Summer 2013 Issue 10

In TouchIn Touch

Articles include: Headteacher NewS

Key Stage News

PE and Health Faculty News

Rewards Evening

There are always two prestigious awards given at our Rewards Evening – the Headteacher’s and the Governors Awards. This year Jack Jackson was awarded my award because of his countless performances in the school’s numerous productions and his positive attitude towards all school activities.

The Governors Award was presented to Hannah Bailey who equally has supported the school. As a sixth former she has assisted in art classes and this year designed and made the stage set for our school production ‘Schools will Rock You’ which has been loaned to other local schools. She is always positive in her outlook and has been an exemplary student at Bushey Meads.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the students, staff,

It is a great pleasure to present our summer magazine to you. The front cover is a picture of our rewards evening. These evenings are always a great pleasure when we come to celebrate the success of the students at Bushey Meads. This year our guest of honour was Ziggy Shipper, Ziggy is no stranger to Bushey Meads as he was with us in January when we hosted the Hertfordshire Holocaust memorial Ceremony. We invited Ziggy back because we have never had so many requests from students and staff to have a speaker back to the school. Ziggy spoke about the students achieving their potential and to embrace the opportunities they have, which he was denied, when they are young. It was the first time we have had a standing ovation for a speaker – he truly is an inspirational man.

Mr Shipper

Governors and you the parents for making this such a successful year for Bushey Meads.

I would like to close by paying tribute to Dena Coleman the previous headteacher who tragically died last month, just before her retirement at Yavneh College in Borehamwood. Dena was a great supporter of Bushey Meads and laid the foundation stones for the school’s improvement.

Dena did a great deal for Bushey Meads and I am sure our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time.

Mr K Douglas, Headteacher

teaching active and engaging lessons, as well as to share their own experiences with us, of course. Our visitors came from the Kaski District, an area which is known to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Nepal due to its close proximity to the mountains which form the backbone of the entire country. During the course of the three days staff from Bushey Meads and our partner primary school, Little Reddings, explained the relationship between school and government, the varying roles of governors, senior leaders, heads of faculty and department and the vital role of support staff in keepischool running! The visiting Headteachers were particularly interested in how we ensure that our students are participating properly during speaking and listening and group

NNepal Visit

Over three consecutive days in June, Bushey Meads hosted a visit by four guests from Nepal; two Headteachers, one from a primary and one from a secondary school, and two government officials. The education system in Nepal is quite different from our own and our four visitors were here to both learn from us in terms of how our schools are organised as well as to see how our teachers manage students in the classroom whilst

activities and how we seek to ensure that our lessons involve the students in their own learning. In Nepal classes are often made up of at least 45 students and lessons are very teacher led with students sharing three to a table, often. I know that seeing how possible it was to manage groups of 31 or 32 with lots of discussion and active learning as well as seeing how independent, well organised and beautifully behaved all the children were at both schools whilst engaged in this type of learning was of great interest to them. The visit ended with gifts being exchanged; look out for Mr Chambers, our site manager, sporting his traditional Nepali hat!

Dena Coleman

Key Stage 3Using the Pupil Premium to work with families.

Back in the Spring term the school ran a successful coffee morning for our new year 7 parents and carers.

The school gained valuable insight and feedback on what our focus group of parents/carers would like from the school and how we can develop our parents needs, along with the group finding out about what the school can offer families at the present time. The morning proved very beneficial, with our focus group taking an active role in providing useful feedback.

At the moment the school offers family support groups (understanding your teens, getting ready for exams etc.). These sessions are run by Family Lives, who are an external provider and work with families on a variety of issues. The school also provide the very successful Family Cooking sessions and the family school IT work shops for our parents / carers.

Year 7 Coffee Morning focus group, with Mr Fisher, Head of KS3

STEM Day Y7 – May 2013

Science club had a fantastic opportunity to visit the London Big Bang Fair, a fair that showcases not only children’s CREST achievements but also industries latest scientific developments. Sahil Sindhi - Y7 – entered a competition to see who had the fastest reaction time: a special machine that lit up in different places you had to press the button at the right time. The more button presses the faster your reaction speed.

