The Edonian - Spring 2023

E D A

ANDALUSIA TOUR 2023

CYBERFIRST GIRLS

T E A M

Welcome to Issue 23 of our Spring magazine!

We are proud to present the 23rd issue of The Edonian Magazine We cannot believe how quickly this term has whizzed past. We welcome the longer days and hopefully warmer weather

This issue is themed around Faith, Faithfulness and Spirituality. This term we hosted the first Spirituality Day of the year, welcomed Ramadan and learned more about all faiths We led our first International trip to Andalusia Spain since Covid An Islamic History tour. We say goodbye and good luck to Ms Secarea and Ms Begum

T H E T E A M

Mr Janoff & Mrs Ayub

Zainab Imran, Naseeha Abdul-Hye, Juwairia Butt, Inaya Irfan, Maimunah

Kola, Naeemah Ayub, Faizah

Hussain, Aaila Ahmed, Maliha Afzal, Amina Noman, Zubeda Landi, Iman Shabbir. Email us at: theedonian@egwf.staracademies.org

T E R M D A T E S

S U M M E R 2 0 2 3

School re-opens for students: Mon 24th April 2023

May Half Term: Mon 29th - Fri 2nd June

School re-opens: Mon 5th June

C O N T E N T S

3

PRINCIPAL says

6/7

4/5

SPRING highlights

10

AL-ANDALUS trip CELEBRATING stem

12 14

RAMADAN kareem ON FAITH a point of view

16

WORLD BOOK DAY

19

CYBERFIRST GIRLS

@edengirlswf

s a y s

Blessings

All praises to the Almighty, Lords of the Worlds and the Master of our fortunes Salutations to our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, the seal of the Prophets and the guide for all humanity.

As we are in the midst of Ramadhaan I begin by reminding myself:

“Whoever relies on Allaah – then He is sufficient for him ”

Al-Quran (Surah At-Talaq 65:3)

This ayah reminds us that we simply need to put our trust in the Almighty and great things will happen! We have seen this happen multiple times this term, Alhamdullillah. Evident by the number of opportunities our students have seized and gained success in. We have participated in many competitions like CyberFirst where we came 3rd nationally, we also won the award for the most number of teams entered for CyberFirst for the 2nd year running We have had the UKMT – Intermediate Challenge (Year 9 - Year10), where we achieved 3 gold, 6 silver and 10 bronze awards Our Year 7 Netball is currently in a league of its own with its current match record.

However, all these accolades can only come after you “tie your camel” – you have to put the hard work in before you can reap the rewards

Malik (Year 11) won the award for Inspirational Learner of the Year We have also seen the return of international trips, where 24 students along with four staff went on an Islamic heritage tour of Al-Andalus, immersing themselves into Moorish traditions and culture

Most importantly, this term has welcomed Ramadhaan – the month of Mercy A Spirituality Day was organised to prepare for Ramadhaan, students learnt about the art of du’aa (supplication) and had the opportunity to write their perfect du’aa. Prior to Ramadhaan we also saw the devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey and within a fortnight our school community of students, parents and staff raised over £10,000 as part of the emergency relief efforts. This Ramadhaan we are continuing to raise money for Syria to help rebuild their homes and lives in the aftermath of natural disaster We are also supporting our communities around our school by providing food vouchers, food packs and hygiene kits to impoverished families.

With fasting comes the breaking of the fast – Number 10 Downing Street held the first Iftaar gathering in its history and as the Principal of Eden I was invited to this momentous occasion to represent our school We also held our annual Big Iftaar where guests, staff and alumni students spoke of the importance of faith, staying true to your values and serving the community.

The upcoming holidays will allow families to focus on the last 10 days of Ramadhaan, our students will be able to participate in Qiyam ul-Layl and observe Laylatul-Qadr with rigour; and then welcome in the joyous occasion of Eid al-Fitr to mark the end of Ramadhaan.

Our Year 11s are gaining a real insight into this as they are studying and revising early in the morning till late in the evening, staying behind in school till late and during the weekends for extra sessions to help them They have had a small taste of success when they had their Mock Results Day in January Insha’Allaah once their hard work is done, they can turn to Allaah and await the results that they have worked hard for.

