HEADTEACHER'S BLOG - 20th june 2025

Literacy Highlight

From Miss George, Teacher of English

Lions’ Star Storyteller: Abdulkarim's Comic Book Hit! 🎨📚 

Y8 are focusing on creative writing this half term under the BIG question, 'How do writers' present characters' thoughts and feelings? They were set homework to plan their story for their upcoming assessment/end of year test. Abdulkarim (Lions) went above and beyond and created his very own comic book. What a creative response to this task!

The comic has become so popular amongst his peers that they are requesting weekly supplements and copies to be distributed. He is so very proud of this- and rightly so! Well done Adbulkarim!

Thank you boys for all your hard work.

Teaching & Learning Updates

From Ms Davis-Musabayana, Assistant Principal

Mock Exams, Real Grit: Year 10 Rise To The Challenge!

This week, we’ve watched our incredible Year 10 students step up in a big way, tackling their first set of mock exams with focus, maturity, and an unwavering commitment to success.

Even with the sweltering heat, they remained cool under pressure, showing real resilience and determination. From early morning revision sessions to silent exam halls, their attitude has been nothing short of outstanding.

These mocks mark a key milestone in their journey towards Year 11 and beyond and the way they've approached it makes us immensely proud.

👏 Huge congratulations, Year 10,  your hard work, discipline, and focus have set a brilliant foundation. Keep pushing forward. You've got this!

📚 End of Year Assessments Reminder!

Year 8, 9 and 10 - Another week of assessments keep revising. 💪

👇 Check out the topic lists below for every subject to help you get started! 

College Updates

From Mr Mitchell, Head of Westerly College

Who Wants to be a Millionnaire - Test Your Knowledge & Win Big for Your College!

Get ready for a college showdown like no other! We're bringing the heat with our very own "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" style quiz, complete with high-stakes questions, lifelines, and the chance to earn vital points for your college.

From brain-busting general knowledge to subject-specific challenges, it's your time to shine. The more correct answers you rack up, the more points you win for your team.

🎯 Think fast. Stay sharp. Play smart.
📢 Represent your college and help lead them to victory!
🎉 Prizes, pride, and house glory are on the line.

Are you ready to take the hot seat?

Pastoral Updates

From Miss Williams, Director of Learning for Behaviours & Attitudes

Safeguarding Updates

From Mrs Metcalfe-Molinari, Assistant Principal

Following on from National Safeguarding week and our focus on Online Safety, students have an increased awareness of how to stay safe online and what to do when things go wrong.

Over the coming weeks, assemblies will focus on the importance of consent when photographing, recording and posting images of themselves and others.  

Figures show that over half of young people (52%) say someone has shared a photo or video of them online without asking their permission.

This is despite the fact that 4 out of 5 youngsters say they know when and how they should ask and that this is all to do with consent.

We would encourage you to talk to your son about the things he posts online and the importance of knowing what to do if something is posted about him/that includes him, that he has not given consent for.

NOS Updates 

The National Online Safety programme publishes a weekly #WakeUpWednesday update for parents/carers. This week's free guide focuses on sharing kindness online. It includes suggestion like reaching out, thinking before commenting and recommending fun things. Last year, around one in five children aged 10–15 in England and Wales admitted experiencing online bullying: most commonly being insulted or sworn at, or having hurtful messages sent about them. To a child who’s being bullied, the world can seem like a bleak, negative place – but just one kind word can be a ray of hope: a turning point that brightens someone’s day and resets their perspective. That’s why ‘One Kind Word’ is the theme of Anti-Bullying Week 2021. We’re supporting this year’s event by bringing you ten top tips for beating online bullying by replacing it with kindness.

In our guide, you'll find helpful tips on reaching out, thinking before commenting and recommending fun things.

Dance, Performing Arts and Extra-curricular updates

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

Weekly Sports Round-Up

From Mr Janes, Director of Sport

Year 7 Football: Ruthless LBS hit 9 past Shenley ⚽🔥

Final Score: Shenley Academy 1 – 9 Lordswood Boys School
Venue: Shenley Weather: Scorching Formation: 3-4-1 Player of the Match: Ziad

Lordswood Boys School's Year 7s delivered an absolute masterclass away at Shenley Academy dismantling the hosts with a 9–1 demolition in blistering heat.

From the first whistle, it was all gas, no brakes. Abdoulie opened the scoring within 35 seconds from the spot, and by minute 10, he’d already bagged a clinical hat-trick. Shenley managed a brief response, but Lordswood came back even stronger.

Mohammed's trivela rocket, Christopher’s top-bin screamer, and Noel’s sharp finish pushed the score to 6–1 by half-time. Lordswood were untouchable.

