Welcome And so, we come to the final newsletter of the year. As always, we can feel proud as a community of what we have achieved this year. After such a long time at home, the BSQ school and its people are back with life and a love of learning that is as strong as ever. At the end of each year, we say goodbye to staff members and students who have spent time with us here at the school and whose thoughts and actions have been such an important part of who we are. This year we say goodbye to a large group of staff, many of who made the commitment to stay here with us through the pandemic and beyond and have been such a critical part of our regrowth. I know I speak for the whole community when I say thank you for everything the staff team at BSQ have done for the school and its students and, of course, we will be saying special goodbyes to the team at the end of term. In particular, I want to thank Marcus Madden. He was a breath of fresh air when he arrived at BSQ in August 2018 and has been a strong advocate for our values and a much appreciated colleague ever since. Marcus always puts his colleagues and his students first and works hard to ensure that everyone has what they need and can focus on their work or learning. As he moves with his family to his next position, I know we all wish him the best of luck and will miss him here at BSQ. Thank you, Marcus. Thank you everyone. Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update After four years of sharing all the wonderful achievements of our students and teachers, this is my last official Primary update of my time here at BSQ. The progress that the students have made during this time have been remarkable, not least during the period we were online during the pandemic. It would be hard to focus on one event or activity that I will remember the most - the students have made us all so proud to live and learn together with them and I will take many very happy memories of my time at The British School Quito. This week and next we have a variety of events to celebrate these achievements and to recognise students who have really lived our school values. Please do watch out for these announcements and encourage your child to share the events from school. We are in the process of rearranging several events and trips that were postponed because of the online period - once these are confirmed, we will let you know the new dates and arrangements. At the moment, these are the confirmed events and activities in the coming days:
I would like to personally thank each and every member of our wonderful school community for the welcoming and caring way you have accepted myself and my family into your lives and we look forward to hearing all about the continued success of BSQ in the future. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 4 trip Year 4 are currently learning about 'Fast Fashion'; what it is, how it is damaging our planet, and how people in the industry are not treated correctly. On Thursday 9th June, Year 4 visited the Hilacril clothes factory, Tumbaco. The factory goes against what the world knows from 'fast fashion'. We were able to see how employees can be treated well; how clothes can be made in an eco-friendly manner; and, learn how clothes are actually made from the beginning process to the final end product. After a busy morning learning all about the factory, we had time to play and finished the day with ice cream. The students were all fantastic! The way they listened, moved around the factory and grounds, asked questions and generally conducted themselves was all great. It was truly a fascinating trip, and we were very proud and impressed of how the Year 4 students acted throughout the day. Year 4 Team Celebration We would like to share with our BSQ community that José Sebastián, Year 5, participated in a National Enduro Tournament in Portoviejo and Manta on June 11th, where he obtained 2nd place under his category. Being BSQ – Secondary Update Well, we are finally at the end of the year, and this is the last newsletter update from me. It has been a great challenge for everyone this year. Interestingly I reflected on this with the Secondary Leadership Team, and we compared the first year in lockdown when we were fully online to this year. We all felt that we have had to be more flexible and resilient than ever this year. The staff, students and parents have achieved a great deal in this time with much normality coming back to school (eventually). I am hugely proud of year 11 and 13 who have coped well with formal exams and assessment, and year 13 particularly who have navigated this and what comes next. There is of course change coming with students and staff leaving and arriving. It is important to tell you how excited I am to welcome the new staff who are coming. In my position I have the privilege of being able to be part of the process of selecting them for the school. I am confident in reassuring you how enthusiastic they all are about being part of our wonderful school and community. We have been very careful to ensure that we have ongoing and excellent leadership joining the team to take us to the next steps. This is perhaps an opportunity to briefly introduce you to Ms Standley and Ms Sanchez Martin who will be taking leadership positions in the secondary school. Laura Standley is currently in the UK and is a Humanities Specialist. She is leading on curriculum in her current school with experience and success in staff leadership and adding innovation to academic curriculum design. Cecelia Sanchez Martin is extremely experienced having worked in the UK as a Mathematics specialist and the Middle East. Cecelia is Bilingual and is currently leading pastoral provision in challenging circumstances where she has excelled. Both will add a great deal to the team, and I am looking forward very much to working with them in taking things forward. There are a number of farewells to be made to staff and students and there we have activities planned for this to take place. From me, the Secondary team has been hugely successful this year. There have been lots of occasions when I have had to call upon them for changes or adaptations, which inevitably create more work for us all. Thanks to them all. I look forward to seeing you all at the graduation and award events over the next week. Have a great week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary
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WelcomeLast week I wrote about all the exciting activities taking place at the school and this week I need even more space! On Monday our staff attended Climate Change education workshops led by our own in-house sustainability team. As part of our campaign to achieve the Bronze Award from Educcate, all our staff need to have a strong understanding of what Climate Change is and how we can work to mitigate against it On Tuesday our Key Stage 2 students presented their very own art show. We have some amazing artists and I cannot wait to see what they will do when they get to IB! On Wednesday we ran our first in-house and face to face SSD workshop focusing on managing stress. It was great to see parents back in the library enjoying coffee, sandwiches and words of advice from our team here. On Thursday Key Stage 1 had their Sports Day. Amazing fun and games on the big pitch and roundabout. With thanks to all the staff who organised AND took part! Year 4 also had an adventure when they visited a local factory to find out about ethical clothes making. As if that was not enough, the EYFS team enjoyed their mythical Creatures day as a culmination of their learning this term. Finally on Friday Key Stage 2 students had their own sports day. What a week! All the time these exciting activities are taking place, our students are also completing their end of year tests and exams as a celebration and demonstration of their hard work and learning this year. A wonderful week of living and learning together. Development at BSQ. Finally, some updates on school plans moving forwards. In January all the parents completed the annual survey and the action plan that came from that is already in motion in many ways. You can see the action plan here. As you can see, we have already begun the after school activity programme, there is a school musical taking place this term and I have already shared with you the plans for our new swimming pool and early learning area. This summer there will be work underway at BSQ to ensure that facilities are updated and students can enjoy them when they return in August. Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary UpdateNot a day goes by in Primary whether there is not an amazing sharing of learning or a new opportunity for our students to continue their social, emotional or academic development. The Key Stage Two Art Exhibition, superbly led and coordinated by Mrs Davila, was a huge success across the school, with most classes visiting the exhibition and marvelling at the talents of the Key Stage Two students. The Year 4 trip to see a working garment factory opened our students' eyes to the inner workings of an ethical business right here in Ecuador, learning about the processes that create sustainable products and gaining knowledge that they will use to compare this type of business to others in the wider world. And our youngest students from Caterpillar class turned into Mythical Creatures for the day, sharing their consents and excitement around the campus (and in the process, learning more about the bigger school). This week, we continue the transition process to the new classes and year groups, with Year 6 in particular experiencing a full week of Secondary activities. In most cases, the students have been able to meet or be introduced to their new teachers for next year - this will perhaps have raised some questions from them, so do encourage them to pass them onto their class teachers. In the coming weeks, we also have the Key Stage One trip on Tuesday 14th June, Drama presentations between Monday 20th and Wednesday 22nd June and then the Key Stage Two trip on Thursday 23rd June. Mrs. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Y3 updates Year 3 started their research project this term on famous Scientists, specifically looking at Chemists. On Monday we had the chance to be taught by Ms Todd from secondary science. We were taste testing different foods and talked about their sour or soapy taste. Once we had done this in the classroom, we moved to the science lab where we were able to carry out an experiment to see if these were acid or alkaline. Year 3 worked together carefully to add universal indicators and see the different colours of acidic and alkaline substances created. Ms Todd then ended our wonderful lesson by adding potassium to water and we saw how the metal produced a purple flame. This really captured the imaginations of the class and has inspired all to look at what our scientists are famous for. Also, this week we celebrated the end of our work on famous artists. Year 3 have been looking at Ansel Adams and looking at what influenced him and his art. For the KS2 art exhibition we produced two pieces of art to display. One was a water colour picture inspired by Ansel Adams' love for National parks. We used a familiar image from Cotopaxi National Park as our inspirations. The class also created mixed media pieces using one of his famous photographs. The children layered water colours, magazine cuttings, charcoal and photos to create their pieces. Being BSQ – Secondary Update We have another exciting week ahead as Year 11 are out on their work experience in various locations. This is an excellent way to get some career ideas and also understand the demands and accountability for working life. We welcome year 6 students to the secondary school to experience learning with the secondary teachers. They really are starting to feel like young adults now and the activities lined up are going to be lots of fun. Year 12 will be put through their paces this week to test their leadership, teamwork, communication and their ability to problem solve. They are under the microscope amongst the fun as we are looking at who may be appointed to the new and prestigious positions on the Student Leadership Team for next year. Good luck to them all. Year 8 are finally out on their residential event which was supposed to happen as the Pandemic struck. I know that they are all looking forward to this and with the support and guidance of Ms Espinosa and Mr Newman they will all have an amazing experience. If that was not enough, we also have our silver D of E students who are away on their practice expedition which I am pleased to be part of. I am a strong believer in learning outside of the classroom where we all benefit from experiences away from the norm. I am looking forward to sharing lots of pictures next week. EAL In EAL in recent weeks, we´ve been reading and writing limericks which has meant exploring words that rhyme and using our humour and imagination to do so. We have also been looking at the ´I wish + simple past´ structure to talk about what we and the animals in the images might wish for. What do you think these animals are wishing for? Mrs. Nicola Berry de Salgado, EAL | SAL Teacher
Have a great week everyone. Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary WelcomeIt is always busy at BSQ but last week was particularly exciting! Alongside the visit from Karl Wilkinson and David Jones, we also celebrated Children's Day and Queen Elizabeth II´s Platinum Jubilee. Visitors to BSQ We welcomed David Jones and Karl Wilkinson who both enjoyed their week and spent time meeting with parents, students and staff in preparation for the new school year. Childrens´ Day Our wonderful CAS students in Year 12 made their traditional Children's Day visit to Sinsoluka to share donations, play games and spend time with the children who live and learn there. With thanks to the staff who supported and to the Early Years team at BSQ who helped collect donations and to the many families and staff members who shared gifts. The Jubilee As many of you will know, we celebrated the start of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations with our own fun and games, music, a delicious lunch from our canteen staff and (probably too much!) ice cream. What an amazing achievement to have been in the same job for 70 years! British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our staff members will be demonstrating new signs: Queen and seventy, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update After an extremely successful Career’s Day last week, with an excellent variety of professions being showcased, we now move onto an Art and Sport’s based week, alongside a Year 4 trip to a clothes factory to learn about ethical clothes making. On Tuesday, Key Stage Two students will share their art creations with each other – please watch out for photos of this in-school event. On Wednesday, the Student Support Department will host a Parent Workshop for all parents from early years to Year 6 (and also Secondary parents too) on the theme of change – this will be hosted in the Library at 8:15am, straight after drive through. On Thursday for KS1 and Friday for KS2, we will host a Sports Day, so please do send your child in with the appropriate House T-shirt, sports clothes, hats, water bottles and sunscreen on those days. This week, we will also share with you more details about the teachers and classes for next year, ready for the students to meet their new teachers in a Changeover Session on Monday 13th June. This change can potentially be a challenging time for our students, as they start to think about moving up to a new year group and learn with new teachers. During this time, we are here to reassure our students that everything will be fine and that it is natural to be anxious about what might happen. Try to get your child to think back to other changes in their life and focus on the positives in both those events and the opportunities that will arise as a result of these upcoming changes. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 6’s Ibarrian Adventure! Well, here we are, nearing the end of the year and the nearing the end of Primary for our Year 6 children. Yet with all endings, there is a beginning and, as I stood on the grass below a giant Ceibo tree, on the grounds of the hacienda we were staying at on our Year 6 trip, watching our children jump off a platform some 15 metres above me (attached to suspension ropes), I reflected on how far these human beings had come, and what opportunities lay ahead of them and – I have to add – how much I would miss having each of them in my life. For many of the children, it was their first time away from their parents for quite some time. Although a bit quiet to begin with, the kids were soon chatting and laughing on the ride out of Quito. Our first stop was some beautiful waterfalls near Ibarra, followed by a trip to our very own hot springs! The children LOVED the hacienda at CEIBO headquarters and spent lots of time in the games room and playing outside. My hat off to Jose Tomas who smashed me at table tennis. As well as Julian who, on the final morning, joined me for a massive round of sets involving just the two of us. So great for Mr Burbano and I to spend quality time with these children whom we have spent nearly a whole year with. Mr B was, of course, with us as well; guiding and helping the children and getting involved in every activity. We would be lost without him – no more so than when the children were learning valuable first-aid skills on the final day. Mr Burbano volunteered to be the victim and the children were able to use teamwork to transport him – using just their hands – around the room. Great work kids! Yet all good things must come to an end, eventually, and so it is with our Year 6 family. It has been quite an adventure with its fair share of ups and downs, but one we will remember for the rest of our lives. We will miss the children greatly, but we are confident in the knowledge that each of them leaves Year 6 with the ability to progress to the next stage of their education. Suerte mis amigos! May adventure and challenge find you and may you rise to meet both, equally. With respect and best wishes, Mr B and Mr K Careers Day On Thursday 2nd June, Primary had our annual careers day, where all of our students have a chance to learn about different community members' careers. Including, what they love about their careers and what they find a little bit more difficult and the steps they took to get to their careers. They also had the chance to dress up for a possible career they want in the future, this was a great way to see different people's aspirations and inspire our students to discuss what they want for their own futures. In Key Stage 2, we also had a fantastic house event which allowed us to guess careers and complete a challenge of teamwork. It was a fantastic day, enjoyed by all! Thank you to all of our volunteers who gave such inspiring talks and thank you to all of our teaching teams who help organises such incredible events in school. Now have a look at all of these photos. Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Being BSQ – Secondary Update I had great pleasure in being able to attend the celebrations for the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II hosted by the British Embassy at the Marriott on Wednesday evening. It was a wonderful event and what made us incredibly proud was the representation of the school by our hugely talented senior students. Nerves were nowhere to be seen as they sang the UK and Ecuadorian national anthems in front of some very important and influential people which included ambassadors from other countries. We had the opportunity to speak briefly with the British Ambassador who was very gracious in his praise of the students involved. Well done to Aitana, Oliver, Felipe, and Annabella. We are all incredibly proud of you and thank you for representing the school so well. You were AMAZING! This week has also seen the start of the futures program for Year 13. The curriculum was introduced last year and is aimed at giving year 13 a few weeks of learning outside of the norms and arming them with some more focused experiences as they head off to their next steps. One of the events this week was self-defence. We have armed them literally! I was very amused (as were his friends) to observe one of our students who found it impossible to hold the instructor’s wrist (Much smaller than him) in the breakaway techniques. Well done to them all for their participation and for not injuring each other in the session. Finally, this week I am pleased to be able to update you on our extremely talented footballer in year 7, Ivan. He is training after school at a high level and is playing regular fixtures with players of his ability. I understand that he has scored goals in every game so far! He is progressing very well playing small tournaments currently but in the next couple of weeks he starts playing as part of the AFNA (Non-Amateur Football Association). You can see Ivan front row 2nd from the right. Y10A Art students in Year 10 are putting together their art portfolios for component 1 as part of their first year of the IGCSE Arts and Design program. The topic they are exploring is Alive, and they have different subject matters such as feelings, plants, hybrid beings and their friends. After 7 months of exploring ideas, imagery, reference images and reference artists, they are ready to start their final pieces. The images you are looking at are some of their portfolio pages, a preparation for their