Simba - Autumn 2013

Bablake Junior Runners do the Double at City Cross Country Championships!

Simba DIARY DATES JANUARY 2014 Wednesday 8th SPRING TERM BEGINS

Friday 17th BPP Year 2 Familiarisation visit Saturday 18th Open Morning 10.00 -12.00 Thursday 23rd National KS2 General Knowledge Quiz Regional Heats @ Birchfield School Friday 24th Year 2 Familiarisation Visit 1.15 - 3.15 FEBRUARY Saturday 1st Coventry Schools Girls Cross Country Wednesday 5th Tom Palmer, Author Visit Thursday 6th U11 IAPS Hockey Tournament at Repton

The Victorious Cross Country Teams Saturday 16th November dawned damp and soggy behind which augurs well for the future. The team once but still over 360 young athletes took to the fields of again ran out winners from 23 schools.

Keresley Grange in the annual Coventry Primary This was the first time we have won both the A and B Schools Boy’s Cross-country Championships. boys’ team competitions and we now hold all of the The A Team race was first off with almost 200 runners Coventry Schools trophies following the girls successes dashing past the whooping crowds. Bablake runners last year. A fabulous achievement and the result of Josh Connolly and Sam Herniman pressed the leaders much dedication and hard work. Well done. from the start but were never quite able to catch them.

However, with Josh finishing 3rd, Sam 4th, Oliver Pemble 5th, Matthew Hart 10th, Asad Ssemewogerere 12th and Reef Billingham 25th, the team won the competition ahead of 33 other schools!

The B Team race had attracted record numbers and 178 hopefuls set off with great pace at the sound of the hooter. Patrick Heffermann chased the leader all the way to come home second with Adam Tyas in 5th, Archie Burdett in 6th and Ray Thomas-Devaney in 7th. Several other young Bablake runners were not far

Saturday 8th Entrance Assessment 9 - 12

A Christmas Thought from Mr Price

“A good head and a good heart are always a formidable combination,” said Nelson Mandela, a great man who shaped our understanding of what is possible. By his example and his deep understanding of the human spirit, he brought peace where there had been violence and suppression.

At school we hope to share this ideal. Nelson Mandela valued education in the broadest sense. When asked by followers what they should do to prepare for the time when he was no longer around to lead them, he replied, “Go back to school.” At Bablake we are blessed to be part of a community that values ‘a good heart and a good mind.’

Christmas is a time of joy, especially for our children. It is a time of celebration and compassion, an opportunity to reflect and time to share. Amidst all the presents and materialism we should retain faith in the understanding that our greatest gift is forgiveness and our greatest strength is our love.

Bablake Junior Pupils Support the Shoe Box Appeal

Wednesday 12th Informal Concert 4.20 U11 Rugby vs KHPS @ The Butts Stadium 6.00 Friday 14th Inter House Cross County Relays 2.00 HALF TERM HOLIDAY Monday 17th to Friday 21st February Tuesday 25th U11 Warwickshire Hockey Tournament 4.00 (A) Wednesday 26th Year 5 & 6 Mums and Daughters Evening 4.30 MARCH Sunday 2nd National Prep Schools Cross Country Championships @ Malvern College Saturday 22nd Coventry Schools Cross Country Relays APRIL Friday 4th Informal Concert 4.20 Wednesday 9th TERMS ENDS 3.40

Bablake Junior School pupils have put together over 100 shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. This charity sends gifts to needy children around the world who might otherwise not receive a gift this Christmas.

Bablake has supported this very worthwhile cause for many years and this year the

BABLAKE number of shoe boxes put together by Bablake pupils looks like being a record.

JUNIOR SCHOOL “The children have been fantastic,” says Mrs Katie Dawson, the school’s charity coAUTUMN 2013 ordinator. “They are always keen to help other children in the world who are less The B Team boys prepare to go!

fortunate than they are and the shoeboxes are particularly lovely because they have to be put together with such a great deal of thought.”

Year 3 Chedworth Villa Trip

Rugby Report 2013

After our fantastic trip to Chedworth Villa in the Cotswolds, the Year 3 pupils wrote a recount of the amazing activities they had taken part in during the day. Here are a few interesting excerpts:

The Under 8 team have shown much enthusiasm this year and have some great talent. However, the excitement of a first away fixture against Eversfield proved a little bit much for the A and B teams, who unfortunately both lost. A more focussed approach later in the term meant both teams convincingly beat King Henrys in front of a delighted home crowd. Well done boys.

