MOVE programme 1 Stay and Play 1 New Start for academy 2 Visioning 3 Primary concert 4 Transition to adulthood 4 Sleepover for Syria 4 Disneyland Paris 5 The Big Draw 6 Staffing 7 Into Film Festival 7 After school clubs 7 Safeguarding 8 Diary Dates 8 Newsletter Hope Wood Academy December 2015 Inside this Issue Blue class pupils and parents enjoyed a stay and play session on Monday 7 th December. The aim of the session was to encourage parents and carers to engage with their son/daughter’s learning through play. Parents/carers were able to speak with staff about their child's learning and explore the resources and equipment used as part of the curriculum. A great me was had by all involved, and another stay and play session for Blue class has been arranged for 28 th January 1.30pm-3pm MOVE Programme All our pupils in Purple and Rainbow classes now have a personalised programme of daily exercises planned by class staff, and supported by our Physios, Lisa and Kelly. They are based on the 'MOVE' programme. We are beginning to see some fantasc results in skills like head support, balance, reach and grasp and sing. We will be inving parents to come into school next term, to see what we are doing, and to discuss the programmes with us. Stay and Play sessions
Transcript
MOVE
programme 1
Stay and Play 1
New Start for
academy 2
Visioning 3
Primary concert 4
Transition to
adulthood 4
Sleepover for
Syria 4
Disneyland Paris 5
The Big Draw 6
Staffing 7
Into Film Festival 7
After school
clubs 7
Safeguarding 8
Diary Dates 8
Newsletter Hope Wood Academy
December
2015
Inside this Issue
Blue class pupils and parents enjoyed a stay and play session on Monday 7th December. The aim of the session was to encourage parents and carers to engage with their son/daughter’s learning through play. Parents/carers were able to speak with staff about their child's learning and explore the resources and equipment used as part of the curriculum.
A great time was had by all involved, and another stay and play session for Blue class has been arranged for 28th January 1.30pm-3pm
MOVE
Programme
All our pupils in Purple and Rainbow classes now have a personalised programme of daily exercises planned by class staff, and supported by our Physios, Lisa and Kelly. They are based on the 'MOVE' programme. We are beginning to see some fantastic results in skills like head support, balance, reach and grasp and sitting. We will be inviting parents to come into school next term, to see what we are doing, and to discuss the programmes with us.
Stay and Play
sessions
To mark a fresh new start for the school, which caters for children with special needs, aged 2 to 19, the pupils and parents have decided on a change of name to Hope Wood Academy.
Now, boasting new uniforms, some new staff and a new way of working, everyone at Hope Wood Academy is firmly looking forward to the future.
Carolyn Barker, headteacher at Hope Wood, as well as Barbara Priestman Academy in Sunderland, said: “The school officially joined the Ascent Trust on November 1, so we felt a change of name would reflect that.”
She said they have has good feedback from parents about the changes made so far and added: “Things are very positive for the future.”
Deputy headteacher, Adele Pearson, said: “Everyone really feels that things are moving forward.”
Ms Pearson said one of the main changes is that staff are now engaging much more with parents and carers and getting them involved with their children’s learning.
Ofsted made their latest monitoring visit to the school a few weeks ago and their report stated the new Hope Wood Academy is taking effective action towards the removal of special measures.
They said: “There has been considerable change in the academy since the previous Inspection visit.
“There is now clear evidence of progress in pupils’ and students’ achievement, especially in their acquisition of key literacy and numeracy skills.
“Through targeted interventions and support programmes, more teachers are providing better quality learning experiences for the pupils and students, which are helping them to make better progress. (extract from Sunderland Echo)
“The overall effectiveness of leadership and management is continuing to improve at a rapid pace. Senior leaders are driving change across the academy, not least in challenging weak or inadequate teaching to improve quickly.”
New name fresh start
for Hope Wood
Academy
Visioning for Hope Wood Academy
Members of the secondary student voice team spent an ‘away day’ at Portland Academy in November, creating a vision for the academy from the students perspective. Part of the day also involved designing the new academy planner and new behaviour rewards system. All students worked extremely hard and felt very proud of all that they achieved. Well Done!
Staff and parents engaged in a similar visioning activity on 7th December, it was great to see staff and parents working together to help to move the academy forward. Every table was a hotbed of activity with some great ideas and feedback coming from the session. All of the information will be collated and draft versions of the new vision circulated to everyone for comments early in the New Year.
Coming soon to Hope Wood Academy!
New homework policy and homework activities
New behaviour rewards Extra curricular opportunities
More parental engagement sessions Meet your teacher events
Termly newsletter and lots more
Primary students produced a fantastic Christmas concert following weeks of practicing and rehearsing. They performed the show twice and it was thoroughly enjoyed by students, parents and staff. Fantastic, well done Primary Department!
