Issue 1 - October 2011
The adventure starts now
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2 Newsblast
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Principal letter Dear Parents & Friends, Welcome to our new look Newsblast. The magazine is a great reflection of all the wonderful activity that happens at BSB and we are all so proud to be able to share it with our community each half term. We hope that you enjoy it, we have tried to include lots more pictures to truly capture the BSB experience. If you have any feedback we would be most happy to hear from you. We also hope many of you are following us on Facebook and Twitter where there are frequent updates chronicling the happenings at school.
The new style Newsblast and the refreshed BSB website are indicative of the school’s commitment to constantly move forward, and this was celebrated by all our returning staff and children when they turned up for the first day of school to see all our new buildings and transformed spaces that have been further developed to meet the needs of our students. You will find lots of photos which show the additions to our campus over the summer and I hope many of you have found an opportunity to visit the site and see the changes for yourself.
Congratulations to all the students who took external examinations last year, their exceptional results are a sign of their hard work and the dedication of their teachers across the years.
With the start of the new academic year come plenty of new initiatives for staff to work on with students to provide a world class education here at BSB. These plans include a greater student voice within the school; this involves students taking more responsibility within their roles in their Houses and the Student Council, and will even see them going into classes as student observers of lessons so they can give positive feedback to their teachers about effective teaching styles.
Teachers have been very active about setting up new opportunities for our students’ talents to shine, and these include the sports trials with the PE department and our Music department establishing an orchestra and lunchtime choirs. We are really grateful to our staff for extending the provision for our children, and look forward to some lively demonstrations of their talents in the near future.
Before I sign off I would like to offer my congratulations to all the students who took external examinations last year, their exceptional results are a sign of their hard work and the dedication of their teachers across the years. I was immensely proud of everyone’s efforts.
Jo Puddy-Wells, Principal principal@britishschool.ro
Issue 1 2011 3
Stunning New BSB Facilities We have been very busy over the summer and the campus has swelled with some exciting facilities for our students to enjoy
Our new year group, Crib, is now enjoying their turtle bus
Extra classrooms have been established in front of Crawford, including two new language classrooms, an additional DT room and a Physics lab
4 Newsblast
MFL students enjoying their new surroundings
Stimulating environments encourage good learning
A great new Physics laboratory to showcase all our new equipment
Mr. Green has settled into his Music room in front of the dome, situated away from Newlands, which will be just as well when the steel band practice starts up next month
Issue 1 2011 5
KS2 students enjoying music lessons in the new environment
New stage, sound and lighting systems ready for the next performance
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Our new drama studio is complete with its own dressing room
The PE hall in Newlands has received a make-over, with a new floor and mirrored practice wall, we hope that with our new programme of clubs and activities parents and students will benefit from this facility
As part of our Healthy Schools commitment we are establishing our own kitchen at BSB so we will be able to offer our children a menu cooked onsite. We hope to be able to offer this provision soon and will be inviting parents in to have a trial lunch with their children, to experience this new service
Ringwood has also been treated to a new multi-purpose room where they will hold EYFS and KS1 gatherings as well as use it for a dining room Issue 1 2011 7
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When should you consider using ImuPro300?
• Flatulence, constipation, diarrhoea, irritable bowel syndrome • Large fl uctuations in weight from day to day, overweight, obesity • Headaches, migraine • AD(H)D • Infl ammatory skin diseases (neurodermatitis, psoriasis) • Joint pains • Frequent tiredness after meals • Intolerance to certain foods • Fasting leads to the receding of the complaints
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What can you do?
Continual stomach and bowel problems (flatulence, constipation, irritable bowel) or headaches and skin problems over many years (itchiness, neurodermatitis, psoriasis), chronic tiredness and obesity?
With sophisticated individual analyses, the ImuPro300 blood test identifi es IgG antibodies against 270 different foods and determines as to whether they are present in high or low amounts.
The cause of many of these chronic complaints has not yet been clarifi ed. The treatments largely revolve around the treatment of the symptoms. Unfortunately, the causes have not been tackled. Treatment lasting several years can be necessary - and some forms of therapy invariably involve unpleasant side e ects. Or the cause may remain unclear in spite of a range of examinations and the complaints continue. Important for you to know: Chronic discomforts can be triggered by delayed food allergies.
You are then provided an individual dietary recommendation on the basis of your personal test results: You find out the foods you should avoid eating for a certain time and you also get a personal recipe book with suggestions for tasty meals that you can enjoy as an alternative. Ask your therapist about ImuPro300. They will provide non-binding advice as to whether ImuPro300 could provide you with a form of treatment that promises success.
The decisive question is: What is the cause of the discomforts and what triggers them? Only when this question has been answered is it possible to successfully ght the complaints. Today we know that many chronic pains can be caused by in ammation reactions. Food products can also cause these inflammations - when certain antibodies are created. These antibodies can be uncovered with blood tests. This means you gain a picture of which foods can cause what complaints. Many people are thought to su er from a so-called delayed food allergy without knowing it. The complaints are often wideranging and only occur several hours or even days after the consumption of the relevant food product. For this reason it can be helpful to look for these foods with a blood test and to make them, visible‘ in this way.
www.imupro300.ro
Additional information is available from: S.C. Imupro Distribution S.R.L ImuPro Distributor - Romania & Moldova T. +40 735 303 001, F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@imupro300.ro www.imupro300.ro
A great set of results for BSB at GCSE and SATs GCSE grades (Note: A*-C grades are regarded as sound pass results by employers and higher education institutions) 2011 Total A*- A
38%
Total A*-C ( note above)
78%
Total A*-E
95%
KS3 SATs results 2011 On or Above Level
88%
Above Level
38%
KS2 SATs results 2011 On or Above Level
93%
Above Level
47%
We are pleased to see so many top grades from our students, particularly considering that for many, English is not their native language. The large percentage of students scoring grades in the middle range is also a good indicator that our students are entering exams at a suitable level for their abilities and we are very pleased with the trend of increasing grades in our IGCSE years. Congratulations to all our students and teachers for all their hard work.
Issue 1 2011 9
In Your Neighbourhood: Anca Dragnea Say Hi to Anca. You have probably seen her around the school. We are going to find out about her and what she does. Anca was born right here in Bucharest and her job at the school is ‘Head of Finance’. Anca has many hobbies and things that she enjoys doing. She really enjoys reading and her favourite author is Agatha Christie. Anca also enjoys travelling and has been to many countries including Greece and Turkey. In fact, her favourite destination is Zakynthos in Greece. Before coming to BSB, Anca was at the Economics Study Academy in Bucharest; here she achieved a Master’s Degree in Bank Management. Her marriage is the most satisfying thing in her life, as well as her career and she is really looking forward to having a family. Anca really enjoys working at BSB because she thinks it is a great team and feels like home to her.
