BBG Bulletin Issue 19
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ISSUE 19 28th April 2017 At the start of the Easter holidays 37 students from years 10 and 11 set off to explore the delights of Germany’s capital city. The trip got off to a rather stressful start thanks to both the M62 and M60 being closed; thankfully it didn’t cause too many problems as it was so early in the morning. We arrived in Berlin at lunchtime and were met by Nikolai, our tour guide for the rest of the day. After checking in to the hotel we embarked on a four hour walking tour of the main sights and learnt about the history of the capital from the 18th century, the first world war, the glorious 20s, the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party and Berlin as a divided city. Our first day finished off with a meal in an Italian restaurant; I was very proud of all the students for ordering all of their food in German. ISSUESunday 18 started off with a visit to the East Side Gallery, the longest remaining strip of the Berlin Wall, which 7thhasAprilbeen 2017painted by artists from around the world. Next up was a guided tour at the ‘Topography of terror’ where students learned of the terrifying role of the Gestapo and SS. I was very impressed by the sensible questions our students asked the guides and I think they really learned a great deal. After such a sombre visit we were in need of a bit of retail therapy so we headed off to the shopping centre at Potsdamer Platz. Students had plenty of time to browse the shops as well as complete a number of tasks aimed at getting them to practise their German. One of the task required students to ask a certain number of questions to the shop assistants or passers-by. Star of the day had to go to Orla McAndrew who asked a lady in perfect German if she could stroke her dog! The day finished with a night time visit to the Reichstag, Germany’s parliament building. Students had a chance to walk up the domed roof, designed by British architect Norman Foster, from where they had an amazing view over the whole of Berlin. Monday was equally as busy and started with a trip to the Olympic Stadium, designed for Hitler’s 1936 Olympics and where Jessie Owens stole the show. You can still see his name on the honours board at one end of the Stadium. ISSUE 18 7thInAprilthe 2017afternoon we went to Bernauer Straße and the Berlin Wall memorial park. This street was made famous by the fact that the wall ran straight through it and the Church and cemetery had to be dug up and re-located, as it then fell in the famous death strip. The ground markers brought home the reality of how vast the wall was and the lengths the East German Government went to to keep its citizens in. We then headed back to Alexander Platz for our trip up the famous Fernsehturm (TV tower). The structure was built as a symbol of Soviet power and at one time used to be the tallest structure in Europe. The views from the top were amazing! Our final day started with a trip to the DDR Museum where the students got to have a look at what life was like in East Berlin. It’s hard to imagine not having freedom of choice, having to wait over a year to get a telephone, being told what job you will do when you leave school and only being able to buy clothes that have been approved by the government! We then had just enough time for a final bit of retail therapy at the Alexa shopping centre before heading back to the airport and returning to England. I would like to say thank you to all the students for being great ambassadors for the academy. Their behaviour was impeccable and it made me so proud to see how much they were trying to improve their German. Danke schön, es war wunderbar! Mrs Deighton subject news HUMAN RIGHTS 7RFS have produced posters on what Human YEAR 8 Homework with SAM Learning Rights they believe people should have in the world. To further support our Year 8 students homework can In class, we discussed and came up with a definition now be set using SAM Learning. of what constituted as Human Rights and then brainstormed ideas to help them produce the All students are able to access assignments via their following posters. Students were astonished to learn personal homepage and view homework tasks in the that in some countries people are not permitted to ‘My Homework’ tab. This tab shows when the practice their faith, get punished for their sexuality homework is due to be completed, if it is has not been and treated like criminals even though they have completed and also if it is overdue. All year 8 students never had a trial. Our students wanted to ensure will be given their log in details this week during tutor that if they were in charge of the world such time and will have seen how to access the website in atrocities were not permitted. an assembly with Mrs Sullivan. All completed homework is either computer or self marked, depending on the type of work set. There is instant feedback, and scores can be viewed by students, parents or teachers in the ‘My Progress’ tab for the Last Homework Set (LHS). All staff receive a report on the homework that is completed by each student. Students are also able to re-visit homework activities if they wish to improve on their last score. The website and resources can be accessed on computers, laptops, most mobile phones or tablets and is also available via the browser on some PlayStation and Xbox games consoles. Homework club is also available after school if your child would rather complete the tasks set using school ICT equipment. Website address: www.samlearning.com CHARITY EVENT Aiden Newby is participating in an all-night gaming event this weekend to raise money for Cancer Research. Aiden has been inspired to raise money for this worthy charity after losing a childhood friend to cancer at age 12. He can be sponsored via the Cancer Research website, details below: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/rip- connor-harrison subject news MATHEMATICS CHALLENGE MFL A few weeks ago, you may remember reading in the Year 7 students have been getting creative in bulletin that Luke Asquith-Watson had participated in French, making these clocks to help them learn the IMOK Kangaroo 2017 Challenge. He scored high how to tell the time. Bravo! enough in the UKMT Mathematics Challenge to be selected to enter this international event. We are delighted to announce that Luke scored 85 out of 135 which positioned him in the top 25% of candidates and therefore he has been awarded a Merit Certificate. Well done Luke! On Thursday 128 Year 7 and Year 8 students participated in the Junior UKMT Mathematics Challenge. We look forward to receiving their results in a few weeks. MATHS PUZZLE OF THE WEEK If you know the answer, please visit https://tinyurl.com/mqrnwp4 to submit your answer. Come on students, don’t let the adults win!! Let’s see which year group has the most correct answers. (Parents & teachers are still welcome to join in) Closing date: Wed 3rd May 2017. Good luck. Last week’s puzzle answer was 77184. 11x7 = 77 11+7 = 18 11-7 = 4 hence 77184 Well done to Callum Snowden 7AUL who was the only pupil to get it right! Callum will receive a Head of Department stamp and entry into a prize draw to be drawn at the end of next half term. Well done to the adults who got it correct too. Parents: Keith Bancroft (2nd week in a row) & Sobia Bashir. Staff: Mrs Maude, Mr Holmes & Mrs Norrington and former teacher, Jim Kennedy. creativity corner ART Stunning pieces from our Year 10 students in the project ‘Wish you were here” Kieron Greenough-Mair Elizabeth Pickett Finlay Wilkinson performing arts STAR PERFORMANCES FOR BBG STUDENTS Congratulations to Ella Burrow who has secured the leading role in Barry Manilow’s Copacabana. The musical is being performed at The Bradford Playhouse on 4th-6th May 2017. Good luck Ella, we can’t wait to see the photos! You may have read in the Bulletin a few weeks ago that some of our students had auditioned for the production of Les Miserables, which is being performed In memory of Jo Cox in Batley. We are so proud to hear that Niall McShane from year 9 will be playing the role of Monsieur Thenardier, which is a fantastic character part, and will suit Niall perfectly. The dates of the performances are 10th and 13th August 2017 at Blackeridge Mill. Watch this space to hear about other students selected. save the date thought for the week During form time, Key Stage 3 students, Years 7,8 and 9 study and discuss ‘Thought for the Week’. This is a motivational idea which is used to re-enforce the Academy’s Growth Mindset philosophy. Students are being encouraged to work as hard as they can and advised with effort, huge progress can be made. Aside from the thought, students learn about key events that have happened during that week. In addition, students choose from three or four mottos that they are going to try and adhere to during that week.