ANTHOLOGYINTERNATIONAL2022
What freedoms we have and how we might use those freedoms has been something for Cokethorpe pupils to ponder. The Amnesty International Group, inspired by the 1948 Declaration of Human Rights, has written their own charter for the children of the world; First Form pupils have written poems about what freedom really is. The world faces huge challenges, and our pupils have confronted those head-on: the problems of conflict and poverty, disenfranchisement and suffering. At the same time, here you will find the expression of their hopes for the world, their dreams and prayers. In poetry and essay, in art works and in the tying together of prayer flags, Cokethorpe pupils expressed their belief that while the world faces huge challenges, they have faith for a brighter future. We hope you enjoy reading.
Welcome to Cokethorpe School’s International Anthology. In June, Cokethorpe celebrated International Week, five days of activities and presentations aimed at giving our students a greater sense of the world around them and their place in it. This anthology attempts to capture that week: the thoughts, hopes and dreams of Cokethorpe pupils in an ever-changing global environment. We hope that the range of writing in the anthology will give you an insight into the way International Week challenged and inspired our students to think differently. At the heart of this anthology is one of the fundamental questions: what does it mean to be human? Across the ages, writers have pondered the ‘million-petalled flower’, the ‘infinite faculty’ of the human being; our students have taken the idea of the Matryoshka doll to think about the many different layers to our psyches. Through the medium of poetry, Third Form students have pondered where they come from: the sights, sounds, tastes and relationships that have made them who they are. How that sense is affected by place is pondered in a number of essays: moving from South Africa to a new life in the UK; travelling to the USA to learn about a different way of dealing with crime; questioning what benefits –or otherwise – travel itself might bring. Recent world events have seen millions of people forcibly displaced, their homes, family and culture left behind as they take refuge elsewhere; the possible effect of this on the psyche is explored here through poetry.
Ms Jackson Head of International Affairs
Painting of Venice by Kitty Miller (OC 2021, Swift)
By Emma Campbell (Third Form, Vanbrugh)
Wafts of my family cuisine, cooked from home, Sneers and disgusted faces, blatantly shown Victim, victim, too embarrassed to bring it again A person of my race, up on display “That must be your relative”, everyone laughs, no delay Victim, victim, flustered with annoyance Solitude surrounded me on the unlit street Slurs and violence knocked me to my feet Victim, Victim, my fight was over Yellow, white, black, or blue I am a human through and through Victim, victim, suppressed in this system. I am a slave. A found poem from the Declaration of Human Rights
A teasing blame for starting the virus A want to fit in, I laughed, desirous Victim, victim, I didn’t take it to heart
Human By Kacy Nguyen (Third Form, Vanbrugh) and Zoe Robertson (Third Form, Feilden)
One day I dream to be free again, But that dream may never come true.
All rights stripped away, My life nothing more than constant torture, Humiliation is all I know now. Law could protect me, But of course they say no. Once I lived in a world of colour and joy, Music, arts, craft, comfortable clothing, flavourful food. I belonged to a community That’s now no more. To you, you make judgements For me it was my home. My country is gone, With it my life, you beasts take away everything. To make yourselves feel better, You get pleasure from my pain No rest ever just work, work, work.
I come from De donde vengo
By Joshua Briscoe (Third Form, Feilden) Yo vengo de aromas de café y pan, de CDs gastados de tanto escuchar, de poemas melodramáticos y de sinhistoriasfinalizar.
Yo vengo de padres intelectuales que me enseñaron a escribir con poder con palabras que se dejan florecer.
Yo vengo de la playa, campo, ciudad y la montaña Donde relajo mis pensamientos y los dejo volar como el viento.
Yo no vengo de un lugar, sino de muchos, Mi identidad es moldeada por cada espacio, Un ser conformado de muchos retazos. I come from the smell of coffee and bread, From scratched CDs, listened over and over again, To melodramatic poems and unfinished stories I come from a complicated place, Of overthrown governments, fear and obscurity, Of cries of freedom, rebellion and protest I come from intellectual parents, Who taught me how to write with power and let my words blossom I come from all types of terrains; Warm, cold, small, remote, enchanting and diverse, vast and elaborate I come from ecstatic goal celebrations, From shots and passes with calculated dexterity to playing indefatigably till the sun rises I come from a well-made barbecue, From the spell-binding smell of the meat on the grill, And bonding with close family I come from the sea-side, countryside, city and Wheremountains,Ilay my mind to rest And let my thoughts roam free like the wind I don’t come from a single place, I come from many, My identity is moulded by each and every one, Each piece a part of the puzzle of life.
Yo vengo de un lugar complicado, de gobiernos derrumbados, miedo e incertidumbre gritos de libertad y llantos de protesta.
Yo vengo de todo tipo de terreno Cálidos, fríos, pequeños, Bellos y diversos, vastos y complejos. Yo vengo de gritos de gol de pases y remates con destreza A jugar y jugar, sin fin, hasta que amanezca. Yo vengo del asado bien hecho, Del olor encantador del bife a la parilla de hablar y reírse con la familia.
I was on the tracks to my new ‘home’ as my parents called it, I was scared and wasn’t ready for this sudden move. We were on the border and the serious men ordered me around, They split me up from my parents and sent me down a different route. The further I go, the further I go, I didn’t know what to do, I watched people around me struggle for freedom, More distance being created, The further they go, the further they go, I felt myself getting further away, Splitting off slowly like a magnet and iron. I felt the magnetism die, I am gone, abandoned. The further I go, the further I go, The men are splitting me off and taking me into a vehicle by myself, A void filled my heart where the excitement for a new home once was. My emotions contradicted what was five minutes ago, The further I go, the further I go, People with similar stories to me, Experiencing the same hell I’m going through, The further we go, the further we go, Borders now split us, Miles of land stops me, How far I have gone, how far I have gone.
