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South Axholme Academy - Newsletter
Spring Term, April 2023
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Isle Education Trust's CEO Update
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Welcome to this term's newsletter. At the end of this Spring term, it is lovely to be starting to see lighter mornings and longer days and a sense that warmer days are not too far away.
It has been an unsettled period nationally with strikes and disruptions in many sectors, including some teaching unions. We thank staff and parents alike for their understanding and
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support throughout this period, making what could have been a tricky term less so. We will continue to navigate our way through the ongoing unrest next term, always putting the wellbeing, learning and health and safety of students and staff at the centre of our decision-making as far as is possible.
Despite these challenges, there have been some truly fantastic learning experiences on offer for students across the trust, supporting the academic and wider development of our young people. I have been amazed at the impressive culinary skills of pupils at Epworth Primary, the sporting achievements of South Axholme students (including the recently formed equestrian team) and a variety of careers related guests and visits at Coritani to name but a few, and all alongside the “normal” learning that takes place. It really has been a busy and varied term.
As we approach Easter, I wish you a good break with lots of chocolate and hopefully lots of sunshine too!
Sarah Sprack
CEO IET
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Scott Barlow
Principal of South Axholme Academy
Expect Excellence: Ready, Resilient, Respectful
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Principal's Update
Students, staff and governors at South Axholme Academy (part of Isle Education Trust) are celebrating after Ofsted have, once again rated the academy as “Good” in all areas and “Outstanding” for behaviour and attitudes.
The glowing report followed a 2-day inspection carried out in January noted that the academy “is a warm and welcoming school” and praised leaders’ decision-making which “supports pupils to achieve excellence and be ready, respectful and resilient in all that they do.”
Inspectors also highlighted the “high-quality education” delivered by teachers who “are skilled and knowledgeable.” The wider enrichment curriculum was also cited as providing pupils with the “information, knowledge and skills that they need for their next stage of education, employment, training and/or adult life”.
The excellent report follows the academy’s great successes in last year’s GCSE and A level results ranking it once again as one of the highest performing secondary schools in the Yorkshire and Humber region.
Scott Barlow, Principal of South Axholme Academy said:
“It is fantastic that Ofsted have recognised the amazing hard work of all staff and students at the academy, and that despite some very challenging years for education generally, the SAX mindset and commitment of staff have, and continue to provide students with the very best educational experiences.”
Sarah Sprack, Chief Executive Officer of Isle Education Trust, said:
“South Axholme Academy and IET are not purely driven by Ofsted, and make decisions based on what is best for students and their education, but it is always gratifying to have officially acknowledged what I see on a daily basis. SAX is an amazing academy, a great place to work and a great place to learn.”
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Principal's Cafe
As you know, students who work well throughout the school day are awarded ACHIEVED points. In addition to this, students who earn the highest amount of ACHIEVED points in their Year group, accumulating during the week are invited to celebrate their achievements by attending The Principal's Cafe, where they receive a sweet treat and a hot chocolate.
Well done to all students who have ACHIEVED this term!
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MATHEMATICS - Pi Day
On Tuesday 14 March 2023, students from our feeder primary schools took part in the Pi day which is a regular on the mathematics calendar. This year, South Axholme Academy celebrated by inviting Year 6 students to spend a fun morning investigating Pi. Teams from different feeder schools competed in vocabulary, measuring and calculating tasks.
By measuring the circumference and diameter of different household, mathematical and sporting equipment around the school, the beauty of circles was realised and Pi was discovered!
Elizabeth Hoey said, "it was great fun", and students from Brooke Primary Academy in Thorne came out on top.
Mrs Milne, Assistant Subject Leader, Mathematics
(Photos below: Year 6 students from feeder primary schools engrossed in pi day.)
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PHOTOGRAPHY
GCSE Photography students have been working with the Axholme Camera Club
Some of our Year 10 GCSE Photography students attended an evening session at the Axholme Camera Club recently. The camera club had organised for Marlies Chell from the Rolls Royce Camera Club to attend, and with her she brought some small bugs and insects. Students attended the evening and spent time taking photos of the animals using the expertise of the members of the club to produce some fantastic photos.
