Lord Grey Academy Newsletter March 2024

Welcome to our Spring Term newsletter.

Thank you for all your support this term and hope you enjoy reading it. .

A message from our Associate Principal

As we reflect on the events of the spring term, it's evident that the spirit of "Lord Grey Can" has been at the forefront of our endeavours. Throughout the term, our students and staff have demonstrated unwavering determination, ambition, civility, integrity, and curiosity in all that they do Whether it's in the classroom, on the playing field, or within our community, these character values have guided us towards excellence and success.

I would like to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt thanks to our entire community for their continued support and dedication. From our hardworking staff who go above and beyond to inspire and educate our students, to our parents and caregivers who provide unwavering encouragement and support, and of course, to our students themselves, whose enthusiasm and passion fuel our school's vibrant spirit

As we look ahead to the coming term, let us continue to embody the values of Lord Grey Academy and work together to create a positive and nurturing environment where every individual can thrive and succeed I wish Year 11 and Year 13 all the best this Easter Holidaysthis holiday will be the clear preparation for your exams. Some sessions are running in the holidays- please see parentmail.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our school community With your support, there is no limit to what we can achieve!

Samantha Satyanadhan

Associate Principal

Girls in Science Conference

Unity Place hosted the Girls in Science Conference 2024. Students had an exciting opportunity to hear from Keynote speaker Radhika Srinivasan. An inspiring talk about her journey through science and how her interests weave through her career.

Students thoroughly enjoyed the morning, especially the panel sessions and the opportunity to network.

Paris St-Germain Pathway at LG

! This time on our Player Spotlight we are recognising Paige who was player of the halfterm at Lord Grey Academy Sixth Form last term. Paige is studying for her A-levels at Lord Grey Academy Sixth Form and has taken the opportunity to join the extracurricular PSG Academy programme whilst studying! Lord Grey Academy Sixth Form is the only school and sixth form in Buckinghamshire which offers students the opportunity to play the PSG way!

“Paige is a player who continuously shows all the attributes and values we have at PSG, both on the and off the pitch. On the pitch she has developed at a great speed in improving on the technical and tactical side of the game. Off the pitch, her commitment and responsibility have also been exemplar. For us, coaching staff, it was unanimous that Paige fully deserves this recognition. Well done, Paige!”

Paulo Pereira PSG Technical Director and LG Lead Coach

We asked Paige some questions about her time with the Paris Saint-Germain Academy England:

Q1: Why did you opt for the PSG Sixth Form Course? “I opted for the course as it allowed me to play football as well as study my A-levels”

Q2: What do you enjoy most or find most interesting about the course? “What I enjoy most about the course is being able to play football with my friends after a long school day”

Q3: What do you find more challenging about the course? “What I find most challenging about the course are the cold days”

Q4: How effective is your coaches feedback in helping to improve as a football player? “My coaches feedback is very effective in helping me to improve as a player as it allows me to understand the game more clearly and helps to boost my confidence”

Q5: Would you recommend this course to any student?

“I would recommend this course to students who are interested in football whether they are starting out or have played for a while”

Law Taster Day at University of Brunel on 7th Feb 2024.

Students had a talk from a lecturer of Law, workshop on how to classify different crimes.

A talk from Mcfarlanes - a law firm - they offer scholarships and WEX to students at Brunel. Students also had the opportunity for a campus tour.

The day ended with a students panel which included current law students, student ambassadors and a Q&A.

Amber Year 11 - Team GB

Lord Grey Can !

Many congratulations to Amber was invited to go out to Lunar Cable park in Almería , Spain to train with the under 18s of the GB Team, at their pre-season training camp.

Amber and the other athletes all stayed in the same hotel, and the weather was perfect, warm 23 degrees each day which enabled them to train to their full potential. Amber trained 3 hours on the cable, working on basic moves, e.g. spins & switch riding along with learning new moves individually and as a team Amber learnt 8 new tricks including air & inverts off of the kickers which enhanced her knowledge of her chosen sport, along with this Amber taught us how to put together competition runs, to get the most out of points available when competing. We are so proud of your Amber and look forward to one day watching you collect the gold medal for Team GB at the Olympic Games

Mayor of MIlton Keynes’ Awards

Congratulations to our very own Cody, for being nominated as Community Champion in the Mayor Awards.. Good luck in the Awards for 28th March

Congratulations to our very own Mrs Kirby, for being nominated in the Mayor Awards.

We have a number of nominations in the MK Inspiration Awards this year and we await further information of whether they have made it to finalists:

denotes these events virtual online. Please book via schoolcloud.

