BVC NEWS Autumn 2015

The magazine of Bo sham Village College

Inside this issue x x x

x x x x

Remembrance Day Exam Results Open Evening Trips Fundraising Sports news Plus lots more news & informa on

Achievement through inspiring, caring, enriching

A message from the Principal

Bo sham Village College Lode Road Bo sham Cambridgeshire CB25 9DL Tel: 01223 811250 Fax: 01223 813123 enquiries@bo shamvc.org

As ever, I am always amazed at how quickly this first term has gone. Looking back, I fondly remember our new Year 7 cohort starting with us and I am delighted to see so many of them already finding their feet in all aspects of Bottisham life, including our wealth of Extended Schools opportunities.

Impressively, our current year 11 students have approached their mock examinations with a creditable attitude and I am delighted to see their ambition, their focus and their determination as they start to think of life postBottisham. Currently, our students are embarking on the post16 application process, visiting a range of colleges and sixth form centres.

Typically, there have been days this term that are unique to our college: charity walks around the college grounds, Children in Need days and Staff Bake Off. Without question, I must thank our wonderful team of senior students who orchestrate these activities that provide all of us with so much enjoyment.

As we move toward the Christmas holidays, I very much would like to wish you all a restful break and all the very best for a happy 2016.

Kate Evans

Dates for your diary Wednesday 16th December - Term Ends at 1.25pm

“This is an outstanding college, where a very strong ethos of community, high quality learning and aspiraƟonal academic achievement exists throughout.”

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Spring term 2016 Tuesday 5th January - Term starts Monday 22nd February - Friday 4th March - Year 9 Options fortnight 15th - 19th February - Half term Thursday 24th March - Last day of term Summer term 2016 Monday 11th April - Term starts Monday 2nd May - Bank Holiday 16th May - Start of Exams season 30th May - 3rd June - Half term Monday 4th - Friday 15th July - Year 10 work experience Monday 11th - Friday 15th July - Activities week Thursday 21st July - Term Ends at 1.25pm

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As many of you will have gathered from the na onal press, it is very clear that GCSEs are facing an unprecedented period of ghtening in terms of marking regimes and the raising of pass marks. Despite these diďŹƒcult contextual factors, our results were a triumph and we are excep onally proud of our students’ achievements.

x 82% of our students achieved five or more A*-C grades, the crucial benchmark which enables students to move on to higher level courses.

x 72% of our students achieved five or more A*-C grades, including English and Mathema cs, significantly higher than na onal results.

x 38% of students achieved the English Baccalaureate qualifica on.

These results mean that our students have the op on to progress onto their chosen course or des na on when they leave us. The overwhelming majority of our students take up places at sixth form centres in Cambridge. Students are fortunate to have access to a range of highly regarded establishments oering a variety of academic and voca onal programmes.

Students returned for the annual cer ficate presenta on evening in November and we wish all of them well for their next steps in educa on and work.

by Mr E Compton, Deputy Principal

38% achieve English Baccalaureate

72% 5 or more A* - C grades including English & maths

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The ‘Bo sham Student’ new intranet module As a College, we are commi ed to a broad programme of educa onal development for all of our students that reaches well beyond qualifica ons. Consulta on with many of our stakeholders, including local businesses, has led to the development of a set of aspira ons which would equip our young people for life in the modern world: these aspira ons embody what we call the ‘Bo sham Student’.

We believe that, by developing skills in five key areas: Crea vity, Reflec on, Enrichment, Self-management and Teamwork, students will increase their chance of success when they move on to further educa on, employment or training.

Students have been involved in developing and pilo ng a system of monitoring and recognising achievements in each of the five areas using the student intranet. This module was officially launched to Year 7 and 8 students in November and will allow students to record evidence of their progress through bronze, silver and gold levels in each of the five areas.

A er the launch, students were given support by mentors from Year 10 and 11 during form me, both in recording achievements and se ng targets to their next steps. Each form group will also spend one tutorial session per fortnight in an ICT room for the purpose of building up a log of achievements, although this can also be done remotely from home.

