Clarion Christmas 2014 Edition

Barton Court Grammar School

CLARION! Winter 2014

Sporting success!

Drama, Debating, Trips………...

And much more inside…….!

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Contents 3

Headteacher’s Report

34 Sports Round-Up 1: Football

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Notes from the Editors

35 Barton Court vs Abbey

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Head Boy and Head Girl Report

36 Robert Abbot - Bowling 37 Year 7 Girls Futsal Success

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Spanish Exchange

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French Exchange

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Hannah Simmonds and First Aid

42 Slam Poetry Day!

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Year 9 Natural History Museum

44 Post Mortem—Drama

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Debating Night

46 The Woman in Black Theatre Trip

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DT Challenge

48 Applying to Scottish Universities

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Art and DT Trip to the V&A

50 Art Department News

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District Cross Country

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Year 7 Poetry

53 Debating Matters at Barton Court

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Barton Court goes to Africa

54 Battle of the Xmas Jumpers

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25th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall

55 Barton Court Winter Concert

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Learning From Auschwitz

56 Female Choristers make history

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Mr Nelson: Extended Writing

57 Art Quiz

38 Sports Round-Up 2

58 Multicultural Celebration Day 26 Trip to Cern, Geneva 27 Barton Court’s Charity Efforts 28 Goodbye Year 13 29 Movember 30 Speedy Cars Challenge 31 Working in America 32 Top Films of 2014

60 Forthcoming Events

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Headteacher’s Report Welcome to the Christmas edition of our School magazine, the Clarion! which contains a small selection of the fun and educational activities that everyone has been involved with since the summer term, plus some very interesting articles written by our students. A huge thank you goes to both Mr Hodgkins and Megan Jones for all their hard work, time and commitment producing it this term.

A record amount of money was raised last year, £7,686.98, by our fantastic students and staff, for the students’ chosen charities: Cancer Research UK, Make a Wish Foundation, Pilgrims Hospice and Kent Air Ambulance. This year fundraising has already reached new heights and we are on track to exceed our target of £9.5k. In addition, students are giving their time and energy to other worthy causes, such as contributions to the Food Bank, RAG week, cakes for the Macmillan Coffee Morning, Movember, and battle of the Xmas jumpers (did you see Mr Millward’s onesie?)

Whilst the achievements of all our students deserve a special mention and celebration, the personal achievements of a few do stand out in this edition. Hannah Simmons who saved the life of a man on a train and Rebekah Kennet and Lauren Weir who have joined the Cathedral’s first female choir. Did you see them on TV recently in the documentary about the Cathedral? We are so very proud of these students and their outstanding contributions to our local community.

Our Head Boy, Jack Grieve, and our Head Girl, Lizzie Leahy, have been stunning this year and are not only excellent ambassadors for the School, but are also fantastic role models for younger students. They have worked tirelessly for the benefit of the School and shown a huge level of commitment and professionalism when carrying out their duties and representing us. This year’s Senior Prefect Team have been the best ever, and their contributions to the School as a team have been well received and welcomed by both staff and students.

In Sports we seem to be taking over the world when it comes to Futsal, Girls’ Basketball, Cross Country and Year 7 rugby (who beat Langton Boys convincingly 24 – 5). We also have an emerging star in Robert Abbot with his Bowling career.

Please do take your time to read the whole magazine, in particular the fantastic enrichment opportunities available at the School, with details of some of the day trips and residential trips on offer to our students.

Barton Court has had an extremely successful year, with an Outstanding Ofsted report in March followed, yet again, by some of the best ever examination results in the School’s history. The IB Diploma results yet again exceeded our expectations for the 4th consecutive year with 100% of students passing the Diploma and the IB average Point Score of 34.1. Students achieved high grades at A Level again and the combined IB and A Level scores were 69% A*/B placing the School, yet again, as the highest performing school in the district at Post-16 and ranked 107th in the whole country. At GCSE students achieved the highest percentage A*/A grades in the School’s history breaking the 50% barrier for the first time. We are extremely delighted and proud of our students’ achievements at both KS4 and KS5 and we celebrate these with them and their families at the annual Awards Evening on Wednesday 17 December at the University of Kent.

This term we have launched the Thinking Schools: Habits of Mind (Or Attributes for Success) to compliment the learning and thinking tools of the Maps and Hats introduced in previous years. We have placed thinking at the heart of our learning and teaching and we are developing a common visual language of Thinking Tools to enable our students to become independent, confident, thoughtful, life-long learners. We believe that thinking students will be successful in their learning and life beyond Barton Court. We are working with Exeter University towards accreditation as a Thinking School and the date for the accreditation assessment is in February 2015.

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Headteacher’s Report In the last four years we have renovated over 31 classrooms as part of our rolling programme of school improvement, creating a 21st Century learning environment with the latest technology, allowing us to deliver outstanding teaching and learning. We now have Interactive Whiteboards in every classroom and over 185 new computers across the school site for student use. Our Sixth Form Learning Resource Centre and biometric registration for Sixth Form study periods is proving very popular with students, as they appreciate the best resources we can offer them. We have developed our own Virtual Learning Environment (VLE), with Student and Parent portals now up and running for 24/7 learning and improved communication.

It is so important that students have access to the best facilities and resources the School can offer and it is for this reason, as the Governors continue to plan for the future of Barton Court over the next 10+ years, that we look strategically ahead at how the School can continue to develop and improve for future generations.

Following a detailed feasibility study last year of our current site and a prospective site in Herne Bay, Governors decided, due to prohibitive costs, to focus on staying in Canterbury and finding ways to improve the current facilities. We are in the process of submitting a bid for some money to start this process. The outcome will not be known until March 2015 but if we are lucky enough to secure this additional funding we hope to provide a new teaching facility by February 2017.

It is such a privilege and pleasure to be Headteacher at Barton Court Grammar School and sometimes it is hard to believe that this is my fifth year at the School. Time has passed very quickly, although not without its challenges! The School has evolved and is now a truly outstanding grammar school, delivering high quality education to our young people. This is the absolute minimum they deserve and Barton Court is a lovely, caring and supportive community within which to learn and teach. The wide range of activities offered and the fundraising events organised by the students is testament to the hard work and commitment of all staff and students in making Barton Court such a special place to learn and develop.

I have no doubt that you will enjoy reading our Christmas edition of this magazine and I would like to take this opportunity to wish our readers a Merry Christmas, with best wishes for the New Year from everyone at Barton Court Grammar School.

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Note from the Editor Mr Hodgkins writes: I hope that you enjoy this term's Clarion! magazine.

It has certainly been a busy term, with a range of interesting visits and activities across the School.

Barton Court has a flourishing extras curricular programme and it is always interesting to discover the many and varied things going on around the School. Similarly, our students do some amazing things outside of the classroom too.

The problem is, most of you are too modest to tell us about it! So, come on students, tell the Clarion team about the incredible things that I know that you do—whether it be some sporting achievements, or volunteering, or singing, or dancing, or even saving someone’s life ! (See our story inside for more details).

Seriously, we would like to celebrate our skills, and also our acts of bravery and kindness—the things that make this school such a special place to study and to teach in. So, let’s hear from you !

I’m also looking for new editors from the Sixth Form in 2015 to work on the next Clarion!. Our current team, headed by Megan Jones, have been truly brilliant, but their important exams loom large, so I would like willing Year 12’s to step up and try to fill their shoes. Come and see me in Room 17.

In the meantime, I’ll let you get on with reading the magazine and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Mr Hodgkins Director of Learning—English

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Head Boy and Head Girl Report Jack Grieve, Head Boy Since I have taken over from last year's Head Boy, Pierre Anderson, I have taken on many roles and responsibilities within the School. What's so exciting is that these range from planning enrichment days for different year groups, to giving speeches at open evenings.

I have taken part in charity fund raising for the School. For example, as part of Rag week, Lizzie and I have been nominated to take part in "Soak the Head Boy and Girl", which will prove to be interesting, to say the least!

One of the aspects of the role that myself and Lizzie have been very influential in, is Student Voice. We have been a part of the recent changes to both the reward and sanction systems, as well as recently leading a meeting with the Caterlink Operations Manager, from which we have been able to arrange many new and exciting deals that will shortly be on offer to students.

Some of the achievements that Lizzie and I have had so far include successfully planning and carrying out the Year 11 Prom in June, working with the Year 11 Prom Committee and Barton Court staff to produce a wonderful evening.

The Year 7 and 8 disco was also very successful. Myself and Mr Duran led a team of sixth formers to produce a fantastic Winter disco, which was enjoyed by all.

I am currently working with the Sixth Form Summer Ball Committee to plan the Year 13 Summer Ball. The process has so far proven to be very challenging, as we've had to make important decisions on behalf of the students regarding venues, DJ's and themes. If all goes to plan, this event will be both a great success and fantastic farewell for my year group.

So, overall, the role of Head Boy is more than it appears. It's not as easy as just posing for pictures in the prospectus!

Being Head Boy has so far challenged me, excited me and made me more aware of the planning that takes place for any event to run smoothly. I have had a fantastic time in leading the senior prefect team so far, and we've had many successes. Hopefully this will continue until next year, when I'll be handing over the role to someone else!

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Head Boy and Head Girl Report Elizabeth Leahy, Head Girl Since taking on the role of Head Girl this year, I have had so many fantastic experiences and achievements, it's very difficult for me to narrow them down to just a few, so I've chosen the ones that have stood out for me, as being those that will stay with me for a long time after I leave Barton Court.

