News

Well done to the following pupils who have been selected by their PE teachers as pupils of the month for January.

Lainey Patterson – Extremely hardworking and helpful
Matthew Robinson -excellent attitude and behaviour in lessons
Jacob Walker – Achievement and persistence in gymnastics
Ellie Ford – Leadership in Football
Rhiannon Brierley – Excellent effort and attitude in all areas
Scott Barker – Excellent effort across all activities.

Congratulations from the PE Department.

Students in the school’€™s environment group took part in the Big School’€™s Birdwatch last week and here are the results; which show a change from last year with Magpies, rather than common gulls taking the top spot. Thank you to all those involved in the environment group who gave up their time to make sure birds keep visiting the school gardens, including all the staff and sixth form who helped to make bird feeders with the Year 9s.

Since May 2013 Bright Futures has successfully engaged with young people, predominantly young women, and local residents to address a number of issues which affect young people in society today. They do a lot of work through schools but also through the Youth Club in Whitley Bay where you can go along and participate in a number of activities with people of a similar age.

They have developed an App to allow their support to be more accessible. It is free to download and can offer support to young people and parents on the topics of Child Sexual Exploitation, Emotional Health and Wellbeing, Online Safety, Domestic Abuse and much more.

Follow the link to their website to find out more: http://brightfutures.uk.com/ or [google-drive-embed url=”https://drive.google.com/a/burnsidecollege.org.uk/file/d/0B4sCajG22ZLDSWxiaDhtY0pJaFE/view?usp=drivesdk” title=”Bright Futures App.pdf” icon=”https://ssl.gstatic.com/docs/doclist/images/icon_12_pdf_list.png” newwindow=”yes” plain=”yes” style=”normal”]

The App can be downloaded by clicking on these links:

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.komodo.pvp

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/bright-futures-personal-safety/id1156807801?mt=8

Microsoft Store: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/p/bright-futures-personal-safety app/9nblggh4s0rp

On Friday 13th January our First Lego League club competed in a STEM event against other schools in the local area at The Langdale Centre. Students presented an innovative idea on the theme of ‘Animal Allies’ to a judging panel (the redevelopment of the current guide dog harness), they competed in the ‘robot game’ where students had programmed their robot to complete an obstacle course and they also took part in a ‘teamwork challenge’.

Our team, Harris Auchterlonie, Isabelle McAndrew, Will Henderson, Belliano Hoxholli, Peter Voroshilov and David Rigby were fantastic and really did our school proud! Well done on your hard work preparing for the day and thank you to Callum Cairns from Hewlett Packard who mentored students in the weeks leading up to the event!

Please check the Business and Computing website for information on the latest homework.

https://sites.google.com/a/burnsidecollege.org.uk/businessandcomputing/home

Burnside are very proud to have two pupils from year 9 standing to be the Young Mayor of North Tyneside BUT we need everyone to vote!

Please click on the link below and take a couple of minutes of your time to vote for either Bailey Askwith or Harris Auchterlonie.

http://www.northtyneside.gov.uk/snap/mayor_election/index.htm

On Thursday 5th January Linda Oliver, the regional Engagement Officer for Guide Dogs Trust (North East & Cumbria) met with our First Lego League club.

One aspect of the Lego League involves students  learning to program a robot to complete a Lego based obstacle course on the theme of ‘€˜Animal Allies’€™, but the other aspect involves students designing an innovative invention or upgrading a current invention on the same theme. Our students chose to make upgrades to the current guide dog harness in order to add technology to it to improve its usability.

Students have been consulting with visually impaired guide dog owners and Linda brought her guide dog, Zoe, in to meet the students. She demonstrated use of the current harness and consulted with the students on their design. The meeting was a great experience for the students and has led to them making adjustments to their design based on Linda’€™s feedback.

On Friday 13th  January they will compete against other schools in the local area at The Langdale Centre in North Tyneside to complete the obstacle course and they will also deliver a presentation about their invention. Good Luck to all participants!

Drama Club have made a great start to the new year by working on some chosen duologue scripts. Students have been focusing on interpreting the scripts and developing characters.