BVC Newsletter Summer 2015

Inside this issue x x x x

x x

Celebra on day Leaver’s ball War Detec ves Foreign exchanges & trips Sports news Plus lots more news & informa on

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

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

As we approach the end of another busy and successful year, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your ongoing support, as we work together to secure the wellbeing and success of your sons and daughters. Students across the college have achieved so much this year, and have on numerous occasions been proud ambassadors of their school.

It is also an appropriate point to acknowledge the commitment and dedication of our staff. This was so visible recently during the final preparations of Year 11 for their GCSE examinations, with countless examples of after school revision sessions, the production of superb resources, revision blogs, breakfast warm-up sessions and so much more. We know from the feedback that we have received that these were hugely appreciated and we have no doubt will have had a direct impact on the confidence and performance of our year 11 students at such a crucial time. We look forward to celebrating with them when they receive their results in August.

We have a number of staff who are moving on this year to take up new challenges in a wide range of ways, be this retirement, re-location to another part of the country, or in some instances to share their skills and expertise with young people in other countries.

We thank them for their dedication and the enormous contributions that they have made to the success of Bottisham Village College and wish them every happiness in the future.

On behalf of the whole staff, we wish you all an enjoyable summer holiday and we very much look forward to welcoming all students back in September, with batteries recharged, ready to go!

Kate Evans

Dates for your diary Friday 17th July - Term Ends at 1.25pm Autumn term 2015 Tuesday 1st September - Training day Wednesday 2nd September - Year 7s only Thursday 3rd September - Start of term for all other years Thursday 1st October - Training day & Open Evening 26th - 30th October - Half term Monday 30th November - Training day Wednesday 16th December - Term ends at 1.25pm Spring term 2016 Tuesday 5th January - Start of Spring term 15th - 19th February - Half term Thursday 24th March - Last day of Spring term

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Celebration day

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Update from the Governors The possibility that BVC will become the founding school of a new Mul -Academy Trust (MAT) has dominated discussions at Governors Mee ngs this term. A MAT is defined as a group of Academies with a specific defined governance structure.

Informa on about this was made available to you in the MAT Consulta on Document at h p://www.bo shamvc.org/collegeinforma on/.

Governors have met, carefully considered the responses to the consulta on, and agreed to proceed with becoming the Bo sham MAT commencing at the beginning of the Autumn term.

We are convinced that this development will bring with it many benefits: x As part of a larger network of schools, staff at BVC will have excellent opportuni es for professional development and career progression. This could help to retain the best teachers. x Being part of a MAT offers possible economies for example by centralising some purchasing and support func ons. x As the MAT develops in the future, there would be poten al for sharing of specialised teaching skills between schools. x There is some pressure from the Department for Educa on and Ofsted for outstanding schools like BVC to provide exper se and support to help raise performance in other local schools.

Irrespec ve of such pressure, this seems like a posi ve and socially responsible thing to do, and can be a two-way process undoubtedly there will be aspects of prac ce at other schools that we can learn from. By being the founding school of a new MAT, BVC will be able to achieve the goal of suppor ng and sharing exper se with other schools on our own terms.

Twelve girls from years 9 & 10 visited Marshalls to celebrate ‘Women in Engineering Day’. Below are account from two of the students.

A er going to Duxford for an engineering day on a previous school trip I opted to a end a day at Marshalls airport celebra ng ‘Women in Engineering Day’. The day consisted of two tours. One tour was around the planes that were being checked and repaired, and the other was around the hangars in which the parts were being designed and made.

We then had several presenta ons from women who were actually in the engineering industry and how they got to where they are today. This was good as it showed me that there isn't just one way to enter the industry and once you're in the industry there are ia great variety of jobs to do. I found the day thoroughly enjoyable and it made me realise that engineering isn't all about pu ng on some overalls and picking up your spanner! There are so many different aspects to engineering that can be done not just by men but women as well.

by Emily How 10.2

Of course, with any large change like this there are some risks which we have considered very carefully. The two main risks we have iden fied are that new schools joining the MAT could bring in unwanted financial liabili es, and that the local character and autonomy of BVC as a Village College could somehow be diminished. Governors are confident that these risks can be dealt with. Full financial due diligence will be a key part of the discussions as any new school joins the MAT, and local governance of BVC will be retained within the MAT structure.

EVER THOUGHT OF BECOMING A LIFEGUARD? Bottisham Sports Centre are running a lifeguard course this summer to gain the National Pool Lifeguard Qualification.

This is the only recognised qualification of its kind in the UK and enables you to work in any Leisure/Sports Centre.

