The Lion - Issue 71

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News and Views from Bablake School

Issue 71 | Autumn 2016

National Aerospace Challenge Winners!

T

eam ‘Aerospike’, consisting

of Harry Loud, Lantian

Pinkney, and Sam Cranage beat off strong competition from schools and Air Cadet Units from across the country to win the 2016 Schools Aerospace Challenge Competition organised by the Royal Air Force every year.

The initial stage involved submitting a six-page design portfolio for a new type of aircraft and engine using “SABRE” technology. From this submission, the team was selected to attend a seven-day

course at Cranfield University involving numerous team challenges and problemsolving exercises.The team was assessed on many aspects of its performance and was one of three that was then selected to attend the grand finale at the headquarters of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in London.There, the team had to deliver a presentation of its project to a very highly regarded audience of experts from the field of engineering and Harry, Lantian and Sam were selected as outright winners on the night.

Each member of the team was awarded a cash prize and walked away with some very useful contacts for future placements in the summer.

Bablake News

Kare Adenegan

A Hero’s Homecoming!

Kare Adenegan, Bablake’s young Paralympic star enjoyed a hero’s welcome when she returned to Bablake following her fantastic achievements at the 2016 Rio Paralympics.

Kare’s return, in her Team GB kit and racing chair, was marked by all pupils from the school cheering her down our school drive and main terrace and waving union jack flags.

Headmaster Mr John Watson summed up the feelings of the whole Bablake community, saying: “How proud we all are of Kare:T34 100m Silver and 400m and 800m Bronze medallist, and the youngest member of Team GB in the Paralympics! What an inspiration she is to us all!”

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

Bablake News

American Book Club The idea for a book club came about as Mrs Duke and I grappled with the problem of ensuring all of our A level literature students were reading the subsidiary texts as well as their main American Literature texts: The Grapes of Wrath and The Great Gatsby.We realised that we wanted to return our students to reading a novel for sheer pleasure rather than seeing it as a text that had to be studied.

And so the idea for a monthly book club was born…

The turnout for the first session was overwhelming; I was worried that I would not have enough chairs, popcorn and caramel shortcake to cater for the hungry masses that appeared in the EDM.A large pot of tea was made, treats were hungrily devoured and a lively discussion on My Antonia began. For many students,Willa Cather’s novel did not appeal, but sharing our reactions to the book brought about much debate and frank discussion. Many students were amazed at how much they had enjoyed book club even though the book itself did not impress.

Many students vowed to revisit the novel after listening to the discussion of their peers. Book Club was a resounding success!

As October loomed so did the date for the next book club offering: Native Son by Richard Wright.The excitement about this controversial book was palpable in the weeks leading up to the book club meeting.

The story of Bigger Thomas had a profound impact upon all of the students who committed to reading this lengthy novel. Many found it a real page turner but also deeply disturbing. In the meeting, feelings were running high as Erin Ryan and Olivia Sweeney gallantly led the discussion on Bigger Thomas’ crimes.

Though opinion differed greatly, all that attended the meeting could see the power within Wright’s novel.As the meeting came to a close many in the group, myself included, committed to reading another of Wright’s texts: Uncle Tom’s Children. Others were determined to recommend this novel to their parents and friends.

Bienvenue!

Willkommen!

Bienvenidos!

This year we welcome Mme Rajalu-Poli as our French Assistant and Frau Pfennig as our German Assistant and are happy to see the return of Senora Cowell as our Spanish Assistant.We hope that they have an enjoyable year with us here at Bablake!

Croquet On a delightfully balmy evening in September, a group of Sixth Form students were guests at The Kenilworth Croquet Club for an introductory session.

They were accompanied by Mr Cleaver and Miss Brandrick, as they were instructed in the fundamentals of the game.As the evening progressed and confidence grew, some of the games became quite tense as they took on board some of the tactics involved and realised that smashing their opponent’s ball out of the way was almost as satisfying as shooting a hoop. By the end of the evening we were reluctant to leave and our perceptions of croquet had changed a great deal.This proved to be a great way of experiencing a new sport as well as helping students to get to know the members of their new form group.We would like to thank Mr John Copping for hosting us and the excellent coaching tips he imparted. If you would like to find out more about croquet you can contact Mr Copping at the club: copping.jl@gmail.com

American Book club has been a great success because our literature students have embraced the power of frank discussion and they have been generous in sharing their reactions to the subsidiary texts on their A level course. As the academic year progresses, I look forward to future meetings where our literature students can speak candidly about the writings of Hemingway, Faulkner,Wharton and James. Drinking tea, eating mini rolls and laughing with some of the most charismatic students in the school is also a lovely way to conclude a busy day of teaching.

Mrs Carrie Martlew Bablake School

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Bablake News

Crest Club Crest is a qualification administered by the British Science Association and Crest awards are designed for students to research a maths, engineering or science based question that is of interest to them. Students can work on their own or in small groups, researching and completing their own experiments. They will then communicate what they have found to an outside assessor from Create a Future at the end of the SpringTerm.

Crest Club started earlier in the year with a vengeance and with a distinctly biological focus this year.We have a team of students making their own bath bombs, currently wrangling with the problem of how to remove the beautifully coloured, scented bomb from its mould. Some of our Fifth

Years are trying to extract natural red dyes to make their own vegan lipstick and another team is looking into how the sound of stirring your hot drink is affected when different drinks are used. Students are dissecting eyes to see the common features in different groups of vertebrates and another team is extracting and looking at stem cells after finding that they may be the secret to eternal youth!

