Academy Encourages Students to Work Together

Categories: School News

The idea for the event came from students in the Academy Council, who wanted to organise a day where students could mix with each other outside of lessons in a positive and constructive environment.

‘Working Together Day’ will be a collapsed curriculum day, which means that normal lessons will be suspended, and in their place will be a carousel of hands on and fun activities, many of which were thought up by the Academy Council.

Each House group will take part in four different activities over the course of the day, that exercise different types of teamwork, which the students have identified as ‘Physical’, ‘Creative’, ‘Trust & Team’ and ‘Brain’. Each activity will help the students develop different skills and encourage them to work together as a team.

Year 7 activities include: the ‘Re-create a Picture’ contest, the ‘Box Builder’ challenge, Pictionary, and the ‘Minefield Memory Game’. Year 8 activities include: the ‘Basketball Task’, the ‘Photography Challenge’, Family Fortunes, and Giant Jenga. Year 9 activities include: Trampolining, Computer Animation, ‘Creative Faces’ in the hairdressing salon and The Krypton Factor. Year 10 activities include: ‘Obstacle Golf’, a Murder Mystery, ‘Plumbers Nightmare’ and Modern Jive. Year 11 activities include: Archery, ‘Bridge Building’, Table Football and ‘Tyre-ing Training’.

The activities will be overseen by teaching staff and supported by students from the sixth form. Each House group will get points allocated depending on how they participate in the task, under criteria such as; communicating well, being considerate of others, having a go, coming up with ideas and asking questions. The overall totals will be added onto the House points and will go towards the House Cup at the end of the year.

Principal Stephen Kings said: "I am looking forward to Working Together Day and am sure it will be a big success. The idea of hosting a day to bring everybody together was a brilliant one from the Academy Council, and really encompasses the friendly atmosphere we have here at Merchants'.

"To celebrate the event, we will be providing a BBQ style lunch out on the courtyard and I’m sure a good day will be had by all!"