We pray that you have a blessed Eid, filled with mercy, love and happiness with your nearest and dearest Eid Mubarak!

Ms Aamena Mayet

On Tuesday 28th March/6th Ramadhaan, Ms Mayet was invited to Number 10 Downing Street for Iftar. The Conservative Party Chairman, Rt Hon Greg Hands MP was hosting the event and Naz Legacy Foundation had organised the event. It was an historic moment as this was the first time in the history of our politics such an event had been held at Number 10 Downing Street. It was also possibly the first time a congregational salaah had been prayed in this monumental building. A number of notable Muslim figures from a broad spectrum of the civil service sector had been invited, such as religious leaders, NHS staff, community leaders, councillors, charity workers and educators. Our sister primary school Olive Hackney was also invited, and their choir sang a beautiful nasheed about Ramadhaan for the guests in attendance. The highlight of the evening was when Ms Mayet was also lucky enough to meet one of the longest residents of Number 10 – Larry the Cat!

IFTAREVENT2023

On Friday 31st March we hosted our annual, The Big Iftar event in school. The event sold out in under 24 hours, with 150 students, staff and guests attending the event. It was great to welcome a variety of guests who shared their experiences of how 'faith' unites communities.

STARAWARDS2023

#IWD2023

This International Women's Day we invited a host of female guests to inspire and motivate our Edonians. Karis from an Asset Management Firm shares her experience of working for Royal London in asset management.

The Star Awards took place in Blackburn in March

The Star Awards is an opportunity to celebrate the best of Star Academies. Students, Staff and Governors are nominated by their peers The shortlisted finalists are invited to a glitz and glamour event where the final winners are announced

Congratulations to Yr 11 pupils Zahra Malik for winning Inspirational Learner of the Year and Ms Dadabhoy for being shortlisted as Support Staff of the Year

UKRAINE

Students observe the national minute of silence for the lives lost in Ukraine

Pupils reflect on the meaning of life and pray for the lives lost

ACADEMIC VISIT

It was an honour to host Dr Mujadad Zaman and his esteemed colleagues and academics from the University of Tübingen. Exploring the positive contribution of faith schools to the community at large and in shaping character development in our students

LEADERSHIPDAY

Year 7

Year 9

Year 9 enterprise workshop with SAGE.

Year 7 pitching ‘Clear Beauty’, a transparent makeup to give a natural look. Wearable anywhere including school.

DESIGNTECHNOLOGYCOMPETITION

This term pupils took part in a creative and technical challenge for Design Technology. Pupils had to create a game from scratch. 1st place goes to Simra Akhtar for her Eden Monopoly. 2nd place is Khadijah Zahid who created a pocket air hockey game and 3rd place goes to Jaysha Siddiqui who created her original game with its own rules.

Year 8

Year 8 had a great time making 'Trashion' - they spent the day learning about the fashion industry and came up with eco friendly solutions. I am sure you will agree that these creations are worthy of the runways at London Fashion Week.

INTERFAITHSCHOOLSLINKINGPROJECT

Power

YR10GCSEHISTORY TOWEROFLONDON

Pupils from Eden and Forest School linked as part of our Interfaith schools linking project with the Faith Belief Forum It was exciting and fun! We explored our identities and communities.

NETBALLTOURNAMENT

Al -Andalus 2023

On the 9th of March, 24 students departed abroad to Spain. The students landed in Malaga and had a tour of Seville. The pupils also had a full day in Córdoba and Granada. However, everyone was very reluctant to leave on Sunday evening as it was a trip you would have wanted to last forever.

D a y 1 D a y 2

After arriving in Malaga airport mid-morning, the group met their wonderful tour guide, Abu Bakr. The first place they visited was Alcazar one of the most famous sites in Seville. Built by the Almohads, it is a fantastic example of classic Mudejar architecture The next stop was La Giralda Minaret which is one of the tallest buildings in the city, for over 800 years dominating the skyline at 103 meters. After a long day of travelling, the group settled down at their hotel in Córdoba

e group checked out of the hotel at 8:30 a.m. after ving an amazing buffet breakfast The first place they plored was the Córdoba Mosque This is unique because s a mosque as well as a cathedral The prayer hall is the ost famous feature of the mosque as it influenced osques all over the world. The next sight they visited was adinat al Zahra, the palace-city built by Abd al-Rahman Afterwards they travelled to Granada and checked into their hotel