Monday 3rd - Saturday 8th August Cost £250 Minimum age 16 For an enrolment form, information and terms and conditions please email Bhill@bottishamvc.org or call 01223 811121

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On the 23rd of June I went with a small group of girls to Marshalls as part of the promo on of women in engineering. Science subjects, especially engineering, tend to be male dominated and so Marshalls ran a day to break those stereotypes and show what it is like being an aerospace engineer. As part of the trip we went on two tours around the site, one around the hangars and the other to the workshops. In the hangars we saw several private planes worth millions of pounds each, as well as a military plane which was being refi ed a er being damaged in Afghanistan. I found this very interes ng because we were able to see lots of the different components in a variety of planes and how they all fit together. On the second tour we ventured around the back of the car showrooms and to the place where they design and make parts. At the moment they are working on scanners for the Bri sh and French Military equipment. These save the lives of 75% more soldiers who have to have surgery in Afghanistan. This aspect of engineering fascinated me, from the 3D computer models to the massive machines that actually make them.

We then went back and listened to how a variety of people got into engineering, from the army, to appren ceships and a love for crea ng. Also, we got the opportunity to talk to representa ves from companies who offered us advice and informa on, as well as encouraging us to be an appren ce with them. Overall, it was a very enjoyable and informa ve day and I had a lot of fun exploring the different types of engineering and apprecia ng the women in them.

by Lizzie Harvey 9.1

summer concert Students have been busy this term preparing for the summer concert. The programme reflected music and dance performances prepared in both music lessons and as part of the extended schools programme. For many, it was their first public performance, and for the year 11s sadly for us, their last. For half a term, we invited instrumentalists from our feeder primary schools to join our Tuesday orchestra a er school and Bo sham students mentored them in this first experience of performing in a large ensemble.

The concert programme reflected all musical tastes, from classical and film music to pop songs, blues and jazz; hopefully something for everyone. It was great to see so many students involved, with the jazz band, orchestras and GCSE group only just fi ng on the stage! The technical crew, responsible for the ligh ng, sound and back stage deserve a special men on having done such a fine job. Well done to everyone who contributed to the success of these evenings.

by Mrs P Hall

On Saturday 27th June, Year 9 and 10 drama club took part in Cambridge Theatre fes val, Fusion! We performed a twenty minute devised performance called 'Something That Goes Bump in the Night' and performed it on stage in the Junc on Theatre in Cambridge.

We had an amazing day, performing; having our own dressing room to prepare ourselves and then being able to watch other schools and professional theatre companies perform.

One of the best bits of the day was being able to take part in a workshop with NIE Theatre Company. We looked at storytelling and devising which was great fun and really interes ng. We all enjoyed the day and hope to take part in it again next year!

by Miss L Rankine

Poster designed by Sonia Casciano 7.6

We are very proud of the crea ve talents of all our students and earlier this term, a range of art and technology work by year 11 students was displayed to parents and visitors.

The students had studied art or technology for 2 years, over which me they developed a significant amount of crea ve and technical exper se and have enjoyed exploring their own ideas.

The art and design work ranged from sculpture to pain ng and printmaking to mixed-media work. Sketchbooks were also on show as they are also extremely important and show the students thinking process, links to ar sts and experimenta ons with dierent materials. Students who studied technology created a range of exci ng tex le pieces or func onal products in wood, they researched, developed and thoroughly tested before producing prototypes for examina on.

by Mrs Y Grainger

Armour Art

On Wednesday 22nd April, some of Year 8 went to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge. We admired the armour and used our self-portrait drawing skills, mixed with our newly found knowledge of armour to create crazy armoured self-portraits.

A er that we got the chance to explore the building and see the portrait gallery. We looked at and discussed the contents and context of the pain ngs and analysed the pieces. First we looked at the older pain ngs, then compared them to modern abstract pieces and sketched our own versions.

Overall this was a great day out and a fantas c opportunity to see some spectacular works of art.

by Anastasia Edmunds 8.1 and Ellie Gaggs 8.7

On behalf of the students and staff of the college, we wish Mr Woodman all the best for his retirement. During his 37 years at the college he has worked with enthusiasm as both Head of Learning and in the Creative Arts Faculty where he has produced numerous plays and productions. We will all miss him.

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Ka e is a cut above the rest!

We got a new shed for Christmas!

BVC Year 8 student Ka e Krutke recently took the brave decision to have her hair cut off to raise money for local charity ‘Henry’s Holiday Help.’ This charity helps provide families with holidays either during or a er their children’s treatment for leukaemia. Ka e, along with two others, donated their hair to another good cause ‘The Li le Princess Trust’ which provides wigs for children figh ng cancer. In all they donated 40.5” of hair.

