The theme for the 2025 Turing visits was ‘not just tourists’. We wanted to encourage our pupils to not just visit a place, but experience the cultures within it immersing themselves in daily life through food, religion and cultural activities.

Our first Turing visit for 2024-2025 was for Year 12 pupils travelling to Morocco. We spent a week in Marrakesh and the surrounding areas learning about life in this country. 

Food plays an important part in any culture. During our visit, we attended a cooking class where we learned about traditional Moroccan dishes, what the Common ingredients in Morocco are and how these are prepared in line with religious rules. We enjoyed trying the dishes, with Chicken Pastilla (a sugary pastry filled with chicken) and Beef Tagine being particular favourites. Some pupils experienced their first McDonalds ever as Moroccan McDonalds serves Halal meat which is not common in the UK.

We tried our hand at using Arabic to communicate with locals. We also attended a calligraphy class where we learnt about the types of Arabic script, the traditional inks and pens before having a go at writing our names in Arabic. The biggest challenge was remembering to write right to left! 

We travelled to Marrakesh during the holy month of Ramadan, and so we were able to experience the regular call to prayer. Many of our tour guides and hosts were able to talk about the importance of Ramadan to Muslims and we were able to respect our tour guides by not eating and drinking in front of them and allowing them to break fast in the evening. A number of pupils were able to enter the Koutubia Mosque in Marrakesh to pray and were blown away by the sheer scale and size of the mosques with hundreds of Muslims praying together. 

Marrakesh is very different to the cities and towns that we live in, it is much busier and noisier! We were able to experience the souks and markets seeing differences in the ways that goods are sold - we didn't see one supermarket ! Many of us tried our hand at bartering for souvenirs and sunglasses, with the Wednesfield pupils in particular discovering new haggling talents. We found it tricky as it involved a lot of confidence but we did manage to get some real bargains!

Thankfully we were able to escape the hustle and bustle of Marrakesh for the calm of the Jardin Marjorelle, a peaceful garden once owned by Yves Saint Laurent , a great space to regather our thoughts before heading back out into the city.

Over our last 2 days, we ventured out of Marrakesh to experience rural Morocco. We headed into the Atlas Mountains where we hiked up the Imlil valley to see the highest peak in Morocco, Mount Toubkal. Whilst on our hike it started to snow – which was totally unexpected. We all had to show a lot of reliance climbing the steep hill but were greeted with amazing views. We were able to discuss the similarities and differences between life in the UK and life in Morocco with our guides. We were surprised on the way up the mountain to get stuck in a traffic jam of sheep! On the way down we found a common language with some local boys playing a quick game of football.

Our final night was spent in the desert. A complete contrast to life in the mountains, we enjoyed an off road adventure to get to our campsite where we were able to relax in the comfort of luxury tents. We were treated to Moroccan music on the Oud and drums before we tried some of the moves! We especially enjoyed the traditional hats with tassels to spin around our heads.

By immersing ourselves in Moroccan life, we learnt lots about this remarkable part of the world as well as gaining a greater understanding about our own cultures and practices. We didn't just visit Morocco - we lived Morocco! 

Wednesfield Academy is celebrating being graded ‘Good’ by Ofsted in all areas – for the first time in its history. 

The academy was graded ‘Requires Improvement’ when last inspected while in its previous trust, in November 2022. In January 2023, the school joined us. Ofsted inspectors fully recognised how much Wednesfield Academy had improved since joining the Matrix family, observing that: 

“The school has undergone a significant period of change and development since the previous graded inspection. The school has rapidly raised expectations around learning and behaviour and has developed a highly ambitious and well-sequenced curriculum for all pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND). As a result, pupils achieve well and are well prepared for the next stage of their lives.” 

You can read the full report HERE

Our Chair of Trustees, Sir Mark Aspinall, said: “It’s all about the children. That sounds obvious, but schools can lose sight of what is important. Clear and decisive leadership, with a pupil-centred approach, has ensured Wednesfield has been able to improve both rapidly and sustainably. I could not be more proud of everyone involved.” 