The group visited the breath-taking Alhambra Palace. They took an detailed tour and explored what was known as the ‘Jewel of AlAndalus'. The palace truly brings back a reminder of the magnificent glory that was Islamic Spain. After visiting Alhambra Palace, they had lunch and had lots of free time to buy presents for loved ones and shop for themselves, including some wonderful calligraphy done by a talented and kindly local artist. After their break they explored The Albaicín, this is a world heritage site and its narrow alleyways date back to Islamic era of Al-Andalus. They also visited a new mosque built by the local Spanish Muslim community.

Da y 3 D a y 4

On this final day everyone was busy getting their bags together so they could check out of the hotel early morning and be on their way to take in the majestic views of the Alpujarra Mountains which is where the last remaining Muslims of Al-Andalus made their final stand They then saw the local village of Pampaneira and visited the local chocolate factory, abuela ili, everyone's favourite part of that day Afterwards they made their way to Malaga airport to fly back home, arriving at school very tired and were excited to go home and sleep

Naeemah Rayann Ayub

A R O U N D T H E world

Lutheran Church, Germany: Protestant Christianity

The Lutheran Church holds a big significance in Protestant Christianity (to which the Church of England belongs) as it was the first Protestant Church. It was sparked by a 16th century German friar Martin Luther, who launched the Reformation movement in Wittenberg in Germany.

Apache for Big Seated Mountain, Dzil Nchaa Si An is known in English as Mount Graham, Arizona. To the Apache people it is holy ground, sacred and alive, home to the ga'an, or mountain spirits, and the source of life-giving water. It is a location for prayer and religious ceremonies that connect people, nature, and animals.

Dził Nchaa Si An, Arizona USA: Native American

Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, Rome: Christianity

This Catholic Church is in Italy, specifically in Rome. The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran is the faith’s highest church in Rome and the seat of the Bishop of Rome, the pope himself.

Mount Laojun, China: Taoism

Mount Laojun is a religious site unique to Taoists. It is a mountain in Henan Province, China. Hundreds of Taoists undertake pilgrimages every year.

Western Wall, Jerusalem: Judaism

The Western Wall is a religious site unique to Jews. It is believed that this was where the Second Temple stood before it was destroyed in 70 CE. The Western Wall is regarded as the most important place to gather and pray.

Ka’bah, Saudi Arabia: Islam

The Ka’bah is a religious site unique to Muslims. It is located in Makkah, Saudi Arabia and is believed to be the ‘House of Allah’ or in other words the ‘Bayt Ullah’

Lumbini, Nepal: Buddhism

Lumbini is a religious site unique to Buddhists, located in the Southern region of Nepal. It is believed to have been the birthplace of Lord Buddha or also known as Siddhartha Gautama.

The Ganges River, India: Hinduism

The Ganges River is a river considered sacred to Hindus. The Ganges starts in the southern Great Himalayas and ends at the Bay of Bengal It is believed to have healing and purifying properties.

Uluru, Australia: Aboriginal Religion

Widely known by its English name, Ayers Rock, Uluru is an immense sandstone rock outcrop located in the Northern Territory that has hosted traditional ceremonies for the Aboriginal people of Australia for 10,000 years, with an emphasis on the spirits of their ancestors.

by Iman Shabbir

STEM CELEBRATING

British Science Week is an annual celebration of science, technology engineering and maths. This Year, British Science Week ran from the 10th to the 19th of March The theme was 'connections' in STEM and here at Eden we had many exciting lessons, events and competitions to celebrate

In KS3, pupils took part in many exciting projects including: a virtual reality workshop, a geodesic dome building competition as well as rocket launching to name a few

In KS4, we were very lucky to invite back some of our former students who have gone on to study exciting STEM careers to take part in a STEM careers networking event with some of our KS4 pupils which was both inspiring and educational

MENTAL HEALTH

Let’s Connect is about making meaningful connections for all, during Children’s Mental Health Week – and beyond. People thrive in communities, and this connection is vital for our wellbeing.

