InsideBredon ISSUE NINE | March 2022
FEATURED INSIDE:
P.09 STEM Update
P.10
Staff Spotlight with Nathan Monk
P.14
Duke of Edinburgh Expedition
P.15
Holland & Holland Shooting Event
P.18
Bredon School Ukraine Appeal
Headmasters Welcome Welcome to our latest edition of Inside Bredon. There has been much to celebrate and as we welcome the start of spring, I look back to where we were this time last year and realise just how much we have moved forward in terms of all the events and activities that have made a welcomed return. This term has seen us compete in the Inter-School Shooting event, a very well supported Tug of War championships, many sporting fixtures, the return of some fabulous school trips that included a visit to the Sculpture Trail in the Forest of Dean and the Oxford Natural History Museum. In addition we also hosted the very first silent disco at Bredon along with a very appealing chocolate fountain! Not forgetting to also mention the various Duke of Edinburgh expeditions that have either taken place or are about to. The construction of our new Mathematics Teaching Block is moving at pace and I am excited to see the further progress that will be made over the Easter holidays. It will be a delight to add these dedicated classrooms to our commitment of always striving to improve what we offer our pupils. I am also enormously moved and grateful to all the parents, pupils and the wider Bredon community who supported our Ukrainian Appeal. Your overwhelming support really has made a difference to many families in crisis and you can read more about the journey our aid made in a very interesting article on page 18.
The Farmer in me always delights at the new beginnings that Spring brings with it as I see not only the trees starting to blossom, but also the level of activity as the lambing season has begun. As I write we have already welcomed 37 lambs. As many of you will appreciate this is a busy time of year and I hope for those of you who are also farming that all is progressing well. As well as reflecting, I am also conscious that our Trinity Term is one where many of our pupils undertake their main examinations and is the business end of all we strive to achieve. I do feel that they are in good shape to undertake the challenges that this term brings and hope that the time away from the school is an opportunity to spend a little time in the revision books. I can’t help but mention the dreaded Covid word as we are still not out of the woods in terms of the pandemic. I do however hope that the Easter break gives you the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. I would like to wish you all a very restful and happy holiday and look forward to welcoming everyone back on Tuesday 26th April. Yours sincerely,
Nick Oldham Headmaster
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JARRETT HOUSE
Jarrett House Lent term is one of my favourites; the daylight improves, the weather starts to change, the flowers and blossom emerge, and lambing season is in full swing. I have thoroughly enjoyed the privilege provided to us here at Bredon, of being able to visit the farm, and see new piglets, or new lambs, and watch them thrive. I have, over the past few weeks, accompanied students who are stressed about their exams, down to the lambing sheds or the pig styes to see the new arrivals, taking the pupils to see the farm animals or hold the lambs is very therapeutic. It also helps to ground you a little and to realise that whatever problems that we have right at this moment; life still goes on. The sun will still set, and it will still come up tomorrow. Additionally, seeing how the sheep look after their young and they play together epitomises much of what we espouse here at Bredon - that we can all work together, and that we all need each other in our small community. I loved supporting the inter-house tug-ofwar competition this term, that really bought Jarrett house together. Jarrett competed on raw emotion and noise from the baying crowd, but were only pipped on the very last pull by a technically superior Thomas House. We know what we have to do for next year and we are looking forward to our future competitions already. The boys and girls working together on the rope, with help from their housemates encouraging them from the sidelines, brought home to me what we can do as a House when we all work together and pull in the same direction.
In addition, we also had an exciting chess competition which was bravely contested by our lower years, where as a House we finished in second place. Unfortunately, with the recent storm the much anticipated welly wanging competition has had to be postponed again, to a future date. The clerk of the course deemed the winds too high, and the ground too soft to find purchase. We will have to wait for a window in the weather before we see our mighty Jarrett wellies wanging team with their wellies on the ground. This term I was also incredibly proud of the Jarrett Year 11 pupils, who led their own house assembly, on the topic of anxiety. Many overcoming their own anxious feelings to be able to stand in front of the rest of the house and say a few words. This is a very brave thing to do, and often leaves even professionals nervous. So thank you very much for showing us how anxiety can have a detrimental effect on people, and how we can support each other. Well done to all of the pupils involved. I am as always looking forward to seeing our young Jarrett men and ladies get involved in all of the aspects around school, and to see them “Aiming high, being your best, and remembering that courage is the key”. #BeBredonBeYou Best wishes Mr Alisdair Cradock (Head of Jarrett House)
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Sharp House
SHARP HOUSE
The second half of Lent term has been just as busy as the first; however, with the increase in daylight hours, lambs in the lambing shed and daffodils all around, Sharp House spirit has been particularly high. Our older Sharponians have been doing a sterling job in the face of their mock examinations, I am sure they have learnt a great deal from the process and I hope they are all able to have a productive Easter break filled with revision and balanced with rest. Whilst it has been an enjoyable half term, it has not been our most successful, our main House event of the term- tug of war- did not quite go as planned and finished third. Despite this, the pupils thoroughly enjoyed the event and the work rate and commitment was tremendous. Next year we are looking forward to expanding the event with three categories; juniors, girls, and seniors. This will allow even more pupils to represent the House which is what it is all about. Despite our loss in the tug of war there were successes in other areas, particularly our Year 8 & 9 House netball, in which we won. A huge well done and thank you to all pupils who have represented the House this term. At this time of year, we ask our Year 12 pupils to think about the year ahead.
