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Achievement, Collaboration and Leadership – KSA’s mantra sums up the last two terms perfectly with pupils showing great team spirit during a very productive and successful four months. There have been lots of firsts since September – the first lessons in the new building, the first KSA Fun Run, the first head boy and girl in Primary, the first Christingle service and a particular highlight, the first whole-academy sponsored walk.Around 1,600 pupils and staff took part in the walk for Cransley Hospice and the hospice’s fundraiser, Diana Patrick, was amazed when she learnt the amount raised – more than £13,000 with Gift Aid. Principal Martin Campbell said: “I would like to congratulate all the pupils and staff who completed the walk and raised such a significant sum of money. The walk was organised to raise awareness and money for a local charity who contribute so much to our community.”Our pupils – from Nursery right through to Sixth Form – have done us incredibly proud in the way they have embraced Academy events and charity fundraising, with many older pupils taking on leadership roles. They also showed the utmost respect during our special Remembrance assemblies (pictured)

when each secondary house captain and vice-captain laid a petal to form a giant wreath.There have been lots of firsts in the classroom too – all Sixth Formers using iPads for their studies, economics taught at GCSE level for the first time and links made with SATRA Technology Centre. Another first was a visit by French and German students through the Comenius programme, which gave our host pupils and their families the chance to gain a greater understanding of other cultures. A special mention must also go to our Year 11 basketball team who won the league and district tournament and are undefeated in 2 years.In Primary, more leadership roles have been introduced including the Young Leaders scheme, junior librarians and house captains.With so much already under way, we look forward to seeing what the rest of the year brings.

Term 2 Newsletter 2012 Issue Thirteen

The Spirit of KSA

1

m croscopeunder the

Remembrance

Fun Run

Sponsored Walk

LETTER FROM THE PRINCIPAL

These first two terms across both Primary and Secondary phases have been extremely busy. We

are currently in phase two of the building project with the old building being demolished and refurbishment of the Primary phase continuing. The last phase – landscaping, car parking and outside court construction – should be complete by early March. After a busy summer of works in the Primary phase, the children returned to a much improved space, if maybe just a little unfinished in places. We would like to thank you for your continued support as we await the final works such as car parking and playgrounds. The children have returned with a real sense of commitment and composure. The whole Primary phase feels incredibly calm and purposeful. The children are working hard and very much enjoying our new maths scheme, Maths Makes Sense, which develops their maths skills in a practical way. This term we have begun our special Friday enrichment curriculum. The children have had a variety of experiences from drama to cookery with the Academy’s Catering Manager and from Zumba to French with some of the Secondary French teachers. Each term the children will rotate groups allowing them to experience a real breadth of activities. In the Secondary phase the move into the new build was successful and teaching began on time in September. Since then there have been a number of events to show off the new building to parents and the community. We have held a parents’ welcome evening for all year groups together with a celebration evening for the past Year 11 pupils, many of whom are still with us in the Sixth Form. We held a successful community evening where members of the public were invited to have a look around and we were pleased to see the Mayor, Councillor Jim Hakewill, in attendance. We have held opening events for the art work projects and have shown

around many guests and those who played a part in designing and building the new Academy. Perhaps the largest attended event was the open evening for Year 6 parents and pupils, with well over 900 people attending. Throughout the week of tours we estimate that there were more than 1,200 people looking at the Academy as a possible school for their children. What was particularly pleasing were the many positive comments made by parents and the community about the young pupils, mainly from Year 11, who escorted and showed them around the building. I would like to say a massive thank you to all the student ambassadors who gave up their time on numerous evenings to represent the Academy – you did a magnificent job!In addition to evening events, there have also been a number of charity events which have generated a huge sum of money for different causes. The main event was the sponsored walk (below) where together we estimate that 1,500 pupils and staff walked an average of 4 miles, so 6,000 in total, to raise a magnificent £13,146 for Cransley Hospice. We also held the fun run, cake sales and Children in Need day which, taken all together, puts KSA as raising almost £16,000 for different charities. Thank you and well done!I have conducted, across both phases, a number of assemblies this term but would like to mention just one. I recently talked to the pupils about what the word loyalty meant and about what it means to be loyal. I spoke about leaders being loyal to those they lead in the face of difficulty and that

loyalty is something which, if given, is repaid, twice over. I spoke about the need to remain loyal and that true loyalty is only seen when things are difficult and people face challenges. I reminded them that great leaders have a loyal following because they pride themselves on treating people with respect and dignity. I asked that when they become leaders they remember that they will only be able to lead if they have loyal people willing to follow and that fear never ever breeds loyalty. The Remembrance Day service was also something I would like to highlight as a particularly important part of this term and one which follows on the theme of loyalty. After a small speech the house captains and vice captains each laid a petal of a poppy around the central black circle. A piper then played ‘Flowers of the Forest’, the piper’s lament, which resonated around the central area. It was a poignant moment and one which I hope all pupils will remember.As this busy term draws to a close I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.

Martin Campbell – Principal

Issue Thirteen • Under the Microscope2

KETTERINg SCIENCE ACAdEMy

dear All

THANK yOU KSAThank You Letter from Reverend Dr John Smith – Patron, Cransley Hospice.Dear Mr Campbell,I still have a sense of amazement that a school, the school of which you are the Head, could walk and raise money for Cransley Hospice. And it was not just a few pupils who walked but the entire school, thus my amazement.I understand that the money raised so far amounts to a massive £13,146,including Gift Aid and for that we and our patients and their families are extremely grateful.

But it is not just the money because I know that the school has informed itself of the work that the Hospice does and why it does it. My hope is that the pupils will carry what they have done and what they have leant into their lives in the future.Thank youYours sincerelyReverend Dr John Smith

English teacher Andrea Bodnar is saying farewell to KSA and moving to Melbourne, Australia. Miss Bodnar moved to England from Canada and started at KSA when it became an academy in 2009.She said: “It was a good time to start because I was learning as everyone else was – it was quite a challenge to come from another country but the English department has been so supportive. “I have had the same form group since then and I have really grown to love them and enjoy spending time with them.

“I want to thank KSA for giving me an opportunity to grow as a teacher. I have learned so much from working here and I will miss being part of it.”Miss Bodnar, who is also a drama teacher, has also been involved in many of the Academy’s shows.

ContentsHouse Pages 4-5

Academy Events 6-7

Primary News 8-9

Nursery & Reception 10

Years 1-3 11

Years 4-6 12

Art, Music & Industrial Design 13

Communications 14

Maths & I.T. 15

Science 16

Ethics, Humanities & Business 17

P.E. 18

Sixth Form 19

Library 20-21

Academy News 22-23

KSA Open Day 24

Under the Microscope • Issue Thirteen 3

ACAdEMy INFORMATION

KSA TERM dATESTerm 2Friday 21st December 2012 Last day of term

Term 3Monday 7th January 2013 Re-open to students

Friday 8th February 2013 Last day of Term

Term 4Monday 18th February 2013 Re-open to students

Wednesday 27th March 2013 Last day of term

Thursday 28th March 2013 Teacher Training Day

Term 5Monday 15th April 2013 Re-open to students

Monday 6th May 2013 Academy closed May Day

Thursday 23rd May 2013 Last day of term

Friday 24th May 2013 Teacher Training Day

Term 6Monday 3rd June 2013 Re-open to students

Friday 19th July 2013 Last day of term

Important Information about Child BenefitParents should be aware that their child benefit will stop if their child is not in education or learning.Under the present law, the school leaving age is 16. After 2013, the education leaving age will rise to 17 and from 2015 it will rise again to 18. This means that this year’s Year 11 pupils (2012-13) must stay in education or training until the end of the academic year they are 17.Research has shown that young people who carry on learning or training until the age of 18 earn more money, are less likely to be in trouble with the police and are likely to healthier.

does this mean that students need to stay on at school?No. There are different interpretations of what counts as ‘staying in learning’• Full time education. This can be in school or

college or educated at home• Work based learning. This can be with an

employer or training provider. For example, apprenticeships

• Part – time education or training. They will need to be employed, self employed or volunteering for more than 20 hours a week

• Starting their own business.

