Simba - Spring 2007

Si m b a Bablakediary Mon 23 April Year 5 - Herbert Art Gallery

Wed 2 May Year 6 - WWII visit to Coventry Cathedral Mon 7 May School Closed Wed 9 May SATS Years 4, 5 & 6 Fri 25 May Year 3 - Brueton Park Mon 28 May - Fri 1 June Half-Term Tue 5 June Year 6 - Space Centre Thu 7 June New Parents Visit 6.30pm PA BBQ 7.00pm Mon 18 June Music Concert 5.00pm Tue 26 June Prize Giving 7.00pm Tue 3 July Sports Day 1.00pm Thu 5 July Summer Term Ends 11.00am

NEWS & VIEWS FROM BABLAKE JUNIOR SCHOOL ISSUE 2 SPRING 2007

LET IT SNOW This term has certainly been an interesting one with activities ranging from the excitement everyone had in the snow to the visit from Coventry University who engaged Year 6 most thrillingly with some very stimulating interactive Science experiments.

Katie Carlson and James Quirke won this year’s Creative Writing Scholarships and enjoyed an inspiring weekend at Pearse House honing their writing skills. We look forward to reading their published works as soon as the books are ready. Well done to both of them.

Our cross country teams have continued to be most successful with the boys running with great determination to win the Coventry Schools Relay Competition. The girls too showed much grit to come in 4th and the mixed team, made up of Year 3 and 4 students in an U11 race, ran with great heart to come in 5th. Every Tuesday almost fifty children train around Bablake field. This says a great deal that is positive about them and their coach Mrs Crisford.

We have continued to have tremendous sporting success elsewhere with the U11 boys reaching the final of the Coventry Indoor 4-a-side football competition, where they narrowly lost 3-2. They also made the final of the Warwickshire Cricket Competition where once again they were narrowly beaten. In the National Hockey Finals the boys acquitted themselves well after losing on penalty kicks in the semi-final of the Warwickshire competition. The girls too have played very well with many a thrilling netball victory to their credit and our U10 hockey team narrowly losing out in the quarter-finals of the National Prep Schools Competition.

Teaching at Bablake Junior School continues to be a pleasure. The children respond with great enthusiasm to the challenges and everyone is inclined to make the most of their opportunities. In this context you will be interested to know that the school will be inspected by the Independent Schools Inspectorate at the end of next February.

We look forward to sharing our successes with them.

Mr N A Price Headmaster

Bablake Science On Wednesday 14th March Year Six pupils were lucky enough to have a visit from a team of computer scientists from Cogent Computing, a research department at Coventry University. They specialise in pervasive technologies, the use of computers in every day lives.

After showing an exciting and thought provoking film on the future of space exploration using minute sensing probes, they introduced the classes to a variety of remote sensors. These were then used in experiments on light, forces, temperature and sound.

The children had an enjoyable and constructive day. They gained valuable knowledge, and were really enthused about Science.

Our thanks again go to Dr Gaura and her team for such an interesting and stimulating day.

Enthused about Science with Coventry university

ROBOT INVASION Year 6 had their second annual robot competition. Everyone brought in boxes and packaging materials to make their robots.

Some of the robots made were: “Shaken or Stirred” – a robot who was especially built to be a bartender. He had a drinks machine on his chest and a springy eye used as a security camera. “Robo-Bride” – a robot with laser eyes who gives out fabulous fashion advice. She loves pink. “J’Onwee” – a French artist robot who is brilliant at painting.

His special features are his pallet and brush. He is rather lazy and always sits down to work.

The whole school was able to vote for the best robot (votes cost 50p). The money raised is going to Joe Homan Homes – a charity that helps children in India get an education.

Creative Writing Scholarship Winner The creative writing course took place in the town of Saffron Walden, in a building that is 748 years old. It used to be a mill, and the boy’s dormitory was the room where grain was dropped onto the floor . It then got sieved and fell into the room below, which is now the toilet.

Despite the fact that we started writing at eight o’clock in the morning and finished at nine 0’clock at night, the writing was enjoyable. I was able to spend as long as I liked on my story or poem.

Here is an extract from the story I am most proud of, it is based in 1847: ‘Both of us crept towards the lion’s cage, as quietly as we could. Our bags were bulging with raw meat, and the coils of rope over our shoulders were dragging us back, but we finally reached the lion’s cage. We recoiled as it yawned, because its mouth was like a glistening cave of razor sharp ivory cavalry sabres.’

