weekly bulletin – 11th -15th april 2016

deserves to be”.
WEEKLY
BULLETIN – 11TH -15TH APRIL 2016
David Thornburg
´
“April is a promise that May is bound to keep”.
Hal Borland
Dear Parents,
I begin with my sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Joana Liz who
died during the Easter holidays after a long, valiant battle with cancer. The mother
of two school pupils, Matilde (F6) and Manuel (F4) she was a wonderful mother, a
wonderful supporter of the school in so many ways and a wonderful lady. I had the
pleasure of working with her on the design of school publications such as our
prospectus and Yearbook and she was a person full of optimism, creativity and hope.
We are looking at ways of acknowledging her contribution to the school and I welcome feedback from
you on how we can pay fitting tribute to this beautiful soul.
Over the Easter break there was plenty going on in school. First of all we installed a new sound system
in Teage Hall that will enhance assemblies, school celebrations and other gatherings. We also
purchased a mobile sound system for use for events outside Teage Hall. These purchases and
installations were made possible by the generosity of the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) who funded
this project. I thank them for their support of the school and may their donation bring much joy to our
creative pupils.
In addition, we have rolled out a comprehensive
wireless system across the campus that is now
more reliable, faster and with the capacity to host
multiple users simultaneously. There are log-ins for
pupils and staff as well as a
facility for visitors to the
site. I look forward to this facility enhancing
the quality of teaching & learning across the
school and enabling the use of portable devices in teaching. Finally our
operations team has constructed a large storage area at the back of the sports
hall corridor where we can keep large display blocks for school art exhibitions
and presentations.
On Wednesday and Thursday our four F12 IB Art students, Sam, Beatriz, Filipa
and Jenny, staged their exhibition in the Sports Hall and it was a pleasure to
speak to them about their work, creativity and inventiveness. My thanks to Miss
Castro for curating this exhibition. More details are contained later. Our F11 CAS trip is underway in
India and we are looking forward to hearing of their many adventures and achievements. In addition we
have had pupils away at the Lisbon Sports Tournaments and had pupils involved in a Chess tournament
in Efanor.
We finished Term 2 with our Council of International Schools CIS Accreditation visit and we are now
awaiting the formal report from the visiting team. This takes a number of weeks as it needs to be
presented and approved by the CIS governing body. However the feedback from the visiting team was
very positive. We will receive a number of commendations as well as recommendations and these will
be incorporated into our new School Development plan.
I would like to wish Peter and Adi Jones and their three children all the very best as they leave in
September to begin a new chapter in their lives in Thailand. Dr Jones has been a great colleague and
support to me and he has made a very positive contribution to our secondary school over the last three
years presiding over record academic results. We are pleased to announce that Mr. Robert Hewett has
been appointed Head of Secondary from Sept 2016 and he will visit the school in May to prepare for a
smooth transition.
Tom McGrath, Headmaster
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 2
MESSAGE FROM THE HEAD OF SECONDARY
Dear Parents and OBS Community,
This term will be my last as Head of Secondary at OBS. I have had a tremendous time in supporting and
leading the Secondary Section over the last three years. It has been a rollercoaster of emotions and I
do have some regrets about leaving. Nevertheless, I look back at my time with great fondness and a
certain degree of pride; professionally I have learnt much from the superb students and staff of OBS,
and personally my family and I have fallen in love with Porto and Portugal.
Over the last three years the Secondary Section has grown from strength to strength. The newly
appointed Head of Secondary, Mr. Hewitt, and the staff and students at OBS have a strong foundation
to build upon. In particular, over the last three years I have ensured:

Excellent results at IBDP and IGCSE; the best in Porto (and probably Portugal) and way above
world averages

An ethos of continual learning and international mindedness that is promoted through and
beyond our curriculum

Curriculum developments with Cambridge Secondary and the introduction of a broader
curriculum with a greater variety of sports, more time for music lessons, the introduction of
drama and computing

Good teaching and learning across all curriculum areas with a greater emphasis on skills linked
to the IB Learner profile including thinking skills and team work

Effective assessment for learning has been promoted throughout the curriculum to ensure that
all pupils are clear about their next steps in learning are

Reporting and recording is regular, clear and formative

Well-being has been promoted through a greater emphasis on tutoring and mentoring

Co-curricular activities have been expanded upon and the student voice listened to

Relationships within and through the community have been built upon through events, trips,
CAS and sports.

