Year 10 students have successfully completed their first practical assessment in GCSE Food Technology. The challenge required them to prepare puff pastry entirely from scratch and shape it into a complex snowflake design.
This assessment provided an opportunity for students to demonstrate their technical skills, time management and creativity. Well done to all students who took part in the assessment!
On Friday 12 December 2025, we went on an exciting educational trip to Cadbury World with our Year 7 Computer Science classmates.
When we arrived, we learned about the 200-year history of Cadbury and how one of Britain’s most famous chocolate companies uses computer systems, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity in real life. During a presentation, we found out how Cadbury protects its ideas and products, including the famous “glass and a half of milk” logo and the royal purple colour on the packaging. This helped us understand how digital information must be kept secure, linking to what we learn about cybersecurity and responsible use of technology in KS3 Computing.
During the factory tour, we could see how computer systems are used to control machines and manage production. We learned that machines follow instructions and algorithms to work accurately and efficiently, and that artificial intelligence can be used to analyse data, check quality, and spot mistakes. We were also told that secure networks are important to protect factories from cyber-attacks, which links directly to our learning about networks and security.
One of our favourite parts of the day was creating our own chocolate cups and choosing our own toppings. This made us think about how companies might use data and AI to understand customer choices and improve products.
After that, we enjoyed some fun attractions, including exciting rides, a 4D cinema experience, and seeing the famous drum-playing gorilla from the Cadbury adverts, which we recognised straight away.
Overall, the trip was fun, interesting, and educational. It helped us understand how KS3 Computer Science topics, such as algorithms, data, computer systems, networks, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, are used in the real world, and it has made us more interested in learning Computer Science in the future.
Dragos Dicu (7H)
King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School for Boys made a triumphant return to a packed audience at the Parish church of St. Mary’s for their annual Christmas Concert on Thursday the 11th of December 2025. The evening featured accomplished and well-prepared pupils in a variety of ensembles and many stunning solo performances too.
Our amazing staff of peripatetic music teachers have supported their pupils and aided in preparing them to deliver such an excellent concert. We are grateful for the extra time they have worked with students one to one, but also in ensemble settings to make such a wonderful concert possible.
The evening kicked off with Mr. Kinsella’s debut at the helm of our senior guitar ensemble bringing a bit of a South American samba beat to the December air. As the first half of the concert progressed we heard ragtime from Enzo Lee (piano), the cheery Christmas tones of Arjun Sond on the tenor sax. Our HGS String ensemble was next and was followed by rousing rhythms from two dhol drum ensembles, then some Funk from Sebastian Fernando on the trumpet and even more Christmas cheer from the HGS Brass Ensemble. Next, we were swept away by Pariyansha who played a flute solo composed by Gabriel Faure. Our HGS Lower Woodwind Ensemble gave several new students their HGS concert debut. The subsequent item was a wonderful rendition of the Theme from ‘The Great Escape’ as played by Sukhmandeep on the trombone. Later in the first half we heard a funky piano duet by Billy and Oscar, Abel Shaine on the violin with an accomplished rendition of Dvorak’s Humoresque No. 7, and finally our resident Y11 band ABAA gave a convincing rendition of the Stone Roses’ ‘Made of Stone’ then they finished off the first half with their version of the Queen of Christmas ‘s ‘All I want for Christmas is You”.
The second half of the evening started off with our HGS School Choir singing a traditional Christmas carol followed by the less traditional Neil Diamond Classic, Sweet Caroline. Then we were treated to a piano duet by Adam and Angus performing a piece from the Nutcracker. Next, our 3 most advanced brass players (Sebastian, Guang and Sukhmandeep) played us some well-known Handel. Jinjie Lin, in a duet with Mr. Kinsella on the guitars, brought back the Latin flare to the night and was followed by our HGS Upper Woodwind ensemble in impressive form, with a performance of H. Manicini’s ‘Pink Panther’ theme then an item by John Williams. The rest of the programme included Jeren Okyere-Darko, who played a convincing rendition of ‘Hit the road Jack’, the HGS Jazz Band with some Christmas classics; The Christmas Song and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (where the whole audience joined in singing along to the stylings of this jazzy ensemble). Sticking with Christmas theme, Guang gave us a ‘Merry Little Christmas’ in ‘tuba style’. Then, in complete contrast, we enjoyed a stirring piano solo from Hardev Manku who will complete his studies at HGS in 2026. Finally, our large HGS orchestra brought us Holst’s ‘The Planets’ Medley and then finished the night off with the audience joining in with Merry Christmas Everybody.
