Recently, a group of our dedicated pupils had the wonderful opportunity to visit Birmingham Children’s Hospital, to learn about the vital work being done there and explore ways they could support the hospital through fundraising efforts.

The visit provided a unique insight into the challenges faced by the hospital and the children it serves. Our pupils were given a tour of the facility, where they learned about the various departments and the specialised care provided to young patients. They also had the chance to meet some of the medical professionals and staff who work tirelessly to create a comforting and supportive environment for children and their families.

During the visit, the students engaged in a discussion about what the latest fundraising project was for, i.e. a newer, more welcoming entrance to the hospital. They were also encouraged to think creatively about how to raise awareness and encourage others in the community to get involved.

Our pupils, and other across our Matrix Academy Trust, are truly inspired by the stories they heard and are now eager to take action. Their enthusiasm and dedication to helping others reflect the DEC STRIVE values we instill in our school community. With their passion and commitment, we are confident they will make a positive impact on the lives of the children at Birmingham Children’s Hospital. 

Stay tuned for more updates as our students begin their fundraising journey and continue to make a difference in the lives of others! WATCH THIS SPACE!

This week, our Year 7 students embarked on an exciting trip to a Attwell Farm, where they had the opportunity to experience life on a working farm firsthand. It was a day filled with learning, laughter, and plenty of hands-on experiences.

The day began with a guided tour of the farm, where students had the chance to meet various animals, including cows, sheep, chickens, and even some playful goats. They learned about the daily routines of farm life, from milking cows to collecting eggs and feeding the animals. Many students were surprised by how much effort it takes to keep a farm running smoothly!

One of the highlights of the day was watching a sheep give birth to twins!

The Year 7 farm trip was an unforgettable experience that gave our students a deeper understanding of agriculture, sustainability, and the importance of working together. We look forward to more trips like this in the future and hope that our students continue to develop a love and respect for nature.

A huge thank you to the farm staff for their warm welcome and expert guidance throughout the day!

To continue to promote and reward outstanding attendance, we will offer an attendance incentive during April. If pupils attend school, every day, arriving on time between 1st-10th April, they will receive an Easter treat on Thursday 10th April. They will also be entered into a raffle where, on Thursday 10th April, the names of two lucky pupils from each year group will be drawn and the winners will receive an Easter surprise. There will also be the chance for one lucky pupil/family to win the grand prize of an Easter hamper!

Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a world wide initiative that challenges stereotypes and misconceptions about neurological differences. It aims to transform how neurodivergent individuals are perceived and supported by providing schools, universities, organisations, and others around the world with the opportunity to recognise the many skills and talents of neurodivergent individuals, while creating more inclusive and equitable cultures that celebrate differences and empower every individual. 

Celebrating Neurodiversity Week in our school is a wonderful opportunity to raise awareness and promote inclusivity for students with various neurological conditions, such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and more. At Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School we have assemblies all week, delivered by Mr Jevons, our SENCO, who will provide opportunities for students to reflect on how they can embrace differences and celebrate what makes people unique.

By engaging students, staff, and the wider community, we aim to create an educational environment that values diversity and fosters understanding and respect for all, which is one of our STRIVE values.

As part of our exciting activities for Science and Engineering Week, 55 of our talented year 8 students took part in a STEM workshop where they designed, built and presented a model wind turbine. During the day, students demonstrated the core values and qualities of a good engineer: creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving ability, and communication skills. They also applied the design cycle used by engineers: design, build, test, improve. To complicate things further, pupils had to adhere to a budget and minimise the cost of their build but without losing efficiency. We are so proud of year 8!

On Friday 7^th March, GCSE and A-Level students from the ADT department went on a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. From seeing replicas of world-famous sculptures in the Cast Courts, West-End theatre costumes and an array of paintings, drawings and garments, students were introduced to a plethora of artefacts from across the world of decorative art and design. The magnificent building itself with it’s glowing glass centrepiece and abundance of elaborate arches, plays home to more than 5000 years of human creativity – a fantastic opportunity to see a wide range of cultures, time periods and movements in one place!

A huge thank you to Miss Cartwright, Mrs Pugh and Mrs Ellis for supporting myself in taking students to London, and to Mrs McHugh and Mrs McNeill for helping to organise a memorable day for us all.On Friday 7^th March, GCSE and A-Level students from the ADT department went on a trip to the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. From seeing replicas of world-famous sculptures in the Cast Courts, West-End theatre costumes and an array of paintings, drawings and garments, students were introduced to a plethora of artefacts from across the world of decorative art and design. The magnificent building itself with it’s glowing glass centrepiece and abundance of elaborate arches, plays home to more than 5000 years of human creativity – a fantastic opportunity to see a wide range of cultures, time periods and movements in one place!

A huge thank you to Miss Cartwright, Mrs Pugh and Mrs Ellis for supporting myself in taking students to London, and to Mrs McHugh and Mrs McNeill for helping to organise a memorable day for us all.

In January, Miss Hart and her dance partner took part in the Birmingham Qualifier to be part of Team England. As a result, they both successfully qualified and will be representing Team England in the Global Dance Open Finals, held in Birmingham between 16th-20th July. Miss Hart and her dance partner will be competing against the best dancers from countries all over the world in the following sections; Senior Jazz Duet/Trio, Senior Lyrical Duet/Trio and Senior Contemporary Duet/Trio. Good luck Miss Hart - we are rooting for you!

10 year 7 students took Dame Elizabeth Cadbury to a competition at the Engineering and Robotics Faculty at the University of Birmingham.

Pupils built a robot with different attachments to complete a series of missions in different underwater scenarios: rescue stranded submarines, repair coral reefs, clean spillages etc. Pupils had to think on their feet and work as a team by communicating across the different stations and coordinating the modifications and coding of the robot to complete the timed missions. Well done year 7.

The English department had great fun dressing up and planning engaging sessions for World Book Day 2025! Alongside their department theme of ‘literary villains’, Years 7-10 participated in speed reading classes where they had a taster of five different books from a range of genres to inspire them to reach out and read. Students then cast their votes about the book they’d most likely read, and we are ordering these books for our library so that our readers can take advantage of finding their next favourite book. 

Years 7 and 8 also had World Book Day tokens to take home so they could purchase a free book of their choosing. We love to read!