Issue 1 - October 2012
Creativity shapes the future at BSB
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Dear Parents & Friends of BSB, As we begin our new academic year on the back of our successful ISI report we find ourselves focussing on expanding our curriculum to give greater opportunities to our students. Through our joint professional development here at BSB we are discovering daily there is a distinct move away from teaching a wholly knowledge-based syllabus and a vital push for the inclusion of skills practice, and extension. Teachers focussed themselves at the beginning of the year on expanding their planning to include as many possible occasions for the learning to be student-centred with regular opportunities to practice the art of collaboration, negotiation, questioning and listening to others.
As we clarify our vision to ensure our students are ready for life after BSB, we are striving to ensure the curriculum is fit for purpose and contains essential information coupled with the skills to implement this knowledge; the high quality of teachers and teaching assistants at our school are making this their daily focus. Ensuring the curriculum is accessible is being aided by the implementation of tools such as iPads. Our developing and flexible approach to education means the regular addition of new courses such as World Religions and Mandarin, and the extension of Moodle, our virtual learning provider.
Education at BSB can be seen as a spreading tapestry with the warp and weft of skills and personal qualities interlaced with relevant and vital knowledge. It is a journey, it is exciting and it is happening.
Transforming learning. Transforming lives.
Enjoy the year.
Jo Puddy-Wells, Principal principal@britishschool.ro
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BSB Alumni Hello to all at BSB from Mr. Stuart Harrison
A place to develop community It’s hard to believe it’s been more than a year now since I worked at the school. I still think back to my time there with many fond memories. In April of this year I moved from Bucharest to a small town 300km further north called Balan. I have been involved in organising children’s summer clubs in this town for over 10 years now and, for some time, had been planning to move here to extend the work with children and youth people alike. Since moving here several months ago, I have opened a centre for teenagers. The project has been well received by the youth and I have managed to build a good reputation in the town, including collaboration with the mayor and with another project that supports children and teenagers in the town whose parents work abroad.
Now that the new school year has started, I have also begun teaching English both at after school clubs and to individuals. All of this keeps me busy and I am enjoying the new challenges presented to me by undertaking this venture. If you would like further information about the projects I am running for the teenagers in Balan, please go to my website: www.piatrasperantei.org I wish you all a very successful year at BSB. Mr. Stuart Harrison
Ms. Rachel Stewart ‘Hi everyone in BSB. Following BSB I returned to the UK to have my little girl, Molly who is now four years old. I worked in the UK for a year in a variety of schools before travelling to Bratislava in Slovakia. My daughter and I lived there for two years before we headed to a warmer climate. We are currently living in HCMC, Vietnam and enjoying the weather. I am teaching Nursery and enjoying meeting all my new children. As much as I have enjoyed all the adventures that I have had since leaving BSB, I still miss you all and hope that you are having a lot of fun in your fantastic school. Take care and enjoy.’
4 Newsblast
Molly
Who are the people in our neighbourhood? Hi. Meet Alexandru Anghel or you may know him as Mr Sandu. We see him every day at school but let’s find out a little bit more about him. He is our very friendly gatekeeper at BSB. Mr Sandu was born in Calarasi, Romania. He wasn’t always at BSB though. Before he came to our school, he worked in the water pipe industry in Romania. Alexandru has many interests including reading adventure stories and playing and watching football; his favourite team is Rapid Bucharest. He has always been very busy to travel a lot but particularly like Bailes Felix in the countryside. A little known but very interesting fact is that Mr Sandu likes to create inventions in his garden! Rebecca Year 8 Student Council
PTA Review Welcome to BSB school year 2012-2013 to all new and returning families. Before focusing on our plans for the coming weeks, I would like to look back to the end of last term. As many of you will be aware, during April and May of this year, BSB under went an inspection by the Independent School Inspectorate (ISI). The findings were published during the summer vacation and are now available on the school website. The purpose of the inspection was to assess the quality of the pupils’ education, care and welfare at the school; identifying effective practice and strengths and areas for future development. The findings are made public in order to inform parents and I hope that you will take time to read them. I would like to congratulate BSB management, staff and pupils on an excellent inspection report. There are many wonderful comments and recognition of hard work and professionalism throughout. An outstanding school is always looking for ways to develop, improve and to raise standards and this highly positive report will help our dedicated staff to do this in the future. I would like to draw your attention to one particular part of the report (4.1), which gives a glowing recommendation of our school and our children.
‘The quality of the pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is excellent. The school clearly fulfils its aim to provide pupils with a secure and caring environment that encourages the fulfillment of individual potential and the growth of self-esteem and for them to become responsible citizens of the world community.’
It has been a very busy start to the school year. There have been opportunities to ‘Meet the Teachers’ and a very well attended welcome event. We have had coffee mornings and have begun our cultural tours. The cookery demonstrations are about to start. We even squeezed in a cocktail evening. We have a full timetable for the coming year for the students and their families and appreciate your ongoing help, support and participation. Our calendar of events is advertised on the Friday Flier e mail and the BSB PTA Facebook page. We also post all events in the Parents’ room. Our PTA committee is a team of volunteers who give time, energy, ideas and commitment in order to help build a strong sense of community in our school. We do this in partnership with the school management team and staff. Every parent at our school is welcome to participate, help and become involved. Thank you to everyone who has signed up to be a Class Representative, an International Representative or attended an event. In my view, a school with a strong, positive, committed community is a successful school - and we aim to promote a positive school experience for all of our families. Our PTA Committee; Linda Wadsworth - chairperson Tina Reggione - vice chair and secretary Monica Ussia - treasurer Julia Armstrong - coordinator of student activities (Additionally, Ceri Coyle, Stepanka Facerova will liaise with Julia for Secondary and EYFS children) Alexandra Slater - coordinator of parent activities Rachelle Leslie - new parent coordinator Liliana Grecu - coordinator of International Representatives. (Additionally Lorelei Freeman creates wonderful Bucharest Information news every week on the Friday flier. She is also making a twice-termly Information Flier for our International families with the graphic design skills of Noa Zitzhak. Claude Amelie Willemot is coordinating cookery demonstrations.) Mrs. Linda Wadsworth President of the PTA
Well done, indeed!
