Kingswinford Newsletter February 2025 by Windsor Academy Trust

14 February 2025

DearParents/Carers,

Ourthirdnewsletteroftheyear,anditisabumperedition.We’vegonepastthehalfwaypointofthe academicyearandthathasledmetoreﬂectonwhatwe’veachievedsofar.Wehavemadesome hugeimprovementsacrosstheboardwithattendancesinceSeptember.Forthisweareextremely gratefulforyoursupport.Hopefullywecanmaintainthisexcellentimprovementduringthesecond halfoftheyear.

Equally,behaviourinandaroundtheschoolsite,inlessonsandincorridorsisalwaysgood-building uponwhatOfstedrecognisedlastJuly.Weshouldbereallyproudofourschool-agreatschool,that getsgreatresultsforitsyoungpeople,servingagreatcommunity.

Christmasseemsalongtimeagonow.Noticeably,thedarkmorningsandeveningsarerecedingwhich makeseveryonefeelthatlittlebitbetter.Whenwereturn,Year11have40daystogetreadyforthe GCSEexamseason.Our‘RacetoSuccess’programmebeginsinearnestafterhalftermaswegetready fortheﬁnalpush.

NexthalftermisalsoincrediblyimportantforYear9-withoptionseveningon5thMarch.

Inthemeantime,enjoythenewsletter!Ihopeyouhavealovelyhalftermbreak.

Bestwishes,

IanMoreton Headteacher

Upcomingevents-

● 24thFebruary-Schoolstarts-normaltime

● 24thFebruary-DeadlineforY10workexperience applications

● 3rdMarch-Y11MockExamsweek

● 5thMarch-Y9OptionsEvening

● 13thMarch-Y9Vaccinations

14 February 2025

Pastoral

ThesearetheﬁnalHouseHeroesofSpringHalfTerm1(w/c10/02/2025)

HouseHerooftheWeek

Argon-RaniyahRazzaq-zeronegatives,continuestohaveagreatattitudetolearningbeingresponsible,resilient andorganised.

Neon-ZeiChem-constantgreateffortwithinschoolandbehaviourisamazing.

Helium-IsabelleHyde-greateffortaroundschool.

Krypton-HaoyangZeng92K-brilliantachievementprogressingtothefollowonroundofthemathschallenge.

DirectorofHouseHeroes

Argon/Neon-PriyaTamber-105A-51positivepointsand0negativesthisweek.Priyaishavingsuchapositiveyearat schoolgaining403positivepointsand0negativessinceSeptember.

Helium/Krypton-CaydieWright-77H-92positivepointsthisweekand0negatives.Caydiehas567positivepoints sincestartinginyear7and0negatives.AtrulyinspiringstarttohertimeatKingswinfordAcademy.

14 February 2025

Spotlight on Enrichment - Developing our students’personal potential

Instrumental tuition and grade examinations

Congratulations to all of the musicians who have taken grade examinations this term!You have proved how resilience, determination, commitment and a passion for something you really enjoy, has resulted in fabulous achievements!

If your son/daughter would like to learn to play an instrument or have vocal tuition next year then you can sign up for lessons by accessing Dudley PerformingArts website (see the link below).

https://www.dudley.gov.uk/things-to-do/dudley-performing-arts/information-for-parents-and-young-p eople/music-lessons-in-schools/

It is proven that instrumental tuition supports skills that are transferable across all curriculum areas and achievements are highly recognised by universities. Music tuition also has supportive strategies that are conducive to positive well being and mindset as well as enjoying the benefits that Music has to offer. If you would like any further details in regards to instrumental / vocal tuition then please contact MissAbel.

Enrichment

To date, this academic year we have seen a fabulous 7500 attendees to our enrichment clubs, supporting our students to develop their personal potential. We have continued to offer 40 different clubs this half term from across our faculty areas. It has been wonderful to see students enhancing their passions and skills as well as exploring new opportunities.Thank you again to our fabulous staff for providing such memorable experiences for our students. We really do believe that our students' personal potential is key to their success, as well as enriching their school journey. Below are some of the fantastic activities our students have been enjoying.

14 February 2025

Starlight Band

Production - Matilda (tickets will be available soon!)

TabletopGamesClub

14 February 2025

PE workshop with British Judo Champion Tom David

14 February 2025

The winners of the table top design competition are….

Thank you to Mrs Morris for organising such a fabulous event!