Implications for parents• Young people cannot leave school without an

identified learning pathway • Child benefit will continue whilst the young person

is in learning• Benefits will stop the first Monday in September if

a child is not in some form of education or training• Some vocational training may start later at age 17

and continue longer• The Academy will continue to monitor the

young person’s destination after they have left the Academy.

TimelyAdvice Ltd, a team of independent careers consultants, is working with the Brooke Weston Trust to offer guidance to all leavers.

See page 24 for more details.

Miss Bodnar Says goodbyeFollow KSA on

TwitterKSA is now on Twitter so follow @KSAcademy1 for the latest news and events.The Academy will use Twitter to inform parents and the wider community of events and to share the achievements of our pupils through our news stories.It is a broadcast account only so if you need to contact the Academy, please continue to use the normal channels (phone or email).


HOUSE NEWS

Socrates is now fundraising for a new charity, as suggested by Curtis Mason. All proceeds will now go to Always a Chance,

a charity set up by the family and friends of James Cooper and James Kouzaris, who were shot dead in Florida on 2011. The aim of the charity is to work with young people who are at risk of getting involved in violent crime. Socrates made Always a Chance its nominated charity after hearing presentations by Sixth Formers about a number of charities. It started with a collection of 20p pieces in Smarties tubes, which raised £110. Mr Haywood’s class raised the most with £24.40.This term marked Socrates’ fundraising week and the house took advantage of the footfall through the Academy on parents’ evening by holding a cake sale and guess the name of the teddy.Socrates also marked National Anti-Bullying Week by holding a competition for the best poster or poem.Right: House Captain Charlie Bonel and Vice Captain Georgia Clarke

da Vinci has been busy creating a KSA calendar to raise funds for its charity, KidsAid. Each form has been given a month and they have to come up with

a theme that fits with the Academy’s motto of Achievement, Collaboration, Leadership. There will be a suggested task for each month such as doing something to help others or to develop a skill. da Vinci has also been running inter-form competitions to mark national events, such as National Poetry Day and National Peace Day.

Hawking house across both phases came together for Primary’s Christmas fair this term, with older and younger pupils linking

up to sell cupcakes and help out at the fair on December 8th. Charity reps Megan Marshall and Reade Barnes have been working closely with Hawking in Primary. In addition, Jess Mutton (pictured right), of Hawking 3, put together a quiz in her own time and sold it to raise funds for the house’s nominated charities, Pseudomyxoma Survivors and Marie Curie. On December 13th, Hawking members from primary visited secondary to sing carols in assembly.

A fundraising drive by Franklin saw pupils collect £67 through a money box challenge. Each form was given a children’s money box

which they had to fill with loose change, with Franklin 4 collecting the most. The money will go to Bliss, a charity which helps premature babies.

Sanger’s charity rep, Jospin Sebastian-Ramesh, has been coming up with lots of fundraising ideas for her house this term. She was also one of the

pupils who played a key role in the Academy’s sponsored walk for Cransley Hospice. As well as collecting loose change in sweet tubes for Macmillan, the house also launched Get Sanger Reading as part of the Academy’s literacy focus. This saw pupils bringing in newspapers, magazines and books which they spent time reading during CAPS. When they were finished with the magazines and newspapers, each form had to create an outfit from the material, with some creative designs on show.

Da Vinci

Socrates

Hawking

Franklin

Sanger

House Captain Abi Kapur and Vice Captain Tom Martins

Above: House Captain Josh Clubley and Vice Captain Darcy Dixon

Right: Jess Mutton with her quiz

Right: House Captain Mason Hoath and Vice Captain Sonam Seroye

House Captain Charlie Massie and Vice Captain Jake Clark


HOUSE NEWS

House HampersPupils showed their community spirit once again by donating food for Christmas hampers to be distributed to the elderly.Each form was given a box to fill which will then be delivered to the Four Seasons Day Centre in Kettering.Thanks to all families who made a donation.

House Captains Ready to Lead the WayA group of Year 6 pupils have been nominated for the role of House Captains thanks to their attitude and effort in school.A boy and girl have been selected to represent each of the Houses – many of them applied for

the positions of Head Boy and Head Girl and such was the strength of their applications, staff wanted to get them involved in school life in some way. They have been visited by their counterparts from the Secondary phase to learn

more about what the role involves. The House Captains will help to organise assemblies as well as being involved in some decision-making in school.

KSA decorate Tree for Winter WonderlandThe Academy got involved in Kettering’s festive celebrations by decorating a tree for the Winter Wonderland in Market Place.Each house produced items for the tree, which is now on display in the building next to Prezzo. The Winter Wonderland, which has been organised by Kettering Borough Council, will be open over the Christmas period from 3.30pm-6.30pm during the week and 11am-3.30pm on Saturdays. On 20th and 21st December it will be open from 11am-6.30pm so why not pay a visit to see KSA’s contribution?

House Captain in Primary: SocratesTaylor Weatherley Owen Patrick

SangerHarrison Andrews Jade Darby

HawkingRyan Cross Manuela Entiriwaa

da VinciLewis Singh Laya Turnbull

FranklinKyle McQueen Leah Cotton

KSA’s first whole-academy walk raised more than £13,000 for Cransley Hospice – smashing the original target of £5,000.Secondary pupils walked a six-mile route around Kettering while Primary children either completed laps of the sports field or a walk to Wicksteed Park. The event on Friday 19th October – coupled with a trial walk in July and mufti donations – raised £13,146, including Gift Aid. Year 7 pupil Joe Watson (pictured) raised

£320 thanks to generous donations from family friends. When Joe was five, his dad received support from the palliative team in the weeks before his death from a brain tumour. Joe said:

“I didn’t think I would raise even £100 but my brother gave me £70 and it just went from there. I think the school should do it every year because you can help people just by walking.” James Harris (pictured), in Year 8, also raised £320 after his dad took his sponsor form into work at IVG White in Burton Latimer. He said: “When he told people at work what I was

doing, he found out that a lot of them have had family members in Cransley Hospice. I didn’t expect to raise much and I didn’t know what to say when I realised how much they’d sponsored me. I enjoyed doing the walk because you know you’re helping people when they’re at their worst point.” Shanie Tyrrell was another pupil who managed to raise a substantial

amount after collecting £210.In Primary, the pupils who raised significant amounts were Kasie Milne (£106), Harvey Haycock (£95) and Vidonia DeJesus (£90).Principal Martin Campbell told pupils: “We thank you not just for the effort of walking but for collecting sponsorship – you should be very pleased and proud.”Diana Patrick, the hospice’s fundraiser, told pupils: “Fundraisers aren’t often stumped for words and how do I say thank you for this? It’s absolutely amazing. You have embraced the hospice and also learnt about the work that goes on there, and that’s very important. From all the families we’re

looking after – thank you very much.”

A Message from Cransley HospiceEarlier this year, five pupils visited the hospice to find out more about the work that goes on there and they later shared what they had learnt with the rest of their houses. In assembly, they read out an article written by the hospice’s patron, Reverend Dr John Smith, which was published in the Evening Telegraph:“We were sitting in a queue of traffic in Deeble Road when we saw hundreds of school children, of all ages and dressed in mufti, some eccentrically. The older ones were clearly looking after the younger ones, but what were they doing? And what school were they from?“The answer came when we saw some of them walking past our home in Barton Seagrave. They were all walking for Cransley Hospice. And the school? Kettering Science Academy, the whole school including the very young from Year 6 of the junior department. “I know one of the objectives would have

been to raise money through sponsorship for the hospice. I say a very, very big thank you for that. But I also know that the pupils will have become aware of all that Cransley is trying to do for the community – caring for the very sick and those with difficult symptoms and, yes, caring for the dying too. “I am glad that a handful of the older students have visited Cransley Hospice and learnt about how we care for the patients and their families and that caring about other people and valuing them as individuals is one of the most important things that we do. In a society that often seems to shout, “me, me, me” it is good to know that the opposite is true, “you, you, you, it’s all about you, not me”.“The word hospice literally means a resting place on a journey, a journey that, in the end, we must all make. The students at Kettering Science Academy,

and all our schools are on a journey too. A journey that will have untold possibilities, a journey of joy and, at times, intense sadness, a journey that is full of wonder, of the life that they all have and they will all lead.“A school, a walk, a journey, it all fits together – a life.”

