A pinch of passion, a dash of determination, and a whole lot of pasta! A talented group of Year 9 culinary connoisseurs rolled up their sleeves and tied on their aprons as they stepped into the sizzling spotlight of gastronomic greatness—taking part in none other than Jamie Oliver’s Guinness World Record attempt for the Largest Ever Cooking Lesson.

In kitchens across the country, the spirit of Italian cuisine came alive as our budding chefs cooked alongside the legendary Jamie Oliver himself, joined by two expert chefs from his renowned cooking school. With cameras rolling and saucepans bubbling, our students dove into the art of fresh pasta making—by hand, no less! With flour flying and laughter echoing, they crafted the rustic charm of pici and the delightful elegance of gnocchetti, two traditional pasta shapes that would make any Italian nonna proud.

But the pasta was only the beginning! The pièce de résistance came in the form of a vibrant tomato, garlic, and basil sauce—fresh, fragrant, and bursting with flavor. As the ingredients simmered and blended in harmony, the students stirred with pride, passion, and precision.

This wasn’t just a cooking class—it was a celebration of food, culture, and community. A masterclass in gastronomy that transported our kitchen to the rolling hills of Tuscany and the cobbled streets of Rome. It was education served al dente, with a sprinkle of showbiz and a generous helping of heart.

Now, with flour still on their fingertips and sauce-stained smiles on their faces, our young chefs await the official results of the world record attempt. Will they become part of history? We wait anxiously to find out!

Until then, we raise our forks to an unforgettable experience, seasoned with joy, sprinkled with knowledge, and finished with a chef’s kiss!

Congratulations to Kloe, Torin, Ollie, Caitlyn, Mina, Gabriella, Nicole, Alanah, Ben, Agrim, Seun, Jake and Dante on completing their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award Expedition.

When they planned their expedition all those weeks ago, they couldn’t have guessed that they would be heading out on the hottest weekend of the year so far!  They have had to dig really deep and went through all the emotions of tears, laughter, joy and pain to get the job done!

On their first day they walked over 14km from the academy to Woolsthorpe by Belvoir, carrying all of their camping equipment.  At the end of a long day, they made camp at the Belvoir Holidays Campsite, where they cooked their own evening meal and prepared their camp for the evening.

The next morning they started the day at 5.30am to try and beat the heat forecast later in the day.  The groups made their way back to the academy following a different route, and all made it back in good time.

Well done to you all – we are all really proud of you!

The academy is delighted to have been successful in its bid for free membership registration for Learning Through Landscapes.

As part of our membership we will receive training, access to a library of online resources and £500 worth of equipment to resource our new outdoor learning area.

Thank you to Mrs Pendleton for applying and securing this valuable resource for our students.

A group of students are celebrating their second place achievement at an inter-school Boccia Tournament.

Taisa Platkeviciute, Ted Davison-Allott, Tia Wand, Dillon Crawley, Dylan Creasey, John Lindley and Robin Harsley were amazing ambassadors for West Grantham and were thrilled to come away from the tournament with a collection of medals and second place trophy.

During February half-term, four ambitious Year 11 students geared up for an extraordinary opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the world of work. These young trailblazers spent their half-term break with local engineering and catering businesses, immersing themselves in real-world environments and learning valuable skills that will shape their futures.

Engineering Extravaganza

Three of our students, Dante, Layla and Kacey, joined two prominent local engineering firms, Iconic Engineering Solutions and BGB Innovation, to experience the world of work. During the week, Dante worked alongside experienced engineers and had the opportunity to be involved in the practical side of engineering. This exposure will not only enhance his technical skills but also give him a deeper understanding of the engineering field and its impact on society. At BGB, Layla and Kacey worked alongside the HR manager to better understand the world of office-based work beyond the shop floor. This experience, whilst improving their understanding of the many employment opportunities that exist in the world of engineering, further developed their employability skills.

Culinary Creations

Meanwhile, Sovanna dived into the world of catering, gaining insights into the bustling atmosphere of a professional kitchen. Sovanna, an aspiring chef, was thrilled to learn the art of customer service while serving the delectable desserts on offer at the Hope Cafe.

Andrew and Daniel at Hope Café both commented on what a pleasure Sovanna was to work with. Her superb manners were noted as well as her superb pot-washing abilities.

