Send your pictures in to readingchallenge @barrbeaconschool.co.uk by September 10th to be entered.
Books can take you anywhere…
This summer, read a book that is set somewhere far away. It could be another country, at the seaside, or even on another planet! Fill out a postcard all about where your book took you and enter a prize draw to get a £10 book voucher!
Download a postcard template HERE. Send your completed postcards to readingchallenge@barrbeaconschool.co.uk by September 10th to be in the prize draw!
Written By A.Bromwich Head Girl
The global momentum for action on climate change has been difficult to ignore. The younger generations are fighting for their future and making their voices heard but, at times, it is difficult for us to know how to join in or what real difference our actions can make.
Later this year the UN’s Climate Change Conference is being held a 5 hour car journey away from you in Glasgow. Bringing together world leaders and communities with the 4 main aims: to stay within a 1.5°C temperature rise, to help protect communities and natural habitats, to mobilise climate finance and to finalise the Paris rulebook. From the words of COP26 President Alok Sharma “If we choose to act, there is another future possible.”
Globally, we all have dreams and aspirations for our futures but, for this, we need a future that supports people and the planet. Climate change hasn’t yet caused catastrophic harm in the UK or hampered people’s access to basic human rights, including clean water. Yet.
The most valuable thing you can do is let your voices be heard and act because, contrary to what people like to say, young people are at the front of almost every major change.
I want to suggest some small things that we could be doing especially during the countdown to the COP26 summit.
Just remember that actions do not need to be perfect or elaborate to make a difference. Like the story of the starfish on the beach, the young girl could not save all the starfish but she was able to make a difference to just one.
Three Year 7 pupils have planted saplings in the school grounds as part of a local environmental project. Daniel, Sophie and Mohammed are all keen Beacon Values Representatives, who wanted to take part to show their consideration for the others and the community. Each year Daniel, Sophie and Mohammed will follow the growth of the trees as they progress through Barr Beacon School. We will revisit each spring to see how both the trees and pupils are getting on.
Daniel
Sophie
Mohammed
Our thanks extend to the The Aldridge Rotary Club and Aldridge District Lions Club, for organising this project, and to the Woodlands Trust, who donated the saplings.
Photography by W Mellor (Deputy Head Boy)
Following on from the successes of the UKMT Intermediate Mathematics Challenge, some of our Year 7’s and 8’s participated in the Junior Mathematics Challenge with incredible success.
This began with M. Ishaq, M. Taylor, M. Zaman, B. Taylor, and A. Gogna each scoring high enough to achieve Gold awards and qualify for the Junior Kangaroo challenge on Tuesday 15th June 2021.
Additionally, J. Johnson, G. Sehra, and S. Tanwar achieved Silver awards. Whilst E. Gabitas, A. Griffiths, N. Lyndon, E. Harris, R. Pickford, E. Hillier, M. Neal, H. Patel, and C. Zeng all received Bronze awards. All in year 7!
From the Year 8 participants there were silver awards for J. Hegney, E. Ghuman, I. Greaves, K. Marwaha, L. Sedawi, G. Kaur, H. Taylor, A. Basra, K. Tobias, J. Lyndon, A. Swaine, and R. Hegney R. Balu, E. Riley, S. Compton, J. Stokes, and B. Lee all earned Bronze awards.
Well done to all from a very proud Mathematics Department!
We are pleased to introduce our Senior Six Team for 2021-2022.
We are looking forward to working with them over the next academic year.
Six years ago, I had the privilege of joining this amazing school and I still believe now what I knew then: that this is the school for me.
Barr Beacon has given me countless opportunities throughout my time here, from participating in the Duke of Edinburgh award scheme to flying aeroplanes in the school’s Cadet Force. This school truly has it all. These experiences have shaped me into the person I am today, which is something that I will always remember and be grateful for, for the rest of my life.
Barr Beacon School has given me the confidence and knowledge to try new things, to step outside my comfort zone and to be the best version of myself. Now in 2021, I have achieved a major goal of mine that I set myself Year 7 – becoming Head Boy. I knew this role would be hard to achieve and I knew I had to put in the work to achieve this, but that’s the nature of seeking success. Success isn’t “lucky”; it’s sheer hard work and dedication.
I am honoured be Head Boy at such an amazing school. I am here to listen, support and encourage all ideas from all pupils. Every idea, however small, is important me. So, let us achieve greatness together.
Jack Tranter – Head Boy
From my first day in Year 7 to joining Sixth Form, Barr Beacon has always supported and provided me with ways to flourish both personally and academically. From Duke of Edinburgh and musicals to university residentials and trips, there has been a constant flow of support, allowing me to engage with more opportunities than I ever thought possible. I have always held the title of a Barr Beacon pupil with pride and now feel privileged to be Head Girl. I am truly grateful for my time at Barr Beacon School: a school that shapes pupils into esteemed individuals with passions and character that will carry them into their future.
Abbie Bromwich – Head Girl
Since joining in 2015, this school has been nothing short of fantastic. Barr Beacon School ensured my years of adolescence were ones of progression with additional support and determination to succeed. Barr Beacon has provided me a platform of not just academic learning but one of developing character attributes too. Highlights such as my phenomenal trip to New Hampshire (USA), being a Prefect, work experience and being given the chance of representing the West Midlands County Football across the country ensured I gained independence, openmindedness, courage and integrity. This school has enabled me to throw myself into opportunities that I never would have imagined when walking in on my very first day. My cherished experiences coinciding with the learning pathway I have chosen have set me up to be proud to succeed.
