Chichester Observer Article

A WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY

 Exploring the difference

Katie Melua is right! There are “Nine million bicycles in Beijing” – at least!

Earlier this term I joined a delegation of West Sussex Secondary Headteachers on a visit to Tianjing, near Beijing, to gain a perspective on the educational system in China.  We also explored many rich cultural experiences in this country of extremes.  An incredible learning experience!

The excitement of the Beijing Olympics surrounded our visit.  Their vision:  ‘One World One Dream’.  A spectacular ‘Mini Olympics’ was staged for us and seven thousand students (all from one school) participated.  The anticipation during the day was intense; led by Cheerleaders, Flag Bearers and flag waving students as they marched and danced around the huge sports arena prior to sporting events.

A remarkable determination to achieve in sports, to learn in lessons and prepare for the future is endemic amongst Chinese students.  In schools classes of 50-60 students listened intently to their teachers and were determined to perfect their English!  Students are ambitious and a strong work ethic prevails.

The air was polluted and half the world’s cranes would appear to be employed in construction.  The traffic is far from ordered and, yes, it appears that most people ride bicycles to school and work.

Yet modern China is set to become an increasingly important player in the global economy.

Vivian Qin, a teacher of Mandarin Chinese, has been appointed at the Bourne and will take up her position in September.  Our students are excited as we now have link schools in Shanghai and Tianjing and they will be able to email, learn through video-conferencing and plan exchange visits in the future.

Margaret Eva
Headteacher

Classes en familia

Three years ago, Bourne Community College decided to offer an after school Spanish Club, not only to students but to their parents as well.  Imagine my mixed emotions when my daughter Jess “persuaded” me it would be good for when the family holidayed in Spain. With some reluctance, no little apprehension and a bagful of nerves to keep me company, I felt that the summer sunshine was turning into misty autumn far too early!

Jess takes up the story, “At first it was a bit weird having my mum studying alongside me but after a while it became quite good fun.  The difference in our ages didn’t seem to matter to our teacher, Mrs Burford, who, after the second year, scarily invited us to sit a GCSE in Spanish.  Because we were enjoying the Club so much, and the teaching was so good, we agreed.”

As Jess is taking her other GCSE’s this year, she knew what to expect whereas I had no idea how much work was involved. I would have been lost without Jess’ help with all the coursework, even down to us trying to only speak Spanish to each other at weekends.  I wouldn’t have missed the opportunity for the world.  Learning something new has been such fun and I do recommend it to other mums and dads!

“It’s good that mum can now appreciate how school has changed.  It has been challenging but I am grateful for the extra support that has come as a result of learning together”.

(Christine and Jess Prescott)

Christine, Jess and members of the Spanish class with tutor, Polly Burford

“Barriers” to learning!!

When I first started my Art & Design GCSE course in Year 10, I never thought about how much I would develop as an artist.  I had always enjoyed Art & Design, but over the last two years in particular my course has enabled me to learn so much about imagination, creativity, invention and taking risks.

This year the exam theme was “Barriers” and initially I wasn’t too impressed by it but as time went on I grew to find it very interesting.  I decided to base my final piece on a caricature of Kate Moss.  I was inspired to do so by artists such as Ian Pollock and John Currin.  My work relates to the theme that body image can become a barrier for many people, and I feel that using Kate Moss in my work fitted in very well as many people look up to her and see her as having a perfect body image.

I also never realised how much hard work and effort would be needed to succeed in Art & Design, but having now completed my GCSE course, I realise that, with hard work and determination, “barriers” to learning are also there to be overcome.

(Alice Edwards, Year 11)

Learning to listen

I was really pleased at being nominated and elected by students on to the School Council.  I love the decision-making process involved in our meetings.  I have learnt through being on the Council to take other people’s ideas on board.  I think I can sometimes be absorbed with my own ideas that I miss out on other good ones.

We had the Chair of WSCC, Mr Mark Dunn, in one of our meetings recently and I challenged him to look at the possibility of a footbridge at the local train station.  Who would have thought that I would have tried that when I arrived at Bourne?  Certainly not me!

I put myself forward to go on to the West Sussex Youth Cabinet and was elected in a vote with another 8000 participating students across the county.  I think I am learning to be brave and to work with others on important issues for young people.

(Paula Peplow, Year 8)

Members of the School Council pictured with Chair of West Sussex County Council, Mark Dunn

Putting on your top hat!

Three of our Year 9 students chose to reflect on their love of English, inspired by a quote from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, “Teach for life not just for a living”.