Miss Holyman, Co-ordinator of Junior Science and organiser of Crest Club said: “It is wonderful to work with students outside the constraints of the Science curriculum. I love to see the excitement as they follow their own interests and I often improve my own skills as I learn n ew techniques and find out about bits of science that are novel to me.”

Debating Competition Bablake’s Lower Sixth Team consisting of Jack Poppit, Aaran Bhatti, Alex Hamilton and Bhat-Ammi Francis took part in Coventry City Council’s Democracy Week Flagship Event - the Debating Competition - on Friday 15 October.

In the first round, they debated against WMG Academy who proposed the motion “This House believes compulsory school uniforms should be abolished”. Alex opened up the opposition’s debate with the philosophical and mental health reasons that underpin school uniform with Aaron supporting this by arguing against the motion on financial and practical grounds. Bhat-Ammi summarised and clarified the points of clash in the two teams’ arguments, finishing with very strong reasons to keep school uniform.

Once through to the final against President Kennedy School, Bablake won the coin toss and chose to oppose the motion “This House believes that Brexit will be good for Britain”. The team focused its arguments on the benefits of staying in the EU in terms of economy, security and immigration and therefore concluded that Brexit would not be good for Britain. Once again a rigorous summing up on points of clash put Bablake in a very strong position.

The judges announced Bablake the winners for 2016 and the team was congratulated by the Lord Mayor of Coventry.

House Colouring Book Competition This term has seen the first House colouring book drawing competition.All of the artwork has been made into a charity colouring book in aid of Myton Hospice and if you would like to buy a copy of the book (priced £2.50), please email Miss Simmons at jls@bablake.coventry. sch.uk. Here are the winners of junior, intermediate and senior sections of the competition.

Winners from left to right...

Abinaya Muraleetharan Cameron Park Shianne Whitmore-Beckett

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The Lion | Autumn Winter 2016 2016

Junior Science Cells are the building blocks of life. A human is made from over 37 trillion cells, that’s 37,000,000,000,000 or 3.7 x 1013 individual cells. Our Shell pupils have been studying cells as one of their first topics in Junior Science.

As part of the cells topic, pupils collected their own cheek cells with cotton buds and used sticky tape to get a sample of their skin cells. They then used a microscope to look at their own cells and sketch their observations. The imagination of the Shell pupils has been fired up and their microscopy work has inspired them to make their own models of cells. Each model includes the key structures of a cell: the cell membrane (which keeps the cells together), the nucleus (which controls the cell) and cytoplasm (where the chemical reactions happen in the cell). Miss Mullan was so impressed by the models that she took photographs to share the wonderful work done by Shell JMG and her own form, Shell LJM. Miss Mullan said: ‘Shell LJM and Shell JMG have produced some excellent models showing off their creativity.Well done to everyone.”

Bablake News

Poetry Competition Felicity Chapman, former English teacher at Bablake, runs an annual poetry competition for our pupils in Shells-Third Year.

Last year’s theme was ‘Listen to Me’.There were many entries which showed creativity, imagination and a wonderful capacity for playing with language.This year’s theme is ‘Games People Play’. Good luck to all our budding poets! Well done to last year’s winners Matthew and Wenyu!

Listen to Me | By Matthew Billings Tap! Went the tree branch on my window Like a giant asking to come in.

Creak! Went the bough in the gusting wind Like someone creeping across the floor boards.

Rustling! Are the leaves as they blow across the garden Running and flipping like gymnasts along the floor.

Drip drop! Goes the rain on the window sill Racing down the window; they are racing cars.

Clatter! Go the bin lids Rolling like wobbly wheels down the street.

Bark! Go the dogs As the storm rages round their kennels.

Stop! Listening to the noises Head buried under the pillow I’m trying to get a good night’s sleep!

Evil (inspired by Beowulf) | By Wenyu Wan I creep in, bloodlust radiating.

The desire to kill, to lose myself in dark pits of madness.

I want to make myself known, To erase the cheerful cries of humans, To make them scream in terror, To feed my hunger of flesh and blood.

But, o, what is this? I feel unease here.

I step up to my first victim, his blood filling me with glee I smile: King Hrothgar’s best man, I will have my finest catches tonight.

I dig my claws in, muffling his cries, My jaws crunching on his bones.

I wolf it down, his blood, flesh and all.

My senses tell me: there is something wrong.

I see someone behind me, battle-light* raised, determined to kill.

He charges, sword against claws.

I growl with hatred, fury filling me.

What does he know about pain?

Humans are souls of only themselves.

He charges straight at me, his war cry Fills the hall. I snarl in reply.They only regard themselves.

Yet they treat us with disgust, Years of harsh, bitter repentance has built up.

I swing my protracted nails Yearning to slash him at the throat and chest.

He dodges, avoiding my lumbering blow.

I want him to know that me and my kind have always been damned.

I roared a roar of anguish.

Too long have we been despised and feared of.

I kill for a good reason.

This time I take revenge on Hrothgar.

This time he will die...

Harrismith Visit We were delighted to welcome Mr Zeph Miya, the new principal of Harrismith School, to Bablake in October. Mr Miya was appointed in April 2016 after the retirement of the previous principal, Mrs Tshabalala.

