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In Touch Stay in touch with what’s happening around Merrill Academy Autumn 2013 5029.07.13 Outstanding Attendance A stud

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In Touch

Stay in touch with what’s happening around Merrill Academy

Autumn 2013

Outstanding Attendance A student at Merrill Academy has just received an award for outstanding attendance and received a Blackberry Tablet for his dedication and hard work. Dominic Hilton, who will be taking up an Engineering course at Derby College in September, has nine years exceptional attendance, starting from his time at Shelton Junior School, through to Merrill. He hopes to continue this on his journey through further education. Dominic has followed his five siblings through Merrill Academy and has already secured a Grade B in GCSE Maths, taking his exam earlier this year. He thanked his teachers at the Academy for their support and encouragement and for giving up their time to provide extra classes over the holiday period to support him. Dominic is seen receiving his award from Mr Sharp, Assistant Principal at the

Wedding Floristry Merrill Academy students studying Environment and Land Based Studies provided flowers for a wedding event at Chellaston Junior School.

Academy, who has been teaching for 33 years. Between the years of 19681975 Mr Sharp was awarded perfect attendance for 7 years whilst at School. Mr Sharp said “good attendance is invaluable, while students are attending school they are learning”. Dominic was delighted to have surpassed Mr Sharp’s attendance record of 7 years and receive this accolade.

Welcome to the new academic year After a successful conversion to an Academy, we are excited by the prospect of our first full year under the sponsorship of Derby College and looking forward to welcoming our new Year 7 students and those returning throughout the Academy. It is extremely pleasing to be able to say that all 6th form leavers have managed to secure a place at their first or second choice destination. We are also extremely pleased to report that 83% of our year 11 students gained at least 5 A* - C grades, which are our best results ever. With the support of the sponsor, the Academy has been able to further strengthen the teaching staff by recruiting experienced and successful colleagues across a range of curriculum areas. This is particularly true within the core subjects of English, Maths and Science. It is also pleasing to be able to report that many of the students who will be starting in Year 11 have already gained GCSE qualifications. 93% of all students in the new Year 11 will be starting the year with at least 1 GCSE with 25% of all students having already gained and A* - C in maths. The Academy will continue to focus on rewarding all students who make a valuable contribution to Academy life, both in and out of the classroom.

Improving teaching: the Bayesian method Matt Bromley, August 2013

I’m Matt Bromley and I’m delighted to be joining the executive team of the Derby College Group and Education Trust as Teaching and Learning Improvement Director. As my job title suggests, I’ll be responsible for improving the quality of teaching and learning in each of the Group’s campuses, workplaces, and schools - and that includes the Merrill Academy. My vision is simple: to ensure that the quality of teaching and learning which every student receives is outstanding. Here’s how... The Bayesian method On 5 June 1968, an American submarine called the USS Scorpion was declared lost and all its 99 crewman were presumed dead. An immediate search was initiated but without success because - with a potential search area stretching out thousands of square miles - it was quite simply like finding a needle in a haystack. Accordingly, the USS Scorpion was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 30 June. Later that year, however, another search led by Dr John Craven - the Chief Scientist of the U.S. Navy’s Special Projects Division employed rather different methods to try find the vessel... Dr Craven polled a wide array of specialists in various fields for their thoughts of where the sub might be. Their guesses were then pooled into a single average guess. This method draws on the Bayesian theory which was first deployed during the search for a hydrogen bomb lost off the coast of Palomares, Spain, in January 1966. Not one of the experts’ guesses was right. But the average of all their guesses was surprisingly accurate and lead the recovery team to within just 183 metres of the lost sub. I believe in the Bayesian method of improving teaching... Better together I have a confession to make: I do not possess a panacea, I do not have an elixir, a pill which once popped will proffer

outstanding teaching every time. But nor should I. To paraphrase Sir Tim Brighouse former Chief Advisor to London Schools - , it is not my job to provide all the right answers; it is my job to ask all the right questions. I don’t expect any one of my new colleagues to know the secret to outstanding teaching either! I imagine we all have our own thoughts about what works and what doesn’t - and about what great teaching is and is not - but no single opinion will take our schools and colleges to within 200 yards of ‘outstanding’. However - like Craven’s team of experts together, we will find all the answers and we will provide consistently outstanding teaching in every corner of our Group. In short - and let this me our motto - we are better together. Of course, what I say above rather assumes that the quality of teaching is currently not good enough. (And that is no way to ingratiate myself, is it?) Be assured, I’m not suggesting that teaching is poor. What I am saying - rightly , I think - is that no matter how good teaching is now, it can always get even better with deliberate practice. After all, even the best teachers can get better and can help their colleagues to get better too. And why is it important we ensure the quality of teaching is the best it can be? Because teachers make a big difference... Hanushek and Rivkin (2006) say that, if we take a group of fifty teachers, the students taught by the most effective teacher in that group will learn in six months what those taught by the average teacher will learn in a year. And, more damningly, students taught by the least effective teacher in that group of fifty teachers will take two years to achieve the same amount of learning. Furthermore, according to Hamre and Pianta (2005), in the classrooms of the most effective teachers, students from disadvantaged backgrounds learn at the same rate as those from advantaged backgrounds.

