Welcome to the 2017 winter edition There is always cause for celebration at Bablake! Our GCSE results this year were the best ever at A* (40%), with 69% A*/A comparing outstandingly well with the national average of 21% and placing the school 37th co-educational independent nationally. Without exception, our leavers who wanted to go to university this year have done so, with a few others embarking on competitive apprenticeships, taking a GAP year or proceeding directly to employment. Above all – and that is our principal aim – we hope that they have emerged from their Bablake education as well-rounded, fulfilled and generous individuals with exciting futures and the commitment to play a very positive role in society. League tables only tell part of the story and our children’s success does not just depend on brain-power! In fact, very few people in life are natural geniuses. The inventor Thomas Edison is credited with saying: "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration." It could be said that he made 1,000 unsuccessful attempts at inventing the light bulb before he hit upon the right formula. When a reporter asked him, "How did it feel to fail 1,000 times?", Edison apparently replied, "I didn't fail 1,000 times. The light bulb was an invention with 1,000 steps." So, there is no substitute for steady hard work (perspiration). But is that hard work on its own enough? No, because it has to be the right sort of work! Presumably, with the 1,000 steps, Edison’s light bulb was getting better and better. He was constantly taking it to the next level, making the right sort of refinements, determined to make improvements and to make the light bulb as good as it could be. And the 1% inspiration is also actually pretty important. Because our pupils have to aim high, to believe they can get there – and they have to think for themselves as they reach for the stars. The relationship they have with their teachers and the care of their teachers are other vital ingredients in success. And the inspiration should not just come from their teachers: it is two-way. It’s also about our pupils inspiring their teachers and inspiring each other. We don’t want them simply to be compliant learners, to just do as they’re told, slavishly taking down notes, meeting the assessment criteria. We want them to ask off-the-wall questions, to be curious, to want to learn more, to push the bounds of their knowledge – because without that spark, they will never excel. We all like the sweet taste of success. Our pupils should be able to say, in all sincerity: “I did my best and I’m proud of my efforts.” And success and happiness in life are far more than a string of grades. They concern how we relate to others, how we encourage others and work with them in a team, being a generous and caring person, having a quiet inner self-belief and making the most of all our gifts and opportunities. So we remain very optimistic about our young people’s futures. Do come to visit us soon, to meet members of today’s community and to see some of the recent improvements we have made to facilities, to underpin our educational aims: a completely transformed Sixth Form Centre, new Medical, Careers and Learning Support Centres, and a much brighter ‘undercroft’ to the Sixth Form Centre, as well as a new Dining Hall concourse. None of these projects cost vast sums of money to complete – but they have made a real difference to our education, guidance and care of pupils. I wish you all a Happy Christmas, as well as good health for 2018
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Former Pupil News Richard Adams - Class of 1961 World Transplant Games Richard was at the school 1961-68 (same class as Peter Burden for the first 4 of those). Now, and for the last 30 years, he been living in the Scottish borders. After university, Richard became a teacher in Avon, Coventry and Berwick-upon-Tweed till 2000. He now works in a finance office.
In 2009, Richard came down with a blood cancer and had a stem cell transplant in 2010. Richard was never really a competitive swimmer, although he did swim for the school once when others were unavailable. He got into competitive swimming in 2014, initially via transplant sport. In 2015 he went to the World Transplant Games, where he won 3 medals, one of each colour !! In the Transplant games they compete in 10 year age bands (in Richard’s case 6069). The games are to provide level playing field competition for transplantees and promote organ donation. This time in June this year in Malaga he was only able to get one bronze (50m breaststroke). The fact that he was competing against people up to 7 years younger this time sounds like a good excuse! Richard’s life was saved in 2010 by a total stranger donating a bag of stem cells. If you would like to consider being a donor please follow these links. https://www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/british-bone-marrow-registry/how-can-i-help/ https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/register-to-donate/
Grace Jastrzebski - Class of 2010 Makes her mark at the ‘Young Furniture Makers’ exhibition At the exhibition Grace exhibited a low table which she had made by using a belt sander to flatten and prepare the surface of an old science bench top. Having left Bablake this summer, after taking her A levels, Grace has followed her passion for design and is now studying Furniture and Product Design at Nottingham Trent University. Around 120 of the UK’s finest young furniture designers and makers showcased their work at the exhibition and Grace's work was spotted by the website 'This Girl Makes' which celebrates women in craft and design. In an article on the website Grace mentions her time at Bablake, “My school’s design department was absolutely fantastic. Because of this I was able to work with many different materials and experiment with multiple manufacturing methods". She also discusses her determination to overcome the challenges of being a woman in a very male-dominated arena.
