NBA Annual Review 2010-2013

September 2010

Nurturing and Developing Talent History in the making

Friendship Day a Blast

North Birmingham Academy Year 11s have achieved staggering success across a wide range of sporting, academic and community activities.

Over 100 primary school pupils from across Birmingham attended North Birmingham Academy’s first ever Friendship Day in March. They came to experience Academy life first-hand, as well as meet new friends and teachers. The event, which is part of an extensive transition programme, included superb performances by Academy students, interactive activities and a balloon release which was symbolic of the Academy’s strapline – ‘The Sky’s The Limit’. ‘PressuriZe’, a Year 8 dance group, performed alongside Heather Arnold, Jasmin Smith and Anna Szklar, who sung a beautiful version of “When you Believe”.

Not only has the football team won the League Cup, beating stiff competition such as Arthur Terry, Plantsbrook and Bishop Walsh, but Year 11 student Adil Nabi has captained the West Bromwich Albion U16 football team and appeared for England U17’s, scoring two goals on his debut. This is a fine example of the dedication, hard work and sheer talent that our Academy students’ possess.

Enterprising Engineers Year 10 engineering students at North Birmingham Academy had the opportunity to discuss the finer points of sheet metal production and their career paths as engineers with Mr Keith Chadwick, Managing Director of Radshape Sheetmetal Ltd, which produces precision fabrications for companies such as Pro-Drive, Morgan Motors, Bentley, and even Aston Martin!

Through a fruitful question and answer session with the budding engineers, Mr Chadwick explained how he progressed from apprentice at Rolls Royce to his current high-powered position at Radshape. Students also got a chance to ask him about the technical aspects of his company, what apprentices can expect to learn from working at Radshape and how the students themselves can develop from studying engineering to applying it.

Picture Perfect Two Academy students have won a regional photography competition and have since progressed to the national competition. Sophie Fisher and Nilima Uddin entered the Ward-Hendry Photography competition; open to all students who attend Academies around the country. They had the task of taking photos around the theme of “Our Academy: Success for All”. Sophie won the regional competition and received a digital camera and the chance to work with professional photographers to create a story board of photos showing life at the Academy. The images they produced together were entered into the national competition, which Sophie duly won as well! A fantastic achievement.

Academy swimmers were presented with gold, silver and bronze medals for both relay and individual races.

Congratulations to all Year 11 students for a wonderful year and may the success continue.

Now the Sky really is the limit

NBA’s Got Talent ENTERPRISING ENGINEERS NBA STUDENTS GO INTERNATIONAL AN OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE

PressuriZe performed for guests

The students travelled to Moseley Rugby Club for a themed Olympic and Paralympic event designed to encourage children who do not normally participate in after-school sports and activities and to show them the huge range of opportunities that are available to them.

A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity

Academy Day Monday to Thursday: 8.45am – 3.30pm Friday: 8.45am – 3.35pm Friday Clubs: 1:45pm – 3.15pm Please see the Academy website for more details.

Autumn Term 2010

Spring Term 2011

Summer Term 2011

Wednesday 01 September to Friday 22 October Inset Day: Wednesday 01 September

Tuesday 04 January to Friday 18 February Inset Day: Tuesday 04 January

Tuesday 26 April to Friday 27 May Inset Day: Tuesday 26 April

Half Term Holiday: Monday 25 October to Friday 29 October

Half Term Holiday: Monday 21 February to Friday 25 February

Half Term Holiday: Monday 30 May to Friday 03 June

Monday 01 November to Friday 17 December Inset Day: Monday 01 November

Monday 28 February to Friday 08 April

Monday 06 June to Friday 22 July Inset Day: Friday 24 June

North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW

From opening as an Academy in January to our first major theatrical production and a raft of workshops and events involving local primary schools and the community, it has been a historic year full of notable accomplishments. We have witnessed how our students are flourishing in their new environment and how staff, parents, local primary schools, businesses and the community are working with us to make North Birmingham Academy a success story and a true hub for this community.

Our students have also excelled in their GCSEs and A Levels (see article below).

This has been a fantastic year, but it doesn’t stop here – we are dedicated to the ongoing success and development of our students.

Exam Success

TERM DATES

Christmas Holiday 2010: Monday 20 December to Monday 03 January

Welcome from the Principal 2010 has been a truly remarkable year for North Birmingham Academy and we hope you enjoy reading about some of our highlights and achievements.

Twenty five companies and organisations attended a hugely successful Aspirations Day in January including, Westpoint Printers, Marks and Spencer, Pinsent & Mason, Ernst & Young and the Royal Air Force. The event was a great opportunity for Year 9 students to find out about the various career options available to Academy students.

Nine Year 7 Academy students had the rare opportunity to be coached by Olympic Gold Medallist, Denise Lewis and Paralympic Gold Medallist, Ade Adepitan when they attended the Birmingham National Schools Sports Week in July.

Annual Review What’s Inside

The day was really well attended

An Olympic Experience

NORTH BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY

Easter Holiday 2011: Monday 11 April to Monday 25 April

Summer Holiday 2011: Monday 25 July to Wednesday 31 August

We are delighted to report that in the first year of the Academy opening both GCSE and A Level results have rocketed.

At GCSE Level we achieved a 16% improvement in 5+ A*-C grades with 85% of our students achieving these results.

Furthermore, 5+ A*-C grades with English and Maths also rose by 3% to 30%.

Our A Level students also excelled and achieved a 100% pass rate in English,

To support this, we are committed to providing the best possible facilities for our students and the local community. We are absolutely delighted that the Government has approved the capital funding for our new build. Combined with our innovative curriculum, the new facilities will support us in achieving our aim of becoming one of the best educational establishments in Birmingham. The sky really is the limit for our students!

I hope you enjoy reading about the achievements and successes of the last year and I look forward to working with you all during the coming year.

Opening Celebration To mark the official opening of North Birmingham Academy, a historic and prestigious ceremony was held on 5 February when Minister for Schools and Learners, Rt Hon. Vernon Coaker MP joined our school community to unveil a commemorative plaque. Mrs Popratnjak, the Principal, addressed newly appointed Chair of Governors, Peter Fair, over 50 teachers, Academy staff and community representatives, outlining her vision for the new Academy as a school at the heart of the local community and highlighting the successes of the predecessor school that the Academy would build on. Guests were taken on a guided tour of the facilities, including the new canteen area and the state-of-theart media suites. They were also treated to a contemporary dance performance by students. The successful day was a great foundation for the Academy to start developing its own history of achievement.

Mrs K L Popratnjak Principal

Exam Results 2010 85% A*-C GCSE passes 93% A Level pass rate 75% of A Level students

have university places

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF

NEW BUILDINGS Following confirmation that the Academy will receive the anticipated funding for the new buildings, we are very pleased to confirm that in September 2012 the Academy will move into brand new buildings which will provide exceptional teaching facilities for the young people of North Birmingham and will be a source of local pride.

Key features of the new buildings will include industry standard drama and dance studios and a theatre as well as state-of-the-art ICT, media and technology facilities. There will also be a dedicated sixth form area, extensive sports facilities and community facilities for meetings, sports and leisure, adult and family learning, events and much more.

Open Events Rt. Hon Vernon Coaker MP officially opens the Academy

We warmly invite prospective families who would like to learn more about the Academy to come and meet us.

Open evening

Art, Drama, Music, Media, Business Studies, Geography and ICT. Furthermore, the majority of our A Level students have secured university places.

We are very pleased with the improvements shown this year and congratulate all our students and staff on their hard work to achieve these results, which are a clear indicator that standards and achievement are improving rapidly across the Academy.

How the Academy might look

Thursday 23 September 6.00–8.00pm

Open day/tours Monday 27 September and Wednesday 29 September 9.40–11.00am

Students performed a dance routine for the guests

TEL 0121 373 1647 FAX 0121 382 2707

If you are unable to make either of these events, then please contact the Academy Office to make an appointment for a time that suits you.

