As part of Work Experience Week, Opencast attended Jesmond Park Academy to deliver a practical and engaging workshop for BTEC Applied Science students. The session was run by Scott Axon and Laura Martin and focused on introducing students to the fundamentals of Agile delivery and the key roles involved in a technology project.

They worked with a cohort of 20 students, split into four teams of five. Each team was assigned the following core Agile delivery roles:

• Business Analyst (BA)
• Developer
• Quality Assurance (QA)
• User-Centred Design (UCD)
• Client

The session began with an introduction to the Business Analyst role, with a spotlight on how BAs collaborate with other team members and stakeholders to understand and translate business needs into actionable solutions.

Each group was then guided through four different scenarios, designed to simulate real-world delivery challenges. Using LEGO as a creative tool, students were tasked with fulfilling client requirements by:

• Collaborating in their defined roles
• Communicating clearly to gather and refine requirements
• Testing and iterating on their LEGO builds based on feedback
• Presenting their final solution back to the “client”

During the session we encouraged the students to use key transferrable skills such as using questioning as a method to ensure that they fully understood the clients needs. This encouraged good understanding of the requirements they were working with and showed they fully understood the ask.

The hands-on format allowed students to step into the shoes of each role and experience first-hand the importance of teamwork, iterative delivery, and user-centred thinking.

Award winners:

Confidence Award to Sara. Confidence is a tough thing, Sara has demonstrated confidence throughout NUF lessons by always volunteering for activities, giving everything a go, and being a huge supporter of her classmates.

Commitment Award to Shea. Shea has tried to verbalise a continuing commitment to the Praise code and is always striving for on-going improvement.

Outstanding Student Awarded to Jacob. Jacob has been brilliant throughout all NUF lessons, even when he was injured, he was able to finish all booklet work with his weaker hand. He was always a positive influence on the group and always offered insight into what he thought the soft skills in use were.

Recently we took some very lucky pupils to participate in @NUFoundation and @NUFC Annual 1892 Cup held at NUFC Academy.

Through our engagement in NU Foundation Partner School programme, supported by @HarrisonCentre, we were able to give students an opportunity to play in the tournament and receive their own 2025/26 NUFC kit.

What an afternoon!

https://www.nufoundation.org.uk/news/silverware-surprise-for-newcastle-united-foundation-community-at-annual-1892-cup

On Tuesday 1st of July, we had 2 of our Year 8 Food Technology classes taking part in the world’s largest cooking lesson led by Jamie Oliver. 

Together with thousands of other schools, we smashed the Guinness World Records™ title for the largest cookery lesson in multiple venues — and we are officially record breakers!
Drumroll, please. The final numbers are in…
Contributing to this record there were 10,515 cooks, across 6 continents and 42 countries helped smash the record!

This was done with students demonstrating their passion, energy, and love for food. Together they were chopping, stirring, and tasting a homemade pasta with basil and tomato sauce and we have helped make history!

Why we did this:
At the heart of this record attempt is a simple belief: every child, everywhere, should leave school able to cook confidently and take care of themselves — no matter what life throws at them. That’s why Jamie Oliver has developed ‘Jamie’s 10 Skills Programme’ , to give young people the essential skills in nutrition, knife safety, budgeting, and so much more.  

Keep cooking, keep inspiring! 

A group of Year 8 students attended the T1 Newcastle Rugby Foundation festival at Kingston Park to celebrate 50 days until the Women’s Rugby World Cup. They all played so well with fantastic teamwork skills and applied the new rules of tag rugby.  They showed great determination throughout the festival and eagerness to succeed.  Well done to all the students involved.

A big thank you to our girls coach who is a sixth form student at JPA.  As a rugby player herself she has been on a mission to recruit more female rugby players to her club.  She has made a huge impact on driving girls rugby in school and is looking forward to continuing this in September. 

Girls Results 

JPA 1-1 v pont 1

JPA 0-4 v kings 1 

JPA 2-0 v pont 2 

JPA 3-1 v kings 2

Boys Results

JPA 4 - 0 V Dyke

JPA 0 - 1 V Kings 1

JPA 3 - 0  V St Bede's

JPA 0 - 0 V Kings 2

Dear Parent/carer,

Please see the information below regarding Exam results day on the 21st August 2025.

Year 11 students collect their Exam results (Main reception at the front of the school).

If your child is unable to collect their results in person and wants someone else to do it on their behalf, they must put this request in writing before the end of term. (Kdews@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk or zurwin@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk). The designated person will need to show some photo ID when they collect the results. 

If your child's Exam results are not collected, they will be posted home. We do not email Exam results home.

If you or your child have further queries after the 21st August, please email (Kdews@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk or zurwin@jesmondparkacademy.org.uk).

Key members of staff will be available to our Year 11 students on Exam results day should they need any further information, advice or guidance regarding enrolment to Jesmond Park Academy Sixth Form or their other chosen destination. The Sixth Form enrollment day is the following day, 22nd August. The students will receive a letter with an appointment stating when they need to attend.

We look forward to seeing all of our Year 11 students again on this day and celebrating with them, their excellent Exam results.