We wish Grace all the best in her degree and with her aspirations to start her own furniture business we're sure with her determination and talent she will go a long way! 2
Allan Hailstone - Class of 1959 Book release... Allan Hailstone left Bablake School in 1957 to study at London University. His camera always went with him, and the reels of film and their accompanying notes grew in size. He visited many other countries and recorded life as he saw it. Throughout his adult life, Allan never lost his passion for photography, and has amassed an archive of hundreds of images. His book, with approximately 200 unique images photographed on the streets of Berlin by the author between 1959 and 1966, Berlin in the Cold War depicts a city which demonstrated the conflict between East and West at that time like no other. It is available now. Allan Hailstone took many photographs during several visits in those years, some surreptitiously, despite restrictions placed on photography in East Berlin.
Michael Rodgers -
Former Teaching Staff
Life in publishing Michael Rodgers has had an article published in the journal LOGOS telling the story of the publishing of The Selfish Gene, bringing the tale up to date following the book’s 40th anniversary. There’s an interesting postscript to add. Last month (just after this latest issue of LOGOS had gone to press) the Royal Society announced that in a poll The Selfish Gene had been voted ‘the most inspiring science book of all time.’ The poll had been commissioned by the Royal Society to mark the 30th anniversary of its prestigious Science Book Prize. Participants, according to the announcement, called The Selfish Gene a ‘masterpiece’ and Dawkins an ‘excellent communicator’, with many commenting on how the book changed their perspective of the world and the way they were trained to see science.
Lauren James -
Class of 2003
Book Release The Loneliest Girl In The Universe is the third novel by Lauren James. It is a psychological thriller set in space and is out now with Walker Books in the UK and Australia. It will be published in the US by Harperteen in July 2018 and Harpercollins Brasil in 2018. The Loneliest Girl in the Universe by former pupil Lauren James has been shortlisted for Coventry Inspiration Book Awards 2018. The link allows people to vote for their favourite. http://www.coventry.gov.uk/stb 3
Former pupils from 1967 get together... Gary Atkins gives us a glimpse into their day It was concern for a fellow schoolmate that prompted nine 1967-intake Bablake Old Boys to meet up in Coventry a few years ago. Yet this gettogether, at the Ricoh Arena, served to breathe new life into the relationship of this widely-scattered group – and they have been meeting up roughly once a year ever since, including earlier this year to mark the 50th anniversary of their first nervous walk down the drive off Coundon Road. “Meeting up” is not as easy as it might sound, with one member of the group now living in Poland, another in Germany, two in London, one in Leeds, one in Derbyshire, and two in the Birmingham area – and unsurprisingly none in Coventry itself. The sad event that had prompted the reunion was a serious illness to Dick Edmonds (news of which was transmitted by his older brother John, another Old Boy). The others at the Ricoh that day apart from Gary were Paul Bailey, Ian Barnett, Bernard Ewart, Matthew Payne, Andrew Sidwell, Graham Smith and Mark Trapp – all endured a much more sombre occasion a couple of years later when they attended Dick’s funeral in Cheddar, where he had been a highly-respected teacher for many years. Mustering outside the stadium, the first task was finding each other as one or two had lost their hair or gained a ‘few’ pounds, but within minutes, following a few gasps of recognition, it was as if they had never been apart for the past 40 years! The day began in the Ricoh’s hospitality suite (watching Coventry City win a game in a division higher than they are today!) ... and ended in the complex’s casino where one or two tried their luck. Such competitive spirit reflects the broad sporting interests that bound this particular group together during their time at the school. Collectively, the nine-strong group represented the school at athletics, cross-country, rugby, cricket, basketball, swimming and water polo – followed, in a few instances, by a couple of decades of playing for the Old Wheatleyans rugby and Bablake OBs cricket teams. Back to the 21st century, and Paris was the venue for the next reunion to watch England take on France in the Six Nations rugby championship. As this was planned to mark reaching a certain important birthday that year, they each wore an “OGOT 60” England shirts (readers can probably work out the acronym!). Steep ticket prices meant they had to watch the game in a bar (having done the essential research into vital things like screen-size and the range of beers on offer!). Culture surfaced briefly the following day as they embarked on a tour of the Rive Gauche and a visit to Pere-Lachaise Cemetery. Most recently, recognising that 2017 was approaching they decided they couldn’t let the golden anniversary of their wide-eyed bow as Bablake pupils pass without doing something special to mark the occasion. And after a few random thoughts, the solution rather dropped into their laps as Coventry City once again came to the rescue by reaching a Wembley final! Tickets were bought and, sat high in one of the famous stadium’s upper tiers, they watched yet another Coventry City victory. What next, they wonder?
