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Issue 3 - February 2013

The skyâ€™s the limit at BSB

BSB Office Staff Administration ti Road

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If you need any information or help in regard to your childâ€™s education and support at BSB, please do not hesitate to contact our office team during

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Dear Parents & Friends of BSB, Recently we have had the pleasure to welcome several guests to BSB, these have included our regular school inspector Ms Taylor, prospective parents who will bring their families here in September, and possible new teachers and school managers. It is always valuable to hear the perception of the school that they have gained in their time here, and what they feel are the characteristics that make a good school; this month I would like to share this feedback with you.

There have been many comments on how impressed they are with the opportunities and experiences they see the students enjoying; and the importance that the teachers are placing on the children having a voice to learn from each other, and a choice about how they are learning. Visitors can tell the children care about what they are learning, and this reminds me how important strength-based learning is.

A developing skill which I often see in evidence in the Secondary library is a time for reflection; school is such a busy place it is vital that students do not feel rushed through the curriculum, but actually have time to make connections between topics and subjects. Making the links all help in the quest to become critical thinkers who are looking for the best ideas and strategies.

“A strength of the school is clearly the teachers’ approach to innovation, pushing the boundaries of the traditional education to make it relevant for our school leavers as they look to their future.“

A strength of the school is clearly the teachers’ approach to innovation, pushing the boundaries of the traditional education to make it relevant for our school leavers as they look to their future, while ensuring they are fully equipped with the foundations of learning. Visitors have seen evidence of this being experienced through real problem-solving, and followed up with regular self-assessment that secures understanding.

I hope that you are also able to see these elements when you are next in school at one of our Open Days. However these crucial features of a good school can only be effective when the environment is one where caring and support are paramount, and this must remain at the foundation of all we do here at BSB.

Lastly I would like to share one of my proudest moments which happened last week when a visitor told me that every child they had met around our campus had looked into their eyes and smiled, it had made them feel very welcomed. It served to remind me how special BSB is, and the children, staff and parents that make it this way.

Jo Puddy-Wells, Principal principal@britishschool.ro

Issue 3 2013 3

When I visit I play with my Spanish friends

When it is sunny lots of ladies wear a flamenco dress Nicolas Y1

Carmen Y2

When I go to Spain there are lots of big parks, so I love to go to the parks Rocio Y4

The weather in Spain is cold in winter and, in summer, not cold! Gabriela, Preschool

When I visit I go to see my grandparents Javier Y2

I think Spain is famous for its football and the bullfighting. It is also good at tennis Gregory Y4

in Country ain : Sp t h g i l t o sp In Spain it is hot and sunny Ignacio, Creche

France and Portugal are Spainâ€™s neighbours Claudia Y4

Famous people from Spain include Gaudi, Picasso, Velasquez, Dali and Rivera Irini, Y6

The capital of Spain is Madrid and its main attractions are the beautiful sights of Cuenca and the Royal Palace

Spain is famous for paella but I also like to eat in my favourite Chinese restaurant Mariam Y2

Pol Y5

Visitors should see the fantastic wax museum in Madrid and the famous architecture of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Angela Y8

Visitors can see towers, castles and some houses in a village of Romans Pablo Y2

Unusual sports are bullfighting and Pamplona Paloma Y4

Where are they now: the Waterfields 7 months have past since we left Bucharest and still we are adjusting to life in the UK. How I miss the support network of the PTA at the British School, all families in a similar position settling in to a new country, willing to help support and assist in answering any question. It is safe to say that when you return to your home country but to a different area, no-one asks how you are or recommends where’s best to go, as they all assume you already know! Coming home has been like a new posting without meeting anyone else in the same situation. Needless to say I have dreamed of being a part of the BSB community, joining one of the trips, or filling my day with a flower arranging workshop (something so cost prohibitive in the UK, I can definitely assure you that you have the better deal!). I may have Waitrose and the UK High Street but you have each other, so make the most of it and join any trip or activity, you’ll be guaranteed to have a laugh. As for the boys they have slowly settled into life in the UK, a new experience for them both. James has thrown himself in and is known to many year groups who he plays with in the grounds after school. Tom has been more reflective and has constantly compared his new school to BSB and he often talks of his friends and teachers. The biggest shock has been the boys’ Winter uniform for Tom, as you will see from the photograph it is exactly the same as his Summer uniform.. shorts and long socks! I am quite sure I would have been arrested in Bucharest for taking a child out in the snow dressed like that.

James and Tom (in British winter uniform!)

Sarah

BSB congratulates… Ms Oana Grigore “First was the happy and beautiful news… I am going to be a mom… I will have a baby!! Thoughts about how is going to be, look like, what is going to be a girl or a boy!!! Happiness, joy, love, sensibility, suddenly life is more beautiful now!! It is the most incredible feeling to feel your baby, to hold him in your arms, to see how little he is but in the same time, how big he is in your life!!! Life is changing: no holiday, hanging with friends, not worrying for much… now he’s here, he’s part of our life and we love him very much!”

Proud mum with son Andrei

We get the message...

In the neighbourhood: Ms Camelia Ciuta We all know Miss Camelia. We see her everyday in the office. But do we know what her job is like? Do we know any amazing talents or hobbies? Well… we’re about to find out… Miss Camelia has been here for eight years and she has worked in other areas of the educational system. She enjoys working here at BSB because every single day is completely different. The hard part of her job, she says, is the fact that there’s a mountain of paperwork and many different situations. Her amazing talent is that she can speak many, many different languages including Romanian, English (obviously!), French, Italian and she can understand Spanish. Her hobbies include travelling, especially to the mountains, and she likes spending time with her son. Before she dies she’d like to travel the whole world. She advises us all to take advantage of our period of time, because there’s many great opportunities and technology is increasing. Before this turns into a science report, though, we have one more thing to say and that is that the reason she absolutely loves BSB is because every last day, since the beginning, is totally different from the last. Rebecca (8S), Calista (8R) and Noor (but she only helped with a few questions and took some photos with Mr.Mugur. We wrote this actual article).

Issue 3 2013 7

Introducing… Mr Alex Coope

Introducing… Ms Diana Frentescu

Ms Diana Frentescu has recently joined British School of Bucharest as Admissions and Marketing Assistant.

“First impressions of BSB have been really good. The students have been so welcoming and keen to learn, while the small school makes for a really nice atmosphere and I am looking forward to working with these young people for many years.”

Previously, Diana was project coordinator within a non-governmental organisation, managing projects for youth. She had the opportunity to work with young people, high-school, undergraduate and graduate students, carrying out debates, contests and simulations in many cities in Romania. Diana is very passionate about travel, so every year she visits at least one foreign country. Also she enjoys going to the theatre and reading books on human development and skills improvement.

I arrived in Bucharest having spent two years in Kuwait teaching Maths across KS3-5. Prior to that I was Head of Maths and Exam Coordinator at The British School in Alexandria, Egypt for 8 Years, where I also taught KS3-5. Currently my wife and son are still in Kuwait but in March they will be joining me and I am very happy that my son will be joining BSB, as I am sure that he will make lots of great friends. My wife will be working next year in Primary, so perhaps you’ll meet her in this feature before too long. Out of work my main interests are cooking and sport, particularly rugby union.

8 Newsblast

“I discovered a wonderful team and an excellent working environment here at BSB and I’m really glad that I have the opportunity to contribute to the smooth running of the Admissions process and beyond.”