He spent a week getting to know Bablake by observing lessons, speaking to pupils and teachers and spending time with his English counterpart, Mr Watson. Despite the hard work and dedication of Harrismith staff, the school faces a range of challenges on a daily basis, not least the poverty of some of its learners and the ageing fabric of the school. The visit to Bablake provided Mr Miya with inspiration and energy to tackle these challenges and a range of new ideas to share with his staff, including one of Mr Watson’s most popular innovations - biscuits at break! Mrs Skilton, who coordinates the partnership with Harrismith said,‘I was thrilled that we were able to host Mr Miya at Bablake and I know that he benefited tremendously from his time here. He was very complimentary about Bablake pupils and staff and really appreciated the warmth of the welcome he received. He is dedicated to improving education for the pupils of Harrismith; they are lucky to have him as their new principal.”

A third group of Bablake pupils will be visiting Harrismith in July and we continue with our fundraising in support of the school. On February 17th we will be staging a concert performance of Rainbow Cinderella, directed by former Head of English, Mr Ian Appleby, who stages a production with Harrismith pupils every year. Not only will the concert help Harrismith financially, but it will also be a chance for pupils and parents to see one of the benefits of our partnership with them.We do hope you will be able to attend!

Bablake School

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Bablake Out and About

Duke of Edinburgh

Duke of Edinburgh

Earlier in the year, 13 members of staff and 85 intrepid 4th Year pupils gathered on the school field, kitted up and ready for two days of hiking and camping.Throughout the year they had been working towards the ‘Physical’, ‘Skill’ and ‘Volunteering’ sections of their Bronze Duke of Edinburgh award and, having successfully completed their practice expedition in March, they were excited by the final challenge.The Bronze assessed expedition consists of two days navigating around the Peak District/Staffordshire border with an overnight camp at Gradbach Scout Camp, set in a beautiful valley that is definitely off the beaten track.

An excited, yet apprehensive group of Sixth Form students made its way to the Lake District during the last weeks of the summer holidays, to enjoy the terrain and views which this spectacular area has to offer.The weather looked promising and spirits were high.The tension on the coach was palpable as the Lower Sixth asked questions about the route and terrain, whilst the Upper Sixth were psyching themselves up, knowing the week was going to be tough!

Bronze Award GOLD Award

Our luck was in, with perfect weather conditions and no soaking wet tents in the morning! Navigating unfamiliar and often tough terrain, whilst carrying all of your provisions for two days on your back is no easy feat, but as always the pupils stepped up to the challenge. All fifteen groups passed the expedition with flying colours (and rather smelly feet).

Teamwork, perseverance and a good sense of humour truly is the Bablake way.

As we arrived in Keswick to meet the assessors, eyes roamed the terrain outside and fingers pointed to the many high peaks surrounding the coach. “We’re not actually going up there, are we?” rang out around the coach.The weather was kind for the week, with the groups able to make good progress whilst enjoying the views and peaks in all their glory. Apart from the odd navigational hic-cup, staff and assessors were impressed by the skills demonstrated.

The Upper Sixth in particular showed they had developed into competent, experienced hill walkers and navigators and deserve many congratulations for the achievement of successfully completing their award.

Unfortunately, the expedition was not quite at an end and after a long wait, we realised the coach had been seriously delayed, only arriving in Glenridding at the time we should have been nearing home. Both physically and mentally tired, the expeditioners were whisked away by parents for a welldeserved rest.

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

Bablake Out and About

Ranulph

Fiennes 3 PeaksChallenge On Saturday 10th September Mr Phillips, Mr Burdett, Mr Tyas, Mr Benfield and Mr Bogyer along with four other friends undertook the 3 Peaks Challenge.This is an attempt to climb the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales in ‘one go’.The peaks are Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in England, and Snowdon in Wales.

The group did this to raise money for Heart Link Children’s Charity which is based at the Glenfield Hospital in Leicester.The charity supports families who have a child with a heart defect and also provides much needed medical equipment for Ward 30 (Children’s Ward) and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit. Heart Link also funds individual requests to make life easier for children and their families whilst in hospital.This charity has a very personal connection with Mr Phillips, as it provided some of the equipment that saved his son’s life in October 2015.

Despite driving up to Scotland the evening before in gale force winds and torrential rain, we were treated to excellent conditions the following day during the challenge. It was undoubtedly one of the hardest tasks many of the group had experienced, battling with fatigue and bodies that started to break down! Climbing Scafell Pike at 2am was certainly one of the most memorable moments! After 3,407m (9,800ft) of ascent and 42km (26 miles) of walking in total, we completed the 3 Peaks Challenge! There was a tremendous sense of achievement and we raised over £5000 for this fantastic charity. Many thanks to everyone who supported us and gave so generously!

A Time Travelling Trip to Warwick Castle On a cold and wet Monday at the end of September the Shells, their History teachers and tutors braved the weather to see what they could learn about life in the past at Warwick Castle.The rain may have poured down, but our spirits weren’t dampened! The Shells climbed the castle walls, tried to solve the photo

On Thursday 30th June the Geography Department took eight of our Sixth Form students to The Royal Institution in London to hear a lecture given by the world’s greatest living explorer – Sir Ranulph Fiennes OBE. He has led 32 major expeditions to remote areas of the world including both poles.

