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News and views from Bablake School
Issue 68 | Autumn 2015
The Godfather of all trips ...
Pupils admire the view
Mr Dan Menashe shares his thoughts on Bablake’s recent trip to Sicily.
It might have been 1 ante meridiem, but 33 pupils were wide awake with excitement as we set off for Sicily. We started our adventure in Palermo, where we soaked up the atmosphere and the sunshine. In between eating pizza and ice-cream, we explored many monuments on a stroll to the harbour. Top of these was probably the Fontana Praetoria (Fountain of Shame), which caused a scandal with its nude figures, as it was built between two churches. Day two was dominated by two cathedrals: we were impressed by Palermo Cathedral, but were blown away by the gilded mosaics of Monreale. This was dominated by a colossal image
of Christ, which looked far more like a painting than a mosaic. After this we visited the adjoining cloister of the abbey of Monreale, with its amazing pillars, before heading back to our hotel. The following day was our first experience of the classical world. We travelled south to Segesta and Selinunte where we saw the remains of several temples and a theatre. The walk from the Doric temple at Segesta to the theatre was well worth it, despite the heat, and we had worked up an appetite by then for more pizzas (or arancini for the more adventurous) at a café. We moved on to our hotel at Agrigento at the end of the day, where the hotel pool proved a real hit with pupils. Five more temples were on show the next day at the World Heritage site at Agrigento, and it was easy to see why the site had acquired this status. We then moved on to the Roman villa at Piazza Armerina, where the scale and quality of the mosaics were incredible. There were apparently 120 million tiles in the mosaics, with the most famous showing girls dancing and playing sport in the world’s first ever bikinis. Rain arrived that night, but spirits remained high the following day as we travelled to Siracusa. The cave known as the Ear of Dionysius was spectacular and produced the most amazing sounds. Our guide revealed hidden talents as a singer, but was outdone by the Classics Choir rendition of Don’t stop me now, led by Greg. We then saw another superb theatre, before travelling to the island of Ortygia to see the remains of the temple of Apollo and the fountain of Arethusa. All too quickly our final day arrived. We took in two more theatres in Taormina, a beautiful church, a mediaeval balcony, spectacular views, and a final chance to shop. My thanks as ever go to my colleagues for all their hard work, but the biggest thanks go to the pupils themselves .The trip had proved a huge success, and it was tremendous to see pupils getting on so well together and behaving in such an exemplary manner.
In this issue: Just another ‘Norm’-al day 2 Wounded Planet 3 Building bridges across continents 4 Top scout 5 Bablake pipes up! 6 News in brief 7 Othello 8 Artistic expressions 9 ‘City of Light’ visit 10 Can you keep a secret? 11 Bablake Action 12 These Bablake girls can! 12 Sport 14
Bablake News
Wall hanging
Jonathan Meres
Just another ‘Norm’-al day
“Around two years ago, Mr Watson set Miss Kukucska the challenge of filling the space opposite the projector in the Main Hall with a wall hanging. Miss Kukucska then got together a team of pupils of all ages to take on the project, the youngest being in Shells and the oldest in Upper Sixth. The group met for one hour each week after school for ‘Textiles Club’. After several months of planning, we eventually settled on our final design, incorporating as many aspects of Bablake life as possible. The group decided to split the workload into panels which would then be sewn together like a big patchwork quilt. The overall wall hanging is made up of 8 subject panels to represent Science and Maths; Art and DT; Food and Textiles; Languages; PE; History and Geography; RE and English; Music and ICT; the school badge, the school building and the four House badges. Where possible, we endeavoured to use a different technique on each panel, including appliqué, felting, computerised machine sewing and tie dyeing. We even got to use fabric that dissolves in water! Miss Kukucska, with help from Sixth Former Alice Ryan and me, managed to keep everyone on track and there was always an increase in productivity when she brought out the ‘treats box’! On a more personal note, I really enjoyed being a part of this project and having the opportunity to help lead our team. It’s strange to think that two years ago we were all wondering how we were ever going to achieve our goal, and now the wall hanging is up and looks fantastic alongside the newly restored organ. I’m sure that I speak on behalf of the team when I say that I am very proud of our wall hanging and I hope it has pride of place in the Hall for many years to come.” Lauren Cox (4LCW)
Earlier this term, award-winning author Jonathan Meres entertained our Shell and Second Year pupils with his unique mix of music, reading and infectious stand-up comedy. Mr Meres had established Bablake as the final gig on his #Norm9 tour since Second YearApupil Giselle Pinto had a national competition earlier this year sketching reunion organised for won Old Wheatleyans by ‘Norm’ and Relations completing a storyMrs in the style of this wildly popular character. Alumni Officer, Sylvia O’Sullivan, For an hour, ouryear. pupils had an often extra irreverent musical touch this Anlaughed, gasped, howled, clapped, sang and,impromptu in the words of Jonathan Meres’ character Bablake Male Voice Choir was ‘Norm’, “waved their hands in the air as if theytodidn't flipping care”, as our guest impersonated the BFG, christened our formed perform the old School Song for those Second ‘lobsters’, created new School Song in the guise of a popular nursery whoyears attended, and we heardathe first official rhyme, read the first chapter of his new book performance in many years. Written in theand, of course, shared the world of Norm and some autobiographical information with his audience. 1930s, with lyrics by then Headmaster Librarians Mrs Julie Needham andMr Mrs Lucy Ryan, who organised the event, were Mr E A Seabourne with music by A Wilson, delighted withof the response pupils and such was the record demand for a member the teachingfrom staff,our it reflected the signed at the the talk thatin Jonathan lifebooks and times ofend the of (boys’) school that era.Meres was signing his tomes and bookplates for almost an hour! Mrs Needham commented: “Judging by the infectious laughter throughout, the visit was a definite success.”