Bo sham remembers

by Mr M Merry, Assistant Principal

‘Celebra on of Success’ rewards This term saw the start of the new Key Stage 4 reward system. The purpose is to offer a different more relevant tangible system as the students work towards their GCSEs. The ‘Celebra on of Success’ cards are given to all students and when they have gained twelve staff signature they can choose a prize from a pick and mix selec on. Prizes include: free pass to the gym, free swim, front of the queue token for the dining hall or project area for a week, cakes baked to order, vouchers and many more.

Students get rewarded for posi ve behaviour and contribu ng to the wider Bo sham community. They can be rewarded for high effort levels, outstanding pieces of work, exemplary behaviour as well helping members of the Bo sham community.

by Mr P Burgess, Head of Learning Year 10

At 11 o’clock on November 11th the college community marked Armis ce Day. Lessons were brought to a halt before two year 8 students – Ben Wormald and Isaac Holt played the last post by the world tree sculpture. There then followed a two minute silence, during which students were asked to think about the sacrifice made by those who served in the armed forces. They were also encouraged to think about members of their families who had fought in the first and second world wars, and about the members of the college community who had served – and were s ll serving – in more recent conflicts. In the week before, a poppy sale had been organised by year 11 students, and all students had been given an assembly about Henry Moseley, a gi ed scien st who had been killed in 1915 at Gallipoli.

In Learning Support, students created a large poppy as a way of showing their respect for lives lost during the war. Students wrote messages and comments on small poppies, which were then stuck together to make a large display.

The messages include personal stories, opinions and facts about World Wars 1 and 2.

Kieran said “This was a very good and respec ul way of remembering those lost at war. I wrote about my Great Nan who had memories of the war. I feel proud to have contributed to our display” Luke added a poppy with a personal story - “ I think this was a really, really good idea. An excellent way to remember. I wrote on a poppy to remember my Great Nan.” Megan added “I think it’s good to do the 2 minute silence. I like it that we’ve made our own big poppy in Learning Support, and I’ve enjoyed reading other people’s comments and looking at the pictures. Next year, we should decorate the World Tree with individual poppies!”

Junior Vets On Saturday 14th November, Four year 10 students - Zoe Hudson, Catherine Williams, Saffron Ashely and Owen Bentley were presented with their Junior Vet Silver Award from Lida Vets in Newmarket.

For the past 6 months they have been members of the Junior Vet Club, volunteering at the vets and gaining valuable work experience. They have been working alongside the vets and nurses at consulta ons and in surgery, and been involved in many interes ng things including caesareans, resuscita ons, vaccina ons, animal care and general ‘behind the scenes’ work.

by Mrs A Hudson

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Christmas

Concert

This year, our concert was once again at the Holy Trinity Church in Bo sham where we received a very warm welcome from the vicar and Church wardens. More than 80 students walked to the church in the morning to set up and rehearse for the evening concert. It was a varied programme with music prepared in extended schools clubs as well as lunch me clubs and lessons. Highlights included Christmas poems, GCSE and staff choir, string and wind ensembles, as well as jazz band and solo performances. It was a lovely fes ve occasion. Well done to everyone involved.

The music department would like to wish everyone a Happy Christmas.

by Mrs P Hall

Talenteeno

Some of our Year 11 students and two from our previous Year 11 were lucky enough to appear at the LodeStar Fes val on 6th September in the pilot of ‘Talenteeno’. There were four acts performing a mixture of cover songs and some of their own pieces, and all was filmed by Cambridge TV. The students performing were Grace Walsh, Tom Raine, Kate Ellis, Luke Wood, Lo e Reeder, Charlo e Abbersteen and Hannah Fox and all of them found it a great experience.

‘Talenteeno’ is an opportunity for talented teenage musicians and singers to showcase their poten al on a real stage at live events and venues and is the brainchild of Nick Newman who is a parent at BVC. Nick has been responsible for founding ‘Careersbox’ (the first free video careers pla orm for schools) and Na onal Careers Week. He is passionate about providing young people with careers support and helping them improve their life chances. The aim of ‘Talenteeno’ is to roll out the project to more schools and give more talented teenagers a chance to shine.

