Newsletter 57

5 February 2016

INASecondaryNewsletter

CHINESE  NEW  YEAR  YEAR  OF  THE  MONKEY  

Christmas 25th December

Chinese  New  Year  is  based  on  the  ancient  Chinese  lunar  calendar  and  so  it  changes  from  year  to  year.  This  year  it  will  fall  on  Monday  8th  February.    •  Dinners,  parades,  dragon  dances,  

reunions  and  giE  exchanges  are  all  part  of  Chinese  New  Year  celebraGons.  

•  Each  day  has  its  own  celebraGon:  while  on  Day  2  it  is  tradiGonal  to  visit  friends  and  relaGves,  on  Day  3  people  tend  to  stay  at  home  as  it  is  not  seen  as  auspicious  to  socialise.  The  final  day,  Day  15,  sees  the  Lantern  FesGval,  where  red  Chinese  lanterns  are  released  into  the  sky.  

What  can  I  do?    

•  Visit  the  celebraGons  taking  place  in  Trafalgar  square  or  visit  China  town  in  central  London  on  Sunday  14th  February.  

•  Visit  friends  and  family  who  you  have  not  seen  in  a  very  long  Gme.  

•  Think  about  the  year  ahead.  What  changes  can  you  make  in  your  academic  and  personal  life.  

•  Clean  out  your  room  or  house.  Donate  unwanted  things  to  charity.  

2 INA Newsletter

Dear Parents and Carers

Today we welcomed Ian Hislop, satirist, journalist and media presenter, to INA. We were delighted that he was able to take time to talk to forty Year 10 students who are interested in a career in this field. His presentation was fascinating. Read the full report next week!

After the Easter break we are welcoming two new members to the Senior Leadership Team at INA as Primary Deputy Headteachers. They have written an introductory message each below:

Gareth Marshall-Jones

I am delighted to be accepting the position of deputy of primary at Isaac Newton Academy and am excited about the prospect of getting to know you all. I am particularly looking forward to the chance of working within an academy where the best elements of primary and secondary education are combined to offer the children an outstanding educational experience.

I have previously been the deputy in both a small one form entry primary and a large three form primary school in Havering. I hope to bring all the knowledge and experience that I have gained to help build on the good work that is already taking place here.

I am now in my fifteenth year as a teacher and have thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. I firmly believe that there is no limit to what children and adults are able to achieve. This philosophy ensures that I recognise that learning is a life-long experience and I look forward to the new things that I shall learn at the academy.

I look forward to introducing myself to you during the course of the summer term. If there is ever anything that I can help with then please come and see me, and I will see how I can help.

Nichola West

What an exciting opportunity! I am exceptionally pleased and privileged to be joining this outstanding educational establishment. I am an enthusiastic and conscientious individual, who endeavours to achieve the best, positive outcomes for the children and adults I work with. My belief in the pupils’ wellbeing and their future role in society is central to everything I do. With my relentless optimism, I strive for success, empowering others and myself to reach our full potential.

Currently, I live in Hornchurch with my husband and our two daughters. I have worked in Redbridge, in the teaching profession, for the past thirteen years. I earned my Bachelor of Science degree in Teaching Studies from the University of Greenwich, and have gained a Fellowship with the College of Teachers. I have taught pupils from Early Years to Year 6 at William Torbitt Primary School, where I have been Assistant Headteacher for the past three years. In my strategic leadership roles, I have led a range of teaching and non-teaching teams, as well as gaining experience in curriculum development.

I am delighted to be joining the team at Isaac Newton Academy. I look forward to meeting the pupils and their families, as well as working alongside the staff who have already made me feel so welcome!

This week each of the Year 7 and Year 8 tutor groups battled it out in their year team Spelling Bees. The events were highly competition and great fun. A full report and details of the winners will be in next week’s newsletter. In the meantime, many thanks go to Ms Rudd for organising the event.

And finally, a reminder that the half term ends for student this coming Thursday, 11th February, as we have a staff training day on Friday 12th. We will welcome the secondary students back at 8.25am on Monday 2nd February.

With best wishes,

Rachel Macfarlane,

Principal

INA Newsletter 3

On the 30th of January 26 students from Key Stage 3 met to participate in a

Saturday Stretch session. The session focus was Medicine and was led by two second year students from Cambridge University; Amanda Choo and Kashif Khatib. This was the students’ second year in delivering a session to students of Isaac Newton Academy and they presented us with some insightful information about the worlds of Medicine and university!

