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The Blue Coat School Founded by the Church of England in 1722
Life Skills Year 6 prepare for their next steps. PAGE 5
Musical Magnificence! Fiddlesticks join Prep for Summer Concert. PAGE 11
From the study… One of the endearing and enduring strengths of Blue Coat School is the House system. Not only does it play its part in differentiating the children; it instils a fierce sense of loyalty and attachment. Just as House Sorting is an important process, ‘Buddies’ are a boon and Moving Up Day always generates enormous excitement. We all love it when the whole school - including new teachers - come together as a team. Particularly at the end of term. You would need to have a heart of stone to be unmoved when Year 6 say goodbye to their special House family. While traditions last, things still have to move on. As record numbers are recorded, developments abound. In September, the Dining Room will be ready for our new Breakfast Club provision. Meanwhile, we have to say farewell and heartfelt thanks to: long serving Mrs Hopson (retiring after 28 years) Mrs Lambert-Green (22), Mrs Burns (18), Mrs Ebrahim (13), Mrs Whitehouse (13) and to more ‘recent’ members of staff Miss Scullion and Miss Smith. As I write, the sun is blazing down. May it continue to do so for you all - and especially for Miss Fan, Miss Morrell and Miss Keeber, who are to be married this summer. Noel Neeson, Headmaster
Term Round-Up Our new Chaplain, Becky Drake got the term off to a great start, theming our assemblies and Chapel services on Jesus, The Light of the World. At Founders’ Day the children acted out the story of the School’s foundation and reminded us that we all have gifts and resources that we can use to bring light into the darkness, and make an impact in our world. This term has seen over 315 pupils participate in residential trips. Year 6 ventured overseas to Château d’Ebblinghem, whilst Years 3, 4 and 5 sampled the delights of outdoor education in the Blue Coat Forest, Colomendy, North Wales, and Bushcraft at the Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire. Year 6 even squeezed in a trip to Condover Hall for a netball tournament and outward-bound activities. These trips are so important; they build resilience and help form character. BCS Values of patience, perseverance and respect are always at the fore. Closer to home, the children have enjoyed enrichment visits to Ash End House Farm, Weston Park, the National Space Centre, Aztec Outdoor Adventure Centre and Safeside. Not to mention many school workshops which have included Year 5 constructing the Taj Mahal out of bamboo!
On the sporting front there was much to inspire the children. GB and international athlete, Hannah England, joined us for a running masterclass, as did Test Cricketer Stuart Broad MBE, who joined pupils in the nets for a bowling masterclass. Thirty-four Year 3 girls had a brilliant time participating in a coaching session at the Nature Valley Classic Tennis Tournament at Edgbaston Priory Club and they were lucky enough to meet Petra Martic for a Q&A session. We were proud to have representation for the first time, at the IAPS U11 Sailing Regatta. Will Cowley and Lauren Claridge competed together in a number of races and finished 7th out of 16 overall – well done! Also in the water, BCS teams reached the ESSA and IAPS national finals for the third consecutive year.
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After half-term the whole school community came together in a Guinness World Records™ attempt. 628 sock puppets were held aloft for the required one minute as the school danced along to music and celebrated together in a memorable occasion. We now await the final decision from the GWR judges.
In the Spotlight This year Mrs Lambert-Green, our much-loved Head of Art and Design is retiring after nearly 22 years of service to The Blue Coat School. It is difficult to sum up such a long association with the School but we asked Mrs L-G to share a few of her memories: Q. Has your role changed much over the years?
Almost one year ago, a young Swedish girl began her protest outside the Swedish parliament as she started a weekly school strike to raise awareness for climate change. Eight months on, her once lonely protest has caught the attention of pupils in more than 71 countries and now involves over 100,000 school children. Whilst Blue Coat pupils are not joining 16-year-old Greta Thunberg and walking out of school, they were certainly captivated by the issues raised by the climate activist during their Theme Week. “Our world, your world” was the theme and the children considered how we fit into the world, how we can reduce waste and what we can do to care for the environment. Coastal erosion, the rainforest, plastic pollution in our oceans and food waste were just some of the topics covered before Prep and Pre-Prep came together to share their findings in a thought-provoking session at the end of the week. The children were clearly moved by what they had learnt and are more determined than ever to care for our precious world. BCS is fortunate to enjoy many community links. The last of our very successful Experience Days took place with 24 pupils joining us from Oasis Woodview Academy in Edgbaston. Over the course of the day, the children learned what STEM is, why it is important and what sort of STEM-related careers there are. They then looked at some of the problems facing survivors following natural disasters and the ways in which engineers can help.
A. When I first started, it was as a teacher of English as an additional language (EAL). Over the years I then became a Form Tutor teaching a variety of subjects including of course, Art (my favourite subject). I have worked for three Headmasters and alongside many, many amazing colleagues. Q. Is it right that Blue Coat is quite a family affair for you? A. Absolutely, my Grandad attended the School; in fact there is a tree planted in his memory just along the path to the Chapel. My three children came here and my husband also worked here, teaching Sound Recording to Years 4 and 6. Q. Can you share some of your special memories with us? A. These include working with visiting artists-in-residence; wood carving in the Scout tent; getting locked in the ladies toilet and having to climb out of the window; flying a kite on the beach at Le Touquet; my husband and I having our wedding blessing in the Chapel accompanied by the wonderful singing of the Chapel Choir; dressing up with Mrs Lynn in the diggers from Fantastic Mr Fox; the Copper Poppy Project, which was perhaps the most precious as it involved the whole school community, young and old, and of course having the privilege of working alongside such inspiring, confident pupils. Q. What legacy would you like to pass on to pupils? A. I would like pupils to believe in themselves, relax and take time to be creative; it is so important to our emotional well-being. Remember that when creating artwork, ‘a mistake is an opportunity to be creative’! Q. A few final thoughts?
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St. Margaret’s girls welcomed patron Mrs Dyke and Grace from Edward’s Trust Charity as they launched their House Charity appeal. A staggering total just shy of £6,000 was raised! As we break-up for the holidays, four pupils will be treading the boards in the production of Joseph at the Birmingham Hippodrome. We wish Bertie, Phoebe, Simeon and Amar all the best as they take part in the Joseph choir.
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Our own Year 6 pupils have benefited from links with Birmingham City University with students visiting on Thursday afternoons and sharing Lego WeDo kits amongst other activities. Old Scholar, Mike King, facilitated the visit of an indigenous Taiwanese Choir made up of 46 high school students, who raised the chapel roof with their famous eight-part polyphony.
A. I have made many deep friendships here and I love the way that staff from across the school and children reach out and help each other when times are tough. Just like the hoop on the floor game, when the music stops, everyone holds onto each other so that no-one is left out of the hoops, our Blue Coat Values linking us together. Whilst I am very much looking forward to taking early retirement, I will always cherish my time at The Blue Coat School.
