Out of the Blue - Spring 2014

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The Blue Coat School Founded by the Church of England in 1722

Lower School Production

World Book Day

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Where’s Wally? (with a twist)

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Head First Though the pitches have been waterlogged for far too long, we have had a really fulfilling Spring Term, and the current edition of Out of the Blue gives a sparkling account of our activities. The exam results have been especially pleasing this year, with fine achievements across the board and a goodly number of scholarships, both academic and music: I congratulate all the children of Year 6 for ‘persevering’ in true Blue Coat fashion and on achieving such fine results!

One of the special things about Blue Coat is that, although we take the academics seriously, we are also keen to broaden the children’s thinking, both within and beyond the classroom. We’re very excited about our Weather Station, for example, and about the new horizons opened up through the iPads. Equally, such shows as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory give the children something special that nothing else can hope to offer.

For, as Albert Einstein once said, ‘Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one learned in school’. A scary and somewhat disorienting thought for teachers, but one possessed of at least a grain of truth!

Alan Browning, Headmaster

Term Round-up It may have been the wettest Spring Term on record, but even the weather could not dampen the spirits of the Blue Coat family. A flood of excellent exam results were a real credit to pupils and staff alike as places were confirmed either side of Half-Term. Congratulations are due to staff and pupils for the industry and determination that was responsible for the final outcomes. And don’t forget that the work started all those years ago in Buttons Nursery and Pre-Prep!

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Regrettably waterlogged pitches do not make for attractive soccer, or indeed any games at all in some cases. Fortunately, with necessity being the mother of invention, the Sports Department embraced the situation and played several matches on Birmingham University’s astro turf pitches. This ensured that the opening weeks of the sporting calendar were not completely decimated. The one sport unaffected by excessive water was, naturally enough, swimming, with several galas taking place both at Blue Coat and further afield. The girls enjoyed plenty of netball, too, although some of it indoors, and at the GISGA Gym Championships at Kent College they attracted special mention from the judges. Later in the term it was Blue Coat’s turn to act as hosts, this time for the MISGA Gymnastic Championships.

Meanwhile, Years 3 and 4 entertained an enthusiastic gathering of parents with two splendid Gym and Dance displays that showcased many aspects of their PE lessons this term.

Year 5 expanded their knowledge of the Jewish faith by visiting Singers Hill Synagogue at the start of January. Also early in the month enthusiastic members of the Castles Options Group from Years 3 and 4 ventured down the road to KES and witnessed a demonstration of their homemade trebuchet. As if this wasn’t exciting enough they were then treated to a display of medieval combat with staves and swords!

Once again, there has been plenty of external input to all areas of the School. In Pre-Prep Year 2 learned about the Great Fire of London, while Year 4 pupils benefited from a Tudor Workshop and Year 5 donned appropriate costumes for their Victorian drama The Runaway Apprentice. Year 6 turned the clock back to Ancient Greece to learn more about the classical world. Our Year 6 geographers teamed up with Birmingham University as part of a National Technology Project recording and analysing data about our own environment (see page 6).

Year 5 learned much from our Artist in Residence, Miss Kyla Leeke, while Year 4 children enjoyed a whole day learning about architecture and Lego! The Young Shakespeare Company brought the bard’s A Midsummer’s Night Dream to an appreciative Year 6 audience.

In the Spotlight Mrs Waller is shortly to retire after ten years as the Headmaster’s PA. We caught up with her and asked a whole host of questions, particularly about how she would fill her time post-retirement: Q. What was your favourite subject when you were at school?

A. English, especially spelling and learning new words every day – and I still like to do that today!

Year 4 Tudor Workshop Every Blue Coat term has its share of madcap ideas, and this spring proved no exception. World Book Day saw the ultimate question asked – Where’s Wally? (see page 8) while the Sports Relief Non Uniform Day witnessed numerous members of staff throwing themselves into the occasion with the usual helping of good-natured silliness.

