As part of Children’s Mental Health Week all remote learning activities on Friday will be away from computer screens. Your child’s teachers have designed a wide range of creative learning activities that can be undertaken from home without pupils having to be sat at their device all day.

Pupils should only sign into Teams for their registration period, to access the booklet and then submit photographs of their work.

Pupils should choose a minimum of three different activities that they can complete either independently or as a family. We would advise planning your activities today so that you can gather any materials or ingredients that you may need before tomorrow.

When all the creative learning activities chosen have been completed and photographed, the work can be uploaded and submitted to the form tutor in Teams. (Guidance of how to do this is on page 2 of the booklet). Pupils that show excellent effort will be awarded House Points for their respective house.

We hope that everyone enjoys a day of fun and creativity that supports their physical and mental wellbeing and we look forward to seeing some fantastic work.

To support pupils with their ongoing remote learning, Bloxwich Secondary are offering a range of stationery and equipment for learning, as well as sanitary products and mindfulness activities. Pupils or their parents/guardians can attend school to collect these items between 9am and 2:30 pm on Friday 5th February. This will take place during ‘Screen Free Friday’ where pupils will complete learning activities that do not require an electronic device. This is part of our ongoing effort to support our pupils physical and mental health.  

This week is National Children’s Mental Health week and this year’s theme is Express yourself! We would love to see how you all express yourselves whether it be through art, story writing or singing. Upload pictures/videos or stories to your teachers on teams and let them know it’s for Children’s Mental Health Week. Pupils will be taking part in activities during PSHE and Form Time throughout the week.

The latest statistics show that 1 in 10 children have a diagnosable mental illness. However, in these trying times, it’s understandable that most children are feeling the pressures. Things like mood swings, being low and problems with behaviour is to be expected. 

Thursday 4th February is Time to Talk Day. On this day, we would like for you to spend some time talking to each other about anything and everything. 

If you would like any more information about Children’s Mental Health week or resources to use at home, please visit https://www.childrensmentalhealthweek.org.uk/

If you have any concerns about your child’s mental health, please contact the school for further advice. 

Keeping our minds healthy and active. Device Free Challenges.

Challenge 2

The Big Garden Birdwatch

Pupils are to sign up to the RSPB website HERE. Spend an hour counting the birds you see in your garden and then tell us what you saw.

Take the ‘which Garden Bird are you’ quiz HERE.

Did you know?

Kestrels have remarkably keen eyesight even in extremely poor light, allowing them to hunt almost until dark.

Owls can rotate their necks 270 degrees.

Challenge 1

Following Christmas, Britain sees a significant increase in the use of plastics which have a big impact on our environment and global warming.

Create an under the sea display using plastic waste from around your house.  You could also make a jelly fish, crab and fish from plastics and other wastes.  Make a display explaining the impacts of plastic waste on the oceans.

Facts about Plastic

• On a yearly basis, around 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in our oceans, seas and rivers.
• It takes approximately 450 years for the ocean to break down man-made plastic items.
• “Microplastics” – A smaller piece of plastic. These microplastics have now made their way into our diets through the sea food we consume.
• 100 million marine animals die every year from plastics invading their homes.
• By the year 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

This term’s training has continued under some very challenging circumstances but this has not deflated the enthusiasm of the cadets and staff at Bloxwich Academy. The recent recruitment drive has seen many Year 8 pupils sign up to the cadet programme to enhance their skills. The section now stands at a massive 60 cadets. The training that has been undertaken is getting the new cadets ready for their part 1 assessment that will be conducted early next year.

Again, a round of promotions has been conducted and the squadron now has enough middle management and officers so that the squadron has three flights contained within it. The Contingent Commander has to keep reminding himself that they are not troop formations (that’s what flights are called in the army). The Contingent Commander takes great pride in seeing the cadets run their own unit in such a short period of time.

The CCF is open to pupils of the school once they reach Year 8. Some Year 7 pupils are already trying to secure places on next September’s intake.Upda

The Contingent Commander, Officers, SSI and cadets wish you all a very Merry Christmas and thank you for your continued support.

Our newly formed Sixth Form Council have now elected their very first President and Vice President. The student council members were encouraged to put themselves forward for the two leadership roles and after giving speeches about why they thought they would make a good council President/Vice President, the election went to a student vote.

Huge congratulations to M Nyatanga (President) and E Julailati (Vice President) who will lead our sixth form council for this academic year. Look out for our new sixth form blog and social media channels to keep up with what we’ll be getting up to this year. 

The rotation of athletics in PE is in full swing, with pupils rotating around different athletic disciplines of throwing, jumping and running. Pupils have built key skills, techniques and knowledge of pacing within long-distance running as well as sprinting and relay techniques for track events. Shot Put, Javelin, Discus and High jump have all been delivered to classes and pupils are showing high levels of progression with techniques becoming more refined in all athletic areas. It’s been fantastic to see pupils link different components of fitness with various athletics events, and therefore showing the development of key knowledge within PE.

Special mention in PE goes out to Lewis who beat Mr Seager (Headteacher) on the multi-stage fitness test (bleep test) by achieving a level of 14.8. A fantastic effort!

Lewis stated ‘I had no real competition from the boss on this occasion’

Prefects are a crucial aspect of the culture in Bloxwich Academy. Over the years the role has grown and has become well established in the school. This year, although the process has been delayed due to Covid-19, we have still followed the strict and professional application method for the pupils to become Prefects. Before lockdown, Year 10 pupils had to write a formal application letter to show their interest in becoming a Prefect. Over the lockdown period, we held the training session online, a first for Bloxwich Academy, and the pupils were put through their paces to understand the integral role required from each of them. Following the training, and the return to school, the pupils were given their ties and began their role within the school.

We would like to congratulate: L Bowyer, J Moseley, J Slater, H Rashidzada, L Dowen, M Erinayo, L Harris, E Instone, A Price, K Sears, M Spellman and R Scott.

The pupils have been responsible for being a role model and showing the younger pupils how to act around the Academy. More recently, the pupils nominated themselves for the role of a Senior Prefect. As part of the selection process, pupils were required to write a formal email and be interviewed by Miss Williamson, Head of House and Mr Chamberlain, Deputy Headteacher. The pupils showed their professionalism throughout and all interviewed and presented themselves to a high standard. The formal application, Prefect vote and the interview feedback were triangulated and the senior team was selected. Congratulations to S Nelson, M Rogan and K Swarnasingam for becoming Deputy Senior Prefects. A special mention and congratulations to G Hawkins, Head Girl and B Johnson, Head Boy.