The Wheatleyan 2011-12

TheWhea�leyan

One of the country’s leading co-educational independent schools is closer than you think…

Issue 198 | ISSN 1759-0302

www.bablake.com The Wheatleyan

Coundon Road, Coventry CV1 4AU t +44 (0)24 7627 1200 f +44 (0)24 7627 1293 e info@bablake.coventry.sch.uk w www.bablake.com f facebook/bablakeschool t www.twitter.com/bablakeschool

Bablake School Celebrating 2011/12

NA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Da ulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmal kins The Taming of the Shrew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsumm ght’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Don Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West S ory Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of the Shrew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Hor ow A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Op e Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectati arkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of the Shrew A Servan wo Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Mosc e Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Temp eat Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of rew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DN andbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pu Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atk ISSN: 1759-0302

Celebrating 2011/12

“As teachers, we are immensely privileged to witness the burgeoning talent of our young people, and to play our part in nurturing individuals who will make a striking and positive difference to the lives of their future communities. Within these rich and colourful pages, we pay tribute to the staff whose vocation it has been to serve Bablake, and we celebrate the myriad achievements from another year of energetic and creative endeavour. Excellence in education is not only reflected in our shared expectations of academic success; it is also apparent in the sparkling array of opportunities beyond the classroom, and in the care and support which enable our pupils to ‘live the dream’ and to emerge from Bablake to play a full, generous and confident role in society. Congratulations and thank you to those who have compiled this splendid record of 2011-12!” john watson, headmaster

“Once again it has been a special privilege to work with such innovative and enthusiastic young minds on a weekly basis. As Editor, Beth Rowland’s impressive enthusiasm, fine intellect, good humour and calm organisation have been outstanding. She has brought a keen interest in journalism to the post, proved entirely dependable and I thoroughly look forward to reading her writings beyond Bablake.

Appointing Eleanor Morris as Deputy Editor to share the onus with Beth proved an excellent decision, since preparing The Wheatleyan is immensely enjoyable but a major undertaking. I am sure you will agree Eleanor’s mature thoughts and outstanding academic ability have further guaranteed the quality of this issue.

May I remind readers Bablake news is posted daily on our website as well as being tweeted and posted on the school’s official Facebook page. It is also covered in the thrice-yearly ‘Lion’ (www.bablake.com/ publications.php), edited by Mrs Sarah Harris.” mark woodward, staff editor

TheWhea�leyan Student Editorial Team Editor: Beth Rowland Deputy Editor: Eleanor Morris

Photography Anna French, Jennifer Reay and Oliver Warlow

News and Features Eleanor Morris and Beth Rowland

Marketing ideas Eve Kershaw and Katie Stanton

Beyond the Classroom Joe Cashmore and Maneesha Sehgal

Production Design: Mustard Design www.mustardhot.com

Flair – Art and Design Rebecca Garforth and Isobel Lindsay

Print: Windrush Group

Flair – Literature Sam Paplauskas Performing Arts Simeon Blake-Hall, Bethany Gaunt and Georgia Powell Sport Beth Jepson and Hugh Kenney-Herbert Former Pupils Sunnah Aziz and Ben Evans

Acknowledgements Paul Cleaver and the Art department, Rob Dougall, Scott Morgan, the PE department, Richard Smith, Chris West, Mark Woodward (photography); Peter Burden, Terry Patchett, James Ross, Millie Ross (proof-reading); staff and pupils (articles) Front cover image: Actors of the Future, by Oliver Warlow.

Back cover image: 37 Years On,

by Mark Woodward

mgaw@bablake.coventry.sch.uk

Bablake School, founded in 1344, is a school within the Coventry School Foundation (registered charity No 528961) and exists to provide quality selective education for boys and girls. The senior school of over 800 pupils shares the site with the Bablake Junior School of some 190 pupils which now includes a preprep located near Coventry railway station at what was Cheshunt School (founded in 1909).

King Henry VIII School, founded in 1545, is also part of the Foundation.

Coundon Road, Coventry CV1 4AU t +44 (0)24 7627 1200 f +44 (0)24 7627 1293 e info@bablake.coventry.sch.uk w www.bablake.com f www.facebook.com/bablakeschool t www.twitter.com/bablakeschool This publication is printed on paper sourced from sustainably managed forests.

Wherever you see a QR code in this issue, if you use a QR code reader (available free from your app store), you will be directed to a web page related to the article. A Bablake mobile app is available for both Android and Apple platforms

Friends for life?

Without wishing to cast a Bablake style Hello curse, last year we said that while we cannot guarantee you will meet your future partner when you join Bablake, there definitely seemed to be something in the water. Many of you emailed to confirm our suspicions and alert us to other couples!

Paul Best and Lara Jackson Dean Bryant and Jane Burley (married) Emily Cupi and Gary Hill Becky Devall and James Pitt Luke Fletcher and Hannah Sheard (engaged) Artur Foguet Gonzalez and Roxy Ziaie Michael Greevy and Emily Woolley Mark Sutton and Katie Roberts (married) Lucy Timms and Charlie Hands Victoria Wooltorton and Adam Simmonds Melissa Walton and Ryan Wells even had their wedding featured in Hello magazine with former pupils Lara Morris as a Bridesmaid and James Przybek as Best Man but the award for the best Bablake wedding of the year must go to Laura Coulthard and Andrew Mitchell, who married on Dec 27 in Hampton in Arden with seven Bablake friends as officials and another nine in the pews!

The Bablake cast list at Laura and Andrew’s wedding was: Jo Mitchell, Carla Oldroyd and Lucy Timms (Bridesmaids); Ian Critchley (Best Man); Ross Hudson, Chris Mitchell and Matt Vines (Ushers); Adam Clarke, Will Fitzgerald, Charlie Hands, Nick Lloyd, Milad Rahati, Ryuko Reid, Ali Rowe, Jordan Simpson, Richard Wilson.

Please continue to tell us of any marriages or civil partnerships, where both partners met or were educated at Bablake, by emailing mgaw@bablake.coventry.sch.uk!

In this issue...

Highlights

4 News & Features

10

2011/12 Academic Survey 5 Headmaster’s Review 6 Academic Achievements 8 Final Destinations 12 Staff News 14 Bablake and Beyond 20 Meet the Team 21

24 Beyond the Classroom Shocking Revelations 25 Home and Away 26 Careers 32 Charity 36 House Activities 40 Getting Involved 48

27

50 Flair

54 71

94

Bablake Book Club 52 Out and About 54 Creative Writing 55 Galleries 58 Photographic Excellence 64 Textiles 65 Celebrations 66

70 Performing Arts

37 Years On 71 On Stage 72 On Song 76 Arts Award 80

82 Sport

London Olympics 83 Sporting Honours 84 5 Star Futures 86 Sports Focus 88 Sports Talk 100

102 Former Pupils

103

Reunion 103 Alumni Focus 104 News Desk 106 And finally... 110

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Highlights: 2011/12 Academic Survey 5, Headmaster’s Review 6, Academic Achievements 8, Final Destinations 12, Staff News 14, Bablake and Beyond 20, Meet the Team 21

News & Features Edited by Eleanor Morris & Beth Rowland “I was delighted to be appointed as Editor of The Wheatleyan this year. I had often submitted work in the past, and was hoping to work on the team, so to be made Editor was a fantastic surprise. Rarely has it been hard work as I have enjoyed it so much, although I think staff and pupils have started avoiding me so I don’t ask them to write something!

The magazine this year is, in my opinion, the best yet, and I hope it showcases the amazing array of talent and opportunity at Bablake. Compiling this year’s content has proved to me that there really is something for everyone at Bablake, and everyone is encouraged to be involved with something they are passionate about.

I would like to thank Ellie, all the editorial team and Mr Woodward, who manages to remain so calm, for their hard work!

We should be very proud of this edition of The Wheatleyan and I hope it will be hard to improve upon next year!”

Beth Rowland

E-news The latest Bablake news is posted daily at the following official sites: www.bablake.com/newsroom.php @bablakeschool www.facebook.com/bablakeschool bablake.tumblr.com pinterest.com/bablakeschool

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

“As always, pupils have excelled both in and out of the classroom, so, as Deputy Editor, the hardest challenge was selecting the best features for this issue. I have enjoyed finding hidden talent and being able to bring it to the forefront in print.

My fortunate position has enabled me to truly appreciate the wonderful array of pupils with ambition and drive at Bablake and it gives me great pleasure to be able to publicise the extent of their involvement in the School’s daily life at Bablake.

I encourage all pupils, especially the budding journalists, who value engagement with the school community, to submit items for next year’s edition as it will be a most valuable and rewarding experience.”

Eleanor Morris

2011/12 Academic Survey

2011/12

Academic Survey Beth Rowland asked various Heads of Department to summarise 2011/12 or their subject in a maximum of 140 characters.

Art Morocco, Sahara camel ride, Compton Verney Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Michaela Gyetvai workshop, our Art & Design show. #highlights Biology Another very positive year, high numbers of students at AS & A2 & exceptional results at GCSE; discovered 98% of our DNA isn’t just ‘junk’.

Business and Economics Enterprise & Key Skills Days, 3rd BASE National Final in row, Target 2.0- 1 injury & much spilt water, Stock Market Challenge prize winners.

Careers Essential support from parents & former pupils for fine Mock Interview Morning & Careers Convention. Proud to see current pupils stand out.

Chemistry Best ever A/A*% at GCSE, MRP retires happily after 38 yrs, 2 excellent new staff, no false alarms on smoke detectors, a gr8 year.

Design Technology Oversized A Level projects inc stunning BBQ table & pocket chess board, CNC laser cutter overworked, 2 Arkwright Scholars, fingers intact.

Drama A legend moves on, 37 years on. Fantastic Foxes at Easter time & the nature of justice at Edinburgh. Another year in Drama. #tiringbutfun English ‘I was much further out than you thought/ And not waving but drowning.’ (Stevie SmithEnglish poet) Geography Superb snowy cold exhilarating Wales field course, a swansong by Mr Enstone, off to Africa to warmer climes. Welcome Mrs Bradshaw!

History Russia trip (only 2 lost luggage items), 2 new A2 topics (Arab-Israeli conflict & Elizabeth’s Triumph), imminent birth, model trench system.

Home Economics New arrival for a new look department, kites, hats and muffins all developed, continued success with Ready Steady Cook; more fun had by all!

ICT Excel spreadsheets & Access databases, Word docs & Publisher leaflets, PowerPoint presentations & Scratch programming; a few ICT things.

Mathematics Whatever changes in education, Maths will stay the same & Bablake mathematicians will leave equipped to succeed in a mathematical world.

Modern Languages Europe discovered - Paris, Eurodisney & more. Fond farewell to Fousseau after 20 years of memorable visits - staff & pupil tears & sadness.

Physics Great year for Physics! Higgs Boson existence confirmed, contradictory speed of light proof explained; saw out ‘talk like Prof Cox’ course.

Psychology Tired of asking why do people do that? Heck, why did I do that? Study psychology & amaze friends & family with insight into human behaviour.

ReligiouS studies Great groups & results as festivals roll through the seasons: Harvest, Divali, Christmas Carols, Lent, Easter & Eid to mention just a few.

Sport (Boys) Superb performances, effort & enthusiasm in wide range of sports. Hockey & cricket (1st XI County champions) go from strength to strength.

Sport (Girls) Busy fixture list! Seniors win Warks netball & indoor hockey; U14 magic at Netball Nationals; athletes in Midlands A final & 4 city wins. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Headmaster’s Review

Headmaster’s Review 2011/12 The following are extracts from Headmaster Mr John Watson’s report to the Governors Academic performance Achievement in public examinations was again strong.

With our largest ever U6th cohort, outcomes were pleasing and exceeded last year’s, with strong value added; 5 pupils gained entry to Oxford or Cambridge, and 77% secured places at their first choice of university in another year of exceptionally high offers. 9 pupils were accepted to study Medicine or Dentistry- both notoriously competitive courses. 3 pupils were rewarded with 4 A* grades at A level and an unprecedented 12 gained at least 10 A* grades at GCSE, where last year’s record number of A* grades was also broken (increasing from 34% to 38%).

Many departments continue to do excellent work through workshops, academic societies, extension classes and individual tuition.

The Learning Support department assists about 90 pupils, our Gifted and Talented programme provides opportunities to challenge and broaden young minds, and the Enrichment Studies programme for the U6th has included pursuits as diverse as car maintenance and flower-arranging. 15 pupils presented an Extended Project alongside their A levels, and an impressive number of Gold Crest scientific research projects were completed. 4 junior Music Scholars achieved the school’s first Arts Awards. The number of books borrowed from the Library continues to increase, aided by the successful introduction of the Power Readers scheme. Staff continued to develop and share imaginative approaches to teaching through the Teaching and Learning Group, an Academic Sub-committee has been formed, and the ICT Steering Group has prepared the ground for September’s introduction of a Virtual Learning Environment. Further improvements have been made to staff training, and this year’s focus for whole-staff INSET has been teaching and learning, including boys’ motivation.

Academic success was complemented by pleasing performances in competitions. L6th pupils were national finalists in the Business and Accounting Skills Education competition for the 3rd consecutive year; the Junior Maths Challenge team won the regional competition, so progressing to their national finals for the 4th time. No fewer than 11 pupils presented their Gold Crest projects in the national Science and Engineering finals and an U6th girl won 2 national accolades.

A L6th girl reached the last 3 (out of 250) in the Amnesty/ Guardian Human Rights Reporter of the Year competition.

Sporting and Extracurricular activities Girls’ U16 and U18 indoor hockey teams reached the Midlands finals. The U18 girls’ netball team was unbeaten in regular fixtures. U14, U16 and U18 netball teams all qualified for the West Midlands finals, and the U14s competed in the National finals. The U15s won the prestigious Uppingham Invitation Tournament. 2 girls reached the semi-finals of the Midlands tennis tournament.

Both Junior and Intermediate girls’ athletics teams qualified for the Midlands A final of the English Schools Track and Field Cup, with the Juniors finishing in 2nd place. Numerous girls and boys were selected to represent Coventry at the West Midlands Championships, and the boys’ and girls’ school teams won the Intermediate, Junior, Year 8 (girls only) and Year 7 Coventry championships.

Boys’ hockey enjoyed its best season yet. The U14 hockey team remains unbeaten in its inter-school regular fixtures for the last 3 seasons, and won through to the Midlands finals. The rugby teams were less successful this year, but the U16s performed very well in Sevens competitions and won the Coventry trophy.

An exceptionally wet Summer term led to the

“At GCSE… last year’s record number of A* grades was also broken.”

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

business Headmaster’s & enterprise Review zone

cancellation of many matches, but, by the end of term, all junior cricket teams (U12, 13, 14 and 15) had reached the semi-finals of the Coventry Cup. The 1st XI had reached the final of the Warwickshire Cup, with seniors already crowned 8-a-side Warwickshire Champions in a tournament earlier in the season.

One boy became Warwickshire U12 chess champion; another, U15 table-tennis champion. Nick Skelton, who led the GB show jumping team to a Gold medal in the Olympics, is an Old Wheatleyan.

The house system continues to provide ample opportunities for all to compete in a very wide range of activities, with house photography and Olympic-themed sports newly featuring this year.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award is thriving, whilst many pupils continue to benefit from the Army and RAF sections of the Combined Cadet Force. A female RAF cadet gained her silver wings for completing her first solo flight, and a boy was placed in the top 5% of successful applicants for a prestigious Army scholarship. Both activities build teamwork, resourcefulness and the spirit of service, and involve pupils in numerous expeditions; they are very well supported by staff, with 17 helping this year with the D of E Bronze practice expedition, for instance.

Myriad clubs and societies occur at lunchtimes and after school, including Funky Knitting and Self-defence!

We celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee with bunting, a red, white and blue day and a traditional fayre. The normal timetable gave way for the last two days of the Summer Term to a cross-curricular programme of visits and enrichment activities.

The principal drama production was 37 Years On, and featured extracts from Mr Prescott’s productions during a very successful career at Bablake. Younger pupils staged Roald Dahl’s The Fantastic Mr Fox. Several concerts showcased musical talent, and several of the school’s best musicians also played in county youth orchestras outside school.

A wide range of educational and recreational visits allowed pupils to support their work in the classroom, and to flourish in new spheres of discovery. These included: curricular visits at home in many subjects; theatres and art galleries; the final 2nd year weeks at Fousseau; language trips to Paris, the Costa del Sol and German Christmas markets; a Classics trip to Italy; a ski trip to Sunday River, USA; a Geography field trip to Wales; an Art expedition (with King Henry VIII School) to Morocco; the annual Beth Shalom visits for the whole 3rd year; performances at the Edinburgh fringe for the twenty-sixth successive year; a History Department visit to Russia; and a History expedition to the First World War battlefields; CCF camps and Duke of Edinburgh expeditions.

moderation; a biennial Oxbridge information evening, and some informal support with Oxbridge interviews; French plays; Associated Board Music Theory Examinations; hockey, rounders and cricket tournaments. The swimming pool is used by the Rotary Club, the City of Coventry Swimming Club and a pentathlon club. The theatre is used by two local primary schools for their annual drama production, as well as by dance schools and children’s drama companies. Meetings of two local charities occur at the school. A Maths, Science and Languages Activities Morning caters for Year 6 pupils.

The cricket pitches are used by the junior sections of the old boys’ cricket club. King’s Camps uses the school for children’s activity camps 5 weeks annually.

Pupils and/or staff have: worked voluntarily in a range of care homes, charity shops and primary and special schools; invited senior citizens in for 2 parties annually; and raised over £20,000 for charity in 2011/12.

The link with RNIB Pears (formerly Rushton School for the blind) is now in its 2nd year. The Music Department has staged well-received lunchtime concerts at St John’s Church, and has also taken groups to care homes and local primary schools.

Staff continue to share their expertise in a variety of ways, including the training and mentoring of aspiring teachers. Numerous staff perform voluntary work in their local communities. We are currently establishing a link with a South African township school.

The school is outward-looking as a community, eager to encourage a sense of social responsibility and care for others amongst our pupils.

Building and Refurbishment We have begun a programme of refurbishment of the Science laboratories. Repairs and upgrading have occurred to electric circuits, lighting, energy supply, windows, paths and tarmac surfaces. Decorating and re-carpeting have continued apace. Disability access has been improved and staff common room facilities upgraded. Windows 7 and a VLE have been installed on the network, further projectors and interactive whiteboards have been added, an electronic display board has been installed opposite Reception and new PCs have been purchased (with all machines replaced or rebuilt in the last 5 years).

The Headmaster’s Prize Giving speech may be found in full online at www.bablake.com/headmasters_ notes.php or via this QR code.

The Community and Charity The school opens up its facilities for use by local state primary and senior schools and for other children’s activities, often free of charge or below cost. This includes: AS/A2 Drama workshops and AS/A2 PE www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Academic Achievements

“A record 38% of all GCSE grades awarded were A*s and 12 pupils, a dynamic dozen, set the pace with at least 10A*s.”

Prize Giving 2012 We were delighted that former pupil Mr Angus Russell (1967-1974), CEO for Shire Pharmaceuticals Plc, presented the prizes, flying over from the US. As well as the traditional musical entertainment, performed this year

by Eleanor Morris (Debussy) and Bradley Gill, Ben Powell, Georgia Powell, Helen Rowland, Christopher Tuttle, Anna White and Helena Worthington (Vivaldi), the Headmaster invited six pupils to talk briefly about a range of specific highlights from 2011-12: Ben Evans (academic extension), Amy Kuner (Italy trip), Tom Betts (sport), Anna French (extra-curricular) and Sam Lowe and Harkiran Sundal (fundraising). School Captain Maneesha Sehgal gave a vote of thanks.

Prizes Awarded The most prestigious of over 200 individual prize-winners this year included: Shell Scholars 2012–13 Academic: Emma Blackett, Hana Dhanani, Amrit Gill, Max Harrison, Harry Hine, Svetlana Kim, Tess Lillicrapp, Faith Nealon, Edelle Pyke. Art: Ashleigh Stonier. Music: Georgia Ementon, Hilary Shum, Anna White.

William Townsend Form Prizes Shells Attainment: Avni Kant, Cherie Ng, Deepra Sinha, Shamayel Sayeed, Salim Zayyan. Progress: Anna Elkins, Jacob Henderson, Tom McDevitt, Leshanth Uthayanan, Rachel Worthington.

2nds Attainment: Hannah Allrogen, Ashni Hindocha, Katerina Jackson, Thomas Nelson, Vikesh Puri. Progress: Madeleine Baskerville, Jasmine Bhandal, Ravneek Kailey, Georgina Owen, Eleanor Shaw.

3rds Attainment: Roisin Bowe, Rory Kenney-Herbert, Nick Payne, Christopher Tuttle, Ciara Wyman. Progress: Nia Gripton-Crockford, Annie Honess, Josha Hundal, Brad McKenzie-Quinn, Hannah Ward.

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

4ths Attainment: Francesca Bellingeri, Sian Brahach, Brogan Coulson-Haggins, Paul Gascoigne, Rubi Ingaglia, Alexander Towlson. Progress: Beckie Carter, Mariona Foguet-Gonzalez, Alex Murray, Alice Ryan, Scott Spencer, Eva Tite.

5ths Form Prize: Jessica Betts, Bradley Gill, Andrew Haughian, James Hunter, Olivia Luciano. Excellence at GCSE: Jessica Betts, Josh Bhathal, Daniel Brett, Katie Carlson, Matthew Clements, Abi Collins, Edward Cooper, Karamonique Dosanj, Dulcie Emery, Kate French, Bradley Gill, Thomas Grantham, Kathryn Jones, Rebecca Jones, James McAllister, Lara Morley-White, Aaran Patel, Kian Patel, Kalika Puri, Joshua Rowe, Harry Smith, Jennifer Tasker.

6th Form Scholarships Academic: Jessica Betts, Daniel Brett, Katie Carlson, Matthew Clements, Karamonique Dosanj, Bradley Gill, James McAllister, Aaran Patel, Kian Patel, Kalika Puri, Kate Ross, Joshua Rowe, Katie Seeley, Jennifer Tasker.

Music: Nick Evans, Bradley Gill, Joshua Rowe.

Sport: James Faulkner, Robert Faulkner, Alexa Goodyer, Annabel Knight, Matthew Payne, Christopher Sewell.

Whitehouse: Josh Bhathal, Beth Brankowski, Kathryn Jones.

Lane Scholarships awarded to L6th Formers for outstanding academic achievement: Arsalan Ali, Arun Dhanjal, Lewis Emerson, Anna French, Matthew Hollinrake, Jack Mills, Alexander Powell-Tuck.

TW Patchett Scholarship and Courtesy Prize: Beth Rowland, Jimmy Xu. J V Rattigan Cup for Merit: Maneesha Sehgal.

Jackson Progress Prize: Jack Jacques.

Leonard Ward Trophy for Sportswoman of the Year: Ashni Desai.

Seaborne Trophy for Sportsman of the Year: Ben Davies.

Academic Achievements

Best Contribution to the School by students new to the 6th Form: Harriet Ryland.

Media: 6th Form leaflet: Emma Fairclough, Scott Morgan.

Chris Ashworth Trophy (Outstanding Achievement): Laura Weaver.

Physicist of the Year (University of Warwick award to local schools): Matthew Hollinrake.

H Curt Prize for Service: Robert Vallance.

Public Speaking: English Speaking Union: Kate Edmiston (best chairperson), Keisha Simms (outstanding speaker), Kirbie Smith. Rotary Youth Speaks (Coventry winners): Senior: Simeon Blake-Hall, Karan Pankhania, Sam Paplauskas; Intermediate: Maddy Baskerville (best individual speaker), Sonia Dhillon, Emily Poole.

Hawley Cup for Service: Will Sibley.

Humberstone Prize for Character and Scholarship: Hannah Elsy.

Achievements Amnesty/Guardian Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year: Runner Up: Beth Rowland.

Army 6th Form Scholarship: Ben Evans.

Arkwright Scholarship: Joe Gibbins, Oliver Warlow.

Be Creative National Shortlist: (15-19): Wei Deng, Arun Dhanjal, Sam Paplauskas, Sachin Sharma; (11-14): Madison Cotteret, Daniel Cotton, Josha Hundal, Robert Tuckey.

Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair: E.ON Best Use of Mathematics and UK representative at the London International Youth Science Forum: Beth Evans.

Mensa: Katie Carlson.

School Captains: Hannah Elsy, Will Sibley.

Senior Prefects: Rebecca Appleton, Eva Ball, Ashni Desai, Will Kenney-Herbert, Jonny Lawrence, Enyi Ogbuneke, Julia Ryland, Sam Shebl, Anuriti Aojula, Lizzie Stefaniak.

Shine Media Awards: Shortlisted: (Overall Content) Connor Putnam for Aspire.

Smallpeice Trust Courses: Will Banfield, Tom Betts, Jamie Cooper, Nikolaus Elz, Clare Jackson, Adam Keir, Jonathan Porter and Arkwright Scholar Oliver Warlow.

UK Youth Parliament: (Coventry): Amelia Brook.

Spotted on/at:

British Computer Society Challenge IT: Mobile Phone App Design winner: Daniel Cotton.

Central News: Rachel Claringbull after St Basils Hospice sleepover.

Chemistry Olympiad: Gold: Sam Yang.

RSC: Matthew Hayhurst as Prince Arthur in ‘King John’.

Cicero European Latin competition: 4th nationally: Marlena Cummings.

Crest Awards: Gold: Hibo Abdulrahman, Anuriti Aojula, Smriti Aojula, Sophie Carlson, Ashni Desai, Beth Evans, Kurt Ibberson, Will Kenney-Herbert, Hannah Naguib, Enyi Ogbuneke, Helen Porter, Sophie Qui, Ceri Smith, Jonathan Wellings, Philip Wild; Silver: Marco Ciao, Marcus Judge, Aaran Patel, Jacob Williams.

