BSB School Magazine - December 2014

NEWS

BLAST

The british school of bucharest magazine • Issue 2 • December 2014

BSB OFFICE STAFF

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42, Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Voluntari, Ilfov County Bucharest, Romania

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For admissions please contact Mr Simon Lambert: Email: admissions@britishschool.ro Phone: 021 267 8919 Fax: 021 267 8969

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For specific help relating to school transport and student lunches, please contact: Email: services@britishschool.ro Mob: 0728 133 432/3 Tel: 021 267 8919 Fax: 021 267 8969

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If you need any information or help in regard to your child’s education and support at BSB, please do not hesitate to contact our office team during normal working hours, 8.00am - 5.00pm, Monday-Friday.

Email: office@britishschool.ro Tel: 021 267 8919 Fax: 021 267 8969

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FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Jo Puddy-Wells Principal

Dear Parents & Friends of BSB As I type this piece snow is falling slowly pass the window and a girl and boy from Year 6 are delaying getting to their Maths lesson by trying to catch and eat a snowflake. For once I am resisting the urge to rap on the window and send them on their way, as surely when the chance comes to catch a snowflake we do need to grab it. It should not really be such a surprise to see children enjoying such a natural phenomenon as snow, and playing in such a carefree fashion; yet in the face of so many children with their attention focused on computer screens, or sitting at desks contemplating the next test or assessment it is an event that is not witnessed as often as I would like.

As another year passes it is perhaps natural as an adult to wonder where the time has gone, have we managed to fit everything in to the previous twelve months, how many more days do we have to hit a target or complete a report? The ordinary things we do day in and day out come to demand so much of our time and energy it is easy to forget our youth when we had time to ‘stop and stare’.

One of the categories that define a school’s success is its spiritual development of pupils.

It is quite a challenge in an affluent context to be confident that students are sensitive to the non-material aspects of life and are able to demonstrate well-developed aesthetic and spiritual awareness. It is certainly not something that will fit into a structured lesson plan, with differentiation and assessment. However there is a responsibility to point out the simple but beautiful aspects of life, to allow students the opportunity to share and reflect on their own good fortune. I think our school provides a wealth of opportunities for students to be the best citizens they can be through dedicating themselves to a fund raiser, or offering their time to help those beyond our school walls both nationally and internationally, or simply making intelligent observations about world

issues at a UNICEF symposium. Allowing children to experience something as simple as a snowfall is also important and cannot be planned for, we just need to be vigilant for the moment when we can let our children focus and experience something a little less ordinary.

So maybe their Maths teacher will not berate them for being late, and will instead engage them in a discussion about the uniqueness of every snowflake, the perfect symmetry or a prediction on how much snow needs to fall before a snow day is declared; or maybe they will just smile and remember when he was the lad catching the flawless snowflake.

Have a wonderful holiday; Iet’s all enjoy the time with family and friends and hopefully experience a break from the ordinary.

Leisure What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this is if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

W.H. Davies

F R O M T H E P R I N C I PA L 3

Houses in Focus: Secondary House Captains

by Jason Porter

T

he House system at BSB is going from strength to strength. And that is how it should be, as we see more and more students participating in House events and supporting their House with a sense of camaraderie and true enthusiasm!

Secondary house captains wearing their colours with pride

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Bebhinn (Captain) and Dana (Vice Captain) were elected to lead and represent Arges; Elena (Captain) and Ignacio (Vice Captain) were elected to lead and represent Danube; Victor (Captain) and Alice (Vice Captain) were elected to lead and represent Mures and finally, Lily (Captain) and Noa (Vice Captain) were elected to lead and represent Olt. Early in the term Y6 students were asked to write a letter of application to Primary Senior Leadership team for the available posts. These children were then given the opportunity to deliver

a persuasive speech in front of all of their House members in a special House Assembly on 25th September. The speeches were followed by a vote and the new House leaders were elected.

House Captain and Vice House Captain are currently one of the most prestigious positions of responsibility for students in the Primary school and we are confident that these eight children from Y6 will lead their Houses very well and live up to the role.

H O U S E S I N F O C U S 5

Enjoying outside play with Preschool children

Karen is thrilled to be working in Bucharest after many years in Germany

Getting to know your TA

Introducing

Andreea Coltuc

Karen Cojocaru

May I take this opportunity to thank you all for the amazing years I have spent at BSB. My name is Miss Andreea and I have been working here for three years. Since I have been here I have worked with wonderful people in both Crèche and Preschool alongside Miss Kayleigh and Miss Kate. From them I learnt how to work with “Little People”. Before joining the big BSB Family I worked both as an English teacher in an after-school club and as a Crèche educator in a private nursery. It is absolutely amazing working with children - although we teach them so many things, I think they teach us more important lessons such as how to be sincere, honest, lovable, sweet and last but not least, how to smile. In my spare time I love singing a lot, reading, walking, spending time with my friends, hiking and listening to music.

As a life-long learner, education and learning are of utmost importance to me and this is why I had wanted to be a teacher since I was a child. I began my life as a teacher in the beautiful English Lake District, where my home town is situated. From there, I moved to Germany, where I taught for ten years in the cities of Bonn and Cologne, in both the British and the International Baccalaureate systems. After such a long period there, the time was right for me to move on and to find new challenges. I had been to Romania a few times as a tourist and liked what I experienced, but I really wanted to learn more about my Romanian husband’s home culture, so I am thrilled to be working at BSB and to have the opportunity to do that while doing what I love best supporting the learners in our school to be the best they can be.

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The Webster family settling into life at BSB

Introducing

Webster Family Firstly would you please allow us to introduce ourselves formally to you? We are the Webster family, consisting of Gary (Deputy Head of Secondary – Curriculum), Jennifer (Teacher of English), Alex (Year 6) and Isabel (Year 1). We moved here in August from Qatar which, in case you were wondering, is a small but vibrant country in the Middle East and is most famous for having been awarded the FIFA World Cup in 2022. We are delighted to be living in Bucharest and working at BSB. Everybody has made us feel so welcome and we really are enjoying life here – there are so many things to see and do in Romania that we are always kept busy as both tourists and residents.

In the four months since we arrived, we have come to realise how privileged we are to work at BSB. It’s clear that the vision for the students is centred around providing each and every child with a high-quality education and a wide range of activities. These help

to develop fully-rounded individuals who are very well equipped to go into the world and make a difference. This has been the essence of my educational philosophy since starting teaching many years ago. We have had the pleasure of meeting many parents so far but if we are yet to meet, we look forward to making your acquaintance in the very near future.

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• Flatulence, constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome • Large fluctuations in weight from day to day, overweight, obesity • Headaches, migraine • AD(H)D • Inflammatory skin diseases (neurodermatitis, psoriasis) • Joint pains • Frequent tiredness after meals • Intolerance to certain foods • Fasting leads to the receding of the complaints

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Continual stomach and bowel problems (flatulence, constipation, irritable bowel) or headaches and skin problems over many years (itchiness, neurodermatitis, psoriasis), chronic tiredness and obesity?

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The cause of many of these chronic complaints has not yet been clarifi ed. The treatments largely revolve around the treatment of the symptoms. Unfortunately, the causes have not been tackled. Treatment lasting several years can be necessary - and some forms of therapy invariably involve unpleasant side effects. Or the cause may remain unclear in spite of a range of examinations and the complaints continue.

You are then provided an individual dietary recommendation on the basis of your personal test results: You find out the foods you should avoid eating for a certain time and you also get a personal recipe book with suggestions for tasty meals that you can enjoy as an alternative.

Important for you to know: Chronic discomforts can be triggered by delayed food allergies.

Ask your therapist about ImuPro300. They will provide non-binding advice as to whether ImuPro300 could provide you with a form of treatment that promises success.

The decisive question is: What is the cause of the discomforts and what triggers them? Only when this question has been answered is it possible to successfully fight the complaints.

