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Chris Nicholls ‹ EF Academy Blog - 5

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Giant snails, fire, robots and exploding nappies – must be an Enrichment Day.
EF Academy Torbay had its first Enrichment day this week and we started with Science and Technology. The aim of these enrichment days is to bring a bit of fun into the academic subjects students study but also to inspire and develop a passion for knowledge and the academic world. Science and technology day introduces students to the practical application of science but it takes science out of the text book and into the lab.
Students rotated around activities in groups with members of our great science department providing activities across the natural sciences. Sean our general science teacher helped groups make their own sherbert and ice cream but they also made lip balm from completely natural ingredients. This was all about showing how natural ingredients make up much of the things we use including medicine and ever day household goods. Bob our chemistry teacher had students combining chemicals together in just the right way to change consistency from gas to liquid and from liquid to solid. Oh, he also exploded nappies.
Helen, another chemist, was all about explosions and students explored the reaction that gasses and chemicals can have including recreating the reaction that takes place in a conbustion engine. In physics
Tricia had students making their own parachutes from straws and black bags and tested the strength by floating eggs so that mistakes had the potential to literally leave egg on their faces. These activities are fun but they are a great way to engage students in science.
But on a more serious note we had leading researchers from Exeter and Plymouth Universities robotics departments who brought demonstration robots and explained how the robots are made and programmed. The research team from Plymouth combine psychology and technology and discussed how the two combine in modern robotics programming. The robot they brought in walked around the room following students instructions and even played football and danced with them.
We also had a team from Dartmoor Zoo who brought a collection of creepy crawlies and snakes from around the world and explained the natural environment they live in and how they have adapted to this environment. This had a big effect on the students with some loving the snakes and spiders but others finding it very hard but they all appreciated how incredible these animals are.
These are just some of the activities that students took part in but the fascination and passion for knowledge and science was clear to see. Students have been inspired to explore and enjoy science and technology in ways that they would not be able to in lessons.

EF Academy Torbay had its first Enrichment Day which aim to inspire and develop a passion for knowledge and the academic world.

Enrichment day at Torbay - EF Academy Blog

Enrichment day at Torbay ‹ EF Academy Blog

Enrichment day at Torbay

Enrichment day oxford

Bath University visited EF Academy Torbay this week to highlight the kind of programs they have to offer our students in a range of subjects but also to talk more generally about the UCAS application process and what universities are looking for when they make offers to students.
The University of Bath is a public university located in Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom. It received its Royal Charter in 1966 and can trace its roots to a technical school established in Bristol in 1856.
According to The Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2015 the University of Bath is the best university in the UK for student experience. In The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2014 the university was awarded the title of “Best Campus University in Britain”. Bath was awarded the title of ‘University of the Year 2011/12’. In the 2014 Research Excellence Framework, 32% of Bath’s submitted research activity achieved the highest possible classification of 4, defined as world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour.
Bath is one of the UK’s most beautiful cities world famous for its Roman baths and stunning Georgian architecture. It’s a great city to study and live in and has always been a popular choice with our students.
This was more than just a talk about Bath and the students found it very useful to hear about entry into UK universities from a member of an admissions team. She spoke about the need to consider carefully the subject students apply to but also how the subject choices that they make at IB, A Level and even GCSE level need to relate to their university choice. She also spoke about the need to have a well thought out and clearly written personal statement and how student’s extracurricular experience like clubs or the Duke of Edinburgh Award are becoming increasingly important.
We have a number of guest speakers coming into school over the year but we are also planning more and more university visits to Bath, Exeter and further afield to help students make the right decisions about the kind of universities they want to attend.

The University of Bath is a public university located in Bath, Somerset, United Kingdom. It can trace its roots to a technical school in Bristol in 1856.

