Headteacher’s Newsletter
BISHOP VESEY’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Summer Update 2011 Message from the Head Re-energised by the summer break and enthused afresh by this year’s splendid, record-breaking exam results, we have got off to a brisk start to the new school year, acknowledging that it is great to be back in such a welcoming and forward-thinking environment. Once again we are setting ambitious, demanding but realistic targets for the future as we set out to make another ‘step change’ in all we do. TARGET 80 : 80 promises to be an exciting challenge for both staff and students as we now move towards securing 80% of top grades at A level and GCSE. This will require energy, enthusiasm and engagement but above all effort on the part of all connected to the school’s performance. Beyond the ‘exams agenda’, we have challenged all members of the school to adopt patterns of behaviour which are consistently positive and helpful, reaching out to others in communities beyond our own to ensure that our own personal achievements can bring benefit to others.
Staff News We are delighted to announce the following new appointments for 2011-12: Congratulations to Ralph Brocklebank who becomes Head of Year 7, Ian Bousfield to teach Geography as well as continuing as our Rowing Coach, Dr Glen Capper, Helen Pitt, and Beth Gainford join the Science team. Sarah Slater, with a specialism in Drama, joins the English team. We welcome also Naima Field, Teacher of Psychology, Linguists Muireann Egan, Julien Jacquelin and Ruth Taylor-Briggs, Mary Aldridge School Receptionist, Dean Parsons ICT Technician and Julian Whiting Sports Coach with a specialism in Rugby. We offer teacher training opportunities to GTP students Victoria Sobczak (Languages), Chris Wilkes (Physics) and Natalie Timmins (English). A warm welcome to all colleagues joining the staff. May they have an enjoyable and rewarding time here at Vesey’s.
Welcome back to all staff and students!
Rising to these new challenges will be rewarding in itself. We know that we can count on the assistance and support of so many members of the Vesey Community who can see that BVGS offers outstanding educational opportunities. We now look set to make even further improvements to the way we live and work as a school community. Do share in the excitement of this ongoing success and become part of our unfolding Vesey history in 2011-12. Together we can make it happen!
David Iddon Headteacher
Successful A Level Students
What a great end to a Vesey career for last year’s Upper Sixth as they celebrate their success!
School Captain, Andrew Cotterill celebrates with 1 A* and 3 A Grades going on now to study Modern Languages at Nottingham University and (right) Danny Knowles, Deputy School Captain with 3 A*s and 2 A Grades studying Law, also at Nottingham University. We are delighted that so many of our students found places at top universities despite intense competition.
All smiles from in-coming Year 7 students, looking happy, smart and ready to go!
Record Results at GCSE BVGS students have once again hit new levels of achievement with a further 4% rise in grades awarded at A*/A. This year’s record total of 66% A*/A provides the springboard for our move towards TARGET 80 next year.
Five students who gained 48 A*s between them. L-R: Alex McAleavy, Mark Poniatowski, Robert Cotterill, Hasaan Qazi, Louis Ng. Two more new records were set this year: 31 students scored A*/A in 10 subjects, 56 students scored an average A grade across 10 subjects. Well done indeed!
Year 7 Rugby Induction Course Summer 2011 Even before term started, we were offering opportunity to in-coming Year 7 students to meet future classmates and to begin to develop rugby skills for the upcoming season. Full attention to learning and active full-on participation are captured in these photos of a great start to life at BVGS.
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Headteacher’s Newsletter
Student Leaders are set to make further improvements
School Captain Jack Whiting (right) and Deputy School Captain Sam Rhodes set our their agendas. ‘This year we will be pushing for more student empowerment. We strongly believe that you, the students, should have a say in what happens in your school. Whatever you want to do at Vesey, we encourage you to take the lead.’
Etain Devenney (left) Charity Leader and Tom Andrew President of the School Council expect to build on the considerable work done in these areas over the past few years. The ‘Voice of Vesey’ is very much geared to empowering students to become involved in whole school improvement planning and action. Tom says, ‘The School Council has made some great changes to Vesey in recent years and we hope to continue this pattern into 2012. We will be holding elections over the coming weeks and I look forward to seeing you on the Council’. Etain is off to a flying start with the first charity event in the first week of term, celebrating GCSE success and the arrival into the Sixth Form for in-coming Lower Sixth with an ‘End of First Week’ social in the quad. (See back page)
Champion Black Belt
Congratulations to Jon Lefevre who on 26 June became British National Champion in his age and weight category following a competition in Sheffield. He has also been selected to represent England in Portugal in the Wado Kai European Championships and has become a senior black belt 1st Dan in a further style of karate.
Student Leaders for 2011-12 Rugby Captain, Max Hughes, who sets a magnificent example on and off the field has led the 1st XV to a first match of season win over Trent College. Top player and Netball Captain, Georgina Edkins reports that a great netball squad is emerging with new recruits arriving in the L6.
Blue House Captain: Kimberley Monks Officers: Jessica Cottrell and David Bates Gold House Captain: Jacob Beechey Officers: Jennifer Cooper and Rohan Ahmed Red House Captain: Charlie Greenwood Officers: Megan Green and Scott Bonetti White House Captain: Beth Denning Officers: Nikesh Patel and Tom Davies Charity Leader: Etain Devenney Officers: Victoria Weaver and Anil Kataria
Congratulations to David James 10B who notched up his 15th consecutive PB in 15 races at the McCain Young AthEnvironmental Officer: Ursula Smith letes’ League Final at Alexander Stadium Officer responsible for Induction & Mentoring: on Sunday 4th September. Mark Smyth
Academic Student Leaders Sixth Form students, specialists in their chosen subjects, will be helping members of Year 11 this year prepare for GCSE. The help will be focussed and specific and will take place during lunchtime under the direction of Head of Year 11 Matt Collins who is developing many more new ideas.