Today we know that many chronic pains can be caused by inflammation reactions. Food products can also cause these inflammations - when certain antibodies are created. These antibodies can be uncovered with blood tests. This means you gain a picture of which foods can cause what complaints.

Many people are thought to suffer from a so-called delayed food allergy without knowing it. The complaints are often wideranging and only occur several hours or even days after the consumption of the relevant food product. For this reason it can be helpful to look for these foods with a blood test and to make them, visible‘ in this way.

www.imupro300.ro Additional information is available from: S.C. Imupro Distribution S.R.L ImuPro Distributor - Romania & Moldova T. +40 735 303 001, F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@imupro300.ro www.imupro300.ro

Gruia is hoping to pursue a career in medicine

BSB Congratulates

Gruia

We are pleased to announce that Gruia, our Head Boy, is the recipient of the 2014 COBIS/King’s Group Student Leadership Scholarship. Following the Leadership Conference in Madrid in October, participants were invited to submit short films about their experience. The films were assessed by a selection committee and Gruia was selected as the winner of the scholarship which will be awarded when he is enrolled at university. “The experience accumulated in Madrid has proven to be a most invaluable asset for my future. Public speaking, presentation tactics and applied media strategies were all skills developed during the conference. Constantly exciting and without a dull moment, the Student Leadership Conference was a well-knit combination of Madrid’s art, King’s College’s wisdom and the World’s knowledge” says Gruia.

The happy couple celebrated their day with friends and family

David and Courtney Hughes Everybody loves a wedding and that was certainly the case earlier this term when our Head of Physical Education, David Hughes, married Courtney. David’s family and friends descended on Bucharest from Wales as did Courtney’s from the United States. The service and reception were attended by many of their colleagues and the bride and groom had a truly memorable day. The weather held fair and after a service in town the couple entertained their guests at a lavish reception. After a brief sojourn in the mountains with their newly extended family, the couple returned to work and will be taking an extended honeymoon over the winter vacation when they visit Thailand.

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15TH ANNIVERSARY

by Simon Lambert

P

upils and students have been hard at work, pestering teachers and parents alike, completing the challenges they were set as part of the 15th Anniversary celebrations.

It is pleasing to see so many children, especially from the Lower School, proudly sporting the Bronze and Silver award badges. Extra special mention must be made of Dana in Year 6 who was the first recipient of the Gold Award, presented to her by the Principal.

ANNIVERSARY Dana was interrogated for quite 2000 - 2015 some time on her challenges and presented the evidence of completion in the booklet as well as answering questions on the whys and wherefores of the challenges. It’s now up to the students in the Secondary School to rise to the challenge and demonstrate the same commitment that is being exhibited by the younger students.

lifetime and keeping in touch with former classmates can prove invaluable as students move through the world of work. Some of our students have already been friends for years as the pictures illustrate and your classmates now could well be your University colleagues or workmates in the future.

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Friends for life. Then...

Plans are at an advanced stage for the 15th Anniversary Ball that will be held in May and I look forward to sharing all of those details with you very early in the New Year. It is certainly going to be an evening not to be missed and will be, without doubt, the highlight of the social calendar.

As we move towards our inspection in May we are continuing to work on a complete database of all of the students that ever crossed the threshold of BSB. This database will enable us to officially launch our Alumni association and we are grateful for the help of new Marketing and Boarding Intern Nour in this endeavor.

If you are aware of the current whereabouts of any of our alumni please do get in touch. We hope that, in future, this will lead to reunions and networking opportunities for existing and former students. Friendships cultivated during time at school can last a

...and now 1 5 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y 11

FROM THE ENGINE ROOM

by Simon Lambert It has been another busy half term for the Admissions and Marketing department as we continue to welcome prospective parents to the school as they begin to look at their schooling options for the next academic year. The new registration files are being prepared and will be sent home with students as soon as we return after the Christmas vacation. Please look out for them and, if you are returning next year please return them to school as soon as possible. With pressure on places in certain year groups it is essential that places are reserved and fees are paid early to avoid any disappointment.

Work is continuing on developing relationships within the wider community with visits to many other areas of the country planned for early in the new year. We have already been welcomed by the Chamber of Commerce in Ploiesti and we are spreading the BSB word far and wide as we look for students to join our community in the new Boarding House which is due to open in September.

Children can enjoy a full breakfast each morning

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This time last year plans were well advanced for the inaugural COBIS Marketing Conference and this year we are working hard to ensure that all of the visitors for the COBIS Debating Competition in February enjoy their trip to BSB, when we will be hosting visitors from as far afield as Mexico.

I would like to thank all of the companies and parents who have supported our ventures this year and I look forward to working with you all next year as we move the reregistration process forward as smoothly as we did this year. If there are any questions involving the process please get in touch.

Finally, we have recently introduced a Breakfast club where pupils and students can come to school for a nutritional meal to ensure that they start the day in the right way. If you are interested please visit the parent portal or ask for further details via the office.

BOARDING

by Matthew Cox My most recent visit to the boarding house was both exciting and optimistic, as the future is rapidly coming to life at Arghezi House.

This new, prestigious project is developing at an excellent rate, with lots of construction work taking place as I write. Looking around Arghezi house it is easy to imagine it swarming with Y7-Y13 boarders, and of course, filling up with that “family” feeling that BSB has always provided. If you are interested in our boarding house and would like to take a tour please do not hesitate to contact me.

The construction team has been working hard to create an amazing space for up to 28 resident students. Beautiful bathrooms are being prepared for all residents using high quality materials – again in keeping with BSB! The bedrooms are also being partitioned to make rooms that can accommodate between 1 and 4 students, with single rooms provided for the older residents. It really is looking like an exceptional place for some of our pupils to live.

We met the interior designer who has been working hard on adding her own touches around the house. She has already reformed walls around the entire house working closely with the school on each new stage. Most importantly, all the windows and stairs are installed with safety railings to ensure full security for all the future boarders. Safety and security for all will always remain paramount issues in our BSB boarding house. On another positive note, Nour Chehab, who is a BSB alumna, has joined our Boarding staff team and is helping to ensure the house is a great environment our residents. Nour will also be assisting BSB with the new alumni programme. Arghezi House is a great property for a boarding house. The major renovations will continue apace, and the majority of the project will be completed by the start of February 2015. As mentioned, if you have an interest in BSB boarding and wish to visit Arghezi House please do contact us at school.

BOARDING at BSB - from September 2015

For further information contact admissions@britishschool.ro

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Business English Course + University Of Cambridge Certification Could your English language skills be holding you back? Perhaps they’re preventing you from getting the job you want or from performing with confidence at interviews, or even stopping you get ahead at work. If these examples ring true, then this course can help – whether English is your first or second language, it will give you new skills to help ensure confident reading, listening, speaking and writing in English, in a typical office or business setting The course lasts approximately 50 hours and is provided in an e-learning format so you can learn at home, at a pace to suit you. You’ll need broadband internet access and as listening and speaking are key to the course you’ll also need a headset and microphone. Should you need additional support, you’ll also have the help of a Pitman Training Course Advisor, based at one of our handy training centres.

Comprising 50 lessons, Business English is also packed with hundreds of interactive exercises. We also use sound and video to create an enjoyable experience, based on the kind of written and spoken English found in a work or business situation. To benefit fully, you’ll need to be able to express in English your opinions and understand instructions. The course has been carefully designed to a European standard - the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). It is suitable for learners at levels B1 to C1 on the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and will give you the skills you need to take the University of Cambridge ESOL BULATS examination – you can take this test at the Pitman Training centre too.

Guideline Learning Time 50 hours (Actual course duration will vary from individual to individual)

Designed for Anyone who, having started to learn English, wants to improve their skills and meet the language requirements of an office or business.

Anyone looking for the flexibility of learning English in an online setting.

