Our third Dojo! They’re getting busy now so we need a better way to manage who’s coming! In June we’ll have: Minecraft. Hacks and creating programs within (very popular!).  Scratch (very addictive!).  Lego Robotics and problem solving (kids couldn’t get enough of this!). We’re trying to sort out some Raspberry Pi activities too!  Plus in June well have our cafe set up for fresh coffee, tea, bacon butties and pastries…… If you have a Minecraft account, own laptop or tablet bring it. If not, no worries, well sort you out! The only rule?    Be Cool!

Click here to register for the next Dojo

Paint Balling Reward

Trip for a group of Pupil Premium students took place on May 19th. This is just one of the motivational activities Beamont Collegiate Academy has introduced to raise pupil aspirations . To be selected for the trip the pupils had to meet academic and behaviour targets set by the Pupil Premium Co-Ordinator , Mrs McNulty .  Most of the pupils on the trip were Year 11 boys but four SGI pupils from year 9 also took part. Despite bruises and tired aching muscles a great time was had by all. Mrs  McNulty.

Philosophy for Children

An innovation in opening children’s minds

By Carmen Cors

I have been a teacher at Beamont Collegiate Academy since September 2013.  Being a teacher provides you with an up-to-date, straight in your face, view of the world young people live in today. Not the teenage world that I and many of my colleagues lived in; for some of us at least 15 years ago!

At BCA we have introduced a powerful new teaching tool to help give students a voice and encourage them to tackle some of life’s deeper questions.

Philosophy for Children (P4C), created by Professor Matthew Lipman, is a method of unlocking children’s thoughts and ideas about the world around them. P4C encourages children to become more intellectually curious, critical and creative through a variety of mind stretching activities.

Photo by Warrington Guardian.

Pupils engage in discussions based on hypothetical concepts. Through this learning platform they do not seek answers; they seek reasons for opinions, debate points of view and develop ideas presented by their peers.

‘I think it is good because we get to talk about things if we are not sure about them. It helps us learn and understand our world!’ Louise Johnson Year 7

Being able to facilitate the sessions and observe pupils come alive as they rationalise their own thoughts and opinions has been truly amazing. Being involved in watching them begin to believe in their own ideas is truly inspirational! The quietest child has contributed with confidence and ease. The children I expected to control the discussion co-operated superbly, allowing others to voice their thoughts whilst still sharing their own ideas.

Pupils, regardless of ability, have astounded me by their in-depth analysis of concepts. Furthermore, P4C has allowed their own compassion to shine though on subjects deemed too complex to debate. For example, ‘If I shout at you to protect you, am I your friend?’ and ‘If all religions were banned, would there be more or less war in the world?’ Removing the constraints of criteria led discussions allowed a freedom of expression from all involved.

‘It is fun and useful because it helps you improve your learning and your speaking and listening skills.’ Reece Palmer-Hewitt year 7

One of the wonderful aspects of teaching is that you never stop learning. I relish my experiences in the classroom; a pupil communicating their own thoughts and opinions through the empowerment that P4C has given them.

“Teaching children to think quickly, deeply and with agility has got to be one of the greatest gifts we can offer them as they take their place as adults in the 21^st century.

Ironic really that an intellectual process dating back thousands of years maybe the best chance we have to deal with what the future has in store for us.”

Ian Gilbert (Little Book of Thunks)

Exciting news for the BCA Technology Department

The Technology Department is undergoing some exciting changes within the courses being offered and the equipment being used.  The department is keen to mirror what industry is doing as closely as possible and this has seen the introduction of BTEC qualifications in Motor Vehicle and Hospitality being offered.

The BTEC qualification in Motor Vehicle involves students researching and understanding the principles of how a cars engine functions, the various types of vehicle design that are available together with their advantages and disadvantages and how a cars braking system works.  Students will also have to demonstrate practical skills whilst checking and repairing braking systems to a high standard.

The department is also really pleased to announce the imminent arrival of a brand new laser cutter and 3D printer that will give students an ideal opportunity to take advantage of CAD CAM within their projects across all year groups.

Also in the Design and Technology department we have recently purchased a petrol powered go kart.  This will soon be offered as an after school enrichment activity where the pupils will strip down the entire kart, repair any damaged parts and restore it to look like new.  This will increase the pupils’ knowledge on mechanics and mechanisms through a practical activity.

Do you want to get into computer  coding and programming but don’t know where to start?

CoderDojo is a worldwide phenomenon that has put learning to code into the hands of the children and lets you have fun at the same time. The only rule of CoderDojo is ‘be cool’!

Warrington first and only CoderDojo started up on Saturday 26^th April at BCA. Lots of code ninjas came from all over the North West to learn how to write code. In our first Dojo we coded a new flappy birds game and used scratch to design a brand new game.

In our next Dojo on the 24^th May we hope to start programming Minecraft, use the fantastic Lego Robotic kits and continue on our scratch adventure!

Follow us on Twitter @dojowarrington for updates and find out how to sign up for future Coder Dojo sessions.

Beamont Collegiate Academy are very pleased to announce that from September 2015 our students will be housed in a brand new, state of the art building.

