Dear Parents and Carers

Transcription

1 Dear Parents and Carers It has been a busy and exhilarating term at Oasis Academy, Isle of Sheppey. Our primary focus has been on ensuring that all students are making academic progress; it is vital that every student leaves the Academy with a suite of qualifications that will afford them the choices and opportunities for a successful and profitable adult life and this work begins from the first day of Year 7. I urge you to look at your child s latest progress data that will be posted home shortly. Please discuss with your child their successes and areas for development. If you wish to discuss further, please do not hesitate to contact their Family Leader to arrange a meeting. By working together, we can ensure that we are providing the support to enable every child to reach their potential. I would like to compliment Year 11 and Year 13 especially for the dedication they are showing to their studies. Year 11 sat their first set of mock exams in November and received their results on Friday 16 th December. The young people now need to work on closing any gaps that these results reveal. Again, if you wish to discuss these results, please contact their Family Leaders, myself, Mr Ward (Deputy Principal KS4 East) or Mr Barritt (Deputy Principal KS4 West). There will be a further Year 11 Parents Information Evening on Wednesday 18th January where you will receive further information on how you can best support your child. It is vital that Year 11 attend Period 6 every day from 3-4 pm. Our excellent staff provide an extra lesson every day to help students and they must take advantage of this. Year 13 will be sitting their mock exams in January and need to take some time in the Christmas Holidays to revise. The Sixth Form results rocketed in 2016, resulting in the accolade of most improved Sixth Form in Oasis, and I have no doubt that our current young adults will match and exceed this. We have been focusing closely on improving attendance levels at the Academy. Clearly, if students are not in school, they will fall behind and I implore you to make sure that your child attends every day unless they are extremely ill. As well as ensuring they make good progress, this instils good habits that will benefit them once they are in employment. There have, as usual, been many inspiring events at the Academy. Hundreds of our youngsters, along with students from the Island primary schools, took part on our annual Thriller challenge where we set a new record for participation. There have been many wonderful Christmas events, ranging from the carol service to the Christmas Fair, where Year 13 Business students and Year 7 and 8 volunteers excelled themselves, to the Dementia Café where our young people provided entertainment for some of our respected senior citizens. At the time of writing, I am looking forward to the Dance Showcase on 21 st December where the talents of our students will once again be on display. On a personal note, it has been a privilege to serve my first term as Principal, having worked as Associate Principal at the Academy since Every day, I feel thankful to work with such excellent students, dedicated staff and supportive parents. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you and your families a happy, peaceful and enjoyable Christmas break and look forward to working with you again in the New Year. John Cavadino Principal

2 On Sunday 13 th November, the Academy took 70 students and their families to the Olympic Park to perform as part of Join the Momentum run by the sport s charity, Rugby League Cares project. Our Dance students had the exciting opportunity to perform in the stadium, on pitch during the half time game of the Four Nations Rugby League match between England and Australia, performing to a vast audience of over 35,000 supporters. Students had been working hard on a routine since October when the company travelled to the Island to deliver a workshop to our students. The community dance piece encompassed traditional elements from each Nation including the Haka and Highland fling, ending with the iconic God Save the Queen. Elements of the piece were guided and choreographed by dance company ZOO Nation s Rhimes Leconte and the specially commissioned track was composed by Lee Affen. The links between the performing arts and Rugby League are well established and continues to build on the great work undertaken during the 2003 World Cup when the fans were treated to some spectacular performances throughout the tournament. The day was full of excitement and discovery as the students walked around the stadium, backstage and into their performance space where they took part in rehearsals in preparation for the performance with two other schools. Students were able to watch the game with their families and friends, being a part of the atmosphere alongside the moving experience of the Remembrance Day traditions that opened the game and the moving silence during The Last Post amongst so many thousands of people. Chantelle Crofskey, Head of Dance said our students worked very hard throughout the project and were excited to have been given this unique opportunity. To see the thrill on their faces as we were waiting backstage to run on to the pitch, as they soaked up the atmosphere and noise from the audience was a sight to behold. The students performed with passion and loved every minute, a proud day for the Academy. Sixth Form Student Jodie Chopping said waiting to be called to dance on the Olympic Park stadium was both nerve wracking and exciting. The whole day could only be described as surreal, the atmosphere that engulfed the whole pitch was contagious. Dancing in front of so many people was extremely thrilling, the largest audience yet! Year 10 student Jodie Roke said The experience I had dancing at the Olympic Park for the Four Nations was amazing. I felt very privileged to have had the chance to dance at such a famous place in front of 35,000 people and this has boosted my confidence so much. I m so grateful that I got this opportunity, I will remember this experience for ever!.

