NEWSLETTER DECEMBER 2018 Headteacher’s welcome Activate Learning Education Trust

Dear parents and students, ALET Teaching and Learning Conference In January, Activate Learning Education Trust (ALET) schools will all take part in our first annual Teaching and It has been a fantastic term with much to celebrate at The Bicester School. Learning Conference being held on our joint INSET day of 7th January. Over 250 teachers from across the Trust will descend on UTC Oxfordshire in Didcot. During the morning, we will share good practice in teaching and learning in Year 11 have just finished their mocks and these results will be revealed in a special assembly on the first day back a number of rapid-fire presentations from teachers from all seven ALET schools. In the afternoon, subject clusters on Tuesday 8th January. Our sixth form are taking their mock exams in January so we wish them well. from all schools will meet to work together on embedding this good practice and working out how best to work together collaboratively. In our second joint INSET day in April, we will plan to focus our efforts on business support Year 7 have settled brilliantly into the school, having made a superb transition from primary school to secondary staff from across our schools. I am really looking forward to the January conference and hope that this will be a school. They are already a remarkable year group and almost all of them received end of term reports showing great start to 2019. Look out for the second ALET newsletter available from 10th December that will be dedicated to great academic progress and effort = ‘1’ across the board, which is a remarkable achievement. the January Teaching and Learning Conference.

Our students across the school have earned the highest number of merits seen in recent years, with more than 90% of the school on track to earn the 1,000 points needed for a bronze award. Over 50% are on track for a silver or a My learning walk in The Bicester School gold award. Again, a tremendous achievement. This term I have visited all ALET schools to carry out an extended learning walk, visiting classes and talking to staff and students. Over a two-week period, this has been a fascinating ‘snap shot’ of the great education practice that is On the sporting front, our Year 9 and 10 students are still dominating our headlines, with both teams reaching cup happening in a lot of different ways in our ALET schools. Over this period I have seen some great teaching; ob- finals in recent weeks. The Year 9 rugby team continues to stand out and sweep aside all opposition before them. A served some fantastic assessment and project work; seen how students are driving their own independent learning, word of congratulations to Fabio Lopes as well at this point, who has now signed his first professional contract with taking charge of their time and how they spend it; and seen some great project work with employers helping build Oxford United. This is a great spur and encouragement to a number of other students, who are currently in acade- strong employability skills. I will be sharing this feedback openly with Headteachers before Christmas, so that we my teams and looking to play professionally in the next 2-3 years. can all learn from each school. Specifically at The Bicester School, based on feedback from staff and students and by observing classes: Year 9 have matured greatly over the last term, academically, and are now looking forward to making their options • Students enjoy their time at The Bicester School. They value the enthusiasm of teachers and their efforts to choices when they return in January. It has been marvellous to see them develop so well over the last few years make learning participative and engaging. They value the extra-curricular activities, particularly in sport under Mr Hume’s excellent leadership. • Lessons are well planned and the atmosphere in lessons is orderly and purposeful. I saw no disruption to learning in any of the lessons I visited On the staffing front, Mrs Whitley is taking on the role of Head of English from January as Ms ollardP is leaving the • Students clearly take pride in their work and I got a strong sense that they are proud to be a part of The school to work abroad in Sri Lanka. We wish Ms Pollard well and hope that she will return to us in the future after her Bicester School travels abroad. She has been an excellent Head of Department and will be greatly missed. We welcome Sarah Mo- • A significant strength is the pride students take in their workbooks. I noticed clear rules of engagement fol- rey to the school in January as a lead Practitioner for English who joins us after spending many years in a London lowed by teachers and students. A good example of this is the effective use of the grey and yellow books in maths school as Head of English. lessons.

We do wish all of our students, staff and parents, a well-deserved break at Christmas after a long term. We will see you after the holiday when we can take up once again our commitment to helping you to achieve your goals and Closer working with Bicester Technology Studio potential. A small group are currently working on how The Bicester School and Bicester Technology Studio can work more closely together to establish a complementary curriculum offer, by closer integrated working across subjects and Regards, support areas. The point of difference should remain that The Bicester School continues to develop along its strong Tony Rushworth path of being an academic school, with a good A-level-based Sixth Form offer, whilst the Bicester Technology Stu- dio focusses on strong applied BTEC learning with a strong link into work experience, employment and apprentice- Students celebrate non-uniform day on ships. The two schools, working together for the benefit of our learners, have a unique offer Friday for the larger number of students coming out of the school’s expanded Key Stage 3. The ability to offer two very strong routes and to work with students through Key Stage 3 gives us a unique offer in Bicester and Oxfordshire. A really exciting proposition if we It was yet another moment to celebrate on Friday 14th December as The Bicester get it right with a place at both schools being coveted as a means of getting to a good School (TBS) students gave great support to the non-uniform day with the majori- university or a good apprenticeship. ty choosing the Christmas Jumper option in support of charity. And finally... The Christmas jumper is a big favourite with staff and much favoured especially by our older students in the school, notably the sixth form. Happy Christmas!