WHOLE-ACADEMy WALK RAISES MORE THAN

£13,000 for Cransley Hospice

Joe raised£320

James raised£320

ACAdEMy EVENTS


CHARITy COMMITTEE’S EFFORTS RAISE

£1780 for Children in Need Fundraising activities organised by KSA’s charity committee helped the Academy to collect £1780 for Children in Need this year.Committee chairman Alex York and Elisha Taylor organised a whole host of competitions and sales, working across both phases to encourage pupils to join in.Other Sixth Formers lent their support in more unusual ways – Ellie Warren and Ethan Waterfield volunteered to have sponges thrown

at them in the central courtyard, while Jack Marlow and Jatinder Singh gritted their teeth to have their legs waxed.There were also cake sales, a raffle, the sale of Pudsey paraphernalia and over in primary, a fancy dress competition among other things.Alex said: “It’s taught me that charity events take a lot of planning but the pay back is amazing.”

Christmasat KSAKSA got into the Christmas spirit with a Christingle and Christmas Showcase this month.The Christingle service, led by Revd Dr Rob Bewley from Christ the King Church, was held around a 17ft Christmas tree in the secondary phase courtyard. It was followed by a Christmas Showcase which gave our budding musicians the chance to demonstrate what they have been learning during after-school clubs. It also featured the KSA choir, a staff performance using iPad technology, magic by Jamie Docherty, solo performances, readings, and dance and drama pieces.

Piper’s Lament for Remembrance AssembliesA piper provided a poignant moment as pupils remembered those who have lost their lives in past and current conflicts around the world.Secondary pupils gathered in the Academy’s courtyard where each of the five house captains laid a large petal to form a giant poppy around the centre spot. Principal Martin Campbell reflected on his own experiences in the Army and spoke to pupils about the calm before the storm of going into battle. He spoke about the fear that soldiers experience in the minutes leading up to the instruction to advance and the bravery it takes to face the gunfire that lies ahead. A piper then played a lament as pupils reflected on the sacrifices made by both those in the military and their families.Pupil Rhys Alford said it was a moving assembly that gave them the opportunity to think about what servicemen and women have to go through. He said: “Mr Campbell’s speech was very inspirational due to the fact that he’s been there and done it. It was good to see the school showing its appreciation in this way and that the time was taken to do it

so formally. Everyone was showing respect. A lot of people can relate to it if they have family members who have gone out and fought for us, so it’s only right that we pay our respects.” An assembly in the primary phase looked at what it means to remember something from the past – such as birthdays, Christmas and trips – and the things which help us remember those times. The role of the poppy was then explained to pupils as a way of remembering those who died. In class, pupils have been learning about Remembrance Sunday through poetry, pictures and documentaries.

ACAdEMy EVENTS


Primary staff


PRIMARy NEWS

Head Boy and Head girl AppointedThe Primary phase has appointed its first Head Boy and Head Girl – Dylan Mutebi and Maddison Foulke.Dylan and Maddison were among 20 children who completed application forms for the positions, outlining why they wanted the role, how they’ve helped the Academy already and what they would do in certain situations. They

were then invited to a short interview where they had to talk about their personality and give three words they would use to describe themselves.Shortly afterwards, Dylan and Maddison were told the exciting news that they had been appointed.As part of their roles, they will meet with

Primary staff, be ambassadors for the Primary phase and will be involved in assemblies, such as the award ceremonies on Fridays. Maddison, who is already a member of the school council, said: “I didn’t think I would get to this point.” Dylan said he was “excited and happy” about becoming Head Boy.

young Leaders SchemeA new Young Leaders scheme will see a group of Year 6 pupils leading activities for their peers and also teaching them playground sports.The Young Leaders, who were picked because of their efforts and achievements in sport, underwent training and will now lead some short sessions during PE lessons. They will also teach games during break and lunch times to encourage them to take ownership of the activities they run.


KSA Awarded Primary Science Quality MarkA focus on the teaching of science has led to KSA being awarded a bronze Primary Science Quality Mark.The scheme, which is run by the Association for Science Education and the national network of Science Learning Centres, celebrates the quality of science teaching and learning.The award is the result of KSA’s drive to

encourage children to think about science outside the classroom. Last summer, primary held a special Science Week and looked at things like the science behind paper aeroplanes and environmental science such as recycling.

Early Bird Breakfast Club

Launch of Junior Librarians Scheme

The Early Bird Breakfast Club is now open for Reception to Year 6 children, from 7.45am to 8.50am every morning. Activities include games, arts and crafts, reading and construction, with breakfast included.The cost is £3.50 a day which must be paid weekly in advance – pick up a registration form from reception. Children are supervised at all times.

Six keen readers have been awarded the title of Junior Librarian and will now play an active part in the development of the library.Jade Darby, Shannon Garnett, Lewis Tassell, Alice Hope-Clarke, Amie Njie and Jordan Miles

applied for the posts and were interviewed by Mrs Hughes, Mrs Walker and Heidi, the librarian across both phases. They spoke about their favourite authors, how to locate a book and what they could do to support good behaviour in the

library. They have been helping out in the library during break times and lunchtime, keeping it tidy, assisting other pupils and learning how a library operates.

Introduction to FrenchYears 1 to 6 have been having two French lessons a week thanks to close working between the primary and secondary phases.Language teachers Anne Reeve-Mavrommatis and Aine McAllister focus their lessons on the curriculum themes of each year group – for instance Year 2’s topic was Stories We Tell, so they used a fairytale to teach pupils the French for different animals and colours. Mrs Reeve-Mavrommatis and Ms McAllister speak in French when instructing pupils to immerse them in the language. As pupils are already learning phonetic sounds in English, teaching French words goes hand-in-hand.In the run up to Christmas, pupils have been learning a French carol to perform at the Christingle.

In Nursery this term the children have been very busy experimenting with the different ways of painting, from bubble painting to string painting. They have also been exploring messy play which has included cornflour, gelli baff and crazy soap.We have been listening to the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears and have been dressing up as the three bears to tell the story. We have also been filling and emptying porridge oats into bowls and comparing their sizes, small, medium and large.

Tracy Sheridan – Nursery Manager

NURSERy:

getting CreativeRECEPTION:

What To Wear Ladybird and Butterfly classes have been particularly busy this term learning all about clothes. We put on our very special clothes and held a fashion show. We made some fantastic poses!Back in class we made our own hats and created sock puppets for our puppet show.

Lynsey Jones – Reception Teacher


NURSERy & RECEPTION

Year 3 have been studying chocolate and its origins as part of this term’s topic. They have looked at the different countries chocolate comes from, its Aztec origins and how chocolate is produced. They have created their own chocolate bars by adding lots of different ingredients and they have rated different chocolate bars. The children have also been reading Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and have written about the characters – they even pretended to be Charlie and talked about how they would feel if they won the Golden Ticket.Matthew Jones (pictured far right) even made his own chocolate bar at home!