CAMBRIDGE JAZZ FESTIVAL The Cambridge Jazz Fes val was a great experience! We arrived at 2pm for our rehearsal and saw Dennis Rollins and his band rehearsing. The concert began with the Bo sham Jazz Band opening and Parkside’s Funk Band following a er us. It was great fun and the audience seemed to love it. Since we normally perform in the school, it was a thrilling and exci ng experience to perform in the Mumford Theatre. We hope that Bo sham students in years to come will be able to have the same amazing and influen al experience as we did.

by Olly, Kate & Joel in Year 11

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Open Evening 2015 Prospec ve students and their parents or carers were invited to our Open Evening on Thursday 1st October.

During the evening there was an opportunity for guests to look around the College and visit all the different facul es. The facul es put on a wide range of displays and ac vi es including science experiments, cookery demonstra ons, compe ve rowing and drama performances to name just a few, allowing them to see the wealth of opportunity that is on offer here at Bo sham VC. Students from all year groups were on hand to act as guides and to support within facul es, providing an opportunity for them to talk about everyday life here at the College. They were able to demonstrate the extent to which they are so immensely proud of their school.

True to form, the site was a hive of ac vity and we were overwhelmed by the posi ve comments we received about the evening.

Guests listened to speeches by the principal, Mrs Evans, and four students from years 7 & 11.

Amelie Plaistow said “ For the Open Evening I did a speech about life in Year 7. I felt proud to be on stage represen ng my school. I spoke about how I felt before I came here and Lucas, the other Year 7 speaker, spoke about what it was like here at Bo sham. I hope the advice I gave was helpful for the future Year 7s.”

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Extended schools

Ben Wormald 8.6 has won the Review of the Week compe on for the na onal Film Club. His review of ‘Harry Po er and The Philosopher's Stone’ which can be read below, was recognised as the top film review in the country for his age group, and won him a DVD and film related items. Congratula ons are due to Ben, and if anyone else wants to take part in the club be sure to look for it in the extended schools brochure, and join for free.

by Mr R Mitchell This film has a place in my heart for making this magical world come to life, thanks to the detailed, fluent anima ons and prac cal effects, revealing camera pans, and believable structure.

Whenever supernatural elements come into play, you really believe they are interac ng with the characters and the environment, due to the exhilara ng musical accompaniments, which create adrenaline and life to accommodate the brilliantly cra ed CGI. Furthermore, the way the camera switches perspec ves depending on the scene's nature, add to the immersive atmosphere of the film. Scenes involving a change in loca on around the castle are aided by the transi oning camera pans between places, which blur the lines between the physical elements of the environment and the computer generated; this makes the se ng of the film more believable and alive.

The film's structure helps with the theme of a magical school year, as events take place linearly to a normal school year, making changing interac ons between characters easy for the viewer to relate to, as me goes on. The ac ng in this film is overall solid, as the portrayals and dimensions of the teacher characters are fully fleshed out, at least with the teachers with more dialogue. Characters which are more key to the plot are le undeveloped, detrac ng from the credibility of their ac ons, something which becomes formulaic to the rest of the series. Child characters, namely Ron and Hermione, become even more interes ng than the protagonist, as there are scenes devoted to their development.

Harry however, rarely has a chance to express his emo ons, at least not through dialogue, which is a flaw in the wri ng. This factor carries through the remainder of the films, with Harry's story being revealed to us by other characters, not from Harry himself.

Overall, this film has bewitching design and cra into it, with consistent ac ng, and a fi ng soundtrack. Despite the minor wri ng flaws, I believe this film holds the test of me, being a very good standalone film, set aside from the others, as the landscape of the world changes over me. I think this is a very good film, not quite deserving of 5 stars.

First Aiders make the grade A er eight weeks of training, thirteen students have completed the Emergency First Aid at Work Course as part of the BVC Extended Schools Programme. All of the successful students are now able to help someone that may need first aid in the event of an accident. Being able to help and support individuals in a community like this, has empowered these students to contribute to and to be a part of a safer, and therefore a be er community. Well done to all of you.

We will be running another First Aid course for students a er Christmas. Please sign up through the extended Schools programme to take part.

by Mr C Fordham

Putting The ‘Ham’ in Bottisham At the end of the summer term three Year 8 students, Luke, Eric and Oscar, successfully passed the Founda on Radio Licence examina on.

They are now the proud owners of UK radio callsigns.

