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It's been a busy week at the Academy in which a group of our students headed over to Sandwell College as they start to think about Post-16 education, as well as some of our musicians going to The REP Theatre to watch the musical 'Banghra Nation'. In addition, we visit our Maths and Art departments to see the fantastic work that students have been producing, as well as in Wellbeing Active where Year 8 students prepared for their performance of 'Thriller'. Finally, please see our latest Zafta winner, as well as some updates and reminders on Q-Points, the Measles Outbreak, and World Book Day. A Step Towards the Future: Our Students' Visit to Sandwell CollegeOn 23rd February, a group of Year 10 and 11 students embarked on a pivotal journey towards their future, attending a transition visit to Sandwell College. This allowed them to develop their independence by planning their journey and using public transport to get there. 
During their visit, students dove into a world of possibilities. They had opportunities to speak with members of staff from various departments in which they are interested, see the facilities available, and ask any questions they had. Some of my favourite student quotes include "I now know how to get the bus" – Natasha, "The trip helped me to visualise what college would be like" – Mia and "The trip has helped me because it has made me more comfortable and less scared about college" – Maddie. – Miss Reardon-Allen 
A Symphony of Cultures: Musicians Explore Bhangra NationThis week students visited the new musical 'Bhangra Nation'! The show is a celebration of South Asian culture told through the format of a modern musical. Ms Hickman, Ms Baines, and Mr Sassons, along with 43 musicians, travelled to The REP Theatre in Birmingham. 
Indian Classical music and Bhangra featured heavily in the show. Our GCSE students were able to see and hear this important part of our course first hand. Students aspiring to study GCSE Music at KS4 also got a head start! 
Rhianna said, "The show was like real life. It had both Western things like Taylor Swift and authentic South Asian culture". Jude and Ned really enjoyed the music saying it was a style "they had not heard before". Preeya enjoyed how the musical "showed Indian culture to everyone". Miyah's "favourite part was the music, which was a mix of Bhangra and Musicals like Hamilton". Kartelle summed up our experience saying "I loved all of it!". – Mr Sassons 
UKMT Update...the results are in!In the last article for Maths, we shared that some students were preparing for the UKMT intermediate Maths challenge. Every student that took part did a great job and all will receive a certificate for participation. An impressive seventeen of our students soared to success, each clinching a coveted Bronze Certificate. 
We had four students who showed their mathematical ability and managed to receive a Silver Certificate. These were Yasin, Charlie, Alfie, and Tanpreet. A special mention goes to Tanpreet, who achieved the best mark in Year 10, and Yasin, who achieved the best mark in the Academy, despite only being in Year 9. We are bursting with pride at the achievements of our students and look forward to some of our Year 7 and 8 students competing in the junior challenge. – Mr Machin 
Exploring Creativity: Year 11's Artistic JourneyWe are absolutely thrilled to share the exceptional journey our GCSE Art students have embarked upon with their latest projects! Tasked with responding to a thought-provoking theme, each student has taken a deep dive into their creative reservoirs, initiating a portfolio of work that promises not only diversity but sheer brilliance. 
The initial outcomes have been nothing short of spectacular, showcasing a range of innovative ideas and techniques that underline the unique talents within our cohort. Furthermore, their dedication to excellence is evident in their enthusiastic participation in intervention sessions, ensuring that their artistic visions are refined and realised to their fullest potential. 
This is a testament to the vibrant creativity and hard work of our students, and we eagerly anticipate the continued development of their projects. Stay tuned for more updates on their artistic journeys, which are sure to inspire and captivate us all! – Miss Jeanneret 
A Thrilling Year 8 Girls' Wellbeing Active Lesson!The Year 8 girls have completed their final performance of Thriller for their assessment lesson in Wellbeing Active. They have been rehearsing tirelessly over the last few lessons and demonstrated some great timing and enthusiasm in their final assessment. They performed for staff and students who were very impressed with their dances. Well done girls! – Mrs Schwald-Samuel 
World Book Day!To celebrate World Book Day, we want to create a community of avid readers to ensure every child has the opportunity to read. The Big Book Donation will help to provide an opportunity for students to share books that they no longer require at home with other students. Donated books will be swapped by students and, with books recommended by their peers, students will hopefully feel more engaged with reading. Students will be reminded to check with parents/carers first. Thank you! – Miss Bull 
Miss Benning hosts Zog after ZAFTA triumph!Zog spent a fascinating week in Psychology having been impressed by Miss Benning's commitment to refining her practice and improving her teaching. He is now the proud owner of his very own mini orange highlighter! – Mr Mills 
Rewards Trips – Requirement ReminderAlthough it might seem a while away, we would like to remind parents/carers of our Reward Trips at the end of each academic year. These are a great chance for students to celebrate their success with a wide variety of trips offered. On that note, in order for students to be eligible, they need to have more positive Q-Points than negative, overall. Students can gain points for all sorts of things in their lessons and wider Academy opportunities. Please check ClassCharts with your child and encourage them to be positive each day! We also encourage students to remind and ask their teachers for Q-Points, but only when they deserve them! Students can see their Q-Point balance in their ClassCharts Student account, on the 'Rewards' tab. Measles Outbreak in Sandwell and West MidlandsAs you'll be aware, measles is circulating in the West Midlands and Sandwell. Measles can be very serious for children and affect the development of unborn babies. The most effective preventive measure is the MMR vaccine which is safe and effective providing both doses are received. It's available free of charge for children and adults at your GP Practice. It's great that 88.6% of our students have received both doses of the vaccine. However, the World Health Organisation recommends a 95% uptake to have herd immunity. We'd strongly encourage the 7.1% of our students who have only received one dose of the MMR vaccine to speak to their GP to arrange their second dose as soon as possible. Details of the MMR Vaccine can be found here. Upcoming Events
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