The Lion - Issue 48

news & views from bablake school issue 48 spring 2009

in this issue Bablake students in demand at Oxbridge 02 Engineering a great education 03 Beth Shalom 04 CCF 05 Bablake Arts 06/07 Selling Cov to the world 08 Bablake clubs 09 Bablake charity 10 Bablake sports 11-15

Gaudi and Dali...

Barcelona’s inspiration Early Sunday morning of February half term saw 19 Sixth Form Design Technology pupils and three staff gather at Birmingham airport for the start of a five day visit to Barcelona to take in sights of architectural and engineering interest. Clearly, a 7am start was a good thing for the staff as never before have the pupils been so quiet!

The first day of visits took us to Barcelona where we enjoyed a guided tour of Parc Guell and the Sagrada Familia cathedral and a variety of Gaudi and Dali inspired buildings. After some free time to explore the Ramblas we headed off for a visit to the Formula 1 Circuit de Catalunya, the highlight of which turned out to be a speedy lap of the circuit in the coach! After an evening exploring Lloret, with some spending time recreating their own race on the dodgems, the

next day saw an early start and a superb visit to Siemens where we saw electric motors for locomotives being produced. A drive across Barcelona then took us to the Camp Nou, home of Barcelona FC and then on to Poble Espanyol.

This is a small village built in the 1920s to celebrate styles of Spanish architecture and is the home to many small craft workshops.

The final day of visits started with a visit to ABBS motors where we saw more electric motors

being manufactured and had a tour of the 1992 Olympic stadium.

After some excellent sightseeing in gorgeous sunny weather and some last minute shopping we headed back to the hotel. In the evening the entire group headed out together for a game of bowling and crazy golf where we all had to contend with some wild celebrations from Mr Shelley after he managed a hole in one. A final Grand Prix on the dodgems saw an excellent trip come to end.

Bablakenews

Bablake pupils in demand at Oxbridge Once again our Upper Sixth pupils are receiving excellent conditional university offers. Amongst these are nine students who are celebrating offers from Oxford and Cambridge.

Oxford has accepted Artur Foguet-Gonzalez (History), Thomas Hine (Medicine), Lara Jackson (Geography), James Ross (Classics and French) and Tom Varley (Engineering) while Cambridge has made offers to Paul Best (Anglo Saxon Norse and Celtic), Lewis Dawson (Natural Sciences), John Haidar (Theology and RS) and Ira Kleine (Medical Science). Our current school captains, Lara and James, follow in the footsteps of last year’s dynamic leaders, Jamie Stefaniak and Laura Dean, who also both won Oxbridge places.

It is interesting to note that while our Oxbridge class of 2008 is reading eight different disciplines, the class of 2009 will be studying six further disciplines which maintains proof of the versatility of our students' academic talents.

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Arkwright scholarship Congratulations to Lower Sixth form Design Technology pupil, Adam Rogozinski, on being awarded a prestigious Arkwright Scholarship. After sitting an aptitude paper and being put through an interview, Adam became one of just 190 awarded throughout the country from over 800 applicants. As well as a cheque to help him with his DT expenses, Adam is also linked with a sponsor to encourage him into engineering at university.

Adam has been linked with Doncasters Ltd, a leading international engineering company that manufactures precision components and assemblies for the aerospace, industrial gas turbine, specialist automotive, petrochemical, construction, industrial, transportation and recreation markets. The group is represented by Mr R Goodenough who is in regular contact with Adam.

Adam is currently working on his AS project, an unusual design for a coffee table with inset chess board.

Bablakenews

Engineering a great education At the end of the Autumn term, a small group of Lower Sixth pupils visited Birmingham University as part of their Engineering Education Scheme (EES) project.

In the weeks leading up to their residential stay, the group, comprising Adam Rogozinski, Jayson Parmar, Shindy Lall and Ami Shirley, had been set the task of solving problems with traffic congestion in Rugby town centre. Working in conjunction with civil engineers from Arup, the team settled on constructing new bypasses around the town, along with a feature bridge to cross the waterways.

Working in the university's Civil Engineering Department, the students perfected designs for a model of their bridge, and also managed to construct it within the first three days. The final day of the visit was spent preparing and staging a short presentation to the other groups on the scheme to explain the problem they had been given and their chosen final solution.

The team now have until April to complete a task report before presenting their finished project to assessors from the Engineering Education Scheme.

Thanks go to Dr Archer for accompanying the team on their visit, to Mr West for providing materials and help with construction and to Arup engineers Chris Donovan and Rachel Williams for their expertise.

shorts Mathematicians count gold Six Upper Sixth Bablake mathematicians are celebrating the receipt of gold certificates in the national Senior Maths Challenge.