With many of them aspiring Heads of House, it has been great to see them begin to demonstrate and develop their leadership skills. This was on show when they decided to run a House meeting dedicated to community service. They had the entire House litter picking around the school site. I was particularly impressed as this was entirely their idea and the commitment to the school community was admirable. I am very much looking forward to the process of deciding next year’s Head of House, there are certainly many outstanding candidates. It is clear from reading everything in this edition that Bredon remains a busy and vibrant school. I am so proud to say the House is so clearly at the heart of all we do here. I am so looking forward to continuing to see the House grow from strength to strength next term and the prospect of new leadership in the Sharp sixth form is certainly exciting. I hope everyone is able to have a restful and enjoyable Easter break. Best wishes Ben Phillips (Head of Sharp House)
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Thomas House
THOMAS HOUSE
This half of the term has seen lots happening within the House. I’m pleased to report that the highlight was a huge effort of teamwork in the tug of war House competition in which Thomas came out on top against a very strong Jarrett team. A huge credit must go to Emily K (Year 13) for her involvement in organising the team. Here is a excerpt of the Tug of War “The strain on the faces of the competitors etched in time and applied to the Bredon tapestry for our future generations to study. For the victors there were cheers and applause, for the losers aching hands and dejection but overall an overwhelming feeling of belonging to a cause, community and family. Surely the tug of war is for everyone and brings out the best in house spirit. So well done to all those who competed and supported to make the event a great success. The winner came down to the last pull and two Houses in Jarrett and Thomas were equally matched. In the best of three competition Thomas House won the first pull only for the green army to fight back and win the next with sheer guts and determination. With differing tactics on either side, Thomas House with their criss-cross pattern and anchors weighted to the rear and Jarrett with girls in the centre and boys placed at the front and back, the match was on. Emily K the Thomas House captain won the crucial toss and decided to pull from the Pull Court end. The tactics were changing and more of a stalemate was occurring while the two teams stared each other down. Jarrett took the early advantage and gained a yard on Thomas, but the cheering of the crowds made the Thomas team go deep down into their soul and find that inner warrior spirit and slowly the tide turned like a drying up water wheel the rope began to move, slowly. Victory could almost be tasted and with a final heave the rope was over the line and the celebrations could begin. Winning is pleasing but what gives the most joy is seeing pupils grow and develop, whilst working together. Well done Thomas”.
We have also taken part in the House chess competition and it was great to see Ed Leon take on all comers, even Mr Philips succumbed to his style of play. Ed Berry also assisted in the team and recorded a fine victory to see the House over the line. Outside of school there have been some outstanding achievements with Toby Williams-Wring completing a marathon and Oscar Woodings taking part in “The IT” at the Bear Pit with the Stratford Youth Theatre. On productions I’m excited to see, Beauty and the Beast and those from Thomas House taking part in the Summer Term. On the academic front we had the Year 9 options event which was a great success and I hope that you were able to look at the range of courses on offer at Bredon. With regards to house points and academic standards I’m pleased to report that we are narrow leaders in this area of the school. We must aim to keep up the good work and continue to strive for better. Thomas House has pulled together to help with the conflict in the Ukraine, forming human chains to deliver goods and Tom M has taken a lead in creating games and bake sales to help the effort. As the exam season lurks, I would like to ask for your assistance in helping with revision over the Easter holidays to build on the good work completed in the mock exams. These moments could be decisive in securing the grade our Year 11 & 13 pupils need. May I wish you a very enjoyable Easter and if you have any questions please feel free to get in touch. Best wishes Jon Richardson (Head of Thomas House)
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Junior School Roundup This term saw the start of the Junior Schools Spring Garden Show campaign and we had the pleasure of joining several other schools at the Three Counties Showground for a workshop on garden design and planting. Here we were joined by Chris Collins, the former Blue Peter Gardener, who discussed ideas on this year’s garden theme - The Queen. The children were a credit to the school and we look forward to seeing all of the Bredonians at the show and the unveiling of our garden on the 5th - 8th May. It was has been super to see the Jack and Fraser (Year 6) for going the extra mile to ensure that the Windsor Castle (part of our design) has been thoroughly prepped and sanded ready for painting The Junior School at Bredon not only benefits from fabulous primary trained class teachers to help with their academic studies on a daily basis but also from some specifically trained Senior School experts. The children have tuition in specially designed facilities for their Design Technology, Food, Science (Year 6), Art and PE lessons. This both helps with their transition into Senior School life but also gives a wide breadth of experiences at a young age, standing them in good stead for their future studies. I am delighted to welcome Bredon to our new school pet who joins us as a permanent resident in the Junior School. The rabbit, who we have named Dexter, will be cared for by the children who will be involved in its well-being and ensuring it is happy and safe in his home. It looks like Elspeth (Year 6), William (Year 5) and George (Year 4) seem to have already made a friend and are helping him to settle in. The children enjoyed a non-school uniform day to help raise funds for Red Nose Day this year. Each child was provided with a Red Nose and incredibly it was the Staff who seemed the most keen to get The Meerkat version of this year’s offering! The day was a chance for the children to learn about how money is used to help both across the world and in our country to help those less fortunate than themselves. We also spoke about charity in general and the need to be aware of the choices that they will need to make as they grow up as to how, if and why they give to charity and the importance of making informed contributions or decisions.
