EXECUTIVE hEADTEACHER'S BLOG - 9th February 2024
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that west end feeling
Welcome to my weekly blog - I hope you and your families are well and have had a good week!
I am thrilled to share with you the resounding success of our school production of "The Lion King" this past week. It was an absolutely amazing and fantastic showcase of talent, dedication, and teamwork.
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the parents and carers who supported our students throughout this journey. Your encouragement, attendance, and kind words meant the world to our performers.
A special appreciation goes out to our exceptional staff, particularly Mrs. Davies-Musabayana, our show director, whose vision and tireless efforts brought this production to life. Mrs. Davies-Musabayana's creativity and leadership were truly remarkable, and her passion for the arts has inspired us all.
Lastly, but certainly not least, I want to congratulate each and every student involved in the production. Your commitment, enthusiasm, and talent were evident in every scene, song, and dance number. You have truly made us proud and your hard work has paid off in an unforgettable performance.
"The Lion King" was not just a show; it was a testament to the incredible spirit and talent within our school community. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making it such a memorable success.
Free £20 Food Vouchers
This February Half-Term, Birmingham City Council are providing all pupils with a £20 voucher for food to redeem at supermarkets.
Every pupil has been issued with a personalised link to redeem their voucher. Please click on the link attached to the email that you will have received to access your voucher.
For more details on how to use your voucher please click here
Parents/carers are advised to check their email inbox, including junk/spam folders if they haven't received the email as the vouchers do have an expiry date and we wouldn't want them to go to waste.
Year 11 Mock Exams - Round 2
As we approach the beginning of the Year 11 mock exams, I want to take a moment to express my support and encouragement to all our students.
Starting on Monday, February 19th, and running for two weeks, these mock exams serve as valuable opportunities for our Year 11 students to gauge their progress, identify areas for improvement, and refine their exam techniques in preparation for the final exams.
To our students: remember that these mock exams are not just assessments, but stepping stones on your journey towards success. Approach them with confidence, knowing that you have prepared diligently and that your hard work will pay off. Stay focused, manage your time effectively, and believe in your abilities. You've got this!
To the parents and carers: thank you for your continued support and encouragement of your children during this crucial time. Your role in providing a positive and nurturing environment for studying is invaluable, and your support means the world to our students.
As we embark on this challenging but rewarding journey together, let us remember that we are a strong and supportive school community, united in our pursuit of excellence. Let's rally behind our Year 11 students and cheer them on every step of the way.
Wishing all our students the best of luck in their mock exams!
The Mock Exam timetable can be found below and by clicking here.
Term dates reminder
Click here to access our term dates. I would like to remind all parents/carers that we do not authorise holidays or prolonged absences from school during term time.
You may also find it useful to read through some of the details found at the GOV.UK website regarding School Attendance and Absence.
Pastoral Updates
We appreciate your commitment to staying informed by taking the time to peruse our latest pastoral update. Your ongoing support in fostering a mature and responsible approach from your son within and around the school environment is sincerely acknowledged and valued. Your efforts contribute significantly to creating a positive and conducive atmosphere for both learning and personal growth. Thank you for partnering with us in nurturing a culture of responsibility and excellence.
Dance, Performing Arts and Extra-curricular updates
From Mrs McKeon, Director of Learning of Foundations Studies and Extra-curricular learning
Performing Arts
The Lion King
Wow. What a performance. We are so proud of our students in the cast, vocal group and band for their incredible and magical performance of ‘The Lion King’. Dance and Drama are new to the students’ curriculum; they have impressed us with their talent, dedication and enthusiasm.
There were tears, laughter and smiles from the audience; the reviews have been outstanding. We had students come back for tickets the second night as they loved the performance and wanted to watch it again!
We have created a Performing Arts family here at Lordswood, there will be many more performances to come so watch this space!
“The best thing that has happened in this school….” Ahmed – Y11
“It was inspiring.” Marius – Y8
“I have never felt so proud of our students.” Mr Deeks
“The amount of work that went into the show was so clear, the staff involved in the production and the students involved should be so proud of themselves. It was one of the best shows I have ever seen, I felt proud to be a part of Lordswood Boys' School.” Mr Janes
On Thursday 8th February, we took our Year 10 BTEC Drama group to The Alexandra Theatre to watch ‘The Woman in Black’. A trip to the theatre is a new experience for some of our students; they were in awe of the set and professionalism of the actors. The students were an absolute credit to the school and sat respectfully for the duration of the performance. After half term, Year 10 will analyse and evaluate the performance, and explore techniques through practical workshops as part of their coursework.
NOS Updates - 9 February 2024
The National Online Safety programme publishes a weekly #WakeUpWednesday update for parents/carers. This weeks update relates to 'MONKEY'.
With Omegle finally shutting down in late 2023, the top spot among video chat services is up for grabs – and Monkey has its eyes set on the crown. Randomly matching its users for 15-second conversations, the platform’s developers claim to have created a dynamic online space for people to make new connections and, potentially, even some new friends.
Despite these innocuous-sounding intentions, however, Monkey has been criticised for moderation which may not be comprehensive enough to defend against the obvious dangers that unregulated, random video calls pose to the younger element of the site’s userbase. This #WakeUpWednesday guide tells trusted adults what they need to know about Monkey.
I hope your find this information useful.
monkey.pdfBirmingham City Council Online Safety Message
The online platform Telegram, is legal and used for many reasons. However, it’s the largest type of social media used within the Extreme Right Wing Terrorism space.