Listen and learn Accordingly, I intend to dedicate my first few weeks to visiting lessons and workshops, and talking to teachers, lecturers and students right across the Group in order to listen and learn; not judge. I intend to gain a better understanding of all aspects of the teaching and learning that takes place in our schools and colleges including at Merrill - and to fully appreciate the ways in which pedagogy differs for each phase, for each subject, for each qualification, for each teacher, for each class, and for each student... not so I can eradicate such differences, but so I can celebrate them. I will write about what I see and hear along the way on my blog (mjbromleyblog. wordpress.com) and on Twitter (@mj_ bromley) and I look forward to being able to recognise and reward all the hard work and expertise I witness right across the college group. As a result of my travels, I hope to better understand what we do well - so that we can safeguard it and, more importantly, share it as well as what we could do even better. I also hope to spend my first few weeks at Derby working closely with college leaders to find out what they are currently doing - and plan to do in the future - to improve teaching so that I can draw all these plans together to formulate a group-wide, longterm strategy for improving teaching and so I can offer my help and support in realising those plans. That help may be strategic - sharing my expertise and experience, guiding and influencing policy. And that help may also be practical - I am not afraid of toiling at the chalkface when it’s needed! To find out more about my plans, please visit mjbromleyblog.wordpress.com and click on Derby College where you’ll find a longer version of this article. I look forward to meeting you all in person very soon.

A Level Results Day

Mobeen Mahmood (19) has turned her life around and, having achieved A star in Health and Social Care, A in IT and A in Public Services - is now off to Nottingham Trent University to study Computer Sciences.

“I was close to being excluded earlier on in the school because I was, quite frankly, very badly behaved but the teachers were patient with me and I realised I was capable of making something of my life. I didn’t want to let my mum down either as she’s a single parent. I matured a lot in sixth form and am pleased I stayed on at school.” Mobeen is the second youngest of five children – four of whom went to Merrill. Last year her brother Azeem left Merrill with 3 A level passes and is studying Computer Sciences at Bedford University. Johnny Phung (18) gained two distinctions in Business and IT BTECs as well as a grade A in Chinese at AS level and now plans to apply to university in Nottingham to study accountancy. Johnny has had to balance studying with family commitments. “My parents run

a take away in Alvaston so I do have to help out in family business. The family are very supportive though and proud of me.” Four close friends will now be heading to Nottingham Trent University and have secured places in the same University accommodation. David Cibrik (18) came to Derby from Czeck Republic when he was seven and could not speak any English. He has now achieved B grades in Media and Sport and C in English Language and Literature (combined) and is going onto study print journalist at Nottingham Trent University. “I cried for the whole first year at primary school in Derby and didn’t talk to anyone as I was scared of making mistakes. So when I did start speaking everyone was amazed at how much English I knew.

and Literature to go with the C grade in AS Dutch that he took when he was just 13 at Merrill. “I am going onto study Business, Management, Accounting and Finance which will open up many opportunities for me. Speaking three languages will also help me in my future career. I find learning languages quite easy. It’s just something I pick up.” Charlie Brentnall (18) gained distinction in ITC, B in Media Studies and C in English Language and Literature combined and is joining his friends at Nottingham Trent to study Computer Sciences with a long term goal of working in web development. “I wasn’t originally planning to go to university but when I found out that my mates were going, we all decided to apply together.

“When I picked up my grades for GCSE I realised I’d be best staying on at Merrill for sixth form rather than going anywhere else as I knew school and the people.”

And Ryan Petts (18) will also be studying Computer Sciences having achieved distinctions in ICT and Public Services and a D in PE.

Mohamed Yusuf (18) also came to England as a young child with little or no English. His first language is Dutch but he also speaks Somalian.

“I always wanted to go to university and I think it will help me in my career which I hope will have something to do computer games design.

