We arrived in Portsmouth after a 2.5 hour journey and made our way directly to HMS Victory, accompanied by our guides. We experienced ‘life’ on the Victory through a discovery session of activities, and had a guided tour of the ship- all very enjoyable.
After lunch we boarded the HMS Warrior where again, through various workshops we were able to compare the sailors lives on board, with those on the Victory a century earlier.

We had a throughly enjoyable and informative day- even though it was rather cold!

Imperial War museum.

We left school at 8:00am to go to London and arrived there at 11:00am. WE walked over to the Impetrial War Museum. Inside they took our bags and we walkedto the Chidren’s war Exhibition, there we saw the gas masks that the babies had to wear it looked like bags wiyh eye slots to look through, also there was a computer where you type your last name in and it would search for somebody that died in the war with the same last name, and could possible find some in your family.

In the Children’s War Exhibition we met a evacuee that was 2 years old when war broke out and was 7 when it ended, she told us about her memories it was very interesting.
The part I most enjoyed in the museum wea the 1946′s house it was exactly what I thought it looked like, it was very small and out-side there was vegatables growing.
We left The Childrens War Museum and wet to look at the trenches inside it was dark and you could see how the people will have to cope in the war the noises were loud and scary, it stank horribly the conversations were what they ate and how they miss their family it was very lifelike.

The blitz experience was very realistic we were shown in and had to sit down on benches then we were asked if anyone had brought a bucket we replied “no” she told us if we need to go to the toilet we had to go on the floor then suddenly the walls all shook and a bomb had hit us we quickly ran out into the streets we saw were the bomb had fall then another bomb had fell we all ducked with our hands on our head.

London Eye.

When we were on the Eye you could see simple the whole of London it was really exciting experience even thou I had gone on it before, after we walked across Jubilee Bridge and into Whitehall Banqueting House, We had a picture at the top of Downing Street. And arrived at school at 6:30pm.

By Sehar

On Thursday 6th March my class mates, Mr. Lawson, Mrs. Hodgson and myself went to the Tank Museum in Bovington. We left Cleve house School at 8:30am and was picked up by a mini bus and we arrived at Bovington at 10:35am.

We were all excited and we got some fresh air as we walked towards the entrance, and while Mr. Lawson was at the reception we got our cameras ready and waited for the Educational Officer to give us a tour around the Museum.

First we went into a room which look exactly like arailway station in the First World War, as we looked around it was dark and as we looked on the floor there was a sign saying “Poisonous Water” and there were hundreds of bricks on the floor and then we came to a nurse who was looking after a wounded soldier and a man on stetcher, then we came to lots of storage boxes which were labelled, Corned Beef which was food supplies.

Then our guidetook us to the First World Trench.There were rats that crawled up sandbags there was a man who was in shell shook and was talking to himself crying with his hands over his head because he couldn’t stand the noise of the mines and guns setting off anymore, he was muddy, grubby, he smelled and lice infested. As we walked around the corner we saw a dead person who had been making his way up the ladder when he was shot by a machine gun.
The best part of being in the trench was that we were able to put on some of the War clothes. Oliver was the first to try something on, He was first given a War coat that was that was itchy and was made out of a material which was called Serge, then he put on a War helmet which was not very protective so they made a harder one for protection. Then our guide brought out a British and a German grenades which were very different to each other because the German one was longer and easier to throw but the British one was tiny. Then we were given a bag which was 30Kg in weight. Then we tried on some gas masks and were asked about the War by our guide.

After we went across the hall and into a German trench which was well built and was made of wood and the rooms were very clean and some even had wallpaper!!!
After we went towards a unique tank that was crushing barbed wire and there were Germans scared in the corners of the room in shock because they had never seen one before.
Then the best of all is that we went in a Mark IV Tank!!
It was very cramped in the tank and quite dark, the engine was big and we saw the levers that changed the way round the tank went and we were told about what it was like to work in there.Then we went outside and had some lunch.

Mr. Lawson handed us some work sheets and we went to look at some more tanks but this time we had no guide!
We saw the Tiger 131 tank, the Panzer III and the Churchill.
The best part of all was going in a Modern Day Tank!!!
We had to wear helmets and we were told how the buttons worked and I was the gunner, I was scared to touch anything but I really enjoyed it Then we went to the gift shop, then we went home. I was sad to go home and I really enjoyed my time there, and I hope to go again.

by Tianna.

In October members of Form Six e-mailed Peter Davidson telling him how much they enjoyed his book “Professor P and the Jurassic Coast”.

Peter Davidson kindly agreed to visit Cleve House and arrived on Friday 16th November with Professor P’s dog Sleepy.

He enthralled Forms 3 to 6 with his reading of a chapter from the book and answered many questions from all the children.

Peter Davidson went on to show us a selection of fossils that he had gathered on the Jurassic Coast. We were all fascinated by the number and variety, especially the ammonites.

After a short break Form Six had Peter Davidson to themselves and he told us how he became an author. He recalled the struggle it is to have a book published. Thank goodness he managed it so we can all enjoy reading about Professor P.