Some of our Post 16 students recently enjoyed a visit to Select Sunderland, Ascent Trust Post 19 Provision as part of the transition to adulthood lesson. The provision is based in Sunderland in partnership with Sunderland College provides education for learners 19-25 with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities. Students from Post 16 enjoyed looking round the provision and using some of the resources and equipment.
Transition to Adulthood visit
Primary Christmas Concert
Sleepover for Syria
Students from Hope Wood joined students from Barbara Priestman Academy to raise funds for the Syrian refugee crisis. Students participated in a range of outdoor activities, including building shelters, singing round the campfire and of course the obligatory toasted marshmallows followed by a sleep over in the school hall. A great time was had by all.
12 students and staff from Hope Wood Academy joined a group of students and staff from Barbara Priestman Academy for Hope Wood’s first international residential to Disneyland Paris in October 2015. The group travelled by coach and ferry to the Explorers Hotel just outside the Disney park, the group enjoyed exploring both the Disney park and Walt Disney Studios Park during the day and having fun in the swimming pool and soft play on an evening. The group particularly enjoyed the spectacular Disney evening finale parade where students and staff got to see lots of the characters and watch a sound and light show focussed around the Disney castle. For many students this was the first time they had been out of the country and away from their parents for four days. All students had a fantastic time and really enjoyed mixing with students from Barbara Priestman Academy.
New Ventures
Over the forthcoming year Hope Wood Academy will be launching an extended residential programme of activities to offer students from different key stages. Students from the academy will also be joining Barbara Priestman Academy’s annual ski trip to Italy in March 2016.
Disneyland Paris residential
October 2015
Bishop class were very lucky to be involved in the Big Draw this year which culminated
in their work being shown at an amazing art exhibition at the Sunderland Minster. The Big Draw is a UK wide initiative to get people involved in art and this year’s theme was “Every Picture Tells A Story”. The class worked together with local artists to produce some amazing artwork which was displayed alongside other schools from around the region. Bishop class worked fantastically as a team and came up with a storyboard where each pupil took control of a sentence from the space story we created. We worked over a few weeks, trying out techniques and looking at different ways of working, before each pupil created their own part of the story in their own distinct artistic style. Once their work was finished it was professionally hung in the amazing setting of the Sunderland Minster, alongside the artwork from other schools in the North East. The class attended the prestigious preview afternoon at the Minster for all of the artists involved, where
they got to talk to the other children and artists and received a special certificate from the Minster for their wonderful contribution to the Big Draw Exhibition. It was an amazing experience for everyone involved and the pride of exhibiting their work in such a great setting is something they will never forget.
The Big Draw
KS3 and 4 took part in this year’s Into Film Festival, a free and annual celebration of film and education across the UK. Into Film embarks on its programme with one overriding mission: to put film at the heart of children and young people's learning and cultural experience in the UK. They believe that stories and film can deliver a transformational impact on young people by enriching their understanding of the
world and they provide young people with the chance to watch, discuss and review a diverse range of films, feeding their Imagination and nurturing their social and intellectual development. Our Secondary pupils all got the chance to see a film of their choice in cinemas across the region and thoroughly enjoyed their time out with friends watching and sharing the movie experience together. They were fantastic ambassadors for the school.
After-school sports club takes place on Tuesday evening 3:30-4:30 PM with a Durham County Council
Disability coach. The sports club is well
attended and is focused on multi-skills.
If your child is interested in attending the club, please contact school for an application form and for further information contact Darren Morton - Sport, PE and Outdoor Ed Lead. [email protected]
Into Film Festival
Staffing
After school sports club
We say goodbye to a number of staff at the end of this term, we wish them well in their new roles and ventures.
We also welcome a number of new staff starting in January. Please find enclosed to this newsletter a photographic organisation chart so you and your son/daughter are familiar with current staffing in the academy. If you have any questions regarding staffing please contact a member of the senior leadership team.
Hope Wood Academy is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of its students and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. Safeguarding concerns
are handled sensitively and professionally by appropriately trained, designated staff who are committed to supporting student well-being.
The Safeguarding of our special young people is really important to us. Our staff are trained in responding to a range of Safeguarding concerns. There is always a member of our team available on
site to listen to our young people and help them.
Designated Safeguarding Team
We recognise that although the winter break should be a time for family fun and relaxation, this isn’t always the reality for some of our families. If you do have any concerns about the safety or well-being of a child during the holidays, and need additional support or advice, Children’s Services can be contacted on 03000 267979.
Wishing you all the very best, whatever your plans are this holiday. We look forward to welcoming you back in the New Year!
