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The Blue Coat School Founded by the Church of England in 1722
Pudsey Power
Blue Coat History
Pudsey helps out on St. George’s Charity Day
Pupils gain insight into early school days PAGE 5
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From the study… This term has been one of high attainment and celebration. We were shortlisted by the Times Educational Supplement for Pre-Prep and Prep School of the Year, and also for the Strategic Education Initiative award. Great achievements, but this was not all. These nominations were coupled with our being shortlisted for the i25 awards. These are presented to noteworthy influencers and motivators within the independent sector. As I write, we wait for judgment, but such nominations are a fillip for the BCS community as a whole, and they are, in themselves, testimony to our determination to adopt the best possible practice. I would like to thank our fantastic children and staff and you, the parents, for your continued support. Strong individually, as one we are unbreakable! This term, we have welcomed a number of new staff across the School. These new staff have brought additional energy to the teaching body, and the mix of new and established staff has developed strong bonds. In fact, we have a cohesive unit who go above and beyond for the children in their care. Noel Neeson, Headmaster
Term Round-Up Another term successfully completed BCS style - that’s opportunities galore across all the subject areas! Putting together a Michaelmas Term round-up reminds us just how much happens in an average week at Blue Coat; when you are in the moment it’s hard to appreciate but we can look back at leisure now and enjoy some of the highlights as documented in this edition.
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Summer 2019 seems a long way off but the school was busy in spite of the holidays. The children who attended our inaugural BCS Music Summer School had a fantastic time, learning to play, conduct, improvise and perform together. A series of pre-season sports camps ensured that Team BCS approached the new season fuelled with enthusiasm. Find out more in our Sports Round-Up on pages 12 and 13 including a report on the first ever Scotsman Run. Year 6 were ready to face the testing term ahead following their Summer School and we congratulate all the children on their dedication to their studies. The results are coming in as we go to print and we look forward to sharing these successes at a later date. Also, during the holidays we received confirmation that our sock puppet attempt is now officially a new Guinness World Record™!
At Blue Coat we encourage a love of reading and this term has seen several literary celebrations including the opening of our new Prep Library by children’s author Ali Sparkes. Roald Dahl Day was celebrated with some weird and wonderful recipes inspired by ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’ and we looked at well-known nursery rhymes as the children enjoyed a French story-telling workshop: ‘Boucle d’or et les trois ours’ (Goldilocks and the three bears). A group of Year 5 pupils were invited to King Edward’s School where they met Matt Dickinson and listened to his early memories of visiting libraries and his fascination of adventure books. A truly inspirational and comical individual, Matt demonstrated that we can all become authors and write with purpose. ‘The power of reading’ was the topic for parent information mornings to launch our Transition children on their reading journey and Year 3 parents were introduced to the Reciprocal Reading strategies used at BCS. We look forward to continuing these parent sessions and offering the opportunity to visit your child’s classroom in the new year.
Many enrichment days took place, immersing the children in different eras and lands. One special treat enjoyed by Years 1 to 6 was a Science Magic Show by Dr Matt Pritchard. The day’s theme was ‘wow-hownow’. There was an initial ‘wow’ and then the explanation of ‘how’ the act worked and then the stimulus to consider what this might lead to; the ‘now’. The show commenced with a few surprising rope tricks and progressed to some amazing balancing acts which, quite frankly, looked impossible! The children left inspired to try the tricks at home and aware of the importance and application of Science in all aspects of our daily lives. A new Eco-Committee was created in both Prep and Pre-Prep. Both groups will be working towards achieving our School’s first Green Flag Award. Mrs Sargeant, Mrs Barnes and the children are passionate about making Blue Coat more sustainable and helping us become more aware of green issues. Look out for further information on the children’s efforts as they focus on the topics of biodiversity, energy and waste.