3 We are pleased to inform that Oasis Academy have joined the Isle of Sheppey Primary schools to form an arts education partnership to benefit all Sheppey schoolchildren. The partnership is led by Canterbury Christ Church University and will bring artists, musicians and performers into Sheppey schools to work alongside staff and pupils. This ambitious programme will run throughout this academic year and has been made possible through generous funding from CCCU, Ideas Test, the schools and match investment from the Royal Opera House Bridge. The partnership aims to develop teams of young arts ambassadors on the Island. All of the schools and organisations involved want to ensure that education for all pupils always includes the chance to sing, dance, act and make art. The Royal Opera House have been helping the Sheppey schools prepare for this fantastic year of arts by offering all of the schools the chance to take part in National Nutcracker ten week project. The project equips Key Stage Two teachers with skills and confidence to create a dance with their class, inspired by the Royal Ballet s production of The Nutcracker. Teachers participated in a practical training day run by the Royal Opera Houses Learning and Participation department which took place at the Academy. Teachers are also given access to digital resources for the classroom to inspire the pupils each week as they create their dance, with tips from Royal Ballet dancers and exclusive behind the scenes footage of the Royal Opera House. The project culminates with a screening of The Nutcracker for all participating schools. This project is running in regions across the country including Swale, Lincolnshire, North Devon and Teesside. In November, eight schools came to the Oasis Academy to perform their finished pieces in preparation for the competition deadline. Chantelle Crofskey, Head of Dance and Cultural Education Development Leader, said it was a pleasure to have the schools come to us to perform and brilliant to see what each group had created. Each dance was unique and exciting and it was fantastic to see the children performing with such enjoyment and professionalism. We were honoured to have been a part of this fantastic project and are excited to see what impact this investment in arts and cultural across Swale has in the coming year. Nicole Ward from Minster Primary School said that The Nutcracker has benefitted our children beyond anything we could have ever expected. It has helped develop their self-confidence and given them an insight into a world they may never have experienced if they were not given the opportunity by Nutcracker Project. Teachers from Indigo class at Queenborough Primary, 'The Nutcracker Project was a fantastic opportunity for children to experience dance as never before. Ballet is not a type of dance that many of Indigo class had seen, but after participating in this project, they have a better understanding of ballet and dancing. As a teacher, it has thrown me in the deep end, along with my team teacher Miss Barnden. We have both developed alongside the children and our ideas for the dance have been influenced by the children's growth in confidence and our own. The process has allowed the children and teachers of Indigo Class to aspire to things we never could have fathomed. Performing a dance is not something we have ever done before but now we have!'