A Bright Future Ahead

These work experience opportunities are more than just a break from revision; they are a chance for our students to explore their passions, develop essential skills, and gain a glimpse into their potential future careers. The dedication and enthusiasm of Dante, Layla, Kacey, and Sovanna serve as a testament to the incredible potential of our Year 11 students.

On their return from their work experience placements, we enjoyed hearing their stories and celebrated their achievements on their journeys towards successful and fulfilling careers.

The academy has celebrated World Book Day with a week of creative and exciting reading related activities.

Students have ordered a book from the Book Cafe, whilst their orders for refreshments were taken by our student waiters.

Students have also completed wordsearches and competed in quizzes, with the final competition to design a book cover being judged on Monday.

A combined team of year 8 and 9 boys played against Charles Read Academy on Wednesday 12 February, and they put in a performance they can be really proud of.

The match was very much a game of two halves, with Charles Read stretching out to a 5-0 lead by half time. However, this did not reflect the true nature of the contest with West Grantham holding their own for long periods of the game, and indeed threatening the Charles Read goal on numerous occasions.

The second half was a different story with West Grantham having the lion’s share of possession as they grew into the game and peppered the opposition goal with shot after shot. Macorly Dixon eventually broke the seal for West Grantham with a well taken finish from the left-hand side of the box, placing his shot across the keeper and into the far corner.

Try as they might, and despite their dominance throughout the second half, West Grantham could not build on their momentum and succumbed to a breakaway goal from Charles Read to restore their 5 goal cushion. The game ended 6 – 1 to Charles Read Academy and with plenty of promise for future fixtures.

Well done to the West Grantham team!

BGB Innovation have released a press release celebrating their partnership with West Grantham Academy

Grantham-based engineering firm, BGB, has committed to supporting the next generation of engineering talent, thanks to a partnership with West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy.

Its partnership with the academy will offer six students the chance to build skills in a range of areas, from manual turning and milling, to slip ring assembly and computer aided design (CAD) – techniques that enable firms like BGB to produce cutting-edge components for the energy, transport and utilities industries.

In addition to industry-specific knowledge, they will also gain transferable skills like project management, critical thinking and creative problem-solving, delivered by the team’s engineering mentors over the course of the 12 – 18 month programme.

As well as demonstrating the potential of working in the industry, leaders of BGB’s apprenticeship programme believe initiatives like this will dispel misconceptions about the industry being ‘unskilled’ and ‘dirty’.

Instead, they will showcase the unique opportunities on offer, including the chance to operate state-of-the-art testing equipment and to be a part of tackling global challenges, like offsetting the impact of climate change through innovative engineering solutions made for wind turbines.

While the engineering industry is made up of approximately six million people, a significant 18% of the UK’s working population, experts at the Engineering Council and critics of Labour’s ambitious Industrial Strategy believe that new talent, and engineering skills, are needed more than ever.

Despite the demand, and ambitious plans to propel forward industries like engineering and manufacturing, a recent report revealed that 81% of businesses in the market still find it hard to secure the right candidate. Making programmes like this critical to the future success of the sector and the wider UK economy.

Beyond its West Grantham Academy partnership, BGB has also worked with institutions like Lincoln College, Priory College and The King’s School, offering work experience opportunities and delivering careers talks to community groups, parents and members of local council to help narrow the skills gap.

Leading BGB’s apprenticeship programme is production manager, Nathan Flower. Talking about the role that BGB plays in delivering against those industry challenges, he said:

“Next year, BGB will mark its 50^th anniversary; a massive milestone in the history of our company. At the very core of the business is a purpose to attract and develop great people. The same can be said for our apprenticeship programme.

“Over the years, we’ve seen almost 30 apprentices walk through our factory doors – many of whom have developed through the ranks. Take James Wood, for example, our chief design officer who began as an apprentice, working on the shop floor at our Grantham HQ. He was given the unique opportunity to develop his skills in our design team, surrounded by some of the best in the business; a leap of faith that eventually enabled him to head up our operations out in the United States. James is among a list of very talented individuals that have spent time at BGB and flourished, and are the result of both passion and investment from a number of stakeholders.

“We’re aware of the challenges the industry currently faces in attracting new talent. Long-standing misconceptions have made recruits hesitant to join, but we’re trying to change that. By opening our doors and leaning into our fantastic culture, working closely with local stakeholders and demonstrating the impact our work can have on the bigger picture, as well as in our local community, we’re working towards that collective goal of propelling the industry forward. I look forward to seeing where this next cohort of apprentices will go, and I thank West Grantham Academy for putting their faith in our team.”

