Principals’ Letter 15

Principals’ Letter – Autumn Term 2019

Week Ending 20th December 2019

Dear Parents/Carers

And so, we have spent our last day together in 2019, thank you to everyone for all of your continued support. There are so many wonderful memories to be taken from this year and we are always thankful for the opportunities that are available to our young people. Whatever your plans are for the coming festive break from all of us at Passmores we wish you a happy, healthy Christmas and we look forward to seeing everyone in 2020!

The Chocolate Run: The Chocolate Run’s Christmas Haven provides Harlow’s Street Homeless and Vulnerably

Housed with a safe, warm space to be, sleep, socialize, eat and generally be thoroughly looked after! Passmores Academy staff regularly donate some of their Christmas time off to volunteer at The Chocolate Run’s Christmas Haven every year and this year is no exception. Mrs Busson has asked us to pass on their thanks to the six members of PCLC staff that will taking time away from their own families this Christmas to think and care for others within our Community who would otherwise spend Christmas alone and/or sleeping under the stars.

Christmas Concert: Congratulations to the many students who took part in our annual Passmores Christmas concert on Wednesday 18th December. It was a truly festive occasion with a wide range of music, drama and dance items showcasing the very best of Passmores talent. The sell-out concert included performances from the steel pans groups, music school wind band, solo pianists, drama ensembles, dance groups, African drumming group, soul bands, as well a host of vocal performances. There was also the opportunity for the audience to get involved with two Christmas singalongs and the staff item. Thank you to everyone that took part and for everyone that attended and supported the concert - it really got everyone in the Christmas spirit!

Design & Technology Winter Exhibition: The Design & Technology Winter Exhibition showcased a variety of

outstanding student work from Year 7 to 10 on Wednesday. The festivities were in full swing, with festive food and drink provided by the Food & Nutrition staff. Both students, parents and carers came along to celebrate the fantastic effort that has gone into work within the Design & Technology department this term. Feedback was very positive from the guests. Well done to all involved and thank you to those who attended.

Bank of England Visit: Passmores were lucky enough to have a guest speaker from the Bank of England come in on Friday 13th December. Teresa spoke to our Year 11 students about what the Bank of England does, how its decisions affect inflation and careers within it. She also talked to the students about how many subjects including maths, economics, business & marketing all support the roles embedded within the bank. Feedback from the talk was very positive.

Rising Futures Programme: A number of students in Year 9 & 10 have successfully graduated from the Rising Futures programme which they have been taking part in over the course of the past nine months. The programme is divided into two parts. In the first part, each student received four coaching sessions in small groups which supported students to self-reflect and take responsibility for their development. They were also immersed in a community action project at Herts & Essex Community Farm. Through volunteering on this day students realised the benefits of ‘giving’ back and gained practical, hands-on work experience. Following this, students also went on a ‘World of Work’ trip in which they developed an understanding of working life through visiting a dynamic workplace and networking with professionals. For most, the highlight of the first part of the programme was participating in the residential three-day trip ‘Into the Wild’. Here, students challenged themselves in a variety of activities and worked together with students from other “Yes Futures” partner schools.

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In the second part of the programme students took ownership over their own development by self-coaching.

Through independent goal setting, students further developed their self-reflection skills, giving them the foundation they need to be able to lead their own personal development in the future.

Student feedback from the programme indicates that 82% of students feel more prepared for the future, 82% of

students have become more motivated to achieve at school, 76% of students have a better idea about future opportunities that are available and 88% of students felt the programme had made a positive difference to them. One student stated that ‘I now feel more confident in myself and when talking to others’ while another stated ‘I enjoyed the coaching sessions because they helped to improve myself by setting goals; my coach was really supportive’. Mr Butler added that students have shown increased confidence, resilience, self-awareness and commination skills as they have developed as individuals and as a team throughout the programme’. Well done to all involved.

Medical Support Club: There is a Support Club which runs in Passmores every Tuesday and Thursday break time.

The club was set up by a student, Tom Brazier, to give students with long term medical needs, the opportunity to have somewhere that they can talk about their issues and get support from other students who are experiencing the same thing. Often these students have to attend lots of hospital appointments and have invasive tests done. The group is an informal, drop in and refreshments are provided. For more details please contact Mrs Burgess on h.burgess@passmoresacademy.com.

Year 11 Apprenticeship Opportunities: These are Apprenticeships that are currently advertised on

https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

Royal Mail Group, Romford

Advanced Engineering Apprenticeship, Salary £12,560.00

Requires 5 GCSEs grades 4+ including English, math & science

Closing Date: 3/1/20

GSK -Ware

Engineering Apprenticeships

Competitive Salary, requires 5 GCSEs grades 4+ including English, math and science

Closing Date: 20/1/20

Computer Science Growth Mindset Awards: Each term the Computer Science department gives out rewards for displaying a growth mind set during their lessons. One student from each year group is selected for one of the seven categories and are awarded 50 Passmores Points. Each student will receive a certificate in the end of term assembly and their award will be displayed in the Computer Science Department. The lucky recipients for the Autumn term below. Congratulations to them all.

