HWA Blog - 26.9.25
WOW, I do not know where this week has gone. It has been busy both inside and outside of the classroom and I am excited to share all events with you.
On Tuesday Hollinwood academy had a visit from diamond buses, part of the bee network. Our students had a lesson from bus driver Rob on how to use the bus safely and all the different features of the bus. The students thoroughly enjoyed themselves and even got to sit in the driver’s seat.
Bus - 26.9.25
This week we have continued our cycle of lesson observations and are pleased to report a strong and consistent culture of quality teaching and learning across the school. Staff have demonstrated excellent practice, creativity, and commitment to our children and young people’s progress and engagement.
Subjects observed this week include:
· Art
· Food
· Outdoor Education
· Forest School
· PE
· PSHE
· English
· Phonics
Across these areas, we have seen:
· Purposeful planning and clear learning intentions.
· High levels of children and young people engagement and participation.
· Strong subject knowledge.
· Inclusive practice.
· Creative use of resources and environments, particularly in Forest School and Outdoor Education.
On Wednesday Miss Mathew’s class took part in a live lesson with a focus on writing. The session was inspiring and promoted a love for writing through competition. The children came up with their own ideas for their creative stories. The competition is to write a story in 500 words or less and the live lesson gave them lots of encouragement to start writing.
On Friday, we hosted a combined Macmillan Coffee afternoon and Meet the Teacher event, which was a great success. It was fantastic to see so many families engaging with staff and supporting a meaningful cause.
Parents shared lots of positive feedback, highlighting:
· The opportunity to sit and network with other parents.
· The opportunity to connect with teachers and learn more about the curriculum
· How happy they are that their children attend Hollinwood Academy.
· The delicious refreshments and community spirit
Thank you to everyone who helped organise and contribute to the event your efforts made a real difference and were greatly appreciated. The event raised £200.
MacMillan Coffee Morning 26.9.25
Now let’s see what has been happening in the classrooms.
Starting with Miss Rahman’s class…
"8TRN have made a fantastic start to the year, settling back into school life with enthusiasm and a great attitude.
This half term, our learning has been both exciting and enriching across a range of subjects.
In English, we have been using Talk4Write to explore a gothic story. Having learned the text through our story maps, we are now focusing on language features in preparation for our independent “hot task” later in the term.
In Science, we have been investigating states of matter. We were fortunate to have a visit from Mrs Lineker, who helped us to explore solids, liquids and gases through hands-on activities, bringing the topic to life.
In Maths, we have been strengthening our times tables knowledge, with daily practice helping us to build confidence.
Thank you to Miss Wrigley, Miss Meadowcroft and Mr Hall who have been supporting the form through all lessons, whilst ensuring that we are always happy. It’s been lovely to see everyone reconnected and ready to learn. We’re excited for all the opportunities and achievements the year ahead will bring!"
TRN - 26.9.25
And now to Miss Rashid ’s class.
"11ZRD have settled back into school life and are working hard during lessons.
In English we have been working through our anthology texts and completing coursework. We have also been practicing and developing our responses to exam questions and making amendments to their creative writing. I am impressed with the work completed so far.
In maths, students are working on direct and inverse proportion. Although they have found this challenging they have all tried to be resilient and complete work.
In science, students are studying reflexes and looking at the neural route for involuntary rapid responses. They have also been completing revision tasks and engaging with online learning to complete research.
A big focus this year is working towards step targets in preparation for college. During RSE we have been looking at how to communicate appropriately and strategies they could use if they struggle to communicate with unfamiliar staff. We have also discussed artificial intelligence, and the benefits and risks associated with it.
In employability lessons, students are working on developing their CV’s and cover letters. We have also been discussing courses that are on offer at local colleges and what grades they need to achieve in order to be accepted onto their chosen course.
In art, Jack and Connor have been creating coral reef models with clay and plasticine and have used different resources create different shapes. Hopefully, they will be dry next week so they can paint them.
In photography, Lewis has been studying pictures of old and new buildings, and he will recreate his chosen image using different camera shots and angles.
Prez is continuing to teach other students different basketball skills over break and lunch. Students often come to tell me that they have learnt new skills and appreciate his support.
All students have been putting in a tremendous amount of effort during their double PE lessons with Mr Ottaway, focusing on enhancing their ball handling skills across a variety of sports. The sessions have been packed with activity and enthusiasm as students have been participating in basketball. In basketball, students have been refining their dribbling, passing, and shooting techniques. They've worked on improving their footwork and positioning, which are crucial for maintaining control of the ball during fast-paced gameplay. Through a combination of drills and small-sided games, they've been able to challenge themselves in both offensive and defensive situations. Well done, everyone."