Monitoring, evaluation and performance management have been improved upon to ensure that
the Section continues to strive towards excellence
Many of these achievements were also recognized in our recent CIS visit and I am sure will be
highlighted in the final CIS report that will be published within the next two months. None of this
would have been possible without the dedication and professionalism of my teachers. This week is yet
another excellent example of teachers going beyond the call of duty and beyond the classroom in
ensuring children in order for them to gain a balanced education. As you will read in this bulletin and
on http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/ , pupils have been involved in revision sessions, CAS work in
India, sports tournaments in Lisbon, a volleyball competition and exhibiting some amazing art.
Although I may be leaving at the end of the term I am still aiming to develop a number of other key
areas and will not relax until a week after our final IBDP 2016 results come through. Along with
ensuring our F10 &12 students get the final support they may need for their final examinations, key
areas we will be developing in the Secondary Section include:

A development focus on collaboration and challenge

A pilot ICT project in using iPads for teaching and learning with a view to developing a ‘bring
your own device’ to school project next year

A pilot of online homework schedule and support for student and parents
We also look ahead to more events later in the term. We will have students taking part in an MUN
conference, a Duke of Edinburgh expedition, live lounge, recitals, cultural visits, the IB Ball, Speech
Day and not to forget BUGSY MALONE at the end of this month.
I therefore look back and reflect on my time as Head of Secondary in a very positive light and very
much look forward to another fantastic last term at OBS.
Yours sincerely, Dr P Jones, Head of Secondary
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 3
ROBERT HEWETT: HEAD OF SECONDARY DESIGNATE SEPTEMBER 2016
It is a great privilege and responsibility to have been appointed Head of
Secondary at OBS from Sept 2016 and I am very much looking forward to this
new opportunity and challenge. I am currently working as the Head of
Secondary School at IBSB, in Romania, a co-education day school for 250
students. My professional career has spanned both industry, army and
education. I started my career making solar cells for British Petroleum,
before deciding on a career in the Army. I spent a year at Sandhurst before
receiving my commission and then a further three years commanding troops
with the Royal Engineers in the UK, Germany, Bosnia and Canada, reaching
the dizzy heights of Captain before the end of my commission. I have also
been a Civil Engineer, a Project Manager and a Scientist, but in 1998 I decided
to become an educator. I started my teaching career in a large private school in Sao Paulo, Brazil after
which I moved back to UK and taught at Gordonstoun School, a busy boarding college in the north of
Scotland. This gave me a unique experience and understanding of how important caring and developing
the child can be for their personal welfare and future success. Following this I took my first Headship
at the British School of Beijing after which, I moved to my current position. I have had the opportunity
to take on many roles in education primarily as a Science Teacher, but I have diversified into Outdoor
Education and Trips Coordination, Head of House, Health and Safety Officer, Head of Pastoral Care,
Head of the Sixth Form and now Head of Secondary.
I also enjoy many outdoor sports including cycling, swimming, biking, canoeing, climbing and
mountaineering. Many of these I have acquired professional qualifications in order to take students and
adults on expeditions and adventurous journeys.
I fully support a diverse and broad curriculum that includes extracurricular activities and learning
outside the classroom. I have developed a number of programmes in experiential learning, expeditions
and service projects which I believe help students develop into astute and caring young adults. But
