We have been overwhelmed by the support shown by our pupils, staff and families in contributing to Santa’s Black Country Toy Appeal – the charity that the school has chosen to support this Christmas.The whole school community have been collecting a range of items (stationery, toiletries, clothes, footwear, toys, books and sweet treats) to donate to local children and young people in time for Christmas.  This has been a great team effort led by our Year 13 Charity and Events Managers. Thank you to everyone for their contributions towards this great cause. 

Special thanks to the brother of Darby M (Year 12)  who made a generous donation of 8 pairs of football boots and 16 leather mini-footballs.  The donation has been gratefully received by the school and passed onto the Black Country Toy Appeal.

Thank you and well done to our Year 13 Ambassadors (Sophia A, Olivia M, Francesca G, Isabel F, Aisha H, Sapriya B, Harvey L, Anil M, Jhanae H and Divya P) for packing all donations into boxes, ready for collection.

Lord Mayor’s Quiz - Thursday 25^th November 2021

The Lord Mayor’s Sixth Form Mega Quiz returned on Thursday 25^th November. This year, we were delighted the event could go ahead in person at the magnificent Great Hall of the University of Birmingham.  A group of 6 of our brightest quizzers in Year 12 faced fierce competition from other local Sixth Formers, but represented the school admirably, finishing 15^th.    This annual event raises money for the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal and Barr Beacon School was proud to have taken apart once again.

Quiz Team: Makara M, Shivani P, Poppy H, Daniel H, Dilraaj K and Mazin E.

On Sunday 14^th November 2021, our Head Girl Abbie and Head Boy Jack proudly represented the school at Aldridge Remembrance Service.  They joined in the parade (led by the Band of Squadron 425 Air Training Corps and the Royal British Legion) before laying a wreath, on behalf of Barr Beacon School, at the War Memorial. 

Get involved in our 30-day non-fiction reading challenge! 
Every day in November, we want Barr Beacon students to read a non-fiction text. The challenge calendar is below, and the rules are as follows:

• Complete every non-fiction challenge for a guaranteed prize!
• Complete 5+ non-fiction challenges to be entered into a prize draw
• All participants receive praise points and house points
• The form group with the most participants will receive a stack of magazines to enjoy together
• You can complete the challenges solo, with a friend, in form time – it’s up to you! Everyone needs to do the reading and complete the journal to qualify
• Hand your completed journal in to your form tutor or email a digital copy to readingchallenge@barrbeaconschool.co.uk to receive house points and your prize
• Deadline: December 13th 2021

• Day 1 - 26 Climate Activists - National Geographic
• Day 2 - Johnson apologises after minister who uses wheelchair denied entry to Cop26 venue - The Guardian
• Day 5 - How can baking improve wellbeing? - Happiful
• Day 7 - Doctor Who: Could regeneration really be possible? - Science Focus
• Day 8 - Letter from Birmingham Jail
• Day 11 - I traced my surname through enslaved people in Jamaica to a grand house in Scotland 9 - inews
• Day 13 - Extract from Anne Frank's diary
• Day 16 - Extract from Adam Kay's book
• Day 17 - Extract from 'Becoming'
• Day 28 - Freedom or Death speech

Although Covid restrictions did not allow us to have our Year 11 prom off site we were able to quickly rearrange everything to have it at school instead. The event was very enjoyable with a range of food, entertainment, awards and dancing until late into the night. The evening ended with a bang with a firework display lighting up the school site.

A big thank you to all those who helped make the evening a success for our Year 11 cohort.

We bade farewell to Year 11 with a very special assembly featuring competitions, heartfelt messages and some hilarious videos produced by teachers.

We will see many Year 11 back as Sixth Formers, hopefully at prom (pending lockdown restrictions ending according to the government’s roadmap!) and results day on 12^th August.

At home, Year 11 will be continuing to work on careers activities to prepare them for their next steps.