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News and views from Bablake School
Issue 70 | Summer 2016
The Musicians
It’s always exciting when a new production is announced, but this time everyone was even more enthusiastic during auditions to find that The Musicians was part of the Connections programme of the National Theatre writes Oliver Brindley.
F
rom the very first readthrough we were all aware that if we did justice to this wonderful short play we stood a chance of performing it not only to school, or at the Belgrade (amazing in itself) but as part of a festival at the National Theatre! Those involved ranged from Shell pupils to members of the Upper Sixth and we quickly grew to love the play, its humour and superb writing giving everyone in the cast a moment to shine. Rehearsals started with many of the cast learning how to hold instruments correctly so that they could mime playing them as part of an orchestra! We quickly moved the performance from the realistic to the fantastic and we had great fun creating both robotic and balletic dance
sequences! All too soon it was time for the performance at school and the pressure was on as there was going to be a director from the National Theatre, Rosemary McKenna, in the audience. The cast and crew were thrilled by the positive feedback that Rosemary gave to us after the show and we were all determined to use her detailed notes to further improve the production before we took it to the Belgrade a few weeks later. The festival weekend at the Belgrade was amazing as we had the chance to see the other plays being performed and also attend some great workshops to sharpen our skills prior to our own performance! There was also a party which gave us the chance to meet those participating from other schools and theatre groups. Bablake’s The Musicians was the final performance of the festival (obviously saving the best until last!) and it was a real thrill for us all to be putting on a show on a professional stage! It was a wonderful experience to perform in front of a packed house and I think that we managed to put on our best performance! I certainly hope so, as Rosemary was once again assessing how we had developed our production so that she could report back to the National Theatre. We have been waiting patiently to see if we will be lucky enough to be selected for the National Theatre Festival; we know that nearly 500 groups have participated so we have to be realistic, but whatever happens we all know that we did our best and created something very special. I would like to offer huge thanks to Ms Farmer and the rest of the Musicians ‘family’ for making it an experience I will remember for a long time!
In this issue: Fun and games in the Library 2 Making news 3 Bishop John 4 Ride London 5 Bablake en France 6 RAF Cosford 7 Music scholars 8 Artistic notes 9 Design techies at work 10 Sport 12 Expedition Days 14 Staff news 15 A silver lining 15 Headmaster’s notes 16
Bablake News
“The talented winning pupils proved themselves to be real Harry Potter aficionados!”
The beautifully illustrated Harry Potter book
Fun and games in the Library We’ve been busy quizzing in the Library this year, which began with the release of a beautifully illustrated copy of Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s Stone by JK Rowling, prompting us to offer it up as a quiz prize. This particular quiz was probably the most popular we’ve ever had, with pupils from all years taking part, so we decided to award a senior and a junior winner. The talented winning pupils were Fiona Chung (3JEK) and Emma Blackett (4JP) who proved themselves to be real Harry Potter aficionados! To celebrate World Book Day this year we held our annual Design a Bookmark competition. The designs were fabulous as always and it was a difficult decision, but our winners were as follows:
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Senior • First: Ashleigh Stonier (4CRW) and Emma Blackett (4JP) – a joint effort with Ashleigh’s artwork and Emma’s quotation choices • Second: Mehreen Kazmi (4LCW) • Third: Akshayah Balamurali (4LCW) Junior • First Prize: Harinija Vicnakumaar (ShJMG) • Second Prize: Fateha Ahmed (ShLJM) • Third Prize: Maya Koria (ShPN)
Our worthy winners were presented with a beautiful certificate, designed by the equally creative Mrs Tracy Mair (Reprographics), which featured their winning bookmark and a Waterstones gift voucher. The fabulous bookmark entries have been printed by Mrs Mair and are available to all pupils to pick up from the Library reception desk. It will be very rewarding for the winning pupils to see their
bookmarks in print and being used by their peers. In addition to the bookmark competition, we ran a Bumper Book Quiz. We were very impressed by the Shell quiz team ‘Clever Cats’ who completed the quiz during our World Book Day Library celebrations. Clever Cats, also known as Abarna Sivanesan (ShLSG), Fateha Ahmed (ShLJM) and Anna George (ShLJM), were each presented with a certificate and gift voucher. The quiz was a challenging one covering broadranging questions on a large number of books. They tracked down the featured books in the Library for clues and, with the added ingredients of team work, skill and enthusiasm, their efforts certainly paid off!
