The Veseyan - Summer 2023

SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18

DEAR READER, This Summer ‘Veseyan’ magazine is a testament to the way in which our school, Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, is committed to the mission of inspiration and excellence, seeking to nurture scholarship as well as character in all our pupils.

The children I meet in school, every day, are ambitious, cheerful and friendly. They understand their purpose here at BVGS is to be good pupils – scholars - as well as being people of good character. As one visitor put it last week, “If all your pupils are as smart, polite and helpful as the pupils I met, you have every reason to feel very proud.”

We can always reflect how we as individuals or collectively can be better. Young people, or we who are adults, for that matter, are rarely ‘the finished article.’ But there is no doubt that I am proud of all our pupils, staff, parents and the wider Vesey family for all their contributions to this academic year.

I am also proud of all our leavers: those from Year 11, who are going on to pastures new, our Year 13 getting ready for apprenticeships, gap years or university and their families, some of whom will be saying goodbye to Vesey after the departure of their 2nd or 3rd Vesey child, up to 10-15 years since their first son arrived in Year 7. We will also miss our staff leavers. We wish you all the very best for the future and urge you to keep in touch.

Join our alumni: https://alumni.bvgs.co.uk/ .

You are all ‘Old Veseyans’ now!

Wishing you a summer holiday, which gives you some time to reflect, to explore and to have fun.

Mr Robson

Headteacher.

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CONTENTS SCHOOL LIFE

A NEW LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE FOR BVGS | PG 1 - 5 CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2022 | PG 6 - 8 MEET THE NEW SCHOOL CAPTAINS + FULL LIST OF OFFICER ROLES | PG 9 - 12 CULTURE DAY 2023 | PG 12 INNOVATION AWARD FOR 'INSPIRING MINDS' PROGRAMME | PG 13 YOGA IN PARLIAMENT | PG 14 TREASURE ISLAND SCREENING AT BVGS | PG 15 LAMDA SPEECH EXAMS | PG 15 STUDENTS, BUSINESSES AND CHARITIES GET CONNECTED | PG 16 F1 IN SCHOOLS | PG 17 WORK EXPERIENCE FEEDBACK | PG 18 CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE SUCCESS | PG 19 LAKE GARDA MUSIC TOUR | PG 20 - 21 ENGLISH, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND ART TRIP TO SCARBOROUGH | PG 22 - 24 GOTHIC WRITING COMPETITION WINNER | PG 25 - 26 JULY TRIPS | PG 27 - 28 QUILT, DON'T QUIT | PG 29 JUNIOR SPORTS AWARDS DINNER | PG 30 - 32 THE SIMON LATIMER AWARDS FOR CYCLING | PG 33 MAIN SCHOOL PRESENTATION EVENING | PG 33

OUR STAFF VALETES | PG 34 - 37

OLD VESEYAN NEWS WECOME MESSAGE FROM CHAIR OF OVA | PG 38 CHANGING OF THE GUARD – OLD VESEYAN ASSOCIATION AGM | PG 39 DATES FOR YOUR DIARY | PG 40 THE OV GOLF SOCIETY, MOOR HALL GOLF CLUB AND THE PRO-SHOP CLOCK | PG 41 HEADMASTER GEOFFREY CROSS’S FAMILY HOME FOR SALE | PG 42 IN MEMORIAM, COLIN TOPLISS | PG 43 - 45 IN MEMORIAM, COLIN TOPLISS | PG 46 GOLF DAY 2023 | PG 47 - 48 WELL DONE HARRY | PG 48

SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL SCHOOL LIFE LIFE LIFE LIFE

SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18

A NEW LEARNING RESOURCE CENTRE FOR BVGS In preparation for our historic 500 year anniversary in 2027, we are delighted to report that Bishop Vesey's Grammar School is significantly investing and upgrading the site! Building is due to begin in January 2024. By September 2025 the School will have excellent new facilities, which will be of great benefit to students, staff and the wider Vesey community.

At the heart of our plans is the development of a new Learning Resource Centre, spanning three floors at the front of the School.

This innovative facility will offer dedicated Sixth Form study areas equipped with advanced IT facilities. Additionally, it will house a additional dining space, a library, and new classrooms. This will cater for studying, social activities, and community use outside regular hours.

We aim to have these new facilities open in September 2025!

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FLOOR PLAN

The LRC will enable us to expand our Sixth Form, opening more opportunities for students beyond BVGS, ensuring that we sustain the gender balance, and importantly, serve more disadvantaged students from across the regions, building our social capital. It will also attract more funding for the School.

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Flexible social space will be available to our community our of school hours which as well as generating income for the school, will improve wellbeing, foster talent and support businesses.

Our new building will be informed by ’green’ principles and will provide BVGS students with ‘hands-on’ learning opportunities about sustainable architecture and building processes.

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HOWEVER, WE NEED YOUR HELP The new Learning Resource Centre, Computer Suite and refurbishment of tired spaces across the School is expected to cost over £6 million. This is how we will pay for it: Department for Education grant - £2 million, on track ✔ Foundation Charity of Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School grant - £2.7 million, on track ✔ Investing in Excellence Fundraising Campaign - £1.5 million The Investing in Excellence Campaign has already raised almost £1 million, and we are extremely grateful to all of our supporters. Please help us to raise the rest so that we can create a truly exceptional learning environment for Vesey students now and for years to come.

For more information about the Investing in Excellence Campaign, download the brochure here.

To find out more about how you can support the campaign, please contact Joan Cagney at j.cagney@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk Find out more about this project by going to https://bvgs.co.uk/learning-resource-centre/

Thank you for supporting Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School!

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CELEBRATING CLASS OF 2022

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The class of 2023 began in September 2021. Your cohort experienced so much disruption to GCSE education through the pandemic and have embraced all that is good about an education here at Bishop Vesey over the last two years. Not only have you worked tirelessly at your academic studies you have also immersed yourselves fully into the school community. Charity, sports, fund raising, mentoring, supporting each other-the list could go on. You really are a credit to yourselves and the school.

It has been a pleasure to be your Head of Year, I will miss having chats with you in the corridor, finding out about your wider talents and generally the way in which you conduct yourselves. Your focus, leadership and kindness has set the bar high for the years to follow. As a Sixth Form Team we are all very proud of you.

I look forward to celebrating with you on Results Day in the Summer!

Mr Freer

Head of Upper Sixth

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MEET THE NEW SCHOOL CAPTAINS

We asked the new School Captains to introduce themselves, tell us their favourite film and explain their plans and ideas for BVGS. Hi everyone, my name is Esther, one of this year’s School Captains, and I would firstly like to wish you all the best for the summer break – I hope you can all enjoy some well-deserved rest! The summer is a time to reset and recharge for all of us, and taking some time for you is essential to returning positively in September.

After being asked to talk about my favourite film, some serious deliberation had to happen, it’s not an easy question after all. Despite this, I have settled on ‘The Hunger Games’. Over the years, this has grown to be one of my comfort films; Katniss Everdeen quickly became someone I aspired to be like – her strength, determination and willpower are all traits I strive to demonstrate in my daily life. A close second would have to be ‘Interstellar’ though!