CV Challenge (5ths): Kalika Puri.

Extended Project Qualification (EPQ): Becky Appleton, Heather Bruck, Daniel Cooper, Hannah Elsy, Beth Evans, Alice Haywood, Emma Honess, Beth Jewell, Jodie Keith, Evelyn Luan, Bhavini Parmar, Mayanka Patel, Sophie Qiu, Samy Shebl, Harnake Virk, Francis Woolley.

Formula 1 in Schools: Regional finalists: Anu Bose, Cameron Gregg, Thomas Hingston, James McAllister, Joshua Rowe, James Tumber.

GCSE Classical Civilisation (2011): Jack Orford - 1 of 4 pupils nationally to gain maximum marks.

HSBC Stock Market Challenge: Media Analyst: 1st of 240 was Matthias De Veer.

ICAEW National Business Game National Finalists: Nicola McIntyre, Sapna Mohan, Scott Morgan, Bhavini Parmar, Rebecca Pearce, Katie Wainhouse.

Internationales Preisträgerprogramm: Georgia Powell.

Maths Challenge: Senior Olympiad: Sam Yang (Distinction), Flora Zhan; Senior Gold award winners: Beth Evans, Sally Li, Ellen Luo, Sophie Qui, Sam Yang, Flora Zhan; Junior Challenge National Finalists: Anna Knight, Jonathan Leong, Matthew Thomas, Jack Whittaker.

2011-12 Public Examination Fact Sheet A2 • 144 pupils - 100% pass rate • 79% of all grades were at A*, A or B • 15% at A* • 49% at A* or A • 77% accepted by 1st choice university AS • 114 pupils - 99% pass rate.

• 67% of grades at A or B • 32% of all pupils achieved 3 or more passes at A grade GCSE • All 117 pupils achieved at least 5 A* - C grades • 67% of all grades were at A* or A • 38% at A* (Bablake record for 2nd year running) • Pupils averaged 10.1 passes • 28% of all pupils gained at least 10 A* or A grades • 12 pupils achieved 10 or more A*s

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Academic Achievements

“With 11 pupils exhibiting their work, Bablake had the most pupils in the country looking to gain awards at Big Bang.”

Big Bang A former pupil John Nollett, CEO for Pailton Engineering Ltd, who visited the Big Bang with local MP Geoffrey Robinson, was one of those impressed with Beth Evans who won two national awards at the event.

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

The 2012 Science and Engineering Fair and Chemistry Olympiad

Mr Nollett was heartened by talking to Beth. ‘She was so passionate about her research, but caring enough to ensure that we understood what she was telling us. The fact that she had researched this through Birmingham University and performed the whole project during her summer holiday was so refreshing to hear. This sense of ambition, along with the sheer determination shown by her, is a credit to the school and the staff. It mimics the guidance, advice and encouragement given to me, all those years ago, when I attended Bablake as a child.’

L6th pupil Chandni Patel (Silver), together with U6th formers Anuriti Aojula, Smriti Aojula, Beth Evans, Kurt Ibberson, Helen Porter and Jonathan Wellings (all Gold), presented their individual projects to the exhibition for judging.

Chandni commented: ‘I have a great passion for Chemistry and this was an ideal platform to create and deliver a project of my choice. I chose to investigate current pain relievers and after my research and consultation with manufacturers, health professionals and retailers, I manufactured my own aspirin tablet.’

5th form pupils Marco Ciao, Marcus Judge, Aaran Patel and Jacob Williams presented their Silver Crest project ‘Testing and Developing Indigestion Remedies’ to the exhibition. For this work, first they investigated the neutralising properties of some of the antacids on the market. Then, after determining acid neutralising properties and the chemical composition in the branded remedies, they used the data to develop a new antacid ‘crestigestion’ which they felt was unique, cost effective and versatile in the way it could be taken. It would also compete directly with the leading antacid on the market.

Sam Yang followed in the footsteps of Hitesh Bansal, winning a Gold Award in the 2012 Royal Society of Chemistry International Chemistry Olympiad. This competition aims to identify the best Chemists in British schools and Sam scored very highly on a paper that covered topics as diverse as cholesterol-lowering pharmaceuticals, the causes of curly hair and a 'nano' car.

Academic Achievements

EPQ Mr Julian Bunce, our coordinator for the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), is currently planning the presentations for our 2012/13 U6th formers and the applications from our L6th pupils.

16 of our U6th who left this summer successfully completed the 2011 EPQ, having spent much of their summer holiday at the end of the L6th completing the bulk of the research and writing demanded by this excellent academic extension exercise.

Titles for the EPQ are chosen by the pupils but guidance is offered to each along the way by the members of our staff acting as individual supervisors. This year the titles ranged from Alice Haywood’s What were the effects felt by the German people as a result of reunification? to Harnake Virk’s The Tragedy of 19th Century English Fiction.

Other projects covered Mussolini, the Mathematics of Roulette, animal evolution, James Joyce’s The Dubliners, eating disorders and much more. As well as a written piece, the candidates also delivered presentations to a nonspecialist audience of pupils and staff.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Final Destinations

Beyond

Bablake

The talented Class of 2005 leaves Bablake for an impressive and exciting range of challenges presented by first-rate establishments and employers.

UK UNIVERSITIES 13 Birmingham 8 London (3 - Imperial; 2 - King’s College (KCL), University College (UCL); 1 - Royal Holloway) 5 Leicester 4 Aston, Bath, Durham, Liverpool, Nottingham, Oxford Brookes, Reading, York 3 Bristol, Coventry, Loughborough, Nottingham Trent, Oxford, Sheffield 2 Bradford, Cardiff, Kent, Leeds, Liverpool John Moores, Liverpool Metropolitan, Southampton, West of England (UWE) 1 Aberystwyth, Bournemouth, Cambridge, Chichester, De Montfort, Derby, East London, Edinburgh, Exeter, Gloucester, Harper Adams, LCA Business, Manchester, Portsmouth, School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), Southampton Solent, Stafford, Warwick, Worcester UNIVERSITY ABROAD 2 USA (1 - John Hopkins, Baltimore) 1 Australia (Melbourne), Canada (McMaster, Hamilton, Ontario) GAP YEAR 22 (19- mix of paid and voluntary work plus independent/ arranged travel; 1 - Deloitte Scholars Scheme, House of Commons, Paris- au pair) ALTERNATIVES 4 Employment (inc Barclays 1, Family business 1) 2 Art Foundation, RAF DEGREE DISCIPLINES The Arts, Humanities and Languages - 12 1 Creative and Professional Writing 2 English (inc Language & Communication/Psychology 1, Language & Literature 1) 5 History (inc Ancient History 1, Politics 1) 2 Modern Languages (inc French & Arabic 1) 1 Philosophy and Theology 1 Politics and Chinese

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Engineering, ICT, Health & Medicine, Natural & Physical Sciences, Sports Science - 54 1 Automotive Design 2 Biochemistry 4 Biology (inc Anatomy and Human 1, Biological Sciences 1, Human 1) 3 Chemistry 2 Clinical Sciences (inc Medicine Foundation 1) 2 Computer Science 1 Diagnostic Radiography 1 Dentistry 5 Engineering (Chemical 1, Manufacturing and Management 1, Mechanical 3) 1 Extended Health and Bioscience 4 Geography (inc Human 2) 4 Geology (inc Exploration and Resource 1, Geological Hazards 1, Geoscience 1) 1 Geoscience 1 Mathematics 8 Medicine 1 Natural Sciences 1 Nuclear Science and Materials 1 Optometry 5 Physics (inc Mathematical and Theoretical 1) 4 Sports Science (Applied 1, Exercise 3) 1 Sports Therapy 1 Zoology Social Sciences - 45 2 Accounting (Finance 1, Finance and Economics 1) 10 Business (inc Design Business Management 1, Economics 2, International 1, Management 1, Management & Economics 1, Management & Marketing 2, Management & Public Policy 1, Psychology 1, Sport Management 1) 2 Criminology (inc Social Policy 1) 7 Economics (inc Financial 1) 1 Education (inc Primary 1) 1 International Relations 4 Law 1 Management (International & Modern LanguagesFrench) 3 Marketing (inc Fashion 1, Sports 1) 11 Psychology (inc Biology 1, Business & Education 1, Experimental 1, Philosophy 1, Professional Placement 1) 1 Rural Enterprise 2 Sport Coaching (inc Physical Education/ Psychology 1)

“77% of the Class of 2005, our largest ever A2 cohort, were awarded a place at their first choice university.”

Spotlight

Captains’

Spotlight

loved it! Also, the A Level Economics trip to Prague was a lot of fun.

Hannah: Going to Fousseau was a highlight, as I’m sure it was for everyone. Another trip to France in the 4th year is a holiday I will never forget, but I can’t tell you why. It was a lot of, very crazy, fun!

Iz: What is next for you, after Bablake?

Will: If I work very hard and get the grades I want, the next thing for me is university. I’m not sure what is after that but possibly a job in Engineering.

Hannah: I can’t imagine life outside Bablake! I have applied to King’s College in London where I would like to study English Literature. Hopefully after that I can find a way into a job in the Performing Arts.

2011-12 school captains Hannah Elsy and Will Sibley were interviewed by Bablake Junior School pupils, Iz Hemus and George Parker.

Iz: What have you enjoyed in your roles as School Captains?

Will: It is great to have responsibility and to have been recognised by your teachers and peers as being able to cope with that. It is a great honour.

We also have to pick up a lot of litter!

Hannah: I have enjoyed organising Crystal Ball and the Yearbook.

Both: But we don’t have badges like you! We want badges that say Head Girl and Head Boy! George: What is the best thing about the senior school?

Hannah: There is so much to do at Bablake! I especially loved being involved with drama and public speaking, but there is a club to suit everyone’s tastes.

Will: Yes, I will have to agree with that. I have enjoyed music clubs, sport, particularly rugby, and I loved our history club when I was in the Shells.

Iz: Did you settle into the Shells well?

Will: I was not at the Junior School but I settled into the Shells really well. Everyone was really nice and I felt very happy here after only a few weeks. The teachers were very kind and welcoming.

Hannah: I came from a very small junior school and at times the school

could seem too big and intimidating.

But I soon settled in very well and had lots of friends.

George: What are your favourite lessons?

Will: I can’t say break time, so it will have to be Maths. I have to say that I do love Maths!

Hannah: Although I want to do an English degree, Art is probably my favourite lesson. I enjoy being creative and it is a lot of fun. It is time to relax as there is not much written work!

Iz: Which clubs did you enjoy and why?

Will: History Club in the second year again! That was a lot of fun. Also all the music clubs: wind band, brass band, orchestra- I’ve been to them all… and rugby club.

Hannah: I haven’t been to many clubs, but my parts in the drama productions have been entertaining.

I was very excited to land the main part in Cabaret, and the whole cast was lovely and very supportive when I was nervous.

George: What is the best school trip you’ve been on?

Will: In the 2nd year, I went on a ski trip to America and it was fantastic. I

George: Are you glad you went to this school?

Will: Yes I am, I feel it has made me grow into the person I am today. I think I’ve grown into an adult in the time I’ve been here and the friends I have made will be for life, I know.

Hannah: I’ve had an amazing time at Bablake, but I think that is mainly because I have been very involved with so much.

Iz: What is your best memory of school?

Hannah: I have mentioned it already but the Cabaret production was amazing. It was the first time I had sung on stage and I will never forget it.

Will: For me, it will have to be the rugby tour to South Africa. It was the culmination of a lot of hard work and anticipation, and I had a fantastic time.

George: Any top tips? It won’t be long before we are Shells!

Hannah: Do your homework and study hard!

Will: That’s boring! My advice is don’t be too overwhelmed by the senior school pupils, they are not as big as they seem. Just be cool.

Hannah: And join in with lots of clubs. The busier you are, the better it will be.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

13

Staff News

Valete Mr Martin Rhodes Mrs Gill Thomas and Mrs Pam Marchant Martin’s 38 years at Bablake were served under four headmasters and our research brings you just a glimpse of his time here at Bablake! He most definitely had stylehis very own style!

He had his very own style of dress. There was his Aussie style headgear, worn out in the field come rain, come shine. There were the navy V-necked sweaters and his high visibility Virgin jacket which he wore for bus duty, when he directed traffic as if, according to Mr Enstone, he were guiding an aircraft in to land on the deck of HMS Invincible.

He had his very own teaching style. Mr Rhodes tended to refer to himself in the third person, in both lessons and in assemblies. His surname lent itself well to his wonderful Yorkshire accent, just one of his trademarks and a pupil report in the 1986 Wheatleyan alluded to this: ‘The Geography field trip is a strange phenomenon. There are many unanswered questions surrounding the L6th excursion to Devon. Why is it, for example, that normally sane Coventrians return having curiously acquired broad Yorkshire accents?’

There are many pupil accounts of Martin’s active teaching style. It was not unusual to see him standing on a desk enthusiastically pointing at a wall display, or sprawled on the EDM foyer floor poring over a large OS

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

map with a group of Shell formers oblivious to passing traffic.

Martin is a fanatical Geologist. Pupils were very well aware of his pet rock ‘Shap’, which we are assured will remain at Bablake under safe guard. The 1987 Wheatleyan offers more rock news: ‘Our task on Sunday was to look at tors, giant rocks of granite on Dartmoor, from which pieces were duly chipped off and thrown at us by Mr Rhodes, to examine.’ As does the 1990 tome: ‘Mr Rhodes was hammering at pieces of limestone, testing them, and offering them for everyone else to taste.’

Martin had his very own style of organisation, or should we say disorganisation?

His filing system was very interesting. Martin spent a lot of time looking for things, which more often than not were eventually found either on the back seat of his car or in a box in his garage. Often in his search for a lost item, Martin would emerge with great excitement as he had just found ‘… that brilliant O level Geology question from 1979. They don’t ask them like that anymore.’

Mr Terry Patchett, reflecting on Martin’s Bablake hockey involvement, recalls he was always a key supporter of the boys’ hockey match programme and was ever present on the tours to Belgium, France, Germany and Spain from 1978-87. In fact, Martin was soon handed sole control of the 2nd XI where he became bus driver, manager, umpire and coach.

Martin’s obsession with trains was well known and he was always able to tell us the next one due to pass the school. His fascination with steam railways was shared with his great friend the late John Lawrence; together they organised countless excursions for enthusiasts in the Railway Club and Transport Society. They journeyed all round the country from Dover to Scotland, often in the same year or even same summer. Martin was delighted when the Railway Society acquired proper

Staff News

“They will always be remembered by pupils for the right reasons… as inspirational and encouraging teachers.”

railway premises in what is now the school shop. They were eventually evicted and then occupied the present large bookstore for the Geography department. This room used to fill up with pupils and whenever we were on field trips, we had to have a keen eye for the trains. Many a geographer has remarked over the years that Mr Rhodes became positively ecstatic at the mere mention of a train!

Many will know of Martin’s passion for Fairfax House, but you may not know that for many years Martin supported the now defunct Billing House (1974 – 90) before taking the helm of Fairfax House for the next 21 years. He was far famed for his lively and humorous assemblies with animated readings from Winnie the Pooh and lessons to be learned from Mr Men characters or The Sun. In recent years the assemblies always had an ingenious, if tenuous, link back to house activities. In 1995 Martin wrote in his house report: ‘How many times is it possible to come second?’ It is well known he had a real hunger for victory, but he always strove to involve maximum numbers. The pupils’ efforts were not just for the Jaffa cakes, but also because Martin’s enthusiasm was contagious!

Martin has always had the pupils at heart and there is real affection for him in his enthusiasm in his teaching and the roles he has undertaken whilst at Bablake. Martin has been practising hard for his real retirement this year, and we know the real thing will be very full and fulfilling.

We sincerely thank him for his contributions! He is one of life’s characters, one of Bablake’s legends!

Mr David Prescott Mr Mark Woodward David was appointed as an English Master in 1975, and became Director of Drama in 1980. Whether as a form tutor, English teacher, Director of Drama, colleague or friend, Dave’s reputation is legendary. Pupils taught by him or lucky enough to be part of his form have always been envied, since any time spent in his care has always been inspirational and fun!

So many pupils’ enjoyment of the theatre, careers as teachers and respect for others derive from Dave, while his major involvement in 26 consecutive Edinburgh Fringe productions is further testimony to his excellence.

As a colleague he has been an influential role model for many of us: self-deprecating, humble, uncomplaining, hard-working, consistent, kind, witty and dedicated - the consummate professional.

When Dave was nominated for an Inspirational Teacher award, typically his first reaction was simply: ‘I hope the other person wins.’ She did; she must be some teacher to have beaten Mr P!

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

15

Staff News

Mr Prescott: my inspirational teacher Natalie Gardner (former pupil) Mr Prescott taught me specifically for AS and A2 level Drama and theatre studies, but also directed me in a number of school productions. When people ask me who my favourite teacher was at school there is one name that comes up again and again and it is David Prescott’s. He was such a phenomenal teacher and a wonderful generous human being, so, if anyone deserves the title of inspirational teacher, it is him.

In lessons Mr Prescott would engage his pupils with his humour and lively way of teaching; we always laughed with him. It was this humour that made the lessons so enjoyable. He encouraged us all to enjoy drama and theatre and regularly took us on theatre trips; we were going to two or more a week at one stage. It was this level of dedication that made us see him as a friend as much as a teacher. Once Stephanie Baker (another Prescott fan) and myself were taken by him to see Peter Brook’s Le Costume even though we were the only two that wanted to see it. He organized the whole thing and took us!

I am now a professional actress and I have to say without his encouragement this probably wouldn’t be the case. Not only did he teach incredibly well but he also directed so many productions that took up a lot of his own time. The Edinburgh Fringe trips epitomised this. We actually performed there three consecutive years and that experience helped me as a performer and inspired me to study further at drama school.

Mr Prescott was a hugely influential teacher and supportive role model for me. I was not always the most well behaved pupil! Most tried to quash my lively spirit, but this was where Mr Prescott was different.

He encouraged us all to be ourselves, embrace our individuality and loved a lively character! I think that was what made me respect him so much. The way he treated us all as adults, never patronising us; his way was not to bend us into a mould of pupil that he wanted but to show you how to behave and how to be the best people we could be as individuals leading by his example. I know I was not the only person who felt this; at school he was the teacher that was ‘cool’ and we all wanted to be liked by him. I never saw him lose his temper once, even when we could have been very frustrating. Instead he made you want to work hard as you wanted to please him as we knew that this was an extraordinary teacher.

Thinking back to the lessons we had, they are the highlights of my school experience, even sad times like the 9/11 atrocities. We were scheduled to have an A Level Drama class; I remember Mr Prescott coming in and putting the TV on and telling us all to sit down and watch the unfolding as it would change the world. We saw the second tower struck by the plane live and we all discussed it afterwards. It was this sort of teaching that shows you the sort of holistic education Mr Prescott gave us. Not shielding us from the real world but valuing our opinions and views as young adults.

I could write all day and tell you so many funny

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

stories and wonderful things he did at Bablake, and the thing is, I’m not the only one. Hundreds of us that have been taught by Mr Prescott feel the same. He keeps in touch with lots of his ex pupils and I have to say I am one of the lucky ones in that respect. His hard work and dedication deserves recognition. He touched so many young hearts and lives in a positive way and taught me and many others to believe in ourselves and go for our dreams.

Mrs Marilyn Prowse Dr Patrick Knight Marilyn’s retirement is going to make a big difference to me. On the one hand, I am delighted she will have time for herself after giving so much to her teaching, while on the other, rather selfish, hand I know that I am going to miss her enormously.

Marilyn has been a superb science teacher and year after year has brought the best out of her pupils. She first taught at Bablake in 1976, and then after maternity leave and a brief spell at KHVIII, she returned to us in 1986, bringing her intellect, hard work, clarity of communication and patience by the bucketful. Calm and unflappable in lessons, essential skills in a practical subject, Marilyn was a real ‘fixer’ in the department: whenever we came across a problem, she had an amazing ability to think of a solution and put it in place, often with some extra work for herself, but never ever with any fuss. She just pressed on and sorted it out!

She has inspired and expertly guided dozens of pupils through science projects for the CREST award scheme, including most recently my daughter. The paperwork and bureaucracy associated with this job is almost Kafkaesque, but in her usual manner she just kept working away and chasing pupils and the award’s admin staff until they complied. She has worked with our best pupils on Gold projects and the variety of topics that they investigated was awesome: coronary stents, linked oscillators, Mathematical analysis of animal footpath patterns and lameness in lambs are just a few that show the variety.

Marilyn has been an outstanding form tutor, for a long time in the 2nd and 3rd year and then latterly in 6th form. Mrs Alison Tumber described Marilyn as an unsung hero of 6th form tutoring in our department review this year, which very neatly reflects how she has dealt with the highs and lows of tutoring our older pupils; she does the job well and does not draw attention to herself, leaving the pupils with a great sense of their own achievements and worth.

Staff News

She has been a fantastic friend. From my start at Bablake, she welcomed me into the department and gave me huge amounts of advice on teaching Science and classroom management. My family will also testify she is a fantastic cook and hostess and her daughter Clare was our first babysitter. She also provided much humour for the days when on Duke of Edinburgh hikes, the staff used to sleep in tents - her hatred of camping is something to behold.

As Marilyn embarks upon a very well-earned retirement and spends time on activities of her own choosing, we know she will not put her feet up for very long as she just has too much lust for life. We expect to hear tales of hiking, gardening, cooking and travel. She will surely head over to see her two young granddaughters Ellie and Charlotte who live in Seattle but we are not expecting to hear about any camping trips.

We thank Marilyn for giving so much to the Bablake community. Her enormous contribution truly deserves a happy retirement.

Mrs Danny Thomas Mr Mark Woodward When many were vehemently opposed to the advance of computers and saw them as a hindrance in education, Danny was the visionary who arrived as IT Manager with the challenging brief of developing the school’s IT facilities and curriculum. With support from Mr Simon Timothy in developing the curricular programme, Danny built a network that is the envy of many an organisation and its efficiency and effectiveness owes much to her vision, negotiation skills and organisation.

A consummate professional, Danny was also a successful teacher of ICT and Mathematics. For many years she worked closely with Mr Graham Burgess and Mr Rob Dougall on school publications and designs; she had the highest of professional standards and correctly expected the same of others.

We suspect she will now enjoy time with her family and a well deserved round of golf or two.

Mr Simon Enstone Mr Steve Jackson

No stranger to Coventry, for he was a pupil across the city at KHVIII, Simon joined Bablake in September 2004, having worked for a number of years in logistics.

However, his love of Geography persuaded him to train as a teacher so he could share his passion with a new generation of geographers. He was chosen from an exceptionally strong field of experienced candidates and our faith in him was proved correct.

From the start, Simon’s love for physical geography and the great outdoors shone through in the classroom.

Many of his teaching colleagues benefited enormously from his superlative ICT skills, helping us out of many a technological nightmare. He was a popular Shell form tutor for several years, forging friendships with parents and some pupils that even now survive the test of time through social networking. Latterly, he became a 6th form tutor, a role that suited his relaxed style of tutelage.

Simon was a supportive and enthusiastic colleaguea pleasure to work with. His love of fieldwork, especially in mountain environments, enlivened many a 6th form fieldtrip to Snowdonia, where he developed a love affair with a dog named Clunie. In 2006, Simon led a highly successful and enjoyable departmental expedition to Iceland, though escalating costs thwarted dreams of further such challenges.

He achieved his ambition of promotion to middle management, by accepting the challenge of leading and completely restructuring the 6th form enrichment programme, a daunting task to say the least. Not only did he throw himself wholeheartedly into the task, but he also developed a school allotment project, one that provides staff with fresh vegetables and all proceeds for charity; as lovely as his potatoes tasted, however, at least one friend and colleague thought they came out of the ground rather dirty!

Simon was far less passionate, however, about some aspects of the role of a teacher in the early 21st century, especially the challenges of curriculum change and target setting, aspects perhaps that won’t be such a pressure in Tanzania, as he sips a cold beer from his terrace overlooking the Serengeti Plain at sunset!

Simon is a self-confessed anthropological global www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

17

Staff News

warming sceptic, but nevertheless he taught the A Level climate change module as any professional would, from a balanced and responsible perspective, but always with a hint of humorous cynicism!

He successfully mentored both former pupil Kathryn Brindley through her GTP training, and Mrs Kelly Kerrigan through her NQT year here at Bablake, a role that suited his diligence and entailed a mountain of paperwork.

Two of his geography colleagues took Simon under their wing and introduced him to skiing in Canada, a sport he enjoyed with great enthusiasm on several subsequent school ski trips; skiing Kilimanjaro remains an ambition one day!

Simon was an enthusiastic and inspiring rugby coach and his positive attitude and knowledge of the game helped produce some excellent junior teams. He was also a member of the staff team that accompanied the Senior Rugby squad to South Africa in 2010, an experience which he hugely enjoyed and one that, no doubt, further whetted his appetite for life in Africa.

He will be much missed but has our best wishes for an exciting new opportunity in Arusha.

Footnote Mr Enstone’s leaving speech to the staff was one of the best we have heard, especially as he reflected how he will take extra care when he sees a notice about The Lion (our newsletter) in his new staffroom. We will naturally look to create links with his new school through Skype or similar as there should be many educational benefits for our geographers.

Miss Stacey Wilson Mrs Suzanne Webley Stacey joined the Girls’ PE department in September 2010 and it did not take long for her to settle in; she was soon part of the PE family and enjoying the office banter!

Arriving as a young Head of Department in a faculty that included three excellent former holders of the same role and other staff of similar expertise and experience, on paper might not have seemed a simple task but she established herself immediately. She was so easy to work with and always positive, energetic and happy.