Bablake News
Making news Engineering Education Scheme The Engineering Education Scheme recently came to a highly successful conclusion after six months of early morning meetings, site visits, a residential workshop and many additional hours of study. The team worked with their sponsor company, Arup, on a design for the new HS2 station at Curzon Street in Birmingham. Lower Sixth formers Lantian Pinkney, Surajan Singh, Stefan Harris and Rob Jacques were awarded Gold CREST certificates and Gold Standard Industrial Cadet status, and also won the JCB Team Challenge on the day, receiving a prize from their peers for the best display stand. Mr Chris West
Junior Science A very successful year has been had both inside and outside the Junior Science classroom. Co-curricular is an important part of the pupils’ life at Bablake and in Junior Science we run clubs as well as special events to encourage our pupils to think about further study as well as careers in science and engineering. It has been a bumper year for Crest Club, with 16 pupils attending the weekly club for two terms. Pupils investigated a part of science or engineering of interest to them before being assessed by Carole Gallant from ‘Create a Future’. To generate their projects, each planned and completed experiments and researched using the internet, text books and interviews with professionals; they then created a report to explain what they had discovered, while conveying their passion for science and engineering. All pupils gained a Crest Award and many achieved a level higher than the one for which they were initially assessed. Junior Science Club is aimed at pupils who have a fascination for science and who want to explore a more structured programme of investigation. This club has been run by a number of staff across Science and Learning Support who themselves have a passion for science. Pupils have completed a variety of different practical sessions, from dissecting owl pellets to making Cartesian divers! We have also had the pleasure of working with people from local universities. All the Shells have taken part in the STEM wind turbine workshop run by Engineers without Borders
A busy year for our Sixth Formers!
from Warwick University. This international organisation removes barriers to development through engineering and has a number of programmes that provide opportunities for young people to learn about technology's role in tackling poverty. Two of the engineers had worked on a project in Tanzania to build a wind turbine and were able to share their personal experiences. Our Shells designed, built and tested their own designs for wind turbines and we had a team which produced the most successful turbine the engineers had ever seen in the workshop. I must also mention the Mad Science Ice and Fire Show planned for the end of term to ignite the interest of our Second Years! This co-curricular activity has been mirrored by development in the classroom. This year we have issued new text books to each Junior Science pupil to keep for two years and next year will see the launch of our new Science scheme of work. Information can be found on the main school website under Curriculum, Junior Science. Miss Sam Holyman
Enrichment The year’s enrichment activities for the Upper Sixth drew to a close after an eclectic year of learning, volunteering and engagement.
Highlights of this year’s courses have been some excellent conservation work on behalf of the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, as well as portrait photography, cooking on a student budget and some basic car maintenance classes, all of which we hope will stand our Sixth Formers in good stead for their continued studies next year. Enrichment is about developing some new and useful skills, but also finding new opportunities to try the wealth of hobbies, interests and societies our pupils will encounter at university. Speakers this year have ranged from mountaineer, Bonita Norris, and her tales not just of climbing the highest peaks but her ‘one step at a time’ fight to finance and organise her dreams, to the founder of the Everyday Sexism project, Laura Bates, who gave a thought-provoking talk to our pupils just before the publication of her new book Girl Up. We finished the programme with a ‘Question Time’ session focussing on the forthcoming European Referendum. We welcomed back some former pupils to speak on both sides of the debate, as well as a representative from the Youth Parliament and our own Mr Grantham, who aside from teaching an excellent enrichment politics course this year, helped to sort out the arguments for and against Brexit. Mrs Cathy Scott-Burt Bablake School
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Bablake Events
Charlotte Bull and Jonathan Knibbs
Something’s cooking Shells
Mrs Lynda Jackson with the Bishop and Revd. Evans
The Shell competition was great fun! There was such variety; from a Classic Summer Salad to a Sticky Ginger Chicken Salad. The one thing that all the House entries had in common was that the dishes were all really attractive and colourful. We had a limited amount of time to create our masterpieces and they then had to be judged by our guests of honour - Mrs Tumber and Mrs Brett. It was very nerve-wracking! Everyone tried their best and had fun; you could tell by the quality of the food, and the worthy overall winners were Wheatley with their Sticky Ginger Chicken Salad. Jessica Robson
Bishop John
Second Year
We were delighted to welcome The Right Revd John Stroyan to Bablake at the end of April. The Bishop of Warwick’s visit was one of several by Coventry North Deanery Churches and organisations; he was accompanied by Revd. Alison Evans (Area Dean and vicar of St George’s, Coundon) and was particularly interested in finding out about our ethos of peace and reconciliation and our sense of applied spirituality. He met with our Headmaster, Mr John Watson, to discuss Peace and Reconciliation, community cohesion and pastoral care at Bablake and undertook a “learning walk” with Revd. Sacha Slavic, our Chaplain. During his visit, he met members of staff and pupils, with the afternoon coming to a close with a time of recollection in the Remembrance Garden, opened by Bishop John a few years ago. Following his visit, Bishop John wrote to the Headmaster and said: “Thank you so much for your welcome and your time yesterday. It was very good to spend some time at Bablake, to hear your perspective on the school and to see how you are embracing the ethos of Peace and Reconciliation. I was particularly impressed by the way this is being increasingly owned by the whole school. Clearly you and the Chaplain, alongside other staff members, are instrumental and inspirational in all of this. I was particularly glad to sense, appreciate and experience the ethos of the school. The atmosphere was certainly a happy one and your priorities as Headmaster have clearly borne much fruit.” We are very grateful to Bishop John for his visit, care and prayers for our school community.