Of the 1,000 plus students at TBS, more than 1,000 of them came to school in I hope everybody is looking forward to a well-earned break this Christmas. It has non-uniform on the day, with a number choosing the Christmas jumper option. been a tough term, but it really seems to have flown by too! Happy Christmas and have a healthy and successful 2019.

Tony Rushworth Lee Nicholls Headteacher Executive Director, Activate Learning CEO, Activate Learning Education Trust The Duke of Edinburgh Award 2017/18 Duke of Edinburgh Bronze and Silver Award Presentation

It has been a very busy year with a record number of students On Tuesday 27th November, there was yet again another well-deserved Duke of Edin- signing up to do the award at all three levels. burgh Award evening filled with joyous smiles and laughter from both the Bronze and Silver Award participants and their parents. The participants began their journey this time last year deciding which activities they would like to pursue in the different sections The Lecture Theatre was filled to the brim with delighted parents and the participants of volunteering, physical skills and in the case of the gold group, who had taken time and effort out of school hours to complete this distinguished award. a five day residential too. Those who completed this received The badges and certificates were presented by our DofE Operation Officer south-east their award at our Presentation Evening in November. region, Alison Moor, our school’s DofE manager, Mrs Brady and one of our DofE asses- sors, Jim. On receiving the award each of us said what our lasting memory of the Duke As in previous years, after-school sessions were held to support, of Edinburgh’s award was and it was clear that many of us had the expeditions high on enthuse and also prepare for our expeditions. Due to our num- our list. bers being higher than usual at Bronze, we split into two groups with each getting together on alternate Mondays. The expedi- Alison said a few heart-warming words about the commitment, persistence and personal tions also needed to be split over two weekends and I would like development that we as students have demonstrated along our journey. to thank our trainers and assessors for giving up those week- ends in June for the practice in the Hill End area of Oxford and Our Assistant Head Mrs Claire Shepherd, who also spoke, recognised that we were leading ourselves towards a further two in September for the qualifier near Lechlade. All of having successful lives in the future. which were great fun! Mrs Brady was surprised and delighted when she was presented with an inscribed glass vase as thanks for the 15 We ran our Silver practice over three days in April in the most years she has been running the award at The Bicester School. challenging weather, only to have even worse conditions in Octo- ber which they dealt with amazingly well. The evening concluded with a time for friends and parents to chat. Generously, our parents donated £53.60 to Cancer Research for which we were collecting. The small group of Sixth Form boys who had signed up for Gold did their practice expedition in Wales over a four-day period in July. It was a revelation to them of the enormity of the task! They discovered that fitness was a key element, along with taking Written by Sofia Antunes Trabuco Year 10 food that they would actually enjoy! Louis being the only one to Ambassador for DofE at The Bicester School have experience of expeditions at both Bronze and Silver was an excellent navigator and motivator!

I would now like to congratulate and thank the following students for giving up their free time to learn new skills and build on old ones, make a difference to the lives of others by offering help and leadership and for overcoming difficult personal challenges. They all deserve to be proud of their achievements.

Bronze achievers:

Sofia Antunes Trabuco, Selina Antunes Trabuco, Charlotte Knight-Edwards, Natasha Blincoe, Faye Walford, Charlotte Edwards, Chloe Wood, Olivia Whittingham, Morgan Robinson, Mason Kernaghan, Henry Gronow, Dan Roberts, Archie Clare, Will Pumares, Ed Turner, Matty Lewis, Elliott Keeble, Caitlin Laverick, Roisin O’Hara, Kaitlin Cavill, Francesca Mitchell, Lucy Vinell, Poppy Game, Vickie Clamp, Millie Smith, Codie Goddard, Ed Jolliffe, Tommy Wright, Josh Lorimer, Sam Key, Ellenis Panter, Eliza Stokoe, Lara Brown, Wiktoria Krzoska, Sam Watson.

Silver achievers:

Beatrice Robertson, Freya Hardcastle, Callum West, David Sawala, Evie Webb, Amie Shaer. English Department news Summer 2018 Exam Results Year 7

The English Department once again achieved an excellent set of results across both GCSE and A-level courses. Royal Shakespeare Company Workshop at Broughton Castle

