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Summer 2014 Insight Internationally British Inside: Pastoral Care this BSN ethos explained Co-Curricular Activities a new approach Zein and the BSN the history and future of international childcare African Links students making a difference
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  • Summer 2014Insight

    Internationally British

    Inside:Pastoral Care this BSN ethos explained

    Co-Curricular Activities a new approach

    Zein and the BSN the history and future of international childcare

    African Links students making a difference

  • Autumn 2014 issue Advertising booking deadline:

    Monday 3 November 2014 Email: [email protected]

    to supply new artwork for Spring Term/March 12

    marksandspencer.nl Join us on FacebookFacebook.com/MarksandSpencerNederland

    now on

    GROTE MARKTSTRAAT 32, DEN HAAG

    Higher prices applied in more than one store. See individual items for details. While stocks last. Any intervening prices available on request.

    marksandspencer.nl Join us on FacebookFacebook.com/MarksandSpencerNederland

    now on

    GROTE MARKTSTRAAT 32, DEN HAAG

    Higher prices applied in more than one store. See individual items for details. While stocks last. Any intervening prices available on request.marksandspencer.nl Join us on FacebookFacebook.com/MarksandSpencerNederland

    now on

    GROTE MARKTSTRAAT 32, DEN HAAG

    Higher prices applied in more than one store. See individual items for details. While stocks last. Any intervening prices available on request.

    *

    *the sale ends beginning of August

  • Spring 2014|3

    ContentsPublisher

    The British School in The Netherlands

    Editor-in-chief Tracy Tigchelaar

    Editor Sallie Taylor

    Editorial and research Uhuru Tyrie-Socha

    Ginny Mees Femke Hania

    Advertising Pauline de Zwart

    Telephone: 070 315 40 72 Email: [email protected]

    Design and layout Craig Stevens

    www.craig-stevens.co.uk

    Distribution Pauline De Zwart

    If you would like to receive additional copies of the magazine, please send an e-mail to

    [email protected]

    Printed by Kapsenberg van Waesberge bv

    Schuttevaerweg 160 3044 BB Rotterdam

    BSN Insight is a termly publication from The Marketing Department

    The British School in The Netherlands Vrouw Avenweg 640, 2493 WZDen Haag

    Telephone: 070 315 40 76 www.britishschool.nl

    All rights are reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, or used in any form, without

    prior written permission from the Publisher.

    Every effort has been made to ensure that information in this publication was correct

    at the time of publication, the publisher and writers cannot accept any liability for the

    accuracy of the information included.

    The BSN takes no responsibility for the quality of goods or services advertised in this publication.

    Autumn 2014 issue Advertising booking deadline:

    Monday 3 November 2014 Email: [email protected]

    Letter from the Principal 5

    Pastoral Care: a thread running through the BSN 6A look at how this uniquely British tradition

    is engrained in the BSN ethos

    A new approach 8The Co-Curricular Activities programme develops

    Spelling it out 10A glossary of school terms and phrases for Senior School parents

    Zein and the BSN 12Synergy of the BSN and Zein International Childcare,

    and the grand opening of The Estate in Benoordenhout

    African Links 14The evolution of the BSNs impact on Ndege School in Njoro

    Alumni News 16Bringing you updates from our past students and staff,

    along with their post BSN adventures

    Family Association 22News from The Chair, and an in depth look at

    the special role of the International Team

    Events 24A round up of the latest events that have taken place at the BSN

    Experience 26A snapshot of some of the many experiences

    our students have enjoyed

    The Arts 30A collection of our students cultural activities this term

    Sport 33A summary of the latest sporting action this term,

    including a report from the COBIS Games

    The Blue Pages 40A directory of services and suppliers useful to the BSN community

    Cover photograph by Nick van Dijk

  • 4|Insight

    this september, the bsn plays host to

    THE LORD CHAMBERLAINS MEN

    presenting

    A BRAND NEW, ACTION-PACKED PRODUCTION

    OF THE WORLDS GREATEST LOVE STORY

    ROMEO & JULIETWITH ELIZABETHAN COSTUME, MUSIC AND DANCE

    THIS ALL MALE CAST PRODUCTION IS A MUST SEE OPEN AIR HIT

    BRING A PICNIC, SETTLE BACK AND BE SWEPT UP IN THE ROMANCE, THE DRAMA AND THE TRAGEDY

    THAT IS ROMEO & JULIET

    SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER SEE WWW.BRITISHSCHOOL.NL AND GATEWAY FOR DETAILS

  • Summer 2014|5

    Letter from the Principal

    Dear Parents

    The summer term is drawing to an end. It has been another term

    full of activity for our students of course public examinations

    for many, but also a wealth of learning experiences and

    educational trips for both junior and senior students alike.

    These trips have included visits to Drenthe, Arnhem, Luxembourg, Brussels, Ahrweiler, Poole, Haute Lac and The Ardennes.

    Music continues to be an important part of what the school offers, and the term has seen students participate in performances with other schools, for instance at an instrumental day at the International School of Amsterdam and at a choir day at the British School of Brussels. This term we have also made a change in the administration of the co-curricular music programme, which will lead to increased instrumental music opportunities for students.

    We continue to invest in our estate to ensure that we offer students the best possible environment for their schooling. The new outside play spaces at JSD have been completed this term, and we have also finalised the planning stages for the remodeling of the Senior School, which will see significant additional space for students when they are not in lessons. This will include a new enlarged Sixth Form common room, an extended and remodeled student caf, an internal extension to the atrium area, and a larger and improved fitness room, as well as some additional classrooms and seminar rooms. Work has already begun.

    Our best wishes go to all those students who will nervously be waiting for their examination results, and my personal best wishes to all parents for a relaxing and enjoyable summer period spent with your children.

    Principal|Dr Martin Coles The British School in The Netherlands

  • The term pastoral care once conjured up a vision of a church pastor providing comfort to an individual, but todays modern

    context of this ideology has expanded to cover individuals

    and organisations trained in supporting the people in

    their care.

    The concept of pastoral care is a key part of the British education system, and at The British School in The Netherlands it permeates all we do in aiming to support our students academic and personal success within the school. Our pastoral care philosophy is what welcomes and nurtures our students, allowing them to flourish emotionally and socially, and supporting the sense of who they are. Whilst many schools include discussions of well-being and health during lessons, pastoral care can be seen as the BSN thread that weaves education, well-being and health together.

    Junior: an all-embracing experience

    Within the junior schools the Deputy Heads are responsible for the overall pastoral care of the students, ensuring that they receive an all-embracing experience,

    PASTORAL CARE

    A THREAD RUNN

    ING THROUGH T

    HE BSN

  • Summer 2014|7

    Pastoral care: a thread running through the BSN

    but one that is tailored to meet the needs and desires of each child. With pastoral care being such a pervasive ethos at the BSN, each Deputy Head is trained to identify any worrying behaviour, and employs different support strategies, depending on the student.

    For example, whilst one child may speak easily and openly about their feelings, another child may simply withdraw when upset. In some cases, a buddy system may assist, whereas a more private young person may benefit from sharing a diary link with a member of staff, with whom they have an affinity. If the school is made aware of an issue by the parents, staff will discreetly provide opportunities for children to talk. Depending on their age, staff have many strategies to utilise, for example, children may find it easier to write a note and leave it on a staff members desk. This allows them to control the timing of the communication, which can be followed up accordingly. Play therapists are also used on occasion when one of our younger children needs support.

    An intrinsic part of the education of our younger students is also building self-esteem, promoting positive behaviour and communications through our assemblies, circle time, responsibility roles and class behaviour codes. The Friendship Bench at each junior school, and our Playground Buddies, create an opportunity for our students to reach out and invite someone seated there, to join them in play.

    Pastoral care is at the heart of what is practiced by each and every member of staff to create a culture of care.

    Senior: pastoral care involves everyone

    Pastoral Care at the Senior School is an all-encompassing practice. As Deputy Head, Ian Laycock, explains: Pastoral Care at the BSN involves everyone. From the Concierges to the Principal, we all create and foster the culture of a happy environment, because without being happy one cannot learn. Each of our staff will assist any student at any time. We are all the caretakers of our students.

    One of the most challenging moments in a students school life can be the move from Junior School to Senior School. BSN students are fortunate to benefit from a transitional programme which begins in January of Year 6, with a visit to Senior School to attend a half day of lessons. In July, they visit Senior School again to meet their new Form Tutors and classmates, and then enjoy a Cross School, Year 6 barbeque for students and their parents.

