At Barr Beacon, our Beacon Values guide everything we do, from how we interact with one another to how we grow as individuals. This term, we are highlighting the vital role reading plays in nurturing these values across our school community. 

Our Reading Ambassadors have been leading the way, exploring how literature reflects our school ethos and helps to build empathy, character and confidence. Take a look at the photos to see our pupils proudly displaying our Reading Values. 

What book is inspiring your child at home this week?

Proud to Succeed. 

Proud to Read. 

A huge milestone for Gabriella, who made her Boldmere St Michaels Women’s First Team debut at just 16 years old! 

After signing her FA professional registration contract on Monday, Gabriella was selected for the first team against Coventry, playing 30 minutes on her debut and being part of an incredible 9–0 victory! 

Making the step into first-team women’s football at just 16 is an amazing achievement and an exciting milestone in Gabriella’s football journey.

Well done, Gabriella! We are all so proud of you and can’t wait to see what comes next! 

Personal Development runs through all elements of school life and encompasses so many key elements of school life that ensure we develop our learners as confident and resilient, ready for their next steps. Our PD umbrella shows all of these elements and how they all contribute to the personal development of your child during their time with us at Barr Beacon School

A group of our Sixth Form students visited Moseley Road Baths, site of a large re-development project run by Galliford Try, one of the UK's leading construction groups. The Baths are over 100 years old and being re-developed into a community library and swimming pool to meet the needs of local residents, with great care and attention being considered at every stage of the project to preserve this listed building’s history.

Students visited the working construction site to see the different careers in action, meeting Project Managers, Site Managers and Quantity Surveyors. They also learnt about the wider professions in the sector, from commercial lawyers to the designers and architects. Finally they discussed the various pathways into construction careers and weighed up the pros and cons of apprenticeship and university routes.

One of the main aims of the visit was to encourage more students to consider a career in one of the biggest growth sectors in the region. Before the visit only 30% of students were considering a career in construction, but after the visit this had changed to 100%. Every student also said they had discovered there were far more jobs in construction than they had previously thought and agreed they had a much better understanding of the careers and routes into the profession.

Last week, four members of our Tigers group had the fantastic opportunity to take part in a fishing trip at Foxhills Fishery. Archie, Joseph, Harrison and Mohammed were selected to represent the group, and they could not have been a greater credit to themselves and the school.

From the moment we arrived, all four pupils embraced the experience with enthusiasm, curiosity and a fantastic attitude.

One of the real highlights of the day was seeing Harrison, the only experienced angler in the group, take on a completely different role. Throughout the trip, he was a kind, supportive and incredibly helpful leader, regularly sharing his knowledge and helping the others without ever being asked.

One moment in particular really stood out. After Rehan landed a catch, Harrison called across the pool:

"Well done Rehan, that was an amazing catch, mate!"

It was brilliant to hear such genuine encouragement and excitement for someone else’s success. Harrison showed fantastic leadership and demonstrated just how much can be achieved when we support and celebrate one another.

The other three pupils took to fishing like a fish to water - excuse the pun! They embraced every part of the experience, from catching their first fish and helping their friends, to gathering around and cheering someone on when they had a bite. At other times, they were simply happy to sit quietly, enjoy the surroundings and take in the experience.

The photographs really capture just how much the day meant to them. For some, it was the excitement of catching their first ever fish; for others, it was the opportunity to learn something completely new, spend time outdoors and enjoy a different experience alongside their peers.

Days like this are about so much more than fishing. Experiences such as these create lasting memories while helping pupils develop confidence, patience, resilience, teamwork and consideration for others. They provide opportunities for pupils to challenge themselves, learn from one another and discover new interests in an environment outside the classroom.

And, of course, there was one particularly important achievement to celebrate...

Everyone caught lots of fish!

It is clear that the trip made a lasting impression, with Harrison and Archie already organising a return visit for this weekend!

When you see Archie, Joseph, Harrison or Rehan around school, please take a moment to congratulate them. They are extremely proud of what they achieved - and rightly so.

A huge well done to all four pupils, who were a real credit to themselves and to the school.

This academic year brings a new form of competition to Barr Beacon with the introduction of Matrix Trust school fixtures. Throughout the year, our pupils will have the opportunity to represent the school in regular sporting fixtures against other schools within the Matrix Academy Trust. The autumn term sees the introduction of netball for our Year 7, 8 and 9 girls, while our Year 7, 8 and 9 boys will compete in basketball.

This week marked the opening fixtures for our girls’ netball teams, with all three-year groups travelling to Smestow for their first Matrix Academy Trust fixtures...and what an opening week it was...

Our Year 7s got us off to a fantastic start with a 13–0 win. For all of the girls, this was their first opportunity to represent Barr Beacon in a competitive netball fixture, and they did themselves and our school proud. The Year 8s continued the strong start with an impressive 19–2 win. The girls worked brilliantly together across the court, showing excellent communication and teamwork in both attack and defence. Finally, our Year 9s rounded off the week with a fantastic 33–2 win. The girls played with confidence, moved the ball well and worked hard for one another from the first whistle to the last. 

It was fantastic to see so many of our girls representing Barr Beacon and enjoying competitive netball. All three teams demonstrated excellent teamwork, commitment and sportsmanship, with the fixtures played in a really positive spirit between the two Matrix Trust schools. A huge well done to everyone who played and represented the school. Three wins from three is a brilliant way to launch our new Matrix Trust fixtures!

We’re looking forward to seeing our pupils continue to represent Barr Beacon with pride throughout the academic year. If you see any of the pupils below, please congratulate them on their participation and results. 

Year 7 Team: Sundri, Georgis , Rosalie , Simreet, Isabella , Alysha (pictured above in blue)

Year 8 Team: Anmol , Prabjot , Alice , Olivia , Leiyah , Avaani , Ivy , Alannah (pictured above in pink)

Year 9 Team: Demi , Francesca , Ruby , Lottie , Violet , Ayva , Angel , Felicity 

On Friday, we hosted our Macmillan Coffee Morning, and what a wonderful morning it was!

A huge thank you to all of the parents and families who joined us. It was fantastic to come together as a school community, enjoy some delicious treats and raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support.

We are incredibly grateful to everyone who attended, donated, and helped make the morning such a success. Your support makes a real difference.

On Monday 21st September, our Year 7 students had the fantastic opportunity to hear from Leah Chowdhry MBE , entrepreneur, charity fundraiser and English Channel swimmer.

Leah shared her inspirational journey, including the determination and resilience it took to swim the English Channel and raise an incredible amount for charity. 

Her powerful message encouraged our students to believe in themselves, overcome challenges, stay resilient and never give up on their ambitions.

A truly inspiring experience for our Year 7 students and a wonderful way to encourage them to think positively and aim high!