Abandonment Jude Kelly (Third Form, Swift)
Encounter with Freedom Luella Hickey (First Form, Swift)
Freedom By Connie Hill (First Form, Gascoigne), Bella Smith (First Form, Harcourt) and Lucy Charlesworth (First Form, Queen Anne)
Freedom is like being in an infinite dream Freedom is like capturing the night sky In the palm of my hand Freedom is like a tree that kept on giving Freedom is like the reflection of water I love freedom because it’s a baby tree constantly growing That’s why I love freedom.
The Feeling of Freedom By Seoyeon Lee (First Form, Harcourt)
Like the gleaming beauty That shimmers brightly in the moonlight. Like a gust of wind, that blows through my hair freely. Like the luscious tufts of grass Blowing in sync with the waves. Like the boundless beat of my heart. Like the wildlife dancing to the sound wave of the crickets Like an endless tunnel of light Like all the dreams you have imagined in the palms of your hands. This is why I love freedom!
Like the beautiful enormous sun, Shining brightly down on us all. Like the unstoppable wildfires and the wind, Like disasters that will never be forgotten. Like the stunning beauty in nature, Like the moon shining luminously, Lighting up the infinite sky. Like fluorescent auroras elegantly dancing, Being the light in the never-ending darkness. Like a strong waterfall, That never stops falling. Like a vital heartbeat, That never stops beating. Like a blazing match, Lit when everything is dark, Saving you from your trapping nightmares, Giving us hope. Like a magnificent flower, Clueless of how delightful it can be. Like a bird that can fly as high as they want, Like a train that can go as fast as possible. Like a spirit that has no bounds. That’s the feeling of freedom.
Freedom By Xander Luckett (First Form, Vanbrugh) and Oli Tribble (First Form, Swift) Is like soaring through the sky. Like my mother singing a lament. Like jumping from star to star And gliding through the heart of the ocean. Like the light at the break of dawn. Like letting thoughts run free. Like listening to rain battering my window. Like the smell of newly cut grass And the sound of waves lapping over each other. This is how freedom should be.
Freedom By Heather Homewood (First Form, Vanbrugh) and Lexi Mudie (First Form, Feilden)
Smells like perfectly ripe fruit, fresh off the tree. Tastes like a steamy hot chocolate in the middle of winter. Feels like flying above flower meadows. Sounds like people laughing together. Looks like the blazing stars in the clear night sky. Freedom is like being yourself.
From Cape Town to Oxfordshire Casey Copeman (Third Form, Harcourt)
I used to live in Cape Town in South Africa. My family and I moved to the United Kingdom last year for the first time. We came here so that my brothers and I would experience education from two perspectives; South African education and British education. In South Africa we used to do tests every week to see if we understood what we were learning. We then did exams in the middle of the year and the end of the year. When I moved here, I was quite relived when I found out we only did exams at the end of the year. There’s not much similarity in the education in South Africa to the UK. Some of the material I had already learned in South Africa, I am now learning again in Cokethorpe, but there is new material too like learning about glaciers and the Middle East. The things I miss about Cape town is the lovely weather and so much heat. Even if it was raining there was still a warm breeze of air. I miss living near the ocean and having the chance to go surfing with friends in the holidays. Sometimes I’d go kayaking. When you do it you get to see dolphins and sometimes whales. You do it in a large group, you are taken out into the ocean and you get to see lots of amazing things in person.
I also miss seeing my family that live in South Africa, like my dad, my sister, my dad’s partner, and my granny and grandpa, plus my uncle, my other granny and other grandpa. What I miss about them the most is their jokes and doing fun activities with them. The only family I have in the UK is my mum, my stepdad and his brother, my two brothers and my dad’s brother.
I miss playing the sports in South Africa because they are different to the ones here. I loved playing water polo and when I moved here I cannot do it anymore because they only play water polo here at fifteen years old. I also played rugby, hockey, football and cricket in South Africa.
When I lived in South Africa I did not do much travelling. When I did travel it was to the biggest city in the country, Johannesburg. Sometimes we went on road trips. What I remember the most is going on trips with my dad and friends, as well as going on a water polo trip with my school. My favourite food in South Africa is biltong which is like beef jerky but a hundred times better. I also liked the sweets and crisps like Fizzers and Nik-naks. The one that I miss the most is definitely biltong. Another thing that I miss is the African music that you would hear walking around the villages. I find that the teachers in the UK understand more about what helps when teaching subjects, but I also find that the teachers in South Africa were a bit less strict than the ones in the UK. The schools in the UK seem to own a lot more land than the ones in South Africa. My School in South Africa had more people in it than Cokethorpe does; but Cokehorpe has more land. In a normal day at school, I would have two breaks, a shorter one first and then a longer one after; I would finish at two thirty and then I would have sports for an hour or two.
A weekend in South Africa would depend on if I was at my dad’s or mum’s house. Every second week I would go to my dad’s and every other I would be at my mum’s.
A weekend at my dad’s would usually involve going for morning walks on the promenade and sometimes going for small hikes in the mountains. Then the next day I would go to water polo training. At my mum’s, it would be staying at home maybe having a swim and then going to water polo the next morning.
When I first arrived in the UK my expectations were low because I thought it was always cloudy and miserable, but when it came to summer-time I was surprised how hot it could get. I really love living in the UK now, although I still miss South Africa. I know that it was better for my family and I to move here long term. My mum told me before we moved that it would take a few years for us to settle in, but when I joined Cokethorpe I fit right in with everyone else. I was the only new person at the time because I joined during the last term of Second Form. This was so that when it came to Third Form I was not the new kid anymore. I hope that I can go on lots of new adventures to explore different things with my family and friends. I hope that I can make lots of new memories. The adventures that I want to go on the most are some skiing ones. I have never been skiing before and I would really like to do it. Fortunately I am going on the ski trip at the end of the year. I think that if you have not been to South Africa you are missing out on some lovely views and superb weather, as well as seeing wild animals like zebra, lions and rhinos on a game reserve.