PTA Review

The Culture of Community. BSB has a community of culturally diverse families. At present there are 265 families and 45 nationalities within the school. It is therefore vital that the PTA encourages, promotes and extends the friendly, supportive international environment that is such an important feature of the schools’ character and ethos. For some families Romania is their home country and they have busy working lives, a wide social circle and know Bucharest very well. Other families are new to Romania, unfamiliar with Bucharest life and have lots of questions they would like help with. Some of our families are permanently based in Bucharest and will remain at BSB for many years whilst others may only stay for a year or two. Some are at the beginning of their Romanian adventure and others will move on this summer. The PTA at BSB is open to everyone whoever you are, wherever you are from, however long you have been a member of the BSB school community. You are all members of our PTA and encouraged to attend events, volunteer, ask questions and support our school. During the year, the PTA has organized a number of events, tours and activities to bring the school community together and provide parents and families with opportunities to meet each other in an inviting, social atmosphere. We try to vary the days of the week, the type of activity and the time of day to include as many people as possible. Some events are for all of the family and others just for the children or parents. We even had visiting Grandparents take some of our tours! Please see the Friday Flier, the PTA notice board and our Facebook page for information regarding these events. We, at PTA, also provide weekly information about events in the city. We have a Facebook page, BSBPTA, where questions about

British School of Bucharest

BSB Website | Find us | Office: + 40 21 267 89 19

Community Flyer - 8th February 2013

Life Style at Planet Swim &Gym Read more...

Saint Patrick’s Festival Ball 2013 - JW Marriott Bucharest - 15th March at 7.30pm Read more...

Baking is just one of many ways to get involved local services, suggestions and recommendations can be posted. Those of you who have lived in Bucharest for many years and know it well could provide helpful advice here. We also have regular coffee mornings when we are available to chat, meet new parents, introduce you to new acquaintances and also to answer any questions that you may have. Many of our events are fundraisers, which support a range of charities associated with the school. The International Pub Quiz raised 2946 Ron for The British Legion. The Artisan Fair raised 7278 Ron, which will be shared between Fundatia Inocenti and Light into Europe. The Summer Fair raises money for the PTA to use to further enhance educational and social activities for the students within the school. So far, this year we have funded Bug Club in the Primary School (an online reading scheme which can be used at home to further promote and encourage reading) and an after school club run by Parada. This focuses on circus skills and mime. The PTA is therefore working hard to encourage the culture of community for the benefit of everyone involved at BSB. If you would like to get involved, volunteer, sign up for events or make suggestions - please do not hesitate. The more the merrier!

The Social Kitchen’s - COSY BRUNCH - Sunday 10th February 12 - 4pm, London Street Atelier

Ms Linda Wadsworth, BSB PTA Chair.

Join a parenting workshop with Dr Jennifer Mahon. Read more...

PTA: What’s on in Bucharest Read more...

ImuPro 300 ImuPro 300 is a revolutionary test which has helped improve thousands of lives as allergies are diagnosed through a simple blood test. Read more...

T. +40 21 267 89 19, +40 728 133 432, +40 728 133 433 F. +40 21 267 89 69 E-mail: office@britishschool.ro www.britishschool.ro

New families are quickly welcomed to the BSB family Issue 3 2013 9

LOWER SCHOOL REVIEW I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I hope you will enjoy reflecting back on the wonderful Christmas productions through the articles in this edition of Newsblast. I would like to thank all the students, teachers and teaching assistants for their hard work and efforts with the productions. It is wonderful to see how much the children enjoy the whole process.

The start of a new year is always a time for reflection on the past year and looking forward to a new one. One of the highlights of the new term has been the start of swimming lessons for Primary and Reception children. I really enjoyed joining the children for some of their lessons. As with the productions, seeing children grow in confidence before your eyes is a truly amazing sight. The importance of children learning how to swim cannot be underestimated and respect for the water should be taught as early as possible.

One of the best parts of my job is popping into classes to see what the children are learning. I am constantly amazed by the creativity, diversity and love for learning that is on display. Further details of some of the activities can be found in the class articles. I also encourage you to look on the class Blogs to see more information and photographs of the children in action. I wish everyone a happy, successful and fulfilling 2013.

Ms Tiffany Moorcroft Head of Lower School

â€œI am constantly amazed by the creativity, diversity and love for learning that is on displayâ€?

10 Newsblast

did you know?

9,020 lunches are served in an average term

Wintery Wonderlands in Crèche and Crib Crèche and Crib have been enjoying the snowy, cold weather. The children have enjoyed playing outside and making the most of the snow by exploring the different ways in which they can play with it, including building snowmen, sliding, patting, digging and building. This learning was then continued indoors, creating snowman pictures, identifying simple shapes such as circles, penguin crafts and paintings, as well as winter collages. We have been incorporating each of the seven areas of learning into our class activities, especially talking about the cold winter colours, which led us nicely on from our autumn themes and autumn walks to investigate different

shades. From this the children have created some wonderful pictures and collages by experimenting with colours using different forms of media. This has really helped the children consolidate their colour knowledge. Crib used their creative side to enhance the colour experience by creating some beautiful musical shakers. These were filled with different coloured pasta and sparkly glitter to add to the effect. Ms Kayleigh Evans and Ms Claire O’Brien, Creche Teachers Ms Rachel Gregory, Crib Teacher.

Crèche demonstrating their fine motor control through using scissors to make their own snowflakes to hang in the classroom

Children playing on the car and ‘driving’ through the snow displaying gross motor skills and role-playing

Enjoying the snow in the winter time, after exploring the different textures of snow and ice, and making snow angels

Crèche children showing off their warm snowsuits after playing the winter clothes matching game in the classroom

Issue 3 2013 11

Jungle and Winter Explorers

Jungle Explorers in Preschool V using our role play area to reenact the ‘Walking through the Jungle’ story

Preschool K and Preschool V have started their new Learning Journeys: Exploring the Jungle and Winter Wonderland. Each class has chosen their Learning Journey based on the children’s interests. In Preschool V we are learning all about jungle animals and life in the jungle, including weather, plants and animals. We have been ’Walking through the Jungle’ and having great fun these past weeks exploring jungle life. Our friendly apes, colourful toucans and slithering snakes will greet you as you enter our Preschool V Jungle classroom. We have created our own Rousseau replicas of the jungle by using the nga.gov/kids/zone/jungle website, whereby children had to choose the plants and animals they needed to make their own Jungle ICT Paintings. We planted our own jungle whilst learning what a plant needs in order to grow and how important it is to be responsible for caring for our plants. In Preschool K we have been learning about winter. We made our own snowmen and enjoyed exploring how snow melts or freezes depending on the temperature; we talked about making instructions on how to build a snowman; we made 3D snowmen from salt dough and described the features of a snowman. We continued our winter Learning Journey by talking about polar bears and their habitat. Ms Priscilla Varban and Ms Kitti Vaughn Preschool teachers

Lili arranged strips of card in oprder of length. She then put two pieces together to make the strips equal length

Gabriela designed and stuck her own snowmen and clearly described all of its features 12 Newsblast

Preschool V learned that our grass seeds need water and light to grow into an amazing jungle

Park planners put their skills to good use After an enjoyable winter holiday, Reception S returned to school ready and eager to learn in the New Year. Having worked hard to learn letters and sounds from phase 2 the previous term, the children began to apply their knowledge of sounds to their writing. This was particularly noticeable when working on our topic theme â€˜The Parkâ€™. The children received a letter from Bucharest City Hall giving them the opportunity to plan and create a park for all ages. This allowed the children to apply their knowledge of sounds when writing letters accepting the challenge of becoming a Park Planner. The children imagined themselves as Park Planners to create their character focussing on the clothes that are needed and the tools they would use. They then conducted a range of experiments relating to how a plant grows. The children were eager to include a play area into their park and a class took part in a discussion about what they would find in a play park. This developed social skills as children worked together planning and designing the play area. After an incident in the park, the children decided to create rules for the park which were displayed. This topic allowed children to reach all seven areas of the curriculum focussing on understanding the world, looking at similarities and differences of our local environment, observing plants and talking about their features. Miss Aimee Scott Reception Teacher

Reception work as a team to make leaves for the trees

Roleplaying going-for-a-picnic develops speaking and listening skills

Reception explore texture as they add sand to paint to make rough rocks for the park Issue 3 2013 13

A cracking start to 2013 with Year One It was fantastic to see the children all so excited and eager to be back in school after the holidays. The hallway was filled with the sound of everyone sharing stories about their fantastic Christmases and New Years, from trips to the beautiful Romanian mountains, to swimming with dolphins in Dubai and sunbathing in The Maldives. We finished our ‘Castles’ topic with a grand banquet, the children wearing the crowns they had designed and decorated. In the week leading up to our banquet, the children had to look around the classroom for letters from a valiant knight called Sir Vlad, who was defending the BSB castle from the evil ‘Black Knight’. It was great to see all the children so engaged in their learning.