At Chedworth my first activity was in the school room, being an archaeologist. I discovered animal bones from rabbits, cows and dogs that had been found at the site. I found out how the Romans had used mosaics as floor tiles and pictures. Then I looked at old pieces of pottery. I tried to put it back together but it fell apart.

An amphora was a huge pot that the Romans used for keeping wine and oil in. They ate snails and oysters. I think they must have been slimy. Vanessa Dadson 3P There were piles of pottery, animal bones, shells, mosaic pieces and old nails. We got to look at Roman sandals, a spoon and a comb, both made out of cow’s horn. Imogen Harmston 3P

Harry’s marvellous medicine

For my second activity I had to put on a rough tunic and a slave necklace. We used a mortar and pestle. We put different herbs into the mortar and pestle and mixed and crushed all the herbs up with the pestle. Then we tipped the herbs on to a piece of material and pulled up the four corners and squeezed the top of our mixture.

Finally we tied it up with green string. It smelled horrible.

Alice Richardson 3P For the third activity we had a tour around the whole of Chedworth Villa. We learned how they went to the toilet . They walked into their little hut and sat down on a wooden box.

Because they didn’t have toilet paper they used a sponge on a stick to wipe their bottom, then they put the sponge in a bowl of water, ready for the next person. When bathing it took them three or four hours to get themselves clean, because they thought it was unhygienic, they plucked out all their body hair. Libby Stinton 3P Our next activity was to look at the Roman baths. There was a warm bath and a cold bath and the Romans had to wear shoes because the floor was very hot. The hot bath never went cold even when it was snowing because they heated it and built a gargantuan building over it. When it was snowing they would put snow in the bath to make it even colder. This bath was called the frigidarium. Arjun Thandi 3P We discovered the Romans could fit fifteen people in the bath.

Instead of soap they used olive oil and then scraped it off with a strigil, a type of metal hooked thing.Claudie Mutatie 3P

Learning how to tie up our medicine bags

It’s a hard life being a slave

We went to the museum where we saw the necklaces that they stole from other countries that they visited.Aryan Gajjar 3P We went to the spring that the Romans found. It never froze over in winter. The Romans were amazed so they built a wall over it to protect it. Shannon Holder 3P The Romans built a temple around the spring. When they came to worship their gods, they gave gifts to them.

Elizabeth Akinkoye 3P

Year 3 archaeologists sorting Roman artefacts

never played Rugby before. Improvement has been remarkable and the highlight of the season was an A, B and C fixtures against King Henrys where all of the boys in Year 5 participated in a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon of Rugby.

The Under 11 A team have had a mixed season of results. When playing to the best of their ability they are able to beat any opposition and they have had good wins against Eversfield and Warwick B. Disappointing The Under 9 team have gone from strength to strength losses were experienced at Solihull and King Henrys and have thoroughly enjoyed playing contact Rugby. but, with just a little more determination and application, They won their first match against The Croft School the team will reach their full potential. and were narrowly beaten by King Henry’s in an early season tournament. They followed these strong The Under 11 B team have also had a full set of performances with a tough draw against Eversfield and fixtures and they have performed very well. They have were unfortunate to be beaten in the last game against beaten King Henrys and The Croft and Eversfield, in a 41:40 thriller of a game. All of the boys in Year 6 King Henry’s. have participated in fixtures this term and have won the The Under 10’s have seen several new faces join majority, well done. the squad this year with many of the boys having

Netball Report 2013 This term has seen all Bablake Teams record many Not to be outdone by the A team the U10B team have won an impressive 5 of their 6 matches, defeating superb victories.

Solihull 6-0, Bilton Grange 13-1, Croft 10-3 and The Under 11 A have defeated teams from Eversfield, Eversfield 11-1.

The Crescent, Bilton Grange, Solihull and St Osburgs.

The Under 11 B team continue their success from last Congratulations to the Under 9 team who show great year to remain unbeaten against other schools B teams promise. After a 4-4 draw in their first ever fixture and can be very proud of securing a 4-4 draw against against Bilton Grange, they then defeated Croft 3-1, Bablake U12B team. Congratulations to the Under 11 Eversfield 8-1, King Henry VIII 9-3 and Crackley Hall C team who drew 2-2 against Eversfield B in their first 13-5. match of the season.

Well done to all teams. Everyone has played with great Our Under 10 A team have made a promising start and determination and the strength in depth has been great won all 6 home matches. They also reached the final to see. Mrs Reed & Miss Shorter of the Under 10 Solihull Tournament defeating teams from Edgbaston High, St Martins, Eversfield and King Henry VIII. After a fiercely contested final against the The Croft, which saw an injury to the Bablake GK, we were unfortunately defeated by 1-3 goals to finish as runners-up.