Firstly, I had the honour and privilege of meeting the Lord Mayor of Canterbury for a cheque presentation to one of the School’s chosen charities, Porchlight, which helps homeless people in Canterbury. I had the opportunity to meet the Lord Mayor and speak to her about the work that Porchlight do, as well as being able to speak to members of Canterbury City Council. Experiences like this are very unique to the role of a Head student, and this is one of the many reasons why I would strongly urge anyone considering taking the role next year to go for it.

The entire Senior Prefect Team had the fantastic opportunity of attending a Leadership Conference at the King’s School earlier this year, in which we completed a series of team-work tasks, which improved our ability to work together. As part of this conference, we completed a questionnaire called the “Belbin Self-Perception Inventory”, where we found out which attributes we each bring to the team, for example, the Shaper, Plant, Monitor-Evaluator, Team Worker, and Completer-Finisher. From this, we found out the roles that each of us play within the team, so we have been able to make the most of our team and work effectively.

Finally, at the Carol Service on the 4th December, I read the First Lesson at Canterbury Cathedral. Although this was a very nerve-wracking experience, I feel so privileged to have been given this once in a lifetime opportunity to speak in front of such a large group of people, in such a historically valued building. So, I’d like to thank Barton Court for giving Jack and I these fantastic opportunities ,and we can’t wait for the rest of the year.

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Spanish Exchange October 2014

Various students

October 2014 meant another year of Spanish Exchange trips, so a Year 11 Spanish group took a trip to Madrid to do some sightseeing, take in the culture and learn more of the Spanish language.

Here’s what they had to say about the experience: “From the 13th October to the 19th October we went on the Spanish exchange to Las Rozas on the outskirts of Madrid. We visited Madrid where we saw El Prado, an art museum, where we looked at paintings by artists, such as Goya and Rembrandt. We also went and tried 'chocolate con churros' in Madrid's most reputed cafe. Another place we visited was El Escorial, a huge monastery which had been built by Phillip the 2nd in honour of his Catholic beliefs. The array of rooms had impressive architecture. The last place we visited was Toledo, a place renowned for its marzipan, leather and swords. It was interesting to see the contrast between the buildings there- some were very modern and beautiful, others were old and abandoned.”

By Elena Lickman, Alice Scharmeli and Carla McIntyre (Y11) “I decided to do the Spanish exchange to improve my Spanish that I could use in an everyday conversation. To start with, I was nervous about going to live with my family, however I got on really well with them. I went out to restaurants with Esther and her family in the evening and battled it out playing Just Dance on the wii. I found it strange eating so late at 9pm-10pm, but I fitted into the routine quickly. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with Esther and her family and I have been invited to go to Malaga with them next year!”

By Elena Lickman

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“The exchange gave me the opportunity not only to practice my Spanish but also to experience the culture of a city I’d never visited before. It was also interesting to go to school with my exchange partner. Seeing the contrast between lessons there and back here in the UK was well worth the early start in the mornings!

Although the classrooms only had blackboards and lessons were less interactive than here at Barton Court, the teachers had some unique teaching ideas which kept the students engaged and helped them to continuously progress in each subject.”

By Carla McIntyre

“For me, this was the second time on a Spanish Exchange and I am pleased to say that this year's trip was just as amazing as last's. Luckily, I get on very well with my exchange, Irene, and her familyI always feel welcomed and thoroughly enjoy myself there.

Also, thanks to them, I was able to truly immerse myself in Spanish culture so that I not only discovered hidden treasures but I also tried an array of traditional food.

Every day, I tasted a new dish from tortilla to bacalao con pimientos and on Friday, the host school treated us to a giant paella in the sun. It was delicious! Any fears I'd had concerning food soon went away as my family really took my preferences into consideration and I would definitely recommend this trip to anyone who wants to improve their Spanish and most importantly, make a close friend in a short time period”

By Alice Scharmeli

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French Exchange November 2014

Finlay Perry

Year 10 student, Finlay Perry,tells us all about the French exchange which took place in November At 2 am in the morning of Saturday the 4th of October 15 students, Mr Urquhart and Mademoisselle Le Gars set off for Stansted Airport to meet our French counterparts. After checking in, we got onto the plane for a brief two-hour flight. Armed only with dubious photos of our French friends to-be, we met them at the Arrivals desk of Lourdes Airport in the south west of France. We were then driven home by our families and spent the remainder of the weekend with our hosts, enjoying activities ranging from visiting zoos to laser tag.

On Monday we drove to the chilli capital of France, visiting Saint Pée sur Nivelle, Ainhoa and Espellette. First we visited a chilli-pepper farm where we learned the rigorous standards which the farmers need uphold to gain the stamp of Espellette chillis. The farm was also home to a small herd of huge cows and enough chillis to propel you to the moon. After visiting various Basque villages we were given a tour where we learned about life in the 1700s. Facts ranged from the different connotations of flat to sloped roofs (sloped roofs meant you were poor, and needed the storage, while flat roofs meant you had already prospered); we also learned that you can keep your house warm by storing your horses under your house. Cosy, but sometimes smelly at the same time!

The next day we started off from school to embark on a quiz on the local heritage and general knowledge of Orthez. Questions ranged from the name of the river to the origin of the name of the school, the Viscount Gaston Fébus. The market was large and varied in products, with many varieties of local foods and trinkets to buy. We left the market to spend the afternoon in school, and after a welcome speech from the head, we were sent to some very interesting lessons. The most noticeable aspect of school, aside from the non-uniform was the pupil-selected tune to end the lessons, which, this term, was the Pink Panther theme……very French!

Wednesday began with a drive down the motorway to Bayonne, where we made a beeline for the chocolate factory and museum, L’Atelier du Chocolat. After being enlightened in the many steps towards culinary perfection, we were treated to a tasting session - as much chocolate as we could eat.

In the afternoon we had some down- time, where we could sample the French shops.

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The day after that, we explored more local history, beginning with a visit to the local city of Pau, and the longstanding castle, built in the 12th to 13th century with tables as long as a football pitch and tapestries which take a decade to weave. We also saw a depiction of the assassination of the King of France, Henry IV, who was murdered by a crazed lunatic. In the afternoon we visited the selfproclaimed “best sweet factory in France” that of Francis Miot in Uzos. After a fun quiz and sweet production film, we again got lots of free samples. Yum! Friday started by attending lessons with the French students; they were all very interested in life

in England and their English was very good. After that we went to Salies-de-Béarn, where we visited a very pleasant spa, with both salt and fresh water pools. It is locally accepted that the pools in the spa can cure everything from eczema to infertility. The pools are naturally heated and when the steam from the jets feeding into the pool floats off the water, the pools look heavenly. We then went to a salt museum, where we learned of the heritage of the town and the wealth that the salty ground water gave to the local people.

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Extraordinary actions from Year 9 student Hannah Simmonds

By Megan Jones

The quick-thinking actions of Year 9 student Hannah Simmons saved the life of a man who collapsed on a train from Canterbury to Faversham.

When the man fell to the floor, Hannah made the life-saving decision to put him in the recovery position and make sure that rail staff did not move him.

This first aid training she has as an Army cadet helped her carry out these brave actions.

As all other passengers stood by, Hannah describes how she saw the man lying on the floor by the doors struggling for breath. Putting him in the recovery position enabled him to start breathing; and as he was soon sick, it vitally stopped him from choking.

Hannah got the staff to call the ambulance, and when the paramedics arrived, they thought he probably had a broken rib which had punctured a lung, causing it to collapse. Hannah’s decision not to move him proved essential, and shows how the alert actions of a student can save someone’s life.

As a Student Voice representative, Hannah Simmons is currently helping to organise first aid training for all pupils. Many Sixth Formers are currently taking a first aid course arranged by Barton Court on Mondays, and we hope all our students are able to have this opportunity.

We are all very proud of Hannah’s extraordinary actions, and would encourage other students to take part in First Aid courses.

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Year 9 Natural History Museum Trip

By Jacob Halvorsen

I was really excited when I heard that I got to go on a trip to the Natural History and Science Museums. It was a great price and I couldn’t say no. Everyone going had to fill in a small survey choosing what we would like to see in each of the museums; I chose 3D printing and dinosaurs.

We got excitedly on the coaches in our chosen groups. On our way there, we all loved just looking at London, like the tall buildings and the expensive cars. We were a bit late for our IMAX 3D viewing but we got there just on time in the end. 3D always hurts my eyes, however it was a good 30 minutes being boggled by the science of being shown tiny microorganisms on a giant screen. (Did you know the IMAX screen in the science museum is the biggest screen in Europe?)

After the IMAX, we went with our group leaders to our chosen exhibit. So I went to see the 3D printing exhibit, it was really fascinating (Did you know that they are finding ways to 3D print Titanium?). We had an hour to view this exhibit, but we whizzed around it in 30 minutes so we had time to visit the materials exhibit as well. What is really good about the museum is that there are interactive screens and mechanisms so you can dig deeper into how something works.

When our time in the science museum was over, we had our lunch in the cafeteria, then headed next door to the Natural History Museum. Again, we followed our group leader to the Dinosaurs and Mammals exhibit. Here, there were fewer interactive displays, but there was more information that you had to take in. My personal favourite in the NHM was the life-size blue whale, it was almost the length of the whole room!

When our hour was up in the NHM, we had some time to go to the gift shop. As always, it was a bit expensive, but as a school we got in there for free.

Finally, we were registered for the coach, and headed our way home and even though we were delayed on the journey there, we got back to school on time. I’m quite confident in saying that we all enjoyed ourselves and it was a great experience.

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Debating: To Intervene or Not To Intervene?