Damian leading our mental maths sessions focusing on number pairs to ten

In Literacy, the children have been enjoying learning all about traditional tales and trying to write their own. It has been fun reading some of the traditional stories with a twist. Flora in 1D was kind enough to share her book ‘The Three Little Wolves and the Big Pig’; it made fun reading. In Numeracy, the children have started to count in steps of 2 and learning all about odd and even numbers. We then extended this to counting in steps of 3. This was a bit trickier but the children all listened well and tried their hardest. It has been a super start to 2013 in Year One and we are all certain that the year will continue as it has begun. Miss Helen Stevens and Miss Kate Dibble Year One teachers

Following on from our phonics sessions the children play fun activities such as bingo to help consolidate their

1D working with our friends in Preschool V for our twinning time 14 Newsblast

Nael and School Bear enjoying using the class finger puppets to retell a story

Year 2 Year 2 are having a fantastic start to the New Year and have been discussing New Year resolutions. After talking as a class, each student chose their own resolution. Many chose to learn or try something new, while others chose to improve on something they could do. We have enjoyed playing in the snow during breaks but are ready for spring to arrive. This term was spent extending students’ understanding of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. We used related maths vocabulary such as sum and difference. We built onto the knowledge that subtraction is the inverse of addition. We worked really hard to know by heart all addition/ subtraction facts for each number up to 20. Students continued to improve their ability to solve maths problem mentally, employing maths strategies such as counting on, counting back and using known number facts and place value to add/subtract mentally. Students’ understanding was also extended in 2D shapes, measuring mass, handling data and sorting. Year 2 students worked on using comparative expressions such as ‘faster’, ‘fastest’, ‘slower’ and ‘slowest’, while learning about forces. Many science experiences were conducted in class and we learned that sometimes pushes and pulls change the shape of objects. We also practised suggesting a question to test and then predicted what would happen. Afterwards we wrote down our data and talked about the conclusion.

Discovering the different forces of push and pull

We learned about pirates in the topic ‘Aye Me Hearties’, which was a popular one. We discovered that following rules was important to pirates as well as in our classrooms. We learned about famous pirates such as Blackbeard, Billy Bones, Henry Morgan, Anne Bonny and many more. We also talked about life back then and how it differs from today. We used maps many times this term. We learned about the seven seas and the Caribbean where most pirates sailed. We created our own treasure map and as a class followed a map to discover treasure. Year 2 students were able to design and build their own pirate ship and pirate flag. We read traditional stories of Peter Pan and Treasure Island. Students also enjoyed writing and reading letters from Pirate Pete. Some of the letters came into and left our classrooms as a message in a bottle. Year 2 teachers

did you know?

there are 63 children under the age of 5 in the school

Exploring the life of a pirate Issue 3 2013 15

Working in teams develops communication skills

Hello from Year 3 We have been having a great time in Year 3. The children thoroughly enjoyed learning all about World War Two in our Topic and were all intrigued by how different the lives of the children were then. We had our class assembly all about ‘Teeth’ which was great fun. Many of you were able to come and it was lovely to see you. The production was a great success and again it was so lovely to see so many parents there that evening. The children put so much into the rehearsals and singing practices and it all paid off in the end, culminating in a wonderful performance at the ‘Grand Ballroom’. This term has started well, the children have come back rejuvenated and ready to work. We have a packed term ahead. The swimming classes have begun and the children seem to be enjoying the health club very much. It is a crucial life skill for your children. The main topic this term is ‘The Romans’ where we will be incorporating lots of Design Technology and Art to make swords, shields, helmets and brooches amongst other things. In Science we will be looking at magnet and springs, again another ‘hands on’ topic that the children will have fun exploring and learning about. We look forward to another successful term of hard work. Ms Aoife Kelly and Ms Anna McHugh 16 Newsblast

Year 3 pupils discovering the secrets of weights and measures

Instructions on how to keep warm through the Tudor period? Let Year Four explain… Year Four started the New Year learning about the Tudors. The children began by learning to know the Tudor family tree in History lessons. To do this they learnt how to create a three generation family tree for their own family, and then used those skills to develop their own knowledge of Kings and Queens from Tudor times. They used a range of resources to help them including books, laptops, iPads and ‘The Tudor Song’ from ‘Horrible Histories’. By throwing Geography into the Tudor cross-curricular mix the children went on to learn about the history of maps. They looked and learnt about Ptolemy’s world map, and the world maps of Tudor and modern times. Finally they researched and learnt about the histories of the major European explorers.

4C students use touch and thermometers to test temperature with ice and water

Our work in English taught the children how to write instructions of a Tudor nature. After researching different types of Tudor food the children imagined they were Tudors and created a shopping list for an upcoming banquet. After selecting ingredients for a meal in the style of ‘Ready, Steady, Cook’ the children created their own disgusting Tudor recipes. Focussing on how to keep warm, the children took part in a range of experiments including carrying out an investigation to find out which materials are best at keeping things cool. Using several sets of ice cubes wrapped in freezer bags, a thermometer and a variety of materials, the children planned their own experiments. Year 4 Class Teachers

4M find some evidence of recycling in their environmental review of a local shopping centre

4S record information as part of their Data Handling exercise at Baneasa Shopping City

4C students complete research on the Tudors using the iPads at the mall Issue 3 2013 17

A messy look at the incredible digestive system As part of our new topic entitled “A World of Food”, Year 5 have been investigating the human digestive system and the journey of food as it travels through our body. We began by watching a short video explaining the process and then discussed the sequence of the organs involved. Then we decided to have a go at creating a model for ourselves! The students began by organising themselves into groups by deciding which functions of the body they wanted to represent, before laying out the tables in a classroom-length path showing our gastro-intestinal tract. Each student took their stations along the route as members of staff explained the operations that they needed to do. The team that was representing the mouth and teeth began by tearing up large pieces of bread into smaller, more manageable chunks while mixing in saliva (water and paint). This was then passed down into stomach by the

students at the oesophagus, who shaped and squeezed the wet bread further and further down. The stomach team added more paint, which represented stomach acid and enzymes and mixed up the whole squishy mess ready for the small intestine. It was the intestinal team’s role to extract the nutrients (represented by pasta dinosaurs) and water from the “faeces” before passing the whole lot out of the other end. Although it was a messy activity, the students loved getting stuck-in and learning more about what goes on inside their bodies. It was the perfect activity for just after lunch! Year 5 Class Teachers

Making sure we extract the water from the waste

Students at the mouth preparing the food

Students completing the process at the other end

Taking out the good parts in the small intestine

18 Newsblast

All go in Year 6!

Having a lightbulb moment

In literacy we wrote interesting stories and newsletters. It was a wonderful experience to learn about how newspapers are made and how other people prepare a news programme. We linked literacy and PSHCE to learn about human rights. We also composed river poetry and had a good time making rhymes. For Design and Technology we first talked about shelters. After some time we planned and decided how our own shelter would look. Lastly we made our shelters and some people even changed their ideas because they realised that it didnâ€™t work. We cooperated, treated people equally and shared. In Geography we learned about rivers and how they slowly evolved from the source to the river mouth. We learned the scientific vocabulary like waterfall, river bed, ox-bow lake, estuary, flood plain, river meander. It is really important to use cursive writing and that is what we have been learning in Year 6 for handwriting. In PE we did circuit training and some fitness tests too and in music we learned our production songs, created our own opera but the best part was when everyone worked together and produced a new Christmas song.

6B and 6T collaborating on the Remembrance Assembly

We are looking forward to learning more about the scientists of the Enlightenment and how that helped the Industrial Revolution in the forthcoming term. Weâ€™ve begun our opera with Miss Finch and are in the middle of writing lyrics and thinking about staging. Written by the pupils of Year 6

Turning the work upside down helps in this case! Issue 3 2013 19

Any questions...