 Senior Vice Principal, Kirsty Kuffour at West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy, said: ‘We are grateful to BGB for the support they have given West Grantham Church of England Secondary Academy. Having recognised a gap in the local recruitment of apprentice engineers, we are keen to offer our students a course that secures both a level 2 qualification and the experience of working in engineering. The generosity of BGB in sharing their time, expertise, and facilities has provided our students with invaluable hands-on experience and insights into the engineering field. This opportunity has greatly enriched their education and inspired many of them to pursue careers in engineering. We look forward to continuing this fruitful collaboration in the future.’

BGB has been operating since 1976, designing and engineering smart rotary solutions for the renewable energy, construction, utilities and transport sectors. The family-owned business operates across key European markets like Spain, Denmark and Germany, where it is the market leader in rotary solutions for the renewable energy sector.

To find out more about BGB’s rotary solutions, visit www.bgbinnovation.com/.

A group of year 10 students have attended the South Kesteven Skills Summit at Grantham College.

The event was held to give young people the opportunity to explore the many careers and courses available to them to help them decide on their further education and career pathways.

During the course of the afternoon, our year 10 students explored opportunities in the civil service, engineering, farming, legal services, health care, media and voluntary work, to name but a few …

The group were also very fortunate to attend a keynote speaker seminar from a member of the education team at Harlaxton Manor.

The students commented after the event that they had really enjoyed the experience and had benefitted from having the opportunity to speak directly with further education providers and local employers.

Thank you to South Kesteven District Council and Grantham College for hosting this excellent event.

A group of students have participated in a Panathlon Challenge event held at Grantham Tennis Centre.

Panathlon is a national charity which gives young people with disabilities and special education needs the opportunity to take part in competitive sport.

The students competed in a number of fun sporting events, including curling, basketball, skittles, bean bag throwing, balancing, to name but a few.

The students were the perfect ambassadors for the academy and were awarded with medals and certificates at the end of the event.

Staff and students have donated gifts towards this year’s West Grantham Gift Drive.

In total, 91 gifts were donated and shared in the community for children aged between 4 and 14.

Thank you to everyone who donated and a special thank you to Mrs Milligan and Mrs Breden for organising the Gift Drive.

In celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, the students and staff have enjoyed a themed menu day.

Thank you to Laurent and his team for an absolutely delicious Diwali lunch.

Over half term, 24 Year 9 students took part in a residential trip to PGL Caythorpe.

The students took part in a range of activities that pushed their boundaries to support their personal growth, develop new skills and work together as a team.

Despite it being a very wet weekend, the students had a great time.

Thank you Miss Archdale and Mr Martini for organising a full fun packed weekend!

The Year 8 and 9 Girls’ Football Team have celebrated a 5-0 win over Charles Read Academy.  The Team played brilliantly with goals coming from Amelia Pries and Megan Summers.  Woman of the Match was awarded to Gabrielle Maciunaite.

Well done to the whole team!

The Year 9 and 10 girls’ football team have played their first match in the ESFA small schools cup against Stamford Welland Academy.

West Grantham started fast, taking the lead inside the opening two minutes through a well taken goal from Tracey Oliviera.  However this seemed to galvanise the opposition who grew into the game, pressing forward and reaping the rewards of some great team play to take a 2-1 lead into half time. Stamford’s lead came under threat repeatedly in the second half, but despite having the lions share of possession and carving out some excellent chances, it was not to be and the game ended Stamford Welland 2 – 1 West Grantham. 

The students represented the Acdemy impeccably – well done to the whole team!

The KS3 girls have played their first match of the season in the English Schools Football Association Small School Cup against Kirk Hallam from Derbyshire.

Despite being beaten by a better team on this occasion, the team played in their first match of the season with plenty of passion and determination – showing promise for future fixtures this term.

Last week, 17 students from Year 9 and 10 embarked on an unforgettable school trip to the vibrant city of Barcelona. Accompanied by Ms Barber and Mr Butt, the group spent four action-packed days exploring the rich culture, history, and beauty of this world-renowned destination.