When I heard about signing up for the Second Year Ready Steady Cook challenge, I was very excited, but also shocked at how quickly the time had flown since the Shell competition last year. I was keen to take part as I won last year and wanted to maintain my title! I immediately started to think about the type of stir-fry that I would make and took inspiration from my hobby - shooting. I decided to make a venison stir fry using meat that my dad and I had sourced from Scotland on a recent stalking trip. Before the event, I practised a recipe at home and my family and I thoroughly enjoyed it. When the event came, I used a Sika Pricket fillet of venison which was tender and flavoursome. The event was very enjoyable, with interesting stir fries being made by pupils in other Houses, including two vegetarian options using tofu. I and my partner are very pleased to have won the competition for Fairfax two years in a row and I am already looking forward to next year’s competition!
Revd. Sacha Slavic
Jonathan Knibbs
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Bablake Events
Ride London On 31st July I will taking part in the Prudential RideLondon - Surrey 100, which is a 100 mile cycle ride through London and into the Surrey hills, taking in some of the Olympic cycle race route including Leith Hill and Box Hill. The furthest I have ridden to date is 60 miles, taking part in a Macmillan event in 2014 (and when I was much fitter!). My personal goal is to complete the ride in under six hours. My first challenge has been to get bike-fit again and I have had to be quite creative with my time to fit my training in around work and family. I have been riding the 20 miles home from school on a Wednesday and back in again on Thursday morning, whatever the weather, which has really helped. So far I have encountered wind, rain, sleet, snow and hail (and that was on just one ride!).
Last year my aunt was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is still battling the illness. Pancreatic cancer is the most fatal form of cancer in the UK, with only 4% of patients surviving for five years or more and unfortunately, UK survival rates have barely changed in over 40 years. I will therefore be riding for Pancreatic Cancer UK and aim to raise ÂŁ750, but would obviously like to raise as much as I can. I will be holding a number of events in school to help raise funds, including a sponsored leg wax nearer the date! Please take a moment to look at my JustGiving page and help me to fight this terrible disease: https://www.justgiving. com/fundraising/Peter-Nicholson4 Mr Pete Nicholson
The Fourth Year in action
Being sociable! The Fourth Year Social evening at the start of this term was enjoyed by all who came along. There were games of dodgeball, rounders and tennis, followed by pizza. Mrs Smith and the Fourth Year Form Tutors were very impressed by the appreciation shown by our pupils.
Rajan with his Lightning Chess trophy
Lightning chess Lightning struck not twice but three times as Fifth Form pupil Rajan Parekh recently claimed his third Lightning Chess trophy, winning his final game of the 2016 competition against fellow Bablake A team player Monty Dosanj. An excellent evening of lightning chess saw players from Bablake Junior School, Bluecoat and King Henry VIII compete for the 2016 trophy over five rounds. Unfortunately, Warwick School was prevented from travelling by local traffic chaos, which meant that opposition from this season's league winners was missing. Despite this, the matches were still keenly contested and the deciding game was an exciting spectacle. Of course Rajan now has former international Paul Lam's record of four Lightning Chess wins in his sights, since he should have two more shots at the trophy while studying in our Sixth Form! Earlier in the evening Ciara Wyman collected the 2015-16 season Division 2 trophy on behalf of her team, while Monty Dosanj proudly received the cup trophy won by our A team. Bablake School
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Out and About
Bablake en France
À table, tout le monde!