Stacey was an enthusiastic teacher who quickly developed good relationships with the pupils and motivated them to succeed. She accompanied the mixed Hockey and Netball tour to Singapore and Malaysia in July 2011 where she also entertained us with her homemade sun protection, (non-alcoholic) cocktail drinking abilities

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

and wardrobe malfunctions!

After only four terms at Bablake, she made the tough decision to leave and follow her heart. It was a pleasure to work with her and call her a friend. We will all miss her but wish her the very best in America.

Mrs Sue Senior Mr John Watson Sue Senior worked in the Coventry School Foundation for 24 years, and Bablake was fortunate indeed to inherit her as Treasurer, for she amassed a wealth of historical knowledge and wisdom relating to the school’s finances.

Whenever Sue brought me a problem, she already had a solution. She would otherwise say: ‘Leave it with me’, and I never heard anything more, for she simply got on with the task in hand. She had an uncanny knack of finding money where there was none- a skill which should stand her in good stead for retirement- and she also ensured that the school always exceeded its budgeted surplus at the end of the year. Forever patient with staff who needed a financial explanation, she took the time to ensure that they emerged from her office feeling like mathematical geniuses.

Sue was a great listener and peacemaker, who always had a cheerful smile for everyone. I never heard her speak a word in anger, and when she did encounter frustrations, her philosophy was: ‘It’s better to laugh than cry!’ Sue championed the cause of our very loyal support staff, and she selflessly served the Bablake community, often working beyond ‘office’ hours. Her humility, positivity and eternal optimism are grounded in a deep Christian faith, and I know that she will keep very busy in retirement, with family, friends and church. Thank goodness she was never one for reams of paperwork, so that, when asked to complete a self-appraisal form reflecting on the two previous years, she wrote simply one word, in capital letters: ‘BRILLIANT!’ We are very grateful for all she contributed to Bablake, and wish her a healthy and ‘brilliant’ retirement.

Mr Vince Iwanek OBE Mr Michael Shaw Mr Vince Iwanek OBE has been the Bursar and Clerk to the Governors for the Coventry Schools Foundation (CSF) since September 1996. Since then, Vince has been solely responsible for the strategic planning, development, financial management and transformation of the CSF Schools. He has overseen and project managed the

Staff News

purchase and amalgamation of two junior schools, has developed the Foundation estate with substantial investment in new builds, has effected significant improvement in the CSF Schools facilities and has been instrumental in guiding the Governing Body and School Senior Management Teams through difficult financial constraints due to the wider global economy.

An inspirational leader and manager, he has sought innovative ideas and implemented sound policies and procedures which have realised outstanding performances from the 450 teaching and support staff, across the Foundation, collectively educating around 3,000 pupils annually.

Responsible to five different Chairs of the Governing Body, he has forged strong working relationships with some 16 Heads, which have been based on mutual respect and trust, a measure of his professional and personal competence.

His measured and articulate analysis of often complex situations, coupled with his enviable appreciation of the wider strategic environment, has ensured the CSF is best placed to develop and continually improve throughout the next decade.

Vince will be sorely missed; highly motivated, a self starter and an extremely modest man, he leaves behind a significant legacy.

always enjoys her foreign holidays with her husband and looking after her grandchildren. She is constantly coming back into school to see us, which is wonderful as she usually brings a cake, and tells us all about the joys of retirement. We wish her a long and happy one!

Thank you also to: Miss Isabel Cobo-Palacious (Spanish) and Miss Amandine Perrin (French) and Miss Nicole Hammer (German) for their enthusiastic preparation of our linguists as Language Assistants.

Miss Ann Corrigan (Temporary Teacher of Girls’ PE), Mrs Carrie Martlew (English), Mrs Helen Sawyer (Mathematics) and Mrs Brenda Wood (Art) for their excellent work covering staff illness and maternity leave respectively.

Mrs Jenny Blyth Mrs Carol Davey Jenny came to Bablake on the 1st of October 2004; a friend of Mrs Sarah Harris’s mother! She was like a breath of fresh air, eager to get stuck in and nothing was too much trouble. She was extremely organised and always made sure that the technician’s room was spotless before she left. She loved working with the pupils and equally they loved having her in their lessons. So much so that when she left last Christmas the GCSE students asked if she would come back for their last cooking lesson.

She is now enjoying a happy retirement with her husband John, continuing with her Dog Obedience classes, learning to paint and to use her computer. Jenny www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Bablake and Beyond

?

What next Beth Rowland chose Mr Prescott for an exit interview.

What are your fondest memories of Bablake that you will cherish as you leave?

I have been moved by the number of past pupils who have contacted after it was announced that I will be leaving. The best thing about being a teacher for me is the pupils, and it has been lovely to speak to so many of them again. Building up Bablake’s part in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival annually has been a challenge but a wonderful experience too.

Do you have any plans for retirement?

I have a large allotment so, although it’s a cliché, I’ll be spending a lot of time gardening. My wife probably won’t retire for another 10 years, so I’ll have plenty of peace with my potatoes! I will travel, and visit lots of theatres of course – though I’ll see what I want, not what the pupils need to see!

Obviously I’ll also have my hair cut on Thursday for a cheap rate, so I’ll probably be very busy.

What have been the highlights as your career as an English and Drama teacher?

The first time my pupils gained A grades in English was a milestone; I thought, I can teach! Also the first play we took to Edinburgh was fantastic, as people were coming to watch us who had no connection to Bablake; it was brilliant. There have been various competitions we’ve entered: a highlight for me is anything that encourages the pupils. As a drama teacher I see a lot of children deemed ‘bad’ in other subjects come into their own in drama lessons and that’s rewarding.

Share with us memories that will make you laugh when you think back to them.

One that sticks out to me is a trip to Holland where it would be an understatement to say it was last minute. I booked the accommodation for each night the day before and it was quite chaotic, but the pupils (all girls) had a brilliant time. I’m still surprised their parents let them go!

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

What has been the worst thing that has happened on one of your many school trips?

I have been on quite a few school trips! I organised the ski trips for about 20 years, which were once described by Mrs Wendy Lloyd, a former history teacher, as ‘absolute mayhem’, but I think she just didn’t understand the Prescott way! I have had no prosecutions, no deaths, no losses and no major insurance claims, so I can’t say there has been a worst thing!

Throughout the years you have worked alongside many teachers. Are there any in particular you have enjoyed collaborating with?

Mr Ian Appleby and I got on very well, and his boundless energy made him a joy to work with.

Mr Bernie Sutton was also good fun, as is Mr Tim Crompton, and it is interesting to work alongside a music teacher for a drama production as they often have very different ideas from me! Mr Woodward and I taught a talented group of youngsters all we knew about pop trivia and they brought a national trophy back to Bablake! I don’t like teachers who enforce rules just because they are there, without thinking about them, so I suppose I’m a liberal type of teacher!

Would you agree with us that the unique aspect of the Bablake community is one you will never forget?

I don’t have much experience of other schools, having been at Bablake for almost my whole teaching career, but it is certainly a very friendly place, and I would say it is warmer and more welcoming than other schools in the region, which gives it a community feel.

37 Years On was a celebration of all the productions you have directed at Bablake. Was it an emotional time for you? And did it remind you of a certain play from your career that you particularly enjoyed?

The only reason we did 37 Years On was because the copyright for the play I wanted to do was taken away at the last minute, but I’m glad I did it. It was very emotional, for example, three members of the original cast of Godspell, which was my first musical and which I took to Bedworth Civic Hall, were in the audience to watch it recreated, and that was special for me as well as for them, as they are now all parents of pupils at Bablake. My first play at Bablake was 40 Years On by Alan Bennett, and that was done expertly in 37 Years On, as was Cabaret which I loved working on only a year ago.

‘Big Dave’, ‘Dave the Rave’, ‘Captain Pocock’ or ‘Mr P’, as he was affectionately known, ended saying he was confident Bablake Drama was in safe hands and politely refused our invitation to the Senior Citizens Christmas party, protesting that he was far too young (in spirit) to be an OAP! We can see his point.

Meet the Team

Maintaining

standards

Bablake only operates so smoothly with the expertise and enthusiasm of a number of teams of staff who, behind the scenes, offer excellent support to the academic staff, write Eleanor Morris and Beth Rowland.

For this issue we interviewed the team that, in conjunction with our Caretakers and Housekeeping Team, always manages to ensure Bablake’s fixtures and buildings are in such excellent working order: our excellent Maintenance Team.

Would you mind stating your roles?

Mr Mick Gardner: I am the team leader and am responsible for organising work schedules, ordering materials and liaising with staff on all matters concerning site maintenance.

Mr Tim Parker: I am a carpenter and locksmith.

Mr Tony Jones: I work as an electrician, so my job includes fault diagnosis and rectification on all electrical installations. I cover this at the Junior and Senior school sites, Bablake Pre Prep and the Pavilion.

How long has the team been together as we don’t remember many changes in our time here?

Mr Gardner: Our current team has been together four years since Tony joined, replacing our painter Stuart Slater. I have worked with Tim though for eight years and I have been here sixteen years myself.

What changes have you seen and perhaps been involved with since you have been here?

Mr Jones: The electronic door entry systems have arrived and I have replaced the need for hundreds of extension leads with ring circuits and hard wiring.

Mr Parker: For me, it’s been the upgrade to the Sports Hall. There is the new fitness suite and dance studio, as well as work on the swimming pool and changing facilities.

Mr Gardner: Don’t forget ICT has grown in all areas of the school. I was installing TVs and video recorders when I first arrived with only a few computers in one room.

Now there are computers, interactive whiteboards and projectors throughout the school.

What is the best part of your job?

Mr Gardner: When I see my efforts have made a real difference and my work is appreciated.

Mr Parker: Working with Mick and Tony is my favourite part as well as not knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Mr Jones: I enjoy the fact that it feels like I am working not so much for an employer but for a family. Everyone is friendly, supportive and appreciative of the daily running of the school.

What is the strangest thing that has happened in your time here?

Mr Parker: Most days have their moments! It’s hard to pick a certain one!

Mr Gardner: For Tony and myself, it’s working at Bablake together now at the end of our working lives when we worked here at the end of the 60s on different projects at the start of our working lives!

Mr Jones: Yes, I was an apprentice electrician working here in 1969, wiring the new Sports Hall and stripping out the original gym to accommodate a new Dining Hall. I never thought I would end my career at the place I began it.

Tell us a secret!

Mr Jones: Mine would have been Mick and myself working here in 1969.

Mr Parker: I enjoy fishing, surfing and snowboarding and used to spend a lot of time when younger metal detecting.

Mr Gardner: I enjoy football and have been watching Manchester United, both home and away, whenever possible, for over 40 years.

Please let us know whom you would like to be featured in future issues. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

21

Staff News

“A warm welcome to the following highly-talented new members of Bablake’s staff.”

Salvete Mrs Rosie Bilsland (Spanish) Mrs Bilsland joins us from Caludon Castle where she has been teaching since 2005. She studied French and Spanish at Bradford and completed her PGCE at the University of Warwick. She has already proven her interest and prowess in baking cakes.

Mrs Mandie Bradshaw (Geography) Mrs Bradshaw has been Head of Geography at two schools, latterly at Headington School. She grew up in Leamington Spa, took her degree at Lancaster University and joins us from RNIB Rushton School where she was Head of 6th Form Development.

She is completing an MA in Education Management, enjoys various sports and is a qualified rowing instructor.

Ms Caroline Farmer (Head of Drama) Ms Farmer was Head of Drama at Gravesend Grammar School, where she also taught English. Her degree was in English and American Studies, which she followed with a PGCE in English and Drama and further training in Acting and Musical Theatre at the Central School of Speech and Drama. She has worked as a professional actress in various London theatres.

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Miss Hannah Moseley (Girls’ PE) Miss Moseley, who studied Physical Education at Lancaster University, joins us from Kenilworth School and Sports College. She is a talented sportswoman, who has achieved national honours in swimming, regional honours in cross country and biathlon, and county honours in netball, hockey and athletics. She continues to play club netball.

Mrs Helen Sawyer (Business Studies, Economics and Religious Studies) Mrs Sawyer provided maternity cover for Mrs Green (Mathematics), joining us from Heart of England, where she taught since 2005. She is a graduate in Mathematics with Business Studies from the University of Warwick, and spent 9 years as a commissioned officer in the RAF. Mr Michael Shaw (Bursar) Mr Shaw joins Coventry School Foundation after 31 years of military service. Employed in a wide range of operational, training and support roles, he saw service in Bosnia, two tours in Iraq, Afghanistan and, more recently, provided key aviation and engineering support in Libya.

Staff News

From top left: Caroline Buggea, Trudi Clarke, Claudia Lang-Lenton Arrizabalaga, Nancy Le Rouzic.

From left: Amanda Grey, Patrick Heller, Dave Mackey, Joanne Shenton.

Welcome also to: Mrs Caroline Buggea (Home Economics Technician), Mrs Trudi Clarke (Nurse), Mrs Amanda Grey (Reception), Dr Louise Greenway (Biology, covering maternity leave), Mr Patrick Heller (German Assistant), Miss Claudia LangLenton Arrizabalaga (Spanish Assistant), Miss Nancy Le Rouzic (French Assistant), Mr Dave Mackey (Assistant Caretaker), Mrs Hazel Orrock (English, covering maternity leave), Miss Ina Rengelink (History, covering maternity leave) and Mrs Joanne Shenton (Art Technician).

Congratulations New responsibilities: Mrs Helen Billings, Head of German.

Miss Kate Ewart, Second in English.

Mrs Beth Hill, Head of Minor Languages.

Mr Inderpal Kalsi, Assistant Head of Fairfax.

Mrs Sylvia O’Sullivan, Alumni Relations Officer.

Miss Kelly Ormsby, Head of Fairfax.

Mr Andrew Phillips, Head of Crow.

Mrs Cathy Scott-Burt, Head of Enrichment.

Mrs Suzanne Webley, Head of Girls’ Sport.

Weddings: Mrs Kelly Kerrigan (formerly Miss Butler) New Arrivals: Mrs Amy Cassell, Mrs Nicola Green and Mr Malcolm Wyatt Miscellaneous: Richard Atkins QC was appointed as Chairman of the Governors to succeed Mr Brendan Connor.

Miss Dionne Crosdale appointed as permanent PE Technician and Learning Assistant.

Mr Shoyeb Memon and Miss Jayne Simmons interviewed

by Russ Thorne (The i) about inspiring pupils to learn Mathematics and Physics respectively.

Mr Andrew Phillips, Miss Jayne Simmons and Mrs Suzanne Webley all completed their Masters (MSc in Education). Mr Phillips gained a distinction.

Mrs Cathy Scott-Burt and Dr Nicholas Scott-Burt heard in Radio 4’s Sunday Morning Service from St Andrew’s in Rugby.

Mr Mark Taylor continues to represent UKIP as a candidate in local council elections and be interviewed on radio and TV on local and national issues. He was invited to speak at the UKIP party conference.

Mr Mark Woodward quoted in Evening Standard re the benefits of Social Media in teaching. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

23

Highlights: Shocking Revelations 25, Home and Away 26, Careers 32, Charity 36, House Activities 40, Getting Involved 48

Beyond the Classroom Edited by Joe Cashmore & Maneesha Sehgal “Aside from the excellent teaching and learning opportunities at Bablake, there is a wealth of extra– curricular activities, charity events and school trips on offer. Bablake is quite clearly more than just a place of learning - it is a place to reach your potential. If you’re not sure where your potential can be drawn out, take a look at what’s been going on this year.”

So you know a little more about the editors of this section, we asked them to complete a brief profile.

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Editor Profiles Name: Joe Cashmore Passions: Running the Men’s Health ‘Survival of the Fittest’ Race, Reading, Films.

Ambitions: to study Engineering at university and pursue it in a career that I will enjoy.

2011/12 Highlight: Engineering Education Scheme.

Name: Maneesha Sehgal Passions: Singing, Dancing, Sport, Classic Disney.

Ambitions: to study Maths and Philosophy at University with the hope of working in the Financial Sector whilst maintaining my ethics and morals.

2011/12 Highlight: Engineering Education Scheme.

Beyond the Classroom

Shocking

revelations

H

ow scared should we be of our police force? Personally, I find the police an effective but community friendly organisation, with our safety and comfort at the forefront of every officer’s mind.

What about in America? To us Britons, the American police are presented as an organisation to be feared; their officers are, at least in my mind, tough guys with guns, patrolling the streets and shooting the bad guys. They are dangerous and ruthless, and will not hesitate to shoot anyone in their way. ^ In comparison, in Britain the police are almost never convicted of killing innocent people for no good reason.

But is this all about to change?

Until recently, I was unaware that tasers, weapons giving out harmful and potentially lethal electric

Beth Rowland’s entry for the Amnesty International and The Guardian’s Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year award was rated as in the top 3 entries from across the UK in the 6th Form category and she attended the Awards ceremony with Bablake Junior School pupil Lorna Williamson, who was a Primary School runner up. shocks, were even being used in the UK, and was alarmed to find out that not only are they used widely in both the USA and the UK, but they have also been responsible for many deaths, often of innocent, or at least unarmed, citizens. On Monday 13 February this year, the death toll by taser in America reached 500, when 43 year old intoxicated

and unarmed Johnnie Kamahi Warren was killed after an officer deployed a taser on him. Amnesty International immediately responded to this shocking statistic, saying that the use of tasers is in some cases “unnecessary force” which is “unacceptable”.

I read of Roger Anthony, an American man who fell off his bicycle and died after he was shot with a taser. The reason given for the shock was that he did not respond to orders to stop. Roger had a disability and hearing problems.

Maybe you disagree, but I cannot see how he was a threat to society, potentially dangerous, or threatening any lives. Shouldn’t these be the circumstances in which use of a taser should be permitted?

Last year West Yorkshire police admitted to having lost one of their taser guns.

Controversial and worrying, this news brought the weapon back into everyone’s minds. Amnesty International has worked tirelessly worldwide to prevent the use of tasers increasing, as in the 2008 report USA: Stun Weapons in Law Enforcement, it was found that 90% of the victims killed by tasers had been unarmed.

I am not suggesting tasers be banned completely, as in some situations I can envisage them being the safest and most useful way of detaining dangerous criminals, and keeping the police force unscathed.

However, I believe that the last thing anyone in this country wants is a police force they are scared of, and we need to help prevent more innocent people being killed for crimes they did not commit by opposing the use of these potentially lethal weapons. It is time, once again, to stand up as members of a worldwide organisation for peace and make our voices heard on this issue, the truth about tasers. We would not allow murder, so why should we allow unjustified killing?

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Home and Away

As well as enjoying an activities day and a collapsed programme in the final week of term which for the Shells included a Coventry trail (including a visit to a Hindu temple and a mosque), pupils travelled across the UK once again for sport, academic challenge (field trips and visits) and extra-curricular activity (CCF, Duke of Edinburgh etc).

Frimley spirit “A chance to learn new skills and challenge myself to achieve things I never thought I could” Cadet Philippa Morris speaking after the CCF Easter camp

During the journey to Frimley I was rather nervous.

Cadets at Bablake who had already been on the leadership course had mentioned the extremes ahead, so it did not help when my welcome was from the staff sergeant who said it was going to be the hardest thing I had done to date. He was right, of course.

But it would also turn out to be one of the most rewarding challenges I’ve faced.

There were many issues, which I thought would take days to overcome. For example, I knew nobody and had a lot less experience in the field and with leading military exercises than many other Army Cadets on the course.

However, by the end of the first day I was proven wrong.

Everybody was in the same situation and spending 24 hours with the same few people every day meant it soon felt as if you had known them for many months.

The Orienteering exercise turned out well when I was running ahead and realised the boys were lagging behind!

I accomplished things I never thought I was capable of.

I was the only girl in my section and the rest of the boys were fairly lightweight compared with the other section of heavyweight boys. The Tug of War competition looked like a mismatch, until I realised skill conquered mere strength; 5' 4" and lacking in the muscle department, in the Tug of War final, we still beat several sections of ‘hench’ men.

The three days in the field- with rations, wet and cold feet, aches and blisters and no sleep- was one of the most uncomfortable yet motivational three days and a huge learning curve. Teamwork really is key; when your basha collapses in the pitch black and torrential rain, you’ve lost important kit, or you just need someone to motivate you, there is always somebody there for you.

Knowing I would not have done so well on the course without the help of certain cadets, I now realise just how essential working together becomes for success.

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I’d clearly taken much on board, as I was given the task of being a section commander in the platoon attack at dawn on the Friday. Carrying full webbing, your rifle and the burden of responsibility into a high intensity drill was something new to me, not to mention the fact that I’d never been part of a platoon attack before.

But adrenaline took everyone forward, as well as the determination to work for each other.

The three day exercise ended with a visit to Sandhurst, where I was most privileged to do the assault course. Physically exhausted, again, initially I did not think I would complete it and, in fact, a few chose to sit out. But knowing I might never have this chance again, I found my last burst of energy to carry a log for about a mile, then jump over walls, swing over ropes, wade through waist deep streams and crawl through tunnels. I may have ended up face flat in the mud, unable to get up without the assistance of the gentlemen in my section, but I made it!

The course improved my self-confidence in addressing people and making decisions under pressure.

I also value the leadership skills I gained at Frimley, above all else. Sometimes discipline, physical pain and being stretched to your limits are the best ways to learn and succeed in a task.

I was delighted with my positive report and what I had gained from my few days at Frimley. Above all, I made some wonderful friends through the highs and lows of the experience, making the week even more memorable. I would strongly recommend this cadet course to anyone in the Bablake CCF who is 16 or 17.

No matter what you think your ability is, you will gain something from the course and learn more about yourself as a person; you will gauge your weaknesses and strengths, and how to improve them. I only wish I could return!

Corporal Eleanor Morris, CCF

Home and Away

Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme “This was another very good year for Duke of Edinburgh at Bablake. 110 pupils enrolled on the Bronze award, 38 on Silver and a record 44 on Gold. In a spring and summer of record rainfall, the expeditions experienced the full range of weathers and even when we had glorious sunshine during the day, the nights were very cold. Most participants faced a mix of sunshine and showers, including some hail and sleet, but pupils coped well on five very successful ventures.”

Mr Ken Binsley, Duke of Edinburgh coordinator “I completed Bronze in the Summer term and thoroughly enjoyed it! I have learnt a lot from D of E and cannot wait for Silver next year, where hopefully I won't be putting up tents in the rain and getting lost in the middle of nowhere!”

Helen Rowland “After a year of hard work and strenuous physical endurance, I finally completed my Silver. Despite undertaking the actual expedition during the summer months, the weather was of course typically British, ergo abysmal, however the torrential rain and blustering winds did little to diminish team morale. The physical recreation helped me ameliorate my fitness, whilst the expedition helped me improve my team-working skills and my volunteer work helped develop and stimulate my social conscience. Overall D of E was a somewhat demanding experience, yet it was thoroughly enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to all students!”

Kara Dosanj

Dof E

“Overall D of E was a somewhat demanding experience, yet it was thoroughly enjoyable and I would highly recommend it to all students!”

Meanwhile Andrew Clisham headed for Cornwall this summer to complete his Surf Coach Safety and Rescue qualification as he worked towards the Gold Award. The week-long course consisted of a mix of challenging classroom tuition combined with relentless practical exercises in the sea. The main emphasis was on safety and first aid, covering all situations which could be encountered on the beach or in the sea. This included tidal flows, international signalling and the use of all rescue equipment. The course culminated in an exam testing both practical and theoretical knowledge. The week was made even more gruelling by this summer’s inclement weather which resulted in extremely challenging sea conditions.

Don’t forget our termly newsletter ‘The Lion’ includes more detailed progress reports on the CCF, Duke of Edinburgh and more of our local trips.

taster

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Home and Away

“The peoples of the world do not want a repeat of the disasters of war.”

(J. Stalin)

How far do the consequences of Soviet Russia still have an impact on Russia and the West today?

Economically, I would argue that Russia has recovered well and the fact that it currently exports natural resources proves this.

(Russia has a large abundance of natural gases, oil, coal and precious metals.) However, the political impact is rather different. The state is still very authoritarian, with the idea of needing a strong leader dominating Russian politics, demonstrated clearly by the fact that Putin stood for the presidential elections again in March. Not only that, but the state still owns a lot of the media and this strict control over the information people have access to has suppressed its people.

For example, the Russian people cannot always access information regarding what happened to family members under Stalin. Under Putin, this has been even more difficult. Another impact is that Russia is still a very bureaucratic place. There is still this lingering hostility towards the West, partly because of Russia’s view that a strong state requires a strong leader in order to enhance Russia’s national position.

In the light of our trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg, we felt Head of History Mrs Helen Skilton’s thoughts on Russian history would be an interesting insight, especially for the 6th formers who study Soviet history writes Eleanor Morris…

Although the stereotypical view of Stalin is that he was an evil dictator, is there, in your opinion, any trait of his character or event in his time in power that could be used in his defence?

Well the traditional answer to that would be that Stalin modernised Russia and prepared it for war, albeit rather brutally and there is some merit in this argument. Without Stalin’s modernisation, Russia would have not won the war. But there is also the argument that it was Stalin who nearly lost the war, when he failed to react promptly to the German invasion in 1941.

In his defence, I would draw a contrast with the Nazi regime of the same time. The fundamental idea that Stalin’s rule was based on, namely communism, was driven towards creating a stronger state, designed for the benefit of everybody. Communism at its roots was not striving for something immoral like the fascist regime, though we must acknowledge that under Stalin, its ideals became severely twisted.

Although there are many reasons why Stalin became a totalitarian, what is the main reason, do you think, for his rise to power?

