UOB SCHOOL NEWSLETTER Summer Edition 2023 | Issue 10
CONTENTS Message from the Principal UoB School continues to be a 'Good' School UoBS Across the City Challenge Week Highlights Sport at UoBS Character in Action: PGL Weekend The Book Nook Are Young People Disengaged in Politics? Growing Partnerships with UoB & Sixth Form Friends of UoBS In Other News... Welcome Year 7 UoB School Bookworms September Reminders Artsfest & Summer Activities Term Dates 1 2 3 4 8 9 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 18 19 20
Our 2022/23 graduates in Year 11 and Year 13 are to be commended on their steadfast preparations across the year for public examinations. They have shown commitment, maturity, and determination. The results days happen 17 August (for A levels) and 24 August (for GCSEs) and at that time I really hope that their endeavours will have proved fruitful. They deserve no less. I was delighted over the last couple of weeks to engage with the interview processes for our School’s senior pupil and student appointments in readiness for the coming academic year. As ever, I found myself bowled over with their confidence, intelligence, thoughtfulness, and excitement about the accomplishments each hopes to land in the future. These included Jan and Kiki moving into Year 13, appointed as President and Vice-President respectively of our Sixth Form Student Guild; and Heph, Rukshan, Yeshin, and Daniel appointed to Head and Deputy Head Prefect positions moving into next Year 11. Impressive one-and-all does not come close to describing them sufficiently! I look forward to their leadership across 2023/24. On a related note, I steer the School next year to speak evermore about aspiration. We unquestionably have strengths in that space already – I want all of our children to hold self-belief and to aim for their personal stars. I enclose my sincere thanks to each member of staff for their care and commitment across the year. To our parents, carers, and families, I send my appreciation of your support and partnership for the School. Finally, I wish all members of our School community a happy summer ahead. Please enjoy our newsletter. With kindest regards, Colin Townsend Principal Dear Parents, Carers, and Friends of the School, I write with the summer term 2023 now behind us, to introduce this edition of the University School’s newsletter. You will be aware that our School received a routine inspection from Ofsted in May. I shall not elicit details from that in my foreword here, as some of the many highlights are referenced elsewhere in this newsletter. I am particularly pleased that the inspectors visiting us captured and recognised the breadth of our intent and aims as a School – how proud we are of our diversity and inclusion – and our focus on rounded development and success. We commit to being exceptional in all that we do. MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL PAGE 1 "They can because they think they can." Virgil Ancient Roman Poet (70 - 19 BC)
PAGE 2 UOB SCHOOL CONTINUES TO BE A 'GOOD' SCHOOL “...there is a vibrant and diverse environment, where all pupils are very much valued.” University of Birmingham School was inspected on 16 & 17 May 2023 by Ofsted. The report highlighted how the School continues to be a good School (under Section 8 of the Education Act 2005) from its initial inspection in 2018. The report highlighted how “there is a vibrant and diverse environment, where all pupils are very much valued.” Leaders have “very high aspirations for all pupils. As a result, pupils are gaining an education that prepares them very well for a successful life beyond school.” They added that “pupils’ wider development is supported exceedingly well. There is a wide range of extra-curricular activities.” The curriculum at University of Birmingham School was described as “ambitious and interesting,” ensuring all pupils are able to gain a strong foundation of knowledge, skills, and understanding, helping them to move on to GCSE and A level courses. The importance of character education and “supports the development (of pupils) to be responsible citizens and make the right choice, at the right time, for the right reasons. Pupils learn about appropriate healthy relationships and how to keep themselves safe.” Principal Colin Townsend said: “I am delighted for all members of our School community that the inspectorate has recognised many of the strengths of our School – driven by a dedicated, determined, committed, and caring staff body over recent years – and challenging years at that. The evaluation that all pupils benefit a great deal from coming to our School, in the roundest of sense, I receive with great satisfaction. Complex organisations, especially ambitious organisations, are always reaching higher, and we shall certainly continue to develop our work so that excellence is secure in all areas moving forward.” View the full report on the Ofsted website here. school virtues was mentioned in the report as something that