I am delighted to offer my huge congratulations to students who gained super English GCSE grades; the progress At Broughton Castle, we went on a trip to learn about and attainment in the English Department was excellent, achieving 84% 9-4 in their English GCSEs (up 9% on last Shakespeare’s Macbeth. We saw real-life actors act year). These results clearly demonstrate the hard work, commitment and drive of both students and staff: well done. out two opening scenes of Macbeth. We met actors, did vocal warms ups and re-enacted scenes from the “I learned that Shakespeare On top of our GCSE results, our A-level students gained strong grades in both English Literature and English Litera- play. wrote really creative, violent, ture and Language. We wish our ex-A-Level students the very best of luck with future careers and higher education funny and adventurous stories” courses. Firstly, we were introduced to some actors who had played in several Shakespeare plays at the Royal Naomi, Year 7 Shakespeare Company. With one of the actors, we did Year 13 vocal warm-ups as well as brain warm-ups. We also Christopher Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus on London’s South- did some freeze-frames with lines from the play. “My favourite part was when I bank We then saw some scenes of Macbeth with Lady played King Duncan in front of Macbeth and Macbeth himself. We had the opportunity everyone” On Wednesday 5th December, six Year 13 students or- to edit some of the scenes and re-cast Macbeth from a ganised to see Marlowe’s Doctor Faustus at the Sam valiant warrior to a modern-day rapper. Max, Year 7 Wanamaker Theatre on London’s Southbank. In the small and intimate candle-lit theatre, Marlowe’s play I enjoyed every bit of this trip and I would definitely go explored themes of power and corruption. What are again if I had the chance. It was fabulous! we prepared to sacrifice in pursuit of power? It was an “Today, I learned that a rhym- excellent production and one I’d highly recommend. Many thanks to our local MP who organised and ing couplet gives power to the funded this opportunity in conjunction with the RSC person who said it, so it is like a Ms Pollard and Cherwell Council. And thank you to Mrs Davila for modern day ‘mic-drop’” leading the trip. Poppy, Year 7 English at Key Stage Three: Autumn Term Report by Katharyn Reynolds, Year 7 student

The autumn term has been exciting times for KS3 in English. Year 7 have been getting into the Christmas Spirit with Charles Dickens’ classic novel, A Christmas Carol. Following three spirits into the past, the present and the future, Year 7 are exploring the messages and lessons each ghost has for Scrooge.

Year 8 are discovering sensational locations through the travel writing unit. Exploring the globe, year 8s have stud- ied writing about the vibrant city life of London, the jostling, bustling food markets of Egypt, the serene lake lands of Finland and many more. Year 8 will be choosing a destination of their choice to create a powerfully, emotive speech to present to the class.

Year 9 have gone back in time to 1930’s Amer- ica and are studying John Steinbeck’s mov- ing novella, Of Mice and Men. The story is a Goodbye and Good Luck glimpse into the lives and the harsh conditions of migrant workers during the American Great After five and a half years at The Bicester School, it is Depression. George and Lennie, the iconic time I head to pastures new. It has been a pleasure characters, offer a tale of friendship in a world working with both students and staff in the Eng- of loneliness. Our Year 9 students have shown lish Department. We have grown from strength to tremendous sensitivity and maturity in studying strength, illustrated not only by excellent examination this classic novella. results, but also by the quality of teaching and learn- ing in the department. I wish all students the best of Mrs Whitley luck in their studies, especially our Year 13s and Year 11s for next summer’s exams.

Ms Pollard Winter Recommendations from the English Department English Literature Core Texts Revision Material

English Language GCSE Recommended Resources List Macbeth by William Shakespeare

Museum exhibition recommendation Oxford School Edition is preferable. How to be successful in English Language? Spellbound: Magic, Ritual and Witchcraft Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec. Read, read and read. at the Ashmolean, Oxford (running until 6th January 2019) Fiction: read novels, plays, poetry. Explore the history of magic over eight centuries Non-fiction: read a broadsheet newspaper article a day (The in this immersive and thought-provoking exhibi- The Sign of Four by Arthur Conan Doyle Guardian, Independent, The Telegraph, The Times etc). tion. The intriguing objects on display show how our ancestors used magical thinking to cope with Any edition of the text. the unpredictable world around them. They range from the fantastical and macabre (a unicorn’s Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec. horn, a human heart encased in lead), the beau- tiful and mysterious (exquisitely engraved rings to bind a lover and medieval books of ritual magic), to the deeply moving confessions of women accused of witchcraft. Poetry: ‘Power and Conflict’ Poetry An- thology and Unseen Poetry Book recommendation: Key Stage 4 and 5 Students are given the anthology in school. Normal people, Sally Rooney

Named Waterstone’s Book of the Year. Shortlisted for the 2018 Booker prize. “A superb evocation of a couple at Trinity College Lord of the Flies by William Golding Dublin who show what it is to be young and in love”- Any edition of the text. The Guardian, 2018 Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec.

Theatre recommendation

Shakespeare’s Macbeth DNA by Dennis Kelly Where: The Sam Wanamaker Theatre (next to the Globe), London Any edition of the text. When: 7th November 2018- 2nd February 2019 Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec. Macbeth is a timely reminder of the destruction that can result from the quest for power, and an examination of the evil forces that can take root in the imagination of a tyrant. The flickering candle- light of the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse provides An Inspector Calls by J.B Priestley the perfect setting for Shakespeare’s unsettling variation on the theme of the Faustian pact. Any edition of the text.

