The City Times Autumn 2 2015

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Autumn term 2 November/December 2015

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Dizzy heights for the Young Brasscals The City Academy, Hackney’s brass ensemble performed not once, but twice at the Royal Albert Hall this month. It has been a busy year for The City Academy, Hackney’s senior brass ensemble, Young Brasscals. After performing at the TUC Conference in Brighton in September, they have since performed at the Royal Albert Hall twice this month for the Music for Youth Primary Proms, and, most recently, performed at City Hall.

Young Brasscals were one of thousands of school and youth groups from across the country who entered the Music For Youth Regional Festival Series. The group were then invited to perform alongside just 30 other groups at the prestigious concert at the Royal Albert Hall. Music For Youth is a national music education charity that has provided performance and audience opportunities to young musicians across the country for more than 40 years.

Elizabeth Jones, Subject Leader for Music, had this to say about their success: “Having the academy’s band perform at the Music For Youth Proms is a very proud

Staff training Monday 4 January 2016 The first day of term is a staff training day. All students return to normal lessons on Wednesday 6 January 2016 following Year 11 Parent Day. Year 11-13 Parent Day Tuesday 5 January 2016 All Year 11 and Sixth Form parents/ carers are invited to meet with their children’s teachers to discuss progress and A level choices.

Students return to lessons Wednesday 6 January 2016 All students return to normal lessons on Wednesday 6 January 2016, 8.25 a.m.

See page 4 for a list of events for the term ahead or visit: www.thecityacademy.org.

moment for me. This is a very prestigious event – my dad took part in these national concerts years ago and now it’s our turn.”

Rose Yemelyanova, who is currently studying for her A levels in our Sixth Form, attributes her musical success to the support of the academy, saying: “The academy offers students so many amazing opportunities to get involved in music and explore their talents. I don’t think you’d get chances like this anywhere else.” Rose, who plays saxophone in the brass ensemble, said of the performance: “Playing at the Royal Albert Hall was exhilarating but scary too. There are a lot of eyes on you as you’re performing in the round, and it’s so loud.”

“Our commitment to creative opportunities is central to our vision, part of ‘the City Experience’, from day one, right through to A level; from free instrumental lessons in year 8, to performing for the Prime Minister,” says Principal, Mark Emmerson.

Young Brasscals will be performing alongside various ensembles and choirs made up of more than 100 students at our

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end of term Christmas Concert - tickets for which are on sale on www.ParentPay.com now, priced £3 each.

More photos from the Royal Albert Hall concert can be found on our website. @CityAcadHackney |

flickr.com/tcah

73% TCAH

59% National

Top line data >>>

of students achieved five or more A*- C grades including English and maths, compared with 59% nationally

97%

of academy families have internet access at home.

Top 1% nationally for student progress

TCAH

In August, the academy gained its second set of GCSE results, and once again the progress students make here provisionally places The City Academy, Hackney amongst the top 1% of schools in the country. 73% of students achieved at least five A*- C grades including English and maths, making the academy the second best performing school in the borough, and 20% above the national average. In addition, 45% of students achieved the English Baccalaureate, again 20% above national figures.

Most significantly, the progress our students make during their five years here is truly outstanding. Ranking in the top 1% of schools in the country means that our students are almost a whole year ahead and, on average, achieve an entire grade higher per subject than students nationally.

In addition, nine out of ten students in 2015 achieved at least one A*/A grade with 42% achieving three or more A*/A grades. With our students who are eligible for Free School Meals outperforming non-FSM students nationally, our levels of attainment are also truly inclusive.

Validated GCSE results and school performance tables will be officially released by the Department for Education in January 2016.

Half term highlights

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Another busy term at the academy. Record numbers of visitors at our Open Evenings, concerts, drama productions, university visits and 3D owls. Don’t forget to buy your tickets for the Christmas Concert.

@CityAcadHackney All of our news articles feature on our website and in a weekly digest on our Twitter feed. Follow: @CityAcadHackney.

Josh wins London Big Busk

Cambridge University visit

Josh Owusu a.k.a Josh Tenor won the youth category in the finals of Gigs, the UK’s biggest street music competition.

As part of the academy’s vision of encouraging students to have high expectations and aspirations, every year 7 cohort visits Cambridge University during their first term at the academy, to get a taste of university life.

The final at Westfield Stratford City saw 18 acts, as chosen by music industry insiders and the public, compete in three categories. Speaking about winning in his category, Josh said “I am really pleased to win. I write and perform my own songs and I am now hoping to release my first EP in the New Year.”

Our Sixth Form students, who went on the same trip seven years ago, now includes ten students who have applied to Oxford or Cambridge, and most students have applied to at least one Russell Group university.

Top merit winners Well done to our top merit winners for this half term.

Alfred Duchars Moorgate C

Agit Zengin Ludgate B

Tilly Keady-Herbert Newgate B

Kenelia Powell Ludgate T

Yasmin Ismail Moorgate G

98%

9 out of 10 parents would grade the academy good or outstanding

of our parents/carers use internet-enabled smart phones (iPhone etc.)

Top tips for supporting your child Last week our English, maths and library staff hosted a literacy and numeracy workshop for parents (see page 4).