Assessing children in Year 1 On Wednesday 9th January, many Year 1 parents attended our Assessment Workshop in the Ringwood dining room. During the workshop parents were provided with a clear overview of how we assess children’s learning at BSB. At the end of Reception children’s achievement in EYFS is documented in the Foundation Stage Profile which teachers then use in Year 1as a starting point for the next stage in their learning journey. Year 1 teachers can then clearly identify children’s strengths and areas for development and plan relevant and challenging learning opportunities and experiences to build on what they already know. Throughout Year 1 children are continually assessed informally in the areas of reading, writing and Maths. Targets are then shared with parents which clearly identify the areas that the children are working on, to move them on to the next level. There are many factors that can affect a child’s progress at school such as maturity and development as well as having English as an Additional Language. Each child develops at a different rate and can excel in different areas at different stages in the school life.

20 Newsblast

What is important is that we support and facilitate their learning and build on what they already know, praising them on their successes as well as offering guidance and challenges along the way. Assessment is therefore a crucial method in this process to track children’s progress and ensure that all children are given the opportunity to improve and achieve their full potential. Mrs Lisa Ali

did you know?

89 bsb students use our school transport service

EYFS Mathematics Workshop In January, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) parents were invited to attend a Mathematics Workshop. During the session, parents were provided with an overview of how the delivery of the curriculum focuses on play- based learning and incorporates childrenâ€™s interests. There were also useful ideas on how to support Mathematics development at home, with the opportunity to share these across the group. The workshop also provided parents with the chance to view and explore many of the resources that we use to aid Mathematics learning in the early years and information on typical carpet-time and class activities. Ms Kayleigh Evans EYFS Mathematics Coordinator

Different resources are used within the classroom to support Maths

Children counting out compare bears and matching them to the numbers

Typical resources used throughout EYFS year groups to support the recognition of numbers and number formation.

Number puzzles and Maths games help children to consolidate their Mathematic knowledge

Children displaying their developing knowledge of familiar shapes Issue 3 2013 21

Saint Nicholas visits BSB Children in KS2 were surprised when St. Nicholas visited our assembly in December. He told us tales of his travels, how e should all be thinking of others and appreciating what we ourselves have, as we enjoy the seasonal celebrations. The children asked him some very insightful questions and the BSB choir sang beautifully at the assembly.

Another Eco Visitor at BSB BSB continues the push for all things ecological by welcoming another special visitor to talk to pupils about Recycling. Following the success of the mobile ecological lab, the children in KS2 had the opportunity to listen, engage with and question a representative from a recycling and waste-management centre. Mihaela Sofronea, from the company Green W.E.E.E., delivered a presentation to the children about the work the company carries out in their wastemanagement centre. She allowed the children an insight into the process of recycling, from collection to treatment and recycling, including the end products that they created. The children thoroughly enjoyed their Q&A session and our visitor was very impressed with the range of responses and quality of informed questions from the children. As the school is currently working towards an eco award, creating links with recycling businesses such as Green W.E.E.E. can significantly contribute the childrenâ€™s education on this issue. Mr Ciaran McRae

The children experienced first-hand what recycled materials feel and look like

St Nicholas addresses the children on the importance of consideration for others

A wide range of materials can be recycled and a variety of by-products produced 22 Newsblast

Mihaela asks the children some questions

Some examples from the recycling process

The boys and girls are asked to think about the different methods of recycling

Issue 3 2013 23

My pet Felix, our Golden Retriever We have had Felix in our famiily for one year and he is 16 months old. He’s kind, loves children and will never bite. He loves snow and sometimes he digs in the garden. He has lots of dog friends to play with (and us of course).

Felix and Dave

Dave (and a paw from Felix) Y3

Primary Able, Gifted & Talented (AG&T) For their last project, the literacy group worked on writing stories in exactly eighty words… not as easy as you might think! At the end of their task they worked together to make a PowerPoint presentation, offering writing tips to their classmates. Their work was submitted to a competition on the ’Young Writers’ website and we’ll keep you posted about any good news we receive. In the meantime, please take a look at the website, which includes great ideas and competitions for all aspiring writers: www.youngwriters.co.uk The older maths group has been learning how to build business empires. Ask them for a run-down of economic jargon and see if they can explain the meaning of investment; capital; mortgage; expenditure; debt and assets. The younger group has been comparing different number systems and thinking about how they differ to the system we now use in English. Ms Emily Thomas Primary AG&T Coordinator

Primary AG&T Inventing a new number system

Swimming lessons for Primary students

Confidence in the water makes swimming safer and more fun

Swimming lessons have just taken place for all Primary school students. Under the guidance of four qualified swimming coaches at Planet Swim & Gym, students were taught a wide range of skills, from basic water confidence through to finer development of stroke technique. The importance of learning to swim, and being confident in water, opens up a plethora of activities that one can then take through childhood and into adulthood, such as canoeing, sailing, snorkeling, jet skiing and surfing, to name but a few. Mr David Hughes PE Teacher 24 Newsblast

A good technique makes all the difference

Whoops a Daisy Angel Performance by EYFS This year EYFS performed a fantastic production of ‘Whoops a Daisy Angel’. The story is about a forgetful angel who never gets given an important job to do. One day she is asked to deliver a message to the shepherds, to go and see a special baby in a stable. All children in EYFS participated in a range of roles. Reception took on the important role of the speaking parts and learned how to use a microphone. They memorised and rehearsed their lines really well. Pre-school children played the roles of angels, shepherds and wise men, all wearing the appropriate costumes. Creche and Crib were our fabulous snowflakes and made headbands and wands which they used to accompany their dancing. Each year group sang a different song and we all joined in with the introductory and finale songs. I am sure everyone will agree that the children put on a spectacular performance.

Tora performing her snowflake dance whilst angels Ralph and Milan look on

Miss Kitti Vaughan Pre-School Teacher

The Creche and Crib classes join Whoops a Daisy Angel to sing and dance to “Six little Snowflakes”

Mircea used the microphone for his opening line. “There once was an angel. Her dress was untidy, her halo was crooked. She was clumsy and very forgetful.”

The Year 2s looked amazing in their colour co-ordinated outfits. They had to work together to ensure all remembered the actions to all of the songs

A ‘Wriggly’ and a ‘Cracker’ of a performance by all of Key Stage 1 This year Key Stage 1 performed two wonderful productions. The Year 1 pupils enjoyed performing the fun and energetic ‘Wriggly Nativity’, whilst the Year 2 children focused on describing the real theme of Christmas in ‘It’s a Cracker’. Both productions were fantastic successes and all of the children deserve to feel very proud of their achievements. They worked really hard to learn all of their lines and had to remember all of their stage directions.

In Year 1, the traditional Christmas nativity story was retold alongside a host of fun and wriggly songs. The children loved singing ‘Donkey Plodding’ and certainly enjoyed doing the actions to go along with it.

Ms Grant started early in the term teaching the songs and her hard work was obvious when the children started singing. All of KS1 looked bright and colourful in their costumes and BSB thanks all parents for help with the costumes.

The children excelled themselves with the winter productions so we are all very excited to see the summer shows.

All of the songs had actions which helped the children to remember the lines of the songs 26 Newsblast

The Year 2 performance was a real cracker and helped the children to realise that there was a lot more to Christmas than just presents.

