Bradfields AcademyMay 2018 Newsletter

Term Dates

Term Open Close

1 Mon 4th Sept 2017 Fri 20th Oct 2017

2 Thurs 2nd Nov 2017 Weds 20th Dec 2017

3 Thurs 4th Jan 2018 Fri 9th Feb 2018

4 Tues 20th Feb 2018 Thurs 29th March 2018

5 Mon 16th April 2018 Thurs 24th May 2018

(Nb. May Day is on Monday 7th May 2018 –

Academy is closed on this day)

6 Tues 5th June 2018 Tues 24th July 2018

Training Days (Academy Closed to students)

Fri 1st Sept 2017 Weds 1st Nov 2017 Weds 3rd Jan 2018

Fri 25th May 2018 Mon 4th June 2018

Dates for Academic Year 2017-18

Dear Parents and Carers

As we reach the end of Term 5 we have a lot to celebrate. As you will see in this term’s

newsletter the students have been very busy engaging in community activities such as the

Memorial Day event at the Synagogue, as well as a wide range of sporting competitions and

volunteering opportunities at Chatham Historic Dockyard. I am very proud of their ability to

take an active role in our local community and in successfully competing in regional competitions.

We also have exciting news for you. As you may be aware the Department for Education is keen

for all schools to join together in partnerships to form Multi-Academy Trusts. These are aimed

at sharing best teaching and learning practice, ensuring students gain further opportunities,

increasing financial efficiency and flexibility in staff deployment.

I am pleased to inform you that we have formed our own Multi Academy Trust known as Fortis

Trust meaning Strength in Partnership. Bradfields Academy will still exist as the Lead Academy

within the trust but overtime we will ask other academies to join our trust. I’d like to reassure

you that this will have no negative impact on your child’s experience at Bradfields Academy. You

will see our trust logo below on some of the letters you receive home.

I would like to thank Parents and Carers of the students in Years 11-14 who are currently

undertaking their examinations. This can be a stressful time but through working together we

can ensure the children feel confident and able to do their very best in their exams. Should you

have any concerns or queries regarding your son or daughters examinations, please do not

hesitate to contact Pat Allenby, our Exams Officer.

Next term will be very busy; We will be holding our Annual Summer Fayre on Saturday 14th July

2018 11am-1pm.

For students who will be leaving Bradfields this year to progress to college or the world of

work, this year’s Leavers Day celebrations will be held on Friday 29th June. Please consider

purchasing Leaver Hoodies for your son/daughter as they truly value having these to remember

their time at Bradfields.

At the end of Term 6 we will be having Activity Week for all zones. Please look out for letters

providing more details of the exciting opportunities, activities and trips we have planned for the

students.

I would also like to draw your attention to our new Adult Education English courses starting

September. Please contact Mr Danny Garbutt for more information.

Please follow us on Facebook to receive weekly updates on events.

Thank you all for your ongoing support.

Marie Sweetlove

Principal

Holocaust Memorial Day

On Friday 26th January, Bradfields students participated in a whole Academy event to

commemorate the Holocaust. They took part in a wide range of activities including creating

a Life Quilt and listening to the daughter of a survivor talk about her father David’s

experiences in Auschwitz concentration camp. KS3 students also participated in a music

activity to sing “The Partisans’ Song” which was part of a range of activities arranged by the

HMD. Older students were also able to watch the film “Boy in the Striped Pyjamas” which

helped them develop their understanding of the events affecting Jewish people during the

Holocaust.

Kent School Games Boccia

Tournament

On the 8th March ten students travelled to the

University of Kent in Canterbury to compete in a Level

3 Boccia tournament.

The students were divided into the teams they

previously played in at the Level 2 Boccia tournament

in Maidstone. One team, called ‘Dab’, competed in the

U14s tournament, the other team, ‘Bradfields Army’,

took part in the U19s competition.

The aim of Boccia is to score as many points as

possible by students rolling their set of coloured balls

closest to the white jack ball.

Each team played four games within their groups.

Congratulations to Bradfields Dab who won two games and

lost two games. This led them to third place - a fantastic

result!

Bradfields Army’s group took part in some close

competitions, every point mattered! The U19s group was so

close that it came down to point difference. This means

that the winners were calculated by how many points in a

game they won by. This led to the Bradfields Army coming

in fourth place! Well done boys!

Huge congratulations to all the teams for getting third and

fourth places – great work! The students made Bradfields

proud with their performances and behaviour. Well done

again!

Bradfields Academy celebrated World Book Day on Thursday 8th March with a wide variety

of fun activities that both students and staff participated in throughout the day.

These included:

Listening to famous tales from around the world or acting them out in Drama

sessions.

Participating in Story Teller Workshops; whose sessions concentrated on famous

tales from all across the globe.

Entering the World Book Day ‘Design a National Book Token Competition’ with the

chance to win some wonderful prizes.

Distributing the World Book Day vouchers with every student receiving their £1

Book Tokens, which will enable them to purchase books for only £1 at participating

book stores.

Students and staff dressing up as characters from their

favourite novels, famous stories or even comic books and

joining in the festivities.

Drop Everything And Read! Throughout the day, a special jingle

sounded and students and staff dropped whatever they were

doing and read for 10 minutes at a time.

Designing and crafting our own world stories with online help

from famous authors or making our own class story books to

share throughout the academy in a class story competition.

Filling our ‘Favourite Book Wall’ with all the books and stories that

staff and students have nominated as their favourites along with

announcing what is Bradfields’ Best Book.

Continuing our annual Bradfields’ Creative Writing Competition.

This is an open competition for all our budding novelists to enter a

story they have written; these can be handwritten or typed with no

word limit and they can work on them at home.

Staff and students sharing their favourite stories throughout the

day.

