Excitement has filled the air at TGBS recently as Year 7 and 8 students have been showcasing their athletic talents during recent trials for the indoor athletics competition.

With a keen sense of determination, Year 7 and 8 students have been participating in sprints trials. By giving their best performances, they have been able to show off their athletic prowess with the aim to secure a coveted spot in the school's athletics team.

The trials not only serve as a selection process for our school team but also provide an opportunity for students to discover and develop their passion for athletics. It's inspiring to see the enthusiasm and commitment the students bring.

The selected students will go on to represent TGBS at the upcoming indoor athletics competition, competing against other schools in the area. The experience promises not only a chance for glory but also an opportunity for personal growth and skill development.

As the school's athletics team takes shape, anticipation is building for the upcoming competition, where the students will have the chance to shine and make their mark. The trials served as a testament to the school's commitment to fostering a culture of fitness, sportsmanship, and overall well-being among its students.

Our chair of trustees Sir Mark Aspinall has been invited to have his photograph taken to be placed in the Victoria Law court in Birmingham. Sir Mark has over 20 years’ experience in Law across banking, financial, media, NHS, Government and FTSE corporate sector and is currently a Judge and a Governor of a local authority Primary School.

We would like to take this opportunity to see your very best photography work and give you the opportunity to have your work hung in the law court for years to come. See below details on how to get involved with our Matrix photography competition.

Submission Criteria. You can submit up to three portrait style images, each image can be of the same or a different subject. Your images should be saved in jpeg format. Images should not be altered or edited, we want to see your original photograph. Cropping is allowed. Images should be sent with your full name, form group, school name and a short write up to explain your style of image. Submit your images to photography@matrixacademytrust.co.uk

Submission Deadline: Sunday 18th February 2024. Speak to your media/creative arts teacher for help and guidance.

What is Portrait Photography? Portrait photography is best defined as a genre of photography that involves capturing the identity, personality, facial expression, soul, emotions, essence, and the overall inherent character of a subject within a photograph.

Prize. The winning submission will be chosen by Sir Mark Aspinall and Mrs Draycott. The winner will receive £150 and the opportunity to take the commissioned image in Victoria Law Court in Birmingham. The winners photograph of Sir Mark Aspinall will be proudly hung in the court. The oldest image currently hanging in the court currently is over 180 year olds. This is a chance to take a photograph that will be seen in court for many years to come.

At Turves Green Boys’ School, our aim is to nurture successful, resilient, and confident individuals. By delivering a diverse curriculum, we instil essential knowledge, skills, and values in our pupils. When coupled with enriching experiences, they are empowered to thrive in their chosen career paths.

To unlock a pupil's full potential academically and personally, consistent school attendance is crucial. Attending school every day allows pupils to seize every opportunity presented to them. We prioritise school attendance, setting high expectations. If parents or guardians need support to ensure their child attends more regularly, we are here to assist. We firmly believe in working collaboratively with our families to achieve the best outcomes.

We were delighted to award our Key Stage 3 & 4 pupil winners with their well-deserved reward and incentive vouchers following the End of Half Term Attendance Prize Draw.

The prizes for Key Stage 3 and 4 pupils include:

• 1st Prize: £100 voucher of their choice, along with a Family Prize of a £25 Sainsbury’s voucher
• 2nd Prize: £50 voucher of their choice, along with a Family Prize of a £25 Sainsbury’s voucher
• 3rd Prize: £25 voucher of their choice, along with a Family Prize of a £25 Sainsbury’s voucher
• 4th Prize: £20 voucher for Amazon
• 5th Prize: £20 voucher for Amazon

Congratulations to all our pupils and families for their efforts in ensuring regular school attendance!

This week year 9 have had the opportunity to start an investigation into air pollutants in and around Turves Green Boy’s School. Our visitors introduced the topic of air pollution and we talked about sources of air pollution that affect us from the burning of fossil fuels – particularly diesel - to sandstorms in the Sahara and Volcanos in Iceland. Some particles such as soot are a tenth of the width of a human hair!

 We then heard about their research into how it affects us and why we should be worried. Some small particles from the air can get past our bodies natural defences and get into our lungs and even our bloodstream. We even heard how vapour from “Vapes” are being shown to decrease the amount our lungs can expand.

Students then made their own small particle traps using clipboards and petroleum jelly. They thought about which areas around school they would like to test and our walls are currently adorned with particle traps. Researchers will come back in February to help us to analyse the data we collect using mini microscopes.

Many thanks to Mr Neil Todd, Dr Dan Jones, Dr Natalie Poulter, Dr Eleyna Slater and Katie Spencer from the University of Birmingham for sharing their time and expertise with us. Also, thanks to our fantastic students who shared their ideas and predictions during the sessions.

