#ThisWeekatSAW – 4th March 2022
Message from the Head of School:
Hello,
We have been pleased to welcome our students back into the Academy this week after their half term break. Many students were in the Academy over the half term break last week, attending revision sessions in preparation for their up and coming examinations. Well done to all involved; a fantastic effort showing a very clear RESPECT for their education and future.
We celebrated World Book Day this week and continue to encourage our students to read, please support us by encouraging your child to read at home. The Learning Resource Centre is open every day, before and after school as well as break and lunch times where students are able to pick a book to take home and enjoy.
It has been exciting to welcome some Primary students into the academy this week as part of our transition process. Students have been able to enjoy the facilities here at Sirius Academy West including our hospitality and catering suites where they have had fun making and eating pancakes!
Please continue to support the academy by ensuring your child attends every day. Attendance to every lesson is vital for learning and progress.
Gemma Ransom (Head of School)
RESPECT for Community- General Academy news
Attendance and COVID
We are delighted to reopen to all of our students after the Half-Term break. We’re more than halfway through the academic year and it’s vital that your child continues to maximise all the opportunities that are available at the academy. This includes regular attendance.
We continue to follow all current guidance from the DfE and now acknowledge that there is no requirement for students to regularly test for Covid-19. Parents and carers are encouraged to make decisions based on whether they feel their child is well enough to attend. Should your child take a Covid-19 test, and provide a positive result, we will continue to advise you to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 days.
While there is no legal requirement for people with Covid-19 to self-isolate we are hoping to minimise the number of cases in the academy. For any additional information please contact the Attendance Team.
Student Well-Being Support Offer
Attendance Leagues
The Attendance Leagues are back and will run for the next five weeks. Students and Tutors are competing for a reward day in the final week before Easter.
Similar to last Half-Term. Points will be awarded on weekly attendance. Bonus points available for those that manage a perfect 100%.
The leagues have changed to take into account promotion and relegation from last season.
Five lucky Tutors had the opportunity to spend a lesson with Mr Rickard creating some incredible graffiti artwork to display on our Music corridor.
Well done to the five winners from last season.
League A – World Cup – 10-L (JDR)
League B – Champions League – 7-B (LBK)
League C – Premier League – 10-B (JEV)
League D – Championship – 8-D (GMO and JFW)
League E – League One – 11-K (NWI)
Well worth winning this season too. Good luck!
Careers Fair
Sirius Academy West will hold the event on Tuesday 8th March as part of National Careers Week. The event will be available to all students, from all Year Groups, and their parents and carers, from 3.15-5.00pm.
With huge local employers, such as Motor Deport, Airco, Balfour Beatty and the National Power Grid, and local colleges like Bishop Burton, in attendance, it provides an incredible opportunity for our students to start considering their future pathway and the realistic options that are available in our local area.
The Academy’s Careers Leader will be available throughout to talk to students, parents and carers and answer any queries.
Please complete the short form on the link to confirm your place. https://forms.office.com/r/PiewHMefUa
Staff Charity Event
Staff from the Academy will be taking on Mount Snowdon during the Easter break. This is to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Research, in memory of a former colleague. The link for any donations is below: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/sawsnowdon2022
Rugby Training Sessions Next Week
Tuesday – Year 11 Boys (to prepare for their Yorkshire Plate 1/4 final on 17th March)
Wednesday – Year7 Boys (to prepare for their National Cup game on 16th March)
Thursday – Year 9 and 10 Girls (to prepare for their Yorkshire Cup Tournament on Tuesday 15th March)
RESPECT for Education- Weekly Focuses
This week the students have completed the following tasks in their Period 6 lessons. Please discuss with them as we continue to develop the knowledge of our students:
Weekly Student Planner Culture Task
Our final Culture Task which linked in with our recognition of LGBTQ+ History Month was focused on Caster Semenya.
Votes for Schools Topic (Key Stage 3 students only)
This week the students discussed the topic of ‘Is the news affecting how we feel?’.
Character Education
This week in Character Education lesson, students had an introduction to the module that they will be studying over the next half-term. This is in preparation for their assembly next week led by Kevin Mincher from Unstoppable Teen.
Year 7 to 10 students will this half-term be looking at the skill of communication and holding a conversation.
Year 11 students will this half-term be looking at how to manage stress. They will look at coping mechanisms and how they can positively impact on their own well-being in the run-up to GCSE exams.
RESPECT for Education- Curriculum Area ‘Students of the Week’
Each Curriculum Area will nominate a student each week who has shown through their lessons that they have met the RESPECT values of the Academy. The reason for the selection is highlighted below:
| Curriculum Area | Student Name | Reason for Nomination |
| Science | Karolina Buzinska
(Year 10) |
Showing a high level of interest and understanding in the Infection and response unit in the curriculum. Produced a high quality written comparison of bacterial and viral diseases. |
| Business Enterprise | Tyler Blanchard
(Year 11) |
Outstanding attitude and effort throughout his Enterprise course and has now fully completed to Level 2 Distinction. |
| Business Enterprise | Ronnie Wood
(Year 11) |
Fantastic push to full complete his BTEC Enterprise Course – well done Ronnie! |
| BTEC Creative Media
|
Joshua Desire-Delannoy
Jack Sherriff Alexandru Potcovel (Year 11)
|
The students are motived to achieve their target grades and makeup for time lost. They consistently put in maximum effort and always follow our RESPECT values. |
| Technology | Holly Bunting
(Year 9) |
For having an advanced attitude to learning and completing her research project and working on the extension task during the lesson. |
KS3 Spellings- RESPECT for Education
Students in Years 7, 8 and 9 will be tested each week on a set of spellings. This is to improve their basic literacy skills. We encourage parents / carers to engage in this activity with your child to support their learning. This week’s spellings to be learnt are:
Year 7
- Apartheid
- Equality
- Jealousy
- Segregation
- Excitement
- Multicultural
- Resentment
- Diversity
- Appearance
- Citizenship
Year 8
- Venomous
- Scheming
- Dishonest
- Adversary
- Fraudster
- Aristocracy
- Feud
- Jealous
- Obscene
- Humiliation
Year 9
- Industrialisation
- Transportation
- Ruffians
- Liberalism
- Husbandry
- Hierarchy
- Urbanisation
- Legislation
- Entrepreneurial
- Indoctrinated
Final thought
“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success”
The next parental bulletin will go live on Friday 11th March 2022; enjoy the weekend!
Mr A Kay (Assistant Head Teacher- Pastoral and Attitudes to Learning)