Key Stage 3 Final Assembly the sixth form, Chra Sidik. In terms of prizes, we followed the same lines as each new rewards assembly. The students in the top 25% for merits received a certificate letter and entry into the big-prize raffle. We awarded four Intu Watford vouchers for £25, three for £50, two for £75 and a top prize of £100. Dylan, our singer on the right (who surprised us with a superb Bob Dylan style voice, by the way) was also the top prizewinner.

Apparently he put it towards a new bike.

This year we combined the Key Stage Three final assembly with our new, thrice-yearly rewards assembly. In addition to farewells and prizes, students from Year 9 entertained their own year group with an amazing display of talent.

From left to right Charlotte Dillon, Sara Sidik, Bliss mason, Sara Siari and Dylan Godfrey showed what gifted and brave singers they were. They were helped on the day with musical coaching and guitar accompaniment from Sarah's big sister in

This machine is used to train Formula One drivers. Sahil took part in the competition and won. The prize? A STEM day based around sports science and fitness training. All Y7 pupils could take part. They each did a one hour session, taking part in activities such as “Fastest Foot” – kicking a football as fast as they can. The fastest time achieved on the day was 47kph. Pretty impressive, when they told us the fastest speed a professional football player has reached was 130kph – bigger, stronger and older! Another activity was the “5

metre sprint” – how fast can you run 5 metres? They all tried their hands at beating the “fastest reaction time” on the button pressing machine – Jenson Button reached 89 button presses – Y7’s fastest button pressing score was 50, which is an amazing achievement. Y7’s had a very enjoyable hour, learning about what it takes to be the best in sport.

On April 30th a few selected pupils from KS3, including myself, were given the opportunity to visit the prestigious London School of Economics along with students from 4 local primary schools (Ashfield, Bushey Heath, Highwood and Little Reddings) who have been attending the Maths Masterclass held at Bushey Meads. The trip itself consisted of many parts, which were deemed by many as both inspirational and informative. We were given a tour of the site which allowed us to gain a valuable insight into the daily routine at the London School of Economics and the direct contrasts between University and school

life. The library itself has been estimated to contain an astonishing figure of over 4 million books. One of my most favourite aspects of the trip was the interview we had with leading lecturers, who specialise within maths-related subjects. I realised that although students only receive 12-16 hours of lectures per week, the amount of study required outside of University is huge. A Maths challenge was held to stretch our mathematical abilities to the limit. The questions were difficult and required plenty of thought. Another highlight was the lecture which we attended in the auditorium. Overall, the day was successful and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it.

Sainka Shah, Year 9

Joint School Trip to LSE

Key Stage 4

T his year’s prom took

place at the Noke Thistle Hotel in St. Albans on what was a beautiful summer’s evening. Staff and family watched proudly as the students made their grand entrances. There were stretched limos, party buses, a ferrari and even a fire engine bringing the students to the event in style. Guests were given the red carpet treatment on arrival and whilst the girls looked amazing in their dresses and high heels, the boys also did not disappoint and had scrubbed up well in their suits.

(Shame they didn’t look that smart whilst at school!) After several photographs followed by some refreshments and ice-cream, all of the students partied the night away on a packed dance floor and were even joined by staff for

some of the more decent tunes! The evening was a huge success and not only the perfect way to celebrate the students’ last

five years at Bushey Meads but also an opportunity to say goodbye to those who are sadly not returning to our Sixth form.

Year 11 Leavers Prom Wednesday 26th June

GCSE Champions Triumph at Academic Bootcamp.

The new Year 11s sprang into “Action” on Weds 3rd July as motivational speaker Action Jackson visited Bushey Meads.

