This week we're introducing a fortnightly Positive Behaviour Focus, which is part of our drive to continue enhancing our Academy culture. Read on for updates on the collective acts of remembrance we shared last week, our wonderful success in a local Drama Festival, Board Games Club, and more. We look forward to seeing Year 11 students and their parents/carers at our Sixth Form Open Evening tomorrow. Warmest Greeting!Since Monday, we've been actively encouraging students and teachers to greet each other in the friendliest possible way at the start of every lesson. Of course loads of people have always done this, but we're making it explicit because it's such a great habit to instil across the Academy. As well as awarding Q-Points for Stars of the Lesson and Great Work, we are now also celebrating the one student every lesson who says the best "Good morning" or "Good afternoon" – this is the prestigious Warmest Greeting! award. 
Every fortnight we will have a new Positive Behaviour Focus, reflecting our commitment to educate the whole child and uphold good manners and excellent learning behaviours. Remembrance Assemblies and ServiceLast week Mr Mills and Mr Sassons delivered assemblies to each of our year groups on the subject of Remembrance. Mr Mills spoke about how we can frame our remembrance in thanks and honour for the service and sacrifice of those in conflicts before us, as well as the tragic, avoidable impact of conflict on innocent civilians. 
Mr Sassons continued a discussion on the different ways we can remember, as well as what different symbols, poppies, and music can represent. 
The Senior Band closed off the assembly in leading our reflection through a performance of the hymn Abide With Me, which staff and students have described as 'powerful' and 'poignant'. 
At Friday's Remembrance Parade, the Senior Band and the CCF combined to create a moving service that honoured our war dead and looked to learn the lessons of history. Well done to the members of Senior Band, especially Archie Mewis who led the performance on The Last Post and Reveille marking our two minute silence. Archie said that he was "nervous but honoured to contribute to an important service". – Mr Sassons 
Best Original Play!The Drama department are thrilled to announce that our Q3 Academy Great Barr students won the trophy for Best Original Play at the Shropshire Drama Festival on Saturday night in Wellington, Telford. Niamh Smith was also nominated for Best Performer in the festival. The judge praised her performance and out of dozens of other performers in other plays, she was one of only three performers named. 
Special thanks to Mr Price for driving all of us over to Telford and back, and helping to motivate the students. Also, a big thanks to Mrs Karim for the excellent sound and lighting design in the show. 
On the hunt for more trophies, we will be taking the play with a new cast to two more festivals in the Spring in Rugeley and Sutton Coldfield. – Mr Davis 
The Mercian Trust MFL Numeracy Challenge: sept × deux = quatorzeOur Year 7 students are taking part in a French numeracy challenge and are really enjoying it. The competition runs in three rounds, in which students have to complete as many multiplication sums as possible in French, in one minute. This week we completed the first round and the winners from each class will compete in an Academy-wide round later. Then the winners of the second round will face winners from other academies in the Trust. This is an opportunity for our students to improve their numeracy in French while having fun. Here are some of our winners! – Mr Savadogo 
The Power of Conflict!This term in English, Year 10 have been exploring the Power and Conflict cluster of the AQA Poetry anthology. Each class has used various methods of organising their notes and preparing for their comparison. It's been great to see their detailed annotations, Venn diagrams, and 'comparison alleys'. 
At the same time, Year 9 are exploring conflict and working towards summarising how it is presented in poetry and non-fiction texts. They have been making use of Frayer models and mind maps to develop their understanding of conflict. – Miss Russell 
Join our exciting Board Games ClubAt the end of the day every Wednesday, a small group of students have been exploring the weird and wonderful world of designer board games. There's a whole industry out there of games you've never heard of – that are better than any on your shelf at home! These are games that mix strategy, tactics, deception and fun. New members are always welcome; please speak to me or Mr Kulyna for a letter. – Mr Mills 
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