During the Easter holidays, 11 students from the Lower and Upper Sixth French groups spent 6 days at the Château de la Baudonnière in Normandy, where they had the opportunity to practise their French language skills as well as taking part in a range of activities writes Mrs Jennie May. The activities, all delivered in French, included fencing, canoeing, bread-making and aeroball and students also had several hours of French tuition each day to work on their exam skills. The students took every opportunity to practise their everyday French with the animateurs and whilst out visiting the area; they soon got into the swing of it and several received compliments for their accents and the level of language that they used! Highlights of the trip: • the barefoot trip to the Baie de Mont Saint Michel with the Sixth Formers jumping up and down on the quicksand! • the Upper Sixth singing the theme song from their studied film on the last night whilst playing giant Jenga. • being woken every morning by the peacocks screeching at 5am. • watching several of the group take a dunking during the canoe games. It was a great week and everybody felt that their French had improved in an environment where they could practise their functional French as well as their exam technique. As it became the catchphrase of the week, it would be fair to sum up the visit as ‘WOW’.
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Out and About
RAF Cosford
Fun in the snow!
Serre Chevalier ski trip
Our Second Years were flying high during the annual Expedition Day on a trip to a live RAF base in Staffordshire. Just before half-term, over one hundred excited Second Year pupils went on an educational visit to RAF Cosford. During the visit, pupils had the opportunity to participate in three workshops run by the museum’s staff and also one led by Mr Hobday, Head of Second Year, in which pupils investigated flight. Despite a slight hiccup, due to the fact that Hangar 1 was in the process of being re-wired, Cosford staff adapted our day and we built shelters and used equipment from the time of World War 2, looked at the science of flight and also made rockets which were test fired in a hangar. Pupils also visited the Fun and Flight Centre, which housed over 20 interactive displays and experiments, and went on a tour of the hangars containing many important aircraft, including test planes. This year we also got the opportunity to go into two aircraft and take selfies in the cockpit of a Jet Provost! Miss Sam Holyman, Co-ordinator of Junior Science said: “This is the fourth time that we have taken the Second Years to Cosford and I think that it was the best! We had a fabulous day and pupils especially enjoyed trying on all the different types of uniform and timing how long it takes to get correctly dressed!” Miss Sam Holyman
We enjoyed six fantastic days of skiing in the resort and had an excellent team of instructors. We experienced a wide variety of conditions: snow, sleet, fog, rain and sun! Pupils enjoyed different après-ski activities each evening, including a cultural crêpe night extravaganza, swimming, bowling, games night and the famous ski trip quiz organised by Miss Simmons. The Skiing Squirrels were crowned as winners after an unofficial inquiry deducted 5 points from the staff team. The resort welcomed local resident Pierre Vaultier back to Serre Chevalier after winning his 5th World Championship, so pupils enjoyed the carnival atmosphere in the town centre and an evening of fireworks. A brilliant trip was made even more enjoyable by the praise we received from the ski instructors and the hotel staff on the politeness and behaviour of our group. Mr Andrew Phillips @bablakeski #BablakeSki16
Beth Shalom Have you ever felt pain? Whether it be physical, mental or emotional, all of us at some point in our lives have felt pain, but few of us will have tolerated physical, mental and emotional suffering inflicted by another human being. On our visit to the Beth Shalom Holocaust Centre, we were moved by the images and the stories of pain endured by so many. We met a Holocaust survivor: a special individual who gave us an insight into those tragic events. However, what was even more inspirational was the power of the human spirit to forgive and find peace and reconciliation. This serves as a reminder of a brighter tomorrow, even during the darkest of days. Prabhjote Sahota Bablake School
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Bablake Arts
Clockwise from top left: James, Dasha, Avni, Beth, Anna
Music scholars Mrs Cathy ScottBurt reports on the achievements of our music scholars
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Every year we review the achievements of our music scholars and try to share their successes with the school community; it’s always exciting to see what they are up to both in and out of school. Anna White (Fourth Year ‘cello) is principal ‘cello in the Coventry Youth Orchestra, and is also heading to the Pro Corda summer school this year. Dasha Sutton (Third Year violin) is the leader of
Northamptonshire County Youth Training Orchestra, and she is also now playing a lovely violin loaned to her by the county. Avni Kant (Fifth Year harp) has just taken grade 7 harp – it’s very unusual to have such an advanced harpist in a school and we look forward to hearing her play again when she returns from exam leave. Beth Carter (Lower Sixth bassoon and flute) is principal bassoon in the
Coventry Youth Orchestra and Ben Powell (Upper Sixth violin) is coprincipal 1st violin. James McCook (Shell trombone, piano and voice) has had a bumper year of music exams, taking grade 4 singing as well as grade 5 theory and grade 5 piano! Congratulations to all our scholars for their dedication and leadership within the department.