Objectives To provide the skills for confident reading, listening, speaking and writing in English. To provide the language skills needed in a typical office or business setting. To prepare the learner for the University of Cambridge ESOL BULATS exam; this exam can also be taken at the Pitman Training Centre.

Course Content The online modules are split into 50 lessons with hundreds of interactive practice exercises. Sound and video are used to create an enjoyable learning experience.

The exercises will improve your skills and are based on the kind of written and spoken English found in a work or business situation.

The course is in three sections: Reading and Listening Module (30 hours) Speaking Module (10 hours) Writing Module (10 hours)

Topics covered include: Careers and Recruitment Service Industry Wholesale and Retail Company Performance Communications Career and work-focused learning Practice exercises for the University of Cambridge ESOL BULATS exam

For more details or to enrol on the course call Denisa the course coordinator on 021 317 47 64 or drop her an email: denisa.bancau@bptc.ro.

For more information about Bucharest Professional Training College and Pitman Training UK-Romania:

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www.bptc.ro www.bptc.ro/pitman www.pitman-training.ro

PRIMARY SCHOOL REVIEW

Robert Ford Head of Lower School

As we come to the end of an exciting first term it is an opportunity to reflect on the events that have taken place and look forward to the developments that await us in the year to come.

BSB is a school which encourages innovation. Each class in primary now has a set of iPads and these are being used in exciting and creative ways to support and enhance the learning of the students across the curriculum. They have been used to produce books, augmented reality trails, videos, assessments and as a tool to enable children to interact with the teaching. As we move forward next term we will be exploring further opportunities for children to share their learning between home and school.

Many classes of students have experienced the new Primary Learning Lab. This room enables teachers to trial alternative ways of using technology to support teaching and learning. The room includes an interactive table, iMac, Apple TV and bean bags which allow the students to enjoy learning in an informal setting. This is a perfect place for students to bring their iPads and we will also have green screen capability soon.

It has also been a privilege to start working with primary students directly in the new Design and Technology workshop. This fantastic facility incorporates a wide range of equipment and provides the students with an outlet to unleash their creativity. Next term I will be making sure that more opportunities are provided for primary children to make use of this exciting resource.

This term the students have completed some online assessments to give us a clear picture of their strengths and areas for development. We have also started to evaluate their attitudes to

learning and these will be studied to help further develop a school in which the children feel valued and listened to. This has been supported by the involvement of Mr Batson and Miss Stevens with the Primary Student Council who are encouraging the children to share their thoughts about the changes they would like to see in school.

The staff are constantly looking at new and exciting ways to deliver the curriculum and ensure the students have deeper learning experiences. We are reviewing the curriculum across the primary school to ensure depth and breadth of coverage. Several parents have expressed an interest in finding out how we teach key areas of the curriculum in order to effectively support their child’s learning at home. In the new year we will be holding a number of parent workshops on topics such as reading and supporting children with maths. We intend to have input from the children in these sessions too.

“The staff are constantly looking at new and exciting ways to deliver the curriculum and ensure the students have deeper learning experiences.�

This has been a successful term and I am proud to be working with such an excellent staff who provide wonderful learning experiences for our willing and attentive students. Many thanks for your continued support and we wish you all the very best as we head into 2015.

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EYFS

Autumn and Winter fun in Crib and Crèche

by Claire O’Brien and Raina Myson As we approach the festive season the children have had the opportunity to make and design their own Christmas decorations which will be used to decorate the classroom. This has given them the opportunity to develop their sensory skills by carrying out different craft activities which focus on using different textures and materials which they find amongst the many craft boxes within the classroom. As well as indoor activities the children were able to capitalise on some good weather and have been exploring the outdoor play area. The children particularly seem to enjoy their trips around the school grounds in the “Crib tour bus”.

A tour of the campus is always fun in the school ‘bus’

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Crèche have been enjoying the autumn days as well. They have taken inspiration from all the change in colours and falling leaves to create some great art work, as well as making nature crowns to help engage themselves in some imaginative role play. There is now a realistic forest in the classroom, complete with leaves, acorns, pinecones and some forest animals. It makes for a very cozy place to sit and read.

Showing off beautifully crafted crowns whilst enjoying outside play

The onset of autumn always provides children with plenty of materials for exciting artwork

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EYFS

Preschool

by Priscilla Varban and Katherine Dibble With the cold weather and holidays approaching the Preschool children have been busy learning about weather, seasons and different holidays: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and of course preparing for our winter Production ‘Festive Sing Along’.

The children worked very hard at learning all the songs for the production with Mr. Jonathan our EYFS music teacher who has been working with our EYFS pupils for the past seven years.

We have also used the opportunity given to us by the early snowfall to enjoy exploring ice, snow, sink and float activities, by

Making the most of the sunshine in the Ringwood playground

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far the most popular, activities were painting with ice and painting outdoor on snow.

The preschool teachers and TA’s would like to wish all of our parents a wonderful winter break and Happy Holidays!

We thank you for all your support in helping us to deliver the highest quality education for your children and we look forward to seeing you back at school in January.

Learning through Drama in Reception

by Isobel Ford and Kayleigh Evans Towards the end of the autumn term in Reception we have had a lot of fun presenting our winter production. This year we put on a drama called ‘Scarecrow’s Christmas’. This involved singing and dancing as well as speaking and acting opportunities.

An important aspect of drama with young children is that, when approached in a positive and focused manner, it can build confidence, develop speaking and listening skills, encourage positive group interaction and can increase a child’s selfawareness within a group.

In Reception at BSB we know that these skills are the building blocks of early learning. By promoting music and drama, and giving children the time and opportunity to use their speaking and listening skills for a range of purposes we are giving children some of the most important tools for learning and for life.

The children worked as a team to develop the production, listening carefully to instructions and doing a great job. We were very proud of them all for their contributions and it was fantastic to see them enjoying themselves on stage.

There were plenty of opportunities for everyone to take part in the winter production

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KS1

Museum trips and more in Key Stage 1 Y1 have continued to shine and to have fun this term and one of the many highlights has been the trip to the Village Museum.

The children learnt about the differences between houses we live in now and ones that children used to live in, here in Romania.

Children were shocked and surprised to find out that lots of houses that children used to live in only had two rooms! They also found no evidence of electricity (so no iPad fun), and when it came to having a bath they had to go outside to the well to collect the water. Everyone agreed that life was probably very hard work in those days!

Amongst other things, in Maths the pupils have been looking at time. The children found it fun to act out being the minute hand because it goes round the clock much faster than the hour hand.

They used a stop watch to see how many times the teachers could write their names in a minute – Mr Rodman won that one! The pupils also discovered that a minute is much longer than they thought when jumping up and down: do try that at home and see how you feel about it!

As the weather started to cool down Y1 decided that the birds needed feeding and they set to work using Design and Technology skills to make bird feeders. The children chose the materials, fixed

them together and found a sensible place to put them. They are just waiting for the birds to come flocking.

Along with making a mess on Science day, an autumn sculpture afternoon, comparing the size of sea animals, composing winter poems and introducing new roles as Eco-warriors, Y1 have had a busy term and have certainly earned their holiday! Everyone is looking forward to the Christmas holiday and doing it all again in the Spring term.

Y2 has had a fantastic half term learning about a variety of different celebrations and festivals. The children have explored Bonfire night, Diwali, Lantern Festival, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas. Recently Y2 had the wonderful opportunity of going to the Jewish History Museum when learning all about Hanukkah. Each child was excited and impressed with how beautiful the building was and how much they learnt about Jewish people, along with how and why they celebrate Hanukkah.

The museum was filled with brilliant artifacts that the children commented on and were excited to discuss on their return to school. Y2 have been able to take part in many activities each week that relate to their topic and were just as enthusiastic and excited about visiting the synagogue.