EMAIL enquiry@nbacademy.org.uk WEB www.nbacademy.org.uk

Academy Specialisms NBA’s got talent In June, the first large scale theatrical production by North Birmingham Academy (NBA) students wowed audiences as the Academy became East High School for the production of High School Musical. A cast of 50 students sang and danced superbly to a packed hall.

The stars of the show were Momodou Taal as Troy Bolton, Kimberley Bailey as Gabriella Montez, Amy-Louise Wright as Sharpay Evans and Luke Smith as her brother, Ryan. They were backed up by an impressive supporting cast and backstage crew, who all worked extremely hard and gave their time and dedication to ensure that the production was a success.

Director of Arts, Miss Dawson said, “I am so impressed by our students and their exceptional performances. The cast worked together in such a highly professional manner that it is hard to believe that this is only a school production”.

Our Local and Global Community

NBA STUDENTS… Speak out

Respect at the Rep

Poetry Slam

The Primary Premiership

Creating a culture of curiosity

In May, a group of Year 8 and 9 students both performed and watched a performance at the Repertory Theatre in Birmingham. The stimulus for their performance was Lutz Hubner’s hard hitting play ‘RESPECT’. They were the youngest students involved in the project but held their own when performing and showed great maturity.

The Poetry Slam workshop was a hugely successful day of creative poetry writing and high energy teaching. The workshop was run by Dreadlockalien, Birmingham’s Poet Laureate 2006, whose enthusiasm for poetry really motivated our students.

Students had the opportunity to produce a range of contemporary poetry from beat box rhythms to hilarious rhymes.

Participating Key Stage 3 students really enjoyed the day and left the workshop with a positive view of poetry.

In July, eight teams from local primary schools travelled to North Birmingham Academy for the Kingstanding Extended Services Partnership Football Tournament. All the matches were keenly contested with North Birmingham Academy students on hand to ensure the tournament ran smoothly. Year 7, 8 and 9 assisted referees as ball boys and girls, while post-16 students acted as ambassadors for parents. Against a backdrop of sunny skies and the flags of the World Cup, the primary school children showed off their talents in some high quality matches with the team from Sundridge Primary coming out as eventual winners.

During May, North Birmingham Academy collaborated with Greenholm Primary School in a range of initiatives that culminated in a technology morning. Academy students worked closely with Year 4 and 5 pupils who assembled wooden planters (Geoff Hamilton Design), spent time in the Motor Vehicle Department completing simple servicing techniques and also in the Graphic Design Department using Computer Aided Software to download programmes onto the Laser Cutter Machine to produce plastic motor cycles and coasters.

The Academy students received extremely positive feedback from the Rep’s Arts Team. They thought the students created “a very sophisticated performance and should be very proud of it”. The piece was “really good to watch” and one of the critiquing panel was “almost drawn to tears”. Well done to our young actors!

Hot off the press A student magazine, written and edited by students, covering all aspects of life at North Birmingham Academy, is to be produced this year. The magazine will include features, interviews and news on events and activities from around the Academy.

NBA students wowed audiences with their dance routines

Where dreams come true During July, North Birmingham Academy launched a fantastic new initiative called Enchantment Week. During this Arts week all lessons across the Academy had a Fairy Tale theme and a strong creative focus that encouraged students to develop their artistic and creative flair. As part of this ingenious initiative, groups of students worked with artists in residence as well as with an Art-textiles specialist.

The primary pupils really enjoyed the day

Teams from all over Birmingham attended

The pupils were able to use new equipment

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT COFFEE MORNING Last September we held our first Macmillan Cancer Support Coffee Morning, the world’s biggest coffee morning. Our students helped out selling coffee, tea and cakes and it was a great way of bringing the community together. The Academy raised £200 and we hope to beat that figure at this year’s event, which is taking place on the 24 September at 8-10am. Come along and bring a smile!

North Birmingham Academy Year 11 students raised an amazing £480 when they sampled a taste of working life packing customers’ shopping at Marks & Spencer in Princess Park, New Oscott on Saturday 24 April.

They were all smart in their school kits…

The purpose of the project was to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support and Air Ambulance, two of the Academy’s charities, as well as to raise additional funds for the Year 11 Prom and to raise the profile of the Academy.

The immaculate presentation and polite behaviour of the students along with numerous members of staff coming in to support, meant the day was a huge success and thoroughly enjoyed by all.

The imaginative project demonstrated the benefits of North Birmingham Academy’s specialist status in the Arts which encourages students to think more creatively and develops their confidence.

Dawn Handy, Store Manager said “Marks & Spencer were honoured to support the event. We received fantastic comments from our customers regarding North Birmingham Academy students’ appearance, their positive attitude and behaviour.”

One of the innovative dance workshops

…and very enthusiastic

Exploring creativity and culture through textiles As part of the Academy’s commitment to sharing its expertise and facilities with the community, Year 4 pupils from Deykin Avenue Junior School took part in an innovative and creative World Cup themed textiles project at the Academy.

Through the study and application of African patterns and designs, the innovative project gave pupils a thorough introduction to textile design which will give them a valuable head-start in the field once they progress to secondary school.

Students’ Art Exhibition

North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW

Drama students created sketches

Creating comic books

Students really enjoyed the week

Momodou Taal was recently elected to the UK Youth Parliament after a nationwide poll among students. He will work to ensure that young people across Birmingham have their voices heard.

With the help of Student Voice members, all students aged 11 to 18 were able to vote for an issue that that they felt affected their lives as young people living in Birmingham. Momodou would like to thank all the staff and students for their help and support to allow him to achieve this amazing goal.

Go international

£500 bagged for charity

In drama lessons students created their own fairy tales and sketches based on various fairy tale characters. Meanwhile, in music lessons, students worked with a musical theatre artist producing songs from fairy tale musicals. Students used their time in dance lessons to choreograph a dance with a fairy tale theme and a street / hip-hop bias.

All the students involved were fantastic ambassadors for the Academy and dealt with this delicate issue with maturity and understanding. The organisers now hope to work with the Academy so that NBA can take a lead role in raising awareness of these issues across Birmingham.

Make a stand

Arts at Work Week In June, Year 7 students had the opportunity to work with the Round Midnight Theatre Company in four workshops: drama, art, music and dance. Each workshop looked at a skill required in the world of work, such as group work, speaking in public and working to deadlines. The drama workshop looked at developing presentations for selling a product while music was used to create ringtones. In the art session, students developed a comic book and in dance they worked on a hip-hop dance routine. At the end of the week, students watched a DVD that showcased the work they had produced during the project. Thank you to the Round Midnight Theatre Company and their artists.

Pupils had a fantastic time and thoroughly enjoyed the workshops which have most definitely produced some budding technology experts – possibly with green fingers! Further plans are in the making for future exciting projects where brains and resources can be shared.

In June, representatives from North Birmingham Academy’s Student Voice participated in the “Preventing Violent Extremism Conference”. The day began with a play entitled “Tapestry”, which got rave reviews from all who attended. The play highlighted the struggles of three main characters as they dealt with rising tensions in a city.

The team from Hawthorn Primary

The creative textiles project is just the start of a numbers of innovative projects that the Academy is organising as it shares its expertise and facilities with the community and sparks the imaginations of young people.

Kesha Beupierre was chosen as one of only five students to represent England at the INDIE (Inclusion and Diversity Event in Education) celebration in Brussels in May; a remarkable achievement for a 15 year old.

She was given the outstanding opportunity to present a series of questions to EU policy makers and politicians in a debate workshop entitled “Are Countries in Europe doing enough to help schools deal with inclusion and diversity?” Kesha put forward very intelligent and thought provoking questions on how young people are going to be educated to understand Inclusion and Diversity and how this can be promoted in the future.