Bob Fish, treasurer of the camera club has also worked alongside the whole group in school on their first photo shoot for their coursework project.
A huge thanks to everyone involved.
Mrs Fenton
Subect Leader, Art
(Photos below: selection of photographs taken by Year 10 students at the camera club)
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On Thursday 2 March members of staff at South Axholme took part in World Book Day. Since it was first celebrated in the UK and Ireland over 25 years ago, the day has grown to become an essential calendar fixture for schools, settings and communities. This year staff were challenged to carry around a book that they have read or are currently reading.
The task was to find as many of these staff as possible and write down their name, the title of their book and the author.
Then, the students took their findings to their English Teacher who supplied the students with a grid to complete.
The students who completed the most entries won a prize. The winners were Ava Jones (7G) Charlie Dainty (7N) and Riley Douglas (8T).
Thank you and well done to everyone who took part. We hope that you downloaded the voucher that was sent to you by email.
Ms Hutton, English Teacher
(Picture c/o World Book Day)
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What’s been happening?
Over the past half-term, Pledge Leaders at South Axholme Academy have been working behind the scenes to give students some fantastic opportunities across the academy.
Some great things have taken place and this has really showcased the skills, talents and resilience of the young people who attend Souh Axholme Academy.
Over the half-term, students have regularly attended extra-curricular events that the academy offers on a weekly basis including revision, sports and performing arts.
On top of that many things have taken place, including: -
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Pila Ski Trip – It was great to see the return of the Y8 ski trip to the Aosta Valley in Italy. Having not run this trip since 2019 due to Covid, it was great to see so many students enjoying themselves on the slopes. Not only did students show great resilience throughout the week in improving their skills, they also had fun during the pizza night as well as other evening activities.
Pledge achieved: Take part in an international experience
(Photo: Students enjoying the view in the resort of Pila, Northern Italy)
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Comic Relief – The school raised over £30 on Friday 17th March. A number of Y10 students supported through helping run the bake sale. Furthermore, many students across different year groups participated by generously donating money to the bake sale and completing quizzes and spot the difference activities!
Pledge achieved: Helping to improve the local community and participate in a fund raising event
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Doncaster Racecourse Educational Visit – A number of Y8 students participated in a trip to this famous Yorkshire track which hosts the oldest flat racing classic of the year, the St Leger. Students were thoroughly engaged throughout, walking the course and witnessing what it would be like to hurdle or jump one of the many fences on the track, as well as take a small lecture from the 1996 Grand National winning jockey Mick Fitzgerald. Not only that but they got to watch competitive horse racing.
Pledge achieved: Attend a sporting, cultural or academic event
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Manchester City vs RB Leipzig – What a night! A number of students from all year groups witnessed a thrashing at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City came out 7-0 winners, with Erling Haaland scoring an incredible five goals! As always this trip was very popular, with students enjoying their time in Manchester. Students visited the club shop, became involved in the pre match entertainment and represented SAX respectfully when watching the game for the duration of 90 minutes.
Pledge achieved: Attend a sporting, cultural or academic event
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National Careers Week – The week beginning 6th March saw students attend various lectures and seminars for careers week. Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 got the opportunity to participate in talking to employers such as the police, agriculture and women in sport amongst others. Students were inspired for their futures!
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Castleford Tigers Rugby League Match – SAX students had the opportunity to go and watch a rugby league match involved Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos. This involved students across different year groups. It was a close fought match. The students really enjoyed the occasion, and would love to attend another rugby match in the near future.
Pledge achieved: Attend a sporting, cultural or academic event
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Easter Egg and Women’s History Month Competition – Once again the famous Easter Egg competition returned this year. This is currently an ongoing event, with the deadline for entries the first week back after the Easter break. Students across KS3 get to use their creative minds to design a famous history character of their choice on a boiled egg. Alongside this, March is Women’s History Month. Students across KS3 can participate in this challenge by completing different tasks based on famous women throughout history. Those successful will receive a prize! The history department are looking forward to seeing all entries, good luck!