Overall, we all had a wonderful time celebrating World Book Day and are now looking

forward to our Pop-Up Author Event in Term 6 (details will follow next term).

NSPCC Number Day 2018

On Tuesday 13th March the whole Academy took part

in an afternoon of Maths activities to support the

NSPCC.

Number day is a great way of making Maths fun and

the whole Academy made sure that there was a

positive “can do” attitude towards all the activities

that took place during the afternoon.

As part of the afternoon, staff and students took

part in “dress for digits” where they could wear an

item of clothing with a digit on for a donation of £1

There were a lot of fun based activities that were organised by the Maths

Department. These included classroom based activities such as addition, subtraction

and multiplication bingo and Who Wants to be a Mathionaire.

The Maths Department didn’t want to keep the students in classrooms all afternoon, so

a treasure hunt was organised which took place around the Academy. Students needed

to identify different places from photographs. They then had to locate them. If

students went to the correct place there was a number that had to be recorded. All

students were successful in finding the numbers.

There were also prizes up for grabs, with guess the

number of sweets in the jar and how many Mini Eggs were

on the cake competitions.

There were 419 sweets in the jar, and 88 Mini eggs on the

cake.

The winners were:

Elephants class with a guess of 412 sweets

Mr Billingham’s form with an exact guess of 88 Mini Eggs

Well done to all staff and students for taking part and

supporting this very worthwhile cause!!!

Congratulations to our cross county winners - Jamie in Primary Blue Zone, Adam in Yellow

Zone, Leighton in Red Zone, James in Green Zone and Sam in Secondary Blue Zone. The

winner of the staff race was again a close fought competition with Mr Ray narrowly edging

out Mr Newlyn in a very close race to the line, which earned his house 100 house points.

Third across the line was Mrs Head and then Mr Garland.

Sport Relief 2018

To support the ‘This Girl Can’ initiative which highlights the achievements of women in

sport, congratulations goes to Bella, Indie, Charlotte and Mollie who all gained extra

house points for their house.

A big thank you to everyone who took part; to the Marshalls for making sure everyone

was safe whilst participating and to Mr Tullett and the Sports Volunteers for marking

out the courses.

On Friday 23rd March, students and staff took

part in the Sport Relief mile run around the

Academy grounds. After a very energetic warm

up led by Miss Knights, the Academy was keen

and ready to go. With two routes marked out so

all students could take part, the first group set

off on their way to complete their Sport Relief

mile around the lower site. Minutes later the

cross country route was started with much

enthusiasm and competition on show.

To complete the lower site mile, staff and students had to complete at least 4 laps of

the route. With house points on offer for the first four students from each zone and

staff across the line, many completed more than the required 4 laps. Therefore huge

congratulations must go to the winners from each zone – Charlie in Primary Blue Zone,

Ellie in Yellow Zone, Megan in Red Zone, Owen in Green Zone and Thomas in Secondary

Blue Zone. The winner of the staff race was with Mr Taffs who completed half a lap more

than Miss Claxton, Mrs Duckett and Mrs Hilton.

The Bradfields

Arts Showcase

The acts were performed by students studying BTEC Performing Arts, Arts Award and

Music. Students delighted their audiences with songs from The Greatest Showman,

Bugsy Malone, U2 and Moana to name but a few. This year we also saw the addition of

the first ever Bradfields Photography Exhibition alongside the on stage performance.

The exhibition was a wonderful display of technical skill and creativity.

On Wednesday 28th March,

audiences for the Bradfields

Arts Showcase were blown

away by the magnificent

display of enthusiasm and

talent on stage at Bradfields

Academy.

We hope you enjoy these photographs giving you

a glimpse of the talent on show at this year’s

Arts Showcase.

Medway Trading Standards

Quiz 2018 1. How thick are the walls of Rochester Castle?

2. How long is the River Medway?

These were just 2 of the questions answered by the fabulous 4 students, from Yellow Zone,

who represented the Academy at the Medway Trading Standards Quiz on 25th April.

The quiz was again held at Bradfields Academy. The quiz is designed for students from

SEN schools/units and four schools participated. There were 6 rounds of questions with

categories ranging from – colours, signs, consumer rights, etc. Questions are asked by the

Question Master and also displayed on an interactive white board. Students have a choice

of answers. Students discuss their answers and when decided a card is raised by the

Trading Standards person assigned to each team. When all participating schools have

raised their card and their answers given, the correct answer is then announced.

Refreshments are available during an interval and a delicious buffet lunch is served after

the presentations.

The victorious school receives the Winner’s Cup. The school who gains most points in the

Medway Towns round wins the Mike O’Brien cup. Mike O’Brien was the former Portfolio

Holder for Children’s Services at Medway Council and an Honorary Member of Bradfields

Student Council. All participating students receive individual trophies, certificates and a

goody bag containing donations from local shops and companies.

A big well done to all participating schools and especially to the brilliant Bradfields team.

A big thank you also to all the Bradfields staff and students particularly Mrs Halton, Miss

Bradbrook, Mrs Knott, Mr Bains, the Site team and the PE Department.

Answers to questions:

1. 4.5 metres.

2. 70 miles.

Visiting the Mayor The 2018 Medway Holocaust Memorial

Day event was held at Chatham

Memorial Synagogue on Friday 26th

January, as part of a traditional Jewish

Friday evening service, for the eve of

the Sabbath. A small group of students

and staff from Bradfields Academy

contributed to this service with a visual

and multi-lingual display about the

power of words. Following this very

special service, we were contacted by

the Cllr David Wildey, Mayor of

Medway. He wanted us to know how

impressed he was with our display and

how well the students represented

Bradfields. He then invited us to meet

him. On Thursday 26th April, members of the Holocaust Memorial Team at Bradfields went to

the Mayor’s Parlour in Gun Wharf, Chatham. They were greeted by the Mayor (in full

regalia), the Mayoress and one of their assistants. Whilst in the parlour, students and staff

were entertained with stories and fun facts about the Mayor’s roll in Medway as well as the

history of some of the artefacts on display from around the world.