The Association of Friends have once again been busy, this time exercising everyone’s little grey cells by organising a sell-out Quiz Night in the Dining Hall. A delicious supper and impressive raffle prizes added to a truly memorable evening. Children from both Prep and Pre-Prep have, again, benefited from The Friends’ hard work, relishing the two highly successful discos that have become regular fixtures on the calendar.

A true highlight of the term was undoubtedly the magnificent Lower School production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory just before Half-Term. Years 3 and 4 hurled themselves wholeheartedly into the production, and were supported by a fabulously industrious team of staff both backstage and on various musical fronts. Other harmonious triumphs included early morning Recitals for Years 1, 2, 3 and 5, with an incredibly moving rendition of Vivaldi’s Gloria and other works at the end of term Chapel Choir and Choral Society Concert.

In early March a large congregation gathered in Chapel for an uplifting Memorial Service to celebrate the life and work of Reverend John Jenkins, our former School Chaplain. He was a close friend to many former and current members of staff, and played a special part in the life of the school community from 1991-2004. Many fitting tributes were paid, and afterwards stories were swapped about a truly great man.

Spring is traditionally a time for new beginnings, and so before we depart to enjoy the Easter break it is only fitting to pay tribute to Professor Jim Hay, who has stood down as Chairman of the Board of Governors, although he will remain a Governor. He has selflessly served the School for nearly 30 years, and during his period of office has guided Blue Coat with expert skill and foresight. He hands the baton over to Mr Bernard Singleton, who is well known to many, having already been a School Governor for several years.

Happy Easter to you all.

Q. What will you miss when you retire?

A. The everyday contact with everyone at Blue Coat, and the busyness of the days.

Q. What are your plans for your retirement?

A. Lots of walking, playing with my grandson, learning to paint in different styles and choosing a new dog; reading – anything and everything – and of course, travelling!

Q. Do you play an instrument?

A. Yes, I learnt to play the piano when I was younger and took up learning the saxophone when I was 50! (I have achieved Grade 3 so far, but if I practise more – especially my scales – I may well get my Grade 4!).

Q. What is your favourite food?

A. I am a big fan of curry – any sort, and the hotter/spicier the better. I also love beans, pulses and vegetables and lots of fish – well to be truthful I just love food!! Miss Keeber, Mrs Ireland and Mrs Jeffries will all tell you they have to hide the chocolate; otherwise I eat it before they get a chance to have some!

Q. Who in history do you most admire and why?

A. Sir Ernest Shackleton, who led three expeditions to the Antarctic and one to travel across the continent from sea to sea. I admire him for his determination to put the safety of his crew before all else, and for his perserverance and endurance (the name of his ship too!) in returning them all safely to England.

Q. What’s it really like being Mr Browning’s PA? A. Very special because he is fun to work with even when the going gets tough!

I can’t tell you more as I have to be very confidential (but to let you into a secret, he loves chocolate and champagne and, oh, did I forget to say, BOOKS?)

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Professor Jim Hay (left) with our new Chairman of Governors, Mr Bernard Singleton

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Lower School Production Charlie and the Chocolate Factory “Look over there! What is it? He’s moving! He’s walking! Why – it’s a little person! It’s a little man! Down there behind one of the pipes!”

Out of nowhere came thirty-five brightly coloured Oompa Loompas, dancing and singing their hearts out.

In the week before Half-Term, Year 3 and Year 4 thrilled us with their production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Giant treats and sweets appeared in the hall for several days before the two final performances, as did a great number of well-crafted props. Magical scenery, complete with opening gates, created the backdrop for the play.

All this added to the delight of the performance – but the true stars were, of course, the children. In six weeks, they learned their lines with diligence and rehearsed them tirelessly until Mrs Jennings and Mrs Roberts were sure that they would give the performance of their lives – and they certainly did!

A fine Willy Wonka was joined by an equally talented Charlie to lead the cast of characters through the wonderful world of the chocolate factory.