Pledge achieved: Take part in a sporting, cultural or academic event
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Business/Sport Science Trip to Old Trafford – Y11 business and sport science students combined together to travel to Manchester to participate in an academic event looking at how these two subjects are performed and undertaken at a professional sports club. It was great to see students become more aware of how these subjects can actually play a role in a day to day running of a football club.
Pledge achieved: Take part in a sporting, cultural or academic event
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Message from Pledge Leaders
It has been a great half term at SAX with many great events taking place. We look forward to seeing students gain their pledge’s and showcasing their abilities in the terms to come. We have been thrilled that so many students have been taking part in the SAX Mindset Pledges and it has been a privilege to work with such enthusiastic young people.
- Mr. Clamp – Year 7 Pledge Leader
- Mr. Dwyer – Year 8 Pledge Leader
- Mr. Brooks – Year 9 Pledge Leader
- Miss. Naylor – Year 10 pledge leader
- Mr. Parkin – Year 11 pledge Leader
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This term students have been busy as always learning about Careers, Post 16 courses and Apprenticeships. Our Year 9 students are taking the next step in their academic journeys and are selecting their GCSE Options. They have been helped along the way, with assemblies, 1:1 support, a special options evening with colleges and our careers advisor attending, all to help them make an informed decision about their future.
Our Year 9 students also had the opportunity to visit Hull University for the first time, where they learnt more about Higher Education and university life. They were able to see for themselves what the university and campus looks like, learn more about students life, finances, courses on offer and all the clubs and societies that add to the experience. This was a great chance for students to gain a better understanding of Higher Education and what it has to offer, and inspire some students to consider studying at a university in the future. Although it seems a long way off in Year 9, it is never too early to start considering options for the future.
We have been lucky this term with the number of visitors to school for National Apprenticeship Week, shortly followed by National Careers Week, all keen to pass on their career stories to our students. During NAW, Ex SAX Alumni Jakob Bartlett, kindly returned to school for an in-depth interview with Principal Mr Barlow, which was streamed live to the students. In the interview Jakob was able to give an honest portrayal of his journey from SAX student to gaining an Apprenticeship with Howdens. The students were given a real insight into the day-to-day life of an Apprentice, hopefully inspiring some to do the same.
National Careers Week was packed with guest speakers from a variety of career areas, all kindly donating their time to give truthful insights into working life and how to achieve your career goals. The students heard from a Music Performer, Engineer, Sports Coach, Pharmacist, Property and Land Developer, Lawyer, Tree Arborist, Chiropractor, Music Tour Manager, Army, and Early Years Practitioners to name a few. Many of the talks were delivered by parents and SAX alumni, showcasing careers and opportunities within the local labor market, and further afield. With such a wide range of careers being discussed, the students were given a fantastic opportunity to develop their own career knowledge, and maybe even a few new career goals were set!
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60 students across Year 10 and 11 recently participated in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge. 18 students achieved a Bronze award with a further 20 achieving the Silver level. Special mentions go to Edward Wadsworth and Amelia Wilkinson for achieving the highest score in their year group.
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SIX!
Our cast of eleven year 11 students have worked tirelessly over the past eight months to prepare for their three performances of SIX!
Monday 16th January saw them perform to the whole of year 7 as their final dress and tech rehearsal - year 7 were a fantastic audience and gave some super feedback despite us having a few issues with the sound equipment.
Two evening performances to family and friends then followed on Wednesday 18th & Thursday 19th January.
The show begins with a dramatic rendition of 'Ex Wives' where we learn how the six wives of Henry VIII died and then we are introduced to our wonderful Ladies in Waiting - Dee Bothomley, Emily Bruce, Ella Jones, Imogen Leng & Katie Reynolds. The show would not have been as fantastic without these five in the background providing backing vocals and intricate choreography.
Then Catherine of Aragon, played by Ruby Laws, sings the first solo; her personalised rendition of 'No Way'. It has been a joy to see Ruby grow in confidence during our rehearsal process and watch how she blossomed as an actress, singer and dancer.
