NEWSLETTER APRIL 2019 Headteacher’s welcome Activate Learning Education Trust

ALET Teaching and Learning Conference

Dear parents and students, In January, a teaching and learning conference took place for all teachers in all of the seven schools across the Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET). This focussed on sharing good practice in teaching and learning and Welcome to our Easter 2019 edition of the School newsletter. facilitated subject teachers’ networks to share ideas and resources across the schools community.

In April, we will be following up It has been a short term but nonetheless crowded with activity and I think all staff and students are now looking with a conference for business forward to the holiday break. support staff and school administrators. As with the School will be open in the Easter holiday for Year 11 and Sixth Form to come in and study independently or attend teaching conference, we will use one of the numerous Easter revision classes that are being put on by teachers to prepare for the exams that start this to share best practice and just a few weeks after we return for the summer term. allow sufficient time for those doing similar jobs in schools On Friday 29 March, I had the privilege to attend the school play, Mary Poppins The Musical which was a huge to network and form self-help success and it was marvellous to see so many of our students involved in the production either on stage or communities to share ideas going backstage. I would like to thank all of our students and staff who put the production together as I know just how forward. I am delighted that we much rehearsal and preparation went into making it such a success. have a key note speaker from one of our industry partners, who There is a short piece in the newsletter about the Duke of Edinburgh Award and this is something we want to will address the group on how encourage as many of students to complete as possible. We are in the process of appointing a teacher to take business has tackled sharing responsibility for the Award and are hopeful that we can have at least 100 students signed up to take Bronze, Silver, ‘back office’ practices and how etc. more remote support is used to be more productive and effective. Finally, parents will be aware that our school is now supporting Bicester Technology Studio. Reports in the media This is a relatively new area have suggested a merger of the two schools or that the Tech Studio is about to close, but this is not so. The two for education, so I am excited that we are doing something like this to learn from other sectors, and involving our schools will remain separate educational establishments with their own unique ethos and curriculum. Roland teams in the process. Howard and I have been working more closely with the Tech Studio for the last three weeks or so and we see an opportunity in the future to build a much broader educational base across central Bicester which will open up further and wider opportunities for the students in the town, and further afield. Bicester Learning Campus

We wish all of our students and staff a good Easter break and look forward to your return on 24 April. Most audiences will have received letters home or will have had presentations on this topic by now, but exciting Best wishes, things are afoot as we create our unique Bicester Learning Campus along Queens Avenue – comprising two distinct ALET schools (Bicester Technology Studio and The Bicester School) – working through one vision, one leadership Tony Rushworth team, and one governing body.

Our vision is to strengthen the technical, work-related offer at the Bicester Technology Studio and the EBacc and university-oriented offer at The Bicester School and to make sure that the larger Key Stage 3 coming through The Bicester School is exposed to proper choice. Working with parents and students, the choice offered across the two schools can be more expertly applied by the common leadership group, making sure all children are all on the right education path for them, one that meets with their future career and academic aspirations. We know this approach is unique in Bicester and we think it is pretty rare nationally, but if we get this right we will achieve the right things for our students, we will strengthen teaching teams across the two schools and we will create a more sustainable education offer in tight financial times.

As you will know, Tony Rushworth is the Executive Head Teacher across these two schools now and is working on plans for September 2019 on- wards. This ideas will be presented to the ALET Trust Board in early April.

Tony Rushworth Lee Nicholls Headteacher CEO at ALET and Group Executive Director - Curriculum, Standards and Academies at AL Staff profile: Paul Stuart The Duke of Edinburgh Award

Having been born in the village of Charlton-on- The Duke of Edinburgh at all levels, bronze, silver and gold are Otmoor, I spent pretty much all of my life living well underway this term with participants eagerly looking forward locally. I did however spend brief periods living to the expeditions that begin in April, the dates and venues for in Didcot and also in the Scottish Highlands. which can be found on the school calendar. I was educated firstly at Charlton-on-Otmoor Primary School and then at The Cooper School. As happens every year, our students are organising and carrying out their chosen activities for the various sections of the award - I left school aged 16 with 7 CSEs (that is volunteering, skills and physical, which they will undertake for a what GCSEs were called then) and secured set period of time. a job in retail management with Tesco. I have also worked in sales for Magnet Trade, and Our new cohort of Year 9 are bonding as they excitedly find out more about the scheme and begin to prepare for the automotive industry at Rover car plant in their September expedition. The weekly Monday afterschool sessions, where this is happening, are ably supported Cowley, now known as BMW. by Sofia, Selina and Mason, who are using this opportunity to pass on their skills and knowledge whilst fulfilling the criteria for their silver volunteering section. At 35 years of age I felt that I needed to change direction. I wanted to work in helping and We wish success to all participants who will be presented with their award at our celebratory evening at the end of supporting people to make good choices in the year. life, and change their destiny, by adopting good morals and making sound judgements. I have Mrs Brady been working for the Ministry of Justice for the last 20 years in a supervising, instructional role, working with men aged 18 and over.

