The Blue Coat School, Birmingham - Old Scholars - True Blue - Issue 2

E BLUE C O AT SCHOOL TH D SCHOLAR S ’ ASSOCIATION OL

TRUE

Blue THE NEWSLETTER OF THE BLUE COAT SCHOOL OLD SCHOLARS’ ASSOCIATION

www.thebluecoatschool.com

2015

A welcome from the OSA President Issue 1 of ‘True Blue’ was greeted with delight and enthusiasm by everybody who saw it, and our thanks go to Lindsay Lucas and Sam Howells for putting together this second edition. Do seize the opportunity, wherever in the world you may be, to send us your news: the Blue Coat community continues to spread through time and space, and - while we may not yet have come up with ‘The Theory of Everything’ - we will all be immensely enriched by contact with each other.

The Big Event of 2014 has undoubtedly been the refurbishment of the School Hall (see below) - but much is happening elsewhere too.

The Viney Building (aka the Admin Block) is steadily gaining a new lease of life, and there are plans in the making for the upgrading of the Dining Hall, the redecoration of the Chapel, and the re-ordering of the Branson Building. We are blessed with a magnificent campus, and our intention is to maximise its usefulness to the 550+ children who pass through the gates each day.

Meanwhile those 550+ children are thriving, academically, musically, dramatically, artistically and in their many sporting activities, as members of staff redouble their enthusiasm for new teaching

approaches that chime with the needs of the techno-savvy generation they meet on a daily basis. The school is buzzing with energy, there is a real sense of anticipation, and there’s no doubt about it: 2015 is a very exciting time to be a pupil here at The Blue Coat School!

Alan Browning Current Headmaster

A letter from the OSA Vice-President The Lessons of War Last year, on 6th August, 2014, our nation, together with many other nations as well, commemorated with sadness the hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World War. We remembered it again on Armistice Day, 11th November. The expectation had been, when war began, that it would all be over by Christmas but it was not so. It dragged on for four miserable and tragic years, during which almost a million of our soldiers died, from an army which had grown from one million at the end of 1914 to five million in 1918. Most of these men were volunteers or had been conscripted to the army when voluntary recruitment proved to be insufficient.

Additional deaths were recorded on the part of those at sea and in the air. The total loss on both sides, involving military

personnel and civilians alike, rose to thirtyseven million - a staggering number from an appalling war, perhaps still the worst ever in living memory. A hundred years ago from when you read these lines, that war was still raging, and hundreds of men were being killed on a daily basis.

I was so moved by this and by what we can all learn from it that I wrote a poem about it by way of reflection. You will find it elsewhere in this publication or in the online transmission. Please read it and reflect with me. Old Scholars of The Blue Coat School, who were alive at that time and who had hopes for the future, like you, died in that war, and others have given their lives in the wars that followed. The call to all of us now is to work for peace and towards a better, more secure and happy world. Let’s ensure that we do!

Brian Bissell Headmaster 1979-1998

2015 Reunions Veterans’ Day – Thursday 4th June 11am-4pm including lunch and a concert – available for all members over 50 years

2

www.thebluecoatschool.com

Cricket Match – Friday 5th June from 5pm. Spectators invited but under 16’s must be supervised by a non-cricketing adult!

School Fete – Saturday 13th June.

All members are invited to come to our stall, get a free drink and buy lots of lovely School merchandise. Start time 12midday.

A Tribute to the outgoing Chairman Andrew Oulsnam started at the Blue Coat School in January 1957, aged 10. Eight years later, when he had just left school, Andrew was asked by the Headmaster, Craig Faulds, to meet him and one of the Governors. The Governor, Bernard Silvey, had set up the Old Scholars’ Association and wanted an ‘Old Scholar’ to organise it all. With Malcolm Rouse as Chairman, Andrew became ‘Secretary,’ whose main job was to contact members and organise one reunion a year.

The first of these were held at the school.

Subsequently, reunions were successfully held in the Meeting Room at the Old House at Home. Andrew then became Chairman and himself needed help from a secretary.

With Brian Bissell then the Headmaster, Sue Aldred successfully filled the role. Brian was very keen to promote the Old Scholars and persuaded us to create a new, ‘Veterans’ Day’

reunion for members who had attended pre1956 and this has proved extremely popular!

Under Andrew’s leadership, the Old Scholars’ Association has gone from strength to strength with many successful reunions at the school, and others arranged at other venues. One enduring reunion that Andrew spearheaded was the annual cricket match, and whilst the format has changed over the years, it remains a popular fixture in the summer.