Demand Dignity Drama Award holders, in conjunction with the Thursday Drama Club, explored the issues of poverty and human rights during International Week. The stimulus was the script ‘Demand Dignity’ which looked at the plight of the residents of the Deep Sea ‘slum’ in Kenya. The pupils discussed the themes the script exposed and utilised drama techniques to communicate their emerging thoughts and feelings in response to the text. They considered what may have happened to the community who were denied the right to live in safety, have an education or access to healthcare, as they fought to save their make-shift homes under the threat of demolition to make way for a new road. Contributors were deeply moved by the plight of the residents and felt inspired to research Amnesty International and its works in more detail. They have committed themselves to a charity performance in the near future to raise money for those less fortunate than themselves.
First Form Design and Technology pupils worked collaboratively to understand some of the challenges that small children in refugee camps face. In the morning, they designed and manufactured a personalised torch that could be used by children in the camps to light their way on dark nights and reassure them. Groups then presented their work and supporting rationale. In the afternoon pupils moved onto bridge building in order to create delivery routes for aid in a flooded region. This involved constructing a bridge, designing a trailer and programming an automatic vehicle.
DT InternationalChallengeRescue
Alone He Stands, Still Marching Away, From the Horrors Afar, But He Continues, At Last He Stands, In A Country Anew, Not As Comfortable as You Or I, But He Is Home.
People are like flowers. Not all flowers are the same, They come in different colours, Sizes, shapes. Yet each flower is beautiful. Not one is a mistake. Flowers bloom brightly in the spring air, Their petals glisten in the sun, Their stems stand tall with pride. They aren’t embarrassed to be different. So why are you? Why do you hide your petals, And change your leaves, To be like the rest? Do not be embarrassed of your shape. You are beautiful, flower, There is no mistake.
Flower By Elizabeth Gouveia (Third Form, Swift) and Jade Neal (Third Form, Queen Anne)
Alone He Stands, The Image of Pain, A Wasteland Surrounding Him, But He Continues Alone He Stands, Drained Of Life, His Home Destroyed, But He Continues, Alone He Stands, Devoid Of Happiness, His Family Lie Dead, But He Continues,
Hope By Archie Pryor (Third Form, Swift)
Painting of Venice by Cameron Welpton (FourthGascoigne)Form,
Windrush Against Sewage Pollution
Our aim We aim to achieve clean rivers for all users from the plants to the people and their dogs. But to do this we need to raise awareness for the bigger issue and that is the sewage being pumped into the river and when it is at its worst. We test the turbidity of the river, this is how we see how murky it is. We also check for harmful foam on the surface of the river and fungus. By writing this article we hope to raise awareness about this problem.
In the WASP (Windrush Against Sewage Pollution) AOB we had a guest speaker come in. His name was Ash Smith, and he came in to speak to us about how his organisation has been documenting the state of the river Windrush and how it has been deteriorating because Thames Water have been pumping raw sewage in to the river Windrush at a shocking rate. He showed us pictures of how nice the river looked up-river before the sewage plant and how it looked after. It looked like two different rivers. There is a type of fungus called Sphaerotilus natans caused by sewage which kills the wildlife. There was also a frothy foam that covered the surface of the water. The top of the river was riddled with litter which was caught in low hanging branches. His organisation www.windrushwasp.org have volunteers who check the state of the river, and they also check how the wildlife are doing. The organisation aims to stop the illegal dumping of sewage in rivers. What we do in our AOB We have been campaigning against raw sewage being put into our rivers since September. At the start we were making our turbidity wands so that we were able to measure the health of the water. There were setbacks in parts because our teacher fell ill with Covid. We were very grateful for our opportunity to meet with Ash Smith who spoke to us about all his time working and creating the charity WASP. After half term we got a new team member which was instrumental in our progress. We went to the river for the first time on 6 January 2022. We used our turbidity wands to check how murky the water is and we found that depending on the weather the turbidity of the water changed. The sampling process We made a jar to collect the sample out of the river and we were given a Hanna checker for the phosphate which allowed us to check the health of the river. There were other methods we used to test the health of the river like turbidity wands which test the turbidity of the water. The turbidity of the water is how clear the water is, this can tell us about the health of the river. Over the weeks that we went to the Windrush river, the turbidity of the water changed frequently ranging from 50cm to 65cm. When the turbidity was higher, we knew that the river had been polluted or maybe the river wasn’t flowing as much as normal. When the turbidity was lower the river was cleaner - when the river was flowing faster. This was because the water was not stagnant, the water was always moving.
By Joseph Westmoreland (Third Form, Harcourt), Casey Copeman (Third Form, Harcourt) and Austin Hunt (Third Form, Vanbrugh)
By Daisy Drake (First Form, Vanbrugh)
By Rose Byrne (First Form,Gascoigne)
I wish my world would find a way for equality of my gender. Where I can express my thoughts and feelings, Get paid the same as men And be me without being controlled.
I Wish for a World of Peace
I wish my world would find a way for the animals that are perishing, For those who are burned by blazing fires, For those whose homes have been brutally destroyed For us all to be free of distress and hurt. I wish my world would find a way for democracy, Where we can all vote for our leader. A world where we have our homes And for our children to grow up free I wish for a world of PEACE.
