BISHOP VESEY’S GRAMMAR SCHOOL
Headteacher’s Newsletter End of Term Spring 2012 Message from the Head
Staff News
What a wonderful end to the term! Amidst the Vesey daffodils and the brightness of Spring, we have ended on a really high note with a memorable production of Guys and Dolls. So much to feature in this half-termly report - a veritable feast of activities in and beyond the classroom. History in the making…..we remain on track to convert to Academy status on 1 April. We join a growing number of schools and the vast majority of grammar schools which now enjoy this new status. Further details to follow in the next newsletter. We are delighted that so much has happened this term, under the Vesey banner, with so much success bringing great pleasure to all concerned.
This term we say thanks and farewell to Julie King who joined the staff in 2008 as a Learning Support Assistant and then took on the rôle of HR Officer. Sincere thanks for all she has brought and given to the Vesey community as a parent and member of staff. She departs with every good wish for the future.
David Iddon Headteacher
Breakfast Cereal Competition
Open-air University? BVGS has one of the most attractive school sites in B’ham. Sixth Formers on non-uniform day at Vesey’s give the campus a mini-university feel, as they catch a moment in the sun with books and chat.
Nationwide Cookathon!
BVGS Musical 2012: Guys and Dolls
A three night run of memorable performances - great credit to all our students on stage and to Sarah Slater, Director, Maryann Dye, Director of Music and Steve Baugh, Producer. A special mention for student leaders for this event, Dan Evans, Michael Riley and Nathan Wescott, who helped steer Guys & Dolls to a brilliant conclusion. Pancake Day in Physics! Julie Wadeson serves this pre-Lent feast to Head of Department, Nick Colclough.
All forms in Yr 9 were set the creative challenge of coming up with a new healthy breakfast cereal to enter the market to help overcome the growing problem of child obesity in the UK. The task brief included market research to product development and marketing. Pictured here is the winning team from White House who invented ‘VeseyOs’ as their cereal and beat Gold House by one point in the final presentations in assembly.
On 8 March, we joined with 20,000 other children cooking the same healthy recipes. The cookathon was run by Sam Harper and Hannah Lockyer, supported by Ruth Hearn. We have now received our official accreditation for Let's Get Cooking. This means we can use the logo and we have certificates to show how we have spread healthy recipes and skills!
Engineering is a winning formula for careers! University of Birmingham Engineering Department arrived with their Formula Student Racing Car on 16 March to talk to Yr10 and Sixth Formers about entry requirements and activities involved in the study of Engineering - a field which is attracting increasing interest from BVGS students.
Headteacher’s Newsletter
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Sutton Schools Parliamentary Debating
On 23 Feb Louis Ng (left) and Mark Poniatowski represented BVGS at this excellent annual event, the brainchild of Andrew Mitchell MP. No trophies on this occasion but all participants are invited down to the House of Commons for a special celebratory visit organised by our local MP.
Vesey Airline Pilots in the making!
Pictured here on 8 March with senior students from an audience of 24 students in Yrs 7-U6 is Vesey parent Niall Huskisson, a commercial airline pilot on long haul flights. He landed into Old Big School to talk to would-be pilots about the rigorous qualifications route and indeed the demanding nature of the lifestyle, beyond the apparent glamour of flying the skies and travelling to exotic and exciting places across the world.
Katch 22 performed ‘Think Twice’
BVGS Returns to Florida!
On 6 March Heather Hodkinson organised for Yrs 7&8 to watch this new hard-hitting and energetic modern play, centred on bullying and knife crime, topics studied during Guidance lessons. It aims to raise awareness on what to do when faced with difficult situations. It empowers young people to become active citizens in their local communities. Actors pictured here in discussion with the audience after the play.
Juvenes Translatores
Students in Yrs 8 - 12 had a thoroughly enjoyable time over February half term when they visied Orlando, Florida. This is the second time this popular trip has been run by science teachers, Simon James and Cheryl Taylor and students are already asking if it will be run again next year! On the trip, students got the chance to ride some of the best rollercoasters in the world, see a variety of wildlife and marine life and visit NASA's Kennedy space centre where they learnt about the space program, saw the launch pads, the colossal Saturn V rocket and experienced a simulated shuttle launch.
Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School was selected along with 72 other schools in the UK to participate in a translation competition run by the European Commission. The competition is called Juvenes Translatores. 1605 schools took part from 27 countries across Europe. Representing BVGS were 6th Form students Natalie Ayres, James Bennett, Robert Cotterill, Tara Manjunath and Mark Poniatowski.