The students were even permitted to

sit in the Mayor’s chair and wear his

hat! This was a truly amazing

experience for all involved, with one

student remarking “I felt really

important”. We would like to thank

the Mayor and his wife for their

hospitality, for taking the time to

talk with each student and make us all

feel important.

On Thursday 10th May, 11 pupils were selected to represent

Bradfields Academy at the annual ‘Panathlon’ challenge.

They competed in a wide range of sports, including Boccia,

New Age Kurling, Polybat, precision beanbag throw,

standing long jump, javelin and wheelchair slalom.

Despite some apprehension, the wheelchair team took part

in all of their events and shone, especially in the wheelchair

slalom event. The team won a silver medal. The Polybat

team deserve a special mention as they were only just

beaten by the eventual winners, Sheppey and

Sittingbourne. They all went away

with a silver medal.

The Table Cricket team played extremely well. With some tactical

batting they secured 1st place overall. The beanbag precision duo

also steamed ahead of the pack, securing 88 points and another

haul of gold medals!

Other performances of note were in the long jump, javelin and New

Age Kurling.

In the afternoon races, the wheelchair team

showed great determination to come 3rd in the

self-propelled wheelchair race and the standing

runners secured a 1st place.

Overall, Bradfields finished in 2nd place, beating

the current Kent champions (Ashford) in the

process. What really stood out was the team spirit

and sportsmanship displayed by all competitors.

A big well done to all from: Mrs Head, Ms Ticehurst and Mrs Penswick.

Panathlon Challenge

2018 Big Pedal

For the fourth year, Bradfields entered the ‘Big Pedal’ challenge. This is a nationwide event

that encourages children to get on their bikes and ride. The whole academy had the

opportunity to do some cycling during their PE lessons. Every journey that students made

around the Academy was logged on the Big Pedal website. The successful event also helps

the students to become more road confident and safe whilst cycling.

We are awaiting confirmation of our total journeys and how we got on overall in the

challenge.

Well done to all those that took part.

Back in 2016 the BTP Poster Competition was launched. 109 Bradfields students

entered the Competition run by Kent Community Rail Partnership and British

Transport Police.

The aim was to raise awareness of the safety campaign to text any antisocial

behaviour or safety concerns to 61016 when travelling by rail.

The posters were so good that the panel of judges chose four winners as they

found it too difficult to choose just one.

Sarah Deakin from Kent Community Rail Partnership kindly delivered an

assembly to announce the winners.

British Transport Police

Text Number Competition

Here are the winning posters on display at the Swale and the Medway Valley line

.

Community Volunteering in

Year 14 Throughout this academic year many students in Year 14 have completed the ASDAN

‘Community Volunteering’ short course.

The course provides a wonderful opportunity for students to find out about the invaluable

contribution that volunteers make to society and the organisations they volunteer with.

Students have spent time investigating the world of volunteering, talking to volunteers in

different organisations, for example in Medway Maritime Hospital; charity shops and visitor

attractions in Rochester; and the Historic Dockyard and Fort Amherst in Chatham.

Once students have completed their research they carry out 20 hours of volunteering. We

have been very lucky to be able to volunteer at the Historic Dockyard where students have

spent their days doing a variety of work including polishing brass work on HMS Cavalier,

cleaning in the Commissioner’s House and helping to keep the grounds and signage around the

site tidy and ready for visitors. The second group also did some groundwork at Fort

Amherst.

We have also been treated to free entry to attractions within the Dockyard, learning about

how rope is made in the Ropery Building and visiting various exhibitions.

The students have all put their best effort into the volunteering work. Clive, the Volunteer

Co-Ordinator at Fort Amherst said ‘Bradfields Academy students work so hard! They do

more work than the regular volunteers’.

Mrs Klein and supporting staff would like to thank the students for being excellent

ambassadors for Bradfields Academy and for all of their hard work.

Blue Zone

We can hardly believe that we are already coming up to the end of another

academic year. It has been another busy one and there are still some big events

coming up next term which are detailed below:

Future Events :

Tuesday 5th June - We welcome the students back for term 6.

Friday 22nd June – Leavers Prom in the evening.

Friday 29th June – Leavers Day.

Friday 6th July – Primary Sports Day.

Saturday 14th July – Bradfields Summer Fayre.

Monday 16th July – Activity week begins.

Thursday 24th May 2018 – Term 5 finishes

Tuesday 5th June 2018 – Term 6 begins

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the following

email address – bluezone@bradfieldsacademy.co.uk.

Miss N Zarkowska

Assistant Principal

Mr C Bolton

Pastoral Manager

(Year 8-14)

Miss L Bliss

Pastoral Manager

(EYFS – Year 7)

PRIMARY BLUE ZONE

This term, Bumblebees and Rabbits have been

enjoying outdoor learning, especially at their

horse-riding lessons at Arrow Riding Centre.

Each week they look forward to meeting Holly the

instructor, and of course Gyp, Sam, Truffles and

Jack the lovely horses.

Earlier in the term Primary Blue Zone took part in Sports

Relief. The morning involved some of us scootering,

jumping, riding and running around our outdoor area while

the afternoon involved some children taking part in the

mile run around the field. Well done to all involved.

We also had another fantastic Parents & Carers event which involved us all engaging in a

great afternoon showing off our talents. Parents & Carers were able to look through their

children’s learning journeys, books, classroom displays and environments. Thank you to

everybody who took part in this afternoon, we value our communication with parents.

9-11TK In Life Skills we have been researching the kinds of clothes and shoes we

need to wear at an interview. We visited some shops to find outfits that would

be appropriate for a job interview.

