Key Stage 3 enjoyed a Book Swap earlier this week on February 1st. It was brilliant to see so many of our pupils talking excitedly about books and recommending books they had read to others. Enjoy your new books and we look forward to the next one! Watch this space for the Key Stage 4 Book Swap which will also be taking place soon.'

Last term was another busy term for the anti- bullying team.

Our year 7’s have now had the opportunity to apply to become an anti-bullying ambassador and they will be announced shortly. A massive well done to all those who have applied.

Anti-bullying week also saw lots of different activities that the pupils were involved in around preventing bullying and what bullying is. This was in the form of PSHE lessons, assemblies and a one kind word challenge. We also allowed pupils to wear odd socks to celebrate everyone’s uniqueness and identities.

Anti-bullying week also gave pupils the opportunity to take part in a poetry competition. This competition saw lots of entries from our pupils and some of the poems were fantastic!

The Diana Award

We will continue to work on our Diana award badges this term. You can click on the link below for some guidance on how you can get involved and come up with ideas from home. We encourage all pupils to have a go! https://bit.ly/3GHUgUr

Reminders

If you are concerned about bullying in school, please make us aware of the problems so that we can deal with it effectively. Pupils can report any issues to their Form Tutor, Head of House, Ms Faulkner, via the Enquiry email or any member of staff – we are all here to listen!

Bratwurst and Knoblauchbrot?

On Tuesday 7th December 2021, two full minibuses of students from year 8 set off together with Ms Thompson, Mr Scarth, Mrs Roberts and Mr Chin to explore the German Christmas Market in Birmingham City Centre. Once at the market we split up into groups to complete a trail around the market. The task was to find out what the German signs on the stalls all over the market meant in English, ‘Do you know what Bratkartoffeln, Zwiebeln or Kastanien are?’ So, pupils hunted down to find out by using our knowledge of German and English but also by speaking to the stall holders themselves. Whilst on their hunt around the Christmas Market students tried many different types of food that were on offer- the Bratwurst were a firm favourite! Birmingham’s German Market is also called Frankfurt Christmas Market because it was originally brought to the city from

Frankfurt/Main in 1997 as this is Birmingham’s twin city in Germany. It is the largest Christmas Market outside of Germany and Austria counting around 5.5 Million visitors every year.

Frohe Weihnachten = Merry Christmas!

When we were looking at how we could celebrate the festivities this year, we asked our pupils, what is it that they wanted to do? We had lot of suggestions from Christmas assemblies to form group parties, non-uniform days to Christmas jumper day. Whilst we have been able to make some of these ideas happen, one idea which really stood out was from a pupil in 7EX1, Grace had the lovely idea of creating an advent calendar of kindness, with a thoughtful act to be completed each day. We were really pleased to be able to bring this suggestion to life and our advent calendar of kindness has not only been shared with the whole school, but across the Matrix Academy Trust too! This means that all our schools in Walsall, Birmingham and Nuneaton can show their kindness to each other throughout December!

Pupils are invited to pass compliments to one another, hold the door open for each other, make a drink from somebody at home and donate to a local food bank throughout the month. There are also activities to complete on the days when school has finished, so it does not stop on 16th December!

Well done Grace for such a kind and thoughtful idea, and well done to all our pupils for taking part on this wonderful gesture.

Want to take part in our advent calendar of kindness?

Please use this image as a guide for the gestures to be completed each day. Have fun!

Our Sixth Form Open Evening is always busy. Therefore, to keep the flow of people moving and minimise large gatherings we are splitting the evening into two.

There will be an entry time at 5:00pm and then a second one at 5:45pm. There will be a talk from the Sixth Form Team at the start of each of these sessions.

Tickets MUST be booked in advance or you will not be permitted entry. A ticket must be booked for every person attending, including any students. As tickets are limited, please support us by booking only the number of tickets you need and keeping your party as small as possible.

Even with these measures in place, we strongly encourage all visitors to wear face coverings during Open Evening.

Anti-Bullying Week is coordinated In England and Wales by the Anti-Bullying Alliance and takes place from 15 to 19 November 2021 and it has the theme One Kind Word. The week will begin with Odd Socks Day which is supported by CBBC and CBeebies star Andy Day and his band Andy and the Odd Socks.

Kindness is more important today than it has ever been. The isolation of the last year has underlined how little acts of consideration can break down barriers and brighten the lives of the people around us. This is one of the reasons, that ‘One Kind Word’ has been chosen as the theme of Anti-Bullying Week taking place from 15 to 19 of November 2021.