    From the moment any student arrives at Senior School, their Form Tutor becomes a very important link. Each year group is divided into smaller form groups each led by a Form Tutor. This tutors role is to oversee the individual students progress, and acts

    as an essential link between student, teacher and parent. The tutor team is headed up by Heads of Year, who work diligently with these tutors and the Deputy Head to be sure that all students receive the individualised care needed. There is a two year rotation in place, with students retaining the same Form Tutor in Year 7 and 8 and then again in Year 10 and 11, allowing for some strategic continuity and communication in the pastoral care of students.

    By treating our students as valued individuals, they are allowed to maintain their own cultural identity, within the international family at The BSN. Then, with the help of our ongoing Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) curriculum, children actually learn to develop and fine-tune their own pastoral care for themselves and for others. As young children move through their journey into young adulthood, learning to advocate for themselves and talk about their feelings is a critical part of their education.

    The British School in The Netherlands exists to provide a first-class international education, taking the best from British education traditions and values, to students of all nationalities. We believe that the British tradition of pastoral care in education, provides our students with the best of starts in life.

  • 8|Insight

    Students are encouraged to join in the wide variety of

    co-curricular clubs and activities, which are on offer both during

    and after the school day.

    The Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) programme is an extension of the learning which takes place each day in the classroom and helps to develop key life skills like teamwork, creativity, and self-awareness. In addition, CCAs can often provide students with the opportunity to form new friendships beyond their own year group or BSN campus.

    During the past 18 months, Director of Extended Day Programmes, Jessica Monkivitch has developed a new CCA programme for the BSN, which will be rolled out across the junior schools in September, and later matched by a programme for Senior School, due for September 2015. Jessica has been supported by a team of colleagues, including John Hughes, Gordon Finch, Nicky Hardesty and Suzanne Wainwright, representing each of the four schools.

    The team began by reviewing what is currently on offer, and speaking to members of staff involved in the activities, to establish the level of interest and uptake across the current programme. Further research and analysis was carried out as a result of discussions with parents through the Parent Representative Committees. Visits were also made to the UK to learn about examples of best practice from other schools.

    As Jessica explains, developing a programme on this scale is no easy task:

    the programme takes into account each of the elements that need to be considered such as timetables, staffing, logistics, numbers of students. All of this must be thought through extremely carefully, and only once this has been done, can we start to think about pulling together a framework and structure.

    After the fact finding stage, an initial programme plan was presented to the Board of Management, who provided further feedback on how the programme should be shaped in terms of the philosophy, structure and organisation.

    The CCA programme aims to develop the whole student throughout their time at the BSN, with junior school activities and clubs focusing on engagement and skill development. Whilst the Senior School activities will be designed to build on the foundations established in Junior School, with students pursuing areas of interest and expertise more thoroughly.

    The programme has six key strands which will be applied across junior an senior schools:

    Global Citizens Creative ArtsSport & Wellbeing

    Global CitizensStudents will have the opportunity to work on their

    ideas and projects, relating to social and environmental issues such as sustainability, diversity and poverty

    by looking into ways in which their local and global community can be improved.

    A new approach

    Language ClubsAcademic ClubsMusic & Performance

  • Summer 2014|9

    A new approach

    Creative ArtsThe focus of these clubs and activities is to foster

    creative thinking by supporting students communication through a variety of subjects such as cookery, art and design technology. The key aim of this strand is to develop confidence and support students, whilst allowing them to explore their imagination and self-expression.

    Sport & Wellbeing The Sport & Wellbeing activities support emotional

    and social wellbeing, whilst improving physical fitness, encouraging goal setting, teamwork and developing leadership skills. Through this strand students will be able to join a variety of sports clubs including hockey, basketball, rugby and football.

    A new approach Language Clubs

    Language Clubs offer the possibility for students to further develop their mother tongue or learn an entirely new language. They encourage language development in a fun and enjoyable way and help build knowledge for further study. Many students who attend language clubs at junior school continue this through to senior school. Students benefit from working with peers who support them in developing both social and academic skills in their mother tongue.

    Further information will be available shortly to parents and students about the Co-Curricular programme so keep an eye on the Gateway and BSN website for full details of the Junior School activities that will be available from September.

    Music & Performing Arts Students will be able to join a wide range of

    choirs, ensembles, bands, dance and drama groups. Research shows that learning an instrument can help young people to develop self-discipline and a sense of achievement, as such the BSN will continue to offer a comprehensive instrumental programme covering a wide array of instruments, with lessons taught by experienced, qualified teachers. One of the main changes in relation to these instrumental lessons, will be the option for junior school students to have instrumental lessons within the school day.

    Drama clubs, dance groups and other performance-related activities will also ensure that those students joining the clubs will have the opportunity to perform, both within and outside school.

    A key finding from the research was the fact that young people benefit significantly from participating in activities like yoga, meditation and mindfulness, so these will also be on offer to help students with improving concentration, flexibility and strength.

    Academic ClubsChess Club, Coding, Digital Detectives and

    Debating are just some examples of academic clubs available to students, all of which are designed to encourage students to explore areas of interest or extend their understanding of a certain topic or subject.

    to co-curricular activities

  • 10|Insight

    A glossary of school terms and phrases for Senior School parents

    Throughout the year, students join us from many

    different countries and varying school systems from around the world. In the last

    issue of Insight, we guided you through some of the

    educational language used within the junior schools

    this issue we spell out some of the terminology used

    at Senior School.

    Breaking down the Key Stages

    The Senior School covers Years 7-13 of a students academic life students join the Senior School at age 11, completing their education either at age 16 (Year 11) or age 18 (Year 13).

    Students follow the British curriculum which is broken down into Key Stages. Key Stages 1 & 2 are for Junior School children, and Key Stages 3 and 4 are based in Senior School.

    Key Stage 3 covers Years 7 to 9 and refers to the first three years of secondary education.

    Key Stage 4 covers Years 10 to 11 and culminates in students taking their GCSE Exams.

    Sixth Form The final two years of school at the BSN are rarely referred to in terms of Key Stage 5 particularly here where we offer International Baccalaureate qualifications as an option.

    The Sixth Form is a collective term for Years 12 and 13 and represents the final two years of secondary education, where students sit their A Levels or complete the International Baccalaureate Diploma before leaving usually to go on to university. From this September students will also have the option of studying a more career focused qualification in the form of the IBCC (International Baccalaureate Career Certificate).

    Age Range Year Group Key Stage1112 year olds Year 7 Key Stage 3 (KS3)1213 year olds Year 8 Key Stage 3 (KS3)1314 year olds Year 9 Key Stage 3 (KS3)1415 year olds Year 10 Key Stage 4 (KS4)1516 year olds Year 11 Key Stage 4 (KS4)1617 year olds Year 12

    (Sixth Form)Sixth Form (AS Level, IB Diploma, IBCC)

    1718 year olds Year 13 (Sixth Form)

    Sixth Form (A Level, IB Diploma, IBCC)

  • Summer 2014|11

    Spelling it out

    GCSE General Certificate of Secondary Education

    a two year programme started in Year 10. On average 10 subjects are studied at GCSE Level with final examinations being taken in all subjects in the Summer of Year 11. A final grade is awarded per subject so there is no overall school certificate or diploma but rather a set of individual subject grades. In some cases, students will sit early GCSE exams in, for example, Dutch and mother tongue languages.

    A LevelsGeneral Certificate of Education Advanced

    Level a pre-university or school leaving qualification studied in the Sixth Form (Years 12 and 13). The qualification is split into two parts, the first is the Advanced Subsidiary or AS Level in Year 12 and the second part or A2 Level in Year 13. The AS Level is a qualification in its own right and combines with the A2 to form the complete A Level qualification. Students usually study 4 subjects up to AS level and drop to 3 for A2 Level.

    IB DPInternational Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

    is a two-year programme with final examinations in May of Year 13. The IB is a programme of study which combines a breadth of knowledge with in-depth learning and is built around a core which consists of three compulsory elements CAS (creativity, action and service), the Extended Essay and Theory of Knowledge and six additional subjects.

    IB CCInternational Baccalaureate Career-related

    Certificate: The BSN will offer this new programme in the coming academic year.

    The IBCC is an alternative academic pathway available for students in post-16 education and provides a foundation to support further studies and training during higher education.

    Assessment

    To help staff evaluate a students potential effectively and enable us to monitor their progress, students undergo internal assessment at key points during their time at SSV.

    MidYis, the Middle Years Information System, is primarily designed to be taken by students as they enter SSV in Year 7 although students who join at different stages of the year are tested in Year 8 and 9.

    Yellis, the Year 11 Information System, is taken in Year 10 and consists of both a numerical and verbal section.

    ALIS, the Advanced Level Information System, takes place in Year 12 and combines GCSE data, along with baseline testing for this post-16 value- added monitoring system.

    Pastoral or Curricular?

    The curriculum is the academic framework which overarches the lives of our students and provides the structure for lessons and forms the basis for each school day.

