Half-termly news from Highgate Wood School Issue No 35 March 2017
MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF GOVERNORS I am extremely honoured to be the Chair of Governors of Highgate Wood School. As a parent of children who enjoyed everything the school had to offer during their seven years of study, I saw first-hand how much they thrived in this environment. Much of this was down to HWS being at the heart of our local community, reflecting and embracing the notion of belonging and togetherness. Children who attend the school are proud of it and this was born out in the feedback the school received from Ofsted. Our job as governors is to understand what makes the school tick, how the processes and systems in place enable the students to achieve both academically and pastorally. The governing body is made up of parents, staff, community and co-opted governors and every one of them contributes to the school’s governance by sitting on a number of committees – finance, personnel and curriculum. These committees enable governors to scrutinise, question and support the decision making processes and to understand what drives the school. As you are no doubt aware the current funding uncertainty is placing huge pressure on schools across England and good governance is vital. However, it is worth remembering that school staff do a remarkable job of maintaining the environment that allows children to succeed academically, test themselves in new situations and revel in the sheer joy of being a young person. I think that whoever believes cutting funding is a good idea needs to look beyond the headline figures – exams passed, attendance etc. and spend some time at a school like Highgate Wood School to really understand what being a student in 2017 looks like. I’d point them in the direction of where schools like ours provide so much more than what takes place in classrooms. Since the last Insight was published students have been involved or contributed to the following (to name but a few examples); we hosted a North London Model United Nations focussing on the global issue of water. Students were involved in the 2
BBC News School Report project which aims to encourage 11-16 year olds to make and broadcast their own news – vitally important I’m sure you’d agree in this age of “fake news”. World Book day was celebrated, highlighting the wonders of reading and the ability to dress up accordingly. On a similar note, the HWS Book Award saw two novels win accolades; Cell 7 by Kerry Drewery for younger readers and 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinsborough for the older ones. In addition the five authors of the other shortlisted books took the time to come into school to talk about writing and storytelling. There was a Highgate Wood School Bake Off with outstanding baked goods on offer. A group of students had the chance to test themselves on the ski slopes of Andorra and a spectacular performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream involving brilliant contributions from actors, musicians, set designers and artists In the meantime the school also ran all the usual clubs, sports events and music opportunities that students take part in. Beyond analysing data and checking budget bottom lines we as governors recognise how dedicated staff and great leadership add value and that this is what helps contribute to HWS’ on-going success as a true “community” school. And on that note I would like to point you in the direction of a former member of the HWS school community who is attempting to raise £20,000 for MacMillan Cancer Support. Please visit Ruth Collett’s Just Giving page for details and do anything you can to help her reach her target. (visit http://bit.ly/teamruth2017)
This issue’s cover features a few images of those who have contributed to some of the main highlights of the past half-term: our fantastic school production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, our North London Model UN Conference and our celebration of the 20th anniversary of World Book Day, when students through Year 7 and 8 came to school dressed as a character from one of their favourite books. More information about these events can be found inside! Issue 35
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MESSAGE FROM THE HEADTEACHER As always this has been another very busy half term at Highgate Wood, and another very successful term. Many positive achievements (which you will see reflected in this edition if Insight) have occurred, and as you would expect, lots of hard work and diligent effort from staff and students to continue the high quality of learning that takes place across the school. Our Year 11s and Post 16 students are only a matter of weeks away from taking their exams so they are preparing quite intensely at the moment. This has been made even more of a challenge for our staff this year with brand new specifications to deliver and a different grading system at GCSE in English and maths (9-1 instead of A*-G). I know that many of our staff and students will be coming in over the Easter break to continue these preparations. During the course of this term I have had the genuine pleasure of attending a range of events that have showcased the talents of our students and demonstrated some of what is special about Highgate Wood School. We have good reason to be proud, and when I watch our amazing young people in action, it is exactly that sense of pride that I feel. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough hours in the day for me to attend all of the events that happen, but I feel just as proud of our students when I hear of their success if I can’t witness it directly.
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The highlights for me have been:
Attending the drama production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The exceptional talent of our students was evident and the performance was creative and funny. I want to extend particular congratulations to Ms Kaytee Crook and her staff for the hard work that went into making the production so successful.
Seeing our students impress in the annual North London Model United Nations Conference. They really do look and sound the part during the very mature and sensible discussions that take place on the day, trying to solve real world problems. I want to mention in particular Emmy Budis for making an inspired speech to launch the conference, and also draw attention to our year 8 students who participated for the first time and did so well. A particular thank you to Ms Emily Sayer for her organisation of the event ably supported on the day by Mr Fred Manners.
Haringey Pupil Admission Number (PAN) Consultation – An Update As you will recall, in the last edition of Insight I informed you that Haringey Local Authority are predicting an increase in pupil numbers coming into secondary school from September 2018 moving forward. As a consequence of this, a number of schools (including Highgate Wood School) were being consulted on the possibility of taking on additional students into the school in year 7 from September 2018.
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Since I last wrote to you, the Local Authority has fed back to the schools following the consultation period. The key points are as follows:
There was varied feedback from schools – some against, some in favour and a small number neutral There were questions raised over the accuracy of projections, although the LA were able to produce historical data comparisons as a useful guide The LA has decided not to make any immediate decision, hence things will remain as they are for the time-being The LA have looked at on time applications for September 2017 and these show an upwards trajectory. However, they want to wait for the outcome of the national funding formula and undertake condition surveys of the five Secondary Community Schools (which includes Highgate Wood) I don’t anticipate any changes now in time for September 2018, but beyond that is still uncertain. I will let you know more as soon as there is more to report. National Funding Formula Consultation – It doesn’t end there! As you will have read in the last Insight and in other recent communication from the school, the government has been consulting on a proposed new national funding formula (NFF) for schools. It is anticipated that the new formula will seek to redistribute the funding currently available to schools (at maximum) amongst all schools creating ‘winners’ and ‘losers’. The suggested NFF, however, will see a reduction of school funding into Haringey of more than £10,000,000 a year, with 69 Haringey schools losing funding. For many of our individual schools the figures are eye watering and the impact will be devastating. It’s not something that we can afford to ignore. The Department for Education (DfE) consultation ended on the 22nd March. However, it’s not too 4
late for parents and carers to have a say and make their voices heard. We are encouraging you to write to as many people of influence as possible to get a strong message across that this is not acceptable. A list of key names is shown below: Prime Minister, Theresa May MP Secretary of State for Education, Justine Greening MP Education Minister, Nick Gibb MP The Chancellor, Philip Hammond MP Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Gauke MP Chair of Education Committee, Neil Carmichael MP Lord Nash Lord Harris David Lammy MP Catherine West MP Please make your voices heard! Post 16 at Highgate Wood Following on from my message in the last Insight, in the last few weeks I have had the joy of speaking to a number of our year 11 students following their applications and interviews for places in the 6th form.
What has been really pleasing for myself and staff is listening to them explain why they have applied to the Highgate Wood Sixth form. Students have talked about
The enjoyment that they have experienced at Highgate Wood over the years and that they see Post 16 as a natural continuation of the learning that is taking place in Key Stage 4
The benefits of remaining at a school that they know, but more importantly a school that knows them; where their teachers know their strengths and how to build upon them; where their teachers are aware of their areas for development
The good progress that they are currently making, and a belief that this will continue in the 6th form
The trust that they have (and the evidence that they have seen and heard) that teaching in the 6th form is of a high quality Issue 35
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The wide (and growing) range of opportunities available to them at Post 16 to embrace extracurricular opportunities
Knowing that at HWS, they benefit from teachers who really do care about them and will go the extra mile to support them throughout their studies to achieve their potential and go on to the very best universities
It is heart warming to know that they are so proud of their school and that they want to stay because they feel that they belong and where they know they will do well. A record number of our students have applied which demonstrates their commitment to doing well at this school. I am proud of them all and want them to remain here at ‘home’ at HWS. I am looking forward to having another excellent Year 12 cohort in September. Year 11 and post 16 students – Preparation for exams As referred to earlier, Year 11 and Post 16 students are now entering into that final stage of preparation leading up to their exams, hence the range of exam preparation sessions available over the Easter Holidays. Students are encouraged to make full use of these and to follow the guidance that they have been given by their teachers in terms of revision and preparation. We are confident that they will all do fantastically well – but they have to put in the hard work to make sure!
