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4BR End of Term Reports
Just as we did last year, and in line with current Government directives
on class sizes, 4BR gives it’s end of term reports on the
current top 25 bands in the 4BR World Rankings class.
Some of the pupils of course come from well to do backgrounds,
whilst others are from more deprived financial households. Nevertheless,
all had to take a series of exams during the contesting term time;
all had the same exam papers at the Regionals, the Masters was for
invited English pupils only, the British Open had a Rhodes Scholar
to spice up the test, whilst four UK pupils took the ever more difficult
Bacalle Laureate in Norway. The Nationals meanwhile dished up a
multiple-choice test paper (seven from eight variations). In addition,
some of the pupils took the chance to shine at a series of regional
tests in a variety of holiday camps as well as a new exam board
in Glasgow and other venues throughout the UK and Europe.
We have had a look at how they did, marked them accordingly, and
looked how far they have progressed or fallen behind since we started
our “League Tables” in May 2001. (A couple of former
pupils are even sadly deceased) The parents have been notified by
post, so some will get an extra prezzie for the New Year, whilst
others may be grounded until the bell tolls to start the new term
in January.
The interesting thing to not though is that the bands that were
ranked highly in May 2001 are still ranked very highly at the end
of 2003. The top seven bands then – Fodens, YBS, BAYV Cory,
Fairey, Brighouse and Rastrick, Black Dyke and Tredegar remain the
top seven bands at the end of this year, whilst Grimethopre who
were ranked 8th are now 9th. Only Ransome who were originally 9th
have dropped away to 15th place, whilst CWS Glasgow who were 10th
have recovered from a dip in form to be 11th at this year’s
end.
We lost five pupils from the 2002 End of Term Class – Aveley
and Newham, Trieze Etoiles, Eikanger Bjorsvik, Marple and Seindorf
Beaumaris have been placed down a grade in the hope results will
improve and a return to the top stream will appropriate.
The outlook for Marple is bleakest and they join the likes of Point
of Ayr and Northop as being pupils kept at home due to their severe
ill health, although we hope they won’t have to remember them
in assembly by being entered on the remembrance board with the likes
of First City Brass or Todmorden Old.
The grading mark given by the 4BR Form master equates to the following:
A+ : Exceptional
A : Outstanding
A - : Excellent
B+ : Very Good
B : Above expectations
B - : Met Expectations
C+ : Below Expectations but Improving
C : Below Expectations
C - : Disappointing
D : In need of extra tuition
As per the 4BR Rankings – the reports are given in the order
in which they finished the year.
The Fairey FP (Music) Band
A -
2003 End of Year Ranking: 1 (up 3)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 4
2001 End of Year Ranking: 5
Original Ranking (May 2001): 4
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 2nd
All England Masters: 9th
British Open: 4th
National Championships: Winners
Other Exams:
No other exams entered
The historic National exam win made it an excellent year for the
pupil who had to overcome the financial disownment from their former
parental charges earlier in the year. That meant no summer holiday
in Norway, but new funds to meet the school fees were found, as
was a new competitive spirit in the shape of an experienced home
tutor. The outcome saw the hidden examiners in London reward them
royally for their newfound confidence. The new parents should be
well satisfied with their top of the class sibling.
BAYV Cory
A-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 2 (no change)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 2
2001 End of Year Ranking: 4
Original Ranking (May 2001): 3
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
British Open: 6th
National Championships: 3rd
Other Exams:
European Championships: 2nd
The nouveu rich kid from Wales continues to show an insatiable appetite
to be top of the class and prove that unlike their distant Russian
cousin at Chelsea, it takes more than money to guarantee success.
Perhaps at times they try too hard, but you cannot fault them for
effort or talent and at times during the year some of their exam
efforts were quite outstanding. That they didn’t have a couple
of bigger prizes to show for their efforts shouldn’t disappoint
the parents back at the Welsh homestead. An excellent years work.
Fodens Richardson
B-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 3 (down 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 1
2001 End of Year Ranking: 3
Original Ranking (May 2001): 1
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
All England Masters: 2nd
British Open: 7th
National Championships: 5th
Other Exams:
US Open: Winners
A year that started so well, but went off the rails a little after
the well to do parents in Sandbach decided to part company with
their successful home tutor. What was promising to be a real corker
of a year fell short of expectations as it took time for the new
partnership to gell. A nice confidence boosting Autumn holiday to
America was something to tell the rest of the class about when they
came back home, but overall it meant for a year when things just
stood still. Par for the course, but next year we will be looking
for slightly better things.