4 The Christmas Enterprise fair has once again been a huge success this year. The annual event, organised by our Year 13 Business students with stalls run by Years 7 & 8 students has become a highlight in the school calendar, and this year it was attended by over 300 people! Our fantastic students all pulled together to run stalls selling all sorts of festive goodies, including homemade cakes, toys and stocking fillers. There were raffles, a tombola and even Santa and his elves made an appearance. The Mayor of Swale, Cllr Lesley Ingram and MP Gordon Henderson joined youngsters and their families with enthusiasm as over 600 was raised for local charity Care 4 Christmas. The island appeal has been running for more than 20 years offering support for our more vulnerable members of the community. Volunteers from the charity distribute food parcels to homes across Sheppey so residents may celebrate Christmas in their own homes as well as hosting lunches at the Community Church, Broadway, Sheerness on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

5 Our Christmas Dementia Café took place on the East Campus on Thursday 15th December. As usual it was a well-supported event for the community as guests from local care homes and the Mayor of Swale, Cllr Lesley Ingram joined us for an afternoon of festivities. Children from St Edwards Primary School and our own Glee Club entertained guests with a selection of carols. Our GCSE Hospitality students had baked lots of goodies and a Victoria Sponge Cake for the raffle, which was won by Violet Ancient, from Blackburn Lodge who turns 102 in January! Our Chaplain Paul Wintle shared the symbolism of the Christingle which our Sixth Form team made and were gifted to all our guests. A Christingle is an orange decorated with red ribbon, sweets and a candle: The orange represents the world The red ribbon symbolises the love and blood of Christ The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God s creations The lit candle represents Jesus s light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness Speaking of the event, Mr Cavadino said Over the years, our students have worked tirelessly in raising awareness for dementia care, and we are proud that their efforts have been recognised with a number of accolades, most recently winning two Try Angle Awards from Kent County Council for their dedication in this field. It is wonderful seeing people in the community come together for our Dementia Café, an event that is always enjoyed by all involved.

6 Friday 16th December was Christmas Jumper Day. Initiated by our Sixth Form Student Leadership Team, students and staff were invited to wear their Christmas woollies for a 1 donation for the Save the Children Charity.

7 There are over 10,000 young carers in Kent and it is important that they know they are not alone in their caring role. Being a Young Carer can have a negative impact on a Young Person such as low confidence and self-esteem, low educational attendance & attainment and poor physical & mental health. Who is a Young Carer? A young carer is someone who helps look after a relative who has a condition such as a disability, illness, mental health condition, or a substance misuse issue. Some young people give a lot of physical help to a brother or sister who is disabled or ill. Along with doing things to help their brother or sister, they may also be giving emotional support to both their sibling and their parents. Most young carers look after one of their parents or care for a brother or sister. They do extra jobs in and around the home, such as cooking, cleaning, or helping someone to get dressed and move around. At Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey we fully support our Young Carers and Young Adult Carers. If your child is a carer, please contact our Academy Health Advisor Mrs Groves and she will advise you of what support we can put in place. vanessa.groves@oasisisleofsheppey.org or call

8 Abbey Family Unit held their charity week at the beginning of December in aid of McMillan Cancer Support. This was a huge success with students from all year groups taking part throughout the week. All week the Abbey family area was open at break and lunchtimes with a selection of stalls selling cakes and sweets, all of which were doing a really good trade as well as a guess the cake competition. On Tuesday 6th December, Year 10 students had a charity football competition, and on the Wednesday we set a record for the Abbey Mannequin Challenge with eighty two students taking part. For those that have not yet caught up with the latest internet trend, the Mannequin Challenge is where participants imitate mannequins and freezing in action for the camera while music plays in the background. The challenge was filmed by the IT team and is currently being displayed on the large TV screens around the school. Thursday was Go Green Day where students could wear something green to school with a good assortment of socks, scarves and anything else green. In true Abbey style, Mrs Gill, held her Annual Karaoke Challenge to raise funds for the much deserved charity. There were a number of clear stars who will be making it to the 'X Factor' soon but the clear winners was a duet with Savannah Beadle and Kelly Oosthuizen who won the esteemed trophy. Well done to Savannah and Kelly and all the contestants and of course the audience who raised money for such a worthy cause. We are still awaiting some last sponsor money to come in due to postponing the planned sponsored leg wax to after Christmas. We are on schedule to beat last year s total of having already collected 700 so far with at least 65 of sponsors for the leg wax and it will certainly go up by the time it takes place!