GO ECO Year 7 Technology students recently worked with Linda Hines MBE as part of “The Friends of Witton Lakes” programme. The students were heavily involved in the production of some new habitats for the birds and bats that live by the lakes and they were installed during Spring this year. Let’s hope that the wildlife like their new homes.

North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW

OUR FLOURISHING POST 16 Our Post 16 students are already enjoying and benefiting from our dedicated Post 16 Centre within our superb surroundings. We were delighted to celebrate our highly successful set of A Level results in August which saw our Post 16 students achieving a 96% pass rate across all subjects, with 75% progressing to their chosen university and 25% entering employment or training. Our well established mentoring scheme sees our Post 16 students helping, leading and forming relationships with our younger students. Additionally, students can become involved in volunteer work, work experience, job-shadowing and community service; all of which are focussed on cultivating initiative, responsibility, commitment and positive relations with staff, peers, younger members of the Academy and the local community

NORTH BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY’S

ANNUAL REVIEW Autumn 2013

A POSITIVE START TO NBA POST 16 In September, our Year 12 students embarked on our annual team building trip to Woodlands Camp in Aldridge. It was a great success, with Post 16 students taking part in a number of outdoor activities including archery, assault courses, canoeing and a slightly daunting zip wire which certainly tested every student’s strength and endurance! It was a great adventure filled with enthusiasm and team spirit, and ensured a positive start to their Post 16 journey

THE ZONE

NBA STUDENTS PUT ON THEIR RUNNING SHOES Year 7 students recently took part in the nationwide launch of INEOS ‘Go Run For Fun’; a scheme that aims to encourage young people between the ages of 5 –11 years old around the UK to lead healthy, active lifestyles through running and regular physical activity. Runners of all abilities took part and encouraged one another to complete the course.

Following our success at the Great Schools Sprint event last year, and as the only Academy in Birmingham to participate in the launch, NBA students had the unique opportunity to showcase their athletic ability and display their team spirit.

Our participation in the scheme underlines the Academy’s commitment to developing healthy, active and confident students, and we are looking forward to taking part in future events once ‘Go Run For Fun’ has been fully established in the Midlands

Our community leisure facilities are up and running and we are delighted to offer a whole range of clubs, activities and classes for students and the wider community in our newly refurbished leisure facilities including; aerobics, dance, drama, football, badminton, trampolining and table tennis. For more information, please email zone-enquiries@nbacademy.org.uk

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY END OF AUTUMN TERM 2: Friday 20 December 2013 CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS: Monday 23 December – Friday 3 January 2014

What’s inside?

INSET DAY (TEACHER TRAINING): Monday 6 January 2014

Best ever results

SPRING TERM 1: Tuesday 7 January – Friday 14 February 2014

Brand new building

HALF TERM: Monday 17 February – Friday 21 February 2014

A year of triumph at NBA

Success at Post 16

SPRING TERM 2: Monday 24 February – Friday 11 April 2014

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington Birmingham B44 0HF T. 0121 373 1647 F. 0121 382 2707 E. enquiry@nbacademy.org.uk www.nbacademy.org.uk

@NBAcademy

OPENING CELEBRATION WITH COLIN JACKSON www.nbacademy.org.uk

@NBAcademy

A YEAR OF TRIUMPH: CELEBRATING OUR BEST EVER RESULTS 2013!

We were thrilled with our 2013 exam results which proved to be our best ever with 93% of students achieving 5+ A*-C grades across all subjects at GCSE. Our excellent set of results highlighted our rapid improvement and consistent progression over recent years. We had some exceptional individual

WELCOME FROM THE PRINCIPAL The academic year at North Birmingham Academy (NBA) got off to a great start in August when we were able to celebrate our phenomenal exam results which exceeded our ambitious targets and proved to be the best in the Academy’s history. We were delighted to see that the hard work and shared commitment of students, staff, parents and governors has resulted in our impressive performance. You can read more about our GCSE and A Level results on the next page.

We continued on our rapid upward trajectory with the Official Opening of our new build, which saw us welcome a whole host of special guests including former World Champion and Commonwealth athlete, Colin Jackson, and our Open Event season which saw a large number of prospective families visit our outstanding new Academy. Our brand new build is already proving to enhance students’ learning experience and provides extensive educational, recreational and sporting facilities for the wider community.

In this edition we have also taken the time to step back and reflect on the triumphs and accomplishments of the 2012-2013 academic year and we have mapped out this exceptional progress on the centre pages of this magazine.

We look forward to our exciting and promising future and are confident that we will continue to excel in our world class learning environment

OUR NEW STUDENT LEADERS Congratulations to all of our new Student Leaders who have recently been appointed. We look forward to working with you all in the forthcoming year to ensure that the NBA student voice is heard and acted upon. We are confident that each group will do a brilliant job and become excellent role models for the rest of our student body

GCSE • 93% of students achieved 5+ A*-C grades across all subjects • 51% of students achieved 5+ A*-C grades including English and Maths

ADVANCED LEVEL QUALIFICATIONS • 96% pass rate in advanced level qualifications • 75% of Year 13 students progressing onto university and 25% entering employment or training

NBA HIGH FLYERS

OPEN DOORS It has been a pleasure to welcome so many prospective families to our 2013 Open Event season, which saw our newly appointed Student Ambassadors showcase our brand new Academy building on accompanied tours. Prospective pupils were also invited into each department to meet with teachers and students and take part in a number of fun activities including: science experiments, cooking lessons and maths and language challenges. So far we have received some extremely positive feedback which we are delighted with. For those of you that joined us – we look forward to welcoming you back to the Academy soon. For those of you who were unable to make our Open Events, you can book your personal tour today by calling 0121 373 1647

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performances from GCSE and Post 16 students, some of whom you can read about below. Congratulations to all students on their achievements; we wish each and every one of you the very best for your futures whether that be at NBA Post 16, university, training or employment

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A WARM WELCOME A warm welcome to our new Year 7s and their families who have settled in extremely well over the past few months. Our Student Ambassadors have made a tremendous effort to answer any questions and provide any support to our younger students. We look forward to seeing our Year 7s develop and thrive throughout their seven years with us. Our extensive Induction Programme ensures students settle successfully and transition from primary school is as smooth as possible

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Shaun Madziva is now at Manchester University studying for a degree in Biochemistry.

AUGUST 2013

NOVEMBER 2012 HOST OUR ANNUAL AWARDS EVENINGS

MAY 2013

We host two evenings of celebrations to recognise students’ academic and sporting successes, personal triumphs and OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS to Academy life

OLIVER! THE MUSICAL

MARCH 2013 SUCCESSFUL FRIENDSHIP MORNING

The FIRST EVENT to take place in our brand new theatre sees our students take the lead in all elements of a truly outstanding production. Our students produced, managed and performed a SPECTACULAR all round show!

We invite our future Year 7s to our FRIENDSHIP MORNING in preparation for their arrival at the Academy in September.

This is just one element of our Induction Programme which ensures the seamless transition from primary to secondary school

STUDENTS CLIMB TO NEW HEIGHTS Celebrations are in order as we announce record exam results!