Yorkshire Building Society
A
2003 End of Year Ranking: 4 (up 1)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 5
2001 End of Year Ranking: 1
Original Ranking (May 2001): 2
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 6th
All England Masters: 3rd
British Open: Winners
National Championships: DNQ
Other Exams:
European Championships: Winners
The brash and confident pupil of the banking family from Yorkshire
continues to excel and give their monied parents cause to invite
the neighbours around to show off what junior has achieved. They
continue to be nigh on unbeatable at the European languages test
paper, whilst their odd year brilliance at the British Open exam
once more showed that they can breeze through the most difficult
of questions posed of them. They very nearly made it a trio of triumphs
at the Cambridge exam, but they may need to see the school psychologist
though in respect to the National test. It is starting to become
a worry. Still, an outstanding year though.
Black Dyke
B
2003 End of Year Ranking: 5 (down 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 3
2001 End of Year Ranking: 2
Original Ranking (May 2001): 6
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 13th
British Open: 3rd
National Championships: 4th
Other Exams:
No other exams entered
The most decorated pupil in the schools history found 2003 a year
of frustration. Asked to get up early for both the major exams they
performed well, but perhaps still had slightly sleepy heads on them
and the concentration levels just meant a few errors on some questions.
When the parents, tutors and the extended family of supporters expect
prizes each year, to miss out is disappointing. The home test in
Bradford saw them misread the paper according to the examiner on
the day and their efforts in London and Birmingham also just didn’t
give the enclosed judges what they wanted. Much more will be expected
again in 2004 so only an adequate mark to take home to Queensbury.
Brighouse and Rastrick
B-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 6 (no change)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 6
2001 End of Year Ranking: 6
Original Ranking (May 2001): 5
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
All England Masters: 4th
British Open: 5th
National Championships: 6th
Other Exams:
European Championships: 4th
A good solid year for the self supported pupil from West Riding,
but one that didn’t find favour with the parents who parted
company with their military home tutor. It is hard for us to see
why they did it as they performed very well all year and gave a
spanking good exam paper on a tricky subject at Bradford. Expectations
are high for this pupil, but perhaps the parents are too impatient
to wait a bit longer to see if the top of the class years of 1997
and 1998 can be repeated. Wherever they went they did their purple
and gold school uniform proud. What the future brings will be interesting
in 2004 as a new tutor will have a lot of parental pressure put
on them.
Tredegar
B-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 7 (up 1)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 8
2001 End of Year Ranking: 8
Original Ranking (May 2001): 7
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 2nd
British Open: 9th
National Championships: 2nd
Other Exams:
Scottish Open: 4th
Ebbw Vale: 3rd
South Wales Miners Eisteddfod: 4th
One of the bursary kids at the school (the parents are poor) had
a bit of a strange 2003. They continue to work their socks off,
but they didn’t have much luck from the examiners until they
came to the big test paper in London. There they excelled themselves
with Welsh eloquence and very nearly topped the class, but the rest
of the year they continued to produce worthy if rather unspectacular
exam essays. We are sure the parents are exceptionally proud of
them and so they should be – they put other more well off
pupils to shame, but they need a bit more flair to go with the collier
work ethic.
Whitburn
C+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 8 (up 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 10
2001 End of Year Ranking: 10
Original Ranking (May 2001): 13
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 6th
British Open: 2nd
National Championships: DNQ
Other Exams:
Scottish Open: 8th
One of the other bursary pupils at the school (mam and dad struggle
to meet the fees), Whitburn lost their long-term tutor earlier in
the year after a poor exam paper on their home patch. The parents
plumbed for an old family member to take over the tutorial reins
and it proved something of a master stroke at Birmingham where they
put up an outstanding astronomical thesis. After that they seemed
to have shook off their inferiority complex against more well off
pupils, but just when things looked good, they forgot to bring one
of their bass colouring pens to the Scottish exam board and ended
up ruining their chances. An improving pupil with expectations of
even better things in 2004.