There are two main reason I applied to the role of School Captain: to develop my skills as an individual and, more importantly, to strengthen the Vesey community to a greater extent. During the next year, I wish to unite all of the students here as much as possible and our officer team plan to do this by intertwining house and charity events in a way that allows for inter-year group collaboration. As well as this, I hope to represent our historic school proudly by promoting the Vesey values of both academic excellence and commitment to character development.

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Hi there, I’m Adi! I’ll sum myself up in 3 phrases: Maths lover, cricket aficionado and music fan (can’t beat Ed Sheeran).

Favourite film? I don’t watch much TV or movies these days but if I had to pick one, I’d go for ‘Speed’, thrilling storyline and keeps your heart pulsing right through.

Looking ahead to the new academic year, I’d like to promote the interaction between year groups to boost collaboration as well as share first-hand advice, allowing students to make the best choices for their futures.

Creating opportunities to those who may not put their hand up and developing important skills fellow pupils will need in their life after Vesey also matter to me.

Most of all, it’s about being a role model and representing our school with diligence and pride that will define my last year (!) at the school. If you see me around school, please say hi and introduce yourself. Until then, have a good summer!

Hi everyone, I'm Tash and I am the Deputy School Captain for the upcoming year!

My favourite film has to be Titanic. The storyline is so captivating and ignites so many different emotions whilst also being interesting and having good-looking characters!

Since joining Vesey's, I've had so many different opportunities such as visiting Oxford University. I'd never been to Oxford before, so seeing all the beautiful buildings and architecture really inspired me. As the Deputy School Captain, I want to aim to increase the participation in the PSHE curriculum in all years.

Personally, I believe it is very important and so I feel passionate about making sure all students receive the PSHE education they deserve.

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Hi everyone, I'm Chris, and I'm deputy captain for this year.

I'm so proud to have been part of the Vesey community for 6 years now, and am honoured to take on this role.

Through my time at Vesey I have enjoyed pioneering the school’s use of technology with the Student Tech Comm, developing a passion for rowing and also music.

My favourite film is Napoleon Dynamite, as it is hilarious from start to finish and Jon Heder’s (Napoleon) acting is spot on.

This year, I am looking forward to meeting as many of you as possible and welcoming new students to Vesey. The school captain team have ambitious plans for the year ahead, and we are working hard to get as much done as possible to improve the Vesey experience for everyone! I am exploring options such as a vending machine for student use to reduce canteen queues, as well as the inclusion of a student-designed art piece in the exciting new LRC project.

FULL LIST OF OFFICER ROLES EQUALITY OFFICERS

SCHOOL COUNCIL

Evie Marshall Sunny Joshi

Amar Abhilash Viraj

MENTAL HEALTH OFFICERS Jaya Heer Kara Kinsella Alfie Holdsworth Mahin Shaheen Miah

CHARITY OFFICERS Karim Alex Max

SPORTS OFFICERS

HOUSE COORDINATORS

Abigail Kalim Emily Beatrice Max Lola

Stevie Sofia Jacob

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STEM AMBASSADORS Meet our amazing team of STEM ambassadors, who are all passionate students of different areas of STEM. They are eager to share their enthusiasm and knowledge with the younger students in the school and inspire them to pursue their own interests in science, technology and engineering. This is not just a club, but a community of learners who support each other and have fun along the way.

CULTURE DAY 2023 We held our first ever Culture Day on Thursday 13th July. It was great to celebrate the diversity of our staff and student community. Thank you to everyone who donated snacks for purchase. They were very tasty!

As a result together we raised £180 for a charity building schools in less economically developed countries. Thank you in particular to Ayaan in the Lower 6th, who first came to me with the idea and who, with his Lower 6th colleagues, championed the day. Excellent leadership in action.

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INNOVATION AWARD FOR 'INSPIRING MINDS' PROGRAMME Miss Orlandini, our Head of PSHE, received a national innovation award on Wednesday 14th June for her work leading 'Inspiring Minds' in front of over 100 grammar school heads at a conference at the RAF Club, Piccadilly, London.

'Inspiring Minds' is a character education project whereby Y10 and 12 pupils are trained to be health ambassadors ready to deliver PSHE lessons and drop-down days to Y5 pupils across the locality.

35+ Veseyans have delivered a series of lessons in 6 primary schools since September with a particular focus on schools with higher numbers of disadvantaged pupils.

As part of receiving the award Miss Orlandini and 4 of our pupils (Mukunth and Elliot from Y10 and Mariyah and Alfie from Y12) all spoke about what they have learned from undertaking this project. They did brilliantly!

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YOGA IN PARLIAMENT On Tuesday, 11th July a group of Veseyens took part in the meeting of the AllParty Parliamentary Group on Yoga in Society which was held in the Houses of Parliament in London. The focus of the meeting was on the importance of injury prevention and reduction of concussion amongst children and adolescents playing rugby. The young speakers who play rugby for BVGS or Sutton Coldfield Football Rugby Club shared their exciting stories of practising Pitch Ready, a yoga-based programme developed by Joanna Fletcher, CEO of the YogoJo Foundation, a yoga teacher and mum of 3 rugby players. They were her inspiration to keep kids and teens safe on the pitch and let them enjoy playing the game that they love.

Ben Caddick (Y8), Alfie Fletcher (Y8), Jacob Fletcher (Y10) and Will Maynard (Y8) practice yoga on a regular basis during the co-curricular sessions at BVGS or in the Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club. They explained how practicing yoga improved their post-match recovery, helped guard against injury and improved general flexibility. They also explained how yoga-based practices have improved their performance both on the pitch and at school, and most importantly gave them advantage to succeed free from injuries and with improved body stabilisation especially around shoulders and hips. They advocated for yoga to be included as part of rugby training. Their voices were echoed by other speakers that included Geoff Fletcher, Chairman of Sutton Coldfield Rugby Club, Ryan Stuart, Director of Rugby and Matthew Weaver, Level 2 Coach at Leicester Tigers Academy. Rt Hon Andrew Mitchell, MP, who is a great supporter of bringing yoga into schools and sport to improve kids mental and physical health, was also present at the meeting and kindly arranged for a tour of the Houses of Parliament which everybody greatly enjoyed.

From left: Chris Bradley, Joanna Fletcher, Geoff Fletcher, Ben Caddick, Alfie Fletcher, Jack Harvey, Freddie Fletcher, Alfie Sweeney-Fitzgerald, Andrew Mitchell MP, Will Maynard, Pheobe Weaver, Jacob Fletcher, Jayden Bradley

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TREASURE ISLAND SCREENING AT BVGS Y9 really enjoyed The National Theatre's screening of Treasure Island and everyone was amazed by the incredible set design. In addition to watching the production, we considered the director's decisions when adapting novels into plays.