ultimately I believe education should be fun and that students should be exposed to a wide range of
experiences and challenges that prepare them for uncertain future as well as instil a sense of service
and contributing to the community.
My wife Maria Silvia has been teaching in international schools for 20 years and is a UK qualified
Primary Teacher, currently teaching Year 5. She is also qualified as a physical education teacher both
in primary and secondary. Silvia worked at Gordonstoun as a Housemistress for three and a half years,
during that time she cared for sixty girls from 13 to 18 years old, managed seven Tutors and other
auxiliary staff and also taught PE, citizenship, ICT and took part in the expedition programme.
Yours sincerely, Mr. Hewett, Head of Secondary Designate
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 4
BUGSY MALONE -28TH & 29TH APRIL – NEVOGILDE THEATRE
Please keep the date in your diaries for what promises to be an excellent performance by our
Secondary pupils. Tickets are on sale from 4th April. Friends and family members are more than
welcome to come along! This is suitable for all age groups.
Shana Patterson, Head of Music
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 5
SPRING SPORTS FESTIVAL (April 7-9)
The first set of Football/ Basketball results are out:
Thursday, 07th April
D5 Basket WWL
D4 Basket LWL
D3 Basket LW
D5 Football LWL
D4 Football DWL
D3 Football DLL
Mr. Homewood, Head of PE & Games
OBS PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION
The Photography Competition is open to students, staff and parents. Please send your entries in to Mr
Harrison by 17th April.
James Harrison
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 6
PRIMARY NOTICES
I hope you all had a restful Easter break because we have definitely ‘hit the ground running’ as we
begin the final term of the year. We presently have many Form 5 pupils representing OBS at the Lisbon
Sports festival – we will share results with you this coming week. OBS pupils are also taking part in a
Chess tournament at Colegio Efanor today.
The Pinewood Derby event will take place on
Friday, 15th April in the Sports Hall between
3:30pm and 4:30pm. If you are part of the
design and manufacturing team for your child’s
car then please do come along to watch and
support this event. Please do ensure that your
child’s name is written on the bottom of the
car; at last count, we had 110 pupils registered
to race.
Pupils should now all be wearing their summer
uniform, the short sleeved polo shirt,in
preparation for our glorious sunshine. However,
on those unusual cooler days pupils can also
continue to wear their jumpers. During this
term we do tend to get many more jumpers
turning up in lost property so please do check that your child’s name is still visible and we will
endeavour to return clothing to them.
You may have seen posters for the upcoming Middle School Play, Bugsy Malone, to be performed on 28 th
and 29th April at the Nevogilde Theatre. This should be another wonderful event so please do consider
purchasing tickets for this even at the front office.
We have many events taking place throughout this term so please do continue to check the calendar on
the website, and in this bulletin, to ensure that you are aware of all important dates.
Mark Evans, Head of Primary
PRIMARY PASTORAL WEEKLY REPORT
For the week ending 18th March the house point totals were: Windsor 946, Lancaster 777 and Bragança
895. The individual class winners are listed below. A display with this information can be found in the
primary corridor.
Class
Pupil
House
LIONS
Martin Symington
Bragança
TIGERS
Sofia Fernandes
Lancaster
2B
Duarte Santos
Bragança
Maria Silva
Windsor
3C
Francisco Braga de Matos
Bragança
3H
Luisa Brandao
Windsor
Matilde Cardoso
Windsor
4P
Bruno Xu
Bragança
4R
Antonio Cunha
Bragança
5L
Tomás Paul
Lancaster
5B
Salvador Koehler
Lancaster
João Pedro Bastos
Lancaster
Class cup winners Form 5
Jonathan Bridges, Primary Pastoral Coordinator
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 7
PRIMARY DATES FOR THE DIARY

