Be Inspired

BE YOUR BEST SELF

An Exciting Community Course for Children in Years 5 and 6

This year we were delighted to launch a new and exciting community course for children in Years 5 and 6 at local state primary schools to help them prepare for secondary school regardless of their destination for secondary education.

In the summer term we launched a new and exciting community course for children in Years 5 and 6 at local state primary schools to help them prepare for secondary school regardless of their destination for secondary education.

The programme launched at a time when preparing young children could not be more critical given the recent lockdowns. ‘Be Inspired’ ran over a six week period between May and June and local schools and parents were invited to nominate children who will be invited to attend one or more of the weekly sessions.

The children selected were exposed to new subjects and activities, as well as building on the national curriculum with engaging, creative lessons supplementing the work done in their Primary Schools. Sessions ranged from ‘You Want to Be an Astronaut’, combining Chemistry and Astronomy to Rock Music sessions and sports using the school’s sporting facilities. The lessons were led by teachers supported by Sixth Form pupils, who acted as mentors for the younger children – academically, as well as offering advice on aspiration, university and confidence.

Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head, who headed up the project says: “The aim of the programme is to inspire and ignite young people's passions and interests. We were delighted with the excellent uptake and high calibre of students from across the Wirral who were ably led by our sixth form students in subjects such as climbing, music, team sports, writing, advanced mathematics and career guidance. We were delighted with the excellent uptake and high calibre of students from across the Wirral. We look forward to running the programme again in 2022.”

Mr Vicars, Headmaster, comments: “As a school our aim is to inspire as many youngsters as possible whether it be our own pupils or those in the local community. We are delighted with the response to the programme and hope that through the range of academic, sports and creative pursuits, that we have been able to help prepare the pupils to thrive in their new secondary schools.”

Yoga

By Mr Parry, Head of Yoga and Assistant Head

In a year filled with uncertainty, worry, stress, isolation and remote learning, students have needed physical and mental support more than ever. It was great that Yoga had the opportunity to support the amazing Pastoral support network at the School and to contribute to the hard work of the Physical Education team.

Yoga has enjoyed its place as part of the Year 7 and 8 'Beyond the Curriculum' provision on a Tuesday afternoon. Students have undertaken sessions on physical yoga (asana), focussed balance and breathing and relaxation. One of the favourites is the session on guided meditation where students are taken on some mental journeys with a view to showing them how to relax, lower their heart rate and blood pressure and to manage some of the worries and tiredness that they experience. We speak a lot about research into how cortisol and other natural chemicals found in the body can be reduced through a regular practice.

In Sixth Form, students can opt for Yoga as their chosen activity for Senior Games. This allows them to spend their Wednesday afternoons at McAllester Playing Fields in the atrium of the pavilion. We have had a really successful year and managed to carry on through remote learning using Zoom sessions. Mr Parry has delivered these from his classroom, using the area normally setup for Virtual Reality lessons. Due to the nature of the lockdowns, it was possible for the sessions to be open to other students from Year 11 upwards too which was great. Sessions were also run with the Cheshire Netball squad.

Our main success story this year is that two of our Senior Yogi's achieved places on the first ever Teen Yoga Ambassador Course. Twelve students were selected from around the world, and we were very proud that Georgie Cox and Abi Price, from the Lower Sixth, both gained a place. They have since completed their Level 1 training course and will be moving on to Level 2 in September. Completion of the Level 2 course will qualify them as yoga teachers, and we are hoping that they can then support some of the sessions that are planned for Year 3 and 4 as part of our whole school approach to yoga.

Here are some words from Georgie and Abi about their year of Yoga:

'It has been great fun getting to grips with all of the yoga that we have done with Mr Parry this year. We have mastered some really complex balances, spent time controlling our breathing and generally unwinding from our busy schedules whilst building strength and flexibility. We were so pleased to be accepted onto the first ever Teen Yoga Ambassador Scheme and it took a month of sessions and zoom training to complete Level 1. We learnt about the different aspects of yoga such as breathing techniques, balances and stretches and the benefits that these all have on our daily lives. It was important for us to gain these key skills and to develop our understanding of yoga in order to be able to teach yoga to others when we have completed Level 2. One of our favourite parts of the course was being able to share it with other people and learn different ways of practising yoga. We made some really strong friendships with other students from all over the world which has really strengthened our love for yoga. We are starting Level 2 in September, and this will allow us to be able to teach other students so we are keen to help Mr Parry with some of the planned sessions that he is going to offer to the Prep students. We would recommend yoga to everyone to help with their mental and physical wellbeing.'