Best wishes Josh Stafford (Head of Junior School)
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Boarding Houses Roundup Time has flown by this half-term and we have hit all the challenges presented to us head on which I am so proud of everyone. Colds and Covid have been the talking point most mornings but by the evening its changed to how the mocks have been and onto sporting achievement and the school play. The evening activities have been a success. Kitch and Kabodle is a big hit along with the girls dance sessions (so many red faces). The small change in our set preparation has allowed Year 11 and Year 13 to concentrate on core subjects and specific exam or coursework preparation. The feedback from those years has been positive. Finally the weekend activities, Horse Riding is a big hit with all boarders who choose to go and this will continue. The boarders have enjoyed trips out shopping along with a visit to the escape rooms, cinema and West Midlands Safari Park. The boarders enjoy these trips and we will look forward to even more fun in the summer term. The boarding committee ideas have been actioned. Both houses now have smoothie making machines. stable house, middle landing and top landing have Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+ available via Firestick. Junior landing still has the Sky Channels that we provide, so sport is available to watch for all. I am also currently looking at two or three new sofas for the boarding houses. Our next boarding committee will be in the first week back after Easter, which I am sure I will get many more ideas.
Communication is key over the next few months, the pressure for the older years when it comes to exams will ramp up and we are here has a team to support and bespoke any evening plans to support. Once again can I thank all the boarders and parents for contributing to a great half-term. I look forward to the summer term, the pool opening and spending many evenings sitting out on the sports field enjoying the amazing grounds we have. Best wishes Rob Starr (Head of Boarding)
BOARDING ROUNDUP
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Combined Cadet Force Bredon School was Founded by Lieutenant Colonel T Sharp, Commanding Officer 1st Battalion South Wales Borderers and it only feels right and proper that we as a school recognise the importance of our great Armed Services and to that end we have recently joined a family of like minded businesses, companies and organisations that hold Her Majesty’s Armed Forces in high regard. Bredon School has made a pledge which promotes our Armed Services Values and Standards and this can be seen in the very near future on our School Website and promotions. The school recognises the important role our Armed Service personnel have in keeping our country safe and secure, also their wider contribution to life after a career in the services and what these people can bring to an organisation like ours. Bredon School has a number of former military personnel working on the school site. This can be work as a teacher or support staff. These staff are also involved in providing cadets and students with adventurous activities such as; climbing, water sports and basic survival topics. The school is proud to have a Combined Cadet Force (CFF) of nearly 70 strong which parades twice a week. The CCF is also involved with all the main basic armed services training; drill, field craft, map reading, First Aid, Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). The military is in the school’s DNA right from its beginnings up to the present day.
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continued... Over the past four weeks cadets have been completing various training packages. Most cadets have conducted navigation training where they have focused on:
• • • • • • •
How to read a map Care of a map Six Figure grid references Conventional signs and features How to take a grid bearing The importance of orientating the map Following and giving directions
In addition to the navigation training, Militia Troop have been introduced to camouflage and concealment including ’why things are seen’. In order to help the cadets stay safe and hidden in certain situations, we discuss how easy or difficult an object is to see, and encourage the cadets to remember several factors through the use of the mnemonic SST SSM:
S hape S ilhouette T exture S hadow S pacing M ovement After weeks of training, Militia Troop were able to put all they had learnt to the test, including the need to conduct a primary survey before moving onto the next phase. To help them remember what to do, the cadets are taught the mnemonic DR.ABC:
Danger - check for any dangers. Proceed onto the next step once clear. Response - check if the casualty is responsive or not. If unresponsive, move onto the next step.
Airway - check if the airway is open and clear. If not, move onto the next step promptly.
Breathing - check if the casualty is breathing or not. If they are breathing, move onto circulation. If not, call 999/112 for emergency help and start CPR.
Circulation - check for severe bleeding. If the casualty is unresponsive but breathing, place into the recovery position and call 999/112 for emergency help. If the casualty is bleeding, this will need to be controlled and direct pressure applied. Call 999/112 for emergency help.
On Friday 21st March, some of Militia Troop were introduced to some local Mountain Bike tracks whilst improving their technique and learning new skills; with one cadet falling off into a muddy bog! All cadets are encouraged to participate and work together as a team. Both staff and cadets are always promoting the need and importance of supporting each other, whilst allowing the opportunity for individuals to thrive. Looking forward STEM activities Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) training - how to give orders (briefing and debriefing) and radio communication (phonetic alphabet, how to use a radio and voice procedure) Field craft training In the Trinity Term, we endeavour to hold a taster session for our Year 8 students so they are able to make an informed decision when choosing their activity lesson in Year 9.
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STEM Method Of Instruction
Science Technology Engineering Maths
CCF students on the MOI/STEM leadership course have now started the STEM element of their course. The course aims to develop important leadership skills such as planning, problem solving, self-confidence and most importantly reflection of their successes and how to improve next time. Using MTa resources (basically giant meccano), teams of cadets are given a task brief in which they have to achieve particular success criteria. This week they were asked to build an enclosure to house all their team members but using as little of the equipment as possible. After an initial trial, cadets were asked to reflect on their successes and to reevaluate.
STEM
The cadets never fail to impress with their enthusiasm for team based activities and their willingness to succeed. Above all, much fun was had and an overwhelming feeling of accomplishment.
"Parents describe Bredon as ‘transformational’ and ‘life changing’' - Good Schools Guide 2021
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Staff Spotlight with Nathan Monk 1. How long have you worked at Bredon School within your current position and what attracted you to the role? I joined Bredon School as Head of Geography six years ago and have been Deputy Head (Academic) since September 2021. My passion for Bredon School, its pupils and focus on both academic and personal development attracted me to this new role. Having forged positive relationships within the Bredon School family, I’m in a unique position to understand Bredon’s considerable value and identify how we can continue to improve to the benefit of all pupils. Fortunately, I work with a dedicated team of professionals who share the same goals and school ethos: • •
Ensure that the individual flourishes and reaches their full academic potential by instilling a passion for learning through our broad and innovative curriculum Develop skills pupils will carry with them for life beyond our school gates.