I have three grown up children, one grandchild, and my wife and I have also fostered children. Fostering children first gave me the inspiration to follow a career where I was able to help other people, and working at the school is an ideal opportunity for me to continue that work.

After retiring last July, I felt that I still had more to give which is why I became interested in the role of Behaviour Manager, working with the students of The Bicester School and Bicester Technology Studio and supporting, guiding, and helping them to understand the importance of making good behaviour choices now and throughout their life.

I would like to pass onto everybody one of my favourite quotes:

Our destiny is not determined by the chances we take, but by “ the choices we make.”

Paul Stuart Behaviour Support

5 6 English department news ENGLISH LITERATURE CORE TEXTS REVISION MATERIAL

Poetry becomes a major topic for students this term Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Year 7 have been studying poetry this term with an eclectic mix of nature poetry and ballads designed to engage Oxford School Edition is preferable. and inspire. With ballads such as The Lady of Shallot by Tennyson and poems such as Daffodils by Wordsworth, students have a rich experience of lively poetry designed to encourage our students to explore with confidence. Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec.

Year 8 have been studying World War One poetry exploring the persuasive campaigns of propaganda poetry and comparing this with the poignant poetry of the trenches. Students have had opportunities for critical and creative writing to engage and discover the ideas in the poems. The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle Year 9 are completing their non-fiction unit and are getting to grips with arguing their viewpoint. Discussion and analytical work support their critical approaches to language. The aim is to support our students in gaining Any edition of the text. confidence with generating ideas. Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec. Year 9 have also been on a vocabulary building programme to develop their range of vocabulary. This term, they are studying key words for commenting on tone and writer’s attitude in literature.

Year 10 are studying Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Exploring themes of fatal ambition through this famous tragedy, students engage with the supernatural, ambition, deceit, insanity and treason. Students learn about the context of the Jacobean era and conventions of the theatre. Poetry: ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry An- thology and Unseen Poetry In A-level English Literature, Year 12 are currently looking at ‘Science and Society’, studying what the authors of Frankenstein and The Handmaid’s Tale may have been influenced by and what ideas they are giving us about Students are given the anthology in society at that time and warnings for the future. In Year 12 we are also looking at poetry and how different ideas can school. be communicated in different ways in modern poetry.

In Year 13, we are revising Victorian Poetry, Poems of the Decade, Othello, The Handmaid’s Tale, Dr Faustus and Frankenstein, preparing for our upcoming A2 exams. Lord of the Flies by William Golding Denise Whitley Any edition of the text.

Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec.

DNA by Dennis Kelly

Any edition of the text.

Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec.

An Inspector Calls by J.B Priestley

Any edition of the text.

Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec.

7 8 Maths department news Year 8 and 9 visited as part of their Masters of The Bicester School celebrates Maths Week 2019

