Handsworth Grammar School held its annual Remembrance Assembly in Big School on Friday 11th November 2016. We were delighted to welcome a number of Governors and Old Boys to School to mark the occasion and share in this significant and important annual event. Father Bob Stephen led the act of Remembrance and Mr James McAvan delivered a very thought provoking address which drew upon his recent experience serving in conflict zones such as Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Senior Prefect team of Josef Feiven, Felicia Akanbi, Tukeer Hussain, Anisa Farooq and Seth Griffiths all took an active part in the Assembly by reading poems and reflections whilst Josef also laid a wreath at the stained glass window with Mr James McAvan the President of the Bridge Trust Society. Josef Feiven also played the Last Post and Reveille to great effect which helped make this a very special event and a fitting tribute to the Old Boys whose names are listed on the memorial plaques in Big School. Big School was full as both Year 7 and Year 13 students attended the assembly whilst the rest of school observed the occasion in their Form assemblies.

The Secretary of State for Education The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP visited HGS where she met with the Senior Leadership Team, the Senior Prefect Team and had a tour of the campus. She called in on a Maths, Physics, RS and MFL lesson where she chatted with students and staff. It was a whirlwind visit but an extremely positive and open one where we had the chance to discuss key issues such as funding, admissions, pupil premium, closing the gap and the expansion of existing Grammar Schools. We all very much enjoyed meeting her and her team and it was great to be able to demonstrate that HGS is in and of its community as well as very much a force for social mobility and certainly not a bastion of the white middle class!

Justine Greening tweeted: “Thanks @HandsworthGS for the warm welcome and for great discussions with students and the senior leadership team”.

Dan Brown from the Secretary of States office wrote to Mr Bird: “The Secretary of State very much enjoyed the visit and speaking with you, your staff and students and for the tour of the school. For her first visit to a Grammar School whilst in post it will certainly be one to remember.”

Yr 7 beat Holte 9-1 in the second round of the Aston Schools cup. After a tight first half which ended with us leading 2-1 we started the second half with a quick goal from the centre kick which was scored by Ty Barnett shooting from behind the half way line! After that goal we really started to get into a rhythm and the goals started coming. Goals scored- Arjun Toor 4, Ty Barnett 3, Rahim Ali 1 and Zakir Islam 1.  This takes our tally from 4 games to 33 goals scored and 7 conceded.

Mr Griffiths

The Lord Mayors Mega Quiz 2016 took place on Thursday 3^rd November in the Great Hall, University of Birmingham.

This year, the event was hosted by BBC Midlands Today’s very own Sarah Falkland who was acting as quiz master.

HGS entered both a year 12 team and a year 13 team and there were 10 rounds of tough quiz questions, designed to challenge the very brightest students in the city.

Forty teams took part which was a record number, and our year 13 team finished a very creditable 16^th.