NewsletterSummer 2016

Sixth Form speak at The House of Lords Safarka aqalka odayaasha ee barlamaanka

There was a long wait until Fardowsa was called to speak. Fardowsa was the 8th speaker and if theassembly thought they might have the opportunity to relax, Fardowsa soon sparked their interest andmade them all sit up and take notice. Her opening statement was so energetic in its sentiment anddelivery that the VIPs present realised quickly that they were about to be treated to an insightful andinspiring speech.

Nine of our Year 12 and 13 studentstravelled to London to the House of Lordsfor the ‘Syeda Fatima Conference.’ Aftera long journey we arrived at the House ofLords not really knowing where we shouldbe - the place is simply huge. Afternavigating to the conference suite wewere pleased to have a moment or two totake in our surroundings before we weredue in the conference. Whilst waiting,Miss Taylor introduced herself to some ofthe other speakers and was overwhelmedto be chatting with several Peersincluding Baroness Sheehan and LordAhmed. As the event began Fardowsa wasaccompanied to the speaker’s table byMiss Taylor and Mr Mockbill.

Principals MessageThis time of year is one of my favourites, and not necessarily because thesummer holidays are upon us! Every year in July and August, I visit the new yearseven students in their homes. I am always humbled by the welcome I receiveand by the enthusiasm for education and the passion and commitment that thecommunity shows for the work we do here. It reminds me of why I became ateacher and why I love to work for this community. Thankyou for making me feel so welcome, and for your supportover the last year.Next year we will continue with our work to help everyonemake the most of their God given talents, raising ourstandards and expectations so that we can support yourchild on their journey to university. Together, we can makesure that your child is successful there and leads a happyand fulfilling life.

On Wednesday 9th March two Ark St Alban's Academy sixth formstudents visited the former Nazi concentration and death campAuschwitz-Birkenau in Poland as part of a project called the ‘LessonsFrom Auschwitz’ (LFA). The project is run by the HolocaustEducational Trust, a UK based charity which was established in 1988with the aim of educating young people from every backgroundabout the Holocaust and the important lessons to be learned for today.

As well as the one day visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau, the ‘Lessons FromAuschwitz’ project includes seminars which help students to preparefor the visit and later reflect on what they have learnt. The studentsthen become Ambassadors for LFA, completing a project of theirchoosing aimed at disseminating in their schools and communitiesthe lessons they have learned.

Year 13 student Samira Ali was one of the students who took part inthe project:

“One really important lesson I took from the visit was that the realperpetrators, in my opinion, were not the Nazis but the bystanders -the millions of German civilians whose quality of life had improvedunder the Nazi regime. They stayed silent because this way of life was

convenient for them - they knew what was going on, the atrocities at the camps, but they chose toremain silent. It taught me that we must stand up to injustice wherever it exists. The Nazi regime waspowerful and threatening - and people knew that they were being watched - but at the same time Ifeel like the German civilians had a responsibility to the Jews, as fellow Germans, to stand up for them- and not let themselves be divided by race. When you are silent it only helps the oppressor, so bystaying silent you are passively condoning it and that was one of the biggest lessons I learnt from thetrip.

“I didn't really know how to feel when I was at Auschwitz because it was really hard for me to put thefaces to the place because it felt so uninhabited - and it should stay that way. The walls are bare,everywhere is grey, the paint is peeling. There is such an eerie presence - an expanse of gloominess -there wasn't even a single bird. It's a place that's entirely deprived of life."

Samira has just taken her A levels and is hoping to study History at UCL or Warwick. Her ambition is tobecome a barrister.

Continued from Front PageOther speakers at the event included a Catholic priest, leaders of the Jewish Muslim women'snetwork (Nisa-Nashim), a survivor of a suicide bombing at a school in Pakistan where he sadly losthis brother, a researcher into the development of women in leadership, social activists andprominent leaders in Islam, all advocating the promotion of women in leadership positions.

