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Portsmouth Academy For Girls

FrontPAGe

Issue 4 January 2016

The long, dark and rainy winter is nearly over and spring is on its way. We look forward to

being able to reopen the field for picnic lunches and games of rounders. Thank you to parents and

pupils alike for braving the weather through these months, especially on those cold walks to and

from school!

I continue to be inspired by the habits of excellence shown by the staff and pupils of PAG

everyday. In particular, this month we have been 'finding humour' and reflecting on

'interdependence'; the idea that 'none of us' are as strong as 'all of us.' Scientists report that the

reason birds fly in a V formation is to create an uplift for each other. In the case of geese, this

adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone. It is also true that people who share a

common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker, and easier, because they are travelling

on the uplift of one another.

This month, the new Academy Advisory Board (AAB) made up of parents, staff, community and TSAT members

met for the first time. I toured the group around the site to show how we are intending to create more classrooms and

changing rooms as we grow in numbers, and become co-educational from September 2017. You may have seen in 'The

News' this week that Portsmouth City Council have also been assessing school sites to look at investment opportunities.

We will know the outcome of this within the next month or so and I shall update you then. In the meantime, I would like to

acknowledge the creative ideas of the group in terms of publicising our new provision and look forward to our continued

partnership.

This edition of the FrontPAGe is a wonderful testament to the teamwork of our English department. The library is

thriving, the whole of Year 7 have visited the historic dockyard to learn about Elizabethan England, and our new debate

team are already making their mark! I would also like to congratulate our feature writer Connie McKee (C7AND) for her

piece on the 'Cardboard challenge' which I am sure you will enjoy reading.

We have several exciting and important events coming up. Rock challenge at the Guildhall is not far away and I

also hope that many of you will join us for our school production 'Olivia' on 22nd/23rd March.

At the end of February, we are hosting an event where key educational leaders are coming together to discuss

current policy and how we can ensure that all schools are giving children the very best. Sir David Carter, who has recent-

ly been appointed the national schools commissioner, will join the discussion along with Dominic Herrington who is the

regional schools commissioner for London and the South East. When Sir David Carter was the CEO of the Cabot Learn-

ing Federation, their mission was summed up as "collaboration for outstanding achievement." He believes that collabora-

tion and competition are not mutually exclusive. We must learnt to excel personally but also to excel as a part of a team.

When geese fly, they 'honk' to recognise each other and encourage those up front to keep up their speed. In a

busy environment, it is very common for people's efforts to go unnoticed. So our challenge, for the month of February, is

to work as a community to 'honk' each other. Let's encourage all of our pupils and help them to travel on the uplift of one

another.

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PAG Library News

Year 11 study together Play games with a friend

Chloe Abraham, Ellie Sher-

lock, Freya Easby and

Macie-May Bissett read a

newspaper

Diwah Aryoubi, Zobia Syeda

and Sama Nessa complete

the jigsaw puzzle

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Sherlock's mother has died, his father has disap-peared in India and his sis-ter is acting strangely. The Holmes family seems to be falling apart, and not even brother Mycroft can keep it together. But while Sher-lock is worrying about all of this, a man living nearby vanishes in his own house while Sherlock and My-croft are visiting. Where did he go, and what is the connection with a massive canal being built in Egypt? The answer will rock the world, and tear the Holmes family apart!

Ruby Redfort has a lot of reasons to feel confident. Undercover agent, code cracker, thirteen-year-old genius — she’s one fearless kid, buster. Un-masking an evil villain? Done. Honing her parkour skills by climbing sky-scrapers and leaping across roofs? All in a day’s work. Heeding the warning signs? Well, not so much. When a ghostly foe begins stealing from the highest buildings in Twinford, Ruby Redfort is ready to defy death one more time to capture the bandit.

Daisy Wells and Hazel Wong have returned to Deepdean for a new school term, but nothing is the same. There's

a new Head Girl, Elizabeth Hurst, and a team of Prefects - and these bullying Big Girls are certainly not good

eggs.

