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Dear Parents and Carers,

Happy St David’s Day!

This week the theme of my assemblies with years 7-9 has been on confidence. We reflected on the
words from Joshua 1:9 and on what confidence means to them. Pupils told me confidence for them
was about, ‘trust,’ ‘positivity,’ ‘embracing new challenges,’ and ‘feeling empowered.’ I introduced
pupils to the success cycle, and we unpacked each step and shared helpful strategies to ensure
success at each stage.

Confidence is vital for learning; as a school we want to provide opportunities to help our pupils
develop confidence, new knowledge and skills. To support with this, Year 10 had a presentation from
Aim Higher about Unifest on Tuesday. UniFest is an event for pupils to learn more about Higher
Education and experience what life is like as a ‘Uni Student.’ Pupils stay in university accommodation
and take part in taster lectures, careers sessions and social activities just like a real Uni Student. The
event is delivered in partnership with Aston University, Birmingham City University, Newman University,
University College Birmingham, University of Birmingham and University of Worcester – I hope many of
our pupils will apply for this fabulous opportunity as this will support in developing their confidence.
Continuing with the theme of new opportunities, a group of Year 10 Food GCSE students attended a
masterclass this week at The University of Birmingham on: The Amazing World of Bacteria. Pupils
learned about the structure of bacteria and conditions that bacteria need to survive. They also
learned about how bacteria are transferred from animals to food and the importance of cooking food
correctly. It was another fantastic opportunity to experience what a day in the life of a university
student would be like and to develop their subject knowledge.

Year 11 continue to impress us with their maturity in approaching their second round of mock
examinations. This is another important opportunity to prepare for their GCSEs and to use the
feedback from their mocks to help identify their learning gaps. We will also be running a range of
Easter boosters to further support our Year 11s and Year 13s.

A reminder to all Year 9 parents that we will be holding our Year 9 Options Information and Parents’
Evening on Wednesday 13th March from 4:30pm – 7pm. I will deliver a presentation on the Options
Process at 4:30pm and will repeat it at 6:00pm. Throughout the evening, you can meet with your son/
daughter’s current teachers and talk to our teachers about the different Year 9 options we offer.

Thank you for your support in ensuring that your son/daughter arrives on time to school each day:
arriving on time is one of our six standards. We continue to ask for your support in reiterating the
importance of attendance to school every day. Good attendance supports pupils in developing their
confidence with new learning and skills: everyday in school matters.
I leave you with the prayer I shared with the pupils.

Heavenly Father, I come to you seeking confidence and assurance to persevere. Help me to chase
goals and dreams that are in line with your will. When I am filled with self-doubt and a fear of failure,
remind me that all things are possible with you.

Amen

Mrs J. Quoroll
Vice Principal