Mohamed gained top grades in ICT, Business and a C in English Language

Humanities teacher visits Auschwitz Mr Sharratt, Humanities teacher at Merrill Academy joined around 200 teachers to visit Auschwitz camp.

The course is aimed to promote trips to the World War 2 Death Camp in Poland from city schools. The group arrived at Auschwitz camp in 32 degree heat and were marched past the horrors that Nazi occupation inflicted on anyone they deemed less important than themselves. The group also visited Birkenau (Auschwitz II) a second camp able to hold around 30,000 people at anyone point. Mr Sharratt commented “I stood on the railway platform, photos of which I use consistently in my lessons when teaching the Holocaust, the platform was huge and the enormity of the mass killings started to take an impact on me. I was stood where just 70 years earlier people were chosen to live and chosen to die because of how they looked”. The Academy are planning to run an Auschwitz visit during the next school year. A quote Mr Sharratt picked up from Poland seems very fitting “Those who don’t learn from History are doomed to repeat it.”

National Recognition For Merrill Academy Star A Teaching Assistant at Merrill Academy in Alvaston has reached the final of a national competition that recognises the valuable contribution that support staff play in the success and achievements of schools. Nina Bregazzi-Hall, who runs the Learning Support Centre at the school, is one of three people from across the UK to reach the finals of the Pupil Development category in the National School Support Staff Awards. She will travel to London with husband Darren and attend a gala dinner and awards evening at the Plaza Hotel hosted by the National Association of School Business Management on Saturday October 5. Nina was nominated by the Academy’s Senior Executive Officer Fran Lloyd who said: “We are all so proud of Nina and this recognition is extremely well deserved. “She has a natural talent for nurturing students to achieve their best and always demonstrates to them that they can progress – whatever their circumstances or individual challenges. “We will be keeping everything crossed that she is named the winner but reaching the final out of support staff nominated from schools across the country for this award is a huge achievement in its own right.” Mrs Bregazzi-Hall, who has an eight-year-old daughter Tilly, went to work in retail after she left Merrill as a pupil at 16.

She returned to education part time three years ago – juggling work with her studies to be a Teaching Assistant at Derby College and working as a volunteer at the school. She continued with her qualifications when she was offered a full time job at Merrill and is now in charge of nine staff who work in the Learning Support Centre that is open throughout the school day to support pupils facing a wide range of challenges or who need additional support with English and maths. She said: “I was shocked when I heard that I had been nominated and over the moon to have now reached the final. “I love this job and I work with a great team of people who are very dedicated to supporting pupils with the challenges they face. “It is an extremely rewarding job – seeing the children make progress in their studies and confidence and being able to integrate back fully into the mainstream school.” Andrew Scott, Head of Merrill Academy which is sponsored by Derby College, concluded: “The LSC provides language, numeracy and literacy support and is that safe haven that vulnerable students need. “In our eyes Nina is a local hero. She is a former pupil, lives in the local community and is a shining example of what Merrill students can achieve. Her work ethic and professionalism are both outstanding and she is a huge asset to the academy.”

More students than ever have achieved top GCSE or equivalent grades at Merrill Academy with 83% of the 189 students who sat exams gaining five A* to C compared to 72% last year. Merrill Academy Principal Andy Scott said: “We are obviously delighted that more students achieved five or more GCSEs and equivalents at A* to C grades”. Merrill Academy students celebrating their successes included: Leon Nixon (16) is heading to Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre to study A levels having achieved all A* and A grades. He said: “I was confident that I had done well and worked hard to ensure that I got good grades which would firstly enable me to go on and do A levels and then stand me in good stead to go onto university.” Many of the Merrill Academy students have secured apprenticeships for their next stage in education. These included Tom Doyle (16) who, having completed a 14-16 apprenticeship at Rolls-Royce as part of his Engineering BTEC, has now secured a level three apprenticeship at the company and gained 11 GCSEs and BTECs. “I was really pleased to be accepted onto the apprenticeship programme whilst at school and I have been nominated as the young engineer of the year by the company which is brilliant news. “The apprenticeship programme has been great – combining theory with practical experience at Rolls-Royce and several other companies. “I hope that this will be the start of a good career in education and that I will have