Then, after the fireworks display on Bonfire Night, Elizabeth is found - murdered.

Many girls at Deepdean had reason to hate Elizabeth, but who might have committed such foul play? Could the

murder be linked to the secrets and scandals, scribbled on scraps of paper, that are suddenly appearing around

the school? And with their own friendship falling to pieces, how will Daisy and Hazel solve this mystery?

Detective

Fiction

But fearlessness can lead to taking risks, which can land a person in very serious trouble. While Ruby may think she’s invincible, there’s truth to the saying that recklessness always comes before a fall.

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Thursday 17th

of December 2015

We waited with anticipation in the reception for the school bus to leave and

discussed our ideas.

Thirteen year 7 pupils had been selected randomly to go to

Portsmouth University and attend The Christmas Cardboard

challenge. We eventually arrived and were seated in a Lecture

Theatre and introduced to the project we would spend all day

working on so we could present it to 8 judges.

We were divided into two teams and shown to our lecture theatre

or classroom that we would be transforming into a Magical

Christmas Wonderland or Santa's‟ Grotto. Both of our teams

were allocated a lecture theatre and we began constructing our

grotto and activities with the help of a University Student. I was in

Team 1 and we had a student called Grace!

Time passed and we became closer and closer to one o‟

clock when judges would start visiting the Christmas Won-

derlands. Ideas were shared and then we were finished!

We all had roles to play too, for example I was the snack

shop chef and served the judges cakes and other festive

treats; Rea was Santa and sat in her grotto. She acted like

she was royal as Lily handed her the judges wish lists they

had created at our “Christmas Wish List Station”.

At 1:45 when the judges had

finished all the

schools ,including Priory, The Petersfield School, Henry Cort and 2

more, we gathered again for the award ceremony. We sat fingers

crossed and hoped for the best… Team 1 won The Lecture Thea-

tre category! All 7 members received special Up For It Christmas

jumpers and they will be modelling them on Christmas Jumper

Day.

On behalf of the girls attended we would like to say thank you to Mr

Revill for giving us this opportunity, Mrs Dunsford for chaperoning

and Mr Gittings for being our chauffeur !

We had a great day!

By Connie McKee C7AND

Christmas Cardboard ChallengeChristmas Cardboard ChallengeChristmas Cardboard Challenge

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Rosy cheeks, sparkling eyes and expressions filled with wonder – these were the faces our year 7s early this month, alt-hough most of the wondering was: “Why are we down the dockyard at ten in the morning in freezing artic temperatures?” That‟s right, our val-iant girls braved the extreme temperatures, with their coats, hats, scarves and gloves, to venture on a voyage… What kind of voyage you ask? A voyage of discovery - led by the intrepid Mr Forster, with welcome assis-tance from Mr Gunner, Miss Cheek and Miss Fraser. It was a morning of chattering teeth and shivering limbs, but all of that was soon extinguished by a few marching songs and an impromptu game of Elizabethan „tap‟, or „tag‟, or even „it‟. Once inside, out of the „Baltic‟ conditions, our year 7s were lucky enough to travel back through time and experience Elizabethan England, or rather what daring explorers such as Sir Francis Drake and Sir Walter Raleigh brought back to Elizabethan England, particularly, and of most im-portance, sugar and cocoa. The girls were treated to a little geography, history, drama and music and had tremendous fun dressing up as natives of the new worlds, and, much to the adults‟ chagrin, noisily playing the plethora of instru-ments that were on offer. It was a three-day extravaganza, enjoyed by all, despite the weather. Much was learned to the benefit of our year 7s, who are soon to em-bark on a journey into more exciting waters: the works of the Bard him-self, William Shakespeare. Mr Forster

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The debate team met on Monday 18th January at The Portsmouth High School to compete in the local round of the Rotary Youth Speaks competition. PAG entered two teams in the intermediate category and were competing against The Portsmouth High School.

