Issuu

Vol 10 • Issue 3

@BSB June 2017

On parade with the Grenadier Guards

– see page 88

BSB OFFICE STAFF

Otopeni Airport

- Ploies Buc harest

AISB

ti Roa d

Baneasa Forest

Casa Alba Restaurant

Polic e Academy 301

Atlantis Club

Zoo

Tuna ri Road

301 301, 783 METRO

Carrefour Hypermarket

Io n

es c

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

301, 783 Bv

Baneasa Airport

Bv .

Nordului St.

ch a re st

-P

loie sti

Aero ga ri i

Pa v

Herastrau Lake

Se Alex rba a n ne dru sc uS t. 112, 301 Embassy of China Aurel Vlaicu

301

ra pe Pi

135 rie Dimit

de Fa brica

Bv eleff

ril or

135

Bv. peiu Pom Pipera

a Gluc oz

St.

Tei Park

Herastrau Park

Av ia

is el K

Alex andru

rd No

Porsche Romania

st a re ch

Br ad

Pipe ra -T una

Nursery, Primary and Secondary

Io n

ri Ro

IKEA Selgros Hypermarket

Floreasca

135

Tei

Administration 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: Fax:

021 267 8919 021 267 8969

For specific help relating to catering and transportation services, please contact: Email: services@britishschool.ro Mob: 0728 133 432/3 Tel: 021 267 8919 Fax: 021 267 8969 For admissions please contact Diana Frentescu: Email: admissions@britishschool.ro Phone: 021 267 8919 Fax: 021 267 8969

FROM THE HEADMASTER

Philip Walters HEADMASTER @philip_w

On discovering I was a teacher, someone said to me many years ago, that what ‘they’ don’t tell you about school is that it’s not so much about what you’re learning as how to learn. At the time the phrase ‘lifelong learning’ was not as widely used as it is now. Defined in pure terms, this is both voluntary and self-motivated, involving the pursuit of knowledge to enhance personal development and ultimately competitiveness and employability. In the ever-changing world of employment, where we cannot necessarily predict the skills that our children (and ourselves!) will require in the future, developing the passion and ability to self-sustain as ‘ongoing’ learners needs to start as early as possible.

the wider curriculum is that pupils are helped ‘to become well-rounded individuals, knowledgeable about a wide range of issues and able to pursue new interests’ – an implicit reference to selfsustaining learning and the importance of skill acquisition alongside knowledge. I believe that BSB meets this standard to its fullest. We place great emphasis on our endeavour to produce ‘rounded and grounded’ young people, whose academic rigour is underpinned with the

“We place great emphasis on our endeavour to produce ‘rounded and grounded’ young people.”

As part of our accreditations and quality assurance, BSB is a member of both COBIS and ECIS. We regularly send a delegate to their conferences to contribute to the latest debates on education, the vision for schools internationally and our own curriculum. During a recent conference in London I was honoured to meet and collaborate with a group of research academics, government representatives, fellow school leaders and several lead inspectors from OFSTED (the Oﬃce for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills in the UK).With more people working overseas than ever before, our focus was on standards and on what is necessary to be recognised and accredited oﬃcially as a British Schools Overseas (BSO). Of the many standards and criteria for judgements that were discussed, the one relating to curriculum is of particular note in terms of its holistic emphasis. An outstanding curriculum is, to paraphrase the standards, ‘directly relevant to student needs, challenging and prepares students well for the next stage in their lives’. For a BSO such as ours, extracurricular provision is of equal importance, which should be ‘rich and varied’. As the standards emphasise, the impact of

skills and behaviours that industries of every hue will seek in the future. Beyond this and looking forward, we can reflect on the vast array of possibilities that face our children in years to come. It is with a sense of great responsibility that we accept the challenge to help them to be ready for all these elements. This academic year has once again shown that BSB students excel at being creative, caring, sporting and innovative; they remain appreciative of other cultures and are sensitive towards others’ values. Our aim is that they also leave BSB ready for the next stage of learning and with a fundamental understanding that learning is an exorable lifelong process. I wish all our families a wonderful summer. We look forward to welcoming you back in September. For our families that are graduating or moving away, we wish that you will continue to enjoy learning and making memories, some of which we are proud to have made with you at the British School of Bucharest. FROM THE HEADMASTER

BSB Congratulates

First Place for Stefan Stefan (Y5) has impressed staﬀ and students many times with his piano playing in school assemblies, concerts, as well as BSB’s Got Talent. Recently, Stefan had the opportunity to show oﬀ his talents outside of school by entering a national piano competition and coming first in his age category. Two of his year group colleagues, Jamie and Sonia, met with him to find out more. Jamie: Stefan, we understand that you recently entered a piano competition and came first. Can you tell us about the competition? Stefan: It was the ‘Friends of the Piano’ competition which was held at the Romanian Athenaeum Concert Hall in Bucharest. There were children from all over the country and I competed against many others in my age category. It was a great atmosphere. Jamie: What piece did you perform and why did you choose this particular composition? Stefan: I chose to play Mozart Fantasy. It is a very challenging piece to play. Jamie: Why is that? Stefan: It is very fast in places with complicated passages and includes several parts where you have to cross your hands over, which can be difficult.

@BSB

JUNE

Jamie: Were you required to recite it or were you able to have the music in front of you? Stefan: Competitors actually had the option to do either, but I chose to recite it from memory. Sonia: How long have you been playing and have you competed in any competitions before? Stefan: I have been playing for about 6 years now, but I have never competed in such a prestigious competition like this before. Sonia: Do you only play classical music or are there any other genres you like? Stefan: I do play a lot of classical pieces, but to relax and have fun I do enjoy playing some film music too. Sonia: Do you have any personal aims, dreams or aspirations with regards to playing the piano? Stefan: Not really for the piano, I am happy to play it just for a hobby. When I am older I would like to either be a tennis player or a film director. Sonia: Are there any other instruments that you can play and is there an instrument you are keen to learn? Stefan: I did try and learn the violin, but I failed completely! In Y7 I do intend to join the school orchestra and am keen to play the trumpet.

BSB Congratulates Manuela - Gold medallist at the COBIS Games

B S B C O N G R A T U L AT E S

SUMMER SCHOOL 3rd - 28th July 2017 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Str. | summerschool@britishschool.ro Like us on facebook.com/BritishSchoolBucharest Follow us on twitter.com/britishschoolro www.britishschool.ro 6

@BSB

JUNE

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

PTA Review This term the PTA enjoyed a terrific BBQ with entertainment from the school band and some solo performances by senior students and parents. An enjoyable evening attended by parents, staﬀ and children provided a great opportunity to exchange views, make new friends and build on the sense of community within the school. It is hoped that next year there will be two such events, one in September to welcome new families and one at the end of the year to celebrate successes. Whilst not a PTA event it was great to see so many of our parents involved in the “Romania Revealed – Through the Lenses of Expat Women” book launch which took place in the Secondary library.

Four charities benefitted from the evening and parents of children at school continue to support this project that is now in its eighth year. If you are interested in getting involved with the PTA, or in the next edition of the book please get in touch with a member of the committee of drop an email to the School oﬃce who will happily pass the message on. Have a great summer and we look forward to seeing many of you back at school in September.

The Secondary library was transformed into a gallery for the launch of “Romania Revealed” P TA R E V I E W

SUMMER FAIR 2017

@BSB

JUNE

A R T I S A N FA I R

The Summer Fair â€“ a time to relax with friends

The Artisans tent was packed with books, crafts and charities

@BSB

JUNE

SCHOOL PRODUCTION

The Innovation Hub team proudly showing oﬀ their year’s work

The crowd was entertained by Flavius Teodosiu and his Euro Showband

@BSB

JUNE

The food court was full throughout the day enjoying the food prepared by Chef Iustin and the Takanaka team

The British tent was, as always, a huge hit S U M M E R FA I R

Gastrointestinal problems Headaches Excess weight Skin problems The cause of these health problems can be a delayed food allergy. TEST OPTIONS

ImuPro Screen

(22)

ImuPro Screen+

(44)

ImuPro Basic

(91)

ImuProBasic+

(181)

ImuPro Complete

(270)

Imupro Health www.imupro300.ro 0735 303 001 ofďŹ ce@imupro300.ro facebook.com/Imupro.Romania

YOUR BUILDING BLOCKS FOR BETTER HEALTH!

@BSB

JUNE

PRIMARY SCHOOL REVIEW

New and improved In Primary, we have continued to focus on enriching our curriculum and providing even more opportunities for students to explore their interests and abilities at a richer, more challenging level. Recently, we have introduced two events aimed at showcasing the children’s unique skills and talents.