PAGE 3 Over the past academic year, we have hosted a series of community events to connect our families in Small Heath, Hall Green, the Jewellery Quarter, and Selly Oak. It has been wonderful to meet so many current and prospective families from our School community across Birmingham. Our events were inspired by Julie Westrop’s Cafés for All Strategy, designed to bring communities together to get to know each other better and share ideas. The events were a chance for families to have conversations with staff, pupils, and other parents/carers in the local community, whilst sharing local food too. There were free resources on offer to support learning at home, such as knowledge organisers, stationery, and information about online resources, along with the very popular UoB School tote bags! We are grateful to the Friends of UoBS (our School Parent Teacher Association) who supported these events and shared information with families about joining the PTA. Rubery Schools Community Swop Shop were a great help in enabling families to pick up uniform and PE kit. The free reading books and bookmarks from Ms Middleton (School Librarian) were a huge hit with families and it was wonderful to share the love of reading we see every day in our School library with our wider community. UOBS ACROSS THE CITY Year 10 prefects took on a leadership opportunity at these events, sharing their experiences of School life and helping to answer any questions visitors had. We were impressed by their maturity and the pride they showed in representing UoB School. They were also very efficient at packing and unpacking a minibus full of resources in an excellent display of teamwork. Ms Haley, Mr Bennett, and our Year 10 prefects would like to thank all families and community members who attended our events over the course of the year. We really enjoyed talking to you all and listening to your experiences. We hope you enjoyed meeting other parents/carers and picking up resources to help with learning at home. Thank you for sharing your feedback in our parent/carer voice box, which, along with the conversations shared, will inform planning for the year ahead.
CHALLENGE WEEK 2023
I loved taking part in watersports - it was really exciting!
Going to Work Experience and DofE was my favourite.
Challenge Week encourages me to take part in activities I usually wouldn 't and expand my horizons.
SPORT AT UOBS PAGE 8 Table Tennis As UoB School seeks to dominate the local landscape in Table Tennis, we have hosted both U14 (friendly) and U16 School Games tournaments for Birmingham Schools. It was a true tournament experience! Fantastic progress has been seen from every player this season through their superb determination and commitment. Great things are happening for the future of Table Tennis at UoB School with the support from our excellent Coach Kate. Netball Well done to our fantastic U13 Netball A Team. They have been unbeaten in league matches this year. At the Birmingham School Games Netball Tournament they played against some tough opposition, including some fantastic county players - yet they still came away with 2 wins! Cricket Our U14 Boys Cricket Team had two games this season. The first one was against Arden Academy which gave them the opportunity to develop as a squad. The following match was against Lordswood Boys. It came down to the final over, with Lordswood needing 14 from 6. Hashir stepped up and guided the team to their first victory of the season, winning by 9 runs. Trampolining Congratulations to our five talented trampolinists who were selected to compete against King Edwards Camp Hill School for Girls earlier this term. Particular recognition goes to Lucia and Ava who performed very well in their final A Level and GCSE PE moderations.
CHARACTER IN ACTION: PGL WEEKEND PAGE 9 The PGL weekend away saw many opportunities for character development through sport. Not only did we play netball and football but also took part in all the outdoor adventurous activities run by PGL staff. Activities included: Aeroball, Climbing, Abseiling, Crate-Stacking, Challenge Course, and The Big Swing. All pupils had the opportunity to build on their team cohesion and were tested beyond their comfort zone, showing great resilience and determination. PGL Netball Our netball teams showed great spirit, playing fantastically in all netball games. Each team developed greatly as a result of this challenging and enriching experience. PGL Football Our football teams were fortunate to be involved in high quality coaching sessions within their allocated teams. Opportunity for collaboration saw teams mixed up so they played alongside pupils from other schools. This created an exciting exhibition tournament with UoB School representatives running through all teams. Pupils developed their football skills, resilience, and character throughout the tournament.