93% of our students achieve 5+ A*-C grades at GCSE across all subjects. Post 16 students achieve a 96% pass rate at A Level with 75% progressing to university

A* WELCOME

JULY 2013 NEW BUILD COMMUNITY LAUNCH EVENT Students, staff, primary schools and members of the community joined us for our New Build Community Launch Event; an event which provided a host of FAMILY-FUN ACTIVITIES and showcased our fantastic

NEW FACILITIES

WELCOME SEPTEMBER 2013 A WARM WELCOME We extend a very warm welcome to our new Year 7s and their families; we look forward to seeing them THRIVE throughout their SEVEN YEARS with us

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2012 - 2013 ACADEMIC YEAR

www.nbacademy.org.uk

SEPTEMBER 2013 JUNE 2013 JANUARY 2013 PRINCIPAL RECEIVES ROYAL HONOUR We congratulate our Principal for being awarded with an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours List 2013 for her outstanding service and contribution to education

MAY 2013 OPENING OF OUR WORLD CLASS LEARNING ENVIRONMENT We move into our £23.6 MILLION new building which is designed to enrich students’ learning experience through outstanding facilities and enables them to EXCEL in all areas

NBA HOSTS PRIMARY ATHLETICS COMPETITION AT ALEXANDER PARK STADIUM Over 1,200 pupils and parents from 10 of our partner primary schools join us for an afternoon of sporting challenges, competitions and team spirit. It is a fantastic event, with overwhelming enthusiasm and a truly electric atmosphere

OFFICIAL OPENING OF NEW BUILD

JULY 2013 NATIONAL RECOGNITION NBA is named in the TOP 20% of schools in England for adding value to our students’ achievements at GCSE. This is an exceptional recognition and a true testament of our

COMMITMENT TO EXCELLENCE

We host our OFFICIAL LAUNCH event of our spectacular new building, including our dedicated Post 16 Centre and community leisure centre.

We are joined by A WEALTH OF VIP GUESTS, including Colin Jackson, CBE; local MP Jack Dromey and Dr Ann Limb, OBE, Chair of the Academy’s sponsor, E-ACT. The event is A TRULY MOMENTOUS OCCASION and a fitting way to officially unveil our outstanding building

Our vision is to become a centre of educational excellence and a true hub for our local community and we look forward to an exciting and promising future in our world class learning environment. We are confident that we will continue to progress at an accelerated rate and invite you to become part of our success

A MOMENTOUS OCCASION FOR NBA: OFFICIAL OPENING OF OUR SUPERB NEW BUILDING

FUN IN THE SUNSHINE!

A LOVE FOR LITERACY

Last term we welcomed students, staff, primary schools and members of the community to our New Build Community Launch Event, incorporating our popular Family Fun Day and Summer Art Exhibition. Guests were invited to take part in a range of activities from donkey rides to sumo suits, face painting to go-karting, and viewed our whole-school art showcase. Our younger guests enjoyed a range of fun activities on the field in the beautiful sunshine, including a bouncy castle and ice cream refreshments, with the ever popular tombola, chocolate stall and hand-made crafts for sale. Attendees were also given the opportunity to collect their photos from the successful PAC event that was held earlier in the year

We are delighted to announce that 42 of our talented Key Stage 3 students have been selected to progress to the second round of the Young Writers Poetry Games Competition; a prestigious national competition devoted to showcasing the work of gifted young writers across the country. The best 12 entries nationwide will go through to the final where the winner will be determined by a voting system by those who visit the Young Writers website.

SHOWCASING ARTISTS AT NBA Students impressed the audience with a ‘flash mob’ performance.

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Joining us for this momentous occasion was World Champion and Commonwealth athlete, Colin Jackson, CBE, who officially opened the exceptional new building and delivered an inspirational speech to an audience of Academy students, parents and staff, partner primary schools and members of the community. Other special guests included Erdington MP Jack Dromey and Dr Ann Limb OBE, Chair of NBA’s sponsor, E-ACT.

Huge congratulations to two of our students, Aleksandra Lubas and Hilan Gully, whose entries were successful and chosen to exhibit in the Mall Galleries in London, home of the Federation of British Artists. Students’ work now hangs alongside some of the finest and well renowned artists in the profession; a huge honour and privilege.

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The celebratory event began with a ‘flash mob’ performance from 120 of our talented Academy students who impressed the audience with their dancing skills, creativity and confidence. This entertaining start set the tone for the event, with students performing duets and reciting poetry and with guests joining in proceedings by dancing to the music, including Colin Jackson.

Tiarra McCoy wowed guests with her powerful singing voice.

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Our new building offers a world class environment and provides exceptional recreational and educational resources for both students and staff. In addition, our new community leisure facilities, The Zone, are now open for use by our surrounding neighbourhood, and allows us to continue on our mission of becoming a true hub for the local community.

For more information on our new learning environment, and to find out about the full features that our students and community are able to benefit from, visit our website: www.nbacademy.org.uk

In July, our commitment to achieving excellence shone through as five of our talented students were selected to enter their artwork into the 2013 National Students’ Art Exhibition, an annual exhibition backed by the prestigious Royal Society of British Artists (RBA).

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After months of anticipation and excitement we were delighted to host the Official Opening of our £23.6 million state-of-the-art new building.

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We look forward to our future and remain ambitious for the new opportunities our first-class learning facilities will bring to students, staff and the local community.

Colin R Jackson @ColinJackson 19 Sep @NBAcademy Thanks for today. I met some really inspirational young people, who are also very talented. I even enjoyed my little dance :-) Retweeted by NBAcademy

Whether they make it through to the final or not, each student will have their work published in the Young Writers Regional Poetry Anthology, which is a fantastic achievement and something that each student should be immensely proud of! A huge congratulations to all our students for your fantastic work, and best of luck in the second round. We look forward to seeing your poems published in the anthology and will keep everyone posted on your progress

Congratulations to all five students - Aleksandra Lubas, Hilan Gully, Ellie McCormack, Dessislava Koleva and Shuvon Alom – whose work was highly commended by the Exhibition leaders; a fantastic achievement and one to be very proud of

“

It is wonderful to see students’ hard work and commitment paying off and it is a real pleasure to have so many talented artists here at NBA; we are confident that we will continue to inspire them and encourage them to develop their interest, passion and talent in this area.

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My first term at NBA

I have had an amazing experience so far at NBA and have settled in really well for a number of reasons. My teachers are really kind and friendly, and I have found my lessons not only fun and exciting, but challenging and inspiring.

My favourite subject is PE and each lesson flies by! I am really proud to have made it onto the ‘A’ football team too where I will have the opportunity to play matches against other schools. My favourite thing about NBA is the amazing playground where I can express myself freely and play with all of my new friends.

Sandie Jorissen, Head of Art, North Birmingham Academy.

BUDDING YOUNG POETS We recently hosted our own poetry competition at NBA, led by our English department. The competition encouraged every student at the Academy to enter and showcase their creative and literary talents. All entries were judged by members of staff. Congratulations to Chloe Hailing who was crowned winner and to Neibh Austin who followed closely in second place. Both students showcased their exceptional poems at our Official Opening in front of a whole host of special guests and were later presented with an iPod for their achievements by Mrs Popratnjak. Well done to everybody who entered. To read the winning entries, please visit our website: www.nbacademy.org.uk

I was nervous when I first started NBA, as I thought I would get lost going between classes, but the older students have been really nice and helped all of the new Year 7s get to our classes on time; our Academy planners have also been very useful for directions!

In my opinion North Birmingham Academy is the best school ever and I am really looking forward to the next seven years!

Dneal Richards Year 7

NORTH BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY

Annual Review 2012

Welcome from the Principal

Welcome to the

2012 NBA Annual

Review, highlighting

and celebrating our

many successes

and achievements

from the past

academic year.

We can certainly look back with pride on a year which included: our Ofsted inspection in May which saw the Academy officially recognised as good with outstanding features, our first ever Primary Athletics Competition which proved a phenomenal success, and the achievement of a number of prestigious awards and accomplishments from across the curriculum; details of which can be found in the following pages.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our former Year 11 and post-16 students for doing so well in their GCSE and A level exams. Celebrations were in order after our GCSE results were the best in our history; an impressive 94% of students achieved 5+ A*-C grades, with 44% achieving these grades including English and maths. We are also exceptionally proud of our success at post-16, with a 94% pass rate at A level and 80% of students progressing on to university. Students’ individual and collective achievements are a true reflection of their dedication and determination to succeed whilst our yearon-year improvements at GCSE and A level demonstrate our commitment

to ensuring every student excels and achieves their full potential at NBA. At the heart of everything we do is our focus on providing students with the tools and qualifications they need to take their place as global citizens in the 21st century.