A er a lovely display of Christmas lights by Robin Newell in his garden in Fulbourn, nearly £1000 was raised to buy a new shed for the Hor culture group. This enables the students to store the tools and equipment they need more securely and their boots and overalls are once again kept clean and dry. A huge thank you to all that visited the display and donated so generously, from all the Bo sham Village College Hor culture students and Mrs Williams.

Well done, Ka e!

SOMME TRIP 2015

Year 9 headed back to the Somme ba lefields this year, enjoying warm sun in contrast to the freezing temperatures we have had in previous years! The aim of the day is for students to get a be er understanding of the size of a First World War ba lefield, and to think more cri cally about how different people have suggested we remember the Ba le of the Somme. From Lutyens’ gigan c Thiepval Memorial, commemora ng the glory and sacrifice of the ba le, to Dunning’s preserva on of a mine crater, mourning the sacrifice of the soldiers, students argued with each other and the staff about how the Ba le should be remembered.

One par cular point of conten on was the Beaumont Hamel Park. Here, the Newfoundlanders have chosen to preserve a sec on of the ba lefield, with trenches beau fully grassed and visitors walking on neat decking.

How useful is this for giving us a sense of a ba lefield and how much can actually be learned from this park? The arguments raged!

It was a great day for seeing some amazing sites and for building up knowledge of the First World War. We look forward to returning again next year.

by Miss K Hammond

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All creatures great and small On the 24th April three students, accompanied Mrs Renni and myself, went to Wood Green Animal Shelter. The students were great ambassadors for the school, par cipa ng in a bespoke day provided by the staff at the shelter.

Much to the girls bemusement the first lesson was how to sex a guinea pig where Tim, the animal handler, explained about’ i’ and ‘y’. The lovely, pa ent Expresso was introduced to the girls and Tim explained to them that all the guinea pigs at the shelter were named a er coffees.

Moving on to the rabbits in ‘The Warren’, the girls listened intently to how to care for them. They were taught how to make rabbit hay toys, with Ella’s chosen by the rabbits as the most popular! All the rabbits had plenty of space, company, hay and toys. The staff explained that they were fed pellets rather than muesli, as the rabbits tended to pick out the ‘nice’ bits and leave the rest of muesli, so they now got one choice. Healthy ea ng at its best.

Next stop the hamsters and rats! Lots of oohs and ahhhs from the girls un l they realised the staff had an ac vity they weren’t so sure of, cleaning out the hamsters! That was a bit smelly, but the girls dived in and did it.

As the girls walked around the site, they saw the other different rescued animals; from cats, chickens, dogs, goats, and some others we didn’t have me to see in a full day. The staff talked about caring for the different animals and the reasons they were given for being rehomed. The ca ery was full of various breeds of cats, some with special dietary requirements and needs.

Evelyn explained why black cats in par cular were not easy to rehome; apparently it is connected to the supers on of black cats being unlucky.

Walking from the ca ery, the chickens were in outside pens with a couple of par cularly noisy cockerels spor ng interes ng feather styles on their heads. I was volunteered by the girls to hold a chicken, as the staff explained about massaging the chickens feet with moisturiser. I talked to the chicken as I held her, trying to stop the clipped wings flapping.

Leaving the chickens, the girls ventured to the goat area where a goat named Willow decided he would eat the fruit which the girls and Mrs Renni fed him but he decided he did not want to know me! In the fields around the site, goats, llamas, alpacas, horses and sheep roamed around. Staff worked three months at a me in each area, allowing them to expand their knowledge of all the different animals. The walk back to the kennel area took the girls past the wind turbine, and in the kennel area they no ced the rain water pipes used to recycle the rainwater to use as drinking water for the dogs. Wood Green Animal Shelter recycles a lot of materials, including cereal boxes and newspaper.

The dogs were made a version of ‘pass the parcel’, with a handful of treats in each layer. The puppy intake area had several very young puppies. Jessica and Mrs Renni fell in love with Harper, a sandy coloured mongrel pup of five months old. We did discuss taking Harper back for Miss Rhodes, as she would fit neatly under the desk. But sadly she remained at Wood Green wai ng for that loving family who would hopefully choose her soon. Each of the puppies had specialised grey collars that emi ed pheromones that reminded them of their mothers, in order to help them se le and some wore ght-fi ng, thunder jackets, to make them feel safe.