Richard Hollwey – Year 3 Teacher

yEAR 1

CelebrationsYear 1 started this term with a bang, literally! Our topic is Celebrations so we started by celebrating bonfire night and the children got the opportunity to use sparklers. As part of our topic we are looking at celebrations worldwide to give us experience of other cultures. So far we have celebrated Diwali where we made a yummy chutney and created diva lamps, travelled across the world to America and celebrated Thanksgiving by making a delicious pumpkin pie and stayed in the UK where we celebrated Remembrance Day and Children In Need!To finish our topic we are going to plan and experience a wedding! We will be making party food, creating invitations, choosing a bride and groom and of course having a party – we can’t wait!

Melissa Warman – Year 1 Teacher

yEAR 3

A Topic To get your Teeth Into


PRIMARy NEWS - yEARS 1-3

Our topic this term has been The Stories People Tell. We have had many guest visitors in to read us their favourite story and to tell us why they love it so much. In literacy we have been learning about legends. We have read the legends of the red and white dragons and George and the dragon. We were so inspired we have even written our own dragon legends!We have also enjoyed the legend of the dream catcher and have been busy making our own to keep our bad dreams at bay! Claire yarland – Year 2 Teacher

yEAR 2

The Magic Of Storytelling

Matthew’s chocolate bar

yEAR 4

Ancient EgyptYear 4 have settled into the new academic year very well and have been thoroughly enjoying their topics, especially their work on Ancient Egypt. They visited the history museum in Birmingham where they saw real Egyptian artefacts, learned about mummification and did lots of sketches of the artefacts. They have also looked at significant people including William Shakespeare and Howard Carter who discovered the tomb of Tutankhamun.

Kate Jackson – Year 4 Teacher

yEAR 6

discovering the World Around UsDuring Term 1, Year 6’s topic was called Go With The Flow. Pupils learnt about river courses, meanders, river profiles and river speed. They had the opportunity to experience this first-hand

by taking part in a local river study at the River Ise in Kettering, then planned their route. Prior to this, puils looked at local maps of Kettering and located the River Ise and planned their route for the river walk based on information from the map. This was a very hands-on topic and pupils thoroughly enjoyed all activities.

This term, pupils learnt about World War Two and how the world is led. This was an interesting topic and many pupils spoke to older family members to find out what their experience in the war was like. It is amazing how much World War Two memorabilia pupils have and how eager they were to replicate artefacts.

Liz Blakeley – Year 6 Teacher


PRIMARy NEWS - yEARS 4-6

yEAR 5

Superheroes – Past and PresentClass 5CW have really been working hard this term and especially enjoyed writing about superheroes using adjectives, similes and metaphors. The children made up their own characters and then used them to write extended stories. Another fun activity that they all enjoyed is learning the recorder. Miss Reider from secondary teaches us new notes and skills each week; it’s very noisy but lots of fun!Class 5LT thought about why we have Remembrance Day and why we use the poppy to represent it. They studied and wrote poems about remembrance.

Chris Woolhouse – year 5 Teacher

World War II display

A ration book cake (left) and tank cake


Creativity and Innovation in Product designSixth Formers studying A Level product design have come up with some unique, consumer-driven pieces.Luke Pennifold designed a space-saving desk lamp with a light that can be fixed to different areas of a table surface. As part of his coursework he had to explore different manufacturing techniques and materials to show how he would solve the problem he had identified.Luke is hoping to go on to study industrial design and technology at university. He said: “Doing this A Level has really benefitted me because universities like to see how you generate ideas, how you

go through the design process and your techniques for drawing.“Mr Tara has shown us what standard we should aspire to.”

ART, MUSIC & INdUSTRIAL dESIgN

ArtHere are some fantastic examples of artwork by our talented pupils.

LAUNCH OF

Engineering Course Pupils can now gain a GCSE in engineering thanks to the introduction of a one-year course.Four groups of Year 10 and 11 pupils are now studying the subject, which covers mechanics, electronics and pneumatics. It includes both theory and practical work and will culminate with an end of year product.DT teacher Dr Nick Guy said: “As an engineer, I think it’s very important to offer this course because there’s a shortage in well-qualified engineers with a good understanding of industry.“Engineering careers include those in the automotive and aerospace industries, as well as manufacturing, design and the military.”Pupil Sam Smith said: “I like practical work so I wanted to study engineering. It’s been interesting to learn about different materials and why they are used for certain jobs, and finding out how much planning goes into a product before it’s made. “I would like to go into civil engineering to build bridges and houses.”

New Technology…Pupils are making full use of the suite of Macs in their

music lessons, using the latest programmes to compose their own ringtones, film music and more. Having such

technology, alongside the recording studio, has led to the development of new courses on offer to pupils, such as A Level music technology.

Pictured: A class using the Garage Band programme to come up with their own original composition.


COMMUNICATIONS

Helping Pupils Make the gradeThe English department has been running after-school group sessions to support pupils’ literacy and exam skills.The sessions started for Year 11s but have been rolled out for years 8 and 9 too. It gives pupils the opportunity for small group work to help them reach their targets and will focus on areas such as planning and structuring writing. The sessions are organised vertically with a focus on the skills required for each level rather than on year group. After Christmas years 7 and 10 will also be targeted.

Activiscope and Vocab ExpressPupils are able to use www.activiscope.com to learn and revise French and German vocabulary at home and in school. Activiscope allows pupils to practise vocabulary using a series of motivating games. Username: ketteri1 Password: kettering

In January we will be launching Vocab Express which allows pupils to master vocabulary they will need. The pupils and teachers will be able to track progress. Vocab Express will focus on particular words that pupils find difficult and help them concentrate on these.

Target languagePupils will have noticed a difference in French and German lessons recently as teachers have moved to using a lot more French and German for instructions and praise. To encourage the pupils’ use of French or German spontaneously we have produced laminated target language mats including questions the pupils can ask

the teacher, vocabulary they need for playing learning games and also words to praise their partners’ work. Callum Massie is an early star in this respect!

Stephen Reid – Head of Modern Foreign Languages

Pupils Host French and german Students Through Comenius ProjectKSA pupils who are taking part in the international Comenius project hosted French and German students for a week…and what a busy and productive week it was.KSA invited over 46 students from Le Portalet School in France and Gymnasium Balingen in Germany. They stayed with KSA pupils who were nominated by staff to take part in the British Council scheme.During their week here, students paid a visit to the historic Holdenby House, took part in team-building activities at the Frontier Centre in Irchester as part of the leadership through sports objective, and spent time with their host families on Saturday when many were taken to London. On Sunday they competed in the KSA Fun Run and on Monday, they sat in on a number of classes. The group was also given filming and media editing training in preparation for the final documentary they are producing. French teacher Aine McAllister, who is leading the Comenius programme, said: “It’s lovely to see the students all getting along because that’s what the Comenius

programme is all about. “Our pupils were surprised at how easily friendships could be made and they gained confidence in their own language skills. Our host families were so welcoming and they went out of their way to give the exchange students a good experience. I’m very excited about going to France in June – our pupils have a new confidence about going as a result of hosting students themselves.”Thomas Wilkins had two German students and one French student staying with him. He said: “It was crazy at our house: we’ve been teaching each other different languages and just having fun. You learn a lot from the experience, like having the confidence to speak to anyone. We will definitely stay in touch.”Charlie Massie added: “It’s been a really good experience and we’re going to miss them.” Charlie said she enjoyed the week so much that she and other host pupils are hoping to visit their German friends during February half term.

group Talk Rolled Out to Improve Language SkillsA methodology which encourages pupils to engage in spontaneous conversation in foreign languages has been rolled out this term.Group talk encourages pupils to speak as themselves in a real-life way, rather than relying on role play and imaginary situations.It was launched last term and now every module in each language class has a group talk element with a strong literacy focus. French teacher Aine McAllister said: “Pupils learn to use the language of opinion and they become more engaged as they learn to express themselves.“We record them so they can hear themselves and learn together – we also use it to look at ways to improve group talk.”

New friends

Students from years 7 to 10 put their mathematical skills to the test as they competed in the online Four Nations Maths Challenge, run by Mathletics. Over 300 students answered questions from the curriculum and competed directly against other students across the UK over two days.

