Secondary News - 14. jan 2022

Block 4 Week 2

This week has been a very intense week for our students in Years 11-13. They have sat their mock examinations and teachers are now busily marking and preparing the feedback for students as we enter the second half of the year. From these results, further booster sessions will be made available for students, so please await further information from teachers regarding these. Well done and congratulations to all students in Years 11-13 for this week of assessments. Next week, the Art students will continue with their mock examinations, so we wish them well for next week also.

As we continue to observe the Covid-19 cases on the rise, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind all families that should students need to quarantine, all resources are uploaded on Canvas for students to access and keep up with their work. Students are also encouraged to check the digital diary regularly for homework and email their teachers directly should they have any questions. We encourage everyone to be as safe as possible and to regularly check the guidance and latest Update from the Principal.

Next week, we are excited to be able to host the IGCSE Information evening on Thursday, 20^th January. This is an important evening for Year 9 students to be able to consider their subject options for the next two years of study. It is an opportunity to ask any remaining questions regarding subjects to then choose their preferences. Final subject groupings to best reflect the cohort’s preferences will be released next block.

Additionally next week the Winter Adventure Days begin with the Year 7 and 8 cohorts. Ms Fairchild has worked very hard to plan this day in the snow for students. I wish them a wonderful trip.

Have a restful weekend, and we look forward to welcoming the Year 11 and Sixth Form students back to lessons next week.

Stephanie Andronikos

Head of Secondary

Languages Block

This week we continued with our celebration of Languages! Students wrote down their favourite Slovene word, such as nogomet (football), veselje (joy), plašč (a coat) and many others. We also started working on displays. Students researched words in a variety of languages, e. g. languages that are spoken in South America.

Year 10 researched where languages can take us and how it can affect our professional career.

During assembly time, all year groups took time for poems in different languages too.

We can't wait until the 3rd week of Language Block arrives!

Slovene department

French News

After reviewing what they already know, students got back on track and are already learning new things day by day in French. This week was about activities you can do with your friends, but also what their dream job, or their favourite sport is.

We also wish all the luck to our Year 11 students, who worked very hard to achieve good grades for their Mock examinations. Courage!

Ms Tatil

French teacher

Maths News:

Key Stage 3 students were eager to discover and interpret various statistical diagrams. They designed strategy posters and exam-style questions for their peers and practised applying new methods through Quizziz.

Year 10 students used Geogebra Geometry online to plot quadratic and reciprocal graphs. They discussed their properties and presented their findings to their peers.

Years 11, 12 and 13 were off timetable to sit in the Mock exams this week. Their determination to succeed has been amazing as they approached their studies with diligence.

Math mistake of the week:

Thank you to Valentin from 8B who identified 3 mistakes correctly and was awarded 6 House points. 7B students were also eager to find mistakes and many of them got 2 House points for recognising an incorrect formula. Well done!

Check out new mistakes next week, in front of room 316.

Ms Zupanc

Mathematics Teacher

PE News:

During PE this week, students completed their respective sporting blocks and carried out practical assessments across a range of sports. Year 7 took part in some competitive football matches to conclude their block, with Year 8 being assessed on their overall basketball playing competency in match play scenarios. Year 9 also finished their handball unit with some conditioned matches, whilst Year 10 completed their floor hockey learning block.

Mr Hayes

PE Teacher

Science News:

This week found our students enjoying a lot of practical experiments.

Y8 students were especially busy with 3 different practicals. During chemistry lessons they learned about the importance of filtration in the chemical industry. They filtered sand from water with the help of filter papers, funnels, and beakers. During biology lessons they got to know how bovine and pork lungs look from up close. They were able to identify all major components such as trachea, bronchi, bronchioles, arteries, and veins. They also did a fun experiment on light refraction. They looked at how and why the light refracts when there is a change in medium. They also measured the angles of incidence and refraction.

Y9 students were extracting copper from its ore (malachite). They used a method called displacement with carbon, which works on a larger scale in blast furnaces as well.

Science club students finally tested out their models of volcanoes. After making the base from paper mache and painting it in previous science club lessons, they were finally able to make a simulation of volcano eruption. They used a reaction between potassium iodide and a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and a dishwashing liquid to achieve an effect of eruption.

Ms Tušar, Mr MacNeill, Mr Stanič, Ms Prohart Strmčnik

Science Department

English News:

Year 7: Year 7 continued working on their crazy inventions and then using persuasive language techniques to create an advertisement to convince us why we should buy them.