Exam board: AQA, 9-1 spec. Maths Department news

Results Year 11 revision Maths challenges Maths has had a fantastic start to the 2018-2019 Now into our third year of the new Maths specification We have had a strong year so far with the United Kingdom academic year celebrating the success of our students we have high expectations of this year’s Year 11 stu- Mathematics Trust Team Maths Challenges. The Senior Team and department with the GCSE results. 69% Grade 4+ dents. Boundaries rising this summer has set the bar for Challenge took place in November with Christelle Rajapaksa (equivalent to C+) has continued to put us at our high- our Year 11’s to meet again this year. We have no doubt and Alex Bird (Year 13) and Matthew Harris and David Ade- est results we have achieved in recent years. With our that everyone is capable of reaching their target and jare (Year 12) competing against some of the top schools second year into the new specification and the new beyond so we are looking forward to continuing this year across Oxfordshire. The students did The Bicester School 9-1 grading system we have used knowledge from with a hard working year group dedicated to achieving proud with their hard work in the run up to the event and then last year’s exams and this combined with the students the best they possibly can. performing to their absolute best on the day. Congratulations and teachers hard work and dedication, together with to them all and to Miss Stone and Miss Filgate who helped timeless practice, practice, practice, the students man- Year 11 students have just finished their mock exams with preparation and accompanying them. The Intermediate aged to achieve these excellent results, a 2% increase and from these in maths they will be coming home with Team Challenge is due to take place in March 2019 with a on last year again. Our higher students also performed a breakdown of how they performed in each of their team of Year 8 and 9 students who are already working with superbly with an amazing 16% achieving Grade 7+ three maths papers. These sheets will identify topics Miss Stone in preparation. We wish them the best of luck (equivalent to A+) and 5% achieving Grade 9+ (equiv- they scored higher and lower in and therefore will be from the whole Maths team. alent to top half of an A*). a good place to go next with their revision at home. Senior Team Maths Challenge 2018 We have about two months of official teaching left now before starting timetabled revision in class, but students All of our Year 12 and 13 students also took part in the Individual Senior Maths Challenge in November with some A-level Maths are already having opportunities to revise such as Morn- fantastic results: Matthew Harris (Y12) Best in School, Best in Year and Gold, Ben Greener (Y12) Silver, David Terra ing Maths and additional assessments scattered in. We (Y13) Best in Year and Bronze, Immie McNally (Y12) Bronze, Charley Lewis (Y12) Bronze, Zoe Jones (Y12) Bronze Our Year 12 and 13 students have made a great start have additional exam practice and past paper work to and David Adejare (Y12) Bronze. Congratulations to everyone who took part and to those qualifying with awards. to the year also. Year 13’s are working up to their final commence later in the year in the build up to the exams Matthew Harris (Y12) also qualified for the further Senior Kangaroo Round which he sat at the end of November. We mocks in January before finishing the course off in the also. are still awaiting results and wish him the best of luck with these. Our Year 9 and 10 students are next to take on the spring. Pure is almost complete now for the two years Individual challenges in the Intermediate Maths Challenge taking place in early February. with applied year 2 to work on after Christmas. We Students have been given many resources to help them have everyone putting in university applications where with revision early on in the year including a new 9-1 Next stop: Florence maths is a key subject to their entry requirements so Maths GCSE revision workbook, which should be used we are encouraging as much additional independent now continually at home independently and as directed Our Maths residential trip to Florence is now fast approaching and will be upon us soon after Christmas. We trav- study and revision as possible in this crucial year. by their teacher. MathsWatch is also up and running with el with 30 Year 8 and 9 students from February 14th to 17th 2019. After the resounding success of our first visit to Please ensure all work is completed on time and if all videos and worksheets readily available to everyone. beautiful Italy two years ago this trip is eagerly anticipated by everyone involved with excitement levels rising daily. questions are raised, please do so with your teach- Work can be set here by classroom teachers to supple- Final instalments should now be paid by parents and passport details passed onto Mrs Nash. If your child is at- ers and also make use of the dedicated KS5 support ment revision and teachers will be checking how fre- tending, can you please ensure these have been passed on. A parents meeting will be taking place one evening in group that runs every Friday lunchtime with Miss quently students are using the resources to encourage January with more details to follow. In this, final details will be confirmed for parents and students to ensure we are Stone and Miss Filgate. Year 12 are fully in the swing positive revision habits from the offset. all fully prepared for the excitement of this wonderful city and the Maths we will encounter along the way. of everything too with all text books and calculators for the new Maths and Further Maths courses purchased All login information has been shared in class, with and everyone is doing really well with all assessments handy cards provided to all students, but if you may taken to date. have had difficulty a reminder is here:

Website: https://vle.mathswatch.co.uk/vle

GCSE Statistics Username: your initial, surname, the year when you started as a year 7, then @bicester (no gaps), e.g. Tom We are delighted this year to be able to run a new Smith, a student who was a year 7 in September 2014 GCSE in Statistics for our most able mathematicians in would be tsmith14@bicester Year 10. Those achieving grade 7 + have been given this brilliant opportunity with a class of 20 starting addi- Password: tbsmaths tional lessons after school with Miss Filgate on a range of statistical processes used across other subjects This is the same for all students in Years 7-11 so every- and in the real world of work. This is a great opportu- one now has access to this way of revising maths. nity for students to achieve a further GCSE, but also give a good insight into some of the content they may cover if going on to study A-level Mathematics and Further Mathematics in a couple of years time. History Department news Key Stage 4 History Students The History Department and Commemorate the First the First World War World War The History department hosted a temporary display, at the This is the first newsletter we have published since the 2018 results were released so I would like to take this oppor- start of November, to commemorate the centenary of the tunity to share some key headlines with you. These results were some of the best we have ever seen at The Bicester Once again the History Department and His- ending of the First World War. The focus was on Bices- School and we are proud of our students and their academic achievements. tory students have participated in the Royal ter School students who had fought and died during the British Legion’s campaign to remember the Second World War (the Bicester County School opened in Our Progress 8 score was +0.09. To give this some context, a progress score of 0 means that schools and stu- fallen of the First World War, and this year the 1924). dents are performing at the national average. Our positive score indicates that students at The Bicester School have poppy has been planted in the Centenary Field performed better than other students nationally. 66% of our Year 11 students achieved grade 4 and above in both of Thanks at the National Memorial Arboretum The display included the student names: Maths and English which is 4% above the national average. Overall attainment in all subject areas is above that of in Staffordshire. students nationally, with students at The Bicester School scoring 4.6 against a national figure of 4.5. KA Adams The National Memorial Arboretum is the na- Some examples of the fantastic results achieved by students are: tion’s centre of Remembrance and covers 150 CH Ashmore acres and includes over 350 memorials for the Zuzannah Potocka – 9 grade 9s, 1 grade 8 and an A at AS level. armed forces, civilian organisations and volun- JW Duxbury tary bodies who have played a part in serving Ben Greener – 5 grade 9s, 1 grade 8 and 3 grade 7s the country. The Arboretum is home to over NJ Goss 30,000 trees and an abundance of wildlife. Charley Lewis – 5 grade 9s, 3 grade 8s GJ Hancock This year is all the more poignant as 2018 Matthew Harris – 5 grade 9s, 1 grade 8, 3 grade 7s marks one hundred years since the end of the GL Hickman First World War. Over 1.1 million British and Tom Couzens – 4 grade 9s, 2 grade 8s, 2 grade 7s Commonwealth soldiers died during the four CP Phipps years of fighting and thousands more guard- David Adejare – 3 grade 9s, 2 grade 8s, 1 grade 7, 1 grade 6 ed the home front, worked in the factories, WG Reave planted crops, nursed the injured and cared Emily Wright – 8 grade 8s, 1 grade 7 for children. Together, they changed our world EP Watson in ways we still feel today. Women won the Our current Year 11 students have just finished their mock exams. These are an excellent opportunity for students to right to vote, communities banded together to EB Wood test their knowledge and exam technique before the summer exams. Students rose to this challenge and conduct- rebuild the country, and there were significant ed themselves with great maturity over a very stressful two weeks. Students will be given their results in assembly advancements in medicine, technology and EJ Wing on the 8th January. culture. Many items became common place as a result of the war, including stainless steel, The department has been moved by the numerous students Our programme of Year 11 interventions is well up and running, with attendance at morning Maths and English, zips, tea bags and X-ray machines. This is all who have brought in medals, papers, letters, photographs Wednesday period 5 and Saturday school sessions, being excellent. part of the legacy of the First World War and and other family documents of relatives who fought in the We are running our first Core Curriculum evening on the 31st January. This will be an opportunity for parents of Year the History Department, through the curriculum First World War. For those students and families interested 11 students to be given advice on how to support students in their preparations for the final exams and view sug- and events such as this one, hope to educate the link below can help you research, and discover, where gested resources that students can use at home when revising. We hope to run this event again later in the year for future generations about the Great War, and its a relative is buried in a Commonwealth War Cemetery. The parents of Year 10 students and will let parents know details nearer to the time. impact. link will also enable you to download a commemorative certificate and photograph. Year 10 have made an excellent start to their GCSE courses. We are impressed with how well they have stepped up The History staff and students have chosen the to the new challenges they are facing and are pleased to hear many students talk about how much they are enjoy- following inscription to be included with their ing their new subjects. poppy: I would like to take this opportunity to thank parents for their ongoing support as we continue to maintain and raise the high standards we have for all of our students. ‘For those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, with gratitude. May we never Miss Le Brun forget’ Assistant Headteacher Year 10 Team at North Oxford- Year 9 TBS vs Gosford PE news shire League Tournament

