In recent years the Academy Open Evening has become a very popular event for the families in our local and wider community who are looking for a place in Year 7. In 2019, we had over a thousand visitors, but last year we were unable to hold any live events due to the pandemic. This year we will be holding a series of events to ensure that parents/carers and their children can view the Academy without the over-crowded Open Evening. Instead, we plan to run a series of Tour Evenings during the week beginning 4 October 2021. They will include:

• A brief presentation from the Principal
• A tour of the Academy in small groups led by students and staff
• Visits to our Curriculum Teams and specialist teaching areas
• A Q&A session with the Principal, the Senior Leadership Team and Transition staff

There will be a range of times for you to be able to book your space. We will also be able to respond to the local Covid-19 circumstances and adapt this programme so that families from specific schools can visit at the same time if needed.

Our Transition events have gone very well, with schools coming up in their bubbles to avoid interacting with other groups and we are looking forward to welcoming our new Year 7's in a few weeks: they will be the biggest year group in the Academy.

Please keep checking back with the website for updates on the Open Events. We have included last year's videos on this site to give you a flavour of SBL Academy and we look forward to welcoming you after the summer.

Online booking form

• Book your slot at one of our open events

Virtual open evening

You may like to see our virtual open evening.

Dear parents and carers,

We are looking forward to welcoming our students back in September. Please read this important letter which contains information regarding our planned return (Pdf). It includes details of testing, which will begin for students on Thursday 2 September 2021 with Year 7 and Year 12/13 being invited in to take their first LFD test in school. They will repeat this the following week as part of their timetabled lessons. We have included test times for each year group in tutor groups.

Students in Year 8 and above do not need to complete the consent forms as they did last year as the permission will carry forward. Parents and carers of the new Year 7 students will need to follow the link included in the letter and complete the sign-up consent form for testing in school.

If you know that you will be away when your child is due to test, there is no need to inform us. They will need to test on their first day in school, before they are able to begin their lessons.

I hope you all have a great and safe summer break.

Mr D Anderson
Principal

SBL Academy has worked with colleagues from our primary schools to arrange orientation visits for Year 6 students who are transferring to SBL Academy in September. 

During this visit students will meet key members of staff and spend some time in our dedicated Year 6 Transition Hub.

If may be that your child is from a school where only a very small number of children are transferring to SBL Academy.  Rest assured we are currently contacting all parents / carers of these students to arrange a visit to the SBL site.

Orientation visit dates:

• Monday 28 June 2021: Wick Primary School
• Tuesday 29 June 2021: Meadows Primary School
• Thursday 1 July 2021: Longwell Green Primary School
• Friday 2 July 2021: St Anne’s Primary School (to be confirmed)
• Monday 5 July 2021: Parkwall Primary School
• Thursday 15 July 2021: Cadbury Heath Primary School
• Thursday 15 July 2021: St Barnabas Primary School
• Friday 16 July: Cherry Garden Primary School

Further information

• Year 7 transition information