final pieces which you will be able to see in the upcoming weeks. Ms. Belén Arellano, Art Teacher | Y10A tutor Have a great week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary Welcome I hope you all enjoyed the long weekend as now we head into the last few weeks of this academic year. It is definitely time to reflect on all that has been achieved and to look forward to all the celebrations for the end of term. What a joy it is to be able to celebrate our academic and personal student awards, our graduation ceremonies and even an end of year musical - Aladdin. It is exciting to share with you some plans for the coming months as we look forward to: Sports Days; exam outcomes; various trips; values reviews; parent workshops; the rebuilding of our BSQ swimming pool; development of our EYFS outdoor learning and play areas; covered sports areas and new arts buildings. BSQ always prides itself on excellent teaching, student growth and leadership opportunities and forward thinking curriculum content and it is exciting to contemplate the growth of infrastructure and facilities alongside that. With so many opportunities to enjoy time together over the coming weeks, let’s take time to celebrate the hugely successful return to BSQ life we have all achieved together since August 2021 and look forward to the wonderful future ahead of us. British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Year 5 students will be demonstrating new signs: wind and snow, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Sinsoluka Drive As every year on behalf of all BSQ students, CAS y12 students are celebrating Children's Day with 75 kids at Sinsoluka, June 1st. To reach more donations; Nursery and Reception will be collecting toiletries, and socks from primary, and ks3 community projects, as well as y12 students will be collecting clothes, school and household supplies, old backpacks, shoes and toiletries for men and women from secondary, teachers and admin staff. The class or year group who brings most donations will win a Pizza Party. With your support, we can provide a memorable day for the children at Sinsoluka. Pre-enrolment process This is a kind reminder to all BSQ families to fill out and complete the pre-enrolment link for next academic year 2022 - 2023. Please keep in mind that there is one link per student, once complete the form, you need to send the pdf file to [email protected]. The deadline is this Sunday, June 3rd, 2022. Thanks in advance for your support. Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update We hope you all had a relaxing long weekend with your family and friends, ready for the last five weeks of this academic year. On Monday 30th May we welcome prospective new parents to the Early Years section of the school to see our wonderful play and inquiry-based provision there, while on Thursday 2nd June we hold our annual Careers day, with lots of contributions from members of our community. This is a unique opportunity for the students to learn about different professions and career paths and start to think about their own future career choices. Please do ask your child about these sessions and help them to start to discuss the different career choices they are interested in (at this stage of their life) and the things they would need to focus on to achieve these. Although we know young students often change their minds a great many times before determining on a career path, this process is supported by us exposing them to a wide variety of choices as they get older. As we shared last week, there are a great many events and activities coming up during the remainder of the year - please do ask if you are unsure about anything and we look forward to sharing these with you via this newsletter and the Class Blogs. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 1 team In Year 1, we carried out 'The Skittle Experiment'. We arranged the Skittles into a circle shape and made predictions about what would happen if we poured warm water over the Skittles. 'The Skittles will melt'. 'The Skittles will disappear'. 'The colours will change'. We observed, as the Skittle colours diffused into the water to create a wonderful rainbow. We learnt that warm water causes the colours to dissolve. We loved the experiment and enjoyed eating the Skittles after! Celebration We would like to share with our BSQ community that Emilia, Year 2A, participated in a National Gymnastics Tournament in Cuenca, where she obtained 5 silver medals - 2nd place under her category. Well done Emilia, congratulations for this achievement! Being BSQ – Secondary Update With the shortened week things went extremely quickly. The exam season is almost over now with year 13 complete and year 11 with just three small science exams next week. Both year groups were recognised for their hard work by being allowed some time at home. Year 13 are back this week for what looks like a really exciting futures programme that is designed to prepare them fully for the next steps. Well done and thank you to Mrs. Todd, Mrs. Madden, Miss Leon, and the wider staff for putting such an excellent set of sessions together. We have a very busy few weeks ahead with the IB Tasters, IG Tasters, Exams, Year 12 Mocks, the CAS project for year 11, a Year 8 residential, the Silver practice D of E expedition, and the Year 11 work experience week. All of these events take a huge amount of planning and we are confident that this will be a memorable end to the year for all involved. I am sure that you have noticed the exciting residential events that are planned for every year group next year. Please can you remember to complete the survey so I can gauge your feelings as parents with regard to the proposals? A couple of the events are at the start of next year so there will be some contact in the next week or so to start the registration process. Finally, thank you all for your support with the Sinsoluka school project. There has been a huge response and our year 12 students will be visiting the school this week to spend some time with 75 children and also deliver the very generous donations. Once again, our students will be representing the school so well. We are extremely proud of them all. Well done to all involved and to Mrs Montenegro for coordinating this important CAS project. Year 9 update Year 9's have been diving deep into mindfulness during the past 3 weeks of their Life Skills lessons. Finding relaxing places around the school students have explored mindful drawing, breathing techniques for relaxation, body control and mediation. They are a long way on their journey but have enjoyed the challenges it faces and hopefully, they have the skills to help them whenever they need it. We wish them the best of luck in their up and coming exams and it is incredible to witness the number of house points getting the 2nd highest total of the school for this term. Furthermore, a vast improvement in taking responsibility for their own organisation and their human pyramid making skills. Well done year 9! Mr. Brad Edwards, Mrs. Rachael Parkinson, Y9 tutors Have a great week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary WelcomeOn the Meaningful May calendar, May 23rd suggests that we ´Recall three things that you´ve done that you are proud of. ´ In the busy world of work, school and family, it is easy to forget to feel proud of what has been achieved and only focus on the negatives, so this is an important activity for everyone. Last week I asked a few people at BSQ what they were proud of having achieved here this year and this is what they said and thank you to them for sharing. ´Developing a drama curriculum and opportunities for students to perform! ´ ´Getting enrichment up and running again after COVID and having after school activities. ´ ´Using the professional autonomy I am given effectively to attract wider interest in our school. ´ ´Helping to develop the independence and resilience of our students. ´ ´Being more confident in my learning and being less anxious. ´ ´Facilitating and building meaningful groupwork in classes. ´ ´Meeting my important deadlines even when they are challenging.´ ´Being strong enough to say how I feel.´ As BSQ parents and friends try it yourself. What are you proud of having achieved as part of our community? As we move forward into the final weeks of this school year, we will be holding all our usual events and celebrating the achievements of our students in graduation and award ceremonies. This is a time to acknowledge their achievements and to be proud of them. Watch out for dates, times and invitations. British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Year 2B students will be demonstrating new signs: hot and cold, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead EYFS Event for potential families A place for every learner to explore, play and learn! BSQ invites interested families with children aged 3 - 5 who are not yet enrolled at BSQ to join our EYFS Event this Monday May 30th at 3:45PM. Register here: https://forms.gle/1B6sAJhPxYqgdYhz7 and discover how our broad and balanced EYFS curriculum builds strong foundations for lifelong development and wellbeing. Sinsoluka Drive As every year on behalf of all BSQ students, CAS Year 12 students are celebrating Children´s day to 75 kids at Sinsoluka, June 1st. To reach more donations; Nursery and Reception will be collecting toiletries, and socks from primary, and KS3 community projects, as well as Year 12 students will be collecting clothes, school and household supplies, old backpacks, shoes and toiletries for men and women from secondary, teachers and admin staff. The class or year group who brings more donations will win a Pizza Party. With your support, we can provide a memorable day for these kids. Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update With only six weeks of this academic year left, our focus in Primary turns to making sure our students feel ready and able to move to their new year group and feel comfortable sharing their questions and concerns with their teachers. We call this process Transition and each class will start to discuss this transition or change in the coming weeks, with a key focus on wellbeing. The teachers are currently writing the end-of-year reports and the students are undertaking a variety of both formal and informal assessments so that we pass on the most up-to-date information to each student’s new teachers. There are also lots more learning opportunities coming up, with a variety of trips, events and activities planned for the end of the year. Please do note these in your diaries and wait for more information as the time comes nearer. Many of these events are for your information only – your child may need to wear particular clothes or bring in costumes etc. We will share photos of any internal events with you all.