For this answer, I agree with the view of the historian Simon Sebag Montefiore, who says that Stalin’s rise to power was due to a unique set of circumstances. He feels, only due to this unique situation, was Stalin, a paranoid and rather psychotic person, able to become a dictator. The Soviet Union was already a one-party state. The tradition of terror had already been established and the fear of a new Napoleon or army regime was widespread. Then Lenin suddenly died in 1924 but there was no mechanism for his replacement. This resulted in an intense and very personal political struggle conducted within the limited arena of the party hierarchy. If all these factors had not already been apparent, then Stalin, so Montefiore argues, would have just been someone’s mean boss in a company somewhere. In other words, he would have been a nobody. Paranoid, psychotic people usually don’t become dictators; they have normal, if sometimes unpleasant lives. Therefore it was only this very unique political and social situation that allowed Stalin to carry out his manipulations.

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Home and Away

I would find it hard to pinpoint just one factor which explains Stalin’s rise to power. I suppose one interpretation is that the main reason for his accession was the failure by other party members to make use of Lenin’s Testament. It wouldn’t have been so difficult after all, to get rid of Stalin, as it was plainly stated as one of Lenin’s wishes. It can be argued that the other candidates’ underestimation of Stalin was their own downfall and Stalin’s victory.

How do you think events might have unfolded had Stalin not been underestimated by the other comrades, and removed from his post as General Secretary, as requested in Lenin’s testament?

This is a great historical debate that is open to many interpretations.

However, my view is that it wouldn’t have looked that different. Most features of Stalin’s regime were already in place at Lenin’s death, but in a less extreme way. I think the main exception would have been the 1930s purges of the party. There probably would have been a period of collective leadership but there is no doubt that each of the potential candidates had their flaws, which Lenin himself pointed out in his Testament. But, due to the nature of the Soviet state, it is likely that one of them would have emerged as leader eventually.

“Communism is essentially a political idea based on false premises. Marx set out his ideas as theory; he did not provide a blueprint of how a communist society would be created.”

We have already briefly mentioned that ideologically, communism has great benefits, but what do you think are the reasons why communism fails as a political and social system?

Communism is essentially a political idea based on false premises.

Marx set out his ideas as theory; he did not provide a blueprint of how a communist society would be created. It can also be argued that the conditions Marx laid out for communism to be achieved have not yet actually happened. For example, it can be argued that we have not yet reached the end of the capitalist stage of development predicted by Marx.

But I don’t think that’s the main reason for the failure of communism in Soviet Russia. A relatively small number of people (the Bolsheviks) seized power in the 1917 October Revolution. It was a revolution that was forced on the people, a military coup. So right from the start communism had to be imposed on the bulk of the population by force.

What did those who followed Stalin learn from his time as General Secretary?

Brezhnev certainly saw that in order to try and stay in power he needed to keep control over the party but not through fear, more through reward. But what all of them found out when Stalin died, was that nobody wanted to live in such a world of instability ever again. Not one of them wanted to go back to the use of terror in order to maintain control.

And lastly, everybody at Bablake knows how passionate you are about Soviet history! But what is it about Soviet history that makes you so passionate?

It is mainly because of the sheer scale of what the Bolsheviks attempted, and the inherent contradictions which came with such a mammoth change. The regime was so huge yet controlled by such a small power base. The Russians built an empire bigger, more powerful and terrifying than even the Tsar’s Empire in such a small space of time, so it was really all or nothing - a real revolution that was so brutal. This is another thing that never ceases to amaze me. The Russians are so cultured yet how can this be when they have suffered such brutality?

How can culture and freedom be present alongside brutality and suppression in one nation? What is also so satisfying about studying Soviet history is that we know the start and end of the story; it’s unusual to have such dramatic change with a beginning and end in such a short space of time.

“What is also so satisfying about studying Soviet history is that we know the start and end of the story; it’s unusual to have such dramatic change with a beginning and end in such a short space of time.”

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Home and Away

Italy

Classical

From wandering along Rome’s meandering streets at twilight, to eating gelati until we thought we would burst, the Classics tour of Italy was full of amazing moments we will all remember for years to come, writes Katie Carlson. “...all that remained was our return to England with our knowledge greatly enriched from the sightseeing, and our waistlines fully expanded as a result of the gelati!”

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O

ur first destination was Rome, and when we finally arrived we were pleasantly greeted by the balmy temperature, which was a pleasant change from a chilly October in the Midlands. Whilst there, we were treated to such sights as the Coliseum, the Arch of Titus, the Spanish Steps, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Pantheon, as well as evening trips to the Trevi Fountain, the chance to eat in a traditional Italian restaurant, and a visit to the Vatican.

Some students were particularly interested in eating as much pizza as possible, while others were putting their hand in the Roman drain cover which ‘Audrey Hepburn put her actual hand into in Roman Holiday’.

From Rome, we then travelled to Sorrento, stopping off at Ostia, the harbour city of ancient Rome, which ironically now lies three kilometres from the coast, to view the well-preserved buildings, frescoes and mosaics. After arriving at our new hotel, which offered spectacular views of the Bay of Naples, we faced a gruelling walk up Vesuvius, and continued the Bablake tradition of throwing oranges into the crater, much to the chagrin of our teachers!

We were sure the view from the top would be amazing, but unfortunately we were inside a cloud so could only see about five feet in front of our eyes.

The next day was spent on an extended visit to Pompeii, where we were lucky enough to wander the ancient site and imagine how a Roman city would have actually looked. We then visited the Villa Poppaea, famously the residence of Emperor Nero’s notorious mistress and second wife of the same name, which was well preserved by Vesuvius’ volcanic eruption in 79AD. During our evenings in Sorrento, we wandered into the town centre for vital souvenir shopping, gelato refills, and a one-off ‘gelato lesson’ at a local gelateria.

After a particularly turbulent boat ride, our final full day in Italy was spent visiting Capri, an island off the Bay of Naples famed for its designer shops, where we took a cable car to the top of the island, window-shopped and sampled bolognaise at a trendy restaurant.

After a final trip to the Naples Archaeological Museum, all that remained was our return to England with our knowledge greatly enriched from the sightseeing, and our waistlines fully expanded as a result of the gelati!

ir o v e eau r u A s s u Fo

Home and Away

“What I guarantee is these pupils will never forget the week they have spent there.”

After 20 years’ valuable visits to Normandy, operational constraints have led the Foundation’s Governors to decide to put their language centre up for sale, writes Mr Terry Patchett.

O

ver 6,000 pupils, staff and friends have richly benefited from short stays at the Manor House built in 1737, so generously donated by Bablake former pupil Bill Boucher (1916- 1920).

Bill first came to France as a Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers during the D-Day Landings. He stayed about a year in the Normandy region, helping to rebuild the roads and bridges destroyed during the battle.

In buying Fousseau and donating it to the Foundation, he wished to commemorate his affection for both his former school Bablake and for the region of France he came to love. As a barely average language student he wanted to offer an opportunity for others to learn French and meet the French people who had made him so welcome.

Bill’s intentions were realised as le Manoir provided a base for 20 generations of pupils to experience the fun of a week abroad, away from parents, enjoy the delights of dormitory sharing and savour fine French cuisine.

The environs of the property offered outstanding scenery and countless small villages which are so typical of France. Traditionally, 2nd year pupils have clambered over Fougères Castle (the largest in Europe), ascended the fascinating streets of Mont St. Michel and enjoyed time in neighbouring St. Malo, which is a veritable visitors’ paradise. The mediaeval towns of Dinan and Vitré have also transported many back to a long-forgotten era.

In transit, pupils have learned about the heroic Normandy Landings and been privileged to a personal viewing of the Bayeux Tapestry - one of the wonders of the world.

What I guarantee is these pupils will never forget the week they have spent there. Once in France the incentive to speak the language more fluently is naturally felt and, even into mature adulthood, school French is still coming in handy but probably requires more polish! www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Careers

With the Careers Convention (all years), Leadership Day and Beyond Bablake week (both L6th), The Challenge (5ths), Future Leaders Programme (4ths, 5ths) and Key Skills Day (4ths) to focus the energies of our pupils on life after Bablake, many are taking purposeful steps to find out more about the opportunities available after leaving Bablake. Over the next four pages, we give an insight into their interests and investigations.

Future perfect

Greek Conference “I travelled to Greece for the Platon School Model United Nations Conference with other students from the Greek School of Coventry and since I was the Greek ambassador I had to give a speech at the opening ceremony.

The whole conference was very interesting and I gained a great deal of knowledge and experience. I was part of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) and we had two agenda items. The first was about the problems in Kosovo; we had to assess the work of the military operations and reach a solution through drafting a communiqué which would state what NATO should do to deal with problems.

The second was about the tension in the Korean peninsula; here we had to have a great deal more current information, as even during the 3 days of the conference the situation was changing, and our communiqué had to cover possible scenarios and operational plans.

Although the conference was in English, I did practise my Greek, German and French, as there were students from a fascinating variety of countries. Not only did I make friends with people from across the world but I broadened my knowledge about world events, had a great view of the world of debating, voting and politics, saw how UN conferences work and felt that everyone's opinion really could be heard.

I had to learn quickly in situations I wasn't prepared for. I learnt a lot, e.g. how to put your point across within a time limit and how to deal diplomatically with difficult questions. I definitely want to do something similar again!”

Andrew Hajitofi

“Brilliant school with great students.”

Julie Bishop (@jobhopjulie)

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Careers

Engineering Education Scheme

Greenfeet

“The Engineering Education Scheme is run by an “Our first activity was to promote ‘Switch-Off Fortnight’, organisation known as EDT, which helps aspiring an annual campaign run by EDF Energy. During the engineers to fulfil their potential. Bablake offers this fortnight, we encouraged pupils to reduce their energy opportunity to L6th pupils and, after an online application usage within the school. and face-to-face interview with the Design Technology Greenfeet’s main project this year though has been department, this year Tom Bird, Joe Gibbins, Maneesha planning a tree planting scheme, in the hope that, each Sehgal and myself were selected. year, every new Shell form will plant its own tree, which Working with Arup, our engineering partner, we were will also have a plaque to go with it. We have considered tasked with electrifying various lines in the UK ‘to make several places within the school site to plant these trees Network Rail more sustainable’ but in a more appealing and aim to start the scheme in the new academic year way for the public. We experienced what it would be like with the new Shell forms. Greenfeet has a busy, but to be an engineer: working in a team, designing various exciting time ahead!” solutions, and testing their practicality.

We also spent three days on a residential at Jess Hemus Birmingham University, where we built a scale model of a viaduct that was key to our solution. It was not all Views on the 2012 Careers Convention just about building models, however, as we had to write a report about everything we had done throughout “We were extremely impressed with the attitude the year before delivering a presentation to a group of of the students and their thoughtful questioning; officials from EDT. We enjoyed the whole experience and they certainly created a very positive impression would recommend it to anyone interested in engineering of themselves and the school. Indeed, we have or science as well as those wishing to try something offered a number of students the opportunity to take new.” advantage of work placements.”

Gemma Richards (Morgan Sindall) Joe Cashmore

“It was a real pleasure returning to Bablake.

Your 6th formers were very focussed.”

Emma Goodman (Careers Consultant)

“It was a really good evening and has either given pupils something to think about or even definitely ruled out a few career options, both of which are good outcomes.”

Julie Gripton (Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust) “The best of five Careers Conventions I have seen in schools.”

Mr Alistair Hopkins “I was really impressed with the list of delegates, especially the number of former pupils.”

Mrs Helen Billings “It was a very beneficial evening. I received some excellent tips for my CV and future job applications.”

Katie Carlson www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

33

Careers

Programme Day 1 Ice breaker Material Science lectures/activities Sports night Day 2 Intro to design and make projects Material Science lectures/activities Industrial visit DVD night Day 3

Smallpeice Trust Jonathan Porter was just one of eight pupils who took advantage of residential courses arranged by the Smallpeice Trust across the UK (from Southampton to Strathclyde), in a variety of Engineering disciplines. Here he tells of some of the highlights of his time at the University of Manchester discovering more about Engineering Materials.

There were 45 of us on the course staying in university halls of residence who quickly got to know each other and really enjoyed the competitions. I was really pleased to find myself with a group of like-minded individuals. For the activities, we were split into groups of five and set a number of tasks: e.g. a straw towers project where each group came up with a different design using the same materials, and the towers had different strengths when tested on their ability to hold up an egg on the top.

For our major task, we had to design and make a beam to be used in industry. This really tested our ability to work as a group because we had to discuss and agree our design ideas, then work together to build the beam itself. This was not so straightforward as we had to use different engineering skills to make the beam light but also strong, knowing that it would be tested to destruction. The tests did not test its malleability, just the strength, so it had to be extremely rigid to win. One group used wood to make a trapezium which was light

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Materials science lectures/activities Formal course dinner Games night Day 4 Project testing Team presentations Awards and close

but broke quickly when tested with an instron. My group, however, used an outer metal shell composed of steel and aluminium packed with foam and wood lattice to give it more strength. Even though our beam was the heaviest it also beat everybody else’s in strength by a long way, so overall we won the strength part to the project. We were tested in a different way when we all had to present our design and results of the strength test on the last day before judges.

In between activities, we had lectures from various university academics and industry employees. These were very informative, e.g. a history of different materials used in engineering and why they were chosen to do certain tasks depending on their properties, or how different technologies have been developed to help new materials to be used in such a way. My favourite was a lecture on graphene being used in nanotechnology by Professor Bob Young.

We also had talks from Rolls-Royce and Boeing about their use of jet engines. They explained how the engines have been developed over the years as well as how and why different materials have been chosen.

We also went on a visit to Airbus to look at some of the factory complexes manufacturing the wings for the A380 aircraft. This gave us more insight about what we could use to strengthen different aspects of our main design project. We were amazed at the vast size of the wing in close-up!

All in all it was a really fascinating and enjoyable time and I would strongly recommend it to others.

Work Experience

As well as organising a placement with National Grid, Ben Dale quite possibly had the time of his life at the Lotus F1 factory, as he tells us.

F1

experience

After a day tour of a Lotus F1 factory, my bold request for a further week’s work experience was accepted. Each day I saw a particular part of the production process, so gained experience of a broad range of roles and skills and received a great insight into such a highly specialised, very well run factory. Everyone was especially happy because the previous weekend the Lotus car had come second in the Grand Prix.

Day 1 I joined four others (two men who were new to the company and two from France who were doing placements at Lotus F1) for a quick tour of the factory.

This covered the entire production process from design to manufacturing parts, constructing a 60% scale model of the F1 car, testing in a wind tunnel, and finally making the F1 car.

An aerodynamicist gave me a more detailed tour around the aerodynamics department which designs, makes and tests the 60% scale model of the F1 car and is continually trying to improve its aerodynamic performance. They use a wind tunnel which can achieve speeds of 100mph and has multiple sensors which measure the drag, air flows and down force of the car.

They continually test different alterations to one part of the vehicle at a time to see how this affects performance and the design of the alterations is done using CAD software (Catia v5). I had some basic instruction on the software and went through two tutorial programmes.

Day 2 I met the manager of the assembly department that makes the model cars for aero testing in the wind tunnel. I helped one of the team make some fastenings for the model so the bodywork can be joined together and then helped rub down parts of the model which had been painted in preparation for another layer of paint.

These were made out of SLA (stereolithography), a hightech way of making precision pieces of plastic by building layers of resin up with a laser which enables intricate pieces of plastic to be made more quickly and easily than with conventional methods. I then had the job of pairing pieces for the model. I also saw the wind tunnel in action.

It is a very complex operation and the improvements in the model that they were looking for were very small.

Day 3 I went straight to the composite section of the model department to be shown basic techniques used when making parts out of carbon fibre. This involved using a scalpel to cut the fibre into the required shape.

The fibre already has unset resin in it which makes it hard to cut. Layers of the fibre are then placed together without any creases.

I was given a basic circular mould to lay-up and then three more difficult moulds for later in the day. The moulds needed 6 layers of carbon fibre each to give the required thickness. Once the moulds had been layered with the carbon fibre they were put in the autoclave, which is a pressurised oven. I really enjoyed learning this new skill.

Day 4 In the factory’s fabrication section, I met the team responsible for making metal components like the exhaust system for the full size car. They use a mix of hand tools and human operated machines, with the majority of parts made from high-grade aluminium. The first task I had was to make a stand out of a square of aluminium which was from a used piece of exhaust from an older car. I used skills similar to those learnt in DT. I was asked to make a small part of the mechanism used to start the car. Unlike a normal car, the F1 car has no on-board starter motor. I made multiple copies of this, as they would be used along the bottom of the car so that a tube could be threaded through to the engine in order to start the car.

Day 5 My final day was in the sub-assembly department.

I watched parts - like the dampers, steering mechanism and manifold - from the current racing car being serviced. The previous weekend they had been used in the Canadian Grand Prix, and they had to be tested carefully to ensure they were in proper working order.

Although this is a really important part of the process, I found it less interesting as it was less hands on.

I had a fantastic experience discovering the magnitude of the work needed to produce competitive Formula 1 cars. I have been a fan of F1 for several years and found it really interesting to understand car design and manufacture. I learnt several new skills, including how to use CAD software, making objects with carbon fibre, and improving my metal working skills. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

35

Charity

Charity report 20,068

£

.44

(Total raised)

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Autumn Term We raised money for many worthwhile causes including Breast Cancer UK (Pink Friday), Children in Need, the Famine appeal in East Africa, Help for Heroes, Macmillan Cancer Relief and TB Alert. Mr Kris Tyas completed an amazing seven marathons in seven days to raise over £3,000 for the British Heart Foundation.

U6th pupil Rachel Claringbull once again slept rough in a cardboard box raising money for the young homeless, and, one of her peers, Manisha Nahar, raised money to send an optician with special equipment to help many with poor sight in Uganda.

Spring Term Mr Malcolm Martin raised £1100 for the Lymphoma Trust through sales of the first Bablake calendar, while Mrs Debby Lapworth, our school receptionist, was in training for the London Marathon with a target of £2500 and Oli Given bravely completed a sponsored skydive for Cancer Research. We ended the term with our own Bablake fun run in aid of Sports Relief. It was the warmest and sunniest day of the year and we witnessed some very bizarre fancy dress! While

Charity

“Despite hard times on the financial front, once again you have contributed enthusiastically and generously this year.”

Mrs Alyson Heath, Charity coordinator

the Modern Languages department dressed again in national colours, some staff showed their loyalty to certain football clubs or, in the case of Mr Julian Bunce (Classics), kept their form well and truly on a tight rein by covering the two laps of our perimeter attached to them with string. We had a fine array of cartoon characters and giant sized food on show too! Whether in fancy dress or not, the enthusiasm of the school was a sign of everyone’s determination, and generosity to those less fortunate. Once all sponsor money was collected, the event had raised over £1000.

The major fundraising event was in memory of Pip Chowne 5H. Her year group put on an amazing concert, sold wristbands, bought T-shirts, held a cake raffle and arranged a Krispy Kreme doughnut sale. 4W held a sponsored stay awake and Megan Evans recorded and released a CD which on its own has raised over £1000.

We were able to send over £3000 to CRY.

Summer Term Despite this being a short term, we raised over £7000. Some of these funds were for Mr Ian Appleby (ex Head of English), who continues to carry out great work in African townships enabling schools to put on musical productions. This year the show was based around Lipstick on My Collar. Global Care delivered an assembly and we helped raise £1000 from the sale of clothing and household items as well as our weekly collection of £500.

The Shells and 2nd year held a brilliant Jubilee fair on the only sunny Monday of the term and raised an impressive £525 in just an hour. We were very proud of the efforts of a fit and willing band of pupils and staff who took part in Race for Life for Cancer Research UK raising over £2500. Finally, James Tumber spent a week at Ssanyu Primary School assisting a building project that will bring education to many more of the area’s youngsters.

After falling just £500 short of raising £20k last year, we were delighted to hit that magic sum this year for the second time in the last few years. We wonder whether we can surpass it in 2012-13 though!

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

37

Charity

Fund

runs

Joe Cashmore

“... our Mathematical guru successfully completed a mammoth task of running seven marathons in seven days, raising £2500 in aid of the British Heart Foundation.”

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

As ever, the Bablake body of staff was involved in a tremendous amount of key fundraising this year and while the majority of these involved acute emotional pain and a large amount of physical hardship, we all marvelled at the endurance demanded of Mr Kris Tyas, Head of Mathematics and 6th Form Tutor, who, in the first part of the Autumn half term, chose to abandon his thinking cap and exchange it for a pair of running shoes.

However, this was no ordinary run. Mrs Debby Lapworth’s London Marathon was a mere stroll in comparison, for our Mathematical guru successfully completed a mammoth task of running seven marathons in seven days, raising £2500 in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

His challenge began with a 30 mile run across the 14 3000ft peaks in North Wales and he followed this with marathons around Rutland Water and along Charnwood Way, before heading to the Lake District to cover a further 75 miles across rocky terrain. He completed the challenge by doing laps of Draycote Water, despite having sustained an injury the day before.

Everyone was extremely proud of Mr Tyas’ incredible achievement, and he is an inspiration for the perseverance we should all strive for. We eagerly await news of how he may attempt to surpass even this next year!

Charity

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

39

House Activities

House activities

2011/12

Through the words of the House Heads

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

House Activities

Bayley Mr Jeremy Hobday

House officials Staff Mr Jeremy Hobday Miss Lynsey Cheffings Captains Will Kenney-Herbert Laura Weaver

Bayley House was led well by Will Kenney-Herbert and Laura Weaver and we saw a real improvement in our overall performance across all House activities.

The year started shakily with a fourth place in the Shell Olympics but this was soon forgotten as we finished first or second in all inter-house Scrabble competitions. Our quiz teams were also very successful, winning the junior and senior sections and coming second in the intermediates.

In new competitions, Bayley also performed well. We were first in Table Tennis in both the Shell/2nd year and the senior competitions (joint with Fairfax), while we finished a very creditable joint second in the Photography competition.

From inauspicious beginnings, in fact, we had a very good year and finished joint second with Crow in the overall House competition. It was a great pity that the weather prevented Sports Day taking place – who knows how that might have changed the outcome!?

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

41

House Activities

Crow Mr Andrew Phillips

“... well done to Crow on a fantastic year.�

House officials Staff Mr Andrew Phillips Mr Sam Williams Captains Sam Grey Harriet Simmonds

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Glorious sunshine inspired second position overall and a win for the boys at the Shell Olympics. The 2nd year girls secured a Scrabble first place and our Seniors emulated this. Our Senior basketball team retained its trophy, the 4ths struggled with shooting and our Shells battled to second place, with a particular highlight being the 20 points to 2 win over Fairfax.

House Quiz was not our forte and we let our guard over the Chess trophy slip; Hockey, however, was very much a strength, with our Senior boys in second and the girls first. Our Seniors went one better with Badminton winning both competitions, and our Senior Netballers did likewise.

There have been a couple of competitions that have taken place during games afternoons. In all of these, including Swimming, we performed solidly, gaining good points for the overall trophy.

The Spring term began with wins in the 2nd and 3rd

House Activities

‘Nature’ – winning photograph by Jessica Betts.

Year boys’ Basketball, where we improved match by match, and our Shells proved to be top Spelling wizards and joint winners. We walked away winners of the inaugural Shell Numeracy Challenge, kindly organised by Mrs Helen Sawyer and Mr Inderpal Kalsi. Special mention should go to Sher Saghir, who scored more individually than any other House scored as a team! We are obviously extremely fortunate in Crow to have some very clever Shells!

Badminton and Table Tennis offered some champagne moments along the way but no victories.

We therefore had high hopes of a good performance in the House Debating and Public Speaking Competition.

Weeks of preparation saw our representatives from Crow fine-tuning their skills to give confident, articulate, informative and interesting speeches.

Jessica Brake, Julian Wreford and Tinashe Mukwashi talked about the importance of children’s rights in

society and gave a very impressive performance. In the 3rd and 4th Year competition Crow was represented

by Jake Morton, Sophie Zgraja and Rubi Ingaglia, who talked about the new High Speed Rail link that has been proposed by the government. Their faultless performance saw them rewarded by the judges with first place. This was then mirrored by Maneesha Sehgal and Isobel Lindsay, who beat Bayley in their house debate; both girls gave excellent performances and the judges rewarded their hard work and meticulous preparation.

We ended in second place overall in the House trophy. We will never know how Sports Day might have influenced the final results but well done to Crow on a fantastic year.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

43

House Activities

Fairfax Miss Kelly Ormsby

“The Shell Olympics showed great promise for the future with Fairfax coming second in both the boys’ and girls’ competitions.”

House officials Staff Mrs Nicola Green (until Christmas) Miss Kelly Ormsby (from January) Mr Inderpal Kalsi Captains Jodie Keith Scott Morgan Will Sibley (emeritus)

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

After big changes in the Fairfax camp over the summer, with Mr Rhodes stepping down after over 20 years in charge, the pupils initially rose to the challenge of defending the House cup they had won the year before.

The Shell Olympics showed great promise for the future, with Fairfax coming second in both the boy’s and girl’s competitions. Success continued for Fairfax over the course of the year, gaining 1st place in Senior Table Tennis, Shell girls Hockey, as well as the 2nd and 3rd year Rounders competitions. Away from the sports field, there was also success for the Shells in Ready Steady Cook, with Harriet Rowlands and Charlotte Allitt demonstrating their culinary skills to create a delicious salad.

The major competition of the year, House Debating, saw varying levels of effort, performance and success across the age groups, with the Senior team triumphing after convincingly arguing that Britain is a classless

House Activities

“Away from the sports field, there was also success for the Shells in Ready Steady Cook...”

society. However, despite this win, in the overall competition, Fairfax was placed fourth.

This year saw the start of the House photography competition, and although there were relatively few entries from Fairfax, the photographs that were entered were deserving of praise - Mayanka Patel’s sunset particularly caught the judge’s eye.

The House system also enjoyed involvement in Bablake’s own Olympic competitions, with new activities introduced ranging from Water Polo to Gymnastics and Handball. All events were supported well by the pupils, and Fairfax showed their agility with a win in the boys’ Gymnastics competition.