Award-winners, James Ross (who received the highest mark in the school), Simon Archer, Michael Goldfinch, Kyle Gurney, Lijana Kaziow and James Lambert will take special pleasure from the knowledge that their award places them in the top 4% nationally.

Congratulations also go to another 51 pupils who made the medals table: 16 at silver and 35 at bronze level.

Golden scientists Many congratulations to those Upper Sixth pupils who carried out a Gold Crest Science Project and received their award in Birmingham in November.

Having Faith in the Wheatleyan Thank you to Faith Hannon and her team of editors. The issue was praised for its originality and innovative design. Work is already underway for next issue – please submit material by September 1 to mgaw@bablake. coventry.sch.uk

Speculating on success in the Daily Telegraph Congratulations to the current L6th team looking to invest real money in the stock market on being featured by the Daily Telegraph.

The team's ideas and the wisdom of Mr Faulkner, Head of Economics and Business Studies, were exposed at length in the article.

The Shares4Schools competition is sponsored by the Daily Telegraph and has been immensely popular at school since its instigation. bablake school

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Bablaketravel

Beth Shalom In January the Third Year went to Beth Shalom. Beth Shalom means “House of Peace” in Hebrew and is the only Holocaust memorial and education centre in Britain. Here is one pupil’s account of the day: As we entered the gardens that led to the building, I felt an overwhelming sense of peace.

Once in the house itself, we watched a powerful video and were asked “Does the Holocaust matter now and does it matter to me?” I decided that yes, it was still important to me. It’s vital that we don’t forget so the world does not make the same mistake again. I know that even today, genocide still occurs. The next generation needs to be taught about it and understand the consequences of the Holocaust.

The first part of the day was spent in the underground exhibition. It was like a journey, describing the way things changed for the Jews. It started off with how the Jews lived a relatively normal life but then showed how Jewish children were made to move to the back of the classroom and were not allowed to take part in certain lessons; how, when out in the streets, Jewish people were made to wear a star, to symbolise they were Jewish. The Jews even had to walk in the gutter when another person came along. Jewish businesses that had always

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thrived were shut down or broken into. Jewish books and bibles were burned on the streets.

Other countries refused to let Jews in as they attempted to flee Germany. Most Jews were then hauled into ghettos. For me, this showed hatred towards the Jews that was inexplicable; I couldn’t understand how bystanders let it happen. I asked myself what I would have done if I had been witness to this. I am not so sure I would have had the courage to stand up and do something about it.

After lunch, we looked around the memorial gardens. I really enjoyed this part, as it was peaceful and gave us time to remember and reflect. We all placed a stone onto an evergrowing pile, to represent the number of children murdered.

In the afternoon, we listened to a survivor, called John DubaÍ. He was Hungarian and although he was not sent to a concentration camp, he lived in ghettos until the end of the war. The part of the talk that most shocked me was when he said he saw his friend being

shot. His friend was standing at his front door as Nazis drove past. They stopped and ordered him to pull down his trousers. When they saw he had been circumcised, they shot him and went off, laughing. The survivor said that he can forgive but he can never forget.

For me, the day was an experience to remember. I have gained a lot of knowledge about the Holocaust and about genocide today.

I now have a better understanding of what happened, but I don’t think I’ll ever be able to fully comprehend why the Holocaust occurred.

Bablakeevents

CCF The wind in the trees was the only sound during a twominute silence at Coventry's War Memorial Park to remember those killed in war.

16 cadets represented the CCF Contingent at the Remembrance Parade on the 9th November. Despite the freezing cold weather, the cadets listened to the service given by the Bishop of Coventry around the Cenotaph.

The event finished as the cadets marched behind members of the City of Coventry Corps of Drums, along with the Army Cadet Force, Air Training Corps, Fire Service, St John Ambulance, Red Cross, scouts, girl guides, cubs, girls’ brigade, boys’ brigade and members of the public.

‘When you go home tell them of us and say, for your tomorrow, we gave our today...'

Presenting D of E Bablake held its first ever D of E Presentation Evening in November and it was a huge success. Over 50 Bronze and Silver participants attended, and after listening to an inspirational talk from the guest speaker, Yvette Alexander-Dhami (Coventry’s D of E Award Manager), they were awarded with their certificates. The pupils can now look forward to completing the next level of the Award. bablake school

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Bablakearts

'...the end result was highly energetic and skilfully executed'

On the West Side...

The end of year production was West Side Story: an ambitious choice, but doubly fitting as it was the musical’s 50th anniversary, as well as being the favoured choice of musical director Mr Sutton, who will be retiring this year.