the opportunity to go onto university part time in the future, sponsored by my employer.” Sarah Yeomans (16) has also secured an apprenticeship with Pride Funerals in Alvaston as an administrative assistant. “It was the first apprenticeship that I applied for and was really pleased when I found out I had got it on Friday even though I was the youngest candidate. “The funeral industry sounds really interesting and I will be doing all sorts of things in my new job.” Former Merrill Academy Head Girl Abigail Tomlin (16) gained an A*, five A grades, 2 B’s and a C and is now going to Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre to study A levels. She said: “Although we are the first year to stay on since they raised the participation age, it has not really been an issue as we all recognise that you need all the qualifications that you can get – particularly in this jobs market. “I am so relieved that it has all worked out and I am looking forward to moving onto the next stage in my education.” Fellow student Kajol Verma (16) achieved all A and B grades and is joining Abigail at the Joseph Wright Centre with her

sights set on going onto university to study medicine. She said: “I am obviously pleased with the results although would have liked more A* grades. I has been a nervous time over the summer but all the hard work was worth it.” Mahsa Nowroozi (16) is also aiming for a career in medicine and will be studying A levels at Landau Forte College having achieved 10 grades A, and C. “My family moved here from Iran when I was two with a view to me getting a good English education and I am so relieved that I have met their and my own expectations.” Friends Amie Simpson (16) and Aurelia Travers-Ayre (16) were both celebrating a clutch of A* and A grades. Amie is going onto Landau Forte to study A levels and Aurelia is going onto Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre.

Sheffield Half Marathon Three Merrill Academy teachers recently took part in the Sheffield Half Marathon. Ms Anthony, Mr Wilson and Mr McCaughey were part of the 6,000 who took part in the 32nd Sheffield Half Marathon in May in aid of Multiple Sclerosis.

Secondary Strategy Pavlina Preissova originally came to Derby with the intention of learning English and then returning to her native Czech Republic. However, that was five years ago and Pavlina has remained in Derby and forged good links within the community

Competition

Winner! Congratulations to Mrs Spalding-Wells who is shown being presented with her Kindle Fire HD by Mr Scott, Principal of Merrill Academy.

Mrs Spalding-Wells won the recent community book review competition with her review of “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

As part of Derby City Council’s New Communities Achievement Team, Pavlina, delivers the Secondary Strategy on behalf of the local authority, making sure that the children have an equal and fair access to education and that they understand the daily routines, rules and school expectations. A very important part of Pavlina’s role is to raise awareness of cultural differences, raise attendance and attainment by removing the language barrier and supporting the children whilst interpreting for school and families to allow them to communicate and built relationships.

course. They are then allocated to one of 15 schools within the city – which includes Merrill Academy. As part of her role, Pavlina organises an induction into the school and supports each student for up to six weeks following their enrolment.

Young people arriving in the city with little or no English language initially join the city’s Language Centre at Bemrose School for a six week

Merrill Academy recently hosted their ‘Getting to know you’ event which was very successful.

Pavlina works closely with families who are new to the area - particularly putting them in touch with other organisations who can help them settle into the local community. Pavlina is based in Merrill Academy every Wednesday and can be contacted on 07812 301639.

Career

Academies Success Celebration The success of the Career Academies programme at Derby College and at Merrill Academy, which is sponsored by the College, was celebrated at an event attended by students and employers at The Roundhouse recently. Students selected from the Professional Construction and Engineering full time courses at the College and on IT courses at Merrill Academy benefit from additional input from local employers including guru lectures, site visits, industry mentors and paid summer internships. Many of this year’s graduates have progressed onto university or gained jobs and apprentices at the companies that they have built up a relationship with through the Career Academies programme. These include Engineering student Callum Hall (19) from Mackworth who has clinched an apprenticeship with international rail consultancy Interfleet Technology through the programme.

And Professional Construction student Ross Judge (18) from Langley Mill has also gained an apprenticeship with Haywood Electrical in Belper. His fellow Professional Construction Career Academy graduates are progressing onto university including Sukraj Johal (19) from Derby who is going onto study Quantity Surveying at Loughborough University. He said: “This has been a brilliant experience and has really enabled us all to look in more depth about our career options and the qualifications we need to be successful in the construction industry.” Sixth Form students at Merrill Academy are the first to be involved in the IT Career Academy at the school. They include Samukeliso Mafa and Junaid Mohammed (both 16). Samukeliso said: “The Career Academy has really taken me out of my comfort zone which is a good thing as it has given me much more confidence to speak to new people.” And Junaid, who has an internship at a bank this summer organised through the Career Academy, continued: “It has been great to meet business people and see what the world of work is all about.”

