Pudsey visits Bucklers Mead Academy AWS
December 2017
DEAR PARENTS/CARERS During this term we have held a number of fund-raising activities many in memory of Mrs Perkins, who sadly died in the summer holiday. These have included Year 9 tutor group activities, Year 8 Christmas hampers, non-uniform day, refreshments at the Christmas celebration, Christmas jumpers and Christmas charity card donations. Our total to date is £1,791.43. Thank you to everyone who has contributed, donated and helped out. We will be inviting in Somerset Minds in the spring term to receive the money raised for them. We would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2018.
Headteacher
Deputy Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Business Manager
Pudsey visits Bucklers Mead Academy Overall we rose a total of £760 for “Children in Need”. Thanks to ALL those who were involved in Welly Wanging, Sweets in the Jar, Spot the Staff, Duck Race, Sweets in the Jar and of course the wear spots day. Mrs Redington
“Modifying Humans” by Professor Robert Winston A lucky group of students had the opportunity to listen to Professor Robert Winston talk about 'modifying humans' at the Octagon Theatre. A pioneer in genetics, he spoke eloquently about the ethical implications of his work and the need for individual stories to be heard. He was inspirational and held the group captivated for an hour. The group are pictured with Professor Robert Winston.
Miss Wadham and Miss Gale.
Careers November was Higher Education and Career Awareness month and Buckler’s Mead students were highly involved. Year 11 visited the South West Annual Careers Fair at Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton. There were representatives from a huge variety of: Further Education colleges, Universities, National and Local employers; Yeovil College and Strode College to Plymouth University, and from the Fire Service to the Armed Forces, nearly all sectors of education and employment were represented. The students visited a range of stalls, each of which offered advice on how to apply, what the entry requirements were, and the many positive points of that particular institution. Year 10 were also involved. A visit from Bournemouth University was very well attended by both Year 10s and Year 11s. The students were treated to an eyeopening presentation on student life covering the courses on offer – from Universities nationwide, campus life, student finance and what career paths a University education can help towards. Many of our students got involved in a Q and A session with the University’s representatives and lots asked very thoughtful questions – the best of which were rewarded with prizes. Year 9 were not going to miss out on this Careers information bonanza; many of the year group signed up for a variety of ‘taster courses’ run by Yeovil College throughout the month of November and got a real insight into what life could be like after Buckler’s Mead. The College offer courses as diverse as Beauty Therapy, Engineering, Motor Vehicles, Construction and ‘A’ Levels. Mr Bailey
Girls Rugby at Buckler’s Mead Academy gets a sponsorship boost. Girls’ Rugby at Buckler’s Mead Academy has received a sponsorship boost from local education provider Monarch Education. Girls’ rugby has blossomed at Buckler’s Mead in recent years with county competition success. The girls have created a strong bond and have been boosted by a variety of opportunities and inspirations. The RFU have been massively involved with the academy, providing quality coaching from Rugby Development Officer Paul Cox. This is on the back of worldwide successes of the Women’s Rugby game which Buckler’s Mead also has a connection with. Former student Marlie Packer has represented England Women’s Rugby since 2008 and is now one of the most capped players in the squad. Marlie left Buckler’s Mead in 2006 but still likes to visit and keep a track of what is going on in the academy. Teachers and students hope that she can return this year not only to support the girls with their rugby but to provide further inspiration to other students within the Academy. Sarah Morrison, Head of Physical Education said ‘Girls’ Rugby is now embedded within the PE curriculum at Buckler’s Mead Academy. Both U13 and U15 teams have developed into very exciting teams displaying a high level of commitment, determination and skill. The girls have performed extremely well in the area tournaments and with new Rugby kit sponsored by Monarch Education we will also look the part!’ The Canterbury kit has been kindly sponsored by Monarch Education, a long standing business partner of the academy, supplying high quality teachers. Mr Fletcher