PTA funds were used to purchase ukeleles for the Lower School music department

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Y1 made delicious cookies for their bake sale

The trip to the Village Museum was a highlight of this term

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Preparing for the KS1 Festive Fayre

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Pupils enjoying the surroundings of the library for research

Collaborative work in the classroom

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KS2

Egyptians, Aztecs, Poetry and Science – a busy half term in Key Stage 2 This half term, although they had our usual topic work, Y3 were totally engrossed in becoming poets and their English lessons focused on this. This began with the preparations for enrichment day where the pupils had 2 whole days of creativity during which children learnt a lot about how to create Haiku’s, Couplets and Kennings all on winter theme. They were so enthusiastic about sharing their hard work with parents and other visitors in the year group assembly. The poetry theme continued during rehearsals for the winter production. They practiced with voice and body to perform poetry with some very creative and interesting results!

The creativity continued to flow while making wonderful woven winter snowflakes and the artistic talents of the children were in good use when painting pictures in the style of Nicolae Grigorescu, whose life and work was researched and placed on a chronological timeline in History.

The children in Y4 were given a fantastic opportunity to visit an exhibition all about Ancient Egypt. The children have spent a long time learning about the Egyptians and their past. The exhibition offered a variety of items for the children to see, feel and even smell. They learnt about the process of mummification and they were lucky enough to see inside a pyramid and see the different hieroglyphics and inscriptions that were painted on the walls.

The best part of the trip for most of the children was either getting the opportunity to dress up as a Pharaoh or to experience being mummified. Children also got to lie in a sarcophagus and imagine what it would be like to be buried amongst the tombs in the pyramid. The children made special Ancient Egyptian artefacts such as amulets, a sign of protection, and Egyptian bracelets.

All of the children took away his or her name, as it would have been written in hieroglyphics. The pupils were all astonished to learn that the Great Pyramid of Giza was the tallest building in the world for four thousand years – in fact until the Eiffel Tower was constructed in 1889.

We have written reports about life in Ancient Egypt and newspaper accounts revealing the truth behind the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen, the famous curse thought to be associated with the mysterious death of Lord Caernarvon and of course described the fabulous riches that were found in the tomb.

In science Y4 undertook an experiment with an Egyptian theme

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- ‘mummifying a hot dog’ - using baking powder and a sandwich box before moving on to a new topic, ‘States of matter’. They looked right out into the universe and realised that everything that exists anywhere is made of the same group of materials. The pupils also observed that some materials change state when they are heated or cooled, and that in some cases this is reversible, but in others it is not. Finally they started to study the water cycle and the role played by evaporation and condensation in this process.

Y5 realised that they had a few chefs in their midst after the baking extravaganza in Kitchen Chemistry. They discussed the effects of baking powder; 5K made delicious pizzas, 5H created a hot milk cake and scrumptious fruit shortbread. They learnt a little bit more about the wonderful country that we are currently living in from plotting important geographical features and discussing the monarchy. The teachers were impressed with the enthusiasm and awareness that Y5 have about their home or host country. Indeed, after seeing some of the children pose with their crowns on everyone wondered whether or not they all had blue blood!

Pupils had a lot of fun creating a self-portrait using paper in the style of Sher Christopher as part of the portrait competition that is currently being exhibited throughout the school and the pupils had a blast during Science week when they participated in a full range of experiments. This included the grand finale of a rocket launch using vinegar, a plastic bottle and bicarbonate of soda. It was wonderful to be able to show parents and fellow pupils all of their hard work this term during assembly and Y5 would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for coming. It was their favorite moment of term and they were all really proud of their work and presentations.

It has also been another very busy term in Y6 in which they have produced an abundance of high quality work! The children started a topic all about Chocolate and the Aztecs, which proved to be really interesting. They learnt all about this ancient civilization (including the architecture), looked at repeating patterns based on Aztec Art, the different roles people played in society and of course the history of chocolate! They all really enjoyed doing some taste testing!

Sharing classwork with parents during year group assembly They have also studied the story of Anne Frank during the English topic on biographies. The pupils learnt about what happened to her using a range of texts and sources and considered why this was such an important piece of historical non-fiction that is still relevant to people today. Great fun was had during the two winter anthology days, working with Mr Batson on the MacBooks to create an original composition using photographs and writing

some fabulous winter poems based on different genres. It was fabulous getting stuck into a project and writing for pleasure. To top it all off, there has been a fantastic, festive feeling on the Y6 corridor as they prepared for their concert. The costumes sparkled, children sang in harmony and everyone enjoyed the children’s winter poems!

K S 2 25

Masterchef! Some hidden talents were discovered in the kitchen

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Swimming lessons have continued for KS2

The Aztec topic provided opportunities for history, artwork and chocolate tasting!

K S 2 27

Me and my pet

by Sofia This is me with my Mexican pet Maquina who I simply call Dog. She was named by my dad as it is a nickname of his football team in Mexico City, Cruz Azul. Maquina has had quite a tough life. She was abandoned by her previous owners and whilst living on the streets was badly hit by a car. Luckily, a kind stranger found her, took her to a vet and then we adopted her. She has since made a full recovery although she likes to sleep a lot. When Maquina lets me (which isn’t very often), I try to brush her fur, cuddle her and more recently check she is breathing with my toy doctor’s stethoscope.

Dog - abandoned when a puppy but now enjoing a happier life

ECIS CONFERENCE

by Charlotte Sloan In November, two of our Primary teachers, Catherine Passmore and Charlotte Sloan were fortunate enough attend the ECIS Conference on ‘Inspiring Education’ in Nice, France. Although both teachers have interests that lie in different areas of education they both found the conference informative and interesting. There was a large variety of workshops available to take part in and whilst Charlotte would have loved to have had an insight into all of them she focused mainly on Computing, iPad and Technology based seminars. “I developed and consolidated my understanding of how best to integrate technology into the classroom and have come away with interesting and fun ideas on how best to use the iPads and technology. I learnt a lot during several workshops but particularly enjoyed those run by Apple-trained Educator; Joe Moretti. Moretti has visited our school several times and has been a huge influence on how we use iPads as both a teaching and learning tool. Moretti educated us on not only how to enhance learning through the use of technology but on how to make learning accessible to all”.

Catherine decided to attend some of the seminars that extended her knowledge of being in the classroom and making learning

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central to the children at the early stages of schooling. “I took part in a seminar that was all about developing children’s dramatic approach through different drama activities. This was very engaging as I became the student and learned new strategies for helping the children express themselves through play and in several different ways. I also attended a seminar about Science within the classroom and how to structure the experiments we teach. This was about scaffolding the children’s learning and allowing them to continue to be engaged and enthusiastic about science whilst developing the science skills they need. This year we have created a new Design and Technology room, therefore I decided to attend a seminar on ‘The Callabotory’ which was based solely on using the space we have to its fullest potential and making it accessible for children of all ages to lead their own learning and create their own experiences”.

Both teachers came away from the conference inspired with new and exciting ideas that they will now feedback to colleagues. This, in turn, will hopefully inspire other teachers to take their teaching and learning to the next stage.

WINTER PRODUCTIONS

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W I N T E R P R O D U C T I O N S 31

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Photo: BSB

UNIVERSITIES Budding journalists in the editorial room at Primary Newspaper

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by Charlotte Smith

C

hildren across KS1 and KS2 have thoroughly enjoyed their Friday afternoons this term in Universities. There have been an abundance of different courses offered to the children from circus school to capoeira.

The children have learnt lots of practical skills outside of their normal lessons.

“Universities are always fun but this term they were especially good. I went to Bake Off with Miss Whiteman and we were so organised and

Hard at work in Arts on the Move

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learnt lots of new cookery skills. We invited our parents on the last day and they got try all of our delicious recipes. Universities are getting better and better!”