Bablake Arts
Artistic notes
Yamaha Flute Workshop
Year 4 pupils enjoy the dance workshops
Arts Award Back in April, two of our Shell pupils, Amie Shipley and Hema Lall, hosted a brilliant dance workshop for two classes of Year 4 pupils from Bablake Junior School. The girls led the session as the final part of their Bronze Arts Award and it was enormously successful; they both led sessions really effectively and seemed to be very natural in the role of teacher. Our younger children had a lot of fun, although a few commented that ‘dance is harder work than PE’! Amie (who recently gained a distinction for her grade 6 LAMDA musical theatre exam) and Hema played a ‘Guess the dance shoe’ game with the children, then told them why warming up for dance is so important and led a fun warmup to Pharrell Williams’ ‘Happy’. They both led different sessions teaching the younger children either a short sequence of a dance from a musical or a street dance, and the best young dancers received beautiful sweet bags as prizes! Another successful and inspiring afternoon for Bablake Arts – very well done to Hema and Amie.
The Music Department was delighted to welcome internationally renowned flautist Lisa Nelsen, who visited us in her role as a Yamaha artist, to deliver a workshop to our flautists. Lisa sits on the council of the British Flute Society and teaches at Wells Cathedral specialist music school as well as in the junior department of the Guildhall conservatoire in London, and she has a wealth of performing experience as soloist, chamber musician and orchestral principle. Yamaha have just remodelled and launched a new improved range of student flutes, and we were fortunate in having Lisa visit to show our pupils the new instruments and let them try them out. Lisa herself plays the top-of-the-range Yamaha flute – and it was the first time our pupils have had the chance to get close to a flute made of gold!
Lisa Nelsen
Our beautiful new organ
Organ The Music Department is absolutely thrilled to have taken delivery of a brand-new, specially commissioned chamber organ for the Rehearsal Room. The instrument will be used for smaller concerts, as well as featuring in our Young Musicians’ concerts (evenings of solos, mainly from our talented music scholars) and of course being used for teaching our ever-expanding team of young organists. The organ has been designed, voiced and assembled by Mr Trevor Tipple, who, with his team restored the lovely Compton organ in the Main School Hall last summer; Trevor is really pleased with our new addition, and told us that whilst he really enjoyed restoring our Compton, to be able to design, voice and build an instrument especially for us was a real treat! The oak case is particularly lovely, and has a beautifully hand-carved dedication to J.S.Bach, Trevor’s (and many organists’!) favourite composer for the instrument at its centre. The money for the new instrument has again been generously provided by the executors of the estate of the late John Phipps and we would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to them for their support and generosity. Articles supplied by Mrs Cathy Scott-Burt Bablake School
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Bablake Focus
Design techies at work A selection of Design Technology work from our current GCSE and A level pupils.
David Hutchinson
Sophie Hollinrake
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Sophie Price
Will Rowland
James Judge
Bablake Focus
DT students in York
Experiencing DT first hand Rob Jacques
James Sawyer
Peter Cusack
James Horton
As part of their Product Design course, our Upper Sixth Design Technology pupils have embarked upon a number of educational visits this term. During February half-term, we took a day trip to Yorkshire and spent the morning at the home and workshops of famous furniture maker, ‘Mouse Man’ Robert Thomson. We had a good look around the antique and modern pieces of furniture, before visiting extensive workshops to see the craftsmen in action. From there we travelled into York to spend the afternoon at the Railway Museum to look at the history of steam powered locomotives as well as more modern machinery. The pupils also spent an afternoon at the recently revamped Coventry Transport Museum. As well as studying the advancements in passenger vehicle technology, the tractor exhibition was of particular interest, especially to one of our pupils who is planning to study Agricultural Engineering at university next year. Most recently we have visited Charlecote Mill in Hampton Lucy, one of only a few working water mills remaining in the UK. We were given a fantastic tour by Karl the miller, who spoke with great enthusiasm about his mill, its history, and the water-powered gears and linkages that produce the flour. Mr Sam Williams Bablake School
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Bablake Sport
Boys’ sport Basketball “At the end of April, I travelled to Dubai with the GB U23 Wheelchair Basketball team for a tournament against seven other national sides. It was a really amazing and enlightening experience for me. We took a very young squad; I was the youngest, and one of the many making their debut in the junior national squad. Our first group game was against Thailand and we played to a decent standard but not to our full capacity. We led throughout the entire game until the last few minutes letting the game slip through our fingers giving Thailand a narrow victory. The next two days saw comfortable victories for us against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, although we still didn't play as well as we knew we could. We played against a very talented Japanese side in one of the semi-finals, and as we had played a friendly against the Japanese before the tournament started, losing by about 10 points, we knew we had a tough job in front of us. However, spirits were high, and we knew that we could beat them. As expected, the game was very close throughout the whole 40 minutes. When the buzzer sounded, the score was 49-49, so the game was sent to overtime. Unfortunately, during the additional five minutes we lost our composure
U14 rugby team wins the Coventry Schools’ Final
and they won 52-59. It was such a challenging game both physically and mentally – the hardest I have ever played in – and the whole squad was hugely disappointed with the result. We still had a chance of getting the bronze medal in the 3rd/4th place play-off against Thailand and again, it was a close game, going to overtime, but this time we managed to win 53-52 and were awarded bronze. The whole experience was really valuable and taught me so much about the value of sticking together as a team, even when things aren’t going well. We were disappointed not to have got better than third place, but I know that this will motivate us to do even better at the next opportunity!” Peter Cusack
U13 Warwickshire Hockey On Sunday 8th May, Oliver Pemble (Bablake U13 captain) and Tom Oswald represented Warwickshire in the Midlands Championship in Worcester. They played six matches against different counties, competing in 25 degree heat! Warwickshire U13s won the tournament beating Leicestershire 4-2 in the final and Oliver scored two goals in the final.
