| |
We are delighted to announce that the Digital Transformation has been a tremendous success and the process has gone smoothly. As staff and students get acquainted with their new devices, we are really excited about the potential this can have on raising attainment and giving our students access to the new technology on offer. We are experiencing a short delay in the migration of our telephone system, so we ask that you continue not to call the Academy unless your enquiry is urgent, as we may be unable to answer your call. If you are reporting your child's absence, please do this by email to: attendance@GBR.merciantrust.org.uk Following a short break in our newsletter schedule, please enjoy perusing this week's edition, including updates on our sports teams, extra curricular clubs and competitions on offer, and a visit to our Year 12 students to raise their career aspirations. Curriculum Focus: HistoryOctober signals the beginning of Black History Month here in the UK, and we are celebrating by introducing our annual competition. Students can enter by producing anything creative, to win a copy of 'Black and British' by Historian, David Olusoga. 
In the past we have had entries such as poems, short stories, timelines of important events, and biographies of influential people. It doesn't have to be from this list but can be anything your imagination comes up with! Winners will be selected by Mr Mills, Mr Davies and the History team. Entries must be with your History teacher by half term (Friday October 27th) good luck! – Mr Davies Year 11 Physical Geography TripOn the 28th and 29th September, our Year 11 Geographers went to Church Stretton, Carding Mill Valley. Students were investigating how a river changes as you travel downstream which will form part of their GCSE exam paper in the Summer. 
Students worked with their teacher, a guide from the National Trust, and their peers as they completed a number of tests, including as how the velocity changed, how the width varied, and what happened to materials in the river. – Miss Perkins 
Bored? Come and play some board games!There's so much more to board games than Monopoly and Uno! If you want to discover and learn about the vast array of modern board games out there, then come along every Wednesday and join Mr Kulyna, Mr Mills, and students from across all Year Groups for some thrills and fun! 
Students have experienced a variety of games requiring them to use intellect and strategy, as well as some pure luck and excellent bluffing. We have hundreds of games to share so make sure you drop by if you want to discover more! If you're interested, please come along to Room 118 every Wednesday! – Mr Mills 
Year 8s Dodge Defeat at the North Sandwell Dodgeball CompetitionA team of Year 8 superstars took part in a dodgeball tournament where they played against a number of other teams in Sandwell, winning all except one of their games. In their final game, which could easily have ended in defeat, Binosa put in a sterling performance to come back from 2-1 down and secured first place overall in the tournament for Q3 Academy Great Barr. The team will now compete against the winners of the South Sandwell tournament to decide who will go on to represent Sandwell. 
The football season is also in full swing, with students in Year 7-11 competing in league fixtures. Results have been a mixed bag, with a recent win for Year 8s over West Bromwich Collegiate and an enthralling draw for year 10 against Phoenix Collegiate. Year 9s currently remain unbeaten with wins over Phoenix Collegiate and West Bromwich Collegiate Academy. 
Sports clubs are also up and running, with Tuesday evening Netball club proving popular with a large number of students. For the past two weeks, students have been learning about player boundaries and the different responsibilities of each position. – Mrs Halford 
Year 8 FootballOn Wednesday 4th October, the Year 8 boys football team welcomed West Brom Collegiate for a fixture. The boys played incredibly well, winning the fixture 8 – 2. 
Cian Evans, as the team captain, led the boys with fantastic leadership, ensuring they never took their eye off the ball, and Freddie Davies also scored a hat trick. Well done Year 8 boys. – Mr Hennings 
Career Pathways for Year 12 – OsteopathyOn Thursday 5th October, some of our Year 12 students met with guest speaker Ruby Henson who shared with them about her career pathway and experience with Osteopathy. 
Ruby shared how in-demand the job is and how it links into physiotherapy, chiropractic and sports massage. Students enjoyed the experience, and we look forward to welcoming in future guest speakers to inspire our students. – Mrs Meredith 
Mr Parekh wins the ZAFTA!During our week without any IT, Mr Parekh hosted Zog in the Maths Department. Mr Parekh was recognised for the amazing atmosphere for learning he creates in his lessons. Zog was keen to see more! – Mr Mills 
Upcoming Events
|
|
