Debate Mate News

“I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion.”

Yesterday our students took part in the London Deutsche Bank Debate Mate Cup competition at the LSE (London School of Economics) and emerged as overall champions. Yes, We WON the entire competition! In attendance were 17 schools across different boroughs and 41 teams in total. Our school prepared three teams for this competition and the students won 8 out of 9 intense debates, where 2 out of our teams were within the Top 5 schools of the day. The president of Debate Mate commented that the level at which our students performed is of University standard. Team B came out on top and had the highest scores across all speeches throughout the day.

                                                                                                          

Our pupils exude class, self-respect and style, with inspiring speeches that amazed the judges, schools (especially St Pauls Academy) and the founder of Debate Mate. The pupils debated three motions:’This House Believes the UK should Intervene Militarily in Syria’, ‘This house would ban music that refers to crime’ and ‘This house would allow parents to genetically select their offsprings.’ The final Debate, between Team B and Robert Clarke School, debated the motion ‘This house would cap jobs at £100,000.

It was truly am amazing experience! Our students have done us proud and we should recognize their efforts. Our students were not the only ones flying the flag of BBCS. Mr. Ajeleti participated in the Teachers’ debate and like the students; his presentation was insightful, sophisticated and very entertaining. I was like the proud Mum in the audience; estatic and very emotional.

The trophy will be on display in the staff room this break and lunch time.

Bring on Nationals in June!!!!!!!!! Please congratulate the pupils listed below when you see them- especially Team B- Our champions.

Team A           

Kyle                

Anna                 

Tarisai             

Ayoola          

Team B

Teju

Badria

Jerusha

Fleur

Team C

Jennifer

Queenie

Olivia Valentine

Deborah  

  

Floor Debaters

Biodun

Tayler

Grace

Tanya

Nicole Aifuwa

Fatmata

Tyra

Many thanks,

Shivon Allicock & Michael Ajeleti

World Book Day fun!

As well as the usual whole school challenge on World Book Day last Thursday, I asked the regulars in the Library to answer the question on the board at different points during the week...

What would your answer be?

Caroline Fieldng

Library and Information Centre Assisant

Another Article - The Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2012/jan/17/stephen-lawrence-school-closure-threat 

Cambridge in their Sights

It was a pleasure and a privilege to accompany 9 pupils to Cambridge University on Saturday 26^th November. Every year, year 11 pupils across the country are given the opportunity to find out how to get into Cambridge – a mission our year 11s took very seriously! 

After the excitement of spotting and taking pictures with Kano (south-east London rapper) at Kings Cross station, we boarded the train for the 45 minute journey to the most prestigious university in the world. All pupils were impressed by the university town and discussions during the 20 minute walk to the Babbage Lecture Theatre consisted of: bikes, ethnicity, food culture in Cambridge, well known Cambridge graduates and the phrase ‘how much longer’ was repeated just a few times. 

It’s a shame we didn’t get to explore the city but we did admire the ornate and iconic buildings on route. 

Our pupils certainly made the most of the lecture; lots of note taking and very intelligent questions were raised. All of them were a credit to the school and I was extremely proud of the way they conducted themselves. 

The trip was certainly worthwhile, if only because our pupils recognize they have a chance of getting into Cambridge, as long as they put the work in to get the grades and they keep their eyes on the prize! Eugene said ‘it was inspirational and motivational,’ you can’t argue with that. 

Many thanks to Mr Peacefield for organising the trip and to year 11s for making it effortless to manage.

Natasha Cameron

2ic Inclusion 

Some recent publicity

http://www.mercury-today.co.uk/index.cfm

http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/top_stories/9402562.Staff_hope_positive_Ofsted_report_will_save_Blackheath_Bluecoat

Mind4Mission Charity Trip

In 2009 I was given the amazing opportunity to embark on a missionary trip, with a team of eleven young people, to do charity work in Andrah Pradesh, India. Due to the amazing experience I had, I chose to set up my own charity, Mind4Mission, giving young people within the UK the chance to embark on charity trips to help poverty stricken people in Third World Countries. Since starting, I have travelled to Malawi, Africa for charity work and was then invited back to Andrah Pradesh, India for a second trip in August 2011.

After spreading awareness of the poverty within India, amongst the staff and students at Blackheath Bluecoat Church of England, they decided to aim to raise £500 in order to pay for a water-well to be built in India.

In just 12 weeks over the summer term, staff, students and even parents worked hard together to raise money the needed for the water-well and I am overwhelmed to inform you, that not only did we raise the £500 for one water-well but we raised £1000 for two water-wells and a further donation of £200 for the food supplies of a Leper Colony. Making the overall figures, a staggering £1,200!!! These water-wells now bear the name of the school on a metal plaque and will produce fresh water for 500 families within each of the two villages – the Lemallepadu village and Dhundupalem village – both in Andrah Pradesh, South East India.

Words cannot express my appreciation, I am still stunned now thinking about it, even though I have already travelled to India and completed my charity work. It is amazing to think, that every single person pulled together in such a way, to raise such a large sum of money. The people of India were so overjoyed for the provisions of food and clean water the school were able to charitably give to them and they send their gratitude!

I really just want to give a MASSIVE thank you to:

·        All the students and tutors of the Aylward house that held a weekly lunch sale.

·        All the students and tutors of the Luwum house that held a teacher’s carwash

·        All the students and tutors of the King house that baked and sold cakes.

·        All the students and tutors of the Romero house that donated money

·        All the students and tutors of the Bonhoeffer house who took part in sponsorship

·        All the teachers and parents that baked cakes to be sold on refreshment stands.

·        Everyone who brought or sold Raffle Tickets.

·        All the students who took part in The Sponsored Silence.

·        Al the parents that donated money during Parents Evening.

·        All the staff and students that donated money or volunteered their help

As you can see the list is endless and I cannot thank you enough (sorry if I have missed you off!) The pictures taken show you all the charity work that was able to be carried out using the money raised… As well as a small indication, of the appreciation from the people themselves! Let’s keep us this charitable spirit and continue to give unto those that are less fortunate then ourselves J

Mrs Chantelle Juba 

Key Stage 4 Academic Mentor

BBCS Hosts ICT Mash Up

On Tuesday 6^th of December, the BBCS ICT Department hosted a conference of other ICT leaders from Greenwich schools. During the two hours, ideas were exchanged, stick men were animated, Mandlebrot fractals were created with one line of code and advent calendars were created in Publisher. 

New Government ICT exam initiatives were heatedly debated including BTEC and DIDA changes and the move to GCSE. 

BBCS students’ work was showcased and gained praise including Samir Sharma’s amazing website and blog: www.thebeatles.moonfruit.com/

David Morley from New Haven School.

Mr D. Peacefield

Head of ICT