As the end of term approaches, it's time to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and achievements of our pupils at the rewards assemblies. This year, in addition to acknowledging the best effort, outstanding behaviour, and highest attainers, our Heads of House took on some exciting and entertaining Christmas challenges. Let's delve into the details of these memorable events that brought joy and laughter to our school community.

The rewards assemblies provided a platform to recognise and applaud the outstanding efforts of our pupils at TGBS. From academic achievements to acts of kindness and exemplary behaviour, pupils were acknowledged and celebrated for their contributions. It is important to commend the dedication and commitment displayed by these pupils, as their achievements serve as an inspiration to their peers and the wider community.

The end of term rewards assemblies saw a plethora of awards being presented to deserving pupils. The categories included Best Effort, Outstanding Behaviour, and Highest Attainers. These awards not only serve as a recognition of individual accomplishments but also as a motivation for others to strive for excellence in their academic pursuits and personal development. Congratulations to all the winners for their well-deserved recognition!

Head of House Christmas Challenges:

Adding a festive twist to the rewards assemblies, our Heads of House were put through their paces with a series of entertaining and challenging activities. They embraced the Christmas spirit with enthusiasm and brought a joyful atmosphere to the challenges.

1. Snowmen Transformation:

One of the highlights of the Christmas challenges was the transformation of our Heads of House into snowmen. The creativity and humor displayed during this activity were commendable. The pupils thoroughly enjoyed seeing their leaders embrace the fun side of the holiday season.

2. Eating and Drinking Challenges:

In another exciting challenge, our Heads of House participated in some revolting eating and drinking challenges. From consuming holiday-themed delicacies to completing timed drinking challenges, the event was filled with laughter and cheer. This light-hearted competition not only entertained the pupils but also showcased the camaraderie and good-spirited nature of our school community.

3. Finish the Lyrics:

To test their musical knowledge and engage the pupils in a sing-along session, the Heads of House took part in a "Finish the Lyrics" challenge. This activity brought out the competitive spirit of our leaders while creating a fun and interactive environment for everyone present. It was a delightful experience for both the participants and the audience.

The rewards assemblies and Head of House Christmas challenges provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of our pupils while spreading joy and creating lasting memories. These events not only recognised the hard work and dedication of our pupils but also showcased the vibrant and supportive community we have at our school. Congratulations once again to all the winners, and a big thank you to our Heads of House for making the end of term festivities even more enjoyable.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

Year 7 have completed their local fieldwork study and data collection on weather and microclimates. The data collected revolved around visiting a number of sites around the school grounds in order to collect data ranging from wind speed to temperature in order to present the data in graphical form and then begin to analyse the data to identify patterns and local climates.

Some groups were more fortunate than others as, predictably, the weather varied from day to day and as a result cold and wet data was collected as well as cold and dry data. 

This fieldwork is an introduction to other work further a field.

Each year churches, schools, companies and individuals donate thousands of toys, books and puzzles to our ToyLink project. Families in need of help are referred by Social Services, shelters, churches and other agencies. Through November and December hundreds of volunteers carefully select and wrap four gifts for each child and put them in a sack with a Christmas story booklet and card ready for delivery.

Delivering the sacks around Birmingham is another colossal task, requiring complex route planning and a second army of staff and volunteers.

Turves Greens have joined The ToyLink project this year and pupils from Boulton house have kindly donated gifts that will be sent to support the charity.

Today our school choir went over to Limes Care Home for the first time to perform their Christmas selection to residents and staff. The choir sang a range of Christmas songs and even led some carols with the residents who sang beautifully. Some of the choir songs included “White Christmas”, “Rocking around the Christmas Tree” and “Merry Christmas Everyone”. Once again we had one of our year 11’s singing “Have yourself a merry little Christmas”. The boys made a very valuable contribution to the community and were very respectful.

In the spirit of our school's core value of making valuable contributions, we're excited to share the heart-warming success of our recent charity cake sale. Students and teachers, collaborated to create a delectable array of treats, resulting in an impressive fundraising total of nearly £150 for our local charity Age UK. This collective effort exemplifies the essence of our values at Turves Green Boys’ School. A sincere thank you to all involved for embodying our commitment to making a meaningful impact in our community.

On Tuesday 12th December, 50 students across the Matrix Schools met at Barr Beacon to find out more about their “Far From Home” Italian adventure as part of the Turing Scheme. The day consisted of meeting their staff, team building activities and learning more about where they are going. This of course would not have been complete without a “surviving Italy” language taster session from a native Italian, as well as tasting some authentic Italian dishes such as ‘Melanzane alla Parmigiana’ ‘Patate, Gorgonzola e Chorizo’ and a choice of ‘Antipasti’ to awaken their taste buds. The day was finished off by writing a Christmas card back to their pen pal in our partner school in Rome, we cannot wait to visit and meet them in person!