By Mr Hodgkins

Wednesday 8th December saw Barton Court do battle with Simon Langton Girls’ School in a one-off Sixth Form Debate. The motion was whether the intervention of Western Humanitarian Aid could be justified, and it certainly aroused some strong emotions and lively rhetoric. The topic clearly divided the room, with several students in the audience arguing that Humanitarian Aid often became part of wider military intervention, which often made matters worse rather than better in certain countries. Other students felt that we needed to keep a clear distinction between military intervention and our moral, humanitarian duty to support countries suffering from situations that were often not of their own making, such as floods and earthquakes.

Representing Barton Court Grammar School were Abraham Brown and Sam Wilson. Both argued with flair and conviction, and they demonstrated good levels of research into the topic.

As with all debating, the answers to judges’ questions, and the ability to listen and respond to the other team, were the key areas, rather than the prepared three minute speeches which opened the proceedings. The team from Langton Girls – Olivia and Gattan – were equally well prepared and proved very resilient to some very demanding questions from the three judges, Mr Hodgkins, Mrs Harding and former Barton Court English teacher, Mr Hayes.

In the end, the judges felt that Langton Girls just edged the debate, largely because they managed to take control of the motion – which was on Humanitarian Aid – and linked it very powerfully and cleverly to the perils of military intervention. It was interesting to see a range of different debating strategies used by the four debaters, and they each received detailed and useful feedback from the judges at the end.

Mrs Harding is keen to get revenge, and will be organising a return fixture at Langton Girls in the New Year. In the meantime congratulations to all that took part, and to the excellent audience who contributed incisive questions and challenging comment.

All in all a very thought provoking evening was had by all!

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DT Challenge

By Megan Jones

Year 10 students found themselves with a challenge when they were called upon to build the most structurally sound tower out of paper straws and masking tape. Students had to use their knowledge of architecture, balance, and the efficiency of materials, as well as a steady hand, to win the competition. Here are some photos of their efforts:

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Art and DT Trip to the V&A

By Miss Hodge

Students of A level Art and Product Design and IB Art spent an educational day in London this November. Students had the opportunity to see at first hand examples of both iconic and historic art and design. The Victoria and Albert Museum was hosting the exhibition “Disobedient Objects” where art and product design meet protest. Students were surprised by many of the items on display and described the exhibition as food for thought. Several of them have been able to link ideas discovered directly to their work in school. Product designers headed straight to the recently opened Furniture Gallery and the Twentieth Century Gallery and were able to complete studies of a range of processes. Here furniture products were analysed and again, learning linked directly to coursework projects.

In the afternoon we moved on to the Royal College of Art and saw a Graphic Design exhibition called 50 Years at the RCA, before heading to the serpentine galleries where art was more abstract, but no less inspirational for the art students especially. Cerith Wyn Evans’ work, explored light and space and left some of us perplexed and all of us with more questions than answers! The students worked hard, listened, looked, learned then asked searching questions making the teachers really glad that we had taken them. The day was a real success, the only question now to be answered – how will we better it next year?

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District Cross Country

By Miss Poole

The loneliness of the long distance runner On a relentlessly wet and windy day in November a 26 strong Barton Court team embarked on the District Cross Country Championships at Kent College. Despite the soggy bog-like conditions our runners were firing on all cylinders and ready for the event ahead.

The school had some fantastic results, with 7 out of 26 students achieving top 10 finishes, and a further 3 coming within the top 20.

These students will all go on to represent the District at the County Championships on 17th January. The most notable performance was a medal winning 3rd place for Year 11 Michael Farbrace.

The students involved were all an absolute credit to the school and showed great determination in such difficult conditions.

Well done, all!

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Poetry, Please!

Year 7 Poetry

By Year 7 Students

Year 7 students wrote some excellent Haiku poems in November: here are some of our favourites:

The water shimmers In the glistening moonlight The hills face their fate Ben Ayling A cloud resembles, A mountain covered in snow,

Left only to melt away.

Jackson Rutter

A white harmless shape, Which floats in the sky, Floating over the sea.

Max Halliday

The October wind, It blow’ to make the leaves fall, In a hail of red!

Caleb Howland

A thousand ripples, The puddle is convulsing, The rain thunders on.

Ella Askew

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Medicine Sans Frontiers Barton Court goes to Africa

By Emma Sharrad and Camille Anderson

This year two Barton Court students, Emma Sharrad and Camille Anderson, worked in Africa as part of a volunteer programme. In this article they tell us more about it: For anyone considering medical school, gap medics is the place to go.

I spent two weeks in Tanzania, Africa, shadowing doctors and seeing firsthand what a career in medicine can be like. The first week I opted to do a surgery rotation, it was definitely not what I expected! Throughout the week I observed eleven surgeries, but unlike the UK, it was all local anaesthetic, even for major surgeries including a splenectomy (removal of the spleen). Even more strangely, they would keep the doors open so people would wander in and out of the operating theatre! The mentors for this week were amazing and took us round the wards and ensured that we understood everything going on, they tested some of our diagnostic skills and were always happy to answer any questions we may have.

On the second week, I spent time in paediatrics. Upon choosing my rotations, I thought I would hate surgery and love paediatrics, but it was the other way round. In Africa, the paediatrics ward had very similar cases, usually involving malaria, urinary tract infection, typhoid or malnutrition. It was hard to watch at times due to the amount of pain theses children were in, but invaluable experience all the same. Luckily, in the middle of the week, I was allowed to visit the psychiatric ward, they were doing rounds of the patients and the harshness they were treated with at times was shocking. The main mentor here, Dr Alex, then gave us a lecture on schizophrenia since this was the main problem people faced.

The experience gained was nothing like what you can get in the UK. You stay alongside the doctors and they show you everything, you are treated as staff (although obviously hands off the patients). The differences between the practice of medicine here and in Tanzania is huge. To begin with sterilization is a problem, but the biggest problem they face, is that the majority of the population believe in witch doctors and would rather go there long before seeing an actual doctor. This means that by the time people get to a hospital, they are already extremely sick. The education just isn't always there. Among several cases I saw there, was that of a two month old baby who's parents had abused it, thinking it was genetically abnormal, after surgery on this child with no anaesthetic (no heart rate monitor, so no anaesthetic for the child), the doctors tried to explain to the parents that in fact it would have gone away by itself. Luckily these cases aren't too frequent, but they are frequent enough to be a problem.

By Emma Sharrad

Camille’s Story…………………

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Gapmedics was truly a life changing experience for me. I spent two weeks in the dental hospital shadowing 3 dentists witnessing a huge range of procedures including complex extractions, fillings, oral cancer and even fractured jaws being treated. Before going I obviously expected the dental hospital to be different to those in England, but I could never have imagined quite how drastically different it was… Although some of the experiences were hard and not necessarily pleasant, for example watching unsterile metal wires being inserted to a man’s gums without anaesthetic, these experience were the ones which have taught me the most. The key difference about this kind of work experience is that you get much more time one on one with the dentists and the patients themselves. In the department there are only 3 allowed which gives you plenty of time and space to ask the dentists as many questions as possible as they can really teach you so much.

So far it may seem that the experience was a bit gruesome and some aspects definitely were; but the most inspiring thing to witness was the level of care the dentists did manage to provide despite their lack of materials and in some cases the patient’s lack of awareness. Seeing dentistry in a different culture adds an extra dimension to your work experience making you stand out to universities demonstrating your versatility and adaptability even more. If you are looking in applying for dentistry I would highly recommend this experience because as well as having a good time and learning completely new things, you will have some really unusual and exciting things to talk about on your personal statement and at interview.

Don’t worry though, you don’t spend 24 hours a day in the hospital Gapmedics is not just about the work experience, but also life experiences. The people in the house including Gilbert and Claris are awesome and so much fun and are great if you are interested in any extra activities including hiking and visiting the orphanage. The general structure of the day is breakfast at 7am and OMG the breakfast is sooooo good!!!!! There are pancakes!!!! Then there is a nice walk down to the hospital where you see lots of monkeys and goats. You are expected to arrive at your placement at around 8.30 and it lasts till 1.30pm. Although this might not seem like a lot, the placement is so intense it would be hard to go on for any longer. The rest of the day you can spend as you like enjoying the town and the culture. In the evenings the house hosts activities including African dance, movie nights, football games and there is always the swimming pool! At the weekend there is the option to either go on a safari or stay at the house and do other activities. Emma and I would both more than recommend the safari because it’s not every day you’re in Africa!

Overall we had the time of our lives, made amazing friends and had the most memorable work experience imaginable! We really hope that if you are interested in medicine or dentistry that you will sign up; we promise that you will not regret it!

By Camille Anderson

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25th Anniversary of the Berlin Wall– are we still divided?

Jennifer Richards This year marks the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall had been built on August 13th 1961 as a way to divide Germany’s capital, separating communist-controlled East Germany, and capitalist-controlled West Germany. It still remains one of the biggest symbols of the Cold War, so its dismantling is heralded as a moment of great freedom. This year the anniversary was marked with festivities throughout Berlin, with the Brandenburg Gate being illuminated, as well as more than 8,000 white balloons being released into the sky from the former border. However, though the fall of the wall is celebrated as a triumph, there is still a divide in Germany that is often ignored.

This raises the question about the extent of changes that have been made, and whether it simply goes as far as removing the wall. As one of the largest economies in Europe, it seems unusual that there is still an economic gap between the East and West, with figures showing that unemployment in the West is 5.8%, compared to 9.5% in the East. Household income is also much lower in the East, often being less than 20,000 euros, whereas areas like Munich, Hamburg and Stuttgart, all in the West, have typical household incomes above 26,000 euros.

