Heywood Academy Blog - 9th January 2026
Welcome Back!
We hope everyone enjoyed a peaceful and restful Christmas break and managed to find some well deserved downtime with family and friends. It’s always important to recharge, and we hope the holiday provided that opportunity for you all. We’re delighted to be back up and running for the new term, despite the unexpected water situation at the start of the week! We are grateful to the team who helped to get the situation under control and resolved as quickly as possible. We are very lucky to have our beautiful new building, but the extreme weather proved too much for piping systems! Thank you for your patience and understanding as we worked to resolve this. Looking ahead, we are excited to start our second term at Heywood and to watch our students flourish.
Ms. Crossley’s Exciting Updates from English!
We’re diving into some of Shakespeare’s most famous plays this term, and our students are already showing great enthusiasm.
· Year 7 have started exploring Romeo and Juliet. They’ll be looking at the themes of love, family, and conflict, and discovering why this timeless story still resonates today.
· Year 8 will begin Romeo and Juliet next week. They’ll build on their understanding of character relationships and dramatic tension, while developing key reading and analytical skills.
· Year 9 are tackling Macbeth, one of Shakespeare’s darkest and most gripping tragedies. They’ll be examining ambition, power, and fate, and considering how these ideas connect to the world around them.
Ms Nicholson’s Weekly Update
Despite being a shorter week than usual, the Creative Arts department has been buzzing with energy, creativity, and impressive progress across all year groups. I’d like to start by saying how proud I am of all the students who engaged so positively with the home learning set during our brief school closure. Your dedication, effort, and enthusiasm really shone through—well done!
Year 7 Art: Exploring Aboriginal Art
Year 7 artists began their brand-new topic: Aboriginal Art. Even through home learning, students showed an excellent understanding of the themes and techniques associated with this style. They confidently applied their prior artistic skills to begin creating their own dot paintings, carefully considering pattern, colour, and symbolism. It was wonderful to see such thoughtful and creative work emerging right from the first lesson of this topic.
Year 9 Design Technology: Stuart Textiles Mood Boards
In Design Technology, Year 9 students have made an impressive start to their new project by linking their History curriculum to their design work. They explored the world of Stuart textiles, gathering imagery and inspiration to build visually rich mood boards. This cross-curricular creativity has already helped students develop a deeper understanding of context and design influence—setting them up brilliantly for the practical stages that will follow.
Year 7 IT: The Rules of Photography
Over in IT, our Year 7 students have kicked off an exciting new project: The Rules of Photography. This week, they focused on Leading Lines, learning how this powerful technique can draw attention and create impact in an image. Their practical work around the school was fantastic—full of originality, strong composition, and thoughtful framing. I was genuinely impressed with the creativity and technical skills they demonstrated.
Ms Zobenica’s weekly update
🌟 A Brilliant Start to the Week at School!
It’s been wonderful to welcome the children back into school this week, their energy, enthusiasm, and eagerness to learn have filled the classrooms and corridors once again!
📊 Year 7: Exploring Data in Maths
Our Year 7 pupils have jumped straight into their new Maths topic with impressive focus. This week, they worked with frequency tables and used them to create clear and accurate pictograms and bar charts. Their confidence and teamwork have really shone through. Well done, Year 7!
🏃♂️ Year 8 PE: Understanding Our Muscles
In Year 8 PE, students have been diving into the world of human anatomy. They explored the major muscles in the body and took part in a variety of fitness stations. During each activity, pupils identified which muscle was acting as the agonist, a fantastic way to blend physical activity with scientific understanding. Great work, Year 8!
🌿 Outdoor Education: Weather, Nature & New Goals
Our Outdoor Education sessions brought thoughtful discussion and fresh air. We talked about seasonal changes, how weather affects our environment, and reflected on our achievements from last year. During a peaceful nature walk, students also set their new goals for 2026, showing maturity and excitement for what lies ahead.
Birthday of the Week: Happy Birthday, William!
This week, we’re sending a huge Happy Birthday to William! We hope your special day is filled with fun, laughter, and everything that makes you smile.
All of the staff team want to wish you the most fabulous birthday party over the weekend, we hope it’s packed with brilliant moments, great surprises, and lots of cake!
Have an amazing time celebrating, William. Enjoy every minute!
It’s been a fantastic start to the term, and we’re excited to see all the wonderful learning and growth still to come!
