Our World Book Day celebrations have continued this week, building on the successes of our visit from Epic Tales for Year 7!
Today pupils took part in a The Masked Reader, trying to identify which member of staff is reading to them!
This week pupils can take part in the Beacon Book Detectives activity, finding clues around our school site.
We will be celebrating the theme of Detective fiction on our World Book Day Assemblies and have new stock of Detective fiction joining us in the iCentre too!
We were delighted to welcome Chip Colquhoun from Epic Tales to our school for truly inspiring 2 days of storytelling, creativity and imagination. Visiting for a special assembly and a series of workshops with Year 7, Chip brought stories to life in a way that captivated students from the very first moment.
Chip began with a whole-school assembly focused on the importance of stories. He explained how storytelling is one of the oldest and most powerful ways humans connect, share ideas and understand the world. Through humour, dramatic voices and expressive gestures, he demonstrated how stories can shape our thinking, build empathy and spark creativity.
Chip also worked with each Year 7 form in workshop sessions. He briefly revisited the story from the assembly, helping students to think more deeply about its themes.
The highlight of the workshops was an interactive storytelling activity. Chip invited students to contribute ideas, find solutions and think of different paths the story can take.
A key focus of the workshop was imagination — what it is, why it matters and how we can make it stronger. Chip explained that imagination works like a muscle: the more we use it, the stronger it becomes.
To close the session, Chip told one final engaging story. Once again, the room was completely absorbed. Gasps, laughter and wide-eyed anticipation showed just how deeply the students were involved. It was the perfect ending to a day dedicated to the magic of storytelling.
Chip Colquhoun’s visit was both entertaining and educational. Year 7 left the workshops not only with memorable stories, but with a renewed appreciation for the power of imagination and the confidence to create their own. It was a fantastic experience that we will be talking about for a long time to come.
As part of Wellbeing Week, staff gathered for Time to Talk on Tuesday 24th February, from 3.15 – 4 pm in the I-Centre. This informal session offered a welcoming space to connect with colleagues, enjoy tea or coffee, and engage in conversation. It was a valuable opportunity to listen, share, and strengthen connections across our school community.
Staff testimonials
Really enjoyed it. Thank you!
"Thank you so much for arranging the time to meet this evening. It was lovely to have the opportunity to sit and chat with our department, something we rarely get the chance to do all together, as well as speak with other members of staff. I’m already looking forward to the next one."
"Thanks for organising this, it was nice to get together for a chat."
Year 10 pupils with an interest in automotive careers attended a workshop at Arnold Clark, giving them a taste of the different apprenticeships available, such as mechanic, parts and customer service.
A series of interactive tasks taught pupils how to change a tyre, identify the parts of an engine and repair bodywork. They also had a tour of the facilities.
As we celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, Year 10 pupils with a keen interest in finding out more about this pathways visited Walsall College. As well as discovering the benefits of learning on the job, directly from the experts, and earning while you learn, pupils now have a better understanding of the roles colleges play in training them for the workplace.
Following an information session, pupils then had the chance to meet lots of current apprenticeship students to learn about their experiences. They also had the opportunity to talk to T Level students and learn about other technical pathways that can be a great alternative to traditional A levels for some pupils.
What is a T Level?:
https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students
Learn more about apprenticeships:
https://www.ucas.com/apprenticeships
The Wellbeing Ambassadors prepared a bake sale and cake decorating competition for Children's Mental Health Week, with the theme 'My Happy Place', which successfully raised £136.90 for PAPYRUS. Thank you to everyone who participated and donated to the sale. A huge well done to our winners:
1st Place: Abigail, Year 9, Elysia, Year 9, Jessica, Year 9, Leila, Year 7, Aoife, Year 7
2nd Place: Hollie, Year 11
3rd Place: Flynn, Year 7
Recently, 40 year 12 and 13 students took part in a webchat to mark Holocaust Memorial Day on 27th January. Survivor Paul Sved and his son, Richard, recalled Paul's experiences in Hungary during World War 2 as a young Jewish boy. Paul emphasised the importance of education about the Holocaust and the lessons that can be learned in fostering a spirit of optimism for the future.
Head of History Mrs Selby has led this week's assembly for Holocaust Memorial Day. The theme this year is "Bridging Generations" and pupils were told the story of Leon Greenman, he was born in London.
Leon and his family were arrested by the Nazis on the 8th October 1942 for the 'crime' of being a Jew.
The Greenman’ suddenly felt very scared and uncertain about what lay ahead…they were taken
from Rotterdam to Westerbork, a holding camp for Dutch Jews.
His story represents the impact of the Holocaust on Leon's generation but the way that this continues to effect future generations and how important it is to remember and not hide from what has happened. This is how humans will ensure it never happens again.
On 5th February, we once again welcomed Nicky Salt from the Anne Frank foundation. Helping pupils to understand Anne Frank's part in the Anti-Racist movement, Nicky explored ideas around racism in 2026.
This meant understanding the suffering of Anne Frank at the hands of the racist ideology of the Nazis but thinking about the impact words and actions still have now. Using examples such as racism in football, the groups in Year 8 considered the wide impact of racism, prejudice and discrimination and their own part in preventing this.
We would like to congratulate six of our Year 7 pupils who have qualified for members to the Mensa Society this year! Pupils had to achieve a score on the assessment which demonstrates that they have an IQ in the top 2%. Pupils will be receiving a special badge to proudly wear on their blazer alongside free membership to Mensa. Well done to the 22 pupils who participated in the assessment!
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