On Thursday, Early Years students will have the opportunity to receive their second COVID injections and then return home. Early Years students who already have this injection will come to school as normal. Similarly, 9 and 10 year old girls have the opportunity to receive their HPV vaccination, with the choice to remain in school or to go home after their injection. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 5 Newsletter entry This term in Literacy Year 5 has been investigating the hot topic of ‘zoos’ – whether they should continue to exist or whether they should all be closed down. Through detailed research, the children have found a range of reasons for closing zoos down such as issues to do with keeping animals in cages, or that some animals live shorter lives when kept in captivity. They also found reasons against closing zoos down, for example saving endangered species from becoming extinct, or helping to educate the public about conservation. Check out a great video about this topic at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DlBJlahU1g In the end, each child had to decide which side of the argument they were on and write to a government official in the UK expressing their opinions. Here you will see a range of their final letters which introduce the issue of zoos before going onto argue their opinion using research, facts, statistics, quotes, and rhetorical questions. Mr. Kevin Dobson, Year 5B Teacher Being BSQ – Secondary Update It was lovely on Friday to be able to celebrate with our students the wonderful achievements in lessons and other areas of school life. There were some special mentions during the ceremony for areas out of the ordinary. We have introduced a new leadership award and this is to acknowledge the wonderful leadership skills and qualities our older students regularly display. This time it was a joint award due to some impressive work by Annabella in year 12 and Elisa in year 13. Annabella has been a great credit to the school in her recent leadership of Green week and activity connected to the student council. She has given an enormous amount of her own time to deliver some outstanding organisation to consistently great success. She is clearly someone who is going to be a mover and shaker in the future. Elisa has also driven a number of initiatives recently with the CAS projects she has been involved in by raising a significant sum of money. She is determined and delivers the detail that is required for success. Both of these influential students are hugely positive role models for our younger students and we are all very proud of their achievements and success. Well done both. For many years I have led and assessed in the Duke of Edinburgh’s award. It was wonderful to see our Bronze award winners presented with their badges in the award ceremony on Friday. Mr. Dobson has led the award in his time at BSQ excellently. His planning and preparation of students is some of the best I have seen in over 20 years. I was extremely pleased for him that in his last year expeditions were back on and children were awarded. The expedition is perhaps the wow factor but the award extends to much more than that with students spending a huge amount of time learning a skill, completing something physical, and giving service to the community. We should all be very proud of those involved and we all wish them the best as they head towards Silver. This allows me the opportunity to announce some changes to student voice and responsibility from next year. We currently have a student council and this will be improved further next year by the appointment of a student leadership team made up of selected students in year 13. We are looking at them very closely as we approach the end of term and there will be some further opportunities to show their resilience, leadership skills, and their desire for the responsibility before the end of the year. The team will enjoy a meeting once a month with the school leadership team, further enhancing their commitment to school leadership and shaping decisions for the student body. Year 11 and 13 have now, for the majority, finished exams. They enjoy a few days off now for a well-deserved rest as they prepare for other activities that start in a couple of weeks’ time. There will be further specific communication on this for each year group so do please look out for this. Another development this week is the residential events planned for every year group from the next academic year. This is super exciting and something that really sent a buzz through our student body when I shared the plans with them in assembly on Friday. The following links allow you to see the letter outlining our plans, a brochure with the details, and a link to the survey to gauge parent opinion. Inevitably there are cost implications for you as parents but the benefits are huge for the children involved. This is the next step in responding to your requests made through the parent survey. We are now delivering enrichment and after-school extracurricular activities. Our focus now turns to the arts and sports where we are already seeing some developments such as school fixtures for volleyball, and clubs for Rugby and Basketball. These are really exciting times and something to celebrate as we head further towards normality. 3, 2, 1… Action. Improv lessons in Year 8. Creative expression, in any shape or form, is fundamental to our physical and emotional development. Creativity is like a muscle, it needs to be worked in order for it to be developed, and the result of this is personal growth. Improvisation develops one’s creativity, mental flexibility, and thinking skills in numerous ways. For example:
The Improv lessons in Year 8 were an exciting experience for the students to expand their skills. We used improv as a learning tool to foster skills like positivity, leadership, commitment and teamwork. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa, Mr. Simon Newman - Y8 tutors Have a great week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary WelcomeThis week my thanks go to the fabulous team of parents who worked so hard to prepare and organise our Family Funday. This traditional celebration of our community and its rich culture is one of the highlights of the year and a wonderful opportunity to bring parents, students and staff together to enjoy music, food and conversation. This year, after a 2-year break, it was such a joy to see everyone here at the school sharing time and space together. Our parent guide to the values states that we ´celebrate difference and seek opportunities for inclusion among the diversity of the community. ´ The Family Funday certainly did that. Thanks also to the staff team who supported on stands and with the games and to our maintenance and cleaning team who made sure everything worked and was where it should be at the right time! The children had a fabulous time playing beat the goalie, frisbee golf and the performances were great fun. You will have noticed that there were a range of other stalls on the day that were promoting some of our activities within school. For example, music, the World Food Programme and our very own solar panel project. Finally, the planting of a tree for each class was a sign of growth and the return of our ambitious, sustainable, community-focused work - a significant symbol of our future. British Sign Language (BSL) This week one of our BSQ parents who recently completed their BSL training will be demonstrating a new sign: Family Fun Day, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead EYFS Event for potential families A place for every learner to explore, play and learn! BSQ invites interested families with children aged 3 - 5 who are not yet enrolled at BSQ to join our EYFS Event this Monday May 30th at 3:45PM. Register here: https://forms.gle/1B6sAJhPxYqgdYhz7 and discover how our broad and balanced EYFS curriculum builds strong foundations for lifelong development and wellbeing. Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update It was wonderful to see so many of our students, parents and other members of the BSQ community at the event on Saturday - we are looking forward to returning to normal in the coming months and hosting more events on the campus. The Year 6 students enjoyed a successful and rewarding trip to CEIBO last week, with lots of excited yet exhausted students returning on Friday. Mr Kyle and Mr Burbano were extremely proud of the students who were able to attend and we are thankful to them both for organising such a unique experience for them. We also took the Year 3 and 4 students to Mitad del Mundo, with Year 5 and 6 looking forward to their trip on Thursday this week. This is an extremely rewarding trip with a variety of learning opportunities for our students and we are grateful for Mr Tabango for organising these trips for our students. At the end of May, all students in Years 2-6 will take some short online assessments to measure each child’s knowledge, understanding and application of the core subjects. These assessments are called Progress Tests, with students in Years 2-5 undertaking the Progress Test in English (PTE) and the Progress Test in Maths (PTM) and students in Year 6 also taking the Progress Test in Science (PTS) alongside the other two. For Year 6 students, we will also be administering a short survey called PASS (Pupil Attitudes to Self and School) to explore their social and emotional wellbeing. This survey is already used by students in Secondary and will help us to support them in the coming months as they move to Year 7 and Secondary. We will then use the results from the assessments to improve the support we provide your child in their learning and to determine whether further intervention is needed. These assessments will take place in school and no academic preparation is necessary. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary EYFS update Dear parents, Our Early Years students have embraced the road awareness unit, where they learnt about the meaning of different road signs normally seen around our city, how to stay safe whilst using different forms of transportation, such as wearing a seat belt in a car and what to do when crossing the road. The children have been implementing the learnt information in their everyday lives, from using a helmet when riding a bicycle and waiting for an adult before crossing to the other side of road following the signs and zebra crossing. We implemented some delicious and fun crafts to learn about all the signs seen around the city, both vertical and horizontal ones. Below are a few of the Caterpillars creating their very own traffic light after learning about what each colour means and why it is so important to respect these. Let’s continue to learn and teach the young students about road safety awareness so we can all stay safe when we are out making new memories! Kind regards, Mrs. Antonella Coronel, Head of EYFS Celebration We would like to share with our BSQ community that Carlos Alberto, Year 2A, participated in Mum & Children´s Tournament at Top Tenis, where he obtained a medal. Being BSQ – Secondary Update Well done to everyone last week as we embraced another change to the relaxation of our COVID management protocols - the removal of masks outside. As a PE teacher, I personally found this liberating to be able to breathe fresh air as the classes unfolded on the courts and the field. I know that the majority of students really appreciate this. In my experience over the years, I think I am able to suggest how important seeing full facial expression is to building relationships and positive communication. I recall my first whole year at the school and I only had a screen in a small room at home. This was a huge challenge for the obvious reasons for us all. I think that the mask is still a barrier and now that it has gone outside, for now, I imagine relationships will be forged even more successfully. Another great change has been that the swimming lessons have continued again. Ordinarily, this has been the reserve of the Primary school but recently the IGCSE PE students have completed a successful personal survival course with Mr Edwards. I am planning to do the same with year 10 in the next week or so. It is wonderful that the facility is now available for everyone to use again. I have had a second meeting with another provider as we secure residential trips for all of our year groups for the next academic year. This is really exciting with trips planned to the Jungle, the coast, the highlands, and the Galapagos as activity experiences exploring team building and sustainability; all with an education focus. Finally, on the theme of the wonderfully talented students we have at BSQ, I would like to share the expertise of Elisa in year 13. What a gifted young ballet dancer she is. She dances with the ballet school Escena Escuela de Ballet. The pictures below are from a competition she did recently where she was placed second in ballet and contemporary dance for Ecuador which was online. She has her next performance on June 18 where she will play the lead role of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. Y7 update In LLS this week we have been introducing year 7 to the Theory of Knowledge. Working on critical thinking, in teams the students tried to make the tallest towers out of recycled materials. The only requirement was that the towers could stand up by themselves. It was fantastic to see the range of approaches used, with triangular structures, recycled plastic and rulers and elastic bands all included in the many innovative designs of the students. Mrs. Natalie Moors, Mr. Matthew Bowles, Y7 Tutors Have a good week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary Welcome This part of the year is always full of moments to celebrate and reflect and full of hellos and goodbyes. I am excited to share with you that our new Principal, David Jones, will be visiting the school at the end of this month and is very much looking forward to his first visit. He introduces himself below and more information about the visit will follow. To all members of the BSQ community, As your incoming Headteacher, I have been invited to briefly introduce myself to you prior to my forthcoming visit to the school at the end of May. Firstly, I would like to convey to you all the great sense of pride that I feel in having been given the opportunity to work with you. As a Headteacher with many years of experience in Latin America, I am aware of the British School of Quito’s reputation as a leader in British international education and I am absolutely delighted to be joining you. For the past few months, I have been working closely with Orbital Education, Mrs Newman and other BSQ community members so that I can adapt and integrate as quickly and effectively as possible for the start of the new academic year. That said, let me now try to introduce myself to you as succinctly as possible. My name is David, and I am originally from North Wales. After graduating from Middlesex University, I trained as a Geography teacher at London University’s Institute of Education and later studied for a master’s degree at the LSE. I have been working as a professional educator for over 35 years in the UK, Africa, and Latin America. Over the years I have worn many different hats and worked across a wide variety of age groups as a teacher, consultant, director, and headteacher, but I am always happiest when I find myself fortunate enough to work directly with young people. I like to think of myself as someone who is approachable and always willing to listen. I am a passionate supporter of sustainable and inclusive education and an advocate for community participation and the student voice. I am happily married and have two adult daughters. We are a bilingual family (English and Spanish) and currently live, work and study in Mexico City. When I get the chance I enjoy walking, fly fishing, and meeting people. My wife and I are looking forward to moving to Ecuador and getting to know you all over the coming months. From what I have already learned about the BSQ community I feel confident that this will be the start of a new and happy chapter in our ongoing growth and development. Yours respectfully, David Jones Road Awareness Day On Thursday 28th April the whole of primary took part in a day all about road safety, learning the importance of wearing a seat belt, how to stay safe whilst riding a bike, how to read different road signs and creating video adverts informing others of how to keep safe as a passenger or as a driver. As parents and careers, it is our responsibility to encourage our children to wear their seat belts. It is often easy to say, the trip was short, I am a safe driver, they have always been safe before. However, you can’t plan for other drivers on the road, accidents happen and if your children or yourselves are not wearing your seatbelt you are 50% more likely to be seriously injured or die. Key facts
Not only is it important for all persons in a car to be wearing a seat belt, but it is also vital that they wear the correct car or booster seat. Please see the graphic below to help you know what your child needs. We had this day to promote safety for all of our students, to help them understand the importance of staying safe on the roads and in the cars. We hope to see all of our students putting their seat belts on in your cars at the drive-through and using the correct car or booster seat. Please see the poster the children created as well as photos of the day below. Year 5-6 winners: Indie, Franchesca, Victoria, Martina, Natalia British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Primary students will be demonstrating two new signs: sun and rain, using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Music Corner Reception students are starting to develop their musicianship by relating notes to colours and playing xylophones. They are learning a familiar song called Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and enjoying the outcomes. As a teacher I feel very proud of them and how fast they all understand music. Ms. Valeria Cano, Music Teacher Message from the PA - Family Funday Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update The past few weeks have seen an exciting new development, with our Primary BSQ students joining Mr Ruiz and Mr Edwards for swimming lessons for the first time in over two years. The enjoyment and delight was clear to see, alongside a little trepidation, as the students faced a new challenge and set of routines. The teachers were all extremely proud of their students’ resilience and determination to demonstrate their water skills. We then hosted an Ocean Awareness Day, with the majority of the Primary students supporting our Secondary CAS students in raising our awareness of pollution in our oceans and motivating people to take more care of the marine environment. The money raised (over $400 at the last count) will enable a group of CAS students to support an NGO called Mingas por el Mar, that encourages fishermen and divers to help collect garbage in difficult places that people cannot reach, alongside providing training and give talks to local people and public schools. The Road Safety Awareness Day led and organised by Ms Dean really highlighted the importance of road safety and keeping safe at all times when on a public highway. Hopefully this campaign will keep our community safe and encourage others to wear seat belts, cross roads safely and ride our bicycles sensibly. Finally, please be aware that the final class photos will be taken on Monday 9th May: these will be for the remaining classes: 2A, 2B, 3B, 4A, 4B and Year 6. The students should wear their full school uniform, including sweaters for Key Stage One and Two students. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Year 2A update In science this term, the children in 2A have been learning about experiments. They have been making predictions and learning how to conduct a fair test. Last week, we watched a video about making invisible ink and predicted whether the experiment would be successful. The children wrote a report which included a list of equipment, their predictions, and the steps that we would need to follow to try this experiment for ourselves. This week, we used their reports to conduct the experiment. The children managed to make their own invisible ink. They wrote secret messages and then used grape juice to reveal the messages! In art we have been learning about different artists. The children enjoyed learning about Yayoi Kusama and creating their own art inspired by her work. They liked how she uses lots of bright colours and dots to create paintings, sculptures and even clothes. In literacy, we have read the story ‘The Day the Crayons Quit’. This has inspired the children to write their own letters using adjectives, adverbs and other interesting words. It has also been a helpful reminder that we need to treat our crayons, pencils and other classroom equipment well, so that they do not run away like in the story! Year 4 update Before the break, we read 'The Wolves in the Walls' by Neil Gaiman, and the students wrote the next installment, 'The Elephants in the Walls'. The focus of their writing was on describing the setting and aiming to use different literary devices such as metaphors, similes and personification. As well as improving our level of description, understanding of language and punctuation, 4A have been working hard this year on improving their handwriting. We are all aiming to be joining fluently and legibly by the end of the academic year. Our focus is on fluency, but also on the shape and creating aesthetically pleasing writing. The students have been practising almost every day. I am sure you will all agree from the examples that their efforts