The Founda on exam is a public examina on and a pass enables the candidate to apply to Ofcom for a UK Amateur Radio Licence in the M6 series. This gives access to a wide range of frequencies allowing worldwide contact with other, licensed, radio amateurs.

Founda on license-holders are limited to 10 Wa s of output power on most amateur frequencies. (This is less than the power of a light-bulb.)

However, this power level is more than sufficient to readily work sta ons in the UK and Europe. Under good propaga on condi ons 10W of power is enough to work other amateur radio sta ons anywhere in the world.

Luke (M6LUB), Eric (M6FPQ) and Oscar (M6FPT) a ended the extended school sessions in amateur radio held in Learning Support every Thursday. Over the course of a year their studies included the basics of transmi ers, receivers, antennas, propaga on, legal requirements as well as a large element of prac cal opera ng.

This term we have been experimen ng with a long-wire antenna rigged across the car-park by the English block. Results are encouraging and Luke and Eric had good contacts recently with other, local amateur operators and with G8VCN on 40 metres in Weymouth. As propaga on condi ons change with the decreasing length of the day we hope to work further afield on different bands.

Eric and Luke are now considering enhancing their license by studying for the Intermediate Examina on. This requires a deeper, technical knowledge and the ability to make an item of radio related equipment.

If you have an interest in maths, science or technology and would like to find out more about amateur radio then do come along to one of our sessions.

by Mr Howell (M0DCV)

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Back in time: Fossils … and Framlingham It probably wasn’t the best of weather to be outside and exploring a castle, but a bit of rain and a dis nct autumnal chill in the air didn’t put off Year 7s having a great day out at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk back in October. The whole year group was invited to par cipate in the annual trip and most signed up to go on either one of two days.

Students took part in a series of ac vi es led by BVC staff, to learn about the castle’s history, its links with the Bigod family, its design, its strengths and its flaws for would-be a ackers, comple ng a workbook as they went along.

Sam Clifford, Sam Ellery and Evelyn Watkinson accompanied Mrs Linsey and myself to the Sedgewick Museum in Cambridge this term. The day got off to a very foggy start, which delayed our departure, but we made the most of our me in the museum. Both Sams headed straight to the area about Darwin and proceeded to explore the ‘Open Me’ draws and hands on ac vi es. I explained about the finds made by Darwin and how he recorded the informa on. The students took one look at Darwin’s wri ng and were shocked because they couldn’t read it. Some words were easier to make out than others but It looked like a spider had fallen in ink and strolled over the page!

We made our way slowly back through the geological ages, past the Barrington Hippo, the crocodilian skulls and mosasaur jawbones. Then through the fish fossils and trilobites, past cabinets filled with the strangest creatures, trilobites of all kinds, ammonites and more. Leading us into the Ichthyosaurs, the creature thought to be the ‘ Loch Ness monster’ as Sam C said. We con nued our journey back through geological me learning about the igneous rock forma ons and the creatures hidden within, from the largest to the smallest, un l we came to the crystals created by earth’s unique chemical make-up. The variety of carbonates and silicates, was not only in shape and size but in colour; a very interes ng journey to the past.

Our few hours me travelling ended with a visit to the amazing Corpus Chris chronophage. The grasshopper clock!

by Ms L Damant

During their visit they explored all areas of the castle including its ba lements at the top and its ditch at the bo om and there was me to pick up a souvenir or two at the gi shop.

Students were praised for their behaviour, not only by the teachers and teaching assistants who accompanied them, but by castle staff and members of the public, a fact that Mr Baker, the year’s head of learning, proudly announced in assembly.

“We had a great me,” said one Year 7 student. “I really liked finding out about the castle. I had never heard of Framlingham.”

And another said: “The best part was going up on the ba lements. It was quite high and you got a really good view of the countryside around and you could see the castle from a different perspec ve.”

The ou ng was organised to develop students’ understanding of medieval Britain and the part castles played in enabling William the Conqueror to maintain control of England: at the start of his reign there were three and by the end there were more than 300!

by Mrs A Turner

At the end of October, ninety two Year 11 geographers and 11 members of staff headed off to Norfolk for the annual Controlled Assessment Kingswood residen al trip.