Our students’ rapid progress has been matched by the progress of our new building, which will open in February 2013. Our new state-of-the-art facilities will include contemporary classrooms complete with outstanding learning resources and the latest technology to enrich students’ learning experience.

Whilst the new building and facilities will undoubtedly be a major benefit for our staff and students, we are looking forward to it also becoming an asset for our local community, providing them with extensive resources for education and recreation.

Finally, I would like to personally welcome all of our new Year 7 students who have joined NBA this year; we look forward to getting to know you and sharing your many academic, personal and sporting successes over the next seven years, as the Academy goes from strength to strength.

As Principal I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate our students on their many achievements and to thank staff for their constant support and commitment. I look forward to another busy year filled with further accomplishments and exciting initiatives n Mrs K L Popratnjak Principal

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF

Ofsted praise An ‘outstanding’ curriculum

Celebrating exam success

We are delighted that Ofsted inspectors, visiting the Academy in May, rated NBA as good with outstanding features, officially recognising the numerous improvements and significant developments that have taken place in recent years. The report praised our rapid improvement and ‘inspirational and highly effective leadership’ which has ensured an ‘outstanding curriculum’ and an ‘increasing proportion of outstanding teaching’. These changes have resulted in students ‘matching or exceeding the progress of students nationally’ and ‘exceeding the challenging targets set by the Academy’.

Exam Results 2012 94% of students achieve 5+ A*-C grades 94% A level pass rate 80% of post-16 students progressing on to university

Whilst we are all thrilled with this official recognition of our success to date, as always, we endeavour to build on these as we work towards our goal of ‘outstanding.’ n

Going for gold NBA prides itself on its commitment to excellence. An example of this commitment came in May when the Academy was awarded the Gold Investors in People accreditation based on our provision of high quality learning and teaching. Only the top 3% of schools nationally manage to achieve this prestigious level making it a brilliant accomplishment for the Academy.

In addition to this, in recognition of our partnerships with other schools and academies across the UK and from around the world, we were delighted to receive the news that we have been awarded the International Schools Award, foundation level. Our new status demonstrates our commitment to learning about different cultures and embedding an international ethos into the curriculum.

As a member of the E-ACT family of schools, our local, national and international partnerships are at the heart of the Academy’s vision for the future and our students are already benefitting from a number of established local and global links n

T 0121 373 1647 F 0121 382 2707

E enquiry@nbacademy.org.uk W www.nbacademy.org.uk

FLOURISHING PARTNERSHIPS AND DYNAMIC RELATIONSHIPS A showcase of sporting talent

DON’T MISS

Committed to becoming a hub for the local community, the Academy has been developing close partnerships with key primary schools to ensure young pupils benefit from our expertise and resources and have a chance to visit NBA to familiarise themselves with life at secondary school. We look forward to continuing and extending this work with our outstanding learning facilities that will be available in the new building from February n

A warm AND INVITING welcome To ensure our new Year 7s and their families settle in quickly at NBA, we invited our new Year 7 parents for a coffee morning in June where we offered support and advice on the move to secondary school; an example of our commitment to communicating and working in partnership with parents.

NBA students entertained the crowds with an impressive arts performances and cheerleading whilst post-16 media students filmed the event and presented live reports on the competitions. Based on their impressive routines at the PAC event, Hawthorn Primary School requested the company of our dance performers at their sports day in June.

In May, we hosted our first ever NBA Primary Athletics Competition (PAC) at Alexandra Park Stadium.

The event brought together 11 local primary schools, parents and staff for an afternoon of competitive games, ‘Olympic’ spirit and entertainment.

In the build-up to the event, competitors attended training sessions led by NBA student ambassadors, a reflection of their determination to succeed. The competition, which included a number of field and track events for pupils from Years 3-6, highlighted some excellent young talent in this important year for sport in Britain and gave pupils the exciting opportunity to compete at the stadium that hosted the American and Jamaican Olympic teams during the 2012 Olympic Games this summer.

Feedback on the PAC event was overwhelmingly positive and testament to the success of the event. It was a great opportunity to work closely with our key primary schools, meeting future NBA students and their families. We are already looking forward to organising next year’s event n

“The NBA PAC event was a very professionally organised occasion showcasing much of what is on offer at the Academy.

It was particularly pleasing to see so many former Kingsthorne pupils acting as student ambassadors. Well done to all.”

Kingsthorne Primary School

Sixth Formers pass on their ARTISTIC flare Post-16 students at NBA have been sharing their creative talents and knowledge with Year 5 and 6 pupils from Court Farm Primary, helping them to create their very own works of art.

For two mornings a week, boys and girls from Court Farm visited the Academy and worked with our Sixth Formers on developing their artistic skills, working with a variety of new and exciting materials.

Pupils created some amazing pieces of art based on their favourite books, all of which are now being displayed at the primary school n

North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW 2012

Pupils at our Friendship Morning enjoyed our inventive balloon race. Each pupil personalised their balloon with a message and the Academy address for balloons to be returned once they landed. An impressive number of balloons found their way back to the Academy, much to the pupils delight. We were amazed to find some balloons had reached as far as Nottingham; pupils who had their balloon returned to the Academy received prizes on their Induction Day. Also during their Induction Day, pupils were given a book and set the challenge of writing a review over the summer. Prizes will be awarded for the top two entries from each form and a book swap later in the autumn term will give students the opportunity to exchange their books with other students n

‘Hopelessly devoted’ to performing Our talented students put on an outstanding performance of the musical Grease earlier in the year. The cast performed two evening shows to a packed audience of friends and family, as well as a matinee performance to pupils from our partner primary school, Story Wood. Audiences were amazed by the creative set, costumes and impressive acting; a result of our students’ hard work. All performers and backstage crew were a credit to the Academy and their enthusiasm and commitment towards rehearsals was admirable n

Congratulations and thanks After another extensive and fulfilling year of work with our partner primary schools, we would like to congratulate all pupils who took part in competitions, workshops and events. We would also like to thank all NBA student representatives who have been involved in hosting and organising the events n

Getting to know YOU During the summer term, three departments worked closely with partner primary schools Story Wood and Hawthorn Primary to give them a preview of what lessons are like at NBA and to familiarise pupils with life at secondary school. Pupils from Years 4, 5 and 6 enjoyed lessons at the Academy in creative writing, science and technology.

In science, pupils participated in an interactive lesson which involved watching chemical reactions and doing their own experiments in state-of-the-art science labs.

In technology, Year 4 pupils from Hawthorn Primary, with the help of our NBA representatives, used computerised sewing machines and tie dye, and then created their own keyrings using a laser cutter under supervision from our technology team n

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT: RAISING ASPIRATIONS AT NORTH BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY Birmingham’s Future Through membership organisations Birmingham Forward and Birmingham Future, a group of Year 9 students were given an exclusive opportunity to visit three locations in Birmingham to help prepare them for the world of work.

Birmingham Forward and Birmingham Future bring together the city’s professional, financial, creative and business service sectors to provide events, projects and initiatives which aim to develop the city’s future talent by targeting young people.

Inspired by science and technology

Year 7 students were given the exclusive opportunity to take part in a series of interactive workshops and presentations as part of the BAE Systems Educational Programme Roadshow.

BAE are manufacturers of military avionic systems, IT & information systems and cyber intelligence equipment. The programme, designed to promote the importance of science and technology, offers and offer an insight in future career options within the industry.

The team delivered an informative and entertaining presentation on how technologies affect our everyday lives, including mobile phones and GPS systems. Students were able to witness a serving military helicopter pilot give demonstrations with a model helicopter, using an iPad to control its GPS system and night sight camera n

NBA students took part in workshops and were paired with employees who were able to answer questions and give advice on careers and future pathways available to them. Special thanks to the companies involved in the scheme for inspiring and motivating so many of our students; Price Waterhouse Coopers, Aon Risk Solutions and FleetMilne Residential. We look forward to working with them again this year n

Political DEBATE April saw students invited to sit in on the debate led by leader of the ‘Yes’ campaign, Julia Higginbottom, and supported by Conservative councillor for Sutton New Hall James Bird, challenging the view against having a directly elected mayor.