If at some stage the weather is very hot before May half term, then we will relax the need to wear a blazer at all times – however, we will inform you and the students if and when this happens (please don’t take their word for it or decide unilaterally yourselves)
No other alternative to the school jumper/ cardigan (with the HWS Blue trim) can be worn. If they are they will be confiscated
Short sleeve shirts are a perfectly acceptable alternative to long sleeve shirts for girls and boys
As always, we ask for your support in ensuring that not only is the correct uniform worn by all of our students, but that it is worn appropriately, smartly and with pride. This means that:
Shirts must always be tucked inside trousers and skirts
Ties must always be worn with the knot high and at least five stripes being visible on the wide part of the tie
Skirts are unrolled with four buttons visible
... And Finally – Thank you for your support! I would like to thank you all again for your valued and continued support. I wish you and your families a pleasant Easter break. Please remember, we return on Tuesday 18th April at the later start time of 10.50am.
Uniform Issues The issue of school uniform is one that changes throughout the year, mostly depending on the overriding temperature. With the anticipation of warmer months ahead I would like to remindparents/carers and students that:
Regards Patrick Cozier Headteacher
Blazers are compulsory (and must be worn at all times – other than in lessons and at lunch time), but jumpers/cardigans are not – hence if students do not wish to wear two layers on top of their shirts, it’s the jumpers/cardigans that should not be worn. After May half term blazers will no longer be compulsory for the rest of the academic year Issue 34
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30th JUNE 2017 A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY
HIGHGATE WOOD SCHOOL GOVERNING BODY Chair of Governors: Chris Tully LA Governor: Cllr Eddie Griffith Parent Governors: Manjeet Bains • Mark Harber • Mano Manoharan Craig Perry • Sally Watson Co-opted Governors: Oli Blackaby • Phil Cavendish • Phil Cocksedge • Joe Demetriou • Phil Dileo • Violet Hazelwood-Henry • Elizabeth Hess • Chris Parr • Imogen Pennell • Charles Wright Headteacher Governor: Patrick Cozier Staff Governors: Emily Ford If you wish to contact the Governing Body please write to the Chair of Governors, c/o Mrs K Ozturk, Highgate Wood School, Montenotte Road, London N8 8RN Or email: governors@hws.haringey.sch.uk
The best way to predict the future is to invent it
From caring comes courage
Success comes from perseverance
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69138
69074
so far this year
so far this year
so far this year
Top Merit Earners Hussain Mahjaben (Yr 11) Mert Albayrak (Yr 10) Nevra Koral-Boy (Yr 9) Eden Cavendish (Yr 8) Bethan Coomber (Yr 7)
Top Merit Earners Maya Eagles (Yr 11) Mehmet Aslan (Yr 10) Jermaine Brown (Yr 9) Manon Elliott (Yr 8) Talia Hendry (Yr 7)
Top Merit Earners CJ McCarthy (Yr 11) Day Robinson-McKenzie (Yr 10) Daniel McCormick (Yr 9) Kathleen Archibold (Yr 8) Lola Goldfinch Betts (Yr 7)
Many parents have found e-praise to be very helpful in keeping informed of their child’s behaviour and achievements at school. If you still need an account for the system please email data@hws.haringey.sch.uk with your child’s name. 6
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GCSE REVISION SESSIONS
NEWS FROM THE PSA
Mr Hartley writes: All Year 10 and 11 students should now be fully engaged in their revision programmes for their summer exams.
We have a growing schedule of revision sessions and Ms Zafar writes: workshops happening to support students, including Please make a note in your diary for this year’s sessions that are happening over the Easter break Curry and Quiz Night. It is always a great evening, and these are listed on the school website at bit.ly/ and a good fundraiser too. hwsrevsessions. Thursday 27th April, 7:30 pm—10:30pm. Students can also find a growing range of general Tickets £12.00 each and are available online resources to help them study and revise. Please visit through the school website. Alternatively you can bit.ly/hwsrevision to access these. Remember sites purchase tickets from the Wren office. like SAM Learning and Mathswatch which are designed for revision and to which all students have The next PSA committee meeting is scheduled for access.These resources will continue to be updated 7pm on Wednesday April 19th. over the coming weeks, giving students the Do come along if you are interested in joining the committee or have an idea for a fundraising event information, help and support they need to be ready for the challenges of the summer. In this issue of or thoughts on other initiatives you think the PSA Insight you can also find some guidance on revision might pursue. by Mr Hewitt, and also advice about adopting a diet Plans for MADfest 2017 on Friday 30th June are that prepares you for the exam by Ms Pinnick. also coming along and we think it’s going to be another great night. We are adding to what we had Don’t forget that you can also always speak to your tutor and your teachers for any help you might need. on offer last year and amongst other things are planning a silent auction, in addition to our popular We are all here to help you get the very best grades that you can. raffle. If you have any items to gift for the auction or raffle, please do contact us by our email address: hwoodpsa@gmail.com
The Year 10 MADFEST Committee will soon be arranging auditions for MADFEST 2017. Keep alert for any messages and the key dates. After the huge success of last year’s MADFEST we expect a record number of visitors and performers. Have you got the talent it takes! Start practicing now! Use the school website and other online resources to help you revise. Issue 34
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ONLINE PARENT EVENING APPOINTMENTS
Mr Ashman writes: Following a successful trial and positive feedback from Year 7 parents, we will be using the e-praise booking system to arrange appointments for Year 10 Parent Consultation Evening on Tuesday 25th April. As with the Year 7 experience, we will be allowing both parents\carers and students to book the appointments and will be opening up the facility the week before - from the evening of the Wednesday 19th April. For some families we will be opening it a little earlier, and these families will be contacted by text message before the Easter break. Appointments are scheduled to last 3 minutes but this is just to allow teachers who teach large numbers of Year 10 students to see as many parents as is possible. For the vast majority of teachers consultation meetings will be longer - usually between 5 and 6 minutes. One of the lessons learnt from the Year 7 evening is that we should have reminded parents that they need to allow for travel between one appointment and the next when booking their slots. Please do be aware of this. Students are able to login to e-praise using their regular school username and password. Most parents and carers also already have their login details to the site. If you are unable to login please email data@hws.haringey.sch.uk Once the Parents’ Evening bookings are open you will be able to book your appointments by logging into e-praise, going to Community and then clicking on Parents Evening link. You will then see a light blue square which, once clicked, will take you to the bookings window. Click this an you can begin to make your appointments.