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A word from our Archivist ….. Peter Burden - Class of 1951 It is always good to be appreciated. A recent email told me that the Bablake archives must be amazing. I had been able to provide an interested relative with some details of a pupil’s progress through Bablake from just before the onset of the Second World War. It had been a most complicated progress, involving a move to Coventry, a move back to the original home town when the war began, then back to Coventry, back home, back to us, evacuation to Lincoln and return to Coventry. Mr Seaborne’s reference told of the inevitable effect of all of these disruptions, but also of the boy’s increased focus as he set his sights on a particular career. Finding that information was very easy, given a knowledge of which former pupil records are where in the school. In that respect I was lucky to have inherited from John Lawrence a fairly methodically organised set of files. I pride myself, sometimes in less than ideal circumstances, on keeping them in alphabetical order. This makes it still more distressing when I do go confidently to the right place and the file I want isn’t there. I rather like my new office, snugly situated between two Music rooms. Though still very much a work in progress, it is at least a little less cramped than its predecessor and certainly warmer. So far there has only been one session of any length when the combination of strenuous sporting activity down below and relentless percussion next door has made me feel I was inside a throbbing headache. Of course my dream is still of a centre where all of our former pupil records and other archive material could be gathered together. It’s been quite an exciting time really. I was pleased by reactions from both pupils and Staff when I gave a brief talk to our new Shells about the history of the School. An interesting footnote was that one of the boys turned out to be the son of someone I taught when he was that age, some thirty years ago. I am long past being startled by such reminders of my age but when I happened to meet the father at our Christmas Fayre I was really touched by his happy memories of my lessons. At the other end of the age range of the Bablake community it was good to be able to mark the hundredth birthday of Mr Douglas Hirons, helped in that by his grandson Jim Myton. Such highlights make up for the disappointments. It is sad, for example, that the Coventry History Centre, which holds many items of our history, is now so limited in its opening hours. For my most recent visit I was forced to book an appointment much further ahead than I had hoped and eventually could find no reference to the pupil I wanted information on. Perhaps now that we have heard the wonderful news that Coventry is to be City of Culture 2021 resources may be found to ease access to our heritage. Bablake is already, I believe, committed to playing its part in giving this remarkable city renewed faith in itself. It has risen so many times from the ashes of destruction or of economic adversity. I have new grounds for optimism that well before 2021 a new edition of our own history will have been published.
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Lifetime achievement award for David Prescott Former Director of Drama Former director of Drama Mr David Prescott received an Education Awards Lifetime Achievement gong this summer. 'Uncle Dave' taught English and Drama for 37 years at Bablake, before spending his retirement years thus far as Principal Examiner for Cambridge Assessment. The overwhelming affection for 'Mr P', a teacher who most definitely nurtured positive energy in everyone he taught and had that wonderful knack of bringing the very best out of every student, has merely affirmed that this Lifetime Achievement is long overdue. Many congratulations from the full Bablake community!
Class Memories from 1961 Memorabilia kindly shared with us by David Smith Class of 1962
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Class Memories from 1961 cont‌..
Memorabilia kindly 7
Our new Sixth Form Centre ...