I’m proud to work at Bredon School and I’m excited by being in a role where I can lead positive change for the betterment of pupils, staff whilst also keeping learning myself! 2. What is it about developing academic curriculum across the whole school that you are passionate about? The development of an academic curriculum should be dynamic, reflect the strengths and aspirations of our pupils and deliver quality learning experiences that inspire self-confidence and a thirst to know and do more. Having also worked in industry I have a clear focus on the important link between curriculum and the ‘outside world’, whether that be university, apprenticeships or employment. Since starting my new role, I have reviewed our curriculum and have created new pathways that offer new vocational qualifications that complement a range of other academic and professional qualification
5. Are you able to select from all three pathways, how does it work? Describe the concept behind the pathway options. After guidance from staff and parents, a pupil is able to select subjects and qualifications from all three pathways. I want the pathways to provide clarity for pupils and parents when in the process of choosing. Some pupils want vocational subjects where workplace and practical scenarios are important, whereas some pupils want an academic pathway. However, the pathways can provide a combination of subjects that complement each other.
3. You recently launched your three new pathways; academic, vocational and professional. What made you add a professional pathway to the other two options? CISCO is one of our important USP’s that enables pupils to gain knowledge and expertise in an internationally recognised professional qualification. Business Studies is another ‘professional’ subject that forms a foundation to many of our vocational subjects. Whether we become sole traders or work for multinationals, we all work for someone! Business Studies provides insight into this exciting world and helps to prepare individuals for work. I’d like to develop this pathway with short courses that provide pupils with relevant additional professional skills. From chainsaw training courses to SUP Instructor training. 4. Are the pathways available throughout both Year 10 Options and Sixth Form Options? Yes they are! This formed part of my initial review. We’ve worked hard on creating an offering that ensures an excellent transition through the important key stages. For example, all of our GCSEs have progression into Sixth Form, as do our vocational and professional pathways. For our pupils interested in Agriculture, they can take a level 2 qualification in years 10 and 11 and progress to a level 3 Agriculture qualification in Sixth Form. This development provides pupils with the knowledge, skills and self-confidence in subject areas that interest them.
6. What else do you have planned for the academic curriculum content moving forward? I have reviewed Year 7 to 9 Mathematics and English provision and I’m pleased to announce that pupils will receive 5 lessons each week for these two subjects, instead of 4 lessons that we have currently. A dyslexia friendly curriculum will help provide further exposure and literacy strategies that will help pupils in all academic areas. This will help to continue to improve our Mathematics and English success rates and will begin in September 2022. Longer term developments will focus around the potential need to offer an additional language and further drama provision. I also wish to make further contact with parents and provide selected parent consultations in school, rather than online. I really would appreciate feedback from parents that enable us all to work together to enable further academic and personal development for our amazing pupils.
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Sports Roundup Football The U12A continued their season following half term at home against Kingham Hill, on Inclines one, and the boys took to the field with some regulars missing from the line up. Not to be deterred we ploughed on and played with spirit against a well drilled team. Eddy K stuck to his task well in the middle of a back three. His regular clearances from near dangerous situations were numerous. Not to be deterred the never say die spirit shone through and our only outlet was Ollie B who managed to take possession of the ball in his own half and run through the Kingham defence to put us back in the game with a solo goal. Marvin B got more time on the ball following half time and his cultured right foot allowed him to play Ollie B through once more. Freddie S started to get a grip of the midfield and Oliver M moved to goal to allow the tenacity of Mikey B into the defence. With these changes we managed to draw the second half, 3-3. The moment of the match came when Ollie B was fouled towards the edge of the box and Marvin the Magician B stepped up to curl over the wall, the most magnificent free kick. The keeper wasn’t rooted to the floor but instead left arms outstretched reaching for a ball he could never retrieve.
Unfortunately this was not the case and the conditions soon changed the game into a somewhat scrappy affair. The rain did not dampen spirits though, and in front of the Headmaster, the boys managed to get a 4-1 win with Hanson T’s goal a particular highlight.
Rugby Sevens
U14A continued their season at home against Kingham Hill with a strong defensive performance throughout. Percy T played with a lot of heart at centre back and Harry T in goal was excellent. When they then travelled away at Sibford Fraser W impressed on his return to competitive action and Harry T controlled the midfield well. The U14B team also joined us away at Sibford in a game that Jacob H managed to score from distance and Edward L netted his first goal for Bredon. With our friends at Bowbrook House only going up to Year 11, we took an U16A side over that do not often get the opportunity to play together as an age category. This was a classic of a match in which we conceded a late goal to eventually lose 4-3. Alfie G scored two continuing his impressive form this season and Rufus J-B was deserved man of the match. This left the 1st XI at home against The Kings School, Worcester without some of their leading performers available for selection. In their absence 6th formers Tom M and Will A stepped in and took their opportunity. The game was an exciting end to end affair with early goals from both teams. Bredon started off with a vastly improved shape in defence, Mr Phillips was thrilled to see the wingers begin to develop their awareness and work rate to ensure they were tucked in and behind the ball to support the midfield three and the back four. This was particularly tiring though, as in a free flowing game the transitions were regular and the ball moved up the pitch at pace. I am sure the boys will still be able to hear Mr Phillips shouting ‘our recovery is a sprint’. The game ended in a fair result of a 5-2 loss. The boys made tremendous progress and took this into their next game.