    Pastoral care focuses on the care and development of each student as an individual. At the BSN this is fully integrated into the schools ethos and routines. The Heads of Year and the Form Tutors are pastoral champions for the students in their year group and work alongside all school staff to provide effective pastoral support. This includes support for academic attainment and developing students ability to become good citizens. Read the article on page 6 for more information about pastoral care at the BSN

    Have you ever wondered why Years 12 and 13 are referred to as the Sixth Form? Years ago the numbering of year groups in the UK used to start from Year 1 again when children started Senior School. So Senior Schools used to be based on Years 1 to 5 (just like in Junior School). Those children staying for the last two years went into the Sixth Form made up of 2 years, the Lower Sixth and Upper Sixth. Even though we now have Years 12 and 13, the age old tradition of the phrase Sixth Form is a British tradition that seems hard to break!

    On the Gateway you will also find a BSN Glossary of terms which may help you further, and if you are still unsure about any terminology, please do let us know!

  • 12|Insight

    Working with the BSN for over a decade, Zein Childcare

    understands the needs of internationally diverse British School families, like no other

    childcare provider. It is this empathetic approach that

    ensures Zein is the first choice for the majority of BSN parents looking for high quality care for

    their children.

    There have been many changes at the BSN in the last decade. Weve rebuilt a Senior School, opened a junior campus in Leidschenveen and integrated the former Foundation School at Tarwekamp into three junior schools. One thing that remains unchanged however, is

    the relationship between Zein International Childcare and the BSN which has been a solid and constant base for families needing Out of School Care.

    Now, with the BSNs junior school provision well established across three campuses, it is the turn of Zein to branch out and add another, impressive, location to the fold. Jan van der Meijden, Co-Founder at Zein, explains: We are really excited about our new location at Thee Estate in Benoordenhout. For many years, we have wanted to have a purpose designed Out of School Care and Day Care facility, serving the BSN schools in the Mariahoeve area, but locations are very hard to come by and the right opportunity simply never came up. That is why we were so delighted when we were successful in securing the beautiful site of the former Renzwouderhuis previously a boarding home for children of internationally mobile parents. Both the grounds and the building are quite remarkable and we have been able to completely renovate the site to our own high specifications.

    A dream location Building on their experiences from Robbies Place

    International Day Care and After School Care facilities run by Zein on the BSN Leidschenveen Campus, Robbie Zein and Jan have been able to create a dream location for

    Zein and the BSN

  • Summer 2014|13

    Zein and the BSN

    young children to grow, play and develop. Offering places from 3 months to 11 years, the site has been designed to ensure that children of all ages are safe, happy and stimulated using natural shapes, textures and materials.

    Co-Founder Robbie Zein, herself a recent new mother, and daughter of internationally mobile parents, has had first-hand involvement in designing the centre, from the adventure garden for the older, After School Care children, through to her own range of Day Care furniture having been unsatisfied with what she could find on the market. The luxury and homey design is a hallmark of our facilities at Zein explains Robbie, No bright colors or a clinical feeling, but beautiful and natural wall paper and furniture just like home. The furniture has an organic and natural look with no sharp corners in sight.

    Robbies passion for international childcare runs deep originally from Canada and the daughter of a Civil Engineer, her childhood was spent living in Europe, the Middle East and North America and attending numerous international schools. Through her work with young children both in Canada and The Netherlands, Robbies empathy with expat families is the driving force behind what makes her centres unique.

    Unique staff training programme

    Just as the BSN believes in investing in the development of its staff for the benefit of the children in its care, so too does the Zein Group. The Zein Academy was set up to provide bespoke training for all their childcare workers. With a focus on the developmental needs of the international and multilingual child, the training is unique in the international day care world.

    It is not just the high quality training and purpose designed locations that make Zein so different, it is also their genuine and child focused approach to the children and babies they look after that makes a place in their

    centres so highly sought after. Robbie summarises: At Zein, it is not about what we do, but how we do it that makes the difference between our childcare program and that of others. The different service level that international families expect is a very important aspect of the quality child care concept of Zein.

    When parents arrive in the morning, for example, there are freshly baked croissants waiting for them baked by a full time chef who is also happy to offer parents a well-made espresso or cappuccino as well. Children eat a warm, freshly made organic meal for lunch. Our philosophy centres on the idea of personalised care because we believe that every family and every child is unique.

    This child-centred approach is vital to these babies and young children growing up in a safe and loving environment and preparing them for their next steps into the Foundation Stage and beyond at school.

    Karren van Zoest, Deputy Headteacher at Junior School Leidschenveen adds: Zein childcares approach means that children who join the BSN are well adjusted, confident and adapt quickly to school life. We work closely with the staff at Zein Childcare, to help ensure that when they are old enough to join us, their children have a really smooth transition into Foundation One.

    and the BSN

  • AFRICAN Links

    14|Insight

    Following the appearance at this years Senior School

    Prizegiving, of John Mwaniki, the Chairman of the PTA of

    Ndege School, there has been increased interest from the BSN

    Community in learning more about our relationship with

    the school in Kenya and the development of our support in

    other parts of Africa.

    In 2010 the Senior School first established a fundraising and development project in support of the Ndege School in Njoro, Kenya. The project was inspired by Senior Schools Head of Geography, Martin Worster, who

    It is with great regret that, because of the uncertain security in parts of the Kenya region, we have postponed this years Team Kenya visit to Ndege School in Njoro. This was a hard decision and has disappointed the whole BSN community, the students involved, and in particular, our friends in Kenya but the safety of our students is paramount.

    Head of Senior School|Peter Simpson

    EXPEDITION

  • Summer 2014|15

    African links

    took a family trip to the area and saw first-hand how, with some simple fundraising events, it was possible to raise funds to build a classroom at the school. With support from Michelle Callaby, Sue Harris and Alison Harding, the project has since been managed by Ben Le Heux, who developed the project into an expedition for a group of Year 12 students each year to help construct a classroom.

    The project offers a unique opportunity to the students and competition to participate has always been stiff Ben Le Heux explains: choosing the right students is tough and numbers are limited by practicalities all those interviewed have a contribution to make and every single student, including the ones who arent lucky enough to be chosen, gain from participating in the selection process.

    The BSN Kenya Teams have organised and managed a wide range of activities and events including quiz nights, cake sales and concert evenings and since 2010 the four teams have raised a staggering 55,000. The funding has been used to build six classrooms, a library, a jungle gym and allowed for the purchase of new desks and chairs.

    A Breakfast Programme has also been established, which offers each child porridge at the start of the morning to prepare them for their day of learning ahead last years Kenya Team took over 150 plastic mugs and beakers donated by BSN families. Prior to its introduction, it was common for children to faint in class due to malnourishment this no longer happens, due to the introduction of the Breakfast Programme.

    John Mwaniki describes the impact the Breakfast Club has had on the school and children, The Breakfast Programme has helped to change the face of our school. Since the introduction of the programme, the children have become very eager to learn and there are now many other children from the neighbourhood who want to join our school. We are thankful for the assistance and what it is doing it even helps our pupils to prepare for school, theyre always excited to wake up very early every morning, sometimes as early as 5.00am, so that they can get to school on time for their portion of porridge.

    The impact of the BSNs involvement with the school has seen measurable changes in the children, staff and the school as a whole with student:teacher ratios being reduced, younger enthusiastic teachers employed

    and staff morale is significantly on the up. School test results have also improved, and attendance has reached an impressive 98%, according to Ndege Primarys Head.

    700 children currently attend Ndege Primary and before the BSN-built classrooms, some classes were made up of as many as 80 pupils. Now, with funding and support from the BSN community, class sizes have been reduced to between 40 60 children. The benefits of the newly equipped library are far reaching, as the school has welcomed other schools and adults from the local community to make use of this valuable resource. Geraldine Nanjala Librarian and Senior Teacher tells us:

    this library is very important in this school, because it has helped change the childrens performances. The children come to the library and pick their books, some of the children just look at the pictures, but it makes them very happy. Coming to read in the library has helped them to write their own short stories about animals, about their way of life and about people, even if its just writing a few sentences or a paragraph.

    Some of the children also commented on how appreciative they were for all the support the BSN has provided. One of the children, Wilfred explained: this library has improved our skills in learning and has also helped us to learn the spelling of many words we didnt know before.

    The current unrest in the region has meant that this years trip has unfortunately been cancelled, which is a huge disappointment to the Team Kenya 2014 who have worked tirelessly to surpass their fundraising target and support the education and lives of children and pupils at Ndege School. The enthusiasm and energy of the 2015 Kenya Team has also seen them already raise 1700 towards building and equipping a computer lab at Ndege High School.

    Looking to the future, Headteacher Peter Simpson explains: We will continue our support for Ndege School and will also look to other parts of Africa where our students will have the opportunity to learn skills and acquire insight which will benefit them for the rest of their lives.