Andrew continued to be on the committee for 49 years, with over half that time as Chair.

I have been the Secretary since Sue Aldred left for another school and want to extend the Association’s deepest, heartfelt thanks to Andrew for the years of devotion and commitment that have contributed to the thriving Association that exists today.

Lindsay Lucas, January 2015

The portal for the Old Scholars’ Association is at the base of the Homepage of the school’s website! This is where we will add information about reunions and the current edition of True Blue!

Committee Members 2015 Richard Buttle

Chair

Lindsay Lucas

Secretary and Editor of True Blue

Sam Howells

Treasurer & Co-Editor of True Blue

Doreen Gent Bob Finlay John Mills

We are currently looking for Members who would like to trial being on Committee for a year – particularly those who are in their 20’s, 30’s and 40’s! If you are interested in trying it out, please contact Lindsay at lucaslj@thebluecoatschool.com

Kathryn Dixon

Message from new Chair, Richard Buttle Andrew Oulsnam’s shoes are big to try to fill, but having been Acting Chair for several meetings, I relish this opportunity to bring my own experience and commitment to the role of Chair. This has necessitated me resigning as Treasurer and I want to thank Sam Howells for stepping into that role. The Old Scholars’ Association is designed to ‘encourage friendship’ between members - so do contact Lindsay with suggestions for reunions. Additionally, we have our own pages on the School’s website. If you access www.thebluecoatschool.com then scroll down to the ‘Old Scholars’ portal, you will find information there.

The Committee is looking for new blood to take us further into the 21st century, so do consider trialling it for a year if you live within driving distance of Birmingham. I hope you enjoy this latest edition of True Blue, along with our new Crest! Amelia Brunning, currently a Year 6 Pupil, designed this wonderful crest, which will identify our Association from now on. Our congratulations go to Amelia, and to all the children who were awarded ‘Highly Commended’ for their submissions. Thanks, too, to Mrs Lambert-Green, Head of Art, who master-minded the competition in Year 6. Well done to you all - and as new members this year, we hope you will all agree that Amelia’s design encapsulates the essence of Blue Coat as we all remember it.

The late Honor Berry As ‘True Blue 2015’ goes to print, we have learned of the untimely death of former House Mistress and Head of Art, Honor Berry, whose funeral was during the school’s half term break! A full obituary will be included in the next edition.

3

2015

Blue

INTO THE The School Hall

It was with huge excitement that we all returned in September 2014 to find that the School Hall had been redeveloped, with a new stage, floor-to-ceiling blackout curtains (that also double up to sub-divide the hall into smaller ‘workspaces’!) and retractable tiered seating.

There is also a new sound and lighting console high above the hall space (above the ‘old kitchen’ that many will remember. Gone are the Honours Boards (later to be re-housed in the Viney Building, formerly the ‘Admin Block’).

Christmas is such an exciting time for children - and for Pre-Prep the anticipation is always palpable, with the added delight of three wonderful productions which told the Christmas story from different age-appropriate angles. At Christmas 2014, the new facilities enabled all of the audience to see their children’s performances clearly and to share in what many proud parents describe as the ‘start of their Christmas’.

Helen Andrews

The Hall is now an impressive venue for many activities from Morning Recitals to Parents’ Evenings; from School Drama productions (‘Peter Pan’ being the most recent) to Activity Days.

It has already welcomed Roman Soldiers and Aztec warriors, a talk by Ali Sparkes, a popular children’s writer, and thousands of Lego pieces scattered on the floor on Lego Day! It is clear that this multi-purpose venue has huge potential, and we are thrilled to see it used every day in creative and practical ways.

Lindsay Lucas

Retirement of Andrea Manley My first memory of Mrs Manley was attending a Blue Coat School Open Day. She was the main reason why we chose The Blue Coat School. You can imagine how delighted we were when we learnt that Mrs Manley was going to be our daughter’s teacher. Other parents who have had children taught by Mrs Manley describe her as being “firm” yet “supportive and kind”. She has a unique teaching ability that ably brings out the best in children, ensuring a good start to school life.

Pupils and ex-pupils from Nursery to Year 11 have been asked for messages to send to her on her retirement. They include the following: “You are the best teacher to everyone”; “The one and only Mrs Manley”; and “Thank you for the great start to my academic life”.

The children have made a framed picture of footprints capturing their comments.

Mrs Manley will be missed by teachers, pupils and staff. We all wish her the very best as she enters the next stage in her life.