Unfortunately, with the most anticipated event of the year, Sports Day, cancelled, thanks to the traditional British summer weather, Fairfax was left slightly trailing in the House trophy competition, and without this last

chance to make up some ground, eventually came fourth overall. I hope that everybody who participated in events over the year enjoyed it and let’s hope for a return to winning ways next year!

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

45

House Activities

Wheatley Miss Jayne Simmons ‘Relationships’ – winning photograph by Bethan Mordey.

“After weeks of hard work our teams did themselves proud, speaking eloquently and persuasively.”

House officials Staff Miss Jayne Simmons Mr Lakbir Atwal Captains Jonny Lawrence Julia Ryland

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

2011-12 was a great year for Wheatley. We had a super turnout of pupils throughout the year, participating in a huge range of events from Chess and Ready Steady Cook to Rugby, Netball and Rounders. The year was made even more competitive by our goal to reclaim the House cup, which we had lost to Fairfax the previous year.

We got off to an excellent start with a conclusive win in the Shell Olympics, with both boys’ and girls’ teams coming 1st. Other areas of particular success were on the Hockey pitch, with both the Senior boys and girls teams winning their competitions, and in the pool with the Shell girls and boys, as well as the 2nd and 3rd year girls gaining victories. We were also glad to see our Senior Quiz team and Junior Spellers replicating their great wins from the previous year.

House Activities

New to the programme, in honour of the Olympics, the PE department broadened the experiences available by introducing some sports that the students would not normally compete in. There was great fun at the Handball, Volleyball and Water Polo competitions, and our girls bent and balanced their way to a win in the Gymnastics competition.

The big event of the year was the House Debating festival. After weeks of hard work our teams did themselves proud, speaking eloquently and persuasively.

In a very tight competition we attained joint first position in the rankings, after winning the Junior round outright; the students involved gained valuable experience and confidence as well. Added to this was the first House Photography competition. We had some outstanding

entries and some agonising decisions as to which pieces to put through. We won the Relationships and Using a Zoom categories, both with outstanding pictures taken

by Bethan Mordey; we also won second place in the Relationships category and a third place in ‘The Spirit of Bablake’. This gave us an overall win and a great deal of pride in the obvious creative talent within Wheatley.

Although we missed out on Sports Day due to the rain, we did have the excitement of winning back the House trophy, as well as a lot of fun and new experiences over the course of a thoroughly enjoyable year.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

47

Getting Involved

Classic offerings As well as presenting an excellent evening of Classical excerpts, with much of the material written by Anastasia Skamarauskas, we also became immune to seeing Dr Si창n Foster and Mrs Sam Thompson flying around school in flowing capes every Friday while Classics Club turned into Hogwarts for a term.

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Getting Involved

Tropical rainforest Mrs Kelly Kerrigan (Geography) arranged a tropical treat for our 2nd year pupils to assist them in their study of the rainforest. To help our pupils appreciate the different living conditions, some of the very distinctive animal life from that area arrived in school for a session that proved to be one of the best lessons of the year!

As well as confirming the importance of recycling, Mr Arscott from Tropical Inc was at particular pains to stand up for the creatures that did not look as cute as some but were actually the friendliest, by far the least aggressive and very often the most fragrant.

Pupils and Geography staff met an excellent range of creatures including a coatimundi, several snakes, a tarantula, a surprisingly unsmelly skunk, a vicious meerkat, a baby genet and a snapping turtle, which was rescued from a canal in Birmingham.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

49

flair

Highlights: Bablake Book Club 52, Out and About 54, Creative Writing 55, Art Galleries 58, Design Tech 62, Photographic Excellence 64, Textiles 65, Celebrations 66

Edited by Rebecca Garforth & Isobel Lindsay (Art Design & Textiles) & Sam Paplauskas (Literature & Creative Writing) “Flair was designed with you in mind. We wanted to offer creative work that everyone would find interesting to see, read and talk about. Please enjoy this year’s Flair!”

Design Snapshot Congratulations to Daniel Cotton on winning the 2012 British Computer Society ‘Challenge IT’ Mobile App Design category.

Congratulations to Ellen Parker (Editor) and her team, including Suki Vraitch (Deputy Editor), Mia Davies (Assistant Editor) and Amelia Brook (Creative Director) on producing a stunning Art and Design issue of Stretch.

‘Student journalism standing out’ Of course, it would also be a pleasure to post other people's best creative work (poems, stories, drawings, photographs) in future editions of Flair.

50

The Wheatleyan 2011/12

In the Picture

The Sparkler by Bethan Mordey Winner of the ‘Using A Zoom’ House Photography category www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

51

Bablake Book Club

Top 5 Loans

Read all about it!

1 Suzanne Collins The Hunger Games Sensation of the year and first in her science fiction trilogy.

2 Ally Carter I’d Tell You I Love You But Then I’d Have To Kill You From her new spy series.

3 Jeff Kinney Cabin Fever Most recent in this award winning series of humorous writing by Jeff Kinney, which now has film versions.

4 Cathy Cassidy Marshmallow Skye Second in the new series by the ever popular Coventry author.

5 Rick Riordan Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief Fantasy adventure, based on Greek mythology.

Suitably for the year in which the English department launched a new Power Readers scheme, Dr Qanta Ahmed (guest of honour for the 2011 Prize Giving) reminded us reading develops our understanding of the world.

She encouraged us to pursue our curiosity through reading and read as much as we can access.

I headed to our Library to discover for you which were last year’s most popular books, writes Sam Paplauskas.

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Bablake Book Club

Sam then asked members of the Bablake Book Club, a great place to start sharing your reading passion, for some of their recommendations: Ann Kelley The Bower Bird Gussie is twelve, loves animals and wants to be a photographer when she’s older. The only problem is she might not live to grow up. Gussie needs a heart and lung transplant but the donor list is as long as her arm. Will Gussie be able to do all the things she wants to do?

Charlie Higson Silverfin A page-turning adventure in the young James Bond series. It tells of his school life at Eton and the deadly secret at Lake Silverfin in Scotland. Recommended for all!

John Grogan Marley and Me A touching tale of the unbreakable bond between a man and his dog, telling the beautiful story of his family’s life and it is one of the best books I have ever read. You will laugh and cry - 10/10.

Gabriel Nix Sabriel Fast paced story about magic, undead creatures and what happens to us after death.

Characters such as a young necromancer and a sarcastic cat will take you on an adventure.

Rachel Vincent My Soul To Keep Part of the supernatural romance genre, except it has a twist! An adrenaline filled, gripping book that is impossible to put down from start to finish, so get reading!

Louis Sachar Holes Truly amazing book illustrating Stanley Yelnats’ life digging holes.

All about how he’s in trouble with the police and suddenly digs holes all day. Can Stanley really dig himself out of his hole or will he have to stay stuck forever? You’ll have to read it to find out!

Stephenie Meyer Twilight An entrancing love story with a twist. Bella Swan finds herself falling for brooding and sexy vampire Edward Cullen. Whilst he is trying to stay away from her, they find themselves in love.

Bella uncovers his dark, yet seductive, life.

Stephenie Meyer The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Short but emotion-packed novella detailing the life of a young vampire and the brief yet startling impact she made on the world of Stephenie Meyer’s twilight.

Philip Pullman Northern Lights An amazing book made into a film (The Golden Compass). With a complex world, believable characters and an amazing plot, this book is fantastic!

Malorie Blackman Boys Don’t Cry If you are looking for an emotional thriller, this is the book for you.

With highs and lows and an unexpected twist, you won’t be able to put it down.

Cathy Cassidy Cherry Crush The first in a series, this is about 5 sisters who are part of a brand new step-family where the parents have a chocolate business.

Cherry, a misfit dreamer, finds herself moving to Somerset to join the Tanberry family. Living near the sea is perfect… until Cherry falls for her new stepsister’s boyfriend Shay!! 10/10 Suzanne Collins Catching Fire The sequel to The Hunger Games is amazing! It is thrilling, exciting and jam-packed full of action. We could not put it down and it has something in it for everyone. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

53

Out and About

Magnificent

Morocco “We were met the next morning with a very early wake up call to get back on the camels to watch the sun rise...”

A

fter landing in Marrakech, we found our way through the bustling daily life to our hotel in the Medina area. A very ordinary wooden door opened up, much to our surprise, to a magnificently decorated series of rooms. We had the opportunity to explore the main square, which comes alive after dark with stalls, snake charmers and street performers. The colours were amazing and the smell of incense, herbs and spices hung in the air. We all then tried a Moroccan speciality, sweet mint tea, which is perhaps an acquired taste, before settling down for the night.

In the next few days, we journeyed through the winding roads of the Atlas Mountains to the Sahara Desert. The journey was long but it took us through some beautiful places. On our first day we visited Ouarzazate, the Valley of Roses, the Valley of a Thousand Kasbahs and the Gorge du Dades with several photo stops in between. The views were breath-taking but it wasn’t until the next day that we appreciated the diversity in landscapes that Morocco had to offer. Since our first day we had travelled through busy cities, mountains, vast empty plains, forests of green palm trees and eventually the desert.

When we arrived in the desert, we were immediately shown our new mode of transport: camels. After a shaky start, we trekked towards our

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The Wheatleyan 2011/12

camp for the night whilst watching the sun set over the dunes. The night at the Berber camp was the best night for many of us as we had the opportunity to try some sand boarding and sleep in traditional Berber tents. We ended the night singing around the campfire to some traditional drums before getting some well-earned rest. We were met the next morning with a very early wake up call to get back on the camels to watch the sun rise, which, although we were still very tired, was appreciated by all of us.

Our final day was spent in Marrakech itself. We were taken on a tour of the city which led us to a greatly decorated palace followed by an exploration through the maze of souks and finally to a shop filled with spices, beauty products and a natural remedy for almost everything.

The trip was not only helpful for our Art projects but we also experienced a new culture that we may never get the opportunity to visit again.

Rebecca Garforth and Isobel Lindsay

Creative Writing

Scholarship Winning German Essay by Georgia Powell

W

ährend der olympischen Spiele werden dieses Jahr tausende Menschen aus den verschiedensten Ländern zu Gast in Großbritannien sein. Was sind die Chancen bzw. wo stecken Probleme, wenn sich so viele Nationalitäten auf engem Raum begegnen? Wird dieses Ereignis London bzw Großbritannien verändern?

Niemand kann leugnen, dass die olympischen Spiele viele Chancen an die ganze Welt bieten.

Jede Nation kann Sportsgeist vorstellen, um Auslandsbeziehungen zu verbessern. Die ganze Welt weiß, die Sportler sind Botschafter für ihre Länder und bei Sportlichkeit können sie mit einem guten Beispiel vorangehen.

Obwohl es viele Menschen aus verschiedenen Ländern geben wird, spielen Sprachen keine große Rolle bei diesem Ereignis, weil man mit Gebärden kommunizieren kann. Vielleicht wäre es eine gute Gelegenheit, neue Fremdsprachen zu lernen, zum Beispiel könnte man Projekte in den Schulen einführen, um den Kindern neue Fremdsprachen beizubringen. Persönlich möchte ich das, weil Sprachen meine Leidenschaft sind!

In Großbritannien bekommt man häufig den Eindruck, dass wir keine Liebe für unser Land haben, und meiner Meinung nach gibt es nicht genug Patriotismus, weil viele Leute nicht rassistisch erscheinen wollen. Aber ist es wirklich unrecht, patriotisch zu sein? Es ist leicht zu erkennen, wenn Menschen aus den verschiedensten Ländern kommen, dass es Probleme mit Rassismus geben könnte, aber zu Vorteil Großbritanniens ist, dass sie eine multikulturelle Gesellschaft hat, also

bin ich davon überzeugt, dass es keine Probleme damit geben wird.

Die olympischen Spiele verfehlen nie Toleranz der Minderheiten zu fördern, dass heißt, die Behinderten, durch die Paralympischen Spiele, die so beliebt wie die Olympiade sind. Dieses Ereignis zeigt, dass Entgegenkommen und positive Haltungen helfen können, eine bessere weltweite Gemeinschaft zu schaffen.

Anderseits bin ich der Ansicht, dass Terrorakte die größte Bedrohung zu dem Ereignis sind. Das ist nicht zu sagen, dass ich denke, es wird passieren, aber es springt ins Auge, dass es möglich ist, weil es so viele Menschen geben wird. Jedoch, wenn man vorherige olympische Spiele bedenkt, findet man, dass das Ereignis immer ziemlich gut geschützt ist.

In einem zynischen Sinne darf man nicht vergessen, dass wir im Moment in einer Rezession sind und ohne Zweifel kann man sagen, dass die olympischen Spiele unsere Wirtschaft verbessern werden. Es wird tausende von Gästen und Touristen geben, die Souvenirs und Andenken kaufen wollen, und hoffentlich wird es auch das Vereinigtes Königreich als Touristenhochburg fördern. Die positiven Wirkungen könnten auch noch die Generationen der Zukunft beeinflussen, wenn wir einen guten Eindruck machen.

Wenn man alles in Betracht zieht, gehen die Vorteile vor die Nachteile. Sport macht Spaß, ob man Sport treibt oder nicht, und die Olympischen Spiele sind eine Chance, die ganze Welt zusammen zu bringen, um Erfolg zu feiern. Es macht nichts, welche Nation gewinnt, weil jeder die Konkurrenz, die Spannung und die Aufregung genießt. Jetzt finde ich mich sehr aufgeregt!

Sprechen Sie

Deutsch?

L6th former Georgia Powell’s essay on the impact of the Olympic Games on London and the UK won her one of just eight prestigious German government scholarships available annually for UK students. This enabled Georgia to spend a month this summer in Germany, visiting schools and undertaking project work. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Creative Writing

Here are pieces written by 4th years Greg Checklin and Daisy Williams who were asked to imagine that a newspaper wanted articles about films or TV advertisements young people loved or hated.

the

power of advertising B

rilliant! Fantastic! Wonderful!

There’s a bloke on the telly telling me to call ‘Injury Lawyers For You’, if I've been in an accident that wasn't my fault.

Well, I stubbed my toe. Can I claim?

How was I to know the edge of the door was a few inches from where I expected it to be? It must have been the door’s fault; it most certainly wasn’t mine. It’s ridiculous, isn’t it?

People claim for almost anything these days.

Not to mention those evil lawyers that feed off people's pain.

They bully you into thinking that you weren't to blame for your accident.

So I cut myself on a sharp blade.

Should I claim? How was I to know the blade was sharp when I touched it? They know exactly what they are doing. Their moral values are about as low as they can stoop to earn a bit of extra cash. It would be an injustice to solely blame the lawyers, despite their contribution to this shambolic scheme being vastly influential. The lawyers aren’t the ones claiming.

It’s the people in these ‘horrendous’ accidents that actually claim. They are led into a false sense of security

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by promises that lawyers make but tend not to keep. A few thousand pounds' compensation won’t ‘unbreak’ your leg. I guess it might make up for the few days you’ve lost from not working, but then what?

Now, I'd be plain stupid to ignore the fact that people really do have serious accidents that frankly, weren’t their fault. However, these people have become victim to the claiming policy and its unfairness.

People that make false claims are one of the many things wrong with this world. It just sickens me to think that people would take advantage in this shameful way. How can they sleep at night knowing that they’d burnt down their own house for the sake of meaningless stacks of money? Insurance companies have every right to question if a claim is true or false but this makes life incredibly more difficult for those people that have a genuine claim.

This brings me nicely onto the current ‘Injury Lawyers For You’ advert, which involves four pressuring lawyers on about… well the usual nonsense. All of a sudden, the female lawyer trips and falls

down the stairs. Ironically, as she is talking about accidents! What are the chances? I’m not entirely sure if I was meant to laugh, but it did make me chuckle. I don't know if I was laughing at how bad the advert was or the woman falling over. Either way the advert is unbearably cringy.

Moving on to a more serious note, who was to blame for this accident?

Was it really the person who designed the steps fault? We all know that this was of course planned, but what if it was real? Did she not have the common sense to be more careful walking down steps with high heels on? The easy option is to blame someone else, and this goes for most things. Nobody has the courage to say, ‘I'm sorry, it was my fault’. In a world where people demand respect without actually earning it, those words would go a long way.

Another way of earning respect is to ‘man-up’ after accidents. There are so many hypochondriacs that convince themselves they are injured when frankly they’re fine.

Some of them get paid leave if they are sick. People see the easy option and without thinking opt for it. Next time you’re sick, ask yourself, 'Am I being fair to the system, or am I cheating it?’.

Summarising this wild concoction of reasons why I loathe this group of horrendous adverts, the tag line speaks for itself: ‘100% lawyers, 100% compensation’. I think it's more on the lines of '100% lawyers, 100% shambles'.

Greg Checklin

Creative Writing

S

omeone asked me recently: ‘What is your favourite advert?’ Do you know what? I really couldn't think of a single one. They all annoy me so much these days because they are ALWAYS on, getting in the way. Adverts are something that people always want to skip, which is why I think that the BBC is the best invention ever. I can watch Waterloo Road all the way through without interruption.

However, some adverts go beyond annoyance and stupidity and really make you ask yourself whether you would ever buy their product. The people who make the adverts must think that even if you hate them, at least you're talking about them and making their brand more well known, but I don't think that is true. If I was old enough to have a car, I definitely wouldn't look for insurance on Go Compare, while just the thought of the irritating children in the Green Giant advert puts me right off sweetcorn!

Humour and stupidity can have a good effect in an advert, but if they are that over the top, do YOU want to buy their products? They must think we're idiots, but we're not! The Go Compare advert is so cheesy, it actually makes me feel sick. I used to quite like classical music, but now even the idea of opera makes me feel tense and shaky because all I can picture in my head is that ridiculous, round man with a pathetic, comedy moustache prancing around trying in vain to be Pavarotti.

I'm not exactly against the idea of a TV advert and appreciate one with a reason and story behind it that has obviously had a lot of thought and effort put into it, but I don't WANT catchy jingles invading my brain; it makes me feel like I'm being controlled by the television. If you want to make me buy into your product, make me laugh or make me cry. I want to be impressed with clever, different ideas, not cheap tricks!

Teachers fill my head with information all day long, so all I want when I get home is to sit down and watch something, like the Simpsons, where I don't really need to think at all. So there I am, all relaxed with a drink and snacks, happily staring at the characters on screen, finally feeling I'm chilling out after a hard day's thinking. The storyline is just getting interesting - maybe Bart’s about to skateboard off a hill and it’s ‘will he live or die?’ Well, I don't find out, as just then, ‘VO5, proud sponsors of The Simpsons’ flashes across the screen. Oh great!

That must mean yet another load of adverts are on their way. Why can't I just sit in my own home and quietly relax without being bothered by jolly fat men singing about things that I cannot even use anyway?

What I am trying to say is this: advertisers, stop treating us like we're stupid! Even at 14, I can spot a cheap, rushed job and I don't need to be brainwashed with bright colours and silly tunes to persuade me that your product is the best. I want to feel as if I am buying something that is good quality, and if your advert is tacky then I will presume that your product is too. If I am thinking that at 14, surely you should be able to work out that adults who actually earn money to buy things will think so too? Come on, advertisers, sort this out and please stop hurting my eyes and ears with your rubbish!

Daisy Williams

“Come on, advertisers, sort this out and please stop hurting my eyes and ears with your rubbish!”

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Galleries

Art gallery

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Some of the best work from our 2011-12 GCSE Art candidates

Galleries

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Galleries

Art gallery

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Some of the best work from our 2011-12 A Level Art candidates, which was displayed at our annual Exhibition evening.

Galleries

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Galleries

Design Technology

Workshops

Inspired by many trips to popular employers and perhaps in an attempt to try and outdo the previous A2 or GCSE set, the coursework pieces for all public examinations seem to become larger and larger. Once again the work of our DT pupils is outstanding and not just from the two U6th pupils who continue to their final year with Arkwright Scholar status intact.

On this spread you will gain a sense of where the fantastic final projects started!

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Galleries

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Photographic Excellence

the Olympic

torch Oliver Warlow Oliver has a very good control of his camera and is happy using it in manual and Raw. He has a fine eye for composition and a keen interest in a number of different genres. These images were taken during a trip to the factory in Coventry that made the Olympic torch.

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Textiles

Stitched

Up

Oliver Warlow captures the variety of textiles made by some of our younger pupils.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Celebrations

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Celebrations

Crystal Ball

Established in 2006 by the U6th of the day, under the watchful eye of the enabler school captain Alex Kantor, our 7th Crystal Ball was held at Bablake, organised by the Senior Prefects for our 5th year pupils.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Celebrations

Leavers’ Ball A pictorial record of the evening enjoyed by our U6th pupils at The Royal Court. The formal photographs were taken by former pupil Richard Smith (www.ras-photography.co.uk.)

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Celebrations

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Highlights: 37 Years On 71, On Stage 72, On Song 76, Arts Award 80

Performing Arts Edited by Bethany Gaunt & Georgia Powell with support from Simeon Blake-Hall ‘The Ten Commandments of Music’ by Georgia Powell, as approved by the Bablake Music department…

Thou shalt not miss rehearsals Thou shalt not be late for rehearsals Thou shalt not talk through rehearsals Thou shalt not lose thy sheet music Thou shalt always have a pencil Thou shalt do much practice Thou shalt not leave thy instrument on the floor of the music store room Thou shalt not use the drums without permission of a higher authority Thou shalt not eat in the music practice rooms Thou shalt put music above all else

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Editor Profile Name: Georgia Powell Passions: Languages - I am currently learning French and German at school, and others at home.

Music - I play the piano, and also play the viola in the Coventry Youth Orchestra. (We are recruiting!)

Ambitions: To become fluent in French, German, Russian, Greek, Italian and Portuguese in that order.

I would also like to learn some Arabic! I also promise to practise at least one of my instruments every day.

2011/12 Highlight: Being blessed with new friendships in the most unexpected of circumstances.

37 Years On

37On years

The senior production this year was a compilation of different scenes and songs from past Bablake shows spanning the last 37 years, charting the career of the retiring Head of Drama, Mr David Prescott.

A talented company presented scenes from plays by Alan Bennett and Alan Ayckbourn amongst several others, and songs from West Side Story, Godspell, A Little Night Music, Cabaret and many other shows that have been presented at school.

A cast of over 30 created an evening of diverse emotions, and the show delivered a strong display of the variety of talent that Bablake has to offer.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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On Stage

Just26 Bablake at the Edinburgh Fringe… part

O

ur senior actors performed Just at a venue a little off the beaten track, so innovative and memorable flyering (the distribution of flyers) techniques were pioneered. Mr John Pease tells us, ‘Our use of Tesco value apples and trick umbrellas was in fact so effective that on the final Saturday, several of the group gave interviews like seasoned professionals for Japanese television out on the Royal Mile.’

In keeping with tradition, the evenings saw the group eating student or staff cooked meals of ‘varying quality’ and attending performances, also of variable quality. The group’s highlights included A Clockwork Orange and a show called Bullet Catch, which was made especially memorable for Mr Pease following his inclusion as a magician’s assistant.

Just sold well; audiences were healthy every performance and their reviews on the whole were pretty positive. There were good ones, fair ones and a particularly harsh one… but that’s about right for the Fringe. Everyone’s a critic!

All in all, it’s worth remembering how special this annual trip is. It’s a truly unique experience and one that students and staff are lucky to be involved in.

We are sure the Edinburgh experience will live long into the future.

But the article doesn’t stop here! As mentioned earlier in this issue, this was Mr ‘Big Dave’ Prescott’s last time taking students up to the Fringe, as retirement beckoned but Mr Pease will also be missing as he takes a new job in Yorkshire. The legacy established by these two legends (and Mr Ian Appleby), we trust, will be entrusted to a new team led by Ms Caroline Farmer and Miss Kate Ewart. We are ready to perform!

Simeon Blake-Hall

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On Stage

I

t was always going to be odd taking a group up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival for the very last time after so many years doing so.

The trip is one of the few where we organise the entire thing ‘in house’- no external trip organisers or companies being used, and everything being arranged by the staff on the trip- from buying the food for the group, driving the buses, booking the venues and shows, finding the accommodation, the whole show and nothing but the show in fact.

And it all works! It is great to see the ‘legacy’ of previous trips, with former students being encountered across Edinburgh, from Guy Lewis performing in the major Pleasance venue, to Charlotte Rouse being a theatre manager at C-Venues. The Bablake presence will continue for many years to come in many different guises.

This year’s trips contained many of the usual elements: the mad rush (by the students, not the staff) to get to the front row so that they were guaranteed humiliation at the hands of Jason Byrne or Mark Watson, or whoever; the trauma of A Level results day; the meals of various quality produced by the company; the ‘celeb spotting’, usually around the Pleasance Courtyard. The personal highlight this year was seeing Mr Pease on stage as the chosen assistant in the brilliant Bullet Catch, where after an hour of revelations and discussion, he had to choose whether to fire a bullet into the mouth of the performer who had described the history of the ‘trick’and yes, he did. We had a Health and Safety waiver for that one.

Next year I will of course be going up to Edinburgh again, it’s a contagious condition, but I will be with my family in a hotel, and will not be cooking, or washing up, or sleeping on an air bed, or sharing a bathroom with 19 others- if I remember my debit card that is.

Mr David Prescott

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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On Stage

c i t s a t Fan

Mr Fox

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Mr John Pease directed the Junior Dramatic Society’s production of Fantastic Mr Fox, adapted from the book by Roald Dahl. A cast of over 35 presented a version that included masses of makeup, cider and mechanical diggers. The lively and spirited performers successfully entertained large audiences on both nights of the production, proving once again there is clearly plenty of acting talent to draw upon for school drama in the coming years.

On Stage

John

King

Bablake at the Royal Shakespeare Company

Matthew Hayhurst had the time of his life performing as Prince Arthur in this year’s Royal Shakespeare Company production of King John. After passing the initial audition last November, Matthew was offered the role following a final audition of 10 hopefuls.