The cast was drawn mainly from the Sixth Form, but did include talented individuals down to the third year. The challenging choreography was developed by Sixth Form pupils Kate Byrne and Vicky Wooltorton. Their perfectionist approach sometimes clashed headlong with the inexperience of some of the male students, but the end result was convincing and totally unembarrassed. With the feature dance numbers such as America, the end result was highly energetic and skilfully executed. There were many highlights, from the strength in acting and singing of the leads, to the commitment of the chorus to build up scenes and develop their own characters. The

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demands of the dancing meant that much of the floor space had to be kept free, but there was still an imaginative set, splitting the theatre into the two camps of the Jets and the Sharks. Again, Mr West’s ability to adapt ideas into workable designs meant that we could have an orchestra on stage, room for over twenty dancers, and raised stage areas for the two rival gangs. It was particularly pleasing to have a full theatre, with a waiting list for tickets for some nights. It was a production that will be remembered for a long time, and again promises great things for the future. (A fuller appraisal will appear in the next edition of the Wheatleyan)

A Handbag by Anthony Horowitz

The school again participated in the National Theatre’s Connections programme. New plays by top writers are created for this event, with a performance being presented in school, and then again in a professional theatre: in our case, at the Royal and Derngate Theatre in Northampton. The play deals with a group of seriously disturbed inmates of a high security institution being encouraged to perform a well known play by Oscar Wilde. As a result of their preparations, the students learn a lot about each other, and about themselves. As this edition of The Lion is being prepared, rehearsals

are in progress, and the Sixth Form actors are finding the piece unusually engaging, whilst enjoying unravelling the layers of meaning in the play. It is hoped that after the performance in Northampton, further performances will be advertised and presented at Bablake.

Theatrical highlights

The English and Drama departments have been on several trips since the last edition of The Lion.

The following were probably the highlights: seeing Derek Jacobi at the Donmar (Wyndhams) in Twelfth Night; the award winning Piaf at the Donmar Warehouse; Othello at Warwick Arts Centre; the controversial Tempest with Anthony Sher at Stratford; the incredible set and designs of Warhorse at The National Theatre; Don John at Warwick Arts Centre. Mr Prescott’s personal favourite was Pinter’s No Man’s Land with Michael Gambon, although others agreed to differ!

Fangs for the memories

By the time you read this, the Junior Dramatic Society will have completed its three night run of Dracula. Rehearsals are currently in full swing and as usual the level of talent on display has been outstanding. A full review will appear in the next issue of The Lion.

Bablakearts

arty shorts Bablake’s sporting anthem

Bablake Sessions on 'your' BBC Alex Stanger featured the Bablake Sessions CD that has been compiled for the Teenage Cancer Trust, on BBC TV programme Your News.

The CD was inspired by a charity that has a special poignancy for Bablake since a current pupil is in remission from the illness.

As well as being asked about the CD, pupils Zain Ali and Adam Simmonds were filmed playing their tracks on the guitar and Nintendo Gameboy respectively!

Both pupils are just 2 of 20 acts to contribute tracks to the CD that was released at the end of November. Lots of local artists are featured but we are delighted to have national acts like Kate Walsh and Jane Taylor on it as well as a collaboration between Jon Allen and Mark Knopfler.

All acts featured have a connection with the school, either as former pupils or performers who have played or been booked to play at the frequent gigs held at the school.

Design work has been completed by Cassie Leedham, a former pupil, of Kin Creative. This artwork was initially created by another former pupil, Claire Harris of Trash Blooms.

On Sunday, March 1st a group of Bablake singers gave a fine rendition of God Save the Queen in front of a huge sporting crowd. The prize for this was free tickets to watch an ice hockey match: Cassidy Coventry Blaze fixture against the Sheffield Steelers. Mrs Tatum found no shortage of volunteers when the school was asked to perform the anthem in the Skydome arena, a tradition that extends across most professional games. The pupils, many parents and siblings enjoyed a fast and furious game which was very raucous and at times extremely physical!

The choir were in fine voice, not only for the anthem but also to support their home team. We will not mention the equally noisy Sheffield supporters who infiltrated our group, particularly since they were the victors by 3 –1!

Juniors in concert

A small but select group of junior musicians gave a concert in January.

The recorder group started off proceedings and were followed by a number of soloists, all of whom were boys, apart from Charlotte Cooper!

As her father was accompanying most of the boys on brass instruments, she must have felt at home. Mr Cooper ended the first half conducting the brass group. The second half was the turn of the girl soloists, Ellie Morris, Georgia Powell, Helen and Beth Rowland and Lara Morley-White. The Junior Orchestra brought a most enjoyable evening to a close.

A musical autumn

The Autumn concert had too many highlights to mention them all, from the orchestra playing Brahms and Gounod to the chamber choir’s anthems and a joyous arrangement of ‘Funiculi, funicula’. There were solos from James Vallance, Emily Chomitzki, Nadine Minty, Rachel Powell, Michelle Jie, and Paul Jordan. Following this were the Early Music Group, the Flute Choir, String Group, Swing Band and a group of those who toured New York in the summer. There was also a piano duet from James Ross and Michelle Jie, and Chris Starkey sang to the accompaniment of Josh Sood. We also enjoyed pieces from the Chorale and Chamber Choir and the audience evidently enjoyed the variety and excellence of the music.