There are even divides in voting choices, with constituencies of the East (in September 2013 Federal election) mainly choosing ‘Die Linke’, a party that has its roots in the old communist party. This makes a stark contrast to the West, where the Social Democrats and Christian Democrats receive the most votes, with both parties coming from West German parties. It is often criticised that the government of Germany does not concentrate on improving the East in the same way it does for the West. But these divides within a country can be seen much closer to home. ‘Peace walls’ can be found in Northern Ireland that separate Irish nationalist and unionists. They have been built in areas like Belfast, Portadown and Derry, with the aim to stop violence between Catholics and Protestants. Some even have gates staffed by police.

It was the 1969 Northern Ireland riots that led to the first peace walls being built, but they were originally intended to be a short-term solution to last only 6 months, yet they still stand years on. In fact, their numbers have increasedwhereas there were only 18 in the early 1990s, there are now 48. The Good Friday Agreement of 1998, which was actually intended to curb violence and protest, led to even more being built, increasing in height and distance. Though in May 2013, the Northern Ireland Executive said the all peace lines and walls would be removed by 2023, many still view them as a necessary way to prevent violence.

With these divisions being so close by, it questions whether 25 years on from the fall of the Berlin Wall, whether freedom and democracy have actually improved, or whether countries still face these conflicts.

Sources: 1- Philip Oltermann, Guardian [online], January 2014 2- Stephen Evans, BBC News [online], September 2013 Wikipedia, Peace Lines

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Learning From Auschwitz Year 13 History Project

By Jake Luckhurst

Last month we went on a history trip to the Nazi concentration camp, Auschwitz in Poland. There were three camps at Auschwitz. Auschwitz 1, Birkenau and Monowitz (which was destroyed by the Nazis). In visiting Auschwitz 1 it seemed initially from outside that its buildings weren’t so bad, built in brick and seemingly spacious. However, whilst that may have been the case for a military regiment, it cannot be said of the 700 prisoners the Nazis packed inside each of them.

Indeed it was the insides of these buildings that were the most impactful. Within were rooms with huge compartments on either side. In one lay a stack of victim’s suitcases, in another a pile of children’s shoes and most shockingly of all, mountains of women’s hair. It’s hard to express how we felt looking at these things, physical testament to a tiny fraction of the millions who died here. Indeed numbers are often the focal point of any description of Auschwitz: 1.1 million killed in total, 1 million Jews, 150,000 Poles, but it is hard to really appreciate what they mean. Standing there in that room surrounded by the hair of actual people who died you begin to get a sense of that, to understand the scale of this slaughter.

The rest, both of Auschwitz 1 and Birkenau, provided further demonstration of the human capacity for inhumanity. The gas chamber at Auschwitz 1 that could kill 2000 people in 20 minutes, the wooden huts and bunks at Birkenau where a staggering 200,000 people were imprisoned at a time (Canterbury’s population is 43,000) and the cattle trucks that brought them there, thrown together like animals.

However, whilst it left us with a sense of remorse for the victims and disgust for the perpetrators it was never as connecting as seeing physical evidence that the victims had left behind, although only a fraction. Indeed that was the main message we took from the LFA (Lessons from Auschwitz) project: the idea of connecting with the victims on a more personal level and appreciating that these were people, like any of us, not numbers in a textbook.

By doing this it is easier to truly appreciate the horror of the holocaust and to take away its key message: the importance of tolerance.

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The reason Extended Writing is the only way to write sensibly: Mr Nelson Speaks !

By Mr Nelson

The Extended Essay for IB Diploma students and the Extended Project for A Level students provide a noticeable way for Universities to realise you are already an independent thinker and writer who values academic ways of expressing your ideas.

But more importantly, it is a genuine chance to actually follow your heart on a subject you actually care about – and get credit for that. The trick is to become more selfish about what you study.

The problem with short pieces of writing is... well, a few sound-bites can sound a bit bitey, a little undigested.

What do I actually mean when I say that the badger cull was a mistake? What do I actually mean when I say I hate legislation that says that a person with locked-in syndrome cannot decide their own fate? What do I actually mean..? Yes, not what do OTHER people mean. I want to know what I mean when I say things. On one level it is just this: I find MYSELF, rather than other people, more interesting –and more reliable, usually. Research is the history of people following their own noses: not trusting some other show-off.

So I want to know how I can develop my own justifications more thoroughly. In which case, I don`t really want to have absolutely no knowledge to back up my claims. That`s what research is all about: spying on the opposition: getting all their puny counter-arguments and `latest` scientific breakthroughs out into the open. And that`s just where my moment of reflective evaluation can come sweeping down, brush them off their feet with my cogent comparisons, see-through it all with my devastating differences (and, okay, yes, the odd simpering similarity as well – but far less than you`d think, mind).

And... While it is true, I do not want to be told that some other `well-known` specialist has done `research` (meh), we all know now that ignorance grows faster than knowledge: science is always wrong (the Dunning-Kruger Effect, Confucius, Socrates, even Shakespeare said that).

In the end, I really don`t want to be preached at by OTHERS, who have not really done the research (as if THEIR accepted research is an `accepted` fact, that in some way, they are somehow RIGHT in their interpretation...) I want to KNOW more. I want to know all about that `expert` (who was Dunning? Kruger? This Shakespeare dude? ...And who said they were? Any vested interests there?)

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I want to know exactly why they can or cannot provide a proper justification to back their claims, and if it is anything to do with the political improvement of THEMSELVES – I am afraid I am going to be more than a tad suspicious (cough it up Shakespeare). Went on to become an agricultural entrepreneur and most of his will was concerned with keeping his thieving grand-daughter`s new-husband`s family from stealing his wealth etc. That said, his tombstone inscription is truly awesome...IF it is definitely his tombstone with his inscription on it...

Whatever your motivation, and a better degree may well mean better money (and quite possibly), the wonder of extended writing still remains extant: you get to develop your ideas, YOUR way.

As coordinator of Extended Learning, I get to see a diverse range of Extended Writings and Projects.

Here are some highlights from the last few years: 

The HS2 Rail link –do or don`t



Bauhaus Germany – not so understated



The countless ways liberalism has failed us in the past (or has it?)



The future for 3D printing according to recent practitioners



How to dress in the style of Marie Antoinette (Make a dress, sorry)



Create a soundtrack to a 1930s black and white movie



Che Guevara – not just a funky beat



Drag factors in golf ball design



The imminent dangers for coral reefs



Moral dimensions in modern dentistry



Shakespeare`s Richard III and the alternative histories that informed it



How does Branson do it?



Magical-realism in the Spanish novel



Twilight by daylight



The art of calculus – can it exist?



Tattoos: an anthropology



The Psychology of Scent



How far does the zinc in algae affect the way fish swim backwards?

... and listen out for this Spring term, as our Year 13 students` titles already suggest some great extended writings, already written in Undergrad format and style. What University can turn that down, finally? The UCAS reference states the student is already writing at Undergraduate standard...

We aim to present a series of readings of Extended Essays and Extended Projects during the course of the Spring Term. Hope you can get to at least one of these extraordinary mind-fests.

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Trip to Cern, Geneva

By Megan Jones

On Sunday morning, we took a plane to Geneva, and spent the morning on a boat trip on Lake Geneva to see the incredible views of the mountains surrounding the city. Afterwards, we spent some time walking through the city, seeing the beautiful architecture and trying the local food.

The second day, we visited CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research. One of the physicists working at CERN conducted a tour of one of the four experiments; LHCB, which is attempting to solve the mysteries surrounding anti-matter. The tour was fascinating, and the two exhibitions at the centre were interactive and entertaining, and the day was incredibly interesting. During the evening, we went bowling, which was huge fun. On the final day, we visited the Natural History Museum, which had some brilliant displays, and then spent the rest of the day in town, before getting the plane back to Gatwick. The trip was fantastic, and we all enjoyed it enormously.

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BCGS Raises over £7,600 for Chosen Charities

By Megan Jones

A grand total of £7,686.98 was raised last year for the School's chosen charities and was celebrated this week in the Charity Assembly when representatives came along to collect their cheques.

This fantastic total was a 25% increase on last year and has been distributed amongst charities chosen specifically by our students; Cancer Research UK, Make A Wish Foundation, Pilgrims Hospice, Kent Air Ambulance and the Schools own charity raising funds to improve our facilities and equipment.

Additional charities that benefited across the year were Macmillan Cancer Research, BBC Children in Need, Sport Relief and Dog for Devi.

Cheques were presented to the Kent and Sussex Air Ambulance, Pilgrims Hospice and Make a Wish Foundation this week, when students heard more about the work they were doing.

The target fundraising for this academic year is £9,500 and students will be voting for their chosen charities to support in the next couple of weeks. RAG week in November and Movember will kick off the fundraising and with well over £500 now in the bag following the Macmillan Coffee Morning, we've made a great start.

We look forward to hitting our target this time next year. Well done everyone!

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Goodbye to Year 13!

Leavers’ celebration: On Thursday 22nd May we said a goodbye and good luck for your examinations to our A Level students.

Our IB students had already by this point taken the vast majority of their final examinations, having started these on 5th May, but they had a gap in their schedule in order to join in the fun. Students and staff enjoyed a retro style party tea in the Sixth Form Centre, the site of many hours of work over the two years of their Sixth Form, and had a celebration cake which was cut by the prom committee. When we finally all said goodbye at 3pm, having taken a picture with the collage made in Year 7 featuring many of the Year 13 students faces, all that was left to say was good luck and see you for the Year 13 Prom on 25th June (see below) when all the examinations are over!