Mrs Dragnea was interviewed by Jessica
Jessica, Year 11
PTA Welcome to all parents both returning and new to BSB. Over the summer, three of the five PTA committee left Romania, but I am glad to say that there are some new faces on the Committee this year. You will shortly see our photographs on the notice board in the Parents room, so you will know who we are when you come to school, together with contact details for how to get in touch with us. Both Linda Wadsworth and I enjoyed attending all ‘Meet the Teacher’ coffees last month; it was an ideal opportunity to meet many new parents and catch up with familiar faces. Hopefully, for those of you new to BSB you were able to meet other parents and have already started to build a contact list of people here in Bucharest.
that you would enjoy, so please feel free to share your thoughts with any of the PTA committee. We are very fortunate that both Julia Armstrong and Daniela Petrescu have volunteered to run the Class Activities this year. Typically these events are concentrated in December and late spring; additional support is always welcomed and for some activities essential. We will communicate the activities requiring support through the class representatives. In addition we are grateful to Monica Ussia for agreeing to manage our accounts and ensuring we have the funds for our class and parent activities. If you are new to the school and have not yet managed to meet up with us at one of the events, please feel free to contact either Linda Wadsworth or myself and we will help you in anyway that we can. I hope you and your families enjoy the half term break and we look forward to seeing you at the social coffee on Friday 4th November. Mrs Sarah Waterfield, PTA President
This year, to help support parents and improve communication Linda has created a Facebook group BSB PTA that all parents are welcomed to join. We have communicated details of events that the PTA are organising, as well as events that could be of interest. The Facebook group also allows you to seek advice and recommendations for anything from babysitters to laptop repairs to sewing alterations, I urge you to join and expand our community online. Please also recommend it to your BSB friends. The PTA with thanks to Daniela Mager, has already arranged several events. The first a Ladies Night Out, saw fifteen of us enjoying ourselves at Grano. Then a market tour was organised to show another side of Bucharest and finally a Floristry workshop with a Dutch Master Florist. Kerstin Neuhauser has also been recruiting volunteers to run cooking demonstrations to showcase their nations cuisine. In previous years we have enjoyed, French, Lebanese, Japanese and German to list but a few, these events are always enjoyable with everyone participating in preparing a meal that we all enjoy together. So, if you would like to share your Country’s cuisine with other parents please contact Kerstin. We always welcome any ideas or suggestions for activities
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Parents going back to school, improving their flower arranging skills
Coffee mornings and afternoons
Explaining the year ahead
Following feedback from our parents and in conjunction with the PTA we designed a new opportunity to ‘Meet the Teacher’ event this year. Parents were invited for coffee in year groups and the teachers came and gave general information as well as class and year group specific guidelines. Parents were then able to chat with teachers and ask any questions they had about their child’s class and its organisation and meet fellow parents. Thank you to all the parents who attended the event and PTA for their support.
A great opportunity to learn about our curriculum and ask questions Issue 1 2011 11
Charity Focus
Support our charity initiative by purchasing the I love you DVD
The BSB Charity Committee consists this year of Miss Milligan, Mr Hasle, Miss Rocio, Miss Stowe and Miss Draser. The charity work at BSB is driven by the strong engagement of students and parents and their willingness to help the community. An ongoing way of supporting us is through the Charity Boxes outside the Parents’ Room. You can donate second hand clothes, toys, shoes, and any items that could be of use to disadvantaged families. The charity organisations we are supporting this year will be announced shortly in the Parents’ Room.
An initiative started by Csenge and Helen, Y9, aims at supporting Somalia, by donating money to Unicef. You can support them by purchasing the Language Week DVD “I love you” for 25 RON. All the intake from the sell of the DVD will go to UNICEF. In December we will run the Shoe Box Appeal to support orphan children. You will receive more information about this in November. Ms Dorothea Draser On behalf of the Charity Committee
Clothes, Shoes, Toys Donations
Please use the two bins at the gate Many thanks from the BSB Charity Committee
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6B: Forever in Blue Jeans!
Can you tell what the students are spelling out?
Jeans for Genes 2011 In the week leading up to Jeans for Genes day the Year 5 and 6 classes were asked to draw a picture with the theme being ‘The Future’, this will be the focal point of a mural that we will be painted in the Newlands Dining Hall. All the children had very creative drawings and put a lot of effort into their entries. I would like to thank all the children in Year 5 and 6 and their teachers for doing such a wonderful job. Congratulations to our winner Joanna Clarke in Class 6R. The border of the mural will be comprised of decorated squares of denim material. Every child in the lower school decorated a square. Early Years Foundation Stage and the crèche & the crib also designed a pair of jeans for FiFi , (from Fifi and the Flowertots) to wear, they all did an amazing job and I think we may have a few designers in our midst.
On Friday 7th October the whole school wore their jeans to school to support the very worthy charity, Jeans for Genes and everyone was very generous and donated 10 Ron. The final total from the whole school was 3374.32RON Thank you to all the staff and parents for their support during our Jeans for Genes activities. It was really appreciated. Ms Emma Bradshaw Primary PSHCE Coordinator
Issue 1 2011 13
Gaya Yr 7 singing a beautiful song by Adele
Secondary Jamm for Genes! This year Secondary students held an open mic in support for ‘Jeans for Genes’! Students signed up with Miss Finch and on the Friday afternoon gathered in the drama studio to show their support for the cause. An additional 140 RON was raised by the secondary students by voting alone, students were asked to pay 1 RON to vote for their favourite act. We had Gaya (Year 7) , Calista/Laura (Year 7), Francois and his Friends (Year 7), May and Jessica (Year 12), Julia (Year 7), Emma (Year 12), a super rap from Ryan and Akis (Year 11) and a delightful tune on the clarinet from Joe (Year 7). Myself and Mr Hughes also did a rendition of Summer Loving from Grease….The studio was crammed with teachers and student support! Thanks to all for supporting this years Jeans for Genes! Ms Jen Kemp Head of Secondary
May and Jessica Yr 12 teaming up to sing Use Somebody by the Kings of Leon
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Issue 1 2011 15
Planet BSB returns
The Eco committee are looking forward to another busy and productive year. Eco reps are being elected in every class in Key Stages 2 to 5 as I write, and once again we are delighted to see plenty of volunteers putting themselves forward to act as Eco monitors, award Eco points for Eco aware behaviour, and attend Eco meetings once a month. Key stage 1 are not about to be left out of the action as they will continue with the Eco Tree of Achievement that was so effective last year, together with other Eco awareness- building activities both in and out of class.
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The Eco committee ready for action!
This year we would like to run a competition for a motto for Planet BSB, to go with the winning logo chosen last year by the patron of Planet BSB, HRH Prince Nicholas of Romania. So get your thinking caps on, and start thinking of a short, snappy motto that encapsulates all that Planet BSB represents. The Eco committee would like to wish all students, staff and parents a happy and environmentally sound year. BSB Eco Committee
BSB Summer School Have you ever had one of those experiences where you looked back and wonder how the time passed so quickly? It seemed like one minute we were standing there at the gate, excited and ready to begin our first day at summer school and the next we were all together enjoying the farewell BBQ at the end of week four, receiving our Leaver’s Certificates and saying goodbye to everyone. It was really a great four weeks and already most of us are looking forward to returning next year. In trying to sum up our time at summer school, it’s hard to know where to begin. We did so much fun stuff every day. I really liked the cooking lessons with the teachers and Mr Alex. It was great cooking together and then eating together at the end, and I now know how to make muffins and pizza and pasta and pancakes, and fresh lemonade.
Learning English through fun activities
Climbing lessons in the afternoon with our teacher and the climbing instructor, Vlad, were great. He explained the various pieces of equipment and helped us to overcome our fears. Most of us were not that comfortable climbing very high in the first week, but by the end of the fourth week there were two of three of us on the wall at the same time at the top and on the difficult climbing routes as well- it was amazing. Climbing on the climbing wall with Vlad also helped us to become more confident on the pool climbing wall and I definitely enjoyed using the pool wall more in weeks 2, 3, and 4.