Sam’s recital

To find out more about the CD, please email Mark Woodward at mgaw@bablake.coventry.sch.uk

Congratulations to Sam Lewis who was asked to represent the Junior Department of the Birmingham Conservatoire at a recent senior recital.

Dancing for the title

Congratulations to Tyrone Thiara on winning the All-England Modern Sequence dance championships. We wish him luck with his training for the British title, which takes place at Easter. bablake school

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Bablakenews

Talking big

Selling Cov to the world Six Bablake pupils spent a day at the Herbert Art Gallery in Coventry to take part in the Coventry Heritage Challenge. Millie Ross, Lauren Deeth-Kelt, Chris Starkey, Beth Evans, Jonathan Lawrence and Robert Vallance were chosen from the ‘Gifted and Talented’ programme, to represent the school.

The day allowed pupils from a number of schools to hear ideas and opinions about Coventry’s history, its enterprise and commercial potential and the proposed radical designs for a new city centre. A selection of prominent local executives and councillors from the city introduced the day and then in small groups, the pupils were set various tasks.

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Beth, Jonathan and Rob formed one group with the help of another pupil from Sherbourne Fields School. They looked at different aspects of history, such as the element of variety performance in the 1960s.

They also produced a chat-show for radio, with each talking about a chosen area and answering questions.

The other Bablake pupils created an educational DVD on the topic of Art and Culture in Coventry. They examined Coventry’s heritage, and how new developments in the city will improve everyday life in Coventry, whilst also attracting people to the city. It is hoped that the DVD will be properly edited and produced by a professional company.

The day ended on a high, with the latter group being declared overall winners and Beth Evans being named “Man of the Match”! Many thanks to the organisers and to Mrs. Fletcher for co-ordinating the day.

It has been a very busy time for the Public Speaking and Debating teams. Readers of the last edition of The Lion will know that our Fifth Form pairing of Millie Ross and Caitlin Edwards had qualified for the final of The Taylor Trophy, a prestigious Midlands schools competition.

They finished second and Caitlin won the prize for best speaker.

This triggered further success, most notably that of Lizzie Stefaniak, Julia Ryland and Hannah Elsy, who combined to win the British Professional Women’s Schools Public Speaking Competition, held in Nuneaton.

This was a remarkable achievement because they were the three youngest contestants and it was compounded by Julia and Hannah winning prizes as best Expresser of the Vote of Thanks and best Main Speaker respectively.

Jonathan Lawrence replaced Lizzie in the English Speaking Union Public Speaking competition, held only last month at Warwick School, and they were prize winners again, this time finishing second out of seven very good teams.

Congratulations should also go to Marcus Judge, Kian Patel and Isobel Lindsey, who, ably coached by Miss Cheffings, teamed-up to come third in the Rotary Club of Coventry Jubilee’s Youthspeaks competition intermediate section.

The Public Speaking and Debating ‘season’ is almost over, but it is good to see so much promise and talent throughout the school, and we hope to see more emerge by the end of this month when the Inter-House Public Speaking and Debating competition is contested.

Bablakenews

A load of funky knits The knitting club has completed its blanket for Oxfam and it has been sent to Africa. We are now working on a second and also some funky knitted handbags.

Making a mark

All in good taste

Up to 30 budding entrepreneurs from the 3rd, 4th and 5th Year have joined the new ‘Make Your Mark Club’, part of a national scheme promoting enterprise in schools.

The aim of the scheme is to encourage pupils to set up and run their own business.

Over time, pupils have learnt some key lessons about marketing their product effectively – discovering that packaging was key to attract customers and ‘enhance the quality feel’.

Pupils have to keep track of their income and expenditure and in the main, have succeeded in making a profit. Recently they have been taking part in a national competition to see how much money they could generate during February, in a socially responsible way, starting with just £10 The best team have so far raised £48, better than the current rate of interest, and possibly an investment opportunity for the future!

The popularity of German-style Christmas markets in this country shows that many of us enjoy German food and customs. Year 6 pupils from Bablake Junior School didn’t have to travel to Berlin or even Birmingham to enjoy some preChristmas cheer when they joined our Languages’ Club to decorate traditional Advent biscuits. A sticky but fun time was had by all as they decorated heart-shaped biscuits with icing and ribbons to hang on their Christmas trees. Many thanks to Sixth Formers Jennie Wood, Martyn Gray and Jonathan Smith for their help in making the event a success. bablake school

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Bablakecharity

Charity works...

In December, we sent 46 Christmas gift shoe boxes to Eastern Europe. These were for children between 2 and 16 years of age who have lost their families. The boxes contained educational items, cuddly toys, toiletries, sweets and simple clothing, and in many cases these shoe boxes were the first Christmas presents ever received by these children.