14 February 2025

Enrichment Superstars

Congratulations to all of our students who have been chosen by their enrichment club leads to be this half term’s ‘Enrichment Superstars’.You have been chosen for your commitment, leadership, progress or their fantastic display ofAspire attributes.

Choir - Eden Taylor

Cricket Club - William Bain

Dance Club - Jaziah Hopper, Marcie Lock & Scarlett Hay

Drama - Daisie Boot

Electronics -Alex Best

Football - Logan Mocroft

Girls Football - Ruby Payne

Interior Design Masters Club -Alice Greenfield

Local Heritage - Darcie Webb

Orchestra - Corralie Small

Production - Oliver Grainger

Reading Club -Amelie Cadman

Rock Bands - Finley Hassall

Rugby - Harry Jennings

Science - Freya Bennett

Stars Homework - Phoebe Bird

Starlight Band - Mia Bedi

Tabletop Gaming - Ethan Wong

Events in the Spring Term

Throughout the SpringTerm we have organised many trips and workshops for our students.These include

Holocaust event, River Rooms Rock Night , Ingestre Hall, Poetry Live (Jan 2025)

Mental Health well-being workshops, Community Police Officer assemblies, PE workshop with British Judo ChampionTom David, WindsorAcademyTrust Dance event

14 February 2025

Coming soon!

Our school production this year is Matilda! Our largest ever cast is very working hard with MissAbel, Mrs Cooper, Mr Cotterill and Miss Barnett on what will be an absolutely fantastic show. Matilda will be performed throughout the week beginning the 7thApril.Ticket details will be advertised after half term!

Active Learning Week 14th-18th July

MissAbel and Mr Perry have been working very hard with the organisation of this year’s exciting Active Learning Week! We have 4 residential trips - Disneyland Paris, Barcelona football inspired trip, Newquay watersports trip and Beaudesert OutdoorAdventure Camp.

This year, bothYear 7 andYear 8 students have been invited to take part in our Pledge Week.The Pledge is a WindsorAcademyTrust initiative in which every school within our trust family, will offer 12 opportunities to experience a range of different activities or places to visit.This year, students will be going to Weston Super Mare, Blackpool, experience a Duke of Edinburgh style expedition, First Aid, visit a theatre, visit a museum, Warwick Castle as well as having fun at West Midlands Safari Park.

MissAbel will be launching ourYear 9 Pic ‘n’Mix soon!

If you would like any further details about our enrichment provision then please contact MissAbel or Mr Perry. Our enrichment timetable for after half term will be advertised on our school website.

Music MarkAward

MissAbel is delighted to share with you that we have been awarded Music Mark 2024- 2025.This is a national award that recognises our excellent Music provision both within curriculum time and our enrichment programme. We also continue to have a strong partnership with Dudley PerformingArts who supply our instrumental tuition. If students would like to get involved with our Music Enrichment Programme then you are welcome to join our choir, Starlight Band, Rock Bands, School Orchestra and Keyboard Club.

14 February 2025

Duke of EdinburghAward

Our Bronze and Silver DofE students completed their expedition training on 02/02/25.They spent the day learning about the kit needed for a successful expedition, how to navigate maps and set up equipment.They also spend time logging on to EDofE to plan out the additional activities they will be doing to achieve the award.

Enrichment Timetable

14 February 2025

Exciting Careers at KingswinfordAcademy

At KingswinfordAcademy, we are committed to providing students with opportunities to explore different career pathways, gain industry insights, and make informed decisions about their futures. This term, we have hosted inspiring careers events, offering students valuable knowledge and advice from experienced professionals.

One of the highlights was a visit from Steve Cox, 3DTechnologies Consultant atAMFORi Consulting and former Jaguar Land Rover employee. Steve delivered a thought-provoking assembly to ourYear 9 students, focusing on the concept of “Squiggly Careers” the idea that career paths are rarely straightforward. He explained how adaptability, resilience, and a willingness to explore new opportunities are essential in today’s job market. His insights were particularly valuable forYear 9 students as they prepare to choose their GCSE options later this year, helping them understand how different subjects and skills can lead to a variety of future career paths.

We also welcomed Rachael Watkins from Higgs LLP, who delivered a masterclass in Law for students fromYear 8 toYear 11 with an interest in legal careers. Rachael provided a fascinating insight into the legal profession, explaining the different routes into law whether through university or apprenticeships and the key skills needed to succeed in the field. Her talk gave students a clearer picture of what a future in law might look like and how they can start preparing now.