Youth Health Champions

Recently, at Eden, our Youth Health Champions have been on their way to receiving their Level 2 qualifications for the YHC programme Youth Health Champions are a group of young people who work to promote health and wellness in their communities The primary goal of YHCs is to increase awareness about health issues among young people through education and advocacy initiatives that address topics such as nutrition, physical activity levels and mental health awareness

Here at Eden, a team of Year 9 students have been working hard to achieve this role. The YHC’s visited Heathcote School for training sessions on the 24th and 25th of January. This was an exciting opportunity for the students to gain knowledge and skills within the spectrum of mental wellbeing. The students were able to interact with YHC’s from other schools and develop their understanding of how to support their peers.

We wish them well on their journey as representative of mental health.

Children's Mental Health Week

Children's Mental Health Week is a week dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of children's mental health and wellbeing. It takes place every year in February and this year it was from 6th – 12th February, with the theme of Let’s Connect. At Eden, our Youth Health Champions went around to a range of students to collect inspirational affirmations and quotes, which were then connected to form a large paper chain of positivity The chain measured roughly 15m long with nearly 200 links We would like to say, our way of connecting was by encouraging! -

Aaila Ahmed

RAMADAN Kareem

The Last Ten Nights of Ramadan

This year, the last portion of Ramadan will fall into the Easter holidays and as such, we will be able to devote more time to our worship of Allah Ta’ala. The final ten nights of Ramadan are particularly important to us as Muslims due to the immense rewards they contain. In fact, ʿA’isha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated that when the last ten nights would begin, the Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) would prepare himself to undertake religious activities, stay awake at night (for prayer and devotion) and awaken his family (Bukhārī and Muslim). Thus, what things can we do during our holidays to utilise this time well?

1. Seeking the Night of Decree (Laylat al-Qadr)

The Messenger of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Seek the Night of Decree in the odd nights out of the last ten nights of Ramadan ” (Bukhārī) In another hadith, he said, “Whoever stands up in prayer during the Night of Decree, with faith and being hopeful of Allah’s reward, will have their former sins forgiven ” (Muslim) Likewise, the Qur’an has highlighted that worshipping Allah during this night is better than 1000 months of worship (approx 83 years!)

2. Giving Charity

This was the month in which the Prophet (may peace and blessings be upon him) would give charity the most In fact, giving charity during the last ten nights multiplies the rewards, especially if your donation aligns with the Night of Decree

3. Supplication

This is an important part of Ramadan and crucial to a successful month. Supplications during this month are readily accepted by Allah but the chances of them being accepted are far superior during particular moments. For us, it is particularly important to pay attention to supplicating to Allah Ta’ala at the time of ifṭār, on the day of Jummuʿa, and during the nights.

I pray to Allah Ta’ala that He accepts our Ramadan and pardons our shortcomings. Āmīn.

Muhammad Dalvi

FAITH

SPIRITUALITY DAY 2023

As Ramadan draws near, a feeling of warmth and joy fills the corridors of Eden. To embrace the atmosphere, Eden hosted its annual Spirituality Day. The day was divided into four virtual sessions hosted by Moulana Dalvi. Sessions went over the importance of the holy month, making proper supplication, Ramadan around the world and the Night of Qadr. Resources were given out to students, allowing them to plan their own daily schedules and duas! The day was ended with a session of listening to Surah Kahf, as Eden always does on a Friday, leaving students with a tranquil state of mind, ready to make the most of Ramadan.

Students at Eden are always encouraged to embrace Ramadan. Faith is one of our key values, so provisions are put in place for students to read the Qur’an at lunch time, and decorations adorn the walls of the school. We will also host our annual Iftar event, which everyone looks forward to. And not to forget - to celebrate, each form group will host its own Secret Eidee near the end of the month!

