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Issue 2 - December 2013

Engaging the local community

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Administration If you need any information or help in regard to your childâ€™s education and

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Dear Parents & Friends of BSB, Glancing through Newsblast before it went to print I was so pleased to see the shot of our old Head Boy, Mihnea, embracing his university days and signing up to the ice-hockey club. Mihnea is a great example of success and I know he credits his school for providing him with so many varied opportunities, and support to enable him to have the wealth of choices he has before him now. I recall Mihnea at an international conference on Higher Education, some years ago when he represented BSB, he thoroughly enjoyed meeting Minsters of Education and University rectors and sharing his opinions on educationmaybe he is still doing that today at Imperial! BSB staff go to extraordinary lengths to provide experiences and opportunities beyond the classroom walls, and beyond the written curriculum. Teachers at BSB know that the magical moments we remember and the learning that we build upon are rarely just the academic lessons on a rainy Friday afternoon. Realising your own confidence following a discussion with a university professor on why Higher Education institutes should value student voice is important; working with disabled children at Don Orione, and experiencing that moment when realisation hits you about not taking things for granted, this is vital. Carrying the flag to proudly represent your country at an international scholar’s competition over four and half thousand miles away from home, as Tudor Popescu did recently during a visit to Yale University, or singing a solo in front of a packed audience of strangers at the age of 8, these are the building blocks which form characters and personalities. While we must ensure there is complete curriculum coverage, we must also remember that we are helping to shape people who will happily go out into the world and make a difference, and so students must have experiences that foster this responsibility from an early age.

“we must remember that we are helping to shape people who will happily go out into the world and make a difference”

In his final speech Mihnea spoke of his love for BSB and why his school was so different. He spoke of how coming here felt like a home, and how he was surrounded by people who wanted to support him, give him opportunities, be patient with him and care for him. Even when he considered going overseas for his VIth form years he realised he wanted to stay with BSB because the best thing about his school, was it didn’t feel like a school, to him an ordinary school was somewhere you had to come every day simply because it was illegal to be somewhere else. Learning about our successful alumni in this edition of Newsblast is a timely reminder of how thankful I am for all the wonderful initiatives the staff have instigated this term-as a student and an educator BSB is a great place to be. Enjoy the holidays. Jo Puddy-Wells, Principal principal@britishschool.ro

For Mihnea BSB was no ordinary school

Issue 2 December 2013

Country in Spotlight: Greece Greece is famous for being the country that began the Olympic Games.

Greeks like to eat souvlaki, seafood and tzatziki.

Greeks like to eat souvlaki and fish because there is a lot of it.

The weather in Greece may vary. Generally, the coast is sunny and windy.

The weather in Greece is warmer and in winter there is usually no snow except in the mountains.

The most famous Greeks are Alexander the Great, Tasos, Pythagoras and Hippocrates.

A very famous Greek is Alexander the Great.

Romania has a smaller coast line than Greece and lower temperatures in the winter.

In Romania the winter is a lot colder and with a lot more snow. I visit Greece every summer and sometimes at Christmas. When I go there I visit family and go to summer camp. Sometimes we visit different places in Greece. I think visitors should visit the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum. Visitors should also go to different islands. In Greece I went to an English school so there weren’t that many differences but the school was a lot bigger and there were more people. Alexandra, Y9W

Greece is famous for its beaches, its food and its mythology, as well as its famous mathematicians.

When in Greece, I like to go walking, I go to summer camp and visit my family. Visitors should go to Greece and visit me, the Parthenon, monuments, mountains, coast, islands and Knossos. At my previous school in Greece we had more homework than at BSB. Anastasios, Y9S

I am from Athens. In the winter it is cold in the mountains but not in Athens. In summer it is so hot and I always want to stay at the sea. Greece has a lot of clean seas and a lot of green mountains. Anna, Y3T

Greeks like to eat everything! Mostly fish and pork. In Greece it’s very sunny and Mediterranean - it’s perfect weather for the beach. Pythagoras - most of our famous people are from ancient times In Romania it snows and there is only one beach - Greece has lots. I think the cities are prettier in Greece, too. I go to Greece every Christmas and summer, and I visit relatives and go on vacation within the country itself. Visitors should definitely visit the seaside and the famous monuments, like the Parthenon. I was at school in Greece for two years. It was quite different from BSB - the community there was bigger, but BSB is more close-knit. Alexandra, Y10C

I am from Athens. The weather is warm and sometimes it is cold – I like it hot. I like the food and seeing my family and friends. My country is famous for its monuments and olive oil. Greece is a small country but it is a very famous one. I came to Bucharest 3 months ago and I like that BSB is bigger than my previous school and it has more things. My country’s national sport is The Olympics – we have lots of sports. Dimitrios, Y3S

4 Newsblast

I am from Athens. The weather in Greece is really hot. I like that all of the people are kind and they have good manners. My country is famous for The Olympics and democracy. In Greece you can find dogs, cats, donkeys, bunnies – lots of animals Our traditional foods are mousakka, baklava, stuffed wine leaves, souvlaki – it is all very delicious. Greece is really fun. There are many fun places to go. My favourite is to go to the biggest, fantastic park. I came to Romania 8 years ago and I think BSB is better than my previous school because we have amazing teachers and we have fun friends and a big playground. Everyone here speaks English and they spoke Romanian in my old school. Our country’s national sport is swimming Eleftheria, Y3S

I have been in Romania for more than 3 years and I really like living here in Bucharest. It is a very nice city and there are some great places that you can visit. However I miss Greece a lot and I always go back when I get the chance. The best time to go is the summer, because of the amazing weather and the beautiful beaches. After BSB I hope to be studying Economics at University in the UK

Greece is famous for the ancient museums, the sea and the food. Greeks like to eat fish. In Greece the weather is shiny and hot. Romania has a lot of lakes and green trees. I like climbing mountains and visiting ancient places. Visitors should see the Acropolis in Greece. Before BSB, I was in Geitonas School. I think BSB has a lot of differences but the main difference is more breaks but shorter than at last school. Ioannis, Y7W

I am from Thessaloniki. The weather is always hot. I like that we have the Mediterranean Sea and there are many nice places to go for holidays. My country is famous for The Olympics which were first held in Olympia. Also Greece is the home of Pythagoras. We have many types of fish and our traditional food is spanakopita, pastitsiol, souvlaki. Greece is sunny, the people are always cheerful and it has attractive buildings and statues.I came to Romania 8 years ago. My previous school was smaller and it wasn’t so much fun. Smaragda, Y6H

Evangelos, Y13

Issue 2 December 2013

BSB Alumni Two of last year’s Y13 group were recently in touch with me to tell me their news and how they are finding university. Mihnea achieved superb A-Level result last year, his three A* grades in Physics, Maths and Further Maths secured his place on the highly competitive Electrical and Electronic

Engineering course at Imperial College London. Didehan meanwhile achieved the AAB grades required for her offer of a place on a Biomedicine course at Kings College, London but in the end decided to follow a Dentistry course in Istanbul. They both appear to be relishing the challenges of higher education. Philip Walters

Didehan Altinisik Dear BSB, I cannot begin to describe how much I miss you! Although I am not located that far, I just can’t seem to make the time to come and visit. Dental School is indeed very difficult, but it has its upsides too, like making teeth out of soap! I had a sudden change of heart and decided to study Dentistry at Yeditepe Istanbul. I rejected my most anticipated offer from King’s College in order to pursue a career in Dentistry. So far, I am definitely not regretting this decision. Everything is so perfect here. The first few weeks were difficult as it was hard for me to adapt and settle in, but I quickly made new friends and started off this 5 year long journey. We had a White Coat ceremony which is a formal event done to welcome the first year dental students to the dental community. It was an experience I will never forget. Istanbul is an amazing city and so large that I will need an entire lifetime to fully decipher it. The only advice I’d like to give is; choose the course that will get you the job you would pursue even if you would not get paid for it. This is the occupation your heart wants, and the one you will love to do.

Dide, the dentist

Extracting this would be painful! 6 Newsblast

Now a university student!

Didehan Altinisik

Mihnea Rusu This fall I began with a fresh start at a new home in London, studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Imperial College. With 175 students in our average lecture, class size is somewhat different to BSB. With lectures from 9/10am until 5/6pm on most days, biweekly ice hockey practices (one of which is really, really late in the night), time has been an issue - sleep has become a luxury. Time passes by really fast, at university. The best part of it all, is waking up to go to a lecture in which your lecturer just casually mentions some of his research that pushes the boundaries of science and technology to its very limits (single electron transistors, for example). Or finding out that one of your lecturers is working on a seismometer to detect vibrations on Mars, suitable for the 2017 mission that aims to map the internal structure of the planet. You meet all kinds of people at Imperial on a day-to-day basis, and some of the things they mention working on just stick to you. For example, while working on a personal project in the robotics lab, a postdoctoral student came along to work on one of his own hobby projects and I asked him what the most dangerous things he works with are. His response: cancer cells and lasers that melt copper, on a day to day basis. There is a lot of freedom at university, but with great power comes great responsibility, and excellent organisation is key -- something Iâ€™m still ironing the kinks out of. I miss Romanian weather, the BSB campus, and all the staff and students who I was so accustomed to seeing on a day to day basis. To all the 6th formers, best of luck in your studies and hopefully I will be meeting some of you here next fall. Mihnea Rusu

Mihnea busy with studies and ice hockey!

Where are they now? Kevin Kelly

Kevin in the Grassmarket, with the Edinburgh Castle towering above him Hello everyone!! I am back in my own country and working as a teacher here for the first time in my career, which took me from London to Madrid and then, of course to the beautiful Bucharest. I am teaching drama to children with special needs, some blind, some deaf and some in wheel chairs. It is a very nice challenge for me to teach with sensory devices such as lighting, sound and textures, so they can sense different ways of learning.

