Spring/Summer 2020
Buck Press
A
lthough Google Classroom has been a prominent feature in the last 2 terms, I don’t want it to cloud over all the great things that have been happening in school before this and nor would I want to forget the great things that it has achieved. So our bulletin is a balanced report of life before, during and after school shutdown. Let me start by saying that I never tire of saying how well our Year 6 boys have done in the senior school entrance procedures, all gaining places at the best schools in the locality, both independent and grammar. As was the case last year, many of our Year 6 boys have been awarded places in the top academic grammar schools and academic scholarships to the top independent schools and indeed this year, two of our boys achieved first and second highest marks in the Merchant Taylor’s entrance exams. These are all superb achievements from first-class boys who all thoroughly deserve their successes. I am proud that the boys receive and utilise the excellent teaching on their journey, from excellent teachers who genuinely care. There have, as usual, been plenty of events that we have enjoyed in school, including Science Week, Book Week, visits from the fire station and vet, trips to Google (little did we know then!) and the O2 with Young Voices. Rather than mention them here, I would direct you to our website and social media pages. I would however, just like to touch on a couple of trips, which were special to me. The whole school thoroughly enjoyed our World Book Day again this year. KS2 had a trip out to the Roald Dahl Museum which placed an emphasis not only on books but on authors too, Pre-School and I had a very special tea party in my office and story hats galore were made. And as for online learning…well it demonstrated what resilience our boys can show, what dedication my teaching team display and how much we missed Tracy’s cooking. Enjoy the bulletin.
Book Week
Expressive Arts Week goes digital
Pre-School learn about butterflies
Science Week
Year 5 visit Google
Learning during a pandemic
Esa, Year 5
Kayan, Reception Kayen, Reception
Krishang, Year 2
Sajan, Year 1
Maks, Year 4
Pranav, Year 6
Aditya, Year 3
Kabir, Year 1
Jayan, Reception
Angad, Year 2
The highlight for our school choir took place this year on February 5th, when 29 of our boys took up the invitation to take part in Young voices 2020. This world leading event took place at the O2 Centre on the bank of the River Thames. Our boys were just a fraction of the 8,329 children who sang at the event. We arrived early in the afternoon along with the flock of thousands of other school children all ready to practise. Throughout the afternoon our boys rehearsed songs and dances ready to perform later that evening for an audience of several thousand more. The performance included not only singing but some dancing and stage shows to watch too. The whole show lasted some 2 hours, although the afternoon’s rehearsal took considerably longer because there was much to learn and perfect. “Young Voices”, which is a charitable organisation, stages the largest children’s choir concerts in the world. All funds raised from the evening’s event went to aid the Teenage Cancer Trust and no profit is taken by anyone involved. I am in no doubt that every boy, parent and indeed staff member who attended will remember this occasion for the rest of their lives and we are both proud and honoured to be part of this event.
Well done Year 6! Aviral Agarwal Merchant Taylors’ School (Major Scholarship) The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (Academic Scholarship) Queen Elizabeth’s School Adam Ali The John Lyon School Anuran Bandyopadhyay Merchant Taylors’ School The Latymer School Mill Hill County Slough Grammar School Kesavan Gunaseelan The John Lyon School Nower Hill High School Nikhil Hegde Merchant Taylors’ School Queen Elizabeth’s School Wilsons Grammar School Sutton Grammar School Wellington Grammar School
Samay Kachalia Merchant Taylors’ School The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School City of London School Queen Elizabeth’s School Mikael Khan The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (Academic Scholarship) Merchant Taylors’ School The John Lyon School (Academic Scholarship) Siddart Muralisujeeva The John Lyon School Nathan Nair The John Lyon School Pranay Patel Merchant Taylors’ School The John Lyon School (Academic Scholarship and Drama Scholarship) Sahvan Patel The John Lyon School Rickmansworth School
Aarav Paul Merchant Taylors’ School The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (Academic Scholarship) City of London School (Academic Scholarship) Queen Elizabeth’s School
Year 6 have yet again done exceptionally well with the 11+ and entrance exams and have received their formal offers. Out of a year group of 17 boys:
Sastha Sabarinath Merchant Taylors’ School Queen Elizabeth’s School
· 10 of our boys were offered places at Merchant Taylors School. Two of our boys scored the 1st and 2nd places respectively out of the entirety of applications and received major scholarships from the school. To have achieved both the top 2 results out of 450 applications is a remarkable achievement.
