@BSB “Excellent”
Rated by UK Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI)
April 2019
Alice@ Wonderland MEET OUR TEACHERS
COBIS Poetry Competition
#ccAS @BSB #Book Week @BSB
So You Think You Can Cook? PLUS HEADMASTER’S WELCOME | PRIMARY SCHOOL REVIEW | SECONDARY SCHOOL REVIEW | FUN & ENTERTAINMENT AND LOTS LOTS MORE!
@BSB | April 2019
Welcome
from the Headmaster Philip Walters
I am a passionate believer that invaluable and irreplaceable learning takes place outside the classroom on field trips, visits, service in the community, outdoor education trips, The International Award and work experience placements, not to mention via the use of our beautiful campus. “It is in the field where acting locally becomes thinking globally” (Professor Lord May, Former President of the Royal Geographical Society). This may range from encouraging young people to value local environments on a geography field trip, leading to the consideration of broader sustainability and biodiversity issues, to valuing other members of society whilst engaged in local community service, encouraging consideration of inequities alongside social responsibility. Further benefits appear clear to me in terms of individual growth and improved social skills developed from the challenge of an overnight stay. Perhaps less apparent though is that work outside the classroom tends to generate higher order and active learning opportunities which lead to learning that ‘sticks’ due to the nature of the fieldwork setting. All this is of course coupled with the obvious benefit of shared
memories between friends. I have heard it said that one lesson outdoors is worth seven inside - the value is evident to me. Alongside well-established visits to many local points of interest and museums and regular year group expeditions, there are several particularly pleasing recent developments which I have been delighted to see successfully implemented in a variety of year groups from EYFS to Year 13. Science trips to the Danone factory, river studies in Primary, recurring visits to our local forest, MUN trips and enhanced use of outdoor learning within our campus are just a few examples. These initiatives cover significant curriculum content, and in many cases expose students to invaluable data collection opportunities whilst also encouraging collaboration and being great fun. Service opportunities have also continued to develop. For several years now, BSB students and staff have participated in the Don Orione and Fundatia Innocenti CCAs. Their interactions with disabled children, many of whom have severe difficulties, and orphaned infants, demonstrates genuine compassion and significant maturity.
Difficult and potentially distressing situations are faced with steadfastness and a sense of purpose and belief in their work. Also, of particular note are the tremendously active MAD Student Charity CCA, and the fantastic Key Stage 2 University activity run in conjunction with parents which cooks meals for Hospice Casa Sperantei. Overt service activities such as these are outstanding opportunities for all our students to develop leadership, strength of character and a myriad of other skills. These activities have strong student numbers and I commend all the students involved and thank our teachers and parents for ensuring such opportunities are prevalent and central at BSB. We are committed to further developing the learning opportunities that occur outside the classroom spaces and via service to the community, emphasising our concern for others. These are essential components of education and there can surely be no substitute for ‘real-world’ learning.
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@BSB | April 2019
Events
across the Spring Term at BSB Another busy term at BSB has seen visits from amazing writers, ambassadors and fantastic characters. Special activities were held during our theme weeks. With the help of the entire staff, students and volunteer parents we celebrated Friendship Week, Science Week and Book Week. BSB parents enjoyed their children’s performances in outstanding school productions, music concerts and sports competitions.
Thanks to all for their hard work in making our events so successful!
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SO YOU THINK YOU CAN COOK? April 2019 saw the launch of the third season of our exciting cooking competition, ‘So You Think You Can Cook?’, and our talented junior chefs certainly did not disappoint! Building on the skills they are learning from our cooking programmes in school, as well as those they pick up at home, children have again demonstrated their outstanding creativity, innovation and resilience through three days of stiff competition. The Preliminary Round requires children to produce a ‘signature dish’ from ingredients brought from home. All preparation must take place during the competition. Children must also be able to make the dish without adult support and complete the task in 60 minutes. In the Final Rounds, children are required to prepare an appetiser and main dish (and for KS3, also a dessert) dictated by the competition leaders. They must research and practise recipes at home, prior to the date of the Finals. The catch is, that all the ingredients are provided by the school, and children must ‘shop’ for the items they need in the ‘SYTYCC Pantry’. This creates both the opportunity, and in some cases, the need for children to use their knowledge of food and flavours to change or enhance their ‘game plan’, as they may find that something they intended
to use is not there, or that something they never thought of using is present. Likewise, children are challenged to be realistic about what can be achieved within the time limit, must plan and organise, and must multi-task to be successful. This year, seventeen children between the ages of 9 and 14 certainly brought their ‘A’ game to the Preliminary Rounds, cooking a range of sweet and savoury dishes from freshly made pasta, to Asian cuisine and salted caramel lava cakes. Children showcased their sophistication by making their own pastry, whipping their own fresh custard, producing variations of fruit coulis and flipping pancakes without a spatula, in addition to using a variety of edible decorations to present their plates beautifully. All of the children managed to complete their dishes in the allotted time, and the judges were most impressed, even telling a few students that their dishes had achieved ‘restaurant quality’. Two days into the skirmish, six Primary and four Secondary students continued the battle in the Finals. Children were asked to put their own spin on an ‘antipasto crostini’, ravioli and also in Secondary, the simple cupcake. Again, the children experimented with a wide variety of tasty
ingredients, herbs, techniques and equipment, impressing the judges and competition staff with their maturity and discipline and picking up a few new culinary tricks along the way. There was a feast of crisp and fresh appetisers, homemade pasta dishes and fluffy cakes, all artfully presented to entice the taster. Once again, the students’ learning and achievements throughout the competition were remarkable, not the least of which included their ability to persevere and enjoy challenging themselves to grow and develop. Evidence of our learning in Maths, English and Science was all over the kitchen, and our teachers and parents should be very proud of the confidence and conviction our young people demonstrated. We are extremely pleased with the positivity and good sportsmanship that all of the children displayed and very much look forward to seeing what they will accomplish next year. We would like to thank all the participants, staff and esteemed judges who have made this outstanding event possible. Congratulations to all our contestants, and particularly to our winners, Kaitlin and Alana!
Victoria Smith Head of Primary
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The Magic
of messy play By Kate Rand
MUM: “WHAT’S ALL THIS MESS ON YOUR UNIFORM?” CHILD: “I DON’T KNOW.” MUM: “WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?” CHILD: “JUST PLAYING.” A common misconception for many is that ‘messy play’ carries little educational value and that children, once in school, should be involved in a very controlled academic environment. The word ‘mess’ has negative connotations and tends to undervalue the potential for open-ended discovery where children use all their senses to create and to explore a wide variety of media including water, mud, sand, paint, corn flour, and bubbles to name but a few. Don’t think of mess, think of imagination! When children jump in muddy puddles what are they learning? Coordination skills, testing ideas, using senses, science facts, risk-taking, making choices, being independent, growing in confidence, thinking, imagining, exploring, building vocabulary and that’s just the beginning. Page 12
At BSB we provide a wealth of magical opportunities for children to investigate and explore so that your children can experience a sense of curiosity, pleasure and achievement. Through messy play, children learn the language of Mathematics, Science, descriptive vocabulary and social skills. Messy play is a land of discovery where children learn to concentrate, make decisions and take responsibilities by finding out “What happens if I do this?”. Within a safe, adult supported environment, children in Early Years can focus on the process of learning without always the need for a product at the end. By allowing children to explore independently, we are nurturing future skills where they can grow in confidence and enjoy a ‘have a go’ attitude. They learn to understand their world.
Here’s some food for thought: which will your child remember? “Oh dear, I got my uniform muddy one day at school”, or “What a totally awesome mud pie my friends and I spent hours making with bits of leaves and flower petals”? Children in Early Years at BSB are provided with endless ways to develop and learn. When your child comes home with a less than perfect looking uniform, try not to think of ‘messy play’ and think instead of early research skills. What are you waiting for? Get playing and get messy!
@BSB | April 2019
PreNursery THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR
By Raina Myson Term 2 has been very busy for our students in Pre-Nursery with the constant changing of resources to keep them interested and challenged within the setting. The children always look forward to seeing what activities we have planned for them to explore! We have had fun reading the story of The Very Hungry Caterpillar. This story has made the children curious to look for bugs (please check coat pockets and the washing machine for the little critters) out in the garden. Exploring in this way has addressed all our Areas of Learning, and the children have enjoyed using their ongoing communication skills by sharing ideas, listening to their peers and retelling the story. Our little learners have particularly enjoyed making caterpillar eggs out of papier-mâchÊ. We have looked at the life cycle of a butterfly and loved painting our feet to make butterfly paintings. The children had a wonderful time making fruit kebabs for snack time using the fruits that the caterpillar ate in the story. This was a great counting and pattern sequencing activity that everyone really enjoyed. Pre-Nursery have loved singing the Little Green Frog song, along with Incy, Wincy Spider and lots of other bug songs. We have all had an amazing journey with the little caterpillar and it has been great to see the children engaged, excited and motivated to learn, exploring their knowledge and understanding of life cycles.
Well done on another fantastic term, children!
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Nursery By Jenna Batson
We got a little taste of Winter in the Spring term, exploring the snow and especially the frozen rain. Painting, collecting, organising and smashing icicles was a particular highlight. Even though the weather has been colder, it has not stopped us from getting outside to explore and enjoy it. We have really worked hard on getting dressed independently into our snow gear (which is no easy task) and helping each other with zips and putting on gloves. Our fingers have had some serious workouts this term! The children developed an interest in maps, so we explored our school, following a map of the grounds and identifying the different buildings. Afterwards, we used Google Maps to zoom out and investigate where our school is in Bucharest. The children had great discussions about what the different colours, lines and shapes could be when looking at our planet from a bird’s eye view. We talked about holidays and how we get there, thinking about transport. We particularly enjoyed Miss Raina’s description of a caravan holiday and what a caravan is.
We have welcomed many new students to Nursery this term and Friendship Week was perfectly timed to help us get to know each other. During this week, we also enjoyed lots of visits from other classes in the school. We loved playing with the older students and they taught us new playground games, as well as how to care for others. After the half term break, we looked at the story of ‘The Hungry Caterpillar’ and continued to develop the idea of friendship by supporting the children in PreNursery with this topic. Everyone was mesmerised by the fact that a caterpillar can turn into a butterfly and so excited to help set up our butterfly farm in the classroom. We are very much looking forward to our butterfly eggs arriving, so we can watch the metamorphosis for ourselves. We will also have frog spawn, stick insects and ladybirds to observe and care for. By the end of this term, we will be great minibeast detectives, and wiser in how to care for our beautiful little creatures.