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Pupils with the impressive wall hanging
Bablake News
Worldly Wise ...
The girls at Coventry Cathedral
Wounded Planet In September, nine Lower and Upper Sixth girls joined me at the ‘Reconciling a Wounded Planet’ Conference in Coventry Cathedral writes Mrs Jo MacGibbon The conference addressed the actions required to ensure the future sustainability of the planet. The girls joined different groups to hear speakers share ‘Stories of Hope’ on the themes of Community Engagement, Political Engagement, Natural Resources, Developing Technologies, Enhancing Biodiversity and Health, Education and Well-being.
Each group then spent time discussing the issues raised by their speakers and sharing ideas for making progress in the future to promote the sustainability of our world. The girls participated fully in discussions, with three of them providing their group’s feedback directly to the full conference audience at the end. I received effusive compliments about the contributions the
students made within their groups and the professional delivery of their feedback. Much food for thought was generated for all and the experience was an incredibly valuable one, taking the students out of their ‘comfort zone’ and requiring them to share ideas and opinions on challenging topics in the company of experts in their field.
The selection process for the quiz was tough, with questions challenging even the best geographical brains. Finally, six geographers (Rebecca Asbury, Kogulan Vipulan, William Bastock, Prana Karthikesu, Charlotte Merry and Matthew Merricks) were selected and we began practising hard for the big event. On the 10th November we attended the WorldWise Quiz at Camp Hill Grammar School, in Birmingham. The first round consisted of anagrams of capital cities, followed by the very difficult fieldwork round and then UK landmarks. The ‘mixed bag’ round involved recognising UNESCO world heritage sites and putting capital cities in order of distance from the equator. Finally, the alphabet round tested us on igneous rocks and world seas, ending what had been a thrilling experience for us all. Overall the quiz was a lot of fun and we did well in most of the rounds, especially the capital cities round. Our teams did themselves proud, achieving 3rd and 4th out of 14 teams. We all enjoyed ourselves and a great adventure was had by all.
Matthew, Charlotte and Rebecca
Segway polo is a great hit! During half term, ten adventurous souls from the Sixth Form took part in the first training session of Segway Polo to be held at Bablake. Under the expert guidance of Global Performance Ltd of the UK Segway Polo Association, students learned the art of controlling the self-balancing machine whilst manipulating a polo mallet and ball and avoiding collisions with each other! A great time was had by all and we are looking forward to the next session and a tournament in Warwick later this year.
Bablake School
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Bablake News
Roman about in Lincoln In October, the Classics Department went on another quest for Roman remains in Britain.
Annie makes a new friend!
Building bridges across continents Following the successful visit of two Harrismith teachers and two pupils to Bablake last October, eight of our current pupils, two former pupils, and Mrs Skilton and Mr Statham visited Harrismith Secondary School in July. Yet again we received a tremendous welcome from our host school and Bablake pupils had the opportunity to take part in a number of activities with their counterparts from Harrismith. Highlights included a visit to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg and a weekend stay in the Basotho Cultural Centre in the Golden Gate National Park. We were also able to use the money raised by Bablake and the Parents’ Association to install and network computers that the school had been obliged to keep in storage due to security concerns and lack of money. Mr Statham, our Network Manager, played a key role in making this happen. Anna French,
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This time the destination was the city of Lincoln, once an important Roman colony. Ten pupils accompanied Mr Bunce and Mr Menashe for a look around the sights of this beautiful historic city. Our arrival coincided with Star Wars Day in Lincoln Museum. While Vader, Yoda and Skywalker proved a bit too frightening for some small children (not ours!), we were lucky to drag the boys away from the ancient game of Nine Mens Morris. Among the Roman exhibits to admire was a scale model of a Roman legion, which illustrated how intimidating the Roman army would have been even when on the march. We also followed the Roman Trail around the city. Using advanced map-reading and map-folding skills, we were able to see a well that was originally in the forum, a town gate and, inside one gift shop, the remains of the town wall. We also discovered why Steep Hill is so called. The tour finished with a quick look inside the cathedral. As for previous visits, pupils were given some free time to look around the town. As well as quality shopping experiences and the delights of McDonalds, some pupils took the initiative to make a second visit to the cathedral so they could see the remains of a mosaic. It was a most enjoyable trip and another one is projected before July: we would welcome suggestions!