Amanda shared a little bit about her journey which began in Singapore:

“Prior to entering university, I grew up and studied in Singapore. From a young age I had always thought that medicine was an exciting profession, and when I started school I found learning about the human body fascinating. I had the chance to participate in a few science competitions such as the Biomedical Olympiad or Biology Olympiad, which allowed me to learn things in greater detail outside of the school curriculum. Subsequently, I was able to follow some doctors around for work experience, and discovered that the job was not as glamorous or adrenaline-pumping as I had expected! However, I was privileged to learn from doctors about the fulfilment that they gain from their occupation, and the life lessons and skills that they have learnt over the years. This convinced me that the medical profession was not only intellectually stimulating, but also rewarding in shaping me as a person and in serving society in a unique way.”

Kashif, who was born in the UK, told us about his educational career and how he knew that Medicine was the path for him

“Since as long as I can remember I have been fascinated with how things work; this naturally led me to favour science subjects at school. My favourite part of studying science at school was doing experiments and practicals. I always enjoyed getting stuck in and doing something new, be it synthesizing aspirin in sixth form or seeing some colours change in year 7 Science - there was always something cool to do. This naturally led me into thinking about pursuing a career in Science.

When it came to Year 12 options I chose biology, chemistry, physics, and maths. While I was looking into different careers in science medicine stood out to me. Medicine lets you apply Science in a meaningful way where you can make the lives of others better. Being a doctor is hands-on work which lets you do exciting things such as surgery. Medicine also gives you the opportunity to travel and practise anywhere in the world. It looked very appealing on paper, but was it for me? I went and found out. I volunteered at a Stroke Ward and saw how the hospital really functioned and appreciated the important role nurses and other members of the medical team played in treating patients. Work experience at a pharmacy taught me about the continuity of medical treatment in the community. Shadowing a surgeon exposed me to the unique roles and responsibilities doctors have within the healthcare system, solidifying my interests in pursuing medicine as a career.

Before my final year of school, I sat the UKCAT entrance exam for Medicine and then in October I applied to several universities for Medicine through UCAS. Since I applied to Cambridge, I also had to sit the BMAT exam. After much waiting, a few interviews and few rejections I found out that I had an offer from Cambridge to

study medicine. After meeting the A-level offer, I matriculated at Magdalene College to study medicine.”

The session itself was very engaging; we began by learning about the central nervous system (CNS) and neurones which are special cells that send electrical signals through our bodies to create what we call involuntary reflexes. The students got an opportunity to play doctor and put their understanding into practice. We split into groups and students used the tendon hammer to cause a reflex by gently hitting the patellar tendon. It was very cool to watch! We watched some online videos of other reflex tests that can be performed and were intrigued to find out that this test is an important one; it is carried out by medical professionals to assess the functionality of the spinal cord.

Later in the session the students were tested on their understanding of the material covered and took part in a quiz. Things got a little competitive as teams scribbled furiously down their answers.

To conclude the session, Amanda and Kashif talked to us about life at university. They answered a lot of our questions from the competitive entry process to day to day living away from home. They talked to us about what universities are looking for in students and confirmed that in this competitive climate, academic success in not enough. They advised that prospective students need to show a commitment to the field through volunteering and continued work experience. They also told us that universities favour students with interests and passions outside of the discipline. In essence, universities are as interested in you as they are your levels.

When asked the question ‘Do you think the session was helpful?’ some students said:

“Yes, it gave me a real taster about the life as a student studying Medicine.”

“Yes, I learned all about nerves and reflexes and all about what life is like at Cambridge.”

When asked if the session had prompted them to consider studying this subject at university some students said:

“Yes because we get to learn about the nervous system and different parts of the body. We also get to dissect bodies!”

“Yes as I am really interested in Science”

Kashif said “The students were all well behaved and inquisitive. Some asked some intelligent questions showing that they were really thinking about what we had discussed”

Saturday Stretch: Medicine

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GCSE French and Spanish Controlled AssessmentsStudents studying GCSE French and Spanish will complete their first Writing Controlled Assessment next week. The CA takes one hour and is undertaken in formal exam conditions. Students have been preparing for their CA during MFL lessons. It is important that all students revise carefully and practise their written response for IL in the days preceding the CA.

Please note that students should not be taken out of school for appointments during their CA, the dates and times of which are as follows.