T

he production was unorthodox with modern music, balloons and confetti but received very good reviews. Matthew thoroughly enjoyed his time on stage and has said: ‘It has been the most amazing experience. I have learnt how to fall, cry, faint, move and act, while the professional adult actors have been so friendly and encouraging.

I had voice and movement coaches from the RSC; I did exercises such as speaking while carrying chairs to try and vary my volume and learning how to walk and stand like a Prince. Before each performance, I arrived early to do vocal warm ups and I did physical exercises at home. By mid-March rehearsals had moved to the RSC’s rehearsal rooms in Stratford and then we did the technical rehearsals on stage at the Swan Theatre, where the ‘Arthurs’ had their own dressing room, and we each had our own dressing gown and slippers!

When I finally did my first performance, I was a bit scared, but very excited. I went to the opening night party with my parents, who talked to the director and assistant director and congratulated the other actors on their performances. Best of all, I received many good luck cards, sweets and chocolates from the cast, stage managers and director.

Do I want to be an actor?! Yes, but I have seen how precarious it can be, as my friends look around for their next job, so I still intend to work hard for my academic qualifications first.’

Well done to Matthew on the first of what we hope will be many professional performances.

“When Fortune means to men most good, She looks upon them with a threatening eye.”

King John Act III, Sc. IV

by William Shakespeare

Did you know? King John is a history play by William Shakespeare which dramatises the reign of John, King of England (ruled 1199–1216), son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine and father of Henry III of England. It is believed to have been written in the mid-1590s but was not published until it appeared in the First Folio in 1623. The death of Arthur is a vital ingredient in Shakespeare's history play King John, in which Arthur is portrayed as a child whose innocence dissuades Hubert de Burgh from committing the murder demanded by King John. However, Arthur soon dies after jumping from his place of confinement in an escape attempt. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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On Song

the musical

year

Mr Tim Crompton takes us through Bablake’s year in music...

Autumn

Spring

Summer

Musicians at Bablake had a very busy term. All groups experienced good attendance and many students performed brilliantly in the Autumn concert held in November. Not only did musicians perform well in front of an audience, but also in front of an examiner as 40 students took Associated Board music exams.

Combined choirs from the Junior and Senior School came together to sing at a lunchtime concert at St John’s Church. The concert certainly got the audience in the Christmas spirit with the rendition of Christmas on the Beach in Waikiki, being a particular highlight bringing a little sunshine to a grey Coventry day.

The Junior Choir performed at the annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Tea Party as did a number of other talented individual acts.

The Christmas Carol Service was a suitably reflective affair.

A group of Junior Music Scholars trialled the Arts Award, and made progress on completing their Bronze certificates.

A busy and varied term of music closed with the Easter concert that was a platform for the many Bablake music groups to show off their talents to a very appreciative audience. The term began with some of our senior musicians going out into our local community and performing at a dementia day care centre in Holbrooks.

The Junior Choir sang for the residents of Holyhead Care Home as well as being broadcast on BBC CWR as part of The People’s Passion Easter celebrations where they sang Love’s Young King - a new work composed for choirs all over the UK. A lunchtime concert at St John the Baptist church was a brass spectacular under the direction of Mr Cooper.

The pupils and staff all rehearsed hard to perform at a range of concerts and events. In May the swing band went to perform at Our Lady of the Assumption primary school in Tile Hill as part of their music week where their performance was enthusiastically received. Junior music scholars played in the EDM foyer for their concert in June which offered good acoustics and a relaxed environment for the audience.

Many of the Bablake music groups entertained at the Senior Citizens’ party and at the summer concert in the EDM theatre, the audience enjoyed a variety of music, from Vivaldi played by the string ensemble, to the Beatles played by the brass group, plus some fantastic solo items by Emily Robinson, Matthew Hayhurst and Shirley Wu. Many pupils took Associated Board music exams in May and all were successful; special mention must go to Baht-Ammi Francis who gained distinctions for both piano and flute exams.

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On Song

musical

musings

“You have probably gathered by now that I think music is fantastic.”

T

en minutes before the start of my viola lesson, I am sitting on one of the legendary blue chairs in the EDM foyer outside the Music Department considering the question: why study music? A question inspired by my History teacher earlier that morning who was asking us why we study History. I do not claim to know the answer, nor do I believe there to be one single correct answer, but what I am sure of is why I love music and could not live without it.

The most brilliant thing about music is the variety. There is something for everyone to listen to, even take part in. You may be familiar with the concept that every dog-owner looks like their dog; this concept can also be applied to musicians and their instruments. In case you were wondering, Mr Crompton plays the bassoon, Mrs Scott-Burt plays the violin, and Mr Cooper plays anything made of brass- draw what conclusions you will! But it is not a case of popping the Sorting Hat on and being allocated an instrument; in our school pupils are actively encouraged to choose their instrument from the copious options available to them. Having discovered their soul mate (instrument), they are then more than welcome to take part in any of our music clubs and societies. Whether you play the trumpet, the violin or nothing at all, musical opportunities are plentiful at Bablake.

Music is the soul of a community. It has the power to unite people from different backgrounds and enrich the lives of others. At Bablake we take pride in our biannual Senior Citizens’ Party; we host a Christmas Concert and a Strawberry Tea Concert where we lay on a spread of seasonal food, cooked in our very own Home Economics Department, and best of all, our guests are treated to their very own musical feast. This is just one of our links with the community; this year musicians from a range of year groups went out into the surrounding area and gave concerts for the elderly, a project that is expected to expand this year.

Georgia Powell shares her thoughts on her passion for music...

In recent years we have also rekindled our connection with St John’s Church in the city centre, where we provide regular free concerts throughout the year. Highlights include the Brass Spectacular Concert of last term, and a successful Senior Scholars’ Recital just two days in to the start of the new academic year. We look forward this year to our Christmas Carol Service, which will be held in the Cathedral – all are welcome!

Of course, not all our concerts are held outside the walls of Bablake; each term we have at least one concert which takes place in the Theatre or Main Hall and showcases talent not only from our ensembles, but also individuals who are given the chance to shine on stage.

You have probably gathered by now that I think music is fantastic. However, we who are involved in music at Bablake have often felt that music is not always heard above sport, so we would like to take this opportunity to publicise the advantages of music: • Playing or singing in an ensemble engenders team spirit • Playing or singing solos builds self-confidence • Practising an instrument generates determination and independent learning • Music making usually takes place in the warm and dry (Brass Band players beware) • Music is a safe hobby – unless someone drops a bassoon on your foot • Music is a way of expressing ourselves and reaching others Music is FUN! On that note, if you pardon the pun, I will leave you to your own musings on music.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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On Song

4

Concert

Pip

In mid-December the Bablake community was saddened and shocked to hear that Pip Chowne had suddenly died. After thinking of things to remember her by, we decided that we had to pay tribute to Pip’s love of music, dance and drama, writes Bradley Gill.

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We soon realised that the best way to do this, would be to hold a charity concert, to raise money for CRY (Cardiac Risk in the Young). This is a charity that supports those who have lost someone close to them, and works with other organisations to research ways of preventing sudden deaths among young people.

Before we knew it, we had set a date, and rehearsals were well underway. The concert name ‘4Pip’ seemed the only fitting option. As the evening loomed, the enormity of the tribute was realised by everyone involved, and thoughts of our motivation for the evening were never far from our hearts.

Showtime was rapidly upon us, and on Wednesday 24 March at 7.30pm, after hours of preparation, dotted around GCSE revision and the dreaded controlled assessment, we were welcoming the audience to the theatre. Marcus Judge, Andrew Dobson and Charlotte Cooper acted professionally as entertaining comperes.

Megan Evans gave a breathtaking performance of Adele’s To Make you Feel My Love. This song features on a CD which she made and sold in memory of Pip, to raise money for CRY. Throughout the evening, readings by Dulcie Emery, Tom Grantham and Baydon Sullivan provided moving and inspiring chances for the audience to reflect.

Many were especially moved by a photo-montage created by Anu Bose.

During the interval, refreshments included biscuits made by Shiksha Gill, from Pip’s own recipe, and Megan took the opportunity to sell more of her CDs. Dancing also featured heavily during the concert. Energetic and powerful performances ranging from Irish to Indian and classical to modern were given by Bhavika Raichura, Kavita Minhas and Mara Hartshorn. The majority of the evening, though, was devoted to music; thanks go to Megan, Charlotte Loasby and Rory Dulku, who did us all proud, demonstrating their talents to the full in passionate songs by Ed Sheeran, Enya and Alicia Keys to name a few, and I couldn’t resist the opportunity to give some of the most emotionally challenging, yet rewarding performances of my life.

It wouldn’t be right to stage a tribute to a self-confessed ‘Gleek’ without including at least one song from the well-known show. To end the show, the entire cast and crew, which numbered in excess of 45, as well as a few eager volunteers, joined forces, and took to the stage in an enthusiastic and uplifting rendition of Don’t Stop Believin’, synonymous with Glee. To say we were surprised was an understatement, when apparently bending the laws of Physics, Anu Bose sprinted down from the box where he had skilfully been technician for the show, before spontaneously breaking out into ‘the worm’, during an interlude!

Recently, Bablake received a letter from CRY, thanking us for our efforts, and it was announced that over £3,000 has been raised for the charity. On behalf of everyone involved, I would like to offer our warmest thanks to Mrs Heath, Mr Wyatt and everyone who made such an enjoyable and memorable evening possible, including an audience of over 200. The funds raised will be used for ambitious medical initiatives and screening clinics, all aimed at minimising the number of cases of sudden cardiac deaths and the heartbreak that follows such a tragic loss.

On Song

M

usic has always been a big aspect of my life. Whether it be listening or producing, I can find myself losing endless hours or even days submerging myself in it when I could, and should, be doing other things - particularly homework. Being introduced to both the violin and piano at an early age by my mother, who is a piano teacher herself, was the first step in my musical ‘career’ if you like. Starting lessons in school at the age of seven was quite daunting and often quite uncomfortable considering I never used to do anywhere near as much practice as I was meant to. However, I now find myself working towards Grade 8 in both instruments with the potential of doing letters afterwards.

Attending the school orchestra with the everwelcoming Mr Crompton and leading the violins in the string quartet have further helped my progression with music, along with the daily motivation from my mother. So with all this classical background, it may seem peculiar when I tell you that I now find myself releasing Dance Music tracks under the alias ‘Whiney’, specifically targeting the underground UK genre Drum & Bass, which people may recognise due to big names such as Goldie and, more recently, Pendulum breaking through into the charts.

The music itself is nowadays produced almost entirely on computers with the common misconception being that anyone can pick up a keyboard, hammer a few notes into the computer and it’ll do the rest for them. This could not be further from the truth, and if it wasn’t for the persistence of my violin teacher Kate and piano teacher Mr Etherden, I simply would not be able to do it. If it wasn’t for them I would not be able to come up with the emotionally-filled chord sequences or have the capability to write music that people want to hear.

n ee s b e.” ay lif lw my s a of ha ct ic pe us as “M big a

Inddivivid In iduuaallfo foccuuss e n i H l l i W

Eleven years of hard graft on my two instruments and a neverending drive from the music staff at Bablake to reach my full potential has led to me being able to release a 4 track EP on up-and-coming music label Subsphere Records, with title track Sweetest Sin receiving over 100,000 hits on YouTube, and more importantly one of my tracks being featured on a forthcoming compilation Sick Music 3 signed to the biggest Drum & Bass label in the scene, Hospital Records.

All of this, however, would not have been possible without my partner in crime, Will Keen aka – ‘Keeno’. Having sung in front of the Queen at the age of five as part of a youth choir and recently achieving an A* in A Level music, Keeno is hugely talented in the classical music field, and between us we have found a unique and original blend of uplifting music which is deeply sought after in the music industry today. It is important to remember, however, that none of this would be possible if I hadn’t been given the opportunities and experience on offer from the music staff at Bablake.

Links to my music can be found below: www.soundcloud.com/williamhine www.facebook.com/Whineydnb www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Arts Award

Artsaward

This year the Arts Award has been introduced into Bablake's music department thanks to Mrs Cathy Scott-Burt. The Arts Award is managed by Trinity College London and aims to develop young people as artists and creative minds, writes Bethany Gaunt.

Through these awards the pupils can explore any art form from literature to music and develop their talents and leadership and team working skills.

In this scheme the pupils work through each stage and hopefully continue to complete not only bronze, but also the silver and gold Arts Award. This year there has been great success and all applicants including Bethany Carter, Albert Jie, Avni Kant and Aron Sood achieved their bronze award.

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Arts Award

For a special insight into the Arts Award Bethany Carter reports on her experiences: For my Bronze Arts Award, I had to do a series of 4 challenges. Part A was to go to a club or to an activity to do with the Arts over a series of six weeks and make diary entries of what you did and how you improved. I attended dancing classes, and at the end of the six weeks I participated in a flash mob in town. I documented this with a photo of us dancing, and I used it in my Arts award project folder.

Part B was to go and see a show, an exhibition, or a concert on something in the Arts. I was going to see Rihanna at the NIA in Birmingham a few weeks later, so I wrote a short review about what it was like, with a few examples of what she played and how I felt about the whole experience.

Part C was to make a project on your Arts hero or heroine, and I chose Mozart because he was a child prodigy, and showed the world that you can work on your passion, no matter what age.

Finally, for Part D, I had to run a small workshop on something in the Arts for about an hour. With the help of my friends Immy and Megan, we made a dance routine and taught it to the Year 4 classes in the Junior School. It was really fun, and we all enjoyed it very much. We had to plan it all beforehand, but with some dedicated lunchtimes, we pulled it all off in time. I really enjoyed doing my Bronze Arts Award because it's fun, free and I would definitely encourage others to do it too.

I'm working on my Silver Arts Award at the moment, and hopefully if I pass that, I'll get to do my Gold!

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Highlights: London Olympics 83, Sporting Honours 84, 5 Star Futures 86, Sports Focus 88, Sports Talk 100

Sport Edited by Beth Jepson and Hugh Kenney-Herbert “With hard work and dedication, Bablake pupils have thoroughly enjoyed PE all through 2011-12, excelling in such a wide variety of sports.�

Editor Profiles Name: Beth Jepson Sporting Passions: Hockey, Netball and Tennis.

Bablake Sporting Ambition: To enjoy my final year of sport at Bablake and do the best we can. It would be great to reach the Netball Nationals, especially after narrowly missing out this year.

2011-12 Highlight: Witnessing the U14s achieve their place at the Nationals.

Name: Hugh Kenney Herbert Sporting Passion: Hockey and Cricket Bablake Sporting Ambition: Perform to the best of my ability and enjoy it all.

2011-12 Highlight: Winning the Warwickshire U19 Cricket cup.

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London Olympics

Bablake

gold

Beth Jepson and Hugh Kenney-Herbert

B

orn in Exhall, he began riding at the tender age of 18 months on a pony called Oxo. He was enjoying a successful career when dreams of scaling greater heights were cruelly shattered in September 2000, when he broke his neck. It looked as if he would never ride again. Determined that this wouldn’t be the case, he rebuilt his career.

The BBC website described Nick Skelton's performance as a fairytale, not only because this was Great Britain's first show jumping gold medal for 60 years but also because at 54 and 52 respectively, Nick Skelton and Peter Charles had defeated riders years younger, both after horrendous injuries previously that had threatened their riding careers. It was Nick Skelton’s sixth Olympics - testament to his determination.

Tipped to win an individual Gold a couple of days later, he unfortunately clipped a jump and

that small error left him in fifth place. After all the training and so many faultless performances, he must have been very disappointed.

But this is how he handled defeat: ‘It’s one of those things. It wasn’t meant to be.’ And let’s not forget that the difference between victory and defeat or Gold and Silver can be minuscule, as was clear when 20 year-old cyclist Laura Trott won her second Gold by 1/1000th of a second!

We look forward to being able to celebrate future sporting success of some of our young equestrians like Lucy Farrington, Lucinda Roche and all the young sporting stars in other sports. They know how many hours, months and years they will spend training and competing but Nick Skelton's fairytale ending will certainly help inspire them.

New Zealand swimmer Glenn Snyders, also a former pupil, impressed in the early heats of the 200m breaststroke but missed out on the Olympic 200m final.

Current pupils James Faulkner, his namesake Robert and Lewis Marshall were delighted to land summer jobs in the Olympic park, while a number of former pupils were involved in a voluntary capacity.

Photo: Kafuffle

This summer show jumper Nick Skelton became the second Bablake former pupil to win an Olympic Gold medal within recent memory. In winning a team medal in Eventing, he emulated the performance of Robert Clift, who won a Gold Medal for Hockey in the Seoul Olympics of 1988.

“The BBC website described Nick Skelton's performance as a fairytale...”

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Sporting Honours

Sporting board of honour 2011/12

Bablake’s sporting achievers over the past year are noted and congratulated by Beth Jepson and Hugh Kenney-Herbert International Honours England Athletics: Aviva England Indoor Championships, UK Athletics Advanced Apprenticeship in Sporting Excellence Programme (AASE), English Schools Seniors U20 Shot: Lucy Smith Gymnastics: Daryl Townsend U18 Hockey squad: Jessica Horn England Futures: Beth Evans Rugby: England Performance Development Group: Jack Webber Swimming: England training programme: Alex Carroll Great Britain Swimming: EU Swimming Invitational: Lucas Williams U18 Irish Exiles Rugby: Ronan Jones U17 Scottish Exiles Rugby: Andrew Judge, Dominic Rae Basketball: Paralympic Bronze Medal UK School Games: Frances Mahony Wales U21 Hockey: Will Kenney-Herbert U17 Welsh Exiles Rugby: Huw Edwards Regional Honours Midlands U18 Rugby: Ben Davies (Trial) U16 Swimming: Lauren Carr North England Juniors Sailing: Molly Griffin RYA West Zone Sailing: Nia Gripton-Crockford West Midlands Athletics Seniors: Lucy Smith (Shot) Hockey (Junior Regional Performance) U17 Hockey: Beth Jepson U16 Hockey: Mollie Sargent U14 Hockey: Rory Kenney-Herbert, Jonathan Leong U19 Netball (National Talent League): Ashleigh Green

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Sporting Honours

County Honours Leicestershire South District U13 Cricket: Cameron Park North and East U16 Cricket: Dominic Rae U14 Cricket: Rory Kenney-Herbert Warwickshire Winter Academy Cricket: Mark Best 2nd XI/U19/U17 Cricket: Mark Best U16 Cricket: Matthew Clements, Matthew Payne U14 Cricket: Harvey Burke, Ross Parnell U13 Cricket (Girls): Danika Patel U12 Cricket: Daniel Smith U17 Hockey Junior Academy Centre: Matthew Hollinrake, Hugh Kenney-Herbert, Christopher Sewell U16 Hockey: James Bayliss, Richard Price U15 Hockey: Will Banfield, Blake Hatfield, Hayley Smith U14 Hockey: Mantaran Dosanj, Aidan Johnson, Iain Suren, Daniel Williams U13 Hockey: George Bayliss U16 Netball Academy: Aimee Piercy, Mollie Sargent U18 Rugby: Ben Davies, Ronan Jones U16 Rugby: Huw Edwards, James Faulkner, Robert Faulkner, Andrew Judge, William Kirkman, Liam Moore, Jack Webber (Worcester Warriors) U15 Rugby: Paul Gascoigne (Worcester Warriors), Jamie Jack (Leicester Tigers), Bradley Pinkham (Worcester Warriors) U14 Rugby: Chimdi Ogbuneke U16 Swimming: Lauren Carr U15 Table Tennis: Paul Lilley

Team Achievements Athletics (Boys): Shells Super Sixes West Midlands Silver medal.

Athletics (Girls): Intermediate 5th and Junior girls 2nd at Midlands English Track and Field; 2nd year and Shells Super Sixes West Midlands Silver medal.

U19 Cricket: Warwickshire Trophy winners; U19 Warwickshire 8-a-side winners.

U14 Hockey (Boys): Midlands Zonal runners up and Warwickshire Cup winners; U16, U13 Midlands Zonal runners up.

U18 Hockey (Girls): Warwickshire Indoor winners, U16 Warwickshire Indoor runners up; Warwickshire Schools U13 winners.

U14 Netball: reached Nationals as West Midlands winners; U19s and U16s reached West Midlands; U19 West Midlands Colleges South Leagues winners.

7s Rugby: U18 and U16 Rosslyn Park 2nd in group.

Tennis: Jonine Bains and Katie Wainhouse (1st pair) and Beth Jepson and Jenny Tasker (2nd pair) Midlands Senior Girls Doubles runners up.

Congratulations also to Mark Best: Warwickshire U17s batting award, the U19s batting award and the prestigious Player of the Season Award (chosen from all the age-group players).

Jimhill Xu: 5 wickets in an over including a hat-trick. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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5 Star Futures

Futures Beth Jepson and Hugh KenneyHerbert introduce some Bablake sporting stars of the future, whom they asked to tell us about their sport, their training, their current standard and their aspirations for the future.

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Alex Carroll Swimming

“I was eight years old when I started swimming for Coventry City Swimming Club. I train seven times a week; my favourite stroke is fly and I am seventh in the UK for 200 metres individual medley, eighth for 200 fly, thirteenth for 200m back crawl and fifteenth for 100 back crawl.

I love the feeling after a race or in training when you know you could not have done any better. My swimming role model is James Goddard. I want to compete in the Olympic trials and European championships.”

Franki Mahony Basketball

“I started playing basketball in Shells. I had wanted to play long before that, but had struggled to find information about clubs. I train with Coventry Crusaders Wheelchair Basketball Academy every Thursday evening. I'm not great at listening to my body and usually end up training too hard. I'm used to all the blisters unless they get particularly bad.

The training is pretty intense, especially the elite sessions which often leave you quite achy but I am used to that.

I like picking for people, where you stop somebody else's chair to stop them moving, or freeing someone else from a pick.

I feel quite protective of my team, so enjoy freeing them. I rarely shoot, being one of the shortest players, so help get the big guys into a good shooting position. My role isn't that obvious, but it's quite important.

I love the social side as well as games. The team is pretty cool so training is generally fun.

I don’t have a role model but respect my coaches. It can be hard fitting in schoolwork, but I'll chose basketball first whenever I can, and sometimes when I probably shouldn't.

Playing for England Central last year at the Sainsbury’s' UK School Games was awesome; it was the first time wheelchair basketball had been included in the games, and our team had only trained together properly one time, so winning the gold medal was great. The games were run at such a professional standard with commentators at the games and our own accommodation.

Before a match we do a bit of pushing, lay-ups and stretching, and just checking we have everything we need like drinks and if tyres have enough air. I usually get really nervous before matches, usually resulting in swaying back and forth or in really bad occasions, feeling or even being sick!”

Nia Crockford Sailing

“I began in 2006 but only competitively in 2008. My home club is Sutton; however, I train all over the country on the 420 national circuit. I train most weekends spending anything up to six hours on the water without coming ashore and if I am sailing on the sea, I can spend the whole day on the water.

5 Star Futures

Lucy Smith Athletics - Shot

I often come into school on a Monday aching and have to make sure all my techniques are right because certain ones (e.g. trapezing, where you effectively stand on the edge of the boat held on by a wire) can damage your knees and back if done incorrectly. When I started sailing competitively this was far more noticeable than now so I have just got used to it.

As all sailing takes place over weekends, I have to be aware of homework set on Friday in for Monday.

I love the social side as well as the racing and the competitiveness of the sport but 4am starts to reach a venue are not pleasant! My role model is Hannah Mills who is the 470 Olympic helm and I would like to make my way up the RYA squad development ladder, sail as much as I can and have fun doing my sport.

My greatest achievement is completing all 6 races in the Topper Inlands 2011 at Grafham water in 25-30 knot winds as I was just one of three people from my regional squad to do this.

I have seen a lot of weird thing during my sailing. My friend Lottie did a backflip off the boat by accident and we nearly ran over her. We have had to race through puffins in Scotland.”

“citius altius fortius”

“When I was 11 years old, my sister encouraged me to join Coventry Godiva Harriers with her. I started with the shot, javelin and discus. As well as training there still, I also train at the High Performance Centre in Birmingham, use my local gym and have exercises to do at home to strengthen certain muscles.

I train most days, but have two main training sessions with my coach for a couple of hours and sometimes at the weekend if there are no competitions on. Sometimes it's hard to fit everything in, especially in the netball season My personal best, throwing a 4 kg shot (= 4 large text books) is 11.81 metres (4 Fiat 500s), which I threw at the English Schools Championships in July 2011 and placed me fourth in the UK. I have loved working from school and club up through city, then county to national standard and experiencing how top level athletes have to deal with competing at the highest levels.

I also get to meet new coaches, competitors and people from different teams and different parts of the country along the way.

I hate it if I don't perform to my best and my rivals are doing well. I admire Jess Ennis as she is strong at the shot and constantly improving her PB in all her events. I've also always looked up to my sister, Dan, because she will always support me at my competitions and got me into athletics. I’d love to make international level, like Junior Commonwealth or Olympics.

Competing for England at the UK School Games was amazing and just inspired me to want more and compete at a higher level.

Walking into the arena in the opening ceremony with the other athletes in our England kit was amazing.

“I love the social side as well as games. The team is pretty cool so training is generally fun.”

If allowed, I usually listen to music while I'm stretching and warming up, I then do a set number of standing throws and glides to get my rhythm, just to get the technique fixed in your mind for the real thing. I often have steeplechasers fall into the water jump as I am about to throw, which relaxes me and it’s amusing when officials suddenly realise you can throw further than they thought and they end up having to run out of the way.”

Daryl Townsend Gymnastics

“I started at 11, when a friend invited me along. I train at Woodlands Acro and Tumbling Gymnastics club, three times a week, which fits in with school.