Kevin, on a boat in Loch Lomond However, next month I will start in a mainstream school and will be back to teaching Secondary exam children and doing productions. I really hope to visit soon, miss you all. Kevin (early years) Mr Kevin (primary) Sir (secondary)

Issue 2 December 2013

Introducing: Jason Porter You never know where life is going to lead you. Or at least, that is what I think when I look back on the summer of my A Level results about twenty years ago. It was only two months later that I started, as a fresh-faced eighteen year old, a stretch of seven months in a small Russian provincial town as an English language assistant and learning Russian the hard way. From there I studied German and Russian at Exeter University and after a year in Berlin, moved on to teacher training at Nottingham University. Fate handed me a job at a large state secondary comprehensive language college in North East London. Four years later I moved on to Chigwell School in leafy Essex, an independent day and boarding school. I was there for nine years, during which time I got married and had three children â€“ Jack, Thomas and Lucy. Now the hand of fate has acted again and brought us to BSB, where my children and us as a family have all settled in very well. We are all very much looking forward to exploring exciting Bucharest and beautiful Romania and I have set myself the personal goals of getting out into the Romanian mountains and speaking Romanian well enough to earn a coveted Romanian tricolor on my ID badge!

Introducing: Simon Lambert Simon Lambert has just arrived in Bucharest as the newly appointed Director of Admissions, Marketing and PR. For the past four years Simon was the Head of Corporate Services at a British School in Doha, Qatar. Prior to that international posting he had spent many years working in London, Australia, Canada and South Africa for various national and international newspapers. â€œThe challenges ahead are manifold and I look forward to working with all stakeholders in the BSB Community, pupils, parents, teachers and prospective parents. I relish the opportunity to forge links with businesses and communities in Bucharest and beyond. In the short time that I have been here I have found BSB to be a dynamic environment in which to work and I intend to spread that message internationallyâ€?. In his spare time Simon enjoys all sports especially football and golf although the latter will prove to be a challenge here in Bucharest! He is also a keen reader, cinema-goer and music lover.

8 Newsblast

Introducing: Andrew Rowlands Hello everyone I have been at BSB for about four months now having arrived in Bucharest in August of this year. I am really enjoying my time here so far and have been made to feel very welcome by students and staff alike. Prior to joining BSB I worked as an administration and IT support assistant for a law firm back in England. Outside of work I love to play football and to listen to music, I am a keen follower of Everton Football Club and my favourite musical artists are The Gaslight Anthem and “The Boss” – Bruce Springsteen.

Getting to know your TA: Claudia Usturoi Hello, I am Claudia and I’ve been working as a Teaching Assistant since Autumn 2006. I love my job because I enjoy working alongside the teacher helping the children with their education and social development. During my spare time I love to be with my family and when I have time I enjoy a good cup of tea while reading a great book.

Issue 2 December 2013

In the neighbourhood: Vlad interview

Vlad and one of his class with Miruna Vlad is BSB’s resident climbing expert. He runs weekly climbing clubs for students of all ages at BSB. We caught up with him during one of his clubs. When did you start climbing? It is very hard to remember, but I think I started climbing about 20 years ago.

Did someone teach you how to climb? Yes, well kind of. Over the years I have trained with many professional climbers that helped me improve my climbing techniques. Interviewed by Miruna, Year 7

Was climbing your dream job? No, climbing was more of a passion to me. When I finished University there were two options, to go to a foreign country to work or to stay in Romania. I did not want to leave Romania so I stayed here. After a few years I got “bored” of my previous job and I decided to follow my passion. In fact, I have never thought of climbing as a job. Did you ever win a climbing competition? Yes, I have won many climbing competitions. Some of the competitions have been international. How high in altitude can you climb? I don’t really like climbing at altitude because it is very cold and dirty at the top of any mountain, especially the Himalayas. I think the highest I have climbed is about 4000 m.

A year 7 student enjoying the challenges of the climbing wall

Have you ever free-climbed? Yes, but free-climbing means climbing by yourself and I hate climbing by myself! How many years have you been teaching at BSB? My first collaboration with BSB was ten years ago when I designed a climbing wall for BSB. I have been teaching here for 5 or 6 years.

Vlad doing what he does best 10 Newsblast

My best teacher I have been lucky enough to have had some very inspirational teachers throughout my education but the teacher that stands out the most is Mr Snowdon. He was my year 3 teacher at Rosa Street School. He was older than the other teachers and had wild grey hair, glasses and a booming deep voice. When we first started Y3, everyone was a little bit scared of him as he was different to our previous teachers. We soon learned that he was firm but very fair and he even knew how to have fun. It was rare that anyone mis-behaved but if they did Mr Snowdon was always one step ahead of them. We used to wonder if he had eyes in the back of his head!

Rosa Street School

Mr Snowdon must have been an inspiration as I won the Easter art competition- for the first and last time. Amongst many other fun activities, we concentrated on perfecting our hand writing and had a special book to practice at home. My classmates would agree that we had a great year and learnt so much. I know that I am not alone in naming Mr Snowdon as my favourite teacher. Catherine Noble

contact@ieRomaneasca.com

+40 723 678 662 +40 743 760 634

www.ieromaneasca.ro Issue 2 December 2013 www.ieromaneasca.com

BSB Congratulates: Alexandru Toader in Y8 Alexandru has just returned from Satu Mare and the Cupa 1 Decembrie international fencing competition having achieved a top three position. There were 46 participants in the 12-13 category completing one day of intense competition. Alexandru fought 5 group stage matches in this Foil competition and came first in his group allowing him to progress to the elimination rounds. He continued in great form to defeat a Hungarian and two fellow Romanians to ultimately gain a place in the semi-finals where he lost to the eventual winner. Alexandru said that â€œThe competition was very tough especially in the quarter final where I won by just one point, 10-9, coming from behind several times.â€? This result places Alexandru in the top three fencers in his age group in the country. His future aims include the National championships in June and several other competitions coming up soon. We wish him all the best for the rest of the season and congratulations on this superb achievement

Tudor Pitulea in Y6 Congratulations to Tudor Pitulea from 6H who competed recently in the Ayrton Senna Cup which was organised by the Italian National Karting Federation. Staying in Samo, near Napoli in Italy, Tudor took part in practice and preliminary races achieving a very good time placing him close to some of the best drivers. Unfortunately the final race was cancelled due to some extreme weather conditions. Well done Tudor and we all look forward to seeing you on the rostrum in the coming years!

Tudor 12 Newsblast

www.imupro300.ro

Issue 2 December 2013

PTA Review finding BSB parents with common interests. Beyond welcoming new families to Bucharest, the PTA arranged four cultural tours to discover life in Romania and to showcase the cultural heritage Romania has to offer, the last of which was a visit to the Sutu Palace. Two cooking activities were held on the BSB premises for parents to get to know each other better – and have fun learning to bake Belgian and French delights! We also enjoyed a flower-arranging event with a ‘Dutch Touch’.

Quiz - Winning Team In the first PTA review we talked about the role of the PTA and how we hope to support our children in their school environment. We stated our belief that parents can contribute to a BSB community and create a sense of belonging through friendships, working, playing and learning together and how that helps our children feeling connected and safe, and give them a platform for becoming confident learners at school. We also reflected on how fortunate our children are to be a part of an international school that gives them an opportunity to benefit from diverse cultural backgrounds and traditions. The PTA activities this autumn were aimed to support these beliefs and could only have been realised by the school staff and parents who contributed their resources, time and energy to make it happen. Thank you all! We started the academic year with coffee mornings to welcome new parents and allow all parents an early opportunity to connect. The Parent’s Activity Fair in September provided further opportunities to get to know each other by

In November the PTA supported the students’ Halloween parties, an American tradition, and the Quiz Night - a British social event that provides informal connections between teachers and parents as well as supports the charity The British Legion. Parents and school staff came together working as a team for the biggest event of the term – the Artisan Fair. It has a Christmas atmosphere and offers an array of international festive foods and crafts in support of local charities. We round up this term’s PTA calendar with a Social Evening at Don Café – an opportunity to celebrate and wish friends a happy holiday. This year we introduced open PTA meetings where all parents are invited to attend and contribute. While the initial participation has been slow, the PTA has decided to keep the open meetings and continues to welcome and include all parents’ participation and feedback. Maybe you have a skill or an idea worth sharing to other BSB parents? We’d love to hear about it! While School Balls are usually held for the elder children, the BSB School Ball will be held on 21st March 2014 for parents. Please make a note in your calendars and schedules!! Finally I wish you a wonderful Christmas holiday and a happy New Year! On behalf of the PTA, Susanne Fearnhead

Who will you be in 2014?

Christmas. Timeless. 14 Newsblast

See into your future at www.bptc.ro

Lower School Review Looking for learning… It is a privilege to show visitors around school or just take a walk each day through the classrooms and outside to see what is happening. Every day is different and it is a pleasure to share the exciting activities the children and teachers are engaged in. Schools are about learning, not teaching. It is our job as teachers to ensure that the children are provided with the best opportunities for learning across the curriculum; to create learning experiences that will excite and engage. Great teachers will ensure that great learning takes place. Learning in school varies from class to class, day to day, lesson to lesson and individual to individual. There are several features that become apparent though as you walk around or observe a lesson in progress. In the best lessons there is often a buzz, a feeling that something great is happeningthe students (and the teachers) are learning, there is collaboration between staff and students and quality communication about the task in hand. The enjoyment is evident from the smiles on the children’s faces and their enthusiasm to share what they are doing. I believe quality learning is not something that is done to you from the front of a class, it is about engagement, questioning, challenge, taking risks, making links, enthusiasm, purpose, discussion, collaboration and enquiry. The list could go on. What is important is for teachers to inspire and facilitate learning by supporting and allowing children to constantly strive to improve.