New experiences
Of course the main reason we were all there was to learn or improve our English and I can say that all the teachers were really great. We had teachers from England and America and also Ireland. They really made the lessons fun and there was always so much to do. We did projects making 3D pictograms and posters. We did drama and music with Mr Lewis- he asked us to just call him just Phil. We painted outside on the aisles with Mr Fentsos, Ben. We spent time down in the computer room and in the school library and out of the tables under the trees reading. The teachers were always getting us to work together in groups using English to do things which was more fun than just working from a class book. We did have books and did a lot of work from them, but we also did lots of fun activities and spoke a lot and so the lessons seemed to pass very quickly and before we knew it was time for the afternoon activities.
Basic Skills Issue 1 2011 17
I think everyone really enjoyed the afternoon activities. Each day we meet after our project lesson in the school cafeteria and the teachers divided us into groups and told us what activities we had on for the afternoon. We did swimming every day and then usually went into the dome to play badminton or tennis, or football.
Forming a band helped us work together
Results of lots of hard work
The wonderful environment helps support so many activities 18 Newsblast
Using Hot-seating to challenge our students
Farewell to our students
I wasn’t sure what summer school would be like when my parents signed me up, but now I can tell you that it is nothing like normal school. It’s a lot of fun and the time passes really quickly. You’re always working in groups on a project or on the computers or in the library reading and everything you do is in English so your English improves a lot. I wasn’t on the Academic Prep Programme, but the older students on the programme all said it was a good
programme and they liked their teacher Mr McGowan, who was apparently really funny. Anyway, if you are wondering what to do next summer, I would definitely recommend summer school to anyone who wants to have fun improving their English and to make some new friends Summer School Student
Issue 1 2011 19
Clubs at BSB As always, BSB strives to offer a holistic and rewarding educational experience to all our students and this philosophy extends to our extracurricular activities programme. BSB staff and professional teachers from our local community work together to provide the students with a wide
Developing stretching and flexibility are essential to enjoy sports
Ballet club provides the opportunity to work on posture, flexibility and creative response to music
20 Newsblast
range of different activities to engage in after school - whether you prefer to weave magical stories, develop your skills on the sports field, use your green fingers to make our school gardens prosper, or just to try something completely new, there are clubs available for you.
Mixed Volleyball Club In Mixed Volleyball Club we concentrate on skills development in small game situations. Volleyball is a game that is all about teamwork. This includes principles such as cooperation, communication, supporting and encouraging others, satisfaction and unity. We are working towards improving our all round volleyball skills and techniques which include: serving, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, and digging. These are the six major volleyball skills players must develop. Ms Billie Jones, PE Teacher
Glee Club Four students from Year 7 and one from Year 8 have joined Glee Club this year. Our aim is to develop both singing and performance skills through making our own arrangements of popular songs. Miss Finch, Music
History
Careful calculation allows children to plan their movements
In History club we do lots of different activities. We are really enjoying it and Mr McGowan is helping us all the time. Elena is making a Roman mosaic and having a great time. Fivos is making soldiers and helping out others. Johann and Csenge have taken on the huge task of making a life size model of Napoleon using paper, card and their own ingenious artistic skills. I have decided to make a castle and I have to say, have never enjoyed myself so much in my life! I wish I could have History club every day of the week! Mariam, Year 9
Ping-pong fun Ping-pong fun; we organize competitions between each other all the time even though we always do argue for the score. Mr Sykes acts as our referee. We usually play outside when it is sunny but when it is raining we use a classroom. It is a fun sport that doesn’t take much skill to enjoy and have a good time. As a result I strongly recommend anyone here to join this.
Playground games gives new ideas for activities to play at playtimes
Yasemin, Year 8
Advanced Spanish This year we have incorporated new material to challenge students to stretch the four skill areas needed when learning a language. The material comes from the Instituto Cervantes and it is a series of videos with clues to solve a mystery. It comes with grammar activities that encourage students to expand their vocabulary to new areas used in real context and to get used to a variety of accents. Ms Rocio Marti, Spanish Teacher
Children developing their ceramic skills with clay moulding Issue 1 2011 21
University courses in the Primary School As always, September brings new students, new teachers and new skills and enthusiasms into the school and we are thrilled to be able to offer our primary students such a wide range of courses to choose from this year. From cooking to creating mosaics, sign language to life-saving and debating to dance, there should be something to appeal to everyone. BSB’s university programme is designed to teach new skills in progressive steps to children and give them input into their own learning experiences; I am looking forward to seeing how the children respond to these new challenges and to watch them enjoying themselves as they learn. Miss Thomas, University Course Coordinator
Boccia ball will be played at the next Para-Olympics. Over the course children will develop their precision and technique
In knitting university children refine their fine-motor skills and engage concentration and creativity in order to produce final pieces - patience and perseverance also help them when learning a new skill!
Life Saving: children are learning the basic skills of water rescue; later in the course they will move indoors to learn vital first aid techniques 22 Newsblast
Children in the KS2 cookery course learn about food hygiene, cooking techniques and work together to plan healthy, balanced menus
Yoga for KS1 allows children to concentrate on controlling their bodies and minds as well as relaxing and stretching
Parachute Games encourage cooperation, imagination and a real sense of fun
Issue 1 2011 23
History Learning Pathway utlined below is the learning pathway a pupil moves through as they O progress through the key stages from EYFS to KS5. History can be a stimulating and interactive subject. There are many ways to achieve the objectives set out
in the History curriculum and we have included some examples of how it was done in our school last year.
EYFS In EYFS History is part of the Knowledge and Understanding of the World (KUW) area of learning and development. At this age, teaching is child-led and therefore very relevant to children. They should recognise special times in their lives and those close to them and understand some talk about the immediate past, talking about these significant events using some time-related vocabulary. They begin to develop an understanding of changes over time, starting to differentiate between past and present.
Preschool children considering their own pasts that are special to them
Hunting for dinosaur bones in the garden
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KS1 In KS1 there is a focus not just on knowledge but skills and understanding also. Children continue to use relevant language to display an understanding of time and this is further developed by teaching chronology. The consideration of people in the past is extended through teaching children to recognise why people did things and the consequences of these actions. Events are examined and comparisons are made between lives then and now. In addition, children learn to examine ways in which History is represented. They are encouraged to consider and work with a variety of media. In doing so, children learn to ask questions about the past.
It is very important that children see artefacts as a source of history
Recreating medieval castles Issue 1 2011 25
KS2 In KS2 chronology is developed further. Pupils are now expected to place people and events into specific chronological order and to also use dates in the language of time. KS2 pupils learn about characteristic features of periods, studying the beliefs of people during this time, taking into account the diversities of societies studied. Pupils begin to ask questions and identify reasons for events in history and they are taught to justify their reasons. Children also learn to make connections between different periods and societies. Pupils are still encouraged to use a variety of methods and media to research history. However, this is developed by an expectation that pupils will record their investigations and order information. Perhaps the most obvious development of History in KS2 is the local history study where pupils investigate how an area has changed over a long period of time, taking into account events or people that may have had a significant effect on the area.
What must it have felt like to wear a gas mask? Empathy for others is a skill that occurs throughout our curriculum 26 Newsblast
KS3 In Key Stage 3 History students make a study of British and International History. Students build on their History skills in Year 7, particularly their ability to analyse different sources. Topics studied include the Romans and Britain from 1066-1500 (Year 7), Tudors and British Society, the American West (Year 8) and Twentieth Century World (Year 9).
Students in Year 7 begin with Historical skills. They develop their chronological skills by designing timelines of their lives.