Year 5 are Victorians for the Day at Holdenby House

Year 4

In early November, the eager Year 5 travelled to Holdenby House in Northamptonshire to find out about the gruelling lives of Victorian servants.

Alex Mousley 5K

As part of our work on Anglo-Saxons in History, Year 4 examined pictures of artefacts found in the excavations at Sutton Hoo. Each group was asked to think about the materials that the object was made from, decoration and possible uses. We then explored what these objects can tell us about this period in time. To find out more, you could visit the British Museum in London or the Sutton Hoo site at Woodbridge.

Like a flock of sheep, we were herded into a cobbled courtyard. Slowly and steadily, the noise of our chatter climbed rather high. Suddenly, a door flew open and Mrs. Bumbridge, the housekeeper, swept across the now silent courtyard. “Get into three straight lines,” she barked. Lauren McGladdery 5K We had to repeat the house prayer and other dreadful chants such as, “spare the rod, spoil the child,” “cleanliness is next to godliness,” and “God bless the squire and his relations and keep us all in our proper stations.” Suwetha Bhavanandan 5K My first chore was clapping books of all shapes and sizes in order to clean them. However, the drudge (Mrs. Knibb) kept distracting everyone from doing their work so she got a “beating.” Mrs Knibb said, “I deserve much better than this.” At that moment I felt fear shrivel through my body.”

Maya Koria 5K After we had our lunch we headed off to the grand hall where we were meeting Lady Annally, the lady of the house. When we went in we were told to look at the floor because it is rude to stare. Emma Ashby 5K As a valet (the second highest ranking male servant) I had to re-write the menu for the day. Mrs. Bumbridge, who I’d renamed the black bat, told me to “dip, blot, write”. I was terrible at it because it was easy to smudge my writing, so I was glad I didn’t get told off. I found it amusing that lunch was called luncheon. Luke Brown 5K The trip taught me that Victorian servants had a hard life for there was always so much to do. I would recommend this trip to the next Year 5 as I really enjoyed and benefited from it. Clive Freeman 5K

Rainforest

Dear Diary,

Dear Diary,

In the rainforest it is very gloomy, the rain pouring on the trees like pouring water in to the sink. Water falling swiftly as quickly as the rain falls on it. Thunder roaring like somebody shouting, birds tweeting and crowing, making a lot of noise. There are animals swinging from tree to tree, creaking like old floorboards. Charlie Crinigan 4H

Two days ago I went to play with Davey.

I had spectacular fun with Davey.

I suggested when the clock struck 9 o’clock, that we should tell ghost stories. However, Davey had a way better idea, he suggested that we were to go down to the forest. Although I‘d never done it before, I exclaimed that I would do it.We used the 20 minutes to grab everything like Davey’s biology encyclopaedia and binoculars. I went to get my telescope, coat and shoes and after that we were off. The forest was fun and exciting. We saw loads of birds like a robin, crow and blue bird. After that we went home for a hot chocolate and marshmallows.Archie Burdett 4L

I have had the most amazing day with Davey! We went to the old beech tree, though in Davey’s head, it was a spaceship that crashed into Earth 1,000,000 years ago and is stuck. Then, I saw it too. We scrambled to the top where there were all sorts of wires with falling sheets of dust dangling off into the wreckage.

We tried to find a door but it was obviously sealed in the crash land. Then, we climbed back up the tree and, in the distance, we saw another blunt rainbow.

Before very long, it was night so we went to Davey’s house to do some star gazing. It was a clear night so we could see the stars easily. Harry Scott-Burt 4L

In the pea green rainforest there are lots of animals like colourful, rainbow parrots flying in mid-air, or big slimy, slithering snakes who slide around everywhere in the dry, brown leaves. On the colossal trees are lush, green leaves and a great velvet curtain of wet rain.

There are all kinds of tropical birds, for example, toucans, pelicans and lots more! Bianca Booth 4L

The Tunnel As I crawled out of the gloomy tunnel I was surrounded by big, leafy trees, but as I walked, slowly deeper into the forest, it became an endless wood. There were loads of threatening objects around me like axes and gravestones, but I heard threatening noises as well, was that a wolf howling? witches cackling? twigs snapping? bears roaring? I started to run, I could not stop myself, before I knew it I was sprinting like mad! My heart was in my mouth, I still couldn’t see my brother. I hated it, absolutely hated it. Oh my goodness, was that a wolf I saw? I couldn’t be sure. Aaaaaggghhh!!! A bear, a boar, branches like witches fingers trying to grab me! It smelt like cabbage water, my heart was in my mouth! I could taste death on the tip of my tongue. I could see an object in the shape of a human being, was it my brother??? Bianca Booth 4L

Bablake Pupils Sparkle at The Coventry Festival of Speech and Drama

The performances of Bablake Junior School pupils were amongst the highlights of the recent Coventry Festival of Speech and Drama.