Peter Cusack
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Tom Oswald and Oliver Pemble
Football Bablake’s Football Team give 110%! (Questions have been asked about their mathematical prowess, but not their footballing ability!) The 2015/16 season did not get off to a good start; this was attributed to the loss of some star players from the previous year. The first three games were defeats and there was many a lesson learned from this humbling experience, not least that misjudgement of the bounce of the ball can result in kneecap dislocation! The season was soon turned on its head with two wins on the trot, including an impressive 3-1 success against rivals Coundon Court. These wins marked the start of a 9 game unbeaten run. Momentum was lost in the figurative title charge, as we were held to a 2-2 draw at Camp Hill, but the team should be commended for a brilliant second half performance that saw the team come back from a two goal deficit. The last game, against local rival KHVIII, ended in a 1-1 draw, most memorable for the questionable decisions of the referee and our goalkeeper. An eventful season in which we have been unbeaten since 14th October! Manvir Thandi
Bablake Football Team
Bablake Sport
Girls’ sport
Junior Athletics Team
Athletics The junior girls’ team has enjoyed both team and individual success this season. They finished first in the recent English Schools Athletics Track and Field Cup, 21 points ahead of second place. Their current score should enable them to compete as a team at the regional finals in June. Freya Bennett has had much deserved individual success on the track this year both for school and club. She came second in the Warwickshire Championships, qualifying to represent Warwickshire at the inter-counties. She was part of the Coventry Godiva Harriers under 13 girls’ team which came first in the Warwickshire Cross Country championships in January, won the Coventry Schools’ Cross Country Championship and progressed strongly through the Midlands and into the English Schools’ Championship, representing West Midlands. She has had early success at the start of the track season winning Bronze medals in the under 15 girls’ Warwickshire Championships 1500m, 800m and high jump, narrowly missing out on representing Warwickshire for the age group above at all three events. She has also won the 1500m, 800m and high jump in the Coventry Schools’ Competition. Congratulations also go to Olivia Kelly, Hannah Sweeney, Anastasia Jeffcoat, Emma Allroggen, Jasmine Marajh and Freya Bennett on their selection to represent Coventry at the West Midlands Championships in June.
U13 Hockey
Hattie Morris
Hockey
Pony Club Success
Congratulations to Emma Allroggen and Freya Bennett for their hockey success. Both were selected to play for Warwickshire JAC and won the Midlands tournament. Both girls have also been selected to join the Midlands Junior Elite squad. This season the U13s have won the U13 invitation tournament, come runners up in their 11 aside county tournament and were winners of the 7 aside county tournament. This win qualified them for the regional finals at Cannock Hockey Club where they played some great hockey, winning one, drawing one and losing one game in their group. They played a close quarter final against Loughborough, narrowly losing 1-0. They therefore finished the season 6th in the Midlands. Very well done girls.
The U12 Netball A & B teams have gone from strength to strength this season. Congratulations must go to both teams in their Coventry Schools netball tournament. The A team finished second to KHVIII losing 8-7 in a tough final whilst the Bs went one better, winning all of their games and the tournament, beating KHVIII convincingly in the final. We also congratulate the U13 netball teams; the A team narrowly missed out on first place, finishing runners up and Bs finished first. Recently, Hattie Morris was awarded the U14 Regional Coaches trophy at Henley Club Awards Night. Hattie also captained the U16 Warwickshire team at a Bromsgrove round robin tournament against 12 local counties. Warwickshire lost four matches, but it was a great experience for Hattie as a player and as a captain, particularly as she was playing with older girls.