Many thanks to our wonderful PTA for welcoming the new families at the school
6 Newsblast
Issue 1 2012 7
Clubs and Universities
Arts and Crafts club gives children the chance to exercise their creative abilities using different media
Children were very keen to discover the skills and method involved in a new martial arts course offered this year - Aikido 8 Newsblast
Cooperation is a vital skill in parachute games. Super sports club has a different focus each week
The Friday KS2 choir had proved to be very popular and they are working hard to learn new songs ready for performances throughout the year Issue 1 2012 9
We have various clubs running in KS1 as introduction courses to languages - here the children are working on their Spanish
Whenever the sun is shining everyone is keen to use the BSB pool. Experienced swimming teachers help children to practise their skills after school 10 Newsblast
In gymnastics club the teacher works to build up movements and positions step by step, developing control and concentration
Children learn how to create different types of puppets and plan a script to bring their creations to life
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Handball is a growing sport that proved to be very popular in the recent Olympics. Teamwork and good aiming and catching skills are developed
Students discussing the layout of the scrapbook and brainstorming ideas in Scrapbook University 12 Newsblast
The school football teams have been working on specific skills in training sessions after school, leading them to success in matches against other local international schools
Folding, cutting and sticking are all ways of creating new and interesting forms from paper. Concentration and precision is necessary for success Issue 1 2012 13
Maypole dancing requires coordination, awareness of others, creating patterns and a sense of fun
Yoga and meditation courses are running in both KS2 and KS1 to encourage self-awareness and flexibility 14 Newsblast
Our various school pets are well looked after. Learning how to treat animals gently and with respect becomes part of school life
In gardening and pet care children are taught specific skills including handling animals carefully and taking care of the KS1 garden Issue 1 2012 15
Country in spotlight: Netherlands
Aaron and Jasper
Alexander and Sebastian
“The animals that live in my country are swans, ducks, foxes and wolves” Aaron, 2P
“Football, biking, swimming and ice skating are my country’s national sports” Sebastian, Year 4C
Brecht and Fedde “My country is big.” Fedde, Preschool V
“I like my country because we have different bread. The bread is really yummy” Brecht, Year 1D
“My country is famous for Anne Frank house, dykes and windmills, cheese, waffles, bicycles and tulips”. “What I like the most about my country is that it is eco-friendly”. Alina, Year 8
“Holland has many adventure parks” Van Gogh (painter), Paul Van Loon (children’s author), Armand Van Beuren (famous DJ), Edvin Van Der Saar (football player), are my country’s most famous people” Bram, Year 6T
“The weather is cold and rainy in my country” “The traditional food of my country is Bitterballa, bacon and puffer cakes.” Dave, Year 3K
Dave, Bram and Alina
Damian and Tristan
Leonie
“What I like the most in my country is the language because I like speaking to my Dad in Dutch.”
Eva
“ My country is nice and most cities look like Amstedam.” Eva, Year 4C
Damian, Year 4
“We play good football in my country” Tristan, Year 4C
Luca, Daan, and Jesse
Olivia
Sweder and Philine
“The most poular tourists’ destination in my country is Amsterdam.”
“It is always sunny in my country” Luca, Reception S
Sweder, Year 5F
“I like my country because my cousins live there. I play a lot with them.” Jesse, Year 4S
“My country is famous for clean water and flowers.” Philine, Year 3K
Drama Pathway Drama as a subject promotes both independence and working with others. It is one of the few subjects where we the students are graded on self-management, group work and effective participation - all essential life skills. In terms of its place in a school curriculum, Drama builds confidence and self esteem, promotes skills such as public speaking and debate and allows us to explore situations in a way that
we may not dare to in real life. The study of drama and theatre is also an academic subject in itself. At BSB, we believe that Drama is an essential component of the curriculum Ms Victoria Oliver, Drama Teacher
I regard the theatre as the greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being. Oscar Wilde
EYFS children dress up in their favourite characters and enjoy taking part in role play outdoors
18 Newsblast
Who said giraffes can’t dance? Our giraffes rocked the stage with their bicycle dance! EYFS children are using their singing and dancing skills on stage
Year 1 children learning that in drama we can tell a story through actions and no words. Children are asked to be different types of animals that linked to phonics work
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Drama is a learning tool to explore topic based areas more deeply. Year 2 children are taking part in a ‘hot-seating’ activity during their Literacy lesson. Here one person takes on the role of someone from a story and the group can ask questions
20 Newsblast
In Primary our students begin learning how to use their voice, face and body to show a basic character, with the emphasis being on focus and control on stage
Movement and physical skills are covered at the beginning of Year 3. A confident performer needs to be able to control their movement on stage
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Creating a character that is ‘clearly different to yourself ‘is one of the first drama skills that students learn in Key Stage 2
Working as a team is important in Drama
22 Newsblast
The Year 6’s managed to wow the crowd with the classical ‘Cinderella’ and a legendary tale of ‘The Sword and the Stone’. Our Key Stage 3 curriculum builds on the skills learnt in Primary, with topics as diverse as Greek Theatre and Melodrama. At Key Stage 4, the focus is on refining and developing performance skills and learning how to create effective and meaningful theatre
In the secondary production, students have the opportunity to wear costumes, make up and radio microphones, as they are part of a professional cast
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Learning how to develop a rapport with the audience is an important drama skill. Here, the audience waits patiently for ‘Cinderella’ to begin
Focus and concentration onstage are essential if the student is to create a realistic character and sustain it throughout the performance
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Being able to work with others as part of a team is essential when mounting a production. Here, the students take a bow at the end of their show
I love Drama because it gives our class a chance to work in groups and interact with each other. When we work in a group, we use our imagination and create something spontaneously. I also like playing drama games because they are fun, help us relax and turn off from our school work. Rebecca 8S Drama is fun and I find it really liberating! Luca 8S I like it because it’s interactive and involves lots of action. You can make anything happen and be anyone you want to be. Franco 8S At the end of last year, many of you may remember there was a spectacular summer production. Year 5 and 6’s managed to put on a great show about Bedtime stories. Each year dramatised a collection of familiar stories to entertain the audience at the Grand Ballroom. The Year 6 girls kicked of the show by singing ‘Hushabye Mountain’ beautifully. They had practiced
for many weeks rehearsing the song through their lunchtimes, credit must go to Miss Finch and Mr. Green for their hard work. Also I am sure that the audience loved ‘Romeo and Juliet’ played by 5F, which was made into a smaller play but still it was lovely and very dramatic. 5M also had a fantastic play about ‘The Chimney Sweep’ which was very well acted out. The Year 6’s managed to wow the crowd with the classical ‘Cinderella’ and a legendary tale of ‘The Sword and the Stone’. Thanks to all the very productive teaching staff and TA’s who we couldn’t have done it without. I would also like to mention how impressed I was with the very quiet and interested children who were captivated and sat in silence at the front . Judging by the amount of applause we all got I am sure the audience were blown away by our performance. We worked well as a team as that is what BSB is all about. I know the Y5’s and Y6’s can pull off another amazing show again. I look forward to it. Malika, Year 7
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BSB Football teams have a successful start to the new season. As the new season kicked off, BSB teams got off to a good start. The under 12’s carried on the momentum from last season to produce a superb performance to win 2-1 at ISB. David (Year 7) produced a fine man of the match performance and cemented his role as captain for the season whilst Ilias and Dong Min bagged a goal each for BSB.
Lukas (Year 6) produced a fine man of the match performance under the captaincy of Thanos.