Green Power Car Club The club had a very busy two weeks at the start of term with our second race at Castle Coombe. The team worked hard preparing the car for the race, rebuilding the electrics, fixing the nose cone, setting the suspension and generally tidying the car. After an early start we arrived at the track in plenty of time and the team set to, preparing the car for the race. The start of the first race was good with Liam maintaining position and then gaining places as cars dropped out. A change of drivers with Ryan in the car and we made steady progress. Next it was Adam`s turn to drive for the run to the line. A big crash at Quarry corner saw a number of cars eliminated from the race giving us a good position at the end. Race two did not start well, with major electrical failure on the way to the grid. Frantic work got the car to the pits and Liam started from the pit lane. An unscheduled stop to sort out driving gloves meant that Adam did not get his second go in the car. By using our first two drivers we maintained a very good position at the finish. The team did very well coming 35th overall in Race One and 31 st in Race Two—a very good achievement after all the problems we encountered in practice and during the race. Good Race Team strategy by the Team Manager gave us a good result. There were over 70 cars in the field with one team driving over from The Silesian University in Poland just for the race. Half the cars were in a much faster class to our Kit Car, so our 6 th place in one race was a good result. March 2018 will see the team out again ready for the new season in a rebuilt, lighter and faster car. As a reward for the team’s hard work we went to Silverstone to watch the Walter Hayes Trophy Race. The support race included Le Mans LMP2 race cars and some amazing sports and saloon cars. The team had a great time and now look forward to racing their own car again in March next year. Our thanks must go to our sponsors who have made it all possible. Mr Tofts
HIGH SUGAR FIZZY AND ENERGY DRINKS We are seeing more and more of our young people consume fizzy and energy drinks. These drinks, such as Rock Star, Monster and Coca-Cola pose a health risk to young people due to the ingredients they contain. Energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and sugar. In a small 250ml can there is typically 80mg of caffeine. The amount of sugar in each energy drink is also a real concern as large cans contain as much as 15 teaspoons of sugar ! Consumption of sugary fizzy drinks and energy drinks can lead to insomnia, anxiety issues, headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, abdominal pain, type 2 diabetes and bed-wetting. In addition to the health risks, we are also extremely concerned about the effect these drinks are having on the behaviour of our young people. Whilst sugary fizzy drinks and energy drinks are not solely to blame for this lack of self- discipline, we believe that they are a contributory factor. From 8 January 2018 all fizzy and energy drinks will be banned at Buckler’s Mead Academy. Any student who brings one of these drinks into school will have it confiscated and destroyed. We also reserve the right to complete bag searches for such items in line with our policy on bag searching for banned items. Mr Mattocks
Rotary Club Technology Tournament Twelve students went to Wadham School for the annual Rotary Club Technology Tournament. There were 22 teams taking part this year from local schools. Our task this year was to build a working “Pig” to clean out a water pipe of debris. It looked a simple task but did cause a lot of issues. The teams of four were split into a team leader, an electrician, a designer/builder and writer to make a portfolio charting the team`s design, build and ideas. Our teams had mixed success in building the “Pig”. The temptation was to make the “Pig” too complicated with lots of moving parts to go wrong. At the Competition testing, our No 1 team had a disaster with a drive belt coming off one wheel. The “Pig” did not complete the task, but the team came 6th overall due to the superior team work and portfolio. Our No 2 team gave a solid performance but were not placed. The No 3 team had a great competition coming 2nd overall. Stacey Gavin and Liam Collins worked hard at the design and build all day and Holly produced a great portfolio with the help of Corbin Lewandowski. A great team effort was put in by all teams. My thanks to all the team members, Liam Parry, Ryan Collins, Katie Garrett, Ethan Smalley, Adam Foggett, Ben Lintern, Callum Harris and Morgan Gavin. Mr Tofts
Important Dates Start of Spring Term: Monday 8 January 2018 Year 9 Parents’ Evening: Thursday 18 January 2018 Inset Day: Friday 9 February 2018 Half term week: Monday 12—Friday 16 February 2018
DEAR PARENTS/CARERS During this term we have held a number of fund-raising activities many in memory of Mrs Perkins, who sadly died in the summer holiday. These have included Year 9 tutor group activities, Year 8 Christmas hampers, non-uniform day, refreshments at the Christmas celebration, Christmas jumpers and Christmas charity card donations. Our total to date is £1,791.43. Thank you to everyone who has contributed, donated and helped out. We will be inviting in Somerset Minds in the spring term to receive the money raised for them. We would like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and a peaceful 2018.