All in all, we all had a very lovely busy day. Wood Green Animal Shelter made a great visit. Please visit their website www.woodgreen.org.uk if you would like to find out more about them.

by Ms Lisa Damant

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Once again gain the Year 11 Leavers’ ball was a night to remember. AŌer a hot and sunny day, rain started to fall just as the first students arrived. Despite the downpour, the residents of Boƫsham congregated outside the college to marvel at the amazing procession of vehicles bringing the students to the red carpet and cheer on the party goers. As well as Rolls Royces’, Minis, Porches and vintage cars there was an army jeep, flat bed lorry, horse drawn carriage and double decker bus! Three boys arrived in a cherry picker and another in a go-kart!

Mrs Cook and her band of helpers had decorated the entrance in casino style and the marquee on the principal’s lawn looked amazing.

The students danced the night away to DJ Cumminz and Lucie Crozier, from The Voice. They were also amazed by the talents of Street Magician, Jamie Seagrave. Photos of the evening can be seen on the Boƫsham website.

A fantasƟc evening was had by all and we look forward to 2016 when who knows what we will see come down Lode road!

It is devastating to be leaving Bottisham. I genuinely wish more than anything in the world that I could stay forever! This year especially has been filled with experiences that I’ll never forget, Berlin with the horrific weather, Leaver’s Day with the rather memorable dancing and of course, the Leaver’s Ball which included both horrific weather and memorable dancing!

Other highlights of my time here have been the space hoppers for the Sport Relief Mile and the productions of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ and ‘Bugsy Malone’. Over the past five years I have been really lucky to have had so many opportunities and to have met such a diverse range of people. I must once again thank the truly inspirational Mr Woodman, Mr Merry and Mrs Lawton for being so fantastic and passionate about their subjects, so much that I am hoping to carry on their subjects next year either with the IB or A Levels. And of course thanks to all my other teachers as well for being amazing and putting up with my blunt honesty. I can’t put into words how much I’m going to miss you all. I’m so grateful that I’ve been fortunate enough to call this place my school. I hope all the current students appreciate it while they’re here.

by Lois Weaver 11.4

When I arrived to school, there was a real buzz of excitement as the par al eclipse was soon going to happen. In SIU, we had the live news feed playing on a laptop so that we could all sit and watch the developments and follow the stages of the eclipse from when it was first visible in England.

I was excited about it, but disappointed because I couldn’t see the sun as it was so cloudy. At 9:20am, all the students in SIU joined others around the Principal’s Lawn wai ng for the op mum moment. I had no ced that it was ge ng darker and a lot colder, the birds also seemed quieter. We had taken the laptop outside with us so that we could con nue to watch the eclipse from different posi ons across the UK. My sister was in Birmingham. We contacted each other via mobile phone, which I put on loudspeaker. She told us that it had been clear blue sky that morning and that she could see the eclipse as it was happening. We asked her if it was cold, she said no it’s warm but it is very dark. Although we couldn’t actually see anything, having mul media resources available while the eclipse occurred made the whole experience very memorable.

I am looking forward to the eclipse in 2026 and hope that the weather is more accommoda ng to enable me to personally visually experience the event.

by Liam Reed

gaming with

On Wednesday 4th June three Arts Award students and two very excited teachers visited the games studio Jagex.

We were given a tour of the studio by Mark, the Crea ve Design Director, where we saw all manner of amazing rooms including the play tes ng area, streaming room, customer service area with scoreboards to show who had helped the most people and where all the magic happens - the development area.

Our first ac vity looked at the process of developing content from the narra ve perspec ve. We met people from each stage of the process and it was amazing to hear how an idea was pitched, approved, then developed in “slices”, each being coded and then tested in QA to make sure they did not conflict with other content. Finally, everything is checked for spelling and grammar and marketed to the players. We were surprised to hear that there are four in-house concept ar sts who help to turn ideas in to visible things.

A er this we met the development team for the new game ‘Chronicle’, where they explained how a new game is made. Chronicle had started as cards made from paper and post it notes in the canteen, and was now at the point of being a playable computer game. In this area we saw people crea ng content for the game, as well as people doing QA looking for bugs.

We then had a lunch break, in which Rhys lost at pool and we played a few games on the many consoles in the canteen. A er lunch, we looked at crea ng our own ideas for games from 4 random topics, which we then pitched to Mark. This was a lot of fun and just showed how easy it is to have an idea. A lead member of recruitment team then came and talked to us about how to get in to the gaming industry. He explained that the most important thing was to be passionate and specialise in an area you really enjoy. He gave us the advice to read books and take inspira on from areas outside of gaming as they may not have been done before. He also explained how important our Maths and English skills are.