LAMDA SPEECH EXAMS WITH CENTRESTAGE AT BISHOP VESEY'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL On Tuesday 11th, Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th July at Bishop Vesey's, over 130 of the Centrestage Speech pupils took their LAMDA Speaking Verse and Prose examinations. The pupils have been working incredibly hard all year to develop their confidence, clarity, expression, and performance skills ahead of the examinations. The students showcased huge amounts of determination and talent, and we are immensely proud of every single one of them. For some students, it was their very first exam. For others it was their Gold Medal, giving them UCAS (university entrance) points. We look forward to receiving the results soon, which we are sure will be fantastic!

Centrestage are delighted to announce that we have places available on our register for next academic year. Lessons currently take place on Monday or Tuesdays during the school day, and are taught in groups of 6-8 pupils.

If you would like some more information about Speech@Bishop Vesey, please email admin@centrestageschool.org.uk

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STUDENTS, BUSINESS AND CHARITIES GET CONNECTED! Partnerships are vital to the School’s continued success in developing young people, who are both scholars and of good character, well-equipped for life beyond school. We continue to build mutually beneficial partnerships between the school and a wide range of local companies and charities to enrich student experiences. We call this the Corporate Partners Programme.

Each business-to-school relationship is unique and adds practical expertise and personal development in readiness for the “world of work”.

At the same time, our thriving Internship Programme for Y12 students is proving to be successful in equipping students with practical skills, knowledge and experience ready for the world of work beyond school. They develop and tailor pupil skills in communications and marketing; business/charity networking; critical thinking; practical problem-solving; team-working and team-building; CV and Interview skills; and business and charity leadership. The programme has already launched some talented entrepreneurial and charity leaders of the future who will make significant impacts in their chosen fields.

Every year, the school’s Charity Officers (Year 13) and Charity Interns (Year 12) devise their own Charity Plan which engages all students in raising money and awareness for a whole range of good causes. The plan includes an annual festive Giving Tree as well as some imaginative House/School charity fundraising to help out people in need during the pandemic, the Pakistan Floods, Turkey/Syria Earthquakes and the Ukraine Appeal.

The BVGS Giving Tree started as an Intern idea a few years ago and has grown and developed in significance and become an annual fixture in the school calendar. Our charity team plans, organises and delivers the project themselves.

Members of the public from across all local communities are invited to donate gifts to meet the needs of our three chosen charities and are augmented by donations from all school stakeholders.

The Programme continues to transform and expand and is key to developing future business leaders. We are always keen to establish relationships with new businesses and charities. If you want to associate your company brand with an outstanding school with a strong heritage, excellent reputation and an exciting future, please contact Graham Swindells Operations and Finance Director g.swindells@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk or Claire Bolton, Corporate Partners and Internship Programmes c.bolton@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk to find out more.

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F1 IN SCHOOLS

Whilst the Lenovo F1 in Schools National Finals was a very tricky challenge, at ELOI Swift Motorsport we saw extensive success. We blew away the competition with our Enterprise and Design & Engineering Portfolios, which we won an award for. The star quality portfolio award is given to the team who scores the best within the portfolio judging sessions. The 5 page a3 documents are created on Microsoft Powerpoint and take months to complete, All aspects of the competition are included within the portfolios, such as marketing and budgeting. Alongside this, we were nominated for the project management award, which we came 2nd in.

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WORK EXPERIENCE FEEDBACK For my work experience placement in Lower Sixth, I was fortunate enough to spend a week working alongside professional structural and civil engineers at Mott Macdonald. During my time there I was given a small Birmingham-based project to work on whilst using the skills of my fellow engineers to aid my progress.

At the end of the placement, I had to present my findings in different areas to the CEO and some other engineers. My project took me through several areas of civil engineering and was incredibly educational and thorough. From areas of geotechnical engineering to the final project management element I always had access to incredible minds who were eager to share their knowledge and experience.

Mott Macdonald really opened my eyes to the diversity of the engineering world and how, as a woman in an area of STEM, I would not be as alien as I once thought. During my short stay, the company invited me along to their Women in Engineering meeting, here I was exposed to not only the challenges that women face in this line of work but also the incredible work companies are taking to counteract this adversity and make the world of engineering more welcoming every day. Written by Abigail Woodiwiss (Mott MacDonald)

‘Partners&’ is a national insurance broker and I was very fortunate to spend my work experience placement based at their regional office in Lichfield. The firm strives to protect all kinds of business from a variety of risks including consumer complaints, physical risks to production and cyber-attacks. This placement provided an introduction into insurance broking and the factors that influence how small to medium enterprises (SMEs) operate. I learnt about the full scale of challenges that affect different industries based on the good/services produced by understanding risks they face and how to insure against them. By tailoring insurance products and using technology intelligently, SMEs can build resilience into their risk management programme. I was taught about how a seamless approach to risk management gives business owners the confidence to take measurable risks during their operations, that may benefit many stakeholders, as well as improving economic growth.

During my time, I was allocated a variety of tasks including completing risk assessments for a range of businesses, from sandwich production to supplying electricity to the nation. After participating in internal and external networking events, I further learnt about the importance of building personal relationships and networking to identify new business opportunities. I ended the week by creating marketing posts for the company’s Instagram account by sharing their core principals, aiming to attract new clients. This experience has benefited me in many ways; not only have I gained experience and confidence in the workplace, but I have developed a range of transferrable skills, which I will find useful in future studies past sixth form.

Written by Priyanka Bungar (Partners&)

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CHEMISTRY CHALLENGE SUCCESS Our YR12 Chemistry students took part in the Cambridge Chemistry Challenge, this is an annual competition run by one of the Cambridge University Colleges.

The exam is extremely demanding and test students on Chemistry outside of the usual curriculum context. Well done to all our amazing Year 12 Chemists who did so well, especially Max for being awarded a very prestigious gold certificate!

NAME

SURNAME

AWARD

Avinash

Phull

Copper

Aaron

Cunningham

Silver

Amy

Hubbold

Copper

Jia

Huang

Copper

Max

Dalton

Gold

Hadi

Rana

Copper

Karim

Almourad

Silver

Faheem

Hussain

Copper

Usariam

Abdullah

Copper

Jacob

Crook

Copper

Ibraheem

Bani-Saad

Copper

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LAKE GARDA MUSIC TOUR

At the end of June, we embarked on our highly anticipated tour to Italy, Lake Garda! The day prior, we showcased our well prepared pieces to parents and got packed for the trip. Our 24hr+ journey took us on a ferry from Dover to Calais, and through France and Switzerland. Travelling by coach allowed us to see the varied landscapes as we progressed on our journey, like the vast green mountains of Switzerland.

After the time spent travelling it was nice to settle into the hotel and relax by the pool, welcome in the warm weather. I was happy to find the hotel so accommodating for my dietary requirements and the staff on the trip supportive. It was a great learning experience, especially with trying to find suitable food in foreign service stations, theme parks and restaurants. Overall, I found accessing suitable food abroad easier than expected and would be more confident with tackling something like this again in the future.