Bryony Camwell, Iz Hemus and Hattie Evans are all members of Atherstone Pony Club and attend regular rallies and training sessions. Bryony has enjoyed great success over the past eighteen months, competing individually and as part of a team at recognised show jumping events, each time winning or being placed. Iz has also had much success this year and was placed 2nd at the British Riding Clubs National Championships. In this team event, Iz achieved one of the very few double clears. Iz also achieved 3rd in the 90cm at the AHBPC show jumping competition over Easter. Hattie is 11 years old and has been a member of the Atherstone Hunt Branch of Pony Club since she was 5. With her pony, Prince’s Pride, she competes in show jumping, dressage, eventing and tetrathlons. Hattie has also competed in the National Schools Competitions and recently represented Bablake at Bury Farm in Bucks. In May, Bryony, Iz and Hattie represented Atherstone Pony Club in a team show jumping event at Rockingham Forest International Horse Trials. This is a prestige event and they did exceptionally well to have been selected. Iz Hemus and her team were placed 3rd in their 80cm class, Bryony and her team were placed 5th in their 70cm class, and Hattie and her team won their 70cm class. Congratulations to all three girls. Continuing with the theme of horse riding success, Georgie Burrin continues to do well with her horse, Hullaballoo. She has had several seconds and thirds at Weston Lawns in the 90cm classes but is waiting for the team chase season in the Autumn, as this is her real love! She is also planning to enter the show hunter class at the Fillongley Show in August.
U13 Netball
Hattie Evans on Prince's Pride
Netball
Bablake School
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Out and about
Expedition days At the end of last half-term, pupils enjoyed a day out as part of our Expedition Day. Shells spent the day at the Black Country Museum, Second Years went to RAF Cosford and Third Years were able to visit Bletchley Park or explore the city of Bath.
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Staff News
Staff news from Headmaster, Mr John Watson
We bid a fond farewell to staff who have all served Bablake over varying periods of time, and wish them success, happiness and good health in new endeavours: Mrs Lynda Jackson, Mrs Alyson Heath, Mrs Cath Mills, Miss Rachel Young, Mrs Carol Davey, Mrs Caroline Farmer, Mr Matthew Rushton, Mr Ken Binsley, Ms Lorraine Gibbens, Mr Steve Jephcott, Mrs Trudi Clarke, Mrs Kayleigh Lacey.
Miss Rebecca Kane, Teacher of Biology: Miss Kane is a graduate of the University of York, where she spent one year of her course working for the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust. She taught for a year at Kirk Balk Academy in Barnsley and is currently an Assistant Housemistress at The Mount School. Previously a university officer cadet, she is keen to be involved with the CCF and to support the Duke of Edinburgh Award. Mrs Catherine Lynch, Teacher of June 2016 English (part-time): Mrs Lynch studied Mrs Liz Staveley, Headmaster’s Personal English Language, English Literature and Assistant: Mrs Staveley has experience of Art at the University of Birmingham and marketing and HR is an experienced management as well teacher. Her two as the role of PA. Her most recent posts current post is with have been at Yardleys Saint-Gobain. and Archbishop Mrs Cathy Shields, Ilsley Schools in Admin Support Birmingham. She will Secretary (part-time): lend some support Mrs Shields is known with Drama. to us already as partMiss Katharine time Technician in Davies, Teacher of our Food and Textiles English (part-time): Mr John Watson, Headmaster Department. She brings Miss Davies was a administrative skills pupil at King’s High in from another role. Warwick before studying English and Drama Mrs Fiona Masters, Finance Assistant at London University. She has subsequently (part-time): Mrs Masters has extensive taken an MA in Creative Writing and has experience of working in both primary and written two novels. She has taught in several secondary schools, and has occupied various state and independent schools. Her administrative roles at Bilton School since 2007. co-curricular contribution will include English and Drama activities. September 2016 Mrs Alison Lister, Teacher of English Mrs Joanne Solomon: Teacher i/c Food and (for one term): Mrs Lister has a BA in Theatre Nutrition: Mrs Solomon is currently Lead and Professional Practice from Coventry Teacher of Textiles at Southam College, and University and an MA in Shakespearean also teaches Food up to GCSE. A graduate Studies from London. She is currently living in of Coventry University where she studied Uganda. She has taught English from 2007 and Contemporary Craft and Fine Product has occupied the roles of Deputy Curriculum Design, she spent two years (2009-11) as Art Leader and Curriculum Leader for English. Technician at Bablake before taking her PGCE in Design and Technology: Food and Textiles. January 2017 She is keen to be involved with the Duke of Mr Ben Wall, Second in English: Mr Wall Edinburgh Award scheme. studied English Literature at Sheffield Miss Kate Blackie: Teacher of Religious University, has been Second in Department Studies: Miss Blackie is completing her PGCE at both St Albans and Uppingham Schools at Cambridge, having studied Philosophy at and is currently Head of English at the Durham University. Prior to this she was Head latter. He spent three years in Vietnam Girl at Wrekin College, an HMC boarding and teaching English. He will be involved day school in Shropshire. She would like to be with netball and the Duke of Edinburgh involved with netball and drama activities. Award.
