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A Message from Principal, Mr Martin
We are already two weeks into the Summer term and preparation for the Summer examination season is well underway.
The Year 11 foreign language speaking exams started this week and we also had the PE moderator on site. Next week our Year 10 mock fortnight begins. Once the Year 10 has finished, the GCSE and A Levels begin, with exams almost every day up until half term and into June. Our army of exam invigilators, from the local community, have all completed their training and are ready to go, and our exam team is busy preparing. I would like to wish all our students the best of luck in their preparation for the weeks ahead.
This week we held a careers event for Year 10, where employers from a variety of companies across the country came into school to work with our students on a range of different tasks. The day was a great success and I'd like to thank Ms Foreman and Ms McMillian for all their hard work in planning such a successful day. This weekend, we have around 100 students out on a Duke of Edinburgh expedition; fingers crossed for good weather. And you may have seen our Facebook post for the upcoming performance of ‘Too Much Punch for Judy’ from our KS4 drama company. The link to purchase tickets can be found below. It certainly is a busy and enriching time for our students.
In sport, the U14 boys’ football team made it through to the county cup finals this week, which is a great achievement. We had some amazing news recently, after winning several gold and silver medals in the European Taekwondo Championships, Izzy in Year 9, has been selected for the World Championships in Holland this July. In addition, Olivia in Year 10, has started her racing season with some great podium finishes and it certainly looks like she is starting this season as well as she finished the last one. Finally, Sam in Year 13 played several games for Italy over Easter, in the U18 Six Nations. I’d like to offer my full support and congratulations to our young athletes as they continue their sporting journeys.
Finally, I’m delighted to be able to inform you that we managed to raise £3660 for the Red Cross appeal for the people of Ukraine, and the funds have been sent off this week to make a difference on the ground to the people of Ukraine. Thank you to everyone who donated to this worthy appeal.
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Messages From Heads of Year
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A very warm welcome back to all our Year 9 students, who seem to have enjoyed a good Easter break. It has been pleasing to see so many of our Year 9’s return fully equipped, in the correct uniform and ready for all the challenges Summer term has to offer.
A few notes on our expectations of uniform, especially as we are enjoying such pleasant weather this term. Please remember that all trousers and skirts should be appropriate for school and are required to have the SWA logo which can be purchased from reception. Students are no longer permitted to wear coats or jackets during lessons and must have their blazer with them at all times. As ever, trainers are not permitted. If you have any questions about uniform, please contact your child's tutor.
We have a busy term ahead of us, with plenty of opportunities for students to take part in extra-curricular activities. To give just two examples, the first Year 9 Duke of Edinburgh weekend is soon upon us and athletics clubs are back! Please continue to encourage your child to participate in some of the wonderful activities staff at Sam Whit provide. Full lists are available on our website, please click here.
On Wednesday the whole of Year 10 took part in a careers event focusing on equality and diversity. Students participated in workshops and heard from several business leaders and people from different areas of service and industry. I hope students found this useful in thinking about life beyond education and the kind of skills required to lead a successful career. Thank you to those visitors for giving up their time and our Year 12 youth ambassador group who helped to organise the event.
Tuesday sees the start of Year 10 mock exams. This will be the first experience of full exams our year group has had. Naturally, there will be nerves for some, but this is normal and a good practice for the real exams they will have next year. Can I encourage you to have conversations with your child about getting organised, having a good night's sleep and eating breakfast in the morning. Mock timetables and instructions have been sent via email/edulink and this is also worth having a look through before Tuesday. Good luck to all our students.
At the time of writing this newsletter update we have just two weeks left in school before Year 13’s last day on Friday 13th May. After this date, students will have study leave to focus on revision, although they are all most welcome to continue to come into school to access study space, and teacher expertise and support. A reminder that the contingency day for exams this year is set as 29th June and students should still remain available for exams in case of rescheduling up to and including this day.
Students who are applying to university have watched a short assembly on student finance and parents are welcome to watch it with them – the assembly is available in their year group classroom. Link to apply for student finance: https://www.gov.uk/student-finance-register-login
Unfortunately we cannot give any direct or individual advice about applying for student finance since it relies on confidential information about household income – but the assembly does include some general advice about how to apply, and how maintenance loans work.
Over 140 students in the year group have applied to university, and we can still process and send applications even at this late stage – please do ask a member of the Sixth Form team as soon as possible to assist with this process. If students are still unsure of their career path, a careers appointment with our independent advisor is available: to book please email jmcmillan@bestacademies.org.uk
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ECO-FASHION SHOW
The Eco-Fashion Show was a huge success, the committee organised and ran the event, a massive well done to them as they spent months planning this event. The Eco-Fashion Show demonstrated how clothes can be upcycled, donations of un-wanted clothes which would have otherwise gone to a landfill site, can be given a new purpose. The clothes were then donated at the end, to encourage people to use charity shops and second-hand buy and reselling pages.
 