Chronicling our own lives helps us appreciate this vital historical skill Issue 1 2011 27
Students are also encouraged to develop cross curricular skills, such as map skills.
Year 9 project includes developing their mapwork skills 28 Newsblast
KS4
Students in Key Stage 4 learn to analyse propaganda and sources.
Year 9 focus on developing their skills on propaganda and analysing sources
Issue 1 2011 29
Students are expected to develop and research different aspects of History, such as weapons used during the World Wars.
Students are encouraged to research topics that interest them 30 Newsblast
Students develop their analysis and note-making skills at IGCSE History.
Key Stage 4 developing their note making skills on the Vietnam War
Issue 1 2011 31
KS5 Students at A’ Level are expected to develop critical thinking skills, write in-depth and develop their note-making skills
Key Stage 5 developing their essay skills
32 Newsblast
Lunchtime Careers Presentations Find out about the world of further education and work from people who have actually experienced it‌
Date: 2nd November 9th November 16th November Time: 12.20 - 13.10 Place: Drama Studio Crawford Building
Sponsored by:
Issue 1 2011 33
Country Profile: Turkey Dilara, Year 8
Yasemin, Year 8
Whereabouts in Turkey are you from? Istanbul How long have you lived in Bucharest? All my life. I have never lived anywhere else. Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Quite European and beautiful. The sea is amazing, and the people are kind. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? I don’t know as I have never lived in Turkey. How does BSB compare to your previous school? BSB is better and more friendly. It has a better schedule and I like learning in English. We have more subjects here, e.g. DT and I feel like I learn more.
Where abouts in Turkey are you from? Demirkoy How long have you lived in Bucharest? 12 years (all my life) Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Very vivid and colourfull How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? It has dirtier streets and more beggars however there are more shops How does BSB compare to your previous school? BSB has been my first school! What do you like about your new school? It’s cool. The teachers are ok.
Eda, Year 10
Whereabouts in turkey are you from? From the Mediterranean region. How long have you live in Bucharest? Too long, around 13 years.
Where abouts in Turkey are you from? Near Ankara (the capital). The city is called Eskisehir. How long have you lived in Bucharest? This is my 5th year here. Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Depends where you go, for example Istanbul is a beautiful city although there’s a lot of traffic. It’s got a rich culture, history and great food. Antalya is very popular for the summer for most tourists but I personally prefer Oludeniz and Bodrum. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? First of all, I don’t get to speak Turkish as much and it’s a whole different culture. School is also very different, an example would be that in Turkey we learn Turkish history but here, we learn about world history. How does BSB compare to your previous school? My school in Turkey was quite big and it was a primary and middle school in a university campus whereas here, the school is quite small. Here, it kind of feels like family and everyone interacts. What do you like about your new school? As I mentioned before, it’s kind of like family because it’s a small school and I like that quite a lot. The education is great and everyone is friendly; I really like BSB.
34 Newsblast
Didehan, Year 12
Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been there? It is an amazing country, and I’m not just saying it. Turkey itself is like a continent to us, each city or region has its own characteristics, accent and culinary traditions. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? Vastly. I was young by the time I lived there and only now I realized the differences between the two countries. The variation of people, environment, culture, economy. Nothing between the two countries is alike. They are both beautiful in their own ways. How does BSB compare to your previous school? It is definitely much smaller but more cozy, welcoming and closer to where I live. What do you like about your new school? The fact that years 12 and 13 are treated like adults, the helpful staff and the green scenery.
Engin, 6B Where in Turkey are you from? Kusadasi How long have you lived in Bucharest? 10 years Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Its very hot there and there is a lot of sea. The food is very good
there, my favourite food is kebap and my favourite desert is backlava. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? In Turkey I live next to the sea. And it is a lot more fun there because you can swim and there are good parks. How does BSB compare to your previous school? I never went to school in Turkey but I have heard it’s very nice. What do you like about BSB? Its very educational and I have many good friends.
Mete, 3M Where in Turkey are you from? Istanbul How long have you lived in Bucharest? 3 years Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Turkey has lots of houses and horses. There are some mountains and it’s very green. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? The language is very different, the flag looks different and school is different. How does BSB compare to your previous school? In my last school the teachers and my friends spoke Turkish. What do you like about BSB? I like BSB because we have Star of the Week and Golden Time! I love the house competitions too.
Ipek, 5F Where in Turkey are you from? Eskishehir How long have you lived in Bucharest? 6 years Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been It’s an awesome place. You can visit interesting places like: Antalia, Ankara, Istambul How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? Turkey is a bigger country than Romania and there are lot of shopping malls. In Turkey houses are very different from each other, there are balloons at the seaside which you can shoot with arrows How does BSB compare to your previous school? School ( Crèche) was fun and we had crazy hair styles. They had beds for young children. You could sometimes, take things at home, like: cotton bags, play with them at home and then change them between us, we had lockers ( even for Reception). What do you like about BSB? There are two music rooms, new MFL classrooms; we learn fun stuff every day. Interesting theme days/weeks like: Language Week, Science Week, Sports day, Egg Hunt, Water Day, Hat Parade. I like the playgrounds, I like that we are all different nationalities, non uniform days some times: Jeans Day, Book Day, etc, I like the end of the year Christmas and Summer Production, I like BSB’s Got Talent show, the Summer Fair and the Artisan Fair.
Zubeyde, 5F Where in Turkey are you from? Istanbul How long have you lived in Bucharest? 4 years Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been Turkey is a friendly country; people are kind to each other. The baklava is delicious. How does BSB compare to your previous school? BSB is bigger than a normal school in Turkey. Wherever you go there are restaurants, there are lots of churches (a church in Turkey is called “cami”) The school in Istanbul was a lot smaller and each class took turns to play in the playground. We had no swimming lessons in the school. Our classes had flower names. What do you like about BSB? There is a swimming pool, teachers and TAs are kind, we have a library and fun days like Crazy Hair Day, Book Day, etc. There are things that change each year each year. I like that we have fun all the time and we have lots of games to play. I like the idea of having a twin class. I love going on trips at the end of school year. I like all the trips during the school year: to cinema, parks, museums, I like Bake Sales. Universities are fun times and we learn lots of things.
Ilayda, 4B Whereabouts in Turkey are you from? I am from Istanbul How long have you lived in Bucharest? I have lived in Bucharest for either five or six years, I am not quite sure exactly. Describe Turkey to somebody who has never been. Turkey is nice because you can go shopping and there’s a place where you can play in the park and it is very big, it is huge. How does living in Romania differ from living in Turkey? Romania is different because here there are not as many big parks that are easy to get to, partly because of the traffic. I think there is much more traffic in Romania than in Turkey. How does BSB compare to your previous school? I’ve never been to a Turkish school What do you like about your new school? I like my friends and I understand more English now than Turkish. I like the Universities and swimming.
Issue 1 2011 35
Lower School Review As it may have been for many of our new students, parents and teachers the start of the new school year, for me, was a mixture of excitement, and apprehension about the year ahead. After working at BSB as KS2, EYFS and KS1 Coordinator over recent years I am extremely proud and honored to be the new Head of Lower School.
The first few weeks of a new school year always fill me with optimism and excitement; hearing children and parents alike catching up on the summer adventures and planning new ones; seeing all our new arrivals already making new friends and planning all our activities makes me very proud to be a part of such a wonderful school.
