Year 10 Olympic Park Visit

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First-hand Experience of the Olympic Park Regeneration Case Study

On 23rd October, Year 10 geographers travelled to the Olympic Park to see the sustainable features of this fantastic regeneration project, that they have learnt about in the classroom. The regeneration project had three key objectives that shaped the design and how it was constructed: sustainability, biodiversity, and accessibility.

We visited 6 sites. First, the aquatic centre which was designed with its legacy use in mind as a long term community amenity. The green walls are well established. They purify the air, reduce the ambient temperature and create a sense of well-being. Another point of interest was the ArcelorMittal Orbit created by Anish Kapoor and Cecil Balmond. The magnificent, ruby red looping structure of the ArcelorMittal Orbit is an iconic symbol of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and the London 2012 Games.

We walked along the River Lee which has been planted carefully to make the concrete channel look natural and provides important habitat for flora and fauna. This is one of 10 key green spaces in the park and follows with appropriate management strategies to conserve and enhance the environment.

Our last site was the Velodrome, the most energy-efficient of the permanent Olympic venues with its sustainably sourced wooden roof, sourced from wood certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). The white roof has rows of skylights crossing the complex, providing daylight and allowing overhead lights to be turned off during the day.

Luckily the rain stopped just as we arrived at the Olympic park which helped us understand how amazing the Olympic Park regeneration project is.

Year 7 Vocal Extravaganza

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Year 7 did themselves proud performing three songs to an audience of parents and carers.

On Thursday 20th October 2022, all of Year 7 participated in BHGS’ first ever Vocal Extravaganza. Throughout the first half term of the year the whole of Year 7 had been learning three songs within their individual class Music lessons. On the day before the Concert, the whole year group came together to rehearse and put the songs together for the first time in the Hall.

The three songs that the year group learnt were Reach for the Stars (S Club 7), Roar (Katy Perry) and Can You Hear Me? by Bob Chilcott. The repertoire covered was very varied, allowing the students to really sing out with gusto and energy in the two popular songs, and then sing with more expression and sensitivity within the Chilcott. The latter is a song that tells the story of a deaf person’s experience of the world and incorporates the use of sign language in the choruses.

After school on the final day of the first half term, the students were proud to perform to an audience of visiting parents and carers who watched the concert. The students should all be very proud of what they achieved in that performance, as they performed with energy and enthusiasm and gave a fantastic rendition of all three songs. Within the songs, solos were also sung beautifully by Poppy W, Priscilla B, Anne O, Ruth A and Bella W. Huge congratulations to all the students involved, and thanks to Mr James Kench and Mr Richard Taylor without whom the event would not have been possible.

This project was extremely valuable to our (then) new year 7 students, as it helped them to all form bonds together through performing as a whole and relying on one another. It helped them to develop their teamwork skills, and to build their confidence. For many it was a real test of resilience and perseverance, and being able to face a daunting experience, coming out the other side with a result they could really be proud of.

Well done, Year 7!

Here are 2 short recordings of the evening for you to enjoy:

Y7 Vocal Extravaganza OCT2022 -1

Y7 Vocal Extravaganza OCT2022 – 2

Mrs McKinnell

Author visits Bishop’s

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Children & young adult book author Karen McCombie visits Bishop’s and runs a creative writing workshop

Here is what two of our Year 8 pupils thought about it.

Today the author Karen McCombie came to our school. She gave lovely assemblies to most of the year groups. Karen is a great author whose hundredth book will come out in February. She gave us an insight into what it’s really like to be an author and exposed many of the myths, to put it into her own words, about her job. In the afternoon, some of us had a workshop with her on writing suspense. She gave us a couple of steps to help us create suspense but also reminded us that there were other ways to build tension. Karen is an amazing writer and it was really nice to speak to her and get some tips.

Jo Anthony, Year 8

Children & young adult book author Karen McCombie, visited Bishop’s this week and what a great experience! During her visit, we got to ask questions and learn how Karen McCombie became the great author she is today, having written 99 children’s books. It was followed by a workshop in which we learned how to write a short suspenseful story in 4 simple steps. I really enjoyed this because it has helped me learn how to improve the writing my stories. I also bought one of Karen McCombie’s books which she signed and dedicated to me and can’t wait to read it!