Grimethorpe Colliery UK Coal
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 9 (down 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 7
2001 End of Year Ranking: 7
Original Ranking (May 2001): 8
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 5th
Other Exams:
Spennymoor: Winners
The schools outstanding media and entertaining performer was given
special dispensation to miss the important Birmingham test paper
(a London stage audition was in the offing). That meant they only
sat two test papers all year, and they didn’t seemed to interested
in really shining on the tricky Czech Republic exam in Bradford
and so missed out on a trip to the West End of London. Give them
the chance to slap on the greasepaint though and they are simply
irresistible, as their one-man show in Spennymoor showed. 2004 will
show us though if the “Ab Fab” life is tiring them and
that they want to be remembered for performances in more serious
roles.
Leyland
C+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 10 (down 1)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 9
2001 End of Year Ranking: 9
Original Ranking (May 2001): 11
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 4th
All England Masters: Winners
British Open: 14th (relegated)
National Championships: 17th
Other Exams:
Spennymoor: 5th
It may sound a bit harsh of us to describe Master Leyland’s
year as “Below Expectations” but even after giving a
super essay on the age of chivalry at Cambridge, this seemed to
be something of a surprise even to their most ardent family supporters.
This not withstanding, the rest of 2003 was a bit of a disappointment,
with their Blackpool exam outing being worthy if rather uninspired
and both their Birmingham and London papers seeing them not quite
coming to terms with the tricky questions and their usual strong
performance on light entertainment falling below what we have come
to expect. 2004 will be an important year as they will need to make
an immediate return to the major exam at Birmingham and show that
Cambridge was not a “one off”. We think they can do
it though, so the parents should not despair.
Scottish Co-op
B
2003 End of Year Ranking: 11 (up 4)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 15
2001 End of Year Ranking: 12
Original Ranking (May 2001): 10
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
British Open: 13th
National Championships: 9th
Other Exams:
Scottish Open: Winners
Grand Shield: 2nd
Spennymoor: 7th
The pupil from the monied Scottish wholesaler family has really
shown character in 2003. The shock to the system of losing their
place with the rest of the top stream at Birmingham and London in
2002 made for a more realistic approach to examination homework
and the results of the hard work were evident. Top of the class
on home soil means a European test in May in 2004, whilst there
were also fine essays at the notoriously hard British Open entry
exam in Blackpool and again at both Birmingham and London where
they opted for an experienced tutor to ensure a solid mark. They
rounded their year off in fine style as well, showing that they
are back to form. 2004 can’t come quickly enough. Mam and
Dad should be well pleased.
Sellers International
B
2003 End of Year Ranking: 12 (up 7)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 19
2001 End of Year Ranking: 19
Original Ranking (May 2001): 24
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 3rd
All England Masters: 6th
Other Exams:
Scottish Open: 3rd
Grand Shield: 10th
Spennymoor: 2nd
Young Master Sellers has certainly benefited from the return of
their original Scottish Governor to teach them the ropes, as 2003
once again proved. Some fine exam papers at Bradford, Glasgow and
Spennymoor and a real top effort at Cambridge is most encouraging.
However these didn’t quite overcome the disappointment of
not passing the entry test at Blackpool to return to the top British
Open stream, so even though there should be extra pocket money for
next year, we think the parents will only be totally satisfied if
there is a permanent return to Birmingham– just like it used
to be. Silver star and extra milk though.
Kirkintilloch
C+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 13 (no change)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 13
2001 End of Year Ranking: 15
Original Ranking (May 2001): 14
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 2nd
British Open: 11th
National Championships: 8th
Other Exams:
European Championships: 8th
Scottish Open: 5th
Spennymoor: 8th
Another pupil who has to do extra shifts at the local MacDonalds
to meet the fees at times, but Master Kirky has had another solid
year of exam results during 2003. Did all what was expected right
from the start but their tutor does sometimes wax lyrical with the
exam questions when perhaps all the judges are looking for is a
straight forward answer. Still, we like what they do, even if they
did fall away a tad come the end of the year. They will have to
work hard next term to keep up with their fellow Scots as well.
