Headteacher's Bulletin - Friday, March 15th 2024
The NSB 'March Madness' Music Concert was a rip-roaring success on Wednesday with the students providing a wide and well-balanced programme of items, all of which sounded fantastic!!! This concert is a traditional warm-up for our students for the Regional Music for Youth Festival which is being held at NSB over the weekend of March 23rd and 24th and the National Concert Band Finals taking place this weekend.
On Saturday, our Law Society will make the trip to London to the Royal Courts of Justice to compete in the National Final of the Mock Bar Competition. Having won a hotly contested Regional Final in January, the students have been rehearsing hard and working with a Barrister Mentor to prepare their final cases. Students will litigate both Prosecution and Defence across 2 criminal cases, against 22 other schools from across the country. We wish them the very best of luck in what promises to be a wonderful experience.
Next Tuesday, 19th, is our annual Employment and Opportunities Evening for students in Y11-13 from 5pm to 7pm; this year we have in excess of 60 companies exhibiting and a new 'Alumni Zone', with previous students of NSB from across the years joining us to offer their career expertise. The evening will offer students the opportunity to discuss Post 16 and Post 18 options with employers, universities and apprenticeship providers, as well as opening pathways for work experience placements. Ticket information has been sent to parents and students in these year groups - with sign up via the link in the email.
Many congratulations to Cameron McKenzie in Y11 who is one of just 20 (out of over 130 athletes under consideration), to have been invited to the British Rowing J16 Junior Sculling Camp this Easter. This tops a couple of outstanding weeks for Cameron, as he recently won both the J16 1x (single scull) and the J16 2x (double sculls) regional U16 qualifiers which means he will now represent the Eastern Region in the National Inter Regional Competition at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham on April 20th. Many congratulations also to former student Taylor Hollobon who has been selected for the Great Britain Tag Rugby Elite Player Squad which will compete at the World Cup in Australia 2026.
The U15 rugby team performed admirably in their National Final on Tuesday but ultimately came up just shy of the title against a two year unbeaten Radley College. The match was a very even tussle until a final Radley try near the death settled it in their favour. Although this result did not go our way, the squad should take immense pride from an outstanding season and they are in very good stead for a run at the first ever National U16 Cup next year.
The U13 rugby sevens team enjoyed a wonderful Winchester House Sevens last weekend where they achieved comprehensive wins throughout the competition, culminating in a victory against Bromsgrove School in the final. A particular well done to Roberto Ill Rinon who won the award of 'Player of the tournament' for outstanding play and sportsmanship, as voted for by the referees. In wider sport, there were also good wins this week for the U13 water polo team, the U12A basketball team and the U13, U14 and U15 County Cup football teams. Best of luck to the U14 basketball team who are playing their National Cup last 16 fixture today and to the U18 water polo team who are hoping to make their National Final after their games this afternoon. We have an exciting week of sport to look forward to next week with three home National Cup football semi-finals, and the Rosslyn Park Sevens amongst many other fixtures.
Finally, as well as the Regional Music for Youth Finals next weekend, tickets are also still available for our Key Stage 3 production - Peter Pan which is showing next Thursday and Friday at the Cripps Theatre.
Richard Bernard
Headteacher
