North Shore Health Academy
Issue 1: Summer 2010
Welcome to our first newsletter for parents, students and the community. This first issue brings you up to date information on our most recent developments in preparation for our opening in September 2010. Our second issue will update you further on life in our Academy once the autumn term begins. North Shore Health Academy is the amalgamation of two North Stockton schools; Blakeston School Community Sports College and The Norton Humanities College. Our Academy will open on the Junction Road site, previously the home of one of our predecessor schools, Blakeston. This summer the site will receive a make-over, refurbishing the school and giving it a new identity in time for North Shore Health Academy to open its doors to staff, students and the community, in September 2010. This is a highly significant change for all involved – and a very exciting one!
Getting off to a smooth start Come September, all our students will effectively be starting a new school – so what is being done to ease their transition into our new Academy? New Year 7 students will experience an Induction Week at Junction Road site, from Monday 5th July to Friday 9th July with a Year 6 parents meeting on Tuesday 6th July. Transition activities will take place in the first week of the new academic year for every Academy student to help build teams, establish routines and settle student worries. We understand that Norton students will feel the most unsettled as they are not familiar with the site layout. Students currently at the Norton site will be given a designated time to visit our newly refurbished site a few days prior to our opening, allowing them to get their bearings before other students return (details to follow in a parent letter).
Before the end of this term, all students will be informed which Learning Family and tutor group they have been allocated to and the room they will meet in on the first day of the new academic year. The first few days of the new school year will be designed to allow students to: experience the new school day; meet their Learning Families and tutor groups; receive information on timetables; understand our expectations for behaviour and learning; familiarise themselves with the building and the subjects we teach, and; enjoy some taster activities designed to inspire healthy minds.
Detailed information packs will be sent to parents in advance of start of term. We are looking forward to meeting you all!
Science, Health & Well Being at the heart of learning
Look at the difference!
The Academy will have a new specialism and learning agenda. Our science specialism will underpin our curriculum and help us achieve our health and well being agenda.
Over the summer holidays, the Junction Road site’s refurbishment will give a different feel and look to the buildings. A new experience will be felt by all our students (more details and images will follow in the next issue). Come September, the community will see another visible change as our students wear the very smart and businesslike uniform they have selected.
We are privileged to have NHS Stockton-on-Tees as our lead sponsor and we will work together to ensure that the Academy inspires healthy minds and secures the health and well being of our students, staff and community. There will be a major change in the way North Shore Health Academy students learn. We will offer an exciting new curriculum structure providing a two year key stage 3 and a three year key stage 4. In our first year of opening one of our key aims will be to ensure the smooth transition and continuity for our Year 11 students, who are already half way through their key stage 4 studies. We will support them through this time of change, securing their success by offering subject support, intervention programmes, mentoring and Super Learning Days.
The most obvious difference will be the new colour branding and signage of our site, including our fantastic new North Shore Health Academy logo.
What will learning be like? Learning will be the core business of North Shore Health Academy and what is happening in the classrooms and Academy should reflect this. All teachers will be trained in the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme, ensuring consistency in lessons across the Academy. Lessons will be more student centred and our students will be expected to take part in learning activities and tasks. The Academy will create a positive climate for learning for all students and our displays, resources and behaviour management strategies will all ensure this happens. We want every student, their family and community to be actively involved in their learning!
Inspiring healthy minds Our ultimate goal is that students will be inspired and excited by learning. By teaching them to be better learners, and helping them to communicate and work with others, we hope that in their future they will become responsible citizens. We want our students to attain success and make a positive contribution to their community.
Introducing our new Principal, Chris Coady Mr Chris Coady will be North Shore Health Academy’s first Principal. He has previously worked as head at Mexborough and Hatfield Visual Arts College. Since his appointment in late April, Mr Coady has appointed a new leadership team and brought together a team of staff from both schools. Excited about the Academy’s opening, Mr Coady says “I am looking forward to establishing a new culture; the Academy will be about learning, respect and self-belief. Our aim is to raise children's aspirations and self-worth and so improve their life chances.”
Sponsoring success The sponsors are responsible for the Academy’s vision, ethos and development. They will help us to ensure our Academy establishes the highest standards for our students and provides them with a curriculum which is enjoyable, challenging and relevant. We have a lead sponsor in NHS Stockton-on-Tees and two co-sponsors: The Stockton Further Education Consortium, consisting of The Stockton Riverside College and Stockton Sixth Form College, and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Together our sponsors will help us secure high aspirations, progression pathways and positive attitudes to health and well being. The Academy wishes to inspire healthy minds to develop lifelong learners who live long healthy lives!