    Summer 2014|15

  • 16|Insight

    Stay Connected [email protected]

    ALUMNI NEWS

    Alumni Association recognises BSN families of long standing

    This year saw the BSN mark the end of school for our Year 13 students with a Leavers Assembly and traditional boat trip to De Kaag a great opportunity for students and teachers to say their farewells in an informal setting. The Family Association and parent organising committee also arranged a celebratory ball at The Hilton Hotel in The Hague where students and their parents enjoyed a reception, dinner and dancing well into the night a great send off for them all.

    During a reception, hosted by the Alumni Association, a presentation was made to a number of families who have had an exceptionally long relationship with the school, with their children going from Year 1 to Year 13.

    The families were: the Viet family (Elisabeth and Katharina), the Adriaenssen family (Marjorie, Arthaud and Aurelien), the Moore Family (Benjamin and Natasha), the Adu family (Jane and Fiona), the Winzer family (Christoph) and the Gavira San Martin family (Maria and Raul).

    While the BSN Alumni Associations roots lie in the Netherlands, its branches reach far across the globe in the form of ex-students, staff and

    families of the school. The Alumni Association seeks to reach, and engage with these former BSNers; to foster a lifelong intellectual

    and emotional connection between the school and its students; leading to potential opportunities for mentoring, careers advice

    and networking opportunities for students past and present.

    Farewell Year 11: After completing their GCSE exams, 31 of our Year 11 students bid farewell to the BSN before moving on to pastures new. After their final maths exam, the students were presented with a special BSN Alumni hoodie to help remind them of their time at the BSN.

    Mr and Mrs Adu with Fiona

    Mr and Mrs Veit with Katharina

  • Summer 2014|17

    Alumni News

    American ReunionsIn the last issue of Insight we promised more

    details of Keith and Gaynor Tongs visit to the USA earlier this year.

    Having worked at the BSN for nearly 40 years, the Tongs have taught several thousand students and kept in touch with many of them. Over the years, and with the increasing use of social media, the Tongs have re-established contact with ex BSN students in London, Hong Kong, Perth and Sydney. On their latest trip to the west coast of America they caught up with a few more.

    Keith writes: To celebrate my 65th birthday in February, we flew to Las Vegas for a two week stay in America. Ahead of the trip, we found several ex BSNers in the area and arranged to meet up.

    The first reunion was with Charles Michalec (BSN 1980-84) 1 Keith and Chuck who

    completed his O (now GCSEs) and A level exams at the BSN. A fully-fledged American at the British School was quite unusual considering his Mum worked at the US Embassy. Charles quickly adjusted, made many friends and was re-christened Chuck for reasons best known to the Rugby team at the time. We enjoyed hearing all about his career in the US Air Force.

    From Vegas we drove to Rancho Mirage, near Palm Springs where we met up with an old colleague and friend Joan Fleming, ne Meek (Staff 1981-90) 2 . Joan taught History and Environmental Studies with me at the Senior School in the 80s and was a favourite of Chucks. After leaving BSN she married David, and eventually settled in Calgary.

    Being so near Los Angeles we headed for Long Beach to see Andrew Jurkiewicz (BSN 1971-76) 3 pictured with Gaynor Tong who joined the BSN with his brothers and sister, was in my first class when I started teaching at the English School. After school, he gained a degree at Long Beach State University and in 1985 opened an electronics company which he grew and sold in 1992. He is now the owner of two Antique Malls which we explored and Gaynor took a fancy to an old fire truck being renovated.

    Next, we stopped just outside Los Angeles

    at Irvine to meet Paul Overbaugh (BSN 1978-83) 4 and his family. Paul, a Canadian, joined the BSN in Year 6 and Scott, his elder brother took a lead role in the Senior School production of Annie Get Your Gun. After finishing High School in Toronto, Paul went on to gain a degree in mechanical engineering followed by an MBA. He now works at Camont Wire in Santa Ana near to his home, where we met him, his wife, Stephanie and their children, Malcolm, Alec and Kathleen who were delighted with the Portuguese football scarves we gave them.

    Next stop San Diego to find Muhaimi Mo Mustapha (BSN 1969-74) and his wife Tina had flown from San Francisco and already checked in to our hotel. Mo became a professional squash player in Malaysia, and since developed a successful security company. He has three children of which the eldest daughter is studying medicine in Russia.

    Kris Aasted (BSN 1971-76) 5 pictured with Kevin Doucette also joined us. Kris joined my Middle School class when he came to the BSN and now lives in San Diego and runs his own head-hunting company, Aasted & Associates. Kris is a Stanford engineering graduate who achieved an MBA from The Wharton School. After many years as a recruiter, he is also a volunteer Sheriff. We spent two wonderful days with Kris and his young daughter Ellie and toured the area and visited his home where he showed us his collection of guitars and sheriffs uniforms! We laughed about his school days when he knocked his front tooth loose and got us into trouble by kissing a girl at a Middle School disco Gaynor and I had organised!

    Kevin Doucette (BSN 1987-98), joined us in La Jolla where we introduced him to Kris and his daughter, and he proceeded to impress us all with a list of Hollywood stars he had worked with. Kris and Kevin had not met before but they got on like a house on fire, swapping stories of their time at the BSN. Kevin who is a Film/TV Composer working with AR Rahman in Hollywood and a Consultant at Steinberg Cubase is working on a new Disney film due for release next year and had barely altered since he attended BSN back in the 1990s he still looks 18 and has to show his ID often!

    For Gaynor and me it was brilliant to see the kids again and more than satisfying to have been part of their lives. There were a few past pupils who we narrowly missed whilst in California and we look forward to a Californian BSN Alumni Association re-union sometime in the near future.

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  • 18|Insight

    With a combined total of 130 years teaching literally tens of thousands of students between them, this term we say farewell to ...

    Richard Cunliffe, Senior School, Head of Art and Design (19722014)

    After an astonishing 42 years at the BSN, Richard Cunliffe is retiring. During his time at the BSN, Richard has seen the BSN move four times, run over seventy trips and visits to places all over the world, including: USA, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Egypt, Russia and England.

    Former BSN colleague and friend, Gill Steele, who left last year, writes: As a Fine Artist, Richards drawings are exquisite; he has a gift for composition and is a real expert with paper mach! As a teacher his philosophy has always been to address the needs of the individual, to support, inspire and challenge the skills and creativity of his students.

    Passionate about theatre, during his time at the BSN he designed and built sets for numerous musicals; he also designed the costumes, the programme covers, advertising posters and commemorative T shirts! For many years, he was the BSNs own Cameron Macintosh, and produced over 25 shows and worked with the students trusting each of them to share his vision and deliver their own part of the show.

    Trips were another way in which Richard inspired his students; wherever we went, Paris, New York or Germany, galleries were always high on the list of priorities, so students could appreciate first hand artworks that they could truly learn something from. I remember him taking a student across Manhattan to a commercial gallery to view an artists work, because the student had been interested enough to research it. These trips provided opportunities to take students to the theatre, usually to something with a strong design feature, such

    as The Lion King on Broadway or Cabaret at the famous Studio 54. Trips were never simply about viewing amazing paintings; they allowed interested students to experience design through iconic structures, taking a backstage tour or seeing something of another culture.

    It was both a joy and a privilege to work with Richard; like the students, I have learnt so much from him.

    Former BSN student, Mark Jackson, now an Actor (BSN 1996-2000) has written: perhaps Richards most important role in my early life was as one of the small team of teachers who each year miraculously produced a sprawling, sequin-drenched musical with a cast of 50 that required five months of planning for four glorious performances. Congratulations Richard, youre a BSN legend.

    By its nature, our community sees frequent change. Students, staff and families leave, and each school year brings the

    excitement of new faces and friendships to be made. However, many of our staff remain constant and have taught and supported generations of students at the BSN. Even so, all good

    things must come to an end and this term, we say farewell to some particularly long-serving members of the BSN staff.

    ALUMNI NEWS 130 years of teaching!

    Richard pictured with Pam van Driel, Head of Senior School 1974-99

  • Summer 2014|19

    Fran Laughlan, Senior School, English and Drama Faculty (19962014)

    Along with being an English teacher, Fran Laughlan is probably best known for running The Hague International Model United Nations (THIMUN) programme at the BSN. Fran took this on in 1998 and has seen her become an integral member of the THIMUN Foundation, where she holds the post of Co-Chair.

    Fran has been an active member of staff and, as well as singing in the choir and running the new staff induction programme for many years, has held the post of both Deputy Head of Sixth Form and was Head of Year 9.