In the end, we know that ‘Charlie was the one who won the prize because he was clever, smart and wise’, but the whole thing was Pure Imagination, from beginning to end.

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Year 3 joined in with their very own choreographed dance numbers to accompany Mr Nicklin’s brilliant collection of songs. Wearing super costumes and with wonderful make-up they dazzled and twirled on the stage under the lights. What a great show, and what a fantastic team effort. Well done, children! Well done, staff!

A performance enjoyed by all.

Charity Check We began this term by welcoming back to Chapel Mr Allister Du Plessis from the Leprosy Mission. We have been supporting the work of the Mission for a number of years and, this year, we were able to present Allister with a cheque to cover the cost of buying three donkeys and carts. They will transform the lives of those who receive them.

Our Valentine’s Day Nail Parlour and Jewellery Sale was a glamorous occasion and a great financial success. The girls raised £255.00 to give to the continuing development of the Girls’ High School in Gokwe, Zimbabwe.

The PE Department led us in our Sports Relief Day with plenty of fun and a whole host of wacky new games and exercises.

“Bob a Job” was launched. All sorts of jobs have been accomplished at home to help raise funds for all sorts of charities. A real kaleidoscope of giving!

Our thanks to everyone – pupils, staff, parents, grandparents and friends – for giving so generously and with such enthusiasm.

Guide Dogs for the Blind Pre-Prep have been working hard doing jobs and collecting money for our Pre-Prep charity supporting Guide Dogs for the Blind. We are hoping to raise enough money to name a puppy. We need to raise £1500.00 but we really need your help to achieve this. So far we have around £600.00 and will hopefully soon be halfway. Children have completed activity sheets and others have even filled jars with change they found around the home – with permission!

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Keep going, Pre-Prep, and well done so far!

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Classroom Connection DISTANCE – National Technology Project Our keen geographers have been participating in a national technology initiative all term. The DISTANCE project evaluates how new technologies can help both teachers and pupils to take a more active role in creating and sharing digital content. To do this we have been provided with a weather station and a number of sensors to help us record and analyse data about our own environment.

Dr Catherine Muller, a research fellow at Birmingham University, has helped us to learn a lot more about the weather and climate. We have learnt how the construction of our cities contributes to the effects of the weather and thus affects people’s well-being. We have compared

our weather data (recorded by our own weather station) to that of a rural school on the Suffolk coast. The children have certainly appreciated that forecasting the weather is not an easy job! They have also looked at our school’s own microclimate and the effect this can have on the day-to-day running of the school. The children have enjoyed exploring the school site with anemometers, infrared thermometers and GPS systems!

It has been a very exciting project and the children have benefited from a lot of hands-on experiences. They have also realised how geography and technology can work together, and seeing things in real time has definitely helped to bring the subject alive.

iPads in Pre-Prep The children of Pre-Prep have enjoyed embracing new technology in the classroom. The brand new set of iPad Minis has been used to enhance learning right across the curriculum. The creative tools, interactive text books and a huge variety of apps have really engaged the children and allowed them to collaborate, explore and communicate in new and exciting ways.

The older children have enjoyed using the iPads for guided reading.

They have taken photographs and created their own videos in Geography, Science and Speaking and Listening lessons.

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Others have discovered some fantastic problem-solving apps, which have been explored in Numeracy, and the iPads have also been used to support letter and number formation work in the Early Years, too.

The children have had great fun using the iPads and have even taught the teachers a thing or two!

Investigative Maths indoors and out Maths is a crucially important and integral part of the curriculum in any school, and Blue Coat is no exception. The Buttons Nursery children have been extremely busy investigating numbers and learning important mathematical skills through their play and routines. They have had great fun sorting and naming shapes, completing puzzles, looking at numbers and starting to count.

The rich and exciting outdoor environment has really engaged the mathematical curiosity and thinking of the children of Pre-Prep.