We would not be able to do this without the help of all the staff (both specialists and nonspecialists) who give up their me to enable the trip to be so successful, so massive thanks must also go to them.

by Mr J Gilbert

On Wednesday 11th November, Lo e Reeder and Harry Stubbings took part in an interschool deba ng compe on held at the Houses of Parliament in London. Accompanied by their personal cheerleading crew of Mrs Lawton, Mr Compton and myself, they first had a scenic stroll through the capital to steady the nerves, taking in Buckingham Palace, Horseguards and the Cenotaph. Then, it was on to the main event – via security checks and the obligatory for fying cup of tea in the café, of course.

Having ba led through a preliminary round against other Bo sham students, this me they were up against challengers from 5 other Cambridgeshire schools to propose the rather controversial mo on: This house would decriminalise drugs. As with the ini al round, the winning pairing would be judged by our very own MP, Lucy Frazer.

Not fazed by the grandeur of their surroundings, nor the hungry look in the eyes of their compe on, the stalwart team of Stubbings and Reeder were the first to go, speaking with finesse, flair and occasional flamboyance. Despite some amazing speeches by the other par cipants, our team’s deba ng prowess shone through as they challenged and interrogated throughout, displaying the skills they have built up over the last few years at Deba ng Society.

A er a heated and passionate debate came the agonising delibera on: who were the winners? It is with incredible delight and pride that I am able to say that Stubbings and Reeder were victorious – and were granted an honorary (and rather perishable) pineapple as a trophy. Thanks Impington Village College; we can quite literally say that this was a “sweet” victory!

However, the fun did not stop there. The newly crowned victors and other par cipants were then treated to a private tour of the House of Commons by Lucy Frazer, who walked them through the workings of the chamber – as well as the intricacies of the government’s vo ng system. An unexpected extra and a perfect way to round off a wonderful experience. A massive congratula ons on a thoroughly deserved win.

by Miss B Turner On Tuesday 20th October students studying GCSE art in year 11 went to London for the day and visited the Bri sh Museum. They explored the museum’s vast collec on of art and artefacts and were amazed by the buildings stunning architecture. Bo sham Village College students went prepared with sketchbooks, cameras and drawing equipment to record work that they found inspiring and a poten al link to their current GCSE mock exam research. The day was exci ng and even ul and the students were enthusias c and mo vated, a great day out and thank you to all who came.

by Ms Y Grainger

Trips and visits

Over the weekend, students put in a huge amount of effort collec ng data for their controlled assessment and then wri ng up some of their findings in the computer labs at the centre. In their spare me, students took part in a wide range of ac vi es, including outdoor laser, aeroball and rock climbing. Once again, the weekend was a huge success with students comple ng a massive amount of work, whilst at the same me having a really fun me.

Back in September BVC held a ‘Refugee Awareness Day’. We felt it was important, as a school, to raise awareness of the humanitarian plight of the large number of Syrian refugees currently making their way through Europe, and for those who s ll face huge challenges at home. We are commi ed to ensuring that all of our students develop as compassionate and informed global ci zens.

Students and staff were asked to contribute £1 to wear non-uniform, which was donated to the charity Medecins Sans Fron eres, a humanitarian-aid non-governmental organisa on. The students all had assemblies where the refugee crisis was explained and they watched the story of Aya, a film made by the charity UNICEF. In the a ernoon all students and staff walked around the playing fields together. They were asked to imagine, hard as that might be, what it would be like to live in so much fear at home that you felt you must travel thousands of miles in search of a safer life.

Mathema cal Olympiad for Girls Congratula ons to Ella Banham, Kate Ellis, Emily Millard and Beth Sampher, who took part in the ‘Mathema cal Olympiad for Girls’. This three hour na onal compe on consisted of just five problems, so to even answer part of a problem was a real achievement. Par cular congratula ons go to Ella who was awarded a dis nc on.

