Achievements – Alford Academy

Performing Arts showcase & Young Musician of the Year 2024

4th July 2024 Mrs Rees-Jenkins Comments 0 Comment

Performing Arts showcase & Young Musician of the Year 2024

On the 20th June we finally we were able to hold the performing arts showcase led by the Performing arts faculty; a brainchild of Dougie Trueman (Faculty Head) with his team including Louise Hunter (music) and Hannah Walker (Drama).

At the performing arts showcase event we also held the Young Musician of the Year Competition 2024. The night was split into 3 spaces; the main stage was in the canteen area and had a full set list showcasing all our bands, choirs and solo acts who have been working on their craft for the last year. In the theatre we had a theatrical extravaganza from drama performances as part of SQA work to acts by the drama clubs. Finally in the staff room we held the Young Musician of the Year competition.

We had 11 pupils in the competition ranging from S1-S6 who performed for our 2 judges Jon and Jen Wilson. Feedback from those watching the event was the highest it has been in praise for the talent of our young people and the confidence shown was exceptional. To perform in such a way is always a challenge at such a young age but these folk showed great professionalism and dedication to their practice. Sharon Hassan (local music instructor) compared the evening and Laura Bleck & Dougie Trueman accompanied musicians on the piano. Thanks must go to all 3.

The judges had a very difficult decision to make and this year they had the toughest challenge yet but the winner and runner up were quite phenomenal and well deserved.

Winning the Alford academy Young musician of the year 2024 was Thomas (S4) who played the guitar and then had to rush off to perform with the band and in various other acts through the night. He was also playing at the awards nights. Our runner up this year was Fionn who played a set on the fiddle which was also exceptional.

The Young Musician of the Year Competition is supported by the Rotary Club of Alford and as such we were delighted to have them present at the night and not only did they present the prizes but they also donated the gift cards each winner received! Thank you!

The showcase was closed by our own star Stuart who sang his song Mars which not only did he perform himself but also wrote all the music and lyrics as well as recording all the backing music and vocals. A real talent!

Horizons – S6 Driving awareness and safety

25th June 2024 stuartcookson Comments 0 Comment

Tuesday 25^th June – S6 Driving awareness and safety

Today we had a very successful Horizon event for our S6 students. The theme today was for young drivers and focussed on:

Driving Safety – a session delivered by the Fire service and Police Scotland with a hard hitting message regarding dangerous driving.
DVLA – Highway code theory test delivered by local driving instructor
Car Maintenance – a practical session from John Reid, working on a car: Changing a tyre, looking at brake pads, oil filter, how to fill your car with petrol.

All the sessions were very informative and the pupils recognised the relevance to them as they think about or have started driving lessons.

An S6 pupil who attended the sessions shared:

The fire service delivered a presentation to us about staying safe on the road. We participated in group discussion identifying which factors may contribute to collisions and how these may be avoided. For example, we identified the reasons that people may speed to be; you could be running late, you could be trying to impress someone, or you could be seeking an adrenaline rush. We watched a case study and listened to the story about a road accident in Ayrshire. We learned about common hazards on the road and how exceeding the speed limit can have worse consequences than expected.

We participated in an activity with Jim Reid car sales and services. This saw us learn about the basic maintenance of a car and take a hands-on approach, getting involved with the changing of a tyre and being shown the essential parts of the engine such as the windscreen wiper fluid intake. Jim explained that for a car to remain in good condition its engine must be maintained and checked often. This includes monitoring the oil, coolant, and brake fluid level. Jim and Craig were very friendly and our active participation kept everyone eager to learn more.

We also talked to a driving instructor about theory and practical tests. He gave us tips and explained the necessary components for someone to receive their licence. He talked us through what we could expect in a driving lesson. As well as resources we could use to prepare ourselves for our theory tests. We enjoyed taking an online mock theory test, which turned out to be more difficult than most of us were expecting.

Coding Prize Winner Announced

5th February 2024 Mrs Czarnecki Comments 0 Comment

The Faculty of Business and Digital Education are proud to announce the latest winner of the DressCode coding competition held back in October. Brodie in S3 coding a wonderful entry that caught the judge’s eyes and has been awarded a prize. Brodie received his Tobbie the Robot Interactive IR Robot Kit this week.

We are thrilled Brodie has won a prize and his excellent coding skills have been acknowledged within this UK wide competition for both primary and secondary schools. Very well done Brodie.

https://www.dresscode.org.uk/

Preparing for Higher Exams in Maths and Science – NESCol

18th January 2024 stuartcookson Comments 0 Comment

NESCol are offering a series of short courses available to assist those preparing for end of year exams in Higher Sciences and Maths.

Over seven evening sessions in the weeks leading up to the final exam, learners will work in small groups with other candidates to practice exam-style questions. Coaching during the class will help them improve the way they approach a range of questions. We will also cover aspects of the curriculum which have been identified as poorly answered in previous exams.

All classes are 18.00-21.00 and run at our Aberdeen City Campus (Gallowgate). Further details of the courses is available through the links below:

Preparation for Higher Biology – commencing 4^th March

Biology – North East Scotland College (nescol.ac.uk)

Preparation for Higher Chemistry – commencing 20^th March

Chemistry – North East Scotland College (nescol.ac.uk)

Preparation for Higher Maths – commencing 13^th and 14^th March

Maths – North East Scotland College (nescol.ac.uk)

Preparation for Higher Physics – commencing 27^th February

Physics – North East Scotland College (nescol.ac.uk)

Preparation for Higher Computing Science – commencing 30^th March

Computing Science – North East Scotland College (nescol.ac.uk)

Motocross

7th November 2023 Daily Bulletin Comments 0 Comment

Congratulations to Jaden who recently was at the final round of the Scottish Motocross Championship. He is the SACU BW85cc Scottish Motocross Champion 2023.

He is also the Aberdeen & District 2023 Champion, the Grampian Motocross 2023 Champion & the Orkney Beach Race 2023 winner.

It’s a great achievement for Jaden who is determined and committed to succeed in motocross to win 4 championships this year.