Month: March 2024
OUR NEW ISSUE of PARK LIFE – Available Now!
29 Mar 2024
House Points we 25th March 2024
26 Mar 2024
Enterprise Event 28th March 2024
18 Mar 2024
Entrepreneurial skills.
Our Enterprise event run by business students in year 10 is due to take place on Thursday 28th March with a variety of stalls selling items chosen by the students.
Our students will run enterprise activities to raise money for the MacMillan Cancer charity.
Our students will demonstrate and test their entrepreneurial skills of teamwork, problem solving, speaking, listening, decision making and aiming high alongside their business studies knowledge of the marketing mix.
Y7 PARENTS’ EVENING Wednesday 17th April 2024 (4 pm – 7 pm)
16 Mar 2024
The booking system opens on 20th March. Use the link to access the online parent evening booking system.
Please use the link below to book your appointments
https://parkvaleacademy.parentseveningsystem.co.uk/
Click here for a parents’ evening guide to using the system
Questions you may wish to ask at parents’ evenings
Jot down a list of questions and/or observations (not too many, though) on each subject in advance so you’re your appointments are focused and make the most of the limited time.
Some useful questions might be:
- Is my child’s progress in line with the teacher’s expectations?
- Has he or she done anything particularly well, or badly?
- What can he or she do to improve?
- Are they attending the extra revision sessions after school?
- How can I help as a parent?
- How can you help as his or her teacher?
- How much time should my child’s homework for this subject take?
- How much time should my child be reading?
- What do his or her grades tell us about possible performance in important future exams?
- Does he or she contribute to lessons?
- How does my child get along with the other pupils in the class and the teachers?
Make a note on the night of the teachers’ answers – after a couple of hours whisking from one subject to another, it can be easy to forget or muddle the comments.
…And more questions
Most teachers have a wealth of knowledge and experience, so ask for their guidance and suggestions on how you can help your child to do their best in the subject. If a teacher says something you don’t understand, ask for clarification. Parents are not expected to know all about a subject or a method of teaching.
Constructive criticism
Good teaching means identifying areas for improvement, so don’t be offended if you hear criticism of your child. This should always be constructive and designed to help them to achieve their potential in the subject. If your child is with you, try not to sound disappointed or negative – or tell your child off! Take the advice of the teacher as a positive step towards better marks in the future. Remember that it’s rarely helpful to compare your child’s performance to other members of the class, set or year group – what’s important is that they are achieving in line with their own capabilities, not those of others.
REDHILL TRUST BOOK AWARDS 2024 BRING STUDENTS AND AUTHORS TOGETHER FOR GRAND FINALE!
14 Mar 2024
A special Book Awards event was held at Park Vale Academy for Years 7 and 8, bringing their fabulous World Book Day week of celebrations to a thrilling close.
Thousands of students from across the Redhill Trust academies have voted in the annual Redhill Trust Book Awards. Students across the Trust gathered at The Carlton Academy to hear from author Ross Montgomery and join in author workshops. The year 7 Book Club students from Park Vale Academy will join the finale on 15th March 2024 where the winners will be announced!
PVA support International Women’s Day 2024
10 Mar 2024
All students attended an assembly about the aims and objectives of IWD 2024. The campaign theme for International Women’s Day 2024 is Inspire Inclusion.
When we inspire others to understand and value women’s inclusion, we forge a better world.And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
Collectively, let’s forge a more inclusive world for women.
https://www.internationalwomensday.com/
International Women’s Day is March 8.
Imagine a gender equal world. A world free of bias, stereotypes, and discrimination. A world that’s diverse, equitable, and inclusive. A world where difference is valued and celebrated. Together we can forge women’s equality. Collectively we can all #InspireInclusion.
Minecraft Nottingham, Nottingham University & PVA
7 Mar 2024
Park Vale Academy students are participating in The Minecraft Nottingham research project. It is a perfect example of how Digital Nottingham is seeking to engage with young people; gaining valuable insights into how they see their city and contributing to the development of their digital skills.
For the uninitiated, Minecraft is an online 3D computer game – in fact, it is the best-selling video game in history, with over 238 million copies sold – in which players can build pretty much anything. The game involves building blocks and creating structures across different environments and terrains. Described by many as “online Lego”, the game forgoes physical bricks and blocks for virtual, computer-generated materials. This all happens in a virtual world where players are encouraged to gather resources, craft items, and plan and build structures.
