Newsletter April 2007

This issue

Welcome to the April 2007 edition of Saint Paul's Academy's newsletter!

In this issue:

• Personalised learning
• Encouraging results
• Revision classes
• Waxy Works
• Young Enterprise
• Sporting success
• Ski trip
• Shakespeare festival
• Anti-social behaviour
• School uniform
• Taken part in research
• Important dates
• From our football correspondent

Dear Parents and Guardians

“Returning after the February half term break is always pleasant because the mornings start to get lighter and hopefully, better weather is on its way. Having said that, our students thoroughly enjoyed the snow and unlike many schools we were able to remain open and continue with a normal timetable. Also I hope that you are able to support the Waxy Works' company which was set up as part of the Young Enterprise Challenge programme. Please buy their candles. As I write, we are approaching Easter, the most important feast in the churches' year, when we acknowledge the sacrifice Jesus made for us and celebrate the gift of eternal life in his resurrection. At this time I wish all members of our community a happy and holy holiday.”

Patrick Winston, Principal

Back to top

Personalised learning

At this time of year the focus is inevitably on those students who are taking examinations and, in the past, this group of students would have been only those in Year 11 and Year 9. However, because our philosophy is now to enter students for examinations when they are ready, this group is extended to include some Year 8 and 10 students.

This notion of personalised learning is having a great effect on our students and increasing their autonomy and independence. This is particularly important as the range and number of exams taken by students is increasing and therefore skills other than the traditional ones are required.

In the past teachers, have very much controlled the organisation of students' time in the run up to exams but more and more students are being required to manage their own time. Of course, apart from giving students more control over their futures, managing time is a very valuable life skill and one which we also teach through enterprise and enrichment activities.

Back to top

Encouraging results

Many Year 11 students have already taken module examinations which contribute to their final GCSE grades and these results are extremely encouraging. It is particularly pleasing to see students achieve in new curriculum areas, such as the English pilot examination, which includes a media and film option and the ICT GNVQ, which can be worth up to four GCSEs. It is also very reassuring for students to go into the terminal examinations knowing that they have already achieved good marks in a significant proportion of the paper.

Back to top

Revision classes

As I write, arrangements for revision classes are being finalised; again these are being armed at very specific groups of students and your sons and daughters will be informed where and when they need to attend. Some revision classes will take place in the Easter holidays but others will be held before and after school. This year the public examination season starts earlier than it has in the past, with the RS exam being on May 17th. It is therefore more essential than ever that students use their Easter holiday wisely, ensuring that they achieve a balance of work and relaxation.

Back to top

Waxy Works

Returning to Enterprise and Enrichment Days, as I explained in the last newsletter, these activities are now firmly established at Saint Paul's and we are clearly exceeding our statutory obligation to provide five days of Work Related Learning at Key Stage 4. The company set up by a group of Year 11 students through the Young Enterprise Challenge Programme, is making significant progress. The company is called Waxy Works and, as the name suggests, it is producing candles which will be custom made for specific occasions.

At the moment, the students are looking for a supplier who can offer good quality, plain candles at an affordable price which will be decorated in the first instance for Mother's Day and Easter. Students, with the help of their business adviser, have responsibility for all aspects of the company; they now have their own bank account to manage the finances and, as I write, they are making plans to sell the candles at school events. I'm sure you will support their endeavours with your usual generosity and enthusiasm.

Back to top

Young Enterprise

Also on the Enterprise theme, all Year 10 students have now taken part in the Young Enterprise 'Learn to Earn' programme which helps young people to gain confidence and understand how to make the best use of the learning and training opportunities available to them. Again, the aim with this project is to give students control of their own future, allowing them to make informed decisions for themselves.

Back to top

Sporting success

Our other specialism, Sport, made the national press when an article on Gaelic Football at Saint Paul's Academy was published in 'The Times Educational Supplement' in February. The article pointed out that Gaelic Football is now our main summer sport and it also highlighted the passion which it engenders in participants; this of course fits with our whole philosophy that enrichment enhances achievement, in other words, if students are passionate about extra curricular activities this will generate enthusiasm in other areas.

I am also delighted to be able to tell you that last month, our Year 8 Netball team won the Greenwich Netball championship; after an extremely challenging tournament, we won 3-2 against Saint Ursula's in the final. This is a particularly exciting result because netball is a rapidly developing area at Saint Paul's with more and more girls becoming involved with after school practices and fixtures.

Back to top

Ski trip

Another form of very popular extra curricular activity is residential trips and, at the moment, a group of students in Years 8, 9 and 10 are looking forward to the Easter ski trip to Passo Tonale in Italy. It is a long coach journey but well worth it to experience the thrill of skiing; for many students this will be their first time on skis and I am sure it is an activity they will be keen to repeat in the future. We also have a group of students from Year 9 in Normandy at the moment and I am sure they will have had an extremely enjoyable and beneficial experience. My thanks go as always to staff who, give so generously of their time and energy.