P A G E 1 0 T e n n i s L e a d e r s A h u g e c o n g r a t ula tio n s t o t h e f ollo win g Y e a r 9 p u pils w h o h a v e q u alifie d a s T e n nis L e a d e r s: L e a n d r o C , A rj u n S , Y o n a E , Olivia G , N e d e s h P , A mir ali M , Oliv e r W , M a tiu s L , K e zia B , J a y d e n M , L a y e e n a h H , A m b e r P J , a n d Willo w P. Eleven of the s e p u pils w e r e als o a w a r d e d t h e p r e s tigio u s S p o r t Bir min g h a m G old L e a d e r s hip A w a r d. T h e y a r e s o m e o f t h e f e w p u pils t o h a v e a c hie v e d t his le v el o f leadership within Birmingham. To achieve Gold, pupils need to be involved in the running of a regional event, and due to their extremely positive character and proficient leadership skills, they were chosen to do just that! Our pupil leaders supported the Birmingham School Games finals. They were integral to the organisation of the day and were a real credit to our School and the city of Birmingham. PE Clubs & Enrichment Opportunities There are always a plethora of extra- curricular opportunities for all pupils and students to take part in at UoB School. Well done to those of you who have showed commitment to sports clubs and activities in 2022-23. We hope to see many more of you taking part and attending clubs next academic year! Commonwealth Games Success! A huge congratulations to Maddie who has been selected to represent Team England at the Youth Commonwealth Games in Trinidad & Tobago in August! She will be competing in the 100m & Long Jump. Team UoBS are so proud of you and we cannot wait to see you compete this summer!
R E A D I N G Harr y Potter Night Don’t forget that there are over 1500 different e-books and audiobooks available on Sora that you can read at home on your phone, tablet, or laptop. Just login through the RM Unify Homepage or find Sora online and login with your UoB School email address. You can also borrow lots of books from Birmingham Libraries – they have so many books to support both your studies and reading for pleasure. Click here for details about which library is closest to you and when they are open. PAGE 11 This term, Ms Middleton recruited 20 new members to the library assistant team to help her with the running of the library next academic year. They will begin their duties in September - shelving books, helping other pupils to use the library, promoting the books, creating displays, and running events. Being a library assistant gives pupils the opportunity to learn new skills, take on responsibility, contribute to the School community, and be part of a team that shares a love of reading. Some Year 9 pupils use their time to complete the volunteering section of their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award. THE BOOK NOOK L ibrar y As s i s tant s June saw another successful Harry Potter Night – with 32 pupils competing for their chosen Hogwarts house in the quiz, eating an array of magical snacks, and customising wands. Hufflepuff were once again crowned house champions – can they make it a hat trick next year? Top borrowers this term: 1. Ethan S Year 7 2. Faisal E Year 7 3. Kashif B Year 8 4. Sarah V in Year 7 5. Amine E in Year 7 6. Taim M in Year 7 7. Alice M in Year 7 8. Jayden O in Year 9 9. James C in Year 7 10. Nina K in Year 7 Reading Champions 2022-23 are 7Y3 who borrowed 1,037 books this academic year. 7X1 were not far behind with 1,023. A shoutout to 9Y2 who were the only Year 9 class to make it in to the top 10 (probably due to all the non-fiction Mr Washbrook had you borrowing)! We collectively borrowed 16,000 books from the library this academic year. TOP Class borrowers were: 7Y3
PAGE 12 ARE YOUNG PEOPLE DISENGAGED IN POLITICS? It is evident that young people are more disengaged in politics than older age groups, and a government report has attributed this to a number of reasons: political apathy, a lack of political awareness, an inability to relate to politics, and a clear lack of trust in governments. Yet despite this disappointing picture on a national level, 9 out of 17 of our 2022 class of Politics students chose to study Politics at University. That may be because, thanks to their A level studies, they have less political apathy, more political awareness, and a higher ability to relate to politics than other young people across the country. We've been in touch with a few of our UoB School Politics Alumni to find out their views on the importance of studying Politics, whether or not they think political engagement among young people is in crisis, and what has led them as individuals to defy the national statistics. A 2022 report by the UK parliament said ‘60% of 18-25 year olds think politicians don’t care’. Only 54% of young people aged 18-24 turned out to vote in the 2019 election, the lowest of any age group. The British Youth Council found in 2023 that 71% of young people don’t feel that political parties speak directly to young people in the lead-up to elections. ‘Young people have dramatic loss of faith in UK democracy’ read a Guardian headline in April 2022. Indeed, most of us will be familiar with this narrative, and the supporting statistics are clear: Archie B Class of 2022 Studying BA Political Science & International Relations at the University of Birmingham. Why did you choose Politics at A level? I had a general interest before A level which I wanted to expand upon. I also believed that the subject was important in order to understand the wider world. What were your favourite aspects of the A level course? The opportunities presented to us: trips to Parliament, debates, model NATO summits, live Q&As with Members of Parliament. What has your experience been of studying Politics at University? At University there is a wider focus on political theory that I believe studying A level Politics has enabled me to better understand. Studying Geography also really helped with my understanding of International Relations. What are your ambitions for the future? I would like to eventually go into law or do a Masters in Politics and International Relations. Do you think 18-24 year olds really are disengaged in politics? No, I think rather than disengaged, 18-24 year olds are increasingly apathetic because there is very little going for young people. For example, it is unlikely young people will be able to afford to buy a house.