Building upon previous successes, they won no less than seventeen major prizes.

Fifty children from the school took part and showed tremendous commitment and dedication, learning and rehearsing their pieces with enthusiasm over the term.

Class C, Amelia Shaw in Prose Speaking Class C and Bryony Camwell and Anna Williams for their Choral Speaking duo. First place with highly commended was awarded to Priya Fensome in Prose Speaking Class D. In all, Bablake pupils won six categories and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, gaining great confidence and bravely sharing the spotlight, the accolades and the First places with tension!

Third places were distinction were awarded to Imogen to Joseph Robson and Second places with awarded Imogen Harmston in highly commended were Pemble, Arjun Thandi, Verse Speaking, Classes won by Libby Harrison, Theodore HutchinsonC and D, beating almost Bertie Hancock and Tom Hayes and Oliver Spencer 30 competitors in each Dewes in Humorous in Humorous Verse Class section. First places also Verse and Lily Harmston D, Archie Burdett and went to Manav Jaspal in Verse Speaking, both Giacomo McGibbon in in the Humorous Verse Class D.

Bablake Junior School Pupils Support Children in Need Everyone at Bablake Junior School dressed-up in onesies and pyjamas on Friday 15th November to raise funds for Children in Need. Pupils still worked hard but there were certainly a few more smiles on people’s faces as even the staff joined in the fun. Lessons went with an added bounce and over £330 was raised for this tremendous charity. Cakes were also brought in and the funds raised from the sale of those were shared between Children in Need and the Philippine Typhoon Disaster Relief Fund, which will receive £101 from the children’s efforts.

Art Competition Success!

Verse Speaking Class D and Eleanor White for her Verse Reading Class C. Many congratulations to everyone who took part, this was a super effort in challenging circumstances.

Kubra Seker was stunned in Assembly on Thursday 14th November to discover that she was the winner of the Recognition Express sponsored national road safety competition. Her poster was selected from amongst entries from one hundred and fifty schools. Mr Alan Newman from the sponsors came in Assembly to present Kubra with her prize.

Kubra’s picture has been turned into a banner which will be

put up outside the school. Mrs Mason, Kubra’s Art teacher, was thrilled by the award.

“Road safety is a very important subject, especially for children, and we wanted to raise awareness of the significance of speed when driving in urban areas. Many of our children entered the competition and I was delighted to hear that Kubra won. She is a very talented artist highlighting a very important issue.”

MacMillan Coffee Morning at the Pre Prep

Coombe Abbey - Year 5

September 27th saw Bablake Pre Prep staff don their aprons to produce a wonderful selection of cakes for Macmillan Coffee Morning. The Morning (and afternoon) was supported by lots of Pre Prep parents who came along to sample the culinary delights and contributed to the grand total of £267.75. We are extremely grateful for their support and hope that next year’s coffee morning (and afternoon) will be even more successful. Mr Powell

To support our Geography topic, Year 5 went to Coombe Abbey County Park to carry out an investigation on a river. As part of our fieldwork we observed the features of the river and the creatures which could be found in that habitat. We also measured the width, depth and flow of Smite Brook. We had a thoroughly enjoyable experience despite the rain!

Children in Need Year 5’s Imaginative Recounts Year 5 have been inspired by our History topic this term. After visiting Holdenby House and reading extracts from Street Child and Oliver Twist they wrote some imaginative recounts.

We had a great day at the Pre-Prep in our pyjamas. Thank you for donating to Children in Need.

Krish Bodalia and Amrita Ajikumar (Head Boy and Head Girl)

Staff Update

The Pre Prep children made wedding hats for Miss Fiddler and Miss Furlong and celebrated with them shortly before their wedding days. Congratulations to Mrs Sawdon and Mrs Connell!

I was sitting in the schoolroom, just scribbling nothing on my slate. The peeling, dark green walls were very high with no windows.

Occasionally a gas light would flicker or hiss.

It was January and all was frozen. It was so cold I could see my own breath swirling like a ghost from the past days of the workhouse.

Every part of my body was pinched by extreme, lunging temperatures. Mr. Crowitt strode down the silent aisles, looming over every boy’s work. James McCook 5K

Anxiously I stepped into the grand building.