🔁 Second Half: Ziad Turns It Up

A smart switch to a 2-4-2 gave Ziad license to roam, and he lit it up. Driving down the wing, he smashed home a thunderbolt into the top corner to make it 7–1.

Enter super-sub Yehia. Two outrageous assists, one whipped cross for Noel’s header, and a slick cutback for Than-Than’s tap-in, sealed the 9–1 scoreline.

🔥 Post-Match Highlights

• Ziad: Solid at the back, deadly going forward. A true leader.

• Abdoulie: Hat-trick hero - sharp, strong, and always in the right spot.

• Yehia: Game-changer off the bench. Two assists dripping with quality.

💬 Coaches' Verdict

Coach Alfie: “Relentless, unselfish football - the boys were outstanding.”
Mr Badu: “Incredible focus and energy in tough conditions. Real maturity.”

Lordswood Boys Year 7s have well and truly announced themselves.
Opponents beware, this squad means business. 💪

Football Focus: Y7 & Y9 Fly the Flag for LBS⚽🔥

Tuesday night saw Lordswood Boys School buzzing with football action as our Year 7 & Year 9 teams took to the pitch in front of home crowds.

🔥 Year 7

Faced with a talented and physical Wheelers Lane side, our Year 7 LBS boys put in a committed shift. Despite the final score line not going their way, the team showed heart, energy, and togetherness from the first whistle to the last. Lots to build on for the rest of the season!

🔥 Year 9

The Year 9 team put on a show, securing an impressive 4–2 win over University of Birmingham School. The match featured a string of exciting debuts, with several players grabbing their long-awaited chance to shine, and they did just that! A great mix of skill, teamwork, and hunger earned them a well-deserved win.

It was fantastic to see so many students wearing the LBS badge with pride, showing patience, passion, and performance on the pitch.

🏏Cricket & Celebration: Y9 at Edgbaston! 🏏

Fresh off a brilliant league win over Moseley School on Tuesday, our Year 9 ESA Cricket team had the perfect reward — a trip to Edgbaston Stadium on Wednesday to watch the Bears take on Essex.

The visit gave students the chance to experience top-tier cricket in a world-class venue, soaking up the atmosphere and gaining inspiration from the pros.

A well-earned celebration for a team on the rise — performance, passion, and pride in full display!

🎶 Year 10 Students Turn Coldplay into Jazz at Shireland CBSO! 🎶

Last Wednesday, a group of our talented Year 10 music students visited Shireland CBSO Secondary School in West Bromwich to take part in an exciting scratch composition project.

Rather than composing a new piece from scratch, our students took a creative twist — arranging a jazz version of Coldplay’s Viva La Vida. They worked brilliantly as a team, reimagining the iconic hit, carefully arranging it for their chosen instruments, rehearsing their parts, and recording a fantastic multitrack performance.

A huge thank you to Shireland CBSO for welcoming us so warmly. It was a day full of creativity, collaboration, and musical growth — a truly inspiring experience for everyone involved! 🎷🎹🥁

🎧 Year 9 and 10 Students Get Creative at Access Creative College! 🎮🎶

Last Friday, Mrs Lowndes-Ford took a group of our Year 9 and 10 students to Access Creative College in Digbeth, Birmingham to explore the exciting range of career paths available in the Arts.

Throughout the day, students took part in three hands-on taster workshops designed to inspire creativity and develop real-world skills:

🎨 Workshop 1 – A studio-based lecture and design session where students created personal logos based on their own identities.
🎧 Workshop 2 – A music production session using Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) to arrange original tracks.
🎮 Workshop 3 – After lunch, students entered the world of video game design, crafting their own characters using a pixel-based gaming platform.

Our students showed incredible enthusiasm and creativity throughout the day, and were a real credit to our school.

A huge thank you to Access Creative College for hosting us — it was an inspiring and unforgettable experience!

🎶 Music Dates for Your Diary – Summer 2025 🎶

The summer term is full of exciting musical opportunities! From creative workshops to inspiring performances, here’s what’s coming up in the Music Department – make sure these dates are in your diary:

📅 Monday 23rd June – Ex Cathedra Vocal Workshops
Inspiring vocal sessions with one of the UK’s top choral organisations.

📅 Thursday 26th June – Arts Award Trip: Michael Jackson Musical
A high-energy West End experience for our Arts Award students.

📅 Friday 4th July – All Together Now
A massed singing event in partnership with Ex Cathedra, featuring local primary schools.

📅 Wednesday 16th July – Pop Symphony Orchestra at the Youth Proms
Performing at Symphony Hall – a celebration of young musical talent.

📅 Thursday 18th July – Horizon Voices Visit LBS
A day of singing workshops led by this acclaimed vocal ensemble.