Maths trip With the date of the 14 March having passed, or 3.14 as it is known in America, we love to celebrate Pi Day in the Year 8 and 9 students visited Florence and its surrounding areas as part of their Masters of Maths trip. maths department with fun events and activities of our annual Maths Week. All years at The Bicester School have enjoyed working on their teamwork skills in large cross-curricular activities involving maths. Students have also had The students took an early flight to Pisa, in Tuscany, on Thursday 14 February. After a stunning bus trip across the the pleasure of some fantastic guest speakers coming in to talk to classes about their own careers and how maths Tuscan countryside, Vinci, Leonardo da Vinci’s features within these everyday roles. birthplace, was their first stop. Once there, they could explore the amazing inventions of this genius at Year 7 cracked codes again this year with our fun ‘Maths Spy’ series , looking at how patterns and problem-solving Leonardo da Vinci museum. is used by detectives when solving mysteries. All classes were left wanting more, with teachers planning to continue the series in their individual classes over the remainder of the academic year. Since their first step in Florence, the cradle of Renaissance charmed all students. They started the Year 8 looked at a new activity with the creation of ‘Rocket Racers’, powered by balloons. Teams were assigned a second day with an interactive visit to the great work minimal amount of materials alongside instructions. Students were given a limited time to create their best racer of Archimedes at the Garden of Archimedes. They ready for the heats and final later in the session. Students used more maths knowledge than they ever imagined were able to experience the power of the ellipsoid they would, as they got to plan elevations, measure materials and graph results. and how to make shapes related to the technology of today. There was still time for a guided tour waking Year 9 students carried out a ‘What’s your heart rate?’ activity, where they designed small fitness test to get their around the city – and looking at Maths within its hearts racing into the target (50-70% of their maximum). After that, they created the hypothesis for their results, architecture, before lunch. was carried out tests, collected data and displayed them in graphs and charts in order to draw conclusions. The activity their next stop, where they climbed to the tower and definitely got their heart rates pumping up and set the students up for the rest of the day. enjoyed the magnificent views of the city. Students also participated on At court with Isabella tour, which Year 10 were able to get interactive with our ‘Highway Design’ task on the laptops. As used professionally in city gave them some insight into life in the 16th century. planning, students used special software to create a bypass around a busy town, considering curves of the roads Some gelati and souvenir hunting were the final with loci, areas of circles for speed limits, costings of roads, and other essential parts, alongside consideration touch to a beautiful day. of environmental aspects. This interactive activity has allowed students to see how maths is genuinely used in processes which occur every day in the real world. The Dome, also known as the Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiori, and its Bell Tower were the perfect In addition, The Bicester School welcomed speakers from the John Radcliffe Hospital (neo-natal nurses), Rebellion beginning to their third day in Italy. The students game design, Amazon, Bicester Village, a forensic scientist who became a private investigator and our own Mrs were so brave when it came to tackle the last one Holding, all of which talked about a multitude of careers involving maths. Students were extremely enthusiastic and its dizzy heights. Again, some pizza, gelati and throughout talks, asking lots of questions. shopping for their loved ones were the opener of a great tour across the well-known Gallery. They Pi Day would not be Pi Day without a pie, or two… Mrs Holding’s Year 7’s did a fantastic job of leading the way with finished off the day at . the creation of pie’s in maths to celebrate! The day was a great experience for everyone at The Bicester School and we thank all students for their enthusiasm! A special thanks also to all of our speakers and teachers for giving up Their final day at Pisa didn’t disappoint, as students their time to support the day and talk so passionately about their careers and the importance of maths. learnt all about the history of this astonishing city, as well as the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa.

At The Bicester School, we are so proud of the amazing behaviour and interested shown by our students. We hope they had enjoyed this funny educational trip to one of the most beautiful Italian gems!

