BSB School Magazine December 2019

@BSB

Celebrating 20 years of preparing our students for a better future

December 2019

BSB CHRISTMAS fair BSB Autumn Cup 2019

Humanities week @bsb #Meet Our Teachers

The Road from BSB PLUS HEADMASTER’S WELCOME | PRIMARY SCHOOL REVIEW | SECONDARY SCHOOL REVIEW | FUN & ENTERTAINMENT AND MORE!

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Welcome TO OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY! Welcome to our 20th Anniversary!

In the 2019-2020 academic year we are celebrating our 20th anniversary. I’m sure this edition of our school magazine will demonstrate much of what we have become and of which we are extremely proud.

Twenty years ago global population was just breaking the six billion mark, which at the time seemed remarkable. Exponential growth now sees an estimated 7.6 billion global population with well over half that total living in urban areas, creating or enhancing huge challenges of sustainability for our politicians and planners. Climate change awareness and environmental issues now play an increasingly large part in international politics and the role of young leaders is increasingly evident as they seek the accountability of previous generations.

It is against this global backdrop, alongside the significant political local challenges within Romania that our school, to which some have referred – a small piece of Britain within Bucharest – has prospered. Our aim to create responsible citizens who can make lasting contributions to the world remains at the forefront of our ambitions. It is the key to our approach and I continue to be impressed by the myriad of ways in which we implement this ambition. Relevant elements,this term, include: Planet BSB’s latest initiative of registering as an Eco-School; a ‘sleep out’ to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people; the continued growth in scope of our Girlguiding unit; International Award scheme growth; the success of our F1 in Schools team, Malaxa, in this global competition. I do hope you enjoy reading about many of these initiatives in this edition.

Some of the societal changes that have happened since our founding may present us with some of the most significant challenges in the coming years. In our first academic year, WIFI

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WELCOME CONTINUED... and tablets did not exist whilst there was nothing close to the all-pervasive modern social media. You could go on holiday and actually be away from everything, with no ability to check email or receive text messages. Mobile phone ownership along with WIFI connection is of course now close to omni-present. Today, some people choose to go “off grid” during vacation but even then there is still the urge to check one’s phone. Such connectivity and technological advance has immense power within education and our teachers continue to seek ways to make the most of this. However, this is also a cause of increased stress, mental health issues and a whole new set of pressures for all of us.

I believe that we all need to practise the BSB Secondary School mobile phone rule of ‘Off and Out of Sight’ to ensure that we engage fully with each other - in the present. I have been asked by some parents why we allow the children on campus with phones.

It is with the aim of educating rather than merely prohibiting. Why should we prevent the use of a hugely powerful tool; whilst misuse is of course against the rules and as such is a behaviour issue. Hence, in line with our Positive Behaviour Policy, we aim to educate about appropriate and

healthy use rather than ban possession. Learning to have our devices with us, but not permanently in the palm of our hand, whilst constantly checking the latest social media fad, seems to me to be genuine education and one vital for us all in the coming decades.

given our inclusive, non-selective nature. Several students achieved truly exceptional results and these achievements and the work and preparation behind them should give our students a strong base on which to commence their A Level studies (and university applications!).

BSB has evolved rapidly. The Primary section was established first and in our second decade, the Secondary School has grown significantly and prospered resulting in full ‘graduating’ classes.

Students university destinations and subjects vary according to their interests and ambitions: from the study of Psychology at Warwick University in the UK to a Fine Art degree at Groningen in the Netherlands; from reading Geography at Cambridge University to Hotel Management in Switzerland and from a Foundation degree in Art at UAL to studying at Wharton Business School, part of the Ivy League’s UPenn. Our graduates have a global scope.

It is worth emphasising that the A Level qualification studied at BSB is recognised globally and we aim to assist our students in gaining entry wherever best suits the student and their family. The majority of our students continue their studies in the UK or Europe and our aim in that respect is to seek places at Russell Group institutions, or on other highly ranked courses. With the aid of our University Guidance Counsellor and our experienced teaching staff, our students consistently receive multiple offers of places during their final year at BSB and gain the grades required to access their choice of university.

Of this, we are exceptionally proud.

Looking back on the last year, our Y11 GCSE results in 2019 were outstanding; and our best yet in statistical terms.

An excellent overall pass rate (A*-C) of over 94% with 62% of final grades being A*-A is in line with the best HMC schools in the UK. This is remarkable

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Philip Walters Headmaster

M AI N PAR TNER:

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The whole BSB campus was filled with winter magic on 6th December. We celebrated the Festive Season with the entire BSB Community.

Santa Claus arrived in an environmentally friendly way at the Christmas Fair. The students were caught up in a lot of activities including the Christmas Run and decorating the Wishes Tree with their messages for a better future. Parents enjoyed the handmade gifts and winning the themed Christmas baskets that were made by the BSB students for the Fair raffle.

BSB would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the parents, teachers and partners who helped us put this event together!

It was a truly wonderful event that filled us with Christmas cheer that will last well into 2020!

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Halloween @BSB Our students had lots of fun celebrating Halloween.

The BSB campus had its share of ghouls, goblins and spectres.

Thank you to all the parents that made the Halloween Party an event to remember.

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PrimaryREVIEW 20 Years of Teaching and Learning

At BSB, we are proud to be celebrating our 20th anniversary this year – 20 years of building memories, 20 years of relationships and community, 20 years of commitment to excellence in education. 20 years seems such a long time, especially when one considers what education in a British primary school looked like 20 years ago.

The Primary classroom in 1999 would certainly have had many similarities to what we see at BSB today. There would, undoubtedly, be a teacher, students, exercise books, handwriting lessons, times tables, and perhaps even a teaching assistant who would help with administrative tasks.

Children and staff would be tackling the common, everyday growing pains and successes of normal social and emotional development and working on forming positive relationships.

The school would be focused on cultivating an inclusive environment in which children from different backgrounds, countries, belief systems and abilities could learn and grow.

Children would have had breaktimes

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and playgrounds, partaken in sporting activities and other CCAs, and enjoyed spending time outdoors.

But when I think back to what Primary education looked like back then, there were also some significant differences to what we see as we wander around our school today. There were facts to be memorised, knowledge to be internalised and levels to strive to achieve. The ‘interactive whiteboard’ was almost unheard of and the majority of teachers were still using chalkboards, dry-wipe boards, and OHPs (overhead projectors) to provide visual support for learners. Visual media clips came from DVDs or VHS tapes, and we listened to music on cassettes and CD players. In 1999, ‘google’ (spelt googol) meant a number 1 with 100 zeros after it and the only form of ‘texting’ existed through instant messages passed on Windows Live Messenger. The cutting-edge operating system for PCs was Windows 98 and a state-of-theart PC offered 400 MHz processors (as opposed to the relatively common 8GB of today). In a society in which only a rough majority of schools in the UK had any access to the Internet, likely through a ‘dial-up’ connection or the slightly more sophisticated ‘broadband’, and the average ratio of students to computers was 13:1, there was far less need for an Online Safety Policy or secure search engines that filtered content to protect child users.

‘Cyberbullying’ was not yet a major concern and we did not yet understand many other potential risks of our ‘connectivity’.

Children in the Primary classroom of today face a whole host of issues that the children of 1999 did not. They now need to learn how to construct and maintain a positive ‘digital footprint’, to distinguish between reliable and unreliable sources of online information, to filter the information that they share in order to protect their identity and to report the unethical transfer of information. But amongst the significant challenges and immense responsibility that these tremendous developments present, our children in the Primary classroom of 2019 also enjoy enormous benefits.

Children no longer spend hours thumbing through card catalogues and clunky databases at libraries to find things out. Knowledge and facts are literally at our fingertips whenever and wherever we want it. The availability of images, videos, music, even virtual reality, allows us to easily explore other places, cultures, wildlife and ecosystems which one could not have experienced without extensive travel and resources in 1999. Technology helps us to better cater for different learning styles, to support children with learning difficulties and to extend those who require additional challenge. It helps teachers to easily share ideas and resources, regardless of where in the world they might be teaching, and to ensure that practice remains in line with UK expectations as it evolves.

The information that we have available to us at merely a ‘click, swipe, or tap’,

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coupled with the globalisation that has resulted from a range of technological developments, have virtually changed the way we approach the curriculum and pedagogy. In 2019, it is far less relevant to memorise facts and figures than to develop the skills to seek out and select from the volumes of information ‘out there’. Our Primary students must be able solve problems, think critically, trust their moral compasses, collaborate and cooperate with others, delegate and take on responsibility. And in the Primary classroom of today, particularly at BSB, it is our children who are leading the learning; they are the developers, programmers, innovators, researchers and problem-solvers.

While I am certain that the spectrum of opinions on whether school life was better or worse in 1999 is wide, I can say with conviction that I am delighted to be a part of what teaching and learning at the British School of Bucharest looks like in 2019. On this momentous occasion, I congratulate the many people who have helped to make BSB what it is today and look forward to another 20 fantastic years of excellence!

Victoria Smith

Head of Primary School

EYFS WORKSHOP

By Jodie Lewis, EYFS Coordinator

Developing parent partnerships is important to us at BSB. Workshops can help parents understand how learning takes place at school, meaning the support given at home can complement and consolidate the development taking place during school time.

Our first EYFS workshop this year ‘An Introduction to the Early Years Foundation Stage’ took place on Friday, 21st September. This was an overview of our curriculum, assessment and how learning takes place in and out of the classroom.

A sample of classroom activities ranging from Pre-Nursery to Reception were set up in the hall. Parents worked in groups to experience first-hand the fun that could be had, but were also given a task, to identify the learning taking place. This was a small insight into the active way our children learn at BSB, the cross curricular nature of activities and how these are tailored to meet the individual needs of our children.

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Examples were given on how children can learn and develop in all areas of our curriculum through play and the importance of play both inside and outside the classroom. “ Play underpins the EYFS. It also underpins learning and all aspects of children’s development. Through play, children develop language skills, their emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills.” EYFS Statutory Framework, 2017 A second workshop took place on 11th October for Reception parents and parents new to BSB in KS1. This workshop explained how phonics is taught in school using the Read Write Inc scheme, the terminology used and ideas to help at home.

By using a systematic and synthetic approach to phonics, children can quickly gain confidence in becoming an independent reader and writer. It teaches children to accurately and fluently read by decoding words and the skills to segment words into sounds for spelling.

Teachers at BSB recognise the importance of interactive and hands on learning, so parents were invited to try out some examples of phonics games and activities.

A big thank you to all of you who have supported our workshops so far and we look forward to seeing you at future workshops.

Critical Friends:

the pursuit of self-improvement

By Dan Batson

Over the school’s first 20 years, BSB has grown, developed, evolved and learned. It is where it is now through vision, hard work and dedication, but also through continued self-reflection, self-evaluation and self-improvement.

This process can sometimes be uncomfortable, but necessary to move forward, and we are committed to taking the school to new and better places.

