THE EDONIAN -ISSUE 17/18 SUMMER

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TODAY'S READERS TOMORROW'S LEADERS

SUMMER ISSUE 17/18

BRILLIANT CLUB

61% OF STUDENTS ACHIEVE DISTINCTIONS & MERIT

TRADITIONS AT EDEN

SPIRITED ARTS

CHECK OUT HOW WE CELEBRATE OUR DIVERSE BACKGROUNDS

RAMADAN ART COMPETITION WINNERS ANNOUNCED

W E L C O M E F R O M T H E

T E A M Welcome to issue 17/18 of our summer magazine!

The theme of this edition is Cultural Diversity. We celebrated all the wonderful cultures in our very own Cultural Diversity Day.

STAFF FAREWELLS Thank You and Good Luck to all the staff that are moving on to pastures new. We say goodbye to Mr. Janoff, Ms Mensah, Ms Ahmed, Ms Sanchez, Ms Kadas, Ms Murphy & Ms Delli. Mrs Ali & Mrs Ahmad will be leaving to have babies and Ms Kamali, Ms Khatoun & Ms Akhtar are getting married.

T H E

T E A M

Mr Janoff & Mrs Ayub Aydah Abbas, Faiza Abby, Mamdudah Said, Nasrin H Ali, Nawal Karim, Aleesha Amir, Hafsah Vawda, Saba Afzali, Alisha Matin, Hibatullah Qtifan & Yumna Mirza Email us at: theedonian@egwf.staracademies.org

T E R M D A T E S A U T U M N 2 0 2 1 School re-opens for students : Wed 1st September 2021 October Half Term: Mon 25th - Fri 29th Oct School re-opens: Mon 1st November

@edengirlswf

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C O N T E N T S

3 PRINCIPAL says

6 CULTURAL DIVERSITY

10 EVENTS this term

14 HIJAB & DIVERSITY

4 AMBITION this term

8 REPRESENTATION Fashion

12 AROUND THE WORLD

16 CELEBRATING LITERACY

A N D M U C H M O R E

s a y s Dearest Students and Parents, Message from The Principal All praises to the Almighty, Lord of the Worlds and the Master of our fortunes and salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), the seal of the Prophets and the guide for all our actions.

“I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains.” Anne FrankDiary of a Young Girl.

THE EDONIAN SPIRIT The student body has recognised and taken on many opportunities in the face of adversities presented by the Covid-19 changes. As you are well aware the school has adjusted to working in bubbles, new testing regimes, and to the wearing of face masks in and outside of lessons with government guidelines.

However, the Edonian Spirit has flourished unabated. Girls at Waltham Forest have grasped opportunities within this very different environment to pursue academic excellence, ensure they have maintained fabulous relationships with staff and one another have committed themselves to serving the community locally, nationally and Internationally by raising £28,000 for multiple charities this academic year.

This phenomenol team spirit has been captured in this edition of the magazine as the girls have pursued their knowledge, their understanding, their thirst to explore.

Knowing and understanding more cultural diversity that sits within the school and beyond.

To the readership of this magazine, I hope you enjoy this summer edition and gain an insight into the great work done by students and staff alike.

I would like to thank the students & staff for their continued patience, commitment and dedication.

Wishing you a safe and restful summer.

Mrs Shahina Ahmad

AMBITION this term

UKMT Maths Challenge We achieved a record number of certificates in the UK Mathematics Trust challenge this year. Year 7 pupils Maimunah Kola and Zainab Chamad achieved Gold. Unaysah Bint Jamal & Mahira Shah achieved the Silver Award. Anisa Islam and Assia Yahiaoui achieved a Bronze Award.

In year 8 Fatima Mohsin, Roviha Ishal & Farwa Ahmed achieved a Silver award. Lena Aidarus, Maimuna A Mohammed, Ruqiya Awesabdulkadir.