Ms Hermolle 10 BEA Tuesday 9th 9.50am Ms Gallagher 10 PIC Tuesday 9th 9.50am Ms Hermolle 10 LEO Wednesday 10th 8.50am Ms Girard 10 JEA Wednesday 10th 12.00pm Ms Brett 10 ZAF Thursday 11th9.50am Ms Gallagher 10 VOL Thursday 11th 9.50am

Ms SpencerVice Principal

Breakfast/break snack tariffs Attached to the newsletter is a copy of the breakfast and break snack tariffs with effect from 22nd February 2016. Please remember to ensure that your son/daughter’s account is regularly topped up on Wisepay.

INA Newsletter 5

PE AT ISAAC NEWTON ACADEMYNews & ResultsGirls Can!

This is a new initiative for Isaac Newton Academy looking to raise participation levels of females in sport.

It runs every Tuesday at the start of lunch and we have a special guest teacher each week to act as a positive role model. Come and try something different with your friends.

Year 7 Joga Bonito Football Tournament

Monday night saw the first Year 7 football fixtures take place as part of the Year 7 football tournament. The tournament is aimed at increasing girls’ participation in sport and is part of the ‘Girls Can’ Initiative. The turn out from all 4 Year 7 teams for round 1 was amazing. We watched 2 fantastic fixtures take place up on the Primary Muga with lots of goals being scored. The tournament is a knock out competition and below is the match report written by Imran Ali from 7T.

7I vs 7T

At 16.50 on Monday we started the football match, the tension was incredible as we both had the honour of starting off the tournament. The match consisted of 7T playing 7I. 7T managed to put in a goal making it one nil, which dreadfully changed when 4 goals were

consistently scored by 7I. The player of the game was given to Daniel from 7I as he used his brain and skills well during the match; he also worked well with his team to help achieve four goals. Final score :7I 4 7T 3.

7T’s best player was Hamza; he worked really hard and concentrated well. Overall it was a great first game by both teams and now the competition has started, all of the forms are excited to see how the matches will pan out.

By: Mohammed Imran Ali 7T.

7C vs 7A

The second match of the night was between two forms in the same half year. Again both teams played well to score a number of goals in a match that could have gone either way. A penalty for handball was awarded by Miss Lapish and Lily Southall managed to stay calm under pressure to score a vital goal to seal the win for 7C. Unfortunately 7A (1) are knocked out but they still have one team left in the competition so good luck to 7A (2) in their first match. Final score: 7A 2 7C 4.

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After school Lunch timeDay 1st Lunch

(Year 10)2nd Lunch (year 7,8 &9)

Mon Badminton Boys and Girls

Badminton (Year 7, 8 & 9) Boys and Girls

Tues Girls Can! (Year 7,8 & 9 Girls)

Wed Basketball club Boys and Girls

Basketball (Year 8 & 9) Boys & Girls

Thur Handball(Year 7, 8 & 9) Boys and Girls

Fri Basketball (Year 7) Girls and Boys

PE department extra-curricular and enrichment clubs

Improve your skills! Try something new! Keep fit! Make new friends! Unleash your

energy! Increase your chances of getting into a team!

DAY CLUB TEACHER VENUE

Mon Handball DB Sports Hall

Netball EH MUGA

Table Tennis GW Activity Studio

Tues Judo Club External Sports Hall

Wed Yr 9 S+C BH Sports Hall

Rugby Club OT Knox Field/MUGA

Thur Yr 10 Football AT MUGA

Table Tennis BW Activity Studio

Yr 8 Basketball JL Sports Hall

Seated Volleyball

MB Activity Studio

Football/Cricket Yr 7

TB MUGA

Fri Badminton club External Sports Hall

Girls’ Sports club

AN MUGA

Bike Club EC, DH, BB MUGA

Football/Cricket Yr8

AG Knox Field

Upcoming fixtures

8th February• Year 10 Basketball vs Loxford (Away)11th February • Year 9 Vs Year 10 Basketball game• Year 9 Badminton Team London Youth Games Qualifiers

as part of the Enrichment Programme – 4.15 – 5.15pm – you will need your P.E. kit for these clubs – shin pads are advised for Football and Football/Rugby boots are advised for Rugby Club. Gum shields are compulsory for Rugby Club.

PE AT ISAAC NEWTON ACADEMY

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This week’s Mathematicians of the Moment

Aishah  Patel  (9E)  Simonida  Hajredini  (8A)    Simra  Kazi  (7W)  )    

Giulia  Cozma  (9N)    Harkirat  Singh  (7I)     Ekam  Sehmbi  (8S)    

Well done to the following students who are this week’s Mathematicians of the Moment. Please collect a merit from Mr

Dukes

7I 130 7S 40 7A 130 7C 30 7N 330 7E 90 7W 230 7T

8I 8S 90 8A 500 8C 30 8N 100 8E 10 8W 8T

9I 9S 9A 890 9C 9N 1070 9E 320 9W 540 9T 1200

Here are the scores so far

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The Mathematics department would like to encourage all students to enter next week’s Mathematician of the Moment competition. Have a look at the problem below.