9 10 Science department news

Year 8 and 9 students attended Go4SET STEM Challenge Revision Strategies

On Tuesday 26 March, Year 8 and 9 students attended Science is a subject which contains a large amount of content. There is a lot of factual recall that is needed to a STEM programme in association with the Engineering understand more difficult concepts and ideas. For students in all years, but particularly Year 10 and 11, revision is Development Trust (EDT) at The University of Coventry. The a hugely important part of their ability to make progress and cement learning so that it can be recalled after a long EDT is an education charity that was established over 30 period of time for their GCSEs and A-levels. Students in all years will do a large number of end of topic tests in order years ago; their aim is to excite and inspire students about to improve their exam and revision technique ready for their GCSEs, and it is important that they prepare for them the STEM industry. effectively. The sooner they get into good revision routines, the more progress they will make, and the less stressful Year 11 will be. Ruby Manellari, Elysia Thompson, Teddy B-C, Isabella Couzens, Luca F and Alexia Evans have been selected to There are many different revision strategies that students can employ, some of which are more effective than others. take part in the STEM project; a 10 week, environmentally- They will explore many of these during their lessons, but one of the simplest and most effective is making and using themed STEM scheme for 12-14 year olds. During the flash cards. project, students will be mentored by a professional from the STEM industry Viridor and develop essential skills such as teamwork, project management, report writing and pitching 7 Steps to make better flash cards business ideas. Flash cards are very effective at learning key fact, definitions and diagrams. They are not as effective for learning The group will complete the project within Extra Curricular complex concepts or ideas, however the facts and definitions are needed to fully understand those concepts. STEM time and the finished piece of work will be presented at a Celebration/Graduation Day, where a panel of industry Below are several steps to make sure those flash cards are as effective as possible. professionals will assess the projects from each school. This is scheduled to take place on Tuesday 18 June at The University of Staffordshire. 1. Make your own flashcards: There are plenty of apps that contain banks of premade flash cards you can download. While these can be useful, the process of finding the information, This is a fantastic opportunity for the group to get involved understanding it, putting it in your own words and writing it out, creates significantly stronger neural with an exciting science initiative, allowing them to apply pathways. their learning to a new challenge, outside of the classroom. 2. Make them memorable: Add pictures near your key words. There is a concept in psychology In addition, it will help them to develop better communication called the ‘picture superiority effect’, which describes how the human brain remembers images and team building skills. significantly better than words. Mnemonic devices can help create mental connections between concepts and using colours for key words can improve recollection. Add these to your flash We look forward to working with the 2019 team over the cards to make them more effective, and make them personal, only you have to understand the forthcoming weeks. connections. Kelly McKaig 3. One card, one piece of information: If you add lots of information to a card, it can lead to the illusion of competence. The human brain is very good at recognising things we’ve seen before, and it is very easy to confuse recognition with recollection. This leads to you thinking you know something when you’ve only recognised it. This happens a lot on quiz shows when the host gives the answer and the person says “I knew that”. They didn’t, they recognised the answer rather than actively recalling it. Having lots of information on a card makes you more likely to think you know things you don’t. 4. Actually use them, regularly and often: Once you’ve made your cards you actually need to use them. Little and often is by far the most effective way. Test yourself or get other people to test you. If you get one wrong, put it to the back so it comes up again. Using them frequently will make it much more likely that you will remember them when you need to. 5. Study them in both directions: If you have the word on one side and the definition on the back, make sure you test yourself in both directions. That will improve understanding and make sure you can understand questions or know which key words to use in your answer. 6. Say or write the answer before checking the back: This trick reduces the risk of the illusions of ! competence; it forces you to recall your answer and commit to the answer. Then, when you check the other side you are either right or wrong and can’t confuse it will recognition. Getting someone to test you has the same effect. 7. Use them in conjunction with other revision techniques: Flash cards are very good at helping recall facts and definitions, but they aren’t a silver bullet. You will also need to practice exam questions and practice six mark questions to really understand a topic. Use BBC bite size and your revision guide, don’t just rely on flash cards, as you’ll miss the deeper understanding needed for the higher level questions. 11 12 History department news PE news Year 9 meet John Fieldsend, Holocaust survivor and Year 9 football: The Bicester School vs Gosford Kindertransport Child Bicester School’s history department was once again honoured to have John Fieldsend, a Holocaust survivor During the week of 4 February, the Year 9 boy’s football team travelled to Gosford for their second league game of rescued by the Kindertransport progamme, to share his testimony with Year 9 students last month. the season.

John is now 87 and was born to a Czech mother and a German father. He spoke openly about his childhood in The boys got off to a good start and put Dresden, Germany. He recalled the time Hitler visited the town in 1935 and spoke in the town square. Being a pressure on the home team but could not Jewish family, John, his brother, and parents locked themselves in their apartment but they could still hear Hitler on break through for the first goal. Then mid- the loudspeakers shouting, “Die Juden, die Juden…those terrible Jews”. From then on John’s life began to change. way through the second half, a long range John told the students a chilling story of how, whilst playing with his brother and friends, in the children’s playground effort from Devon Weldon made its way sandpit, the other children began to hit and spit on John and his brother because they were Jews. John was aged into the back of the net. The boys then had five at the time, his brother aged seven. the task of hanging on for the win, while Gosford threw everything at them. With As life became more difficult in Germany, John’s parents decided to leave Dresden and drive to John’s only a few seconds left, the home team grandparents’ house in Czechoslovakia. To avoid arousing any suspicion they had to leave everything behind and found an equaliser and the final score was travel in just what they were wearing. In 1938 Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia and, again, Jewish life became very 1-1. hard with Jews being persecuted. When the Germans marched through the village where John and his family lived, his parents took the brave decision to send their children to England. John remembers that “My father said, “Sit Well done boys, you all showed great down boys. You’re going on a long journey. We can’t come with you”. As the train was leaving, my mother took her determination. wristwatch off and gave it to me through the window of the train, and simply said, “This is for you to remember us.’’

