College Blog - 6.12.24
Activ8
Plans for the fitness festival are moving full steam ahead. With various fitness activities lined up, it’s shaping up to be a great event that will bring the college community together and celebrate health, fitness, wellbeing and togetherness.
Using clever word play, Activ8 students have decided to name their event ‘Festiv8’ in reference of the words “Festival” and “Festive period”.
The team’s visit to Ste, at Issan Gym, for kickboxing classes shows great diversity in training. Kickboxing is an excellent way to build strength, coordination, and mental focus, all of which will translate well into other areas of fitness.
Participating in football fixtures at Eccles College and Rochdale Soccer Factory was a great chance for the team to work on team dynamics, communication, and other transferable skills like leadership, resilience, and strategic thinking. The performances were fantastic, highlighting the improvement and growth of the team.
This week’s ’Star Players’ Were Adam and Khadir! They demonstrated fantastic work ethic and resilience. Both Adam and Khadir adopt a ‘Can-Do’ attitude In all activities. Khadir never fails to make others smile and Adam’s calm nature is a joy to be around.
Back at Mahdlo, focus has been on refining technique in key strength exercises like goblet squats, bicep curls, and tricep presses. This kind of strength training helps build muscle, improve endurance, and enhance overall fitness, providing a strong foundation for all kinds of physical activity.
The skills developed, by the team, through football, kickboxing, and strength training will support Activ8 students to achieve success, develop transferable skills and aid them towards their future destinations.
Activ8 has had a fantastic week! As always, it’s all go! We look forward to more of the same, next week.
Have a lovely, relaxed weekend!
The Activ8 team.
BtG
SODA DIGITAL PLACEMENT
Placement Feedback:
"Just a quick note to say KC is doing really well with us. I had a 1-2-1 with him just now, and he’s really coming out of his shell. The team tell me he’s more chatty and is supporting them with all sorts of things – This week he’s helping us digitise our sound effects library from CDs to digital files to include on a new server. He’s been telling me how much he’s loving being here and that he’s getting a lot out of the placement, so all very positive out end."
Girls Group
This week’s focus in Girls Group was the start of putting hampers together for the Christmas Hamper Appeal. We are still accepting donations for the appeal and trying to put together as many boxes as we can to support those in need at one of the most difficult times of the year.
The girls have put together the first box today and have decorated the box to give it a more personal touch with a thoughtful heartfelt message.
If just one item per family can be spared we could potentially put together 20 boxes to match last year. We are collecting the following: dried pasta, rice, cereals, tinned foods, noodles, chocolates, toiletry items, tea, coffee, sugar, hot chocolate etc. All items will be very appreciated.
Mrs Nelson also shared the lovely photos of the famous Neuro pride bag award evening that Dr Shirley Woods-Gallagher attended last week. Until next week, have a wonderful weekend, bye for now!
Girls Group (7.12.24)
Lumenus
This week, Lumenus has been making great progress on their pantomime. They’ve been rehearsing the first two scenes, blocking the third, and exploring sound effects and Foley work in Music to enhance their performance.
The pantomime is being developed from a devised piece created by Lumenus as part of their BTEC Unit PA5 – Using a Stimulus for a Performance. It incorporates all the classic features of a traditional pantomime, including audience participation, slapstick comedy, a dame, stock characters, and the timeless theme of good triumphing over evil.
Students at the College will enjoy a sneak preview of the pantomime during the Christmas Dinner, with the full performance scheduled for the end of January.
YP Conference
On the 6th of December 2024 six of our students: Blake, Corey, Haiden, Jamie-Lee, Amanda and Solomon attended a Conference on gathering young people’s voice around the SEND and Inclusion strategy. The theme for the conference was ‘Independence and Social Inclusion’. The morning focused on independent travel and safety and the afternoon focused on looking at what is accessible within the community for young people with SEND.
I (Natasha Hughes) and Anne-Marie Thompson were unbelievably proud of our students and their engagement throughout the day. Members of staff from other settings took time out of their day to come over and complement our young people regarding their positive attitudes and good behaviours.
Blake Mumford’s Voice,
Why I’ve enjoyed being part of the Conference on 5 December 2024.