Zara Joomaye & Zaynab Sedoo achieve a Bronze award. Well done to our inspiring Mathematicians who are breaking stereotypes & rising to grat challenges

Each year our Year 8 pupils take part in the Cyber First coding challenge launched by GCHQ. It is a National competition where girls in year 8 compete in groups of 4 to crack code. The competition is incredibly tough. 6000 teams enter each year and only the top ten teams in each region battle it out for a place in the grand final. We are incredibly proud of Ruqiya Awesabdulkadir, Saeeda Amidu, Ghania & Mahum Mirza who qualified for the London semi finals. They were up against mainly Grammar and Private schools, including the eventual winners Highgate school. Congratulations and Well done!.

British Science Week took place in March, just as we came out of Lockdown. This did not stop us celebrating British Science week in true Eden style.

We made robotic models, water wheels, skeleton, models of our vital organs. We explored structures and made a lot of slime. We ended the week by handing out some exciting prizes including a Kindle.

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Spirited Arts THIS RAMADAN WE TOOK PART IN A VERY SPECIAL COMPTETITION

Congratulations to all who took part. For all entries visit our Twitter page

The Spiritied Arts Competition aimed to capture the spirit of Ramadan through Art. Pupils were tasked with creating a piece of art around a verse from the holy Qur'an.

It was tough to choose the top 30 with so many fantastic entries.In first place it was Year 10 pupil Mareeha Khan, in second place it was Year 7 pupil Maimunah Kola and in 3rd place it was Year 10 pupil Salama Kaire. We caught up with them to find out their inspiration.

Salama Kaire - 3rd place The main reason why I wanted to paint a piece on the verse 41:34 was to show that people in this world have a choice to go with good or to join bad and reject the goodness. It made me think that making the right decision can change everything from the smallest thing to the biggest thing on a scale.

”Maimunah Kola - 2nd place I was drawn to the simplicity of the ayah – I liked it and found it very comforting.

It reminds me that even when we think we are alone, Allah is always with us, no matter how far you are or where you are in your life. I wanted to show that you can turn to Allah even when you are alone, that He is always there for you.

Mareeha Khan - 1st place The deep meaning that I took from this stood out to me. During this hard time there have been things like exams, important decisions to be made, and because of Coronavirus people have sadly passed away etc.

Art is really important to me: different pieces of art say different things to me and art can portray deeper messages than words can.

CELEBRATING

CULTURAL DIVERSITY DAY Maulana Muhammad

Islam places a great emphasis on diversity and highlights that the only thing which distinguishes people is their piety. Allah, the Exalted, said: People, We created you all from a single man and a single woman, and made you into races and tribes so that you should recognize one another.

(Qur’ān 49:13). The differences we share in our ethnicity, language and heritage are tools that allow bridges of understanding to be constructed. This was further highlighted by the Prophet (may peace and blessings be up on him) during his final sermon wherein he said, “O people, your Lord is one and your father Ādam is one.

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There is no virtue of an Arab over a foreigner, nor a foreigner over an Arab, and neither white over black nor black over white, except by righteousness.”

(Shuʾab al-Imān #4706) Our piety and mindfulness of Allah is what separates us from even the angels; in this temporary abode, from which we will all depart wearing the same shrouds and hasten towards the same soft soil, the only thing that will illuminate our resting places will be the deeds we brought with us.

This term we celebrated our diverse cultures at Eid. We shared fashion, food and Eid traditions. The event was a huge success and we are eagerly planning the next event.

YEAR 9

YEAR 7

NORTH AFRICA - MOROCCO

FORM 8A

FORM 8B

SOUTH ASIA

YEAR 11

SOMALIA

REPRESENTATION

N O I H S FA

For so long, our culture, religion and race has been continuously ignored: adverts, clothing and social media didn’t seem to include people or make products that we could relate to or use. But now, society is changing for the better

From major companies such as Primark and H&M developing clothing ranges to suit the Islamic modest attire, to social media influencers who wear the hijab or are of a BAME background rising to stardom, it's amazing to see how many industries have started recognising and meeting our needs.

Embracing the multitudinous diversity of our community contributes to influencing and encouraging young people of all ethnicities and religions to also make their voices heard and feel valuable to our ever-changing society.

