Heywood Academy Blog - 6.3.26
🌟 What a Fabulous Week in School! 🌟
We’ve had a fantastic week in school, full of energy, fun and proud moments.
We kicked things off with World Book Day, and our staff and students looked amazing dressed as their favourite book characters. It was wonderful to see the effort everyone put in, and the buzz it brought to the school. Throughout the day, students also took part in a range of reading activities that were built into their lessons, helping us celebrate the joy of books in lots of different ways.
To finish the week, we held our Youth Speaking Competition. Students stood up in front of the whole school—and our visitors from the Heywood Rotary Club—and delivered speeches about their favourite subjects. They spoke with confidence and passion, and we couldn’t have been prouder of how well they presented themselves.
Public speaking can be daunting at any age, so seeing our students take on this challenge was inspiring. Opportunities like this help them not only with their GCSE English preparation, but also with important life skills such as communication, confidence and self-belief.
Well done to all our brilliant students, and a huge thank you to the Heywood Rotary Club for their amazing support.
Mr Lord’s Weekly Update
🔭 Science Highlights
Year 7 Exploring Gravity Across the Solar System
Our Year 7 students have been rounding off their major topic on the solar system by investigating gravity. They explored how an object’s weight changes depending on the mass of the planet it’s on. From imagining how heavy they’d feel on Jupiter to how light they’d be on the Moon, students gained a deeper understanding of how gravitational pull varies across our solar system.
Year 8 Investigating Chemical Reactions
Year 8 have stepped into the world of chemistry, looking closely at how we can observe chemical reactions. Through practical tasks and careful observation, they identified the tell‑tale signs of a reaction, colour changes, temperature shifts, gas production, and more. It’s been a great week of scientific discovery and hands-on experimentation.
Year 9 Debating Stem Cell Technology
Our Year 9 scientists have taken on a thought‑provoking topic: the pros and cons of stem cell technology. They explored the scientific potential of stem cells, alongside ethical considerations, developing balanced arguments and critical thinking skills.
➗ Maths Highlights
Year 8 Solving Equations
In Maths, Year 8 have been working hard on solving equations as they prepare for their end-of-unit assessments. Students have been building their confidence step by step, applying methods to isolate variables and check solutions.
Year 9 Straight Line Graphs
Year 9 have wrapped up their unit on straight line graphs, demonstrating their ability to interpret gradients, intercepts, and linear relationships. They’ve also completed their end-of-unit test, well done to everyone for their efforts and revision.
Ms Zobenica’s Weekly Update
This week in PE, all students took part in a game of Quidditch. Working in teams, pupils practiced throwing and catching using one hand while moving around the space on their “brooms.” The activity helped to develop coordination, balance, and teamwork, as well as encouraging pupils to communicate and support one another during the game. The children showed great enthusiasm throughout the session, remained active, and thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to try something fun and imaginative while keeping fit.
In Outdoor Education, every year group enjoyed a visit to Rochdale Library. During the visit, pupils explored a wide range of books and were encouraged to browse different genres and authors. They also took part in games and activities linked to a variety of stories, helping to develop listening skills, imagination, and a love of reading. The visit provided a calm and engaging learning environment and supported pupils’ understanding of how libraries can be used as a valuable free resource in our community.
Ms Nicholson’s Weekly Update
🌟 This Week in Creative Arts!
A Weekly Round‑Up of Creativity Across the Curriculum
It’s been another vibrant and imaginative week in Creative Arts, with students across all year groups showing fantastic skill, focus and originality. Here’s what everyone has been up to:
Year 9 Art – Observational Drawing Inspired by Georgia O’Keeffe
Year 9 artists have been taking inspiration from the iconic Georgia O’Keeffe, known for her magnified botanical forms and rich attention to detail. Students selected a leaf of their choice and produced observational drawings, zooming in on texture, pattern and natural form. Their work shows brilliant concentration and an emerging understanding of how small details can become large, expressive artworks.
Year 7 Food Technology – Assessment Week & Knife Skills
It was a big week for Year 7 in Food Tech! Students completed both a theory assessment and a practical task to demonstrate their fundamental knife‑cutting skills. From bridge holds to claw grips, pupils worked safely and accurately, showcasing the confidence they’ve built since the start of the year.
Year 8 IT – Book Cover Designs for World Book Day
Linking perfectly to World Book Day celebrations, Year 8 students used their photography and digital design skills to create their own book covers in Canva. They explored layout, composition and typography, combining images and text to produce eye‑catching, professional‑looking designs. A brilliant blend of creativity and digital literacy!
Design Technology – Art Deco Cushions
In Design Technology, Year 9 made huge progress on their Art Deco–inspired cushion covers. Their sewing skills are really starting to shine, and the colourful geometric designs are already looking fantastic.
Year 7 Music – Keyboard Skills: Using Both Hands
Year 7 musicians have continued their journey into keyboard performance. This week, they focused on the challenge of playing with both hands simultaneously, building coordination, confidence and musicality. It’s been wonderful to hear melodies coming together more fluently in the classroom.
Ms Pugh’s Weekly Update
Year 8 Weekly Blog 📚
This week, Year 8 had a fantastic time celebrating World Book Day! Students came into school dressed as their favourite book characters, filling the corridors with colourful and creative costumes. It was a brilliant way to celebrate reading and share our love of books. 📖✨
In English, students began exploring the mystery of Jack the Ripper, immersing themselves in the dark and fascinating world of Victorian London. They looked at what life was like during this time and began to understand the historical setting behind the story. 🕵️♂️🌫️
In Science, students carried out a fun experiment by making their own bath bombs. This allowed them to explore chemical reactions, watching the ingredients fizz and react as they combined together. It was a colourful and exciting way to see science in action! 🧪🫧
In Geography, students researched extreme environments and explored how animals adapt in order to survive in harsh conditions such as deserts, polar regions, and rainforests. They discovered some amazing survival adaptations from animals around the world. 🌍❄️🏜️
In Art, students showed their creativity by cutting out Picasso-inspired masks. They explored abstract shapes and bold designs inspired by the famous artist’s unique style. 🎨✂️
In Design and Technology, students focused on photography, particularly looking at linear images. They experimented with how lines in photographs can guide the viewer’s eye and create strong compositions. 📷📐
During Outdoor Education, students visited Rochdale Library where they explored a wide variety of book genres. This gave them the chance to discover new authors and find books that sparked their interest. 📚🏫
Finally, in PE, students had lots of fun playing Quidditch-inspired games to celebrate World Book Day. They focused on developing their lacrosse skills, including teamwork, passing, and movement. 🏃♂️🥍
It has been a fun, creative, and engaging week for Year 8, full of learning, exploration, and celebration of books! 📖🎉
We are also very excited for our upcoming trip to Disneyland Paris next week! 🎢✨ Students have been talking about the rides they are looking forward to and discussing how they will represent our school positively while enjoying this special experience together. It is sure to be a fantastic trip filled with fun, memories, and teamwork. 🇫🇷🏰
