A word from the Headmaster - Bromsgrove School

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3Chinese New YearChinese New Year was celebratedin style just before half term, withElmshurst House having a Chinesebanquet in the Hospitality Suite. Year 13pupils Janson Fan and Philip Lam werethe brains behind the evening, and tookon the responsibility of organising foodfor 90 pupils and staff.At the Prep School, Page House wasdecorated with lanterns and all thingsoriental whilst thirteen-year-old LilyZhang offered to prepare a meal for theentire House of over fifty pupils. Withthe help of a team of choppers, stirrers,washer-uppers and supporters, Lilycooked up an array of Chinese noodledishes, enough for every member of theHouse to try. Red envelopes containingchocolate coins were given to everychild and there were sweet treats forlater in the evening.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3Studio TourUpper Fourth Graphic Designers wentfrom Bromsgrove to Hogwarts whenthey visited the Warner Bros. Studiosin London. Pupils went behind-thescenesto see a huge array of beautifulsets, costumes and props. A step intothe Great Hall with its magnificentfire place followed by a stroll downthe cobbles of Diagon Alley, takinga peek at the magical Ollivanderswand shop and viewing with awe theWeasleys’ Wizard Wheezes joke shophad an inspirational effect on the youngdesigners. Having worked up a thirstpupils shared their ideas over a glassor two of chilled Butterbeer to round offthe day.The Witches BFAME SuccessThe Fourth Form production of The Witches had plenty of theatrical success at the BFAME awards. The student companywon the award for Best Youth Play - a stunning achievement. The company also won three other awards: Best Actor -James Prince, for his hilarious Chef Carbonelli; the Award for Outstanding Achievement was awarded to everyone in theKitchen scene, for the devised mayhem; Best Script - thanks to Miss McKee for her playwriting skills.The company also received nominations for Best Actress: Paige Corcoran, for Grandmamma; Olivia Bond, for Mrs Jenkins,and combined for Kirsty Salmon and Olivia Wormald for the female Narrators. Best Actor Nominations went to OllieNicholas for Mr Stringer, and Billy Draper-Barr for the male narrator. Paige Corcoran was also awarded a special certificateof merit for her sensitive and impressive portrayal of Grandmamma.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3House Music FestivalThe Annual House Music Festival took place in Routh Hall concluding with two fine performances by the Orchestra.Thirty-five talented pupils performed in the seven classes and the audience enjoyed a great variety of music, kindlyadjudicated by Mr Shaun Ward, Director of Music at St. Lawrence, Ludlow. Many congratulations to the winners for theirsuperb performances: Patrick Dolan (Piano); Emily Collie (Strings); Georgia Meredith (Vocal); Nikita Aganin (Guitar); PratikMoholkar (Drum Kit); James Mayhew (Open Brass); and overall winner Emma Westley who was also winner of the Woodwindsection.TheatreAppearanceOlivia Wormald has recently gained apart to play Enoch Snow’s daughterin Carousel at the Alexandra Theatrein Birmingham in July . Oliviarecently appeared as a narrator in thewonderful Fourth Form production ofThe Witches.FalconryYear 2 enjoyed a falconry displaywhere they learned about the differenttypes of birds used in medieval times.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3StudentInvestorsOur team of Fraser Bales, Yun JinLee, Alex Thorpe and Samuel Rosereached the regional final in the ifsStudent Investor Challenge, a nationalinvestment competition.The “Oppa Gangnam Style” team, whowere competing against more than40,000 other students across the UKmade £47,000 trading in virtual sharesin just three months, outperforming theFTSE 100 share index in the process.They will now represent School andthe Region at the North Wales andthe English Midlands regional final inBirmingham later in March.Year 3 Save the PenguinsYear 3 had an incredibly important surprise visitor from the RSPB. The RSPBofficer came to tell the pupils that the delivery of penguin eggs they hadreceived two weeks ago had been sent to the wrong address. Luckily, theRSPB tracked them to our School and came to collect them so that they canbe incubated properly. They will then be sent to Professor Rogers, a marinebiologist at Oxford University, for monitoring. Prep School are quite relievedsince they didn’t want the hatchlings racing around Maple and they don't haveenough fish to feed them....Many thanks to the RSPB for the rescue service.Fiery FunPupils from Pre-Prep were transportedback to 1666 to experience the GreatFire of London in an exciting part oftheir studies. A visit from a history groupprovided a fantastic insight into thishistoric event. The children dressedup in different seventeenth-centurycostumes and took part in role playactivities with historically accurateprops. They made Tudor house modelswhich they watched go up in flames onthe Forest School campfire.