“2015 has been another exciting year for the Bablake-Harrismith Partnership.” Annie Honess and Kirsty Cattell all helped to design the new Bablake-Harrismith mural, with the theme ‘building bridges across continents’. Phillippa Morris and Anna Knight proved a great help to our former Head of English, Mr Appleby, in his annual musical production by teaching the cast the Charleston. Charlotte Byng, Greg Harris and Ananya Nair also helped with the production and the delivery of supplies and plants to local farm schools. Many thanks to all involved. If you would like to find out more about the partnership, or make a donation, please contact Mrs Skilton: hs@bablake.coventry.sch.uk
Classics pupils in Lincoln
Bablake News
Top scout Upper Sixth pupil Jacob Baines has recently been awarded the highest honour in scouting. The Queen’s Scout Award is awarded for outstanding personal achievement and leadership and involves completing an extensive range of challenges, including service to the community, an expedition in wild country, a five-day residential project in an unfamiliar environment and learning a new skill or further developing an existing talent. Jacob tells us: “On Tuesday 29th November I completed my Queen’s Scout Award, having undertaken over 400 hours of voluntary work. I will deliver a final presentation exactly 18 months to the day after I first began the Award. This is probably the most challenging award to gain in scouting and I am very proud to have achieved it. It is something that I have aspired to from a young age and it is, so far, definitely my biggest achievement in scouting. I joined scouting as a Beaver Scout on my sixth birthday and I intend to take out an Adult Leader’s Warrant on my eighteenth birthday next May. I feel greatly honoured to be the first Explorer Scout in the Scouting District to achieve this award and am very much looking forward to my trip to Windsor in April to collect my award to be presented by the Chief Scout, Bear Grylls, and by a member of the Royal Family. I will receive my award at the National Scout Service and Parade at Windsor which will take place on 24th April 2016. The event dates back nearly 80 years and recognises the outstanding achievements of both adults and young people through a parade and service held annually within Windsor Castle by gift of Her Majesty the Queen. The Queen's Scouts parade into the Quadrangle and the review takes place before the parade moves down to St George's Chapel for the National Scout Service and finally ends with the parade moving out of the Castle and back to the Royal Mews.”
Beth Carter, Beth McCormick, Lantian Pinkney and David Stephen pictured in the Council Chamber, proudly displaying the prestigious winners' shield.
Democracy week Four of our Lower Sixth Form students ended last half term on a high when they won Coventry City Council's Democracy Week Year 12 Schools Debating Competition. The team's first debate saw them proposing that PE should be made compulsory for all Sixth Form students. Winning this round led to them coming head to head with last year's winners, WMG Academy. The motion for the final of the competition was “This house believes that all
political parties should be abolished.” The Bablake team was pleased to be opposing this motion and presented its case strongly, once again fielding some challenging questions from the floor. Geoffrey Robinson (MP Coventry North West) and the Lord Mayor of Coventry, Councillor Michael Hammon, presented the awards to the team, and the group also won tickets to PM’s Question Time at the House of Commons, so will be able to enjoy a trip to London in the New Year.
Beyond academia Sixth Form Enrichment courses so far this year have included Woodland Conservation (volunteer work on behalf of Warwickshire Wildlife Trust), cooking for university, stage combat classes, jewellery making, practical electronics, first aid, photography, basic decorating and home maintenance and a range of language conversation classes. Music groups are trying out string, wind, brass and percussion instruments and the attached photos show our group getting off to a great start with the string family! Our first speaker was Bonita Norris, the youngest British woman to climb Mount Everest, and she offered a fascinating account of her journey, including the maze of equipment, organisation and sponsorship that she had to conquer before beginning her epic climb. Her message “one foot at a time and you’ll get to the top” really resonated with the Upper Sixth, as they tackle university applications and A2 courses this term. Bablake School
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Bablake News
“Our instrument was originally given by Old Wheatleyans and other friends of the school in 1947 as a memorial to the fallen of both World Wars.”
The Bablake organ under construction
Bablake pipes up! During the summer, the Music Department eagerly witnessed the restoration and reconstruction of the splendid Compton organ in the Main Hall. The John Compton organ builders of London specialised in electronic remote console organs of which our organ is a fine example. The company is famous for building cinema organs (one of which can still be heard at the Odeon Leicester Square) as well as many church organs, including the four manual instrument in Derby cathedral. Our instrument was originally given by Old Wheatleyans and other friends of the school in 1947 as a memorial to the fallen of both World Wars, and the restoration and expansion of the instrument has been made possible through a grant from the estate of the late John Phipps.
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The original specification had no reed stops, and has been greatly expanded by the addition of a range of trumpet pipes, giving a fuller sound and a far greater range of timbres to the instrument. Other additions include a grilled panel to enable better access for tuning as well as some complex electronics installed to run the key and piston systems. Mr Trevor Tipple MBE, a renowned organ builder, led an able team who initially removed the original internal workings and pipework for cleaning and maintenance, then returned to put back the new improved instrument with its additions. Scaffolding went up in the hall almost as soon as the summer term was over, and Bablake’s DT department were called upon a few times for workshop facilities and a few last-minute adjustments! The ‘new’ organ has a wonderful tone and is now beautifully voiced, and the Music department would like to extend our very grateful thanks to Trevor and his team for their care and skill and of course the estate of Mr Phipps for financing the renovation. The inaugural concert to celebrate the reinstallation took place on Thursday 1st October in the Main Hall. The programme included Albinoni’s famous Adagio for organ and strings, a Sammartini organ concerto, Widor’s Toccata and a showcase for the new trumpet stops, C. S. Lang’s Tuba Tune. Dr Nicholas Scott-Burt ARCO played the instrument, and explained the alterations and improvements that had taken place; Dr Scott-Burt is also now teaching some lucky Bablake pupils to play our wonderful new addition! The strings for the concert were made up of Bablake’s excellent Senior String Ensemble, directed by Mrs Scott-Burt, as well as the senior string players from our sister school, King Henry VIII, directed by their Director of Instrumental Studies, Mr Alistair Kennedy.
Bablake News
News in brief Chemistry Bablake threw a splash of colour and a sprinkling of microbes at the most recent TeachMeet in Coventry and Warwickshire. Miss Sam Holyman of Bablake’s Chemistry Department gave a presentation looking at the colourful side of the subject, focusing on anthocyanin, a natural acid-base indicator which can be made from beetroot, red cabbage or even cherry juice. During the session, she shared some short engaging activities which can be used from primary school through to secondary school pupils to explore indicators. The Chilled Food Association has also been working with Bablake staff to make science focused teaching and learning materials, so Microbe TopTrump cards, microbe temporary tattoos and even smart material fridge thermometers were given away as part of the presentation. Miss Holyman said: “The event was busy and had a great buzz as the different ideas and activities were shared. Our new technicians, Amy Hardie and Sangeetha Raguram, were instrumental in the preparation for the event and ensuring the success of the presentation.”