“I believe quality learning is not something that is done to you from the front of a class, it is about engagement, questioning, challenge, taking risks, making links, enthusiasm, purpose, discussion, collaboration and enquiry.”

Learning is most effective in an environment that is stimulating and enjoyable. This is not necessarily in the classroom, but inside and outside, wherever inspiration can be sought and it is a pleasure to see it in action. My quick walk around school often takes much longer than planned as I want to share the children’s excitement in their learning. We are fortunate at BSB to have many great teachers who are providing our children with excellent learning experiences and supporting their needs on a daily basis. As this very busy term comes to an end, I would like to express my gratitude for the effort and expertise they put into their teaching to provide great learning for our children. Rob Ford, Head of Lower School

Issue 2 December 2013

16 Newsblast

Crib Learning to work together

Outside fun while itâ€™s still warm! The children in Crib have settled into their new routine and they have been learning to work and play together. Now that the weather has got much colder they have spent more time inside using paint, crayons and glue as they find out how to be creative with their mark making. We still venture out for a walk

when it isnâ€™t too cold and we make sure the children are well wrapped up as they look for things of interest from their toddler truck! Rachel Gregory

4 little monkeys!

Tower building fun!

Creative crayoning!

Making great play dough shapes Issue 2 December 2013

Autumn Time

Creche with their collection of leaves Creche have certainly welcomed the change in season and have been enjoying all aspects of Autumn. They have been learning about what happens during this season, thereby enhancing their knowledge of the environment. They have been focusing on the different colours and shapes of the leaves as well as the different types of trees. The conditions at this time of year have enabled CrĂ¨che to go on a leaf walk to collect leaves in order to do leaf printing and make a forest inside the classroom. Inside the Forest, Creche have been reading stories and learning about all the different kinds of animals that live in forests. Claire Oâ€™Brien

The forest inside, a quiet place to read and make friends in Creche

Discovering what animals might live in a forest

18 Newsblast

This way everybody, Creche using their team working skills to find leaves

Pre-School

Pre-School girls enjoying a healthy sharing snack. We have had a fantastic first term in Pre-School. The children have shown enthusiasm about all of our learning journeys and have helped to shape their learning in many ways. We have enjoyed talking with the children about things which are special to them, through our circle time activities and loved it when the children brought in their favourite outfits to share with us. In Pre-School we have enjoyed a variety of cooking activities this term. We used Healthy Schools week to learn all about what is healthy for us and which foods will help us to grow big and strong. The children liked using their senses to explore different foods which were unfamiliar to them and were happy to tell us whether they liked or did not like particular foods. We have been working hard on counting up to 5 and have used our interests to help us. We have counted using cars, farm animals, clothing and fruits and vegetables. With the run up to Christmas the children became very festive and enjoyed singing lots of different songs in the classroom and with Mr. Jonathan MooreCrispin. We are looking forward to the New Year and what exciting things it will bring. Katherine Dibble

Leonie working on her folding skills

Pre-School little designers are part of our clothes learning journey

Pre-School children cooking with Ryan from 6th form who volunteers in EYFS on a Friday morning Issue 2 December 2013

Outdoor Explorers in Reception

Reception children used their increasing strength to climb to the top of the climbing frame, using balancing, pulling and pushing to get up. In Reception the outdoor areas provide significant learning opportunities supporting each of the seven areas of learning. As well as an opportunity to get some fresh air, outdoor play is extremely important as it allows children to master different skills from those they do indoors. Not only does it help strengthen motor skills, prevent obesity, and support creativity, but playing

outside also promotes mental health and well-being. Recently in Reception we have been taking advantage of the autumnal season and have been using the outdoors for activities ranging from Phonics to Role-play, Mathematics and Literacy.

Kayleigh Evans and Isobel Ford

Reception children using their balancing skills to walk along the log in the exploratory garden.

20 Newsblast

Children express themselves outdoors through a range of activities; including role-play-these two children are developing their imagination and fine motor skills to make â€˜chocolate cupcakesâ€™.

Playing outside enables children to enhance their friendships and work as part of a team.

Building strength and stamina to build a tower of tyres.

The children explore water with a selection of pipes and tubes to see what happens as they fill, empty and pour.

Getting creative with items in the natural environment. The children decorate a sandcastle with leaves.

Issue 2 December 2013

EYFS Open Hour

Parents and children worked together to decorate witches hats for Hallowen, during our EYFS Open Hour. Open Hour is our opportunity to share the joys of our profession with parents and other visitors. EYFS students and members of the staff host this annual event that provides a chance for those interested to get a closer look at our EYFS department. We invite you to tour our classes and learn more about our facilities, our equipment, resources and what we do every day.

their child decorate what turned out to be some very bright and colourful witches hats. It was clear to see the parents enjoyed the activity just as much as the children. We are looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at our next Open Hour.

Our last Open Hour was held on 31st October on Halloween day when parents had a wonderful time using various sparkly, colourful bits and pieces to help

Halloween arts and crafts with mum. 22 Newsblast

Priscilla Varban

Sharing the love of books.

Phonics is Fun

Our segmenting skills are practiced in and out of the classroom Research shows that when phonics is taught in a structured way, it is the most effective way of teaching young children to read. Here at BSB we start teaching the children phonics by encouraging them to tune into sounds as soon as they start in crib, crèche and preschool. We do this on a daily basis by listening to animal noises, playing musical instruments and sharing songs and nursery rhymes. In reception and throughout KS1 the children learn to match systematically the letters to the sounds they make from the simple sounds made by individual letters ( a for ant, b for bat, c for cat) to the more complex sounds made by two or three letters together ( ai as in rain, igh as in light). The children are taught to apply their phonic skills through blending sounds together for reading and segmenting words into the individual sounds to write them. Alongside the teaching of the sounds the children are also taught to recognise ‘tricky words’. These are the words which ‘try to trick us!’ and cannot be phonetically decoded such as ‘the’ and ‘was’. By combining these two approaches to reading the children are given the skills they need to read with confidence.

There is a phonic display in every classroom

Phonics lessons last for 20 minutes per day and are fun, practical and interactive. Children who receive good teaching of phonics will learn the skills they need to tackle any new words. Here at BSB we are passionate about teaching children to read. Our goal is to develop a love of reading which the children will have for life. Isobel Ford and Jodie Lewis

Looking for familiar sounds in texts

Issue 2 December 2013

EYFS Winter Production All the children in EYFS took part in this yearâ€™s Winter Production that enthralled the audience at the end of term

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Me and my Pets

Me with Talisker, my first dog

Tabitha & Timur This is me with our dog. His name is Timur but we usually call him Tim, except when he has been naughty, which is quite often. Tim is two years old. He is a Taigan from Kyrgyzstan in Central Asia. They are hunting dogs and are traditionally used to chase wolves in the mountains. But Tim is very soppy and doesn’t like to go outside if it’s too cold… Besides, he is so afraid of our cats that it is very hard to imagine him being brave enough to chase a mouse, never mind a wolf! When I was born we had another dog from Kyrgyzstan, a white mongrel, called Talisker, and I cannot imagine ever living without a dog. I wish we could have more dogs. Since we came to Romania, we have also looked after a guide dog called Angus (who was even naughtier than Tim), and a street dog called Negruta. Negruta was adopted by someone in the British Embassy and came to live with us for two months while she was waiting to move to her forever home in Maramures. She moved there at the end of October and we all still miss her – especially Tim.

Negruta, the street dog

We have two Russian Blue cats, called Pushkin and Tolstoi. They are four year old brothers. Tolstoi loves to climb into my violin case, even though it is far too small for him. Pushkin loves to sleep in drawers, and sometimes gets shut in them by mistake. Tolstoi likes to ambush Tim and growls loudly at him whenever he is near. I love all animals but I would really like a pig. But I know I can’t have one so I am asking for a fish for Christmas. Tabitha

Puskhin & Tolstoi Issue 2 December 2013

26 Newsblast

Tig the Traveling Tiger

View of the Alhambra in Granada Tig is Y1â€™s traveling class tiger. He goes on adventures, trips and holidays with children in 1L and with teachers from different key stages in school. His journeys help pupils to learn about different people and places. So far this year Tig has been to Switzerland with Charlotte, Disneyland Paris with Marcus, Munich with Ms. Hesmondhalgh and Spain with Ms. Thomas. He has plans for travel to Turkey and Kenya over the next few weeks. Tig is one very lucky Tiger. Jodie Lewis

Learning how to ride a motorbike in Granada

Tig relaxing in the open air library, Munich Issue 2 December 2013

Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy

Pupil and parent collaboration was evident as Y1 made Fruit Salad faces Y1 pupils invited their parents into school to present their â€˜TV Chefâ€™ videos and share their hard work in Design Technology. They then had the task of working together to follow instructions, to design and then prepare a fruit-face salad. Look how much fun pupils and grown-ups had working as a team. The fruit salads looked good and tasted yummy too. Jodie Lewis

Marcus working with his Mum

Following instructions to create a fruit-face salad 28 Newsblast

Tamar and her Mum working together

First term excitement in Year 2 Guy Fawkes Hat

Y2 learnt about Guy Fawkes and the symbolism behind the modern day tradition that is Bonfire Night

Washing Clothes By Hand

2P enjoyed washing their own clothes by hand which helped them to recognise that their own lives are different to the lives of the people in the past

Issue 2 December 2013

Halloween

Year 2 dressed up for the afternoon in their Halloween Costumes

Children enjoyed making their own pumpkin after watching Miss Pamplin carve the real thing. 30 Newsblast

Measuring

The children are getting stuck in and measuring things around the classroom in metres and centimetres â€“ even if it is a bit of a stretch.

