HWA Blog - 22.5.26
We have reached the end of another busy term at Hollinwood Academy. Exams are now well underway, and our students have been working incredibly hard in their preparations. They certainly deserve a well-earned rest next week.
Thank you to our wonderful staff team for your continued support and dedication, as always.
I would like to dedicate my blog this week, to Miss Holly Mathews.
On 20th May, Holly passed away peacefully with her family and close friends by her side. On behalf of the entire school community, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to her family and loved ones. We are thinking of them during this very difficult time.
Holly was not just a colleague, but a good friend to many. She was truly devoted to her role as a Year 6 class teacher, always placing the children at the heart of everything she did. She wanted the very best for her children and worked tirelessly to provide it. Her passion, commitment, and care shone through in every aspect of her work.
She leaves behind a legacy of kindness, support, laughter, strong values, and determination. Holly will be greatly missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her.
May she rest in peace and remain forever in our hearts.
Sharing the highlights of this week…
Attendance Competition – Celebration
This term we have launched our Attendance Competition, and we are incredibly proud of every class for improving their attendance.
Primary
· 🥇 1st Place: Year 6 – Mrs Mathews class
· 🥈 Runner-up: Year 1 – Miss Hulmes class
Secondary
· 🥇 1st Place: Year 10 – Mrs Smith’s class
· 🥈 Runner-up: Year 10 – Miss Gordon’s class
Miss Williams and Miss Gold are extremely proud of all your efforts. Congratulations to these classes – keep up the fantastic work!
Attendance
Artsmark
This term, we submitted our evidence for the completion of the first stage of our two-year Artsmark journey to Arts Council England. Over the past two years, we have embraced a rich and creative journey that has been thoughtfully woven into both our curriculum and wider school life.
We have had the privilege of working with talented artists from our local community on a range of projects, including the creation of school logos, cultural dance and music experiences, and sculptural work. These opportunities have enabled our students to discover new interests, express themselves creatively, and build stronger, more meaningful relationships with both staff and peers.
By giving our students, the chance to explore their emotions through the arts, and by adopting a holistic approach to creativity, we have fostered a more inclusive and connected school community for both students and staff.
We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved so far and see this as just the beginning of our journey. We look forward with excitement to the opportunities ahead and to discovering what more our school community can create together. https://youtu.be/g22SwC09Vhg
Year 8 Class focus
Mr Purdey has observed 8TRN completing maths work this week. They were exploring the internal angles of quadrilaterals and using their knowledge to work out missing values. They were determined and secure in their learning and complete tasks to a high standard. Mrs Rahman was providing extension opportunities to really embed the students' understanding.
In Mr Gold's class they have been creating their own fitness and health apps on App Labs. They have used Inkscape to create their own digital images and were using their coding skills to link individual pages together within App Lab. The students were so knowledgeable and took great pride in showing me their creations.
Headteachers award
It is always a pleasure to present Headteacher’s Awards to such deserving children and young people. What makes it even more special is seeing their classmates
share in their success and celebrate one another. Well done to everyone you all work incredibly hard.
Headteacher's Award
Let’s see what has been happening in the classroom.
In Miss Boothroyd’s class this week…
"Can you believe we are already at the end of Summer 1? This term has absolutely raced by, and what a fantastic week we have had to finish it off. There has been so much learning, progress and enthusiasm across the classroom, and it has been a real pleasure to see the children shine in everything they have done.
In Phonics, the children have been working incredibly hard to strengthen their skills and build their confidence. This week, we have been busy with dough disco, which has been a brilliant way to develop fine motor control while having lots of fun at the same time. The children have also been practising their red and green words as well as their phonics screening words, and they are feeling more and more prepared for next month. Their effort and determination have been wonderful to see, and they should be very proud of how far they have come. I certainly am!
In English, we have continued our learning around The Colour Monster, and it has been such a joy to share this story together. The children have really connected with the different feelings explored in the book, and their understanding has deepened throughout the unit. This week, they completed their hot task by creating their own colour monster and writing a paragraph to describe it. They used feelings vocabulary and similes brilliantly, and the finished pieces were full of imagination and creativity. Some of the work they produced was truly fantastic, and it will certainly be sad to say goodbye to the colour monsters.
In Maths, we have begun our new topic on fractions, with a particular focus on finding halves. The children have taken part in lots of practical activities to help them understand the concept in a hands-on way, and they have shown great enthusiasm throughout. Using real objects and visual resources has really supported their learning, and it is clear that they are already developing a strong foundation. As we revisit this learning over the coming weeks, I am sure their confidence will continue to grow.
