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Tony Collins

Tony Collins

The Crucible, Patrick Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome

THE mass hysteria at the heart of the Salem witch trials in puritan America in 1692 is superbly captured by the splendid Stage 2 youth theatre. Read

Sir struck off for test result fiddle

A TEACHER who "colluded" with his wife to alter classroom test results has been struck off for a year. Read

Poignant day for children

PUPILS at a Birmingham primary school have provided a moving boost to a local children's hospice in memory of a young girl who tragically died there. Read

Kids take it easy after Ofsted visit

STAFF at Solihull's largest infant school are going "above and beyond" in helping pupils to achieve. Read

Lesson in savings

PUPILS at a Birmingham primary school are hoping to make "big money" when they grow up. Read

'Misconduct' head resigns

THE head teacher of a Birmingham primary school suspended and then reinstated over gross professional misconduct allegations, has now resigned, it was revealed today. Read

Midlands is Lottery hotspot

FEELING lucky? You certainly should be if you live in the West Midlands and want to strike it big on the Lottery. Read

Comic Chris set to rock city

AMERICAN comedy star Chris Rock brings his much-awaited first UK tour to Birmingham tomorrow, promising to touch on a range of subjects from race and sex to the US presidential fight. Read

Secondary delight as scores soar

SECONDARY schools across Worcestershire were today basking in the glow of producing the best GCSE performance of any local authority across the region. Read

Staffs sets a personal best

SUCCESS is becoming something of a habit for secondary school pupils across Staffordshire. Read

Results boost for boroughs

THERE was a clean sweep of success for secondary school pupils across Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton today - providing no-one takes a look at the national GCSE league tables! Read

Brum gets a raw deal

SCHOOLS in Birmingham have again fallen foul of a new benchmark measure of pupils' GCSE prowess - despite a further improvement in their performance over the previous 12 months. Read

Solihull's flying high again

SECONDARY schools in Solihull today cemented their place at the top of the GCSE tree in the West Midlands following publication of the latest Key Stage 4 performance tables. Read

Brum kids logging on early

THOUSANDS of pupils in Birmingham are one step ahead in addressing the digital divide as the Government calls for universal home computer access. Read

City hotel evacuated after blaze

A HOTEL in the centre of Birmingham had to be evacuated after a fire on the seventh floor. The Travelodge in Broad Street was cleared of staff and guests after smoke began pouring along a corridor shortly before 8.30pm yesterday. Read

City hotel evacuated after blaze

A HOTEL in the centre of Birmingham had to be evacuated after a fire on the seventh floor. Read

Countdown has begun for move to new building

OUT with the old, in with the new! Read

Winds bring down scaffolding

STRONG winds brought havoc to the Birmingham area today, bringing down trees and scaffolding. Read

Birmingham blind students in saddle to help African kids

DELIGHTED youngsters in Africa have received reconditioned bikes restored by blind and partially-sighted students at a specialist college in Birmingham. Read

School strikes a deal with Aston Villa

ASTON Villa are planning to use the "power of football" in a ground-breaking scheme to raise achievement among pupils at a Birmingham secondary school. Read

Author Profile

Tony Collins joined the Birmingham Mail in 1980.After working in a couple of the Mail's district offices, he became Education Correspondent in 1994. Being regarded as something of a Groucho Marx lookalike, it is no surprise that he is also the Mail's 'Mr Comedy', responsible for interviews with many of our top comics.

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