One hundred and 10 students achieved a bronze certificate for earning over 1000 points. In particular, Adam Doughty in Year 8 amassed a staggering 8638 points by answering over 2000 questions correctly. Five students, Bernard Dec (Year 6), Thomas Jawad, Ezri Mannion, Chloe Roberts and Jenna Willis (all Year 7) each achieved over 3000 points.Every student who took part was extremely

enthused and engaged by the tasks and clearly enjoyed taking part. Well done to all these

students for making this a huge success!

Stephen Ready – Second in Maths Department

Senior Maths ChallengeFour Sixth Formers did particularly well in the Senior Maths Challenge in which they had to answer 25 online multiple choice questions.Christian Dobson and Todd Panton (pictured) were in the top 20% so picked up silver certificates and Jamie Hills and Fabien Sutton were awarded bronze.Well done to all those who competed.

ALTERNATIVE PROVISION

Extra provision is now available to provide an alternative to the mainstream curriculum.KSA already works with a number of outside agencies and organisations to offer pupils extra support where needed.A new addition is the Cave project at Maplefields, where two of our pupils are working towards a City and Guilds level 1 certificate in construction. In this state-of-the-art facility, they work in small groups and are given a space which they can plaster, brick-lay and practise basic plumbing.

The other new project is Torch Learning in Irchester (pictured), which specialises in hair, beauty and child care, as well as personal development. Students even have access to a fully working salon.KSA is also expanding its work experience offer to provide more pupils with the skills required for the world of work. This already includes work placements within the Academy.

The Four Nations Tournament, Maths Style

Senior Maths TeamOn Thursday 29th November, the Senior Maths Team travelled to Wendover to compete in the 2012 Senior Maths Challenge Team competition. The team were Christian Dobson, Euan Lindley,

Jamie Hills and Evie Underwood. They competed in 3 rounds including a mathematical relay race and a crossnumber. The team had a particularly good second round, scoring 50/56 in the

crossnumber and were pleased to improve their overall position compared to last year.

Sophia Parkinson – Maths Teacher


MATHS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOgy


SCIENCE

X Rays inScience Year 11 pupils studying triple science physics were recently given an insight into the history and current day application of x-rays in healthcare. Dr Liz Parvin, a medical physics lecturer from the Open University, delivered a session in the school’s state of the art lecture studio to the budding physicists.A particular area of interest was the development of CT scanners which are used for modern day diagnosis of a wide range of medical conditions. Within this area she also discussed the dangers associated with ionising radiation and the ethical implications of CT scanning for health insurance purposes.Dr Parvin concluded her talk with a discussion of the wide range of careers available to students in the health professions outside of the traditional doctor or nurse roles that are already well advertised.Science teacher Patrick Mackie said: “The students gained a lot from the session. They will be able to apply what they were taught by Dr Parvin in their final physics extension unit exam which is based on medical physics.”Pupil Aimee Parker said: “I enjoyed the depth of knowledge that Dr Parvin was able to bring to the session. She went into great detail about CT scanning and safety issues that will help my studies in physics.”

Patrick Mackie – Science Teacher

SCIENCE CLUB

Proves PopularMembers of the after-school Science Club have dissected a heart and investigated the science behind fireworks this term.The club, made up of Year 6 and 7 pupils, gives members a chance to have a go at experiments and investigations. One of the projects was to build a model heart and Josh Peglar (pictured below) and his dad build a wooden box to house the completed model. The group started by dissecting a heart to examine how it works and what it’s made up of. They then looked at ways of making their own model heart, with suggestions including a maze that tilts to allow a marble to move round, showing the route blood takes through the heart.Science Club meets every Wednesday in science in room 1.06.

Building Links with Industry The science department is working closely with SATRA, a leading research and technology centre which employs scientific, technical and support staff in the UK, US and China. They conduct vital research and testing on a range of products to improve performance, quality and safety. There are many departments within the company where research and testing is carried out on various products including furniture,

clothing and fabric, footwear and flooring. SATRA also have a department in engineering.On December 5th, a staff visit to SATRA took place to investigate the possibility of work experience placement and work shadowing opportunities. We are investigating how pupils can be introduced to SATRA’s work, thereby enabling them to see how science can be used in the real world and to apply what they have

already learnt in their science courses. It is also anticipated that SATRA will be able to offer careers advice about the different scientific work options available within their company.Watch this space...

Jyotika Mistry – Science Teacher

SCIENCE FACULTy HEADS

Back to the ClassroomWith the recent changes to exams and a stronger emphasis on literacy, the science department deemed it necessary to follow some in-house training to help aid the incorporation of literacy into each of their lessons. The training session was delivered by Martin Reece, a consultant with the Science Learning Centre, and focused on the incorporation of talk into a normal science lesson. The teachers participated in a range of activities with the

aim of getting pupils to talk about the content they are learning and increasing access. It was the first of three sessions with the others taking place in the New Year; these will focus on improving the reading and writing skills of pupils. The department is hopeful that, with a stronger emphasis on literacy, the overall progress of pupils will also improve.

Mel Jolliffe – Science Teacher


ETHICS, HUMANITIES & BUSINESS

When in Rome...Year 7s swapped their school uniforms for togas for their study of Romans this term.Those who forgot to bring in their toga had to take on the role of the slave, collecting textbooks and holding the door open when the rest of the class left.History teacher Andy Brown, who even donned a toga himself, said: “Pupils in coloured togas were royalty so we had to listen to them.

By the end, every pupil was wearing one. It was a bit of fun and they looked forward to lessons.”The module, titled What Have the Romans Done for Us?, has seen pupils study gladiators and emperors.

Studying EconomicsAT GCSE LEvELA new business and economics GCSE proved to be a popular choice for Year 11s this year.It is the first time that economics has been offered at Key Stage 4 and it will help pupils who want to study the subject at A Level. The one year course looks at the definition of business success, which is not just profit but social responsibility. It also covers fiscal and monetary policies, taxes and how the government regulates the economy.Head of department Jason Mitchell-Bunce said there was a demand for economics at GCSE level. He said: “Our pupils have been very

enthusiastic, especially as they haven’t covered some of these topics before. They enjoy debating some of the issues.”

Year 11 pupil David Wilson said: “I have definitely enjoyed the course and would say it was a good idea to run it. Learning about finance will help me in later life because I would like to be an economist. I will definitely take economics and business as A Levels next year. I think learning about the stock exchange has been the most interesting part so far.”

GEOGRAPHy

Mapping CrimeYear 8s have been looking at the link between the geography of an area and crime rates.They started by carrying out some research in the library, reading newspaper reports to see if there is a pattern to be found in crime hotspots.The group then looked at the land use of areas where the most crime happens and came up with some possible solutions for problem areas.The topic also covers environmental crime and pupils studied the Aral Sea, a lake between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, which has been steadily shrinking since the 1960s. They looked at the reason behind the decline in water levels and how people who rely on it have been affected.

HUMANITIES

Star PupilBethany Jordan in Year 11 has been nominated as one of the humanities department stars this term.History teacher Marissa Wright said: “Bethany is very hard-working – she puts 100% into everything she does and she always goes that extra mile. She puts forward her arguments clearly and concisely and supports her answers with evidence.”Well done, Bethany.

The debate on the pros and cons of monopolies


PE

Flash Mob Causes a StirA group of dancers surprised diners with a flash mob in the restaurant this term.The Year 9 BTEC group gave an impromptu performance while pupils and staff had their breakfast. They went down a storm with pupils taking photos and cheering them on.Keep an eye out for future stunts – you never know where they might appear next!