Lukas – Y6S

Technology and imagination coming to life in the Stop Motion University

Using creativity in the art of zentangling

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CLUBS Talents unearthed in the school orchestra

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Photo: BSB

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The success of the school sports teams is helped by the attendance at after school clubs

Students are busy studying IGCSE Astronomy

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The Robotics CCA under the close supervision of an expert

C L U B S 39

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

PTA Review – Parents emerge victorious in annual quiz

by Giorgiana Tecuci Paltineanu - Chairwoman A cold night in November saw the annual extravaganza that is the PTA Quiz. We were delighted to see so many new faces in attendance including representatives from different nationalities.

Unfortunately the Principal’s voice had given in and her role was taken by Catherine Noble. Her humour and quick-witted ripostes to the heckling, particularly from the teachers, was appreciated by all and sundry.

This year saw a very close contest with the final outcome not decided until the last round. Eventually the winners were declared and it was a pleasure to see a new band of parents, the WOTS, emerging victorious. The teachers who came second were handicapped by the red card issued to one of its’ members early in the evening. They were simply unable to overcome this selfinflicted handicap!

We hope that winners will return to defend the trophy next year.

Our thanks go to DonCafe and the Crowne Plaza for providing the prizes and to Serve for their contribution towards the

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refreshments.

We have also enjoyed yet another successful Artisan Fair. Thank you to all of the parents who contributed to the fantastic array of prizes in the raffle and for their assistance on the day. We trust that you all enjoyed a wonderful afternoon. The event would not have been possible without the sterling work of Catherine and our thanks to her and all of the artisans who came and sold their wares.

There will be some new students joining the school in January and we hope that you will all welcome the parents into the school community. We look forward to seeing them at one of our coffee mornings early in the New Year.

May I take this opportunity to wish you all a restful winter break and a happy and prosperous New Year.

SECONDARY SCHOOL REVIEW

Philip Walters Head of Secondary School

There has been much in the UK press recently concerning A-Level reforms being pushed through by the current government. These examinations assessed by Examination Boards working on behalf of the government and universities represent a gateway to universities worldwide and the final two years of the traditional British education system – Years 12 & 13. For the past twenty years, the final grade at A-Level was based on a number of exams taken at different points across two years of study including the significant AS (Advanced Subsidiary) exams which were largely taken at the end of Y12 and comprised 50% of the total mark.

In this modular format there was a chance for students to resit modules giving an opportunity to improve grades. This process had two other distinct advantages. Universities could see the grades achieved so far by a student when they applied for a place and students could drop subjects at the halfway point while still receiving a formal (AS) qualification.

From next September, however, the UK government has decided that A-levels will return to being a linear two-year qualification, similar to when I was at school, with exams taken just once at the end of the two years’ study. The mid-point AS exams will still be available as a standalone qualification but it is currently unclear how many of the subjects will have materials which easily overlap and Ministers appear to imagine that students will either do the AS or the A-level, but not both, which is something that I imagine many schools will struggle to offer practically and many students and families will struggle to make subject pathway decisions with confidence.

This situation is complicated by the looming election in the UK with promises from opposition parties that reforms will be revoked and by Exam Board procrastination on releasing syllabus content for courses due to start in September 2015.

Cambridge University recently added a further twist when it encouraged schools to maintain AS

examinations reasoning that without AS grades students will be selected for university places based on less-recent GCSEs alongside predicted grades, which can be unreliable depending on the institutions involved. It seems likely that other universities will throw their weight behind this request.

We have obviously monitored progress carefully and as an international school I can assure you that we are, thankfully, to a large extent immune to some of these issues. Over the past few years CIE and Edexcel (the two examination boards that we use) have developed International A-Levels in many subjects

“our students intending to study at UK universities may ultimately benefit via improved access to elite universities” and these examinations are not affected by recent UK government reforms in that they retain the AS and modular format. Importantly in the past 12 months the Russell Group and all other UK universities have confirmed that they consider International A-Levels identical to A-Levels. We will follow several of these International A-Level courses but also have the option to choose linear A-Level courses in certain subjects where that will be more suited to our students.

I have sympathy for colleagues in the UK; even if schools and colleges can pick their way through the minefield in the UK and find a sensible way to deal with this for their students, it is likely that results in the summer of 2017 will bring problems for many students there. The good news is that I believe we will not be affected adversely and indeed those of our students intending to study at UK universities may ultimately benefit via improved access to elite universities. We introduced these topics at a recent parent workshop and remain, as ever, willing to discuss examination routes and higher education admissions procedures with parents at any time.

S E C O N D A R Y R E V I E W 41

Mr Tolosa from the IMF gave a fabulous talk as part of Symposium!

Business is booming

by Gordon Robertson

The Business Studies and Economics Department continues to grow this academic year at BSB. We are currently offering Business Studies IGCSE and Business and Economics AS/A Level Courses. In addition to the academic courses that we offer we have run the many activities this term that supplement the learning in the classroom.

In October The British Romanian Chambers of Commerce (BRCC) kindly invited our students to attend their Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Wilbrook Platinum Business and Convention Centre.

This was an excellent opportunity for The Junior British Romanian

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Chambers of Commerce (JBRCC) and our current Y11-Y13 Business and Economics students to oversee the various activities carried out at BRCC. The main topics that were covered included the election of new members to the Board of Directors of BRCC, the receiving of the accounts for the last financial year together with the reports of both the Directors and Auditors and finally, the re-appointment of the latter alongside details of the their remuneration in line with the renewal of their contract. At the end of the meeting, which was a lively affair, there was an opportunity for the students to network with the members of the BRCC over

a buffet and the feedback from the committee and elected members of the Chamber was very positive. We look forward to further opportunities for our students to learn from similar real world experiences, as they are equally important in the study of both Business and Economics. Messrs. Lambert and Robertson were very pleased with the students involved and they were great ambassadors for the school. We would also like to extend our thanks to Raymond Bredon and the BRCC members for the warm welcome we received and providing such a valuable learning experience for our students.

The Marketing Department at school are now forging links with other Chambers of Commerce in Bucharest as well as The Chambers of Commerce and Industry further afield in Romania and, as a department, we look forward to building on these links for further educational and work experience opportunities for our older students.

Our work experience programme has already started this year with Y11 and Y12 students busy creating their CVs and Personal Statements as well as selecting their choices, under the guidance of Miss Straw and Mr. Robertson. The aim of work experience is to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills in a variety of practical working environments. Last academic year our students participated in various areas including: Architecture, Business, Engineering, Events Management, Law, Marketing, Media, Medicine and Hospitality. If there are any parents that would like to offer a work placement to any of our students, please email the office and your details will be passed directly to Mr. Robertson.

Simon Lambert, BSB’s Director of Admissions, Marketing and PR kindly led a question and answer session on Marketing for the Y11 IGCSE Business students. The students quizzed Mr. Lambert on various Marketing concepts that BSB employs and this provided an excellent opportunity for the students to apply their knowledge to a practical situation and draw from the experience of Mr. Lambert himself. Topics covered included Market Research, Product, Price, Promotion, Place and Market-Share. The students’ questions were insightful, thought provoking and demonstrated a clear grasp of Marketing and Business theory. Indeed, Mr. Lambert was glad to escape the session unscathed!

As part of the ‘Symposium’ series of lectures organized by Mr. Cox, the Romanian representative of the International Monetary

Fund entertained the Y10-Y13 students. This was a huge coup for the school as the BRCC had been trying to arrange for Mr. Tolosa to speak at one of their breakfast briefings. His enlightening talk on the workings of the IMF provided the students with a valuable insight into the workings of the money markets and the support that the IMF has given to various countries over the years.

The Y9 students were involved in a Business Studies and Economics taster session. This provided the students a short insight into the IGCSE Business and Economics courses that we deliver informed them of the contents of the subjects before the students make their formal subject choices for next academic year. The Y10 IGCSE Business group joined with the Y12 AS Economics group to play a market simulation based on the trading of crude oil and the effects of changes in market conditions on the predicted prices of barrels. The students aimed to buy and sell barrels of oil to take advantage of predicted market conditions.