Dr Sharma, parent of children taught by Mrs Manley 4

www.thebluecoatschool.com

Remembrance Day In early November, the children and staff of Prep gathered in the School Hall to watch a BBC Schools Assembly broadcast from the Tower of London. They saw the magnificent ceramic poppies that surrounded the Tower, and heard from the artist, Paul Cummins, more about how and why they were created.

It was a very moving moment as the Queen and other members of the Royal Family laid wreaths at the Cenotaph, and all staff and children stood in silence, joining with the congregation gathered around this important War Memorial.

The rain of Wednesday morning added poignancy to our own Special Service for Remembrance Day. Having enjoyed the company of war veteran and Old Scholar, Mr Charles Wall, on previous Remembrance occasions, his death only a week earlier gave us additional cause for reflection.

Our Act of Remembrance contained several different elements.

The Chapel Choir and Choral Society made their contribution in the sensitive singing of our anthems, “For the Fallen” (Mike Sammes) and “Agnus Dei” (William Byrd). The wartime meditation, “The Excellence of Love”, included the reading of a letter from the trenches, the diary extract of a wartime nurse, the newspaper report of the Christmas Truce and the letter of an Army Padre. All of these were an important reminder of the debt of gratitude owed to those who, in the past and the present, have sacrificed much to preserve peace, freedom and truth.

After the Service the children and staff moved silently from the Chapel to walk alongside the Poppy Field. They paused for a further period of reflection that ended with the sounding of the Last Post, etching a very moving and profound memory in minds and hearts.

Later in the day, the Pre-Prep children gathered round the Poppy Field, too. These younger children thought about the sadness that war can bring but were also reminded of the examples of bravery that can be seen. Also in silence, they looked at the red poppies and thanked God for the courage of so many men and women, asking that He would bring peace and comfort to those who are sad.

Colonel Alan Kay, Army Surgeon and Blue Coat parent, presented the beautiful new copper poppy wreath made, under the guidance of artist Stephen Whitehouse, by members of Year 5.

This special World War I Remembrance Celebration was a true testimony to the team work of the Blue Coat staff from all departments, and the children from every age group.

Mrs Elphinston, School Chaplain

Charles Wall – Obituary Charles Wall has been a most faithful and enthusiastic, ‘Veteran Scholar’ since the reunions started up under Sue Aldred’s tenure as Secretary. In recent years, he has also been the guest at the school’s annual Remembrance Day services, presenting the wreath and speaking about his wartime service, commanding the interest of both children and adults alike. Sadly, he died a few days before our Remembrance Day Service in November 2014 at the grand age of 94 years! He is remembered with great affection by the whole Blue Coat community.

Born in May 1920, Charles had to attend the Blue Coat School in 1929, along with his brothers following the death of his father.

After leaving in 1934, Charles went on to become an engineer, a skill he transferred to the Royal Navy. He volunteered to serve in the Royal Navy during World War II (as his father had done before him) becoming a stoker/engineer on four warships.

Charles married Edith in 1942 and they lived in Kingstanding, Birmingham, all of their lives. Having served in the Burma campaign, Charles became hugely involved with the Birmingham branch of the Burma Star Association of which he was Vice President when he died. Charles was instrumental in the design and construction of the Burma Star Memorial at the National War Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. He just missed attending the dedication ceremony for the Land Army Memorial; Edith had been a member of that organisation during the Second World War. Sadly, she died before being able to see the memorial.

Charles’ death leaves not only a huge gap within his family and the Burma Star Association, but also here at Blue Coat where his memory will endure and is much–cherished.

Lindsay Lucas, in close association with Charles’ family

5

2015

BEYOND THE

Blue

Nick Bentley – Former Pupil

I joined the Royal Navy in 2003 at the age of 18, five years after I left The Blue Coat School. It had never been a career that I envisaged for myself; however, with strong family ties to the military (especially with my father being in the Royal Navy), perhaps it was inevitable that I would follow in his footsteps. When I was at school I considered a very broad range of careers, from accountancy to acting, but the Royal Navy became my choice, as my father especially wanted me to give something back after they had paid a substantial amount for my education.

I’ve currently been in the Royal Navy for eleven and a half years and have been deployed on a variety of operations around the globe, including two tours to Afghanistan – the second being on the front line during Operation Herrick. I am currently a Chief Petty Officer, and my job includes being in charge of a team who are part of the intelligence organisation on the ship, using skills and specialist equipment to gather and analyse information, which the Captain and other officers will use to make their decisions. I prepare face-to-face and written briefings for senior officers on the information that has been analysed and help them build up a picture of what’s going on.

