WelcomeLiving Parent survey. Last week we received the collated outcomes from the BSQ parent survey you completed before the Christmas break. Thank you to the 125 parents who took the time to respond. Even though this was only 1/3 of our parent population, there was still a great deal of information we can use to both celebrate our successes and strive to ensure that we secure an even better provision than ever for our families. Over the next few newsletters I will share some of the outcomes with you and explore the responses that we will be making as a school. Just a quick reminder to send us any achievements – sport, music, robotics, drama, etc. – that you and your children would like to celebrate. We love to see them and like to share the exciting news on our Facebook page. On Friday last week our primary student council held a bake sale with the interesting title - ‘Cakes for Cushions!’ Their aim was to raise money to provide some extra cushions of their own choice for the reading corners and the library. It is brilliant to see the students leading activities based on their own ideas and understanding about what would benefit the school as a whole. Well done primary student council – good to see organisers and supporters from every year group. Learning Last week all our secondary students took their Quimestre 1 exams and there was a very focused approach to these across the school. Exams become a more important part of students’ lives as they get older and are one of the ways in which knowledge is tested, skills are assessed, and future employers and universities can make decisions about offering work or course placements. Of course, exams are certainly not the only way in which schools assess the successful development of students and at BSQ we also place value on the way in which students develop as people. When I write references for students applying to summer schools or universities, I place equal emphasis on their ability to communicate, to listen, to share, to participate and to care as I do on their academic performance. All these elements of a rounded personality are important for a BSQ student. From the Staff and Students Continuing with our teachers and their stories about learning in the classroom this term. This week we hear from Mr Taylor (physics) and Year 9 in Secondary and from Mrs Katerina Taylor and the Y3 students in Primary. Mr. Taylor – Secondary Physics Teacher Since our return from the Christmas break most of my science classes have been continuing to work diligently through their various courses with one eye on the Quimestre tests and, in the case of Year 11, the mock IGCSE exams. The year 13’s, however, have been undertaking their physics Internal Assessment which involves planning and carrying out a practical investigation, analysing the results and producing a scientific report to explain their findings. Topics of investigation have included the solar system, wind turbines, light emitting diodes (LED’s), propellers and earthquakes. It has been very interesting to observe the variety of ways that the students have chosen to approach their area of research. Another exciting development in the department has been the start of the primary enrichment Science Club. Our science technician, Priscila Merino, and I have been delighted with the enthusiasm shown by our small band of year 5 students. In our first session we learned how to use a microscope and how to prepare slides. The students had great fun looking at a variety of materials that they had collected from the garden. Two pictures taken through the microscope are shown below. Can you tell what they are? This week we learned how to build a simple circuit with a motor to power “scribblebots” which we made out of tins, pens and plenty of Sellotape. These were initially used to draw nice patterns but it was not long before the students realised more fun was to be had playing “Robot Wars”! Year 9 Students Mrs. Katerina Taylor – Year 3 Teacher Year 3 have been learning all about the Ancient Egyptians. Over the last few weeks we have learnt about hieroglyphs, Ancient Egyptian homes and some key events in their history. The children have learnt a difficult skill, understanding what BC and AD mean. This concept can be confusing at times and they worked together to create a giant timeline so they could physically lay out the years leading to 0, and the years following it. They are looking forward to learning more about Ancient Egypt, and I think most excited about learning the process of mummification! Dates for your Diary January 30th - Parent CIS meeting. 8am in the library January 30th - Year 10 DofE trip to Chaquiñan January 31st - Year 10 DofE trip to Ilaló January 31st - Parent information session about the Sailing trip to Mallorca. 3:30pm in the library Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update After observing our students throughout the week, during their lessons and break times, it is clear that many of them have a clear purpose and focus for their learning and play. This is particularly evident with our youngest learners; they show great determination and effort when designing and building a tall tower from construction materials, acting out a transaction at the shop or climbing up a new part of the playground equipment. How we nurture and develop this determination is more difficult to quantify. One way we can support their development in this area is by encouraging them to set reasonable expectations and then celebrate with them when they make progress towards their goals. Our students need to hear us say that making an effort, working hard and planning ahead are important. Equally, we must teach them that making mistakes is both natural and actually desirable, since we learn from these mistakes and improve our technique or method the next time we attempt the same activity. Our students must also be encouraged to understand that sometimes they must struggle with learning tasks from time to time, seeking support and advice from around them and working towards their long-term goal. Through this process, the feeling of accomplishment they get will lead to bigger and better accomplishments in the future! On Friday the Student Council hosted their ‘Cakes for Cushions’ Bake Sale, which was a huge success. It was refreshing to see our youngest students interacting with our oldest students, uniting in a common cause. The Student Council organised the whole event and should be extremely proud of their achievements! Star of the week Marcus Madden Head of Primary Being BSQ – Secondary Update IBDP and IGCSE Extra Support Programme Naturally we do everything in our power, every working day, to ensure the success and the happiness of our students. Sometimes though, a little extra help is needed. And even though they are still over three months away, the IGCSE and IBDP final assessments are very much in the minds of our Year 11 and Year 13 students respectively. From Monday 4th February, we will be initiating our Extra Support Programme for these students. This begins with personalised feedback on mock exam outcomes, and the publication of detailed study guides and study planning, helping students makes the best use of their free time over the next few months to study the knowledge and skills that will make a difference. In addition, there will be extra timetabled lessons, for groups and for individuals, both during and after school, as well as less formal drop-in study clubs to which all are welcome. We are also well aware of the emotional strain that students find themselves under during these times. This year we will be introducing an exam session Life and Study Skills course: five classes for students on how to deal with exam stress, procrastination, time-management, motivation and lack of focus. These will be led by our school psychologist, Ms Andrea Carrera, who will also be holding a separate workshop for parents on how they can support their children in these matters. More details on the full programme will be published this week. Jim Wild Head of Secondary From the BSQ Counselling TeamThis week our school counsellor, Andrea Carrera, gives some guidance on Internet Safety
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May 2024
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