WORLD MARATHON CHALLENGE:KSA are Kettering Winners KSA finished in 113th place in the world after joining 500 other schools who took part in the World Marathon Challenge.A group of 28 Year 8 pupils competed in the relay race challenge at Kettering Leisure Village and were comfortable victors over Latimer and Southfields.They had to run the marathon distance – 26 miles – as a relay, which they completed in

two hours and 17 minutes. Each pupil had to run 200m eight or nine times.The event was organised by the School Sport Partnership as part of the Olympic Games legacy and was used to raise awareness of Save the Children’s campaign against hunger.Starting the race was Alan Bell, who was an official at London 2012 and started a number of track events in the Olympic stadium.

GIRLS’ FOOTBALL TEAMdistrict ChampionsThe Year 7 and 8 girls’ football team was crowned district champions this term.The seven-a-side team won all their games in the district tournament and beat league winners KBA on penalties.Jade Tonks was one of the stars of the day as she was the stand-in goalkeeper and saved all KBA’s penalties. She even scored the winning goal.PE teacher Angela Charlton said: “They just went out there and did the job – they were brilliant. They all come to training every week and work hard.”

BASKETBALL TEAM Undefeated for Two yearsThe Year 11 basketball team is now unbeaten for two years after winning both the district tournament and league again this year. The team beat Bishop Stopford School on December 12th which meant they were crowned league champions for the second year running. It follows their recent success in the district tournament which pits five of the best teams in the area against each other. KSA won three and drew one:KSA v Bishop: 16-7 KSA v Latimer: 8-8KSA v CBA: 20-4 KSA v Prince William: 12-4.The team, which started playing together in Year 8, comprises Tom Martins, Balazs Komarniczky (missing from photo), Bradley Harris-Bruce, Harry Camozzi, Mason Hoath, Joe Edwards and Dennias Muswere.PE teacher Michael Oldershaw said: “Every year they get better and better - they’re the most successful basketball team we’ve had.

“Some of the players practise every night in the sports hall. Two of them play for the Northampton Nets so the rest of the team trains hard to get up to their standard. The dedication and attitude of all the players is what makes the team so good.”As a reward for their efforts, the team is going to watch the Harlem Globetrotters at the NEC.

PE Stars Rewarded with Trip to Old TraffordA group of pupils who have demonstrated outstanding effort and achievement in PE were rewarded with a trip to watch Manchester United play in the Champions League.

Head of PE Lee Haywood got tickets through the junior ticket scheme and took 12 pupils from years 7 to 10 to see Wayne Rooney and co against Romanian team CFR Cluj.Mr Haywood said: “It’s the first time we’ve done a trip like this and none of them had been to a Champions League game before. “They were impeccably behaved and were a

credit to the Academy. They were so appreciative

of being there and really enjoyed the 90 minutes.”

Sixth Formers and Year 11s were given an insight into a career in medicine by a visiting doctor.David Rigby, who works at the Royal Brompton hospital, explained to pupils the route he took to become a doctor and the A Levels and grades needed to get into most medical schools.Dr Rigby spent five years at medical school and has worked as a GP, in A&E, in a surgical position and on an orthopaedics ward.He told them: “Your A Levels are crucial. You need chemistry A Level and most medical schools will want an A grade. They might want another science A Level, generally at grade B or above. If you don’t get those grades, there are other ways in, such as doing a bio-chemistry degree and then applying for a shorter course at medical school.”Dr Rigby urged pupils to start thinking about relevant work experience to help with their applications if they do decide to go to medical

school. He suggested volunteering in a care home to show commitment to patient care, or volunteering at a hospital.The visit was arranged by English teacher Felicity Wallace as part of an ongoing careers programme. She also organised for a musician to speak to pupils about the careers available in this field.


SIXTH FORM

Cambridge InterviewChristian Dobson is hoping to be accepted into one of the world’s most prestigious universities after securing an interview at the University of Cambridge this term. He has applied to read maths at Caius College and had two 30-minute interviews on December 4th.Christian was given four maths problems to solve during each interview, with the questions getting progressively harder and two interviewers watching his calculations.

Christian said: “Most of it covered things I have learnt in school but just applied in a completely different way. Once I actually got in there I started to relax and I enjoyed the second interview – I could have gone on for longer.“As a university, Cambridge is famous worldwide for maths but it’s also got a really good atmosphere.”Christian, who spent time at the university

during a summer school earlier this year, told the interview panel what he had learned during the taster sessions.He will find out in January if he has been accepted – good luck to him and all our other Sixth Formers who are waiting to hear about university places.

Revision SessionsKSA recently organised for a guest speaker, Rachel Lambert, to visit Year 13 to advise them about how to revise and study. Students were encouraged to undergo various activities such as producing mind maps. These tasks are aimed at improving memory techniques which could be used at home.Rachel, director of Study Flex, said: “My aim is to help students and adults of all ages study effectively – not harder – to improve their overall exam results. The advice is important because in today’s employment market it’s hard enough to decide about further education, jobs and careers.”

Student Shaun Chivers said: “The advice she gave us was very helpful. We learnt what’s important about revising, not just different ways to revise. I liked listening to her different ideas on what we should include and remember.”Karolina Zeissel added: “I found the day useful. The part that really helped me was when the guest speaker told us that everyday rehearsal can improve memory because I think it will really help my study.”The day was a complete success for both teachers and students. It aided students’ motivation in revision and gave teachers a better

understanding of how students should revise to improve their grades in the future.

Article and photo by Danielle Bowen – Sixth Former

DOCTOR OFFERS INSIGHT INTO

A Career in MedicineHealth & Social Care Visit KSA’s NurseryAs part of the AS Health and Social Care coursework, we visited KSA’s nursery on a Friday morning for a couple of weeks.During the first week over there, we observed how the children played and how they acted with people they didn’t know in the room. This observation helped us to plan our activities to suit the different abilities.The following week, we split into groups and ran different activities with the children. The activities ranged from using a multi-coloured parachute and puppets to colouring pictures and painting.The whole purpose of visiting KSA’s nursery was so that we could see how the children interacted with us, with each other and how we interacted with them. After the Christmas holiday, we will be visiting Kingsley School to see how children with different disabilities interact with each other, with us and how we interact with them.

Article by Bronwyn Ryan – Sixth Former

Applying to KSA’s Sixth Formyear 11s wanting to apply for the sixth form are reminded that their applications need to be in by 1st February 2013. Offers for places will be made on 10th February and the Sixth Form induction will take place in July.visit the website to view the latest prospectus or see Ms Watson.


LIBRARy

KSA welcomed new librarian Heidi Economou who will work with all pupils across the Academy to promote reading and improve literacy.Mrs Economou, who worked at Latimer Arts College for the last five years, said the position appealed to her because it gives her the chance to work with younger children in primary right through to Sixth Formers.Mrs Economou’s love of libraries started as a teenager when she spent two weeks in her local library for work experience. She said: “I loved it because I met people from so many different walks of life. I loved reading anyway so when

they offered me a job at the end of the two weeks, it just went on from there.”Her journey was to take her from an apprenticeship to library manager, with spells in mobile and even prison libraries. She said: “The job at KSA is brilliant for me because I get to sow the seed of reading with children at a young age and then develop that right through to Sixth Form.“One of the things I’d like to do is invite parents in to hear the younger children reading.” Mrs Economou said her favourite book is The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho because it inspired

her to go travelling. “As soon as I finished reading it, I booked my ticket to Mexico,” she said. “At the time, the effect it had on me was profound. My favourite children’s book is The Hungry Caterpillar – it’s a classic and I’ll never get bored of it.”

