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Having a swinging time!

Year 7 students enjoyed a bonding trip to Norfolk outdoor attraction Go Ape.

Memory expert offers revision advice

Staff, students and parents attended presentations at BVC by education adviser Robin Launder. A former prison officer and teacher, Robin specialises in evidence-based teaching, mindset theory, teacher-student relationships, memory skills and neuroscience for teachers. Robin's fast-paced and often humorous presentation introduced memory techniques to aid revision to Year 10 and 11 students, followed up by a similar support session for over 200 parents in the evening. Year 11 student Cassie Evans said: "We have studied memory in Psychology so it was really interesting to hear Robin's presentation on how the different techniques really work. He was fascinating and funny!" Students from our partner schools in Cambridge - Netherhall and Cambridge Centre for Sixth Form Studies - also attended the sessions. BVC teachers received a session on student behaviour from Robin during their weekly staff training session. Further information about Robin and his techniques can be found on his website www.behaviourbuddy.co.uk Robin is photographed above (centre) with BVC students.

Open Evening Success

Over 500 visitors were welcomed by staff and students at our annual Open Evening. All departments pulled out the stops to show the college at its very best with a range of activities and displays on offer. Young students and their families who are considering a move to BVC were treated to flame-throwing and robotics in Science, dance and drama rehearsals in Creative Arts, creating a ghost story in English, fashion, catering and 3d modelling in Design, as well as student-run activities in Humanities, Art, PE, Languages and Maths. The Hive, our specialist student-support centre, was also open with College Captains on hand to answer any questions put to them by potential students. Refreshments were made and served by Year 11 Catering students. The Year 8 tour guides did a marvellous job keeping everything running smoothly and the evening ended with a presentation by Head of School Vickey Poulter and students Edward Evans and Hannah Nussey. Ms Poulter said: "It was an extremely busy evening and the school looked fabulous. It is the amazing work by staff and students alike that makes BVC such a fantastic school. "So many visiting parents were really positive about us and the feedback was excellent. "Edward Evans and Hannah Nussey were truly amazing in their talk to parents - they were a hard act to follow!"

Experience of a lifetime!

Whilst most post-GCSE students enjoyed a summer of fun and relaxation, a hardy group of BVC teenagers travelled to Africa to help support a school in need. Our intrepid Year 11 students spent two weeks in Tanzania as part of their World Challenge expedition – using their time to explore their environment as well as carry out badly-needed repairs to a village school. BVC teacher Jude Shortt, who accompanied the students alongside fellow teacher Rachel Ward, said: “World Challenge is what is says on the tin – it is a challenge. It makes the young people step out of their comfort zone and tests their leadership, communication and resilience skills to the max. The students are basically in charge and learn how to organize transport, accommodation, food which is no mean feat in a foreign country miles from home with a different language and culture. “Our young people came up trumps as always and it was wonderful to see them hone and develop a raft of skills that will all be hugely beneficial to them as they set out on the new phase in their lives.” Highlights of the trip included trekking in the foothills of Kilimanjaro; finding a great supply of local produce from a frenetic and rather daunting marketplace; a group of boys joining in with a local acrobatic team’s limbo routine by firelight; hysterical laughter when a rather large and intimidating baboon decided to hop into the safari jeep without an invite; managing the team finances and learning the local language. Student…

Excellent results for BVC students

Our students have come up trumps with an impressive haul of level 8 and 9s in their GCSE exams – that’s A/A* in old money. Vickey Poulter, Head of School, said: “I am delighted to say that 35% of our students achieved at least 3 or more 7+ (A/A* equivalent) grades and 25% of all grades were at 7 or above. “It's an excellent achievement and the hard work of our staff and students has been rewarded in a year where the exams in all subjects have become more challenging and harder to secure these top grades. I am incredibly proud of them all." "We are particularly delighted with the grades for languages again this year - in Spanish half of the cohort achieved a 7-9 grade for the second year running and in Latin 58% of the cohort secured the top grades. 52% of all students achieved 5+ in English and Maths and 71% at 4+ in English and Maths." Well done to all students on their achievements this year. A number of students made excellent progress based on the new progress and achievement measures who should be particularly congratulated: Top achievement - Grace Anderson, Sophie Burr, Adam Castle, Bea Cornwell, Holly Derrett, Lucas Hockley, Iain Lynn, Keira Sibbons, Imogen Sole, Libby Taylor. Top progress based on the P8 scores - Holly Derrett, Jessica Sams, Hayden Byles, Jasmine Ho, Amelie Anderton, Keira Sibbons. Year 10 students at BVC sat English language a year early with 71% achieving level 4 and above. Four students achieved…

Frankie is a Teenstar!