Village Museum

Y2 at the Village Museum exploring similarities and differences between houses in the past and in the present day.

Issue 2 December 2013

Year 3 Experiencing life as an evacuee

Y3S dressed as 1940â€™s evacuees Evacuation Day As part of their exciting topic on Children during World War II, Y3 held a WWII Evacuation Day on Friday 29th November. The children stepped back in time to look into the impact of evacuation and daily life and empathise with the parents and children who were affected. To make the day a meaningful and powerful experience for the children, they arrived at school dressed as WWII children and carried with them their gas masks, boxes, suitcases and identity tags. The teachers, children and parent helpers all had a wonderful day cooking WWII food with rationed ingredients; making model Anderson shelters; learning all about Make Do and Mend and practising their sewing skills; and enjoying an evacuee snack.

Working with our wonderful parent helpers to make Carrot Cookies using rationed ingredients 32 Newsblast

Ready with gas masks and boxes

. Damian, Oggie and Daan enjoying being evacuees

Evacuee Snack time – Cucumber sandwiches

Cooking with rationed ingredients

Make Do and Mend as evacuees had to do in World War II

Pupils even made purses from scraps of material

Rock Detectives Y3 enjoyed visiting the Geology Museum as part of their Rocks and Soils topic in Science. The children explored the extensive museum collections and enjoyed their rock detective challenges with the help of their teachers, teaching assistants and our wonderful parent helpers who kindly came along to help.

Yul and Carmen enjoying the Geology Musuem

David T and Oggie – “Rock Detectives”

Yul playing a traditional Korean song on her violin

Eleftheria talking about Greece in traditional Greek clothing

Around the World Presentations Y3 enjoyed sharing their Around the World projects. The children worked hard throughout the half term to research their home countries and they then developed their speaking and listening skills by presenting their projects to their classmates, teachers and parents. It was lovely for the children and parents to work together on a project. “I really enjoyed finding out more about my country!” Elsie F. “I liked hearing about the different foods in all of the countries and then we got to try some of them.” Pablo W. “I enjoyed telling people about where I was from and sharing my country.” Dimitrios Z.

Issue 2 December 2013

Year 4 Ancient Egypt Topic Work â€˜Showcaseâ€™

As the showcase is underway, there is a real buzz of shared learning in the air As an alternative to having two separate class assemblies for Y4P and Y4S, the two classes joined forces to show their topic work to their parents and the rest of Key Stage Two. On arrival, parents were greeted by an Ancient Egyptian on a large screen at the front of the hall. He invited them to go to the children and ask them to describe their Ancient Egyptian adventure. The children went onto explain that over half term their teachers had received a bundle of papyrus paper with hieroglyphics written on it. The children had leant how to decode the text; a message from their class Egyptian asking for help. His pyramid had been destroyed by a plague of locusts! The children went onto explain how they had leant how to write a letter back offering to help, by asking their teachers to teach them how to design and build a model of a new pyramid, along with its own Shabti box. Keen to be kept up to date on the construction process, the children were asked to learn how to keep an electronic record of progress. Equipped with their Pyramids, Shabti boxes and iPads detailing their efforts in pictures and superbly presented videos, the children got to work showcasing their hard work to parents. As an additional treat, children also read an ancient Egyptian adventure story they had crafted either by hand or on the computers. Catherine Passmore and Matthew Scragg

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Colourful examples of a Shabi box and Pyramid, designed and made by the children of Y4S

Sonia from Y4S enjoys reading her Ancient Egyptian adventure story to her Mum

Ambra from Y4P showing her Mum the finer design features of her Shabti box

Children in Y4S sharing their work with their parents

A model of a new pyramid for the Y4P Ancient Egyptian, inspired by London’s ‘Shard’ Issue 2 December 2013

Fun and trips in Year 5

Y5D walked around the lake to see how the environment changed After a busy half term learning about being a ‘Masterchef’ and what this entailed; from designing wonderful burgers to filming an advertising campaign. Y5 were invited to the McCann Advertising agency to find out what advertising is really all about. We started the trip learning about all the different awards the agency had won. Some of the children even recognised the adverts that were spoken about. Y5 were shown the three different departments that made up the agency and what an average working day would be for someone working in advertising. It was greatly enjoyed by all and we thank McCann Advertising for inviting us.

Having made a start with our new topic ‘The Journey of a river’ Y5 were lucky enough to go on another trip this time to see a local waterway. We visited the beautiful Palatul Brancovenesti and Lacul Mogosoaia. We had the chance to sketch the local environment, see the impact of pollution on the river and even took some river samples. Upon coming back to school we have used these samples to carry out a science investigation into the different PH levels of different types of water. It was a fun morning, although cold, but a beautiful place to learn about our topic. Helen Stevens, Anne-Marie Hesmondhalgh and Dale Darby

Using different artists’ materials to sketch the river scene

36 Newsblast

Enjoying the river scene but also identifying how the river was being polluted

Identifying where the meander in the river could be

Y5S learning about what steps are involved in an advertising campaign

Leaving the McCann Agency after a successful morning learning about advertising

Issue 2 December 2013

Year 6 Bottle Rockets

Some of our proud rocketeers Y6 have been making a big splash around the grounds of BSB! Through our theme, The Power of Nature, we have been learning about the pressure of gas leading to volcanic eruptions. We decided to use our learning about gas pressure to make water rockets and have a launch competition. We could choose any plastic bottle between 1.5 litre and 2.5 litre capacity and decide on what fraction of the bottle would be filled with water. We could choose any launch angle between 5° and 50° and add anything to the bottle to make it fly better. After our research and design phase, and counting down to launch day, the competition day arrived. On a beautiful sunny day we set up our launch base on the school field. Each of our rockets was launched, trying to beat the target of 18.45 metres that had been set. Many of our rockets were close to the record, but none could beat it. At last, Tabitha’s rocket flew a fantastic 19.7 metres. To the delight of everyone, the record had been broken!

We also created model volcanoes and erupted them with a mixture of baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice. After the half-term break we started our new theme of ‘Motivation and Inspiration’. We have been carefully considering who inspires us and have learnt a great deal about some historic figures. In our work on Anne Frank, we learnt how historians use many sources to learn about the past and how this can be affected by bias. During our poetry work we were inspired by Benjamin Zephaniah to write issues-based poetry as well as developing our skills at using imagery and personification to improve our writing.

In our project, we used many skills: • Recorded and converted units of measurement • Collected, processed and presented discreet and grouped discreet data • Calculated fractions and percentages • Calculated mean (average), mode, median and range • Used ICT (MS Excel) to enter data into frequency tables and create bar charts and pie charts – also using the functions to calculate range, mean, mode and median to verify them. So, if you think you can beat 19.7 metres why not try at home? Build your own water rocket and ask an adult to help you launch it. You only have 19.7 metres to beat!

38 Newsblast

Processed data using MS Excel

Blast off!

How far did it go?

Launch equipment.

Final checks at launch control!

Mixing the right chemicals together to make sure the volcanoes erupt correctly Issue 2 December 2013

Year 6 Bake Sale

It was a real team effort to get the chocolate drops manufactured in time Y6 want to thank all the parents and helpers who made their bake sale such a success. They are planning to use the money to help them set up their charity businesses at the artisan fair and then they will vote on how to spend the profits.

We trialed the chocolate making business in the DT room and sold our spoils at the bake sale. So far we have discovered how difficult it is to manage a team and why a production line works so well.

Learning about the benefits of a production line 40 Newsblast

Mrs. Hussainâ€™s expert guidance proved invaluable

Avoiding the temptation to taste was a real challenge

The smiling face reflected the enjoyment of all the pupils

Issue 2 December 2013

Working Hard in Year 3

Y3S learning about how we are all connected in PSHCE. Y3 have had an extremely busy half term building on the successes of their first half term in Key Stage 2! The children have thoroughly enjoyed our new topic ‘Children during World War II’ in which they have focused on three key aspects: Evacuation, the Blitz and Rationing. The children have been involved in some extremely lively discussions and the enthusiasm for the topic has been wonderful for the teaching and support staff. The children have enjoyed making gas masks and boxes, constructing Anderson Shelters, writing letters as if they were evacuees and cooking traditional World War II recipes using rationed ingredients. The children also enjoyed their Evacuation Day in which they looked into the impact of evacuation during WWII and empathised with parents and children who were affected.

lifestyles and this has been supported by our specialist PE Teachers and enhanced by Healthy Schools Week in November. We have also learnt how to look after our teeth properly and made some clay models of teeth. Y3 wishes everybody a very happy Christmas and we cannot wait to tell you about our new adventures in the New Year! Dan Thomas and Charlotte Smith

In Numeracy, the children have focused heavily on measurement, handling data and time. They also consolidated their understanding of numbers and place value. They have enjoyed lots of practical activities, both indoors and outdoors, where they have been challenged and encouraged to use and apply their mathematical knowledge and understanding. In Literacy, the children have continued to develop their writing skills across a variety of genres. They have enhanced their understanding of awesome alliteration, super similes and amazing adjectives and produced some wonderful poems, some of which featured in the Y3 Christmas Production! Science has seen a big focus on ‘Healthy eating’ and the children have been looking into what makes a good balanced diet. We have looked at healthy 42 Newsblast

Y3T concentrating really well typing up their Christmas poetry on the computers.

Y3S worked in groups to create models of our teeth out of clay – it was messy work!