Overall, we had an awesome day and are were extremely lucky to get to see inside a games studio seeing how many different roles and jobs there are using different skills. We would like to thank Jagex, Mark and all of the staff who made our experience so enjoyable.

by Mr Seeley with the help of Joe Wardleworth, Rhys Fuller and Jack Crosby-Griggs in Year 9

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War gaming and Role-play Club This year, Mr Barker and I started the coolest new club! Each week on a Thursday, we have hosted the war gaming and roleplay club in which students have fought against each other for the forces of good and evil. We have played Warhammer 40k where the students have frequently defeated me with their pesky flying machines!

We have also played Dungeons and Dragons figh ng for glory and honour, or some mes just gold. We have some fantas c dungeon masters who brought these stories to life, killing many monsters and even maiming a few friends in the process.

We have tried many other games including Magic the Gathering, Munchkin and Adventure Time Card Wars. Mr Barker has shown us many World War 2 ba les in Advanced Squad Leader.

We are always looking for more people to come and play so if any of this interests you come and talk to me or Mr Barker .

by Mr Seeley O en teachers are encouraged to enter compe ons with the lure of winning books for the library or cash for new resources. When I was approached by ‘The Young Writers’ to encourage students to enter their Grim Tales mini saga compe on it seemed too gory, I mean, too good an opportunity to miss! It was an excellent chance for some young writers from the crea ve wri ng club and years 7 and 8 to show off their imagina on and skills.

The challenge was to write a 100 word mini-saga, based on the Grimm fairy tales. Thousands of students from schools all over the UK entered their stories. We have had three stories that have been selected for publica on and to go on to be considered for the winning prizes. These are stories by Eva Collen (7.6), Kate Merriman(7.3) and Ben Wormald(7.6). The judges were looking for imagina on, percep on, expression and crea ve use of language all of which they demonstrate in abundance. Congratula ons to these talented writers. We have had two stories rejected with the reasoning that they are too violent! I am inclined to agree they are violent, perhaps interpre ng the ‘grim’ brief too far, but have to say that they are s ll brilliantly wri en. Well done to, Jessica Wright(7.1) and Izzy Armitage(7.6) for being too controversial for publica on!

If crea ve wri ng interests you, or you would like to be considered for future wri ng compe ons speak to me or come along to the crea ve wri ng club in E3 on a Thursday lunch me.

by Mrs Merry

Picking-up & Dropping off students We con nue to see an increase in the number of parents entering the college car park (via both the staff entrance and main entrance). Not only does this pose a safety risk to students but also creates conges on and prevents the school buses from entering and leaving the site. At the beginning and the end of the school day please do not enter the school car park to drop your child, unless they have a medical need which requires them to be dropped off close to the main recep on, or they have heavy musical instruments etc.

Parking Please be mindful of our local residents of Lode Road and Jenyns Close and do not park across their driveways, or obstruct pavements etc. We hope you will appreciate that we are trying to create a safe environment for our students and therefore ask that all parents/carers help us in doing this.

Rockingham Race Day On May 11th BVC once again ventured to Rockingham Speedway to race our electric car against other schools. We were hoping for a far be er result than last year and the fine weather certainly was a good start.

Upon arriving, we quickly got set up and got the car checked and cleared for racing. We only had 3 sets of ba eries so only did some careful tes ng in the first sessions, hoping to see improved pace on last year. A couple of minor tweaks were done and then we were set for the first race.

The boys got us out to the line in good posi on amongst the 36 cars involved. The flag dropped and we were away quickly accelera ng and gaining a couple of places. Unfortunately, our top end speed was not as good and though we were in the top 10 a er 50m, by the end of the lap we were 34th and wondering what was going wrong. We weren’t expected to do par cularly well given we had a heavy-chassis kit car, but expected to be higher up than that. Nonetheless, we carried on and, with a quick driver change (the fastest of the day of any team), we gained a couple of places and were soon 30th.

As the race progressed, it became apparent that although we had a slower top end speed, we made up for it with endurance. Other cars slowly began to fall back as their ba eries drained but we con nued on at our consistent pace.

A car here and there and soon we were in the mid 20s. By the me the 90 minute race finished we had no ba ery power le , but had climbed to 24th place, which was a far be er result than last year’s 34th. The boys were very pleased, but also recognised that we needed to find some pace for future races.

Dutch Exchange On Thursday June 11th, forty Dutch students from Anna Van Rijn College visited BVC to learn about the similari es and differences between the cultures of Great Britain and The Netherlands. The day was spent with students from both schools working together. We created videos showing the differences between our two cultures and we looked at the news in both our countries. We had a tour of the sculptures with Mr Gee and then created our own wire sculptures.