Mr Hume

I was very moved and inspired by the talk. I found Year 9 basketball: The Bicester school vs The Grange School John’s testimony incredibly “powerful. It made me really understand the raw feelings he experienced. I was really struck by how he linked his In January, the Year 9 basketball team played its most recent game against John spoke chillingly about how the children travelled with the experiences to life today and The Grange School. After recent blinds down in the carriages so as not to see what was happening disappointments, it was good to come out in Germany, and how every carriage had two Nazi soldiers to “make how history can repeat itself.” firing and the boys did. the journey as unpleasant as possible”. He recalled seeing a seven Josh month year old baby being cared for by her five year old sister Some early baskets settled the nerves on the journey and how he held on to his papers for fear of being and the boys played some free flowing removed from the train. On arrival in England John was fostered by “In just a few short hours John’s basketball. The final score was 55-11 to a family in Sheffield, whom he stayed with until his marriage in 1961. talk has had a massive impact The Bicester School. This testimony held Year 9 spellbound and they were able to ask on me. Three weeks after his All players played really well and made questions about John’s experience of the Kindertransport, his visit I still find myself thinking some good baskets. Well done boys. feelings about the experience and his feelings now, and his life after World War Two. about what he said to us. I am full of admiration and respect Well done boys. Ms Riches summed up the experience on behalf of the department Mr Hume and students, “Spending time with John means coming face to face for John and his experiences, with living history- a part of history that is uncomfortable, distressing, as well as recognising his but necessary to hear, and in John’s experience, speaks also of extraordinary bravery.” love, sacrifice, forgiveness, hope and a life fulfilled. As always, it was a great privilege to hear John speak.” Elyse

13 14 Year 7 and 8 netball report: Callum West Year 7 and 8 netball: TBS vs The Cooper School TBS vs Sidford Secondary Callum (Year 11) attended the recent British On Tuesday 15 January 2019 The Bicester School played against The Cooper School in a netball match. Tennis Awards and won The Young Volunteer of Girls who played: School the Year. To add to this he won the Boys under On 29 January 2019, Year 7 and 8 students had a 16 Division ‘A’ League last week for the second Molly Keeble, netball match against Sidford Secondary School season in a row. Maggie Smith, for our second match of the season. Sadly, the Callum was also Player of the Season for the Poppy Dowling, score was 5-2 to Sidford, but the match was played third time in a row. Sarah Prior, extremely well by all players on both sides and our Poppy Dubios, goal shoot, Maggie Smith, scored two brilliant goals Chloe Hall, in the second half. We also did not concede a ball Ferne Alexander, in the second half. The second half was great for Libby Jones, The Bicester School! Jasmine Sharif, Lydia Sharman We all played extremely well throughout the match, Naomi Burrell and had a great coach. Our sportsmanship was brilliant from the side line and on the court. At the start, we all got into our positions and Finally, the last whistle blew and the match had to stuck with our players as close as we could as end early due to Sidford having to leave. long as it wasn’t contact! Cooper started with the ball so that wasn’t a good start for us, but we Players: knew before we had to defend the shots. So, suddenly, out of nowhere, we got the ball and headed our way to the GK: Lydia D we were shooting in. We took our time and used the players around the D so that we could get closer. All of a GD: Jasmine Sharif/Naomi Burrell sudden we scored! Well, Holly did. So next it was our center ball and Cooper at this point were really good be- C: Chloe Hall cause they saw we intercepted lots of throws. So all we all made our way, taking our time to the D again and Poppy WA: Sarah got into the D and took her time, we were all staring at the ball and it went round the rim and into the hoop, we all WD: Jenna Shear cheered! We were all so happy, well maybe not TCS. GS: Holly Keeble/Maggie Smith GA: Poppy Dowling Cooper were really good after that because they saw we were two nil up so they really wanted to get one in to draw the gap closer, Maggie got into space and lost her defender and scored! Bicester was so proud and happy for her. We then scored one more and Cooper scored following that. Cooper picked Jasmine to be player of the match. The Year 8 netball: TBS vs Sidford Secondary School final score was 4-1 to us! Well done Bicester Year 7 girls!

