This year has been a tough one for us all. The months of lockdown and loss have had a huge impact on our mental health, so this World Mental Health Day has been arguably the most important one yet.

According to a survey conducted by Mind, with over 16,000 people, they know that more than half of adults (60%) and over two thirds of young people (68%) said their mental health got worse during lockdown.

We know that many have developed new mental health problems as a result of the pandemic and, for some of us, existing mental health problems have gotten worse. Prioritising mental health has never been more important than it is now. So, this year, we wanted to bring everyone together to mark World Mental Health Day on 10 October.

Making positive change can seem so hard, especially during uncertain times. And sometimes, it can be hard to know where to start. Whether you want to take the first steps towards getting some help or learn more about helping those around you, our information, support and our online community will get you started.

Whether it is going for a walk, learning a new skill or doing something creative, taking the first steps to getting support for yourself, or reaching out to someone else; we encouraged students to take the opportunity to do one thing this World Mental Health Day, and continue to promote this message.

With this in mind we will be asking students to consider what one change they could make to better develop their mental health.

They will be given the resource below to write down their ideas. We will also be providing rewards and prizes for the most interesting and well-presented ideas, we look forward to publishing the best ones in our next newsletter.

Mark Holding & James Lewis

Wellbeing Team

I would like to congratulate all Year 7 students for making a very positive start at Goffs Academy. The enthusiasm of our students has been tremendous and is something that I expect to continue throughout the year.

Well done to all students who worked extremely hard over the summer break to complete their Summer Transition Projects. It was clear to see that a remarkable amount of time and effort went into their work.

It was a hard decision to make when judging the projects as they were of a very high standard. Our Year 7 Transition Project winners are:

Nathan Gillard

Eva Williams

Daisy Kearns

Harry Ilett

Olivia Judge

Erin Senol

Rocco Bristow-Guacci

Henry Robinson

Valicia Symeou

Sidney Allen

These students were invited to have lunch with Mr Ellis on Friday 9th October to show off their fantastic work, and were awarded with certificates and House points for their outstanding projects.

Kelly McBride

Director of Learning - Year 7

As you probably know, about a month ago, school was starting again and for some people, including me, that meant going to an entire new school. Going from primary to secondary school was a big change but it was a much easier change than I imagined.

The teachers are kind and are incredible at their jobs and if you are worried about anything, they are there to help you.

The homework was something I worried about, but now I am not worried as the homework links to the work you have studied in class, and there is a homework club for us to attend.

My favourite lesson is Science, because the teachers make lessons fun and the different topics are very interesting. I have only been at Goffs Academy for a month but I already feel like I have always been here.

Simon Mamcarczyk, Year 7

Starting Goffs was something that I had been looking forward to ever since I had discovered it was going to be my secondary school. On my first day I was feeling a mix of emotions, nerves, but also excitement bubbling in my stomach. When we first arrived, the Principal gave a welcome talk to all of us. We were then shown where our form rooms were and we were taken on a tour around the school. This made me feel much more confident and reassured that I would be able to navigate myself to my classrooms. Over the next couple of days, I learnt that there wasn’t any need to be concerned because all of the staff were very friendly and helpful.

There are many differences between primary and secondary school, there are a larger number of students and the school is significantly bigger. There are also more expectations for each individual student. The school rules allow each student to take more responsibility for themselves and their work. There are lots more subjects to study, each with a different teacher and there are many more opportunities, such as extra-curricular activities.

I have enjoyed my first few weeks at Goffs for so many reasons. I like that I have a homework app because this means that I don’t have the difficulty of remembering which teacher set me each piece of work, this helps to keep me organised and prepared for my lessons. I have also enjoyed having a variety of subjects and I am looking forward to studying different topics and learning more.

Eva Williams, Year 7

Earlier this year, Year 13 Art students were invited to submit their final pieces to an exclusive competition. Birch Community, formerly Theobalds Hotel have recently re-branded and were looking for local artists’ work to start their art collection to display to visitors and guests at the hotel.