Ms Helen Stevens Key Stage One Co-ordinator

Each class had its own section which they had been learning in their drama lessons. They were all fantastic

The townsfolk from Bethlehem announcing, in a loud and clear voice, that a ‘special baby’ had been born

The Year 1s singing ‘Donkey Plodding Along’

The children proved they had great listening skills through a perfect performance

Issue 3 2013 27

The Ice Demon The Lower Key Stage 2 production was an undoubted success. The boys and girls from Years 3 and 4 came together to produce a magical performance and received the reception that their cooperation and hard work deserved. The children were engaged with the script from the beginning and enjoyed telling the story of the Ice Demon. The story of â€˜The Ice Demonâ€™ is set in an isolated village in the far north of Norway. From a time before anyone can remember, the village has been under the curse of an evil Ice Demon. All of the children contributed with their dramatic performances and told the story of a brother and sister who took on the mighty beast. The children filled the Grand Ballroom venue with their voices and impressed their audience with the confidence , exuberance and maturity of the performers. A big thank you must go to all the teachers who helped with putting on the production, to the parents for attending and helping with costumes and learning lines but, most of all, to the children whose hard work ensured another fantastic winter production at BSB. Lower KS2 Teachers

The old woman in the woods takes to the stage

The children in full voice

Acting out the village scenes

Maya is concerned, as the Ice Demon Minions look on

The characters are deep in conversation

28 Newsblast

The villagers are fearful of Olaf

On to the stage for the final song

The formidable Ice Demon makes his presence known

Issue 3 2013 29

Upper Key Stage 2 Christmas Production: Primary School Christmas Musical Years 5 and 6 dazzled the audience with their amazing acting abilities in the Primary School Musical and 5F worked really hard to perfect the roles of the students in the winter production. The students prepared and practiced a number of short comic audition pieces. The students sang, danced, juggled, played air guitar and performed magic! The winter production provided many opportunities for members of Class 5D to shine. Each student worked hard to learn the lines and develop their characters outside of school, allowing us to work in class to ensure their voices and actions were believable and to expand their parts with improvisation. The whole class really came together and showed excellent enthusiasm and cooperation, enabling them to participate in a very entertaining performance. 6B improvised and invented some great roles for themselves, allowing them to make the most of their drama skills. They sang the songs with gusto and verve and showed great enthusiasm throughout. Here are some quotes from Year 6 children about the show:

30 Newsblast

‘It was really good!’ (Lukas) ‘I loved performing it!’ (Irini) ‘I think the Christmas play was funny!’ (Anamaria) ‘I really liked the songs.’ (Miruna) ‘I loved the costumes!’ (Lena) ‘It was fun!’ (Tudor) ‘I enjoyed it!’ (Alexandra) ‘It was really fun and funny and I would like to do it again.’ (Hamad) ‘It was totally awesome and wicked!’ (Luca) ‘I liked it and the songs were really catchy.’ (Mattia) ‘It was fun to play in the production.’ (Bram) Ms Andrea Bestel, KS2 Coordinator

Rares, Pol, Darius and Mark brought fun and humour to the show

5F did an audition within an audition

6 B performing the opening scene

The Grand Finale - everyone put their utmost into the great final song

Time to climb and explore in Creche Both Creche classes received two new outside climbing frames just before the holidays. These have been very much enjoyed and have helped to really enhance both the childrens’ physical and imagination skills when exploring them. Ms Claire O’Brien

“Lets go, all aboard”

Becoming increasingly mobile and confident using the steps

Who is hiding on the other side? Issue 3 2013 31

Public speaking On 19th January, six of our Upper Key Stage 2 students gave up their Saturday morning lie-ins to compete in the Bucharest Junior Public Speaking Competition, organised by the English Speaking Union. The students who entered were Tabitha, Alex, Jenisa, Ilayda, Lena and Irini and each of them had to prepare a two minute speech based on the theme â€˜All that glitters is not goldâ€™. Every entrant came up with ideas and the points they made were imaginative, diverse and very eloquently expressed. They were competing against students from other English-speaking schools and language centres from across Bucharest and, in front of a panel of judges, the general standard of public speaking was very impressive. Our students did a fantastic job and between them were awarded two first place certificates, two second place certificates, a third place certificate and a special honourable mention, within their groups. They should all be very proud of themselves. Ms Emily Thomas

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Ballet: Le Corsaire Pupils and members of staff attended a wonderful performance of Le Corsaire in December, presented by the ballet company of the Bucharest National Opera. The ballet was part of the Festival of Dance and included many international ballet stars, and the performances were simply stunning. This was an absolute feast for the eyes and a special treat for everyone who attended this colourful spectacle. The story, adapted

from a poem by Lord Byron, had all the romance and drama one could wish for, with dashing pirates and winsome slave girls. There were stunning set pieces which were accompanied to an excellent standard by the live orchestra. The standard of the performance was outstanding and was very much enjoyed by the pupils and staff who attended. Ms Andrea Bestel

House Quiz Key Stage 2 assembled on Thursday 17 January to compete for the annual BSB General Knowledge Quiz. The children split into their respective teams and settled quickly and with enthusiasm to answering a wide diversity of questions. The questions were tailored for each year group to give them the opportunity to use the knowledge they had acquired through studies of the Romans, Egyptians, Victorians and Aztecs. Further questions tested wider, more general knowledge, from characters in books to capital cities of the world. Year 3 began the quiz, each team trying their hardest to gain the maximum twenty points by answering the question for their own year group. When noone successfully managed to answer the question, it was thrown open to all other year groups and, when answered, ten points were awarded. Only a few questions managed to stump the teams and some of the children and teachers too, who were delighted to add to their own lexicon of trivia and typical school questions by learning that Romania has previously been referred to as “The Land of Chairs”, or had to rack their brains to remember that Harry Potter’s owl was called Hedwig. If you have seen the film you would have found it easy to remember the name of Nanny McPhee, if you have a good general knowledge you will always associate Hannibal with elephants and the Alps.

Mr McRae waits patiently for Mures to find the answer Many children said they had great fun with the quiz and it is clear from all the answers we have a student body with a lively and engaged intellect. Ms Andrea Bestel, KS2 Coordinator Issue 3 2013 33

www.imupro300.ro

Mrs Ali highlighting the importance of phonics throughout primary school

TAâ€™s Workshop: Learning is For Life Since the beginning of the year, the teaching assistants (TAs) have been collaborating with other staff members, using their talents and experiences to contribute to the success of the BSB team. We all have strengths and we all have areas in which we could improve and, therefore, to support our continuous professional development the TAs together with Mrs Ali, have put together workshops where we can meet, learn and build on our current knowledge, skills and experiences. So far we have attended training in synthetic phonics, Special Educational Needs, Behaviour Management, Teaching English as an Additional Language and there is much more to come. The sessions are conducted in an atmosphere of trust where each member is encouraged to express their opinions, varying views and questions. Everyone is willing to share their thoughts, ideas and gain confidence in their abilities, as well as further their professional development in the field of education. One of the main factors in the process of our development has been the support given to us by the school. BSB has enabled us to see that each of us, regardless of our role, can make a difference to the children and the school generally by modeling continuous learning, positive attitudes and behaviour. All of these efforts are directed towards a common goal: to make the children happy and successful in their lives.

The TAs getting really animated

Ms Valentina Nitu Teaching Assistant 2R Issue 3 2013 35

Monsieur Hasle, the Primary and Secondary French teacher, came to visit KS1 during our language week and led an assembly

Language Learning Pathway Everyday the children of Key Stage 1 amaze us with the language skills they already possess. In this international environment the children are learning in we, at BSB, aim to celebrate these skills at every opportunity. In Key Stage 1, the learning of languages is strongly encouraged and half term we look at a different language and the children are exposed to it via a range of fun and engaging activities. This may be in class time, using stories, ICT programmes and songs but also through extra curricular activities, such as singing club. The children this half term have been focusing on French and have begun to learn the basics such as greetings, colours, days-of-the-week and months-of-

36 Newsblast

the year. The children love answering the register in French and trying hard to use the correct pronunciation. In 1S, my class like to call me ‘Miss Helene’ and remember to drop the ‘h’ sound. When telling my class that we would be using a new French computer game Nael shouted “Yippee we are going to be learning my language”. Through offering our younger children the opportunity to experience as many languages as possible, we aim to provide the first giant strides on their learning language pathway. Miss Helen Stevens Key Stage One Co-ordinator

Children learning a French greetings song in their singing club

Philine’s birthday poster shows how pupils are able to label pictures with single words or short phrases in French

Max has also described this outfit correctly

Andrei and David acting out a role-play, At the Doctor

Eva’s and Claudia’s poster shows parts of the body in French, using the correct article