During the tour, not only did we perform in concerts, but we also got to sightsee and explore different areas. On our first full day, we explored Verona, and saw Juliet’s balcony, the Capulet house and the Verona Arena from ‘Romeo and Juliet’. It was really interesting to see these historical places and fun to get our picture taken. My favourite place to visit was the Arena.

I also enjoyed the freedom we had, especially at Garda Land. It allowed us to spend time with friends and go on lots of rides, with roller coasters aplenty for thrill seekers.

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On our final full day we set-off on a cable car that took us over 2200m in elevation up Monte Baldo. The view from cable cars was really cool, and the day was topped off when we all had ice creams at the end.

My favourite part of the trip was of course performing in the concerts. We performed in three in total at different venues to encouraging audiences. This was my first music tour and it was beyond my expectations. Above all, the tour was a brilliant experience and I can't wait for next year’s!

Thank you to Mr Buxton and all the staff who made the tour possible.

Thomas Pass 9B

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ENGLISH, HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY AND ART TRIP TO SCARBOROUGH

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Our year group couldn’t wait for the exciting residential trip to experience and learn about the Gothic literature (which we have been studying in English), history, geography and art at Scarborough and other areas of Yorkshire, organised by Mr Chadwick, and other teachers, between Monday 3rd July to Thursday 6th July.

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Starting off day one with enthusiasm and excitement, our first stop was at the majestic mansion, Castle Howard, within the Howardian Hills (an area of outstanding beauty at the foot of the North York Moors national park) which is still the seat of the Howard family today. We saw art, opulence and heritage in an ancestral form. We compared the great house to Manderley from DuMaurier’s Rebecca – one of the great houses of Gothic literature. This was followed by an immersive slapstick comedy masterclass, provided by the Stephen Joseph Theatre company in advance of our trip to the theatre the following day; we enjoyed throwing fake cream pies at our friends and getting messy (just a little bit!). The day was not complete until we had some fun and frolics at the beach with friends where we played games, dug holes, and took in the view and sea air before bed.

The second day started with a sun-drenched morning at the magnificent Scarborough Castle where we saw the main keep of the castle, and a medieval site surrounded by cliff sides as a natural defence.

We later went onto discover the grave of the renowned Yorkshire born writer, Anne Bronte, one for the three famed Bronte sisters, before devouring the delicious famous fish and chips of Scarborough. We had a refreshing walk along the seaside to view the disaster site of Holbeck Hall, which we were given some expert analysis by Mrs Dille and Mr Lee from geography as part of our learning about coastal erosion, to finally finish the day with an engrossing theatre performance of the play 39 Steps at the renowned Stephen Joseph Theatre; some of our troop even managed to be interviewed by the press to state our critique, and even meet some of the cast.

On the following day, we had a thrilling journey across the North Yorkshire Moors national park in a traditional steam locomotive from the town of Pickering to Whitby, which Mr Page gave us great insight to, where we visited the famous Whitby Abbey and the Gothic decaying graveyard which inspired the creation of the work Dracula by Bram Stoker. To experience more spooky events, we had a private ghost walk in groups, touring around all the eerie parts of Whitby. To bring some light relief, and to end the scary night, we indulged ourselves in bowling – which, it must be mentioned, was extreme fun!

To end our trip, we visited the breathtakingly beautiful Yorkshire Sculpture Park which was filled with unique artworks by some of Britain’s, and the world’s finest sculptors. We saw the works of Barbara Hepworth, Damien Hirst and Henry Moore, where with Mrs Rowlands' expert knowledge, we delved into the deeper and hidden meanings. We created our own interpretations of the art.

My highlight of the trip was our visit to Whitby Abbey as I believe it helped me understand the idea of Gothic conventions. The uncanny and derelict monastery that stood on top of a hill influenced and developed my Gothic writing style, showing me how Gothic conventions, such as isolation, can impact the reader, causing them to feel scared. And on a less academic note, it was also quite enjoyable as my friend and I gave each other piggy back rides whilst roaming around the monastery and learning about its secrets - climbing 199 steps to reach the abbey had taken its toll, so it had to be done, of course!

Srujan Swaroop 8E

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GOTHIC WRITING COMPETITION WINNER

TITLE: LILA WRITER: JAI PATEL (8P)

It was midnight, the moonlight illuminated the long stretch of beach in Whitby. The cold damp air and the cool salty water clung to my skin.

The waves crashed against the rocks and crawled up the beach in a trance like state. The salty smell of the sea wafted into my nose as I looked up at the cliff. My feet sunk into the soft sand. I was unable to move. It wasn’t the sand that left me paralysed but it was the agonizing fear and dread that clenched my heart to the point breathing was difficult. Tears gathered behind my eyes hindering my ability to see.

My heart thumped in my chest. My blood vessels were on the verge of popping. I trembled so hard, and my hairs rose. Terrified, petrified and confused, I pulled myself together. The thought in my head sent shivers downs me. There on that cliff stood a strange black figure and where that things head was supposed to be, wasn’t there. It was headless.

I blinked hard, maybe I hallucinated, and as I opened my eyes I was lost for words. I stopped, not wanting to move a single muscle. It wasn’t there, it disappeared. Gone as it was never there. The air around me suddenly got colder, it was like I was caught in a tunnel of tepid ice.

Dull, grey, sombre clouds gathered up above and it started to rain. A thick, choking layer of sea fret set on the beach.

My clothes were damp with a veil of moisture. Through the blinding fog, I saw it again. Watching me. The sea fret made it hard to see but I was sure I could see another figure too. It had long bony withered legs. They were so thin it looked like they would just snap in two like a twig.

Rain now soaked me, and the clouds got even thicker plunging Whitby into complete darkness. It was as dark as a moonless night. The waves crashed on the shore more aggressively. It was as if the sea had some kind of rage swirling inside.

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Sounds of seagulls faltered, their shouts growing weaker. The heavy black clouds gave off the sound of thunder. That uncanny figure I saw radiated nothing but fear and death, and from where it stood were gravestones. Old, rotting, decaying, ancient ones. They leaned together like old friends and had elaborate carvings. The graves were said to never have been touched for decades, moss taking over them. Nature spread along the walls of the nearby monastery like long tenacious fingers, enveloping the ruined building slowly and stealthily.

I’ve heard many stories and hauntings before but never experienced it.

Trees without any leaves stood still against the raucous wind. Their roots looked like skeleton claws. The sea fret now seemed to dissipate.

The mysterious figure with uncanny legs was clearer. It had long silky lustrous hair with pure black skin. Its eyes were like an endless void.

The figure, though, reminded me of someone utterly familiar, a horse called Lila: my best friend. I had many memories with her; we ran on the beaches and played in the water. Her soft hair made me feel safe and happy. We loved each other’s company. However, things took a dramatic turn, something I wish never to experience again.

It was a fine Saturday morning during summer, and I saw Lila lay dead in the stable. I never found out how she died, and not a day passed without a moment of dread. My life felt like it was slowly disintegrating.

Now she was here, I was sure of it, alive but something felt odd.

