BIRMINGHAMTHEBLUECOATSCHOOL1722

Week 8 of the Lent term – what a week! A whirlwind of achievements, celebrations, and, of course, pancakes. It was a week that truly embodied the spirit of BCS.

Monday morning kicked off with triumphant news from our chess teams. Our U11 and U9 squads took on the nation’s best and clinched first and third place in the National Chess Competition. A truly remarkable feat! Hot on the heels of this success, another exceptional performance followed at Solihull School last Saturday. Hats off to our young chess maestros!

Meanwhile, Year 6 pupils and their parents gathered on Monday evening for their final parents evening at BCS. What an incredible year it has been for our pupils, with outstanding results paving the way to top-tier schools, including KES, KEHS, Solihull, EHS, various Grammar Schools, and even further afield to Westminster School, Eton College, and King’s College Wimbledon. These young scholars are not only achieving greatness but leaving a legacy for future generations of BCS pupils.

Over in Year 4, the English Speaking Board exams were in full swing. Unsurprisingly, our pupils delivered with aplomb, earning glowing feedback from examiners. A huge thank you to our dedicated parents and teachers for nurturing this vital skill – public speaking will serve them well in life. Not content with just excelling in oratory, our Year 4 pupils also tackled the King Edward’s Maths Challenge, demonstrating the strength of our mathematical teaching. To top it off, BCS was recognised nationally as one of the top five schools in the prestigious Mathematical Challenge. A phenomenal achievement – well done, Team BCS!

Amidst the academic success, there was still time for some light-hearted fun. Tuesday saw the inaugural Year 6 House Pancake Race – a brilliantly chaotic event, full of joy and laughter. I must confess, I much prefer eating pancakes to racing with them, but pupils (and staff!) embraced the challenge with enthusiasm. Special mention to Mr Dalzell, who, as always, displayed his “win at all costs” attitude in imperious form. Lichfield House emerged victorious – congratulations!

On the sporting front, our Year 6 netballers took to the courts at Millfield School, competing at the highest level in this IAPS national tournament. These championships represent the pinnacle of Prep School sport, and our pupils made us immensely proud.

Thursday was all about books and imagination as we celebrated World Book Day. The School was awash with pyjamas and onesies – a fitting tribute to our love of literature. Sadly, my own tartan pyjamas stayed at home, as I was in Belfast, watching my daughter receive her first cap for Scotland in netball (proud dad moment!). But back at BCS, the highlight of the day was welcoming esteemed author Thomas Taylor. His childhood reads like a tale in itself – sledging, Doctor Who, racing snails, and dreaming of helicopter rescues. His journey from a young boy lost in the pages of The Hobbit to a writer conjuring his own worlds is truly inspiring. As he put it, “Anything can be real in stories”. A huge thank you to Mr Brown, Mr Robinson, Miss Bourke and Ms Stacey for championing English at BCS. World Book Day felt more like a World Book Festival!

As the week draws to a close, we turn our attention to the slopes, wishing our ski team the very best as they head to Italy for the International Prep School Championships.

For those of us staying put, a well-earned rest is in order. Enjoy the weekend!