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We are hoping to double the number sent this year so please start putting items to one side and look out for more news of this in the autumn.

Re-cycling old sunglasses

We are collecting old sunglasses to send to India for those who are struggling with eyesight problems due to the strong sunlight. If you are having a spring clean or just no longer want your old sunglasses please send them into school. There is a collection box in the main foyer under the charity notice board.

Malcolm’s Charity

Yet again we rose to the challenge set by our hard working caretaker, who is still raising funds to support Ward 34 at Walsgrave Hospital, where he was a patient in 2007. Through collections and a raffle we were able to present Malcolm and his wife Sue with a cheque for £750 to put towards his final total of £1,645 sent to Ward 34. 'Children in Need' saw Bablake 'going bandanas!!' with pupils finding some unusual ways of wearing the Pudsey bear scarf; it even found its way into Mr Watson’s top pocket! We raised £525 in total.

Money raised on non-uniform day was divided between Acorn’s Hospice for terminally ill children and Zoe’s Place, which is a hospice for very ill babies being built in Coventry.

'Bablake’s Got Talent' certainly kept us all entertained while raising an impressive £485 for Cancer Research and the Coventry and Warwickshire Air Ambulance. A big vote of thanks must go to 4F and to Mrs Fletcher for organising this event.

The Ethio International School in Bahir, Ethiopia, was our main charity before Christmas. We held a tombola, various cake sales, and the library staff sold Christmas gifts, alongside the weekly collections. We will be able to send £2,000 towards classroom equipment for the pupils. Schools in this part of the world receive no funding for education and rely on donations and the goodwill of adults to set them up in the first place, so they are very grateful for our help.

'The total for Charity fundraising up to the end of February was an impressive £9,230'

Bablakeinfo

Sports shorts

2M’s red balloon appeal support 2M have been supporting the Red Balloon Appeal, raising funds for Birmingham Children’s Hospital.

The form presented an assembly on the appeal and on the 30th January, members of the form took it in turns to run laps of the field and after 111 laps (yes, 111!) they had run the equivalent of the London Marathon or 26 miles, 385 yards. Pupils were sponsored and 2M have now raised over £500 for the Red Balloon Appeal. This was then supported by a Friday charity collection, organised by Mrs Heath. Well done to all members of the form for completing the marathon and to Mrs Marchant for coordinating the event.

Lucy finds her way Released from the demands of AS examinations, England U18 hockey player Lucy Horn recently enjoyed four days at the annual National Talent Orientation Camp at Loughborough University. She was one of 80 British talented teenagers handpicked as potential future Olympians.

The camp, funded by the Department for Children, Schools and Families and organised by the Youth Sports Trust, left everyone in no doubt that fulfilling their dreams would not happen through talent alone. There could be years of pain, sacrifice and possible disappointment along the way. Having the hunger to succeed and realise your potential was conveyed clearly. Lucy, along with Holly Payne, our other U18 hockey international, is clearly one to watch out for in the run up to London’s 2012 Olympics.

Ross fences for GB Congratulations to Ross Wilford who has just returned from Moneteau in France, where he was representing Great Britain in the U18 Sabre.

This time spent in Moneteau was a fantastic experience and Ross is keen to urge others to take up fencing.

Ton-up brothers In two different school matches on the same day, cricketers Paul and Mark Best scored a century. This was obviously a very special day for the family and we congratulate both players.

Sailing, we are sailing...

Former pupil Phillip Walker and his crew are going to the World Championships this year to be held on Lake Garda. In the run up to this event they are planning to do the Grand Prix series, where their aim is to be top in the top three in every event. Recent results have included 1st in the London Boat Show Pursuit Race, 1st in the Ovington Battle of the Classes and 1st in class in the “Bloody Mary”.

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Bablakesport

Girls’ sport

'In fact all teams have trained hard and enjoyed success with the West Midlands Netball finals being a prominent feature'

It is pleasing to see that girls’ sport at Bablake continues to flourish at all levels on the sports development pyramid. There are girls involved in recreational activities on the extra-curricular programme doing dance, gymnastics, swimming, trampolining, badminton and squash and many girls training and playing regularly for school in hockey and netball matches.

A number of girls are also performing at county, regional and national level. Recent congratulations go to Alexa Goodyer, Mollie Sargent and Jenny Tasker on being selected for the U13 Warwickshire Hockey Squad and to Ashni Desai, Georgia Horn and Beth Hushon for being involved in the West Midlands Netball Development programme. Good luck goes to Lucy Horn and Holly Payne as they will be representing the U18 England hockey team this Easter at the Four Nations tournament, playing Germany, Holland and Spain.

Bablake teams are having a very successful season and the current U12 age group is no exception.