    Ron Elliott, Head of English and Drama Faculty tells us: Fran started at BSN in the year in which the film, The Queen is set and has reigned over the faculty in such a loving and benevolent way. She is wise and well-read

    and has been frequently exploited by colleagues for both knowledge and witty repartee. Of course, one of her most significant crowning achievements has also been her management of THIMUN. She has become a very important figure in the international organisation, too. Fran has been an integral part of life at BSN and is a character who marks out the time of both colleagues and students alike. We will miss her enormously and wish her well as she develops one of her other passions international travel.

    Greg Taylor, Junior School Teacher (19802014)

    Greg is BSNs original Eco-warrior as ex-colleague and friend, Gaynor Tong tells us: His passion for wildlife led him to develop our environmental policy as well as establishing a nature garden at Vlaskamp. His love of birds also drove him to lobby to build a nesting site for Storks

    the birds, once common in the Netherlands, were diminishing in numbers but in 2005, a nest was built at Vlaskamp. The first residents were a pair of Egyptian Geese, but storks soon moved into one of the poplars on site and have returned ever since.

    Heidi Roeterdink, JSV School Secretary tells us: Greg has worked for six Headteachers and four Principals. He has taught Years 1,2,3 and 5 and managed the introduction of computers to the classrooms in the junior school in 1983!

    Gregs guitar playing and loud music in the classroom were his trademarks and his love of the

    outdoors led him to particularly enjoy the Ardennes trips especially canoeing.

    Roman Day at Vlaskamp was embraced by Greg, who always wore his Roman Centurians costume whatever the weather!

    A class teacher for many years, latterly Greg has worked with EAL students and as Deborah Perrin observes: Greg is very calm and works well with children to help them grow in confidence.

    Lee Crook, Senior School, Head of PE (19772014)

    Lee was appointed as the first qualified PE teacher at the BSN. He was instrumental in starting sailing and canoeing courses for BSN students who travelled to the south of France and the Mediterranean after five years, the courses moved to Poole where they have run for over 30 years.

    For many years, Lee was very involved with judo and had large numbers of students doing it, to national level. Under Lees stewardship, the BSN first participated in the International Schools Sports Tournament (ISST) in 1978 and has subsequently seen teams head for UK, NL, France, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Egypt and Israel to compete.

    With parent volunteer coaches, Lee created the BSN Rugby Club and over 37 years has taught many thousands of BSN students many of whose photos grace the walls of Senior School and will soon be part of a Facebook campaign to trace more ex-BSN students.

    Alumni News

    ALUMNI NEWS 130 years of teaching!

    Greg Taylor in 1992, pictured planting with children from the Infant School

    Lee Crook pictured with Philip Curtis ex BSN student (1966-73) and subsequently member of PE staff (1977-80)

  • 20|Insight

    Upcoming Courses

    SummerDutchorEnglish2-weekIntensivecoursesbeginning21July2014

    DoesteachingEnglishasaforeignlanguageinterestyou?JoinourPreTEFLintroductorycourse

    Contact us: 070 315 4080 email:[email protected]

    www.bsnlanguagecentre.nl

    Announcing our Summer Camps for all children aged 3-8 years old

    July 22nd - August 28th

    Limited spaces available

    The Little Gym is the leading, gymnastic based, development programme for children aged 4 months to 12 years. We are dedicated to developing your childs co-ordination, balance, confidence, listening and social skills whilst having heaps of FUN!

    Parent/Child classes (4 - 36 months old) Parents take part in these fun, interactive classes, joining the exploration of basic motor and social skills.

    Pre-School/ Kindergarten Gymnastics (3 - 6 years old) This progressive program introduces children to gymnastics and helps them develop motor, social and cognitive skills.

    Primary School classes (6 - 12 years old) Beginner, intermediate and advanced classes in which students conquer the mat, vault, bar and beam.

    The Little Gym Den Haag Koningin Julianalaan 343 2273 JJ, Voorburg Tel: 070 - 300 09 92www.thelittlegym.eu/denhaag [email protected]

    CALL TO BOOK YOUR CAMP NOW

  • Steven DouglasEx BSN student

    Get healthy Stay healthy

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    Call us on 06 1240 5641 for a FREE CONSULTATION and

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    Chiropractic careProviding new solutions for your health concerns

    Summer 2014|21

    To arrange a visit or to request a copy of The Estate brochure please contact Zein at www.zeinchildcare.nl call + 31 (0) 70 326 82 63 or email [email protected]

    Setting the standard for outstanding international childcareZein has provided international childcare to BSN families for over 10 years. As a trusted partner to the BSN, Zeins services ranges from day care, playgroups, after school care to holiday camps.

    Within the safe and engaging environment of the British School and at The Estate our brand new,

    spacious and environmentally friendly childcare centre in Benoordenhout Zein provide outstanding

    day care for children from 3 months to 4 years old. We arrange pickups from the British Schools in

    Mariahoeve to The Estate for our after school care service for older children. Zein also offer a range

    of exciting, activity packed holiday camps, for 4 to 12 year olds, during the school holidays.

    Zein & BSN celebrating

    10 yearsof progressive

    partnership

    Holiday Camps 4 to 12 yearsDuring the holidays your child can enjoy an amazing programme full of fun activities. Theatre and music are very popular, as are our survival lessons. Or they can just free play in our very spacious natural playground with multiple play zones. Plus, several times a week we go on field trips in our British double decker bus! Snowboarding, surfing lessons, or for the smaller ones, the butterfly garden or Museon.

    After-school Care 4 to 12 yearsAfter a long day at school children need to unwind. First we provide a small, healthy and fresh meal to recharge the batteries and then help with getting the homework done. Then its time to do what children do best have fun! Whether its climbing the treehouse, playing tennis or football, jumping on the trampoline, discovering the natural playground or working on an arts and crafts project, its all available for your child!

    Playgroups 2 to 4 years This is the ideal option if you do not need full time care for your child but want your child to socialize with other children. Your little one will learn in a playful way and slowly get used to a class setting which eases the transition into school.

    Day Care 3 months to 4 years It really is a home away from home, where children can enjoy a wonderful and fun-filled curriculum, especially created for international children. This enables the seamless transition into full international education or into another day care centre, should your career take you abroad. Individual care is our aim, so the way you take care of your little one at home is the basis for their care with us.

    Dutch language group available (only at The Estate).

    Pick up from the British Schools in Mariahoeve, other schools on request.Children from all international and Dutch schools can join us during Holiday Camps.

    To reserve a place or for more information contact Zein at [email protected] or 070-3268263. Open day is on June 21st from 13:00 till 15:00. Address: Jozef Israalsplein 36, 2596 AV, The Hague. www.zeinchildcare.nl

    Information and help with childcare allowance Zein is a registered and fully licensed childcare provider. Our administration company DebiCare would be happy to provide details and free help with your application for working parents childcare allowance.

    Day care Playgroups After school care Holiday camps

    Available soon.

    OPEN DAY: JUNE 21 from 13:00 till 15:00Register for entry via [email protected] by 17th June

    NEW: Premium childcare for international (minded) families

    THE FORMER RENSWOUDEHUIS IN THE BENOORDENHOUT AREA

    The Estate

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    or +31 (0)70 36 41 443

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    Small groupsIndividual instructionPlayful teaching

    Boecopkade 80 I 2518 LD The Hague

    Phone: +31 (0)70 36 41 443 I E mail: [email protected]

    For the BSN Community

  • 22|Insight

    The Family AssociationNews from

    The summer term is a busy one and by the end of term staff, children, students and parents will all be ready for their summer

    break. As we write this, the Family Association is hard at work preparing for the Summer Fair a red letter day in the BSN

    calendar take a look at Gateway and our website for pictures.

    Family Association, Chairman Anne Nielsen de Brard writes: another school year ends and we find ourselves saying farewell to friends. Some families are leaving The Netherlands and others (like mine) are watching their kids embark on a new chapter of their lives at university. But, like a wheel, the world turns and we learn to adapt and seize opportunities brought about by this change!

    As an 8 year old I remember returning from three years living in The United States as Jimmy Carter was elected as President. When I arrived at my new school in Neuilly, the other kids were wide-eyed not only did they have no idea where The USA was on the map, they definitely could not imagine a life beyond their own safe boundaries. The worst part: I had an accent! It is hard to imagine a similar situation today, when we are surrounded by so many accents. Our own kids may have developed a BSN accent that they will recognise in 20 years time when they meet again as BSN Alumni.

    Our kids are growing up surrounded by accents, tasting food from around the world, being invited to others houses and experiencing various ways of living; indeed our kids have developed inside knowledge and unique relationships with friends from many other countries and cultures. As the BSN Alumni Association continues to grow, our students are starting to recognise this fantastic opportunity: the world is their playground and what a playground it is! Just look at the names and nationalities of ex BSN students, they are likely to find a fellow-BSNer wherever they go So, it was our journey as parents, which has created this new International generation with so many opportunities ahead of them!