Fashion can only do a certain amount, but one of the things that fashion and it's impact on public discussion can do is be a conduit for a much wider discussion The increase in the population from the BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) communities and religions has also captured businesses to including everyone; dominant industries and companies are beginning to realise the value of including different ethnic groups and religions in their campaigns.

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Where previously visible presence of diverse groups in advertisements stemmed from tokenism, commercial directors are now becoming more representative without circulating stereotypes.

Take the example of Amena Khan, who became the first hijabi woman to be part of a shampoo campaign

by L’Oreal.

Even the fashion industry has caught onto the ‘trend’ of adapting to the needs of its diverse customer range. Almost all the shops have a new ‘modest clothing’ section which sells beautiful full-length dresses, loose fitting clothes and all types and patterns of hijabs. H&M, Primark, Pretty Little Thing, Missguided are just a few examples of high chain shops who have created this line to include all those who choose to dress according to the Islamic clothing requirements.

By giving ‘real people’ of different bodies, ethnicities, religions and abilities a stand to be able to showcase their content and lifestyle, social media helped to relay the message of commemorating instead of renouncing the plethora of differences that humans have.

The popular-amongst-teenagers app ‘Tiktok’ has been a large contributing factor to providing a more diverse variety of people to become influencers, examples including Muslimthicc, an Afghan Hijabi and Dreaknowsbest, a Nigerian American who both create humorous and lifestyle content which embeds parts of her culture too. Social media really helps in normalising our differences because it demonstrates and teaches to the younger generations that being different is okay, which, over time, will develop a society where everyone feels accepted.

We are so lucky to be living in an area where it is so diverse. In fact, Waltham Forest is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in London.

146,880 (53%) people are from a BAME background. This diversity is mirrored greatly in our school too. We have people from all nationalities: Somaili, Afghan, Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Kenyan, Algerian, Moroccan, Sri Lanken and so many more!!!

Hafsah Vawda & Saba Afzali

GIVING BACK TO OUR COMMUNITY

SERVICE We Raised a Phenomenol £28,000 The pandemic has been an opportunity for us to continue to support the community and raise funds for excellent causes. Although we were not able to go all out like we usually do, through bake sales, fancy dress etc we still did raise a whopping £28,000 this year. That is the most we have raised in one year since our opening in 2014.

Congratulations to forms 9C and 7A who raised the most money this year. The forms really rallied together for the Ramadan fundraiser. 7A celebrated with a pizza party and 9C will be going to Bru in September to celebrate their success.

A huge thank you to Mr Jasat and Ms Mayet who have really driven the charity and fundraising at Eden.

We have raised funds for 15 different charities and organisations inclduing Children in Need, Comic Relief, Sparkly Jumper Day, Winter Warmers Campaign, Ramadan Project (UK Covvid & Syria), Eid Hampers for care homes, Shine Charity, Salvation Army, Forest View care home, YMCA Blomsbury Football Foundation and Christian Kitchen

ON YER' BIKE

MS BASHIR & MS AYUB RAISE £2000 - CYCLE FOR CHARITY Ms Bashir and Ms Ayub cycled 60 miles from Cambridge to London to raise funds for projects in Kenya. They were accompanied by 60 other cyclists and trained for 3 months. Ms Ayub said "It was important for me to give something back to the community." Ms Bashir stressed the importance of being a positive role model. Alumni & ex Head girl Badriyah Islam also took part in the ride.

FAITH SPACE

FROM SCHOOL TO TESTING SITE

PEARSON NATIONAL TEACHING AWARD

We proudly opened our new Faith Space and reception earlier this year. The walls are lined with with the 99 names of Allah and plush carpet

When returned back to school in March our staff had to acquire new skills. The sports hall became a covid-19 testing site.

We were so happy to have the school full of life again

We are delighted to have won a Silver Award in the Pearson National Teaching Awards in recognition of our efforts to support pupils, staff and our communities during the pandemic.