Year 13 Prom Months of planning, tears, arguments, panic over numbers all came to a highly successful conclusion on 25th June when the Year 13 prom took place at Quex Barn near Birchington. Students enjoyed a purple and silver themed event with a champagne reception, buffet dinner, photo booth and disco. The event was organised entirely by the student lead prom committee consisting of Callie Edwards, Jade Niack, Adam Mawardi, Pierre Anderson, Charlotte Gill, Chanel Rorke, Nicola Money and Jennifer Battson, all of whom were a credit to themselves and the School through the whole process. Thanks must go to Alison Harper from Quex Barn who supported our students so kindly through the planning and implementation of the event. Also credit must be given to our Year 13 students who behaved so well and were complimented by the staff working at the venue. A night to remember for all!

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Movember — a month to remember !

By Megan Jones

Nearly £130 was raised for Movember this year when students took part in wearing moustaches for the day.

Top marks go to Mr Fairfax, who went the full nine yards with his hair and moustache, and to Mr Chandler, Mr Powell, Mr Harvey, Mr Wright and Dr Gleave who all gave up shaving for the month.

A charity cake sale also took place for those who weren’t capable of growing moustaches.

Everyone was pleased to cooperate by bringing in cakes to sell, and charity prefects Georgia Harlow and Amy Jones played a big part in organising and taking part in the event. Well done, everybody!

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Speedy Cars Competition

By Miss Parker

CAD CAM club students take Third Prize at Kings School Speedy Cars Competition.

Members of the Design and Technology Computer Aided Design and Manufacture Club this month took part in the Kings School Speedy Car Challenge. Students have been working over recent weeks to develop our first ever remote controlled car to enter the annual event. With the help of STEM ambassador John Morcom, the students learned about aerodynamics and electronics, applying this to the design development of their final entry. The vehicle was designed, made, assembled and then raced by year 8 students Harry Pomfrey, Archie Tutt, Jamie Powell, Aarthi Sriram and David Pearce, and they took third place in the competition for Design and Aesthetics. Well done to them all!

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Working in America

By Mrs Harding In 1998 I boarded a plane at Heathrow Airport for Washington D.C. to begin a new life in a new country. Thirteen years later, I came back home to England. There is no doubt that those years living and working in the States were incredible and I feel lucky to have experienced such a different and all-American life.

I worked at Stone Bridge High School in Virginia for a decade as a teacher, Director of English and the Debate Coach.

They were wonderful years and yes, an American high school is just like the movies. There are cheerleaders, football players, Friday night lights, Glee clubs, proms and homecoming games but perhaps most of all, there is a sense of energy and enthusiasm; One might call it American spirit. In general, American students are very confident and creative. They are never afraid to say what they feel and they relish group work and independent learning. In all honesty I feel that the American education system offers more freedom to meet the interests and needs of the students. This is largely because the pressures are different. American students do not have to sit external examinations until their senior year (Year 13) and even then, that is a choice. This means that there is a kind of freedom for teachers in the classroom, time to explore texts and big ideas in a range of ways, not just through essays. As a result, students are often more questioning and excited by the process of learning than their British counterparts.

American schools, however, are also hives of activity. The school is very much seen as an essential community and, for most students, enrichment and social activities all revolve around and take place in school. It was rare to find a student who was not on a team, in drama, playing in the band, running the writing club or playing a sport.

School never closed. As the classrooms emptied, the halls, gym and theatre space filled. I loved this element of life and work there. There was a real sense that my work as a teacher was vital, not just academically but also in terms of developing the skills and talents of the students in so many ways.

And the best parts? … Well it has to be the surge of energy created by our state champion football team! As Friday night is game night, Fridays in an American high school are full of excitement and energy. The team and the cheerleaders are in full kit, wearing their colour with pride. In addition, the high school band would often parade through the hallways performing the ‘fight song’ with great aplomb and noise creating a lovely holiday feeling and a real sense of celebration and anticipation. There is, however, nothing like a Pep Rally. At the end of the day the whole school, all 2,000 of us, would pack the stands of the gym for an upbeat pre-game celebration of the football team.

There was a competition to see which year group could make the most noise in a cheer! It was usually the sophomores (year 10). The competition was taken most seriously and was judged by the physics teacher with some kind of noise-o-meter! Finally the team would run into the centre of the gym to raucous calls and upbeat tunes from the band!

In the evening, the lights would go on and the game would begin. The band played and marched, the cheerleaders cheered, flipped and danced and sprits were high despite the cold night air. Up in the stands, I always pinched myself to make sure it was real that I wasn’t in a film but that I really was there, listening to the crowds, watching my students play, sing, dance and participating in a great American tradition. Working as a teacher in America never felt like work; just an opportunity to enjoy the process of being on a journey.

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Top 10 Films of 2014

By Louise Conway

Every film magazine, reviewer, website and person will have their own list of tops films of the year. This is a list that has looked at them all and compiled them together to create its own ranking of the most profitable, innovative and well-received films of 2014.

1) Guardians of the Galaxy The highest total grossing film of the year belongs to ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’. It expands the Marvel Universe beyond superheroes and threats to Earth, to create an entertaining, comical and heartfelt film.

2) The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 The third in the series and the first of the two part finale made Mockingjay Part 1 the highest opening weekend box office figures for any film this year. It made an incredible $121,897,634 during its opening weekend.

3) Boyhood Boyhood is the first of its kind as the realist drama follows the life of a 5 year old boy on a 12-year long journey through boyhood. When we meet Mason and his life flashes before our eyes, it makes it hard not to feel protective and hopeful for the boy as the 165 minute film reveals 12 years of emotion, passion and excitement.

4) The Lego Movie An idea 6 years in the making saw the Lego Movie become both a critical and commercial success on its release this year. The film follows an ordinary ‘Lego construction worker’ as he is prophesied to be ‘special.’ The heart-warming, comical film is already set for a 2018 sequel.

5) Gone Girl Based on the novel by Gillian Flynn, which was awarded the title “thriller of the year”, David Fincher has adapted the novel into a mystery, thriller with a surprising plot twist that made the dark, dangerous and daring film a talking point, leading people to the cinema to see what all the excitement is about.

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6) Nightcrawler The film was this year’s sharp, dark, satirical and “bone-rattling thriller”, starring Jake Gyllenhaal giving the performance of his career. The film is celebrated from its intelligent script to its urban nightscapes visual style.

7) Interstellar A space spectacular that gave last year’s 7 time Oscar winner, “Gravity”, a run for its money, with its epic storyline and beautiful cinematography calling it "Nolan's best and most brazenly ambitious film to date"

8) Her This year’s rom-com that broke the mould, looking at what happens when a lonely, talented writer falls in love with his new operating system. Set in the near-future, the film is stylishly self-conscious of the modern audience to create a funny but sweet film.

9) X-Men: Days of Future Past Days of Future Past solves the problem faced at the end of ‘X-Men: First Class’ (2011) about what to do with the franchise after it was split between the two timelines and casts. The latest instalment in the franchise sees an epic battle that sees everyone coming together to change their past, in order to save the future.

10) The Grand Budapest Hotel When transported back to a time when ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ was in its prime, vibrantly full of guests and an “advent calendar’s worth of charm behind every door” the film is a beautiful masterpiece from ‘quirky’ director Wes Anderson, that provided a complete immersion into his magical, “magnificent full-scale doll's house.”

However, 2014 isn’t quite over yet, and still to come this year is the final part of the Hobbit trilogy, ‘The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies’, which is set to be an epic fantasy adventure, with a terrifying war as the setting, and a truly awesome dragon set to unleash havoc.

“This year's little Sundance gem that could” is ‘Whiplash’, set to be realised in 2015, in time for Oscar recognition,. It’s the “exhilarating drama” of an aspiring jazz drummer who's pushed to the psychological edge by his abusive, yet inspirational, teacher in this powerful film - definitely something to look out for next year.

If you are interested in Film, then join the Sixth Form Film club, running every Wednesday in Room 12 with Mr Urquhart.

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Sports Round-Up: Football

By Miss Poole and Mr Lintott

Year 9 have had a tough round of fixtures this term, playing many fine footballing teams on their travels. Their first game could only be described as a ‘cracker’ against St Anselms, with 7 goals in total gracing the net! Barton Court began well, with Elgar netting and a close 2-1 scoreline at half time. Barton Court equalised early on, but those summer ice creams came back to haunt the boys as fitness failed them in the last 15 minutes. They lost 5-2. The theme of losses continued for the remaining two games of the season, despite some real grit and determination shown by the Bartonites. They represented the school well, even in the face of defeat, but were not helped by a number of last year’s team missing from the line-up for no good reason! On the positive side: a lot of space for success next year, and we look forward to re-grouping for a cup run in February.

The golden boot so far goes to Harry Elgar with three goals, but it could be anyone’s come Easter!

Year 10 have had a much brighter season. St Anselms yet again provided tough opposition in the opener, narrowly beating the Bartonites 3-2, with new striker Rahman scoring his debutant goal, and ‘old hand’ Jones netting again. The Barton Court bus then arrived at Spires Academy, where we ran wild in a 5-0 thriller (well, the second half anyway!) – Tree netting twice and narrowly missing out on his hattrick moment. Unfortunately, poor commitment meant that the third game vs CCW had to be cancelled due to players pulling out, which all but ended the hopes of a league title. After pulling themselves together, the 10’s took on The Abbey in what can only be described as an EPIC. Barton led 3-0 at half time thanks to yet another brace by Tree (beautiful lob for the second) and goal from Redford. The Abbey woke up and ran wild in the second half, hitting the bar, post, and having three goal-line clearances. Keeper Alex Buckle won his man-of-the-match award for what can only be described as an appearance Joe Hart would be proud of ! Barton held on to clinch the victory 3-2 and end the season on a high. With such a talented team, hopes for the cup are very promising this year. (see full match report on following page) Bring on February!

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Match of the Season!