Thank you to all the parents who came to our very successful and informative coffee mornings I hope you found them useful. In true BSB style we have already had some special events - Language Week, the election of House Captains and Vice Captains and the Student Council to mention just a few. You will also have noticed that lots of work and investment has gone on in the school over the summer. The PE hall looks amazing and the room really enhances the great PE lessons I have observed. We are able to utilise the Ringwood multipurpose room for so many activities; I have already seen some fantastic assemblies and an EAL lesson that was making full use of the larger space.
“Welcome to both returners and all our new parents, teachers and students back to school for what I am sure will be another busy and successful year at BSB”
New resources that we are already implementing into our teaching and learning include a set of Mac laptops. This means that students will get to experience and learn how to use both Windows and Mac operating systems. We also have child friendly digital cameras in KS1 and EYFS so look out for photographs taken by the children on our screens in school and on the Blogs. We also have a wonderful addition to the Crèche building, the Crib is designed for 12month - 24month old children and has a soft play area, quiet room and multifunctional room. Parents may also have noticed some exciting new university courses including Maypole and Alto Recorders. We look forward to seeing children on these courses show off their new skills very soon. Some of our future developments will include a steel band and a school orchestra. You will see examples of other investments being used by our students in this and future issues of Newsblast
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome both returners and all our new parents, teachers and students back to school for what I am sure will be another busy and successful year at BSB.
Ms Tiffany Moorcroft, Head of Lower School 36 Newsblast
Starting School in the Early Years
Starting school in EYFS can be very daunting, not only for the children but for parents and families too. There is a lot happening all at once and quite often this brings big changes for the children and their families. Even children moving up through the classes will experience new classrooms and environments, new classmates, new learning and routines and of course new teachers. This is why at BSB the teachers work hard to try to ease children into their first days in EYFS, to help them adjust and settle in the most comfortable and relaxed way possible.
Before the start of the school year Crib, Crèche and Preschool offer all parents the choice of a home visit. This is a good way to begin forming relations between the teaching staff, children and their parents in a familiar and comfortable environment, and can often provide valuable information which may be helpful to explain a child’s behaviour patterns or interests when they start in the school setting. Following this the children’s first few days will be shorter than a usual school day and children will start school in small groups on different days throughout the first week. A process which we call ‘staggered starts’. This helps the children with that first adjustment to their new surroundings and supports their settling into a new class.
Despite our efforts to ensure a smooth transition to school or between classes, it is not unusual for children to become upset or cry, and although this can also be very distressing for the parent to see, children often settle very soon after the parent has left. Some children settle into their new class very quickly, whereas others may take a little longer but the EYFS staff understand that every child will adapt to their new setting in a different way and we have a happy, caring team here to support each and every one of them. Ms Claire Cowlishaw, EYFS Coordinator
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EYFS Parents Workshop Workshops are a useful way to see our learning in action and to find out some of the things we do in EYFS
On Wednesday 14th September the first EYFS workshop of the school year was held in the new Ringwood Hall. It was a lovely to meet so many of the children’s parents and families across the breadth of our EYFS department. This year we have welcomed a new Crib class to our department along with our usual Crèche class, one Preschool class and three Reception classes.
in EYFS, the importance of observations and the collection of evidence of the children’s learning and development. The EYFS learning process is one which runs right through from birth to the age of five and here at BSB we are committed to providing high quality care while providing learning opportunities through a fun, exciting and engaging play-based curriculum.
With the growing number of classes come many new faces and it is wonderful to see such a good turnout at our workshops where we can share with you the ethos of EYFS and demonstrate aspects of the children’s learning. Our first workshop provided an overview of the EYFS curriculum and how we implement this in school whilst also detailing the process of assessment
We hope to see as many of you as possible at our future workshops which will cover a variety of aspects of the curriculum including phonics, reading, numeracy and outdoor learning. Ms Claire Cowlishaw, EYFS Coordinator
Taking first steps towards reading On Thursday 29th September, KS1 parents were invited to our workshop on Reading. The main focus was to give parents an overview of reading in school and inform and support parents with their important role within this. Books are a rich source of new words for your child; words you would not use in everyday conversations appear in books. Children need to have a wide vocabulary to understand the meaning of books, so we encourage parents to read aloud and share books as often as they can. Obviously, the more children are exposed to activities involving letters and sounds, the quicker they will consolidate their newly acquired skills. Your involvement in this new learning is vital, and we ask that whenever possible you take time to encourage your child to use their new knowledge. 38 Newsblast
Mrs Priscilla Varban, KS1 Coordinator
Settling in, making friends and experiencing new adventures We have only been in school for a few weeks and already tears have stopped. The children in Crib and Crèche have begun to settle in and find their feet and are now ready to explore their new environment. We are taking full advantage of this lovely weather that we have at the moment and spending as much time as we can outside in our garden. During this time both classes are having the opportunity to interact with each other as well as getting to know all the adults. The Crib children are very interested in the cars and bikes, and have enjoyed using these to get around and about outside. This interest has continued inside where the garage and small world cars are very popular. As for Crèche, it is all about ducks and water. The children have been learning the song “Five Little Ducks” and will often sing this to themselves throughout the day. Creche and Crib Class Teachers
Learning to play alongside each other
Taking turns is a new skill
Manipulating new materials
With special shades we can get out into the fresh air in all weathers
Issue 1 2011 39
‘Look at me, I’m in Preschool C’
We developed our listening skills recognising different sounds heard around the school
Our Preschool class this year welcomed some new faces to BSB and some returning faces from the previous years’ crèche class. The children were very excited to be in Preschool and Miss Catalina, Miss Cristina and I, were all very impressed by how well the children settled in to their new class.
The children have also been practicing letter formation and initial sounds through games and activities based around their names and have been developing their social skills, sharing, turn-taking and developing friendships within the class.
We began the new term with our theme ‘This is Me’. The children described themselves and used mirrors to identify features of their own faces before painting self-portraits. They discussed their likes and dislikes and all their favourite things and shared stories about their homes, families and people they love the most.
We are so happy the children have all settled so well and look forward to a fun and exciting year ahead. Ms Claire Cowlishaw, Preschool Class Teacher
The children focussed on simple 2D shapes recognising these when describing and drawing pictures of their homes and we looked at different types of homes and houses in other countries.
Developing social skills and relationships are important in EYFS Using the bikes and trikes outside develops gross motor skills 40 Newsblast
Demonstrating a knowledge of colours while developing balance and coordination
Rock and Roll into Reception A big welcome to our Reception page and also to our new teaching team. On this page you will see all the enjoyable learning that takes place on a daily basis throughout the three classes. We have Miss Aimee Scott teaching in Reception S. She has enjoyed getting to know the children and creating a stimulating classroom environment. We also have Miss Cat Passmore in Reception P. She enjoys welcoming her children each morning ready to start a new fun-filled day. Finally we have Miss Kayleigh Evans teaching Reception E who loves the excitement each day brings, too. During the first half term the children have been super settlers, and have adjusted well to their new routines and class teachers. They have begun with letters and sounds and are making promising progress throughout.