“My name is Mrs. Pantridge. I want you to all try your hardest here”. I never realised how much they would expect from us. Mrs Pantridge has already set me six jobs: cook mince pies for her Christmas party, iron her best gown, make tea, set out some jewels, light the fire and dust her books. Tiredly, I looked at my list to see what to do next. I picked out her crimson red gown and rich red earrings and dropped them on the bed.

Jemima Pawar-Price 5K

After trudging through fields for half a day, we finally reached Holdenby House. What a magnificent sight! Securing the house, the large gates made me tremble. Intriguing wall designs, grass as smooth as felt and topiary clipped into peacocks made me remember my dream … Aarushi Khurana 5K

Without warning, a door flew open and a strange well-dressed person came striding in like a regal peacock. “Hello horrible urchins!” pronounced the stranger with a severe sound of disgust in her voice. “My name is Mrs Bumbridge and I am here to take ten of you rag piles for a trial at Holdenby House.”

Joseph Robson 5K

Australia (Year 2)

‘I really enjoyed looking at the photographs of the red back spider and other Australian animals.’

Lara Uchil 2M

‘In Northern Australia, it can get quite hot because it is close to the equator.’

Amrita Ajikumar 2M

I was cleaning the Lord’s best vase when “CRASH” it smashed to smithereens! I felt fear gnawing at my stomach. I was as silent as a shadow. What would happen now? Sophie French 5K

The Choir Sing for Free

Our Roman Day by Year 3

Young soldiers teaching the girls to march

Slave Avneet teaching the boys about cleaning

Year Three pupils all arrived in a wonderful variety of outfits, ranging from emperors, empresses and gladiators to humble slaves, eager to start their Roman Day.

those wailing babies when it was their turn to find out what they had missed?! This resulted in lots of fun, as girls marched, boys danced and, predictably…. “When is it feast time?” was the question on everyone’s Our amazing day started with a bit of a shock for the exhausted lips. girls, (or was it a pleasant surprise?) as they learnt that The food was scrumptious, especially the cinnamon in Roman times they would not have gone to school. sweet cakes. Even the dormice went down well, So the first thing we had to do was send the boys to proving that all that marching can make a Roman their Maths class, where they used Roman numerals really hungry! like I, V and X to complete their calculations.

Thank you to parents for helping to make such amazing

Recorder Practice

The choir are very excited to have been selected for the Free Radio ‘Christmas Stars’ competition this year.

Along with 9 other primary schools in Coventry, their recording will be heard on Free Radio and the interviews recorded by Dami, Georgie and Maya will be aired for everyone to hear (photo of the interviews attached).

Nayna from Free Radio was really impressed by the choir’s singing and by how disciplined they were in reading out the ‘titles’ for the recording as well – everyone was given a sticker and Free Radio wristband to thank them for their hard work!

The children in the choir worked very hard to learn a lovely Christmas song, ‘Love Shone Down’ by Sheila Wilson, in only 2 rehearsals, so that we could make the recording on the 13th November. They will then be rehearsing hard for the Christmas service in Coventry Cathedral on December 16th. It’s great to have a mixture of children from all year groups involved in the choir, and after Christmas we will be preparing to enter the National Festival of Music for Youth in March, so come along to rehearsals if you’d like to join us! Mrs Scott-Burt

Merry Christmas!

Harry Scott-Burt National Children’s Orchestra

Meanwhile all the girls tackled their housework outfits and to Mrs Price for our yummy banquet. We admirably and cared for all the babies’ needs. Sadly, hope that each activity will stay in our minds for a long the boys missed out on some important nappy changing time to come and bring our Roman studies to life. skills! Fortunately, after an exhausting morning, the girls had enough time left to learn some hairdressing skills and then they learnt how to dance.

The boys spent the rest of their morning practising their marching skills. Dex means right and sin is left so this took a while to get used to! Appetites were definitely sharpened by lunchtime and everyone eagerly anticipated the Roman feast promised….. perhaps not the dormice which were being gently roasted, though!

By the afternoon the boys were beginning to feel that they ought to share what they had experienced with the girls. Maybe it was only fair but would they cope with

Folding clothes....a tiresome but necessary chore

Woodwind Group

Centurion Holder puts the boys through their paces

Don’t mess with this Emperor

Grace tucks into a feast after a hard morning at work

Senior School Pupils help Bablake Junior School Readers The paired reading scheme continues to be a great success with dozens of Senior School pupils coming down to the Junior School to hear young readers as part of their community service for the Duke of Edinborough Award scheme. Everyone gains and Junior School pupils enjoy getting to

spend time with their older peers. In the picture are some of the readers in the Junior School reading lounge.