Ever Ready
C+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 14 (up 3)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 17
2001 End of Year Ranking: 17
Original Ranking (May 2001): 20
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
All England Masters: 15th
British Open: 8th
National Championships: 12th
Other Exams:
Mineworkers Contest: 4th
Spennymoor: 3rd
A bit of an uneven year for our Geordie lad (perhaps the examiners
down South have difficulty with the accent), but nonetheless a decent
year of achievement which saw them move up a couple of places towards
the front of the class. They are benefiting from having an experienced
permanent tutor, but they still lack that consistency in answering
some of the more difficult questions on some exam papers. Good efforts
at Darlington and Spennymoor, but away from home turf it was more
disappointing. Improving pupil though.
Ransome
C-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 15 (down 1)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 14
2001 End of Year Ranking: 11
Original Ranking (May 2001): 9
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 2nd
All England Masters: 17th
National Championships: 7th
Other Exams:
Grand Shield: 21st (relegated)
Spennymoor: 11th
We are a little concerned about Master Ransome. Plenty of talent,
but a pupil who has found the lack of a regular home tutor a real
handicap this year. The London exam paper showed that on their day
they can still do the business, but there was a disastrous British
Open entry exam and another very poor show at Cambridge. Their entertainment
effort at Spennymoor also fell on deaf ears and this is the third
year in a row that they have fallen down the class rankings. Mam
and Dad will have to make sure their son is up for doing some extra
homework. We live in hope though.
Flowers
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 16 (up 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 18
2001 End of Year Ranking: 16
Original Ranking (May 2001): 21
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 2nd
All England Masters: 5th
National Championships: 16th
Other Exams:
Yeovil Entertainment Contest: Winners
Grand Shield: 7th
South Wales Miners Eisteddfod: 2nd
Spennymoor: 6th
The infuriately inconsistent pupil from the West Country continues
to make life hard for themselves by not quite doing justice to their
obvious talents. A great classroom entertainer, but not quite as
effective when it comes to putting a smile on the face of the more
serious judges, 2003 was another “nearly” year. Great
in Cambridge, unlucky at Blackpool, awful at London - the parents
may want young Flower to be a star on the stage, but they need to
show they can handle the more serious roles asked of them as well
as the light entertainment.
Cwmaman Institute
C-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 17 (down 6)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 11
2001 End of Year Ranking: 41
Original Ranking (May 2001): 43
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 7th
British Open: 17th
A worrying pupil for us this year. All seemed to be going so well
when at the end of 2002 they seemed on the verge of really coming
of age and not being afraid to mix it with the big lads on the school
playing field, but 2003 has seen the son of a Welsh coal merchant
find life very tough indeed. Disappointments home and away and a
feeling that they may have over achieved themselves. It could be
a hard year in 2004 staying in the top class, but they have a fighting
spirit.
Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel
C+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 18 (down 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 16
2001 End of Year Ranking: 25
Original Ranking (May 2001): 42
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 9th
All England Masters: 9th
British Open: 10th
Other Exam Results:
Spennymoor: 10th
An OK year from the pupil who likes to change his name on the register
more times than is needed. Drops down the class a couple of places,
but that was more to do with those above them not wanting to lose
their seats at the front of the school room. Good solid exam results
at the “biggies” but disappointment at Bradford in the
scrap to find out who was the best Yorkshire pupil. Finished the
year a bit deflated, but the parents should be pleased enough, though
next year we would like to see them push a bit harder.
Carlton Main Frickley
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 19 (up 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 21
2001 End of Year Ranking: 14
Original Ranking (May 2001): 18
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 10th
All England Masters: 16th
British Open: 18th
Other Exams:
Pontins Championships: 4th
Mineworkers Contest: 2nd
Grand Shield: Winners
Spennymoor: 9th
Young Carlton certainly shocked the tutors when they came top of
the class at Blackpool – ahead of many more fancied entrants
in the exam hall. That was a test paper full of Yorkshire grit and
determination, which were hallmarks of their efforts throughout
the year even if when it came to the premier tests they couldn’t
quite repeat their “Tallis” essay. Did well though on
their travels (but that was against pupils from lesser schools)
so it will be interesting to see how they do against the big boys
next term.