Victoria Smith Head of Primary

New: ‘So You Think You Can Cook’ In April, 2017, BSB launched its first, oﬃcial cooking competition called, ‘So You Think You Can Cook?’ to extend the work that children have been doing in our Food Technology Studio as part of their everyday curriculum this year. Primary children competed for two days in the hope of being crowned the first ‘So You Think You Can Cook?’ champion. The competition was judged by three professional and well-known chefs: Iustin Truta (Takanaka), Liviu Popescu (Masterchef Romania) and Silviu Chelaru (Masterchef Romania). We were extremely impressed with the children’s innovation, producing dishes such as Black Angus steak with blue potato mash, mussel soup, veal with prosciutto and sage, mushroom risotto, vegetarian tikka, baked salmon with broccoli and rice, and many more. The children were excellent and keen to take on the tips and feedback they received from our esteemed judges, showing maturity and consideration for their fellow participants. Well done, Children, on your excellent performance and particularly to our winner, Albert!

has taken the shape of a quietly acclaimed display of lovely pieces of children’s two dimensional artwork, which parents could peruse in the former Parents’ Room as they waited to drop oﬀ or collect their children. This academic year, we wanted to truly celebrate the artistic achievements of our Primary students, from the Early Years Foundation Stage through Year 6, in a way that we feel would help them

“we wanted to truly celebrate the artistic achievements of our Primary students”

Improved: Primary Palette Though a longstanding fixture of the Primary School calendar at BSB, the annual Primary Art Exhibition would hardly have been recognised as an ‘event’ in the past. Previously, the exhibition

understand how meaningful and special their learning and accomplishments have been. The exhibition has taken on a new name, a fresh look and a more sophisticated ‘air’. Boasting the enhanced standard of Art education in the Primary School, Primary Palette saw the introduction of sketches, paintings, collage and sculpture in variety of mediums and styles, to the annual repertoire. Parents sipped wine and nibbled on canapes under the shelter and shade of the poolside marquee, as their children eagerly pulled them from piece to piece, proudly sharing their achievements and those of their schoolmates. We are proud of the increasing standard of Primary Art and hope all who attended were pleased to witness the wonderful learning that the children have engaged in this year. We were also delighted to have had seven pieces of artwork selected for the Avenor College ‘Work in Progress’ competition in March, which appeared in a local, public exhibition. Well done to all of our children on their hard work, perseverance and creativity!

P R I M A RY S C H O O L R E V I E W

Toddler Group by Alice Allsop

‘Thank you’, ‘best friends’ and ‘highlight of the week’ are just some of the comments we keep hearing parents about BSB Toddler Group. This term has seen many friendships continue to form, as the children have been learning about sharing and playing together. One of the most popular activities this term was when the group made playdough. The children got to measure and mix the ingredients, choose their own colours, add glitter, and even take home their finished product! Our early morning session is just perfect for playing outside and the children have enjoyed using water and chalk, playing with balls and generally exploring the outside area. Whilst the majority of the time the children choose their own activities, we encourage all of the children to join in our singing and music time. Many parents have commented that this has

helped them and their children become more confident with singing and they have learnt many new songs in English. We always try to choose songs with actions, and are constantly surprised at how quiet and still our ‘sleeping bunnies’ can be! Good luck to everyone who is leaving Toddler Group this summer. We know that many of you are looking forward to joining BSB (so excited that one of you has already been wearing his BSB polo shirt on Mondays!) and we look forward to seeing you enjoy all that EYFS has to oﬀer! We look forward too, to welcoming many new faces after the summer when the group restarts. We meet every Monday morning, and whilst some activities are aimed more at toddlers, younger babies are very welcome to join us for the opportunity to socialize and play together.

The Toddler Group has gone from strength to strength and provides a great opportunity for families to get together

@BSB

JUNE

2017 Teddy Bear Picnic by Priscilla Varban

Our annual Teddy Bear Picnic is always one of the highlights of our summer term. It is a special event for the children as they are able to bring their favourite teddy bear from home and dress them up with the adorable “toy sized” BSB logo T-shirts. It is a time when not only do the children have a picnic lunch with their classmates but they also have the opportunity to spend time with the children from other EYFS or KS1 classes. As we do every year this year could be no diﬀerent and so we had our special guest ‘Mr Magician’ come and amaze the children (and their

teddy bears of course) with several of his dazzling magic tricks. From pulling various objects out of a hat, to disappearing acts to taking things apart and putting them back together with the blink of an eye, Mr. Magician worked his magic again and kept the children in awe for an hour. This year we had another special appearance from who else but the well-known Winnie the Pooh. What will Pooh Bear do next year at our 2018 Teddy Bear Picnic? Well... we just need to wait for 11 more months to find out!

Mr Magician wowed the audience at the Teddy Bear Picnic TODDLER GROUP

EYFS

Little learners by Raina Myson

This term has been very busy for our youngest students here at BSB, we been looking at letters and numbers and have enjoyed searching for letters around the school that we can recognize from our names, we have even begun to have a go at copying them in shaving foam on the table ( so dads if your shaving foam goes missing it’s for a literacy lesson ). The Children have heard lots of stories and their favorite is ‘Room on the Broom’ and can probably recite word for word, so for you mums and dads that will read this story to your little ones , They will know if you skip a page ! Crib/Creche have also enjoyed our first Sports day which we all had a blast Edward enjoyed the egg and spoon activity Daniel was loving the obstacle course , Olivia liked the bean bag throw,

A bit young to start shaving but great fun nevertheless

@BSB

JUNE

Corvin enjoyed the Baton relay, Noa had a blast with the Hoops and cones ,and Liam loved the running race, I hope they slept well that night. Our most recent topic is a book called ‘ Dear zoo ‘ and this is a story about a Writing to a zoo for a pet. The zoo sends all kinds of animals, this was a great way to introduce zoo animals and what kind of care they would need, it has been a fantastic way of learning about feelings, understanding the way of the world, counting and our craft activities using diﬀerent materials to make their chosen animal. We hope all the students in crèche have had as much fun as we have this year, we wish them all the best in their next big learning adventure.

The children in crĂ¨che have been using diďŹ€erent materials to create their favourite animals

Paying attention during carpet time EYFS

EYFS

Using ICT to enrich learning in Preschool by Emma Sauer

In Preschool we provide a rich curriculum across the seven areas of learning, and ICT is used to enhance this. The classrooms are set up with diďŹ€erent learning stations where ICT plays a part in supporting the outcomes of these learning experiences. At BSB we believe in enriching our curriculum through the use of ICT and as technology evolves, so do the opportunities for applying ICT across the curriculum to enhance learning. Here are some of the ways we use ICT in Preschool. The iPads are very popular within the classroom, and are a useful tool in developing childrenâ€™s vocabulary and communication skills. A favourite iPad task is reviewing phonics. There are games and activities related to each letter sound that support the learning of phonics and beginning to read. Sound buttons support Communication and Language. Students can record themselves retelling stories and share the recordings

Reviewing phonics in the classroom

@BSB

JUNE

with their friends or use them to annotate displays. The Bee-Bots are colourful robots designed to be used by young learners. They can be programmed to go forwards and backwards and to turn left and right. They add excitement to the classroom, firstly because students want to work out how to make them move. They then encourage learning directions, planning, sequencing and working together. By motivating students, BeeBots can be used to enhance many areas of learning. A favourite use this year has been for phonics revision and retelling stories. The interactive whiteboard supports all learning preferences allowing for auditory, visual and kinaesthetic input. The Interactive Whiteboard allows students to manipulate information on the screen such as completing a simple program or dragging, dropping and matching items. The interactive programs especially support mathematics and literacy.

Using ICT to develop vocabulary…

…and communication skills EYFS

EYFS

What a Journey! by Katherine Dibble

The children have truly made the most of their final term in Reception. From the beginning the children have shown a great curiosity of the world around them and what was meant as a creative writing trip to Herastrau turned into a nature scavenger hunt, where the children were more keen in finding wildlife in the park. As the weather has been so glorious many of our lessons have been taking place outside and the children have been very busy in the music tent, grouping together to make their own bands and jamming along to their production songs. ‘The Deep Blue’ was this terms EYFS show and the children worked very hard to learn the lines of a poem as well as focusing on speaking slowly, clearly and projecting their voice - we were so proud of their final performance, it was amazing. The children particularly enjoy getting in role as characters, normally family members, and acting out diﬀerent scenes from past experience you Mummies do a lot of cooking out there! Gardening has been a big hit and every day the children rush out to the greenhouse

to see how their vegetables are growing and make sure they have plenty of water. Sadly not many vegetables have grown but this has been a good opportunity to discuss pollination. We have had a very healthy cherry tree this year and have used our sour cherries to make cherry crumble, cherry muﬃns and chocolate and cherry loaf cake. Believe it or not, the children are still asking for more cherries! When talking to the children about their favorite moments of the term they all mentioned the special enrichment days on improving an outdoor space. The children worked alongside Yr 1 as part of our transition unit and together they chose to improve a small coppice and turn it into an outdoor library. They worked carefully with wood to make a special bird house book store, painted and created recycled outdoor sculptures and wrote their own stories to be hung from the trees for all to enjoy - ‘this is awesome’ was heard regularly.