In the Spotlight Mr Robinson joined us as a Reception Class Teacher in April this year. Originally from Doncaster, he moved to Birmingham in 2008 and spent 8 years teaching in an Academy before moving to Blue Coat. Q. Did you want to be a teacher growing up? A. Yes, I always wanted to be a teacher from a young age. Since the age of 16, I volunteered in a primary school during my free periods at Sixth form, helped out with a local youth club and I was a young leader in our local scout group. Q. What was a highlight this term? A. My favourite memory has got to be preparing for the Christmas production. It can be really busy at times and a little stressful but the children worked so hard and it came together beautifully. Q. And something that has made you smile? A. We were creating superhero costumes and we were talking about superheroes and villains when a child said to me, “Why do bad guys always want to take over?” I responded, “I don’t know, maybe because they want to be in charge and make up all the rules.” She then replied ... “They should just be teachers.”
A. You can’t beat fish, chips, peas and curry sauce on a Friday - what a way to end the week! Q. Do you have a favourite Christmas movie? A. I have two: Home Alone is fantastic and makes everyone feel Christmassy! My second film, Jurassic Park is not festive but is always on during the lead up to Christmas. I am a big dinosaur fanatic! Q. Finally, what you are hoping to receive from Father Christmas? A. Health and happiness are all I could ask for this year… but a new car would not go amiss!
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The Music Department and Chaplain brought the term to a festive conclusion with beautiful Carol and Advent Services, some footage of which was captured in the last Chapel Tube of the term. This new initiative has enabled families to follow Chapel life more closely and we thank Mrs Drake, Mr Nicklin and Mr Hill for their time and dedication in putting this together.
Q. So, what is your favourite school lunch?
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Thanks also go to The Friends who have had a busy term organising two large events, the first, a Fireworks Extravaganza and the second a Christmas Fayre with a grotto and secret shop to rival the very best highstreet offering. In between they had time for several coffee mornings, uniform sales, an AGM and Carols and Fizz. As well as the significant funds that we raise for external charities, it is nice to be able to fund projects in the School for the benefit of all pupils; these have included the Christmas panto, play equipment for the Houses, as well as furniture for the Pre-Prep library and Transition playground. The chance to relax and socialise is equally important. If you have attended one of The Friends’ events we are sure you will agree that they are a lot of fun!
A. Food Technology which I even pursued to A Level. I am no Paul Hollywood but I really enjoy the science of cooking. Whether it is the power of yeast to transform flour and water into bread or balancing the composition and timing of a soufflé. Being able to eat the end result is also a plus!
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St. George’s House ran the first of this year’s fundraising events on BBC Children in Need Day. Amongst the more unusual ways of raising funds was a sponsored swimathon by sixteen of the boys who smashed their challenge of swimming the distance of the Channel on a cold November afternoon.
Q. What was your favourite subject at school?
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St Margaret’s House were delighted to welcome back Grace Mincher from Edward’s Trust to receive a cheque for £5,977.27 following their house charity day last term. Grace was overwhelmed by the money the girls had raised, telling them that their donation would go towards the funding of over 120 hours of counselling and therapy sessions for families and children affected by bereavement.
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Change Starts With Us This theme was very much in our minds as we celebrated what makes us all unique whilst participating in the Anti-Bullying Alliance’s Odd Socks Day and anti-bullying awareness week. We focused on empowering and positive messages and the children were encouraged to complete daily tasks: being kind, sharing a smile, using kind words and being a good friend. Chaplain led a fantastic whole school assembly and 1B also delivered an assembly in Pre-Prep and to Year 3 showing how important it is to be a good friend and to show kindness to others. It was very encouraging that our BCS Values were at the heart of many discussions. By focusing on being truthful, patient and kind, cheerfully persevering, and showing respect, Blue Coat pupils are constantly reminded of their role in ensuring our community remains one in which we can all thrive and be happy.
Languages Week Following on from its successful introduction last year, Languages Week was once again celebrated at BCS, coinciding with the European Day of Languages on 26th September. Children across the school tried out different languages in their lessons through registrations, class activities, and dual language books. We were treated to some Chichewa (language of Malawi) from Miss Ward during assembly, Mr Wood ran a session in Korean, Miss Stefanowski taught Russian, Mr Clements - Portuguese and Mrs Newman - Italian. In a language playground quiz, pupils discovered how to say ‘hello’ in ten different languages and at lunch, the whole school was treated to a French-themed lunch of chicken chausseur, potato dauphinoise, and crèpes au chocolat. Many thanks to the catering team for wholeheartedly getting involved complete with flags, berets and fake moustaches!