JAG Mount Charles
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 20 (up 3)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 23
2001 End of Year Ranking: 34
Original Ranking (May 2001): 49
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 5th
All England Masters: 14th
Other Exams:
Yeovil Entertainment Contest: 2nd
Grand Shield: 3rd
Spennymoor: 4th
What to make of our Cornish pupil? We thought 2003 was going to
be the year of the big breakthrough, but even though they continue
to shine at the “show off” stuff, success at the more
serious tests are still just infuriatingly just out of their reach.
No London – when they should have done so much better and
no Open. (third was good, but then again, not good enough), whilst
the Cambridge test paper saw them make up the numbers. Plenty of
talent is contained in the school uniform, but how Mam and Dad would
wish to see their prodigy perform on a bigger stage.
Travelsphere Holidays
C-
2003 End of Year Ranking: 21 (down 9)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 12
2001 End of Year Ranking: 13
Original Ranking (May 2001): 12
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 11th
All England Masters: 7th
British Open: 15th (relegated)
Other Exams:
No other exams entered
The Travel Agents lad from the Midlands seem to be on something
of a downward spiral at the moment, and for the life of us we can’t
put our finger on the reason why. They drop nine places in class
after a real lacklustre year at the exam table. Their Cambridge
paper was good and showed they had the talent, but what on earth
happened when asked about the history of “Prague” and
their astronomy? Extra home tuition we think may well be the answer
– talent alone isn’t enough.
Willebroek
B
2003 End of Year Ranking: 22 (up 3)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 25
2001 End of Year Ranking: 52
Original Ranking (May 2001): -
2003 Exam Results:
Belgium National Championships: Winners
Other Exams:
European Championships: 3rd
Our one overseas student once again showed that they can mix it
with their British counterparts in the playground – although
we are a bit concerned that they don’t seem to attend school
that often. When they go back home they beat up the rest of their
old school with ease, and then once a year they show the real heavyweights
at their UK alma mater that they shouldn’t be trifled with.
A super pupil that we wish we could see more of.
Hepworth
B+
2003 End of Year Ranking: 23 (up 25)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 48
2001 End of Year Ranking: -
Original Ranking (May 2001): -
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 11th
Other Exams:
Pontins Championships: 2nd
Scottish Open: 2nd
Senior Cup: 3rd
Hepworth’s parents will be smiling like Cheshire cats this
Xmas after their son jumped from being an average middle of the
roader to making a mark up against the brightest and the best in
the school. All that extra homework from their hard working tutor
certainly paid off towards the end of the year, but a word of caution
from the Headmaster – getting into the top class is one thing,
remaining there is another. 2004 can’t come soon enough, but
the pupils who will be competing at the exams at Bradford, Blackpool
and possibly Cambridge will want to put any young upstart in their
place. Now the hard work really begins.
Desford Colliery
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 24 (down 2)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 22
2001 End of Year Ranking: 24
Original Ranking (May 2001): 19
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: Winners
National Championships: 10th
Other Exams:
Mineworkers Contest: Winners
Grand Shield: 17th (relegated)
Every school has one pupil who doesn’t quite conform, and
for us it’s Master Desford. Once again they topped the Midland
Regional exam table under their experienced tutor Form Master Parkes,
but then it seemed they didn’t even look at the exam paper
at Blackpool. They knuckled down in London and then decided to stick
two fingers up to everyone at the old Miners test and played everyone
off the stage. There will be plenty of visits to the Headmasters
office for a dressing down but we think corporal punishment won’t
do the trick. Exasperating, but where would we be without them?
Besses o’th’ Barn
C
2003 End of Year Ranking: 25 (down 5)
2002 End of Year Ranking: 20
2001 End of Year Ranking: 36
Original Ranking (May 2001): 35
2003 Exam Results:
Regional Championships: 8th
All England Masters: 11th
British Open: 12th (relegated)
Other Exams:
Scottish Open: 9th
The last pupil in the class had a bit of a poor year, although the
exam results were in fact better than expected. The Regional test
paper in Blackpool wasn’t one of their best, but the loss
of their home tutor was perhaps the cause. The parents opted for
a big man to hold the fort and although they dropped out from the
top stream at the Open, they did perform well and were very unlucky,
whilst they also more than held their own on their essay at Cambridge.
A trip to Scotland saw them troubled by the early morning call,
so the year ended on a bit of a low note. Mam and Dad should still
be encouraged though.
© 4BarsRest
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