11th April Extracurricular clubs start back

15th April Pinewood Derby Race

Form 5 play, 7th & 8th June
SECONDARY NOTICES
FORM 9-10 STARS OF THE WEEK
Mercedes Alves 10W
For achieving an A*
coursework portfolio
FORM 6-8 STARS OF THE WEEK
Yiting Cao 10Q
For getting a strong A
for a practice
Language paper
Inês Abreu 8B
For writing an A grade
piece of creative writing
in English.
Joana Sá 8B
For consistently good
work in Physics
All our stars can be found at http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/stars
KEY NOTICES
F6&9 PARENTS EVENING: WEDNESDAY, 13th APRIL 5.30 TO 7.30pm.
You are now able to make the appointments with your child’s teachers directly on the online system,
Error! Hyperlink reference not valid.
If you have any problems
alexandra.monteiro@obs.edu.pt
accessing
the
system,
please
contact
the
Front
Office,
We encourage pupils to attend the meetings with their parents so that all parties are clear about
attainment, progress and future targets.
Owing to time constraints, please focus your appointments by selecting teachers whom you consider it
most important to see. It is not compulsory to make appointments to see every teacher; nevertheless,
if you prefer to see everyone, please make appointments with the appropriate teachers, and we will
try to accommodate you. We would also like to request that you try keep to the time slots provided to
ensure that all parents receive a fair time to discuss their child’s learning with the teacher. Should we
be unable to do so, please feel free to make an alternative appointment with any of the teachers via
email or the Front Office.
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 8
FORM 8 AND 10 FINAL OPTION CHOICES 2016-18
Form 8 & 10 parents have been emailed a Final Options Form for their forthcoming IBDP or IGCSE
programme. Please complete this by Tuesday the 19th April. If you would like any further information
or have any questions then please contact Miss Marsden in relation to IBDP or Miss Corcoran for IGCSE
queries.
FORM 10 WORK EXPERIENCE 13-17 JUNE
F10 pupils will be taking part in work experience from 13th-17th June. Information on this has been
emailed home today.
If you have any
questions
raquel.malheiro@obs.edu.pt
about
this,
please
contact
Profª
Raquel
Malheiro:
IGCSE and IBDP EXAMS AND REVISION
Please encourage your child to take advantage of the revision and booster sessions available to F10 and
12. A copy of the present schedule has been emailed. There may be more booster sessions during
study leave time. Please do encourage your son/daughter to attend these sessions and be actively
revising for at least 2-3 hours an evening.
Exams and revision timetables and key dates: http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/key-dates .
Please also see some final revision tips on the back page.
LUNCH PASSES F9-12
Please be reminded that if you wish to allow your son/daughter off-site for lunch, you need to sign the
permission slip on the letter emailed out and return it to Alexandra Monteiro at the front-office. All
students that are late or fail to meet the criteria stated in the letter will have their lunch pass
withdrawn the following day.
GENERAL NEWS
INDIA CAS TRIP
We are happy to say that the F11s got to Delhi safely and are at present working with local people and
elephants on a sustainable wildlife project. http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/india-2016
UNIVERSIDADE CATÓLICA IN LISBON TO VISIT OBS: 11th APRIL
On Monday 11th April we welcome Mr Nuno Rolo from Universidade Catòlica in Lisbon to OBS. Mr Rolo
will be coming into school to inform our F9s and 11s about an exciting programme which is offered in
Lisbon. The university is offering an Undergraduate programme in Economics and Management with the
language of instruction being English. Business and Economics continues to be a popular subject with
our students and one which many go on to study in universities throughout the world and so we are
looking forward to hearing how the course will run a little closer to home.
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 9
A big thank you to board member Mr Miguel Basto for suggesting the visit.
http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/ibdp1
Claire Marsden, IBDP Coordinator
IBDP ART EXHIBITION
From the landscapes and natural beauty of Slovakian mountains to the hidden, incomplete architecture
of down town Porto. From nostalgic photography captured on film to the personal experience
portrayed through a pair of piercing eyes. This week we were wowed by the work of our four IB
students who exhibited the fruits of their two years labour. Filipa Santos, Samuel Busovsky, Beatriz
Ferreira and Jennifer Varanda produced some outstanding pieces which they skillfully discussed with
the guests on Wednesday’s opening night.
The future looks good for our art students as they are applying to Universities in the UK and Portugal to
study Fine Art, Product Design and Film Studies. We would like to wish them all the best for the future
and also thank Miss Castro for her support and guidance over the last two years.
Claire Marsden, IB Co-ordinator
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 10
Please visit http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/the-arts for more photos!
VOLLEYBALL COMPETITION AGAINST DEUTSCHE SCHULE ZU PORTO
Well done OBS pupils on gaining the first of many wins to come!
http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/sports
Photos can be found at
LISBON SPORTS TOURNAMENT
Good luck to all of our sports people participating in the games.
http://secondaryobserver.weebly.com/sports
The schedule can be found at
Results from Thursday:
D5 Basket WWL
D4 Basket LWL
D3 Basket LW
D5 Football LWL
D4 Football DWL
D3 Football DLL
Photos and other results will follow early next week!
Our thanks to all staff, especially Mr Homewood, for their dedication, coaching and giving up their time
to make this possible.
TERM 3 KEY DATES
REPORTING AND RECORDING SCHEDULE 2015-2016
Term 3
Parents evening for 6 and 9
Wed 13th April
Full written reports for 10 and 12 (include IA
progress)
Mon 18th April
Current attainment grade, effort grade report for
6, 7, 8, 9, 11
Tues 3rd May
Parents evening for 7, 8, 11
Wed 4th May
Grades report 9&11 (Exam, TG, PG)
Tues 14th June
Full written report for 6, 7, 8, 9, 11
Wed 29h June
INTERNAL EXAMINATIONS