Students and parents congregated at the hotel on Monday 10th February, at 4pm, alongside Miss Brown, Mr Holding, Mrs Lawrence, Mr Ellis and, Chris Penn and Lisa Avril from Birch. Hotelier, Chris Penn spent time discussing the work with Miss Brown, before coming to a decision regarding the pieces he would choose to be part of Birch's art collection. He decided on 4 pieces which really spoke to him and connected with Birch's ethos and brand. Each student was awarded a very generous cash prize of £200. Mr Penn was very impressed with the standard of work by all students.

The winners were:

Gabby Mason

Eva Ros Downer

Esin Celebi

Jordan Ying

Many thanks to Chris Penn and Lisa Avril at Birch for this very exciting opportunity.

Tiffany Brown

Head of Art

This year in Student Parliament we have started the year by welcoming new Year 7 students. This term, we are also holding a virtual debate with four opposing teams (based on US politics this year – last year it was the UK General Election), all competing for the votes from Year 7!

Last year we ran a ‘Revolutionary Reading’ project where we worked with local primary schools to build community relations and help with reading skills. This will be done again this year as a virtual project. We will be filmed while reading a story and doing a quiz which we can then send to primary schools to keep that connection between us during COVID 19.

These are just a few of the many projects we are working on this year.

By Ruby Mozdzen – Year 8

Also in Student Parliament this year we will be working with Chartwells, our catering provider. We are making a survey that students can take part in to have their say. This survey includes the chance to identify things they would like to see, i.e. more variety of healthy food options, or more vegetarian, vegan and gluten free foods. This survey will help everyone give their opinions about the food options available to help provide a healthy variety of food for everyone.

By Bethan Marston – Year 8

Many students are also completing their Student Leadership Accreditation Course alongside their school work which recognises additional skills and experience gained outside of the classroom. This course is open to all students and the Student Parliament welcomes any student wishing to join and help make a difference.

Miss Lisa Thorogood,

Student Leadership Co-Ordinator

Many exciting things have been occurring in the Drama department since our much anticipated return to school in September. Luckily we are able to continue some practical work within the year group bubbles; bringing a much welcomed practical reprieve within the school day.

The Year 8s have been thrown into the mysterious story of ‘The Haunted Lift’ and have been doing their best to get to the bottom of what really happened to the ghost ‘Susie’ the day she disappeared…

This topic focuses on students' understanding how to build and sustain a tense and eerie mood; with some truly spine-tingling results from the cohort! Miss Holland, Miss Myers and Miss Silay have been on the edges of their seats as they watch the students take on the challenge of uncovering…'what really happened to poor Susie?’

A special mention must be made to form group 8I who have not only been creating terrifying moods and atmospheres through their use of Drama skills, they have also brought in costume and props to truly bring their plots to life in the most thrilling of ways.

Please see below a piece of costume made by Callia Jordan for her group’s performance last Friday for which she earned herself an R4.

Ms Clare Holland

Head of Drama

In the image are (L-R) Chloe Lane, Hayley Wolenscroft, Callia Jordan, Samuel Cross- Cole and Chibuoyim Onyejiaka.

It has been a pleasure welcoming back our students after such unique circumstances. All students, and the English department, have adapted extremely well to the changes, and it has been wonderful to be back! A warm welcome to Year 7, who have settled in tremendously.

Year 7, 8 and 9 students have been introduced to a range of rich learning opportunities and texts that have been both challenging and enjoyable. There have been speaking and listening opportunities, where all KS3 groups have had the chance to showcase their amazing presentational skills, as well as developing a love of reading through the set texts introduced to them this half term. Year 8s have currently been reading ‘An Inspector Calls,’ and Year 9 have thoroughly enjoyed the challenges of reading ‘Of Mice and Men.’ Some wonderful pieces of work have been produced by members of both year groups, demonstrating skills in writing about plot, characterization, and the effect of these - all skills that will help them develop their academic writing, as well as appreciation of classic literary texts.

Year 7s have been learning about mighty figures throughout history, sharing their inspirational idols, which has been a lovely way to get to know each other. This has also provided opportunities for pupils to broaden their knowledge of current events in the news, as well as taken a trip through history – which has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience for both pupils and English teachers.

A special mention to Dzjifa Anncou and Ben Faulkner in 7U who have created these eye-catching, exceptional posters sharing their chosen ‘Mighty Figures.’