James Quirke 6A

Bablake Sport Cross-Country A Brilliant Achievement

Mixed Team

Girls’ Team

Boys’ Team

The school has added to its success last term, with more exceptional performances.

In the Coventry Schools Girls’ Cross-Country Championships, the “B” team had good individual results with Sian Brahach and Anna Price coming 9th and 10th. The “A” team were 5th overall and the “B” team 3rd.

In the Relay Cross-Country Championships in March the Girls’ team came 4th, the mixed team came 5th and the Boys’ teams were crowned Coventry Schools’ Relay Cross-Country Champions.

Hockey Hockey this term has continued to be successful with over 70 children attending hockey club regularly. For the Warwickshire Mini-Hockey tournament we were able to field five teams in total, both boys’ and girls’ teams reaching the semi-finals, the boys only losing out on a place in the finals after a penalty shoot out.

Boys’ and girls’ teams also represented the school in IAPS National Competitions held at Clifton College in Bristol and Queenswood School in Hertfordshire. Against very strong opposition the teams acquitted themselves well, improving throughout the tournaments and proving that they could compete successfully with the best teams in the country.

Our thanks go to Mr Johnson and Miss Hawkins from the Senior School who accompanied us and who gave the teams the benefit of their international experience.

Netball at Bablake is as popular as ever. The Year 4 girls’ show great promise and the Year 5 team have already recorded some fine victories against other schools. Of the 13 games recently played, they have won 8, drawn 3 and lost 2.

The Year 6 team have been committed to practices and matches and have played with tremendous spirit throughout the year. Of the 15 matches played they won 10, drew 2 and lost 3.

The Inter-House netball tournament was also keenly contested this year with a total of 36 girls participating. Elliot won both their matches to claim victory in the Year 5 tournament. The Year 6 tournament, for the first time ever, finished with Nelson, Elliot and Churchill on equal points.

BOOK CLUB

BABLAKE JUNIOR SCHOOL COUNDON ROAD COVENTRY CV1 4AU

We have run a very successful book club at the end of this term. Thanks to Mrs Payne for her assistance - especially counting the takings!

As a result of your interest and the children’s enthusiasm for reading books, we shall be able to add over 120 books to the library.

TEL: 024 7627 1260 www.bablakejs.co.uk

Excellence through care

Bablake Creative Me at School

BONFIRE Amy Atkins 3L

My name is Emily. I love Bablake School because everyone is kind to each other. I like Maths, English, R.E. and History. I like JAM Club. JAM stands for Jesus and Me. I’ve also joined the climbing club.

When it was my first day I knew I was going to enjoy this school. On the second day I made friends with loads of people.

Emily 4F

Bad luck Cold duck Frozen pond Not very fond Freezing at dawn Sledges rush Slip on slush Snowball fights Dog get frights Postman’s late Oh great Cold man No sun tan Looks at car Won’t get very far Hooray! Let’s go and play Snow Snow Snow ..... Please don’t go....

Stefan Harris 3L

Snow Snow, snow down the road.

Trying to find where to go.

Mayble left, maybe right.

Where might it go tonight?

How it fights the rustling wind.

Finally it will settle tonight.

Ambika Sharma 5M

Me at School Hello my name is Paula. I am in Year 4. I really like Bablake Junior School. I like Bablake because I love the staff and some lessons. I love my teacher Mrs Francis because she makes lessons fun and exciting. I really enjoy swimming and art because I am very creative and I love a good swim. My best stroke is probably doggy paddle. I love art because I love pottery, drawing and painting and much much more. I will always remember Bablake Junior School.

PUPPET George Bayliss 3C

ROBOT Jess Betts 6A

Paula Arreola Tapia 4F

Will somebody listen, please?

I’m not moaning or being a tease.

The planet is melting and warming up, It’s very important and I won’t shut up!

“An over-active imagination”, mum said, Taking place inside my head!

That’s not true, my facts are not lies, The world is being polluted, no fuel, everyone dies!

Climate changing, water level rising, Ice flow retreating, air pollution, Tidal surges, seasons meeting.

We have no time to do nothing but stare, Stand up, take note of our planet, TAKE MORE CARE. Connor Putnam 5B

Global Warming

Me at School I’m William. I’m new at Bablake. I am comfortable here, it’s not much the same as my old school, but I don’t mind. When I came here I did not know anyone except Joshua because he went to my old school, but now I’ve settled in, I’ve liked science. I know quite a lot now. I’ve learnt about seed dispersal.

I am happy here.

William Brindley 4F