Yet again, another very busy but fun term.
“We loved playing with the older students and they taught us new playground games” Page 16
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Reception By Kate Rand
In Reception we have had a busy Spring term. Some notable events were a visit from Light into Europe, celebrating Chinese New Year, Friendship week and our field trip to the Natural History Museum. From Light into Europe, Charlie the guide dog came to visit. Mr. Rob Bousie talked to us about how Charlie can take care of someone who is blind or has a severe visual impairment. We tried out different eye glasses to get a feel of what this might be like. Finally, we watched Charlie find an ‘empty’ seat on a bus and learned how he can help someone up the stairs. Charlie is still training, as he is only 2 years and 3 months old. We loved him and learned lots about how he can help. To recognise and celebrate Chinese New Year, we completed various topic related activities. One day, we wore the traditional colours of red and yellow. We also got to enjoy some traditional Chinese food for our snack, and especially liked the spring rolls. We made dragon puppets and Chinese lanterns. The Chinese teacher even came to visit us and teach us a few words in Chinese.
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On the week of Valentine’s Day, we celebrated Friendship Week. Throughout the week, we held various activities with other classes throughout the school. Year 5 planned and organised activities for Reception, and this was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Year 2 and Reception made friendship cards together; we also enjoyed playing together. We made delicious blueberry muffins, shared them with various staff around the school and, of course, ate them ourselves. Our visit to the Natural History Museum was a huge success. There was so much to see and so many questions to answer! We saw creatures from all around the world, from under the sea and from other continents, and animals which used to live in Romania, but which are now extinct. We loved the cave and the stalagmites and stalactites, and especially the mammoth skeleton. On our way home, we had some very happy and tired children.
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Year 1 By Rachel Louise Eglinton
“I’m a superhero-pow!” This term we all undertook a mission set by Professor Fire Falcon to protect Bucharest.
Sight
Taste
Charlie the Guide dog visited us, along with Mr. Rob Bousie from Light into Europe. We explored the concept of visual impairment by wearing a selection of glasses that changed our view of the world. We were surprised at the range of blindness, and our understanding of losing that superpower was extended.
How we loved tasting different foods to identify salty, sweet, and sour. We used our super taste buds and were quick to say what we liked and what we didn’t.
Hearing We realised how our sense of hearing can really become a superpower for blind people, especially when crossing the road. We also learned how to properly use a white cane.
Touch We thought about how Louis Braille, inventor of a system of reading and writing for use by the blind, really is a historical superhero. Using our fingertips, we felt some stories for eight year olds in Braille. It was a challenge to even identify the diagonal raised dots of the letter ‘I’. We all tried to write our names in Braille. Page 20
Smell With the arrival of Spring, we used most of our senses exploring the seasonal changes around the school campus. Cold wind has tingled our nostrils, and the fresh air has smelled good. Finally, we have recognised that superheroes have feelings too! Looking at portraits, such as those of Picasso, we discussed how feelings are shown through art, and, using a range of media, experimented with drawing sad, happy, angry, frightened and worried lines. Although we had fun, we did not enjoy using charcoal as much as other resources. We then drew a portrait of a classmate, thinking what emotion to display. Through
this, we have developed our empathy. Listening to each other, showing kindness, and being helpful are some evidence of this in our classroom. Zoom! In a flash, Professor Fire Falcon visited our class and was pleased to hear about our training, and how our superpowers and developing awareness will improve our city. He encouraged us to spread the word, so we told our parents in an assembly, singing ‘There’s no one else in all the world that’s super just like me’.
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Year 2
By Ann-Marie Isaac and Adam Pegrum
What Makes Me, Me? Year 2 started the term with a continued focus on developing their enquiry skills. We posed the question to the children, ‘What makes me, me?’ and challenged them to explore ideas through the different subjects they study. We studied maps, atlases, globes, and digital media to understand the similarities and differences that exist amongst humans and animals. Sofia commented, “We are different because we come from different continents”. Orelia suggested, “We are different because we come from different cultures”. Many children established that we are similar because we all attend BSB despite coming from different parts of the world. During Science, the children developed their grouping, comparing and classifying
skills concerning different animals and the habitats where they can be found. Having established the habitats found around the world, the children narrowed their focus down to researching which plants can be found growing in these areas. They were encouraged to recognise the links between the plants and animals found in a specific habitat in relation to the food chain that exists.
importance of editing their written work. The budding authors are looking forward to Anthony’s response.
Excitement levels were high when we received a letter from the author Anthony Browne asking the children to create a book based on his stories. Having read numerous books written by the author, the children were ready to develop their animal characters and story in relation to the author’s style. Throughout the unit, the children designed a front cover, planned and wrote their story and learned the
The children enjoyed the challenge of rehearsing and performing Pirates vs. Mermaids. This production concluded our termly topic and sparked much debate about the similarities and differences that can exist between the two. We hope you enjoyed the show as much as the children did performing it.
During Mathematics, the focus has been on developing our problem-solving skills using number lines, fractions, telling the time, multiplication and division. George said, “I enjoyed division and sharing objects into groups to find the answer”.
Now we are looking forward to the Summer term and the upcoming sleepover!
“Many children established that we are similar because we all attend BSB despite coming from different parts of the world.” Page 22
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Year 3
By Natalie Pitchley and Katherine Dibble
We’re Survivors! We have had yet another successful and action-packed term in Year 3. We kick started our ‘Survival’ topic with a trip to Baneasa Forest where the children were set the challenge of building a shelter which would keep them warm and safe from the elements. They took the challenge in their stride and made some fantastic shelters, using sticks, twigs and leaves to ensure that they would keep the cold winds out on a stormy night. As much as we wanted to test them overnight, we made an executive decision and headed to the park instead for a welldeserved hot chocolate. This term we have been focusing on writing stories with familiar settings in our English lessons. We used the story of Traction Man by Mini Gray for some inspiration and chose everyday items from around the classroom to create some fantastic superhero characters. In Science we have been planning and carrying out investigations to enhance our understanding of forces. The children devised their own questions and worked together to test out different materials to find out such things as ‘which surfaces have the most resistance?’, ‘what causes friction?’ and ‘are metals still magnetic under water?’. The children have impressed us greatly this term with their sewing skills in Art and Design, planning and creating some wonderful cross stitch work. They demonstrated perseverance and patience as well as developing their fine motor skills. We are all looking forward to the upcoming Summer term and the adventures yet to be had.
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Year 4 By Laura Gildea and Louisa Ramsden
The Year 4 Vikings Year 4 have had a fantastic start to 2019. We began the new year with a new topic, Vikings, and it has proved to be very popular with the children. They have had the opportunity to develop their knowledge and understanding of how the Vikings lived. We have had enthusiastic debates about whether the Vikings were savages or brave and noble warriors. Encountering a range of sources of information has helped the children to gain more in-depth knowledge of these medieval people.
collage, the children were able to engage with the art pieces, sketching their own creations inspired by the exhibits they saw. Year 4 once again demonstrated fantastic teamwork skills. They worked enthusiastically to create their own sculptures and collages. A range of themes were explored, including Vikings and transport. This trip provided children with a secure understanding of how a range of media can be used to create art. They are keen to apply their learning to their own creations in school.
Our Design and Technology focus has linked to our learning about the Vikings. The children have investigated and researched Viking helmets, leading to clarification regarding the common misconception that Vikings wore horned helmets. The children have enjoyed learning about the symbols and patterns to be found on the helmets. They have worked hard to create their own pieces of work that accurately represent those worn during famous invasions.
“I enjoyed the different styles of art. My favourite pieces were the 3D effect paintings.” - Stefan, Year 4
“I’ve loved learning about Vikings and making my own Viking helmet!” - Jackson, Year 4 In preparation for our next Art topic, ‘Digital Media’, Year 4 visited the National Museum of Contemporary Art. This was a real highlight for the children. They enjoyed exploring the galleries and were interested to learn about the range of techniques used by the artists. From graffiti to
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Beowulf has, undoubtedly, been a huge hit with the Year 4 children. They have read a prose adaptation of the epic poem and used this to innovate and invent their own historical myth. Imaginations have been running wild with the creations of fierce monsters and brave heroes. The use of role play has really helped the stories to come to life. “I liked reading Beowulf because I enjoyed the descriptive paragraphs about Grendel and where he lives.” - Maya, Year 4 We are looking forward to continuing this term with further great learning experiences for the Year 4 children.
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Year 5
By Karen Cojocaru and Rebecca Doganay
Marvellous Martisor On 1st March, Year 5 put on a fantastic show to welcome spring and to celebrate the Romanian festivals of Martisor and Mucenici as well as recognising International Women’s Day. The children were ‘visited’ by some influential women including Queen Elizabeth II who became Queen of the UK and Commonwealth at a time when most important jobs were carried out by men, Nadia Comaneci, the first person to score a perfect 10 in Gymnastics and the Spice Girls, who coined the phrase ‘Girl Power.’ There were some Oscarwinning performances in a production enjoyed by all members of the BSB community. The role of women was also explored in our ‘Space’ topic. Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space, was sent there to see if women were able to react as quickly as men when under stress. Her successful space mission clearly showed that they are! The first dog to orbit the Earth, Lyka, was also female! This linked nicely into our value ‘Equality’, where we discussed how women have more freedom than they had in the past and that our ambitions should not be determined by our gender.
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Men were not forgotten about. As well as recognising Mucenici and the Martyrs of Sebaste in their production, Year 5 discovered that only twelve men, all from the USA, have landed on the Moon, Neil Armstrong being the first. They also found that the first person in space was a cosmonaut from the USSR named Yuri Gagarin. Linked to our ‘Space’ topic, Year 5 also had an out-of-this-world experience at the VR Cinema where, from the comfort of cinema seats, the children were sent on a virtual tour of our Solar System and had the opportunity to ‘visit’ planets and stars across the Universe. Another fantastic experience was had at the Glass Factory, where the children learnt how glass was made and were surprised at how much heat was needed to melt the glass in order to shape it. They even had a go at blowing the molten glass themselves! We have had an exciting start to spring and we are now ready to welcome the Summer Term, with its warmer weather, longer days and blooming flowers.
