End of Year Letter from Mr Arnull
As we draw the academic year to an end I want to first thank, on behalf of staff and governors, all students, parents, and carers for their hard-work and support.
Every year staff move on to develop their careers and we thank them for their work at Q3 Academy Great Barr, this year we say goodbye to Mrs Carrick, Miss Hanson, and Mrs Schwald-Samuel.
During the summer holidays, students have more free time and this can present more risks. The recent spell of good weather has tempted some people to swim in open water and sadly, young people lose their lives every year by misjudging the effect of cold water. Another risk is social media. Not everyone online is who they say they are and we have also seen how disagreements between young people can be escalated by others joining in group chats to provoke a reaction. Not all of these risks turn into actual problems; and if children never face any risks, they never learn how to deal with them. By helping your child understand what the risks are, you can play a big part in preventing them from turning into problems. A practical guide for parents and carers whose children are using social media is available here, as is advice from Sandwell Local Authority on the dangers of open water swimming here.
Recently we have had a number of malicious false fire alarms. Clearly, tampering with fire equipment is both highly disruptive and irresponsible and governors have agreed that any student who tampers with or sets off fire safety equipment will be sanctioned severely and repeat offenders’ risk permanent exclusion. The revised Positive Behaviour Policy will be available on our website ready for the start of the new term.
Towards the end of the summer break, I know many of you will be buying new Business Dress. This can be purchased from Uniforms Plus at Scott Arms, Great Barr or The School Uniform Merchant, 127 High Street, Tipton.
I particularly want to remind you that shoes should be black, preferably leather, and polishable. Trainers, ‘work- trainers’, boots (including ankle boots), suede shoes, and Dr Marten style shoes are not allowed. If you need any further clarification you will find our Business Dress policy is on our website, where you will also find clear guidance on acceptable jewellery and hairstyles. If your child is incorrectly dressed, they will usually be kept in isolation until they are wearing the correct Academy Business Dress.
We will welcome students back to the Academy at 8:45am on the following dates:
- Wednesday 7th September – Academy open to Year 7 only
- Thursday 8th September – Academy open to Years 7, 11, and 12 only
- Friday 9th September – Academy open to all Year Groups
Your child’s Personal Tutor is your first point of contact for any enquiries, so please contact them by email in the first instance. Please remember that staff are usually not available to see you at short notice, so to avoid disappointment or frustration, if you would like to see a member of staff then please book an appointment prior to attending the Academy.
To keep you well informed, we regularly add to the information available on our website. We also have regular updates on Twitter and on our Facebook page. Do continue to use our online platforms to provide us with any feedback you may have – your views are very important to us.
Our term dates for the academic year 2022-23 can be found here.
Please be aware that on occasion, dates may need to alter slightly, and we will endeavour to communicate this in good time should this happen.
Finally, I wish you a relaxing and enjoyable summer break.
Mr M Arnull
Head of School
A PDF version of this letter can be downloaded here.