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3BadmintonThe Fourth Form girls’ badminton teams competed in the Worcestershire Schools Games where they represented NorthWorcestershire. Our teams competed well, winning many pool matches allowing both teams to progress through to the semifinalswhere, despite both teams putting in strong performances, they unfortunately failed to win through to the finals.U13 Hockey FinalistsCongratulations to the U13 boys’ hockey team who have qualified for the IAPS National Finals.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3SwimmingThe 29th Bromsgrove Prep Schoolinvitational swimming relays tookplace at Worcester. Swimmers fromleading regional schools includingBath, Newcastle under Lyme andBedford came together to competein what is now one of the key eventsin the regional / national swimmingcalendar. Bromsgrove won six of theeight finals and picked up a bronze inanother final.NetballThe U12A team played inBromsgrove’s invitational tournamentagainst eight other teams. The girlsplayed very well all day as theyrotated their positions regularlythroughout the tournament.A special well done to Emily Gieronwho received the umpire’s player ofthe tournament award.BasketballThe Junior Basketball side competedin the Worcestershire CountyChampionships and played someoutstanding basketball to win thetournament and progress to theRegional Competition in April.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3Fine ArtsJustin Chow and Tom Barnes wereboth ‘Highly Commended’ for theirartwork submitted to The MalvernHills Decorative & Fine Arts Society'Hereford and Worcestershire Schools’Art Awards'.Justin entered four very complexpencil drawings of mythical creatures,‘Basilisk’, based on animalisticqualities of the human psyche.Tom’s work, ‘Prague Remembered’is two dry point etchings of hisexperience of the city, the result ofsixty hours patient scribing into theprinting plate by hand.Sporting HonoursCongratulations to:Ellen Lockhart and Pascale Masseywho are attending England U18hockey squad training.Nathalie James who has gained aplace on the U18 Welsh Nationalhockey team.Poppy Jones who has beenawarded a place on the EnglandLadies’ U19 Football squad.Nicolas Hillmann who has beenselected for German U16 hockeytrials.Pancake RaceOn a beautiful spring afternoon the"playground", as it was named in1693 by the then Headmaster MrJacobs, came alive to witness the firstHazeldene Pancake Race.Six teams competed in the pancakeflippingrelay, cheered on by the wholeHouse. It was a wonderful spectacleenjoyed by participants and spectatorsalike. The winning team of Ellie Day,Victoria Sparkes and Amy Mason-Towers completed four laps of the“playground” in a flipping good time of1.16s.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3Cross CountryFour Prep teams put in admirableperformances at the National PrepSchools Cross Country Championshipsat Malvern College.The U13 girls were in a strong positionhaving been overall winners lastyear. They were determined to bettertheir own personal times but werealso working towards winning againas a team. All the girls put in strongperformances, with Abi Saker leadingfrom the front earned an impressivefirst place finish with much cheeringand clapping, whilst Ellie Childs camesixth. The team finished in secondplace overall. The U11 girls teamfinished in fourth place overall.The U13 boys were determined notto be outdone by the girls and ranmagnificently to finish in third placeoverall as a team. The U11 boys foundthe going very tough but all put instrong efforts.1.2 RelaysThe annual 1.2 House Relaycompetion took place on a chillyspring afternoon. All competitors -one from each year of each House- ran the course with determinationto much cheering from theenthusiastic spectators.Well done to the runners in ThomasCookes and Walters teams who werevictorious.