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Year 6 By Cheryl Anne Baker
Architecture Through the Ages What is your favourite city? What are the features which make it unique and appealing? How does it meet the needs of the population? We have pondered these questions and many more this term, as Year 6 worked towards creating their very own BSB Village. We kicked off the unit by going on a walking tour of Bucharest Old Town where we learned that there are a multitude of architectural styles standing shoulder to shoulder along the narrow streets, giving a visual history of our city. We were particularly inspired by how some buildings incorporated more than one style. We also used Google Earth to look at cities around the world and how they are organised in order to compare and contrast them. We were incredibly lucky to have two parents share their expertise with us. Mrs. Staal helped us to understand the need for reinforcing and strengthening materials in order to withstand pressure. Mr. Dinu taught us about the history of architecture and how to draw an accurate floor plan.
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Once we had a good grasp of architecture and city planning, we were able to apply our new skills and understanding to start designing our own city. In groups, children designed and constructed a building. Alongside the project, we learned how to program electrical components by coding a microchip. The children then added these components to their building to create features such as automated lights, revolving doors and elevators. The final products were shown to parents and children at our Year 6 Showcase, supported by persuasive letters which explained why their building should be chosen to feature in the final city.
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Primary
University
@BSB By Dan Batson
The latest Primary University courses have been as ambitious as ever, offering children from Years 1 to 6 a range of exciting enrichment opportunities to explore. A particular focus which has proven popular recently is learning the art of filming and video editing. SchoolTube, the Primary Vlog, is now working on its eighth episode since it started in January 2017 and consistently produces high quality videos, which are written, performed, filmed and edited by students from Key Stage 2. Each episode focuses on the exciting learning activities occurring throughout the Primary school. The 20-25 minute video magazine also includes regular features, such as Desert Island Downloads (an interview with a staff member), Streetwise and Kidsmart (ongoing safeguarding advice for students), House News and a focus on the current Value of the Month. The LitFilmFest is an international, award winning, literacy initiative for Primary children, offering a wide range of exciting and challenging literacy projects. Each
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project requires students to record and edit a short film to accompany their written work. At BSB this term, the focus has been to co-write a piece of thought-provoking performance poetry and enhance it with video and audio effects. Finally, we have also held a University course for Key Stage 2 to support students entering the annual COBIS (Council of British International Schools) Young Scientist Film Award. Small groups of children have designed, conducted and filmed different scientific experiments, using the processes to explain their hypotheses, predictions, methods and conclusions intelligently and with clarity. The medium of film is now so accessible and important in today’s connected world and it is essential that young people have the opportunity to explore and develop the skills of movie creation. At BSB we take the responsibility of providing such opportunities very seriously and continually seek such initiatives and projects.
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Programming IN PRIMARY By Adam Pegrum
Coding has become an important component of a child’s learning, arming them with an increased understanding of the technology they use on a daily basis. BSB recognises the importance of this, with children developing their programming skills throughout primary school. In fact, the coding journey starts in EYFS where children learn to control Bee-Bots i to move them in a certain direction and follow a particular path. As the children move through KS1 and KS2, they start to create and debug programs using a variety of coding software and robotic devices. By the time they reach Year 6, they are using selection, repetition and variables effectively in the programs they create. Spring term has seen some fantastic work by 6B and 6P, applying their coding skills to their ‘Architecture’ project by incorporating working and controlled motors and LEDs in their designs. It was fantastic to see so many children sign up to the Advanced Coding University. Years 4 to 6 were given the opportunity to further develop their understanding of the subject, exploring a number of different programming languages. All of the children
completed an introductory Python course which focused on inputting text-based code using selection and variables, and debugging programmes with errors. Several students enthusiastically challenged themselves to complete one of a number of projects which enabled them to apply what they had learned and write their own programs in the language. The completed projects included maze games, turtle races and a computer version of ‘Rock, Paper, Scissors’. The group also spent one session exploring HTML with Year 6 children eager to build on this when they study it later in the year. The popularity of the course and enthusiasm shown by the children will ensure that this University will certainly run again. We continually aim to increase the provision for computer-related learning within the Primary School. We are currently exploring options to provide high quality robotics education as part of our extra-curricular programme. This CCA will offer the opportunity for children to build models and bring them to life using the computer programming skills that they develop. Watch this space for more news!
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All the Witches Wizards and Muggles were at BSB! By Tim Appleton The Newlands villa turned into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the daylight faded on a chilly February afternoon. Dozens of wide-eyed young wizarding hopefuls from BSB’s Years 4 to Year 7 passed excitedly through Platform 9 ¾ and apprehensively on into the Great Hall. There the handsome and honey-voiced Sorting Hat judged whether each student belonged in Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or one of the other, less significant Houses whose names few can remember. Children tried their hand at a varied menu of challenges, both Muggle and magical, involving memory and mind, dramatics and dexterity, guesswork and glue-guns. Alongside our exceedingly helpful and enthusiastic ‘Third Year’, some newer and less familiar teachers were in attendance, all under the kindly supervision of Professor Antimacassar Marino. We cowered at the Dementors, admired the colourful potions and nibbled on Hogwarts snacks, from House Cupcakes through ‘broomsticks’ to ‘pufuletskeins’, specially created for the occasion. The event reached its climax with a testing and closely-fought Harry Potter quiz, with questions compiled and asked by the intimidating and all-knowing figure of ‘He Who Must Not Be Named’. Which team won the coveted Hogwarts House Cup has already been forgotten (unless you’re in Gryffindor), but the memories of this wintry evening of games, cloaks and questionable acting live on.
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#lunch @BSB
BSB is pleased to invite parents to enjoy our school lunch! For parents of all students from Nursery to Year 6 3 Daily menus x 2 soups, 2 main dishes, 2 side dishes, 2 desserts and a salad buffet
WednesdayS 11.30 -12.10 TWICE A MONTH
Choose a date and book your place via the Parent’s Portal
This is a food tasting event for parents only. Your children will enjoy their lunch during the usual school lunch break.
@BSB | April 2019
Secondary REVIEW from the Head of Secondary Jason Porter
and singularly began taking sign language lessons. Now when Sam goes out she is thrilled to discover that her neighbours greet her, ask how she is and what she has been doing, and the community is thrilled that they have been able to bring such delight to Sam’s life. This truly is a heart-warming story, but the beauty lies in the fact that it is real.
A few weeks ago, a video clip which was played during one of the assemblies to mark International Mother Language Day caught my attention. If you are a subscriber to social media platforms, you may well have seen the clip already. It is a short documentary news report about a twoyear-old deaf girl, Sam, in Massachusetts in the United States. Despite her deafness, Sam is a lively and communicative girl. This became increasingly evident when her parents took her out for walks in the neighbourhood and she would do her best to interact and communicate continually with people she met. Spurred on by the desire to be able to communicate with Sam, the neighbourhood grouped together
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So, what struck me firstly was that Sam could easily have been sidelined by her community, but that, instead, the community decided to look for a way to commit not only to including Sam but also allowing her to flourish. Secondly, I noticed how much of this story resonates with our aim to make BSB values a reality so that they impact on the daily lives of every individual member of our diverse community. We are careful and sensitive to not trample on the dignity of others, to neither humiliate nor demean and to bring out the best in everyone we can, both academically and pastorally. Since the last edition of @BSB our activities and achievements have shown this to be true. We have been heavily involved in charity work and, as well as the regular visits to the Don Orione care home and the Fundatia Inocenti hospital for disadvantaged, orphaned and sick children, Friendship Week and Crazy Hair Day proved to be popular again this year, as did the sales of Martisor bracelets with proceeds of all these initiatives going to
charities. With over 40 languages spoken at BSB we celebrated the diversity of our community with International Mother Language Day. Trips went out to Andalo for skiing, proud students came away from the COBIS World Debate competition with a trophy and students are preparing for the upcoming International School Theatre Association festival hosted in Bucharest this year. Furthermore, we have been promoting literacy and the love of reading during Book Week and sparking intellectual curiosity with Science Week, as well as playing at sports fixtures and enjoying fantastic music during the annual House Music competition. Care has been taken to support students with university representatives who visited BSB to help guide students with their future choices and Safer Internet Day provided thoughtprovoking activities and guidance with a view to keeping our children safe online. And so, at BSB we are strong in our beliefs and actions, but gentle in our words. We appreciate the value of caring for the individual whilst having strength in our community, a sentiment which is summed up by the journalist in the news item I mentioned above: “What makes a good neighbourhood is nothing more than good neighbours.”
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University APPLICATIONS By Jo Mattingley-Nunn
Congratulations to the students who have already accepted university offers for next year and well done for applying early! A special ‘well done’ to Sara, who has been offered a place at the University of Cambridge to read Geography, to Ioana on her early acceptance at Wharton, the Business School of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the top three business schools in the world, and to Harriet, who has successfully applied for PPLE (Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics) at the University of Amsterdam, a demanding course combining four disciplines at one of Europe’s top universities. Further congratulations go to other students who have accepted places at Istituto
Marangoni, Milan (Fashion and Interior Design), at the Swiss Hotel Management School (International Hospitality), in Glasgow (Business and Social Sciences), and in Essex (Childhood Studies). Most other students have had several offers already and should be making their decisions soon. For students in year 12, seeing these offers come in should motivate them to start thinking seriously about where they want to study in the future. Those applying to the USA should be preparing to take SAT or ACT tests over the summer or starting to research test-optional schools. Students who want to study Medicine or Dentistry in the UK, or any courses at Cambridge or
Oxford, will need to write the first draft of their personal statement over the summer, and teachers will start writing references. Researching now will help identify any gaps in experience or knowledge which need to be filled before the applications begin. I also recommend that students considering applications to other competitive universities apply early in the autumn term, as it can lead to better offers, evidenced by those described above. If your child is in year 12, please talk to them about this process now, and if your child is younger, then the earlier they start thinking about where they want to study, the sooner we can help to prepare them for the next step after BSB.
