ASTON MANOR ACADEMY PART OF EQUITAS ACADEMIES TRUST
2023
CHRISTMAS NEWS Welcome to our December newsletter, a snapshot of some of the wonderful work and the extracurricular experiences happening around the school. Sport is always high profile at Aston Manor Academy, and you will see the array of sporting talent that we are showcasing in the newsletter. From ski-ing to ice hockey, basketball and athletics, the PE department are keeping very busy. Students are also provided with a number of leadership activities that they can take part in, a great way to develop confidence and character. We have had a number of careers enrichment activities and literacy/theatre activities this term which I know students have found enjoyable and
SUMMER PROM FOR Y11
helpful to develop their wider skills. Our Awards Evening this year celebrated the achievements of the class of 2023. It was a lovely evening, and we are so proud of the achievements of last year’s Year 11. Last week the choir sang with Broadway School in a Christmas song event for local schools at Aston Church, this was a moment of unity and celebrating the message of “Peace and goodwill to all.” I hope you see the variety of activities and experience enjoyed by our students this term, and I wish you all a restful and enjoyable time with your families this holiday. J Sweeney
PROTECTING OUR PLANET A big shout out to Amira who delivered speech on ‘Protect your planet’, at Anfield in Liverpool on 22nd November as part of on a project with Aston Villa. She was selected out of all those involved her age to deliver the speech in front of over 100 people. We are so proud of her representing AMA.
YEAR 10 UCB ‘HAVE A GO IN BAKERY’
“I like that we had a tour after cooking and we got to see the food labs. We got to make cookies, decorated doughnuts and shaped bread into 5 different shapes. Overall, we had a really nice experience at UCB” “This trip was wonderful as I had fun making bread, cookies and doughnuts. I enjoyed shaping the bread and making them different shapes and sizes.”
CHRISTMAS
We have been getting really festive in the library at lunchtime. KS3 pupils designed, painted and used glitter to make Christmas cards and beautiful tree decorations. Well done everyone!
Amira’s Speech “As we bring this remarkable journey to a close, I stand before you with immense pride and gratitude for being a part of ‘Protect the Planet.’ This campaign has provided us with a unique opportunity to promote sustainability and make a lasting impact on our world. Through small changes and collective actions, we have come together to confront the challenges facing our planet. From ground-breaking initiatives that reduce carbon footprints to inspiring young individuals to prioritise sustainability, we have shown that success and sustainability can thrive hand in hand. This campaign is not an endpoint, but a steppingstone towards a greener future. Let us carry the lessons learned during this journey forward, infusing them into every aspect of our lives, and continue to protect and cherish our planet. In closing, I want to express my gratitude to all who have played a part in “Protect the Planet.” Your dedication and passion have made this initiative a tremendous success. Together, let us strive to create a sustainable and thriving world, ensuring a better tomorrow for all. The campaign may be ending, but our commitment to sustainability continues and we will continue to create a better future’.
NUMERACY Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci Day took place on 23rd November. Lots of pupils participated in the Fibonacci Day competition. There were lots of fabulous entries and it was very difficult to pick the winners but the winners are… Harsha Safiya
Neha Malak Baani
Khadija Abir and Rayyan
1st Prize 20 CCs
2nd Prize 15 CCs
3rd Prize 10 CCs
Autumn New sletter
All pupils that entered have been awarded 3 CCs for participating. Well done and thank you to everyone who participated!
Step Up!
ASD Production Project
Slapping Skin s African Dru mming Worksh op for BHM Enri We were very chment Day lucky to have Aaron from Slap again this yea ping Skins lead r for Enrichm a drumming wor ent Day. A full performance day of wonderf kshop with our s by our students ul rhythms and students . some extraord inary
MUSIC
Paige from B: Music has worked with two of our Year 7 students this term to show them the skills of DJing. She has been full of compliments to both students for their enthusiasm and sense of rhythm.
Enrichment Day
CAROL SERVICE
The school choir performed at the Aston Parish Church Community Carol Service in December. They are a very young choir and showcased two of the songs that they have been learning.