I Dream a World By Lewis Hardy (First Form, Vanbrugh)
I think everyone should know that…
I dream a world where global warming is gone, Where no polar bears or animals are stranded. I dream a world where pollution is done, Where no plastic is hurting animals on sea or land. I dream a world where no place is at war, I dream a world where LGBTQ+ is equal, Where everyone has reason to smile. I dream a world where we accept colour and culture, Where no bullet is shot from a gun.
I Dream a World
Women shouldn’t be afraid of going outside, People should have control of their bodies. Gender doesn’t define what you’re capable of, Self-love should be taught to everybody. People who are seen as different Are part of our world too. Nature shouldn’t be burnt down, No animals should be kept in a zoo. No-one should be ashamed of their Opinions, gender, sexuality or race. Everyone should feel equal, Everybody has feelings and should have a safe place.
I dream a world where the world is in order, This is the world I dream of… And I hope it is yours too.
Imagine a World By Katy Stiger (First Form, Swift)
WhereWhereImagineOpportunities.ofaworldeveryoneWasequal.FromresourcesTorights,EducationTolights.everyonewasSafe.
Watch everyone come past busy with their daily lives Now all is quiet My desperation is rapidly rising That’s why I keep searching in amongst the rubble I am now on the top of the rubble
Imagine a world In which You have not to conform To a set of norms. To express yourself how you wish. To think what you want, To say what you wish.
DesperatelyUnrecognizableIsearchfor my dog In amongst the rubble I can’t live without my dog She is what kept me going She is why I got up every morning She is my life That’s why I keep searching In amongst the rubble We used to come to this part of town
Imagine a world Where you were More than just an Identity. To be equal to others And to have a Fair share
Once beautiful buildings surrounded me But now all is left are ruins
In Amongst the Rubble By Alice Lines (Third Form, Swift)
Like the last man standing on a hill of a destroyed battlefield looking over the devastation But I keep on searching In amongst the rubble.
I come from worry, fear and anxiety I come from closed gates and electric fences I come from fighting, culture and beauty I come from a home of fifteen years I come from having to live day by day I come from swimming in the crisp clear mountain waters I come from the height of many valleys I come from the warmth of the Indian Ocean I come from dried bushveld as far as you can see I come from unlimited education but limited opportunities I come from waiting for my dad to get home safe from work I come from roads with no rules or reinforcement I come from many languages. Hello, Goeiemore, Sawubona I come from unrest, strikes and protests I come from bangs around the corner from my safe haven I come from burnt malls, destroyed property, people taken away I come from busy townships with the uncertainty of every meal I come from the rainbow nation I come from an exquisite land with many emotions I come from a land with gold features but deep breaks I come from a land that gets harder to fix after every break.
I Come From By Jordyn Everett (Third Form, Gascoigne)
I Come From By Mida Loci (Third Form, Feilden)
I come from weekly Sunday roasts Pierogi and trilece for desert I come from many different foods and the question, ‘What is that?’ I come from long drives to the airport I come from seeing my cousins’ expression when we get out of the terminal Always with the same suitcase full of gifts I come from having to pack for the snowy mountains or the golden beach I come from weekend trips to London I come from unforgettable holidays I come from church dresses covered in flowers with my Easter basket I come from the feast my family gather for on Eid I come from Christmas trees decorated with ornaments collected over years I come from spending long sleepless nights dancing to wedding music I come from having to ask, ‘How am I related to all these Whichpeople?’my parents always struggle to answer I come from being the only girl in two generations I come from my ears being full of stories I come from my Babcia’s comparisons to life now and back then I come from a two-headed eagle surrounded by red flag I come from the Union Jack I come from a stripe of red and white printed onto a flag.
I come from experiencing new tastes as I go I come from Circular Quay in Sydney Harbour
I come from waiting long months for my deployed Dad to come home I come from military functions in heavily guarded bases
I come from being called a tenacious asset I come from surprising myself as I make the next achievement I come from being forced into uncomfortable situations I come from being used to starting at new schools I come from being worried what people think of me.
I come from stacking my bike on the pavement, adding up scars I come from the small capital Canberra I come from glorious Australian sun
I come from sausage sizzles and lamingtons
I Come From By Tilly Mudie (Third Form, Feilden)
The long FaceTime calls with Abby and Milly
I come from close friends sticking by no matter the consequences I come from losing friends as I move on
I come from long playlists I listen to on repeat I come from sharing an AirPod with my friend as we clown around I come from travelling Queensland to New South Wales with my netball
I come from big family barbeques by the pool
The Norwegian concept of frilufsliv (pronounced free-loofts-liv) celebrates the beauty, enjoyment and healing of the outdoors in all types of weather. It is a way of life, exploring, connecting and appreciating nature. This concept can be found in the range of activities offered as part of Outdoor Education at Cokethorpe.