Upcoming events and dates

First Day back

Monday 15th April

May Bank Holiday

Monday 6th May

Year 6 Induction Day

Monday 1st July

Year 10 Parents’ Evening *

Thursday 25th April

Year 10 Work Experience

Monday 13thFriday 17th May

Year 7 Parents Evening (face to face) Thursday 6th June

Year 8 Parents’ Evening *

Thursday 2nd May

May Half Term

Monday 27thFriday 31st May

Last day for Students

Friday 19th July

Top half: Old style uniform can be worn until needing to be replaced

Lord Grey Green Blazer purchased from Maisies or Kedalph.

White collared shirt (can be worn short or long sleeved) tucked in.

Lord Grey coloured Tie - to be purchased from Maisies or Kedalph.

Black V neck plain jumper or plain black sleeveless V necked jumper.

(Not to be worn in place of the blazer)

Bottom Half:

Choice of the following:

Black trousers - straight/boot cut style

Uniform

No jeans, no leggings, no jean style trousers to be worn.

Black Knee length plain pleated skirt or the Lord Grey Kilt knee lengt

Tailored grey or black school knee length shorts.

Plain all black shoes/trainers with no different coloured logos etc

Skin tone or black tights (not footless).

Additional items

School bag large enough to carry A4 books.

Pencil case with the basic required equipment

Knowledge Organiser Folder- Issued by Lord Grey

PE Kit - Compulsory Optional - LG Black and Emerald from Kedalph or Maisies

Black Plain shorts

Black plain t shirt

Science

This term has been an exciting one for science and STEM. Year 7 and 8 students took part in a 6-week Codebreaker Project with Bletchley Park and have achieved CREST awards for their teamwork and problem-solving skills. They are now working on another project in the STEM Club exploring how to survive a zombie apocalypse! Year 9 students had the exciting opportunity to hear from an external speaker working in Chemical Engineering and Year 10 and Year 12 students attended the STEM and Apprenticeships festival at Bletchley Park where they had hands-on experience with technology such as drones and infrared cameras. Year 12 have also shown great ambition by challenging themselves in the British Biology Olympiad and the Senior Physics Challenge.

Creative Technology

Despite being one of the shortest terms this is one of the busiest times for the Creative Technology Faculty. The Externally Set Assignment (ESA) in Art began at the start of the term, with pupils having 10 weeks to complete 40% of their GCSE. This period culminates in a 10 hour exam which takes place on the 25th and 26th April. Unfortunately as it is live work we can not photograph it, but we are excited to see what they will create. Sadly, our Head of Art Vladislav Kravec is leaving us, to take up a promotion at Cardinal Newman School in Luton. We wish him every success in his new role, he will be missed by the team as well as by the students. I am delighted to say however that we have Mr Matthew Pallett joining l take over as our new rking with him.

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Creative Technology - DT

In a bold step towards cultivating the innovators of tomorrow, Lord Grey's Design and Technology Department proudly presents its latest endeavour: the Year 10 Robotics Course This cutting-edge program is revolutionising education by immersing students in the exciting world of technology and automation. From the foundational understanding of circuitry to the intricacies of programming microcontrollers, students are equipped with the tools to progress from simple tasks like turning on a light to the awe-inspiring achievement of orchestrating a fully automated prototype model arm But this course is more than just technical skill-building. It's about fostering a mindset of innovation and creativity. As students navigate the complexities of robotics, they're not only mastering technical skills but also honing essential competencies such as problem solving, critical thinking, and collaboration

This journey is empowering students to become architects of the future, where innovation and ingenuity are the driving forces of progress. By providing them with the knowledge and skills to navigate the ever-changing landscape of technology, Lord Grey's DT Department is shaping a generation poised to revolutionise the world

As our students embark on this transformative journey, they're not just learning about robotics – they're shaping the future with their boundless creativity and determination. Get ready to witness the incredible innovations that emerge from the minds of our Year 10 Robotics students. The future starts here!

**Revolutionising Education: New Year 10 Robotics Course Empowers Students to Engineer Future Innovations!**

Business and IT Faculty

On Wednesday 20th March, twenty Year 10 students visited the Institute of Technology to test out new digital technologies to put their coding and digital skills to the test. With links to Cranfield University, Microsoft and KPMG, the Institute of Technology has developed virtual reality and programming apps that the students were able to test, providing them with a great experience and demonstrating how what they are studying in Computer Science lessons can be used in real life scenarios. After their lunch, students were joined by the Mayoress of Milton Keynes and talked through what’d they learned during the morning session. It’s no surprise that all of the students were commended by the workshop facilitators for their excellent attitudes and behaviour but a special mention goes to Zidanne who demonstrated an abundance of curiosity and ambition; well done Zidanne!

Maths Faculty

Whilst it has been a short Spring term it has been incredibly busy and the Mathematics faculty have had lots to celebrate with our students.