Back to top

Shakespeare festival

A completely different but equally popular extra curricular activity is drama and, as you will remember from the previous newsletter, I was delighted students from Saint Paul's were able to take part in the Schools' Shakespeare Festival which took place just before half term at the Catford Broadway Theatre. Our students were outstanding in their performance of 'Much Ado About Nothing', and although they were by far the youngest group taking part their performance easily matched those given by students taking GCSE or A level. For some of the Saint Paul's students in Years 8 and 9, taking part in this production will give them a huge advantage with their English SATs because 'Much Ado About Nothing' is this year's set text.

Back to top

Anti-social behaviour

Unfortunately, school life does not always go as smoothly as we would wish and it has come to my attention and that of my staff that a small minority of students are letting us down as they travel to and from school. Our students know that there is always staff presence outside school but, as they move away from the immediate area, some students seem to think that they cannot be challenged for anti-social behaviour.

This could not be further from the truth; while they are wearing our uniform, students are representing Saint Paul's Academy. The reputation of the school in the community depends on the behaviour of our students when they are on the public highway and I would hope that all parents and carers would support me in expecting the very highest standards.

Back to top

School uniform

Similarly, I would hope that parents and carers would join me in insisting that their sons and daughters wear our uniform properly. The uniform is simple and inexpensive but it does not include 'Converse' trainers, hooded tops or leg warmers. Most worrying is the fact that students are wearing a hooded top instead of a school coat; this is unacceptable and goes against all that we stand for. Students wearing such items will be asked to remove them and leave them in the school office until their parents or carers are able to claim them.

Back to top

Taken part in research

On a more positive note, Saint Paul's has recently taken part in two important pieces of research, one for the DfES on Faith Schools and one for the Commission for Racial Equality whose brief was to establish why black boys achieve less well than their white counterparts. To the astonishment of the researcher, he found that at Saint Paul's this not the case; in fact, much of the time black boys' achievement is higher than that of white students.

The DfES researcher who undertook the Faith Schools survey was surprised by his findings and by the warmth of the welcome offered to him by both staff and students. He was able to see very clearly how the nature of our school supported students and he identified many key elements of the ethos which transcend religious differences. These included, respect and consideration for others, based in a strong sense of individual and social justice which is promoted in various imaginative ways, and, respect for all faiths and a concerted effort to promote greater awareness and understanding across faith divides. Many other aspects of the school, including our inclusive, caring and supportive approach were also commended.

Back to top

Important dates 

Back to top

From our football correspondent

Football teams throughout the school have taken part in a number of fixtures including the National Cup, the Kent Cup and the District Cup.

The complete set of results to date is: 

Year 7

Goalscorers:N. Eka 34, C. Shiel 13, JC. Hines 9, K. Jacob 6, D. Conteh 6, U. Akpotabore 5, J. Olufade 3, A. Bayeto 3, O. Ejaria 2, K. Akandel 1, K. Okogwu 1, J.Garrett 1, Own Goal 1.

Back to top

Year 8

Goalscorers:O. Odebunmi 17, A. Wright 11, L. Obembe 11, T. Nihill 6, L. Akanni 6, A. Bridge 4, G. Inkulu 4, L. Corps 3, S. Shobanda 3, M. Brobbey 2, J. Driscoll 1, A. Swain 1, P. Gordon 1, J. Higgins-Page 1, R. Minett 1, M. O'Connor 1.

Back to top

Year 9

Goalscorers:J. Baptiste 11, M. Fabiyi 8, J. Gillespie 7, L. Hubbard 4, L. Ikhinmwin 4, O. Odebunmi 3, O. Akande 3, J. McGilly 3, M. Kolawole 2, J. Redfern 2, J. Meade 2, A. Wright 1, D. Mbang 1, T. Fernandes 1, T. Fadipe 1, J. Smith 1.

Back to top

Year 10

Goalscorers:A. Thomas 7, D. Isichei 6, J. Amobire 5, L. Akinsanya 5, J. Bingham 4, J. Higgins-Page 1, P. Barry 1, P. Guilford 1.

Back to top

Year 11

Goalscorers:D. Isichei 4, J. Bingham 1, S. Kadri 1.

Back to top

Girls Tournaments Year 7 to 11

Goalscorers:L. Trieu 3, T. Adeagbo 1, O. Olare 1, G. Bruno 1, A. Ngwana 1, B. Jones 1, M. Kersnauskaite 1.

Back to top

Playing record 2008/2009

Back to top