Action Jackson delivered a funny and highly interactive 2 hour long workshop aimed at motivating and inspiring the students, now in the final year of their GCSEs, to rise above their challenges and come out on-top in their exams. Whilst acknowledging that Year 11 are faced with various pressures both personal and academic, the message was overwhelmingly positive, focusing as it did on developing self-belief, self-confidence and goal setting. The students worked in groups to develop their revision and exam techniques and invaluable advice on how to manage stress was gratefully received. The students’ attainment will no doubt have received a real boost as they all enter the final and crucial stage in their KS4 education.

Everyone was left with the powerful feeling of “Yes, we can!”.

O n Friday 24th May, we said goodbye to our Year 13

students with an emotional Leaver’s Assembly in the Sixth Form Study Centre. Students entered to the sounds of the number One Single on the day they started Bushey Meads in 2006,The Scissor Sisters – I don’t feel like Dancing, and were treated to a slideshow of photos cataloguing their time at Bushey Meads, some being more embarrassing than others! The day marked the culmination of three days of themed fancy dress which the students embraced with their customary zeal and enthusiasm. On Thursday, staff and students shared a very enjoyable game of Rounders on the field with Elves, Fairies and Superheroes flying round the pitch. The game was most notable for

Mr Newbold taking a tumble but despite concerns there was no serious damage. The Year group have been one of our most successful at Bushey Meads and it was nice to see them honouring their last few days here with the staff who have made it all possible. Ms Smallwood was also back to see the year group for one last time which the students really appreciated. It was a shame the weather was not so kind. Torrential rain and temperatures more akin to November rather than May saw our beach boys and cheerleaders envying Head boy Rob Walsh and his Honey Monster costume. The assembly gave me the opportunity to

thank the Year Group for their hard work while I have led the Sixth Form, Ms Weddle led the rewards ceremony with Penny Grace winning the top prize of £100 in Harlequin vouchers for her attendance and achievement for the year. The event ended with a touching and memorable homage to the year group from Mr Dawson with just enough time for cake and photographs in the rain before students said goodbye to the school for the final time. We wish the year group the best of luck in their exams and future success wherever life takes them. Mr Young

Year 13 Leavers Assembly

Key Stage 5

Alex Hirsh, Year 13, is the first Representative from Bushey Meads to become a Deputy Member for Hertfordshire for the UK Youth Parliament. Alex stood for election back in February. His manifesto called for improving extra curricular opportunities around school, reduced prices for transport and better integration of different cultural groups in schools and the wider society. Although Alex narrowly missed out on being elected the support he received was so great that when a vacancy arose he was asked to become a Deputy Member. In his role Alex represents the views and concerns of young people in the school and local area to put them forward to the Hertfordshire 1125 group for inclusion in their manifesto. This in turn will go to creating a national picture of the issues affecting young people. He is keen to make his mark and be a voice for Bushey Meads. He hopes to help students in the school to get involved like him to make a difference. Fingers crossed, Deputy Member of the Youth Parliament today, Prime Minister tomorrow!

Mr Newbold

A First for Bushey Meads!

At Bushey Meads, the 6th form team are committed to ensuring our students’ receive the correct advice and guidance in order to make the right Higher education decisions. This year was no exception. In preparation for University, the 6th form team arranged for year 13 to visit the University of Hertfordshire for their annual Higher education conference. The day provides an

Driver Safety Event

This year saw the 6th form host the third ‘MegaDrive’ event, promoting safe driving amongst our students. This is a topic which I feel particularly strongly about, especially when Hertfordshire Constabulary report that loss of young lives can be prevented by the simple act of wearing a seat belt. The event is organised by Hertfordshire Highways who bring together a range of agencies who are all working together to ensure we are safer on the roads.

The Police, the Fire Service, the Ambulance service , Trading Standards and Theatre in Education group ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ presented a wide range of seminars designed to encourage young drivers to take simple precautions when driving. The Fire and Rescue Service, for example, through graphic and shocking information and pictures highlighted the importance of wearing a seating, regardless of where one is sitting in the vehicle. Students were horrified by the

types of injuries that could be caused both to themselves and to other passengers, if this simple precaution is not taken.