The most rewarding aspect of my time in my service has been the places I’ve visited and new people I have met. I’ve been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to visit many wonderful cities and experience different cultures first hand. However, not everything in life is peachy, and at times we do have to enter hostile areas where people don’t agree with your way of life and want to kill you. It’s a very sobering experience.

During my second tour of Afghanistan we were fighting daily, and it was the strangest feeling knowing that only a couple of hundred yards away there were a group of people who were waiting for us to make a mistake so that they could take advantage of it and potentially end our lives! I witnessed this first-hand a couple of times, with friends being seriously and almost fatally injured.

Serving in the Royal Navy isn’t all fighting, though: I have been fortunate enough to be able to provide disaster relief to countries after Tsunamis and other extreme weather conditions.

Hopefully, if all goes to plan, I will stay in the Royal Navy and complete my full 22-year term - but you never know what is around the corner.

Being a full boarder at Blue Coat definitely prepared me for living with other people from different backgrounds. In the boarding house I was able to appreciate that not everybody was the same: we were all individuals with different beliefs and backgrounds but we all had a common bond in that we were all in that situation together and learned how to live with it.

Being a member of the Royal Navy has been a rewarding experience and I think has turned me into a respectful and mature member of society. It has also given me the responsibility that I didn’t think I would enjoy but I actually love. My advice to current pupils would be to be tolerant, and to learn and accept that we are all individuals with different cultures and beliefs. Embrace and learn from these different cultures.

Nick Bentley

MEMBERS’ NEWS: If you have news to share with your ‘old friends’ especially if you have photos, please send them to lucaslj@thebluecoatschool.com as we would love to feature you in True Blue.

Disco The disco was amazing! As soon as we walked in we came into a sea of lights. We danced and danced, only stopping once or twice for a break or a drink; my friends and I kept on getting into circles and dancing. At one point we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Maddy (some of us more shouting than singing). The disco was a great end to our Blue Coat days. It was an energetic but enjoyable event. We were all sad when it finished because it was so much fun. I hope next year’s Year 6 enjoy their disco just as much as we did.

Lisa Gunn

6

www.thebluecoatschool.com

Old Scholars’ Cricket Match.

After four years of bad weather and a distinct lack of cricket, the Old Scholars’ game was back with a bang! Few things had changed Richard Buttle was still in charge of the Old Scholars and was raring to go. After winning the toss and deciding to bat, the Old Scholars made good progress in dispatching the opposition to all four corners of the ground, and the two ends of the Somerset Road. Tarush Gupta, Jay Reddy and Matty Jolley, in particular, batted positively and were subsequently retired, having scored more than 100 runs between them in approximately 30 balls. Though the tail end wobbled slightly, a score in excess of 170 was deemed more than enough for the teachers and parents to chase. Such conviction proved correct. The teachers never really got going, due to accurate bowling and what could be described as ‘aggressive fielding’ by the Old Scholars’ team.

The teachers ended up being bowled out for under 100, and a victory for the Old Scholars was guaranteed.

It was great finally to resurrect such a fixture - it always creates a convivial atmosphere with really rather tasty food courtesy of the fine catering department at the school. Thanks must go to Henry

Harrison for organising the fixture, to Andrew Morris and Nick Hill for umpiring, and to the caterers for staying late on a Friday evening to entertain/feed 22 hungry Blue Coat parents, staff and alumni.

If you’re interested in playing next year, do get in contact with Richard Buttle on 0121 679 8956.

Oli Dixon

Welcome to our new Members in 2014 Yusuf Aggour Nika Aghabeigi Sam Aghabeigi Ibrahim Ahmad Jonathan Anderson Shivanii Arun Zmarak Awais Ambikaa Bajwa William Barron Beatrice Beardmore Olivia Benussi Davina Binji Solomon Brown Isabelle Bryans Brandon Chao Jasmin Chatha Aaminah Dar Sofia David

Stella Davis Ruben Dhinju Rory Elliott Jennifer Ellis Emily Falahee Alice Fenton Darcey Gee-Nahal Pratyush Ghosh Paarus Gill Ania Gissen Maya Graves Lisa Gunn Rishit Harsh Alexander Holland Georgia Hubbard Harris Hussain Jessica Hutchinson Mahathir Ibrahim

Yuvraj Jhanjee Kyran Johal Kieran Joshi Maddy Kane Muwahhid Khan Remae Khera Carola Kirchhof Amaan Lambert Sheida Malaki Louis Man Amreece Mangat Kodie Murphy Arjun Narendran Ayotunde Ogunremi Benedict O’Hara William Patterson Charlotte Poole Hamza Rahman

Zain Rahman Rohit Ramachandran Grace Rees George Roberts Archie Ryland Natalie Shah Dominic Smallman Aris Thomas Tallulah Travis Panayotis Tsakonas Simran Tung Arnav Tyagi Henry Whitehead Isabella Wood-Toun Jemima Wyatt Zoe Yap

Reunion at the School Fête, 2014 You might think that it would be a fruitless task attempting to sell umbrellas at a Blue Coat Summer Fête. You’d be wrong. The weather was the only part of that summer day last June that didn’t play ball school umbrellas from the Old Scholars’ stand became hot property!