It has been great to see the children of Reception, for example, searching for heavy and light objects in the Early Years Play Area, and creating number pairs to ten.

In Prep Maths continues to be just as creative, practical and fun! The children of Year 6 have been considering the topics of Shape and Transformations.

Buttons Nursery enjoying one of their maths lessons

Some have constructed polyhedrons using art straws and pipe cleaners while others have worked on reflecting images in the X and Y axes. The iPads have also been used to research real-life prices.

Now then… what would you spend £1 000 000 on? Years 4 and 5 have enjoyed tackling tarsias (mathematical jigsaws) on a huge range of topics including the 24 hour clock and Imperial measures, and the children of Year 3 have been sorting pictures of aliens to produce Alien Venn and Carroll Diagrams. Who said maths was boring?

Music Science Science continues to flourish as a subject across the school, and one of our main aims is to inspire our children to become the scientists of tomorrow. An understanding and appreciation of our world and its place in the Universe will enable them to create an informed and enlightened future.

This term has been one of celebrating outstanding achievement both in Prep and in Pre-Prep. Brandon Chao, Arjun Narendran and Beatrice Beardmore have all been awarded Senior School Music Scholarships. This is an impressive achievement for a pupil aged 11 years old (Brandon isn’t even 11 at the time of going to press), and their success is even more astonishing given the extraordinary depth of talent that exists amongst the young musicians of this wonderful city. Our heartfelt congratulations to all three pupils; we will follow your future progress with great interest.

With a most engaging sense of symmetry, we look forward to welcoming our very own Music Scholars into Prep this coming September. Tristan Wong has been awarded a full Music Scholarship, and Sophie Reason a Music Exhibition, in recognition of their effort and hard work to date. Both Tristan and Sophie will make a significant contribution to the musical life of the School over the next four years. As one cadence fades away, another exciting passage of music starts to grow to a crescendo. All very exciting!

Perhaps the most exciting development involving science, is the establishment of a garden in the school. This will not only benefit the teaching of specific scientific concepts such as habitats, life cycles and plant growth, but will also provide a venue and resource for other subjects across the curriculum. Much more about this will be reported in future issues of Out of the Blue.

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Our two after-school clubs, Hands On Science and Lego Mindstorms, remain popular with the children: both allow exploration into areas of science and technology that give our children a head start when they move on to senior schools.

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World Book Day 2014 World Book Day was celebrated in grand style this year with plenty to keep the children entertained and excited. All the children were encouraged to explore the pleasure of reading books and to share their favourite texts and story characters with their peers.

Buttons Nursery was transformed into a sea of red and white as staff and children dressed up as ‘Wally’, and staff and children in Pre-Prep showed their love of books by dressing as their favourite book characters. They were also treated to some additional literary delights as some of the Prep children went across to read to them.

A truly charming sight!

The children in Prep were able to celebrate World Book Day with great subtlety. They teamed up with Buttons Nursery and hosted a fabulous ‘Where’s Wally?’ day, with most children and staff coming in red and white stripy tops and hats! We all gathered in the Sports Centre for a photograph of the massed Wally and Wanda look-alikes!

If you look closely at the photograph above, however, you might just see an ordinary clothed gentleman amongst the sea of red and white.

Hmm... I wonder who that could be?

Great fun was had by all in this national celebration of reading and literature.

World Book Day was enjoyed by children right across the school

Key Dates for Summer Term 2014 Term begins at 8.30am Tuesday 29 April Bank Holiday Monday 5 May

Open Morning Saturday 10 May 10.00 - 12.30pm Please arrive by 11.45am

Half-Term holiday begins Monday 26 May Second half of term begins Monday 2 June Term ends Friday 11 July

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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

Fax 0121 454 7757

Email info@thebluecoatschool.com Website www.thebluecoatschool.com The Blue Coat School Birmingham Limited is Registered in England, Registration No. 8502615, and is a Registered Charity No. 1152244