EYFS pupils have acquired the skills required to learn lines and project their voices

@BSB

JUNE

Plenty of time to enjoy an assault course during physical education

A sack race is always popular EYFS

KS1

Green Fingers

by Ann-Marie Isaac and Rachel Eglinton This term Y1 were looking at fantasy stories and plants. We read the story ‘James and the Giant Peach’ by Roald Dahl. The children struck up a huge interest in the story and a paper bag full of ‘green things’ magically appeared in our class just like what happened to James in the story. Had the old man left them there? Some brave children tasted the green things without knowing what they were. When the chapter was re-read about-about the green things being magic and powerful, some children got worried. They learnt an important lesson. “All you’ve got to do is this. Take a large jug of water, and pour all the little green things into it. Then, very slowly, one by one, add ten hairs from your own head. That sets them oﬀ! It gets them going!” After discovering an enormous peach growing from the magical green things in the story, Y1 decided they wanted to find out more about plants. This is what we already knew & what we wanted to find out: Thomas wanted to know where the seeds come from. Adahlee knows we can eat the seed of some plants such as sunflowers but wants to know how and what plants eat. Hamza told the class that plants are alive and drink, like us. Ana stated that plants need water, Daria said the sun, and Lucy contributed compost. Soala knows that too much sun or water makes a plant die. Juri mentioned that they need to breathe air. Petar added that plants give life to us because they are our fruit and vegetables. Victoria recognised that plants grow upwards. Daria would like to learn how a seed grows into a flower. Kanghyeok knows that if you pick a flower you have to put it in water but Evie asked why flowers die even if they don’t get picked. Soala would like to know how a flower gets its colour. Aaron knows plants grow in summer and Bailey said that flowers

@BSB

JUNE

don’t grow during the winter because they get covered in snow. Vicky asked if they plants move under the ground. What we have learnt: Vicky has observed seeds closely. Evie, Ana, and Monty have found the roots that were growing from a bean seed. Hamza said a plant lifecycle is like recycling, Adahlee pointed out that the plant lifecycle is like a food chain because it keeps going around and around. Zoe predicted that a plant with too much water would die and Rafe used the word ‘wilt’. It was clear our production should be about plants. It was called ‘There’s a Sunflower in my Supper!’ The children worked hard in rehearsals learning the songs and their lines each day, Kinley displayed her acting skills as Daisy cow. Both Thomas and Kanghyeok were confident enough to sing solos. The cows were upset that there was sunflower growing in their grass, as they had warned Daisy only to bring grass seed home from the market, but Mr. Bull (Monty) was the grumpiest. The cows could remember what had happened when Jack had sold his cow for seeds. The market sellers shouted out their wares, hoping to attract some interest. Luckily, though Daisy had listened to her fellow cows. All the birds and butterflies and bugs had enjoyed the seeds of the sunflower. The narrators spoke their lines from memory clearly and confidently. Alara enjoyed it so much she said, ‘I wish we would do a production every day’. The production was a fantastic end to a wonderful school year. Thank you for all your support and have a safe and enjoyable summer.

KS1

Thereâ€™s a Sunflower in my Supper

Colourful costumes and smiles everywhere

@BSB

JUNE

There was a part for everyone - participation from all

Although not all the faces were on show! KS 1

KS1

It’s a Bug’s life! by Louisa Ramsden

Y2 have had fantastic term learning about a whole variety of insects and bugs. They have been to Herastrau Park to look at insects, seeds and woodpeckers and have visited a pottery studio and painted their own pottery. We have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to watch a lifecycle in action, seeing caterpillars eating, turning into chrysalides and finally turning into beautiful butterflies which were then released into the wild. To link to this work they have kept daily diaries of the caterpillars and have read and written poetry about bugs and insects.

In other Science news, the children have made a wormery and have investigated things that are alive, not alive and have never been alive and written Science reports about this. They have designed and made their own junk modelling insects. All of this, including cooking worm food (spaghetti) and insect biscuits as well as a fabulous musical ensemble was on show at the Y2 Summer Work Showcase event to round oﬀ a fantastic term of work.

The Y2 showcase gave a chance for pupils to share their work with parents and friends

@BSB

JUNE

Our Beautiful Butterflies

KS1

Watching a lifecycle in full swing

Who knew that butterflies liked oranges?

@BSB

JUNE

It was soon time to release the butterflies into the wild

The class were delighted to see the project through to the end KS 1

KS2

Back to our Roots in Year 3!

by Karen Cojocaru, Adam Pegrum and Natalie Pitchley The final term of this academic year in Y3 has been an exciting one. The main focus of our study was plant adaptation linked to climate and this enabled us to capitalise on our approach to creative learning in a huge way. Geography and Science themes were closely connected when looking at how different parts of the world have different climates. We used our map skills to find out about climatic regions by identifying the Equator, the Tropics and Polar areas to guide us as we researched. We investigated how plants need air, water and light to stay alive and how these needs differ slightly according to where they live. We were fascinated to learn that some plants in the desert have adapted to grow extremely long roots so that they can find water way down in the ground! Our learning was brought to life during our residential trip to Sinaia. We learnt how the weather is colder in the mountains and we predicted that the plants would grow differently at the summit. Sure enough, we saw plants growing close to the ground, and in small groups, so that they could stay warm. Our English work was also linked to our theme of weather and plants through learning about, and writing, different forms of poetry. We have been working hard on paragraph writing all year and we used our plant research to draft informative texts with paragraphs and subheadings. We also enjoyed applying all

@BSB

JUNE

the spelling and grammar we have been learning to draft some wonderfully exciting stories to share with our classmates. During our topic, we created some beautiful artwork when we explored the work of William Morris, noting how he was inspired by plants and nature. We designed a printing block based on his work and used this to make some fantastic printed fabric designs. We also learnt embroidery skills in Art, focusing on using cross-stitch, backstitch and running stitch to make samplers with our own designs. We have continued to build on and expand our understanding in Maths by applying our calculating skills to solve word problems in all areas of the subject. We linked our Maths and Computing learning to our main theme by using data loggers to measure the temperature over a week in the playground and we used this data to create diﬀerent kinds of graph on the computer and in our books. We enjoyed working further with ‘Scratch’, learning how to debug problems in code. Now, at the end of our time in Y3 together with our enthusiastic and increasingly-independent learners, we Y3 teachers would like to say just how proud we are of all that our children have achieved this year. You all have come a long way since you joined us in September. Now you are moving onto bigger and better things and we wish you all the best in Y4.

Pupils are always proud of their work

But still have time to enjoy creating friendships that will last a lifetime KS2

Fellow pupils taking the opportunity to question classmates about their projects

Taking time to make sure the work is completed beautifully

@BSB

JUNE

Parents had the opportunity to look at work produced this term

Explaining details to friends and family KS 2

KS2

Viking Raids and Waterfalls

by Cheryl-Anne Deckker and Morwenna Hurst It has been an eclectic last term for Y4, full of surprises and excitement. We kicked off the term with an interesting experience to launch our topic on Invaders and Settlers. Without being told the purpose of the activity, the children were split into two groups. The Anglo-Saxon group painstakingly transformed 4D’s classroom into a whole village, complete with livestock, homes, store rooms and fields for growing crops. Little did they know, the Viking group, running low on resources, was creeping up in their warship, ready to pillage and steal whatever they could… After we had recovered from the raid, we looked more closely at the Vikings and learned that they were a fascinating, complex civilization. We explored primary and secondary sources to learn as much about them as possible, including one of the earliest examples of Old English poetry – Beowulf. We read different versions of the story of Beowulf and Grendel and learned a lot about how Viking civilisation centered around the Great Hall, even becoming tour guides for the day to show each other around our very own Viking halls. In Science lessons, we learned about different types of electricity and how to build a complete circuit using a variety

@BSB

JUNE

of components. We then used our new-found knowledge in the Design Technology suite to build a toy car for a younger child. We used lots of problem-solving skills and creativity to design and make some fantastic products! Our long-awaited residential trip to Busteni threatened to be a wash-out, but luckily the teachers were on hand with lots of exciting replacement activities. Before the weather turned, we did get the opportunity to take a short hike through the woods to Cascada Urlatoare. We had studied maps of the area before setting oﬀ so we knew what to expect from the path and were able to follow the trails safely and confidently. We enjoyed the scenery and even spotted some local birds. Unfortunately, we didn’t have very long to appreciate the stunning waterfall before the heavens opened and we had to make a quick dash back to the hotel. A variety of arts and crafts helped us to forget the rain, and a fun trip to a bowling alley provided us with a much-needed chance to let loose as we cheered on our team mates. We also had the chance to try out archery and other fun indoor games at Escapade Adventure Park. Despite the changes to the schedule, a great time was had by all!

All ready for the oďŹ€

Time for a group photo before departure KS2

Working collaboratively is encouraged at all times

Friendships are created in class as well as on the playground

@BSB

JUNE

KS 2

KS2

Year 5 Summer Term by Jenny Whiteman

During the summer term, Y5 have enjoyed taking even more of their learning outside as they participated in a variety of activities in the school’s outdoor environment. The children took on the role of archaeologists by finding and classifying buried Ancient Greek artefacts and discussed what they could learn from them. The students then debated the legacy left behind by this interesting civilisation, and they considered whether Ancient Greek or modern day democracy was most eﬀective. The students enjoyed developing their understanding of HTML coding by designing and building an informative website on the Ancient Greeks, adding their historical knowledge and using all sorts of funky features. Greek myths were also explored in detail, with the students design their own courageous heroes and fearsome monsters for them to battle against on a quest. Interesting vocabulary and sentence structures were used. Our Enrichment days this term, allowed the children to participate in many exciting activities to help improve the school’s outdoor learning environment. Y5 created superlative scarecrows, used their woodworking skills to design, cut, sand and paint sensational sporting objects to adorn the Dome and used their

@BSB

JUNE

scientific enquiry skills to create wonderful weedkillers. During science this term we have looked at the life cycle of plants, taking particular interest in the process of pollination. We partook in a trip to the botanical gardens where we were able to view a variety of diﬀerent and exciting categories of flora. Before using our scientific skills to dissect a plant and then view the incredible details of each part, underneath a microscope. Our residential to Moeciu De Sus was full of excitement, achievement and bravery. The children were able to participate in a range of activities that improved their teamwork skills and encouraged them to step out of their comfort zone. The children competed in an Archery competition and were interested in using a range of diﬀerent bows. Our visit to the Bear Sanctuary at Zarnesti, allowed the children to reflect upon things that happen in the wider world and encouraged them to think about how they could help and have an impact on their wider community. The adventure park brought out the thrill seeking side of the children with acts of daring high wire balancing and knee shaking zip lining. We were delighted to see the children show the values of empathy and understanding alongside acts of individual bravery as they pushed themselves around the challenging course.