To date he has raised over £18m for UK charities and was named the UK’s top celebrity fundraiser by Just Giving in 2010. In 2003, only three months after suffering a massive heart attack and double bypass operation, he ran seven marathons on seven continents in seven days. He has since come second in the International North pole Marathon, is the oldest pensioner to have summited Mount Everest, has climbed the North Face of the Eiger and is also the oldest Briton to complete the gruelling Marathon de Sables in the Sahara marathon.

In a fascinating and witty lecture about his life, Sir Ranulph reminded our students about the importance of determination and also advised them to get some A levels (as his progress in the British Army was somewhat curtailed by not having any, although blowing up the Doctor Dolittle film set in the picturesque Wiltshire village of Castle Combe with ‘spare’ explosives probably didn’t help either!).

We all found Sir Ranulph to be a no-nonsense and inspirational man who hopefully inspired our students to explore our amazing planet and go ‘beyond their limits’.We eagerly await news of his latest record breaking expedition.

treasure hunt and travelled through time in the Horrible Histories maze. From watching the mighty trebuchet fire and trying on medieval armour, to seeing the glamour and glitz of a Victorian tea party; from the dankest depth of the castle dungeon to the heady heights of Guy’s Tower, they were able to look at how life in England has changed over the last 1000 years.They were safely returned to the 21st century (complete with its gift shops and electricity) and were back in

school in time for tea. A time travelling day was had by all!

Bablake Junior School

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Bablake Out and About

Greece Our early flight meant that we felt half asleep when we arrived in Athens, but a short while after arriving we sampled the local atmosphere for the first time by heading out to the National Archaeological Museum where we saw statues, pottery and metalwork from all periods of ancient Greece, including the death mask of Agamemnon from Mycenae.

Our first full day began with a visit to the Acropolis and Agora.The Parthenon shone in the sunlight as we were guided round the most famous areas of ancient Athens.After this we strolled all over the city, ending up at the Acropolis museum.After walking in the heat of Athens, we certainly deserved the ice-creams we had that evening!

On the following day we arrived at Syntagma Square just in time to see the strange, but fascinating, ceremony of the Changing of the Guard.We were told the main criterion for choosing the guards was apparently their height, but being prepared to wear unusual footwear, and marching in a

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

very dramatic way must have been high on the list too.After having our photos taken next to the guards, we paid a visit to the 1896 Olympic stadium and some of us had our own races on the track.

We then travelled on to Delphi where we were in awe of the spectacular setting and the sanctity of the religious complex.

The beautiful sunshine showed off the site in its full glory.After a guided tour of the ruins and the museum, we relaxed in the café, accompanied by a plethora of cute cats, kittens and very friendly dogs.We then moved on to Olympia via the RioAntirio Bridge, a wonder of engineering.At Olympia the highlight was the ancient track, although the fastest sprinter on the track seemed to be the dog that followed us all around the town!

Moving on again, we arrived in Tolo and although a last minute change of hotel meant we weren’t directly on the beach, we could hardly complain at having to walk the 50m to get to it. The locals thought we were mad to be swimming in November and only the descent of darkness got us out of the water.

The next day took us to the incredible city of Mycenae.The ruins there are almost 4,000 years old, and the walls are so tall that later Greeks thought that only the mythical Cyclopes could have built them. Some of us took the chance to sit and take in the amazing scenery, while others explored every inch of the site and its museum. It was then on to Corinth where we saw the city that had been rebuilt by the Romans, and we were among the first visitors to a new wing of the museum.

Our final ancient site was the sanctuary and theatre of Epidavros.We did the typically touristy act of dropping a coin in the orchestra of the theatre, and yes, the ringing could be clearly heard on the top row by those who had raced up there.After this we visited Nafplio, a former capital of Greece, and a town which is considered to be one of the most attractive in Greece. Many took the opportunity to try out the fine local restaurants (or rather Goody’s Burgers)!

The last day arrived all too soon, but we returned with unforgettable memories and great friendships that had been forged across the different age groups.

Bablake Out and About

Yorkshire trip On Monday 6th June 2016 the entire Second Year headed to Yorkshire for a week of education, friendship and camaraderie. Bags were packed, tearful parents said farewell and many pupils felt a certain trepidation at being separated from their beloved IPhone for a WHOLE FIVE DAYS! Our first stop was Jodrell Bank and a workshop on the Mars Rover landing.

We had to create a contraption that would support an egg dropping from the sky. Of course, members of 2CAM excelled at this challenge because it required intelligence, creativity and teamwork! After lunch, we went to the Space Planetarium, where we learnt about different constellations and the nearest galaxy that is over 1 million light years away! It was truly breath-taking.

On Tuesday, we visited the National Media Gallery in Bradford. First of all we had an animation workshop and we all made short motion animations to show to the rest of the form.We were all surprised by how much we achieved in such a short space of time and some even thought that this might be a possible career for them in the future.

We then had time to explore the different galleries and enjoyed seeing animation,TV production and some favourite TV shows from our childhood. Before we left, we had our photo taken alongside the impressive statue of J.B. Priestley.

The Royal Armouries in Leeds beckoned on Wednesday.We started with a short presentation on the civil war and we definitely made Mrs Skilton proud! The speaker was astounded by our knowledge and we all felt very pleased that we could share what we had learnt in History.We then looked at equipment that the soldiers had used and learnt how to handle a pike with finesse! Both Mr Woodward and Mrs Martlew looked slightly wary at our expertise and precision with a weapon.

