End of Term Message from our Head of School

As we end the term I would like to thank our students and staff for their fantastic commitment, teamwork, and energy. I wish to thank the parents, carers, and members of the community for the outstanding support provided to the Academy. We are proud to serve and support our community. We announced last week that the merger with The Mercian Trust has now been approved and we look forward to joining a like-minded Trust that is committed to improving opportunities and outcomes for young people. If you are interested in supporting the Academy we have a vacancy for a Parent Governor, we’ll publish details on our website in the new year.

In line with government guidance, we strongly encourage students to attend the Academy for one on-site COVID-19 test before the start of term in January. A link will be sent out to book your child’s testing slot on either Tuesday or Wednesday (Year 11 must book on Tuesday only).

Every week we loan out ties, cravats, and other items of Business Dress to those students who have forgotten something, if you child has borrowed an item, please ensure that it is returned next week.

This term we say farewell and wish good luck to Mr Ken Cresswell, our long-standing caretaker who leaves at Christmas. He has been a great asset to Q3 Academy Great Barr, and we wish him a long and happy retirement. We have also said goodbye to Ms Witton our fantastic librarian.

I have been especially pleased with our new Year 7 students who have settled into Academy life very well. Our Year 11 and 13 students are now focusing on approaching examinations, and if they work steadily they can approach the Spring term with confidence and they need not worry too much.  

One event really seems to mark the beginning of Christmas at the Academy; the Performing Arts Pantomime ‘Robin Hood and her Merry Women’. This wonderful event shows that we are genuinely rooted in our community, and that we are all the stronger for it. Continuing the community theme, staff and students will be supporting Christmas Jumper Day on Friday 10th December, with all proceeds going to Helping Hands. This charity is dedicated to the less fortunate and vulnerable, with an aim to eradicate homelessness in Birmingham. If students do not want to wear a jumper they can decorate their Business Dress with something Christmassy, donations will be accepted through ParentPay to support this worthy cause.  

The Academy will close for the Christmas holidays at 12:35pm on Friday 10th December and re-open for Year 11 students on Wednesday 5th January 2022, and on Thursday 6th January 2022 for all other Year Groups. 

Your child’s Personal Tutor is your first point of contact for all enquiries, and we would ask that you contact them by email. Please only contact the Academy by telephone if reporting your child’s absence to the Academy, this must be done by telephone call from a legal guardian of the child, and cannot be reported by email (choose option 1 when calling us on 0121 358 6186). 

As a polite reminder, parents/carers visiting the Academy will only be seen where they have a pre-booked appointment with a member of staff. Please do not enter the Academy site if you do not have an appointment or if you are feeling unwell; we will be unable to accommodate requests without notice. 

A reminder that our Twitter (@q3academy) and Facebook (Q3 Academy Great Barr) accounts are updated regularly with all events, news stories and information from the Academy, including action to take during adverse weather conditions. Don’t forget all of our publications are available online. 

Please find below a summary of important dates, these are subject to change, so please do check our website ahead of making plans. Term dates can be found here.

• Christmas Pantomime – Tuesday 7th and Wednesday 8th December 2021  
• Christmas Jumper Day – Friday 10th December 2018
• Christmas Holidays – Monday 13th December 2021 – Wednesday 5th January 2022
• InSET Day – Tuesday 4th January 2022 (Academy closed to all students)
• Parents’ Consultation Evening – Year 11 – Monday 10th January 2022
• Parents’ Consultation Evening – Year 7 – Monday  24th January 2022
• Parents’ Consultation Evening – Year 8 – Monday 7th February 2022
• Bright Stars – KS4 & 5 – Thursday 17th February 2022
• Half Term – Monday 21st February – Friday 25th February 2022
• Year 11 and Year 13 Mock Exams – Monday 28th February – Friday 11th March 2022
• Year 9 Pathways’ Evening – Monday 7th March 2022
• Year 12 Parents’ UCAS Evening – Monday 7th March 2022
• Parents’ Consultation Evening – Year 10 – Monday 28th March 2022
• InSET Day – Friday 8th April 2022 (Academy closed to all students)
• Easter Holidays – Monday 11th April – Friday 24th April 2022

Spring Term 2022

Tuesday 4th January 2022 – Friday 8th April 2022

(Tuesday 4th January 2022 and Friday 8th April 2022 are InSET Days and we are closed to students)

Half Term: Monday 21st February – Monday 25th February 2022

Easter Holidays: Monday 11th April – Friday 22nd April 2022

Summer Term 2022

Monday 25th April 2022 – Thursday 28th July 2022

May Day Bank Holiday: Monday 2nd May 2022

Half Term: Monday 30th May – Friday 3rd June 2022

(Friday 1st July 2022 is an InSET DAY and we are closed to students)

Summer Holidays: Friday 29th July 2022 – TBC

 

Please be aware that on occasion, dates may need to alter slightly, and we will endeavour to notify you in good time should this happen.

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

 

Mr M Arnull
Head of School

This letter is available in pdf format, available here.