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UNIVERSITY DESTINATIONS FOR 2017
Mr Charlesworth writes: Most students in Year 13 have now received offers from the five universities to which they applied last autumn. The deadline for receiving offers runs until May and so whilst most are in a position where they can make the two choices from their offers others must wait a little longer before considering all their options. Over the last four years students in Highgate Wood Sixth Form have been encouraged to include at least one application to a Russell Group University among their five choices and it looks like there will be a record number of offers this year from Russell Group members. The successes our students are enjoying with their applications is testament to the hard work they have put into the process, but also to the support and guidance they have received during their time here. As ever the range of courses is broad and impressive meaning that students will join the more than 250 Highgate Wood alumini still studying at universities across the country in either their first, second or third years. The impressive range of options includes: Mechanical Engineering with Nuclear Technology at Sheffield Mathematics at Cambridge History at Oxford Zoology at Nottingham Journalism and Communications at Cardiff Environmental Geography at York Politics, Philosophy and Law at Kings College London English at Oxford Computer Science at Southampton History at Edinburgh Biochemistry at Manchester Astrophysics at UCL International Business and Marketing at Leeds Psychology at Birmingham General Engineering at Durham Architecture at UCL Music and Drama at Manchester
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GROWTH MINDSET AT HWS:
PART 4 METACOGNITION
Mr Hewitt writes: One strategy which is highly effective in improving student progress is making use of metacognition. When a student has information about their thinking (metacognitive knowledge), they are able to use this to direct or regulate their learning. This kind of metacognition is also referred to as “executive control.” Just as a business executive manages and oversees activities in a company, executive control can be thought of as managing and overseeing one’s own thinking. Metacognitive regulation involves the ability to think strategically and to problem-solve, plan, set goals, organize ideas and evaluate what is known and not known. It also involves the ability to teach to others and make the thinking process visible. Experts describe three ways we direct our own learning: Planning approaches to tasks—identifying the problem, choosing strategies, organizing our thoughts, and predicting outcomes; Monitoring activities during learning—testing, revising, and evaluating the effectiveness of our strategies; Checking outcomes—evaluating the outcomes against specific criteria of efficiency and effectiveness. These approaches can be useful to all students, but are particularly applicable to the Year 11, 12 and 13s about to take public examinations this summer. For example: Planning approaches to tasks Planning a revision timetable is crucial. You can find electronic versions which do this for you at: https://getrevising.co.uk/planner Remember revision works best when you do it in repeated short bursts and interleave topics: It is important to be focused on your goals (eg having a clear idea of the topics on each exam paper, the types of questions, etc.) so your revision is organised to prepare you for these. Monitoring activities during learning This is often missed out during revision, particularly if you use ineffective passive strategies such as highlighting or simply re-reading material. The key to success is checking what you think you have Issue 34
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learnt, e.g. by getting someone to test you, and then adapting your strategy accordingly, i.e. relearning a topic if you couldn’t remember enough about it Checking outcomes Once you think you have learnt something it’s really important to check this objectively. The best way of checking is some kind of testing, this can vary from an online quiz all the way up to sitting a past paper. The key thing is to see this as a diagnostic exercise to confirm whether you have learnt something and identify the gaps which still need addressing. How parents\carers can help their child Planning Help them to organise their time Sign their planner and ask them how they are organising their homework Help them plan a revision timetable Help them to break down larger homework tasks into shorter stages eg researching, planning then writing an essay Monitoring activities during learning Helping to test them on the things they are learning Encouraging them to elaborate ie explain what they have learnt Ask them how their learning relates to any other topics they have learnt Asking them how they will be assessed on their learning Checking outcomes Encouraging them to utilise online selfquizzing resources (such as on Sam Learning or MyMaths) to check their understanding Using sample test papers or exam papers to do challenging questions Using mark schemes to check how well they have done Using PLCs (Personalised Learning Checklists) It is particularly important that this process is not seen as linear but as a cycle, so once they have checked their understanding they should go back and close any gaps they have identified. This is the key thrust of our approach to feedback in the school (see previous articles in Insight on this). 9
BBC SCHOOL REPORT
Ms Wildman writes: Thursday 16th March was the nationwide BBC School news report deadline day. Students from participating schools were required to submit a ten minute news report. Two teams of reporters from Highgate Wood School went into London to film before the deadline, and then two student editors cut the material on deadline day. This year, reports were on the rise of homelessness in London and attitudes to Donald Trump. Students bravely met members of the public and found experts to interview. They had to think carefully about the camera angles, shots and editing style of news reports. Moreover, they were required to work as a team on a project and also had to think about how to use Twitter to promote their report. The day was hugely successful and a fantastic report was submitted. It gave the students a real flavour of the need for forward-planning, the more practical elements of going out on location filming (and the amount of time it takes) and also how to work efficiently to a deadline, as a team. I was so impressed with the quality of the reports, the presenting and the courage to go out and film in central London. Well done Ceyda Cokgezici, Elif Kisa, Madeleine Osborne, Jake Milligan, Eliezer Chiquete Besmir Hoti and Sonia Paul You can check it out on this link here: www.hws.haringey.sch.uk/schoolreport. 10
HWS BAKE OFF 2017
Ms Went writes: We have successfully reached the conclusion of Highgate Wood School Bake Off 2 for 2017, with a clear winner, Eliya Panayiotou 9D, who won the Short bread, Scones, Victoria Sandwich rounds. In second place was Tamira McFarlane 9G who won the Ginger Bread and Cheese Straws rounds In third place was Edan Silbiger 9E – who won the Swiss Roll round. A great time was had by all the contestants ( and judges Ms Went and Ms Rowe) and the quality of the baked goods was extremely impressive. Judging of these technical challenges was carried out ‘blind’ and was at times very difficult because the success criteria had been met to such a high standard by all the contestants. I would like to thank Sandy Rowe for all her technical support. Without which Bake Off club could not be possible. Here’s looking forward to HWS Bake Off 2018! Issue 35
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ERASMUS+ BE WELL Ms Christodoulou writes:
Last summer we learned we had been successful in our bid for EU funds to run an ERASMUS+ project with four other schools from across Europe; Spain, Finland, Romania and Italy. We are supported by the British Council and the project is entitled: Building European Wellness in Learning for Life (BE WELL) with a primary focus to help us feel happier and healthier in all aspects of our lives. Staff from across the group of schools have been working hard behind the scenes to get everything prepared for the project and after many months of planning the first event involving students began at the start of this year. At Highgate Wood this meant a group made up of School Council members in years 9 through to 13 embarking on a series of pre-trip activities which included preparing a presentation about London and the Crouch End area and producing a video to introduce our school to our partners but, with that complete, it was time to travel to the Basque Country to meet our partners and start working collaboratively with them.
It was an early start on Saturday 11th March and we were greeted by the dawn chorus as we arrived to get our minibus at 5:30am. Before we knew it we had arrived at Bilbao airport and travelled to the town of Hernani where the host school is located. Here we attend a reception by the local mayor welcoming everyone to the town and formally starting the project. It was clear from this early stage that it would be a very busy few days!
On Sunday staff and students from all partner schools visited Zumaia, an area that is well known by geologists as it is situated among the longest set of continuous rock strata in the world - over 100 million years is represented. Most recently it has been used as a location for the television series Game of Thrones! Two days were spent at the Basque school where participants presented the work they had done prior to the trip, got involved in activities with their new friends and even attended some lessons. There was a market place activity where we got to try foods from all the different countries, and the Italian group managed to put everyone else to shame with their huge selection of meats, cheeses and breads! There were further trips too, one to Orona, a leading lift company which focuses on good work ethics and sustainability within the industrial sector. Students worked on how they might incorporate the company’s principles into their own schools and communities. The last day was spent in Bilbao where the group visited many different places of interest, including the Guggenheim Museum, before returning home later in the evening.
Later that afternoon there were activities to help everyone to get to know each other and in the evening our students were hosted for an evening meal by local families.
