Once again, we welcomed an array of outside guest speakers including NHS, Aquarius, Umbrella and Walsall Street Teams, alongside our staff to deliver our first Year 11 PSHE Day of the year. Pupils learned about the vital skill of cancer self-checking, about personal finance and decisions around money that they would have to make as they got older, more detail about the UK voting systems and politics and beliefs around the world. Alongside of this was real-life practical advice about the effect of drugs and alcohol, STIs and contraception.

Our aim is to ensure that our young people are equipped to make informed decisions as they become young adults. As ever, Year 11 impressed with their maturity and thoughtful contributions throughout the day.

Our thanks to the staff and providers who were involved to provide another high quality day!

Our newly-formed Anti-Bullying committee met for the first time this week to discuss how we can raise awareness within school. Pupils split off into small groups to design an updated 2024/2025 poster, outlining how to recognise the signs of bullying and how pupils can reach out in school to be able to report it.

#NeverDiscriminate #EqualToEveryone

Media students had a very rare opportunity today to meet employees from the BBC, learn about their careers and have a go at some of the different roles in TV. Students discovered the array of careers available, from script supervisor, through to production, locations, accounts, props and many more.

Students examined seemingly dangerous props that were actually made of soft materials, with intricate details making them seem very realistic. They also tried their hands at scriptwriting, continuity checks and making their own costumes, using makeup to distress socks.

There was also a backstage insight into the many different roles and responsibilities that are involved in making a special effects explosion scene in a recent episode of EastEnders.

Our students said:

“I really enjoyed looking at the props and seeing behind the scenes of EastEnders, but my favourite part was getting involved and designing the sock.”

“Learning about all of the different job roles was particularly interesting as it gave me a detailed perspective of the industry.”

“I’m thinking about applying for a BBC Apprenticeship and it was useful to get some tips on how the interview process works.”

To build a buzz about our Bookfair, we decided to run a ‘Design a Bookmark Competition’ where the top 3 submissions could win £25 worth of Bookfair vouchers. We wanted pupils’ bookmarks to be inspired by their favourite book. It could include one of the characters, a scene from the book, a quote or they could be inspired by the front cover. We had a lot of beautiful and creative entries. Our team of pupil librarian have chosen the top 3:

1st place – Z.Inman 13M2

2nd place – F.Palmer 10C1

3rd place – K.Choomer 10M1

Congratulations to the winners!

‘Too important in life to be forgotten in death’ - Howard Hardman

T.Hunt (Head Student) and Z.Copeland (Deputy Head Student) represented Barr Beacon by laying a wreath at Aldridge’s War Memorial Remembrance parade during Remembrance Sunday. It is 80 years this year since the D-Day landings.

Barr Beacon School’s CCF contingent @ccfcadets @aircadets and Head Students joined veterans, representatives of local government @WalsallCouncil @morton_wendy and members of the local community to lay a wreath at the historic Barr Beacon War Memorial. The War Memorial at Barr Beacon Local Nature Reserve, the highest point in the West Midlands, was built in 1933 to honour those who fell during WW1.

Barr Beacon School’s CCF contingent lead a parade to remember the fallen, together with staff and pupils. Pupils have been learning about ‘remembrance’ all week during assemblies which have featured members of the contingent sharing stories about relatives who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

Our Sixth Form Charity Leads held their first big charity event in school where they sold veggie samosas and raised a whopping £258.50. Our Charity Leads relished in their sales roles and really showed us their skills! They took a hard sales approach and impressed us every step of the way, whilst raising money for two of our school charities this year: My Shining Star and Young Minds.