Bonjour! Guten Tag! Hola! Bienvenue! Willkommen! Bienvenidos! We are pleased to welcome this year’s assistants to Bablake: Mlle Loukil for French, Herr Cetin for German and Senora Cowell for Spanish. You may recognise Mlle Loukil and Senora Cowell as they were both with us last year. We hope that they have an enjoyable year with us.
occasion when family and friends come together sharing latest news over a meal. We had a great time at La Tasca in October and are looking forward to returning there again in February to share some more tapas and churros con chocolate.
Engineering Education Scheme The Engineering Education Scheme is once again up and running and we are celebrating a continuous link of 16 years with our sponsor company, Arup. The Lower Sixth team, comprising Stefan Harris, Lantian Pinkney, Surajan Singh and Rob Jacques, is already busy working on a design for the new HS2 railway station for Curzon Street, Birmingham. In December, the group will attend a residential workshop at the University of Birmingham to continue with the next stage of the project.
Charity 2014- 15 was another incredible year of fundraising, as we raised £23,084.57. The whole Bablake community worked together to support many great charitable causes. We have received many letters from individuals and organisations thanking us for our support and saying how the initiatives have made a real difference, so thank you very much for your continued support, ideas, and suggestions. Together we have already changed things for the better and will undoubtedly continue to do so. This year has already seen pupils from all years arrange fundraising events and show great ingenuity and enterprise. At the end of last halfterm all Bablake pupils came together to raise funds for UNICEF and support our Headmaster who had completed a Chariots of Fire Run together with headteachers of other HMC schools. We would like to thank all our pupils for wearing blue and maroon tops and for working so efficiently together on the day; many thanks to parents for supporting us with this event as well. The result was amazing; you might have seen a photo and a video posted on our social media sites – we were delighted with the feedback and look forward to reporting on more charitable events as the academic year progresses.
Design Technology
La Tasca
Ecadets
Each term, the Spanish department organises a visit to La Tasca, a Spanish restaurant in Birmingham. Pupils, parents and staff are all welcome to join us for Sunday tapas and watch the chef cook paella in the middle of the restaurant especially for us. At Bablake, we do our best to introduce our pupils to Spanish traditions and the typical way of life; when learning languages, it is important not to neglect the culture behind them. Food is very important in Spanish culture and is more of a social
Social media is a big part of our children’s lives. At Bablake we want our pupils to be responsible users of the Internet and we do our best to empower them to take responsibility and educate themselves and their peers through completing a number of challenges set by eTreble9 – our Social Media Police. This term our 20 eCadets and their Sixth Form leaders are working on the anti-cyberbullying challenge. We are looking forward to seeing their work at the end of December.
The 3D printer in the Design Technology Department has been working over-time since we returned in September. Numerous Minions have been dispatched, as well as nuts, bolts and screws for CREST projects in the Science Department. The highlight so far has been a complete full size piston, gudgeon pin and con rod designed and drawn by Arkwright Scholar Adam Keir using Solidworks software. Adam is hoping to use it as evidence to support his application for a Mechanical Engineering course at Loughborough University.
Bablake School
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Bablake Arts
A selection of images from Edinburgh Fringe 2015 and Bablake Drama’s Summer Production of Zigger Zagger.
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The Lion Autumn 2015
Bablake Arts
Work created by Whoberly School pupils
s n o i s s e r p x e Artistic
Throughout the year Bablake pupils make some memorable and exciting visits to enhance their appreciation of ceramics, film and arts and crafts at various locations across the country. A day on the tiles
Fifth Form girls at the V&A
At the end of the summer term Mr Cleaver and Miss Brandrick went out to Whoberly School to work with groups of pupils on a project which looked at the built environment. Pupils drew images of Coventry’s skyline and produced ceramic tiles as part of a group project. Mr Cleaver then returned for a second visit with a portable kiln to allow the pupils to glaze and Raku fire their work. The finished pieces will be hung in the new reception at the school when it is built later in the year.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Last term, an invaluable visit to Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre was arranged by English and Drama teacher Mrs Carrie Martlew, which enabled the whole of our Second Year to see the Children’s Touring Partnership’s gripping production of John Boyne’s best-selling novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas.
Savage Beauty at the V&A Earlier in the year, both the Art Department and the Textiles Department visited the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Whilst there, pupils had the opportunity to explore the world-class collection of decorative arts and crafts. The highlight of the visit was the Alexander McQueen exhibition, Savage Beauty, which charted the career of McQueen, the inspiration behind his work and the theatricality of his clothes and legendary catwalk shows. Mr Cleaver (Head of Art) reckoned it to be the most visually stunning exhibition he had seen in recent years and a must for anyone, whether interested in fashion or not. Bablake School
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Out and About
Beth Shalom Lydia Taylor talks about a recent visit to the National Holocaust Centre, Beth Shalom, during which pupils met Janine, a Holocaust survivor.
In the garden ... The Art Department chose the hottest July day on record to visit the tropical house at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens! Despite the heat, the Third Years made an excellent start to their GCSE project and used the time to take photographs and produce drawings of the exotic specimens on show.