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STUDENT REPORT Hugo Clague, Tyce Griffiths, Joshua Kingston, Selin Tas and Laurie Taylor from Year 9, Louise Cole Legate and Rebecca Manoharan from Year 10 and Melissa Guvenler and Tara O’Regan from Year 12 report on the trip. We were staying in San Sebastián and we visited lots of places in the area, one of which was Zumaia. It is just a small village on the coast but it has important rock formations that can tell us things about how the world was formed. It was a very busy five days and students have We visited the Basque school for two days and we returned buzzing with thoughts and ideas that they learnt about not just their culture but the cultures will be able to use to enhance the work of the School of the other three countries as well. There was a Council. Participants will also be sharing their market place activity where we got to try foods learning with students in years 9 and 10 next term. from all the different countries, and Italy managed Many thanks to Mr Ifrim and Ms Gribble for to put everyone else to shame with their huge accompanying the group. selection of meats, cheeses and breads! There will be further opportunities to participate in We also visited Orona, a leading lift company which the project. Next month a group of students in Year focuses on good work ethics and sustainability within the industrial sector. We then talked about 10 will travel to Bormio in Lombardy, Italy to work how we could incorporate Orona’s ideas into our on activities linked with developing mentoring own schools and communities in our countries. projects in school. … and next year there will be Overall, this was an amazing opportunity and we trips to Romania and Finland as well as the visit we would encourage anybody who gets the chance to will be hosting. go on the next trips to definitely give it a go. We hope you will want to get involved.
STUDENT REPORT Ma Bhienilyn Elano (Year 9) writes: A group of 40 Year 9 students spent the day at the French Institute with Ms Clyne and Ms Mayer. The staff were very welcoming and kind. In the morning we did a lot of activities based on the film 'Les Malheurs de Sophie', such as revising the different colours, types of animals and lots of GCSE speaking practice. We also watched the trailer of the movie. After lunch, we went to the cinema where we watched the film. The movie was about a badly behaved young girl who had a difficult relationship with her stepmother. In my opinion, the movie had a great storyline, it reminded me of the Cinderella story. I definitely had a fun day and learnt lots of French. Thank you Ms Clyne and Ms Mayer for taking us. 12
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SOCIOLOGY TRIP TO HIGHATE CEMETERY Ms Barnes writes: This term our GCSE Sociology students visited Highgate Cemetery, the burial place of Karl Marx and thus, for many, a place of huge significance.
As a consequence Marx was regarded by some as amongst the most hated and reviled figures in history. This peaceful cemetery was full of individuals who had made their mark on society and significantly contributed to the arts, sciences and politics. There was an overwhelming sense that this is a fitting resting place for these people who had impacted our lives today and I felt privileged to visit such a special cemetery.
FIRST STORY AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Anna Jevons writes: When I entered the cemetery, it instantly felt surreal. The setting was so scenic, almost cinematic. It certainly felt far removed from the hustle and bustle of the city. It was so tranquil and full of greenery and springs first blooms. The first tomb that caught everyone’s eyes was Karl Marx’s, understandably as it was a very elaborate sculpture of his face on a tall tombstone. Karl Marx became a revolutionary and is now considered to be one of the most influential thinkers of all time. His theory is that dominant classes create dominant ideology. This idea truly resonated with me, as even today more than a hundred years after Karl Marx’s death, there still exists a massive divide between social classes that impacts many aspects of daily life, such as health and money. Karl Marx wanted to make communism widespread in Europe and was incredibly inspiring as he had lived in terrible poverty for most of his adult life, yet later managed to strive to become one of the most famous sociologists of all time. He received a backlash when he was proposing controversial ideas, such as his economic theory which involved the rich people sharing their wealth. Issue 34
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Mr Gowen writes: The First Story group visited University College London to take part in writing workshops as part of our continued work within the English department. Students worked with writer Anthony Cartwright and produced a fantastic collection of poems and short stories based on exhibits from the UCL gallery. Clara Klein-French 9I writes: The UCL trip was very enjoyable and gave me an opportunity to try something new, I thought the author we worked with was inspiring and our themes were very engaging. Seeing the University was also really good and it gave me an idea about what higher education is like. Willow Miller-Teece 9I The trip to UCL was fun and inspiring. I performed my story in front of other young writers in the UCL lecture theatre and it was really cool. Hearing positive remarks about my writing encouraged me to make my work even better, and going with my friends made me feel a lot more confident about my work. 13
YEAR 7 CASTLE COMPETITION
Ms Harding writes: Year 7 history students are studying Medieval history, and part of their study included the theme of castles. Therefore, the students were invited to take part in our model castle building competition. The castles could be made from any materials, for example cardboard, clay, lego, matchsticks, and even edible castles! We had a great amount of fantastic entries, and it was extremely difficult for the history department to choose the winners. After much deliberating, I have pleasure in announcing the following winners: First place: Angelina Pitkerics (7H) Second place: Alessandro Ingargiola (7G) Third place: Scarlett Lloyd, Amelie Seddon, Milly Tailor and Isobel Gordon (7I) Fourth place: Sasha Marks, Darcey Grant-Stephen (7W) & Katie Effingham (7G) Best edible castle! Hana Sky Nicholas (7I) Second best edible castle! Teddy Holohan-Fields (7W) I would like to thank every student that took part. 14
TURKISH HISTORY AT HWS Mr Holmes writes: 9S have been working with some visiting teachers who have taught a new series of lessons looking at the Ottoman empire. Dr Robin Whitburn and Mr Abdul Mohamud are both based at the Institute of Education and run an organisation called Justice2History which promotes teaching aspects of history that can be ‘hidden’ from school curricula, to help students better understand the multicultural society we live in. The class have been looking at the Ottomans with a particular focus on the extraordinarily diverse makeup of both the rulers and the ruled in that empire. These lessons have been geared to writing an answer to the overall question: 'How did the Ottoman empire shift from vibrant to stagnant over 600 years?' In the course of this enquiry, the students have learnt how the Ottomans developed a system of government that controlled much of the Middle East, North Africa, Central and Southern Europe. This system included a very diverse range of nationalities, ethnicities and religions, not just as subjects but also as advisers, administrators and even rulers . In future this topic will be included in the KS3 History curriculum at Highgate Wood School, both to reflect the large number of our students with Turkish and Kurdish backgrounds, and to help prepare all students for the new History GCSE, which includes a similar thematic study of multicultural Britain over a thousand years.
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March 2017
SCHOOL PRODUCTION: A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM It is hard to recall any school production that matched the energy, ambition, enthusiasm and professionalism of this year’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It was a spectacular performance of a very challenging play. Students and staff worked incredibly hard to make sure that it would be both enjoyable and accessible to all audiences, and they succeeded on both counts. Well done to all involved.
THE CAST OBERON – Ty Candappa TITANIA – Laura Moss LYSANDER – Joe Trainer DEMETRIUS – Toby Wyckoff Smith HERMIA – Lucy Whelan and Amy Davis HELENA – Emer Stevens and Charlotte Whelan EGEUS – Youssef Boukssid THESEUS – Jaden Bevan HIPPOLYTA – Eleanor Jones NICK BOTTOM – Abel Kent PETER QUINCE – Tom Carter FRANCIS FLUTE – Daniel Martin ROBIN STARVELING – Mya Pennicott TOM SNOUT – Sydney Aarons SNUG THE JOINER – Honor Beeby PHILOSTRATE – Faber Bell PEASEBLOSSOM — Manon Elliott COBWEB—Zoe Street MUSTARDSEED – Lily Bacon FAIRIES AND ATTENDANTS – Adam Foxsmith, Sasha Marks, Rose Feilden, Lola Goldfinch Betts, Lily Jones, Nina Fraser, Tamsin Jacobs,Izzy Williams, Afriyie Nyametie, Paris Reid, Lottie Ezer-Aham, Maya Culverwell.