Friluftsliv – Norway
By Sasa Wilson (Lower Sixth, Feilden)
Over time, countless of devastating stories of black inventors who have had their creations stolen by white people, particularly during the time of slavery, have been discovered. Their lost voices and impact on modern society has been diminished, and now their stories should, indeed, must be heard. A fitting example of this is the fascinating story behind the world-wide whisky brand known as ‘Jack Daniels’, which started with an African American man named Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green. Born in Maryland around 1820, Nearest was a man born into slavery, who worked on a farm in Lincoln County for a country preacher and distiller. He was a brilliant distiller, and specialized in sugar maple charcoal filtering, giving his whisky a unique smoothness. This charcoal filtering procedure, named the ‘Lincoln County process’, is believed to have already been used by people in West Africa to filter and purify their foods and water, by many food and whisky historians. Nearest was known to produce the best whisky in the area at that time. However, around the mid-1850’s, a young white boy named Jasper Newton came to work as a chore boy on the same farm Nearest worked, with jobs like feeding the animals, milking the cows, and other smaller jobs. Newton was not a privileged boy either, he came from a poor family where he was the tenth child, and his mother died when he was only four months old. Whilst working there, Newton was often curious about the smoke coming from the hollow and saw men frequently hurrying back and forth from the wagons to the area with the mules but was never allowed to go. Eventually, the preacher gave in the boy’s curiosity and took him to the hollow, where he introduced him to ‘Uncle Nearest. He is the best maker I know of’ as was quoted in Newton’s biography later. The preacher asked Nearest to teach the young boy all his specialised skills in distilling, particularly his sugar maple charcoal technique, the specific Tennessee way. Newton continued to learn from Nearest, and eventually started selling the whisky after he became old enough. Soldiers during the civil war took a liking to this whisky, so Newton practiced his salesman and entrepreneurial skills, which he found came to him naturally. At the age of fifteen, Newton lost his father, and decided he needed to continue his whisky selling business for a living, which quickly made the whisky the most popular in the area. After the civil war, the young businessman decided to partner with the preacher, then eventually bought his shares, re-naming the distillery after himself. Nearest, now emancipated, was soon asked to be Newton’s master distiller, which was unexpected for that time and place. Over time, Newton’s business grew, and he moved property. Although Nearest retired after the business moved places, his sons (son George pictured with Jack Daniel) and eventually grandsons all continued Nearest’s tradition of making incredible whisky for Newton, founded by their very own father or grandfather. Newton’s business went on to be highly successful and gathered fame across the world, which he decided to present with the name ‘Jack Daniels’. However, the very source of the business, the first known and skilled African American master distiller’s story, voice and face was lost in time. Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green’s story is one of the most forgotten yet extraordinary story in American history. Although, whilst enjoying a shot of whisky on a social occasion the history of the drink may seem insignificant, the voices and lives of the black creators who made countless inventions we rely on in our daily lives must never be neglected when bathing in the safety blanket of privilege.
Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green
Cokethorpe Amnesty AOB Group
The First Form amnesty group has been looking at human rights and we have come to a conclusion that these are the most relevant for children and young adults: 1. Every child has the right to be free, equal and to have respect for others 2. Every child has the right to be safe and is entitled to a safe life 3. Nobody has the right to take a child’s freedom or that of others 4. Nobody has the right to hurt children 5. Every child has the right to be protected by the law and the law must be the same for everyone 6. Everyone has the right to be entitled to a fair trial and must not be falsely accused or imprisoned 7. Nobody has the right to harm or bother children or their families for no valid reason and every child owes others the same respect 8. Every child has the right to belong to a safe country 9. No child can be trafficked or enslaved in any shape or form 10. No child can be forced into marriages, and every child is entitled to marry whoever they want when of age 11. Every child can always say no when necessary 12. Every child is entitled to clean food and water 13. Every child has the right to believe what they want, including their religions 14. Every child has to think and say what they want while still respecting others 15. Every child has the right to see and be with who they want 16. Nobody can force children to do things they don’t want to do 17. When of age, everyone is entitled to a vote 18. Every child has the right to rest and free time 19. Every child has the right to a decent living standard 20. Every child has the right to a good education.
International Human Rights for Children By Katy Stiger (First Form, Swift), Seoyeon Lee (First Form, Harcourt) and Elsa Linehan (First Form, Swift)
Is Storytelling ‘the Artform of Social Interaction’?
Stories have been around for millennia: from the times we lived in caves, in fact. Stories are one of the ways we can interpret history and how events were viewed at that time. When we hear or read a story, we may only come across a few words and decide to stay or carry on reading. By listening or hearing stories we like, we will find other people that enjoy listening or reading the same type of content as us. This is how we can meet more people that have similar interests to us. By having stories to connect these social webs of people, we are able to come across people that may end up being close friends. Even though we see and hear these stories, someone has had to write them in the first place. This is where storytelling becomes an art form because those writers had to produce their own scripts and narratives for other people to enjoy. Sometimes these original stories get twisted and exaggerated over many years to the point where they become myths or legends. At other times the stories get told from different points of view, in which case the meaning of the story is altered for the writers or storyteller’s beliefs. When people don’t understand a story and twist it to suit their understanding, is it still the same story as it was originally?
By Breck Neal (Fourth Form, Queen Anne)
People may make stories or retell something that happened to them to express their thoughts and opinions on something, or to tell others what is happening in the world around them and how it can relate to other people. If we read or hear something that is relatable then we can sympathise or can take into account what the writer was thinking or feeling at the time of making the story. By being able to relate to the writer or storyteller, we may feel that we could associate ourselves as being one of the characters in the story which may put us into some grand adventure or can make us feel solemn and sorrowful based on how we relate and feel about a certain story and how the writer portrays their thoughts and feelings and imagination into the story.
Stories, as well as allowing us to be part of them, can portray truths as well. If a writer writes of morality and what people associate with what is right and what is wrong, then the book or story may act as a jury to the people reading it and we may think again about what we believe. If we don’t agree or think something is wrong, we may alter the meaning to fit our comfort zone, but this doesn’t work, because truth is truth and if we don’t agree with it, then it’s probably now the truth that needs to be changed; it is probably how we look at it and how we interpret these truths that will change how we see the world and other people.
Storytelling, as well as providing entertainment, is one of the mediums that allows people to get to know others.
First Form English pupils looked at Matryoshka Dolls to explore differences between external appearance and the core of a person.
Matryoshka Dolls are a Russian type of doll which stack inside each other. As the doll gets smaller, it will eventually become a solid, tiny, skittle doll which is not hollow like the others. Every Matryoshka doll inside will have its own unique design which can symbolise different things for each layer. ‘All you see is outside me’ could be used to describe how at first you may only see the outside layer, but as you break it down, you see all the tiny details of the inside.