Pranav Santosh Merchant Taylors’ School (Major Scholarship) The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School (Academic Scholarship) Queen Elizabeth’s School City of London School Wilson’s School Jahanpasha Shokri The John Lyon School Darsh Tulsian Merchant Taylors’ School The John Lyon School (Academic Scholarship) Aldenham School St. Alban’s Boys School Mill Hill School Vrishan Varsani Watford Boys Grammar School
· 5 of our boys were offered places at Haberdashers Boys School with 4 of these receiving scholarship offers for outstanding results. · 3 of our boys secured offers from City of London School. · 9 of our boys secured offers for John Lyon with 4 offers of scholarship for outstanding results. 1 of our boys came 2nd highest out of all of the interviews that took place. · 5 of our boys secured the required high mark to be offered places at QE boys. Typically only 10 % of the total number of applicants achieve this mark We have again achieved remarkable outcomes for our boys with the top performances achieved at the country’s top performing schools. We have much to be proud of in our academic outlook.
Year 2 ventured out to Hemel Hempstead to visit Frogmore Paper Mill in Apsley. They arrived safely and were eager to get going and find out what they would be doing. They then met Sue who introduced them to the Mill and explained a bit about the history of the paper mill and how in fact Frogmore Paper Mill is one of the last working paper mills in the country! During this talk Sue showed Year 2 just how easy it is to make recycled paper at home, using a few items such as a blender and some scrap paper. Later on, Year 2 had the opportunity to get their hands dirty and have a go at making a sheet of paper of their very own. They mixed the pulp by hand and added a mystery ‘inclusion’ which they later found out was shredded bank notes, used to make their paper have a little sparkle. Using a mould, the children learnt how to successfully turn paper pulp into an actual piece of paper, being involved in each step of the process. Sue then took Year 2 on a tour of the mill where they saw working parts of it and some old paper-making machinery too. The funniest part of all was finding out about the different ‘inclusions’ that could be added onto paper sheets such as grass, glitter and even elephant poo! (The boys weren’t so keen to touch that sheet). After a well-needed break and a big lunch, Year 2 finished the day learning all about Louis Braille and how his fantastic invention enabled sight impaired people to read. The boys learnt about what Braille is, how it works and had a go at writing their names in Braille too, using a special Braille typewriter. What a paper-filled day! Back on the minibus they went to share their creations with the rest of the school back at Buckingham Prep.
Year 6 were treated to a personalised tour of some of the most beautiful Buddhist manuscripts, printed texts, exquisite images and artefacts in the world at the British Library’s recent Buddhist exhibition. Buddhism was formed more than six centuries before Christ before spreading across Asia, taking with it not only Buddhist teachings, scriptures and principles for monastic living, but also innovative and sophisticated printing techniques which predate western printing technology by hundreds of years. Year 6 were given tasks as they explored the gallery to uncover and analyse aspects of the Buddha’s personal story, the evolution of printing, the inter-relationship between a community and a monastic presence as well as the contemporary practice of mindfulness. Ian, our workshop leader, was not only a font of knowledge, he also exemplified the essence of the calm and contemplative teacher who drew out from the boys their nuanced and highly reflective responses to all that they saw. The boys conducted themselves with grace throughout and I felt exceptionally proud to take them to my previous place of work as their teacher. On an individual level, as much as on a collective level, they embodied the spirit of curiosity and respect and they were a credit to themselves and the school. Thank you so much for a wonderful trip Year 6!