The Y12 Business class took part in a revision class where they were appointed subject experts and had to create and present their work at the end of the lesson.

Groups of students from Y7-Y12 have worked together to produce goods and activities to sell at the Halloween Party and Artisan Fair. Some of the projects that the students have taken part in include: creating international Christmas recipes to sell, making and selling fortune cookies, selling bags of sweets and importing and distributing iPhone cases. Students Y10-13 have been taking part in the student investor challenge where they sell and buy shares on the stock market. The prices of the shares are directly linked to the FTTSE 100. Next term the Enterprise Club will be working on the marketing materials for the school production and we look forward to their application of business expertise to help promote the Secondary students’ production of ‘Grease’.

Apparently that’s the word!

Other planned activities that will be happening in the Business department this academic year include a House Business Studies Quiz, the return of the always popular Dragons Den and an Enterprise Day especially for Key Stage 3 students. As the Sixth Form continues to grow in number we are looking forward to welcoming more students to the department. Therefore, if you are interested in pursuing a career in business, economics, law or politics, why not consider Economics or Business Studies?

B U S I N E S S 43

SECONDARY SCHOOL

Science Week

by Claire Sugdon Science week commenced with a house quiz in which panels of students fought to show-off their subject knowledge. This was a closely contested competition, but congratulations go to Argeș, who eventually triumphed. Further congratulations should also go to the very knowledgeable Y7 student who knew that Rosalind Franklin played a part in the discovery of DNA. Very well done!

This year, we adopted a ‘Space’ theme to Science week. Students in Key Stage 3 & 4 all attended workshops to look at a variety of Space related scenarios. These included investigating ice cores to find evidence of alien life, considering the effect a meteor impact would have on the Earth and returning astronauts safely to Earth at the end of a mission. An exciting context to an investigation

allows the creativity of the students to shine through and Science week proved to be no exception to this.

Staff were also keen to show their creativity by providing a series of eye-catching and thought-provoking lunchtime demonstrations throughout the week. These demonstrations proved to be highly popular with students, although some of our ceilings may never be the same again!

We look forward to developing a new theme for next year’s Science week which will capture the imagination of the students as effectively as ‘Space’ did this year. Well done to all those students who participated so actively throughout the week.

Challenges came in many shapes and sizes including balancing objects using levers

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Shock and awe! Crazy experiments were the order of the week

Taking exciting science to Ringwood

S E C O N D A R Y S C H O O L 45

Taking a gap year before starting University

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Ms. Phoebe

I really enjoyed my two months with BSB in June and July of last academic year. It was an honour to work with such enthusiastic pupils, dedicated staff, and to be able to interact with the lovely parents in the wider BSB community. As some of you may be aware, I was due to start reading Medicine at the University of Birmingham this academic year, but I deferred my place. By doing so, I will be able to spend six months of my gap year in India with the Russ Foundation.

Russ Foundation is a relatively small charity, located in Tamil Nadu, Southern India. The main objective of the Russ Foundation is to provide disadvantaged and orphaned children with a safe and secure environment in which they can live, grow, and be happy. In addition to the girls’ and boys’ homes, Russ Foundation offers support to the wider community by way of nutrition packs,

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counselling, medical care, and general support to marginalised people, many of whom have been forced into prostitution through poverty. Russ Foundation offers support and guidance to these people who have no choice, and provides protection to ensure that the spread of HIV is reduced as much as possible. Taking a gap year between Upper Sixth and starting Higher Education definitely will not suit everyone. However, if your gap year can complement your further studies and may help you in your future, then go for it! The world is your oyster, remember how fortunate you are! I am sending my best wishes to everyone for the forthcoming academic year and exams. I hope that all of you have a great time celebrating the 15th anniversary of your wonderful school.

We Were Happy to BSB in London!

Y7-11 London Theatre Trip 2014

by Natalie Curtis London is the place for me. London – this lovely city. I couldn’t say it better than Lord Kitchener, and nor could Matthew Cox or the fourteen students that were jetting away from Bucharest on 18th November. We were ready for five jam-packed days of culture in the cosmopolitan capital of the UK. As the plane descended into Heathrow, there were squeals of excitement at the bright lights below us, which continued well into our coach journey to Earls Court. After checking in, we marched off into the night for a delicious Italian meal at Pierino’s in South Kensington. The walk was a little too much for some, with Alexander (Y7) almost falling asleep in his pasta!

On Wednesday, we headed into the centre of town to see some of the most notable places in the city – Trafalgar Square, Downing Street and the National Portrait Gallery, where Ilinca (Y10) was particularly impressed by the blood sculpture. Then, it was time for the first of our many theatre experiences – Macbeth by the National Youth Theatre. It was a stirring performance, with Lady Macbeth stealing the show as the hand-washing heroine. From there, we raced to China Town, where we feasted on a huge array of Chinese dishes before heading over to the London Eye to see the big city from on high. There were sixteen very tired people on the way home that night!

Thursday saw our group descend upon the Science Museum, where Matthew Cox was delighted to find old BBC vans and Ana

Maria (Y9) was brave enough to take on the flight simulator.

We moved over to the Natural History Museum, home to plants, animals and dinosaurs, before getting our skates on and heading to the ice rink. Everyone survived intact, although Alexandru (Y9) was a little sore! That evening, we saw the sights of the Hard Rock Café, where we were particularly impressed by the enormous array of memorabilia. Once we’d taken everything in, we scooted off to the West End for a showing of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: The Musical. Simply put, it was phenomenal; staff and students were delighted with the impressive transition from novel (or film) to stage, and were humming the tunes all the way home.

Our final day took us on a wander along the river and past the Globe, before leading us straight to the Tate Modern – certainly a contrast to the NPG! It was then time for our final theatre trip – back to the Ambassador’s Theatre for the NYT’s production of Private Peaceful. There were some moist eyes at the end, after a moving performance of Michael Morpurgo’s novel of brothers in World War One. After a busy few days, it was a treat to have a nice, relaxing wander amongst the Christmas lights of Covent Garden Market, before heading for some traditional British fish and chips.

Sleepy but satisfied, we returned to welcome-home smiles on Saturday morning. It was a delightful trip, with wonderful behaviour from the students throughout. I would like to thank everyone involved who helped to make it such a success.

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Geneva Conference

by Corina Gheorghe In October 2014, COBIS held a Conference for Bursars, Business Managers and HR Staff hosted by Geneva English School. I was honoured and proud to represent BSB. The whole Conference was an insightful, enlightening and inspiring one. I especially enjoyed the session “Creative problem solving” and meeting a fabulous speaker and author named Andreas Dudas. He spoke about the importance of trust and being authentic. I was amazed and it has changed my way of thinking. It is just magical how you can find a solution for problems only by playing with a paper clip and I would like to share with you an exercise that I participated in at this conference.

Take a piece of paper and draw a compass on it. Take a clip, link it with a thread and then focus to move the clip from N to S without

Finding solutions for impossible problems

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moving your hand. Take 1 or 2 minutes to relax and think about your goal, the best solution, even about ironic solutions to solve the problem (making fun of trouble sometimes could help you to relax). After that try to move the clip without your hand guiding the movement from N to W in clockwise. Does it work? What is happening around you? Well, if it works, which I’m sure it does, it means that you can use the power of your mind to find solutions for things you thought impossible to solve. This exercise opened my mind and made me realise that everything can be sorted by the power of mind. If you focus and don’t get in a panic, logical solutions come to mind easily.

HALLOWEEN Blood on the dance floor

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The costumes were creative, outlandish and ghoulish

Scaredy cats!

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by Elizabeth Citron

O

n the afternoon of Friday 25th October, the annual Secondary Halloween Party took place at BSB. Thanks to the wonderful posters advertising the event, everyone was aware that it was time to get into the spooky spirit and many Secondary pupils and teachers dressed up in their best Halloween costumes.

