Year: 2024
PVA Curriculum Plus- Co-Curricular Offer June & July 2024 ***UPDATED*****
10 Jun 2024
Co-curriculum refers to the activities and learning experiences that take place in school alongside the academic curriculum. Academic attainment is a key element of school life and it is complemented by a broad and enriching co-curriculum to provide a rounded education. Park Vale students should aim to participate in at least two clubs a week.
See our timetable for clubs and activities on offer in our Curriculum Plus booklet
Year 10 PSHE Workshop – 7th and 14th June 2024
7 Jun 2024
Sexually Transmitted Infections (Y10 workshop led by Nottingham University Hospital staff)
Aim – to increase young people’s knowledge about how STI’s are transmitted, the prevalence of STI’s and the impact on health and how risk can be reduced through safer sex and regular testing.
By the end of the session students will:
- Be able to name the most common STIs in the 15-24 age group
- Be able to explain how STIs, including HIV are transmitted and how we can reduce the risk (including condom use)
- Have increased understanding of how to test for and treat STIs
- Have increased understanding about self-examination and when to seek help
Y10 PARENTS’ EVENING Tuesday 16th July 2024 (4 pm – 7 pm)
6 Jun 2024
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 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.
A letter of congratulations to the school from Alex Norris (MP) after a recent visit to the academy
14 May 2024
Following a successful visit from HMI towards the end of March, Park Vale has officially been judged to be a Good school: the first time ever in its history. The full breakdown of the gradings reads as follows:
Overall Effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good
Behaviour and attitudes Good
Personal development Good
Leadership and management Good
Read the full report, please click on this LINK.
Quotes from the official report:
“Pupils enjoy attending Park Vale Academy. The school has high expectations of what
pupils can achieve and how they should behave. Most pupils meet these
expectations. Staff and pupils said that the school has improved. The school is calm
and orderly. There are clear routines that pupils understand and follow. Most pupils
behave well in lessons. At break and lunchtime, pupils behave sensibly. They enjoy
socialising and taking part in different activities. There are positive relationships
between staff and pupils. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They treat each other
respectfully.”
“Pupils feels safe in school”
“Pupils are clear about the school’s expectations of how they should behave.”
“Lessons are rarely disrupted.”
“The school is well led and managed”
CAMPS INTERNATIONAL – Kenya Scuba Expedition 2026
14 May 2024
School Expedition https://www.campsinternational.com/expedition/kenya-scuba-expedition/https://www.campsinternational.com/expedition/kenya-scuba-expedition/
As a school, we are very excited to announce that we have chosen to partner with Camps International to offer students in Years 9, 10 and 11 the opportunity to go on a life-changing 4-week expedition to during the summer of 2026, incorporating a personal adventure challenge. Years 8,9 and 10 will attend an assembly about this exciting opportunity on Tuesday 14th May 2024.
There is also a parent information evening on Tuesday 21st May at 6.30pm
SAMPLE ITINERARY
This sample itinerary will give you an insight into what you’ll be getting up to. Please note, the exact projects, activities and camps may change closer to the time of your expedition.
| DAY | ACTIVITIES | MORE DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Leave for Kenya | This morning you will make your way to your designated meeting point ready to embark on your journey to Kenya. |
| Day 2 | Arrive in Kenya | You’ll be met at the airport by one of our awesome Camp Kenya crew who will take you to your accommodation in the city where you’ll spend your first night. |
| Day 3 | Head to your first camp | After a good night’s sleep, you will transfer to your first camp of the expedition. Located on the edge of a national park, it truly is a beautiful location and will quickly become your home away from home. On arrival, you will be given a briefing, camp orientation and village tour. After lunch, our project leaders will take you to visit the various project sites. You will gain an understanding of the issues you will be helping to tackle through your project work and we’ll establish your goals and objectives. |
| Day 4 | All about elephants and Maasai | Human-wildlife conflict is a big problem in Africa and today you will learn about the most effective ways the local community is looking to combat this. Working alongside local people you will help them make elephant deterrent fences. This is a method regarded by the locals as the best way to stop elephants entering their farms without harming the animals. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in an educational environmental workshop, making paper out of elephant dung to bring a source of income to the community. In the afternoon we’ll head to visit a local Maasai tribe, where you will spend time learning about their traditions and have a chance to join in with the famous Maasai jumping ceremony. |
| Day 5 – 9 | Environmental project work | Over the next few days, you will be getting stuck into environmental and wildlife-focused projects. You will undertake projects such as tree planting, and animal de-worming, learning about sustainable solutions to local and global issues. |
| Day 10 | Tumani Women’s Group | Today you will be spending time with an inspiring women’s group who we have been working with for many years. You will learn about the challenges faced by women in rural communities and the innovative projects we are supporting to aid income generation. You’ll get to try your hand at some of these projects too, learning to make bead crafts that can be sold. |