Sweder has learnt to describe an outfit applying agreements with colour adjectives

Students are able to write longer paragraphs independently in French

Issue 3 2013 37

Universities In Chinese Paper Art university children will learn paper folding and cutting, from simple to more complex designs

The 3-D construction university course in KS1 will provide children with different materials each week to introduce the children to problem solving skills and design

In Flying and Aerodynamics university the principles of physics play a role in design, testing and effective construction

38 Newsblast

The best chefs have a well-developed sense of taste and use all their senses when working with food

Our continuously popular international dance course teaches progressive skills in dance, building up to performances in assembly

Ju-Jitsu requires concentration, fitness and careful attention to instructions in order to perfect specific moves

Issue 3 2013 39

In Calligraphy, patience and practice teaches the children how to produce beautiful writing, complementing our new Mandarin course

Survival Skills university will take children from theory in the classroom to the wilds of Baneasa forest to test their new knowledge

Over the Puppet Making course children will learn about different types of puppets, starting with the simplest and developing to the stage where they can stage short plays in a puppet theatre

40 Newsblast

Clubs The main focus for team training this term is football and basketball for boys and girls throughout the key stages

Chess is a very popular club as the children have a lot of fun with their peers whilst learning rules and strategies

Although the debating society can delve into some very serious topics it doesnâ€™t stop the weekly afterschool CCA being enjoyable

Issue 3 2013 41

Fencing skills are taught by our expert coach from KS1 to secondary, with several children reaching national competition standard

KS2 children really enjoy the practical science experiments they get to carry out in the lab during science club

Afterschool clubs also provide time to study and work in small groups on academic skills

42 Newsblast

SECONDARY REVIEW Many of you may have heard that there are to be some changes in the UK examination system in the next few years. It is likely that current Year 7 students in the UK will face a new GCSE syllabus for most subjects and there is still a possibility, despite recent Government announcements, that a new exam could replace the GCSE in certain subjects linked to the EBacc, which is explained below. The main reasons behind the move concern a desire to ensure that most children study a core of certain subjects and that the curriculum of these subjects is more standardised. Many UK state schools have chosen to allow their students to choose a large number of easier, so-called “soft” subjects at GCSE, as they try to increase their position in the school league tables. This has meant that the number of students in the UK not taking a language or a humanity has increased in recent years to worrying levels. Hence to increase the academic rigour of what schools offer as curriculum to their 14-16 year olds and as a better preparation for A Levels and university entrance, the government has introduced the idea of EBacc core subjects. The EBacc (English Baccalaureate, to give it the full name) will involve recognising each school’s success in five core subjects at GCSE level : English, Maths, a science, a modern foreign language and one of either History or Geography. Further changes mean that coursework (ongoing project work) may no longer count towards the final grade except in science and in the case of language oral assessments. This is to address the criticism that coursework in many GCSEs has produced inflated grades.

“Our students are in an excellent position because our current curriculum is already in line with the inevitable change”

Fewer than half of English pupils currently take this range of subjects at GCSE; this is certainly not the case at BSB and one reason for us not to be concerned by possible changes. Our students are in an excellent position because our current curriculum is already in line with the inevitable change and their strengths in languages in particular give them an added advantage when it comes to the university marketplace. Most importantly, I believe it is highly likely that the IGCSE curricula that we use in many subjects will be referred to, used widely or just transferred to the new GCSE syllabi. IGCSEs are increasingly being taken by UK independent schools and higher achieving state schools, as they demand a greater depth and range of knowledge and understanding than most GCSE syllabi and have minimal coursework content and rigorous examinations. We also already encourage students to take either History or Geography, yet remain sensitive to the individual needs of our students, especially those who have recently started English as a Second Language. These reforms are part of a larger agenda to further improve the English education system, answering demands of business and arguably the challenges of the 21st-century global society. This is good news and is likely to strengthen further the status of high achieving UK curriculum schools and the ability of UK universities to sustain their high standings in global education. Mr Philip Walters Head of Secondary

Issue 3 2013 43

Mr Stan Platt of the charity Light into Europe receiving the Artisan Fair funds

Light Into Europe Sara Y7, Luca Y8, Mariam Y10, Noor and Assylay (both Y12) are involved in a very exciting new co-curricular activity, namely a collaboration with the charity Light into Europe. Working together in a team, under the supervision of the school and with guidance from Light into Europe, these students will work together using their initiative, creative and enterprise skills to create an awareness campaign for the charityâ€™s Guide Dog Programme. There is currently only one working guide dog in the whole of Romania but with several more puppies currently in training, this figure looks set to change in the near future. The aim of the studentsâ€™ campaign is to achieve a greater understanding and appreciation among the school community and members of their local community of the role of guide dogs and how they can change the lives of people who are visually impaired. Ms Hannah Straw Humanities Department

44 Newsblast

Fresh from his training course, Mr Hughes ensures the trampoline session is fun, rewarding and safe

CPD (Continuing Professional Development) opportunities at BSB Professional development is the ongoing enhancement and maintenance of skills, competencies and experiences. For a physical education teacher, the best way to achieve this is through completing coaching awards set out by a sportâ€™s governing body. Late last year I went to Surrey, England to complete a Trampolining Course governed by British Gymnastics. The course trained me how to teach new skills and techniques to students, as well as highlighting the safety aspects of the sport. With this award completed, it now means that everyone in the PE department is qualified to teach trampolining to our students, with the added incentive of students working to achieve awards set out by British Gymnastics.

did you know?

we provide 60-90 kg of snack fruit per week

Mr David Hughes PE Teacher

Issue 3 2013 45

BSB University Fair Universities visiting BSB Over the past few months I have been delighted to see several students from Key Stage 4 and 5 give up their spare time to attend presentations from Kingâ€™s College, London School of Economics (LSE) and Queen Mary University, London. This has indeed been a busy time with several other UK universities visiting BSB to speak to our senior students. During the past two months, many of our Year 13 students have received replies to the university applications that they worked to deliver last term. They must now choose between those universities that have offered them places, subject to achieving the necessary grades in their final A-Level examinations. Our Year 12 students are starting to research and consider course and university selection. In order for our students to be fully aware of the choice of academic institutions available to them, BSB will host its first ever University Fair which will see several UK and European Universities visit the school. The list of confirmed attendees so far contains several top-ranking universities such as Heriot Watt, Edinburgh, University of Surrey and the University of British Columbia, Canada. Imperial College, London and Kingâ€™s College, London have proven to be the most strongly sought after destinations by our Year 13 students so far, with offers steadily coming in. Imperial is ranked consistently in the top 5 global universities, often above Oxford in the UK, as well as leading US universities. Kingâ€™s College is currently ranked in the top 10 in the UK and top 20 in Europe. This is an astounding feat and testament to the quality of current students and the teaching they receive at BSB. I look forward to reporting on the further offers we receive from higher education institutions. Our fingers are crossed for all Sixth Form students and we wish them good luck in the run-up to their final examinations.