    Have a lovely summer and see you all in September!

    Anne Nielsen de Brard

    Sessions Team: Supporting Bilingualism at Home

    Sessions Team: The Dutch Health Care System

    Bring & Buy: Sale Second Hand Uniform: Sale

    FA Coffee: UK Exam system explained

    FA Coffee: regular drop in mornings Thursday JSD Wednesday JSLFriday JSVTuesday SSV

    SEP

    19FRI

    OCT

    13MON

    EVERYWEEK

    OCT

    17FRI

    OCT

    21TUE

    Autumn Term

    Full details of all these Family Association Events will be posted on BSN Gateway

  • Summer 2014|23

    News from the Family Association

    The Family AssociationCelebrating diversity

    The BSN community is impressively diverse, with children and students from over 80 different nationalities attending the four school sites. This diversity makes us quite unique and is something that both the school and the parents value and appreciate.

    This is particularly true for those parents who volunteered to become members of the International Team, which has been active for 13 years as part of the Family Association. The team is formed by country representatives and celebrates the international character of the school with a number of events. The biggest event is the annual International Festival held at SSV for the 11th time earlier this year where children representing countries all over the world perform traditional songs, dance and music for an audience. After the show, visitors enjoy sampling traditional food from over 20 countries served in the Atrium. Although the event requires a lot of preparation by the International Reps and their helpers, the result is always well worth it and the best example of celebrating our cultural diversity! If you havent ever been, make sure you dont miss it in 2015.

    The International Team lies behind many cross school events and activities the country representatives assist at the yearly language village organised at SSV, run the food stalls at the Summer Fair at JSL, offer support at International Days and quietly

    take care of the country displays in the glass cabinets at each school be sure to take a look next time you visit one of the schools. Country reps also get in touch to welcome newly arrived parents from their country or language community and help them with questions and introduce them to others in their local communities.

    The International Team, and three members of BSN staff, meet twice a term to stay in touch and plan activities.

    More information about the International Team and which countries are represented, can be found under the Family Association section on the BSN Gateway. Are you interested in joining? The team is always happy to welcome new members who are enthusiastic about sharing the culture of their country. For more information please contact Team Leader, Loredana Scolamiero ([email protected])

    The BSN is a good example of an environment that supports and encourages the spirit of internationalism and mutual respect towards different cultures, a fact that we, the international members of the school community, appreciate very much. Irina Stepantsova-Lucas, BSN Russian Representative

  • 24|Insight

    The school calendar is packed with events taking place across the BSN here are just a few of the events that have taken place this term keep an eye on Gateway and Facebook for regular news.

    Events

    Adieu to the Class of 2014 In early May our Year 13 students, and their

    parents, gathered in the Senior School Hall for a final Leavers Assembly where there was much to reminisce and celebrate. With their school days (nearly) behind them, students, parents and staff had the opportunity to mark the end of their school days and start of their lives as BSN Alumni.

    During the Assembly, Director of Sixth Form, Kevin Sandeman invited two students, who epitomise the diversity of the BSN Christoph Winzer, who has been at the BSN since 2000, and Angelica Blasi, who joined in 2012, to talk. Both students spoke of the strength of the BSN community and its acceptance of students from all walks of life.

    They were congratulated by Principal, Dr Martin Coles, who presented them with their Leavers Certificates and Alumni Hoodies and were encouraged to keep in touch.

    In the evening, students and staff enjoyed the traditional BSN Senior School farewell Boat Trip an

    opportunity for all concerned to enjoy an evening on the water before students head back to their studies and the hard work of exams!

    This year, a group of Year 13 parents organised a Ball for these graduating students held at The Hilton Hotel in the Hague. The Alumni Association sponsored a Reception beforehand and made a presentation to six enduring families, in recognition of the support shown to the BSN over the past 17 years.

    All those present graduating students, parents and retiring staff were encouraged to stay in touch with the BSN by either: Liking the British School in The Netherlands (Official) Facebook Page, or via the BSN Website Alumni Association page. We wish all our Year 13 students the best of luck with their IB and A-Level exams and long may this luck continue into the future Keep in touch!

  • Summer 2014|25

    BSN News: Events

    Additional location for Language Courses

    In September the BSN Language Centre will begin offering Dutch and English courses at The Estate, a historical building located at Jozef Israelsplein 36, in The Hague, and home of Zein International Childcare.

    The BSN has been providing high quality teaching for all levels of language learning for more than thirty years. Our native-speaker teachers lead a wide selection of courses, at various dates and times, at several locations in The Hague, the newest of which is The Estate in the Benoordenhout area of The Hague.

    The courses to be offered at The Estate, are: Dutch Beginners; Dutch Conversation; General English; Business Courses; IELTS Exam Preparation (preparing for University level of English).

    The GREAT Outdoors!After almost a year of careful planning and

    preparation, work was completed on the brand new playground and outdoor area at JSD earlier this term. Amongst other features the new playground includes a multipurpose astroturf pitch, running track as well as an outdoor stage for performances.

    With this fine summer weve so far been having, the children have already been making the most of the facility. Anyone whos visited JSD in the past few weeks would not have been able to miss the childrens excitement and the huge amount of enjoyment theyre getting from their new space.

    World Cup FeverWorld Cup fever has well and truly gripped the BSN

    this term with staff, students and children participating in a wide array of World Cup and football themed activities.

    In between drawing countries out of hats for sweepstakes and filling out wall charts, staff have been building on the global excitement and enthusiasm by linking the World Cup to the curriculum, with children and students being encouraged to research and learn all about the history, cultures, geography and languages of the countries taking part. Many of the goals, moves and turns have no doubt been re-enacted in the playgrounds and school fields but also keep an eye out for the many colourful World Cup posters and displays which have been created by the students that can be seen around the schools.

    Landscapes Near and FarThe photographic perspectives of Dawn S. Black

    are this terms exhibition at The BSN Language Centre, which began on 16 June and will run until the end of September.

    As a child, Dawn always loved taking photos, and was nicknamed David Bailey (the famous British photographer) by her family and friends! When asked where Dawn hails from, she replied with a smile, I am truly Britishbeing born in Wales, and having lived in England and in Scotland too!.

    Dawns beautiful exhibition Landscapes Near and Far, features photographs from Italy, France, UK, USA, and the Netherlands. We welcome you all to drop in and see her thought-provoking interpretation of landscapes. For more information about Dawns photography, please visit www.dawnsblackphotography.com.

  • 26|Insight

    Digital Leaders @ workAt the start of term our BSN Digital Leaders participated in a mini conference for all our junior schools which was

    held at JSV. During the conference, students reviewed and evaluated the schools e-safety and iPad Responsible Use Policy. The session was facilitated by Northern Grid e-safety consultant Simon Finch.

    As a school with a now established iPad programme, we appreciate the need to proactively engage with our students and parents in the design of our e-safety and Responsible Use Policy. During his two day visit, Simon also delivered workshops for Senior School Year 7 and 8 students, parents and teachers, with the main emphasis on sharing personal information online, particularly through social media. He also provided some very valuable tips on password security and illustrated very interestingly, how information and images shared online are exposed to the vast and almost limitless scope of the internet.

    Following his sessions Simon spoke about his experience of working with the students and staff I have been really impressed by the teachers at this school who really care about the pastoral side of e-safety.

    This section provides a spotlight on just some of the many experiences in which our students and children participate during their time at BSN.

    Experience

    University asks students to help save the planetThis term JSDs Year 5 children were visited by three Industrial Design Engineering students from The Hague

    University who asked for their help to develop a product which they hope will help save the planet! The design students, who are currently working with an International Innovation Company, are developing a

    product called Amici an interactive pet plant for children which aims to increase their awareness of sustainability and understanding of hydroponic solutions for plant growing. As Year 5 are currently experts in this area, having learnt all about plants and how they grow in their recent science topic, they were keen to share their knowledge and contribute ideas to the project.

    Bursa Aktas, one of the design students, explained: what makes Amici special is, that it is not just made to be a plant pot, but it is more of an interactive toy, turning the experience of growing plants into a lively interactive experience for children. It was clear to see from the childrens reactions to the product design and their survey results that they agreed it was a well-conceived product with a clear aim.

    The children were asked to help the design team further develop the product and bring it to life (by submitting designs for the face of the product and helping choose which handles they prefer). Bursa told the children: The results from this testing phase will impact what, hopefully, well see on shelves in stores in the future.

  • Summer 2014|27

    BSN News: Experience

    Soviet Studies in RussiaThis year, 47 lucky students headed off on an

    eye-opening 7-day trip to Russia. The trip, now in its 13th year, is designed to support the GCSE work on Superpower Relations, the AS Level study of Soviet Russia and the IB Diploma course. In addition to this strong focus on History, the trip has cross-curricular links with the English and Art Departments as well.