In the a ernoon there was a lovely tea party, where we had tea and scones outside on the grass near the Bo sham Stone. Many new friends were made and we learnt that there was a surprising number of things in common between us. We will be returning to the Netherlands in November and are looking forward to seeing the sights, including my personal favourite, the Nemo Science Museum.

by Mr Seeley

Summer Holiday Crash Course Swimming Lessons Tuesday 28th July - Friday 21st August Crash courses are a fantas c way to get your child swimming or perhaps you want to progress your child ready for the new term.

Maybe it is their first me in a swimming lesson.

We have the right course for you!

It was a quick turnaround for the second race with no me to make any major adjustments. We knew our second set of ba eries were not as good but hoped to get a decent distance in to the race. Unfortunately, we only made it to half-distance before they lost the will (and voltage) to push the car any further and we had to re re.

Once again it was a great experience for the boys and they have gained plenty of ideas for developing the new car we have planned. Another race is coming up this summer, one which suits us be er, so hopefully we will have success there.

Lots of photos can be seen on our website www.bo shamvc.org/college-life/image-gallery/rockinghamrace-day

by Mr Ma

Hall

x Limited spaces available, please book in advance to avoid disappointment. x All classes and ac vi es will run subject to sufficient demand. x Supervised at all mes by DBS checked Bo sham Sports Centre staff

For more informa on please contact Bo sham Sports Centre on 01223 811121 or sportscentre@bo shamvc.org or visit www.bo shamvc.org/sportscentre

French Exchange At the beginning of May, thirty four Year 9 & 10 students welcomed their French exchange partners from the Collège Cap de Gascogne in St-Sever to Bo sham.

We were very excited, although a li le nervous to meet our partners and very much looking forward to welcoming them to BVC and the local area.

With so much to see and do and the prospect of a long bank holiday weekend, we allowed our guests to get to know our school first with a day at BVC. Our exchange partners went to some lessons, took part in an art workshop with some of our students, did a quiz around the school and were shown around by some of our year 8 helpers. The French were very impressed by what our school has to offer and weren’t disappointed to be treated to doughnuts at break and a tradi onal fish and chips lunch in the canteen with their Bo sham partners.

Despite the unse led weather, a very stoic group of BVC students persuaded their French guests to show up for the planned picnic in Cambridge on Saturday.

Their dedica on was rewarded, as the rain stopped and the sun came out just in me to enjoy lunch and an interna onal game of football on Parker’s Piece. The able contribu on of dads and members of staff was a highlight!

The BVC students took good care of their guests during the rest of the May Day bank holiday weekend, with pun ng, swimming, riding and trips to Ely and Reach Fair amongst the ac vi es kindly provided by the host families. Tuesday was a chance for all the students involved to visit Cambridge and to learn more about its history with a guided visit of the colleges including Trinity and King’s College Chapel.

On Wednesday, despite the very typical Bri sh weather and traffic chaos on the way there, the French party eventually made it to London to visit the Tower of London and take a boat on the River Thames. A walkabout followed, taking in the Houses of Parliament, Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and London Eye. By the me we waved our guests off on Thursday morning, some strong friendships had been made and everybody agreed that the experience had been interes ng and enriching (if a li le ring!) for all involved. We all were looking forward to the next leg of the exchange programme and couldn’t wait to see our friends again in France at the end of the month.

And indeed, the second leg of the Exchange at the end of May proved to be a real success. Over to Pralish and Jacquie for some highlights.

Many thanks to all of the students, families and staff who helped make this year’s exchange such a fantas c experience.

by Ms Larrieu The exchange for me, was one of the best mes I've ever had, I don't think that it would have been possible without the amount of work done by the teachers as well as the good behaviour of our whole group.

There was no 'real' highlight of my exchange, I loved every single moment of it, all for lots of different reasons. For example, there was a party which took place on Saturday, pre y much everyone else on the exchange went to it and I enjoyed it a lot. Another day I par cularly enjoyed was Tuesday, when we went to visit ‘Au Dune Du Pilat’, the highest sand dune in Europe. At the dunes, me and many of our partners played a game which was pre y simple. It was a race to see who would be the first one to run/ fall down the dunes. Not knowing what I was up against, I volunteered first, only regre ng it a er falling all the way down. It was like a cliff, but harder to get back up.

My French family were also very nice, the sister treated me like Ma hieu (even if that meant waking me up at 4 in the morning on nights she went to work, just to annoy me). The mum was really nice, she treated me like a family member and provided me with delicious meals every night and I got to try a lot of new food.

I stayed in a small village outside Saint-Sever called Mountsoué, with my family, the place was far away from other houses so it was pre y big. The house was surrounded by large, empty fields and a long road that was around it. Saint-Sever the place was very old, it had cobbled streets as well as a few arches and old churches. We had a tour given to us by a French-speaking tour guide, Mrs Larrieu used her transla ng skills to explain to us what she was saying. When the tour guide tried to talk to me, I shook my head and said "Oui" in the best French accent I could do.