The under 14’s girls team showed great potential to be a hard team to beat this season and drew 1-1 in their second game against AISB with Dilara netting for BSB. Captaining the girls this season is Ilinca (Year 9).
Congratulations to all who were involved, for their sporting behaviour at all times and commitment to the BSB team.
The under 18’s boys team got a great result in their first game at AISB with a last minute winner from Akis to make the score 2-1.
The Under 14’s boys produced a fine performance in their second game 11-a-side game, producing many chances to score, and narrowly losing 2-1.
Mr. David Hughes PE Teacher
Our team’s captain leads the under 12’s out against ISB
Winning a header for BSB
26 Newsblast
The Girls’ Team line up for their first game of the season
Beating players in midfield against AISB
Congratulations to the Boys’ Football Team who were amazing on the pitch
Our Secondary Football Team won the day at AISB
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LOWER SCHOOL REVIEW Welcome to all our new and returning parents and students. I am sure you are all looking forward to another exciting year at BSB. At BSB we are committed to empowering staff and students to become more self-confident and increase their opportunities and achievements. By empowering students, you can engage them further in learning, provide a more democratic learning experience and prepare students for the future. How do we empower students in the Lower school? By giving them a voice Having house captains and vice captains as well as the student council are some of the ways that we give students a voice in the Lower School. Students are aware that if they have any issues they can approach their Student Council representative. House Captains will be leading assemblies as well as being role models to the students. By involving the students in the curriculum Topic based learning enables students to be more engaged in their curriculum. When children are more engaged and see a relevance to what they are learning they are more likely to feel a part of their learning rather than it being some thing that is being ‘done’ to them. The Year group pages will give you some examples of this in action. Encouraging meaningful use of technology We aim to use technology to enhance our curriculum. Children are used to having the latest technology as part of their lives and this should not exclude school. Recently 2P have used Skype to chat to a fellow student, classes use the laptops and macbooks in a wide variety of lessons and we will shortly be introducing Bug Club which is an online reading programme. Our Blogs can also be used to inform friends and relatives all over the world about our school activities.
Welcome to all our new and returning parents and students
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Involving students in ‘real’ issues Our recent Jeans for Genes Day and Harvest collection are examples of how we ensure the students know why we are raising money or collecting food items. University courses also give the students the opportunity to learn useful skills in addition to our curriculum, for example learning sign language could lead to a student undertaking volunteer work in the future. Ms. Tiffany Moorcroft Head of Lower School
Settling in September What a lovely start for Crib and Crèche, all classes have settled in well and are enjoying making new discoveries both indoors and outdoors. They have enjoyed exploring their new environments both in and outdoors.
these songs. Crèche O have been counting Five Ducks and carried out several activities relating to Ducks and ponds, and Crèche E have been counting Five Frogs and collaging large and small frogs.
They have explored the many different learning areas, including the role-play with the kitchen area in the class being a favourite with the children ‘making’ special foods and drinks for one another. They have also shown a great interest in the creative areas, and liked to collage and paint different things.
Both Crib and Crèche classes have been making friends by linking up and interacting with each other. Crib have been making the most of the lovely weather and have gone on several walks around the school grounds with the buggy.
All the children have joined in with songs and rhymes, and are beginning to join in with the actions. Their favourites include, Five Little Ducks and Five Little Speckled Frogs. Many of our class activities have revolved around
Crèche children developing their speaking and listening through communicating with one another when playing with the cars
Ms. Kayleigh Evans & Mrs. Claire O’Brien Creche Class Teachers
Discovering our small world activities
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Look at what we have been learning in Preschool Our Preschool year has got off to a great start and we are impressed by how well the children settled in to their new classes. We have already embarked on our Learning Journeys for the term. Each class will display a Learning Journey board where we will record the children’s learning through pictures, captions and comments. Preschool V began their year by talking about themselves and their families. We talked about our favourite colours, fruits, and part of our bodies. We drew around our bodies with chalk and did some fantastic painting with our feet. We then moved on to learning about feelings and made puppets to represent these. We have taken part in a range of creative activities about ‘Ourselves’. Preschool K began by singing familiar Nursery Rhymes. The children were particularly interested in ‘Incy Wincy Spider ‘so we began to learn about spiders and later ladybirds, counting their legs and spots. We enjoyed The Very Hungry Caterpillar story and painted some fruit for our display, talked about symmetry and printed symmetrical butterflies. Both classes have taken an interest in fruit. We have been sorting and counting fruit, looking at different types of fruit and learning their names, how to describe them, and which ones we like to eat. We organised a combined activity where the children from both classes made a giant fruit salad. We talked about, looked at and felt the fruits, before cutting them, pouring them into a bowl and later eating it!
After slicing the fruit very carefully, both classes enjoyed tasting the fruit as part of their snack time
Both classes have also enjoyed signing familiar songs as well as learning number songs and rhymes. Ms. Kitti Vaughan & Mrs Priscilla Varban Preschool Class Teachers
Choosing favourite types of food as part of our “All About Me” Learning Journey 30 Newsblast
Using an octopus as their spider (noting that it also had 8 legs) to climb the waterspout whilst singing “Incy Wincy Spider”
New Beginnings in Reception This term has seen Reception start with a bang. We began by getting to know each other by playing circle time games and activities. The children made their own Reception Knock Knock book to help learn each other’s names and they have spent time practicing writing their name using different media materials such as paint and chalk. Through play the children have had the opportunity to build new friendships and explore all the areas in the classroom. This led to the children talking more about their friends and families. They developed their ICT skills by drawing pictures of themselves and their families using the computer and have told each other about their likes and dislikes. The children demonstrated their creative side by examining carefully how they look in the mirror and then used paint to make creations of themselves. The children found out more about their bodies through drawing around themselves and labelling different body parts. They particularly enjoyed singing doing actions along to the song ‘heads shoulders knees and toes’. Confidence has grown throughout the term giving children something to build upon as they develop their knowledge and understanding of all seven areas of the curriculum. Ms. Aimee Scott Reception Class Teacher
Reception children select appropriate resources and use simple tools to build their own house
Reception children examine themselves and make paper plates of their faces talking about their similarities and differences Issue 1 2012 31
Welcome to Year 1 We have all had a exciting and enjoyable start to Year 1. All of the children have settled in well and are enjoying their new surroundings. We have made a fantastic start to our new topic ‘All About Me,’ where the children have been learning all about themselves and the human body. It has been lovely to find out more about the children in our classes and their different interests. It was wonderful to find out about all of the different jobs that the children would like to do when they grow up. In Numeracy the children have impressed us with their knowledge of numbers to 20. We have been using cubes to help us to measure different parts of our body as part of our topic. In Literacy we have been learning the different uses of writing lists, captions and using labels. The Year 1 children have successfully labelled their classrooms, various parts of the Ringwood building and their bodies. We have begun to investigate and learn about different types of poetry related to the five senses. The children have enjoyed exploring a range of different things using their senses and have started to create their very own sense poems from the different senses they have experienced. Year 1 and their teachers are very excited about the year ahead and all the opportunities that face them. Ms. Helen Stevens & Ms. Kate Dibble Year 1 Class Teachers
Using cubes to demonstrate numbers to 20
Children learning about what jobs they want to do when they grow up. Here the boys were pretending to be people from the emergency services
32 Newsblast
As part of the Numeracy topic the children were asked to work in a team to write all the numbers from 0 to 20
Learning About Ourselves
Working hard at the start of a new term
Welcome to Year Two. First of all let’s meet our teachers. In class 2F is Miss Feeney, in class 2P is Miss Passmore and in class 2R is Miss Pamplin. For our specialists lessons we have two new teachers as well; Miss Williams teaches the children PE and Miss Grant teaches them Music. Year 2 has very busy so far. Our topic for the half term is ‘Ourselves’. In Numeracy we have been looking at ‘Money’ and how we can use it in real life situations. We have been reciting and ordering numbers to 100 and we have been counting in 1s and 10s. We enjoyed learning about 2D and 3D shapes, describing their properties and identifying their features. We reinforced counting to 20 and we are trying new and different ways to do mental maths. In Science we have been learning about ‘Healthy Eating’ and looking at the different food groups and how we can exercise to help keep us healthy. We have designed a perfect packed lunch in which we have a balanced and healthy diet. We also looked at how to keep our bodies healthy through washing, brushing our teeth and sleeping properly.