To further explore these career pathways, students were encouraged to use Unifrog, our online careers platform.Through Unifrog, students can research career options, discover qualification requirements, and access tailored career materials.Year 9 students, in particular, found this resource helpful as they began considering how their GCSE choices could shape their future opportunities.

These events are part of our ongoing commitment to careers education, ensuring our students feel informed and inspired about their next steps. We look forward to welcoming more industry professionals to KingswinfordAcademy in the coming months and continuing to provide students with the knowledge they

14 February 2025

Preparing for the

Future:

Inspiring College Talks at KingswinfordAcademy

At Kingswinford Academy, we are committed to ensuring our students are well-informed about the ever-changing job market and the opportunities available to them after school. To support this, we have continued to invite external providers into school to give students insightful talks and guidance on their future education and career choices.

Last term, we welcomed Dudley College, who delivered a fantastic assembly to our Year 10 students. With just one year left before they move on to further education, this session was designed to help them explore post-16 options, includingA-levels, T-levels, vocational courses, and apprenticeships. The assembly helped students start thinking about the next steps in their educational journey and the importance of making informed choices.

At the end of this term, we also invited Halesowen College to speak to our Year 9 students ahead of their GCSE options selection. This talk was particularly valuable, as it highlighted how the subjects they choose now can influence their future career pathways. Halesowen College provided insight into the skills that employers and further education providers look for, ensuring students feel confident in their decision-making process.

As the job market continues to evolve, we will keep providing students with access to expert advice from colleges, universities, and industry professionals. Future events will focus on career trends, emerging industries, and the skills that will be most in demand in the years ahead.

We encourage students to make the most of their Unifrog accounts, where they can explore different careers, research further education options, and access tailored advice to help them plan for the future.

14 February 2025

Celebrating Our King’s QuestAward Winners!

At KingswinfordAcademy, we take great pride in recognising the hard work, dedication, and ambition of our students.This term, many students have successfully achieved their Bronze and Silver King’s QuestAwards, showcasing their commitment to personal development and the values of our school.

The following students have excelled in their King’s Quest challenges, completing a variety of activities, including WHATPledges, to earn their awards:

Neon House

Bronze Winners: PetrinaAmrevweatefa, Carlos Mekhaeel, Felix Dhillon, Khalisah Hamza, Joseph Godwin,Taran Saini, Jack Shaw.

Silver Winners: Phoebe Bird, Dominic Plimmer, Harrison Guest, Phoebe Wooldridge

Argon House

Bronze Winners: Sadie Jones, Charlotte Martin, HumnaTanveer, Jessica Garfield, Jake Grainger, Frankie Ratcliffe, Kirat Sandhu, LiamTaylor

Silver Winner: Freya Bennett

Helium House

Bronze Winners: Karla Raybould, EmmanuelAjayi, Charlotte Capewell, Dannii Griffiths, Jaziah Hopper, Shayla Hussain,Abigail Jacques, Bryony Wickett.

Krypton House

Bronze Winners:AlinaAhmed,Tomiwa Balogun,Amina Dibba, Jamshid Mohammed, Hassan Nawaz, Lily Cartwright, LydiaTranter, Mia Bedi, Joseph Pitt, Daniel Grew, EthanTracey, Eden Taylor

Silver Winners: Lily-Ann Edwards, Darren Mateta, Maddie Obijiaku, Fatehjit Randhawa, James Sergison, Jenson Stretton, Zak Swatman, Daniel Wright, Laila Batool Onward to Gold!

Achieving a Bronze or Silver King’s QuestAward is a fantastic accomplishment, but the journey doesn’t stop here! We encourage all our winners to continue pushing themselves and aim for the prestigious GoldAward, which requires completing 14 or more activities, including four WAT Pledges.

14 February 2025

We are incredibly proud of all our students who have taken part in the King’s Quest challenges so far and look forward to celebrating even more success in the future. Keep aspiring for excellence—who will be our next GoldAward winners?

14 February 2025

Maths Updates

Intermediate Maths challenge

On the 29th of January selected pupils from year 9 and 10 took part in the Intermediate Maths challenge, a 60 minute, 25 multiple choice Challenge. It encourages mathematical reasoning, precision of thought and fluency to make students think.The problems on the Intermediate Maths Challenge are designed to make students think, most are accessible yet still challenge those with more experience.