Droplet, river, ocean, sky! This term, Y5 have been following the story of a water droplet as it travels through the water cycle. We kick started the topic by taking a trip to the river and lake next to Palatul Brancovenesti, near Mogosoaia. The children took part in sketching, looking at animal habitats and studying biodiversity using 1m2 quadrats. We also collected water samples to compare the acidity levels with water from around different sources in school, including the dining room drinking water, the pond and soapy water. We discussed the differing results but were happy to find the drinking water was safe! Back in the class, we have been looking at a variety of artists and the range of methods they used for representing water. We looked at the work of J.M.W Turner and his romantic landscape paintings, as well as Katsushiko Hokusai’s ‘The Wave’, created through the lengthy process of wood block printing. We attempted to recreate our own paintings in the style of these artists with some breathtaking results. The students have also been examining the pros and cons of building dams to create hydroelectricity. The class were required to research both sides of the argument and then were given opposing groups to debate against. The discussions were heated and well-reasoned on both

sides, with a final decision that it is a subject that is more complex than it first seems. In Numeracy, the children have been working with fractions, attempting to find their equivalents and aking comparisons between decimals, fractions and percentages. This has involved some students making their own equivalent fraction puzzles, with everyone leaving with a better understanding of how to cut a cake in the fairest way. The students also enjoyed collecting data about their classmates in the process of creating different types of graph, however, there is still no consensus on Y5’s favourite food In Literacy, the children have been studying the work of Rudyard Kipling and his ‘Just so’ stories. The students enjoyed playing with language and punctuation in a similar way and have written some short pieces of narrative writing describing certain animal’s origin stories such as “How the crocodile got his sharp teeth”. With the new year quickly approaching, we all wanted to wish you a very enjoyable holidays. The Y5 children have worked especially hard this term and everyone deserves a good rest! The Y5 Team

The Big Electronic Debate We believe that the debate relating to children and the media is a very important issue in today’s society. Many people argue that children should not watch TV or spend too much time on electronical devices as this affects children’s ability to function. There are arguments for and against this and we will summarize these arguments. First of all, children are often given school projects to do on computers by their teachers and they need to find data using the internet and present it on the computer. The school also encourages the children to do particular kinds of homework online, such as Maths and Literacy. The British School of Bucharest uses the site MyiMaths, Bug Club and websites for MFL. If parents banned their children from using electronics at home then they would be unable to do a lot of the work which the school encourages them to do. Secondly, children need to understand how to use a computer and have good typing skills as many of the jobs in the future will be using a computer and other electronics. Electronical devices will always be helpful in the future if you know how to use them.

Although we agree that electronic devices are useful we think that the time children spend on electronical devices must be limited. The screens can have a great effect on their eyes and children may find they need glasses if they spend too much time on computers or looking at the TV. Many children are obsessed with electronical devices and miss out on family time. When they grow up and go to university, they won’t see their family so often as they do when they still go to school so they should spend time with them now instead of playing on computers all of the time. As well as losing family time, kids are missing out on friendship time. Instead of inviting a friend to your house to watch TV or play on the computer children should be running around and doing some exercise which is good for your health and also future events. Children learn good speaking skills and imagination when they talk to their friends and play with them but they will limit themselves if they simply sit on computers. In conclusion, we believe that electronical devices are useful and sometimes fun, but there must be a time limit. We respect the fact that people have different opinions, but this is ours. Max and Smaragda , Y6H

Issue 2 December 2013

Primary Poetry Corner Christmas Tree Poem

The Magic Stocking

In my house there is a tree .Full of colourful baubles just for me. A shiny star at the top. Glittering like it’s going to pop. Golden snakes all around. Lots of presents on the ground. Five dots of sparkles on each pine. Soft white snowflakes in a line. Three golden bells swinging free. I do love my Christmas tree!

There is a red, large and fluffy stocking, There’s someone at the door who’s knocking. As bright and twinkly as a shiny star, That you can see from afar. Candy separated into different sections, Decorated with colourful and magic decorations. All candy looks delicious, It’s for sure it looks suspicious. It’s cotton is as fluffy as a cloud, That will make you shout out loud. In one hour you will start to fly, And start dancing in the sky. You will play a violin as brown as a bear, And the package you will start to tear.

By Yoonseo – Y3S

One last thing I want to say, Check your stocking because it’s Christmas Day!

The Frosty Icicle

I am the coldest, the shiniest, the frostiest sword. I am made out of water. I will die if you put me in the sun. I only come out in the winter. I am as sparkly as a diamond and as cold as frosty ice. Be careful because you can get hurt. I am as long as a red, shiny, glistening toy train and as short as a tiny mouse. by Aaron, Y3S

Christmas Angel The fire was gracefully dancing around, When gently a twinkle touched the ground. An angel arose from nowhere and sang a Christmas song, The snow fell, the ground covered before long. The children sang their Christmas songs, In the church, all day long, you can hear “Ding Dong Ding Dong.” By Sofia, Y3S

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By Anya, Y3S

Christmas Tree Poem The big and beautiful Christmas tree stood in the corner with golden sparkles. Its decorations were as colourful as a rainbow and Its star on top was as bright as the blazing hot sun. Its leaves were as smooth as a cat’s silky fur and as green as the grass in the morning. The tree stood quietly and still. Still as a statue in the middle of the town. I’m sure it will glow when I put off the light with: red, blue, green, orange, gold, silver and pink circles around. With shiny glitters everywhere you look. Now you see my Christmas tree!!!!!!!!!!! By Yul, Y3S

The Magic Box

I will put in my box, A green frog eating a tree, One giraffe’s long neck, Four red, sticky, furry glasses.

I will put in my box, A cowboy on a scooter, A dog on a cat, A school in a house.

I will put in my box, The first star on earth, A golden leaf from a silver tree, The first four crowns in Asia.

I will put in my box, A smelly, old, sticky starfish, One big silver petal from a rose, A little, white, naughty leaf.

I will put in my box, A golden leaf from a silver tree, A silver chicken in a pot, A flying boy.

I will put in my box, The King of China’s first tooth, Nine whole flashes from a firework, Two oceans from a wizard’s hat.

I will out in my box One little gold rabbit fur, A long golden chicken leg, One piranha with the biggest dot in the world.

I will out in my box A dog chasing a cat, A dog that is flying with a cat, The biggest cookie ever.

I will out in my box One bark from the smallest dog, A roar from the fiercest lion, Nineteen parrot feathers.

I will put in my box, Some green jellyfish with a book, One flower with a clock, At last a devil with a cupcake

I will out in my box A a flying baby, A coconut, A spooky ghost.

I will put in my box, A black slimy tooth from a dinosaur, One scratchy dinosaur’s skin, The only President with no smelly underpants.

My box is fashioned with gold, wood and paper with bright sunlight and fairy dust in corners and secrets inside.

My box is made of strong gold with super stars, super-secret corners and big dinosaurs.

My box has diamond blue corners, Flashing, floating feathers on the sides, Silky, red cotton onto the wooden box, Ice edges with sparkling lights.

I will slide in the box on a long yellow slide.

I swim in my box, By David, Y3S

On the Atlantic Ocean with sparkles and light, golden sea with all sorts of dreams. By Yoonseo,Y3S

The Magic Box I will put in my box, A little, fluffy, white, cute rabbit, A big stable of brown horses painted red, A jar of rose petal scent. I will put in my box, A brown and red fox, A strong wind blowing west, A very shiny white pearl. I will out in my box A green baby dragon, A bulging bag of wishes, A fifth season with the snow and sun. I will put in my box, A black, dark night with bright stars, A pink and green elephant, A big black boat. My box is fashioned from gold and ice with a rainbow on the lid and magic in the corners. I shall explore in my box, In rainforests and jungles, Discover new animals, Make friends with them.

The Magic Box I will put in my box, An enormous crocodile munching a fish, Some cracked pieces from an old Chinese vase, Traditional clothes cut into strips.

I shall explore a wizard’s hat, Wear the first crown in Asia, Fly the first fluffy star on earth, Surf the wavy, crazy ocean. By Anya, Y3S

The Magic Box

I will put in my box, A dog with a lizard on its face, A spider being eaten by a gigantic horse, A fluffy, soft, cosy feather from France.

I will put in my box, A big spotty fish, A big shiny star, A golden clock.

I will out in my box Some magic glitter from a tooth fairy, A box full of numbers that never come out, Some books that belong to the best man.

I will put in my box, A bar of delicious chocolate, A small book, A big white board.

I will put in my box, A skeletons and stars that swam from south to north, A chilly Autumn wind that started from Australia, The first human beings rough teeth.

I will out in my box A bottle of ice, A blue cross, A fire lamp.

My box is black and blue with yellow stars on top, With glittery, golden leaves hanging, And in the corners there are secrets.

My box is made of metal hinges and wood on the bottom By Ognian, Y3S

I went in my box and I saw a tooth fairy with wiggly worms, Crystals created in the colour silver, A seaside silvery gold. By Yoonseo,Y3S

By Isabelle, Y3S

Issue 2 December 2013

Primary Art

2P students planning and painting

Alexia were recreating ‘Starry Night’ in 2S by using paints and cardboard to create an effect similar to that which she saw on the painting 46 Newsblast

Ilinca was recreating ‘Starry Night’ in 2S by using chalk and creating a different effect by using her fingers to blend the colours

2P students painting their impression of “Starry Night”. Students were trying to blend and mix colours on their paper

1L’s beautiful Owl Baby collage. The children had fun using a favourite story to inspire their artwork

Yul from 3S was extremely happy with her symmetrical Rangoli Pattern made with coloured rice and glue

3S were creating their own Rangoli patterns with coloured rice

2P students sharing and learning to evaluating their completed artwork

Issue 2 December 2013

The Fantastically Frightening Halloween Afternoon

Unique friends The children donned their costumes, masks and make-up for an afternoon of ghoulish behaviour and marvellous mayhem. With the help of the PTA and parent helpers they participated in Halloween activities, which included decorating gruesome cupcakes or biscuits with a Halloween theme. Blood red icing and colourful fancies, spiderâ€™s webs and bats, were just some of the delights to see before being devoured. The children danced in the deepest, darkest depths of the school before the day was out. Anne â€“ Marie Hesmondhalgh

Beguiling Beauties 48 Newsblast

The happiest witch in the den.