Despite several months working at home during lockdown, Year 10 and 11 pupils have demonstrated resilience, responsibility and a mature attitude to learning since coming back in September. They have adapted to the changes well and have really revealed an inner strength that will enable them to thrive at school and beyond.

Year 10 have been studying ‘Blood Brothers’ which will be part of Literature Paper 2 in their Year 11 exams. Students have been developing skills in analysis, exploring characterization, referring to contexts, themes, and drawing on knowledge and skills from wider reading.

As part of the GCSE Spoken Language component, Year 11s have been delivering fantastic speeches, exhibiting effective presentational and oratory skills.

A special mention to Isaac Bode, who was awarded a distinction for his outstanding speech, and has always been an inspiration to his peers. Isaac is an extraordinary student; his peers look up to him, and the speech he delivered was truly inspiring. Here is an extract to give us all the opportunity to hear his inspirational words.

A BIG shout out to Paula Brazauskas of 10W/En1 who has always been an avid writer, regularly sharing her creations with teachers and peers. I can really see her becoming a famous author in the future!

Here, she describes her inspirations behind her writing, and on the next page, I’ve shared an extract from one of her stories, as well an illustration she has also made to accompany her work:

The course is designed to deliver a study of English Literature to considerable depth through close teacher guidance. Modern texts and great canons of literature are studied in more detail than degree level studies offer, providing an excellent opportunity for students to fully understand literary techniques, writing styles, methods of analysis and cultural, historical and social issues.

By nature, literature touches almost every subject and would suit any student with an interest in language, social interaction, communication or writing. It will help students develop critical and analytical skills which can be applied to all other subjects, such as Law, Teaching and Journalism. Students should be confident in essay writing and willing to read both examined texts and additional material independently.

Lisa Collins

Head of English

Sangeeta Shergill

Head of History

Since students have returned to school from lockdown, we have noticed that they have made a good transition to the new way of working and their surrounding in the school, especially in the ICT & Computing rooms. Students come down to the ICT & computing rooms for their specialist lessons, where they follow the hygiene procedures at the start and end of each lesson.

The ICT & Computing department would like to acknowledge the excellent work and effort made by the following students:

In Year 9 Computing lessons, Grace Gaffney has contributed and shared her opinions on the topic of sexting. She was able to come up with answers that were appropriate and mature.

Jack Kiamil has made a fantastic start in his Year 9 MPC Computer Programming lessons, where he has contributed to whole class discussions and has demonstrated enthusiasm and good subject knowledge of coding.

Amir Alzubaidi in Year 7 has been taking part in leading class demonstration on how to navigate to find classroom resources on the school network.

Mieszko Pawelek has made a positive start to his Year 13 ICT course showing focus and diligence.

Hasina Nessa and Andrea Nicola

ICT and Computing Department

Maths

In Year 13 in mathematics we have been learning about differentiation, which is a very useful tool. More specifically, differentiation using different rules such as the product rule and quotient rule.

We have learnt about the derivatives of different trigonometric functions and how to prove some of those derivatives by differentiating by the first principle using small angle approximations for the sine and cosine functions. I have enjoyed studying this topic as we also learnt how differentiation can be applied, such as in showing the rate of change of something.

It also links with one of my other subjects, Physics, showing the links between displacement, velocity and acceleration. This makes me feel more confident in knowing how to differentiate and interstate between them.

Alfie Dewson, Year 13

Further Maths

So far in Year 13 Further mathematics we have started learning about hyperbolic functions. We have been looking into functions like Sinh, Cosh and Tanh. For us, it’s a completely new and fascinating branch of mathematics that we haven’t looked into yet.

We are learning what the functions represent, how to draw them on graphs, and even how to work with identities including the functions, for example how to prove the identities by writing the functions using 'e'. In our most recent lessons we’ve begun to look into how to differentiate these functions linking into our studies in normal mathematics but with an added complexity.

I’ve enjoyed studying this subject as it is interesting to learn something new and I’m relishing the challenge of the topic.