OUR NEW FAITH SPACE

Blood Brothers

Amina Nasir Yr 8

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Gifts to pupils from Science

GOOD LUCK YR 11 EARTH DAY

BLOOD BROTHERS

After a challenging 18 months we finally said goodbye to our Year 11's. There were speeches, tears and lots of thank yous on that last farewell assembly.

Dr Mohammed, Ms Attas and pupils in Year 9 have worked incredibly hard to put on Blood Brothers performance for the end of term. The play was a huge success and has inspired others to take part next time. See our Twitter for all the action.

In April we raised awareness for Earth Day. The theme for Earth Day 2021 was 'Restore Our Earth'. Pupils signed a petition and were educated about their responsibilities to the protect the planet.

CONNECT WITH NATURE

POSITIVITY QUILT ONLINE LEARNING

Ms Attas led a themed Mental Health Awareness week with 'Connect with Nature'. Staff and students were invited to share their own images linked to the the theme. See Twitter for more.

Pupils in Year 9 worked collaboratively to put together a 'Positivity Quilt'. The quilt was made of squares which each pupil had designed and put on their own message.

CITIZENSHIP GCSE KAHOOT QUIZ

Going virtual has meant that teachers and pupils have really improved the technology skills.

One of our favourite types of online learning was end of topic tests using Kahoot.

Positivity Quilt

CONNECT WITH NATURE - RICHMOND PARK

IFTAR EVENT Head Girl Delisha took part in the @NazLegacy Foundation #Iftar , featuring Rt Hon Dominic Raab, Prince of Wales and other Interfaith leaders, including Imam Mohammed of East London Mosque.

THANK A TEACHER DAY In June we celebrated Thank a Teacher Day. Pupils recorded videos messages and send e cards showing their appreciation. Scroll through our June Twitter to read the messages.

ART MURAL We invited Yr 11 and our 2019 alumni to leave their mark on the school by painting a wall mural.

The mural is located in the English corridor on the second floor. The mural is inspired by Claude Monet.

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A R O U N D CANADA: The ISNA (Islamic Society of North America) Mosque in Mississauga played host to an online Eid show that featured henna tutorials, science shows, and even a virtual petting zoo in addition to religious programming. They also hosted an innovative two-hour drive through Eid festival in which people could enjoy different stations featuring balloon animal artists, jugglers, games, music performances and even a photo booth.

T H E

world

ALGERIA: Algerian Muslims dress in fine clothing and adorn their children with fine apparels as they all head to observe a special Eid prayer in a designated open prayer ground. They greet each other with “Eid Mubarak,” which simply means ‘blessed festival’. After the prayers, they organize gatherings where they traditionally share and enjoy Couscous with roasted lamb leg and 'shakshouka'.

ITALY: The Islamic Center of Via Monzani in Margherio, Venice, holds a traditional celebration in in the San Giuliano Park Avenue, where thousands gather every year.

After their morning prayers, families exchange gifts and visit theme parks or restaurants. Sweet foods such as tiramisu and Bonte are also consumed.

UK: In the UK, in the morning, people consume a few sweet foods, saving their appetite for the later festivities, visit friends or families or visit theme and amusement parks.

Sometimes in Manchester there are large outdoor concerts where singers, rappers, musicians, and dancers will entertain a crowd of thousands. New Islamic artists are often given their first big performance at the ‘Eid on The Square’ celebrations in Trafalgar Square, in the heart of London.

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TUNISIA: In Tunisia, traditional pastries are a fundamental element of Eid celebrations, a tradition that mothers pass down to the younger female family member. Each mother passes her own recipes such as: Baklawa, Kaak Warke, Gharibi, etc. Men and boys partake in this tradition by distributing the family’s uncooked pastry plate to the neighborhood bakery where is baked in a big oven.

SAUDI ARABIA: In Saudi Arabia, in the Jazan region, the ladies like to celebrate Eid their traditional way, using jasmine flowers, henna dye, and wearing traditional jellabiya to express happiness, beauty, and elegance.