Introducing KSA’s New Librarians

Launch of Accelerated ReaderThe Accelerated Reader programme is aimed at getting more children to read fiction and non-fiction books for pleasure. Through this reading for pleasure pupils will make significant progress with reading, spelling and comprehension skills. The programme has begun with Year 7 who took a reading star test at the start of the year. This generated each pupil a colour for their reading level and books in the library are also marked by these colours so pupils know which ones to select. Pupils are encouraged to read their books as part of their English lessons, CAPS lessons and in their own time. Once they have read a book, they complete a simple online quiz about it through the Accelerated Reader program which can be accessed from any computer or the library’s iPads. Quizzes can also be completed on any book students read, not just those from the school library, by searching for the books title in

the Accelerated Reader programme. Prizes are awarded for the number of quizzes completed successfully and for progress made. Prizes awarded include certificates, bookmarks, badges, Amazon vouchers and even a Kindle Fire. The elite prize is entry into the Millionaire’s club – a gold badge and special privileges for pupils who read a million words. Throughout the year teachers will be tracking pupil progress and league tables will be compiled to show each form’s progress so the houses can see how they are faring against other in the Accelerated Reader inter-house challenge. The house with the best results each half term will win the AR House Cup. In the future it is hoped the programme will be rolled out to Year 8 and Year 6 pupils as well as any pupil for whom English is not their first language. A link to the Accelerated Reader programme can be found on the Academy’s website.

Top ReadersThe following pupils borrowed the most books from the library in Term 1:

Tayla Year 8 Sanger 23 books Katebzadeh-Shahidi

Mohammad Usama Year 7 Hawking 15 books

Loren Cooper Year 7 Da Vinci 14 books

Ezri Mannion Year 7 Hawking 13 books

Gemma Green Year 8 Franklin 11 books

Jordan Ayre Year 9 Franklin 10 books

Joshua Lane Year 7 Hawking 10 books

Tamsyn Henderson Year 7 Socrates 9 books

We congratulate them for their excellent attitude towards reading and look forward to seeing more pupils next term!

New Librarian Feels Right at HomeThis term we welcomed another new member of staff

in the library, assistant librarian Emily Scott, who will work with Heidi Economou to promote reading.Miss Scott saw the opportunity for an opening in the school library and applied to follow her passion for books.

Emily said: “I’ve wanted to work in a library for quite a while as I love reading and English was always my

favourite subject at school. I really liked the idea of

working in a school, helping students to enjoy reading. I am really enjoying this new role and it feels like I’ve been here for a while already. The staff and students have both been very welcoming and friendly.”When asked who her favourite author was she said: “That’s a hard one but I would probably say Roald Dahl; even as an adult all his books are fun to read!”

Article by Charlotte Firman – Sixth Former

Pre-School ReadersThe Primary library has welcomed its first pre-school readers this term. Every Wednesday we welcome younger siblings of our pupils with their parents. They are registered on the library system and borrow a book to take

home and read with their parents. We hope this will encourage our younger children to begin to enjoy reading books before they start school. It also gives parents a chance to sit with any of their children and share a book in

a relaxed atmosphere. We would love more parents to come and join us and use the library for their younger children.


LIBRARy

PRIMARyLibrary ClubLibrary Club has now started in Primary to offer new services to pupils and their families.On Tuesdays Key Stage 1 and 2 children come to the library after school until 4pm. This term the Library Club is giving children the opportunity to find out about illuminated books. They will be having a go at their own illuminated writing using quill type/bamboo pens and ink, and decorating their text with gold and silver as the monks in medieval times would have done.

WORDSMITHS CELEBRATE

Roald dahl dayPupils took inspiration from one of the greatest children’s authors during Roald Dahl Day.They were challenged to come up with their own version of the BFG and had to describe their character in the same imaginative style as Dahl.The winner, Ben Richards from Da Vinci 9, was congratulated for his “wonderful vocabulary and whopsi-wiffling description”.The Special BFG Word Award went to Erzi Mannion thanks to her contributions to the Gobblefunk Glossary.

Other winners were:• Pippa Williams for writing which showed a

great sense of humour• Loren Cooper for her imaginative similes• Courtney Halliwell for her creative sense

of drama• Olivia Difante for her use of engaging

sentences to entice the reader.

Their work has been put together in the form of ‘An Anthology of Fantabulous, Whopsi-Wiffling, Scrumddliumptious Work’ and is available from the library. Librarian Heidi Economou said: “Year 7s had been learning about creative writing in their English lessons so we held this competition as part of their studies. We had nearly 50 entries and they were so fantastic.” The winners received a copy of the anthology, a Dahl book and a Willy Wonka chocolate bar.

Elmer CompetitionLast term the primary library ran a writing

competition based on the popular Elmer series of books. Children had to write about Elmer’s

adventures based on the question: if he packed his trunk for a holiday, where would he go and what adventures would he have? Sophie Evans in Year 4 was our Key Stage 2 winner and received Elmer books and some chocolates. Sydney Pearson from Reception was our Key Stage 1 winner. She also won books and

some chocolates.

Recommended Christmas ReadsHere are KSA’s suggested reads for Christmas – why not treat someone this holiday?

Pre-School Christmas Peekaboo! RRP £6.99It helps you play festive peekaboo with your baby and hear them giggle in delight as hidden Christmas surprises are revealed! Read together and lift the giant flaps to reveal Christmas presents and a glittering snowman; then explore the soft, shiny and bumpy textures. Where’s Christmas baby gone, is she behind the present? And who will you discover behind the snowflakes? Find them all, they are waiting to say Peekaboo! This is an award-winning series for babies perfect for developing imagination, early-thinking and memory skills.

Age 5-8How Santa Really Works – Alan Snow RRP £5.99Beneath the Arctic Polar Ice Cap, deep underground, is a bustling community with one mission and one mission only: to make Christmas happen. Have you ever wondered how Santa can pop out of a chimney without a soot stain on his red velvet? Elves, of course – fully trained at the Elf Academy in chimney sweeping! And does Santa really have time to check if every single child’s been naughty or nice? Of course not – that’s why he created the CIA (Christmas Intelligence Agency) to train elves to spy on children.

Age 9-12Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: The Third Wheel – Jeff Kinney RRP £12.99 The ‘Third Wheel’ is the hilarious next book in the brilliant, bestselling and award-winning ‘Diary of a Wimpy Kid’ series. Perfect for readers of 8+ and all the millions of Wimpy Kid fans. Love is in the air, but what does that mean for Greg Heffley? A Valentine’s Day dance at Greg’s school has turned his world upside down. As Greg scrambles to find a date, he’s worried he’ll be left out in the cold on the big night.

Age 13+Guinness World Records 2013 RRP £20.00Guinness World Records 2013 is crammed with new and updated records, and never-before-seen photography. Meet the new shortest living man and a slam-dunking parrot, and witness the fiercest predators in the ocean – you can see them in 3D with our new augmented reality app!

AdultJamie’s 15 Minute Meals – Jamie Oliver RRP £26.00 Following the record-breaking success of ‘30-Minute Meals’, Britain’s most-popular cookbook of all time, Jamie Oliver brings us the even-better ‘15-Minute Meals’. This book is completely devoted to what we are asking for – super quick, tasty, nutritious food that you can eat every day of the week.

Pupils, staff, parents and friends united in support of KSA’s first charity 5k fun run this term. They were joined by French and German students who were visiting as part of the Comenius programme and much enthusiasm was shown by the 150 runners. They set off at a brisk pace from Cheyne Walk and followed a route through the Ise Lodge before heading to the finish line in Wicksteed Park.There, they had the chance to have their photo

taken with one of the Olympic torches which was carried through Kettering earlier this year ahead of the 2012 games.Geography teacher Matt Fowler was the first to cross the finish line with an impressive time of 18 minutes and 10 seconds. He said the route was quite challenging because of the mix of terrain and the hill towards the end.Pupil Sacha Case said: “It was a really fun experience. At the start line everyone was

buzzing and wanted to get going. I have to admit I didn’t run the whole way but people were running together to keep each other going. Towards the finish line, you could see a big crowd waiting for you and cheering, which made you run faster and lifted you up.”A number of Sixth Formers volunteered at the event and helped by marshalling the route.