What do Matryoshka Dolls look like?
Matryoshka dolls can symbolise many different things, but one of the main things they represent is within Russian culture. In Russia, they are often associated with family and fertility. Matryoshka dolls are a traditional representation of the mother carrying a child within her and can be seen as a representation of a chain of mothers carrying on the family legacy through the child in their womb.
Matryoshka dolls can look like lots of different things, as everyone will have their own views on what a Matryoshka doll is. As a Matryoshka doll is broken down, each layer will look slightly different to each other. I like to interpret a Matryoshka doll as the inside of a person being broken down into their core. Everyone is built with many different layers, some filled with the jealousy and a mindset that thinks like “a grass-is-always-greener.” But other layers may be full of fear and much smaller, that is ‘scurrying and worrying’. Until finally reaching the very core of a person, ‘the girl that hides inside of me’.
What are Matryoshka Dolls?
Matryoshka Dolls
What do Matryoshka Dolls mean?
Refugees are Mothers, Fathers, Sisters, Brothers, Children, With the same hopes and ambitions as us. Holding on for dear life. They are not terrorists, But the victims of terrorism. No one puts their child in a boat Unless the water is safer than the land. They walk together hand in hand, Praying for a better future. They want to feel safe, Searching for a second chance. A grid of wire divides us, Separating families. Praying for a better future. No one leaves home, Unless home is the mouth of a shark. A prison that’s hard to escape, Waiting for their hero with a cape Praying for a better future. The journey is rough But life there is tough. Brothers and Fathers fighting overseas While they’re just waiting for a chance to be free. Hours and hours of persistence Just for something that wasn’t their fault. Praying for a better future.
Every minute and second, has its countless cities and brieflyskiesilluminated clouds, windows lit by the sunset… Every minute and second has its secret corridors leading to dark rooms. The clock raises its two swords Across the path of minutes We might have travelled to eternity.
Praying for a Better Future
Russian Doll – Under the Covers By Koemi Neal (First Form, Queen Anne)
All they see is those bright little eyes Eyes that hold waves of longingness and peace A butter-won’t-melt-in-my-mouth kind of eyes But inside those eyes, wars have been lost Wars of belonging and freedom, a gift that’s now lost A don’t-cry-because-it’s-over kind of eyes
A soul that cries to be free from it all A soul that waves goodbye to it all.
By Georgia Tibble (Third Form, Swift)
Not so Free to Really be Me
All they feel is that soft fluffy hair A feel of family that brings good news A fresher-than-sweet-roses kind of feeling But inside of that scent, those sweet roses are wilting And all good news is beginning to fade A sometimes-all-you-can-do-is hope kind of feeling
Time and Travel By Precious Abdolrazaghi (Third Form, Gascoigne) and Imogen De Waard (Third Form, Vanbrugh)
All you see is outside me: my small exterior, The jolly-golly framework, the dimple nose A don’t-rock-the-boat-type me But inside me there’s another me, crazy till adventure, The daredevil maker, I’ll see you later A want-to-explore-type me And inside me there’s another me, full of sly The boxy, moxie clown-er A joker-poker type me And inside me there’s another me, quiet, shy The nervous, tedious little miss stumbler
Hiding underneath all these layers is a sad lonely soul
A would-get-too-scared-to-do me And inside me there’s another me, all bossy like mommy Who always takes control, A I-must-be-pushy-type me And deepest down, right in the middle A mini, hard tic-tac doll The girl who hides inside of me.
All they hear is that delicate little voice That high pity melody that sings a morning tune A pretty-little-thing kind of voice But inside that voice, it prays for a new tune One that is not as pretty as can be A plain-as-white-bread kind of voice
By Elsa Linehan (First Form, Swift)
Above: Digital drawing by Sofiia Petrenko (Fourth Form, Vanbrugh)
Below: Painting of the Cornish coastline by Freddie Beaumont (Upper Sixth, Harcourt)
North Carolina
By Danny Arbuckle (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne)
During May this year, I was fortunate enough to receive the opportunity to travel to Charlotte, in North Carolina. I was able to experience this incredible opportunity due to Mr Ettinger’s generosity and assistance with helping me contact Dr Cowlishaw, Principal of the Providence Day School. Initially, I went on the trip to research, broaden and develop my Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) which focuses on the American death penalty. During my time in Charlotte and at Providence Day, I worked closely alongside the librarian to read and examine many studies of death row cases. As part of my research, I had many conversations with both teachers and students. I tried hard in conversation to enable my partners to feel enthusiastic and elaborative, so that they felt safe to share their honest opinions and beliefs. From these conversations, I gathered an assortment of passionate responses, which revolved around the concept of capital punishment alongside racial bias. These discussions were extremely important offering an alternative direction for my EPQ, as I became increasingly aware of the arguments both for and against the death Providencepenalty.Day School arranged for me to meet and interview private attorney Mark S. Jetton Jr who is the Founder and Managing Partner of Jetton & Meredith. We had an hour-long discussion, where he shared his experience as a defendant representative for death row cases and explained in detail how the trial process works. My time with him enabled me to review the process of death row cases from a professional perspective, where I learnt about the negotiation phase, what happens during the trial and how one prepares for the case. We also discussed if the death penalty reduces crime, and whether the reintroduction of firing squads in South Carolina for executions demonstrates how capital punishment is reverting. Ultimately, the trip to North Carolina was an incredible opportunity for me to immerse myself in information about this emotive subject, interact with people who had strong