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This week we share our Year 10 cohort's recent Work Experience week. Over the past week, we have also had our Year 12 students undertake Work Experience, a Culture Week hosted by our Year 10 Student Voice Representatives, a trip to the Hippodrome, and our new Year 7 students joined us for two Transition Days. A Theatrical Journey: Students Experience the Magic of 'Hamilton'On Wednesday 3rd July, an air of excitement buzzed through the Performing Arts Department as 30 GCSE and A-Level Drama and Music students embarked on an unforgettable journey to the Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre. The destination? The award-winning musical phenomenon, 'Hamilton'. 
As the coach made its way to the heart of Birmingham, the students' conversations were filled with anticipation and snippets of songs from Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking production. 'Hamilton', which has taken the world by storm with its innovative blend of hip-hop, jazz, R&B, and Broadway styles promised a cultural experience that none of our students could ever forget. 
Students witnessed first-hand how the performing arts can blend history and modern storytelling to create something truly spectacular. The show's themes of ambition, legacy, and resilience resonated deeply, leaving the students with not only a greater appreciation for theatre, but also a renewed sense of inspiration for their own creative endeavours. 
Reflecting on the day, one student remarked, "Seeing 'Hamilton' live was incredible. I'm going to go home now and blast the songs on repeat. I would definitely go and see it again and again and again." Another student quoting an iconic line from the show remarked "it was 'Awesome! WOW!" – Mrs Karim 
Year 10s Explore Future Careers through Work Experience.On 24th June, the students gained their first experience in the world of work by attending work placements. The students secured a range of impressive and diverse placements. These ranged from HMRC, the Council, Clayton Hotels, to pharmacies, retail, law firms, and SES Engineering Services, to name a few. We had great delight visiting and speaking with employers and students. The students mastered the art of commuting and embraced new skills, making the most out of their placements. 
Sumayah worked really hard emailing and calling places to find a placement with young children, so she was thrilled when Eaton Valley Primary offered her a place. Thanks to all those who offered placements. 
The food bank is an excellent place to not only help the community, but also gain work experience. The volunteers at Great Barr Foodbank were really impressed, especially with how hard the students worked, and how helpful they were. 
Oliver, who is passionate about sports, took on an exciting role at Leisure United in Wednesbury. He completed many duties including staffing reception, IT, cleaning, setting up the gym, raking pitches, and serving refreshments. It's not all play in a sports job! – Mrs Meredith 
Year 12 Work Experience HighlightsI am delighted to share with you an update on our Year 12 work experience programme, which commenced on 1st July. Over the past week, the Sixth Form team has been diligently checking in on our students' progress through calls, emails, and visits. We have received an abundance of positive feedback from employers regarding our students' conduct, professionalism, and enthusiasm in their respective placements. 
Krish has been gaining invaluable experience with SIPS Education, where he has explored various departments, including finance. Tyler has been immersed in the personal training business at True Community Fitness (TCFit). Under the guidance of TCFit professional trainers, who have expertise in both one-to-one and group training, Tyler has developed a passion for making a significant impact on individuals' fitness goals. 
Sophia, who aspires to pursue a career in Medicine, had an enriching experience at the Hands on Health Clinic. She worked closely with Lauren the Chiropractor, who involved Sophia in her appointments. Bryanna was all smiles at Peaches Beauty Salon, where she found the experience even more enjoyable than being in the Academy! She was actively involved in creating acrylic nails and participated in various aspects of the business, gaining a comprehensive understanding of the beauty industry. 
The feedback from all of the employers we contacted and visited has been overwhelmingly positive. They commended our students for being polite, eager to learn, and displaying a high level of professionalism. This work experience will undoubtedly be a valuable asset for our students as they prepare their personal statements for university and apprenticeship applications. We are incredibly proud of our Year 12 students and we extend our thanks to all the employers who have supported our students. – Miss Benning 
A Week of Cultural CelebrationWe had a fantastic week celebrating the diversity within our Academy. The Year 10 Student Voice Representatives organised a week packed with activities, designed to give students the opportunity to learn and celebrate our different cultures. On Tuesday, we asked students to share their favourite things about their culture and a live band played music from different cultures. Students also learnt about different languages, music, and food during Tutor Time. The Academy buzzed with excitement. 
On Wednesday, students from Year 6 got to take part in a cultural jigsaw and tell us all about their culture. There were Wellbeing Inspire lessons, culminating in a task to create a display of cultural art. On Thursday, we had Britain vs America for 4th July with some seriously talented bands playing classics from Britain and the USA. They were so good the crowd demanded an encore. Lunchtimes were filled with a terrific atmosphere. 
Finally, on Friday we had a spectacular end to the week with a cultural feast, with favourite cultural food shared by our Academy community allowing students to get a taste of different cultures. The finale was a cultural catwalk with students and staff strutting their stuff in traditional cultural dress. An absolutely fantastic end to a week of celebration. Thank you to all the families who helped to make this week happen! – Mrs Rowe 
New Year 7s Enjoy Action-Packed Transition DaysNew Year 7 students were invited to participate in a two day extravaganza of activities to get acquainted with the Academy and to introduce themselves to other students in their Year Group. They were treated to a variety of activities, including a lively rounders tournament, informative Academy tours, thoughtful self-reflection letter writing, and relaxing yoga sessions. 
Students were invited to participate in a summer reading challenge with the grand prize of a tablet up for grabs. We look forward to seeing what they have read over the summer! 
Every student shone brightly, enthusiastically taking part in all the activities. Students shared that they had made lots of new friends, and that they enjoyed the rounders tournament. We hope that they, and all families in our community, have a fantastic summer. We look forward to formally welcoming our new Year 7 students in September. – Miss Bloomfield Would you like to know more about keeping your family and yourself safe online?Find out how to work together as a family to remain safe online and to consider how people can be affected by the online world. There will be free samosas and refreshments, online safety specialists with free resources, and quizzes with prizes up for grabs! Sandwell Prevent Team are running this free and fun drop-in event on Wednesday 24th July, 1-3pm, at Ileys Community Association, Corbett Street, Smethwick, B66 3PU. You can reserve your space by emailing: prevent_inbox@sandwell.gov.uk Looking to support your Mental Health with a free workshop over the summer?Reflexions are offering a number of free workshops over the summer holidays to support young people's mental health and wellbeing. You can reserve your space on any of the following workshops by emailing: bchft.reflexions@nhs.net Craft and Chat Workshops at Barnardo's Centre, Smethwick from 10am – 12pm on Wednesday 31st July (Olympics theme), 21st August (Wellness theme), and 28th August (Friendship theme). Craft and Chat Workshops at Reflexions Allotment, Wednesbury from 10am – 12pm on Wednesday 7th August (Happiness theme). Mr Hard flies the flag for Teaching and Learning!Mr Hard hosted Zog this week in recognition of his high quality explanations. He wasted no time in using this as a chance to recognise the land of his fathers by turning our dragon friend into a makeshift Welsh flag! – Mr Mills 
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