On Tuesday 29 January, TBS Year 8 Netball team had a Year 8 netball victory! match against Sildford Secondary School. The students who played were: On Tuesday 5 March, I had the delight of taking eight Year 8 students to the North Oxfordshire Netball Tournament. So far this season, the girls have played brilliantly, with all wins and one draw. C: Tilly GK: Ruby We were rushed for time, but arrived just as the first game began. The girls started off incredibly strong and made GD: Ines fantastic use of passes and space to win the first WD: Sophie Warwick game. This got them off to a great start, Captain WA: Daisy Tilly W, led the team to win all of their four games. GA: Lucy Fantastic shooting from Freya, Elysia and Lucy all GS: Freya and Elysia. the way to the final game completed a 4/4 win for the girls. Sidford started the game very strongly, and our defenders had to work really hard to keep them from scoring. Once They worked incredibly hard this season and have we had gained possession of the ball, we were able to work been a pleasure to take to matches each week. A it forward towards the attackers, and it gave us chances to special thank you to Mrs Bennett who provided flap- shoot. At the end of the first half, sides were level, but Sidford jacks and popcorn - I am sure this was the reason seemed to have the upper hand. they wanted to win! They were fuelled by sugary goodness! In the second half we came back fighting and managed to pull through with a win, beating them 4-3. Overall, it was a Next stop Oxfordshire County Finals! very tough game that was hard fought on both sides.

Match report by Lucy Tyrrell. Megan Wood 15 16 Other news Year 12 student wins University of Two students gained Former A-level student due to complete her Masters in Public Oxford prize in trauma surgery a place to perform Policy A Bicester School Year 12 student, Zoe Jones, has been awarded at the English Youth Former student, Katherine, left The Bicester School in 2015 with University of Oxford essay prize in trauma surgery for lower sixth after achieving a fantastic set of A-levels results. form students. Zoe’s essay stood out among a large number of ap- Ballet plications, which was marked by three senior clinical academics. Katherine gained an A* in Philosophy and Ethics, an A in Spanish and a C in Biology. Zoe said: “I entered the competition because I am keen to pursue a Hollie and Millie, students at The career in medicine and I thought it would be a great opportunity to Bicester School, have gained a place We caught up with her to hear what she is up to now and to try and win some work experience.” to perform the latest English Youth reflect on her time at The Bicester School… Ballet’s production of Cinderella in “I feel very proud of myself, I didn’t expect to win, so it was quite Hollywood. The play will take place “Coming to The Bicester School Sixth Form was always a shock. It has also helped motivate me to continue working hard at the New Theatre Oxford on Friday an obvious decision for me but the question of where I with my school work to try and achieve the grades necessary to be was going to go wasn’t. My choice to stay at The Bicester 14 and Saturday 15 June 2019. accepted into a medical school.” School was definitely the right one for me and I am so hap- py I did. Sixth Form provided me with the structure I need- This inaugural competition, which will be held annually, is designed From The Bicester School, we are ed to achieve my A-levels for university; it offered a learning for students who are considering applying to study medicine, and to so proud of such high standard environment I felt most comfortable in, and the support raise awareness of traumatic-injury treatment. achievement and we can’t wait to system that got me through those two years – in the form of see both on action! both friends and teachers!” This award also carries the first prize of a seven day work-experience placement within the Major Trauma Centre (Oxford), so the winner “I am now completing a Masters in Public Policy, subsequent to getting a degree in Philosophy from the University will experience first-hand how the different wards work. of Bristol. Alongside my studies, I am taking part in lots of projects within the university, including social media work for a massive charity dance, music and fashion show, research work for the Pro Bono society and finally, some The Bicester School is very proud of Zoe’s achievement, which cheerleading on the side!” comes from her hard work and perseverance. Well done! We look forward to staying in touch with Katherine and hearing about her bright future ahead.

TBS students perfectly performed Mary Poppins The Musical This year, TBS took on an ambitious professional musical production. Mary Poppins The Musical was performed on Wednesday 25 and Friday 27 March to an audience of over 300 audience across the two nights. It was a great success and everybody has agreed it was “practically perfect” in every way.

Over 60 students from Year 7 to Year 11 had been rehearsing since Christmas. We were exceptionally lucky that all members of staff got involved to support, from the drama and music teachers directing, to the art and DT department creating a spectacular set, to the maths, PE and humanities teachers teaching ensemble groups their dances. Parents also volunteered their time for vocal coaching, conducting, and doing hair and make-up. We are especially grateful to the sound and lighting team, Distinct solutions, who spent days rigging up professional light and sound for the show.

Overall, it was highly successful, and every single student did themselves proud. It was wonderful to see them experiencing the thrill of live performance and they will remember this for a long time to come. We can’t wait until the next one! 17 18