Ace Days 2018

Our summer Ace days programme is bigger and better than last year!

As well as a range of residential trips and work experience, students have been offered a wide range of different experiences that explore the practical applications of many of their curriculum subjects.

Details of these opportunities are given below and we will have lots of pictures in our July issue of OuseNews.

Trip departure/return information can be found here:

Newport Trip Information

Olney Trip Information

Cookery Experience

Developing skills in bread making, fresh pasta and cakes

Are you the next celebrity chef? Do you want to learn how to make fresh pasta, bread and cakes? Come along and have a go. Basic ingredients provided within the session. We plan to make bread such as focaccia, fruit bread and rolls. Cupcake making and decorating. Making fresh pasta such as ravioli, tortellini and tagliatelli.

Fame School

This exciting and rewarding three day event will equip students with essential skills such as working as part of a team, resilience in overcoming potential obstacles and help them to learn about essential drama techniques. They should develop empathy by gaining a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around us. They will also develop confidence by taking part in a dance workshop and learn about the history and culture of Chinese Dance.

Ghost stories

Are you interested in ghosts, ghouls and all thinks spooky? Join us for three days of ghostly fun as we investigate ghost stories. We will be looking at songs, poems, stories and movies with a ghoulish theme, including those from our local area. We are also planning a ghost tour of Newport Pagnell and will finish by creating our own ghost stories.

Harry Potter Experience

If you dream of being at Hogwarts, wish you could wave your magic wand or fancy a visit to the Great Hall, you'll love the Harry Potter Experience: three days of Harry Potter themed activities, including a trip to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in Watford for one day where you'll find out how the films came to life. We'll make sure you're sorted into the right house, look the part and have a chance to re-live some of the greatest parts of the books and films, as well as touring the key locations on the Studio trip where you'll see the props, costumes and settings. It's a magical three days!

Students will spend two days in school completing themed activities and one day visiting the WB Studio Tour.

Mad Hatters Tea Party

Plan and take part in a ‘Mad Hatter’s tea party’ based on Alice in Wonderland.

Over the three days you will start by planning and costing your menu for the tea party. Once you know what you will be making it will be time to buy your ingredients on a trip to the shops. You will design and make your own ‘Mad Hat’ to wear at the party and of course; no party is complete without some games, party activities and decorations.

Ousedale Conservation Trust

Each student will get the opportunity to develop a research project on how a designated conservation area at each Campus could be developed. Furthermore, they will learn about the importance of conservation work to promote sustainable futures, and the impact that conservation strategies have on endangered species worldwide. Students will have the opportunity to incorporate GCSE and A Level biology concepts into all of their work. Each student will have a walking lake visit to Tongwell or Emberton Lake depending on their campus for one day and will be able to go to Whipsnade Zoo on Friday 13th for the day.

Sport

Do you like being physically active? We have planned some tournaments and activities in a range of sports for you to compete with and against your peers, for a selected group of students there will be a sports science extravaganza where we will look at concepts within sport such as how the heart works and methods of training to improve performance.

You will also spend one day on a local walk - bring your picnic and sun cream! Anyone who doesn’t return their consent form will not be able to join this PE option. You will need your PE kit for each day and be ready to work with a range of people and get involved in being active.

The Use of Mathematics - Past, Present and Future

Wednesday 11th July - IWM Duxford

A trip to the Imperial War Museum in Duxford. Students will have the opportunity to explore the museum and take part in several activity trails, which include elements of mathematics and physics used in aviation.

Thursday 12th July - National Space Centre

Looking at how Maths is used in space travel.

A visit to the National Space Centre in Leicester, which includes an interactive workshop using Maths, Computing and problem solving skills to program the LEGO NXT rovers to complete challenges on Martian terrain mats. Using coordinates, angles and measurements the students must program their rovers to destroy the alien, remove boulders from the transportation area, return the NASA rover to its charging point and then make it to the digging site. However, there is a dust storm approaching so the rovers must be quick to complete their mission.