African Drumming Workshop with Slapping Skins
We were very lucky to have Aaron from Slapping Skins lead Step Up! ASD Production Proj a drumming workshop with our students again thisect Paige from B: Music has wor ked with two DJing. She has They have worked very hard this term under the of our been full of com Year 7 some year for Enrichment Day. A full day of wonderful rhythms and students this pliments to both term to show students for thei them the skill Aston Parish s of r enthusiasm Church Commun and sense of guidance of Mr Forde and the result was sensational. extraordinary performances by our The students. ity Carol Serv rhythm. ice school choir perf ormed at the a very young Aston Parish choir and sho Church Commun wcased two of ity Carol Serv very hard this the songs that ice in Decemb term under the they have bee er. They are guidance of Mr n learning. The Forde and the y have worked result was sens ational.
SPORT
Future Prospects
Our top Leaders from Year 10 entered the academic year kick starting their new Leadership Course. Future Prospects is the highest-level leadership course provided in our local School Sports Partnership organisation. They learnt what makes a successful leader, how to create, adapt and teach activities and finally concluded part two of four by leading a session themselves. They look forward to the final two sessions where they will delve into coaching styles, sporting careers and even get the opportunity to use state of the art sports science equipment at a university!
Ackers Adventure
Our Top Sportswomen and Sportsmen were rewarded with an amazing trip to Ackers Adventure where they got the opportunity to experience Dry Slope Skiing and Canoeing. The experience was thoroughly enjoyed by all!
As part of their OCR Sport Studies coursework assessment, 22 Year 11 students embarked on a High Ropes Treetop Plus Adventure activity at Go Ape Cannock.
Sports Birmingham Kick Off Event
Aston Manor Academy were chosen to represent the Aston Schools Partnership at the Sport Birmingham Kick Off Leadership event at Edgbaston Stadium. We were one of twelve schools out of the whole of Birmingham, which goes to show the commitment our students have to Sports and Leadership. All students worked amazingly hard to problem solve a number of leadership tasks working with those from other schools. They were also key to the discussion of how Sports Birmingham can progress opportunities and experiences for students in schools across Birmingham.
Facing the challenges of the high ropes was more than just a physical feat; it was a journey of personal growth for our resilient and fearless students. The students emerged from this activity developing their character, confidence, teamwork and leadership skills, whilst exposing themselves to the world of Outdoor Adventure Activities.
ATHLETICS Loughborough Indoor Athletics Open
AMA students represented as Birchfield Harrier Members in the Loughborough Indoor Open. Hameedat finished 1st in her first 60m sprint with a personal best of 8.39seconds and Asharia finishing 2nd also in her first 60m sprint with a personal best of 9.15 seconds. Well done!
Sportshall Athletics Competition
Amazing results again at this Years’ Sportshall Athletics:
Year 7 boys achieved 2nd place overall. Year 7 girls came 2nd in the Aston Partnership and 4th overall out of 11 school! Year 8 girls achieved 2nd overall and 1st in the Aston Partnership meaning Girls Athletics have qualified for the County Finals for the third year running!
“Amazing leaders, great empathy with the participants... they were brilliant!” Just a few ways teacher described our Year 10 leaders. They were brilliant and are now the first ever to achieve Sport Birmingham’s Silver Leadership badge. Massive well done to all!
TRANSITION FESTIVAL A big congratulations to our Year 7 girls and boys who attended the Year 7 Transition Festival. They represented Aston Manor at a very high level, and they were that good, that some of the coaches came over and asked if they could hold events in the school! We are so proud of them.
ICE HOCEY A first for our Year 10 OCR Students; watching the Ice Hockey! We had a great evening watching Coventry Blaze V Cardiff Devils at the Skydome Arena. A great atmosphere, enjoyed by all!
