There can be few more beautiful counties in England than Dorset – especially when the sun is shining. On Monday we waved off Year 5 on their annual ‘residential’ to the land of Thomas Hardy. 

Which puts me in mind of writers and their counties of birth. For more on that, and to enter our fun Summer literary quiz –  see the base of this Update…

The children left with a spring in their step and the parents with tears in their eyes. As I write this update, the children are coming to the end of a wonderful five-day experience, and the weather has been kind to them. We look forward to reuniting the girls and boys with their families this evening.

Although the school was quieter with one year group off campus, that did not stop the rest of us from motoring forward: here and on the cricket field at nearby Harborne.

No sooner had the dust settled following the announcement of iPADs for Prep children and a new house system at BCS, when Year 4 began the week undertaking their English Speaking Board Exams. Early feedback was impressive. Our 8-year-olds and 9-year-olds demonstrated great maturity and focus to complete all the components of these challenging exams.

Those soon to be entering their final term at BCS are still steaming ahead. When a number of children represented the school in the Quiz Club Regional maths heats, they (as always) performed brilliantly, completing questions that would have interrogated the minds of many not-so-young mathematicians. A number of our representatives have qualified for the next round. 

Sport was high on the agenda again this week with a host of cricket matches for girls and boys. I have watched snatches of them from my study and board room, but took the chance to get out and about this week. Pride of place goes to our Under 11 boys, who, continuing their recent run of success, qualified for the English Schools Cricket Association county finals at Shrewsbury School on the 19th June, by winning their regional ESCA tournament at Harborne Cricket Club and thus becoming the top team in Warwickshire.To reach this summit, they beat Solihull, Bilton Grange (by a massive 96 run margin) and Warwick School

Now, with a bit of luck, a fair wind, continued flair and the requisite discipline at Shrewsbury, they may even get through to the National final, which is to be held at Oakham School. 

I have written much about our talented Prep musicians over the last few weeks but this week I must focus on the wonderful musicianship of our youngest children. The range of instruments on show was quite something. Obviously, the children live out the quote ‘Practice makes perfect’. Well done, one and all.

Finally, it was lovely to welcome a fellow head to our chapel service this week in the shape of Mr Gareth Jones, Headmaster of Bilton Grange, the preparatory School to Rugby School.  He gave a great talk and was very inspiring. 

Can I say a big thank you to all the staff, parents and most importantly the children on a strong half term. Rest well. I will see you all a week on Monday.

And now, finally, for that Quiz. Can you match up the following writers and their counties of birth? 

Charles Dickens, George Eliot, D.H.Lawrence, Agatha Christie, Thomas Hardy, Charlotte Bronte, Roald Dahl, J.K. Rowling

South Glamorgan, Dorset, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Nottinghamshire, Devon.

Just send an email to Miss Firman (firmane@thebluecoatschool.com) and you stand a chance of winning a delicious edible prize! 

(Tie-breaker question: how many men and how many women are there in the list