Senior Maths Challenge Results have just come in for the senior maths challenge, aimed at students in Year 13. Nine students from Year 10 took part, including Lizzie Harvey, Pralish Satyal, Edward McCann and Harry Freeborough. Par cular congratula ons go to Sophia Abbo , Andrew Golin and Jacquie Mills, who received a bronze cer ficate, and to Joseph Irving and Harry Winchester who achieved silver. We look forward to seeing how they perform in the Intermediate Challenge in February.

by Mrs J Goodland

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‘Medecins sans fron ers’ are the world’s leading independent medical humanitarian aid organisa on. Despite their French name, doctors, nurses and engineers from all over the world work together for MSF to provide medical care for people wherever they need it. This could be for many different reasons, including: wars, Natural disasters such as earthquakes and floods, Diseases including Malaria, Tuberculosis and HIV/Aids, and famine and malnutri on.

We have projects in over 60 countries across Africa, Asia, the Americas, Europe and the Middle East.

SLT NEWS

This was probably the busiest me for the SLT so far.

With mocks creeping up on us, we had just days to plan the ‘Children In Need’ fundraiser events. We had three simple aims; to make the events fun and exci ng, to get everyone involved, and to raise as much money as possible (we also wanted to beat last year’s total!) We had to first plan the events, which was pre y easy because we all had plenty of ideas. We then had to design powerpoints and posters for assemblies and to publicise the events, although this took a while, we were all pleased with the results!

‘Children In Need’ Friday finally arrived and it went down with a bang! We had several successful events leading up to the day, but it was an extremely enjoyable day for everyone. The cake sale sold out in 5 minutes – even Miss Osborne’s cakes! The ‘Bake Off’ the previous day was also… interes ng! The ‘Star Baker’ was Mr Andersen, whose Bo sham Buzz cakes were incredible. Also, somewhat surprisingly, the winner of the cookies round was Miss Dimelow! We can’t ignore the brilliance of Miss Slipper’s cupcakes, which gave her the tle of the round 2 winner!

The SLT would like to congratulate all the teachers, who did very well on the day, even if some confec onary didn’t go exactly as planned! We would also like to say thank you to all the students who contributed on the day, especially the concert performers (you were amazing!), and we hope you all enjoyed it.

Thanks to you all, Bo sham Village College raised a grand total of £1705.

by The BVC Student Leadership Team

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The new academic year has started with a huge amount of ac vity for the Friends of Bo sham Village College – we have had our AGM, a very successful quiz and the wonderful Christmas Fayre, some photos of which are shown here. As we head into our new year it always feels like a good me to take stock and review. In the last two years, the Friends have given a staggering £25,000 to the college and the students – that is around £100 for every pupil every year! This sort of support would not be possible without the dona ons made by our parents, teachers and wider community members. Some people give incredibly generously of their me and exper se on the Charity’s Board; others support by volunteering at events or dona ng prizes or simply spending money at fundraisers and online through ‘Give as You Live.’

These dona ons have funded a range of things over the last two years, including suppor ng the hardship fund, the purchase of ten netbooks, equipment for the science faculty, a new kiln for the crea ve design faculty, new digital screens and displays around the college. Increasingly the Friends are being asked to support the college with more essen al items, for example; this year we have commi ed to paying half towards the cost of a new minibus, but we are ge ng to the end of our reserves. We are therefore reaching out to our members (and that means all parents and teachers in the school) to ask for more support – most urgently we need a secretary, someone to support taking minutes and suppor ng the Trustees. Could this be you?

We also need to build our bank of contacts of people who could poten ally help in different ways - could you spare an hour or so, to decorate a hallway, put up a poster, or mark a quiz paper? Or perhaps you work in marke ng or write newsle ers for a living and could share some exper se?

At this seasonal me of year, we know that there are a large amount of charitable requests upon people but the Friends of Bo sham Village College Charity is one that directly impacts on your children. The money we raise goes straight to your child’s educa on and to increase opportuni es for them at school. Contact us now by email at friends@bo shamvc.org or by finding us on Facebook, and let us know how you could help.

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DUTCH EXCHANGE 2015 At 5am in early November, twenty Year 9 pupils arrived at school for a long journey to Holland. Once we arrived at Anna van Rijn School, everyone was full of nerves and excitement to meet their exchange partners. A er our first night, everyone was full of stories and news.

On Thursday we were going to Amsterdam. Firstly, we went to the Nemo Science Museum where we experienced some fun and new ideas. It was a good experience! Then we had a walk around Amsterdam, where we were able to take photos and had some me for shopping. We saw lots of cultural ideas.