A few days away in the mountains - best be prepared

T-shirts and caps commemorate the residential trips KS2

@BSB

JUNE

Time to relax after another busy day KS 2

KS2

Year 6 Moving On Up! by Paul Gildea

The final term of Y6 carries with it mixed emotions. On the one hand, children are preparing to end their time in primary, saying farewells to friends who are moving on and perhaps trying to overcome some of the nerves they might be feeling. On the other hand, the final term is filled with a sense of excitement as children get ready for the next big step in their school careers. A significant portion of the summer term is spent engaged in transition work – activities and lessons designed to assist our students become more independent and resilient, and be able to approach new challenges and situations with maturity. It is also important for our children to learn from older students. Our House Shout was a perfect example of where Y6, Y7 and Y8 students had to collaborate and co-operate to achieve a common goal. Seeing how students from diﬀerent ages were able to work together, really emphasised the community ethos which is such a vital part of our school. Another important day for Y6 was the Transition Day. The children spent the day as secondary students: following a timetable, being responsible for equipment and resources and, of course, relishing the sense of independence that this brings. The children came back bursting with excitement, and eager for September to arrive. At this point, it seems only fitting that the children themselves share some of their thoughts about their time in Y6 and their hopes for the future.

‘When I arrived at this school, everyone was so welcoming and kind. I met my first friend before I even set foot in the classroom. Now I am leaving primary school and entering secondary school and I don’t feel nervous or apprehensive because I have my friends.’ Charlie ‘Y6 is a year full of excitement but also full of hard work. From primary to secondary is a big step. I am looking forward to Y7, but also a bit nervous about things like getting lost. Y6 passed so quickly. I closed my eyes, then opened them and Y6 was gone.’ Vera ‘It feels strange to leave primary after so much time – losing some friends and stepping out of your comfort zone. I will miss primary a lot.’ David ‘In Y6 we improved our learning skills and our teachers prepared us for moving into Y7. Next year we will have more freedom which comes with more responsibility. BSB is a lovely place with lovely teachers and students.’ Esperanza ‘Y6 helped us gain courage and be more mature. Moving into Y7 is very exciting because we will have more freedom and will get to make more decisions about our education.’ Anya ‘I can’t wait to go to secondary as I feel like we will have more responsibility and we will be like adults.’ Dylan

@BSB

JUNE

The Y6 production was also a time to celebrate transition to the Secondary school

Science experiments have been carried out around the campus â€“ outdoor learning in action KS2

Laughter and fun by Charmaine Foord

At the start of May, Y6 students and staﬀ, spent a memorable week at PGL Liddington in England. Laughter and fun were nonstop from the moment we arrived, where we ushered straight into a game of frisbee and tag, before even seeing our rooms. With no time to stop, we were then taken into the dining room, where children were able to feast on pizza, salad and soup. Everyone agreed that the food was tasty and the children eagerly anticipated the evening meal. We awoke early each morning and prepared ourselves for a nonstop carousel of excitement. Children agreed that everything was fantastic, with opinion divided on the ‘best’ activity of all. Some children thought that the ‘giant swing’ was the coolest activity,

Having a discussion around the campfire

@BSB

JUNE

where children were strapped to a giant pole, before being winched high into the air. Once at the top the children had to pull the ribbon to release the swing, our squeals of delight could be heard for miles. Other children argued that the ‘fencing’ was by far the best as they got to fight each other with real sabres and wear ninja looking masks. Whilst others still, claimed that the ‘abseiling’ was the best because it was so high and scary. Each child took something special away from each activity, whether it was conquering a fear, or the rush of adrenalin when they jumped into the unknown. I think, for me, my favourite activity was ‘canoeing’, as I saw children progress from paddling into banks and turning in circles to gaining full control of their canoe

within a very short space of time. It was also, lovely to see the smiles on their faces when they discovered they were allowed to jump into the lake; some needed a little encouragement but in the end everyone in my group made it. Time for some sightseeing and exploration of Bath was also on our itinerary. We explored the ancient Roman baths and had time for shopping. The children were excited to see fidget spinners on sale and quickly became the must have item from England those and some famous Cadbury’s chocolate. Our activities didn’t stop until late until the evening, so children also got to experience toasting marshmallows on a camp fire, funny races and an intense quiz. By the time it was ‘lights

out’ children were so exhausted they quickly fell asleep, likely dreaming about zip-wiring and climbing all over again. As teachers, we were extremely proud of the way our students carried themselves. Their behaviour was exemplary and they were excellent ambassadors of our school. Children, showed team spirit and friendship to one another and were given plenty of opportunities to be great leaders. I am sure, the memories of this trip will follow the children into their futures and as adults they will recall, that wonderful week that got to spend at an outdoor centre in England.

Rock climbing, abseiling and much more PGL

Improving the Outdoors by Rachel Eglinton

“It has been an enormous success and an occasion the children will remember fondly – they have not stopped smiling!” enthused Mr Batson, following our Enrichment and Transition days. Every pupil was able to work on each activity for their group, resulting in various skills being developed alongside new friends. Preschool The children had fun painting bird feeders which they then hung in the Science garden. They named some birds and talked about how some migrate in the winter months. Beautiful stepping stones were made from plaster of Paris and decorated with jewels. YR and Y1 An underused area of the KS1 playground was identified as a shady spot for an outdoor library. To enhance the area, plastic flowers were made, children worked on weaving colourful webs in hoops and wooden bird feeders were painted. Everyone contributed to building a wooden bookstore for real books. The wooden lengths had to be cut and then nailed into place. “It’s brilliant- so proud of the kids with only the guidance of measuring and using the big saw,” shared Mrs Batson. Another activity was to create books by recycling old school library books and adding our own ideas. There was some impressive writing and illustrating from YR, and Y1 applied their superhero and traditional tale knowledge. We can now read books hanging from the trees and, using an iPad, enjoy stories presented as QR codes in the outdoor library. Y2 and Y3 This group of children impressed Mr Pegrum with their eagerness to get involved in the many tasks.

@BSB

JUNE

They kindly laboured under a hot sun to dig out old, compacted strawberry plants and enrich the soil, in order for KS1 to garden the beds. Great perseverance was shown and an overhanging cherry tree was laden with a juicy reward. Additionally, some playground games were learned and played with enthusiasm. All the children were involved in designing and planning a mural for the back of the Rewilding Zone. Their ideas were combined and they worked together, constantly evaluating their work and helping each other. They kept telling Miss Pitchley how much they enjoyed this task and they are still talking about it! Moreover, brightly decorated insects have landed on the fence at the entrance to the Rewilding Zone, made from plastic bottles. Y4, Y5 and Y6 Excitingly, some diverse tasks were undertaken by the oldest Primary pupils. Sporting images were designed, drawn to scale on wood and painted, and will be displayed on the grill around the dome. Pupils designed a target ball game and yet others experimented with a variety of substances to make their own weed killer. This was tested in diﬀerent areas of the school and the results analysed. Moreover, found materials were woven into natural mobiles, broken instruments were repaired and decorated to create a musical wall, and some scarecrows were made which stand on guard in the Rewilding Zone. Menacing or friendly, you decide! It has been two days full of enjoyment, determination and teamwork. We have brightened the outdoor area, created a new space for learning, recycled creatively, and nature has benefitted too. Thank you everyone!

Ready for a break - decorating the outside is hard work

Skills that will last a lifetime P R I M A RY E N R I C H M E N T

Painting the design for the outside area

Intricate work to produce enchanting mobile displays

@BSB

JUNE

Teamwork in action

Butterflies now adorn the fence around the dome P R I M A RY E N R I C H M E N T

UNIVERSITIES

Presenting the final edition of SchoolTube

Learning Experiences in BSB University by Dan Batson

The final term of University courses have continued to provide all students from Y1 to Y6 with a wide choice of rich learning experiences to specialise in every Wednesday afternoon. The different courses have been designed to develop a range of skills in our students, including academic, sporting, problemsolving, art, design, culinary, media, drama, music and dance, as well as provide some service opportunities. Thirty-six members of Primary and Secondary staff have planned and led these sessions since the Easter break, which not only offer learning activities and development well beyond the National Curriculum expectations, but also encourage students across the Primary school to work alongside children from other year groups and key

Cooking up a feast

@BSB

JUNE

stages. One very successful University course that has drawn boys and girls from Y1 to Y4 this term is ‘Yehaw! Line Dancing’, led by Karen Cojocaru and Andreea Lixandru. This group worked incredibly hard to produce an outstanding routine which they were able to showcase to children and parents in a special assembly in our new outdoor marquee. As part of the same assembly, ‘The Show Must Go On!’ course performed a memorable adaptation of Oliver Twist with students from Y3 to Y6, led by Natalie Pitchley and Adam Pegrum. Not only did the children act and sing, but they were also responsible for the direction and production of the short musical.