Guided reading to build up confidence
Year 2 have been comparing their home locality of Bucharest with a contrasting one of Mexico, looking at home, school, daily routines and what life is like for a child in a place across the world. We learned about maps and how we get to distant places. We enjoyed our Art topic of ‘Picture This’ where we looked carefully at lines, shapes, colours and detail to make observational drawing and we finished by doing our own self-portraits. Literacy has been great fun, we looked at stories with familiar settings, discussing characters, places, the parts of a story and using time connectives. We also wrote instructions, ordering them in the correct way and using correct language. Ms. Passmore, Ms. Pamplin & Ms. Feeney Year 2 Class Teachers
Numeracy is great fun, we have been reciting and ordering numbers to 100 and we have been counting in 1s and 10s Issue 1 2012 33
Welcome to Year 3. Friends that play together, stay together!
Year 3’s new and returning students have got off to a great start this year. We are really pleased to welcome many new boys and girls from lots of different places. They are already demonstrating their super skills as playground buddies for their new classmates and we have been encouraging them to understand that ‘Friends that play together, stay together’ so make sure you include everyone. In fact to encourage this we are joining the two classes together at various times during the week to collaborate on projects and share ideas. We have already started our first project ‘Weather Around the World’. We are doing some exciting research finding out about countries with different climates and learning all about the landscape, sports, food,
Year 3 children learning how shadows are formed 34 Newsblast
people, plants, and animals and how the weather influences these. New for Year 3 is specialist subject Art with Mr. Williams where the children will focus on developing their skills as artists. I’m sure this will be a firm favourite by the end of the year. Also new this year is MFL including French, German, Spanish and Mandarin. As this week is Language Week the children are given the opportunity to share, experience and maybe even learn a little of another language from the children around them. Ms. Anna McHugh & Ms. Aoife Kelly Year 3 Class Teachers
Measuring shadows to see how lengths change during the day
All things Egyptian!
Designing a modern outfit to contrast ancient Egyptian clothing!
Year 4 have made an impressive start to the new school year by embracing their topic learning and new environments. The children have enjoyed everything that the busy new term brings at BSB and have welcomed many new faces into the school and helped them to adapt to school life. Year 4M taught by Mr McRae, Year 4S taught by Mr Scragg and Year 4C taught by Miss Church have been enthused by all things Egyptian in our vibrant storyline topic. The theme of Ancient Egypt has allowed the classes to develop an Egyptian character to inspire our learning throughout the curriculum. The children have enjoyed learning History and Geography through this theme and have cross curricular activities in Art , Drama and P.E. Additionally Year 4 have been inspired by the topic to write adventurous pieces of writing and poetry. Another focus of writing has been writing Instructions and the children have been focusing on developing their phonics, understanding and spelling. The emphasis in Numeracy this term has been on Counting and partitioning as well as data handling, Number facts and Shape. With the popular School Language Week and The Primary Art Competition it really has been a busy but successful start to the academic year.
Creating a PowerPoint presentation about Ancient Egypt
Mr. Ciaran McRae, Ms. Krystle Church & Mr. Matthew Scragg Year 4 Class Teachers
did you know? bsb is the only international primary school to be awarded the silver geography award?
Y4C working together to create an Egyptian character profile Issue 1 2012 35
Reviewing each others’ alternative versions of Oliver Twist
Year 5 has gone Steam-Powered! Year Five have had great fun in this new school year, we have been combining our subjects into a single project, The Victorians! We have read the works of some famous Victorian authors, including Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist”. Using this as a starting point we have produced short improvised dramas relating to the events of the story and to the issue of class in Victorian society. The students have also researched other famous Victorians, such as Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Lord Shaftsbury and of course Queen Victoria. Our science work this term has also linked into the theme of the Victorians. We have been thinking and discussing the major driving force behind the power of the British Empire, steam technology. We have designed and attempted to construct turbines which could be powered by steam, and have produced some creative and imaginative applications for this technology, such as the steam powered pencil sharpener and the steam powered rubbish compacter. We will also be looking at Victorian photography and using ICT skills and resources to create some modern replicas of Victorian style photographs.
Children from both Year 5 classes co-operate to develop a Victorian child character profile 36 Newsblast
The Year Five classes have cooperated a lot this term, and have had regular link-up sessions where we share ideas and debate issues as a whole year group. This is something that we look forward to continuing in the future. Mr. Alexander Feltham & Mr. Dale Darby Year 5 Class Teachers
Using construction materials to model our steam turbine designs
Year 6 rise to the challenge at the top of the Primary School
Year 6 is a very special time for the class, it’s the children’s best opportunity to work together as a team
Year 6 has made a pleasing start to a busy school year. We have welcomed new pupils and staff, and helped each other adapt to a new classroom, timetable and curriculum. In Literacy the children took their inspiration from rivers to write poems using personification. They used prior knowledge of simile and metaphor to make their poetry more vivid and expressive. In Maths, we have looked at the place value of numbers and explored mental strategies for multiplication. To find out how plants and animals adapt to life in water, we visited the school pond and developed our understanding through research. The year groups have been busy in science investigating food chains, habitats and how animals adapt to their environments and adapting to the food supplies available. We have collaborated in active science playing the Food Chain game, this called on our skills of listening, analysis and cooperation, as you can see in the photograph. Year 6 is a very special time for the class, it’s the children’s best opportunity to work together as a team and show others how they can be good citizens of the school community and how they can shine enough in their own behaviours to be leaders for Key Stage One and Two. Thus House Captains and Vice Captains have been selected to represent the four houses of the school and the eight lucky children have already begun to proudly show how helpful, responsible, creative and considerate they can be in their new roles. We are all looking forward to a great year for the children of Year 6.