‘City of Light’ visit In July, pupils from the Third and Fourth Year spent 5 days in Paris experiencing the language and culture of this most beautiful of cities. In spite of all the reports in the media about delayed crossings and queuing traffic, we had a very smooth journey to Paris and were delighted to arrive at the ‘Hotel Explorers’ on the edge of the Disneyland resort. We were met by our animateur, Jo, who settled everyone into their rooms and organised our activities over the next few days. Over the next few days we ascended the Tour Montparnasse (the highest point in Paris), strolled under the Tour Eiffel, took a boat ride on the world-famous Bateaux Mouches and visited the famous Cathédrale de Notre Dame. We also satisfied the artists amongst us with a visit to the Louvre museum where we were able to see at first-hand the Mona Lisa and the Venus de Milo. The weather was beautiful and we made the most of the sunshine by picnicking in the Louvre gardens and playing games in the hotel grounds until late at night. Having visited some of the famous landmarks, we spent our last full day at Disneyland Paris. The more daring amongst the group headed straight for the rollercoaster rides whilst others enjoyed the water flumes and met the characters that stroll around the park. Mr Kalsi, who celebrated his birthday during the trip, had to settle for a meeting with Winnie the Pooh after failing to find Minnie Mouse! We arrived home the following evening tired but in good spirits. Everyone had been able to practise their French and enjoy the experience of being in Paris in the summertime. Many thanks to Madame Field for organising the trip and planning such a great dew days for everybody involved. Mrs Jennie May
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What were your thoughts about the visit before you arrived at Beth Shalom? Before I arrived at Beth Shalom I was a little anxious as when my older brother went, he said that it really makes you reconsider your appreciation of ‘normal’ life. What are your reflections after your visit to the centre? Since the visit, I appreciate things a lot more, as Holocaust victims and survivors had such a difficult life and nowadays we do not always consider the small things that bring us happiness and contentedness. What are your reflections on hearing Janine’s personal story? My thoughts and views have changed considerably; life for that kind lady had been so challenging and some of her stories really struck me. When I think of her standing there being so honest, it really makes me reflect on our lives today. In the Memorial Garden there were many different memorials. Which one did you prefer and explain why? I preferred the memorial to the innocent children that had been killed during the Holocaust. For us to place a stone on the pile gave us a heart-warming feeling as we were able to show that we care. There is a lot to take in during your visit to the underground exhibition, but was there anything that particularly interested you? I noticed a memorial wall for those who survived the Holocaust. Their expressions of pain were almost unbearable and the thought of the work that they endured is almost beyond belief. The pain they went through was torturous and the memories must stick with them forever. Following your visit to Beth Shalom, explain what aspect affected you the most and what you think will be a lasting memory of the day. Janine’s speech will most definitely stick with me, and to have met one of the survivors was an honour. She is and will always be one of the bravest people I have ever met. It will always be a cherished memory that I have met her. It is astonishing to think that someone as kind and gentle as her could be treated like a thing and not a human being. She is a true role model to all those that suffer because, above everything else, she stayed strong.
Out and About
Pupils in the heart of Paris
Disneyland After an exhausting summer term of examinations, an excitable bunch of Fifth Formers with a smattering of Fourth and Sixth formers amongst them, set off for Disneyland Paris. After a sleepless coach journey, broken only by some interesting coach driving on the Périphérique, we stopped at the Eiffel Tower for a boat trip on the Seine. Occasional rain showers threatened to break the good mood, but eventually the sun broke through and we enjoyed the remainder of the trip in scorching sunshine. With some decent shopping under our belts, it was time to check into our hotel. Two days of high jinx followed with us riding the rides and spotting the characters; some pupils even managed to test drive rides which were closed! On the first day, we did not depart until midnight, following the laser and firework display, and, on the second day we left ‘early’ at 8pm with carrier bags full of stuffed toys, Minnie Mouse ears, Princess cups, pencils and key-rings. After two days we managed to load up the coach and drag ourselves away for the long trip home, taking with us some great memories and a decent sun tan!
Bletchley explained
Can you keep a secret? In the summer term, Bablake sent seventy of its Third Year pupils on a clandestine spying mission to Bletchley Park. Much of the material they submitted has been redacted, but the following excerpts passed the school censors. Today, Bletchley Park is famous for its role in cracking the German Enigma code during the Second World War. However, few knew of its role until 30 years after the war ended. One of our own teachers, Mrs. Tumber, now knows that her mother worked at Bletchley in Hut 6 during the war, however she did not know this until after her mother passed away! (Agent Edelle Pyke) The work by the Government Code and Cipher School at Bletchley was of the utmost importance to Britain's national security and ultimate victory in the war. It marked the birth of the Information Age, with heavy duty codebreaking being made easier with computers such as Turing and Welchman’s Bombe and the world’s first electronic computer, Colossus.
Deciphering the supposedly unbreakable German Enigma code was essential to Britain obtaining vital information on Nazi actions before these actions could occur. It was thought to be unbreakable because of its 157,000,000,000 possible combinations. (Agent Amrit Gill) Breaking the code was instrumental in the D-Day landings; it meant we were reassured that Hitler thought we were planning to attack Normandy when in fact we were planning on attacking further along the east coast of France. (Agent Max Harrison) It was a fun and interesting day … a great tour which was balanced perfectly with interesting information, as well as being able to see the large manor house and the codebreaking huts. I enjoyed the ‘The Imitation Game’ exhibit, which gave us a chance to see scenes from the movie set that were used in the film! (Agent Iz Hemus).