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Sixth Form
CAREER TALKS Mr Daniel Kearvell of DHL gave sixth form students a presentation relating to the career possibilities and choices they may face. He started by recounting his experiences as a student in both high school and university and giving us useful advice on approaching our studies. He further mentioned alternative choices to university that we have, such as apprenticeships, should we prefer a more hands-on education. He then talked to us about his career path and choices. He mentioned that his decisions to travel for work in countries such as Russia and Romania were decisions he took to help develop and accelerate his career, as working in developing countries and industries allows you to rise to higher positions faster than in other places. His advice was thought provoking for the sixth formers looking ahead to their futures after high-school. Mr Basav Chaudhuri is a business consultant/professional coach who presented Key Stage 5 students with a variety of subjects regarding their
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personal and professional lives. His thoughts centred on the Japanese concept of ‘Ikigai’, meaning “a reason for being”. He talked about his personal ambitions throughout his life and how his wishes changed as he matured. The 4 main concepts of Ikigai are: • • • •
What you love What the world needs What you are good at What you can get paid for
In November we were honoured to be visited by His Excellency the Ambassador of the United Arab Emirates, who offered us the chance to understand the importance of diplomacy in our society, as well as revealing some amazing facts about the country he represents.
Mr Chaudhuri explained that whilst ambition and striving to achieve success is important, also keep the concept of Ikigai in mind and never forget what it is that helps us get out of bed in the morning and brings us satisfaction. Valuable advice for sixth form students who are making important choices which will impact their future.
The BSB sixth formers found out how an ambassador promotes international relations between his country and the host nation while concentrating on specific areas of government, including trade, military involvement and cultural relationships. Students had the chance to ask questions about the influence of UAE in Romania and the world, as well as finding out how a career in diplomacy could be started.
By Alexandru, Year 13
By Radu, Year 13
@BSB | April 2019
Mathematics@BSB By the Mathematics Faculty Team
students in the Intermediate and Senior challenges. In the Intermediate Challenge, special mention is deserved by Lisa, Stefan, Karin, Eeman and Andrei for qualifying for the ‘Pink Kangaroo’ round of the tournament. MinSang in Year 11 has excelled once again in the tournament by qualifying for the Olympiad, a truly fantastic achievement, well done MinSang. In the Senior Challenge, Sasa, Sara, Ioana and Kira all secured Gold certificates. We are all delighted by our pupils’ achievements in these external competitions. We will again be entering a selection of students into the UK Mathematics Junior Challenge in April and will celebrate any successes our students may achieve. Details to follow in future editions of @BSB!
It has been another exceptionally busy and productive year in the Mathematics Department here at BSB. Firstly, we would like to wish a very warm welcome to the latest addition to the team here, Mr. Milton Cropper. Mr. Cropper joins us from Kuwait where he taught for a while after initially training and working in Manchester, England. He brings with him a great deal of experience, enthusiasm and a voracious appetite to engage and inspire students both inside and outside the classroom. Mr. Cropper fulfils several additional roles in addition to teaching, including coaching football and heading up our Student Council. Welcome, Mr. Cropper.
In addition to our steadfast commitment to British education and adherence to the National Curriculum for England, we have this year extended the range of learning opportunities available to our students by entering the American Mathematics Challenge for the first time. Every year we enter our strongest candidates for the British equivalent, but this year we broadened our horizons and with great success. Huge congratulations to Andy, Tudor, Thea and Jemin in Year 9 and to Luca, Thomas and Charlie in Year 8 on their awards. Very well done to each of you. In the UK Mathematics Challenge, at the time of writing, we have entered our
In the upper school, our students continue to achieve very strongly in the IGCSE and A Level courses. This is fitting testament to the extreme dedication of our excellent teaching staff and to the hard work of our students. We are all very much looking forward to holding our annual Mathematics enrichment day in the Summer term. This is a day when we take students off their normal timetable and celebrate this most magnificent of subjects through a selection of games, activities and challenges. Read more about what’s been going on in the Mathematics Department in future editions of @BSB.
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#Science WEEK@BSB To celebrate British Science Week 2019, we invited Dr. Matthew Pritchard, science magician and ‘Curator of Wonder’, to BSB for a series of performances. As well as being a scientist, Dr. Pritchard is a member of the Magic Circle and so combines the awe and wonder of science with magic. Key stages 1, 2, and 3 were treated to an array
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of tricks, some of which pupils can try at home. Dr. Pritchard linked each demonstration to a scientific concept and explained the physics behind each to the delight of onlookers, teachers included! This was a fun-filled day that gave pupils the opportunity to see science in action in unusual ways. A memorable and valuable experience for all!
Further activities during Science Week included a House quiz and activities for Reception classes, where Mr. Garner, Secondary Chemistry teacher, showed some fun and exciting experiments.
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#Book WEEK@BSB By Tim Appleton
Book Week is a time when the whole school community comes together to share the wonder of stories and our love of reading. This year it was even more action-packed than usual! The creative talents of our students (and their parents!) showed us that potatoes are not only good for chips and ‘roasties’ they can be turned into amazing book characters too. There were many worthy prizewinners, and many more who made brilliant ‘spud’ characters and were unlucky to miss out. Another successful Book Fair gave us a great selection of new and exciting books to be snapped up by our eager children, while our generous BSB families donated books that they no longer wanted for our April charity book sale, organised by the energetic MAD charity CCA. Many parents came into the Primary school to read stories with classes, some in different languages. Secondary students, although shy at first, enjoyed sharing stories with younger children too. One person who certainly is not shy is author Marcus Alexander. He thrilled and
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dazzled our students with his tales of extreme sports and adventurous travel. He threatened and cajoled them into using the power of their imagination to write an exciting short story. He tried (but failed) to persuade some of them to join him in a dance-off or a trampolining competition, but he did succeed in getting their creative juices flowing as he conjured up unknown fantasy worlds, far removed from Bucharest or his native London, inhabited by angry giants and terrifying monsters. Picture-book author David Bedford visited us too. Using his very successful illustrated tales of a little dinosaur named Roo, David guided our primary school pupils through the process of creating and structuring a story. He also shared his experience of writing and publishing, explaining how he finds inspiration for his characters and helping the children to get inside the heads of their characters. To end the week, children and teachers dressed up as characters from books, challenging their friends, classmates and colleagues to guess who they were supposed to be. The Primary school celebrated with a grand parade, while in Secondary the costumes certainly made for an unusual learning environment!
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Music
FROM JANUARY TO MARCH by Sally Clark
After six music events in three weeks at the end of the Autumn term, the pace has slowed somewhat in the department with only two events so far this term. By the Easter holidays we will have added some tea-time concerts and our end of term Concert. Coming up in May we have 10 students travelling to the COBIS Music Festival at the British School in the Netherlands, an advanced performers’ recital and our usual tea-time and end of year concerts. Audience sizes have grown significantly and parents are always welcome to come to watch music events even if their child is not involved. It makes it much more rewarding to play when there is an appreciative crowd listening. At the Inter-School Talent Show on Tuesday 5th March at Palatul Copiilor, six international schools entered up to three acts in different categories. We were very proud at the high standard of all our performances and we were ‘placed’ in all the categories we entered: Second Place: Catinca, Year 8 Solo Dance Third place: Alan, Emilie, Yasemin and Julia, Year 10 piano, voice and dance Third place: Antonia, Lena, Kira and Ipek, Year 12, and Aylin, Year 11
of 10 minutes to show off a range of ages, instruments and styles. This year we had students from years 7 to 12, music from Bach and Debussy from the ‘Art Music’ world and varied contemporary music from Radiohead to Game music. The performers played piano, ukulele, guitar, drums, flute, violin, and also used voice. The quality of the performances and variety of ages and styles were judged along with stage presence and the flow of the programme. We thank Miss Aves (Primary Music teacher) and Mr Pywell (Instrumental and Ensembles Coordinator) for their wise and balanced judging in a very close competition. Ultimately, Olt House won, very closely followed by Mures House, then Danube House and finally Arges House not far behind. The following students participated Arges House Antonia Year 12, Aylin Year 11, Paul Year 10 Danube House Julia and Nichita Year 10, Tishya and, Iarina Year 9, Stefan Year 7
The quality of our students’ performances was very high and we commend them for their self-motivation and time management, fitting in all their rehearsals despite their busy schedules.
Mures House Antonia Year 12, Calin Year 11, Etienne Year 10, Daria Year 9
The Secondary Inter-House music competition requires each House to present a miniature concert
Olt House Lisa-Marie Year 11, Francois and Alan Year 10
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Debating
ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE
By Elisabeth Citron, Debating Coach and CCA coordinator George, Year 10 student Students at BSB love a good discussion. Coming from so many different cultures, our pupils inevitably have different points of view and this is what makes Debating such a fun and interesting activity. In the Debating CCA, members research topical issues but also work as a team to present key points and to dismantle those made by an opposing team. It is a challenging task, not merely to stand up to give a prepared speech in front of others but to answer questions under pressure and manipulate the wording of a motion to gain the advantage.
day, at the Gala dinner, the event organiser said: “I see many future presidents and prime ministers in this room”, a statement which highlighted for me the importance of debating in the world, from a rational argument with friends, to matters of national security in a cabinet of ministers.”
Our BSB debaters have become very skilled in these areas and our Senior debaters are now involved in training the more Junior members during the CCA. The most challenging task for many students is having to convince us of a stance that he or she does not actually share. In these cases, the skills of debating can often merge into acting and we call upon those who love drama to consider joining the Debating Club. One of our Year 11 Drama students, Laura, demonstrated her superb acting skills at the recent COBIS World Debate Competition. Another of our strongest debaters, George in Year 10, also attended this prestigious event for the first time and tells us below of his experience ...
Formal debating started early on the second day, beginning with a prepared motion on whether “The human species has a bright future”. Team BSB was ready to defend their statements against the opposing team from Cairo and convinced the judges of the veracity of their points. Each day had three debates, the others all being impromptus. With thirty minutes given to prepare speeches and with tensions running high, teamwork is the key to winning. Thankfully for BSB, we finished the first day with two wins and a draw, thus bringing us to the Cup rounds.
“There is no doubt that the COBIS World Debating is the most unique competition of its kind that I have attended. On the first Page 48
“The three-day competition seemed intimidating at first. However, having met my fellow debaters from a range of countries across the globe on the first day of local excursions, I was able to relax and enjoy the challenge.”