The 2nd XI got the opportunity to take centre stage at home against Sibford in some of the wettest conditions imaginable. Sibford made the long journey with 10 men and in a great show of sportsmanship Dylan IW volunteered to play for Sibford. Tom McG captained the boys, as he has done all season, this time round leading from the front with an excellent goal. With Mr Butt refereeing the boys began to play some excellent football, Mr Phillips was particularly impressed with our defensive shape (clearly some learning has taken place), with full backs cutting off through balls and wingers forcing their opposite numbers to play backwards, we were looking impenetrable.
With our endeavours to expand our sports provision, we took an U13 side from Bredon to Rosslyn Park Sevens this half term. This is up there with the largest schools tournaments in the world. In planning this we were are acutely aware that some of the pupils selected are relatively new to rugby and that by taking them to this event we will be exposing them to some of the highest standards of school rugby in the country. Our motivation to take them was to continue to grow their sense of belonging in being part of the team here at Bredon and to inspire them to continue on their rugby development moving forwards. With our captain, Seb W, picking up a shoulder injury the day before the event, what was always going to be a tough day got tougher. Marvin B stepped into the squad as an able last minute replacement and we set off for London full of excitement and enthusiasm. Our first game was against Rokeby School. Whilst the Bredon players could not be faulted for their direct approach and bravery, Rokeby managed to exploit the space around the side of our defensive efforts and ran our comfortable winners. In the second match against Penyrheol School, a solo try from Ezra F was cheered on with great vigour by the whole squad and this provided the squad with some confidence that sticking to the sound principles that Mr Richardson introduced through the fifteen aside season could lead to some success in this format. Elliot B was aggressive with his ball carrying and Toby H worked tirelessly in defence. During lunch we took the opportunity to take in the sights of being at such a vast tournament and it was great to see all the squad sticking together throughout and enjoying each other's company. On our return we took on Ashfold School and turned out what was the best performance of the day. Max I was making tackle after tackle and Oliver G made a number of impressive carries. Ezra F got away again to run in another try form within his own half and his teammates celebrated this like it was the score to win the tournament. In our final fixture we took on some new friends from Claremont and by then our game plan was well ingrained. Getting the ball away from contact far quicker created far more opportunities and Toby H finished a well deserved try. Players of the match throughout the day went to Christiaan M, Ezra F, Toby H and Elliot B. The players voted for Ezra F as their top performer of the day. The atmosphere on the bus on the way home vindicated the decision to enter the event and all the boys involved will remember their experiences of their first Rosslyn Park for a long time to come. The challenge now is to build on this as they continue their rugby journey at Bredon.
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SPORTS ROUNDUP
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Netball This half term the U11 team got their session underway when they welcomed the Bowbrook U11 Girls Netball team to Bredon. Bredon won the toss so Team Captain, Erin K, chose to take the first centre pass. In the first quarter, Bowbrook made several attempts to break into the semicircle to shoot but they found it difficult to get the ball past Bronwen C, at Goal Defence who made some incredible interceptions. Elizabeth B, our Goalkeeper, did an excellent job collecting the rebounds and sending the ball back up the court where Rosie B and Molly B on the wings and Erin K at Centre worked exceptionally well to feed the ball into our goal third. Elspeth L at Goal Shooter and Violet L at Goal Attack made some great attempts to score but the ball couldn't quite find its way into the net. After switching some positions at half time Heidi S and Katie S, who were now on the wings, fed the ball into the goal third several times for Erin K, but Bowbrook's tight marking made it difficult to penetrate the semi-circle. Bronwen C worked tirelessly at Centre, relentlessly intercepting passes and making it difficult for Bowbrook to get into their goal third. Herself and Erin K dominated the possession in the centre and eventually their hard work paid off as Erin K scored a deserved goal. Player of the match was awarded by Bowbrook to Erin K. The U12 girls have played a total of 5 games this season and all of which but one were away games. The girls have stepped up to the mark when representing Bredon, all wearing the correct uniform and persevering when short of players. Maddison H has been an outstanding Goal Defence, reading the game and gaining many interception opportunities. She held her thoughts before passing the ball back up the court using the different channels to outwit our opponents. The team showed great dedication, arriving promptly to training ready to learn and progress on their current skills. The Year 7 have really shown determination and team spirit, singing on the bus for most away fixtures. Indie D has started to become a natural leader when it comes to leading the warm up. The team managed to keep the score low in a nail biting game against The Elms. Rebbeca W played excellently at Wing Defence, showing great extension on the arms when passing to Rose G. Bredon started off really well with a few attempts at goal by Charlie A but was unsuccessful. Overall the girls have played outstanding this season and we wish them all the best for the up and coming season.
Our U14 girls have had an impressive and busy season, with fixtures against some top schools. We have been lucky to have a large base of players to choose from, a total of 14 girls have represented the school at some point this term, an excellent statistic when you remember there are only twenty girls in Year 8 & 9. The progress made in each game this term was clear to see, our work rate in each game could not be faulted and the girls’ energy on court was often remarkable. Whilst we struggled to play the ball through the thirds earlier in the season, by our final game we were penetrating the circle comfortably and scoring points a plenty. Our top scorer was Rose G who was very well supported by Boo S, Grace G and Lily WT. A number of girls recieved player of the match including, Willow O, Boo S, Lucy G, Rose G. Perhaps the biggest learning curve of the season was the ISA tournament in Nottingham. The squad of eleven woke early on Tuesday morning to make their way to the University of Nottingham to compete in the ISA Sport National Netball tournament. With a tough first game against Alderley Edge the girls left the court feeling deflated and with their heads down. We had a team talk and the 1st VII girls went back out stronger than ever against Kings High. Boo S and Grace G worked very hard in defence showing great teamwork to turnover the ball and pass it back down the court.The whole squad were determined, passionate and fought to the end. Playing a total of three group games and two knockout games. The squad came away with a lot of experience and even more determination to strive and make the team stronger.