A very important part of our commitment to self-improvement is the employment of ‘Critical Friends’.

Experienced, external, objective perspectives help us reflect better and with greater clarity. They highlight our strengths, often the things we now take for granted, and they identify our blind spots, ask the right questions and challenge us professionally.

This term we have had the pleasure of hosting two critical friends, both here

to work with staff for the purpose of school improvement, although with slightly different agendas.

Susan Eriksson visited BSB in October to evaluate all safeguarding systems and provisions at school, and offer a critique of our compliance with British Schools Overseas’ (BSO) expectations. As well as being an experienced headteacher herself, Susan is a BSO School Inspector, COBIS Educational Consultant, COBIS Lead Improvement Partner and a qualified coach. Susan also facilitates and assesses all the UK National Professional Qualification programmes and is extremely experienced at delivering effective continued professional development for teams, teachers and leaders.

Also in October, we had the pleasure of working with Karen Ardley for a week. Karen is the Managing Director

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of Karen Ardley Associates, a highly acclaimed consultancy based in England, supporting schools and colleges delivering the English National Curriculum in the UK and worldwide. Karen’s particular focus was to scrutinise the standards and quality of teaching and learning throughout BSB, from EYFS to Y13.

Karen is highly respected and widely recognised as a leader in her field, with vast experience as a school leader, Education Adviser and Ofsted Inspector.

The feedback we received from both of our critical friends was extremely positive, supportive and helpful. Each report reminded us of the ongoing, excellent practice taking place daily at the British School of Bucharest and offered expert guidance which has already helped shape our plans for continued school improvement.

Pre-Nursery

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EXCITEMENT ADVENTURE

by Raina Myson

It is a huge leap starting school for a young child. We have the privilege to care for them at the British School of Bucharest and we are fortunate to be the ones charged with nurturing and exciting their little minds on the first step of their learning journey.

The youngest learners at BSB have had an amazing time exploring their new classroom and surroundings since the start of term. They have gained confidence within the class and are able to access resources, the Home Corner has been a hit this term and it looks like we have a few artists in our midst.

This term has seen the children explore the Mud Kitchen and the Water Area in which they have had a blast making soups, potions and puddles and all of my little learners have enjoyed filling buckets up with water and moving it around the garden. The children have also begun to explore the Climbing Castle, and this has been a great way to strengthen their gross motor skills.

These activities strengthen the child’s fine and gross motor skills along with helping them build friendship groups which is an important stage in a child’s development. It’s a big step forward in their social and emotional development as they are beginning to be curious about the outside world and this in turn develops their self-confidence.

Developing a child’s communication skills at this young age is imperative and this has been enhanced by the singing and stories that the children have been immersed in. In school, at the moment, the children are enjoying the ’Stick man’ story and I can’t wait to see the arts and crafts to go with the story.

BSB provides a rich, vibrant and calm environment which allows young inquisitive minds to grow and mature along with their peers.

We hope they have had as much fun as we have during this term.

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Nursery@BSB From Little Acorns…

By Jenna Batson

It’s been a fabulous start to Nursery this year.

The children very quickly settled into routines and welcomed all our newcomers with open arms. The year started with getting to know each other and exploring our school environments both indoors and outdoors. The warm, dry weather at the beginning of the year meant we could stay outside for as much as we wanted and continue to explore our learning in this natural context.

Learning for us is wild and free, it roams from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day, sometimes veering off, sometimes simple, sometimes brilliant, sometimes soaring, often taking you to places you could never imagine: always exciting, always something different, forever changing, never standing still.

Always, always beautiful

In Nursery, the children have full autonomy of what and where they would like to learn. From digging for worms and learning about how to create a worm hotel, to making our own mud paint and painting the tree trunks, as well as writing messages in our own unique way to give to our friends and family.

Being three and four years old means we have a lot to learn about how we treat each other, about sharing and taking turns, as well as, managing our own feelings. We are very fortunate, indeed, with the children in Nursery, as they truly are kind-hearted, thoughtful and caring for each other.

Here’s to the next two terms being just as full of learning opportunities and growth!

Greg Bottrill

Can I Go and Play Now, 2018

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Reception@BSB Firm Foundations…

By Emma Sauer and Jodie Lewis

In Reception we have had a brilliant start to the year. We began the year by getting to know each other and developing our friendships. We have been participating in carpet times and team games in order to get to know each other better. We have participated in discussions and completed activities about what it means to be a good friend.

We have had some lovely weather and have had a lot of fun exploring the Outdoor Area. Some of us especially like getting our hands dirty in the Mud Kitchen or searching the garden for worms. We set up a wormery and have been observing the changes as the worms have been moving about. We have learnt how to navigate the Ringwood Castle safely and have had a lot of fun climbing it.

This term we have been finding out about how to become good learners. This has involved the

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children understanding and keeping the Golden Rules so that they can work together in a safe, secure and enjoyable environment. Our child friendly ‘rules’ are specifically created to help develop children’s personal and social skills as they learn to acknowledge and respect the thoughts and feelings of others. Children are encouraged to listen carefully, always have kind hands and feet, share and take care of each other as well as their belongings to support the development of independence throughout the year.

In the Food Tech room, we have been learning about food safety. We make sure our hands are clean before cooking and are careful with our fingers when cutting vegetables. We also know not to touch the oven when it is hot. We have enjoyed cooking a variety of foods. We have made apple crumble, worm popsicles, pumpkin soup and pancakes.

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Year 1@BSB World Superheroes

By Emily Marsh and Katherine Dibble

We have had a super first term in Year 1! We kicked off our year with our ‘Superheroes’ topic, using the fantastic story of ‘Super Tato!’ to inspire and capture the children’s interests. The children demonstrated their creative sides by making getaway cars for Super Tato, and even a vegetable side kick to help him in his missions. Moving on from this we then started to talk about real-life superheroes. We had a visit from Light into Europe and a guide dog, went on a visit to the local health centre, and went to the Fire Station where we even got to put on a helmet and use the hose!

As part of this topic, we worked hard to develop our own, brand new superhero! We designed everything about them from their powers to their costume and nemesis - all ready for Superhero day, where we then flew out of our Superheroes topic in style by zip lining over the school dressed up in our hand made costumes. We then jumped right into our next topic, through which we had the opportunity to learn a bit more about the world around us.

On our ‘world traveler’ trip through the continents, our first stop was Europe, where we learnt a little more about

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the different seasons. The children impressed us by learning and performing poems about Autumn and even had a go at writing their own poetry inspired by the falling leaves.

Our next stop was Africa, where the children used the story ‘Handa’s Surprise’ to help them to understand story structure, finally having a go at writing their own stories based on what we had learnt. We then moved on to South America, where we explored jungles, learning lots about sorting and classifying animals in different ways. Our final destination was the Antarctic, where all the snow put us in the perfect mood for Christmas!

What a wonderful term it has been!

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Year 2 @BSB YOUNG CHARACTERS

By Ann-Marie Isaac and Adam Pegrum

In the Autumn term Year 2 focussed on the enquiry questions of ‘What makes me super?’ and ‘Where do I live?’.

2s, 3s, 5s, and 10s in preparation for the multiplication work that will be coming up.

What makes me super?

The children found a letter from the representatives of Roger Hargreaves, the author of ‘Mr. Men’ and ‘Little Miss’ books. Their challenge was to create a brand new character focusing on attributes of a healthy lifestyle. To create their character, the children needed to consider the enquiry question ‘What makes me super?’ and carry out research and activities linked to healthy living.

We focussed on sentence structure, punctuation and started to explore different suffixes and expanded noun phrases.

In Science, the children have been looking at animals and developing a better understanding of the human body, as well as what humans and animals need to stay healthy. To finish our healthy bodies unit, we were lucky enough to have some experts in the field, had some parents come in, and they organised a fantastic workshop for the children.

They began the Autumn term with lots of number work to recognise, read, and count numbers up to 100 and back, making sure they understood the place value of numbers. They have increased the speed in which they can count in

A highlight of this half term was visiting the DT workshop, and the children learned many different skills, including measuring, sawing, and joining.

Where do I live?

At the beginning of this half term, the children went to the zoo as the ‘hook’ for the question. They researched the different habitats of animals and the

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continents from which they originated.

In class, they further developed their knowledge about suitable habitats for different animals and plants and the reason for this. It allowed us to focus on various human and physical features in Geography, along with comparing similarities and differences of another country with Romania.

In English, the children have been reading and retelling animal fables and at the end, created their own fable based on what they’ve learned.

They have worked hard to develop their understanding of word problems and completed lots of practical activities in the DT kitchen to measure ingredients in mass and volume.

At the end of the unit, they designed and created animal hand puppets using a variety of stitching techniques.

Thank you Children, for a fantastic first term!

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Year 3 @BSB SURVIVAL IN Y3

By Charlotte Smith and Rachel Eglinton Year 3 have spent the term immersing themselves in their survival topic. At the start of September, the children kicked-off their new learning journey with a survival problem; they went outside to design and build a shelter and discuss what they would need to survive in a forest setting. This activity gave us a great insight into the children’s problem solving, communication and team-work competencies. We further consolidated their outdoor survival skills throughout the term by focussing on compass and map skills which we developed both on the school grounds and during our trip to Băneasa Forest.

During our English lessons, we have used our theme and class text ‘The Explorers’ to inspire and support our lessons. The children have been learning to consolidate and extend

their understanding from Key Stage 1 with a specific focus on descriptive language and further developed sentence structures. They have had many opportunities to write at length using their imaginations which is an important skill for developing writing fluency and personal style. There has also been a big push in Year 3 on reading beyond basic fact recall to develop the children’s comprehension and inference skills. The children have taken up the challenge with enthusiasm and we have seen a huge improvement in reading skills due to the frequency of home reading and the increased guided reading sessions in class.

In light of the big move from Key Stage 1 to Key Stage 2, we have been spending a lot of time discussing personal wellbeing and a positive

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growth mindset with Year 3. It was very important to us that the children understand that obstacles are a part of life and we share with them strategies to both overcome them and help to alter negative emotions. Furthermore, we have been spending time with the children to reflect on their own academic and social targets; we have been discussing in detail how the children can take personal responsibility to achieve these along with the support we will be offering them in class. Year 3 have amazed us with their maturity and desire to develop independence over their learning.

It has been a pleasure spending the first term getting to know the children and we look forward to continuing their learning with them in Term 2.

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Year 4 @BSB First Term Fun

By Geraldine Andrews and Susan Walsh The first half of the Autumn Term saw the children learning all about Chocolate through the exciting story of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Taking inspiration from the classic story, the children designed their own chocolate rooms and wrote their own fantasy stories.

Harvest around the world In October, the Year 4 children enthralled their parents and other audience members with a production all about Harvest from around the world. Each child had their own words, poem, dance or song to learn. The children worked very hard to learn their parts and know when it was their turn on the stage. They sang beautifully and spoke out with confidence to deliver a great performance.