On the third day BSB was successful in making it through the quarter-finals with the motion “This House believes that the body positivity movement is detrimental to society”. By proposing, or agreeing the motion, we defeated Jumeirah College in
a most interesting debate. The semi-finals proved to be the most exciting moment of the day. With sweaty hands and shaky voices each team started to debate. BSB and Dubai College were quickly at each other’s throats with countless ‘Points of Information’, questions and rebuttals whilst debating the motion that “The media should not intrude into the lives of public figures”. Although BSB was defeated by the ultimate competition winners, it was a wonderful experience. The Cup Final debate gave us much food for thought on the theme of whether school curricula should favour science over the arts, so I want to share the decisive words of the reply speaker, arguing for the equal importance of these disciplines: “The question isn’t why does the sun shine. A better question is what do you do in the sunlight.” Debating such issues and making new friends from around the world seems a fitting way to spend these sunny days. If, like George, you are keen to debate, we have our own BSB Open Debate, organised by two Year 13 students, coming up in late March 2019. This is a wonderful chance for teams from a wide range of Bucharest schools to meet and debate together for a day. In Term 3 our Junior debaters will have their chance to show their skills by participating in the annual Middle Schools competition, hosted at BSB in June. We are confident that all participants will enjoy the debates and do themselves proud!
@BSB | April 2019
By Ioana and Sara, Year 13 After 11 hours of running around, allocating judges, addressing teams and calculating points, we can finally take a breath and reflect on what was a successful second edition of the BSB Open Debate Championship. We embarked on this journey last year, wanting to bring together students from both international and state schools, in an attempt to unite the student community in Bucharest and beyond. We believed a debate competition would be the perfect setting to achieve our goal: to share different mentalities, ideas and experiences, allowing everyone to learn from each other’s perspectives. While at first our idea seemed slightly controversial and difficult to achieve, we are thankful to have succeeded not once, but twice. On Saturday 23rd March, twelve eager teams gathered at our school to ‘put their best foot forward’ and make their team’s case. Throughout the day they faced current events motions, such as whether
the EU should implement a multi-speed system of governance, and theoretical motions, debating if an infallible memory is beneficial, or whether pets should be able to inherit money. All participating students left their own opinions at the door, and eloquently delivered arguments in the hope of persuading the judges. Their ambition and resilience is to be admired, as public speaking, with your team counting on you and an opposing team trying to invalidate your points, is never an easy task. Debating teaches students to always keep an open mind as well as be able to defend their point of view, both being invaluable skills that will help them throughout their lives. The most convincing teams went through to the Cup and Plate semi-finals and finals, and it gave us great pleasure to see our school’s team, the BSBees, win this competition again. The Bees faced many teams, composed of students with varying levels of debating experience, and, by the end of the day, made it clear to the judges and the audience that the quality of their
debate was to be applauded. Each time, they presented a fool-proof line of argument, delivered with a mix of composure, passion and charisma; “If humans learn from their mistakes, why were there two world wars and not just one?” Their debating skills led the judges to unanimously declare the Bees the winners. Proudly watching and supporting them was our wonderful debate coach, Madame Citron, who we would like to thank for helping us every step of the way whilst organising this event. In the end, we truly hope that every student left with more than just a certificate or a trophy. This competition was an opportunity to learn something new and improve, to grow towards being a critical-thinking individual. For us personally, it was an opportunity to become more responsible and gain managerial skills. The BSB Open Debate Championship was a dream come true for us, and we would like to once again thank everyone at BSB who helped make it possible. Page 49
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Alice @wonderland Based on the works of Lewis Carroll, adapted for the stage by Jonathan Yukich Produced by special arrangement with Pioneer Drama Service, Inc., Denver, Colorado
What would happen if a 21st century Alice collided with Lewis Carroll’s legendary Wonderland? This modern retelling of the classic children’s story had all the characters you know and love, including the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. The story was laid out in traditional style, except that Alice was distinctly contemporary, complete with cell phone in hand. Full of references to text messaging and social media, the play imagined a present-day Alice encountering the Wonderland so many of us treasure.
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A sharply told, crisply paced ride, this quality adaptation surprised the audience with its humour, modern style and appeal to both children and adults. Thea (Alice): “I was initially scared of having the lead role with so many lines… but as we started rehearsing I found it easier than anticipated as I was surrounded by friends.” Alexia (White Rabbit): “At rehearsals it really felt as though we were in Wonderland
as everyone acted slightly mad!” Emily (Queen of Hearts and Choreographer): “I really enjoyed working with different pupils from a range of year groups and combining my dance experience with my creative vision to teach others a performance number.” Thabile (Cheshire Cat): “Being backstage I got the privilege of watching others bring their characters to life through performance.”
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#MeetTheTeachers
Abigail Turkmore Head of Performing Arts How did the idea for a new rendition of Lewis Carroll’s timeless book come to you? What does this production mean to you? When choosing a show, I try to go for something well known that has recognisable characters and storyline, that has a family appeal. I choose a show that is easy enough for any pupils to get involved in, big enough to have a large cast, with speaking and named roles, and that everyone knows.
Abigail Turkmore brings significant experience to the British School of Bucharest in her role as Head of Performing Arts. Working for a Manchester high school as the Community Arts Coordinator, Abigail taught Art, Drama and Dance, also teaching in three primary schools and at a specialist support secondary school.
A secondary production means a lot of hard work, discipline, and dedication from staff and pupils. The production takes up a considerable amount of time and relies on the commitment of all those involved. On a personal note, it is great to see how the pupils take on a role and make it their own on stage through their acting skills.
In this role, she was responsible for developing learning opportunities in the local community including choreographing, rehearsing and performing multi-school shows every term. She also ran weekly art workshops in the community, involved professionals from the creative industries in arts opportunities and held local exhibitions.
Without spoiling the surprises you have in store for us, can you tell us what is different about the BSB Alice@Wonderland performance?
Abigail directs this year’s production of Alice@Wonderland, a modern rendition of a magical story brought to life.
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Imagine what would happen if a 21st century Alice collided with Lewis Carroll’s legendary Wonderland. This is a modern retelling of the classic children’s story and has all the characters you know and love, including the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and the Queen of Hearts. We have laid the story out in a traditional style, except that
Alice is distinctly contemporary, complete with a cell phone in her hand. We have lots of references to text messaging and social media, humour and a modern style which we hope will appeal to both children and adults. We understand that students are involved heavily in the production of the play, each having various roles, both on and off stage? Could you elaborate? This year I wanted as many pupils involved in the show as possible. Through faculty collaboration and cross-curricular links merging creative (Art, Design Technology) and performing arts (Music, Drama) we were able to offer classroom and CCA opportunities for pupils to get involved in all aspects of the production. In Art class year nine pupils had the opportunity to design, create and make the backdrop for the play. In Music class pupils had the opportunity to compose (write, create and record) music for the production. CCA opportunities were offered for pupils to act within the show itself and design, create and make the costume, set and props. What do you enjoy most about teaching young students about the performing arts? I love teaching drama because it energises and exhausts me at the same time. My students are having fun while learning and I’m teaching a subject that encourages
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self-confidence and problem-solving. In my classroom, pupils learn genuine life skills. They discover new ways of communicating ideas, they learn the real meaning of collaboration in group work and both individual and collective responsibility. I enjoy seeing the excitement and smiles on my students’ faces, most of whom genuinely want to be in class. Drama helps pupils to explore the human experience and relationships in detail. Imaginations can run free and wild in this subject.
Tell us a bit about the costumes, props, and everything that goes into creating an immersive experience for the audience.
How does a typical rehearsal day take place?
Costumes: Are there to aid characterisations, create the fantasy atmosphere and help the audience delve into their imagination to visualise the talking animals and objects within the play.
Firstly, I direct the blocking of the scene. This involves telling actors where they should move for the proper dramatic effect, ensuring sight lines for the audience and working with the set, props, lighting, costume and sound designs of the scene. Pupils then rehearse the scene and I coach the actors in how they need to improve their performance. My focus is usually on body language, gestures, facial and vocal expression along with proxemics, semiotics, pause, and pace. Pupils then run through the scene numerous times to ensure all is good. I always give time for them to annotate the script to ensure direction is clearly understood. A scene is revisited numerous times throughout the rehearsal process.
Sets: Expressive colours with nonnaturalist, stylised and abstract elements to help create an idea of a land of fantasy and mirage. Props: Larger than life and painted with expressive colours to create an idea of the absurd.
Breaking the fourth wall: The performance isn’t limited to the stage itself but uses the space within the audience as well. Lighting and sound: Used throughout to help create a weird and wonderful atmosphere.
The performing arts are deeply rooted in creativity. What’s your opinion on this and the creativity your students express in both the Alice@Wonderland performance and the classes you hold at BSB? To me, Performing Arts (Music, Drama, and Dance) goes hand in hand with creativity, allowing students to be innovative while encouraging them to learn new things. Besides the fact that it’s fun and challenging, Performing Arts builds habits of mind that are essential to living well and weathering the adversities of life. It hones our creativity and intelligence, fosters our compassion, and brings a higher understanding of humanity to our awareness. Performers must be critical thinkers, problem solvers, and good listeners. Performing arts is a physical, mental, and emotional journey about personal betterment and the vitality of human connection.
Characterisations: Extending the audience experience outside of the performance. Delivering an element of contrast when Alice falls through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures.
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#MeetTheTeachers
Susannah Read Deputy Head of Faculty and History Teacher What first made you interested in History?
Susannah, who joined the British School of Bucharest in 2018, has a degree in the rather unusual subject of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic from the University of Cambridge. After two years working in recruitment in the City of London, she completed her History PGCE (Postgraduate Certificate in Education) at the University of Sussex. She has since taught at good schools in Sussex and Brighton, as well as in the international sphere at a top A level college in Singapore. In 2016, Susannah moved with her family to teach at an international school in Malaysia for two years before moving to Romania to join us as a History Teacher (2nd in Humanities) and ‘Gifted and Talented Students’ Coordinator.
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I remember spending a lot of time in museums as a child in Cape Town, where I grew up. I think my interest in history as a way of looking at the world was really inspired by a school project where I was asked to interview an elderly neighbour about their childhood experiences. Hearing about what my area was like in the 1930s was such an eye opener, and it changed the way I looked at the streets around me. As a young teenager, rather than posters of movie stars on my bedroom wall, I proudly displayed my collection of vintage hats that I found in junk shops and auctions around the city. Why did you go into teaching? When I first graduated, I moved to London and got a job in recruitment. It was quite an exciting role, as Overseas Liaison Consultant, recruiting lawyers and accountants from Australia and New Zealand for jobs in London. I naively started the role thinking I would be helping people, but soon discovered that I was in fact selling people and that the job was focused on profit margins, rather than finding the best role for the person. I found the office-based nature of the job extremely boring, so I decided to retrain as a teacher, a role where I could make a difference and no two days would be the same!
