Tuesday 22^nd marked a very special occasion for the Matrix Academy Trust, as we hosted our first ever Pupil Conference at the Holte Stand in Villa Park.

Following the success of our staff Trust conference's, the event had been years in the planning as staff from across the trust came together to deliver an exciting and engaging day centered on the theme of 'Pride'.

Each school was represented by a delegation of model pupils as they arrived to consider some of the fundamental questions around what pride means to them. With the chance to gather an insight form various individuals they day was a resounding success.

From Etone our pupils did a tremendous job of discussing with staff what the word PROUD means to them. With ideas ranging from "Being who you are no matter what you are." to "Supporting others and showing why you see them as equal". Throughout all of the sessions our pupils were dedicated to the event and focused, embodying the spirit of the Etone Learner.

From headteachers football teams to James Bond fandom the list of what makes the Matrix proud is endless. However, perhaps the most insightful display of pride was from Musharaf Asghar (Mushy) who you may recognise from the 2013 documentary Educating Yorkshire. As a teenager Mushy struggled with finding his voice. A speech impediment that hade left him to avoid communicating wherever possible, became a debilitating experience that seemed impossible to overcome. However, with the support of Mr Burton he was able to do just that and find a way to live with his barriers and push beyond them. Something that Mushy is now proud to share with others.

The event was a resounding success with pupils being able to articulate what makes them proud, why they are proud to be a member of the Matrix Academy Trust and what they are proud of about themselves.

We are so proud of all of our pupils and how they have upheld the values of the Trust and of course Etone showing their Caring, Courteous, Supportive selves. Full of Self-Belief, Trustworthiness and Integrity.

We can't wait for our next one!

In our latest parental engagement coffee morning directed at the parents of KS4 pupils we explored the importance of starting early with revision when young people have additional needs.

Retention can be challenging for our pupils with additional needs so this coffee morning shared strategies to consolidate learning and help secure ideas into the long-term memory.

At the centre of this is the well-being of the pupil.  For those with additional needs it can be challenging to get them to engage in any school-related learning outside of school hours so we explored ways to make revision fun and interactive as well as looking at intrinsic rewards for small gains.

Our website has a wealth of information to support parents in understanding revision strategies as well as course content and we had an in-depth look at all of the resources available.  Revision Resources - Etone College

Our next parental engagement coffee morning is on 28^th September, directed at the parents of KS3 pupils with a focus on supporting home learning.   If there are more topics you'd like to see covered during future sessions, please let us know.

Over the final fortnight of the Half Term, make sure you are in attendance as we launch our annual ‘Don’t Ghost Me’ event. With the chance to win treats, prizes and those ever so needed House Points, it’s all for the taking.

On Friday 25th September, some of the Etone Choir finished off a busy week of singing with another performance as part of the Solihull Harmony and Harvest festival. The event is a first for Solihull with a range of local choirs of all ages taking to the stage to celebrate as we head into the autumn through song, all organised by local choral director Anya Small. We also shared the bill with Anya's choir, Pop Voices Home - Singing Loud and Proud - Pop Voices<https://pop-voices.co.uk/> who have performed all over the UK including at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony, Birmingham Town Hall and Abbey Road Studios as well internationally; you may also have seen their very memorable and record breaking Britain's Got Talent audition! Wow!

Thank you for inviting us, Solihull, and we hope to visit again!

By popular demand and for a great cause.

If you have had a summer clear out, a wardrobe declutter, or like mine your children are rapidly growing the Mary Ann Evans charity donation bins will be back in reception.
When: W/C 28^th of September!

We are so excited to have Mary Ann Evans back as our Phoenix house charity this year and this is such an easy way to support our local charity.
Any unwanted items need to be in sellable condition. This all goes to the store in the Rope Walk which helps raise funds for the charity.

Thanks all for your on-going support

On Friday 25th September we celebrated our amazing team of Learning Support Assistants.

Our Diversity Champions for Inclusion had been busy all week, collecting 'thank you' notes to help us recognise all the ways our team of LSAs help pupils in school.  They also put together little 'thank-you' goodie bags as a token of our appreciation.

Then, on Friday morning they visited all of our LSAs to say a huge 'thank you' in person.