A hard day’s knight
Shells in the stocks
The Shells headed off to Warwick Castle for a day, intent on discovering how the castle had developed over the centuries. After a visit to the Time Tower, which showed some of the key developments in the castle from it first being built, to withstanding attack and being damaged in fire, the pupils headed off on a photo treasure hunt, discovering a vast array of changes in the castle along the way. The bravest amongst them climbed to the top of Guy’s Tower and enjoyed the spectacular views of Warwickshire, and then descended to the depths of the dungeon where the grisly ankle chains and oubliette awaited them. The Bowman demonstrated the skills needed by an archer in Medieval England and pupils dared to walk through the danger zone of the double portcullis in the entrance to the castle. I’m sure that all the Shells were delighted to return to the 21st century, with all its comforts and gadgets, after their exciting visit through time. Bablake School
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Bablake Action
These Bablake girls can! ‘This girl can’ is Sport England’s national campaign for 2015 to get women and girls moving, regardless of shape, size and ability. Top: D of E pupils with Bonita Norris Bottom: Sergeant Major Robson encourages CCF cadets!
Tested to the limit Adventurous D of E pupils gain inspiration from Bonita Norris and CCF cadets are put through their paces. Dreams of Everest In 2010, at the age of 22, Bonita Norris was the youngest British female to successfully climb Mount Everest and is currently the youngest person to reach both the summit of Everest and the North Pole, writes Mr Peter Nicholson. We were therefore delighted to welcome her to Bablake to speak to our pupils. Bonita spoke about what motivated her to embark upon this immense challenge, having never climbed before; how she nearly didn’t make it and the number of times she nearly gave up along the way. She described the highs and the lows of mountain life and how, at the moment of reaching her goal, she was actually only half-way through the expedition, as she still had the perilous descent to undertake out of the ‘dead zone’. Pupils were inspired by her ‘never give up’ attitude and her advice to take one step at a time during periods of uncertainty and lack of self-belief. They were also shocked to learn that Bonita had not even completed her Duke of Edinburgh Bronze award, yet achieved such a tremendous feat! After a thrilling, honest and humorous talk, Bonita described what her next challenge would be… an ascent of the second highest mountain in the world, the deadly K2. Pupils had the chance to ask questions, to look at the clothes she wore during her expedition and to hold the flag she has taken to the summit of numerous mountains, including Everest. Mr Peter Nicholson @BablakeDofE
CCF In October, Major Blattner and Sergeant Major Robson took 13 of Bablake's Combined Cadet Force to Nesscliff. Saturday was spent out on the ranges, where our cadets learnt how to adjust their sights successfully and put their marksmanship principles into action at 100m, before moving back to 300m for a fun challenge shoot. Everyone managed to improve the standard of their shooting and the weather held out for a great weekend away.
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The Lion Autumn 2015
At Bablake, we are proud of the number of girls involved in sport outside their normal PE lessons, as participation in sport increases confidence, enhances physical and mental well-being and develops friendships for life. Over recent months, several Bablake girls have proven that ‘This girl can’. Jasmine Marajh was selected for Trinidad and Tobago's national swimming team and in August competed in the Goodwill Swim Meet in Trinidad, which is an annual competition between Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, Guyana and St. Lucia. Jasmine swam in 13 races and had an excellent meet, gaining a medal haul of 8 gold, 3 silver and 2 bronze, breaking 3 individual records and 2 relay records. Jasmine and Georgia Ementon are both part of the Midlands swimming programme. Izzy Harris qualified as reserve for the England team in the Pony Club mounted games held in the Republic of Ireland over half-term. Izzy writes: “It took all day to get to the Curragh racecourse, but it was definitely worth it. I competed in the mixed international team with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland’s reserve riders. We became great team-mates and great friends. Even with one rider down, as one member of the team broke a finger, Team England still managed to win, bringing home the trophy again, and beating Scotland by more than 30 points. It was one of the best weekends of my life, and I enjoyed every second.” Lydia Taylor was thrilled to represent England in the Dance World Cup in Romania over the summer. This is the biggest dance competition in the world attracting over 18,000 competitors from 38 different countries and Team England was made up of nearly 400 of the country’s best young dancers, who had all qualified for the competition. Lydia's troupe did itself and its supporters proud. Entered for two dances, one Irish and one hip-hop, the group did remarkably well coming 5th in the first and 4th in the second, just missing a Bronze medal by 0.3 marks. The standard was naturally very high and Lydia and her team were able to celebrate Team England winning the Dance World Cup overall. (Spain came 2nd and Romania 3rd.) This summer, Clare Jackson received news of her international selection which meant that at the start of July, she was part of the England Juniors team chosen to compete in the Go-Kan-Ryu (GKR) Karate World Cup. Clare enjoyed her experience of kumite and kata at this level.