Hertfordshire constabulary gave students’ straightforward and important advice regarding tyres. They highlighted that a number of road deaths can be prevented each year by simply

checking a vehicles tyres. In addition, ‘Tip of the Iceberg’ encouraged students’ to have the confidence as passengers to deal with aggressive drivers’ and avoid potentially dangerous situations.

The afternoon started with a reconstruction of a road traffic incident. The Police, Fire and Ambulance services

re-enact an incident scene, breathalysing the driver and cutting out the seriously injured passenger. The

scene was extremely dramatic and provided students with a realistic picture of a major incident.

The 6th form team would like to say a very big thank you to Hertfordshire Highways and all of the agencies involved for giving their time to such an important day.

Ms Smallwood

For the Key stage 5 team it is

always an emotional moment when we say our final goodbyes to year

13. Many of us have taught the students’ since year 7 and it is a proud moment when we think of how far they’ve come and what wonderful and exciting opportunities are ahead of them. Our year 13 students’ have worked hard this year. Many are heading to University in September whilst some are taking on the challenge of the workplace. I would like to take this opportunity to wish them all every future success and I look forward to celebrating their A level achievements in August.

invaluable opportunity for students’ to talk to representatives from all major Universities and Higher Education colleges across the UK. In addition, a variety of seminars provided insight into a range of courses and opportunities at university. Following that day, Bushey Meads 6th form held an information evening for parents, carers and students giving insight into the on-line application process,

advice on the personal statement and the financial implications.

If your son or daughter is applying for University in September 2014 and you require further guidance regarding how to apply or the financial implications, please do not hesitate to contact the Key Stage 5 team.

The end of year celebrations culminated in the Year 13 Leavers Prom. The event took place at Bushey Hall Golf Club, a sophisticated venue where students’ and staff enjoyed saying their final goodbyes. The evening, organised by Head Boy and Head Girl, Rob Walsh and Tyrah Sanchez, was enjoyed by all. I would like to personally thank them for all their efforts in making the evening a success. The Key Stage 5 team would like to wish all of our leavers the very best of luck with their new endeavours. R Smallwood – Head of 6th Form

Goodbye

On Saturday 22nd June, some committed and dedicated Bushey Meads

musicians braved the elements and performed at the Bushey Parish Fete at St James’ church. Several inches of rainwater had to be emptied out of the steel pans before they could play, but as the band started up - the sun broke out!

Steel pans

The Senior Choir then sang beautifully inside the church, followed by the Yr 13 BTEC students – with their last official performance together.

A huge well done to all who performed – you were

wonderful, and a big thank you to all the parents and friends who came to support them. Mrs Lavelle

Senior Choir

BTEC Group

At the dawn of the new century, January 2001, Bushey Meads saw out the old and brought in the new with the appointment of Graham King as Head of Mathematics. He came to take over the running of a department which was full of potential— but was not as successful as it could be, or should be. Simple arithmetic will allow you to calculate that in just over 12 years (37 terms, 472 weeks; 2,360 days…) under Graham’s leadership this department has become one of the strongest and most settled in the school. More than that the subject of maths has become an attractive and popular core subject and a successful ‘A’ level option.

But while some will always keep one eye on headline statistics (a subject, incidentally now studied by many at this school — another of Graham’s initiatives) there is another story

to tell. Graham was a quiet man, a most courteous colleague and a valued member of the school community. His department team, one which he has nurtured and built up over the years he has spent here, remember particularly his ability to tackle any maths problem presented to him — they speak with much respect of how he combined

an ability not only as a teacher but also as a mathematician. Students, especially older students, would often bring the most difficult maths problems for his advice. Nothing was beyond him and nothing was too much trouble. To sum up, when it came to solving things, Graham was King. Now he has retired after a career of nearly 40 years in education. It is a break and a rest richly deserved. Mr M Dawson

Bushey Meads Musicians perform at

Bushey Parish Fete

GRAHAM KING — HAPPY RETIREMENT!

On 25th June I organised a quiz night

that was held at The Three Crowns, Bushey.