Year 6 actively participating in Maths lesson
Ms. Andrea Bestel & Ms. Helen Thorogood Year 6 Class Teachers
6B in science using solid fuel (wooden splints) to heat water Issue 1 2012 37
Meet the Teacher Coffee Mornings
Ms Kelly and Mrs Ali discussing aspects of Year 3
Once again this year we organised Meet the Teacher coffee mornings in conjunction with the PTA. Teachers from each year group gave general information and guidance specific to that year. Following this parents could ask questions to get to know the teachers over a coffee. This year the coffee mornings were very well attended and many parents commented on how useful they were. Thank you to all the parents who attended these events and the PTA for their help, in particular Linda Wadsworth for her continuing support. Mrs Lisa Ali Deputy Head of Lower School
Ms McHugh getting to know the parents of 3M 38 Newsblast
KS1 Phonics Workshop The KS1 workshop in September took parents through the basic fundamental skills of early reading and gave helpful tips on how to help with this at home. It proved to be a very exciting workshop as we launched our two major literacy initiatives to the parents. Firstly our new synthetic phonics scheme Floppys Phonics which uses our familiar characters from Oxford Reading Tree; Biff, Chip and Floppy, to teach letters and sounds to the children through Early years and Key Stage 1. All the sounds of the English language and a very comprehensive range of graphemes of the alphabetic code are introduced systematically throughout the programme. Following the sequence the children will then build up their code knowledge and phonic skills in a
way that allows them to progress smoothly with their reading, spelling and handwriting. Our second excellent new resource to help with reading is the Bug Club which is the first whole-school reading programme that joins books with an online reading world to teach today’s children to read. BSB children have all got their own individual log in to access the site which can be used as an additional resource to use both at home and at school. Many thanks to the PTA for funding the scheme which I’m sure will be a huge success.
Lots of phonics discussions with Ms. Stevens
Parents practising phonemes
Mrs Lisa Ali Deputy Head of Lower School
EYFS Workshop Introduction to EYFS and Assessment ‘Parents are children’s first educators. When parents and practitioners work together in early year’s settings, the results have a positive impact on children’s development and learning.’ (DFES - Early Years Foundation Stage) At BSB we are committed to providing a two-way flow of information, knowledge and expertise. We aim to foster a welcoming atmosphere so that parents feel comfortable when discussing their child’s development, circumstances, skills and needs with the staff. We appreciate the role of parents in their child’s education and ensure there is a close liaison between parents and staff. The first EYFS parents workshop of the year was ‘Introduction to EYFS and Assessment’. During this workshop, parents learnt
Mrs Ali explaining to parents how we assess children in EYFS
about the daily routines, the curriculum and how we assess children in the EYFS. We have several workshops throughout the year when we encourage parents to come and learn more about our teaching and what children learn while in the Foundation Stage. Mrs. Priscilla Varban EYFS Coordinator
The perfect opportunity for parents to get to know each other better Issue 1 2012 39
KS3 Parent Workshop Thank you to all the parents that attended the Key Stage 3 Workshop in early October. We examined the secondary curriculum, procedures, homework expectations and proposed co-curricular developments in some detail. It was a privilege to meet you all and I am looking forward to working alongside you to drive the school forwards. Mr. Philip Walters, Head of Secondary School
Home Visits and Staggered Starts in EYFS In EYFS parents are given the option of requesting a home visit from their child’s new class teacher and teaching assistant. These are very popular as they are a good way of reassuring parents and children and makes the transition of the first day at school a little easier. It is a good way of starting to form relationships between the teachers and teaching assistants with the children and their parents in a familiar and comfortable environment. Parents and children often feel more relaxed at home and appreciate having the time to talk to the teachers on a one to one basis. Home visits are also a good opportunity for the teacher to get to know the children, and their likes and dislikes, and can then adapt these in the first few days at school. This makes the school experience less daunting for the child as they are greeted with a familiar face on the first day. These are also used to gain knowledge about the individual child’s background and home life. For example, we may find out what their favourite book or toy is, if they have any other relatives living with them or even if they have a family pet. This is all valuable information that can be used and helpful to explain a child’s behaviour pattern and interests when they start in a new setting. In Crib, Creche and Preschool staggered starts also apply, where children arrive at 15 minute intervals and on different days, thus giving the parents and class teacher time to discuss points about the school day, and daily routines. Ms. Kayleigh Evans & Mrs. Claire O’Brien Creche Class Teachers
Children in EYFS are settled and very happy to come to school 40 Newsblast
Meet the Primary House Captains The primary House captain elections were of a very high standard this year with all candidates giving a very convincing speech during the KS2 assembly. The results of the votes were very close but there had to be only one winner per house so here they are. Ms. Andrea Bestel KS2 Coordinator Danube House Captain: Anamaria M 6T Vice captain: Victor Ion
Olt House Captain: Sara Faisal Vice captain: Irini Georgakopolous
Arges House Captain: Lena Ingram Vice captain: Ellis Kilbane
Mures House Captain: Martin Slabbert Vice captain: Bram Warmerdam
Student council role models KS2 classes have already elected their Student Council representatives who will act as the voice of their class. It’s a very responsible job which involves Acting as a role model for other students. Working together to help organise events and to inform all necessary groups of arrangements. Encouraging all students within their class to participate in the full life of the school. The Student Council have already embraced their role fully and are taking their responsibility very seriously. Each week they have been meeting with myself to brainstorm ideas to further improve our school. This term we have focused on playtimes and how to make them happy and safe for all children. Having
playground buddies in KS2 helping out with playtimes we thought that KS1 needed our help. The representatives therefore interviewed and appointed play pals from within their own class to act as role models for the younger children and to organise games for them at playtimes. Being a member of the Student Council you have to be very committed as you sometimes have to give up your break time to be included in meetings which are very important for planning events. Coming up in the year ahead the student council will be appointing library monitors and organising various events such as craze of the month and friendship day. Speak to your student council rep if you have any more ideas. Mrs. Lisa Ali Deputy Head of Lower School
Issue 1 2012 41
Secondary Student Council
Hi everyone. My Name is Noor and I am the President of the Student Council this year. Firstly, I would like to introduce you to my fellow council members: Year 7: Malika Year 8: Alexandra, Laura, Calista, Rebecca, Mena Year 9: Yasemin, Alexandra, Dilara, Finn Year 11: Eda, Naomi, Diana, Year 12: Noor Year 13: Jasmina, Chi Bum Last year was a great success for the Student Council. Our many events included Crazy Hair Day, Christmas Party, Secret Santa, Friendship Day, Summer Dance and the Talent Show. I am sure that this year will be even more exciting and successful - we have lots of ideas and events planned, starting with Halloween. If you have any issues that you would like to raise or any suggestions, feel free to contact a member of the council. Noor, President of Student Council
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The role of Prefects
The Prefect Team 2012-13 Maria, Noor, Mihnea, Cristina, Joseph, Didehan, Tudor, Federicia, Chi with Mr. Walters and Mr. Farrell
This year Prefects selected from the Sixth Form students will play a vital role in school life. We applied for these positions and after careful consideration of the upper school staff, were selected based on our potential to be role models to other students and our desire to be of service to the school. As a prefect, one of our main responsibilities is to look out for the things happening at school and act accordingly. For example if a prefect was to spot a case of bullying before a teacher, he/she would, on the spot, try to address the problem and then seek out the support of a member of staff if necessary. Prefect positions aren’t about punishing bad behaviour but about encouraging responsible behaviour, celebrating and strengthening our community. We reward positive behaviour with house points; each prefect has been assigned a number of house points per week for which they alone are responsible. The three main areas prefects will be looking to give house points for are, in no particular order, teamwork, discipline, and respect. Students - always make sure to be on your best behaviour in order to maximise your chances of receiving coveted house points and working with us to keep our school a friendly and vibrant community. Mihnea Head Boy Issue 1 2012 43
Meet the Head Boy and Head Girl
Name: Mihnea
Name: Maria
How long have you been at BSB: I joined in Year 6. This my 8th year.