Therefore the advice is if school teachers or parents notice that young people are using Telegram, that they are more intrusive about the purpose of them having it and to remind them of the risks of using it.
Also, please be aware of the “Text Me” app that is appearing, it generates phone numbers so people can text anonymously from them.
It is regarded unsafe as it encourages anonymous texting, messaging, and exposure to explicit content over the internet. It could also be used as a way of bullying and harassment.
There are some useful pieces of information in the #WakeUpWednesday guides relating to both of the apps referenced above that can be found using the links below:
February Half-term Safeguarding News Letter
Feb half-term safeguarding 24.pdfSport fixtures and training schedules for week beginning 19 February 2024
Weekly sports round-up from Mr Janes, Director of Sport
Player of the Month - January 2024
We presented our Player of the Month Awards last week, students who were recognised were awarded for their commitment to Sport, attitude and dedication. Congratulations to the following students -
Ali Usman - Year 8 Cricket
"Outstanding commitment to extra-curricular activities. Playing above his age group and demonstrating his ability to manage in difficult scenarios." Mr Preece.
Kamiel Mason - Year 8 Football
"Fantastic attitude to his Football, Kamiel has really progressed technically and has shown a good level of understanding around the tactical aspect of the game." Mr Janes
Gersi Gjoka - Year 10 Basketball
"Gersi has been fully committed to improving at basketball this year. He attends every practice and has become an important part of the Year 10 team, locking down his starting position as Point Guard. Gersi has also assisted with coaching the Year 9 team, offering advice and assisting Mr Noble on their away games."
Year 11 GCSE Rock Climbing Moderation
Mr Deek's Year 11 GCSE PE students travelled to Stourbridge last Friday to record their Rock Climbing footage for their GCSE Practical Moderation. The students were able to access the higher marks through advanced skills, supporting their overall final grade. The group are back in Stourbridge today to complete their assessment.
Year 8 & 10 ESA Cricket
We hosted UOB School on Tuesday night for 2 fixtures, Year 8 and Year 10.
Year 10 went up first, and UOB set a respectable 71-6 off their 10 overs. Nathan Nagra being the pick of the bowlers, taking 4 wickets. With ease, we knocked off the score within 8 overs. Top scorers, Yuvraj 16* & 19* Shayaan.
Year 8 next, again, UOB batted first and set us 73-4 off their 10 overs. Ali Usman and Sachin Banda took a couple wickets between them. Batting, an opening wicket partnership between Eron & Reon of 46 runs, we made lightwork of their total. Knocking off their total with 15 balls to spare.
Year 10 win by 4 wickets
Year 8 win by 4 wickets
Year 7 Football
The Year 7 team hosted the Under 12's Regional Tournament last night for a 9 A-Side competition, Bournville and Kings Norton were the visitors. Lordswood made a fast start with a 2-1 win over Bournville, Hamza scored a great solo goal to give the side the lead. Kings Norton proved a tough test in the second game, the boys held strong and withstood a lot of pressure. Kings Norton ran out eventual winners, the boys showed great resilience to push them until the last minute.
New PE Kit Reminder
As announced in the blog on 15th December, click here, the new LBS PE can now be purchased from Clive Mark using the link below:
http://www.clivemark.co.uk/collections/lordswood-boys-school
From September 2024 it will be compulsory for all students to be wearing the new kit.
If you have any questions relating to the details above, please use the contact details below:
Mr Deeks, Director of Learning - SCP Faculty, j.deeks@lordswoodboys.co.uk
Mr Janes, Director of Sport, d.janes@lordswoodboys.co.uk
Weekly music news & schedules from Mrs Lowndes-Ford, Director of Music
Important Music Updates!
Outstanding Performances of The Lion King
Mrs. Lowndes-Ford and Miss Jeffs extend a heartfelt congratulations and a big thank you to all the students and staff involved in our recent school production of The Lion King. Your dedication and contributions made the production a huge success. Students, your commitment, and enthusiasm during rehearsals were truly remarkable. From learning character songs to group vocal rehearsals and weekly band practices, your hard work has not gone unnoticed. We are immensely proud of each and every one of you!
Exciting News about Music Clubs
Our music clubs will resume in the second week (starting Monday, 26th February), and we will be unveiling a brand new club timetable during the first week back at school. While some of our previous clubs will continue, we are thrilled to introduce new ones, including an electronic violin club. Students interested in joining any of the clubs can approach the music staff, and we warmly welcome new members.
Primary Schools Visits
We're delighted to announce that several primary schools will be visiting Lordswood Boys' School over the coming weeks on Friday mornings. They will participate in a series of workshops covering music, dance, and sports. Our primary ambassadors will be assisting with these activities, and we will contact the required students before each Friday session. We eagerly anticipate welcoming our young visitors to our school.
Use of Practice Rooms After February Half Term
Please take note that our Year 11 students will continue to use the practice rooms during lunchtimes from Monday to Wednesday to work on their coursework. For other year groups, practice rooms will be available on Thursdays and Fridays only. It's imperative that students book these rooms in advance and provide the names of all students using them. You must seek permission from Mrs. Lowndes-Ford or Miss Jeffs before entering any room.
Thank you for your attention to these updates, and we look forward to continuing our musical journey together!
I hope you have a good half-term break and I look forward to updating you with more news when we return to school on Monday 19 February. Until then you can always contact me directly at: l.williams@centralacademiestrust.co.uk.
Mr. L. Williams,
Interim CEO, Executive Headteacher
Central Academies Trust
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