Sarah R Class of 2022 Studying BA Politics & History at the University of Birmingham. Khadra I Class of 2023 Wishes to study Politics, Philosophy & Economics at the University of Oxford in the near future. PAGE 13 Why did you choose Politics at A level? I was always more politically engaged than some of my friends…I knew A Level Politics would give me a foundation to succeed. What were your favourite aspects of the A level course? The content on US politics was incredibly interesting to me. The environment created in the classroom fosters insightful debate and is a space where everyone is comfortable to express themselves. What has your experience been of studying Politics at University? Studying Politics at A level gave me a holistic understanding of ideas and concepts at university level. What are your ambitions for the future? I would like to have a career in the political industry, even if it is not becoming a political figure. I’d like to work in international relations or abroad. Do you think 18-24 year olds really are disengaged in politics? It is very easy to get caught up in the 24/7 media cycle that perpetuates the idea that politics is full of scandal or too complex to understand. This creates a lot of distance between everyday people and politics. Why did you choose Politics at A level? I’ve always been interested in politics and knew I wanted to study it so I thought it would be a useful A level to have. What were your favourite aspects of the A level course? I loved answering and exploring difficult questions about constitutional arrangements and political systems. What are your ambitions for the future? I’m interested in journalism and international relations. Do you think 18-24 year olds really are disengaged in politics? No! Younger people really care about politics...they have a different way of engaging in politics that may not align with other age groups. However parties do not target the 18-24 group with pledges which attract young people. They are not pushed to vote as they don’t feel included. For an A level that is still in its third year at UoB School, we are very proud of the ambitious, civic-minded, and courageous young people who are challenging the national narrative and not only choosing an A level that will grow their political awareness, but who are also now flourishing in Politics degrees at Universities across the country. You can find out more about studying at UoBS Sixth Form here.
PAGE 14 Meeting MP Liam Byrne Year 12 students attended a lecture at the University of Birmingham led by MP Liam Byrne. He discussed the importance of political science in today's political climate. Student Biologists visit Campus Year 12 Sixth Form Biologists visited UoB campus to take part in a series of undergraduate enzyme practicals. A fantastic and invaluable experience for all. Thank you to Scott White from the School of Biosciences at UoB for hosting us. Migration & Displacement Year 12 A level Geographers were delighted to meet with Dr Irina Kuznetsova from the School of Geography at UoB this term. Important discussions took place about migration and displacement and why words matter immensely when using "a migrant, a mover, and a refugee." GROWING PARTNERSHIPS WITH UOB & OUR SIXTH FORM OPEN EVENING FOR YEAR 12 INTAKE 2024 07 NOV 2023 | 17.30 - 20.00 Event details will be shared closer to the day. Keep an eye on our website and social media pages for updates. SIXTH FORM
PAGE 15 What a year we've had! We are really thankful for the continued help and support from the School, with special thanks to Mr Bennett and Ms Haley. FRIENDS OF UOBS We have continued to help out at our wonderful School events, including music concerts and open evenings. We have also held two social events - celebrating Culture Day and International Mother Languages Day. It was lovely to see staff, families, pupils, and students working together and taking part in the activities. Our quiz master Mr. Bennett prepared 8 rounds of questions, including a culture round and languages round. They were definitely challenging but fun! We are thankful for the donations of prizes for the raffles, which included some sports memorabilia donated kindly by a Paralympian. We raised £169.30 that evening, which will go towards improving the School Community Garden. On 14 March, we hosted a ‘Pie Day’ celebration event – consisting of fun and games (and food)! There were some fabulous pies made by pupils, students, and parents/carers. A particular shout out to the pie made by our Year 12 further mathematics students, which included a π pie, 180 degrees pie, C/D pie, and τ/2 pie because they all equal to π, a fabulous idea. We hope to host similar events again next academic year and plan for more parent/carer social events. The Friends of UoBS is the School’s PTA and is open to all parents and carers of pupils and students at UoB School, as well as all staff. Our aim is to create a cooperative environment for events and activities for the entire School community. The Friends would love to hear from parents and carers who may be interested in getting involved with the group. Please email the group at [email protected] or find us on Facebook.