With thanks also to the site staff who undertook the staging and seating arrangements and special thanks to the PSA who arranged for the ticket sales and promotion as well as provided refreshments on the evening. Issue 34
March 2017
Galleries of photographs of the preparation and the performance of our A Midsummer Night’s Dream are available on the gallery pages of the school website at http://bit.ly/hwsgalleries. Many thanks to Maddy Baron who took on the role of official production photographer - and did so with amazing talent and efficiency. 15
POWER YOURSELF TO PERFORM - ADVICE FOR SIXTH FORM AND GCSE STUDENTS
Ms Pinnick writes: You need to fuel your body with the right foods at the right times to energise your system, improve your ability to remain alert and sustain you through long exams. The wrong food choices can make you feel sluggish, jittery, burned out and crash your energy levels. Exams are like mental marathons so endurance is the key. Use the following nutrition tips to help you perform at your best on exam day. P – Preparation Start the day with a nutritious breakfast. Your brain needs the energy from food to work efficiently. You need to keep your mental focus on your exam and not on your hunger. The best breakfasts should include slow-release carbohydrates, such as porridge oats, whole grain bread or low-sugar muesli, as these provide slow- release energy. Add a protein food, such as milk, yoghurt or eggs, to keep you feeling full for longer, you can also add a banana, berries, nuts or seeds. If you really cannot stomach food, then try having a healthy smoothie. 16
E – Energy Levels Eat at regular times throughout the day and avoid high sugary foods such as pastries, sweets, caffeine and fizzy drinks. These will give you energy highs and crashes. The aim is to keep your blood sugars and energy levels stable by eating a combination of wholegrain carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats. Example foods for lunch include: wholegrain sandwich, jacket or sweet potatoes with tuna, baked beans or a protein filling wholegrain rice or pasta mixed with protein wholemeal roll/wrap with cold meat, fish, egg, cheese or peanut butter and salad omelette with cheese, ham, mushrooms or tomatoes.
Pre-plan your meals during your exams so that you give your brain and body the best possible fuel for maximum efficiency and therefore greatest success. R – Re-hydrate Drink a glass of water ideally with lemon at the start of the day. Carry a bottle of water around with you and take it into the exam. Limit your caffeine, fizzy or sugary drinks as this will lead to energy highs & lows. Dehydration can cause your brain to shut down, not work effectively and give you headaches. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water every day to help you think faster, keep focused and give your brain energy to function. Issue 35
March 2017
F – Focus Fuels Snack on brain boosting foods throughout the day such as fresh and dried fruit, nuts and seeds. Snacks such as peanut butter on rice cakes or cottage cheese on celery sticks, cheese and oat cakes or crackers, toast and marmite or peanut butter, non-sugary popcorn, yogurt, raw vegetables – carrots, avocado, peppers, tomatoes or a small amount of dark chocolate are all good options. O – Omega 3s Omega 3 has been shown to help brain function and increases concentration. It also helps to improve your immune system when your body and mind are stressed. The best source of Omega 3 is oily fish such as mackerel, sardines, salmon & trout. A great lunch would be fish on wholemeal toast. Other foods include walnuts, chia seeds, spinach and eggs. You could even take a supplement of cod liver oil tablets. R – Re-think brain blockers On exam day, stay away from foods made of white flour, such as cookies, cereal bars, pastries, cakes and muffins, which require added time and energy to digest. Also avoid foods that are high in refined sugar, such as chocolates, desserts, and sweets as these won't keep you stable during a long exam. Avoid sugary, fizzy or energy drinks and limit your caffeine, as it can increase your nervousness. Don't have turkey before an exam as it contains Ltryptophan, an essential amino acid which makes you feel sleepy. Avoid heavy carbohydrate meals as these can make you feel sluggish if eaten in large quantities. Eat lighter meals making sure it is enough to feel satisfied but not so much as to feel full and don't try out foods that you haven't had before!
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March 2017
M – Macro-nutrients
Have a combination of protein, fats, and carbs at every meal on exam day. You need protein to provide amino acids that create dopamine and norepinephrine. These brain chemicals make you feel more alert, attentive, and energetic. You need complex carbs that turn into glucose which fuels your brain. Carbs also create serotonin which can help you feel calm and put you in a positive frame of mind about your test. Having some healthy fats can keep you feeling full longer and help stabilize your blood sugar levels. And then to sleep... Experts believe memory neurons responsible for converting short-term memories into long-term ones work most effectively when we are asleep, and while you want heaps of energy during the day, come bedtime you need to ensure that your body and mind are ready to rest. There's evidence that students who sleep for seven hours a night do on average 10% better than those who get less sleep. Avoid foods and drinks that contain caffeine, such as tea, coffee, cola and chocolate, for least four hours before going to bed. Warm milk and herbal teas before bed have a sedative effect A heavy meal too close to bedtime can interfere with sleep, so try to have your last meal at least three hours before you go to bed. Then have a small snack such as a bowl of high-fibre cereal like porridge just before bedtime. 17
SKI TRIP TO ANDORRA
Mr Bomani writes: On Saturday 11th February 45 students and six staff members from Highgate Wood School embarked on a on a journey to the Eastern Pyrenees Mountains in Andorra. We arrived Sunday afternoon, sorted our ski wear and enjoyed a good night’s sleep before hitting the slopes on Monday. We enjoyed some fantastic ski conditions throughout the week with heavy, fresh snow at the beginning of the week followed by blue skies and sunshine for the rest. The progress in skiing the students made was fantastic to see, I had to look twice to see one of our beginner groups skilfully negotiating a steep red slope near the end of the week! The students represented the school fantastically and made it a pleasure to run and be a part of. Thanks to Miss Burniston, Mr Ifrim, Miss Ward, Mr Ismail and Miss McCartney for giving up their time
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Issue 35
March 2017
HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR AT HWS
Ms Eades writes: On Monday March 27th, local Holocaust survivor Solly Irving came in to speak to year 9 about his life and his experiences during the Holocaust. He was one of the first children to be bought to Britain after the end of the war, and has lived here ever since. Solly speaks in schools all over the country, following the parting words of his father to “stay alive and tell people what is happening”. We asked year 9 students to tell us what they learned from the experience. Alland Hemerashid (9A) writes Today we met a Holocaust survivor, he told us of his life when he was young as a Jew under the rule of Hitler. It was a real eye opener to meet someone that had lived through the horrors that we could never even imagine and had only read about and seen in movies. He told us he had been going around to schools like ours to educate children about the terrible predicaments people like him had to face, and to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself. A truly incredible experience.
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Nina Benjamin (9G) writes: It was an honour to listen to Solly Irving talk about his very emotional experiences. His eyes have seen so much pain and suffering and for him to share that was incredible. Solly mentioned tolerance and speaking up for yourself and others when you see injustice. This was a really important message and something that stuck with me. In this time with hate crime rising by 57% in the UK and the political situation in the world we must listen to Solly’s story and make sure history does not repeat itself. Solly’s life events made me grateful for my life and that I won’t ever experience such a horrific thing. The whole talk was so special and very emotional for me. Solly was destined to survive. He is truly a hero. This is a day I will never forget. Selin Tas, 9W writes: From the speech made by the Holocaust survivor I understood the importance of my own life and how grateful I should be not to have experienced the torments people like Solly did. “I was an old man before I was a child” was a line that particularly stood out for me as from it I could see the sort of effect the second world war had on children as young as nine, which was Solly’s age at the time of the start of the war. From the speech I took away that even after decades the Holocaust still affects survivors, even once they start a family, a new one doesn’t always replace the old.