Choco-Museum In October, both classes took a trip to the Choco - Museum in Bucharest,

where they learnt about the origins and history of chocolate. They found out all about how chocolate production around the world has changed over the years. They ended the trip with the opportunity to get creative and decorate their own chocolate bars.

What’s the matter?

Year 4 have worked hard in Science this year. The topic of Solids, Liquids and Gases gave the opportunity to get into the kitchen and explore melting and solidifying chocolate.

The comparative taste test was a particular highlight of this topic!

Arty Arcimboldo Have you ever made a face using fruit and vegetables? Well the Year 4 children have! They learnt all about the artist Arcimboldo and were able to recreate some of his masterpieces in the classroom.

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Vile Vikings The second half of the term saw the children explore the life and times of the Vikings! They learnt how the Vikings came from Scandinavia to raid and pillage Great Britain. There was a particular fascination with Longboats and children had a chance to design their own. How to Train your Dragon was the English text used to support this topic. Children are now experts at catching and training dragons, so watch out!

Delightful Digestion and Terrific Teeth In November, Year 4 did some amazing work on the digestion system. They worked hard at researching how the digestive system works and all the component parts, presenting their findings to the rest of the class. They soon moved on to learning all about teeth with the children investigating which drinks decay teeth quicker.

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Year 5 @BSB

American Adventures

By Karen Cojocaru and Laura Gildea

This term, our learning across the curriculum has been linked through the theme of North America. While investigating the ideas behind Thanksgiving in our History lessons, the children explored the reasons for the journey of the Mayflower and the Pilgrims settling in the New World.

They used their map reading skills to identify the places named in the historical account and how the location in which the Mayflower eventually docked impacted the development of the colonies and the interactions between the Native Americans and the Pilgrim settlers. They then extended

their understanding of the continent of North America in Geography lessons by researching and comparing its other countries and major cities with one another and with Romania.

In our Food Technology lessons, the children researched which foods were part of the first Thanksgiving celebration and compared these with the food served for modern-day Thanksgiving meals. Based on this, the children selected appropriate ingredients to prepare and cook, in a variety of ways, for their own Thanksgiving celebration with twenty

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specially-invited guests. They explored the features of recipes in English lessons to follow these and to write their own for our event. Not only did the children refine their cooking skills, they also developed their social interaction skills while identifying and meeting the needs of their guests.

We are so proud of Year 5 for the mature and responsible way they conducted themselves throughout this whole project. They set a fantastic example for others to follow.

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Year 6 @BSB WILL REMEMBER THEM

The Autumn term of Year 6 got off to a fantastic start. We welcomed Mr. Helps and Mrs. Kelly and welcomed back Miss. Catalina (who returned from her maternity leave). As well as this, we said hello to eighteen new children. We got to know each other through a range of team building games delivered by the guides from Active Holidays who helped us during last year’s residential trip to Bran.

The main focus of the work in Year 6 was World War I. During English lessons, we read lots of diaries, letters and poems written by soldiers at the time. We also read fictional stories with a World War I theme. The children then wrote their own diaries and poems, some of which were performed during

the Remembrance Assembly and feature within this magazine.

We also visited the Commonwealth War Memorial, just outside Bucharest, to find out a bit more about some of the service men who are buried here.

We used this time for quiet reflection and an opportunity to sketch some of the symbols used on the graves. This helped with lino artwork where the children produced WWI inspired tiles.

In History, we looked at propaganda posters which were designed to encourage men to sign up to help with the war effort. Our map work showed what Europe looked like at the start of the 20th Century and who was involved in the war and why. We

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investigated the real events of the Christmas Truce (a football match between British and German troops probably did not happen) and found out about life in the trenches. We were fortunate to have a visit from the Head of Humanities, Mr. Allsop, in his role as Colonel McDonald-Baker who served in the Middle East during the conflict.

All this work culminated in what was a mature, touching and thoughtful Remembrance Day Assembly, which was held on Armistice Day. The children showed the utmost respect to all those whose lives have been affected by war past and present.

Our message to you all: We Will Remember Them.

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Year 6 POEMS

Poems written by the Year 6 students that had been presented during the Remembrance Day Assembly on 11th November 2019 Will I die

by Anca

Here dead we lie in doubt Of our choice we can’t regret Everyone knows how the poppies grow But these ones are oh so…

The frostbitten corpse Screaming in pain While the gruesome blood Watered the cold blooded poppies The gunshots fatal In heavy pain That we are in We fight in sin Throughout this war I wondered how Something so nice Could grow throughout Will I die?

Where Poppies Grew

by Ben

In the lands, where poppies grew, Gunshots loud, and bullets blew.

Past the soldiers, and past their trench, In the lands, where poppies grew.

A green sea of death and despair,

Racing to hit the soldiers lair.

Boom! Bang! The bayonets fired, In the lands, where poppies grew.

Choking, puking, inhaling poison, Corpses lying dead.

Britain’s turrets, devouring brains, With food and rations as small as a grain.

Explosive weapons, all on sight, In the lands, where poppies grew.

The rabid animal, spitting metal, a rattling trigger pulls.

“No ammo! No ammo!” A British soldier yelled.

The war froze as if it was inside an iceberg.

A German soldier crawled onto land.

“Stop! Stop! Stop!” He shouted.

The man was unarmed.

“Do you like football?” He surrendered.

And so did Britain.

“Hey! Look Guys!” Another soldier said.

“It’s starting to snow!”

The two armies played with peace.

No Gunshots. No bullets.

In the land where poppies grew

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Terror in 1914

By Wiktor

Bullets penetrating soldiers’ skin Virulent gas filling the toxic stiff air Agitation spread in the atmosphere filling the soldiers’ hearts Rats skidding among the soldiers’ feet stealing sustenance and leading to starvation The constant gunfire ripping lives into shreds Pounding rain what a terrible place to be in

The Lifeless Years of War

by Casiana

Waking up quietly in the Darkness of war seeking glory with my mates, why did we ever have to be so poor?

We are hiding in boxes, trenches and crates, Hearing the bombs banging day and night.

All we ever want is peace, dreaming for it day and night.

But we all still have to fight, because there is no turning back.

I was trying to sleep in the dangers of war, Hearing how life was eroding like sand.

Trying not to think of my family who begged me not to go, Now I realized what a big mistake I’m in…

The lifeless years of war…...

Heroes

By Artem

Terrible and dark, Taking people’s lives, War came to our land.

Bullets flying by, Shells are dropping close.

All the lads away, Drowning in the mud.

Going over the top, Invading No-man’s land.

All of them in pain, Most already dead.

Heroes of our world, Fought for our land.

Bloody Death

by Sergey

The gun rattles, the canon booms Lonesome dark, murdering the soldiers Many bloody deaths As they die, they turn to dust The deadly no-man’s land devouring millions

Boom here, bomb there No second to relax Giant, heavy bombs smashed the trenches The explosion took many lives The young men got a ticket to heaven We’ll teach a lesson to the Germans Children traumatised by the cannons Young men die infinitely The poisonous gas as deadly as a tarantula The metal bullets as fast as lightning Many bloody deaths Many young men Many died for their country Many, many, many.

I should not be here

by Andrei

Humongous artilleries destroy souls and hopes Deadly gas attacks catch the men I should not be here Homesick soldiers remembering their homes All silence in the town I should not be here Terrified soldiers living in trenches Frustrated wives singing with spirit I should not be here Finally, some families reunited While some stay home and cry I should not be here

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In the Heavenly Meadows

by Beatrice

In the heavenly meadows where the trees sing gracefully, Nature is free to fly, The bunnies hop and the butterflies flap, In the heavenly meadows, In the heavenly meadows, The tanks tumble terribly , And the bullet breathing dragon flies, Eager innocent soldiers marching sluggishly The bunnies limp on their broken leg and some lie dead The brains of the dead were mashed potatoes, The meadows were as dark as coal, In the heavenly meadows, In the heavenly meadows war disappeared, Poppies bloomed and nature could fly again, The sun was like a pot of gold, As it danced around the sky joyfully, The bunnies hop and butterflies flap, In the heavenly meadows.

THE

Gruffalo GALA

By Paul Gildea

There were Gruffaloes, Stick Men, Zogs and witches galore as BSB hosted its very first ‘Gruffalo Gala’. A celebration of the work of Julia Donaldson, best-selling author and former children’s laureate, the Gruffalo Gala was our chance to immerse ourselves in some classic picture books and take part in a range of story-themed games.

While dressed as their favourite Julia Donaldson character, children from

Reception to Year 3 listened to some wonderful stories and then plunged into some fantastic activities, ranging from a ‘Smartest Giant in Town’ dressing-up challenge to ‘Snail and the Whale’ stone painting. Each activity was based on a different book by Julia Donaldson, with children able to listen and engage with the stories as well as participate in the various exciting activities.

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The world of stories is so important for the development of young children, and it was wonderful to see so many of our little ones engaged in listening and imaginative play. Special thanks must go to Ms. Ana-Maria our Primary Librarian for organising the event, and of course to the teachers and teaching assistants who volunteered with such enthusiasm. I know I speak for all of the children when I say that I can’t wait for next year!

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#MeetTHETEACHERS Geraldine Andrews

PROFILE:

Which of the schools you have taught in is the most different from BSB?

Why did you go into teaching?

I was one of the lucky ones, in that I always knew I wanted to be a teacher.

I love children and knew that my future lay in working with them. I never had the angst of wondering what I wanted to be when I grew up – from an early age I was going to be a teacher and here I still am in my 27th year!

What made you want to join BSB? Geraldine Andrews joined the British School of Bucharest in 2019 as a Primary School Teacher and Key Stage Coordinator. Geraldine has vast experience, having worked in the educational system for 26 years, and a high understanding of the British curriculum following extensive experience in Primary school leadership positions in the UK and having attained the NPQH qualification. Geraldine joined following five years working at a prestigious international school in Qatar.

When my husband and I made the decision to leave Qatar, the search was on for another international school which could offer us a new experience. When I saw the vacancy at BSB I was attracted by the commitment of the school to provide high quality education to children both inside and outside the classroom. The values of the school matched mine and I thought I could fit in well. The campus looked amazing and the opportunity to teach in Europe and be closer to family in England all added together to make me want to join the team. It was a good decision!

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Probably the school where I was headteacher for 10 years. It is a small, rural school with only two classes – FS/KS1 and a KS2 class. The challenge of teaching children aged between seven and eleven in the same class is an interesting one! We often had brothers and sisters in the same class and at one point my own two children were in my class. The grounds were lovely, which allowed us to develop the outdoor learning space (similar to BSB), but the indoor space was limited. Every school I’ve taught in has had its similarities and differences, but each has had its own character.

In how many countries have you lived?