The Hijazi feast (feast of the people from the Hejaz region) is typically full of traditional sweet and savory dishes such as the ta’ateemah, dibyaza, and fatoot bread.

PAKISTAN: Eid is a day spent with family and friends; it begins with a special prayer, known as Eid salah. People gather and make festive dishes which are mostly sweets and deserts, some of them being halwa, matai, and rasmalai. People dress up in their best clothes to celebrate. In Pakistan they wear a special type of clothing known as salwar kameez. Children also receive Eidi (money), and everyone exchanges gifts.

TURKEY: Eid Al Fitr is also known as 'Seker Bayram', which means the Sugar Feast.

Following the prayers and family gatherings, children are offered pocket money, they then spend it on buying sweets or toys.

People usually receive a range of Turkish delights or bakalava and many gifts are exchanged.

INDONESIA: Known locally as 'Lebaran', Indonesia celebrates Eid Al Fitr in grand style. People bake a traditional thousand-layer cake called 'Lapis Legit' and many people wear the famous traditional clothing called 'batik'.

EGYPT: Family visits are considered a necessity during the first day of Eid, where sweets and spiced biscuits called 'kahk' are offered. Egyptians also spend their time at parks, theatres and beaches like Sharm El Sheikh, a resort town between the Desert of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea.

NIGERIA: Muslims in Nigeria make up over 50% of the total population of this country of 200 million. Eid-al-Fitr is known as 'Sallah' and dishes eaten include meat and starches such as rice and amala. The celebrating people wear the formal clothes of Nigeria called the 'Agbada'.

SOMALIA: On Eid morning all people go and pray Eid Salah in congregation. It is a tradition to eat sweet foods and biscuits such as 'Halwa' and 'Shushumo'. Many girls get henna done and will wear 'dira' and many men choose to wear 'mawees' or 'khamees'.

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EDEN BIG IFTAR

YEAR 11

Hijab & Diversity my point of view

I am a proud hijabi, a proud Muslim.

This hijab is me: my identity, my benefactor. How can some people be so negative about something so beautiful, so pure? To some the hijab may just be a piece of cloth but to me it is my everything.

Without my hijab I feel bare, I feel exposed. It is my comfort. It is there as a barrier between me and any harm; it is there as a preserver of my modesty; it is a part of me.

Hijab is not a piece of cloth on your head: it is a way of life. It is with me wherever I go as a representation of my faith. We all have similarities and differences, and those diversities are what make us unique: they are what make us particular. They are what make us .

We must all learn to accept Sikhs wearing the turban, Jews wearing the kippah and Christians wearing the crucifix. This diversity is something we should accept and embrace. It is something that we can all share with each other, teaching others about our religion

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and ethnicity, educating them on the meaning behind our religious clothing and ethnic traditions. Practicing my rights of expression empowers me and many women like me. Through the hijab we feel able to overcome social expectations and the too prevalent sexualization of young women in society.

Just as some choose to wear certain footwear, or a certain shirt or jacket - I choose to wear the hijab. I am not forced to. I am not asked to. I CHOOSE to. How would you feel if someone questioned your right to dress as you choose?

My faith gave me the right to choose as a young Muslim female 1400 years before the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enshrined the right in law.

The sign of a progressive society is the ability to embrace diversity across its communities. The hijab is a symbol of diversity that should be welcomed and embraced.

Aleesha Amir

BRILLIANT club A handful of year 8 & 9 students were handpicked to take part in the Brilliant Club scholars programme where they participated in the university style learning. They were supported by Ms Abdurahman. They explored the topic of colonialism with PHD tutor Jennifer Morris. The students had weekly tutorials in which they built up an expanse of knowledge to use in a 1500-word final essay. The University tutors were most impressed by the quality of work produced and some pupils even secured a first class mark on their mini dissertation.

