b'160th ANNIVERSARYHAPPY thBIRTHDAY TO HGS!To mark the 160th anniversary of the founding of thememory of the 160th anniversary. They were first used school in 1862, we have had a number of special eventsat our annual Prize-giving Evening, when ex-pupil and over the last year, and marked the occasion in somecurrent commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Mark memorable ways. Rowley, was the special guest.In November, the whole school was treated to a freeAnother way in which we have marked the 160th celebration lunch in the canteen where every pupil andanniversary is with a special time capsule, which has been member of staff received lunch and a piece of cakeburied in the school grounds. The time capsule contains which had been baked especially for the occasion. It wasa number of items selected by each year group, buried certainly a memorable lunchtime, as our heroic canteenin an airtight container. It will be dug up on the schools staff worked tirelessly to feed the hungry pupils of the200th anniversary in forty years time. The time capsule school. Special thanks must go to our catering supervisorwill be buried next to our new flagpole which was installed Mrs Colette Law and her team who served over ain summer 2022. The school flag flies proudly from the thousand meals in a two-hour period. It was a magnificentflagpole every day and can be seen from both ends of effort by Colette and her colleagues and was muchGrove Lane. However, on special occasions, the union appreciated by all of the pupils and staff. flag is raised instead. Sadly, the first occasion on which We also invested in some magnificent new stage furniturethe union flag flew was when it was lowered to half-mast for Big School which was especially designed with thefollowing the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. It flew proudly school badge emblazoned on it; fantastic additions toagain to celebrate the occasion of the coronation of King the school, and will last for decades to come, as a lastingCharles III.We have also bought a brand-new grand piano for Big School, which now sits proudly at the foot of the stage. The piano is a beautiful musical instrument, a Bechstein, and has replaced the previous school piano which lasted for over a hundred years. It was played publicly for the first time by Mr Czepiel at the dedication of our new stained-glass window. Hopefully, it will provide generations of our pupils with the opportunity to play the piano both privately and in public at school concerts and events.Finally, our new stained-glass window has been installed and dedicated as a lasting memorial of the schools 160th anniversary. The window was designed by master glass artist Derek Hunt. Derek has created a wonderful window with images which reflect the diversity of the school in 2023, the global pandemic which we have all been through, and also shows the school as part of the community of Birmingham.Mr Conway4'