Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School Newsletter Spring 2014
Message from the Headteacher At the start of any year, many of us make New Year’s Resolutions. Such traditions go back 4300 years to the time of the ancient Babylonians, who made promises to their gods at the start of each year that they would return borrowed objects and pay their debts! Over the Christmas holiday, I read an autobiography of an Old Veseyan, inscribed with the words, ‘To the Headteacher at Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School, the school that changed my life.’ As we begin a new year I can think of no better resolution for us as a school community than to re-double and renew our efforts to help change all of our students’ lives for the better. Wishing you all a happy 2014.
Headteacher
Oxbridge success
Speech Day 2013 We ended the autumn term on a high with an excellent Speech Day with our guest speaker, Professor David Eastwood FRHistS, DL (below) the Vice- Chancellor of Birmingham University and the current Chair of the Russell Group of universities. He gave an inspiring speech on the power of reading, self-knowledge and advice on how Veseyans can thrive in the 21st Century. It was, as usual, a pleasure to applaud all our returning students and celebrate their successes. We are very proud of every single one of them. Well done, in particular, to Assistant Headteacher, Dave Goodwin and Senior Office Manager, Angela Kite and her team for organising this complex event with such skill. It was a pleasure to welcome again Pat Griffin, who presented the John Griffin Memorial Award, and Anne Troman, who sponsored the Jeavon Porter-Fraser Memorial Award and, of course, Jeavon’s mother, Maureen. And it was good to see David Iddon, our former Executive Head, returning to receive the inaugural Clive Richards VC Award. We hope that David has a large sideboard for this impressive trophy!
We are delighted that six of our students have attained places at Oxbridge. From left to right pictured are Joshua Smith, Mathematics, Robinson College, Cambridge Andrew Hyslop, Engineering, St Hilda's, Oxford, Joe Davies, Philosophy, Politics and Economics, St Edmund Hall, Oxford, Lucy Mills, Chemistry, New College, Oxford, Andy Quach, Economics, King's College, Cambridge , Chris Nowek, Medicine, New College, Oxford. Well done to all these students and their families. I am particularly thrilled that two of the students above have gained places at New College, currently top of the Norrington Table (the Oxford University College league table).
Grease 2014 February saw Big School being transformed into Rydell High for our production of Grease. It was a superb performance, enjoyed by the cast and audience alike. It was a huge team effort but it was definitely worth it. Thanks especially to Ben Woodford (L6), Lighting Designer and Actor, Pippa Gleave (U6), Choreographer, Sarah Slater, Director, Maryann Dye, Musical Director and Steve Baugh, Producer.
Table toppers On 23 January 2014, the Department for Education (DFE) published school league tables. We were delighted to be ranked as the best performing state school for boys with a co-educational Sixth Form in Birmingham and Walsall. Check out the link from the front page of our website: http://www.education.gov.uk/cgi-bin/schools/performance/school.pl?urn=137988 for further details. Follow us on
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