In Science, we have been exploring our topics, Watch It Grow and Our Wonderful World. Three weeks ago, we planted runner beans, and since then we have been carefully watching and discussing how plants grow. The children have learned about the life cycle of a plant and what it needs in order to thrive. This week, we observed how much our beans have grown, which was very exciting. Although some of the beans have not grown, 4 out of the 7 have, and we cannot wait to see how they continue to develop. Last week, we also went on a litter pick around the school grounds as part of our learning about how we can care for our wonderful world. The children
were thoughtful and responsible, and it was lovely to see them taking pride in looking after their environment.
In Geography, we have been learning about China, with a particular focus on Shanghai. The children have enjoyed exploring how life in Shanghai compares with life in our local area, and they have been asking some very thoughtful questions. This topic has helped them to broaden their understanding of the world and recognise how different places and communities can be.
In Art, we have been diving into our topic of Woven Wonders, and it has been such a creative and enjoyable unit. The children have experimented with weaving using paper, wool and string, alongside a variety of other materials. They have shown wonderful perseverance and imagination as they explored different techniques. Our final project was a group masterpiece, bringing together lots of different weaving skills in one collaborative piece. The result was fantastic, and it was lovely to see the children working together so confidently and creatively.
What a busy, exciting and successful end to Summer 1 it has been."
VBD
And finally, in Miss Rahman’s...
"It has been a whirlwind of a half term. Each individual pupil has bought incredible qualities to the form, creating an exciting environment.
Maddie, you’ve shown a lot of growth this year. Your attention to detail in both your schoolwork and artwork is always immaculate, and it really shows in everything you produce.
Renico, you have brought lots of energy to the form, making it a lively and enjoyable place for everyone.
George, your focus and determination on achieving your targets and to keep improving has really shown in your progress.
Gerard, you have brought a wealth of knowledge to the class, especially when it comes to space, which has enriched our learning and sparked great discussions.
Charlie, it has been lovely to see you form meaningful friendships and bring your humour to the classroom.
Sam, your resilience and determination to keep improving have really stood out, and you always strive to do better.
Zack, your love for history shone through. Thank you sharing your knowledge and teaching staff new things along the way.
Lucas, your dedication and focus on your learning has shown a positive impact towards all your goals.
Connor, you have shown innovation through your love of creating logos and artwork.
Isabella, it has been lovely to see how well you have settled and the bonds you have also created in a short time. We wish you lots of luck in your swimming competitions over the half term!
The positivity radiates from each pupil and the willingness to learn and participate each day is inspiring. We look forward to the last half term of year 8 and to continue building upon memories."
TRN
Now to our amazing SUPER STARs and HWA We are We trust each other STARs...
Mrs Quinn’s and Miss McDonald’s STAR of the week is for Showing a positive attitude and focus during Maths. Well done.
Mrs Quinn’s and Miss McDonald’s HWA We trust each other goes to Showing great resilience when feeling under the weather and still producing great work. Well done.
Mrs Bailey’s HWA We trust each other goes to Ohud - for being an absolute superstar and trying lots of different fruits when making your fruit kebab. We are so proud of you
Mrs Bailey’s STAR of the Week is Ethan - For facing your fears on outdoor education and walking past the birds and for joining your friends at the carpet this week. Well Done.
Miss Boothroyd’s STAR of the Week goes to Louie for his fabulous English work this half term.
Miss Boothroyd’s HWA We trust each other goes to Effy for helping her teachers tidy up the classroom.
Mrs McDonalds’ and Mrs Bramley’s STAR of the Week is Olivia for her amazing behaviour this week and her attitude to learning.
Mrs McDonalds’ and Mrs Bramley’s we trust each other star goes to Diana - For being happy for her friends when they win dojos.
Mr Corrigan’s STAR of the Week is Teddy W for working really hard with SALT Zoe this week.
Mr Corrigan’s STAR of the Week is William for showing great determination with his maths this week.
Mr Corrigan’s WOW moment is Jack for being proud of his friends.
Miss Donbavand’s STAR of the Week goes to Ace for trying hard to manage emotions and self-regulate.
Miss Donbavand’s HWA We trust each other goes to Holly for great engagement in all lessons.
STARS of the Week (22.5.26)
Well done to everyone.
Have a lovely half term
Miss Gordon.