9 Plans. Proposals. Intentions. Desires. Resolutions. We often think this time of year about what next year is going to be like. These words are about the future. About what could be. They are things that are not yet, and they are thoughts as to what may happen next. During the Christmas festival of Advent, we think about making plans for Christmas what shape our Christmas Day will take, who will be invited, or who we will visit. Indeed, the word Advent, means to prepare for in this case, the Christian s spiritual preparation for the arrival of the Christ child. God s plan was always to be with his people that is why in the Garden of Eden, after Adam and Eve had sinned, God walked in the cool of the day and called out to them, Where are you? God s plan was always to be in relationship with his creation. The Bible says that Jesus is God with Us. As we prepare for Christmas, so we think of the future joy of the precious gift of a baby to the world. Jesus, the Son of God, born to link God with people. This baby who grew up, said profound things, challenged the way things were and made a lasting impact on the world, is still followed by millions of people around the globe thousands of years later! I have been thinking much about the future. It is with great sadness that I will be leaving my role as Chaplain of the Isle of Sheppey Schools at the end of December. As I reflect upon my time on Sheppey and especially as part of the Oasis Family, I look back with a sense of massive pride. I can honestly say that I have never been happier in my life - working with so many people, being involved in community life and perhaps even making some small difference in helping others become the best version of themselves. The role of a Chaplain is to be the Oasis Ethos to everybody. I hope that any impression I leave behind from my two years at the Academy will be one of offering hope, inclusion, positive relationships and a sense that things can be positively transformed. I hope that I have shown that there is a better life than this to have modelled the life of Jesus within the Academy and in the Community. In order to become the very best versions of ourselves, it is vital to have someone to look up to. For me, the life and model of Jesus Christ is key to making our homes and communities better and better and better to love, to forgive, to trust, to care and to model the best version of who we are. As I leave Sheppey, I know that every one of us can choose to be that best version. In the new year, Oasis Academy Isle of Sheppey will be strengthening its focus on 9 Habits practical ways of how to become that best version of us. For every one of you. This Christmas, may we all know that there are positive things ahead. And may you know Grace and Peace this Christmas. There are a number of Christmas services being taken across our Island the list is quite long! I know that a warm welcome will be extended to everybody, even if they do not regularly go to church. Paul Wintle Chaplain

10 Churches Together in Sheppey - Christmas Services Churches Together in Sheppey warmly invite you to visit our churches this Christmas time. Below is a list of the services taking place. Any questions either contact the church directly or sheppeychurchestogether@outlook.com Claire Pennington (CTIS Secretary) Oasis Academy Sheppey (East Site, Minster ME12 3JQ) Thursday 15 th December 2pm: Christingle Dementia Café All welcome Sheppey Evangelical Church (Warden Bay Road, Leysdown ME12 4NA) Sunday 18 th December - 6:30pm: Family Christmas Carol Service Sunday 25 th December - 10:30am: Short Family Christmas Day Service New Covenant Church (Wards Hill Road, Minster ME12 2JZ) Saturday 31 st December - 10:30pm till midnight: New Year s Eve Service Minster Road Baptist Church (Minster Road, Minster ME12 3JJ) Sunday 18 th December 4pm: Christmas Anthology Seasonal readings and carols followed by refreshments Saturday 24 th December 7pm: Carols by Candlelight followed by refreshments Sunday 25 th December 10am: Christmas Celebration for all ages Salvation Army (163 High Street, Sheerness ME12 1UH) Wednesday 7 th Saturday 10 th December 10am-8pm Advent Space Sunday 18 th December: 4pm Christmas Service Tuesday 20 th December: 7:30pm Sing on Sheppey Christmas Concert

11 We return after the Christmas Break on Wednesday 4th January on a Week A timetable. SEN Notice The Midas Centre at Meadowfield School offer parents and carers a number of free courses to help support SEN needs. Further information can be found in the Midas Parent Brochure.

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