Fancy having a go at the questions? Below are a sample of the question from this years challenge

14 February 2025

This years results are as follows:

Year 9 Winners

Bronze

Joseph Farmer, Veer Vaidya, Kacey Shaw, Grace Lambert, Elliott Osborne-Mcclung

Lily Bant, Dexter Powell, Oscar Greenfield

Silver

Daniel Grew, Skyleigh Morris,Yvie Price, Sam Dobson, Charlie Spencer, Gold

Haoyang Zeng

Year 10 Winners

Bronze

Martha Edwards, Mia Williams, SayilAbbas, Deacon Baldock, Hannah Round, Leah Watkiss

Darcy-Mae Whittaker, Lola Wooldridge, Luke Bayliss, Ruby Bytheway, Ellis Langford

Amy Pearman, SowaibahAsrar,AbdullahAfzel, Elizabeth White,Alice Moth, Meiri Iddrisu

MaxTaylor

Silver

Arpita Nair, Enri Rrahmani, Levi Clipa

Gold

Dominic Powell, Zhi Chen

Aspecial well done to Haoyang Zeng , Zhi Chen , Dominic Powell and Levi Clipa who have achieved exceptional results and progressed onto the follow on rounds with the UK Maths Trust.

Sparx Leaderboards

The sparx website is proving to be very popular amongst pupils completing homework and independently learning. Below is the leaderboard showing the top 5 pupils measured by the number of XPpoints they have accumulated.As always we will be rewarding pupils throughout the year with extra house points and prizes. Half term is an excellent opportunity to get onto sparx and challenge yourself, the system will match questions based on data collected and has shown to improve results in GCSE exams!

14 February 2025

PE Update

Empowering the Next Generation of Girls’Football Leaders

This week, 10 enthusiastic Key Stage 3 students from our school had the incredible opportunity to take part in a girls’football leadership programme in Cannock.This initiative is designed to empower young girls with the tools, training, and confidence needed to become football activators—leaders who inspire and engage their peers in football activities.

The programme focuses on developing leadership skills, fostering a love for football, and encouraging inclusivity within the sport. The students received specialist training, learning how to design, create, and deliver football sessions that engage new and different groups of girls. By becoming football activators, they now have the ability to increase participation in girls' football at our school, making the sport more accessible and enjoyable for all.

As part of the experience, our students were provided with valuable resources, training sessions, and even a new kit to support their role.Throughout the day, they took part in interactive workshops, practical coaching activities, and confidence-boosting exercises to prepare them for their leadership journey. We are incredibly proud of our students and look forward to seeing them take on their leadership roles with passion and enthusiasm. They will be leading girls within our school on "The Biggest Ever Football Session" on 7th March 2025.

14 February 2025

Athlete Visit to Kingswinford - Tom Davis JudoAthlete

Recently, students had the opportunity to be inspired by Commonwealth Judo athlete,Tom Davis. Tom has competed and represented Great Britain in Judo for over 12 years winning British and Commonwealth titles.Tom led a series of motivational workshops designed to empower and encourage our students. He shared valuable lessons about resilience, hard work, and staying positive even in the face of challenges.The workshops were delivered to a selection of our students in recognition of students' hard work and commitment to PE and enrichment activities throughout the school year so far.

The students thoroughly enjoyed the day, taking part in engaging activities and learning firsthand from a true sportsman.Tom’s infectious energy and passion for success left a lasting impression, motivating our students to strive for their best in all aspects of life.This event was made possible through our ongoing partnership with theYouth SportTrust, who help us bring inspiring experiences like this to our school community.

14 February 2025

Year 7 Basketball

Congratulations to Henry, Liam,Arthur, William and Frankie Ratcliffe who all played excellently at aYr7 3v3 Basketball competition onThursday.They played some great games beating Bishop Milner 2-0, Beacon Hill 4-2 and LinkAcademy 8-2 to win their group with maximum points.They entered the semi finals with a tough game against PegasusAcademy where they, unfortunately, lost 8-2 but they put up an excellent fight to a very strong team.

All students scored some great baskets but a big shoutout to Henry who scored 5 baskets across the group games.

14 February 2025

WAT Cross-Trust Basketball Match

This term we took ourYear 7/8 boys over to Windsor High School to participate in a friendly match. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to gain further experience within the sport of basketball and compete against another school in the trust. Our boy's showed fantastic sportsmanship and resilience throughout the game, against students that were much taller than them. We look forward to further cross-trust competitions in the future.Thank you to Windsor for hosting.

14 February 2025

WAT a Football Tournament for our students

OurYear 9 andYear 10 boys and girls had the fantastic opportunity to compete at the Wolves training dome in the WATfootball tournament this week.They represented our school with great sportsmanship, teamwork, and determination. Competing against other schools within our trust, they demonstrated excellent skill and dedication, making us proud with their performances.