We found some good examples and some that would not be appropriate for an

interview.

These are the students’ comments:

I liked the clothes that you have to wear for an interview. I would wear these

clothes even if I wasn’t at an interview because people would take me more

seriously.

I liked finding the clothes and shoes because I would want to be very smart

for an interview so that I could get the job.

I learnt how to dress up smartly for an interview rather than wearing tatty

clothes.

I found out about where you can buy smart clothes and shoes for job

interviews.

Now I realise that I have to be dressed smartly in order to get an interview.

If you dress smartly then they will know that you are prepared to be a serious

candidate for the job.

You need to dress in a formal suit, with a tie, to be seen as a sensible, hard-

working worker.

14GK Preparing for Change As their time at Bradfields Academy comes to an end, 14GK have been preparing for the

next stage in their education.

One student has joined the group visiting Canterbury College for a taster day and was

excited by the choices open to them. They have also been following the Community

Volunteering short course this term, meeting volunteers and preparing to complete several

days of volunteering at the Historic Dockyard in Chatham.

Another student has had lots of fun at Hadlow College this term, helping to care for the

animals. Although they were a little unsure before going, they have thoroughly enjoyed

their days there.

One student has joined the Travel Training group on a Tuesday, using public transport to go

to different places. Last week they went to Maidstone on the train.

Mrs Smith and I would both like to take the opportunity to thank them for being such a

great form group, and to wish them well for the future.

Yellow Zone Welcome to the Yellow Zone newsletter for Terms 4 and 5.

The build up to Easter was very busy this year with a number of different events

and activities taking place. Students took part in a variety of events and it was

lovely to see some many parents and carers at the afternoon tea again, thank you.

We have especially enjoyed having The Living Eggs with us and watching the

students and staff take part in the Sports Relief Mile.

Over the next few pages you will see some photos from the events and activities.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the following

email address – yellowzone@bradfieldsacademy.co.uk.

Thank you again for all your ongoing support for all the students in Yellow Zone.

Miss Bradbrook

YZ Assistant Principal

Mrs Knott

YZ Pastoral Manager

Thanks to the PTFA we were able to have the living eggs in the Academy during March.

Arriving on the 6th March the chicks began to hatch out three days later and by the

weekend all had hatched. They entertained a constant stream of visitors who held them,

tried to tempt them with tasty treats and generally enjoyed interacting with them.

Chicks make everyone smile

Yellow Zone

Football Tournament

Congratulations to the YZ students that took part in the football tournament in April.

They played against schools from across Kent and Medway.

The students showed great technique, fantastic team spirit and a determination to try

their best. They scored some great goals along the way and represented their Academy

with pride.

The YZ team are looking forward to the next round of this tournament so that they can

continue to develop their skills and achievements.

Year 8 History Trip

This term, Year 8 have been studying local history. As part of this unit we went on a trip to

Rochester. As we walked down Rochester high street students spotted a stone horse water

trough from the nineteenth century as well as foot scrapers built into some of the older

buildings.

We first visited Rochester Castle which has one of the biggest stone keeps in the country.

We walked down inside the castle to the cess pits, and then some of us used the stone

circular stairs to climb all the way to the top. We were able to see fantastic views over the

River Medway as we were 100m up. Students spotted the Russian submarine which is

positioned just after the bridge as well as the Pentagon Centre and Poundland!

After we left the castle we went to Rochester Cathedral to investigate more local history.

We looked at some of the medieval art on the walls and tried to spot the upside down floor

tile. Finally we went to the Guildhall Museum where students had a quick look at some of

Medway’s early history before we learnt about the prison hulks. We experienced life on

board a typical hulk and students discussed what they could see and hear on the old prison

ship.

MB Get Out and About Our class have been making full use of their bus passes. In March we

took the bus to Maidstone where we visited the museum and to find out

about life in the past as part of our Time Detectives topic and then we

went to the book shop and spent our World Book Day Vouchers. On 24th

April we went on the bus to Dobbies, to find out more about garden

centres for our topic – Flowers and Insects. Whilst at the garden centre

we completed an I Spy Challenge and had lunch out in the café. Back at

the Academy we have been busy growing seeds and planting up our own

gardens. Our next outing on the bus will be to take the Academy rabbit,

Munckin to the vets for his vaccinations.

Welcome to Red Zone newsletter for Terms 3 and 4.

I hope you enjoy reading about the variety of events Red Zone students have taken part in

over the last two terms.

Upcoming Events

June 14th as part of Year 9 and Year 10 transition there will be a trip to Upnor castle and

Rochester Castle.

Bradfields Prom – The prom takes place on Friday 22 June 2018 from 7:30pm until 11:00pm

for our Green Zone students and Year 11. The theme is a closely guarded secret which Mrs

Horton and her team are keeping until the evening when all will be revealed. Tickets cost

£5 and will include all food and drink on the evening.

The dress code is smart. Boys are asked to wear trousers, shoes shirt and tie or suit and

girls can wear a dress, trouser suit (or smart top and trousers) or a prom dress. We

request that students do not wear jeans, hoodies or trainers.

Leavers Day – For students who are leaving us this academic year, their last day will be

Friday 29th June. On this day we will be bidding them a fond farewell by holding a Leaver’s

BBQ followed by a Leavers assembly. Letters regarding Leaver’s hoodies and autograph

books will be coming out to parents and carers shortly.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the following email

address – redzone@bradfieldsacademy.co.uk.

Thank you again for all your ongoing support for all the students in Red Zone.

Red Zone Red Zone

Mrs E. Halton

Assistant Principal

Mrs S Fernandez

Pastoral Manager

KS4 History Trip

A group of KS4 students went out this term to Maidstone Museum where they looked at the

different artefacts on display as part of their Entry Level Certificate qualification.