British Cycling Pays a Visit to Callum West We went to the tournament feeling good and hoping to During the whole game we stayed positive and de- the Bicester School do well. We had won all of the league games played termined, and had played extremely well. Our centre On the 13th November, Year 11 student Callum so far this year and had placed second at the tourna- passes, defending and attacking was strong. We kept On Thursday the 27th September, British Cycling paid a West attended the Cherwell ‘Love Where You ment last year. We had a strong team although we were a good pace but may have needed stronger and better visit to the school. Students from Years 8, 9 and 10 got the Live’ Awards and won Young Volunteer of the Year slightly short of defenders. Luckily our team is versatile passes around the court. opportunity to develop their cycling skills, and for some it award. This was for his work at Bicester Tennis and throughout the tournament we were able to switch was a real learning experience. Club and for his role as Bicester Healthy Schools positions and use different combinations. Our shooters did amazingly and managed to get the Ambassador. He was interviewed by BBC Radio, ball into the D with good teamwork and fast move- The groups were set tasks to manage pace, use of gears, which will be aired in the near future. We got off to a really good start, winning games against ments.Although we did lose 26 to 4, we did really well brakes and handling. The students thoroughly enjoyed the Cooper, Heyford and Gosford, getting a lot of goals in, against a difficult team. Our past matches have gone opportunity to try a new activity in lessons; it even inspired Callum also attended the Oxfordshire Tennis Junior in case it went to goals difference at the end. The team well, and we can only hope that they keep continuing to some of the Year 9 girls to go on a group ride the following Awards for the second year in a row and won his worked together well with defenders intercepting the do so. We will progress and improve over the next year day. category of Most Improved Club Player Boys. ball and quickly getting it up the pitch. The games were and hopefully we can beat Gosford next time. very fast but we kept up well, sticking to opponents, Year 10 students were selected from GCSE groups as this Mr Hume although our play did become rushed in places. Well done for all the hard work and commitment. is an activity for which they can be assessed as part of their exam. Once we had got the first few matches underway and had warmed up nicely we came up against Warriner. Mr Wootton Year 10/11 TBS vs Gosford It is always close between our teams with them just beating us last year and both of us having won all our On Tuesday 16 October, the Year 10/11 Gosford netball Running the Oxford half games so far. The match was tense and very exciting. team travelled to play The Bicester School. We had high marathon for two amazing Our teams were fairly evenly matched and the ball hopes to win, although we knew Gosford were a strong moved up and down the pitch a lot. After what felt like team and were also determined to win. charities a very short amount of time, the match was over. The score was 4-4 so we knew the overall result would come On the sound of the whistle, Mille Couzens (Centre) down to how we played against all the other teams. passed the ball to Mia White (Wing Attack). The ball was The Oxford half marathon was the first half mara- quickly in the hands of the shooters Chloe Wood (Goal thon I had ever run; I had been planning it for some The rest of the tournament continued to go well but we attack) and Charlotte Edwards (Goal Shooter) who soon time because of the enjoyment I get from running, had one match where things did not work quite so well. scored the first goal of the match. It was then Gosford’s as well as charity work. I ran the half marathon in It did not flow well and everyone seemed to be close centre pass. After a few passes, the ball was in Gos- aid of Alzheimer’s Society, as it is a cause very together, not in a good space. This meant unfortunately ford’s shooting area. The score was now 1-1. After great close to my heart, and with the help, support and BGN got the better of us beating us 3-1 in a still close defending from Amy Long (Goal defence) Ellenis Panter kind donations from friends and family I was able match. We were determined not to let us be affected (Wing Defence) and Faye Walford (Goal Keeper), the to raise £380.00. This amount was more than I had by this and worked extremely hard to keep pushing on. first half ended with a score of 9-2 to Bicester. ever imagined getting but with persistence and The rest of our games were won and we worked hard U14 Basketball patience, I met my goals. together to keep scoring as many goals as possible The second half began with Daisy Holloway as Centre knowing it could come down to goal difference and the and Charlotte Knight-Edwards as Goal shooter. The This term, The Bicester School U14 Basketball team faced The half marathon was a lot tougher than I first results would be close. defence was still strong, only letting in one more goal the tough task of playing last year’s county finalists. The imagined; I had always had a goal of 01:45:00, for Gosford. Bicester sneaked in five more goals mak- boys have been waiting with great anticipation for these which meant keeping up a good pace from start to We then had a short time to wait for the results. We were ing the final score 14-3 in favour of The Bicester School. games to come round and they made a fantastic start. Dev- finish. I started off steady but couldn’t let my time very happy to come away with second behind Warriner, Both schools congratulated one another and player of on Weldon and Harry Heslop came out strong, both scoring slip so had to get my pace up and fight through knowing they had not beaten us in the game, an im- the match was awarded to Faye Walford. early baskets to settle the nerves. However, Cheney School the pain. In the end, I achieved a respectable time provement from last year. grew in confidence and their experience started to show as of 01:43:18, which I am very pleased with. I look Smiles were beaming in the hall from both the netball the game went on. The final score: 49-20 to Cheney. forward to running in more events and hopefully We are now already looking forward to what will sadly team and Miss Wood. The Bicester School had another pushing myself towards a full marathon when I turn be our last tournament next year. victory. Twenty-four hours later and the boys were off to The Cher- 18. well School to face the regaining county champions. The Year 9 Netball Final Tournament final score was 35-9 to Cherwell. Both games have given I managed to raise £380.00 for Alzheimer’s society On Thursday 15th November, the Year 9 netball team went to NOA to play in our final netball tournament against the boys opportunity to practise skills they have been work- and achieved a time of 01:43:18. other schools in the county. Our main strengths were getting the ball down the court quickly and marking our play- ing hard on in lessons with valuable experience gained for ers well for most of the game. We also had great teamwork throughout the game, and we were really supportive of future games. Joshua Pascoe each other.The thing we could improve on for next year is keeping possession of the ball at all times, and slowing the game down when we need to. Well played boys - keep your heads up and the wins will come! Overall, we played really well, and we came 4th, with only one point between us and third place. Well done everyone Mr Hume and thank you Miss Wood for a great season! Year 9/10 Mixed Boys Rugby Year 9 TBS vs The Cooper Year 8 Football County Cup vs Oxford Spires Report School On Thursday 9th October the Year 9/10 boys of The On Thursday 18th October the Year 9 boys from On Wednesday 3rd October, the Year 8 boys travelled to Oxford Spires for their first game of the season. With high Bicester School (TBS) rugby team played at home The Bicester School (TBS) rugby team played away expectations, they started very strongly, moving the ball around the pitch very confidently, led by Captain Josh Mc- against Heyford Park Free School. against local rivals, The Cooper School. Connell. Unfortunately, TBS were caught on the counter attack, allowing their striker through one on one with Max Hook who was unable to keep the ball out of the net. From the first tackle it was apparent both teams were TBS started the first half, dominating in the forwards going to be physical, with big collisions happening with and securing every ruck. This allowed the backs to TBS continued to dominate possession throughout the first half but failed to create any clear cut chances until Tom every contact. TBS were particularly strong down the utilise quick passing, which resulted in two tries in Rowlinson stepped over a free kick won by Henry Campo. Rowlinson’s free kick flew past the keeper to level the middle, winning multiple scrums in order to regain pos- quick succession for Finley, making it 10-0. Cooper score just before half time. session. then managed to get a foot into the game through a break down from the outside to make it 10-5. TBS The second half was very one sided; TBS controlled the tempo of the game, creating a number of chances but TBS opened the scoring after five 5 minutes, with a try soon retaliated with another try which came from slick were unable to find the winner. Oxford Spires did threaten but a Man of the Match performance by Hamza Al Jabari from Harry Heslop, who used his pace down the outside passing from Joe to Devon, this successful conver- showed his qualities defensively keeping the scores level. to make the score 5-0. Shortly after, Devon Weldon bust sion making the score 17-5. TBS continued to control through the oppositions defense to score a second try. the game, again scoring from strong running, to make Extra time began and Spires were ahead before we blinked. Riley Tucker, our substitute goalkeeper, was beaten However, Heyford Park began to spread the ball out wide the score 22-5 at half time. by a fantastic finish. Again TBS had to show their resilience and this was exactly what they did. The desire of this to the wingers, scoring two tries in quick succession and team was incredible and they continued to create chance after chance. In the dying seconds of extra time TBS won making the game 10-10. After a period of tight defense The second half remained scoreless for 10 minutes another free kick and Rowlinson was not letting anyone else take it. The free kick specialist lofted the ball over the from both teams, Sefa managed to break through and due to solid defence from both Cooper and TBS. Solid keepers head and into the far corner of the goal. The last kick of the game. score a try. This strong break put TBS in the lead, but it tackles were made from Ollie and Kolbi before. Devon was not long before the opposition fought back to make it showed his strength and burst down the middle to So... Penalties decided the game. Unfortunately it was not meant to be. TBS lost 3-2 in the shootout. 15-15 at half time! break Coopers defence, which successfully converted 29-5. Cooper began to make a late fight back with five What a great performance by the Year 8 team; it was a pleasure to lead them. We look forward to the up and com- The second half was end to end, but solid defense from minutes to go, scoring two back-to-back tries and the ing season. both teams meant it was scoreless for the first ten min- game finishing 29-15. Mr Courtney utes. Eventually, Heyford Park broke through and scored, making the game 20-15. Quick passing from TBS backs The boys put in a solid performance with an outstand- meant the score was yet again equal, bringing the game ing first half and great effort from all players! Year 8 Hockey Match Year 8 Hockey match TBS vs to 20-20. Heyford Park scored down the middle to gain TBS vs Cooper School Sibford the lead once more at (25-20) but TBS showed character Mr Hume to win a scrum. Devon Weldon scored from the scrum to make the score 25-25. Going into the final minutes of The players who all worked so hard as a team On Tuesday 9th October, the hockey team played a gruelling the game it was looking likely to be a draw but a late try were: match against Sibford. Starting at around 3:30pm (to allow through a strong run by Ed Turner put TBS back in front, Anna Jolliffe training time) and finishing at 5:30pm they stood their ground, with the final score being 30-25 to TBS! Ines Piaget-Thompson and, with high hopes, the girls stayed strong and were ready Anna Couzens to play. The boys put in a strong team effort with all 19 players Bella Couzens showing determination to come back from being behind Grace Turner The possession was mostly half and half, Sibford right on to secure the win. Amber Ford (Goalie) our tails. Luckily, we kept the ball out of the D until midway Elysia Thompson through the first half, allowing Sibford to score their first goal. Mr Hume Sophie Warwick Even with this shock, the girls pushed through and kept play- Tag Rugby Festival ing with all their might. The first half had a great start with an early first On Wednesday 3rd October, The Bicester School hosted goal scored by Anna Jolliffe. Anna Couzens Unfortunately, by half time the score was 6-0 against TBS. We the primary Tag Rugby Festival. It was a great success ended the first half with a great shot on goal to began to lose faith but with half time, the second teams came with 9 primary schools attending with at least 20 students score. In the second half, the team were do- on and we fought a great battle. In the second half, the team each! ing amazing passes but unfortunately did not came back for revenge, better than before, with Alexia Evans succeed in scoring another goal. The game and Anna Couzens scoring three goals between them. The leaders did a fantastic job officiating the matches as finished 2-0. well as offering additional support to teams. There were As the whistle blew, the score came to a saddening 7-3, but even special mentions for Lucas Williams, Matt Hornby, At the end of the game, the woman of the at least now, with great teammates like Ines, Anna J, Anna C, Alfie Wright, Peniasi Baleiwai and Edward Turner. match was chosen and it was Anna Jolliffe. Bella, Elysia, Sophie, Phoebe, Alexia and Grace and a teacher like Mr. Burke, I’m confident the team knows what they can do Overall, the competition was a success with plenty of The whole team played amazingly….a success- to improve and make the tournament once it comes around. smiles :) ful day!