What is Google? Who is Google? Year 5 googled Google in person. They were able to match the abstract concept with a physical entity. Google is a multinational company, an ambitious company that has made its presence felt in all areas of life. Miss Raduca wanted to help Year 5 discover the force that drives Google and meet some of the brilliant minds behind the magic. Year 5 were introduced to computer science and discussed the particularities of the job. Svetlana Guljajeva, Product Solution Engineer, helped them understand the possibilities the field opens up. The boys enjoyed meeting Joanna Chwastowska, who taught them about AI and how computers learn. The thought that stayed with us all is: ‘Computers need good parents'. We debated if computers build intuition, if computers can see and if they can act. We really enjoyed being introduced to X – The Moonshot Factory which is ‘perhaps the only enterprise on the planet where regular investigation into the absurd is not just permitted but encouraged, and even required.’ The day resulted in food for thought. Some of the ideas explored will definitely feature in future lessons. Here's something that you can think about too! https://quickdraw.withgoogle.com/
Four members of Year 6 took part in a Maths Quiz held at Orley Farm School. In total, there were 41 teams taking part from 19 schools. The Buckingham Prep boys were raring to go and eager to take on the three activities contained in the quiz. The boys were split into pairs, with each pair determined to get as many points as possible. Round one was called ‘find the value’. In this round the boys had to use the algebraic clues to work out the value of each of the 5 letters in every question. At the end of this round, Samay and Pranav had scored 10 out of 10, narrowly missing out on bonus points by falling just short of being one of the first 5 teams to complete the round, and Aarav and Aviral had scored 9 out of 10. A good start from both teams! Round two was ‘countdown’. In this round the boys had to use the six numbers given to try to create the target number. There were twenty questions in total. After each question, the teams had to run up to a marker at the front of the hall to get their answer checked before being allowed to move on to the next question. This was turning out to be an incredibly active afternoon, not just for the boys’ brains! At the end of this round, Aarav and Aviral had added another 14 marks to their total, and Samay and Pranav managed 7 points. The final round was ‘the big event’. This involved answering a range of twenty complex word problems. Again, the boys had to get each answer checked before moving on to the next question. The boys continued to work well together, with Aarav and Aviral scoring 18 points (the second highest score in this round) and Samay and Pranav also producing a very pleasing score of 15. Once the scores had been added up from all 41 teams, a presentation was made for the top 3 teams. Aarav and Aviral did a fantastic job and made it into 3rd place, with Samay and Pranav coming a very respectable joint 15th. All four boys tried their best throughout the afternoon and behaved impeccably. Buckingham Prep is very proud of their performance. Well done boys!
The Year 5 and 6 boys took part in the national Primary Maths Challenge once again this year. The first round took place back in the autumn term. Those who scored 20 out of 25 or more were invited to take part in the bonus round in February. Six of our boys had reached the required standard, and all of them were eager to do their best. In the bonus round awards were allocated to those who scored 14 out of 25 or higher. This meant that out of all the schools taking part nationally 710 awards were given for bronze level (14-16 marks), 685 for silver (17-20 marks), and only 195 for gold (21-25 marks). The boys from Buckingham Prep did very well, with 1 pupil achieving bronze, 3 achieving silver, and 1 achieving the coveted gold standard. Well done to all the boys who took part, and a special congratulations to Aviral for achieving gold level for the second year in a row – an excellent achievement!
Bronze: Mikael Khan Silver: Pranav Santosh, Sastha Sabarinath, Nikhil Hegde Gold: Aviral Agarwal
Science Week 2020 has been a tremendous success. The boys have really enjoyed exploring the subjects of Engineering and Architectural Sciences. The week really got into gear once Science Week projects started coming into the school. The infant’s display of bridge diagrams was an excellent addition to the suspense. Wednesday kicked off with architectural workshops based around using materials and patterns in shapes to create giant geometrical designs. One was a giant dome and Year 5 and 6 even created a giant rotating Ferris wheel! What a delight! The fun really got started with the bridge-building competitions. All of the boys who participated made a great effort and sustained various weights. Some boys even stood on them! They were all built in a solid fashion. The activities completed in class by teachers held true to the theme of Science Week, and Miss Raduca’s transformation of the Art and Design room into the ‘Institute of the Imagination’ was simply brilliant. Well done Buckingham Prep on successfully completing yet another terrific Science Week. Keep yourself in motion, until next year!
During Science Week, the art room was transformed into The Institute of Imagination – a space that encourages experimentation, collaboration and innovation. The week encouraged a cross-disciplinary approach to learning with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics. All the boys from Reception to Year 6 have had to apply for a job at the institute and to put their interest in the chosen field to use. The ideas that have been explored throughout the week were directly linked to an essential question or a particular problem. The STEAM approach to learning was fully embraced by the boys, who were seen to take thoughtful risks, engage in collaborative learning and find their voice in the creative process. Tinkering in great STEAM style led to air-powered flying cars, Smart Cities (Internet of Things and AI), Mars and Jupiter rovers and much more. The week offered the boys a wide range of skills that are fundamental to all 21st century learners. We want them to be resilient and able to think critically, ready for the jobs of the future.