The U12 girls are so enthusiastic and committed.

They have so far won both the U12 A & B Coventry Schools netball tournament quite comfortably, finished runners up in the Solihull invitation

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hockey tournament, and after winning 4 matches, drawing one and losing one, in which they conceded their only goal against them, came third in the Warwickshire hockey tournament. This bodes well for the future. The U13 netball team showed great determination in temperatures of 0° at the Foremarke netball tournament to take the winners’ medals. The U15 A & B netball teams also dominated the Coventry Schools netball tournament and added to the netball trophies at Bablake along with the U13 A and B teams also winning their tournaments. Both the U14 and U15 hockey teams beat King Henry VIII in the final to take the Coventry Schools hockey trophies. The U16 hockey team have been playing in the National Schools Plate competition and are through to the fourth round after beating K.E. Handsworth, K.E. Lichfield and Moreton Hall.

Bablakesport

What a game...

Congratulations to Bablake's U14 Netball squad for making it to the Nationals. With a lovely fluidity to their best moves, the team calmly progressed to the semi-final stage having lost just a single game in their section, and what a semi-final it proved to be.

There was total excitement as both teams swapped scores from centre passes. From a goal down at half time, we quietly edged ahead by one goal at the final hooter and a match in the final against Bromsgrove could be enjoyed safe in the knowledge that a Nationals place had been secured.

Both our U19s and U16s lost just a single match en route to their semi-finals but were then edged out by eventual winners of their age groups. In their final game, the U19s recovered from 6-3 down to edge ahead by one goal as Lijana Kaziow, Roxy Ziaie and Lara Jackson began to control the attack and Beth Hushon clinically converted her goal opportunities. Impressive opponents Wrekin College regrouped for a final surge and ended the game winning by 2 goals. For the U6th players in the squad, it was a disappointing finale but with their grace in defeat, they won yet more admirers. They have been a successful squad who are a delight to train with and have played elegant, intelligent netball and shown impressive humility on the rare occasion of a defeat.

The U16 squad was also edged out at semi-final stage. An early defeat to the section favourites had added pressure to which the girls responded admirably; however our semifinal opponents had extra reserves on the day. I suspect the group will move onto the senior level, thirsty for a place in the 2010 or 11 Nationals.

It was great to see three teams from Bablake at this juncture of the competition. We wish the U14s well as they represent Bablake and the West Midlands in the Nationals later this term. It will be a fantastic day and great experience for them for the future. Both the U16s and U19s have qualified in previous years and can vouch for the excitement to come on that day.

Following their victory in the U18 Warwickshire hockey tournament, the Bablake 1st XI went on to play in two Midlands rounds. They beat Ellesmere, Uppingham and Rugby, but unfortunately the girls could not sustain their form as injuries started to deplete the team.

Varsity hockey Bablake's 1st XI girls' hockey team eagerly accepted an invitation from King's High, Warwick, to play one of the warm up matches at the annual Varsity match at Southgate Hockey Club.

King's High dominated the early stages of the match and this pressure led to them scoring the first goal. However, as the half progressed, Lauren Boon (later awarded Bablake's Player of the Match award) and Holly Payne helped pile pressure on King's High.

Bablake's series of short corners, either side of half time, was stoutly defended and when the next goal arrived, it was a deftly executed breakaway by King's High.

Losing 2-0 with the final quarter to play, it would have been easy to lose heart and concede further goals, yet Bablake rallied excellently with a smartly taken short corner goal scored by captain, Lauren Boon.

Further pressing gave hope of a dramatic late equaliser, however King's High utlilised the extra space created by Bablake's position upfield and scored again before the final whistle to ensure a 3-1 win.

The game was played in an excellent spirit and proved a fine preliminary for the ladies’ Varsity match which followed.

Though trailing to a very early Cambridge goal, inevitably Oxford's winning goal was superbly struck by captain and former King's High student, Charlotte Jackson.

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Bablakesport

Boys’ sport...

Rugby The 1st XV has continued to put in some superb performances this year. As well as the nail biting win against King Henry VIII, in horrendous conditions, the team has recorded excellent wins against Bishop Vesey’s, Lawrence Sheriff and Kenilworth. However, perhaps the most courageous performance was in a narrow defeat against Solihull where the team battled injuries and sin bins before conceding a late converted try to lose 12-11.

Max Goodyer and Kristian Ostrowski have been selected to represent Scottish Exiles whilst Harry Walker and Alex Myers have been selected for the Warwickshire U17 development squad. The 2nd XV meanwhile have continued their winning ways and are developing into a fine group of players. Alex Popplewell, Adam King, Kilian Kleine, Sam Jack and Charlie Ladbury have all been selected to attend the Warwickshire School of rugby.