Ahuge congratulations to all the players for their hard work and enthusiasm.Their commitment to the sport reflects the values we promote at our school, teamwork, resilience and a passion for football. We look forward to seeing them continue to develop their skills and achieve even more success in future tournaments.

Amassive well done to the boys team who were crowned champions and came first over all.The girls came third out of 7 teams. Well done to both teams, we are very proud of you!!

Boys results:

Clayton 0-7 Kingswinford

Kingswinford 9-1 Great Wyrley

Kingswinford 12-0 Newcastle

Kingswinford 11-1 STB

Windsor 1-2 Kingswinford

Girls results:

Clayton 2-1 Kingswinford

Kingswinford 1-0 Great Wyrley

Kingswinford 7-0 Newcastle

Kingswinford 1-0 STB

Windows 1-0 Kingswinford

14 February 2025

Behind the Scenes: Exclusive Training Session & Stadium Tour at Wolverhampton Wanderers

Agroup of dedicated students this week had the incredible opportunity to visit Wolverhampton Wanderers for a special training session and stadium tour. This reward was given in recognition of their hard work and commitment to PE and enrichment activities throughout the school year.

The experience began with an exclusive training session led by Wolves' professional coaches, providing students with expert guidance on improving their football skills, allowing the students to enhance their game while enjoying a professional training environment.

Following the session, the students were taken on a behind-the-scenes tour of Molineux Stadium, home to Wolverhampton Wanderers. The tour offered an inspiring glimpse into the life of a professional footballer, leaving students motivated and excited about the sport.

One student shared their enthusiasm for the experience: “It was amazing to train with Wolves coaches and see what it’s like behind the scenes at a professional club. It has inspired me to keep working hard in PE and football!”

This trip not only served as a well earned reward but also reinforced the importance of dedication and perseverance in sports. We are proud of our students for their effort and commitment and we look forward to providing more opportunities like this in the future.

Pictures to follow will be in the next newsletter.

14 February 2025

Year 11 Intervention Classes During Half Term

14 February 2025

Uniform Policy

We made some small - but significant - changes to our uniform policy from September 2024. We wanted to remind you of these in preparation for the winter.The full updated policy is published on our website.

14 February 2025

ASPIRE to Excellence - Our Expectations

Ready, Respectful, Safe is our approach to everything we do in school. We have worked hard to embed our routines within all aspects of our environment.The benefits can be seen throughout school. Ready to learn, Respectful interactions, Safe in everything we do.

Students Missing from Lesson

We treat truancy from lessons seriously; this is of great concern, as we are unable to account for your child's whereabouts during these episodes. We have worked with our community to ensure students are aware of the consequences should they truant from lessons. It is a very rare occurrence. Students will be challenged in line with our behaviour policy. Initially this will be time in the Refocus Room. However, should the issue persists it may result in potential suspension from school. We trust we can reply upon you to speak to your child about the severity of the issue; students cannot achieve if they are not in lessons and therefore will not unlock their academic and personal potential.

Toilet Permission

We encourage students to access toilets before and after school, during social times and, where possible, avoiding toilet use during lessons.You are able to track your child's toilet use during lessons by looking at Class Charts and “Toilet Permission”.As I am sure you appreciate lost learning directly relates to student progress and we welcome your continued support in tracking your child's toilet use via Class Charts and encouraging your child to access the toilets away from lessons.

Mobile Phones

We have a “Gate to Gate” expectation with regard to mobile phones, students must ensure they are switched off and placed in their school bag, at the school gate before entering the school site.They must remain switched off and in their bags until they leave the school site and are outside of the school gate before using them; this also applies to all after-school activities.

If you need to contact your child for any reason, this must be done via school reception.

14 February 2025

If you do need to report a child absence, do so using the Studybugs app.

If it is an illness-related absence, you will also be sent NHS advice as to whether your child should still attend school (or you can check here)

Absence from school equals lost learning; lost learning directly impacts what your child will achieve in their GCSE examinations, which will impact upon their future. It soon adds up and makes a difference. We need to work together to ensure our young people attend because it will ultimately affect their future success.As you are aware, we use ‘Studybugs’to report absence.The app will send you NHS advice on whether your child should still come to school if they are feeling ill.

Please check your child's Class Charts asTutors are celebrating and supporting improved and perfect attendance with positive points. Our “Rewards Shop” opens regularly - your child is able to exchange their points for rewards of their choice.