Bishop Vesey’s Grammar School is Company Limited by Guarantee and registered in England and Wales with company number 7986921. The Registered Office is at Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield B74 2NH

The Governors of Bishop Vesey's Grammar School are a registered charity (No: 517907)

Lichfield Road, Sutton Coldfield, B74 2NH, 0121 250 5400, www.bvgs.co.uk

DGR/sw

08 December 2017

Dear Parents/Carers

Jerrard 100

Today Dr Craggs and I met with Sqn Ldr Ged Sheppeck, Officer Commanding University of Birmingham Air Squadron to discuss how we might celebrate, as a school and university respectively, the Victoria Cross awarded to one Alan Jerrard, Old Veseyan, for action as a member of the Royal Flying Corps on 30 March 1918. We have some exciting plans for March 2018. Watch this space.

Year 7 Centrestage Recital

Congratulations to all the Y7 students taking part in the Centrestage recital on Monday. So many brilliant performances. It was lovely to see such confidence all round. Well done everyone.

OV on Radio 3

Old Veseyan Jemima Richardson-Jones sang Choral Evensong from the Chapel of Kebel College, Oxford for a live broadcast on Radio 3 on Wednesday 6 December.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09h3s4z

Business of the Year

We have been shortlisted for the Sutton Coldfield Business of the Year by the Greater Birmingham Chamber of Commerce. Winner will be announced at an Awards Dinner on Friday 26 January

Easy Fundraising

Did you know you can raise money for BVGS simply by doing your Christmas shopping? When you shop with any of over 3,300 well-known retailers via the Easyfundraising website, a percentage of what you spend is passed to BVGS at no additional cost to you. Retailers include Amazon, M&S, Sainsbury's, eBay, Tesco, John Lewis, Argos and many more so whoever you are shopping with this Christmas, please use Easyfundraising and support BVGS - https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/causes/bishopveseysgrammar/

If you’re already using Easyfundraising to raise funds for us (thank you!) did you know that until midnight Christmas Eve, you can raise up to a £4 bonus donation for every friend you invite who registers and raises a donation through Easyfundraising? If just 20 parents invited 5 people to raise money for BVGS through Easyfundraising, together they'd raise £280 for us - easy!

Share our unique link to invite other parents and help us raise more:

https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/invite/45UA7M/2133H6/

Harry Potter World

Year 9 Art students took a trip to Harry Potter World on Tuesday. They found plenty of inspiration for their art work!

Christmas Concerts and Rehearsal Schedules

It is essential for excellent performances to have 100% attendance at rehearsals. A copy of the rehearsal schedule is attached. To aid us to perform at a higher level we have a few extra rehearsals. Any issues please email or speak directly to Mr Buxton. We are selling out of tickets for the 15th fast! The 19th is completely sold out. Please get your tickets from Mrs Foster in the Club Office.

Chemistry Trips

Students from Year 8 and 9 recently visited Aston University to attend 'A Volatile History of Chemistry' - a lecture about historic scientists which comprised of demonstrations of their achievements and included explosions and displays of colour.

Last week Sixth Form students attended a lecture at the University of Birmingham that was entitled 'Chemical Magic' - chemical spells that left them in awe of what Chemistry could do!

Spanish Trip to London Theatre

Thank you to Miss Slater and Miss Egan for organising a wonderful trip for our U6 Spanish Group to see La Casa de Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca. Despite returning from London at 02:00 am in the early hours of Saturday, students and staff had an excellent time.

Y11 Poetry Live

This is an invaluable opportunity for Year 11. The chance to listen directly to performers of poems from the GCSE Anthology as well as the chance to hear directly from the senior examiners who will be marking their paper in the summer, is an opportunity they should take. Please get your forms in by Monday 11 December at the latest.

Year 9 Commitment

These Year 9 boys were celebrated for their commitment this term by Head of Year Miss Field with hot chocolate (complete with marshmallows and cream) and cookies. They are one of two groups whose commitment has been absolutely outstanding. The other Year 9s will get their reward next week. Well done boys.

