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Under 13 Schoolboy of the Week – BCFC Academy
The education team at Birmingham City Academy have awarded Arijus Ahmadian (8G) the under 13 student of the week award for being an excellent ambassador and role model in both his academic studies and as an aspiring professional footballer. His picture has been added to the wall of fame in the academy classroom at the training ground and Arijus has also received a certificate and medal for his recent achievements.
Cambridge University Success
Congratulations to Arthur in Year 13 who has been offered a place to read Land Economy at Homerton College, Cambridge University. This is a wonderful achievement.
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Year 7 House Countdown Competition
During Registration, week beginning 9th January, each year 7 form carried out a form Countdown competition, which consisted of two words, two numbers rounds and a conundrum round. At the end of the form competitions each form had a form champion ready to represent their House in the House competition, which took place during assembly on Tuesday 17th January. A big well done to, Abdi Khalil (7A), Ben Maia Nunes (7G), Stanley Todd (7H), Jarred Vergara (7N) and Zain Zaman (7W) for representing your forms! All students have received 5 house points for participating in the Countdown competition.
For the House competition, there were two words and one number round. At this point there were 5 points in it, so anyone getting the conundrum right would win. Each participant was then given a conundrum to work out. Our victorious participant was Jarred Vergara (7N), with the only participant getting his conundrum correct. Congratulations to Jarred, who has received 10 house points and a £5 Amazon voucher!
An account from Ben Maia Nunes (7G):
The countdown was an excellent way to practice our mathematical and our literature skills and we all had a good time. I especially enjoyed the words rounds. The conundrum was very difficult and only one of the contestants got their conundrum correct. The final standings of the competition were:
1st– Nelson
2nd-Henry
3rd-Galahad
4th-William
5th-Alfred
House Photography Competition Results
“My Birmingham” House Photography Competition 2022 Results
Year 7
1st Place: Michal Kopec 7G
2nd Place: Harna Singh 7N
3rd Place: Aayan Pirani 7G
Year 8
1st Place: Mohammed Rasaul 8A
2nd Place: Arjund Sond 8A
3rd Place: Adam Cunningham 8H
Year 9
1st Place: Anoop Legha 9A
2nd Place: Arayan Deb 9G
3rd Place Namya Jain 9G
Year 10
1st Place: Keatan Gill 10 N
2nd Place: Hardev Manku 10 W
3rd Place Mubarak Da Silva 10N
Year 11
1st Place: Roan Paul 11G
2nd Place: Joshua Holdsworth 11N
3rd Place: Basel Ziyara 11G
Special Merit Award: Jamie Callaghan 11N
Year 12
1st Place: Aman Salan 12 AKU
2nd Place: Rohan Reynolds-Korotania 12 MWA
3rd Place: Oliver Page 12 MWA
Year 13
1st Place: Adam Khan 13 PSK
2nd Place: Adam Khan 13 PSK
3rd Place: Adam Khan 13 PSK
Staff
1st Place: Mrs Lin- Fellows
2nd Place: Mr Ward
3rd Place: Mrs Elwell
BCFC Academy Bronze Award
Congratulations to Arijus Ahmadian (8G) who has successfully completed the bronze star award for completing seven visits to the academy enrichment education programme at Wast Hills training facility at Birmingham City Football Club. The certification represents high levels of engagement, enthusiasm, dedication and commitment to both his academic studies and academy football codes of conduct.
Focus on Education January 2023
Over the past couple of months, I have read a number of articles and features which debate/discuss what could be named as ‘Enlightened Education’. Alongside some of the more practical information I hope always to be inspired as I reflect on my own leadership and the future direction of our school in the face of the ever-changing scene vis-a-vis Ofsted et al. I will allow these soundbites to speak for themselves:
From Marc Randolph, co-founder of Netflix:
“Don’t try to predict the future but prepare yourself for whatever happens.”
“Surround yourself with people who excel in areas where you don’t.”
“Take risks and learn from mistakes; then don’t make the same mistake twice.”
From broadcaster and professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies, Mona Siddiqui:
“School playgrounds stay with us for all our lives.”
“How can I leave the world a better place?”
“What does it mean to lead a meaningful life?”
“Our job as educators is the formation of young people rather than information to young people.”
Nicola Benedetti, violinist:
“Music teaches me about faith, humility, creativity and humanity.”
Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, former Paralympian, winner of 11 gold medals who broke 35 world records, talking about the importance of access to mainstream education for disabled people:
“Education gives you choices and opportunity.”
Young changemakers and youth ambassadors from their world, combatting the global education crisis:
“Education is a child’s weapon. Don’t take it for granted.”
You could very easily be forgiven for not being able to name the five Secretaries of State for Education who have been in post over the last few months! I couldn’t do so, without resorting to Wikipedia! Education has sadly featured very little in the polemic of politicians of both main parties in the last few months – a far cry from Tony Blair’s list of priorities in the run-up to the 1997 General Election: “Education, education, education.”
There was an interesting article in The Sunday Times by James Kirkup, Director of the Social Market Foundation, who wrote:
As a country we do not give enough resources or attention to education. Twenty years ago, Britain devoted the same share of national wealth to education as to healthcare. Today total health spending is roughly double the education budget. Voters don’t seem to mind, or notice. The Ipsos Issues Index, a polling barometer of public concerns, recently found that just 8 per cent of the public considered education a high priority. That’s the lowest since 1984.
Rishi Sunak has thankfully said that he believes some reform is needed, talking about an English Baccalaureate to perhaps (in part) replace A levels, a greater focus on vocational subjects and fewer subjects to be assessed at age 16 – all ideas that have been mooted on more than one occasion in the past, but which have failed to gain traction. This was a welcome statement, for a fresh perspective on the way in which we prepare our young people for life and work today is certainly required. More clarity of thought is needed though rather than Education yet again being used as a political football by politicians from all sides. Or to phrase it differently, playing the Education hokey-cokey!
Without a doubt, you do consider education as a top priority for your children, for you have made some sacrifices to invest in an HGS education, and to give your children life-enhancing, even life-changing opportunities – and, as a school, we never forget that.
Let us hope that the most recent incarnation of Education Secretary (Gillian Keegan, in case you needed reminding!) lasts long enough to understand and to make an enduring, positive difference to the lives of young people. In the meantime, it is the committed work, day-in, day-out, from caring and inspirational teachers in the front line which makes the greatest impact.
Stay safe and well.
Be kind to yourself and others.
Best wishes,
Dr Bird
CyberCenturion Competition – Computer Club
CyberCenturion is a free to enter cyber security competition designed by the American Air Force Association and powered by Northrop Grumman, open to 12- to 18-year-olds in the UK and British Overseas Territories. Teams participate in a series of three online rounds, attempting to discover all the security vulnerabilities within various operating systems.
Securing systems equals high scores, but ill-fated changes or reduction in security can result in the undesired loss of points.
5 boys have been competing against the rest of the country in this cyber security competition.
They have been using an operating system that is not very familiar to them, Linux, and they have been performing operations on an invented, dummy computer network, finding insecurities and fixing them.
There were three rounds, each one taking 6 hours to complete, so they were working hard all day, and after school too. There were two different networks each time, and different versions of the operating system, so they had to work as a team to try to root out any problems.
The team finished mid-table of all the teams in the country including the senior’s category.
What an achievement for a first attempt at something so new.
Congratulations to: Aariz Dhalla, 9W; Nihal Sharma, 9G; Kisandu Hapuarchchi, 9G; Rajan Nagra, 8W; Zayd Mirzoyev 8G
Next year, we’ll do even better, I’m sure. You learned so much, already.
Mrs Hibbert
Trussell Trust Foodbank Certificate of Appreciation
Dear All at Handsworth Grammar School,
Thank you so much for your recent donation of 186 kg of food to the B30 and South Birmingham Foodbank.
As you can imagine, demand for help from local families in crisis is increasing steadily as the cost of living crisis deepens. In the last week alone, we gave out 3427 kg of food to feed 454 clients from 179 different families. Sadly, we anticipate even more rapid rises in client numbers as we head into the New Year and temperatures begin to drop again, so your gift will be put to very good use.
From everyone at the B30 and South Birmingham Foodbank , on behalf of all our clients, we say a truly heartfelt thank you once again for your kindness and generosity, and as a token of our gratitude I am attaching a Certificate of Appreciation which I am hoping you will be able to print out and display where those who contributed can see it.
On behalf of the Foodbank Volunteer Team