Bablake Sport
Olivia Kelly
Jasmine Marajh
Sisters Hannah and Emma Allroggen share a passion for hockey and have both attained representative honours. Hannah (current Lower Sixth) has regularly played county hockey and last season she represented the winning U17 Warwickshire team at the Midlands tournament to become the Midlands Champions. She has also been on the development programme and has attended Junior Regional Performance Centre sessions. Emma (current Second Year) represented Warwickshire in the U13 Midlands tournament. The team won all its section games and the semi-final and, after a draw in the final, the result was decided on shuffles and Warwickshire finished runners up. From this, Emma was selected for two Elite U13 training sessions for the Midlands over the summer. Emma, along with Freya Bennett, are strong cross-country runners and have enjoyed success this year in competitions. See ‘cross-country’ for recent results. Hattie Morris was selected for U14 county netball last season and following trials in the summer, was invited to attend the West Midlands U14 Regional Netball Academy, the new step on the pathway to Elite performance. Olivia Kelly was selected to represent the West Midlands at 1500m and competed in the Mason Trophy a year young for her age group. At club, she ran 3km in 10min 45, placing her 64th in the UK U17 girls’ age group: an excellent achievement for a 15 year old. Kare Adenegan’s athletics season has proven to be very rewarding. She currently holds 11 National Junior, 3 National Senior and 4 County Championship titles for the 2015 season. In the first race of the year, the London Virgin Mini Marathon in April, she broke the U14 girls’ course record. At the IPC Italian Grand Prix in Grosetto in June, Kare gained 4 gold medals, followed by a silver medal in the 400m at the London Anniversary Games. In September, Kare inflicted the first ever career defeat in seven years on double Paralympian, multiple world champion and world record holder, Hannah Cockroft. During half-term, Kare went to Doha to compete in the IPC World Championships and finished fourth in the 100m and third in both the T34 400m and 800m. Kare says: “I went to Doha to gain Senior International experience. To come back with two bronze medals was a massive bonus. I had a great time there and learnt a lot about my sport from some of the best Paralympians in the world. My target for next season is to be selected for the Rio 2016 Paralympics.”
Hannah and Emma Allroggen
Hattie Morris
Kare Adenegan
Izzy Harris Bablake School
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Bablake Sport
Boys’ sport Cricket The future looks bright for Bablake cricket after another excellent season of team and individual performances. All-rounder Daniel Mousley made his debut for the 1st XI at the age of 13 years and scored 80 runs in his 1st innings. From there, he has gone from strength to strength and was selected for the Midlands U15 team, a year young. In the match v the North, he scored 56no. At the senior end of school, Harvey Burke and Ross Parnell continue to excel as part of the Warwickshire U18 squad, as does Daniel Smith in the U16s, whilst Cameron Park is part of the Leicestershire U17 squad. Ross scored a wonderful 104no to lead a Coventry School XI to a rare victory over the MCC this season. The excellent work done in cricket in the Junior School continues to show its benefit to the early years of the Senior School. The U12s this season were simply outstanding. One highlight included a century by Oliver Pemble in a victory against Mid Glamorgan. With such a host of talented players, an excellent coach (in former Glamorgan player Nick James), and new groundsman Antony Killroy, (also a Warwickshire age-group coach), we look forward to great things for Bablake cricket.
Rugby The boys in action
Hockey Boys in the hockey squads also continue to excel. The 1st XI is having a good season, with a draw against Warwick and a comprehensive win over QM Walsall as particular highlights, whilst the 2nd XI has lost just two matches this season. 3rd XI hockey also goes from strength to strength. The under 15s had a fantastic 4-2 win v Solihull whilst the U14s are showing great promise for upcoming matches. Numbers at U12 and U13 training on Fridays continue to impress and we are sure this work at an early stage will ensure a continuation of hockey success.
The Bablake rugby season continues to see boys putting in some outstanding displays. The 1st XV has been superb in its approach to the season and is progressing well, with highlights including wins against Princethorpe and KES Fiveways. With the boys’ continued development, we look forward to an excellent senior tour to South Africa next summer. At the junior end, and in horrendous weather conditions, it was a real pleasure to witness the U12’s recent victory over KES Fiveways. Despite the muddy pitch making it difficult to stand at times, the level of skill, teamwork and commitment highlighted all that is good in boys’ sport. At times, the handling was reminiscent of the Fijian sevens team!
Cross-country
Daniel Mousley with Moeen Ali
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The Lion Autumn 2015
Ross Parnell, Warwickshire U18 squad
U12 Boys A team comprising Matthew Hart, Patrick Heffernan, Harry Court, Ben Rigden, Archie Badham, Alex Giles and Oscar Sanders won silver medals in the City of Coventry Championships. Matthew Hart also won bronze in the League Championship and gold in the City of Coventry Championship race; he then went on to finish 7th in the West Midland Championships and will represent the county. U14 Boys The team (Lucas Bennett, Oliver Pemble, Tom Oswald, Elliot Jackson, Elliot Walker and Sam Herniman) won bronze and silver in the League Championships and City of Coventry Championships respectively. Lucas Bennett also won silver and bronze in the League Championship and City of Coventry Championships respectively and finished 13th in the West Midland Championships. He will represent the county later this year. U16 Boys Sam Lowe has represented the school for the first time this year and competed for the city, finishing 35th in the West Midlands Championship.
Bablake Sport
Girls’ sport Girls’ PE 11 girls were selected this year to represent Coventry at the West Midlands Championships. Top performances from Bablake girls included Jasmine Marajh 3rd in javelin and 4th in 200m, Lawou Mpafe 3rd in 800m and Olivia Kelly 2nd in 1500m. The Bablake Inter and Junior athletics teams both won the Coventry Area track and field competition and went on to finish 7th and 5th in the Midlands B finals. Bablake girls won the Coventry Schools Athletics at U13 and U14, but unfortunately the Junior and Intermediate competitions were cancelled due to bad weather. Individual Coventry Champions were Freya Bennett in high jump and 1500m, Jhodi Thandi in javelin, Anastasia Jeffcoat in shot put and discus and Lawou Mpafe in 800m. The Second Year team finished 3rd in the Super Sixes. The Shells won the Coventry Schools Super Sixes and went onto the Youth Games where they finished 3rd overall. Bablake had lots of rounders fixtures in the summer term and finished just on top with victories at 53%. In addition to this, Shells to Fourth Year played in the Coventry Schools tournament; the U15s came runners up by half a rounder to Tile Hill Wood, and the U12, 13 & 14s all won their respective tournaments. The U14 team then represented Coventry at the Warwickshire Youth Games and finished 8th. It was great to see the many team players, parents and teachers that came to the first Sports Social evening in May and helped make it a thoroughly enjoyable occasion.