Mr Burke By Anna Jolliffe By Amber Ford (Goalie) Other news Open Event Success School Production Staff profile On Thursday 4th October, we welcomed prospective This term the Creative Arts department have started re- Fourteen years ago, motivated in part by my students and parents to our annual Open Evening hearsing for this year’s school musical; Marry Poppins. The teenage daughters enthusiastic recounting of Event. “practically perfect” 70-minute musical, designed for sec- ethical debates in her Religious Studies lessons, ondary school-aged performers, is based on the classic P.L. I realised that teaching Religious Studies was During the evening prospective parents and students Travers stories and the Walt Disney film. The cast includes something I really wanted to do. That decision were given the opportunity to have an informal tour of over 70 students and they have started learning the songs, was followed by a Religious Studies and Theolo- the school and talk to staff. As always, we were really dances and how to spell Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! gy BSc at Oxford Brookes University, and a PGCE well supported by a large number of our students who at the University of Oxford. Since then I have helped within Departments, with car park supervision Each week we tackle a new song, dance and scene. So far taught at several Oxfordshire schools, and joined and led tours. We were also lucky to have student the students have done fantastically, and are picking up a The Bicester School in September this year. speakers, Abi Starkey, Adam Newman (Year 9) and Kriss very large amount of material very quickly. The Art depart- Watson, Meghan McCauley (Year 13) who together with ment has started making plans for the set and props, and In a rapidly changing period in world history, I am Mr Hume (Head of KS3) and Headteacher Mr Rush- there are some really exciting things in store for the audi- increasingly convinced of the need to engage worth delivered two presentation’s during the course of ence. students in philosophical and ethical thought, the evening. and in encouraging an understanding of what The final performances will be in The Bicester School hall on motivates and drives others. I hope that some of There was also the opportunity to sample food from the Wednesday the 27th of March and Friday the 29th of March, the students I teach will also share their thoughts canteen which was included as part of the tour. we hope you can join us there. about topics they have been learning about in lessons at home; and that they begin a process This year saw a record number of visitors for the event Tickets will be available after Christmas using ParentPay. of critical evaluation and engagement with life in exceeding 800!Once again the feedback from the Information about tickets and times will be posted on the a pluralistic society that will help to prepare them evening was very complimentary and suggests that school website. for their futures beyond school. once again Year 6 student interest for 2019 as their first preference will be in surplus of 250. Year 7 Students Participated in Keren Mayo A fantastic job by all involved. A truly team effort! a Christmas Shoebox Appeal