Under the Government’s Priority Schools Building Programme (PSBP) Beamont Collegiate Academy has successfully applied for and been granted funding for a complete new school build on the existing site off Long Lane, Warrington.

The schools construction partner, Wates Construction and architect, local firm Ellis Williams Architects are extremely pleased to have won the contract for the school.  Tony Shenton, Business Unit Director for Wates Construction in the North West, commented: “This appointment underpins our regional reputation for the creation of outstanding education facilities and our expertise in the development of innovative and efficient building solutions. It also serves to demonstrate the progress being made in the delivery of the Priority School Building Programme, in which I am pleased Wates is playing such a significant part.”

Wates Construction were shortlisted down to the last two and successfully won the contract based on their proposal best meeting the needs of the school and its students. The building will comprise of 2 floors and will sit within an area of the grounds which is not currently occupied by any other buildings. Once the new school is built the current building will be replaced by sports facilities and car parking.

Of the new build Principal Mr Andrew Moorcroft said “We are delighted that Wates have been appointed to provide us with brand new academy building. It is exciting for the whole school community to know that in just over a year’s time we will be moving into an amazing new learning environment with state of the art facilities including brand new classrooms and science laboratories, a robotics workshop, CAD / CAM design studio, music recording studio, activity studio and fitness suite and many other inspirational learning spaces”

Building work is due to commence from this summer and students and staff will be able to see their new school take shape over the following 12 months. The new school will be open to students from September 2015. Current Year 5 students in local primary schools will be invited to visit the site at various times throughout the build process. This will allow them to see how their secondary school is developing ahead of them joining in 2015.

This exciting development for Beamont Collegiate Academy comes just 12 months after they converted to a sponsored academy under the umbrella of the Warrington Collegiate Education. This partnership provides students at Beamont Collegiate Academy with a vast range of opportunities, including strengthened relationships with local employers and use of the wider campus facilities, including Warrington Collegiate and the sports facilities at the Orford Jubilee Hub.

The local community of Beamont Collegiate Academy, including prospective and current students and their families are invited to attend an exhibition on Thursday 10^th April. Proposals will be on display of the new building in the West Hall of the school between 3.00pm to 7.00pm. Local residents are invited to come along and meet the construction team and architect, who will be on hand to answer any questions.

To keep up to date with the latest developments at Beamont Collegiate Academy please check out the website: www.bca.warrington.ac.uk and follow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BeamontCollegiateAcademy .

Daresbury labs is home to some of the most cutting edge Scientists in the world, researching everything from cures for diseases to what happened before the Big Bang.

A group of talented Year 9 pupils were selected to take part in a ‘Chemistry at Work’ event at Daresbury Laboratory. The opportunity offered students the chance to understand the place of chemistry in everyday life and the world of work, with particular emphasis on what is happening in industry within their local area.

The aim of the day was to show the exciting, interesting and wealth-creating activities that are worth considering as the basis of a career in Science, technology and Engineering subjects.

The pupils who attended the event were excellent ambassadors for the School and we look forward to seeing their careers in Science progress until they too are making exciting discoveries of their own!

As part of BCA’s specialist programme to develop future Engineers and scientists five Year 9 pupils recently attended a Science in Industry Conference at Amec Nuclear Services in Birchwood.

Pupils were given the chance to explore the Nuclear energy business and to highlight the range of potential career pathways, including safety consultants, project managers and mechanical and electrical engineers. All highly qualified, well paid and sought after careers.

Will we see the following pupils running a nuclear power station in a few years?

Year 9 work goes on display at the Warrington Town Museum.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday 1 March and continue until 21 June 2014.

Beamont Collegiate Academy work will be on show with two other schools from Warrington, Great Sankey High School and Lymm High School.

Some fantastic work, try to get to see this if you can.

A big thank you to all those parents helping students with their ideas:  Well done Year 9, a great effort from those involved.

The Exhibition is called “Memories” and is in the main Gallery on the balcony area.

The exhibition will open to the public on Saturday 1 March and continue until 21 June 2014.

Year 10 student at Beamont Collegiate Academy, Lucy Clarke, 14 returned triumphant from the recent WUKF European Karate Championships held in Sheffield with a bronze medal from the 13 – 14 year old girls category.

Lucy, who trains at least 5 times a week between her two clubs in Warrington, Woolston Karate Centre and Cheshire Martial Arts Club after being head hunted for the SKA England Squad for her talents took to the karate floor within the Kata discipline which involves attacking and defence moves in a sequence.

The event attracts thousands of competitors from across Europe every two years. So Lucy was up against competitors from Romania, Denmark and Italy within her category. After being whittled down from 40 entrants within the 13 – 14 year old girls class to 12 and then to 6 in the final, Lucy was judged by 5 judges who each awarded the competitors a score based on her sequence of moves which was in turn totalled up to award the podium places.

On her bronze medal experience Lucy said “I was quite overwhelmed when it happened because I wasn’t expecting to place. It’s the biggest achievement of my life so far”.

Lucy who has only been training since the age of 10 hopes to open her own Dojo (training club) in the future with her fellow team mate and bronze medal winner Jessica Bates who competed in the 16 – 17 female category.