Headteacher
Deputy Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Assistant Head
Business Manager
Pudsey visits Bucklers Mead Academy Overall we rose a total of £760 for “Children in Need”. Thanks to ALL those who were involved in Welly Wanging, Sweets in the Jar, Spot the Staff, Duck Race, Sweets in the Jar and of course the wear spots day. Mrs Redington
“Modifying Humans” by Professor Robert Winston A lucky group of students had the opportunity to listen to Professor Robert Winston talk about 'modifying humans' at the Octagon Theatre. A pioneer in genetics, he spoke eloquently about the ethical implications of his work and the need for individual stories to be heard. He was inspirational and held the group captivated for an hour. The group are pictured with Professor Robert Winston.
Miss Wadham and Miss Gale.
Careers November was Higher Education and Career Awareness month and Buckler’s Mead students were highly involved. Year 11 visited the South West Annual Careers Fair at Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton. There were representatives from a huge variety of: Further Education colleges, Universities, National and Local employers; Yeovil College and Strode College to Plymouth University, and from the Fire Service to the Armed Forces, nearly all sectors of education and employment were represented. The students visited a range of stalls, each of which offered advice on how to apply, what the entry requirements were, and the many positive points of that particular institution. Year 10 were also involved. A visit from Bournemouth University was very well attended by both Year 10s and Year 11s. The students were treated to an eyeopening presentation on student life covering the courses on offer – from Universities nationwide, campus life, student finance and what career paths a University education can help towards. Many of our students got involved in a Q and A session with the University’s representatives and lots asked very thoughtful questions – the best of which were rewarded with prizes. Year 9 were not going to miss out on this Careers information bonanza; many of the year group signed up for a variety of ‘taster courses’ run by Yeovil College throughout the month of November and got a real insight into what life could be like after Buckler’s Mead. The College offer courses as diverse as Beauty Therapy, Engineering, Motor Vehicles, Construction and ‘A’ Levels. Mr Bailey
Girls Rugby at Buckler’s Mead Academy gets a sponsorship boost. Girls’ Rugby at Buckler’s Mead Academy has received a sponsorship boost from local education provider Monarch Education. Girls’ rugby has blossomed at Buckler’s Mead in recent years with county competition success. The girls have created a strong bond and have been boosted by a variety of opportunities and inspirations. The RFU have been massively involved with the academy, providing quality coaching from Rugby Development Officer Paul Cox. This is on the back of worldwide successes of the Women’s Rugby game which Buckler’s Mead also has a connection with. Former student Marlie Packer has represented England Women’s Rugby since 2008 and is now one of the most capped players in the squad. Marlie left Buckler’s Mead in 2006 but still likes to visit and keep a track of what is going on in the academy. Teachers and students hope that she can return this year not only to support the girls with their rugby but to provide further inspiration to other students within the Academy. Sarah Morrison, Head of Physical Education said ‘Girls’ Rugby is now embedded within the PE curriculum at Buckler’s Mead Academy. Both U13 and U15 teams have developed into very exciting teams displaying a high level of commitment, determination and skill. The girls have performed extremely well in the area tournaments and with new Rugby kit sponsored by Monarch Education we will also look the part!’ The Canterbury kit has been kindly sponsored by Monarch Education, a long standing business partner of the academy, supplying high quality teachers. Mr Fletcher
