YOUNG WRITERS COMPETITION Handsworth Grammar School have been entering the Young Writers Mini Saga competition for a number of years now. This year’s theme, “Stranger Sagas”, included 47 entries ranging from speculative fiction to romanticism. The competition organisers were impressed by the entries from Handsworth Grammar School, commenting on the way in which the writing showed “perception, imagination and creativity” written with “strong expression, originality and use of language”. The English Department is delighted that 43 out of 47 entries received have been published in an anthology produced by the organisers – again, surpassing our previous record! We would like to congratulate and recognise the achievement of the following Year 7 students: Athrav Bhagwala, Noah Mohmand, Dylan Guiney-Bailey, Jeevan Bhogal, Mustakhim Jahan, Salahuddin Shazad, Hamaad Zaman, Adyan Ali, Raihaan Akram, Feteh Singh Sandhu, Zain Choudrey, Muhammed Awais Muhammed, Darius Ehssan, Aakash Subaraniam, Muhammad Quraishi, Andrew Pullukattu, Kashan Malik, Preet Chauhan, Solomon Violapo, Abbas Amin, Mustafa Nawaz, Logan Page, Saijullah Mohammed Khan, Ariz Khan, Ateeb Ilyas, Pratham Patel, Faizaan Mir, Shayne Barba, Abdur Rafeh, Mirza Tufail, Muhammad Fajyan Khan, Aurel Axinte, Abdullah Zeeshan, Timothy Lowman, Yousaf Burhawi, Amar Aalakh, Hishek Williams, Bryan Nzamurambaho, Sufyaan Ahmed, Sukhraj Singh, Harvee Manak, Ismail Akram and Shayaan Rizwan. A huge well done to all students – keep writing! English Department ACADEMY TRUST LAUNCHED INCLUDING FIRST NEW KING EDWARD VI GRAMMAR SCHOOL FOR 134 YEARS The King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham has been launched to coincide with the new school year. The Academy Trust brings together the existing six King Edward VI Academies (Aston, Camp Hill Boys, Camp Hill Girls, Five Ways, Handsworth and Sheldon Heath) with the addition of a seventh school: King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys. Patrick Burns, the Chair of the King Edward VI Foundation, which also supports two very successful independent schools in Edgbaston (King Edward’s School and King Edward VI High School for Girls), said: “This is an important moment in the long and illustrious history of the King Edward VI Foundation. In 1883, the Governors opened five new Grammar schools. In 2011, we opened our first non-selective sponsored Academy at Sheldon Heath. Today we are delighted to be adding a sixth selective school and we look forward, in the future, to welcoming more non- selective schools into the Academy Trust. We want to make Birmingham the best place to be educated in the country and we hope that the new Academy Trust can play a part in achieving that ambitious goal.” Professor Hywel Thomas, the Chair of the new King Edward VI Academy Trust, is keen to discuss the opportunity to partner with other secondary schools. He said: “Our aim is to support more non-selective schools in the city. We believe that the benefits that we can offer and our historic role and reputation in Birmingham would make us an exciting option for any school thinking about joining an Academy Trust.” Heath Monk, Executive Director of the King Edward VI Foundation, said: “We begin this journey at a time when schools in the city are facing increasing financial and recruitment pressures. By creating the King Edward VI Academy Trust Birmingham, we believe that our schools will be better able to offer a broad and balanced curriculum, supported by excellent teachers along with an exciting range of extra-curricular clubs and activities.” Simon Bird, Headmaster at Handsworth Grammar School for Boys, which was recently graded as Outstanding by Ofsted, said: “I am delighted to be joining the King Edward VI Academy Trust. I am confident that the new Trust will respect our history and ethos, which dates back to 1862, while supporting us to look forward together to a bright future.” The new Academy Trust will build on other recent initiatives by the King Edward VI Foundation to work closely with other schools in the city. The King Edward’s Consortium, which includes over 20 schools, was recently rated the best school-based teacher training provider in the country. In addition, for the last four years, the Opening Doors programme has been providing outreach and support to primary schools across the city, with the aim of raising aspirations and providing opportunities for enrichment. SCHOOL NEWS... 4