At 1pm, all students in KS3 gathered in the darkened and decorated Newlands Disco room to be greeted by the School Council and Secondary teachers. As Mr Porter related a scary tale, everyone listened attentively, getting into the mood for Halloween, only to be spooked even further by a group of Drama students who performed a sketch for the occasion. Screams, shouts and eerie music marked the start of the party.

For the next hour and a half, Secondary students enjoyed playing a range of themed games in the PE Hall such as apple-bobbing, fortune telling by Gruia, wrap the mummy and guess the numbers of sweets in the jar. A few Enterprise Club students used the

opportunity to launch their business ideas such as selling bags of sweets and photos taken at the party. There was pizza to eat and lots of cakes, sweets and drinks provided by the PTA and our students. In the Disco room, DJ Allsop had fun spinning his selection of Halloween tunes to get everyone up and moving on the dance floor. At the end of the afternoon prizes were given out for winners of the games and best costumes. Overall, the party was a great way to mark the end of a busy first half-term and to start the holiday. Our thanks go to the PTA and the School Council for coordinating and organising such a fun and successful event.

A great way to end a busy half-term

SECONDARY HALLOWEEN PARTY 51

BSB Bring Home the Silver

by Elizabeth Citron The 6th Winston Churchill Debating competition took place on Monday 24th November at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The 6 teams from Bucharest and Cluj gathered at 9am ready for a full day of debating. The teams were paired up for the prepared debate on the motion that “A government has the right to nudge its society”.

This complex issue was keenly argued but unfortunately BSB were defeated in this round by Bucharest Christian Academy. The first impromptu round followed and our team debated IBSB on the motion “The violent protest is more effective than non-violent protest.” After salient examples including the Cuban missile crisis and American civil rights movement, the result was a draw and BSB went through to the plate semi-final.

BSB took part in their final debate against ISB on animal

experimentation and won the motion to claim the Silver Plate.

In the evening, it was time for the final. Crown Prince Niculae joined the Irish Ambassador and Heads of the British Council and Romanian Debating Society as judges for this prestigious event.

The motion for debate was that “Hosting international sporting events is a good investment for the host country.” The two teams from IBSB and Transylvania College spoke eloquently on this issue and IBSB won the event by a small but deserved margin.

Congratulations to all teams and especially our own Joseph, Ilinca, Dilara, Alexandra and Filippo. I would also like to thanks Abie, Ilinca and Irina in Y11 for being our Chairpersons for the day preparing themselves for the COBIS competition in February. Well done all!

Parent Internet Safety Workshop

by Rod O’Regan This was my first parent workshop for BSB and I have to say what a pleasure it was to see so many parents present. A big thank you goes to all the staff involved with organising the event and to Shazia Walker for co-hosting it with me. The focus for the event was to inform and support parents, enabling them to help keep their children safe whilst using their iPad and going online.

The modern age in which we live has rapidly changing methods of communication and it is arguably becoming more convenient. However, with this convenience there comes potential consequences. The age that students start using social media seems to get younger every year so it is vital that as parents we do not get left behind and know what to do in supporting our children whilst

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using technology to communicate. With smartphones, tablets and computers, staying in touch and going online are a breeze but with this ease there is a cost. Do you know who your child is talking to?

The main reason for the workshop was to inform and show parents what we do with E-Safety, Moodle and iPad use. We covered several topics including what is Moodle (the school VLE) and how it will be used in school; name the App, E-Safety and cyber bullying. We watched some funny and thought provoking videos to show parents what has happened to some children who did not stay safe whilst online. The message that parents walked away with was that they are not alone and BSB is here to support them in showing them and their child how to stay safe whilst using an iPad and going online.

COBIS Pastoral Care Conference

by Jason Porter The importance of strong pastoral care and a well-led pastoral team within a school should not be underestimated. Experienced school leaders state that students’ academic achievements often go hand-in-hand with their sense of well-being, safety and care.

With this in mind, we were delighted to be able to not only propose but also host the first COBIS Pastoral Care Conference which was held at BSB on Friday, 7th and Saturday, 8th November.

We invited three experienced speakers to deliver the training, all of whom have worked for many years in pastoral care, boarding, school inspection and child protection: Mrs Jackie Cox and Mr Paul James from the UK and Matthew Cox, Head of Boarding and Child Protection Officer at BSB. With participants from 23 schools from

all over Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia, the delegate list looked very healthy indeed.

Over the course of the two days delegates received training on a wide range of pastoral matters, including: promoting self-esteem, building a strong tutor team, raising awareness of teenage issues, third culture kids and e-safety, to name but a few. Delegates had a chance to chat with each other and share good practice from their own schools over a wonderful buffet lunch provided by our BSB chef and catering team or over dinner at Caru Cu Bere.

The conference was a real success and provided us all with powerful practical advice and insights into some complex and sensitive themes and looks set to become a regular COBIS event.

Delegates came for far afield to enjoy two days of networking and workshops

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SECONDARY SPORTS

Sports at BSB

by David Hughes This has arguably been BSB’s most successful term for sport in our 15 year history. On the football pitch the boys U9’s and U13’s won the Autumn Cup. The U14’s won the CEESA middle school tournament beating Sofia and AISB along the way. The U14 Girls took part in their first ever football tournament and finished a respectable 2nd place after beating AISB second team and drawing against Sofia. The U18 boys have beat local rivals the French School and AISB in friendlies before finishing 4th in the

The inter-house tug of war competition was fiercely contested.

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CEESA tournament. On the basketball court the U12 boys won the Bucharest International Schools Basketball Tournament. For the first time ever, we have managed to field two teams at under 11’s, we are competing in the COBIS Games at Primary and Secondary age and the cricket team made their debut finishing 2nd in the National Championships Kwik Cricket Tournament. Well done BSB sportsmen and women!

Our rolling sports programme continues throughout the year according to the season but aims to give balanced opportunities for pupils on our school teams to train together

Despite all their efforts the teachers were conquered by the students

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Sixth Form visit from top UK Universities

by Paul Farrell As part of the ongoing extended careers curriculum at BSB we strive to offer regular opportunities for our students to gain expert advice and experience on the next phase of their learning into higher education. Our most recent event involved a visit from King’s College London and University College London.

Our students met with representatives of these universities last academic year and we are pleased to continue developing strong links with them. Admissions experts from each academic institution took it in turn to speak to an audience of students and 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. At BSB we are very proud of the careers and university advice we offer. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s options for higher education please do not hesitate to contact me.

Students Leadership Weekend

by Gruia The Student Leaders COBIS Conference Madrid 2014 was a wonderful opportunity for us - myself and Eda - to develop, not only professionally as Head Girl and Head Boy or student leaders, but also personally as global citizens in today’s world.

We attended sessions such as “Personal Branding through Social Media” and “Presentation and Public Speaking Skills”, all of which were unusually interactive. We were motivated to ask as many questions as we like, share ideas between ourselves and even apply what we had learned only minutes before at an instant. We were constantly sharing ideas, both with our speaker and between ourselves, and this was most rewarding. At the end, we couldn’t believe how the hours had flown by without us even realising.

You might have noticed I have mentioned the word “ourselves”.

That was not only me and Eda by a longshot, as there were many Spaniards, Russians, Egyptian, Arabian and French students who attended the conference. Many of them are now our friends and we hope to keep in touch with them for as long

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as possible. The fun part of the conference consisted of a murder-mystery night, in which we had the chance to dress up as Victorians, and a bowling night: both events knit us closely together with warm conversations woven amongst new friends. Last but not least, we had the opportunity to be guided through Madrid by an experienced guide. The tour was so interesting that I am already planning another trip there!

To sum it all up, there is nothing we can compare this experience with. It is a wonderful chance to grow from all points of view: as a leader, as a student but, most important of all, as a person. I wholeheartedly recommend a COBIS conference to anybody who might consider one in the future.