PAG Debate TeamPAG Debate TeamPAG Debate Team

Nationals here we come!

We are pleased to announce that one of our teams won the round and are going forward to the next stage in the competi-tion which will take place on the 8th Feb-ruary.

Huge ‘congratulations’ go to Freya Easby, Ellie Sherlock and Chloe Abraham whose performance in the competition was ex-ceptional and gained us the winning prize!

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U X J Z X X Z Y A S F I K H I C G H P I

W O N D E R M E N T M T A E E L N W E M

N C W M G F U V E P P C R C T A I I R A

S C U U E A G D U L S I N G I R T I S G

Y S O L B Q T L O U B E A H C I A Z I I

C E Q M C A S H O J D I D P R T V G S N

A D M W M I G U E N K K S K B Y O E T I

R U J P V U N D E R S T A N D I N G E N

U Y G I A I N P S G I P G P O I N P N G

C C T O T T E I N E L N R N M P I X C F

C Y S N G D H I C C S E G O I C S N E O

A L O N R E K Y G A C N D F B V X E I Y

E C D E G N I N O I T S E U Q L I M R H

Y U T V I P I K S G Y I I S I U E R Y S

Z N R H O T A I L E A R N I N G Z M T K

I O T S A T O R U O M U H G P A S T S S

M E I E A N M K E G D E L W O N K A D I

Y N R D J P R L V N V I L F T W X M W R

G C Z E L B I X E L F K Z S K A S T P E

T W M A N A G I N G Y N P R R F H P W W

ACCURACY

AWE

CLARITY

COMMUNICATING

CONTINUOUS

CREATING

DATA

EMPATHY

WONDERMENT

PAST

POSING

PRECISION

PROBLEMS

QUESTIONING

RESPONSIBLE

RISKS

SENSES

STRIVING

THINKING

UNDERSTANDING

FLEXIBLE

GATHERING

HUMOUR

IMAGINING

IMPULSIVITY

INNOVATING

INTERDEPENDENCE

KNOWLEDGE

LEARNING

MANAGING

PERSISTENCE

Habit Word Search

Take your completed word search to the library and have

your name entered into the draw for a free book!

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Year 10 use thinking maps to support them with

the challenges of a new English Curriculum.

Circle Maps to identify language techniques,

using subject specific vocabulary, and the

effect of these on the reader.

Tree Maps have been used to classify the

structural features used by the writer

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Take part in Number Day and make maths meaningful

Friday 5 February 2016

NSPCC Number Day is a fun, nationwide maths fundraising event for children

and young people of all ages that helps raise money to support the NSPCC.

We believe that every child deserves a safe and happy childhood. By taking

part in Number Day, the money you raise will help us protect children in dan-

ger and prevent abuse from shaping a child's future.

"On Friday 5th February, the Maths department are proud to be taking part in the NSPCC Number Day to raise money for the

charity to continue providing services such as Childline.

Years 7, 8 and 9 will take part in a fun team challenge during their timetabled Maths lessons. We would be grateful if a do-

nation of 50p could be brought in on the day."

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Dates for your Diary

Wednesday 03 February 2016

Y11 Parents’ Evening

W/B Monday 08 February 2016

Y10 Mock Exams Timetable on next page

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Y10 Mock Exams

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Enrichment Timetable

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Tuesday 22nd and Wednesday 23rd March 2016

The PAG School production

Watch this space for details of

times and tickets

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Simmonds Uniform Shop situated at

Portsmouth Academy for Girls

Opening times are:

Tuesdays and Thursdays 3.15pm – 4.45pm

(during term time only)

Stocking uniform for:

Portsmouth Academy for Girls Isambard Brunel Junior School

Newbridge Junior School

Shop Number: 02392832342

Alternatively, shop online at www.simmonds-ltd.com