“At a time of unprecedented curricular change the experience and continuity of our teaching are further factors which underpin the success and achievements of our pupils.”
A silver lining Information on pastoral care at Bablake from the School Chaplain The death of a loved one is always a heart-breaking experience; at Bablake we take the bereavement of our pupils, parents and staff very seriously and we aim to journey with you on that path. Every experience is unique and it is with this in mind that we will offer different levels of pastoral care. From reception staff to pastoral staff, school nurses and Chaplain, we are all there for you if and when you may need us. Some pupils need staff to be aware of their situation, some will see the Chaplain for prayers or in preparation for the funeral service. Many families and pupils will be in touch after the funeral to explore the different facets of bereavement. Some will attend our yearly bereavement course and many will take part in the November Memorial service and of course, some will make use of our Memorial Garden. Whatever the need, we aim to journey with you during those difficult times. In our main foyer, there is a beautiful wooden case that has kindly been constructed by Mr West which contains the Bablake Memorial Book; pupils and staff have the opportunity to enter the names of loved ones and the book is open at anniversaries to give a chance to ponder, remember and pray for that person. If you wish to enter someone’s name in the book, please complete the form inside the bereavement booklet you receive when tragedy occurs or even better come and have a chat to the Chaplain. Revd. Sacha Slavic
Bablake School
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Bablake Update
Headmaster’s notes
Diary dates Thursday 23 June Art & Design Technology Exhibition Evening Main Hall, 5:00pm-7:00pm Summer Music Concert, EDM, 7:00pm Friday 24 June Open Evening, 5:00pm-8:00pm Saturday 2 July Lower Sixth Mock Interview Morning EDM & Languages, 8:45am-2:00pm Wednesday 6 July Summer Term ends 12 noon
“...we are committed to making Bablake an even better school – for the sake of those we serve.”
Thursday 7 July Leavers’ Ball, Nailcote Hall, 7:30pm Sunday 7-14 August Bablake at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Thursday 18 August A level & AS Results Day
We are acutely aware of the sacrifices our parents make to afford our school fees (even if they remain amongst the lowest in the independent sector). Why do so? Whilst many schools experience significant difficulties with both recruitment and retention of high-calibre staff, we are very fortunate to attract well-qualified specialist teachers and very enthusiastic support staff. The former come to us not only because they have a passion for their subject but, above all, because they want to play a powerful role in the development and happiness of our young people – often through pastoral care and the extra co-curricular opportunities so important as children grow towards confident adulthood. Time and time again pupils will say how much they value the strong relationships they have with their teachers and the personal care from which they benefit. And those who are interviewed for support staff posts invariably want to contribute to the warm and positive environment which they encounter when they first visit; they form a dedicated and very loyal team who are equally keen to play their role in supporting our pupils’ progress. Staff who join Bablake have no regrets, are fully committed to our aims, and only leave for promotion, relocation or retirement. At a time of unprecedented curricular change the experience and continuity of our teaching are further factors which underpin the success and achievements of our pupils. Our staff have been eager to adapt to new syllabuses and schemes of assessment, so as to best prepare pupils for the challenges they face. And we are well placed to seize the opportunities provided by the changes to develop a fresh curriculum which inspires pupils and prepares them for a varied and rewarding life beyond school.
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The Lion Summer 2016
Our children’s education is a shared enterprise between home and school, and the ethos which we and parents cherish ensures that our young people grow up not only equipped to make well-informed and appropriate moral choices, but with a values-construct which will enable them to play a generous and fulfilling role in society. Our co-educational school community is more diverse than in most independent schools, and we believe that this enriching quality plays a very important role in nurturing well-rounded human beings. So we believe that our parents are making the best possible investment: not simply in inspiring teaching and learning, but also in attentive pastoral support and in opportunities and values which will mould their growing children for life. As we enter a new and exciting phase of development planning from September, we are committed to making Bablake an even better school – for the sake of those we serve.
Thursday 25 August GCSE Results Day Wednesday 7 September Autumn Term begins Saturday 10 September Shell Olympics Morning, 9:30am-12 noon Thursday 15 September Prize Giving Coventry Methodist Central Hall, 7:00pm Saturday 8 October Open Morning, 9:30am-12:30pm
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