How long have you been at BSB: This is my 4th year.
A-Levels: Physics, Maths and Further Maths.
A-Levels: Chemistry, Biology and Maths.
Hobbies: Electronics, Chemistry, Photography, Guitar.
Hobbies: Piano and I love art….but there is not enough time to dedicate to it!
Ambition: To start up my own company — a private engineering consultancy.
Ambition: To become a great pianist or artist even when my career is in another field.
Where will you be next year? At University in the UK or Canada studying Electronic Engineering. Message to BSB Students: Work hard and act responsibly!
Where will you be next year? Hopefully at University in the UK or Spain. Message to BSB Students: Don’t be afraid to try your hardest at everything that you do.
did you know? there are 44 nationalities at bsb
44 Newsblast
SECONDARY REVIEW Starting and Finishing in Secondary The start of my family’s connection with BSB was leafing through previous editions of Newsblast. It’s remarkable how many individuals we met in our first two weeks with whom we already felt some sort of connection, having seen them pictured or featured in the magazine. My eldest son could not wait to meet some of the students he had read about. We sensed a warmth and strength of community and since our arrival this has perhaps been the most striking aspect of BSB so far. Sense of community is at the core of all great schools and the House System at BSB presents an avenue for this to be fostered even more. One of my aims for the year is to develop stronger House identity in the Secondary School as our four Houses are communities within the broader community. The House System can give a stronger sense of belonging and importantly presents significant leadership opportunities for all students. The inaugural Secondary House Art competition will be reviewed in the next edition alongside the first House Sports events of the year. I was impressed by the speeches made to their peers by prospective House Captains and trust the student leaders to make great strides this year and with new House slogans chosen, a good start has been made. Secondary students have started the year well, with new students and our Year 7s looking confident and settled. All students have had to adapt with a new timetable structure and Religious Studies and Mandarin are welcome additions to the curriculum.
To the entire BSB community, a huge thank you from myself and my family for the warmth of your welcome
Yet, what about the finish? For the past five years in my previous post, unlike the majority of teachers, my main focus has been the next destination for my students. Finishing well at school is vital. I hope to report in the next two editions about the application processes for our final year students and of the offers that they receive from universities around the world. Success at this stage is a reflection, not just of the sixth form, but on all the teachers that have guided them over the years. Our aim ultimately is to ensure that each one of our students attains a place at a university or on a path that not only meets their desires, but represents the best possible fit for them having achieved their very best academically. Alongside this, we want them to have enjoyed their time at school and want to come back to visit us once their individual school time has come to a finish. This is what we aim to achieve. Mr. Philip Walters Head of Secondary
Issue 1 2012 45
BSB Lunchtime Career Events
Mr Shabaan with some of our Key Stage 4 & 5 students Over the next few months leading up to winter break, the Secondary School will be running a series of career presentations, kindly sponsored by The French Bakery. Both staff and students would like to thank parents and friends of the school who have already spoken or committed themselves to speak at a later date.
In the next few weeks we have the following guest speakers will follow: Chief Executive Officer of World Class Gyms, General Manager of the Hilton Hotel, Senior Geologists from Petrom, Investment Bankers from the Bucharest Stock Exchange, Business Managers from a variety of different sectors and many more.
The first career presentation this year was from Mr Shabaan, a Finance Manager with Proctor and Gamble. Students from Year 10 to Year 13 turned out in force and benefited enormously from listening to the experiences of Mr Shabaan.
We hope that our students will value these career presentations and are looking forward to the next series of events throughout the term. Mr. Paul Farrell Post 16 Coordinator
New to the Secondary Curriculum: World Religions World Religions is the brand new subject at BSB in KS3 in Years 7,8 & 9. In World Religions classes we will explore the many different ways that belief shapes individual behaviour and societies. Linking up religious stories with belief and behaviour, distinguishing the difference between fact, opinion and belief and considering reasons why many people around the world put their faith in the unknown. Connecting our personal beliefs with those we share the world with, no matter how different they seem at first, helps us to truly understand different cultures, as well as better understand ourselves. Celebrate diversity and take a trip around world belief systems all from 8000 BC until the present. This term will see us learning about the origins of Jewish and Christian beliefs. World Religions is a truly exciting and interesting subject which will give our students a deeper understanding of other people and cultures. Ms. Hannah Straw, Humanities Teacher
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The start of the iPad revolution
Students use the iPad to Skype a millionaire
iPads have arrived in Secondary. In just a couple of weeks staff are already up and running using iPads in a variety of creative ways. Uses within the classroom have varied from allowing students to create then present their presentations in English, calculating speed and acceleration in Science, videoing role plays in Modern Foreign Languages or technique in Physical Education, using animation software to demonstrate understanding of leadership styles and interviewing a multimillionaire via Skype in Business. The iPad revolution at BSB has indeed started! The use of mobile technology to work collaboratively in a virtual world is already becoming a critical skill whether as a life long learner or in the world of work. iPads will help facilitate students to develop the knowledge, skills, practices and attitudes necessary to be an engaged, robust and proactive 21st century global citizen capable of shaping our future. It will enhance a teaching and learning environment that goes beyond the traditional classroom and creates more opportunities for creativity, critical thinking and problem solving through the development and use of interactive teaching strategies. Look out for more examples of the iPad revolution in the coming issues of Newsblast. Mr. Mark Monaghan eLearning Manager
A student works on an animation in Business Issue 1 2012 47
Making it ‘Real’ at BSB
A photography masterclass given by Mike Carroll We have been making big strides to make the curriculum and extra curricular activities more real for students, by giving them real experiences and opportunities to interact with experts in their field and also just interesting people from around the world with an interesting story, experience or philosophy on life. Whether this is in Business through speaking to business people through Skype, working with businesses in the Apprentice challenge and Dragons Den or in the wider curriculum with careers talks, work experience and ask the expert sessions. There have also been photographers, charities, writers and artists to name a few that have enhanced the curriculum for our students last year. In order for us to keep it ‘fresh’ for students we need YOUR help. If you own a business, work for a business or have an interesting job, hobby or life story (or know someone who does), then you need to contact us. If you can spare 10 minutes or a whole day then just let us know and we can look at what is possible. Please contact mark.monaghan@britishschool.ro for more information.