Something disturbing about her presence frightened me to my very core but I couldn’t work it out. My heart thumped louder, and my eyes widened in horror. It wouldn’t be. It couldn’t be. Something was very wrong.

-"A TRULY GRIPPING, ENGAGING AND SUSPENSEFUL OPENING TO A GREAT, WELL-WRITTEN GOTHIC NOVEL." - MRS LYNCH

"ATMOSPHERIC, EERIE, CHILLING SUPERB USE OF GOTHIC TROPES IN THIS SUSAN HILL-INSPIRED OPENING." - MRS HAYWOOD

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JULY TRIPS

BOSWORTH

THINKTANK 27

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OXFORD

NATIONAL SPACE CENTRE The week beginning Monday July 10th saw 8 trips take place in 3 days.

Half of Year 9 visited the academically renowned Oxford University, including the Bodleian Libraries and a college tour, courtesy of OVs currently studying at Oxford: Sandeep Berdesha (Chemistry, St John’s), Alistair Kitchin (PPE, ChristChurch) and Blessing Sowunmi (History, Wadham). The other half of Year 9 visited two fascinating Oxford museums: the Natural History Museum and the Pitt Rivers Museum. For those who like their Vesey facts, it is good to know that the current Curator of World Archaeology at Pitt Rivers is an Old Veseyan, Professor Dan Hicks FSA, MClfA! Meanwhile, Year 8 enjoyed a trip to Twycross Zoo and a day of science fun at Millennium Point.

Year 7 also had excellent trips to Bosworth Field, where they were schooled in the military arts of 1485, and the National Space Museum in Leicester.

Thank you to all the staff who led and supported some really excellent educational visits.

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QUILT, DON'T QUIT

I’m Jaya, a Year 12 student at Bishop Vesey’s, and I created the ‘Quit, don’t Quit!’ project. My aim was to promote positive wellbeing throughout the school in a way that would also unite us as a community. The project was very successful. All of Year 7,8,9 were given a fabric square to take part. I devised a fun form time activity which was creatively stimulating. I plan to continue this project into the future so every new Year 7 student may add their unique section to the quilt, providing them with a sense of belonging as they join BVGS.

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JUNIOR SPORTS AWARDS DINNER

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On Tuesday 11th July, the annual Junior Sports Awards Night was a real success with the event sold out and over 200 people in attendance. The rain held off for the best part of the evening and the sporting achievements of our youngest students was celebrated and recognised across all sports. A huge thank you to everyone who attended and well done again to all the winners, which are detailed below: Hockey U’12 B Team Alex Morris - Most Improved Daniel Chen - Player of the Season

Hockey U’12 A Team Hakam Allouh - Most Improved Ethan Akel - Player of the Season

Hockey U’13 B Team Hockey U’13 A Team Felix Underhill- Most Improved Luke Collins- Most Improved Will Maynard- Player of the Season James McCormack- Player of the Season Hockey U’14 B Team Hussein Bandali - Most Improved

Hockey U’14 A Team Ralph Howett - Most Improved Oliver Hoe - Player of the Season

Hockey U’15 B Team Jed Ikolo- Most Improved Adi Kommidi- Player of the Season

Hockey U’15 A Team Alfie Lee- Most Improved Benji Myatt- Player of the Season

Rugby U’12 B Team Rugby U’12 A Team Yudi Zhao- Most Improved William Coffie- Most Improved Xander Loxton-Hayes - Player of the Connor Hazeldine-Potts- Player of the Season Season Rugby U’13 B Team Tariq Mehrzad- Most Improved Saiyoush Sivarag- Player of the Season

Rugby U’13 A Team Prashant Chauhan- Most Improved Rami Shamma- Player of the Season

Rugby U’13 B Team Nathan Cox-Peel- Most Improved Jack Finn- Player of the Season

Rugby U’13 A Team Awwal Salau- Most Improved Dan White- Player of the Season

Rugby U’14 A Team Awwal Salau- Most Improved Dan White- Player of the Season

Rugby U’15 B Team Divine Olurotimi-David- Most Improved Toru Ashton- Player of the Season

Rugby U’15 A Team Cricket U’12 B Team Jiahao Xu- Most Improved Theo Ross- Most Improved Will Van Praag- Player of the Season Ibrahim Ahmed- Player of the Season

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Cricket U’12 A Team Theo Ross- Most Improved Ibrahim Ahmed- Player of the Season

Cricket U’12 A Team Omkar Nashipudi- Most Improved Abi Miryala- Player of the Season

Cricket U’13 B Team Jude Jean- Most Improved Dharam Khera- Player of the Season

Cricket U’13 A Team Aiden Verma- Most Improved Oliver Walsh- Player of the Season

Cricket U’14 B team Cricket U’14 A Team Parin Ragmanu- Most Improved James Bigge- Most Improved Youssef Yanni- Player of the Season Arnav Ahuja- Player of the Season Cricket U’15 A Team Ayaan Adil- Most Improved Salaar Sameem- Player of the Season

Young Athlete of the Year Miren Randhawa

Most Improved Athlete of the Year Tom Karra-Betts

Bikeability The Simon Latimer Cycling Endeavour Award - Louie O’Neil Simon Latimer Achievement Award Haaris Sheraz

Young Leadership Aaron Sangster

Sports Person of the Year James McCormack

Team of the Year Year 8 Hockey A Team

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THE SIMON LATIMER AWARDS FOR CYCLING

The Simon Latimer Cycling Awards have been established by the late Simon's parents, Colin and Jo, and Simon's wife, Jules. Simon was an Old Veseyan and loved cycling, developing that life-long interest while a student.

The Latimer family are keen to support young people who have only learnt how to cycle through specialist lessons at BVGS. Well done to Louie O’Neil and Haaris Sheraz for winning the awards based on their enthusiasm whilst learning to ride a bike for the first time.

MAIN SCHOOL PRESENTATION EVENING On Friday 14th July, over 100 pupils from Years 7-9 and their families were packed into Big School on Friday 14th July . for our annual Main School Presentation Evening. Awards were given for academic attainment, attitude to learning, progress, kindness and service. Thank you to Miss Hearn, Deputy Headteacher, Mr Doughty (Senior Head of Year KS3, Mrs Bowen (Head of Year 7) and Mr Page (Head of Year 8) for organising and leading the event and to Mr Maybury, our Chair of Governors, who took time and care in the way he awarded the prizes to all the pupils present.

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OUR OUR OUR OUR STAFF STAFF STAFF STAFF

SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18

VALETES Mr Lavelle I would like to thank Mr Lavelle for his help and support when arriving at BVGS in 2019 and helping me understand the unique culture at Vesey. The department will miss his enthusiasm for Computing and introducing the next 'big thing' in the curriculum. The students will miss him, and many have already expressed sadness at not seeing him again in September. Good luck and best wishes for the future both professionally and for your family.

-Mr Kirk

Miss Jarvis

I remember watching Claire for her 1st job lesson observation and it was clear to see she was going to make a fantastic teacher. Needless to say the school offered her a job. Claire was an excellent NQT and our mentor meetings were fun. Despite totally losing her voice and driving round with her resignation in her car for half a term, she came through the other side and started to enjoy her classes.