Lots! I was born into an expat family, so despite being born in England I didn’t stay there long. I have been lucky enough to live in Germany, Italy, UAE, Qatar, Iran, Sweden and of course Romania! I love travelling and visiting new countries, so the list of countries visited is longer than the ones I have lived in!

You have worked in the educational system for 26 years. Can you elaborate on how the British curriculum has improved over the years?

As you can imagine I have seen many new initiatives (and a few old ones!) over the years. I started my teacher training as the Education Reform Act of 1988 came into effect, which hailed the introduction of the National Curriculum. I believe this was a turning point for British education as it offered our children a structure to their learning and equality of provision, no matter where you went to school. Since then the curriculum has been adapted to suit the needs of a modern-day classroom. It has changed to allow schools and teachers more control over what and how they teach whilst retaining basic expectations. These expectations mean that children who move between schools can expect a smoother transition as the curriculum is divided into key stages. I am proud to be a teacher and to be part of the British education system which seeks to educate leaders of the future.

What inspires you to be creative in your teaching methods?

I take my inspiration firstly from the children I am teaching and secondly from my colleagues. Every class is different and children’s interests vary but using these interests in your teaching always captures children’s imaginations and keeps them motivated to learn. Colleagues are

always a source of inspiration and often the best ideas come from shared planning, a break time chat or team teaching. I think a ‘have-a-go’ attitude is important as teachers – we encourage our children to take risks in their learning, but do we take risks in our teaching? We should do, it makes for more exciting and interesting lessons!

be the educators of the future. Its such an amazing job that I would never dissuade anyone from going into a career in education. Every day is different and brings its own challenges, but the rewards are immense.

If you weren’t a full-time teacher, what would your dream job be?

Yes, I think it gives balance to a potentially narrow curriculum. I majored in Geography as I have always been interested in the world around me, but the skills and knowledge I learnt are more far reaching than the course offered. I would encourage students to look carefully at the options open to them at university as the opportunities these days are wider than they have ever been.

This is my dream job! If I wasn’t a teacher, I think I’d have to work in a book shop or library so I could immerse myself in my reading. It would be handy if there was chocolate shop next door too!

What are you enjoying most about Bucharest so far?

I love exploring the city and finding out about its history. Weekends are spent in museums and art galleries. The restaurants and bars are a treat having come from the Middle East where outside living is limited due to the heat. The people here have also been so friendly and helpful. I’m looking forward to further exploration and especially the opening of the Christmas market.

What advice do you have for students who want to follow a career in education?

Go for it! I think it’s important to encourage our young people who want to

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Is it a good idea for students to study a humanities subject at university?

What part of teaching children, as an educator, are you most passionate about?

Making teaching fun! For children to fully achieve their potential they need to feel happy and secure in school. As a teacher I feel passionate that this is my role. Children must feel confident in their classroom, feel able to contribute to their own learning and ask questions about what they are being taught. All whilst enjoying themselves!

And finally: tell us something unexpected about yourself.

I have seen Mount Everest, close up, on three separate occasions.

Secondary REVIEW

BSB’s Message in a Bottle – 20 years on…

A few months ago, a man was collecting firewood on a beach in Alaska when he discovered a bottle which had been washed up. When he finally managed to uncork the bottle, he discovered a piece of dried-up paper still smelling faintly of sour wine. On the paper was a letter in handwritten Russian dated 20th June 1969. After posting the letter on social media, the author came forward. It was a retired and aging former Soviet navy captain who, in tears at the joy of his note being discovered, said he had written it as a greeting so that he, his ship and his crew would be remembered.

Leaving messages in bottles has found its place in nautical legends for centuries and it was no real surprise for my interest to be captured when I stumbled across this news story. So, it seems that leaving a message in a bottle either conveys a message for a future generation or maybe a cry for help, as was the case for the hit song Message in A Bottle by the British pop group ‘The Police’ in 1979. Either way, and as with the Soviet sailor, his message formed a legacy to be discovered in the future.

The relevance of this concept struck me as I thought back to the alumni event at BSB in June this year. BSB is 20 years old and we have now created an established network of BSB graduates, many of whom are in successful businesses, enterprises and vocations all over the world.

This was our first such event and it was truly a heartwarming experience to spend an evening in the company of our alumni, listening to their memories of BSB. What

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did become clear was the pride and affection they all shared for their School and how they have now understood in their adult lives the relevance and value of being asked to ‘remember the BSB values’, ‘wear the correct uniform’, ‘study hard’ or ‘remember to say please and thank you’ from their formative years and which has equipped them to make the best of their future. The relevance to the above news story is that BSB leaves all our alumni with a message in a bottle for their future. This becomes the legacy which they discover in the course of time, but which is a gift that will they take with them through their lives.

The BSB legacy is as strong as ever 20 years on and is supported through the

strength and spirit of our entire community and the opportunities created for all our students. This term alone has been no exception. Our school value of Concern for Others has shone through with charitable initiatives such as Jeans for Genes day, the MacMillan Coffee Morning, the Sleepout for Casa Ioana and our Harvest Festival food collection.

Opportunities out of the classroom have been created such as the International Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition to the Bucegi mountains, the F1 in Schools trip to the UAE, a wide variety of sports fixtures and the Musical Soirée in the library. Students from BSB and other schools benefited from our hosting of university fairs, where international universities were represented. Our annual Café of

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Cultures brought members of our community together, showing the level of support and commitment which comes from our parents.

As the academic year progresses, we will look forward to many more opportunities for all our students and to watch them develop and flourish.

We will also look forward to leaving the BSB legacy with all our students so that their ‘message in a bottle’ will be the best it can be for them and their future.

Jason Porter

Head of Secondary School

FIRST BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS UNIVERSITY CONFERENCE

By Jo Mattingley-Nunn, University Guidance Counsellor On 21st October, BSB and AISB hosted 20 universities from the UK, Europe and the USA, and more than 250 visitors, for the first ever Bucharest International Schools University Conference. Attendees included University College London, University College Utrecht, Webster University and Savannah College of Art and Design, to name a few. Visitors came from BSB and AISB, along with local state schools and other nearby international schools.

The day started early, with three hours of presentations from the universities on topics such as ‘Studying in Holland’, ‘Why Study Law?’, ‘Applying to Highly Selective Universities’ and ‘Building a Portfolio for Art and Design’. These

sessions provided valuable insights from the university perspective and gave students and parents the opportunity to ask questions with individual feedback. For those with more questions, or who had already identified the universities they would apply to, there were opportunities to have one-to-one meetings with representatives, a valuable way to get application advice, ask detailed questions and ensure personal statements, essays and portfolios were just what the universities were looking for. At the same time, a parent’s stream of presentations advised on topics including ‘Parenting your Child Through the University Admissions Process’ and ‘Student Finance in the UK’, focusing on the role

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of parents through a difficult process for them.

After a quick lunch, students and parents then attended a university fair, allowing them to talk with any universities they had not yet met, collect prospectuses and ‘swag’, and explore a wider variety of options that they may not have otherwise considered.

After the event, feedback from both visitors and the university attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with the universities commenting on the well prepared and sensible questions asked by our students, the lovely setting, and the impressive quality of the applications from our students.

Thank you to everybody who came!

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SIXTH FORM REVIEW

By Robert Notley

The first term of 2019 is now completed. The Sixth Form students have enjoyed the exclusive use of their own common space. The brand new study area has allowed them to study independently away from lessons but also encourage professional discussions around the meeting table. They have had many opportunities to develop their personal skills, which boost university applications, such as, the student mentor programme, led by our Deputy Head Girl and Boy and the Primary School leadership.

The Year 12 students have settled well into the Sixth Form and now understand the role they play across the school. This is a particularly promising year group who enjoy grasping every opportunity they can. The year group has a wide range of different characters, and all of them offer something to the school as a whole. They are already looking forward to further aspirations of next year’s Head Boy and Girl and university courses across the globe.

Year 13 are working hard to reach their potential in their final exams. Alongside this, the intense period of university applications is upon us. It is interesting to see the range of universities and courses our students are applying for. We are awaiting the result of two applications to Cambridge and Oxford University, which would be a record for BSB. BSB Sixth Form truly delivers exceptional young people into all global industries, something we are extremely proud of.

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NEWS FROM THE BRITISH SCHOOL OF BUCHAREST

Head Girl & Head Boy

This year is off to an eventful start for the Head Team. In three short months, we have implemented multiple different projects to make everyone’s school life more enjoyable. We have just set the mentoring programme in motion – many Sixth-Formers have volunteered to tutor younger students, especially from Year 11 as GCSEs are coming up. Their willingness to share their knowledge and time has made us really appreciate the sense of family we share. The project has been in action for two weeks, and it has been wonderful to see people from different year groups help each other fulfil their academic potential.

We also got to go to Madrid as part of a Student Leadership workshop. It was

great to connect with Head Girls and Boys from different schools around the world. We learnt about various projects they have set up in their own schools and how they made them successful, which inspired us to introduce some here at BSB. We were also split into teams to come up with solutions to common issues around the globe, which led to us sharing a lot of ideas that could make our community better.

After this weekend, we returned with renewed ardour and even more initiatives ready to be implemented around school.

For Remembrance Day, we represented the school at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. It was truly an eye-opening experience, being able to

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commemorate the sacrifice of those who served so we could be here today.

We were surrounded by ambassadors and representatives of organisations there to pay their respects, so it was an honour to be given the responsibility to lay the wreath on behalf of BSB. It was a sobering and moving service.

Overall, the first couple months of this school year have been busy yet thoroughly enjoyable for us. Our hopes are to further promote the sense of community in our school. The rest of the year will only provide more opportunities for us to represent the school, and we look forward to experiencing the rest of the BSB year.

Humanities Week @BSB

By Susannah Read

During Year 7 History lessons in Humanities Week, Year 7 students took on the role of a Roman Emperor in a decision-making game where they tried to rule a huge area without any crises forcing them from power. They really enjoyed this activity, although most groups found themselves bankrupt, forced from power, or murdered by their own bodyguards!

Year 8 students enjoyed a creative activity based on Romanian banknotes.

They identified a female who deserves

to be included on a future design, and produced a presentation and bank note design imagining they were presenting it to the National Bank.

They were then delighted to discover that this action has now actually been taken by the National Bank, and the 20 Lei note will feature Ecaterina Teodoroiu, a First World War hero.

Year 9 students had a morning’s decision-making project, using development indicators to assess the level of Romania and advance their understanding of the complexities of

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development. This was an eye-opening experience, taking their understanding of development beyond the curriculum.

Finally, our Year 10 Geography students conducted their first piece of fieldwork off-site where they compared the quality of urban environments in contrasting areas, Tunari and Iancu Nicolae. In time-honoured tradition, these activities were carried out with clipboards, in the perfect Geography field trip weather - a light and constant drizzle.