Subhang, Year 5 Dev, Year 1
Year 2
have been focusing in Geograpghy on everything to do with maps! They’ve looked at local maps, bird’s eye view, fantasy maps and map keys, finishing last half term by creating their very own park designs. During this task the boys were challenged with not only designing their park but developing a map of it too, including a clear map key and a short written persuasive piece about why people should attend their park. They were given a list of ‘must haves’ such as the inclusion of a specific amount of human and physical features, as well as the inclusion of features such as a toilet block and an entrance & exit. Year 2 went above and beyond with this task and really showed off their skills! There were some 3D models, some IT productions and some carefully drawn and organised designs, all with clever names and well thought out features. They also had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to their peers in our weekly Google Meet on a Friday morning. The boys did this with confidence and were fantastic at listening and responding to some tough ‘boardroom style’ questions! Mrs Doyle would definitely attend some of these parks if they were made a reality!
The Government directive to shut schools caused more than a little disruption and presented us with new challenges in how to educate. We moved our learning environment from the school’s classrooms to our pupils’ homes using online facilities. We taught and assesed work through the online platform “Google Classroom”. We conducted our whole school assemblies through weekly videos shared on social media. We made ourselves available throughout the school day via email. The whole school community stayed connected through the use of social media to ensure the pastoral side of our school was ever present. Resilience, adaptation, teamwork, determination; these are all values that we instil into our boys and it is at times like these that they come to the forefront. Our education did not stop. We continued to teach, learn, laugh and stay motivated. We will look back with pride at this event in our school's history and remember the fantastic effort our staff, pupils and parents put in.
Year 3
have been reading ‘Ottoline and the Yellow Cat’ as part of their English learning this term. The main character of this book is a girl called Ottoline who lives with her hairy companion, Mr Munroe, on the 24th floor of the Pepperpot Building. As the boys read through the book, they learnt that Ottoline is good at solving mysteries, in part due to her eavesdropping habit and in part because of curiosity to explore the world around her. With the help of Mr Munroe, Ottoline sets out to solve a spate of burglaries in her neighbourhood, which she links to the disappearance of lap dogs all over the city. The boys have worked their way through new chapters of the book each week and completed tasks based on the book. One of the tasks this week was to work with Ottoline in creating a disguise which would leave them unrecognisable. This disguise would support Ottoline with her clever plan to fool the thieving Yellow Cat. The boys not only dressed up in the disguise but also wrote a letter of persuasion to Ottoline. Miss Wilson was blown away with the effort and creativity of the disguises and letters that followed. All the boys in Year 3 should feel immensely proud of what they have achieved. Miss Wilson is certainly proud!
Buckingham Preparatory School
18.05.2020
W
e joined illustrator Rob Biddulph in the largest art lesson in the whole wide world! We are officially record breakers and we have the certificates to prove it! Miss Raduca would like to say thank you to all the staff, children and parents for their wonderful drawings. Stay creative everyone!
Harris
Hamza
Rayan
This half term Year 5’s Geography unit was called ‘Water of the World’. They all became water detectives and sorted the fact from the fiction for all things water. Some of the boys even referenced websites and texts in order to show where they got their information from. A very mature skill! One of their Geography challenges was to present a fact about water in an interesting way. This was a competition and the Year 5 boys certainly put their IT skills to the test. Many weird and wonderful entries were submitted on Google Classroom and the BPS teachers had a great deal of fun watching videos and presentations. From baking to magic tricks, Year 5 certainly know a thing or two about H2O. One of them even became an anchorman! Details of the competition results are as follows -: Winner – Jash Patel – Jash put his IT skills to the test and created a video presentation where he became the teacher and shared lots of wonderful water facts. Winner – Erik Pashaj – It is amazing how effective some glasses and a plastic toy can be! Erik shared a fact about how much more water babies consume than the average adult. Runner Up – Mylan Renganathan – Mylan created a video where he visually represented how much of the Earth’s surface is made up of water. Runner Up – Jay – Luckily Jay had a model skeleton on hand. He placed it in a large container and then poured in jugs of water to represent how much of the human body is water.
Harris
Avrial
Subhang
Life in lock down has affected our lives in so many ways and the advent of ‘Expressive Arts Week goes Digital’ was one of them. Under our theme of ‘Africa’, children from Pre-School to Year 6 have been encouraged to enter at least one of the eight categories that were available. We waited with bated breath, watching our Google Classrooms to see who would respond. It is a testament to the commitment of our children and parents to engage in community school events that the entries started to come in, and teachers were able to view and judge the results. We have greatly enjoyed sharing the daily assemblies with the children and on our social media platforms. It is lovely to still be able to do this in school, and see the faces of children as they react to the results in their socially distanced classrooms. Well done to everyone who participated this year. It was different, but still very special. Look out for details of the next Expressive Arts Week in summer 2021!
Sajan, Year 1
Pranay, Year 6
Harris, Year 5
Aarav, Year 2