“We want the Academy to have a strong emphasis on achievement and success and on nurturing talent in all its forms.” Jackie White, NHS Stockton-on-Tees
Specialism in the spotlight Drawing from the experience of our sponsors, the Academy will have science as its specialism – but what does this mean? Firstly, it will allow us to offer our students a wide range of science courses. The science specialism will also influence much of what we do at North Shore. Through the year we will run science master classes and create the opportunity for science event days, competitions, guest speakers, etc. All our lessons will encourage students to investigate and explore and our Academy theme of inspiring healthy minds will be reflected in all curriculum areas. Our science team will bring you more specialism news next issue.
Which scientist will you be? We believe students should be actively encouraged to help make decisions which will affect them. As such, we are asking our students to work together to choose a name for their Learning Families. There will be four Learning Families in the Academy and within each Learning Family there will be an equal distribution of age, ability, gender, etc. Learning Families will be asked to select a scientist they wish their Learning Family to be named after to reflect our science specialism. Students should consider what their scientist has achieved, the personal qualities they have shown, and the impact of their work on our world and lives. There will be more on how Learning Families work and the scientists chosen in the next issue.
Get smart We are very excited about the new uniform our students have chosen for us. From September, students will be wearing black blazers edged with our trade mark blue and emblazoned with our brand new North Shore Health Academy logo. This will be teamed with black trousers, white shirt and a tie in Learning Family colours. Sports and P.E. kit will also carry the Academy colours and logo. We look forward to handing out uniforms before the summer break ready for a smart start in September!
Putting the X-Factor into extra-curricular During the Academy year, our students will be encouraged to take part in a wide range of enrichment activities. These will run at the end of the Academy day on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. There is an expectation that all students will become involved in our enrichment programme, which offers students the opportunity to develop their skills in familiar and unfamiliar areas. Enrichments will include sporting, science, creative and cooking activities, to name but a few. Students will be able to explore new hobbies, seek extra subject support, discover new talents and make new friends. Watch out for more details on our Enrichment Programme in the next issue.
North Shore Health Academy Junction Road, Stockton on Tees, TS19 9LT t: 01642 612381
Welcome to our first newsletter for parents, students and the community. This first issue brings you up to date information on our most recent developments in preparation for our opening in September 2010. Our second issue will update you further on life in our Academy once the autumn term begins. North Shore Health Academy is the amalgamation of two North Stockton schools; Blakeston School Community Sports College and The Norton Humanities College. Our Academy will open on the Junction Road site, previously the home of one of our predecessor schools, Blakeston. This summer the site will receive a make-over, refurbishing the school and giving it a new identity in time for North Shore Health Academy to open its doors to staff, students and the community, in September 2010. This is a highly significant change for all involved – and a very exciting one!
Getting off to a smooth start Come September, all our students will effectively be starting a new school – so what is being done to ease their transition into our new Academy? New Year 7 students will experience an Induction Week at Junction Road site, from Monday 5th July to Friday 9th July with a Year 6 parents meeting on Tuesday 6th July. Transition activities will take place in the first week of the new academic year for every Academy student to help build teams, establish routines and settle student worries. We understand that Norton students will feel the most unsettled as they are not familiar with the site layout. Students currently at the Norton site will be given a designated time to visit our newly refurbished site a few days prior to our opening, allowing them to get their bearings before other students return (details to follow in a parent letter).
Before the end of this term, all students will be informed which Learning Family and tutor group they have been allocated to and the room they will meet in on the first day of the new academic year. The first few days of the new school year will be designed to allow students to: experience the new school day; meet their Learning Families and tutor groups; receive information on timetables; understand our expectations for behaviour and learning; familiarise themselves with the building and the subjects we teach, and; enjoy some taster activities designed to inspire healthy minds.
Detailed information packs will be sent to parents in advance of start of term. We are looking forward to meeting you all!
Science, Health & Well Being at the heart of learning
Look at the difference!
The Academy will have a new specialism and learning agenda. Our science specialism will underpin our curriculum and help us achieve our health and well being agenda.
Over the summer holidays, the Junction Road site’s refurbishment will give a different feel and look to the buildings. A new experience will be felt by all our students (more details and images will follow in the next issue). Come September, the community will see another visible change as our students wear the very smart and businesslike uniform they have selected.