Inaya Irfan

TURKEY & SYRIA EARTHQUAKE

On 6 February 2023, in the middle of the night, a magnitude 7 8 earthquake struck in Turkey and Syria There was widespread damage, and more than 55,700 deaths were confirmed: more than 48,400 in Turkey, and more than 7,200 in Syria

An estimated 14 million people, or 16 percent of Turkey's population, were affected

Damaged roads, winter storms, and disruption to communications hampered the disaster and emergency rescue and relief effort, which included a 60,000-strong search-and-rescue force, 5,000 health workers and 30,000 volunteers Following Turkey's call for international help, more than 141,000 people from 94 countries joined the rescue effort

Eden made sure this tragedy didn't get ignored which is why we rapidly created a Turkey and Syria campaign to raise money for these grief-stricken families The school encouraged us to donate daily, so the students felt a sense of responsibility and stewardship to make a difference We raised a total of £10,456 in 2 weeks, demonstrating how supportive the students were towards this cause

Naseeha Abdul-Hye

Centre of Islamic Studies - Dr Yomna Helmy

ON FAITH

By Aaila Ahmed

Growing up as a Muslim in an Islamic environment, faith is an important aspect in my life To me, it means having trust and belief in something bigger than myself – whether that be as a higher power, a set of values or principles I live by, or the people around me who have my best interests at heart, especially in a religious aspect It helps guide my decisions when faced with challenging situations; and most importantly it provides comfort during moments of doubt or uncertainty.

As a Muslim, my faith is incredibly important because it serves as the foundation for how I live my life daily – from following Islamic teaching such as the five daily prayers and fasting during the month of Ramadan, all the way down to smaller acts like greeting or being kinder towards those around me, regardless of their background or beliefs. My faith also helps me stay grounded when faced with tough decisions by reminding me that God will always provide guidance if I seek Him out through prayer first, before making any rash choices based solely on temporary emotions alone.

In addition to providing spiritual guidance throughout my life journey thus far, having strong religious convictions has helped shaped

who I am today by giving me an overall sense of purpose and direction no matter what obstacles come along the way – whether they are physical hardships like poverty or emotional challenges such as heartbreak – knowing that everything ultimately happens according to Allah’s (SWT) plan brings peace into even the darkest moments because at least there was still meaning behind them all, instead of random chaos without rhyme or reason why certain events occur in our lives.

It also happens to be, that Islam provides a sense of community by connecting me with people who share the same values as I do, allowing us to come together for mutual support and understanding Most importantly, it teaches humility; reminding me that no matter what success I achieve in this world, they pale in comparison to the rewards awaiting those who strive for spiritual perfection.

All these reasons combined make it clear why my faith is such an integral part of not only me, but millions of people across the globe who rely on its teaching every day to bring order amidst the uncertainties that this world throws at us

GOOD MANNERS

Good manners. What are they? Manners are the way you treat other people. If you have good manners people will expect good things from you, however, if you have bad manners, then people will have low expectations of you. You know how that saying goes: first impressions are always your last impressions.

Believe it or not, having good manners opens doors to many opportunities. People are naturally drawn to people who have a good personality, character and manners. Having good manners can also help you in the work force. Your parents and teachers don’t teach you to have good manners for no reason - they teach you to prepare you for the future.

Manners aren’t only talked about in school or in the comfort of your home, they are also mentioned in religion. There is no religion which directs you to have bad manners, just the opposite.

In Tirmidhi, it is said that: “Nothing will be heavier on the day of resurrection in the scale of the believer than good manners. Allah hates one who utters foul or coarse language.” Having good manners could help you achieve Jannah, remember that. In Bukhari, it is said that: “The best among you are those who have the best of manners and characters.” Imagine being the best amongst the Ummah?

In a Hadeeth, the Prophet (S.A.W) said: “I guarantee a house in Jannah for one who gives up arguing even if he is right; and I guarantee a home in the middle of

Jannah for one who abandons lying even for the sake of fun; and I guarantee a house in the highest part of Jannah for one who has good manners.” Good manners equate to a house in the HIGHEST part of Jannah, the HIGHEST!

In the Quran, Allah (S.W.T) said: “O you who believe! Do not ridicule others, perhaps they may be better than you. And do not insult one another, nor call each other names.” This means that you shouldn’t make fun of someone because you don’t know them, you don’t know the struggles they’ve been through and why they act like that. You never know, they could be better than you in the eyes of Allah.

In the Bible, it is said: “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

I would like to end this with an inspirational quote based on the words of Saint Augustine: “Don’t start doing bad just because everyone is doing it. Don’t stop doing good just because no-one is doing it.” People often drift into bad behaviour because of pressures from their group – the herd mentality it is sometimes called. You can see this in action when school children behave badly at the bus stop after school – even though they individually know better. We live in a day and age where good and bad is sometimes hard to distinguish - it sometimes takes time to work it out. So, take that time, and try to remember, always do good!