The competition between classes has continued to heat up following the latest publication of our MathsWatch league tables. Not only do they demonstrate the fantastic Self Study being completed but they reflect the amount of additional independent work students are completing too. The results really do show that Lord Grey Can! It has also been wonderful to see students discussing how their class is moving on the table and what they can do to affect the next set of results - I know I am looking forward to seeing what the March results will bring!

The completion of Self Study is an essential part of students' overall learning journey in Mathematics and we know from experience that those students who engage the most make the most progress.

We were also able to celebrate the brilliant Mathematics and problem solving that takes place outside of the classroom when some students from Year 9, 10 and 11 took part in this year's Intermediate Maths Challenge. We had 39 students take part this year and they achieved 8 Bronze awards, 8 Silver awards and 4 Gold awards. A special mention to James in Year 9, Jude in Year 10 and Samuel in Year 11 for the best results in their respective year groups. James also achieved the best mark in school - a real success!

James and Charlie from Year 9 also qualified for the next stage where they will be competing in an international level competition - we wish them the best of luck and we look forward to sharing the results of these in the future. The next Maths Challenge to take place will be the Junior stages in April.

If you would like to have a go at the Maths Challenge question, we have included some below to try!

Performing Arts - Matilda

This term we put on our whole school production of Matilda Junior. We had a packed hall both nights, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Milton Keynes in the audience! The cast and backstage crew worked extremely hard to make this happen and what an amazing show they put on! The students learnt lots of lines, dances and songs and performed them all with great confidence. Mr Grifiths had to stand in at the last minute and play Mrs Trunchbull and we were blown away by his amazing performance. Our backstage crew had lots of running around behind the scenes to make sure everything ran smoothly. It was a huge team effort and everyone involved should be extremely proud of what they achieved!

Performing Arts

This half term our year 11 music students have been getting all of their performance and composition coursework completed and we are really proud of how hard they have worked and the hours they have put in. The year 11 drama class also had their practical performance exam on Tuesday 21st March.

In the first week back after half term we took our year 10 GCSE music class and 12 year 9 students to watch the Alina Orchestra at the Stables. This was a very intimate and interactive concert and students were quizzed by the conductor on what features they could hear in the music.

After Easter we have a trip to Milton Keynes Theatre planned for our year 9 students to watch Aladdin. We will also start preparing for the Summer Concert.

Choir will be back every Monday Lunch time and Band rehearsals every Monday after school.

Careers

Rise Employability Workshop- All Year 10 students

All year 10 students participated in a Work ready workshop which is designed to help students develop their core transferable skills by challenging them to think about how to use the latest emerging and cutting-edge technologies to solve real life KPMG client briefs or business challenges.

In addition, it has highlighted the impact that technology is having on the workplace by giving students the opportunity to engage with employers and explore the different applications of innovative technologies

RISE workshops are offered by the Talent Foundry to Year 10 students This year the whole of the Year 10 cohort benefitted from the workshops, delivered over 4 weeks with 3 tutor groups at a time. The workshops helped students to identify skills they have and learn about new skills. The workshops were offered prior to their work experience which will take place in May We focussed on showing students the skills and attributes they can develop n school and at their work experience placement to release their potential.

• Groups of 60 students

• Curriculum-linked challenges

• Sessions supported by volunteers from Rise

Partner firms including KPMG, PwC, Grant Thornton, ICAEW, BDO and EY

ASK Apprenticeship workshop on 11th March The workshops aimed to help students to become aware of apprenticeships offered locally, how to apply with web sites given Students also benefited from: how to write/ what to include in their CV's and mock assessment centres - how confident students feel about their interviews with organisations

Careers

Law Taster Day at University of Brunel on 7th Feb 2024. Students had a talk from a lecturer of Law, workshop on how to classify different crimes. A talk from Mcfarlanes - a law firmthey offer scholarships and WEX to students at Brunel. Students also had the opportunity for a campus tour. Ended the day with a students panel which included current law students, student ambassadors and Q&A.

students.

Feedback from Grant Thornton:

Your students were well presented, very competent at conducting themselves under pressure, a true-life skill! We all really enjoyed meeting them and I am sure they have successful futures ahead of them thanks to your Team's Support. We hope the students found the session helpful and that it has given them confidence to nto an interview and be the best they can be!

Student feedback:

Being given improvements/feedback, especially in a real life perspective. Learning new things that could inspire them in the future Being taught to sell themselves and pursue goals. The honesty and politeness from the staff. Lovely/engaging/Helpful/ Supportive staff. Speaking to someone from the industry with interview experience The subjects spoken about. Improving the chances of creating a good first impression. Felt inspired to look into

Grant Thornton

Getting CV Feedback Interview

Grant Thornton conducted a CV workshop and mock interviews with our 6th form

Humanities Faculty

Religious Studies

Year 7 Religious Studies Department has recently been learning about different forms of Religious Expression. Students have enjoyed learning about how different religions express their belief in their faith. The embodied experience of religion is expressed through sound, smell, taste, touch, and sight. Religion is also expressed in diverse cultural forms.