Which part of the History curriculum do you most enjoy teaching? I seldom get to teach the time period I studied at university, as students don’t tend to be interested in subjects like Paleography, which covers things like the handwriting of medieval Welsh monks in the eighth century. So, where there is some overlap, as in the Year 7 curriculum studying Medieval Europe, I thoroughly enjoy helping my students understand how the medieval mindset differed from modern thinking, but also how people then were really not that different to us at all. At the other end of the age range and time period we study, I am currently enjoying looking in depth at Stalin’s Russia with my Year 13s. How many countries have you lived in? I grew up in Cape Town and then completed my schooling in England, from the age of 16. After years living and teaching in England, my husband and I got the travel bug, and we have lived and worked in Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia. Romania is now my 6th country, and we are hoping to spend many years here.
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Which school that you have taught in was most different to BSB? The school that I taught at in Singapore was part of the mainstream Singapore education system. It was a huge A level college, with a thousand students in each year group. The level of pressure that was put on the students by the system was immense, with most of them spending long additional hours at school each evening, just to keep up with the workload. In my first few weeks there, the school was holding its annual Open Day, a huge event which attracted visitors from all over the island. I was expecting a busy day but was very surprised to find many of my colleagues in the open-air school canteen drinking coffee for most of the morning, as the Open Day was almost entirely run by the students! What are you enjoying most about Bucharest so far? Apart from the friendly BSB community, I’m also finding Bucharest a very child-friendly city for my two small children, aged 2 and 4. We adore the parks, and love getting out into the mountains at weekends. Our plan for this summer is to explore the open-air pools around Bucharest.
What made you want to join BSB? BSB was on my short-list of schools before I even saw a job to apply for. One of the reasons was, of course, our very own Mr. Allsop. He is one of the best known History teachers in the world, due to his very popular website, and my Year 11 students in Malaysia were genuinely shocked that I would be teaching with ‘the actual Mr. Allsop’. Is it a good idea for students to study a humanities subject at university? Of course! Parents may be concerned that a degree like History doesn’t have a very defined career path, but the study of a subject like History is hugely rewarding in a range of ways that may not at first be obvious. The constant questioning of sources, the development of sustained argument and the requirement for evidence to support a point all develop intellectual rigour. The career paths of our current students are likely to take them places that we cannot yet imagine, and into jobs that don’t even exist yet. A History degree is recognised by many employers as a marker of someone who can think, write and argue. - these are all wonderful skills for life.
What advice do you have for students planning to apply to Oxbridge? Firstly, don’t listen to any of my advice about colleges as my experience was nearly 20 years ago! Our expert University Guidance counsellor can give much more up to date advice. What both Oxford and Cambridge are looking for is high academic ability combined with a genuine interest in the subject. Read a lot, talk to your teachers and get involved in things that expand your mind and challenge your perceptions of how the world works. And finally: tell us something unexpected? I’m probably wearing unmatched socks.
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Challenging REWARDING COURSE By Ramona Boiangiu
During the summer of 2018, I completed the Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA) course as I wanted to improve my teaching skills and gain an internationally recognised qualification. I chose CELTA because it is the most prestigious and well-known qualification for people starting out in the language teaching profession. CELTA gives the opportunity to teach English to adults around the world and the course is validated by, and certificates are issued and awarded by the Cambridge English Language Assessment, part of the University of Cambridge. It is a practical English language teaching qualification that gives you the essential knowledge, hands-on teaching experience and classroom confidence to qualify as a teacher of English as a Second Language (ESL). CELTA was one of the most challenging and intense courses I have ever done, but the Page 56
personal rewards have been both immense and immediate. It has equipped me with all kinds of classroom teaching skills that I continue to use in my profession: • establishing rapport and developing motivation • adjusting my language to meet the level and needs of learners • giving clear instructions with demonstrations and examples • identifying errors and sensitively correcting oral and written language • providing appropriate practice activities • providing learners with appropriate feedback. I have also become more aware of my strengths and weaknesses and I am constantly reflecting on my teaching, searching to identify points for improvement and leaving the classroom with the satisfaction of a job done to the best of my professional abilities.
I continually pursue personal and professional development and I consider my CELTA certificate as my entry pathway into the profession of teaching English to speakers of other languages. I would say, without doubt or hesitation, that my decision to complete the course was one of the best I’ve ever made. I am very proud of myself and I will always remember my course tutors who continuously supported me and described me as an excellent role model for my son Georgi. Ramona Boiangiu joined the British School of Bucharest in 2003 and works with children in Key Stage 2. Ramona has a B.A. in English and Spanish from Spiru Haret University and has gained significant experience in teaching Primary School children since graduating.
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Welcome to the COBIS Pastoral Conference, ‘Wellbeing in the Digital Age’
Poetry COMPETITION 2019
9 – 10 November 2018, British School of Bucharest, Romania
By Aine Staunton
The theme for this year’s annual poetry competition, run by the Council of British International Schools (COBIS) and open to all member schools across the world, was ‘The Last Page’.
DAY 1
Arrival, Registration and Welcome Coffee 8:45 - 9:30 9:45 - 10:45 Students from acrossMental Primary andand Emotional Wellbeing for Children and Young People faced with the pressures of
Secondary were tasked examining 21stwith Century life and learning, Nina Jackson what this theme suggested for them and Mental Health Pick ‘n’ Mix: Creating a Culture Conducive to Mental Health, Self Esteem Team 11:15 - 12:15 producing an original poem that captured 12:15 - 13:15 The Prevent Duty and Radicalisation, Robin Watts their outlook. We set this assignment after NUPEH Mirror Room Drama Studio we returned to school in January and 14:00 15:15 ‘You Look Fine to Me’ Mental Health Pick ‘n’ Mix Introduction to interview students were given a limited time to Mental Health and Emotional workshop: addressing techniques: how to talk to investigate the theme and produce their Wellbeing for ALL, Nina delegates’ stumbling blocks children, Robin Watts poems. Some worked alone, some worked Jackson and barriers to wellbeing in in pairs and some even asked their schools, Self Esteem Team teachers to review drafts and to give 15:30 - 16:30 Reflections and Next Steps, time for delegates to discuss and share ideas feedback.
DAY 2
Primary and Secondary English teachers made panel ofArrival, judgesRegistration for the and Welcome Coffee 8:30up- the 9:00 internal competition and on February 8th Wellbeing in a Digital World: Why You, Why Now, Why Me, Jonathan Taylor 9:15 - 10:15 we chose our three winning entries from Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Every Learner, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith 10:15 -and 11:15 Primary four winning entries from Do? The role of CEOP, National Crime Agency and Embassy Support, Michelle Tyrell 11:45 12:45 Secondary which youWhat can Can readYou below. NUPEH
Mirror Room
13:30 - 14:30
8 Practical Strategies to Support Students Who Are Struggling, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith
Online Safety and Social Authentic Leadership and Media: A School’s Pastoral Care, Jason Porter Responsibility - Navigating the Digital Minefield, Jonathan Taylor
14:30 - 15:00
Reflections and Next Steps, time for delegates to discuss and share ideas
Drama Studio
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@BSB | April 2019
Welcome to the COBIS Pastoral Conference, ‘Wellbeing Until the endin the Digital PeterAge’ Pan’s Last Page
Congratulations 9 – 10 November 2018, British School of Bucharest, Romania to all our internal winners: The Ending By Janu, Year 4
The page at the end was happy or sad, some was good and some was bad. He or she ended the book and will have a stroke of luck in their storybook. Eat at the feast at the page at the end, until your stomach is full and you cannot bend.
DAY 1
By Jenny, Year 6
By Elizabeth, Year 4
A book contains all stories, Yet can never contain them all. One remains unknown to us, But that one will always stand tall.
Peter Pan was a boy, who never grew up. He flew through the trees and never gets stuck. He is fearless and brave and never gives up.
The fantasy of it all, Exciting it might seem. Inside of a mystery, Trapped in a dream.
He has Indian friends and the Lost Boys too, He went to fetch Wendy, Michael and John and together they flew, Back to Neverland for adventures and a clue.
The good times look bright, But the bad times are dim. All inside this book, Your story might be grim
Captain Hook was an epic crook, Who lost his hand and got a hook. For Peter and his friends this was a test. They just knew, they had to do their best.
Last8:45 but last will end itArrival, all, with the snap and Welcome Coffee Registration - 9:30 At the last page, Reread all your mistakes, of a9:45 finger, all will fall. And everything will - 10:45 Mental and Emotional Wellbeing for Children and Young People faced with the pressures of stage, I came to a new All through the dark moments. come to an end, but all can be saved if you 21st Century life and learning, Nina Jackson Where the ship was flying, Through it all, a light will shine, pretend. Satisfaction is not always And the crocodile Breaking throughConducive all the murky opponents. Mental Health Pick ‘n’ Mix: Creating a Culture to Mental Health, Self Esteem Team was crying. 11:15 - 12:15 guaranteed, but it makes you wonder and 12:15 - 13:15 Duty and Radicalisation, Robin Watts think, indeed. The endThe youPrevent will see reason I wish that I can go there and fly all around, Be careful where you step, and might turn to a new season. NUPEH Mirror Room Drama Studio To go to the Island and never be found. Because all the tales are true. 14:00 - 15:15 ‘You Look Fine to Me’ Mental Health Pick ‘n’ Mix Introduction to interview Adventures of all kind, Mental and Emotional workshop: addressing techniques: how to talk to Persuasion, evasion, or even Health a solution Will delegates’ be a permanent record of you. children, Robin Watts Wellbeing for ALL, Nina stumbling blocks might be the ending conclusion. Jackson and barriers to wellbeing in Adventures end around the universe, at Nowschools, turn theSelf page until the last, Esteem Team earth, all of space; ending anywhere or By Karina, Year 9 No matter how hard it may appear. 15:30 - 16:30 Reflections and Next Steps, time for delegates to discuss and share ideas anyplace. Giggles, laughter and happily All of it will sound worthless at first, ever after; every book might have a As we flick through the pages, But trust me, it won’t, if you read on, hereafter. Ending on the final page is We get closer to the edges, Until the end. important and gives joy to any age. Of what we supposed would be happy Arrival, Registration and Welcome Coffee 8:30 - 9:00 Wellbeing in a Digital World: Why You, Why Now, Why Me, Jonathan Taylor endings. 9:15 - 10:15
The Final Page
DAY 2
10:15 - 11:15
Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Every Learner, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith
11:45 - 12:45
What Can You Do? The role of CEOP, National Crime Agency and Embassy Support, Tyrell ending story. LoveMichelle and its never
13:30 - 14:30
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14:30 - 15:00
Care and joy, hugs and laughs,
Drama Studio We crack the book and wait for the
NUPEH
Mirror Room
8 Practical Strategies to Support Students Who Are Struggling, Dr. Pooky Knightsmith
moment, When Online Safety and Social Authentic Leadership and we all get to hear the Media: A School’s Pastoral Care, endJason of thePorter story. Responsibility - Navigating the Digital Minefield, Jonathan Taylor
Reflections and Next Steps, time for delegates to discuss and share ideas
@BSB | April 2019
But then we realise, We live inside something more realistic, Where everything that is true ends too quickly. And as we read on, we get to the part, Where the story line ends, And we’re all so apart.
