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In the spotlight...
A warm welcome to the following highly talented new members of staff... Mr Stephen Cooper (Music) Stephen joins the Music department part-time in both the Senior and Junior Schools. He is already well known since he has been teaching brass instruments at Bablake as well as directing our brass group. Mr Tim Crompton (Director of Music) Tim joins us from Myton School in Warwick, where he has been since 1998. During this time, he presided over a very significant expansion of the school’s musical life (both curricular and extra-curricular). He is a pianist, organist and bassoonist, and a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire. Mr Richard Sewell (Head of Economics and Business Studies) Richard has a degree in Economics and Social Policy from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a PGCE in Economics and Business Studies from Leeds University. He joins us from a similar post at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield. Mr Sam Williams (Design Technology) Sam studied Automotive Engineering at Loughborough University before proceeding to a PGCE in Design and Technology. He has recently completed teaching placements at St Paul’s School, Leicester and Uppingham. He is a keen sportsman.
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Mr Colin Parsons, a former pupil, joins as Database Manager, Miss Joanne Price as Art and Textiles Technician and Mrs Lucy Allen as Assistant Librarian. Mrs Anne Warren will be covering maternity leave in History and teaching some Religious Studies while Miss Laura Watts will provide cover in PE and Mr Tom Jackson will act as PE Assistant. the wheatleyan 2008/09
Congratulations: Miss Nicola Beasley Duke of Edinburgh coordinator, inc Bronze. Mr Ken Binsley Duke of Edinburgh coordinator, inc Gold and Silver. Mr Julian Bunce Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) coordinator. Mr Simon Enstone Head of Enrichment Studies. Mrs Lisa French Second in Mathematics. Mr Steve Jackson biennial Royal Meteorological Society Michael Hunt Award (2008). Mr Malcolm Martin, Coventry Telegraph’s Pride of Coventry and Warwickshire Community Awards Local Hero nominee (2008) and Schools Awards Support Staff runner up (2009). Mr Mike Masters Contingent Commander CCF. Mr Clive Mohamed RAF Section Commander. Weddings: Miss Amy Jones now Mrs Cassell. Miss Suzanne Symonds now Mrs Webley. New Arrivals: Mr Paul Cleaver and Miss Caroline Daley, Mr Shoyeb Memon, and Mrs Louise Yates House changes: Mrs Lorainne Alexander and Mr Paul Shelley Heads of Crow and Wheatley; Miss Nicola Beasley, Mr Clive Mohamed and Miss Jayne Simmons Assistant Heads of Fairfax, Crowe and Wheatley respectively.
Ross Parnell and Ciara Wyman, Bablake Junior School captains, interviewed their senior school counterparts, James Ross and Lara Jackson, about their time at Bablake. Which clubs did you enjoy and why? J: Several in the Music department. It was great meeting people with the same interests and I’ve enjoyed giving time back accompanying the Chorale and Chamber Choir. The amount of time the teachers devote organising all the clubs is amazing and my advice is ‘get involved in as many clubs as possible’. Play as much music as you can and if you don’t already play an instrument, take one up! L: My clubs were dominated by sport: netball, hockey, rounders and athletics. In the lower school, I went to drama and Chinese and then in L6th I was a part of Young Enterprise. I also wrote for the Wheatleyan and Stretch magazines in the 6th Form.
Have you enjoyed the lessons? James: The best lessons are in the 6th Form when everyone has chosen to be there. You can have some really interesting discussions with excellent teachers. I look forward to Latin most but really miss Music lessons. Lara: Geography has been my favourite as it spans across so many different subject areas. It has always been the most interesting and relevant and I cannot wait to study it at university. I absolutely love games – sport has been a massive part of my life here and I have many fond memories of competitive sport but games lessons were always fun with everyone taking part, whatever the ability, in so many different activities. I also love English! Did you settle into the Shells well? L: I thought it would be daunting suddenly going from being the oldest at Primary! Would being towered over by so many older people be intimidating? Bablake, though, really isn’t as big as it seems and everyone’s in the same situation, with similar worries, looking to make friends. If you throw yourself into school life and work hard, there are no problems. What is the best thing about the senior school? L: The mix of people. You will meet so many extremely different people in your time here. I don’t think the school or its pupils fit any stereotypes. Finding everyone is openminded and respectful of others was important. J: The best thing is how Bablake prepares you for what’s to come, both higher up in the school and beyond. There’s a huge amount of support for every over where to go after 6th Form.
What is the best school trip you’ve been on? J: Both the Classics tours, one to Greece and one to Pompeii and Sicily; it was fantastic to see the physical remains of the great civilisations we had studied. L: The Netball and Hockey Tour to South Africa! Safari at dawn and dusk, experiencing the culture and food, living with host families, playing sport and being with friends throughout made for an absolutely amazing experience. So do you know where you want to go? J: I sometimes envy all those medics who know exactly what they need to do to progress, but not everyone has their mind made up by the U6th. I have a general direction but am going to enjoy a few more years doing my degree first. Are you glad you went to this school? J: Extremely. It’s been a wonderful experience. I’ve made some really special friends. L: I really am! I love Bablake, it’s like my home and I can’t imagine ever having gone anywhere else. It has made me who I am today and has given me so much confidence. What will your best memory of the school will be? J: That’s hard to say! I have so many memories from the last seven years but I hope I never forget all the people who have made it such a great time, including the teachers, but above all my friends. L: There are far too many to pick one. I’m so grateful for all the people I have met and the opportunities I’ve had. I will never forget being named School Captain, touring South Africa, making the National Schools Finals for Hockey in 3rd Year and Netball in the L6th, the last few weeks of the U6th, but mostly the guarantee of coming to school knowing that I had great friends and each day would be different and challenging. bablake school
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