Richard Horsley, chair of the Local Enterprise Partnership D2N2 skills commission said: “A key objective of the LEP is to ensure that businesses have the skilled workforce they need to grow and improve their competitive edge. “Derby College is a key partner in this work and the Career Academes initiative is an excellent example of the role that businesses can take in developing young people.” James McCreary, Chief Executive of the national organisers Career Academies UK, added: “This is all about business and education working together in harmony to enable young people to discover what opportunities there are in the workplace and realise their potential.” Picture captions: Merrill: from left: Sanelisiwe Mafa Junaid Mohammed, Kirstie McNonigle, Jao Chen and Samukeliso Mafa (all 16)

Scales, check. Massive wings, check.

Fire breathing…well not quite yet unless the Technology Department gets a hold of them. This activity week Merrill will play host to some sculpted dragons thanks to Miss Mhyre and the art pupils. “At the minute we are making giant dragons, so we are having a lot of fun. We are not quite sure if it’s going to fit in the classroom, but they are going to be amazing. At the moment we’ve made the body, legs, claws, heads and it’s going to have giant golden wings, we will cover them in tissue paper. There is going to be a lot of paintings and decorating… all sorts of things”.

Miss Mhyre hopes to display all the Dragons by suspending them from the balcony for the school to see. It seems as though Merrill Academy may have found it’s new Mascotts! Making Dragons in two days seemed a very big task, but with an enthusiastic teacher the pupils are definitely excelling. “I love sculpture in particular, that’s why I forced everyone to make dragons today. I

Historians visit Local Studies Library

love artists (Sculptors) like Antony Gormley who made the giant Angel of the North”. Many students are definitely not feeling forced into this project, as Esa Pegini told us “It’s really really fun, I’m really enjoying it, and it’s a big challenge to do... I’m really really proud of it”. Pride is certainly the prevailing opinion of such a fantastic project.

A group of Year 12 historians recently visited Derby’s Local Studies Library on a humanities trip which proved a great success The visit included an induction into how to use the facilities at the library for research projects and a question and answer session with a member of the Library staff. Students were then given the opportunity to use the facilities available to research how Derby

celebrated the Queen’s Coronation. The visit provided students with valuable experience which will assist them with their own research project to ‘Research the Significance of a Historic event’ which will contribute 20% of the students’ final grade.

Year 8 take flight

On the 16th of May, a group of Year 8 students took part in the Pure Flight workshop, led by employees from Rolls Royce and undertaken to reward some of the students that it was felt, deserved a reward for hard work and ingenuity in Design and Technology lessons.

The workshop involved students taking part in discussions regarding the aeronautical industry and aircraft design, and then designing, building and test-flying their own gliders. The day was very worthwhile and students were eager

to participate in the group activities, which resulted in some interesting design ideas. The Design and Technology department were very pleased with the activity and hope to run the event again in the future.

Induction Evening Taster Day at Joseph Wright Centre

Year 7 students starting Merrill Academy were welcomed to an Induction Evening in June. The event was designed to introduce the new students and their parents to the academy and help them settle in before commencing in September.

A group of Year 10 Merrill Academy students undertook a Geography and Development A Level taster day at Derby College’s Joseph Wright Centre hosted by Kathryn Atkins and a team of AS students. As well as experiencing the environment of the Joseph Wright Centre, students undertook an A Level style Development Task and presented to the sixth form students who assessed them against their own high A Level standards.

Activity Week

Activity week at Merrill Academy commenced with a school wide sports day.

While including traditional events such as 110m, 400mm, tug of war and the long jump. Interesting new additions included the ultimate frizbee – where the frizbee is thrown between teams who attempt to get it across the goal line, and the leaky pipe game, a game of

teamwork and skill – requiring students to fill a pipe full of holes with water and then transport it to another location without spilling any, with students attempting to cover as many holes as possible!

Prom The Year 11 Prom took place on 3 July at Derby College’s Roundhouse, where students danced the night away to Andre and the Garden, the band performing on the evening. It was an opportunity to say goodbye and celebrate after sitting their exams. Some students will return to the Academy and join Year 12, whilst others will be continuing their education with our Sponsor, Derby College. A special note of thanks to all of those who helped organise the Prom, particularly to Miss Glenn and members of the Prom Committee which included: Praise Chirombo, Abigail Tomlin, Shadrak Konia, Oliver Taylor, Amie Simpson, Kajol Verma, Georgia Cholerton, Charlie Taylor, Jessica Gamble, Chloe Smith, Leanna Holmes, Sephora Mbo Rukasha, Heather Godber, Aleesha Khalid, Chelsea Walsh, Lauren Bullock, Salina Kanwal, Ellen Overton and Dominic Hilton.