have paid off. Well done, 4A! Mr. Tomos Prosser, Year 4A Teacher Celebration We would like to share with our BSQ community that Emilia, Year 2A, participated in a Gymnastics Tournament in Ibarra, where she obtained 5 medals: one for first place, three for 2nd place and one for 3rd place under her category. Well done Emilia, congratulations for this achievement! Being BSQ – Secondary Update Well done years 11 and 13!! What a fantastic start to the exam season. This is a hugely stressful time normally and both year groups have not experienced the formality of the ‘real thing’ as they embark on achieving their international qualifications this year. As teenagers, the stress and anxiety manifests in many ways but I am really pleased with the determination and approach of everyone this week. They have been organised with their timing and prepared with what they need. Walking around I see relaxed faces, smiles, and some teamwork with their revision activities. Staff at school are managing revision time carefully and where possible teaching them right to the very end. I have not had any grumbles about the fact that there is no ‘study leave’. I sense that everyone is really happy with being at school and having the opportunity to be with their teachers. We are all super proud of you all. Once again our senior Year 12 CAS students delivered an excellently planned and considered theme day - this time on sustainability and the oceans. Everyone came with a colour theme and the Primary children enjoyed a slightly belated Easter Egg hunt and some learning on the day’s theme. Well done to everyone involved. I am aware that over $400 was raised in the process which is a significant sum. I am really pleased to say that finally we are able to launch some new after-school sports activities to see us through to the end of the year. I have also had meetings this week with two external activity providers in our push to relaunch the residential trips again. There will be more detail to follow on this in the next couple of weeks but as a small taster, I was very excited by the opportunities at the Galapagos, the jungle, and at the coast with the provider I met today. In our surveys, there is a clear desire for enhanced extracurricular activity and I hope that you will be pleased with what is being planned for the next academic year. It is also pleasing to note that the swimming pool is now back on the curriculum for Primary. Mr Edwards has already been using it for his IGCSE class as will I in a couple of weeks. We are planning to have swimming on the PE curriculum in KS3 next year so I hope again that this is well received. Just a quick reminder that we have the family fun day this week and I am really looking forward to it. It will be an excellent opportunity for us all to have some fun together. We also have the PTCs for years 7, 8, 9, 10 and 12 the following week. This is an important opportunity to catch up with teachers about performance this year and areas of focus going forward. Y12 contribution In 12A the students have been working hard as we move into the last term of the year. It is an important time of the year as students are completing their Extended Essays, as well as completing other types of coursework. In form time we have been discussing the importance of time management and this is an important skill, as managing and prioritising work is vital, in ensuring overall quality but also helping students to maintain good mental health. Students have also been practicing interview skills, which is something they will be able to use in the next few years. Outside of the classroom, 12A won the science week plant growing competition, which was a good team effort! In addition to this, many of the forms are involved in the school production of 'Aladdin', which promises to be great fun! Hopefully we will all be able to see it. Mr Parkinson and Mr Samaniego, Year 12A tutors. Celebrations Following on from our ‘gifted and talented’ students, one of our young tennis stars José Andrés won the doubles championship and singles vice championship of the South American COSAT G4 Tournament under the 16-years old category. Congratulations José Andrés! Have a good week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary WelcomeWelcome back everyone from the Easter break. I hope you all found time to rest and recharge as we now move into our long, busy and very exciting summer term. There will certainly be something for everyone to enjoy both inside the traditional classroom and outside through events, community projects, Family Funday, trips etc. Just for example this week we have Road Safety Awareness Day and a (slightly belated) Easter Egg Hunt organised by the CAS students. We also welcome back our CAS team from the Amazon where they have been working alongside students from other schools, Fundacion Raiz and members of the Secoya Nation to continue the partnership we first started in 2019 and hope to see continue for many years to come. A message from the PA British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Y5 students will be demonstrating two new signs: weather and temperature using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update Welcome back to Term 5 here at BSQ, which promises to be a busy and exciting term of learning. This week we have three main activities planned: Easter Activities organised by CAS Secondary students on Wednesday 27th April, Road Awareness Day on Thursday 28th April and the starting of Swimming Lessons for all primary students. For the Easter activities, the students will be encouraged to dress up in Ocean themed clothing, using colours like Blue, Green, White, Brown, Red, Orange and Yellow. Similar to the World Book Day, students dressing up will be asked to donate $1 to the charitable cause, whilst those students choosing not to dress up will be asked to donate $2. We will also host an Easter Egg Hunt, which will cost $1 for those students wanting to participate. Students will also decorate an egg in school, so please send them in with a suitable egg on Wednesday. From Tuesday 26th April, swimming lessons will start again in Primary. All students will be required to have a swimming kit in school on that day, with Early Years students wearing their swimming costumes under their outer layer and bringing in a set of underwear to change into afterwards. The pool is heated and warm, with no swimming on Mondays to ensure it is warm, clean and ready for use each week. The swimming kit each child will need is:
These are the days that each class will be swimming (therefore, not having PE on that day from April 25th): Swimming lessons make up an important part of the PE curriculum here at BSQ are a compulsory element of the timetable and curriculum, so if your child is not able to swim because of a medical condition, please send us the appropriate certificate for our records. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Y3B As you can see from the photos, Year 3B have been busy this term creating Egyptian death masks. Our topic this term in art is sculpture and we have been learning how Egyptians made their death masks and why they looked like they did. We started off by researching and designing a death mask in our sketch books. Then the whole class got nice and sticky with papier Mache which took two weeks to build along with the headdress and facial features. In our final week we got the chance to spray paint the masks with gold (of course) and decorate them according to our designs. The class did a wonderful job and the results were magnificent. In science we have been learning about forces and to end the term we played 3 strikes and you are out. The class had to run to different sides of the classroom to show their choice of answer. Well done to Sol and Sofiia who only got one strike. Magnetism experts. We ended our science topic this term with 5 science activities for the class to explore. Each table had different instructions and a variety of magnets to work with. Groups had to make a snake using ball magnets and make it wriggle across the desk. Another group had a magnet in water and had to see the water affected the magnetic pull. Lots of fun was had and many unexpected discoveries were made. Have a wonderful Easter from year 3B Being BSQ – Secondary Update The end of a long term is always a time of great joy and it was wonderful to see such an amazing finish last Thursday. The whole school took time to prepare and dress up for world book day, and the theme allowed us all to have lots of fun. Well done to Hugo for his Oompa Loompa outfit, to Mika, Isa, and Vicky for their ‘Thing’ Dr Seuss theme, to Anabella for the ‘White Queen’ in the Wizard of Oz, and finally Maria Veronica for her efforts as the ‘Queen of Hearts’ from Alice in Wonderland. The students in English played with words designing ‘slam’ poetry as a form of performance. Particular credit to year 12 who really engaged with this to produce some excellent themes. Students also created mini sagas which led to a 50-word story. There were some excellent stories with great creativity shown by Axel and Muriel in Year 7 and Lyla and her partner in year 8. Another event saw students making bookmarks and the physical fun came from the BSQ Quidditch tournament from the Harry Potter series. Well done to Mr Edwards for not only creating the arena but also to his team of helpers who ably introduced the rules for everyone to eventually form some very competitive and entertaining games. The best moment was Domenik Valencia as the Golden Snitch with what seemed to be the whole field of players trying to catch her to win the game – far too fast it seemed. As always the whole event came to a close with a well-considered and excellently led assembly by our CAS students facilitated by Sibone and Mrs Todd. I am always impressed by the confidence and creativity of our students when they step up and lead the school. Well done all for an excellent end-of-term celebration. We move now into a very important time of the year with everyone preparing for the culmination of their efforts in learning at all levels of the school. Everyone has worked incredibly hard this year in what have been challenging circumstances. Whilst on the whole we have been at the campus there have been some disrupted periods. The end of a school year is a point where children demonstrate their newly gained knowledge and skills and receive credit for their achievements. Before we know it, exams for everyone will be taking place. I encourage you all to prepare appropriately and use the remaining time to identify what is missing and what needs practising before the main event. You all deserve much credit and I hope you all receive the results you deserve. There are only about 11 weeks left and there is still so much to do and look forward to such as the family fun day, the graduation, and many other activities to celebrate the end of the year. I wish you all the very best for the weeks to come. EAL In EAL in recent weeks, we´ve been looking at new and interesting ways of greeting each other, as well as how we would say these phrases naturally in English - this is the funny looking language (phonemes) in red! See if you can figure out which of the phrases in red matches one of the greetings questions on the board. Good luck! Mrs. Nicola Berry, EAL Teacher Spanish B - Y12 In Spanish B,Year 12 students have been working on the unit called "EXPERIENCES" in which we deal with alternative tourism or thanatourism, a term created in the mid-90s, also called Grief Tourism or Thanatourism (from the Greek "Thanatos" meaning death), is an attraction to places associated with the occult or forbidden. The students researched, wrote and designed brochures about different places in the world where this type of tourism is practised. In Spanish B, students develop their skills to summarise, read and analyse texts, in addition to their writing skills in brochures, formal and informal letters, newspaper articles, personal journals and blog entries, their creativity is also something important in Spanish B and they have been perfecting. By following this link you can read about their research in the form of BLOG entries in addition to brochures designed by the students. You can comment or leave 5 stars on the ones you like the most. https://padlet.com/otabango/dc3h97r2jqzk7j7i Authors are:
Mr. Oscar Tabango, Spanish B Teacher Have a good week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary WelcomeWe are all looking forward to an exciting week of end of term activities here at BSQ as we head into Semana Santa. Some of the challenges with COVID since we returned to face-to-face lessons have sometimes been more difficult to resolve than during lockdown. Unexpected absences and illness, student groups being isolated and the uncertainty of what will happen next have all contributed to a culture where we have had to be flexible, resilient and cheerful to an even greater extent than ever. As always, our parents have supported our decisions and listened to our guidance and advice so that we have been able to work in harmony for our children. It is always a good time to remind ourselves of our values and the way in which we work to follow them. Our parent values linked to happiness state that we will, ‘Accept that there will be difficulties and ask for help in our efforts to overcome the challenges and frustrations.’ What a great way to express the fact that we will face times when we are not happy but that we can ask for help. At BSQ there are lots of avenues for asking for help when needed. Our class teachers and tutors; our school leaders; our administrative team; our school psychologists; our school doctor and our school subject specialists. We may not have as many opportunities this year to get together in person – but we are always here to help, answer your questions and make sure you are happy with the living and learning experience at BSQ. Have a wonderful and safe holiday and see you all on April 25th. A message from the PA British Sign Language (BSL) This week two of our Y4B students will be demonstrating two new signs: Easter and Holiday using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Join our Yearbook Cover Pages Contest! - Final reminder A surprise is waiting for you! Join our Yearbook Cover Page Contest and be one of the three possible winners (one for students, one for parents and one for staff members) for your design to appear on the Yearbook Cover Pages. This year's theme is A place for every learner, which highlights the living and learning together at BSQ. Your design could relate to learning, learning at BSQ, school values, etc. Please send your artwork considering the following parameters:
If you have any further questions, please contact Andrea Zambrano to: [email protected] Music Corner Year 7 finished Music History last week. They enjoyed learning about the mediaeval times, renaissance and baroque eras. As a final project they had to choose one composer from the baroque and create a poster with pictures and information. Ms. Valeria Cano, Music Teacher Early Years are committed to try more fruit and veggies!... Are you? Following the Food Education Day some weeks ago, Early Years students made their own commitments towards broadening the amount (and colours) of fruit and veggies they are eating daily. Each student chose a new colour of fruit and veggies they would like to start consuming. Now, it’s our turn to do the same… What colour would you like to eat more of? Vegetables can be divided into five main colour groups – red, orange/yellow, white/brown, green, and blue/purple. Choose from each colour group each day; some vegetables give you the nutrients of more than one colour e.g. cucumber with its green skin and white flesh. Once more, our youngest students show the way! Now, it’s your turn! The BSQ Food Education Team Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update This week and the first week back after the Easter holidays, we have two opportunities to come together as a school community and celebrate both World Book Day and Easter with events, activities and of course, dressing up! On Thursday 14th April, all students and teachers at BSQ will be encouraged to dress up as their favourite character from a book, with a parade and other activities planned to celebrate our shared love of reading. Students dressing up as a character from a book will be asked to donate $1 to the charitable cause, whilst those students choosing not to dress up will be asked to donate $2. On Wednesday 27th April, after the Easter break, Primary students will celebrate Easter with an Easter Egg Hunt organised by several CAS students from the secondary school. The students will be encouraged to dress up in Ocean themed clothing, using colours like Blue, Green, White, Brown, Red, Orange and Yellow. Similar to the World Book Day, students dressing up will be asked to donate $1 to the charitable cause, whilst those students choosing not to dress up will be asked to donate $2. We will also host an Easter Egg Hunt, which will cost $1 for those students wanting to participate. Finally, all the staff here at BSQ hope that you and your family enjoy the Easter break. School will finish at 12pm on Thursday 14th April, with all students returning to school on Monday 25th April. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary Space Day in Y1 This term in Class 1A we have been exploring space. We have created Stop Animation Videos in ICT, fired rockets into the air in Science and created lots of space art. To finish our Space topic we celebrated our achievements with a Space themed Day. We came dressed as astronauts, aliens, planets and much more! We had a film premiere of our Stop Animation videos and ate popcorn. We had a space themed sports day and created shooting stars. Ms. Hannah Kerigan, Y1A Teacher Celebrations We would like to share with our BSQ community that Víctor Hugo, Year 5, participated in his first tennis tournament “Pelota Verde” at Club Jacarandá obtaining 4th place under his category. Congratulations Victor Hugo! We look forward to supporting him in future competitions. Being BSQ – Secondary Update Often in education, we are faced with imparting knowledge that can be emotive and certainly contentious. At BSQ we pride ourselves on the fact that we are brave and our students have the very best education and information. As a community, there are naturally going to be occasions when we are not all in agreement about what should be shared. BSQ is a school that aims to give the very best knowledge to our students so that they are prepared not only for adult life but also with open and varied views and an understanding of international culture and on occasions, international crises. We are all aware of the conflict in Europe right now and in other parts of the world such as Syria, parts of Africa, and Hong Kong. These are subjects that need balance in the story and guidance so that young minds can understand what is happening and the huge implications that arise. I was very proud on Friday to witness our year 12 students delivering a whole school assembly on this topic. Some schools would perhaps avoid this as has been seen in Europe, but we have not. I was particularly impressed with the confidence of the speakers and the balance in the information that was shared. This was very sensitively considered and allowed students of all ages to grasp an understanding of not only the story, but the politics in all the global media. A huge well done to Valentina, Samantha, Juan Esteban, Emilio, Rommy, Moth, Melany, and Daniela. We are all extremely proud of you. I would like to thank you for your support last week as we found some time for our staff to meet year 11 and 13 parents to discuss progress towards final exams. This is extremely useful indeed as the Easter break approaches. I loosely refer to this period as a break, but I expect them to use the time sensibly to revise and prepare for the challenges of the exam season which is just around the corner. I appeal to you to support where needed and encourage some diligence in this area at home. Some of our year 13 students have been receiving offers for university study next year. This is extremely exciting as some of the best Universities in the world have offered our students the chance to read with them next year. I am not in a position to share who and where yet, but I am very proud of those who have navigated the application system so effectively to get there. More details on this at the end of the year. I hope that this news will motivate everyone in year 12 who have just started the process. Please make sure you have the family fun day in your diaries for May the 14th. I for one am really looking forward to the opportunity to meet some of you as we all relax and enjoy some fun together. Sociales In Social Studies we have made a tour of the different provinces of Ecuador, showing their culture, landscape, natural wealth and diversity. Year 9 students made an exhibition to Primary where they highlighted the importance of each of the 24 provinces. In Y7 we were analysing the role of indigenous people in the culture, economy and politics of Ecuador and Latin America. We chose indigenous leaders from various parts of the region, we investigated their biography and we made a synthesis of information in pizza boxes. Then, we discuss their rights and social demands. Also, Y10 worked on the rescue and diffusion of the ancient cultures of Ecuador, known as Pre-Columbian. They conducted extensive research on their ways of life, work, food and art. They chose from each culture a representative ceramic or figure and tried to replicate it. They invited year 12 to their exhibition. CAS Y12 and Y13 students have worked very hard to continue their representative projects. After the success of Bonfire night they have been very active, collecting donations for La Gasca, Lagartococha, Sinsoluka. They also held a volleyball tournament, ice cream sales, and more to support and finance their ideas and goals. We thank the community for their continued support. After the holidays, other events will be held to keep the spirit of BSQ SOLIDARITY high. Mrs. Paola Montenegro, Sociales Teacher and CAS Coordinator Growth Competition for science week The science week plant growth contest has finally come to an end. After one month of growth we had entries across all key stages in the school. The care and effort taken by both students and staff has been great to see and we are very impressed with the results. It was a tough deliberation but winners and Special recognition certificates have been handed out (see images). Mrs. Rachael Parkinson, Science Teacher