On our return, some pupils walked into the centre of Haworth with teachers. On the way to the parsonage, we saw the set of a BBC show that will be aired at Christmas and took photos of the school house and the parsonage. Seeing the graves of so many young children had a profound effect on so many of us and helped us to put into context the extracts of Jane Eyre that we had read in our English classroom.

On Thursday, we arrived at the camp site called ‘Blackhills’.We were to explore an impressive cave and were given a hard hat before going in to see stalagmites and stalactites and lots of limestone and flow stone.After this, we set off to walk the dales.

Fabulous views and delicious ice-cream made this afternoon a real favourite with many of the form. In the evening, we did shooting and archery before dinner at the campsite.As we settled into our bunkhouses, Mrs Martlew delivered some biscuits and juice so that we could chat a little longer and create great memories.

On the final day we had breakfast at the camp and set off for Skipton.We had a look around the market and local church before meeting our guide who showed us around the castle. He was brilliant and really brought the history of this ancient building to life with his ghostly anecdotes.

As we headed home we all realised how great the trip had been and how much we had missed our families. Most of the form were looking forward to a takeaway and a catch-up on social media.

Wroxeter In October 13 pupils joined Mr Menashe and Mr Bunce for a minibus trip to the Roman city of Wroxeter and the town of Shrewsbury – our second visit in three years.

The remains of the city above ground are quite substantial in places, though it was hard to believe this was once the fourth largest town in Britain.

We were able to imagine walking in the baths and exercise area, and we explored the market hall – but the swimming pool was unseasonably cold, and we were not surprised that in Roman times it fell into disuse after 50 years.We also looked into the building which was constructed for the Channel 4 programme “Rome Was Not Built in a Day”: it was good to see it had been suitably repaired, though a little worrying that 21st Century building methods had not proved more durable.

As the weather brightened, we headed to Shrewsbury for lunch and a look around the well-designed new Roman Museum. Pupils were given the opportunity to explore the town, which was given the thumbs up after visits to the Abbey and their favourite eating place.An excellent way to spend a Saturday!

Writing this article, in our English lessons, has helped us all to consolidate some great memories and we would like to say a big thank you to Mr Hyde for organising the trip.

Our coach drivers were also really friendly and we were lucky enough to have MrWoodward with our form to post great tweets and messages for our parents back home.

Bablake School

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Bablake Out and About

Iceland 2016 Our five-day expedition to Iceland started with a trip to the Blue Lagoon with its geothermal seawater which is drawn from a 2,000m deep borehole.

We visited many of the attractions available to us in a country which is situated on the Mid-Atlantic ridge as well as being a hotspot.These factors ensure that Iceland has many picturesque and intriguing landscapes.We visited geysers which are spouting hot springs and an example of minor extrusive activity. Iceland is a country famous for its developments in geothermal energy and during our visit we were able to see the power station of Hellisheioi.

Many volcanoes were visible to us, including Eyjafjallajökull, where we also visited the visitors’ centre which showed the impact on the local community of the 2010 eruption. Iceland is a location rich in volcanic activity and it was exciting to see it in ‘real life’. Caving in the lava tubes in the Thingvellir region allowed us to experience an underworld adventure and see the formations of rock left behind.

Another landform common in Iceland is waterfalls and we were able to see many during our stay, including Gullfoss - a double waterfall which drops around 33 metres and then plunges into a mile long gorge - which is one of the country’s most photographed.

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

The geographical position of the country means that there are many glaciers found there; this enabled us to partake in a glacial walk and explore the frozen glacial tongue of Solheimajokull.A boat trip on the glacial lagoon of Jökulsarlon with plenty of photographic opportunities was another experience we enjoyed.

A trip to the historical parliament Pingvellir (established in 930AD) was another wonderful experience, whilst whale-watching on the final morning was a fantastic way to wrap up our stay in Iceland, with a sighting of a humpback whale.As well as being educational and aiding and advancing our geographical knowledge, it was an extremely enjoyable trip with unforgettable experiences.

Bablake Out and About

Geography Society The Geography Society recently ran a Geography Photography competition, with finalists chosen by members of the society and departmental staff; the theme was ‘Landscape’.The finalists’ photos can be seen below and the winner was Lucas Bennett.

The society has also been working on producing a magazine this term which will be called ‘Geobites’ and it is hoped that this will be available on our website by the end of term. Contributions have been made by pupils of all ages as well as staff old and new and the logo for the magazine was designed

by Benjamin Crosby in (3SLH).

Georgia Gamble THIRD Jack Poppit SECOND Lucas Bennett WINNER Mr Pete Nicholson BEST STAFF

3rd

2 nd Best Staff

1st

Bablake School

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Bablake Arts & Music

Musical start for new Shells!

It’s been great to welcome our new Shells and to see the exciting talents that are already on display in this year group. Early in the term, we held a short concert, given by some of our older pupils as well as one Shell, and it is really encouraging to see the number of new pupils who already play an instrument, have just signed up to learn one or

who are joining one of our many cocurricular ensembles and choirs. Notably, we have five cellists in the Shells this year (the Music department can’t remember ever having five cellists in the school at once before, never mind in one year group!) so we thought we ought to mark the occasion with a photo of Harry, Alex, Ben, Lara and William with their cellos.