For your diary The next University Fair to take place at BSB will be held on 6th March 2013, from 15:30 - 19:30. More than 15 UK Universities, plus others from the Netherlands, Italy, France, Dubai and other countries will be present, providing information, advice and guidance. Between the hours of 15:30 - 17:30 it will be a private fair for parents and students of BSB and then later all other international schools will be invited to attend for the 17:30-19:30 time slot. Many top universities have agreed to attend and they include: University of Kent; University of Surrey; British Columbia, Canada; Heriot Watt, Edinburgh and more. The fair will be staged in the dining hall and a series of presentations will run in the Taylor building and so please feel free to join us. Mr Paul Farrell, Head of Sixth Form

46 Newsblast

Working with maps in Geography Lately in Geography weâ€™ve been studying coasts. At one point we learnt about coastal features like cliffs, bays, coves, beaches, arch and stacks, spits and more. After we had learnt about them, we got out maps of coastal areas and we had to identify the features. Some of them were easy enough to find (like beaches, coves, bays and cliffs) while some of them were a little hard to find (like arch and stacks and spits). Overall it was an interesting topic and weâ€™re hoping that our next topic will be just as engaging. Calista, Y8

Learning how to interpret features using a map

Year 9 Trenches Year 9 have been studying the First World War throughout Term 1. One of the most important topics is trench life. We studied both the structures and life in the trenches. The class was set a 3-week homework project, in which they had to design and make models of trenches. Some students worked individually, while others worked in pairs and the students used all types of equipment for

their designs. All of them were truly superb and the students put a lot of effort into them. Here is a series of pictures of the trenches and the students, who were very proud of their efforts. Year 9 History

Joe, justifiably proud of his trench depiction

Jesus created a very detailed trench model

More Year 9 pupils show off their trenches Issue 3 2013 47

The explorer’s board game! Year 8 created educational board games covering the adventure of an explorer, for i.e. Christopher Columbus. The board games had to include all sorts of things: dangers they faced, obstacles in their way, and other difficulties. We also had to make some cards that were positioned on different places on the different squares to represent how much of the world was known in those days. On the cards, there were questions like “When did Columbus discover America?” to consolidate the learning from playing the game. The board games could have been small or big, and could have been colorful. There were about 40 squares on each game, and there could be 5 players playing together, which would have required a dice, which could have been hand-made or taken from another game. The purpose of the game was teaching students about different explorers and their different journeys in their lives, what they discovered and the dangers they faced. The students said that the games were very useful and taught them many things that they didn’t know before.

Y8 Historians testing their board games

By Luca, 8S

The genesis of Real Steel The final instrument in the BSB steel pan set arrived at the beginning of the summer term 2012. Following the success of Mr. Green’s steel pan university course and the enthusiasm shown by students, we decided to offer a steel pan ensemble as a club this year. The steel pan was created in the Caribbean in the 1930s and is now the national instrument of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Becoming very popular in the UK over the last 10 years, a steel pan band incorporates different sized pans, from the 6 giant bass pans (played by one person), to the much smaller single tenor pans.

Max and Ciaran perform on the double second pans while Tom plays the triple cellos. Calista (Year 8) has been doing an excellent job of keeping us all in time on the bass pans 48 Newsblast

All of the students are new to playing the steel pan and have worked hard to play well as part of a group. We were really proud of them when they made their amazing debut as ‘Real Steel’ at the Artisan Fair and we cannot wait to experience their next performance. Ms Jenny Finch

Haruna, Malika and Chloe practice playing the melody

Shoe Box Appeal December 2012 After the Harvest Week in November, the parents, students and staff of BSB have once again proven to be very generous, contributing to the Shoe Box Appeal with enthusiasm. This year the appeal, created some years ago to offer children of rural Romania a better Christmas, has been a huge success. Thanks to the generosity of the BSB community, 122 children will have enjoyed a great Christmas 2012. All of the shoe boxes were donated to children aged between 6 and 15 from the regions of Craiova and Lipovu in Romania, through the action of Asociatia Vasiliada. In addition, parents have

also collated 40 boxes for toddlers and younger children, from infants to age 5 and these were distributed through Fundatia Inocenti. The Charity Committee, on behalf of Asociatia Vasiliada and Fundatia Inocenti, would like to thank the amazing efforts of all the people involved in making the Christmas of those children and teenagers much brighter. Mr BenoĂŽt HaslĂŠ Charity Committee

The generosity of the BSB community displayed under the Christmas tree in the library

The chidren from the social centre excited about their presents

Children supported by Associatia Vasiliada will have a better Christmas

Thank you, Santa!

Issue 3 2013 49

Work Experience in Years 11 and 12 As part of our careers education curriculum, Year 11 & 12 students will complete a week of work experience across June.

“You can always tell a BSB student from their confidence and ability to communicate on all levels” Work Experience provider

The Aims and Objectives of Work Experience initiated by BSB Work experience is a valuable part of the broad education we provide. For maximum benefit, we ensure that our students and their parents understand the aims and objectives of work experience before embarking upon the journey. Work experience placements are regarded as a means of achieving certain learning outcomes and are closely linked with the following: • Developing students’ employability and key skills, as well as university application technique • Careers education and guidance • Experiencing a vocational environment • Personal and social education The broad objectives for each work experience placement include: • A better understanding of the demands of a particular career • A better understanding of the world of work in general and of the changes

50 Newsblast

within it • The development of a more mature attitude • Insights into the skills and attitudes required by particular sectors and employers There will be more information and events to inform students and parents about specific aspects of the process involved leading up to June. In the meantime, we are looking for employers who would be willing to offer one week placements in June for out Year 11 and Year 12 students. So if your work for a business, own a business or know of a business that would be willing to help us provide work experience opportunities please contact me via email mark.monaghan@britishschool.ro. Mark Monaghan Work-related Learning Coordinator

did you know?

•this term we are offering 63 after school clubs

Apprentice update

Candidates get to grips with the challenge set In December, surviving students taking part in the BSB 2012-2013 Apprentice competition took on their second challenge. Oliver Perkins, the CEO from Brainovate, facilitated the challenge and provided a team-building and problem-solving task, similar to those he and his company provide for large multi-national companies around the world. The task involved developing a new toy product that was both educational and fun but only using a handful of items provided. Once again the candidates performed fantastically well, receiving rave reviews from Oliver and other Brainovate staff coordinating the event. It was a hard decision to make on this challenge but some candidates had to leave the competition and therefore were â€˜firedâ€™. The remaining candidates await the challenge confronting them in Februaryâ€Ś Mr Mark Monaghan Enterprise Coordinator

Candidates present their product

Oliver Perkins from Brainovate with some of the candidates

Another team makes their pitch Issue 3 2013 51

Year 10 students go undercover as mystery shoppers, in order to judge levels of customer service

Market Research at the Mall Year 10 Business Studies students posed as mystery shoppers at the mall recently to analyse and evaluate the customer service provided by a number of retail outlets. Some of the findings were interesting and provided lots of debate back in the classroom. The experience helped to make the market research and customer services topics more ‘real’ and practical. If you think you or your business can help make BSB Business Studies more ‘real’ by providing experiences and opportunities, be it a project, a business visit or a talk, we would love to hear from you. Please contact Mr Monaghan at mark.monaghan@britishschool.ro. Mr Mark Monaghan Teacher of Business 52 Newsblast

Community Service: Fundatia Inocenti Co-curricular activities present our students with exciting opportunities to expand their education. For three students, this is not only making a difference to their own lives but is also having an impact on a wide range of others’. While other students are scoring points on the basketball court, creating artistic masterpieces, or shredding their opponents with logical debates, Naomi, Noor and Maria will be hopping on the bus and heading down to the children’s hospital in Lacul Tei to lend a helping hand to the volunteers from Fundatia Inocenri. Founded in 1990, Fundatia Inocenti is a charity which aims to improve the lives of babies and children by providing play and learning opportunities in schools and hospitals. Through the Community Service Fundaria Inocenti Activity, our students will be volunteering in the Child Life Program, interacting with hospitalised babies and children, in order to develop and improve their social, psychological and motor skills. Perhaps the most important part of this activity is the opportunity to interact with hospital staff and patients, taking our students out of their comfort zone and giving them a chance to gain an understanding of child development and the effects of hospitalisation. Not only this, but Valentina Maghirescu, Development Director, has promised that there will never be a dull moment - whether the girls are playing with babies, reading to toddlers or making bracelets with older children, there will always be something to get involved in; something that will make a difference to all involved. Ms Natalie Curtis English Teacher

Fundatia Inocenti works closely with the student Charity Committee

Mock Exams Mock examinations are a traditional fixture in the Year 11 calendar and are normally set during January. They represent the first major set of academic exams our Year 11s have to cope with and they are always accompanied with high levels of student stress and anxiety. However, the experience should be used as a constructive tool as it gives the students valuable insights which help them to prepare for the real exams in the summer and as such it is taken very seriously by all concerned. As well as preparing our students, ‘the Mocks’ also help to identify areas of potential strength and weakness and from this targets can be set and plans put into operation accordingly. Some Year 11 quotes about their Mock Exam experience:

“After the mocks I’ll need a six week holiday... twice”. Eda, Y11

“No time to waste but GCSEs are still a while away”. Jan, Y11 Mr Anthony O’Brien

Issue 3 2013 53

The Artisan Fair

The choir produced a lovely seasonal background

The BSB Artisan Fair is a good example of the wider BSB community working together to create something special. The day was a great success with local produce, charity stalls, artisan crafts and delicious food being sold alongside games and stalls for the children, festive craft activities and an exciting visit from Santa, who zip lined in to visit BSB in his twinkling, magical Grotto. The PTA Committee planned and coordinated the event. However, the success of the day was entirely due to the wonderful team of school staff, parent volunteers, local artisans and students who contributed their time, and effort. In the week before the Fair, we organized some merry baking days. These involved many of our international communities and we played festive music, we drank coffee and chatted while we baked goods to sell at the Fair on our International Festive Food stall.