As always, we are grateful to the rector Lizzy Longhurst at St. Mary’s, all the staff from HGS, students and parents, and others who supported making this concert possible. We look forward to seeing many of you again in March for our Instrumental Progress evening in Big School.
Hour of AI Lessons in Minecraft Education
The Hour of Code is now the Hour of AI, a global movement designed to make teaching AI literacy easy, engaging, and fun. By helping students understand how artificial intelligence works, the Hour of AI empowers young people to become the next generation of digital innovators.
Our Key Stage 3 students recently took part in the Hour of AI lessons in Minecraft Education, diving into the world of artificial intelligence by training an in-game agent to complete tasks on their behalf. These hands-on sessions used gamification to help students think critically about how AI operates, recognise its growing presence in everyday life, and explore the importance of responsible, ethical innovation. This immersive approach made the learning both meaningful and enjoyable.
Computing Club: Building Our School in Minecraft
Alongside the Hour of AI activities, members of the Computing Club have been working on an ambitious creative project of their own: building a detailed digital replica of our school within Minecraft. This long-term project uses gamification elements to develop teamwork, problem-solving, digital design, and imagination as students collaborate to construct classrooms, corridors, and key features of the school site.
Notable contributors include Jamie Lee (8H), Luke McKinnon (8A), Yuvraj Jalf (11G) and David-Andrei Dumitra (8A), whose dedication and creativity have helped shape the evolving virtual model.
A Celebration of Creativity, Innovation and Digital Literacy
Together, the Hour of AI lessons and the Minecraft school-building project highlight that computing at our school is far more than traditional coding. Through gamification-driven learning, students are gaining the skills, curiosity, and confidence needed for a future shaped by artificial intelligence, whether training digital agents, designing virtual worlds, or exploring the ethical responsibilities that come with new technologies.
Computing continues to be a vibrant, inspiring part of school life, nurturing young thinkers who are ready to create, innovate and lead in a rapidly changing digital world.
Our students from Year 7 to Year 13 once again rose to the challenge in the prestigious UK Bebras Computational Thinking Competition, a global event engaging more than 3 million learners from 80 countries. Bebras remains a fantastic opportunity for students to develop their logical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
We are delighted to share that this year has been one of our strongest yet, with 97 students securing the Gold Award, a truly impressive achievement.
Congratulations to King Fariz Sogbesan (7G), Saraist Singh (7G), Bahadur Sidhu (9H) and Kisandu Hapuarachchi (12MBI) for earning Best in School. Their performance was exceptional, and we could not be prouder of their accomplishment.
As we approach the end of the first term, we’re thrilled to celebrate the forms with the best attendance across Years 7 -13. Your commitment to being in school every day truly makes a difference, because every missed day means missed learning.
This term, the top-attending forms in each year group have earned a well-deserved treat: breaktime hot chocolate! Congratulations to:
A special well done to Year 8, who have achieved the highest attendance of any year group overall—an incredible effort that sets the standard for everyone.
Thank you to all students who continue to show up, stay engaged, and make the most of every learning opportunity. Let’s keep this momentum going into the new term!
Earlier this half term, our school community came together to celebrate National Kindness Week, a time to recognise and appreciate the small acts that make a big difference. Pupils were invited to nominate their peers for moments of kindness they had witnessed, and the response was overwhelming!
From helping classmates with their studies, offering support during challenging times, to simple gestures like sharing a smile or lending a hand, these nominations highlight the caring and respectful culture we strive for at KE VI HGS.
A selection of these wonderful acts has been shared with us, and they truly showcase the power of kindness in building a positive and inclusive environment. Thank you to everyone who took part- let’s keep spreading kindness every day!
Click here to view our Kindness Champions.
Over the past four weeks, excitement has been building in our KS3 Beyblade Tournament, which saw 32 enthusiastic participants battling it out in a series of high-energy matches. The competition was fierce, with pupils showcasing strategy, precision, and plenty of spinning action!
After several knockout rounds, the tournament culminated in a thrilling grand final between Ahmed Qureshi (7W) and Muhammad Yusuf Khan (7N). Both competitors demonstrated incredible skill, but in the end, Muhammad Yusuf Khan emerged victorious with an impressive 5:1 win.
Yusuf’s outstanding performance earned him the champion’s title and a £20 Amazon voucher as his prize. Well done to Yusuf and all the participants for making this event such a success!
Check out the highlight video attached to relive the best moments of the final!
On Friday 28th November, 29 students from Years 8, 9 and 10 headed to the dry ski slopes at Ackers Adventure in Small Heath to learn the basics or refresh existing skill. The session was in preparation for this academic year’s Ski Trip which is taking place in January and is to Andorra. Positive attitudes, perseverance and progress were all in abundance!
Mr Jones