On Friday we a ended our exchange partner’s school for a day where we completed a booklet about our day in Amsterdam. A erwards, we were allowed to go out and it gave us a chance to meet more Dutch students. On the Saturday we had a family day where many people visited nearby towns and landmarks. It gave us a chance to get to know our family be er. Sunday was our last day and we arrived at school and said goodbye to our family and exchange partners.

I think everyone learnt something new, from the Amsterdam way of life, to what schools are like in Holland and the differences in family life. All in all, it was an amazing trip that we all enjoyed! Thank you to all the teachers who came with us for making our trip so great!

by Sophie Kelly 9.3

VISITORS FROM KAZHAKSTAN It has been a pleasure to welcome colleagues from Kazakhstan to Bo sham Village College, extending the partnership work between our school and NIS Kokshetau and NIS Taldykorgan .Our visitors have par cipated in an internship programme which has involved them working with a large number of our teachers, both in and out of the classroom, with a focus on leadership within a faculty and student progress. Students have been central to the partnership, playing a large part in the success of the visit, ac ng as guides and hosts in lessons, answering ques ons and joining discussion groups to help our guests understand the systems that are in place here at the college.

by Mrs J Melling, Assistant Principal The Kazakh interns had the following to say about their visit to Bo sham: Interna onal collabora on between Bo sham Village College and NIS in Taldykorgan and Kokshetau has become an integral part of global ci zenship in educa on. During our two weeks visit we had an opportunity to ask ques ons, observe lessons and learn how teaching and learning influences students’ progress. We know that this internship can change our teaching through reflec on of our prac ce. Due to the frui ully organized events at BVC and friendly school’s welcome, we felt ourselves as a part of this staff. Thank you for your hospitality and support.

With kind regards, NIS teachers

DID YOU KNOW? There are 29 different languages spoken by students at BVC, including: Polish, Bengali, Russian, Spanish, German, French, Chinese, Tagalog, Italian ,Russian, Flemish, Portuguese, Swedish, Panjabi, Sinhala, Lithuanian, Arabic, Turkish, Norwegian, Pashto and Tamil.

Our interna onal community support each other in lots of different ways, including Year 11 language mentors and social and academic buddies.

Get involved by joining our Interna onal Club, every Tuesday lunch me, 1.45 in SIU Miss Mar nez, Mrs Fullbrook , Mrs Boyle and Miss Rhodes

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You may wonder what impact Adult Learning has on people’s lives. It is true that many of our courses are provided for leisure and recrea on. However, as well as the obvious achievement of learning a new skill, these courses have a much wider impact on a learner’s sense of wellbeing; simply ge ng out of the house, making new friends and feeling less isolated are equally important.

We have recently launched a new evening course, ‘Singing for Fun’. The idea was to have a fun class where learners of all abili es could come along to sing and make friends in a relaxed atmosphere.

The class started in October with just a few learners, but as word has spread, the group has grown week by week. The learners are really enjoying themselves and are planning an informal concert with a live band next March.

Our Thursday morning ‘Crea ve Pain ng and Drawing’ class is always popular. As the tle suggests, the course covers many aspects of crea ve art and much of the work produced is of a very high standard.

You can view a collec on of work produced by the members of this class by following this link: h p://bit.ly/ bo sham_art_2015 Courses leading to qualifica ons change people’s lives in other ways. For example, last year we launched GCSE Maths for

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Adult Learners. We started with just a few learners and were delighted when all six passed their GCSE Maths in June 2015 with flying colours. It meant a great deal to them all, but two learners in par cular were able to progress with teacher training. One said: “Ge ng a C in my GCSE Maths meant the world to me.

I retook my GCSE several mes and Maths was becoming a ba le I couldn't overcome. The tutor managed to make lessons fun and clear for me to understand; he is a fantas c teacher! The result now means Ican move forward with teacher training and pursue my dream of being a Primary Teacher. I am so relieved and thrilled I can move on from Maths and progress in my career.” As a result of last year’s success, we now have 15 adult learners taking GCSE Maths this year.