In Numeracy we have started looking at numbers to ten and beyond, and begun forming these. All of our learning takes place through child-friendly enjoyable activities, following the children’s interests. In Miss Aimee’s class the children are having a blast learning about types of transport especially aeroplanes and rockets. We have gone under the sea with Reception P, where the children are demonstrating their creative side making a large wish fish. Reception E are being jungle explorers and have been looking at different animal patterns and creating their own. Parents are always welcome to come into Ringwood to take a look at the children’s fantastic work. Reception Class Teachers
Issue 1 2011 41
Identifying initial sounds of pictures and sorting them accordingly
Reception P set sail on their new adventure as pirates of the sea
In numeracy we are learning to match objects to the corresponding number
42 Newsblast
A stunning start to Year 1 It has been a wonderful start to the new school year throughout Year 1. All of the children have settled in well and are enjoying their new surroundings. Being the start of a new year and with many new, happy faces it seemed appropriate that the first topic in Year 1 should be ‘All about me’. It has been lovely learning all about each others families, interests and even what each other wish to be when they grow up; occupations as diverse as racing car driver to snowboard instructors. In our Numeracy work the children have impressed all of the Year 1 teachers with their knowledge of counting to 20 and above. They enjoyed using their counting skills to measure how many cubes the length and width of their hands were as part of their ‘All about me’ booklets.
Manipulatives like cubes make learning to count easy
In Literacy the classes have worked hard on list making, writing captions and labels. The Year 1 children successfully managed to label various parts of the Ringwood building, including even the hamster’s cage. We have also started to investigate different types of poems all related to the 5 senses. So far the favourites have been any that mention food. We all enjoyed using our senses to smell different materials deciding how some smelt sweet whilst others smelt sour. The favourite was the bubble bath which, we all decided, smelt like very sweet sweets. All of the Year 1 teachers are very excited about the next year and the fun each class will have. Year 1 Class Teachers
Searching for new spelling words in story books
Compiling key words Issue 1 2011 43
Autumn Leaves are Falling Down Year 2
Playing games with friends can help up learn the importance of listening to others and taking turns
Year 2 would like to welcome Mrs Bradshaw and Mr Johnstone to the Year 2 teaching team and we also wish to say a warm welcome to our new students too.
We identified lots of targets, such as doing our best work and being kind to others. We have also talked about the importance of being a good friend and listening well.
Our Science topic of ‘Health and Growth’ has been interesting and we have been learning about food groups and having balanced meals as well as taking exercise and taking care of our bodies.
We have been learning about the different continents in the World and the name of the oceans. The children are studying about a small village in Mexico called Tocauro. They are comparing life in Mexico with life in Bucharest.
At the start of the term we discussed what our aims and expectations were for the upcoming year.
2B are learning to be good listeners and to be able to retell the story to our talking partner 44 Newsblast
Year 2 Class Teachers
Using leaves to make crafts
A positive start to Key Stage 2 The boys and girls in Year 3 have started the new school year in a positive and hard working manner. We have been settling into our new rooms in a new building with new routines and we have been getting to know our new teachers and friends. In Literacy so far, we have been focusing on improving our listening skills, writing in sentences and using adjectives. Maths has involved addition, subtraction, doubling, halving, place value, partitioning and shape.
Go investigate!
Class 3C have been investigating light and shadows. The children have enjoyed using different materials to explore how shadows are formed. They have really enjoyed recording the length of shadows in the playground to discover how they change throughout the day. Class 3A has been focusing on Geography, studying ‘Weather Around the World.’ We have been exploring different climate zones as well as thinking about how the weather influences our lives. The children have filmed each other being weather reporters and have been forecasting the weather in Bucharest. In class 3M, Art, Drama and PHSE have been connected so far and we have been exploring ‘Relationships’. We learned through mime and freeze-frame how to express our relationships and the way we interact with our friends and families. We used photographs of our freeze-frames to create a Matisse style collage, communicating different relationships. As you can see, it has been a busy start to the term in Year 3 with even more events to look forward to including healthy eating week, language week, Jeans for Genes week, not forgetting class assemblies. We hope we can continue to do our best and share our achievements with you as the year unfolds.
Weather reporter
Year 3 Class Teachers
Creating a Matisse inspired collage
Issue 1 2011 45
All in Year Four are enjoying learning to spell Everybody enjoys spelling!
This term Year Four have begun a new approach to spelling in the classroom. e are using all sorts of different methods and materials to help us to remember our weekly spelling lists. This active approach brings together a number of different ways of thinking about how children acquire knowledge and how facts are retained. The classes are offered some choice in how they practice their weekly word list. However, once they have made their selection for the session they must complete the word list with that activity. Each spelling session is fairly brief, lasting approximately fifteen minutes. The activities include writing in a tray of flour. Some pupils choose to spell out their words by jumping from letter to letter on a large alphabet mat. Some use the more traditional methods of laying out either wooden or plastic letters to spell the words. There are those who use whiteboards and whiteboard pens to practice the whole list against the clock encouraging fluency with words. The children have access to Unifix style cubes which have letters and sounds printed on them. Brightly coloured pipe cleaners are twisted into letters to spell out the words. String and cold cooked spaghetti can be used too, this can be a bit sticky but that’s the fun of it! Currently the most popular approach is to write words in a tray of shaving foam which has been smoothed out to represent a blank page. All in all Year Four are enjoying learning to spell! Year 4 Class Teachers
Spelling is an important skill to conquer 46 Newsblast
Speed writing will make lots of tasks easier in the future
We have lots of strategies to learn our spelling
BSB has many laptop sets and so IT skills can be taught with more flexibility
The start of an exciting year Year 5 Welcome to Year 5 for this school year! This year the two teachers are Mr Madsen in 5M and Mr Feltham in 5F. We have begun our literacy this year by studying the author Michael Morpurgo and more closely his novel ‘The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tips’. This is a story set in World War II about the life of a British girl who had kept a diary. The story is her diary entries.
Discussing Maths problems helps our understanding
We have looked at this writing style and why authors choose to write this way. This will be useful to us later when we begin writing our own pieces. Many of the students are excited about making their own loaf of bread this year in our Design Technology lessons. We have already tasted a variety of bread, looked at their country of origin and rated them according to taste. We will use this information to help decide on any special ingredients that we would like to include in our own loaf. Year 5 Class Teachers
Graphic design is a much needed skill, we are starting early!
Issue 1 2011 47
Start of a New School Year Year 6 After a relaxing summer break, the start of the new school year has thrown us back into the fast pace of life at BSB. The first few weeks have been exciting, starting the year with new classrooms and new personalities and we have welcomed some new children to the school and have really enjoyed getting to know them and finding out about their previous homes and schools. There have also been lots of changes to the BSB campus over the summer. Together with many new faces to the teaching staff, we also welcomed Mr Rob Bradshaw to the Y6 team, who has taken responsibility for 6R. Mr Bradshaw has had a varied career, both in and out of teaching, from retail to the police, from council estate schools in the UK to the modern developments of Saudi Arabia. We have started our Year 6 topics, including some EGG-citing EGG-speriments in science with plants and what they need to grow. We have also taken on the extra roles that are required of us as the oldest children in the Primary School. We are looking forward to a wonderfully productive and fulfilling time this year at BSB and hope you all have a similarly enjoyable year. Year 6 Class Teachers
Two new children join 6R
Catriona using her flexibility to strike an action pose during an art lesson
48 Newsblast
6R supporting reading with a younger class
Showing what happens when you dont water a plant!
Taking Responsibility BSB introduces our Head Girl and Head Boy
BSB’s New Head Girl: Alexandra My name is Alexandra and I’m currently in Year 13. I am studying Maths, French and Business Studies for A2 and I’m taking English for AS. I’ve been at the British School of Bucharest for six years now. Throughout this year, I hope to successfully fulfill the tasks required of me as an “ambassador” of
secondary school, with the help of the head boy, Alex . Some of the tasks include taking part in school events, being actively involved in school activities and being a good role model.