Students on work experience
did you know? Mr. Mark Monaghan Business and Enterprise Teacher
48 Newsblast
bsb supports more than 10 charities every year
Visiting author is interviewed by students
Students in a discussion with Business people Issue 1 2012 49
www.imupro300.ro
www.imupro300.ro
The World Scholar’s Cup An Amazing Trip to Bangkok Not many teachers could boast a school trip to Thailand towards the end of the summer term, but that’s exactly the position I found myself in. Three weeks after the fantastic qualifying performances by both of the teams that we sent to Dubai, we found ourselves winging our way to Bangkok. This was, once again, a whole new experience for the students. While Dubai was a great trip, the city itself is a world away from the sights, sounds, colours and smells of the streets of Bangkok. The competition too, was different - more activities and a much tougher standard. It was attended by over a thousand students, all of whom had qualified from regional rounds around the world. This time our students came away empty handed in terms of physical prizes, but they came away rich in experience. A great life lesson: some things are tough really tough. All we can do is live, learn and come back stronger next time. And that’s exactly what we intend to do. Mr. Daniel Brown English Teacher
The opening ceremony of the Global Round of the World Scholar’s Cup, Bangkok
After passing through the regional round in Dubai, it was fantastic to be part of the team that had the opportunity to travel to Bangkok. This was a fascinating experience, not only because I travelled to an entirely new continent but also because I met lots of new people from all around the world. We took part in a variety of different activities from collaborative writing, debating, The Challenge (a multiple choice quiz), the Scholars’ Bowl and also a scavenger hunt. Although we were extremely nervous and we may not have won - this was a great experience. I encourage everyone to take this chance, if possible and to participate in this global event. Eda, Year 11
The students by the entrance to the competition hall, proud of their place in the competition
did you know? we serve 3507 lunches every month
Issue 1 2012 51
Sorrento Trip Ice Cream Tasting In Sorrento
Ice cream making 52 Newsblast
“The Sorrento Trip was really fun. We had a great time and learnt a lot� Filippo, Year 10 At the end of each academic year, with the hard work behind us, our minds turn to end of year trips. Last term was no exception as secondary students, sun cream in hand, headed off to Sorrento, Italy.
geographic landmarks. From the natural beauty of Capri and Vesuvius, to the eerie remains of Pompeii and Herculaneum, the trip offered a variety of activities to suit all. Ice cream was consumed by the bucket-load and we even had a go at making our own. With thoughts of returning to Bucharest, we were also able to stop at the Colosseum in Rome on the way to the airport. Although tired, we returned home with some fantastic memories of Italy.
Students had the opportunity to sample the delights of the Sorrentine peninsula; stunning in its natural beauty and rich in its historical and
Ms. Claire Sugdon Science Faculty Co-ordinator
Taking a Break at Pompeii
Climbing Mount Vesuvius
Taking a break in Capri Issue 1 2012 53
Rasnov Expedition June 2012 During Expeditions Week at the end of last term, myself, Mr Flood and Ms Greaney had the pleasure of accompanying a group of younger Secondary children to the Rasnov area where they took part in a host of outdoor activities and evening entertainment. These included paintballing, archery, target shooting, rock climbing, Via Ferrata, rappelling, flying fox, survival, caving, mountain biking and horse riding during an exhausting five days. The students had a wonderful time through these five days, as you can see from their comments below. They learnt and used skills that are not part of
the routine school curriculum but a vital part of our broad curriculum. We were impressed with the attention to safety shown by our instructors who went to great pains to ensure everyone enjoyed these activities in a secure manner. I am very much looking forward to leading a “Rasnov expedition” again this academic year. Mr. Steven Sykes Georaphy Teacher
Students have been involved in various activities and enjoyed their expedition to Rasnov
Jumping out over the chasm on the zip line
Do you remember our trip to Bran? Well I’m going to tell you a bit about it. We went to Bran as a group of most of year 7s and one year 8. There was Mr. Sykes in charge of all of us and of course the activity teachers. The first days we started were not too easy as we were doing activities such as paintball and archery and even gun aiming! Then we went on to serious things such as walking 42 metres high to do
cliff zip line. We also did horse riding and mountain biking. We had lots of fun with the rope, swinging like Tarzan, but I can’t deny that my favourite activity was climbing 42 metres high on a mountain. It was so awesome! I was filled with stress at the start but as I went on I was amazed and it was super interesting. Bran was a great adventure and I would love to do it again! Francois (8S)
54 Newsblast
Everybody is ready and excited to enter the cave
What we did on the Rasnov trip is we went camping in the mountains and learned how to survive. We made a barbeque and made kebabs. We climbed
mountains, did Via Ferrata and zip line above a river. We had a great time and I hope that sometime we can go back. Michael (8R)
On the Rasnov trip we did a lot of things. We did mountain climbing, caving, paintball and lots of other activities. My favourite one was caving because I had never done it and it was a very nice experience. I would like to do something like it again. Alexandra (8R)
Issue 1 2012 55
Tree beating - can this be a good thing? Year 8 Ecology Fieldwork It certainly can be when part of a scientific investigation. On Tuesday 18th September all our Year 8 students made the short journey to Herastrau Park to carry out fieldwork as part of our ecology module. Whilst there the pupils carried out a range of activities to enhance their skills at sampling an ecosystem. The work included tree beating, quadrat sampling as well as belt and line transects. The work enabled them to gain an understanding of how ecologists survey woodland areas to identify and preserve plant and animal species. Pupils completed a booklet to show and evaluate the fieldwork skills they gained.
branches to see how an ecosystem varies on the tree. Being exposed to this type of technique and different methods of sampling, to generate estimates of the populations of different species present, is extremely valuable. Pupils were also given the opportunity to attempt identification of insects and leaves present in the park. The trip was a great success and gave our pupils an enjoyable opportunity to better understand how science works outside the classroom. Ms. Joanne Griffiths Science Department
Tree beating involves hitting a tree branch with a meter ruler and catching and identifying the animals that fall out. Pupils can then compare different
Pupils completing their fieldwork booklets on the techniques they learnt
Pupils learning how to use a pooter to capture invertebrates for identification
56 Newsblast
The fieldtrip enabled the students to gain an understanding of how ecologists survey woodland areas, to identify and preserve plant and animal species.