Lessons from Auschwitz

We are very proud of our Year 13 students who were finalists in theMillennium Point Young Innovator Prize this summer. The prize sponsors aYear 13 student from the Midlands through an undergraduate degree atBirmingham City University's renowned Faculty of Computing, Engineeringand the Built Environment. Hassan Haji and Ahmed Ali-Sheikh deliveredtalks on the future of Birmingham and robots to a panel of judges fromMillennium Point and Birmingham City University. Their presentationswere interesting and informative and they stood up well to challengingquestions from the panel.

Whilst the prize went to another student both Hassan and Ahmedexpressed how much they had enjoyed the event, recognising the skills andconfidence developed during the application process and the competitionitself. Though not winners, judges were so impressed with theirpresentations that they have since been offered unconditional places onthe manufacturing engineering degree course next year - a huge bonuswhich certainly takes the pressure off, though we know they will stillachieve great A level results!

A group of 23 Year 9 Art students were involved in a Street ArtProject called 'Our Musical Routes' run by City of Colours (CIC). Eachgroup of students weregiven a song by aBirmingham based musicianand asked to create analbum sleeve thatrepresented their chosensong. Pupils’ work was then

exhibited alongside other schools and professional artists at theCity of Colours Festival which took place in Birmingham on the18th June.

Street Art Project

The BBC in the Mailbox opened its doors to a small number of Year 9 students from schools across thecity to raise awareness about how STEM subjects - science, technology, engineering and maths - areused in everyday work.

Students attended a variety of interactive workshops including the blue room, which showcases thevery best BBC technologies and innovations. Students met digital experts who showed them aroundand answered their many questions. Students got hands on opportunities and found out about themany different ways we can access the BBC digitally.

Students also met Rebecca Wood, one of theMidlands Today weather presenters who talkedabout her dream job and how she got there.Students were then able to go on camera andpresent the weather themselves - great fun!

Students learned a great deal about the vast array ofcareers in the world of TV, radio and journalism andhow STEM subjects are so important in this field.

Year 9 students explore the BBC

Young Innovator Prize

Chaplain’s messageDo all the good you can,By all the means you can,In all the ways you can,

In all the places you can,At all the times you can,

To all the people you can,As long as ever you can.

John Wesley (d. 1791)

Dates for your diary21/07/2016 to 07/09/2016 -

Summer Holidays

18/08/2016 - A Level Results Day

25/08/2016 - GCSE Results Dayand Sixth Form enrolment

05/09/2016 to 07/09/2016 -Academy Inset Days

08/09/2016 - First Day of Term

@ArkStAlbans

School meal price increaseA gentle reminder to parents, that schools meal will increase by£0.10 per main meals from 1st September 2016. Children whoreceive Free School Meals, this increase will automatically be

included in the allocation made.

Your child would have received a letter going into more detailabout this.

Big Jim, engineer of the OvalExpress says: "We blew off acylinder head an hour after leavingthe station and had to continue thetrip at three-fifths of the formerspeed, which brought us in twohours late. If the accident had occurred fifty miles farther on, thetrain would have arrived forty minutes sooner".

How long was the run between stations?

Maths puzzle

Message to ParentsA gentle reminder to parentsthat all uniform should bepurchased from Clive Mark storesin either Small Heath or KingsHeath.

Clive Mark - Small HeathUnit 1-2 Anderton Road

Small HeathB11 1TG

Birmingham

Recommended readKim Slater's debut novel 'Smart' is set inNottingham and is a murder mystery aswell as a family drama about Kieron,who has a form of autism. The body of ahomeless man was discovered drownedin the river Trent. Kieron's unhappyfamily life with his stepfather Tony, alowlife criminal and his loving but putupon mother give the book a realisticedge, whilst his attempts to solve thecrime provide an escape from his harshbackground. It does have a happyending and despite some flaws, this is alikeable read filled with a variety of livelycharacters.

Recommended Read