UAH’s Year 9 – Live News Team Competition
Last week, a group of Year 9 teams delivered punchy, precise and very persuasive live news events. This oracy competition was part of our study in the art of rhetoric. The winners of this hard-to-judge media competition, was the team with top anchor-man – Bobby J! Props, sweet treat prizes, live audience participation and perfectly timed, pre-recorded audience appreciation, ensured that these top journos clinched the winning spot.
The Academy was, once again, pleased to support the Rotary’s Shoebox Appeal this year. This appeal asks for people to make up a gift box of toys and gifts for a child in need. The items can be preloved and we are reminded to not include items which may be of a sensitive nature, such as those which may be linked to warfare. Each tutor group in school was provided with a box and they were then invited to work as a team to decide on the age of the child for whom they wanted to create a gift and then plan and source the gifts for that child. The appeal was really successful with lots of very generous donations and many tutor groups also spent time and effort on designing the look of their gift box, making it even more appealing for the recipient to receive. It is an important part of pupils’ personal development that they are encouraged to think of others and to understand the value of doing things for charity, both through giving of items, but also the giving of time. We were incredibly proud of all the pupils who were involved in this activity, which will make a real difference to the lives of young people in very difficult
circumstances. We would like to extend our thanks to all families who supported this appeal
as well and to the tutors, who worked with their tutor groups on the project. Alan Rumsey, Spalding Rotary Club representative, who sourced all the boxes and collected them, was incredibly impressed with the generosity and time spent by pupils.
CIPHE learner of the year award
Matthew Oddie was awarded the CIPHE 2025 learner of the year award. Matthew is a 3rd year apprentice and has flourished throughout his plumbing apprenticeship with M. Yould and Sons plumbing and heating. Matthew always has a positive attitude to his work and the plumbing industry.
Founded in 1906, the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is the professional body for the UK plumbing and heating industry. The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is a membership body for those involved in all aspects of the plumbing and heating industry. The CIPHE has members worldwide and is the only chartered, professional body for the UK plumbing and heating sector.
University Academy Holbeach is an approved CIPHE training centre.
UAH once again took time to pause and reflect upon the sacrifice made by those affected by war. Throughout this week and last, poppies were on sale at the ibrary, with some of our Prefects also going round to sell them to tutor groups. School Council created our annual window display, which this year also features crocheted poppies created by the Academy’s Knit and Natter group. Years 8 – 10 attended assemblies focused on the theme of Remembrance and Year 7 attended a special assembly in the Hall, which featured readers from the year group, music from Chamber Choir singing a setting of In Flanders Fields and the assembly was also attended by pupils from uniformed groups, including Army, Sea and RAF cadets, Scouts and Guides.The school observed the two minutes silence which ended with pupils listening to The Last Post. The school was really pleased to also send representatives to the RBL Memorial service at the War Memorial in Holbeach. Seven pupils who had visited the battlefields in Ypres earlier this term attended the service and were also invited to lay a wreath.
The Academy’s new Gardening Club, which has been meeting since September, has already achieved an award. The group is following the Royal Horticultural Society’s School Gardening Awards scheme and has already achieved Level 1. For this, the group has explored all the benefits of gardening, learned about health and safety and has, of course, started to grow things! The group received a selection of seeds, a gardening book and a certificate from RHS for their efforts and are now looking forward to the stage. The Gardening Club meets every Friday lunchtime in the glasshouse and is open to pupils from all years. This week, pupils planted bulbs in our nature area.
On Friday 3rd and Monday 6th October Year 11 GCSE Geography students completed their urban fieldwork in Peterborough. The trip involved visiting multiple sites around the city centre including Cathedral Square, Lincoln Road and Rivergate. Students completed data collection methods such as traffic and pedestrian counts, completing a land-use transect using city maps to show the ratio of chain to independent businesses as well as completing interviews with members of the public in Cathedral Square. Students represented UAH well, working quickly, safely and sensibly whilst in the city, even though one group had to battle the pouring rain! Now that students are back in lesson, they will use data to support their study of the Urban Futures topic, creating data presentations to display the results of their investigation.
On Wednesday this week, we welcomed representatives from Lincolnshire County Council, Lincolnshire Police, Horizon and Lincolnshire Fire Service. Our guests delivered workshops to all of Year 11 on topics including Fire Safety, Online Safety and Drug & Alcohol Awareness. Pupils were complimented by our guests for their behaviour and positive attitude, with one speaker saying they were the best she has ever worked with! The programme of Stay Safe Days is a key element of our Personal Development programme and extremely important in the work we do, both preparing them for adulthood and also giving them the tools to stay safe now. There will be Stay Safe Days for other year groups throughout the year, with Year 10 taking part next Wednesday.
On Wednesday this week we invited our community to visit the school, with opportunities to
view our fantastic facilities and take part in lots of different activities, organised by our
departments. The school was buzzing with excitement, as pupils and visitors tried out lots of fabulous experiences. It really is testament to the knowledge and skill of our staff that we were able to showcase so many different things and we are grateful to all the staff and pupils who supported with the event. We hope that, if you were able to attend the event, you enjoyed the evening.