Form 6-7 English, Maths, Science and Portuguese Examinations: 23rd May – 3rd June

9 & 11 Summer Examinations: 23rd May – 3rd June
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 11
TRIPS AND EVENTS:
SUMMER TERM
FORM GROUP
VENUE
CAS trip
11
External
Apr 1st – Apr 9th
Spring Sports Festival
5
St Julian´s
7-9 Apr (Th-Sa)
6,7
St Julian´s
7-9 Apr (Th-Sa)
8,9
St Julian´s
7-9 Apr (Th-Sa)
GBB BFB
Universidad Catolica in Lisbon talk
11
DofE qualifying expedition
9
DATE
Monday 11th April at 10:15/30.
External
16-17 Apr
20th Apr
Form 12 study leave
Form 11&12 ESS/Geo day trip
11&12
tbc
th
Form 10 study leave
27 Apr
Maths Challenge
School play rehearsals
MUN Carvalhos
26th and 27th Apr
External
School play
Cricket ODM vs St Julian´s
26th, 27th Apr
6,7,11
28th-29th April
Nevogilde Theatre
5-9
OLTCC
5,6,7,8,9
French School –
Parque da Cidade
Music Gamelan Trip
6D
Casa da Música
11th May (P4, 5, 6)
Music Gamelan Trip
6P
Casa da Música
12th May (P4, 5, 6)
OBS House Ultimate
4-12
OBS
Porto Schools Cross Country
Trinity Exams CLIP
OBS Primary Sports Day
Lisbon Athletics meet
May 2
6 May (Fr)
14 May (Sa)
External
May
EYFS / 1,2,34,5
OBS / OCLTC
27 May (Fr)
5,6,7,8,9,
ONS
3 Jun (Fr)
OCLTC
8 Jun (We)
10,11,12
OBS House Cricket
6,7,8,9,
10,11,12
Work Experience
Form 10
Week of 13th June
External
Escola Das Artes
IGCSE Geog Trip
June 17, 20 and 21
Form 9
External
June 17th
17th June
IB Ball
Group IV Project
11
Internal
Wed 15th June Thurs 16th June
23rd June
UKU National Championships
5,6,7,8
From 5 to 6 transition day
Form 5
Short Film Competition: Final
Form 9 IGCSE Maths Day
Birmingham /
Bristol
25-26 Jun (Sa-Su)
June
rd
Form6-8
23 June afternoon (periods 7
and 8)
Form 9
June
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 12
Activity Week
All
Week of 27th June
Live Lounge
All
29th June
Speech Day
All
1st July
WHOLE SCHOOL NOTICES
SCHOOL LUNCHES – THIS WEEK´S MENU
Please book your child´s lunches via our website:
http://obsvpn.dyndns.info:8085/FormLogin.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fdefault.aspx
OPORTO BRITISH SCHOOL
11 a 15 de abril 2016
11th-15th April 2016
segunda-feira
Sopa
Peixe
Carne
Vegetariana
Guarnição
Sopa
Peixe
Carne
Vegetariana
Guarnição
Sopa
Peixe
Carne
Vegetariana
Guarnição
Sopa
Peixe
Carne
Vegetariana
Guarnição
Sopa
Peixe
Carne
Vegetariana
Guarnição
Feijão Verde
Salada Quente de Atum com Ovo e Macedonia
Croquetes de Carne