A group of Year 5 pupils took part in a Languages morning at Solihull School. The children had great fun learning some basic introductory statements and putting on a fun and dramatic skit in Gujarati! Meanwhile back at school, Years 1, 2 and 4 were learning French through storytelling. Fairytales are a wonderful way to introduce children to another language as they are so familiar with the plot, they can follow what’s happening. The week ended with a BCS Lecture evening on the subject, ‘Why Study Languages?’ delivered by Dr Edward Boothroyd, Teaching Fellow in French Studies at the University of Birmingham.
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It was a wonderful chance to celebrate the linguistic diversity of our school. Many thanks to Mrs Newman for organising this rich, diverse and rewarding week.
St. George’s House Charity Day for Children in Need Our first House Charity Day of the new academic year fell on BBC Children in Need Day. St. George’s boys, kitted out in their green tops and spotty neckerchiefs, led a fantastic day of fundraising. Even Digby the House Mascot joined in along with a green Pudsey bear! An informative assembly told us more about the history of Children in Need and of various activities that the boys had undertaken to raise money in Pudsey’s Magic Fiver Challenge. The famous bear himself made a guest appearance and much to the children’s delight, he happily stuck around to take some polaroid selfies with the children at break-time.
In addition to the bake sales, car washing, busking, concerts and sponsored bike rides, this year a rather ambitious swimathon took place. Sixteen boys from Years 3 to 6 challenged themselves to swim the distance of the Channel in the outdoor pool at Edgbaston Priory. Alex, Archie, Bertie, Harry, Harry, Henry, Jai, Jenson, Lucius, Nico, Remy, Robert, Theo, Vinay, Vivek and Wilf needed to complete just under 2,000 lengths between them and so on a cold November afternoon in under two hours they had clocked up an incredible 1,886 lengths, surpassing their distance target and raising an incredible £3,119. Huge congratulations to the boys for braving the cold and swimming their hearts out! Thanks also to former pupil Michael Draper and elder siblings Hector Crow-Marcetic and Alex Forty for joining the team in the water and keeping them going.
Various green and Pudsey-themed delights were on offer throughout the day, including Pudsey biscuit decorating, pin the bandana on Pudsey and plenty of green candy-floss! The day ended with a cake sale in the dining hall with lots of delicious treats.
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The grand total raised for Children in Need, including the £1 nonschool uniform contributions amounted to £8,000. Thank you to everyone for their support.
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Pre-Prep Classroom Buttons Buttons ventured up to the Forest School and found a Live Nativity! They stroked the animals and then went in search of baby Jesus in the forest. They also spent time in Chapel retelling the Christmas story with Chaplain.
PE Wow Day It was a wonderful treat for Transition to join Reception for a PE Wow Day in the Sports Hall. The children practised and consolidated their PE skills as well as learning new ones. Much of the gym equipment was new to them and they had lots of fun, particularly on the air track which was just like a huge bouncy castle! A big thank you to Miss Shotton and the Sports Department for making this possible.
Listen, Look, Dream and Grow And so says the sign at the entrance to the BCS Forest School. Reception took this motto to heart as they let their imaginations run wild in the new Mud Kitchen and outdoor classroom. Kitted out in their new outdoor uniforms they played to their hearts content in the mud and fresh air, embracing all the joys of the Forest School ethos.
“Fire! Fire!”
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Hosted by the brilliant Master Taylor, the children in Year 2 were treated to an immersive experience of reliving the period of the Great Fire of London. This was complete with a variety of activities such as sewing, baking, candle making and more, as well as role-playing the remarkable conditions of a city ruined by both the fire and the plague. It was a brilliant day that introduced the topic perfectly and set up Year 2’s learning about this historical event.