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MODEL UN CONFERENCE Miss Sayer writes: With water covering over 70% of our planet, it is easy to assume that it will always be plentiful. However, with 96.5% of this contained in oceans, seas and bays and 1.74% in ice caps, glaciers and permanent snow, nearly 99% of the Earth’s water cannot be used by humans. Whilst the world’s population steadily rises, there has been little increase in the supply of clean, safe drinking water. As a result, around 1.1 billion people - 1 in 7 of Earth’s inhabitants - do not have access to water and 2.7 billion people find water scarce for at least one month of the year. On Saturday 11th March, Highgate Wood School was proud to host the tenth annual North London Model United Nations conference to discuss this global water crisis. The day began with the Opening Ceremony. We were very fortunate to be joined by Janet Wells from Water Aid, whose speech really emphasised the importance of the day’s discussions and placed it in ‘real world’ terms. Shortly after, committee matters began. Students from Highgate Wood School, Hornsey School for Girls, Bishop Douglass School and La Retraite RC Girls’ School represented countries from the United Kingdom to South Sudan and sat on different committees to discuss particular aspects of this issue. In each committee delegates were engaged in extraordinarily high levels of debate, using their diplomatic skills to convey their countries’ positions and negotiate with other delegations. The magic of Model United Nations is that it unites students from across Highgate Wood school- from the Year 7 rapporteurs to the Year 13 secretariat. We were even joined by some of last year’s Year 13 students: Harry Vinall-Smeeth and Blue Weiss, who are currently studying at Oxford University, and Lucy Parfitt, who will begin study at the University of Edinburgh in September. The conference was truly a team effort! Firstly, I would like to thank our Secretary-General, Emmy Budis; Under-Secretary General, Laura Moss; and Director-General Gabriel Brown for all of their hard 20
work in preparing for the conference. Secondly, the team of Chairs and Directors, who demonstrated impeccable teamwork skills to ensure the smooth running of their committees. Thank you to the Highgate Wood delegates, who represented their countries, their school and themselves so wonderfully. Thank you to Maddie Baron for her impressive photography. And finally, thank you to all of the staff who supported the event: Mr Manners, Mrs Sen and the site team, especially Achille!
A gallery of Maddy’s pictures from the Model UN Conference is available at http://bit.ly/nlmun17 Issue 35
March 2017
MODEL UN CONFERENCE
First-time delegates Elsa Pountney, Cassia Begg, Holly Tunnicliffe, and Issy McBroom write: Our experience in Model UN was incredible; it was a day of fun and nerves! We feel that it is an exciting opportunity to raise our voices about real world problems. The theme was Water: A Global Crisis, a very important issue that affects people worldwide. Although we can’t do much, we can discuss it and get our point across. Overall, it was an amazing day that raised our confidence to speak in front of others and I highly recommend that you take part next year!
LATE BREAKING NEWS In the very last week of term our team In the Urban Debate League have placed Highgate Wood School in 2nd place, both in London and nationally. You can keep up with their progress through the school twitter feed or by going to http://bit.ly/ hwsudl2017 Issue 34
March 2017
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WORK EXPERIENCE
Louise Cole-Legate: Lousie was placed at a Primary School, where she went above and beyond her job description. Louise was also asked to go back to help out with future events. Sophia Doncheff: Sophia had the opportunity to spend a week at Tottenham Police station meeting various groups within the Police. She put her knowledge from Police Cadets to good use and was highlighted as enthusiastic by the Police officer in charge.
Charlotte Whelan: Charlotte was placed at Action for Kids, where she excelled beyond belief. The Ms Eisa writes: employer emailed the school at the end of the week On February 27th Students from year 10 embarked and sung her praises. Charlotte was praised for on a week of Work Experience. They were prepared having a natural aptitude towards the young people, with their health and safety guidance and logbooks and a keen willingness to help both staff and and sent out into the world of work. students. Students travelled all over London and some even ventured out of the city as far as Pendarren. A wide WE DAY REWARDS TRIP variety of placements ranged from the British Film Institute to Madame Tussauds, the Metropolitan Police to Action for Kids. All students were faced with brand new experiences and gained new skills that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Each student was visited by a teacher at some point in the week and we were met with such brilliant feedback from both employers and students. Work Experience is often just as much about finding out what you don’t want to do as it is finding out what you do want to do in the future. Our students were an absolute testament to the school, working hard wherever their Work Placement was. Ms Gribble writes: There really is no bad Work Experience, if students Year 10 students have been tackling local causes work hard they gain skills, experience and in many over the past term. They have run a Food Bank to cases this year, fantastic references! collect food for the Haringey Food Bank, put on a We were proud of all of them but a few students Bake Sale to raise money for Crisis and begun a penreally do deserve special mention for their pal scheme to challenge ignorance and exceptional work during the week: discrimination. Ed Petty and Brandon Durrand: Who had the To celebrate their excellent contributions they were opportunity to spend a week at the BFI, where they rewarded with a school trip to Wembley Arena for helped to manage groups of visiting students. WeDay. Well done Sophie Kinloch, Ella Phillips, Madeleine Cormican: Madeline got the chance to Alasdair Ellis, Isabel Poutney, Noa Yaron, Maddie work at December 19 Ltd, a Marketing Company. Osborne, William Jenner, Eimear Stevens, Euan The company contacted school to say how fantastic Escott, Milou-Mai Law, Thomas Roberts, Arishma and helpful she had been throughout the week. Baig, Jack Wilkins, Grace Heron and Hope Selby. 22
Issue 35
March 2017
WORLD BOOK DAY WORKSHOPS
Ms Ereira writes: To celebrate World Book Day, each class in Year 7 took part in a writing workshop with our Patron of Reading, Keren David. Keren introduced them to a collaborative, character -led way of creating stories, which generated some very interesting and thoughtful story plans. Lily, 7E, writes: 'I really enjoyed the creative writing workshop with Keren David because it was very imaginative and also allowed you to work independently and with another person, making ideas and sharing them. ‘The workshop made you come up with your own character that had a description, a backstory and secrets. Then you got to share your ideas with a partner and together you got your characters to meet up in a story that you create with your partner. ‘In the end Keren chose some pairs to come up and read out their story. Lots of the stories were very good and I enjoyed the workshop.' Other students commented that it was 'fantastic,' 'fun,' 'inspiring,' and 'a GREAT way to spend World Book Day!'
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March 2017
Many told me that they would be continuing their stories on their own, which is great news. Keren is very happy to be contacted by anyone who does continue with their stories, so please come and see me in the LRC if you’d like to be put in touch with her. This workshop is particularly significant for Keren, as her first book, When I Was Joe, came out of just this exercise. When I Was Joe won six awards, was translated into several languages and eventually became the first book in a trilogy about the same character. Come and find it in the LRC if you haven’t already read it!
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WORLD BOOK DAY 2017 Well done to everyone who dressed up for World Book Day! As always, there were some magnificent costumes. Congratulations to the overall costume winners, Luke Marshall of 7S and Katya Dickson of 8A.
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March 2017
HARINGEY CHILDREN’S BOOK AWARD Ms Ereira writes: On 21st March, the Year 7 book club welcomed Coleridge Primary School’s Year 5 & 6 book club to a quiz in the LRC. We have all been reading the books shortlisted for the Haringey Children’s Book Award, a local book award aimed at Years 5-7. The Haringey Children’s Book Award is now in its 3rd year, set up by the librarian community in Haringey to promote literacy across the borough through interaction between schools. The award aims to get more children reading and share fantastic books with them that they may have not noticed. We held our own mini-vote, with Catching Falling Stars the runaway winner, but we’ll have to wait until April 24th to find out who wins the real vote at the awards ceremony hosted by Heartlands High School. This year’s shortlisted books are: The Best Medicine by Christine Hamill Catching Falling Stars by Karen McCombie Cogheart by Peter Bunzl The Imaginary by AF Harrold Library of Lemons by Jo Cotterill Strange Star by Emma Carroll
The winners of Highgate Wood School's second book award were announced at a ceremony in the LRC on 3rd March 2017. This year students (and staff) voted in two age categories. The winning book in the younger category was Cell 7 by Kerry Drewery. Described on our student review pages as 'gripping... full of suspense and drama', this is an exciting, thought-provoking dystopian novel. The winning book in the older category was 13 Minutes by Sarah Pinborough. Described on our student review pages as 'thrilling', it is an unputdownable psychological thriller. Both books are incredibly popular here, and the news was received with loud cheering. Both winning authors provided video clips for our award ceremony, thanking the students for their votes and commending them on their excellent taste!