Inaugural JP Hargreaves Diploma Awards

By Mr McKie, Assistant Head and Head of History

Five of our current lower Sixth Formers, Maddie Hill, Natasha Keeling, Varun Singh, Ellie Price and Natalie Hallam hold the distinction of being the inaugural recipients of the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma. The Diploma encourages students to cover a broad base of skills and activities, whilst allowing them the flexibility to follow any special interests or talents. Students are rewarded for their efforts undertaken throughout Years 9-11 and the bar is set very high, so these recipients deserve a great deal of praise for their achievement and commitment.

The J. P. Hargreaves Diploma consists of seven categories, each of which is based upon experiences and skills young people might be expected to have a grasp of as they proceed through School and then beyond. The Hargreaves Diploma helps students to explore their successes and experiences and challenges them to consider how they might transfer these skills to their future studies and careers. The result should be a well-rounded individual who can articulate what they can offer a prospective employer or institution. We hope that it will also support them to embody the Birkenhead Way, and therefore enjoy life at School, separate from the rigours of examinations.

Natalie commented as follows: “I found that with the range of opportunities available here I was able to comfortably satisfy the necessary categories to complete the award. Without activities such as the School play and sports teams, I don’t think I would have completed it. I especially enjoyed the Duke of Edinburgh Award: that was definitely my highlight as it was a great experience and instilled in me how to work efficiently as part of a team. Natasha, a keen musician, was able to fulfil the criteria partly due to her musical aptitude, being both a member of Chapel Choir and a regular performer in the House Music Competition. However, Natasha also represented the School in the BBC News Report and in public speaking, both areas that made the award of the Diploma much more likely given her wider commitment to the life of the School. Maddie organised a bake sale and led an assembly in Prep, helping to raise funds for two separate charities. In addition, she also took part in Rotary Debating Competitions and is a regular in School sports teams for both netball and hockey. Varun commented that the criteria for the Diploma encouraged him to take part in activities that he would not normally participate in, including helping with the lighting for the School play and focussing much more on exercise, regularly attending a swimming club to help him gain the award. In a similar vein, Ellie remarked that in striving to achieve the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma, the most rewarding section was the one on ‘service to others’, where she helped to raise a significant sum for charity.

All of the above students got involved in activities that helped both the School and the wider community. They also pushed themselves to get involved in areas that perhaps meant they had to get out of their comfort zone, and for that they should all be highly commended. Working towards the Diploma should hold them in good stead as it has helped them to gain skills that universities and employers’ value – teamwork, curiosity, communication, perseverance, and resilience. I look forward to seeing how the next cohort of Birkenhead School students rise to the challenge of the J. P. Hargreaves Diploma.

Updated School Uniform

The new academic year brought the launch of an updated School uniform, most notably a new range of ties and a bespoke tartan kilt in Year 6 and Seniors. School uniform plays an important role in setting the tone for academic and wider success and students are visible ambassadors for Birkenhead School, both on and off-site.

The changes bring more colour and vibrancy to the uniform, which is smarter and of higher quality. The collective improvement in appearance is significant. In Prep, a new tie has been introduced; although the look of the tie has remained much the same, it has changed shape to a traditional pointed tie and the quality of tie has improved. Seniors students have seen several improvements to their uniform. A new, better quality blazer has been introduced, with more tailored options available for girls. One of the most significant changes is the bespoke tartan kilt, which is to be worn at a length comfortably below the knee. The trousers have a new design with a School crest watermark.

New ties have been introduced, with the red and yellow being more prominent. It was important to the School that the student voice was heard and contributed to the decisionmaking process regarding the changes to the School uniform; the student body has chosen three of the four new ties that have been introduced.

In addition, a new grey school jumper or tank top with gold stripe is an optional item for those cold winter months. If a student wishes to wear a scarf, there is a new scarf design available. The Uniform Shop has also been upgraded. It has relocated to the old Combined Cadet Force building, providing a better setting for parents and students to purchase their uniform.

Happy Thanks-giving Day

Mrs Pankhurst, Deputy Head and Heads of Year organised a day for everyone to take time to say thank you to their teachers, classmates and those who contribute to school life during the Michaelmas term.

Each student and staff member received a white ribbon with an attached message of appreciation for them to display on their uniform. Each year group celebrated the day in their own unique way, taking time to reflect and appreciate one another and those who help them at School. Overdale was filled with white helium balloons to mark the day. Year 11 also took the time to write thank you cards to our catering staff, estates team and the other nonteaching departments who help to run the School.