Museums are culture-houses and places of

Despite the arguments above, there is no doubt that

knowledge that have been around for around 300

museums are very relevant in today’s society- and

years. Whether it is art, history or science there are

forever will be. Museums can make connections on

many exhibits that appeal to many people. It is a

what society used to be, how things have changed

place for all and a way to gain a better

to reveal how we are currently and what we may

understanding about the world. However, there are

become in the future. The various exhibits and

controversies about whether they are relevant to

displays present the ideology of the past and how

today’s society and if, historical museums especially,

we have changed or agree more with them.

are just relics of colonialism and are unrelated to

Museums can show how our perspectives have

society. I strongly disagree with this statement and

changed over the years. This serves as a way to

believe that museums still hold a relevant and

educate society on our past that has led to our

valuable place in society, rather than being just relics

present. There is evidence for this from the British

of colonialism.

Museum, ‘’ It’s eight million objects allow us to explore the extraordinary diversity of human

We all know that every collected artefact has a founder. However, some may suppose their claim to these discoveries is misappropriated. There were many natives from the colonised lands who had helped the British explorers to discover these specimens/artefacts which are on display, leaving some to believe that the natives were not credited for their work. An example of this is the Malay boy ‘Ali’ and the other Malay’s that had helped Wallace when finding specimens. ‘A significant percentage of Wallace’s impressive tally of 125,660 natural history collections must have been collected by Ali’[4]. Here, there may have been an abuse of power as Ali and his fellow Malay’s did not receive credit and recognition for their hard work even though

cultures, from small communities to vast empires, to discover the many forms and expressions human beings have given to every aspect of life, and to realise how closely they are interconnected’’[5].

Overall, I disagree with the idea that ‘Museums are relics of colonialism and are therefore not relevant to society’ because we can still learn so much from museums even if they may seem old fashioned or out of date for some. We can still use the exhibits to learn from past mistakes and how history impacts us today. We use museums to celebrate their respective cultural heritage and the ways in which humans had come up with ideas and inventions that have got us to the modern society of today. together.

they assisted Wallace greatly. Those who agree with the statement would think that although Wallace may have been in charge, studied the specimens and brought them back to England, the practical work was done by his ‘servants’ and they had not been acknowledged.

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READING AT EDEN Carnegie Shadowing Bookgroup

This year Eden took part in shadowing the Carnegie judging process: students read the shortlisted books and voted for their favourite. It gave the students who took part access to some of the best recently published books and they thoroughly enjoyed reading and reviewing them.

The shadowing judges’ winner was ‘Run Rebel’.Saba Afzali agreed: “I would definitely recommend ‘Run Rebel’.Since so many people could possibly relate to this book, it’s a must read. Personally, I found it gripping and extremely well crafted, especially with each verse chapter focusing on something different but coming together to form a very nicely flowing story. I have already been recommending it to my friends!”

The Judge’s Winner was ‘Look Both Ways’. Our student reviewer Zainab Chamad wrote: “This book is full of important messages and is relatable to anyone who goes to school as things like this happen to them.”

Hafsah Vawda’s favourite read was ‘Fountains of Silence’ by Ruta Sepetys: “The characters of this story were vividly brought to life. This story follows multiple points of view but each character's voice is clear and believable. I think I like Daniel the most as he is very caring and determined to uncover the truths to make people lives better.”

All of the shortlisted books will be in the library in September so students can make up their own minds about their favourites.

Bedrock Stars

Students need to expand their vocabulary so that the sophistication of their writing reflects the growing sophistication of their ideas and understanding. Since January 2020, Edonians have been using the online platform, Bedrock to help them widen their vocabulary.

Mr Janoff’s 8.3 English group have been leading the way: they have been top performers for many months.Our top individual Bedrock stars are Aisha Arubi, Zainab Shabbir, Zainab Nasiri, Abiha Adnan, Negain Hejrat, Mariya Sami, Sanah Hussain, Rangeena Hassani, Ammara Haseeb and Mishaal Shahzad.Between them, these students completed an amazing 1,454 lessons this year.

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Many of our students were entered into Bedrock’s prize draw for consistently completing all of their Bedrock homework and Abiha Adnan was lucky enough to win an Amazon voucher. We look forward to even greater successes next year

BOOKBUZZ BookTrust is a reading charity which promotes a love of reading. They have an annual initiative which allows schools to offer students a book of their very own. Research has found that young people who own their own books have a more positive attitude to reading and read more frequently.

When we welcomed our students back to the classrooms in March, their new books were waiting for them and they wasted no time getting lost in the gripping stories.Our year 7 and 8 students are clearly big fans of spooky and scary stories with ‘City of Ghosts’ and ‘Crater Lake’ being the most popular choices.

World Book Day World Book Day was celebrated differently this year but Eden still excelled at celebrating all things book-related.

Although our teachers and students had to stay at home, their imaginations ran wild and we saw some amazingly creative responses to World Book Day: students attempted to identify the teachers behind the masks in a Masked Reader competition; lessons on Teams were enlivened with backgrounds from famous books and students still enjoyed dressing up and creating art work in response to their favourite books and characters. The theme was ‘Share a Story’ and the English department led the way, reading aloud from a range of books.

HRH DUKE OF EDINBURGH A Wonderful Legacy “

HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh - 1921 - 2021 Earlier this year, HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99. He was a member of the British royal family as the husband of Elizabeth II. He married Elizabeth over 70 years ago, in November 1947 when she was Princess Elizabeth. We remember him warmly as the chairman of The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, the self-improvement program for young people aged 14 to 24 that is named after him - a great legacy.

The Duke of Edinburgh's Award (DofE) Any young person can do their DofE – regardless of ability, gender, background or location. Achieving an Award is not a competition or about being first. It’s all about setting personal challenges and pushing boundaries. Achieving an Award will give you skills, confidence and an edge over others when you apply for college, university or a job. Beyond your academic achievements, universities want to see evidence of so called ‘soft skills’ that you have developed through extra-curricular activities, such as communication, commitment, leadership and teamwork. Your DofE Award is a fantastic way to demonstrate and evidence these skills in practice.

What do people think of it?

“Duke of Edinburgh has impacted my life a lot as it made me think of my surroundings more. I have learnt that there are many ways to impact my community just by giving a fraction of my time. The practice expedition taught me what determination really is. I really enjoyed walking through and navigating my own way. It gave me a sense of leadership and increased my self-confidence. Qualities I have gained include teamwork, co-operation and perseverance” - Shaaem Zainab “There’s something very special about DofE Award holders- their capacity to help others. It’s an amazing attribute that I hope you carry forward to the rest of your lives. While the DofE is great to have on your CV to help you get a job, I think the most important thing is how much you’ve grown as people. The hard work and dedication that you’ve put in counts for so much and sets you up for a very successful future” - David Walliams In a nutshell: When Universities and employers look at your CV, they will want to see more than your academic qualifications.

Taking part in a sports team, a coding workshop, a drama group, or something else like the DofE can help you stand out from the crowd.

Dear England and Gareth Southgate It might not be the result we wanted, but THANK YOU. We know your incredible team spirit, work ethic, and compassion will have inspired millions of children and that means everything. England - a fantastic performance. Gareth Southgate and his exciting young team, who have given the nation so much enjoyment over the last few weeks. We could not be more proud of you. These players are the inspiration for us here at Eden and we have a lot to learn. They showed exemplary leadership and ambition for their country.

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Eden has always been known for its enrichment opportunities and creativity. The pandemic has meant we have to pause everything that makes our school so special. This term as Covid 19 restrictions finally eased we embarked on our first school trip in 18 months.

Stubbers is an outdoor activity centre about 40 minutes from Eden. The website tells you to step out of your comfort zone and into a world of adventure. We spent the day taking part in a range of activities such as Pioneering, Bushcraft where we got to make fires. There were High ropes, Abseiling, Laser Tag, Rifle shooting and the most talked about activity of the week, Raft building, We had to work together in teams to build a raft and then test it out on water. Needless to say the majority of rafts came apart and we ended up in the water.

A special mention to Ms Khatoun who trusted her group enough to go out into the water with them.

This was one of the only rafts that didn't sink!

The trip was a huge success and we cannot wait to experience a lot more next year.