I’ve known Claire since the start of her teaching journey and we started as colleagues but have definitely become friends. She has always had such a calm approach with students. She delivers well- planned and engaging lessons and cares about her classes. I think the fact her classes have all sent her lovely cards and will miss her is testament to the great relationships she formed with them.

Not only will she be missed by the students but by her colleagues as well. She has supported and helped all of us at various times and the office won’t be the same without her. Claire has done all 3 of my maternity covers at different schools, and there are definitely no more to come, so it is time for her to go and do the role full time which I know she will be amazing at. Claire is going to be Head of Department at the school she was educated herself: Sutton Girls.’ Our loss is definitely Sutton Girls’ gain. Good luck and we will see you soon I’m sure.

-Mrs Sanders

Miss Xu Miss Xu has been our Hanban teacher since September 2022. We are grateful for her contribution to our school and we wish her well for the future -Mrs Wang

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Mr Hussain

We poached Dil from Fairfax back in January 2018 and it’s one of best decisions I ever made. In very little time he became a key member of the team and throughout his journey grew his technical competence and attributes. When the Senior IT position came up we took a calculated gamble of appointing Dil and have never looked back.

Dilwar in his time here has been a huge positive energy and invaluable member of the team. The impact that the school will feel once Dilwar leaves for the last time will be felt for a long time to come. A highly sought of member of staff will no longer walk these corridors. What the legendary IT team did to keep this school operational and supported during the pandemic deserves its own paragraph in the BVGS history books.

I’m grateful to Bishop Vesey for setting up the school. The school that allowed me to cross paths with Dil and build an incredible life long bond. Who says this is just a work place? It’s been a pleasure and a huge honour!

-Mr Baglee

Miss Mellor Carolyn Mellor joined us in January 2020 and quickly became an invaluable member of the Languages Department. Her wealth of experience is vast (she has undertaken nearly every job in a school!) and knowledge of and love for the French language shines through in her lessons. She is meticulous with her work and her high expectations ensure all her students make progress.

Carolyn has also been a very welcome addition to the Technology Department and has enthused many Year 8s with her flair for cooking! Merci, Carolyn, vous allez nous manquer!

-Mr Grant

Mrs Harris We were delighted to recruit Natalie in the summer of 2021 as our Communications Lead and as Executive Assistant to the Headteacher. Natalie has brought fresh energy and enthusiasm to the role. To ensure the newsletters reflected the views of the student body, Natalie established ‘Vesey Voices.’ However, my favourite initiative has to be the December 2021 end of term assembly, which included a video of staff and students ‘singing’ Mariah Carey’s festive classic, ‘All I want for Christmas is you.’ It was a very funny and inclusive piece of work, which gave everyone a huge morale boost as we set off for our holidays!

Above all, we will miss Natalie’s sunny disposition and positive energy. She is a great team player and has built excellent relationships with staff and students alike. She will be very much missed. We wish her the very best with her re-location to the south! Felices aventuras!

-Mr Robson

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Mrs Majid Saima has taught a range of students during her time at Bishop Vesey's Grammar School. She has enthused Key Stage 3 students with her love of Geography. She has also prepared a Year 11 group to face their GCSE examinations. Her enthusiasm and infectious positivity have been a great credit to the school and department. We wish her every success as she moves to Cockshut Hill School in September.

-Mrs Storey

Mr Kiani Zeshan joined the Mathematics department here at BVGS in September 2021 as an ECT and over the two years that he has been with us we have watched him develop his confidence and abilities in the classroom. He has supported his year 12 form through the start of the UCAS process, run a successful Sudoku club and made a difference to the wider community in his support of Friday prayers. Having now completed the ECT framework we are disappointed that we are losing him to his new career as a data analyst. We wish him well.

-Miss Green

Mr Golden Terry has provided some excellent service to Key Stage 4 and 5 Geographers in his short time at BVGS. His insight into GCSE and A Level examinations has proved invaluable for students facing public exams. He has given freely of his time to prepare students, hosting a range of revision and intervention sessions. His knowledge of architecture was also a source of great interest on the Year 9 trip to Oxford. We thank him for his work at BVGS and wish him every success in the future.

-Mrs Storey

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Mrs Guo Mrs Guo joined us in September 2020. She has inspired a number of pupils to excel in Mandarin, including success in national competitions. We are very grateful to her for her hard work and commitment. We wish her well as she takes up a new role as a Mandarin teacher at the Ecole Jeannine Manuel, London.

-Mrs Wang

MS O'neill Suzanne O’ Neill only joined the Languages department this February, but her passion for teaching and dedication to her students will leave a lasting impact. Suzanne quickly became an essential part of the team and students took to her warm nature immediately. We wish her all the best in her future endeavours and the doors of the French department will always remain open!

-Mr Grant

miss Muchena Munashe has had an excellent year with us at Bishop Vesey’s – we congratulate her on the completion of her ECT and we wish her all the best.

Her passion for English has benefitted so many of our students. She has been a caring and compassionate form tutor and supported our students both academically and pastorally. We will miss her positivity, her calm demeanour and constant enthusiasm.

-Mrs Haywood

miss Crosthwaite

Liz has been an incredible asset to the English department. We would not have coped without her expertise during the lockdown period - Liz quickly adapted to online teaching and led the way in the delivery of our online curriculum. Her passion for Literature and engagement with the latest teaching approaches has greatly supported the department's development.

We know she will detest the fuss of a leaving tribute, but we are truly grateful for her dedication and we wish her all the best in her new school and role.

-Mrs Haywood 37

OLD OLD OLD OLD

VESEYAN VESEYAN VESEYAN VESEYAN NEWS NEWS NEWS NEWS

SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18

Dear Old Veseyans,

Welcome Old Veseyans to the Summer 2023 edition of The Veseyan. I hope you are well.

As you will have seen earlier in the Veseyan, the School is investing in brand new learning spaces to bring the School environment up to the same standard of excellence as the education it has been delivering for centuries, and one that we OV’s have all experienced personally.

A new Learning Resource Centre will provide dedicated Sixth Form space for both private and collaborative working, along with a new library and dining room, new classrooms and social space. This is great news for current students, but it also means the School can open its Sixth Form to a wider intake, creating more opportunities for talented disadvantaged students, ensuring the gender balance is sustained and building the School’s social capital. Once the Learning Resource Centre is open, it will free up tired areas in the old school for refurbishment – the first of these will be two classrooms which will be upgraded to a state-of-the-art Computer Suite – Computer Science now being one of the fastest growing subjects at the School.

OV and parent, Geoff Fletcher said: ‘It’s great to see the School’s commitment to progress and excellence. As an OV and a parent, I can attest that the School’s facilities have hardly changed since I was there back in the ‘90’s. The announcement of brand new learning spaces including a state-of-the-art Learning Resource Centre and Computer Suite, is an exciting and muchneeded development. This investment will undoubtedly enhance the learning experience and provide students with the contemporary environment they deserve to facilitate their learning.’