Continuing Academic Excellence And Widening Accessibility Are Key Themes In The Years Ahead For The Sixth Form At Birkenhead School

Driving continued academic excellence and widening accessibility are two key themes that will characterise the coming years for Birkenhead School’s Sixth Form.

Since September 2016, student numbers across the School have increased by almost 15%. This demand has necessitated a move to a four-form entry into Year 7 and planned refurbishment of the Sixth Form Centre over the next 18 months to accommodate anticipated growth towards approximately 140 A Level students by 2023-24.

Much of the Sixth Form increase comes from a growing trend for students to enter the Sixth Form having completed their GCSEs elsewhere. They are attracted by the School’s academic pedigree, alongside a strong sense of community and focus on the individual. Each student is fully-supported by their Form Tutor and the Futures Team throughout their A Level career, as well as guided in the development of core skills in preparation for the ever-changing 21st Century workplace.

Each year, Sixth Form Access Scholarships are available to those students outside of the independent school system who achieve excellent GCSE grades and impress at interview: a good and positive attitude, a desire to seek out opportunities and give back to the community are attributes desired of all the School’s Sixth Formers.

Hear from Archie and Faith below, who both joined the Sixth Form in September 2020, about their own personal experiences.

Archie “In the long “summer holidays” of 2020, beginning in March, I had a lot of time to anticipate coming to Birkenhead School to begin Sixth Form. Arriving, mask in hand, was as intimidating as moving to any school. A new environment with new people is always a little nerve wracking, but after such a long summer, I was glad to finally be starting. Upon entering the Sixth Form Centre, I was immediately greeted by other students, eager to know the new arrivals. Within minutes, I was getting to know people whom I still call friends to this day. Having bounced around schools over the previous few years, this felt like a novel experience – at no point did I feel like ‘the new kid’. Despite coming to an environment where students had known each other for years, and in some cases a decade, there wasn’t a moment where this felt apparent.

Of course, once familiar with new friends and new buildings, the academics became the focus. I had initially been attracted to Birkenhead School because of the strong academic record and beginning A-Levels here I felt I would be in a strong position heading into exams. A-Levels are always challenging, but within days I had begun building good relationships with teachers and adapting to the flexibility that Sixth Form brings. Being challenged and starting with four subjects can be difficult, but I have always felt well supported in each of my subjects.]While academics are the primary focus of any Sixth Form experience, co-curricular activities have bene a strong presence over the past academic year. Despite being a year stunted by lockdowns and a pandemic, there have been many opportunities to enjoy new experiences and grow in the process. For example, even in the January lockdown, taking part in the ESU School’s MACE Debating Competition allowed me to work on my fear of public speaking – a skill which will prove useful for years to come.

Looking forward, to the Upper Sixth and beyond, the School has provided opportunities and support that has left me feeling confident going into further education. Another aspect that had initially attracted me to the school was the Futures Team and the focus on helping us achieve our individual ambitions. With the support of the school, and the friends I’ve made in the past academic year, I feel incredibly well placed for the years to come.”

Archie has been appointed Head Student for 2021-22.

Faith “In November of 2019, I had the pleasure of visiting Birkenhead School for a tour of the School as I was considering joining for my sixth form years. I was at once amazed by the courtesy and exceptional atmosphere set by the School and knew that this is the best place to complete my A-Levels. Now, having been a Lower Sixth pupil at Birkenhead School I am very firm in my belief that I had made the right decision. Over the past 9 months I have been impressed by the support and dedication of alumni and staff. I have high ambitions to continue my education at Cambridge University and feel strongly that I am being given the best opportunities and support to achieve this goal. Despite some personal challenges, I have been helped through academic difficulties and given the tools to ensure that going forward I am a competitive candidate. Through staff and pupils, I have been given an amazing academic and pastoral support-base encouraging me to succeed and become a well-rounded individual for higher education and the working world.

I have also been able to get fully involved with the school culture, attending sports matches and co-curricular activities which have allowed me to make friends in other areas of the School. I consider myself lucky to have made friends within both Lower and Upper Sixth and I strongly appreciate how welcoming and kind everyone is. Finding my way round at the beginning of the academic year, I was never short of help where needed. The sense of community and warmth is widespread within the Sixth Form and wider school. Staff and pupils alike have treated me in an exemplary way, such that I look forward to arriving each morning.”