Students have been researching Prayer Flags in Buddhism. The five colours of prayer flags represent the five elements in the universe: yellow - earth; greenwater, red - fire, white - air; blue - space. Balancing these elements externally brings harmony to the environment. Balancing the elements internally brings health to the body and the mind. There are four important animals frequently found on Tibetan prayer flags, wind horse representing fortune, tigers representing confidence, snow lions representing fearlessness, garudas (a mythical bird) representing wisdom, and dragons representing power.

In particular I would like to congratulate Charlie and Emily. They demonstrate Lord Grey Values every single lesson and have a very positive ‘can do’ attitude. Both students explore the topics in detail using excellent questioning. The work that they both produce verbally and written is superb in detail. Both students also show civility in miles, always helping out other students to see a different way of approaching activities to help them.

Geography

Students in Key Stage 3 have been learning about how different societies around the world can be impacted by natural disasters, through the study of Rivers and Flooding in Year 7, Plate Tectonics in Year 8, and the multi hazardous environments of China and Japan in Year 9. Students have been keen to discuss how new technologies could be used to mitigate the issues, and consider how we can support countries at different stages of development if they need aid in times of disaster.

Our Sixth Form students in Year 12 have recently completed a field work day at the Amersham Field Studies Centre, and were able to practise scientific techniques in order to investigate topics within Water and Carbon Cycles. All students were able to accurately predict how infiltration rates would be affected by different substrates, and they had great fun measuring trees to calculate how much carbon was stored within them. The use of the clinometers proved to be particularly amusing, with Inci, Isobel and Alana using them as props to audition for a part in the next James Bond movie!

Humanities Faculty

History

Year 10 and Year 12 Historians were recently visited by a guest speaker, Paul Salver, who is an educator that is well respected locally, and nationally, for his work with the Holocaust Education Trust. He spoke to them about the importance of the Holocaust, linking it to current day genocides around the world, emphasising a message of kindness over hate.

At KS3 pupils have been studying the Tudors and their impact on the UK and their legacy. Year 7 have also been looking at the different interpretations of Mary Tudor and if she deserved her “Bloody Mary” reputation Year 8 have been studying the Industrial Revolution and how entrepreneurs like Richard Arkwright helped to create the modern world through their inventions Year 9 have been studying Nazi Germany and been finding out about the Hitler Youth and the BDM and how the Nazis manipulated young people for their benefit.

Important reminders for Year 11: remember which topics are in each exam.

Paper One is Conflict and Tension, 1894 - 1918 and America 1920 - 1973: Opportunity and Inequality.

Paper Two is Britain:Health and the People, and Elizabethan England. Remember the different exam techniques and aim to develop your answers in line with the banded mark schemes.

Criminology

The Criminology Department has had a very pleasing term, with a number of students, in both Year 12 and Year 13 indicating that they intend to follow some aspect of the broader criminology discipline when they leave school with their A Level in the subject.

We have been very lucky in that a number of aspects of the curriculum have been very well reinforced by events in the wider world, which have really made it possible for us all to study the theories that underpin criminal behaviour , its causes and its treatment in the Criminal Justice System, through the use of contemporaneous events, some of which like the Post Office miscarriage of justice, have aroused strong passions in our students.

We were delighted with the results in Year 12 and 13 of the Controlled Assessment, with a number of real high flyers and one student who attained 97%.

We hope to plan a visit to the Royal Courts of Justice for next year so students can see the Criminal Justice system in action.

Extended Project Qualification

Students in the EPQ groups in Year 12 and 13 are working now towards completing their submission. This has been a highly academic and well focused group. An investigation into Roman concrete and how it surpasses modern concrete as a building material has been an eye opener, as has the exploration of the link between evolution and DNA - considering whether DNA provides a better clue to evolutionary processes than fossils can demonstrate.There is a huge range of other areas of study - piracy in the Golden Age, geriatric care across time, a consideration of some very unusual issues to do with the cosmos, and many other interesting and well researched elements of academic endeavour. The students are producing 5000 word dissertations which really allow their tutors to expand their own knowledge and understanding in such a way that University Challenge is now calling to us all.

Languages

In Languages, students have been broadening their cultural knowledge of the countries behind the language they are learning, by discovering the tradition of carnival. In Italian, students have explored the importance of masks in Carnevale in Italy.

Students of Spanish have found out about the role of political satire and singing plays in Carnaval in Cádiz. In German, students learned about the day when women took over and cut off men's ties during Weiberfastnacht. In French students have learnt that “carnival” comes from the Latin “carnelevare” which means to take out the meat!

