Many thanks to all pupils, students and staff who took part in the first ever HGS house photographic competition.

The theme this year was “My Birmingham” and we had a large selection of high quality entries from pupils, students and staff.

The SLT had a very difficult task in deciding the winners but I am pleased to announce that the following entries were chosen as the winning photographs.

Key Stage 3 Winner – Jordan Ricketts (8 William)

Key Stage 4 Winner – Suraj Sanhi (10 Alfred)

Key Stage 5 and overall Winner Syed Hasan (13 NHA, Henry)

Staff Winner – Mr A Kilcullen (William)

Each winner gains 100 points for their house; every entry also gains 10 points for their house.

Mr Conway

The Year 7 Football team took part in a 5  a side tournament last week held at Sutton College. 17 Schools fielded teams in total from across Birmingham. HGS won their group with ease and did not lose a game. In the semi-final HGS played Edmond Campion and won 1 – 0. The final was against Arthur Terry and the game went to a penalty shoot-out. HGS finally won the shoot-out 2 – 1. The result being that HGS are Year 7 Birmingham 5 a side Champions! Congratulations to the team as well as the coach Mr Lawrence:

Francisek Czech, Ryan Mann, Raul Bhatti, Uzaif Hashmi, Ashraf Khan, Gurkirut Jagpal, Huzaifah Akhtar and Easah Rashid.

On Wednesday November 5^th we were privileged to have a special guest speak to our Year 12 students as part of their Enrichment programme. Lucy Marcus CEO of Marcus Venture Consulting and an internationally renowned expert on business and business governance spoke to our students about her work, her career and her guiding principles.

A graduate of Wellesley college, Massachusetts (where both Hilary Clinton and former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright were students), and Cambridge University, Lucy hosts a Reuters  TV programme and writes a weekly column for Project Syndicate on business and leadership.

She spoke to the students about guiding principles and about retaining your integrity as you move through your career. She was particularly inspirational to the young women in the audience who were all enraptured by her message.

Lucy was delighted with her visit to HGS and said that she would be pleased to visit again in the future.

15 of our year 12 students will be going to different locations during half term, all around England for three days as part of a residential experience, taking part in canoeing, abseiling, rock climbing and a variety of outdoor and adventurous activities.

We have the largest group of students from any school in Birmingham taking part and following the residential experience the students will be taking part in community activities to make a real contribution to improving their local area.

“The Challenge” is a government backed scheme which HGS pupils have been involved in since it started four years ago, and gives our students a real opportunity to develop new skills and to bring youthful energy to local community projects.

We look forward to hearing about their exciting trips after half term.

Parents/Carers will receive their results letter from the Grammar Schools of Birmingham by Wednesday 22nd October 2014. This letter contains your sons score, and the cut-off scores for the Grammar Schools from last year. This is to be used as a guideline when you fill out your preference form, which can be completed online or collected from the Local Authority.