Big increase in quantitative easing fails to convince panel at Target 2.0 Area Finals! BVGS team of 4 U6 students James Arnold, Emma Beresford, Scott Bonetti and Oliver Jupp, Captain, who won their regional heat of the Bank of England/The Times Target Two Point Zero Interest Rate Challenge in November competed in the Wales, West Midlands and the West of England area final on 29 Feb at Sixways Conference Centre, Worcester. They were accompanied by Kathryn Wright, Head of Business Studies and Economics, Mel Harvey former HoD and Headteacher/minibus driver David Iddon. Although not placed in the top three schools, the team gave a good presentation and were praised for their understanding of the effects of high youth unemployment levels.
Young Leaders During Enrichment lessons on Monday afternoons, BVGS Sixth Formers have been running sessions in Tag Rugby, Basektball, Dodgeball and Frisbee at Little Sutton Primary School as part of our Sport Outreach Programme.
Free School Meals If parents/carers think they may be eligible, please go to website www.birmingham.gov.uk/free-shool-meals and then contact Teresa Jones in the Main School Office.
April 2012
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Sixth Form French Exchange to Lyon
Library News Thank you to all the students who donated books to the Schools in Malawi Appeal. Student librarians have been kept busy packing boxes for transit. Huge numbers of books have now been donated.
On 26 Feb 14 Upper & Lower Sixth Form students went on our annual French trip to Lyon organised by Laura King and Julien Jacquelin. The students stayed with families and were able to experience life in France. They attended the Lycée Louise Labé and their eyes were opened to some of the differences between the two education systems. It was not all study! The fantastic weather, allowed the group to explore the city centre. The trip included visits to museums, a guided tour around Old Lyon and of course time for some shopping!
World Book Day
German Exchange celebrates its 15th Year Lots of book-themed activities in celebration of World Book Day on 1st March, including a Special Reading Session across the school during Form Period using the printed word in ancient and modern format! Students also voted for their form’s Top Ten Reads. Book Club members presented a ‘Talk Show’ assembly and a Dingbats competition resulted in some ingenious entries. Congratulations to David Guthrie and Folu Bajomo who were awarded joint first place in our World Book Day competition. Runners- up Tom Hooper, Ajit Bhambra, Declan Nash and Rosharn Robinson also received prizes for their excellent work.
Technology Competition at Plantsbrook On Fri 24 Feb, 2 teams of Yr 8 students attended the Plantsbrook School Annual Design and Technology Competition. Narrowly missing out on the title last year, we are pleased to report a great win with one of Bishop Vesey’s teams in first place, after a three way tie for the lead in the qualifying tests. The winning team members were; Brett Waldron, Charlie Steventon, Ajit Bhamra, Daniel Carruthers and William McCreery. Bishop Vesey’s second team Stanley Flanagan, Stephen Lyncook, Lewis Hawker, Ryan Kainth and Ben Brady came fourth from the ten teams representing five Sutton secondary schools.
Celebrating the 15th year of the German Exchange Dieter Kaleschke and Dagmar Adelhardt brought over 20 German students from our partner school in Bayreuth to spend a week in Sutton from 16-24 March. Highlights of their stay include learning to play cricket, a visit to the Black Country Museum, a multi-faith visit and a joint visit with partners to Drayton Manor. The return visit to Germany is from 23 June to 1 July.
Lower Sixth in action on special visits in Chemistry, English and Geography L6 Chemistry students, Sachin Tandon 6JH, Ashley Hall 6JL and Yuze Zhao 6JL attended a Spectroscopy Masterclass at Birmingham University in February. The students worked with lecturers and post graduate students to produce mass spectra of specific compounds. A great opportunity for students to work in a university laboratory. It also gave them the chance to use equipment that is beyond the budget of the science department!
On 13 March 26 U6 students attended lectures on love in literature through the ages in preparation for the A2 English examination and 25 L6 students attended lectures on Duffy's poetry on 15 March. 5 U6 students also attended a study afternoon at the University of Birmingham focused upon Love sacred and profane in Renaissance Literature. 38 AS students along with Matt Collins, Sam Harper, Ian Bousfield, Elliot Godwin and Bill Potter, spent three days in North Wales studying tourism, rivers and glaciation.