The blue bride

Iâ€™m watching you!

The possessed boys

Hippy Halloween

The bride

Watch out for the spiders! Issue 2 December 2013

Harvest Festival 2013

For the KS2 Harvest Assembly, Pastor Bill Tully from the International Church of Bucharest spoke to the children about giving thanks throughout the year and especially at Harvest. The students of BSB were once again encouraged to donate non-perishable foods, clothing and stationery during Harvest Week for Saint Stelian’s charity which helps over five hundred families in need. BSB has worked closely with St Stelians for a few years. Student bringing goods to school were given house points for their donations and the houses were competing to donate the most goods. This year, students saw Olt and Danube come first out of the four houses, followed closely by Danube and Arges. On the day of collection, Miss Pamplin and Mrs Smith chose the KS1 and KS2 Stars of the Week to help carry all of the donations to the collection vans. Given the overwhelming generosity of everyone within the BSB community the children had their work cut out for them! The charity committee, together with the PTA and Saint Stelians would like to thank the generosity of all of the students and their families for their donations. Charlotte Smith 50 Newsblast

The children and teachers’ of Y4S provided the music for the KS2 Harvest Assembly, performing the song ‘Harvest Samba’.

Hard work but all for a good cause

Many hands make light work

BSB pupils and parents showed generosity of spirit once again

Table groaning under the weight of donations

Issue 2 December 2013

Universities

During the film-making course children are guided through the process of planning what they will film, using the ipads to record and finally editing the footage using the laptops

In Aikido university children learn the subtleties of this martial art, focusing on control and accuracy in movements 52 Newsblast

The BSB Ambassadors course coaches children on how to represent the school, meet and talk with special guests and will build up to them conducting visitorsâ€™ tours of BSB

The Origami course focuses on the ancient Chinese arts of origami and kirigami. It teaches children to follow instructions carefully and to be patient when working on a task in order to achieve the best results

In the Home Skills course, children have been practising simple sewing techniques such as replacing buttons and have visited the youngest classes in school to learn all about child care. They made simple puppets using their sewing skills and asked to take them with them to entertain the crib and crĂ¨che children

Creating Scrapbooks, led by Mrs Morgan and Ms Ana Maria, continues to be a very popular course. Children finish the course with a beautifully presented scrapbook of their favourite photos and mementos

In the photography course children compare the use of ipads and stand-alone cameras and use them to different effects. They also learn about framing photographs, editing and displaying them

Healthy eating can be fun too! Children focus on learning different kitchen skills each week and exploring new ingredients

During the quilting and textile design course children will learn a range of skills and consider which fabrics best suit their design ideas

Issue 2 December 2013

Clubs

On your marks, get set, goâ€Śin the Athletics Club

Learning the finer points of strategy at the Chess Club

The Basketball Club encouraging pupils to aim high! 54 Newsblast

Tag Rugby proved popular

The Junior Science Club enjoyed many experiments this term

Life in school can have its ups and downs, especially in the Trampoline Club.

A noble pursuit, the art of Fencing gained some new experts.

Issue 2 December 2013

Lunchtime Careers Presentations Find out about the world of further education and work from people who have actually experienced itâ€Ś

Details and dates to be announced across the term. If you are a local business professional and would like to share your knowledge and experience with our students, please contact Mr Paul Farrell Paul.Farrell@britishschool.ro

Sponsored by: 56 Newsblast

Secondary Review I am a passionate believer that invaluable and irreplaceable learning takes place outside the classroom on fieldtrips, visits, service in the community, outdoor education trips, The International Award and work experience placements. “It is in the field where acting locally becomes thinking globally” (Professor Lord May, Former President of the Royal Geographical Society). This may range from encouraging young people to value local environments on a geography fieldtrip leading to the consideration of broader sustainability and biodiversity issues, to valuing other members of society whilst engaged in local community service encouraging consideration of inequities alongside social responsibility. Further benefits appear clear to me in terms of individual growth and improved social skills developed from the challenge of an overnight stay. Perhaps less apparent though is that work outside the classroom tends to generate higher order and active learning opportunities which lead to learning that “sticks” due to the nature of the fieldwork setting. All this is, of course, coupled with the obvious benefit of shared memories between friends. I have heard it said that one lesson outdoors is worth seven inside - the value is evident to me.

“Our overt service activities such as Don Orione, Fundatia Inocenti, Eco-Warriors and Amnesty are tremendous opportunities for all our students to develop leadership, strength of character and a myriad of other skills.”

There are two particularly pleasing developments in Secondary this term which I have been delighted to see successfully implemented. The Biology Fieldtrip to the Danube Delta covered significant curriculum content and exposed the students to invaluable data collection opportunities. Meanwhile I was privileged recently to witness BSB students participating in our Don Orione after school activity which visits a care home each week. Their interactions with the disabled children, many of whom have severe difficulties, demonstrated genuine compassion and significant maturity. Difficult and potentially distressing situations were faced with steadfastness and a sense of purpose and belief in their work. Our overt service activities such as Don Orione, Fundatia Inocenti, EcoWarriors and Amnesty are tremendous opportunities for all our students to develop leadership, strength of character and a myriad of other skills. Several of these activities have strong student numbers and I commend all the students involved and thank our teachers for ensuring such opportunities are prevalent at BSB. We are committed to further developing the learning opportunities that occur outside the classroom spaces. It is an essential component of education as there can surely be no substitute for “real-world” learning. Philip Walters, Head of Secondary

Issue 2 December 2013

Pastoral Care at BSB

No one ever said that it was an easy task selecting a school for your child. Let’s face it, there are so many benchmarks for success out there that it is difficult to see the wood for the trees. What are the examination results like? How many leavers went to university and which ones? What facilities does the school have? The list goes on. Of course these are all important questions and ones which every school striving for a solid and trusted reputation will be able to answer with a sense of pride, but let’s stop for a moment and ask ourselves the basic question of how you can tell the difference between a good school and an excellent school. The answer to my mind lies within the quality of the pastoral care because the well-being of the pupils shapes the school’s success. Dynamic and robust pastoral care is one of the foundation stones of BSB and is based upon many generations of established values from the British education system. It is in essence this value system which works best when tailored to the needs of the individual pupil. Many factors will cause these needs to change, sometimes literally overnight and the quick-witted form tutor will need to keep a pretty well-stocked toolkit to be able to trouble-shoot and

support the pupil. This tool-kit is assembled based on the knowledge of the pupil’s interests, personality, academic achievements and difficulties. It is based on a relationship of trust and cooperation between the pupil, the family and the teacher. This knowledge and trust makes us proactive rather than reactive, enables us to join the dots to draw inferences so as to support the pupil and the family in the best way we can. We can’t see into the future but what we can do is avoid what I call last-minute and constant pastoral “catastrophe care”. Instead we replace it with an open pupil-family-school communication channel. At BSB we don’t just teach pupils algebra and how to conjugate a verb, but our pastoral system strives to allow their conscience to speak, strives to develop their awareness and care for their environment and to show them that success can be gained with humility and respect for yourself and others. Our tutors and teachers will help BSB graduates to leave as ethical, adaptable and intelligent individuals with strong community values, thus enabling them to take their place in the ever-changing world.

Jason Porter

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Finding Your Voice

Have Your Say! BSB student voice committee for this academic year After the selection and training process for Student Voice, pupils representing all year groups began their first round of lesson observations this week under the guidance of Elisabeth Citron and Jason Porter. Student Voice is an important part of life at BSB as it encourages pupils to become an active stakeholder in their own education and develops confidence and impartiality

when giving feedback to teachers about lessons they have observed. Oh yes, we forgot to mention that it is fun as well! by The Student Voice 2013 â€“ 2014

A visit from LSE, UCL and Kingsâ€™ College

Key Stage 4 and 5 students are currently working hard to complete the study of a variety of subjects and have begun the long, hard revision process leading to their final examinations. As part of the ongoing extended careers curriculum at BSB we strive to offer regular opportunities for our students to gain advice and experience on the next phase of their learning into higher education. Our most recent event involved a personalised visit from London School of Economics and Political Science, Kingâ€™s College London and University College London. Our students received offers of places at these prestigious and highly-ranked institutions last year and we are pleased to be developing stronger links with

them. Admissions experts from each academic institution took it in turn to speak to an audience of students and their parents. Crucial information was presented on a variety of topics including; how to gain entry into the higher education system in the UK, highlights of what each individual university has to offer and the importance of choosing to study at the most relevant university for your degree choice. The event also provided an opportunity for students and parents to ask specific questions about their future studies and proved to be a very beneficial morning. I would strongly encourage all students to start considering their options for higher education and attend similar events in the future. Paul Farrell

Issue 2 December 2013

Don Orione

Gruia prepares the roundabout as Anca waits with anticipation

Stephanie and Anca smile for the camera Every Monday a group of students from BSB go offsite to the facility at Don Orione. Don Orione is a place of hope and belonging. The friendly staff at Don Orione welcome day-care children as well as children who live at Don Orione all year round. These children are disabled but it does not stop them from enjoying life. They are able to do this in the facilities available to them at Don Orione, having fun in the playground, enjoying the green outdoors, seeing how plants grow. The staff are incredibly friendly, supportive and upbeat. The children at Don Orione can even enjoy rides on donkeys and petting the goats that live onsite and are cared for by the older children and young adults.