As Chair of the OVA, I am supporting an event at the House of Lords on 11th October when Head Teacher, Dominic Robson and some of the current students will be sharing plans for the development. Do let me know if you would be interested in attending. We are building in plenty of networking time too!

Ed Pitt

Chair, OVA

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CHANGING OF THE GUARD – OLD VESEYAN ASSOCIATION AGM The OVA held the AGM on Wednesday 15th March 2023.

The election of officers marked the end of an era when Edward Pitt was elected Chairman and Paul Wallis completed the eighth year of his initial three year term!

It is difficult to find suitable words of praise and thanks to Paul for his remarkable extended term of office during which many changes in the relationship with the school have evolved together with the demographic changes in the OVA membership. Paul has expressed his willingness to serve as Deputy Chairman for Edward’s initial period.

Formal welcome to additional voluntary committee members was acknowledged to :Husham Khan, Neil Sumner and Stuart Southgate.

Oliver Pearson (Secretary), John Askam (Treasurer), Brian Davies, Tom Greenwood and Nick Hammond remain on the committee.

Dominic Robson, BVGS Headteacher, remains OVA President.

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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Shaggy Dogs Tea Party - September This year, we will be holding a Shaggy Dog’s Tea Party on Wednesday 13th September 2023. This event is always a very enjoyable gathering with the opportunity to meet familiar faces, as well as new OV’s. The tea party will be held at Veseyans Rugby Club, Little Hardwick Rd, WS9 0SQ from 2.30pm4.00pm. Tea and cakes will be served.

Please let us know in advance whether you will be in attendance by emailing the Chair of the OVA, Ed Pitt, at ebwpitt@hotmail.co.uk.

Annual OVA Dinner - November We present the 2023 OVA dinner on Saturday, 11th November 2023. Is it a special anniversary year for you and your friends since leaving BVGS? Calling especially the Leavers of: Class of 2013 (10-Year Anniversary) Class of 2003 (20-year Anniversary) Class of 1998 (25-year Anniversary) Class of 1973 (50-year Anniversary) Class of 1963 (60-year Anniversary) Book your tickets here: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/bvgs/annual-oldveseyan-dinner/e-amdqqk)

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The Old Veseyan Golf Society, Moor Hall Golf Club and the Pro-shop Clock My family and I returned to Sutton Coldfield in 1984 following stints in other parts of the country and overseas.

Thanks to the sponsorship of OV Harry Matthews and Jim Hearn, Phil Baker’s father in law, I joined Moor Hall Golf Club in 1985. I cannot remember seeing a working clock mounted on the front and above the Pro Shop until the late John Slater reported to the OVGS that he had purloined and had refurbished a suitable clock from Little Aston.

Given the long standing association between MHGC and the OVGS it was decided and the golf club accepted, that the clock would be donated to MHGC by the OVGS. In my year as OVGS Captain a small commemorative ceremony was held at the clock’s inauguration in August 1999. The donation was marked by a plaque affixed to the wall of the pro shop. Sadly that clock gave up the ghost some years ago and a new digitally controlled clock with analogue display has now taken its place through the generous gift of a well known and respected member of MHGC. With the kind permission of the MHGC Honorary Secretary, I have detached the commemorative plaque and would welcome suggestions for its final destination. Perhaps the Old Big School display cabinets or somewhere to do with the golf society?

Nick Hammond

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Headmaster Geoffrey Cross’s Family Home for Sale > From the Guardian 28th April 2023 courtesy of OV and ex-border John Mitchell

Below is the house that headmaster Cross was raised in.

There was an occasion when Headmaster Cross drove me home to Kidmore End, at term end and we called there to have a meal on the way, with Cross’s elder brother(who I expect had inherited it after Cross senior had died).

You might remember that he owned 800 acres of Downs and some scruffy cottages on that property where the scouts had a chance to camp and enjoy rural life.

The history behind it suggests that Cross Senior, in 1901, having made a pile of money from a Cotton Mill in Bolton Lancashire, retired and bought the manor house in Aston Tirrold with a big acreage, which was Geoffrey Cross’s stamping grounds for the rest of his life.

I guess the house has been modernised and facilities added since Vesey scouts spent time there. It is those same scouts who in the 60’s would build fires and cook ”dampers” on the site currently designated for the LRC!

Nick Hammond 42

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In Memoriam COLIN TOPLISS JP, MA, BSc (OXON) (January 1936 - January 2022) The life of the late Colin Topliss was celebrated at a Thanksgiving Service at Sutton Coldfield Methodist Church in March 2022 following an earlier cremation. The service was attended by a large number of people in a packed church and the singing was wonderful.

Colin was born in the mining village of Oakthorpe, North West Leicestershire.

He was an only child but as his mother was the youngest of ten children there were lots of cousins. His father worked all his life as a miner down the pit, which was an occupation he did not wish for his son.

He had a happy childhood and attended the local village school, from which he won a scholarship to Ashby Boys Grammar School at the age on 10yrs. It was quite common then for boys who had the ability, to go to Grammar school a year early, which meant that he took the equivalent of 'o' levels a year early and then spent 4 yrs in the sixth form as it was not possible to take further exams early. He was appointed Head Boy while in the 6th form. He was the first boy in the village to win a scholarship to Oxford, which was reported in the local newspaper. He attended Brasenose College and gained a BSc and MA degree. On leaving university he was invited to join the teaching staff at Ashby Boys Grammar School.

During that time he was in charge of one of the school football teams, where he coached 2 boys who reached the dizzy heights of playing for Derby County, a team which Colin supported, and they then went on to play for England.

Colin was something of a sportsman while at school. He was a footballer and a good sprinter, but having broken his knee cap while high jumping, this put an end to him as a sportsman.

After several years of courtship, Colin married Janet, a girl from the village, soon after leaving university. Sadly it wasn't to be a long marriage because Janet had a heart condition and died after only 11yrs, leaving Colin a widower with a 6yr old son. Life changed for Colin and Mark when he met and married Liz. They would have been married for a few months short of 50 yrs.

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In Memoriam - continued Music was always an important part of Colin's life. As a boy soprano he sang many solos and had a record made of him singing. He continued his interest in singing in the Methodist Church and Circuit Choirs as well as performing solos in various services, concerts and musicals at the church. He gave of his talent by singing in local choirs, one of which was Streetly Singers who sang at his Thanksgiving service.

Colin had been an influence for good to so many people both at the school and in the community. At the service 4 people paid tribute to his life, representing his work as the longest serving magistrate in Sutton Coldfield, as a Methodist Local Preacher, as a Father, as well as a teacher at BVGS. After he retired Colin became a volunteer at the local Stroke club and also helped with a dementia group, both of which Liz used to run. He and Liz continued to take an interest in the school and attended many concerts at the school, mainly music concerts, Colin coming back as MC for at least one or two of them. The tribute to Colin as a teacher at BVGS was given by one of his colleagues, Andrew Jones (printed below) at his Thanksgiving Service.

