From the Headmaster

This week I spoke to the Middle and Senior School about questioning.  Sometimes we accept things without asking why?  For example if two planes nearly collide in the air why do we call it a "near miss"?  Surely it should be a "near hit"?   I then told them about an experiment to show behaviour can be conditioned by peer pressure.
 
This was an interesting experiment that started with five monkeys in a cage. A banana hung inside the cage with a set of steps placed underneath it. After a while, a monkey went to the steps and started to climb towards the banana, but when he touched the steps, he set off a spray that soaked all the other monkeys with cold water. Another monkey tried to reach the banana with the same result. It didn't take long for the monkeys to learn that the best way to stay dry was to prevent any monkey from attempting to reach the banana.

The next stage of the experiment was to remove the spray from the cage and to replace one of the monkeys with a new one. Of course, the new monkey saw the banana and went over to climb the steps. To his horror, the other monkeys attacked him. After another attempt, he learnt that if he touched the steps, he would be assaulted.

Next, another of the original five was replaced with a new monkey. The newcomer went to the steps and was attacked. The previous newcomer joined in the attack with enthusiasm! Then, a third monkey was replaced with a new one and then a fourth. Every time a newcomer approached the steps, he was attacked. Most of the monkeys beating him had no idea why they were not allowed to climb the steps or why they were joining in the beating of the newest monkey.

After replacing the fifth monkey, none of the monkeys had ever been sprayed with water. Still, no monkey ever approached the steps. Why not? Because as far as they knew it was the way it had always been done around here... and that is how company policy begins.
 
Fortunately at Bolitho we are aware of the need for change, and much has been done over the last few weeks to give us a clearer picture of what the future will be. But some things never change, and at the time of writing I have no doubt that the St.Piran's parade will be as good as it has always been.

Mark Shere

Parental Survey

If you have not already, we would be very grateful if you would print out and complete this short survey and return it to the school office next week.

Parental Survey.pdf (Adobe Acrobat Reader required)

IT Departmeny

Please ensure that all Acceptable Use Policies are completed and returned to School asap. Please ask form tutors if you require another copy of the form.

PE Department

Congratulations to the following on their recent sporting achievements.

John Stevens on being one of only 10 Cornish under 15 rugby players to be invited to the South West England Division rugby development academies to be held at Millfield School. This is part of a player pathway scheme looking to develop elite players in the South West.

Guy Hopson, Mia Trythall and Tom Baylis who represented Cornwall last weekend in the South West England Cross-Country Championships.

Rebecca Rowe, Frank Hearnshaw, Niamh Lyall, Archie Vingoe and Stephen Lewis who have been selected to represent Penwith at the County Primary Cross-Country Finals.

Huge Congratulations to both the under 14 and under 16 netball teams who won their respective age groups at the recent ISA South West Netball Tournament at Teignmouth, they now go on to represent the Region at the National finals to be held at Rugby School.

Good luck to the Under 16 rugby team who are playing in the ISA National Sevens Tournament to be held in Leamington Spa next Friday.

Well done to the year 3 and 4 swimming team who took part in the recent Penwith Gala at St Ives Pool, GEMS Bolitho made every final bar one.

Results
Under 13 Netball v Polwhele Won 11-1
Year 7 Netball V Humphry Davy Year 8 Lost 3-2

Forthcoming fixtures
Tuesday 9th: Year 9 and 10 Netball, Year 9 football v Hayle (Home)
Friday 12th: ISA under 16 National 7 a-side Rugby Finals Coventry
Saturday 13th: ISA under 16 and under 14 National Netball finals Rugby School.

Music School News:

Congratulations to the following students on recent successes in Trinity Guildhall percussion exams:
Josh Bibby (Year 4) Grade 1 Passed with Merit
Radley Cook (Year 8) Grade 3 Passed with Merit
Jed McCardie (Year 11) Grade 4

We have further pupils taking music exams in our school Chapel on Wednesday 24th and Thursday 25th March.

St Piran in Penwith 2010
Congratulations to the pupils from Year 5 who took part in a most enjoyable concert at St Johns Hall on Thursday evening 4th March, together with pupils from six other local schools and the St Buryan Male Voice Choir.  

By the time this Herald is published, we shall have enjoyed the annual St Piran Parade on Friday March 5th, where all of Year 6, plus the Bolitho Band of 30 musicians, will have joined hundreds of other schoolchildren and adult bands in a celebration for Cornwall's national day.  

Soiree Season 2010
Please come and join us for the first three concerts this coming week:

Monday 8th March: Strings (classical guitar, violin and cello) and Pianos 
in the Chapel at 7pm, supported by Mrs Gregg, Mr Parnell, Miss Robinson and Mrs Slatter

Tuesday 9th March: Brass and Winds
in the Chapel at 7pm, supported by Mrs Vosper and Mrs Burden

Thursday 11th March: Mr Matthews' pianists and singers 
in the Chapel at 7pm

We are also sending eight performers to take part in the Helston Young Musician Competition, with the heats taking place at Helston School on Tuesday 9th and Wednesday 10th March:
Gryffyn Watson and Cameron Briggs (Year 6)
Foxey Hardman (Year 8)
Oliver Carruthers and Ben Wilde (Year 10)
Rachael Benney (Year 11)
Ailsa Sutherland (Year 12)
Alex Bright (Year 13)
Good luck to you all.  

The week after is as follows:
Tuesday 16th March: Senior Singers (Years 11 and 13) Recital in the Library at 7pm (please note change of venue)

Wednesday 17th March: Junior Matinee Musicale in the Chapel at 2pm

Thursday 18th March: Percussion and Electric Guitars - Mr Weeks' pupils at 6.30m, Mr Thomson's pupils to start at 7.30pm, both in the Music School (please note change of venue and slight amendment to times)

BPSA

School Discos

Infant/Junior School disco, Tuesday 30th March. 4.15 – 6pm

Middle School Disco, Tuesday 30th March. 7pm – 9pm

BPSA Textile Recycling

We have an exact date now, Wednesday 17th March at 11am.
We need as many bags of clothes, shoes, towels, curtains etc for recycling.
This does not take much effort yet makes us money, so please do your bit!
Please leave all bags from now on in reception.
Thank You Mrs Graham