The whole trip went so well, it was just.... Amazing. A er being a part of this exchange trip, I have learnt so many new things. I've planned to see Ma hieu again, during Easter me. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who has the chance!

There were many highlights to the French trip, from the student led picnic, to the student laser tag, and a visit to the Cap de Gascogne college. The overall highlight of the trip would definitely be the visit to the ‘Dune du Pilat’. This is the largest sand dune in Europe and was definitely underes mated by the unfortunate English!

The family I stayed with were fantas c; they welcomed me with open arms, limited English and great food. My exchange partner Perrine was a lot quieter than me, but otherwise we were a good match. Her younger brother and sister were adorable, but spoke almost no English. Whenever I spoke in French to Perrine’s sister, Ninon, she would leap at the chance to speak back to me in fast, incomprehensible French !

I learnt many things from the exchange, such as how to form ques ons in French, the fact that the bread is amazing and most importantly how to answer the ques on “ça-va?” (you say “Oui”).

Hopefully I will be able to return one day, the whole Exchange was amazing, both in England and in France and I would recommend it to anyone thinking about it next year. All in all, this was the best residen al trip I have ever been on.

by Jacquie Mills 9.7

by Pralish Satyal 9.6

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War Detectives

Pupils from Bo sham Village College a ended Red2Green’s final War Detec ves event on the 10th June. They were joined

by Andy Hamilton, scriptwriter, comedian and Red2Green Patron; and the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War 2.

Nearly 100 guests, including local residents and representa ves from local organisa ons, viewed displays showing the work done by War Detec ves over the past year. Following a short walk to Swa am Bulbeck Primary School, the next part of the day involved film crews from the Primary School, Village College and Red2Green Aspira ons introducing the films they had created of local residents sharing their stories of living and serving in World War 2. Eight films in all were shown telling these stories: being an evacuee, serving in the RAF in Burma, the local Home Guard, extracts from the diary of a resident’s grandmother, stealing ammuni on from a German plane shot down, the double tragedy of some families in Lode who lost sons in the war, and whose daughters married Americans serving at Bo sham Airfield, and the story of the planes and crew that were based there. These 8short films were, according to Ruth Rogers (Red2Green’s CEO) “informa ve, funny and very moving”.

In addi on to sharing the films they had made, the War Detec ves also outlined the work they had done throughout the year: poems, artwork, pictures, reports and leaflets of places visited. These were then placed in a me capsule. In responding to the films and the contents of the me capsule Andy Hamilton described how he was touched, moved and very impressed, going on to share a number of personal stories. To finish, Andy was helped by the Primary School children to seal the me capsule – which proved much harder than an cipated!

The me capsule was then put in a decorated wheelbarrow pushed by Ron Butler, a local resident who served in the RAF in the war. This procession followed the flag of the Bo sham and District Branch of the Royal Bri sh Legion, two air cadets and their officer towards the War Memorial in Swa am Bulbeck. Following them, were the High Sheriff dressed in his very smart uniform, breeches and all, all the guests and other local villagers.

The time capsule plaque read -

‘In commemoration of the 70th Anniversary of the end of World War 2, a time capsule was buried nearby on 10th June 2015 by War Detectives from Red2Green, Swaffham Bulbeck Primary School, Bottisham Village College, and local villagers who lived and fought in the War, the High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire and Andy Hamilton (Red2Green Patron).

In reflecting on World War 2 the War Detectives explored what it meant for them today and what they wanted to pass on to future generations.

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At the War Memorial, the High Sheriff spoke about the importance of the War Detec ves project, how it enabled older people to talk about their war me experiences, at the same me encouraging the young students to hear their stories directly. He also said that there was a very good possibility that some of the school children present could well be alive when the me capsule is dug up in 100 years me. With help from a number of War Detec ves, the High Sheriff dropped the me capsule into the prepared hole, sealing it with a lid and plaque. To finish the day’s events Ed Compton, Ac ng Deputy Principal at Bo sham Village College, played the ‘Last Post’ on his trumpet before everyone observed a minute’s silence.

The day was clearly a great success as has been the whole War Detec ves project in bringing schools, Red2Green and the local community together to pursue a common goal, to learn and commemorate together.