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Pre-Prep Classroom Big Toddle for Charity Little feet made a big difference as they took part in a ‘Big Toddle’ around the school field. Cheered on by Pre-Prep and Prep, the children from Buttons Nursery and Transition completed two circuits of the field with eagerness and energy, raising £1,733 for Birmingham Children’s Hospital. Well done everyone!
Reception’s Safari Experience
Victorian Toy Day Year 1 ventured forth to Weston Park in Staffordshire to explore the delights of the 17th century country house and its wonderful toy collection. The children had the opportunity to dress up in Victorian clothing and play with period toys. A toy making workshop was popular – the children were tasked with turning a wooden spoon into a character of their choice. Using a variety of materials, princesses and spidermen emerged as popular, spoon-shaped characters. The children explored the opulent house where they got a taste of what life would have been like as a wealthy earl or countess. By the end of the day, the children left tired but eager to go home and play with their own toys.
Reception had the most amazing day at West Midlands Safari Park. Their day began with a coach tour. The lions were being released from their enclosure right next to the coaches, so they were literally by the wheels - a fantastic sight! After lunch the children went for a walk around the park and encountered many different species. They had bats flying around their heads, parakeet’s sitting on their arms, not to mention the moving, roaring dinosaurs giving them a fright! The children were able to touch some smaller species, including a very smelly ferret! They were impeccably behaved and very enthusiastic; a real credit to us all.
Space Adventure Year 2 were greeted with a multitude of sights, colours and sounds at The National Space Centre in Leicester. Not surprisingly, they were very motivated and captivated by their new surroundings. They learnt about famous rockets, then created and launched their own, which was great fun. Next, the children enjoyed a wonderful space show in the large, full-dome planetarium. They all went on a voyage of discovery into space and experienced what it would be like to be a real astronaut. What an inspiring day which really opened our eyes to things ‘out of this world’!
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During Theme Week, Year 2 focused on ‘Reduce, reuse and recycle’ as their topic. Children were set a challenge to re-use and recycle plastic containers filling them with paper and material to make eco-bricks. They made a small table and a stool for a child to sit on. Meanwhile Mr Fogarty led 2F on his guitar as they learned Jack Johnson’s ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ song.
Prep Classroom Top Tennis Tips Thirty-four Year 3 girls had a brilliant time at The Nature Valley Classic Tennis Tournament at Edgbaston Priory Club in June. Early in the day, the girls watched some of the professionals warm up on the practice courts including British star, Heather Watson. They then headed to Court One to see a brilliant match between Petra Martic and Akaterina Alexandria. After this, the LTA invited them to participate in a coaching session which involved moving around lots of skill stations. To finish the day, they had a real treat as Petra Martic came back to see them for a Q&A session!
Ticket Pour L’Espace Year 4, along with the rest of Prep and Year 2 were treated to a French Play performed by visiting theatre company, Onatti Productions. The ‘spectacle’ told the story of Jack who had won first prize in a competition to go on a French space rocket. All the instruments in the space ship are in French, and mission control only communicates in French, so Jack has to use the limited French that he knows to understand and communicate. The pupils were joining in and helping him and a special mention must go to Aleyah who, perhaps not quite knowing what she was volunteering for, ended up front stage for most of the production! Elle était fantastique!
Life Skills and Attitudes Year 6 enjoyed a Leavers’ Enrichment Programme designed to support them with a range of skills as they approached the transition to senior school. The theme of the week was ‘Life Skills and Attitudes’ and the children were given opportunities to challenge themselves and enjoy learning beyond the normal classroom environment. The week started with collaboration and risk taking at Forest School and Aztec Adventure. They paddled, climbed and swung to new heights at Aztec Adventure with the highlight being a leap into the cold lake fully clothed! Forest School saw teamwork in action in building a settlement and a water transport system so the thirsty villagers could have fresh water.
The Blue Coat Taj Mahal!
Later in the week, pupils were taught valuable life skills covering First Aid, Money Matters, Self-Awareness, Online Safety and Self-Defence. In STEM sessions they completed Zoetropes and investigated clocks and sundials using their maths and science skills to measure and make water clocks. Finally, a trip to Safeside taught the children to understand risks and hazards and learn how to stay safe in the real world.
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Year 5 thoroughly enjoyed a visit from Architecture Workshops, learning about the Taj Mahal in India and building their very own version out of sticks and elastic bands. The pupils learnt how this example of Indian architecture was built and then worked together to create their own structure. They all cheered when they realised their hard work had paid off and the Blue Coat Taj Mahal stood proudly without any support!
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French Trip 2019 “It has truly been a week of making rich memories. Sunshine or rain, being surrounded by friends makes every experience more special.” Gracie After an early start on Bank Holiday Monday, Year 6 arrived at Château d’Ebblinghem. The château is set in a beautiful rural location 8km east of St Omer on the Opal Coast in northern France, just 45 minutes from the Channel Tunnel.
After refuelling with lunch and a trip to the local chocolate shop (where some very excited shop owners were steeling themselves for the onslaught), Year 6 went to the Tyne Cot cemetery for Commonwealth soldiers. This was followed by Passchendaele museum where the children could see and experience first-hand various aspects of the Great War, including trenches, dugouts, uniforms and weapons.
The children soon began exploring the grounds and enjoying a scavenger hunt. A tasty evening meal followed, with lots of opportunities to try out French vocabulary! After a hearty breakfast, the children embarked on a series of craft activities. The first of these sessions saw the children making their own packed lunch, where all sorts of interesting combinations were blended and mixed in true European fusion style. After that, Mrs L-G ran a session of poppy decorating to create a beautiful commemorative wreath to leave at the Menin Gate. The children were also treated to an informative interactive chat by the château hosts which involved genuine WWI artefacts.
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Crossing the border to Belgium, the first stop was the Langemark cemetery for fallen German soldiers. It was a time for quiet reflection as the children viewed the stone plaques and the tombs of mass graves. They then travelled to the Menin Gate to lay a wreath and spend a moment of contemplation and gratitude.
After such a thought-provoking a reflective day, Wednesday was an entirely different experience. Arriving at Parc Astérix, Year 6 were determined not to be deterred by the torrential rain which greeted them. Children and staff split into groups according to the rides which most appealed to them. The ‘Fast Group’ sped off for adventure: for some, the mighty Zeus rollercoaster was their first ever ride…and they loved it! Mr Hill, Miss Patel and Mr Kelly led these intrepid daredevils, for whom no speed was too great, no corkscrew turn too terrifying and no stopping for lunch was even considered! (They chose to eat on the move).
In the ‘Medium’ group, water rides were the general favourites – everyone started out wet from the weather and took a pride in not minding however much spray the plunging carriages collected! Mrs Redfern was by far the wettest member of staff as she accompanied every ride…some three times! Meanwhile, Mrs L-G and Mrs Carroll adopted a more decorous pace, escorting a select group around shows and retail outlets. They remained wisely dry, until a last-minute adventure on the river rapids, which ended their park day on a high.
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On to Aqualud and an afternoon of water slides, waves and jacuzzies. Year 6 surpassed themselves, seemingly knowing no fear as they raced from one attraction to another. More than two hours later, everyone agreed the time had flown by. “Best day ever” was the declaration heard from many!