I love tumbling and being upside down most! I love it being different from other sports, but hate the injuries. The funniest moment so far was when someone landed a move and their shorts fell down!

Alexander Shatilov is my role model as he is tall and an Olympic level gymnast. My dream would be to make the British Championships and win a medal. I won silver at Nationals, making me second best in the country!”

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Sports Focus

“The girls showed great team spirit and never forgot to smile!”

NetballNationals Mrs Cath Mills

This year it was our U14 netball squad that ensured a Bablake presence in National Schools Finals for the third time in the last four years. All three age groups, U14, U16 and U19s, reached the West Midlands round, a super achievement.

Agonisingly the only competitive game lost by the U19s all season was its semi-final match and the U16s, plagued by injuries, battled away with spirit. However, plaudits went to the U14s who crept through to the Nationals as West Midlands champions winning the final by a single goal.

Chloe Mason, captain of the spirited and Harry Potter-inspired U14s, commented about the finals: ‘Despite some poor weather on the day, we kept on fighting! The girls showed great team spirit and never forgot to smile! It was an enjoyable couple of days that we’ll never forget.’

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Sports Focus

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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CricketReview

Mr Andrew Phillips

Winning the Warwickshire U19 Trophy is an excellent reward for the hard work and dedication shown by the 1st XI squad and it rounds off a very successful season. Bablake won this competition 14 times, between 1979 and 1999, so we are pleased to welcome it back to our trophy cabinet.

Natwest CricHQ Cricket at Bablake embraced technology this season and many games have been scored using the Natwest CricHQ scoring application. This produces highly detailed scorecards in addition to statistics often only seen on Sky Sports, e.g. run worms, Manhattan graphs, wagon wheels and much more! These scorecards can be accessed by following @bablakecricket on Twitter which has links to all games scored using this software as well as news, results and individual achievements. Natwest CricHQ will hopefully provide Bablake cricketers with even more in depth analysis and feedback on how they can improve their game!

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1st XI National T20 Competition The 1st XI competed in the prestigious National T20 Competition for the first time this year. Drawn in a group with Denstone (who hosted the round), Wrekin College and Wolverhampton Grammar School, competition was going to be tough, which certainly proved to be the case in the first fixture against Denstone. On a Friday evening in freezing and overcast conditions, Bablake started the competition slowly and bowled poorly, which enabled Denstone to set a challenging target of 202 in their 20 overs. A batting collapse and lack of application saw Bablake skittled for 32 all out, which left plenty to think about on the long drive home. The boys returned to Denstone on the Sunday and were completely rejuvenated, excellently led by captain Ben Davies. The 1st XI played high quality cricket throughout the day and secured two well-deserved victories against Wrekin College and Wolverhampton Grammar School. Excellent individual performances on the day with the bat came from cricket scholars Mark Best (49*, 40) and Matthew Clements (37). Matthew Payne (37) hit a quickfire innings to secure victory against Wrekin College. Dhyan Patel (220) and Mark Best (2-7) bowled tight spells and returned the best bowling figures. Overall, the 1st XI finished 2nd in the group, which was an excellent effort after a slow start!

Sports Focus

Coventry and Warwickshire Cups All our junior cricket teams (U12, U13, U14 and U15) reached the semi-final of the Coventry Cup while the U14s went as far as the quarter-final of the Warwickshire Cup before losing to a very strong Warwick team. However, the 1st XI, 8-a-side Warwickshire Champions, went all the way to the final where it beat Solihull School, with a century stand between Mark Best and Matt Clements laying a platform and Matt Payne’s parsimonious 6 overs for 12 runs stifling Solihull’s run-chase. This is a trophy we won 14 times in the 80s and 90s, so it was great to win it again.

We welcomed Australian tourists from St Kevin’s College, Melbourne for our T20 tournament.

Unfortunately, this was completely washed out, so we offered them a football, Aussie rules, touch rugby and indoor cricket competition.

Cricket and rain are not a good combination!

Considering June was the wettest month on record it is no surprise that many fixtures have been lost this year due to the poor conditions. Hopefully 2013 will bring a drier and sunnier cricket season and more achievements like that of Jimhill Xu, who took an incredible 5 wickets in an over for our U15s early in the season.

“Winning the Warwickshire U19 Trophy is an excellent reward for the hard work and dedication shown by the 1st XI squad and it rounds off a very successful season. Bablake won this competition 14 times between 1979 and 1999, so we are pleased to welcome it back to our trophy cabinet.”

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Boys’HockeyReview Mr Andrew Phillips

Bablake Boys’ 1st XI vs. Birmingham University Women’s 1st XI Phil Gooderham, our professional hockey coach, presented our 1st XI with a rare opportunity to play Birmingham University Women’s 1st XI in a warm up game before his squad competed in the final of the Investec England Women’s Cup. The Birmingham 1st XI team consisted of a squad of 16 players, potential Olympic players, 14 of whom had played at International level during their careers, including ex-pupil Holly Payne who is currently reading Biology.

In an excellently contested game, Birmingham took the lead late in the first half with an expertly worked short corner. However, Bablake 1st XI fought back strongly in the second half, soaking up long periods of pressure before responding twice with two breakaway goals for a lead. Incredible determination and outstanding fitness levels from the University side saw Birmingham snatch a late equaliser (2-2). The Bablake 1st XI enjoyed the challenge of playing such talented elite athletes and I’m sure they’ll be looking out for some of the girls competing for their countries.

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Boys’ Hockey Report Boys’ hockey has once again enjoyed success at all age groups throughout a very busy fixture calendar. The 1st XI continued to impress after a successful tour of Singapore and Malaysia last summer. Expertly led by Welsh international William Kenney-Herbert the squad enjoyed victories against KHVIII (2-1), Nottingham HS (2-0), Princethorpe (3-2), Bishop Vesey’s (4-2), Queen Mary’s (5-2), King Edward’s Aston (3-0) and Lawrence Sheriff (8-1). The only real disappointment of the season came in the U18 County Cup when we were narrowly beaten 2-1 by King Edward’s Birmingham in an extremely close fought game. William Knight and William Vines particularly impressed and demonstrated they are extremely talented players with a promising hockey future ahead of them. Younger members of the squad stepped up to 1st team level with great aplomb; James Bayliss and Chris Sewell were excellent as a striking combination.

The 2nd XI, under the management of Mr Atwal, initially experienced an inconsistent start, often snatching defeat from the jaws of victory! However, as the season

Sports Focus

“Boys’ hockey has once again enjoyed success at all age groups throughout a very busy fixture calendar.”

has progressed, performances significantly improved and the highlight was a 2-1 victory against local rivals KHVIII. Encouragingly, the 2nd XI is proving to be an excellent breeding ground for talent to progress through to 1st team level and this was increasingly evident this year. The 3rd XI, under the watchful eye of Mr West, faced strong opposition throughout the season and continued to eagerly await its first victory of the season. Despite this, morale remained high and they remained in excellent voice when singing to and from fixtures.

The U15s continued to develop, despite being plagued by long term injuries, and the attitude towards training was once again highly commendable. This hard work and dedication was repaid with some excellent victories over Newcastle-under-Lyme, Queen Mary’s and a well fought draw with Warwick. William Banfield led the side with great maturity and Nirgun Bhandal, Aron Sood and Jimhill Xu proved they have the ability to play at a high level next year when they progress into the senior sides.

The U14s continued a 3-season unbeaten run in friendlies and look to be one of the most formidable sides in the Midlands. Highlights included victories against Repton (2-1), Lawrence Sheriff (10-0), Warwick

(4-0), Solihull (3-0) and Bishop Vesey’s (1-0). In the Warwickshire County Tournament, we qualified for the Midlands Finals, defeating Nottingham and De Ferrers.

However, we lost to Repton, Trent College and Rugby School, and although disappointed, the team will learn a lot from the experience and be determined for the future.

The U14Bs also enjoyed its first few fixtures, showing excellent improvement as the season progressed.

Winning the majority of fixtures was reward for hard work at training by the U13s. George Bayliss, who represents Warwickshire, captained the side with excellent leadership and was supported well by Cameron Park and William Petchey in the middle of the pitch.

Aidan Thomas, Robert Jacques and Harry Garforth were impressive in defence, ably supported by Harry Vincent in goal, who proved extremely difficult to beat between the posts.

The U12 squad demonstrated fantastic motivation, commitment and dedication at the start of its hockey career at Bablake and there are some very talented players in the squad with real potential. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Girls’HockeyReview Mrs Suzanne Webley

Our senior teams all showed tremendous commitment. The 1st XI played excellently and although many matches fell foul of the weather, the season finished on a high with a 6-0 victory over Newcastle-under-Lyme. The 2nd XI had a limited number of fixtures, but remained focused and hardworking in practices.

The U18 and U16 indoor teams both qualified for the Midlands Indoor Tournament. Hard training brought excellent reward with the U18s finishing the competition 3rd in their pool behind the eventual winners and runners-up, and the U16s finished 5th overall.

The U16 hockey team has been extremely committed to practices and secured a good win against King Edward’s High School at the end of the season.

Searlait McLaughlin reported that the U15 converted excellent training into results as they won 13 matches and drew 4 with just 7 losses. Third place in the Loughborough Festival of Sport and an early season win v KHVIII (7-0) helped inspire a successful Autumn term.

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Georgina Lloyd, who over the season ensured the team scored more goals than it conceded (54 to 36) kept goal excellently to keep Princethorpe from scoring more than a single goal in a 1-1 draw. Losses versus Rugby (0-3) and King’s High (2-4) did not disturb the strong team spirit and in March the U15s were 3rd at the Warwickshire tournament. The team also won the Coventry Schools trophy on penalty flicks against KHVIII. The U14 team produced some excellent results after a mixed start, beating one side 11-0, but the true highlight of the season was its outstanding play against Rugby School in a 2-2 draw.

Anna Price wrote that the U13s began the season with three defeats against tough opposition. As soon as the team became used to its roles, results improved with draws, a narrow defeat and finally a few wins.

The team was delighted with 1st place in its group at the Warwickshire tournament before losing narrowly to King’s High in the final. There is optimism for further progress next season.

Sports Focus

With over 20 girls regularly attending practices, both the U12A and B teams reached Christmas having lost just one game. The A team played 14 matches over the course of the season including 6 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses. The girls played well against tough opposition in their first few matches as a team and went on to perform well at the Solihull Invitational Tournament, finishing 1st in its group but unfortunately losing to Bloxham in the semi-final.

At the Warwickshire tournament the girls displayed some excellent tactical play but were unable to convert possession into goals; the team finished in 4th place after winning one game, drawing two and losing two.

The A team continued to develop throughout the season, finishing on a high with victories against Nottingham High and Newcastle-under-Lyme. The U12Bs played confidently throughout the season and despite some early losses, the girls remained positive and finished with a record of 7 wins, 2 draws and 5 losses.

“With over 20 girls regularly attending practices, both the U12A and B team reached Christmas having lost just one game.�

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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NetballReview

Bablake’s 2011 – 12 season

U19 Ashni Desai and Emma Davis We had a great season after bonding together whilst on tour. We started the season as we intended to go on, with determination, passion and commitment. The first weekend after the summer holidays, we played in the King’s Worcester pre-season tournament where we faced the reigning National School Champions. The tournament was a test of both our skills and fitness levels!

This season the 1st team won all friendly and league matches, leaving us West Midlands South league and tournament winners, Coventry Schools tournament winners and Warwickshire Schools tournament winners.

We qualified for the West Midlands Schools tournament, where we won all of the matches in our section. However we narrowly missed out on a place at Nationals by a 2 goal defeat in our semi-final.

Notable matches were wins against King’s High (50-15) and King Edward Stourbridge (41-7), while in the league matches this season we scored a total of 464 goals and conceded 230. At the annual Dominique Matthews tournament, we entered two mixed A and B teams; both teams won their respective section and faced each other in a tense final.

Senior netball practices were extremely well supported, enabling three teams. The 2nd team also had a good season, winning the Coventry Schools and the West Midlands South B team tournaments. There were highs and lows throughout the second and third team season but both teams enjoyed wins against KHVIII.

U16 Jess Betts The A team began the season well, notably with a convincing victory against KHVIII. The B team was not quite as fortunate in its first matches. However, the season quickly got underway with the Coventry Schools tournament where both U16 teams remained undefeated throughout the day and returned victorious. The A team played well in the King’s High Quadrangular tournament, with a fantastic victory against King’s High, 22-2.

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Multiple wins for the B team against Wolverhampton Grammar and Coundon Court reflected their unwavering commitment.

The A team played well in the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire tournament. Despite two close and frustrating losses, victories were well fought and we were incredibly pleased to discover we had made it through to the West Midlands tournament, even if it was on goal difference! The A team squad was well supported by the B team, with players reliably turning up to training to give the support and competition that is essential when preparing for this round. A particular mention must go to Priya Virdi, U16B team captain, for her commitment.

During the Nationals qualifying tournament, the A team came together and played in the way in which we all knew we were capable. Even though key defence players were injured, dedication to practice paid off as we lost only two of our six matches, finishing third in the section. Despite closely missing out on semi-finals, we delivered some well-deserved wins, making both our coaches and each other incredibly proud.

Both the A and B team finished the season on a high, the B team delivering victories against Coundon Court, KHVIII and notably King’s High (22-7).

Sports Focus

U15 The U15s enjoyed a successful term, peppered with victory over KHVIII, Princethorpe and Nottingham High.

At the Coventry Schools tournaments, both the A and B teams won all their matches and finished as champions, and at the prestigious Uppingham Invitation tournament, the A team was crowned champions.

U14 Chloe Mason Our squad has shown fantastic commitment and team spirit all season with everyone prepared to work hard to be selected. At the Coventry Schools tournament, the A team qualified for the Warwickshire tournament in 2nd place. On the same day the B team won all of its games to become the Coventry Schools` U14B champions. This group of girls went on to have a very successful year, claiming an excellent victory over KHVIII towards the end of the season! The strength and improvement amongst all the players meant that three of this team were able to be part of the U14A squad that did so well in the Nationals.

At the Warwickshire tournament the girls showed everyone there how netball should be played. We were so pleased to be Warwickshire champions. The team produced some outstanding performances at the West Midlands tournament as we finished top in our group. We then met Bromsgrove in the semi-final and beat them 10-7. Our opponents in the final were Hagley R.C. School and in a very hard fought game we came out winners by 11-10. We were champions of the West Midlands and going to the Nationals!

Soon after this tournament the squad for the Nationals was announced and our preparation began. We played in the Bromsgrove tournament which proved to

be very tough but we were able to try out different tactics and playing combinations ready for our big day out in March.. We also played the Warwickshire U16 County Development Squad, which was another excellent way of preparing.

The big day was soon upon us! We travelled to Basildon in Essex for an overnight stop. Despite some poor weather on the day, we kept on fighting! We lost narrowly in 4 of our 8 games but the girls showed great team spirit and never forgot to smile! It was an enjoyable couple of days that I will never forget. Thanks to Mrs Lynne Stinton for organising our team hoodies for the event.

We ended the season with victories over a touring team from Bermuda. Again this was a most enjoyable experience for all concerned. It was a great season for all players and everybody has improved. On behalf of all the netball squad we would like to thank all the parents who came and supported us. We would also like to say a massive thank you to our invaluable coaches Mrs Mills and Mrs Webley. Thank you to everyone who supported us and hopefully next year will be as good as this!

U13 The U13 netball teams have worked hard throughout the year to develop their tactical understanding and positional play and have begun to fulfil their potential on the courts. In the Coventry Schools netball tournament the A team secured 3rd place and the B team did particularly well to finish as runners-up on goal difference.

U12 Miss Ann Corrigan A large number of girls have been a part of the U12 netball squad this year. All the girls have shown enthusiasm and commitment throughout the season both in attending practices and performance within games. With a varying skill level and with some girls never having played netball before, they have worked hard at improving their basic skills and have begun to work well as a team. Although some results did not reflect how close the game was, the girls have given their best.

At the start of the year the Loughborough Festival provided an opportunity for the girls to display their potential. This was later followed by an excellent victory (9-5), after a very close game, against Newcastle underLyme School.

At the end of the spring term the girls played The North Village Community Club, a touring team from Bermuda. The girls all worked well together as a team and as a result they played the best netball of the season, ending with a very convincing win. With this very positive ending result I am sure the girls will continue to develop and go from strength to strength in the future. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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RugbyReview Mr Rob Burdett

Another large crowd witnessed Bablake 1st XV take on KHVIII at the Butts arena. In a close, hard fought contest KHVIII eventually ran out 14-3 winners to claim the new ‘Mick Hibbert Memorial Shield’. This was just our second defeat to KHVIII in 10 years, so the team will continue to work hard next season to reclaim the Shield!

Participation levels have been outstanding, with the school fielding a 4th team for the first time in living memory. The 1st XV had a difficult season losing a number of games by less than a try. Winning the last couple of games of the season may mean we have hopefully turned a corner and the team should again be congratulated on its determination and approach. Our players have always given their best and competed at or beyond the expected level. Progress throughout the season has been marked.

They have been a pleasure to work with and have represented the school with pride.

The 2nd XV produced some fine displays this season and gelled into a hard-working and cohesive team, with great spirit. It was particularly impressive to see some of the L6th flourish after a number of difficult seasons in the past.

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Our U16XV recorded some huge victories and has shown great promise. It capped its season with a Coventry Cup final win over Woodlands. This is clearly an extremely talented group of players with a fantastic approach. They have the potential to excel in the future if they can match their undoubted talent with a huge work ethic in training and preparation. The B team players would make a fine A team in most years and should be thanked and congratulated for their continued efforts.

This season both the Bablake Senior VII and the U16 VII took part in the prestigious National Schools Sevens at Rosslyn Park. In soaring temperatures the boys travelled to London to take part in one of the biggest schoolboy rugby tournaments in the world where over 7000 players compete over four days.

The U16s faced Millfield in their first match and started in fine style, taking an early 12-0 lead.

Unfortunately Millfield, traditionally one of the strongest sporting schools in the country, rallied to win the game.

Bablake won their remaining games comfortably to finish second in their group.

The senior seven began their tournament against reigning champions Filton College. Unfortunately a poor

Sports Focus

“There is real talent in the team.�

The U12 rugby team had a fantastic first season.

The squad possesses real athleticism, power and pace and has made huge improvements in its skill level and understanding of the game. Again there is real potential to excel and we look forward to continued hard work and progress next season.

We have been fortunate this term to have a number of visits from Leicester Tigers staff, including the rugby development officer, Matt Williams, a former pupil. At the start of term they took a coaching session with the U12s. They have also taken a Nutrition Seminar and Strength and Conditioning session with our more senior players. We hope these informative sessions will lead to even higher standards on the pitch.

start gave the team too much to do and, despite an excellent second half, the team suffered defeat. A draw in their second game meant victory was required against Davenant Grammar School to finish the group as runners up. In a tense game the team finished 21-14 winners.

The U15 team started the season well but has been cruelly struck by injuries to key players. With some mid season defeats, confidence and results dropped and we hope the players return in 2012 with a renewed determination. Great progress with then be made.

In U14 rugby, size really does count. We have a skilled, committed team with a desire to win, but few in the current squad have yet begun their growth spurt and almost every other school we have played has had several players bigger and as quick as ours, so the team constantly found itself out-muscled! There is only so much tackling that can be done before there is an inevitable break-through by an opposition player. This was the major reason behind the solitary win before Christmas. The whole squad should be congratulated on their attitude throughout the season. The future is promising. A growth spurt this summer together with a determination by all players to be fit at the beginning of September will see far more positive results next season.

A fantastic performance against KHVIII in the Coventry Cup and a hard fought draw versus Warwick showed what the U13s are capable of. A narrow defeat in the Cup final can be reversed next season with improved consistency and concentration. There is real talent in the team. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Sports Talk

Sportstalk Staff and students share their experiences and views on another exciting year of sport at Bablake

Boys’ Athletics Mr Rob Burdett There have been some outstanding performances from members of the boys’ athletics teams this year, which has led to one of the most successful seasons in recent memory. The boys won the Intermediate, Junior and Year 7 championships this year.

In the junior competition individual champions included Chimdi Ogbuneke in the Long Jump and 100m, Chris Tuttle in the hurdles and 200m, Adam Newton in the shot, and the relay team. In the Intermediate competition James Faulkner won the hurdles and Rob Faulkner the discus. All of these boys went on to represent Coventry at the West Midlands championships. Following excellent performances there, Chimdi, James, Rob and Chris were then selected to represent the West Midlands.

One further success was the Shell boys winning bronze medals whilst representing Coventry West in the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire School Games. A former Olympic Gold medallist Jason Gardener presented their medals.

Girls’ Athletics Mrs Suzanne Webley Bablake girls have been most successful again on the track. They have trained hard throughout the term and this dedication to their events has paid off. At the start of the season the Intermediate and Junior Girls’ teams won their Coventry Schools Championships and the individual Coventry champions were: Grace Harrold (800m), Amy Lilly (hurdles), Hannah Mordey (hurdles and high jump), Aimee Piercy (shot) In the English Schools Track and Field Cup both the teams qualified for the Midlands A final; where the Juniors finished 2nd overall and the Intermediate team finished in 5th place. The girls put in some excellent performances in the cold, wet weather and many of them achieved personal bests in their events!

A large number of girls were selected to represent Coventry at the West Midlands Championships.

Congratulations go to: Eleanor Bonas, Lauren Carr, Lucy Farrington, Rachel Faulkner, Georgia Gunson, Grace Harrold, Amy Lilly, Hollie Molloy, Beth Mordey, Aimee Piercy, Mollie Sargent, Keisha Simms, Becky Timms, Daisy Williams and Sophie Zgraja.

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Hannah Mordey finished in 2nd place in the high jump and was selected to represent the West Midlands at the Mason Trophy. Grace Harrold was also selected to represent the West Midlands in the combined events team, and congratulations to Lucy Smith, who qualified for the shot put at the English Schools National finals.

In the Year 7 and Year 8 Coventry Schools Championships both the Shell and the 2nd year girls’ teams won their competitions. Individual Coventry champions were: Year 8 - Nqobile Dubazane (100m and long jump), Lucy Farrington (hurdles and high jump), Anna Price (800m), and the 4x100m relay squad of Nqobile Dubazane, Lucy Farrington, Anna Price, Annabel McChesney; Year 7 - Eleanor Faulkner (hurdles and long jump), Alex Hamilton (shot put), Hannah Sweeney (600m) and the 4x100m relay squad of Eleanor Faulkner, Baht-Ammi Francis, Sophie Hollinrake and Hannah Sweeney.

Six 2nd year girls were selected to represent Coventry at the West Midlands Championships: Eleanor Bonas, Nqobile Dubazane, Lucy Farrington, Katerina Jackson, Shivani Patel and Anna Price. Congratulations must go to Shivani Patel, who finished in first place in the shot.

Like the boys, our Shell and 2nd year girls’ Super Sixes team also performed well, representing Coventry West at the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire School Games. The Shell girls finished in 3rd place and the 2nd years took 2nd place. Jason Gardener, who won an Olympic Gold medal in Athens 2004, presented them their medals.

Chess Mr Andrew Chowne The Bablake chess teams had another successful season. In the Coventry Chess League, the A team finished 3rd with Daniel Rowlands leading the team on board 1. Playing against international players, he scored a very credible 6.5 out of 12. George Esworthy, playing on board 2, had the best record scoring 9.5; he also finished

Sports Talk

2nd in the League Lightning tournament. Rajen Parekh, Warwickshire U12 champion, a Shell former playing board 3, also did well scoring 8. The rest of the team contributed with Matthew Rowlands and Jonathan Leong scoring 6 and Tom Hingston 5.

In the B team the top scorers were Albert Jie with 5.5, Arun Nahar 5 and Vikesh Puri 4.5. At the end of the season George Esworthy won the Rowlands Cup, beating Daniel Rowlands, who had won the event for the last two years, in the final.

contributions in central midfield have been instrumental in our success. James Langton has been in the football team for two seasons. He has operated on the wing or playing as a lone striker. He is the most naturally talented member of the team, displaying excellent technical prowess. He is an excellent team player, selfless and committed to the team. Kurt Ibberson was a stalwart in central defence, marshalling the troops and appearing to be an obvious leader of the back line. He is strong in the air and a tenacious tackler.

Cross Country

Rounders

Mr Jeremy Hobday

Mrs Sue Smith and Mrs Suzanne Webley

Our 2nd and 3rd year girls won the team competitions for the three race League competition (Katerina Jackson 1st, Eleanor Bonas 3rd; Grace Harrold 2nd) and City Championships one off race (Katerina Jackson 2nd; Grace Harrold 3rd), while our Shell girls and boys both finished 3rd in the city championships. 5th formers Huw Edwards, Robert Faulkner, Lewis Marshall and Richard Price finished 2nd in the City Championships. 20 pupils qualified to run for the City at Cross Country.

Equestrian Club Lucy Farrington secured 6th place in the open showjumping competition at the National finals of the NSEA competition. This is a remarkable achievement as she was competing against an open field with riders up to the age of 18.

In the Coventry Schools rounders competitions Bablake have fared well. In the U14 and U13 competitions, both teams finished 3rd in their group but the U15 team played consistently well throughout the tournament to be crowned champions. When the rain has held off, the rounders teams displayed moments of outstanding play, with some excellent innings both with the bat and in the field. Well done, girls!

Swimming Lucas Williams was part of a team of 12 swimmers from Nuneaton and Bedworth Swimming Club that represented Great Britain at the annual EU Swimming Invitational, this year held in Miskolc, Hungary. The competition was attended by almost 400 swimmers from club teams representing 13 different countries; he was entered in 6 events and managed to finish in the fastest 8 and qualify for the finals of 4 of those. This is the third year running that Lucas has attended this event with NandBSC.