The adventure began with a day trip to Tarragona, an ancient Roman city known for its rich history. One of the highlights was our visit to the Circ Roma, a Roman circus where chariot races once thrilled massive crowds. Walking through this historical site gave students a unique glimpse into the grandeur of the Roman Empire, and they could imagine how the stands would have been packed with cheering spectators.

The next stop was the iconic La Sagrada Familia. This awe-inspiring basilica, designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí, left everyone in amazement. The intricate designs and towering spires showcased a masterpiece still in progress, with its majestic stained glass windows casting colourful light inside the grand cathedral.

We also visited the stunning Barcelona Cathedral, known for its gothic architecture and peaceful cloisters. Students enjoyed exploring the local area around the cathedral, soaking in the atmosphere of old Barcelona while learning about the historical significance of this landmark.

An afternoon at La Boqueria, one of Europe’s most famous markets, offered a perfect mix of culture and cuisine. Students explored the bustling market, practiced their Spanish by ordering fresh fruits and snacks, and picked up a few souvenirs to bring home. It was a lively and flavourful glimpse into Barcelona’s vibrant street life.

To round off our journey, we visited the breathtaking Montserrat Monastery, nestled high in the mountains. The serene beauty of this spiritual site, combined with the stunning views over the Catalonian landscape, made for a peaceful and memorable end to the trip. The students took in the awe-inspiring natural scenery while learning about the monastery’s importance as a cultural and religious landmark.

One of the most exciting aspects of the trip was the chance for our students to practice their Spanish in real-life situations. Whether it was ordering food at a restaurant, buying souvenirs, or simply interacting with locals, students embraced the opportunity to improve their Spanish-speaking skills. This hands-on experience boosted their confidence and made learning the language both fun and practical.

The trip not only broadened our students’ knowledge of Spanish culture and history but also gave them a chance to bond and make lasting memories. Everyone returned home with a deeper appreciation for Barcelona’s unique charm, improved language skills, and a few extra items in their suitcases from the shopping spree!

Overall, this school trip was a wonderful educational and cultural experience, and we look forward to organising more adventures in the future!

The Year 8 Boys’ football team have started their 2024/25 season with a win over Charles Read Academy.

Despite the downpour just before kick-off, the team secured a 5-3 victory, with goals from Emlyn Broad, Charlie Tulloch, Paul Olaitan and Caleb McGibbon.

Man of the match went to Aaron McClory.

Well done to the whole team on a fabulous start to the football season.

The Academy is once again celebrating a strong set of GCSE results.  For more information on this year’s results please click here.

This morning we celebrated students with 100% attendance for this academic year.  This is a big achievement and we are very proud of all students who were rewarded with a certificate, pin badge and a prize.

The best tutor group attendance was 7AJK who celebrated with pizza and ice poles.

Year 8 Duke of Edinburgh Award participants have received their first certificates in recognition of them completing their skills section.

Next term sees the group set off on their first expedition.

Our Year 7 have engaged fantastically with our new Pledge program and this week we celebrated their amazing achievements in line with our values of love, ambition, integrity, belief and courage.

A total of 526 pledges have been successfully completed this term with the top 20 achievers rewarded with a prize.

One pledge has been recognised by the Grantham Journal, with Aliona Fardell and Lennon Walker organising a bake sale in the Easter holidays to raise money for the local foodbank.  They raised over £400.

We look forward to seeing more achievements next year as part of this rewarding program.

It has been another wonderful year at the Academy, with so many successes to celebrate.

On Tuesday evening, the Academy hosted a showcase of incredible work to display the talent, creativity and brilliance of our students.

With hundreds of certificates awarded, it was a superb celebration of the many achievements of our students throughout the year.

Well done to all students who received a certificate for their amazing work.

This term we have said goodbye to our wonderful Year 11 students. They have all worked so hard towards their exams and in celebration of five amazing years, staff joined them at Allington Manor for their Prom. We had a wonderful night and it was lovely to see them in their evening finery having so much fun.

We had one last chance to say goodbye the following week at the Leavers’ Assembly. The students were entertained by videos filmed by staff and had the opportunity to say their final farewells before moving onto pastures new – the majority of them adorned in shirts signed by their friends and staff.

Thank you Year 11 for being a credit to West Grantham Academy and we wish you all the very best in your future studies and careers.

All students have taken part in our annual Sports Day at The Meres Leisure Centre.

Participation in the sporting events was excellent this year with students all taking part in at least one sporting event.