We started looking at the new Egyptian history wing which contained artefacts and a real

mummy from Egypt. We learnt how people where mummified and saw a recreation of the

mummy’s head.

We then spent time looking at the military history room where we saw uniforms and medals

from the different conflicts which local men had served in during the 19th and 20th century

such as the South African Boer war. The students were amazed to discover draws

underneath display cabinets that held hundreds of local medals and spent time reading the

names and wondering if the men were related to any of the staff. We lastly looked at the

World War Two section and saw how Maidstone was affected during the Blitz and how

people continued to carry on despite their houses and businesses being bombed.

Year 9 and 10 Transition

Activities

Student and staff enjoyed some team building activities with Year 9 and Year 10 as part of

their transition. Problem solving was one of the activities that was a lot of fun. Students

worked very well together as a team to pass the hula-hoop around the circle without

unlinking hands.

Red and Yellow Zone Pastoral Managers have been working

together to make transition to Red Zone as smooth as

possible.

Other events to follow are:

A trip to Upnor Castle and Rochester on 14th June

2018.

Since returning after Easter, students and staff within Green Zone have been very busy

preparing for exams, transition to a new provision and activities week.

There are big changes happening in Green Zone from September. The biggest will be to the

student’s appearance. After a recent offsite trip we noticed that we were one of a few

academies that expects their students to wear a uniform in Key Stage 5. The Student

Council have also requested a change to the uniform for Key Stage 5. So we have decided

that from September all students in the Green Zone will be asked to dress in appropriate

business attire, details of which will follow via a letter.

Diary dates –

Leavers Day – For students who are leaving us this academic year, their last day is Friday

29th June. On this day we will be biding them a fond farewell by holding a Leaver’s BBQ

followed by a Leavers assembly. Letters regarding Leaver’s hoodies and autograph books

will be coming out to parents and carers shortly.

Bradfields Prom – The prom takes place on Friday 22 June 2018 from 7:30pm until 11:00pm.

The theme is a closely guarded secret which Mrs Horton and her team are keeping until the

evening when all will be revealed. Tickets cost £5 and will include all food and drink on the

evening.

The dress code is smart. Boys are asked to wear trousers, shoes shirt and tie or suit and

girls can wear a dress, trouser suit (or smart top and trousers) or a prom dress. We

request that students do not wear jeans, hoodies or trainers.

If you have any issues with either the cost of the ticket or transport we may be able to

help. Please let us know as soon as possible and we will do our best to accommodate you.

Look forward to welcoming you to Bradfields Prom 2018

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us using the following email

address – greenzone@bradfieldsacademy.co.uk.

Thank you again for all your ongoing support for all the students in Green Zone.

Green Zone

Mrs E. Halton

Assistant Principal

Mr D. Tullett

Pastoral Manager

Young Drivers

Every Tuesday a group of Year 14s have been taking driving lessons at Young Drivers in

Bluewater.

They have been learning new skills such as changing gear, reverse parking and manovering a

vehicle. All students that have taken part have made great progress and the young driver’s

team have commented on how well the students have improved. Students have also been

learning how to carry out vehicle checks and basic car maintenance. Some of the skills that

have been covered are: changing oil, checking water levels and tyre tread depth. Each week

a driver of the week is chosen for outstanding progress.

We also have one of our very own young drivers who has their provisional driving license and

has recently passed her theory test, this is an amazing achievement.

KS5 ASDAN History

KS5 students are working through a European History module. As part of this study they

have looked at the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in Pompeii. They spent time looking at life

in a Roman town and made some Roman products such as perfume and soap. They tried to

see if their soap got rid of stains with some very mixed results. Roman lavender perfume

on the other hand was a great success! They finished their look at Pompeii by completing

a timeline of the eruption and an imaginative diary account by characters such as the

gladiator “Jackius Maximus”.

Some students also participated in a workshop run by Fort Amherst. “Mary” came into

Bradfields to tell the students about her role in WW2. She showed the students ration

books and explained how she used them. She also bought in some artefacts such as bomb

fragments that were dropped over the dockside in WW2.

13-14 EB Bowling Reward

Trip

13-14 EB went to Hollywood Bowl on 16th March as their prize for winning the

Christmas decoration competition. Competition was high with some students

having the confidence to bowl without the barriers in place. It was a close

competition for all involved, including the cookie monster with the rate the

biscuits disappeared! All students had great fun bowling and it was lovely to spend

time out as a form. Mrs Pincott won the teachers game as a payback for last

year’s thrashing. Well done 13-14 EB for displaying great behaviour and team

spirit.

Downs Awareness Day

The event was led by Mrs Thomson, whose son Jack, a popular ex-pupil of

Bradfields, has Downs which never stopped him for achieving and attaining to the

best of his ability whilst with us. Jack left us last year and went on to bigger and

better things, but his achievements are still regularly shared by Mrs Thomson to

the staff that knew him.

Mrs Thomson said, “I am very proud of the staff that had the courage to show

their support for such a great cause, by wearing some of the worst socks ever

seen!” As you can see from the picture below, Mrs Thomson was not wrong!

On the 21st March, staff were encouraged

to wear odd socks in support of Downs

Awareness day. For a donation of £1.00,

staff were allowed to mix and match their

socks and show their support for a very

worthwhile charity event.

The Duke of Edinburgh On 25th April 2018 students from Bradfields

Academy who achieved their Bronze Duke of

Edinburgh Award last year, were invited to an Award

ceremony at Rochester Cathedral. Hundreds of other

young people, mostly from Grammar Schools, were

invited to celebrate their success. The ceremony

kicked off with music from Rainham Mark Grammar

School’s Big Band!

Students were given the opportunity to attend this

grand event and receive their Awards in the style of a

graduation ceremony. Students waited excitedly for

their name to be announced and were then invited on

stage to collect their certificate from Professor

Philippe De Wilde, Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the

University of Kent.