Michelle Drayne, a professional Netball player with Severn Stars in the Vitality Super League visited Bredon School this term. She has a vast range of experience at the highest standard of the sport including playing internationally at both the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup.
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Both the 1st VII and 2nd VII have continued their busy season with fixtures against Kingham Hill, Sibford School and St Edwards at home. The 1st VII played brilliantly against Kingham Hill. Bella T put the girls in a positive mood after winning the toss for the first centre pass, the 1st VII came on court with enthusiasm and determination to do well after previously gaining a win against Kingham. Rhiannon K kept the ball high on the centre pass to allow for a quick release of the ball. The squad were able to get the ball down the court with ease, Emily K and Livi K working in sync with each other, as one drove forwards the other dropped back. With Emily K scoring the first three goals consecutively as the goal attack put us in a good position finishing the first quarter 4-1 to Bredon. The girls working in defence were able to turn over the ball with some amazing interceptions from Yasmin R, Flora B and Clemmie S. The first 7 have really come on this season, the girls are starting to communicate more on court and listening to constructive feedback during each quarter. well done on another great win against Kingham, Final score 13-8. The 2nd VII performed admirably against a strong Sibford School side and impressed with their approach to taking on what was a sizable challenge for some of them. Rebecca B captained the side with distinction and led by example on court. Erin S played goal keeper and was outstanding throughout the fixture winning endless rebounds and distributing the ball well to Georgina M. Lauren B has a hugley admirable level of determination and commitment and battled hard for every scrap of possession with her opposing centre.
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Both the 1st and 2nd VII have had brilliant opportunities this season to play against some challenging schools, allowing us to have training time as well as valuable game time. Both teams support each other fantastically, coaching from the sidelines and completing statistical sheets for further development, this could be seen in the St Edward's home game, the last game of the season. In an attempt to further develop the positive experiences our girls are having through sport, Michelle Drayne visited Bredon towards the end of the half term to lead a Netball session. Michelle is currently a professional netball player with Severn Stars in the Vitality Super League as well as being their Franchise Performance Coach. She has a vast range of experience at the highest standard of the sport including playing internationally at both the Commonwealth Games and the Netball World Cup. In the session the girls completed a thorough warm up lead by Michelle, moving on to strong passes that Rose G demonstrated a strong flat chest pass. The girls worked on movement around their player and how to mark side on, shooting practice and finally moved into a conditioned full game to finish. Madison H and Harriet T showed a willingness to learn and were blown away with Michelle's talent. This was a superb day for all girls that attended, they were enthusiastic, hardworking and eager to learn.
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Duke of Edinburgh This weekend we held the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Qualifying Expedition with 33 pupils across Year 9, 10 and 11. All pupils successfully completed their expedition. Pupils should be proud of their achievements, they represented Bredon School with outstanding distinction. They all had to use their resilience, confidence and perseverance to overcome a variety of obstacles such as navigation across muddy foot paths, putting up tents and cooking in the evening whilst watching the sun set. All pupils experienced frustrations, triumphs and laughter. They should all hold their heads up high and in years to come look back and reminisce over their Bronze Expedition. The Year 10 and 11 pupils who were completing their Silver Duke of Edinburgh practise expedition decided to do this mounted on bikes. Pupils had to overcome a variety of surfaces that challenged their balance and coordination. Due to the offroading there were a significant amount of punctures on the first day, this took a toll on the pupils. However, they stuck together and were able to continue and completed well over 10 kilometres on their first day. During their second day It was up to them to design their routes, this meant they each took the role of leadership during their leg of the ride. Throughout the day pupils worked extremely hard and showed great teamwork capabilities. They also went as far as helping each other lift and pass their bikes over a difficult gate. All the pupils should be encouraged to how well they managed their practise weekend and should be very excited for their Silver Qualifying Expedition after Easter.
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Shooting Provision Prep Team Placed 3rd out of 28
Holland & Holland Independent Schools CPS Championship 2022 On Thursday March 17th three teams of the Bredon School Clay Pigeon Shooting squad left the school grounds at 06:30 to travel up to the prestigious Holland & Holland shooting ground in Northwood Middlesex to take part in the Independent Schools CPS Championship. This was our second entry into this competition and we were hoping for a repeat success of last year’s win for the Prep Team. We were met at the shooting ground by John Timmis of 3 Lakes Shooting Ltd and his team of coaches and after some light refreshments the competition commenced! Due to COVID restrictions last year’s competition was a much smaller event. Since the lifting of those restrictions many more Independent Schools had entered the competition. In total there were 31 senior teams from Independent Schools across the country, such as Rugby, Eton, Cheltenham College, Marlborough College and many others. The competition within the Prep teams was equally as fierce with 28 teams fighting for the trophy. The Senior Trophy was contested over a 100 bird shoot (80 of which were contested in the ‘Flush’ Format) of highly competitive and challenging stands. Our RED Team came through the day with a joint total of 297/400 which placed them a VERY successful 4th place over all. The BLUE team valiantly came through with a score of 267/400 placing them as a very credible 13th place over all.