And so, a busy week came to an end as preparations began for the return to Birmingham. Thank you as always to the staff who kept the blogs and twitter updated so the we could enjoy the children’s adventures from home and for making sure that Year 6 will have some wonderful memories to treasure for a long time to come.
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On their penultimate day it was a chance to try out some more French whilst shopping in Le Touquet market. A multitude of enticing options awaited: souvenirs, scarves, hats and many, many Eiffel towers! Local delicacies such as cheese and salami were tested by some and multi-coloured macarons enjoyed by many!
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Year 3 Residential After some truly horrendous weather, Friday 21st June dawned bright and clear for our Year 3 Activity Day and Sleepover. Since the introduction of this activity last year, the School Forest area has developed further and the children were able to make use of the newly erected outdoor hexagonal classroom, kindly sponsored by The Friends. After arriving at the Houses in the morning, stowing their overnight gear and heading down to the Forest, the children were given a safety briefing and an outline of the day. The focus of the whole day was teamwork and cooperation. The first activity was to design a tribe (class) flag and erect it beside their tribal wigwam. It was then onto a carousel of activities to be completed over the course of the day. The night rope walk entailed the class being blindfolded and following a guide rope. The children had to cooperate with each other to navigate through the woods safely as they relayed instructions from their leader at the front of the line. On arrival in the woods, the children enjoyed the rope swing and some of the teachers also had a go!
Under the shade of the outdoor classroom, forest craft activities took place - bunting, peg people, friendship bands and tribe wigwam decoration were all undertaken. An assault course was completed by each class. Pairs of children undertook the course and worked together to complete simple challenges along the way, such as building a high stack of buckets and a giant Jenga tower. Down by the campfire, fire lighting was demonstrated and practised. The children all learned how to use a flint and steel to set light to a cotton wool ball. Those that managed this challenge were set the task of keeping a small fire going for ten minutes. The technique was tricky to master but the satisfaction when a flame was achieved brought huge smiles and cries of delight from the children. Other challenges included moving a bucket of ‘toxic waste’ only using ropes - more cooperation and communication needed; the helium stick challenge where a long bamboo cane is placed across each child’s index finger and must be lowered on to the ground as quickly as possible. It is harder than it sounds! Finally, tin-can alley was a simple but satisfying task involving throwing bean bags at a stack of tin cans to score class points.
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At the end of the afternoon the children moved to the front field for a wide game. In this water challenge nine water buckets were placed
around the front field and the children had to run to a bucket and return with water to fill a fish tank with food colouring. They were only allowed to use bottle tops to carry the water! Thank you to Holroyd Howe who provided a delicious barbeque before the Blue Coat cinema opened! Yes, a giant screen had been set up in the Forest and a screening of ‘Inside Out’ began at 7.30pm accompanied by mugs of hot chocolate. Following a bedtime story, the children retired to the Houses and attempted to get some sleep. Some sleep was had before the early birds woke around 6.30am! There was just time to tidy up and head for a well-deserved cooked breakfast before it was time to go home.
A great residential was enjoyed by all and the children learned much about themselves; how to build resilience and be an active member of a team whilst having a great deal of fun. A massive thank you goes to the Year 3 Class Teachers, Mrs Collins, Mrs Powell, Mrs Kearney, Mr Dolan, Mr Newman and Miss Akehurst for their support.
Colomendy The staff at Kingswood engage with the children so well and it wasn’t long after their arrival that our Year 4s were out and about exploring all of the fabulous activities on offer at the Colomendy site in North Wales. At the very bottom of the beautiful campus, one of the groups had a full afternoon of raft building. Some heavy lifting and intricate problem solving was needed to get the rafts onto the water, and a great deal of courage and bravery was required to step into the chilly lake - infested with toads according to some! The activity leaders played some fun games with the children on the water, and the session ended with the opportunity for a full dip for those that wanted it! The afternoon involved some shelter building in the forest, and the competitive side of the children certainly came out in their efforts to build the sturdiest den – it was great fun! A new activity that has been introduced into the programme this year was caving. As with all the activities, the children found their teamwork skills were tested but they impressed with their collaborative skills and enthusiasm. After dinner, the much-anticipated campfire was lit, and the activity leaders led the children in song as the sun began to set. This time together gave the children the opportunity to share their favourite jokes, and sing Happy Birthday to one of their friends, bringing a fun day to a fitting close.
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On Day 2, the children awoke to a beautiful sunny morning. After a hearty breakfast was enjoyed by all, the Kingswood staff descended en masse in their distinguishable green team uniform and got the children buzzing with excitement before sending groups to different locations across the site. Throughout the morning, groups got to experience the Obstacle Course, Nightline, the Zip Wire and Orienteering. The adrenalin fuelled Zip Wire was a particular highlight for some, including the wonderful Miss Crook. Our instructors were particularly impressed with the orienteering skills of The Blue Coat School pupils, and the speed at which they raced around the course. Walking back down to lunch, it was lovely to hear such positive comments about the challenges of the Obstacle Course, but even nicer to hear three pupils talk with such appreciation of the excellent Forest School areas that have been developed at BCS by Mr Isherwood and Mrs Walker.
The sound of ‘Everywhere we go …’ resonated across the camp as our happy adventurers savoured the last few moments in Colomendy. Thank you to Mrs Somerville and all the staff for making this trip possible. Year 4 have much to be proud of in conquering fears, stepping out of their comfort zone and showing a positive approach at all times. Well done!
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Bushcraft “Let the adventure begin…” proclaims The Bushcraft Company, and we were not to be disappointed! Year 5 were welcomed to Cholmondeley Estate in Cheshire by Alice, the Bushcraft leader, before setting off deep into the forest to find camp. The children found out about their tribes (those they would spend the day activities with) and got to hang out under their camp yurt. After a safety briefing they went off to explore their new surroundings. Who knew that finding a stick to play with could be such fun? No need for an Xbox! the native tribes of the North American plains. A few brave souls volunteered to eat a salmon eye in the now traditional Blue Coat Bushtucker trial! That afternoon, after stumbling across a light aircraft that had crashed, the children put their first aid skills to good use to evacuate the casualties to a safe distance from the smouldering wreckage. They enjoyed making survival bracelets and had fun playing wide games and spending some free time in their tents. Rishul and Jayden celebrated their birthday in the outdoors - certainly a birthday they won’t forget!
The first activity was laying a fire to cook lunch on; there were burgers of various varieties, with fried potatoes and courgettes. Mr Isherwood was very proud to see the children using their Forest School skills. The tribes made flags and invented a song and dance routine before making shelters and lining them with soft bedding – some braved sleeping out under their shelters later that evening. The next morning the first signs of life were heard around 6.30am but many children were still sound asleep when the breakfast gong sounded at 7.30am. After a hearty feast of pancakes with a hot berry compote and cinnamon sugar a busy day followed. Bushcraft first aid skills were taught and practised, as well as how to whittle a wooden tent peg, plus lots of games and singing.