ZRD - 29.6.25
And finally, to Miss Boothroyd’s class…
"Well, who can believe we are already into week four. What a fantastic start we have had to the year. Our topic this half term, "My Busy Body," has sparked immense curiosity, and the children have thoroughly enjoyed exploring it.
In our Talk for Writing sessions, we are focusing on descriptive writing. We have a brilliant model text that centres around the features of our bodies. This has led us into the delightful world of adjectives; we’ve begun using them to describe anything and everything. Last week, we incorporated all five of our senses, and the children enthusiastically discovered different adjectives to articulate what they smelt, felt, saw,
heard, and tasted. The excitement was palpable. This week, we have dove into prepositions and similes. To put it simply, the children are as amazing as ice cream.
In maths, we have been investigating place value within 10. We kicked off the week by adding one more, moved on to counting backwards from 10, and wrapped up with the concept of one less. The children have embraced this challenge with admirable enthusiasm, engaging in fun and interactive practical lessons.
In science, we are studying our senses, which beautifully complements our writing exercises. Last week, we explored the sense of taste, and this week, we are delving into the sense of touch.
Art has also been a creative highlight as we’ve been learning about painting and mixed media, with an emphasis on the artist Jasper Johns. We've explored primary colours, and what exciting secondary colours they create when mixed together. This week, we had a brilliant time printing with various objects gathered from around the classroom, resulting in some fantastic art pieces.
The children have been absolutely loving our new Forest School. Each Tuesday, they venture outdoors with Miss Callan and the team to explore nature and get creative, I even heard this week they got to enjoy biscuits and hot chocolate! The children are always eager to attend their forest school sessions and what an amazing addition to the school this is.
In just four fabulous weeks, we have cultivated positive relationships, created splendid work, and maintained a calm and welcoming classroom. My team and I are incredibly excited to see what this academic year will bring, as we are already so proud of the children and the progress they are making!"
VBD - 26.9.25
Now to our amazing SUPER STARs and HWA We are Creative STARs
Mrs Lerigo’s and Mrs Sutcliffe's STAR of the Week is Elijah for using his vocabulary so beautifully and always having amazing engagement in his learning.
Mrs Lerigo’s and Mrs Sutcliffe's HWA We Are Caring goes to Adam- for a fantastic first full week at school.
Mrs Quinn’s STAR of the Week is Freddie for responding to familiar adults offering a comforting hug to help him feel safe and calm.
Mrs Quinn’s HWA We Are Caring goes to Ziyan for following the pick-up' visual and placing your rubbish in the bin. You have followed routines and made positive choices.
Miss Boothroyd’s STAR of the Week is Albie for always trying his best in his lessons.
Miss Boothroyd’s HWA We Are Caring goes to Effy for showing hands to her friends when they are sad.
Mrs McDonalds’ and Mrs Bramley’s STAR of the Week is Diana for being a caring friend this week.
Mrs McDonalds’ and Mrs Bramley’s HWA We Are Caring goes to Roman for trying hard in his lessons this week and managing his emotions with support from staff.
Mrs Matthews’ STAR of the Week is Henry for putting full effort into everything he does.
Mrs Matthews’ STAR of the Week is Henry for done fantastic contributions and maths work.
Miss Gittens’ STAR of the week is Mysha is our Star of the Week for great engagement during English lessons.
Miss Gittens’ HWA We Are Caring goes to Jared is our Caring Star for reflecting on his behaviour this week and trying harder to make more sensible choices.
Mrs Bailey’s STAR of the Week is Ohud for amazing work in communication lessons this week, and fabulous participation in our ‘Good Morning’ song.
Mrs Bailey’s HWA We Are Caring goes to William for outstanding engagement this week and working super hard to communicate your wants and needs with adults.
Miss Pietraszewska’ s HWA We Are Caring goes to Sienna for starting every activity independently without prompts — amazing work!
Miss Pietraszewska’ s STAR of the Week goes to Ivy for using such wonderful manners and full sentences when asking for help this week. We are so, so proud of you!
Miss Oakley’s STAR of the Week is Simon for approaching all his learning with a ‘can do’ attitude and having a big smiley face all week.
Miss Oakley’s HWA We Are Caring goes to Rafael for having the best manners in the class.
Mr Corrigan’s STAR of the Week is William for doing really well with his lunch this week.
Mr Corrigan’s HWA We Are Caring goes to Abu-Bakr for taking great care with his writing today.
Mr Corrigan’s WOW moments go to Albi-Lee, Teddy W, Teddy B & Jack for being proud of their friends.
Miss Tootill’s STAR of the Week goes to Cole for always being caring towards peers.
Miss Tootill’s HWA We are Caring goes to Lewis for working hard in all his lessons.
STARS of the Week (26.9.25)
Well done to everyone.
Have a well lovely weekend.
Miss Gordon.