Ofsted Letter

Miss Batten had the privilege of visiting Edward the Elder Primary School on Monday 17^th March to work with Year 4 on their drama skills. The drama workshop involved creating slow-motion scenes which was enjoyed by everyone! We look forward to working with Edward the Elder Primary School later in the year as well delivering Design and Technology, PE and Science workshops!

Last night A level English Literature students in Year 12 and 13 travelled to the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield to see a performance of A Streetcar Named Desire, a set text studied at A level.  The production was amazing and students' loved seeing Williams' characters brought to life!

Do you want to help your child study smarter?

‘From the Sidelines’ have created some fantastic study hack videos aimed at educating parents and families on the science behind how our children learn, together with how to create the perfect environment at home in which to support them.

Each distinct focus has a short and succinct ‘Study Hack’ video that lasts approximately 60 seconds, giving parents a quick and practical overview of what the study hack is and how to do it.  For parents who want to know more, they can then go on to watch or listen to the 15 minute ‘Podcast Episode’ linked to the same topic, which gets under the surface of why this works, why it’s important and also what to avoid - the perfect way to bridge the gap between teaching and parenting.  

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You can also direct your child to Wednesfield Revision Webpage - Revision Resources - Wednesfield Academy

If you need any further support please contact Mr Hill at postbox@wednesfieldacademy.co.uk

Congratulations to the below cadets for competing at the Matrix Mini Royal Air Squadron Trophy (RAST).

They have made us very proud, competing with the very best of the trust on several skill-based competitions. They may not have won a trophy, but they have vastly improved since last year with a number from the Year 8 Cohort stepping up and competing, despite not having much time to prepare. We did come 3rd in First Aid, Amelia Smith excelled in this area taking charge of the incident.

They will now as a team start preparing for the Queen Mary Grammar School Mini-RAST in May.

The cadets who attended were:

LCpl S Davies

LCpl E Walker

Cdt M Bell

Cdt G Paul

Cdt M Peslakaite

Cdt A Smith

Cdt G Sambrooks

Cdt J Fraser

Cdt I Toye-Akingbola

Cdt A Oyedotun

Cdt D Palayon

One of our talented Year 9 Drama students has reimagined Romeo and Juliet with a unique twist—setting the story in the world of rival fast-food chains, Nando’s and KFC.

This fresh take on Shakespeare’s classic explores love, loyalty, and family feuds in a hilarious and creative way. Their original monologue brings passion and drama to a modern setting, proving that great stories stand the test of time.

Last week, 49 pupils and four staff members attended the second annual trip to Wolverhampton’s Civic Halls for a spectacular evening of live music. Students had the incredible opportunity to experience performances by the Wolverhampton Symphony Orchestra and the Wolverhampton Youth Orchestra, which featured our very own B. Kendall (Year 10) on clarinet. It was a proud moment for our school to see him perform, especially as he played alongside his peripatetic music teacher, who was also part of the Symphony Orchestra—a truly inspiring experience!

The evening was more than just a concert; it was a chance for pupils to broaden their understanding of music and see the exciting possibilities it offers. A highlight of the night was hearing from a young composer from Wolverhampton, who spoke about their journey into composition, encouraging students to think differently about the world of music and the careers it can lead to.

Our students were a credit to the school, demonstrating excellent behaviour and engaging enthusiastically with the performances. The trip provided them with a valuable wider community experience, opening their eyes to the richness of live orchestral music and the dedication behind it.

A huge thank you to the staff who organised and supervised the trip. We look forward to returning next year for another unforgettable evening of music!

Fifteen pupils from Years 8, 9, and 10 recently had the exciting opportunity to attend a performance of the iconic musical Blood Brothers. The trip allowed students to experience live theatre and gain valuable insight into this powerful production, which many are studying as part of their drama curriculum. The pupils were impeccably well-behaved and enthusiastic throughout, fully immersing themselves in the experience. They were captivated by the emotional storytelling, dramatic performances, and memorable music. We are incredibly proud of how they represented the school and look forward to offering more theatre trips to inspire and engage our students.