Nevertheless, the weather didn’t dampen spirits on what was a wellorganised, jam-packed day full of exciting stalls and delicious treats.

Several Old Scholars, representing a huge age range, manned a stall where ex-pupils were welcome to peruse a range of crested merchandise, take some much-needed shelter from the rain, grab a drink and catch up with old chums. It was great to welcome new members to the Old Scholars’ family and to see the interest from current students and future members of our Association.

Our thanks and congratulations go to the Association of Friends for arranging another fantastic Fête.

7

Sam Howells

2015

Scholarship Awards and Examinations Success to Senior Schools 2013–2014 Academic Year – External Scholarships, Exhibitions and Awards In total, 40 awards were offered to Blue Coat School children, reflecting their high performance, but 28 were declined in favour of alternative offers.

Yusuf Aggour Shivanii Arun

Solomon Brown Brandon Chao Sofia David

Pratyush Ghosh

King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls Priory School King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School

Academic Academic Academic Music Academic Academic

Harris Hussain Carola Kirchhof Amreece Mangat Arjun Narendran Rohit Ramachandran Grace Rees

St George’s School King Edward’s School Edgbaston High School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls

Academic Academic Academic Music Academic Academic

Entrance to Senior Schools Yusuf Aggour Nika Aghabeigi Sam Aghabeigi Ibrahim Ahmad Jonathan Anderson Iris Anthony Shivanii Arun Zmarak Awais Ambikaa Bajwa William Barron Beatrice Beardmore Olivia Benussi Davina Binji Solomon Brown Isabelle Bryans Brandon Chao Jasmin Chatha Aaminah Dar Sofia David Stella Davis Ruben Dhinju Rory Elliott Jennifer Ellis Emily Falahee Alice Fenton Darcey Gee-Nahal Pratyush Ghosh Paarus Gill Ania Gissen Maya Graves Lisa Gunn Rebecca Haddon Rishit Harsh Alexander Holland Georgia Hubbard Harris Hussain Jessica Hutchinson Mahathir Ibrahim Yuvraj Jhanjee Kyran Johal Kieran Joshi

King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls Solihull School King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys King Edward VI Camp Hill for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls Edgbaston High School King Edward VI Five Ways Priory School Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls King Edward’s School Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls King Edward VI School, Handsworth King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls Queen Mary’s Grammar School King Edward’s School Dame Elizabeth Cadbury School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School Bromsgrove School Edgbaston High School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School Old Swinford Hospital King Edward VI Five Ways Priory School Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School

Maddy Kane Premjeet Kang Muwahhid Khan Sanika Kharwadkar Remae Khera Carola Kirchhof Amaan Lambert Sheida Malaki Louis Man Amreece Mangat Kodie Murphy Arjun Narendran Ayotunde Ogunremi Benedict O’Hara William Patterson Teifion Payne Charlotte Poole Madeleine Poole Hamza Rahman Zain Rahman Rohit Ramachandran Dylan Rees Grace Rees George Roberts Archie Ryland Natalie Shah Dominic Smallman Aris Thomas Tallulah Travis Panayotis Tsakonas Simran Tung Arnav Tyagi Henry Whitehead Isabella Wood-Toun Jemima Wyatt Zoe Yap

King Edward VI Camp Hill for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls Edgbaston High School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School Edgbaston High School Old Swinford Hospital King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School Old Swinford Hospital King Edward VI High School for Girls Lordswood Girls’ School Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward VI Camp Hill for Boys King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls Kings Norton Boys’ School King Edward’s School Edgbaston High School King Edward’s School Priory School King Edward’s School King Edward’s School King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls King Edward VI High School for Girls

The Editors and Publisher of True Blue take no responsibility for the accuracy and content of the articles contained within this publication Similarly, the Editors and Publisher take no responsibility for the quality of the photographs and their subsequent reproduction within this publication.

Designed and produced by Kablooie Creative www.kablooiecreative.co.uk

www.thebluecoatschool.com