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Tony Collins

Tony Collins

Specialist science college status granted to Muslim school

BRITAIN’S first state-funded Muslim co-educational secondary school has achieved a new first – by gaining specialist college status. Read

Schools told no excuses by Ed Balls

POVERTY is no excuse for underachievement in secondary schools currently at risk of closure because of poor GCSE results, the Children’s Secretary said. Read

Comic Potential, Highbury Theatre, Sutton Coldfield

ALAN Ayckbourn's comic genius knows no bounds as he creates a future where androids are built to act in television soaps. Read

TV Plea to vote on bids for lots of cash

TWO deserving projects in Birmingham are vying for a slice of Lottery cash after reaching the semi-finals of a televised competition. Read

Back then, folk didn't drive to make great time, they drove to have a great time

IT'S BEEN immortalised in song, is nearly 2,500 miles long, and, sadly, is largely buried under concrete. Read

Brum’s fight legend Richie Woodhall wows youngsters with ‘box-ercise’ classes

JAB, duck, weave! Former world boxing champ Richie Woodhall passed on the skills and drive that took him on a motivational visit to a school in Birmingham. Read

Pupils on march for safer walking

MORE than 4,000 children from across the West Midlands marched for road safety in a bid to stop traffic deaths and injuries. Read

Gordon Brown is fan of Birmingham City anthem

THE longstanding anthem of Birmingham City fans has found another admirer, it was revealed today. Read

Handsworth school takes part in innovative science project

A PRIMARY in the inner city is hoping to become the Rolls-Royce of schools after taking part in an innovative science project. Read

Marsh Hill Primary School in Birmingham criticised in Ofsted report

A BIRMINGHAM primary school has been told by Government inspectors that it must do better after receiving a damning Ofsted report. Read

Eurobeat, Hippodrome Theatre

THIS is the ultimate in audience participation! Read

School Of The Week: Hillstone Primary School, Shard End

STAFF at Hillstone Primary School are on a three year mission - to be 'outstanding' at everything they do! Read

Parents flood Pallasades for Baby of the Year competition

DOTING mums and dads continued to bring along their cute babies and toddlers to the Pallasades shopping centre in Birmingham for the chance to enter the Birmingham Mail Baby of the Year 2008 competition. Read

Outcry as killer Tracie Andrews is let out of jail

THE parents of Midland murder victim Lee Harvey have spoken of their fury after his killer Tracie Andrews was let out of prison for a taste of freedom just 11 years into her life sentence. Read

Thousands flock to Solihull Carnival

THERE was no stopping the enjoyment for thousands of people who flocked to Solihull to make the town's carnival a resounding success. Read

Street protest at 'ghetto' eco-town

DOZENS of banner-waving protesters marched through the centre of Lichfield opposing Government plans to build what an MP claimed would be a "ghetto" eco-town on their doorstep. Read

Bobby's tribute to our Duncan

ENGLAND World Cup footballing hero Sir Bobby Charlton paid a glowing tribute to one of Dudley's most famous sons, Duncan Edwards, at a festival in the town 50 years on from his tragic death. Read

Birmingham Climate Change Festival closes

IT may not have quite been Caribbean or Latin American weather, but the hot sounds on offer certainly made up for any shortage of sunshine as Birmingham's Climate Change Festival drew to a close. Read

No easy answer to pregnancies

THERE is no 'magic bullet' solution to tackling the problem of teenage pregnancy rates in Birmingham, a senior Government minister said today. Read

Pupils from Great Barr School go green

Pupils at Great Barr School have been doing their bit for the future of the planet by planting native British trees in their grounds. 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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