Anne Boleyn, played by Ava Fisher, has the next solo 'Don't Lose Your Head'. Ava is a natural on stage and a true triple threat, landing every single line, executing the repertoire with flair and having the audience in stitches. She has recently secured a place at CAPA where she will continue her Performing Art journey - Go Ava!
Jane Seymour's solo 'Heart of Stone' ends the first act. Ellen Malson plays Jane and there was not a dry eye in the house after her solo. Such pose and beauty, Ellen truly embodied all that Jane Seymour should be hitting every note with the ease of a seasoned professional.
In Act 2 we meet Anna of Cleves, played perfectly by Lucy Welsch, in 'Haus of Holbein' and then in her solo 'Get Down'. Lucy is born comedian and owned the stage. Her interaction with the audience was a delight to watch and as with Ava, Lucy delivered all the comic parts with ease.
Katherine Howard, the diva, sings 'All You Wanna Do' next. This being the longest of the solos and challenging in so many ways. Katherine Howard was played by Francesca Atkinson, and all her hard work and effort was clearly evident as she smashed every note and every dance move show after show.
The final queen we meet is Catherine Parr, played by Scarlett Kirwan. Those who know Scarlett know what a talented musician she is, and her solo did not disappoint. It wasn't until Scarlett performed 'I Don't Need Your Love' that the team really appreciated the beauty of this song, her subtle personal
additions made it the perfect solo to finish the individual song performances.
The show finished with the remix of SIX! then Mega Six! and when the curtain closed the atmosphere backstage was euphoric. Screams followed by tears, hugs & laughter, the perfect end to a perfect show.
A huge thank you goes to Andy Malsom for all the hours he put in sourcing the lights, rigging them, building additional scaffolding, adding our own projector and then creating and printing the programmes. We could not have done it without him or Claire Welsch, our amazing costume designer - her bespoke pieces, the result of hours upon hours of work, were the icing on the cake that is SIX! and we will forever be grateful to you both.
SIX! will go down in the SAX history books as being one of the best productions to come out of the Academy and the Performing Arts department are so very proud of each and every one of you! #TEAMSIXFOREVER!
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IET Catering at South Axholme Academy
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Our catering team at South Axholme has provided the students at the academy with an array of lunches this term. The menus provided have been nutritious and wholesome, and sometimes based on a theme depending on the time of year, which has been good fun.
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Senior Student Leadership Team
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What have our Senior Student Leadership Team and Student Voice been doing?
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Academy Update - Teaching and Learning
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Home Learning - Satchel One
At South Axholme Academy, home learning is an essential part of school life as it supports the curriculum, subject interests and develops core skills such as organisation and independent learning.
Research from the Education Endowment Foundation shows that ‘the impact of homework on learning is consistently positive leading to on average five months’ additional progress.’
To help support students, all home learning at South Axholme is set on a platform called Satchel One. We have been using this platform for a year, and it is proving to be very successful, allowing parents/carers to keep track of their child's homework. As we embrace an increasingly digital approach to work, this provides an up-to-date way of working for all of our community.
Please encourage your child to download the Satchel One app onto their devices. Students can also access Satchel One via any computer if they are unable to download the app.
If you have not yet got your parent information to enable you to access Satchel One to support your child at home, please contact the academy.
We thank parents and students for their cooperation whilst we have introduced this new way of working.
Mrs Bullars - Vice Principal
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For a reminder about how parents and students can log into satchel one, please see the link to the website here.
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If your child is on the SEND register you will now have received their updated APDR Plan (support plan) for this academic year. There will be an opportunity to review this plan at your child's parents' evening. If you would like an additional review meeting, please contact our admin team who will be able to arrange this for you.
If you believe your child should be on the SEND register please also contact the admin team and we can arrange for the SEND team to contact you to discuss this further.
We wish you all a fabulous Christmas and a very happy New Year.
Kind Regards
Mrs Marsh - Assistant Principal and SENDCo
The SEND Team
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Celebrating Success - Principals Cafe
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Celebration Assemblies March 2023
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At the end of every term we celebrate students' successes in our Celebration Assemblies. Students receive awards for: -
- 100% Attendance
- Top 10 Achievement Points
- Top 10 Attitude to Learning
- Zero Behaviour Points
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Also celebrated is the Form Group who have won the 'most achieved trophy'.