Old Scholars’ Memories The children in Year 1 have gained a fascinating insight into life at The Blue Coat School thanks to a visit by two Old Scholars. Mike and Doreen were pupils in the 1950s and ’40s and had lots of interesting memories to share. The children learnt that the boys and girls were always separated from each other and they had to do all the chores, such as cleaning the basins, toilets and floors. They learnt that the Pre-Prep department didn’t exist until much later and that the children stayed until they were teenagers, many leaving to take up apprenticeships organised by the School. On leaving, they were provided with a full suit, raincoat, pyjamas and underwear, as well as a Bible and prayer book. Mike brought along his Bible and some photographs and Doreen her school report from July 1944.
Prep Classroom Visit to the Barber Institute Year 3 visited the Barber Institute for a tour and workshop dedicated to the ‘figure’ in fine art. They learned what it was to be a wealthy warrior and how to pose like one; they learned of Zeus’ infidelity, Hera’s contempt and Hercules’ tragedy, before discovering how Hercules killed and skinned a lion before he slew the Lion’s Dragon brother in two of his twelve labours. Following their tour, the children were challenged to sculpt their own Ancient-Greek inspired grotesque heads. They learned how to join the clay through cross-hatching and were taught how to create a more realistic looking eye through the use of their little fingers.
A banquet with Master Hatfield Year 4 travelled back to the year 1536 and visited the manor of Master Hatfield to carry out and perform many duties as they experienced a day in Tudor times. They sampled everyday tasks such as ink making and writing, scent bag making (to keep the plague away), embroidery, leather working and candle-stick making. Some children even dared to visit the Barber Surgeon and left with some limbs missing! At the end of the morning, Master Hatfield announced that Anne Boleyn was to be sentenced to death for committing treason! To celebrate her death, Master Hatfield invited everyone to an afternoon banquet. There was bread, cheese, biscuits and drinks served in goblets, whilst a variety of entertainment including jugglers and jesters, singing, dancing and acting was enjoyed by all.
Anglo-Saxon Day Being faced with an angry mob of Anglo-Saxon children, bearing their beadolëomas (swords) ready for battle is one way to start a school day! Year 5 enjoyed learning about the Anglo Saxons in a hands-on workshop.
Medicine through time Not to be left out, Year 6 also took part in a Humanities workshop, this time learning about all things ‘medicine’ and how this has developed throughout history. First, the children were treated to a trip to our friends in America where they discovered that, without weapons, the Brits managed to wipe out 95% of the population! It turns out that the British had carried their diseases with them and the poor Americans were not used to them. David, our history expert, then took the children through The Stone Age, the Roman Era and into WW2 where he shared some gruesome facts about how soldiers’ wounds were treated during battle.
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If it wasn’t for Alexander Fleming, we wouldn’t have antibiotics to save us! Delina
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They looked at the dress they would have worn, how to build a luxurious Anglo-Saxon bed, and the games that would have been played in Britain, circa 410 – 1066AD. It was then time to delve into battle, with the children wielding swords and heavy chainmail, before exploring the myths, legends, gods, gore and artefacts from daily Anglo-Saxon life.
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New look facilities Despite the absence of teachers and pupils, the school site was still a hive of activity over the summer months. The dining hall underwent a complete transformation as improvements were made to heating, lighting, seating and acoustics. At the same time the kitchen equipment was upgraded and the space reconfigured to improve workflow and the servicing of the new counter area. This £780,000 investment was greeted with squeals of appreciation by the children on their return “it’s like a proper restaurant!” was one comment. A perk for the early birds at breakfast club has been to choose the colour of the window lighting from a choice of red, blue, green or yellow!
Mr Isherwood and Mrs Walker worked tirelessly to enhance the Forest School area. A second outdoor classroom was completed and a new ‘Mud Kitchen’ added. What a reward it has been to see the children in Transition and Reception relishing this new addition and cooking up all sorts of mud pies and treats this term! It was also great to welcome back children from Quinton Church Primary as they visited for a BCS experience day.
