Dear Parent/Carer

I am always surprised by January and February in a

school. For most people it is a time for tightening their

belts after Christmas and waiting it out until the dark

months have passed. However, in schools it is a time

for optimism and when learning becomes even more

focused. Our Year 11s and Sixth Form students have a

chance to reflect on their mock exam results and

become far clearer on what they need to do to reach

their target grades giving them the valuable choices

they need to get into colleges, universities or

apprenticeships. Younger students mature at this point

in the year. The year 9s have made their choices for

Key Stage 4 and along with the Year 7s and 8s and we

see them improve in their attitudes to learning.

But learning doesn't just take place in the classroom.

Whether it is on the judo mat, like the wonderfully

successful Charlie Bennet or on the football pitch

learning about the pernicious dangers of racism and

the importance of tolerance, learning happens

everywhere. Exam results are hugely important but every

experience and achievement no matter how

insignificant shapes us into the people we will become.

Spring brings lots of examples of learning outside the

classroom: staff sharing their 'favourite reads' as part of

'Book Week', the recycle challenge or even Science

week, there is lots of alternative forms of learning to

look forward to at AVA.

Best wishes

Mr Gibson

Acting Principal

Dates for the Diary

Friday 12h February - Staff Professional Training Day

Monday 22nd

February - All Students Return

Thursday 3rd March - Year 12 & 13 Parents Evening

Thursday 24th March - 3.20pm End of Spring Term

Monday 11th April - Staff Professional Training Day

Tuesday 12th April - Start of Summer Term

All Students Return

Congratulations

Congratulations to Charlie Bennett in Year 9 who

fought in the British School Regional Judo

Championships on Saturday on behalf of Aylesbury

Vale Academy. Out of the 7 counties Charlie fought

very hard and achieved a Gold medal and has now

been put forward to fight in the British School

Championships in April in Sheffield EIC on behalf of

Aylesbury Vale Academy. A great achievement Charlie.

Well done!

Newsletter of The Aylesbury Vale Academy

Paradise Orchard Berryfields Aylesbury Buckinghamshire HP18 0WS

t 01296 428 551 enquiries@theacademy.me www.theacademy.me

February 2016

The last Tuesday of the Autumn school term was the date for the

Lunch club Christmas party. We had a new venue this year - we

took over the Sixth form study room with around 80 students

masses of food, pop, singing and laughter. Mrs Gannon and

Mrs Wright prepared the feast and a number of other staff

members came in to share in the Christmas festivities

supporting the gathering with their singing and of course

enjoying some of the food!

Mr Hallam and Miss Kissick came with a group to lead us in the

singing: Samara Hooper, James Drury, Callum Holden and

Oscar Demain. They were accompanied by the very able Katie

Hobbs on Sax, Cullum McCarthy on Bass, Casey Fitzsimmons

Guitar and not forgetting Sam Battams Scott - chucking out the

beats on drums. Our chaplain Rev Gareth Lane reminded us

The idea behind Lunch Club is for those students who have the

need to be in a smaller environment where they feel confident

stay throughout their time in the Academy, these students then

help with the younger ones.

There are a number of staff who help out at Lunch Club each

week they are S Bibi, B Blackstock, S Moore, S Rhode-Patterson

and V Lipson. A massive thank you has to go to Mrs Gannon

who has been running Lunch Club for a number of years and

has now passed on the Baton to Mrs Wright to take things

forwards in 2016.

Rev Gareth Lane

Christmas saw the departure of two valued members of the tutor

team, so as of January we have welcomed Miss Walsh and Ms

Adetoye. Remember if your child has any issues the first point of

contact should be their tutor. The sooner we know of any issues

the quicker we can help.

The team:

Faraday 1 Mrs J Harlow

Faraday 2 Miss N Walsh

Nobel 1 Mr K Thomas

Nobel 2 Mr M Ferguson

Franklin 1 Mr Y Amir

Franklin 2 Ms N Street & Ms F Adetoye

Year 7 exams will take place the week

beginning 21.3.16. Students will

complete Maths, English and Science tests

in the main hall and various end of unit

tests within subject areas. Look out for hints

and tips for revision on Show my

Homework.