Charlie Birch – Deputy Head Boy
Barr Beacon School values the individuality and achievements of all its pupils. Since starting a new journey at this school in 2015, I was offered uncountable opportunities to push myself further and develop the essential skills required, not just for school, but for my life after Sixth Form. Becoming a Prefect allowed me to strive to reach my maximum potential, gaining confidence and teamwork skills. Completing the Duke of Edinburgh Awards has also taught me the importance of trust and determination.
‘Proud to succeed’ is our motto and I am very proud to be your Deputy Head Girl, representing our outstanding students and working together with the excellent teachers. I am extremely grateful to those who have encouraged and supported me to become the young adult I am today, as without you I would be a very different person, telling a very different story.
Boran Fang – Deputy Head Girl
When I first started at Barr Beacon School in 2015 it was such a daunting experience being the only pupil from my primary school. Since the very beginning Barr beacon supported, encouraged and moulded me into the confident young man I am today.
Barr Beacon challenged me to be better whilst still retaining my individuality. This culture guided me to lead the school’s Cadet Force as their sergeant and I proudly represented Barr Beacon in shooting competitions.
I have made amazing friendships and memories at the school which will allow me to share and encourage future generations. We strive to do better and Barr Beacon supports me not only academically but also to grow as an individual. I am proud to succeed.
William Mellor – Deputy Head Boy
Since an early age when a close family friend attended, Barr Beacon School has been a choice I made – I especially liked the idea of there being a swimming pool. Then, my first memory of Barr Beacon School, almost a decade later, presented itself as seeing the headteacher and listening to her deliver a speech about the expectations, pointing out her Prefects around the school hall to demonstrate them. This is when I knew I wanted to represent this prestigious school like the Prefects were doing at that moment. Throughout my years at Barr Beacon School, the staff and older students demonstrated that this is more than a school – it is a tightly-knit community, constantly helping one another and taking pride in the achievements of others, not only themselves. With this, Barr Beacon School helped me to achieve my dream through the abundance of opportunities on offer. By being able to take part in the Bronze, Silver and currently Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award, I have developed my teamwork, confidence and leadership skills, preparing me for the world of work.
Being Deputy Head Prefect in Year 11, I was able to showcase all of those skills and embark on new ones such as organisation and seeing what it is like behind the scenes of school life. I have always been someone who has a love of learning and Barr Beacon School has only encouraged me further. Since joining Barr Beacon Sixth Form, I have enjoyed completing an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) and attending many university lectures and work experience opportunities that have been provided for us by the Sixth Form Team. All of these experiences will support my application to universities. As Deputy Head Girl, I aspire to fuel everyone with determination to succeed and ensure every Barr Beacon pupil is as prepared for their future as Barr Beacon School has made me.
Maisie Amos – Deputy Head Girl
Congratulations to our Year 13 students who completed their Barr Beacon journey today.
It has been a pleasure watching them grow into confident young people and we look forward to seeing them flourish further as they take their next steps.
Dhanvir speaks about the world’s largest peaceful protest on TV.
Dhanvir in Year 11 has appeared on The Sikh Channel, a UK-based Sikhi-focused television channel, talking about his presentation which was shown across the whole school.
He wanted to bring to a wider audience a story which received only limited coverage in the British mainstream media. Here is how the BBC reported the world’s largest peaceful protest back in February:
“Farmers and their families have been protesting in India for months, camped out in Delhi demonstrating over the government’s new farm laws which they think will ruin their livelihoods. Young Brits of Indian descent may be almost five thousand miles away, but it’s affecting many of them and their families.”
You can read more of the BBC’s coverage here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/newsbeat-55937894
Dhanvir said: “It was important to me. My grandad was a farmer. But you don’t have to be involved in or have family in the farming industry to know that what’s going on is wrong.”
Dhanvir met with his Head of House to come up with a plan to bring the story to a wider audience. He created a special presentation which was shown across the whole school. He wants to continue raising awareness of social issues and making sure the current and future generations stay up to date about what is going on in India.
Our Head Girl and Head Boy have buried a time capsule to be opened in 2039, providing future generations with an insight into what life was like in this unusual period.
When Barr Beacon celebrated its 60th birthday in 2019, we uncovered a time capsule from 1996. This gave us the idea of planting our own time capsule for future Barr Beacon pupils to enjoy. This new time capsule will be opened for Beacon’s 80th anniversary in 2039. The previous capsule did not have anything to identify its location and we had to work out where it was buried using just old photographs. We are making sure this one does not get lost by placing a plaque right above it.
The time capsule will give students of the future an idea of what this most remarkable period in history was like to live through. The exact contents of the capsule are to remain secret but they include items from special school events, first-hand accounts from current students, newspapers reporting on health and environmental concerns, several items from popular culture (including internet memes) and even a list of popular slang terms collated by pupils themselves.
Head Girl Hena Kumar-Mehay said: “2020 was a rather strange year, to say the least. But we are grateful for the sense of normality that school brings us and, as students, we are eternally grateful and hold the utmost pride to be part of Barr Beacon School. Through all of the chaos, there is always light. As students, we are eternally thankful for the light school has brought for us.”
The project was begun by previous Head Girl and Head Boy Bethany Jones and Harjodh Mann but was delayed due to Covid. We’ll report back in 2039!
From 8th March, pupils in PE lessons are allowed back in the pool. As you may know, our pool is a very large space and we are using floats to keep pupils around the poolside socially distanced whenever they are not in the water.
Barr Beacon School
Old Hall Lane
Aldridge, Walsall
West Midlands
WS9 0RF
T: 0121 366 6600
postbox@barrbeaconschool.co.uk
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 am - 4:00 pm
Friday: 8:00 am - 3:30 pm