Gabriella Kehagias, Year 8

Back to the Theatre

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Year 11 go back to The Cambridge Arts Theatre to see a live performance of An Inspector Calls after a 3 year break

After a nearly three year break due to Covid, we finally took 70 Year 11 pupils back to The Cambridge Arts Theatre to see a performance of ‘An Inspector Calls’. The performance was engaging and the audience responded well to all of the shocks and twists of the plot line. It is so important, when possible, to get our pupils to see a play performed live as it really helps reinforce the plotline and main themes of the play which are then tested in their GCSE exams in summer 2023.

Year 12 Biologists manipulate DNA as part of Biology Week!

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Year 12 Biologists use Amgen DNA equipment to learn how to manipulate and visualise plasmid DNA.

On Tuesday 11th October, as part of Biology week, we spent the morning learning lots of new techniques for manipulating plasmid DNA using equipment from Amgen and the University of Hertfordshire. We opened up plasmid DNA, which is normally circular, using a restriction digest. We then ligated the red fluorescent protein gene into the plasmid. We placed our ligated DNA in agarose gels to visualise the results. It was very technical but great fun. We were able to use micropipettes, microcentrifuges and electrophoresis apparatus, developing our practical skills and our understanding of genetic engineering. Thank you to the Amgen Biotech experience and the University of Hertfordshire for making this possible. http://www.amgenbiotechexperience.com.

Mahi Jani

Giggles Galore for Gruesome Guts!

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Year 7 students enjoyed discussing the digestive system by ‘making poo’ during their science lessons this week, as part of Biology week.

During our science lesson on Tuesday 11 October, we ‘made poo’ using Weetabix, coffee, soup and bananas! We mashed up the food in a bowl, just as we do in our mouths and then pushed it around in a plastic bag, similar to our stomachs digesting food. The greatest fun was passing the mashed food through tights, squeezing it tightly, just as our small intestines work to digest our food. We finished the activity with a pile of ‘poo’ and a thorough understanding of our digestive system and how it breaks down our food and the parts of our food we do not absorb gets turned into poo!

Alexia Goh

International Club get into the groove

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The BHGS International Club enjoys a workshop run by the ZooNation Dance Company.

On 7 October 2022, 20+ members of the International Club and a representative from the Diversity Committee trouped into the dance studio for a very special event. Xsia Blair, who has danced with Kate Prince’s ZooNation Dance Ensemble, ran a bespoke workshop. The theme of the workshop was ‘Message in a Bottle’, based on one of the dance company’s recent productions. The ‘Message in a Bottle’ theme was chosen as it seemed relevant to the International Club students, with its focus on ‘displacement, immigration and survival’. Ideas that are familiar to many club members. In preparation for the event, the students created their own decorative mini bottles, as well as writing messages for a bottle that the group are hoping the Y10 geographers among them will throw into the sea on their geography field trip next spring. The club members also decorated a bottle light as a gift for Xsia. During the afternoon, the International Club members were taught a dance from ZooNation’s ‘Message in a Bottle’ show. Marinela Covaci described the afternoon as ‘amazing!’, while International club members including Hilary Lau, Nourya Mukoko, Jolie Kwan, Heather Lau and Natalie Sui said that it was great fun. Ranya Asad and Luysa Timerman also enjoyed learning all the new moves. This admiration was not all one-sided. On leaving Xsia, the workshop leader, mentioned how much she had enjoyed teaching the students and that she would love to run more workshops at BHGS.

We’d like to thank Mrs Neesham for her dedication to our students, and her efforts and thoughtfulness in providing them with this fabulous opportunity.

Green Club gardeners get creative with cress pots

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Green Club gardeners enjoy decorating bug plant pots as part of Biology week 2022

On Wednesday 5th October, we painted lady bird and snail shaped plant pots ready to grow cress and brighten the school window ledges as we go into the Autumn months. We know how important insects are to a thriving garden and enjoyed painting the pots to help celebrate biodiversity as part of Biology Week at Bishop’s.

Aariya D

Amazing ‘Animals About’ at Bishop’s

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Bishop’s students enjoy seeing and holding many exotic animals as part of Biology Week

As part of Biology Week at Bishop’s, we saw and held some very unusual animals; an African snail, tarantula, snake, hedgehog and an armadillo. Nathan, from Animals About, told us all about the animals habitats and adaptations. I held the tarantula, called Alice. Her feet felt like warm cotton buds on your skin! We learnt how Alice captures her prey and how snakes shed their skin as they grow. It was a great experience and one of my friends held Alice even though she was scared of spiders. How brave!

Harriett R