Jaden Rudd, Year 13

With the introduction of Year 9 at Key Stage 3, this has allowed us to introduce into the curriculum new and exciting changes and opportunities for our students to learn and discover different and interesting facts on the languages they are learning. It allows us to deliver an enriched and varied cultural content which provides them with key knowledge and facts of countries around the world.

In September, we celebrated European Day of Languages. It was an opportunity for students in our Key Stage 3 classes to learn and develop their knowledge of the diverse languages which are spoken around the world. They had the opportunity to take part in quizzes, listen to international songs and learn about famous celebrities from around the world. It was excellent to see how the students embraced the opportunity.

“I really enjoyed learning about different cultures and their languages!” Grace Oyelade, 7Q

“I liked celebrating different cultures and learning about different traditions!” Aston Williams , 7A

Students are currently working on independent projects of their choice to deepen this knowledge and awareness of this diversity, which we are very much looking forward to receiving.

Below is an example of work produced by Year 7 student Samuel Lawrence.

To provide our students with an opportunity to study an additional language, an Italian language club for our Year 8 students is taking place every Thursday lunchtime in Room F20. If you would like any further information, please contact Miss Amadori.

Well done to all our students for working so hard this half-term and for returning back to us safe, prepared and ready to develop their skills and abilities in their language learning and cultural awareness.

Antonina Theodorou

2/IC MFL

The PE department were extremely excited to start the year and get all students back into a healthy, active lifestyle! Unfortunately, we are still facing some difficulty with competing in specific sports, but we can assure you that as soon as the government allows, we will be booking in plenty of fixtures and competitions for our students.

Year 7 students have really impressed their teachers with their efforts in baseline testing. We always start with a teaching block of fitness to assess the students' ability, so that we can place students onto the right pathway of sports for the year. These lessons contain tests on components of fitness such as speed, strength and aerobic endurance. Some excellent results have been achieved and are highlighted below:

Distance covered, lapping a 100m square in 12 minutes:

Charlie Williamson - 3600m

Gianntino Bavetta - 3600m

How many sit-ups can be completed in one minute:

Tyler Walker - 60

Miley Bex - 46

Alice Henderson - 46

How many press-ups can be completed in one minute:

Efe Er - 52

Freddie James - 52

Zunanna Job - 52

How quickly students can run 20m:

Aston Williams - 3.35s

Tia Tucker - 3.23s

Keep up the good work Year 7, we look forward to seeing you progress throughout the year!

Team P.E.

Over the past four weeks in Psychology, an interesting thing we have been learning about are research methods and in particular, experiments and observations.

As a task we were asked to complete an observation of our own. An observation to note down particular behaviours that link to a research question, and that are seen in participants in a natural environment. We had to construct an aim, hypothesis, findings, conclusion, and an evaluation.

My observation question was ‘What do female and male students do in an independent study period within 30 minutes?’ My hypothesis was that female students were more likely to be studying than male students.

In my findings I witnessed that although more female students were studying (six) than the male students, the same number of students were also talking to each other whilst still working. I noticed only two of the male students were studying and 8 were talking to each other. Overall, I would say that in my results, female students displayed a multitude of behaviours whilst continually being productive.

My findings correlated to my aim at the start of the observation, and I noted that my results supported the hypothesis showing that females appear to be more likely to study in an independent study period within a 30-minute timeframe.

By being tasked with conducting an observation, it has given me a greater insight into how psychological research is carried out and written up as a report. Additionally, it has improved my data collection and analysis skills which are essential for those who are considering to study psychology at University.

Demi Foley

Year 12 Psychology Student

Like science but not sure that you are cut out to be a Doctor? Like animals but you don’t think you will get the grades to be a Vet? In each issue of the newsletter this year we will be covering an A-Z of STEM careers that might interest you or make you look again at choices you make as you move to the next step of your education.

Archaeologist

Like history AND science? This could be the career for you – it is a career that could take you round the world as you investigate ancient civilisations or looking back into Britain’s history in fascinating cities like York, Canterbury and Cambridge. You'll need at least two A Levels and GCSE at grade C or above in English and Maths. Many Universities don't specify which A Level subjects you need to take as not all colleges offer Archaeology as an A Level subject, but many universities like to see a science as there is a strong scientific component to the course.