The Last page By Briony, Year 9
A final turn, A final breath, A final glimpse at all but death Suddenly sober with naught to tell The dream once more over Another broken down spell The magic of faeries, of goblins and trolls families lost new friends have grown old, but once more it’s over back on the shelf even though, a special place in your heart it had dwelt...
The Man on the Hill
Our Lost Itinerary
The man on the hill Staring from the top Peaceful, it was Green like a crop Sky was clear, orange and yellow Birds chirping everywhere So calm, so mellow The man was indeed, a speck in the world The blanket was warm Around him, wrapped and curled Alone right now, alone forever No one knew him But he knew no better All he knows is one thing in this life He will never have family No children, no wife But in the end, that’s what he wanted To live lonely So he couldn’t be haunted Every day he will sit, listen to the birds After all That is the family he preferred
We all want things to last ‘til the last page, Never looking back, and never seeing age. Looking through time, as if it had no limits, Forgetting that our soul is counting hours, minutes. Instead of seeing hope, chances and good fortunes We look upon each other and inflict extortions. We start writing stories, of miseries and threats. Forgetting that time passes, ignoring all regrets.
By Hugo and Catinca, Year 8
By Laura,Year 11
We all want things to last ‘til the last page, But after we wrote hundreds, we give up and we lose faith. We don’t hold onto each other, any more than for a while, We wish all things will last, but yet forget to smile. Looking out the window of the house we built on tears, We tend to not see anything more than our fears. Smudged memories in ink are now all begotten, Just like our dreams and passions, they’re all long-lost, forgotten.
The magic is lost Your friends go unseen It came at a cost Although slightly mean, You should finish the book Forget yourself for an age One final look As you turn the last page.
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@BSB | April 2019
Safer INTERNET DAY By Kevin Erskine
It is hard to imagine a world without the Internet, yet the first website launched on 6th August 1991. That means that all of the students (and some of the staff) at BSB have never known a world where they did not have access to huge amounts of information in the palm of their hand.
However, the Internet is not just a garden of possibilities. As with the world in general, it has a darker side that has generated its own new words and phrases: dark web, sext, troll, internet addiction and one of the largest trends of the past few years #FakeNews.
In fact, most students were born after the launch of Facebook in 2004 and are constantly surrounded by references to social media. Words like tweet, lol, and photobomb have been added to the English language and most of us use them without necessarily thinking about where they came from.
Safer Internet Day started in 2004 as an initiative of the European Union ‘SafeBorders’ project. It has now grown to be an annual global celebration of what the Internet is supposed to be. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Together for a better internet”.
The Internet is a place of wondrous potential. Information can be found on any subject and, with the growth of online translation, used by anyone around the world. Crowdfunding has produced successful products like the Oculus Rift and 3Doodler and has raised millions of dollars for deserving charities. Hashtivism (the use of hashtags on social media) has raised awareness of social issues and the trends created have forced governments to take greater notice of the feelings of the public.
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At BSB, students from Years 7 to 9 were invited to think about how they could make a change to their online behaviour that would make a better, safer internet. They were asked to think about their friends and fellow students, how they could better support each other and to think before posting anything online. Instead of being bystanders they were challenged to become upstanders and to be the voice for those that could not find their own.
@BSB | April 2019
Pastoral care @bsb By Paul Gildea
A robust yet nurturing pastoral care programme is essential for a successful school. Many parents and visitors have commented positively on our pastoral systems, and our most recent inspection report identifies pastoral care as a strength at BSB. Unlike discussions about curriculum or attainment, it is much harder to pin down the essence of effective pastoral care. This is because so much of it is ‘hidden’ and exists in ethos, attitudes and values. It is my belief that the strength of pastoral care at BSB is due to three specific areas – identity, responsibility and well-being. Identity Who are we as a school? What makes us, ‘Us’? Our shared values strike to the very heart of this idea. Our children, from the youngest to the oldest, engage with and understand our core values of Self-Control, Honesty, Respect, Equality and Concern for Others. These values are why our staff and students treat each other with respect, dedicate time to working with Don Orione or Fundatia Inocenti, give up their own time to take part in Student Council sessions or support younger children in their learning. Our House system is a vital part of our school identity. It promotes a sense of belonging and encourages
teamwork, collaboration and a healthy sense of competition. Our school uniform is also a powerful symbol of identity, a recognisable and outward sign that we belong to BSB. A powerful relationship with a shared identity will inevitably encourage all members of the community to uphold it, and to develop a sense of Responsibility. Responsibility We truly want our children to be proud of their school, and with this comes a responsibility to contribute to making it an institution worth our pride. Our pupils have opportunities to show and develop responsibility in several ways. Student and Class Council, Eco and Charity committees, House Captains and Junior Librarians are just some of the initiatives that allow pupils to make decisions and take part in the responsibility for the development of BSB, its community, and our local area and beyond. Equally, our expectations of behaviour encourage pupils to be accountable for their own actions. A school with a heightened sense of responsibility, both personal and communal, and one which embodies authorship and commitment which is productive not punitive, is one which can enjoy a profound sense of Well-being.
Well-being Our absolute priority is the safety of the children we serve. We are proud that our safeguarding procedures are compliant with standards in the UK, some of the most progressive child protection laws in the world. However, for our children to flourish, we need to do even more than to keep them safe. They must be given the tools, the skills and the experiences to not only love learning, but to enjoy life and harbour ambitions for their future. The breadth of our curriculum, CCA programmes, Universities, Enrichment Days, residentials, day trips and other enrichment opportunities ensure that all children have a range of opportunities and experiences to explore their interests and talents, as well as to grow and develop their passions. We understand the importance of these formative years and are committed not only to children’s academic development, but also to that of their social and emotional selves. We look forward to seeing how children continue to develop as citizens of our school, local community and world as they progress through our Summer Term.
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@BSB | April 2019
HealthySCHOOL By Andrew Koene
The Healthy Schools Committee has taken a new approach towards how we promote health within our school, focusing on monthly themes and presenting several that have impacted on learning and health at BSB. This approach has helped our school and community to become more aware of current trends and concerns regarding health within today’s society. We introduced Mindfulness and many teachers used techniques they had learned to help lower or increase energy within their lessons. The concept was also introduced to students to help them prepare for exams by relaxing and understanding that being mindful is living in the present moment. We have also highlighted the influences of technology on everyone’s day to day living. Technology can be useful, but we need to realise that we should not depend on it all the time. Teachers have promoted discussion questions about how technology impacts on our way of living, leading to a positive awareness of how we approach the use of technology within lessons or daily routines to make us healthier. Students have also been given the opportunity to talk with professionals within the community, such as a dental clinic representative who came to visit us in March and presented to our students the proper ways of caring for teeth and preventive measures to avoid tooth decay. Getting professional community members involved is helping our students understand where they can find reliable resources within their community to make healthier decisions. Throughout the year the Healthy Schools Committee is focused on how we can bring awareness of healthy concepts and ideas to the school and the community. In school and with support from the community, students will learn more about what it means to be a healthy individual in today’s society. We will continue to promote and advocate for our students and community to make sure we are creating a happy and healthy environment.
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@BSB | April 2019
House COmpetitions By Thomas Smith
We’ve had another eventful year so far with all four Houses winning a variety of events. Mures House won the Humanities, Mathematics and Languages competitions, Olt House placed first in the Countdown, Music and Volleyball whilst Danube House claimed five second places and a victory in the festive quiz. The champions, Arges House, again took a strong lead at the start of the year with victories in the History competition, Years 9/10 Basketball, Mastermind and the Science quiz. With multiple events taking place at the start of the Spring term, the three-time winners, Arges House, have finally been knocked off the top spot by Olt House. With only four events left to compete in and only 30 points separating first and second place, this will be a race to the finish. Sports Day is a key event influencing the overall winner so participation in this event is crucial. With everything to play for remember to keep collecting those House points, to attend the lunchtime competitions and to get involved in Sports Day! Good luck to all Houses.
