Awards Evening 2018
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CHristmas EDITION featuring... International Visits Shoebox Appeal Beacon’s Got Talent AWARDS EVENING 2018 @barrbeaconsch www.barrbeaconschool.co.uk vimeo.com/matrixacademytrust Awards Evening 2018 A message from the Head Ms L Draycott Teacher This time of year is undoubtedly a special one. However you celebrate the season, it’s a time to reflect on the This year’s Awards Evening was a triumphant celebration of individual and collective successes. Hundreds year that has passed, look to the future and appreciate the present. of pupils received awards for subject achievements and supporting others. In addition to Matrix Director Mr Hoey, we had a guest speaker in the form of Thom Sutherland, a pupil at Barr Beacon from 1995-2000. Thom There has certainly been a lot of meaningful reflection at Barr Beacon, with our pupils taking lead roles in shared his experiences of being a pupil and how his time at Beacon shaped his career path. He now works several Remembrance events for this special year marking 100 years since the end of the First World War. as a theatre director around the world and recently completed staging an opera in Norway. Well done to everyone who collected an award this year. We have also been reflecting on the lives of others, specifically people in other countries less fortunate anth our own. I was especially pleased that pupils and staff produced 129 shoeboxes for the Foundation for Social Change and Inclusion’s appeal. Thank you for any contributions you may have made. They will really make a difference to people living in Bulgaria and Serbia. With the new year on the horizon, this is also a time of year to look forward. In particular, I know you will be eagerly anticipating news of 2019’s international visits. We are involved in many projects which allow our pupils to experience different cultures. In this newsletter alone you can read about excursions to Denmark, Germany, Sicily and the Czech Republic. The end of term is also, of course, a chance to celebrate, and this issue also features coverage of our special events, including a fantastic Beacon’s Got Talent and the hilarious staff pantomime. Have a great break. Ms L Draycott Attendance Information for Parents/Carers Notices - If your child needs to take prescribed medication please ensure you have Please remember that if you take your child on signed it in at reception. The forms are available holiday during school time you are very likely to under the Publications tab on the website. receive a fine from Walsall Local Authority. The Local Authority may also take parents/carers to We regularly conduct research in school to identify court if their child is persistently absent (below opportunities for enhancing the learning for all 90%). Some parents have even been arrested, pupils. This includes surveys and group interviews. If taken to court and fined over £500. you would prefer your child not to be involved, please contact Mr Lowbridge-Ellis. PROGRESS EVENING DATES Year 9 - Thursday 31st January 2019 4pm-8pm Year 12 and 13 - Thursday 7th March 2019 4pm-7pm Year 8 - Thursday 14th February 2019 4pm-8pm Year 7 - Thursday 28th March 2019 4pm-8pm Year 13 Celebration Evening Year 12 Visit to The Salvation Army The Salvation Army in Birmingham has, this Christmas, provided over 1100 toy parcels and over 400 food It was lovely to welcome back last year’s Year 13 students and find out how much they are all enjoying their parcels to families in Birmingham who will be struggling over the Christmas period. destinations. Our Celebration Evening started with a speech from Phil Bright, who finished his A levels at Beacon in 1981. He is currently Head of the West Midlands Postgraduate School of Medicine. On Thursday 13th December, 15 members of our Year 12 were chosen to be a part of this operation and boarded a mini bus for the short journey to St Chads Queensway where the Salvation Army is located. After the exam certificates were handed out, the audience were treated to a piece by Elgar performed by current student Joe Farr. Mr Lowbridge-Ellis finished off proceedings with a speech reminding the audience On our arrival at the Salvation Army, the students met with Captain Clare Allman, the minister of the Church, to stay true to themselves and pursue careers which they find rewarding and enjoyable. who explained the purpose of the distribution of the toys and food and how it was a vital part of the work that they do. During the morning, students were engaged in preparing over 100 toy parcels to send to families where they would struggle to provide presents for their children. Each parcel contained a toy, something to do, such as colouring or play dough, and a book to read. The food parcels contained 28 items including tinned food, pasta, rice and mince pies – all to make Christmas a little happier for someone. After lunch, students helped to pack a van that was being used to distribute the gifts to the various centres around the city that had made referrals on behalf of families. Students remarked throughout the day that they counted it an immense privilege to be able to help people out at this time of year and especially to give families a happier Christmas when it perhaps otherwise might not have been. Remembrance 2018 Remembrance 2018 By Corporal E. Payne (Year 10) We are very proud of our Sixth Form students who took part in the Service of Remembrance at Aldridge War Memorial on Sunday 11th November. It was very moving and the students were very privileged to be part On Friday 9th November our RAF Cadet Force all met at the amphitheatre before making the walk to the Barr of such an important event. They each took on their responsibilities with great pride: one was a flag bearer Beacon hill for the 100th year anniversary of the end of the First World War. during the parade; one was leading the parade playing the drum; two of them joined in a reading after the two minute silence; one laid a wreath on behalf of the school, and one was asked by the organisers to video The respectful service was led by Reverend Andrew Brazier and was supported by fellow faith leaders. All record the whole service. All five of them were great ambassadors for the school. cadets were representing Barr Beacon School with pride throughout the whole service. Cadet A. Johnson and Cadet A. Dubb were chosen to lay our wreath on the war memorial after the one minute silence took place. Both cadets said they were honoured to lay the wreath on such a special and momentous occasion that commemorates the 100 years since the guns sell silent on the Western Front. Special guests included The Mayor and Mayoress of Walsall, who said that they were really proud of how many schools were there showing their respects for this significant year. To Year 9 cadets, this was an insight into what our cadet force experiences throughout the year. “We Shall Keep the Faith” and “The Fallen” were two meaningful poems read out at the service and were followed by hymns “I Vow to thee my Country” and “We Will Remember” which we all sang to remember everyone who risked or lost their lives for us including soldiers, nurses, animals, civilians and many more that helped Britain be the country it is today. Remembrance Art Piece Shoe Box Appeal Barr Beacon School have put together 129 packages of presents for children living in poverty. The Foundation Pupils have been honoured to make an artistic contribution to Walsall Council’s 100 anniversary for Social Change and Inclusion’s Shoe Box Appeal helps people in Eastern European countries who have commemorations of the end of the First World War. The pupils were invited to produce a piece of art using been living in conditions unimaginable to most of us. The shoe boxes contain clothing for cold weather, any medium which depicted their interpretation of the time between the start and end of the Great War. The stationery and sweet treats. only boundaries set were the size of the canvas provided and the need for the work to be completed by the 26th of October. Sometimes we are in danger of taking all that we have for granted. But this time of year is the perfect On accepting this challenge the art department received two canvasses: one to be drawn or painted, the opportunity to consider the lives of others. At Barr Beacon, we always encourage helping others. Our pupils, other using fabric to create their impression. The pupils chose as their subject John Edward Gravenor, who parents/carers and staff have really gone the extra mile with 129 shoe boxes crammed to bursting with died fighting bravely in 1916. In 2016, John’s great niece discovered what had happened to her relative after she items that will make a real difference. turned detective: he was killed at the age of 26 during fierce fighting in Greece. You can find out more about John here: It was the pupils’ idea to find a solider that represented the local area. It’s so important for our pupils to connect with the histories of their families and the local community. The finished works were displayed at a ceremony on Barr Beacon itself, led by the Mayor of Walsall on 9th November. The artwork was prominently featured on the rotunda around the war memorial, facing the stage. They were also displayed at the service in the centre of town on Remembrance Sunday, November 11th.