Thank you to the families who came to give extra support and cheer on the students in their events, and thank you to Miss Allery and Mr Brown for organising a very successful event.

As the GCSE exam season comes to a close, Year 11 have taken part in their final enrichment sessions.  The cooking group cooked an early morning curry before taking their final exam.

Stem Club have been investigating the densities of different liquids and taking part in a separating substances challenge.

Year 9 had a visit from the Royal Navy logistics team this week and after a presentation by the team took part in a cookery lesson delivered by the Royal Navy.  The results were fantastic, with the students cooking Chicken Kiev and Pavlova.

Earlier in the year we were very fortunate to receive funding from Rebel Restoration to buy a greenhouse and gardening equipment and from the Co-op community charity to buy seeds and seedlings.  This week saw the Gardening Club planting tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers.  Mrs Kuffour is looking forward to using the produce in her Food Technology lessons.

As we near the end of the GCSE exam series, the year 11 students had a welcome reward by taking part in their enrichment activities on Friday.  The students have embraced the exams and have been amazing throughout with their efforts and behaviour.

The summer term brings two new club offers – Ultimate Frisbee, Wednesday’s from 3.00pm until 4.00pm and Rounders, Thursday’s from  3.00pm until 4.00pm.

All clubs continue to run from this week.  To attend a club, students need to sign up through MCAS or via a letter, which can be collected from the main office.

Our year 9 Inspire+ sports ambassadors represented the school this week by supporting at a cricket match.  Next week they will be helping with the Mini-Olympics at the Meres Leisure Centre, where over 50 primary schools will be taking part.

Enrichment continues to provide our students with new opportunities and experiences, this week’s highlights were; baking scones, archery, mountain biking, clay modelling, eye ball dissection, guitar playing in music and chess.

During Mental Health Awareness week, Year 7 students took part in and won a competition to promote mental health awareness in the Lincolnshire area.  A hamper full of goodies was shared between all students who took part in the competition.

The students produced some lovely artwork to encourage ‘Movement’, and students in 7AJK put together a brilliant video that has been shared not only with the Lincolnshire Mental Health Team but also with all NHS Mental Health teams across the country.

Congratulations to all students who took part.

This week, several of our year 7 and 8 students were awarded certificates that they gained from the recent UKMT Junior Maths Challenge.

This year has given us the best results we have ever had!

Overall, 12 of the 36 students who took part in the challenge were awarded either bronze or silver certificates.  Charlie Tulloch was awarded a silver certificate and also named Best in Year, while Daniel Ballaam was also awarded silver and named Best in School.

Congratulations to all the students who took part.  You should be extremely proud of yourselves

A group of year 8 students have visited Nottingham University on National Numeracy Day.  The visit started with a talk by Dr Ria Symonds followed by a data task in small groups.  After the group had solved their maths problems they had a tour of the campus.  The students were very impressed with the facilities at the University and learnt about clubs and societies students can join as a student at the University.

The day finished with a Q & A session with University lecturers and maths undergraduate students.  Thank you Nottingham University for hosting us for the day.

This week West Grantham Secondary Year 7 football team played Charles Read Academy at home.  The team has some impressive individuals who performed well in a difficult game. The attitude of the students was fantastic and they worked tirelessly throughout the game.  Emlyn Broad, Aaron McClory and Charlie Tulloch were standout performances, with player of the match being awarded to Aaron McClory for outstanding play and excellent work ethic.

STEM club investigated copper extraction and purification. The students worked well and showed great technical ability in obtaining pure copper from copper oxide. Scientists of the week were Torin Milne and Hedwin Ajesh for excellent practical technique and an attention to detail.

The enrichment program continues to provide our students with opportunities to explore new skills, hobbies and interests. Archery, cooking, escape rooms, golf and football were really enjoyed by the students this week.

Exam season has started, and the year 11 students have shown great maturity preparing for the exams. There is a real focus and drive to be ready to tackle the next three weeks and the students seemed extremely confident entering their biology exam this morning.

It has been a  busy week at West Grantham Secondary Academy.  Years 9 and 10 were visited by the Army for Surge Training. The students took part in team building activities and were given information about various careers in the Army, pay and pensions. Staff and students alike were surprised by the generous pay and pensions on offer!

Year 7 students went on a visit to the Natural History Museum in London.  The students were very impressed with the actual size of the animals on display.