Batata com Queijo em Papelote
Batata / Arroz de Ervilhas
terça-feira
Macedónia
Tesourinhos de Pescada no Forno
Cachorrão
Tarte de Cebola e Alho Françês
Arroz de Tomate / Batata Frita
quarta-feira
Lombardo
Filetes de Solha
Penne c/cubos de peru grelhado e legumes
Quiche de Espinafres
Penne / arroz
quinta-feira
Creme Ervilha
Pescada Assada no Forno
Feijoada á Portuguesa
Parrilhada de Legumes com Cogumelos
Batata Salteada / Arroz
sexta-feira
Camponesa
Bacalhau com Natas
Frango Assado
Tomate Recheado com Queijo Fresco
Batata / Arroz
Nota: Buffet de Saladas Variadas ao dispor para todos os pratos
Monday
Green Bean soup
Tuna & egg salad - Macedonian style
Meat Croquettes
Baked potatoes with cheese
Boiled Potatoes/ Peas & rice
Tuesday
Macedonian soup
Fish Fingers/ Shapes
Hot Dogs
Onion & Leek Omelette
Tomato rice / Fried Potatoes
Wednesday
Cabbage Soup
Sole
Pasta with turkey and vegetables
Spinach quiche
Pasta or rice
Thursday
Cream of Pea Soup
Oven baked Whiting
Feijoada à portuguesa (a traditional Portuguese dish with beans)
Vegetables with mushrooms
Roast Potatoes / rice
Friday
Vegetable Soup
Codfish with potatoes, eggs and onion
Roast Chicken
Stuffed tomatoes with fresh cheese
Boiled potatoes / rice
Note: A variety of salad is available with each meal
WEEKLY BULLETIN 11
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PAGE 13
Date for your diary
The Greatest Survival Story Ever Told
Recreating the Lantern Slide Presentation of Shackleton’s
1914-1917 Expedition
Special Charity Event organized by Porto Connect
April 14th, 7pm, British Club - Rua do Campo Alegre, 532, Porto
We are honoured to welcome Geoff Selley (FRGS), who will be giving us a talk on Shackleton’s ill-fated
1914-1917 Antarctic Expedition. Some of the original photographs taken by the expedition photographer,
Frank Hurley, will be on show.
The Club has agreed to put on a curry dinner for those attending the talk at the special price of 15 euros.
We are also organizing a raffle, which will be drawn during the dinner.
Tickets for the talk cost 6 euros. All proceeds from the sale of tickets and the raffle will be donated to
Acreditar (Associação de Pais e Amigos de Crianças com Cancro).
Places will be limited, so please book your tickets early at the British Club Reception (226052720) and pick
them up before the event. Book your place for dinner at Reception, leaving your name and number of
guests.