Examples of the masks students have produced can be seen below.

Library and Reading

We have had an exciting few months in the Library with a focus on Frances Hardinge - our author of the term, a Library lesson highlighting writers from LGBTQ+ backgrounds as part of our celebrating diversity initiative and a celebration of World Book Day 2024!

LBGTQ+ History Month (February):

This February, our students had the chance to learn about LGBTQ+ history, from the hellenic poet Sappho to the Stonewall Inn uprising. With clues found in Amy Lame’s book From Prejudice to Pride, students completed a giant crossword puzzle and had the opportunity to learn about Bletchley wartime hero Alan Turing A big shoutout goes to all the students who helped create decorations for this event!

World Book Day lessons (March): During the first two weeks of March, KS3 students celebrated World Book “Fortnight” with activities based around fairytales From inventing their own “twisted” fairytales to finding the codes of a locked treasure chest, students had the chance to explore stories they are both familiar and unfamiliar with. A big shoutout goes to all the students who helped create decorations for this event as well as 7X2B who wrote down their own twisted tales.

Year 8 Students have shown what amazing writing talent they have, by being selected to be part of a poetry anthology for English. This is truly amazing and shows high Ambition.

Library and Reading

World Book Day :

We had lots of activities happening around the school to celebrate World Book Day 2024 - a really important day in promoting reading for pleasure and offering every child the opportunity to have a book of their own. All Key Stage Three students were gifted a WBD token in tutor time which entitled them to a selection of free World Book Day titles or £1 off on a book of their choice According to the World Book Day organisation: “Reading for pleasure is the single biggest indicator of a child’s future success –more than their family circumstances, their parents’ educational background or their income. We want to see more children, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds, with a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure and the improved life chances this brings them.”

We had an amazing response to our KS3 ‘Decorate Your Door’ competition, in which our KS4 tutor groups were asked to decorate their door in the style of their favourite books - the winning entries were Mr Ilyas’, Ms Roach’s and Ms Pieper’s doors.

Reading Club:

Currently our Reading Club runs every Thursday and Friday lunchtimestudents are currently finishing Francis Hardinge’s Unraveller. If your child is interested in joining the Reading Club, they can talk to our Librarian, Ms Daglish, for more details. Next term, we will be launching a second lunch time reading group to focus on the books on the Carnegie longlist.

Reading Bingo - reading initiative

To encourage students’ wider reading, the library has created a reading bingo for which students will be receiving prizes after reading and reviewing nine books. This is an exciting opportunity for students to expand their reading horizons and make reading a daily habit.

Reading interventions:

During tutor time in the library, reading intervention sessions have been running for a week and been quite successful. We are currently reading Percy Jackson and The Singer of Apollo with a group of year 7 students who are, on the whole, really enjoying this story.

Year 7

“Whoa! How has it been 31 weeks since our Year 7 students joined us? The time is speeding past and we are now just one full term away from all becoming Year 8.

Year 7 have worked together to build strong friendships, many new teams joined and memories growing.

Together we have enjoyed hot chocolate to celebrate camaraderie and our Academy Values; laughed at Pirate Academy as we raced to win, and then being together to “salute” International Women’s Day and Equality for all.

What a 31 weeks and it’s heads high as we march on towards summer.

Thank you Year 7, you are tremendous and it is an honour to be part of your journey…

Mrs Wasway, Mr Crook and Miss Koracevic

Year 8 Year 8 students have been recognised for their continuous hard work and it has been a pleasure joining them celebrating this term and enjoying their rewards.

This half term the year 8 team have been celebrating the success of students in our year group.

Thomas, Zaninab, Diraj, Malachi, Jacob, Jacob, Kyle, Ruby and Lily-Mai were invited to a celebration breakfast with Miss Bowen, Miss Bruin and Miss Girt to reward them for their fantastic attitude to learning and their achievement in their lessons across the curriculum. They have shown determination, ambition and shown that Lord Grey Can! Well done everyone!

Please keep the 2nd May free for Year 8`s Parents, Evening, information for booking appointments will follow shortly.

I hope you all have a wonderful break Linda Bowen and Aimee Bruin

Eri and Ayo were awarded with a Principal's award for showing Civility, looking out for another student

Year 8`s who have followed the Lord Grey Way and have worked hard believing they Can, were treated to a breakfast with Mrs Bowen and Miss Bruin along with their Form Tutors.

Year 9

This term has been a wonderful one for year 9 With so many achievements and experiences. Year 9 have shown a lot of determination and ambition and as Heads of Year we are extremely proud of them.

The Year 9 office positivity wall.

We want to congratulate Kamran on his creation of the year 9 positivity wall, which is displayed in the Year 9 office. Kamran designed this wall by himself, to encourage Year 9 students and anyone else who comes in the office to stay positive at all times. Well done Kamran, we absolutely love the wall.