ACAdEMy NEWS

Myles gets a Taste of Navy LifeA cadet spent a week at sea to learn the ropes on board a training ship.Myles Tew, who is a member of Kettering Sea Cadets, joined other cadets from across the UK and Canada on TS Royalist to gain an off-shore qualification. He had a go at steering the ship, climbing the rigging and controlling the sails. They sailed from Gosport, visiting Cowes and Portsmouth along the way.Myles, who would like to join the Navy when he is older, said: “The best thing about it was doing something you enjoy and learning how to work as a team.” He is hoping to go again next year on one of the cadets’ power vessels.

New Head Boy and Head girl Appointed

Tom McCartin and Shannon Mulvey have been getting more involved in Academy life after being appointed Head Boy and Head Girl.The pair had to complete an application before making a presentation to fellow Sixth Formers about why they wanted the positions. To their delight, they were voted in and are both looking forward to honing personal skills such communication and leadership.In their new roles, Tom and Shannon, who are in Year 13, have been showing visitors around during open evenings and other Academy

events. They also have active roles on some of the Sixth Form committees.Tom said: “It’s a challenge – I wanted to develop my leadership skills and I enjoy speaking to an audience. I think to be successful in this role, you need good organisation skills as well as confidence.”Shannon added: “I’m looking forward to having a go at things I wouldn’t have had the chance to do otherwise, as well as having more say in things.”

KSA’s Community Unites for First Charity Fun Run

Judo Proves a HitA new after-school judo club has already attracted 16 members from years 7, 8 and 9.The sessions are on Fridays from 3.30pm to 4.30pm and are run by Lawrence Kenyon and a judo coach who has represented Great Britain.It is free but you can pay £25 to have the kit and a licence.

Judo is just one of the many after-school clubs on offer, with more clubs soon to be accredited by the Children’s University, which recognises and rewards pupils for the participation in extra-curricular activities.Electronics Club meets every Tuesday from 3.30pm. The club formed after Mr Tara discovered that Justin Ike (pictured below left) had made a battery-powered robot at home and asked Justin if he would be interested in joining an after-school club.

Clubs


ACAdEMy NEWS

FOSSIL HUNT WEEKEND FOR

BuddingPalaeontologistBree Streather joined a fossil hunt in Whitby for some hands-on experience of palaeontology.Bree’s interest in fossils and pre-historic life began when she was just six years old, when her favourite books and television shows were those featuring dinosaurs.In more recent times, she joined the UKAFH (UK Amateur Fossil Hunters) and started going to weekly meetings and monthly digs. Bree recently attended her first dig weekender in Whitby, where she spent time examining the rocks in Saltwick Bay and Runswick Bay. She also met a palaeontologist at Doncaster Museum.Bree, who is in Year 9, said: “After a while, you get to know what you are looking for. You’re given information on what’s been found there in previous years. My dad and I found vertebrae and some ammonites, which are fossils that look like snails.“Being part of the group has helped me to learn about the different fossils and dinosaurs, which is good because I’d like a job in palaeontology in the future and it will help me get into that career. I asked the palaeontologist we met for advice and he suggested volunteering in a museum.”

Horse-Riding StarEleanor Broadley has appeared in a national magazine thanks to her horse-riding success.The Year 7 pupil, who has been riding for seven years, was featured in Central Horse News magazine after coming first in a recent show at Rugby Riding Club.Over the last year or so, Eleanor has been taking part in lots of competitions on a 12 hand pony, Elliott’s Surprise.We look forward to hearing more success stories from Eleanor in the future.

FOUR PUPILS SELECTED FOR

Kettering youth CouncilFour pupils will represent the views of KSA after being selected for Kettering Youth Council.Sacha Case, Megan Wardle, Myles Tew (pictured on page 22) and Cameron Thompson applied for

the role and had to outline why they wanted to get involved.Sacha said: “I’m interested in politics and what’s going on in the world so I thought this would be an interesting experience. “It is a good idea for the council to hear young people’s ideas about what they’d like. I think one of the key issues is that lots of young people want to spend more time outdoors so there needs to be more places for them to go,

so they don’t just stay in on their computers.

“I think it will give me a good insight into local politics and how a council is run.”

SPORTS FANS GET

Olympics TreatSeven lucky pupils got the opportunity to go and watch an Olympics event thanks to KSA’s participation in the Get Set Go programme.KSA got tickets for a ladies football game at Coventry City football stadium and a group of pupils went along as a reward for their PE achievements. Head of PE Lee Haywood successfully applied to join London 2012’s Get Set network by demonstrating KSA’s commitment to the Olympic and Paralympic Values.

ACAdEMy NEWS

Kettering Science Academy Primary PhaseWindmill Avenue, Kettering, NN15 7EA. Tel: 01536 513088

Kettering Science Academy Secondary PhaseDeeble Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire. NN15 7AA. Tel: 01536 532700

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PUPILS LEAD THE WAy AT Busy Open Evening Almost 1,000 people paid a visit to KSA during the Year 6 open evening, showing that more and more families are making KSA their first choice.The theatre was full to capacity as Principal Martin Campbell told them: “This building has been designed around the Brooke Weston Trust ethos which puts the child at the heart of every decision. You can have the most up-to-date technology in the world but if you don’t have the right philosophy, it means

nothing. We believe we have the right philosophy and this wonderful building has strengthened that.”Families were shown around the new building by ambassador pupils and Year 6 children had the chance to have a go at a number of taster sessions in each department. They could design and make plastic bookmarks in the design area, have a go at an experiment in science or complete a tongue-twisting literary challenge in the library.

We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Under theMicroscope. To put this magazine together we rely on information from students, staff, parents and carers so if you have anything that you would like to feature or have any feedback then please email

[email protected] / 01536 532700

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Careers AdviceIndependent careers advisors are now available almost every day at KSA to guide pupils through their next steps and provide advice on further/higher education and training.Avril Bartley-Smith and Nicola Stanbridge, of TimelyAdvice, are happy to talk to all pupils but are focussing their efforts on those in years 11 to 13.All Year 11s will have an appointment before the end of the year and further sessions if required. Avril and Nicola are also happy to see pupils on a drop-in basis. They provide one-to-one support, assistance with application forms and careers guidance to encourage pupils to consider all the options available to them and what

steps they need to take.KSA has also acquired two software programmes to help pupils further explore their career options.

Avril Bartley-Smith and Nicola Stanbridge

Five gold Medals in One Competition for gymnastSophie Tucker picked up five gold medals at a gymnastics competition in Leicester.Sophie, who is a member of Kettering Olympics Gymnastic Club, had to compete against another girl from her club on the beam,

floor, bars and vault.She was awarded gold for each

and another gold medal for her overall performance.

Well done Sophie.

Eye-Opening Trip to Kenya for Three Sixth FormersThree Sixth Formers spent four weeks volunteering in Kenya after raising £3,500 each to take part.Ellie Warren, Elisha Taylor and Shaun Chivers signed up to the programme following Camps International’s visit to KSA nearly two years ago. They spent 18 months fundraising and this summer, they overcame tough conditions to help with vital community projects in different areas of Kenya.

They built fish ponds, got involved in forest and marine conservation, dug irrigation trenches and laid pipes. However, it was meeting children at a primary school that had the most impact on Shaun, Ellie and Elisha.Ellie said: “We met children who

would sleep at school on the desks with one sheet over them. We asked why they stayed over and we were told that it was better than what they would have at home. All they had to eat every day was maize.”Elisha added: “Nothing fazed the people we met – they were still happy even though they only have the basics, like running water which we take for granted.”The three were accompanied by science teacher Louise Oliver, who said: “The three of them were brilliant – they picked up some Kiswahili so they could say a few words to the locals and thank them. They just wanted to make a difference. Some of it was very physical work but they wanted

to do it because they could see the benefit for local people. I was very proud of them.”Shaun said: “I would have paid double to do the trip. It was much better than I’d imagined.”

KSA is running a second expedition with Camps International, this time to Tanzania in 2014. So far, about 20 students from years 10 and 11 have signed up and have already started their fundraising.

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