A massive thank you to pupils, families and staff for their support for our Birmingham Children's fundraiser, 'Coin Trails'. Each year group worked together in teams to lay coins in 'trails'. The year group with the longest 'trail' was Y1 with a whopping 218m trail. They will celebrate in style with a 'class party'. The total amount raised was a massive £850.57!

Budding scientists from Years 4, 5, and 6 took part in an exciting day of discovery and innovation at the SciENGINEERING Showcase held at Millennium Point. From sail engineering for top boating teams to robotic dogs and cutting-edge tech, students explored the wonders of science and engineering through hands-on activities and inspiring exhibits. We had an amazing time!

Chef Ben, from The School Food Showdown, led an action-packed workshop today for our primary pupils. The red and green teams went head-to- head for the most votes from the audience. The workshop inspired healthy eating and pupils participation in cooking.

A walk to the riverside to end our day

Mr Swift’s group has had a busy couple of days: gorge walking, sightseeing and climbing 🚶‍➡️

Miss Fowler’s group had a great morning canoeing and swimming in the canal

Mr McFarland’s group ready to start rock climbing!

Great teamwork and balance shown on the low ropes!

Miss Hughes’ group had a great time abseiling, climbing hills and scrambling to squeeze through rocks

A day of climbing for Miss Fowler's group 🏔️ 🧗

Another group have spent an action-packed afternoon gorge walking

Wilderness challenge - shelters built! 

Making a splash on our arrival at Brynty. 

Year 6 have arrived at Bryntysilio and have eaten ready for their first activity.

The auditorium at Millennium Point was once again filled with excitement and pride as the third annual Matrix Pupil Awards Ceremony took place. Now a firmly established tradition, the event recognised outstanding academic achievements across all our schools while celebrating the unique talents and character of each of our pupils.

The evening was opened by CEO Lynsey Draycott, with Headteachers from across the trust taking to the stage to present awards to their proud pupils. Among the honours were five standout titles: Most Creative, Most Resilient, Most Selfless, Continuous Improver, and Most Enthusiastic — each highlighting the remarkable qualities shown by pupils throughout the year.

The ceremony also featured captivating performances from pupils who triumphed in our trust-wide talent competition. Their musical skills added an unforgettable touch to the evening and demonstrated the breadth of talent within our schools.

Special recognition was also given to pupils involved in our Combined Cadet Force and those who successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, celebrating their commitment, resilience, and leadership beyond the classroom.

The awards were presented by our Chair of Trustees, Sir Mark Aspinall. A big thank you to our special guest Beth who gave some very inspiring words.

A heartfelt thank you and congratulations to all of our award winners, performers, dedicated staff, trustees, parents and carers who made the evening such a success. A highlight video will be posted shortly.

On Thursday Bloxwich Academy Primary celebrate the 80th anniversary of VE day by wearing red, white and blue. The children were welcomed into school with WWII music and then took part in an assembly where they shared videos, learning, letters from veterans and songs from the decade. The assembly finished with the children sharing together the song 'We'll meet again' by Vera Lynn, a song that the children have been learning over the past few days. At lunchtime, our halls were filled with music and a 'street party' style theme. Today Bloxwich Academy Primary celebrate and remember.  

We are thrilled to celebrate the incredible success of our very first Trust-wide Spelling Bee – a vibrant event that brought together pupils from all our schools, in a showcase of linguistic talent, nerves of steel, and community spirit.

Over 40 brilliant spellers from Key Stages 2 and 3 took to the stage, each tackling an impressive word list of more than 150 challenging entries. From phosphorescent to megalomaniac, cantankerous, chihuahua, frittata, and hieroglyphics, the competition tested not only vocabulary but also memory, focus, and composure under pressure.

The atmosphere was electric, with supporters gripped from start to finish, watching each round unfold on the edge of their seats. In an extraordinary finish, two winners were crowned – a testament to just how high the standard was. Huge congratulations to our co-champions: one from Etone College and the other from Bloxwich Academy Primary.

Both of them had to complete the tie breaker, spelling as accurately as possible a fearsome word which they had not been told in advance: ANTIDISESTABLISHMENTARIANISM. Both of them spelled it correctly!

This inaugural event marks the beginning of what we expect to become a favourite in the Matrix events calendar. A huge thank you to all the pupils, staff and supporters who made this possible. We’re already looking forward to next year’s Spelling Bee!

With warmer weather expected over the next few days, we’d like to remind you of a few important steps to help keep our pupils safe and comfortable at school:

• Sun Cream: Please apply a high-factor, long-lasting sun cream to your child before they come to school each morning. Staff are unable to apply sun cream during the day, so we recommend using an all-day formula where possible.
• Sun Hats and Headwear: We encourage all children to bring a named sun hat or cap to school to protect them during outdoor activities and playtimes.
• School Uniform: Pupils are welcome to wear their summer uniform – including short-sleeved shirts, summer dresses, or plain black, non-logo shorts. Please ensure your child is dressed in light, breathable clothing that adheres to our uniform policy.
• Hydration: All children will be supplied with a school water bottle to ensure they have access to water throughout the day, as and when needed. This supports our commitment to staying hydrated and maintaining our Healthy Schools status.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep our school community safe and comfortable during the warmer weather.

In September, Milo completed the Combat Stress Cycle September challenge, choosing to complete a 250KM cycle ride to raise funds for veterans facing mental health struggles. Combat Stress is the UK's leading charity for veterans' mental health. For over a century, they've helped former servicemen and women deal with issues like trauma, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Today, they provide support to veterans from every service and every conflict.

Milo comes from a proud military family. His dad served 10 years with the Royal Engineers and now continues his service with the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers Reserve, often away on duty. His mum works with Op Courage, supporting veterans with their mental health. Inspired by their commitment,

Following his fundraising achievements Milo was recently invited to an evening reception in London to celebrate amazing fundraisers and volunteers.  Well done Milo we are all very proud of your achievements.