Photos supplied by Sylvia O’Sullivan
Calling Class of 1998 (Leavers 2005) Reunion Saturday 19 May 2018 The reunion for the Class of 1998 will take place on Saturday 19 May. If you haven’t already done so, please contact Sylvia O’Sullivan sosullivan@bablake.coventry.sch.uk and ensure you are on the mailing list. We have already had an impressive response (thanks go to Kayleigh Lacey for all her hard work in contacting as many of the year group as she could), so I’m sure it will be a great event. 8
Lets take a trip down Memory Lane‌. Bablake 1st XV 1964
Photos supplied by Graham Nurser
Barrs Hill School
Nauls Mill Park
Photos supplied (via FB) by Mike Godwin (Class of 1962)
Photograph kindly submitted by Amy Thompson
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Then & now ! Coundon Station
Photos supplied by Sylvia O’Sullivan
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Obituary Trevor Twigg RIP (4 April 1938 - 26 November 2017) - Class of 1949 ‘Twiggy’ as he was generally known, attended Centaur Road Primary School before entering Bablake in 1949. He was a model pupil, enjoying school life and making many life long friends. In those days, Bablake School was for boys only, we played cricket in the summer, rugby in the autumn and winter, and took part in athletics during the spring. Thursday afternoons there was the (optional) opportunity to join the school swimming club at Livingstone Road public baths. Twiggy took part and excelled in all of these activities, particularly in athletics, in which he was a notable sprinter. His prowess can be gauged from the Victor Ludorum which he was awarded by the school. Trevor left school in 1955 to continue his studies at London University, where he read Law. By this time, he had made himself known to the Old Wheatleyans and played for any of the three teams that the club ran in those days whenever vacations made this possible. In the summer, he turned out for Bablake Cricket Club. It is also worth noting that he also found time for tennis and squash, both of which he played at a very high standard. On leaving University, Trevor took Articles with a firm of accountants in London to become ultimately a Chartered Accountant. The strictures of office life (and the wages paid to Articled pupils) removed the opportunity to return regularly to Coventry and The Old Wheats, and in addition a certain Miss Anna Jeeves had entered his life to make staying in London at weekends more attractive. It happened that two school friends and fellow Old Wheatleyans also lived in the same or adjacent areas of North London, Stuart Ward and Fred Devitt, and so they joined The Old Tottonians, or The Old Totts as they are generally known. They all played for the first team, with at least one of them becoming club Captain. The Old Totts played the Old Wheats on at least one occasion but the results are unknown With the conclusion of his Articles and his new found professional qualifications, Trevor returned to Coventry to take a position in the finance department of Rolls Royce and he rose steadily through the ranks to become Finance Director. He married his Miss Jeeves, with Stuart Ward acting as best man, and became a stalwart of the Old Wheats. He began his rugby career on the wing, due no doubt to his sprinting ability but ultimately became a scrum half. He played at first and second team level until he was in his forties when reluctantly he hung up his boots. In those days there was no league system and it needed a major calamity to cause him to miss a game. His son Keith also went to Bablake and became a very good hockey player, so the school hockey team also enjoyed his patronage, which included his attendance and assistance on overseas tours etc. In the early days, the Old Wheats Easter tour was a major event in the rugby year. Trevor attended at least one tour to Tenby in Wales before the club moved to Sidmouth and The Hunters Moon. The Wheats played three or four matches in the Devon area over these holidays, always including Sidmouth RFC, but with a variety of other teams over the years, according to their availability. Trevor was ever present on these tours until eventually it was decided that the venue should change to the Lake District. Trevor made this change whilst there was a chance of a game but on retirement he returned with many others to the familiarity and comfort of The Hunters Moon. This non-playing tour has continued ever since with Trevor and Anna ever present. On the occasion of the club’s 75th year a tour took place to Dijon, where the Wheats were thrashed by a team of French youths, all fit, sober and excellent rugby players. Trevor was a member of our unfortunate team. Other than this major drawback, however, a marvellous time was had by all!
In those days, the rugby club and cricket club were sections of the Old Boys Association, with headquarters at Fleet Street. Whilst the Old Wheats formed the lion’s share of the Association, it was the committee of the Association that controlled the affairs of the rugby club. Trevor was asked to become the Treasurer of the Association, a position he held for years, during which time he steered the Association and the rugby club through some very choppy waters. He was also asked to become a school governor and acted in that capacity for many years, no doubt serving with the honour and integrity that coloured everything he did. After retirement from the game, Trevor remained an enthusiastic supporter from the touchline, at both home and away, until this season, when ill health intervened. Trevor was a true, lifelong friend of the Old Wheats, always willing to assist, unassuming but of unrivalled competence and integrity, ready to offer sound advice when asked. A great guy by any yardstick. All of his many friends will miss him. Many utilised his professional services and benefited from his sound advice and expertise. The world has been diminished by his passing. Tribute written by Mr Pete Thompson - Old Wheatleyans Rugby Club and friend of Trevor 11
Bablake Babies We are delighted to announce the safe arrivals of ‌‌. Luke & Hannah Alderson-Fletcher (Nee Sheard) - Class of 2001/2
Aerith Alderson-Fletcher born 2 September 2017.