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TOO MUCH PUNCH FOR JUDY
Our Key Stage 4 drama company presents Too Much for Judy, on the 16th and 17th May, to purchase tickets please click here.
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SUMMER ARTS FESTIVAL
After the last two Summer Arts Festivals being cancelled due to Covid, it’s finally making a return this year. To see all the wonderful art displays, music and dance performances, please purchase your ticket by clicking here.
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HAART DEBATE CELEBRATIONS
On Tuesday our successful debate teams had a celebratory pizza lunch. We were not only celebrating their recent success as a team, but also key members of the group who the judges from each debate had awarded the accolade of ‘star debater’. These were the students whose verbal dexterity and clarity of argument has made them stand out in the competition. They were presented with their awards by Professor Hubbard and Dr Haynes. These students will now be working towards the next International Debate which is being organised by Samuel Whitbread Academy with the FJSS (Fair Justice System for Scotland group) for November 2022, which will include opposition not just from local schools Etonbury and Robert Bloomfield, but also three Scottish schools seven Zimbabwean schools, two schools from Nigeria and hopeful one from Ghana and one from Kenya. In the meantime debate club still runs on a Thursday lunchtime each week so that our students can hone their skills. Please contact Dr Haynes if you would like any further information on the debate competitions or debate club.
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NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS
You can now get your early bird tickets for half the price, to book your tickets now please click here.
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CHUMS CHARITY PARTY IN THE PARK
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29 Apr 2022
The Youth Ambassadors are a group of Year 12 students who volunteered earlier this year, with the help of Montell Neufville at Att10tive, to organise events for the lower year groups at Samuel Whitbread Academy. The event that the Youth Ambassadors were asked to organise was the Year 10 Em...
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ITV NEW
It was a pleasure welcoming ITV back to Samuel Whitbread today. Our fantastic Sixth Form and Year 11 students were filmed debating the upcoming ban on cosmetic procedure adverts targeting under 18s. They were phenomenal and we are looking forward to the piece airing on May 16th.
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GO-KARTING, OLIVIA
Over the past two weekends, Year 10 Olivia, has been speeding around the course hoping to lift a trophy. Olivia finished first in the pre-British round, 3 seconds in front of second place. The following weekend was the first round of the British championships, Olivia finished in a close second behind her teammate, she is super happy with her performance. Today, Liv has been named as the Wera Tools Driver of the Day from last weekend’s British Kart Championships.
 
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YEAR 11 RUGBY TOUR
Two weekends ago, our U16 rugby team travelled to Bristol where their weekend tour started. The team enjoyed a few rounds of go-karting before they travelled to Bath to watch Bath Rugby vs Northampton Saints. That evening seemed to be the highlight of the weekend for a lot of the boys at an "all you can eat" buffet with multiple cuisines. The following day, on the way home, the boys had their own game to play against RAMS rugby club in Reading, the team walked away in victory 31-12. There were some fantastic performances from all with player of the match awarded to Aaron. This was the last time this group of players will play together as a team, with many of them starting apprenticeships or moving schools in September. It was the perfect way to end the rugby season with such a fantastic group of young lads and I would like to thank them for being such brilliant ambassadors for the school.
Director of Rugby,
Mr E Rhodes
 
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TAEKWONDO, IZZY
Year 9, Izzy has this year competed nationally in Taekwondo. Last weekend she took part in the UK finals night in six different events. This finals night was to select which competitors will be taken to Holland this summer to compete in the world ITF Taekwondo Championship, and we’re very pleased to announce that Izzy has been offered a chance.
We and her family are immensely proud of her achievements this year and the hard work she puts into her Taekwondo. She now has 12 weeks of intensive training before competing in the U18 welter weight sparring category on a world stage!
On Saturday she achieved the following medals: Gold U14 sparring (match bout), Gold U18 2nd degree black belt patterns, Silver U18 welterweight sparring, Silver U18 team sparring, Silver U18 team patterns, Bronze U18 1st degree black belt patterns.
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Samuel Whitbread Academy E-Newsletter
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Parent, Carer, Governor or Member of Staff at SWA.
Samuel Whitbread Academy
Shefford Road, Clifton, Shefford, Bedfordshire, SG17 5QS
Tel: 01462 629900 • Fax: 01462 629901
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