In making the day and the whole project a success, thanks are due to all the War Detec ves, Swa am Bulbeck Primary School and Red2Green as well as the local residents featured in the filming. We are very grateful that both Andy Hamilton and the High Sheriff joined us and played such an ac ve and suppor ve part in the project. In addi on we want to thank the team that ‘dug the hole’ and sealed the me capsule in it – in par cular David Rayner, Mar n Mead (Mead Construc on), David Ball Group Ltd (who provided the PUDLO waterproof concrete), Nigel Wilson (Andrew Firebrace Partnership). Thanks also to Barney, Barry, Ken and Graham Haynes, for their help with the plaque. We also had a great lunch provided by the Norfolk Street Deli, with the PA system used at the War Memorial provided by PDS of Peterborough. Lastly thanks go to Hi8us who did a brilliant job in working with the students and learners to produce such excellent films. The films can be viewed on the War Detec ves Youtube channel—War Detec ves (WWII).

For more informa on on the War Detec ves project please email Nigel Fenner on nigel.fenner@red2green.org

District Football Once again we experienced success in the District football compe on this year, with both the Year 9 and 10 boys making the final at Histon FC. In a closely fought game, the Year 9s managed to grab a late goal to end up 1-0 winners against Netherhall. This was a er a great display of skill from Ben Nolan, who passed to Nick Huckle to finish it off.

Sadly, the Year 10 boys were unfortunate to experience defeat in the final for the second year running. A er Shaheb Ali scored with the final kick of the game to level it at 1-1, the game went to penal es, where Bo sham lost 2-0 overall. Let’s hope they can grab the trophy at the final a empt in year 11! Well done to all students that represented both teams this year.

Year 7 & 8 Girls Football Since September some Year 7 and 8 girls formed a football team. A er a few training sessions on a Tuesday a er school we played a match against Soham Village College at home, which we won! A few weeks later we were invited to take part in a tournament at Comberton Village College and we won all of our games. The second half of this tournament followed a few months later and we played all of the other teams, you can probably guess we won all of our games there as well!

So overall this year having played around 12 games including friendlies and tournaments we are undefeated. A big thank you to Miss Shenton and Miss Slipper for making these games possible.

by Amy McLean, Year 7

Primary School Fes vals As ever, this summer saw mul ple primary school fes vals take place at BVC. The annual pentathlon sports fes val involving Year 5 and 6 students took place despite the challenging weather.

Primary schools from around the district competed in mul ple throwing, running and jumping compe ons, all led by Year 8 sports leaders.

Four of our feeder primaries joined us for the inaugural swimming gala that was being run by some of our budding swimming stars from Years 7 - 9. Congratula ons to Cheveley Primary who were eventual winners.

The rain held off for the Year 2 mul skills fes val, capably led by year 8 sports leaders again. Almost three hundred Year 2 students had a great me and developed a range of skills in the process.

Athle cs successes A Huge congratula ons must go to the following students who have successfully qualified for the English Schools Athle cs Championships at the Gateshead Interna onal Athle cs Stadium, which takes place in July:

The final fes val of the summer saw the youngest primary school students, Year 1, come along for half a day to take part in some fun tennis related ac vi es.

A huge congratula ons must go to all the sports leaders that helped make these events happen. As ever, the posi ve feedback received from primary school staff has been overwhelming well done to all!

Finlay Marrio - Hurdles Ashley Brown - 3000m Alice Newcombe - 3000m Adam Cross - 200m Maisey Snaith - 100m

Good luck to them all!

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Jubilee Cup 2015

Record Breakers!

Maisey Snaith 100m year 9 - 12.28s 200m year 9- 26.12s 300m year 9- 42.82s David Dow 1500m year 8 – 4:36.00 Adam Cross 200 year 9 – 23.53s 100 year 9 - 10.95s Kenny Jenkins hurdles senior - 14.13s

On a hot a ernoon at Wilberforce Road Athle cs Stadium, 78 students took part in this year’s Jubilee Cup. There were some excellent performances from all year groups, but a special men on must go to the year 10 girls’ team who won their category overall. Overall, Bo sham finished in 3rd place, behind the Perse in 2nd and Chesterton in 1st. During the a ernoon 11 college records were broken from 8 different students.

Well done to all our athletes , who were a true credit to the college.

Hugh Dow 1500m year 7 - 5:07.00 (Joint with David Dow) Henry Hall 300m year 9 - 42:35s Michael Brand 300m year 8 - 43.87s Lucy Walters Triple Jump year 8 9.06m

Miss Davison & Mr Perry ran the London Marathon A er months of training and fundraising, Mr Perry and Miss Davison completed the London Marathon on 26th April in fantas c mes! Mr Perry, in his second London marathon, crossed the line in 3:41.00 and Miss Davison, running for the first me, completed it in 4:00.58. If you s ll wish to sponsor either of them for their respec ve chari es, please feel free to speak to them and let them know. Well done to both!

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