Students gain place on Rolls Royce Young Apprenticeship Scheme Three students from Merrill Academy have secured places on a prestigious apprenticeship scheme Scott Willis, Jack Shubrook and James White all were successful in gaining a place on the two year Rolls-Royce Young Apprenticeship Scheme. The scheme provides an opportunity for 14-16 year olds to

combine the practical application of skills and knowledge in a vocational context whilst studying for qualifications that relate to particular occupational sectors.

Mrs Lymer Retires After 26 Years Mrs Lymer started at Merrill in November 1986 as a Midday Supervisor and then Senior Midday Supervisor from 1988. Additionally from 1999 she was also a cleaner at the college until the move to the new building. Her main job has always been as a mother to her four children; all who have come through Merrill and their children now too.

Mrs Lymer took the difficult decision to retire this year, though she won’t be getting much rest as she has two more grandchildren due very soon. On her last day she was showered with gifts from friends and colleagues and was presented with gifts from the whole school community by Mr Davie, Vice Principal.

The Big Dig

Students and staff came together on Tuesday to excavate a large hole for a pond at the Academy’s Land Based area. In sweltering heat volunteers toiled to remove ton after ton of soil, gravel and clay in scenes reminiscent of the building of the pyramids. The hope is that the pond when completed will be home to a rich variety of pond species which will be a valuable educational resource for both Land Based and Science students. Sixth Form students made up the majority of volunteers and had come back into the Academy specifically to assist with the project. The project

was organised by Mrs Philips and Mr Mason, both of which were kind enough to arrange a BBQ on the site as a token of their thanks. Although there are still a few finishing touches to be added Tuesday’s dig was definitely a significant step in the right direction.

Battlefields Tour A group of Merrill Academy students have very recently returned from a Humanities excursion to France and Belgium. The focus of the visit was to develop social skills, cultural understanding and historical knowledge. They took part in a wide range of activities including visits to; an archaeological site reconstructing a First World War trench, Tyne Cot and Langemarck Cemetery, Flanders Field Museum and the Menin Gate Last Post Ceremony; with 4 students selected to lay a poppy wreath.

Peak Performers Merrill Academy staff and students were recognised at the 10th annual Peak Awards event held at The Roundhouse vocational campus.

Derby College Chief Executive Mandie Stravino told the audience of staff, students, their family and friends and local businesses who sponsored individual awards that the Peak Awards were always a special celebration of achievement. “I am so moved every year to hear about the success that our students have achieved, often against the odds. This is a wonderful opportunity to applaud those successes and offer encouragement for them all to go on and achieve even greater things in the future.” The Merrill Academy Learner Award went to Yu Chen (15) in recognition of her work ethic – combining excellent academic results with achievements in sport and art. Haider Ali (14) was highly commended for this attendance record and enthusiasm.

And Amanda Bailey from the Vocational department won the Merrill Academy Teaching and Learning Award. Over the past 14 years, she has worked tirelessly to ensure the success of all students in her care. Her teaching is held in high regard by those with whom she works and the students in her classes. She regularly gives her time to help other students including a specific group of Year 7 students, ensuring they can access the curriculum provided by the Academy. As one of the safeguarding officers within the Academy, she supports students across all year groups and plays a pivotal role in the wellbeing and safety of all students in the Academy. Highly commended was Lewis Taylor, who initially joined Merrill Academy as an IT Technician and is now in his second year as an ICT teacher having retrained.

Merrill Academy Local Governing Body are delighted to welcome Brian Powell and Matthew Bromley who join the Governing Body from September 2013 Prior to his retirement, Brian was Chief Executive of Hepworth Home Products Division and a Board Director at Hepworth PLC and Chairman of a number of Hepworth companies, he has

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also served as a Council member of the Derbyshire Learning and Skills Council, along with sitting on the Derby University Court. Brian served as a board member of the former Wilmorton College after being appointed by the then Secretary of State for Education, and then latterly as a board member of Derby College, until he ‘retired’ from his post earlier this year. Matt, Group Teaching and Learning Improvement Director

at Derby College is an education writer, lecturer and consultant head teacher. A former school leader, he was deputy head teacher (and acting head teacher) of the highest performing comprehensive school in its authority and one of the top five most improved schools in England, a school Ofsted judged ‘good with outstanding features’ under its new framework.

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5029.07.13

There were among more than 70 students and staff who were presented with awards at the glittering ceremony.