    The group stayed in the Hotel Leningradskaya in Moscow which is one of the Seven Sisters or Vysotki, a group of monumental buildings designed in the Stalinist style which give the city its distinctive feel.

    Students were treated to a packed programme which included the Novodeichy cemetery which was first used as a burial place for Moscows feudal rulers and church officials. Later it was used for Russias intellectuals such as Checkov and Gogol, and in the 20th century it became the burial place for many of the Soviet Unions most well-known citizens Boris Yeltsin, Raisa Gorbachev, Nikita Khrushchev and Nadezhda Alliluyeva Stalins second wife.

    Students visited The Park of Economic Achievement: a place which sums up the rise and fall of the Soviet Union. Created in the 1930s

    it is composed of wide avenues and grandiose pavilions, glorifying every aspect of socialist construction from education and health to agriculture, technology and science. The central fountain of fifteen golden Soviet maidens is a sight to behold!

    Using the Stalinist Metro system to get around, the group visited the Cosmonautics Museum, a Cold War bunker, Yusupov Palace where Rasputin was murdered the

    St Peter and Paul Cathedral, burial site of the Romanovs, and attended part of a church service.

    No visit to Moscow would be complete without seeing Red Square and Lenin in his mausoleum, as well as a look at the Kremlin armoury where students were stunned by the array of gold and silver artefacts. This year we were also able, through a parental contact, to secure a rare VIP tour for some of the group to visit the Kremlin Halls where treaties are signed.

    As if that were not enough, this year also included a visit to the Central Armed Forces Museum, to see the wreckage of Gary Powers Spy plane and the Soviet flags which were hung over the captured Reichstag as well as a tour of a 1950s nuclear submarine not one for the claustrophobic.

    Alongside these cultural delights, students also enjoyed a visit to the Moscow State Circus, Mariinsky ballet and a Traditional Russian folk show where two of our students Aniruddh Rajendran and Bernardo Lustrini were invited on stage to dance which they both did, with quite some skill!

    International Award TrainingA record 120 Year 10 students spent a day learning

    the skills required for their Bronze Expedition in Brabant this September. Students took part in workshops as diverse and varied as map reading, team building, cooking, putting up tents, first aid, packing rucksacks and orienteering. Thanks go to all the volunteers: parents, teachers and senior students.

    Twenty one, Year 12 students spent the weekend in the Ardennes training for their Gold Expeditions in Nepal and the Cevennes in France this summer. Their bush craft skills were refreshed and they took part in a number of team building exercises. They also completed an 18km trek through the hills navigating difficult and unmarked terrain in preparation for the challenges that both Nepal and the Cevennes will offer.

  • 28|Insight

    Parameters, parentheses and algorithms a new language!

    In our already multi-lingual community, students have been learning another, important language The Language of Programming.

    This term, for example, students at JSL have been exploring a range of programming across key stages, including Daisy Dinosaur, BeeBot control, Scratch, 2>3D Design and 3D Game Club. The most recent buzz can be heard in Years 5 and 6 where students have been taking part in two pilots. Rachel Iles, Learning and Technology Manager at JSL explains:

    Year 5 has been learning how to program in JavaScript through a Khan Academy online course: Introduction JS: Drawing & Animation. This has caused BIG excitement and developed new vocabulary, e.g. debug [fix and improve], parameters [x,y,w,h], parentheses while students learned to write program functions to make things happen on screen.

    Year 6 has been exploring Kodu Game Lab a game environment, that enables users to create a virtual world and apply gaming strategy and tactics. An interesting journey so far: in teams we explored What is a Game a harder concept to analyse that it might appear and have continued to develop

    Look out for more information about changes to the ICT curriculum in future issues of Insight and of course on Gateway too.

    Flappy Birds from ScratchScratch is a programming language designed

    for children to create interactive stories, games and animations and is used across all our schools as part of the ICT curriculum. This year JSL has run a Scratch Co-Curricular Activity hosted by parent, Mike Vasile who ran a Scratch Club at his childrens last school in Germany the club has been a big hit. This term, the programmers Flappy Bird designs will be recreated using JavaScript!

    Students excel at maths challenge

    Students from JSD Year 5 and 6 recently took the Primary Maths Challenge, organised by the Mathematical Association in the United Kingdom in which more than 77,000 students participated.

    The challenge consists of twenty five difficult problems and for forty five feverish minutes, the children tackled a range of puzzles, applying themselves with perseverance and determination.

    The Mathematical Association stated We increased the level of challenge, particularly in the last 5 questions. However, we may have overdone it and this year was much harder. Judging from our statistical record it was the toughest paper for about 5 years.

    Gold Certificates were awarded to JSD students, with significantly above average scores: Annabel M, Kasper K, Elzahra E, Zain Bin M, Jasmin S and Minuk A.

    Out of 77,000 children who entered the competition, 502 were invited to take part in the finals (bonus round). Annabel, Kasper and Elzahra received one of these rare invitations and tackled the finals paper which challenged the best young mathematicians in the UK.

    Were delighted that Annabel won a bronze medal which is a huge achievement.

    Stepping StonesEarlier this year, the BSN was asked for native

    English speaking volunteers to take part in making an educational language learning video for Dutch Schools. The makers of the video Noordhoff Uitgevers (a well respected educational publisher) were working on an addition to their Stepping Stones range of learning material used by many Dutch schools to teach English to secondary (VMBOVWO) students.

    Six, Year 10 students volunteered and spent a day on location in Amsterdam, chatting about their lives, hobbies and interests all in front of a camera. One of the students, Brogan ONeill said: It was a bit odd to start with, but we soon forgot about the camera and just answered questions and chatted the hardest bit was pretending to play basketball together! Hans Kok, the Director said: we were really impressed by the students confidence and willingness to talk!

  • Summer 2014|29

    BSN News: Experience

    Outward bound!It is a BSN tradition that

    during the summer term, Year 5 and 6 children from each of our three Junior Schools head for residential trips in Arnhem, Drenthe or the Ardennes. However, this year was the first time that Year 4 children from all three junior schools had the opportunity to also take part.

    The trips provide a fantastic opportunity for the children to develop skills which include teamwork, leadership as well as independent working, risk taking in a safe environment and confidence building.

    During their trip to the Ardennes JSL Y6 learnt how to navigate using a compass, as well as take the spider web challenge and conquer their personal challenges and fears whilst rock climbing and abseiling.

    The fun and enjoyment on the JSV Y5 trip to Drenthe was endless as the children explored the local area and environment. The children were fortunate enough to work with a local artist to paint landscapes, as well as take a canoe trip down a river.

    For the JSD Y4 children mum was the word as they were all taken on a magical mystery tour. This included a visit to Monkey World and Burgers Zoo, but the highlight was the first ever BSN sleep-over, with children camping out overnight in the JSD School Hall.

    Theres a buzz about the Eco garden When the plans were first developed, a key

    component of the Senior School Eco garden was the inclusion of a colony of honey bees. Now one year on from the gardens opening, the bees are now feeling quite at home in their BSN blue hive and can be seen working away at their job, pollinating the natural flora which have been planted this year.

    Liz Jones, who is normally found teaching ICT at JSV, is also a beekeeper and has worked with SSV staff and the concierge team, to set up the now well established hive.

    The BSN hive is a top bar hive so named because each comb is carefully constructed by the bees suspended from pine bars. This system mirrors a bee colony in a fallen tree and is similar to hives seen in Kenya and Rwanda. It is also more accessible for seeing the bees at work when sharing the experience with young people.

    The bee, whilst a fascinating insect, is also known for its sting. This term has seen Liz and Mike Weston (the Senior School archivist and keen naturalist who, together with the student committee and the concierges, is running the Eco-garden) advising the students on appropriate conduct in the vicinity of the hive.

    Over recent years the bee population in Europe has been significantly depleted. Around thirty percent of bees have been lost due to recent weather conditions, colony collapse, changes of land use, urbanisation, human activity, and chemicals.

    So, at the BSN we are doing our bit to support a colony which we hope will thrive in the Eco garden whilst learning all about the work of the bee.

    History 1940s style Year 6 students at JSL celebrated two important

    historical events from their 1940s topic this term. The first was the liberation of the Netherlands on May 5 1945 a milestone in the history of our host nation and the second was a study of Victory in Europe (VE) Day on 8 May 1945, where students learned about the importance of events from the perspective of all the affected nations.

    Children dressed in wonderful costumes representative of the era, listened to music of the period whilst designing commemorative plates to mark the end of war. In addition, they enjoyed making an authentic Dutch rice pudding recipe from the 1940s and later made Knitting Nancys a handheld tube for French knitting, just as children would have in the days when there was a limited range of activities to keep them occupied.

