Keeping our minds healthy and active. Device Free Challenges.

Challenge 1

Following Christmas, Britain sees a significant increase in the use of plastics which have a big impact on our environment and global warming.

Create an under the sea display using plastic waste from around your house.  You could also make a jelly fish, crab and fish from plastics and other wastes.  Make a display explaining the impacts of plastic waste on the oceans.

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Facts about Plastic

• On a yearly basis, around 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans, seas and rivers.
• It takes approximately 450 years for the ocean to break down man-made plastic items.
• “Microplastics” – A smaller piece of plastic. These microplastics have now made their way into our diets through the sea food we consume.
• 100 million marine animals die every year from plastics invading their homes.
• By the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Our newly formed Sixth Form Council have now elected their very first President and Vice President. The student council members were encouraged to put themselves forward for the two leadership roles and after giving speeches about why they thought they would make a good council President/Vice President, the election went to a student vote.

Huge congratulations to M Nyatanga (President) and E Julailati (Vice President) who will lead our sixth form council for this academic year. Look out for our new sixth form blog and social media channels to keep up with what we’ll be getting up to this year. 

The rotation of athletics in PE is in full swing, with pupils rotating around different athletic disciplines of throwing, jumping and running. Pupils have built key skills, techniques and knowledge of pacing within long-distance running as well as sprinting and relay techniques for track events. Shot Put, Javelin, Discus and High jump have all been delivered to classes and pupils are showing high levels of progression with techniques becoming more refined in all athletic areas. It’s been fantastic to see pupils link different components of fitness with various athletics events, and therefore showing the development of key knowledge within PE.

Special mention in PE goes out to Lewis who beat Mr Seager (Headteacher) on the multi-stage fitness test (bleep test) by achieving a level of 14.8. A fantastic effort!

Lewis stated ‘I had no real competition from the boss on this occasion’

Prefects are a crucial aspect of the culture in Bloxwich Academy. Over the years the role has grown and has become well established in the school. This year, although the process has been delayed due to Covid-19, we have still followed the strict and professional application method for the pupils to become Prefects. Before lockdown, Year 10 pupils had to write a formal application letter to show their interest in becoming a Prefect. Over the lockdown period, we held the training session online, a first for Bloxwich Academy, and the pupils were put through their paces to understand the integral role required from each of them. Following the training, and the return to school, the pupils were given their ties and began their role within the school.

We would like to congratulate: L Bowyer, J Moseley, J Slater, H Rashidzada, L Dowen, M Erinayo, L Harris, E Instone, A Price, K Sears, M Spellman and R Scott.

The pupils have been responsible for being a role model and showing the younger pupils how to act around the Academy. More recently, the pupils nominated themselves for the role of a Senior Prefect. As part of the selection process, pupils were required to write a formal email and be interviewed by Miss Williamson, Head of House and Mr Chamberlain, Deputy Headteacher. The pupils showed their professionalism throughout and all interviewed and presented themselves to a high standard. The formal application, Prefect vote and the interview feedback were triangulated and the senior team was selected. Congratulations to S Nelson, M Rogan and K Swarnasingam for becoming Deputy Senior Prefects. A special mention and congratulations to G Hawkins, Head Girl and B Johnson, Head Boy.

Every year Bloxwich Academy holds its annual Art and Design show to celebrate the wonderful creative talent our pupils demonstrate. Unfortunately, this year due to Covid-19 restrictions our show was unable to take place, however, we could not deny our parents, staff and pupils a peek of the stunning work our pupils have worked tirelessly to create over the last year.

If you have not yet viewed our digital Art exhibition online through our website or Twitter feed, then please take a look. The exhibition displays work from Year 7 up to Year 13 in different styles, subject matter and techniques. As always, the Art department are immensely proud of the work pupils produce and we look forward to seeing the new and fresh talent emerge over the years to come.

Year 13 Results Day | Thursday 13^th August

The staff at Bloxwich Academy are looking forward to seeing you on Year 13 Results Day.