beliefs about capital punishment, and learn from a professional who has had experience of such Travellingcases.alone forced me to become more independent and capable in terms of organisation, time management, and personal responsibility. When arriving in Charlotte, I met the Andrews family who were very welcoming and friendly. I bonded with both Ayla and Ethan, who were roughly my age, while Amy and Marc made me feel extremely comfortable in their home. Whilst at Providence Day, I socialised with a wide range of people who were all so friendly. The global education department at the school were very encouraging and gave me many opportunities to meet a large variety of people. For most of the day, I shadowed either Ayla or Ethan, however I also attended a male senior tutor base and we met outside of school a lot during the week. I am thankful that I was able to form friendships with such funny, enthusiastic, and kind-hearted people. Since then, I have stayed in contact with both the Andrews family, I have organised to introduce them to my family next December when they come to London, alongside the many friends I made while abroad. The challenging, yet highly rewarding trip has increased my confidence, sharpened my social skills and allowed me to become much more independent. The ten days I spent in Charlotte, North Carolina enabled me to immerse myself in the culture. Prior to my visit, I had only ever been to America once and that was to Florida on holiday. However, my experience in North Carolina was very different. During the first weekend of my trip, we explored downtown Charlotte, an incredible presentation of high-rise architecture. The city is overflowing with movement and vibrancy, and impressive graffiti covered many walls in a sort of metropolitan splendour. Throughout the ten days, I was treated to Charlotte’s most spectacular cuisine ranging from Italian to Japanese. In addition, after watching Ethan’s ‘soccer game’ on the Sunday morning, Marc treated me to have brunch at a ‘Cracker Barrel’. For those who are unaware of the chain, I can only summarise it as a southern delight with rocking chairs on the front porch, and biscuits with gravy on the menu. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as it was my first traditional southern meal. When I first attended the Providence Day School on the Monday, I was taken back by both the campus and the affability of the students. The sports facilities certainly lived up to the expectations set by High School Musical, where the immaculate football field, baseball fields, a running track and basketball courts presented the high level of sporting success the school had achieved.
During my first day, I was fortunate enough to attend a few lessons where I experienced a different approach to education. Compared to Britain’s academic pathway of examinations, GCSEs and A-Levels, their approach is much different. As Ayla was a junior, aged seventeen and Ethan was freshman, aged fifteen, I was able to see different stages of America’s academic route. The lessons resembled lectures, where students mainly focused on projects or note taking. From the lessons I was able to attend, I learnt a broad range of topics based on American history: the Watergate scandal, the assassination of John F. Kennedy, and the history of hip hop. What I found fascinating was the high level of enthusiasm in lessons where people were very open about discussing their opinions about the successes of past Presidents where their historical knowledge on the subject was very impressive. Ultimately, the experience was incredible leaving me much more interested in America and how different each state is.
Prayer Flags created during International Week for display on the School’s plinth.
Some might argue that the Great Leap Forward’s failure can best be explained by the errors of local cadres. Due to the decentralisation of planning, local cadres were given the responsibility of finding methods to meet Mao’s ambitious targets. In order to appear like they had achieved Mao’s quotas, local cadres often lied about production figures. For example, some local cadres developed Potemkin fields, where a whole farm’s crops were transplanted into singular fields, giving the impression of a highly successful harvest. Indeed, in 1959, partly due to the dishonesty of local cadres, a grain harvest of 270 million tonnes was reported, although the actual harvest was closer to 170 million tonnes. The cadres’ deception only served to feed Mao’s ambition, giving him reason to raise targets further. As a result, cadres seized more grain from the peasants and treated their workers far more brutally in the pursuit of greater output, with reports of starvation, rations, torture and, in some cases, execution of peasants. Thus, the mistakes of cadres served to raise Mao’s ambitious quotas, leading to the Great Leap Forward failing with the onset of deception, brutality against peasants and famine. However, all of these failures of the Second Five-Year Plan can be linked back to the failures of Mao himself.
Mao’s Anti-Rightist Campaign instilled fear in local cadres and prompted them to realise how their dependedsurvival
Jamie Wehrle (Lower Sixth, Queen Anne) explores the way in which the failure of China’s Great Leap Forward have been Launchedexplained.in1958,
China’s Second Five-Year Plan, known as the Great Leap Forward, aimed to rapidly transform China into a global industrial leader. The slogan of ‘more, faster, better, cheaper’ was adopted, and the countryside was divided into large communes, each home to roughly 20,000 peasants and countless ‘backyard furnaces’. However, the Great Leap Forward was a huge failure, leading to the production of poor-quality products and a widespread famine that is estimated to have caused 45 million deaths. It is undeniable that this failure was partly caused by the errors of local cadres, whilst the Soviet Union’s involvement and influence over China certainly contributed somewhat to the Great Leap Forward’s catastrophic results. However, I largely disagree with the statement because it was Mao’s over-ambitious targets, hatred of opposition and general ill-judgement that fuelled a vicious cycle of deception and delusion which drove the Great Leap Forward to complete disaster.
‘The failure of the Great Leap Forward can be best explained by errors on the part of local Cadres’. How far do you agree with this view?