ACCELERATED READER AWARD WINNERS Ms Razi writes Congratulations to the students below for passing an important threshold Gold Words Arlo Biddulph Olivia Dennis Jolanda Dittrich Katie Effingham Isabel Gordon Silver Quizzes Bethan Coomber, L. Jolanda Dittrich Katie Effingham Steven Ford Isabel Gordon Maya Ramlogan
Talia Hendry Frankie Holmes-Kelly Ellie Hutchings Arisara Iglesis Barrull Silver Words Zeki Jones Kaito Anderson Ainoa Kontoh Mayam Bar-Amotz Isabelle McBroom Vardimon Conor McGrail Cassia Begg Emily Millard Eliza Buckton Liam M O'Shea Gabriel Cahill Coady Freddie Pegler Bethan Coomber, L. Elsa Pountney Daisy Daman Underwood Maya Ramlogan Steven Ford Daisy Richards-Davies Adam Foxsmith Elodie Soteriou Nina Fraser Phoebe Spellman Noah Gerner Milly Tailor Maisy Harrison
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March 2017
Saron Tariku Holly Tunnicliffe Oliwia Zdeb Many congratulations also to those many students who have now achieved the Bronze Words and the Bronze Quiz challenges.
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SPECTROSCOPY IN A SUITCASE
Ms Pinnick writes: Sixth Form students are now entering the crucial period of preparing for their AS and A2 exams which start in May. The vast majority are attending all their lessons and showing excellent effort and commitment. In order to reduce the stress of revision, all students should be revising little and often from now until the exams. In addition to their class notes, students should be preparing their revision notes after each lesson and revising these on a regular basis. Teachers are setting homework regularly on Show My Homework, including exam questions. Students should ensure that all homework is completed on time in order to receive useful feedback from their teachers.
UNIVERSITY FAIR Dr S Chaudhary writes: On March 23rd we were please to host another “Spectroscopy in a suitcase” workshop for Year 12 and 13 Chemistry A level students. Undergraduates from University College London and a Royal Society of Chemistry representative delivered the workshop, covering the principles of spectroscopic techniques such as IR (Infrared) and Mass Spectroscopy. This provided our students with hands-on experience of the content directly related to our A level Chemistry specification. The A level students run IR spectra on simple and complex organic molecules using a £20K IR spectrometer brought into school by the RSC. The Year 13 students were also given an opportunity to run an IR spectrum on their own samples of Aspirin Unfortunately, no football was on display, but (acetylsalicylic acid) that they had synthesised in a students commented on how informative it was to Chemistry lesson a week earlier. speak with individual students from a wide range of The IR spectrum provided students with structural institutions. information and an indication to the level of purity Some of these organisations will hopefully be of their Aspirin samples, this information along with coming to Highgate Wood School later this year to a copy of the spectrum will be included in their talk further about the opportunities they offer our A experimental write up. -level students. Mr Pateman writes: On Friday 3rd March, over 40 Year 12 students attended the UK University Search Event at the Emirates Stadium in Highbury. The event hosted over 70 universities, including Russell Group, red brick and modern institutions. There were also some fantastic stalls offering other career paths, such as the Royal Opera House and arts organisations from the Southbank Centre. Students were also able to attend student finance talks and subject panels in the Royal Oak room.
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Issue 35
March 2017
TRINITY COLLEGE CAMBRIDGE: CONFERENCE
Mr Charlesworth writers: Ten of our Year 12 students spent a stimulating and challenging day at Trinity College Cambridge taking part in tutorials, meeting students and finding out about life as a student at a leading university. Our students were invited as a reflection of their excellent GCSE grades as part of a programme to encourage students from a Black and Ethnic Minority (BME) background to consider application to a leading university. BME students are under represented in the application process and so the day was designed to allow our students to imagine themselves as students at Trinity or another Oxbridge college. After a short welcome students took part in two tutorial sessions similar in style to the small group discussion that is central to teaching at university. There was a choice of sessions so that students could pick two that matched their interests. The Tutors were course leaders and experts in their field. After lunch and a college tour students met a panel of Cambridge students currently studying at the University who were all from a BME background. The panel of eight students were truly an inspiration and took questions on all aspects of their experience as a BME student at a leading university. Feedback from our students was very positive with all feeling that the day had encouraged them to aim high and seriously consider an application to a leading UK University when they are in Year 13. Issue 34
March 2017
SIXTH FORMERS BID FOR A PERSONAL CHALLENGE
Ms Pinnick writes: As part of the Sixth form Enrichment Programme, several groups of students have been working with the Mark Evison Foundation on planning a personal challenge for the summer holidays. The Mark Evison Foundation, which was set up to honour Lt Mark Evison who was killed in Afganistan in 2009 while attempting to get his platoon back to safety following an ambush, invites young people to create and plan projects which are personally challenging with the aim of helping them develop confidence, strength, resilience and breadth of experience. All of the applications are self-designed, based on something that they are keen to do and “owned” by the students themselves. Last week, two groups of students presented their plans to Margaret Evison, Mark’s mother and the Executive Trustee of the Foundation. Tommy Escott, Charlie Fraser-Allen and Oscar Murphy plan on making a wind turbine which will power a mobile phone at the top of Ben Nevis, while Maddie Baron, Jahadil Hussain, Abel Kent, Jordan Kennedy, Alex Vidic and Lucy Whelan plan on star gazing in the middle of a forest in Scotland. The two groups gave excellent presentations and received useful feedback from Margaret Evison. The next stage is for their plans to go before the rest of the trustees who will decide if the groups receive up to £500 to fund their challenge. We will keep you posted on how their plans develop.
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OUR LIFE IN THEIR HANDS
Dr S Chaudhary writes: This term a group of potential medical students from our Year 12 attended a residential event at University of East Anglia, UEA that offered them an insight into life as a medical student, plus the opportunity to chat to current students and junior doctors. Our students gained understanding of what a career in medicine could involve through interactive sessions with medical students from the MEDSOC and Junior Doctors. The sessions included problem based learning, CPR course, measuring blood pressure, heart beat listening, examining lung functions, dipstick analysis of urine samples, splinting techniques for broken bones and reading patient charts. The students also listened to lectures given on Biomedical Ethics and Anatomy.
COSTUME DESIGN IN THE THEATRE
Ms Robertson writes: Four of our AS. Art and Design, Textiles students visited the Prince of Wales Theatre in Coventry Street on 28th February, but it was not to see a show. They were shown the costume department, backstage, and the production costumes, to see how a professional theatre creates and maintains costumes for a West End production. Staff at the theatre explained how costumes were designed and produced including ageing fabric and designing for quick changes. Students were able to ask about careers in the theatre and pathways in to costume design and related careers. Ellen Worrell, year 12, said, "It was amazing to see how much hard work and time was put in behind the scenes. It gave me a huge insight in to the world of theatre."