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After School Study Support Year 11 and Revision
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Students in Year 11 have been embracing the opportunity to study together by attending after school study support on Thursdays. It has been so successful we have extended the provision to Tuesday afternoons as well, when the Year 11s are joined by Year 13.
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It has been great to see such an amazing work ethic from our students. The atmosphere has been buzzing, and students have been able to get help and support from teachers as well as each other.
There is no doubt that those students who attend are benefitting from the camaraderie and realisation that they are not alone. Working together is making revision fun!
Year 10 students will get the opportunity to stay after school for study support later in the year when they start to prepare for their end of year exams.
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Upcoming Trips and Visits
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They can stay and study (or come back in the evening), have dinner and watch the SAX production of SIX featuring many of our very talented Year 11s.
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Online Library
We have relaunched the SAX online library. This is something that all students can access for FREE.
Students just need to download the app or go onto a computer and use their school login and password details.
For the further details please use this link to the On Line Library Presentation
Happy reading!
Mrs Bullars - Vice Principal
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Duke of Edinburgh Award (DofE)
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Expressive Arts - Upcoming Performance
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Individual Student Achievements
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On Sat 11th March William Hinz yr 7 traveled to Birmingham NEC to the world famous cruft with his 7 year old collie dog, Twix.
William had been competing throughout the year to qualify them for cruft’s, where he was entered into the intermediate dog agility class for 6-11 yr old.
On the first round the pair won the class which saw them go through to the main arena which was televised. They did an amazingly fast round of 34.3 seconds placing them 7th overall. It was a tough class where all ages up to 18 competed so to come away with 7th was an excellent result.
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Well done to Oscar who competed in the
The Ali Ghiassi Junior Chess Tournament @ J?ohn Leggott College on the 11th March.
Oscar competed in the U14 Category and finished in an impressive 4th place.
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Sports Teams at South Axholme Academy
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Our sports teams are very active at the academy and our PE staff continue to attend many sports and team games after school throughout the year competing against other schools.
Follow us on facebook and Instagram for the most up to date results.
Mr Spouncer, Subject Leader - PE
(Photos: SAX Sports Teams)
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SAX Alumini
student lands dream apprenticeship placement at one of world's best golf clubs
Zoe Priest, 17, completed a six-week summer placement at Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland
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Darren and Zoe in the kitchen (Image: North Lindsey College)
A catering student at North Lindsey College has been offered her dream apprenticeship placement at an exclusive private Member’s Club in Scotland.
Zoe Priest, 17, completed a six-week summer placement at Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland, which is one of the world’s finest private Members' Clubs. Zoe made a huge impression on the Club and worked hard during her time spent there which resulted in her securing an apprenticeship at the prestigious golf club.
The college has strong links with the club as other students have also completed work experience there. The Executive Chef from Loch Lomond Golf Club, Darren Harrison, is a former student of North Lindsey College and was a very promising chef during his training.
As a student, he was noticed at the Scotch Lamb competition by the head judge Jeff Bland who was the Executive Chef from the famous Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh.
As a result, Darren moved to Edinburgh after his studies to take up a position within the Balmoral’s fine dining restaurant, Number One. This exposure into a professional kitchen was invaluable to him and he has since honed his skills in some of Scotland’s most iconic hotels.
Darren made the 285-mile journey specifically to come to North Lindsey College and meet with the staff, talk to the students and observe them working in the kitchen, this was then followed up with interviews with students via Microsoft Teams.
Darren wants to support young talent and help give back to where it all started for him, which is great to have such a strong connection in the industry outside of our local area. He said: “As a former student of North Lindsey College I know that the invaluable training I received there has helped me carve out my career as a Chef. I therefore felt it was important to pay this back, to give an opportunity to a student from my hometown and to build a relationship with the College in order to nurture future talent.
“I feel passionately about my chosen profession and know only too well how hard it is to get the support and opportunity to work in a successful and highly acclaimed kitchen. One of my many roles as an Executive Chef is to seek out upcoming talent that can add to an already successful and strong brigade.”