Barton Court vs Abbey

By Alex Buckle

Congratulations to our excellent football team of: Alex Buckle, Rhys Young, George Doe, Jack Stevens, Conor Lamb, Rhys Hannington, Alex Jarvis, Nat Manser, Billy Redford, Rhys Rutter, Jack Robinson and Harvey Tree.

Barton Court were still buzzing from their last victory against Spires Academy and were determined to have the same result. Barton Court opened the scoring by Alex Jarvis passing a perfect through ball to put Billy Redford into a 1 on 1 situation with the keeper. All Billy had to do was pass the ball into the corner of the net. Jack Stevens celebrated on his own.

1-0 The second goal was conceded by Abbey School after Alex Jarvis drove a low cross into the box finding Harvey Tree who stroked the ball with his left foot into the roof of the net.

2-0

Alex Jarvis completes a hat trick of assists after sending a long throw in into the path of Harvey Tree who chipped the ball over the keeper who was caught in no man’s land. Barton Court looked sure to have the win even before Half Time.

3-0 When Barton Court left the pitch they were still on a high, however, Abbey had plans to change that. Abbey threw some strong attacks at Barton Court but they were broken down by the strong goalkeeping and defending. The atmosphere coming from the Barton Court half felt a little over confident, possibly the reason why the first goal was conceded by Barton Court. The Abbey attacker was 1 on 1 with the goalkeeper whilst the defenders were bearing down on the attacker. The defenders were doing their best to put off the attacker, no more than Rhys Young. Unfortunately, it was to no avail. The attacker chipped the ball over the helpless Alex Buckle.

3-1 Abbey gained great confidence with this goal, throwing more and more attacks Barton Courts’ way. The most intimidating attack included a scramble in the box, with two shots blocked by defenders and the final shot was saved from the bottom corner of the net. Abbey pushed forward yet another attack crossing the ball high to the back post where it was headed in.

3-2 There was one more moment of hope to seal the win for Barton Court when Billy Redford pushed forward a strong and fast dribble, before passing to Nathaniel Manser who crossed it back to Billy Redford who scored, but was disallowed by an offside flag. Still 3-2. In the last 2 minutes in the game Abbey won a free-kick on the edge of the box. It was the perfect film plot. The shot was drilled hard and low but it was saved by Alex Buckle. The follow up shot was volleyed from (literally) 2 yards out, but rocketed over. The game was over.

Final Score: Barton Court 3 Abbey 2. Man of the Match Alex Buckle (GK)

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Sports News: Robert Abbot bowls them over!

By Mr Hodgkins

We tracked down Year 10, Robert Abbot, who is something of a sensation in the world of Bowls……………..this is his story……………...

I started bowling at the age of 6 in the 'Alligators' mini league and then went onto the 'Simpsons' league in which I got my first bowling ball - an 8lb Simpsons bowling ball. In 2009, I joined the Whitstable Youth Bowling Club (or Whitstable YBC for short) when I was 9. This is a bowling club for children between the ages of 6-18, who meet every Saturday morning at the MFA Bowling Alley at 9.15 to play a series (three games of bowling) in an enjoyable league. I have trained every Wednesday after school and every Saturday morning before YBC at every other opportunity.

I have won many awards during my bowling career. Below are some of the achievements I have been awarded since starting the YBC: - South of England 2010 (Tournament Team of the Year 2010).

- Junior Nationals Coventry 2013 (6th Doubles event).

- South of England Dunstable 2013 (3rd in Team event).

- Various JTE tournament 2013-2014 qualified to finals at Rugby, Torquay and Junior London Internationals.

- Selected for the bowling academy in Sheffield 2013 (passed year one exam) - Two years in a row 2013-2014 Tuesday night adult league champions.

- Selected to bowl in the Junior Team England squad in Vienna (July 2-6 2014) in the World Sports Festival - Junior Nationals Coventry 2014 (3rd in All Event Intermediate Boys) - Selected to bowl in triple crown trials 2014 (as 13th in the under 16 ranking list) - World Sports Festival July 2014 (Silver Medal Trophy Junior Team England) - British Open in Norwich (Silver in the Under 14 Doubles) - Junior London International (winner of the under 15 boys division, also came 12th out of the entire competition).

I have also qualified for the last 3 years for Kent county team and the opportunity to play in the Inter-County Championships. However, no medals have been won at any of these events so far.

To date, my highest game is a 274, which I achieved at the Junior Nationals in Coventry this year and an impressive 10 strikes in a row within the same game. My highest series consists of a 628. At the moment, I have had 6 games over 250 in sanctioned events including JTE tournaments and YBC league.

We say, well done, Robert, on your achievements!

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Year 7 Girls Futsal Success!

By Miss Poole

On Monday 1st December the under 12 girls travelled to The Sheppey Academy to compete in the local qualifier for the Kent School Games. Teams were entered from Canterbury, Whitstable, Herne Bay, Faversham and Sittingbourne, so the competition was strong.

The girls took a little bit of time adapting to the indoor small sided version of the game, but soon found their feet. They showed excellent team work and determination to finish the tournament unbeaten.

The girls faced a final showdown vs Spires in their final game, with both teams unbeaten. The winning team would take all. It was a tense and tight affair, but with ten seconds left Rhiannon Latham fired the ball in to the back of the net. It was the decisive goal and the girls were crowned Futsal Champions !

BCGS Girls are now reigning champions at under 12 and under 16 level, and will compete in the Kent Finals in Medway on the 10th and 11 February.

Year 7 Team – Amy Abbott, Faye Batty, Rhiannon Latham, Agnese Fossati, Alice Whyte, Sydney Holness Well done, Girls!

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Sports Round-Up

by The P.E Team

Girls Basketball team success in December! - by Miss Poole On the 8th December the Under 16 Girls team were crowned District Champions, remaining unbeaten all evening. Excellent displays came from Leah Rolls and Alice Scharmeli in particular, but the whole team were faultless.

Well done, Girls !

Mr Pannell gives his round up of the season so far for his teams……….

The second part of the termly fixtures saw a mixed bag of results for BCGS boys.

With the football season drawing to a close, along with the evening light, there was one more chance for Mr Pannell’s Year 9 and 10s to make an impact. Year 10 faced The Abbey school in what was to be a nail biter like no other which they narrowly won 3-2 (see full match report by Alex Buckle on other pages).

Unfortunately, the Year 9 season went from bad to worse, as a final defeat brought a close to what was a disappointing season. On the positive, Elgar completed his hat trick of goals over the last three games - ‘3 in 3’ a good statistic.

The basketball season bought great promise for the Year 7/8 team looking to build on their first experience of the competitive game last year. A good start against Herne Bay put BCGS on what would prove to be a short winning streak! Game 2: The Abbey. After a disastrous first quarter (11-4), BCGS showed their mettle and battled like true warriors, Joe Berry sinking a three pointer in style. The final quarter left BCGS 8 points down, which proved to be a bridge to far. However, they dusted themselves down, picked themselves up, and destroyed the mighty QE in their next game just two days later. Match official Larry Wang commented on how their performance was the best he had seen in a long time at BCGS! Well done boys.

The Year 9/10 team have only completed one fixture so far, with hot-shot Amal Nair sinking over 20 points on his own! However, despite fine play from the likes of Rhys Hannington and KK Weng, they couldn’t quite beat Herne Bay, losing narrowly in the final quarter.

Onto the Futsal. For those who think I have made a typo, Futsal is a Brazilian form of football, similar to 5-a-side, but much higher tempo and skill/speed based. Year 9 boys stepped onto the Sheppey field of dreams in their hope to become regional Futsal champions, following the footsteps of the Year 11 girls. It was not to be. Some narrow defeats and one draw meant that BCGS left in the group stages, but pleased to have experienced futsal, which was for many a first occasion!

With Christmas closing in, and a chance to reflect, BCGS look forward to a prosperous 2015. A New Year’s resolution to never lose again perhaps……..or just to avoid any more wet weather! Rugby, more football and basketball, rounders and athletics to come. It promises to be a very fruitful 2015!

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Under 12 Boys Futsal

by The P.E Team

Year 7 Boys took part in this indoor 5-a-side event at Herne Bay High on Thursday 4 December. We were drawn in pool B and played four qualifying games in this pool. We were unbeaten in these pool games and did not concede a single goal! We beat CCW(3-0),Westlands(1-0),SCC(3-0) and drew with Borden Grammar(0-0). With two teams equal at the top, we later went on to beat Borden in a penalty shoot out to qualify as winners of the group.

We played the hosts, Herne Bay High, in the semi-final and again kept a clean sheet and played some great football.

In the final, we were scheduled to play pool A winners, Canterbury Academy (who were also unbeaten). Within a minute, we scored and then showed our character by keeping our lead for the remainder of the game. This was a game where we were unfortunate not to score more and Canterbury had their goalkeeper to thank for some great saves. However, a last minute save from Elijah was a moment to remember in the last 30 secs! Overall , we were unbeaten in 6 games and not a single goal conceded!

The boys have now qualified to represent the area in the county Futsal finals at Medway Park on 10 February: a wonderful achievement. Well done, all!

Under 12s Futsal Squad: (pictured below)       

Elijah Mancini (GK) Koshy Rai Harvey Lintott William Moses Oscar Lwellyn Odlin Sam Clay Max Halliday

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Term 1 and 2 Boys Sport

by Mr Lintott

Mr Lintott provides his highs and lows of the first four months of the season………..

Year 8 Football Term 1 saw a great level of commitment from the schools footballer, with training sessions well attended throughout term 1. Mr Lintott has been supported well by coaches from year 12 AS PE, who have worked with the younger age groups.