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Lunch was handmade pizza ably cooked in the wood fired pizza oven by Mr Nicklin and Miss Crews, or pannassed salmon. Pannassing is a traditional way of cooking salmon over an open fire perfected by
During a woodland walk the children learned to recognise an oak, ash, hazel and a few others too. The tribes split off into their rehearsal glades to prepare for the evening. A special night under the stars was enjoyed by all as the tribes performed their songs, sketches, dance routines and jokes to the assembled throng. Blue Coat’s version of ‘Bushcraft’s Got Talent’ involved much laughter, cheering and applause. Thank you to Mr Isherwood for leading the trip, ably assisted by his team of trusty Blue Coat staff. It is with great pride that we report that the children have truly lived out their Blue Coat Values and made the most of this opportunity. Friendships have deepened and challenges have been met as everyone has enjoyed their time in the great outdoors.
Musical Notes A plethora of musical opportunities continue at BCS. We have enjoyed 25 Morning Recitals and Prelude Concerts over the course of the year, with over 400 individual performances - add onto that the group and ensemble performances and it is easy to see that lots and lots of children have played to appreciative audiences. It is a constant reminder of the outstandingly talented musicians we have across the School. We congratulate this year’s Music Scholars who were awarded music and choral scholarships or awards to senior school: Gracie Roberts, James Scurlock, Amar Gill, Beatrice Neeson, Chloe Liew and Joshua Lavelle. We look forward to welcoming our 7+ Music Scholars, Yang He and Jolin Hu, to Blue Coat in September.
Sung, Eleanor Wongso and Jai Lewis who were winners of their respective classes. Arjun Gill also won the speech and drama class in his age-group. Years 2 to 6 enjoyed a Music Enrichment Day. The children were inspired by some great classical music as they enjoyed the interactive workshops run by the Graffiti Classics team. The day culminated in a sell-out concert, a perfect way to bring the half-term to a close.
Music continues to thrive down in Pre-Prep where our youngest musicians have had another very busy term performing in two recitals. Transition and Reception worked very hard for their Thanksgiving assemblies and sang with great energy and enthusiasm for their final performances. Year 1 have been listening to, and learning about, the music from ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Sergei Prokofiev. They have been exploring the families of the orchestra and using the chromebooks to find out more about the instrument that interested them the most. They researched its family, history and key features, before displaying the information on a poster. Year 2 have been on a journey around the world exploring music from different countries. Starting with Brazil they learnt simple samba rhythms and then used these to create a class samba band. They then journeyed to Japan and listened to the beautiful sounds of the koto and explored the pentatonic scale. They composed their own piece of music on the glockenspiels based on this scale. Finally, heading to India they learnt about music ranging from the classical sitar and tabla to the exciting rhythms of Bhangra and Bollywood. Some of the pupils performed dances both classical and modern, bringing with them their own clothes to teach the children about their own cultures and traditions.
The Summer Concert in July was a jamboree of musical magnificence. ‘Fiddlesticks’, our Pre-Prep Ensemble, played in the School Hall to great acclaim. With ‘Vivace’, our intermediate string group, it was exciting to see and hear the progression of our young players as they have developed their skills and talents as instrumentalists. The Flute, Jazz, Wind, Brass, Guitar and String Ensembles performed with panache and musicianship to a packed auditorium, and the Percussion Ensemble’s ‘Samba Batucada’ rocked the joint, whilst the ‘Queen Medley’ was definitely a favourite! The standard of singing in the Year 6 Production of ‘The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe’ was quite excellent, and showcased the depth of talent across the year group. A special thanks to Mr Nicklin for composing a brand-new original score. Beyond BCS, links with choirs and ensembles continue to grow. Currently, we have six choristers in the Birmingham Cathedral Choir, as well as children who are members of the National Children’s Orchestra, the National Children’s Choir of Great Britain, the CBSO Children’s Chorus, and the Central Birmingham Schools Orchestras and Ensembles. These numbers reflect the fact that Blue Coat pupils are at the forefront of nationally recognised musical ensembles and choirs - and very well done to them indeed.
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In the Leamington Spa Festival, Caitlin Liew won both the U11 and Grade 6 classes and was awarded the Pilgrim Cup for the Most Promising Harpist (Lever Harp) 2019. Blue Coat pupils also had tremendous success at the Northfield Festival of Music and Speech. Congratulations to Rebecca Sun, Daniel Du, Aidan Zhang, Kevin Ge, Gloriosa
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Year 6 Production The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe Magical. Mysterious. Memorable. The Year 6 play transported its audiences to C S Lewis’s Narnia - a land where apparently ‘eternal’ winter is eventually melted by Aslan’s sacrifice. This much-loved classic took on a fresh twist, with the composition of a brand-new original score by Mr Nicklin, showcasing the many talents of our amazing Year 6.
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From the opening number, when the inimitable Mrs Macready (Gracie) is leading visitors around the Professor’s historic house, the wartime scene is set. Peter (Amir), Susan (Bea), Edmund (Isaac) and Lucy (Lexie) have been evacuated - but it is only a matter of time before they are drawn into Narnia’s battle between Good and Evil. Lucy is befriended by the kindly Mr Tumnus (Daisy), who risks the wrath of the wicked White Witch (Ojal) by letting her escape. When the gullible Edmund falls into the Witch’s clutches, only the great Lion, Aslan (Caitlin), can save him.
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Special thanks go to our Producer and Director, Mrs Redfern, and Musical Director, Mr Nicklin who have led Year 6 in this theatrical delight. As always, such a splendid production could not be executed without a huge support network behind the scenes. For set design, costumes, make-up, sound, tech and lighting, band, photography and ticketing, choreography and chorus, props and back stage, refreshments and estates – to our trusty BCS team – we say a heartfelt THANK YOU!
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The supporting cast of raucous Rabble, vicious Wolves, curious forest Animals and wartime Tourists, all played their parts to great effect, framing the action with their dancing and singing. The graceful Naiads led several dances with perfect poise and grace. All the soloists performed with confidence and brought a depth and pathos to this powerful allegorical tale. This was truly a very special ensemble event, creating a feast for the eyes and an emotional journey which the audience - and cast - will long remember!
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Art and Design Technology Gallery We held our first BCS Creative Arts Day this year and welcomed 20 pupils from St. Mary’s Primary School. The children had the opportunity to work with acrylics using desktop easels and in DT they learnt the principles of felting, creating an individual piece of felted work to take home. Next year we will be offering another opportunity to participate, this time offering woodwork in addition to painting. Once again Blue Coat pupils entered work into the SATIPS National Art Exhibition, Warwick School Exhibition for Young Artists and the Junior Schools’ Art Exhibition at Malvern St James Girls’ School with several pieces being highly commended. Artistin-Residence Stephen Whitehead, worked with the Creative Arts Department on a centenary poppy project which culminated in the installation of 2018 copper poppies in the Chapel to mark 100 years since the end of World War One.
