#bkhs

Obviously the week’s big news is the developments concerning the new school (BKHS).

There will be some parents of pupils already at Bablake who have a younger son/daughter starting with us in September. I hope that for all of you the news that we are splitting the Shells between the Bablake and Henry’s sites will be welcome. I don’t propose to repeat many of the points detailed by Mr Wright in his various letters but I will focus on one of the benefits of splitting the new Shells across both sites. One of the nice features of Bablake (and Henry’s) is that our year groups are the right size for us to really get to know them. Having just over 100 on this site, with a dedicated Head of Year, will ensure this continues to be the case. We also retain all the advantages of being part of a larger cohort. With the whole year group being taught Games together, we will be able to put out more teams and compete at a higher level. We should also be able to see benefits in a whole range of other activities including music. So I hope you can see that we should get the best of both worlds. In correspondence that was emailed to you on Wednesday, there are opportunities for you to come to speak to governors, Mr Wright or myself should you wish to do so.

Next week is the last week of Key Assessment Tasks (KATs) for both the Fifth Year and the U6. It has been a long haul but the end is finally in sight. Pupils will finish on Friday May 28th and I hope they then enjoy a prolonged and well-earned break. KATs will be part of the evidence that departments will use to determine the Teacher Assessed Grades (TAGs) which result in GCSE and A level grades. Once we return after half term, staff will spend the first week standardising, moderating and bringing together all the evidence they have collected to make judgement on pupils’ performance. The second week after half term will see members of the Senior Leadership Team reviewing these grades before finally submitting our TAGs to the exam board on 18th June.

In pupil news:

On Monday 24th, our U15 Netball team play their carried-over (from last year) national cup semi-final against Withington School, Manchester. If we are victorious, we play the final on Tuesday at Bromsgrove School. The girls have already done tremendously well but the very best of luck for Monday.

Congratulations to our BASE (Business Accounting Skills Education) team comprising of Matt Hart, Harry Court and Alex Mousley (all Lower Sixth). They have been competing against over 100 schools and have now reached the national finals which takes place on June 16th. Many congratulations and we know they will give a good account of themselves.

Staff news:

I’ve just finished watching the School Travel Awards. The national award for School Trip Champion recognises the outstanding contribution of staff towards trips for youngsters. There were four nominees organising amazing things to ensure pupils have a fantastic experience on a range of school trips, year after year. The winner for 2021 was our very own Andrew Wright. Many congratulations and we are very proud of you and the recognition you have rightly gained.

This week’s reflection of my time at Bablake is a very personal one and I hope you will allow me to be slightly self-indulgent. It concerns hockey.

When I arrived at Bablake in 2003, I was a member of the National Panel of Rugby Union Referees. I was very fortunate to have a long career with the RFU officiating at all levels including European and Premiership matches. Once retired from active refereeing, I thought I would go on working with the RFU as a referee coach and an advisor. But around 2012, we became very short of staff who could help with hockey. My only experience of this sport was as a young and very small boy, being put in goals with no protection (not even shin pads) with stronger boys firing a very hard ball at me. Rugby was so much safer as a sport when I was little! But I did know how to officiate and so I said to Andrew Phillips that I would go on an umpires’ course and this would allow me to help at a very low level.

So I did just that, qualified and found myself umpiring the U12D team against Warwick. Two minutes in and my first big decision, a clear foot in the D. I blew my whistle hard and awarded a penalty corner. What a mistake that was (not spotting the offence, it was a clear infringement, but awarding the short corner). Apart from having to explain at length where either side had to stand and what they could do, the injector didn’t actually have the strength to get the ball out of the D. By the time everything was explained, the corner was retaken several times. At least 5 minutes must have elapsed and I vowed in future, unless the ball was actually dribbled into the goal football style, never again would I would award a penalty corner against an U12 player unless I truly had to.

However, I was smitten. What a great sport is hockey. My natural communication skills as a rugby referee came to the fore as I found myself umpiring more senior sides at school as well as club matches at the weekends. I rose through the ranks of the local umpiring society, became an umpire for the Midlands and finally found myself on the National Panel of Hockey Umpires. This is an area of my interests that I fully intend to indulge when I retire. This simply wouldn’t have happened without Bablake. I am truly grateful to the hockey staff, and Andrew Phillips in particular, for persuading me to go on a course, being so patient with me during my fledgling career (I can now genuinely spot a stick block as well as a back stick) and for also letting me accompany one of the most enjoyable trips I have had the privilege to go on – the hockey tour to Malaysia.