Air conditioning was installed as the finishing touches were made to the new ICT and Media Suite. Meanwhile, the old ICT room and Staff room were both converted to create new spacious classrooms for the children in Prep.
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More recently in the Viney building, (which houses the main Reception), the new Prep library was formally opened by author Ali Sparkes and the new Archive room was unveiled to Old Scholars at their annual Christmas Lunch. Many pupils, including Year 1, who have been studying the history of the School, have visited the archives to view some of the artefacts and photos on display.
Harvest Harvest celebrations took place throughout the School, beginning with Chaplain’s visit to Buttons. The three Transition classes then paid their first visit to the Chapel for their service. Chaplain reminded them all to be thankful for their food and talked about where it comes from. The children were amazed to learn that all the items could be traced back to seeds. The service ended with a lively rendition of the “Dingle Dangle Scarecrow” which was enjoyed by all. Donations of food from Buttons and Pre-Prep were taken to Quinton and Oldbury Food Bank.
Year 2 led Pre-Prep’s wonderful Harvest Celebration and they spoke and sang with clarity and enthusiasm. In Prep, 425 shoeboxes were collected for Operation Christmas Child and nearly £800, plus a van-load of baby items was donated to Baby Bank. Reverend Tim Hughes and his band, along with the Year 4 Choir and Senior Choir led everyone in a joyful celebration, some of which also featured in Chapel Tube.
We Will Remember Them We marked Remembrance Day in Chapel with two special services. At the first service, attended by Years 4 to 6, Reverend Dr Nick Tucker reminded us that those who laid down their lives showed the ultimate act of love. Our copper poppy wreath was processed down the aisle by Colonel Alan Kay, a Blue Coat Parent and Army surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. The children all looked very smart in their ‘Best Blue’, to mark this special occasion. For the first time this year, we then held a second service for Years 2 and 3. Children in Year 3 brought forward individual pebbles to make the shape of a wreath in memory of the individuals who died in the First World War. Year 2 children made their own Poppy wreath which was brought to the altar, as part of a very moving offering of thanksgiving. Chaplain reminded us that we can choose to be peacemakers, and bring light into the world.
Chapel Tube
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The Blue Coat School Chapel was built in 1933, with a Chaplain appointed to lead our collective worship and uphold the Christian values throughout the School. Fast forward to October 2019 and Chaplain, Becky Drake, with the help of Mr Nicklin and Mr Hill, has been able to introduce a new medium for sharing her current initiatives and themes. Chapel Tube was launched offering a monthly video update on the School’s Vimeo channel. Becky is such a natural presenter, we think had she not been at Blue Coat, the TV might have come calling! If you have not had chance to watch, then catch up on chapel life via the school website: https://www.thebluecoatschool.com/category/chapel-tube/
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Christmas Productions Transition and Reception – ‘A Wriggly Nativity’ The six Transition and Reception classes worked extremely hard learning songs, actions, dances and speaking parts for their Christmas production, ‘Wriggly Nativity’. The story is of the traditional Nativity told with lively music, dance and sensitivity. It begins and ends with a wonderfully ‘wriggly’ song which the children thoroughly enjoyed!
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We are very proud of all the children who performed so enthusiastically. Many thanks to our wonderful actors, singers, dancers and narrators and also to all the staff involved for their huge effort in producing such a marvellous Nativity.
Year 1 – Santa’s Hat ‘Santa’s lost his hat, Santa’s lost his hat, Oh where can it be? Santa’s lost his hat…’ and so begins the story for the Year 1 Christmas production. The play begins the night before Christmas Eve. The elves are busy helping Santa to load the presents onto his sleigh. Rudolph and the rest of the reindeer are preparing gifts to deliver to all the boys and girls, but then Santa realises that he can’t find his hat! The helpful elves search everywhere for it but will they find the missing hat in time? The audience were charmed by dancing elves, hedgehogs and snow people. The children spoke clearly and expressively and used their acting skills well to portray their individual character parts. The children worked very hard to learn their lines, practise their dances and perfect the songs ready for their performance of, ‘Santa’s Hat’. Well done Year 1, we are incredibly proud of you!