Learning to sew in Patchwork University

There are plenty of art Universities to choose from UNIVERSITIES

Photo: BSB

CLUBS

Brownies â€“ a huge success this year

Art Club â€“ a chance to explore creativity

Ballet, one of several Dance activities throughout the year

@BSB

JUNE

And relaxâ€Śyoga for everyone

Concentrating hard in Design Technology CLUBS

Fencing at BSB by Lucian Burche

Fencing mobilizes the individual’s muscles, intellectual powers and emotional energies. tests The repeated performance of technical exercises over extended periods of time test the fencer’s willpower, patience and perseverance. This requires self-discipline, concentration and co-ordination. Tactical training tends to follow technical training. Combat (bout fencing) only comes after prolonged practice. Qualities such as detachment, balance, quick thinking, precise observation, sense of distance, the ability to recognize, foresight, the ability to execute complex movements, timing emerge after several years of training. Fencing at BSB started in 2006 with a session once a week. Later the number of children willing to attend grew and a second session was added. Now we have Beginners club on Monday, the Advanced club on Wednesday and Private Fencing on Friday. We can proudly say that our school is the only one in Bucharest that oﬀers this sport to its students. Since the Fencing Club was founded in BSB many of the children are now competing at local, national and international competitions. Here are their stories. - Alexandros and Fillippos stared to fence in BSB. They are multiple National Champions in Romania and Greece, they have many silver and bronze medals both in the individual and team competitions here in Romania. They’ve won and placed 2nd or 3rd in international competitions abroad and qualified for the European Fencing Competition after fencing in the European Cadet fencing tournament 2 years in a row, 2015 and 2016. For Alex and Fillip practicing fencing has also another important roll. Their desire is to continue their education in the United States. Many of the universities value the students

@BSB

JUNE

extracurricular activities and practicing a sport at high end performance can be a big advantage for their admission. They are planning to apply for a scholarship from NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) with their fencing results. - Willemot started fencing at the age of 8 and left left BSB to Qatar at the age of 12 and continued to fence there at a local Fencing club. Because of his advanced knowledge in fencing the trainer from there allowed him to fence with adults. 2 years ago he moved from Qatar back to his native country, France, and continues to fence there. In order for him to participate at the France National Championship he needs to qualify. France is the leading nation in Fencing when it comes to attendance. They have the highest number of registered fencers and the largest number of fencing clubs in the world. 250 fencers qualify for the Nationals and Maxence is always there. He is ranked in the top 32. - Mihai and Sasha attended the fencing club in BSB in parallel with another club outside the school’s premises where they train with a diﬀerent trainer. Miky has many medals at the Romanian National Championships and International Competitions. - Paul started Fencing at the age of 6 and he is still going strong. 2 years ago he started competing outside the schools gates at local competitions and later at National and International ones. He improved a lot from competition to competition moving up in the ranking list each time. He earned his first medal in May this year during an International Challenge held here in Bucharest. Although many of these children are currently in diﬀerent countries or are training in other fencing clubs in Bucharest, they all came to know fencing at BSB. It was here, in our school, that they fell in love with this sport.

F E N C I N G AT B S B

PRIMARY ART EXHIBITION

P R I M A RY A RT E X H I B I T I O N

@BSB

JUNE

SECONDARY SCHOOL REVIEW

Jason Porter Head of Secondary

Last month at the COBIS annual conference, I had the honour of listening to a speech by Bill Sweeney, CEO of the British Olympic Association. It looked set to be a thoroughly enjoyable and inspirational talk and as Bill Sweeney took to the podium, we all listened intently as he began to tell us the story of Britain’s truly impressive medal success at the 2016 Rio Olympics. As we know, he was right; Great Britain took a total of 67 medals, of which 27 were gold and Team GB came second only to the United States in this category. But what was most interesting was how he began to tell us how Britain’s 2016 medal count had steadily reached these heights from a medal count of 47 in the 2008 Beĳing Olympics. I was anticipating stories of advanced training regimes, special carb and protein diets and tales of grit and determination. Whilst all of this was certainly true, it became apparent that Bill Sweeney was talking about ‘marginal gain.’ He explained that for such a complex organisation as an Olympic team, there is no point trying to focus all resources on one area, but said that Team GB saw results by making a small improvement in absolutely everything that they did. Not limited to the training regimes, the marginal gains philosophy meant that Team GB arrived in the Olympic village in Rio to be greeted by a Union Jack towel on every poolside sun lounger and a box of Yorkshire Tea, a jar of Marmite and a packet of Jaﬀa Cakes in every room. If you know how important tea, biscuits and a strange yeast-based spread for toast are to the British, then you will understand why! As he was speaking, the parallels with our philosophies at BSB began to strike me. Maybe I am exaggerating a little by comparing us to an Olympic team, but certainly our ideals of seeking

a constant gain in development and quality, attention to detail and care for the individual ring true. This year has seen many gains and many successes, not only with exam results and university destinations, but also in the co-curricular life of the school and in sport and music. This term alone, we have seen our Junior and Intermediate UK Maths Challenge students scoop a record number of gold medals, with four going straight to the prestigious Olympiad Round and a further eight progressing straight to the Kangaroo Round. In addition, a group of volunteers travelled to Bistrita for the Fundatia

“This year has seen many gains and many successes, not only with exam results and university destinations, but also in the co-curricular life of the school and in sport and music.” Inocenti disabled children’s Olympics, a sports team went to Sheﬃeld for the COBIS games, bringing home a Gold medal and a place in the finals, and an ensemble of BSB musicians took part in the COBIS Music Festival in Alicante. And of course, the end of the school year means that we say goodbye to our Year 13 students and other leavers, and we have high hopes and crossed fingers for all our students who are currently sitting exams. I am truly proud of all the achievements of everyone in our BSB community, because none of it would be possible without the close collaboration of all the members of our School, something which sets us apart from some other schools. As this academic year draws to a close, I would like to wish all of you a restful and enjoyable summer! S E C O N DA RY S C H O O L R E V I E W

English Department Review 2016-17 by Aine Staunton

When tasked with writing this review I decided to ask the most important people for their opinions: the students. Here are a variety of comments from students across Key Stage 3 with their memories of the year. “The highlight of the year was by far book day. Everyone got to dress up in their favourite book character and get a free pass from the usual school uniform. It was preceded by the Readathon, a charitable event where children challenge themselves to read as much as they can and raise money for children in hospital. We managed to raise £480 and we hope to read even more next year!” “At the start of the year we covered the topic of Gothic literature. This was good as it prepared us for the reading of Century, our gothic novel.

We read the first few chapters and discussed how it relates to other works of literature such as Hamlet. We compared one of the characters - Marietta - to one of Shakespeare’s characters - Ophelia. We practiced writing P.E.E. paragraphs about the content of the book Century. This was incredibly helpful as writing good P.E.E paragraphs are a vital part of English and many other subjects, such as History.” “After only one lesson, Y7 saw the joys of literature. Our favourite topic was clearly Hamlet, as we did a lot of fun activities such as acting out the plot of the play. At the start, the word “Shakespeare” brought fright and complications to our minds, but our English teacher made us realise that once you get the plot, you get the play.”

The book sales throughout the year provide a great opportunity to pick up the latest titles

@BSB

JUNE

“Lessons always included interactive activities to help us gain a deeper understanding of our topic. For instance, for the novel Millions we went to the DT kitchen to try out a recipe from the book. The apple tarts were a disaster but taught us a valuable lesson about clarity and instructional writing!” “We explored various different poetic devices, such as similes, onomatopoeia, metaphors and more. This will help us in the future when analyzing poems and creating our own. We also examined several different poets and their most famous pieces of poetry.” “We really enjoyed the library lessons we have had every two weeks. It was a time to relax and escape from the chaotic real world. When we

finish our book early, our librarian, Mr. Appleton is always there to check out more books or recommend new ones.” “To finish the year, we explored the different types of writing pieces, for instance; letters, articles, diaries, speeches and reviews. This was extremely helpful as most of these came up in our end of year examinations. In preparation for the exams, we did several sample tests in class and these were very helpful as they gave us a chance to learn from our mistakes.” “Overall it has been a really good year!” Special thanks to Thea, Antonia, Irina, Karin and Georgina for their help with the comments.