Meeting Santa 54 Newsblast

Parents also contributed to class raffle baskets and tombola prizes and many of you signed up to help run the stalls on the day. Thank you for your help. Many of our secondary students helped run stalls, greeted visitors and generally helped set up the stalls. We appreciated their help and enthusiasm. The local community contributed some wonderful festive stalls. It was good to greet stallholders who come every year to BSB but also to welcome some new friends. We would like to particularly thank Mr. Valentine Lupu and his team. It must be one of the busiest weeks of the year for the BSB maintenance team, with school productions, challenging weather conditions and the Artisan Fair to work on. We appreciate you all.

Something for everyone at the Artisan Fair

Tables full of tasty treats

Such a range of produce on show

Before the rush Issue 3 2013 55

BSB offers Mandarin lessons for adults

BSB is happy to announce the commencement of the Mandarin course for adults from Monday the 28th of February. Our Mandarin course combines topics and includes greetings, talking about age, the Chinese Zodiac, nationality and hometown, daily schedule, meals, shopping, hobbies, sports, and Chinese culture. It is suitable for total beginners of the Chinese language, China is the most populous country in the world with over 1.3 billion people, approximately one-fifth of the worldâ€™s population. It is blessed with some of the richest lands in the world and is home to one of the worldâ€™s oldest civilisations. Beijing is the capital of China and there you can see the Great Wall, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Chinese is the worldâ€™s most spoken language. There are also significant numbers of people who speak Chinese as a second language throughout the world, as multinational corporations continue to gain a foothold in the Chinese domestic market. For details: office@britishschool.ro Miss Tracy Kong, Mandarin Teacher

Miss Kong will be teaching Mandarin to adults at BSB on Mondays from 8.30 to 10am

56 Newsblast

At BSB we recognise the importance of nutritious and tasty food

Our first year of in-house catering We are celebrating one year of providing healthy and nutritious lunches that are prepared on site. The BSB catering team freshly cooks a hot lunch for many of our pupils, with the menus constantly being updated and reviewed in collaboration with feedback from our Student Council. In both dining rooms, the pupils line up to be served their lunch and the older children have access to a self-service salad bar, allowing them to make independent choices. At BSB we like to make the dining experience part of the education of the pupils and so table manners and good behaviour are promoted. We look forward to building on this success and enhancing the dining experience further. If you would like to register for a school lunch, full details and the application form can be found on the home page of the BSB website. Ms Catherine Noble Issue 3 2013 57

The most popular fun activity

BSB Summer School 2013 Although the snow is still lying all around and the end of Winter is some way off, let’s all look forward to when we can all bask in the warmth of the Bucharest summer and many children can have a fantastic time at our Summer School.

With all courses, sports and activities taking place within the BSB campus, the Summer School is safe, convenient and all-inclusive, offering one, two, three or four-week Learning and Activity Programmes, as well as a 4-week Academic Preparation Course.

Opening on Monday 1st July and continuing for 4 weeks, the BSB Summer School is the ideal summer solution for busy parents and for children wanting to have fun and to learn at the same time. We offer an English ‘total immersion’ experience, whereby the learning process is not just restricted to the classroom but extends into every aspect of the fun-filled day. The age range is 4 years to 15 years, class sizes will be a maximum of 15 pupils and the daily programme will run from 09:00 – 16:00, with a half-day option for the 4-7 year-old group.

Activities include: • Fencing • Climbing wall • Zip wire • Football • Tennis • Swimming lessons • Cookery • Art • Music • And much more besides The English courses and most activities are run by native English-speaking BSB teaching staff and the year groups they teach at the Summer School will mirror their experience in the main school. Every class and activity will also include an experienced Teaching Assistant. We will offer an Early Bird discount for parents who register early and full details will be available on the website soon but, in the meantime, please address any enquiries to summerschool@britishschool.ro Mr David Whitehill, Director of Admissions

A new sport for most, under expert guidance 58 Newsblast

It’s not just splashing in the pool

Their mothers won’t recognise them by the time they’ve finished their programme!

Issue 3 2013 59

A Day In The Life of BSB All of our parents are familiar with the school, its staff and the activities running during the school day. But what happens before the gates are flung open in the morning, or after the last student closes the gate behind them at the close? And who are those unsung heroes keeping the school operational when the snow falls, keeping the children well fed and cleaning up after all of us? Letâ€™s peer behind the scenes and find out... For the teachers, the day starts with an early morning meeting with their Head of School. This gives everyone a chance to catch up before the day begins, check final arrangements for whatever events are planned for the day and to pick up any last minute updates. Outside on the campus, the maintenance team started work even earlier and is busy clearing snow, emptying bins, cleaning the communal areas, stocking the staff kitchen and generally preparing for another hectic day. The administration team is at work early too, dealing with admissions enquiries, checking that the croissants ordered for the PTA meeting are going to arrive on time and ensuring that the many and varied logistical elements that make up such a busy school are under control. And throughout the day the work continues; from the kitchen and dining hall staff providing a welcome hot meal, to the IT support team coping with the demands of such a busy and vibrant 21st century community. And finally, Mr Sandu locks the gate and the campus fall silent once again. But only for a few, short hoursâ€Ś.

Mr Sandu opens the side gate for parents with buggies

A little snow wonâ€™t stop us 60 Newsblast

One of the minibuses delivers its young passengers

Arriving ready for the new school day Issue 3 2013 61

Long before their pupils arrive, the teachers gather to plan the day ahead

While the children enjoy their lunch break, the TAs continue their development with Miss Moorcroft 62 Newsblast

Preparing the dining room

All BSB staff take pride in their work

After lunch, the clean up

Keeping the corridors well lit Issue 3 2013 63

And out again at the end of school

did you know?

the combined experience of bsb teachers exceeds 327 years

64 Newsblast

Visiting BSB an experience not to be missed At BSB we strongly encourage all prospective families to visit the school. See the facilities, meet the staff and, most importantly, observe and chat with the pupils, the lifeblood of any school. We do have regular open mornings but it is not necessary to wait for the next one. We are flexible and would rather work around your schedule and commitments, so please feel free to ask for an appointment on any week day at a time that suits you. You will normally need to allow 30-45 minutes for your visit and during this time you will be able to explore most of the campus, see the children at work and play and also discuss your expectations and requirements with the relevant Head of School for your child. There is a lot to take in for you and your child, so once you have returned home and realised you forgot to ask some of the questions you had planned to ask, no problem, just drop us a line or pick up the phone and our Admissions office will be only too happy to help.

UK university, so please do pop in and get to know us. We know you won’t be disappointed. To begin the process, simply visit the BSB website and click the orange ‘Arrange a Visit’ button, add a few details and click send. The Admissions office will contact you within 24 hours to arrange a time and date for your visit. Mr David Whitehill, Director of Admissions

did you know?

there are 267 trees on the bsb campus

Choosing a new school is an important decision, whether for a 12-month old joining our Crib, or a 16-year old looking to start A Levels and graduate to a

Issue 3 2013 65

www.britishschool.ro

42, Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Voluntari, Ilfov County, Romania T. +40 21 267 89 19 F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@britishschool.ro

BSB: where studentsâ€™ voices are heard