We are also one of the few Centres in the area offering the RHS Level 2 Cer ficate in Hor culture. This year we have 40 learners enrolled on this course. Some learners take the course because they are keen amateur gardeners, for others it can lead to promo on or a change of career.

Last year, one learner overcame her ba le with cancer, actually si ng her exams whilst undergoing chemotherapy.

She has gone on to secure her dream job at the Botanical Gardens in Cambridge.

Another learner has just been offered a job as Assistant Gardener at Emmanuel College.

Our partnership with Bo sham Children’s Centre has allowed us to provide some short introductory courses into the role of Teaching Assistants. As a direct result of having a ended one of these courses, four learners have enrolled onto a ‘Level 2 Suppor ng Teaching and Learning’ course at CRC. A similar course training

volunteers to be ‘buddies’ in the Community has been successful in providing an opportunity for two learners to assist Health Visitors and Family Support workers from Soham Children’s Centre.

As ever, we rely on the Community to support our Adult Learning courses, because if we don’t have enough enrolments, courses cannot run. If you would like us to provide a course which we do not currently offer, please contact the Community Office, as new ideas are always welcome.

For full details of all our courses, please visit our website: www.bo shamvc.org/ adultlearning Susan Tarasewicz, Adult and Community Learning Manager

RUGBY & HOCKEY Another Autumn term saw rugby and hockey fixtures for all year groups. Highlights included the highest ever turnout for year 7 rugby club, with the A team going on to finish 5th in the district tournament. The year 8 B team came 3rd, and the A team were agonisingly close to being crowned champions but for a last second try conceded against Netherhall in the final. The year 9 team finished 9th, and the year 10 rugby 7’s team narrowly lost in the semi finals. A huge congratula ons must go to the year 11 rugby 7’s team, who won the district tournament, remaining undefeated in the process.

Year 7 Hockey Squad

Year 7 fielded two full teams for the district hockey tournament, with the A team coming 11th and the B team coming 3rd. Year 8 did incredibly well, with the A team coming 3rd and the B team 5th. Year 9 were able to come 5th overall, and the U16 team finished runners up in their group and sadly just missed out on qualifica on for the final!

Well done to everyone who took part.

Year 10 Rugby Sevens Team

Year 11 Rugby Sevens Team - District Champions 2015

Year 8 Rugby Team - District Runners Up

FUTSAL! On Wednesday 25th & Friday 27th November, we were fortunate enough to invite in Luke Chadwick, formerly of Cambridge United and Manchester United, to take a group of KS4 students through a futsal taster session.

Futsal is a varia on of football played indoors with a smaller and denser ball, with 5 players on a team. It is hugely popular in many countries around the world and is becoming more so in this country too.

Well done to all those that came along to the sessions.

15

GIRL’S FOOTBALL

The year 7 and 8 girls football team are currently taking part in a football cup compe on. The first round was at Witchford where 12 teams were in a endance. Both our A & B teams reached the quarter finals, but unfortunately were then drawn against each other! The A team were eventual winners and went on to play St Ives in the semi-final. We won this game and then went on to face Soham in the final. It was a very ght game, but we managed to win 2-1 meaning we had won the

CROSS COUNTRY This year, alongside issuing ‘Personal Best’ cer ficates to all students who achieved a new best me, we also added a colourful star to our personal best no ceboard. A er two weeks of cross-country running we have four no ceboards full to the brim with students ge ng personal best mes. What an amazing achievement from every student that made it on to the board (some even made it on more than once)!

first stage of the compe on.

A few weeks later we had the opportunity to qualify for the regionals where four teams competed. Again, we managed to win all of our games against tough opposi on, and we are now through to the next round, playing at Stevenage and represen ng Cambridge United. We all hope to win and progress to the na onal compe on, as this is being played at Wembley Stadium!

by Amy McLean 8.3

RUGBY TRIP CURUFC V NORTHAMPTON

We took 94 students in years 7-9 to the Cambridge University Rugby ground in October to watch the Men’s first team play a Northampton Saints squad.

On a cold night, there was some terrific rugby played, mostly by Northampton, with the score ending up at 71-12 to the visitors. We hope to run the trip again next year so we hope to see many more students coming along with us!

For all informa on on fixtures and clubs over the coming year, follow @BVCPhysicalEd on twi er!