At Etone, our LSAs play an integral part in supporting pupils.  Not only do they offer invaluable learning support in lessons, but they also run breakfast club and break club giving pupils a safe and welcoming space where they can meet friends, play games or complete homework.  They also go on many trips to support pupils for whom extra-curricular visits might otherwise prove challenging.  

Then there is the Homework Club support in the library before and after school every day where pupils who want to keep their home life separate from their school life are supported to complete all of their home learning ready to be handed in on time.

In addition to that, as key workers for all of our pupils with EHCPs, our LSAs carry out regular check-ins and support in all aspects of school life.  

They participate in many of our extra-curricular clubs: CCF, Lego Club, Nature Club, Hockey Club as well as facilitating less confident pupils to attend a club for the first time.

We are lucky to have such an amazing team of LSA's at Etone and we've enjoyed celebrating everything they do on this year's 'Thank a Ta Day'.  

Cakes, treats and plenty of community spirit were on the menu on Friday 25th September as Etone College once again came together for our annual Macmillan Coffee Morning.

Always a highlight of our charity calendar, the event saw Year 7 pupils and parents getting involved to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support. The first event of many that our parents are invited to, is an opportunity to see how their child has settled into the school. With an impressive selection of cakes and sweet treats available, there was certainly no shortage of enthusiasm as the Etone community played its part in supporting an incredibly important cause.

At Etone, we are extremely proud of the role our pupils play within both the school and wider community. Over the past five years, pupils, staff and families have helped to raise more than £35,000 for good causes, alongside volunteering, donations and awareness campaigns throughout the year.

It is something that sits right at the heart of what it means to “Belong to Community.”

This year’s Coffee Morning also comes at an exciting time for Etone, following our recent recognition as Secondary School of the Year at the Education Awards 2026. It is an achievement that celebrates not only the academic successes of our pupils, but the wider culture and opportunities that make Etone such a special community.

That success has been joined by a growing collection of national recognition, including the School Games Gold Mark, Eco-Schools Green Flag, International School Award and Quality in Careers Standard. Together, these achievements reflect something we are particularly proud of – that education at Etone extends far beyond the classroom.

Whether helping to organise the event, supporting others or simply purchasing a cake, pupils were demonstrating our Etone Values whilst developing key employability skills. From Communication and Teamwork to Organisation and Initiative, events such as these provide pupils with opportunities to contribute, take responsibility and understand the positive impact they can have on those around them.

Of course, at the centre of the morning was an important cause. Macmillan Cancer Support provides vital services for people living with cancer and their families, making every cake sold and every donation made part of something much bigger.

A huge thank you goes to everybody who baked, donated, purchased a treat or helped behind the scenes. It was fantastic to see pupils and staff coming together once again and showing exactly what our community is about.

Another fantastic morning, another important cause and another reason to be Proud to be Etone.

Fancy making, building, experimenting and seeing science in action? Then come along to our Year 7 Science Club, every Monday after school in I08!

This is a hands-on club where you don’t just watch science — you get to DO it! So far this term, students have made colourful density jars, watched Miss Finney hold fire, designed and built planes and rockets, and investigated some spectacular chemical reactions.

There’s always something exciting to try, and you never quite know what we’ll be experimenting with next! 💥🔬🚀

Never been before? Come and have a go! Bring your curiosity, get stuck in and discover just how much fun science can be.

Room I08
Every Monday after school
We’d love to see you there!

Check out our new banner that is adorning the front of our school in celebration of our award win for Secondary School of the Year.

Whilst the award is not what makes Etone, Etone - We are extremely proud of the recognition of hard work and amazing achievements at our school in the past five years.

Whilst we are sure you cannot miss it check it out at the front of our gates.

Thursday marked our busiest Open Evening at Etone yet, as prospective pupils and their families joined us to discover everything that makes Etone College such a special place to learn, develop and belong.

Following another bumper year for the school, there was certainly plenty to celebrate and share. Some of our recent highlights include:

• Being named Secondary School of the Year at the Education Awards
• Achieving the School Games Gold Award, Green Flag, Eco-Schools Award, International School Award and Quality in Careers Standard
• Raising more than £35,000 for charity in less than five years
• Achieving above-national progress in examination results for a decade, since progress records began

These achievements reflect not only the academic success of our pupils, but the wider Etone experience and our commitment to ensuring pupils leave us with the knowledge, character and employability skills they need for their next steps.