The Lily-Jo project

On the 5th February 2024, we were given the pleasure to have the Lily-Jo Project come and give us an assembly. Joshua volunteered to participate in the assembly and managed to do over 20 push ups in just under a minute Well done Joshua for showing curiosity, civility and courage whilst participating in the assembly

The Malitida Production.

We want to congratulate all of the students in year 9 who were apart of the Matilda production this term The production was absolutely amazing and we are so proud of the students who spent months preparing for it. You all did a great job!

Determination in and out of the classroom! We want to congratulate all the students in year 9 who continue to show determination in the classroom and their lessons We know that you work very hard and show your teachers that Lord Grey can! Keep up the good work!

Year 9 selfie wall

We are in the process of creating a year 9 selfie wall This is a wall that celebrates all the great moments that happen in year 9 We want to celebrate the good times and enjoy every moment at school.

Ride High- Custard-

Megan says he’s fun to ride

and fun to be around

Year 10

Redbull have recently developed and been piloting at some local events eg The MK STEM Festival and others, to get young people inspired about careers in F1. Sharing technical information about how they design and build their F1 cars and the event was designed to inspire STEM and other careers in F1 Year 10 had a fantastic time with our visitors and had lots of insightful information around F1 and even got a chance to try on racing gear and see some of the original car parts that they manufacture

All year 10 students participated in a Work ready workshop which is designed to help students develop their core transferable skills by challenging them to think about how to use the latest emerging and cutting-edge technologies to solve real life KPMG client briefs or business challenges. In addition, it has highlighted the impact that technology is having on the workplace by giving students the opportunity to engage with employers and explore the different applications of innovative technologies.

The year 10 team have been out and about visiting lessons and have seen some fantastic climates for learning along with sampling some delicious food and listening to pieces of music.

Year 10 are working alongside DHL logistics and will be attending a residential trip in May. Students took part in an assessment day with staff from DHL covering, Problem solving; Team building; Effective communication; Leadership; Presentation skills; Flexibility.

We look forward to having some more sessions in school with DHL in the upcoming weeks.

Year 10 students are attending revision sessions after school

A big positive impact and is available for students to use their time with self study and coursework.

Year 11

Year 11 Outstanding performance - Parliamentary Schools Debating Competition.

Many congratulations to Amina, Louisa, Kayla and Ebony for their participation in the Parliamentary Schools Debating Competition. You have displayed your abilities in factual content, relevance in motion, timing confidence and verval delivery You are such amazing students and we are so proud of all four of you, you are a credit to year 11. Congratulations on also receiving a letter from the House of Commons celebrating your achievement

Year 11 SUPERSTARS - Football Team

Thank you to all our amazing boys football team who played Walton High on Thursday 14th March I was so proud watching you all represent the school in such a professional manner. Your team work and determination was clear to see as I watched your outstanding performance.

Keep it going Year 11HEROES

Well year 11, we just want to say how proud we are of you all.

You have been revising in school and also have been focused on your revision at home. You will reap the rewards when you open your envelope for your results. Don't forget that there are sessions running over the Easter break that you can attend and also remember to continue your revision at home. Try to make sure that you also have breaks to allow yourself some time to relax too You are amazing Year 11, enjoy your break, make sure you revise and come back from the break refreshed and focused. We have got this - LORD GREY CAN.

Ms Dunn and Mrs Kirby

Year 11 - Revision techniques this holiday

Examples of revision activities that won’t lead to long term memory: Re-reading- no/little impact on long term memory, (just occupies time and makes you feel you are doing something)

Highlighting- as above if used in isolation

Cramming- causes stress.

Effective revision activities should be built on principles of : Interleaving; Spaced practice; Retrieval practice and include:

Past papers with mark schemes

Quizzing through the use of knowledge organisers, effective flashcards and online resources such as GCSEPod and Mathswatch.

Work through a past paper for the actual exam you are taking. Make a list of the things you got wrong (ask someone if you don’t know the name of a topic) Do 20 - 30 mins on each topic you are dropping marks on. (You tube, Flashcards, Knowledge organisers, GCSEPOD, Seneca)

Sixth Form

Open Evening:

Following a hugely successful open evening, we have had the pleasure of interviewing Y11s this half term. We wish them all the best in their upcoming exams and look forward to seeing them again on results day. As a reminder, all students who hold a conditional offer with the Sixth Form must see a member of the sixth form team on results day, or at an agreed time soon after, in order to accept their place. If you still would like to apply for a place, time is running out! Please do so ASAP .