At the end of the evening Bradfields Academy were honoured to be invited onto stage to

meet the Mayor, alongside the other young people who achieved their Gold Award.

Demonstrating how the value of the D of E for our students was recognised; their

accomplishments were not only acknowledged, but celebrated.

To achieve their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award, students have volunteered for at

least an hour a week, took part in physical activity, developed their chosen skill and took

part in an expedition where they must navigate their way back to the campsite, find

landmarks en route and cook their own food. It takes a lot of determination to achieve

this; students learn new skills, solve problems and work as a team. They develop

independence and leadership skills, which are highly recognised by future employers.

Bradfields Academy continues to run the Duke of

Edinburgh Award and students this year are preparing for

their expedition by learning how to read maps, put up

tents and cook outside. We’ve seen some fantastic

volunteering at the Dockside and new physical activities

such as rock climbing. The benefits of the Duke of

Edinburgh Award are well recognised and the Award is now

open as an option from year 12 starting from this

September. If anyone wants to consider this still, please

see Miss Hobson, D of E Leader, for more information.

IXL MATHS SOFTWARE

PACKAGE With IXL, maths is more than just numbers. With unlimited

questions, engaging mathematical topics, and real-world

scenarios, IXL helps learners experience maths at its most

mesmerising!

IXL is available to all Bradfields students for use both within

the Academy and at home. All students are being given a

Username and Password which allows them to access the entire

IXL package. Many of our students are already taking advantage

of enhancing their maths skills at home. The software allows

teachers to see their students activity and progress at home

including skills practised, time taken and any areas for

improvement. This allows teachers to further personalise the

learning within their lessons.

Please encourage your Son/Daughter

to access their IXL account.

MATHS WORKSHOP FOR

PARENTS & CARERS Bradfields Academy Maths Department run a

workshop for Parents/Carers once a fortnight on a

Wednesday. The workshop commences at 2.15 and runs

for 45 minutes. The aim of the workshop is to discuss

mathematical topics and concepts in order to share

how Mathematics is taught within the Academy.

During each workshop parents/carers are provided

with a resource pack to share with their child at home.

The aim of the workshop is to enhance Academy and

Parent/Carer partnership and share valuable

resources and information which allows parents and

carers to support their child with home learning.

Our aim is for parents/carers to gain a better understanding of how Maths is taught,

therefore enabling them to assist children with their studies at home. It is recognised that

an essential part of the learning process is through close partnership between teachers and

parents/carers.

The Maths team are committed to ensuring that all learners achieve their full potential and

we fully embrace the interests and needs of all students.

For further details please contact Mrs Stacey Hicks, Subject Leader Mathematics on

01634 683990.

ENGLISH WORKSHOP

FOR PARENTS & CARERS Bradfields Academy English Department run a workshop

for Parents/Carers once a fortnight on a Friday. The

workshop commences at 11.25am and runs for 45

minutes. The aim of the workshop is to discuss English

topics and concepts in order to share how English is

taught within the academy. During each workshop

parents/carers are provided with a resource pack to

share with their child at home. The aim of the workshop

is to enhance academy and Parent/Carer partnership and

share valuable resources and information which allows

parents and carers to support their child with home

learning.

Bradfields Academy would like to inform you of a further development in our drive to

improve Literacy across Medway. From next term, we will be starting the Bradfields

Bookbinders Reading Club. After the massive success of Buster’s Book Club with our

students we are beginning a Book Club for adults to meet, read together, discuss together

and do a wide variety of activities together in an informal and social setting.

It is also a wonderful opportunity for those that simply have a passion for reading, writing

and the spoken language to share that interest with like-minded adults in a supportive and

social manner.

These sessions are available to everyone within the community, not

just parents, carers and siblings. Anyone would be welcome so please

join us in sharing this information to everybody you know. The

sessions will initially run on a Friday morning (11.25-12.20) here at

Bradfields or on a Thursday evening (5.30-7.00pm) as part of new

Adult Education Centre.

For further details please contact Mr Danny Garbutt, Subject Leader for English on:

01634 683990.

Dear Parent & Carers,

Bradfields Academy would like to inform you of an exciting development in our drive to

improve Literacy across Medway. From next term, we will be opening our Bradfields Adult

Education Centre to the community for evening classes. At first, we will specifically be

focusing on English with a wide variety of levels available to study but hope to include other

subjects/courses in the near future.

The evening classes are specially designed for adults (18+) of any age to have an opportunity

to develop their key English skills and gain access to the qualifications they may not have

achieved in the past but are keen to study now. It is also a wonderful opportunity for those

that simply have a passion for reading, writing and the spoken language to share that

interest with like-minded adults in a supportive and social manner.

There will be a number of qualifications on offer including:

Entry Level English (AQA ELC Gold & Silver Award)

GCSE English Language (Exam Summer 2019)

GCSE English Literature (Exam Summer 2019)

A Level English Literature (Exam Summer 2020)

Course costs will be kept to a minimum to encourage as many people as possible to access

these classes and for anyone that has not achieved a Grade 4 (C) in the past at English

Language, examination costs are free.

These courses are available to everyone within the community, not just parents, carers and

siblings. Anyone that wants to develop their English skills/qualifications would be welcome so

please join us in sharing this information to everybody you know. The sessions will initially

run on a Thursday evening (5.30-7.00pm) for this year with Saturday workshops available

next year as exams near. We will also be incorporating our Bookbinders Reading Group into

the sessions for those that are interested. There will be an initial meeting/get together for

anyone interested in attending the courses on Thursday 24th May beginning at 6pm.

For further details please contact Mr Danny Garbutt, Subject Leader for English on:

01634 683990.