From the moment families arrived on the Etone site, they were met by the enthusiasm and pride of our pupils and staff. Once again, everyone pulled out all the stops to showcase the opportunities available and give our visitors a real flavour of life at Etone. Our pupil helpers were particularly fantastic ambassadors for the school, demonstrating our values of Integrity, Caring, Respect and Excellence throughout the evening.

In Business and Computing, prospective pupils were welcomed by our Business students, who were busy debating the value of branding versus quality through our annual taste-testing challenge. Alongside plenty of surprising results, the activity encouraged pupils to demonstrate Communication & Teamwork as they discussed their choices, justified their opinions and considered how businesses make decisions.

Over in Modern Foreign Languages, visitors were treated to a taste of both food and culture from around the world. Pupils and parents sampled delicacies from Germany and France while discovering more about the languages, traditions and cultures explored within the curriculum. It was also a fantastic example of the confidence and Communication & Teamwork skills our pupils develop.

Maths was once again a hub of problem-solving. Visitors investigated the correlation between height and shoe size before putting their engineering skills to the test by designing a winch capable of withstanding ten times its own weight. The challenges provided a perfect opportunity to demonstrate Numeracy & Technology alongside Resilience & Problem Solving, with pupils encouraged to test ideas, learn from mistakes and try again.

In English, families enjoyed a delightful take on the classics of Roald Dahl, including the department's very own production inspired by Wonka. Games, challenges and activities brought the subject to life for pupils of all ages, while our pupils demonstrated fantastic Communication & Teamwork in supporting visitors and sharing their enthusiasm for the subject.

There was a journey through time in History, with a unique blend of classic and local history. Visitors explored artefacts from across the lifespan of Etone College, from historic student magazines to tapestries inspired by the Bayeux Tapestry. It provided a fascinating glimpse into both our school's past and the wider world, while showcasing the curiosity, creativity and Organisation & Initiative we encourage our pupils to develop.

Meanwhile, Geography gave pupils the chance to consider the ever-changing nature of our planet by creating plasticine continents, while our Human Geographers challenged visitors to imagine and build cities of the future using Lego. These activities encouraged pupils to think creatively, consider solutions to real-world challenges and demonstrate Resilience & Problem Solving.

There was plenty of action in Perform, with staff and pupils showcasing the fantastic range of sports and activities available at Etone. From dance and trampolining to badminton and basketball, visitors had the opportunity to get involved, try something new and put their skills to the test. Whether competing, performing or simply having a go, pupils demonstrated Resilience & Problem Solving and Communication & Teamwork throughout.

Create was equally packed, with pupils getting hands-on across the faculty. Visitors could take part in art activities, decorate biscuits in Food and even design and make their very own keyring to take home as a reminder of their evening at Etone. From following a design process to producing a finished product, there were plenty of opportunities to demonstrate Organisation & Initiative and Resilience & Problem Solving.

Beyond our traditional curriculum subjects, the evening was also an opportunity to showcase the wider support and experiences that make up life at Etone. Our SEND department, CCF, Pastoral Team and Attendance Team were on hand to meet families, answer questions and demonstrate the extensive support and opportunities available to every pupil.

Across the evening, our pupil volunteers perhaps provided the best example of what it means to be an Etone pupil. Whether welcoming families, giving directions, leading activities, speaking about their subjects or simply offering a helping hand, they displayed our Etone Values of Integrity, Caring, Respect and Excellence. At the same time, they put their Communication & Teamwork, Resilience & Problem Solving, Organisation & Initiative and Numeracy & Technology skills into practice – the very employability skills we seek to develop throughout their time with us.

Following an address from Mr Smith, it was fantastic to hear such positive feedback from our visitors about the school, our pupils and the opportunities available to their children.

Most importantly, the evening brought together everything we want an Etone education to represent. Our pupils had the opportunity to Participate in Quality, taking pride in their subjects and the activities they delivered; Belong to Community, welcoming prospective families and representing their school; and Thrive in Education, demonstrating the knowledge, character and employability skills that will support them both at Etone and beyond.

A huge thank you must go to every pupil and member of staff who helped make our busiest Open Evening yet such a success. Their enthusiasm, commitment and pride ensured our visitors were able to see Etone at its very best.

We hope our prospective families enjoyed their evening as much as we enjoyed welcoming them, and we cannot wait to welcome our future Etone pupils back for their induction.