‘Building’ opportunities

Post-16 students Otis Daley and Sophie Ensor were in the audience and, despite hearing both sides of the debate, still ruled in favour of an elected mayor and agreed the whole city needed to be renovated, believing a visible leader will drive positive change and make an impact on our local community, ensuring Birmingham fulfils its potential.

As part of our ‘Raising Aspirations’ programme, 10 of our Year 9 students took part in an exclusive four week ‘Introduction to Architecture Programme.’

It was a fantastic opportunity for two of our politically minded students to listen to a debate which they feel strongly about and which is something that will affect them and the community in which they live n

This was an invaluable opportunity to work with our architects, to learn more about the industry and to visit the site of our new build, as well as take a trip to the London Architect Office and Design Museum.

Students also took part in a CV writing workshop at Birmingham Office.

The experience was designed to inspire and motivate students to pursue their interests and broaden their knowledge and opportunities available to them n

NEWS

We are proud to bring you news of our innovative ‘Raising Aspirations’ programme, a whole-Academy initiative, running from Year 7 through to post-16 and designed to encourage students to consider their future careers and ambitions, linked to their academic choices. Students are provided with extensive opportunities to visit businesses and universities and receive regular assemblies and workshops on possible career choices, often presented by industry experts, business professionals and undergraduates. The programme underpins the Academy’s commitment to ensuring that all students leave school as confident, articulate and aspirational young people, fully prepared for life and work in the 21st century, having realised their potential and achieved their academic and personal ambitions. n

Creative Skills Year 7 students participated in four workshops in dance, drama, art and music led by professional artists. The workshops explored the skills students need to succeed in the creative industries, as well as looking at generic employable characteristics which they could apply to any career they hope to go into in the future. In particular, the workshops inspired many students to pursue their interests in the creative arts and a lot of fun was had by all n

NBA leads the way for young people in Birmingham Three of our students showed huge passion, interest and determination to helping bring about social change for young people in Birmingham and competed in the Sutton and Erdington UK Youth Parliament elections that ran during February. Congratulations to Jawaad Ashra who was successful in the election and is now a Member of Youth Parliament (MYP), a prestigious role in the voice and power of young people n

fusion of Inspiring day at the Foreign A science and and Commonwealth Office technology Our Year 9 students enjoyed a privileged trip to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in Whitehall, London. The FCO is responsible for promoting British interests overseas and supporting citizens and businesses around the globe. During the trip, students met with several members of the Cabinet and distinguished foreign ambassadors. Students took part in discussions with politicians and members of the civil service, questioning them on current issues and their involvement in the running of our country and international relations. They also generated lively discussion with MP David Milliband, expressing their views on politics and developing the country n

A meeting of mathematical minds A group of Gifted and Talented Year 8 students were selected to compete in challenging their mathematical ability in July. Congratulations, in particular, to Riley and Zewar who were teamed with two students from Kingsbury and declared as overall winners, taking home first prize n

A group of our Year 8 and 9 students were selected to take part in a science and technology day at City College, Birmingham as part of our Gifted and Talented Programme. Our talented students joined forces with other schools, competing against each other in a number of exciting and innovative challenges, including bridge and robot building, creating an engine and using LED’s to make a self righting buoy.

Teams gained points for their team work, effort, planning and success.

The day enabled NBA students to meet with other Gifted and Talented students and also furthered their understanding of science and technology, exposing a relevant connection between the two subject areas n

North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW 2012

For your chance to find out more about the exciting developments taking place at NBA, we invite you to visit us during our open event season.

Please contact Mrs A McNair on 0121 373 1647 or amcnair@nbacademy.org.uk to arrange a personal tour.

Success and ambition

Sports round up

Post-16 at NBA: a future without limits

Our students continue to participate in, and benefit from, the wide range of extracurricular clubs on offer at the Academy, including academic, social and sporting activities. Congratulations to all those who have taken part in competitions this year; it has been wonderful to see students dedicate their time with such enthusiasm, passion and commitment n

Battle of CHAMPIONS Every year our Academy football teams take part in the District Cup. This year, our Year 9 team managed to battle their way to the final, to compete against Bishop Walsh. Unfortunately, the team were narrowly defeated 3-1, but displayed outstanding teamwork and determination throughout the tournament.

Our Year 10 team however, emerged triumphant, beating Bishop Walsh 2-0 in the final and securing their Championship title. Congratulations to both teams n

Smashing play Well done to students who competed in the E-ACT table tennis competition in Sheffield; our Year 7 girls and Year 10 boys each received gold medals for their success in doubles, whilst our Year 8 players took home silver for their performance in singles matches.

Overall the NBA team came 6th out of the nine competing Academies, and as always, the entire team displayed impressive court conduct, great teamwork and commendable enthusiasm. It was wonderful to see such a high standard of table tennis so congratulations to all players n

Our post-16 students have been actively involved in supporting younger students with their learning and revising. They have demonstrated their willingness to support the Academy and their commitment to boosting their personal statements for future university places and job applications. Their involvement has had a positive impact on helping teaching staff and students in Key Stages 3 and 4 and has encouraged our Sixth Formers to share their knowledge and understanding of topics.

Our post-16 offers an innovative and challenging curriculum, complemented by a full Careers Advice Programme with personalised support and guidance. Our extensive partnerships with prestigious organisations and educational institutions adds to their rich experience.

For more information about what post-16 at NBA can offer, please contact Mrs Forder at aforder@nbacademy.org.uk n

“The post-16 offer at NBA makes a strong contribution to students’ confidence and cultural awareness.”

Ofsted May 2012

World Record Breakers

NBA perform for local partners

At the end of March, three students in Year 7 joined forces with Greenholm Primary School to support Greenholm’s successful attempt at breaking the world record for the most people taking part in a Thai Boxing training session at any one time. Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Len Gregory, along with other local VIPs, was there to personally congratulate the students, staff and parents who took part n

Some of our most talented musicians were invited to perform a set to open the West Midlands Local Policing Units annual awards ceremony in the summer term.

Autumn TERM 2012 Monday 3 September – Friday 21 December Staff training: Monday 3 September, Friday 19 October and Friday 21 December

Students conducted themselves professionally and the performance was exceptional; an excellent showcase of the talent NBA boasts. A huge well done to the students involved and thanks to the West Midlands Local Policing Unit for giving us such a warm welcome n

Half Term: Monday 22 October – Friday 26 October

Christmas Holiday: Monday 24 December – Friday 4 January For more calendar dates visit our website www.nbacademy.org.uk

2012 Open Events for prospective parents North Birmingham Academy ANNUAL REVIEW 2012

Open Mornings 9.40-10.40am Thursday 13 September Thursday 20 September

NORTH BIRMINGHAM ACADEMY

ANNUAL REVIEW CELEBRATING SUCCESS AND INNOVATION

SEPTEMBER 2011

Welcome from the Principal Welcome to our Annual Review, a yearly celebration of the academy community’s achievements, progress and successes. In particular, we are delighted to announce three pieces of good news: very positive feedback from Ofsted following their visit in May and excellent GCSE and A level results, details of which can be found on this page.

Alongside good results, we pride ourselves on the unique opportunities we offer our students to excel in their individual talents and interests. This year not only have our students showcased their artistic talent at our Summer Art Exhibition and Arts Week, they have visited universities and museums, been involved in, and won, the E-ACT Olympics, and taken an increasingly active role both in the academy community and in the wider local community. Students have been very active as part of our Student Voice, as peer mentors and as lesson observers.

With the support of our partnerships with parents, local primary schools, businesses and external agencies, North Birmingham Academy looks forward to another year even more triumphant than the last. We hope you enjoy reading about our many highlights.