Green Power Car Club The club had a very busy two weeks at the start of term with our second race at Castle Coombe. The team worked hard preparing the car for the race, rebuilding the electrics, fixing the nose cone, setting the suspension and generally tidying the car. After an early start we arrived at the track in plenty of time and the team set to, preparing the car for the race. The start of the first race was good with Liam maintaining position and then gaining places as cars dropped out. A change of drivers with Ryan in the car and we made steady progress. Next it was Adam`s turn to drive for the run to the line. A big crash at Quarry corner saw a number of cars eliminated from the race giving us a good position at the end. Race two did not start well, with major electrical failure on the way to the grid. Frantic work got the car to the pits and Liam started from the pit lane. An unscheduled stop to sort out driving gloves meant that Adam did not get his second go in the car. By using our first two drivers we maintained a very good position at the finish. The team did very well coming 35th overall in Race One and 31 st in Race Two—a very good achievement after all the problems we encountered in practice and during the race. Good Race Team strategy by the Team Manager gave us a good result. There were over 70 cars in the field with one team driving over from The Silesian University in Poland just for the race. Half the cars were in a much faster class to our Kit Car, so our 6 th place in one race was a good result. March 2018 will see the team out again ready for the new season in a rebuilt, lighter and faster car. As a reward for the team’s hard work we went to Silverstone to watch the Walter Hayes Trophy Race. The support race included Le Mans LMP2 race cars and some amazing sports and saloon cars. The team had a great time and now look forward to racing their own car again in March next year. Our thanks must go to our sponsors who have made it all possible. Mr Tofts
HIGH SUGAR FIZZY AND ENERGY DRINKS We are seeing more and more of our young people consume fizzy and energy drinks. These drinks, such as Rock Star, Monster and Coca-Cola pose a health risk to young people due to the ingredients they contain. Energy drinks contain high levels of caffeine and sugar. In a small 250ml can there is typically 80mg of caffeine. The amount of sugar in each energy drink is also a real concern as large cans contain as much as 15 teaspoons of sugar ! Consumption of sugary fizzy drinks and energy drinks can lead to insomnia, anxiety issues, headaches, nausea, heart palpitations, abdominal pain, type 2 diabetes and bed-wetting. In addition to the health risks, we are also extremely concerned about the effect these drinks are having on the behaviour of our young people. Whilst sugary fizzy drinks and energy drinks are not solely to blame for this lack of self- discipline, we believe that they are a contributory factor. From 8 January 2018 all fizzy and energy drinks will be banned at Buckler’s Mead Academy. Any student who brings one of these drinks into school will have it confiscated and destroyed. We also reserve the right to complete bag searches for such items in line with our policy on bag searching for banned items. Mr Mattocks
Rotary Club Technology Tournament Twelve students went to Wadham School for the annual Rotary Club Technology Tournament. There were 22 teams taking part this year from local schools. Our task this year was to build a working “Pig” to clean out a water pipe of debris. It looked a simple task but did cause a lot of issues. The teams of four were split into a team leader, an electrician, a designer/builder and writer to make a portfolio charting the team`s design, build and ideas. Our teams had mixed success in building the “Pig”. The temptation was to make the “Pig” too complicated with lots of moving parts to go wrong. At the Competition testing, our No 1 team had a disaster with a drive belt coming off one wheel. The “Pig” did not complete the task, but the team came 6th overall due to the superior team work and portfolio. Our No 2 team gave a solid performance but were not placed. The No 3 team had a great competition coming 2nd overall. Stacey Gavin and Liam Collins worked hard at the design and build all day and Holly produced a great portfolio with the help of Corbin Lewandowski. A great team effort was put in by all teams. My thanks to all the team members, Liam Parry, Ryan Collins, Katie Garrett, Ethan Smalley, Adam Foggett, Ben Lintern, Callum Harris and Morgan Gavin. Mr Tofts
Important Dates Start of Spring Term: Monday 8 January 2018 Year 9 Parents’ Evening: Thursday 18 January 2018 Inset Day: Friday 9 February 2018 Half term week: Monday 12—Friday 16 February 2018
