Kic.in2.Study

Player Interviews at the Cobblers

Tonight the Year 8 Kic.in2.study group got the opportunity to interview two of the Cobblers first team. They researched what an open, closed and hypothetical question were and discussed what questions they would like to ask. Andy Holt and Chris Dunn were very impressed with the student’s interview techniques and the range of good questions asked.

Positively MAD

Positively MAD  (Making a Difference) is the name of the company we’ve brought in to work with the year  11 group  since half term.  They have been introduced to the 6S study skills system which focuses on six key areas of their life so that they can fine tune their bodies in preparation for the examinations.  The six areas are sleep, sustenance, sport, state, skills and support.

 They were surprised to learn that they should aim for ten hours of sleep a night and to discover the importance of drinking enough water. 

 Over the weeks they have increased the contents of their memory toolbox through learning a number of new skills.  They have learned how to use a Portrait Summary Poster and Mindmaps.  They have practised Quickfire Quizzes and the Story Link Method  and explored the Roman Room System, the Journey Location System and the Person as Location Memory Hook System.

The students haven’t found the work easy but we’re hoping they will each find an aspect which will help them with the coming exams.

 James has tried to use mind mapping in his revision for RE and he told us “It really works, I can remember everything.”

S2R at the Cobblers

Three of our new year 7 S2R students were at the Cobblers Study Centre on 27^th February. They all researched interesting facts about the two teams and conducted interviews with the fans around the Stadium. They all then had the opportunity to attend the game the first live football match for all of them. Both teams played well on a very water logged pitch and the Cobblers won the match 2-1.After the game the young reporters rushed back to the Study centre to write their match report.

D of E skills unit continues

As well as revisiting the need for safety checks before riding the quad bikes the D of E boys learned about the importance of  risk assessment this week.  They talked about identifying hazards and the need to decide on what actions to take to reduce risk.  They continue to show interest and enthusiasm for this unit and are most appreciative of the input of Kurt and Michael from Grendon.

Ice hockey

Kic.in2.study students were amongst a group of S2R reporters who travelled to Nottingham’s Trent Arena to see  Nottingham Panthers play Newcastle Vipers.  This was a new experience for most of us and we all enjoyed the razzamatazz that went with a fast and furious game.  Despite over thirty shots at goal the Panthers scored only four to Vipers five.  Only Val was happy with the result, and even she acknowledged that the Panthers were probably the better team!

S2R at the Saints

On the Wednesday of half term students attended an S2R day at the Saints Study Centre.  After writing blogs about their visit to the BBC the students refreshed their technical skills around using MP3 recorders and editing using Audacity.  Then they each produced a vox pop about the BBC visit by asking staff and each other a single question about the day.  A tour of Franklins Gardens gave rise to a text story and photos for their webpages and finally, working in pairs, they interviewed members of staff from the Saints and uploaded an audio story.

 They worked very hard to complete all the tasks set and are to be commended for their exemplary behaviour and attitude. We are delighted to have another group of competent reporters for the S2R programme.

BBC Visit

                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Kic.in2.study students were amongst a group of S2R reporters who visited BBC Television Centre on the Tuesday of half term.  They were taken on a tour of the building where they learned lots of facts about its history, the numbers of people working there and the range of work done.  They were able to see the news room in action as well as some of the studios where rehearsals were taking place – for Mock the Week and for the Alan Titchmarsh show.

 They learned the secrets of the weather reporter’s wardrobe and gained an insight into some of the effects used in films such as Harry Potter.  In a specially adapted studio they were able to find out what it was like to be the  newsreader following an autocue, the technician bringing in the appropriate sound and vision, the continuity person doing the voice overs and a contestant in a quiz show. 

A great day enjoyed by all.

Year 8

The year 8 group have had two fantastic sessions at the Cobblers Study Centre.  Last week they did a stadium tour where they found out a little about the Cobblers stadium.  Whilst on the stadium tour they had to find hidden cards which contained information about Walter Tull.  When we returned to the Study Centre they used these cards to tell the story of Walter Tull’s life, and then went on to the I am Learning site to complete a quiz about him. They all learned things they hadn’t known about this important figure in the club’s history. 

This week the group were invited to join the Playing for Success group at the Saints for a circus skills workshop.  They tried their hands at the Diablo, juggling, stilt walking, flower sticks and plate spinning.  They discovered the importance of practice and persistence, and had some fun into the bargain.

Year 11

This half term has seen the year 11 students trying out some ideas from the University of the First Age – they’ve considered their different learning styles, taken part in a memory workshop and one about mind mapping.   They’ve done some work on the I am Learning revision programme and they’ve had a go at speed stacking.  We hope they’ve all given their brains a good workout, and thought about how they’ll approach revision in the weeks ahead.

Year 8 at the Cobblers Study Centre

The Cobblers Study Centre welcomed the year 8 Kic.in2.study group on 27^th January.  The boys enjoyed the snacks on offer before taking part in a number of games and activities aimed at helping them get to know each other better, and begin to develop the skills needed to work well together.  The memory card game needed good communication skills as well as a good memory; dexterity was required for  the chopsticks game; speed and strategy were helpful in the balloon games; determination was needed as the boys tried to eat chocolate with a knife and fork wearing outdoor clothes and blow football needed team work and planning as well as lots of breath!

 We’re looking forward to working with the boys in the coming weeks.