Bradfields Academy

Adult Education Centre

Home Learning provides an opportunity for your child to build on their knowledge, skills and

understanding. Please see the detail below as a reminder of the Home Learning your child

should be completing

Primary: Reading.

KS3: English and Maths to set home learning. All other home learning will be from the home

learning skills booklet that the students can work on throughout the year at their own pace.

KS4 and KS5: English and Maths set home learning. Students get additional home learning

from their option subjects which will need to be returned. Students should continue to work

through the home learning Life Skills booklets at their own pace completing the skills that

are most relevant to them.

Other points to clarify about the Home Learning Skills Booklets:

- If your son/daughter is not studying that specific subject in the booklet then they do

not need to attempt those parts if they do not want to.

- The students can go through the home learning booklet in any order, as it fits in with

them and their family.

- The Home Learning life skills will be reviewed at events as listed in the back of the

booklet.

- If students wish, they can bring in a photograph of themselves completing life skills

from the booklet, or write a note in the student planner so these achievements can be

celebrated in assemblies.

Further Life Skills for students to work on at home:

- Talk about crossing the road safely, try this skill with an adult

- Use a pedestrian crossing

- Talk about making an emergency phone call – 999

- Talk about fire safety in the home and your house fire escape routes/procedures

Thank you for your continued support and we hope the students are enjoying working through

their booklets.

Home Learning

May 18

Exam Season is just around the corner, and to ensure that

Bradfields Academy has an efficient exam system, with clear

guidelines for all students, staff, parents and carers, we would like

to draw your attention to the information below concerning the rules

and regulations, during examinations, and also, the appeals process

should it be needed.

The Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) states that we must make you aware of this

appeals procedure for students who may be unhappy with their coursework marks, or after the

results come out, wish to query their results.

Bradfields Academy has a clear Examination Policy and procedures outlining the steps to be taken

in such an event. As timing is crucial because Examination Boards have strict deadlines in place for

appeals you should contact Ms Marie Sweetlove, Guardian Principal as soon as possible.

Written Appeals Procedure

Each awarding body publishes its arrangements for appeals against its decisions. In

addition, an appeal can be made to the Academy concerning the internal assessment:

The appeal applies only to the procedures used in arriving at internal assessment decisions

and does not apply to the judgment themselves; you cannot appeal against the mark or grade

only the procedures used

The parent or guardian must make the appeal in writing to the Academy’s Examinations

Officer at least two weeks before the date of the last externally assessed paper of the

series;

The enquiry into the internal process will normally be led jointly by the Examinations

Officer and the Assistant Principal (Curriculum and Quality Standards), provided that

neither has played any part in the original internal assessment process;

The enquiry will consider whether the procedures used for the internal assessment were in

conformity with the published requirements of the Awarding Body and

the ‘Code of Practice’.

The appellant will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal, including:

Relevant communications with the Awarding Body;

Any steps taken to further protect the interest of the candidates.

May 18

Each awarding body specifies detailed criteria for the internal assessment of work. In addition,

the awarding body must moderate the assessment and the final judgment on marks awarded is that

of the awarding body. Appeals against matters outside the Academy’s control will not be

considered in the appeals procedure.

We must also remind students that they cannot take a mobile phone, ipods, MP3-5

players, smart watches or any other recording devices into the exam room and

that any student who has an exam must be in the right place at the right time!

Due to new technology, student will also be asked to remove their watches before

entering the exam room.

All students will be issued with a ‘Statement of Entry’ for each examination they are entered for,

and will receive a personal timetable, prior to the Exam period.

All students taking examinations this year, will be issued with a

copy of the procedures produced on behalf of the examination

boards concerning Controlled Assessments, and Coursework Assessments, and also a copy of the

regulations they need to adhere to when taking any examination in the Academy.

However, listed below are some ‘highlights’ and warnings to candidates:

1. You must be on time for all your examinations

2. You must not become involved in any unfair or dishonest practice in any part of the

examination

3. You must not sit an examination in the name of another candidate or have in your possession

any unauthorised material or equipment which might give you an unfair advantage.

4. Possession of unauthorised material is breaking the rules, even if you do not intend to use it,

and you will be subject to penalty and possible disqualification.

5. You must not talk to, attempt to communicate with or disturb other candidates once you

have entered the examination room.

6. You must follow the instructions of the invigilator.

7. If you are in any doubt, speak to the invigilator.

8. For any pre-exam queries or concerns, please speak to Mrs Allenby (Exams Officer),

or Ms Sweetlove.

Good luck

to all our students with their Exams and

Qualifications this year.

Information for

Bradfields Breakfast Club Why not encourage your children to come and join us at

Breakfast Club each day. It is led by Miss Bentley and

Mrs Pattison. Both staff have enhanced DBS and are first

aid trained.

Opening Times: 8:00am–8:45am (Monday to Friday, Term time

only)

(No responsibility can be taken for children arriving before

8:00am)

Venue: Breakfast Club Room – Lower Site

A filling breakfast is provided, including a choice of cereal, toast, crumpets, pancakes, with

a selection of spreads, fruit, milk, fruit juice, yogurt or water.

Your child will have the opportunity to complete Home Learning, take part in various

activities and games, which include arts and crafts, Jenga, Table Football and Lego.

A record is kept of all medical conditions including allergies and

dietary needs. Parents and Carers will be responsible for

updating this information when necessary.

The club will follow all Academy policies including Behaviour,

Child Protection and Health and Safety, copies available on

request. The club will observe the OFSTED standards of care

or can be accessed via the website.

Price: £2.00 per session, to be paid at the start of each week or daily. Payment should be

handed to the breakfast club co-ordinators on arrival.

Please note: If payment is not received, your child will not be able to attend breakfast club

until the outstanding balance is cleared.

Any complaints should be made following the guidelines on the Academy’s policy for

complaints procedure, also available on request or can be accessed via the website.