Senior Red Team Placed 4th out of 31
The Prep Trophy was an even tighter contest shot over a slightly shorter 80 bird format. The team carried both experience and novice shooters who came through the day with an excellent 181/320 which placed them in a very strong 3rd place overall. The team where in fact only five clays away from the overall win and 13 clays ahead of 4th place! A highly enjoyable day was had by all at beautiful location. Although we didn’t come away with a win we came away knowing that a small school, such as Bredon, can go up against ‘The Big Boys’ of the Independent Schools world and not only be competitive but beat ALL but the very best. A huge thank you to; All the parents and guardians who gave permissions for their children to take a day out of their timetable to take part in this competition. Those parents that were able to attend the event to support and encourage our shooters. Mr. John Timmis and all his team for their sterling work and commitment to Bredon and the development of the CPS program. Mr. Ben Phillips for stepping in at the last minute to drive the second mini bus.
Senior Blue Team Placed 13th out of 31
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Down on the Farm This half term our Year 10 BTEC Agriculture pupils went to Bushley, to volunteer at Windmill Tump in Bushley Green. They helped plant and install tree guards for the 10 trees that have been planned to celebrate the Queen's Platinum Jubilee for the village, which will provide a legacy for the village for years to come. This worked tied in well with their BTEC Estate Skills Unit which covers; conservation, building structures, erecting agricultural fencing and habitat management. They all worked hard and safely as a team all morning and they were an absolute credit to the school. Special mention to Year 10's Joe C, Jack G, Jack G, Jack L and Dexter M. Excellent work boys! We are busy repairing and fixing the boundaries around the farm with the Year 10 and 11 groups studying their Estate Skills Unit within their agriculture qualification. This project work will count towards achieving the units assessment criteria, partially after the flooding event over the February half term. The fields are now drying out and the grass is starting to grow with the spring weather, turnout for the farm's animals is imminent. The weather this winter has been on the whole a lot kinder than previous years with much lower rainfall recorded, this will allow us to turn the animals out in good conditions and to utilise the grass growth to grow on our new born lambs and calves. The current crisis in Ukraine has led to classroom lessons and discussions and in part Ukraine’s role in being one of the world's key grain producers and exporters. Millions of tons of wheat, barley, grain maize and sunflowers seed are now unable to be moved to feed the world as intended with ports closed or damaged for the foreseeable. We have learnt the knock on effects to both Ukrainian and farmers around the world with input costs in particular fuel and fertiliser prices doubling in price, as well as supply issues getting these onto their and our farms. It has led to commodity prices in grain reaching values not experienced in a lifetime, nice if you are a producer with a barn full to sell, but brought in feed prices for livestock farmers like ourselves have skyrocketed making it even more important for us to utilise all the grass grown on the farm here at Bredon! Finally, our Year 7 and 8 farm volunteers have put some duck eggs in the incubator that should hatch over Easter holidays, so watch this space!
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Art & Design It has been a highly productive, creative and fulfilling term in Bredon’s Art department. The GCSE and A Level Art students are now on the final straight with their big deadline looming. The department is a hive of activity as the students finish their journals, add the finishing touches to their final outcomes and for the A Level students, they are beginning to plan their End of Course Exhibition. Year 9 students have worked incredibly hard and have now finished their project ‘CInderella’s Revenge’ . Rich colour and texture, intricate pattern and the knowledge and understanding of their chosen artists embedded in their work, has culminated in very impressive outcomes. Well done Year 9’s, it has been a pleasure watching your work develop. The Key Stage 3 activities group are working hard on a mural in the entrance into the Art Department…they designed it based on the work of the Artist Sol LeWit, who used bright colour and geometric patterns to create his artwork. When finished the entrance into our Art Department will be a vibrant and colourful space to welcome both students and visitors. Year 8’s are about to go on a trip to the Forest of Dean Sculpture Park and the juniors have been continuously impressing us with their positivity, creativity and enjoyment as they continue with their Picasso Self Portraits and still life projects.
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Humanitarian Mission to the Polish Border At Bredon School we were deeply moved by the humanitarian crisis that has been unfolding in Ukraine. A call to action resulted in our community pulling together and launching our Bredon School Appeal. The campaign led by Jill Blakeney and Lucy Hogkinson, sought to organise a collection of emergency supplies that would be transported to the Polish/ Ukraine border, to support families in crisis. A donation station was set up in Pull Court and items soon started to flood in over the following two weeks, from very generous parents, pupils, members of the local community and staff. Kind parent Vid Blakeney provided the transport in the form of a large truck and Bredon School financed its passage to the heart of the crisis on the border between Poland and Ukraine. Vital items and medical supplies were donated in abundance and the overwhelming generosity saw much needed blankets, sanitary products, nappies and medical supplies to name but a few filling the van to bursting.