Year 7 Year 8 Year 9 Year 10 Year 11 Doesn’t give up on a task

Peter Beregi Abi Pike Karis Ashby-Hickin

Eidan Gibbs Mikila Delanbanque

Believes in themselves C.J.Gray Summer Prince-Barratt

Maria Morris Callum Hartgrove Kai Rundall

Has a positive attitude Elena Iona Abena Kwarteng Freddie Kimble Scott Marfleet Lewis Cansdale

Embraces Challenge Ciprian Lica Maria Thira Kaitlyn Coates Louisa Akers Ethan Brayfield

Takes risks as a learner Mariella Marsh Shalom -Elise Defor Samuel Webb Zara Man Harry Zybril

Learns from feedback Ben Mascall Joshua Youens Jake Clay Schalk Dippenaar Tom Harris

Effort leads to success Gracie-Mai Burton

Logan Young Jedd Taylor Paris Wall Chinmay Vaidya

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Maths Golden Ticket Awards: Congratulations to the winners of the Maths Golden Ticket Award. The focus was ‘Helping Peers.’ The winners who received a reward and will appear on our Wall of Fame are: Billy Gifford Tasnim Sobur Rosie Parnell Tony Bell Kasie Hansen Freya Rhodes Oscar Shead Reece Fenton Billy Warrilow Bailey Pearce Passmores Points: As term comes to a conclusion, here are the TOP FIFTY Passmores Point earners in this year’s competition. Next term we will recognise students as they pass the various landmarks, starting with 500.

Maria Thira G7 PWN 879 Year 8 Griffin

Emelia Abbott G1 MTR 736 Year 8 Griffin

Amy Bryson L4 KJR 705 Year 7 Lion

Shelby Paterson G8 DDE 687 Year 8 Griffin

Dylan Hammond U8 SWT 679 Year 8 Unicorn

William Forde G4 VNS 661 Year 7 Griffin

Daisy Burbeck L5 ROH 627 Year 7 Lion

Mitch Ward G6 JKG 626 Year 7 Griffin

Adam Filipek L3 RAD 625 Year 8 Lion

Emma Connell G4 VNS 618 Year 7 Griffin

Sian Kearney D3 JSO 595 Year 10 Dragon

Erin Murphy L2 ABM 593 Year 7 Lion

Amy Kenway G5 KFS 590 Year 7 Griffin

Aaron Bhunjun D3 JSO 586 Year 8 Dragon

Karys Bailey U8 SWT 586 Year 7 Unicorn

Lucy Clay G1 MTR 585 Year 8 Griffin

Louise Matlock-Jeffery G3 SHO 584 Year 7 Griffin

David Griffiths L3 RAD 580 Year 8 Lion

Bailey Pearce G1 MTR 574 Year 7 Griffin

Lily Quigley G4 VNS 573 Year 8 Griffin

Marcus De Freitas Sousa L2 ABM 573 Year 8 Lion

Freya Nash D6 HTR 573 Year 7 Dragon

Evie Matthews D9 TBT 573 Year 10 Dragon

Niamh Warman L2 ABM 572 Year 7 Lion

Callum Burch G7 PWN 566 Year 7 Griffin

Misty Eren D7 ALL 561 Year 8 Dragon

Maddie Kimble D9 TBT 561 Year 7 Dragon

Emaan Baig U1 ARO 558 Year 8 Unicorn

Daisy Hooker G3 SHO 557 Year 9 Griffin

Alyssa Crandle U4 AHN 556 Year 7 Unicorn

Dixie Hughes U5 ASA 555 Year 8 Unicorn

Ashlea Gates D9 TBT 551 Year 7 Dragon

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Josh Sanderson U8 SWT

548 Year 8 Unicorn

Gemma McAusland L5 ROH 547 Year 7 Lion

Huey Lai U8 SWT 546 Year 7 Unicorn

Toby Palmer L4 KJR 544 Year 8 Lion

Jeyla Onac D8 MBY 544 Year 7 Dragon

Alex Pickering D9 TBT 541 Year 7 Dragon

Harry New D1 MHT 540 Year 7 Dragon

Kallie Jackson D3 JSO 540 Year 7 Dragon

Blaze Hibbert U8 SWT 539 Year 7 Unicorn

Reece Fenton D5 EJN 539 Year 7 Dragon

Josh Goodbun U1 ARO 537 Year 8 Unicorn

Joe Savage D4 BPS 536 Year 8 Dragon

Selene Virga L2 ABM 536 Year 7 Lion

Eloisa Bellamy D4 BPS 532 Year 7 Dragon

Lacey Dedman D4 BPS 531 Year 7 Dragon

Gracie Morris L1 SGR 528 Year 7 Lion

Tristan Thira G7 PWN 527 Year 7 Griffin

Ryley O'Grady G3 SHO 526 Year 9 Griffin

Student Newspaper: Issue 2 of the student newspaper – the Passmores Phoenix, is fresh off the press today. Look out for it in your inboxes. It is a great read!

Maths Problems of the Week:

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Maths Solution for last week:

Forthcoming Events Friday 20th December - Early Closure for students for Christmas – 1.25pm Tuesday 7th January 2020 - Spring Term starts Wednesday 8th January 2020 - Year 11 Parents’ Evening

Natalie Christie & Vic Goddard Co-Principals of Passmores Academy