BSB’s New Head Boy: Alex Hi everyone! I’m Alex, your newly appointed Head Boy. This article is so you can find out just a little bit more about me! Well, you probably already know I’m in year 13, my last year in this school. I take Maths, ICT, Business Studies and Music as my A2s and hope to get into a University in the Netherlands. The older students of this school probably know me best for my passion of music
and my constant presence at school recitals, where I play guitar. As a Head Boy I will be leading parents and potential students around school, contribute to assemblies occasionally and most importantly, be the representative of the students alongside the student council. I look forward to the rest of the school year and completing my duties as Head Boy.
Issue 1 2011 49
BSB Secondary & Primary Productions
The celebration of the undead dance showcased many talents
Dracula Show Rocks Bucharest At the end of the school year the children in Key Stage 2 had a well deserved opportunity to show off their skills in music, drama and dance. Once again they treated parents and friends to an engaging evening’s entertainment at the Tandarica theatre. The fast moving plot saw Shirley Holmes and Watson take on and overcome the double threat of Dracula and arch-villain Moriarty. Mr Steve Green, Primary Music 50 Newsblast
The Zombies summon Dracula to appear Issue 1 2011 51
Smike The summer production of “Smike”, the musical, was our first full scale Secondary production. The students had to audition for their parts and there were some funny moments when some of the older students tried to play the youngest roles so that their mother and father character came up to their waist. In the end we cast the play according to talent and suitability to the character. The Squeers family were played by Filippo, Chira, Mariam and Eda and a funny bunch they were too. Quite deliberately, they were chosen for their acting ability for the Family Von Trapp from the ‘Sound of Music’ they were not!
This added to the humour of the play and was fitting of the vile Dickensian family. Smike (Andrea) had to be a singer and actor and did both well. Nicholas (Basil) had an alter ego (Rhys) in order to help him out with the vocals and the rest of the cast really supported each other to make it one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year. Next year we will be doing Cinderella, the musical, so dancers, singers and actors be prepared. There are still some ‘Smike’ D.V.D.’s available at a price of 50 Ron. See Mr Kelly if interested. Mr Kevin Kelly, Drama Teacher
An impressive performance made a real impact with our audience
52 Newsblast
Effective sets and costumes made for a professional performance
Smike: The musical saw great singing and and acting from all
A very dynamic show
Smike gave anyone the opportunity to shine
Issue 1 2011 53
Election Fever hits BSB Thursday 15th September was an exciting and tense day for many of Year 6. They had the opportunity to offer their candidacy for the positions of House and Vice Captains. Following some fantastic speeches and incredibly close voting, the following children were elected to post:
Catriona, Olt House Captain I came here as a new student last year. I was really impressed by what a great school community we have… I want to try and make everyone in Olt happy. David D, Arges Vice Captain …to make this team cooperate, not only in house competitions, but throughout the year.
Joanna, Arges House Captain Along with being disciplined and competitive, we will have lots of fun..
Veronika, Danube House Captain I think I am ready for this responsibility. I am sure that I will lead Danube to victory.
David K, Olt Vice Captain I am very proud to be Vice Captain of Arges…we will lead our team to victory.
Radu, Danube Vice Captain I want Danube to be a dynamic, awesome house, who never lose. United together, as the best and most epic house in school.
Samantha, Mures Captain Although nervous, I was incredibly proud and honoured to be voted in as House Captain. I hope to help everyone in my team and make sure they have a fun year in Mures. Filip, Mures Vice Captain I wanted to be Vice Captain because they have responsibilities that could get you ready for real life.
Mr Rob Bradshaw with the support of the new House Captains and Vice Captains.
Secondary House Captains
Noor, Arges House Captain Greetings Argesers! I would like to start off by thanking you all for electing me as your House Captain and I would also like to assure you that you’ve made the right choice. I am honoured to be the chosen one. I promise to never disappoint you and do my best as your House Captain. I promise to be loyal, trustworthy, sociable, friendly, devoted and a person you can turn to if you have any problems, questions, suggestions or any requests.I believe that this year we should act as a family and encourage one another to be the
54 Newsblast
best house team this year. Last year was a great success; I will try my best to lead you guys towards victory. Our outstanding teamwork, cooperation, and talent will guide us through the victorious path. So dear Argesers I give you my word to stand by you through whatever and represent you and our house in the best way possible.
Mihnea, Danube House Captain My name is Mihnea and I am currently studying Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Further Mathematics for my first A-level exams, in Year 12. I would like to
express my gratitude for all the members of Danube who voted for me as House Captain of Danube - I assure you that this choice was well-made. This year, I am looking forward to organising interactive assemblies for Danube as I am sure this is one area in which Danube as a team will excel. Thank you for having elected me; I wish everyone success!
Tudor, Mures House Captain Hello. My name is Tudor. I thank everyone in Mures for voting for me and allowing me to lead the green house. I promise I will do everything
in my power (while also adhering to the rules) to help the green house win. However, I cannot do this alone and I will need your help. We must strive to lead academically and in the house events. To do this everyone must focus at 110%. I wish everyone in Mures a happy and fruitful year. Green for the win.
May, Olt House Captain Although nervous, I was incredibly proud and honoured to be voted in as House Captain. I hope to help everyone in my team and make sure they have a fun year in Mures.
Welcome back
How appropriate – and great advice for the start of the year as we have old and new students students starting the year, getting to know one another, listening to each other and working closely in groups... The poem goes on...
Looking forward to a fantastic year. I thought I would start this year’s issue with some excerpts from one of my favourite poems. The ‘Desiderata’ was given to me as a child by my Grandmother and just recently whilst moving some papers I found it in a file, read it and reflected. The opening stanza starts like this...
“Go placidly amid the noise and haste, And remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly & clearly; and listen to others,
“Avoid loud & aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain & bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.” Being an adolescent and starting to get to know yourself, what makes you happy, sad or even angry is very important. Knowing what you like, don’t like and knowing what you are good at is also so important at this stage. Year 7 and I defined self esteem the other day in PSHCE and one student described it as a ‘humming noise’ that depending on how happy/confident you felt ‘the hum’ could turn into ‘a buzz’. Lets hope we all turn into bees this year in that case, a lovely analogy. The next stanza talks about careers and the future which is very apt for our emerging Key Stage 5! With their new common room, business attire and focused study periods they are starting to look into universities and careers, taking control of their futures and being encouraged to take opportunites available to them. “Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing future of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals; and everywhere life is full of heroism.” The last stanza I will share with you is the following. I don’t think it needs a commentary or explanation. I wish everybody a great year. “You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees & the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.” Desiderata Max Ehrmann (1872-1945) Ms Jen Kemp, Head of Secondary
even the dull & ignorant; they too have their story.” Issue 1 2011 55
BSB Language Week 2011 “Talk to me!” was the motto of yet another successful Language Week. Traditions have been continued and the established events of the last years were expanded to include more languages and more areas of learning.
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world”
Basil, Muhammad and Filippo interpreting the quote with a sketch
The Secondary assembly on the European Day of Languages, September 26th, rang in the Language Week. The motto of the assembly was a quote of Austrian Philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein ‘The limits of my language mean the limits of my world’. Gaya and Kayla (Year 7), Filippo, Basil and Mohammed (Year 9) presented speeches and creative performances inspired by this quote. Both groups reached the same conclusions: the more languages you are able to speak and understand, the better your understanding of the world will be. With each language that you learn your outlook on life becomes richer and more differentiated.