Any compliments can be given either verbally or in writing to the Breakfast Club Co-

Ordinators or the Principal.

We are on Facebook

How to Like our Page

Log in to your Facebook Account

Type “Bradfields Academy” into the search bar

Find the page with the Bradfields Academy logo

Click on the Like Button, or click on the Bradfields

Academy Link, and this will take you to the page.

Our aim to communicate with Parents/Carers and the local community effectively and

provide the latest news and information in an easy and accessible manner.

On the page you will find:

The latest Academy news

Latest Events – to provide dates and times of events

Information regarding any closures due to weather

Photos from events that have taken place

If you wish to comment on statuses then you are more than welcome.

If you do comment, then please keep it in a general manner and do not mention student

names or staff names, as these comments will be removed for safeguarding reasons.

We ask that you do not use bad language, such as swearing/abusive/argumentative language

when commenting on the page.

At Bradfields Academy we have a very successful Guide unit of over

30 Guides; in order to allow the girls to get the most from Guiding

we are intending to split the unit and form Bradfields Rangers. In

order to do this we need more leaders.

We are looking for people to help on Thursday or Friday afternoons

from 3.15pm – 5.00pm at Bradfields Academy, Churchill Avenue,

Chatham.

You need to be:

over 18yrs

Male or female

Reliable

Patient

Enthusiastic

Prepared to undergo DBS checking

Prepared to participate in an informal interview

There will be the opportunity for female leaders to work towards

the Girlguiding Leadership qualification

This is a voluntary position.

If you would like to know more or feel that you would like to join this

winning team please contact Margaret Brook at the Academy

Telephone: 01634 683990

E-mail office@bradfieldsacademy.co.uk

Opportunities to volunteer

and make a difference

You can now make payments online for things like dinner money and trips. Paying for items online is

quicker and easier for you, safer for children and more efficient for us.

The system is called School Gateway – and it’s available for you to use now providing we have your

email address and mobile telephone number.

1. Go to www.schoolgateway.com

2. When you visit the School Gateway website for the first time, please select ‘New User’ and

enter your email address and mobile telephone number you have registered with the

academy.

3. The system will send a PIN code to your phone; please enter this PIN code and your account

will be activated for you.

As soon as you’ve got the system set-up, you’ll be able to pay money to the academy online rather

than send cash or cheques.

In addition to payments you can also access your child’s timetable and attendance information.

Online Payments

Bradfields SUPPORT GROUP 2017 - 2018

10am – 11am

An opportunity to have a coffee and talk to us about any

issues you may be experiencing

Wednesday 13th June 2018

Wednesday 4th July 2018

For further information please contact Emma McGregor-Davies or

Kelly Pope.

Free School Meals Are you entitled to Free School Meals but don’t claim?

Did you know… just registering your child for Free School Meals means that the school gets extra

money?

The Government gives money to schools to help children from lower income families do their very

best. This funding is called a ‘Pupil Premium’.

With this money we could further support and increase opportunities for Teaching & Learning,

social development and work related learning

for such students.

How does it work?

First check you qualify – are you in receipt of and can provide the relevant proof of one of the

following benefits:

Universal Credit (provided you have an annual net earned income of no more than

£7,400, as assessed by earnings from up to three of your most recent assessment

periods)

Income Support

Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance

Income-related Employment and Support Allowance

Support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999

The guarantee element of Pension Credit

Child Tax Credit (provided you're not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an

annual gross income of no more than £16,190)

Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for

Working Tax Credit

Registering is really quick and easy via the Medway Council website www.medway.gov.uk or by using

the following link

https://www.medway.gov.uk/info/200164/school_information/354/free_school_meals/1

If you are already registered for Free School Meals you do not need to do anything further.

Moving House

If you are moving house or need to make changes to your child’s transport arrangements, you must

first speak to Medway SEN Department on 01634 306000. The transport company or driver do not

have the authority to make any changes without permission from Medway Council.

As changes can take a few days to arrange you should ensure you give plenty of notice beforehand.

Do not forget to also let us know of any changes to your address or telephone numbers.

Butlins - Donate to Bradfields 2018 promises to be a big year for Butlin's

family breaks with lots of incredible new

entertainment just announced including Justin

Fletcher and Mr Bloom, and returning for

another year they have Stephen Mulhern,

Diversity and more!

Our PTFA can now receive donations whenever

you book a holiday with Butlin’s.

By using the code BRAD1, when visiting

www.butlins.com/pta, the PTFA will receive a donation from Butlin’s, at no extra cost to

you.

To make sure that the code has been applied, it is recommended that you use the web

address as above and follow the instructions given.

Please see our EasyFundraising page for more information on how you can donate to the

academy through your online shopping, at no extra cost to you.

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bradfieldsacademy/

A guide can be found further into the newsletter on how to set yourself up on

EasyFundraising and how to use it.

Join, shop and raise here:

easyfundraising.org.uk/bradfieldsacademy

Did you know that whenever you buy anything online - from your weekly shop to

your annual holiday - you could be collecting free donations for Bradfields

Academy?

There are over 3,000 shops and sites on board ready to make a donation,

including Amazon, John Lewis, Aviva, the Trainline and Sainsbury's – it does not

cost you a penny extra!

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3...

1. Head to https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bradfieldsacademy

and join for free.

2. Every time you shop online, go to easyfundraising first to find the site you

want and start shopping.

3. After you’ve checked out, that retailer will make a donation to your good

cause for no extra cost whatsoever!

There are no catches or hidden charges and Bradfields Academy will be really

grateful for your donations.

Thank you for your support.

Please join us for our

Fun for all the family

At Bradfield's Academy

Saturday 14th July

11am—1pm

SUMMER FAYRE

Entrance 50p per person Churchill Avenue

Chatham

ME5 0LB