Local School Ofsted Success

Hillcrest School, A Specialist Maths and Computing College and Sixth Form Centre was recently visited by Ofsted Inspectors and were thrilled to receive the top grade – grade 1 ‘Outstanding’. The school has gone from strength to strength in recent years with Hillcrest placed in the top 5% of schools nationally in 2008. The schools drive for improvement has brought about some very innovative and highly effective developments including an excellent online VLE, a language village and state of the art ICT facilities.

Bartley Green schoolgirl’s short story beats rivals into national publication

Schoolgirl Rebecca Hardy is used to telling stories and now the 13 year old from Bartley Green has made it into print after having one of her tales published in a book to be circulated across the country. Rebecca, who attends Hillcrest School in Stonehouse Lane, Bartley Green, saw her short story beat off more than 2,700 entries from over 500 schools.

Her entry, "Memories of my Past", has been published in an anthology of short stories entitled "The Cry of the Wolf". Rebecca is one of only 22 talented young writers to be published in two collections of the best secondary school entries to the 2009 Evans Schools Short Story competition.

Art on the Edge Festival (2009)

This half day arts festival at Birmingham Town Hall, 15th Feb '09, brought together artists living in, working in or inspired by the Edgbaston Constituency. The show was supported by the Four Wards of the Edgbaston Constituency as well as the local Arts Champions; DanceXchange and Town Hall | Symphony Hall. It was produced and curated for One Edgbaston Partnership by Scholars and Warriors.
More details can be found in posts below.

Art on the Edge Festival (2009)

This half day arts festival at Birmingham Town Hall, 15th Feb '09, brought together artists living in, working in or inspired by the Edgbaston Constituency. The show was supported by the Four Wards of the Edgbaston Constituency as well as the local Arts Champions; DanceXchange and Town Hall | Symphony Hall. It was produced and curated for One Edgbaston Partnership by Scholars and Warriors. Those attending or represented included:

Artists: Leon Sparkes, Quinborne Pottery Group, Mary Burrows, Jenny Brandon, Maggie Holmes, Barti Patel. Sue Howells, Natalie Toplass, Paul Riddlen and Shirley Speight.

Photographers: the Edgbaston Snaps Flickr group including work by Ted Spiller and Nate Nautilus. Also a new comission by Vanley Burke.

Performers: The Harborne Orchestra, Moorpool Players, Quinton and Quinborne Choirs and the Crosskeys Musical Theatre

See all the pictures here

Edgbaston Schools Success - Local Head Gets OBE!

Christine Owen, the Head of Bartley Green Technology College in Adams Hill, Bartley Green was singled out for her services to education. During 15 years in charge at the school, she has helped to transform academic standards; the number of pupils achieving the benchmark five or more top grade GCSEs soaring from 9 to 79 per cent! Christine, deputy head of Four Dwellings High School in Quinton before moving to Bartley Green, said it also reflected the hard work of other staff at the school.

She said: “I am chuffed. I do feel it’s an honour, but an honour for everyone connected with the school.”

Bartley Green Ward Development Plan 2008 - 11

The vision at the heart of this Plan is to make Bartley Green Ward a greener, cleaner and vibrant place to live work and study. This vision will also help and support the local economy and encourage local engagement and consultation its citizens. For more information: Tina Willets, 0121 464 5393

Edgbaston's Got Talent

The Edgbaston Constituency will be holding a local talent show, with a final performance early next year in a city centre venue. For more information and to enter, read the document below, or contact carol_morgan@birmingham.gov.uk

Bartley Green Digital History Project

Based at King Edward VI Five Ways School, the Local History Digital Archive project offers a fascinating historical perspective of the area. It currently features the stories of sixteen local people who have been awarded the Victoria Cross.

"The key aim is to build a local history archive and to work in collaboration with our partner schools and the wider community. It is hoped to build and create an archive, which is useful for as wide a group of people as possible. We would like it to be rich in material and information to embellish our local history, knowledge and understanding."