Year 9 House Day – 16th & 17th October 2024
Year Group Activity Day Summary
The day began with excitement as students participated in a quiz during Tutor Time, getting everyone energized and ready for a day of engaging activities. Following the quiz, students headed to the School Hall to watch a live performance of Wonder.Land. This thought-provoking piece of theatre highlighted the challenges young people face while navigating social media, prompting students to reflect on their online image and the impact of digital presence.
Throughout lessons two, three, and four, students rotated through a range of activities set up around the Academy:
Physical and Problem-Solving Challenges on the Astro Turf
At the astro turf, students took part in physical challenges and problem-solving tasks. The physical activities, ranging from step-ups to aiming frisbees at targets, tested various components of fitness and helped students earn points for their House. The problem-solving challenges required students to work as a team to “move the bomb in a bucket” to a safe place using only the resources provided. It was wonderful to see their teamwork and strategic thinking in action!
Art Room – Liz Leyh-Inspired Project
In the Art rooms, students embraced their creative sides with a challenge inspired by artist Liz Leyh. While we couldn’t provide concrete cows, our students designed unique patterns to decorate wooden cow sculptures. After voting on their favourite designs, the winning patterns were brought to life. The final creations looked fantastic, and we are so proud of their hard work and creativity.
STEM Challenges in the Main Hall
The main hall was buzzing with energy as students took on two STEM challenges. The first was a continuation of a project they began in Year 7—designing and testing paper airplanes. After experimenting with different designs, students entered a competition to see how far their planes could fly. The second challenge involved building a cup tower, where students refined their ideas, creating some truly impressive structures. Their enthusiasm and problem-solving skills shone through in each activity.
Code-Breaking in the Final Lesson
In the last lesson of the day, students immersed themselves in code-breaking activities inspired by Alan Turing. It was inspiring to watch their determination as they tackled the puzzles, breaking codes to reveal hidden messages. This exercise was a fantastic way to wrap up a day filled with teamwork, creativity, and critical thinking.
Overall, it was an enriching day that allowed students to explore new skills, collaborate with peers, and reflect on important themes. We’re grateful for the enthusiasm and effort they put into each activity, and we look forward to many more events like this in the future. Thank you to all the staff who made this day possible!