Answers to be written on a Maths postcard to be placed in the Maths post box no later than 4.10pm on Wednesday 10th February. Good luck and may the best form win!!!

Answers on a postcard to be handed to Mr Dukes (G42) by Thursday 4.10pm latest!

Monday 1st February to Thursday 11th February YEAR 7 - PROBLEM OF THE WEEK

YEAR 8 - PROBLEM OF THE WEEK

Answers on a postcard to be handed to Mr Dukes (G42) by Thursday 4.10pm latest!

Mrs Mess was buying a set of garden furniture. The bill was seventy pounds.

She gave the attendant what she thought were two £50 notes, (actually two £100 notes).

The attendant was sleepy and didn't notice either, so he gave Mrs Mess what he

thought were three £10 notes (actually three £50 notes).

Who ended up better off than they should?

Monday 1st February to Thursday 11th February

YEAR 9 - PROBLEM OF THE WEEK

Answers on a postcard to be handed to Mr Dukes (G42) by Thursday 4.10pm latest!

WHOSE PET?

Emma, Farhan, Gabriel and Harry have different pets: a cat, dog, rabbit and hamster.

Emma doesn’t have a dog. Gabriel and Harry do not have a hamster.

Farhan has a rabbit.

Harry used to have a cat but now has a different pet. What pet does he have?

Monday 1st February to Thursday 11th February

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Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 C 230 N 215 T 111 N 125T 156 C 183 N 79 W 109 N 147 W 156 E 78 S 85S 144 T 153 S 74 I 66W 126 S 152 C 70 E 65I 93 A 148 A 55 A 47E 44 I 132 W 52 T 45A 34 E 125 I 29 C 0

Praise &Recognition

Merits - a change has been made!

Jennifer ByrneYear 9 Pastoral Leader, i/c Praise and Recognition

Ahmed was well known for being kind, for helping others and for being extremely polite. He was also someone known for his hard work and absorption; the idea, therefore, is that the winner should be someone that encapsulated one of these qualities in that week.

Year 7: Ahmed Nawaz 7S Year 8: to be announced next weekYear 9: Hamzah Mosheraf 9TYear 10: Awais Seyyad, 10T

Good Deed Feed

Ms Field: Yusra 10E has been really helpful in helping other GCSE Drama students prepare for practical, especially standing in for absent group members during after school rehearsals.

Mr Dukes: Dylan Bhurji noticed a year 7 student’s bag was undone as he was walking down the corridor and notified the student of this before his books came out.

Ms McEvoy: Taylor supporting the school ethos and dining team by taking out plates that had been mistakenly been put into the food waste by other students.

Ms Stylianou: Adan Jamal helped me carry my books even though it was during his lunch time

Mr Abrantes: Raees Khan- For assisting in tutor group. He was collegiate and helpful to his peers.

Mr Butler-Zanetti: Arnie and Aweys spent a lot of time helping Jainna Bhalla prepare for her interview for the Exeter trip. I was really impressed with the time they put in. Nice cross-year interaction too.

Ahmed Al-Khafaji Award (Peer Commendation Award)

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Last week saw the exciting Assembly Final of the Jack Petchey Speakout Final. Our six Year 10 finalists spoke eloquently, confidently and fluently in front of audience of their entire year group, their tutor team and a panel of judges. The subjects of their speeches included finding your purpose, protecting the environment, bullying and our obsession with social media. The judges were impressed with the depth and maturity of all of the speeches and deciding who was going to represent the Academy at the regional finals of the competition. After a great deal of deliberation, the judging panel, comprising Ms Macfarlane, Ms Spencer and Ms Curley named the winners as Simran Larr and Halema Anjum. Congratulations to them and to all of the finalists for their excellent speeches

JACK PETCHEY SPEAKOUT CHALLENGE ASSEMBLY FINAL

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Year 8 Progress meetings - Tuesday 9th Feb Y8 Progress meeting are calendared for Tuesday 9th February 2016 from 2:30-6:30. Representation at the event is an expectation outlined in the home school agreement signed by all parents and students. All students will complete lessons p1 – 4a (Y10 students will complete lesson 4a as per KS3 timings). P4a will finish for all students at 1:05. Students will return to tutor groups from 1:05-1:15. Students who are eligible for Free School Meals who request lunch in advance (via form tutors) can collect a lunch bag from the KS3 desk area as they leave. Tutors will escort students to the KS3 gate at 1:15 where students are expected to go directly home and return between 2:30-6:30 with parents. Students are expected to attend with an adult family member in full school uniform. The progress meeting will take place in the KS3 Hall. The last appointment is 6:25 for a 6:30 finish. Staff will set independent learning for Y7, 9 and 10 in advance for p5 and 6. The school will be closed to Y7, 9 and 10 from 1:15. Enrichments and detentions will not take place.