omsgrovian news review LENT 2013 issue 3Ladies’ LunchBromsgroviansOur first Ladies’ Lunch takes placeon Saturday 27th April. This eventbrings together female alumni, parentsand friends of the School and we aredelighted to welcome Jane Lodge asour first distinguished Guest Speaker.Jane, a parent of three childreneducated at Bromsgrove and a Trusteeof the Bromsgrove School Foundationis a former Midlands BusinessWoman of the Year. She received aLifetime Achievement award fromthe Birmingham and West MidlandsSociety of Chartered Accountants forservices to the profession, and in 2006she was listed in The Manufacturermagazine’s Power 50. After 35 yearswith Deloitte, she left last year as seniorpartner of the Birmingham practiceto build a portfolio of non-executivedirectorships with major UK plcs.Tickets for the lunch are £15 perperson, which includes receptiondrinks and a three-course lunch. Thereception and lunch will take placefrom 12 noon in the Old Chapel.Guests are then welcome to stay andwatch the sports fixtures from the newHospitality Suite and join parents formatch teas.To reserve your place, pleasecontact Megan Griffiths: mgriffiths@bromsgrove-school.co.ukBangkok MeetingsFiona Bryce-Johnston (MW 81-83) and family visited daughter Rachel (O 04-09) in Bangkok for Christmas and New Year. Rachel is currently working as oneof the Gap Year teachers at Bromsgrove International School Thailand (BIST).Rachel is thoroughly enjoying her year in Thailand and helped organise somevery interesting visits both in the city and further afield for her family. The pictureshows two family generations of OBs: Hannah Johnston (O 01-06), Fiona Bryce-Johnston and Rachel Johnston.Tom Knowles (10-12 HH) is also currently a GAP teacher at BIST. Tom recentlycaught up with three other recent Bromsgrove leavers, Olivia Wilding, Nick Garvieand Irina Andreeva, at the Scirocco Sky Bar in Bangkok.All photos featured on the Bromsgrovian pages, including individual’s names and years, can be found on the Bromsgrovian Facebook site.

Forthcoming Events 2013MARCHSunday 10thMonday 11thMonday 11thThursday 14thThursday 14thThursday 14thMonday 18thMonday 18thTuesday 19th & Thursday 21stWednesday 20thThursday 21stFriday 22ndSaturday 23rdMonday 25thWednesday 27thWednesday 27thMothering Sunday Family Service, Chapel 11.00amPre-Prep Year 1 Informal Open Afternoon 3pm - 5pmPre-Prep Year 2 Formal Parents’ Eveningsenior School Own Clothes Day in aid of Comic ReliefPrep School Years 7 and 8 House Music Competition, Routh Hall 3.30-5pmschool Parents’ Association Liaison Committee Meeting 7.30-7.45pmCCF: RAF Field Day – RAF Northolt, Army Field Day – Kingsbury RangesPrep School Own Clothes DayNursery Concert, Pre-Prep School Hall 9.15amsenior Drama Production, Drama Studio 7.30pmPrep School Year 6 Production, Cobham Hall 2.00pmPrep School Year 6 Production, Cobham Hall 7.00pmChoral Society Concert, 7.30pmPrep School’s Rock Off the Third, Cobham Hall 4.00pmPrep School Easter Service, Chapel 8.30am (all welcome)Pre-Prep and Nursery PA Easter Egg HuntAPRILSaturday 27thSaturday 27thTuesday 30thGCSE Course Information Morning, Routh Hall 9.00-9.30amLadies’ Lunch, Old Chapel 12noon-3pm.senior School LIV Parents’ Evening, Sports Hall 6.45-9.00pmMAYThursday 9thSaturday 11thWednesday 22ndBromsgrovian Annual Dinner and Concert, Hagley Hall 6.30pm‘Leaving a Lasting Legacy’ Information Morning, Old Chapel 10am for 10.30am.Meet the Music Staff Parents’ Evening, 6.00-7.30pmJUNEThursday 6th JuneSir Thomas Cookes Legacy Society members’ annual lunch, Hospitality Suite. 12.15pm