English gives everyone from different backgrounds a chance to express their thoughts and feelings on paper or by voice.   English is essential for life, as it teaches people key skills that they need to communicate and succeed in whatever life throws at them.  It helps with daily tasks, such as writing and reading and also intellectual pursuits, creativity and interpretation.  Through the many aspects of English, you can enjoy other people’s work as well as creating your own.  You can experience other people thoughts and feelings from empathising with their own lives.

(Emma Boyns, Year 9)

I think that English is important to me mainly because I love to read and write.  I love writing my own stories and creating realities.  That is what reading is to me; it’s like each book is a way to escape reality and become engrossed in another world.  I think that acquiring English skills and immersing yourself in Literature is a great advantage to have – not only to be able to write and to read, but to be able to understand human behaviour and how to ‘read’ real people from the experience of ‘reading’ characters.

(Penny Ward, Year 9, a member of the Carnegie Reading Group)

In English you have time to explore other lives but live your own.  From the other experiences of the characters you read about, you can experience their lives and think about your own.  These are life skills that can’t be taken away from you.  They are used to help you develop as a person.

(Leighton Osbourne, Year 9)

Curriculum Leader for English Cathy Verghese with Year 9 students and their thinking hats.

Morning Book Club

The ability to read well is a major priority for all teaching staff when supporting students in their learning.

19 Year 7 students who had low reading scores when they came to BCC in September have been coming to early Morning Bookclub in the Library three mornings a week.  Each student has been paired up with a reading buddy (students from Years 9, 10 and 11) who befriends their reader and helps them with their reading.  All the student readers were tested again at the end of the Spring Term and all had made some progress but some had made huge steps forward with their reading with many moving from a reading age of 8+ to 10+.  The volunteers play a vital part in reassuring their reader and supporting them.

Mrs Taylor, the College Librarian, commented “Morning Book Club has been running for several years and we are grateful to all the reading volunteers who give up their time to befriend and encourage Year 7 students.  We were especially pleased when Book Club was mentioned in the 2006 Ofsted Report.  HMI reported the way in which older students help their peers in Book Club as “inspirational”.

Craig Dixon (pictured) said “I enjoy Book Club.  Charles helps me with my reading.  Sometimes he is quite strict and makes me read lots of pages.  Other times we read a page each.  I have now received two reading certificates for making good progress from Mrs Eva and Mrs Bosley.”

Español en la escuela primaria

As part of our learning community at the Bourne Community College we also spread our teaching and learning to our partner primary schools.

At Westbourne Primary for example, we have been supporting the introduction of Spanish to KS2 as part of the KS2 Languages Strategy.  Westbourne began in 2005 with year 3 and now that class is completing their third year of Spanish.  All classes now learn Spanish in Year 3, 4, and 5.

The Head, Mr O’Boyle, and the staff have been delighted with the success and enjoyment of Spanish lessons.  “Spanish is now an integral part of the curriculum and is embedded into school life with Spanish assemblies and activities.  We put our success down to the fact that although we have no Spanish experts as such we have had support from the Bourne Community College through their OUTREACH Teacher Polly Burford.” 

“Support has not been done to us but with us over the years and has been constant with co-teaching by Polly or planning of sessions with our own MFL co-ordinator Sylvia.  As a result we are becoming more competent and confident as a staff.   The crucial factor in all this is that our children can all access and enjoy their languages whatever their ability.  Their learning has been made fun and creative and so now they are enthusiastic to learn about Spain and Spanish cultures. 

We now want to consider developing stronger links with Spain and may even get involved with some of the video conference that is being offered through the Bourne.

(Neil O’Boyle, Head of Westbourne Primary School)

Pictured with Polly Burford are Jessica & Pippa from Westbourne Primary School

Business Breakfasts

Members of the local business community have the opportunity to attend a delicious and healthy breakfast, prepared by our Bourne Café team, on a termly basis.  The breakfasts are intended to share successful ideas amongst businesses but also to promote enterprising and innovative business models to Year 11 students as part of their work related learning skills.

(George Smith, Economic Development Officer, Chichester District Council)

Pictured with George (right) are students Ishmael, Alice and Abi together with John Elliott, MD of Downland Consulting in Selsey.

Learning through video-conferencing

We do video conferencing with local primary schools each week as a fun way to teach science and languages which children might not be able to receive at their current school.  “It is a great opportunity to see how Year 6 are being taught.  It is fun to do so many interesting things and to see the other school having fun and learning.”

We think that it is a great opportunity for the children at primary school to see what science and languages is like at secondary school.

We have used video conferencing very successfully to learn from many different places: the London Science Museum, our Spanish link schools and to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Canada (over 2500 miles and 5 time zones away!)

(Mattias Chambers and Kitty Phillips, Year 7)

Year 11 Science class video-conferencing with the Royal Botanical Gardens in Canada