Students practising Mandarin at the Chinese stall during the Language CafĂŠ
New to the Curriculum: Mandarin As of this year, the BSB Curriculum provision is enhanced with a fourth Modern Foreign Language, Mandarin. We are welcoming Mrs. Chen to the MFL Department. Mrs. Chen is originally from Taiwan and lived and taught in Hong Kong for several years before joining BSB. She is teaching all of Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 3. Learning Mandarin is a challenging enterprise, but it offers many benefits to our students who are likely to embrace international careers. Mandarin is the language with the largest number of native speakers in the world and China is an important economical power playing a strong role internationally. “China is at the centre of the global economy and the next generation will need to understand its culture and be able to work in its language.� (Elizabeth Reid, British Education Expert)
Mrs. Chen in front of the Chinese Opera Display
Having studied a European language as well as Mandarin from an early age, our students can make an informed decision as to whether they would like to pursue Mandarin through to examinations. BSB students have welcomed the new subject in their timetables and they are very receptive to the sounds and the first words and phrases they have learned. Ms. Dorothea Draser Head of MFL
Mrs. Chen and Benny running the Mandarin stall and offering the traditional Chinese Moon Cake Issue 1 2012 57
Amazing Race 2012 BSB staff were out in force for what has become an annual day of fun, out and about in Bucharest. The five teams started at the new Embassy restaurant in Piati Amzei, with a bite to eat and drink. Team packs were handed out and everyone was off! The mission was to move around the city solving clues and completing challenges along the way. Although finishing first did not guarantee winning, teams still raced around the streets of Bucharest, aiming to arrive at each checkpoint before their competitors.
Challenges ranged from taking photos of famous sights, karaoke, a little dancing and some fishing for a duck. A great day which allowed old and new staff, as well as some of their friends and family, to explore the city in a slightly different way. Mr. Mark Monaghan Social Committee
In the Mall Exploring new places
Continual Professional Development
BSB staff working together and sharing ideas during INSET days. A wide variety of training opportunities have been happening since the start of the school year. The staff started back in August with six days of preparation time as well as training time for both teachers and teaching assistants. The subjects covered were wide and varied, with staff working in special interest groups as well as whole school. Training took place on Phonics, EAL, First Aid, Using the Moodle, and Teaching with Ipads. We have enjoyed whole school training from Packtypes on emotional intelligence, where the entire teaching staff were able to come together supported by visiting trainers from the UK. We explored this vital area of education and the impact stronger awareness on EQ has been proven to have on raising student performance. We will be continuing our work on this throughout the year and as we are planning to extend our training to the parents.
Ms. Thomas has been completing further online studies on SEN. Miss Moorcroft and Ms. Ali attended training in London at the Headquarters of Target Tracker on use of our target tracker program. Ms. Moorcroft reported back that it provided ‘a really good insight into the scope of this powerful tool to support and develop learning over the short, medium and long term.’ As target tracker is used in EYFS and Lower School, parents can expect to see changes to the way information about progress is shared with parents. Mrs. Walker and Mr. Flood have attended a course for International Award Leaders and we are expecting our senior students to continue to develop this important area of their studies because of this. The Senior Management team joined forces with our counterparts at AISB for some very interesting training from Dr. Fran Prolman, where we were able to focus on implementing positive changes, leadership styles and developing functioning teams.
did you know? we have 400 computers and it devices in the school
Issue 1 2012 59
Summer School Fun A welcome cool down during the water games on Fridays
Summer school 2012 proved to be lots of fun for all involved. Children from all ages took part in specific activity based programmes such as swimming, fencing and climbing, whilst others signed up for extra English lessons with our excellent language courses. Whatever classes the children were involved in they all participated enthusiastically, making lots of new friends and ensuring that they all had lots of fun whilst learning something new. Mrs Lisa Ali, Deputy Head of Lower School
60 Newsblast
Students using their ICT skills to research topics
Children in the Key stage 1 group keeping active Issue 1 2012 61
In Conversation Interview with Ms. Joyce Taylor
Feedback from lesson observations like this is helpful for teachers to develop their skills.
Ms Taylor, who has been our school’s advisor for many years, offered us very valuable input and advice and helped us to keep abreast with good practice in the UK during her many visits at the school. Ms Taylor has
Tell us about your background in education? I come from a teaching family, my first job was in Manchester, in the UK, then Nairobi, in Kenya, then back to the UK where I taught in Nottingham for 16 years. I was a headteacher by then and I moved to Norfolk to become a school inspector. I did the same work in Shropshire. I decided to become selfemployed, and become a full-time inspector which I did this for ten years. How would you describe your role at BSB? I see myself as a critical friend. I can offer consideration to the introduction from the many schools I worked in and visited, I have a long experience in supporting staff and identifying strengths and weaknesses. I hope I bring an independent and unbiased perception to what I see at BSB and point out where things are already effective or where they might be improved. After so many years advising BSB, what do you see as the main ways the school has developed? In the eight years I have been coming to BSB, the school has grown, both in the size of the buildings and numbers of students. There were 69 students when I first came to the school. It has also grown in quality, performance and image. It was then a small primary school and is now a renowned international school with considerable success and status . It attracts high quality staff who enable it to improve further.
62 Newsblast
Having a conversation with students gives you a real insight into what they are learning and how effectively they are being taught.
generously agreed to talk about herself and her role in the BSB community for our Newsblast readers. Ms Naima Hussain, Deputy Head of School
What do you see as the future for BSB? I believe it can only go from strength to strength. I expect the numbers to rise in the secondary school just as they have in primary, so there will be successful university careers all over the world for BSB students. I also think many more families will see the value of the Crib provision. As well as the school growing in size, I think it will strengthen in diverse ways and enable the students to explore exciting new initiatives. How does BSB compare to schools in the UK? BSB is very different from UK state schools, which are free to all, but it is similar to UK fee-paying schools, where there are opportunities for wide ranging experiences in the arts, PE and personal development as well high expectations in academic subjects. What do you think of Romania? I love Romania. The country itself is beautiful, wild in some parts and sophisticated in others. The people are very friendly and kind. Romania’s history is interesting and there are many places to visit, to be entertained or to spend quiet times admiring the scenery. I’m always intensely eager for my visits.
www.britishschool.ro
42, Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Voluntari, Ilfov County, Romania T. +40 21 267 89 19 F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@britishschool.ro
Looking back over a great year, and forward to new opportunities at BSB