Year 8 started the football season with a tough Kent Cup match against Abbey School. They produced a good performance, but the end result was disappointing, narrowly losing the game 3-2. Stand out performer in this game was Tom Halliday, who also successfully made the squad for the Canterbury District for a second year running.

Year 8 Football team

Year 8 also had a difficult start to their league matches, where we played Archbishops school, again, we lost the game by the same score line! Tom Halliday and Tom Parkinson both scored for BCGS. However, it was good to see that we were again not far off winning and scoring goals. We lost our next match V Canterbury Academy 4-2, but showed great character to come back from 4-0 down. We saved the best until last in our final game V Langton , after a poor start and going down by 4-1 at half-time, we came back to win the game 5-4! This game was well lead by Captain Ronnie Murray, who helped motivated the team to this great victory.

Year 7 Football Boys football has been boosted by a very enthusiastic and talented intake of year 7 boys who have made an encouraging start to their BCGS football matches. Our first league game was a huge success and we capped a great performance with a plethora of goals v Archbishops. We eventually won the game 7-3, with two goals from Harvey Lintott, Oscar Lwellyn Odlin and Louis Lello ,Max Halliday also scored a goal. Our second game was a draw against Canterbury Academy (2-2) and when Herne Bay came to the school for our first fixture, we were unbeaten in two. Herne Bay won a very close encounter by the solitary goal and won the game 5-4. In their only cup game to date they were unable to beat QE and lost a close fought match 4-2(this also counted for the league game). We are still in the A league and I am confident we can build on the good progress in our District Cup games in the New Year.

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Term 1 and 2 Boys Sport

by Mr Lintott

District Football A record number of boys have been successful in being selected for the District Schools representative teams (Canterbury District SFA). At least one boy from every age group up to under 15s were from Barton Court (see below) 

Year 7(Under 12s) –Harvey Lintott* & Max Halliday

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Year 8(Under 13s)-Tom Halliday

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Year 9(Under 14s)-Josh Deverson

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Year 10 (under 15s) Rhys Hannington & George Bonny

*Kent County squad

Representing the district is a great honour and the boys have been chosen from trials that include 12 schools from Canterbury, Faversham, Whitstable and Herne Bay areas.

Well done to all !

Year 7 Football team

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Barton Court students Slam the House!

By Mr Hodgkins

October saw the third annual Year 10 Slam Poetry competition, with some incredibly powerful slam poems on a diverse range of topics. Slam Poetry is an energetic form of stand-up poetry. This is poetry that is designed for high impact, with lively rhymes and ear–catching rhythms and imagery. It can be funny and it can be reflective – sometimes in the same poem.

Sometimes slam poems are political, at other times very personal. We had it all on the day!

Mr Hodgkins (pictured) attempted to inspire students with his (supposedly) comic poem, “The Mean Streets of Coventry”, and, in the final Mrs Harding (also pictured) took “The Mike” and laid down some fine lines.

However, the best efforts came from the students. Year 10 took to the task with great gusto and enthusiasm, producing an incredible range of poems. This made it difficult to get down to the last 12 performers, who then did battle in the “Slam – Off” in room 19 – together with the WHOLE of their Year group! Of course, Year 10 behaved impeccably, and listened intently as the finalists against each other.

competed

In the end the English Department whittled down the entries to the best three and the final results were: 

Winner: Wenqi Huang (Known as “KK” when Slamming!)

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Second Place: Rebekah Kennett

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Third Place: A joint effort between Hugh Gilmour and Rhys Young

The photograph below captured the four winners with their prizes on an Enrichment Day – hence their “Slam Poetry suitable” outfits!

The English department would like to thank Year 10 for their excellent behaviour on the day and the magical moments – some funny, some sad, some very wise – produced in the final.

Well done to you all!

33 43 The Struggle ……...I am who I am, I be what I be, At school, They say I act like a fool, Because I want to look cool, But they don’t know the truth.

Society always blame the youth, I want to be in a place full of love and care, Because for a child that’s only fair.

I am who I am, I be what I be, Getting blamed for crimes, Though I’m only spitting rhymes, I’m not trying to be offensive, My complaints are extensive, I am who I am,

Mr Hodgkins congratulates proud slammer, “KK”, on winning the Year 10 Poetry Slam. A fine performance of top slamming!

I be what I be.

As a child, I was wild, Constantly getting riled, I am still in that phase, Getting bored, Getting crazed, Just because I slam like this, You don’t need to judge me, As I get older, I will become bolder, I’m gonna go to college, And grow knowledge, About the world, As it’s swirled, Across the universe. …………….This is my verse.

Mrs Harding takes the microphone to slam out the proceedings, providing a suitable finale to an excellent day !

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Post-Mortem—by Noel Coward

By Lois Bebbington

On the 11th of November, Sixth Form drama students put on a production of “Post-Mortem” by Noel Coward in commemoration of the centenary of the First World War, ultimately raising £180 for the charity “Help for Heroes”.

The play starred Year 11 student, Kiyah Velasco Mills as John Cavan, a soldier who is mortally wounded in World War One, and flashed forward in time, as he is dying, to see how the War has affected his close friends and family. During the play, Cavan meets his mother, played by Charlotte Swain, his ex-fiancé, played by Jade Elsden, and other soldiers that served with him.

Other members of the cast included; Lois Bebbington, Nikita Jade Parker, Escher Attala, Brandon Ethel, Thomas Oliviera, James Burford, Elena Sexton, Eleanor Boiling, Annie Risner, Micol Merlin.

We hope to see many of them on the stage in the future.

The project was led by Sixth Form students; Lois Bebbington, Nikita -Jade Parker and Charlotte Swain, who also took on acting roles within the performance. They described the task as “difficult but rewarding”.

As well as students taking on acting roles, some students also took on design roles. Year 13 student Bethany Cowper Smith designed and painted the set for the production, working with students in the art club to pull the audience back in time through time to the trenches of the First World War. Kate Maclean, a Year 11 students who acted as stage manager for the play was overjoyed at how the production turned out “at first I was a bit worried since I had never been stage manager before but I

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found that the older students were really helpful, it turned out to be a really good show. I’m proud.”

Another Year 11 student, Harry Fox , was lighting designer for the play “It was really fun” he said when the Clarion ! team caught up with him after the performance “I’d never done stage lighting before so it was really cool to learn about it”.

Although not able to be there on performance night, Poppy Reed was sound designer for the production. Her music really made the performance, and the leaders of the project described her work as “really good, the performance really came together when we got the music.”

Bebbington, Swain and Parker hope that their efforts have paved the way for future student lead projects in the drama department.

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The Woman in Black—Theatre Trip in November

Mrs Brown

Barton Court students enjoy a high quality theatrical experience in the West End.

GCSE and sixth form Drama students went to London on the 20th November for a Woman in Black study day. We started off with a workshop in the Fortune Theatre itself, run by West End actor Mike Southern, and Teg Davies, former stage manager for The Woman in Black.

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Students were able to perform extracts from the play on the actual stage which would be later be occupied by The Woman in Black cast. They looked at various acting techniques used by the actors, and experienced a few unexpected scares in the process, courtesy of sneaky Teg Davies- hiding backstage and operating the mechanical door for instance!

Students were praised by the workshop leaders and house manager for both their behaviour and the quality of acting that took place.

After a dinner break in Covent Garden, enjoying the magical (albeit very early) Christmas atmosphere, we went back to the theatre and prepared ourselves for an evening of jumps and scares. The students were a credit to the school in their behaviour and the way they took copious amounts of notes for their studies – whilst fighting the urge to hide under their coats !

Miss Brown would like to thank Ms Fenn, Mr Millward and Miss Hardy for their time in accompanying the trip and the students for their excellent conduct and enthusiasm.

An excellent day was enjoyed by all !

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Applying to Scottish Universities

By Scarlett Dyson and Kieran Kejiou

Applying To Scottish Universities For students who are thinking of applying to Scotland for university there are a few things that they may need to know; for example, the courses in Scotland are typically four years rather than three, but some universities allow students to skip the first year should their grades meet the requirements. The cost of four years in Scotland is also the same as it would cost for three years so no extra student loans need to be taken out. In addition students at Scottish universities study more than one subject; they study three in the first year, two in the second and then choose the one that they wish to continue with for their final two years.

This structure is not a joint honours course but instead allows individuals to vary their subjects based on their interests and the list of available subjects that are able to be studied with your chosen course is available in the university prospectus. Due to the fact that University of Edinburgh more than one subject is studied it is easier to change courses should you require.

How important are university open days?

University Open Days are informative and allow prospective students to tour the campus and accommodation as well as gaining information about the area. Furthermore there are sample lectures and talks about courses which often outline the course structure and how it will be examined. University Open Days also provide information on fees and the help that students can get with their tuition and maintenance fees, and information regarding catering facilities and whethUniversity of Glasgow er an individual will benefit from being in catered or self-catered accommodation. Alternatively, should you not be able to make it to an Open Day you may also attend a guided tour which allows you to view the university during term time and provides more opportunities for you to ask questions since the tour is more personal and is student-led. Tours however, do not always allow you to look at the accommodation but can provide you with substantial information, particularly regarding cost.

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But beyond the information about the course, the facilities and the campus, Open Days give you a chance to get a feel for the place. Arguably, the general tone of the city is as important as the university itself – nobody wants to spend four years of their life in a place they hate.

Walking the streets of the surrounding city can tell you so much about whether you would genuinely enjoy your time there. Does the city still feel beautiful in the rain? Are the buildings too tightly packed on the high street? Do you find the local accent endearing? These questions are arbitrary and unique to the individual; we all are drawn to different aspects of a place. Your parents may like it and your friends may only be an hour’s drive away, but these concerns are secondary to your comfort.

