The Learning Resource Centre is open to students every break-time and lunchtime. It is also available for use after school until 4.00pm when homework club takes place.

The library offers ICT facilities and internet access for research and work purposes. We have a constantly updated fiction and non-fiction section that caters for a variety of reading abilities, and book requests from students are always welcomed!

Students are able to borrow up to 3 resources for the duration of 2 weeks, and books can be renewed if they are required for a longer period of time.

A library monitor training programme runs at intervals throughout the year, and any student can apply for this post and train to become a student librarian.

A student creative writing club has recently begun which takes place within the LRC every Wednesday lunchtime. Those that wish to join and develop their creative writing skills can do so by visiting the LRC.

Every year the Schools Library Service hosts a Birmingham wide book award between October and March, where 14 books are selected and students are encouraged to read as many as they can and vote for their favourite. All Birmingham schools are invited to take part and run a variety of reading programmes in partnership with this initiative. Last year the theme was Key Stage 3 ‘Chills.’ More information on this year’s theme will be coming this autumn!

Staff Book Club!

The staff at North Birmingham Academy have formed a reading group that gather monthly to discuss all things related literature. Currently we are reading:

• House of Suns by Alastair Reynolds
• The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
• The Dead Yard- Tales of Modern Day Jamaica by Ian Thomson.

Parents interested in joining are more than welcome!
Please contact Miss Payne in the LRC for details.

Careers

North Birmingham Academy aims to provide all students with the skills and knowledge that they need in order to make informed choices about their career progression, throughout their school life and beyond.

Throughout KS3 and 4 students are encouraged through their PSHE lessons and links with local businesses and employers, to consider the world of work and potential careers. All students have access to the newly developed careers area for independent use at break-times, lunchtimes and after school, in order to make use of the resources.

Across the key stages events are co-ordinated with an emphasis on Careers. In order to make informed decisions about their options, the Year 9 ‘Aspirations Day’ provides students with the opportunity to discuss training and employment pathways. The school always welcomes visits and speakers from companies, colleges and training providers, and this event utilises some of the links that we have established so far and are continuing to develop.

In the summer term of Year 10, students take part in the Work Experience Programme, designed to provide them with the opportunity to experience the world of work first hand and to experience a sphere of work that may currently be interested in. This programme is developed so that students will not only have an invaluable experience, but so that they will receive an employer reference for post 16 employment, training or college applications.

In the autumn term, all of our Year 11 students will have the opportunity to participate in a practice interview day. With the increasing competition for employment and training places, our aim is to ensure that our students are one step ahead of the rest by developing their application and interview techniques. This event has been coordinated in order to provide students with the experience of applying for a position and enables students to gain valuable interview experience with local employers and business people.

The Personal Advisers from Birmingham Connexions work with the students In Years 11 and 13, offering support and guidance in order to decide upon their further education, employment or training pathway. All students will be offered a careers interview in Year 11 to discuss their post 16 options. Throughout the year they will also be able to make use of careers drop in sessions for any queries that they may have, and also application form and CV workshops which compliment our Practice Interview Day.

Students are also able to access support via school staff, and from outside agencies in order to aid their decision making.

Work Experience

As part of the curriculum and the growing partnership between the school, industry, and the community, your son/daughter will take up a work experience placement during Year 10 for the duration of 2 weeks. Students are required to obtain their own work experience placements, and parents are also encouraged to help their son/ daughter in this task by aiding with provisional approaches to companies. In addition to supporting and enhancing GCSE studies, we aim for each placement to provide students with the experience of:

• How people work and the discipline of the workplace
• The importance of good attendance and punctuality and team work,
• The value of their own personal and social skills
• The importance of Health and Safety in the workplace
• The skills and qualities that employers look for in young people.

The school has arranged, as recommended by the Education Authority, for health and safety checks to be carried out on each placement. To enable the school to ensure that all placements are properly checked, placements must be submitted in advance. All working environments have their dangers and every effort is made to make this clear to participating students. Accordingly a Health and safety session will be delivered to the students.

Miss L Payne
(Work Experience Co-ordinator)