Q3 Academy News – 16th March 2022

Last week was National Careers Week, and we had an action-packed schedule of assemblies and events to inspire students about their futures. It was also the end of a rigorous mock exam fortnight for Year 11 and 13 students. We're really proud of the hard work all our students are putting in to their studies.

Careers spotlight: Speed Networking

We were delighted to host 29 professionals to meet our Year 9 and 12 students in an exciting Speed Networking event. This was a huge success in broadening students' horizons and sparking their interest in future opportunities. - Mrs Meredith

We had some great feedback from our visitors:

• "Thank you for a lovely morning. It was very well planned and everyone was polite and welcoming. Students asked plenty of questions and engaged in conversation."
• "A very positive and uplifting experience."
• "Thank you, really polite students, very impressed!"

Careers spotlight: Life at university

To help our students make informed choices about their futures, we arranged for a 4th Year Masters student from the University of Birmingham to come to the Academy and talk about university life. Students learnt about undergraduate timetabling, the changes in academic structure, and how to make the most of their time at university. Whilst the Outreach officer had a Chemistry background, the purpose of the visit was to discuss with students the broader aspects of university life and address any misconceptions they may have had. - Mrs Perera & Mr Burgess

Extracurricular spotlight: Nature Club (Thursdays 3:15-4:15)

Our well-attended Nature Club teaches students the importance of biodiversity, and its aim is to encourage wildlife to flourish on Academy grounds. We are proud of our student volunteers who have:

• built a 'hibernation hotel' to act as a habitat over the winter months;
• planted five apple trees; and
• cleared litter and repaired damage as a first step to restoring our pond.

In recent weeks, we have started to spot frogs and and a wide variety of birds such as goldfinches and mallard ducks that have been seen for the first time. All students are welcome to get in contact if they'd like to get involved. - Mr Wilson

Educational visit: Shrewsbury Prison

Last Thursday, our Year 10 GCSE RE group gained a unique insight into the criminal justice system from the 1930s to the present day when they visited Shrewsbury Prison. Students displayed exemplary behaviour and were enthusiastic when locked in real cells having to crack codes and utilise clues in order to escape! - Miss Chamberlain

Throwback: Panto 2021

The pantomime in December was our first large-scale production since before the pandemic, and the majority of our cast and band had never been in a show before. Everyone rose to the challenge, exceeded expectations, and put on three excellent performances raising over £1,000 for charity! We’re looking forward to the next production, and have already spotted so much young talent and rising stars primed for lead roles in the future. - Mr Sassons

Supporting your child: Equipment

It's really important for us to work in partnership with you as parents and carers, and each week we'll aim to share some top tips on how to set up your child for success.

Today's reminder is about our "5+1" items of equipment. Students always need the 5 essentials: pen, pencil, ruler, scientific calculator, and purple pen. They should also bring their "+1" (Sports Kit) on the relevant days. We strongly recommend a calculator with a natural display that can properly show fractions, square roots, and so on. The most popular option is the Casio fx-83GTX.

Upcoming Events

• 28 Mar - Year 10 Parent Consultation Evening (book online)
• 30 Mar - Deadline for Year 11 Prom tickets (purchase on ParentPay)
• 4-9 Apr - Year 8 Normandy Trip
• 5 Apr - Deadline for Year 11 Leavers Hoodies (visit our online shop)
• 7 Apr - Concert
• 8 Apr - InSET Day (Academy closed to students)