Professor Ainsworth continued: “This project will be a fantastic window into the imagination of young people. It would also support primary and secondary education curriculum objectives in novel ways, for example in Geography, or Data Science, all the while building digital skills which will aid them in their future studies and careers.”
Whilst the project is still in relative infancy, a number of activities are being considered for the future, including:
- Children learning about their city through ordnance survey maps and then teleporting around within Minecraft to visit the main sites.
- Creation of location-based games where they visit the campus in Minecraft and in real-life whilst wearing trackers to map their exploration of the real and virtual spaces.
- Encouraging participants to use these experiences to become ‘community leaders’ engaging with their families and their wider community to incorporate needs, wants and sustainable priorities, which could then be expressed as Minecraft builds in their own right.
UPDATED Arrangements for students in the final weeks of Year 11
7 Mar 2024
Year 11 Leavers’ Assembly
In a slight change of plan, this will now take place period 5 on Thursday 13 June. However the last official day for Y11 will remain the same i.e. they will finish on Friday 14 at 3.05 pm. Please note that there are still a couple of exams the following week (DT and Hospitality & Catering) which the relevant students will obviously need to attend.
7 March 2024
Dear Parent
As we approach the official leaving date for Year 11, I wanted to remind you of some of the key dates to be aware of over the next few weeks.
Key Dates
| Thursday 13 June | Official leaving date for Year 11. Their leavers’ assembly will take place period 3, however, they will be in school for the full day as they have a physics exam in the afternoon. |
| Friday 28 June | Year 11 ‘Prom’ at Ramsdale Golf Club: 6.30pm for 7.00pm start |
| Thursday 22 August | GCSE Results Day |
| Spring 2024 (specific date TBC) | Presentation Evening (students return to collect GCSE certificates and school awards for top performers) |
Some students will still have further exams after the 14th June; DT on the morning of the 18th June and Hospitality and Catering on the morning of the 20thJune. In order to prepare for the remaining exams, those students who are affected will be invited into school for revision sessions – arrangements for these will be confirmed nearer to the time. Please do encourage your son or daughter to attend these invaluable final revision sessions but be aware that they will still be required to wear full school uniform.
As the students leave the academy, we would love them to stay in touch so that we can hear about the progress they make in the future. I would therefore encourage them to join our growing alumni community. More details can be found on our website or sign up at https://networks.futurefirst.org.uk/signup/parkvale
Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to say what a pleasure it has been to work with all of the students in Year 11 during my time with them. I would like to thank you, as parents, for all of your support and wish both you and them the very best of luck for the future.
Yours sincerely
Mr S Bowhay
Head Teacher
National Careers Week 2024 – 4th-9th March
6 Mar 2024
National Careers Week is a one-week celebration of career guidance and free resources in education across the United Kingdom. The campaign aims to create guidance activities for young people at what is a very important stage in the academic calendar. Charting a career path can be both exciting and challenging. National Careers Week provides a dedicated time frame to focus on exploring career opportunities, understanding individual potentials, and setting ambitious yet achievable goals for the future.
The week provides a focus on career guidance activities to help young people develop awareness and excitement about their future pathways. Find out more about National Careers Week.
- Download a Student Resource Book for National Careers Week.
- Download a Parents’ Guide to National Careers Week.
During National Careers Week we will be using the many resources available, such as a virtual careers fair, films, talks, and booklets to inspire our students about their future options and pathways.
At PVA we offer a comprehensive careers education programme that includes networking experiences, Alumni engagement, work experience, and knowledge of local, regional, and national workplaces to support students in realising their potential and shaping their futures.
Spark a love of STEM! The Big Bang Fair 20th June 2024 – Year 8
1 Mar 2024
https://www.thebigbang.org.uk/the-big-bang-fair/
Year 8 students will be attending the UK’s biggest STEM celebration for young people. The Big Bang Fair returns to the NEC in Birmingham from 19 to 21 June to inspire and excite young people with careers in science, engineering, and technology. Discover hands-on activities, careers panels, and incredible shows that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