Have a good week everyone. Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary Welcome Orbital Visit There is a real Orbital theme running in the newsletter and at BSQ at the moment. Last week we welcomed Karl Wilkinson back to BSQ for the first time since November 2019. He was delighted to be back with us and commented on how happy and healthy the living and learning environment here at school was – just as he remembered it! Karl spent time visiting classrooms and meeting with staff and students and next time he visits in early June, he is looking forward to meeting with some parents and sharing updates and latest news. Karl’s position at Orbital as Regional Head of Schools (RHOS) and he also works closely with our schools in Budapest and Mallorca. We look forward to his return soon. More visitors! Last week we also enjoyed a visit from Alan Downie who is the Executive Office from LAHC. He was visiting schools in Colombia and Panama on the same trip. Alan spoke very highly of everything he saw at BSQ and was particularly impressed with the students he met as part of the secondary student council so well done to Lyla, Isa, Marcel, Katherine, Isabella and Martin! Our students have benefitted from participation in a range of activities through LAHC including Race4Good and a weekend of drama. We hope that there will be many more activities and also that we see Alan again soon! Family Funday Plans are moving forward for this exciting event and last week the committees met to explore how the day will look, what we will eat and what kind of entertainment we will enjoy. As usual there will be a range of delicious food from the countries represented at BSQ, cultural entertainment and much more. As always, this event is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and share together so make sure the date is in your diary. More to follow. A message from the PA British Sign Language (BSL) This week three of our Y4B students will be demonstrating our BSQ colours using BSL. Please watch this brilliant video: Ms. Hayley Dean, KS2 Lead Join our Yearbook Cover Pages Contest! Our BSQ community members - students, parents, staff - are invited to participate in our Yearbook Cover Page Contest. The theme is A place for every learner, where you create a design. We will choose 3 winners (one for students, one for parents and one for staff members) and their designs will appear on the Yearbook Cover Pages. Please send your proposed designs, considering the following parameters:
If you have any further questions, please contact Andrea Zambrano to: [email protected] Music Corner Dear BSQ community, welcome to our new section in the newsletter "The Music Corner", where each week the students' creations or performances will be presented. We hope you enjoy seeing and listening to our students develop their musicianship in many ways. Last week in IB music Y12s were learning how to arrange a song. The idea was to take a ballet song (AOI3, Music for dramatic impact, movement and entertainment) and change the instruments and genre. Daniela S. did an outstanding job by changing the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy into a Salsa song. She did a lot of investigation about instruments, rhythms, ornaments, harmonization between brasses and more. It was amazing to see how Daniela played with all the instruments she chose and developed her ideas. Here you can have a listen of the final result. Have a great day and see you next week. Ms Cano, Music Teacher Dates for your Diary As always please check this section carefully and ensure that you have all the details in your calendars.
Mrs. Emma Newman Principal Being BSQ – Primary Update Thank you to all the students who came by either my office or Mr Edwards / Mr Ruiz’s PE office to claim lost property. It is extremely important that you support your child by naming every item they have in school, either with a label or by writing with a permanent pen somewhere on each item. All the things we have in lost property are unnamed. As mentioned a few weeks ago, Thursday 14th April is World Book Day here at BSQ and we will be encouraging all students to dress up as a character of their choice. We will also be participating in an event after the Easter holidays organised by Secondary students to celebrate Easter, with the students encouraged to dress up in ocean-inspired costumes or colours e.g. blues, greens, reds etc. More details about this will follow, but please put the date in your diaries - Wednesday 27th April. And finally, we plan to resume Swimming Lessons after the Easter break with all Primary and Early years students, so please get the kit ready. We will be flexible in terms of swimming costumes, with each child needing a swimming costume, a rash vest (e.g. sun-protective top), swimming goggles, towel, suitable waterproof swim shoes to get to the pool and an optional hat. Mr. Marcus Madden Head of Primary 5B Newsletter entry This term Year 5B are learning all about the Incas – from learning about their culture and beliefs, key events in their history, and their geographic range in Topic, to creating Inca-inspired videos using a cardboard-modelling style of animation in ICT. Whilst in their Art lessons the children have been learning about how the Incas used masks to represent some of their gods. Time has been dedicated to designing our own ‘Inca gods’ and creating masks out of cardboard (with just a sprinkle of gold spray paint) and then using various colourful buttons and pieces of plastic film to create jewels. In the photo gallery below you can see the children of 5B modelling their masks which I think you’ll agree look fantastic! Mr. Kevin Dobson, Year 5B teacher Celebrations We would like to share with our BSQ community that Bruce, Year 2, won the national Karting X30 Championship I, category Baby. Congratulations Bruce for this achievement, we look forward to supporting him in future competitions! Being BSQ – Secondary Update At the weekend I had the pleasure of spending some time watching just how hard one of our students was working in the pursuit of his elite sport dreams. To do something that well you need to make sacrifices and love everything that you do that is connected to your sport. You would assume that the activity was merely training with the coach on the courts but no, it was interspersed with fitness training and fun on the football pitch. The difference was that he was with peers of similar ability and clearly as part of a focused talent programme. For gifted and talented children it is important that they are supported and given activities and experiences that are designed to nurture this and provide adequate challenges to improve. In education, we call this the zone of proximal development. This refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what they can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner or more skilled peers around them. In the case of our tennis player, the coach becomes the skilled partner in the learning process and the talented group around him in the talent programme become the skilled peers who share the journey. In lessons in school differentiated activity and scaffolded support are timed so that every child is not stretched too far and is not experiencing tasks that are too easy. The best learning takes place when the challenge is just right for them, and this is of course different for all children. Our gifted and talented programme will eventually present information on students with significant abilities in the arts and sports as well. Please do make Mrs Todd aware if your son or daughter has any particular talents so we can encourage and support this at school. This week I have started the process of planning the remaining activities for the rest of the year. At BSQ we pride ourselves on the fact that expectations are high and there is an intensity of activity to stretch everyone for the better. We have just under 12 working weeks left of the academic year and there is so much on the programme for everyone still to come. I look forward to the wonderful events and experiences that continually support our community and bring us all closer together. There is a lot of information to take in over the next few weeks so do please look out for this in the newsletter. Finally, from me can I remind you that on Wednesday this week all students will be working at home as we have very important parent-teacher conferences for year 11 and 13 students as they approach their exams. Things really are getting very serious for them over the next couple of weeks and we all need to support them towards their success. Work will be set for students to complete independently at home. Celebrations Following on from our ‘gifted and talented’ students, one of our young tennis stars José Andrés has won the 16-year-old doubles championship of the G2 Nationals at Club Rancho San Francisco. Congratulations José Andrés! Y10B Music This week in music, Year 10s have been working on different topics. They have learnt about compositional devices that will help them develop and create better compositions whilst composing their own song with structure and texture. They have also started to listen to and recognize different music genres like the opera and oratorio. Year 10 has learnt to differentiate between head voice and chest voice and they shared their own examples explaining the context of some opera songs like “Nessun Dorma”, “Carmen”, “La Traviata” and others. We also learnt about oratorios and their difference from operas and we covered how choruses give a sense of glory. Y10 is an amazing year group full of students that are very dedicated to achieve high grades in their IGCSEs, so working with them has been a pleasure and listening to their performance abilities as well as their creativity to compose has been an amazing experience so far. I am sure they will just continue improving. Ms. Valeria Cano, Music Teacher Have a good week everyone.
Mr. Lee Moors Head of Secondary |
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March 2024
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