“I enjoyed taking part in the A-Z transport game. Me, Corey and Haidan listed each letter of the transport, but we didn’t get all 26 transport as we didn’t know some. We were facing against 2 teams from Waterhead Academy and a single team from Oasis Academy Oldham. If we had the same transport, it’ll be one point. If we were the only ones who have that transport in our A-Z list, we earn 5 points. Me, Corey and Haidan had 62 points whereas one group of Waterhead had 84 points and the other Waterhead group had 89 points!
After dinner, I made a Christmas card for Ciara in Oldham Athletics fan bar, but we weren’t in the fan bar for long as Natasha took a photo of me and Corey in the fan bar as she knows that we love going Oldham Athletic. After we got out of the fan bar, I bumped into Oldham Athletics 21-year-old striker Josh Stones and gave him a handshake, I was learning about different things about transport, social care and health and wellbeing. I enjoyed speaking to the people from each table talking about how I get to college, placement and old Trafford.
I was learning about different things about transport, social care and health and wellbeing. I enjoyed speaking to the people from each table talking about how I get to college, placement and old Trafford, especially the lady from Point and her friend.
I have learnt that there is a community group for people who have a disability. They can do activities from 6pm to 8pm at night. I also learnt about a 32-year-old actor called Leon Harrop who was in the Lumenus pathway in 2009 at New Bridge Group. He also took part in movies and tv shows such as: Ralph & Katie, The A Word, From There to Here and Jackdraw.
Connor Mumford’s Voice,
“Once we got there, me, Blake and Haidan were sat in table 3 with social worker Nicola, three Waterhead students and three Oasis students. First, Leon Harrop (actor in the A-Word and Ralph & Katie) did an inspirational speech to all of us. His mum received a call from New Bridge in 2009 saying that he’s been selected to go and act. In 2009, Leon was in the Lumenus pathway. After the speech, we played an ice-breaker game where we had to list any transport from A-Z. I was in a group with Blake and Haidan. For each transport that nobody in our table had, we have 5 points. If anyone Les win our table had the same transport for the same letter, then we had 1 point. We had 62 points altogether. Break time happened just after this ice breaker activity.
After break, all the people in Newbridge that we came with (including me) went to the board room to talk about problems that might occur on trams and buses. We also looked at some problem-solving issues that we must sort out. One of the problems was that if a deaf child does sign language and is not sure whether he is on the right bus or not. One of the students in the board room said that he can just write on a piece of paper and show the bus driver if the bus driver does not know how to do sign language. Another issue is that a wheelchair user cannot enter the bus. The solution? We need more buses with ramps near the entrance.
After the board room activities, we went back in the main room and looked at priorities for different types of transport. You have to pre-book a taxi for insurance just in case of a crash or an emergency. Always carry money on you for buses or taxis. We also mentioned the fact that the Metrolink zones can be confusing at times.
After that activity, it was time for dinner. I got myself some chips, a pizza, some ham sandwiches, and a huge sausage roll. I got full up after that! I went out to see the stadium of Oldham Athletic before I had dinner, I saw the pitch with any nets. I had pictures with my old history teacher Mr Hanif and some of his Year 8 students from New Bridge Lower School. I also spoke with them to see how New Bridge School is now currently.
After dinner, all the students from New Bridge College/Pathways came together in one group and went down to the fan bar to make our own Christmas cards with stickers and glue. I had a green paper card with a Christmas tree shape. After making Christmas cards, we went up and make our own table spinners with a disc, a water bottle lid and a marble. I drew the Borussia Dortmund logo on it with Ronaldo and Messi holding hands. After that, I made myself a cube with some toothpicks and some sweets and I was proud of myself. It was certainly easier than marshmallows and spaghetti.
After doing these activities, we went back to the main room to look at tables based on Social Care, Health & Wellbeing and Transport. We were talking about going different places with transport and how my placement is going. Social care is about caring for families and children that are in need. After the tables, we looked at the market containing leaflets and things of the Barrier Breakers. The Barrier Breakers are a group that go out every Monday and Friday to do some activities (mainly in Mahdlo). I had to do a survey based on independence, socialising and travelling. It contained about 20 questions.
I enjoyed my experience at the conference workshop, including getting freebies for myself and having a picture with Blake and Leon Harrop. I also met new people from different schools. We were the oldest group that was there.
YP Conference
A Day in the Life