    The children enjoyed a Beetle Drive a game involving a dice and drawing parts of a beetle, depending on the number you roll, that was played in the village halls and social clubs of the time. The day continued with 1940s games in PE and children also had the opportunity to make a gas mask case.

  • 30|Insight

    This section showcases the breadth of artistic talent amongst our students by highlighting just some of the arts-related activities that have taken place this term.

    The Arts

    #JSDTheBestBits

    After weeks of hard work, effort and preparation, the Junior School Diamanthorst Key Stage 2 Girls and Boys put on a fantastic show for their parents and families, performing A Decade of Diamanthorst Delights #JSDTheBestBits, to celebrate the schools tenth year.

    The audience were taken down memory lane and treated to a mesmerising mash-up of highlights of JSD school productions from the previous ten years, which have included amongst others, Annie, Oliver and Bugsy Malone to name but a few.

    Congratulations and a huge thank you to all the performers for providing us all with such tremendous enjoyment and entertainment.

    The Castafiore Emerald goes missing at Senior School

    This term saw the culmination of the SSV Drama Clubs work as they performed one of Herges Adventures of Tintin The Castafiore Emerald. An intriguing play in which essentially nothing happens!

    The audience was invited into Captain Haddocks mansion to watch the antics of a variety of people including a doctor, an opera singer, a builder and paparazzi! The story revolves around a number of supposed thefts and a missing emerald and everyone is a suspect!

    The Drama Club students (from Years 7-9) have worked hard throughout the term on the production which was enjoyed by parents, friends and family alike.

  • Summer 2014|31

    BSN News: The Arts

    Science meets art with young film-makers

    Students from both our Senior and Junior Schools did the BSN proud this term as they were announced as winners of the COBIS Young Scientist Film Awards.

    The winners were announced at the COBIS Annual Conference and the BSN stole the show with prizes in four categories.

    Congratulations go to Year 12 students Veronica White and Adelina Popescu for winning the award for Best Chemistry Film (all ages) and Best Scientific Investigation with their very useful film Dissolving a Body 101.

    Whilst Liza Price and Lotte Schoofs, Year 6 students from JSL, won both Best Biology Film (all ages) and the Most Creative Film for Key Stages 1 & 2 for their production of How Smallpox was wiped out.

    Both pairs were presented with their trophies and certificates by their Headteachers this week. Well done girls on your fantastic achievement!

    The Lady of StavorenThe endless rehearsals and huge amount of behind

    the scenes preparation all paid off this term when the girls and boys from Junior School Leidschenveen Year 3 entertained their parents and families with a magnificent performance of The Lady of Stavoren.

    Based on an old 16th century Dutch folk tale, the performance followed the story of a wealthy patrician merchant widow, who sends a merchant fleet out to sea in search of the greatest treasure in the world. However, much to the her disgust the sailors return with wheat claiming it to be the most precious thing in the world, as it can feed the hungry.

    A huge thank you, well done and congratulations to all the children for putting on such an unforgettable performance.

    Students present The Musicians

    As this issue of Insight lands on your doormat, Year 12 Theatre Studies students will be treading the boards at the Koninklijke Schouwburg Theatre in the Hague, presenting The Musicians!, a comedy by Patrick Marber.

    The students are pictured here in rehearsals keep an eye on Gateway and the website for news of how Alex DeCaluwe, Gabi Rudyte, Maaike Brown, Nathan Routledge, Celina Ozcan, Oli Klemme, Ollie Boon, Sinmi Salami and Anna Vince got on.

    Kenyan DrummingThe children and staff of JSV were given a real

    treat this term when they were visited by Kenyan Drummer Harrison Okwach Ute. During his visit, Harrison ran a workshop for Year 6 during which he got them to sing and chant in Swahili as well as dance to his fantastic drumming and learn about East African rhythms.

    As an added bonus Harrison also visited Years 3 and 4 for their choral session and accompanied their singing with his drumming. Everyone at JSV hopes Harrison will pay another visit to the school very soon!

  • 32|Insight

    Art Trip to DusseldorfOver the Easter break, nineteen senior school Art

    students headed for Germany for three days to explore different artists and artwork, which we could resource to help us develop our own pieces and knowledge.

    The cities of Dusseldorf and Kln play host to some of the best modern art museums in Europe. At the start of our visit to Kln, students were told there

    would be a Selfie competition where the best Selfie photograph would win a mysterious prize.

    Our first museum visit was Museum Ludwig, where we were able to study pieces by renowned artists such as Picasso and Andy Warhol. We then had some time to roam the city before heading for the K21 Museum. One of the highlights was In Orbit, a piece by Tomas Saraceno, which is a platform suspended 20 metres above the ground, made of wired webs. The experience of walking on the wired platform was said to be like walking in space our opinions were mixed and varied between either terrifying or a highlight of the trip. A lot of the work here was avant-garde and gave us a different outlook to art, a favourite of mine was made of spider webs in an illuminated glass case.

    We for Dusseldorf and visited the Rhein Tower where we took a break from art and had a great view, from 240 metres, of the sun setting over the city although again, it wasnt ideal for someone with a fear of heights! On our walk back into the city, we came across an open library, offering access to numerous books and comics in different languages which we explored for a while.

    On the last day of our trip, we took photos that encapsulated the city of Dusseldorf. The trip was very productive for the students and helped us to understand different techniques and styles of art which will develop our skills.

    Words by student Asmita Subah Haque

    Read this report in full on the Media Crew page on Gateway

    Choir Day in BrusselsLast month, JSVs Chamber Choir were lucky

    enough to attend an inter-school choir day at The British School of Brussels. The children represented the school impeccably, singing a range of songs and then participating in a mass sing-along. It was a great opportunity for the children to perform, meet up with like-minded students from another school and even have a complimentary lunch! Congratulations to all the children who took part.

    Instrumental Day in Amsterdam

    Some of our most talented musicians from JSL and JSV Years 4, 5 and 6 took their instruments along to the International School of Amsterdam recently to participate in a collaborative Instrumental Day.

    Although the children from the two schools only had a limited amount of time to rehearse, anyone listening would never had guessed given how magnificent the children sounded during their performance at the end of the session.

    A huge well done and massive congratulations to all of our budding young musicians and instrumentalists.

  • Summer 2014|33

    BSN News: The Arts and Sport

    Sport is a big part of life at the BSN and this section provides a snapshot of just some of the many sporting activities in which our students are involved.

    Sport

    COBIS Games FeverCOBIS sports fever gripped the BSN once again

    this year, with competitions for junior schools and for the first time, the Senior School Games took place in Istanbul this term.

    Senior Games

    The British International School of Istanbul welcomed athletes on day one and following an opening ceremony to rival any from recent Olympic and Paralympic Games, the competition began. With the sun beating down, the BSN team ran, threw and jumped its way through a whole range of track and field events. Fierce competition saw medals being split between a number of schools, with the BSN getting its fair share of gold, silver and bronze.

    The second day dawned all too quickly for tired limbs and the five-a-side football began at a fierce pace. The girls worked extremely hard and won three out of their five matches, losing only to the eventual girls winners, Kings School Madrid and the overall football champions St Catherines Greece. The boys played in the dreaded group of death and despite trying every tactic they knew, against strong opposition, they just failed to get out of the group stages. Our second position in the athletics was not to be repeated in the football with St Catherines, the eventual winners.

    The much anticipated swimming competition took place on the final day and once again the BSN team quite literally threw themselves into the pool in what was to be a truly exceptional series of races. Again, the water was a successful hunting ground for Team BSN, with golds, silvers and bronzes being awarded to our swimmers. We were particularly successful at the relays and individual medley events. As the points were totted up the BSN came in second to St Catherines. Although we held out a slim hope for the overall championships, the team eventually claimed a richly deserved runners up position.

    Junior Games

    After successfully hosting last year, our BSN team Year 5 and 6 athletes travelled to Abu Dhabi for the third Junior School COBIS games.

    After recovering from flying overnight, the team were well prepared for the three days of competition. After a challenging start to the basketball competition, the team went on a four-game winning streak to win the Plate competition. The second days competition took place in an Olympic size swimming pool, where team BSN secured an excellent fourth place overall. Finally, an equally competitive football competition completed the event and after the points and scores were totted up, The BSN finished in a highly commendable sixth place.

    All fifteen pupils played their part in each days events. The positive team attitude and pleasure in each others successes helped to create a rewarding atmosphere which was also supported by the enthusiastic travelling family support that joined the team in Abu Dhabi. The team represented The BSN with a great mixture of fair-play, energy and enthusiasm and the school can now look forward to participating in next years event in Athens.

  • 34|Insight

    BSN wins annual Tennis Tournament

    In June, the B


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