National Swimmer Bradley Lynch 11W and England Hockey player, Navraj Deegan U6, School Hockey Captain, with their medals from Sainsbury’s UK Schools Games in Sheffield this summer. Navraj won Gold with the England Team and Bradley representing England Central had a haul of 3 Bronze medals from the 400m freestyle and the 4x100 and 4x400 freestyle relay events. Bradley’s PB for 400m freestyle is 4m.02 and he is now targeting Olympic medals!
Opportunity Knocks!
September 2011 Founder’s Day Service 21 Oct - 2.30pm Holy Trinity Parish Church Sutton Coldfield
We are delighted to announce that our Guest Speaker at this year’s service will be The Rt Rev Andrew Watson, Bishop of Aston who will address us on the theme of ‘Leadership’, a topic on which he has already published a book, inspired by reflection on that sign in the back of cars: ‘Don’t follow me, follow Jesus!’ We await with interest his views on leadership - who follows whom and why in both a faith and secular context. His research fits neatly with our current emphasis on the empowerment of BVGS students and the nurturing of their capacity to play a significant role in the forward momentum of our school and of society at large.
In recent years this service has been designed to respond to the multi-faith context of BVGS and to offer inclusive access. It is a celebration of the foundation of our school by Bishop Vesey in 1527 and has become an opportunity for the Vesey Community to pause for thought and to harmonise around core values. For seat reservations, please e-mail the Headteacher’s PA Sharon Weblin on sw@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk
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Year 9 Microbiology Workshop
In July Yr 9 were visited by lecturers and researchers from Aston University for a workshop on microbes and disease. The year group attended lectures on micro-organisms, STIs, food safety, and research and careers in microbiology. They also took part in lab-based activities. On Day 1, students were asked to press their hands into petri dishes of agar before, and after, hand washing to compare bacterial growth. The results on Day 2 showed that the year group are not very good at hand washing! UV light was used to indicate bacteria-rich areas on their hands. They also swapped jars of fluids to mimic STI transmission and managed to trace the original ‘source of infection’ by comparing colour changes. Having swabbed the rooms for evidence of microbes, our advice is to stay away from the door handles in the biology labs!
Senior Rugby Tour to Canada and Barbados 43 Vesey rugby players, accompanied by Zak Feaunati, Dave Goodwin, Elliot Godwin and Julian Whiting, toured Canada and Barbados this summer in temperatures around 30°. The 1st XV won in Quebec, Ottawa, Fergus and Barbados losing only to a very strong U18 Ontario side. The 2nd XV won two of their 5 matches with narrow defeats in Quebec and particularly in Ottawa where they lost in the last minute of the game against Bytown Blues 20-21. Zak Feaunati reports ‘A great tour and one that all boys will remember. When they look back upon their time at Bishop Vesey’s, they will say that it was indeed a ‘Vesey Experience’!’ Members of staff were delighted with the way our students conducted themselves both on and off the pitch and the way in which they have now set themselves up as a great squad for the forthcoming 2011-12 season
Whilst in Quebec our tourists met up with Dr David Belman who shared many great stories of the time when he was fly-half in the BVGS 1st XV, before leaving school in 1952. David was presented with a special Vesey Foundation rugby shirt in appreciation of his kind and generous support for current day Vesey rugby.
BVGS strengthens its historical links with Veseyans RFC Veseyans RFC was founded in 1928 by old boys from the school and although it has been a successful senior club, it is only in the last two years that a junior section has been established. There are now 4 age groups from U12 Year 7 to U15 Year 10 with a mixture of students from Bishop Vesey’s and other local secondary schools. Junior Section Chairman, Iain Tatlow writes: ‘We had the privilege of attending the Year 7 rugby induction and saw the next crop of players heading for school selection in what was a very professionally organised introduction to rugby. The school is lucky to have teachers with such passion and ability and a willingness to pass this on. As our contribution Veseyans Junior’s provided T-shirts for all the students, a BBQ at the end of the two days and supplied the watching parents with refreshments. We are a family orientated club that looks to complement the coaching provided by the school and would welcome any new players in any of the above age groups. If you are interested please come down on Sunday mornings with school kit from 10.00 12.00 at Little Hardwick Road’. Parents wishing to have more information are asked to visit the website and to contact Iain Tatlow on 07792 400569 .
Floral Support!
BVGS is to provide artwork and Funky Bishop music in support of the forthcoming Flower Festival - Friday 30 September to Sunday 2 October at Holy Trinity Parish Church, Sutton Coldfield. For full details visit www.htsc.org.uk.
Headteacher’s Newsletter
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Examination Results Summer 2011
A-Level
GCSE
Phew! As exam results sheets are received, anxious looks give way to smiles of delight! Induction Week 2011: new idea is a huge success
Sixth Form Charity Welcome Party After school on Fri 9 Sept at the end of Week 1, a special new event graced the quad with the aim of bringing U6 & L6 together for a social gathering and raising funds for charity. Staff volunteered to act as targets in the stocks as part of this happy hour! Over £200 raised for St Basils. Great Fun. Great collegiality.
Published for BVGS by Sharon Weblin, Headteacher’s PA sw@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk. Printed by Jayne Joyce , BVGS Reprographics.