We are privileged to have NHS Stockton-on-Tees as our lead sponsor and we will work together to ensure that the Academy inspires healthy minds and secures the health and well being of our students, staff and community. There will be a major change in the way North Shore Health Academy students learn. We will offer an exciting new curriculum structure providing a two year key stage 3 and a three year key stage 4. In our first year of opening one of our key aims will be to ensure the smooth transition and continuity for our Year 11 students, who are already half way through their key stage 4 studies. We will support them through this time of change, securing their success by offering subject support, intervention programmes, mentoring and Super Learning Days.
The most obvious difference will be the new colour branding and signage of our site, including our fantastic new North Shore Health Academy logo.
What will learning be like? Learning will be the core business of North Shore Health Academy and what is happening in the classrooms and Academy should reflect this. All teachers will be trained in the Teacher Effectiveness Enhancement Programme, ensuring consistency in lessons across the Academy. Lessons will be more student centred and our students will be expected to take part in learning activities and tasks. The Academy will create a positive climate for learning for all students and our displays, resources and behaviour management strategies will all ensure this happens. We want every student, their family and community to be actively involved in their learning!
Inspiring healthy minds Our ultimate goal is that students will be inspired and excited by learning. By teaching them to be better learners, and helping them to communicate and work with others, we hope that in their future they will become responsible citizens. We want our students to attain success and make a positive contribution to their community.
Introducing our new Principal, Chris Coady Mr Chris Coady will be North Shore Health Academy’s first Principal. He has previously worked as head at Mexborough and Hatfield Visual Arts College. Since his appointment in late April, Mr Coady has appointed a new leadership team and brought together a team of staff from both schools. Excited about the Academy’s opening, Mr Coady says “I am looking forward to establishing a new culture; the Academy will be about learning, respect and self-belief. Our aim is to raise children's aspirations and self-worth and so improve their life chances.”
Sponsoring success The sponsors are responsible for the Academy’s vision, ethos and development. They will help us to ensure our Academy establishes the highest standards for our students and provides them with a curriculum which is enjoyable, challenging and relevant. We have a lead sponsor in NHS Stockton-on-Tees and two co-sponsors: The Stockton Further Education Consortium, consisting of The Stockton Riverside College and Stockton Sixth Form College, and Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. Together our sponsors will help us secure high aspirations, progression pathways and positive attitudes to health and well being. The Academy wishes to inspire healthy minds to develop lifelong learners who live long healthy lives!
“We want the Academy to have a strong emphasis on achievement and success and on nurturing talent in all its forms.” Jackie White, NHS Stockton-on-Tees
Specialism in the spotlight Drawing from the experience of our sponsors, the Academy will have science as its specialism – but what does this mean? Firstly, it will allow us to offer our students a wide range of science courses. The science specialism will also influence much of what we do at North Shore. Through the year we will run science master classes and create the opportunity for science event days, competitions, guest speakers, etc. All our lessons will encourage students to investigate and explore and our Academy theme of inspiring healthy minds will be reflected in all curriculum areas. Our science team will bring you more specialism news next issue.
Which scientist will you be? We believe students should be actively encouraged to help make decisions which will affect them. As such, we are asking our students to work together to choose a name for their Learning Families. There will be four Learning Families in the Academy and within each Learning Family there will be an equal distribution of age, ability, gender, etc. Learning Families will be asked to select a scientist they wish their Learning Family to be named after to reflect our science specialism. Students should consider what their scientist has achieved, the personal qualities they have shown, and the impact of their work on our world and lives. There will be more on how Learning Families work and the scientists chosen in the next issue.
Get smart We are very excited about the new uniform our students have chosen for us. From September, students will be wearing black blazers edged with our trade mark blue and emblazoned with our brand new North Shore Health Academy logo. This will be teamed with black trousers, white shirt and a tie in Learning Family colours. Sports and P.E. kit will also carry the Academy colours and logo. We look forward to handing out uniforms before the summer break ready for a smart start in September!
Putting the X-Factor into extra-curricular During the Academy year, our students will be encouraged to take part in a wide range of enrichment activities. These will run at the end of the Academy day on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. There is an expectation that all students will become involved in our enrichment programme, which offers students the opportunity to develop their skills in familiar and unfamiliar areas. Enrichments will include sporting, science, creative and cooking activities, to name but a few. Students will be able to explore new hobbies, seek extra subject support, discover new talents and make new friends. Watch out for more details on our Enrichment Programme in the next issue.
North Shore Health Academy Junction Road, Stockton on Tees, TS19 9LT t: 01642 612381