Year 2 – The Magic Jigsaw The Magical Christmas Jigsaw begins at a bustling Christmas market full of the joyful sounds of carol singers and market sellers. Here, five excited children come across a very special stallholder who gives them a tatty old Christmas jigsaw in return for the promise that they will find time to complete it on Christmas Eve.
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As the children gradually piece the jigsaw together with the help of a very special visitor, the Christmas story comes to life with all the traditional nativity characters. Featuring all of the classic hallmarks of the Nativity story, as well as a particularly outraged King Herod, the play’s story and ever increasingly catchy songs brought a rousing reception from our audience that was so thoroughly deserved. Well done to all of Year 2!
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Sports Round-Up The introduction of intra-school fixtures has provided all pupils in Prep with the opportunity to represent a team (Lightning, Thunder, Storm and Hurricane) in competitive matches. The impact of this has been incredible! The children have clearly grown in confidence; game understanding has improved, as well as technique. As a result, their attitude towards sport has greatly improved. The match teas after these fixtures have also been a welcome addition!
Swimming With our Performance and Development Squads firmly established, we have seen some strong performances winning six out of six galas. Victory has come against Eversfield, Warwick, Bromsgrove and Balsall Common. This is a credit to the strength and depth we now have across all age groups. The Year 6 House Swimming Gala was a great event in which all four houses competed against one another. The points will be carried over towards the House Swimming Cup awarded at the end of the academic year. A special mention goes to Freddie Trevis who was selected to swim at county level for Warwickshire. This is a testament to his hard work in training; well done Freddie!
Rugby The U8s have picked up the sport quickly and the fruits of hard work in Year 1 and 2 Games sessions have been evident. With tag belts introduced it did take time for them to learn the rules of the game, but with patience and persistence they are starting to show some fluent rugby. The term ended with two fantastic fixtures against Solihull and King Henry VIII, then hosting a festival to really expose them to competitive games.
Cross Country You can celebrate the end of a term with fancy games and awesome food but how about running around the woods with your fellow friends in lovely conditions to test your physical endurance? The inaugural Scotsman Run took place on the last day before October Half Term, involving all Year 5 and 6 pupils. The weather was kind and as the children began to arrive at Warley Woods, the enormity of the course filled them with excitement and trepidation. After a mass aerobics warm-up, Mr Melia gladly ran out first as the hare, and guided pupils the right way, looking the part in a rainbow coloured wig! In the boys’ race, Will Smallwood opened up a swift gap early on, and never looked back. So too did Indira Singh in the girls’ race, where her superb stride length carried her ahead of the pack. St. George’s were this year’s winners by one point but credit must go to every single pupil who ran - with 100% completion of the course, it was undoubtedly a fantastic experience for all.
The transition from tag rugby to contact can always be a nervous time for a player, especially when you’re a lot smaller than everyone else! Despite this, the physicality of the U9s this year has been immense. A large number of boys have showed great progression in their understanding and confidence, making squad selection each week a tough decision. The A ‘squad’ has not lost a game all season. In addition, the success of the year has been the depth of talent which was demonstrated when our A to D teams achieved four wins against strong Solihull sides.
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The U10s have been struck by the bad weather, but that said they have enjoyed a very competitive fixture list, rising to the challenge of the more physical aspects of the game with the introduction of rucks, mauls and scrums. The highlight for our A team was a 6-try draw against Warwick; it was great to see the boys playing attacking rugby, keeping the ball alive, offloading out of contact and scoring some great team tries against strong opposition. Every Year 5 boy has had the opportunity to compete against another school on more than one occasion and our C team has remained unbeaten all season.
Hockey Since the introduction of hockey into the Pre-Prep Games curriculum and the after-school activity programme, the girls have moved into Prep having mastered some of the basic ball control skills. This has allowed them to move swiftly onto travelling with the ball at pace to beat defenders and developing their passing and defensive skills. It has been great to watch the U8 girls put their skills to the test in inter and intraschool festivals, as well as House matches. A promising start, well done!