Reception - Minibeasts
Year 5 - Anglo-Saxon-inspired artwork
Year 2 - Tiles with Texture
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Transition - Nocturnal Animal
Year 6 - Mixed Media on Papyrus
Buttons - Jellyfish
Year 4 - Hundertwasser Ceramic Façade
This year, Head of Art, Mrs Lambert-Green is retiring after 22 years of service. She will be sorely missed and her passion for her subject has inspired many generations of Blue Coat children. Fitting then that many of our Year 6 leavers have singled her out in their memories below; her mission to nurture ‘can-do’ artists has certainly been achieved! We wish you well Mrs L-G and thank you for all you have done. Why Art is my favourite subject/memory … … because Mrs LG never gives up on me and in the end I really like my piece of work – Luca … because of my inspiring teacher and because I like Art – Danae … because I get to be creative and have fun with friends – Ishani … because I love creating things – Phoebe J
Year 4 - iPad Cases
… because of the ways you can express yourself – Amir … because it’s fun! – Shakthi … because you can be as creative as you want – Jaya … because of being entered for the Warwick Arts Festival, being picked was amazing – Kieran
Year 1 - Beach Collage
Year 6 Art Club - Silk Painting
Year 3 Art Club - Bug Box
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Year 6 - Pyjamas
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Year 3 - Fauvism Portrait
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Sports Round Up Cricket In a major development for Blue Coat Sport, cricket is now being played by girls as well as boys in most Prep year groups. The girls have been quick to pick up the sport, developing their batting, bowling and fielding skills. In Year 3, Daisy Whitehouse and Anusha Singh have stood out; both strike the ball well and have often been our top run scorers. Meanwhile, the U10A and B girls finished the season unbeaten, having played King’s Hawford, RGS and Warwick Prep. All the girls are now bowling over arm and most are striking the ball well with the bat. Lucie Evans and Claire Happ have shown particular success; when bowling; both have pace and accuracy and have introduced a run up. With the bat, Imogen Brinkman has shown good promise, hitting the ball for 4 and 6 and running hard between the wickets.
The U11 side has played against some very good opponents and although victories have been hard to come by, the progress of players such as Eshan Ali and Ishan Bradstock has been excellent. An added bonus was meeting the Pakistani team training one wet afternoon when we were invited to use the facilities at Edgbaston Cricket Ground.
Rounders Whilst other year groups focused on cricket, our U11s managed to squeeze in a few fixtures in between the rain and had a successful last season, confidently winning against EHS and Solihull. They also competed in the mixed School Games Rounders Tournament, finishing in 4th place. It was great to see the girls using their experience and knowledge to support a couple of the Year 6 boys. Kate Stockton’s strong batting and fielding arm and Ojal Rao’s quick hands and decision making skills have made them two stand out players but there is a great deal of talent in the team as a whole. Well done girls!
Netball The U10 girls got the season off to a good start with a tournament at Leamington Cricket ground. They finished the season with a block fixture against Warwick; it was fantastic to see every girl involved and to see our A and B teams win confidently. Poppy Brigham and Sofia Phillips’ bowling and Emily Whitehouse and Simran Bansal’s batting have been impressive. Boys’ cricket has made massive strides over the last 12 months. The introduction of more after-school cricket and a performance squad during the winter helped Years 3 to 5 improve their game. A special mention goes to Aarya Yallappa whose cricketing knowledge and sound bowling technique, reveals much promise. The U9As have won all but one of their games with fantastic wins against Solihull, RGS, and WGJS. Opening batters Harris Rahman and Dylan Ram have led by example scoring both boundaries with excellent shots and singles with opportunistic running. Time in the nets has allowed the boys to fine tune their bowling and as a result the bails have been knocked off many a time.
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The U10A team has gone undefeated all year avenging the narrow loss to West House last year with a one run victory! Their bowling and fielding has been magnificent. The B’s have also swept all before them and a special mention must go to Indira Singh who has fully justified her place in the team, capping it off with a hat-trick against King’s Hawford.
Eighteen Year 6 girls had the opportunity to go on a netball tour to Condover Hall. We entered into a High 5 competition and all teams played with good team work and showed real character when rotating around positions. Miss Crews’ team finished with the most success and came 3rd overall. As well as netball, the weekend offered an abundance of teambuilding activities and was a wonderful way for the girls to make some final memories before they leave the School.
Athletics Our talented athletes have had an exceptional term. They have competed in a number of regional and national competitions and brought home a treasure trove of medals; breaking both personal bests and School records. A group of pupils attended a coaching session at The Alexander Stadium; knowing that Usain Bolt and Mo Farah recently ran in the same arena really did ‘Inspire them to Achieve’. The first track meet of the summer was at Hallfield. All of the events were competed in relay format and all teams should be thrilled that every change over was clean. The 400m relay was particularly fun to watch with AY stepping in at the last minute to help his team of Oliver Almond and Oliver Smith come home first. The 200m relays were really exciting and the cheering was literally earblowing! Congratulations to the following who all achieved first place: Ria Bailey, Susie Tomlinson, Claire Happ, Jai Lewis, Jackson Bennett, Remy Granger, Adam Bashir, Ishan Bradstock and Freddie Trevis.
Then was the turn of the girls’ shot put. Gracie finished 8th with a throw of 4m 75 but Kate stole the show with a throw of 7m 41. She went on to represent the Mercia region at the National Athletics Championships at The Alexander Stadium on the 1st July where she finished in 9th place nationally. In the girls’ javelin, Storm looked a contender after strong practice throws. However, her 3 throws during the competition were classed as fouls and unfortunately she did not go through. In the final event, Bea Neeson and Indira Singh (a year young) ran tremendous races in the U12 800m with both gaining personal bests. In a final outing towards the end of term, ten junior athletes competed for the first time at the Year 3 and 4 Quad Kids competition. We were one of 16 teams from across the region taking part at the Fox Hollies athletics track. It was a fantastic opportunity for the children to experience running on a full-sized circular track. Participating in the 50m, 400m, relays, javelin and standing long jump, we were clear winners with the next school being 126 points behind us.
Swimming It was a pleasure to host two local schools swimming galas this term. The first welcoming St Peter’s, Chad Vale and Harborne to an exciting and fun evening of swimming. The second hosting the Clifton School Sports Partnership for their local schools swimming gala. In the Pre-Prep swimming galas, Year 1 and 2 swimmers displayed and showed off their aquatic skills as they competed. Some fine swimming and fast times were recorded. Well done Pre-Prep! Overall both girls’ teams were rewarded with bronze medals for their efforts and the boys’ teams came first and received winners’ cubes. Staff from other schools were amazed by the talent within our team well done to all who competed! On 13th June Blue Coat took part in the U12 Mercia Regional IAPS Athletics Championships at Stourport Sports Club. Ashley and Adam got off to a great start in the boys’ high jump. Ashley jumped to a good 7th position with a leap of 1.15m and Adam came 8th with a clearance at 1.10m which puts him in a good position for next year as he was competing a year young.