World Book Day was popular amongst students and staﬀ, including Mr Appleton E N G L I S H D E PA R T M E N T R E V I E W

Berlin 2017 by Leo Bird

Over the Easter break, a group of Year 7, 8 and 9 students visited the vibrant city of Berlin. The capital of Germany has a fascinating history. During the 20th century Berlin was at the centre of world conflict in World War Two and the Cold War. After arriving in Berlin by air students took advantage of the central location of the hotel to take a walking tour of the city centre. They took a sunny stroll along the River Spree and caught sight of the Bundestag or Reichstag parliament building for the first time, they moved onto to see the iconic Brandenburg Gate and moving modern memorials to the Jewish and Roma populations killed during the Holocaust. On the second day, we had the opportunity to climb the Reichstag dome opened in 1999 after a remarkable transformation designed by Sir Norman Foster. The views and audio tour from the dome gave students an insight into the rich history of Berlin including the Reichstag fire and the Soviet capture of the building in 1945. We then walked to Berlin Central Station and navigated the U Bahn and S Bahn to the Story of Berlin Museum which is built above an original nuclear bunker built to shelter citizens in the event of a nuclear attack. This bunker is equipped with thousands of beds and other facilities but we quickly learned it was not much use as the 3000 thousand residents would only have enough supplies for two

The beautiful city of Berlin

@BSB

JUNE

weeks! We then visited the Berlin Wall memorial and looked at original sections of the dividing barrier between East and West. We then stopped for coﬀee and cake at a local café. On the third day, we ascended the Fernsehturm, the TV Tower which is Berlin’s tallest building. We then visited the Berliner Dom and an art market on our way to Checkpoint Charlie. Checkpoint Charlie was one of the key border crossings between East and West Berlin during the Cold War. It is an evocative reminder of a divided city. We finished the day by visiting the beautiful Tiergarten, one of Europe’s most beautiful urban parks. On Sunday, we visited the Tropical Islands water park that is about an hour’s drive from Berlin. The water park is housed in a former airship hangar and is the largest free-standing hall in the world. It is set at a sweltering 35 degrees inside and is equipped with slides, rapids, pools and cafes. On the final day, we walked to Potsdamer Platz and visited the Mall of Berlin, where students could buy gifts for themselves and their families. The trip gave students the opportunity to walk around a bustling, historical European capital that has seen some of the major events of the past century happen in its very heart. It was an intriguing few days for both staﬀ and students.

BERLIN TRIP

Maths Department Review 2016-17 by John Flood

As the term draws to a close, we reflect on another very busy but rewarding year in Mathematics at BSB. We started the year with a look back at the external exam results from the previous year. These results were, in general, nothing short of astonishing and some of the key statistics worthy of mention here include: 56% of our IGCSE students took their Maths exam one full year early, and of those, 100% secured A* and A grades. At Key Stage 5, of the students who studied the Further Maths course, 100% of them secured an A* grade at ‘normal’ A level Maths and 50% got an A* on the Further Maths course. A huge well done to all of the students and staﬀ involved. These sort of results, in a nonacademically selective independent school are exceptional and we are very proud of all those involved. As we look further down the school, at our Key Stage 3 year

Hard at work in maths as pupils prepare to transition to Secondary

@BSB

JUNE

groups, our students have again done us proud in the UK Maths Challenge event. We have, this year, in Key Stage 3 alone, won 39 certificates, 31% of them at Gold level. At Key Stage 3, 10% of our students, as well as securing Gold certificates, progressed to the next round of the competition. Even more impressive than this, we had 3 students in Key Stage 3 who progressed to the Maths Olympiad, an event which is only open to the top 1 or 2% of students taking part in the UK Maths Challenge globally. In other news, throughout the course of this year we have enjoyed another excellent Maths Enrichment day which included Year 6 pupils as part of their transitional activities, a House Maths quiz and a House Countdown Maths competition. Overall, it has been another great year here in Mathematics at BSB and we look forward to more of the same next year.

Maths takes on many forms…

…and enrichment days see maths used in many diﬀerent lessons M AT H S AT B S B

Middle Schools Debating Competition by Elisabeth Citron

The Young Winston Churchill Middle Schools Debating Competition took place at BSB on Monday 12th June this term, providing a chance for Bucharest schools to come together and showcase the talents of their younger debaters. Five international schools took part and we were pleased to welcome Genesis College for the first time, alongside our usual competitors from ISB, the French Lycée and IBSB. Following the prepared debate on compulsory organ donation, the first impromptu round included motions such as banning homework for Primary school students and the influence of mass media on the way in which we think. With quick-fire questions and persuasive arguments, the students truly did themselves justice. All teams debated twice and after lunch, the semi-final rounds took place between the two IBSB teams, BSB and the French School. When both IBSB teams were victorious, we faced

Debating is strong at BSB

@BSB

JUNE

a final between two teams from the same school. The teachers therefore took the initiative and proposed a “showcase” final in which the best speaker from each of the six participating teams was selected. Two mixed teams were formed and students from diﬀerent schools worked together to plan their speeches on the motion “This House believes that those citizens who do not vote should be fined”. After interesting and impassioned political points from both sides, the winning team was chosen and all students received certificates while IBSB, the deserving winners, took home the trophies. Without a doubt, all those who took part have good reason to be proud of their achievements on the day and we hope to see our junior BSB debating team go from strength to strength.

CEESA Model United Nations Conference by Natasha Skinner

After a term of researching, writing resolutions and preparing speeches the day finally arrived that Y9 would go to the Middle School MUN Conference. The students who attended were particularly dedicated as they had to choose between Sports Day and the conference! The CEESA Middle School conference is very special as it is one of the few MUN events that is designed specifically for younger students and gives them a chance to experience the debate and excitement as well as learn skills that they can use in future events. The conference is run and chaired by high school students from a number of the attending schools. The theme of this year’s conference was “Water for life: Problems and Promise in the 21st Century” with each committee discussing and debating a problem that currently exists related to water – be that political, military, humanitarian or environmental. Each committee was charged with coming up with a realistic and

durable solution to this problem. Our students both elected to work on the EcoSoc committee where Lisa-Marie represented Austria and Karin represented the United Arab Emirates – two very diﬀerent countries with completely contrasting outlooks on water! The day began with a workshop to ensure that all the students knew how an MUN conference would proceed before the committee work started. After several hours of debate and work the various committees came back together to experience an MUN General Assembly. Here the resolutions were debated and discussed and eventually passed. This was a brilliant event and it was exciting to see all the work put in by the students. The conference was attended by students from 10 international schools in the region and there was such a breadth of nationalities represented it really was a genuine MUN experience.

Science at BSB by Stephanie, Y7

Stephanie is in Mrs. Bousieâ€™s Y7 Science class. Here she is to tell us about a physics topic they have been studying and how an experiment helped to cement their learning. Energy transfer This term in Science, one of the topics we did was all about energy transfer. This was a very interesting project with lots of evaluations. For example, when we learnt that heat travels through solids by conduction, we put some wax and a pin on diďŹ€erent types of metals and heated them. Looking at the results, we found out which metal is the best conductor! Another experiment we did was to visualize convection. Convection is the heat transfer in gases and liquids. The liquid or gas in hot areas is less dense than the liquid or gas in cold areas, so it rises into the cold areas. We demonstrated this by filling a

A creative way to revise for end of year examinations

@BSB

JUNE

square cavity with water. Afterwards, we added some potassium permanganate and heated a corner of the square cavity. The water particles gained heat energy which was converted into kinetic energy. Due to this, they spread upwards and then along the top side of the cavity. Therefore, the water particles, which are now losing heat energy, float downwards back towards the heat source pushing the potassium permanganate with it. And when they get back to the heat source, the process repeats. It was really fun to visualize the whole operation and it helped make the process make sense.

Conduction and convection S C I E N C E AT B S B

Welcome to Secondary! Year 6 into 7 transition day by Natasha Skinner

After weeks of excitement and anticipation the day finally arrived – Y6 would get their taste of secondary! The day didn’t start the morning the Y6s arrived though; Y7 had been planning their activities and games as well as filming their introduction videos for weeks by the time June 6th finally dawned. The day began with an assembly from the Head of Y7, Natasha Skinner, who talked Y6 through the new things they would come across in secondary and told them what to expect. After this Y7 led them on a merry treasure hunt through the secondary campus – this helped students know what rooms to go to when they went to their taster sessions and also gave them a chance to hear History teacher and Y7 tutor to be Leo Bird’s hilarious jokes! Once everyone knew where to go the classes divided and dispersed around Crawford building to experience a taste of the lessons they will have in secondary school. There was a heavy focus on Humanities with sessions in History, Geography, World

Danube showcasing their House Shout

@BSB

JUNE

Religions and English. Scott Allsop ran a “history detective” session – the answers to the mystery were withheld until the end of the day in case of spoilers, and I know everyone was excited to find them out. Jo Mattingley-Nunn gave the students a taste of Geography in the second session with all the students undertaking Geographical enquiry. Leo Bird ran a session with discovery of religious artifacts and finally Aine Staunton and Sarah Lancaster took the students for poetry /character building in English. During the action-packed day students also were introduced to the delights of the secondary library by Tim Appleton and had the chance to eat their lunch in the on-site Bistro – I think that was probably the most exciting part for most of Y6! It was a wonderful day with many interesting experiences and we are all very excited to welcome our new Y7 students for the school year 2017-2018.