BASKETBALL Aston Manor Basketball Academy have been working incredibly hard since pre-season training started in August. Whilst fortunes on the court in competitive games have been mixed, we are pleased with the resilience and determination that our Academy members have shown. We are particularly proud of how well our new Freshman have settled into basketball and academic life at Aston Manor. Our players will continue to work hard over the Christmas break in preparation for the second half of the season. We look forward to a successful 2024.
Year 7 Girls - had a wonderful day at Nechells Wellbeing Centre and deserve a big congratulations on how well they displayed the positive values of determination, passion, honesty, teamwork, self-belief and respect. The organiser actually came over and said how said out of all the schools that attended, they were really impressed with how well behaved, polite and enthusiastic the girls were. They were a credit to AMA! The Aston Manor Football Academy in partnership with Aston Villa Foundation, is going from strength to strength this year. We welcomed 16 new male, and 16
new female players in our program in September 2023. We now have a total of 60 players all pushing for places across our four teams. Both our mens’ and womens’ 1st and womens’ 2nd team compete in the Community & Education Football Alliance League (CEFA) and we have a men’s development team in the AoC Football Regional West Midlands League. All teams have been training incredibly hard over at Aston Villa’s new, very impressive Brookvale inner city training facility this term. The girls have made a good start, winning a game in the cup, and a great 3-1 home league win over Bristol City FC. We are looking forward to many more games to come. The mens’ 1st team have had a great start in the CEFA top division this season, with wins over, Nottingham County, Bradford City, Stoke City and a bumper 8-2 victory over local rivals Birmingham City. The mens’ development team are training well and have had some competitive games, beating Codsall 3rd team 7-3, and a fantastic performance against Ormiston Academy, winning 11-0. Both of our womens’ teams are working hard, getting stronger and stronger. The 1st team played really well against Bristol Rovers, beating them 9-1 and other wins against Shrewsbury Town, Bristol City and Northampton Town. The 2nd team are competing well in a very tough league; so far they have played Derby County and had long trips to Burnley and Shrewsbury Town to play. The football academy are looking forward to training hard and playing many more games this season. If you are in Year 11 and are interested in applying to be a part of this great Football Education Academy, please e-mail Andy Coley at Aston Villa Foundation on andrew.coley@avfc.co.uk Please follow the Football Academy’s progress on Aston Manor Academies social media sites. Everything is uploaded on a weekly basis.
Year 7 Football - Aston Manor V Hamstead Hall
Aston Manor won 3 - 0 against Hamstead Hall to proceed to the Quarter Finals of Aston Cup.
Cyrille Regis
Aston Manor Cyrille Regis Cohort Featured on Midlands (Monday 21st August) at St George’s Park. BBC clip, at 22:23 https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/ episode/m001px0l/midlandstoday-evening-news-21082023
The English Department have been incredibly busy this term to ensure that all year groups have had the opportunity to participate in exciting events. Year 7: As a reward for an excellent start to English lessons we took 30 students to The Alexandra Theatre to watch an exciting, magical performance of Peter Pan. For many students, this was the first time in a theatre. Once we had all gotten over the shock of the size and scale of the venue, students sat down and enjoyed a two-hour immersive experience- singing, dancing, lights, magic, flying! The excitement was endless. Year 7 were an exceptional audience, and we cannot wait to see what other plays we can watch in 2024. Year 8: Our ongoing partnership with National Literacy Trust allowed us first access to two author workshops. The first, graciously hosted by Mount Zion, was attended by the entire year group and focussed on Ghost Stories.