Mao’s leadership clearly played a highly significant role in leading China’s Great Leap Forward to failure. In 1957, Mao had launched the Anti-Rightist Campaign, directed against the intellectuals who had criticised him and his policies during the ‘Hundred Flowers Campaign’, resulting in over 500,000 intellectuals being persecuted and labelled as ‘rightists’. This significantly contributed to the Great Leap Forward’s failure, instilling fear throughout China, preventing any criticism of Mao or meaningful debate in China about Mao’s policies. Moreover, this campaign eliminated vital experts who would have opposed Mao’s ambitious targets and unwise schemes. With experts present, Mao would have been advised against radical policies such as the ‘four noes’, which saw China’s sparrow population drastically decline. However, this led to a disruption of China’s ecological balance, allowing the insect population to thrive and consume Chinese crops, partly contributing to the Great Famine in 1959. In addition, Mao was too ambitious during the Great Leap Forward. A key principle of Mao Zedong Thought is the belief that through harnessing the might of the peasants through mass mobilisation campaigns, anything can be achieved. However, Mao over-estimated the revolutionary zeal of the peasants and set heavily ambitious targets for agricultural and industrial production. For example, in 1958, Mao raised annual grain production targets by 50% to 300 million tonnes, and steel production targets doubled from six million to twelve million tonnes. These grew excessively higher as the Great Leap Forward developed. Without experts, who had been purged during the Anti-Rightist Campaign, and exceptionally high quotas to meet, the peasants were forced to focus on quantity rather than quality. Sadly, the peasants’ efforts often had poor, and sometimes devastating results, with tales of villages being washed away after poorly constructed dams collapsed and huge quantities of backyard furnace pig iron being hidden at secret sites due to poor quality. Moreover, many peasants starved to death as grain was procured to meet the ambitious quotas. Thus, through his purging of experts in the Anti-Rightist Campaign, Mao practically eliminated all opposition, allowing him to initiate radical and somewhat ludicrous schemes, and set un-attainable production quotas. This led to a decline in the quality of industrial products and projects, whilst contributing significantly to the catastrophic Great Famine.
upon them pleasing Mao, which drove them to report falsely high production figures. Furthermore, it was Mao who initiated the decentralisation of planning which handed the responsibility of decision-making and strategy over to the cadres. Replicating Mao’s enthusiasm, with new responsibilities and an intense fear of Mao, cadres drove forward the Second Five-Year Plan at a dangerous pace, resulting in intense, but low-standard production as well as widespread starvation and famine. Thus, whilst the errors of local cadres were indeed significant, Mao’s ill-judgement and poor leadership still best explains the failures of the Great Leap Forward. Throughout the twentieth century, the Soviet Union has undoubtedly helped shape events in China, and some might assert that the Great Leap Forward’s failure was mostly caused by the USSR’s influence in China. The 1950s was a decade of great development for the USSR, as it launched the first artificial satellite (Sputnik 1) in October 1957 and set a target for the USSR’s industrial power to overtake the USA within fifteen years. In this global battle between capitalism and communism, China set the ambitious target of overtaking Britain in the same time period. However, so that China might achieve this ambition, there was significant focus on quantity rather than quality, resulting in a very low standard of products. For example, using the backyard furnaces, peasants manufactured high-carbon pig iron rather than steel, which was largely unusable and had to be secretly disposed of by authorities. This suggests that perhaps just the influence of the USSR contributed to the Great Leap Forward failing. In addition, during the campaign, China adopted the methodologies of Soviet scientist Trofim Lysenko in order to boost crop yields, which included ploughing soil unconventionally deep and planting crops very closely together. These techniques were unsurprisingly unsuccessful, and partly caused the Great Famine of 1959 to 1962. However, in 1960, there was a break in relations between the USSR and China. But this only served to lead the Great Leap Forward to further failure. Soviet expertise was withdrawnfromChina, hindering the economic and industrial development of China. Furthermore, China was still in huge debt to the USSR due to China’s previous dependence on the Soviet Union’s industrial and financial support. Therefore, loans were repaid through the exportation of millions of tonnes of grain, despite the scarcity of grain in China and the widespread famine. Therefore, some may argue that the USSR’s involvement in China best explains the campaign’s failure. However, throughout the USSR’s relationship with China in this era, Mao is a recurring feature. It was his over-ambitious nature that caused him to pledge to overtake Britain industrially within 15 years, whilst his unrelenting policy of procurement and exportation of grain to the USSR worsened the extent of famine and starvation. Moreover, Mao placed a deep distrust in Soviet experts, so their withdrawal was not as significant as it might first appear. But through his Eight-Point Agricultural Constitution, Mao placed great faith in Lysenkoism, which proved to be fatal for Chinese arable farming and caused the Great Famine. Ergo, as significant as the USSR’s involvement was, the Great Leap Forward’s failure can still best be explained by Mao’s poor leadership and Inmistakes.conclusion, I largely disagree with the view expressed in the statement. The mistakes of local cadres were undoubtedly significant in causing the Great Leap Forward to fail, as was the USSR’s influence over China. However, under his direction, Mao’s policy of the Great Leap Forward was an unmitigated disaster, whose failures can be best explained by Mao’s ill-judgement, removal of opposition and extravagant ambition. This led to complete catastrophe, as a three-year long famine ensued that took the lives of up to 45 million Chinese people.
Then … and Now By Ella Cripps (Lower Sixth, Harcourt)
Shafaq leaves a life she once loved For a life she now dreads Because home forced her to. She only boards the boat When she knows being on the water is safer than the land Shafaq doesn’t live in a truck for weeks on end Unless her journey means more than the suffering She only goes hungry for days When the place she is going is safer than home. She doesn’t feel belonged when Her documents mean she is illegal She doesn’t feel loved when The people are more hostile than before Who treat her as an unwanted invader. She must only reinvent her identity When the identity she crafted in the past is gone. She’s running for the border With her family beside her. The whole city is running too The teacher she had when she was young runs The one who taught her how to read and write The little boy from her village runs Holding a gun bigger than his body These familiar faces gather around her Growing in fear as they see what’s ahead of them. They all run when Home won’t let them stay. She doesn’t want to witness killing Or the last breaths of people travelling beside her Never does she want to wonder where she will be tomorrow Unless a tomorrow before wouldn’t have existed She doesn’t know where she is anymore Or what she has become All she knows is that anywhere Is safer than where she is.
Drawing of Das Hamburger Rathaus by Henry Shortland (Fifth Form, Vanbrugh)