Year 8: Year 8 continued their evaluation of the book “A monster calls.”

Year 9: Year 9 looked at the way writers used emotions in the presentation of characters. Students needed to find ways to describe the body language and semiotics of a hero from a poster.

Year 10: Year 10 wrote a detailed analysis of some of the author’s inventions in writing “Crumbs from the table of joy,”

Year 11: Year 11 sat their Mock Exams in English Language and also in English Literature.

Mr Fordham, Mr. Wilkins, Mr. Staines, Mr Siter and Mr. Eve

English Department

MEPI News:

The MEPI team at BISL has organised a first aid course with the Red Cross (Rdeči Križ), to be held at school on Saturday 29th January, starting at 8:30, and finishing at 13:00. ALL are welcome!

This is a mandatory course for our MEPI participants (and the price is already covered in their MEPI Annual Fee), but there are extra places that we need to fill. So, staff, parents, secondary students, family etc. are all invited to sign-up for this invaluable experience, which will give you the skills that could save a life one day!

The cost is €30.50, and I urge anyone who doesn't have first aid training to attend. The course will be in English, although the medical professional is a native Slovene speaker, so a little translation will not be an issue if you have Slovene as your first language.

Please confirm your attendance, and/or direct any questions to simon.irving@britishschool.si.

We very much look forward to seeing you there.

Mr Irving

MEPI Coordinator

Student Voice: BISL Road Safety

As we launch our BISL Road Safety campaign this Term, some of our Secondary students have also been working on encouraging our community to stay safe on the roads.

Here's a thought-provoking piece from one of our Year 9s.

Gifted & Talented Presentation

Join this informative webinar, led by Ms Begić, to find out more about our Gifted & Talented provision here at BISL.

Join here.

IGCSE Subject Evening

This event is an ideal opportunity for students and parents in Key Stage 3 and particularly in Year 9 to find out some key information about the IGCSE programme in Years 10 - 11, hearing from your subject teachers about the curriculum, subject options, expectations, and more, allowing you to make an informed decision regarding your IGCSE subject choices as you enter Key Stage 4.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Sixth Form Subject Evening

This event is an ideal opportunity for students and parents in Key Stage 4 and particularly in Year 11 to find out some key information about the A Level programme in Years 12 - 13, hearing from your subject teachers about the curriculum, subject options, expectations, and more, allowing you to make an informed decision regarding your A Level subject choices as you enter Sixth Form.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Dear Parents,

This week we've seen our Road Safety campaign start with student voice articles, competitions and a new sign for our car park entrance. Thank you to all parents who have supported this and for driving safely and slowly at drop off and pick up.

It is very much appreciated and is only the start as we hope to continue throughout the spring and summer time with more projects for the environment such as cycling/walking to school, reducing our waste and saving energy. Lots going on and lots to look forward to!

Coming up in this block we have Winter Trips for Secondary school students, Primary class trips planned, Story Time for EY, our IGCSE and Sixth Form Evenings, as well as the very special Student Appreciation Day on Friday 21st January!

I have to save a lot of praise for our Year 11-13 students who have completed their mock exams this week in our new building. This has been very important as they sit papers in exam conditions as excellent preparation for the summer 2022. Thank you to all students involved, they have been exemplary with their conduct, behaviour and focus on a very important week. On behalf of the staff, we are very happy with our students, as for many of the BISL students, this is the first time they have been through an exams window and experienced these conditions. It is wonderful to see them using the new facilities, larger rooms and areas to help them have the space to focus on these examination papers. Thank you to Mr. Batson and teachers for organising a very smooth and worthwhile mock examination series.

Finally, as we continue to navigate through the increase in daily covid cases, all of our students have been superb as they dealt with all challenges in their stride from self-testing, online learning and quarantine without disruption to their learning. A huge thank you to parents for your support, encouragement and your time dedicated towards this, it is very much appreciated. Please also read questions 24-29 below in the FAQ section for our most popular areas of discussion at the moment. Thank you to all of the families who have children doing Covid self-testing at school. This is for the benefit of everyone and we really appreciate your support.

Please read my full Update from the Principal here for details.

Have a lovely weekend everyone.

Kind regards,

Paul Walton

Principal

All upcoming events and details are available on our website.