The House Individual Swimming events took place and we had some closely fought races. Cheered on by the support of their Houses it was great to see everyone partake in these events and gain valuable points for the House totals. Overall House Champions this year were St. George’s. Our BCS swim team travelled to London to compete in the IAPS National Swimming Finals. Special mentions to Freddie, Storm, Filippos, Sam and Milo for representing the School at this prestigious event where Freddie Trevis achieved a national 5th place and Storm a 7th place in their individual events.
First up on the track was Phoebe Jones who came home in an impressive 5th position with a personal best of 5.39s. She then stayed and eagerly watched on as Storm came 3rd on count back in the girls’ high jump going out at 1.25m. The competition in the 800m was very strong with 18 runners competing. Will Smallwood came home in 8th place with a personal best of 2m.45s (a year young) and Oliver Smith came 9th in 2m.45.9s. There were three 100m heats and Kate Stockton and Ishan Bradstock both made the final, finishing in 6th and 8th place respectively. Ishan also made the 200m final and came 6th.
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A quartet of boys consisting of Kieran, Freddie, Filippos and Milo also travelled to Sheffield to compete in the ESSA National Swimming Finals. Again, the boys swam well and were rewarded with a 3rd place finish in the B final for their event.
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On the field, Felix made an impressive jump of 3.95m to finish 3rd and Ojal came joint second with a leap of 3.48m but was later beaten by stronger second jumps from the other competitors. AY and Ashley showed great strength and sportsmanship in the shot put event, throwing 5.40m and 6.40m.
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Sports Days As we go to print another round of Sports Days have been successfully completed, in spite of Pre-Prep having to rely on their reserve date this year. Records were broken, crowds cheered and the children ‘cheerfully tried hard’. Pre-Prep were first up and began with a Baton Relay with a child from each class running to the next class all the way around the track before reaching Mrs Andrews. The children then completed agility races, hockey dribbling, obstacle races, the traditional egg and spoon event plus a sprint. Years 1 and 2 took part in their year group relay races which the younger children watched in awe as these children ran like lightning past them! Well done to the winning classes, 1M and 2W. To end, each class proudly waved their banners down the length of the track to cheers from parents. Buttons children enjoyed a morning of sports in the sun and were delighted to receive their medals from Mr and Mrs Neeson later that day. Thank you to the record number of parents that turned out to support them. The Junior and Senior events took place in the final week of term and began with the now traditional circuit of the field as the House Captains led their teams out waving their House flags.
Junior records Harry Stockton
Standing Long Jump
2.01m
Harry Forty
Long Jump
3.09m
Harry Forty
Speed Bounce
68
Harris Rahman
Javelin
16.28m
Dylan Ram
Ball Throw
34.58m
Zuva M-Redmond
100m
16.69s
Lucie Evans
Long Jump
2.79m
Alexandra Souter
High Jump
0.96m
William Brett
Standing Long Jump
2.12m
Ishan Bradstock
Shot Put
6.92m
Ishan Bradstock
High Jump
1.43m
Adam Bashir
Speed Bounce
73
Macca Ros-Nalugon
Speed Bounce
73
William Smallwood
600m
1.58.96s
Ishan Bradstock
200m
31.4s
Senior records
House Results Collecting the most points, the Sports Day Senior House Winners were Ishan Bradstock (56 Points) and a tie for Indira Singh and Delina Elias (54 points). The Junior Winners were Remy Granger and Harry Forty (50 points) and Safiya Mughal and Claire Happ (54 points). The individual House winners were: St. George’s: Robert Miller, Jai Lewis, William Smallwood and AY Ogunlola St. Margaret’s: Anusha Singh, Lara Willcox, Jessie Hong and Ojal Rao St. Monica’s: Susie Tomlinson, Zuva Mumbengegwe-Redmond, Emily Whitehouse and Storm Henshaw St. Philip’s: James Longworth, Samuel Tan, Freddie Trevis and William Brett Overall Sports Day House Results: 1st
St Monica’s
562
2nd
St Philip’s
482
3rd
St Margaret’s
467
4th
St George’s
440
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The House Sports Cup which is the result of all the competitive matches played throughout the year, was awarded to: Boys - St. Philip’s and Girls - St. Monica’s.
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The Friends of The Blue Coat School
As we come to the end of another busy year for The Friends, the School would like to record its thanks to committee members and parent volunteers for all that they do for the school community. Such a lot of time and energy is invested in organising the many opportunities for the children and parents, and these wonderful events make the Blue Coat family a very happy one to be part of! Looking back, an amazing seventeen events have taken place raising more than £10,000. Some of the money has already been invested and enhanced the children’s Blue Coat experience - a second outdoor classroom was enjoyed by Year 3 during their recent activity day and the adventure playground equipment has been well used by Pre-Prep and Prep at break and lunch times. Further funds have been allocated to new initiatives from September onwards. These include new furniture for the Pre-Prep Library and new shelters (suitable for den building!) for the Early Years’ playground.
This term saw 51 children and adults participate in the inaugural Friends’ Activity Weekend at Beaudesert Park, Cannock Chase. The ethos behind this new event was to provide an opportunity for families to get together away from daily work and school routines. Many of the participants proved to be highly proficient at creating their own home from home environment by pitching their own tented living quarters for the weekend. Others, who were new to the camping experience managed to ‘rent a tent’, with the added bonus that it was already pitched and ready on arrival! Aside from the novelty of camping, the weekend was packed full of activities including: climbing, crate stacking, vertical assault course, tree climbing, pedal karts, archery and a campfire sing along. A particular favourite was the introduction to Forest School, which was led by our very own Mr Isherwood and Mrs Walker. The weekend was such a resounding success and will be back by popular demand next year.
children (and a few adults!) took on the Rodeo Bull, families enjoyed a traditional Punch and Judy show, juggling act, stilt walker, hook a duck, tombola, tin can alley and perusing the various fare on offer at the market stalls. Afternoon Tea was served in the pavilion and on the top car park the food stalls did a roaring trade with the Fish and Chip van selling out!
On 6 July nearly 150 parents enjoyed a Masquerade Ball at the Park Regis Hotel bringing the term to a close. The Friends thank you, the Blue Coat family, for your continued support. Thanks to your generosity they were able to make a donation of £1,400 to Open Door Counselling, this year’s chosen charity.