Ross & Kayleigh Lacey (Nee Mullarkey) - Class of 1998
Edward Anthony John Lacey born 21 November 2017. A new addition to the Bablake Alumni team?
Many congratulations from everyone at Bablake. 12
Old Wheatleyans at large ...
Greg Weaver Class of 1974
Mark Harrison Class of 1973
Paul Beahan Class of 1973
Impromptu 70’s reunions Karen Fraser OBE Class of 1975 (First Girl) Collecting her OBE from the Palace
Next summer, FP Joe Haigh - Class of 2010, will be trekking to the Everest base camp and for this he will be raising money for Action Against Hunger, an organisation which is working to rid the world of starvation. He has decided to work towards this cause because he believes that child starvation is a large problem in our world in this day and age but Action Against Hunger are a great organisation where he can make a difference and contribute to the end of world hunger. By undertaking this task he is hoping to raise any money he can to make difference to child starvation around the globe. Any donation will be greatly appreciated and every penny counts! See link ‌. https://everest-base-camp-trek-2018.everydayhero.com/uk/joe-haigh-everestbascamp-trek
Obituaries We were also extremely saddened to hear that the following former pupils have died: Name Ian Shoesmith Captain Bob Ward RN CBE
Years at Bablake Class of 1974 Class of 1936
Died July 2017 Died August 2017
Tony Mahon Ronald Morris Roger Deaner Alan Jephcott Trevor Twigg Roger Davies
Class of 1973 Class of 1941 Class of 1953 Class of 1959 Class of 1949 Class of 1950
Died September 2017 Died September 2017 Died September 2017 Dired September 2017 Died 26 November 2017 Died January 2016 13
Bablake Backs the Bid! Coventry wins City of Culture 2021
Following Bablake's enthusiastic support for Coventry's campaign to be named UK City of Culture for 2021, the news that our city had won the bid was received with much elation. Suitably, the timing of the winning bid allowed Theatre and Events Technician, Mr Malcolm Wyatt, to announce the excellent news during the interval of our current drama production, the impressive musical 'Anything Goes'. Headmaster Mr John Watson sees the City of Culture award as a fantastic opportunity for Coventry, its neighbours and of course our school: " he vibrant diversity of our city is proudly represented at Bablake and our pupils will undoubtedly benefit T from the cultural and economic aspects of this great accolade. Coventry has a unique mission of peace and reconciliation to a fractured world, and winning the bid will allow us to celebrate and promote that message as we extend the hand of friendship and welcome beyond our richly inclusive community. Well done, Coventry! Exciting times ahead!" Coventry's journey, from ghost town in the late 80s - after the collapse of many of the city's traditional industries and large employers - to host town for 2021, is a story of resurgence, new hope and regeneration. The impressive advance of Coventry University and companies such as Jaguar Land Rover have had a big impact on revitalising our city. The award of the City of Culture status will surely further rebuild Coventry's reputation worldwide. We are thrilled that Coventry has been named UK City of Culture 2021, and look forward to the many fantastic opportunities this will bring. See link : Bablake Backs The Bid Video 14
Other School Publications You can now read Bablake publications online. Visit the publications section of the school website using the following link: http://www.bablake.com/547/information/publications and simply click on the cover to view in an interactive PDF viewer.
Published annually, the Wheatleyan is Bablake's official school magazine. Each issue celebrates the best of the preceding academic year. Sixth Formers' thoughts on Bablake and beyond
Stretch appears once a year and is edited by a small group of L6th students in their work experience week. We believe it is student journalism at its best!
Diary Dates Spring 2018 London Drinks February 2018 Spring Coffee Morning Tuesday 20 March 2018
As well as highlighting forthcoming events, our termly newsletter is an instant record of Bablake’s pupils’ most recent tremendous
Contact:
Sylvia O’Sullivan - Alumni Relations Officer
Email: Telephone: Website:
sosullivan@bablake.coventry.sch.uk 024 76271259 www.bablake.web-intouch.com/ www.bablake.com/former_pupils.php www.facebook.com/groups./bablakereunited www.twitter.com/bablakeschool http://instagram.com./Bablakeofficial
Facebook: Twitter: Instagram:
Class of 1998 Reunion Saturday 19 May 2018
Spring 2018 Summer Event TBD Saturday 30 June 2018
Some of the former pupil stories and photographs in this newsletter have been taken from our school website 15