Here are their top tips for supporting your child with their reading, their maths and their homework:

85% of parents asked were happy for the academy to starting serving beef dishes in the canteen.

Literacy/Reading

Numeracy

Full sentences – students are always expected to write or reply in full sentences.

Check the basics in your child’s homework: full sentences, paragraphs, capital letters, and correct punctuation.

Show your working – ensure your child shows their working – how they have worked out the answer to the question, step by step – when completing their maths homework.

Please help us encourage your child to read for pleasure. How can you do this?

Show that you enjoy reading Read with your child Make time to read Talk about reading Don’t just read books

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Use www.mymaths.com – with your child and test them on topics they find difficult.

Scoring is instant; ask your child to try again if they score below 70%.

Recite times tables – students (and parents) are never too old to recite times tables. Good mental arithmetic is extremely important.

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What’s the story?

Food, glorious food

A year to remember: 1984

Every term our library arranges for authors to visit the academy and talk to our students about their books, their writing, and their love of literature. This term we have had two fascinating visits from Catherine Johnson, author of Sawbones [pictured, above], and Sita Brahmachari.

Our Student Council were given the opportunity to sample food for next term’s canteen menu.

Congratulations to our drama department and GCSE drama group for their moving production of George Orwell’s, 1984.

Feedback from the audience was overwhelmingly positive. The audio and video set the scene and “every year, the drama department adds to the depth and breadth of intricate moments captured on stage.” It really did feel as though “Big Brother was watching us.”

For more information about our Library services, visit our website or refer to our Parent/Carer Handbook.

Dishes including black bean stew and Boston baked beans were on offer.

Students were asked to rate each dish out of ten and the best will feature next term.

We also asked parents if they were happy for our canteen to start serving beef dishes: 85% of parents agreed.

More photos are on our Flickr page now.

Accelerated Reader Well done to our Accelerated Reader of the Week winners for this half term.

Joseph Dickson Ludgate Y

Agit Zengin Ludgate B

Aji-Mariam Malang Newgate P

Nomoya Nzuza Aldgate P

Matteo Croft Ludgate C

Puzzle page >>>

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How many words can you find containing the middle letter? There’s one nineletter word too.

4 12 6 24 8 40 10 ? 12 ?

Can you climb the ladder and find the missing numbers?

Term dates Key dates for the half term ahead, January - March 2016 2015/16 11

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SEN Coffee Morning Friday 11 December, 9.15 a.m.

Parents of students with a statement of Special Education Needs are invited to the first of, hopefully, many coffee mornings on Friday 11 December, hosted by our Faculty of Learning and volunteer parents. Please sign-up online to confirm your attendance.

Spring term

Christmas Concert Thursday 17 December, 6 p.m.

Tickets are on sale now, priced £3 each on www.ParentPay.com for our end of term Christmas Concert featuring more than 100 students from across the school.

Summer term

Last day of term Friday 18 December, 3.20 p.m.

We end the Autumn Term with an Achievement Assembly, after which all students will be dismissed at 3.20 p.m. (3.40 p.m. if sitting a detention).

Staff training Monday 4 January 2016 The first day of term is a staff training day. All students return to normal lessons on Wednesday 6 January 2016 following Year 11 Parent Day. Year 11-13 Parent Day + Mock GCSE Results Day Tuesday 5 January 2016 All Year 11 and Sixth Form parents/carers are invited to meet with their children’s teachers to discuss progress and A level choices.

First day of term Tuesday 5 January 2016 Half term week Monday 15 February Last day of term Thursday 24 March

First day of term Tuesday 12 April Half term week Monday 30 May Last day of term Wednesday 20 July

Parent Days An opportunity for students, parents and teachers to meet and discuss progress.

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Sixth Form

Monday 22 February 2016 Monday 22 February 2016 Monday 6 June 2016 Monday 6 June 2016 Tuesday 5 January 2016 Tuesday 5 January 2016

Staff training (no Additional Studies) Thursday 21 January There are no Additional Studies classes on Thursday 21 January. School will finish at 3.40 p.m.

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PSA Taster Class for parents: PE Wednesday 27 January, 5.30 p.m.

All parents/carers are invited to attend a taster class at the academy. This term, it is the turn of our PE department to put our parents through their paces! Sign-up online.

Sixth Form Taster Day Saturday 30 January Internal and external Sixth Form applicants are invited to a Taster Day. More information is available in the Sixth Form section of our website and invitations will be posted to all year 11 students nearer the time.

Year 9 GCSE Options Evening Wednesday 10 February, 5.30 p.m.

All year 9 parents and students are invited to attend a GCSE options information evening to learn more about the subjects the academy offers at Key Stage 4.

To sign up for specific events and for a complete list, visit: www.thecityacademy.org.

The City Academy, Hackney is sponsored by KPMG and the City of London Corporation.

The City Academy, Hackney is a registered charitable company. Registered office: The City Academy, Hackney, Homerton Row, London, E9 6EA.

PSA Parent workshop Thank you to all the parents who joined Ms James, Ms Damen-Lane and Ms Towers for our literacy and numeracy workshop. Copies of the handouts and top tips for supporting your child’s reading can be found in the news section of our website. Next up: a PE Taster Class for parents/carers on Wednesday 27 January.