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Art & DT @BSB

By Mark Williams

In the Art department we have continued to work on developing a vibrant and engaging learning environment. Large displays and new wall areas have been constructed to share the ongoing work of the students. Key Stage 3 have concentrated on the fundamentals of recording and observing, developing the techniques and visual language to be able to generate and execute their own ideas and creative outcomes later in the year. Students have gained experience in wet and dry media and learned to work both loosely and meticulously.

Year 9 classwork has been influenced by the art of Alex Yanes and we have developed drawing, painting and research skills to enable us to put together a design for an exterior mural.

Students learned how to build ideas using construction lines and guidelines as well as how to render using gradients and tapers. We plan to make use of the new CNC machine to create wooden shapes to paint our designs on. These will then be pieced together in a large-scale assemblage work.

In the new 3D Print Club in Design Technology we have designed and printed a range of objects including, themselves, cars, chess pieces, a whistle and even Santa’s sleigh and two reindeer. The students particularly enjoyed the glow in the dark printing filament. The addition of a wider range of materials has opened up the possibilities for Year 8 and 9, where individual student choice opens the doors to creative design thinking. A focus on the development of some traditional wood working skills has been made possible with the introduction of the new mortising press, whilst technology

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continues to drive the subject forward with the exciting new CNC machine, industry standard design software and all student assessment, tracking and development having now moved completely online.

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HENRY EVANS VISIT: ANTARCTIC ADVENTURES

By James Walsh

Many that venture and explore far from home return changed by the experience, with a newly acquired understanding and appreciation of the world around them and of our planet as a whole. An expedition necessarily requires focus, determination, resilience and skill but offers the reward of a chance to view and experience the world as few others have before. Sharing the story of their adventures and the insights they have gained is, thankfully something many explorers are keen to do. Most seem to return with a message that the world is both more spectacular and more fragile than we understand it to be.

Henry Evans is a scientist, explorer and educator from the UK. In 2010, he was an undergraduate Marine Biology student at the University of Plymouth who heard of plans to mount an expedition to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the 1912 Terra Nova Expedition to the South Pole, famously led by Captain Scott. A successful application got him shortlisted and an arduous and competitive selection process eventually led to Henry being chosen for the two-man trek to the South Pole from December 2012 to January 2013.

Fast-forward to 2019 and, having successfully completed the expedition and his degree, Henry now travels the world sharing his experiences and insight into Antarctic exploration, climate change, sustainability and marine biology alongside study and research for a PhD at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark.

In November 2019, BSB welcomed Henry Evans to the school for the second time.

Although only here for a day, Henry spoke to approximately 400 of our students from eight year groups, giving interactive and curriculum-linked talks to Years 4 to 11. He spoke about his Antarctic trek to the South Pole, including his equipment, food and navigation and shared an important message about the state of our natural environment and some of the potential solutions to the threats we currently face. Volunteers from the audience tried on some of his specialist equipment, clothing and even the actual penguin costume that Henry took with him to wear in the Antarctic. There was also plenty of time for questions and Henry answered everything that was asked of him. I am sure everyone left more knowledgeable, aware and enthusiastic, although I am still a little mystified as to why he took that penguin costume. Great for a laugh and a photo opportunity, I guess. A show of hands suggested that about half of the Primary Years 4-6 would be keen to explore the Antarctic themselves; I wonder what they will dress up as?

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Debating

@BSB

By Elizabeth Citron

Under-16 European High School Debating Competition The end of November saw not one but two Bucharest Debating Competitions this year. For the first time, the Under 16 European High School Debating event brought together teams from a range of Bucharest International schools as well as from St. George’s School, Sofia. BSB took two teams of Year 10 students, most of whom were competing for the first time. The day began with the prepared motion “This House believes that all examinable IGCSE subjects should be optional” a theme close to the hearts of all teenage students and on which they spoke passionately and persuasively. In the following two rounds the teams were mixed, providing the chance to meet and collaborate with students from other schools. This worked well and resulted in some interesting debates

and dynamics. In the final round, our two BSB teams were back together debating the motion that “violent media leads to violent behaviour” and achieved Third Place and Fifth Place overall. Best speaker prizes were awarded to Briony and Veda with Miki, Thea and Ilinca also receiving high scores during the day. Congratulations to all our amazing and courageous Under 16 debaters - we are extremely proud of your achievement!

Sir Winston Churchill Senior Competition After weeks of preparation in CCA time and Saturdays, the BSB Senior Debating Team were ready for the challenge of the annual Sir Winston Churchill competition. Teams from Bucharest International Schools as well as the formidable EIC, Marbella and St. George’s, Luxembourg joined us at this prestigious event, hosted by IBSB. Our team of seven debaters included some experienced members but also newcomers to the skill. The

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first-round prepared debate “This House believes that the writing is on the wall for mankind” raised fascinating points concerning our future and our ability to overcome adversity. As the opposition, our first-time debaters, Georgina and Rares performed admirably and our final speaker, Laura, was able to convince the judges and win the debate. In the next two impromptu rounds, our team again rose to the challenge and for the motion “This House believes that the voting age should be lowered to 16 years of age”, Calin and Antonia drew on their acting skills to be highly persuasive.

After lunch, we were into the semifinal, against one of the most difficult teams to beat on the European circuit, English International College, Marbella. The motion “This House would impose limits to freedom of speech on social media” provided heated debate, but after some truly excellent POI responses from George and a flawless reply speech from Kira, our team prevailed. We were all excited to hear that we would be debating The Grand Final versus our old friends and practice partners, IBSB. The motion that “criminal trials should be televised” was closely fought with both sides rising to the challenge, delivering high-quality speeches worthy of the courtroom themselves!

In the end, the judges sided with our proposition, our amazing BSB team!

After our last win at this event in 2016, it was marvellous to be victorious again. It was fitting that Kira be given our best team speaker award, and I would like to congratulate all our BSB senior debaters for their impressive performances. Next stop, COBIS World Debating 2020….

Maths @BSB

By Alex Coope

Summary Statistics for the British School of Bucharest

Summary Statistics for Romania

Here in the Maths Department at BSB we are constantly looking for new and interesting learning opportunities for our students. Every year we enter our more able students into the United Kingdom Mathematics Challenge, a strong tradition in British Schools. Last year we decided to extend the range of opportunities for our students by entering our most able into the AMC8 competition (American Mathematics Competition 8).

Year 9 who got the best in school result and was also in Fifth Place out of all the students in Romania who took the challenge. Our Year 9 students thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and are already looking forward to the UK version which will take place in February 2020.

Similar to the UK version, this is a short competition of 25 questions which challenges students mathematical reasoning and problem-solving skills.

We entered our students again this year and their results were fantastic.

Special mention goes to Laura from

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Meanwhile, our Year 12 students took part in the Senior Mathematics challenge with two thirds of them being awarded a medal for their scores. Again, the student leading the way was Andrei, who not only achieved a gold medal but also finished top of the school for the second successive year.

Practice ExpeditionS

By Kim McCallum

Bronze Practice Expedition 23 adventurous souls signed up for the Bronze Award this year and their first task was to face the rigours of a twoday practice expedition in the Parcul Natural Bucegi. On arrival in Sinaia for the training day, prior to embarking on the walk, the weather was rather ominous to say the least – someone upstairs had turned on the taps full blast!

The hike to the cabana took them through some spectacular and simply breathtaking countryside and all the groups reached their destination in around six hours and then settled down to cook their evening meal, (with varying degrees of success!). The following day they completed their circuit back to the gondola, again passing through some simply divine scenery.

The following morning the trepidatious adventurers departed the hotel for the shortish walk to the gondola which would take us up to 1400 metres and, fortuitously, the weather had turned in their favour, and once at the top the sun started to shine down on them.

It was my first experience of the Duke of Edinburgh Award overseas and I have to say that I was tremendously impressed by all the participants. They were extremely enthusiastic, positive and polite and showed great passion

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and compassion in every stage of the expedition. It was a real pleasure and privilege to walk with such great ambassadors for the school and I wish them every success in achieving their award and sincerely hope that it will inspire them to continue their journey all the way to Gold.

Silver Practice Expedition 25 Year 11 students successfully completed their Silver practice expedition in the beautiful Piatra Craiului Mountains. The weather and scenery were amazing and the students were exceptional, planning their routes, climbing steep hills and cooking, all over a period of 3 days and 2 nights.

LONDON THEATRE

EXPERIENCE

By Abigail Turkmore

“It was the best school trip ever, even for those not doing performing arts”.

Aylin, Year 12.

and not forgetting the ringing ears from the chorus of 21 pupils and one teacher screaming.

This year’s London theatre experience was a trip of firsts for those pupils involved: first school trip, first visit to England, first time on the London Underground, first experience eating fish and chips, first time going to a theatre to watch a live performance and for the teachers the first time a massive 60 watt JBL boombox the size of a piece of hand luggage (50 cm wide, 26 cm high, 20 cm deep) weighing 5.25 kg was confiscated!

“This trip has rejuvenated the magic of performing arts and has allowed pupils to open their eyes towards the more playful and frenetic parts of life”. Calin, Year 12.

Matei, Year 12 said. “The trip has allowed each student to realise the full potential of their individuality”.

Students watched two musicals, Wicked and Matilda and one play the terrifying Woman in Black. A Year 10 student remarked after the first show that they were blown away by how good musicals are. The Woman in Black play has had a lasting effect on some of those who watched it including sleepless nights, extreme reactions to odd noises and shadows

Throughout the trip pupils worked with cast members from each show, learning a scene or routine as well as asking valuable questions to those currently working in the industry. They also had opportunities to explore London by visiting Winter Wonderland, the National Portrait Gallery, completing a theatre tour and of course shopping time.

“Those amazing opportunities for pupils to work alongside professionals in the real world is a priceless experience and should be something every student has”. François, Year 11.

Fun, screams, laughs and an amazing experience had by all. I’ll see some of you again for this trip next year!

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MAKING

Music

By Naomi Aves and Sally Clark

The musical calendar kicked off with the first KS2 Music Assembly on 23rd September, encouraging whole school singing across the Primary Phase. Primary children also enjoyed demonstrations and performances from some of our peripatetic instrumental staff, at the beginning of term. With more Primary children taking up instrumental lessons and joining CCAs like Brass Club and Orchestra, we hope to see a growing number of instrumental performances from Primary this year.

During the Parent-Teacher Consultations in October, a few children from KS2 were invited to perform on the piano. Successful performers were selected from a round of auditions where they had to prove that they knew their pieces and could perform with confidence and accuracy. These Primary Musical Moments will take place every term, giving pianists an opportunity to perform to a small audience and develop their confidence to perform at larger events like the Tea-time Concert and Soiree.

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The Tea-time concert on 18th November included the debut of the violinists in the String University. Supported by Sami on the ‘cello, they played three pieces as a group.