Work experience at Milton Keynes Hospital

During our 5 day Clinical Work Experience in MK Hospital, we heard from countless professionals in the hospital, ranging from consultants to radiographers, about their experiences and roles. We encountered a variety of interesting areas and roles within the hospital, many of which aren’t highly recognised but have an equally significant role within healthcare, encouraging us to explore beyond the most recognised roles in a hospital. For example, we had a simulation session where we practised procedures such as intubation on the real manikins used for training purposes. We shadowed in different wards, observing how patients were cared for and the types of treatment administered, allowing us to gain a further insight on the duties of different medical professions and how they worked with patients towards their recovery, also giving us the chance to communicate with many different patients. This experience was really enjoyable and exceeded our expectations due to the variety of valuable opportunities we were offered and experienced throughout the 5 days. I think we collectively agree that it was an experience that was well worth its time!! Tazkiah, Huda and May

Sixth Form

Work Experience - Hospital & Willen Hospice

This year, our dedicated Year 12 students teamed up with Willen Hospice, putting their hearts into organising events to raise funds and make a positive impact. Together, they've been busy planning and hosting activities to support this important cause. As Charity Champions, our group has been meeting with one of Willen Hospice's dedicated fundraising staff members every half term. During these meetings, we update her on our ongoing efforts, share our goals, and discuss the supplies, equipment, or products needed to enhance our initiatives to create more of an impact. Our collaboration with Willen Hospice not only benefits our community but also opens doors for our Year 12 members to gain valuable work experience. Whether exploring roles in nursing or diving into the intricacies of fundraising, this partnership provides unique opportunities for personal and professional growth. One of our prominent Charity Champions, Abby has seized the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working in the fundraising department.

“Since January, I have been shadowing Willen Hospice’s school fundraiser, Kelly. I have helped her and her team promote upcoming events alongside targeting the correct audience for these events. Similarly, we have also attended an event run by one of MK College’s form groups. I am thrilled to actively contribute to meaningful initiatives and make a difference for those who are unfortunately at the end of life. Being around the staff at Willen has given me a brand new motivation to be the best person I can and involve myself in more life-changing opportunities. My time at Willen Hospice has not only deepened my understanding of fundraising but also sparked a genuine passion for making a positive impact.” Written by: Abby

During a recent visit to Willen Hospice as Charity Champions, we were fortunate to engage with one of the dedicated nurses. She graciously took the time to enlighten us on the impactful work within the hospice, providing valuable insights into how our fundraising efforts directly contribute to making a meaningful difference in the lives of those they care for. Since September, our enthusiastic members have tirelessly organised and participated in a series of successful events, resulting in an impressive fundraising total exceeding £800. Undeterred, they are actively engaged in planning additional events, demonstrating their commitment to making an even greater impact on their fundraising goals.

Sixth Form

Pancake Day

We are committed to improving independent living skills and had some fun for pancake day! Students learned how to make batter, and engaged in dynamic risk assessments, ensuring that they, and others were kept safe.

First Aid

In Personal Development lessons this half term, students have been exploring practical skills in First Aid. They have also had the opportunity to complete free online courses with the British Heart Foundation and the Zero Suicide Alliance, which focussed on mental health at University.

Trips and Visits this Term

Term 2 has been exciting at Lord Grey for trips and visits and extracurricular activities. There have been many trips where students have learnt about different types of jobs, Students went to Bletchley Park and Santander Unity Place to discover STEM career opportunities, the Institute of Technology to uncover new digital skills, Brunel University London to find out about possible careers in law, Milton Keynes College to learn about education pathways and The Ridgeway Centre to build confidence and resilience for when students leave school.

We have had the pleasure of welcoming Q Alliance, The Ethos Team, The Bletchley Mosque and Our Student Council who we would like to thank for taking the time to come in and deliver enlightening assemblies.

It has been great to give our students so much exposure to exciting job and career possibilities, but this is not all that our trips and visits have been about this halfterm. So many students have been excelling in and outside of the classroom and have been on reward trips to celebrate their successes!

Trips and Visits this Term

Students have been to the British Men’s and Women’s Basketball League Finals in Birmingham, both games were incredibly exciting, especially the slam dunk competition at half-time! Year 7 students tasted some incredible food at the Willen Lake Dragon Restaurant and music students got to enjoy a professional orchestra performance at The Stables MK. Lastly, students who have consistently shown the Lord Grey Way engaged in the exciting opportunity to spend time at Ninja Warrior UK, perform a number of different jumping, climbing and running challenges and test themselves against their teachers (the students won)! As well as careers and rewards trips we have also ensured students were given the chance to extend their learning outside of the classroom with students completing geography field work focusing on water and carbon at Amersham Field Studies Centre, Students developed skills to overcome societal challenges at the YMCA Centre in Milton Keynes and members of the school council got to attend the Human Rights and Responsibilities Conference at Denbigh School to learn about kindness, respect and how this can be developed across schools in peaceful manners. All Lord Grey students have represented the school brilliantly on trips and visits and we are excited for what is to come in term 3!