Blowing bubbles - Gruia shows how it is done

And now, every Monday, a further attraction is available to them – spending time with BSB’s team of dedicated volunteers. Students from KS3, KS4 & KS5 make activities with the children, taking them for walks, playing music, sharing dance moves, spinning on the roundabout, painting and other activities. Despite the obvious physical differences and language barriers, BSB students and the children at Don Orione are able to connect with each other and enjoy their time together. Why do BSB students do it? Here is what they say: Annie, Y7: Although I can’t make them not be disabled, if I can help in any small way I am happy to do that. If I see someone who is disabled now I am better able to understand what they are going through. Miruna, Y7: I want the children to interact with us and make them happy. When they smile, it makes me smile too. We are all the same, deep down. It doesn’t matter if they are disabled. Alexandra, Y9: I know I am very fortunate in many ways and have lots of opportunities. Spending time with children who are disabled reminds me not to take what I have for granted. Don Orione CCA takes place between 3pm-4.30pm every Monday. If you are interested in joining us next term, please come to see Hannah Straw. 60 Newsblast

Miruna and Annie take Laurentiu for a stroll in the sunshine

Secondary artwork

Joe explores the boundaries between freedom and confinement

Exploring organic architecture by Radu Y12

Issue 2 December 2013

Halloween party

Scary Bram In Secondary, we had our Halloween party on Friday, 18th November. We all went down to the disco room and Mr. Porter and the prefects told us a spooky story about our school, which made us all jump! After that we played musical statues. The PTA was generous and had a food stall with pizza, cookies, drinks and loads of other really nice food. Some students and teachers were doing games like apple picking, fortune telling and trying to tell a bad joke in a funny

way. There was also a hamster ball set up by Mr Farrell, which was a lot of fun and you could always go back into the disco room for a dance with your friends. At the end Batman (aka Mr. Walters) asked us to go back to the disco room and the prizes were awarded. A big thank you goes out to the PTA, the School Council, Sixth Form helpers and prefects, the staff and everyone who helped clear up. It was a spooky end to a great half term! Bram, Y7W

Ghoulish Miss Straw

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Senior students helping to organise the party

A very creepy Elena

Remember, remember the 5th of November

Well done Malika and Isabella for making the BSB Guy Fawkes for Bonfire night Remember, remember the fifth of November Gunpowder, treason and plot. I see no reason, why gunpowder treason Should ever be forgot. Well done Isabella and Malika for taking time to make this yearâ€™s BSB guy. In their spare time they collected old clothes and newspaper. They tied together all the openings on the clothes to create the legs and torso of the guy and stuffed it to create the appearance of a realistic body shape and fixed the figure with string and tape. The character was finished with a hand drawn face using black marker pen and brought to the Bonfire celebration at the Crown Plaza in the front seat of Mr. Walters car. It was a superb effort from the Year 8 girls in helping to contribute to the Light into Europe festivities and whose Guy was judged the winner. And what did we do with Mr. Guy? We burnt him!

Congratulations to the girls who constructed this yearâ€™s winning Guy! Issue 2 December 2013

Secondary Poetry Corner This term, Y8 have been studying conflict poetry. This is an example of one of the poems produced by the students, inspired by Wilfred Owen: All alone, forever alone

It makes you sick with headaches,

You feel dead scared and very cold

At night, you cry… But what man are you?

You don’t understand how you’re supposed to fight

You closed your eyes as the wind blew…

When you’re bony, skinny and rotten inside.

One last piece of bread, you want some more,

Running through the trenches, falling rain

Your tummy rumbles, your eyes so sore.

It’s supposed to make us stronger? I must be insane.

Shot in the arm the very next day

It’s dark now, time for bed!

You’re alive, see? You must pray

You lie down with bad stuff in your head,

But it’s bad news, infected, you say?

One eye open, in your hands a knife

“Indeed, sir, you must stay and lay,”

What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your life?

You have to go home, you’ve let your country down?

People smiling, but you know it’s fake,

But it is you who looks upon and frowns. by Malika, Y8W

Internet Safety Workshop Technology is changing so quickly in the world in which we live it is always reassuring to hold this workshop giving parents the opportunity to ask questions related to issues they are concerned about. This workshop highlights the advantages and risks that students come across when online. Lisa Ali reminded parents of her role as Child Protection officer for the whole school which ensures that all staff are aware of their responsibilities in actively safe guarding and protecting the children in our care. Mark Monaghan explained his position as Director of Technology Integration and the technological infrastructure of the school with the use of firewalls and monitoring students activities whilst online. He also mentioned benchmarking and networking with other schools to ensure that BSB remains in the front line when it comes to technological advances in education. Matthew Scragg

explained to the parents how the current Primary ICT curriculum accommodate Internet Safety. He went onto say how he and his colleagues would be raising the profile of internet safety through several internet safety themed days throughout the academic year. With a look to develop consistency throughout the whole school ICT curriculum, the themed days would utilise the CEOP (Child Exploitation and On-line Protection centre) teaching resources currently used in Secondary. CEOP is the UK’s national lead agency for the protection of children online. I explained the issues that were raised when CEOP held a 2 day conference at BSB. The parents were able to ask questions both during, and on a more personal level, at the end of the workshop. They all left with lots of solutions and ideas for supporting their child when they use various technologies at home. Shazia Walker

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First Inter-House Sports Competitions get off to a great start

Mattia Y7 runs down the line for Danube The first Inter-House sports competitions of the year took place this term and it was Mures who got off to a flying start winning both the boys football and girls hockey in Primary. Olt won the girls hockey and Arges won the boys football in the Secondary competitions.

The Inter-House sports competitions are a great opportunity for students to proudly wear their House colour and come together as a team, which is an essential part of the House community and team ethos at BSB. Results of all the Inter-House sports competitions throughout the year can be found on the schoolâ€™s website. David Hughes

David Y8 on the ball for Olt in the Secondary Boys Football competition

Ilayda Y6 tries to get the ball past Sarah Y6 in the Girls Primary Hockey competition Issue 2 December 2013

Inter House Sport Competition October 2013

Arges I hope everyone had a fun time at the inter-house competition, everyone played fair and hopefully nobody got hurt. Sadly, Arges got last place, 4th. But congratulations to the winners, Mures! So next time when we have another inter-house competition we have to win! We will have to cooperate to win. Arges boys and girls did not start well in terms of points won but the teamwork and spirit of the house was very impressive. As I was watching and playing the football I would like to give special mention to Andrei M, who played well even though it was his first day of school! Also, Paul M and Oliver W who volunteered to be goalie when others were not keen. Our aim for the year is to cheer for teammates as loudly as possible and our team points will surely shoot right up. It is just because Arges is a great team and we need to prove it! So next time when we have an inter-house competition let’s do an amazing job and win!!!

points. Whoever had the most points at the end wins. Everyone had a lot of fun taking part in the games. Every house got a number of house points depending on what place they came. This year Mures came first. However, this year Danube is sure to win the cup. GO DANUBE! by Andrei and Jocelyne, House Captain and Vice Captain, Danube

Olt This year’s House competition was quite nerve racking but still lots of fun. Depending on what place you get you get a number of house points. This year Mures won both tournaments and we the OLT team congratulate them. We are happy that we came second. The girls enjoyed cheering for each other and the boys enjoyed holding up a noisy crowd. There was a lot of tension while we were waiting for the result. It was fun! Go OLT! by Tabitha and Darius, House Captain and Vice Captain, Olt

GO ARGES!!! by Anastasia and Max, House Captain and Vice Captain, Arges

Mures Mures did a great job in the inter house sports competition. The girls won the hockey competition and the boys won the football competition! Mures has also done some great work in decorating our house shield, it looks great! We also have made great progress in collecting the house points. Keep up the great work and just so you know…MURES ROCKS!!! by Alexandra and Pavel , House Captain and Vice Captain, Mures

Danube The House Competition is a mixture of girls hockey and boys football. The 4 House teams had to compete against each other to see who got the most

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Autumn Cup A Great Success!

Mr Hughes welcoming the teams to the tournament BSB launched the inaugural Autumn Cup this term with boys’ football teams competing to be crowned the first champions of the event. Over 200 children from six of Bucharest’s International schools attended Herastrau Park for what proved to be a very enjoyable tournament at every age category. Some of our teams tasted success as the under 9’s finished second and the under 15’s finished third. The tournament was a great opportunity for teams to enjoy a weekend of competitive football early on in the season. The development and improvement of our teams was certainly noticeable. Well done to all the students who took part and thank you to all the parents and friends who came to support. BSB students can look forward to more competitive sport against other schools in the next two terms. David Hughes

Eniola making a tackle during one of the under 13 matches

Tasos going in for a tackle against ISB Issue 2 December 2013

Healthy and Happy

Chef Alex demonstrating good preparation techniques This half term saw yet another successful Healthy Schools Week. This time the focus was ‘Healthy Eating’. The students and staff at BSB were engaged in some health driven activities. Each morning Miss Dibble offered a healthy breakfast to all staff members, offering the chance to eat healthily, drink tea and coffee and begin the day with a full stomach and a healthy mind.

stuffed tomatoes, turkey kebabs, and cardamom seasoned Lebanese flat breads. In Y10 biologists discussed and researched deficiency diseases (diseases caused by the lack of a particular nutrient in the diet e.g. rickets). They also carried out food tests to see what foods contain fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Starting all the way down in EYFS the children in Pre-School have been using different fruits and vegetables to help us to count up to 5. We even managed to find 10 healthy foods as a class. We have also made porridge and added fruit for a healthy and yummy snack and made healthy muesli on Friday with the help of the 6th form.