Mr Vardy This month, Year 7 forms have been participating in a Bicester Sign Language shoebox appeal for the Charity Link to Hope. Students Assistant Headteacher have been collecting items with which to send to children Club and families who may not have many Christmas presents. Items have included toys, sweets, colouring books, scarfs, We had a great turnout for the first session, with soap, as well as many other items. The students managed eight students from Year 7, Year 11 and the Sixth to bring in enough items to fill 22 shoeboxes, which have Form keen to learn how to sign and communicate Hot Chocolate and now been sent off to other parts of the world. with those who use British Sign Language. Doughnut Rewards for Key Assistant Head of Year 7, Oscar Maddox said: ‘This is a Although just starting, they showed great enthu- Stage 3 Students fantastic effort by all those students involved. It shows siasm and had great fun practising the alpha- that we have a lovely group of students at this school, and bet while playing hangman. We also had some Every Friday this term staff have been nominating Key that they are growing up as conscientious citizens of the returning students from last year join the signing Stage 3 students for their amazing work, wonderful world.’ conversation club on Monday, with ten students manners and commitment to extra-curricular activities coming back to learn and practise signing. at The Bicester School. We would love to see anyone else who is interest- Each week the Head of Year selects two deserving ed in learning. winners who receive the award at break time on Friday. Pictured below are the winners from week 1. Coming up: sing a song in sign (ready for Christ- mas)! Mr Hume Head of Key Stage 3 Miss Stone