At school there have been many extracurricular opportunities for students this term, with each department offering students clubs or activities to develop outside of the classroom. Year 11 have been working extremely hard attending revision and intervention sessions to improve knowledge and develop exam skills. In the PE department there have been football, netball, basketball, cricket, badminton and rugby clubs as well multiple fixtures across these sports, special shout-out to the year 8 boys basketball team who won their MK league this term! Performing Arts put on the amazing Matilda performance as well as many opportunities to develop drama and music skills outside of the classroom. Lord Grey continues to champion extracurricular activities and we are excited to give our students more chances to develop the Lord Grey values next term! Thanks to all the students and teachers that have attended!

School Council

The last term has been extremely busy for all things Student Voice and Leadership. The School Council and Milton Keynes Youth Council representatives from Lord Grey Academy have worked tirelessly to orchestrate a whole school vote for ‘Make your Mark’. This British Youth Parliament initiative enabled young people across the country to learn about and understand the importance of the voting process, so they can use their voices to vote on the issues that are most pressing to them. The Student Council promoted the event, registered students to vote, then organised and counted ballots that went towards national figures, with 1199 ballots being counted from Lord Grey. A massive thank you to all of the students and staff that helped make this event a great success as we also had the highest number of ballots submitted by any school in Milton Keynes. Some of our Student Council members also promoted ‘Your Vote Week’, which equally resulted in Lord Grey Academy having the largest sign up for students over 16 registering to vote from schools in the local area.

The current Chair of the school Council, Jasmine (Year 11) will unfortunately be stepping down from her position after Easter due to her upcoming GCSE examinations. On behalf of the school, I would like to thank her for all of the hard work she has committed to her role during her time on the School Council, but especially this year without a Vice-Chair. There have been many successful events during her time in the role, such as Children in Need, Student Council Elections, and Make your Mark just to name a few! I would also like to announce the newly appointed Co-Chairs for the next academic year, Alfie (Year 12) and Abby (Year 12) They have many new exciting plans which they pitched to their peers, so congratulations to them both!

A student voice survey has been carried out to gather information on pupils' opinions on trips, visits, extracurricular activities and rewards to promote student development outside of the classroom. As a result an SSAT leadership award and Subject Ambassadors will be launched in the Summer Term, upon requests from students. These leadership positions will enable students to apply for additional responsibilities to gain valuable life skills whilst giving back to the Lord Grey community. Keep your eye out during Term three for exciting new opportunities! We look forward to hearing more student voice opinions in the next survey during the Summer Term, if you want change then use your voice to try and make it happen.

Local News for Easter Holidays

HAF – Spring Offer

MK Council Spring Activities and Food programme will be taking place Monday 8 April to Thursday 11 April 2024 – providing over 8,200 free activity and food sessions for children, young people and their families who are in receipt of benefit related Free School Meals.

The programme will go live on Monday 19 March via the online booking system here: https://eequ.org/hafmiltonkeynes.

More information can be found on the MKCC HAF webpage. If you have any questions, please do contact the HAF team HAF@milton-keynes.gov.uk

You'll find clear information on common childhood illnesses, including advice on what 'red-flag' signs to look out for, where to seek help if required and how long your child's symptoms are likely to last.

Healthier Together is a partnership project which continues to grow by putting children, young people and familes needs at the heart of the website.

Things to do this Easter Holidays

Bletchley Park

The Hangout is a new addition to Xscape which supports Willen Hospice. It’s a gaming store with games for all ages. It includes retro arcade games, consoles and board games. It’s the perfect place for kids to head to this half term. What’s great is that 100% of the profits go towards Willen Hospice to help provide care for local people. Visit www.willenhospice.org.uk for more.

Milton Keynes Museum

Head to Bletchley Park for some egg-stra special fun this Easter half term. Crack codes and solve puzzles in their Easter Bunny Hunt and take part in some special Easter activities for families. Can you find the hidden code? Don’t forget that under 12’s also go free. Visit www.bletchypark.org to find out more.

Emily’s Star will host its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Good Friday, March 29, at Wolverton’s Secret Garden. Participants will hunt around the garden in search of letters that, when rearranged, reveal the hidden word.

The hunt will soon be on at Milton Keynes Museum (March 29-April 1) with the return of its annual Easter egg hunt, where successful searches lead to yummy chocolate rewards!

The popular search is an egg-cellent way to celebrate the festive period, and this hunt ensures everyone wins something. And while you search for those egg tokens, you get a wonderful tour of the history hub, too.

All children will receive an Easter Egg or non-chocolate alternative, and a certificate. Visit emilysstar.co.uk to sign up.

‘Lord Grey Can.’