| Day 11 | Embark on a safari adventure | After an early breakfast, you’ll embark on an unforgettable safari at Tsavo East National Park, one of Kenya’s top wildlife destinations. Keep your eyes peeled and you may be able to spot a variety of wildlife including elephants, lions, giraffes and zebras to name a few. |
| Day 12 – 18 | PADI Open Water Scuba Diving Course | Head to our coastal camp where you’ll be staying for the next few days to complete your PADI Open Water Scuba Diving Course. Take on the challenge of mastering the fundamentals of Scuba Diving. Learn about your equipment and different diving techniques in a confined environment before undertaking a series of open water dives. Keep your eyes peeled for turtles, dolphins and fish of all shapes and colours. In the evenings, you will have time to relax, play games on the beach or catch up on your PADI theory. |
| Day 19 | Travel to your next camp | After a week of Scuba Diving, you will transfer to your next camp where you will be based in another small, rural community. You’ll take a walk in the village to get to know the local families before having a full briefing on what your work here will involve. During the briefing, you will learn more about the current situation and challenges faced by the community. Then it’s time to get stuck in this afternoon as we begin project work. |
| Day 20 – 27 | Community project work | You will spend the next few days working alongside our locally employed craftsmen, helping to renovate or build a new house for a member of the community. |
| Day 28 | Kwaheri from Kenya | We’ll say our final farewells (or Kwaheri in Swahili) before transferring you back to the airport in time for your flight home. |
OFSTED inspection grades academy Good in all categories
26 Apr 2024
I am pleased to be able to share with you the news that following a successful visit from HMI towards the end of March, Park Vale has officially been judged to be a Good school: the first time ever in its history. The full breakdown of the gradings reads as follows:
Overall Effectiveness Good
The quality of education Good
Behaviour and attitudes Good
Personal development Good
Leadership and management Good
This achievement is a credit to all of the amazing staff who work here but also to the students who really impressed the inspectors with their conduct throughout the process. Thank you also to those parents who fed back such positive comments about the school in the survey which was sent out at the time. It really goes to show that – as long as students attend well – they get a great experience at Park Vale and have every chance of success in the future.
I have included the opening paragraph from the report below and a few other key lines but if you wish to read the full report, please click on this LINK.
Mr Bowhay.
Quotes from the official report:
“Pupils enjoy attending Park Vale Academy. The school has high expectations of what
pupils can achieve and how they should behave. Most pupils meet these
expectations. Staff and pupils said that the school has improved. The school is calm
and orderly. There are clear routines that pupils understand and follow. Most pupils
behave well in lessons. At break and lunchtime, pupils behave sensibly. They enjoy
socialising and taking part in different activities. There are positive relationships
between staff and pupils. Pupils are polite and well-mannered. They treat each other
respectfully.”
“Pupils feels safe in school”
“Pupils are clear about the school’s expectations of how they should behave.”
“Lessons are rarely disrupted.”
“The school is well led and managed”
Thursday 2nd May 2024 Commendation Evening Year 11
23 Apr 2024
Park Vale Academy is delighted to welcome parents to their Year 11 Commendation Evening on Thursday 2nd May 2024. We look forward to celebrating the success of the students with you.
Year 11 commendation winners and their families are invited to attend this presentation evening to celebrate their achievements at the academy.
Invite letters and Class Chart messages will be sent to all award winners.
Y8 PARENTS’ EVENING Thursday 16th May 2024 (4 pm – 7 pm)
23 Apr 2024
******The booking system opens midday on Monday 29th April*******
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 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.
Y8 & Y9 PSHE Workshops – 22nd April 2024
14 Apr 2024
On Monday 22nd April, Equate will again deliver PSHE workshops in school to our Y8 and Y9 students.
Y8 Equate workshop – Personal Space – periods 2 and 3
This workshop:
- Helps students to define different zones of space – intimate, personal, social and public
- Explores the different people the students feel comfortable allowing into different zones of their space
- Ensures the young people that they can always say no to any physical closeness
- Introduces and explores the meaning of sexual content through discussions of what the students would consider an invasion of personal and intimate space.
Y9 Equate workshop – Consent – periods 4 and 5
This workshop:
- Introduces consent and what it is
- Explores what is freedom, choice and capacity to consent, and what not having the freedom to consent might look like
- Students will work with scenarios to put their learning to use in assessing what is and isn’t consensual
- Discusses verbal and non-verbal cues, both positive and negative
- Signposts young people to support and advice online and in their areas.
‘Uniform Fitting Event’ for the New Year 7 Students 4th July 2024
11 Apr 2024
The Just Schoolwear team – Will be visiting’ Park Vale Academy ’ to hold a ‘Uniform Fitting Event’ for the New Year 7 Students
- Thursday 4th July 6 – 7.30pm
Students will be able to try uniform , which ensures the correct sizes are ordered on-line – Orders placed within 7 days after our ‘Fitting Event’ will receive Free home delivery on their order.
