'We want to be among the best in the West Midlands': Big ambitions of Q3 Langley school for 1,500 pupils

The Q3 Academy in Great Barr's sister school, Q3 Langley, was given the green-light in August.

Around 150 Year 7 pupils will start at the new school from next September and by 2023 it will have a total of 1,550 pupils enrolled, including those studying for A-Level qualifications.

The school will be built off Moat Road on land which used to house the Oldbury College of Sport.

Remarkably, it will be the first new secondary school in Sandwell for a decade and has not surprisingly been well supported by bosses at the borough council.

Dr Caroline Badyal, Principal and Chief Executive at Q3 Great Barr, said: "We want to spread the fantastic work we do here with our young people to the new school.

"It is not just about education. Q3 is about the whole child and all the other things we do to support their development. We feel we are quite unique in that respect.

"We have been doing that for years. It is something very close to our hearts."

This work beyond the curriculum takes a number of forms at Q3 Great Barr, many of which will be extended to Langley.

At the end of every week all pupils take part in a 'reflection activity' in which they discuss a pre-determined theme, or what has been going on at the academy.

Sixth form students are encouraged to improve their leadership skills, taught how to cope with stressful interviews and are taught about politics.

And this year the school held the Grace Payne Public Speaking Competition, named after one of the sponsors of the two academies.

When the doors open at Langley, the new intake in Key Stage 3 can expect Wednesday afternoons to be entirely dedicated to either sport or other extra-curricular activities.

Vice-Principal Peter Lee, who will be Head of School at Langley, said: "One thing exciting the children when we have visited local primary schools is that on Wednesday afternoon for four hours the curriculum will follow a university model with children in Key Stage 3 doing PE and extra-curricular activities.

"Various providers will come in and offer a range of courses and experiences including sign language, cooking, aromatherapy, music, American football and swimming.

"It is to ensure all children do extra curricular activities. In my time in school extra curricular was a bolt-on where as we want it to be part of the full school day."

Running Wednesday afternoons as they are up and down the country at universities is part of an approach where pupils are prepared for life outside the classroom.

Tutorial groups at Q3 Great Barr are made up of pupils from all years, meaning year 7 pupils in the same groups as those in year 13, with the older students acting as 'associate tutors' and helping the younger ones with their homework.

It is the little things as well. School uniform is known as business dress.

The school even opens its doors just over once a month to around 60 members of the local community, with which pupils go and share lunch on a rota basis.

At Langley, pupils will start at different times to fit in with the latest research on youngster's sleeping patterns.

Me Lee, added: "We will do an early start of 8am because we believe the younger children benefit from it.

"There will be a later start for the older children, there has been a lot of research come out in the news to support that.

"We want to operate a 10am start for the older children which is also in response to the local community's needs around traffic congestion."