Shires MAT Marathon Success – Over £2000 Raised for Grace Kelly Childhood
Cancer Trust!

On Saturday 15th March 2025, 25 incredible staff members and parents from across the
Shires Multi-Academy Trust came together for an unforgettable challenge – the Shires MAT
Marathon! Runners completed their miles by travelling from school to school within the
Trust, proudly representing our six schools and uniting for a truly meaningful cause.

This inspiring event was organised to raise funds for the Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer
Trust, a local charity doing remarkable work to support families and fund vital research.
Thanks to the generosity of our school communities, families, and friends, we are thrilled to
announce that over £2000 has been raised!

The route showcased the strength of our Trust-wide community spirit, with each school
providing warm welcomes, cheers, and encouragement for the runners as they passed
through. It was a day filled with determination, teamwork, and pride – and a powerful
reminder of what we can achieve when we work together.

A huge thank you to all our runners, volunteers, supporters, and donors. Your energy,
commitment and kindness made this event a resounding success. Together, we’ve made a
real difference.

On Wednesday 2nd April, over 120 students from all schools across the trust came together
at The Artrix Theatre in Bromsgrove, for our first Creative Arts Showcase!

Every school had prepared a group piece for the performance. Pieces ranged from high-
energy production numbers such as “The Magic In Me” (Feckenham) and “Revolting
Children” (Webheath), powerful choral numbers – “Rhythm Of Life” (Astwood Bank), “You
Will Be Found”(Studley), and “Geronimo”(Ridgeway), and a heartfelt emotional dance piece
with stunning solo singing – “Show Yourself” (NBHS). Every single piece was absolutely
brilliant! Students across the trust had also auditioned for solo spots, with the successful
children performing beautifully on the night. These were – Edith, Kit and Milo (Webheath),
Imogen (Studley), Sienna and Will (Ridgeway) and Hannah (NBHS). Congratulations!

Schools also collaborated to perform “One Short Day”, “A Million Dreams”, and “We’re All In
This Together”. They were taught choreography on the day, and performed these numbers
with gusto on the night – which was very impressive!

Our fantastic Shires Choir – “The Treble Makers” performed a special version of “Rise Up”,
which was arranged by Studley’s music teacher, Mr Yates. They wowed the audience with
their beautiful voices, and we can’t wait to see them perform again!

We were joined by West End Star Amy Ross. Amy very kindly led a Q and A session with all of the students in the afternoon, before raising the roof with performances of “Defying Gravity”, and “No Good Deed”. Wicked Star Amy also invited Livvy from Studley to perform “Popular” on stage with her, after she was chosen as a soloist from the auditions. What a fab experience for Livvy – who was fantastic!

The performance was a phenomenal success – with audience members commenting that it was “the best children’s production they had ever seen”, and that it was “slick, professional and very emotional to see so many talented children in one show”! Wow! Amy Ross was also absolutely blown away by our students, and absolutely loved spending the day with such a “bunch of wonderful future stars” – We couldn’t agree more!

As a thank you to all of our students for performing, we have teamed up with Stagecoach Performing Arts Redditch, who are offering us a free trial (worth £50) for their Thursday sessions. I will send out the details of how students can claim this to each school.

I would like to say a huge Thank You to all of the staff involved in the showcase for all of their hard work. Every single student shone like a star in the performance, which is all down to you!

Shires Multi Academy Trust Hosts First Ever Winter Olympics

We are delighted to share the incredible success of the first ever Shires Winter Olympics, which took place last week for our Year 9 and Year 10 students. With nearly 100 students from across the Trust competing, the event was an exciting showcase of determination, teamwork, and sporting excellence.

Our students displayed outstanding resilience and spirit, fighting for every point right until the final races. As we approached the thrilling conclusion, there was a mere five-point difference between Studley High School and North Bromsgrove, making for a nail-biting finish.

But in the end, Studley emerged victorious, delivering an absolutely phenomenal performance to claim the title of champions in our inaugural Shires Winter Olympics!

Overall Team Standings:

1st – Studley
2nd – North Bromsgrove
3rd – Ridgeway

A huge congratulations to all the students who took part, giving their all in every event. Your effort and enthusiasm made this a truly unforgettable competition. We look forward to seeing even more excitement in next year’s Winter Olympics!

It was with great excitement that we announced the participation of children and students across the Trust in the inaugural Shires Multi Academy Trust (MAT) Carol Concert, held at the beautiful St. Stephen’s Church, Church Green, Redditch. This festive event brought together talented young performers from all six schools within our Trust, each contributing to what turned out to be an unforgettable evening of music and joy.

On the day of the concert, the children gathered at St. Stephen’s Church for a rehearsal at 4pm. Their dedication and enthusiasm were palpable as they prepared for their performances. Each school took the stage to perform individual pieces, showcasing their unique talents and hard work. In addition, there were several joint performances where the children came together to create harmonious and uplifting renditions of classic carols. The audience was also invited to join in on a selection of congregational carols, adding to the festive atmosphere.

The concert was not only a resounding success but also a truly heart warming event. The children performed brilliantly, captivating the audience with their musical prowess and festive spirit. The evening was a testament to the hard work and dedication of both the students and their teachers, and it was a special moment of unity and celebration during this wonderful time of year.

The event was not only a celebration of music but also a testament to the generosity and goodwill of our community. Donations, which were generously given and gratefully received, will be shared between the church and our MAT charity, The Grace Kelly Childhood Cancer Trust, supporting vital work in the fight against childhood cancer.

We are incredibly proud of all the children who participated, and we extend our heartfelt thanks to the parents, teachers, and staff who made this event possible. Here’s to many more successful and joyous celebrations in the years to come!