PAGE 1 6 IN OTHER NEWS... Flourishing Partnerships & Staff Professional Development The Summer Term presented us with an opportunity to further strengthen our partnership with Selly Oak Trust School with Mr Cobane providing some Professional Development for their staff around the development of Reading for Pleasure. The session aimed to build on the excellent progress that Selly Oak Trust School has made in widening their knowledge of Reading for Pleasure, developing a robust Reading for Pleasure Pedagogy and creating inclusive communities of readers. This was an engaging and inspiring session - exploring the research around Reading for Pleasure and offering practical strategies for the classroom and wider school environment. It is wonderful to see both schools flourishing as a result of the partnership we have developed. "It was an incredible session, so many great ideas and instilling the importance of high quality, diverse texts for our young people - developing a love of staff reading." Staff feedback from Selly Oak Trust School. Local MP Visits UoB School We were delighted to have welcomed MP for Edgbaston, Birmingham, Preet Kaur Gill to our Sixth Form to meet with our A level students. She spoke about her journey into politics, how her father's strong sense of community inspired her career choice, and the joys and importance of being elected as Britain's first female Sikh MP. Pupil Leadership Team Congratulations to our wonderful and delightful new prefects who were awarded their official prefect ties and badges this term. We had a number of applications, and all the interviews were impressive, making it a tough decision to make! Well done team.
OPEN EVENING FOR YEAR 7 INTAKE 2024 12 OCT 2023 | 17.30 - 20.00 PAGE 1 7 WELCOME YEAR 7 We know transitioning from primary school to secondary school can be a daunting prospect for many pupils and families alike! Here at University of Birmingham School we aim to provide pupils with a smooth transition into their new school life by inviting them and their families to welcome events on campus. Parents and carers were invited to a welcome evening, an extra day was held for our pupils with SEND, and a whole year transition day was delivered. The day gave pupils the chance to meet their teachers and key members of staff, alongside seeing their surroundings so they know what to expect on their first official day in September. Pupils took part in a number of activities, including sports, taster lessons, and team building skills. Save the Date! Our Open Evening will take place on Thursday 12 October for pupils looking to join UoB School in Year 7 in September 2024. Event details will be shared closer to the day. Keep an eye on our website and social media pages for updates. RAISE THE BAR A number of pupils took part in 'Raise the Bar' - an introductory strength training course run by GB Weightlifting. The course aimed to teach pupils about the basics of resistance training exercises and how they can benefit from a healthy lifestyle both physically and mentally.