Starting with an away festival at Hallfield, the U10s continued their upward progression with big results against King’s St Albans and Eversfield. The girls always come to their Thursday Games lessons with a great attitude resulting in thought-provoking small sided games. Against tough opposition at Bromsgrove, the girls faced tightly contested matches, yet our E team came out 7-0 victors. Much promise for Year 6, with an improved determination and steel these girls can stretch a little further in their regional fixtures, to challenge more schools.
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From the A to D teams, the U11 girls have showed real progress, winning more games than they lost throughout the term. A highlight for the A team has to be winning the Hockey Festival at Hallfield School. The girls were unbeaten apart from the last game, which is a real credit to them, particularly as they played with six players for half of the tournament due to an injury.
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For the U11A side, the highlights of the season were the two festivals at Warwick School and Ratcliffe College, which came along in the same week! The boys were really tested at Warwick by some very good sides but held their own, winning 2, losing 1 and drawing 1. This served as great preparation for the IAPS Festival at Ratcliffe College where the boys performed superbly winning all of their group games and only losing to a very strong Hall Grove side from London in the 1st place play off. The performance of the day came against a huge Stamford side where the boys had to show huge resilience after falling behind against the run of play to come back and win 10-5.
The U9s have participated in the local Prep school circuit with great success beating Wolverhampton Grammar, Solihull and Hallfield. The highlight of the Hockey festivals this term was at Winterfold House where the A team did not concede a goal. The BCS Hockey Festival was a huge success involving four other schools - both Blue Coat teams finished undefeated and scored lots of goals.
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Musical Notes Pre-Prep began the school year in Music focusing on beat keeping and pitch matching, as well as learning foundational rhythms. All the children from Buttons up to Year 2 worked hard with Mrs Evans and Mrs Happ to learn some Harvest songs which were sung with great enthusiasm. We welcomed back Old Scholar, Sanjana (2013 Leaver), who visited with other KEHS pupils to run a music workshop for Year 2. Thank you as always to the Visiting Music Teachers who prepare the children for these concerts and also ready them for the ABRSM and Rockschool music examinations. The VMTs took their turn to perform too, dusting off their favourite party-pieces and playing together at the annual Music Soirée enjoyed by parents and staff. Our Year 5 probationers were excited to receive their surplices and become fully-fledged members of Chapel Choir. A busy term ensued; carol singing at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and at the Old Scholars’ Christmas lunch. Their performance at the Advent Processional Service in St Philip’s Cathedral was a memorable occasion. At this landmark service, the Chapel Choir and Choral Society joined forces with the cathedral choir. This year was very special, as the service also commemorated 150 years of a robed choir at the cathedral. Finally, the term culminated with the Prep Concert and Prep Carol Service, bringing the festive season to a close.
Parents, teachers, and pupils enjoyed a brilliant Year 2 Recital and Fiddlesticks and the Pre-Prep Recorder Club continue to impress their audience with each piece they play. Christmas in Pre-Prep boasted three separate productions, all executed with precision and flare! The children’s singing was strong and clear, and it was a delight to watch them perform with enthusiasm. Year 2 enjoyed the chance to reprise their favourite song, ‘Herod” at the Pre-Prep Carol Service, with a final bellowing sound of ‘The wise men will be dead meat today!!!’ heard all across the campus!
We are immensely proud of the children; their commitment, enthusiasm, and dedication to their music-making is outstanding. Thank you to Mr Nicklin, Mrs Evans, Mrs Happ and Miss Akehurst for ensuring the Music Department continues to go from strength to strength; the Michaelmas Term is an exceptionally busy one music-wise and a well-deserved rest is certainly in order!
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In Prep, more than 130 pupils have performed in our Morning Recitals programme. These concert platforms provide an invaluable opportunity not only to ‘concert-harden’ a piece of music one might be learning, but they also provide the chance to share our music with a friendly and encouraging audience. Our Music Scholars also put on a spectacular evening of music-making, showcasing an extraordinary standard of musicianship for such a young age.