Secondary Music

by Sally Clark The one hour concert consisted of 7 solos, a duet and two pop ensembles. Y9 girls performed ‘Hey Soul Sister’ which they had rehearsed with ukuleles in their lunchtimes. Soloists ranged from a Vivaldi song by Ana Maria to Elena singing One Direction. We had a violin performance from Lena and Jocelyn , Caroline and Stefan played the piano. Gruia revealed his hidden talent of mandolin playing which was the first time many of the audience had seen the instrument. The ‘cello and bassoon were played in duet by Jim Pywell and Sally Clark to add to the variety of instruments in the programme. Geographically the music went from Constantinescu the Romanian composer, to Russian folk tunes, via a Hungarian Rhapsody and two French pieces.

The ‘School of Rock’ CCA closed the concert with their energetic performance of (the Alien Ant Farm version) ‘Smooth Criminal’.

The concert definitely contained something for all tastes and it was wonderful to see the fruits of students’ hard work. The audience was appreciative and it was very good that students

stayed late to watch and support their friends. Thank you to Mr Allsop and Mr Pywell for their contributions.

Since September, all of Y7 have been trying ukuleles, violins, ‘cellos, viola, saxophones, clarinets and flutes. They all settled on their favourite and were able to perform the song ‘Changes’

by Faul to the whole school. One group performed a composition in the assembly using a mix of ‘cellos, saxophone, clarinet and violin; the world premiere of ‘Muddy Hippo’.

Next term the Y7s are aiming towards a performance of Bob Marley’s ‘3 Little Birds’ using a wider range of notes. We hope some of the students who showed great aptitude will be pursuing their new instruments more formally in the coming months as we build our Secondary School Orchestra.

Also during the assembly we were able to hear Gruia again on the mandolin and Stefan and Caroline performed their latest piano pieces.

Y9 informal ensemble

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Singers from the School of Rock CCA

Y7 beginner violins playing Changes by Faul

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Gruia on the mandolin

Y7 beginners playing a composition

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SECONDARY ART

Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn

by Derek Walker Y8 students were provided the opportunity to explore the new Design Technology workshop facilities at BSB. Taken off normal timetable they were provided a curriculum enrichment day.

Curriculum Enrichment activities aim to develop students’ ability to manage their own learning and time management so that they can become better self-supporting learners through taking risks.

The creative faculty led by Mr. Walker and Mr Williams provided Year 8 with a top secret assignment. Only as the tasks unfolded throughout the morning did the students eventually understand what the focus would be. The project was to make a series of

Getting to grips with the new Design Technology workshop

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mini weapons of mass destruction or more commonly known as a catapult. The intention was to provide students with a wide range of experiences and challenges through materials and resources that enrich the current DT curriculum. This is to ensure that our students are inspired to learn outside of the classroom and develop the skills required for the world beyond their secondary education.

The day was a great success and exhausting for all who helped to create a memorable experience. Well done to all those students in Year 8 who made the day a tremendous success.

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Book Review

by Natalie Curtis As an English teacher, there are some students for whom it can be very difficult to recommend a book. Boys, generally; young students who have a very advanced reading level (how can you ensure they’re challenged without giving them something highly inappropriate?); older teenagers.

Without pushing the latter into the classics (I didn’t read Pride and Prejudice until I taught it for A-Level at my last school), it’s difficult to find a novel that is as exciting and relevant as The Hunger Games, with enough sophistication to stretch their reading skills.

Obvious choices are The Fault in Our Stars (accompanied by a box of tissues), or The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but what then?

Which is why I’m delighted that I found The Outsiders. Published in 1967 by S.E. Hinton, the novel is also inspiring in the sense that the author began writing it at the tender age of 15 (the age of some of our Year 10s). It tells the story of Ponyboy Curtis, a 14-year-old boy who lives with his older brothers, Sodapop and Darrel. The Curtis boys are ‘greasers’ – part of a gang from the

Natalie is passionate about promoting reading to all of our students

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poor side of the tracks who spend their time robbing and fighting the ‘Socs’ (the rich, spoiled gang who spend their time having parties and fighting the ‘greasers’). Ponyboy, however, is a little different. He likes reading, and school, and sunsets. When things take a dramatic turn and tensions between the two groups explode, it sets of a chain of events that puts Ponyboy’s home, and safety, in danger.

Frequently cited as one of the most challenged books ever published, The Outsiders has caused controversy with its portrayal of gang culture and violence, underage drinking and family dysfunction. It is, however, still included on the curriculum in many American schools, for its unparalleled depiction of adolescent soul-searching and the effects of peer pressure.

Complex and thrilling, it is a must-read for our older students.

If you’ve read a great book recently and you want to share it in Newsblast, see Mr. Appleton in the secondary library.

My Favourite Teacher

by Simon Lambert Teachers are often inspirational characters who inspire students and, in many cases, instill a spirit of lifelong learning in their charges. I was most fortunate to have many such teachers during my school days, one of whom has sadly passed away in the last couple of months. He had an illustrious military career before turning to teaching, a past that many of us at school knew nothing of until his obituary was published recently in the Daily Telegraph.

John ‘Slack’ Hodges was awarded an MC in Italy in 1944. On June 17 1944, he was commanding one of the forward troops of 3rd the King’s Own Hussars in the advance on Città della Pieve, north of Orvieto. The approach to the town curved around the side of a hill; on one side was a steep drop, on the other an unclimbable bank.

Above them, the orchard was teeming with German paratroopers.

The citation for his MC recorded that he knocked out three enemy guns and enabled the infantry to get into the town without suffering casualties.

After being demobilised with a small disability pension, in autumn 1946 he went up to Christ’s College, Cambridge, to read Modern Languages. On graduating in 1949, he taught French and Spanish at King Edward’s School, Birmingham. He was a housemaster and played leading roles in the Combined Cadet Force and in music.

For several years before he retired in 1981, he was an extremely successful Second Master, a post in which he demonstrated his reliability and his calm, authoritative leadership tempered with a sense of fun.

John taught me A-Level Spanish and was my commanding officer in the CCF. Through his teaching I was introduced to the writing of the Chilean poet Pablo Neruda who remains my favourite poet.

John Hodges

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CHARITY AND COMMUNITY

Community Heroes University Community heroes did lots of hard work by making things for poor people. We made loom bands and friendship bands to give to the children as a sign of friendship. We made a blanket to give to the children to keep them warm. The community heroes also contributed to the Shoe Box Appeal.

Rajwa 6S In the community heroes university we were looking people who are in great need and who would benefit from our help. We made lots of items such as teddy bears and a homemade blanket. People

in today’s world are a lot less fortunate than we are. Therefore, we need to help and support them.

Hannah 5K Community heroes mean to help children who do not have as many opportunities as we do. We helped them by making them gifts so that they have something to open on Christmas day

Antonia 5K

Community Heroes

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Harvest Collection

by Rajwa (6S), Dana (6J), Ella (6W), Vlad (5H) and Tiago (5K).

Primary Charity Representatives In October, the Primary BSB Charity Representatives worked hard to organise the Harvest collection of goods for St. Stelian’s Charity. The harvest festival is a celebration for the homeless and poor people. Harvest is all about giving and realising how lucky we actually are. The people that gave food, clothes or stationary for St Stelians were awarded 5 house points each. The donations were counted and every kilogramme was transformed into house points. On Tuesday 22nd October, the Charity Reps from Primary and the House Captains from Secondary helped load up a minibus

Working hard for a good cause

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that went directly to St Stelian’s charity community where all of the donations were handed over. The charity reps and the teachers are thankful for your donations!

Shoe Box Appeal 2014 BSB Charity Committee BSB students have yet again made presents for those children less fortunate than ourselves from Casa Ioana and Fundatia Inocenti. 220 shoe boxes for babies, toddlers and children up to the age of 18 between the two charities is the tremendous outcome of this year’s Shoe Box Appeal.

Many thanks to all the generous helpers.

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Shoe Box Appeal

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