To finish the morning he answered more of our searching questions.

The final treat was to listen to a chapter from his new book. We can hardly wait to read it when it is published.

Many thanks Peter Davidson.

Bristol Cathedral School Head Hugh Monro announced at the concert that a new Bursary has been established in John Bettley’s name, to fund specialist music teaching for pupils at the School when it becomes an Academy in September. The Academy will specialise in Music and Mathematics.

Mr Monro said “John’s love of music and his teaching of it have had an influence on all of us. The students have worked incredibly hard to put on this year’s orchestral concert and their strength and sense of ambition have resulted in the achievements you will hear tonight. We dedicate this concert to John Bettley.”

The programme was diverse, from Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue to Crussel’s Clarinet Concerto No. 2. Before he died, John Bettley had begun preparing the pupils for the concert at St George’s, which is one of the traditional musical highlights of Bristol Cathedral School’s year. The concert was attended by members of his close family.

The Head of Music at Backwell School and a long-standing friend of John Bettley’s, Mark Finch, was invited to conduct the Gershwin piece. Another friend, Ed Davies, Head of Music at St Mary Redcliffe and Temple, conducted Vivaldi’s Gloria. All three men worked together to take Bristol Cathedral School’s orchestra and choir and other schools’ musicians on a successful trip to Bordeaux in the spring of last year to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Bristol-Bordeaux link. Pupils from both schools were also invited to join the memorial concert at St George’s, Brandon Hill.
John Bettley, who was 57, was killed as he was crossing the Wells Road in Bath in November 2007.

Former colleagues and pupils all paid tribute to him on the night: 17-year-old Josie Houghton, who was the soloist for the Crussel Clarinet Concerto said: “I remember that my first day was Mr Bettley’s first day: being slightly nervous together formed an immediate bond. He helped me to prepare for my Grade 8 examination and accompanied me when I played. He was so enthusiastic about music, if we liked a piece he would arrange it for us – from jazz to the Beach Boys’ Barbara Ann.”

Jennifer Mitchell, also 17, who sang a Vivaldi duet, said “I only joined the school in September, but Mr Bettley had such an impact. My confidence in my singing was very low, but he kept encouraging me. He was the most encouraging teacher I have ever had.”

And Mr Bettley’s deputy in the Music Department, Amy Sims, said “It was a pleasure to work with John. During his time at BCS, John’s love of music in all its forms, but particularly organ and choral music, had a major impact on many people.”

The signing confirms that in September this year the school will re-open with the new name of Bristol Cathedral Choir School. The change of name celebrates its prized status as the first choir school in the country to become an Academy.

Head Hugh Monro, who will become the Academy’s first Principal, said: “This is both an historic moment for our school and a move of national political significance. In the past few weeks, our Chairman of Governors, Stephen Parsons, and I have been invited to Number Ten and have met Gordon Brown, the Schools Secretary Ed Balls and the influential education Minister Lord Adonis: they are all hugely committed to our success as the first cathedral school Academy in the country. The fact that the Prime Minister of the country is so personally committed is a very strong indication of the political importance being attached to this at a national level.”

It is only seven months since the school revealed that it was applying to become an Academy: the application has been fast-tracked in record time by the Government to ensure the agreement was signed before letters were sent out today (Monday 3 March) offering school places to parents.

The school’s Chairman of Governors Stephen Parsons said: “In many ways, the move from a fee-paying school to an Academy marks a return to our roots. Just as in the 1960s and 1970s before the abolition of direct-grant schools, all the people of Bristol will now have the opportunity to apply for an education at the city’s oldest school, regardless of their ability to pay.

“The tremendous ethos of the school will be unchanged, but with the school roll expected to grow by at least 50 per cent over the coming years, many more children will be able to take up the unique opportunities offered by the school.”

The Academy will offer a full curriculum, but will specialise in music and mathematics. Its facilities will include a purpose-built music school within its new £3 million building currently nearing completion in College Square. The school, which is heavily involved in promoting singing among primary school children in the city through the Bristol Voices programme, will also continue to provide boy and girl choristers for the cathedral.

“We are receiving huge interest in music and singing from parents and prospective pupils,” said Mr Parsons. “This year, 80 boys and girls took our music aptitude test, whereas last year there was only a handful.”

In preparing to become an Academy, the school has collaborated with the cathedral’s ruling body, the Chapter. The Precentor, who is in charge of music at the cathedral, the Reverend Canon Wendy Wilby, welcomed news that the agreement had been signed. “”The Chapter of Bristol Cathedral are delighted at the new developments for our immediate neighbour, Bristol Cathedral Choir School!

“Over the years we have always worked closely with the school where our choristers are educated, but now, with Academy status, the unique and excellent cathedral choral tradition becomes an opportunity open to all. The school will continue to provide a choir for the cathedral, but our partnership will deepen and expand to provide a centre of musical excellence for the people of Bristol and the surrounding area.”