PRINCIPAL's BLOG - 8th December 2023

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westminster calling

Welcome to my weekly blog - I hope you and your families are well and have had a good week. 

I am sure that your son has been keeping you informed of the gifts that he is receiving from the LBS 12 Days of Christmas calendar. Today, students have been informed that they will receive a FREE breakfast on Tuesday 12 December. Yummy! Keep your eye on our social media channels to see the daily gift.

Westminster Palace

On Tuesday 5th December 2023, Lordswood Boys' School was cordially invited to the Palace of Westminster to listen to an array of speakers regarding the 'Let Us Out' Campaign, to back the Outdoor Education Bill and make outdoor residentials part of the curriculum. Speakers included: Tim Farron, MP for Westmorland and Lonsdale, Leo Holding, Professional adventurer and Outward Bound Trustee and Martin Davidson, Chief Executive of Outward Bound.

Two of our students from Y7 and Y8 have been selected to be part of their national campaign and their posters can be seen below.

As teenagers in the UK are some of the most sedentary in Europe, many spending half as much time outside than their parents did, and 58% rank mental health as one of the top three issues for their generation, this was something close to our heart. Britain's young people deserve better, which is why the case for outdoor residentials to become a rite of passage for all young people was something we as a school needed to be involved in.

The Bill would help reverse worrying trends and enable our next generation to become stronger, more resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life.   

If you'd like to read more on this national campaign, please see their website: outwardbound.org.uk/letusout

Black Country Radio Visit

From Mr Mitchell, Head of Year 9 & Head of Westerly College

On Monday, I extended an invitation to ten Year 9 students to join me in recording at the Black Country Radio studio. Together, we collaborated on my show, "Vis-ability," where they assumed full control over the content for the hour-long slots.

"Vis-ability" revolves around shedding light on disabilities, both visible and invisible. Given my personal experiences, the show was conceived to address and discuss topics that are often overlooked or avoided. Over the past two years, the show has not only raised awareness but also generated substantial charitable donations, totalling over £23,000.

The boys were assigned the task of highlighting and discussing a topic relevant to the show, something meaningful to them or an issue they wished to bring more awareness to. Their approach was marked by integrity and respect, evident in both their words and actions.

Remarkably professional and well-prepared, the boys not only recorded two shows but also went live on another program. Their performance was outstanding, earning them an invitation not just on my show but also on the prestigious breakfast show—a rarity even for staff, let alone students or visitors.

Their achievements were a source of pride, reflecting positively on the school. Throughout the day, other staff members repeatedly praised the boys for their exemplary behaviour, politeness, and professionalism, surpassing the standards set by other schools from Dudley and Sandwell who visit regularly.

I requested the students to encapsulate their experiences in a sentence, and here are some of the highlights:

The live broadcasts are scheduled for December 27th, January 3rd, 10th, and 17th on Black Country Radio Extra from 6-7 pm for my show, as well as on BCR Extra Kids on December 24th and 31st at 11 am.

https://www.blackcountryradio.co.uk/

Dance, Performing Arts and Extra-curricular updates

From Mrs McKeon, Director of Learning of Foundations Studies and Extra-curricular learning

Performing Arts

Students have been sitting their Dance and Drama assessments this week and have achieved fantastic grades. In Drama, we have been looking at The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and developing characterisation. In Dance, we have been exploring how dance has evolved through the decades with a focus this week on Michael Jackson. Check our our YouTube channel here.

Year 10 have now started preparing for their first practical exam which they will perform in the Spring term. They will be performing the script Bang Out of Order, they will be assessed on their characterisation, vocal and movement skills.

On Friday 8th December, Squire Stage Combat visited our school and delivered a theatre workshop teaching fundamental theatre combat skills. The company has appeared in performances at the BBC, ITV, Royal Opera, The National Theatre, WWE, Marvel Studios and HBO. Students spent the morning developing their leadership, group and movement skills. This workshop was a fantastic opportunity for the boys to work with a professional practitioner and to develop an understanding of the Performing Arts Industry.

Extra-Curricular

Our clubs are becoming increasingly popular and we have such a variety of opportunities for our boys. This week we have scrumptious pizza in Cooking Club, energy and rhythm in rehearsals for the School Production, dedication in Gym Club and compassion in Cricket. There will be a special breakfast in the final week for the students that have been nominated by their teachers for outstanding commitment and dedication to clubs this half term.

NOS Updates - 8 December 2023

The National Online Safety programme publishes a weekly #WakeUpWednesday update for parents/carers. This weeks update relates to 'DISNEY +'

In 2019, media titan Disney launched its own streaming platform, intending to challenge the likes of Netflix and Amazon Prime. Giving (often exclusive) access to shows and movies – such as the legendary studio’s animated classics and the revered Star Wars back catalogue – Disney+ has been a colossal success, proving popular with viewers of all ages. 

Despite Disney’s reputation for wholesome, child-friendly content, however, there’s far more material available on their platform – some of which is aimed exclusively at adults. This could easily fly under the radar, given the company’s general image. This #WakeUpWednesday guide has useful tips to help your family sit back, relax and enjoy what Disney+ has to offer.