Iman Shabbir

The one day of the year when all students - and I mean ALL students - put in the effort to win the best outfit in the school. This year, once again, students went all out and even came in dressed as sharks and alien inflatables! To be honest, it was pretty funny

Many students joined in with group ideas For example, we had The Purge join us from year 9, and Inside Out from Year 11 The year 9’s had a little extra surprise for the staff when they got their head of year to dress up as Bing Bong from Inside Out It was an amazing outfit!

We had a little surprise from the English department too when the teachers came in dressed up as all the characters from An Inspector Calls!

That’s not all, we had not one, but two Maleficents! And we can't forget our one and only, Dr Phil! This year we held a competition for the best outfit in the school and the best group outfit in the school, but these are yet to be decided So many amazing outfits blew everyone away!

By Juwairia Butt

HOLOCAUST

On January 10th we commemorated those souls whose lives were unjustly stolen from them Those brutally murdered lost the warmth that home and family bring. First, they lost their sense of belonging, outcast by people no different to them - only on account of their religious beliefs. Through hate speech, prejudice and violence, their homes, as well as their lives were lost It follows that the theme of this year's UN International Day to Commemorate is “Home and Belonging”

Our Deputy Faith Lead, Mr Jasat, attended a very moving Holocaust Memorial Event on 24th January at the Waltham Forest Town Hall, organised by Holocaust Centre UK

The event was well attended by the Mayor of Waltham Forest, Leader of the Waltham Forest Council,

Deputy Lieutenant Jeremy Fern, senior Police officers and several other community and faith leaders Special guest and keynote speaker was Dr Agnes Kaposki MBE (a 90 year old Holocaust survivor)

Here in Eden, we made a memorial in the form of a wall display, to show our solidarity with the victims of the Holocaust A beautiful replica of the Holocaust Memorial Trust symbol made entirely of hundreds of pieces of coloured material Surrounding it, heart breaking stories of victims and survivors, not only from the Holocaust but other cruel genocides as well

And importantly as always, we attended a presentation to educate us and raise awareness of the crimes committed, to make sure humanity never repeats its grievous errors

Zainab Imran

Mr Jasat - Faith assembly to pupils in Year 7

At the end of last ye part in an annual co called CyberFirst Gir series of challenges

On Saturday the 4th Janna Saliman, Ruhm went to the Deloitte in the finals against many girls their age

They deciphered messages and wrote code and worked hard These students have described the competition as “challenging but also fun”. They said that it was a great way to socialise and talk with people their age who had similar interests to them.

Crs that Eden has team came in Barnett and schools. The ievement. their ank you to Mr Swati, for leading this trip once again and supporting our team.

Mr Swati & Mr Ajaib attended the CyberFirst dinner on the 11th of March as a Head of Computer Science and received the trophy for the most team entries for state schools nationally, where each team scored more than 400 points. This is the second time in a row that Eden have received this trophy

R E V I E W S

Enola Holmes is back with another remarkable mystery! Millie Bobby Brown stars in another masterpiece I guarantee you are in for a great rollercoaster ride This film delivers excitement, mystery, and suspense

Following her debut, a witty Enola Holmes bounces back to prove she is more than just a young lady She endeavours to start her very own detective agency, however, her dreams come almost to a halt when she encounters difficulties finding willing clients, disheartening her

But when it seems as if all hope is lost, a young factory girl called Bessie requests her assistance to locate her missing sister Bessie leads her to the match factory, which we are told is undergoing a deadly typhus epidemic In this seemingly ordinary match factory, a dark secret is uncovered with the most unlikely mastermind behind it

This film was wonderfully made with superb acting The cast includes many wellknown faces, such as Helena Bonham Carter, Louis Partridge and Henry Caville I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery

By Maliha Afzal

Lockwood & Co is a Netflix series based on the books by Johnathan Stroud We learn how many decades ago, ghosts began showing up all over Britain and an epidemic of hauntings began Over fifty years later, this is known as “The Problem” and it seems to have only gotten worse The series follows Lucy Carlyle, a girl with an extreme talent for hearing ghosts, as she attempts to find a new job following the accident at her last job She moves to London to join a ghost-hunting agency, where she soon realises that, despite her talent, no one will hire her No one except for a small agency named Lockwood & Co