Mrs K L Popratnjak Principal

OFSTED PRAISE We are delighted to announce that Ofsted inspectors, who visited the academy in May, recognised the excellent progress that has been made since the academy opened in January 2010. We are determined to build on the successes achieved to date and to continue to support our students to excel beyond expectations within a positive, challenging and caring environment.

Here are some of the highlights from the report:

“The curriculum effectively meets the needs of the students, including those in the sixth form, and promotes increasingly high aspirations” “The academy provides excellent support, guidance and care for students” “Current attendance is high and this is consistent across all year groups” “The quality of teaching has improved steadily since the academy opened”

A WARM WELCOME FOR NEW YEAR 7S Following the success of our annual Friendship Day in the spring term, we welcomed prospective pupils and parents into our vibrant and innovative academy for our Induction Day. Throughout the day our future students took part in interactive ‘taster’ sessions including cookery, PE, drama, dance and science and also met their future teachers and made new friends. They also enjoyed a stunning Bhangra dance performance from our current Year 7 students as well as a hearty brunch and lunch in our modern dining hall.

In addition, a group of our staff and students visited several local primary schools to give a presentation about moving from primary to secondary school. This helps to prepare pupils for the change, and means that the new students will recognise familiar faces when they start their educational journey at North Birmingham Academy.

A team of sixth form students have been trained as peer mentors for our younger students. They are playing an important role in helping new Year 7s settle into academy life by offering support, advice and by being available to answer questions.

“The longer lessons which the academy has recently introduced are a key element in accelerating progress”

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF

AMAZING Exam Success GCSE students gained a remarkable 94% A*-C overall, an increase of 25 percentage points in just two years. The number of students achieving 5+ A*-C including English and Maths has also gone up to 43%, an impressive increase of 14 percentage points since the Academy opened; hitting and exceeding government targets.

Furthermore, the first group of students to complete their A Levels at NBA achieved an overall pass rate of 91% with many gaining As and A*s. Every student who applied to university has been offered a place.

NEWSFLASH: 2011 RESULTS 94% A*-C GCSE passes 91% A Level pass rate 100% of students who applied for university gained a place

OPEN EVENTs for year 6 families Prospective families are invited to one of our open events to find out more about the academy and how we can help your child reach his or her full potential.

Open evening 2011

Thursday 22 September 6.00–8.00pm

Open mornings 2011

Monday 26 September and Wednesday 28 September 9.40–11.00am

OPEN DOOR

Contact the Academy Office to make an appointment.

TEL 0121 373 1647 FAX 0121 382 2707

EMAIL enquiry@nbacademy.org.uk WEB www.nbacademy.org.uk

INNOVATION AND EXCELLENCE

A TASTE OF UNIVERSITY LIFE

SIXTH FORM DEVELOPMENTS

LEARNING DETECTIVES In July the academy’s Learning Detectives, students who have been trained to observe lessons and give teachers confidential feedback, visited Birmingham’s Millennium Point to celebrate the end of the first year of the Learning Detective project.

Learning Detectives – giving students a say in their classroom learning Through a range of science and technology workshops students explored how the use of ICT supports forensic investigations. They demonstrated their excellent teamwork and leadership skills working together to control Lego robots and programming them to complete a number of challenges.

Following our excellent A level results, we are delighted to announce that we have added three new courses to our extensive and popular post-16 offer. These are: A Level Business Studies, BTEC Sport and BTEC Business Studies.

Year 10 students got an insight into university life when they visited Aston University in Birmingham and Keele University in Staffordshire. They toured the university campuses and facilities, attended lectures and also had the opportunity to speak to university under-graduates to find out more about studying at university. Students who visited Keele also had the privilege of watching a graduation ceremony which really inspired them. The students all commented on how informative and motivational the visits were.

In addition to developing our post-16 centre, we are also introducing a fast stream for our gifted and talented students. This will allow those students who are ready to start AS levels in key subjects as early as Year 11.

In the future we anticipate developing and packaging our post-16 courses and linking them to career pathways which are in demand in the working world. We are also nurturing and developing links with local and regional businesses so that students benefit from high quality and relevant work experience alongside their studies and leave NBA with the right skills, experience and knowledge to achieve success in an increasingly competitive and fast-paced world.

TOMORROW’S LEADERS The academy’s Student Voice is an important vehicle for the development of teamwork, leadership and presentation skills which are all essential for life and work in the 21st century. In the past year members of the Student Voice have shown particular dedication, determination and resourcefulness and their work is having a big impact on academy life.

Student Voice – giving students opportunities to develop their leadership and teamwork skills Working on their own initiative, they have successfully negotiated with the dining hall staff to serve healthy homemade hamburgers and wraps at lunchtime. They have also worked with our Every Child Matters Team to launch the ‘talk2ateen’ initiative, a peer mentoring and anti-bullying service which is provided by trained sixth form students. The Student Voice wrapped up the year with a confident and professional presentation of their work to the academy’s governing body, a big achievement and testament to their leadership, presentation and teamwork skills.

TEAM ADVENTURE AT ACKERS A group of students spent an energetic and exciting day at Ackers Adventure Centre. The students bonded and made new friends with peers from Bordesley Green Girls’ and Small Heath schools as they took part in team building exercises, canoeing and other adrenalin fuelled outdoor activities. The day is part of a rolling programme that develops our students’ negotiation and teamwork skills, builds confidence and introduces them to new friends and a range of interesting activities.

A Level Students Shine at NBA

A group of students recently visited the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool which highlights the international importance of slavery, both in a historic and contemporary context. Located on Liverpool’s Albert Dock, it is only yards away from the dry docks where 18th century slave trading ships were repaired and fitted out.

The visit was the high point of a project that saw the students learning about their personal identity and how this has been shaped by society, history and culture.

While at the museum the students carried out a research project on the development of slavery and its dramatic influence on the communities it touched. Their final report will count towards their Asdan Award.

The highlight of the day was when the students had their DNA traced. Using special technology at the museum, each participant was given their own DNA map showing where their ancestors came from. The maps demonstrated to the students that in spite of what we may look like, we are all, in fact, truly multi-cultural. The students gained a greater awareness and understanding of the legacy of slavery today.

We are absolutely delighted with the achievements of our sixth formers. All have done exceptionally well and in particular, our stars are: Monika Kolodynska – One A* and three As. Monika is going to study Criminology at Wolverhampton University.

Danielle Francis – One A*, two As and a B. Danielle is going to study Media and Production at Derby University.

Conor Coley – one A*, two As and a B. Conor is going to study Performing Arts at the University of Wolverhampton.

Natalie Regan – Two As, two Bs and an A* in an extension paper. Natalie is going to study Nursing at Coventry University.

Sanya Schafiq – One A*, two As as well as a C at AS Level. Sanya is going to study Media at the University of Leicester.

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF

CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

THE LANGUAGE OF LEARNING A trip to Birmingham’s oldest cinema brought French and Spanish language students’ learning to life. The students watched “The Choir” in French and “Valentin” in Spanish in the luxuriously restored 1930s Art Deco Electric Cinema.The films gave the students an opportunity to put their foreign language skills into practice whilst also giving them an insight into French and Spanish cultures. Film buff and cinema manager, Sam Bishop, gave them a tour about the history of the Electric Cinema and also showed them how the film projection equipment works.

CREATIVITY AND COMMUNITY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PARENTS

NBA IN THE COMMUNITY…

Our second community open morning was a huge success. Parents from local primary schools and those whose children will be joining the academy this term joined us for coffee and an informal chat with staff, students and external agencies that we work closely with. It was a constructive morning with parents networking with each other and with academy staff. They found out more about how we work in partnership with parents to nurture and develop the individual gifts, talents and interests of each and every NBA student.