I hope your find this information useful.

what-parents-and-carers-need-to-know-about-disney.pdf

Sport fixtures and training schedules for week beginning 11 December 2023

Weekly sports round-up from Mr Janes, Director of Sport

Year 9 Basketball - National Cup

Mr Deeks' Year 9 hosted Thomas Telford School on Monday in a National Cup Fixture. Thomas Telford ran out 41-30 winners, with LBS pushing the away side all the way. Year 9 will host Shireland in their next Fixture. Big shout out to Fallilou Mbenge who officiated the game.

Year 11 Basketball - National Cup

Mr Deeks' Year 11 side hosted Bromsgrove on Wednesday in a National Cup Fixture. The visitors won 74-59 in what was a high quality game. Year 11 travel to Christopher Whitehead in their next fixture.

Cricket links with Halesowen CC

On Wednesday night we had the pleasure of hosting Halesowen Cricket Club to play against our Year 8 team in a friendly indoor cricket fixture. It is the first time we have played against a Cricket Club. 

We bowled first and reduced our opposition to 16-4 off of 3 overs, the experience of Halesowen showed as they excelled to a respectable score of 68-4 off of their 9 overs. Meaning we required a net total of 49 to win. Kamiel Mason and Sachin Banda taking 2 wickets apiece. A fantastic display of wicketkeeping from Phil Baldy, only conceding 1 bye. 

It was our turn to bat, and we got off to an absolute flier, scoring 27 off 3 overs and the scoreboard continued to tickover. We finished on 87-2, a net total of 77 - Lordswood Boys Winning by 29 runs. Abubakr Touseef top scored with 15* runs and invaluable contributions from Kamiel Mason (14 runs), Ali Usman (11* runs) and Manraaj Benning (10* runs).

The game was extremely well received, by both sets of players and parents. The Lordswood Boys' team were a testament to our school, they listened to every piece of advice that I gave and showcased their skills against one of the best cricket clubs in the Midlands. 

Year 10 Cricket 

Last night, Mr Preece took the Under 15's over to Camp Hill for an indoor League Cricket Fixture. In what was a game of high quality, LBS lost by 12 runs. Nathan Nagra batted superbly and demonstrated his technical and tactical capabilities.

Year 8 & 10 ESA Training and Year 7 & 9 Training

We had over 120 students train across our Football Provision this week. It is great to see so many boys committed to their Football and developing their skills. The themes this week have been based around decision-making and tactical understanding.

If you have any questions relating to the details above, please use the contact details below:

Weekly music news & schedules from Mrs Lowndes-Ford, Director of Music

WINTER SHOWCASE NOTICE

Don't forget to mark your calendars for our Winter Showcase scheduled for Thursday, December 21st, at 6 pm.

Students will receive letters containing consent forms and ticket order information.

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all our dedicated students who have invested their time in rehearsals within the department. Your commitment is truly appreciated.

ANNOUNCEMENT: RESTORE THE MUSIC T-SHIRT COMPETITION WINNERS!

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that our music department emerged victorious in the Restore the Music photo competition! As you may recall, Restore the Music is a charitable organization dedicated to providing funding for music instruments and equipment to schools in need. Thanks to a successful grant application, we recently received £20,000 worth of instruments to enhance our music program.

In addition to this fantastic achievement, our department participated in a Restore the Music photo competition celebrating the vibrant musical activities taking place during school hours. We are delighted to announce that we clinched the top spot in the competition, making our Music Ambassadors recipients of their very own custom 'Restore the Music' T-shirts. These shirts will be proudly worn at our upcoming Winter Showcase.

LBS MEETS MUSIC NISHKAM DAY - TODAY

Today, the music department played host to 30 students from Nishkam High School. Collaborating with our own students, we orchestrated a joint afternoon performance for our Year 7s. The day kicked off with engaging workshops on percussion, singing, and rapping.

A heartfelt thank you to all the students who actively participated in making this event a success. We eagerly anticipate fostering and expanding this partnership in the coming year.

TUNING IN PROJECT - RECORDING STUDIO VISIT - FRIDAY, 15TH DECEMBER

Mark your calendars for the upcoming Friday as I lead a group of fifteen students to the Academy of Contemporary Music in central Birmingham. During this visit, they will finalise and record their recently composed Lordswood Boys' School music anthem.

The students will have the unique opportunity to be professionally recorded and filmed throughout the day. The fully produced anthem will be unveiled at one of our upcoming events. Stay tuned for more details and be part of this exciting musical journey!

Please engage with our current consultation details relating to becoming part of a different multi academy trust by clicking here.


I hope you have a good weekend and I look forward to updating you with more news next week. Until then you can always contact me directly at: l.williams@lordswoodboys.co.uk


Mr. L. Williams,


Principal,


Lordswood Boys' School.

Lordswood Boys' School Hagley Road Harborne  Birmingham B17 8BJ 

Tel:0121 464 2837 

Email: enquiry@lordswoodboys.co.uk

For paper copies of any of the information on this website please refer to our publication scheme