The overall concept of the series is unique Everything from the special effects to the costumes to the action scenes looked great The plot was interesting, despite it being slow at times However, they use a lot of terminologies, such as “The Problem”, without defining it, leaving the audience confused at points The last scene of the series is a major cliff-hanger Though a second season is not yet confirmed, it is expected, and I cannot wait to find out the answers to their unsolved mysteries

By Maimunah Kola

Man vs Bee is a TV show with famous comedy actor Rowan Atkinson as the main character The storyline follows bubbly dad, Trevor Bingley, who has finally found a job as a house sitter with a new company He must house sit a modern mansion for a couple, with household items worth millions of pounds

The owner of the house shows Trevor the 'simple’ high-tech setup and tells him there is a manual if he needs help The couple also has a sheepdog named Cupcake who has a very specific diet and a severe nut allergy While Trevor is house sitting there is a bee that comes into the house and causes mayhem and lots of trouble for Trevor, and if you thought that was bad enough some burglars come to rob the house

Trevor ends up in a courtroom and is found guilty of 14 counts from stealing a car to arson all because of a bee But that’s not the end of it, and if you’re interested you can stream it on Netflix The show was entertaining and funny - however it was split into short ten-minute episodes when I thought it would be better suited as a film

By Naeemah Ayub

R E V I E W S

The film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever was released on the 11th of November Lead actor, Chadwick Boseman, died of cancer before the production of the film began To accommodate for his loss while also respecting him, he was not replaced Instead, the plot was altered so that T’Challa had been suffering from an illness Shuri tried her best create a synthetic heart shaped herb, but it was too late, and the King died

One year after the King’s death, Ramonda is the Queen of Wakanda, and Shuri is still grieving the loss of her brother Her inability to save him has caused her to doubt herself and her gods The rest of the world are still fighting to get their grasp on vibranium, and nineteen-year-old Riri Williams is a step ahead of all of them

All in all, the film was an interesting idea; seeing Shuri as Black Panther was something I anticipated However, the plot was implausible which lessened the impact on the audience The film partially redeemed itself through the diverse wardrobe and make-up Overall, I would rate it 3.7 stars We all look forward to the return of Riri Williams, where she will revive the legacy of Iron Man in the awaited series, Armour Wars

By Maimunah Kola

Avatar: The Way of the Water is an action-adventure film based on life on the planet Pandora, home to a native tribe called the Na’vi. The follow up to the film Avatar, this movie has been in the making for a long 13 years, and its release has been a huge cinema event. The film was produced and directed by James Cameron who is also responsible for some of the biggest and best movies of all time, for example Titanic, The Terminator and of course, the original Avatar

Avatar: The Way of the Water is an incomparable science fiction movie Each scene has amazing editing that makes it look incredibly realistic Maybe this is why it took so long to complete the film, Covid pandemic aside But the movie producers aren’t finished – expect some further sequels to be released soon

In summary Avatar: The Way of the Water is a movie we would highly recommend if you enjoy action and adventure! But before you go, it’s time for a fun fact: did you know the Na’vi are 10 feet tall? That’s almost twice the height of the average human being!

By Juwairia Butt

Matilda The Musical is a comedy musical movie for kids based on the stage musical by Tim Minchin, itself inspired by the novel by Roald Dahl This is the second movie adaptation of the story, and it puts a twist on it in an endearing way Matilda is an incredibly smart girl whose creativity is stifled by her nasty parents, who can barely remember that’s she’s over four years old! She soon goes to school and experiences a whole new world, while discovering and exploring her own secret superpower. The movie was well executed, with many flashy and memorable songs. However, the original had a more dramatic feel to it, making us feel as if we were really looking from the perspective of a child and there was a deeper character development of our heroin Matilda

In the book, she was timid with a mischievous side when pushed to the edge, however the musical portrays her as almost fearless

It may not be the next 5-star movie that’ll go down in history, but it’s more than enough for a fun family film night and lending to this fact it's easy to access on Netflix I give it

By Zainab Imran