Our reading rewards vending machine continues to be a focal point of our weekly celebrations on a Friday lunchtime in the new year. Pupils from all year groups are considered and selected for a range of approaches to demonstrating our TURVES Values, representing the school and attendance at extra-curricular clubs.

Winners this week include:

Year 7: A Peters: A polite young man who has put in excellent effort this week in all his lessons, even when maybe not in the best frame of mind for it. Extremely helpful at lunchtime supporting staff with clean up.  

Year 11: M Plant: A great pupil who has a very mature outlook on his current approach to his studies and final preparations for his exams. Never causes any bother.  

Year 8: J Peter Atwood – technically a Tolkien boy but he has constantly been a credit to Austin and I am grateful that he is attached to my house. Consistently showing Turves Values in his learning and his conduct.

10- N Thompson- For his improved effort in school since starting year 10 and amazing feedback from work experience placement

9- B Shazad- this young man is a model student to all, being in the top 5 pupils in the whole school with the most positives shows this. Well deserved praise and recognition is needed.

Our Y11 pupils were treated to a live performance of their GCSE English Literature text ‘An Inspector Calls’ in the spring term. Ahead of their final GCSE exams, pupils watched the actors explore key themes, character and quotes live and in role. Following the performance, the actors hosted a Q&A session and explained some of their directorial choices. The boys enjoyed the performance and will be well equipped to use the performance in their mock feedback lessons and their final examinations in May.

I would like to express a huge thank you to all of the parents who joined us for another successful SEND coffee morning in March. The positive feedback was amazing, and a pleasure to hear! We shared the many opportunities the pupils are given within our Department and how we, as a school, work hard to ensure we offer those reasonable adjustments which prove vital to ensure each pupil in our care is encouraged to reach their full potential, both socially and academically within school and in preparation for adulthood.

We were also joined by Erica Hewetson, our designated Key Worker for PSS [Pupil School Support]. This particular External Agency works closely with the school and our pupils in order to assess, support and offer both Universal and Targeted strategies to help inform SEND profiles and aid the progress of Literacy and Numeracy skills across the curriculum. Erica spoke about how she shares ideas with the SEND department regarding what course of action to try next, and the different ways in which she works with staff on how better to support your child.

To learn more about the many External Agencies we have formed links with in order to further support your child, please visit the SEND Information Report on our website at https://tgbs.co.uk/ Here you will find details services such as: Educational Psychology, CAT Team, Pupil School Support, Forward Thinking Birmingham, Occupational Therapy and Speech and Language Therapy, to name but a few!

To ensure that we celebrate our pupils’ commitment to our TURVES Values and hard work, we asked our Directors of Learning and Heads of House to nominate Y11 pupils who have been exemplary during the run up to and including their final mock GCSE period. There was an overwhelming response from staff, the final 20 pupils selected received 2 or more nominations, positive praise points and superb attendance and punctuality.

The boys were taken to our local Hollywood Bowl where they enjoyed a few games of bowling, pool and even won a teddy bear at the arcades!