The department is grateful to Mrs. Laura the School’s violin teacher for being so encouraging to these beginners. We hope they wish to continue their instrumental studies either with her on violin, or with our ‘cello teacher. More firsts for our youngest trumpet and cornet players from the ‘All About Brass’ CCA who after only six hours were able to play a short group piece. The older brass players are helping to inspire the younger ones with their rendition of Mega March. Mr. Cernei is another specialist instrumental teacher in school who provides individual lessons on brass.

Leading on from the CCA groups were representatives from Year 4 who played a couple of pieces on the ukulele. This is something they have been working on together in their curriculum Music lessons with Miss Aves. In addition to the performances from our newest recruits to instrumental playing, we heard the first performances this year from our Primary and Secondary singers and both groups were on top form. This was just a taster for a fuller programme in the Winter Concert on 4th December.

Mention must be made of the soloists, who we were able to fit into the schedule as well, some of whom have only recently started their instrumental lessons and others who are very experienced. Tea-time concerts are not just about the formal groups in school many students are very keen at working by themselves in groups and there were some excellent students led performances of Skyfall and All of Me.

Winter Concert: The temperature outside the marquee was cold, but we were warm and cosy inside the marquee from the energy and passion of all the musicians, as well as a very successful heating system and warm refreshments. 50 students performed in the concert as well as some teachers who are also benefiting from the well-being effects of music participation. The orchestra took us to the movies with themes from John Williams’ Star Wars, ET and Jurassic Park as well as the theme tune from the Simpsons. This was the hardest piece the orchestra has ever attempted and we are very proud of the effort they put into learning it. The Primary choir have developed a lovely blended sound now and the A Cappella singers are tackling more layers of harmony as they become more skilled and ready to take up challenges. As more students become involved in our concerts we hope that they benefit from learning concert etiquette too.

Three small ensembles performed between the larger items: The students of Mr. Pywell performed Cantaloupe Island on saxophones and clarinet, the brass players performed Jingle Bells, and two carols were performed by the flute quartet. It was pleasing to see a good example set by those students and parents who could stay to watch all of the concert, and we hope to have more retention in the concerts lined up for 2020.

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#MeetTHETEACHERS Scott Allsop

Head of Faculty and Humanities Teacher PROFILE:

seized the opportunity for an interview when one came up.

Why did you go into teaching & why History?

Scott Allsop joined the British School of Bucharest in 2014. In addition to his role as Head of Humanities he is Head of Arges House. Scott is a Cambridge graduate, studying History at Emmanuel College before returning to the University of Cambridge to complete his PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education). He taught for a number of years at a comprehensive secondary school in the UK before embarking on teaching in an international environment with a move to the Modern English School, Cairo. While there, Scott held the position of Head of Humanities and was the whole-school Online Learning Coordinator. Scott is the author of a leading history learning website and hosts a popular daily history podcast.

I love stories. At school, I’d always envisaged working in radio journalism to share current stories, but when I was at school I realised that stories form the past were just as fascinating – if not more so. I was lucky to have had grandparents with fascinating stories to tell of their own lives, and this stirred an interest in finding out more about the situations, events and people that created the world we live in today. There is no greater feeling than seeing pupils making those connections, and feeling that you’re part of that process.

What made you want to join BSB? My wife and I have always loved the culture of Eastern Europe, with a particular enjoyment of the music and food. Coming from our previous jobs in Egypt, Romania itself was appealing because of its long history of straddling the East and West. BSB itself had been high on our list of preferred schools for a while, and we

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Which of the schools you have taught in is the most different from BSB? Over 15 years I’ve taught in three schools, and all are very different from each other. I began in a 900-person state Secondary school in the UK, and then moved to a 2000-person school in Egypt which was my first experience of a school ranging from 3 years old to 18. The small size of BSB makes it unique compared to both the others, as does the fast pace of growth we’ve experienced. However, just for sheer unpredictability, Egypt was probably most different as we arrived a year before the Arab Spring and remained at the school throughout the revolution and its aftermath.

Tell us more about your daily HistoryPod podcast, YouTube Videos and your website page.

The original iPod craze kicked off shortly after I began teaching. I saw the potential of portable digital audio to give students access to study materials in a way they hadn’t

experienced before. My first recordings were released before the name ‘podcast’ had even been coined and, by being one of the first people to make them, I soon found demand for a website to help students beyond those in my own classes. It’s been running for 15 years, and now has an accompanying series of YouTube videos that are used around the world.

Everything I create is aimed specifically at students in my own classes; it’s a bonus that other people find them useful as well.

As a Secondary history teacher much of the content I teach is prescribed by the National Curriculum and exam boards.

In practical terms this is quite narrow and, since I love learning, I began my daily ‘on this day’ HistoryPod in 2015 as an opportunity to explore other regions and periods of history to help me broaden my own knowledge. Over the past four years I’ve produced more than 700 episodes and built up a sizeable following of subscribers. There are so many stories that I think need to be told that I don’t think it’s ever possible to run out of material!

What inspires you to be creative?

A love of the arts and a love of people.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s creating a history revision video or playing with a band on stage, the feeling that you’re creating something that other people are willing to give up their own time to listen to is addictive.

If you weren’t a full-time teacher, what would your dream job be?

A radio DJ. I love radio as a medium, and think I got into podcasting as it’s similar in many respects. It’s all about telling a good story and making people feel that they’re part of it. Relevancy is key.

What are you enjoying most about Bucharest so far?

Our neighbours always laugh at us for saying this, but we love the parks.

When you’ve visited a British public playground on a sunny day and waited 45 minutes for a go on the swings it’s a real treat to have so many places to choose from here. Now that our kids are a bit older we’ve also become huge fans of escape rooms, and are constantly astounded that so many of them exist in just one city.

As a Cambridge graduate, what advice do you have for students planning to apply there? Is it a good idea for students to study a humanities subject at university? We have noticed that students refer to your work in their projects.

I went to Cambridge 20 years ago, so what was relevant then may not be now – I’d suggest checking with Jo Mattingley, the University Guidance Counsellor for more up-to-date information! Nevertheless, I think the most important thing for any university course has always been to really care passionately about the subject. You’re

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going to be living and breathing that one focus area for at least three years, and if you’re not already addicted to it when you apply you’re unlikely to enjoy that time. In terms of history this means reading books, visiting museums and sites of interest, and attending talks – all in your own time.

As for whether it’s a “good idea” to study a humanities subject, of course I’d say yes! I think the world needs a healthy mix of STEM and humanities/ social science graduates. I’m friends with a lot of computer scientists and mathematicians and I find it fascinating how we naturally approach information and problems differently.

A successful society needs all points of view.

What part of history as a subject are you most passionate about?

This changes frequently, although I always end up coming back to late 19th century German history when the 39 states unified into a single country.

I find Otto von Bismarck, the architect of unification, a fascinating character – a man with terrible morals but a brilliant political mind. However, I’ve really become interested in early medieval (pre-Norman) history in recent years and am enjoying expanding my knowledge since Mrs. Read knows so much!

And finally: tell us something unexpected.

I’ve never watched the film Titanic.

#Healthy

Habits@BSB

HOWHealthy ARE School YOU

This year the Healthy School Committee took on a full year approach towards promoting and bringing awareness towards one’s health and reaching out to bring the community together. Thus far, we have been able to focus on several impactful themes.

To start the year, we focused on the Community where we invited everyone within the BSB community to join the Fox Trout Run held at the American International School of Bucharest.

The next topic we promoted was on Happiness where we wanted the school to reflect on what Happiness means to one another and to be grateful for everything one has in life.

The latest theme we have promoted was on Mindfulness. With this theme we promoted a lot of different approaches to be Mindful within school or outside of the school. Many staff members and students have really enjoyed the activities presented each month and continue to look forward to the monthly themes.

FEELING? Committee News

By Andrew Koene

#Healthy

Habits@BSB

Did you know…

HOW ARE YOU

#H Healthy

Habits@ @BSB • emotional well-being is considered just as important as physical health and fitness?

FEELINGM?indful

• there is a very real link between the mind and the body? …

Did you know

November

• Romania ranks 52 out of 156 for happiness, according to the Our main objective World of the Healthy Happiness Index. How could we be happier?

School Committee is to continue to bring awareness of different themes that can have a larger impact on the entire school community. All our themes will be implemented and shared within the school but to make more connections we ask parents to get involved as well. Newsletters and information from BSB friends will be provided every month to build awareness of the healthy themes so everyone can take part.

nd

just as important as • emotional well-being is considered physical health and fitness?

Positive Way the mind and the body? s to Improve • there is a very real link between Your Mental Wellb nd happiness, according to the • Romania ranks 52 out of 156 for • Take eing r? tim happie we bee out of every day to concen World Happiness Index. How could tra think smells around te on your breathing and al, so take some time toand the sights, sou you – live the • happiness is obviously very person • Learn a new nds moment. about how happy you are, and why. language or play a music al instrument • Laugh – others, of it ing ess giv is good for the es your brain affect the happin a boost. heart and can • consider how your words and actions increase blood • Always loo before you use them. flow by 20 per k on the brigh cent. t side: being • Re an optimist can day! ad forhave should at leaastgreat help you live thirty minute • you deserve to be happy and you longer. s a day – it can • People who hel p you live alm feel connected ost two years to nature hav longer. e low jog outside thi er levels of anxiety – tak e a long walk s month. or • Take a break from social me dia - it can ma • Just believing ke you happie that you’ve sle r. pt better tha n you really hav cognitive per e is enough to formance the boost next day.

• happiness is obviously very personal, so take some time to think about how happy you are, and why.

• consider how your words and actions affect the happiness of others, before you use them. ? friends and hy facts with your healt share these • you deserve to be happy and you should have afamily great day!

Why not Why not share th

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s with your frien

ds and family?

HOUSE NEWS Primary House News

By Paul Gildea

This year has started with a bang as Olt look to retain their title as House Champions. They got off to a flying start by winning the Year 3 and 4 House Football competition, although this was marred by a fourth place finish in the Year 5 and 6 games. Key Stage 1 went some way to rescuing Olt’s reputation with another (joint) first place finish in the tower building contest.

Arges have had a solid beginning to the year, quietly amassing House Points leaving them in pole position to take Olt’s crown. Danube have made a promising start and look set to improve upon last year’s dismal fourth place finish, especially with the Tug-of-War on the horizon - traditionally Danube’s strongest event. That leaves Mures bringing up the rear. However, the Wolves can never be written off and I

am sure they will have some tricks up their sleeves in future events.

We also welcome our new House Captains for this academic year: Danube: Felix and Zoey Olt: Quirine and Theodora Arges: Daria and Ben Mures: Anca and Lucia Congratulations, and we are sure you will be great ambassadors for your houses.

Secondary House News

By Thomas Smith

The start of the academic year has seen the toughest, most closely fought, battle to decide the eight new House Captains. Congratulations goes to the students below, who, leading up to their appointment, have shown an immense display of enthusiasm,

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commitment, organisation and communication skills which are essential to being a great leader.