Please read the information below carefully so that you understand what you will need to do to collect your results.

• Results will be distributed from the Main Hall. You will enter the school via the entrance to the main reception.
• The academy will be open for you to collect your results between 8.45am and 12.00pm
• There will be a one-way system in place as you collect your results. There will be other safety measures in place too, for example, we will provide hand sanitiser as you enter.
• You are each permitted to bring one adult along with you to collect your results. Please do not bring more than this so that we can maintain social distancing. You are of course welcome to collect your results on your own.
• If you would rather your results be sent to you electronically, please email hbrockless@bloxwichacademy.co.uk to let us know. Your results will then be sent to your school email address on Results Day.
• If you are feeling unwell, displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or are self-isolating, you should not attend Results Day. In this event, please inform us so that we can send your results to you.
• If you ask a parent, guardian or another responsible adult to collect your results for you, they must bring a note that is signed by you that gives your consent. We cannot release the results otherwise.

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Year 11 Results Day | Thursday 20^th August

The staff at Bloxwich Academy are looking forward to seeing pupils on Year 11 Results Day.

Please read the information below regarding the process of collecting results.

• Results will be distributed from the Main Hall. Pupils will enter the Academy via the entrance to the main reception on Leamore Lane.
• All pupils will be allocated a timeslot for when they can collect their results. These timeslots will be communicated via text message. If you have changed contact details during lockdown, please provide an update by contacting us.
• There will be a one-way system in place as pupils collect their results. There will be other safety measures in place too, for example, we will provide hand sanitiser upon entry.
• Pupils are permitted to have one adult accompanying them whilst collecting result.
• If pupils would prefer their results electronically, please email hbrockless@bloxwichacademy.co.uk to confirm this process. Results will then be sent to pupil school email addresses on Results Day.
• If you are feeling unwell, displaying symptoms of Covid-19 or are self-isolating, you should not attend Results Day. In this event, please inform us so we can arrange for the results to be sent.
• Pupils wishing either a parent, guardian or another responsible adult to collect their results must bring a note that is signed by the pupil that gives consent. We cannot release the results otherwise.

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How did we decide on grades?

All schools across the country have followed the process laid out by the government for awarding Centre Assessment Grades. This process is explained in this video created by Ofqual, the organisation which regulates exams:

We are very confident we have assessed you with a high degree of accuracy. We undertook a lengthy, rigorous process with every Year 11 teacher participating in a series of meetings. Every grade was decided by whole teams, not individual teachers.

During these grading meetings, we used all available forms of evidence for every single grade, including mock exams, classwork, homework, coursework, prior attainment (how you had performed in previous years) as well as current effort. All grade decisions were rooted in evidence to eliminate any potential bias.

Over a period of several weeks, every grade was discussed multiple times, as part of a rigorous quality assurance process. Only when we were confident that we had graded everyone accurately did we send the grades to the exam boards.

Very important: the grades we submitted for you will not necessarily be the grades you receive on results day. That is because the exam board’s job is to make sure that the grades this year are consistent with those awarded to other pupils in previous years. That means there should be broadly the same proportion of pupils achieving the same grade in each subject as there were in previous years.

For instance, in 2019, 67% of pupils across the country achieved GCSE Grade 4 in English. This year, roughly the same proportion of pupils across the country will achieve GCSE Grade 4 in English, even if schools submitted lots more Grade 4s.

Similarly, around 76% of A level grades are grade C every year. Therefore, roughly the same proportion will be a grade C this year, whatever schools submitted.

It is being widely reported that the grades submitted by schools across the country are significantly higher than in previous years:

https://www.tes.com/news/coronavirus-teacher-assessed-grades-higher-grades-2019

This will mean that some grades will change. “Insiders” say this could affect around 40% of grades.

https://www.tes.com/news/exclusive-warning-40-gcse-grades-may-change

Here is a video from Ofqual with more details about how they are making grades consistent with previous years: