I take inspiration from this ayah; as it reminds us to be hopeful in the face of adversity and to have faith, as Maryam did when she was abandoned by her people and left alone. This serves as a timely reminder; we have seen so much human suffering caused by war and conflict. But also empowering to think that over 2000 years ago a woman was given the task of performing one of the greatest miracles known to man, to bring a child into this world, without a man.
As the world continues to wrestle with its conscience, we continue to ensure students have a safe space allowing them to thrive. When we are surrounded by so much pain and anguish, we begin to value what is important and come together as one community to worship, pray and do good together for the betterment of humanity; and collectively we have already raised over £5000 this year for multiple causes.
This term has seen nine of our Year 11 students successfully complete the Duke of Edinburgh Silver expedition and 13 of our Year 10 students successfully complete the Duke of Edinburgh Bronze expedition braving
the autumnal winds in the great outdoors. Students have participated in other competitive events like the Bebras Challenge, and CyberFirst Competition to entering into the semi-finals for the Waltham Forest Y8 Girl’s Football tournament for the third time, hoping for a hat-trick to win the Plate! Showcasing that our young women have high aspirations and have the drive and ability to reach the pinnacle.
This issue captures women’s suffrage around the world, which is timely as our local overground line has been renamed to Suffragette Line. I hope you take some inspiration from this issue and find that cause the matters to you, that you are willing to stand up for
We pray that you have a wonderful Winter holiday, where families have an opportunity to huddle together, spending quality time taking part in activities, hobbies with a hot chocolate or two and enjoying each other’s company.
Ms Aamena Mayet Principal
Ms Aamena Mayet
Sep 24
Apparentlyit’s‘harder thanitlooksbutgoodfun‘
- Sep 3
All Year 7s that enter Eden go to Gilwell Park to build connections with each other through physical and teamworking activities and potentially find a new hobby by trying new activities Gilwell is in the Chingford area and is a physical activity centre
Students designing and presenting buildings in a Dragon's Den format Which design is worthy of investment? - Sep 3 Rock c l i m b i n g
SPIRITUALITY
Mr Jasat
After 10 years of service we finally say goodbye to Moulana Muhammad Dalvi who has moved on to a new role We thank you for all your years of service You have reached the hearts and minds of hundreds of us in your time at Eden We wish you all the best in your future career
Mr Jasat will take on the Spirituality column We caught up with Mr Jasat to find out more about the role of women in Islam
Islam teaches that men and women are equal in the eyes of Allah - they are individually accountable for their actions and will be judged equally by Allah
In Islam, women have as much right as men in matters related to inheritance. Surah an- Nisa (a chapter from the Qur’an) contains property rights, mentions the percentage that both men and women are to receive from inheritance in Islam. This proves that women are allowed to inherit property and wealth, keep it and do as they please with it without interference from anyone A woman is also entitled to inheritance in different capacities as a mother, a wife, a sister and as a daughter
“Just as there is a share for men in what their parents and kinsfolk leave behind, so there is a share for women in what their parents and kinsfolk leave behind - be it little or much – a share ordained (by Allah)” (Surah An-Nisa 4:7)
Women are allowed and permitted to educate others and be educated In fact, Islam has encouraged women to seek knowledge for if a woman is educated, then the education of a nation comes easily During the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, women would gather to ask questions pertaining to religion in order to seek knowledge Even the wife of the Prophet, Aisha was highly educated and served as a significant source of knowledge w in a sc meaning - weekly in various lessons
Qari I’shaaq Jasat - Our new Spirituality Columnist Islamic Artwork
The Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) award provides an excellent opportunity for young people to expand on their skills and become more independent. The certification of DofE (Bronze) features three sectors: Skills, Physical and Volunteering. Participants must complete 3 months focused on 2 of the sections and 6 months of the other These sections (doubled for Silver) can be completed before, or after the expeditions – two days and one night for Bronze and three days and two nights for Silver.
Our personal experience was unique. We went on two expeditions, one for practice and one assessed. Both were challenging and tested our teamwork, stamina, and resilience DofE introduced us to navigation – using a map and compass to find your way around the countryside Students had to navigate through fields, forests, hills and farms, over the course of roughly 8 hours per day to make it to camp. Students were also challenged to bring their own food - to cook on a trangia stove within their groups
The most important aspect of DofE was ultimately teamwork – students had to learn to rely on others, and many unlikely friendships were formed. Working together cohesively as one unit could make or break your DofE experience – and teams did everything they could to make their experience as good as possible DofE also gave students the chance to see amazing views of nature and get away from the bustling atmosphere of a city
Despite our own personal frustrations with some experiences on our journey, including falling down a hill and burning our food within the same day, we would whole-heartedly recommend it to anyone who wishes to develop themselves, whether it be in teamwork, confidence or physical strength
Khadijah Dada and Aaliyah Patel
L
E
E E S S S
Trade Finance presentation
For those of you that don’t know, every term we have a Leadership Day where we ditch the books in favour of getting out there and developing our leadership skills (including teamwork) hence the motto. You may ask then why didn’t I call this page leadership day - well we don’t limit ourselves to a single day to be a leader - we use these skills every day; it’s in the way Edonians conduct themselves, the way we talk and the relationships we build with people and intertwines in the way we learn
No leadership day is the same but often we visit or are visited by several companies (e.g. ELBA, and HSBC) and we do workshops to build a product/idea with our peers and present it (tackling stage fright) and learn about different careers.
Student Shura
The winning idea here was an affordable art box, made of eco friendly materials It taught young children (6-10 years) STEM skills and how to foster problem solving skills
Year 8's foster teamwork skills by working together to build a structure out of marshmallows and spaghetti.
DEBATE COMPETITION 2024
Pinsent Masons Debate competition is an annual event held at the multinational law firm’s building in London for schools to compete in intense civil debating. This year a group of 7 students were chosen to represent Eden in the competition: Ashalina Haider, Khadijah Dada, Salma Ali, Jayden Addai, Janna Saliman, Momina Dar and Ruhm Ali. They had up to 3 and a half weeks to prepare themselves for competition.
On Friday 19th November 2024, our team of seven Edonian debaters set out to the Pinsent Masons headquarters on Liverpool Street, to attend the annual event. Our team was arguing for the motion: “The government should increase offshore drilling to ease the cost-of-living crisis.”
The team debated vigorously, with pinpoint evidence, strong arguments, and won the heat against Eastlea Community School, bringing immense pride to the school and upholding our core STAR values, particularly Ambition.
Throughout the event our team gained valuable knowledge of the world of law and associated career opportunities –it was an extremely motivational and inspiring experience for many of the aspiring lawyers in our team. One standout figure on the panel of judges was Andrew Masraff, a senior partner of Pinsent Masons, or “top dog” as one of his colleagues referred to him! Our team had a chance to speak directly to him, learning about his journey from a junior solicitor to a senior partner.
The motions were all relevant to current events, highlighting issues that we, as the future generation, must resolve.
It was an extremely successful event, and it allowed students from schools across Waltham Forest and Newham, including Eden, to pursue their passion, no matter what walk of life they come from. It was very pertinent to modern society and addressed in an interactive way many issues that are sometimes swept under the rug, allowing aspiring lawyers to practice their debating skills. by Ashalina
Haider
STUDENT LEADERSHIP TEAM ANNOUNCED
Congratulations to former Edonian magazine writers Aaila Ahmed, Maimunah Kola and Faizah Hussain for being elected the new Student Leadership Team. Aaila will take on the role of Head Girl, whilst Faizah and Maimunah will lead as deputies.
The process of election was rigorous
as interested candidates had to submit an application, be interviewed by a panel and then prepare a presentation. It comes as no surprise to us here at The Edonian that these girls defintely have the skills necessary to take on this really important role, whilst studying for their GCSE’s.
SERVICE thisterm
Raised This Term
Our annual Macmillan coffee morning on 27th September raised £1,000 in aid of cancer support services Both parents and students were encouraged to donate stunning showstoppers that were then auctioned by Ms Mayet for charity
Ms Riaz’s novelty cake was sold for over £100 whilst Year 10’s Zainab Khan’s cake was bought by head of year Ms Razzaq
Khadijah
Dada
The Harvest Collection
As part of our Service initiative, every Autumn we offer the opportunity for students to hand in shelf-stable goods for those who are less fortunate Students collaborate and work together to collect items and donate them to charity Students fill up crates with a host of food items that can reach those in need who find it difficult to afford the basic necessities
Winter Gift Campaign
Every year, the Winter Gift Campaign is launched whereby students spend at least five Pounds from their savings to buy basic necessities for those facing poverty Students buy items, which are fairly distributed, and put them into useful hampers so that they can be given to those most in need during Christmastime Hampers are decorated and each Form gets to make their own hampers, and in Art we are able to send holiday cards to people As a school, we produced over 100 hampers, supporting many people through a time that should be joyful for them.
Service and Charity play a major role in our faith as helping others is not only good for society and brings joy to others - but is a sure fire way to get into Jannah Service for others leads Muslims to the right path and giving charity to others can be a form of Zakat
FEMINISM
Feminism / fɛmɪnɪz(ə)m / noun: The belief in the social, economic, and political equality of the sexes
Feminism is a movement which promotes gender equality, addresses structural inequalities, and challenges patriarchal norms that oppress women Today feminism is relevant to a broad range of issues, including legal rights, reproductive autonomy, workplace fairness, and cultural representations, but the scope of the challenges that feminism has faced have changed greatly over time.
The "first wave" of feminism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries was concerned with women's suffrage and legal rights. It coincided with the aftermath of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of more liberal and socialist ideologies. Both the non-violent suffragists and the more extreme suffragettes achieved some early successes with important milestones, such as women's voting rights in many nations. But in the 1950s, following the war, those developments stalled. Society was built around the "nuclear family" model, which forced women to resume traditional domestic duties and slowed the growth of feminist activism
The more combative social mood of the 1960s, with demonstrations for Civil Rights and against the Vietnam War, saw a resurgence of support for feminism focused on issues such as Reproductive rights, workplace equality, and the dismantling of gender stereotypes This "second wave" of feminism also directly opposed the objectification of women, strongly criticising the way that media, advertising, and cultural norms reduced women to their physical appearance. Activists brought attention to the way women were frequently depicted as ornamental, subservient objects that existed only for male pleasure The "third wave" of feminism, which started in the 1990s, sought to broaden the movement, beyond the traditional white, middle and upper class activists.
It placed an emphasis on inclusivity, both in terms of class and race, and tried to address the different challenges faced by women from different parts of society. It also aimed to reclaim some aspects of femininity by contesting the notion that the objectification of women was a result of them embracing beauty or sexuality But this wave was also criticised for unintentionally promoting the hyper sexualisation of women in the name of empowerment - a discussion that is still going strong today.
Social media has amplified the objectification of women and feminist advocacy in the current fourth wave Women can express themselves on social media sites like Instagram and TikTok, but these platforms also uphold unattainable beauty standards. Filters, photo editing, and algorithm-driven content promote an idealized version of femininity that prioritizes attractiveness over substance Women are encouraged to conform to these standards, with validation often measured in likes and comments. The rise of influencers who alter their appearance further reinforces the notion that women’s value lies in their looks.
The objectification of women is even more prevalent on a global scale Industries that exploit women for financial gain, such as pornography, are fuelled by the commodification of women's bodies. Some areas strictly regulate women's bodies, either by denying them the right to make decisions about their body, or by enforcing dress codes In Afghanistan, women live under an oppressive regime reminiscent of Margaret Atwood's “The Handmaid’s Tale”. Even in developed nations like the United States, gender-based violence and systemic inequities persist.
IS IT THE FORCE OF THE FUTURE?
Critics of feminism often argue that gender equality has been achieved, citing legal protections such as the UK’s Sex Discrimination Act However, the widespread cultural objectification of women cannot be eliminated by the law alone In public life, entertainment, and advertising, women continue to be sexualised at disproportionate rates. Women find themselves to be expected to appear attractive, yet they are also shamed for seeking validation or attention.
Feminism is not about fostering hatred of men or rejecting traditional roles; it is about choice and equality. It has given women the freedom to leave abusive relationships, pursue careers, and define their lives beyond societal expectations. The choice to be a housewife, mother, or professional exists because of the efforts of feminists who fought for these freedoms.
Despite advancements, pervasive sexism, objectification, and economic disparities show that feminism remains a critical movement Women still need to work harder for recognition and success, battling stereotypes and systemic barriers. Feminism is not just a relic of the past; it is a constant, evolving force for justice, and its relevance endures while inequality persists
Our Student Survey Findings:
At Eden, we carried out surveys and interviews to find out how relevant feminism is to young women today,
Most of the respondents had similar thoughts on what feminism should be about, with one word being used repeatedly: "Equality". That was particularly the case when it came to employment, with respondents concerned that women have equal opportunities and be paid the same as men in the workplace But for some, feminism was also about ensuring that women are not "put down" by men or, as one student put it, feminism can act as a "vaccine" against those who "believe in patriarchy and male dominance”.
However, there was more disagreement when it came to whether students at Eden would describe themselves as feminists. Exactly 50% of respondents answered yes, but almost 30% were uncertain if they felt the word properly reflected their beliefs, and just over one in five said they were not feminists
The answers to our third question explained this discrepancy. When asked to give a score out of 10 for how much impact feminism has had on their own lives, with 10 being "strongly agree" and 0 being "strongly disagree", the average for all of our respondents was 5.7.
Overall, our survey suggests that students at Eden strongly believe that women should have equal rights to men, but they have differing views on the full range of aims of the feminist movement, and on how successful it has been in practice over the past 100 years or so.
The inspiration for this article’s theme was my Grandmother: she lived a righteous life as a devoted Muslim who wanted to help and educated others She was married for almost 30 years when my Grandfather passed away, and she had never worked in her life And although the men in her family protested otherwise, she devoted 7 years to an Alima course and became an educator in a mosque in her 60's With this achievement she taught hundreds of students and was able to pursue a career, also working as an assistant in a primary school Unfortunately, she passed on October this year at age 68, but if it wasn’t for the efforts of feminism, she wouldn’t have been able to live her life independently With these experiences, she met and educated many people, who will go on to teach their students what my Grandmother achieved for future generations I can only work and aspire to be even a quarter of the women she became All women deserve to be able to be educated or to become educators It is not a man’s choice - Hajar
By Khadijah Dada, with contributions by Ashalina Haider and Hajar Hateb
Girlscompetiton2024/25
The CyberFirst Girls Competition took place in this term The CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to inspire girls interested in technology to pursue a career in cyber security.
The competition is a team event. Each team –consisting of up to four girls in Year 8 (England and Wales), S2 (Scotland) or Year 9 (Northern Ireland) –tackle challenges from cryptography and logic to artificial intelligence and networking for the chance to be crowned cyber security champions
124 pupils in Year 8 grouped into teams of 4 battled it out during Computer Science lessons and at home
The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA is an international award winning programme that helps you develop digital, enterprise and employability skills for free Students complete a series of online challenges, and win career-enhancing badges, unlock new opportunities and, ultimately, gain industry-recognised Awards that help them stand out from the crowd. All pupils in school have a FREE IDEA account.
This term 16 year 7 students & 2 year 8 students have complete the Bronze award. 7 pupils in year 8 have completed the Silver award Congratulations to Aisha Ugradar, Michelle Magambo, Aisha Latif, Inaya Kazmi, Dania Boucetta, Marwa Amjad, Maryam Ali, Anaiya Ahmed, Samarah Abdullah, Yusra Asad, Fatima Majid, Fatima Meki, Thinuli Palagamagedara, Safiyyah Shaikh, Aleen Suleman, Zahra Imran, Zubeda Zadran, Zainab Zahid, Hanna Nour Mahamud, Aisha Hanif, Habiba Shazad, Kainat Hussain, Aroush Akif, Afifah Ashraff & Rahma Salauddin.
After a few days, three teams were in the lead, with Cyber Pythons storming ahead and finishing with just under 8000 points
Eden finished 4th in London (our region). This is an incredible achievement The top 3 performing teams at Eden were:
ASAA - Awiza Dlawar, Alishba Aziz, Aliyah Khan, & Sarah Haque.
Dark Web Warriors - Layla Maria Sharif, Khadega Abdalmageed, Azima Ahmed & Ameerah Abdul-Hye.
Every year in November year 7-10 take part in the Bebras challenge but you may ask, what is Bebras? The Bebras challenge introduces computational thinking to those aged 6-19. Each participant has 45 minutes to tackle 15 questions of varying difficulties, each encouraging logical thinking and problem solving skills.
9 of our pupils scored so highly that they ranked in the top 10% of all entrants in the UK. Congratulations to Safiyyah Rahit, Hanna Noor Mahamud, Safiya Daya, Sumaiya Khan, Jaysha Siddiqi, Maymunah Shamsuddin, Zoya Khan, Zainab Bint-Omar and Ruhm Ali.
SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS SPORTS
Thursdayfrom310pm-4pm
ManyperceiveNetballas a “female weaker” version of basketball, but this couldn’t be further from the truth It’s a fast-paced, dynamic sport that thrives on teamwork and strategical thinking where every player has a crucialroletoplay Whether you’rechasingvictoryorjust looking to have fun, netball offers a vibrant, inclusive community that’s all about support and shared passion
A huge congrats to all our athletes in the Sportshall Athletic competition!
Competing against teams from across the borough, they showcased exceptional talent and sportsmanship in a variety of track and field events, including vertical jump, standing long jump, triple jump, and relays, to name a few Well done!
Habibah Bint-Sheraz and Hannah Siddiqui’s resilience and endurance in the 1-person 6-lap race (800m) were truly commendable
KickboxingClub
Tuesdays from 3-4pm Students learn basic techniques , discipline, ethics , with skills progressing to low-contact sparring - and learn how to defend themselves and loved onesshouldtheneedarise.
If you love football, want to try something new, or are competitive feel free to try this club out -- no strings attached
Table Tennis Tournament - Under 13s and Under 16s What an exhilarating afternoon for Eden! The U13s girls' teams securing both Gold and Silver is a phenomenal achievement Kudos to Team A and Team B for their stellar performance. And a big shoutout to the U16s for their unwavering enthusiasm and dedication Even in defeat, their sportsmanship shines brightly Well done to all the players for their hard work and spirit!
Results: we came 5th from 15 schools that participated!
UKMT/COUNTON UKMT/COUNTON USUSUS
If you’re in Y8 and above and love maths , we offer several enrichment opportunities such as the UKMT challenge and the Count On Us club
CYCLE SISTERS - Led Bike Rides
Sports Leaders at the KS2
The KS2 athletics competition was a fantastic event! It was great to see that the Year 7s, 8s, and 10s stepped up to officiate and mentor the younger pupils It was a valuable experience for the Eden Sports Leaders who got to see first-hand how challenging and rewarding officiating can be “Congrats to all the participants and leaders for their hard work and enthusiasm!” - M
Netball Competition - Y9
At EAL Club, students who have mastered their native language, embark on the journey of learning English. Using engaging worksheets and videos, they dive into phonics to build a strong foundation in pronunciation and comprehension Currently, the focus is on mastering the '5 W' questions Who, What, Where, When, and Why This essential skill not only helps students gather information effectively but also equips them with the tools to understand and communicate about various topics or situations, whether written or spoken Through this approach, students gain confidence and a broader perspective in their English language learning journey A thrilling afternoon
Pupils explore their origami skills and designed some autumnal pumpkins
IntheEcoClubyougettogototrips-oneofmy favouriteswasthezoo-andyoucancontributeto yourreligiousenvironmentalduty(AlMizan/stewardship)andget qualifications. You’ve probably noticed our eco space when you near the reception area. We contributed to this by building bird feeders, bug hotels, and recently a new pond and more. We also run sessions on how we can improve our school’s eco footprint - eg using food waste from the canteen for compost, preparing for qualifications , kahoot and more.
CLUB
Our new team is made up of pupils from Year 9 & 10. The team meet every Wednesday afterschool and work on articles throughout the term The Edonian team is overseen by Mr Janoff & Ms Ayub Our members are Tanimah Choudhury, Khadijah Dada, Ashalina Haider, Hajar Hateb and Aaliyah Patel along with our two Year 9's who are new to the Edonian: Aqdas Mirza and Jaysha Siddiqui. If you are interested let one of the members know.
Year 7 and 8
Sportshall Athletics at Peter Mayes
Athletic Competition
The pioneer of the women ' s movement in Ireland was Anna Haslam, who founded the Dublin Women's Suffrage Association (DSWA) in 1876 The suffragette movement granted some women the right to vote in 1918 and the rest received equal voting rights in 1922 upon Irish Indepedence
Women’s right to vote was established in 1920, with Susan B. Anthony a leading activist. More recently, in 2017, following Trump’s election, a Worldwide Women’s March was launched to fight for gender equality, civil rights, and many ongoing issues.
EDITOR’S NOTE
Feminismhas given women around the world the rights tofight against the system of oppression placed upon us. Feminism fightsfor everyindividual tohold equal power, resources and rights.This maphighlights the growth offeminism throughkey momentsinhistoryin countries across the world.
Ecuador was the first nation in South America to grant suffrage relatively early in 1929. However Paraguay did not grant it until as late as 1961 Brazil arrived in 1943, and Argentina in 1947
It is shocking that it wasn’t until 1971 that women could participate in the election of the Swiss Federal Assembly. And only in 1990 that women gained full voting rights across all Swiss cantons.
Russia was one of the earliest nations to grant women the vote in 1917 after its revolution. However the Global Gender Gap report cites a significant gender gap today in political empowerment, economic participation and gender pay gap.
Women’s suffrage was established in 1947 But in our decade a quarter of Indians surveyed cite the existence of ‘ a lot of discrimination’ against women.
When the Republic of Korea was established in 1948 the constitution granted women the vote. However 75 years later South Korea performs poorly in the Global Gender Gap Report.
It was not until 1947 when the post-war constitution granted universal suffrage in Japan
The first country to grant women the ability to vote was New Zealand in 1893 Kate Sheppard was a leading suffragette.
Editors: Hajar Hateb and Tanimah Chouduhry
HISTORY BLACK month
What is Black History Month?
Black History Month is an event that is celebrated each year in October to remember moments in history, achievements and contributions that black people have made in the United Kingdom It was introduced in 1987 to celebrate the achievements of black people and to eliminate discrimination and encourage racial equality.
Why does Black History Month matter?
It gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture People from African and Caribbean backgrounds have been a fundamental part of British history for centuries However, campaigners believe their contribution to society has often been overlooked or distorted
For many years, we have invited African artists to teach our students how to paint in the style of traditional African art. Our students enjoy this workshop very much, and it gives them the chance to broaden their experiences and knowledge on different cultures.
How do we celebrate Black History MonthatEden?
Every October at Eden Girls, we celebrate Black History Month by inviting African artists over to the school to teach students about their culture and about Famous Black Africans from the past. Students also learn about famous black people in PSHCE in more depth and the achievements of Black people Students are also given the opportunity to explore Black History in history lessons where students celebrate multiculturalism, which fosters a sense of belonging among thepupils,especiallyBlackandMixedheritage children. Many poster competitions are held at school to celebrate Black people from the past and promote an awareness of Black people and how they were treated differently to White people in the past. Furthermore, at school we celebrate those who stood up for Black people and made a positive change in the world.
Aqdas Mirza
This year students took part in African drumming with an African artist to explore their passion and creativity within African culture.
CAMBRIDGE
Y10 pupils visited Caius College at the University of Cambridge and Cambridge Central Mosque
In November, as part of our Faith and Careers programme, our Year 10 pupils visited the Cambridge Central Mosque. Pupils also visited Caius College (part of University of Cambridge) as part of our Careers programme. Pupils thoroughly enjoyed the experience and appreciated the opportunity to explore Cambridge! The entire year group of year 10 visited Caius College, Cambridge, to fulfill a faith trail.
Firstly, they visited the campus of Caius college, where they saw an extremely inspiring plaque written by Stephen Hawking himself, which said “Remember to look up at the stars, not down at your feet” signifying the need for high dreams and aspirations. They also saw the area where first year Cambridge students matriculate, and the traditional exam attire that they have to wear before any exams
They were led on this tour by Caius college students themselves, who were very friendly and happy to answer any queries that our inquisitive Edonians had Next, they visited the Cambridge Eco Mosque, which focuses on religion and sustainability together They were guided on the tour by a volunteer, who shared many anecdotes and explained specific nuances about the mosque, such as its detailed architectural features and religious artwork placed throughout the mosque He educated the Edonians on how sustainability is a vital aspect of religion, as Allah/God commanded us all to be stewards of the world, so we should not be destroying the Earth, but instead, we should be nurturing this extraordinary gift.
by Ashalina Haider
Students inside Caius College Cambridge Guided Tour of Cambridge Central Mosque
EDEN
PEN EVENING
Yet another successful open evening for Eden! Read on to discover the details of our 2024 Open Evening
Welcome to our Open Evening !
Say hi to our tour guides - they’ll show you around our school, which may be the perfect fit for you!
Welcome to History Hop into the time machine which transports you to medieval times and create your own dyes and drink plague blood, and other family-friendly stuff.
“Artwashesawayfromthesoulthe
everydaylife.”
-PABLO PICASSO
Following an annual tradition, our Edonians took part in aiding our school in our grand Open Evening Year 9 students had the opportunity to be tour guides, a big responsibility, and took the parents and the year 6 children on a guided tour oftheEdenGirlsWalthamForestbuilding, leavingnoclassroombehind!
Welcome to Modern Foreign languages! This is your chance to learn more about the different languages in out society and how to communicate with them! Languages are vital in order to broaden your experiences, learn about cultures, travel to nations all across the globe, and learn about communication in different countries. Learning a language can open many paths for you, such as admission into Sixth Forms
History
Year 8, 9, &10 students volunteered to helptheirteacherstodecorateandsetup classrooms, as well as organize games andactivitiesforallthechildrentoenjoy
Some key details to mention include: a life-size cutout of David Attenborough, a citizenshipquiz(withsweetrewards!),and a microscopy practical for Biology! All these activities, and the many others across the school, engaged the pupils, entertained them and ensured that they hadawonderfultimeatEden!
Ourgreatteachersalsoworkedreallyhardtoensurethateverything was perfect, sparing no detail and running as many fun activities as possible Our year 11 head girl, and deputy girls, as well as school prefects,alsovolunteeredtohelp
In other highlights: the RE classroom had rosaries, traditional Jewish attire, and Quran’s The biology classroom had life-like anatomical structuresofthehumanbody,whereprospectiveyear7studentshad anfuntimelearningaboutdifferentorgans. Overall,theOpenEvening wasafantasticsuccessandagreatintroductoryexperienceforallthe futureyear7studentsatEden
French food and language quizzes
GLOBAL Girl’sLEADING
On the 11th of October, year 10 students had the opportunitytogoonatripcalled“GlobalGirlsLeading”set upbyMulberryTrusttocelebrateNationalDayoftheGirl Theaimoftheworkshopwastoencourageyounggirlsto findtheirvoices,followtheirdreams,andteachthemthatit ispossibletothriveinmaledominatedworkplaces
Theworkshopwasbasedaroundtheprioractivity“Letters toOurDaughters”inwhichgirlsalloverthecountrywrote poems and letters to either their future child, or inspiring womenintheirlives Thebestofthesewerethenplaced intoapoembookcalled“LetterstoOurDaughters” Zaara Hussain,apupilhereatEden,managedtogetherletter “DearDaughters”publishedintothebook!
Incredibly informative, enjoyable, and awakening, the trip allowed students from all over the world to connect with one another, and really understand the challenges they face,aswellashowtoovercomethemtogether
National Poetry Day, celebrated on the first Thursday of October, encourages creativity and a love for poetry For secondary school students, it’s a chance to explore different poetic forms and express their thoughts in unique ways
Each year, National Poetry Day focuses on a theme, like “Choice” or “Freedom,” inspiring activities such as writing and reading poems. Students also discover works by classic and modern poets, helping them connect with diverse voices The day promotes community through poetry readings, where students share their work to build confidence It also fosters empathy, as poetry helps students understand different perspectives and experiences In conclusion, National Poetry Day offers a great opportunity for students to explore self-expression, creativity, and empathy through the power of poetry.
Tanimah Choudhury
Star Reader’s Challenge
What is the Star Reader’s Challenge?
Every year, students are motivated to take part in the star readers challenge where each student is given a booklet containing the books that students must read to complete the challenge Students must complete ten-star reader books to finish the challenge When a student has completed five books they receive a five-pound voucher or chocolate and when a student has completed all ten books, they will receive a tenpound voucher and if they are lucky they might receive a Kindle if they were the hat pick winner
What is the purpose of the Star Reader’s Challenge?
The purpose of the star reader challenge is to enhance literacy skills and to develop writing abilities and it motivates students to broaden their literary experiences It is designed to promote the joys and benefits of reading to everyone. It also helps students to develop their thinking skills towards their opinions of scenarios and encourages them to share their thoughts and feelings towards the plot of different stories
Reading Wise is a learning website used for weekly homework where students use a multitude of vocabulary to improve their English vocabulary skills Students who become one of the first twenty to complete their Reading Wise each week receive a chocolate as a treat, which serves as excellent motivation to complete their homework on time! At the beginning on a new academic year, reading wise champions from the previous year get to have a pizza party to commemorate their success
What is the advantage of the Star Reader’s Challenge?
Learning new words and seeing them used in different contexts can help improve vocabulary as well as language and comprehension skills This will help students become more proficient writers and will help them convey their thoughts through their writing efficiently and effectively It also helps pupils grow into very powerful and knowledgeable communicators, helping them to do well in their future exams and creates a path that leads to success
How can the Star Reader’s Challenge be applied to our everyday lives?
The star reader challenge also helps develop linguistic skills and can help with imagination skills as well as writing effectively for future jobs It can help with writing emails for job applications and essay writing and other communication skills that can lead to different career paths It also helps students understand the world around them through reading non-fiction books and helping them understand different cultures portrayed through the different backgrounds of characters in different novels
For the last few years, Jaspreet Kaur, a world-renowned spoken-word feminist poet, visits Eden This year the Year 9's, in honour of National Poetry day, got to witness her knowledge and passion about poetry and her experiences as a writer and poet raised in the UK. She gave students an insight on a writer’s life and her path to become a writer One prominent theme explored was identity - we had studied quite a few of her poems - and we created our own poems about the meaning of our name
BOOKBUZZ
For Y7s and 8s, in Winter term, we have the opportunity to pick a book of their choice out of 15 for free, and have a BOOKBUZZ party to celebrate it (with loads of foodexcept of course for people at the back of the queue), hot chocolate, a bookmark and alot of fun in their English lesson When I was in year 8 one of my favourite books was Dread Wood; you can read the blurb if you like but I dont want to spoil it for you And whats cool is that there are some sequels to this as well, so if you like it, it doesnt end there! And if you want some book recommendations check the final pages where we have some reviews of popular books this season
AaliyahPatel
byJaspreetKaur
STEM IN AVIATION
This year, 60 year 10 students from science, 30 from set 1 and 30 from set 2, were given the opportunity to take part in a STEM in Aviation workshop, which encouraged young people to explore the possible aviation careers within STEM. Students were challenged to make the best EVTOL (Electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing) possible for certain tasks, such as transporting organs to rural areas of the world.
Two weeks later, these 60 students were taken on a trip to the Excel London, to further explore careers in aviation. This was hugely inspirational for our students as they were able to learn about the opportunities available to them and meet companies such as Cirium, NATS and the manager of London City Airport. This gave them a deeper insight into the world of aviation. They were also able to take part in a competition that involved creating the most sustainable airport within a budget of £50 million.
One group managed to win within their room and made it onto the big stage for the finals to present their “Airport of the Future” aiming to “Save the World, While Seeing The World!”
Altogether, the trip was incredibly effective in inspiring the students to potentially take up jobs within STEM and aviation and allow them to truly invest themselves with the opportunities given to them.
Aaliyah Patel & Khadijah Dada
The Jack Petchey Foundation was set up to inspire and motivate young people across London and Essex by providing exciting projects and programmes for them to get involved in. We also recognise the outstanding achievements of today’s young people by awarding them for their hard work and positive impact in their community.
At Eden we have benefitted from both the Jack Petchey Achievement award scheme and the Jack Petchey Speakout competition.
In 2023/2024 Year 10 pupil Asma Niazi was nominated by her peers and staff the Jack Petchey Achievement award. She was nominated for her exceptional character, always being helpful and doing the right thing.
In November pupils in Year 10 took park in the Jack Petchey Speakout workshop. The workshop helps young people develop their communication skills, confidence and skills.
It was really hard to choose a finalist to represent Eden at the regional finals, Khadija Dada spoken honestly and eloquently about the realities of living with Dementia. She gave a really powerful performance and commended by the judges. Alizah Javeed was our runner up with a witty piece on the education system.
Hogwarts in the Snow Warner Studios London
Most of the exhibits at the NHM are FREE Bring a picnic and your camera
Whether you love dinosaurs or wildlife there are over 400 exhibitions here
Over December the Southbank Centre has many FREE & FUN events taking place
Join Pinocchio and Geppetto in Stratford this year Tickets start from £16 We took the Year 7 s and they LOVED it
Create a FREE membership and book yourself onto some activities this December Activities like swimming are FREE and others are discounted Visit the Better website to see which centre is closest to you
R E V I E W S
Girl Missing by Sophie McKenzie is a gripping and suspenseful teen thriller that follows the story of a fourteen-year-old girl named Lauren Matthews, who has found out that she has been adopted and she suspects that her real identity is a girl named ‘Martha Lauren Purditt’ With this knowledge, Lauren travels to America with her best friend James to find out who her real parents are. However, someone wants to make sure that Lauren does not find out who she really is
This book contains a lot of suspense with many mysteries to be uncovered, and Lauren is running out of time She needs to find her real parents before someone succeeds in stopping her
Overall, the book is very engaging as Lauren comes across many different people in America who try to help her Some moments are heart-warming, and some are heartwrenching. The novel is skilfully written with a compelling plot full of twists and turns that keeps the reader on the ‘edge of their seat’ until the very end McKenzie does a great job at portraying emotional struggles and relationships between the characters
By Jaysha Siddiqui
By Aqdas Mirza
You must have heard of the movie - Beetlejuice, right? From fashion, makeup trends and memes, the gothic film was greatly anticipated regardless of whether you've watched the original The 2024 release of Beetlejuice 2 seeks to revitalise Tim Burton's Beetlejuice (1988) aiming to create a worthy sequel, sharing the love for the series across generations. But does it live up to the original's haunting charm?
For fans of the 1988 version, Beetlejuice 2 is littered with plenty of nostalgic callbacks Michael Keaton's return as Beetlejuice is certainly a highlight; he's just as bizarre, loud, and unpredictable delivering the Beetlejuice brand and his unique brand of manic humour. Tim Burton's signature visual style shines with updated special effects that allow for even more inventive depictions of the Netherworld
While Beetlejuice 2 does offer some fresh ideas, some say that it struggles to match the original's charm and uniqueness One major point is that it doesn't feel like a true continuation of the first film's storyline; instead of focusing on the Maitland's ghostly antics or expanding on the original's quirky rules of the afterlife, the sequel feels disconnected in some way, lacking the same mysterious intrigue that made the original so compelling.
Chinese Cinderella is an autobiographical memoir written in the structure of a children’s novel It chronicles an unwanted daughter and her experience of an abusive relationship with her family and her battle for autonomy through excelling in her education The story is written by the Chinese Canadian physician and author Adeline Yen Mah who wanted to emphasise the importance of perseverance and determination when confronting corruption.
Adeline was set on proving her worth; she came first place in a writing competition in her boarding school in Hong Kong, convincing her father to allow her to pursue her education further in England. She attended London University Hospital Medical School allowing her to establish a thriving medical school in California
Following her success, she pursued her dreams as a writer, with her debut autobiography Falling Leaves in 1997, followed by her successful autobiography for children: ChineseCinderella
I’d give this memoir 5 stars Not only did Adeline vividly convey her own troubled childhood, but also the childhoods of many Adeline’s across the world who struggle to fight for their liberty whilst living in an abusive household This memoir gives a clear and positive message to young adults and teenagers to persist in their dreams
By Hajar Hateb
The Silent Patient is a thriller by Alex Michaelides that grips you from the very first page and entices you to read on relentlessly. It follows the story of a young artist, Alicia Berenson, famous for her paintings, who upon killing her husband, goes entirely silent. Her final communication is conveyed through her last painting, “Alcestis”. Alicia is then sent to a psych facility, and from here we meet Theo Faber, a young psychotherapist in the making, who is incredibly fixated on Alicia’s case
Theo is intent on building trust with Alicia, and becomes entirely obsessed with her unusual case, digging further into her backstory, and unveiling many dark secrets, all of which had a massive impact on Alicia’s unfortunate future
The book has many intriguing plot twists, and a beautifully written story line that grips the reader constantly The ending hosts the biggest twist of all, keeping readers on their toes right to the final pages, before ending on a huge cliff-hanger, leaving us yearning for more
By Ashalina Haider
By Aaliyah Patell
Aimed at older teens and young adults, this mysteriously eerie, yet appealing novel pulls the reader in with passages of intense horror, behind-the-scenes at events that only the most elite members of society can attend. Our heroine, Kitty Collins, appears to be an ordinary, spoiled rich girl, but there is a lot more to her than meets the eye.
After a night of partying, Kitty leaves the nightclub to have a serene night in However, her plans are interrupted when she is harassed by a man who won’t take no for an answer. What was meant to be a night of tranquility has suddenly turned into a night of murder. An act of innocent self-defense has become a case of manslaughter
After successfully disposing of the body, she develops a taste for murder to save women from the fate she suffered. Her rules: never kill women, only kill evil men, (after doing extensive research into them) and, like any successful serial killer, never leave a trace of evidence
And so, her killing spree began. Day after day, night after night, from country to country, she slowly begins to eradicate one of society’s largest ills: immoral men – all at the hands of a socalled ‘feeble’ woman As Katy Brent puts it, Kitty is ‘killing it ’
If you’re looking for an exciting and intense drama, Bloodhounds is a great choice. Packed with action, suspense, and compelling characters, this series will keep you hooked from start to finish. Kim Geon-woo, a promising boxer and a master in his own field, works hard for his dreams, which are shattered when he discovers that his mother is in debt to a notorious lender. He decides to halt his boxing career and starts working for CEO Choi, where he pledges to protect his friend and family from his rival, Kim Myung-gil.
Hong Woo-jin, who works with Kim Geon-woo under CEO Choi, is a pioneer in the world of loan sharks He is also Kim Geon-Woo’s best friend, who would do anything to protect him With its fast pace and shocking twists, Bloodhounds is full of intense fight scenes and clever plot developments that make each episode exciting What makes Bloodhounds stand out is its strong character development
The series explores themes of loyalty, justice, and difficult choices, making it more than just an action drama Bloodhounds is a must-watch for fans of thrilling dramas If you’re looking for something new to watch, this series is definitely worth your time
By Tanimah Choudhury
Thank You for reading our magazine! We hope you gained a lot of knowledge about Eden and its multitude of opportunities. If you have any ideas about competitions, clubs, qualifications and trips you would like to see at school, or suggest any potential themes for the Spring issue (this issue focused on feminism),or anything else please let us know at theedonian@egwf staracademies org We hope that this was an enjoyable and informative read, and we will do our best to address any requests for the Spring edition!