Looking cool presenting to colleagues

Olt pointing the way forward Y6-Y7 TRANSITITON

The Creative Faculty by Mark Williams

The development of the Creative Faculty within the school has continued at full speed and as the year draws to a close it is useful to take stock and reflect on the work completed so far. In Design Technology the state of the art lab contains a range of cutting edge and specialist technologies, such as laser cutters, 3D printers and CNC routers. These have been successfully integrated in to the curriculum at KS3 and students are becoming comfortable and confident that will define design and the built environment for the next generation. The range of traditional hand tools has allowed us to maintain craft skills as a cornerstone of the subject. The practical learning environment Design and Technology oﬀers is unique, and challenges students to think creatively and technically while having clear and definable product-based objectives in mind. This has led to students creating a wide array of outcomes in recent times and we look forward to this depth and variety of creations growing. Design and Technology is a whole school subject, and this year more than ever has seen our primary student utilising the Design and Technology labs. Whether this has been through creating motorised-vehicles or flower pots, there has been a tremendous level of integration of DT into the curriculum. Further to this, curriculum enrichment days have made use of the facilities available to deepen and enhance students’ enjoyment and engagement with their learning. Over the year the Art department has delivered a broad range of skills for KS3 as well as a program for KS4 and KS5 that focuses on individual strengths and interests to help them excel. Equanimity, tenacity and persistence have been some of the key aims of the faculty and students have worked on pieces that have taken many weeks to complete. The unit theme ‘Fantastical Towers’ gave scope for Y8 to develop research skills and learn to generate ideas from first and second hand sources. They then used these materials as a foundation to design images composed of imaginative line work that culminated in works with a surrealist appearance. All of Key Stage 3 were provided with a program that enhanced their technical abilities and conceptual skills as well as broadened their cultural awareness. All the

@BSB

JUNE

students were consistently challenged to work independently in order to develop and discover creative solutions to set themes The content of the exam courses has continued to be exceptionally diverse and the students developed projects that incorporated printmaking, textiles, fashion design, product design and digital art as well as producing pieces in traditional media such as painting and drawing. We are looking forward to exhibiting some of this work in late September after the exam boards have concluded their final moderations. As well as number of master classes that took place outside school hours we have been on various subject related trips. The year concluded with an outing to Art Safari, a large scale art fair that focuses on emerging and established contemporary artists. The department believes that it is of the utmost importance for students to engage in experiences outside of the classroom in order to set their studies in context, making their learning relevant and purposeful. We look forward to planning further trips next year and expect to visit the ever-growing Romanian Design Week amongst other events. All in all, it has been a great year for the Creative Faculty at BSB!

Fantastical Tower by Codrut Y8 T H E C R E A T I V E FA C U L T Y

Coloured pencil on paper observatiojnal drawing, Andra Y7

Coloured Pencl on Paper Observational Drawing, Anna Y7

@BSB

JUNE

Drawing and textile, the creative faculty uses many diďŹ€erent mediums

T H E C R E A T I V E FA C U L T Y

Interschool talent show and COBIS Music Festival by Sally Clark

This year schools could enter 3 acts each. We saw a variety of acts from ISB, IBSB, Cambridge School, Avenor College and the American School. The venue was the Ion Manu cultural centre in Otopeni; a beautiful theatre that was perfect for the event. As well as the music performances, there was a lot of friendly interaction with the students from other schools. It was impressive to see the variety of acts on oﬀer from Street Dance solo to a whole scene from La La Land with dancing, singing and great costumes – they won one of the prizes. There were a variety of rock bands. Our ‘Set up 5’ and ‘Space Bar Band’ performed ‘I love Rock and Roll’ and ‘Harder to Breathe’. The younger band were well rehearsed and really went for it and despite our older students having a shaky opening, they recovered well. The competition was tough, but we did feel in with a chance when Lena performed. She entranced the audience with her impassioned delivery of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Coﬀee in the Morning’, but obviously not as much as the winner who sang a beautiful love song in Mandarin. Well done to Lena, Vlad, Daria, Iarina, Areesh, Calin, Zak, Finn, Jesus and Chloe and thank you to the supportive parents who came to watch. This was our first attendance at the COBIS music festival which is now in its third year; it has previously been held in the Netherlands and Prague. This year it was at Kings College, Murcia in southern Spain. Vlad, Mihai, Zak and Elena attended and competed as soloists; pianos, ‘cello and voice respectively.

@BSB

JUNE

Zak performed in the string category first thing in the morning and he gave a well practised performance that our school ‘cello teacher was able to watch on the live stream and give some instant feedback. Elena performed in the afternoon showing quite a contrast between a Harry Styles song and Marilyn Monroe. She was against fierce competition from singers who are already doing regular gigs on the Costa del Sol or are about to go into musical theatre at music college. The piano players Mihai and Vlad could hold their own against the majority of the players and both of them played their piano pieces to a very accurate level and also had the extra benefit of playing with a lot of feeling and passion. Other teachers commented that both Vlad and Mihai obviously loved playing the piano and the pieces they played. On the Sunday, after a Saturday night-time safari and pizza on the beach, students had the opportunity to participate in either an orchestral or choral workshop. Sally Clark had the opportunity to lead 80 students and several teachers in the vocal warm ups and assist with the conducting of two songs which were performed in the afternoon winner’s concert. Next year’s Cobis Music festival location is yet to be announced, but now we have tested the waters and know what to expect, we hope to take some ensembles and choirs as well as soloists. Students enrolled in music CCAs from September will be given first consideration and there will be intense rehearsals in March and April to make sure we are prepared really well.

T H E C R E A T I V E FA C U L T Y

The end of another successful year by Sally Clark

We pulled oﬀ a massive school production of Jason Robert Brown’s 13! with professional level band music mastered by our students Jesus, Yeĳi and Lukas with a great deal of hard work. We couldn’t have done it without Jesus’s relentless tutoring with Lukas and his leading of rehearsals. Mr Allsop held us all together on the guitar and Yeĳi was as reliable as ever. The Orchestra continues to grow and now covers all the instrumental families. Special mention to Santiago who drifted from the violin to saxophone and has now also become very accomplished with the euphonium. The teachers involved, Natasha Skinner, Joshua Garner and Sarah Lancaster really help the students and of course the conducting and arranging by Jim Pywell have meant we have had a large variety of repertoire to play that has challenged all members regardless of their abilities. Well done to all the members and a big welcome to musicians who want to join in September. There are many shy violinists around the school that could really boost our sound. Vocal work is becoming more prominent as seen by the reliability and quality of the backing singers in the school production who really boosted the performance We will be running a music

The string section of the growing orchetra

@BSB

JUNE

theatre based CCA next term as well as a more formal choir. All those taking voice lessons, with an interest in singing in any style will be welcome. There is a possibility to start some singing groups for more mature voices too, parents and teachers if there is enough interest. Fruits of the Y7 instrument project continue to feed into the musical life of the school with 9 orchestra members joining on the strength of class music and some input at the ‘instruments of the orchestra’ CCA. Of course those making the fastest progress are taking individual lessons which are on oﬀer at the school for most instruments in the after school sessions. We welcomed Mihail Grigore this term who is now our string teacher and a ‘cello specialist. Next year we will add a specialist flute teacher to join Mr Pywell for woodwind and brass teaching and as demand increases we plan to have visiting guitar, voice and drum teachers. Things are not standing still in the music department! Keep listening and you might hear us. If you like what you hear, come and join us!

The teatime concert was a huge success

Staï¬€ and students in perfect harmony MUSIC REVIEW

Back to natural. Nutrition and sports. by Andrada Militaru

On 19th and 20th May, British School of Bucharest was honoured to welcome Dr Douglas Graham. A lifetime athlete and author of many books on health & nutrition, he is travelling around the world, advising world-class athletes and trainers, as well as sharing his strategies for success with diﬀerent audiences worldwide. During his career he has worked professionally with top performers from almost every sport, including tennis legend Martina Navratilova, NBA pro basketball player Ronnie Grandison, track Olympic sprinter Doug Dickinson, pro women’s soccer player Callie Withers and championship bodybuilder Kenneth G. Williams. His advice and educational programmes include not only a revolutionary concept of increasing strength for all sports, but also dietary advice: “I believe that health is the birthright of each individual and it is the result of lifestyle choices and environmental factors. My goal is to bring clear congruent health education to the masses, and develop custom lifestyle coaching programs for motivated individuals” As a writer, his book “The 80/10/10 Diet. Balancing your health, your weight and your life” was –and continues to be - a true milestone and an inspiration for all the people who understand the strong relation between what we eat and how healthy we are. “I have learned that I am responsible for my own health. I have learned that making healthy food and lifestyle choices is a part of my mental health. I have learned that there are always consequences”.

The Saturday sessions were interactive

@BSB

JUNE

During his visit to BSB he was invited to a series of lectures for pupils of diﬀerent ages about the benefit of eating more fruits and vegetables. The day-after, a whole day, spent outdoor, was dedicated to the people preoccupied by a healthy life-style, following nutrition trends and interested to find out more about cutting-edge nutrition information, sport enthusiasts or even sport professionals. Dr Graham presented a few lectures on various topics: in the first part of the day, advise for staying healthy as well as healthy routes to easy and quick weight-loss. The second part of the day was dedicated to sport: he gave interactive and fun lectures about the importance of becoming stronger in all sports. A spectacular deadlifting session with a few volunteers, young men and women athletes, completed the day. Despite the rain, all the participants enjoyed, during breaks, exceptional food prepared according to Douglas favorite recipes, while listening to good music. For the children a special corner was prepared, with interactive games and sports. These kinds of events create the opportunity for various health & nutrition cutting-edge new concepts to enter into the public space. Our environment and our society are under constant and rapid change. Therefore, due to these rapid changing factors, it is our responsibility to be informed and to constantly adjust our eating habits, our life-style in general, in order to remain healthy and happy about it!