Obviously the rigours and structure of the course are very important; the methods of teaching are useful to know; and the logistics of travel are essential knowledge. But the personal factor, your connection to the place should not be overlooked: memories will be made at your university, a large portion of your life could be inextricably linked to every city you visit.

So when you look around, don’t ignore the subtleties in your emotions. The intricacies in your feelings are a useful tool because the university experience encompasses more than the institution; it’s the elegance in the architecture, the castle on the skyline and the pandas in Edinburgh zoo.

So, university visits are vital in forming an opinion of both the university and the environment that surrounds it.

There are a few practical things that you should consider checking out, whether your university is North or south of the border:



Where does the University feature in the League tables ?

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What is the quality of your course like ?

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How is your course structured?

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What are the fees ?

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Look at the web site and bulletin boards

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What is the availability and cost of rented accommodation in the area ?

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What are the leisure facilities like?

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How good are transport links?

Take the time to make the RIGHT decisions for you—your memories of your time at university will last a lifetime………...

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Art Department News

by Miss Hodge

Christmas Card Competition This year’s Christmas card competition saw the best collection of entries ever! There was a wonderful range of creative and imaginative designs from across the school. The standard this year was incredibly high making it a difficult task to select the winning design. In first place, chosen by Ms Cardus, for the official school Christmas card was a beautiful design created by Lauren Hopkins. In second place, Mel Hoare’s card design has been used for the school charity Christmas card and in third place, was Molly Lambourn, whose design has been used for the Christmas Carol concert ticket. Well done to everyone.

1st place: Lauren Hopkins Year 8 2nd place: Mel Hoare Year 10 3rd place: Molly Lambourn

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Christmas Carol Concert Programme Alongside the Christmas card competition was a competition to create a piece of artwork for the Carol Concert programme. A big thank you to Lowenna Hayter and Ruby Wood, both Year 8 students, whose artwork was selected to decorate the Christmas Carol concert programme.

NHS Competition The Art Department would like to congratulate Katie Toms in Year 8 who has won her age category in a competition for the local community run by the NHS. The art competition invited local people to create a piece of artwork that represents their local towns and communities.

The competition was open to everyone from the area. There were three age ranges for the competition: under 12s, 12 to 17 and 18+.

Katie, at the age of 12, has won her age category which is an incredible achievement. She has received a ticket admitting her family to Howletts Wild Animal Park. Competition entries will potentially be used in materials to raise awareness of the area’s new health and social care community networks.

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More Art News…………………………..Art Competition: Portfolio The art department would like to invite all of our creative, imaginative and talented art students to get involved in an excellent art competition which is being run by The Turner Contemporary Gallery. It is our hope to send a very strong collection of exciting artwork from BCGS. Portfolio is Turner Contemporary’s annual art competition for pupils, students and education professionals. A panel of judges will select winners and shortlisted entries which will then be exhibited in the gallery.

The theme for 2014-15 is This is ME! inspired by Sir Anthony Van Dyck’s last self-portrait, recently saved for the nation, which will be on show at Turner Contemporary in spring 2015 as part of a blockbuster Portraiture exhibition.

Your artwork can be in any medium and of any size, for example you may choose to use photography, painting, drawing, digital design, film, sculpture or collage.

The competition closes at midnight on Friday 30 January 2015. For more information, please ask Mrs Hodge or Mr Ashmore.

Art Clubs

Interested in art? Want to develop your creative side? Interested in photography? Want to learn new skills and techniques? Need help with your homework? Need to catch up on class work?

Why not come along to one of the art clubs we are running? Max Lamdin, one of our most talented sixth form photography students, is running a brand new art club for aspiring photographers in Y7 and Y8. Bethany Cowper Smith and Cathryn Twyman are running an exciting art club for Key Stage 3 students on Monday after school. At the moment students are learning to screen print and last term they were involved in stage set design and painting.

For older GCSE students, you can come to after school art club on a Tuesday. Art staff and a small team of enthusiastic sixth form mentors, who are always happy and willing to help, are always available to support you on your artistic journey.

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Debating Matters at Barton Court

By

th

On 27 November, the English Department ran a day of debating for Year12 students that produced clashes of verbosity, the likes of which are rarely seen outside of the House of Commons.

Passions ran high as students battled to gain the moral high ground over the rights of great apes in order to be crowned debating champions of the tutor group. Comfort zones were repeatedly abandoned up and down the English corridor as students argued for the rights and accompanying responsibilities of their genetic brethren.

Emerging from the fracas, Lewis Powell and Gobi Sriram for 12B faced Danielle Oliveira and Molly Lambourn for 12C to spar furiously over the topic: "Social Media Improves our understanding of major world events".

Decision making split the teachers and it fell to Mr Gout, in the role of head judge, with a responsibility akin to Strictly’s Len Goodman, to decide that Danielle and Molly were the rightful winners.

Next up, Josh Mitchell and Isabelle Ollard of 12G faced Jasmine Aydugmus-Fox and Sam Pearce of 12S over the very hot topic: "We should be willing to compromise our privacy in the interests of national and international security". A fierce and sometimes brutal clash saw Josh and Isabelle emerge victorious.

A hush fell on the dinner hall as Jack Gilbey and Ella Gannon for 12C and Jacob Ginnaw and Alessandra Pisante for 12B entered the arena for the final debate of the day: "Attempts to extend radically the human lifespan should be welcomed not feared". Teachers hung on every word. Battle commenced and the students proposed and rebutted, evidence was produced and undermined, slippery slope arguments and rhetorical stances were exposed and discounted but finally, there could only be one winner (actually two) and Jack and Ella were crowned the debating champions of the day.

This day, however, is only one element of the role that debating plays at BCGS. In addition, we will be starting a debate club for younger students after the Christmas holidays.

Any students who wish to get involved and join the club should come along to room 13 on Thursday lunchtimes or pop in and see Ms Harding, the debate coach, for further information.

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Battle of the Xmas Jumpers!

Barton Court staff got into the Christmas spirit in mid December by taking party in the Annual Christmas Jumper Day. Particular mention goes to Mr Millward’s stylish snowman onesie…………………!

All money raised went towards the Rag Week events occurring during the week.

Well done, all!

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Barton Court Winter Concert Thursday 12th December saw the Annual Winter Concert, organised by Miss Fenn and Miss Brown. There were a number of outstanding musical contributions, plus lively compering from Jake Luckhurst and James Burford.

Students, staff and parents had a wonderful evening and praise goes to Miss Fenn, Miss Brown and the performers for putting on a great show. Well done, all!

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Barton Court Girl choristers make history

By Mr Hodgkins

Canterbury Cathedral have recently made history in allowing female choristers to sing in their previously male only choir. This decision has challenged centuries of all –male tradition and the new choir was featured in the recent BBC2 documentary on the Cathedral, called “Canterbury Cathedral”.

Barton Court students, Lauren Weir and Rebekah Kennet have been part of this ground-breaking event and actually appeared on the front page of “The Times” when the story was made public.

Making the grade as a Cathedral chorister is a fantastic achievement, and we would like to congratulate Rebekah and Lauren on their truly historic efforts.

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Art Quiz!

By Mr Hodgkins

Test your artistic knowledge with this art quiz! Answers are at the bottom of the page

1 Which famous landscape artist painted The Hay-Wain?

2. Canaletto was famous for painting his native city - which city was this?

3. What was the European nationality of Titian?

4. Who designed St Paul’s Cathedral ?

5. In which gallery would you see the Mona Lisa?

6. In which century did the pre-Raphaelite painters flourish?

7. Which famous Spanish surrealist painted the picture “The Persistence of Memory”?

8. “Paradise” by Tintoretto found in the Doge Palace, Venice is famous, why?

9. Which of the following was a cubist: Matisse, Renoir, Monet, Picasso 10. By what name was Domenico Theotocopulli better known?

10. El Greco 9. Picasso 8. It’s the World’s largest painting 7. Salvador Dali 6. 19th 5. The Louvre 4. Sir Christopher Wren 3. Italy 2. Venice 1. Constable ANSWERS

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Multicultural Celebration Day

By Mr Hodgkins

110 students and staff participated in a day of exploring a diverse range of cultures, encouraging dialogue and sharing experiences, as well as appealing to all the senses!

All of our Year 9 students participated in workshops throughout the day.

Students learned about Sikh and Hindu festival traditions and created prints based on rangolis with Rani Babra.

Having learned about the apartheid system in South Africa earlier on in the year in Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE) lessons as an example of racial discrimination, Kenny Mangena worked with students to teach them a Gum Boot dance as well as share stories about the challenges his community faced.

Tea Hodzic inspired our students by teaching them a Romani song as well as sharing her cultural experiences from her Southeastern European heritage.

Students learned about geometric patterns that form the basis for religious and cultural art across human societies, and used 2D Design to create mandalas.

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In addition to the above, students learned about the range of spices and ingredients used in Indian cooking, and students were able to have a hands-on experience of preparing food as well as trying Paul Babra’s tasty recipes to ‘spice up your life’.

All students and staff really enjoyed the day, and felt that their understanding of our diverse local and community was deepened by their interactions with our visitors. Many thanks to Paul and Rani Babra, Tea Hodzic, Kenny Mangena, and Music for Change (who organised the bringing music and dance into our day).

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Forthcoming Events AWARDS EVENING 17th December 2014 * END OF AUTUMN TERM 19th December 2014 * BEGINNING OF SPRING TERM 5th January 2015 * ENRICHMENT DAY 4 2nd February 2015 * YEAR 7 PARENTS’ CONSULTATION EVENING 14th February 2015 * SPRING HALF TERM 13th February 2015 * YEAR 8 OPTIONS EVENING 4th March 2015