Darren continued: “When meeting Zoe for the first time I knew she had the makings of a good chef. This was due to her commitment and execution of every task given to her. A methodical work ethic and concentration are becoming harder to find within chefs, but Zoe displays all of these attributes, which will stand her in good stead for the future. Zoe shows great promise and is competent in dealing with any situation a busy service throws at her and has now cemented herself as a permanent member of my brigade for which all at Loch Lomond Golf Club are very proud. I look forward to building a long and successful relationship with the College and continuing to give the next generation of talent opportunities.”
Zoe will work in various types of outlets including banqueting, functions, a la carte restaurants and fine dining. She will use the skills and knowledge she has acquired from North Lindsey College as a catering student on the City and Guilds Level 2 Diploma in Professional Cookery.
Zoe said: “During my time at College, I was offered multiple amazing opportunities, such as a 2 week all expenses paid trip to France by the Erasmus+ program for work experience, and I was also lucky enough to be given the opportunity to complete a 6-week summer placement at the prestigious Loch Lomond Golf Club in Scotland. But in addition to this, I met some of my closest friends and learnt some of the basic knowledge and tools that will serve me well for the next step in my career.
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SAX Mindset days play a key part in the personal development of Ready, Resilient and Responsible students. Throughout the academic year the days include spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) development, understanding of fundamental British values, age-appropriate sex and relationship education alongside coverage of personal, social, health and economic (PSHE) education.
A very successful SAX Mindset Day was held on 1 December 2022, with the following themes
Year 7 - Building a confident and safe me
Year 8 - Careers
Year 9 - Crime and safety awareness
Year 10 - Geography and History field trips
Year 11 - Wellbeing and mindfulness day
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We have teams in the following areas:
Badminton ,Football , Netball , Hockey , Rounders and Rugby, as well as Sports Leaders who help organise and support all events.
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Respect - South Axholme Proceeds from Non UNIFORM
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South Axholme Academy Trips and Visits
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Student Lockers
We still have student lockers available to rent. Please follow the link to our website for further information about how to request one here.
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And in other news, we have been thinking about ..
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South Axholme Academy's Pride Society
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Join Mrs Marsh and fellow students on Friday breaktimes, in the 6th Form area at Pride Society.
"We are all different and that's beautiful"
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In case you missed it........
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We look forward to seeing our students on Monday 17 April 2023 for the summer term
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If you have any football boots that don't fit - bring them to us, and we will ensure that they are loved again on the right sized foot!
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Get organised and sort out your academy uniform! See our website (here) for full details.
Don’t forget if you have any old uniform / text books that you would like to donate, please bring into the academy and leave at student reception. This will go a long way to support members of our community
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Fresh Local Produce
We are delighted to announce that a parent, who has a local fresh produce business has kindly offered to promote this local produce with us. Serving the Isle of Axholme and local businesses Mr Glew can provide, fresh seasonal produce as a local option for parents of students studying Food to buy their ingredients too.
https://www.axholmeproduce.co.uk/
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Stay in Touch via facebook or instagram and remember that you can view our website for the following information:
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Uniform details
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Calendar dates
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Trips and visits
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Policies
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Curriculum
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Letters from the Principal
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Latest news
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Menu choices
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Contact Information and Permissions
During inclement weather or an emergency, should we have to make a decision to close the academy, we will email parents. Information will also be posted on our website (where possible). Please visit our Policies and Documents section for further details here. Also, ensure that you have ticked in the 'consent' section in Arbor that you agree to your child's emergency plan should we need to send your child home.
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Arbor
We now have 80% of our parents/carers registered with the Arbor App.
Don't miss out!
If you have not activated your account, please contact the academy and we will send you the information that you will need to register.
This is an excellent way to view your child's dashboard which includes attendance data and achievements.
In addition, you can update your personal information without needing to contact the academy. Please see the link below to access your account.
https://login.arbor.sc/
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We look forward to seeing our students on Monday 17 April 2023, for the final term.
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South Axholme Academy
Burnham Road
Epworth
Doncaster
DN9 1BY
admin@southaxholme-iet.co.uk
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