Conservatoire Success This year, two of our pupils began their Music studies at a Conservatoire, a real achievement and very promising start for future music training.

run. I am also looking forward to learning more about aural and music theory. I just can’t wait!” On top of this excellent news, Enya has also passed her Gold Arts Award with flying colours.

Fifth Former Enya Bowe attends Birmingham Conservatoire every Saturday to study flute and piano; her teachers are Jo Kirkwood for flute and Petra Milarova for piano. Enya commented “I feel so privileged to have the opportunity to study music at the Conservatoire. I am so excited to be taking my music to the next level by having lessons with such accomplished musicians and taking part in some of the wonderful ensembles, choirs and orchestras that the Junior Conservatoire

The moderator was enormously impressed at the level of detail in her portfolio and thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the evidence from the wonderful ‘Back to the Fifties’ show we all enjoyed so much in February.

Mrs Scott-Burt said “I have really enjoyed supporting Enya’s Gold Arts Award; it has been a wonderful project in so many ways and has encompassed music, dance, a memorable show and a fascinating project on why there are so few female orchestral conductors.

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

We are also delighted to report that in September Shell pupil Harry ScottBurt began studying ‘cello at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Harry, who got a distinction for grade 8 ‘cello whilst still in Year 6, is studying with Bozidar Vukotic, founder of the Tippett Quartet and well-known recitalist and freelance principal ‘cello with many leading professional orchestras. Harry said “I love playing in orchestras and I’m so looking forward to the Academy orchestra, as well as the opportunity to play really good chamber music with other young people.

I can’t wait to meet my ‘cello teacher because he’s quite famous!”

Bablake Arts & Music

Music for Youth Proms Having been the leader of the Northamptonshire County Training Orchestra for a year, I finally moved up to first violins in the talented Youth Orchestra after re-auditioning in the summer.With this came the opportunity to play at the Music for Youth Proms on the 15th November in the Royal Albert Hall, a dream venue for every single musician in the country. After a long coach journey from Northampton, the 125 strong orchestra filed through the doors of the Royal Albert Hall.

After many photos and lunch in the fancy dressing room, we unpacked our instruments and crept onto the stage for a rehearsal.

We could see the empty sea of chairs as we practised with the big band and the choir. After another break and a change of clothes, the show began and my friends and I ran to the gallery on the fifth floor to watch the first half. After some incredible groups, our orchestra of last year played and the precision and sound were absolutely incredible; I felt extremely proud to say I was part of this year’s Northamptonshire County Youth Orchestra. As a jazz group kicked off the second half, tension started to build and I began to get a bit nervous.

What if I sit in the wrong seat? What if I accidentally drop my bow or come in too early? Waiting to go on stage was excruciating; I could hear my heart beating and it seemed to take forever!

Finally we crept onto the stage in darkness and sat at our desks. I could hear the compère briefly explaining our piece as I nervously arranged the music on the stand. Suddenly, I am aware of glaring lights, I feel a rush of adrenaline and the conductor counts us in. I was playing at the Royal Albert Hall in the Music for Youth Proms! The piece went by quickly and as we triumphantly neared the end, huge numbers of balloons floated down, fireworks lit up the vast spaces and streamers were falling onto my violin scroll. Everyone watched in awe with huge, joyful grins on their faces and I cannot find the words to say how I felt in that moment! This was, by far, the best musical experience of my entire life.

Darya Sutton

Carnatic Arangetram In September, Sathvika Krishnan gave her Arangetram at the Bridge House Theatre in Warwick. Arangetram, which means ‘ascending the stage’, is a solo recital given by South Indian classical musicians when they are ready to progress to professional performance.

Sathvika’s performance was incredibly assured and saw her singing for around two and a half hours, without a break, whilst performing a wide selection of ragams and styles accompanied by a group of professional musicians.

Many of her friends attended, as well as several Bablake staff and her friends and family from all over the world. Guest of Honour was Mr Watson, who gave a speech about Sathvika’s achievements, and the concert was also attended by Sathvika’s Guru (or teacher) and other notable Carnatic musicians. It was a wonderful evening, and amazing to hear such a high level of performance from a pupil only beginning her GCSEs.

Coventry Rotary Club Musician of the Year Two of Bablake’s talented musicians enjoyed a win at the recent Coventry Rotary Club Young Musician of the Year Competition.

Senior baritone Howard Weyman won the ‘Vocal’ category with a poised performance of ‘Non Piu Andrai’ (Mozart), ‘Sea Fever’ (John Ireland) and ‘Some Enchanted Evening’ (Rodgers and Hammerstein).Meanwhile, youngest competitor of the evening and Shell Music scholar Harry Scott-Burt won the ‘Instrumental’ category, playing last out of 12 performers (8 of whom were Bablake pupils!). Director of Music, Mr Tim Crompton, was delighted with the piece, saying: “Harry wowed the audience with a superb, assured performance of the Prelude from the 4th Bach cello suite and ‘Tzig-Tzig’ (William Squire)”.

The next (regional) round of the competition takes place in March next year in Wolverhampton, where children will be competing for a place in the national final in the summer.

Bablake School

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Bablake Arts & Music

ArtVisit

We travelled by coach to Greenwich to see the Old Royal Naval College and the paintings by James Thornhill who also decorated St Paul’s Cathedral.