The craft club is becoming self-sufficient and sustainable.  They are producing high-quality work which they are selling to be able to fund more materials for their next project.

STEM club investigated endothermic and exothermic reactions, luckily the exothermic reactions avoided setting the fire alarms off – just! Scientists of the week was Libby Cullington, well done Libby.

A group of year 10 students attended Lincoln university to view the campus and accommodation.

The P.E department are transitioning to summer sports in preparation for the fast approaching sports day.  Clubs are being updated as dodgeball comes to an end and replaced with rounders from next week (Wednesday 3-4pm)

Year 9 and Year 10 have taken part in an Army Surge Training Event.

Students learnt about life in the British Army and the variety of careers available in the armed forces.  They were then challenged with a STEM activity and were given the task of building a solar communication tower.

They had a great day!

The year 7 boys football team headed to Walton Academy for a football fixture this week. The team showed commitment and flair throughout and held Walton until the last 15 minutes of the game. Two speculative shots and a penalty produced a flattering 3-0 win for Walton Academy. The final score did not reflect the game overall and the team deserved a draw at the very least. Player of the match was Paul Olaitan, however, Mr Brown said any of the players could have claimed the award and thanked the team for their efforts.

STEM club investigated static electricity on Wednesday with some excellent results from the Vaan de Graaf generator. Scientist of the week was Oliver Kingston for his mature attitude to practical work.

During term 6 there will be changes to the clubs on offer.  Rounders, golf and athletics have been introduced to replace dodgeball.

Students need to be registered through MCAS to attend.  Registers will be open on MCAS towards the end of term 5.

On Wednesday evening the Year 7 football team played a fixture against Walton Academy.

The game was very evenly matched with the final result of 3-0 to Walton not reflecting how hotly this game was contested.

The team represented the academy brilliantly and should be very proud of their performance.

During the Easter holidays, Aliona Fardell and Lennon Walker held a Book n’ Bake sale and raised £455.86.

After realising that there are families in the community who are struggling to pay for food, they organised the sale in support of these families.

They used the proceeds to buy essential items and delivered them to the Foodbank.

We are very proud of their commitment to help others, well done Aliona and Lennon!

Grantham Journal – 8 April 2024

This week in the library we have been celebrating Shakespeare Week.

During the week, students enjoyed playing a board game based on Shakespeare’s life, winding their way through plague, marriage, and rebellion as they learnt all about the famous bard.

We started to read A Midsummer Night’s Dream before our eager poets-in-the-making created their own Haikus based on the mystical events in Athens and the many lovestruck characters.

Our Kahoot quiz included all year groups who impressed us with their Shakespeare knowledge – do you remember who spoke the famous line “Once more unto the breach, dear friends”? I’ll give you a clue: it was one of the Henrys!

To end the week, the library held a Scavenger Hunt during lunchtime. Students searched high and low for facts about Shakespeare and his work, and some felt quite betrayed by the particularly sneaky hiding spots! It was a wonderful end to an incredibly jam-packed week, celebrating such an important part of our literature and our culture.

On Wednesday, the Year 8 football team played a home fixture against Walton Academy.  It was a tough fixture for the team but the players never gave up and demonstrated an excellent attitude and team spirit. There was some excellent goalkeeping in the first half, which kept Walton Academy at bay until our goalkeeper suffered an injury.  The game was even until 20 minutes from the end when Walton Academy scored the winning goal.  Well done to both teams for a fantastic game!

This term sees two more fixtures and an away fixture for the girls’ team next Monday.

In STEM club this week, we investigated the heat of neutralisation, which required a high degree of accuracy in measurements of volume and temperature.  Concentration skills were a must!

The enrichment program continues to offer new experiences to our students, with highlights of the week being:

• Eyeball dissection.
• Quick and easy folded flatbreads in food.
• History displays.
• Bass guitar – smoke on the water solo!

During PHSE drop down day on Thursday, Year 11 students received a talk based on revision techniques and growth mind set from LincHigher.  New revision techniques and wellbeing were amongst discussions and the students were pleased to pick up some strategies to help them through the exam series.

https://www.thefuturefocus.co.uk/students/

The girls all played extremely well, with the final score being 6-2 to West Grantham Academy. Our goals came from Tracey Oliviera with a hattrick, Isabella Cuttle with two and Alana Harrison with one.