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The Summer Fayre welcomed more than 600 people despite the grey skies overhead. The Astro housed a giant inflatable dinosaur and dart board which were part of a golfing and football challenge, as well as the ever-popular bumper cars. Meanwhile in the Sports Hall, 300
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The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Speech Awards Pre-Prep
Grade
Result
Grade
Ismaeel Alam James Armstrong Jai Singh Bajwa Emily De Bono Kai Yi Chiu Rubie Johal Unayzah Khan Amber Laroiya Samuel Noble Palakh Sharma Taneesha Shetty Priscilla Stojek Sabrina Townsend Diya Tripathi Tarini Vemuri
Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Merit Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction Distinction
Armaan Iqbal Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Zunaira Imam Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Merit Phoebe Jones Speaking in Public Grade 1 Distinction Harkeerat Kang Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Aiza Khan Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Merit Humnah Khan Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Nandini Kumar Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Maya Laroiya Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Boyi Li Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Merit Yixian Li Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Merit Kavya Maganty Reading for Performance Grade 1 Merit John Meering Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Merit Amir Mirza Speaking in Public Grade I Distinction Flynn McLoughlin Speaking in Public Grade I Distinction Dexter Noble Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Merit Siyuan Ou Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Siyao Ou Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Archie Pemble Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Ojal Rao Speaking in Public Grade I Distinction Pranav Rebbapragada Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Jack Robinson Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Avni Samra Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Jia Samra Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Joshvir Sandhu Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Charlie Serban Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Aryan Sharma Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Ishani Shetty Speaking in Public Grade 1 Distinction Emily Smallwood Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Merit Alexandra Souter Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Shakthi Sreevats Speaking in Public Grade I Distinction Anya Stewart Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Raena Torane Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Merit Ria Upadhyay Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Connie Zhang Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Yizhou Zhu Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction
Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2 Solo Introductory Stage 2
Prep
Grade
Olutemisola Adenopo Lemuel Adjei Muhammed Ahmed Rayan Anderson Rohil Awasthi Joanne Bobin John Cibelli Charli Clements Arjun Desai Yusuf Douis Isabella Gabriel Yiling Gao Kevin Ge Ethan Graves Sarika Hulait Bavanjot Hunjan Gurtej Hunjan
Result
Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Reading for Performance Grade 2 Merit Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Merit Speaking in Public Grade 1 Merit Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Merit Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Grade 1 Distinction Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction Solo Introductory Stage Three Distinction Speaking Verse and Prose Entry Level Distinction
Result
Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music Examination Results 2018 – 2019 Instrument
Isla Adams Hassan Afzal Priyamvada Agarwal Priyamvada Agarwal Zain Ahmad Mahshami Ahmed Mahshami Ahmed Mahshami Ahmed Muhammed Ahmed Anjali Ajayaghosh Mira Amlani Konark Basu Amelie Black Joanne Bobin
Singing Piano Piano Violin Piano Piano Theory Violin Clarinet Flute Singing Piano Singing Theory
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Grade Result
2 3 4 5 2 1 2 3 4 1 2 Prep Test 3 5
Pass Pass Distinction Distinction Merit Pass Merit Merit Pass Merit Distinction Pass Merit
Instrument
Joanne Bobin Moritz Bongs William Brett Poppy Brigham Imogen Brinkman Imogen Brinkman Gabriel Bromfield Gabriel Bromfield Georgina Byrne Bertie Chandler Rohan Cherukad Stefan Claridge Lauren Claridge Lucy Coleman
Piano Tenor Trombone Piano Singing Violin Piano Piano Guitar Piano Singing Piano Singing Singing Flute
Grade Result
5 2 5 2 3 3 1 2 1 2 4 1 4 2
Merit Merit Pass Pass Merit Merit Pass Pass Merit Distinction Distinction Merit Pass Pass
Pass Merit Merit Pass Pass Merit Merit Pass Distinction Merit Pass Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Merit Pass Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Pass Pass Distinction Merit Pass Pass Merit Distinction Pass Distinction Merit Pass Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Merit Merit Pass Distinction Pass Pass Merit Pass Pass Pass Pass Distinction Pass Merit Merit
Instrument
Ava Nicholas James Padley Natasha Page Natasha Page Gargi Paneesha Archie Pemble Sofia Phillips Harriet Poade Esmee Raghavan Esmee Raghavan Tara Ramachandran Tara Ramachandran Ojal Rao Vinay Ratti Gracie Roberts Luca Romano Macca Ros-Nalugon Silas Saha Zara Salim Beatrice Salvi Alessandro Salvi James Scurlock Jaya Sharma Patel Anusha Singh Amelia Smith Oliver Smoldon Daniel Southall Ben Southall Ben Southall Anya Stewart Haoyang Sun Samuel Tan Caitlin Thornewell Raena Torane Freddie Trevis Ria Upadhyay Henry Vieten-Kay Theo Vieten-Kay Theo Vieten-Kay Daisy Whitehouse Oliver Whitehouse Lara Willcox Aarya Yallappa Enya Yu Enya Yu Enya Yu Connie Zhang Liang Yu Zhao Joey Zhu Yizhou Zhu
Singing 3 Trumpet 2 Flute 2 Singing 3 Violin 4 Guitar 2 Violin 4 Violin 3 Cello 1 Piano 4 Piano 3 Singing 5 Piano 3 Piano 2 Piano 3 Clarinet 4 Violin 3 Violin 2 Singing Prep Test Cello 1 Guitar 1 Trombone 3 Flute 3 Singing Prep Test Violin 2 Trumpet 1 Singing 2 Piano 1 Trumpet 1 Singing 2 Singing Prep Test Cello 2 Singing 4 Singing 1 Alto Saxophone 3 Violin 2 Trumpet 1 Alto Saxophone 1 Guitar 3 Clarinet 1 Singing 1 Theory 1 Flute 1 Clarinet 2 Theory 5 Piano 6 Flute 4 Violin 4 Violin 2 Violin 3
Grade Result
Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Pass Pass Merit Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Pass Merit Merit Distinction Merit Distinction Distinction Merit Merit Distinction Pass Merit Merit Pass Merit Merit Distinction Merit Distinction Merit Pass Distinction Distinction Pass Pass
Rockschool Examinations
Instrument
Grade Result
Oje Akhibi Bertie Chandler Simon Hughes Imaan Iqbal Noah Jones Danny Le Quelenec Amir Mirza
Drum Kit Drum Kit Drum Kit Drum Kit Drum Kit Drum Kit Drum Kit
2 2 Debut 1 1 2 2
Merit Pass Distinction Merit Merit Merit Merit S L OO CH
CO AT
Grade Result
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Instrument
Lucy Coleman Lily Cook Henry Coughlan Tom Cowley Will Cowley Wilfred Crow-Marcetic Emma Daniel Amrita Dhillon Narayan Dhillon Anuva Doger Anuva Doger Yusuf Douis Daniel Du Lucie Evans Lucie Evans Lucie Evans Isaac Evans Jenson Fickert David Foster Harry Fraser Elsie Fraser Isabella Gabriel Yiling Gao Karam Gill Amar Gill Amar Gill Ethan Graves Poppy Griffin Maya Gupta Maya Gupta Storm Henshaw Erin Hickebottom Ria Hiwarkar Inigo Hodge Sam Hodges Alexandra Hubbard Sarika Hulait Aqeelah Hussain Felix Iliff Ashley Jindu Ashley Jindu Nandini Kumar Nandini Kumar Joshua Li Yixian Li Boyi Li Caitlin Liew Ruoxi Ma Kavya Maganty Freya Mangotra Toby Mantle Elspeth Martin Abhav Massey Aarav Massey Maya McCracken Flynn McLoughlin Flynn McLoughlin John Meering Samah Mirza Asad Munir Bea Neeson Ava Nicholas
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Senior School Scholarship, Awards and Examination Success
2019 Scholars
We congratulate our Class of 2019 on another year of superb results. 164 Senior School offers were awarded including 45 scholarships and awards (recognising academic, music and sporting excellence) and 34 Grammar School places.