Arges: Jordan, Max Danube: Catrina, Andrei Mures: Iria, Calin Olt: Vera, Georgina The start of the year has shown huge attendances in all House events so far with Danube holding first place, with excellent performances throughout, particularly in the Football competitions. The overall scores are extremely close, and it is still very early on in the year with any of the four Houses capable of taking top spot.

Keep the event attendances high, continue collecting the House point tokens and work hard to see who will be the ultimate House of 2019/2020.

BISAC COMPETITIONS

By Andrew Koene

This year we have taken on a new approach towards our Sports Programme and the focus is to offer more training sessions for all three of our major competitive sports, Football, Basketball and Volleyball. Teams are now beginning to see the benefits of extra training and competitions. The students are coming together and have a motto of “Trust Your Team” which has given all teams a focus. Over the first season our attention was on football and we competed in several friendly matches and tournaments. The BSB Bears have done well in the tournaments and are seeing why it is important to continue to work together as a team. We thank Mr. Stelian Stancu, Mr. Liviu Ganea and all the coaches who have put in the extra time to help our student athletes compete at a higher level.

As our programme continues to grow we will continue to seek more support.

The BSB Sports Programme continues to ask the support of the parents to encourage their child’s consistent participation in sport, which will increase our competitiveness as a team. In the next term we will focus on Basketball and look forward to another competitive season. Let’s go Bear! #trustyourteam #BSBSports

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BSB AUTUMN CUP 2019 Under 9 Boys Autumn Cup The 2019 BSB Autumn Cup took place in November. Football teams from several international schools competed in the Under 9, Under 11, Under 14 and Under 18 Boys and Girls categories.

The BSB Under 9 Boys had a wonderful experience and played some really good football. Both the Under 11 Boys and Girls teams took excellent second places.

The BSB Under 14 teams competed against very strong teams and gained a lot of competitive experience. Both the Under 18 Boys and Girls teams took second place and played some of the best football of the year.

BSB wants to thank all the participants in The Autumn Cup football tournament! It was a real pleasure watching you compete and giving it your all on the field!

By Adam Pegrum

Having spent the season training hard and seeing improvement in both passing and ball control, the Under 9 Boys were excited to field two teams in the Autumn Cup. BSB 1 had some fantastic passing in their opening game which resulted in a hard fought 0-0 draw with AISB. Their second game was a must win game to seal progress in the tournament. Despite Scoala Genesis taking a two goal lead the team continued to play attractive passing football which resulted in Andile clawing a goal back. A wonderful free-kick from Kian drew the team level but the other game results didn’t go our way. The team were proud to end the day with a credible couple of draws against tough opposition.

BSB 2 opened their tournament with a game against ISB and worked hard with each other by encompassing the BSB Bear’s ethos of ‘Trust Your Team’. After a hard fought game, the team lost 3-0 but due to the opposition fielding an over aged player we were awarded the victory. Their second game saw them come up against a formidable DSBU team that went on to win the game. Our team never gave up and kept battling to the final whistle. Having waited anxiously for other results, BSB 2 had qualified for the next round and despite some resolute defending and fantastic goalkeeping from Pawel we unfortunately lost by two goals to Avenor College. The Under 9 Boys team have made some fantastic progress this season and have the foundation to develop further over the coming years.

Here are the reviews of some of the matches:

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Under 11 Boys

By Andrew Koene

This year the Under 11 Boys had two teams representing BSB at the Autumn Cup Tournament. During the tournament, the boys were constantly reminded about what it means to “Trust Your Team� and how a team must work together. Both teams developed a lot as the competition was very high and both teams took away some positive experiences from the tournament. Overall, one team made it to the finals and took Second Place as they competed and lost against a very strong DSBU team.

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CHARITY@BSB By the Charity Committee Charity, meaning giving our time, our financial support and lending our thoughts to others, is hugely important at BSB. We started the year with a Charity Coffee Morning, raising 2,837 Lei for Macmillan and Little People Romania, and were thankful to Chloe (BSB Alumnus 2019) and BSB parents who created an amazing spread of tasty treats. We also raised 7852 Lei to support the work of Jeans for Genes for children with genetic disorders.

BSB proudly supports Casa Ioana and this year 25 Sixth Form students and staff did a sleep out at BSB. Students appreciated the opportunity to reflect on the daily hardships that many of the poorest people in Romania experience.

Ian Tilling, President of Casa Ioana, also visited BSB to explain more about their work.

St. Stelian’s were very grateful for all the kind Harvest Festival donations sent in that will help local homeless and marginalised communities. BSB also supported Remembrance Sunday, with Year 6 and the Sixth Form Charity Committee selling poppies to support this cause.

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November saw over a dozen male members of staff growing a moustache and others running at least 60km to mark ‘Movember’, which remains the only charity focusing on men’s health.

Teachers raised over 1,100GBP online, including 1,700Lei raised in school when MAD students organised a ‘bake’ sale and a ‘moustache’ sale.

To celebrate Romania Day students came to school wearing the three colours of the flag: blue, yellow and red, and sold traditional gingerbread, raising 5,100 Lei for Casa Ioana and LiberatED. LiberatED aims to reduce human trafficking in Romania through education and empowerment.

Many students continue to give their time and energy to charitable activities every week through CCAs. These include visits to Don Orione and Fundatia Inocenti, cooking of meals that are sent to Usa Deschisa and Casa Sperantei, and BSB Make A Difference (MAD).

Throughout December the BSB community has once again shown their generosity by creating hundreds of wonderful gifts as part of our annual Christmas Gift Appeal. Thank you for all your support!

SLEEP OUT@BSB

By Secondary Students

In October of this year, several teachers and over 20 British School of Bucharest students from Year 12 and Year 13 took part in a very special event, unique to our school, known as the ‘BSB Sleep Out’. It is an event centred around raising awareness about homelessness in Romania, as well as a fund raiser for Casa Ioana one of several charities that we work with. Casa Ioana works with women and children experiencing domestic violence and family homelessness in Bucharest, and they offer psychosocial support that is custom-made to suit each family’s needs. To name but a few of the ways in which they help these

people, they provide temporary accommodation, childcare and children’s education, family mediation, counselling, legal advice, medical support and much more.

The Sleep Out entails a night spent sleeping outside to get even the slightest idea of what it must be like to live as a homeless person, and a donation was made by each participant. The event started off with a video from Casa Ioana detailing the problems people face with homelessness and how we are helping the cause. Unlike previous years where the Sleep Out occurred on the streets

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of Bucharest, this year we had a little more BSB luxury and adorned the front field with our sleeping bags - then we were provided sustenance in the form of hot soup and cookies the following morning. Of course, our aim was not to recreate homelessness as doing so would not only be insensitive to those who face it every day, but also unachievable as we could not even begin to imagine what it would be like.

It is merely an attempt to bring its existence to our attention and highlight its abundance in the city we all call home, all the while, raising money to try and make a difference in these people’s lives and support this benevolent cause.

GIRLGUIDING

THE FUTURE

AND THE PAST

By Rachel Eglinton, 1st Bucharest Girlguiding Coordinator

1st Bucharest girls want to create changes that will make a difference to our lives in the future. So, we joined the Girlguiding ‘Future Girl’ initiative to deal with plastic pollution. We saw images of plastic strewn beaches and sea creatures caught up in plastic bags. Also, Guide Zoey shared her own anti-plastic website, making the girls more aware of the problem. As a district, we had collected items of plastic from home. We put the plastic end to end. The girls measured the line to be as long as a bottlenose dolphin, a blue whale and two orcas. We then drew sea creatures with chalk and filled them with the plastic objects. Finally, we recycled all the plastic.

In 20 years, the girls want to see more fish and less plastic in our oceans.

How can we all use less plastic?

Some Brownies attended the British Girlguiding Overseas summer camp in the UK. There, it was discussed that districts have a flag. On returning to school, the Guides have worked with the DT department to measure a wooden pole, and the marketing department organised a flag. Our own anti-plastic campaign was further extended, as the trefoil finial has been made in PLA, a biodegradable polymer that looks and feels like plastic.

The flag was made in time for the Remembrance Day service at the Commonwealth War Graves at Tincabesti. We assembled to remember all those who lost their lives to war, and those who have been injured or bereaved. We solemnly listened to the poem ‘In Flanders Fields, stood for two minutes of silence and then laid our wreath, supported by the Romanian Military. Afterwards, the girls laid a flower on a grave.

Lest we forget.

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PLANET BSB ECO GROUP

By James Walsh

Planet BSB has been running at the school for a couple of years now and it is obvious that the school has made some progress towards a greater level of sustainability. The school should be setting an example of good practice and the addition of solar panels to the roof of the Taylor Building and recycling bins throughout the school have both been welcome and worthy steps. There is still much that we can do though.

But undoubtedly, the school’s greatest responsibility is to enthuse, encourage and educate our students, developing an awareness and understanding of the natural world and the threats to our environment. This term we have had a keen group of primary students working on a variety of small-scale projects, ranging from researching Eco-Tips to share with the community to planning and implementing ways to help wildlife in the school grounds.

Using only waste and natural materials collected from the school site they have built bug hotels, bird feeders and hanging pine cones filled with fat cake (energy rich winter food for birds).

The top three Eco-Tips from the Planet BSB group this term are listed below.

We hope you join us in following them.

1. Turn the tap off when you don’t need it. For example, when you are cleaning your teeth or washing the dishes, don’t leave the tap running (Rebecca in 4W).

2. Always take your reusable bag when you go to the shops (Megan in 4A).

3. Say no to straws, we can drink without them (Ioanna in 5C).

There will be some changes to Planet BSB next term. The school has recently enrolled on the Eco Schools Scheme, which is an international programme of the Foundation for Environmental Education that aims to empower students to be the change our sustainable world needs. Eco Schools will be the focus and framework for our activities going forward. Our aim will be to lead the school towards greater sustainability. As it is also an award scheme, we hope that success will

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eventually lead to our school being awarded the International Green Flag.

The Eco Schools Scheme starts with the formation of a committee and we are keen to have students of all ages across both primary and secondary …. and there is room for parents too. We want ideas, commitment, drive and determination from the whole school community. The school is a large and vibrant community and I am sure we are all keen to be green, we just need a gentle push in the right direction.

BSB REPORTERS

Welcome to our column. We’re a group of four voluntary writers wanting to give members of our community an insight into our school life from a student perspective, writing content that is truthful, relevant and impartial.

Celebrating 20 years of preparing BSB students for a better future

By Bonny and Laura

As Sixth-Formers, the questions we get asked from everyone we know are all the same. Which universities do you want to go to? What do you plan on studying at university? Which AS subjects are you going to continue for your A Levels? People seem to believe we have our entire academic lives planned out before us and no longer want us to linger.

The reality, however, rests near the very opposite end of the spectrum.