Friday 13th July – Spy Missions

A trip to Spy Missions in Milton Keynes to complete an interactive code breaking mission. Also including code breaking activities around the school. Students will look at the history of code breaking and get to test out their own code breaking skills.

School of Rock

3 days of Rock School fun! During these ACE days you will have the opportunity to create a band, choose some songs to perform, or if you’d rather, write your own song. Spend a day in London, attending the hit new musical ‘School of Rock’ in the West End. You will then return to school to prepare a performance of your chosen song on the stage. The programme has been prepared to develop your musicianship and creativity. You will learn how to prepare a song for performance and have an opportunity to learn how to sound check.

Golf & Ultimate Superstars

Day 1 (11th July) Adventure Golf tournament and football golf tournament at Abbey Hill Golf Centre

Day 2 (12th July) Pitch and Putt tournament (18 holes) at Abbey Hill Golf course

Day 3 (13th July) Ultimate sports tournament at school (Rugby, Golf, Frisbee etc.)

The three Ace days will be packed with golf tournaments, from the world of pirate golf to football golf and then 18 holes of pitch and putt. No golf experience needed but there will be individual and team tournaments, plus prizes, throughout the two days. The final day will be based at school with the emphasis on ultimate sports and sports you have not done before; including rugby golf! (No tackling allowed), ultimate Frisbee and a surprise sport. So if you fancy swinging a club, kicking a leg, negotiating obstacles and throwing a plastic plate then these are the activities for you.

Marketing Goes Wild

Students will learn some marketing fundamentals in advance of a visit to a popular local tourist attraction. Whilst at Woburn Safari Park, students will have the opportunity to investigate the products and services on offer to paying customers, as well as the methods of marketing used to attract them. Students will round off the experience by developing new marketing material for the tourist attraction based on a brief provided.

Tennis coaching

Wimbledon Wannabe? Fanatical about Federra? Moved by Murray? Come and join us for an opportunity to improve your skills and win the coveted Ousedale-don trophy.

Film School - Create a Superhero film or Supernatural Horror film

Planning and making a film which uses high quality creative camera techniques and includes some degree of special effects / CGI or green screen techniques.

You will work in small groups to train on the film techniques necessary, learning the use of a range of industry software and will plan, write plots and create storyboards, cast and film. On day two you will produce all the footage necessary for the film and will be processing the raw media as well as creating any green screen effects/CGI animations.

The final day involves editing using high quality software, producing a film and screening it in front of an audience. The best films will be awarded Ousedale Oscars and entered into a National ‘IntoFilm’ competition.

Forensics

Do you think you would make a good CSI? You will get the chance to find out....... Over 3 days you will get to examine different crime scenes, learn to establish and secure a crime scene, collect, record and analysis of evidence, and identify or eliminate individual suspects. You will be looking at different forensic methods including; fingerprints, hair samples, fibre samples and shoe imprints.

Thorpe Park / Roller Coasters

2 days at school investigating the science and design of rollercoasters. 1 day at Thorpe Park experiencing rollercoasters.

Health & Wellbeing

Day 1- Positive mental health

On day 1, we will be learning about how to maintain a well-balanced mental health. We will cover issues from self-esteem and confidence to friendship and the importance of working in a team. We will complete different activities throughout the day which will end with a social BBQ, so bring your appetites!

Day 2 - Positive physical health

On the second day, we will look into positive physical health. We will experience a yoga sessions conducted by a trained yoga practitioner. We will get out and about in Newport to see how physical health can be improved by walking and exercise. We will also look into nutrition and try nice healthy foods to see how a healthy diet can improve both out physical and mental health.

Day 3 - The importance of leisure and company

Mental and physical health is very important, but so is taking the time out to have some fun. Having a break and finding something you enjoy is extremely important. So on the 3rd day we will let our hair down and become a mess when we go on the rollercoasters at THORPE PARK!

News and Events

In This Section