And to round off a week of healthiness, there was a ‘Fruity Box Friday’ event at the gate. The Healthy Schools Committee made fruit boxes for the children and the parents to eat. Some children around the school made posters advertising the event. Well done BSB for creating a healthy school yet again.

Moving on to Key Stage 1 where Y1 and Y2 looked at what healthy eating is and a balanced diet. Y1 learned about different fruit and vegetables in Bingo and drew a healthy lunch. Y2 learned about energy, fats and proteins and which foods are healthier in a Top Trumps card game. Both year groups also explored different fruit and vegetables, using them to paint onto paper to make patterns and their names out of different fruit shapes. They also tried some different fruits including; pomegranate, grapefruit, blueberries and persimmon. In Key Stage 2 the children were involved in some ‘fruit tasting with a twist’. The children were blindfolded and had to try and guess what fruit they were eating. This was also an opportunity for the children to experience some fruits and vegetables that they had not seen or tasted before. Each child in Y4 made salt dough and when it dried they were able to decorate it for display. House points were given for healthy snack and lunch boxes. Menus were made comparing healthy and unhealthy foods, foods which the children should eat and foods that they want to eat. As part of Secondary Healthy School’s week, Y9 students were invited to write a proposal letter in order to attend a cooking lesson with Chef Alex. Mr. Alex was a former TA at the British School who after an appearance on Masterchef departed to run his own restaurant at AFI Mall Cotroceni - the Hot Kitchen Bar and Food. Six students were selected from the entries and spent an afternoon learning how to create a range of dishes including Guacamole 68 Newsblast

Children in Y4 experimenting with tasting different fruits and vegetables

KS1 children playing the game Top Trumps

Tudor, Joseph and Matteo preparing kebabs

Rakshit and Saeyoun experimenting with fruit painting

Mr Walker enjoying his Healthy Breakfast

Mr Hughes handing out the fruit boxes for â€˜Fruity Fridayâ€™

All the students sat down to enjoy their own cooking

Issue 2 December 2013

Year 11 Biology fieldtrip to the Danube Delta

Year 11 IGCSE Biologists at the Enisala Safari village In October I had the privilege of taking our Y11 students to the Danube Delta for our IGCSE Biology field trip. This is a unique area and UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Science we ask questions and then design experiments to find the answers. So this field trip was about collecting data, observations, questioning the experts and then taking our results back to the class room to analyse and see if we could reach any conclusions. As you can see in the photos, one of our tasks was to collect fresh water invertebrates, identify them, then go back to the classroom and build food chains and food webs. We looked for â€œIndicator speciesâ€? that tell us how pure or polluted the water is. We also assessed Biodiversity stability and tested the water quality for chemicals to try and explain our findings. These are just the learning objectives for day 1! On other days we investigated the use of fertilizers, pesticides vs biological control and agroforestry as well as the effects of Deforestation. It was a very busy but hugely enjoyable 3 days. The Enisala Safari Resort was an excellent location with knowledgeable staff, great accommodation and tasty food. Despite the long 8am-8pm days, the students did vast amounts of work and had time to enjoy themselves and grow as scientists. I am now looking forward to returning with our year 10 Biologists in June. A big thank you to Mr. Williams for help and fabulous photos on the trip, and to Miss Sugdon, our Head of Science who helped to set it all up. Pamela Beer

Agnese and Filippo identifying invertebrates 70 Newsblast

Mrs Beer demonstrating sampling techniques

Helene examining samples

Collecting information on crop yields from adjacent cordn fields, one of which uses pesticides and the other does nor

Muhammed and Matteo identifying freshwater invertebrates

Back in the classroom at the Enisala Safari village, discussing our results

Exploring the delta ecosystem by boat

Issue 2 December 2013

World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions Saturday saw the students undertake the essay writing portion of the competition, in which they must discuss a statement based on one element of The World in Motion, followed by a speech from author Ken Liu, who penned one of the stories from the Literature section. By the afternoon, we had reached one of the most challenging and engaging activities of the whole competition: the team debate. Tudor, Alexandra and Dilara gained superb results, winning two out of their three debates; Filippo, with his teammates from Kolej Yayasan Saad, had equal success. On Sunday, we relocated from the inspirational buildings of Yale to the ballroom of the Marriot Omni Hotel for the largest, and final, activity: the Scholar’s Bowl. For this, the students must use remote controls to select their answer to each multiple choice question; over 100 teams compete at the same time, and the tension was tangible. At the end of the Scholar’s Bowl, we were delighted to discover that Filippo had been selected to participate in the Debate Showcase, a final debate in which the top-rated students discuss their views in front of the entire WSC crowd (students, teachers, staff and parents). Filippo dazzled the crowd with his eloquence and confidence, despite speaking in front of over 400 people, and his team was declared the winners.

Starting the Tournament of Champions Start spreading the news, I’m leaving today… At 6am on Tuesday 12th November, four students, Mrs. Wells and I met at Otopeni airport; like Frank Sinatra, we were preparing to be a part of it in old New York, before heading to the World Scholar’s Cup Tournament of Champions at the University of Yale.

The competition ended with a gala dinner, a talent show and, most importantly, the Results Ceremony. The air was buzzing with excitement as students were called up to receive their medals and shake hands with key members and sponsors of the WSC. Congratulations to Dilara for winning Best in School, and to all four students for having made it to this extremely impressive event – they have done themselves, and BSB, very proud! Natalie Curtis

The WSC is an international academic competition which tests the students on their knowledge of the assigned topic (this year: The World in Motion) through a variety of activities, including essay writing and debating, whilst developing teamwork and learning skills. Having passed the Regional Round in March in Prague and the Global Round in June in Dubai, Tudor (Y9), Alexandra (Y10), Dilara (Y10) and Filippo (Y11) were ready to take on the most challenging, final round of the competition: the Tournament of Champions, at the prestigious University of Yale. First, however, the students were able to enjoy two days of sightseeing in New York: dinner at the Hard Rock Café, a cruise to the Statue of Liberty, Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, ice skating and views from the top of the Rockefeller Centre, shopping on 5th Avenue; we certainly made the most of a whirlwind visit to the city! Then, on Thursday, it was time to get down to business. After the trip to New Haven, we registered for the competition; then it was time to get down to business: study, study, study. The Opening Ceremony began at 8am on Friday and we were welcomed by Daniel Berdichevsky, WSC founder and Alpaca-in-Chief, before the students got straight down to the first element of the competition: the Scholar’s Challenge, a multiple choice examination that tests the students on their knowledge of the topic. Afterwards, the focus was on teamwork in the Scavenger Hunt, in which the teams (named after American universities) had to make their way around the stunning Yale campus, completing a variety of unusual tasks. Finally, the students had a very informative talk on university life in America, through a Q&A session with WSC staff (graduates of Yale, Harvard and MIT).

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At the Closing Ceremony

Design and Deliver an Outstanding Secondary Computing Curriculum Many changes are taking place in the UK in ICT with the introduction of Computing. To be kept up to date with all the curriculum changes I was able to attend a course. This was an extremely impressive one day course in London, not only because every speaker was very knowledgeable about their subject area but because it has actually done what it says: explained how to create an outstanding Computing curriculum. Luckily much of what I have already implemented to the Key Stage 3 ICT curriculum is in line with this. An example outstanding curriculum shows Computing being broken down into 3 sections, ICT/Digital Literacy, Computing and Creative Media and all of these

elements are included in the ICT curriculum here at BSB. It was also very refreshing when Dr Jim Magee, DfE, Assistant Director for the Review of the National Curriculum talked about the move away from levels in the UK for Key Stage 3, just as we have done here in the secondary school for many subjects. I left this course with lots of ideas for further development of the curriculum which I will continue to share with other members of staff. This was a thoroughly informative course and I would definitely recommend Optimus Education courses.

Shazia Walker

Career Lunch Following on from its success last year, key stage 4 and 5 students have yet again had the opportunity to take part in a number of lunchtime career presentations. The purpose of these career events is to enhance the student’s knowledge of where higher education can lead to and what life is really like in the world of work. This term guest speakers have included Marine Biologists, Entrepreneurs and App Designers. Each guest speaker highlighted a different aspect of higher education and the endless possibilities it can offer.

Students have developed a keen interest in these events, regularly asking key questions and discussing their options for the future in a highly mature and focused manner. These opportunities which BSB offer as part of the extended careers curriculum are of great benefit to our students and the feedback received from guest speakers has been impeccable. If you believe you can offer advice and guidance to our upper school students through these short lunchtime events please contact Paul Farrell at Paul.Farrell@britishschool.ro Paul Farrell

COBIS Conference Each year, COBIS, the Council of British International Schools, invite teachers and Head Boys and Girls from all over the world to their event where there is an opportunity to hear from some of the most inspirational speakers from the field of Education and network with a wide range of fellow teachers, Head Boys and Head Girls. This year’s conference, held in Murcia in southern Spain, had a very diverse cultural feel, with attendees from cities as far spread as Bucharest to Lagos. This year BSB sent two Students, Akis and Federica, from Year 13 to represent the school and both young adults did so with remarkable maturity and pride. Akis and Federica had the opportunity to meet with other senior students from a variety of schools, using this time wisely to discuss how each school uses prefects and senior students to positively influence both the younger students in the school and the wider school community as a whole. It was a pleasure for me to observe both students participating in such discussions in a professional, self-aware manner. A great time was had by all over the weekend conference and both students have returned to school with a new sense of inspiration and ideas that they’re keen to implement, as well as thinking about how they can have an impact socially and culturally around school. Paul Farrell

Akis and Federica in Murcia Issue 2 December 2013

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Merry Christmas everyone!