A young BVC dancer has won second  place in the prestigious television UK TeenStar Singing & Dancing competition. Teenstar, for pre-teens and teenagers, consists of a UK-wide search for the finest young talent the UK has to offer. BVC year 8 student Francesca Venn, along with  Ella Carolan (Melbourn Village College) and Shannelle Jacklin (Greenway), dance together as a trio called Together As One. The girls impressed the judging panel at the initial auditions from over 10,000 entries, and went on to perform in the TeenStar live Regional and Area final heats to make it the national grand final. Finalists then performed in front of celebrity judges including included Swoosh from Dance Group Flawless, Barney Addison, Head of talent for Syco Entertainments and Leon Haynes from Universal Music. Francesca, Ella and Shannelle formed Together as One to help raise awareness of mental health in young people and have already raised over £700 for the charity Young Minds. They will be appearing in the Teenstars special highlights TV show to be aired later this year. Chris Grayston, Head Judge said: “This competition looks to find acts that have something unique to offer and can go all the way, with both the ability to deliver a strong live performance and the potential to become a professional singer or dancer” Mary Bance, Choreographer said: "I am incredibly proud of the girls' achievements and it is testament to their hard work and dedication to dance”

Heron Award Winners

The last week of term saw the Heron Awards evening take place - honouring the top students in each year.  Students received the Heron Award , which takes the form of a small lapel badge which we hope students will wear with pride on their blazers. The Heron Awards are given to students who have achieved the highest score for subject awards, merit certificates and attendance awards over the three terms. These students have been working hard constantly throughout the year and we feel they are a real credit to the school. Students will still receive awards for individual subjects and these are being presented at College Celebration Assemblies at the end of term. Award winners were:   Year 7: Orlaith Boakes, Lottie Bond, Liam Chadwick, Rachel Clark, Tom Formstone, Lily Harrison,  Emma Jones, Matthew Kendrick, Robert Kendrick, Maddie Ross Howe, Rosina Summers, Anna Wylie. Year 8: Elise Anderton, Jacob Bird, Annabel Carlile, Fraser Clapham, Nyah Cretton, Esme Howard, Meaghan Knibbs,         Evelyn Marshall, Archie McCulloch, Stella Morris, Drew Murdock, Charlotte O'Brien, James Pryer, Eleanor Spicer, Toby Telford-Reed, Patrick Weekes, Lucy Whiteley. Year 9: Ellie Blackburn, Jon Cheeseright, Katie Cheeseright, Joshua Ding, Ciara Free, Ginevra Harraway, Ben Hawkins, Saskia Holloway, Isabel Inskip, Hannah Lewis, Archie Lievesley, Beth Makower, Naomi Marshall, Bethany Nicholas, Adam  Russell, Annie Safford, Maddie Saggers, Jasmine Stacey, Isaac Summers, Jemima Sutton, Samuel Welch, Isobel Wells. Year 10: Annie Baigent, Katie Brown, Ellie Bryant, Amaya Cook, Max Crane, Grace Custerson, Lucy Daws, Rebecca Day, Alfie Duckett, Cassie Evans, Diaan Gill, Oliver Haley,…

Summer Heron

The Summer Heron has been published and can be viewed as an ISSUU publication here The magazine features news of the past term’s activities and events, along with team photographs and coverage of the Prom, Sports Day, MFL trips and an interview with alumnus Jo Ellis, former UK Olympic hockey player.  

Walsingham Pilgrimage

Year 10 RE students have an annual visit to Walsingham in  Norfolk. Katie Brown describes the trip: Walsingham is famed for its religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary and attracts around 250,000 pilgrims each year, as individuals or as parish groups accompanied by their priest. It also contains the ruins of two medieval monastic houses. So, the trip was a great opportunity for students to enhance their knowledge on the Christian faith and experience first-hand the significance of the holy site that pilgrims have visited for centuries. Once arriving at Walsingham, we were greeted and welcomed to the shrine by staff Pauline Lovelock and Geoff Arden. They both did an excellent job of guiding us around the historic sites and involving us in the various activities that pilgrims do when they come to Walsingham. We were first walked through the outside area of the chapel of reconciliation (Roman Catholic); when the number of pilgrims exceeds the capacity of the Chapel, the panelling at the back of the sanctuary can be opened up and the altar becomes the focal point for pilgrims gathered in the Shrine grounds. Then we were lead into the Slipper Chapel (dedicated to St Catherine of Alexandria) which served pilgrims on their way to England’s Nazareth. Saint Catherine was the patron saint of pilgrims to the Holy Land and her knights kept open the road to Nazareth during the Crusades. The beautiful stained glass windows frame the several images of Mary decorate the Slipper Chapel. After leaving the Slipper chapel, students…

Oh what a night!

Two of our Year 11 students were honoured at the Cambridge News Education Awards - but missed out on the celebrations as they are currently on a World Challenge expedition in Tanzania. Iain Lynn was awarded the Student of the Year accolade for his work in promoting oracy as a necessary skill for young people. The judges praised his work in encouraging younger students at BVC by setting up and running a debate club, and were further impressed by his work nationally and his involvement with the English Speaking Union and the Parliamentary Speaking Up campaign. Libby Taylor was runner up in the Sports Personality award. Libby is a champion hammer thrower and, again, she was praised not only for her personal achievements but also her work in encouraging younger students achieve their own goals. BVC Principal Duncan Cooper said:"This is an amazing achievement for both Iain and Libby - and testament to their hard work throughout their time at BVC. "We are all extremely proud of them. They are exemplary students with a great future ahead." Iain has written the following article for our termly magazine which sums up his time at BVC: "When I first started debating at BVC, I never dreamed it would be anything more than part of the English syllabus. Likewise when Joe Heavey, Adam Castle and myself went to the Pixl UpforDebate final at Eton, we were amazed that we’d got that far and hadn’t even prepared for the final. When we were named as one of the two…

Bassingbourn Village College

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