Pupils were quick to come up with some money making initiatives with blue and yellow bracelets going on sale in reception and a ‘guess the number of sweets’ competition with all funds donated to the British Red Cross Appeal. Tom M (Year 13) additionally sold over a hundred delicious cakes to pupils and staff which were very kindly baked by his mother. Pupils gathered in the early morning and the excitement of happy chatter filled the air as a human chain was formed to pass the aid from one end of the school to the waiting van. It really was an impressive sight to behold and as each item was passed down the line the van quickly filled with the urgently needed supplies. On Friday 18th March our driving team Vid Blakeney, Jaroslaw Krampikowski and Steve Bridges, were up with the birds to set off for Poland at 5.30am from Bredon School. One of our Year 11 pupils Hal B also accompanied the trip to support the delivery of items and capture the trip through photography and videography for the school. The initial part of the journey down to Dover was successful, however this was followed by a challenging Ferry journey to Calais, on the day the P&O ferry crisis transpired! However, the team managed to successfully reach Calais. Driving tirelessly day and night, through France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany and finally reaching Poland. Our Bredon School sponsored van travelled in convoy with a second vehicle, a pick up truck that was sponsored by The Midlands Polish Community. After an initial night in The Netherlands, the whole team stopped for a second night in Bygoszcz, in central Poland. This was so that the second van could deliver the donations from the Midlands Polish Community, to a Special Educational Needs Boarding School.
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Jaroslaw and Steve then stayed at the Boarding School for a much needed break, whilst Hal and Vid continued on to Medkya on the Polish border, where they delivered their donations to the refugee camp. When Hal and Vid arrived at the Polish border they were met by a sea of aid tents, marquees, boxes and temporary plastic fences surrounding the ‘put-up’ refugee site. Many organisations and representatives from all over the world were there providing support. They quickly got to work as the aid needed to be sorted into categories, to assist different groups of refugees and their families as quickly as possible. The moment our Bredon School van arrived the doors to the van were opened and a group of representatives came over to help unload the vital donations. Each representative was from a different charity and in search of different items. Fortunately, each box had already been labelled by our team at Bredon School with our donations helpfully written in English, Polish and Ukrainian so they were easily identified and sorted into categories. A female representative was collecting items; for families, sanitary products, nappies and baby items. She quickly spotted a box of baby milk powder within our donations and said ‘I have a new mother with a newborn baby, that needs this immediately.’ The powdered milk was then taken away hastily to help the new mother and her baby. This signified just how valued our donations were, the sense of urgency was very evident. Among the representatives was an American Fireman, who was also in search of specific items for his charity. The refugee camp encompassed support from all over the world and we felt exceptionally proud to be part of the cause. Thank you so much to everyone who donated items so generously to our Ukraine Appeal. Your kindness really has made a difference.
Jaroslaw Krampikowski Interview 1. Jarek - Where are you from in Poland and do you have any family members who live there? I was born in Bialogora, a small tourist village in the North of Poland, approximately one mile from the Baltic sea. I'm 34 years old and live in the United Kingdom, whilst my Mum and four sisters remain out in Poland still. 2. How did you become involved in the Bredon School Ukraine Appeal? I became aware of the Bredon School Ukraine Appeal when I heard Vid was travelling and I volunteered. 3. What is your role in the Ukraine appeal trip to Poland?
5. Where did you drive through and what was your destination?
Our role was to drive to Bydgoszcz to drop off medical supplies to a school for the deaf which was acting as a collection point.
Our route was Dover, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany and Poland, travelling in convoy with the van destined for Medyka on the Ukraine border.
4. Jarek / Steve - Describe the journey you have taken, when did you set off?
6. What was it like when you got there and how was your experience?
We left on Friday 18th March at 6.00 am, All supplies were gratefully received and will be distributed amongst refugees.
The trip was exhausting but very worthwhile and our teamwork was crucial to the success of our mission RGDS Stephen Bridges.
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Dyslexia Show Birmingham Bredon School ventured to the NEC for the first ever Dyslexia Show on Friday 25th and Saturday 26th March 2022. With over 6,000 people registered, over 60 speakers sharing their knowledge and over 55 exhibitors demonstrating their products and services it was always going to be a busy show. The show started with a real buzz as Matt Hancock walked the floor meeting various exhibitors including the Bredon Stand, where he complimented us on the vast range of activities we offer. He was starting the day as the lead keynote speaker. Mr Hancock is really passionate about dyslexia; the reason being is that he has dyslexia himself. Love or hate him or his politics, he is on a mission to change how children with dyslexia are taught. Matt only found out when he was 18 years old, having already left school that he had dyslexia. Sadly, the late diagnosis meant that he was not very good at reading or writing when he was finally identified as being dyslexic. He described it as being a lightbulb moment, he finally understood why he often didn’t understand. Speaking passionately about how dyslexia should not hold anyone back, he sees it as his personal mission to help every child with dyslexia unleash their potential. Recognising that dyslexia brings huge strengths and understanding each child’s weaknesses is so important.
He is working to ensure all primary schools introduce universal screening for dyslexia, alongside better teacher training and support. He is also taking forward a Private Member's Bill in the next session of Parliament about this and is confident that he will be able to progress this over time. His closing statement was a powerful one where he wants to create a country where everyone sees dyslexia as a strength, not a weakness. Just goes to show you how far ahead of the curve we really are at Bredon. Matt was swiftly followed by a wide range of contributors from various speakers who shared their knowledge and thoughts related to dyslexia and the wider neurodiverse community. An initial trickle of visitors each day soon turned into a steady flow and the murmur of light chatter turned into a wonderful busy sounding conference hall. We were joined by The Cavendish Group with their stand just around the corner from our own. The team feeling was evident for all to see. Dyslexia is a genetic condition that affects around 10% of the population. When you break that down in mainstream schools, that could equate to around threefour children in every class in Britain. Attending a show that was such a beacon of light for so many was truly a privilege. Bredon was firmly placed on the map.
"Dyslexia is treated as a gift and the creative and communicative side, that dyslexics often excel in, is celebrated" - Good Schools Guide 2021.