In last week's email we were thrilled to share our Ofsted report with everyone, which means today we've got a bumper edition of the usual newsletter to catch you up on everything that's been happening at the Academy! Black History Month – Essay CompetitionWe are excited to announce the return of our annual Black History Month competition. We are committed as an Academy to celebrating the rich and diverse nature of history and October is a chance every year to highlight this. We are proud to say that our curriculum celebrates diverse history all year round as we cover topics like Miranda Kaufmann's excellent book Black Tudors and the impact of post-war migration on the West Midlands. 
For this year's competition, we invite students to submit a short essay of no more than 500 words in response to the following question: Why does Black History Month matter more than ever in 2022? This contest is open to all years and the deadline is 5th November. Submissions can be handed to your history teacher or to Mr Mills' office. Winners will have the chance to choose from a range of books celebrating Black history. We look forward to receiving your entries! – Mr Mills Riveting river studiesAs true geographers, we brought our classroom to the great outdoors as we spent a day in the field exploring river characteristics in Carding Mill Valley. 
Our Year 11s showcased their amazing knowledge as they answered questions and discussed key themes with the National Trust leaders. 
They then worked as a team to measure a range of features within the upper and lower courses of the river. 
By being ready, respectful and responsible, they were true ambassadors of the Academy. – Miss Perkins 
Great start in Computer ScienceYear 7 students have been researching historical people from the world of computing. In lessons, they have been presenting their work to the class. Year 10 have also made a great start to their GCSE Computer Science course – they are learning about the theory of programming, and applying their learning to a programming challenge. 
This is an important year for Year 13, and as well as learning some very complex theory they are producing an independent, extensive programming coursework. This is lots of hard work but they are up for the challenge! – Mrs Y Smith 
Historians hard at workHistory lessons at Q3 Academy Great Barr have got off to a fantastic start this year. 
Students from all years have been engaging with important historical questions, such as 'How much did the Norman Conquest change England?', 'What was the British Empire?', and 'Are genocides always the same?' 
We are really proud of the maturity and diligence with which students have taken on these demanding issues. 
They have really demonstrated how they can be respectful and responsible in how they approach the content of their lessons as well as their conduct around the Academy. – Mr Mills 
UKMT Maths ChallengesOver the last few weeks, some of our A-Level students have been entered into two national competitions. One was the Mathematics Olympiad for Girls and the other was the Individual Senior Challenge, both run by the UKMT. These competitions are designed to really test students' mathematical skills as well as their powers of deduction. All of the 20 students performed admirably in both competitions and really enjoyed the challenge, even though it was daunting! We await results to see whether any of our students will be invited along to the next round. – Mr Machin 
Key Stage 3 Road SafetyAs part of our Life Skills course, a group of students from Years 7-9 went on a walk to the local shop. This was the perfect opportunity to apply their knowledge of road safety and managing money. 
Students planned their journey and identified different types of crossings, potential hazards, and safe places to cross the road. They paid using a variety of payment methods including card and cash. It was lovely to see the students being so respectful towards members of the public and building their confidence. – Miss Reardon-Allen 
Discussing healthy relationships with your childThe charity Brook is offering free one-hour webinars to equip parents and carers with the confidence and skills to discuss healthy relationships with their children. There is more information, including contact details, on our website. – Mr Price Online Safety LetterPlease read this letter sharing some important online safety reminders that are particularly relevant to students under 16 years old. – Mr Price Upcoming Events
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