Howard Dell The school was delighted to receive a visit from actor, musician, sportsman and fitness trainer Howard Dell. Passing on life stories and sporting tips to children of all ages, a great day was had by everyone. We look forward to welcoming Howard back in the future.

THE GRENADIER GUARDS

Addressing KS2, a diďŹ€erent challenge for the Guards

Even the youngest were transfixed by the uniforms T H E G R E N A D I E R G UA R D S

@BSB

JUNE

T H E G R E N A D I E R G UA R D S

SPORTS DAY

S P O R T S D AY

Sprinting to success in the 20 metre dash

A new high jump record for Secondary boys

@BSB

JUNE

Hurdling across the grass at the fantastic Olympic facility

Grit and determination are always on display S P O R T S D AY

Perhaps at the end of the race rather than the start!

And away they go on a sprint to the finish

@BSB

JUNE

S P O R T S D AY

BSB trip to ‘Olimpiada Inocentilor’, in Bistrita by Charlotte Sneath

In the early hours of the morning on May 10th, 6 bleary eyed BSB students met at the airport to fly to Cluj-Napoca, before embarking on further travel to Bistrita, in Transylvania. They were tasked with volunteering at the 6th edition of the annual ‘Olimpiada’ – or ‘Olympics of the Innocents’, run by the charity Fundatia Inocenti, whom the school work with throughout the year. This is a two day event, which aims to raise awareness, and celebrate children with special needs, and where hundreds of children and volunteers participate in creative, cultural, athletic, musical and outdoor activities. Upon arrival, the students from BSB were asked to take part in some activities, which emulated the eﬀects of disabilities, such as simulating trying to cross a road blind-folded, using a wheelchair on cobbles, or writing their names using a mirror. All of the students said these tasks were far harder than they imagined or considered, and made them more aware of the diﬃculties they would face on a daily basis. Following this, they visited the Biserica Evanghelică, to get a birds-eye view of the proceedings from the viewing platform in the steeple, and in the evening they were treated to a charity concert by Romanian singer Liviu Teodorescu.

The students were proud of their awards

@BSB

JUNE

Early the next morning, the students visited the state run centre where orphaned and abandoned children with disabilities permanently live, and where some of Fundatia Inocenti’s key charity work is based. Whilst some of them were attending school, others stayed at the centre permanently due to the severity of their disabilities. After lunch came the main event – all of the children, organisers and volunteers started oﬀ the proceedings with a walk around the Bistrita town centre to further raise awareness with locals. Then the BSB students split up into teams to run their activities, with the boys taking on a basketball game and hoop shoot, and the girls administering face paint, glitter tattoos and hair chalk. Both of the activities were far more popular than we had envisioned, and the students had plenty of children waiting to participate! They worked solidly for hours, and made us very proud in their mature, friendly and conscientious approach to the children they were working with. Therefore, they were very deserving of the traditional Romanian celebratory dinner that evening, and the awards and certificates they were presented with by Fundatia Inocenti, who were also impressed with their work ethic and positivity.

CHARITIES

The Innovation Hub by Tudor Atanasiu

As the year comes to an end praise should be given to both teams for producing extraordinary results as part of the Innovation Hub CCA. Looking back on the entire project and how it began, with toilet pipes and cardboard boxes, one can never again challenge the eﬃcacy and essentialness of duct tape! From figuring out how to design and assemble the audacious roll cage skeleton design to tackling the issue of chassis flexion under load both teams faced challenges and overcame them, at times with great frustration). Each team produced a fully functional vehicle capable of incredible performance both in terms of acceleration, top speed, and most importantly handling (As of the writing of this article exact performance numbers haven’t yet been recorded due to the lack of a track). One strange aspect of performance was the unique flex the chassis produces while cornering. It seems as due to the modular construction of the chassis it manages to mould around the forces generated during cornering, as well as the

One of two cars built by the Innovation Hub this year

100

@BSB

JUNE

terrain it is driving on. This combined with the large weight of the vehicle results in some spectacular drive stability. It also seems to give the vehicles passive suspension. The cars have yet to be subjected to some harsh performance tests on the race track. Next year holds a diﬀerent breed of challenge for this year’s students who wish to continue. One which takes the shape of their car giving each team the chance to work on fibreglass body moulding, clay sculpture and automotive design. For those who are new to the club, the bar has now been set and they will be competing to surpass this year’s constructions while also enjoying what new goodies the hub brings for 2017/18. We look forward to welcoming eager students to the club next year and any interesting creative innovations they bring with them. Enjoy your summer holidays.

Hard at work under expert tuition

Next year will see a fiberglass body added I N N O VA T I O N H U B

101

Life at University by Louisa Dascalescu

@BSB caught up with two of last year’s leavers to find out how they were adapting to life at University. We look forward to hearing of other adventures from this year’s leavers pictured opposite. “Life at university has been one of the greatest experiences of my life so far: from making new friend to having unfathomable adventures, it’s all been part of my university experience. Although I had 6 subjects in my first year (more than A levels) the workload was manageable, and what’s more, your teachers and the faculty staff help ease you in. The nature of university level work is completely different to school and it was a bit of a shock at first, as there were no teacher chasing you for assignment and you were responsible for your own learning. Moreover, going to lectures didn’t sound appealing at first, considering attendance wasn’t mandatory but I soon learnt that your lecturers are the ones writing your exams so a few exams hints, here and there, really help plus you get to see your course mates. This means you get to meet people from all around the world with amazing stories. Surprisingly, the weather in London is not as gloomy as people say and the slight rain you get used to. And it is offset by the fact that there were so many indoor activities to do that you would forget about the weather. Societies are a big part of university life and there’s a society for pretty much anything you can think of including the chocolate society. Overall, university is a great place to meet new people and learn about your subjects whilst developing new, useful skills for life”. Mohammad Musa is currently at UCL studying Economics. He was at BSB from 2008 until 2016. In his final year, Mohammad was Head Boy and went on to achieve fantastic A level results.

102

@BSB

JUNE

“Moving to London in September was undoubtably a big step, however, also a pleasant one. Settling in took a while, everything was new and I came to the realisation that going to London as a tourist is not the same as living there. University life completely diﬀered from my school experience: Law has lived up to its standard of being an intensive subject and the piles of books I got at the beginning of the year have proven to be very useful. I was exposed to new levels of independence and you realise that the learning you undertake at university is mostly in your own hands and for me that was an incentive to do my best. The past few months have been great, the amount of friends I have met, all with such diverse cultures and backgrounds makes everything we do not only fun but turns it into a learning experience. Besides all these new friends it has been nice seeing various familiar faces (lots of BSB graduates) all around London, I think the hardest thing to adapt to was the climate (I know Mohammed says it isn’t that bad but it is), an umbrella and a trench coat were some of the first things I bought as soon as I arrived – a true Englishman! Overall my first year at university has been a fantastic experience, I have acquired new knowledge (hopefully), friends but more importantly life lessons.” Filippo Musneci is currently at Queen Mary studying Law and History. He was at BSB from 2002 until 2016: from Reception to Year 13! Filippo was one of BSB’s best debaters (twice COBIS finalist and winner of the Winston Churchill Debates multiple times) before going on to achieve fantastic A-level results.

L I F E AT U N I V E R S I T Y

103

BSB’s Got Talent 2017 by Leo Bird

BSB’s Got Talent displayed the best that the school had to oﬀer in the performing arts. Comedy, music and dance were all represented as a blockbuster line-up tried to win a place in the final at the Summer Fair. This was after a stringent set of auditions where some truly tough decisions had to be made about who would make it into the spectacular on the front field. On the day itself, the Y7 band rocked away to open the show and both primary and secondary students showed oﬀ their skills on the spectacular stage. Ballroom dancing was provided by Krystof and Veronika in Y7 and more contemporary dance by Casi, Eshaal, Lyla, Livia and Carla in 3. Tessel, Maria, Martha, Avisheh and Anais in Y5 also busted some moves along with Maria in Y4. Lena and Caroline in Y5 impressed with their gymnastic routine. In terms of singers, we were spoilt for choice with Sofia and Heidi in Y4, Iarina in Y7 and Esperenza in Y6. The Constantinescu sisters, Daria and Adella impressed the crowds and Bendert in

Crowd and judges ready for the show

104

@BSB

JUNE

Y4 hit the top notes with his ukulele too. The individual musicians provided some particular highlights; Codrut in Y8 gave us a burst of classical grandeur. Andu shredded his electric guitar to the sounds of Gary Moore and in terms of duos Santiago and Alan provided a dose of cool. Our hosts for the day Octavia, Joe and Tasos proved that they have what it takes to host Eurovision, if it ever makes its way to the fair city of Bucharest. The finalists made their way through to the Summer Fair where the top 7 acts took to an even bigger stage to perform their pieces. In the end and after much deliberation, Andu from Y4 blew the judges away by showcasing his talents on the electric, bass guitar and drums all during one song. Krystof and Veronika and Sofia and Heidi were close runners-up. The event really proved that BSB’s got major talent!

Some of the siniging was of a high quality

B S B â€™ S G O T TA L E N T

105

Dancing featured highly from all age ranges

The finalists performed on stage at the Summer Fair

106

@BSB

JUNE

B S B â€™ S G O T TA L E N T

107

Have a fantastic summer holiday

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

T. +40 21 267 89 19, F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@britishschool.ro

/BritishSchoolBucharest /britishschoolro