2019 Scholars Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Syed Zuhair Ahmed
King Edward’s School
Academic Scholarship
Syeda Mahshami Ahmed
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Muhammed Ahmed
Priory School
Academic Scholarship
Yuvraj Binji
St George’s School
Academic Scholarship
Yuvraj Binji
Priory School
Academic Scholarship
Joanne Bobin
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Maya Bradstock
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Lauren Claridge
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Lily Cook
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Luke Dolan
King Edward’s School
Academic Scholarship
Isaac Evans
King Edward’s School
Academic Scholarship
Amar Gill
Warwick School
Choral Scholarship
Matilda Goodrham
Edgbaston High School for Girls Academic Scholarship and Anthea Cadbury Named Scholarship
Storm Henshaw
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Alexandra Hubbard
RGS Worcester
Sports Award
Phoebe Jones
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Jaya Kanda
Bromsgrove School
Academic Scholarship
Danae Karaiosifidi
Priory School
Academic Scholarship
Joshua Lavelle
King Edward’s School
Academic Scholarship and Music Scholarship
Chloe Liew
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Music Scholarship
Angela Luo
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Karen Mao
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Karen Mao
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Elspeth Martin
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Flynn McLoughlin
Priory School
Academic Scholarship
Jake Meyer
Priory School
Sports Scholarship
Beatrice Neeson
Solihull School
Sports Scholarship and Choral Award
Natasha Page
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Gargi Paneesha
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Tara Ramachandran
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Ojal Rao
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Arjun Reddy-Kolanu
Priory School
Academic Scholarship
Gracie Roberts
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship and Music Award
Gracie Roberts
Solihull School
Choral Award
Rajan Sall
King Edward’s School
Academic Scholarship
Serena Sall
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
James Scurlock
Priory School
Sports and Music Scholarships
Ishani Shetty
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Kate Stockton
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
Ruoran Yu
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Academic Scholarship
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Amy Agadagba
Leavers’ Destinations King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School King Edward’s School Shireland Collegiate College Lordswood Girls’ School King Edward VI High School for Girls Edgbaston High School for Girls Old Swinford Hospital King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys King Edward VI Five Ways School King Edward VI Five Ways School Edgbaston High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls Solihull School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls Priory School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys Edgbaston High School for Girls King Edward’s School Solihull School Edgbaston High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls RGS Worcester Edgbaston High School for Girls King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys King Edward VI Five Ways School King Edward’s School St. George’s School King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward’s School
Danai Karaiosifidi
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Joshua Lavelle
King Edward’s School
Daniel Le Quelenec
Old Swinford Hospital
Chloe Liew
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Angela Luo
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Kavya Maganty
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
Karen Mao
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Elspeth Martin
King Edward VI Five Ways School
Flynn McLoughlin
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School
Nahom Mehari
King Edward VI Five Ways School
Jake Meyer
Priory School
Amir Mirza
King Edward’s School
Beatrice Neeson
Solihull School
Ava Nicholas
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Kieran O’Reilly
Old Swinford Hospital
Michael Ogunlola
King Edward VI Handsworth School for Boys
Natasha Page
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Gargi Paneesha
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Tara Ramachandran
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Ojal Rao
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
Arjun Reddy-Kolanu
King Edward’s School
Gracie Roberts
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Luca Romano
Solihull School
Serena Sall
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Rajan Sall
King Edward’s School
James Scurlock
Solihull School
Ishani Shetty
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Oliver Smith
King Edward’s School
Pardeep Sohal
King Edward’s School
Shakthi Sreevats
King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Girls
Kate Stockton
Edgbaston High School for Girls
Dhruv Susarla
King Edward’s School
Caitlin Thornewell
Kings Norton Girls’ School
Arya Vemuri
King Edward’s School
Daphne Xuan
Wycombe Abbey
Ruoran Yu
King Edward VI High School for Girls
Liang Yu Zhao
King Edward’s School
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Congratulations Year 6!
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Hassan Afzal Amy Agadagba Syeda Mahshami Ahmed Muhammed Ahmed Syed Zuhair Ahmed Faaris Alam Ehsan Ali Luke Allen Arjun Bajwa Yuvraj Binji Amelie Black Joanne Bobin Ishan Bradstock Maya Bradstock William Brett Rohan Cherukad Lauren Claridge Lucy Coleman Lily Cook William Cowley Lily Cunney Emma Daniel Alexander Dass Narayan Dhillon William Do Luke Dolan Daisy Drake Isaac Evans Amar Gill Matilda Goodrham Storm Henshaw Alexandra Hubbard Phoebe Hughes Felix Iliff Imaan Iqbal Anashe Jindu Phoebe Jones Jaya Kanda Harkeerat Kang Taranvir Kang
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Charity Check St. Margaret’s House Charity Day St. Margaret’s girls chose to support Edward’s Trust Charity, a charity dear to our hearts and long-supported by The Blue Coat School. Indeed, we have seen several of our own pupils benefit from their wonderful bereavement support over the years.
Earlier in the day the girls sang alongside a montage of their fundraising efforts, to Heather Small’s song; “What have you done today to make you feel proud?”. They certainly had much to feel proud about, raising £5,773.27 in total. Thank you to everyone; children, parents and staff for making it a very special day.
Inspired by St. George’s boys, the girls also took on the “Fiver Challenge” and busied themselves over the Easter break becoming supermarket bag packers, car and ambulance washers, bakers, sewing Bees, Buskers, marathon runners, readers, pom-pom makers, card makers, gardeners, triathletes and much more – all in the name of raising money. Grace from Edward’s Trust came to speak at our Assembly and told us how funds will enable the charity to offer holistic sessions to clients including group activities for bereaved families. After school, St. Margaret’s were delighted to host one of the 30 Tea at 4 o’clock Tea Parties, as a way of celebrating 30 years of the Edward’s Trust. St. Margaret’s parents provided a fabulous array of homemade cakes and treats and the chance to enjoy a cuppa and natter at 4 o’clock proved very popular.
Key Dates for Michaelmas Term 2019 Staff Inset & Training Friday 30 August to Tuesday 3 September
Term resumes Monday 4 November
Term begins Wednesday 4 September
Term ends Friday 13 December (After Care and Prep Houses open until 5.00pm)
Half-Term holiday begins Monday 21 October
THE BL UE
22
BIRMING HA M
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L OO CH
CO AT
The Blue Coat School, Somerset Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B17 0HR S
The Blue Coat School Founded by the Church of England in 1722
Telephone 0121 410 6800 Email info@thebluecoatschool.com Website thebluecoatschool.com
Follow us on: @bcsbirmingham @bluecoatbirmingham
The Blue Coat School Birmingham Limited is registered in England, Registration No. 8502615 and is a Registered Charity No. 1152244