Pupils were then able to explore the shops and craft stalls in Greenwich market before travelling up river by Thames Clipper to central London taking in the City of London and the Tower of London before passing under Tower Bridge and past HMS Belfast.

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

We enjoyed some outstanding views which offered a different perspective on the city and the way it has developed over time.We then took a short walk to the National Portrait Gallery to see the general collection as well as the annual BP Portrait Award show.

Bablake Arts & Music

Animation Workshop Earlier in the term, pupils from our Shells and Second Years enjoyed excellent workshops led by ‘Let’s Animate’ founder Gemma Foy. Our eager Second Years were the first to enjoy an iStopMotion workshop which taught them how to master the basics of animation. After creating a storyboard, they built their plasticine characters and props, before filming a short sequence of action and adding some audio files. It was then the turn of our Shells to create their animations, a day that one pupil described as their best yet at Bablake!

Workshop leader Gemma Foy was inspired by Aardman’s ‘Wallace and Gromit’ to study animation and eventually work for Ragdoll Productions, creators of ‘Teletubbies’ and ‘The Night Garden’, and she was delighted with our pupils’ imagination and technical skills. On her social media platforms, she praised the work completed.

What was fascinating each day was the imagination and energy shown by our pupils and the enjoyment they displayed through being creative. It was also exciting to see the range of excellent ideas that evolved during the workshops.

Design Technology Congratulations to last year’s Upper Sixth student Rachel Faulkner, who has been awarded a book prize for excellence in Design and Technology

by The Furniture Maker’s Company.

Her work will now be entered as part of a national competition to find and support outstanding design work in schools.

Bablake School

15

Bablake Sport

Boys’Tour to South Africa The Bablake Senior Rugby squad again headed to South Africa this summer for a two and a half week tour.

The tour began in Pretoria with some tough matches and fantastic visits to the Union Buildings, the Cultural Village, the Elephant Sanctuary and the iconic Loftus Verfeld International Rugby Stadium, with a chance meeting with the Blue Bulls Squad including Springbok

Rugby The headline acts in the first half term of Bablake rugby have been the 2nd XV and the U12B team, both of whom have won all of their games to date.

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

Captain Adriaan Strauss. From there, the boys experienced the thrill of a safari in Pilansberg National Park followed by some rest and relaxation at the Sun City Resort.The tour then headed to stunning Cape Town with excursions including a visit to the top of Table Mountain, to Robben Island, to Duiker Island to see some seals and a trip to the Cape of Good Hope. Matches versus Township School Kasslesvlei proved an unforgettable experience, as did the unique South African “Haka” that preceded it.The rugby was tough and unforgiving but the boys learned a huge amount and enjoyed experiences that will last them a lifetime.

The 2nd XV has excelled, with victories against strong opposition such as Leicester Grammar and Wellingborough along the way.This level of effort and commitment has been matched by the 1st XV, which has also performed extremely well, though wins in a number of close matches have just eluded them. At the junior end of school, the U12s have had an excellent

start to Bablake rugby and show great promise, as do the U13s.The U14s have continued to battle and the U15s took part in perhaps the most astonishing match of the half term v Ratcliffe College; 10-0 up, then 10-33 down, before winning 39-33!

Bablake Sport

Bablake Sport

Girls’ P.E.

Netball Our netballers have had a great start to the season with a 70% win rate across all age groups.The U19 netball team was victorious at the Coventry schools tournament, winning all its games with our closest win against Bluecoat, who finished runners up. It was pleasing to regain the trophy from last year’s winners KHVIII.The U19B team fought resiliently, despite injury.

U16s were runners up in the Coventry schools netball tournament.They were unfortunate with their last game being forfeited, as they were unable to secure points they needed to take a win.The results therefore went down to goal average which placed us runners up. Both the U19s and U16s progressed to the Warwickshire tournament.

Hockey The U14s had a superb Warwickshire tournament and Miss Watts declared that “Their last game against Rugby School was the best game of hockey I have ever seen them play”. Unfortunately, we lost against our rivals from last year – King’s High - but this still qualified us for the regional area final (the third consecutive year for this team). At the regional

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The Lion | Autumn 2016

The U15s started their season with an injury, but still managed to play with grit and determination. It was nice to see the girls narrowing the gap on the King’s High score - a credit to their training.The best win of the season so far was against Coundon Court (33-5).We also produced a clean sweep against KHVIII, defeating not only the U15A, but also the U15B and U15C teams, demonstrating the depth of talent we have in that year.

The U13 netball teams have had a superb start to the season winning all but one game, which was close in itself (Solihull 14-11).They had an exceptional win over King’s High (21-5), a team they had previously lost to as an U12 team.They

area final, the girls upped their game, winning all but one game against some tough competition. After their regional area success the team progressed to the Midlands finals. Unfortunately, they were unable to progress out of their group with one win and two defeats.

The 1st XI hockey team competed in its Warwickshire tournament earlier on in the season and came up against some tough opposition.The team finished with

are going from strength to strength and this team has all the qualities to do well this season.

The U14 netball tournament was delayed, but the B team was once again victorious bringing home the trophy and winning all six of its games convincingly.The A team took us to a nail-biting extra-time match in the semi-finals against Bluecoat, but the girls remained focussed, winning and making their way to the final against KHVIII.The girls finished runners up and now progress to the Warwickshire tournament, just like the U16s and U19s.

a great win over KHVIII, including some exceptional play from Anna Price and from Jasmine Shankster-East in goal.