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The U15 team has continued to produce some fine performances. Wins against John Cleveland College, Lawrence Sheriff and Old Swinford have been the highlights. Ben Cooper, Josh Buggea, Richard Synott, Ben Davies and William Sibley have all been selected for Warwickshire whilst Alex Morgan, Tom Lane and Enyi Ogbuneke have all represented Coventry District.

The U14 team has had a difficult season but there is light at the end of the tunnel. They have reached the semi-final of the Coventry Cup and Aleem Iqbal, Emile Pokoj, Ronan Jones, James Brindley, Jake Hinley and Andrew Clisham were all selected for Coventry District.

Bablake hold on Once again, the crowd was left in agony until the final whistle as Bablake held on for a 14-10 victory in the annual 1st XV fixture against their local rivals at Coventry RFC. Only when Paul Best

cleared his lines, kicking for touch from inside his goal area, could the Bablake supporters relax.

Until then, a late KHVIII try and drive for the line had shades of Andrew Hextall’s dramatic last ditch try for Bablake last year.

Despite playing in conditions better suited to mud wrestling, both teams showed tremendous handling skills and the game was mainly fought amongst the forwards. It was tense, gruelling and agonising for supporters and cramp-ridden players alike.

Last year, Bablake dominated the early stages before falling behind against the play.

This year, James Mitchell (before an early injury) and Harry Walker bravely pressed Bablake forward but the team went in at half time second best, fortunate to be trailing just 5-0 to an unconverted try. All credit to the defence but at that point, the crowd was wondering whether Bablake would be left to rue not kicking 2 penalties close to the KHVIII posts.

The second half saw Bablake eventually take advantage of extra room on the pitch, once KHVIII had had a player sent off for 2 yellow cards. Chuka Ogbuneke finished off a fine three quarters move and Adam Simmonds burst through from the 22. Crucially Harry Walker converted both tries.

The chance to play in front of a massive crowd is a fantastic experience for all involved in the game and for the first time, this year the respective Junior Schools played before the 1st XV game. In a game that was much more open, KHVIII ran out winners, 21-0.

Thanks go to Coventry RFC for hosting the fixture, Darren Garforth for presenting the trophy to winning captain, Tom Jackson and Mr Chris Seeley, Deputy Head at Bablake, for coordinating the fixture.

Bablakesport

Boys’ Hockey 1st XI The 1st XI have been a pleasure to coach this season. Tom Costello has captained them with great leadership, leading by example and creating an excellent team spirit. This team spirit has often been tested during a season filled with fixtures against some very strong sides. The 1st XI is a relatively young side and this season has been a steep learning curve for many boys. With this experience behind them, I am sure the 1st XI will be able to produce more consistent results next season.

Boys’ Hockey 2nd Xl The second team continued to develop this term with improved results. The best game was against Bromsgrove School, when the Bablake boys played excellent team hockey both in defence and attack to earn themselves a well deserved draw against formidable opponents. Outstanding players for the squad were Scott Easton in defence and Jay Brahach, Arrandeep Banwait, Rees Herrod and Paul Wilson in midfield.

Boys’ Hockey U15s The U15 boys have continued to develop their hockey skills to a higher level. The team has had mixed results with some wins and losses.

However, the best performance so far was the return match against Warwick School which they won 2-0 in a hard match. The whole team played their best hockey with William Vines being outstanding in goal. William KennyHerbert and William Knight both played superbly in midfield. Another outstanding performance was against a very experienced Bromsgrove School which included three U16 internationals. Bablake played disciplined hockey creating lots of chances and only narrowly losing.

Boys’ Hockey U14s The U14s have had an extremely successful season, working hard throughout the year to achieve excellent results against strong opposition. Strength and depth within the squad have ensured results have been consistently good. Jones, Kenney-Herbert and Basra have demonstrated they are very talented players, helping to turn tight games in Bablake’s favour. In the Warwickshire Hockey Cup Final the boys beat Rugby School 3-0 and represented the county in the Midlands round.

The boys started their final strongly, passing the ball well and creating chances. Ronan Jones and Jack Webber combined excellently on the right which resulted in two well worked goals for Mark Best in the first half.

Strong defensive work and excellent saves from Jake Basra kept Rugby at bay in the second half. Just before the final whistle, the game was put beyond doubt, when Hugh Kenney-Herbert scored from an excellent short corner routine.

Boys’ Hockey U13s The U13s are an enthusiastic year group and a large squad of players have been training regularly throughout the season. As the season has progressed they have learnt to play as a unit and this has been rewarded with a string of excellent results.

The U13s are showing much promise and further hard work in the last few weeks of the season and next academic year will ensure they continue to be one of the most successful teams in the area. Special mention should go to Jack Webber who has captained the side with great maturity. Jack has also been a key

member of the U14 team and he played a vital role in their success in the Warwickshire County Tournament.