E x p e r i m e n t a t i o nI N A B R I D G E S

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E x p e r i m e n t a t i o n

INA Newsletter 13

How we build learning power and develop character at Isaac Newton Academy

“We build too many walls and not enough bridges.” Isaac Newton

The secondary BRIDGES programme commences on Monday 14th September. BRIDGES are habits of mind or learning characteristics that develop a student's character and learning power and enable them to grow into well rounded individuals and resilient learners.

On a two weekly cycle throughout the year, Year 7 and 8 students are introduced to one or two new habits of mind or learning characteristics that will permeate throughout the curriculum. This will take place through a range of interactive activities. In addition, the students will experience BRIDGES learning objectives in each and every lesson throughout Isaac Newton Academy. Year 9 BRIDGES lessons will focus on strengthening certain BRIDGES learning characteristics through exploration of PHSE topics and themes.

Each fortnight you will find top tips in the newsletter of ways of supporting your child to develop the BRIDGES habits of mind and learning characteristics within the home.

B R I D G E S

Regular attendance is a crucial factor in students’ educational development and ability to achieve their full potential.

At Isaac Newton Academy every student is set the target of 100% attendance. We know that attendance has a direct link to progress, and would urge you to really consider if a day off school is necessary.

Ms. Abbott-JonesLead Pastoral Leader

7W 98.2 8N 97.9 9S 99.1 10E 98.6

7S 97.8 8C 97.3 9E 98.3 10I 96.7

7N 97.3 8I 96.7 9W 96.5 10W 96.1

7T 96.5 8A 95.7 9N 96.4 10S 95.7

7A 95.8 8S 95.2 9A 95.5 10N 95.2

7E 95.5 8E 93.6 9T 94.8 10C 95

7I 93.3 8T 93.5 9C 90.9 10T 95

7C 88.7 8W 93 9I 89.5 10A 93.9

ATTENDANCE

Year 10 95.8%

Year 8 95.4%

Year 7 95.4%

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Key Dates for the Spring Term 2015: Secondary

Spring TermMonday 4th January - Thursday 24th MarchHalf Term 15th - 19th FebruaryINSET days: Monday 4th January and Friday 12th February

Monday 8th February Future Engineers WorkshopTuesday 9th February Year 8 Progress Meetings (2.30 -6.30pm). Years 7, 9 & 10 studying at home in the afternoon Thursday 11th February Year 7 trip to Oxford UniversityFriday 12th February INSET Day. School closed to studentsTuesday 22nd February Debate Competition Friday 26th February Science Live Trip for Year 9sSaturday 27th February Modern Languages and Linguistics Saturday Stretch: Cambridge University Monday 29th February Year 10 Jaguar Land Rover tripThursday 3rd March Year 10 Progress Meetings (2.30 -6.30pm). Years 7, 8 & 9 studying at home in the afternoonThursday 3rd March World Book DayFriday 4th March Year 10 Study Skill WorkshopFriday 4th March Year 9 Maths Exam Friday 11th March Guest speaker from Institute of Civil EngineersMonday 14th March Year 7 Progress Meetings (2.30 -6.30pm). Years 8, 9 & 10 studying at home in the afternoonWednesday 16th March UK Team Maths Challenge FinalsWednesday 16th March PE Spring SpectacularWednesday 16th March Natural History Museum Trip (Triple Science students)Thursday 16th March Natural History Museum Trip (Double Science students)Friday 18th March Year 9 Maths ChallengeFriday 18th March Year 9 Battle of the Bands Saturday 19th March Biology Saturday Stretch: Southampton UniversityMonday 21st March Year 8 Big Band CompetitionWednesday 23rd March Spring ConcertThursday 24th March Awards Assemblies. End of Term. Half day.

Summer TermMonday 11th April - Wednesday 20th JulyHalf Term 30th May - 3rd JuneINSET days: Thursday 23rd and Friday 24th June, Friday 8th July

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