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! 

Congratulations to all of the Year 11 pupils who participated in the Paris visit. Behaviour was impeccable and everyone had a fantastic time. After day 1 we arrived early at the Campanile Val de France Hotel on the Disneyland complex and enjoyed a superb dinner together. On Day 2 we had an early start for our day at Disneyland. The pupils had access to both parks and thoroughly enjoyed the Christmas celebrations and parades. Day 3 was fantastic as we had a guided tour of the Stade de France where we learned about the Presidential Suite and all of the famous football and rugby teams that had played there. We also saw signed memorabilia from famous bands such as the Rolling Stones and Muse in the museum. After that pupils ordered food at the local Quick restaurant and really needed to know their French numbers to collect their orders! This then sustained the boys for a long walk from the Trocadéro to the Louvre with lots of opportunities to see the real Paris and the sights. Well done, everyone on a fantastic cultural visit to Paris!

Charlie Smith, year 7, is raising Christmas spirit with his poster. Charlie wanted to highlight the reason we celebrate Christmas. Charlie also wanted to include the ways in which people celebrate Christmas, like watching elf, swapping presents and eating a Christmas dinner.

Participating in the preparation of afternoon tea boxes, the Year 10 Hospitality and Catering pupils curated a selection that included an array of sandwiches, shortbread biscuits, jam tarts, quiche, sausage rolls, and individual Victorian sandwiches. The boys involved in choosing these foods were newcomers to school cultural events. They relished their inaugural experience in catering for a larger audience and eagerly anticipate the upcoming events.

Well done!

Several Year 10 pupils expressed a desire to create a classic Christmas cake, inspired either by the memory of a departed loved one who used to make it or simply out of a long-held aspiration. Beginning their project in October, the pupils soaked fruits in fruit juices, patiently waiting until they were ready to proceed with the baking process. Their choice was to craft a traditional fruit cake adorned with a glace fruit topping.

The Turves Green Boys School recently hosted an incredible Talent Show, showcasing the immense talent of our pupils. From dancing and singing to acting, the evening was filled with a variety of acts that was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience.

What made this year’s Talent Show even more remarkable was the unanimous agreement among attendees that it had surpassed the expectations set by the previous year’s event. The pupil’s talent was clearly evident, but what truly stood out was the growth in their confidence. The performances exuded a level of maturity and professionalism that indicated the enormous progress the pupils had made since the last show.

Several pupils took the stage with their mesmerising vocal and musical skills, leaving the audience spellbound with their renditions of popular songs. The Dance performances, choreographed by the pupils themselves had the audience out of their seats.

However, it was the school’s drama group that stole the show, claiming the well-deserved title of the Talent Show winners. Their interpretation of Home Alone had the audience it fits of laughter.

Congratulations to all the pupils for their outstanding performances, and thank you for sharing your talents with us on stage.

Last week students throughout the maths department took place in this year’s #GCHQChristmasChallenge. GCHQ, the UKs intelligence, security, and cyber agency set challenges in the form of a Christmas card filled with puzzles. This year there were 7 puzzles that would all come together to form a secret 8th puzzle that used the picture on the front of the Christmas card form.

Select students from the top sets of year 7 to year 10 took part in the challenge. All year groups used teamwork, problem solving skills and resilience making use of their Turves values being self-motivated to achieve and respecting others’ ideas to work together. It is key for members of GCHQ to work together and make use of all their teammate’s strengths. And our students showed exactly that.

Unfortunately, none of the students (or staff) managed to complete all the puzzle in their hour lesson, however a few dedicated students continued to work at it in their own time and as a school we were able to crack the final code. 9X1 where vital in solving the final few tricky puzzles, especially S. Scott who cracked the code on puzzle 7.

Student and staff alike enjoyed this Christmas and puzzle themed day, enjoying the challenge that maths and puzzles can bring. Hopefully we have a few future codebreakers and spies in our student cohort that will go on to join the security forces of the UK through GCHQ.

This year has seen the partnership between Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School and Turves Green Boys’ School grow from strength the strength, from the continual development of our cadets to the amazing collaboration between staff to ensure or cadets achieve the absolute best. This year has seen our cadets access almost all the RAF CCF can offer and have taken the absolute full advantage of all opportunities from flying days to parades to RAF engagement evenings with serving members of the RAF.

This year alone our cadets have achieved:

• 12 promotions from Lance Corporal all the way to Cadet Sergeant

• 8 Flying Qualifications

• 10 Leadership Awards

• 30 D of E Awards

• 30 Communication Awards

• 35 First Aid Qualifications

and for the first time ever, a Blue and Bronze award in Music!

Next year, we are going to continue to grow and develop as a contingent to ensure the best experience possible for our cadets both at Dame Elizabeth and Turves Green.

We would like to thank you all for your continued support with the Combined Cadet Force and wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

On Monday 11^th December, Key Stage 3 students were rewarded for their positive attainment and behaviour in school with an opportunity to try cricket with a coach from Warwickshire County Cricket. 2 groups from Year 7 and 8 and a group from Year 9 participated in a street cricket session where they got to try their hand at the sport and play lots of games.

Street cricket is a brilliant entry alternative for those that may struggle to afford a standard membership or travel to formal cricket clubs. It requires minimal equipment and facilities and can be enjoyed by people of all ages.

Our students have been given a wonderful opportunity to experience a sport and coaching that they potentially normally wouldn’t have access to. We encourage all students to take this experience further with the free, 3-hour sessions that will be starting after Christmas in Longbridge. All equipment, facilities and coaching will be provided.

As a school, we look forward to offering our students more opportunities like this across a wide range of different experiences. A massive thank you must go to Zack and Warwickshire Cricket for a great day!

In our dynamic KS3 physical education curriculum, students have not only been honing their skills and tactics in football and badminton but also delving into the essential theoretical aspects of fitness. Through practical lessons, they have been applying these theoretical principles to enhance their physical performance on the field and in the gym. This comprehensive approach aims to cultivate a deep understanding of sports, foster strategic thinking, and promote a holistic sense of well-being, aligning with our commitment to nurturing both physical prowess and theoretical knowledge in our students.