Boys’ Hockey U12s The U12s are starting to develop well as a team and have been working particularly hard at training. After losing to a very strong Loughborough Grammar side they addressed those areas of weakness highlighted and raised their performance level significantly against Solihull School. Their hard work was rewarded with a goal by Bullen at the start of the second half. Solihull responded and worked the ball well through the midfield. The Bablake defence held out until the last few minutes when Solihull equalised just before the final whistle. Although disappointed, the U12s can be pleased with this result and build upon it in the remaining fixtures of the season.

Congratulations to William Kenney-Herbert who has been selected for Wales' U16 Hockey training squad

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Headmaster’s notes I am very mindful of the fact that one of my most important responsibilities is to appoint new staff, as well as to develop and motivate those already at Bablake. Our teachers and support staff are undoubtedly our most valuable resource, although I admit to a particular aversion to the term ‘human resource’, as it somehow invites comparison with the inanimate resources at our disposal!

I was recently asked by a prospective parent to define what I looked for when interviewing potential teachers. Above all, I look for a passion for inspiring young people both inside and outside the classroom. Pupils will remember certain teachers well beyond their school days, possibly for how they fired them with enthusiasm, possibly for a quirky habit or turn of phrase, possibly because they built up their confidence and helped them to exceed their wildest imaginings, possibly because they were simply ‘there’ to listen and to care when a crisis loomed large. This is where the boundaries between classroom and extra-curricular activity become blurred, because we know that our pupils thrive in so many aspects of school life, building lasting and positive relationships.

Not so long ago, it was suggested that teachers would one day be replaced by videoconferencing and computers. Technology,

properly used, can be immensely powerful in its support of teaching and learning, and we are looking carefully at how we can best exploit its potential. We have also completed most aspects of our review of the school day and its curricular balance, as we aim to enrich pupils’ educational experience; I shall give you more comprehensive information next term.

One thing remains true: despite technological advances, despite curricular change, teachers will never be extinct, because it is precisely the quality and vibrancy of pupil and staff relationships which allows us to bring out the very best in young people in their most formative years. And that is a great privilege.

The Headmaster’s Memorial Garden Many will know that the original Headmaster’s Garden, where the EDM now stands, contained memorials to some former pupils and staff. Over the Easter Holiday, we shall complete the creation of a new memorial garden, which is intended as a haven of tranquillity at the very heart of the school, for the use of all in the school community. The garden, in the Science Quadrangle, will be officially dedicated by the Bishop of Warwick on Tuesday 12th May at 10.15am. Any former pupil or member of staff who wishes to attend should contact Ms Lorraine Gibbens, the Headmaster’s PA, on 024 7627 1203. Some might wish to remember a former member of the school, and there will be a book of remembrance, as well as the opportunity to request a small memorial plaque; further information will be sent out by letter.

Diary Summer Term Begins Tuesday 21 April May Day – School Closed Monday 4 May Memorial Garden Dedication 10.15am, Tuesday 12 May Internal Examinations for Shell, 2nd, 3rd & 4th Years Monday 18 May Half Term Monday 25 May – Friday 29 May U6th Leavers’ Concert Wednesday 24 June Mr B Sutton Retirement Concert EDM 3.00pm, Sunday 28 June School Sports Day Wednesday 1 July Summer Term Ends Thursday 2 July Autumn Term Begins Thursday 3 September

Staff news Miss Caroline Hall will be leaving at the end of this academic year, to take up a post at Barnard Castle School, nearer to her roots. Miss Hall has made a very significant contribution to the lives of pupils at Bablake, and is currently Duke of Edinburgh Award Co-ordinator, CCF Contingent Commander and Head of Wheatley House.

We bid farewell to Emily Power and Peter Sidwell, former pupils who have provided tremendous support in the P.E. Department during the first two terms of this year.

Mr Tim Crompton will take over from Mr Sutton as Director of Music in September.

Mr Crompton is currently Director of Music at Myton School in Warwick, where he has been since 1998. During this time, he has presided over a very significant expansion of the school’s

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musical life (both curricular and extra-curricular).

He is a pianist, organist and bassoonist, and a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire.

Mr Richard Sewell will replace Mr Faulkner as Head of Economics and Business Studies.

Mr Sewell has a degree in Economics and Social Policy from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a PGCE in Economics and Business Studies from Leeds University. He is currently Head of Economics and Business Studies at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield.

Mr Peter Burden will step down as Head of General Studies at the end of the year, but his opinions and knowledge remain invaluable as we review our Sixth Form enrichment programme.

Mr Simon Enstone has been appointed as Head of Enrichment Studies from September.

Bablake School, Coundon Road, Coventry CV1 4AU +44 (0)24 7627 1200 +44 (0)24 7627 1290 e info@bablake.coventry.sch.uk w www.bablake.com t f

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