What's happening at Dame Elizabeth?

• Poetry competition with Amazon prizes (information will be given out during form time literacy see Ms Homer for more details)
• Odd sock day – Monday 15^th November
• Assemblies
• PSHE
• Poster competition
• ABA Messages

Matrix Academy Trust can proudly announce that we have been successful in two bids for the new Turing Scheme. We will therefore be able to offer experiences across all five Matrix secondary schools for 100 pupils to go abroad to experience life in Spain or Germany in 2022. The Turing Scheme replaces the Erasmus project, which, for many years, has supported pupils to travel, learn and study internationally.

We will shortly be opening applications for 10 Year 8 pupils to apply to go on the Turing Germany project and a further 10 Year 9 pupils to apply to go on the Turing Spain project. Our projects are planned to take place in Fulda near Frankfurt in Germany and the Costa Del Sol in Spain.

For the successful applicants this will be a life-changing opportunity: the chance to travel internationally, working alongside other pupils from the Matrix Academy Trust schools and meeting German or Spanish pupils. Pupils taking part will also take part in pre-mobility work between schools to learn about the host countries culture, language, food, schools and ways of life.

Click here for FAQ’s: https://bit.ly/3iSIjC7

Send interest to: mthomason@matrixacademytrust.co.uk

The CCF continues to parade on a Monday evening between 1500 - 1630hrs. 

Detachment Strength

1. Prior to Easter holidays the detachment strength sat at 1x SSI, 2x Officers, and 18 Cadets.  As at 18 June 2021 the detachment sits at 1x SSI, 3x Officers, 32 Cadets.  The Year 11 Cadets have now departed school.

Recruitment

1. On the 11th June Sgt Doble (RAVC) launched the Year 7 recruitment drive during assembly.  Over 50 application forms were released to students, this is in addition to a steady influx of current Year 8/9 students wishing to join the Cadets.
2. Negotiations are currently taking place with Turves Green Boys School in order to provide them with access to the CCF system.  If approved by Cadet HQ, we will begin by providing 15x spaces for Yr8 pupils. TGBS will provide one member of staff and the pupils will travel to DECS for parade nights.

Current Ops.

1. Between 7-11th June, Cadet Sgt Dienn and Pilot Officer Wright presented a week-long of assemblies to commemorate the D-Day Landings and what would have been the 100th birthday of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.  The culmination was a school-wide two minutes silence held on the 10th June 2021 at 1200hrs.
2. Throughout the remaining weeks of the school year, the CCF has been consolidating and re-learning skills that haven’t been used since the pandemic.  These have included revising fieldcraft skills such as camouflage & concealment, patrolling, hand signals, and target indication.
3. With the influx of new recruits and the impending arrival of the School detachment standard we have also been practicing our ceremonial drill. Ensuring that our cadets are competent and look smart has been one of our ‘back to basics’ initiatives. 

Camps/External Activities

1. Due to the sporadic state of lockdown enforcement and the ongoing pandemic, unfortunately all residential camps were placed on hold.  This has meant that only single day activities have been available, and at a reduced rate. RAFAC HQ by the end of summer holidays hopes that all ‘Blue’ camps can return to normal, allowing us to bid for places in the October half term.

Future Ops.

1. The school has purchased a Standard (flag) for the Cadet Force which bears the schools name and will become an emblem of pride to the Cadets and wider school. Once this arrives it is proposed that the cadets will parade the standard in a blessing ceremony.
2. During the enrichment weeks at the end of the summer term, Year 7 students will have a whole afternoon where they will be introduced to a number of activities ran by the Cadet Leaders.  This will be used as a further recruiting tool during the terms to follow.
3. The school is due to receive its Benweld cabinet to facilitate the storage of cadet weapon systems.  This should be in place by the end of the summer, allowing skill at arms training to begin in September.
4. With the easing of restrictions external activities will be easier to orchestrate and there is a current plan to enable our junior leaders to attend an NCO Leadership camp in October.

Z.Dienn, 10 YK2, performed at the Black Country Museum's 1940's weekend alongside the D-Day Darlings and the other D-Day Juniors. They carried out six performances over 2 days, performing 'Pass it on' on Saturday evening and a Wartime medley on the Sunday. "It was an Incredible weekend, although very hot, and I can't wait to get out and do it again" said Z.Dienn.