I Love You: Language Week DVD
Y8 students performing the Chinese language clip
The assembly was the premiere of the Language Week DVD - short films made by the Year 7 & 8, teaching ‘I love you’ in different languages as well as some basic vocabulary. The Italian I-love-you video proved to be the public’s favourite, the Turkish, Spanish and German one were very creative and the Chinese video was a little masterpiece, complete with props, make up and an elaborate script. Well done to everyone!
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KS1 and their activities throughout the European Day of Languages Key Stage 1 have been very involved in the activities that the MFL department had prepared for this special event. Our students prepared a series of events celebrating cultural wealth and multiculturalism around school. All classes have had the opportunity to speak and learn some words/ small sentences in different languages. Doing the register in different languages, identifying languages of the stickers provided, playing educational on-line games provided by the EU have been some of the activities that the students had the chance to explore.
Lastly, Mrs Bradshaw and her Y2B prepared a very special class assembly focused on Mexico and the Spanish language. We had the opportunity to enjoy their handmade masks inspired by this country as well as a Spanish song and counting up to 20 in Spanish. Ms Rocio Marti, Spanish Teacher
Issue 1 2011 57
Y7 learning a Japanese dialogue of introduction from Mirai sen sei
Konichi wa! Year 7, Year 10 and Year 11 students surely know their Japanese greetings after attending the language and origami workshop run by 4 visiting professors and students from Bucharest University. The Japanese Workshop is an established part of Language Week at BSB and it has run for the third time this year. The students picked up the dialogues very quickly and had a lot of fun trying out even the longer words. Arigato to our Japanese teachers and congratulations to the BSB students who will know how to make a good impression next time they meet someone from Japan.
Language Cafe The Language Café on Tuesday opened its doors to pupils from Key Stages 2 to 5, who could have a taster of different languages. A great ‘thank you’ to the moms who generously provided both food and/or teaching, the Language Café would not have been such a success without them. All the students who helped run the café, be it by becoming temporary teachers of their
Making requests in French
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Y10 students learning how to make an origami crane
native language or organisers, did a marvellous job. The pupils visiting the event filled in their language passport, showing great ability in jotting down languages as diverse as Greek, Chinese, Italian, Arabic, Korean, Romanian, Turkish or the more familiar French, Spanish and German.
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Secondary PE
Extended Curriculum As part of the Year 12 and Year 13 Physical Education Programme this term, our students have had the opportunity to go to the World Class Gym in Jolie Ville to partake in a variety of personal training and exercise physiology fitness lessons that work towards improving their overall physical fitness. These sessions are a really positive way of getting out into the community and contributing to the students’ wider curriculum. The Year 12 and 13 students have been really excited about this opportunity to go offsite for their PE lessons and to be able to work out at World Class. They were buzzing with excitement every session and their attitude and behaviour were exceptional, a true credit to the mature young adults that we have here at BSB. These sessions were not exclusive, and other people from the public were also working out at the same time. As a member of staff here at BSB, I have been truly impressed with all of our students and how professional they are. For most, this is a new experience for them, working out in a gym and trying new machines and equipment. Thank you to the instructors and staff at World Class Jolie Ville, especially Ana. They were great, very accommodating and helpful and the facilities are fantastic. Congratulations to all of our students involved. Ms Billie Jones, PE Teacher
Improving abdominal strength
Using karate moves to train
Using gym balls to enhance the workout
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A Taste of Parisian Life On June 18th, Madame Vollaire, Mr McGowan and I made our way to Paris with students from Year 8-12, for a week of fun filled activities. Our trip included visits to the Eiffel Tower and Arc de Triomphe, as well as an opportunity to experience the culture and history of Paris on a cruise down the Seine River and a stroll along the Champs Elysees. Students delved into the diverse aspects of history present, with a glimpse at the opulent life of Louis XIV at the Chateau de Versailles, the haunting Catacombs which hold the remains of 6 million Parisians and the Louvres Museum with its overwhelming selection of Egyptian, Greek, Roman and Etruscan Antiquities. The museum also gave plenty of scope for the budding artists amongst us, with its vast selection of masterpieces. Students made their way up endless flights of stairs, determined to catch a glimpse of all the paintings and sculptures on display. They also viewed the work of Impressionist painters in a temporary exhibition. The Centre Pompidou displayed the work of Romania’s sculptor Brancusi, as well as an exciting selection of innovative contemporary art. Students enjoyed an evening at the Montmartre Quarter, with its beautiful Sacre Coeur Basilica and its streets full of memories of artists such as Van Gogh, Dali, Mondrian and Picasso. Street musicians and artists gave us an opportunity to soak up the creative atmosphere that is still so evident in this area. For the Science buffs, we visited the Cite Des Sciences et de I’industrie, which is the largest science museum in Europe and contains a wide range of interactive games for students to partake in. On Friday June 24th, we left Paris with tired and teary eyes having thoroughly enjoyed our trip. Ms Martina Greaney
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A trip to Notre Dame
Visiting Asterix Park
Outside The Louvre Museum
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Madrid Trip
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Student Council Update for Secondary Greetings everyone, I am deeply honoured to declare that I will be the President of this Annual Student Council Year 2011. I would like to introduce you to my fellow council members: Year 7: Calista, Jacob, Laura and Julia Year 8: Dilara and Eleanor Year 9: Beatrice and Csenge Year 10: Lola, Naomi and Eda Year 11: Noor Year 12: Tudor and Mihnea Year 13: Senia Last year was a huge success; we had the Halloween Party, Secret Santa, Friendship Day, Talent Show and Crazy Hair Day. Hopefully we will do even better this year. Please if you have any concerns or suggestions, you are welcome to tell Mr. McGowan (Head of Student Council) or myself anytime. Noor, President of Student Council 2011
Your Student Council ready to serve
How can we help you?
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BSB Garden Party On Saturday September 24, BSB staff enjoyed a team building party in the school grounds. The weather was perfect and everyone was treated to some excellent activities. After being split into three groups, teams took part in mind, physical and cooperation games. Activities within these areas included building a bridge using only cucumbers and wooden skewers, a space hopper race around a circuit and tackling an obstacle course like a caterpillar. For the adrenaline seekers, a zip wire was erected from the top floor of Crawford House down to a run off area near to the EYFS block. A delicately poised hammock hung over the deep end of the pool and staff were encouraged to see how many people could get in before the wires broke. The record for the day was five.
A mass game of musical chairs took place with the eventual winner, being called into question after breaking the winning chair when sitting down. The rule book is still being meticulously researched to see if this is within the laws of the game. Party-goers were never short of good food thanks to a beautiful BBQ that was put on. New recruits were given chance to meet, work in a team and have fun with other new members of the school, as well as returning staff. Everyone who went was in agreement that a good time was had by all and the day served its purpose exactly.
A lot of team work and coordination is needed
and it gets harder when you need to negotiate obstacles
The teachers can get very competitive
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Everyone needs to work together to complete this activity
Sign up for
Qu z Night
?
Date: 11th November Where: British School of Bucharest Teams of 6 (maximum) Cost: 85 lei Cost include food and refreshments Traditional British Pie and Mash Profits from the night will be supporting the British Legion's Poppy Appeal Contact: office@britishschool.ro to register
www.britishschool.ro
42, Erou Iancu Nicolae Street, 077190 Voluntari, Ilfov County, Romania T. +40 21 267 89 19 F. +40 21 267 89 69 E. office@britishschool.ro
Secondary Assembly in new Hall