The academy hosts lots of workshops and activities for parents including a sign language workshop every Friday, from 2 to 3pm during term time. Look out for more information on upcoming courses, events and more in future newsletters and on the academy website www.nbacademy.org.uk.

SUMMER ART EXHIBITION Students, parents and the local community flocked to the academy’s art exhibition – an annual showcase of inspirational and creative art. From Year 7’s handmade shoes to Year 9’s cactus printmaking and Year 11’s under the sea themed artwork, the well attended exhibition showcased the talent of our students and is sure to become a feature of the local arts circuit in years to come.

The exhibition was also a unique opportunity for students thinking about pursuing art at GCSE, BTEC or university level as it gave them a real insight into the kind of challenging and creative projects they might work on. Art department staff and students were also on hand to give advice and information about studying art.

COMMUNITY INSPIRED ART During the summer term, Year 7, 8 and 9 students took part in Arts Week, an annual showcase and celebration of the strengths and successes of the arts at North Birmingham Academy. This year the theme of the week was ‘Community Matters’ and all lessons focused on elements of community or folk based art, drama and performance.

Students enjoyed workshops in contemporary dance, Indian Dhol drumming, spray paint art and they also devised a piece of drama in collaboration with pupils from Hawthorn Primary School and the Round Midnight Theatre Company.

There were also performances from a guitar group, NBA choir and several staff performances including an amazing rock and roll number, a Grease sing-a-long, and a few small sketches from the drama staff.

GLASTONPERRY 2011 Academy students played leading roles at ‘GlastonPerry’, a festival run by Perry Common Junior and Infant School.

Our students manned an information stall about the academy and wowed audiences with their music and dancing talents. Stunning guitar and singing performances, a selection of songs from our popular production of the musical ‘Hairspray’ and an impressive routine from our dance act Pressurized showcased the talent of our students.

KINGSFEST 2011 As part of Kingsfest, we held our very own Family Fun Day in July. A broad range of fun activities for children, parents and the whole community included face-painting, a donkey derby, battles in sumo suits and knightly jousting.

The well attended exhibition showcased the talent of our students A superbly produced evening performance was the culmination of the week long project.

Our dancers were sensational and impressed the audience with their contemporary pieces and the Dhol drummers made an impact with their vibrant and rhythmic performance and got everyone’s feet tapping. The spray painted backdrop for the stage wowed onlookers and gave a thought provoking and different perspective to graffiti as a form of art.

A massive thank you and congratulations to pupils of Hawthorn Primary School who delivered a fantastic drama piece in collaboration with Round Midnight Theatre Company.

Miss Dawson, Director of Arts, said: “The whole week and evening performance were a fantastic success, and the whole Arts team worked together to produce a brilliant show”.

An annual showcase and celebration of the strengths and successes of the arts at North Birmingham Academy North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF

NBA is committed to playing a strong role in our local community. Our growing relationships with local primary schools, businesses and other education organisations are an essential part of our future success. Here are some highlights of just a few of the community based activities our students have been involved in.

PRIMARY PREMIERESHIP In July, the academy hosted a football tournament for pupils from Hawthorn, Kingsthorne, Kings Rise and Twickenham primary schools. All matches were keenly contested with academy students on hand to ensure the tournament ran smoothly.

ON DISPLAY Five Year 12 students were honoured to have their artwork displayed in Perry Common Community Hall. Each talented student designed and produced a stunning, large scale piece of bunting based on the theme ’community’ for Witton Lodge Community Centre during the Kings Fest celebrations.

BUDDING SCIENTISTS As part of our commitment to sharing our expertise and facilities with local primary schools, Year 5 pupils from Perry Common, Hawthorn and Twickenham primary schools took part in a day of science lessons and experiments at the academy. The pupils had a fantastic time learning how to use the equipment in our science labs and took part in lots of exciting experiments.

INSPIRATION AND SUCCESS

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YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS LAUNCH ENTERPRISING INITIATIVE

RECYCOOL

Three entrepreneurial students from North Birmingham Academy have received a £1,000 award from youth charity, The Prince’s Trust, to benefit our local community. The Community Cash Award is being used to fund an innovative project called ‘Future Cars’ which the students have launched to provide local young people with essential skills in motor mechanics over the summer holidays.

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our recycling programme since it started in December 2010. The project diverts products from landfill and raises funds for the academy, so please carry on sending your old CDs, mobile phones and toner cartridges to Mr Gifford.

ATHLETIC PROWESS

The students developed the concept of ‘Future Cars’ during a Dragon’s Den style project, which was run by Ernst and Young. Tasked with coming up with an idea and a business plan for a project that would engage and benefit their local community, the students presented their idea of ‘Future Cars’ to a panel of judges who were so impressed with the students’ plans that they decided to fund the project.

The team has subsequently implemented their business plan, negotiated with suppliers on prices and planned the organisation and delivery of the workshops.

Ten students who recently took part in the initial workshops came away with a number of fundamental skills including how to change a tyre, how to check oil and water and the difference between petrol and diesel engines. The students had a brilliant time and gained key skills from their experience.

The young entrepreneurs are very keen to continue to develop this fantastic project and are planning to extend the programme in 2012 to offer a wider range of courses in the field of motor mechanics and to open it up to the local community so that more people can benefit.

OLYMPIC TRIUMPH North Birmingham Academy triumphed over more than 1700 students from 11 E-ACT academies in winning the ‘E-ACT Olympics’ at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium. Olympic swimming champion Chris Cook and Olympic veteran David Moorcroft attended the event to cheer on student competitors from across England in a day of track and field events.

In the summer term, students participated in the academy’s annual Sports Day at Alexander Stadium. Each form had to select their best athletes to compete in numerous track and field events. The competition for all events was to a high standard with many records being broken. With the competition so fierce, the overall form winners are rightly proud of their achievements. We were extremely privileged to have UK U20 athlete Adam Cotton present the medals and trophies.

The competition for all events was to a high standard with many records being broken

E-ACT Director General, Sir Bruce Liddington said: “This is the strength of our chain of academies in action. Students from our academies have come together to enjoy a world-class sporting event ahead of the 2012 Olympics. They mingled with real Olympians and enjoyed a truly memorable and inspirational experience.”

NBA triumphed over more than 1700 students from 11 E-ACT academies to win the ‘E-ACT Olympics’ Young entrepreneurs Mariam Ali, Omar Buchanan and Tashara Cowell

“Future Cars is a fantastic project that we hope will benefit the local community of North Birmingham Academy for many years to come.”

Students from Leeds, Oldham, Cheshire, London, Birmingham, Lincolnshire and Sheffield took part in the athletics meeting.

The opening event in Birmingham is one of five ‘E-ACT Olympic’ events taking place in the next twelve months. The next event is a rowing competition in October.

The students had a brilliant day out and we are immensely proud of their sporting success. We look forward to seeing some of our young stars in the 2016 Olympics.

Christine Sutcliffe, Programme Executive for The Prince’s Trust

Artist’s impressions of the new building

NEW BUILD UPDATE During the summer construction of the academy’s state-of-the-art new buildings began and we are on track to move into the brand new facilities in February 2013.

The new buildings will support us further in achieving our aim of becoming one of the best educational establishments in Birmingham, based at the heart of our community, offering high quality, rigorous education for all.

Autumn Term 2011

Spring Term 2012

Summer Term 2012

1 SEPTEMBER – 15 DECEMBER STAFF TRAINING: 01 – 02 SEPTEMBER and 21 OCTOBER HALF TERM: 24 – 28 OCTOBER CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY: 16 DECEMBER – 03 JANUARY

4 JANUARY – 30 MARCH STAFF TRAINING: 10 February and 30 March HALF TERM: 13 – 17 FEBRUARY EASTER HOLIDAY: 02 – 13 APRIL

16 APRIL – 20 JULY BANK HOLIDAY: 07 MAY HALF TERM: 04 – 08 JUNE

North Birmingham Academy 395 College Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B44 0HF