News Spring Term 2007
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Blundell's pupils successful in South West chemistry competition |
| Three Tiverton students, Johnny Li and Michelle Tsang from Hong Kong, and Eva Zhang from China, represented Blundell’s School in the South West heat of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Year 12 Analyst Competition. The competition was held at the University of Bristol on Tuesday 27th March 2007 and was open to schools from across the West Country. After a three-hour series of practical experiments including titrations, ultra violet spectroscopy and analytical calculations the team from Blundell’s were judged to be the winners. They will now go on to represent the South West in the National finals to be held in at the University of East Anglia in June. Teacher Mr Peter Chapman commented that the trio had worked extremely hard as a team and fully deserved their win. | |
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Devon Sevens Champions |
| Blundell’s School are Devon Schools Champs at U13 level. The junior outfit took on the rest of the County at a recent Tournament at Kelly College in Tavistock. In ideal conditions the team started well defeating Tavistock School 42-0. They then Saw off West Buckland by a similar margin before securing their place in the Semi finals with a comprehensive 32-12 victory over a large Brixham side. In the semis their good form continued with another large win over St Peter’s Exeter setting up a final versus St Boniface College from Plymouth. The Blundellians started well and had to play their best against spirited opposition but managed to win the match 22-12 to retain the title they won in 2006. | |
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Blundell's involvement in the Faulkes Telescope Project |
 Blundell’s School has been chosen as one of the UK’s first Regional Centres for an international astronomy project run from Cardiff University. The Faulkes Telescopes are part of a growing network of robotic telescopes controlled remotely via the Internet and available to schools for educational use.
Pupils at Blundell’s have used the two existing telescopes in Hawaii and Australia to make spectacular images of deep space objects, such as galaxies, star clusters and nebulae, during their lessons.
The purpose of the Regional Centres will be to assist other local schools in learning to use the telescope network for science lessons and activities. Any local primary or secondary schools who would like more information can contact Jeremy Thomas at Blundell’s School, or the Faulkes Telescope Project at Cardiff University (faulkes-telescope.com). |
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Jack's cross country selection |
| Jack Lily d'Cruz of Blundell's School has just been selected to run in the Junior National Cross Country Championships. Fourteen year old Jack took up running when he arrived at Blundell's and has performed consistently well. He was recently selected for Devon trials and finished fourth which gave him automatic selection for the Nationals. Jack is also a keen rugby player and cricketer and has played for East Devon as a member of the Heathcoat CC. | |
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Year Nine Art Exhibition |
| There is currently an excellent display of year nine artwork in Ondaatje featuring architectural modelmaking, digital photography, illustrations and rock drawings. | |
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U13 Rugby Sevens |
| The School House VII produced an excellent performance to beat Kings Hall in the final of the Prep School Sevens Tournament on Saturday. Having lost to King's in the pool the boys produced an outstanding display of sevens to win 12-7 in a gripping game. Earlier in the day the boys had comprehensively beaten Shebbear, Plymouth College and St Peters, Lympstone to reach the final. Captained in the final by Tom Ricketts, the squad included Will Mildren, Joe Wander, James Baughan, James Edge, Harrison Folland and Lewis Honey. | |
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Valentine's Day |
| Pictured are some year 12 girls from North Close house at Blundell's School. The girls managed to raise over £300 for Cancer Research from the sale of 780 roses to staff and pupils on Valentine's Day. Organiser Kirsty MacDougall was astounded at the response and was grateful that romance is still alive and well at Blundell's, and was very pleased to raise so much for such a good cause. The Junior department also took advantage of Valentine's Day and managed to raise money by selling recycled jars filled with sweets and decorated with a romantic message. They donated their profits to other cancer charities. | |
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Canoeing - Waterside A |
| The Waterside A race (the first of the 4 Waterside Series races) was started at 10:00am on Sunday 11th February. This race is from Great Bedwyn to Newbury: 13.5 miles and 21 portages.
Over 360 paddlers took part in the race in a variety of classes. Of the Junior K2 class, in which we participated, 29 boats started and all 29 completed the race. We had four paddlers in two crews, comprising of
Rory Findlay,
Tim Archibald,
Austin Squibbs and Richard Carroll. Results: In position 24, boat 137 crewed by Rory Findlay and Tim Archibald (in 2 hours 48 mins 43 secs). In 27th place, boat 136 crewed by Austin Squibbs and Richard Carroll (in 3 hours 11 mins 37 secs). For both crews this was a first experience of paddling this distance in a race and a first encounter with portages. Congratulations on such excellent results. |
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Leadership lecture |
| Pictured here is Michael Kingscote, who addressed and inspired the Lower Sixth on Friday 9th February on what constitutes a good leader, how one cultivates those qualities and who had them in most abundance. | |
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Pompeii Lecture |
| Pictured here is Shelley Hales, who spoke to two packed houses on Wednesday 7th February on the extraordinary human casts found in the ruins of Pompeii. | |
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More from the Rocket Club... |
| Jim Lennie of SWARM, the local amatuer rocketry club, recently visited the newly formed Blundell's Rocket Club. He explained the principles of rocket design and brought along a collection of impressive amateur rockets capable of flying at supersonic speeds to heights of greater than 10,000 ft! | |
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Work experience day at Tiverton Hotel |
| On Tuesday 23rd January I and my fellow year 11 students from Blundell's took part in a Work Experience preparation day at the Tiverton Hotel with business partners from a variety of local companies. We discussed many aspects of work experience; our CV's, the importance of research when considering job applications, what to wear to interviews and techniques on how to deal with nerves and difficult situations during interviews. This was followed by mock interviews within groups. The work experience day was a great success because it gave all the students a chance to think in more detail about different options for future careers, as well as teaching us how to handle applications and interviews for future jobs. Ele Breitmeyer | |
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Model Rocket Club |
 Blundell's Model Rocket Club held its first launch meeting recently. As the image to the left illustrates, the launch was successful! |
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Journalism lecture |
| Bill Martin, the Editor of the Plymouth Herald, who came to talk to a year 10 audience in Big School on Friday January 26th about his work and the place of the Media in C21st Britain. A man of wide experience of the Press, Bill argued passionately that newspapers are "the Guardians of Democracy" and gave a fascinating insight into his life and work. It is good to know that the podcast has not yet replaced the tabloid. | |
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Sri Lanka cheque |
| Pictured, members of the Blundell’s School community at a cheque presentation for their Twin School in Sri Lanka. Following the Boxing Day Tsunami in Sri Lanka, Blundell’s formed a twinning relationship with a school in Shariputra and started donating funds. Carla Browne, the Schools’ representative in the UK, attended morning Chapel and gave a talk about the Shariputra school before receiving the cheque for almost £6000 from the Chaplain, Tim Hunt. The money was raised from a year 10 sponsored walk, the School Fete and further donations from Blundell’s Prep School who held a Christmas bazaar and various other activities. | |
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Fives champion visits |
| The Fives Club was very fortunate indeed to have the 23 times British singles champion, Wayne Enstone, visit the school and deliver an excellent afternoon of coaching. His infectious enthusiasm and expertise made an obvious and very positive impact on our players and will have set them up for the start of the new season. | |