News of former student…...Old Veseyan, Alistair White 1997-2004, gained his doctorate a few weeks ago from Oxford, where he has been studying since leaving BVGS. He has now flown to Perth to start a 3 year geological research post for the Australian government. Exciting times for this dedicated young man and hopefully the start of a successful career. Assistant Headteacher, Steve Baugh has a special mention in Alistair's thesis and rightly so. He is responsible for guiding Alistair into this field of study and for his encouragement in pursuing a place at Oxford .
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Swimming Gala 2012 The Annual Swimming Gala, organised by Brian Davies was held on 22 February at Wyndley, showcasing some outstanding swimmers at Vesey’s with 7 school records being broken. Bradley Lynch 11W set 2 new records, with 3 set by Matthew Price 7PO. Mohammed Ahmed L6 broke the Senior Freestyle record, whilst Harry Bailey 9G set a new backstroke record by some 6 seconds. Red House won the overall event, Boris Stankovich, Leicester Tigers prop, dropped pipping Blue House by a single point, in on our U15s this March for a special front row with Whites third and Golds fourth. coaching session and words of advice to all the squad
Rugby: U12s have done extremely well, winning the plate at the King Macclesfield Tournament, Champions at the Greater B’ham Tournament and winning the Derby GS 7s. U13s won the plate at the Kings Macclesfield Tournament and retained the Championship at the Greater B’ham Tournament. Great wins for the U15s against KEVI Five Ways to finish their season on a winning note and also with the U14s doing well at Solihull and Kings Worcester 7s tournaments. U16s and 2nd XV teams finished on a high note winning both games against KEVI Camp Hill and Shrewsbury School. 1st XV produced some great results, at times playing some of the best rugby we have seen here at Vesey, beating KEVI Camp Hill twice and then ending the season with two great wins against KEVI Aston, winning 40-0 and Shrewsbury School 55-5. Head of Rugby, Zak Feaunati says, ‘Well done to all teams and coaches for a great year of rugby. Next year let us keep improving so we can become one of the best rugby schools in the Midlands.’
Hockey: Over 100 games played in total during an excellent season with some notable individual achievements - representative honours achieved by 6 players. 1st XI finished the season strongly with 4 wins in a row, claiming the double over local rivals QM Walsall. Well done to all the U6 players that will leave us, they have had a fantastic attitude and represented the school superbly. Special mention to first team captain Navraj Degun, vice captain Harry White and Nikesh Patel 2nd team captain for all their efforts this year. The junior teams are all developing and we can look forward to next season with a great optimism. BVGS 1st XI Soccer Team compete in the Birmingham Cup Final on 28 March
Rugby: Greater Birmingham Tournaments History in the making…..BVGS are Champions at U12, U13 and U14 with the U13s having retained the trophy and the U14s having retained the trophy for a second time! All the more impressive since we had never won at any age group until recently! Pictured below the successful U13 A Team squad.
Overall results in Hockey this season 1st XI 2nd XI U15A U15B U14A U14B U13A U13B U12
P 19 17 12 7 11 9 9 10 6
W 8 6 7 5 5 6 3 5 4
D 2 5 3 1 2 3 -
L 9 6 5 2 3 2 4 2 2
Early morning outing on Powells Pool!
Cross Country The fourth and final round of this year’s secondary crosscountry events was held at BVGS on Thursday 15th March. Vesey runners competed well, with Will Poland 7B, 2nd in the Yr 7 Boys event, George Beirne 8W, 2nd in the Yr 8 Boys event and Alfie McBrien 10B, winning the Yr 9/10 Boys event. Pictured below are Rachel Smith and Sam Lacey, competing in the Inter-School Annual Individual Sutton Park Race on 21 March. C ongra tulations
to Samir Ansara, 11G, selected to represent Great Britain in the 1996 born men’s water polo tournament in Lviv, Ukraine this May. Since January 2011, he has been training as part of the England Talent W a t e r P o l o D e v e l o p m e n t Programme in preparation for the European Championships next year.
BVGS raced at Northampton Head, winning J15 coxed fours and J16 double and at Gloucester Head where we won in the J16 double. Great experience on the Thames at Schools Head where the J18 coxed four beat Cheltenham College and Stratford ARC. We look forward to the Summer Regattas.
Middle Field and the Indoor nets in use for the build-up to the cricket season
Published for BVGS by Sharon Weblin, Headteacher’s PA sw@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk. Printed by Jayne Joyce , BVGS Reprographics.