WEEKLY NEWSLETTER – 16 MARCH 2018 Website www.facebook.com/GreenswardAc/

w/c 19 March: A

OFSTED FEEDBACK We have now received our letter from Ofsted regarding our recent inspection which we have emailed out to parents today. I am delighted with the outcome and it is credit to the hard work of the staff, students and parents. The inspection was a short, section 8 visit. These inspections cannot change our previous judgement of 'good', they confirm whether that judgement still stands. During their time in school the inspectors visited a wide range of lessons across many subject areas. They also spoke to groups of students, staff and governors. Thank you to all the parents who completed the Ofsted survey, the chief inspector was very impressed by the number of responses and the positive message coming through from these.

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Congratulations to all three, they will be awarded their certificates and prizes next week. A big thank you to all who took part and supported World Book Day this year.

ART WORK OF THE WEEK

Despite being very pleased with the outcome of this inspection I realise that there are still ongoing improvements to continue with but it is credit to the whole community that we are definitely moving in the right direction. Thank you for your continued support and I very much look forward to leading our school community from strength to strength. Katie Scarnell

WORLD BOOK DAY During World Book Day students in Year 7 and 8 graded staff costumes as part of the 'Where's Wally' Competition and the results for 'Best Dressed' Staff Member and 'Best Dressed' Department are in! Students voted Mrs Hill-David as the 'Queen of Hearts' as the winner of 'Best Dressed Staff' Member and the Leadership Team were voted 'Best Dressed' Department with their Alice in Wonderland theme. Year 7 were the best detectives on the day as our winner and runners-up of the 'Where's Wally' Competition (by identifying the most staff members' characters) are Year 7 students. The winner is: Neeve Simpson in 7E for identifying 23 staff members' characters correctly. The runners-up are: Maddison Ford 7R and Stephanie Hussey 7A for identifying 22 staff members' characters correctly.

Congratulations to Alexa Dickel in Year 13 who has produced this very impressive portrait painting of Rihanna.

GERMAN WORK EXPERIENCE STUDENTS This week we welcomed 18 students from Troisdorf Comprehensive School in Germany for their annual work experience. 10 students are working at Ashingdon and Plumberow and 8 students are working with our SEN department. As well as improving their English (which is at a very high standard already) the students have found that this work experience programme provides them with an insight into the English education system and discover different subjects to those that are taught in Germany.

STEM WEEK

HISTORY TRIP TO BERLIN

This week was STEM week at Greensward, incorporating British Science week and Pi Day. The Maths and Science departments joined together to create a range of activities for KS3 students, covering form time, PSHEE, and Maths and Science lessons. In Maths, students were learning about and using Sierpinski’s triangle, and in Science students were given the opportunity to participate in the British Science Week poster competition.

A reminder to parents of students going on the above trip that there will be an information evening on 27 March at 7.00pm.

YEAR 11 LEAVERS’ HOODIES 2018 The Leavers Hoodies are now available to order online. Here is the link to our personalised leavers’ hoodies online shop: https://www.schoolleaverscompany.co.uk/shops/SL41260 Hoodies cost £18.90 and must be ordered on line; the academy has nothing to do with the ordering process. All hoodies will be delivered to Greensward and they will be collected by the students on a date to be arranged. The online shop will close on 13 April 2018. After this date students will not be able to order hoodies.

AND FINALLY … There were mini practicals at lunchtimes including; scribblebots, catapults and fire writing at lunchtime and STEM club after school on Tuesday had a special project to transport as many cherry tomatoes as far and as fast (within the classroom) as possible, whilst remaining intact.

There were STEM week assemblies, showing what we get up to with STEM at Greensward, and encouraging students to explore the possibility of careers in STEM subjects.

… well done to Scott Bassett in Year 11 who caught this impressive 26lbs 8oz mirror carp today at Churchgate Lakes during a practical fish husbandry session. This is Scott's 2nd biggest fish to date.

ASSEMBLY THEME & THOUGHT FOR NEXT WEEK Meteorology “A sky without clouds is a meadow without flowers, a sea without sails.” Henry David Thorea

Gabriel Chiddicks also got through to the follow-on round of the UK Mathematics Trust Maths Challenge putting him in the top 10% of his age group and sat his paper on Thursday. We’re looking forward to finding out how he got on!