R E V I E W S Queen of Ruin Do you like books that have strong female leads? Books that tell the tale of females overthrowing misogynistic beliefs?

Do you like books that do not portray the female as “the damsel in distress” but as one who can make a change? Books where “knights in shining armour” are not exclusively men?

Well, if you agree to some or all of the above, then I have the perfect book for you. ‘Queen of Ruin’, by Tracy Banghart, is a book that follows the story of two sisters, Nomi and Serina: one who was banished from her home country Bellaqua and the other imprisoned in the Mount of Ruin, an island filled with women who are thirsty for revenge and revolution.

Now that ‘the superior’ has been overthrown under the hands of his iniquitous son, Nomi and Serina - with the help of the Mount Ruin’s women - must help the rightful son regain his title and power back and help change society. Read and enjoy the next spellbinding squeal to ‘Grace and Fury’ series.

Raya and The Last Dragon Raya and The Last Dragon is a new release from Walt Disney Animation Studios and is the 13th official Disney Princess. She is also Disney’s first Southeast Asian princess. Despite the movie only being released on 3rd March 2021, the new film has already become a crowd favourite with tales of betrayal, pain and hope.

Kumandra is a place where humans and dragons lived together in harmony. There was peace throughout the land – that was until threatening creatures called Druuns attacked. Once attacked by a Druun, the victim would turn to stone, preserved in rock for the rest of their lives. The Druuns attacked Kumandra, and the dragons fought bravely until the very end, yet it was to no avail. The last dragon, Sisu, used her magic to seal away the Druuns, but sealed herself in the process. 500 years later, and Kumandra has now been split up into 5 different nations: Heart, Spine, Fang, Tail and Talon. Due to Sisu’s magic being in the remains of a single gem, people fought over such power, leading to the people of Kumandra being split into 5 different kingdoms, and the gem being hidden away in the Heart Kingdom.

After an underhanded deal of treachery, the gem broke into pieces and now the Druuns have returned, attacking everyone indiscrimately. Will Raya be able to find the last dragon Sisu and new allies to save the world and put an end to Druuns, or will it be too late before Druuns make the whole population to that of stone?

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Genshin Impact is an action-packed, roleplaying game that took many people by storm with breath-taking visuals and incredible animation. It was released on 28 September 2020 by miHoYo and since then has continuously gained many fans.

Aether and Lumine are twins with magical powers who are separated by a mysterious woman when one is sent to a different world. Whichever sibling you choose to play as is sent to Teyvat, a world unknown to the twins and their powers are lost. After saving a floating creature named Paimon, she becomes your faithful travelling companion and assists you in your journey to find your missing sibling.

In Teyvat, there are 7 elements that Vision holders can obtain – Anemo, Pyro, Cryo, Electro, Hydro, Dendro and Geo, which you may more commonly recognise as Wind, Fire, Ice, Electricity, Water, Plant and Rock.

Despite not being a Vision holder, you are still able to unleash elemental powers. In the game, you are given various quests, some of which you must complete before continuing.

Mondstadt is the nation where the Anemo Archon, Barbatos, reside. The people there are free and peaceful but that all changes when Stormterror, a fearsome dragon once known as Dvalin attacks. You become known as the Traveller and eventually the Honourary Knight after fighting Stormterror and living to tell the tale. Venti, also known as Barbatos, the Anemo Archon, and a friend of Dvalin, desires your help to save Dvalin from the corrupted magic of the Abyss Order. However, Liyue is the China-based, fictional nation in which the element Geo is prominent. With things such as the Liyue Qixing, the Adepti, the Vigilant Yaksha, and a battle against one of the 11 Harbingers of the Fatui, Liyue is truly a sight to see.

Each nation in the game has its own history, characteristics and intriguing mysteries and quests.

Inazuma – a new, Japanese-themed nation led by the Electro Archon, Baal - is still yet to be released. With new countries yet to come out such as Sumeru and Snezhnaya, players eagerly anticipate their arrival. Genshin Impact: new characters, new landscapes, a new world to discover.