Bablake Sport

Girls’Tour to South Africa 39 girls enjoyed a fantastic actionpacked tour to South Africa during the summer holidays.The girls were a credit to Bablake and to their parents and it was a pleasure to take them away; their behaviour and manners were often praised and there was a good team spirit amongst the group both on and off the pitch/court.

Each team played three matches: the 1st VII, 3rd VII and 4th VII won 1, lost 2 and the 2nd VII went one better, winning 2 and narrowly losing 1.The 1st XI won 1, lost 2 and the 2nd XI lost 3.The schools we played ranged from an independent with outstanding facilities, where matches were tough but the girls worked hard, to strong opposition at state schools to good opposition at a township school with very poor facilities for netball, though this did not affect their enthusiasm and the opposition was very athletic.

Trips were varied and included Gold Reef City theme park,Welwichia flea market, the Lesedi Cultural Villages, a visit to a cheetah and an elephant sanctuary, a tour of Cape Point,Table Mountain, Robben

Island, Springbok Museum, a Stormers’ rugby match and Sun City Resort.The middle weekend was spent at Pilanesberg Game reserve with a night and a very early morning game drive to see many animals in their natural environment.We collected some interesting facts.

The girls enjoyed their hosting experiences and some got to stay on large farms or game reserves. Ruby and Hannah celebrated their 18th birthdays whilst on tour; our hosts made them feel very special and they had a fabulous time.

The most rewarding and probably emotional experience was a visit to a primary school, spending a morning coaching hockey and netball to the pupils.The children had a fun morning developing their skills and were full of smiles.There was no concern about kit; some did not even have pumps on whilst playing hockey!

The tour finished with a joint end of tour dinner with the boys on the rugby tour at the Blues Restaurant. It was a lovely end to tour and the students looked and acted

very grown up.

We would like to thank Summers Joinery for sponsoring the girls’ kit and Helen Zgraja from Number57schoolwear for organising all the tour kit. I would also like to thank Mrs Weatherall, Miss Watts, Miss Mullan and Mrs Lenihan for giving up over two weeks of their summer break to accompany the girls on tour.

Did you know?

Elephants have 6 sets of teeth, their final set at the age of 40-45 years

Bablake School

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Bablake Update

Headmaster’s notes

It has suddenly turned

windy, wet and cold,

and the leaves in my garden have been transformed into a soggy mush! However, I can’t recall such a beautiful autumn: the colours have been magnificently rich and varied, and they seem to have lasted for weeks. Beauty is indeed to be found in colour and diversity.

I believe the same is true of our school community, in terms both of its vibrancy and its enriching mix of different backgrounds - social and cultural. We thrive on this at

Bablake, and it gives the school its special character. It also gives our pupils the confidence to interact naturally and warmly with others and to learn a certain tolerance and understanding which will be so important for their future lives.

All our children are different, and the varied array of activities and achievements featured in this termly newsletter reflect the contributions they make, alongside staff, to the colour and brightness of our daily endeavours – whether or not the sun is shining!

Goodbye, hello We congratulate Alistair Hopkins, Deputy Head (Academic), who leaves us to assume the headship of Caistor Grammar School from January. Mr Hopkins joined us in September 2010 from Wolverhampton Grammar School, where he led a very successful English Department. He is a highly imaginative teacher, and played a key role in the introduction of English Language A level at Bablake. He has taken the lead with various initiatives on the academic side of school, and oversaw the introduction of a school-wide wireless network and a virtual learning environment. He is responsible for pupils’ subject options and has almost always ensured that they are able to study their preferred choices. He has been working intently this term on the new curriculum for introduction in September. Beyond the classroom, he has assisted with the Duke of Edinburgh Award, has contributed to Community Service by accompanying pupils to the RNIB Pears Centre, has led the Christian Union and has acted as House Quiz Master. His intelligence and humility

Diary Dates Wednesday 4 January Entrance Examination

Thursday 5 January Term Begins Graduation Evening Main Hall 7pm

Saturday 14 January Scholarship Morning EDM

Friday 17 February Harrismith Charity Concert Rainbow Cinderella Theatre 7pm

have underpinned his dedicated service to Bablake, and we wish him every success as he cycles north to the Lincolnshire Wolds.

Mr Hopkins will be replaced by Mr Andrew Wright in January 2017.

Mr Wright is currently Assistant Headteacher at John Hampden Grammar School in High Wycombe, where he previously occupied the posts of Head of Mathematics and Director of Learning. Prior to this he was Head of IT and Timetabler at King Edward VI Aston in Birmingham. He was a pupil at King Edward VI Five Ways before studying Pure Mathematics and Geology at the University of Wales (Aberystwyth), followed by a PGCE in Mathematics and PE at the University of Southampton. He is a hockey coach and umpire, has a Mountain Leader certificate and serves as an LA primary school governor. He was appointed

by Governors from a very strong field of highly qualified and experienced candidates after a rigorous two-round interview process.

Wednesday 15 March Fifth Year Coursework Concert Rehearsal Room 5pm

Thursday 30 March Lunchtime Music Concert at St John’s 1.10pm

Tuesday 4 April Easter Concert Main Hall 7pm

Thursday 6 April Spring Term ends Crystal Ball Main Hall 7pm

Tuesday 25 April Summer Term begins

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