Bath University visits EF Academy Torbay - EF Academy Blog

Bath University visits EF Academy Torbay ‹ EF Academy Blog

Bath University visits EF Academy Torbay

Bath university visits ef academy torbay

EF Academy Torbay has always excelled in Math’s and the UK Maths challenge has always been a place where we have been able to show a little but we have really proved ourselves this time.
Students from across the school attended the regional heat of the UK Math’s challenge in the local seaside town of Exmouth this week and competed against 24 local schools from grammars to private and state and  some of the best math’s students in the area. They have been practicing and preparing for a long time and regularly because the math’s challenge is a really popular school club but it is clearly a testament to our amazing math’s department.
The Senior Challenge is aimed at all 16-19 year olds studying mathematics i.e. year 13 and below in England and Wales, year 14 and below in Northern Ireland and S6 and below in Scotland. It is also suitable for students who may no longer be studying mathematics but have completed their GCSE (or equivalent). The challenge involves answering 25 multiple choice questions in 90 minutes and is sat in school under normal exam conditions.
The top 60% of students nationally receive a gold, silver or bronze certificate in the ratio 1:2:3 and each institution receives a Best in School certificate. Top performing students are then invited to take part in follow on rounds and the very best can represent their country in the International Mathematical Olympiad. Around 1000 top scorers in the Senior Challenge are invited to take part in the British Mathematical Olympiad Round 1 and around 2000 are invited to take part in the Senior Kangaroo.
We competed against 24 other schools and amazingly we came fourth which puts us in a great position to reach the finals which would be a great achievement for the school, the department and the students.

EF Academy Torbay has always excelled in Math’s and the UK Maths challenge has been a place where we have really proved ourselves this time.

EF Academy Torbay excel in the UK Maths Challenge - EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Torbay excel in the UK Maths Challenge ‹ EF Academy Blog

EF Academy Torbay excel in the UK Maths Challenge

Ef academy torbay excel uk maths challenge

Another wonderful trip to the city of romance, art and charm.  Even in the snow, we managed to sample inspirational art, sumptuous food and exquisite shopping experiences.  This year, Tracy and Gundel from the art department took 19 students to explore this fantastic city.  We stayed in the comfortable and convenient Generator Hostel right in the heart of the town and used the underground Metro to get around just like the Parisians do! Many of the students had never been to Paris before and the excitement was clear as we wondered around the stunning streets of the Left Bank.
Our favorite art gallery was the Musee D’Orsay, an elegant and impressive building that was once an elaborate railway station and now functions as an airy and light-filled art gallery. The Musée d’Orsay is on the Left Bank of the Seine. The museum holds mainly French art dating from 1848 to 1914, including paintings, sculptures, furniture, and photography. It houses the largest collection of impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces in the world, by painters including Monet, Manet, Degas, Renoir, Cézanne, Seurat, Sisley, Gauguin, and Van Gogh. Many of these works were held at the Galerie nationale du Jeu de Paume prior to the museum’s opening in 1986. It is one of the largest art museums in Europe. Here, we saw many old favourites, such as Monet and van Gogh as well as more classical art.
The snow didn’t stop us from investigating a lot to get a real feel for the city and some of us even braved the river Seine to sample the sights by boat.  One of the highlights also had to be shopping in Gallery La Fayette, a building crowned with a massive Art Nouveau glass roof that made the experience truly ’French’.  Apart from simply ‘being’ in Paris, we also enjoyed spending time with each other and making new friends with students we might not have got to know so well, had we not been on the trip together.
This is now the third time we have taken students to Paris to explore the amazing art and culture that the city has to offer and it will not be the last. International trips are becoming more and more important at EF Academy Torbay and I am glad that this is the trip that blazed a trail.
 
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Another wonderful trip to the city of romance, art and charm.  Even in the snow, we managed to sample inspirational art, sumptuous food and exquisite shopping experiences.  This year, Tracy and Gundel from the art department took 19 students to explore this fantastic city.  We stayed in the comfortable and convenient Generator Hostel right in …

Art and culture trip to Paris 2018 - EF Academy Blog

Art and culture trip to Paris 2018 ‹ EF Academy Blog

Art and culture trip to Paris 2018

Art culture trip paris 2018

The world has been shocked by what has happened in France over the weekend and of course this is the second time in a year that such an awful thing has happened to the people of France. And this time it has touched our school directly which has made this horror even more real.
Awful events on beaches in Tunisia where many British people were on holiday and the awful event involving a Russian plane of people returning from their holidays make it seem like the world has gone mad.
But. The scenes I witnessed in EF Academy Torbay today was a glimmer of hope and it shows that we can have a better future and that what we do in our schools is to create a future where hatred, discrimination and violence are not accepted because we are every race and every religion and we live side by side with understanding and compassion.
Today we all stopped and gathered together to talk about this awful event and in silence we remembered those who died. Muslim students from many parts of the world spoke of their religion as a faith of humanity and tolerance and read from their holy book pieces that forbid this hatred Neil our guidance counselor who is Christian gave us similar readings from the bible all to emphasize how this kind of act is not in their name. We then heard from one of our French students who has been directly affected by this, his bravery so clear for us all to see.
We should all be very proud that what we create in our schools is tolerance and respect. If only the rest of the world could follow our example.

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Chris Nicholls

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