Every single girl gave it their all and did themselves proud. Our captain, Shaila Willets, led from the back with an impressive defensive performance, and a special shoutout also has to go to Alexis Parnell and Gracie-Sue McGibbon, who both bravely volunteered to go in goal, and both performed excellently.

The afternoon was rounded of with a cheerful rendition of Sweet Caroline in the bus back to the Academy. Once again, a huge congratulations to all of the girls in the team!

In celebration of Shakespeare Week, and in preparation for their GCSE English Literature exams, pupils in years 10 and 11 had the wonderful opportunity to watch a special revision-based performance of Shakespeare’s play Macbeth.

Pupils particularly enjoyed the Porter’s shenanigans, including rolling around on the stage and spraying water into the air!

Pupils had the opportunity to ask the Director about the play and the choices he had made for his version of the performance.

One pupil was very disappointed that they did not get to see a realistic version of Macbeth’s severed head!

We look forward to sharing experiences of live performances with pupils with more theatre trips coming soon.

This week students have been learning about the careers opportunities in science.  In science lessons, teachers have presented ‘A Scientist a Day’ showcasing the wide range of green careers in the science field.  For more information on green careers in science, please click here.

STEM club have celebrated British Science Week with a hands on approach in dissecting lungs, hearts and eyes.  Students have investigated the heart chambers, inflated lungs and have extracted the lens from an eye.

They found the inflation of the lungs fascinating! Please click here to see a video of their experiment.

In STEM club this week the students have used red cabbages to make their own indicators to test for acids and alkalis. The students agreed it was a better indicator than the traditional laboratory stock. 

The learning support team have been making craft items for Easter.  They will be selling the items they make to raise funds for materials for future craft projects. 

Pet therapy continues to be a great support for our students, with groups interacting with and learning how to use hand signals to train the dogs. The dogs enjoy their bonus treats as well at the end of each session.

Enrichment continues to provide our students with a wide range of activities and experiences to complement their education. This week’s highlights were a fantastic display of static electricity in science, some lovely cupcakes and flapjacks in cookery, live music courtesy of the music department, and confident cycling skills from Mr Butt’s cycling group. 

Next week is Science week and the academy will see a focus on careers in science.  

April also look very busy for our sporting clubs, with football fixtures throughout the month and the dodgeball club taking part in a tournament in Derby.  Good luck to all of our students taking part in sporting fixtures.

Throughout the week, the Library has hosted a number of activities in celebration of World Book Day.

On Wednesday, the Library classroom was transformed into ‘La Book Café’ where students were invited to a book tasting.  Waiters served a wide range of books from a number of genres and due to the success of this event the café will be opening again to students later in the year.

Throughout the week students have taken part in a Book Swap.  They have brought unwanted books into school to exchange for books donated by other students.  We saw over 100 books swapped during the week!  The students demonstrated their fantastic community spirit by giving their swap tokens to friends who hadn’t been able to bring a book to swap.

On Thursday teachers finished their lessons with a few minutes of reading from their favourite books.  Students heard from a great selection of books, including Goodnight Mr Tom, The Hobbit, and Skandar and the Unicorn Thief.  Miss Phillip’s choice of the Lord of the Flies was so popular that her class want it to be their new class reader book and students are requesting for it to be added to the Library stock!

Friday saw our regular weekly Kahoot being taken over by our Book Club.  They created 32 questions ranging from Roald Dahl to Harry Potter to Heartstopper.  They had great fun coming up with red herrings for the multiple choice questions, although we are not quite sure how many were fooled into thinking Frankenstein had flowing pink hair!

Thank you to Miss Mackintosh for organising a brilliant week of reading and activities.

With Spring in the air, the resident pigeons are getting ready for their annual courtyard nesting.  Students are able to monitor their progress in building their nest via a newly installed camera.

The Learning Support team have been working with students on the skills of design technology, art and creative media to record the welcome arrival of Spring.

The Duke of Edinburgh students are making great progress in learning new skills towards their Bronze Award.

New skills being learnt are wood carving, improving on drawing skills, learning a new crochet stitch pattern, and learning how to read, write and speak Korean.

On 26 February 2024, 16 students across years 7 to 10 successfully took part in lifesaving CPR training sponsored by the British Heart Foundation.

Students used an online platform called Classroom RevivR and were able to get hands on experience of CPR and defibrillator training via technology within the classroom.