PAGE 18 During the first half of the summer term a group of keen readers from Year 8 and Year 10 took part in an enrichment programme where they 'shadowed' the prestigious Yoto Carnegie Medal for Writing Award. This prize is awarded by children’s librarians for an outstanding book written in English for children and young people. A national (and international) reading for pleasure initiative, the Yoto Carnegie Shadowing Scheme engages thousands of children and young people in reading the books on the shortlist via reading groups in schools and public libraries with dedicated educational reading resources and promotional materials to support each shortlist. UOB SCHOOL BOOKWORMS Taking part in this process required a commitment of reading one book a week by our pupils and to participate in discussions, create reviews, and create artwork inspired by the book. Not only did pupils demonstrate a really impressive commitment to reading they also showed a great respect for each others' voices and ideas. You can view a selection of our book reviews and artwork here. Although there were many different favourites within the group, a scoring process eventually chose The Light in Everything by Katya Balen as our overall winner. The prize itself was won by The Blue Book of Nebo by Manon Steffan Ros. "It was an honour to take part in the Carnegie Shadowing and it was a memorable opportunity to collaborate ideas and discuss themes with different year groups. We would love to take part in it again next year!" Jess, Evie, and Yeshin, Year 10 pupils. Pencil. Ruler. Reading Book. Eraser. Pen. Purple Pen. Scientific Calculator. Knowledge Organiser (KS3). SEPTEMBER REMINDERS... Black Blazer with School logo. School Tie. Black School trousers or skirt. Plain white, long or short-sleeved shirt. Black socks/opaque tights. Water bottle. Plain, black shoes. Coats. Black tracksuit bottoms, skort, or shorts with School logo. Red polo shirt. Black School sports socks. Swimming costume or trunks. Sports trainers. Football boots. Shin pads. Gum shield. PREPP UNIFORM PE KIT Prepare for September and ensure you have the correct 'prepp' and uniform. You can view the full list of uniform/PE kit here.
PAGE 1 9 Artsfest Thank you to our wonderful pupils and students who performed and shared their artwork during our annual summer artsfest. A brilliant way to celebrate the arts at UoB School. A special thanks to the staff who organised the event, the Friends of UoBS who supported with refreshments, and of course our visitors and families who joined us! What is Bring it on Brum? Bring it on Brum! is a FREE Holiday Activity and Food Programme funded by the Department for Education, designed for children and young people across Birmingham to have fulfilling, active, and healthy school holidays. Bring it on Brum! is the biggest scheme of its kind in the country. Click here to book your place now! Reminder: you will need a HAF Code, which for our School is: 3304014. Take an emotional health check Head into the summer with a better understanding of your child's brain development and their emotional wellbeing as you support them into their next new phase. 'inourplace' have developed online courses to help you to understand your child, read their behaviour, and help them look after their emotional health. Find out more here.
Autumn Term 2023 *Staff Professional Development Day: Monday 04 September 2023 *Staff Professional Development Day: Tuesday 05 September 2023 Induction Day for Year 7 & 12 ONLY: Wednesday 06 September 2023 Term Starts for ALL pupils & students: Thursday 07 September 2023 *Staff Professional Development Day: Wednesday 11 October 2023 Half Term: Friday 27 October to Monday 06 November 2023 (11 days incl) *Staff Research Day: Thursday 07 December 2023 School closed: Friday 08 December 2023 Term ends: Friday 22 December 2023 from 12.15 *no pupils or students to attend/non-teaching day. Spring Term 2024 *Staff Professional Development Day: Monday 08 January 2024 Term Starts: Tuesday 09 January 2024 *Staff Research Day: Friday 09 February 2024 Half Term: Monday 12 February to Friday 16 February 2024 Term ends: Friday 22 March 2024 from 12.15 *no pupils or students to attend/non-teaching day. Summer Term 2024 *Staff Professional Development Day: Monday 08 April 2024 Term Starts: Tuesday 09 April 2024 BANK HOLIDAY: Monday 06 May 2024 Half Term: Monday 27 May to Friday 31 May 2024 *Staff Research Day: Friday 28 June 2024 *Staff Professional Development Day: Monday 08 July 2024 Term ends: Friday 19 July 2024 from 12.15 *no pupils or students to attend/non-teaching day. PAGE 20 TERM DATES
U niv e r sit y o f Bir min g h a m S c h o ol 12 Weoley Park Road Selly Oak Birmingham B29 6QU t: 0121 796 5000 e: [email protected] w: uobschool.org.uk Keep in touch @uobschool © University of Birmingham School 2023.