I first met Colin in early 1982 when I was invited for interview at BVGS. I had graduated in Chemistry in 1981 at the University of Birmingham and completed my PGCE at the same institution in 1982. This was my first ‘proper’ job interview and I clearly remember that Colin immediately put me at my ease. In fact, the whole interview process was very relaxed compared with that which candidates have to go through today - an observed lesson, and a pupil panel did not feature in those days! How much Colin had to do with my appointment I do not know to this day, but I got the job and began teaching at the school in September of the same year.

Colin had been appointed as Head of Chemistry at BVGS in 1966 by the then Headmaster, Mr Arthur Johnson, having previously been teaching at Ashby Boys Grammar School, the school that he had attended as a boy before going up to Brasenose College, Oxford, to read Chemsitry.

I know little of his time at Ashby, but I do remember the tale that he told – and Colin could certainly tell a tale – of an interviewer asking candidates, ‘Is God?’ Candidates that were bamboozled by what is really a philosophical question, probably didn’t get much further with their application. The answer of course is, ‘God Is’. However, for Colin, ‘God Is’, was not a mere philosophical statement. It was the ‘Truth’ with a capital ‘T’ that underpinned his life, including of course his teaching.

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I do not know that much more about his early years at Vesey, though I do know that in 1966, he was joined by Mr John Griffin (Scripture and Art), and a Methodist Lay Preacher like Colin, and N.T.M. (History). Sadly, John Griffin passed away some years back now, but it was N.T.M., who described Colin to me as ‘a ‘pillar’ of the Vesey community and a teacher of the ‘old school’’. Perhaps no further words are necessary, although I will offer a few more insights for those who were not privileged to know Colin as a teacher. Colin was immensely supportive of me in my first post, whilst never being ‘suffocating’. He allowed me to ‘learn on the job’, to make mistakes, and to offer constructive criticism. As a new graduate it can be tempting to think that one knows all that there is to know. After all, I had just come from university where I had been doing the latest chemistry, learning from those at the top of their field, and now I was faced with pupils who think that sodium chloride is a molecule, and who don’t know one end of a burette from another! Don’t worry if you would fall into the same category – I don’t judge! However, Colin gently taught me humility as a teacher, and I hope that I never forgot that lesson throughout my own career. As Sir Isaac Newton is reputed to have said of his own successes, ‘… it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants’, and Colin was indeed a giant of the Vesey community.

Of course, Colin was a great teacher, but he was so much more. He showed me that the best teachers do far more that simply ‘teach’ their academic subject. He was a stalwart of the School Opera, bolstering the chorus in Gilbert and Sullivan productions while keeping a helpfully watchful eye on the pupils. He served as a Teacher-Governor, thereby contributing to the management of the School. Colin was also very much involved in the House system, being Head of Red House when I knew him. At one point in his career he was involved in timetabling, a complex and often thankless task, but one that he carried out with meticulous attention to detail and as much fairness to departments and teachers that he could arrange.

In his latter years at the school he was promoted to the role of Senior Teacher and he had particular responsibility for organising the daily rota of cover for absent colleagues, and as would be expected this was done in a fair and equitable way for all. However, as I have already mentioned, Colin was a man with a deep Christian faith, and this informed all of his interactions in connection with the School. For example, he wanted the school community to recognise those in need, and so he set up the weekly charity collection which over the years not only raised considerable sums of money, but also heightened awareness of the needs of others. I am sure that others could have included other recollections. However, in summary, Colin influenced for the good the careers of many teachers other than myself, and the lives of the countless students taught by him.

A schoolteacher and my first teaching mentor, yes, but a real friend to me and my family too.

‘Well done, good and faithful servant … Enter into the joy of your master’. (Matt. 25:23)

Andrew Jones

BVGS (1982-1996)

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In Memoriam NOAH GREEN (December 2003 - April 2023) I met Noah on the first day of school (in white house form time) in September 2015 where his height and long, blonde, wavy hair stood out to me.

We soon bonded over our shared love for video games and rugby. Over the years we would play and watch rugby together, attend orchestra where Noah played the drums and hang out lots after school in Sutton. On top of this, Noah was an excellent rower and went on to represent the school on many occasions.

Together we completed our bronze and solver DofE awards as well as a world challenge expedition in Norway, an incredible experience for both us. Noah was an incredibly talented artist and his funny, witty personality made our time at Vesey so much better.

After leaving Bishop Vesey following his GCSEs, Noah studied art at Lichfield college where he continued to excel at his art. Noah passed away peacefully in his sleep during the early hours of the 7th April 2023.

A life cut too short, Noah will be missed by so many of us.

Ben Dodwell

BVGS (2015-2022)

Noah joined BVGS in Year 7 and was always a student who stood out with amazing art skills. At a young age he enjoyed detailed pencil drawing the most. Noah completed GCSE Art to a high level. He was always a polite, hardworking and kind student, Mrs Heer enjoyed supporting him throughout his time at school. Noah went on to college to study Art further.

Mrs Heer attended Noah's funeral, and found it so moving but lovely to see how many people were there together to remember his amazing life.

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SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18

GOLF DAY 2023

We hosted our 8th Annual Golf Day on Thursday 22nd June inviting guests to enjoy a great day of friendly competition, fun and networking.

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The event was hosted at Great Barr Golf Club for the second year running. The course was in excellent condition and guests were appreciative of the facilities and hospitality provided by the club. Over 60 Golfers and arrived in the morning to be greeted with brunch sandwiches prior to their round of golf. There was a shotgun start and great game of golf enjoyed by all followed by relaxing on the terrace and in the clubhouse before enjoying an exceptional dinner which preceded thank you speeches and the all-important prize giving. Congratulations to this year’s winners the “Moor Hall Misfits” who just edged the points with a score of 93 in a closely competed event to win gift vouchers and the all-important “Vesey” Claret Jug. There were many events and side competitions during the day including Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin and also Challenge the Student. There were also 4 separate Hole in One competitions, however no one was able to get that elusive Hole in One during the day.

The event provides valuable financial support for Vesey Sport. Mr Swindells, Finance and Operations Director, explained “The Annual Golf Day has become an important event in the school calendar the event gives the opportunity for a wide range of stakeholders to participate in an enjoyable and relaxing day whilst giving the opportunity to network and develop new friendships. The excellent course and welcoming facilities of Great Barr Golf Club were the perfect setting for this event. We would like to thank everyone that has supported and attended this event especially those partners of the school that have been able to offer sponsorships and donations to make it such a success and we look forward to hosting our 9th Annual Golf Day in June 2024, which we are confident will be another very enjoyable day.”

Thank you to all who attended!

WELL DONE HARRY Harry Ayto graduated with a first in Maths from Princeton and is now going to Cambridge to do a Masters in Maths.

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FROM ALL AT BISHOP VESEY'S GRAMMAR SCHOOL

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EDITOR, NATALIE HARRIS

SUMMER 2023 | EDITION 18