Heywood Academy Blog - 30.1.26

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Back of the Moss Community Centre for their generous donation of several slow cookers. If any of our families would benefit from having one at home, please contact the school office and we will be happy to provide one.

These slow cookers will also be used in school as part of our life skills programme, helping students learn how to prepare simple, healthy meals, an important step towards independence.

This week, we were also delighted to welcome Edwin Partridge from Heywood Rotary Club. After an initial meeting, Edwin kindly returned later in the week to lead our assembly and launch our Youth Voice Competition, which will run after half term.

We are extremely grateful for the support of the Heywood Rotary Club, and we look forward to developing our partnership further.

 

 

Our Forest School Area Is Coming to Life! 🌿✨

We are super excited to share that our brand new Forest School area is really beginning to take shape! What was once just an idea is quickly transforming into a vibrant outdoor learning space that will offer our children hands on exploration, creativity, and adventure.

This development marks an exciting step forward for our school as we expand our opportunities for outdoor learning, well being, and connection with nature.

We are incredibly grateful to the Department for Education for their support in helping us bring this vision to life. Their investment means our children will soon enjoy a fantastic environment designed to nurture curiosity, confidence, and a love for the outdoors.

And just look at the progress , all achieved in such a short space of time! We can’t wait to share more updates as the area continues to grow and evolve.

Stay tuned… wonderful things are on the way!

 

 

 

Mr Lord’s weekly update

Our students have had a busy and engaging week across Science and Maths, diving deeper into hands on investigations, problem‑solving, and real world applications of their learning. Here’s a snapshot of what each year group has been exploring:

 

✨ Year 7 – Fire, Oxygen, and Scientific Discovery

In Science, Year 7 students have been investigating combustion. After learning about the fire triangle and the vital role oxygen plays in keeping a flame burning, pupils

planned and carried out an experiment to measure how long a fire takes to use up the oxygen in a fixed space.

This practical allowed students to:

· Make predictions

· Time and record changes

· Observe real scientific processes in action

A great introduction to experimental science and analytical thinking!

 

✨ Year 8 – Equations, Inequations, and the Science of Light

Our Year 8 mathematicians have begun exploring equations and inequations, building the foundations for algebraic reasoning. Students are learning how to represent mathematical relationships and solve problems using symbolic notation, an important step toward more advanced algebra.

In Science, they have been wrapping up their topic on light, covering ideas such as reflection, refraction, and the behaviour of light as it travels. This topic helps students understand everyday phenomena, from how we see objects to why lenses work the way they do.

 

✨ Year 9 – Graphs, Intercepts, and Magnetic Mysteries

Year 9 Maths students have been studying straight‑line graphs, focusing on how adding or subtracting numbers affects the graph’s intercept on the axes. This helps students build a stronger understanding of graph transformations and linear relationships.

Meanwhile, in Science, students have been exploring electromagnets, specifically looking at how electric current affects the direction of the magnetic field. Through investigation and discussion, they’re discovering how electricity and magnetism are interconnected, a key concept in physics.

 

💡 A Fantastic Week of Learning

 

Ms Zobenica’s weekly update

This week, our Year 7 and 8 students continued developing their skills in pop lacrosse. After learning the basics of scooping last week, they refined their technique brilliantly and made noticeable progress. Working in pairs, students practised catching the ball in their nets and demonstrated fantastic teamwork, supporting and encouraging one another throughout the session.

Year 9 worked incredibly hard in their PE lessons, focusing on maintaining control of the ball while under pressure. Their determination and effort in defending the ball during dribbling activities were excellent to see.

Our Year 7 group enjoyed an engaging visit to a gallery filled with a wide range of art, sports and cultural exhibits. Students explored the displays with enthusiasm, asking thoughtful questions and showing great curiosity throughout the session.

Years 8 and 9 combined for an informative trip to Rochdale Town Centre. During the visit, we explored the town’s ongoing development, local transport links and accessibility within the community. Students also had the chance to order a treat in a café, a fantastic opportunity to practise valuable life skills such as communication, independence and confidence.

 

 

Ms Nicholson’s weekly update

It’s been an exciting and productive week across the Creative Arts faculty, with students from Years 7–9 showcasing fantastic imagination, teamwork and skill. Here’s a look at what each department has been up to:

 

Design Technology – Year 7 Build Their Motte and Bailey Castles

Our Year 7 students have been channelling their inner medieval engineers as they continue constructing their motte and bailey castles. Working collaboratively in teams, they focused on building the bases and foundations, ensuring their structures are strong, accurate and ready for the next stages of development.

The classroom was a brilliant mix of problem‑solving, teamwork and historical inspiration!

 

Art – Year 8 Begin Their Picasso-Inspired Cubist Designs

In Art, Year 8 students have started planning their Picasso-inspired Cubist layered pieces. They explored the key stylistic features of Cubism—fragmented shapes, abstracted forms, and striking composition—and began sketching ideas for their own layered artworks.

The creativity flowing through their design sheets suggests we’re in for some truly stunning final outcomes.

 

Food Technology – Year 9 Become Master Bakers

It’s been a delicious week in the Food Tech room! Year 9 students created their own bread rolls from scratch, taking on the full bread-making process:

✔ Kneading

✔ Proving

✔ Shaping

✔ Baking

Their rolls came out beautifully golden and aromatic—worthy of any bakery window. Their growing confidence in practical culinary skills has been fantastic to see.

 

IT – Year 8 Explore Block-Based Programming

Over in IT, Year 8 have been developing their programming skills through block-based coding, with a focus on selections. They explored how conditional statements allow programs to make decisions—an essential step toward more advanced programming.

Students demonstrated great logical thinking as they built interactive, decision‑making programs with precision and creativity.

 

Music – Year 7 Master the Art of Body Percussion

Year 7 Music students have been refining their body percussion techniques this week. The focus has been on control, timing, and—just as importantly—knowing when to stay quiet.

Their growing sense of ensemble awareness and rhythm has led to some impressively coordinated performances.