Headteacher’s Newsletter
BISHOP VESEY’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
End of Term Summer 2011 Message from the Head The predicted ‘seven years of plenty’ before us have got off to a truly bountiful start. The academic year 2010-11 has been deemed one of the busiest on record in terms of activities and opportunities. The quality of teaching and learning has continued to improve apace through specific training and increased student engagement. Our capacity to absorb more and more ideas and to continue to be creative in our own thinking is certainly to be applauded. Indeed it was in the recent Ofsted inspection which concluded, not surprisingly, that the BVGS vision and outcomes are truly outstanding. Sincere thanks to all who have made this year so plentiful, successful, rewarding and indeed outstanding in all respects.
David Iddon Headteacher
Staff News
Leavers’ Ball 5 July 2011
This summer we say thanks and farewell to Phil Coulson, Teacher of Physics since 1980 who retires, along with Annette Johnson, Receptionist and Clerical Assistant in the Main School Office for 8 years. Moving on in their careers are Suzi Porter who has been appointed as Head of English at KE VI Aston and Maria Hill Teacher of D&T moves to John Willmott School both after 5 years at BVGS. Peter McNeely Teacher of Latin, moves to Haberdasher Aske’s School, London, Chloe Knowles and Nickiesha Bromley, Teachers of Psychology and Chemistry both return to university for postgraduate study. Danielle Smith & Christelle Lutun terminate short term contracts in Psychology and Languages. GTP trainees Jetender Karra, Suzanne McGuire & Pilar Somoza Fernandez move on to new posts. Michelle John and Ruth Davison take maternity leave as Alison Downes and Sarah Whittle return. We thank all leavers for their service to the school and wish them every good fortune in the future.
Poetry in Motion! ‘Dreadlock Alien’, a former Poet Laureate of B’ham, returned to BVGS on 13 July to offer a poetry performance workshop which inspired Year 8 to create rap style poetry, illustrating and commenting on the social issues that they encounter in today’s world. They worked with great enthusiasm and to very good effect, applauded for the performance of their work.
Ofsted: ‘BVGS Outstanding in Citizenship’ 13-14 June: the HMI, visiting on behalf of Ofsted, judged the overall effectiveness in citizenship to be outstanding, seeing students expressing themselves with confidence, exploring ideas and concepts together and actively challenging different view points in a constructive manner. Teachers were judged to be highly skilled in dealing with sensitive and controversial issues.
In-coming Officer Team photograph courtesy of Studio Cru www.studiocru.co.uk
Year 7 Residential to Abernant 11-15 July 104 Yr 7 students participated in a four night actionpacked activity break led by Head of Year Lynn Penny.
The Stanley John Goode Maths Room Allan Goode (right) pictured with Peter Cragg 2nd i/c Maths and with Yr 9 students on his recent visit to view the splendid refurbishment of Rm 10, funded by a bequest from the estate of Stanley Goode, (Old Veseyan 1917-26) a passionate mathematician and engineer who died in 2010, having had the distinction of living independently until the age of 100 years. An inspiration to our young learners, who continue the tradition of Vesey excellence in Maths and indeed benevolence to others. Our sincere thanks to Allan Goode for this kind support for his father’s alma mater.
Incoming Year 7 hard at work on their Induction Day