We were given all the quiz entry money and I organised a raffle, with some fantastic prizes from some local businesses such as the flower shop Bushey and larger businesses such as Marks and Spencer and John Lewis. The pub landlord donated 10% of the food sales takings that night.

Lots of staff from Base attended with their family and friends, and joined in with the pub regulars.

A great evening was had by all we managed to raise £810.00, which is being donated to the SEN sports fund and will be a great help for base. Jo Green

Fundraising for school! £810 Raised

It has been another excellent season for Bushey Meads athletes in the County League. Special mention must go to the Senior Girls team who managed to qualify for the County B League final finishing 9th out of 26 in our region. The girls have produced a very consistent level of performance throughout the summer and can be very proud of their efforts. In the Final itself the girls produced an outstanding effort coming 5th overall.

District Athletics Championships

P.E & HEALTH FACULTY

On Wednesday 26th June years 8-11 took part in the annual Watford District Schools Athletics Championship at Woodside stadium. The day was extremely successful with both Boys and Girls teams coming 2nd in their respective B leagues and winning the overall team B League trophy – a fantastic achievement !

Special mention to Dominic Ashwell in Year 10 100m, Niamh Cooper Year 8 Discus and Amara Francis Year 10 High Jump who were all outright individual District Champions. A full overview of all students who finished in the top 5 in their respective events can be found in the PE news section of the school website.

County League Athletics – Senior girls

It has been an extremely busy summer for the Faculty with the students continuing to show great enthusiasm for curricular and extra-curricular sport. Fixtures have been played in cricket, tennis, rounders and athletics with much success. Special mention to the Year 7 cricket team who have won their District B Leagues and the year 8 team who are currently leading theirs. We have also had a number of inter-form sports activities with the whole school looking forward to the School Sports Day on July 5th. A big feature of summer sport is the District and County Athletics competitions which have proved a great success for BMS

Boys Girls 1 Aldenham 541 1 Rickmansworth 399 1 Bushey Meads 841

2 Bushey Meads 463 2 Bushey Meads 378 2 Aldenham 724.5

3 Francis Combe 382 3 Francis Combe 276 3 Rickmansworth 662 4 St Joan of Arc 293.5 4 St Joan of Arc 240 4 Francis Combe 658 5 Rickmansworth 263 5 Aldenham 183 5 St Joan of Arc 533.5

6 Westfield 216 6 Westfield 140 6 Westfield 356

Overall

GCSE PE Trip to Cornwall April saw the Yr10 (current yr 11) GCSE PE Classes make use of the fantastic Cornish coastline with the aim of canoeing and rock climbing their way to some fantastic GCSE grades. The students had the opportunity to participate in rock climbing and canoeing which was then formally assessed by the qualified instructors for their GCSE PE practical grade. The approach displayed by the students was fantastic, they were keen and enthusiastic and regularly praised by the instructors for their desire to do well. The weather kept fine, although the wind made the cliff climbing and sea-canal canoeing tricky at times. The students made excellent progress and were rewarded with an optional non assessed activity of body boarding or coastal traversing.Everyone arrived home tired but having had a fantastic and very rewarding experience.

B League Results

Special mention to Amara Francis (3rd High Jump) Sophia Wright (2nd Long Jump) and Esther Ayani (3rd Shot) and Nisa Sharif/Charley Stewart/Deanne noel/Amara Francis (3rd Relay) who all finished in the top 3 on the night. It has been a

fantastic season for the girls who can be all really proud of their efforts in a very competitive athletics league.

Dominic Ashwell - Athletics As mentioned previously Dominic Ashwell in Year 10 won the District 100m title. Dominic has had an out-standing season of athletics winning all 6 of his County League races and also coming runner-up in the County Championship 100m Final. Dominic has qualified to represent Hertfordshire in the National Champi-onships in Birmingham. This is an outstanding achievement and we wish him very well in the event. Dominic is the fastest student ever to attend Bushey Meads breaking all school sprint records.