CROUCH END FESTIVAL
The Anatomy Session included students being challenged to identify organs, bones and joints in the human body. Out of all the students from several different schools attending the event, our Year 12s won 2nd place in the event. Well done Jahidul Hussain, Eda Yuce and Eliane Vitoriano, who won a second place in this event. Our students also attended a session given by the Dean of the Medical School of UEA, Dr Mary Jane Platt, from which the students gained valuable advice on how to successfully apply to study medicine. 28
This year’s Crouch End Festival takes place from 9th—18th June. For more information follow @crouchendfest or visit www.crouchendfestival.org Issue 35
March 2017
ART AT HIGHGATE CEMETERY
GEOGRAPHY TRIP TO SNOWDONIA
Ms Zwicky writes: Spring term is a busy term in the art department not least because all our exam classes start their Externally Set Assignment. This year we wanted to ensure our sixth formers had an opportunity to record information and visual stimuli by visiting the Highgate Cemetery, so that this part of their course (50%) gets off to the best possible start. On the day our year 12 students were working alongside students from year 13 from both disciplines; Art and Photography . It was fantastic to see students be able to learn from each other by observing how other people record in a different subject, and how they can then apply different processes in their own recording and drawings. We were so impressed how our students approached this trip with enthusiasm and imagination despite the cold. They really made the most of visiting this iconic resting place for so many important and iconic personalities. Here are a few photos capturing the busy, and creative atmosphere of the day. If you are interested to see how this work develops over the next few weeks, please ensure you follow us on @HWSArt_Photo. Issue 34
March 2017
Mr Thomas writes: This term 27 Year 12 geographers embarked on a voyage of discovery to the wilderness of Snowdonia to look at the glaciated landscape formed through the multiple ice ages of the Quaternary Period. An early and efficient start from HWS meant we arrived in Betws Y Coed with plenty of time to climb the nearby U shape valley to admire the scenery in the bright spring sunshine where the lambs were having a lovely time gambolling around. It was hot work climbing the hills and so luckily on top there was a refreshing hailstorm to cool everyone down. On day 2 we went to the stunning Cwm Idwal, a large corrie lake near to Snowdon itself to complete field work techniques reconstructing the position and movement of ice using the relict features such as striations, erratic boulders and moraine. The weather was cold (below freezing in the wind chill) but bright and sunny with excellent views of the snow-capped mountains. Our field trip was certainly an adventurous trip to a stunning landscape with students completing high standard work for their up-coming AS exams and subsequent A level coursework. A big thank you (diolch yn fawr) for the support of parents in making this trip possible and also to the Tottenham Grammar School Foundation for a sizeable contribution to the transport costs. The students were tremendously enthusiastic and worked with accuracy, and so a big thank you to them too!
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NATIONAL SPACE ACADEMY MASTERCLASS
Dr Trujillo-Puig writes: On 1st March, a group of our talented Year 12 students went to Highgate School Mills’ Centre to enjoy a full-day National Space Academy Masterclass for KS5. This event offered our students the opportunity to discover cutting edge space and engineering research, with sessions relating to both recent and important historical space missions. In addition to the curriculum content, the Masterclass included examples of careers relating to the space sector as well as more generalised space careers information. We examined a collection of meteorites (including rocks from Mars and the Moon) and watched The Known Universe, a video from the American Museum of Natural History. We then went through some activities; like calculating the change of speed when a planet orbits a star, astronaut’s mass in space or the distance to Venus (it is recommended to read the adventure and science book, Chasing Venus: The Race to Measure the Heavens by Andrea Wulf). When solving these challenges, it is easy to realize that maths really does run the world (indeed!) and we were told that big salaries will not come from completing easy tasks. The day was not entirely full of hard thinking, we had time for games, quizzes, a free lunch and we had even time to play the piano (well not me!). A challenge for you: could you calculate the height of a triangle of sides 9,16 and 25 cm?
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NEW ISSUE OF NECK OF THE WOODS
Patrick Hegarty Morrish writes: Editing the sixth form newspaper, Neck of the Woods, has been a fantastic experience. Over the last year we have published articles ranging from comment pieces condemning climate change and the rise of populist authoritarianism, to sport articles on Roger Federer and the Six Nations. There have been reviews on ‘the immediate future of leftfield music’ and an instructive survey of sixth form students to establish the levels of support for the two candidates in November’s US presidential election. Giving students the freedom to choose what they would like to write about has ensured that the articles are passionate, expressing nuanced perspectives. Neck of the Woods was started with the view of promoting a student voice within a newspaper that is written, edited and designed by students; the last year has been an amazing experience. We hope that when the current year eleven progresses into year twelve, they will be equally enthusiastic to get involved. You can read the current issue on line at http://bit.ly/hwsnow7 Hard copies are also available in school. Issue 35
March 2017
NOTICES SSAT AWARD
INSIGHT—MOVE TO ONLINE VERSION
We are delighted that Highgate Wood School has won an SSAT Annual Educational Outcomes Award for our Key Stage 4 examinations in 2016. This builds on similar awards we have received in the past, but is now based on the new Progress 8 measure. The SSAT has used key official indicators in its analysis and this places Highgate Wood School in the top 20% of all non-selective schools nationally in terms of student attainment. COMMUNICATIONS
Groupcall Xpressions is an App that allows us to send messages to parents absolutely free of charge. If you have an Iphone or an Android it is easy to install, just download the App from Google Play or the App Store, install it on your phone and then enter your email address and mobile number. If it matches with our records then you will automatically receive messages through the App rather than by text. You will also benefit from the future developments we have planned for Xpressions, which includes linking to the main school calendar. More information on the App is available on the school website at http://bit.ly/ hwscomms. If you have any problems logging in—or problems linking to any other school system including Wisepay, e-praise and Show My Homework, please email data@hws.haringey.sch.uk Issue 34
March 2017
Insight is already available on-line where we know it is read by many parents and also a much wider audience. The printed version has a financial costs, and also an environmental impact, that we would like to remove. From the next issue in the summer term we plan to move entirely on-line, and just print a few dozen copies for school visitors and for parents who still do not like to go online. If you have any concerns or objections to this please email insight@hws.haringey.sch.uk All back numbers of Insight are available on the school website at http://bit.ly/hwsinsight CHOICES: NEW SERVICE IN HARINGEY
Choices is a new services to support the emotional wellbeing of children, young people and families in Haringey. This service allows for self-referral (for parents and young people) and offers a one-off (1hour) appointment to establish with children, young people and their families the intervention most appropriate to them to help address concerns about emotional wellbeing and/or mental health. For more details please call 020 8702 3405 or visit www.haringeychoices.org 31
School begins again for students on
Tuesday 18th April It will be Week 2 at 10:50am KEY DATES Summer term begins
Tuesday 18th April
Sixth Form Parent Support Evening
Wednesday 19th April
Year 10 Parent Consultation Evening
Tuesday 25th April
PSA Curry and Quiz Night
Thursday 27th April
Bank Holiday
Monday 1st May
Year 11 Alternative timetable begins
Monday 15th May
Year 11 Dress Up Day
Friday 26th May
HALF TERM
Monday 29th May - Friday 2nd June
GCSE Art Show
Friday 9th June
A Level Art Show
Friday 16th June
Year 11 Celebration Evening
Friday 23rd June
Sports Day
Friday 30th June
MADFEST
Friday 30th June
Transition Parents Evening
Monday 3rd July
Year 6 Transition Day INSET DAY (school closed to students)
Tuesday 4th July
End of KS3 Celebration
Friday 14th July
End of Term
Friday 21st July
AUTUMN 2017* Monday 4th Sept
Monday 10th July
SPRING 2018* Term Starts
Monday 16th April
Term Starts*
23rd - 27th October Half term break
12th - 16th Feb
Half term break
28th May—1st June
Half term break
Thursday 21st Dec
Friday 13th April
Term Ends
Friday 20th July
Term Ends
Term Starts Term Ends
Wednesday 3rd Jan
SUMMER 2018*
* term dates for 2017-18 are provisional
The school calendar is available on-line at www.hws.uk.com
Keep informed Find out what is going on at Highgate Wood School and keep up with our news visit us at our website www.hws.uk.com follow us on twitter twitter.com/highgatewood Check the school’s opening status Call 02084087508 and give the school’s DfE code: 3094030
Insight is available on-line at www.hws.uk.com