top merit winners

Accelerated Reader

Week 17 Enoc Katuna 74 Merits

Week 17 Austin Onwuzruoha Newgate T

Week 18 Sagal Musse 67 Merits

Week 19 Ibrahim Patel 53 Merits

Week 18 Olga Arslan Aldgate P

Week 19 Dill Cadoret Moorgate L

Congratulations to all of our top merit winners and Accelerated Reader of the week winners. For more information about the Accelerated Reader programme and how you can keep track of your child’s reading visit, www.renlearn.com/ar. Don’t forget, you can keep track of your merits on ePortal, and all of our weekly merit winners are also posted on the News page of our website.

Second hand uniform shop proposal Alongside the various meetings and events organised each term, our Parent Staff Association (PSA) have put forward a proposal to set up a second hand uniform shop.

As our students are now a little older, a little bigger, and our Year 10s have recently adopted the newly introduced Key Stage 4 uniform, it became apparent that some parents may already have surplus Key Stage 3 uniform items.

Perhaps your child has grown out of his or her blazer or you have some spare white blouses now your daughter is in Year 10. If so, the PSA would like parents to donate these items so they can be sold to those who need them most.

Also, in little more than a year, our Year 10 students will no longer need their uniform at all as they transition into sixth form education. We really hope lots of our parents/carers will both support and benefit from this new initiative.

How will it work?

1. Parents are asked to bring in uniform items they no longer need (these must be in good, saleable condition).

2. The PSA will clean and keep a log of the donated items and publicise the next uniform sale in The City Times and on the academy’s website.

3. Second hand items will be made available for sale at the next parental contact event that half term - i.e. Parent Day or Consultation Week.

Next donation date: Consultation Week Monday 25 & Tuesday 26 February, 3.45 - 5 p.m.

Next sale date: Year 7/8 Parent Day Monday 3 June, all day.

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Key dates for the half term ahead w/c Monday 25 February Consultation Week, all year groups The first week back after half term will be the second Consultation Week of the academic year. All parents/ carers and students will have an appointment with their Personal Adviser to discuss their progress.

Letters and appointment times have been posted to all parents/carers. A reminder that there will not be any Additional Studies classes after school during Consultation Week.

Friday 8 March Music Recital, 5 p.m.

Come and support our student soloists in the second recital of the year at Sutton House. Admission is free.

Thursday 14 March DRAMAtically speaking, 5 - 6.30 p.m.

Join us at Sutton House for an evening of short plays and performances from our recent National Theatre and Barbican Box workshops.

Wednesday 20 March Science Fair and discussion evening, 4 p.m.

As part of National Science and Engineering Week, the academy is hosting two events in one evening. All parents are encouraged and welcome to attend both the science fair and follow-on discussion evening.

Term dates 2012/13 Spring term 2 Monday 25 February - Thursday 28 March Summer term 1 Monday 15 April - Friday 24 May Summer term 2 Monday 3 June - Tuesday 16 July

Why the smaller size?

The new, smaller size costs less to post which means we can afford to continue sending The City Times direct to your family home each half term. We hope you find the articles enjoyable and informative.

Parents - what would you like to see more of in The City Times? Please contact our Communications Manager, Adam Smith, with your feedback and ideas. Why not attend the next Parent Staff Association meeting? All upcoming events are listed on the Events page of our website.

Tuesday 26 & Wednesday 27 March Night with the Band, 7 p.m.

Come and relax with the band at an evening celebrating some of the great funk, soul and pop classics through the decades. Tickets will be available on ParentPay after half term. Don’t miss out!

Friday 29 March Good Friday - academy closed.

Further information regarding our upcoming events can be found on our online calendar, www.thecityacademy.org/events.

The City Times is available in print and online at the end of each half term. Further information regarding upcoming events and many more news articles are available on our website, www.thecityacademy.org.