The Res Blog

Until Next Year...

So the year is over, most of the students have now left the house and the last will be on their way home or on to summer work by tomorrow lunchtime. Lindsay and I will be driving off to Germany in a week leaving the apartment to be decorated by Paco and his team before the next Head of Residence moves it. That is going to be Dawn Sutherland, already part of the team, who will be working next year with Kelly, Lois and Hanan (an English and Spanish teacher in the secondary school.

Dawn, Kelly and Manuel with little Alba.

End of Year BBQ

I know, it has been a long time since my last post. I think it was the first day of the exams and now, finally, they are all over. Cathy was the last to finish today with English A2. You can see that her and Jordon look pretty relaxed to have no more school left.

We had a BBQ tonight to celebrate the end of the year and to say goodbye to people before they go. Vicky was not able to stay for it and Joaquin too has gone. Elena is out in the mountains going the International award but the rest of us were treated to a spectacular display of cooking from James and Egor.

While people waited for the food and chatted we thought about some of the people who are leaving the house. Jordon is leaving after being here for 6 years, Cathy and Katy are also leaving. Cathy will be studying in Sheffield with Vicky - same course in fact! 

Ferdi is also leaving after doing his iGCSEs here, he thinks he is off to France but we are not certain yet, back to Nice for the summer anyway, and with a new style for his hairs! Thanks to Olivia.

Grace is also leaving to go back to the UK. She will be doing her A Levels in Cheltenham and living at home again. Here she is with a few people who will be staying on next year.

I will also be leaving so hopefully someone else will keep this up in the coming years although who that might be is a mystery at the moment...

Have a wonderful summer. School finished on Friday 26th of June and closes at noon on the 27th.

It's 'That' Term.... when we put ourselves to the test

Tomorrow is the last day of classes for the Year 11 students who will be sitting their IGCSE examinations over the coming month. After two years of their chosen program (some more chosen than others) they have the opportunity to show in a public examination what they know and put themselves to the test. They have finished all of their formal teaching and learning and now have dozens of past papers from each subject that they should be using to practice.

Revision and revising properly can mean the difference between an average performance and a performance to be proud of. Doing past papers is, I think, the best possible way to revise because as you do the questions you look up what you need to know (real revision), you learn the style of the questions and you practice putting your thoughts into more clear and concise words.

Like training for a sport, practicing a musical instrument and developing a craft, you get out of revision what you are prepared to put into it. James and Joaquin showed us this when they put self motivated hours into their A Level maths exam at Christmas time and both scored over 90%, a spectacular achievement (and they are putting in that time again).

For those on exam leave who want to work late and have a lie in (and teenagers do work better after a lie in, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7932108.stm) breakfast is from 11:00 to 11:30. Pedro is making an effort to be up for breakfast every day at 08:30....

I'm Sorry It Has Been So Long

I knew we had been busy but I did not realize it had been almost a month since the last post.

Of course it is the Easter Holiday beginning on Thursday 2nd April. A few people are already home but the last should be leaving the house on Friday so that we can have a holiday too. School starts again on April 14th.

So what has been happening? If I work backwards I will stand a better chance of remembering.

This weekend saw the G11, 12 and 13 Prom in the school, so bad music was played very loudly in the basement before everyone went home. The rehearsals for the musical Grease are going ahead on Sundays in the school with some of our Residence students taking on parts. 

The week before was report week for the Bach. students. Reports for the Y7 to Y11 students (just grades and comments if needed) will be printed this week and posted home to you. 

Dust in their Eyes was on March 18th. This is when the staff get to perform for the entertainment of the students and to help raise money for the Performing Arts Program. Our very own Kelly was excellent as Ringo in Sgt. Pepper's and Lindsay performed a Bjork Song 'Oh So Quiet' with two other teachers from her Primary yeargroup. Cathy and Olivia supported Mr. McNally in his outstanding rendition of the Scissor Sisters 'Don't Feel Like Dancing'. I will find some pictures for you (Eve didn't let me take pictures while we were watching).

We were out skating the week before that, now I have found some pictures of that from Jackie (thank you).

Paintballing this weekend.

Almost everyone was able to come out in to the mountains get dressed up and run around chasing each other with paint guns this weekend.

The activity brought out the team players in the first three games and in the final game of 'every man for himself' Alvar, Olivia and David (our bus driver) were victorious. All very exciting and, as it turns out, painful when shot at close range with a small plastic ball full of paint.

There is a place on the hill behind the school that does this but it has been closed for a while and is opening again in April..... I think we will be back for more punishment then.

Next weekend I think we are going ice skating.

If your child is going to be away for the weekend of the 21st and 22nd (not a puente but the Thursday is off school) then please can you let me know.

Messing about in Boats

This was last weekend but I forgot to get the pictures until now. Katy was the photographer. As you can see the weather was not giving us the sunshine we have been used to recently but all was well and the activity was followed up by a trip o VIPS for some well deserved grub.

Guest Chef in the House

Last weekend we had the pleasure of Nigel coming in to cook with us and help the students prepare an Italian meal. 

Those who came down to cook learned how to make a proper lasagna, carbonara and Bolognese along with garlic bread and salads.

Thank you Nigel.

A Little Chocolate Relaxation

I read that in the recession hit UK the sale of chocolate is growing, comfort food apparently. So, half way through the exam week what better to do that indulge in some of those good chemicals that chocolate releases in our brains.

With almost half of the house away on trips or out with their family for the weekend it was a lot easier to get to the chocolate fountain! And there was enough fruit to satisfy those who do not like the dark life giving liquid.... what am I talking about, Cathy had coffee instead.

Anyway, the kids are now watching scary movies in the common rooms. Karate Kid 2 upstairs, which is scary for being a cheesy 1980s teen flick and Halloween downstairs, scary just because it is!

Alba's Birthday

The youngest person in the residence was 1 today! HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALBA!

She brought her cake down to dinner to share with us all.

Tomorrow the school will be acknowledging Valentines Day. Some of the students who are taking part in the Jordan service project in the summer have been taking orders and will be delivering flowers and chocolates on behalf of all the school's secret admirers (I wonder how will be given something?)

Sunday evening is our cooking evening with guest chef Nigel. An Italian evening, he will be teaching the kids to make lasagne, carbonara, garlic bread and some good salads.

Next weekend there are parades in the city. On Friday we will be going in play at the Retiro, do some boating in the lake and have lunch in the sun (it has been beautiful for 3 days and is set to continue). On Saturday we will head into the city in the evening to watch the parades on the Castellano and enjoy the atmosphere. If you have not let me know that your child is going to be away that weekend then please do.

Something Old, Something New....

Two major changes this week worth writing about. The first is a change to the start of our day, the second to our environment.

Until now we have had our breakfast in the school dining hall, surrounded by people coming into work and other students wandering through as they are brought in to school early. This week we have moved into what is commonly known as the staff dining room for our breakfast. A room that comfortably fits us all where we can have a buffet breakfast without the need for it to be cleared away before non boarding staff and students arrive and try to get a piece of the action. BUt it doesn't stop there..... our new catering manager has also helped us change what we are having for breakfast so now we have pancakes , churros, boiled eggs, real croissants and a fried breakfast depending on the day as well as the usual toast, cereal, ham, cheese and yoghurt. Thanks to all in the kitchen who have helped this to happen.

The other change is that after 25 years of using only magnolia paint in the school Paco has overcome his fear of colour and put brush to wall to improve our living environment; and what a difference it makes! The boys chose the colour for their walls (doors will follow) and the girls' floor will be done later in the week. Thank you Paco, we can pretend that we have left school now when we walk onto the corridor.