U14 Rounders
Hockey and Netball In the Warwickshire hockey tournaments, the U18s came fourth and the U14s a commendable third to King’s High and Rugby. In the Coventry Schools netball tournaments, Bablake finished runners up at U19, third at U16A and runners up at U16B, runners up at U14A and winners at U14B. The U19 team went through to the next round of the National Schools competition and finished fourth after a very creditable performance. We will report in the next Lion on how the U14s get on in this round. Congratulations go to Kelly Turnbull and Mollie Bradley on scoring hat-tricks in U14 hockey matches early in the season. Regardless of performance levels it is the effort and commitment to Bablake teams that are appreciated. It was lovely to hear a Fifth Year girl say, ‘I couldn’t let the team down. I couldn’t let BABLAKE down’.
Celebrating good times! To inaugurate the celebrations of 40 years of girls at Bablake, netball and hockey matches for Old Girls took place on the first Saturday in September. It was great to see so many girls and women enjoying playing their sport in good spirit but with a competitive element. Sport builds friendships and so many former pupils are still in touch with each other. It was also nice to see parents, grandparents, children, former and current teachers of the school coming along to support. It was a double celebration for netball as Mrs Gill Thomas, former Deputy Head, opened the new netball courts. These are an excellent facility and a welcome addition to girls’ PE. The Old Girls were equally impressed with the refurbishment of the Astroturf.
Old Girls enjoy the Netball tournament
Abby Barnes Abby Barnes (2CAM) has been successful in gaining her green belt (6th Gup) in the martial art of Tang Soo Do, a form of karate which originated in Korea but has Chinese and Japanese influences. Grading involves the demonstration of various ‘forms’ and ‘applications’ as well as the use of a bong (fighting stick). Prior to her grading assessment, Abby had to complete a rigorous fitness test and submit a knowledge paper. This now places Abby half-way towards her black belt.
Cross-country U14 Girls The team (Emma Allroggen, Freya Bennett, Alicia Hundal and Jhodi Thandi) won silver medals in the League Championships and City of Coventry Championships. The team also qualified for the regional finals of the National Cross-country Cup Competition and narrowly missed out on a final place, finishing fourth. Freya Bennett won gold and silver in the League championship and City of Coventry Championship, finished 8th in the West Midlands championships and will represent the county. Emma Allroggen won silver and bronze in the League Championships and City of Coventry Championships, finished 6th in the West Midland Championships and will represent the county. U16 Girls Olivia Kelly has been unbeaten this year in the Coventry races, winning gold in the League Championships and City of Coventry Championships. Olivia finished 10th in the West Midlands Championships and will represent the county.
Mrs Gill Thomas Bablake School
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Bablake Update
Headmaster’s notes
Diary dates Wednesday 6 January Entrance Examination
We live in a society which often equates success with achievement. A topical debate centres on the question of how early in primary education we should be assessing children. We also know that they will continue to be assessed or measured in one way or another until they leave school, and that their success at entering a good university will depend on their grades. If we’re not careful, this national system encourages teaching and learning ‘to the test’, and those who regularly score 10/10 don’t take risks and don’t stretch themselves for fear of failure. Our job as teachers certainly isn’t to provide our pupils with the answer, but to challenge them so that they grapple with understanding, extend their thinking and experience the joy of discovery. We actually don’t want them to fulfil their potential, as it’s then that they will stop learning! Thomas Edison is credited with saying: “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” We’re very proud of what our young people achieve both in their studies and in their many other pursuits beyond the classroom – and this should stem from perseverance and selfbelief as much as from any natural ability. Probably my favourite prize which we present at Graduation Evening (for last year’s Upper Sixth) at the end of this term is the TW Patchett Prize for Scholarship and Courtesy. We aim to be a ‘happy, scholarly and caring community’ and this prize tends to go to a boy and a girl who have humbly persevered in their learning, showing intellectual curiosity and wanting to do their best, whilst also being kind to others and putting them first. Those gifts are harder to measure than academic achievement – but arguably far more important in ensuring success and fulfilment in life.
“We’re very proud of what our young people achieve both in their studies and in their many other pursuits beyond the classroom”
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The Lion Autumn 2015
In memoriam Sharon O’Meara 23 March 1965 – 7 October 2015 Sharon was our Treasurer from September 2011 and fought a long and courageous battle with cancer, always thinking above all else of her family and strong in her faith until the end of her life. My first memory of Sharon is from her interview. She greeted me in a warm and friendly way, by name, before I had even introduced myself. It was this personal touch and conspicuous interest in people that remained a hallmark of her time throughout Bablake. She was a most conscientious and dedicated colleague, with a ‘can-do’ attitude and a highly imaginative and positive approach to all her endeavours. She was an outstanding servant of our community, above all eager that what she did would have an impact on our pupils’ education. She was a great friend and colleague to many and we shall miss her hugely. But we cherish the memory of the very positive and beautiful person that she was.
Saturday 12 January Scholarship Morning Wednesday 10 February Rugby Ist XV v King Henry VIII Butts Stadium 7:00pm Wednesday 24 February Music Coursework Concert Rehearsal Room 5.00pm Thursday 3 March House Drama EDM 7:00pm – 9:30pm Thursday 17 March Music Concert at St John’s 1:10pm Tuesday 22 March Easter Concert Main Hall 7:00pm Wednesday 23 March Term ends Tuesday 12 April Summer Term begins
JWW
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