Tennis Mrs Chris Scott and Mr Rob Burdett

Football Mr Jeffrey Grantham We had a successful Autumn term with a two thirds winning ratio, with notable performances against Coundon Court and Princethorpe. Bablake’s team had a somewhat gung-ho approach, that needed refining. With notable performances in the 8-a-side tournament at North Leamington, we won more games than we lost in the Spring term.

Sam Clements as vice captain was a good team leader, inspiring others and motivating the team. His

The season started off well in the Midlands Girls’ tennis tournament with our 1st pair of Katie Wainhouse and Jonine Bains and our 2nd pair of Beth Jepson and Jenny Tasker reaching the semi-finals of their respective competitions, an excellent achievement.

The U15 team faced some tough opposition in the Aegon League but worked hard to improve tactical understanding and shot technique. The U14s enjoyed a more competitive season, winning against Princethorpe and drawing with KHVIII. Both the U12 and U13 squads have made excellent progress in developing the basic techniques and understanding of the game. The Shell boys deserve a special mention after two outstanding performances versus Warwick. www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Highlights: Reunion 103, Alumni Focus 104, News Desk 106, And Finally... 110

Former Pupils Edited by Sunnah Aziz with support from Ben Evans Former Pupils’ Association Officers: President/Chairman: Alan Partridge Secretary: Dave Parnell Committee: Bob Beere, Dean Bryant, Paul Cowley, Dave Edwards, Andy Hibberd, Roger Moulding, Ted McQuillan, Simon Miles, James Paxton, Brad Thompson, John Watson and Greg Weaver.

The Former Pupils’ Association is always looking for new members. If you attended Bablake (or KHVIII), then for a small amount each year, you can become an official member. The membership cost goes towards the running cost of the club, where you are always welcome. We also have rugby, football and cricket sporting subsections.

Membership entitles you to a free copy of the school magazine and you will receive regular updates on what is happening within the association and at the school.

Please contact the following for more information or to become a member: Alan Partridge (alan_partridge@sky.com).

Let us know your news Mrs Sylvia O’Sullivan, our Alumni Relations Officer, would be delighted to receive news of former pupils. Her address is sosullivan@bablake.coventry.sch.uk.

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Sage and Wyley Scholarship Scholarships The Trustees of the Coventry School Foundation Prizes Fund invite applications for: • The Sage Scholarship: tenable in any subject by a former pupil of the school at any university, college or other institute of further education (including professional and technical education) approved by the trustees.

• The Colonel Sir W F Wyley Scholarship: similarly available to former pupils but restricted to those studying science subjects.

The Trustees envisage offering assistance towards the cost of projects, expeditions or travel relevant to an applicant’s subject of study. Application should be made in writing to the Headmaster, Mr John W Watson, giving full details of the purpose for which a scholarship is being sought.

Class of 1991 and 1992 Reunion Dinner - 1998 and 1999 Leavers Former Pupils and staff from these two years are invited back to Bablake by school archivist Mr Peter Burden and Mrs Sylvia O’Sullivan for a reunion lunch and reminiscences on Saturday 18 May 2013.

Reunion

Back together

Generations were joined at Bablake when former pupils from the 1930s up to 1949 met current pupils at an ‘Alumni Reunion’ in June organised by our Alumni Relations Officer Mrs Sylvia O’Sullivan.

Our former pupils, who assembled in the Main Library, were welcomed by Headmaster Mr John Watson, reminisced about their own days at Bablake, sang an impromptu version of the School Song, spoke to Archivist Mr Peter Burden, met a Shell class and were able to have a tour of the school with the assistance of our Senior Prefects. The day was a poignant one for many.

The morning was a great success, as was the return to Bablake of the Class of 1990 who enjoyed a Saturday lunchtime buffet in May. As well as revisiting the school and being entertained by Mr Peter Burden, many continued their reunion in Coventry, ensuring many happy memories of being a teenager at Bablake flooded back! www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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Alumni Focus

Alumnifocus Sunnah Aziz asked a number of our former pupils, who had returned for the Careers Convention, what advice they would give to those making decisions now about study beyond Bablake.

Dr Osama Bajallan

Peter Corrigan

(Doctor)

(Pilot)

“Make sure you are interested in the subject matter and go into it with your eyes wide open. You have to be applying for the right reasons. If you have no interest in health and illness as a subject, you are unlikely to keep the momentum going to get you through the course. Also preparation is key. Try to get as much work experience as you can. It doesn't matter what kind or for how long. Take anything you can get. Visit universities, speak to tutors and students already studying there. Also get advice from your teachers as they have seen it all before.

Finally good luck and try to enjoy it. You have the most fun and best years of your life coming up!”

“Be very disciplined in studying for all aspects of the training. Being prepared reaps huge rewards.

The training is expensive, so the more time you can spend preparing for flights and simulator details, the better. Always try to be one step ahead. Try to enjoy flying in the smaller aircraft. Once you get to an airline, the flying is very routine and highly prescribed: there isn't the freedom to go and do an orbit around your parents' house in an Airbus!”

Luke Bennett (Web Developer) “Anyone who does want to go down the university route should not be afraid to look at more modern universities and courses. Whilst the big universities have reputations and a lot of prestige, the newer ones can sometimes be a bit less traditional and more relevant with the subject matter on their courses. The web development industry is very modern and fast-evolving, so you need to be up-to-date.

I appreciated taking Maths and Physics at A Level. Although I was tempted to pick subjects I enjoyed over ones I felt I needed to take, I would be worse off if I hadn't taken them. The statistics side of Maths was something I hated at the time but now I wish I'd done even more of it as there's so much involved when crunching data!”

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Wes Finch (Musician) “My advice would be to study it as you would any other profession.

If you want to write songs, then listen to a lot of songs and try to understand what makes them great. If you want to be a great performer, then watch the people who draw the crowds and study what they do. You also need to know how the industry works these days to interact with it. Being talented is only one of the skills required; you need to know how to present and market yourself, how to interact personally and professionally. The romantic notion of becoming a rock star is something you'll have to outgrow.

It's a job with benefits and drawbacks, just a less conventional one.

As with anything, I think the effort and time you put in will bring equal rewards. I do think that you need to develop a strong sense of who you are and what you bring to the table that is unique. We'd all

Alumni Focus

like to be an Adele or a Bruce Springsteen but there's somebody already doing that job. Most of all I would say to follow it as a passion and be someone who appreciates what they will get out of it realistically.

If money and security, regular hours and a fixed job description is what you're after I'd suggest looking elsewhere!”

Frances Folliard (Accountant) “The advice I would give is that if you want to be an Accountant, particularly in a practice, then ACCA would be the right course for you to achieve this and progress in this career. I would advise that the course was taken whilst in employment as a Trainee Accountant since the experience you gain in working in the industry at the same time really helps with the studying. Also, your employer can support you in assisting with paying for the courses, and providing the tools and knowledge that you will require passing exams.”

James Kerr (Graduate Fast Track at National Grid) “Do a degree because you love it, especially if you don't know what you want to do for a career. You will have to live with this choice for three years and it's inevitable that there will be times when you hate it. Really investigate the full range of career opportunities available with a Geography degree - there is a very broad range of careers from the third world sector (charities) to big multi-national industries (and everything in-between). Grab some work placements under your belt too! I did a lot of this throughout my time at University, and this is where you can tick the ‘experience’ box in a job interview.”

Charlotte Leivers (Recruitment) “Think about what you really want to do and find something which corresponds with that. However, don't go too specialised if you are not 100% certain about what you want to do. Think about something that could help you in several ways, as you may decide to change the route which you go down.”

“Make sure you are interested in the subject matter and go into it with your eyes wide open.”

John Nollett (CEO of Pailton Engineering Ltd) “Respect the knowledge that is being given to you, but at the same time, ensure that you challenge areas where you feel that you have a valid discussion point. I know that I challenged various professors, doctors and lecturers during my Master’s degree and was rewarded with widening those people’s understanding of subjects that they maybe hadn’t researched fully during their knowledge journey. The subjects of Management and Engineering are two areas that will continue to develop and grow, so although you will learn a lot during your academic years, you will continue to learn and enhance your contribution as you apply what you have learnt and collect vocational skills too.”

James Parsley (Surveyor and model) “After a gap year, I studied Criminology and Criminal Justice and then decided to complete my postgraduate studies in Surveying (Real Estate).

My tip would be: if you know what you want to study straight out of school, do it. If you don't, don't be disheartened. Try things you do like and things you find interesting. There's nothing worse than being bored with your job.

Read around the subject. Question why certain theories are used; it will help you have a greater understanding of how it all works. If possible, apply your studies practically as you go along. It will make it a lot easier to understand and explain in assignments, but most of all it will make it more interesting.” www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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News Desk

Newsdesk News in brief about former Bablake pupils Qanta Ahmed (1979 – 1986) Testified to the United States Congress in the 5th King Hearing on Radical Islam. Qanta commented: ‘My schooling at Bablake was great preparation for this event. The public speaking I learned at school was something that put me at a distinct advantage and was something my American advisors asked me to call upon during my preparations’.

Academy, while studying at Leeds University reading English and Education. Says he owes it all to the coaches over the years, particularly Mr Burdett, Mr Wilson and Mr Tyas.

Paul Best (2002 – 2009) As well as playing several games for Warwickshire CC 2nds with his brother Mark, Paul played 3 T20 games and 7 CB40 games for Warwickshire 1sts and scored some useful runs and took some important wickets at various times. The return of internationals meant he missed a 4th appearance at Lords in the last two years for the CB40 final.

James Daniels (1998 – 2005) Working as a property taxation analyst for E3 Consulting who have won the best tax consultancy team accolade in the 2011 LexisNexis taxation awards.

Charlotte Bland (2000 – 2007) F1 doctor at the Royal Derby Hospital after graduating from Nottingham University. Elective in Central America.

Ben Duffy (1986 – 1993) More photographic acclaim! Featured in February 2012’s Professional Photographer, he was sent out to Jamaica for 24 hours to photograph Usain Bolt, a photo that graced the cover of the official Olympic programme. David Beckham, Jessica Ennis, Chris Hoy and many more fell to the charm of Ben’s camera and similar cover star status (e.g. Fabulous, Stuff, Daily Telegraph, Sun, Zest). Work with Adidas has led to early morning starts at Stamford Bridge and across Europe!

Richard Bland (1999 – 2006) 2nd in the 2011 Individual competition at the Magic World Championship.

Josh Buggea (2005 – 2010) Member of victorious England U18 European Championships rugby team.

Samantha Cartwright (1993 – 2000) Awarded a PhD at the University of Reading, after 1st Class Honours degree in Ecology at UEA and an MSc with Distinction in Conservation at UCL. Adam Clarke (1996 – 2003) Working at Westminster as a senior researcher and head of office for a Lib Dem MP; has regular opportunities for individuals wishing to intern at Parliament – usually a couple of 3 months internships per year. Interns will be paid £1500 per month for the duration of their placement.

Further details are available at www.alistaircarmichael. co.uk.

Ben Cooper (2005 – 2010) Since leaving Bablake, has played for Scotland U17/18 at rugby and signed for Leeds Carnegie as part of their Junior

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Sarah Corrigan (1998 – 2005) Working in Costa Rica.

Martyn Dawes (2002 – 2009) Now training as a pilot for Ryanair.

Caitlin Edwards (2004 – 2011) Vice President of Exeter University’s Labour party.

Wes Finch (1989 – 1994) Played another Bablake Unplugged; released album Mayflower; headlined an outstanding gig at the Criterion in Earlsdon.

Daniel Friebe (1991 – 1998) Released Mountain High, Eddie Merckx: The Cannibal (‘...a book not just for die-hard cycling fans; a book that reads like a novel’) and Allez Wiggo.

Matt Galloway (1996 – 2003) Working for Zeebox and created Bablake’s new app.

Shane Geraghty (1997 – 2002) A transfer from Brive to London Irish.

News Desk

John Haidar (2002 – 2009) After gaining a first class honours degree in English from Trinity College, Cambridge, he started his MA at RADA in London, securing 1 of 3 places for Directing. Mr Park’s trip to the RSC ‘kicked open his mind to theatre’. John often recounts this experience fondly.

Kirstie Logan (2006 – 2008) Arranging a Miss Warwickshire pageant to raise money for The Joshua Foundation.

Tim Hands (1976 – 1981) Supervised dialogue and was ADR editor for The Pirates: In an Adventure with Scientists and received an Emmy nomination.

Jacqui Matthews (1990 – 1997) Working in property in Cyprus for Matthews and Weir.

Chris Harding (1994 – 2001) Moved from Nomura to HSBC. Always keen to support the notion that employers in the Financial sector value Language skills.

Alan Harris (1987 – 1994) On the Coventry Telegraph subs desk designing pages.

David Hill (1997 – 2004) Retained the MMA British Featherweight title and fought for the World title in Ireland.

Lara Jackson (2002 – 2009) Internship with the Internal Organisation for Migration in Geneva.

Melissa Kite (1983 – 1990) Writing for The Daily Mail, Observer, GQ and The Spectator, Melissa published her first book Real Life: One Woman’s Guide to Love, Men and Other Everyday Disasters.

Ira Kleine (2002 – 2009) Completed a Global Health internship in Geneva before starting Clinical School at UCL. Charlotte Leivers (1998 – 2005) Director of ‘Simply Recruitment’, Charlotte helped a number of our 6th form pupils who were looking at the non-uni route.

Guy Lewis (1997 – 2004) Brought two shows to the Edinburgh Fringe 2012, performing with The Beta Males.

Brian Matthew (1940 – 1947) Radio 2 DJ released Sounds of the Sixties compilation.

Austin McDonnell (1945 – 1950) First novel published: A Parallel Life.

David Munro (1977 – 1983) Working at Bell’s Brewery, in South East Michigan.

John Nollett (1980 – 1987) Excellent progress with Pailton Engineering Ltd, instigating a 5k fun run on Father’s Day for Balls to Cancer charity.

Jayson Parmar (2003 – 2010) Volunteer at the Big Bang Fair.

Charlotte Proctor (2001 – 2006) Qualified Dietitian.

John Rathbone (1938 – 1945) Received Maundy Money from Her Majesty the Queen at a service in York Minster.

Dan Richards (2004 – 2011) President of Exeter University’s Labour party.

Ben Roberts (1993 – 2000) Named as Director of the British Film Industry Film Fund.

Nick Skelton (1971 – 1974) An OBE as well as a fantastic showjumping team Gold Medal at the 2012 London Olympics. This was his 6th Olympics and after he had battled back from a career threatening operation.

Alex T Smith (1996 – 2003) Released Ella, Claude in the City (nominated for Waterstones children prize), Claude at the Circus; Claude was pictured on national book tokens; Alex completed more book fairs and

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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News Desk

signings. First Bablake pupil to have a Russian accordion player compile a video of his work?! Also involved with Coventry Book Festival.

Richard Smith (2000 – 2007) Continues to support Bablake with our Leavers’ Ball formal photography.

Jamie Stefaniak (2001 – 2008) An amazing triple first in Medicine at Cambridge University, winning a Graystone prize and became a Foundation and Senior Whitby Scholar. Jamie is now completing his degree at Oxford University.

Rebecca Stote (now Addis) (1988 – 1995) Baking expertise under the moniker, Baked by Becky.

Rob Taylor-Hastings (2000 – 2007) ‘Injured leg guy’, 5 minutes into Land Girls episode 1!

Chris Starkey (2004 – 2011) Elected to the Oxford Union Standing Committee and then Librarian.

Lorna Syson (1997 – 2004) Her brand goes from strength to strength and she has been blogged about favourably and featured in more magazines.

Jane Thompson (now Cook) (1995 – 2002) Manager with Gala, Jane attended Mr Prescott leaving ‘bash’ and told the Headmaster that her visit made her realise how lucky she was to have gone to such a great school as well as how lovely the people were.

James Vickery (2002 – 2008) James’ intuition on a radar saved the lives of servicemen in Afghanistan when he spotted a planned ambush.

Mark Walden (1984 – 1991) An award at the Coventry Book Festival for ‘H.I.V.E’.

Alice Wigley (1995 – 2002) Member of Gaggle, seen backing My Morning Jacket on Later with... Jools. Gaggle also released its debut album ‘From the Mouth of the Cave’.

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Bob Wildman (1963 – 1970) Bus Manager of the Year at Route One Operator Excellence awards; Travel de Courcey general manager. Also Green Leader award from Sustainibility West Midlands.

Congratulations to the following...

Births Amy Jones (1988 – 1995), (now Cassell) Victoria McNaney (1996 – 2003), (now Kaczur) Sarah Thompson (1988 – 1995), (now Brown) Catherine Whittington (1988 – 1995), (now Raven) Madison Woodward (2002 – 2009) Civil Partnerships Ben Roberts (1993 – 2000) Degrees Saima Akhtar (1999 – 2006): Master of Pharmacy (Aston) Chris Carlson (2002 – 2009): Mining Engineering 1st (Exeter) Chetan Chauhan (2000 – 2007): Computing for Business (Aston) Charlotte Bland (2000 – 2007): Medicine (Nottingham) John Haidar (2002 – 2009): English (Trinity College, Cambridge) Thomas Hywel-Edwards (1999 – 2006): Biological Sciences with Environmental Resources 2.1 (Warwick) Alex Owens (2001 – 2008): Mathematics 1st (St Catherine’s, Oxford ) Max Phillips (2002 – 2009): Geology 2.1 (Royal Holloway) Engagements Hannah Sheard (2001 – 2008) and Luke Fletcher (2005 – 2009) Weddings Laura Coulthard (1997 – 2003) and Andrew Mitchell (1994 – 2001) Francesca Kinsella (now Mitchell ) (1992 – 1999) Georgina Marriott (now Greenspan) (1997 – 2004) Richard McConaghy (1992 – 1999) Melissa Walton (2001 – 2006) and Ryan Wells (1996 – 2001)

News Desk

Spotted in/on/at...

Astute Ltd video: Simon Karacinski BBC 1 Question Time (March 2012): Melissa Kite; The Apprentice, You’re Hired, Tara Warren in the audience BBC 4’s Handel’s Rinaldo: Hazel Gold BBC News: Courtenay Griffiths QC as defence lawyer for former Liberian leader Charles Taylor Council Elections: Bilal Akhtar, James Bowes Coventry Telegraph: Zain Ali in renaming of Broadgate Square campaign Creative Photoshop: Melissa Walton (February 2012 cover star) Daily Mail: Lieutenant Commander Robin Trewinnard-Boyle The Edinburgh Fringe: Guy Kelly in The Beta Males: The Space Race and Midnight Movie FHM: (Jan 2012) with band LMFAO Melissa Walton Green Gown Awards: Gideon Howell in Coventry University’s winning Carbon Challenge environment team Hello: Melissa Walton (now Wells) and Ryan Wells’ wedding Later with... Jools Holland: (November 2011), backing singer for My Morning Jacket) Alice Wigley London Marathon: Jo James (now Scanlon), Pawel Kaminski, Greg Melville Our Medical Extension lessons: James Vallance and Mark McKelvie Professional Photographer: Ben Duffy main interview and cover (February 2012) Radio 4: You and Yours, Rosie Tressler Salsa Central Weekend: Vicki Sammons Stolen Peace Devilhammer video: Melissa Walton and Ryan Wells Various Home and Lifestyle magazines: Lorna Syson and her cushions Weakest Link ‘Ann’s Hottest Hunks’ show: Richard Drury reached final Xyra: Beth Mills We also thank Dr Sam Bajallan, Luke Bennett, Alice Broadfield, Brian Brookes, Peter Corrigan, Sarah Corrigan, Amy Corrigan, Martine Croxall, Frances Folliard, Rebecca Gibbs, Matt Given, Colin Hall, Michelle Hancox, Jane Harrisson, Jenna Hastings, Lee Holloway, James Kerr, Matt Lang, Mark McLean, Pauline Mealing, Dr Michael Montrose, Naval Naik, Ian Newborn, John Nollett, James Parsley, Krisha Patel, Jaspal Phull, Julie Rossiter, Hannah Sheard, Jamie Skelding, Dinesh Subhra, Satwinder Toor and Lucy Williams for returning to Bablake for the Careers Convention.

We were also indebted to Will Chamberlain, Katherine Cooke, Matt Davidson, Laura Dean, Varun Garg, Alex Lawrence, Alexandra Mawn, Mark McKelvie, Victoria McNaney (now Kaczur), Sarah Potter, James Ross, Alex Smith, Dinesh Subhra, Cara Thompson (now Fish), Sarah Thompson (now Brown), Alex Walsh-Atkins and others for returning for the U6th Mock Interview Morning.

Not spotted on...

Take Me Out: Richard Drury (invited to but had to decline audition) Bablake Olympians Nick Skelton (Team GB Gold Medal winner!); Glenn Snyders (swimmer for New Zealand); Pip Collison (first former pupil to run in Olympic Stadium); Kate Byrne, Roger Littlewood (working for Locog); Lee McMahon (relay route planning in Oadby); James Parsley (Samsung Torch Relay); Nathan Barrington, Kate Byrne, Stephanie Hamman, Laura Hughes (now Smith), Eleanor Jones, Rachel Perry, Abi Rewhorn and Mr David Prescott (Volunteers/ Olympic Ambassadors). (FYI Kenneth Hegan OBE played Olympic Football at the 1920 Antwerp games.)

Miscellaneous fundraisers Jess Blake, Philippa Collison, Oli Given, Shindy Lall, Kirstie Logan, Stacie McDermott, Kondwani Mhone, Charlotte Mosley, John Nollett, Richard Parsley, Melissa Walton Official Honours MBE: Kim Lees – 27 years’ service to 13th City of Coventry North Brownies OBE: Nick Skelton In Memoriam Former Pupils As well as the tragic death of Philippa Chowne (2007 – 2011), we are very sorry to inform readers of the deaths of the following: Mr J Carson (1939) Mr Reginald Clare (1932 – 1939) worked as a scientist at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment.

Mr Raymond Clewlow (1938) Mr Alexander Donald (1937) Mr Darren Edwards (1972 – 1979) Mr Leslie Harris (1941 – 1948) Mr Eric Hawkesford (1929) Mr Alec Hill (1918 – 1925) Mr H Johnson (1941) Mr Jack Dennis Kelly (1933 – 1940) Mr John Lowert (1942) Mr David Parker (1970 – 1977) Mr John Stuart Pritchard (1941-48)

Please submit news for inclusion in the 2012-13 Wheatleyan by email (mgaw@bablake.coventry. sch.uk) to Staff Editor, Mr Mark Woodward, by September 1 2013.

www.bablake.com @bablakeschool

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And finally...

BBC Coventry and Warwickshire’s Team of The Month (April 2012), The Old Wheatleyans RFC fell agonisingly one game short of a trip to Twickenham after winning Midland Division 4 and winning the RFU Junior Vase Midlands Final.

A nail-biting game versus Baildon (eventual winners) swung ultimately against the Wheats.

It was a great season for many reasons and the club is very clearly one where former and current Bablake pupils feel very welcome and enjoy a very good standard of rugby. The club now has Mr Ron Jones (ex-Wales) and his son-in-law Mr Lee Cassell in charge of the coaching, so we look forward to the club establishing itself in Division 3. The Stags continue to have regular fixtures too.

Chairman Adam Mason and Club Captain Paul Wright are always keen to recruit new players for matches and regular training. Ben Weaver also convinced Team GB sprinter Craig Pickering to lead a training session.

Old Wheats

110

The Wheatleyan 2011/12

Friends for life?

Without wishing to cast a Bablake style Hello curse, last year we said that while we cannot guarantee you will meet your future partner when you join Bablake, there definitely seemed to be something in the water. Many of you emailed to confirm our suspicions and alert us to other couples!

Paul Best and Lara Jackson Dean Bryant and Jane Burley (married) Emily Cupi and Gary Hill Becky Devall and James Pitt Luke Fletcher and Hannah Sheard (engaged) Artur Foguet Gonzalez and Roxy Ziaie Michael Greevy and Emily Woolley Mark Sutton and Katie Roberts (married) Lucy Timms and Charlie Hands Victoria Wooltorton and Adam Simmonds Melissa Walton and Ryan Wells even had their wedding featured in Hello magazine with former pupils Lara Morris as a Bridesmaid and James Przybek as Best Man but the award for the best Bablake wedding of the year must go to Laura Coulthard and Andrew Mitchell, who married on Dec 27 in Hampton in Arden with seven Bablake friends as officials and another nine in the pews!

The Bablake cast list at Laura and Andrew’s wedding was: Jo Mitchell, Carla Oldroyd and Lucy Timms (Bridesmaids); Ian Critchley (Best Man); Ross Hudson, Chris Mitchell and Matt Vines (Ushers); Adam Clarke, Will Fitzgerald, Charlie Hands, Nick Lloyd, Milad Rahati, Ryuko Reid, Ali Rowe, Jordan Simpson, Richard Wilson.

Please continue to tell us of any marriages or civil partnerships, where both partners met or were educated at Bablake, by emailing mgaw@bablake.coventry.sch.uk!

TheWhea�leyan

One of the country’s leading co-educational independent schools is closer than you think…

Issue 198 | ISSN 1759-0302

www.bablake.com The Wheatleyan

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Bablake School Celebrating 2011/12

NA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Da ulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmal kins The Taming of the Shrew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsumm ght’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Don Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West S ory Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of the Shrew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Hor ow A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Moscow The Threepenny Op e Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Tempest Great Expectati arkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of the Shrew A Servan wo Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DNA A Handbag Mosc e Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pulls It Off The Temp eat Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atkins The Taming of rew A Servant of Two Masters Rocky Horror Show A Midsummer Night’s Dream Henry V DN andbag Moscow The Threepenny Opera The Bald Prima Donna A Resounding Tinkle Daisy Pu Off The Tempest Great Expectations Sparkleshark West Side Story Dracula Marmalade Atk ISSN: 1759-0302

Celebrating 2011/12