Most of us have a vague idea of what fields we’d like to pursue and chose our A Levels based on skill or interest rather than perceiving them as the very basis of what we will do for the rest of our lives. Some of the most popular A Level subjects in our year group are Business Studies and Geography whilst a few have chosen to study History and Art. This does not go to say that some A Levels are easier or more accessible to students. On the contrary, some students, wishing to leave their options broad for the future, take subjects that generalise academic learning and are acceptable for as many fields as possible.

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The beauty of it all is that at BSB we get the chance to find new passions, develop existing ones, and explore subjects we are passionate about in greater depth. As an English Literature and History student, Laura looks forward to studying Political Science and Government at university.

Keeping this interest in mind, she was able to expand on it with both Debating and an Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) on the topic of War Reporting and Governmental Press Censorships.

Preparation for the future For this article, we have interviewed a few students from Year 13. As the year group closest to graduation, we feel

that they would be the most eligible to talk about the support and guidance our school has provided. Here, we meet aspiring doctor Luca and physiotherapist Cliodhna.

Luca has applied to study Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at a handful of top universities. To him, what separates medicine from the other science-based subjects that he had considered studying, including Engineering, is its emphasis on communication. As a doctor, you would need to empathise with and communicate with your patient. The medical field’s constantly changing and advancing nature also motivates him as he is passionate about learning and researching. Most crucially, however, helping people has always been his goal.

Moreover, he believes that the guidance provided by the teachers throughout his time at BSB was invaluable to his progress. When he first joined the school in Year 11, he had to catch up with some content due to a change in exam board on his part.

This year, the school has also been very supportive of his academic ambitions. Staff members like Miss Bousie, Miss Mattingley, and Mr. Walters have helped him prepare for his BioMedical Admissions Test (BMAT) and personal statement.

Like most of us in the Sixth Form, Cliodhna isn’t too sure about what she’d like to study at university but she’s interested in the following areas:

Physiotherapy, Sports Therapy, and Sports Psychology. This is a result of her budding interest in sport, as seen from her active participation in both football and volleyball CCAs, coupled with the fact that many of her family members are working in those respective fields. She is very appreciative of the fact that as the school offers several modular courses where an Advanced Subsidiary (AS) qualification can be used as a stage on the way to completing an Edexcel International Advanced Level. What this means is that half of her A Level unit exams are taken in Year 12, equally dividing her workload amongst the two years of study. This not only reduces the Year 13’s stress regarding their exams but also grants students who were dissatisfied with their AS grades an opportunity to retake their exams.

A word of advice from both students: During the interview, Cliodhna stressed on the importance of a good work ethic and study periods, advising this year’s cohort of Year 12 students to make good use of them.

According to Luca, “Determination is very important. Even when things are going downhill, you need to be able to push yourself and keep your eyes on the final objective.”

For 20 years, the British School of Bucharest has helped us students achieve both our short and long term goals by providing the necessary guidance and support.

BSB provides a unique type of education, personalised and moulded

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for each students’ personality, preferences and interests. During the last years of secondary school, it is crucial for a student to be encouraged to pursue the path their curiosity will lead them to. For each and every one of us in the Sixth Form, regardless of whether or not we know what we will be studying at university, the guidance that BSB offers is necessary for us to develop our skills and improve in the academic areas we might not be as strong in.

As both Luca and Cliodhna mentioned, they are genuinely happy that BSB helped them in the process of orientation and discovery which would otherwise represent a struggle.

It is important to acknowledge that independent study and self-interest lies at the basis of everything, but help and academic support is fundamental for everything.

The community that BSB has managed to create encourages inter-student relations to flourish to such extents that years are inter-twined and educational progression is omnipresent throughout the school.

THE ROAD FROM BSB

ILINCA OSTAHIE Ilinca is a former BSB student, she graduated from BSB in 2016-2017.

She currently studies Economics, Finance and Management at Queen Mary University. Enjoy reading about her road from BSB.

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What made you choose your course?

Having thoroughly enjoyed studying economics for my A Levels, I wanted to delve deeper in understanding the economic concepts and issues which face today’s world. Choosing to study Economics, Finance and Management at Queen Mary University allows me to combine economics with knowledge also in accounting, business law, and marketing - enabling a wider understanding of different disciplines.

How is university – what are you enjoying and what are the challenges?

I’m really enjoying being able to focus my learning on my particular area of interest, as well as selecting elective modules which suit me best. However, I initially found it difficult adapting to an environment in which I had to independently manage my time studying, as there are less opportunities for one-on-one contact and support from professors compared to BSB. However, this helped me become more self-motivated as well as developing my time management skills.

Anything else you’d like to share about your journey?

Any particular memories that stand out from your BSB years?

I have decided to pursue a career in investment banking following my graduation and have already secured a summer analyst role with RBC Capital Markets next year. Being encouraged to have multiple work experiences during my time at BSB helped me gain an understanding of the work undertaken within different industries, and ultimately shaped my decision.

Seeking work experience is also something I continued to do during my time at university and would highly recommend it.

Definitely the multiple international trips I went on representing BSB for World Scholar’s Cup, such as to Prague, Dubai, and Kuala Lumpur. Not only was it great fun but being able to learn about different cultures and interacting with new people is a learning experience which can’t be replicated in the classroom.

How did BSB help you achieve your goals?

In addition to my education and all the help provided to me by my teachers, the community at BSB is what has helped me the most, even after my departure. Having kept in touch with most of my graduating class and some of my teachers, they have supported me through the challenges I’ve faced since leaving BSB. Whenever I visit Bucharest, I always make sure to visit BSB and keep in touch with peers and teachers.

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Any tips you would give to current students, relating to academics or life at BSB in general?

I would definitely say, take advantage of all opportunities available to get involved within the school community.

Taking on roles of more responsibility, such as House Captain or Prefect, and participating in competitions such as the debating team, can help improve your interpersonal skills and allow you to interact with new people, both within and outside BSB. Being Head Girl allowed me to develop skills which have helped me integrate well within societies at university, as well as to take the leadership in group projects.

Hope this helps the readers of @BSB understand better what life at university is like!

THE ROAD FROM BSB

OCTAVIA POPESCU Octavia is a former British School of Bucharest Head Girl, she graduated from BSB in 2017-2018. She currently studies Economics at the LSE (London School of Economics). She is very happy to share with you her road from BSB. What made you choose your course?

Although I was very torn between different degrees, Economics fascinates me because of its applicability to the world around us, be it exchange rates or the prices of common goods – and I sought to really understand what drives them. I loved Maths but always enjoyed essay subjects, so Economics is the perfect mixture of quantitative and qualitative subjects. It is also very broad, as I now discover, being able to soon explore Development, Behavioural or Health Economics.

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How is university – what are you enjoying and what are the challenges?

Anything else you’d like to share about your journey?

Whilst it is tough to balance all aspects of LSE – studies, social life, societies, sports and sleep, once you learn to manage your time and find friends that support you through everything, you can enjoy every part of it. There are so many opportunities to meet all kinds of people, make lifelong friends and explore your interests, be it through career events, socials, workshops and trips, and London has so much to offer in itself too.

The eagerness to get involved in all kinds of activities at BSB quickly translated into my university life, as I got involved in a bunch of societies as soon as I arrived. Now, I head the Markets and Trading division of the LSE Finance society, I am VicePresident of the International Development Society, a research analyst in the university’s student-run real money investment fund, and play Hockey in the university team. Whilst I sometimes struggle with juggling everything, they are really rewarding and I encourage everyone to see what their future universities offer and get involved in it, be it academic societies or sport. After university, I’d like to pursue investment research and later on economic policy making in a central bank or international organisation, which all my societies are preparing me for in some way. Next summer I will be starting my journey towards that with an internship at J.P. Morgan in their foreign exchange sales & trading desk.

How did BSB help you achieve your goals?

BSB helped me develop my skills by encouraging me to pursue leadership opportunities, from being able to set up new initiatives such as the after-school German club, to taking up already existing ones and understanding what a leader should be like through training and the conference I got to attend in Madrid. Prior to coming to BSB, public speaking felt daunting, while now it’s become my second nature. Debating was definitely a contributing factor, as it helped me become comfortable with it through such a supportive environment.

Any particular memories that stand out from your BSB years?

Whilst I really miss all the hours spent in the common room, the highlights

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were probably the trips abroad: the COBIS World Debating Championships in Dubai and the COBIS Leadership Conference in Madrid. They were both rewarding but also so fun and memorable. We had the chance to get to know each other better and make new friends from other schools who I still keep in touch with today.

Any tips you would give to current students, relating to academics or life at BSB in general?

Explore all the opportunities available to you and make the most out of your years with your high school friends and family while you still have time.

There are more and more opportunities to get involved in every year, from Formula 1 to the Innovation Hub, which can all help you further your interests and improve your chances of achieving whatever goals relate to them. Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help, as they want you to succeed and are always willing to give a hand. You’ll never be able to get as much support from your teachers and become as friendly with them as you can here, as at university you become much more independent and your teachers will have little time to help you.

About @BSB @BSB is the termly school magazine issued by the British School of Bucharest.

The British School of Bucharest (BSB) is an established, well-resourced international private school located on a spacious campus in Pipera, to the north of Bucharest. The school provides a comprehensive international education based on the National Curriculum for England taught by fully qualified and experienced native English-speaking teachers, our school being the only one in Romania whose teachers are all native English speakers.

We welcome more than 600 students each year, aged 2-18, and teach them in modern classrooms with an impressive pupil to teacher ratio. This ensures a personalised and highly supportive learning environment which is part of a richly diverse learning community, with students representing approximately 50 nationalities.

Contact:

If you need any information about BSB, please do not hesitate to contact our Office Department: Tel: (+40) (0)21 267 8919 (+40) (0)728 133 433 Fax: (+40) (0)21 267 8969 E-mail: office@britishschool.ro

Other useful e-mail addresses: Admissions: admissions@britishschool.ro Marketing: marketing@britishschool.ro Data Protection Officer: dpo@britishschool.ro

British School of Bucharest Crawford House Foundation 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, Voluntari 077190, Romania Registered: 17/2008 Fiscal Code: 24879960

Parking Address: The School’s car park is situated on Erou Iancu Nicolae nr. 65, next to the Strip Mall.

Access to the car park is based on the car registration and access is restricted for the public.

After leaving your car, it is a five-minute walk to BSB.

The British School of Bucharest invites you to become a partner in the @BSB School Magazine.

For further details of this opportunity, please contact marketing@britishschool.ro.

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As well as uniforms for BSB students, we have a great variety of seasonal gifts.

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 – 10:30 and 14:30 – 16:30 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, Voluntari, Ilfov

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British School of Bucharest Early Years Foundation Stage/Primary/Secondary 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190, Voluntari, Ilfov County, Romania T. + 40 21 267 89 19, +40 728 133 432, +40 728 133 433 F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@britishschool.ro

www.britishschool.ro The School is operated by Crawford House Foundation. Registered 3/25.01.2016. Fiscal Code 24879960