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The Friends of The Blue Coat School
Michaelmas Term is always a busy one for the Friends Association. In September we welcomed new and returning parents to our Pre-Prep and Prep Coffee Mornings. The Pavilion provided the ideal setting for parents and staff to swap anecdotes from the summer holidays and check-up on forthcoming activities.
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The Friends work tirelessly on these events in order to develop a cohesive School community, and without the community it would not be possible to enjoy the many events and activities that we do at BCS. So, if you have helped at an event, baked a cake or made a donation, we are extremely grateful for your support. The money raised by the Friends is invested in things that your children can benefit from in school. This term this included funding the visit of the Animal Man to Year 1 and new video equipment which has already been used by the Prep children. Please do look out for the Lent Term events, which will include a Quiz Night, discos and a special visitor at the end of term! Wishing you a Happy New Year from the Friends.
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Next on the social calendar was the popular Carols and Fizz night, held in early December in the Boardroom. This elegant evening involved fizz, canapés and the excellent Mr Nicklin on the piano who led everyone in singing festive favourites late into a school night! During the evening generous parents gave over £300 to the Christmas Charity Raffle. The money raised will be donated to The Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity.
The Michaelmas Term was rounded off in fine style by the ‘Once Upon a Christmas Fayre’, when the Sports Hall was transformed into a Festive Wonderland. This year’s grotto included a log cabin for Father Christmas; he listened to the good deeds of the Blue Coat children and took note of their Christmas wishes. The children were also given a reminder of the ‘gift of giving’ as they had an opportunity to choose from a delightful range of presents in Santa’s Gift Shop for their parents.
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At the end of September, The Friends Committee came together for their AGM, and all existing committee members were reelected to represent the School community for another year. The newly energised team quickly got stuck into organising November’s ‘Firework Extravaganza’ which passed by with lots of bangs, whizzes and ‘ooohhs’ from an appreciative crowd who stubbornly braved cold toes whilst enjoying hot food, sweet treats and refreshments. Entertainment was provided by Chris the Glow Juggler who performed a series of tricks to delight and amaze the crowd.
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Charity Check Don’t be a Dudley! It’s never too early for Christmas at Blue Coat as Chaplain proved one September morning! The whole school joined together for the exciting launch of the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal. With the help of Santa (aka Mr Newman), his reindeers (Mr Melia and Mr Darby) and elves (Miss Stefanowski and Mrs Walker), Chaplain encouraged the children to think of filling a shoebox with small gifts for a child who has nothing. Not to be a Dudley (from the Harry Potter books) who is still not content when he is inundated with presents, but to be more like Charlie (from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) who doesn’t have much but is willing to share his one birthday present with others. And think of others, the children did with 425 shoeboxes collected at our Harvest Service. Chaplain and the Chapel Monitors visited the West Midlands warehouse to see where our Christmas shoeboxes continue their journey. They joined a team of volunteers in checking and sealing some of the 80,000 boxes which will leave the warehouse before Christmas.
Birmingham Children’s Hospital A few children from Pre-Prep and Prep visited Birmingham Children’s Hospital to see how some of the money the School has raised has funded a new play area. The children were delighted that they had supported this project and they thought that patients and their families would have lots of fun there – just as they did on their tour! The visual waterfall was stunning and there were glimpses of some dinosaurs through the windows. It was amazing to learn that 90,000 children visit the hospital each year and that 3,000 staff work there! A huge thank you to all those who have donated to our fundraising activities in recent years, these have included the Big Toddle and Sponsored Bounce.
Key Dates for Lent Term 2020 Term begins Tuesday 7 January Open Morning Saturday 25 January 9.30 am to 12.00 noon (Registration at 9.30 am and 10.30 am) Prep Entrance Test Saturday 8 February Application deadline 27 January
7+ Interviews & Music Scholarship Auditions (external) Thursday 13 February Music Scholarship Auditions (internal) Friday 14 February Application deadline 27 January
Term resumes Monday 24 February Term ends Friday 3 April
Half-Term holiday begins Monday 17 February
THE BL UE
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BIRMING HA M
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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 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