Top Merit Winners

Dominic HIGGINBOTHAM 7B, Aditya MUTHUKUMAR 7G, George HOWELL 7G, Alfie HOLDSWORTH 7P, Shahram MOHEB 7R, Cianan HOLTGREVE 7W, Benjamin HARRIS 8B, Jack WAKEFIELD 8G, Hugh WOODCOCK 8P, Thomas CARTMILL 8R, Ibrahim ABDALLA 8W, Finn EPTING 9B,

Krishan PATEL 9B, Yuan SAGALA 9B, Ruben VORSTER 9G, Matthew ROBERTS 9P, Owen BOXALL 9P, Matthew WILLIAMS 9R, Joseph TARONI 9W, Ethan DUDDRIDGE 10B, Jack GLOVER 10G, William JACKSON 10R, Pierce O'REILLY-SPEARS 10W.All invited to Mr Robson's office on Thursday 14 December.

Hockey

First team continued their unbeaten run this half term with a hard fought victory over Princethorpe College, 5-3 with goals from Jainan Patel, Archie Sansome, Tom Thursfield, Marcus Fu and a great solo goal from Harry West.

U’15 ‘a’ vs Five Ways in the Warwickshire league 1-1

U’15 ‘b’ vs Queen Mary’s WON 2-1

BBC School Report

We are excited to be running BBC School Report this year under the guidance of Ms Crosthwaite, English Department. We had 21 students attend from across Key Stage 3 and two Key Stage 5 gentlemen for the launch meeting. The students now have to get consent from parents and our school report team will meet again next Friday at lunch in Room 5. If you are interested in getting involved, please contact Ms Crosthwaite.

Swimming Gala

The school swimming gala will be held on Wednesday 20 December between 1.30-3.30pm at Wyndley. Please ensure that all reply slips are sent in or e-mailed back to Mr B Davies, b.davies@bishopveseys.bham.sch.uk’.

Yours sincerely

Dominic Robson John Craggs DL BSc PhD HonDUniv FCMA Headteacher Chairman of Governors

Art Star of the Week

Daniel Poller 10G. Daniel started his GCSE in September, he is already showing exceptional drawing ability achieving grade 9. Daniel is a hard-working and talented student,

Quote of the Week: The future depends on what we do in the present

Mahatma Ghandi

Dates for your Diary

Autumn Term 2017

Monday 11 December Y11 Mock Results Day

Tuesday 12 December DofE Information Evening, Silver and Bronze Cohorts 18:00 in Big School

Thursday 14 December Lower Sixth Parents' Evening 16:00-18:30 Big School

Tuesday 19 December Christmas Concert 19:00

Wednesday 20 December Swimming Gala at Wyndley

Friday 22 December Christmas jumper day

School closes at 12:15 - School breaks up for Christmas

Spring Term 2018 Monday 08 January Spring Term Commences

Monday 15 January PA Meeting - The Hive

Friday 19 January PA Year 7/8 Disco at BVGS

Monday 5 February PA Meeting - The Hive

Friday 9 February Whole School Review and Careers Day

Friday 16 February Break up for half term

Monday 26 February Spring term recommences

Monday 5 March PA Meeting - The Hive

Friday 9 March PA Annual Quiz

Friday 16 March PA Quiz Night - Big School

Thursday 29 March Training Day

Thursday 29 March Break up for Easter

Monday 16 April Summer Term commences

Friday 27 April Year 7 and 8 Disco BVGS

Monday 7 May May Day Bank Holiday

Friday 25 May Break up for half term

Monday 4 June Summer term recommences

Friday 22 June Year 7 and 8 Disco Sutton Coldfield Grammar School

for Girls

Friday 13 July BVGS PAC Ball at Moor Hall

Parents' Evenings 2018:

Thursday 18 January - Year 11 16:00 - 19:00

Wednesday 7 March - Year 9 16:00 - 19:00

Thursday 15 March - Year 10 16:00 - 19:00

Tuesday 27 March - Year 8 16:00 - 19:00

Thursday 19 April - Year 7 16:00 - 19:00

Term Dates can be found here on our website