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1
2
OLT
ARGES
3
4
MURES
DANUBE
ST
485 POINTS RD
400 POINTS
ND
455 POINTS TH
340 POINTS
@BSB | April 2019
ways that co-curricular programs
HELP OUR STUDENTS At the British School of Bucharest we aim to provide students with practical, hands-on, meaningful experiences that help them to develop particular skills and exhibit a range of non-academic abilities that complement their curricular program and improve their health and well-being. Although not a part of the core curriculum, co-curricular activities play an integral role in helping students to shape their lives and become well-rounded adults.They are true and practical experiences gained by students through their own choice and participation. Whilst the importance of co-curricular activities in a student’s life cannot be easily measured, here are eight significant benefits: Exposure to new activities and discovery of new talents You never know what you’re good at or enjoy until you give it a try! Our co-curricular program gives students the opportunity to try a huge range of different activities. Strengthen self-esteem and self-confidence Co-curricular activities can provide an
opportunity for students to excel in nonacademic pursuits, leading to increased confidence in and out of the classroom. Develop specialised skills and enhanced academic learning Co-curricular activities allow students to gain experience in an area of interest to them. One example of this is our Innovation Hub where students learn practical skills they can apply in the classroom. Encourage commitment and foster a sense of responsibility Programs such as the Sports Leaders or the International Award encourage students to commit to a set course and provide opportunities for them to give something back to the community. Develop social skills and stronger relationships with peers Co-curricular activities may involve students from different age groups, so students learn how to build and maintain relationships. Improve time management and organisational skills
By balancing co-curricular activities with their academic program, students learn valuable time management skills that can be used in other areas of their life. Provide stress relief and relaxation Participating in a co-curricular activity can provide students with a break from their academic work and a shift in focus, increasing endorphins, the moodenhancing hormones produced naturally in the brain. Fencing, Theatre Production, and Karate are great examples of activities that promote endorphin release, decreasing stress and increasing relaxation. Promote overall personal development and provide prospects for future opportunities The range of skills that students learn through participating in co-curricular activities can help them to stand out to prospective employers. Some of our co-curricular offerings that help students to develop valued work skills include DT workshops, Programming, Innovation Hub, MUN, Debating and Music. CCA’s should be considered the 6th Period of the day - and arguably the most important! Page 65
@BSB | April 2019
CCAs
@BSB
Under 9’s The under 9 boys and girls have been training hard under the guidance and support of three dedicated sports leaders. They have been increasing their fitness, learning and extending their understanding of the rules of basketball and game play, and developing their passing, dribbling, shooting and moving skills. In February, some of the team members attended a basketball festival at AISB where they enjoyed making new friends, working on skill development and playing matches in mixed-school teams. Under 11 boys Basketball The under 11 boys’ basketball team have come a long way this term, making massive improvements in their dribbling, shooting and team work skills. Having gained a better understanding of the game, the squad now works together much more effectively on both defence and offence. The stand out player of the term has been Alejandro, who played excellently in the recent tournament at AISB. Under 11 girls Basketball This term the girls have been led by outstanding student sports leaders, growing their knowledge, skills and understanding of the game. They have drastically improved their ball handling skills and
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excelled with their teamwork. Credit goes to all players who have shown dedication, hard work and determination throughout the term. Under 14 Girls Basketball The U14 girls’ basketball team has had a successful season so far. With plenty of keen players, we have had lots of energy and enthusiasm on the court. Our numbers have grown since the start of term which is really encouraging. Year 9 have used their experience to lead the younger players, performing with pride and confidence. We played a friendly fixture against AISB earlier this term which was a closely fought game. The girls showed perseverance and determination to prevail, winning 12-10. Most recently the Under 14 girls squad went to AISB for their season tournament. It was a long day, but the girls really pulled together on court to use each other’s strengths to benefit the team. We played against Avenor in our first game and showed fantastic discipline and control in a physical game. Our patience payed off with our first win of the day. Our second game saw us face AISB for the second time this season and we demonstrated how much progress we have made in training with a convincing win. These victories saw us into the final, against Cambridge. This game was after an extended break which took its toll on the team. We played well, but not our best and a talented Cambridge squad sailed through to victory. We came 2nd in the tournament, well deserved! Under 14 Boys Basketball This term the boys have continued to show how eager they are to learn and compete at a high level. Through training they have gained a strong appreciation for the game.
They learned how to play as a team and why the basics of basketball are so important when it comes to game time. During their tournament the boys played well but did not make it to the semi-finals as they couldn’t quite take full advantage of the opportunities. Overall, it was a good learning opportunity for the boys who will come to the tournament next year with more confidence than before. Under 18 Boys Basketball This season the boys developed more of an understanding of the importance of each player’s role on the court. Fundamentals were always the focus within practices with the boys encouraging one another to play as a team and supporting each other to get better within each practice. During practices they have challenged one another to get better, helping the team grow together. It was a good season with several accomplishments made throughout the year. Netball We have started BSB’s first Netball club on Thursdays. This club has attracted interest from lots of members of our community from Year 7 right through to our teaching staff. We all take part with great enthusiasm and support each other, as our experience ranges from none to high level. All participants have commented on how much they have enjoyed the opportunity for interaction with different students and with teachers. We have been working on our basic netball skills, rules and tactical play. As we continue to grow in numbers, we are always open to newcomers who want to join in the fun!
@BSB | April 2019
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Innovation
@bsb
Following a well-deserved Christmas holiday, students participating in Project Zephyr and Automotive Design were delighted to receive a late Christmas present from Audi. Each student received their own personalised workwear! As with each new group of students who tackle the Project Zephyr challenge, two original and unique cars are being designed using our new model of zinc-coated connectors and carbon-fibre impregnated manufacturing templates. Students are now in the advanced stages of chassis and body panel construction. Automotive Design are well underway with building the body for the cars they have developed over the previous 2 years. We are working together to implement new technology that we have developed which allows students to create beautifully complex shapes easily. Come and find us at the Summer Fair where the completed cars will be unveiled and later tested at the Tunari race track. In addition to CCA’s, the Innovation Hub team are continually looking into new and exciting technologies for students to use during their education. We are particularly excited about a fantastic piece of robotic manufacturing equipment which will be added to our resources soon.
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@BSB | April 2019
Girl Guiding
Rainbow Sleepover By Rachel Louise Eglinton Eight of our Rainbows had been looking forward with excitement to a sleepover since before Christmas. When the time came, they hurried to put on their pyjamas and set up camp with their teddies. A film and a midnight feast were eagerly anticipated. The theme for our weekend was ‘Celebration’ and, like a jigsaw, was made up of pieces: Look: creating crafts from around the world to celebrate feast days Learn: singing new songs, playing new games, reflecting on what is important to us Love: exploring the values of our teddies, making a good luck bangle for someone special Laugh: developing strategies to chase away our fears, having fun together This is what the girls had to say at the end of the adventure …
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How did you feel before the sleepover? “Excited and happy.” “Nervous. I didn’t know if I wanted to go as I wake up at night and go to my parent’s room. I thought it would be hard not to do that. But when I woke up, other girls were already on the sofa, and the laughing game we played later on helped me.” What was important to pack? “Teddy and pyjamas. In the teddy parade, my teddy won ‘telling the best bedtime story’ prize. My teddy is a sheep and you count sheep to go to sleep!” “Sleeping bag, toothbrush and a bedtime story. I do not want cavities! I enjoyed listening to the bedtime story.” What did you most enjoy about the sleepover? “Sleeping! All of us next to each other.” “Overcoming my fear and deciding to join in.” Appreciative thanks to Mrs. Raluca Attanassov and to Mrs. Yolande Meyer, for giving their time to the girls and making such a success of the weekend.
@BSB | April 2019 Protecting our environment is a topic close to our hearts, so Planet BSB has worked with the Green Committee, the school maintenance team, the school leadership and others over the years to brighten our BSB environment. We now have a beautiful nature garden that sees long-eared owls in the spring, and a thriving ‘rewilding zone’ where wild plants are allowed to grow and visiting birds are fed from our bird feeder. We also have a recycling programme that encourages students to consider the volume and impact of their waste. This year we have continued the good work in all of these areas and prepared a presentation about the shocking scale and effects of plastic pollution in our oceans which has sought to raise the awareness of this across our school community. We are always looking for ways to cut down on plastic waste and have worked to influence some of the school’s practices too, ultimately aiming for a sustainable ‘Planet BSB’.
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@BSB | April 2019
Charities @BSB By The Charities Committee
We shook off the winter blues with Friendship Week in February, during which we did many charitable activities… BSB MAD and the Baking CCAs were busy baking all week and we held our second Bake Sale of the year on Valentine’s Day! The Student Council then filled our hearts with love (and chocolate) by selling and delivering roses and handcrafted chocolates around the school. Friendship Week ended with Crazy Hair Day when we were again amazed by what could be achieved with hair spray, hair bands and a lot of creativity! Thanks to the generosity shown throughout the week we raised over 6,000 Lei. In the spirit of friendship, the money was shared between the Fundatia Innocenti, an established BSB Charity, and Protejam Viitorul Association Save the Future, in aid of a boy, Andrei, who received a diagnosis of spastic tetraparesis whilst still a baby. After a childhood full of operations, treatment and recovery, Andrei was given hope for an independent future by doctors in Germany and we are pleased that our fundraising will support the costs incurred for his surgery and medical expenses. As Spring approached we launched our Martisor sales which included some gorgeous Martisors handcrafted by children from the Fundatia Innocenti. Spring was clearly in the air, and the sun shone through as we raised over 3,000 Lei for our charities. We are excited that the end of term will see two new events, a fun ‘Fortnite Dance-Off’ competition, and our first book donation and Charity Book Sale.
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As a BSB parent, have you ever found yourself in one of these situations??? ‘’I’m new. I don’t know where to get the uniform for my children - who can I ask?’’ ‘’I would like to talk with someone who speaks my language - my English is not so good’’ ‘’My daughter has been invited to a birthday party but doesn’t remember where it will be. I wish I could contact the parents but I don’t know how.’’ ‘’School offers many opportunities for parents to be involved and with a science background I would love to help with some of the extra-curricular activities, but I don’t know who to talk to about it.’’ ‘’I would like to organise a regular theatre night out with BSB parents. I need to reach out to them but don’t know how’’ In the dynamic environment of an international school we are presented with different scenarios every day. Now we can address them all with a single ‘App’. Be it for a simple request, an invitation, or the need to resolve a bigger issue, ‘Classlist’ (www.classlist.com/parents. html) has been chosen by BSB and Friends of BSB to facilitate and improve communication between parents in our community. Page 74
Classlist gives you an easy way to contact other parents and the great thing is that you don’t need telephone numbers or email addresses. You simply use the App, your name and your child’s name to create interest groups, have direct contact with parents from the same class and year, keep up to date with events and functions, seek help, organise private parties, find useful information about the school and the city, or simply write a message. You are invited to log in to the parents’ portal (www.britishschool.ro/panels.html) where you will be asked to agree with the Classlist Fair Processing Notice and Guidelines on BSB policies. You will then receive an email invitation to join from the Friends of BSB Classlist moderator. You can find more information about Classlist on our Parents Portal, on the edublogs, SMHK (Show my homework) and on our Friends of BSB web page. If you have any questions or need support, feel free to contact us at bsbclasslistmoderator@britishschool.ro Erika Torazzina Communication Liaison FBSB Coordinator
@BSB | April 2019
As well as uniforms for BSB students, we have a great variety of gifts, books and BSB accessories. Opening hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 – 10:30 and 14:30 – 16:30 42 Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, Voluntari, Ilfov Page 75
British School of Bucharest would like to invite you to become our partner for the @BSB school magazine. If you are interested in this collaboration, please send a message to
marketing@britishschool.ro
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
Published on Apr 15, 2019