Student Council

Faraday 1 Emily Chappelle and Galib Allama

Faraday 2 Kacey Giles & Alisha Jamil

Nobel 1 Katelyn Thompson & Denisa Grigoriu

Nobel 2 Tyreese Worral & Coral Waters

Franklin 1 Yusuf Khan & Kathryn Ray

Franklin 2 Grace Baranowski & Oscar Demain

As a team the student council meet regularly to dicuss whole

school issues and to report back the student voice. Grace and

Coral also attend the Academy council and put forward the

views of year 7.

Having completed a full term year 7 have experienced 2

celebration assemblies . It has been brilliant as AD to see a wide

Academy staff. See the previous winners listed below.

Next half term will mark the half way point of the academic year

and see Year 7 students being issued subject reports during the

week of 07.03.16.

October Awards December Awards

Creativity Rebecca Ambrose Oscar Doherty

Faith Iva Koleva Sara Bosworth-Garea

Aspiration Abdul Kadir Tyrese Worrell

Respect Gene Simmonds Sabeeha Saleem

Equality Zuzana Slavikova Ben Ward

Service Yusuf Khan Zara Israr

AD Award Grace Baranowski Zusana Slavikova

Principles Award N/A Matthew Ward

On the 14

th January 2016 the Aylesbury Vale Academy hosted

Show Racism the Red Card. All of year 7 took part in a range

of activities including a football session with ex professional

footballers. The day also gave the opportunity for students to

enter their work into a national competition.

Show Racism the Red Card is an anti-racism educational charity

established in 1996. They work in schools throughout England

delivering anti-racism workshops to more than 20,000 young

people every year.

Workshop Aims

To educate young people about the causes and

consequences of racism and to explore the various forms

racism can take.

To empower young people to challenge racism in the

communities in which they live, providing them with

relevant knowledge and information to enable them to do

this.

To help young people prepare to play an active role as

citizens in an increasingly multi-cultural society.

To enable young people to develop good relationships

and respect the differences between people, regardless of

their ethnicity, faith, culture or nationality.

Competition Entries

We had some fantastic entries from our students ranging from

short films to poems. Below is just a sample of what was

created by our students.

AVA Library News

The new year got off to a great start with the addition of

numerous new books to the library including the ever popular

Guinness Book of Records, various annuals and, as had been

much requested by students, several copies of the latest Diary of

a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries books. We have also expanded

our classics collection with the addition of titles including

Frankenstein, Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde amongst others with more to

follow.

AVA Book Week

As mentioned in the Christmas newsletter the big library news is

the week of events, activities and competitions we have planned

rd.

These include a visit from local author Dave Cousins writer of

popular Young Adult novels such as Fifteen Days Without a

series (find out more at www.davecousins.net ).

Author Dave Cousins will be visiting the Academy for Book

Week

Other special events will include Literary Lunches where staff will

be reading from their favourite books whilst students are invited

to eat their lunch in the library, a design a book token art

competition, a Library Literary Murder Mystery, a Bumper Book

Quiz, the return of the Shelfies (popular last year) and a book

fair run by a local book shop. We will also be distributing the

World Book Day Free Book tokens which can be used at local

branches of Waterstones, W.H. Smith and Tesco. Further

activities throughout the week and around the academy are also

being planned so students should keep checking noticeboards

and listening out for further details.

Mr A Cluett, Librarian

Enrichment

Enrichment Cards

Do not forget to get your Enrichment Cards signed for any club

you attend. Once completed bring your card to Mr Bacon in

the P.E office for a new one.

Upcoming Competitions

Go to www.googlesciencefair.com

Deadline for entry is the 19th May but please give your name to

Mr Bacon to gain college points.

Recycle Challenge

Competition is open to all years. The task is to use recyclable

goods to create a landmark (for example Big Ben, Eiffel Tower

etc)

Presentation of work will take place on 23rd March in the main

hall at lunchtime.

http://www.davecousins.nethttp://www.googlesciencefair.com