Students explored how to prepare, plan and produce a story to grip the reader. Many students grabbed this opportunity and wrote their own ghost story set around Birmingham. A few weeks later, we went back to Mount Zion to share stories. Students turned down the lights, competed in decorating their best spooky table, and performed their stories aloud by torchlight. It was such a great experience to see students engage with a published author and use their knowledge and expertise as inspiration. Speaking of published authors, following a competition last year, over 20 of our students’ creative stories were selected to be published in a book of fiction. 20 of our students here at Aston Manor Academy are now officially published authors! Fantastic work. These books are available to borrow from our school Library. Year 9: Part of student’s study of English Literature is based around knowledge and understanding of different texts. One of these texts is A Christmas Carol - we were lucky enough to access 50 tickets to watch a live performance. We boarded our coach at 9.30am and went
on the short journey to the Crescent Theatre. Transported to the Victorian Era, we followed the journey of Ebeneezer Scrooge from grumpy, lonely miser to a generous man of honour and charity. This was such a great experience for our perfectly behaved students, and we can’t wait to see how they use this experience in English. Year 10: We have been lucky enough to work with Birmingham Conservatoire to offer all Year 10 students a free drama workshop exploring one of our GCSE plays. Students spent an hour with the experts delving deeper in to the dark and heart breaking story of Eva Smith, a girl left unsupported by her Edwardian society. Students were able to show off their expert knowledge to the facilitators, then empathise with this tragic story through a series of drama workshops and activities. We clearly have some future actors among us! We are so proud of all students who participated in these events and demonstrated how thoughtful, considerate, engaging, and generally fantastic, students here at AMA are.
CAREERS Degree Apprenticeship
First ever degree apprenticeship for AMA “Students have been working incredibly hard on their destinations after Sixth Form, with one student in particular deserving a special mention and shout out – Zayn Khan. Zayn has been successful in gaining a place on a degree apprenticeship for Deloitte, our first ever student completing a degree apprenticeship. He has worked so hard with preparation and working closely with our contact at ASK apprenticeships also. Well done, Zayn! Your future is bright!”
Year 11 Taster Day at UCB Engineering and Construction
This half term some year 11’s had the opportunity to attend UCB to take part in a taster session for careers and courses in Engineering and Construction. They took part in a competition to build a sturdy and well-designed structure and they visited the brand new facility called James Cond, which will offer many different construction courses.
Year 10 and 11 Trip to Hair and Beauty Department at UCB Year 10 and 11 pupils had the opportunity to visit the Hair and Beauty department of UCB. This taster session looked at a variety of courses in the industry and pupils could look around the studios and speak to teaching staff. They took part in a taster session for special effects which would be used for careers in film and theatre work. There were some gruesome results, as you can see!
Exam Certificates
Exam certificates from the Summer 2023 series will be available to collect from reception from the start of December. Please note that they may be destroyed after two years, and each exam board charges around £50 for replacement copies.
Exciting and effective study skills sessions were delivered by Elevate to Year 11 in the first half term. The year group received some focused sessions based around time management and the science of revision. Students were shown how to make useful notes when revising and how best to organise themselves at home in the lead up to their GCSE examinations this Summer. We were very happy with the feedback from these sessions and hope to invite Elevate back in the Spring to deliver some key follow up activities as the GCSEs approach.
SUMMARY OF CHILD PROTECTION FOR VISITORS AND VOLUNTEERS DESIGNATED SAFEGUARDING LEADS IN SCHOOL Aston Manor Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of ALL of our students.
If you need help or are worried about something or someone and need to talk to someone, we are ALL here to listen. You can speak to ANY member of staff in school about ANY concern, but they may need to share that information with one of these members of staff. Mrs Colvin-Grieve Lead DSL Assistant Headteacher Office next to E7
Ms Smith
Deputy DSL Family Support Officer C1
Mr Turner
Deputy DSL Deputy Headteacher Next to the general office (ground floor)
Mrs Lander
Deputy DSL Deputy Headteacher E12
Mr Preston
Deputy DSL Assistant Headteacher (6th Form) S1 6th Form Office
Mrs Kaur
Deputy DSL Head of 6th Form S1 6th Form Office
ASTON MANOR ACADEMY . PHILLIPS STREET . ASTON . BIRMINGHAM B6 4PZ TEL: 0121 359 8108 www.astonmanoracademy.com
Mr Forbes
Deputy DSL Deputy Headteacher C4
Mrs Hussain
Deputy DSL Assistant Headteacher KS4 Office
Headteacher Headteachers Office (ground floor) Mrs Sweeney
Designed and produced by Wave Ed 0121 454 9441 Info@wave-ed.co.uk