Biotechnologist

Generally lab-bound, biotechnologists work on modifying things like living organisms to develop new products and improved systems. They will usually have a degree in a scientific subject – but it doesn’t have to be biotechnology. If this interests you make sure that the course you apply for includes some work experience.

Conservationist

Daily to-do lists include, managing natural habitats, introducing new ways to protect environments and advising farmers on land-based issues such as erosion control. There are a vast number of degrees which would equip you for a career like this – forestry, ecology and land management are just some of them.

Dietician

Passionate about healthy eating? Want to make a difference to the health of others? You could be a dietician – and you don’t have to do a university course as there are plenty of apprenticeships as well. You could also work as an assistant and study part time while working.

Electrician

Did you ever wonder what life was like before electricity? Electricity is hugely important to modern day life and where would we be without all those important electricians who maintain this on our behalf? You'll need to have an industry recognised level 3 qualification for example a level 3 diploma in electrotechnical services. Most people get into this career via an apprenticeship. It normally takes two to four years to become fully qualified. GCSEs grade 4 or above, including Maths and English, would be an advantage.

So that’s the end of our first instalment of the Career Files. If there is a science career that you would like to hear more about then email me at school eni@goffs.herts.sch.uk or follow @more2science on Twitter.

Liz Nicholson

Teacher of Science

Last year our GCSE students undertook a project on Sustainability and Design where they experimented with recycling materials. They explored various techniques and processes, some of which included recycled plastic, glass bottles and the manipulation of shredded office paper.

Showcased below are some of the students' experiments and final pieces.

The House team have had an extremely successful first half term. It has been very exciting to see more members of our community wanting to getting involved. We have had over 30 Year 7 students signing up to join the team and applications flying in from Year 12s to become Sixth Form Heads of House.

The House team met for a conference in the second week of term and discussed and planned for our upcoming events, having to rethink some our plans to stay in line with Covid-19 restrictions. As a school we usually vote each year for the school's annual charity. This year the House team have made the decision to stick with CLIC Sargent, the charity that was voted in last year. This decision was made in consideration of the school only being open for half a year, therefore we wanted to continue our fundraising for this charity. CLIC Sargent is the UK's leading cancer charity for children, young people and their families, and they fight tirelessly to stop cancer destroying young lives.

I hope you agree this is an extremely worthy cause to donate to. There will be plenty of exciting opportunities to raise money for our charity this year and hopefully we will see the big difference our fundraising will make.

I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you for your support with the Harvest Food Collection. I wasn’t sure what to expect for this year’s collection as I am aware we are all living through uncertain times, however, I was totally blown away by the generosity shown across the community.

Students and staff donated a phenomenal amount of food with 1,537 items donated in total to Broxbourne food bank, which is 769 items more than last year’s collection. The houses battled it out to collect the most items to receive the top place and gain the 50,000 house point prize.

In 4th place collecting 269 items was Hawk house

In 3rd place collecting 337 items was Eagle house

In 2nd place collecting a whopping 445 items was Falcon house

Therefore, in 1st place for the third year running was Phoenix house, collecting an astounding 486 items.

All Houses will be rewarded with House points, however Phoenix have won the 50,000 house points for coming first. Thank you to everyone that donated, however a special thank you must go to Daisy Kearns (7U) and her family who were our most generous donators this year. I also would like to thank the Bristow-Guacci family who arranged for a hamper of food to be delivered to school that was kindly donated and dropped off by Tesco Waltham Cross.

The House team ran our first non-uniform day for this academic year on Thursday 8th October. This non-uniform day was in aid of Mind, the mental health charity, to mark World Mental Health Day on the following Saturday. We successfully raised just over £1,000 for Mind. Thank you to students for taking part and donating.

During this final week of half term the House team have been busy running a number of Halloween themed events. Year 7, 8 and 9 have taken part in a Halloween quiz during ATM and battled it out to be the winning form in their year group. The House team have also organised a Year 7 Costume Competition which to take part they are encouraged to submit an entry photograph of them in their Halloween costume.

This will then be judged by the House team and Miss McBride. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place students will be awarded vouchers for shops of their choice. The spookier the better!

Ellie Myers

Director of the House System